The Toadman, Lore and Legend, Rites and Ceremonies of Toadmanry and Related Traditional Magical Practices.
UK: Society for Esoteric Endeavour, ND [ 2012 ]. First Edition. Hardback. Square octavo. 16 cm x 18 cm. xi + 130pp. Appropriately bound in quarter toadskin with deep green cloth covered boards, leather spine label to spine and upper board with gilt titling and borders. Black & white, colour illustrations. Hand-marbled paper endsheets. Edition limited to 150 hand-numbered copies. "The Toadmen were a clandestine rural fraternity famed for their mysterious powers, including the control over horses … who would both heal and hex, and whose path was considered particularly perilous." The author uses a variety of sources, including interviews with practicing Toadmen and his own family's oral tradition, to describe the practice of Toadmanry and place it "in the context of the toad in folklore, alchemy, medicine and European religion." The chapter headings as follows:- Introduction Frog and Toad Symbolism in Alchemy, Shape-Shifting as a Toad, Toad as a Familiar Traditional Medicine and Toadmanry, The Bone, Secret Uses of the Bone, Rural Fraternities: Toadmen and Horsemen, Horse Stopping, The Word, The Whisper and the Devil, "Have you seen the Devil", The Travails of Toadmanry, Putting the Toad on Someone, Appendices 1. Bones in the Shoemakers, Legendarium 2. The Miller's Word 3. Some Toadmanry in Obeah, Hoodoo and Conjur 4. Other Bone magic and English Horse Skull Performances 5. Speculation upon some Roots of Toadmanry 6. The Examination of John Walsh, Footnotes, Bibliography and Reference. The book sold out on publication and this is one of the very few copies seem to have appeared on the secondary market. Of the 150 copies, 117 were issued thus (bound in quarter toadskin, and 33 in half-toadskin). Every copy, has a small toad device blind stamped on the book, each in a different location. The toad leather used is from Australian cane toads, an introduced species considered a pest, that has caused massive environmental damage. A tight, clean "as new" copy. Fine condition. Item #69879
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