The Tale of Archais. A Romance in Verse.
London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., 1898. First Edition. Hardcover. Small quarto. viii + 90pp. Original brick-red paper-covered boards with white cloth spine and paper title label. According to Duncombe-Jewell the edition comprised 250 cloth-bound copies on hand-made paper (as this copy), and 2 copies on vellum. There are 3 known binding variants of the hand-made paper edition which have, respectively, dull-green, slate-blue, and - as this copy - brick-red paper covered boards. The order of precedence has never been established although they were most likely published simultaneously. A story in verse, "The Tale of Archais" is commonly said to be Crowley's second published book following "Aceldama," although uncertainty remains as to whether or not his clandestinely-published "White Stains" preceded it. Crowley issued "The Tale of Archais" under the pseudonym "A Gentleman of the University of Cambridge," the same nom de plume that he had used for "Aceldama." The choice of pseudonym was most likely a sort of hommage to Shelley, who wrote his gothic novel "St. Irvyne; or, The Rosicrucian, A Romance," under the nom de plume "A Gentleman of the University of Oxford," although Crowley may well have been aware of early uses of the "Cambridge" version, including by the author of a history of tobacco. This copy has "Aleister Crowley" written signature-style in pencil on the front free-endpaper. There are some marked similarities betwen the handwriting and that of Crowley, but also some differences. It is possible that it is Crowley's ownership signature, but it is also possible that it is simply an old bookseller's annotation identifying Crowley as the author of the pseudonymous book. We have shown it to a number of experts and opinion is evenly divided. The book is from an old collection and its provenance is not known. To be safe, thus, we are treating it as if it is NOT Crowley's signature, but the possibility remains. Spine label, spine, and boards quite darkened, paper cover shows typical grubbiness and modest wear, corners of the boards are a little rounded, with the paper rubbed through. One page missing a sliver from the upper fore-edge, either a paper flaw or the result of careless opening. Pages tight and clean: about VG. No dustwrapper (none called for). Item #46243
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