CROOKES, William.

Researches in the Phenomena of Spiritualism [ Reprinted from The Quarterly Journal of Science ].

London: J. Burns, ND [ circa 1874 ]. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. 112pp. (+ 32pp. publisher's catalog). Original maroon cloth gilt-lettered on spine & front board; blind-stamped decorations to spine & front board, gilt rules to front board. B/w illustrations. In the EXTREMELY RARE plain paper DUST JACKET (with title lettered down spine). An important work in the history of Spiritualism. Sir William Crookes (1832-1919) was renowned as one of the great physicists of his time. In 1869 he was introduced to 'psychic phenomena' in a sitting with a medium, and soon after resolved to undertake a thorough study of Spiritualism, his particular focus being on the medium Daniel Dunglas Home (one of whose feats was to apparently play an according, placed in a basket under a table at which he sat). Crookes' enthusiastic accounts, published in the 'Quarterly Journal of Science' from 1871 onwards, provoked outrage in the scientific community, and led to much heated debate and scathing replies. This volume reproduces in book form the essays by Crookes which ignited the controversy, as well as his rebuttals of some of the criticisms. There seem to be at least three issues of the first edition: distinguishable from one another by the title-page. These are more or less identical save that this issues gives the publisher as "J. Burns" and is undated, another issue has "James Burns" and is undated, and another has "J. Burns" and the year "1874." Precedence of issue is not known, although it would be commonly (but not necessarily correctly) assumed that the issue with the year on the title-page was the first. Three photocopies of the title-pages from the variant editions are loosely-inserted. From the collection of Dr. M. H. Coleman, with his ex-libris seal blind-stamped on the front free endpaper. Page-edges lightly foxed & browned, otherwise this is a remarkably bright & clean VG+ copy in Good + plain paper dust jacket (dust jacket marked & discolored, edge chips & tears). Item #49103

Sold