THE BOOKS OF MAGIC

Facsimile of Manuscript - Hardback in full calf leather binding incorporating skrying mirror. 416pp coloured pages (of which 209pp are blank) It is clearly stated to be the book of the Fratres Lucis and is bound to match the appearance of the book as Herbert envisaged and drew it in the frontispiece of the manuscript. All edges are hand gilded, thus avoiding the too shiny gaudiness of machine gilding. Leather joint, decorated endpapers. The front cover has a real satin silk doublure (a traditional bookbinding device, a panel of silk set into the inside of the boards). Inset into the doublure on the front board is a reproduction of a sigil from the book which features an eye within concentric circles. The actual eye itself if formed with a portion of paper from the original manuscript, so as to create a magical link with the original. In a recess of the doublure on the rear board is set a glass magic mirror, to facilitate the practitioner's access to the mindspaces from whence this book arose. The black mirror's convex design follows Herbert Irwin's recommendations in the book. The full colour facsimile is a very high quality reproduction and is designed to have the same appearance as original manuscript, rather than modern shiny photographs of it. The manuscript was completed in 1874 and this facsimile utilises a specifically Victorian binding method called "gutta percha", then used for upmarket art books. However, modern materials are used that solve the longevity issues that resulted in the binding method being discontinued in the early 20th Century.

Transcript. Hardback cloth binding. Typeset as in the original 408pp (of which 205 are blank), and also gives translations of the occasional Latin. It also reproduces all the illustrations so the text can be seen in context, but is in monochrome. There is no decoration to the cover, so visually it merges with the slipcase. Herbert Irwin's handwriting is not always easily read. As can be seen from these images, the transcript overcomes this issue.

Plus, Talismans in Folder. Talismans from the manuscript. They can be removed from the recesses in which they are held, for ease of use by the practitioner. As with the transcript, for aesthetic reasons there is no decoration to the cover. When in position, the talismans are framed by a gilt border. The manuscript states that the talismans should be made either of pure gold or drawn on parchment. Inspired by this, these are blocked in pure gold on vellum (the terms vellum and parchment were used interchangeably in the 19th Century).

Limited to 196 copies and housed in a slipcase; Limitation, copy number and original purchaser noted on bookplate at rear of Facsimile volume.