GESNER, Conrad (1516-1565) - photo 1
GESNER, Conrad (1516-1565) - photo 2
GESNER, Conrad (1516-1565) - photo 3
GESNER, Conrad (1516-1565) - photo 4
GESNER, Conrad (1516-1565) - photo 5

GESNER, Conrad (1516-1565)

Lot 159
10.12.2025 12:00UTC +00:00
Classic
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CHRISTIE'S
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1514498
Lot 159 | GESNER, Conrad (1516-1565)
Estimate value
£ 7 000 – 10 000
GESNER, Conrad (1516-1565)
The newe Iewell of Health, wherein is contayned the most excellent secretes of phisicke and philosophie, deuided into fower bookes. In the which are the best approued remedies for the diseases as well inwarde as outwarde, of all the partes of mans bodie: treating very amplye of all dystillations of waters, of oyles, balmes, quintessences, with the extraction of artificiall saltes, the vse and preparation of antimonie, and potable gold […] Faithfully corrected and published in Englishe, by George Baker, chirurgian. London: Henrie Denham, 1576.
First edition in English of the second book of Gesner's famous work on distillation, De remediis secretis. The translator George Baker was physician to the de Vere family and dedicated this work to Anne Cecil de Vere, Countess of Oxford, whose arms appear on the verso of the title-page. Baker did not provide a full description of the distillation process, nor did he translate the names of the herbs from Latin into English, the reason being that ‘I would not have every ignorant asse to be made a chirurgian by my book, for they would do more harm with it than good’ (preface to the reader). Ferguson I, 316; Waller 3523; ESTC S103060.

Quarto (181 x 123mm). Black letter. Title with large allegorical woodcut of a female figure depicting alchemy (‘Alcyhymya’), large woodcut arms on verso of title, numerous woodcuts in the text including a large woodcut on each of the three divisional titles (text lightly browned, occasional spotting and minor stains, repairs to inner margin of title, fol. 161 with clean tear in text, ff.162-3 with holes in text affecting a few letters). 18th-century half calf, marbled boards (rebacked, corners heavily rubbed). Provenance: Royal Society of Medicine (purple ink stamp [Royal Medical & Chirurgical Society] to verso of title, and on several preliminary text leaves).
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
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10.12.2025 – 10.12.2025
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