Porta, Giovanni Battista della | First edition of Porta’s survey of the applications of distillation

Porta, Giovanni Battista della

De distillatione lib. IX. Rome: Camera Apostolica, 1608

4to (213 x 161 mm). Woodcut printer’s device to title, dedications to the author in Hebrew, Greek, Chaldee, Persian, Illyrian, and Armenian each with Latin translations, 35 woodcut illustrations in text, one full-page copper-engraved portrait of Porta by I. Laurus, head- and tailpieces, foliated initials, includes index; p. 112 mispaginated, light dampstaining to lower margins, some spotting and creasing primarily to margins, a few leaves lightly browned. Contemporary limp vellum, manuscript author name and date to spine, manuscript title and date to lower edge; light staining and wear to covers.

First edition of Porta’s survey of the applications of distillation, the most comprehensive of the period.

This Roman edition of Porta’s De Distillatione Lib. IX. is “as rare as it is beautiful” (Duveen). The volume, an expansion of Porta’s section on distillation in Magia naturalis (1589), describes different methods of distillation, even comparing the processes to various animals and birds.

REFERENCES

Duveen p. 481; Norman 1725

PROVENANCE

Andre L. Simon (engraved sepia bookplate to front free endpaper) — Christie’s New York, 18 March 1998, lot 162