[Rarebooks] FS: 11 Items

[Michael John Thompson]

The following items are available for purchase. 
20% trade discount. Postage extra. Prices are in US Dollars.


1) BEARDSLEY, Aubrey [Illustrator]. THE WONDERFUL 
HISTORY OF VIRGILIUS THE SORCERER OF ROME. 
Englished for the First Time. London: David Nutt 
in the Strand. 18993. First Edition, First 
Printing. First Edition. Small octavo, original 
light brown wrappers titled in black and red, 
sewn. 78 pp. Black & white frontispiece by Aubrey 
Beardsley, with tissue guard. Issued as Medieval 
Legends No. II. A fine copy in wrappers. Rare.
¶ Actually published January, 1894. Beardsley's 
frontispiece is said to have been placed only in 
a large paper edition limited to 100 copies. 
However, the publisher's advertisement (in THE 
BOOKMAN, December, 1893) speaks not of large and 
small paper issues, but of a single edition, 
"16mo., red and black wrapper. 1s." of which "500 
copies will be issued with a frontispiece by 
Aubrey Beardsley, price 3s 6d." for which 
"Immediate applications should be made...." The 
anonymous translation is by Mary Leighton. 
Lasner, A Selective Checklist of the Published 
Work of Aubrey Beardsley (1995), item 55.                 $750.00


2) CUMBERLAND, Richard. ORIGINES GENTIUM 
ANTIQUISSIMAE; Or, Attempts For discovering the 
Time of the first Planting of Nations in Several 
Tracts. London: S. Payne, printed by W.B for R. 
Wilkin. 1724. First Edition, First Printing. 
First edition. Octavo. Rebound in full period 
style mottled goat, the boards with a panelled 
design in blind, gilt lettered title label on 
spine, raised bands. xxxiii + 480 pp. Attractive 
woodcut head- and tail-pieces throughout, 
initital letters. Contains a Chronological Table 
for the Ages succeeding the Flood. A few small 
marks in the text, a very good, attractive copy 
in a fine binding. Very Good in [xxxiii, 480].
¶ Richard Cumberland (1631 - 1718) was an English 
philosopher, and Bishop of Peterborough from 
1691. In 1672, he published his major work, De 
legibus naturae (On natural laws), propounding 
utilitarianism and opposing the egoistic ethics 
of Thomas Hobbes. Cumberland was a member of the 
Latitudinarian movement, along with his friend 
Hezekiah Burton of Magdalene College, Cambridge 
and closely allied with the Cambridge Platonists, 
a group of ecclesiastical philosophers centered 
on Cambridge University in the mid 17th century.                 $425.00


3) DAVIES, Edward. CELTIC RESEARCHES. On the 
Origin, Traditions and Language of the Ancient 
Britons; With Some Introductory Sketches on 
Primitive Society. London: Printed for the author 
& sold by J. Booth, Duke-Street, Portland-Place. 
1804. First Edition, First Printing. First 
edition. Large octavo. In a fine modern binding 
of half calf over marbled boards, the spine with 
raised bands decorated in gilt within 
compartments, red leather label tooled in gilt, 
handsewn headbands, top edges gilt. lxxiii + 561 
pp., two engraved full-page plates (of Runes) and 
a chart of 'primitive articulations' within the 
text. Some minor scattered foxing to preliminary 
leaves, a near fine copy, the paper supple and 
pleasant, the binding in fine condition. A lovely 
copy. The binding was executed by Sean Richards 
of Byzantium Studios and is perfectly suited to the style of the period.
¶ Edward "Celtic" Davies (1756-1831) was a Welsh 
writer and Anglican clergyman whose writings 
examined the origins of Celtic languages and the 
meaning of Celtic mythology. His work became part 
of the 19th-century recovery and reinvention of 
druidic tradition. One keen reader of Davies' 
books who was interested in his theories was 
William Blake, who used Davies 'Celtic 
Researches' as the basis for his painting 'The 
Ancient Britons', the most sensational of the 
works displayed at his 1809 exhibition and at 10 
x 14 feet the largest work ever executed by Blake 
- and now lost. Davies’ status in his day is 
demonstrated by the fact that he was one the 
first ten writers selected by the newly 
established Royal Society of Literature to be 
awarded the honour of "Companion of Literature" 
in 1823 .'Celtic Researches' contains a long 
section on the Celtic Language, and a substantial 
section on Runes or "Bardic Letters"; and the two 
engraved plates in this book are both of Runes.             $850.00


4) FAWCETT, Edgar. SOLARION. A Romance. 
Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company [1889]. 
First Edition, First Printing. First Edition. 
Octavo, original printed wrappers printed in 
black and orange. The true first edition, issued 
as Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, September, 
1889, with a separate title page for the novel 
and frontispiece portrait of the author. Minor 
chipping to covers, spine slightly darkened. 
Contents are clean, paper is white. Uncommonly 
encountered, this book is truely rare in the 
original wrappers. Never published in true book 
form, but this is considered to be the first 
edition [as is the Lippincott issue of Doyle's 
THE SIGN OF THE FOUR, issued in the same format 
by Lippincott in 1890]. Very Good.
¶ A major 19th Century Science Fiction novel of 
the creation of a super-intelligent dog; the dog 
and his creator are in love with the same woman 
with disastrous results. Thoughtful and 
philosophical in tone, similar to SIRIUS by Olaf 
Stapleton but obviously preceding that work by a 
great many years. Bleiler summarizes the plot in 
SCIENCE FICTION: THE EARLY YEARS, citing the work 
as "An excellent story". Fawcett's Wikipedia page 
states: "The rather remarkable novels Solarion 
(about a dog given human intelligence) and 
Douglas Duane (1885) (on scientific 
body-switching) as well as The Ghost of Guy 
Thryle (1895) (which has astral projection as a 
means of interplanetary travel) deserve to be better known."          $750.00


5) FORTUNE, Dion [pseudonym of Violet Mary 
Firth]. THE SEA-PRIESTESS. London: Published by 
the Author. [1938]. First Edition, First 
Printing. First Edition. Octavo, original 
publisher's light blue cloth with gilt titles to 
spine, top edges stained blue. 316 pp + [2] pp 
ads at rear. Spine panel a touch darkened, blue 
stain on top page edges faded, minor browning to 
endpapers; a very good to near fine copy in the 
original publisher's dust jacket printed in dark 
blue on on grey/brown stock. The jacket is 
price-clipped, has some minor foxing, a bit of 
very trifling rubbing / wear at the spine tips, 
and a slightly darkened spine panel. Overall, a 
very fresh and clean copy in the rare dust jacket.
¶ Weird novel of Reincarnation and Ancient 
Egyptian Magic. The last of Dion Fortune's occult 
novels to be published in her lifetime, and, in 
the opinion of many, her greatest literary achievement.            $850.00


6) HALL, Manly P. CODEX ROSAE CRUCIS. A Rare and 
Curious Manuscript of Rosicrucian Interest, Now 
Published for the First Time in its Original 
Form. With Numerous Illustrations from Early 
Books and Manuscripts of the Order. Introduction 
and Commentary by Manly P. Hall. Los Angeles: The 
Philosophers Press. 1938. First Edition, First 
Printing. First edition. Folio, original orange 
card covers, titled 'CODEX ROSAE CRUCIS' in gilt 
on spine panel. 113 pp., Illustrated throughout 
with plates, mostly full-page, some folding, some 
in colour, text printed in red and black. 
Certainly a publisher's binding, we assume that 
this is some form of proof copy, the standard 
edition being in red cloth. Covers lightly worn 
and with slight creases due to their fragile 
nature; a very good copy, internally near fine. Very scarce.
¶ Comprises a series of short essays on 
Rosicrucian texts by Hall, along with a facsimile 
text and translation of the eighteenth century 
German 'D.O.M.A. manuscript' entitled CODEX ROSAE 
CRUCIS. Hall notes that the work combines all the 
Rosicrucian interests of "Alchemy, Hermetic 
Philosophy, Mystic Christianity, Cabalism and 
Ceremonial Magic, Ontology and Cosmogony, 
Pythagorean and Platonic Numerology, Gnostic 
Christianity, Classical Pagan Mythology, Medicine 
and Pharmacology, and Comparative Religion". This 
is the first publication of this manuscript.          $250.00


7) KIRK, Robert. LANG, Andrew. THE SECRET 
COMMONWEALTH OF ELVES, FAUNS, & FAIRIES. A Study 
in Folk-Lore & Psychical Research. The Text by 
Robert Kirk, M.A., Minister of Aberfoyle, A.D. 
1601. The Comment by Andrew Lang, M.A., A.D. 
1893. London: Published by David Nutt, in the 
Strand. 1893. First Edition Thus. Octavo, 
original paper wrappers, french folded Japanese 
vellum wrappers. Printed on hand-made paper. lxv 
+ 92 pp + [2] pp ads at rear. Lithographic 
frontispiece by Lockhart Bogle. 550 copies 
printed, of which 500 were for sale. Issued as 
Volume 8 in the Bibliotheque de Carabas" series. 
A slip of paper attached to the front free 
endpaper is inscribed "With Mr. A. Lang's 
Compliments". A note in pencil beneath this 
states "Not Lang's writing"; perhaps this was a 
secretarial presentation. A bookplate on the 
front paste-down states "From the Library of Sir 
Edward Burnett Tylor, Knt., D.C.L., ZF.R.S., The 
first Header and Professor of Anthropology at the 
University of Oxford. resented to the Radcliffe 
Trustees by Dame Anna Rebecca Tylor, June 1917. A 
stamp beneath this from the Bodlean Library 
states "Bodl - Libr Duplicate Sold by Authority". 
Library pocket on rear endpaper, and evidence of 
a small label removed from the adjacent leaf, 
light wear and browning to the fragile wrappers; a very good copy.
¶ One of the rarer works dealing with Scottish 
beliefs in Elves and Fairies, second sight and 
psychic phenomena. Robert Kirk, Minister of 
Aberfoyle, wrote this work in 1691 but it was not 
published until 1815, when an edition of but 100 
copies was issued. That edition is of the 
greatest rarity, and this new edition, which 
contains a long Introduction by Andrew Lang, is 
also of considerable scarcity, due to its small 
limitation and the delicate binding format. An 
important copy, being Sir Edward Burnett Tylor's 
copy. Sir Edward Tylor (1832-1917) was an English 
cultural anthropologist, the author of many 
important works including the two-volume work 
'Primative Culture: Researches into the 
Development of Mythology, Philosophy, Religion, 
Language, Art and Customs" (1871).              $650.00


8) O'BRIEN, Henry. THE ROUND TOWERS OF IRELAND; 
Or, The Mysteries of Freemasonry, Of Sabaism, and 
of Budhism, For the First Time Unveiled. "Prize 
Essay" of the Royal Irish Academy, Enlarged, and 
Embellished with Numerous Illustrations. London: 
Whittaker and Co., Ave-Maria Lane, and J. 
Cummings, Dublin 1834. First Edition, First 
Printing. First edition. Octavo, bound in recent 
full marbled calf, the spine ruled in gilt with 
decorative fleurons in compartments, green 
leather label titled in gilt. 524 pp. Vignette 
engraving on title page, numerous engravings on 
plates and in the text, many full page. Lacks 
errata and advert leaves at rear, text complete. 
Light fraying to fore-edge of title leaf, a 
lovely copy in a beautiful modern binding.
¶ First book edition of O'Brien's essay proposing 
that the round towers of Ireland were created by 
a pre-Christian phallic cult among the Tuatha Dé 
Danann who he connected to the daughters of 
Danaus. His theory when first published caused a 
lot of controversy at the time, as well as 
sparking much criticism. O'Brien's Preface, 
extolling the virtues of Freemasonry, caused such 
offense that some copies of the work were 
mutilated by having it torn out. The book was 
re-issued in 1898 as 'The Round Towers of Ireland 
or the History of the Tuath De Dannan', and later 
as 'Atlantis in Ireland' (1976) and 'The Round 
Towers of Atlantis' (2002).                $550.00


9) SPARE, Austin Osman. THE WITCHES' SABBATH and 
AXIOMATA. WITH AN ORIGINAL CHEQUE SIGNED BY AOS. 
London: Fulgur 1992. First Edition, First 
Printing. First Edition. Two volumes bound as 
one. Quarto, original black cloth titled and 
stamped in gilt. 21 + 19 pp, bound dos-a-dos 
together, two tipped in colour frontispieces. A 
very fine copy in dust jacket, as new. 956 copies 
printed, of which this is copy No. 38 of 355 
hand-numbered copies intended for distribution in 
the United States. Laid into this copy are 
several ephemeral items - the prospectus 
advertising this book and the Austin Osman Spare 
Retrospective Exhibition held in October and 
November of 1992; a card reproducing a photograph 
of Spare with a chalice, and a printed card 
bookmark with an image of a snake and an errata 
list with an attached red ribbon. Also included 
is a copy of the exhibition catalogue issued by 
Fulgur titled "AUSTIN OSMAN SPARE (1886 - 1956) A 
RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION (31st October - 14th 
November) to celebrate the launch of The Witches' 
Sabbath and Axiomata published by Fulgur. 
Organised by Angie and David Reed. Catalogued by 
Robert Ansell and Gavin W. Semple" (24 pp, card 
covers, tipped-in frontispiece, 333 copies 
issued). Also included is an original cheque 
dated 29th August, 1938, from Austin O. Spare to 
W.A. Love for two pounds and eight shillings, signed in full by Spare.
¶ The first publication issued under the imprint 
of Fulgur Press. Clive Harper in `Revised Notes 
Towards a Bibliography of Austin Osman Spare` 
(Mandrake Press, 2007), states "Unfortunately due 
to circumstances beyond the publisher`s control, 
a considerable proportion of the print run was 
destroyed (it has been reported that 700 copies 
were accidentally pulped) and so the books have a 
greater rarity than the stated limitation."          $650.00


10) SUMMERS, Montague [editor]. REMY, Nicolas. 
(Translated by E.A. ASHWIN). 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 in Lorraine Paid the Penalty of 
Death for the Crime of Witchcraft. London: John 
Rodker. 1930. First Edition in English. . THE 
FIRST ENGLISH TRANSLATION, issued in a limited 
edition of 1275 hand-numbered copies, this being 
copy No. 737. Large octavo (250 x 190mm) 
pp.xliii, 188. Publisher’s light grey boards over 
orange parchment 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 a little browning to endpapers. The spine 
remains bright and fresh and the boards and 
corners are unbumped and clean. The uncommon dust 
jacket has minor rubbing and a small stain at the 
foot of the spine, it has also darkened a little. Overall, an excellent copy.
¶ An excellent copy of this first edition in 
English of Remy’s 1595 work 'Daemonoloatreiae 
Libri Tres', a book which eventually replaced the 
Malleus Maleficarum as the most recognized 
handbook of witch-hunters in certain parts of 
Europe. Coumont [R32.8] d’Arch Smith [B22].               $550.00


11) WRIGHT, Thomas. THE BLUE FIREDRAKE,Or The 
Wonderful And Strange Relation Of The Life And 
Adventures Of Nathan Souldrop: Showing How He Was 
Forspoken By That Terrible Sorceress Elinor Shaw, 
The Which For Her Various And Abominable Crimes 
Was Brought To Tryal At Northampton In The Year 
1705; Together With Particulars Of Her Amazing 
Pranks And Remarkable Actions Both Before And 
After Her Apprehension, The Like Never Before 
Heard Of: Written By Himselfe And Now Set Forth 
by Thomas Wright, Principal of Cowper School, 
Olney . London: Simpkin Marshall, Hamilton, Kent 
& Co. 1892. First Edition, First Printing. First 
Edition. Octavo, original blue cloth titled and 
with a small decoration in gilt on front panel, 
gilt tiles on spine, floral endpapers. 
Frontispiece with tissue guard, line drawings 
within the text. Small stains to covers, slight 
wear to the tips, a good to very good copy, quite sound and attractive.
¶ A tale of black magic and witchcraft in early 
eighteenth-century Northamptonshire, loosely 
based on the story of Elinor Shaw, the last 
person burnt in England for the practice of 
witchcraft. The narrator is the victim of 
mesmerism and hallucinatory horrors, one of which 
is a gigantic blue dragon that materializes in the air.                $275.00

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