Magical Alphabet: Ancient Hermetic and Talismanic Scripts of Power

This is one book that I fell in love with because of my love of magical alphabets.

(cover image not mine)

Magical Alphabet: Ancient Hermetic and Talismanic Scripts of Power is a very complete treatise of the Sage Abu Bakr Ahmed ibn 'Ali ibn Qays al-Wahshiyah, with dozens of alphabets from the Arabic tradition used in talismanic work.

Besides the normal cryptograms and secret alphabets of various philosophers, one can find special alphabets for every one of the signs of the zodiac and of the seven planets, and much, much more. This is a brand new translation, with all the nuances and hints, and illustrations by yours truely. 

This work of his, Kitab Shawq al-Mustaham, was translated and published in 1806 by Joseph Hammer as
Ancient Alphabets and Hieroglyphic Characters Explained; with an Account of the Egyptian Priests, their Classes, Initiation, and Sacrifices in the Arabic Language by Ahmad Bin Abubekr Bin Wahishih.




I'll take one alphabet  to show you the differences. This is one of my all time favourite alphabets in the book, called the Alphabet of Colphotorios.
A short extract from the old edition, page 7:

Section XIII. The alphabet of Colphotorios

the philosopher. He was deeply learned in the

knowledge of spirits and cabalistic spells, in

talismans, astrological aspects, and in the magic 

and black art. Philosophers and learned men

have used this alphabet in their books and writings

in preference to others, on account of it's different

extraordinary qualities.

This is the alphabet, as featured on page 35 of the original Arabic book:

Also, I have worked with the Arabic manuscript kept in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. [BSB-Hss Cod.arab. 789]Ibn-Wahsiya, Ahmad Ibn-×Ali: Kitab Sauq al-mustaham fi ma×rifat rumuz al-aqlam - BSB Cod.arab. 789, Constantinopel, 1791:

This is my own rendition, no Arabic letters, done in strip format to be more easily edited:

Letters A through Y

Letters K though Q 

 

Letters R though Gh.

Be on the lookout for it, or order it in advance. It's a great sourcebook.