University of St Andrews

Resources

• Electronic resources
• Collections
• Special Collections
  • Search our collections
  • How to find us
  • Opening hours
  • Rare books
    • FAQ
    • Named Collections
      • Abbott Collection
      • Alchemy Collection
      • Anderson Collection
      • Annandale Collection
      • Beveridge Collection
      • Bible Collection
      • Bonaparte Collection
      • Buccleuch Collection
      • Buchanan Collection
      • Crombie Collection
      • Donaldson Collection
      • Dudley Collection
      • Finzi Collection
      • Fleeman Johnson Collection
      • G.H. Forbes Collection
      • Gillespie and Scott Collection
      • Hamilton Collection
      • Hay Fleming Collection
      • Hollis Collection
      • J.D. Forbes Collection
      • Lang Collection
      • Leslie Collection
      • Librarians Collection
      • Low Collection
      • Macgillivray Collection
      • Mackay Collection
      • Mackenzie Collection
      • Missionary Collection
      • Moore Collection
      • Murray Collection
      • Queen Anne Collection
      • Royal Collection
      • Salmond Collection
      • Scot Collection
      • Shewan Collection
      • Simson Collection
      • St Andrews Collection
      • Thailand Collection
      • Typographical Collection
      • Von Hugel Collection
      • Wedderburn Collection
      • Wightman Collection
      • Williams Collection
      • Young Collection
  • Manuscripts
  • Muniments
  • Photographic Collection
  • Commercial activities
  • Did you know...?
  • Exhibitions
  • Genealogy
  • New accessions
  • News
  • Projects
  • Treasure in focus
  • Treasures book
  • St Andrews Digital Collections

Alchemy Collection

The collection of Professor John Read (1884-1963), professor of chemistry at St Andrews 1923-1963. It comprises c350 printed items and some mss which are almost entirely devoted to alchemy and older chemistry texts. The printed books are nearly all pre-1851; there is one incunabulum (Goff M-551) and c 150 pre-1701 items. Especially notable for first and early editions (14) of works by Michael Maier (1568-1662). 

Finding aids

A sheaf author catalogue and a typed list are available in the Special Collections department. Some of the collection is catalogued on-line and conversion of the records is proceeding. The collection has the prefix Alc. It is shelved according to a date based classification system, not LC.