[Rarebooks] FS: THE FIRST ENGLISH WORK ON MINING AND METALLURGY, 1639

[Charles Agvent]

PLATTES,  Gabriel. A DISCOVERY OF SUBTERRANEALL TREASURE, VIZ.  OF
ALL  MANNER  OF  MINES AND MINERALLS, FROM THE GOLD TO  THE  COALE....
London:  J.  Okes,  for  Jasper Emery 1639.  First  Edition.  "...with
plaine  Directions and Rules for the finding of them in all  Kingdomes
and  Countries. And also the Art of Melting, Refining, and Assaying of
them....  Whereunto is added a reall Experiment whereby every ignorant
man  may presently try whether any peece of Gold that shal come to his
hands  be true or conterfeit.... Also a perfect way to try what colour
any  Berry,  Leafe, Flower, Stalke, Root, Fruit, Seed, Barke, or  Wood
will  give:  with  a perfect way to make Colours that they  shall  not
stayne  nor fade like ordinary Colours." Small quarto (4-7/8" x 7") in
modern  plain  green boards with a morocco spine label. x,  60  pages.
THE  FIRST  ENGLISH  WORK ON MINING AND METALLURGY and  the  first  to
describe  the  process of separating silver and gold by  nitric  acid.
Chapters  cover  locating,  smelting, and refining  various  minerals,
with  mention  of  Peru  and "the new  plantations,  as  New  England,
Virginia,  Bermudas, etc." Plattes states the partly alchemical nature
of  gold while denying theories of transmutation and gives his  method
for  detecting  counterfeit gold. The next to last chapter is  devoted
to  coal, and the final chapter is concerned with color dyeing and the
extraction  of fast dyes from vegetable sources, with several  recipes
given.  Plattes also wrote another "book of secrets" having to do with
husbandry  which is much less significant historically. Trimmed  close
affecting  the  tops of some words/numbers including the  title  page.
Last  text  page soiled with two words obscured. Fore-edge  of  boards
bumped.  Very  Good  or  better copy of this  genuinely  scarce  book.
                                                               $6000.00

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