The Toadman, Lore and Legend, Rites and Ceremonies of Toadmanry and Related Traditional Magical Practices.
UK: Society for Esoteric Endeavour, ND [ 2012 ]. First Edition. Hardback. Square octavo. 16cm x 18.cm xi + 130pp. Bound in quarter toadskin with cloth covered boards, leather spine label to spine and upper board with gilt titling and borders. Housed in original custom-made slipcase and "chemise." Black & white, colour illustrations. Hand-marbled paper endsheets. This is the quarter-leather edition which there were only 117 hand-numbered copies (there were also 33 half-leather copies). However, most unusually, this copy has the optional custom-made slipcase and "chemise." These were available as "extras" at the time of publication and actually cost almost as much as a copy of the "regular" limited edition, so very few were sold. The slipcase is sturdy and is made from the same cloth as the book cover, and has overlaid panels of the same marbled paper. The "chemise" (a protection for books that first came into use in mediaeval times) is made with the same backcloth and marbled paper with the spine in goatskin leather and a label of blind stamped toadskin and encloses and totally protects the book. The publisher described the book thus: "The Toadmen were a clandestine rural fraternity famed for their mysterious powers, including the control over horses … who would both heal and hex, and whose path was considered particularly perilous." The author uses a variety of sources, including interviews with practicing Toadmen and his own family's oral tradition, to describe the practice of Toadmanry and to place it "in the context of the toad in folklore, alchemy, medicine and European religion." The chapter headings are as follows:- Introduction Frog and Toad Symbolism in Alchemy, Shape-Shifting as a Toad, Toad as a Familiar Traditional Medicine and Toadmanry, The Bone, Secret Uses of the Bone, Rural Fraternities: Toadmen and Horsemen, Horse Stopping, The Word, The Whisper and the Devil, "Have you seen the Devil", The Travails of Toadmanry, Putting the Toad on Someone, Appendices 1. Bones in the Shoemakers, Legendarium 2. The Miller's Word 3. Some Toadmanry in Obeah, Hoodoo and Conjur 4. Other Bone magic and English Horse Skull Performances 5. Speculation upon some Roots of Toadmanry 6. The Examination of John Walsh, Footnotes, Bibliography and Reference. The book sold out on publication. ... Every copy, has a small toad device blind stamped on the book, each in a different location. The toad leather used is from Australian cane toads, an introduced species considered a pest, that has caused massive environmental damage. Book, slip-case and chemise all in Fine condition. Item #66364
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