Amulets and Talismans.
New Hyde Park, NY: University Books, 1961. First American edition. Hardcover. Large octavo, xl + 543pp + adverts. Beige cloth spine with patterned paper boards, gilt lettering to spine. 22 plates and 300 illustrations in text, index. The first US edition of this monumental work on amulets and talismans which was originally published under the title "Amulets and Superstitions" in 1930 (it was retitled in the interests of accuracy by the US publishers). The full title of the original edition gives some hint as to its scope: "Amulets and Superstitions: The Original Texts with translations and descriptions of a long series of Egyptian, Sumerian, Assyrian, Hebrew, Christian, Gnostic and Muslim Amulets and Talismans and Magical Figures, with chapters on the Evil Eye, the Origin of the Amulet, the Pentagon, the Swastika, the Cross (Pagan and Christian), the Properties of Stones, Rings, Divination, Numbers, the Kabbalah, Ancient Astrology, etc." The author, E. A. Wallis Budge, is famous as the then Keeper of the Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities in the British Museum and one of the great scholars of ancient custom and belief. Although the work was first published over 90 years ago it is still one of the most comprehensive works on the subject. Cloth lightly rubbed with a few faint marks, light rubbing to edges and bruising to extremities, page edges darkened, pages lightly toned. There is a vertical abraded strip to each pastedown: the volume evidently had a home made jacket which was secured with a strip of tape, and when this was removed it took the outer surface of the paper of the pastedowns to which it was attached with it. Otherwise overall a tight, clean VG or better copy (no dust jacket). Item #69573
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