Scottish author (1859–1930) whose stories featuring fictional detective Sherlock Holmes revolutionized the genre of crime fiction. Holmes himself would eventually earn a place among the most familiar and durable characters in the annals of English literature, and his exploits would inspire countless incarnations on stage and screen. ANS signed “A. Conan Doyle,” on the correspondence side of a photo postcard of The Grand, Folkestone, 5.25 x 3.5, no date. Note to an unidentified recipient. In full: “Wells & Spiritualism. Please note that in my article on p 3 line 6 it should read ‘by Sr. Geley, Madame Bisson’—and so on.” In very good condition, with a central vertical fold, pencil notations to top left, and scattered light soiling.
In 1887 Doyle was first introduced to Spiritualism and became a devout spiritualist, writing and holding international lecture tours about the quasi-religion. This undated postcard written, circa 1926, provided a correction to an article he had written that contained references to Dr. Gustave Geley and Madame Juliette Bisson, two pioneer psychical researchers. Mme Bisson along with her husband French playright Alexandre Bisson held séances from 1909-1913 in their home with the celebrated medium Eve C. (later identified as Marthe Beraud). Joined by Baron Albert von Shrenck-Notzing, Mme Bisson conducted the first known scientific experiments of ectoplasm using spirit photography. After 1914, Dr. Gustave Geley, the director of the Insitut Metaphysique in Paris, began his own investigations into physical manifestation with Eva C. He declared these ectoplasmic episodes as genuine but she later would be proven a fraud. Doyle mentioned the two researchers in his writings on Spiritualism and wrote a book about Geley's studies in Dr. Geley’s Experiments in Ectoplasm. Ironically, some of Doyle's best fiction was written after he took up Spiritualism, including The Hound of the Baskervilles, but he killed off his famed detective Sherlock Holmes to pursue his missionary work in Spiritualism. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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