A Selection of 20 Books and Manuscripts on the Art of Alchemy

"Long shrouded in secrecy, alchemy is now recognized as the ancestor of modern chemistry. Alchemists were notorious for attempting to make synthetic gold, but their goals were far more ambitious: to transform and bend nature to the will of an industrious human imagination. For scientists, philosophers, and artists alike, alchemy seemed to hold the key to unlocking the secrets of creation. Alchemists’ efforts to discover the way the world is made have had an enduring impact on artistic practice and expression around the globe. Inventions born from alchemical laboratories include metal alloys for sculpture and ornament, oil paints, effects in glassmaking, and even the chemical baths of photography. The mysterious art of alchemy transformed visual culture from antiquity to the Industrial Age, and its legacy still permeates the world we make today."
— David Brafman, Rare Books Curator, Getty Research Institute
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1Earliest printing of Arabic physicians in a modern vernacular
Arzneibuch.Nuremberg, 17 Mar 1477.
€ 95,000.00One of the earliest medical books in the vernacular and the first printed German pharmacopoeia. First dated edition: an undated edition was published at Augsburg in the same year, followed by four more printed editions before 1500. Of the utmost rarity, no copy of the present first edition traceable at auction or in the trade since 1950. Only Lathrop …
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2Unique, early Renaissance alchemical manual drawing on Rhazes & Arabic tradition, a source for western botany
An alchemist's handbook, in German. Illustrated manuscript on paper.Germany, ca. 1480/90.
€ 350,000.00A Renaissance alchemist's handbook, quoting Al-Razi by name and deeply rooted in the Islamic tradition of alchemical art. An intriguing manuscript which bears witness to early practical chemistry in 15th century Germany and to the immense influence of Arabic alchemy, illustrated with talented watercolour diagrams of the associated apparatus.
Indeed, …
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3"One of the earliest Western documents showing a revival of interest in botany" (Hunt): A magnificent, heavily annotated copy, ex-libris Fairfax Murray
De viribus herbarum.Geneva, ca. 1496.
€ 75,000.00The Fairfax Murray copy of a landmark botanical incunable, being the first or second illustrated edition of "one of the earliest Western documents showing a revival of interest in botany" (Hunt I, p. 4). Following unillustrated Italian printings in 1477 and 1482, the Genevan Jean Belot (printer of the 1495 "Fasciculus temporum", the 'Fardelet du …
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4First edition of this "first 'medical dictionary' - an invaluable storehouse of facts - and fancies" (Wightman)
Onomastikon medicinae.Strasbourg, 14 April 1534.
€ 9,500.00First edition of this Renaissance dictionary of natural science compiled by Otto Brunfels, the "father of German botany", best known for pioneering the emancipation of that field from medieval herbalism. "Brunfels' passion for compiling and organizing reference material [...] was fully exhibited in his 'Onomastikón', a comprehensive dictionary containing …
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5Surgical instruments illustrated
Omnes, qui proximis seculis scripserunt, medicos longe excellentis opera …Basel, 1540.
€ 9,500.00Rare edition of this commentary on the ninth book of the treatise dedicated by ar-Razi (also known as Rhazes; 850-923 or 932) to Almansor, the Prince of Chorosan (with the text). "The manual, known as 'Nonus Almansoris', was popular among medieval physicians" (cf. GAL S I, p. 419). The work discusses special pathology but excluding pyrology and was …
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6The first edition to call Geber an Arab: profusely annotated throughout
(De alchemia). In hoc volumine de alchemia continentur haec. Gebri Arabis, …Nuremberg, 1541.
€ 48,000.00The rare first edition of this extremely important and early collection of alchemical writings, which unites several first printings of works previously circulated only as manuscripts. This is first edition to call Geber an "Arab", the first to use "Summa perfectionis magisterii" on the title-page, and also the first printing of the famous "Smaragdine …
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7Jabir's alchemy
De alchemia dialogi duo. Quorum prior, genuinam librorum Gebri sententiam, …Lyon, 1548.
€ 8,500.00First Latin edition of this alchemical work, first published in Venice in 1544 as "La Espositione di Geber philosopho". Written in the form of a dialogue, the first part contains a conversation between a certain Demogorgon and Geber (whom Demogorgon addresses as "most learned nephew of Mahomet") about the latter's works. In the second part Demogorgon …
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8The first book on smallpox
[Kitab al-Gadari wa 'l-Hasbah - latine.] Libri duodecim; Razae de pestilentia …Strasbourg, 1549.
€ 7,500.00First Latin edition of this collection, published in Greek by Stephanus in Paris the previous year (itself a translation from Syriac): the twelve books on medicine by Alexander of Tralles, the first parasitologist in medical history (and the younger brother of Anthemius, architect of the Hagia Sophia), issued with al-Razi's classic treatise on smallpox …
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916th century collection of nine alchemical tracts, including one by Ibn Sina
De alchimia opuscula complura veterum philosophorum, quorum catalogum sequens …Frankfurt, 24 March 1550 preface.
€ 25,000.00Extremely rare edition of this collection of nine alchemical tracts, including "De tinctura metallorum" (On the Colorations of Metals), attributed to the great Arab scientist Ibn Sina, who is known in the Latin tradition as Avicenna. Ibn Sina was one of the most significant thinkers and writers of the Islamic golden age, and his bibliography comprises …
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10First Latin edition
De secretis libri sex mira quadam rerum varietate referti ex italico in …Basel, 1559.
€ 2,500.00First Latin edition of Alessio's "De secretis", still in six books. The author is commonly identified with the alchemist Girolamo Ruscelli (1520-66). "Das Werk gehört nach Caillet zur 'haute philosophie hermetique'. Es enthält außer alchemistischen auch viele kosmetische Rezepte, ferner solche gegen Pest, Schlangengift, Ungeziefer, wie auch Konfekt, …
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11Renaissance alchemical manuscript showing a distillatory furnace, combining Paracelsian and Kabbalistic traditions
Alchemical manuscript on vellum containing a series of complex symbols, …Northern Italy, not before 1560s.
€ 45,000.00An unusual and sophisticated alchemical manuscript showing a range of influences from Paracelsus to the Kabbalah.
Beginning in the middle of the single gathering, the manuscript contains a series of complex symbols and diagrams with cipher text, encoding alchemical processes. The illustrations start off with a symbol incorporating four watchtowers, …
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12The very rare first edition
Verae alchemiae artisque metallicae, citra aenigmata, doctrina, certusque …Basel, 1561.
€ 45,000.00Very rare first edition. "One of the earliest collections of alchemical writers, containing 53 texts [...] A very important item" (Duveen). Among the authors of these treatises highly sought after by 16th century disciples of the hermetic sciences are Geber (Jabir ibn Hayyan), Avicenna, Roger Bacon, Arnaldus de Villanova, Albertus Magnus, Ramon Llull, …
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13First complete German edition
Der erste (-ander) Theil, deß köstlichen unnd theuren Schatzes Euonymi …Sankt Gallen, 1582-1583.
€ 5,800.00Principal alchemical work of the Swiss physician, botanist and zoologist Gessner: the first complete German edition of the "Thesaurus de remediis secretis", translated by the Zürich theologian Johann Rudolf Landenberger and the physician Johann Jakob Nüscheler. The first part had appeared in German in 1555; only in 1569 did Caspar Wolf edit the …
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14An Arabic work on alchemy, quoted by Goethe
De transfiguratione metallorum, et occulta, summaque antiquorum philosophorum …Hanau, 1593.
€ 9,500.00Final and best 16th century edition of this alchemical work originally written in Arabic, the first edition having appeared at Paris in 1559. The legendary Byzantine monk Morienus is said to have gone to Alexandria to study with the Arabian scholar Adfar, whose favourite student he became. Subsequently settling in Jerusalem as a hermit, he devoted …
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15First German printing of Roger Bacon's "Lapis philosophorum"
Auriferae artis Das ist, Der Goldtkunst: Die man Chemiam nennt, Uhrälteste …Frankfurt a. M., 1597.
€ 7,500.00Very rare first German edition of this collection of alchemical works. The preface ("Typographus lectori") by the Basel printer Peter Perna, who printed the first Latin edition of the "Auriferae artis" in 1572, mentions Geber (Jabir ibn Hayyan), Avicenna (Ibn Sina), Rhases (al-Razi), Arnaldus de Villanova, and Raymond Lull.
The present edition …
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16With extensive annotations by a contemporary owner
Rosarium novum olympicum et benedictum. Das ist: Ein newer Gebenedeyter …Basel, 1608.
InquireFirst edition of this alchemical manual; extremely rare: a prettily preserved copy with extensive annotations by a 17th century alchemist.
The first part contains extracts from Paracelsus, Salomon Trismosin, and Trithemius (though Sudhoff, who provides a thorough list of the contents, doubts the authenticity of the Paracelsus sections). The …
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17Forerunner of Computer Science: author's presentation copy to the Superior General of the Jesuit Society
Ars magna sciendi, in XII libros digesta, qua nova & universali methodo …Amsterdam, 1669.
€ 50,000.00First and only edition of this work important for the theory of science. Its fundamental idea of connecting all branches of science in a common system is based upon the thoughts of Ramon Llull. "Represents the 17th century research for a universal language" (Merill) and is considered a "fascinating anticipation and precursor of computer science" …
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18Grimaldy's panacea: a very rare treatise from the library of Henri Joliet
Le tombeau de l'envie, ou il est prouvé qu'il n'y a qu'une medecine, qui …Dijon, 1679.
InquireExtremely rare treatise on a panacea by Denis de Maubec, de Copponay de Grimaldy (1623?-1717). This curious author was alchemist, personal physician to the king of Sardinia and founder of the Académie chimique ducale-royale de Savoie. He is known from a few short treatises from the end of the 17th century and his posthumous work published by Jourdan …
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19Complete collective medical manuscript
Al-Urjuza fi l-tibb [Poem on Medicine] and other medical and alchemical …Probably Ottoman Empire, ca. 1690s / late 17th century CE.
€ 40,000.00A fine, complete composite medical manuscript, including pharmacological and alchemical material. The principal section is formed by the "Urjuza fi l-tibb", or "Medical Poem" of Ibn Sina, which can be considered a poetic summary in 1326 verses of the author's great encyclopedic textbook, the Qanun. The verse form made it popular as a mnemonic in …
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20Inscribed
Deux Logis Alchimiques. En Marge de la Science et de l'Histoire.Paris, 1945.
InquireFirst edition of this modern classic of alchemy with an autograph inscription to the French engineer and occultist René Alleau (1917-2013): "À l'ami, au disciple, affectueusement, fratenerellement, cette franche contribution à l'étude de la vieille Science d'Hermès; [...]".
Eugène Canseliet (1899-1982) was the most important alleged …