Modern American Spiritualism: A Twenty Years' Record of the Communion between Earth and the World of Spirits.
London: James Burns, [ 1869 - 1870 ? ]. First Edition. Hardcover. Large octavo. 560pp. Superb half-leather binding by renowned London book-binder Bernard C. Middleton. Deep red calf over marbled paper boards, raised bands, gilt decorations & gilt stamped leather title label on spine. B/w frontis portrait, additional engraved title page with vignette, fold-out plate of spirit writing at rear, and 12 (of 16) engraved portraits, mostly of luminaries of American spiritualism (15 of a total of 19 plates in total thus). The scarce UK edition of Emma Hardinge's history of the first twenty years of spiritualist practice in America - one of her major works. Emma Hardinge Britten (1823-1899) was one of the most famous nineteenth century advocates of Spiritualism. She supposedly developed her psychic talents whilst employed by a secret quasi-Masonic fraternity as a medium whilst still a child. In adulthood she became one of six founding members of the Theosophical Society, and also founded an umbrella organisation for Spiritualist groups: the Spiritualists National Union. From the collection of Dr. M. H. Coleman, with his blind-stamped ex-libris seal on the front free endpaper. As noted, LACKING four plates - those at pp. 110, 116-117, & 508. Page-edges browned, occasional light foxing, still a handsome, tight, copy that would rate as VG+ were it not for the missing plates. Item #49975
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