Book of Spirits

[Boston, MA]: Rosetta / Firefly Press, 1994. First Edition. Original Wraps. Near Fine in Wraps. First Edition. Original Wraps. "Book of Spirits was printed at Firefly Press to accompany the exhibition of paintings by Naomi Yang at Galerie Mourlot, Boston, September 6-October 15, 1994."--Colophon. According to Yang's introduction, "this little book is an attempt to give some account of those Spirits about whom every person ought to know something. The Grimorium Verum mentions seventeen of the most important subordinate Spirits. As in choosing a cricket eleven the first choices are easy and the last very difficult to make, so it has been here. And if the reader feels that some Spirit who has been omitted should have the place of one who is represented, why, very likely the reader is right." Co-publisher of Exact Change Press (with her partner Damon Krukowski), Yang is also a noted graphic designer, visual artist, filmmaker, and musician known for her work with Damon & Naomi and Galaxie 500. The Book of Spirits is her only artist's book to date. It pairs a dozen elegant line drawings of Spirits with short descriptive texts providing their true names and brief descriptions of their distinguishing qualities. Examples include SIRCHADE, which "has the power to show thee all kinds of animals, of whatever nature they may be" and HUMOTS, which "can transport all manner of books for thy pleasure." Yang has explained that the text of Book of Spirits is derived, in part, from her readings of 'Everyman's Book of Saints' by C.P.S. Clarke (1914) and 'The Book of Ceremonial Magic' by A.E. Waite (1961), and that her original drawings are based on illustrations in Waite's book, which are taken from the Grimorium Verum (1517), a magical textbook, first published in 1517 and purported to be translated from the Hebrew. It is based to some extent upon the "Key of Solomon the King" and is quite honest in its statement that it proposes to invoke devils. It refers to the four elements, so these would appear to be elementary spirits. A part of the account it gives regarding the hierarchy of spirits is taken from the Lemegeton, or Lesser Key of Solomon. The grimoire is an instructional text for summoning demons / spirits in the goetia. In five instiutional holdings. Near fine. Unpaginated artists' book [24 pages, french fold] printed in letterpress on cream colored laid paper, reproducing texts and images that relate to Spirits. Single hand-sewn signature in a card stock cover, wrapped in mottled brown laid paper printed with the title text. 4to. In an edition of 100, unpaged. Signed, numbered by the author. This copy is 42.