Tesson, Jacques (& others)

Le livre de Jacques Taisson orphèvre contenant le Secret du Grand Oeuvre. Composé à Marseille l'année gblxxxi. 1581. With three other short alchemical tracts. The second tract is illustrated with 37 symbolic alchemical drawings, of which 30 are in water-colour. There are also 3 similar water-colour drawings at the end. There are spaces left for the 22 illustrations to the first work. Contents: (1) Tesson (J.). Le livre (ff. 1-120). This work is in three parts: ff. 1-50; Suite du livre seconde partie (ff. 51-93), of which ff. 74-83 are in verse; Suite du livre dernière partie (ff. 94-120), also with sections in verse. (2) Valois (N.). Hebdomas hebdomadarum (ff. 121v-164). With 37 illustrations, instead of 42, and no text, except for the legends in Sanscrit, Chaldean, Hebrew, etc.: as in MS. No. 4907. (3) [Anon.]. La Pierre des Philosophes. In verse (ff. 164v-172). Begins: Depuis l'illustre Jour qu'aux yeux de cent Rivales.... Ends: de l'ox surnaturel le mistère proffond. (4) [Anon.]. Rencontre et entrétien d'un philosophe inconnu (ff. 173-185). 3 ll. containing 6 symbolic alchemical water-colour illustrations, two to a page.

c. 1725

1 volume 185 ff. + 3 ll. 4to. 24 × 17 cm. 19th cent. half-calf binding. Margins slightly cropped. Text within black rules. A foliation in pencil has been added.

Purchased 1936.

The name of the author of the first work is given as 'Jacques' (or 'Jacob' sometimes in the text) 'Taisson': it also appears as 'Tesson', and 'Taysson'.

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).

A copy of this treatise, also of the 18th cent., is found in the Bibliothèque de Lyon No. 971(900), where it is entered as: 'Jacques Tesson ou Le Tesson. Le grand et excellent Oeuvre des Sages, contenant trois traités ou dialogues: Dialogue du Lyon verd, du grand Thériaque, et du Régime'. It is mentioned several times in Fulcanelli's 'Les demeures philosophales' Paris, 1930. [Cf. p. 66, etc.].

On the title-page is a small library stamp lettered '301. A. Paquin K.42.'