A Scarce Edition of This Book of Magic and Conjuring
Whole Art of Legerdemain: or Hocus Pocus in Perfection. By which the meanest Capacity may perform the Whole ART without a Teacher. Together with the Use of all the Instruments belonging thereto. To Which is Now Added Abundance of New and Rare Inventions, the like never before in Print, but much desired by many. The Eighth Edition, with large Additions and Amendments. Written by H. Dean.
London: Printed by T. Sabine, 1785.
Eighth edition, "with large Additions and Amendments." Twelvemo (5 3/4 x 3 7/16 inches; 147 x 87 mm). [3]-108 pp. With woodcut frontispiece and numerous woodcuts illustrations in the text. We could only find one copy on OCLC at Brown University, and one copy at auction in 1979. The frontispiece is pasted down to front cover, as probably issued as the other copies seem to have it the same way. This edition is not listed on ESTC, two other copies which are both "Ninth" editions, rather than eighth, printed by T. Sabine are listed, both of which are dated [1790?]. Our present copy does have the same pagination and catchword on page 14 "pudding" as one of these listings (T138106).
Contemporary drab brown cloth, with some minor rubbing. A bit of light toning and a few minor stains throughout. Previous owner's old ink signature on rear pastedown, dated 1793. Previous owner's initials "I. M. 1792" stamped on the cloth of the back board. Overall a very good copy of this rare item.
According to the ESTC, this title is "In fact a revised edition by Henry Dean of the anonymous ’Hocus pocus junior.’"
HBS 68029.
$6,000.
Price: $6,000.00
Item #68029