Occult & Spiritism

Very rare first edition printed in Algiers at Charles Zamith & Cie (Not listed in Tailliart. No copy recorded in the CCFr).

Minor, unavoidable rust marks around the staples, otherwise a handsome copy.

This perpetual Muslim calendar through to the end of time, with the exact concordance of the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and a simple and easy method for converting dates for every day of the week, from the Hijri year to the year 2660, composed and calculated in accordance with the rules of Muslim astronomers was written by Bernard-Marius Cazeneuve (1838–1913).

A fascinating character: an internationally renowned illusionist, art collector, and scientist born in Toulouse, he presented himself as an “Explorer, populariser of abstract sciences, member of the French Astronomical Society, accredited lecturer at the Sorbonne, former captain in the 1st Tirailleurs, former personal physician to Her Majesty the Queen of Madagascar, etc., etc.” (!) In 1874, he founded the Institute of Progress against Superstition and Charlatanism, drafting its statutes himself. The Shah of Iran, Baron Taylor, Rosa Bonheur, and Victor Hugo were among its first members. He later played an ambiguous but noteworthy role in the colonisation of Madagascar.

First edition, one of 285 numbered copies on Arches wove paper, deluxe issue.

A handsome copy.

Inscribed, dated and signed by Roger Peyrefitte to Maurice Gorrée.

First edition, one of 105 numbered copies on vélin neige, the only deluxe copies issued after 12 on pur fil.
Handsome copy.

First edition, one of 95 copies on pur fil, the only deluxe issue after 45 copies on Hollande.
A slight vertical crease on the front cover.
A handsome copy.

Rare first edition of a lottery manual claiming to reveal the predictions of famous occultist Joseph Balsamo, Count of Cagliostro. Published during Cagliostro's imprisonment by the Inquisition, it is the first known of its kind using his name, and most certainly the only one printed during his lifetime.
We are able to trace only two copies in libraries (BnF and Kress Library).
Numerous illustrations including a frontispiece showing Cagliostro giving lottery predictions, as well as 15 plates containing 90 vignettes depicting dreams, each associated with a lottery number. Also contains a folding leaf on the influence of sunrise and sunset on the French Royal Lottery draws.
Preceded by a leaf with a pasted press clipping, with a note “Combinations of the Royal Lottery Games /Extract from the Paris-Journal of 18 8bre 1878”.
Bound with: a rare pamphlet by Alexandre Dumas-Fils, Histoire de la loterie : depuis la première jusqu'à la dernière loterie. La loterie des lingots d'or. Preceded by a leaf with an inscribed note Histoire de la loterie des lingots d'or.
Green half cloth, smooth spine, gilt title framed by a double fillet border, marbled paper boards. Spine-ends, corners and joints rubbed, scuffs to boards, foxing to edges. Damp stain in the margin of the first 6 leaves of the Manual.

First edition. 14 full-page plates including two folding, numerous illustrations in the text, as well as twelve pages of tables with hieroglyphic and Chinese characters.

Beige calf binding, elaborately gilt spine, boards stamped with the arms of the Society of Writers to the Signet. Minor foxing. Spine, corners and spine-ends restored, some wear to spine and boards.

A rare copy of this abundantly illustrated treasure trove of esoteric science, serving as an initiation into the mysteries of Egypt through the study of hieroglyphics.

One of the rarest and most interesting works by Pierre Lacour, a painter, engraver and literary scholar who succeeded his father as professor and director of the Bordeaux School of Painting. Lacour is known for his studies of ancient monuments, Hebrew and ancient languages; only a year before Champollion's deciphering of hieroglyphics, Lacour claims in these pages to find passages from the Bible in Egyptian texts. His study namely suggests a hieroglyphic meaning for the name of Moses.

Provenance: arms of the Society of Writers to the Signet, association of Scottish lawyers founded in the late 16th century. Library shelf label pasted to the flyleaf.

First edition, one of 10 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the only large paper copies along with 10 on China.
Contemporary half red morocco over marbled paper boards, spine in six compartments with gilt flowers, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers preserved, top edge gilt.
Provenance : from the Lallemand de Mont collection, Stanislas de Guaita's son in law with his ex libris to pastedown.
A rare large paper copy with an exceptional provenance.