WITGEEST, Simon [= Willem GOEREE?].
Het natuurlyk tover-boek, of t nieuw speel-toneel der konsten; verhandelende vijf hondert natuurlijke tover-konsten, so uyt de gogel-tas, als kaaertspelen, mathematische konsten ... Mitsgaders een tractaat van het blanket-werck ... wateren, poederen, en balsemen ... om het aensicht, hals en handen, wit en sagt te maken.
Amsterdam, Jan ten Hoorn, 1684. 8vo. With engraved frontispiece in 5 compartments showing magic tricks, and 40 small woodcuts illustrating the various magic tricks in the text.Contemporary vellum, title in ink on spine. [8], 512, [24] pp.
€ 5,000
Rare second edition of a very popular Dutch conjuring book, first published (also by Jan ten Hoorn in Amsterdam) in 1679. It went through many further editions, sometimes augmented, far into the 18th century. The edition of 1698 mentions 1600 magic tricks (tover-konsten), instead of the 500 in the present edition. It was also translated into German.
"Simon Witgeest", from Middelburg, is almost certainly a pseudonym. The family name does not appear in the www.wiewaswie.nl database until 1818. Witgeest literally means "white spirit" in Dutch, and it probably served to suggest that the recipes were innocent, "white" rather than black magic. Willem Goeree (1635-1711), a Dutch bookseller first in Middelburg and after 1677 in Amsterdam, noted above as one of the books sources, is often named as the possible author, but his known publications, books on art theory and practices, and (Jewish) religion and history are aimed at more of a high-brow public.
The author states in the preface that the book was meant to "shorten wintery nights" and gradually the sections on glass, drawing and etching were omitted in favor of more magic tricks, practical jokes, riddles, and entertainment with mathematical and astronomical brainteasers, as well as small chemical and physics experiments "for fun".
Binding slightly worn, otherwise in very good condition. John Landwehr, "Simon Witgeests Natuurlyk tover-boek et alia", in: Volkskunde, 68 (1967), pp. 67-82; Hoogendoorn, p. 992, STCN (2 copies); for more about the text: www.dbnl.org/nieuws/nieuws.php?l=2020_01_09.
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