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1910 · réf. 76053 — Chicago: De Laurence Scott & Co. 1910. First edition of this ridiculous pirated edition. Octavo. 250 pp. plus frontispiece photographic illustration of Benares and 4 full page plates. Publisher's maroon cloth with an abundance of gilt lettering to the spine and front. Bookseller's receipt laid into font of book which has caused some offsetting to the blanks. An excellent copy.This is quite simply a garishly re-titled edition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Mystery of Cloomber" first published in 1888. Conan Doyle's fascination with Spiritualism is very well known. He once wrote in the Evening Standard in 1920- ""There are only two vital propositions in Spiritualism. These are that personality survives death without a change; the other that under proper physical conditions communication is still possible." But what is remarkable here is de Laurence's hijacking of the title with almost no credit given to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. On the title page all that is given is the miserly attribution to "A.C.D." On the front cover in bright and bold gilt we read "Editorship of Dr. L W. deLaurence" It is not clear how it is possible but deLaurence even copyrighted it 1910. His publishing company De Laurence Scott & Co. and spiritual supply mail order house was located in Chicago Illinois. De Laurence was a pioneer in the business of supplying magical and occult goods by mail order and his distribution of public domain books. His books were invariably printed on cheap paper and all bore signs of the occult. De Laurence Scott & Co had a reputation for pirating the books of other occultists. De Laurence also wrote his own works including The Master Key a personal development book. In addition he is believed to have co-written some books with his fellow Chicago resident the prolific New Thought and yoga author William Walker Atkinson. De Laurence, Scott & Co. hardcover