ESSENCE AND ALCHEMY: A Book of Perfume
New York: North Point Press, 2001. First Edition. Hardcover. "...resurrects the social and metaphysical legacy that is entwined with the evolution of perfumery, from the dramas of the spice trade to the quests of the alchemists to whom today's perfumers owe a philosophical as well as a practical debt. Mandy Aftel tracks scent through the boudoir and the bath and into the sanctums of worship, offering insights on the relationship of scent to sex, solitude, and the soul. Along the way, she imparts instruction in the art of perfume compositions, complete with recipes, guiding the reader in a process of transformation of materials that continues to follow the alchemical dictum solve et coagula (dissolve and combine) and is itself aesthetically and spiritually transforming." Octavo: [x], 244 pp. Original paper-covered boards, with bronze-stamped titling. A fine copy in a fine dust jacket. Fine / Fine. Item #80406
ISBN: 0865475539
Price: $40.00