BOYLE (ROBERT) The Sceptical Chymist: or Chymico-Physical Doubts & Paradoxes, touching the Spagyrist's Principles commonly call'd Hypostatical, as they are wont to be Propos'd and Defended by the Generality of Alchymists, FIRST EDITION, J. Cadwell, for J. Crooke, 1661
Lot 236•
BOYLE (ROBERT)
The Sceptical Chymist: or Chymico-Physical Doubts & Paradoxes, touching the Spagyrist's Principles commonly call'd Hypostatical, as they are wont to be Propos'd and Defended by the Generality of Alchymists, FIRST EDITION, J. Cadwell, for J. Crooke, 1661
Sold for £ 362,500 (US$ 477,063) inc. premium

Lot Details
BOYLE (ROBERT) The Sceptical Chymist: or Chymico-Physical Doubts & Paradoxes, touching the Spagyrist's Principles commonly call'd Hypostatical, as they are wont to be Propos'd and Defended by the Generality of Alchymists, FIRST EDITION, J. Cadwell, for J. Crooke, 1661 BOYLE (ROBERT) The Sceptical Chymist: or Chymico-Physical Doubts & Paradoxes, touching the Spagyrist's Principles commonly call'd Hypostatical, as they are wont to be Propos'd and Defended by the Generality of Alchymists, FIRST EDITION, J. Cadwell, for J. Crooke, 1661
BOYLE (ROBERT)
The Sceptical Chymist: or Chymico-Physical Doubts & Paradoxes, touching the Spagyrist's Principles commonly call'd Hypostatical, as they are wont to be Propos'd and Defended by the Generality of Alchymists, FIRST EDITION, 2 titles printed in red and black (the second additional, bound after D1), R2 a cancel, without final blank, A2-3 with small paper flaw at head just touching headline, second title with author's name added in ink and with small tear repaired with old paper on blank verso, short tear touching 2 lines of D2, collector's mark touching 2 letters on p.51, but generally very clean and crisp, contemporary sheep, some refurbishment to spine, leaves from a Latin edition of Aristotle used as free endpapers, fragments (160 x 90mm.) of a fourteenth century vellum manuscript as paste-downs, preserved in modern solander box [Wing B4021; Dibner 39; Fulton 33; Norman 299; PMM 141], 8vo (167 x 99mm.), J. Cadwell, for J. Crooke, 1661

Footnotes

  • FINE FIRST EDITION OF A MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF CHEMISTRY, AND BOYLE'S "MOST FAMOUS BOOK" (ODNB).

    "The importance of Boyle's book must be sought in his combination of chemistry with physics. His corpuscular theory, and Newton's modification of it, gradually led chemists towards an atomic view of matter... His argument was designed to lead chemists away from the pure empiricism of his predecessors and to stress the theoretical, experimental and mechanistic elements of chemical science. The Sceptical Chymist is concerned with the relations between chemical substances rather than transmuting one metal into another or the manufacture of drugs. In this sense the book must be considered one of the most significant milestones on the way to the chemical revolution of Lavoisier in the eighteenth century" (PMM).
Activities
Auction information

This auction is now finished. If you are interested in consigning in future auctions, please contact the specialist department. If you have queries about lots purchased in this auction, please contact customer services.

Buyers' Obligations

ALL BIDDERS MUST AGREE THAT THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD BONHAMS' CONDITIONS OF SALE AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THEM, AND AGREE TO PAY THE BUYER'S PREMIUM AND ANY OTHER CHARGES MENTIONED IN THE NOTICE TO BIDDERS. THIS AFFECTS THE BIDDERS LEGAL RIGHTS.

If you have any complaints or questions about the Conditions of Sale, please contact your nearest customer services team.

Buyers' Premium and Charges

For all Sales categories excluding Wine, Coins & Medals and Motor Cars and Motorcycles:

Buyer's Premium Rates
25% on the first £175,000 of the Hammer Price
20% from £175,001 to £3,000,000 the Hammer Price
12.5% from £3,000,001 of the Hammer Price

VAT at the current rate of 20% will be added to the Buyer's Premium and charges excluding Artists Resale Right.

Payment Notices

For payment information please refer to the sale catalogue.

Shipping Notices

For information and estimates on domestic and international shipping as well as export licences please contact Bonhams Shipping Department.

Lot symbols
• Exempt from tax

Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium.
Contacts
  1. Books (UK)
    Specialist - Books, Maps, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs
    Bonhams
    Work
    Work +44 20 7393 3828
    FaxFax: +44 20 7393 3879
Similar Items