PORTA, Giovanni Battista della. Magiae Naturalis Libri Viginti.Leiden, Petrus Leffen, 1651

12mo, mm. 130x80; Late Amaranth full calf Binding, spine with 4 and golden titles, marbled edges; pp. 16, 670, 22; Frontispiece on copper, printer’s device on title page, many gemometric woodcut illustrations, ovens, alembics, experiments graphics. Ownership note of Baron Charles de Margherita on the recto of the first blank leaf, dated 1913; stamp of his library on the reverse.

Rare and important work illustrated on natural magic. Originally published in four books, then greatly expanded edition in twenty books, ranging from medicine to the natural sciences, from alchemy to metallic transmutation, from optics to magnetism, from distillation to cosmetics. The first book deals with the nature of the elements, celestial influence, sympathy and antipathy, the occult virtue; others illustrate experiments with drugs, poisons, metallurgy, distillation, transmutation, magnetism, cosmetics, tires; the Book XVII covers various optical experiments, and contains a description of the camera obscura. The engraved frontispiece depicts a scientist that passes a mirror with his sword and produces an optical illusion.

Caillet, n. 8852; Duveen, p. 481; Biblio magica, p.112; Thorndike VI, pp.418-22.

Sign of dampstain in the first and last part of the work.