Stefan Colonna Walewski

Stefan Colonna Walewski (June 9, 1897 - May 19, 1955) was a Russian-born diplomat and antiquities specialist of Polish descent, touted in the United States as a foremost expert in occult artifacts. As proprietor of his Esoterica shop in New York City, Count Colonna-Walewski maintained a large collection of "mystic and occult curios," at one point boasting over 20,000 objects and "the largest library on demonology in America."

Background

 * Imperial Diplomatic Corps., Russian War Office, Inspector of Munitions.
 * First arrived in U.S. in 1916, naturalized as citizen in 1927.
 * Owned Esoterica at 161 East 56 St. in NYC: "Oriental, Occidental, Early Art, Ancient Cultures," "objects of comparative religions, occult and mystic sciences, superstitions, early medicines."

Selected Bibliography

 * &mdash; Walewski attributed the exercises contained in this book to his Zoroastrian teachers in the Caucasian mountains. The ad copy: "The complete doctrines of the hitherto unknown Society: how to acquire the Master Rhythm; attain Communion with the Harmonious Powers; Yoga Breath Control; all the Master Secrets. A step-by-step system detailed in the Count's precise manuscript, and illustrated by his own diagrams showing exact position for each exercise."