Schwaertzer, Sebald ( -1598)

Manuscripta die von dem Adepto Scbold Schwärtzern herrühren und bey Chur-Furst Augusti und Christiani I zeithen mit unausprechlichen Nutzen tractieret werden. This MS. is not a transcript of the 'Chrysopoeia Schwaertzeriana' published at Hamburg in 1718, but appears to be closely related to it. Schwaertzer's work seems to end on p. 107, and the remainder is by Johann Kunckel [1630?-1703], beginning with a process, with opening words: 'Nun will ich J.K.' The final section contains receipts for making artificial gems, presumably also by Kuncke.

mid-18th century

1 volume 3 [4] ll. (last bl.). + 123 pp. + 1 bl. l. folio. 24 × 17 cm. Original calf binding, damaged: clasps defective. The title-page is wanting, and a name has been cut away from the upper margin of the first leaf.

Purchased at Sotheby's 21/4/1911, Lot 8.

Schwaertzer's work was originally begun in 1584, when he was Alchemist to the Elector Augustus of Saxony; he held the same post under Christian I [1560-1591]. Ferguson's 'Bibliotheca Chemica', Vol. II, pp. 349-351, gives a long account of the author. For Kunckel, cf. Ferguson, ibid. Vol. I, pp. 483-485.

Phillipps MS. 10611.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).