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[[File:WIZARDS - Mythical Monsters and other works.jpg|right|240px|thumb|Books by Wizards Bookshelf]]
'''Irving Kane Pond''' (1857-1939) and his brother Allen Bartlitt Pond (1858–1929)
'''Wizards Bookshelf''' was a publishing house operated by [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Blavatsky]] scholar Richard Robb. The company was founded in Minneapolis in 1972, and later moved to San Diego, California. It continued producing books until 2006[?].


== The Secret Doctrine Reference Series ==
== Personal life ==
[[File:Irving_Kane_Pond,_1876.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Irving Kane Pond, 1876]]


=== History of the series ===
== Architectural work ==
 
=== Training and early work ===
 
=== Philosophy and style ===
<blockquote>
The Ponds sought to create a modern American architecture without rejecting architectural stylistic traditions, but simplifying them through the emphasis of geometry and the inherent quality of building materials and construction. In that regard, the Ponds were strongly influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, with the emphasis on honest materials used honestly.<ref>David Swan, Preface to ''The Autobiography of Irving K. Pond: The Sons of Mary and Eliihu'' ed.David Swan and Terry Tatum (Oak Park, Ill: The Hyoogen Press, 2009), vii.</ref>
</blockquote>
 
Strong sense of social responsibility .....


Mr. Robb wrote about the beginnings of Wizards Bookshelf in ''Sunrise'' in November 1975:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
''The Secret Doctrine'' was written for the Western world to stem the tide of abject materialism. No messenger made his appearance in glowing aura to impress the multitude and, if he had, he would probably have been completely ignored. Instead, we have a book designed to gain acceptance in the minds of thinking men for many long years to come. The form and content of the S.D. is such that the student is constantly referred to the thoughts and ideas of hundreds of authors, all of whom are generally tending in the same direction.
Stylistically Irving Pond did not totally fit in one category or another. He stood in the role of an intermediary, halfway between the revolutionary aesthetics and technology of the Chicago School and the Prairie School and the taste for traditional architecture his clients often felt that precedent or literary aesthetics required. His architecture used traditional materials especially brick and employed traditional forms such as gable roofs, but his designs embraced a geometric simplicity with no embellishments — a tenet of the Arts & Crafts movement.<ref>from Ravinia School nomination ..... </ref>
</blockquote>


Some people have claimed that the 750 and more books cited are merely proofs. But what are proofs? If these references are by sheer weight of numbers designed to force people to believe the validity of the teachings developed in the S.D., then surely the exposition could have been far more explicit and detailed, thus removing from the mind of the inquirer any chance of doubt. But this is not the case. As stated in the Preface, there is simply not room enough to explain the complete scheme of nature in two volumes. It would take a thousand volumes. Moreover, the ideas expressed are often obscure to the Western mind, because we have no background. Background in these areas is best supplied by the very sources that are used, and the reader will discover that there are perhaps 40 or 50 out of the 750+ books referred to that are mentioned with regularity.
=== Participation in architectural organizations ===
When I first became interested in The Secret Doctrine, an interest that was fostered by happenstance — an encounter with a copy of The Mahatma Letters in a small bookstore in New Orleans — I felt the work was utterly impossible, that there was little chance that I would ever be able to understand it. However, I found parts so interesting that I continued to read. Whole paragraphs passed without the least bit of comprehension, but occasionally a page really made sense to me.


That was in 1965. Several people told me that the S.D. could not be read per se, but used only as a sort of dictionary or reference work. Be that as it may, I started and read the entire two volumes all the way through. When I had finished, two things were uppermost in my mind: first, that I was utterly ignorant; and secondly, that my education had left me totally unprepared for the study of The Secret Doctrine. Here was a range of knowledge that required effort and scholarly endeavor, books that I had never heard of before, whole subject areas that were foreign to me. As it turned out, I really was motivated to begin my education over again. And in so doing I set out to find some of the books quoted or referred to in the S.D. Of course, these were rather scarce and I didn't locate them immediately. However, after a time I discovered a copy of ''The Source of Measures'' on a used book list and sent away for it. The parts of [[J. Ralston Skinner|Skinner's]] treatise that I did understand were an absolute revelation to me. "Why," I thought, "hadn't the Masons made a point of preserving this text, so rare and valuable as it is?" Inquiries of local Masons indicated that they possessed little knowledge of the subject matter. At length, I became convinced of the absolute necessity of preserving the text of ''The Source of Measures'', regardless of cost or its public acceptance. Some day, somewhere, there would be men who would fasten upon these ideas. Though utterly unacquainted with the publishing industry, I did finally succeed in reprinting 535 copies. Response to advertisements was nonexistent. However, a few copies were sold, and I was encouraged to the extent that I considered a second title — ''The Book of Enoch''. Since then the list of titles has steadily grown.
=== Gallery of architectural projects ===
'''The L. W. Rogers Building and similar structures'''
[[File:Rogers_Building_1a.jpg|center|400px|thumb|L. W. Rogers Building, 1926]]


Thus the "Secret Doctrine Reference Series" (published by Wizards Bookshelf) came into being. It is fundamentally designed to guarantee future generations access to the ideas contained in the already rare and difficult-to-obtain titles of past centuries. These works, if hard to find today, will be impossible to locate a hundred years from now.
<gallery widths="200px" perrow="4">
There are many whose spiritual longing and philosophical inquiry are too sacred to be exposed among strangers or even among friends who they suspect may have entirely different views. The fact is, it is the written word that allows the student the privacy of his own thoughts, that gives rise to the most profound aspirations and the most intuitive insights It is literature, then due to its impersonal character, its relative permanence and its very silence, that has motivated us.
File:MIchigan Union, 1919.png|Michigan Union, 1919
</blockquote>
File:Purdue Memorial Union, 1924.JPG||Purdue Memorial Union, 1924
File:Kansas Memorial Union, 1927.png|Kansas Memorial Union, 1927
File:Michigan League, 1929.jpg|Michigan League, 1929
</gallery>
 
'''Examples of other buildings'''
 
<gallery widths="200px" perrow="4">
File:Highland Park Club House..png|Highland Park Club House, 1891
File:Oregon Public Library.jpg|Oregon Public Library, 1909
File:Manor House Kenosha.jpg|Manor House, Kenosha, WI, 1926
</gallery>
 
== Other activities ==
 
Chicago Literary Club
Hull-House
 
=== Circus and acrobatics ===
 
=== Social clubs and memberships ===
 
== Writings ==
 
* '''''The Meaning Of Architecture: An Essay In Constructive Criticism'''''. Boston, Marshall Jones Company, 1918. 226 pages, illustrations. Available at [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/971540.html Hathitrust] and several versions at [https://archive.org/details/meaningofarchite00pond Internet Archive]. A historical reproduction of the 1923 edition is available at [https://www.amazon.com/meaning-architecture-essay-constructive-criticism/dp/1117177548 Amazon.com].
* '''"Eliel Saarinen and his work a word of appreciation and greeting"'''. 1923. Available at [https://books.google.com/books?id=bctPAAAAMAAJ and [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015008062880&seq=1 Hathitrust]. Pages extracted from ''The Western Architect'' 32 no. 7 (July, 1923): 75-76 plus plates.
* '''''A Day Under the Big Top, a Study in Life and Art'''''. Chicago: Chicago Literary Club, 1924. 40 pages, with 4 diagrams. "Edition, five hundred and fifteen copies, printed for members of the club in the month of March, nineteen hundred and twenty-four." About circus and acrobatics. Available at [https://books.google.com/books?id=tWB0SUDY1JoC Google Books] and [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015062226652&seq=7 Hathitrust].
* '''''The College Union'''''.  [New York], 1931. 16 pages. Limited availability at [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015004162973 Hathitrust] and [https://books.google.com/books?id=a_fVAAAAMAAJ Google Books].
* '''"Pullman - America's First Planned Industrial Town"'''. Illinois society of architects. ''Monthly bulletin'' vol. 18-19, nos. 12-1, June-July, 1934. 6-8 pages.
* '''''Big Top Rhythms: A Study in Art and Life''''', written and illustrated by Pond. Chicago, New York, Willett, Clark and Company, 1937. 229 pages, illustrations.
* '''''A Strange Fellow, and Other Club Papers''''', written and illustrated by Pond New York, Chicago, Priv. Print. by Willett, Clark and Company, 1938. 224 pages, illustrations. Available at [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/2976903.html Hathitrust], [https://libsysdigi.library.illinois.edu/OCA/Books2012-05/strangefellowoth00ilpond/ Open Content Alliance], and  [https://archive.org/details/strangefellowoth00ilpond Internet Archive].
* '''''The Autobiography of Irving K. Pond''''', written in the 1930s and published posthumously. Edited by Terry Tatum and David Swan. Oak Park, IL: Hyoogen Press, 2009.
 
== Additional resources ==
 
=== Articles ===


Richard Robb wrote of [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Helena Petrovna Blavatsky's]] work '''[[The Secret Doctrine (book)|''The Secret Doctrine'']]''':  
* Szuberla, Guy. "⁨Irving Kane Pond: a Michigan Architect in Chicago" ''Old Northwest'' 5 no. 2 (Summer, 1979): 109-140.
<blockquote>
''The Secret Doctrine'' is a timeless synthesis of philosophy, science, religion, history and metaphysics; its bibliography of over 1,000 books and journals draws upon many languages, and it has been called the most abstruse work in English.<ref>Richard Robb email to Michael Conlin. October 29, 2023. Theosophical Society in America Archives.</ref> 
</blockquote>


{|style="margin: 0 auto;"
=== Books ===
| [[File:Wizards_Bookshelf_MEC_set.jpg|400px|center|thumb|SD Reference Series with Blavatsky books. Owned by Michael Conlin]]
|}
=== List of titles in the series ===


* '''''The Divine Pymander of Hermes''''' translated from Arabic by John Everard, 1884. San Diego, 1978.
* Pond, Irving Kane. '''''The Autobiography of Irving K. Pond: The Sons of Mary and Elihu''''' ed.David Swan and Terry Tatum. Oak Park, Ill: The Hyoogen Press, 2009.
* '''''The Virgin of the World: Hermes''''' translated by Dr. Anna Kingsford.
* '''''The Book of Enoch the Prophet''''' translated from Ethiopic by Richard Laurence, 1883. Minneapolis, 1973, 1976. San Diego, 1995.
* '''''Esoteric Budhism''''' by A.P. Sinnett. 1885 5th edition with annotations by author. Minneapolis, 1973.
* '''''The Origin & Significance of the Gt Pyramid''''' by C. Staniland Wake, 1882. Minneapolis, 1975. San Diego,1979.
* '''''The Eleusinian & Bacchic Mysteries''''' translated by Thomas Taylor, notes by Alexander  Wilder, 1875. San Diego, 1980.
* '''''The Chaldean Account of Genesis: containing the description of the creation, the fall of man, the deluge, the tower of Babel, the times of the patriarchs, and Nimrod: Babylonian fables, and legends of the gods, from the cuneiform inscriptions''''' translated from Cuneiform tablets by George Smith, 1876. San Diego, 1994.
* '''''Sacred Mysteries Among the Mayas & Quiches, 11,500 years ago. Their relation to the sacred mysteries of Egypt, Greece, Chaldea and India.''''' by Augustus LePleongeon, 1886. Minneapolis, 1973.
* '''''The Theosophist: Volume I''''' edited by H.P. Blavatsky. 320p.
* '''''On the Mysteries of the Egyptian, Chaldeans, and Assyrians''''' by Iamblichus, translated by Thomas Taylor, 1821. San Diego, 1984, 1997.
* '''''The Desatir: or, The sacred writings of the ancient Persian prophets, together with the commentary of the fifth Sasan''''' translated by Mulla Fīrūz ibn Kāvūs and Dhunjeebhoy Jamsetjee Medhora, 1818. Minneapolis, 1975, 1979.
* '''''The Pythagorean Triangle''''' by George Oliver.
* '''''Key to the Hebrew-Egyptian Mystery in the Source of Measures, originating the British inch and the ancient cubit, with index & notes''''' by J. Ralston Skinner, 1894. Minneapolis, 1972. San Diego, 1982.
* '''''The Gnostics & Their Remains, Ancient and Mediaeval''''' by Charles W. King in 1887. Minneapolis, 1973. San Diego, 1982.
* '''''Mythological Astronomy of the Ancients Demonstrated''''' by Samson Arnold Mackay. Revised 2nd edition 1826.
* '''''The Zohar: Bereshith, Genesis: an expository translation from Hebrew''''' translated by Nurho de Manhar and John H. Drais. San Diego, 1978.
* '''''Mathematics Useful for Understanding Plato''''' by Theon of Smyrna, translated by Robert & Deborah Lawlor. San Diego, 1979.
* '''''Surya Siddhanta (Hindu astronomy)''''' translated by E. Burgess & W.D. Whitney.
* '''''New Platonism and Alchemy: a sketch of the doctrines and principal teachers of the Eclectic or Alexandrian school; also an outline of the interior doctrines of the alchemists of the middle ages''''' by Dr. Alexander Wilder, 1869. Minneapolis, 1975.
* '''''The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac''''' by T. Subba Row.
* '''''Cratylus, Phaedo, Parmenides, Timaeus, & Critius''''' by Plato translated by Thomas Taylor, 1793 edition, reset. Minneapolis, 1975.
* '''''Ancient Fragments of the Phoenician, Chaldaean, Egyptian, Tyrian, Carthaginian, India, Persian, and other writers: with an introductory dissertation and an inquiry into the philosophy and trinity of the ancients''''' translated by Isaac Preston Cory, 1832. Minneapolis, 1975.
* '''''Posthumous Humanity: a study of phantoms, to which is added an appendix shewing the popular beliefs current in India respecting the post-mortem vicissitudes of the human entity''''' by Adolphe D'Assier translated by Henry S. Olcott, 1887. San Diego, 1981.
* '''''The Anugita, being a translation of Sancrit manuscipts from the Asvamedha Parvan of the Mahabharata, and being a natural adjunct to the Bhagavad Gita''''' translated by Kashinath Tribak Telang. San Diego 1981.
* '''''Mythical Monsters''''' by Charles Gould. San Diego, 1981.
* '''''Life of Philippus Theophrastus, Bombast of Hohenheim: known by the name of Paracelsus, and the substance of his teachings concerning cosmology, anthropology, pneumatology, magic and sorcery, medicine, alchemy and astrology, philosophy and theosophy''''' by Dr. Franz Hartmann. San Diego, 1985.
* '''''The Qabbalah: the philosophical writings of Solomon ben Hehudah ibn Gebirol, or Avicebron, and their connection with the Hebrew Qabbalah and Sepher ha-Zohar... Also, an ancient lodge of initiates, translated from the Zohar, and an abstract of an essay upon the Chinese Qabbalah contained in the book called the Yih King''''' by Isaac Myer, intro by H.P. Blavatsky, 1888. San Diego, 1988.
* '''''Sepher Yetzireh''''' translated by W. W. Westcott.
* '''''Sod, the Sun of Man''''' by S.F. Dunlap.


== Other books published ==
=== Archival collections ===


* '''''Astronomy & Astrology of the Babylonians, with translations of the tablets relating to these subjects''''' by A.H. Sayce. San Diego, 1981.
* '''The University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library'''.
* '''''Symposium on H.P. Blavatsky's Secret Doctrine held at San Diego, California, Sat & Sun July 21-22, 1984; proceedings; seventeen papers from four countries'''''. San Diego, 1984.
** [https://findingaids.lib.umich.edu/catalog/umich-bhl-852090 Pond Family Papers, 1841-1939]. "Correspondence of Elihu B. Pond, editor of Michigan Argus, his sons, Chicago architects, Irving Kane and Allen Bartlit Pond, founders of firm of Pond & Pond, and other family members; include materials concerning family affairs, architectural projects, Jane Addams and the work of Hull House, European travels, politics especially as relates to period of the Civil War and the election of 1896; also photographs, architectural drawings and other visual materials."
* '''''The Fragments That Remain of the Lost Writings of Proclus, surnamed the Platonic successor''''' translated by Thomas Taylor, 1825. San Diego, 1988.
* '''The Art Institute of Chicago: Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives''', Chicago, Illinois.
* '''''The Books of Kiu-Te in the Tibetan Buddhist Tantras''''' by David Reigle. San Diego, 1983.
** [https://www.artic.edu/artworks/262324/pond-and-pond-collection Pond and Pond Collection, c.1895-1938]. "Correspondence, albums, black and white photographic prints, architectural drawings, and architectural reprographic prints."
* '''''H.P. Blavatsky and the Secret Doctrine''''' by Max Heindel, 1933. San Diego, 1991.
* '''The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts''', Chicago, Illinois.
* '''''The Point Loma Theosophical Society: a list of publications, 1898-1942''''' by Lauren R. Brown. San Diego, 1977.
** [https://explore.chicagocollections.org/ead/newberry/72/xw4 American Circus Collection, 1891-1939]. "Late 19th and early 20th century circus and theater related illustrations, publicity, programs, photographs and memorabilia" donated by Irving Kane Pond, 1939.
* '''''Blavatsky's Secret Books: twenty years' research = Gsaṅ baʼi rgyud sid''''' by David and Nancy Reigle. San Diego, 1999.
** [https://archives.newberry.org/repositories/2/resources/398 Chicago Literary Club records]. Irving Kane Pond was active in this club, and its records include "weekly papers read by over 250 members, but also correspondence, minutes, a visitors' register, cashbook, and scrapbooks."
* '''Columbia University Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library''', New York.
** [https://findingaids.library.columbia.edu/pdf/cul-3460598.pdf Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue architectural drawings and papers 3460598]. Materials related to Irving Kane Pond, Claude Bragdon, and many other architects.
* '''Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog''' Historic American Buildings Survey, Engineering Record, Landscapes Survey, Washington DC.
** [https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/il1014/ Junior League of Chicago, 1447 North Astor Street, Chicago, Cook County, IL]
* '''The Athenaeum of Philadelphia''', Philadelphia, PA.
** [https://archives.philaathenaeum.org/agents/people/116 Pond, Irving K. (Irving Kane), 1857-1939]. "Correspondence to Seeler from architects, designers, and/or members of theAmerican Institute of Architects, both in Boston and Washington DC."


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
<references/>
<references/>


[[Category:Publishing companies|Wizards Bookshelf]]
[[Category:Architects|Pond, Irving Kane]]
[[Category:Writers|Pond, Irving Kane]]
[[Category:Nationality American|Pond, Irving Kane]]
[[Category:People|Pond, Irving Kane]]

Latest revision as of 18:40, 19 May 2026

Irving Kane Pond (1857-1939) and his brother Allen Bartlitt Pond (1858–1929)

Personal life

Irving Kane Pond, 1876

Architectural work

Training and early work

Philosophy and style

The Ponds sought to create a modern American architecture without rejecting architectural stylistic traditions, but simplifying them through the emphasis of geometry and the inherent quality of building materials and construction. In that regard, the Ponds were strongly influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, with the emphasis on honest materials used honestly.[1]

Strong sense of social responsibility .....

Stylistically Irving Pond did not totally fit in one category or another. He stood in the role of an intermediary, halfway between the revolutionary aesthetics and technology of the Chicago School and the Prairie School and the taste for traditional architecture his clients often felt that precedent or literary aesthetics required. His architecture used traditional materials especially brick and employed traditional forms such as gable roofs, but his designs embraced a geometric simplicity with no embellishments — a tenet of the Arts & Crafts movement.[2]

Participation in architectural organizations

Gallery of architectural projects

The L. W. Rogers Building and similar structures

L. W. Rogers Building, 1926

Examples of other buildings

Other activities

Chicago Literary Club Hull-House

Circus and acrobatics

Social clubs and memberships

Writings

  • The Meaning Of Architecture: An Essay In Constructive Criticism. Boston, Marshall Jones Company, 1918. 226 pages, illustrations. Available at Hathitrust and several versions at Internet Archive. A historical reproduction of the 1923 edition is available at Amazon.com.
  • "Eliel Saarinen and his work a word of appreciation and greeting". 1923. Available at and [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015008062880&seq=1 Hathitrust. Pages extracted from The Western Architect 32 no. 7 (July, 1923): 75-76 plus plates.
  • A Day Under the Big Top, a Study in Life and Art. Chicago: Chicago Literary Club, 1924. 40 pages, with 4 diagrams. "Edition, five hundred and fifteen copies, printed for members of the club in the month of March, nineteen hundred and twenty-four." About circus and acrobatics. Available at Google Books and Hathitrust.
  • The College Union. [New York], 1931. 16 pages. Limited availability at Hathitrust and Google Books.
  • "Pullman - America's First Planned Industrial Town". Illinois society of architects. Monthly bulletin vol. 18-19, nos. 12-1, June-July, 1934. 6-8 pages.
  • Big Top Rhythms: A Study in Art and Life, written and illustrated by Pond. Chicago, New York, Willett, Clark and Company, 1937. 229 pages, illustrations.
  • A Strange Fellow, and Other Club Papers, written and illustrated by Pond New York, Chicago, Priv. Print. by Willett, Clark and Company, 1938. 224 pages, illustrations. Available at Hathitrust, Open Content Alliance, and Internet Archive.
  • The Autobiography of Irving K. Pond, written in the 1930s and published posthumously. Edited by Terry Tatum and David Swan. Oak Park, IL: Hyoogen Press, 2009.

Additional resources

Articles

  • Szuberla, Guy. "⁨Irving Kane Pond: a Michigan Architect in Chicago" Old Northwest 5 no. 2 (Summer, 1979): 109-140.

Books

  • Pond, Irving Kane. The Autobiography of Irving K. Pond: The Sons of Mary and Elihu ed.David Swan and Terry Tatum. Oak Park, Ill: The Hyoogen Press, 2009.

Archival collections

  • The University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library.
    • Pond Family Papers, 1841-1939. "Correspondence of Elihu B. Pond, editor of Michigan Argus, his sons, Chicago architects, Irving Kane and Allen Bartlit Pond, founders of firm of Pond & Pond, and other family members; include materials concerning family affairs, architectural projects, Jane Addams and the work of Hull House, European travels, politics especially as relates to period of the Civil War and the election of 1896; also photographs, architectural drawings and other visual materials."
  • The Art Institute of Chicago: Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives, Chicago, Illinois.
  • The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts, Chicago, Illinois.
    • American Circus Collection, 1891-1939. "Late 19th and early 20th century circus and theater related illustrations, publicity, programs, photographs and memorabilia" donated by Irving Kane Pond, 1939.
    • Chicago Literary Club records. Irving Kane Pond was active in this club, and its records include "weekly papers read by over 250 members, but also correspondence, minutes, a visitors' register, cashbook, and scrapbooks."
  • Columbia University Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, New York.
  • Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog Historic American Buildings Survey, Engineering Record, Landscapes Survey, Washington DC.
  • The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.

Notes

  1. David Swan, Preface to The Autobiography of Irving K. Pond: The Sons of Mary and Eliihu ed.David Swan and Terry Tatum (Oak Park, Ill: The Hyoogen Press, 2009), vii.
  2. from Ravinia School nomination .....