Lilliput, August - 1946. Vol. 19, No. 2. Issue No. 110.
London: Pocket Publications Ltd. / Hulton Press, August 1946. First Edition. Softcover. Small octavo. Eccentrically paginated, approximately 104pp. [ x + 85-168pp + xi - xx.] Color illustrated wrappers, extensively illustrated in b&w. A single issue of this popular monthly magazine which includes the first publication of a strange little one page 'humorous' piece by Crowley "How to tell an Englishman from an American." Crowley managed to get the piece published in "Lilliput" with the assistance of John Symonds - then a young journalist who would later become one of the Beast's best known biographers. When the editors sent Crowley the proofs of his piece for approval, they included the text of a "potted biography" of him that either they or Symonds had written and which was to appear in the "Contributors to this issue" section. We know from the draft of a letter that was in stock at Weiser Antiquarian Books in April 2015 that Crowley was most displeased with the biographical note and sent the editors a telegram, asking them not to go to press with the existing text, but rather to wait on an alternative piece that he would send them at once. Presumably the telegram had the desired effect because the published biographical note is almost certainly the work of Crowley himself. It reads in part: "Aleister Crowley magus, poet, mountaineer, explorer, big game hunter, chess master and cook - to mention a few of his accomplishments. Author of many books, particularly standard works on Magic and the Tarot Cards ..." (p. 147). Due to "Lilliput's" popularity and big print-run, the quirky little anecdote that Crowley contributed to it almost certainly had by far the largest circulation of any (non-newspaper ) piece published by Crowley during his lifetime! From the collection of Clive Harper with his discreet book-label neatly tipped in at the rear. Harper is well- known as the bibliographer of Austin Osman Spare, for updating the Aleister Crowley bibliography in the 2011 Teitan Press collection of Gerald Yorke's writings, and as someone who has lent his expertise to numerous other publications. An about Good much-read copy with quite a bit of wear. Chips and creases to covers and edges, covers a bit darkened and discoloured, wrappers splitting at spine, appear to have been reinforced with glue. Still complete and rather unusual. Despite having a huge print-run most copies of the magazine probably ended up pulped because of their ephemeral nature and post-war paper shortages. Item #65785
Sold