Magic Books from Mexico

Mexico: Ediciones Lara ; King Penguin, 1966. Reprint of 1953 Edition; first Mexcian ed. 12mo with yellow, blue and red pictorial wraps; 30 pages,; 16 color illustration; 18 cm. A very good (-) copy; front hinge appear to have been re-glued, with a bit of residual glue to front free end paper innner argin; binding tight and pages clean if slightly toned; in protective sleeve. Paperback.

Vibrant full-color plates follow a short historical overview of the art found in various codexes of Mexico before, during and after conquest by the Spanish and English. "There is MAGIC and there is magic, and many kinds of books, but only one Mexico. In the kaleidoscopic career of that delightful land no period has been more colurful than that of the Aztecs, no Mexican books so magically beautiful as their pictured histories, and no magic so grim and fantastic as is to be found in [these] grimoires." --Introduction. "The first four plates are taken from those post-Conquest documents which have a written explanation. They are the key to the understanding of the more ancient works and are shown here mainly for comparative purposes, although in themselves they have also considerable historic and artistic value. The remaining twelve plates come from pre-conquest documents which illustrate history and mythology." --Editor.