Al Azif

The Original Cipher Manuscript

Edición de la obra Al azif

The Owlswick edition of Al Azif was created to have copies in card catalogues in various places such as the British Library and the Library of Congress. The first and last signatures are unique, and the rest of the book is a repeating signature for volume. It was limited to 348 copies [13^2 * 2 + 10 (the + 10 due to carry error)] with was about the market for people who would appreciate being a part of the fun. Owlswick made very certain that each purchaser understood the book was not real—a thing that secondhand sellers of the book were and are not as careful about. Most of the book is written in Duriac. A name suggested by L. Sprague de Camp based on the alphabet, Syriac, chosen as the model hand, and the initial letter of the last name of the calligrapher. The calligrapher created three large pages, a few large text pieces for insertion, and a final page, before he was drafted into the Army. The pages used in the book were sub portions of those three pages, along with some of larger samples and the end page. One of the problems was, the calligrapher learned how to write the hand and two of the pages were much more evenly spaced and rhythmic. The page that was the first page written, was used to create the final pages as it looked like the original writer falling under the influence of the material. The calligrapher was also involved in the design of the book and is listed as the designer. No mention is made of his involvement in the Duriac script. A paperback edition released by a different publisher removed references to the calligrapher. Five copies were specially bound and signed by the de Camp, George Scithers, and the calligrapher and given to each of the five involved.