The Book of Pleasure (Self-Love) The Psychology of Ecstasy.
London: Published by Author, 1913. First Edition. Original black limp cloth boards, lettered across front in white. Small folio (15.5" x 10"), (iv) + 60pp. Nine full page halftone illustrations and numerous smaller illustrations throughout. The first edition of what is generally regarded as Spare's magical Magnum Opus in which he set forth for the first time his system of sigil magic. It was published in 1913, probably at around the time that Spare ended his association with Aleister Crowley, and although Crowley would later suggest that Spare had "imitated" his own works, the magical system which Spare outlines in "The Book of Pleasure" is one of startling originality, and the book must rate as one of the most important and innovative occult works of the twentieth century. This copy is from the library of Evan Morgan, and has an ink inscription on the front free endpaper "To Evan Morgan. A gift to one of my brother artists, whose work I particularly admire; Kharletti Barni del Consor Margani" [beneath which sigilised letters - possibly "A" "I" and "M"] beneath which "VI.V.XIV" [presumably the date, 6 May, 1914]. Evan Morgan, later 4th Baron, 2nd Viscount Tredegar (1893 – 1949), was a poet and noted eccentric who had a life long involvement with the occult. In his youth he is said to have been a member of a secretive London occult society called "The Black Hand," where he went under the nom-de-guerre "the Black Monk," and in the 1940s he developed an acquiantance with Aleister Crowley, who stayed a week or so with him at the family home, Tredegar Park, in June 1943. Morgan also knew a variety of literary and artistic figures including Lord Alfred Douglas, Aldous Huxley, Ronald Firbank, August John and H.G. Wells, and would certainly have moved in the same circles as, if not actually been acquainted with, Austin Osman Spare. Curiously despite diligent efforts we can find no record at all of anybody named "Kharletti Barni del Consor Margani" and that - and the use of a sigil in the inscription - has led some who have seen the book to speculate that it is possible that the inscription is some sort of "in-joke" by Spare himself - although if so he has disguised his handwriting heavily. Another well known historian of early twentieth century occultism who has seen the book has ventured as follows: "The mangled Italian/Spanish (?) of the name leads to the suspicion that this was Morgan presenting the book to himself (perhaps as "consort" of Morgan). Given his known sexual oddity and that a book devoted to self-love lends itself to giving to oneself, this seems a reasonable explanation. So, it is at least possible, and possibly probable, that there was no KBdeCM save as an aspect of Evan Morgan." At this stage the inscription remains an intriguing mystery. According to Harper's "Notes Towards a Bibliography of Austin Osman Spare" the projected print run was 800 copies (Harper A3 a). However, some clever detective work by Spare scholar Robert Ansell which draws on correspondence between Spare and publisher John Lane (now in the University of Texas) as well as other sources, suggests that in reality only about 300 copies were actually produced (see Robert Ansell's bibliography in "Zos Speaks!"). An unusually bright, clean copy. Points and head and tail of spine a little rubbed and bumped as always, light rubbing to hinges of cloth. Unusually the white titling on the front board is bright and undamaged. A little mild discoloration to the pages, as always. An important and increasingly difficult-to-find work. Item #42474
Sold