Alexandra. A Birthday Ode.
Berkeley, CA: Pangenetor Lodge Publications / The O.T.O., 1995. First Edition Thus. Softcover. Octavo. (8.5 x 5.5 inches). viii + 8pp. Pale yellow printed wrappers with author and title printed in black within a Greek-revival style decorative border. This copy with SIGNED and INSCRIBED by Thelemic author and speaker, Robert C. Stein - to Crowley scholar Clive Harper on the half-title page. Stein - writing under the pseudonym "Frater A" - provided the Preface and most of the critical material in this booklet. According to Stein only about 30 copies of this booklet were produced. The text itself is the first known printing to be based on the set of Proofs of "Alexandra" as preserved in the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin. "Alexandra" is commonly said to have gone to press in 1909, although considerable uncertainty remains as to whether or not it was ever actually issued. One story suggests that it was, but that the copies were amongst a shipment of Crowley books that was destroyed by British Customs. In the case of "Alexandra" it would have been on account of disrepectful references to the British Royal Family: the Introductory Pindaric Ode to this work, is attributed to one O.C. (Ophelia Cox: a vulgar homonym used as a pseudonym by several fin-de-siecle erotica writers, in this case Crowley) and has a vertical acrostic spelling "Alexandra Regina." While several proof copies survive there is no known copy of a contemporary published edition, suggesting that either its suppression was absolutely total, or (more likely) that the original edition didn't proceed beyond proof-stage. The first confirmed publication was by the Mandrake Press Ltd., England, 1991, which is based on the prooofs in the Yorke collection. This Pangenetor Lodge booklet is drawn from the proofs in the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, and was published in 1995. The Pangenetor edition - being drawn from a different set of Proofs to th Mandrake Press Ltd. edition - is really a "first edition thus." It has a new Preface by "Frater A." (Bob Stein) and was one of a series of pamphlets published by Pangenetor Lodge of the O.T.O. whose Lodge Master was Marlene Cornelius, then-wife of J. Edward (Jerry) Cornelius, both of whom were closely involved in their production. 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 tight, clean near Fine copy. Item #68214
Price: $85.00