Petit Albert. The Marvelous Secrets of Natural & Cabalistic Magic.
Seattle: Ouroboros Press, 2016. First Edition Thus. Hardcover. Small octavo. 178pp [iv]. Full vellum with gilt titled leather spine label, gilt Ouroboros device to boards, 30 woodcuts, charts and talismans, two fold-out plates on parchment paper, marbled endpapers, ribbon marker. The Ouroboros edition was limited to 1,500 numbered copies, this being ONE OF ONLY 25 copies bound in vellum and with two folding plates and a slip-case, this being copy No. 6. From the publisher "The first edition of this new translation of the ‘Little Albert’ - a grimoire and book of secrets first published in France in 1700s. The text ranks as one of the most infamous books in the grimoire corpus, though much of its infamy stems from the 18th century hucksters who populated Rural Europe with copies of their merchandise. Although the tome is criticized by the likes of Arthur Edward Waite and Eliphas Levi before him, they nonetheless mention it many times throughout their several books. As a book of ritual magic it relies heavily on other sources, namely Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus. Yet in addition to the grimoire material consisting of talismanic images, cabalistic magic and ritual perfumes, the book also features many wortcunning remedies, and alchemical recipes. Magic squares and tables showing planetary hours are common in grimoire literature but also tend to appear in almanacks, which were also very popular. The folk remedies and recepies are drawn from that curious literary genre known as Books of Secrets. The famous alchemical bibliographer John Ferguson wrote a defining book on the subject as did William Eamon whose later text laid bare many intricacies of the tradition." A lovely production in "as new" condition, thus Fine in Fine marbled paper covered slipcase. Item #68677
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