The Little Book Of Book Curses : Andrew Lenoir 2023
$25
Description
Part compendium of genuine historical book curses, part analysis of their structure, The Little Book of Book Curses is a compilation of surprisingly dark magic with which to protect your library compiled and introduced by Ellipsis Rare Books proprietor Andrew Lenoir.
Lenoir, Andrew. The Little Book Of Book Curses. Ellipsis Rare Books. [Brooklyn]. [2023]. First Edition.
The latest project from Ellipsis Rare Books proprietor Andrew Lenoir, the newest “Ellipsis Rare Book”, The Little Book of Book Curses, is a compendium and partial analysis of genuine historical book curses, an often overlooked form of scribal magic meant to protect books against theft, destruction, damage, and other insults and punish any who dared defile such precious items. Compiled in an associative order, the text tracks the development of such curses from the first library at Nineveh built by the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal through to the early modern period, looking at the maledictions of priests, scribes, monks, collectors and even the Vatican Library. In addition to including never before published translations of Latin curses, the text also includes original scholarship on the role of psalms, saint magic, and the “fate of Judas” in the structure of many book curses (intersecting, interestingly, with the work of Johann Weyer). Each copy is bound in house and features layout and design by Studio Maenad.
No copies in OCLC as of January 2024.
[32]pp. Staplebound in printed card wraps. Pages clean. Illustrated with reproduced woodcuts and engravings. Fine.
If you liked this book, you might also like a limited edition copy of our first original publication The Corona Chronicle Essay Anthology, a community history writing project raising money for the Food Bank For New York City. You might also enjoy a silk screened Ellipsis Rare Tote Bag while supplies last.
