October 2026 · Esoterica Rare Occult Books
This October selection brings together books on witchcraft and occult philosophy, photographs of alleged spirits, signed relic certificates, a talking board, and an astrological herbal. They offer very different accounts of the unseen world, from an inquisitor’s handbook to a photograph made in the séance room.
Follow each item for its full description, condition report, additional photographs, and current availability. All prices are in US dollars. Payment plans are available; please contact esotericaoccultbooks@gmail.com to discuss arrangements.
1. Del Rio’s Disquisitions on Magic, 1633
SOLD
Former asking price: $3,500.
Three tomes in one volume, complete in early vellum. Del Rio’s six books range from natural magic and alchemy to witchcraft, divination, and the prosecution of accused witches. The engraved title shows eleven scenes from Exodus. Library stamps and labels trace this copy through Baltimore and the General Theological Seminary in New York. The vellum is worn; the text is browned, with damp staining and foxing.
2. Morellet’s Inquisitors’ Manual, 1762
$1,400
An Enlightenment critic turns the Inquisition’s own procedures against it. Morellet’s French abridgment follows a trial from denunciation to sentence, including passages on sorcery and divination. First edition, with the false Lisbon imprint, in contemporary mottled calf. The head of the spine is chipped and the corners worn, with light toning and scattered spotting inside.
3. Horst on Second Sight, 1830
$2,250
The first edition of Horst’s study of second sight, apparitions, and doubles. This copy includes two folding plates of spirit conjuration and magical seals, originally issued with his Dämonomagie in 1818 and added to this volume later. Contemporary boards, rubbed but sound, with clean text and intact plates. The full description records the copy’s provenance, including its ownership by the Nazi-aligned poet Börries von Münchhausen.
4. Péladan’s Amphitheater of the Dead Sciences, 1892–1911
$2,400
The complete seven-volume series, in first editions, connecting occult self-cultivation with Péladan’s religious conception of art. Uniform later bindings preserve the original printed wrappers. The final volume bears his inscription, with the recipient’s name erased. A sound set, with scattered light foxing and minor marks and tears detailed in the full description.
5. The Ghost of Little Lulu, c. 1908
$1,450
A vintage press photograph of the medium Charles Victor Miller and the white figure known as Little Lulu. It records a séance-room performance that divided contemporary investigators. Agency stamps and a handwritten title remain on the reverse; the precise date and photographer are unestablished. Two creases mark the lower-left corner.
6. Ectoplasm on a Glass Lantern Slide, 1920 or later
$475
Willy Schneider sits with his eyes closed and a white mass at his shoulder. This glass slide reproduces a photograph from Schrenck-Notzing’s Phenomena of Materialisation, published in English in 1920. An example of how images of alleged ectoplasm circulated beyond the original séance. The glass is uncracked; the binding tape is worn. The display stand is not included.
7. William Fuld’s Ouija Board and Blue Ghost Box
$350
A talking board, wooden planchette, and the familiar blue-ghost box. The box design appeared in 1941, while the Masonite board is a later type from the 1950s; the parts were probably brought together after leaving the factory. The board’s printing remains bright. The box is heavily worn, with splits and losses.
8. Saint Francis and Nine Other Saints: Signed Relic Certificate, 1934
SOLD
Former asking price: $165.
Issued at Mechelen on December 10, 1934, and signed by Cardinal Jozef-Ernest van Roey. The handwritten entries record ashes attributed to Saint Francis and bone relics of nine other saints in a single copper case. Engraved arms, an embossed seal, and the custodian’s countersignature survive. A clean sheet with fold lines, 24 × 25 cm. Printed Latin text and English translation included.
This is a historical document only. No relic is included or sold. It does not authenticate any relic with which it may later be paired.
9. The True Cross and Thirty Saints: Signed Relic Certificate, 1934
$225
A second Mechelen certificate dated December 10, 1934, signed by Cardinal van Roey. Its handwritten list records wood attributed to the True Cross and relics of thirty saints. The sheet retains the cardinal’s engraved arms and an embossed seal. It measures 24 × 25 cm, with folds and a small rust-colored spot near the seal. Printed Latin text and English translation included.
This is a historical document only. No relic is included or sold. It does not authenticate any relic with which it may later be paired.
10. Culpeper’s Astrological Herbal, 1792
Plate and text pairs: $42 each
An original engraved botanical plate paired with its matching text leaf, so the plants can be read alongside Culpeper’s account of their planetary rulers. Each pair comprises two leaves from an already incomplete, damaged volume. Foxing, toning, and wear vary by selection; available pairs are individually photographed on the product page.
About Esoterica Rare Occult Books
Esoterica Rare Occult Books specializes in the history of Western esotericism. The business is run by Justin Sledge and Morgan Meis.