Valuation Day Discovery

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One of the most exciting finds from our recent weekly Wednesday valuation day in Stansted was an intriguing and extremely rare book by the infamous occultist and writer Aleister Crowley. Brought in, rather unassumingly, by a local client who had inherited a small private library, The Scented Garden of Abdullah the Satirist of Shiraz - also known as The Bagh-i-Muattar - quickly caught the attention of our book specialists.

Published privately in London in 1910, this first edition volume is a highly sought-after example of Crowley’s early esoteric work. Written under the guise of translating the musings of a fictional Persian poet, the book is in fact a creation of Crowley himself, blending mysticism, satire and homoerotic themes in a style reminiscent of classical Sufi poetry. Its rarity, combined with Crowley’s enduring cult status, has made it a prized object among collectors of occult literature.

^{CROWLEY, Aleister, The Scented Garden of Abdullah the Satirist of Shiraz [The Bagh-i-Muattar] (Sold for £10,875)}

This book is also one of Crowley’s rarest works. As described by Crowley scholar Martin P Starr, in the introduction to the 1991 Teitan Press facsimile edition, only 200 copies were printed on Van Gelder handmade paper, along with an additional 10 copies on Japanese vellum. Many of these were destroyed in a customs seizure shortly after publication, prompting Crowley to comment on its rarity even before the First World War. A second customs seizure in 1924 further reduced the number of surviving copies. By the 1920s, Crowley himself noted that copies were fetching the then extraordinary price of fifty guineas, a testament to the book’s scarcity and desirability.

The copy brought in was bound in full vellum - typical of the original issue - but was lacking the original silk ties, and showed signs of dust soiling and warping, as is common with vellum bindings of this age. Despite its condition, our team recognised the significance and scarcity of the piece, and offered it a place in our Books, Manuscripts and Maps timed online auction, which ran from 17 to 27 April, with a cautious pre-sale estimate of £300–500.

^{CROWLEY, Aleister, The Scented Garden of Abdullah the Satirist of Shiraz [The Bagh-i-Muattar] (Sold for £10,875)}

Bidding interest quickly surged beyond expectations. As the auction progressed, it became clear that this was a special item for many collectors. Ultimately, the book was sold to an online bidder in Brooklyn, New York, achieving a remarkable final price of £10,875 including fees.

This result highlights the importance of expert appraisal and the power of targeted online auctions in reaching a global audience of niche collectors. It also serves as a reminder that items of great value can often be hidden in plain sight.

^{All sold prices shown include fees.}

If you have inherited a collection or are simply curious about the value of a single book, map, or manuscript, our Books and Maps Department would be delighted to help.

To discuss a complimentary valuation, please contact:

books@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778

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