[Alchemical compilation]

Name:

Charles Rainsford Collection of Alchemical and Occult Manuscripts (University of Pennsylvania)

Timespan:

Early works to 1800

Date:

1750

Description:

Collection of treatises on Hermetic works, the philosopher's stone, with instructions for the transmutation of metals, creating artificial diamonds, and alchemical recipes for powders, elixirs, and occasional medicinal remedies. Includes a table of contents (p. iii-x).

Language:

French

Provenance:

Formerly owned by Charles Rainsford (British army officer, fellow of the Royal Society, and alchemist); bequeathed by Rainsford to Hugh Percy, Second Duke of Northumberland.; Owned by the 2nd through 12th Dukes of Northumberland, ms. 576, Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, 1809-2014 (bookplate, inside upper cover; stamps throughout).; Sold at auction at Sotheby's (London), 15 July 2014, as part of Lot 411.; Rainsford, Charles, 1728-1809, former owner.; Northumberland, Hugh Percy, Duke of, 1742-1817, former owner.

Relation:

Unique at Penn blog post: https://repository.upenn.edu/uniqueatpenn/23/

Subject:

Alchemy -- Early works to 1800; Alchemy; Occultism -- Early works to 1800; Occultism

Resource Type:

Text

Form/Genre:

codices (bound manuscripts); compilation manuscripts; drawings (visual works); manuals (instructional materials); recipes; treatises; Manuscripts, European; manuscripts (documents)

Physical Description:

134 leaves : paper; 186 x 113 (169 x 104) mm bound to 191 x 115 mm

Rights:

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Notes:

Ms. codex.; Title supplied by cataloger.; Pagination: Paper, i (contemporary paper) + 134 + i (contemporary paper); [xiv], 1-163, [164-176], 177, [178-188], 189, [190-192], 193, [194-196], 197, [198], 199, [200], 201-207, [208-210], 211-214, [215-216], 217, [218-228], 229, [230], 231, [232], 233, [234-238], 237, [238-243], 244-245, [246], 247-251, [252]; contemporary pagination in ink, modern pagination in pencil, upper center. Back pastedown has come loose from lower inside cover.; Layout: Written in 25-29 long lines.; Script: Written in a cursive script, possibly by multiple hands.; Decoration: Pen and ink drawing of sun, pentagram, and moon, with vines and plants along lower border (p. xiii), drawings of alchemical equipment (p. 41, 43, 47), alchemical symbols, and occasional use of red ink in table of contents.; Binding: Contemporary leather. Upper outer corners are fragile due to moisture damage and many leaves are detached or deteriorating resulting in some loss of text.; Origin: Written in France in the second half of the 18th century.; Purchased with support from the B. H. Breslauer Foundation.; French, with occasional Latin words and phrases.

Physical Location:

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, Ms. Codex 1665