Lenkiewicz: The Book Collector

Bibliotheca Lenkiewicziana

Or, A Short Account of the Library of Robert Oskar Lenkiewicz (1941 – 2002).

For many people, Robert Lenkiewicz will be remembered for his paintings and the highly publicised ‘antics’ he performed, yet what many will not realise is that the paintings and antics were done to draw attention to specific ideas and themes rather than as attention seeking stunts. Lenkiewicz identified his painting projects as ‘sociological enquiry reports’ and each of these, on (amongst other subjects) death, vagrancy, sexual behaviour, and education, formed an interlocking pattern of enquiry upon the themes of desire and belief that Lenkiewicz described as having a physiological basis. There were 21 projects in all in the ‘Relationship Series,’ with the twentieth, that upon Addictive Behaviour, left unfinished at the time of Lenkiewicz’s death.

Underpinning each of the projects was a period of solid, academic research based upon books that Lenkiewicz acquired for his library. The library was the intellectual companion of the paintings, and any appreciation of Lenkiewicz’s art legacy must also take account of the library, though the latter remains a largely unknown quantity to most. Lenkiewicz began collecting books as a child, having a shelf in his bedroom holding his books on painting, horses and philosophy. Over the years his bibliomania was responsible for the massive expansion of the collection. If Lenkiewicz was to be believed, he owned anywhere between 250,000 to 700,000 books, all stored in various buildings around Plymouth, citing a house at Stoke and a warehouse at a mystery location, though the reality of this was very different, and by the time of his death the collection numbered no more than 25,000 books.

The following description will detail the layout of the library as it was before Lenkiewicz died in 2002, when it had reached its final and most complete form, before the process of disposal began in the wake of Lenkiewicz’s death.

The bulk of Lenkiewicz’s library was housed at his Studio on The Parade and came to occupy seven rooms there. Entering the Studio via The Parade, the visitor came upon an imposing door by the foot of the stairs in which was a small window, through this some view of the library beyond might be had. In fact the library occupied three rooms on the ground floor: the Art Biography Room, which visitors could see a part of opposite the door, the Art History Room, and the Occult Philosophy Room (frequently called the Metaphysics Room by Lenkiewicz), which both led off the central room, one to the north the other to the south.

The Art Biography Room, as its name suggests, contained biographies on painters and catalogues of their works, arranged in alphabetical order around the room. Art history and biography was a subject Lenkiewicz was especially knowledgeable about, and the holdings there were especially strong. There were probably about 3,000 books present. This room doubled as something of an office, and a table to one side of the room was piled high with his correspondence and notes. Before the upstairs of St. Saviour’s Library was completed, the room was also a kind of ‘reception room’ where Lenkiewicz received visitors and talked with them. The Art History Room to the North contained modern books on art history, and British and world history in general. The art history books were arranged thematically, the history books chronologically. In all about 1,500 – 2,000 volumes.

The Occult Philosophy Room contained the bulk of the antiquarian volumes in the library and was an especially strong collection. The room was split into three sections: dealing with the neo-platonic revival of the Renaissance and of occult philosophy and practice in general, including works by Lull, Paracelsus, Agrippa, Ficino, Bruno, Kircher, Boehme, Fludd and Dee; works dealing with alchemy and alchemical practise and symbolism, many of which were in manuscript; and Jewish Kabbalah and mystical thought, again including original manuscript material from the early modern period. Allied subjects of Freemasonry, twentieth-century occultism (including Aleister Crowley), and antiquarianism were also represented. In all probably 3,000 books. The books were complemented here by a range of artefacts, from Ethiopian magical charms to nineteenth century sigils.

Ascending the first set of stairs, the visitor was presented with sight of the Death Room, which contain the sections of Lenkiewicz’s library dealing with Death, on the north and west walls, and Fascism, on the south.

The death section of the library comprised approximately 800 volumes, dealing with old age and gerontology, palliative care of the dying, sociological and literary studies, melancholy and suicide, memorials, archaeological studies of funerary remains, together with various tracts - from the popular to the serious, on theories of the afterlife. There were a few antiquarian volumes in this section, however the bulk of the death section was made up of twentieth-century publications, some of them purchased from the libraries of notable practitioners in medicine, such as Dr. Maurice Natanson. The Fascism section mostly concentrated on Nazism, and the books focussed on the Second World War of 1939 - 1945, from the Nazi war apparatus to the personalities involved. The rise of neo-fascism was also chronicled here, together with slavery.

The Death Room also contained a glass topped display table containing the manuscript Mary Notebook, and the original notebook relating to the Old Age project. A glazed cabinet against the east wall contained a collection of Lenkiewicz’s manuscript Diary Notes volumes, which dated from the mid-1970s, along with a collection of his relationship notebooks, mostly from the late 1980s/early 1990s. As with the downstairs rooms, the Death Room also contained artefacts connected with the room’s theme, and a collection of skulls and other body parts, and Nazi memorabilia were kept here, together with the mummy of Diogenes, which was secreted within a compartment in the glazed cabinet.Library

Next to The Death Room, though entered separately, was what became known, from summer 2001 onwards, as The Witchcraft Room.

Lenkiewicz’s incomparable collection of antiquarian books relating to witchcraft and demonology was the finest such collection in private hands, certainly in Europe, if not the world. The books were ranged on the north and east walls, the north wall housing modern historiographic studies of witchcraft, the east the antiquarian volumes. The modern section contained recent scholarly expositions of the subject, together with more new age interpretations and sensationalist accounts, the antiquarian material covered the full experience of early modern witchcraft interpretations, and contained the writings of Scot, Ady, James I, Glanvill, Cooper, Webster, Molitor, Bovet, and Hutchinson, amongst others. There were at least a dozen editions of the Malleus Maleficarum, the notorious ‘Hammer of Witches,’ including the first edition in folio. There was also a section dealing with related preternatural phenomena such as vampires, ghosts and werewolves. In all the collection amounted to some 900 volumes. Opposite these, on the south and west walls, were the psychology books, about 800 in total, which covered the growth and range of the discipline, and where the likes of Freud and Jung were well represented.

A set of double doors lead through then into The Erotica Room, so named after the comprehensive collection of material relating to that theme, though very little was what might be described as pornographic. The erotic material mostly related to various twentieth century sociological and psychological studies into sex and sexuality, and the collection covered all types and experiences of sexual behaviour and desire. The collection sat alongside the section amassed concerning religion, which here mostly concerned various editions of the Bible, though tracts produced by various denominations were represented, most notably the Methodists. Finally, works on educational theory and practice were housed here, comprising standard reference works along with the works of Gurdjiev and the like. The room contained probably 2000 volumes.

The final set of stairs led up into the Studio proper, though a final room on the top floor contained Lenkiewicz’s Literature Room, containing modern works of literature and biographies of authors, all arranged alphabetically Amongst Lenkiewicz’s favourite authors, Oscar Wilde was well represented. The room also contained various library catalogues, including the British Library Catalogue, and various book sale catalogues and books about books. The room contained about 2000 volumes.

The St. Saviour’s Library on Lambhay Hill, over against the Citadel, contained, from summer 2001 onwards, Lenkiewicz’s philosophy library on two floors. The ground floor comprised the modern philosophy section – those books published after 1901, arranged by branches of philosophy, and the upper floor contained antiquarian philosophy books, arranged, for the most part, chronologically, from the pre-Socratics through until the end of the nineteenth century; these books were kept together with a miscellany of other antiquarian books, mostly relating to scientific and topographical fields of enquiry. In all St. Saviours contained about 6,000 books. The St. Saviour’s Library became the showcase collection, and it was here that visitors, especially those connected with funding opportunities, were brought first, owing to the aesthetic impact the library had (The Duke Humfrey Library at the Bodleian in Oxford was an obvious inspiration). The building also housed a range of artefacts, including material from ancient Egypt, Nazi concentration camps, medical material, and, most famously perhaps, the skeleton alleged to be that of Ursula Kemp, hanged in 1582 at St. Osyth in Essex and purchased by Lenkiewicz in 1999 from Cecil Williamson, the founder of the Museum of Witchcraft at Boscastle.

Reproduced with the kind permission of Jason Semmens © Jason Semmens, 2004.

Library Highlights

Lenkiewicz in library The following are just some of the highlights of Robert Lenkiewicz's astonishing collection of antiquarian books. The collection was dissipated after his death in 2002 in order to pay debts under the auspices of the executor to his Estate.

POSTERIOR ANALYTICA. Apollinaris of Cremona - 1430. Large folio manuscript on paper, in near contemporary vellum binding. There is a very attractive first leaf showing a miniature of Apollinaris at this desk writing this commentary on Aristotle's great work. The leaf is colourfully decorated with fifteenth century theological motifs.

There are some thirty or forty large folio translations and commentaries on the works of Aristotle (some incunables). There is also the extremely rare set (only fifty were ever printed) of eight folio volumes of Aristotle's works translated into English by Thomas Taylor. This set, handsomely bound, may have been his personal copy as they are signed by him.

OPERA/PLATA. Editio Princeps, in Greek.
1518. The Aldine two volume folio.

OPERA/PLATO. Translated by Marsilio Ficino.
1556. Basle. Henri Petri. Fine blind-stamped binding. There are at least ten variations in large folio of Ficino's translations of Plato in this collection as well as many of his own philosophical works.

OPERA/PLATO. Edited by Henry Estienne - 1578. Geneva. The first complete edition in Greek and Latin of Plato's works. These are bound in two very handsome large folio vellum bindings with the original Venetian ties in perfect order.

Amongst the many pre-1820 Platos in this collection attention should be drawn to Sydenham's Plato and Thomas Taylor's five-volumed English translation of Plato.

THE CONSOLATIONS OF PHILOSOPHY. Boetius - 1521. The first illustrated edition, fine red and black title page with famous woodcut of 'philosophy' in the form of a beautiful woman visiting the sleeping Boetius in his dreams.

COMPENDIUM THEOLOGICAE VERITATIS.Albertus Magnus - 1478. Ulm. Zainer. Fine incunable rubricated in red.

There are several other works by Albertus Magnus in the collection.

COMMENTARIES ON ARISTOTLE'S 'DE ANIMA'. Thomas Aquinas - 1496. Venice. Richly annotated throughout text. This copy has an exceptionally elegant title page and a lovely woodcut of Aquinas lecturing to his students in his library.

A COMMENTARY ON THE LETTERS OF ST PAUL. Thomas Aquinas - 1510. Venice. Handsome copy ruled in red, blind-stamped binding, folio. There is a very large collection on Thomas Aquinas in this library, many of them early folios.

THEOLOGICAL WORKS. Duns Scotus - 15th-18th centuries. 15 folios in contemporary vellum, fine collection.

CITY OF GOD/THE TRINITY. St. Augustine - 1489. Basle. Amerbach. Attractively rubricated throughout, this large folio contains a full-page woodcut of St Augustine in his study, with the City of God and a howling Satan nearby.

It should be pointed out that there is a large collection of great variety of the works of the Church Fathers from 15th-17th centuries. Many of these are rubricated, annotated and finely bound.

LEVIATHAN. Thomas Hobbes - 1651. The first and rarest of the three versions of the first edition. In a very fine contemporary Cottage binding.

Also the first Latin edition and many other examples of his work.

COLLECTED WORKS. John Locke - 1714. Three handsome folios, first edition and many other examples of Locke's works in French and English.

MALLEUS MALEFICARUM: Kramer and Sprenger - 1486, First Edition, Folio. This copy printed by Peter Drach is particularly striking for its heavy annotations throughout in a near contemporary hand, commencing with a poem to Satan and some descriptions of poisoning witches. It is conjectured that a more than enthusiastic judge used this copy. There are at least 9 or 10 other copies of the Malleus in this collection dating from 15th - 17th centuries.

FORMICARIUS: Johannes Nider - 1484. Second Edition. Folio. Striking contemporary binding; richly rubricated in red throughout the text. Unusually, this copy closes with a thirty-leaved manuscript in red ink on the rescuing of the soul from Satan and the techniques of exorcism with many references to the Church Fathers.

PRECEPTORIUM:Johannes Nider - 1507. The binding is decorated with panel features originally cut in the mid-fifteenth century.

DE LAMIIS: Ulrich Molitor - 1489. This is the most important and only illustrated incunable book on witchcraft, characterised by unusual woodcuts. Interestingly this nineteenth century binding features the same panel decoration as the previous book.

Fine examples of witchcraft tracts and commentaries are represented by Bodin, Weyer, Del Rio, Bovet, Piperno, Le Loyer, Anania, Godelman, and De Lancre. Two very fine copies (first and second editions) of Guazzo's COMPENDIUM MALEFICARUM. These books contain the most famous of all woodcut series concerning the folklore of witchcraft.

English witchcraft is also very well represented both by manuscript and printed material (manuscript witchcraft is extremely rare).

The first, second and third editions of Reginald Scot's DISCOVERIE OF WITCHCRAFT; King James I's DEMONOLOGIA, in a separate edition as well as his collected works. Other important English witchcraft items are by Webster, Potts, Glanville, Cotta, Boulton, Beaumont, Defoe, Casaubon. The most striking item in this part of the collection is a manuscript, possibly in the hand of Sir Edward Fairfax, 1623, claiming the daemoniacal possession of his two daughters. This is a disturbing example of folklore paranoia at its worst. This exceedingly rare work was followed in the early nineteenth century by the work of a scholar called Ebenezer Sibley. He included 92 watercolours of the visions of the two young girls. This manuscript is also in the collection and is autographed.

POLYGRAPHIA. Trithemius Von Spanheim - 1517. Original contemporary blind-stamped binding with gold decoration. Of particular interest are the hand coloured full-page plates showing Trithemius presenting this rare book (padlocked) to the Emperor of Saxony.

STEGANOGRAPHIA. Trithemius Von Spanheim - Several copies of this notorious work, viewed as the origin of the more complex secrecies of the Western magical tradition. A unique set of 17th/18th century manuscripts in four volumes of this work from a rare Masonic library. Two of Trithemius' most famous pupils, Paracelsus and Agrippa Von Nettersheim are generously represented in this collection. There is a particularly fine copy of Agrippa's OCCULTA PHILOSOPHIA (1533.Cologne) with blind stamped vellum binding and clasps. This book of which there are many versions including manuscripts in this collection is seen as the basis for Occult belief systems right up to the nineteenth century. There are also the first editions of his works from Italy, Germany, France and England. Agrippa's popularity was so great that a spurious Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy was published in Jacobean England. There are two copies in this collection. There are also nine volumes of annotated manuscripts from the 17th/18th century relating to Agrippa's ideas.

OPERA. Pico Della Mirandola - 1517.Paris. Fine bindings. Two copies.

DE VERBO MERIFICO. Johannes Reuchlin - 1490's. Very rare.

DE ARTE CABBALISTICA. Johannes Reuchlin - 1517. These two books would be considered very significant editions to any library specialising in Neo-Platonism and Jewish mysticism.

There is a large collection of Books of Secrets; an unusual and eccentric body of literature popular in the 16th/17th centuries combining medical, alchemical and mystical ideas.

There are also fine examples of the works of Giambatista Della Porta from many different countries. Perhaps the rarest of these is the German edition, 1680, of the NATURAL MAGIC with a large number of dramatic plates in two volumes.

There is a large collection of works by John Dee, the famous Elizabethan mathematician and scientist/mystic, who formulated one of the first great libraries in Europe. Two significant examples are the TRUE AND FAITHFUL RELATIONS/DEE'S ACTS WITH SPIRITS transcribed by Meric Casaubon, 1659, and EUCLID'S GEOMETRY with Dee's famous Mathematical Preface that was to so influence contemporary thinking and navigational theory.

There are many works by Jacob Boehme, the German "shoe maker/mystic". Most remarkable of these is a four-volume folio set of Boehme's works translated by William Law in the eighteenth century. It is very unusual for this work to survive intact as the many fine etchings are characterised by an unusual 'flap and fold' system of great ingenuity.

UTRIESQUE COSMI...Robert Fludd - 1619. This and all other examples of his work are well represented in handsome folios published by the German Rosicurucian company Johannes De Bry in the seventeenth century. Fludd's scientific and mystical system, beautiful and eccentric as it is, is heightened by the remarkable full-page etchings of his cosmological ideas.

ARS MAGNA...Athanasius Kircher - This and all other examples of his seventeenth century publications are well represented. Kircher was perhaps the last great Renaissance polymath and his books are extraordinary for their encyclopaedic range and dramatic illustrations.

DE SUBTILITATE...Girolamo Cardano - c. 1550. This is a particularly fine copy of this philosopher's work amongst several others in the collection.

CABALA RESPONSIVA. Manuscript - c.1750. A most unusual folio manuscript containing hundreds of diagrams and texts on numerical and mystical ideas, bound in vellum.

There are a large number of GRIMOIRES in manuscript, which purports to contain the techniques for raising spirits to help the practising magician. The most unusual of these, CLAVICULAE DE SOLOMONIS (Key of Solomon), is one of the earliest examples in the country of this type of manuscript.

PRETIOSA MARGARITA. Lacinius - 1546. Aldine Press. An early and rare item with famous woodcut plates.

QUINTA ESSENTIA. Thurneisser - 1574. This item contains remarkable full-page woodcuts.

ARCANA CHYMICA. Libavius - Four handsome versions of this folio work.

ATALANTA FUGIENS. Michael Maier - This sixteenth century work contains some of the most famous mystical diagrams in the history of alchemy.

ROSARIUM PHILOSOPHORUM/DE ALCHYMIA - 1550. Frankfurt. Unusual illustrations with the title page hand-coloured in a contemporary hand.

ROSARIUM PHILOSOPHORUM - 1612. Manuscript version in black vellum, blind-stamped, containing diagrams and watercolours.

There are a large number of other alchemical manuscripts from the late sixteenth century onwards. There are also fifteen manuscripts in the hand of the last two practising alchemists in England, as well as some extremely scarce manuscripts from alchemists working for the Nazi regime.

AMPHITHEATRUM SAPIENTIAE ETERNAE. Heinrich Khunrath - 1608. The very rare Magdeburg edition, which is justly referred to as one of the seminal alchemical works. The plates with which it is illustrated are remarkable both for their subject matter and for their execution. This is a superb copy in contemporary vellum.

BIBLIOTECHA MEDICA. Jean Jacques Manget - 1703. Two volumes. Red morocco Chancery folios. These huge books are especially significant as they are Manget's Dedication copy to Frederick the King of Prussia. The bindings are gold-stamped with the king's royal insignia.

BIBLIOTECHA MEDICA CURIOSA. Jean Jacques Manget - 1702. Two volumes, folio, contemporary calf, gilt spine. This is the first edition of the most complete collection of alchemical texts ever published, containing over 140 treatises. For the historian of chemistry this is a most important and indispensable work.

WORKS OF MOSES CORDEVERO. Joseph Gikatilla - This is a fifteenth century manuscript, attractively bound in red morocco, written on wax paper.

CLAVIS. Guilliame Postel - 1643. Fine nineteenth century green morocco binding. Very rare.

SEPHER RAZIEL - 1701. Amsterdam. One of the rarest of all cabbalistic works.

CABBALISTIC TEXTS. Johannes Pistorius - 1587. Basle. The very scarce large folio of all the major renaissance texts linking Jewish mysticism and Christianity. Contemporary vellum binding.

ZOHAR. A complete system of cabbalistic theology - 1558. Large folio.

KABBALA DENUDATA. Knorr Von Rosenroth - 1677. Frankfurt.