M. Nicolas Lemery - Cours de Chymie - 1724

Nicolas Lémery – Cours de Chymie – 1724

An important 18th-century scientific work, complete with all six engraved plates illustrating historical chemical apparatus and laboratory equipment.

Author: Nicolas Lémery (1645–1715)
Title: Cours de Chymie, contenant la manière de faire les opérations qui sont en usage dans la médecine
Publisher: Frères Bruyset, Lyon
Year: 1724
Edition: Twelfth edition, revised, corrected and enlarged
Language: French
Dimensions: 20 × 12 cm
Pagination: 836 numbered pages, followed by several unnumbered pages
Illustrations: Six engraved plates, all present
Binding: Period leather binding with gilt-decorated spine

Description

An attractive and complete 1724 edition of Cours de Chymie, the celebrated scientific treatise by French chemist and pharmacist Nicolas Lémery.

First published in 1675, this influential work became one of the most widely studied chemistry manuals of its time and played an important role in the development of experimental chemistry and pharmaceutical science.

Lémery presented chemical operations in a practical and systematic manner, helping to establish chemistry as a discipline based increasingly on observation and experiment rather than traditional alchemical speculation.

Six engraved plates

The volume contains all six engraved plates, depicting a fascinating variety of early chemical and pharmaceutical apparatus, including:

- Distillation furnaces and laboratory ovens
- Retorts, flasks and alembics
- Condensers and distillation equipment
- Heating vessels and other chemical instruments

These detailed illustrations provide a remarkable visual record of early 18th-century laboratory practices.

Condition

Complete copy, including all six engraved plates.

Period leather binding with considerable age-related wear, rubbing and losses, particularly to the spine, corners and board edges. Remnants of the original gilt spine decoration remain visible.

The interior is generally well preserved for its age, with occasional spotting, toning and minor signs of use. The engraved plates show clear, detailed impressions.

Please examine the photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.

Historical significance

An appealing example of early scientific publishing, documenting chemical techniques, laboratory equipment and pharmaceutical practices during a formative period in the history of modern chemistry.

A desirable work for collectors of early scientific books, historical chemistry, pharmacy and the history of medicine.