Oct 02, 2012 - Sale 2287

Sale 2287 - Lot 402

Price Realized: $ 1,200
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 600 - $ 900
(PENNSYLVANIA.) [Hohman, Johann Georg.] Manuscript volume of folk medicine and magic. 132 manuscript pages. 4to, 1/2 calf, moderate wear; hinges split, edges well-thumbed but sturdy and legible. Np, circa 1850?
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Additional Details

The early German immigrants to Pennsylvania brought with them a mixture of folk medicine, magic, and Christian prayer known as braucherei or pow-wow. Most or all of the recipes and spells in this volume were transcribed from a post-1828 edition of Johann Georg Hohman's "Pow-wows ; or, Long Lost Friend: A Collection of Mysterious and Invaluable Arts and Remedies," first published in 1820.
Typical of the spells in this book is #64, "Security against Mad Dogs": "Dog hold thy nose to the ground / God has made me and thee, hound. This you must repeat in the direction of the dog and the three crosses you must make towards the dog and the words must be spoken before he see you." #117 explains "How to extinguish fire without water": "Write the following letters upon each side of a plate and throw it into the fire and it will be extinguish forthwith: SATOR AREPO TENET OPERA ROTAS."
Pasted to the front pastedown are two newspaper clippings dated 1915-17 relating to a daughter and grandson of David Horting (1808-1872) and Matilda Weise Horting (1813-1908), who may have been the original owners of this volume. They lived in York and Perry counties near Gettysburg, PA during the mid-19th century.
Swann makes no guarantees regarding the efficacy of these spells, and shall not be held liable if they are used for evil rather than good.