The Mysteries of Alchemy
UK: THE English Literature and History sale held by Sotheby’s on December 19 opened in unexpectedly dramatic fashion when an English alchemical manuscript drawn up in 1624 by Leonard Smethley, miraculously transmuted an estimate of £6000-8000 into something just as welcome as the gold or silver that ancient practitioners hoped for – a huge bid of £180,000!
A 12ft 5in x 13in (3.78m x 33cm) long vellum scroll made up of seven conjoined membranes, it include…