CROWLEY, Aleister (Master Therion) .

The Book of Thoth. A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians. Being The Equinox Volume III No. V [ The Book of Thoth, an Interpretation of The Tarot ].

Berkeley, CA: K@shmarin Press / Kashmarin Press / Shambala Publications, 1969. First Edition Thus. Hardcover. Small quarto, xii + 288pp. Original brick cloth with gilt title, etc. to spine, illustrations. Artist Executant: Frieda Harris. This edition supposedly limited to 2000 numbered copies, however, given its comparative scarcity it is hard to believe that such a large number of copies were actually produced. Most copies seen are, like this copy, unnumbered. The K@shmarin Press edition of Crowley's masterwork on the tarot was the first republication of the work since its first edition of 1944, preceeding the the first Weiser printing of the book by a few months. This copy is complete with the scarce "far-out" dust jacket - a wonderful example of sixties experimental "cut and paste" artwork, with a variety of images including one of the God Horus, various symbols, a small photo of the torso of a semi-nude woman, and the words "far-out" incorporated into the designs. For reasons unknown, the dust jacket for this book is suprisingly scarce. The volume is from the collection of Clive Harper with his discrete 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. Cloth very lightly rubbed with a some faint back ground marks from handling and a hint of odour, corners bumped, light bruising to spine ends, pages and page edges a bit toned, but clean and unmarked. Front blank is creased at upper corner with a corresponding short closed tear to fore-edge. A bit of light wear from use, but still a tight, clean VG+ copy with a largely intact Good + example of the scarce dust jacket (Dust jacket is worn, chipped and creased at all edges and extremities, inner front flap creased and price clipped, reverse side and inner flaps a bit browned. Now protected in mylar cover.). Item #69112

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