Madame Piper Et La Societe Anglo-Americaine Pour Les Recherches Psychiques.
Paris: P.-G. Leymarie Editeur, 1902. Quatrième Édition. Hardcover. Octavo. viii + 272pp. Attractive contemporary binding, vellum spine and corners over brown patterned cloth boards, gilt lettered leather spine label. FRENCH text. Mrs. Leonore E. Piper was an American trance medium, who was first studied closely by Professor William James and then by Dr. Hodgson, and other members of the American Society for Psychical Research over a number of years. Her mediumistic powers were said to have been fired by a visit to a French clairvoyant, after which she began channeling an Indian girl with the unlikely name of 'Chlorine' (?) and thereafter a number of others including Bach and Longfellow. The séances held by Piper, the wife of a Boston shop holder, were kept under close scrutiny for nearly twenty years by the American Society for Psychical Research, and the British Society for Psychical Research, but with little suggestion of irregularity, and it was the experience of working with her that largely led to the acceptance of the validity of Spiritualism by the likes of Sir Oliver Lodge and Hodgson. This volume presents a broad examniation of Piper, with biographical notes, descriptions of her sittings, her mediumship in the broader context of Spiritualist activities, the possibility of fraud, etc. etc. It was first published thus (in French), this being the fourth edition, and was later translated into English under the title "Mrs. Piper and the Society for Psychical Research." Originally a softcover, rebound without wrappers, as was typical (indeed intended) with French books of that period. Boards a little rubbed overall with some light chips to edges of cloth, vellum a bit darkened and discoloured, pages unevenly browned, text unmarked. Overall a tight & clean VG+ copy. Item #63038
Price: $50.00