PRAECIOSA AC NOBILISSIMA ARTIS CHYMIAE COLLECTANEA DE OCCULTISSIMO AC PRAECIOSISSIMO PHILOSOPHORUM LAPIDE. by LACINIUS, Janus.: - 1554

Nuremberg, Gabriel Hayn, 1554.. FIRST EDITION 1554, small 4to, approximately 170 x 135 mm, 6¾ x 5¼ inches, Latin text, small woodcut printer's device on title page, full page woodcut illustration on verso b4, a few woodcut historiated initials, leaves: [8], 1-124 (numbered on rectos only making a total of 264 pages), bound in 17th century sheep covers and rebacked in lighter calf, gilt lettering and tiny blind stamped motifs to spine, new cream endpapers followed by 1 original free endpaper. Upper cover slightly rubbed at upper inner corner, neat ink initials at foot of title page (JS), a small number to upper top outer corner, faint orange and dusty stain to upper part of blank side of title page, faint discoloration on woodcut illustration, 3 outer margins have faint pink stain, not affecting text, 1 old front endpaper stained at edges, small old ink stain to margin of H2, pale damp stain to lower blank corners amost throughout, leaving pale tidemarks, from G-H4v, a larger one on text from T-Hh4, all easily legible (see attached images), tiny chip to fore-edge margin of Cc2, 1 small pointing hand, occasional very light browning. A good first edition of this manual of alchemy. Janus Lacinius is thought to be a pseudonym for Giovanni da Crotone, a Franciscan Friar from Calabria. Duveen, Bibliotheca Alchemica et Chemica, page 332; Wellcome Library Volume I, No. 3608. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE, FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.