Details

Other Title:

Breve compendio de la chiromanzia.

Subjects:

Astrology.
Divination.
Mathematics -- Early works to 1800.
Mathematics.
Occultism -- Early works to 1800.
Palmistry -- Early works to 1800.
Palmistry.
Occultism.

Form/Genre:

codices (bound manuscripts)
diagrams.
volvelles.
Drawings.
Manuscripts, Italian -- 17th century.
Manuscripts, European.

Language:

Italian, with some Latin.

Biography/History:

Professor of science, mathematics, and astronomy and member of the Florentine Academy (title page, f. 1r). Name appears in the manuscript with spelling variations (f. 1r, 2r, 118r).

Summary:

Divided into two books, with the first on mathematics and judicial astrology and the second book concerning palmistry. Includes an introduction by the compiler (f. 2r) and a table of contents (f. 2v-4v).

Notes:

Ms. codex.
Title from title page of predominant work (f. 1r).
Pagination: Paper, 154 leaves; [viii], 1, [i], 2, [i], 3, [i], 4, [i], 5, [i], 6, [i], 7, [i], 8, [i], 9-30, 30-106, 106-217, [i], 1-3, [lxvii], contemporary pagination in ink, upper outer corners; [1-154], modern foliation in pencil, lower right recto. References in this record are to modern foliation.
Layout: Written in 26-30 long lines.
Script: Written in an Italian semi-cursive script by what appears to be a single hand.
Decoration: Pen and ink title vignette of a globe against a background of mountains and a constellation with a border containing winged figures, a dog, and the motto Altior e gelidis elevato (f. 1r), large decorated initial with pen and ink drawings of human figures (f. 20r), several smaller pen and ink initials and marginal decorations with bird heads (f. 2r, 5r, 7r, 9r), a volvelle (f. 16r), numerous diagrams (for example, f. 11v, 16v), diagrams of hands for use in palm reading (f. 122r, 134v, 136r, 138r, 139v, 141r, 142r, 143v) with some outlined in red ink (f. 151r-154v), occasional decorated headings (f. 2v), and astronomical symbols used throughout.
Binding: Contemporary leather with metal clasps, one partially lacking.
Origin: Written in Florence after 1689 (title page, f. 1r).

Local notes:

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

Penn 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. 574, 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:

UPenn Ms. Codex 1663.

Contributor:

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

OCLC:

898476133

Web link:

Unique at Penn blog post