Pharmacopée royale galénique et chymique [.] ; avec les formules latines et françoises ; le tarif des médicaments [suivi de] Traité abrégé des eaux minérales de France, Moyes Charas, Three Parts in One Volume, Freres Bruyset, Lyon, xvi, 440, viii, [441]-876, [2], 72 pp, engraved frontispiece and six engraved folding plates, full original leather, 10.25 x 8.5”, 4to.
In good condition. Light wear to extremities with heavier scuffing to corners and end bands. Corners rubbed to board with slight loss. Joints tender. Front and back hinges strengthened with non-archival tape. Spine abraded with creasing and dryness. Some loss at ends exposing binding. Gilt compartments have darkened. Original spine label intact. Small scuffs and minor rubbing to surface of leather overall. Original period marbled end papers lightly toned and faded. Ex-libris of G. Mazvyer on bottom left corner of pastedown excited by famed stamp engraver Jules Piel. Ex-libris of chemist Denis I. Duveen at center of fly. Interior good with consistent scattered foxing, light rippling and minor fingersoiling. Page 157 has old hand marginalia at top right corner. Typical age-toning with light instances of age stain. Plates all present and in working order. Binding tight and intact. Please see photos.
Revised edition of the very influential work first published in 1676. Charas (1619-1698) was an apothecary who first published many formulas that had been kept secret over the ages. Some of the formulas are of the alchemical variety. This was the first European medical book translated into Chinese. Moyes became famous for publishing compendiums, like this, of medication formulas, which played vital roles in the development of modern pharmacy and chemistry. A medication included in his formulary was theriac which was first made popular by the Greeks as an antidote to animal bites and disseminated over the Silk Route. This formula was kept secret for centuries and included as many as 600 separate ingredients. This work contains one of the earliest comprehensive classification of chemical elements and compounds, regarded as a forerunner to the periodic table. His chemical table included nine elements, namely lead, tin, iron, gold, copper, quicksilver, sulfur, and arsenic. He assigned chemical symbols to the Sven metals corresponding to the known celestial bodies at the time, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Sun, Mercury and Moon. He used these chemical symbols to predict the chemical properties of chemical compounds.
From the noted collection of chemist Denis I. Duveen, who cataloged his collection in “Bibliotheca alchemica et chemica: an annotated catalogue of printed books on alchemy, chemistry and cognate subjects in the library of Denis I. Duveen.” Also with the bookplate of perfumer G. (Gabriel) Mazuyer. Mazuyer’s alchemical bookplate was designed by Jules Piel (1882-1978) a famous French stamp engraver who commissioned a stamp portraying Victor Hugo issued in 1933. He was given the title “Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France” (one of the best craftsmen in France). His most iconic stamp set portaged Marshall Petain issued in 1941. He engraved over 150 stamps for France alone and was allowed to engrave various Marianne definitives, which is usually regarded as the greatest honor for a French engraver. He was also known for his engravings of banknotes. In 1953 was asked the commission banknotes upon the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. They were not chosen but instead De La Rue included them in an exhibition.
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