[Metallurgy] BIRINGUCCIO, Vannuccio. Pirotechnia … nella quale si tratta non solo della diversità delle Miniere, ma anco di quanto si ricerca alla pratica di esse, e che s'appartiene all'arte della fusione, ò getto de Metalli. Bologna, Longhi, s.d. [1678]

8vo, mm. 152x100; Contemporary full vellum binding; pp. [32], 630, 84 woodcuts within the text. Signature of ancient possessor. “Francesco Galeani”.

Valuable illustrated edition. The engraved vignettes reproduce metalworking tools, furnaces, stills, the merger phase, bells, weapons. The work extensively describes the different types of metals and different practices for their processing to fire is also widely artillery, furnace, the production of glass, fireworks and distillation.Partington: “The book is essentially practical; it covers the whole field of metallurgy and is the first printed work to do this, but it deals also with applied chemistry, gunpowder, military arts, and fire-works. The Pirotechnia describes and pictures reverberatory furnaces, describes the liquation of silver from copper by means of lead, and has important descriptions of bell casting and cannon founding. “ La data si ricava dalla dedica di Natale Doriguzzi al marchese Giuseppe Montecuccoli.

Partington, II, p. 33; Michel-Michel I, p. 167. D.B.I. vol. 10, pp. 625-631 Mieli, Scienziati ital., I, pp. 20-24.