Alchemy Books

AL5B. Fernando, D, The Dictionary of Alchemy, 1st edition, Vega 8vo pbk. 2002, 192pp, with illustrations in the text. A popular A-Z of alchemical terms and personalities. A couple of trivial marks to covers, tiny soil mark to fore-edge of text block, contents clean and tight. Near fine £3.50

AL9AC. Read, J, Prelude to Chemistry: an Outline of Alchemy, 1936, 2nd edition, Bell 1939, 8vo, black cloth with gilt titles to spine and small gilt symbol to front board, 24 + 328pp including index, with illustrations in the text + a coloured frontispiece and 63 b/w plates. A comprehensive and reliable history of the origins and development of alchemy, together with its exponents and their work. A little faint soiling to cloth, edges of text block slightly spotted, trivial spot to title page otherwise internally clean and tight. A very good copy £18

AL10A. (Thomas Aquinas), Aurora Consurgens, 1st British edition Routledge Kegan Paul 1966, large 8vo, green cloth with gilt titles to spine, 16 + 555pp including indices. A document attributed to Thomas Aquinas, and dealing with the problem of opposites in alchemy, edited and with a commentary by Marie-Louise Franz, and standing as a companion to Jung's Mysterium Coniunctiosis. Diminishing creasing to upper corners of last half of pages (probably a manufacturing fault), but for which would be a near fine copy of the increasingly uncommon first British issue in good + (a little trivial edge-wear and very minor soiling in places, ink note to rear inner flap, small surface scuff to front panel affecting one letter, price clipped) d/w £35