The Amber Witch: the most interesting trial for witchcraft ever known
by Schweidler, Abraham; W. Meinhold, ed.; E.A. Friedlaender, translator
- Used
- fair
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Fair
- Seller
-
Spray, Oregon, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: George Slater, 1849. Hardcover. Fair. 24mo 5" - 6" tall. A perfectly serviceable reference copy; nothing fancy, but complete and sturdy. Publisher's original brown cloth, gilt illustration and letter to front cover, spine, moderate rubbing to extremities, blind-stamped decorations to front and rear covers, bumping to spine head and foot, and sunning of cloth at spine to light brown. Translated from the original German of Abraham Schweidler as edited by W. Meinhold, allegedly from a "defective manuscript." This copy is an early reprint of the first English edition, which came out via John Murray in 1844. The foremost authority of supernatural fiction, E.F. Bleiler writes (in The Guide to Supernatural Fiction, 1983) "A minor masterpiece, and still the best novel about witchcraft." The work was originally published in Germany as Maria Schweidler, "die Bernsteinhexe," in 1838; it alleged to be based on an actual 17th-century chronicle that had been edited by the daughter, Mary Meinhold, of the man, Abraham Meinhold, who claimed to have discovered an old, damaged manuscript written by a 17th-century minister, based upon some old papers found in an old church in Koserow, Germany. The fabricated manuscript fooled all the critics and reviewers but became instantly popular. It was written also in "17th-century style," or an approximation thereof, and only years later did the author admit the literary hoax. The story was set during the Thirty Years' War and involved Reverend Abraham Schweidler's near loss of his daughter, Maria, to the ensorceling of a rejected suitor but who accused Maria of herself practicing the Dark Arts. Threatened legally and faced with the likelihood of terrible torture, she confesses, though innocent. A young nobleman rescues her on her way to the stake at which she is to be burned. He loves her, she is innocent, he rescues her. London Quarterly Review noted, "We have read nothing, for a long time, in fiction or in history, which has so completely riveted and anchored our interest, as this little volume. It is worth (we can give no higher praise) of De Foe!" Well, there you go. 262 pp. plus a range of publisher ads.Member, I.O.B.A., C.B.A., and adherent to the highest ethical standards. Additional postage may be required for oversize or especially heavy volumes, and for sets.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Structure, Verses, Agency Books - Member, I.O.B.A. (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 356471
- Title
- The Amber Witch: the most interesting trial for witchcraft ever known
- Author
- Schweidler, Abraham; W. Meinhold, ed.; E.A. Friedlaender, translator
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Fair
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- George Slater
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1849
- Size
- 24mo 5" - 6" tall
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- Abraham Schwidler W. Meinhold E.A. Friedlaender sorcery witchcraft witchcraft trials
- Bookseller catalogs
- Antiquarian and Collectible;
Terms of Sale
Structure, Verses, Agency Books - Member, I.O.B.A.
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About the Seller
Structure, Verses, Agency Books - Member, I.O.B.A.
Biblio member since 2005
Spray, Oregon
About Structure, Verses, Agency Books - Member, I.O.B.A.
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Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Reprint
- Any printing of a book which follows the original edition. By definition, a reprint is not a first edition.
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Fair
- is a worn book that has complete text pages (including those with maps or plates) but may lack endpapers, half-title, etc....
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...