Folklore, Myth & Legend2. Secondhand Books. Man Myth & Magic

F17. Kent, S, Folklore of Essex, 1st edition, Tempus 8vo pbk. 2005, 192pp including index, frontispiece and many photographs in text. A comprehensive guide to places, customs, and curiousities. A couple of tiny dents to rear cover, minor rubbing of covers in a couple of places. Near fine £6

F19. L’Amy, J.H, Jersey Folklore, 1927, La Haule Books 1983, large 8vo, full gilt decorated green cloth, 183pp including index, maps and other illustrations by the author, either within the text or on 8 additional plates. Pictorial end papers, title page bordered in red. Edition limited to 750 copies, this copy out of series. A classic study, featuring material on ancient monuments, witchcraft, ghosts, charms and spells, festivals, incantations, etc. Tiny ink number to top corner of front end paper, otherwise a very fine copy of this beautifully produced reprint £15

F20. Larousee (ed.), The New Larousse Encyclopaedia of Mythology, 1959, Hamlyn 1970, 4to, card covers, 12 + 500pp, numerous b/w illustrations + 34 colour plates. Still a very valuable reference work on world mythology. V. good £6

F020. Leather, E.M, The Folklore of Herefordshire, 1912, Lapridge large 8vo pbk. 1991, 28 + 286pp, a few diagrams in text + map and 14 plates, introduction by E. Sidney Hartland. The seminal study, derived from oral sources. Includes material on sites, animal life, the supernatural, witchcraft, divination and magic, festivals and ceremonies, customs, etc. Faint reading crease to spine, a few minor marks to covers. Uncommon title. V.good + £15

F020A. Lethbridge, T.C, Gogmagog: The Buried Gods, 1 st edition, Routledge and Kegan Paul 1957, 8vo, maroon cloth with small gilt illustration to front board, 14 + 181pp including index, with illustrations in the text + 4 plates. An account of the discovery of mysterious chalk hill figures near Cambridge. The figures are now once more buried, this being the most comprehensive account of their archaeology, folklore, and religious significance. Top edge of text block lightly spotted, rear end paper lightly browned. He increasingly uncommon original issue. V.good + in v.good (minimal wear to top edge, slightly soiled, spine panel a little darkened) d/w £25

F20A. Marples, M, White Horses and other Hill Figures, 1 st edition, Country Life 1949, 8vo, green cloth with small illustration to upper cover, 223pp including index, illustrations in text and on 32pp plates included in the pagination. The first major study of the nature and mythology of the chalk hill figures of England, both ancient and modern. Spine and parts of covers a little faded, some occasional light foxing to margins and last two leaves of index, contents otherwise clean and tight. A near very good copy £14

F20D. McPherson, J.M, Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland, 1 st edition, Longmans, Green & Co 1929, 8vo, green cloth, 12 + 310pp including indices. An important record of folk tradition, in two parts, the first on beliefs relating to nature worship, the second on the black arts. Includes chapters on fire festivals, holy wells, nature spirits, fairies, devil worship, witch rites, divination, etc. Spine very slightly darkened, minor wear to spine ends, corners, and edges in places, corners bumped. Minor spots to first and last few margins, text clean and tight. The scarce original issue. V.good - £50

F21G. Newman, P, The Hill of the Dragon, 1 st edition, Kingsmead Press 1979, 8vo, black cloth, 275pp including index, illustrations in text. An excellent study of the origins and nature of dragon legends, with particular focus on those of Great Britain. Ex lib, slight trace of label removal to front end paper, small stamps to title page, no exterior trace. Minor soiling to edge of text block, text clean and tight. Uncommon title. V.good – in Very good + ( a few minor marks) d/w £12

F22. North, F.J, Sunken Cities: Some Legends of the Coast and Lakes of Wales, 1st edition, University of Wales Press 1956, 8vo, original red cloth, 256pp including index, illustrations in text + frontispiece and 13 further pages of plates. An account of the monuments and legends of the sunken cities and lakes of Wales, with an investigation of their origins and inspiration. Ex lib, remains of book plate to front paste down, file numbers to spine and verso of title page, withdrawn stamp to front end paper. Text all clean and tight. Lower corners bumped. Still a near very good copy of a scarce work. £20

F022. Opie, I & P, The Lore and Language of School Children, 1 st edition, O.U.P 1959, large 8vo, blue cloth, 20 + 417pp including index, with 11 maps. The standard work of its kind, covering customs, initiation rites, superstitions, rhymes, etc. Edge of text block very slightly soiled, contents clean and tight. Near fine in V.good – (spine slightly faded, rubbed and marked in places, some light edge wear) d/w £10

F23. Perowne, S, Roman Mythology, 1st ed. Hamlyn 1969, 4to, red library buckram, 142pp, numerous illustrations, some in colour. A serviceable introductory study, and well illustrated. Ex lib. Stamp to verso of title, file number on spine with trace of tape removal at foot, slight stain to outer margin of half title. V. good - £3

FR23ABB. Roud, S, A Pocket Guide to Superstitions of the British Isles, 1 st edition, Penguin 2004, 8vo, maroon cloth, 10 + 278pp including index, a few illustrations in text. Fine in near fine ( a couple of minor marks, price clipped) d/w £2.50

FR23FS. Sandbach, F.E, The Heroic saga-Cycle of Dietrich of Bern, 1 st edition, David Nutt 1906, small Cr8vo, brown printed wrappers, 68pp. A sound, concise study of this lesser known Germanic myth cycle and its origins, with a bibliography. Nutt’s Popular Studies in Mythology, Romance & Folklore number 15. A couple of minor marks to covers, back strip worn with some minor chips. Some very occasional minor foxing (mainly to margins). Scarce. V.good - £10

FR23A. Screeton, P, The Lambton Worm and Other Northumbrian Dragon Legends, 1st edition Zodiac House 1978, 4to, stiff wraps, 6 + 2 + 72pp, illustrated. Preface by Anthony Roberts. Signed by the author to title page with dedication to previous owner. Spine slightly faded, neat previous owner's ink stamp to inside of front wrapper. Very scarce. Very good + £25

F23UN. Shephard, O, The Lore of the Unicorn, 1930, 1 st edition, 2 nd printing, George Allen & Unwin 1967, 8vo, maroon cloth, 312pp including index, with illustrations in the text + a coloured frontispiece and 23 b/w plates. Arguably the best study of this mythical beast, its place in folklore, mythology, magic, literature, and art. Minor spotting to end papers and edge of text block, contents otherwise clean and tight. V. Good in good + (a little soiled, some light rubbing to spine and rear panels, some very slight edge wear, price clipped, split and repaired along length of lower fold on spine panel) d/w £14

FR23BB. Sheridan, R, & A. Ross, Grotesques and Gargoyles, 1 st edition, David & Charles 1975, 4to, green cloth, 127pp including index, numerous photograph illustrations in text. A nice pictorial study of pagan carvings in Medieval churches with introduction and explanatory text. Includes foliate heads, tongue pokers, serpents, lunar and solar heads, mermaids and mermen, fertility carvings, etc. Light wear to spine ends, very light crease to lower corner of first few leaves. Very good in like (minor soiling in places, some faint creasing, light wear to top edge) d/w £14

FR23SS. Simpson, J, The Folklore of Sussex, 1 st edition, Batsford 1973, 8vo, 8vo, black cloth, 187pp including index, double page map and illustrations in text by G.J Galsworthy. A concise, sound study, one of Batsford’s excellent Folklore of the British Isles series. A couple of minor spots to end papers. V.good in like ( very slight edge creasing, a couple of minor marks) d/w £8

FR23SSS. Sitwell, S, Primitive Scenes and Festivals, 1 st edition, Faber & Faber 1947, 8vo, green cloth, 12 + 283pp including index + 16 plates. A colourful study written in an engaging narrative style, but based on anthropological and archaeological evidence. Focuses mainly on British and European folk tradition, but also includes material relating to Native American lore. Edge of text block a little spotted, contents clean and tight. Uncommon in the dust wrapper. Very good in good + (some minor soiling, light edge chipping in places, slightly affecting top of spine title portion) d/w £10

F23B. Spence, L, Legends and Romances of Brittany, 1 st edition, Harrap 1917, large 8vo, tan pictorial cloth, 423pp including index + 32 plates (8 in colour), title page in black and green, top edge gilt, others uncut. Arguably among the best English studies of Breton folklore, including material on fairies, heroes, standing stones, saints, sorcery and its practitioners, etc. Spine darkened, cloth soiled in places with white soil mark around edges of rear cover, light wear to spine ends and corners. End papers a tips of margins browning a little, text clean and tight. Uncommon in this, the nicest of the variant bindings. V.good - £18

F23C. Spence, L, The Minor Traditions of British Mythology, 1 st edition, Rider 1948, 8vo, black cloth, 176pp including index, with a frontispiece. Includes material on nature spirits, giants, goblins and demons, monsters and supernatural animals, bird mythology, folklore of standing stones, etc. A few minor marks to cloth, upper corner of lower cover a little worn, tiny nick to top of spine at upper joint, tiny pin hole in middle of upper joint. Minor marks to end papers, contents otherwise clean and tight. V.good - £12

F24. Thompson, C.J.S, The History and Lore of Freaks, 1930, Senate 8vo pbk. 1996, 256pp including index, illustrations in text + plates (on ordinary paper). A study of curiosities of nature through the ages, both mythical and actual. Includes giants, dwarves, conjoined twins, wild men, etc. Originally published as The History and Lore of Monsters. Near fine £2.50

F0027. Various, Folk-Lore, volume vi, 1st edition, David Nutt 1895, 8vo, original red buckram, 6 + 430pp including index, illustrations in text + 5 plates. The preceedings of the society for 1895, with book reviews, correspondence, and many articles. Articles include: Suffolk Leechcraft by W. Wollaston Groome, Traditions and Customs of Lewis by M. McPhail, and a substantial (46pp) article on the folklore of the Rollright stones by Arthur Evans. Other contributors include Andrew Lang and Edward Clodd. Also present are many other articles on charms, superstitions, customs, etc. Covers spotted, joints splitting and worn, stitching pulled in places, title page browned, but text clean with no loose pages. Fair £16

F27A. Wilson, S, Robin Hood- The Spirit of the Forest, 1st ed Neptune Press 8vo pbk. 1993, 16 + 117pp, a few illustrations. The figure of Robin Hood in relation to the spirit of the forest, the green man, Odin, etc. Near mint £10

F28. Wright, D, The Book of Vampires, 1914, Dorset Press 1987, reprinted, 8vo, red cloth backed boards, 2 + 217pp. A survey of vampire mythology worldwide, and in literature. Fine lightly rubbed, near fine d/w £5

F28. Wright, D, The Book of Vampires, 1914, causeway Books 1973, large 8vo, red cloth, 10 + 217pp. New introduction by Michael Lord. A survey of vampire mythology worldwide, and in literature. Near fine in good + (edge rubbed, a couple of closed tears with some creasing, slightly soiled and rubbed in places) d/w £3.50