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Alan Leo, ed. Vivian Robson – Alan Leo’s Dictionary of Astrology 1929 Copy 5: ASSOCIATION COPY

£85.00

Description

hb Leo, Alan; ed. Robson, Vivian Alan Leo’s Dictionary of Astrology 1st thus, 1st issue “Modern Astrology” Office, Imperial Buildings, Ludgate Circus, E.C.4, London 1929 £85 The first complete edition. The font to the spine on this copy, and added running heading ‘Alan Leo’s Astrological Text-Books’ to front board, strongly suggests it is also the very first issue. Originally, only the first part, covering entries from A-G in the alphabet, was published in 1905. Alan Leo died before the rest was published, and Robson, with Bessie Leo’s permission, edited Leo’s manuscripts for the rest into shape to bring the book to posthumous publication in 1929. ASSOCIATION COPY. Original full green vertically ribbed cloth in vgc, with mostly light rubbing to extremities of spine and outer corners of boards; 3mm split in cloth at part of very foot of spine. Gilt titling to front board and spine exceptionally strong and bright for the age of the book, with minor fading to uppermost and lowermost gilt ruled lines. This copy formerly owned by notable astrological writer Fred Gettings, and bearing his ex-libris stamp and inked signature dated 1967 to ffep. Title page, rear endpapers and final leaves of advertisements slightly foxed; occasional mostly minor marginal foxing to main pages. Inner paper hinge immediately after title leaf partly strained, but webbing intact and pages remain properly bound. Accidental slip-of-the-pen mark to outer margin of p. 9. Scorpio section on p. 65 has been marked up with additional valuable astrological notes in the inner (plain-pencilled) and outer (black-inked) margins, perhaps in the hand of Gettings (NB: while this seems probable given the history of this copy, we have no proof of whose hand it is). Black-inked rings around two place names to p. 110, with extended trailing lines from them. No other markings or faults found. A unique association copy of this historically important astrological reference work, showing evidence of Gettings having acquired it 18 years before he completed his own Dictionary of Astrology that was published in 1985.

Additional information

Weight 0.520 kg