"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. "
— Oscar Wilde
Occult & Esoterica
Mysteries of the Rosie Cross, or, the history of that Curious Sect of the Middle Ages, known as the Rosicrucians; with Examples of their Pretensions and Claims as set forth in the writings of their leaders and disciples.
London: A. Reader, 1891. [Theology and Occult] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.viii; 134; [2]. Advertisements at rear listing books in the 'Phallic and Mystical Series.' Publisher's cream cloth with titles and decoration in red to spine and upper board. All edges untrimmed. Spotting and offsetting to endpapers. An... More about Mysteries of the Rosie Cross, or, the history of that Curious Sect of the Middle Ages, known as...
Past Feelings Renovated; Or, Ideas Occasioned by the Perusal of Dr Hibbert's 'Philosophy of Apparitions', written with the View of Counteracting any Sentiments Approaching Materialism, which that work, however Unintentional on the Part of the Author, May have a Tendency to Produce.
London: George B. Whittaker, 1828. [Supernatural occurence / mysticism] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 12cm), ppxi; 323. Early two-tone cloth, manuscript label to spine. Contents clean, occasional fold to corners, vintage catalogue description affixed to pastedown, minor rubbing and soiling to covers. A very good copy. Relating to Samuel Hibbert-Ware... More about Past Feelings Renovated; Or, Ideas Occasioned by the Perusal of Dr Hibbert's 'Philosophy of...
The Essays, Colours of Good and Evil, and Advancement of Learning of Francis Bacon.
London: Macmillan, 1902. [Philosophy] LEATHER-BOUND, reprinted. Octavo (23 x 16cm), pp.[xviii]; 422. Contemporary black half morocco over blue cloth boards, with raised bands and gilt titles to spine, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. Binding is attractive, minor bumping to corners, cloth somewhat soiled, front edge toned. Ownership inscription ("Evie Woods")... More about The Essays, Colours of Good and Evil, and Advancement of Learning of Francis Bacon
An Exposition of Views Respecting The Principle Facts, Causes and Peculiarities Involved In Spirit Manifestations.
London: H. Bailliere, 1852. First edition thus with new edits by Stone and with a new introduction. 8vo. Publisher's blue embossed cloth, titled in gilt to spine. Strong and clean, sunned to spine with gilt somewhat dulled, bumped to spine ends, minor edgewear, very good indeed, a handsome copy. Glazed... More about An Exposition of Views Respecting The Principle Facts, Causes and Peculiarities Involved In...
K.K.K. Sketches. Humorous and Didactic. Treating the more important events of the Ku-Klux-Klan movement in the South. With a Discussion of the Causes which gave rise to it, and the Social and Political Issues emanating from it.
Philadelphia, PA: Claxton, Remsen and Haffelfinger, 1877. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.[2] 192 [2]. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine and a monogram to upper; brown end papers. Lightly browned as expected. Front free endpaper brittle and nearly detached. Heavy rubbing to outer edges, especially spine head and tail. Good. More about K.K.K. Sketches. Humorous and Didactic. Treating the more important events of the Ku-Klux-Klan...
The Empty House.
London: Eveleigh Nash, 1915. THE UNIFORM EDITION. AUTHOR'S FIRST BOOK. UNCOMMON. Octavo, pp.vii; 316. This uncommon copy of The Empty House is bound in publisher's navy cloth with gilt titles to spine. The book shows leaves of irregular width - a possible production fault which has led to a rather... More about The Empty House
In Darkest England and The Way Out.
Salvation Army, London. [1890]. FIRST EDITION. 8vo., pp. 285 + pp. xxix and fold out colour chart. Publisher's dark blue cloth, gilt. Owner's neat inscription. Very Good. More about In Darkest England and The Way Out
Religio Medici and other essays.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1915. Octavo. Bound in contemporary half red morocco over red cloth boards, gilt ruling to boards, with raised bands, gilt decoration and titles in gilt to spine; top edge gilt, other edges uncut, marbled endpapers. Binding is lightly rubbed, corners bumped. Internally very clean, free from... More about Religio Medici and other essays
The Memorial Edition of the Works of Capt. Sir Richard F. Burton. Containing: Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah; A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahome; Vikram and the Vampire, or Tales of Hindu Devilry; First Footsteps in Africa.
London: Tylston and Edwards, 1893-94. Complete in 7 volumes, superbly bound in half black oasis with raised bands, gilt titles and gilt to spines, original cloth sides pictorially stamped in gilt, top edge tinted red, black endpapers. With frontispieces, black and white and coloured plates. Occasional light spotting otherwiseclean within... More about The Memorial Edition of the Works of Capt. Sir Richard F. Burton. Containing: Personal Narrative...
The Night Side of Nature. Or: Ghosts and Ghost Seers.
London: G. Routledge 1852. Third edition with new introduction (The first edition was 1848). 8vo. 2 volumes bound as 1. Contemporary brown half calf over brown cloth boards with burgundy title label and gilt decoration to spine. Some rubbing and scuffing to extremities, a little shelfwear, structurally sound and handsome... More about The Night Side of Nature. Or: Ghosts and Ghost Seers
Tannhauser. A Story of All Time.
London: Kegan, Paul, Trench and Trubner. 1902. FIRST EDITION. One of a run of 500 copies on laid paper [a further 6 copies were printed on vellum]. Quarto. Publisher's white linen spine over blue paper covered boards. Slight rubbing to extremities, edge chipping to the white paper title label, some... More about Tannhauser. A Story of All Time
A Discovery Concerning Ghosts: with a rap at the "spirit rappers". To which is added a few parting raps at the "rappers", with questions, suggestions, and advice to the Davenport Brothers.
London: Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, 1864. Second Edition. Octavo, pp.[iv], 60. Bound in recent brown cloth, with gilt titles to spine, original upper bound in. Illustrated by Cruikshank with many in-text woodcut engravings. Binding shows no signs of rubbing. Internally clean, with some light marginal browning, neat ownership inscription to... More about A Discovery Concerning Ghosts: with a rap at the "spirit rappers". To which is added a...
Superstition and the Dread Prophecies for 1881-1885.
Albany, NY: Published for the Author, 1881. FIRST EDITION. Octavo pamphlet, pp. 63. in light grey pictorial wraps. Paper slightly toned, some marking to wraps with some loss to the spine. A fine copy, scarce. More about Superstition and the Dread Prophecies for 1881-1885
Mount Analogue: An Authentic Narrative.
London: Vincent Stuart, 1959. [Para-Surrealism] FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[6]; 106. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket designed by Audrey Cruddas. Small bookseller's label to front pastedown. Spotting to edges. Gilt to spine somewhat oxidised. Some light bruising and spotting... More about Mount Analogue: An Authentic Narrative
Supernatural Pamphlets.
1852-54. Five important pamphlets by a leader in the Spiritualist movement. Bound in contemporary full brown calf with gilt titles and ornate gilt decoration to spine, marbled endpapers and edges. 'The Approaching Crisis: Being A Review of Dr. Bushnell's Recent Lectures on Spiritualism', New York: Published by the Author, 1852... More about Supernatural Pamphlets
Secrets of My Magic.
London: Hutchinson and Co., 1936. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.288 [32]. With 15 photographic plates including a frontispiece portrait of the author. In publisher's dark pink cloth, with gilt titles to spine. No jacket. Two small ink ownership inscriptions to front endpapers. Spine sunned; some wear to head. Good overall. One... More about Secrets of My Magic
Omens and Superstitions: Curious Facts and Illustrative Sketches. Nimmo's Series of Commonplace Books.
Edinburgh: William P. Nimmo, no date [circa 1870]. [Supernatural Accounts] EARLY EDITION. Small octavo (16 x 12cm), pp.160; [24]. With an engraved frontispiece and decorated title page by the Dalziel brothers. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles and decoration to spine and upper board. Brown endpapers; all edges gilt. Bookplate... More about Omens and Superstitions: Curious Facts and Illustrative Sketches. Nimmo's Series of Commonplace...
The Golden Fluid.
London, Ward Lock and Co. 1935. FIRST EDITION, later state. Octavo. In the secondary binding of mid-green cloth, lettered in black, in original jacket repriced at 5/- and with publisher's book number overprinted to spine. The striking dust-wrapper depicts a burning city, a flask (presumably of said fluid, apparently the... More about The Golden Fluid
[Manuscript letter describing the miraculous survival of a storm at sea during the South African Spiritualist Tour of 1928].
1st November 1928. ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT LETTER WRITTEN BY SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE'S SECOND WIFE. Written in black ink over both sides of two sheets of headed note paper from the R.M.S. Windsor Castle, Union-Castle Line. With the original envelope addressed to a Mrs. Hewitt of London, SW7. Stamp and postmarks..... More about Manuscript letter describing the miraculous survival of a storm at sea during the South African...
The Coming of the Fairies.
New York, NY: George H. Doran, 1922. [Spiritualism] FIRST U.S. EDITION. 1500 copies published. Octavo (21 x 15cm), pp.196. Illustrated with photographic plates. Publisher's mid-brown cloth, lettered in black, with photographic illustration laid down to upper, top edge ochre, others untrimmed. Slight toning, ink note 'hobby room' to flyleaf, same... More about The Coming of the Fairies
The New Revelation.
Chicago, IL: The Progressive Thinker, c.1917. Pamphlet, pp. 21. In grey paper covers, with ruled panelling and titles to front cover, rear cover blank. A little rubbed externally, slightly parted at lower joint extending. Green and Gibson, B23: "Notes", p.300. More about The New Revelation
A Public Debate On "The Truth of Spiritualism".
London: Watts and Co., 1920. [Spiritualism] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.vi; 57; [1] blank. Publisher's printed wraps, stapled twice. Damp staining to bottom part of the textblock, some chipping to the bottom corner, some light spotting. Covers a little soiled, chipped and nibbled, staples rusted. Good. This title... More about A Public Debate On "The Truth of Spiritualism"
Spiritualism and Rationalism. With a Drastic Examination of Mr Joseph McCabe.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, no date [1920]. [Spiritualism] FIRST EDITION. Slim octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.32. Thick grey paper covers ruled and titled in black. Some spotting, two faint owner stamps to upper. A rare survival of a throwaway item; just one other example is available at the time of... More about Spiritualism and Rationalism. With a Drastic Examination of Mr Joseph McCabe
The Wanderings of a Spiritualist.
New York, NY: George H. Doran Company, 1921. [Spiritualism]. FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.299; [3]. Thirteen half-tone plates. Publisher's green cloth, gilt titles to spine. Neat ownership to pastedown, a few page corners turned down. Cloth slightly rubbed to extremities, especially lightly rolled corners and spine ends... More about The Wanderings of a Spiritualist
The Christian Defence Against The Fears of Death, with Seasonable Directions how to Prepare Ourselves to Die Well. With an Account of the Death of the Author to which is Added a True Relation of the Apparition of Mrs Veal.
Londopn: Thomas Kelly 1824. New edition, with twelve fine plates including a frontispiece (dated 1823) and a vignette title (dated 1819). Octavo, pp.viii; 557; [1], Directions to the Binder; 8 [The Apparition]. Advertised as a 'New, improved and elegant Edition, with some valuable additions, which is printed with an excellent... More about The Christian Defence Against The Fears of Death, with Seasonable Directions how to Prepare...