PLAT, Hugh.

The Jewel House of Art and Nature: containing Divers Rare and Profitable Inventions, together with sundry new Experiments in in [sic] the Art of Husbandry. With Divers Chymical Conclusions concerning the Art of Distillation, and the rare practises and uses thereof...Whereunto is added, A rare and excellent Discourse of Minerals, Stones, Gums, and Rosins; with the vertues and use therof, by D.B. Gent.

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Title within typographical border & woodcut diagrams in the text. 4 p.l., 232 pp. Small 4to, cont. sheep (quite decently rebacked), sides ruled in blind. London: Elizabeth Alsop, 1653. Third edition. “The final and best edition of this fascinating compendium of 150 recipes, inventions, and experiments (first, 1594), containing the valuable addition on minerals (including the lodestone, p. 218) by the editor, Arnold de Boate (1606-1650). The book contains much of purely chemical interest. The second edition, also of 1653, bears the imprint of Bernard Alsop. For the differences between the ‘Bernard’ and ‘Elizabeth’ editions, see Bent Juel-Jensen (The Book Collector, 1966, pp. 212-213).”–Neville, II, p. 310. Sir Hugh Plat (or Platt) (1552-1608 or 1611?), agriculturalist and inventor, took his degree at Cambridge. “The first part lists 103 experiments, ranging from the practical to the fantastic. These include recipes for preserving fruit, flowers, meat, and water, and for a tooth-cleaner; a cheap way to erect a small bridge without the need to place supports in the water; a chafing dish to keep food warm without coals; how to keep garments free from moths; how to dispose of wasps and rats; a cement for mending glasses; and how to know what cards your opponent is holding. The second part deals with soils and manures, the third with distillations, the fourth with moulding and casting metals, and the fifth, entitled ‘An offer of certain new inventions which the author proposes to disclose upon reasonable considerations’, covers a diversity of topics such as the brewing of beer without hops, the preservation of food in hot weather and at sea, mnemonics, and fishing.”–ODNB–(referring to the first edition of 1594). In the present third edition, Arnold de Boate’s Discourse of Minerals... appears for the first time. Very good and fresh copy. From the Hammer library at Stockholm with bookplate. ❧ Hoover 644. Schuh, Mineralogy & Crystallography: A Biobibliography, 1469 to 1920, 3735–“Scarce.”

• USD 2,500.00 > autres monnaies
• Commande nro.: HillBibl-1749

• libraire: Jonathan A. Hill, Bookseller, Inc. (USA)