CROWLEY, Aleister.

The Works of Aleister Crowley [ The Collected Works of Aleister Crowley ] (in 3 Volumes).

Foyers: Society For The Propagation Of Religious Truth, 1905, 1906, 1907. First Editions. Softcovers. 3 volumes. Octavos (7 7/8 x 5 5/8 inches). Black "camel hair" wrappers with white lettering. Text printed on "India paper." Vol. I: x, 270pp (includes errata facing p. 264); Vol. II: viii, (2), 282pp, Vol. III: viii, 248pp. It is housed in a fine modern custom-made portfolio: black buckram book-cloth with hand marbled paper boards, gilt-stamped leather spine label, lined with archival paper. This, the "Essay Competition" edition (the words "Essay Competition Copy" are printed on the page facing the title page), arguably represents the true first issue of "The Collected Works," being simply and cheaply bound so that it could be distributed soon after printing to anyone planning on entering the competition for the best essay on his own works, which Crowley was then running. Although the word "Collected" only appears on the upper wrapper, and not on the title page, the books are commonly referred to as "The Collected Works" after the titling on the wrappers.
"The Collected Works" basically gathered together most of Crowley's work that had been published up to the year of the final volume (1907). This consisted largely of poetry and plays, although it did include "Berashith", a magical essay first published in 1903, and a number of previously unpublished or especially revised pieces, including a lengthy "epilogue and dedication" entitled "Eleusis." For obvious reasons it omitted altogether Crowley's "obscene" works: "White Stains," "Snowdrops from a Curate's Garden" etc., although it did include "The Sword of Song", which has an Appendix (Ambrosi Magi Hortus Rosarum) the initial letters of some of the hanging notes of which spelled out indecencies, some of which are still considered unprintable. For this reason "The Collected Works" was cited in the "Looking Glass" libel trial of 1911, as indicative of Crowley's immorality. According to Duncombe-Jewell the entire print consisted of 1001 copies. Given the number of different bindings, it seems unlikely that more than a quarter of them would have been thus, in the camel hair binding.
This set came from the estate of Edward Noel Fitzgerald (1908-1958), Frater Agape of the A.'. A.'., a IX degree member of the O.T.O., and friend and follower of Aleister Crowley, with whom he was in regular contact from the mid-1930s up until "the Beast's death" in 1947. FitzGerald was part of the small circle in Britain in the 1950s - including Frieda Lady Harris, Gerald Yorke, and Kenneth and Steffi Grant - who continued to take an interest in Crowley's work after his death. FitzGerald was in contact with Karl Germer, who actively considered appointing him head of the O.T.O. in Britain, but this was precluded by his illness and untimely death.
In the late 1940s FitzGerald obtained a small number of sets of the camel hair issue of "The Collected Works" from the widow of another former Crowley follower who had found them amongst her late husband's effects and had no use for them. This is one of those sets, which, along with much of FitzGerald's library and papers, were acquired by Weiser Antiquarian Books in 2007. The set is now protected by a custom made archival portfolio. On the inside front of the portfolio is a bookplate featuring FitzGerald's lamen seal that was especially produced by Weiser Antiquarian to identify works from the collection.
PLEASE NOTE CONDITION - one of the volumes in this set is defective. Unfortunately the back wrapper of Vol. I has suffered a damp exposure. While this has simply discolored the back wrapper, it has severely damaged the last half-a-dozen leaves, which being fragile ultra-thin tissue-type paper have partially disintegrated (see photo 66025h). The remaining back half of the book has some minor defects, whilst the front half is almost unscathed. Ironically the "camel hair wrappers" which are typically badly worn are complete and undamaged, save for the discoloration. Volumes II & III are in near fine condition. Most pages unopened. A set with a great provenance, priced low because of the damage to Vol. I. Item #66025

Price: $650.00