Deathbecomesher…

LuxMentisBooksellers[Post-mortem1.0]

Camden,William(after);JamesBasire[engraver].TheFuneralProcessionofQueenElizabethI,FromaDrawingoftheTime,SupposedtobetheHandofWilliamCamden,ThenClarencieuxKingatArms,WhichWasinthePossession of John Wilmot Esq, FRS & by Him Deposited in the British Museum. London: Society ofAntiquaries,1791.FirstEdition.Minor shelf/edgewear, remnantof label (dated1891)affixed toversoof thefirst panel, occasional paper flaws and irregularities to panorama, sporadic foxing, minor abrasion to frontpastedown, else bright and clean. Half bound, black leather spine and tips, blue pebbled cloth boards, giltletteringanddecorativeelements,marbledfrontpastedown.Oblong8vo.np. Illus. (coloredplate)VeryGood.Hardcover.

Customfolderholdingfoldingpanorama,engravedplates joinedonversostoformcontinuousview:9and3/8inchesbynearly29 feet.Spectacularhand-coloredpanoramaof the funeralprocessionofQueenElizabeth I inApril1603,reproducingdrawingsintheBritishMuseumascribedtoElizabeth'sbiographerWilliamCamden,whoappearedintheprocessioninhisofficialroleasClarenceauxKingofArms.OthermournersofnoteincludeRobertCecil,ThomasEgerton,andWalterRaleigh.Atthetimeofherdeath,mostEnglishmenhadknownnomonarchbutElizabeth,astheelaborateformalprocessiondetailedherewasswelledbythousandsofLondoners.This engraved copy of Camden's original drawings was produced in 1791 for the Society of Antiquaries,appearing in thethirdvolumeof"VetustaMonumenta"; thepanoramahasbeenalmostentirelycolored inanearlyhand.Leftuncolored,strikingly,istheeffigyofthequeenmounteduponhercoffin,alikenesssostartlingthat theLondoncrowdgasped to see it. It ispresumed itwas leftuncolored to reflect thevirtueof theVirginQueen.AnexemplaryrecordingofoneofthegreatpublicceremoniesinEnglishhistoryanddocumentdisplayingthe social order of the monarchy and common people. This edition appears scarce and OCLC lists only fiveinstitutionsforholdings.(#9317)$12,500.00

Collection of EarlyNew EnglandGrave Rubbings. Some rumplingaroundedges,pencil notations, else clean.Varioussizes,blueandblackrubbings.GoodtoVeryGood+.Loosesheets.61 various grave rubbings from early New England graveyards collected by one man between 1968-1980.(#8708)$7,500.00

******Ludewig, Georg, Herzog zu Braunschweig und Lüneburg [George I of Great Britain]. ... "Von Gottes Gnaden,GeorgLudewig,HertzogzuBraunschweigundLüneburg,desHeil.Röm.ReichsErtz-SchatzmeisterundChur-Fürst..."[AnEdictRegulatingPricesforExecutionsandalsoforSalariesofHangmenissuedbyGeorgLudewig,Duke of Braunschweig-Lüneburg].Hanover,Germany,1712.Unique. [Hanover] January16,1712.Single foliobroadside (320mmx 205mm). Printedonone single sheet, recto and versowatermarkedpages, handsomeheadingandornamentedversalsincommonblackletterFrakturtypefaceoncommonrag[couldbeflax]deckle-edgepaper.Legibledateofdecree.Evidenceoftwoearlyfolds,likelyfoldedintofourthsandpagefour[verso]islightlystained [withcoffee, tea?].Untrimmedandprinted for travelanddistribution,however, inexceedinglygoodcondition.VeryGood.Pamphlet.

Highlycuriousandpoliticallymotivatedlegaledict,producedinHanover[HolyRomanEmpire],regulatingpricesof various formsof execution,andalso the regulations for the salaries thatmaybe chargedbyhangmen.OnbehalfofDukeGeorg LudewigofBraunschweigundLüneburg, thepresentedict sought to control "excessive"executionfees.GeorgLudewig,theDuchyofBrunswick-Lüneburg(Hanover),wasalsoknownasGeorgeI,KingofGreatBritainandIreland,beginningtwoyearslaterin1714.Thisedict,interestinglyenough,wasissuedduringtheWaroftheSpanishSuccessioninEurope.TheDukeisbasicallycallingoutthelocalstateswithintheregionfordelinquencyandorganizingofunauthorizedfees for executions.Once regulations and set feeswere established,with different fees for differentmethods,includingstrangulation(1Thaler24MarienGroschen),decapitation(ditto),hanging,etc.Theedictstatesthereshould be a limited payment for assistants, nails, chains, but not for tools - unless said toolswere broken inservice(sic).Overheadsareclaimableifcausedbydelay,butlimitsareimposedon"hospitality"(sic).SectionVIgivesspecialnoticeontheexecutionofdesertersandconcessionstothoseinthemilitary.Theedictwasenforcedby threatofpunishment (sic).*UnknowntoDavidMurray,"Lawyers'Merriments."An interestingglimpse into18thcenturyearlyGermanstate law, labor,andpolitics.NocopiesheldoutsideGermany [WorldCat]. (#9073)$1,000.00

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Cooksey,Gabrielle.TheBookofPenumbra.Tacoma,WA:[ArtistBook],2016.LimitedEdition.Tight,bright,andunmarred.Blackpaperboards,greylettering;hingedwoodenbox,inlaidmetalcoffininlid,ribbonlift.8vo.np[19pp].Illus.(b/wwithgiltplates).Numberedlimitededitionof23.FineinFineBox.Hardcover.A book of small stories of death gods from around the world. "Death has always fascinated me because ithappenstoallofusyetnoonetalksaboutit.Iwantedtoseewhatotherculturespersonifieddeathasthroughmythsandlegends.Thegods inthisbookareveryhushedandforsome,evenifyouspeakthename,you'llbecursed. Iwanted thisbook tobeshadows, tobeplayed in the light. I choseadelicatepaper soonecould seethroughtothepagebehindit.ThetextisinallsortsofshapesbecauseIwantedeachstorytorepresentthegodbeingtoldabout.Forinstance,Sednaisintheshapeofdrowning,Anubisishiseye,Macisapitwithsomeoneatthe bottom. The borders are all plants, roots, and things found on the earth. Some represent death like thepoppy, and the yew tree." [artist statement] "These stories are told using pen and ink, then tidied up inIllustrator. Photopolymer plates were combined with handset Packard, then letterpress printed and handcolored." [colophon] Thai Mulberry Black and Tenju-jo Japanese Kozo. Photopolymer plates from sketches;handsetmetaltype.Signedandnumberedbytheartist.(#9157)$1,000.00

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Burman, Jack.The Dead [Special Edition). Toronto, Canada: TheMagenta Foundation, 2010. Limited Edition.Tight,bright,andunmarred.Archivalwoodenbox,stainedgrey,magneticclosures.Quarterbound,brownclothspine,beigeclothboards,paperonlay, laid insleevewithanumbered,signedoriginalprint.4to [7.25x10.25].128pp.Illus(colorplates).Boxededition.FineinFineArchivalBox.Hardcover.

ForewordbyMarthaHanna."CanadianphotographerJackBurmanhascreatedahypnoticcollectionofstill-lifesof long-departedbutpainstakinglypreservedpeople,specimensandskeletons—dehumanizedbutveryhuman;flawedbutverybeautiful.Exquisitelycaptured,Burman’spost-mortemdocumentationaddressesnotonlydeath,but the lives that came before. “The photographs are shocking in their intimacy.With clear respect in theirrepresentation, JackBurmanworksexcruciatinglyclosetotheirhumanity,andtotheirdeath.”TakenfromtheforewordbyMarthaHanna,DirectoroftheCanadianMuseumofContemporaryPhotography."(#7302)$950.00

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Morisot,Jean.Criminalia:ExLibris.JeanMorisot,nd.Discretepencilnotations,elsebrightandclean.Ninebookplatesonvariouspapers.NearFine.AsetofbookplatesdesignedbyMorisotforhiscrimelibrary.Morisotwasbestknownforhiseroticengravings.(#9041)$750.00

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Abiel,Dante.NecromanticSorcery:TheForbiddenRitesOfDeathMagick.PresentedbyE.A.Koetting.BecomeaLivingGod,2014.FirstEdition.Minimalshelf/edgewear,elsetight,bright,andunmarred.Blackvelvetboards,silvergilt letteringanddecorativeelements,blackendpages.8vo.279pp. Illus. (b/wplates).Glossary. Limitededitionof300.NearFine.NoDJ,asIssued.Hardcover.

The 'fine velvet edition" (there was a smaller edition bound in leather). "Necromantic Sorcery is the FIRSTgrimoiretoeverexposethemostevilmysteriesofdeathmagickfromtheWestern,HaitianVodoun,andAfrikanKongorootcurrents.Init,youaregoingtolearnthemostextremeritualsforshamelesslyexploitingthemagickofthedead,andexperiencingthedamnationofDemonicDescentontheLeftHandPath."(fromthepublisher)AprovocativeapproachtoSaturnianNecromancy.Ratherscarceinthemarket.(#9093)$550.00

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Kuch,Michael.OperaMortis-TheWorks of Death.Northampton,MA: Double Elephant Press, 2016. LimitedEdition. Tight, bright, and unmarred. Cased in four-flap chemise. Book can be displayed as a 12 point starrevealingalltheetchingsinequilateraltriangles.Coversfoldback180+degreesandarefastenedwithmagnets.Magnetsinthechemiseholdthestar-displayatkeypoints.Etchingonfrontandbackcover.Square8vo.24pp.Illus.(b/wreliefetchings).Limitededitionof365.FineinFineArchivalCase.Hardcover.Printed and bound by the artist. Paper made by Katie MacGregor. "Inspired by Hans Holbein's Simolachri,Historie,eFiguredelaMorte(1549)thisdanceofdeathcomesasanaturalhistorywithhuman,skeletaldeathembedded in all manner of beasts. The binomial nomenclature is derived from common Latin terms: Quidproquo,Habeascorpus,Etcetera.Quatrains,etchedalongwiththe images,describetheoccupationsofdeathfrompopetoartist."(fromtheartist)(#9050)$365.00

*****CountessofCaithness,DuchessedePomar[Marie(Mariategui)Sinclair].AMidnightVisittoHolyrood.London:C.L.H.Wallace, PhilanthropicReformPublishers,OxfordMansion, 1887. LimitedEdition.Originallyprinted forprivatecirculation,butpublishedonthethreehundredthanniversaryoftheexecutionofMaryStuart,February8th,1887.SlightfoxingonthefrontispieceandportraitofMaryStuart,andastrangeseriesofperiodpuncturewoundstofrontcoverpenetratingtexttostabportraitofMary,QueenofScotsonpage45.Else,tight,bright,anda scarceandoddbook.Originaldarkgreencloth, letteringandpictorialdeviceon frontandbackcovers,edge,ingilt,blackcoatedendpapers.Frontispiecewithtissueguardandoneportrait.103pages,2unnumberedleavesofplates,illustrations,VeryGood+.Hardcover.

RecollectionofthecommunicationbetweenMarieCountessofCaithnessandtheghostofMaryQueenofScotsfromHolyroodHouseinEdinburgh. MarieusedtovisitHolyroodHousenearmidnightandclaimedtolistentothedeadqueen'sspiritvoice.Theworkwasoriginallypublishedforprivatecirculationonly,andit is likelythattheCountessgavecopiestoherfriendexclusively.Thisedition,printedbyC.H.L.Wallaceappearstobelimited.TheCountesswasincreasinginfluencedbytheosophyanduniversalIn1876,andjoinedtheTheosophicalSocietyfoundedby knownoccultistsMadameBlavatskyandColonelOlcott inNewYork. In 1884, during their stay inPariswithLadyCaithness,Blavatskyapprovedthecreationofthe"TheosophicalSocietyoftheEastandWest,"theFrenchbranchoftheTheosophicalSociety.LadyCaithness'stheosophywasmarkedbyesotericChristianityinfluenced by Jakob Boehme and Swedenborg. She held a spiritualist salon in her Parisian mansion, everyWednesday from spring to autumn in the early 1890s. As to the damage inflicted on the book itself, a fewtheoriesarise:itispossibleitisjustbookvandalism.AmorecompellingandfascinatingtheoryisthebookwaspartofhysteriaorritualtoevokethespiritofMaryQueenofScots.Thebookisinscribedto"MissBlackwell"ofwhichtherearetwowell-knownspiritualistsinLondonandParis;AnnaBlackwellandElizabethBlackwell.Annawasaprolificwriterandparticipatedinthespiritcommunitiesduringthelate19thcenturyinLondonandParis.It is also recorded shewas amediumandwas said, at times, to be tormented by the ghosts and spirits thatthreatenedher.(#9384)$350.00

*****Eckels,HowardSamuel.PostMortemStainsandPuttyColor.Philadelphia:PressofH.S.Eckels&Co.,1922.FirstEdition.Minorshelf/edgewear,jointstartingatstaples,light/eventoningtotextblock,ownershipsignatureandnotation at front, else tight, bright, and unmarred.Navy cloth boards, printed label, fold-outmap (in red) ofcirculatorysystem.12mo.53ppplusadverts.Illus.(colorprint).VeryGood+.Hardcover.Includes'modern'bookcurse,"'Notice'/ThisbookisthepropertyofG.L.Dodds./Readifyoucaretobutdonotmark,destroy,orcarryoutofbackroom./G.L.Dodds/P.S.Iweigh157lb.Letthisbeawarningtoyou./G.L.D.(#8966)$245.00

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Dwight, Thomas. Frozen Sections of a Child.New York:WilliamWood & Co, 1881. First Edition. Light eventoning,tipsthrough,wearatheadandtail,ownershipsignatureatfirstblank,moderateshelf/edgewear,elsetight, bright, and unmarred. Black cloth boards. 8vo. Illus. (b/w plates). Good+ [Textblock Very Good].Hardcover.Includesfifteenfull-pagedrawingsfromnaturebyH.P.Quincy.AcenturyorsobeforeCATscansandMRIs,thisworkoffereddetailedtomograohicimages.Remarkablyimportant(andoneofthegreattitlesinpublishing).Firsteditionofaclassicalworkofgreatimportanceinpediatrics,andthefirstAmericangroupofserialsections.Thisworkprovided tomographic imagesa centurybefore theCATandMRI.DwightwasaHarvardmedical schooland, later in life, succeededOliverWendellHolmesas theParkmanProfessorofAnatomy."A classicalworkofgreatimportanceinpediatrics,andthefirstAmericangroupofserialsections"(Choulant-Frank,p.409).(#8962) $225.00

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Berlin'sMourning Stationary set andMourning pins. London:Berlin's, Late19th century/early20th century.FirstEdition.Somefoxing,otherwise,inexcellentperiodcondition.1bundleoffolded,black-edgednotepapercontainingtwodifferentsizes, in8and9sheets.SheetsarewatermarkedWHITING.Tiedtogetherwithaverydelicate black silk ribbon. 2 bundles of envelopes, 18 total, in laid or linen stock, held together with twobeautifully printed paper bandswhich read, BERLIN'SMOURNING PAPERS. 1 box of black enameled straightpins. Two are slightly bent. Black and gold paper label reads, SUPERIOR JETMOURNING PINS,MIXED SIZES,LONDON&BIRMINGHAM.ENGLAND.VeryGood+.OriginalWraps.During the Victorian era, aside from the clothing, therewas somuch planning involved in themourning andfuneralsoftheupperclasses,includingtheappropriateetiquetterangingfrommourningblack-edgedenvelopes,paperandblacksealingwaxtomourningjewelry.Womenwouldalsopintheirmourningveilswithblackstraightpins.(#9403)$125.00

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Frigid Fluid Company funerary supply advertisement and invoice. Chicago, IL, 1916. Unique. Single double-sided invoice and advertisement, unmarred and in original condition. Illustrated and annotated. Scarce andweird.VeryGood+.Frigid Fluid Company is a manufacturer of embalmers', undertakers' and cemetery supplies since 1892. Theinvoice includesadsand imagesforcasket loweringdevices,morguetable,viewingcouch,ambulancebaskets,andmorenotably,theHillvicegripchinsupportforembalmingprocesses.(#9400)$100.00

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Huss,Mathias;DavidWolfe[artist];EliKahn[printer].Lagrātdansemacabredeshōmes["DanceofDeathataprintshop"].Portland,ME:WolfeEditions,1499;[2017].LimitedEdition.Limitededitionprint,infinecondition.Originalwoodcut renditionof 1499plate in lateMedieval earlyprintedbook,whichnotonlyhas spectacularrepresentationsofdeathbutalsothefirstillustrationofaprintingofficeandaworkingprintingpress.Runof25,signedandnumberedbyprinter,approximately11x17"Fine.Oneof the first representationsofpublishing’sworkflow is thewoodengravingpublished inaneditionof the“GrandeDanseMacabre”,byMathiasHuss(Lyon,1499);abookrepresentingalltradesofthetime,ina“DanceofDeath”genre,late-medievalallegoryontheuniversalityofdeath.Thewoodcutdepictsaprintingpresswithacompositor, twoprintersandabookseller– fromproductiontodistribution–separatedbyapillar,acommonwayatthattimetomakeatimeorspaceellipsis(laterusedincomicbooks).WoodcutdesignedandcreatedbyDavidWolfeandprintedbyEliKahnatWolfeEditions,Portland,Maine.(#9301)$25.00

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Lux Mentis, Booksellers specializes in fine press, artist’s books, first editions, and esoterica with a particular emphasis on challenging and unusual materials. We actively collaborate with archives and special collections libraries to meet the research and collecting needs of public learning institutions, private, independent libraries and collections with primary sources. The “Death becomes her …” short list includes rare editions and obscure books illustrating the enlightened and fascinating side to death culture. Please contact us for an appointment or with questions regarding the inventory and to confirm availability. More pictures of items available, upon request.Lux Mentis, Booksellers110 Marginal Way #777 Portland, ME 04101 Member: ILAB/ABAA T. 207.329.1469 Email: ian@luxmentis.com kim@luxmentis.com Web: http://www.luxmentis.com Blog: http://www.asideofbooks.com

[Catalogue list created by Kim Schwenk and edited by Ian Kahn]