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Correspondence from Karl Germer to Philip Kaplan
West Point, Calif. Box 173
Oct. 16, 1959.
Dear Philip:
Thanks for your surprising letter of Oct. 11. It show that certain powers are watching closely, and do not with the material of the stolen property of A.C.'s to fall into the hands of speculators, enemies of the Work, or what have you. I suggest you carry further negotiations with Lund [Robert Lund] through with confidence of success. Those manuscripts that he kept back are too valuable to be treated as any other rare book. Please keep me abreast of new developments.
As to Magick in Theory and Practice. I am surprised to hear that you don't have a copy. After all it should not be too difficult to obtain a copy in the market in N.Y.
You may remember that the book was published in Paris in 1929 in four sections, all paper bound. Later, around 1932, A.C. had a fairly large stock left, and he remaindered it through a jobber by the name of Hershant in London. Hershant got Foyle's, the largest booksellers in London interested, and they bought the whole remaining stock, cut the size, had it bound, and this is the way it is often found on the market.
This edition is often not complete. Also, from the book collector's point the original edition of four sections, bound up without cutting (trimming the size), is more valuable. I am surprised you have not been able to find a copy.
It so happens that I have kept in reserve a set of the four sections which I would be most happy to send you. Please reply by return that you actually are without this item, and I will put this set in the mail at once.
No: Roth did not write again. I am not too keen on close relations with him, though I have bought books from him and sold him. But I know that he is hostile to A.C., being in intimate relations with Israel Regardie and his publisher for the Golden Dawn series, (Regardie as a renegade pupil of A.C.'s is a dead enemy of Crowley's) and has in a queer way conspired against me.
But, he sometimes has Crowley items, and sells them at high prices. My suspicion that he might have bought Lund's items was mere conjecture.
All the best and good luck to you!
Sincerely
Karl.
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