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The Key of Solomon the King Clavicula Salomonis

The Key of Solomon the King Clavicula Salomonis

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The Key of Solomon the King Clavicula Salomonis

by S. L. MacGregor Mathers

  • Used
  • near fine
  • Hardcover
Condition
Near Fine/Very Good+
ISBN 10
087728945X
ISBN 13
9780877289456
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About This Item

55 BILLION PAGES EXIST ON THE INTERNET, AND YOU'RE HERE... MAYBE IT'S NOT BY CHANCE.
A VERY RARE HARDCOVER EDITION THAT HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY WELL-PRESERVED (THE ONLY ONE I CAN LOCATE WITH THIS COVER)
THIS BOOK ALSO RETAINS THE ORIGINAL PUBLISHER JACKET, WHICH IS ALSO IN VERY GOOD CONDITION
DISCUSSED: OCCULT SCIENCE, MAGICAL INCANTATIONS, SPIRITISM, SPELLS, ILLUMINATION, NECROMANCY, ANGELS, MEDIEVAL GRIMOIRE, CELESTIAL BEINGS, METAPHYSICS, HERBAL LORE, SPIRITUALITY, MEDIEVAL GRIMOIRE, POWERFUL INVOCATIONS, SPIRIT CONJURING, ANGELS, THE EMPYREAN HEAVEN, THE CREATOR, DIVINATION, THE OCCULT ARTS, RITUAL & CEREMONIAL MAGIC, PLANETARY HOURS, THE DIVINE SPIRITS, THE SOUL, THE ELOHIM, THE BOOK OF LIFE, MYSTICISM, THE HOLY & PLANETARY PENTACLES, THE MAGICAL BOOK, RITUALS, QABALISTIC MAGIC, CEREMONIAL MAGIC, THE MAGICAL PENTACLES, THE ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE KEY OF SECRETS, THE CREATOR, THE HOLY NAMES, SUMMONING SOULS, THE GATE OF HEAVEN, EXCORSISM, THE HOLY PENTACLES, CONSTRUCTING THE PENTACLES, THE TREE OF LIFE, THE TERRESTRIAL PARADISE, PLANETARY ANGELS, THE NECROMANTIC ARTS, BOOK OF THE HEAVENS, THE MYSTICAL ALPHABETS, MYSTICISM, OTHER-WORLDLY BEINGS, MAGICAL CEREMONIES, THE OLD GRIMOIRES, SPIRIT COMMUNICATION, AND MORE
CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST BOOKS OF MAGICAL GRIMOIRE EVER MADE
TRANSLATED FROM THE AUTHENTIC MANUSCRIPTS IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM

There are a few versions of this book out there. However, this is one of the rarest I have ever listed. After researching every major book site on the web, I am unable to trace any other editions of this particular printing. To top it off, it is in exceptional condition and the most well-kept I have ever seen. I had one of these years ago, and it sold very quickly; I would snag this one before someone else does.

The Key of Solomon (Latin: Clavicula Salomonis; Hebrew‎ [Mafteah Shelomoh]) is a grimoire (also known as a book of spells) attributed to King Solomon. It dates back to the 14th or 15th-century Italian Renaissance. The author states that, except for a copy printed in 17th-century France, it was only accessible by a few scholars until now.

The Greater Key of Solomon
includes a clear and precise exposition of King Solomon's
secret procedure, its mysteries, and magic rites.
Original plates, seals, charms, and talismans

The Key of Solomon, the most renowned of all magical textbooks, has left an indelible mark on the world of occult science. Its influence can be seen in many other grimoires or "grammars" of magical practice.

The Key of Solomon is the most famous, or infamous, of all magical textbooks and influenced many of the other grimoires or 'grammars' of magical practice. This edition of The Key by MacGregor Mathers, the influential nineteenth-century magician, has been out of print for many years and is now reissued with a new foreword by Richard Cavendish. The Key of Solomon is of unknown but considerable antiquity. MacGregor Mathers, who prepared the present edition from seven manuscripts in the British Museum, accepts King Solomon's traditional authorship of the work. The King instructs his disciples in incantations that summon and master the spirits. The processes of summoning these beings illustrate the extraordinary and exhausting complexity of European ritual magic—the choice of a favorable place and time, the preliminary prayers, fastings and preparations, and the manufacturing of the magical equipment, robes, trappings, and fumigations. This edition is of interest not only because it makes available the most celebrated of the European magical texts but also because it was edited by MacGregor Mathers. He was, at the turn of the century, head of the Order of the Golden Dawn, probably the most gifted and influential of all modern magical groups. Mathers's high-minded detestation of magic is very evident in this volume. This edition includes a new foreword by R. A. Gilbert, an esoteric scholar and antiquarian bookseller. Gilbert highlights the Key's importance as a primary source for those interested in Western ritual magic, as well as the historical background and contemporary magical contexts of MacGregor Mather's editorial work and commentary.

The story that an angel brought Solomon the magic ring illustrates the belief that the magician draws his power ultimately from God, which lies behind the startling insistence of the Key and other grimoires on praying devoutly to the Almighty for assistance.

Solomon wrote the book for his son Rehoboam and commanded him to hide the book in his sepulcher upon his death. After many years, the book was discovered by a group of Babylonian philosophers who were repairing Solomon's tomb. None could interpret the text until one of them, Iohé Grevis, suggested that they should ask the Lord for understanding. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him and extracted a promise that he would keep the text hidden from the unworthy and the wicked, after which he was able to read it plainly. Iohé Grevis then placed a spell on the book that the unworthy, the unwise, or those who did not fear God would not attain the desired effect from any of the workings contained in the book.

From Lansdowne MSS. 1203, " The Veritable Clavicles of Solomon, translated from the Hebrew into the Latin language by the Rabbi Abognazar? 1
Everyone knows in the present day that from time immemorial. Solomon possessed knowledge inspired by the wise teachings of an angel, to which he appeared so submissive and obedient that in addition to the gift of wisdom, which he demanded, he obtained with profusion all the other virtues, which happened in order that knowledge worthy of eternal preservation might not be buried with his body. Being, so to speak, near his end, he left to his son Roboam a Testament that should contain all (the Wisdom) he had possessed prior to his death. The Rabbins, who were careful to cultivate (the same knowledge) after him, called this Testament the Clavicle or Key of Solomon, which they caused to be engraved on (pieces of) the bark of trees, while the Pentacles were inscribed in Hebrew letters on ancient manuscripts so that they might be carefully preserved in the Temple which that wise king had caused to be built. This Testament was in ancient times translated from Hebrew into the Latin language by Rabbi Abognazar, who transported it with him into the town of Arles in Provence, whereby a notable piece of good fortune, the ancient Hebrew Clavicle, that is to say, this precious translation of it, fell into the hands of the Archbishop of Arles, after the destruction of the Jews in that city; who, from the Latin, translated it into the vulgar tongue, in the same terms which here follow, without having either changed or augmented the original translation from Hebrew.

It is possible that the Key of Solomon inspired later works, particularly the 17th-century grimoire, also known as Clavicula Salomonis Regis, Lesser Key of Solomon, or Lemegeton. However, the books differ greatly.

This book's overall condition is very good for its age —24 years.

Samuel Liddell (or Liddel) MacGregor Mathers (8 or 11 January 1854 – 5 or 20 November 1918), born Samuel Liddell Mathers, was a British occultist and member of the S.R.I.A. He is primarily known as one of the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a ceremonial magic order of which offshoots still exist. He became so synonymous with the order that Golden Dawn scholar Israel Regardie observed in retrospect that "the Golden Dawn was MacGregor Mathers.

Mathers was introduced to Freemasonry by a neighbor, alchemist Frederick Holland, and was initiated into Hengist Lodge No.195 on 4 October 1877. He was raised as a Master Mason on 30 January 1878. In 1882, he was admitted to the Metropolitan College of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia, as well as a number of fringe Masonic degrees. Working hard both for and in the SRIA, he was awarded an honorary 8th Degree in 1886, and in the same year, he lectured on the Kabbalah to the Theosophical Society. He became Celebrant of Metropolitan College in 1891 and was appointed as Junior Substitute Magus of the SRIA in 1892, in which capacity he served until 1900.

\Among the languages he had studied were English, French, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Gaelic, and Coptic, though he had a greater command of some languages than of others. His translations of such books as The Book of Abramelin (14th century), Christian Knorr von Rosenroth's The Kabbalah Unveiled (1684), Key of Solomon (anonymous, 14th century), The Lesser Key of Solomon (anonymous, 17th century), and the Grimoire of Armadel (17th century), while probably justly criticized with respect to quality, were responsible for making what had been obscure and inaccessible material widely available to the non-academic English-speaking world. They have had considerable influence on the development of occult and esoteric thought since their publication, as has his consolidation of the Enochian magical system of John Dee and Edward Kelley.

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Details

Bookseller
Higgins Rare Books US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
1751212357
Title
The Key of Solomon the King Clavicula Salomonis
Author
S. L. MacGregor Mathers
Book Condition
Used - Near Fine
Jacket Condition
Very Good+
Quantity Available
1
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
087728945X
ISBN 13
9780877289456
Publisher
Weiser Books
Date Published
February 2000
Keywords
Occult, Esoteric, Book, Metaphysical, Astrology, The Tarot, The Zodiac, Magic, Atlantis, Mu, Metaphysical, Book, Antique, Vintage, Divination, Magick, OCCULT SCIENCE, MAGICAL INCANTATIONS, SPIRITISM, SPELLS, ILLUMINATION, NECROMANCY, ANGELS, MEDIEVAL GRIM

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About the Seller

Higgins Rare Books

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2024
Vancouver, Washington

About Higgins Rare Books

I have been collecting rare books for years. I only sell things I love.

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