THE KEY OF SOLOMON THE KING (CLAVICULA SALOMONIS)

55 BILLION PAGES EXIST ON THE INTERNET, AND YOU'RE HERE... MAYBE IT'S NOT BY CHANCE.
A RARE HARDCOVER EDITION THAT HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY WELL-PRESERVED (52 YEARS OLD)
PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS NOT THE 1989, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000S, OR MODERN EDITION, NOR IS IT THE SOFTCOVER WITH THE SAME COVER ART (THIS IS THE HARDCOVER)
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, OTHERWORLDY 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

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.

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.

The overall condition of this book is very good. It has some light shelf wear and age but has been exceptionally well-preserved.