Archive of Forty Five Seance Spirit Photographs with Spiritualist Church Founder, Wilbur E. Tolbert by Anna Larimer, Gelatin silver prints, Approximately 9 x 7 inches (each), Dated on reverse from 1954 - 1965
Condition notes - Over all in very good+ condition. One photograph has dried paper residue on the reverse, one photograph has a couple of 3/4 inch tears at edges, all have slight curling to the edges. Nearly all photographs are labeled and dated in ink on reverse in Wilbur E. Tolbert’s handwriting
Anna C. Larimer (1885-1973) was the daughter and collaborator of spirit photographer, Alexander Martin (1841-1929). Martin was best known for being featured in Harry Houdini’s book A Magician Among The Spirits, after being recommended to him by Arthur Conan Doyle, who owned a few of his glass slides and praised them as being the best spirit photographs he had ever seen. Martin and Larimer’s work within the genre was largely lost until recently.
The sitter in each photograph is Spiritual Science Church School and Camp founder, Wilbur E. Tolbert (1891-1987) of Walsh, Colorado who dedicated his life to an obsessive belief in life after death. It appears that Tolbert commissioned these portraits, and purchased a large collection of earlier photographs by Martin and Larimer with financial contributions from members of his spiritualist church.
Note- Anna C. Larimer’s daughter (Alexander Martin’s granddaughter) was also named Anna Larimer (but went by Annie). This collection of spirit photographs are almost certainly by Anna C. Larimer rather than Annie, for she continued to create spirit photographs after her fathers death and there is no known evidence of Annie ever being involved spirit photography.
Archive of Forty Five Seance Spirit Photographs with Spiritualist Church Founder, Wilbur E. Tolbert by Anna Larimer, Gelatin silver prints, Approximately 9 x 7 inches (each), Dated on reverse from 1954 - 1965
Condition notes - Over all in very good+ condition. One photograph has dried paper residue on the reverse, one photograph has a couple of 3/4 inch tears at edges, all have slight curling to the edges. Nearly all photographs are labeled and dated in ink on reverse in Wilbur E. Tolbert’s handwriting
Anna C. Larimer (1885-1973) was the daughter and collaborator of spirit photographer, Alexander Martin (1841-1929). Martin was best known for being featured in Harry Houdini’s book A Magician Among The Spirits, after being recommended to him by Arthur Conan Doyle, who owned a few of his glass slides and praised them as being the best spirit photographs he had ever seen. Martin and Larimer’s work within the genre was largely lost until recently.
The sitter in each photograph is Spiritual Science Church School and Camp founder, Wilbur E. Tolbert (1891-1987) of Walsh, Colorado who dedicated his life to an obsessive belief in life after death. It appears that Tolbert commissioned these portraits, and purchased a large collection of earlier photographs by Martin and Larimer with financial contributions from members of his spiritualist church.
Note- Anna C. Larimer’s daughter (Alexander Martin’s granddaughter) was also named Anna Larimer (but went by Annie). This collection of spirit photographs are almost certainly by Anna C. Larimer rather than Annie, for she continued to create spirit photographs after her fathers death and there is no known evidence of Annie ever being involved spirit photography.
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