Hidden Light

The Richel-Eldermans collection is one of the most enigmatic sexual magic collections in the world, and can be found in the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, Boscastle, United Kingdom. The collection consists mainly of works by J.H.W. Eldermans, a former civil servant who lived in The Hague, The Netherlands. His skills are of an undeniable high quality, and his works are not only made on paper, but also in metal, wood and bone. Who was J.H.W. Eldermans, and why was he interested in sexual magic to a degree that borders on obsession? Was Eldermans acquainted with Cecil H. Williamson? Was he a member of an occult lodge called Ars Amatoria? Was J.H.W. Eldermans an unknown magister in the occult art?

The Silent Listener. The Life and Works of J.H.W. Eldermans answers these questions and shines a light upon the remarkable life and works of Johannes Hendrik Willem Eldermans, a fascinating man with an outstanding collection.

We had a conversation with Wilmar Taal the author of this book, Wilmar is a cultural historian specialized in sagas, myths and the occult sciences. He works at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, lives in Koog aan de Zaan, The Netherlands, with his wife, two daughters and two cats.