The Silver Key: A Guide to Speculators.
London / Philadelphia: W. Foulsham & Co. / David McKay Company, ND (ca. 1920). (Revised Edition). Hardcover. Small octavo. 93pp. + iiipp. publisher's adverts. Original light blue cloth with silver key, title and author on upper cover. A 'hybrid" copy in that the title and copyright pages indicate Foulsham of London as the publisher, while the dust jacket names David McKay of Philadelphia as the publisher. Whether this was part of a stock sent from the UK and rejacketed by the US publishers (as sometimes happened) or the jacket was added by another owner is not known. The book appears to date from the 1910s - 1920s, the jacket might be a little more recent (neither are dated). A guide to successful speculation (gambling) via esoteric means; mostly pertaining to astrology. Described in the publisher's preface as "the only scientific attempt to solve the problem of speculative investment" by 'Sepharial' (Dr Walter Gorn Old, 1864-1929) the eminent English Theosophist, who remains well known for his works on astrology and numerology. Chapter headings: Introduction; The Future Method; Science of Numbers; Some Considerations; Names and Numbers; Finding Winners; Winning Colours; The Lunar Key; How to Set the Figure; Elongation of Moon; The Test; Polarity; Selection; The Aspects; Favourites; Gravity and Evolution; A Calculator; Something to Come; A Warning; On Speculation;Tables of Sidereal Times; and Tables of Ascendants. Cloth a bit rubbed and slightly darkened at edges and spine, spine ends and corners bruised and chafed, page edges and endpapers a bit darkened, owner's label on front pastedown, a few pencil notes and small hole in front blank, pages toned but clean and unmarked. Overall a tight, unmarked VG copy in near VG dust jacket (Dust jacket is a bit chafed and chipped at all edges and extremities, lower rear panel missing a large sliver, not clipped. Now in mylar cover). Early editions of the work are always uncommon. Item #68742
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