[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.  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.                $6,000.00	

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.

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