SPIRIT SLATE WRITING AND KINDRED PHENOMENA
Book Details + Condition: Munn and Company (New York). First Edition, 1898. Hardcover with maroon gilt-decorated boards. 146 pages with Index. Includes 66 b&w illustrations. William E. Robinson's book is a well-illustrated expose of various techniques used by fraudulent Spiritual mediums. Robinson was raised a Spiritualist, and thus allows some respect for those who genuinely held their convictions. He argues and hopes that his revelations would help the earnest truth seekers in the movement, by exposing the charlatans whose tricks would otherwise drag it into disrepute. The slate-writing referenced in the title are spirit messages which would either be written automatically by the medium (often as mirror-writing), or would seemingly appear on writing-slates (similar to blackboards). Robinson explains how these effects might be created, and describes the methods behind numerous other creative deceptions. Chapters include:
- The Single Slate
- The Double Slate
- Miscellaneous Slate Tests
- Mind Reading and Kindred Phenomena
- Table Lifting and Spirit Rapping
- Post Tests, Handcuffs, Spirit Collars, etc.
- Miscellaneous Tricks
- And more.
Firm binding; rubbed corners and edges; normal aging and wear to boards, with a bit of rubbing/discoloration; bookplate and stamp to front endpapers, with same owner stamp to title page (interestingly, both appear to be actors); interior is otherwise clean and free of markings.
