The Equinox Vol. I No. VII (Volume One, Number Seven); The Official Organ of the A.:.A.:.; The Review of Scientific Illuminism
London: Wieland & Co., March 1912. First Edition - 'Standard Issue'. Hardcover. Small quarto, (9.5 x 7.38 inches), pp. (vi) + 424 + (xiv adverts). Original printed paper boards, with later fabric spine and paper title-label. Numerous ills. including a portrait frontis of Crowley after a sketch by Augustus John and colour plates of the obverse and reverse of the Stele of Revealing. Crowley was the editor and principal author of most of the volumes of "The Equinox," which contained a variety of poetry, fiction, and reviews - generally with esoteric themes - alongside a number of articles of occult instruction. This is arguably one of the most important volumes as it includes the first popular publication of "The Book of the Law," (in the form of a large fold out photographic reproduction of the manuscript - "Liber XXXI") and "Liber Legis - the Comment" - that is Crowley's analysis of the text that later became known as "The Old Comment," as well as references to the work in his autobiographical "The Temple Of Solomon The King," and the colour plates of the "Stele of Revealing." The volume also contains: "A Brief Abstract Of The Symbolic Representation Of The Universe Derived By Doctor John Dee Through The Skrying Of Sir Edward Kelly. (by Aleister Crowley)," Liber I, Liber XI, Liber LXIV, Liber LXVI, Liber CLXXV, Liber CCVI, Liber CCXXXI, Liber CD, Liber CDLXXIV, Liber DLV, Liber DCCCXXXI, Liber CMXIII, Adonis, The Ghouls, The Four Winds, Independence, Apollo Bestows The Violin, Across The Gulf, The Temple Of Solomon The King (Continued), My Crapulous Contemporaries No. V., The Bismarck Of Battersea etc. etc. as well as Diana Of The Inlet by Katharine Susannah Prichard & Silence By Ethel Archer. The thin fabric used for the spines of the First Trade Editions of "The Equinox" was notoriously fragile, and is often damaged or missing altogether. In this case the volume has been expertly rebacked in a fabric matching that that of the original, and is supplied with a "distressed" facsimile title label. The paper-covered boards are a little rounded at the corners, and are lightly rubbed and a little dusty. The pages are uniformly toned, but not brittle. There is a match-box sized pale yellow stain to the inner bottom corner of the Augustus John portrait and corresponding tissue guard, though oddly it does not extend beyond that. Occasional foxing throughout. Some pencil annotations, added astrological symbols and Hebrew letters, to a few pages. Still over all a VG or better copy in much better-than-average condition of this very important number of "The Equinox." Because of the rebacking the volume can be safely opened and read without fear of damaging the spine. No dustjacket (none issued). Item #60263
Sold