Bibliotheca Chemica Curiosa

Bibliotheca Chemica Curiosa (Latin for “Curious Chemical Library”) is a collection of alchemical texts first published in Latin, in Geneva, 1702 by Chouet, edited by Jean-Jacques Manget.^[1]

Bibliotheca Chemica Curiosa

Title page of the first volume
Edited by	Jean-Jacques Manget
Country	Geneva
Language	Latin
Genre	Document
Publisher	Chouet
Published	1702
No. of books	2

Content

It is a two-volume work, each has more than 900 pages and contains 143 texts in total,^[2] which makes it one of the most comprehensive collections of alchemical texts in addition to the Theatrum Chemicum.

Sources used

It is based on reprints of older publications, such as Theatrum Chemicum and Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum.

Full title

The full Latin title, including the editor’s name, on the title page: “[Jo. Jacobi Mangeti, Medicinae Doctoris, Et Sereniss. ac Potentiss. Regis Prussiae Archiatri, Bibliotheca Chemica Curiosa, Seu Rerum ad Alchemiam pertinentium Thesaurus Instructissimus : Quo non tantùm Artis Auriferae, Ac Scriptorum in ea Nobiliorum Historia traditur ; Lapidis Veritas Argumentis & Experimentis innumeris, immò & Juris Consultorum Judiciis evincitur ; Termini obscuriores explicantur ; Cautiones contra Impostores, & Difficultates in Tinctura Universali conficienda occurentes, declarantur : Verùm etiam Tractatus Omnes Virorum Celebriorum, qui in Magno sudarunt Elixyre, quíque ab ipso Hermete, ut dicitur, Trismegisto, ad nostra usque Tempora de Chrysopoea scripserunt, cum praecipuis suis Commentariis, concinno Ordine dispositi exhibentur. Ad quorum omnium Illustrationem additæ sunt quamplurimæ Figuræ æneæ ] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |3= (help)”.

Gallery

• 
  Portrait of Jean-Jaques Manget from Bibliotheca Chemica Curiosa
• 
  Title page of “tomus primus”
• 
  Plate 1 from volume 1
• 
  Plate 2 from volume 1
• 
  Plate 7 from volume 1
• 
  Plate 15 from vol. 1, The End of the Great Work shows the spiritualized body rising into the heavens, leaving behind the old body. The ladder of wisdom has been scaled, the angels crown the victorious adept. Above them, the sun illuminates the scene with the radiance of wisdom.^[3]
• 
  Page 898 from volume 2
• 
  Page 901 from volume 2

References

1. Manget, Jean-Jacques (1702). "Jo. Jacobi Mangeti ... Bibliotheca chemica curiosa". e-rara.ch. doi:10.3931/e-rara-7378. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
2. "Bibliotheca chemica curiosa". levity.com. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
3. Aromatico, Andrea (2000). "Chapter 3: The Practice of Alchemy". Alchemy: The Great Secret. “Abrams Discoveries” series. Translated by Hawkes, Jack. New York: Harry N. Abrams. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-8109-2889-3. Accomplishing the Great Work