lamdha books -
catalogue of books on Witchcraft, Sorcery and Magic

54693 Bovet, Richard Pandaemonium EP Publishing, Wakefield, 1975. Hardcover, 191pp. Minor wear. Very good to near fine in like dustwrapper. Subtitled The Devil's Cloyster this book is an exploration into witchcraft, black magic and the art of the devil and contains some disclosures which at the time of publication were very startling. It should be remembered that when this book was written, in the 17th century, the time had not long passed when so-called witches were burned at the stake for the most trivial of actions and on the slightest suspicions. Richard Bovet was extremely interested in psychic research and was able to devote a considerable time to the subject as he led the life of a well-to-do country squire. Pandaemonium gives an excellent account of the history and attitudes of the time. Click here to order $35

53953 Bowness, Charles Romany Magic Weiser, New York, 1973. Hardcover, 96pp. Endpapers and page edges lightly toned. Near fine in like dustwrapper. Click here to order $18

54763 Butler, W E Magic Its Ritual Power and Purpose The Aquarian Press, London, 1971. Hardcover, 74 pp., Lightly toned/spotted page edges. Minor edge and corner wear to dustwrapper. Light inked crosses marked on recommended reading titles on rear panel. Very good to near fine otherwise. A concise explanation of the ancient uses, ritual and true aims of Magic; a survey which ranges from the 'old religion' of pre-Christian times to the discoveries of modern psychology. The Tradition embodies teaching and practice that has been handed down from antiquity, the central philosophy on which it hinges being the corpus of Hebrew mystical wisdom - the Kabbalah. A very useful preliminary guide. Click here to order $32

54021 Camp, John Magic, Myth and Medicine Priory Press, London, 1973. Hardcover, 190 pp., b&w illustrations and plates. Lightly toned/spotted page edges. Minor wear, very good to near fine in like dustwrapper. Most medical superstitions can be traced back to the age old belief that sickness was a punishment from the gods for some sin or transgression. These ranged from the wearing of charms, and the transfer of disease to other objects and animals, to fertility rites and the folklore of pregnancy and birth, death and burial. Our ancestors turned to quacks and imposters and found themselves bathing in hot tripe, being treated by "rectal faradization" or sampling the joys of Dr Graham's Celestial bed. Whatever reason is adduced for being ill, a vast body of preventive and therapeutic folk-medicine and practice has evolved through the centuries. Not the least fascinating aspect is that many of these 'cures' have a scientific basis, and, in the light of modern knowledge, are far more efficacious than the beliefs on which they are founded. Click here to order $25

54912 Frost, Gavin and Frost, Yvonne A Witch's Grimoire of Ancient Omens, Portents, Talismans, Amulets and Charms Parker Publishing, West Nyack, 1979. Hardcover, 225 pp., b&w illustrations. Page edges lightly toned and spotted. Dustwrapper lightly worn at edges with some spotting. Very good to near fine. Click here to order $32

54569 Gardner, Gerald High Magic's Aid Samuel Weiser, New York, 1975. Paperback. Light rubbing to card covers; minor edgewear, and random spotting on page edges. Very good to near fine. Unread copy. A 'fictional' account of the activity of a practicing coven of witches. The rituals are taken from the Key of Solomon and other magical manuscripts and incorporated into the story. The author, Dr Gerald Brousseau Gardner, spent a lifetime investigating religio-magical beliefs around the world, came upon a surviving coven of Witches active in England. On making contact with them he was surprised to find that a) witchcraft was alive and well and b) that it was a far cry from the anti-Christian, anti-social cult it is so often depicted as being. The coven agreed to only a 'fictionalised' account of their secret activities. Click here to order $60

54684 Glass, Justine Witchcraft, the Sixth Sense - and Us Neville Spearman, London, 1969 Hardcover, 205pp., b&w illustrations. Page edges lightly toned and spotted. Dustwrapper lightly worn at edges. Near fine. Click here to order $25

50504 GUAZZO, Francesco Maria Compendium Maleficarum Dover, New York, 1988. 8vo - over 7" - 9" tall. Paperback, (xvii, 206pp) The Montague Summer's Edition. B & w illustrations. Lightly toned and spotted page edges. Cover worn along edges and corners with chipping and creased down spinal edge. Good. This document is considered as one of the most important manuals ever compiled on witchcraft; offers striking insight into the early 17th century mind and society's attempts to cope with the evils it saw manifested in sorcery. Click here to order $17

54908 Haining, Peter Anatomy of Witchcraft Souvenir Press, London, 1972. Hardcover, 212pp., b&w illustrations. Lightly spotted page edges and endpapers. Slightly scuffed dustwrapper with minor edge and corner wear. Very good to near fine otherwise. Ireland, almost alone among the countries of Europe, never persecuted witches in the Middle Ages. Not until 1586 did Ireland adopt a statute against witches, and it was seldom invoked. As a result the Irish experience in those centuries is altogether different. This book records the history of witchcraft, sorcery and magic there from its earliest times. Click here to order $18

53024 Haining, Peter An Illustrated History of Witchcraft Pyramid Books, New York, 1976. Softcover, quarto, 128pp., b&w illustrations. Page edges lightly toned. Cover lightly worn at edges. Very good. Click here to order $16

54770 Hartmann, Franz Magic White and Black Or The Science of Finite and Infinite Life, containing Practical Hints for Students of Occultism University Books, New York, 1972. Hardcover, 298 pp., b&w illustrations. Lightly toned/spotted page edges. Slightly scuffed dustwrapper with minor edge and corner wear. Near fine otherwise. An exposition on the mystical basis of magic and an authoritative guide to the special purification and insights that must develop before the practice. Click here to order $30

54706 Hueffer, Oliver Madox The Book of Witches Rowman and Littlefield, Totowa, 1973. Hardcover, 335pp. Page edges lightly toned. Near fine in like dustwrapper. The history of the witch from antiquity, in Greece and Rome and in England and Scotland. The work also discusses the attributes of the witch, the role of the witch in fiction, and details some of the more representative and famous witches of England. Click here to order $40

53300 Kunz, George Frederick The Curious Lore of Precious Stones Dover, New York, 1971. Paperback, 406 pp., b&w illustrations. Lightly toned page edges. Minor edge and corner wear. Very good to near fine otherwise. Ranging over a wide wealth of sources - oral, ancient lapidary manuals from the Middle Ages, Greek and Roman geographical accounts, the Eddas, archeological discoveries in Egypt, the Bible, oriental gem books, travelers' accounts in the primitive world, historical documentation of the fated gems of the world, the author provides an account of the inner life of the gem. Among the larger topics discussed, are: exotic beliefs about gems, the use of gems as amulets and talismans, carved and engraved magical stones (including scarabs), luminous stones, stones of ill omen, crystal balls and crystal gazing (scrying), the religious use of gems in many traditions, birth stones, the astrological meaning of precious stones, and the magical and therapeutic value of gems. Click here to order $16

54782 Lady Sheba The Grimoire of Lady Sheba Llewellyn, St Paul, 1974. Hardcover, 227 pp., b&w illustrations. Illustrated boards, no dustwrapper. Spotted page edges, moderately worn boards with bumped corners. Very good otherwise. This is the workbook of America's witch queen. Lady Sheba was born into a witchcraft tradition inherited from more than four generations. This workbook has evolved from the time of her initiation and includes spells and ancient ritual practices handed down through her family. Click here to order $40

52954 Leek, Sybil The Complete Art of Witchcraft Penetrating the Mystery Behind Magic Powers. Leslie Frewin, London, 1975. Paperback, 205pp. Minor wear; page edges toned. Very good to near fine. In the wake of Diary of a Witch, this book sets out to explain the difference between the modern manifestations of pseudo-witchcraft and the true ancient Celtic form which Sybil Leek and her family practice. Click here to order $15

54121 Leek, Sybil Herbs: Medicine & Mysticism Including a Comprehensive Herb Encyclopedia Henry Regnery Company, Chicago, 1975. First edition hardcover, 255 pp., Lightly spotted page edges. Minor rubbing to dustwrapper. Near fine otherwise. Sybil Leek analyses the variety of drugs that grow in the Western Hemisphere indicating their medicinal, culinary, and astrological significance. Herbs are classified by planet and by astrological sign with a discussion of the herbs most beneficial to members of each sign. There are special chapters on the herbal and astrological lore of the Indians; on the history of herbs and herbals; and on the herbs associated with passion and sexual rejuvenation. Also included is a lexicon of herbal medical terms and herbal suppliers. Click here to order $60

55020 Leland, Charles G Aradia: the Gospel of the Witches C W Daniel, London, 1974. Hardcover,132 pp. Minor discolouration to rear panel of dustwrapper. Minimal edge wear. Fine otherwise. Wrapper now professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Leland's passport to the shadowy world of the Italian witches - an ancient cult tradition whose existence was generally unsuspected - was his friendship from 1886 onwards with Maddalena, a Florentine fortune-teller and hereditary witch from the Romagna Tuscana. It was from Maddalena that he obtained the whole of the material of Aradia, and he describes how she gave it to him in the Preface and Appendix to this work; but they present too easy a picture of the years of patience and effort involved for Leland himself, for it was only after ten years of friendship that Maddalena finally entrusted him with the Vangelo or 'Gospel', here published unabridged. Click here to order $100

54771 Maple, Eric The Complete Book of Witchcraft and Demonology Witches, Devils, and Ghosts in Western Civilization A S Barnes, Cranbury, 1966. Hardcover, 205 pp., b&w illustrations. Minor edge and corner wear to dustwrapper. Fine otherwise. Eric Maple's field research into the folklore of witchcraft was pioneering. His writings focus on the inter-relationship of witchcraft, ghost lore, spiritualism and the cult of the dead. He takes one step further in relating the Devil to all of these and presents a complete view of the world of darkness. Click here to order $27

54677 Paine, Lauran Witchcraft and the Mysteries Hale, London, 1975. Hardcover, 192pp., b&w illustrations. Minor wear, very good to near fine in like dustwrapper. Click here to order $25

54963 Rosen, Barbara (ed.) Witchcraft Edward Arnold, London, 1969. Hardcover, 407pp., b&w illustrations. Minor wear to dustwrapper edges. Else, near fine. This book is concerned with manifestations of witchcraft in Elizabethan and Jacobean England. Pamphlets, reports, accounts of trials and other material describing the experience, interpretation and punishment of witchcraft have been collected and arranged in sequence. Barbara Rosen describes, in her introduction, the wide range of factors contributing to the curious events and beliefs which have been termed 'witchcraft'. Her diagnoses of the causes which include considerations of medical ignorance, environmental, social and political pressures, response to religion and psychological disorders, are suggested in close context with informative descriptions of the exact forms which the practices of witchcraft took and in connection with court proceedings which tended to define them. The selection of pamphlets reprinted covers a broad variety of the different aspects of witchcraft. Poor and hurried writing, reported dialect and bad printing tend to make the original text unattractive and difficult to read and has been modified by the editors (all tabulated in the notes along with a glossary for obsolete and dialect words.). Click here to order $55

53494 Russell, Jeffrey B. A History of Witchcraft Sorcerers, Heretics and Pagans Thames and Hudson, London, 1980. Softcover, quarto, 192pp., b&w illustrations. Page edges lightly toned with some spotting. Cover very lightly worn at edges. Very good. The witch-craze that swept through Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries cost the lives of over 100,000 people, and sorcerers in many parts of the world today are still feared for their magic powers. Drawing comparisons between modern sorcery and that of the ancient world the book shows how the European witch-craze developed out of a combination of ancient sorcery with medieval Christian heresy (Cartharism, Waldensianism), paganism, folklore, scholastic theology and inquisitorial trials. A critical study of witchcraft. Click here to order $16

54678 Seligmann, Kurt Magic, Supernaturalism and Religion Pantheon, New York, 1971. Hardcover, 341pp., b&w illustrations. Endpapers and page edges lightly toned and spotted. Dustwrapper lightly worn at edges. Near fine. Originally published as 'The History of Magic'. Crystallizing the most significant and interesting aspects of magic since antiquity, the author delves into the works of hundreds of scholars and specialists, presenting a vivid picture of the most typical religio-magical beliefs of ancient, medieval, and modern times. Beginning with the propitiatory rites of Mesopotamian magic, the growth and development of the magical world-view is shown in its successive stages, assimilating Hebrew thought, Greek philosophy, and Christian theology. The magical idea of a unified universe finds expression in pictorial motifs and symbols, in the magical arts of astrology, divination, physiognomy, chiromancy, fortune cards, and other branches of the occult sciences. Some of magic's most interesting advocates are discussed - Paracelsus, Nostradamus, Dr Faustus, Pico Mirandola, Trithemius, Agrippa, Gebelin, Rosencreutz, Andreae, Mesmer, Cagliostro, Saint-Germain and others. Click here to order $35

54895 Seymour, St. John D Irish Witchcraft and Demonology Causeway, New York, 1973. Hardcover, 255 pp., Board edges and corners slightly worn. Lightly toned page edges; top edge stained dark green. Minor edge and corner wear to dustwrapper. Three scratch marks/indentations on rear panel. Near fine otherwise. Click here to order $30

54623 Tarostar The Witch's Formulary and Spellbook Original Publications, New York, nd. Paperback. Fine. Unread copy. American practice in the Occult Arts has borrowed heavily from Voodoo. The spells, ingredients and names in present day practice have entered the tradition by way of the African slave. The religious aspects of Voodoo as practiced in the Islands of the West Indies, was filtered out and only the magic and sorcery of its metaphysical side were kept. The spells of the Old New Orleans Tradition have, therefore, become almost standard American 'de rigeur' and are widely sold through occult supply shops; this book describes the spells and materials used. Click here to order $40

54606 Uyldert, Mellie The Psychic Garden Plants and Their Esoteric Relationship with Man Thorson Publishers, Wellingborough, 1980. Paperback. Fine. Unread copy While portraying a vibrant world of spiritual healers, plant elves and tree-spirits, this book also provides a valuable guide to the specific remedial powers of particular herbs, not only giving details of their preparation and use but also indicating their star sign and occult significance. Click here to order $30

54769 Vetter, George B Magic and Religion Their Psychological Nature, Origin, and Function Philosophical Library, New York, 1973. Hardcover, 555pp., b&w illustrations. Lightly toned/spotted page edges. Slightly scuffed dustwrapper with minor edge and corner wear. Very good to near fine otherwise. The author examines the metaphysics underlying practically all belief in magic and religion in the light of modern scientific psychology. The phenomena of mind long held to demand or prove the existence of 'spiritual' or non-material agencies are here shown to be part and parcel of the material universe as known by and to the world of science. The older theories long advanced to explain the origin of magic, religion, or both are briefly outlined and evaluated. The historical linkage of religion with ethics is examined and dissected. Click here to order $30

54552 A Witch The Devil's Prayerbook Mayflower, London, 1975. Paperback. Light toning of pages; else, fine. Unread copy. Click here to order $12