bookworm

 Have you ever watched the Antique Roadshow?  I received a phone call to come buy some old books.  I go and sure enough there is old books but also this 8 out of 20 volume set of what looks like books.  I told the folks that wasn't sure what the value on these items would be that didn't want to take them home but would use that trusty old cell phone to take some pictures and write down everything that could to research the items.  It was all written in Italian.  But could figure out some basic information that would lead me in my hunt to identify and price the items.  Well what a shock to find out that if it had been a complete set it would be selling in the range of $17,500.00.  I've copied the next paragraph of information to share what and how these items are described.

FORGOTTEN SOUVENIRS

In addition to the vedute prints—the brightly colored engraved views of cities

visited—the Grand Tour offered another very popular type of travel souvenir, the

now nearly forgotten cameos, or engraved gems of the eighteenth century. Such

objects of vertu originated in Greek and Roman times as seals but later became

prized objects of jewelry. The taste for these engraved antique gems was revived

in the eighteenth century as part of the classical revival and later reproduced as

miniature plaster casts, known as “sulphers.” Mounted in fake book bindings,

these plaster cameos are not the box of nougat candy they might appear to be at

first glance, but a minutely detailed cabinet of neoclassic knowledge and art.

Vue d’Optique vedute. Hand-colored, hold-to-light engravings of Venice. Augsburg, ca. 1850. Graphic Arts Collection.

Liberotti Impronte, Storia dell’Arte. Multi-volume set of plaster cast cameos. Rome, ca. 1820. The Scheide Library.

Paoletti Impronte, Storia Romana. Multi-volume set of plaster cameos, with their original furniture cabinet. Numismatics

Collection.

When I told the folks what the value for the 8 volumes was......................it was that moment of excitement.  Just like the antique road show.  Rare obiously out of print antiquarian set of well not books but plaster casts.  What a beautiful piece of history. BookWormNV

Xoanon Publishing is perhaps one of the most intense publisher's since the inception in 1992.  The stated purpose of Xoanon publishing is to publish Cultus Sabbati books only.  What is the Cultus Sabbati?  Briefly it is a "closed cirlce of British and American traditional cunning-craft initiates."  and "Our Work thus intends the reification of living magical eidola: the incarnation of visionary and dream-begotten grimoires, the talismanic embodiment of spirits in text and image, and the transmission of lore from mind unto mind."

Ars Philtron was the the incepting grimoire of the Verdelet of the Cultus Sabbati.  Its primary foci are Sabbatic-alchemical gnosis as manifest through the medium of the Potion, and the applications of the principle formulae of Furnace, Vessel, and Water.  Its method and praxis concern the principal Sabbatic philtre types, their arcana, pharmacoepia, formulation, and ritul use.  As a grammar of the Art Magical, the work instaurates the Philtre as an emanation of the Vinum Sabbati, the manifest elixir of witch-power.  Originally released in a limited edition of 144 standard cloth editions and 9 deluxe editions in green skiver, its unique subject matter and scarcity have placed the volume in high demand in recent years.  In the spirit of continuity of vision, and increased interest in our work, Xoanon is re-releasing this important volume in the expanded 'Edition Codex Basculum' with revised text, additional formulae and illustrations not present in the 2001 release.

This is one serious book.  Chock full of recipes this is the green grimoire and the art work is equally intense.  Definetly not for the faint of heart.  Follow the link BookWormNV

Would Ayn Rand ever have thought that her books were to become cult classics?
I buy books from numerous sources.  I bought a huge amount of books from some gals who didn't want the books but the other items they had bought in an estate sale.  The total amount of books was somewhere between 6-7000 with a great amount of Readers Digest and Encyclopedia's.  The story goes that a man wanted to create a library and had been collecting books for years.  His estate was sold and the books parted off to me.  In looking at the selection of books, indeed he had been creating a marvelous library. 

This edition of Atlas Shrugged is a first edition, second printing in unread condition.  Tight binding, crisp bright pages.............it is as if this book were fresh from the publisher Random House, 1957.  I wrapped the Dust Jacket in mylar to protect it from any damage as it had three pin pricks on the top front edge of the spine to the Dust Jacket.  I marveled at the age and the condition of this book. 

The great influence on economic thought in America in the 20th century has again reemerged into the mainstream America as we have looked at current conditions.  One of the great economist of the 20th/21st century was said to have been a proponent of Ayn Rand's economic philosophies, Alan Greenspan was purported to have been a fan of her philosophy.  My humble understanding of what I haven't read had to do with the individual success over the communal and the current climate has said that this philosophy has failed.
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&vci=1315139&an=Ayn+Rand&tn=Atlas+Shrugged&kn=&isbn=&x=0&y=0

So I am a book sleuth, always looking for books which leads too many suprises.  I cruise online looking for books and I pass out my card as well as folks hearing word of mouth that I buy books.  I will share a picture of once score that I found online.  This is the Little Leather Library Holy Bible 30 volume set with a very nice wooden case too hold the limp leatherette books in.  The books are in near fine condition and are now listed on my sites at abebooks and alibris.  http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/StoreFrontDisplay?cid=1315139  This link will show you all my online books but will try to feature some special books perhaps every week or sooner.  This set is very rare complete, in near fine condition, and in a boxed set.
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