Scientifica Hermetica by A.S.Raleigh - 1916: An introduction to the science of Alchemy

New York: Fowlers and Wells, 1851. First Edition. . Hardcover. See Description. 4to or small folio size. Volumes XIII-XIV. And Volume XV, No. I. (The complete year of 1851 plus one extra issue - January 1852). Volume XIII (Jan. - Jun.) pp. iv, 144. Volume XIV (Jul. - Dec.) pp. 140. Volume XV, No. I, pp. 24.With many wood engraved illustrations. Bound in quarter sheep with marbled boards. Spine and covers are well rubbed and worn. Outer hinges and head caps are professionally restored; board corner tips are neatly repaired. Interior is foxed. Owner's name is written in an old hand in the margins of several pages. Upper marginal corners are chipped on pp. 41-44 (Vol. XIV, No. II). The journal describes itself as "devoted to phrenology, physiology, magnetism, education, mechanism, agriculture, and to all those progressive measures which are calculated to reform, elevate, and improve mankind." Contains columns on a variety of subjects - human and animal phrenology, book reviews, mechanics… Read More

Paris: Bibliothèque Chacornac, 1903. Second Edition. . Wraps. See Description. 8vo. pp. [6], v, [1], 57, [3]. Bound in original publisher’s wraps. The bottom corner of the front wrap is a bit bumped and creased. Otherwise this is a tight and clean copy. Interior pages are uncut and clean. A tiny tear is present on the upper edge of page 7. First printed in Paris, 1894. A treatise on the astral body. The preface is written by the famous French occultist Papus (Gerard Encausse). An additional booklet was published in 1895 (not present here) titled "Principes de physique occulte I: les microbes de l’astral.

Paris: A la Librairie Illustrée [c. 1887 - 1907 ], 1887. Wraps. See Description. 8vo. pp. [4], 308. Bound in original color illustrated publisher’s wraps depicting a man hypnotizing a woman. The same image is present in black and white on the title page. Head and tail caps are professionally repaired. The wraps show wear to the extremities as well as some age-toning, soiling, spotting, mild edge chipping etc. The text block is loosely sewn with a single stitch through each gathering. Interior pages contain periodic spots of marginal foxing. A few minor marginal tears are neatly sealed. The upper edge of page 69 is chipped (1 x 0.5 cm). According to Crabtree this work is "a critical evaluation of the nature of hypnotism and somnambulism. The author sees imagination as the central element," (Crabtree, p. 276). Chapter XI discusses modern witchcraft – "diatribe contre le livre préceédent, de Charles Richet," (Yve-Plessis). This is possibly the second… Read More

Poona, India: Rajneesh Foundation, 1975. First edition. Hard cover in dust jacket. Poona, India: Rajneesh Foundation, 1975, first printing. 8vo., frontis portrait+vii+475pp., illustrated. Green cloth with gilt titles and gilt checkerboard cover design, decorative endpapers echoing the design. Printed in brown ink on cream colored paper, a very attractive production. Ten or so pages have a single bracket in the margin, a few pages have light notation (a few words), mild foxing to top and front edges, otherwise very good plus in very good plus dust jacket. . 1st. Hard. Very Good Plus/Very Good Plus. 8vo.

Wheaton, Illinois: Theosophical Press, Olcott, 1940. Soft cover. Very Good. Staple-bound in wraps with illustrated front cover. Inscribed by Ruth Collier's husband, Richard Sharpe, on the inside of the front cover. Light wear along the fore-edge of the front cover. Four full-page illustrations. 24 pages. 11 x 7.75 inches. Three copies noted on OCLC. (Henry S. Olcott Memorial Library, LOC, Brown University). A scarce copy of The Song of the Paramahamsa, a long-form poem by Ruth Collier (1897-1975), for which she won an Olcott Foundation Award in 1940. The poem is accompanied by four of her original illustrations and was published by the Theosophical Press at the Olcott Campus. Ruth Collier was a member of the Portland Lodge (Oregon) and married Richard Sharpe VI [aka Jr] of the New York Lodge on Sept. 9, 1940 [ref: November 1940 issue of The American Theosophist]. Mr. Sharpe was educated at the Parsons School of Design in New York and did the illustrations for two of his Ruth's books.

New York: Fowlers and Wells, 1851. First Edition. . Hardcover. See Description. 4to or small folio size. Volumes XIII-XIV. And Volume XV, No. I. (The complete year of 1851 plus one extra issue - January 1852). Volume XIII (Jan. - Jun.) pp. iv, 144. Volume XIV (Jul. - Dec.) pp. 140. Volume XV, No. I, pp. 24.With many wood engraved illustrations. Bound in quarter sheep with marbled boards. Spine and covers are well rubbed and worn. Outer hinges and head caps are professionally restored; board corner tips are neatly repaired. Interior is foxed. Owner's name is written in an old hand in the margins of several pages. Upper marginal corners are chipped on pp. 41-44 (Vol. XIV, No. II). The journal describes itself as "devoted to phrenology, physiology, magnetism, education, mechanism, agriculture, and to all those progressive measures which are calculated to reform, elevate, and improve mankind." Contains columns on a variety of subjects - human and animal phrenology, book reviews, mechanics… Read More

Paris: Bibliothèque Chacornac, 1903. Second Edition. . Wraps. See Description. 8vo. pp. [6], v, [1], 57, [3]. Bound in original publisher’s wraps. The bottom corner of the front wrap is a bit bumped and creased. Otherwise this is a tight and clean copy. Interior pages are uncut and clean. A tiny tear is present on the upper edge of page 7. First printed in Paris, 1894. A treatise on the astral body. The preface is written by the famous French occultist Papus (Gerard Encausse). An additional booklet was published in 1895 (not present here) titled "Principes de physique occulte I: les microbes de l’astral.

Paris: A la Librairie Illustrée [c. 1887 - 1907 ], 1887. Wraps. See Description. 8vo. pp. [4], 308. Bound in original color illustrated publisher’s wraps depicting a man hypnotizing a woman. The same image is present in black and white on the title page. Head and tail caps are professionally repaired. The wraps show wear to the extremities as well as some age-toning, soiling, spotting, mild edge chipping etc. The text block is loosely sewn with a single stitch through each gathering. Interior pages contain periodic spots of marginal foxing. A few minor marginal tears are neatly sealed. The upper edge of page 69 is chipped (1 x 0.5 cm). According to Crabtree this work is "a critical evaluation of the nature of hypnotism and somnambulism. The author sees imagination as the central element," (Crabtree, p. 276). Chapter XI discusses modern witchcraft – "diatribe contre le livre préceédent, de Charles Richet," (Yve-Plessis). This is possibly the second… Read More

Poona, India: Rajneesh Foundation, 1975. First edition. Hard cover in dust jacket. Poona, India: Rajneesh Foundation, 1975, first printing. 8vo., frontis portrait+vii+475pp., illustrated. Green cloth with gilt titles and gilt checkerboard cover design, decorative endpapers echoing the design. Printed in brown ink on cream colored paper, a very attractive production. Ten or so pages have a single bracket in the margin, a few pages have light notation (a few words), mild foxing to top and front edges, otherwise very good plus in very good plus dust jacket. . 1st. Hard. Very Good Plus/Very Good Plus. 8vo.

Wheaton, Illinois: Theosophical Press, Olcott, 1940. Soft cover. Very Good. Staple-bound in wraps with illustrated front cover. Inscribed by Ruth Collier's husband, Richard Sharpe, on the inside of the front cover. Light wear along the fore-edge of the front cover. Four full-page illustrations. 24 pages. 11 x 7.75 inches. Three copies noted on OCLC. (Henry S. Olcott Memorial Library, LOC, Brown University). A scarce copy of The Song of the Paramahamsa, a long-form poem by Ruth Collier (1897-1975), for which she won an Olcott Foundation Award in 1940. The poem is accompanied by four of her original illustrations and was published by the Theosophical Press at the Olcott Campus. Ruth Collier was a member of the Portland Lodge (Oregon) and married Richard Sharpe VI [aka Jr] of the New York Lodge on Sept. 9, 1940 [ref: November 1940 issue of The American Theosophist]. Mr. Sharpe was educated at the Parsons School of Design in New York and did the illustrations for two of his Ruth's books.