Lémery - Corso di Chimica - 1719

The laboratory of fire, among medicine, metals, and arcane signs
This Venetian edition of Nicolas Lémery's Chemistry Course represents one of the highest moments in the transmission of modern chemistry in Italy during the early eighteenth century. It is not merely a practical manual but a true system of chemical knowledge, in which the alchemical heritage is reorganized according to criteria of clarity, method, and experimental verifiability. The Italian translation, based on the latest French edition and expanded with the treatise on Antimony and medicinal secrets, makes accessible a body of work intended for doctors, apothecaries, and natural philosophers. The numerous copper plates, depicting furnaces, alembics, cucurbits, and distillation instruments, transform the volume into an authentic laboratory atlas, suspended between operational science and the symbolism of fire.
Market value
The 18th-century Italian editions of Lémery's 'Course of Chemistry,' complete with plates and in contemporary binding, are available on the antiquarian market at an indicative price range of 1,200 to 2,000 euros. Particularly well-preserved copies, with clear plates and fresh paper, can fetch higher values, especially given the cross-disciplinary interest that the work continues to generate among collectors of the history of science, alchemy, and medicine.

Physical description and condition
Contemporary binding in full marbled leather, spine patch in red leather with gilt title; abrasions and wear to the edges. Copper plates depicting chemical instruments and laboratory apparatus. Pages with some foxing and scattered browning. Disclaimer: in old books with a centuries-old history, some imperfections may be present that are not always noted in the description. Pp. (2); 22nn; 765; (2).

Full title and author
Chemistry Course by Mr. Nicolò Lemery
Venice, published by Gio. Gabriele Hertz, 1719.
Nicolas Lémery.

Context and Significance
Lémery's Chemistry Course is one of the foundational texts of modern European chemistry. First published in France in 1675, it marked the transition from a still highly symbolic chemistry to a discipline based on repeatable and observable operations. Lémery reorganizes matter according to clear procedures, distinguishing between reactions, distillations, calcinations, and sublimations, but without entirely severing ties with alchemical tradition. The Venetian edition of 1719 holds particular significance because it incorporates the treatise on Antimony, a key substance in the medical and chemical debates of the 17th and 18th centuries, and preserves the tables that translate theoretical knowledge into visual practice. The volume thus serves as a crossroads between medicine, metallurgy, pharmacology, and natural philosophy.

Biography of the Author
Nicolas Lémery was born in Rouen in 1645 and died in Paris in 1715. He was one of the most important French chemists of his time and a highly appreciated teacher for the clarity of his lectures. His Course of Chemistry achieved extraordinary dissemination throughout Europe, with translations into numerous languages. Lémery made a decisive contribution to the systematization of chemistry as an autonomous discipline, laying the foundations for its modern development.

Printing history and circulation
The work was published in numerous French editions and translations from the late 17th century. The Italian editions, particularly those from Venice, demonstrate the strong demand for updated scientific texts within the medical and pharmaceutical context of the peninsula. The 1719 edition, printed by Gio. Gabriele Hertz, stands out for its extensive content and high-quality etching plates, making it one of the most valued versions on the collector's market.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Duveen, Denis I., Bibliotheca Alchemica et Chemica.
Partington, J. R., A History of Chemistry, Volume II.
Wellcome Library, historical catalogs of Lémery's editions.
DSB – Dictionary of Scientific Biography, entry Lémery.