M.D.XXXI (1531) Coloniae M, N excudebat. (Melchior Novesianus). 8vo. 191 leaves. In later half vellum binding.

Complete and in excellent condition. No browning at all, what is extremely rare for old German books. Beautiful engraved title.

The text is underlined and commented in an old hand from the XVI century, very clean and easy to read . Several small hands are drawn and point some important passages (see the pictures). Probably the notes of an inquisitor or occultist that made an in-depth study of the book.

Probably the second edition of a major work by the famous magician that was first published in Antwerp in 1530. However this one is far rarer than the Antwerp editions, there are no copies in the US and only one copy in Europe (Wellcome Library UK). Such early editions of Agrippa are seldom found on the market, and even editions from the XVII century are considered to be very rare. Published during the life of the author, only the first seven impressions contain the original text, from 1543 all editions were bowdlerized.

The works of Agrippa are foundational to both western secular and occult thought. In his own time however he was hunted as a heretic and necromancer and his books were burned and he was condemned by the Inquisition. This text, along with his Libri Tres, represent Agrippa during the peak of his writing career. No student of the occult tradition could go without carefully studying all of Agrippa's corpus. His works have shaped all major occult thinkers including John Dee, Levi, Newton, the OTO, the Golden Dawn, Aleister Crowley, and a host of others. This text is very rare and one of this age will not be found again from some time to come. This is Agrippa's attack on conventional wisdom in which he ultimately claims that nothing can be known without occult insight. This book was on the official ban list of the Inquisition and was publicly burned in Paris. In the text he discusses all manner of intellectual insight and systematically replaces logical deduction with a new form of occult insight. This book was very popular in its own time and very few copies have survived the fires. It is virtually impossible for find another edition printed in the last several hundred years.

Exact Title :

HENRICII CORNELII AGRIPPAE ab Nettesheym. De incertitudine et vanitate scientiarum declamario invectiva, qua universia illa sophorum gigantomachia plus quam Herculea impugnatur audacia: doceturque nusquam certi quicquam, perpetui, & divini nisi solidis eloquiis atque eminentia verbi dei la tere. Capita tractandorum totius operis sequens indicabit pagella.