Item #66184 Konx Om Pax. Essays in Light. Aleister CROWLEY.
Konx Om Pax. Essays in Light.
Konx Om Pax. Essays in Light.
Konx Om Pax. Essays in Light.
Konx Om Pax. Essays in Light.

Konx Om Pax. Essays in Light.

London: Walter Scott Publishing / Society for the Propagation of Religious Truth, 1907. First Edition - White Buckram Issue. Hardcover, Octavo. (8" x 6 3/4"), xii [+ ii] + 108pp [+ 12 pp adverts]. Frontispiece portrait. First edition, second issue. Original white buckram, with intricate highly stylized title design of book's title stamped in gilt to upper board. A magnificent example of book design. The first edition of "Konx om Pax" was supposed to have been limited to 500 numbered and signed copies, although the majority of copies seen are neither signed nor numbered. This copy is numbered 119 and SIGNED by Crowley with his full name in ink on the limitation page. Approximately half the print run of "Konx om Pax" was bound in black buckram with white printing (symbolising light out of darkness), with the other half bound in gilt stamped white buckram, as is this copy. The white buckram edition is commonly said to be the second issue although given that Crowley was known for playing games with bibliographic details and we have seen white bound copies with quite low numbers (this for example, is 119) we can't help wondering if the publication wasn't actually simultaneous. The book itself 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." From the collection of Clive Harper with his discrete 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. The label can easily be removed without affecting the page, although it would be a shame not to preserve this record of the book's provenance. The gilt of the front cover is still bright and fresh, although as often the white buckram of the background is somewhat darkened and dulled. The front cloth hinge is a little rubbed, and with two pin-head size holes, cloth at head and tail of spine chafed, and with a tiny chip missing from tale of spine. There are a few discolored patches on the buckram of the rear panel, and it is also starting to bubble a little which again is typical of this edition. Endpapers lightly toned, as always there is a "ghost" of the frontis-portrait offset onto the title page, despite the presence of the (quite heavily browned) tissue guard. A short closed tear to the bottom edge of one leaf, a few light finger-marks or other signs of use, otherwise the internals are bright and fresh. Overall a tight, attractive better-than VG copy (no dust jacket issued). Item #66184

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