WITGEEST, S. Het natuurlyk tover-boek, of 't nieuw speel-toneel der konsten. Verhandelende over de agt hondert natuurlijke tover-konsten, so uyt de gogel-tas, als kaartspelen, mathematische konsten, en meer andere diergelijke aerdigheden, die tot vermaek en tijtkorting verstrecken. Amst., J. ten Hoorn, 1686. (6), 604, 48 pp. W. num. text-ills. Sm-8°. Cont. h. sheepskin. (Spine rubbed, lower compartment gone, frontispiece lacks, book block a bit shaken, somewhat browned/soiled). -- Added: Id. Natuurlyk toverboek, behelzende de verbaazendste geheimen van natuur en konst. Dl. 1-6. 1791. 6 (of 8) in 3 vols. W. 6 fold. plates. Cont. hcf. (Spines a bit rubbed, paper on sides partly gone, title-p. and 1st leaf vol. 5-6 lacks, 1 plate rep., stained in places). -- (4).
Ad 1: Very rare third edition of easily the most popular Dutch conjuring book of the 17th and 18th centuries. It went through numerous editions, amusing generations of children as well as adults at home and at parties. Landwehr ascribes the book to Willem Goeree, who first published it at Middelburg in 1679. Goeree probably choose the pseudonym Witgeest (white spirit) as a guarantee that the book contained white rather than black magic. This third edition explains about 800 conjuring tricks, including card tricks, mathematical tricks, making of glass, anamorphoses, camera obscura, memory tricks and many more. The last 48 pages contain recipes for perfumed soaps, cosmetics, etc. - cf. Landwehr, De Nederlander uit en thuis, pp. 148-50.€ 300
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