Occult & Esoterica
[JENNINGS, Hargrave] One of the Thirty: A Strange History, now for the first time told (1st Edition, 1873)
[JENNINGS, Hargrave] One of the Thirty: A Strange History, now for the first time told (1st Edition, 1873)
London: John Camden Hotten, [1873]. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. 359 pages, plus 32 page publisher's catalogue dated 1873 at end of volume. Publisher's blue cloth stamped in silver and gilt on front cover and spine, ruled in blind on rear board. Frontis and engraved illustrations in the text. Title page has a small circular image showing one of the "Thirty Pieces of Silver" for which Jesus Christ was sold. Some soiling and staining, mainly on or near spine. Spine ends are lightly chipped. Paper split at front hinge, allowing front board a little movement but still solidly bound. Bookplate of James H. Graff of Baltimore to front pastedown. Binder's ticket on rear pastedown. A very good copy of this extremely rare Jennings title.
A highly scarce work from British occultist, Freemason, and Rosicrucian, Hargrave Jennings (1817-1890). A very unusual volume. Gardner, in his Catalogue Raisonne of Works on the Occult Sciences, indicates that the engravings (other than the credited frontis) were drawn by George Cruikshank. He also describes the work as "A collection of fine mystical tales founded on mystical Rosicrucian truths ... [that are] well worth reading; some are of a terrifying character."