Classic Grimoire Series

The Troy Classic Grimoire project, in which Troy Books are in the process of producing as a collector's series, will consist of thirteen of the famous classic grimoires. These are to be produced in affordable case bound editions, with high attention to aesthetics, created particularly with the practitioner-collector in mind.

Instructing the practitioner in such matters as the arts of the circle, the conjuration of spirits, angels and demons, the performing of divinations, the crafting of magical tools, charms, amulets and talismans, and the magical properties of plants, the grimoire has had a profound influence on the practices of magic in the modern period.

           

Encompassing high ceremonial arts, as well as lower spell casting and remedy making, these time-honored texts have an important place within the folk magical traditions. ‘Cunning folk’, who long had access to a range of these texts, made use of grimoires, often using them to craft their own ‘black books’ by copying by hand parts of their content deemed to be of use.

Each classic grimoire in our series will be case bound in dark ‘aubergine’ gold foil-blocked buckram, with ‘mulberry’ endpapers, and black head and tail bands and ribbon marker.

  

The first Grimoire in the series is: The Long Hidden Friend and written by John George Hohman.

The Long Hidden Friend first appeared in 1820 in German as Der Lange Verborgene Freund, appearing later in English as Pow-Wows; or, Long Lost Friend. It is as a result of this book that the Dutch Pennsylvania tradition of folk-magic known as “Pow-Wow” became so named.

It is a fascinating collection of traditional European folk-magical formulas for a wide range of spells, simple rituals, charms, talismans, bindings, prayers, benedictions, magical folk-healing, recipes and remedies for humans and animals as well as various non-magical ‘tips’ for matters or rural and domestic life.

In editing this edition for Troy Books, Gemma Gary, author and illustrator of Traditional Witchcraft: A Book of Cornish Ways, The Black Toad and The Charmer's Psalter, has arranged the formerly scattered and unstructured content into some order, organizing the practices into the categories of Curative Arts, Animal Arts, Arts against Evildoers, Protective Arts and Propitious Arts; this final chapter detailing a diverse collection of magical and non magical practices for general success, good fortune, safety and well-being in a number of areas including divination, games and gambling, hunting and legal matters.  This edition is illustrated by Gemma’s line drawings, inspired by Dutch Pennsylvanian folk art, charms and traditional hex signs.

Pagination: 80 pages, line drawings and figures by Gemma Gary

Introduction by Gemma Gary

Preface

Testimonials

Curative Arts

Animal Arts

Arts against Evildoers

Protective Arts

Propitious Arts

This edition is presented as a Aubergine case binding in Pinched Crown Quarto format 248 x 171mm with gold foil blocking to the front and spine, Mulberry endpapers, and black head and tail bands and ribbon marker.

ISBN: 978-1-909602-02-1

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