Herman Boerhaave - Élémens de Chymie - 1754

Rare ensemble enriched with 17 folding engraved plates featuring numerous figures (placed at the end of Volume VI). This six-volume scientific synthesis in which Herman Boerhaave, renowned Dutch physician, chemist and professor of the eighteenth century, lays out the fundamental principles of chemistry according to the knowledge of his era -

The work opens with reflections on the nature of matter, the properties of bodies, the constitutive elements of the physical world and the laws governing chemical transformations, before addressing the experimental procedures used in laboratories, the instruments required for manipulations and the methods of distillation, sublimation, calcination, dissolution and fermentation -

Boerhaave constantly stresses the importance of direct experimentation, criticizing the obscure theories inherited from alchemists and favoring a rational approach aimed at making chemistry useful to medicine, pharmacy, metallurgy and the mechanical arts -

The volumes describe with precision the various minerals, salts, metals, acids, oils and plant or animal substances known in the eighteenth century, explaining their physical properties, their reactions and their practical uses in the manufacture of remedies, dyes, alloys or pharmaceutical preparations -

Herman Boerhaave - Elements of Chemistry - 1754 - Volumes I, II, III, IV, V and VI - Durand - CVI-213, C-333, 227-212, 466, 336 and 269-[3] Pages.

Good condition of bindings, works in their full brown calfskin bindings of the period, wear from use, 2 heads missing, another worn, small wormholes on two boards, corners more or less blunted, red edges, spine with raised bands enhanced by a gold roulette, gilded compartments, gold titles on brown morocco pieces, gilt edges -

Good interior condition, angular damp staining and small moisture traces on Volumes II and VI, angular damp staining without gravity on the plates, pretty headbands, drop caps, fine vignette on the title page, works enriched with 17 folding engraved plates grouping numerous figures (placed at the end of Volume VI), marbled endpapers in fair condition, ex-libris -

Delivery service available within a few days -