THURNEISSER ZUM THURN, Leonhard (1530?-1596)

Quinta essentia das ist, die höchste Subtilitet, krafft und wirckung, beyder der fürtrefflichsten, und menschlichem geschlecht am nützlichsten Künsten, der Medicin und Alchemy ... Leipzig ... [Colophon:] Gedruckt zu Leipzig bey Hans Steinman, typis Voegelianis, M. D. Lxxiii

Leipzig: Ernst Vögelin for Hans Steinmann, 1574.
Folio, A--I, J, K--S6 (--S6, presumably blank), 107 leaves, pp. [25] xxvi--ccxii [2]. Gothic letter with Roman and Italic prelims. Title and B6 printed in red and black, woodcut device on title, woodcut portrait on A4 within a full page woodcut border, and 16 large woodcut illustrations. Leaf size and condition: 301 x 200mm, some light browning, title a little soiled, otherwise a clean copy. Binding: Nineteenth-century half vellum. Sides worn, corners bumped. Provenance and annotation: J. Campbell Brown, Abercormby Square, Liverpool, nineteenth-century bookplate; Walter Pagel, signature dated 1954; B. E. J. Pagel (1930--2007). References: VD16 T1208; Durling 4359.
First folio edition (first edition, 4to, Münster, 1570).
§ Thurneisser's work on the fifth essence is one of the best-illustrated alchemical works of the sixteenth century; many of the illustrations show the author himself performing alchemical operations. The woodcuts are said to be by Jost Amman and replace engravings in the first edition. In addition there is a formal portrait of the author in a magnificent full-page woodcut border. 'The Quinta Essentia contains some repulsive pictures of the 'spirits' of mercury, sulphur, salt, etc. and follows Paracelsus in the parallels salt=earth=body, sulphur=air=spirit, mercury=water=soul.' (Partington II, p. 154.)

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