Amphora.
Great Britain: First Impressions, 1993. Deluxe limited edition. Hardcover. Small format (7.5 x 5 inches). 82pp. Quarter black leather with black cloth boards, gilt titling to spine, marbled end papers, all edges gilt, silk page marker. Volume No. 21 of the First Impression series, this deluxe edition limited to 50 hand-numbered copies, this being copy No. 31. This copy signed on the title-page by the publisher, A. R. Naylor. A facsimile reprint of the rare privately-printed first edition of this apparently innocuous book of devotional verse, which includes an Epilogue with an obscene acrostic that reads "The Virgin Mary I desire but a***holes set my p***k on fire." In what was arguably Crowley's most famous practical joke, he removed the Epilogue and then anonymously submitted the text to the well-known Catholic publishers Burns and Oates. They somehow managed to overlook the dubious theology and strong lesbian undertones and republished the book, under the title "Amphora." On learning that Crowley was the true author they apparently suppressed the edition, and Crowley apparently acquired a quantity of unbound sheets, which he reissued with different preliminaries, and without the Epilogue, under the title "Hail Mary." As noted, this "First Impressions" edition is based on the original, privately printed edition, and includes the obscenec Epilogue. The pages are actually reproduced from Victor Neuburg's copy, which is in the Yorke collection, and reproduces a number of annotations by Yorke, including the text of half-a-dozen additional verses by Crowley that did not appear in the published work. 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. A lovely, bright and clean Fine copy. (No dust jacket - as issued). Item #67666
ISBN: 1872736386
Sold