2021 First Edition Collectors Edition
CELESTIAL INTELLIGENCES
By Greg Kaminsky
KEY DETAILS
Condition: Fine
Format: Hardcover, Octavo (Standard) (8vo 6 × 9 in 152 × 229 mm )
Note: Binding/size selection follows standard bibliographic conventions and is approximate; exact measurements may vary.
Published By: Anathema Publishing, Canada, 2021
Language: English
Limited Edition: 110/309 Copies
Signed By: Signed by Author(s)
Illustrated By: Joseph Uccello
Collation: pp. 176
Dust Jacket: None, as issued
SKU: BTETM0001607
Shipping Info: Approximate Package Dimensions H: 12.5, L: 30, W: 25 (Units: cm), W: 2Kg
Tracked Shipping, Insurance Coverage as per Customer Request
DESCRIPTION
Celestial Intelligences
Angelology, Cabala, and Gnosis: Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s Quest for the Perennial Philosophy
A finely produced and increasingly scarce Collector’s Edition of Greg Kaminsky’s study of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Renaissance angelology, Christian Cabala, Kabbalah and the revival of the Western esoteric tradition. Published by Anathema Publishing in 2021, this is copy no. 110 of only 309 Collector’s copies, individually hand-numbered and signed by the author.
Kaminsky examines Pico as one of the pivotal figures in the Renaissance recovery and transformation of ancient philosophical, magical and mystical traditions. Particular attention is given to Pico’s engagement with Kabbalah and Christian Cabala, the celestial and angelic hierarchies, natural magic, mystical ascent and gnosis, placing his 900 Theses, Apologia and Oration on the Dignity of Man within the wider rebirth of Western esoteric philosophy.
An especially attractive production, designed, illustrated and typeset by Joseph Uccello, with striking red-and-black typography, diagrams and full-page imagery throughout. The Collector’s Edition is bound in deluxe deep-black buckram with bronze and matte-white foil blocking to the rounded spine and upper board, blind debossing to the lower board, Apple-Red embossed endpapers and dark-brown headbands. A handsome modern esoteric press book with considerable visual and bibliographical appeal.
CONDITION, COLLATION & COPY NOTES
COLLATION
pp. 176
A notably clean and well-preserved example of the signed Collector’s Edition. Deluxe deep-black buckram binding remains fresh and attractive, with the bronze and matte-white foil blocking crisp and well defined. Rounded spine firm, with boards and visible corners presenting very well. Blind-debossed decoration to the rear board.
Apple-Red embossed endpapers remain bright and clean. Internally fresh, with clean white leaves, strong red-and-black printing and illustrations throughout. Binding sound and tight. No ownership inscriptions or annotations noted.
The original interior limitation carton-plate is present and firmly affixed, hand-numbered 110 of 309 copies and signed by Greg Kaminsky. The limitation plate remains clean and presents particularly well.
The first 2021 hardcover printing comprised a Standard Edition together with this substantially scarcer signed Collector’s Edition. The Collector’s state was limited to 309 copies and is now sold out from the publisher.
Printed throughout in black and Pantone red on Cougar White Supersmooth 160M archive-quality paper. Illustrated and typeset by Joseph Uccello. Bronze and matte-white foil blocking to spine and upper board; blind deboss to rear board; Apple-Red burlap-pattern embossed endpapers; dark-brown headbands.
A particularly attractive copy of one of Anathema Publishing’s more desirable modern esoteric productions, combining a substantial study of Renaissance Cabala and angelology with unusually accomplished book design.
Please see Photos as part of condition report.
SYNOPSIS
Celestial Intelligences examines the philosophical and esoteric world of the Renaissance thinker Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463–1494) and his attempt to recover a universal or perennial wisdom from the surviving fragments of ancient religious, philosophical and mystical traditions.
Central to Kaminsky’s study is Pico’s encounter with Jewish Kabbalah and its adaptation into the developing Christian Cabalistic tradition. Pico recognised in Kabbalah a living monotheistic esoteric system capable of providing intellectual and mystical structures that had largely disappeared from the Christian West. His synthesis of Kabbalistic thought, Neoplatonism, Scholastic philosophy, natural magic and Christian theology would exert a profound influence upon the subsequent development of Western esotericism.
Kaminsky also explores Pico’s distinctive understanding of angels as celestial intelligences, including the divine hierarchy, the Cherubim, questions of angelic materiality, mystical emulation of the angelic orders and the ascent of the human soul towards divine union. Later chapters examine Metatron and Azazel, Jacob’s Ladder, the Tree of Life and the relationship between angelic hierarchy and Kabbalistic cosmology.
Through close consideration of Pico’s 900 Theses, Apologia and the celebrated Oration on the Dignity of Man, the book presents Pico as a formative figure in the Renaissance revival of magic, Cabala and perennial philosophy: a thinker for whom these traditions offered not merely intellectual speculation, but a practical and contemplative path from ignorance towards wisdom, gnosis and the divine.
Contents include:
Introduction and Definition of Terms
Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
Pico and the Kabbalah
Angels as Celestial Intelligences
Divine Hierarchy
Angelic Materiality
The Order of the Cherubim
Emulation of Angels
Mystical Union
Natural Magic
The Continuum of Wisdom and Tradition
Metatron and Azazel
Jacob’s Ladder
Angelic Hierarchy and the Tree of Life
Implications for Subsequent Angelologies
AUTHOR BIO
Greg Kaminsky is a scholar and practitioner of Western esotericism and holds a graduate degree in Medieval Studies from Harvard University. A lifelong student of religion, history, philosophy and esoteric traditions, he is perhaps best known as the host and producer of Occult of Personality, the long-running podcast established in 2006, through which he has interviewed numerous authors, scholars and practitioners working across the field of Western esotericism. He is also the author of Pronaos.
ILLUSTRATOR
Joseph Uccello
Joseph Uccello is an artist, typographer, printer and book designer whose work explores the meeting point of traditional craft, symbolism and the natural world. During his years in China he developed an interest in traditional brush-and-ink practice, later bringing this sensibility to typography, illustration and letterpress printing. An award-winning book designer, he is associated with the Occlith series and operates Viatorium Press.
2021 First Edition Collectors Edition
CELESTIAL INTELLIGENCES
By Greg Kaminsky
KEY DETAILS
Condition: Fine
Format: Hardcover, Octavo (Standard) (8vo 6 × 9 in 152 × 229 mm )
Note: Binding/size selection follows standard bibliographic conventions and is approximate; exact measurements may vary.
Published By: Anathema Publishing, Canada, 2021
Language: English
Limited Edition: 110/309 Copies
Signed By: Signed by Author(s)
Illustrated By: Joseph Uccello
Collation: pp. 176
Dust Jacket: None, as issued
SKU: BTETM0001607
Shipping Info: Approximate Package Dimensions H: 12.5, L: 30, W: 25 (Units: cm), W: 2Kg
Tracked Shipping, Insurance Coverage as per Customer Request
DESCRIPTION
Celestial Intelligences
Angelology, Cabala, and Gnosis: Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s Quest for the Perennial Philosophy
A finely produced and increasingly scarce Collector’s Edition of Greg Kaminsky’s study of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Renaissance angelology, Christian Cabala, Kabbalah and the revival of the Western esoteric tradition. Published by Anathema Publishing in 2021, this is copy no. 110 of only 309 Collector’s copies, individually hand-numbered and signed by the author.
Kaminsky examines Pico as one of the pivotal figures in the Renaissance recovery and transformation of ancient philosophical, magical and mystical traditions. Particular attention is given to Pico’s engagement with Kabbalah and Christian Cabala, the celestial and angelic hierarchies, natural magic, mystical ascent and gnosis, placing his 900 Theses, Apologia and Oration on the Dignity of Man within the wider rebirth of Western esoteric philosophy.
An especially attractive production, designed, illustrated and typeset by Joseph Uccello, with striking red-and-black typography, diagrams and full-page imagery throughout. The Collector’s Edition is bound in deluxe deep-black buckram with bronze and matte-white foil blocking to the rounded spine and upper board, blind debossing to the lower board, Apple-Red embossed endpapers and dark-brown headbands. A handsome modern esoteric press book with considerable visual and bibliographical appeal.
CONDITION, COLLATION & COPY NOTES
COLLATION
pp. 176
A notably clean and well-preserved example of the signed Collector’s Edition. Deluxe deep-black buckram binding remains fresh and attractive, with the bronze and matte-white foil blocking crisp and well defined. Rounded spine firm, with boards and visible corners presenting very well. Blind-debossed decoration to the rear board.
Apple-Red embossed endpapers remain bright and clean. Internally fresh, with clean white leaves, strong red-and-black printing and illustrations throughout. Binding sound and tight. No ownership inscriptions or annotations noted.
The original interior limitation carton-plate is present and firmly affixed, hand-numbered 110 of 309 copies and signed by Greg Kaminsky. The limitation plate remains clean and presents particularly well.
The first 2021 hardcover printing comprised a Standard Edition together with this substantially scarcer signed Collector’s Edition. The Collector’s state was limited to 309 copies and is now sold out from the publisher.
Printed throughout in black and Pantone red on Cougar White Supersmooth 160M archive-quality paper. Illustrated and typeset by Joseph Uccello. Bronze and matte-white foil blocking to spine and upper board; blind deboss to rear board; Apple-Red burlap-pattern embossed endpapers; dark-brown headbands.
A particularly attractive copy of one of Anathema Publishing’s more desirable modern esoteric productions, combining a substantial study of Renaissance Cabala and angelology with unusually accomplished book design.
Please see Photos as part of condition report.
SYNOPSIS
Celestial Intelligences examines the philosophical and esoteric world of the Renaissance thinker Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463–1494) and his attempt to recover a universal or perennial wisdom from the surviving fragments of ancient religious, philosophical and mystical traditions.
Central to Kaminsky’s study is Pico’s encounter with Jewish Kabbalah and its adaptation into the developing Christian Cabalistic tradition. Pico recognised in Kabbalah a living monotheistic esoteric system capable of providing intellectual and mystical structures that had largely disappeared from the Christian West. His synthesis of Kabbalistic thought, Neoplatonism, Scholastic philosophy, natural magic and Christian theology would exert a profound influence upon the subsequent development of Western esotericism.
Kaminsky also explores Pico’s distinctive understanding of angels as celestial intelligences, including the divine hierarchy, the Cherubim, questions of angelic materiality, mystical emulation of the angelic orders and the ascent of the human soul towards divine union. Later chapters examine Metatron and Azazel, Jacob’s Ladder, the Tree of Life and the relationship between angelic hierarchy and Kabbalistic cosmology.
Through close consideration of Pico’s 900 Theses, Apologia and the celebrated Oration on the Dignity of Man, the book presents Pico as a formative figure in the Renaissance revival of magic, Cabala and perennial philosophy: a thinker for whom these traditions offered not merely intellectual speculation, but a practical and contemplative path from ignorance towards wisdom, gnosis and the divine.
Contents include:
Introduction and Definition of Terms
Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
Pico and the Kabbalah
Angels as Celestial Intelligences
Divine Hierarchy
Angelic Materiality
The Order of the Cherubim
Emulation of Angels
Mystical Union
Natural Magic
The Continuum of Wisdom and Tradition
Metatron and Azazel
Jacob’s Ladder
Angelic Hierarchy and the Tree of Life
Implications for Subsequent Angelologies
AUTHOR BIO
Greg Kaminsky is a scholar and practitioner of Western esotericism and holds a graduate degree in Medieval Studies from Harvard University. A lifelong student of religion, history, philosophy and esoteric traditions, he is perhaps best known as the host and producer of Occult of Personality, the long-running podcast established in 2006, through which he has interviewed numerous authors, scholars and practitioners working across the field of Western esotericism. He is also the author of Pronaos.
ILLUSTRATOR
Joseph Uccello
Joseph Uccello is an artist, typographer, printer and book designer whose work explores the meeting point of traditional craft, symbolism and the natural world. During his years in China he developed an interest in traditional brush-and-ink practice, later bringing this sensibility to typography, illustration and letterpress printing. An award-winning book designer, he is associated with the Occlith series and operates Viatorium Press.
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