The Necronomicon.
New York: Schlangekraft Inc. / Barnes Graphics, 1977. First Edition, Limited. Hardcover. Quarto. lvi + 222pp. Original full black leather, ornately lettered in silver on spine, with silver title and decorations on front cover. All edges silver. Black and white diagrams. Black ribbon page marker. Edition limited to 666 numbered copies. Note this is the limited leather bound limited edition, NOT the cloth edition that was published in the same year. The First printing of the best-known edition of the mythical Necronomicon. This copy SIGNED by the publisher, Larry K. Barnes (1952-2001) on the Aknowledgements page. Barnes, known as "Kozmo" to his friends, was - with Peter Lavenda and James Wasserman - one of the trio who achieved the publication of the "Necronomicon", with Barnes being largely responsible for the mechanics of the publication of the book and some of the illustrations. Barnes was also an artist, and was fascinated by UFOs and aliens. From the collection of English bibliophile and Aleister Crowley scholar Nicholas Bishop-Culpeper (1942-2011) who likely had it from new. With his small posthumous book-label tipped in facing the final blank (the label would be easily removed but it would be a shame to lose this record or its provenance). Blank versos of endpapers lightly toned, a little flecking to the edges (visible when the pages are fanned), otherwise about Fine. A truly exceptional copy - the best we have seen for many years. Item #40811
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