CROWLEY, Aleister (1875-1947) - photo 1
CROWLEY, Aleister (1875-1947) - photo 2
CROWLEY, Aleister (1875-1947) - photo 3
CROWLEY, Aleister (1875-1947) - photo 4

CROWLEY, Aleister (1875-1947)

Lot 97
13.02.2025 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
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CHRISTIE'S
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
ID 1362867
Lot 97 | CROWLEY, Aleister (1875-1947)
Estimate value
£ 2 000 – 3 000
CROWLEY, Aleister (1875-1947)
The Diary of a Drug Fiend. London, W Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., London, 1922.
First edition of Crowley’s first published novel in the rare dust jacket: a cornerstone of drugs literature, advocating the use of heroin in magic rituals. Crowley wrote the work three months after himself nearly dying from heroin poisoning. The character of King Lamus, 'the most evil and dangerous man in London [...] a vampire [who] lives on ruined lives', is based on Crowley. Crowley was delighted with the chance to publish his work; 'He had always published his own books at his own expense; he was an amateur, not a professional author. And now a commercial publisher was paying him! From Alostrael’s diary, The Magical Diary of Babalon, we know that she considered The Drug Fiend to be one of the great events of the Beast’s life, the reward of the gods. .. The Diary of a Drug Fiend is the story of Sir Peter and Lady Pendragon who, seeking to heighten their pleasure by heroin, ruin their health and lose their sanity. At a stage when they seem to be in an inextricable mess, they are saved by a mysterious man of unusual fascination and strength, King Lamus, who takes them to his Abbey of Telepylus, where they are promptly cured and made whole again.' Symonds The Beast 666, pp. 315-318.

Octavo (180 x 123mm). Publisher's catalogue at end, extra illustrated with a reproduction of Crowley’s painting ‘four red monks carrying a black goat across the snow to nowhere’ as a frontispiece with a reference to page 106 in the text where this painting is referred to (light browning in places from newspaper clippings loosely inserted). Publisher’s blue cloth, upper board panelled, lettered and blocked in red, spine lettered, ruled and blocked in red (very minor rubbing to extremities); original pictorial dust-jacket (strengthened on verso with brown tape to upper and lower edge, a little edge wear); blue morocco-backed slipcase with chemise. Provenance: Barry Humphries (1934-2023; bookplate).
Auction house category:Books, Books and manuscripts
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
13.02.2025 – 13.02.2025
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
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Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

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