Details

Subjects:

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

Form/Genre:

Codices.
Notebooks.
Manuscripts, English.
Manuscripts, European.

Summary:

Working notebook of alchemical notes, recipes, and processes by Charles Rainsford.

Notes:

Ms. codex.
Title from inscription on upper cover.
Foliation: Paper, 123 leaves; 2-124; contemporary foliation in ink, upper left verso. The recto of the first leaf is numbered 1 and the verso is numbered 2, with the foliation following consistently from that point to the end.
Script: Written in a cursive script in the hand of Charles Rainsford, with notes in what appears to be a second hand.
Binding: Contemporary leather with metal clasp.
Origin: Written in England in the second half of the 18th century.

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. 622, Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, 1809-2014n (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 1705.

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:

919161424

Web link:

Unique at Penn blog post