Comber, L., - The Traditional Chinese Secret Societies In Malaya. First Edn.

Singapore, Donald Moore, 1961. sm.8°. orig. stiff coloured and lettered wraps. Hftitle (verso with publ. imprint). (xii), 113pp. 5 col. plates with legends printed on clear-view tissue-guards, ills. on 3 photo-plates, 1 large col. text-illustration, many plain text-ills., figs. and diagrams, appendices 1-3: chinese character index, bibliography, general index. A concise but excellent and well-documented essay on the subject: traditional history, triad ritual, triad diciplinary code, traid Diplomas, Secret Signs & Language. The problem of present-day secret societies, or the gangs that go under this name, is that of poverty and want. (Lt.Col. B.Favre in:Les Sociétés Secrètes en Chine, 1933). Very fine copy. Scarce.