The Zirist Rizir Book and Album (The Zirist Book by A Seattleite).

4to, unpaginated, printed rectos only on several different colored paper stocks. First edition. Stapled in wraps with sewn silk-like cloth to spine. Very Good or slightly better, some staining here and there throughout, mostly minimal, with a few larger stains, seldom affecting text. Wraps a tad creased at upper rear corner. An astounding piece of outsider art/literature by an inventor and eccentric born Johan Pacifico de Mario in New Jersey and buried Ziriz Zirist “Shorty” Rizir in Nevada, though for a time he was a “Seattleite.” Likely distributed by the author to libraries, spiritual groups, etc. in hopes of preserving its message, the book is a collection of Rizir’s oddball philosophical and spiritual beliefs, including numerology, astrology, and his own “40 commandments for Righteousness,” alongside many other discrete chapters on esoteric and more earthly subjects. Photos of the author’s life and work are featured throughout the book, often without much commentary: the author digging in fields, panning for gold; machines and vehicles; architectural studies (?); various mining awards; the author’s inventions; plus several rather striking stenciled illustrations. Also of note is the author’s peculiar spelling throughout, which he notes at the beginning, “you could have done much worst,” and details later in a section called “The Rizir System of Spelling.” An overlooked piece of American outsider literature simply itching for a reexamination, and an impressive feat of self publishing. Quite scarce in the trade.…