The Star In the West. A Critical Essay Upon The Works of Aleister Crowley.
London: The Walter Scott Publishing Co, 1907. Second Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. (x) + 328pp. (+ 4 pp catalogue of 'Mr. Crowley's Books....' ). Original red buckram, elaborate seal and title on top board, and title, occult symbols etc. on spine heavily stamped in white. Red-printed frontispiece with tissue guard, title-page printed in red and black. Fuller, who went on to become one of Crowley's leading disciples, originally submitted a version of this essay as his entry for a competition that Crowley held for the best essay on his own literary work. Fuller's essay won (it is rumoured to have been the only entry), and - contrary to popular opinion - he actually received the hundred pound prize that Crowley had offered. With Crowley's assistance Fuller rewrote the essay, and Crowley published it. At that stage Crowley had not yet gone through his family fortune, and was happily extravagant when it came to his publications. He therefore issued a number of different "editions" of "The Star in the West" almost (and quite possibly, actually) simultaneously, presumably with the intention of giving the impression that the book was a good seller! In theory it first appeared in a signed, deluxe edition, bound in gilt stamped white buckram and limited to 100 copies, alongside a "first trade" (or "popular") edition, bound in white-stamped red cloth. This so-called "second edition" appears to actually be nothing more than copies of the first trade edition, with a few cosmetic differences. Thus the binding and sheets are the same as those of the first trade edition with the exception that the words "Second Edition" have been added to the verso of the half-title page, it does not have the tipped-in errata slip (although the errata are uncorrected), and the frontispiece is printed in red, rather than black. It seems that the printing of the first trade edition must have been tiny, and that of the copies converted to "Second Editions" smaller yet, as in decades of specialising in the works of Crowley, we have had far fewer of copies of the "first trade edition" than of the deluxe edition (limited to 100 copies), and even fewer copies of this second edition. 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. The white lettering of the spine has almost completely faded away, as is almost always the case with the white on red bindings. Lightly bumped at foot of spine. Small book-sellers label on rear pastedown. Overall a tight, clean VG+ copy of a most an unusual edition. (no dust jacket issued). Item #67712
Sold