Darstellung selbsterlebter mystischer Erscheinungen (Narrative of Personally-Experienced Strange Phenomena)

Zurich: Fr. Hanke, 1863. First edition. First edition. 91 pp. Bound in publisher’s printed yellow wrappers. Text in German. Very Good with tissue repair to spine, wear along edges and light reading wear, pencilled notations to wraps. From the collection of contemporary German occult author Baron Carl du Prel with an inscription to him in pencil on verso of front wrap. This copy was also once owned by British psychical researcher Eric John Dingwall (1890-1986) with his signature on title page in pencil. Rare.

An account of of one of the most famous 19th century hauntings, a case with many instances of poltergeist-like phenomena. In the small (truncated) Swiss town of Stans in the 1860s distinguished lawyer Melchior Joller’s household began experiencing various unexplained phenomena including strange knocking, doors slamming, disembodied voices, and even apparitions, all of which steadily increased in frequency and intensity until August 1882, when it became impossible to dismiss. Eventually Joller and his family fled to Zurich, never to return. He died three years later, his reputation ruined. This rare pamphlet is his first person account of the affair. (Inventory #: 140947147)