Alchemy, Astrology & Occult

21 Pages·2016·2.9 MB·English

antiquariaat FORUM & ASHER Rare Books
Alchemy, Astrology & Occult
Alchemy, Astrology & Occult
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cover image: no. 3 v 1.1 · 23 Aug 2016
Key work of Arabic astrologer
1. ALBUMASAR (Abu Ma’shar al-Balkhi Ja’Far ibn Muhammad).
Introductorium in astronomiam Albumasaris abalachi octo continens
libros partiales.
(Colophon: Venice, Giacomo Penzio for Melchiorre Sessa, 5 September
1506). 4to (21×15 cm). With woodcut illustration on title-page, Sessa’s
woodcut crowned cat and mouse device below colophon, 8 woodcut planet
and 12 woodcut zodiac figures in the text (plus 21 repeats), a woodcut
astrological diagram, another diagram made of rules and letterpress text),
numerous woodcut decorated initials (3 series). Set in 3 sizes of rotunda
gothic type, that of the main text with planet symbols. Mid-19th-century
sheepskin, gold-tooled spine. € 25.000
An early and attractive edition of a key astrological work. Of all the Arabic writers
on astrology, the most imposing is Ja’far ibn Muhammad Abû Ma’shar al-Balkhî
(ca. 787–886), known in the West as Albumasar. The present 12th-century
Latin translation by John of Seville of his “al-Madkhal al-kabir ilá ‘ilm ahkam
al-nujum” (Great introduction to the science of astrology) was first published at
Augsburg in 1489.
Small early ink stamp on title-page, early manuscript index at end, written on
endleaves from the first binding; some early marginalia and underlinings in two
different early hands. From the library of Nicolas Yemeniz (1783–1871), with
pencilled lot number 969, and with the large armorial bookplate of William
Stirling-Maxwell (1818–1878). Binding slightly dirty, occasional insignificant
mark internally; overall a very good copy.
Adams A567; Cat. de la Bibl. de . N. Yemeniz, Paris, 1867, lot 969 (this copy); Isaac 12913; Gaselee, Early
printed books in Corpus Christi Cambridge, 166; Edit 16, CNCE 822.
Using optics to explain how people see ghosts
2. BROWN, J.H. Brown’s kleurvisioenen met een woord ter
aanwijzing en verklaring.
Leeuwarden, Hugo Suringar, [1866]. 4to. With 16 numbered litho-
graphed plates (13 hand-coloured) lithographed by Morriën & Amand,
Amsterdam. Original illustrated green cloth-backed boards, flyleaves
with publishers advertisements. € 1.750
Rare first edition of the Dutch translation of J.H. Brown’s Spectropia, or sur-
prising spectral illusions (1864), using the 19th-century knowledge of optics
to explain how people see ghosts. A second edition was published ca. 1870.
As described in the (original) introduction: “ To see the spectres, it is only
necessary to look steadily at the dot, or asterisk, which is to be found on
each of the plates, for about a quarter of a minute,.. Then turning the eyes
to the ceiling… of a darkened room (not totally dark), and looking rather
steadily at any one point, the spectre will soon being to make its appearance,
increasing in intensity, and then gradually vanishing, to reappear and vanish
again.”
Some occasional spots, book block nearly detached and wrappers slightly
soiled and rubbed. Good copy.
Landwehr, Plezier met papier 315; cf. NCC (5 copies of 2nd edition).
Standard work on iatrochemistry,
helping to make a science of alchemy
3. CROLL, Oswald. Basilica chymica continens. Philosophicam
propria[m] laborum experientia[m] confirmatam descriptionem et
usum remediorum chymicorum selectissimorum é lumine gratiae et
naturae desumptorum.
Including: CROLL, Oswald. [Divisional title:] Tractatus de signa-
turis internis rerum, ...
Frankfurt am Main, Godfried Tampach, [1611]. 2 parts plus laudatory
verses in 1 volume. 4to. With a richly engraved general title-page
by Aegidius Sadeler including the portraits of 6 famous alchemists:
Hermes Trismegistus, Geber (Jabir ibn Hayyan), Roger Bacon,
Paracelcus, Ramon Llull and Morienus Romanus of Jerusalem.
17th-century vellum. € 3.000
Rare second(?) edition by the original publisher and in the original Latin, of
the most important work of the chemist, alchemist and physician Oswald
Croll (1580–1609). It mixes chemical and spiritual means of healing,
following Paracelsus both by supporting the theory that man is a micro-
cosmos incorporating the universe, and by the 80-page second part on the
doctrine of signatures, which suggests that herbs resembling parts of the
human body can be used to treat ailments of that part. The Basilica chymica
provides the reader with a large number of secret alchemical recipes and
information about curative objects. The Basilica chymica quickly became
and remained the standard scientific work on iatrochemistry, a branch of
both chemistry and medicine, rooted in alchemy and seeking to provide
chemical solutions to diseases and medical ailments.
With owners’ inscriptions and early manuscript notes. Slightly browned,
with chips in the fore-edge of the first two leaves, occasional minor stains
and spots, but otherwise in good condition. Binding with stains and a
couple cuts but structurally sound. An essential work for both alchemy and
the birth of modern medical chemistry.
Duveen, p. 150; Partington II, pp. 174–177; cf. Thorndike V, pp. 649–651; for Croll:
DSB III, pp. 471–472.
The conjuror unmasked
4. DECREMPS, Henri. La magie blanche dévoilée, ou explication des tours surprenans qui sont depuis peu l›admiration de la capitale & de
la province.
Paris, Liège, Brussels, F.J. Desoer, 1789–1791. 5 volumes. 8vo. With 2 engraved frontispieces, 3 frontispieces with letterpress text and a woodcut,
184 woodcuts (several full-page) in the text and 2 folding tables. 3. Near contemporary green half sheepskin, gold-tooled spines. € 4.500
Rare complete set (second edition?) of Decremps’s popular
work on conjuring and physics tricks, first published in
1784. Henri Decremps (1746–1826), a Parisian lawyer and
amateur conjuror, sought to unmask Giovanni Giuseppe
Pinetti, the most celebrated magician of the 18th century.
Pinetti had gained fame as a flamboyant performer, but
Decremps considered him a charlatan who cheated people
for personal profit. In the first volume Decremps unveils
several of his most famous tricks, including one named
“Theophrastus Paracelsus”, involving a pigeon supposedly
being beheaded, a mechanical singing bird, an automaton
chess-player and a dancing egg that jumps out of a hat. The
frontispiece in vol. 1 shows the magician throwing a deck
of cards in the air and nailing shooting a card with a pistol.
As a reaction to Decremps’s attack Pinetti published his
own instruction book, Physical amusements, and prepared
a new show. Decremps then published a supplement
revealing Pinnetti’s latest tricks, followed by three subse-
quent volumes almost entirely devoted to physics tricks:
Testament de Jérome Sharp, Les petites aventures de Jérome
Sharp and finally Codicile de Jérome Sharp. Decremps’s
work proved very popular: it was reprinted and translated
numerous of times. Sets comprising all five volumes are
rare.
In very good condition. A rare complete set of an important
conjuring book, in lovely uniform near contemporary
bindings.
Cf. Caillet 2861–2864 (first eds); Hall, Old Conjuring Books, pp. 156–158, 174;
Christopher, Magic: a picture history, pp. 28–31.
Faulhaber’s mystical arithmetics,
pyramidal numbers as key to biblical prophecies
5. FAULHABER, Johann. Andeutung, einer unerhörten newen Wunderkunst.
Welche der Geist Gottes, in etlichen Prophetischen, und Biblischen Geheimnuss
Zahlen, bis auff die letzte Zeit hat wöllen versiegelt und verborgen halten.
Ulm, Lorentz Miller; Nuremberg, Abraham Wagenmann, 1613. 4to. 19-century half
cloth. € 3.750
First edition of one of the mystical arithmetic works by the well-known German mathe-
matician and alchemist Johann Faulhaber (1580–1635). A Latin translation appeared in the
same year. Faulhaber’s earlier attempts to interpret the Bible with mathematics caused him
to be thrown in jail, after he wrongly predicted the ending of the world in 1605. He was soon
released and published several other works with a similar approach, including this one where
he concludes that pyramidal numbers are the key to God’s biblical prophecies.
With the 20th-century bookplate of Karin Figala. Reasonable copy, with the first and last
page slightly soiled, a small restoration to the title-page, some foxing, minor stains and a few
marginal annotations.
BLC STC German (17th cent.) F-234; DSB IV, pp. 550; WorldCat (4 copies); cf. Koetsier & Bergmans, Mathematics and
the divine, pp. 311–328.
Johann Hollander and the philosopher’s stone
7. HOLLANDUS, Johannes Isaac. Opera mineralia, sive de lapide philosophico, omnia,
duobus libris comprehensa.
Middelburg, Richard Schilders, 1600. 8vo. With dozens of small woodcut illustrations in the
text. Contemporary vellum; in modern green half morocco slipcase and green cloth chemise.
€ 5.000
The first edition of any work by the mysterious Johannes Isaac Hollandus, a Latin translation of a
German manuscript of his treatises on mineralogy, alchemy and the philosopher’s stone, and espe-
cially on the use of metal oxides to colour stones and crystals to make fake gems and precious stones.
The charming little woodcuts show distilling and other equipment.
Little is known about Johannes Isaac Hollandus (active 1572–1610?), but the Görlitz astronomer
Bartholomeus Scultetus had a German manuscript of some of his treatises on mineralogy that survives
in the form of a copy made in Prague in 1572 and Ben Jonson’s 1610 play The Alchemists refers to him
apparently as still living. His name suggests he was a Dutchman living abroad, but if his father was
called Isaac Hollandus, as has been claimed, he may have been born abroad in a Dutch family.
With the red morocco bookplate of Robert Honeyman IV. In very good condition, with only a
minor transparent stain at the head of the last few leaves and a small marginal rust hole in 1 leaf.
Contemporary binding also very good.
Duveen, p. 300; Honeyman 1761 (this copy); Partington II, pp. 203–208 & item 1; STCN (5 copies).
Rare edition of two medical works,
on the mystery of the golden tooth and sleepwalking
8. HORSTIUS, Jacob. De aureo dente Maxillari Pueri Silesii, primum,
utrum eius generatio naturalis fuerit, nec ne; deinde an digna eius interpretatio
dari queat.
Including: HORSTIUS, Jacob. De natura differentiis et causis eorum, qui
dormientes ambulant, vigilantium opera, eaq.
Leipzig, Valentinus Voegelinus (colophon: printed by Michael Lanzenberger),
1595. 2 parts in 1 volume. Small 8vo (14×9 cm). With woodcut printer’s device
on title-page (repeated above the colophon). 19th-century half vellum.
€ 5.000
Rare first combined edition of two medical works by Jacob Horst (1537–1600), professor
of medicine at the Julius University in Helmstadt, first published separately by the same
publisher in 1593 and appearing here for the second time. The first work is of special
interest, being a rare early treatise on dentistry. In it Horst tried to solve the famous
mystery of the golden tooth. The second work is on sleepwalking, a subject which
from old seems to have greatly concerned parents and teachers, since much attention
was given to it in early medical and educational literature. There current publication
however seems to be largely overlooked in the literature.
With an owner’s inscription on title-page dated 1598. Browned throughout, with some
water stains, and a small hole in the gutter of 10 leaves in the second part; a fair copy.
Binding in good condition, worn spine with a small tear.
Crowley 7; Poletti, p. 105; cf. Adams H-997–998; Durling 2460.
Occult philosophy on the study of ancient secrets
9. JESSEN, Johann. Zoroaster nova, brevis, veraq[ue] de universa philosophia.
Wittenberg, Ex officina Cratoniana (Johann Krafft), 1593. Small 8vo (16×10 cm). With an arabesque
woodcut decoration on the title-page. Late 17th – or early 18th-century stiff marbled-paper wrappers.
€ 1.750
A work of occult philosophy by the Silesian-born Johann Jessen (1566–1621), professor of anatomy at the
University of Wittenberg and later rector of Charles University in Prague. It is largely based on Francesco
Patrizi’s Nova de universis philosophia (1591), which emphasized the study of occult secrets hidden in sources
from the ancient world, but it gives a different orientation by placing the study of the order of the cosmos,
rather than the study of life, in the central position. It includes the author’s dedication to Friedrich Wilhelm
I, Duke of Saxony-Wiemar, his preface (referring to Egyptian hieroglyphs), and a laudatory verse by Salomon
Frenzel von Friedenthal (1564–1605). Jessen joined the anti-Hapsburg Bohemian Protestant revolt at Prague
in 1618 and was executed in 1621, soon after the Bohemian defeat at the Battle of the White Mountain.
Slightly browned but in good condition, with minor, mostly marginal water stains and a and a small abrasion
on the title-page, not affecting the text or ornament.
Caillet 5534; Thorndike XI, 11, p. 461; VD16 J237 (9 copies); Wellcome I, 3454; WorldCat (3 copies).