The Book of Thoth; A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians, being the Equinox Volume III No. V
London: OTO/Chiswick Press Ltd., 1944. First Edition. Hardcover. Quarto. xii + 288 + [iv] pp. Original magnificent quarter leather binding with papered boards with Egyptian motif by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Gilt title and OTO lamen and cartouche stamped on spine. Tipped in color plates of tarot designs, b&w illustrations. Printed by the Chiswick Press on Arnold Unbleached paper. Top edge gilt. The First Edition of Crowley's masterwork on the tarot, with color and black and white reproductions of the card designs by Frieda Harris. Edition limited to 200 copies signed and numbered by Crowley, this being copy No. 53, SIGNED by CROWLEY as "To Mega Therion" ["the Great Wild Beast" in Greek] 666 / 9 = 2 A.'. A.'." on the limitation page. According to a list which Crowley kept at the front of one of his own copies of "The Book of Thoth" (now in the Yorke collection) copy number 53 was amongst a small number that Crowley sold to The Atlantis Bookshop in London. The book is, most recently, from the collection of Clive Harper and has 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. The label can easily be removed without affecting the page, although it would be a shame not to preserve this record of the book's provenance. This copy was kept in a home-made book jacket for many years, which has done a remarkable job of saving the covers and spine from wear or discoloration. As specialists in Crowley's works we have literally handled dozens of copies of the first edition of "The Book of Thoth" over the years, and in terms of condition this is almost certainly the nicest we have seen. The paper covered boards have the merest hint of rubbing to the corners, but it is otherwise in lovely condition, and the leather is clean uncreased and sturdy. There are some yellow marks - caused by offset from the tape that once secured its home-made jacket - to the verso of the free endpapers (only a little on the front free endpaper, a little more on the rear free endpaper). A couple of very faint finger marks to the preliminaries (possibly done by the old gentleman himself when he was signing it) otherwise the internals are solid, bright and crisp. Probably as close as it would be possible to get to a Fine copy of this magnificent publication (no dust-jacket issued). Item #70204
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