The Toadman
Nigel Pennick

"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.

Society for Esoteric Endeavour, 2012. Bound in quarter toadskin with 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. Mint condition. 1,300 euros

A Complete System of Magic

Half a century before Crowley a hitherto unknown "astrological professor and magician" was at work in Liverpool. England. He was also a herbalist and a galvanist. Like Crowley, he (and his associates, but especially him) were accused of practising and promoting sexual immorality and undermining religious propriety. He developed his own system for crystal skrying involving placing the skrying glass at the centre of "bonds" diagrams with names of power. The bond for men and women were different indicating an awareness of tantric polarity. His technique for facilitating the visions which were seen not by himself, but by the clients themselves, has similarities with eroto-comotose lucidity, the sex magick technique described by Aleister Crowley. He was part of a milieu, seers who performed a perilous magical ritual, with similarities to the then as yet unpublished Goetia, to establish contact with the spirits in order to enable them to obtain visions in the skrying glasses. His magical manuscript survives and it is here published in full. Effectively it is a magic book of an urban cunning man with a strong folkish element. There is an imaginative narrative that suggests Crowley was initiated by the famous Essex cunning man George Pickingill. The eye-opening material published here shows that there were analogies between 19th Century clandestine folk magic and Crowley's highly academic approach, not least the ambiguity as to whether the practitioner was empowering or abusing those who came under his spell! The publication is called A Complete System of Magic, the title given by the practitioner to his manuscript.

It consists of four hardback book in a felt lined slipcase:-
1) the complete transcript of the manuscript
2) biography of the practitioner by Dan Harms
3) Daniel Harms, Witch Bottles, Steel & Glass, provides context and background for procedures given in the manuscript
4) Daniel Harms, Wax Images, "Voodoo Dolls", Figurines, Manikins & Poppets gives context and background for procedure given in the manuscript
5.) Also enclosed in the slipcase is a hardback folder in which holds:-
- Large format sheet on which are reproductions as cuttings of the 12 newspaper articles which, though very hostile, are highly informative regarding the practitioner and his milieu.
- Facsimiles of all sections of the manuscript (except one part poorly copied from Agrippa's Fourth Book).
- Limitation sheet with bookplate blocked in pure gold and inscribed to the person acquiring the set by a calligrapher. This can be unfolded to reveal certain instructions but one would have to break a wax seal bearing the imprint of the Society of Esoteric Endeavour. These instructions give the method by which one can access a felt lined secret chamber in the slipcase which contains items required for practising the Complete System of Magic. Some people can find their way in without guidance but most people cannot! It is a challenge!

Inside the secret chamber are:-
1) the three "bonds" the diagrams with names of power upon which the skrying glasses are placed.
2) Round skrying glass.
3) Egg shaped skrying glass as used by the Liverpool seers.
4) Cylindrical skrying glass as used by the Liverpool seers.
5) A metal ring upon which the oval and round glass can be placed
6) Beeswax for making wax images.
7) Vervain Leaves (manuscript deals with its magical properties).
8) Vervain Root (manuscript deals with its magical properties).
9) Naturally shed wild snakeskin (manuscript deals with its magical properties).


Society of Esoteric Endeavour, 2018. Condition: mint. The secret chamber is in unopened condition. Shipping only inside EU countries. 970 euros

Lilith

Lilith drawing, an original drawing made by Patrick Larabee. The dimensions of the art: 21,5cm width x 27,7cm height. 120 euros

Whisperings from the Void
Patrick Larabee

Presents a work consisting of esoterically inspired art and prose from a practitioner of Sorcerous Crafts. Regular edition, limited edition of 500 copies of which obviously considerably smaller amount was released in reality until the book was released in smaller format very soon after the launch. This is the original large format, large folio size edition, first printing. Condition: good, the corners of the book are slightly bumped. 120 euros

The Vulvic Trans-Missionary
Patrick J. Larabee

Presents a work consisting of esoterically inspired art and prose from a practitioner of Sorcerous Crafts. Limited to 200 hand numbered copies quarter leather bound + Moire Silk front and back cover silver foil lettering to spine and sigil stamp to front cover. Secondhand, mint condition. 80 euros

Svartkonst
Ekortu

Þursakyngi IV ‘Svartkonst’ is the first part of a two-part series regarding Swedish sorcery known as svartkonst (black art). This book offers a historical, mythological and folkloric insight in old Swedish folk magical traditions with explanations and a glossary, as well as twenty-four practical bindrunes.

Regular edition: Hardcover book bound in black leatherette. Frontcover debossed with a Svartkonst rune, 276 pages. Illustrated, includes symbols and sigils related to the ritual work.

The remaining books may have small scuff marks/scratches on the cover. Order only if such minor imperfection are of no concern to you. 60 euros

Svartkonst - Limited edition
Ekortu

Limited to 150 copies, limited collector's edition with different cover design; Frontcover foiled with golden Svartkonst rune and blindstamped with Serpent design. The book comes with an additional unreleased ritual text printed on an additional card, and signed by the author. Hardcover book bound in black leatherette. SOLD OUT