Konx Om Pax; Essays in Light
Boleskine & London: SPRT / Walter Scott Publishing, 1907. First Edition - First Issue. Hardcover, Squarish Octavo. (8" x 6 3/4"), Original black buckram, with intricate highly stylized design of book's title stamped in white on top board. xii [+ ii] + 108pp [+ 12 pp adverts] . Frontis. Title page in red and black. Edition limited to 500 numbered and signed copies, of which this is copy number 71 SIGNED by Crowley in with his full name in pencil under the frontispiece portrait. Apparently only about 500 sets of sheets of "Konx Om Pax" were printed, of which about half were bound in black buckram with white printing (symbolising light out of darkness), constituting the first issue. The remaining sheets were later bound in gilt stamped white buckram, and thus comprise the second issue. Signed and numbered copies are quite uncommon as Crowley was very off-hand about numbering and signing the book, and probably two-thirds of the copies in circulation are neither signed nor numbered. The book is a collection of poetry, plays and essays and was clearly one of Crowley's own favorite works. He wrote glowingly of it in his 'Confessions', in particular describing the final essay 'The Stone of the Philosophers' as being "really beyond praise." Yorke 56. Cloth a little chafed at head and tail of spine, corners bumped and a little chafed. The white embossed title on the front cover has flaked in places - particularly near the spine - as is quite common with this edition. Covers darkened and rubbed. Endpapers browned, occasional toning throughout. Shadow offset from portrait to title-page as almost always, title-page generally unevenly toned. A few slightly grubby marks to the pages, and a little flecking. Overall an about VG copy of a scarce signed work. Item #66183
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