[Rarebooks] Offering: Huysmans, LA_BAS, Dennis Wheatley's copy

[Michael John Thompson]

Offering:

HUYSMANS, J. K. [Joris Karl];  1848-1907

DOWN THERE (LA-BAS).

London: The Fortune Press (1930).

First Fortune Press edition. 2050 copies printed, 
this being copy No. 85 of 2000 copies printed on 
antique laid paper. Octavo, original black cloth 
titled in gilt on spine, top edges gilt, others 
uncut. xii, [1]-387, (i). A very good copy in a 
slightly worn dust wrapper with two small tears in edges.

¶ A decadent novel of Occult Obsession and 
Satanism in contemporary France, culminating in a 
description of a Black Mass. Formerly novelist 
Dennis Wheatley’s copy, with his elaborate 
allegorical bookplate designed by Frank C. Papé 
on the inner front cover and inscribed by him in 
ink on the half-title leaf: “Used by me when 
writing my books on Black Magic: - Dennis 
Wheatley.”  Wheatley has also made numerous 
pencil marks to the margins, noting some of the 
more sensational portions of the text. Dennis 
Yates Wheatley (1897-1977) wrote numerous occult 
thrillers (notably THE DEVIL RIDES OUT, 1934) and 
was one of the 20th Century’s bestselling 
authors. In 1974 this title was published under 
his direction in the DENNIS WHEATLEY LIBRARY OF 
THE OCCULT series, that edition bears a short 
introduction by him, which notes that “few finer 
descriptions of this obscene ritual have ever 
been written”. A very good copy in a slightly 
worn dust wrapper with two small tears to the fore-edges.

$1,250.00 US

Listed today:

http://www.thompsonrarebooks.com/?page=shop/item&si=5032

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Michael John Thompson
ABAC / ILAB
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Hornby Island, BC
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