[Alchemical miscellany].

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Language:

Italian

Latin

Subjects (All):

Alchemy--Early works to 1800.

Alchemy.

Chemistry--History.

Chemistry.

History.

Genre:

codices (bound manuscripts)

Manuscripts, Latin.

Manuscripts, European.

Penn Provenance:

Acquired, 1953.

Physical Description:

214 leaves : paper ; 185 x 122 (149 x 90) mm bound to 191 x 127 mm

Place of Publication:

[Italy], [between 1675 and 1725]

Language Note:

Latin, with some Italian.

Summary:

Collection of alchemical works.

Contents:

1. f.1r-19v: Minera philosophorum.

2. f.20r-46v: Radius ab umbra.

3. f.47r-59r: De arte chymica, et eius principiis.

4. f.60r-66r: De lapide philosophorum / Bernard of Trevisan.

5. f.66v-68r: Elegantia de opere philosophico.

6. f.68r-71r: Ex theoriis Joannis Isacci Hollandi.

7. f.71r-73r: In tractatu primo Oliveris de Oliveriis in cap. 13 de devotione.

8. f.73v-87r: In bifolio metallico dicitur.

9. f.87r-97r: Ex aphorismis Gebri.

10. f.97r-104v: Expositio librorum Gebri et Raimundi Lulli.

11. f.105r-152r, 165r-167r: Expositiones alchemiae Gebri.

12. f.152v-158v: Collection of short alchemical extracts.

13. f.158v-165r: Tractatus Io[annis] Belye Angli.

14. f.167r-169r: In dialogo Demogorgonis et Raimundi de Ligno vitae.

15. f.169r-181r: Della sferza degl'Alchimisti.

16. f.181r-192r: De fermento et multiplicatione.

17. f.192v-196v: Practica.

18. f.197r-212v: Index rerum notabilium.

Notes:

Ms. codex.

Title supplied by cataloger (Zacour-Hirsch).

Collation: Paper, iii (contemporary paper) + 214 + iii (contemporary paper); 1-17¹², 18¹²( -2); 1-191, [192-214]; contemporary foliation in ink, modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto. Catchwords in lower right corner of every page.

Script: Written in a cursive script.

Watermarks: At least two unidentified types, one with the initials GB in the gutter.

Decoration: Manicules throughout (for example, f. 13r).

Binding: 18th-century Italian parchment. Generally in good condition. Some damage and discoloration of the paper due to oxidation of the ink. Spine of cover deteriorating. Pastedowns pulling loose.

Origin: Written in Italy in the late 17th or early 18th century (Zacour-Hirsch).

Forms part of: Edgar F. Smith Memorial Collection.

Cited in:

Described in Zacour, Norman P. and Hirsch, Rudolf. Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Libraries of the University of Pennsylvania to 1800 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1965), p. 234-235 (Ms. E.F. Smith 13).

This collection is similar to the Ginaeceum chimicum; cf. Ferguson, John. Bibliotheca chemica, v. I, p. 318

Cited as:

UPenn Ms. Codex 117

OCLC:

155962556