Alchemical Dragons

In addition to vessels and other chymical equipment found in early alchemical manuscripts, one may also find many animals depicted. Among the creatures we find in such alchemical bestiaries the Dragon is perhaps particularly intriguing due to its fantastical nature. This dragon takes many forms; that of a serpent without legs, sometimes winged, even biting its own tail as in the namesake of Ouroboros Press. [click on the images for a larger view].

Sloane 1171, 2nd half of the 16th century

Sloane 1171 in the British Library has very lively illustrations of dragons, one in particular takes on a  shape familiar to that which appears in the Ripley Scrolls. This twisted neck design perhaps influenced these other two-headed dragons to follow  in the images below.

While doing research related to my work on the Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, I noticed that dragons were a theme which arose several times in the engravings accompanying the text. Indeed  there are no less than 5 dragons in Elias Ashmole's important collection of English alchemical texts. 

Harley 2407 in the British Library shows some of these dragons in manuscript illustrations later copied by Robert Vaughan for use in Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum.

Harley 2407, second half of the 15th century

Vaughan. Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum 1652

 

Harley 2407, second half of the 15th century

Vaughan. Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum 1652

Originally these manuscripts were collected by Elias Ashmole who sought to preserve the alchemical lore therein by publishing the material in the Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum. In doing this he did a great service to posterity and as the engravings he commissioned by Robert Vaughan show, he did it elegantly. It is in this spirit that Ouroboros Press seeks to manifest its next publication which is a corrected edition of the Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum.  The new edition will feature two important improvements. The first of these improvements is that by utilizing the original errata information provided by Ashmole, we were able to correct the errors in the original edition according to his intentions. Second, and this is integral to effecting the first, the entire text will be typeset in a classic typeface which may easily be read by contemporary audiences.

The Serious Joke: Two Book Launches

Ouroboros Press is releasing the first English translation of Michael Maier's Jocus Severus. Rendered into English from the original Latin by Darius Klein, the work has also been illustrated and ornamented by Benjamin Vierling. Issued in three distinctive editions, the Jocus Severus features a folding plate titled Alchemical Aviary as a frontispiece. Along with the standard trade cloth edition, the book will also be available in finely bound leather and vellum editions, the latter being strictly limited in number.

Seriously? Two Book Launches? You Must be Joking?

Actually no, we're not joking this time! So before you give us up for the birds here are the details:

San Francisco Book Launch with 
Artist Benjamin Vierling

5 March 2011 8:00 pm

 Fields Bookstore

1419 Polk Street San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 673-2027

Seattle Book Launch with 
Translator Darius Klein & 
Bookbinder Joel Radcliffe
12 March 2011  8:00 pm

Rodriguez Guerra Art Studio

80 South Washington Street

[betweent First Ave South & Western]

Seattle, Washington 98104

For those of you unable to attend who would like the purchase a copy of the book, we are still offering free shipping on orders which come in by March 15th. This includes foreign countries as well. Paypal funds may be sent to this address: ouroboros@bookarts.org

Please include a note stating which edition[s] you would like and give your full shipping address.

Born in Germany, Count Michael Maier served as the personal physician to the Bohemian Emperor Rudolph II, as well as pursued a career as an alchemist. He is well known due to his masterful emblem book; Atalanta Fugiens, which was a blend of alchemical, mythological and musical elements. But Maier wrote other alchemical books and Ouroboros Press is very pleased to be offering the first English translation of his veritable conference of the birds;  Jocus Severus. 

This alchemical text employs allegory in an entertaining dialogue between several species of birds who are determined to defame the Owl with wordy complaints. The Hawk acts as the Owl's defense while  the Phoenix acts as final judge and arbiter over this 'conference of birds.'

Rendered from the original Latin of 1617 by Darius Klein this edition features original lllustrative material by Artist Benjamin Vierling, including a folding plate depicting all the species of birds involved in the alchemical dialogue.

As is our tradition at Ouroboros Press, the entire text has been reset with an eye to detail not common in contemporary publishing, where one often encounters poor facsimile reproductions. 

The book is issued in three formats:

Imperial Vellum Edition. Hand bound with raised spine bands in full vellum with leather spine label, gilt title and device. Vellum headbands, marbled endsheets and a silk book marker complete this fine binding. [135 pages] aviary folding plate and illustrated with ornamental head and tail pieces.

Athenian Wisdom Edition: Strictly limited to 25 copies  $225.00

Deluxe Leather Edition. Hand bound with raised spine bands in full black goat and red leather spine label, with gilt title and device. leather headbands, marbled endsheets and a silk book marker. [135 pages] aviary folding plate and illustrated with ornamental head and tail pieces.

Noctis Black Owl Edition: $150.00

Trade Cloth Edition. Sewn in full cloth with stamped title and device. Letterpress printed dust jacket, [135 pages] aviary folding plate and illustrated with ornamental head and tail pieces.

Fine Press Trade Edition: $45.00

Layout for the Letterpress printed dust jacket intended for the Fine Press Trade Editions

Arcana V: Musicians on Music, Magic & Mysticism

New Anthology on Music, Magic & Mysticism 

Edited by John Zorn.

For centuries musicians have tapped into mysticism, magic and alchemy, embracing ritual, spell, incantation and prayer, and experimenting with esoteric approaches to harmony, pitch and vibration. In recent decades, avant-garde musicians have rediscovered these overlaps, as occultism has reinvented itself--through Buddhist and other Asian influences, Thelema and Chaos Magic--to accommodate cultural strains from psychedelica through Punk and Industrial music. 

This special edition of John Zorn's much acclaimed Arcana series focuses on the magical aspects of the act of making music. Neither historical overview nor musicological study, it illuminates the sympathies between music and the esoteric tradition with the help of today's finest experimental musicians and occultists. Among these are William Breeze, Gavin Bryars, Steve Coleman, Alvin Curran, Frank Denyer, Jeremy Folgel, Fred Frith, Sharon Gannon, Peter Garland, Milford Graves, Larkin Grimm, Tim Hodgkinson, Jerry Hunt, Eyvind Kang, Jessika Kenney, William Kiesel, Yusef Lateef, Frank London, Dary John Mizelle, Meredith Monk, Tisziji Munoz, Mark Nauseef, Pauline Oliveros, Genesis P-Orridge, Terry Riley, Adam Rudolph, Trey Spruance, David Toop, Greg Wall, Peter Lamborn Wilson and Z'ev.

Ouroboros Press publisher William Kiesel has an article in this integral book entitled 'Musings on the Hermetic Lyre'. Kiesel gave a recent interview on the Thelema Now podcast where he talks about the book.

Large Octavo. Sewn softcover volume.

459 pages with illustrations, 

notes and biographical information.
$40.00 postpaid [worldwide].

Ordering Instructions

Alchemical Presentation at the Stone

The Alchemical Bestiary
Alchemical Animal Symbolism in Renaissance Hermeticism.
Book Release: Turba Philosophorum
Ouroboros Press editor William J. Kiesel will give a talk on the enigmatic symbolism associated with the Animal Kingdom as employed in Alchemical texts during the Renaissance. Hermetic philosophers drew from mythological and biblical sources while depicting their alchemical emblems to explain the process of making the Philosopher’s Stone. Key symbols for interpretation will be discussed and accompanied by a slide show of alchemical imagery from rare books and manuscripts.
This presentation is given on the occasion of a new edition of the Turba Philosophorum, just released by Ouroboros Press. Copies of the book will be available for signing after the presentation.

8pm sharp Sunday 8 July 2007
The Stone [New York]
Located at the corner of Avenue C and 2nd Street.

[The Stone Website]
http://www.thestonenyc.com/index.html

Festina Lente Alchemical Series

PLEASE NOTE: This page is in the process of revision and will be updated with more details in the near term. Thank you for your interest.

The Ouroboros Press release of Turba Philosophorum marked the beginning of a series of alchemical texts, which will continue to flow from the scriptorium here in the Emerald City. The series editor William J. Kiesel has selected these texts from among the corpus of alchemical and hermetic books which were in need of translation or simply unavailable to the public in recent decades. Two of the texts are penned by Count Michael Maier, who is perhaps best known for his Emblematic book; Atalanta Fugiens, while two others are collections by various authors. We are especially pleased to be producing a new corrected edition of Elias Ashmole’s magnum opus; Theatrum Chemicum Brittanicum, the classic text on English Alchemical Poetry.


Festina Lente Alchemical Series

Altus
Mutus Liber - The Silent Book

Anonymous Texts
Turba Philosophorum
Aurifontina Chymica - Fourteen Treatises on the First Matter

Count Michael Maier
Jocus Severus - First English Translation by Darius Klein
Lusus Serius - With a critical introduction by Leigh Penman

Elias Ashmole
Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum
- Corrected & Rectified Edition: A Treasure House of English Alchemical Poetry