[OCCULT] [ESOTERICA] ALT, Wilhelm; AMMER, Karl; WÄHNL, Maria

Mächte des Schicksals; Enzyklopädie Anthropologischer Wissenschaft, Okkulter Lehren, und Magischer Künste [Powers of Destiny; Encyclopedia of Anthropological Science, Occult Teachings, and Magical Arts]

Innsbruck: "Marathon-Edition" Herbert St. Forlinger, 1953. First Edition. Quarto. 24.5cm. Publisher's deep black cloth titled in gilt to spine and front board. [xix]; 1087pp. Clean, strong and handsome with some light shelfwear and bumping; internally clean, with two card movables in a pocket to the rear pastedown, top edge stained pale blue. A very good copy indeed.

A mammoth and highly academic attempt at an occult and esoteric encyclopaedia, this effort composed by a legion of very serious Austrian and German academics, professors, and researchers. Any attempt to give a detailed overview of humanity's preoccupation with all things paranormal or mysterious will fall short, the subject is simply too vast and complex, and the components that aren't hopelessly entangled, are mysteriously isolated. This however, comes close, albeit it in a typically mid-century, post-war frenzy of over-enthusiastic theorising and conflation, and manages to be a very useful reference work, albeit one that isn't in English. An ambitious and pleasing project.

Price: $300.00

Go Back