The Jewel House of Art and Nature: containing Divers Rare and Profitable Inventions.

Printed by Elizabeth Alsop, 1653. later edition. Hardback. Near Fine/No Jacket. 2nd Edition 1653. Full title 'The Jewel House of Art and Nature: containing Divers Rare and Profitable Inventions, together with sundry new experiments in the Art of Husbandry. With divers Chymical Conclusions concerning the Art of Distillation, and the Rare Practices and Uses Thereof...Whereunto is added, a rare and excellent Discourse of minerals, stones, gums, and rosins : with the vertues and use thereof. London, printed by Elizabeth Alsop, and are to be sold at her house in Grubstreet, near the Upper Pump, 1653. Title toned and stained, in woodcut typographic border and with woodcut of an ear of summer barley to verso, woodcut illustrations, head-pieces and decorative initials, complete with [8], 232pp and mispagination as usual, pp.95/96 with small hole (approx 5 x 7mm) affecting small part of text, worm holes to inner margins of some leaves in middle of book (not affecting text), small 4to, bound in later full chestnut calf, raised bands and lettering piece. Replacement end papers.  First published in 1594 this compendium of useful household information including instructions on storing fruit and flowers, 'how to carry gold in a most secret manner', brewing, 'how to speak by signs onely', stealing bees, preventing drunkenness, 'keeping oysters good ten or twelve days', distilling, alchemy, a portable pump, oilskin clothing, sign language, bridge building, fishing, reviving colours of old pictures and much more. Scarce Note there are two issues, this bearing the imprint of Elizabeth Alsop as opposed to that of her husband, Bernard Alsop, who may have died that year.