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ASHMOLE, Elias (1617-1692)
Theatrum chemicum Britannicum, containing several poeticall pieces of our famous English philosophers who have written the Hermetique mysteries in their owne ancient language. Part I [all published]. London: J. Grismond for Nathaniel Brook, 1652.
First edition of a collection of English alchemical poems drawn from manuscript sources, ‘The most important English Alchemical text. Complete copies are extremely rare, most copies lacking one or more plates.' (Duveen). The work contains notes and a Prolegomena by Ashmole. Ferguson also calls it 'very rare, and difficult to get complete.' The absence of the extra errata leaf [Rrr4] in this copy (and others) suggests that it came from the press before more errata were noted. The verso of Oo3 is here in the state giving the author of the poem 'The Hunting of the Greene Lyon' as 'the Viccar of Malden'; its alternative state, giving no author’s name is here bound in after Rrr3 and even appears conjugate with Rrr1. ESTC R205904; Bolton p. 952; Duveen p. 31; Ferguson I, p. 52n; Wing A-3987. 
Quarto (183 x 137mm). Title in red and black with engraved device, folding engraved table by John Godard, 12 engraved illustrations, most by Robert Vaughan 6 of these full-page and with elaborate borders of flowers and birds, woodcut of a dragon on p. 212 repeated on p. 379 (title with ink erasure over the words 'The First Part’, small tears at outer margin, lacking the plate called for between pp. 436-37, without the leaf of extra errata [3R4], but with an alternative state of Ooo3 as described above). Mid 20th-century brown half morocco. Provenance: Charles Viscount Bruce of Ampthill (1682-1747 engraved armorial bookplate on title verso dated 1712) – W. A. Foyle (1885-1963; sale Christie’s, 11-13 July 2000, lot 400; book-label).
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