Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Handwritten Manuscript Collection on Seances and Spiritualism.

CONAN DOYLE, Arthur.

$25,000.00

Item Number: 146985

Rare archive of eight unsigned handwritten manuscripts by Arthur Conan Doyle containing notes on seances and Spiritualism, totaling eleven pages on nine sheets, most undated but circa 1920s. Eleven pages on nine sheets, autograph manuscript ranging in size from 3.5 inches by 5 inches to 8.25 inches x 10.5 inches. For many of his later years, Doyle intensely pursued his interest in paranormal phenomena, and by the end of World War I he identified himself as a Spiritualist, believing in a spirit world and the ability to communicate with those beyond the grave. He established the specialized Psychic Bookshop in 1925, devoted entirely to the sale of spiritualistic and psychic books; he later formed a small museum in the basement, showcasing various objects relevant to ghosts and the spirit world. In the following notes and manuscripts, Doyle documents his firsthand experiences with spirits and seances, recording specific instances of ‘spirit rapping,’ clairvoyance, and ‘spirit voices’ heard on the telephone. The collection includes:

A handwritten page headed “Seance with Mrs. Falconer, Feb. 2/22,” in part: “Clairvoyant who spoke sometimes thro’ her control – sometimes possessed. Lady came with flowers & love. Wallace (apparently) with congratulations… Prof. Simpson said I should uphold client. Judge Dewar said he was with his boy. Knew more than he did… .Bonnie. Scotch girl who sang. Said I had a great Spirit escort with me.” In his 1926 book of essays, The History of Spiritualism, Doyle notes that ‘Mrs. Falconer, of Edinburgh, is… a trance medium of considerable power.’ The sheet is affixed to a larger scrapbook page, with a letter to Doyle by Spiritualist lecturer Horace Leaf affixed on the reverse.

A handwritten page headed “Seance with Mr. Love & Ness’ Circle in Glasgow. Feb. 8/22,” in part: “Lights the electric flasher. Voices on the telephone. Russell Wallace who belled me & said he would always be with us. K.C.P. who said he loved to come. Said he was always with me on the platform. That he adored Denis & would guard him. That he was happy. That he hoped I would see him soon… Scotch soldier… had 4 days of misery. ‘I am not an angel but am on my way to it.’ Caruso sang twice. Stead said a few words… Poor Russian came said ‘Poor mother! Poor mother! Starving in Moscow.’ Oscovitch or some such name.”

A lengthy handwritten manuscript dated June 26, 1924, in part: “I had a sitting… at the Psychic College. I had made the appointment anonymously… She announced to me afterwards that she did not recognise me. The light was subdued. In any case she had no means of knowing my prophetic information. This is merely an extract. Her pride, White Hawk, speaking. A young Brave is here. Leslie. (Leslie was my brother in law killed in the war. What follows is so characteristic of my son that I think it is possible they were both present). He was connected with Mary on the earth plane. (Mary is my surviving elder daughter). He tell me that Mary very clever make harmony – music, you call it. (This is true. She composes brilliantly)… Leslie says, ‘Give out the message fearlessly. Tell them of the coming world changes. Prepare the way. They will listen to you. We are only at the beginning.’ (When will it come?)… You have a book – not what George wrote but what the old time people – yes, the Bible. You are told in the Revelations of the wrath to come. The first trial is past. The second is beginning and he tells me you will be interested. The next is pestilence, famine. Before long there will come a mysterious disease among the children. That is the beginning of the pestilence. The power of cure is given to those people who have the knowledge and the cure will be the laying on of hands… Tell the people that over the heavens there are signs now showing you those who have eyes to see… You will read Revelations with greater understanding.”

Handwritten notes on a sheet of Windlesham letterhead, in part: “The first night at Hydesville. Dr. Campbell’s narrative. ‘The neighbours called in others who after investigation were so much confounded as at first. The family being somewhat alarmed & much fatigued left the house for the night. It rapped the ages of every one present & the numbers of their children, which two girls of 9 and 7 could hardly know. William… went into the cellar with several others & made every one else leave the house in spite of which they had raps above them. He sent Stephen Smith up to confirm the fact that no one was above them. Mrs. Hardinge’s account… ‘As it was deemed best for Mrs. Fox & her children to seek the shelter of a neighbour’s house on the night of March 31, when they had departed Mr. Fox & his neighbours (70 or 80) remained to question the mysterious visitor by the knocks.'”

Handwritten notes on a sheet of Hotel Majestic letterhead, in part: “Have just had a remarkable sitting with Mrs. Stansfield of Bradford in the house of Mrs. Gould… There came raps on the floor. I asked if it was some one who died in France. Yes. Whom I know? No. Would it spell? Raymond. Did it know my son, my brother, Henry Irving. Yes. All 5 were happy. He would take my love to each. He knew that his father was doing great work in America… Then we tried the crystal. Got a note from R appended. Then a drawing of Nurse Cavell Monument, beautiful. This medium was sent to Kirkstall Abbey to find a ruby. Found it… uncut gem. Had it cut & made three good rings from it. She has one, Mrs. Gould one. Saw them.”

A handwritten note on a blank envelope, in full: “Account of a seance as given by Alexander Henry among the Red Indians in 1759 corresponding very closely with one which is given in ‘Old New Zealand as occurring among the Marois early in the 18th century.”

A handwritten note on a White Star Line stationery envelope, in full: “A dark spirit might steal up to a mediumistic light as a tiger might steal up to the camp fire of a traveller. Note in the Voyage – that the American workman comes from Monday to Saturday. It used to be from Tuesday or Wednesday to Saturday.”

A partial manuscript, marked “3,” transcribing a quote by physicist and Spiritualist researcher Oliver Lodge: “I tell you with all the strength of the conviction which I can muster that we do persist, that people continue to take an interest in what is going on, & that they are able to communicate with us. I say it on scientific grounds. I say that certain dead friends of mine exist because I have talked with them.”

In fine condition. Housed in a custom clamshell box. An exceptional collection documenting Conan Doyle’s experiences with the spiritual realm.

Doyle had a longstanding interest in mystical subjects and was preoccupied by the idea of paranormal phenomena, and his fascination with the practice of communicating with the dead was amplified when his son, Kingsley, was killed in military service during World War I in 1918. He wrote several works on spiritualism including The New Revelation (1918), The Vital Message (1919), and The Wanderings of a Spiritualist (1921) and became a member of the the renowned supernaturalist organization, The Ghost Club. He established the specialized Psychic Bookshop in 1925, devoted entirely to the sale of spiritualistic and psychic books; he later formed a small museum in the basement, showcasing various objects relevant to ghosts and the spirit world.