The Third Eye: The Autobiography of a Tibetan Lama by T. Lobsang Rampa [Cyril Henry Hoskin] - 1957

London: Secker & Warburg , 1957. Cloth. Near Fine/Very Good. 8.5" by 5.5". Tessa Theobald . The famous autobiography of a Tibetan Lama, which later turned out to be written by a British plumber by the name of Cyril Henry Hoskin. An early reprint. In the publisher's original full cloth binding with the original unclipped dust wrapper. Illustrated throughout with a full-page map and numerous vignette illustrations by Tessa Theobald. 'The Third Eye' is an autobiography of a Tibetan lama, including the traditions, customs and mythology of the time. The work was scrutinised due to its uncommon emphasis on the occult, and was later proved to be a hoax, written by a British plumber called Cyril Henry Hoskin. Hoskin claimed that his body hosted the spirit of a Tibetan lama by the name of Tuesday Lobsang Rampa. The book was turned down by numerous publishers, but once published, quickly became a global bestseller. The half title page is present. In the publisher's original, full cloth binding. Externally, excellent with little shelf wear. Some scattered spots to the rear paste-down and free endpaper. The original, unclipped dust wrapper is in smart condition. Some shelf wear to the edges. Spotting to the panels, and inside of the dust wrapper. Light sunning to the spine. Age-toning to the edges. Internally, firmly bound. Pages very bright and clean with just the odd spot throughout. Spotting to the fore-edge. Near Fine