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ALBERTUS MAGNUS Secrets Merveilleux de la Magie Naturelle et Cabalistique du Petit Albert, Traduit exactement sur l'Original Latin, intitulé Alberti Parvi Lucii, Libellus de mirabilibus Naturae Arcanis. Enrichi des Figures misterieuses, et la maniere de les faire. Nouvelle Edition corrigée et augmentée. [Black Magic] A Lion (Lyon), Chez les Héritiers de Beringos Frates à l'Enseigne d'Agrippa, 1718. [27439] EARLY EDITION. 12mo. (130mm x 70mm) pp. [10], 252. Contemporary full brown calf, rebacked probably in the 19th Century, with original spine laid on. Vellum title label and extra gilt to spine. Retaining contemporary marbled endpapers. Title page in red and black, 10 engraved plates including 4 folding and 27 woodcuts/tables throughout the text. Small split to bottom of upper joint, gilt rubbed to spine and title label chipped with loss of S and e of ‘Secrets’. Library bookplate of a Ludwig v. Jenner to front pastedown, with his ink signature to first blank and some occasional neat underlining and marginal notes in his hand throughout. Small red wax seal ot title page Pages fresh and clean. Circulated in manuscript for many years, this is one of the earliest editions in print of this collection of receipts, spells, talismans and other magical actions. The work is infamous for containing the Hand of Glory, made from the severed hand of a hanged man, supporting a candle made from the same unfortunate man’s fat. This can then be used to gain entry into any building and freeze people in their tracks, rendering them speechless. Although reprinted many times, early editions of this work are scarce. Caillet notes a Geneva edition of 1704, but 1729 for the earliest French edition. Coumont has 1718 as the earliest dated edition. An excellent copy. £1,750 Bibliotheca Esoterica [48, for 1791 edition]; Caillet [137]; Coumont [A21.143]; Ferguson, Books of Secrets [Part IV page 35]
The Black Pullet
ANONYMOUS [A. J. S. D. R. L. G. F.] La Poule Noire, ou la Poule aux Oeufs d'Or, [The Black Pullet Grimoire]. Avec la Science des Talismans et Anneaux magiques; l'art de la Nécromancie et de la Cabale, pour conjurer les esprits aëriens et infernaux, les sylphes, les oudins, les gnomes, acquérir la connaissance des sciences secrètes, découvrir les trésors, et obtenir le pouvoir de commander à tous les êtres, et déjouer tous les maléfices et sortiléges, D’après la doctrine de Socrate, Pithagore, Platon, Zoroastre, fils du grand Aromasis, et autres philosophes dont les ouvrages manuscrits ont échappé à l’incendie de la bibliothèque des Ptolomée, et traduits de la langue des Mages et de celle des Hyérogliphes, par les docteurs Mizzaboula-Jabamia, Danhuzerus, Nehmahmiah, Judahim, Eliaeb, et traduits en français. Par A. J. S. D. R. L. G. F. En Egpyte 740 [i.e. Paris: Imprimerie de Braddeur ainé] 1820. [26435] FIRST EDITION. Sextodecimo in sixes (140 x 80mm) pp. [7]; viii-x; [1]; 12-150. Late 19th Century half black morocco, black cloth boards, four raised bands, gilt tiltles and decoration to spine, blind-stamped decoration between bands. Marbled endpapers with top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Illustrated with stylised woodcut frontispiece depicting the Black Hen under the rays of the Sun and 42 woodcuts of talismans, rings and inscriptions. Some rubbing to boards and a small hole in the leather on the lower side. Very faint waterstaining to the gutters of the first few leaves otherwise clean internally. One of the famous French grimoires of the 18th and 19th Century, La Poule Noire describes the design and use of magical talismans and rings which brings great powers to the user such as invisibility, unlimited wealth or the power to speak all languages. Told as a narrative by an anonymous French soldier in Egypt, it tells of his rescue from attacking Arabs by an old Turkish man who hides him in a secret room inside a pyramid. He teaches him magical powers from manuscripts which survived the burning of Ptolemy’s library, including the creation of the Black Hen that lays the Golden Eggs. In his Book of Black Magic and of Pacts (1898), A. E. Waite dedicates many pages to this grimoire, reproducing a number of the talismans - not always faithfully. A very good copy of the rarely seen first edition and classic of black magic. £1,750 Bibliotheca Esoterica [3759]; Caillet [8295]; Coumont [P67.1]
BIRD, J.Malcolm. [DOYLE, A.Conan] My Psychic Adventures. London, George Allen & Unwin 1923 [25953] FIRST EDITION. An account of the American Bird’s investigations into spiritualism, who, together with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, held seances with some of the best-known English mediums of the time. Publisher’s cloth in original dust jacket, edges lightly spotted else fine, in very good jacket, a little nicked and marked with some tanning and a rectangular sticker neatly removed from upper panel. With the original bookseller’s ticket of John M.Watkins.£95
BLAVATSKY. H. P. (Helena Petrovna). The Secret Doctrine: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy. Vol. I. - Cosmogenesis. Vol. II. - Anthropogenesis. Vol. III. - Index. London: The Theosophical Publishing Company; New York: William Q. Judge; Madras: The Manager of the Theosophist. 1888, 1895. [30269] FIRST EDITIONS, AMERICAN ISSUES. 3 vols. Octavo pp. xlvii, 676; xiv, 798, xxx, [2 ads.]; 335, [1 ads.] Finely bound in recent half blue morocco leather, cloth sides, raised bands, gilt titles and centres to spines. Top edges gilt with plain endpapers. Original upper boards and spines bound in at rear. Housed in a blue cloth slipcase. Discreet Lodge stamp to title pages and occasional light creasing to the thin paper, else internally clean, with no writing or other marks. This American issue is bound from the British sheets, and was originally in blue gilt decorated cloth, with the William Q. Judge imprint to the foot of the spines - the British first is in grey cloth and also has a portrait frontispiece, not present in this issue. The index volume was first published in 1895 to accompany the controversial Third and Revised edition, which added much material not originally published. This was Blavatsky’s second major work after Isis Unveiled (1877) and in it she discusses the origins of the Universe and of Humanity and attempts to bring together Eastern Mysticism and Western Science. A beautiful presentation of this uncommon first edition. £875 Gardner Rosic. [59]
BOEHME, Jacob. [REGARDIE, Israel.] The Signature of All Things and Other Discourses. London: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd., 1934. [29811] Everyman’s Library reprinted edition. Blue cloth, with gilt titles to spine. ISRAEL REGARDIE’S COPY, with his ink signature to flyleaf and his Golden Dawn inspired bookplate to front pastedown. £95
BONUS OF FERRARA. (LACINIUS, Janus.) [WAITE, Arthur Edward] The New Pearl of Great Price. A Treatise Concerning the Treasure and Most Precious Stone of the Philosophers. Or the Method and Procedure of This Divine Art; With Observations Drawn From the Works of Arnoldus, Raymondus, Rhasis, Albertus, and Michael Scotus, First Published by Janus Lacinius, The Calabrian, With a Copious Index. The Original Aldine Edition Translated into English. London: James Elliott and Co., 1894. [31208] FIRST ENGLISH EDITION. Thick octavo (185 x 120mm) pp. xi, 441, [2 ads.] Publisher’s black cloth with double border rules and corner ornaments in red to upper and lower board; additional central ornament to upper. Gilt title between two sets of red double rules to spine (publisher’s variant binding: also seen with smaller title letters and one set of double rules). Top edge trimmed, others left, and white endpapers. Illustrated with 22 woodcuts, reproduced from the original 1546 edition. Some rubbing to corners and edges, inner hinges starting,though the book remains fairly tight. Bookplate (N. Hardy Wallis) to front pastedown, with clean pages. The translation is edited and has an introduction by A. E. Waite. It is an excellent and lucid collection of alchemical works, originaly edited by Lacinius and published by Aldus in 1546. Little is known of the author, but the work is presumed to have been written in the early 14th Century. a very good copy. £225 Gilbert [B12]; Pritchard [51]
BRECHER, Gideon. Das Transcendentale, Magie und Magische Heilarten im Talmud. Wien (Vienna): Klopf und Eurich, 1850. [25837] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (210 x 130mm) pp.xii, 233 [1 eratta]. Quarter bound in later light brown cloth with gilt titled vellum spine, brown patterned endpapers and a ribbon page-marker. A little browning to vellum spine, boards clean. Title and final page reinforced at top and fore-edge, and some other pages at the top corner, not affecting text. Occasional underlining in pencil. “Brecher (1797-1873), who was the first Jew of Prossnitz to study for the medical or any other profession, attained the degree of master of surgery and obstetrics in Budapest in 1824, and the doctor's degree from the University of Erlangen in 1849, with the thesis "Das Transcendentale, Magie und Magische Heilarten im Talmud," Vienna, 1850. His fame in Jewish literature rests principally on this work and upon his lucid commentary on the "Cuzari" of Judah ha-Levi, which appeared with the text in four parts (Prague, 1838-1840)” - Jewish Encyclopedia.com £175
Early Work on Vampires
CALMET, Dom Augustin. Dissertations sur les Apparitions des Anges, des Démons and des Esprits. Et sur les Revenans et Vampires. De Hongrie, de Boheme, de Moravie and de Silesie. Paris: Chez de Bure L'ainé, 1746. [29743] FIRST EDITION. Duodecimo (165 x 90mm) pp. xxxvi, 500, [4 ads.] Contemporary full mottled calf, rebacked with original spine laid on, raised bands, extra gilt and red title label. Marbled endpapers, all edges red. Label with ink name to front pastedown. Occasional light spotting but pages generally clean. Also contains a dissertation on the miraculous appearances of St. Maur (1707), with a separate title page. Contains the first major collection of vampire and undead reports and mythology from Eastern Europe. An important and scarce work in its field. £1,250 Bibliotheca Esoterica [610]; Caillet [1964]; Coumont [C7.1]; Rosenthal [8623]
ISRAEL REGARDIE’S COPY
CARRINGTON, Hereward. [REGARDIE, Israel] The Case for Psychic Survival. New York: The Citadel Press, 1957. [27168] FIRST EDITION. Octavo pp. 157. Publisher’s black paper covered boards with white cloth spine, titled in black and white endpapers. Light browning to spine with waterstain at foot, which can just be seen at the bottom of the first and last leaves. Browning to pages, otherwise clean internally. WONDERFUL INSCRIPTION BY THE AUTHOR: ‘To Francis Regardie | fellow researcher into the unknown | from | Hereward (Carrington.)’. A nice association between the famous researcher into psychic phenomena and the great adept of the Golden Dawn tradition. £225
ISRAEL REGARDIE’S COPY WITH HIS BOOKPLATE
CARRINGTON, Hereward. [REGARDIE, Israel] Laboratory Investigations into Psychic Phenomena. London: Rider and Co., n.d. [1939] [27169] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo pp.255. Publisher’s burgundy buckram with gilt titles to spine and white endpapers. A little rubbing and light soiling to the cloth, clean internally. Regardie’s Golden Dawn inspired symbolic bookplate to front pastedown. INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR: ‘To Israel Regardie | with warm personal | regards, and best wishes. | Hereward Carrington.’. A nice association between the famous researcher into psychic phenomena and the great adept of the Golden Dawn tradition. £250
ISRAEL REGARDIE’S COPY
CARRINGTON, Hereward. [REGARDIE, Israel] Psychic Science and Survival. An Essay in Psychical Research. (Bulletin V). New York: The American Psychical Institute (Two Worlds), n.d. [1948] [27163] FIRST EDITION (UK ISSUE). Small octavo pp. 90. Publisher’s tan cloth, titles in brown to upper and spine. Browning to endpapers otherwise clean internally. This is the UK issue, published by the long running Spiritualist magazine Two Worlds. INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR to the front free endpaper: ‘F. I. Regardie | with sincerest regards | and all best! | Hereward Carrington.’ A nice association between the famous researcher into psychic phenomena and the great adept of the Golden Dawn tradition. £145
CROWLEY, Aleister. FOR BOOKS BY ALEISTER CROWLEY CLICK HERE
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FLUDD, Robert. Philosophia Moysaica. In qua Sapientia et scientia creationis et creaturarum Sacra veréque Christiana (ut pote cujus basis sive Fundamentun est unicus ille Lapis Angularis Iesus Christus) ab amussin et enucleaté explicatur. Authore, Rob. Flud, alias De Fluctibus, Armigero et in Medicina Doctore Oxoniensi. [together with] Responsum ad Hoplocrisma-Spongum M. Fosteri Presbiteri... Gouda, Petrus Rammazenius 1638. [24521] FIRST EDITIONS. Two works in one volume. Small folio. pp.153, 30, [2 errata]. Modern full vellum, yapp edges, with ink titles to spine. Engraved title, image repeated as separate plate and again for the divisional title of second part, and other small woodcuts within the text. Some decorative initials and tail-pieces. Some browning to vellum as usual. Repair to bottom corner of first 4 leaves, with a little loss to the date numerals on the title page, occasional light contemporary underlining, otherwise a fresh clean copy with wide margins and strong bold type. Housed in a cloth drop-over box with leather title label to spine. Robert Fludd (1574-1637) was a doctor, alchemist and the foremost Rosicrucian apologist in 17th Century England. He published a series of folios, describing his mystical and alchemical cosmology. In the Philosophia Moysaica, his last work, we find a culmination of his theories of creation via the separation of the three principles of Light, Dark and Water (influenced by the Paracelsian theory of Mercury, Sulphur and Salt), by the divine alchemy of God. The second work is a reply to William Foster’s Hoplocrisma-Spongus: Or, a Sponge to Wipe Away the Weapon Salve, in which he accused Fludd and others who practiced this cure (the wound was kept clean but untreated, and the weapon was anointed with the patient’s blood or a mixture containing it) of witchcraft. An excellent copy of Fludd’s last work. £5,000 Craven [pp. 249, 251]; Gardner Rosic. [187, 186]
FORTUNE, Dion. Moon Magic. Being the Memoirs of a Mistress of that Art. London: The Aquarian Press, 1956. [31083] FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION. Octavo pp. 241. Publisher’s blue cloth with gilt titles to spine. Original pictorial dust jacket, printed in grey, blue and white. Bookplate to front pastedown, some browning to endpapers. The Lanta Spurrier designed dust jacket is rubbed to corners, but is complete and not price-clipped and just a little faded to the spine. A very good copy of her last occult novel - a sequel to The Sea Priestess (1938) and published after her death. £75
‘All women are Isis, and Isis is all women.’
FORTUNE, Dion. The Sea Priestess. London: Published by the Author, 1938. [29810] FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION. Octavo pp. 316, [2 ads.] Publisher’s light blue cloth with gilt tiles to spine in original grey/brown dust jacket, printed in dark blue. A very good copy of the book in near fine dust jacket, with browning to cloth corresponding with the light browning to the jacket. Some dustiness and light spotting to the top and fore-edges, but internally clean. The jacket is not price clipped and is only lightly rubbed at the edges, with no tears or loss - a rare survival. It has part of the author’s introduction printed to the upper panel, above her name and address (3 Queensborough Terrace) and adverts for The Winged Bull and The Goat Foot God to the lower. The last of Dion Fortune’s occult novels to be published in her lifetime, featuring the enigmatic Miss Le Fay Morgan as the priestess of a revived cult of an ancient goddess. Rare in dust jacket. £495
GEBER (HAYYAN Jabir Ibn) [PSEUDO-GEBER] Gebri Arabis. Chimicæ Cum Correctione et Medulla G: Horni M. d. Nor. Gebri Arabis Chimia sive Traditio summæ Perfectionis et Investigatio Magisterii innumeris locis emendata, à Caspare Hornio Medico Reip. Noribergensis Accessit ejusdem Medulla Alchimiæ Gebricæ Omnia Edita à Georgio Hornio. Lugduni Batauorum (Leiden): Arnoldo Doude, 1668. [24929] Duodecimo (137 x 70mm). pp. 279 (241-279 mispaginated as 141-179). Later full limp vellum, orange label with gilt titles to spine, plain endpapers. Engraved title, woodcut head- and tail-pieces and initials. A little soiling to vellum, rubbed to top corner of lower board and small split to upper board. Title label rubbed and chipped to edges. Bookplate of the Bibliotech Rosales Bernate to front pastedown, but no other library markings. Small ink stain to page 63, not affecting text, otherwise clean internally. Many works were attributed to Geber (Jabir ibn Hayyan c.721 - 800) divided between the earlier, more authentic Greek influenced Arabic writings and the later spurious Pseudo-Geber, 13th and 14th Century Latin works. It is these latter works that are contained in this volume, particularly the famous Sum of Perfection, a concise and clearly written summary of alchemical theory and practice. The editor of this edition was Caspar Horn and he also contributed the Medulla Alchimiæ Gebricæ, a summation of Geber’s works in 100 aphorisms, which is printed here for the first time. This edition was not published until after his death by Georg Horn. £975 Caillet [4419]; Duveen [239]; Ferguson/Young [299]
GLANVIL, Joseph. Saducismus Triumphatus: Or, Full and Plain Evidence Concerning Witches and Apparitions. In Two Parts. The First Treating of their Possibility. The Second of their Real Existence. By Joseph Glanvil, late Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty, and fellow of the Royal Society. The Second Edition. The Advantages Whereof Above the Former, the Reader may Understand out of Dr. H. More’s Account Prefixed Thereunto. With Two Authentick, but Wonderful Stories of Certain Swedish Witches; done into English by Anth. Horneck D. D. London: Printed by Tho. Newcomb, for S. Lownds at his Shop by the Savoy Gate, 1682. [28022] SECOND EDITION. Small octavo (180 x 110mm) pp. [Title, blank 16]; 52; [Title, blank, 10]; 162; [Title, blank, 4]; 78; [2 blank]; [Title, 10, blank]; 273; [blank]; [Title, blank]; 3-67; [blank]; [Title, blank]; 5-45; [blank]; [Title, blank, 16]; 3-24; [Errata, blank] Contemporary calf boards, later respine to style with four raised bands, no titles. All edges marbled with plain endpapers. Illustrated with frontispiece and engraved title showing six images, 3 small woodcuts within the text and 1 plate to the end of the last section. A contemporary ink note to verso of flyleaf, small ink name to title and occasional small ink pointers to margins. Old staining to the bottom corners of the last few leaves, otherwise the pages and plates are clean and undamaged. An excellent copy of this famous treatise seeking to prove the actual existence of real witchcraft. Joseph Glanvill (1636-1680) first published: Some Philosophical Considerations Touching the Being of Witches and Witchcraft in 1667. The credulousness of Glanvill, along with Meric Causabon and Henry More was derided by John Webster in his Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft of 1677. Henry More responded by republishing Glanvill’s work, adding much of his own material, in 1681, quickly followed by various other editions. The book strongly influenced Cotton Mather and was refered to at the Salem witch trials. His own Wonders of the Invisible World (1693) was largely modelled after this book and its arguments. The book is also famous for the telling of the Demon Drummer of Tedworth, an early poltergeist story. £1,250 Coumont [G38.5]
GRANT, Steffi and Kenneth. The Golden Dawn. [Carfax Monographs II ] A Brief Note on the Hermetic Order of the G.D. with a Coloured Delineation of the Complete Symbol of the Rose and Cross by Steffi Grant. Privately published, [1959] [28708] LIMITED EDITION OF 100 COPIES, THIS BEING COPY NUMBER 40, SIGNED AND NUMBERED BY STEFFI GRANT. Pale orange card, folded once (330 x 200mm). Titles in black to cover, essay printed on verso, original Steffi Grant pen and ink design (320 x 195mm), in many colours, accented and bordered in gold, tipped in. Essay continues on back cover, with Steffi Grant’s ink signature at the bottom. Slight crease to top left corner, but essentially fine. The second of ten limited edition monographs, published between 1959 and 1963. The authors’ purpose was to reveal and explain the ‘hidden lore’ of the West, as preserved by various esoteric orders, through succint essays and symbolism, beautifully reproduced in amazing and colourful detail. First collected and reproduced in 1989 and more recently in an expanded version in 2006, the original editions are occasionally exhibited, but rarely offerd for sale. £475 Bogdan [A2]
GRANT, Steffi and Kenneth. The Tree of Life. [Carfax Monographs I ] A Coloured Delineation by Steffi Grant with a Short Note on the Modifications of the One Consciousness. Privately published, [1959] [28675] LIMITED EDITION OF 100 COPIES, THIS BEING COPY NUMBER 42, SIGNED AND NUMBERED BY STEFFI GRANT. Pale blue card, folded once (330 x 200mm). Titles in black to cover, essay printed on verso, original Steffi Grant pen and ink design (320 x 195mm), in many colours and accented in silver and gold, tipped in. Signed and numbered in ink by Steffi Grant to the bottom of back cover. Slight crease to top left corner, but essentially fine. The first of ten limited edition monographs, published between 1959 and 1963. The authors’ purpose was to reveal and explain the ‘hidden lore’ of the West, as preserved by various esoteric orders, through succint essays and symbolism, beautifully reproduced in amazing and colourful detail. First collected and reproduced in 1989 and more recently in an expanded version in 2006, the original editions are occasionally exhibited, but rarely offerd for sale. £475 Bogdan [A1]
GRANT, Steffi and Kenneth. Vinum Sabbati. [Carfax Monographs V ] Magical Zoomorphisms of the Witches’ Sabbath Interpreted in the Light of the Ancient Symbols by Kenneth Grant. Privately published, [1961] [28709] LIMITED EDITION OF 100 COPIES, THIS BEING COPY NUMBER 23, SIGNED AND NUMBERED BY KENNETH GRANT. Light green card, folded once (330 x 200mm). Titles in black to cover, essay printed on verso, original Steffi Grant pen and ink design (320 x 195mm), in many colours, accented in gold and silver, tipped in. Essay continues on back cover, with Kenneth Grant’s ink signature at the bottom. Slight crease to top left corner, but essentially fine. The fifth of ten limited edition monographs, published between 1959 and 1963. The authors’ purpose was to reveal and explain the ‘hidden lore’ of the West, as preserved by various esoteric orders, through succint essays and symbolism, beautifully reproduced in amazing and colourful detail. First collected and reproduced in 1989 and more recently in an expanded version in 2006, the original editions are occasionally exhibited, but rarely offerd for sale. £475 Bogdan [A5]
HARE, Robert. Experimental Investigation of the Spirit Manifestations. Demonstrating the Existence of Spirits and their Communion with mortals. Doctrine of the Spirit World Respecting Heaven, Hell, Morality, and God. Also, the Influence of Scripture on the Morals of Christians. New York: Partridge and Brittan, 1855. [29327] FIRST EDITION. Octavo pp. 460, [2] Contemporary half dark red morocco, raised bands and gilt titles to spine with marbled boards, endpapers and all edges also marbled. Illustrated with four plates of apparatus and an engraved portrait of the author. Rubbing to extremities, respined with original spine laid on. Owner’s ink name to flyleaf otherwise internally clean. Hare was a Professor of Chemistry and originally doubted the validity of Spiritualism, but became an ardent believer after testing its claims with the remarkable apparatus shown in the often reproduced plates. £350
RARE AMERICAN 19TH CENTURY ALCHEMY
HITCHCOCK, Ethan Allen. Remarks upon Alchymists, and the Supposed Object of their Pursuit: Showing that the Philosopher's Stone, is a Mere Symbol, Signifying Something Which Could not be Expressed Openly Without Incurring the Danger of an Auto de Fé. By an Officer of the United States Army. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Printed for Private Circulation at the Herald Office, 1855. [29325] FIRST AND ONLY EDITION. Pamphlet pp. 40. Sewn with yellow paper wraps, title page reproduced in black within a decorative border to upper cover. Slight creasing and small chip to spine, small brown spot to lower cover, fading through the last few leaves. Corners sharp without folding or creasing. Internally very clean with no writing or other marks; a remarkable survival. Hitchcock's first printed work and one of the earliest original publications on the subject in the United States. Ethan Allen Hitchcock (1798 - 1870), the son of a lawyer, fought in the Mexican and US Civil Wars, rising to the rank of Major General. He was interested in Hermetic Philosophy and after leaving the army he dedicated himself to writing and collecting books on Hermeticism and Alchemy, forming probably the largest library on these subjects in the USA at that time, which was sold at auction in 1892. He expanded his ideas, the central argument of which was a more spiritual interpretation of alchemical symbolism, in Remarks on Alchemy and the Alchemists (Boston, 1857). The latter book is scarce; the 1855 publication is truly rare. It is noted in Pritchard's Alchemy, A Bibliography of English-Language Writings, but he could not locate a copy to examine. It appears in none of the other major bibliographies or collections. £1,450 Pritchcard [548]
INSTITORIS, Heinrich and SPRENGER, Jakob. (SUMMERS, Montague. Trans.) Malleus Maleficarum. Translated with an Introduction, Bibliography and Notes by the Rev. Montague Summers. London: John Rodker, 1928. [31209] FIRST ENGLISH TRANSLATION. Limited edition being 950 of 1275 copies, printed on specially made Dutch paper. Large octavo (300 x 190mm) pp. xlv, 278. Publisher’s red parchment spine with light brown buckram boards. Titles in gilt to spine and Papal insignia in gilt to upper. Edges untrimmed with plain endpapers. Frontispiece portrait of Pope Innocent VIII, title page printed in red and black. Text in double columns. A little light bumping to head and foot of spine and some darkening to the boards. Pages clean and fresh. Very small neat ink name to front free endpaper. An excellent copy of the first title in Rodker’s ‘The Church and Witchcraft’ series and the first translation into English of this notorious witch hunter’s handbook, published originally in 1487. £250 Coumont [I4.40]; d’Arch Smith [B16]
LOGAN, William. History of Freemasonry in the City of Durham, in Connection with the Marquis of Granby Lodge, No. 124, of the Antient Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons. London: George Kenning, 1886. [26560] FIRST EDITION. Octavo. pp. 107. Publisher’s bright blue cloth, gilt rule and titles to upper board and spine, blind rules to lower board, black endpapers. A touch of rubbing to the lower board and some light spotting to fore-edge. Essentialy a sharp, fine copy. £65 Gardner Masonic [124]; Wolsteig [6050]
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MATHERS, S. Liddell (Macgregor). Practical Instruction in Infantry Campaigning Exercise. Translated From the French by S. Liddell Mathers, First Hants Artillery Volunteers. London: City of London Publishing Company Limited, n.d [1884] [27462] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (220 x 140mm) pp. xvi, 216. Publisher’s red cloth, double black rule border and black titles to upper, double blind rule border to lower board. Pale lemon endpapers with alledges trimmed. Rubbing to extremities, some soiling to boards and darkening to spine. Pages clean with no writing or other marks. A very good copy. Mathers’ first published work and far more difficult to find than his more famous occult works: The Kabbalah Unveiled (1887); The Tarot (1888); The Key of Solomon the King (1889) and The Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin the Mage (1898). It is a translation of an 1875 French War Ministry publication. A rare military manual. £375
MIZAULD, Antoine. (Antonii Mizaldi Monluciani). De Arcanis Naturæ, Libelli quatuor. Editio tertia, Libellis duobus pulcherrimis aucta et locupletata. [Book of Secrets] Lutetiæ (Paris): Jacobum Keruer, 1558. [24886] Small octavo (110 x 70mm). ff. 158. including a 5 page bibliography at the end. Later full vellum with yapp edges and leather label with gilt titles to spine. Floral endpapers in pink, green and yellow. Green silk page-marker. Printer’s woodcut device to title page, head- and tail-pieces and decorated capitals to the epistle at the beginning of each of the four parts. A little soiling to vellum, faded ink name to title page and very occasional underlining or marginal notes by an early hand. Light toning to pages otherwise in excellent condition internally. Stated third edition in the title, but no earlier editions are mentioned in the book list printed at the end, and both Ferguson and Wellcome list this same title. Perhaps it is an early example of a familiar marketing ploy found throughout the history of publishing. There are no recent auction records for this title and it is not in Caillet, Bibliotheca Esoterica or L’Art Ancien. Ferguson, in his Books of Secrets, mentions it among titles he has only heard of, not seen. £975 Ferguson, Books of Secrets [Part IV p. 4]; Wellcome [4352]
ANONYMOUS. [NEUBERG, Victor.] Songs of the Groves: Records of the Ancient World. Steyning: The Vine Press, 1921. [25030] LIMITED EDITION 407 of 550 on antique laid paper. Octavo. pp. xix, 139. Original pale orange paper boards over black buckram spine, titled in gilt. Pictorial woodcut stamped in black to upper board, all edges untrimmed with white endpapers. Illustrated with two woodcuts by Dennis West, printer’s device to title page, image of dancing satyrs to colophon and decorated initials throughout. Tile page and colophon printed in red and black. A little rubbing to top and bottom of spine and light browning to endpapers. A near fine copy. A former member of Aleister Crowley’s post Golden Dawn occult order the A.’.A.’., Victor Neuberg was also a poet and patron of poets, most famously as an early publisher of Dylan Thomas. Contains 17 poems on Classical Greek mythology and mysticism. £75
LIMITED EDITION
REGARDIE, Israel. The Middle Pillar. A Co-Relation of the Principles of Analytical Psychology and the Elementary Techniques of Magic. Chicago: The Aries Press, 1938. [29164] LIMITED SUBSCRIPTION EDITION OF 350 COPIES, this being copy 333. Original green cloth, with publisher’s mark in gilt to upper and gilt titles to spine. Top edge green, fore-edge untrimmed, with pale green endpapers. Housed in the original green card slipcase. Illustrated with two black and white diagrams of the Middle Pillar and the Tree of Life. A fine copy, with a bookplate to front pastedown and occasional light pencil marks/notes to margins. Some rubbing to the extremities of the slipcase. An excellent copy, published seven years earlier than the more common 1945 edition. £150
PRESENTATION COPY
REGARDIE, Israel. [KOLLERSTROM, Oscar] My Rosicrucian Adventure. A Contribution to a Recent Phase of the History of Magic, and a Study in the Technique of Theurgy. Chicago: The Aries Press, 1936. [26840] FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING. Octavo pp.144. Publisher’s red cloth, gilt titles to spine and white endpapers. Lacking the dust jacket. Rubbing to extremities, spine darkened. Internally clean with occasional light pencil lines to margins. SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR: ‘To Oscar Kollerstrom | in token of my esteem | Israel Regardie’. Oscar Kollerstrom was a leading member of the The Theosophical Society, and a close associate of Annie Besant. He and Regardie worked together on meditation and relaxation techniques, some of which were published in Regardie’s Art of Relaxation. My Rosicrucian Adventure, not only contains Regardie’s personal experiences of the Golden Dawn, but also announced his controversial forthcoming publication of its rituals and teachings, that began the following year with the first of four volumes. The inscription represents an interesting coming together of two of the most influential occult movements. £350
INSCRIBED COPY
REGARDIE, Israel. [DEE, Gabriel] My Rosicrucian Adventure. A Contribution to a Recent Phase of the History of Magic, and a Study in the Technique of Theurgy. Chicago: The Aries Press, 1936. [29163] FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING. Octavo pp.144. Publisher’s red cloth, gilt titles to spine and white endpapers. Original pale yellow dust jacket, printed in black and orange. A little rubbing to extremities, but internally clean. The price-clipped dust jacket has loss to the corners and the top and particularly the foot of the spine, affecting the publisher’s name. SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR: ‘To Gabriel Dee | with friendship | I. Regardie’. Gabriel Dee was a professional astrologer whose advertisements can be found in various issues of the Occult Review. My Rosicrucian Adventure, not only contains Regardie’s personal experiences of the Golden Dawn, but also announced his controversial forthcoming publication of its rituals and teachings, that began the following year with the first of four volumes. £275
REMY, Nicolas. (ASHWIN, E. A. Trans. SUMMERS, Montague. Ed.) Demonolatry. By Nicolas Remy. Privy Councillor to The Most Serene Duke of Lorraine, and Public Advocate to his Duchy. In 3 Books. Drawn From the Capital Trials of 900 Persons, More or Less, Who Within the Last Fifteen Years Have in Lorraine Paid the Penalty of Death for the Crime of Witchcraft. London: John Rodker, 1930 [31082] LIMITED EDITION OF 1275 COPIES, this being number 797. Large octavo (255 x 190mm) pp.xxxvi, 188. Publisher’s light grey buckram over bright orange buckram spine, titled in gilt. Top edge orange, others untrimmed with white endpapers. Original yellow dust jacket, printed in red and black. An essentially fine copy of the book, with only light rubbing to foot of spine and a little browning to page edges. The spine remains bright and fresh and the boards and corners are unbumped and clean. The uncommon dust jacket is complete with minor rubbing to corners and spine ends, and some browning to spine. An excellent copy of this first edition in English of Remy’s 1595 work Daemonoloatreiae Libri Tres. £250 Coumont [R32.8] d’Arch Smith [B22]
17th Century Italian Alchemy
RIVIERA, Cesare Della. Il Mondo Magico de Gli Heroi: Nel Quale con Inusitata Chiarezza si Tratta Qual Sia la Vera Magia Naturale: E Come si Possa Fabricare la Reale Pietra de Filosofi Unico Istromento di Tale Scienza: Narrandosi ad Uno Gli Stupendi et Infallibili Effetti, Che Vale ad Operare col Detto Mezzo un Perfetto Heroe. Hora di Novo Ristampato, e dal Medesimo Autore Ricorretto, et Accresciuto, con Aggiunta di Due Copiose Tavole, l’Una Delle Cose Piu Notabili, l’altra de’ Nomi de Gli Scrittori Ciati nel Libro. In Milano (Milan): Per Pietro Martire Locarni, 1605 [28393] SECOND EDITION. Octavo (210 x 150mm) pp [2 blank], [title], [30], 222. Bound in 19th Century marbled boards with gilt titles on morocco label to spine. One woodcut showing John Dee’s Hieroglyphic Monad. Soiling to boards, rubbing to corners and spine ends with some chipping to the marbled paper at head of spine and joints. Old ink inscriptions to first blank and names (some crossed out) to title page. Repairs to title touching some letters, a little worming to last few leaves affecting some text and some chipped page edges with loss to a few lower corners, affecting the margin only. Some browning and occasional spotting, though pages clean and without writing or underlining. This work could be called a summation of Renaissance Neoplatonism and contains much on alchemy and the search for the Philosopher’s Stone. A discussion of the alchemical significance of Dee’s Hieroglyphic Monad, fails to credit him as author, but is an interesting early response to his work. A very good copy of an uncommon work. £1,250 Caillet [2951]; Duveen [166]
SHIRLEY, Ralph. (Editor) [FORTUNE, Dion. and Others] The Occult Review. A Selection of Issues from Vols. XLV and XLVI bound with One Issue of The Theosophical Review. London: William Rider and Son, Limited, 1927. [25464] Octavo containing 5 issues of The Occult review (March, July, September, November and December) and 1 of The Theosophical Review (April). Bound in dark red buckram, gilt titles to spine, all edges sprinkled red with white endpapers. A little staining to bottom edge of pastedowns and occasional pencil marks/underlinings, otherwise pages are clean and in good condition. The March edition of Occult Review contains an 11 page article: Seeking the Master by Dion Fortune. Also in this issue is the second part of A. E. Waite’s The Templar Orders in Freemasonry; some reviews by him and Meredith Starr and a letter from Arthur Conan Doyle regarding Spiritualism. Among the other issues are: The Happy Valley Foundation by Annie Besant; The Astrology of Chaucer by Margaret Manson; A letter from F. L. Gardner regarding H. P. Blavatsky; The Four Elements in Christian Liturgy by Ethel Archer and The Quest for Truth in Alchemy by Stanley Redgrove. £75
BERTRAM, James and RUSSELL, F. (SPARE, Austin Osman) The Starlit Mire. London: John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1911. [25545] FIRST EDITION. Limited to 350 copies. Octavo (220 x 75mm) pp. viii, 62, [2 ads.] Publisher’s green cloth, with triple white rule to margins, gilt titles and Horned God design to upper board and gilt titles to spine. Top edge gilt, others untrimmed with two leaves uncut and white endpapers. Illustrated with ten black and white illustrations by Austin Osman Spare. A little soiling to boards with a faint stain to lower inner corners, showing on the pastedowns, but not penetrating into the rest of the text block. Tissue guards show light foxing and one is creased, otherwise clean internally. The book consists of a series of axioms, ten of which are interpreted by Spare in his typically bold and imaginative style, containing self-portraits and familiar Spare motifs. A very good copy. £395 Harper [C9]
Twelve Fantastic Folio Plates
SPARE, Austin Osman. A Book of Automatic Drawing. London: Catalpa Press, 1972. [26236] FIRST LIMITED EDITION of 200 numbered copies, this copy being out of series and not numbered. SIGNED by Spare twice by way of a personal cheque as called for. Twenty loose unpaginated folio sheets of hand made paper (310 x 440mm) printed on one side only comprising of: title; limitation; two page introduction by Ian Law; 1 plate; illustrated title; illustrated contents; 11 plates; illustrated sine curve calligraphy and illustrated final page. Housed in a recent green cloth, felt lined drop-over box with gilt titles to spine. All sheets in fine condition. A wonderful portfolio of beautifully printed drawings, with all the power of Spare’s magical imagery. Since this set is not numbered and does not have the original box, it would appear that not all of the 200 copies were issued at the time. Clive Harper, in his bibliography of Spare, notes that of the proposed 1000 copies of the cloth backed boards bound trade edition only about 100 were issued and only a further 500 issued in grey card wraps. £375 Harper [A6.a.]
SPARE, Austin Osman. (GUTHRIE, James. Intro.) A Book of Satyrs. London: John Lane, The Bodley Head. New York: John Lane Company, [1909] [29722] SECOND LIMITED EDITION OF 300 COPIES. Folio (430 x 320mm) unpaginated. Pale green paper boards with vellum spine, titles and illustration in black to upper. Top edge trimmed others left; printed on Van Gelder Zonen paper. Frontispiece and eleven further plates in black and white and numerous small decorations. Some wear to edges and typical soiling tp the vellum spine. Staining to the bottom left of upper board. Closed tear to the fore-edge of the last plate, not touching the image, otherwise clean and fresh internally. A very good copy of the second edition, with the extra plate ‘Pleasure’ used as a frontispiece, not issued in the first edition. £500 Harper [A2b]
STENRING, Knut. (WAITE, A. E.) The Book of Formation (Sepher Yetzirah) By Rabbi Akiba Ben Joseph. Translated From the Hebrew, With Annotations, by Knut Stenring. Including The 32 Paths of Wisdom, Their Correspondence With the Hebrew Alphabet and the Tarot Symbols. With an Introduction by Arthur Edward Waite. London: William Rider and Son, Limited, 1923. [29816] FIRST EDITION. Slim octavo pp. 66, [1 bibliography] Publisher’s variant dark red cloth, titles stamped in black to upper with white endpapers. Illustrated with one folding plate and numerous tables within the text. Light rubbing to corners and head and foot of spine. An near fine copy with just a touch of browning to the margins. Although only credited with the introduction, Waite made extensive revisions and corrections to the translation. £75 Gilbert [B37]; Pritchard [2716.2]
SUMMERS, Montague. The History of Witchcraft and Demonology [Together With] The Geography of Witchcraft. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co., Ltd., 1926 and 1927. [30278] FIRST EDITIONS 2 Vols. Octavo pp. xv, 353, [16 ads.] and xi, 623. Bound in recent half black morocco leather, black cloth boards, raised bands, gilt titles and centres to spines. Top edges gilt with plain endpapers. The two volumes are housed in a black cloth slipcase. Both volumes illustrated with black and white plates. A little light foxing to first few pages of the first volume, otherwise the books are internally clean without writing or other marks. A beautiful presentation of Summers’ classic works on Witchcraft, published as part of the History of Civilisation series. £475 Coumont [S113.1, S113.5]; d’Arch Smith [A11(a); A12(a)]
TITUS, Placidus de. [COOPER, John] Primum Mobile. With Theses to the Theory, and Canons for Practice; Wherein is Demonstrated, From Astronomical Principles, and the Nature Extent of Celestial Influx upon the Mental Faculties and Corporeal Affections of Man; containing the most rational and best approved modes of Direction Both In Zodiac & Mundo: Exemplified In Thirty Remarkable Nativities Of The Most Eminent Men In Europe, According To The Principles of the Author Laid Down In His 'Celestial Philosophy'. London: Davis and Dickson , n.d. [c.1820] [24541] FIRST ENGLISH EDITION. 8vo. pp. xvi, 462. Contemporary brown ribbed cloth, printed paper title label to spine, plain endpapers. Bottom edge untrimmed. Frontispiece portrait and numerous tables throughout. A little wear to extremities, bookplate to front pastedown. Some occasional light spotting, but pages generally clean. The first edition in English of this comprehensive astrological treatise, translated from the 1657 original. Placidus , an Italian monk, was mathematician to Leopold William Archduke of Austria. £275 Gardner Astro. [1227]
VALENTINUS, Basilius. Basil Valentine His Triumphant Chariot of Antimony, with Annotations of Theodore Kirkringius, M.D. with The True Book of the Learned Synesius a Greek Abbot taken out of the Emperour's Library, concerning the Philosopher's Stone. London: Printed for Dorman Newman at the Kings Arms in the Poultry, 1678. [25170] THOMAS SOUTH’S AND THEN MARY ANNE ATWOOD’S COPY. Small octavo (175 x 105mm) pp. [Title], [1 advert], [14], 1-160, [Title], [1], 163-176. Mid 19th Century full brown morocco with decorative blind-stamping to upper and lower boards in a “Bagster” style. Raised bands and gilt titles to spine. All edges red, marbled endpapers. Illustrated with 3 (of 5) engraved plates, showing chemical vessels, retorts etc. Expert repair to lower joint and top of spine, some rubbing and wear to boards. Occasional spotting, though generally clean internally. South’s bookplate to front pastedown and “A J & M A Atwood 1859” (the year of her marriage to the Rev. Alban Atwood) in ink to verso of front free endpaper. Mary Anne Atwood (1817-1910) and Thomas South, her father, published A Suggestive Enquiry into the Hermetic Mystery in 1850 - a near legendry and very rare alchemical work, because they quickly withdrew all published copies and apparently burned them in their back yard. Her library was first sold in 1908 by William Tait in Belfast and later Bernard Quaritch sold many books of the collection in a catalogue of 1928. This translation (the second in English) of Valentine’s famous treatise was made by Richard Russell, who translated several alchemical works in the 17th Century. It was first published in 1604 and is regarded as one of the earliest monographs on a chemical element. “...there is no doubt but that his treatise brought together into one volume the facts of the chemistry of antimony and its combinations, and its uses in medicine in a form that made his book the standard work on that subject for many decades. The work is, in far as its chemistry is concerned, clear and comprehensible for its time.” (Stillman, The Story of Early Chemistry). £1,750 Bibliotheca Walleriana [11056]; Duveen [49]; Krivatsy [879]; Pritchard [424.1]; Wellcome II [111]; Not in Ferguson/Young
Rare Large Paper Edition Inscribed to His Publisher
WAITE, A. E. (Arthur Edward). A Book of Mystery and Vision. London: Philip Wellby, 1902 [29898] FIRST EDITION, LARGE PAPER ISSUE. Quarto (257 x 190mm) pp. xvi, 243, [3], [2 ads.] Publishers full vellum style parchment binding, titles and decorations in gilt to upper board and spine, printer’s device in gilt to lower board. Soft leather ties, top edge gilt and plain endpapers. Printed on Japanese vellum with red silk page-marker. Frontispiece by Isabelle de Steiger printed in green, with tissue guard and wood engraved vignette at end, signed F.C. (possibly Frederick Carter). Some rubbing, mainly to head and tail of spine and usual browning to the vellum. Leather ties intact and undamaged. Small bookseller’s (Watkins) ticket to bottom of flyleaf, otherwise internally clean. INSCRIBED BY WAITE TO THE HALF-TITLE: ‘Philip S. Wellby | from the author | May 1902.’ In his bibliography, Gilbert notes: Ten copies printed, each inscribed by Waite on the front free endpaper: ‘Large Paper: of ten copies this is No. ...A. E. Waite’. He continues: ‘Refering to this issue in Shadows [of Life and Thought - his autobiography] (p154) Waite states, ‘Philip produced secretly - as a surprise to myself and Theodora - some fifteen large paper copies on Japanese vellum’. This was evidently a lapse of memory for all three copies seen give the limitation as ten.’ Perhaps Waite’s memory had not lapsed after all as there is no indication of ‘ten copies’ written in this book. Philip Sinclair Wellby began working at Redway before setting up his own publishing company in 1901, which continued until 1908 when it was amalgamated with Rider and Co. He became a close friend of Waite’s and published a number of his works, mainly mystical poetry and essays. £1,750 Gilbert [A16(b)]
Privately Printed Rituals
WAITE, A. E. (Arthur Edward). A Collection of Rituals for The Fellowship of the Rosy Cross. London; Privately Printed, 1916-23 [30275] Nine rituals, constitutions, by laws and contemplative works, bound together in red imitation leather with gilt titles and rules to spine, together with a Form of Profession and a print of the Tree of Life loosely inserted. Three of works are SIGNED in ink by Waite using his magical motto: ‘Sacramentum Regis | August 17th, 1934’. This collection belonged to the Masonic author Harold Voorhis, a long term American correspondent of Waite’s and a major collector of his works. His armorial bookplate to front pastedown and another bookplate of Lewis Richter to flyleaf. The works are: Form of Profession for Postulants (single sheet, folded, text printed on 1 and 3); Ceremony of Reception into the Grade of Neophyte. (pp.50); Ceremony of Advancement in the Grade of Zelator. (pp. 43); Ceremony of Advancement in the Grade of Theoreticus. (pp. 40); Ceremony of Advancement in the Grade of Practicus. (pp. 43); Ceremony of Advancement in the Grade of Philosophus. (pp. 41); Points of Contemplation Preliminary to all Grades. (pp. 3 - for Neophyte only - signed by Waite.); Constitution and Laws of the Fellowship. (pp. 4 - signed by Waite.); By-Laws of the Salvator Mundi Temple. (pp. 3 - signed by Waite.); The Questionings of the Grades (pp. 73 - with the loose diagram of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life.). The tightness of the binding and the drying out of the paper has resulted in a split to the lower edge of the first 26 pages, reaching about a quarter of the way up, affecting the text, but not really affecting legibility. That aside these rituals are in excellent condition with all titles and half-titles present. Composed by and printed on behalf of Waite, these were produced in small numbers for circulation within the order only and needless to say, are rarely seen. £975 Gilbert [C27, C10, C11, C13, C14, C15, C24, C26, C23, C25]
WAITE, A. E. (Arthur Edward). Devil-Worship in France or the Question of Lucifer. A Record of Things Seen and Heard in the Secret Societies According to the Evidence of Initiates. London: George Redway, 1896. [31084] FIRST EDITION. Octavo pp.xii, 325. Publisher’s black cloth with red titles to upper and spine. variant issue with white instead of black endpapers and fore- and bottom edges untrimmed. Top edge stained red. Very light rubbing to head and tail of spine, but essentially a fine copy. An excellent copy of Waite’s expose of a masonic/diabolist hoax in late 19th Century France. £225 Gilbert [A13]
WAITE, A. E. (Arthur Edward). The Occult Sciences. A compendium of Transcendental Doctrine and Experiment Embracing an Account of Magical Practices; of Secret Sciences in Connection with Magic; of the Professors of Magical Arts; and of Modern Spiritualism, Mesmerism and Theosophy. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner and Co., Ltd., 1891. [29884] FIRST EDITION. Octavo pp. viii, 292, [4 ads.] Rebound in recent half black morocco leather, black cloth boards with raised bands and gilt titles to spine. Black endpapers and top edge gilt, with original spine and front board bound at rear. Pencil dedication to title and a few light pencil lines to margins, otherwise clean internally. Contains chapters on White and Black Magic, Necromancy, Alchemy, Astrology and the Kabbalah among others. An excellent copy. £250 Caillet [11337]; Coumont [W3.1]; Gilbert [A9a]; Pritchard [2518]
WAITE, A. E. (Arthur Edward). The Secret Doctrine in Israel. A Study of the Zohar and its Connections. London: William Rider and Son, Limited., 1913. [30271] FIRST EDITION. Octavo pp.xi, 330, [6 ads.] Publisher’s deep blue cloth, gilt borders, titles and image of the Ark of the Covenant to upper, with gilt rules and titles to spine. Plain endpapers and top edge gilt. Frontispiece and three further plates showing the Tree of Life and other digrams of the Sephiroth. Light rubbing to edges, a hint of fading to spine, and some occasional pencil notes and underlining, but overall an excellent, bright copy. £250 Gilbert [A27(a)]
RARE INSCRIBED EARLY WORK
WAITE, A. E. (Arthur Edward). A Soul’s Comedy. London: George Redway, 1887. [29366] FIRST EDITION. Octavo pp. 286, [2 ads.] Publisher’s blue cloth, gilt title, flowers, butterfly and setting sun designs to upper, gilt titles to spine and dark brown endpapers. Light rubbing to edges, text block a little shaken, but essentially a near fine copy, with the boards and gilt sharp and bright. Old tape repair to top of half-title and occasional pencil marks to margins. INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR to half-title: ‘Cecil White | with the kindest | regards of the author | Arthur Edward Waite’. R. A. Gilbert, in his biography of Waite, spends a few pages discussing the meanings behind this verse drama, stating: ‘The plot, with its themes of unwitting incest, treachery, illegitimacy, and final redemption, is wholly Waite’s own and is based to a degree on his somewhat bitter perception of his parentage. Both the major and minor heroes (Jaspar Cartwright and his illegitimate son, Austin Blake) are self-portraits, while the intertwined sub-plot - the story of the obsessive love of Jasper for the young acolyte Gabriel - is a working out of Waite’s feelings and experiences at the time he began the first draft.’ (A. E. Waite - Magician of Many Parts by R. A. Gilbert - Crucible 1987). £750 Gilbert [A4]
SIGNED LIMITED EDITION
WAITE, A. E. (Arthur Edward). Strange Houses of Sleep. London: Philip Sinclair Wellby, 1906. [29323] FIRST EDITION limited to 250 signed copies, this being number 13. Quarto pp. xix, 323, [3 ads.] Publisher's full vellum, gilt titles and heraldic shield with motto to upper board and gilt title and three raised bands to spine. Corners tipped with metal (brass), white endpapers. Top edge gilt others untrimmed. Photogravure portrait of author as frontispiece. Some soiling to boards as often with vellum bindings and light rubbing to top and bottom of spine. Bookplate of Lewis Richter to flyleaf. Light browning to prelims else clean internally. Original red ribbon page marker has at some point been replaced with green one. A very good copy of this collection of visionary poetry and a mystery play in verse, probably written with Arthur Machen, The Hidden Sacrament of the Holy Graal. £375 Gilbert [A18]
18th Century Alchemical Classic
WELLING, Georg von. Opus Mago-Cabbalisticum et Theosophicum. Darinnen der Ursprung, Natur, Eigenschafften und Gebrauch, des Salzes, Schwefels und Mercurii, in dreyen Theilen beschrieben und nebst sehr vielen sonderbahren Mathematischen, Theosophischen, Magischen und Mystischen Materien, auch die Erzeugung der Metallen und Mineralien, aus dem Grunde der Natur erwiesen wird; Samt dem Haupt-Schlussel des ganzen Wercks, und vielen curieusen Mago-Cabbalistischen Figuren. Deme noch beygefuget: Ein Tractatlein von der Gottlichen Weissheit; und ein besonderer Anhang etlicher sehr rar- und kostbahrer Chymischer Piecen. Nunmehro das erstemahl also zusammen zum Druck befordert von einem Liebhaber Gottlicher und Naturlicher Geheimnusse. Homburg vor der Hohe: Joh. Philipp Helwig (Hamburg), 1735. [28466] FIRST EDITION. Quarto (205 x 165mm) pp. [6], 582, [21] ( p. 498 is wrongly numbered 598; 499 is 599). Recent full calf, red label with gilt titles to spine, title page in red and black, retaining early endpapers. Illustrated with decorative woodcut head- and tail-pieces and 15 engraved plates, 1 folding. Gift inscription to front pastedown dated 1904 and some alchemical notes in an earlier hand to flyleaf. Light browning to pages but generally clean and free from spotting or other marks. The first book on salt was originally published under a pseudonym in 1719 and there were two further editions of the complete text in 1760 and 1784. Welling (1652 - 1727) was director of construction and mines in Baden-Durlach and is chiefly remembered for this large and encompassing work. It influenced many following authors, most notably Goethe, and contains much of mystical, alchemical and chemical, Rosicrucian, cabbalistical and Boehmean cosmology. The 15 amazing plates are beautifully executed and very detailed. An English translation was published for the first time in 2006. A very good copy of a scarce work. £2,750 Ferguson [II, 543]; Gardner Rosic. [576]; Rosenthal [904] Later editions in Caillet, Duveen and Bibliotheca Esoterica.
SAPERE AUDE (WESTCOTT, W. Wynn.) The Science of Alchymy, Spiritual and Material. An Essay by ‘SAPERE AUDE’ Fra. R.R. et A.C. London: The Theosophical Publishing Society, 1893. [29814] FIRST EDITION. 22pp. Pamphlet, sewn, in publisher's pale blue card wraps with titles in dark blue to upper. A little light soiling and a tiny loss to the top corner of the upper cover; internally clean. Published just before the multi volume Collectanea Hermetica series, this is a general overview of the subject, well written by a great scholar of the Occult and co-founder of the Order of the Golden Dawn. £75 Pritchard [2265]
WESTCOTT, W. Wynn. Data of the History of the Rosicrucians. Arranged by WM. Wynn Westcott, M.B. Supreme Magus of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia. London: John M. Watkins, 1916. [29812] FIRST EDITION. Pamphlet. pp. 11. Original red sewn paper wraps printed in black. Some fading and splitting along the spine, though the upper cover remains attached. An uncommon item, with some interesting references by Westcott regarding the creation of the Golden Dawn and 17th to 19th Century occultism. £50
WESTCOTT, W. Wynn. The Religion, Philosophy and Occult Science of China. London: Privately Printed, 1911. [29813] FIRST EDITION. Pamphlet. pp. 10. Original red sewn paper wraps printed in black. Illustrated by one plate, probably drawn by the author. Some chipping and creasing to covers with loss to lower front corner. A rare essay by the Supreme Magus of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia and co-founder of the Golden Dawn. £85
WEYER [WIER], Johann. De Lamiis Liber: Item De Commentitiis Ieiuniis. Cum Rerum ac Uerborum Copioso Indice. [Witchcraft] Basilae: Ex Officiano Oporiniana, 1577. [28023] FIRST EDITION. Slim quarto (250 x 180mm). 38 leaves: [Title, portrait]; 4-6, main text in two columns numbered 7-134; [7 index] Bound in twentieth century half vellum with marbled boards, new endpapers, all edges gilt in the rough. Woodcut portrait of author to verso of title and one other woodcut to H4 verso. Printer’s device to title page and historiated capital at the beginning of the preface. Small old ink name to title, pages are clean with only light browning. Some worming, mainly to margins, has been neatly filled, affecting a few letters. This restoration has been expertly executed to a high standard. A very good copy of a scarce work, in which Weyer (1515-1588) elucidates his incredulity regarding actual witchcraft, presents new theological ideas and continues to question the validity of the torture and execution of those accused without firm evidence. £2,450 Caillet [1577]; Coumont [W21.7]; Lea [532-44]; Rosenthal [4161]
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