Ceramic Experiments; A Complete Set
The Stolberg Copy
Chymische Untersuchungen welche fürnehmlich von der Lithogeognosia oder Erkäntniss und Bearbeitung der gemeinen einfacheren Steine und Erden ingleichen von Feuer und Licht handeln.
4 p.l., 88 pp. 4to, cont. vellum over boards, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Berlin: C.F. Voss, 1746.
[bound with]:
—. Fortsetzung derer Chymischen Untersuchungen, welche von der Lithogeognosie, oder Erkäntniss und Bearbeitung derer Steine und Erden specieller handeln. 4 p.l., 120 pp. 4to (light foxing). Berlin & Potsdam: C.F. Voss, 1751.
[bound with]:
—. Zweyte Fortsetzung derer Chymischen Untersuchungen welche von der Lithogeognosie oder Erkäntniss und Bearbeitung derer Steine und Erden in Anwendung derselben zur Bereiting feuerfester Gefässe und Tiegel specieller handeln nebst Tabellen über all drey Theile. One engraved plate depicting a furnace. 7 p.l., 148 pp. (minor foxing). Berlin: C.F. Voss, 1754.
First editions; a complete set. Pott (1692-1777), a disciple of Stahl, succeeded Neumann as professor of practical chemistry and director of the royal pharmacy at Berlin. “Pott’s principal contribution to chemistry was in the systematic examination of mineral substances. He extended knowledge of several metals, at a time when the traditional notion of a fixed number of metals was changing…He described bismuth fully and added to knowledge of its compounds and those of borax, alkalies, and alkaline earths.”–D.S.B., XI, p. 109.
These three works are concerned with Pott’s attempts to duplicate the porcelain manufactured at Meissen; they became a vade mecum of the ceramists and the most popular treatment of the fundamentals of the subject. Pott made over 30,000 experiments with all kinds of materials subjected to heat in an improved furnace of his own design. His elaborate tables of reactions recorded here are a notable contribution to chemical analysis “in the dry way” and greatly advanced chemical theory.
The plate depicts the furnace used by Pott in his attempts to make porcelain.
A very nice set. Old library stamp on title, and the fine engraved bookplate of the Count of Stolberg on front pastedown.
❧ Ferguson, II, pp. 221-22. Neville, II, pp. 329-32. Partington, II, pp. 717-22. Sinkankas 5227.
Price: $3,250.00
Item ID: 3260
