CROWLEY, Aleister.

The Works of Aleister Crowley [ The Collected Works of Aleister Crowley ] (in 3 Volumes).

Foyers: Society For The Propagation Of Religious Truth, 1905, 1906, 1907. First Editions. Softcovers. 3 volume set. Octavos. Black "Camel hair" wrappers with white lettering. Text printed on "India paper." Vol. I: x, 270pp (includes errata facing p. 264); Vol. II: viii, (2), 282pp, Vol. III: viii, 248pp. In modern custom-made black cloth protective folder with gilt titling to "spine." This, the "Essay Competition" edition (the words "Essay Competition Copy" are printed on the page facing the title page), arguably represents the true first issue of "The Collected Works," being simply and cheaply bound, and issued without plates, so that it could be distributed quickly and at low cost to anyone planning on entering the competition for the best essay on his own works which Crowley was then running. Although the word "Collected" does not appear on the title page, the books are commonly referred to as "The Collected Works" after the titling on the wrappers. "The Collected Works" basically gathered together most of Crowley's work that had been published up to the date of its publication. This was largely poetry and plays, although it did include "Berashith", a magical essay first published in 1903, and a number of previously unpublished or especially revised pieces, including a lengthy "epilogue and dedication" entitled "Eleusis." For obvious reasons it omitted altogether Crowley's "obscene" works: "White Stains," "Snowdrops from a Curate's Garden" etc., although it did include "The Sword of Song", which has an Appendix (Ambrosi Magi Hortus Rosarum) the initial letters of some of the hanging notes of which spelled out indecencies, some of which are still considered unprintable. For this reason "The Collected Works" was cited in the "Looking Glass" libel trial of 1911, as indicative of Crowley's immorality.
According to Duncombe-Jewell the entire print consisted of 1001 copies, divided into some half-a-dozen different issues, with or without plates, bound singly or as a set, etc. etc.
From the collection of Clive Harper with his discreet book-label pasted into the back of the folder which houses them. 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. The folder is in VG+ condition. The "camel hair wrappers" of the volumes are notoriously fragile, these are in somewhat better than average.
The notoriously flimsy bindings have a couple of tiny chips to the heads and tails of the spines, and a few minute tears and creases where the wrappers overlap the text block, and there is a bit of rubbing to the white letters on the front covers of Vol III. That said they are a solid VG+ in terms of condition, and are probably as close to Fine a set as anyone is likely to find. Item #69746

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