Distillation. BRUNSCHWIG. Das Buch zu Distilieren die zusamen gethonen ding.

BRUNSCHWIG, Hieronymus. Das Buch zu Distilieren die zusamen gethonen ding: composita genant ... fur die armen yetz von neuwem wider getruckt ... 

Strassburg, B. Gruninger, 1532

Folio, 290x195 mm., contemporary half pigskin on wooden boards. Title-page with large woodcut at 2/3 of page, depicting a distillation scene, text in gothic type on 2 columns, widely illustrated with almost 150 woodcuts. Binding restored at lower cover, internally some spotting, the upper margin some stained throughout (partly stronger, mainly at the beginning, restored, leaf no. 23 with minor loss of letters); leaves nos. 69-72 misbound, lower blank corner of last leaf finely repaired, a bit ‘used’ copy.

Third edition, still rare, of the so-called "large distillation book". The many woodcuts, also interesting as regards historical costumes, show instrumentation for distillation, pharmacies, furnaces, anatomical subjects, steam baths, bloodletting operations, etc; many identify with great precision plants and botanical herbs. The text describes the distillation of wine spirits, mead, fermented fruit juices and distillation of plants, roots and flowers. They are partly from the "Margarita philosophica" of 1504 by Reisch, partly from the circle of or even by Baldung Grien. Duveen: “The woodcuts show distilling apparatus, various chemical operations, also bloodletting scenes, physicians with urine flasks, apothecary’s shop, anatomical pictures, etc. One cut showing three men having a discussion appears to be newly added in this edition, the others are repeated from the preceding editions”. Sigerist: "A gigantic work far more than a mere book on destillation, a manual rather of pharmacological therapeutics". 

STC 148; IA 125.956; VD16 B-8700; Benzing, Strassburg, 242; idem, Brunschwig, 33; Muller 391, 1; Choulant, Graphische Incunabeln, 85; Durling 749; Lesky 105; Wellcome I, 1115; Duveen 107. Oldenbourg, Baldung Grien, 128.