This continuously growing library collection includes rare books from the Othmer Library of Chemical History. The collection includes works donated to the library by notable collectors including Donald Othmer, the Chemists' Club, Herb Pratt, Alfred Bader, and Robert E. Schofield. Only a small portion of the library's rare books have been digitized.
Please note, this collection excludes rare books donated by Roy G. Neville, whose sizable donation can be found partially digitized here.
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609 items
Georgii Agricolae de re metallica libri XII
- Agricola de re metallica
- 1556-Mar
De re metallica, or On the Nature of Metals [Minerals], published in 1556, documents leading knowledge and practices of its time in mining, refining, and smelting metals and includes 273 woodcut illustrations. At the…
- Author Agricola, Georg, 1494-1555
- Printer Episcopius, Nicolaus, 1501-1564, Froben, Hieronymus, 1501-1563
- Artist Manuel, Hans Rudolf, 1525-1571
- Subject Zoology, Metallurgy, Mineral industries, Engineering
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26 items
Magiae naturalis
- Natural magick by John Baptista Porta, a Neapolitane: in Twenty Books .... Wherein are set forth All the Riches and Delights of the Natural Sciences
- Porta's natural magick
- Natural magick in xx bookes
- 1658
Frontispiece, title page, woodcuts, and table from Magiae naturalis, or Natural magick, by John Baptista Porta. Porta's Natural magick was originally published in four "books" (chapters) and later expanded to twenty…
- Author Porta, Giambattista della, approximately 1535-1615
- Subject Science, Alchemy, Magic
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3 items
La chymie charitable et facile, en faveur des dames
- Chymie des dames
- 1687
La chymie charitable et facile, en faveur des dames was the first chemistry book written by a woman, Marie Meurdrac (c. 1610-1680), for a female audience. The book covers practical chemistry, medicine, and cosmetics,…
- Author Meurdrac, Marie
- Subject Chemistry, Medicine, Pharmacy, Women--Health and hygiene, Beauty, Personal
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10 items
Recherches sur les causes particulieres des phénoménes électriques
- 1749
Jean-Antoine Nollet (1700-1770) was an 18th-century French experimental physicist known for discovering osmosis in 1748 and conducting foundational research on electricity.
- Author Nollet, abbé (Jean Antoine), 1700-1770
- Publisher Frères Guérin
- Subject Electricity, Electric power, Electrophysiology
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46 items
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13 items
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27 items
Istituzioni di pirotecnia: per istruzione di coloro che vogliono apprendere a lavorare i Fochi d'Artifizio
- Institutions of Pyrotechnics: for the education of those wanting to learn the making of Fireworks
- 1819
- Author Calà Ossorio, Marcello
- Engraver Alfano, G. (Gaetano)
- Subject Fireworks, Calà Ossorio, Marcello, Alfano, G. (Gaetano), Fireworks industry
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19 items
Traité des feux d'artifice pour le spectacle
- Feux dartifi
- 1747
Written by French military engineer, explorer, and mathematician Amédée-François Frézier (1682-1773), the Traité des Feux d’artifice pour le spectacle was one of the most influential early treatises devoted to fireworks…
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322 items
The Mysteries of Nature and Art
- In Foure Severall Parts: The first of Water works, The second of Fire works, The third of Drawing, Washing, Limming, Painting and Engraving, The fourth of sundry Experiments
- 1635
The Mysteries of Nature and Art, written by John Bate in 1635, is divided into four sections: waterworks, fireworks, drawing/painting/engraving, and miscellaneous experiments.
- Author Bate, John
- Printer Harper, Thomas, -1656
- Subject Bate, John, Fireworks, Waterworks, Science--Experiments, Metallurgy, Engraving, Art--Technique, Machinery
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164 items
Integrum morborum mysterium
- Sive medicinae catholicae tomo primi Tractatus secundus, in Sectiones distributus duas
- 1631
Integrum morborum mysterium: Sive medicinae catholicae tomo primi Tractatus secundus, in Sectiones distributus duas was published in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1631.
This first edition is a compendium of the occult…
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40 items
The Art of Making Fireworks with Safety and Ease
- 1830
Pamphlet titled The Art of Making Fireworks with Safety and Ease, published in 1830 by Turner & Fisher. The pamphlet outlines methods for creating various kinds of fireworks and describes how to mix and prepare the…
- Publisher Turner & Fisher
- Subject Fireworks, Gunpowder, pyrote
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7 items
Annales de Chimie
- Recueil de mémoires concernant la chimie et les arts qui en dépendent
- 1791 – 1793
The title page of the Annales de Chimie changed repeatedly in the first few years of its publication in response to rapid changes brought about by the French Revolution. Initially it published with the permission and…
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45 items
Mineralienbuch
- oder allgemeine und besondere Beschreibung der Mineralien
- 1855
The title page and all forty-four pages of illustrations of mineral specimens have been digitized.
- Author Schmidt, F.A., active 19th century
- Publisher Krais & Hoffmann
- Subject Mineralogy, Minerals, Precious stones
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621 items
Mines and Miners, or, Underground Life
- La vie souterraine, ou les mines et les mineurs.
- 1868
Henry William Bristow's English translation of Louis Simonin's La vie souterraine, ou les mines et les mineurs (1867) appeared in this lavishly produced edition the following year with 166 wood engravings, 20 colored…
- Author Simonin, Louis, 1830-1886
- Editor Bristow, Henry William, 1817-1889
- Publisher William Mackenzie (Firm)
- Subject Mineral industries, Miners, Mines and mineral resources, Petrology, Metallurgy, Ores, Minerals, Precious stones
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2 items
Theatrum sympatheticum auctum
- exhibens varios authores, de pulvere sympathetico quidem
- 1662
The 16th- and 17th-centuries saw a flurry of interest in "sympathetic medicine," or curing at a distance. It originated with the so-called "weapon salve" attributed to Paracelsus, which applied to the weapon that…
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33 items
Medical and alchemical recipes : autograph manuscript
- 1550s
Dutch or Flemish apothecary's reference pocketbook with recipes, remedies, and customers' names, all written in Dutch. The majority of the recipes and remedies relate to women's illnesses and the plague. The final notes…
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32 items
Musaeum Regalis Societatis, or, A Catalogue and Description of the Natural and Artificial Rarities Belonging to the Royal Society and Preserved at Gresham Colledge
- A Catalogue and Description of the Natural and Artificial Rarities Belonging to the Royal Society and Preserved at Gresham College
- 1681
One of the earliest scientific societies, The Royal Society prided itself on following the precepts of Francis Bacon and taking an empirical approach to nature. The foundation of that approach was "matters of fact."…
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42 items
Rariora musei Besleriani quae olim Basilius et Michael Rupertus Besleri collegerunt, aeneisque tabulis ad vivum incisa evulgarunt
- 1716
A description with commentary, by Johann Heinrch Lochner (1695-1715) of the natural history museum of Nuremberg apothecaries Basilius Besler (1561-1629) and his nephew Michael Rupert Besler (1607-1661). The collection…
- Contributor Besler, Basilius, 1561-1629, Besler, Michael Rupert, 1607-1661
- Author Lochner, Johann Heinrich, 1695-1715
- Engraver Heumann, Georg Daniel, 1691-1759
- Artist Heumann, Georg Daniel, 1691-1759
- Subject Natural history, Natural history museums, Besler, Basilius, 1561-1629, Besler, Michael Rupert, 1607-1661
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Le livre de tous les ménages, ou, L'art de conserver pendant plusieurs années, toutes les substances animales et végétales
- L'art de conserver pendant plusieurs années, toutes les substances animales et végétales
- 1813
Foldout engraving from Le livre de tous les ménages, ou, L'art de conserver pendant plusieurs années, toutes les substances animales et végétales.
- Author Appert, Nicolas, 1749-1841
- Engraver Gaitte, Antoine-Joseph, 1753-
- Subject Canning and preserving, Food--Preservation
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3 items
Culinary Chemistry: Exhibiting the Scientific Principles of Cookery, with Concise Instructions for Preparing Good and Wholesome Pickles, Vinegar, Conserves, Fruit Jellies, Marmalades, and Various Other Alimentary Substances Employed in Domestic Economy, with Observations on the Chemical Constitution and Nutritive Qualities of Different Kinds of Food
- 1821
Title page and facing title page of Culinary Chemistry: Exhibiting the Scientific Principles of Cookery, With Concise Intructions for Preparing Good and Wholesome Pickles, Vinegar, Conserves, Fruit Jellies, Marmalades,…
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18 items
Oeuvres Physiologiques, Volume 2
- Traité des Sensations et des Passions en Général, et des Sens en Particulier, Ouvrage Divisé en Deux Parties.
- La Théorie de L'ouie
- 1767
The second of three volumes by Claude-Nicolas Le Cat (1700-1768), a French surgeon, lithotomist, researcher, and science communicator. Volume two was originally published as the Traité des sens in Rouen in 1740,…
- Author Le Cat, Claude-Nicolas, 1700-1768
- Publisher Chez Vallat-La-Chapelle
- Engraver Bacheley, Jacques, 1712-1781
- Subject Senses and sensation, Sense organs, Physiology, Le Cat, Claude-Nicolas, 1700-1768, Vision, Hearing, Smell, Touch, Taste
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31 items
L'art du Distillateur Liquoriste: Contenant le Bruleur d'Eaux-de-vie, le Fabriquant de Liqueurs, le Débitant ou le Cafetier-Limonnadier
- The Art of the Liqueur Distiller: Containing the Brandy Burner, the Liqueur Maker, the Bartender or the Lemonade Maker
- 1775
Part of a series published between 1761 and 1788 by the Parisian Académie des Sciences entitled Descriptions des arts et métiers, or Descriptions of the Arts and Trades. The full series comprises 113 folio volumes and…
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30 items
L'art du Distillateur d'Eaux-Fortes, &c.
- 1773
Part of a series published between 1761 and 1788 by the Parisian Académie des Sciences entitled Descriptions des arts et métiers, or Descriptions of the Arts and Trades. The full series comprises 113 folio volumes and…
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22 items
Il Colombo : Regioni Esterne del Corpo, Scheletro, Sistema Vasale, Muscoli, Organi Interni
- 1924
Italian-language book on the anatomy of the pigeon. It includes a color illustration of a pigeon and a pigeon egg. The pigeon is composed of two large, double-sided flaps and a series of smaller flaps, each of which…
- Author Mico, Dott.
- Editor Cappelli, L.
- Subject Pigeons, Lift-the-flap books, Pigeons--Anatomy, Birds, Birds--Anatomy, Birds--Reproduction, Birds--Eggs
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28 items
La Vacca : Regioni Esterne del Corpo, Scheletro, Sistema Vasale, Muscoli, Organi Interni
- 1924
Italian-language book on the anatomy of dairy cattle. It includes a color illustration of a dairy cow that is composed of two large, double-sided flaps and a series of smaller flaps, each of which lifts to reveal the…
- Author Mico, Dott.
- Editor Capelli, L.
- Subject Cattle--Anatomy, Cattle, Dairy cattle, Lift-the-flap books, Livestock, Agricultural education
