The Dancing Faun.
London: Elkin Matthews and John Lane, 1894. First Edition. Hardcover, Octavo. (viii) 1-149 (150) (16pp. publisher's catalogue dated March 1894). Grey-green cloth with pictorial boards, dark green stamped design by Aubrey Beardsley and titling to front board, dark green stamped key motif to spine and rear board, gilt titling to spine. Beardsley design repeated on title-page. Title-page in red and black. The second volume in the "Keynote" series with designs by Beardsley. A rather Wildean novel by Florence Farr (1860 – 1917) actress and mystic who was the mistress of Bernard Shaw and close friend of W.B. Yeats. Farr was initiated into the Isis-Urania Temple of the Order of the Golden Dawn in London by Yeats in July 1890, becoming Praemonstratrix of the temple in 1894. In addition to this novel she was the author of several other books, including "Egyptian Magic: Occult Mysteries in Ancient Egypt" as well as various occult essays. Boards lightly rubbed, short (quarter inch) indentation (possibly tear?) in mid-spine across shank of key motif, endpapers unevenly toned, merest hint of pale foxing to first few leaves. Previous owner's oval ink stamps in upper margin of p. 1 (twice) and lower margin of p. 19 (once). Still a tight, clean VG+ copy. Item #58875
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