Fig. 17: Plan of a powder magazine by Eugenio Gentilini.
Fig. 18: A new instrument for measuring gunpowder.
Fig. 19: Sieve.
Figs. 20 and 21: Rocket molds.

Fig. 22: Diagram to determine the dimensions of large rocket molds from smaller ones.
Fig. 23: Rocket mold.
Fig. 24: Mold for cracker fireworks.
Fig. 25: Wooden driver to make paper and canvas rocket cases.
Fig. 26:…

Fig. 34: Technique for choking rocket cases with a turning wooden sheave.
Fig. 35: Tool for choking large rocket cases.
Fig. 36: Tool to form a round cavity in the neck of a rocket case choked with the tool in figure…

Figs. 48-53 and 55-59: Rockets.
Fig. 54: Wooden cylinder filled with corned powder and light balls, inserted in the rocket in figure 50.

Fig. 60: Rocket mounted to a stick.
Figs. 61, 62, 64, 65, and 73-76: Rockets.
Fig. 63: Launching platform for rocket with wings, as in figure 61.
Figs. 66-72: Water rockets.

Figs. 77-79: Devices to hang sky rockets.
Figs. 80-88: Floating fireballs.

Figs. 89-92: Floating fireballs.
Figs. 93-95: Bounding fireballs.
Figs. 96-101: Projectile fireballs.

Figs. 102 and 103: Projectile fireballs.
Fig. 104: Mortar for projecting fireballs.
Figs. 105 and 106: Paper crackers.
Figs. 107 and 108: Iron crackers.
Figs. 109-111: Hand grenades.
Fig. 112: Hand grenade launcher.…

Fig. 118: Wooden tampions.
Fig. 119: Grenade with vent and bottom turned into female screws.
Fig. 120: Manner of packing a grenade in a mortar.
Fig. 121: Blind grenade.
Figs. 122-126 and 128: Cannon-fired grenades.
Fig.…

Figs. 132 and 133: Methods to cut a pattern for spherical fireball bags.
Figs. 134 and 135: Manners of sewing spherical fireball bags.
Figs. 136 and 138-144: Fireballs.
Fig. 137: Fireball with crackers.
Fig. 145: Tools…

Fig. 152: Wooden ball filled with hand grenades.
Fig. 153: Fireball composed of fireballs.
Fig. 154: Wooden ball filled with fiery rain.
Fig. 155: Military light balls.
Fig. 156: "Death's head" fireball.
Fig. 157:…

Fig. 175: Pyrotechnic shield or fire wheel.
Fig. 177: Pyrotechnic dagger.
Fig. 178: Fire sword.
Fig. 179: Fire pole.
Figs. 180, 181, and 183: Fire wheels.
Fig. 182: Iron axle for fire wheels.
Figs. 184-186: Pyrotechnic…

Fig. 197: Wooden frame of dragon set piece.
Fig. 198: Disposition of pyrotechnics in the dragon frame.
Fig. 199: Outward appearance of dragon set piece.

Fig. 200: Cross-section of the set piece of Bacchus, his body enclosing multiple pyrotechnic cases connected by fuses.

Fig. 201: Outward appearance of Bacchus set piece.

Fig. 202: Cross-section of the set piece of Fortuna, her body enclosing a single pyrotechnic case (as described in figure 189).

Fig. 203: Outward appearance of Fortuna set piece.

Fig. 204: Outward appearance of fortified castle set piece with diagrams of its inner construction and disposition of pyrotechnics.
Fig. 205: Statue of Mars upon a pedestal for use in public ceremonies of triumph.
Fig.…

Figs. 207-210: Fire crowns.
Fig. 211: Fire hoop.
Figs. 212-215: Pyrotechnic cylinders.
Fig. 216: Wooden bar with iron spikes.
Fig. 217: Fire sack over bar from figure 216.
Fig. 218: Fire sack.
Figs. 219 and 220:…

1650 English translation of Curiositez inouyes sur la sculpture talismaniquedes Persans (Paris, 1629), by Jacques Gaffarel (1601–1681), a renowned cabalist and Hebrew and Asian studies scholar. Included in the work are…

This 17th-century engraving is from Thomas Norton's The Ordinall of Alchimy and was made after a 15th-century illuminated manuscript (now preserved in the British Library). Norton, a practicing alchemist, depicts an…

This 17th-century engraving is from Thomas Norton's The Ordinall of Alchimy and was made after a 15th-century illuminated manuscript (now preserved in the British Library). Norton, a practicing alchemist, depicts the…

Engraved diagram from George Ripley's The Compound of Alchymie. Known as Ripley's Wheel, the drawing depicts concentric planetary spheres along with his alchemical recipes.

First published in 1652, this compilation of English alchemical literature was collected and annotated by Elias Ashmole. The book made available many works that had previously existed only in privately held manuscripts,…

The engraved emblem on the lower half of this title page was made after a 15th-century illuminated manuscript (now preserved in the British Library) and depicts an eagle, snake, and toad against a solar and lunar…