CRAIG CONLEY (Prof. Oddfellow) is recognized by Encarta as “America’s most creative and diligent scholar of letters, words and punctuation.” He has been called a “language fanatic” by Page Six gossip columnist Cindy Adams, a “cult hero” by Publisher’s Weekly, a “monk for the modern age” by George Parker, and “a true Renaissance man of the modern era, diving headfirst into comprehensive, open-minded study of realms obscured or merely obscure” by Clint Marsh. An eccentric scholar, Conley’s ideas are often decades ahead of their time. He invented the concept of the “virtual pet” in 1980, fifteen years before the debut of the popular “Tamagotchi” in Japan. His virtual pet, actually a rare flower, still thrives and has reached an incomprehensible size. Conley’s website is OneLetterWords.com.
"A life-sized apparition built up from the ectoplasm emanating from the medium 'Eva.' One of 201 photographs taken by Mme. Bisson and Dr. Notzing, 1909-12." From Hearst's International, 1921.
"The absolute proof of life after death." "Photograph of a materialized spirit face in formation, showing the unused viscous stuff called sctoplasm that issued from the medum 'Eva' to create these ghostlike forms. Photographed by Dr. Geley of Paris." From Hearst's International, 1921.
A photo from Baron Von Schrenck-Notzing's The Materialization of Phenomena, in which a nun's veiled face emerges from the right side of a spirit medium's head. From Current Opinion, 1922.
"Ectoplasm, an established marvel or a flimsy myth?" A photo from Baron Von Schrenck-Notzing's The Materialization of Phenomena, in which a spirit medium summons a ghost through a strong, painful effort of will. From Current Opinion, 1922.
A spirit medium is offered a job to conduct seances. He asks if food and lodging will be included and is told that lodging goes only so far as the table. From Les Hommes du Jour, 1909.
Through the course of my research, I've encountered some great vintage seances, collected here.