Denis de la Fontaine and anonymous alchemists - photo 1
Denis de la Fontaine and anonymous alchemists - photo 2
Denis de la Fontaine and anonymous alchemists - photo 3
Denis de la Fontaine and anonymous alchemists - photo 4
Denis de la Fontaine and anonymous alchemists - photo 5
Denis de la Fontaine and anonymous alchemists - photo 6

Denis de la Fontaine and anonymous alchemists

Lot 61
12.07.2023 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
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£ 8 820
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 993334
Lot 61 | Denis de la Fontaine and anonymous alchemists
Estimate value
£ 4 000 – 6 000
Denis de la Fontaine and anonymous alchemists

Three alchemical manuscripts on paper, in French, one bound with Henricus Glareanus, Helvetiae Descriptio, Basel: Jacobus Parcus, 1554 [France, 16th-18th centuries]

Three manuscripts that exemplify the importance of alchemical and chemical philosophy on the development of modern medicine in Europe from the 16th century, including one owned by a 16th-century chemist from the town of Grasse.



Alchemical and medical treatises and experiments bound before and after Glareanus, Henricus (1488-1563). Helvetiae Descriptio cum IIII. Helvetiorum pagis ac XIII. urbium Panegyrico, & Osualdi Molitoris Lucerini Commentario. Basel: Jacobus Parcus, 1554. 163 x 108mm. 86 leaves: 11 (manuscript) + 64 (printed) + 13 (manuscript), both pastedowns with writing, the manuscript sections written in at least 4 different late 16th-century and early 17th-century hands, one ink diagram of an alchemical furnace; the printed Helvetiae Descriptio complete and paginated 1-93, 13 woodcut plates with views of Swiss towns, 13 woodcut cantonal coats-of-arms, 2 woodcut printer’s devices, one blank, one with ‘Basileae: per Iacobum Parcum’, one table (f.1 with marginal repairs, some edges frayed, some stains and smudges). Contemporary calf binding, spine gilt (restored).



Provenance:

(1) M. Denis de la Fontaine, ‘cirurgien [sic] en la ville de Grace [Grasse]’: ownership inscription on title-page of the Helvetiae Descriptio. Several of the alchemical treatises are in his hand. He records extensive details of births and marriages of the La Fontaine family on f.81v, including the wedding of his brother Francois de la Fontaine on Sunday 20 January 1572 (he erroneously writes 1592); and the birth of his niece Francoise on Friday 11 November 1575. The latest date is 24 June 1608, recording the wedding of one of his nieces. The experiments on ff.79v, 80 and 81 were carried out by or for Messieurs De Fournea?, de la Ferriere and de Bailleul and mention the dates 1584 and 1596.

(2) J. Merrick: 18th?-century ownership inscription on title-page of Helvetiae Descriptio. This is plausibly the same John Merrick who owned a copy of Sacrobosco, De Sphaera, now at the University of Michigan.

(3) Reiss & Sohn, Auktion 139, 27-29 October 2010, lot 1021.



Content:

‘Ung petit trete de plusieurs maladies qui viennent au corps humain’, in French, including a treatment against the plague ff.i-2; ‘Ensuit ung petit traicte des preparations des choses métalliques […]’, in French, describing alchemical processes including calcination, sublimation, distillation, the production of oil of vitriol, etc. ff.2v-11v; Henricus Glareanus (1488-1563). Helvetiae Descriptio, Basel: Jacobus Parvus, 1554, ff.12-75; continuation of the previous alchemical treatise ff.76-79; ‘Segret pour multiplier une livre d’argent […] experimente par Monsieur de Fournea’ f.79v; ‘Aultre secret exselent pour multiplier une livre d’or […] experimente par feu Monsieur de la Ferriere’ f.80; erased experiment f.80v; Remedy for an ailment, ordered by ‘feu Monsieur de Bailleul’ f.81; Records of births and marriages of the La Fontaine family f.81v; alchemical processes, in French, including an ink diagram of a furnace, ff.82-85; remedies for ailments, in French, ff.85v-86; a remedy for fever composed by the writer’s uncle, Jean de la Fontaine, followed by a prayer ‘pour fere de livres […] en peu de temps’, f.86v; the final pastedown ‘Ensuit les figures des Sept Planetes et aultres figures’.



With:

(i) Arcana Paracelsi, et alia, in French, manuscript on paper [France, c.1680]. 184 x 129mm. ii + 13 + ii leaves, complete, pagination in pencil 1-21, thirteen ‘Alchemical secrets’ or cures drawn from Paracelsus, partially drawing on Johannes Baptista van Helmont’s (1577-1644) own ‘Arcana Paracelsi’ in his most important medical work Ortus medicinae, first published in Amsterdam in 1648, including ‘Le precipité diaphorétique de Paracelse’ (p.1), ‘Panacée ou Fleurs de Mars argentées’ (p.4), ‘Poudre Besoardique D’orée’ (p.6), ‘Teinture du Lill ou du véritable soufre mineral’ (p.8), Panacée aperitive (p.9), ‘Le véritable Elixir, ou sel volatile des Plantes’ (p.10), ‘Stomachique Universel de Poterius’ (p.12), ‘Panacée antihectique, Febrifuge etc.’ (p.13), ‘Le Petit Precipité de Paracelse’ (p.15), ‘Alkalis Volatile’ (p.17), ‘Antihydropique d’Helmont’ (p.20), ‘Mumie minerale’ (p.20), and ‘Beaume desuye de Paracelse’ (p.21). Modern vellum over pasteboards.



(ii) Preparations Chimiques Particulieres et Autres Remedes, in French, manuscript on paper [France, first half 18th century]. 185 x 130mm. ii + 37 + ii leaves, complete, contemporary pagination 1-67, table with 77 alchemical symbols, c.80 alchemical recipes, remedies and cures, including ‘Soufre Narcotique du Vitriol’ to cure Epilepsy (p.2), a cure for intermittent fevers (p.13), ‘Panacée vomitives’ (p.19), cures against tooth-ache (pp.19 and 61), ‘Gouttes d’Angleterre’ (p.22), a recipe for tincture of opium (p.29), and ‘La Pierre Divine pour les yeux’ (p.46), marginal annotations throughout referencing contemporary printed editions, e.g. the Histoire de l'Académie royale des sciences of 1713 (p.54). Contemporary quarter-vellum over marbled pasteboards.





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Place of origin:Western Europe, France, Europe
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