Details

Subjects:

Alchemy -- Early works to 1800.
Alchemy.
Anatomy -- Early works to 1800.
Anatomy.
Occultism -- Early works to 1800.
Occultism.

Form/Genre:

codices (bound manuscripts)
compilation manuscripts.
diagrams.
drawings (visual works)
manuals (instructional materials)
Manuscripts, Italian -- 18th century.
Manuscripts, Latin -- 18th century.
Manuscripts, Spanish -- 18th century.
Manuscripts, European.

Language:

Latin, Italian, and Spanish, with some French and occasional words in Greek.

Summary:

Collection of instructional works bound together concerning alchemy, divination, medical remedies, and anatomy. Includes a partial alphabetical index (f. i recto-v verso). Instructions include details on alchemical procedures such as calcination, distillation and transmutation (f. 105r) including how to turn lead into gold (f. 114v) and sapphires into diamonds (f. 115r). An entire section is devoted to the properties of salt (f. 48r). Other practical instructions include a section on military stratagems (f. 35v) and remedies for wounds such a rabid dog bite (f. 45v).

Notes:

Ms. codex.
Title supplied by cataloger.
Foliation: Paper, i (contemporary paper) + 168 + i (contemporary paper); [i-v, 1-163]; modern foliation in pencil, lower right recto. Irregular contemporary foliation and pagination in ink, upper outer corners. All references in this record are to modern foliation. A number of leaves have been cut out, occasionally resulting in a loss of text (for example, f. 14-15). Several folios are completely detached (f. 33-35).
Script: Written in various cursive scripts by many different hands.
Decoration: Circular foldout diagram (f. 93r); pen and ink drawings of alchemical apparatus (for example, f. 4r) and several circular diagrams (f. 31r, 122v).
Binding: Contemporary parchment. Some staining of paper due to mold and moisture damage. Several leaves are completely detached.
Origin: Written in the 18th century[?].

Local notes:

Purchased with support from the B. H. Breslauer Foundation.

Penn Provenance:

Formerly housed in the library of the Jesuit College of Naples (note, f. v verso).
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. 587, 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.

Cited as:

Alchemical and Medical Compilation (Ms. Codex 1676). Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania.

Contributor:

Rainsford, Charles, 1728-1809, former owner.
Northumberland, Hugh Percy, Duke of, 1742-1817, former owner.
Charles Rainsford Collection of Alchemical and Occult Manuscripts (University of Pennsylvania)

OCLC:

912610869

Web link:

Unique at Penn blog post