Magic

Magia vera (and) Die Heilige Geist Kunst (and) Clavicula Salomonis. Manuscript, Germany, 18th century. M 243

Three magical texts, in German, with some Latin, which seem not to have been copied from printed sources. This grimoire contains many magical seals and two large fold-out cross-shaped illustrations with magical symbols. King Solomon, supposed author of the Clavicula, was regarded as a master of all forms of secret knowledge, enshrining this in the features of his temple, and occult philosophers of the time often prided themselves on being the custodians and proponents of higher forms of knowledge with an ancient lineage. However, the Clavicula text is actually thought to have originated around the 14th or 15th century, and has Greek origins.