Sale: 379 / Rare Books, May 23. 2011 in Hamburg Lot 209

Girolamo Ruscelli - The secrets. 1595


209
Girolamo Ruscelli
The secrets. 1595
Estimate:
€ 800 / $ 856
Sold:
€ 912 / $ 975

(incl. surcharge)
[Ruscelli, G., Pseud.:] Piemontese, A., The secrets containing excellent remedies against diverse diseases, wounds, and other accidents, with the maner to make distillations, parfumes, confitures, dyings, colors, fusions, and meltings .. Newly corrected and amended, and also somewhat inlarged in certaine places, which wanted in the first edition. 4 parts in 1 vol. With 4 woodcut printer' devices (3 rep.). London, P. Short for Th. Wight 1595. 17th century calf. 8vo. 6 unnumb. ll., 342 (of 348) numb. ll., 14 unnumb. ll.

Cf. Durling 209; Ferguson II, 22; Ackermann IV, 978; Rosenthal 754; Caillet I, 178 f. (other editions). - First English complete edition of all 4 parts, the Italian orig. edition was released in 1555, a fifth part in English was only released after 1615. - Parts 1-3 in the translation of W. Ward, the fourth part was translated by R. Androse. - Widely spread in the 16th century, the work on cosmetics, medicine and alchemy was translated into several languages and was published in several editions. Among others, with instruction on washing, make up and dying hair, it is important for the history of cosmetics. Besides the part on general medicine, it contains a part on the treatment of diseases such as epilepsy, jaundice, toothache, deafness et al., as well as several alchemist recipes. - Lacking ll. 204-209 (added by an old hand). - Somewhat browned in places and stained, 1 l. with rebacked marginal tear, with small trace of worming (with isolated loss of printed matter), few marginalia by an old hand, firm preliminaries removed. Binding rubbed, spine renewed using the old material, edges partly restored.

First English collected work of the first 4 parts, a fifth part was printed 1615 in English. With 4 (3 rep.) woddcut printers devices on title. 17th cent. calf. - Lacking leaves 204-209 supplemented by old hand. Partly slightly browned and stained, 1 leaf with backed tear, partly some monor worming (here and there loss of printed matter), some marginalia by old hand, pastdowns removed. Binding rubbed, spine renewed using old material, edges partly restored.




209
Girolamo Ruscelli
The secrets. 1595
Estimate:
€ 800 / $ 856
Sold:
€ 912 / $ 975

(incl. surcharge)