This like-new first printing is near fine, no marks, pages are tight and near fine, the book is tight, square, and unmarked. The dust jacket is unmarked, beige cloth boards, and bright gilt lettering on the spine of the book. The Arcanum recounts the gripping quest of European craftsmen, scientists, and alchemists to unlock the secret formula (arcanum) for true porcelain, a craft long guarded by China. At its center is Johann Friedrich Böttger, an alchemist whose search unexpectedly led him to a groundbreaking role in European porcelain production. The story unfolds largely in Meissen, Germany, where Böttger ultimately succeeded in creating Europe’s first true hard-paste porcelain, leading to the founding of the world-famous Meissen porcelain manufactory in 1710. Janet Gleeson is a British historian specializing in 18th-century Europe.