oder Auffrichtige Beschreibung der Materiae Lapidis und des Mercurii Philosophorum, durch die Gleich- und Geheimnuß des Regenwassers: Worbenebenst zugleich die vera principia der Hermetischen Philosophiae getreulich deut- und klärlich wie auch die Operationes gedachter Materiae und des Subjecti artis, sattsam angezeigt und vorgetragen werden. Erster [-Anderer] Theil

12mo (130x75 mm). [4, including the engraved frontispiece], 245, [15]. Collation: [π]2 A-K12 L10. The second part has a short title included in pagination (l. C3r, p. [53]). Contemporary half calf, panels covered in floral papers (lacking small portions of the spine, worn and rubbed). Remnants of small wax seals (one red, one black) on both pastedonws. Some light browning and staining. Old underlinings in red and blue pencil. A good copy.
Extremely rare first edition (a second appeared in 1717) of this anonymous alchemical, hermetic, and Rosicrucian work. One of the intelocutors in J.O. Hellwig's Introitus in veram atque inauditam Physicam (Heidelberg, 1680, pp. 75-76) is said to be the author of the present work, but his identity remains known. The frontispiece depicts the arms of the anonymous author, featuring a phoenix, in the form of a philosophical emblem (Emblematis Philosophici loco Insignia Authoris).
The present copy does not include a final Appendix of 8 leaves (coll.: )o(8 ), including 2 blank, which was presumably added later to certain copies only.
VD17, 12:651658S (2 copies only); J. Ferguson, Bibliotheca Chemica, Glasgow, 1906, I, 139; V. Fritz Brüning, Die alchemistischen Druckwerke von der Erfindung der Buchdruckerkunst bis zum Jahre 1690, Munich, 2004, vol. I, p. 455, no. 2440 (without the Appendix).