[ALCHIMY]. ARNAULD (Pierre). Three treatises on natural philosophy, not yet printed. Sçavoir le Secret livre du très-ancien philosophe Artephius, traitant de l'art occulte et transmutation métallique, latin-françois. Plus les Figures hierogliphiques de Nicolas Flamel... Ensemble le Vray livre du docte Synesius, abbé grec, tiré de la Bibliothèque de l'Empereur, sur le mesme sujet. Paris, Guillaume Marette, 1612. Small in-4, red half-maroquin, spine decorated, gilt edges (19th century binding). First edition of this precious collection of three important alchemical treatises published for the first time in French: Artéphius' Livre secret de l'Art occulte et de la pierre philosophale and Synésius' Le Vray livre de la pierre philosophale, but above all the first edition of Nicolas Flamel's Figures hiéroglyphiques, the main work attributed to the famous alchemist. The text is illustrated with a fold-out plate and eight figures in the text depicting the archway built by Nicolas Flamel in the Cimetière des Innocents and details of its symbolism. These three treatises were translated and published by the Poitevin Pierre Arnauld de La Chevallerie (a pseudonym of Béroalde de Verville, according to Claude Gagnon), and printed at his own expense in Paris by Guillaume Marette, Samuel Thiboust and the widow Guillemot. A copy of the 103 pp. edition, complete with the folding plate and well preserved, which is very rare. Ferguson describes another edition, in 98 pp. with the same "achevé d'imprimer", which was the subject of two resales in 1659 and 1682. Minor worm damage at the back of the volume; some quires slightly foxed; minor rubbing to the spine. Caillet, n°425 - Ferguson, I, 47 - Duveen, 27.