[Occult and alchemical compilation]

Name:

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

Timespan:

Early works to 1800

Date:

1750

Description:

Collection of instructions for alchemical processes and experiments.

Language:

English

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. 618A, 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; diagrams; drawings (visual works); manuals (instructional materials); Manuscripts, European; manuscripts (documents)

Physical Description:

184 leaves : paper; 197 x 138 mm bound to 208 x 150 mm

Rights:

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

Notes:

Ms. codex.; Title supplied by cataloger.; Foliation: Paper, 184 leaves; [1-184]; irregular contemporary foliation in ink, modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto. All references in this record are to modern foliation.; Script: Written in various cursive and semi-cursive scripts by multiple hands.; Decoration: Several pen and ink diagrams (for example, f. 67r, 68v, 141r); alchemical symbols used throughout.; Binding: Contemporary parchment. Front and back pastedowns have come loose.; Origin: Written in Italy in the second half of the 18th century.; Purchased with support from the B. H. Breslauer Foundation.; Italian.

Physical Location:

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, Ms. Codex 1701