In the process of researching the bibliography for this project, the Agrippa Files editors occasionally come across resources whose originals have not yet been located, whose citations are incomplete, or whose existence has not been verified. This category is a temporary holding place for such citations pending their completion or verification. (Users with information about these works are welcome to contact the Agrippa Files project.)

Source images from New York Hudson River Valley area newspapers and photographic equipment catalogs of the 1920’s and 1930’s used by Dennis Ashbaugh as the basis for “overprints” in Agrippa. The original plan was to print these images in “disappearing” or “fading” ink over the copperplate aquatint etchings in the book featuring Ashbaugh’s distinctive DNA-gels motifs. Opening the book and exposing the etchings to light or air would make the images gradually vanish, leaving behind only the DNA look. However, technical problems prevented the implementation of the fading ink, though an attempt was made to realize the concept in uncured photocopy toner. (See digital simulation of a fading overprint.)

Miscellaneous items relating to Agrippa.

Bibliographical descriptions of Agrippa (a book of the dead).

The Deluxe Edition of Agrippa comes in a heavy, distressed case. In the honeycombed bed of the under-case, wrapped in a shroud, lies the 11⅛ x 15 ⅞ x 1⅛ inch book, whose title is hand-burned into the cover. The Deluxe Edition contains 63 viewable pages with ragged, sometimes scorched edges, including copperplate aquatint etchings by Dennis Ashbaugh alluding to DNA gel patterns and body text pages consisting of dual, 42-line columns excerpting a DNA sequence from the bicoid maternal morphogen gene of the fruitfly. Page 63 (and another underlying 20 pages glued together) has a hollowed-out cavity holding the diskette with William Gibson’s poem.
      The Deluxe Edition was originally priced at $1500 (later $2000). An unknown number of copies (fewer than 95) are extant; three are known to be held by public libraries or museums. Each copy is partly unique because of handmade or hand-finished elements. (See “Bibliographic Description”.) Photos selected for this site are from the “Archive-1” copy provided by the publisher.

The Small Edition of Agrippa (a book of the dead) has not been physically examined by the editors of The Agrippa Files site. The Center for Book Arts refers to it as the “regular edition” as follows: “The regular edition of Agrippa was also set in Monotype Sans Gill, but in a single column page format. It was printed by the Sun Hill Press on Mohawk Superfine text and the reproduction of the etchings were printed on a Canon laser printer. The book was Smythe sewn at Spectrum Bindery and is enclosed in a clamshell box” (Center for Book Arts online statement).
      The Small Edition was intended to be sold at a cheaper price of $450. However, according to the publisher, most of the print run was cancelled after being produced. An unknown number of copies are extant; one copy is known to be publicly accessible (Waldo Library, Western Michigan University). See “Bibliographic Description” for a fuller overview of Agrippa and exact specifications.

Work with book in Virtual Lightbox

Early or unique prototypes, mock-ups, and prospectuses for Agrippa (a book of the dead)

Comment on Agrippa and its archival materials. Or make suggestions for The Agrippa Files site.

Original or reprinted scholarly writings on Agrippa. The Agrippa Files solicit submissions of additional scholarly works (full or excerpted). Original creative works that allude to, borrow from, respond to, or in some other way negotiate with Agrippa are also solicited. Contact the editors.

Commentary on Agrippa (a book of the dead)