The Secret Book of the Black Arts, containing all that is known upon The Occult Sciences of Daemonology, Spirit Rappings, Witchcraft, Sorcery, Astrology, Palmistry, Mind Reading, Spiritualism, Table Turning, Ghosts and Apparitions, also giving full information about the Wonderful Arts of Transmuting Base to Precious Metals and the Actual Manufacture of the Precious Gems, together with a mass of other matter giving Inner Views of the Arts and Sciences whether recondite and obscure, or plain and practical.
Book Details + Condition: "Privately published" First Edition, 1878. Scarce. Softcover. Octavo. 180pp + 12pp ads. Original red wrappers titled and illustrated in black. Black-and-white frontis, with illustrations. Date of publication is uncertain but based upon the advertisements at the rear, we would place this copy at or near the copyright date of 1878. While there is no indication of the identity of the author, WorldCat lists it as Henry Williams. An unusual and scarce book of instruction on all things occult, from a magician / conjurer perspective, including chapters on:
- Sorcery and Witchcraft
- Toad Stone
- Sorcerer and Magician
- Divination
- The Art of Mind Reading
- Alchemy
- Astrology
- Precious Stones
- Mesmerism
- Table Turning
- Spiritualism
- Clairvoyant
A clean copy of a very scarce first edition, with light wear to original covers, including chipping to corners, old folds, repaired tear, and slight fading/discoloration to rear; chipping to ffep and following few pages; tear to edge of title page; corner chipping to pages 1-27 (the remaining pages are intact); interior is clean and free of markings. The book is extremely rare, as it is a softcover with delicate pages - and known for being brittle. PLEASE NOTE: Due to the fragility of the book, there will be no returns. Care will be needed on the collector's part!
