Euonymus Philater [pseudonym for Conrad Gessner]. Schatz. Ein Kostlicher Theürer Schatz darinn behalten sind vil heymlicher gutter stuck der artzny... eygenschafft der gebrannten wasseren und olen... in Latin beschriben... Zurich: Andreas and Jacob Gessner, 1555. First German edition (originally published in Latin in 1552). Small quarto. [vi], 390, [2, blank], [16, indices] pages. With numerous woodcuts of distilling and chemical apparatus. Contemporary full vellum over beveled wooden boards, boards elaborately stamped in blind, metal clasps. Binding heavily worn and toned with large areas of vellum missing from the front board, remnants of later paper labels on spine and rear board, front hinge and joint cracking (yet still quite solid), front free endpaper torn and chipped, first few leaves with worming to inner margin, text and endleaves toned and somewhat foxed, some edgewear, soiling and marginal dampstaining to text. A good copy of this very rare item.
"This collection of recipes for medicines, the distillation of essential oils, and winemaking was first published under the pseudonym Euonymus Philiatrus because Gesner considered it not quite up to his own exact standards. It became his most popular book" (Wellisch).
Wellisch A32.17. Durling 2084. Wellcome I, 2788.