Oriental Alchemy

New York: Samuel Weiser, 1974. First American Paperback Edition. Softcover. Very Good+ in Wraps. First American Paperback Edition. Softcover. Original published in 1936. This volume presents eminent alchemists of both the Chinese and Japanese traditions. There is a survey of alchemical elixirs, with their compositions, properties and uses. Recipes are given for the making of gold, and there is a detailed discussion of the chemical reactions occurring in the process. There is a chapter dealing with the making of bronze, along with a survey of the different articles in which it is used. The work concludes with a chapter on forging steel, which demonstrates how alchemy relates to metallurgy. OOP. Mild foxing, otherwise tight, bright, and unmarred. Illustrated color wrappers, perfect, 102pp. Illus. (b/w).