Folklore, Myth & Legend. Secondhand Books. Man Myth & Magic

F01. Andrews, W (editor), Curious Church Gleanings, 1 st edition, William Andrews/ Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co. 1896, 8vo, bevel edged green cloth with gilt embellishments, top edge gilt, 4 + 280pp including index + publisher’s advertisements, frontispiece with tissue guard and a few illustrations in text. A collection of essays on the byways of church folklore by G.S Tyack, the editor, and others. Includes pieces on church guilds, old pews, hagioscopes, boy bishops, heart burials, English shrines, etc. Spine ends and corners worn, a few minor marks to cloth. Ownership signature to front end paper. Half title and tips of margins browning, contents clean ad tight. V.good - £15

F01A. Andrews, W (editor), Antiquities and Curiosities of the Church, 1 st edition, William Andrews/ Simpkin Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co. 1897, bevel edged brown cloth , top edge gilt, 4 + 285pp + publisher’s advertisements, illustrations in text. . A collection of essays on the byways of church folklore by G.S Tyack, the editor, and others. Includes pieces on gargoyles, sundials, charms and cures, yew trees in churchyards, crypts, heathen customs, etc. Fore edges of cloth discoloured, front end paper edge chipped. Text clean and tight. Lacks title page, hence a good reading copy only. £6

F1. Arrowsmith, N, & G. Moorse, A Field Guide to the Little People, 1977, BCA 1977, large 8vo, green cloth, 296pp including index, illustrated. A charming guide to the elemental fairy folk of European tradition, with calligraphy by Kevin Reilly and illustrations by Heinz Coleman. Minor brown spot to first few leaves, lower end paper and final leaf of index faintly soiled. Overall, v.good in like (very light edge wear, a couple of minor spots) d/w £6

F2B. Beard, C.R, Lucks and Talismans, 1st edition, Sampson Low, no date (1928), 8vo, black cloth, 22 + 258pp. Includes gems and jewels, stocks and stones, cups, kings and crowns, swords, and other examples of lucks and talismans through the ages with introduction and history. Spine faded. V.good £18

Fb3. Bellamy, H.S, Moons, Myths and Man, 1936, 2nd ed, revised and augmented, Faber 1949, 8vo, blue cloth, 312pp incl. index, diagrams in text. A study of Hoerbiger's cosmological theories, and featuring a mine of mythological information on dragons and serpents, ark myths, flood myths, tower myths, mountain myths, the literature of the Bible and Revelation of John, giants, the devil, and much more. This is the best edition of an unusual and uncommon work. edges at top of spine faded, end papers browning. Still a v.good, clean, tight, copy in like (lightly edge worn, slight chipping to ends of spine portion) d/w £25

F4A. Branch Johnson, W, Folktales of Provence, 1st ed. Chapman & Hall, 1927, 8vo, brown cloth, 16 + 224pp incl. index. 8 illustrations. Ex lib, labels to front pastedown, stamps to recto and verso of title, and a few margins, lacks backstrip, otherwise still a cheap, clean, tight reading copy £3.50

F5. Briggs, K, A Dictionary of Fairies, 1 st edition, Allen Lane 1976, 8vo, mottled light grey cloth with gilt illustration to spine, 22 + 481pp including index of types and motifs, many illustrations in the text + 21 plates. A superb study of all types of elemental folk, together with related figures expounding the fairy tradition in literature and myth. Also includes a reasonable bibliography and guide to the pronunciation of Celtic names. Arguably the most comprehensive reference work on the subject. Top edge of text block a little dusty, contents clean and tight. Trivial small indentation to lower joint, otherwise a near fine copy of the increasingly scarce original issue in like (tiny crease to lower spine fold, minor mark to front inner flap) d/w £50

F6. Clark, D, & R. Wilson, Strange Sheffield, 1st ed. ASSAP 8vo stapled pbk. 1987, 114pp, illustrated, folding map at end. The legends, folklore and mysteries of Hallamshire. Includes ghosts, alignments, ancient sites, holy wells, legends, traditions and customs, etc. Signed on inside of front cover by second author. Slight crease to lower corner of front cover and first couple of pages. Scarce. V.good £12

F7AAA. Cotterell, A, The Encyclopedia of Mythology- Classical, Celtic, Norse; 1996, Colour Library Direct 1998, lge. 4to, printed boards, 256pp incl. index, illustrated in colour. Beautifully illustrated and easy to read introduction to the subject. Near mint in like d/w £5

F7BB. Dexter, T.G.F, Fire Worship in Britain, 1 st edition, Watts & Co. 1931, tall 8vo, brown printed wrappers, 48pp, illustrations in text. Fire festivals in English folklore. New Knowledge series number 4. Pencil ownership signature to inside front cover. A little underlining (mainly in pencil) of text and to one diagram. Uncommon title. V.good - £10

F8. Dinsdale, T, The Loch Ness Monster, 1st edition, R.K.P 1961, 8vo, blue cloth, 8 + 248pp including index, illustrations in text + 18 plates. Contemporary related news clippings pasted to lower margin of final leaf, rear end paper and rear paste down, otherwise a near fine copy of the uncommon original issue in v.good ( lightly soiled, spine portion darkened, some slight edge creasing) d/w £8

F008. Ebbutt, M.A, Hero Myths and Legends of the British Race, 1 st edition, Harrap, 1910, 8vo, blue pictorial cloth gilt, 40 + 375pp including index + 64 plates. Top edge gilt, others uncut. British in the broadest sense, including Beowulf, Robin Hood, and Hereward the Wake, alongside Cuchulain and the countess Cathleen. Light wear to spine ends and corners, joints rubbed, spine darkened. Ownership inscription to front end paper, some very occasional light foxing of text. Uncommon in this, the nicest of the variant bindings. Good + £9

F8B. Gordon, E.O, Prehistoric London: Its Mounds and Circles, 1 st edition, Covenant 1925, 8vo, original green cloth, 12 + 212pp including index, with one illustration in the text + 20pp plates. An unusual study of the folklore and religion of early London. Ex lib, stamps to tile and paste downs, file number to spine. Covers soiled, spine ends and corners worn, outer joints split, back strip torn. Some margins sellotaped, a few page edges ragged, occasional spotting of text, some very occasional pencil annotation. Binding weak, some pages loosening. A poor, but cheap and complete reading copy of the uncommon original issue £4.50

F09A. Graves, R & R. Patai, Hebrew Myths: The Book of Genesis, 1st U.K edition, Cassell 1964, Large 8vo, pale blue cloth, 311pp including index. Seminal study of the folklore and myth within the Biblical book of Genesis, citing comparative texts in other Hebrew and east Mediterranean literature. Minor soiling to edge of text block, contents clean and tight. Very good + in very good – (some light soiling, minor edge wear, one short closed tear at foot of front panel, a couple of chips to top of rear panel, none affecting text or image) d/w £16

F11. Guerber, H A, The Myths of Greece & Rome, 1 st edition, Harrap1907, 8vo, green pictorial cloth gilt, 14 + 395pp including index + 64 plates. Top edge gilt, others uncut. Light wear to spine ends and corners, Ownership inscription to front end paper, some light foxing of text throughout. Externally a very bright copy in the nicest of the variant bindings, and uncommon as such. V.good - £12

F13. Hitchcock, E.A, The Red Book of Apin, 1866, PRS 1977, 8vo, red cloth, 4 + 298pp, frontispiece portrait, introduction by Manly P. Hall. A limited facsimile reprint of the original edition, a collection of Hermetic and allergorical folk and fairy tales with interpretations of their symbolic meaning given by the author, together with his remarks on certain tales of the Arabian Nights. lower end papers soiled, extremities of cloth a little rubbed in places, contents clean and tight. V.good £15

F13A. Hole, C, English Custom and Usage, 1941, 3rd edition, Batsford 1950, 8vo, red cloth, 8 + 152pp including index, coloured frontispiece + 91 b/w plates. Upper corners bumped, ink stain to front board, ownership inscription to front end paper, edge of text block spotted, contents clean and tight. Good + in good (spotted in places, edge worn with some chipping to top edge, one larger chip affecting first letter of title, chipped at spine ends, ink stain to front portion) d/w £3.50

F13B. Hole, C, British Folk Customs, BCA 1976, Large 8vo, black cloth, 232pp including index, illustrations in text. Signed by author to front end paper. Comprehensive A to Z of folk customs throughout the year. Heavy knock to foot of front board causing a short tear to cloth and board, slight dent to top edge of text block causing some light creasing to text across top corner and a few minor nicks to top margins, otherwise text clean and tight. Overall, still a good solid copy in v.good - (some minor edge wear, a few minor tears/ nicks) d/w, and very uncommon signed. £7.

F14. Hope Moncrieff, A.R, Classic Myth and Legend, Gresham, no date, c.1920, 8vo, full green pictorial cloth gilt, top edge gilt, 16 + 443pp including index + 40 b/w and 8 colour plates, engraved title. Classic account of Greek mythology. Edge of text block spotted, some occasional, mainly light foxing of text, lower corners bumped, very light wear to spine ends. An unusually tight and externally fresh copy. V.good - £10