Black Letter Press

18/12/2024

Erbario is a large, remarkable illustrated herbal from Italy, created around 1400. This manuscript combines about 180 botanical illustrations with annotations, offering insights into medieval and early Renaissance plant knowledge and medicinal uses.
The artwork reflects three distinct styles: medieval fantastical depictions, rough ink outlines, and detailed, naturalistic renderings that show a shift toward Renaissance observation. The annotations, mostly in Veneto-Italian with some Latin, discuss plant uses and preparation methods, blending scientific and cultural traditions of the time.
While parts of the text are faded or fragmented, careful transcripts and translations accompany the facsimile, preserving its historical authenticity while guiding readers through its fascinating mix of art, science, and history.

Visit our shop to explore a detailed description of this wonderful new release!

30/11/2024

New Title!
Johannes Kepler - Somnium Translated and Introduced by Michael Windsperger

Seu opus posthumum de astronomia lunari.
His posthumous treatise on lunar astronomy

Somnium (“The Dream”) by Johannes Kepler is a captivating blend of science fiction, astronomy, and mythology, written in 1608 and published posthumously in 1634. This groundbreaking work explores the possibility of traveling to the Moon, offering a unique perspective on celestial phenomena through the lens of a dreamlike narrative. Often regarded as one of the earliest examples of science fiction, Somnium remains a testament to Kepler’s visionary thinking. Long before space exploration was conceivable, Kepler dreamed of journeys beyond Earth and introduced readers to the vast possibilities of the cosmos. His work continues to inspire, offering a timeless blend of scientific curiosity and creative wonder.

Our edition is a beautiful tribute to Kepler’s work. The translation by Michael Windsperger stays true to Kepler’s original text while making it accessible to modern readers. It invites you to explore Kepler’s fascinating vision of space and humanity’s place in it, presented in a timeless and elegant form.

02/11/2024

“Schneider Von Groot’s Christmas Dream”

Illustrated by Marco Sabbatani, this dark tale follows Von Groot’s surreal struggle on Christmas Eve against drunken demons. Stopping by the roadside, Von Groot is ambushed by malicious spirits attempting to bind him with willow and fir. Though he fights valiantly, he’s soon overwhelmed—until a green elf intervenes, freeing him. Grateful yet bewildered, he learns his ordeal is tied to schnapps, hinting at its dark, hellish origins.

Published in 1885 under the pseudonym “BROADBRIM,” little is known about the author. Sabbatani’s illustrations vividly capture Von Groot’s psychedelic, chilling journey, immersing readers in this unsettling festive fable. —— AVAILABLE OBLY DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON!

03/10/2024

Agrippa v. Nettesheim — De Occulta Philosophia. Vol. IV

Translated and introduced by Paul Summers Young (.summers.young)


This final section of “The Three Books of Occult Philosophy” includes new translations of extracts from Agrippa’s work “De Incertitudine et Vanitate Scientiarum” (1530) and the potentially apocryphal “Liber Quartus de Occulta Philosophia” (1559), which also contains the Heptameron, or Elementa Magica de Petri de Abano.

07/09/2024

Less than 48 hours to go!

A modernized edition of Reginald Scot's critical exploration of the magical underworld from 1584.

03/09/2024

Five days to go!

A modernized edition of Reginald Scot's critical exploration of the magical underworld from 1584.

19/08/2024

THE DISCOVERIE OF WITCHCRAFT
by Reginald Scot

with an introduction and notes by Paul Summers Young

We aim to produce a beautiful new edition of Reginald Scot’s The Discoverie of Witchcraft, with modernized spelling and punctuation while preserving the text’s Early Modern English character. The images will be restored, and the typesetting will be modernized, ensuring the historical charm is retained.

12/08/2024

Update: The Discoverie of Witchcraft

We are absolutely floored by your overwhelming support!

In just 4 hours, we hit our funding goal—something we never imagined happening so quickly. Now, 6 days in, the enthusiasm for our modernized edition of The Discoverie of Witches has only continued to grow, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

It’s inspiring to see such a strong community rallying behind the preservation and modernization of this historical work. Thanks to you, we can bring this fascinating piece of history back to life, complete with all the updates and enhancements we envisioned.

ADD-ON'S

If you haven’t yet, consider adding an add-on to your pledge. We’re offering books from our catalog that are closely tied to Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft at a great discount! This includes Ars Goetia, Enchiridion, Le Petit Albert, Natural Magick, and The Red Dragon. Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum is also part of this collection, highlighting the interconnectedness of these seminal works. Add-ons are extra items that you can receive along with your main pledge for the entire duration of the campaign.

STRETCH GOALS

We've also received many requests about potential stretch goals. We're currently in discussions with our printing plant to explore several exciting options, and we’ll update you as soon as we have more details.

Thank you for believing in us and helping make this project a reality!


With deep gratitude,
Alice & Claudio

07/08/2024

THE DISCOVERIE OF WITCHCRAFT
The 1584 edition of Reginald Scot’s critical exploration of the magical underworld.

Edited, with an introduction and notes by Paul Summers Young. .summers.young

Available in two beautiful editions. More details in Link in Bio!

07/08/2024

THE DISCOVERIE OF WITCHCRAFT
The 1584 edition of Reginald Scot’s critical exploration of the magical underworld.

Edited, with an introduction and notes by Paul Summers Young.

Available in two beautiful editions.

24/06/2024

The Summer Sale is on, check it now!!

10/06/2024

The Black Pullet

Translated, edited and introduced by Paul Summers Young .summers.young

„The science of the Magicians, preserved in the language of the hieroglyphs, has been lost. I am its last living custodian. Together we shall read these signs upon the walls of this pyramid, whose meaning has eluded scholars for centuries.“

Dismissed by A.E. Waite as the probable work of mischievous priests in Rome, The Black Pullet is a ‘novella of ideas’ grounded in the Egyptomania that gripped France in the 1820s. Part magical handbook, part orientalist fantasy, in its various editions The Black Pullet was a popular, Bibliotheque Bleue-style grimoire in the spirit of Kircher’s Hermetic Egyptology at the very moment the new Egyptology was born.

This new edition presents the talismans of the 1820 edition made famous by Waite, along with the instructions for the ‘Black Hen who Lays the Golden Eggs’ and the ‘Black Owl’. It incorporates material from three variant editions of the book, and contextual extracts from its literary inspiration, ‘Le Comte de Gabalis’.
Pictures: Ria Backhaus

01/06/2024

Now in Stock: The Comte de Gabalis edited by Joscelyn Godwin
We have only 50 copies of the First Hand-Numbered Edition left in stock.

This short novel of 1670 gave the literary world a lasting gift: the doctrine of Elementary Spirits (Gnomes, Nymphs or Undines, Sylphs, and Salamanders) and their relations with humans from Adam’s time to the present. Written as conversations between an all-knowing “Cabalistic” Count and a naïve narrator, it is full of amusing and outrageous claims, such as that all the great ones of the past were born from inter-species intercourse. Scholars suspect that Villars satirized contemporary credulity and the rise of Paracelsian beliefs in court circles. Esotericists, on the other hand, see his humor as a cover for secret doctrines and occult truths about the intermediate realms and their denizens.

This edition is based on the most curious of several attempts to enlarge on Villars’ novel. It was published in 1700, ostensibly in liberal Amsterdam but probably in Lyon. It follows Villars’ text with a midnight “Address to the Gnomes,” in which the Count exhorts them to take human spouses. A sceptical Viscountess joins the duo as the Count spins further yarns, including one about a musician who married a Sylph, learned magical tricks from her, and narrowly escaped execution. As a finale, Gabalis recounts how the fifteenth-century philanthropist Nicolas Flamel really got his wealth (not from alchemy).
The 1700 edition was also the only illustrated one, but that is the oddest thing of all. The figures are printed from actual woodblocks of Alciato’s Emblemata dating from the 1540s (almost identical to those of the Black Letter Press’s 1534 edition). Someone must have discovered them and had the idea of adapting the text to refer to them, then cleverly integrating them into Flamel’s history.
To preserve the atmosphere of the original, the present volume reproduces a sprightly English translation of 1714, which exploited Alexander Pope’s use of Villars’ theme in The Rape of the Lock.

11/05/2024

Translated, edited and introduced by Paul Summers Young .summers.young

The Red Dragon, also known as „The Grand Grimoire“ is a black magic tome believed to have originated in the early 19th century. This sinister book is notorious for its instructions on summoning Lucifuge Rofocale, enabling individuals to forge a Deal with the Devil.
Divided into two main sections, the first book provides guidance on summoning demons and crafting tools to control them.
The second book, divided into Sanctum Regnum and Secrets, delves deeper into the magic art. Sanctum Regnum offers methods for forming pacts with demons, granting control without the need for tools, albeit at greater risk. Meanwhile, Secrets unveils simpler spells and rituals to be utilized following the initial summoning ritual outlined in the first book.

Several versions of The Red Dragon exist with minor or significant differences. This is a new faithful English translation. Pictures by

04/05/2024

10% Discounted during the presale - this item is shipping at the beginning of June.

Our edition of Della Porta’s Natural Magick is based on the 1658 London edition, which in turn was a translation of the expanded Latin edition of 1589 in twenty books. It includes the suppressed chapter Lamiarum Unguenta / The Witches‘ Ointment in both English and the original Latin.
Paul Summers Young has newly transcribed and edited the 1658 text, whose eccentricities make for a notoriously laborious read. Spelling and punctuation have been modernised while retaining the Early Modern character of the original; its flavour as a mid-seventeenth century text has been preserved. Rational paragraphing makes it much easier to follow the author’s line of thought, making difficult passages a much more enjoyable experience. This is greatly assisted by a new layout and typesetting.This edition includes the original twenty-page table of contents, A Table containing the General Heads of Natural Magick, and an introduction by Paul Summers Young on the significance of the text, and what a close examination might reveal about its origins.

Giambattista compiled a remarkable assortment of extraordinary phenomena and beliefs amassed over his lifetime. He endeavored to extract these phenomena from the realm of divinatory magic, endowing them with naturalistic explanations or validating them through references to classical literature.
„Magia Naturalis“ is not a compendium of enchantments or spells; rather, it is an anthology of natural wonders. This work emerged during a period when scientific knowledge was in its nascent stages, reflecting the transitional phase in the development of science.

26/04/2024

The Bibliothèque Bleue grimoires, which originated in France during the 17th century, constitute a fascinating chapter in the history of occult literature. This clandestine collection of pamphlets, often printed on cheap blue paper, hence their name, served as a conduit for disseminating folk magic, charms, and spells among the rural populace.

In an era of widespread illiteracy and limited access to formal education, the Bibliothèque Bleue grimoires played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting esoteric knowledge across generations. These pocket-sized booklets, adorned with crude woodcut illustrations, contained a diverse array of magical formulas, astrological predictions, and remedies for everyday ailments.



While the Bibliothèque Bleue grimoires lacked their contemporaneous counterparts’ sophistication and scholarly rigour, they possessed a charm and practicality that resonated with their readership. From love spells to protective charms, these humble pamphlets provided solace and empowerment to individuals grappling with the uncertainties of rural life.



Despite their humble origins, the Bibliothèque Bleue grimoires profoundly influenced the development of occult literature, laying the groundwork for future generations of magical practitioners and scholars. Their legacy is a testament to the allure of magic and the human quest for meaning and empowerment in the face of adversity.



Today, the Bibliothèque Bleue grimoires remain a cherished artefact of folk culture and esoteric tradition, offering modern readers a tantalizing glimpse into the mystical world of our ancestors. Their quaint charm and enduring relevance continue to captivate enthusiasts of the occult, reminding us of the timeless allure of magic and the enduring power of the written word.



Paul Summers Young has undertaken the translation of these grimoires, ensuring their accessibility to contemporary audiences while preserving their authenticity and mystique. With meticulous attention to detail, Young’s translations uphold the integrity of the original texts, allowing readers to explore the esoteric wisdom contained within.