Mollie Fancher, The Brooklyn Enigma: An Authentic Statement of Facts in the Life of Mary J. Fancher, the Psychological Marvel of the Nineteenth Century.
Brooklyn, NY: Privately printed, 1894. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. xiv + 262pp. Maroon cloth lettered in gilt on spine. B/w frontisportrait & plates, index. This copy INSCRIBED and SIGNED by Fancher on the title-page: "Yours Sincerely Mollie Francher." The biography of Mary J. "Mollie" Fancher (1848 – 1916), AKA the "Brooklyn Enigma", who was known for her claim of not eating, or eating very little for extended periods of time. Francher supposedly suffered several accidents, which caused her to lose part or all of her senses of touch, taste, smell and sight, however, she claimed that in addition to her ability to survive without food she also developed the ability to read despite being sightless, and to make certain accurate preditions. From the collection of Dr. M. H. Coleman, with his library seal blind-stamped on the front free endpaper. Spine faded, Cloth lightly rubbed overall with a faint splash mark to rear board, spine ends and corners bruised and lightly frayed, page-edges lightly browned, pages lightly toned, else a clean VG+ copy. Item #54325
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