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William M. Keeler, Mail Order Spirit Photographer

In addition to spirit photographs we are interested in other artifacts the relate to the practice of spirit photography. On the left you see a flyer and below a form and envelope. They were sent, in 1922, by the Washington DC spirit photographer, "Dr." William M. Keeler. The flyer offers, for a payment of $3, to use photographs of the person seeking contact with those "gone before" or objects connected with them to produce two finished photographs. There is a disclaimer that success is not guaranteed. This sent us on a search for Keeler. We found him first in the 1887 report of the Seybert Commission's investigation of Modern Spiritualism. (The commission and its work are a subject worthy of additional study.) The commission contacted William M. Keeler to conduct a study of spirit photography but were rebuffed by his demand for $300 to conduct three séances and his requirement that he be allowed to use his own darkroom and equipment. They considered that the amount demanded was an attempt to dodge the inquiry. We also learned that his brother, Pierre Louie Ormand Augustus Keeler, was a well known slate writing medium. Keeler family records suggest that William was born in 1850 or 51. Early references call him a Boston photographer but by 1900 he has a Washington DC address. An 1898 New York Times article calls him one of the leading spirit photographers at the Lily Dale, New York spiritualist camp. We would really like to find a photograph we can attribute to Keller and will continue to search.   *Note: In October 2007 this section of our site was expanded and rearranged. If an image is not in an expected place, please try one of the other pages from the list below. Spirit Photographs: How our collection started/Brewster & Mumler Spirit Photographs: A Tintype Spirit Photograph *added 10/07 Spirit Photographs: Carte-de-visite spirit photographs Spirit Photographs: Carte-de-visite of a spirit drawing *added 1/08 Spirit Photographs: Cabinet card spirit photographs Spirit Photographs: Post card spirit photographs Spirit Photographs: Post cards of unknown mediums Spirit Photographs: Doyle and the Spirits *added 10/07 Spirit Photographs: Keeler, Mail Order Spirit Photographs *added 10/07 < You are Here Spirit Photographs: How to make a fake spirit photograph Spirit Photography: Bibliography & Links Related interests of the Victorian Era and early 20th century in our collection: Memento Mori - Remembering the departed: post mortem and memorial photography in the 19th and early 20th century Mesmerism - "Flint the Mesmerist" Phrenology - The study of human personality from the shape of the head Return to The Collection of Collections page Collection of Collections Site Map Contact us at studio@brightbytes.com **NOTE** All items on the Collection of Collections web site are in our private collection and are NOT for sale. From time to time duplicate items from our collection will be offered for sale in the Do You Remember This? shop on the GoAntiques cyber mall. Visit the Do You Remember This? inventory page for photographica and toaster related collectibles. Please feel free to write us if you want to chat or share information about areas we collect but we will NOT give appraisals. © Bright Bytes Studio - Do not use images without permission Updated on 10/2007