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Rare first edition of Ashmole's Alchemy, 1652

Title: Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum. Containing severall poeticall pieces of our famous English philosophers, who have written the hermetique mysteries in their owne ancient language. Faithfully collected into one volume, with annotations thereon...
Author: Ashmole, Elias
Description: [16], 486, [8] pp. (A-Sss4). Title-page printed in red & black, with copper-engraved vignette; 7 full-page copper-engravings, most by Robert Vaughan; 5 other copper-engravings in the text, including the horoscope of Edward Kelley. (4to) 7¼x5½, modern gilt-tooled calf in antique style. First Edition. Alchemy in verse, including the Ordinall of Alchemie by Thomas Norton, the Compound of Alchemie by George Ripley, the Chanon's Yeoman's Tale by Chaucer, Sir Edward Kelley's Worke, Doctor John Dees' Testament, Secreta Secretorum by John Lydgate, and other works. This copy complete save for the folding engraved table and one leaf that was likely a blank or errata leaf; the table is often wanting, and its presence or lack thereof may well be a point of issue, as may that of the missing leaf. The book is rarely found in such complete state as this one, the captivating full-page engravings often going astray. Stated Part One on the title-page, but this is all that was published. Duveen 31; Wing A-3987.
Heading: (Alchemy)
Place Published: London
Publisher Name: Printed by F. Grismond for N. Brook
Date Published: 1652

Stain & neat repairs to top margins throughout slightly affecting some text, a few other expert repairs and restoration, lacking Rrr4, as the Yale University Copy, speculated by them as a blank but possibly a short errate leaf, very good or better, well restored in an attractive binding in period style.

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