Janus: Papers of Joseph Needham as a historian of Chinese science, technology and medicine

Needham/NRI2/SCC2 contains:
<-- See earlier
184	'Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5, Part 2': Concepts, Terminology, and Definitions; Aurifiction, Aurifaction, Macrobiotics
185	'Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5, Part 2': Concepts, Terminology, and Definitions: Material Immortality, Macrobiotics and Soma (Wasson) etc.
186	'Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5, Part 2': Concepts, Terminology, and Definitions: Liturgy and Alchemy
187	Mycology, Hallucinogens and Ethno-pharmacology etc.
188	Nomenclature of chemical substances, ores and minerals in the old Chinese literature
189	Alchemy and Chemistry: The metallurgical-chemical background
190	Alchemy and Chemistry: Late notes - Metallurgical - Introduction
191	Alchemy and Chemistry: Physiological background
192	'Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5, Part 2': Miscellaneous late notes
193	Alchemy and Chemistry: Main History 1
194	Alchemy and Chemistry: Main History 2
See later -->

Papers of Joseph Needham as a historian of Chinese science, technology and medicine

Title	Alchemy and Chemistry: The metallurgical-chemical background
Reference	SCC2/189
Covering Dates	1950–22 Nov. 1982
Extent and Medium	Paper

Index Terms

Chemistry

Metallurgy

Needham/NRI2/SCC2/189 contains:

File of notes relating to Lu Gwei-Djen's theory that ? [Chin / Jin] and ? [Yin] were alloys and amalgams, not real gold and silver. The notes are by Lu and Joseph Needham.
Creator: Lu Gwei-Djen; Needham, Joseph.
24 sheets; Paper.

1965–1973

Copy of a Joseph Needham letter to Sir Harry Garner of Beckenham, Kent, about 'purple of Cassius' and the 'famille rose' technique of Chinese ceramics, and Garner's reply.
Creator: Needham, Joseph; Garner, Harry.
4 sheets; Paper.

27 Oct. 1969–30 Oct. 1969

File of documents relating to 'Unicorn-foot Pegasus-hoof purple gold'. The documents comrpise a photocoy of a chapter entitled 'The Private History of Queen Feiyen' from Lin Yü-Thang [??? / Lin Yutang], 'The Wisdom of China', (London, 1944); notes by Joseph Needham and Lu Gwei-Djen.
Creator: Lu Gwei-Djen; Needham, Joseph.
33 sheets; Paper.

1965–1973

Part of a letter from James A. Charles of the Department of Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, about Caligula's orpiment gold and other matters. Other matters discussed include names of various types of imitation gold. The documents also include Joseph Needham's notes of a talk with Charles, 24 Septempber 1969.
Creator: Charles, James A.; Needham, Joseph.
3 sheets; Paper.

June 1969–24 Sep. 1969

Joseph Needham notes taken from books on metallurgy amongst the Pre-Columbian Indians, written by P. Bergsoe. The documents also include a photocopy of tables showing analyses of gold objects, from Bergsoe's, 'The Metallurgy and Technology of Gold and Platinum among the pre-Columbian Indians', ('Ingeniörvidenskabelje Skrifter', Copenhagen, 1937).
11 sheets; Paper.

1965–1973

Letter from Cheng Te-Khun [??? / Zheng Dekun] in Cambridge, about terms for metals seen in ancient Chinese bronze inscriptions and texts.
Creator: Cheng Te-Khun.
4 sheets; Paper.

9 Dec. 1969

Correspondence with J. R. Partington in Cambridge, about zinc production in China. The documents comprise 3 postcards from Partington; copy of 1 letter of reply from Joseph Needham. The documents also include an English translation of the entry on zinc in the 'San Tshai Thu Hui [???? / San Cai Tu Hui], (1609).
Creator: Partington, J. R.; Needham, Joseph.
6 sheets; Paper.

22 July 1959

Note from James A. Charles of the Department of Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, providing notes from D. Hanson, 'The Constitution of Binary Alloys', (New York, 1958).
Creator: Charles, James A.
1 document; Paper.

1960–1969

Joseph Needham notes on Paktong.
13 sheets; Paper.

1960–1973

Joseph Needham's drafts of tables corresponding to Tables 96 to 102, of 'Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5, Part 2'. Table 96 is entitled 'Diluted or 'debased' golds'. Table 97 is entitled 'Brasses and bronzes'. Table 98 is entitled 'Chinese historical and analytical data on coin compositions'. Table 99 is entitled 'Other gold-like alloys'. Table 100 is entitled 'Diluted or 'debased' silvers'. Table 101 is entitled 'The Paktong group'. Table 102 is entitled, 'Other silver-like alloys'.
14 sheets; Paper.

1965–1973

Joseph Needham's notes on the history of metallurgy from a talk with James A. Charles of the Department of Metallurgy, University of Cambridge.
8 sheets; Paper.

29 June 1968

Correspondence with Prof. William Watson of the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, about Chinese bronzes and brasses. The documents comprise 2 letters from Watson; copies of 2 letters of reply from Joseph Needham.
Creator: Watson, William; Needham, Joseph.
6 sheets; Paper.

18 Oct. 1969–17 Nov. 1969

Correspondence with A. C. Allcock of the John Ray Society, Nottingham, about a Joseph Needham talk on 'A Mettalurgical Tin-Opener for Chinese Alchemy'. The documents comprise 3 letters from Allock; copy of 1 letter from Joseph Needham.
Creator: Allcock, A. C.; Needham, Joseph.
6 sheets; Paper.

7 Dec. 1969–23 Feb. 1970

Postcard from Honor Frost in Cyprus, showing a 'silver bowl with inlaid decoration in gold and niello from Enkomi, 14th cent. B.C.'. Frost mentions her work on bronze-age stone anchors.
Creator: Frost, Honor.
1 document; Paper.

1 May 1968

Letter from Michael Hendy of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, about the surface enrichment of gold/silver alloys, and related Joseph Needham notes.
Creator: Hendy, Michael; Needham, Joseph.
2 sheets; Paper.

5 June 1970

Note from Nicholas [?] of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, about amalgamation.
1 document; Paper.

18 Apr. 1974

Two lists of articles by ?? [Wang Chin / Wang Jin] on Chinese history of science, particulary metallurgical chemistry.
3 sheets; Paper.

1950–1959

Joseph Needham's summary of an article by Yang Ken [?? / Yang Gen] about a Chin dynasty aluminium-copper alloy, and related notes. The summary was published in 'Revue Bibliographique de Sinologie', January 1964.
3 sheets; Paper.

Jan. 1964

Note from C. O. B. [C O Brink] of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, about a metal instrument described in a poem by Horace, (1st century B.C.). The documents also include photocopied pages from Brink's commentary on the poem; related notes by Joseph Needham.
Creator: Brink, C. O.; Needham, Joseph.
4 sheets; Paper.

6 Nov. 1969

Joseph Needham's plan for how to deal with the subject of 'Brass' in 'Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5, Part 2'.
1 document; Paper.

1960–1969

Two photographs of coins used as illustrations for 'Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5, Part 2'. One of the photographs shows Cupro-Nickel coins from Greek Bactria. The other shows Chinese zinc coins of the Ming period.
2 pieces; Photograph.

1960–1969

Note from Colin Ridler of Thames and Hudson Ltd. London, accompanying a 'List of Chinese Characters referred to in the text' [?]. The characters relate to metallurgy, but it is not clear to which text this refers.
Creator: Ridler, Colin.
3 sheets; Paper.

1970–1979

Joseph Needham's draft lists of contents for the section of 'Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5, Part 2', on 'The metallurgical-chemical background', and related notes.
4 sheets; Paper.

1960–1973

Letter from Peter R. Hastings of Edinburgh, about John Harrison the 18th century clockmaker and his use of paktong, and copy of Joseph Needham's reply.
Creator: Hastings, Peter R.; Needham, Joseph.
2 sheets; Paper.

23 Oct. 1982–22 Nov. 1982

Joseph Needham's manuscript draft paragraphs for the section of 'Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5, Part 2', entitled 'The mettalurgical-chemical background; identifications of alchemical processes'.
1 bundle; Paper.

1960–1973

Related notes and bibliographical references.
1 bundle; Paper.

1950–1973

Joseph Needham's original file title.
1 document; Paper.

1960–1973