An original hand-coloured, matted, illustration - "The Great Symbol of Solomon" - from the first English edition of Eliphas Levis' "Transcendental Magic. Its Doctrine and Ritual."
London: Redway, 1896. First Edition. A superbly hand-coloured original illustration from the First English Edition of Eliphas Levis' "Transcendental Magic. It's Doctrine and Ritual" which was translated by A. E. Waite and published by George Redway in 1896. The illustration, which has been cropped, is approximately 4.5 inches x 6.5 inches. The "Explanation of Figures Contained in this Work" describes it as "The Great Symbol of Solomon." According to Levi's notes this is: "The Double Triangle of Solomon, represented by the two Ancients of the Kabbalah ; the Macroprosopus and the Microprosopus; the God of Light and the God of Reflections; mercy and vengeance; the white Jehovah and the black Jehovah." The illustration is in a modern cream-coloured acid-free mat board (outer size is 8 x 10 inches), with foam backing board, ready for framing. The size of the mat & mount is such that it is a standard US document size, and should fit in any ready-made frame designed for an 8 x 10 inch photo or document. The mat board is fine - as new. The illustration is a little discolored, but overall in VG+ condition. Scarce. The first English edition of "Transcendental Magic" (which was translated from the revised French edition of 1861) is uncommon and copies are rarely so damaged that they are beyond restoration - and thus individual plates and diagrams seldom come on the market. It is not known who coloured the illustration, or when, but it was certainly not in the last few decades. The illustration is guaranteed from the original 1896 edition, and thus over 100 years old, and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Item #64152
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