Hypnotisme

1949 · 82657 — 1949-1957. 18 pieces. Newsletters application forms membership certificates and correspondence to and from Eugene S. Wolfe New Orleans Journalist and avid amateur hypnotist. The bulk of the collection is clean and strong there are some light marginal stains and creases to the edges of some pieces a little offsetting and soiling here and some rusty staple residue; very presentable and strong.<br /> A rather fascinating little collection of ephemeral pieces related to amateur hypnotism and the veritable cottage industry of home courses foundations societies and groups that sprung up around the fringes highlighting the fact that one of the biggest obstacles to "serious" trance state research has always been freeing the science from the fringe quackery and charlatinism. In the same way that 19th century US mesmeric and hypnotic research had a symbiotic piggy-back relationship with US spiritualism and mediumship it was often pretty clear that the 20th century varietals often flourished in a space equally occupied by opportunists and stage mesmerists rather more than it did where the scientific angles had to stand alone and unsupported. Item List:<br /> <br /> 1. Newsletters from the American Society for Advancement of Hypnosis. 4 newsletters spanning May June September and December of 1953. The regularity of newsletter publication is difficult to pin down but this 4 issue span seems to cover the ASAH's first year of operation with the May 1953 issue stated as being Newsletter #1. Meetings of the ASAH seem to have been held weekly and held in member's houses "The next meeting of the Los Angeles Chapter will be held on May 11th at the home of Miss Christine Jensen." Also present are 2 duplicates of the May and June Issues. Newsletters are 6-8pp. per issue printed recto only and stapled to the top left corner. All issues are in very good clean condition with some light sunning and offsetting to a couple of sheets. The vast majority of ASAH material came out of the Melvin Powers entrepreneurial empire on Wilshire Boulevard LA where he would regularly turn his ever eager hand to everything from mass hypnosis training to horse breeding and self-help books.<br /> <br /> 2. Cerificate of membership for the National Guild of Hypnotists. Single sheet of light blue card printed recto only with NGH banner and logo an all-seeing eye obviously! a gilded embossed seal and the signatures of Eugene S. Wolf as recipient of the membership and Dr's North and Rogers in their capacities as Chairman and Honorary Chairman.<br /> <br /> 3. Typewritten letter to Eugene Wolfe from Margaret Mason secretary of the American Hypnotists Association Inc. on their letterhead notepaper dated March 6th 1950 with instructions on how to complete the examination questions on the attached sheet. There is an additional handwritten portion to the letter from T.R. Mason the Treasurer of the AHA and also the Chairman of its examination board; "Don't make the answers too long and complicated answer just as simply as you can." The examination questions have been answered in full by Wolfe and include "What is meant by RAPPORT" "Is it possible to keep a person under hypnotic control the rest of his or her life" and "Why do you want to be a hypnotist." Interestingly one of Wolfe's answers to the last question cites "loss of memory" as one of the problems he feels learning hypnosis will help with. <br /> <br /> 4. Typewritten letter to Eugene Wolfe from Margaret Mason secretary of the American Hypnotists Association Inc. on their letterhead notepaper dated February 13th 1950. Mason apologises for missing one of Wolfe's letters regarding his inability to meet the physical requirements to take the entrance exam forwards him the relevant application forms and assures him that everything will go ahead smoothly upon receipt of his $25 fee which interestingly or perhaps tellingly is about $300 today. <br /> <br /> 5. Signed membership certificate of the American Society for the Advancement of Hypnosis. Elaborately engraved single sheet of light card printed recto only signed and dated by Melvin Powers himself! certifying that Eugene Wolfe is a member in good standing. The certificate is dated 1953 by Powers and states that the ASAH was founded in 1952. The certificate is accompanied by a typewritten signed letter from Melvin Powers welcoming Wolfe to the organization discussing Wolfe's possibilities of opening a chapter in New Orleans bemoaning the legal action that resulted in the organization having to change its name and offering some relevant titles from Powers' publiching empire at reduced cost. In priceless and typical Powers fashion the postscript of the letter enquires if Wolfe might happen to have any out of print hypnotism books he might feel like selling. <br /> <br /> 6. The Hypnotic Bulletin. Vol I No. I. 1955. Four sheets of blue paper typewritten to rectos only staple bound issued by the Secretary of The International Society of Hypnotists working out of 243 West 72nd Street NYC Mr. Ernest Katz. The newsletter emphasizes the mission of the society being to "aid in the advancement of hypnotism whenever and wherever possible." Other newsworthy information includes the fact that US telephone directories were about to have a separate classification for "Hypnotists" and the fact that Ted Schlesinger a Federation member will be performing his hypnotism act on the next episode of the Wendy Barrie Show. <br /> <br /> 7. Typewritten signed letter from Eugene S. Wolfe from the New Orleans Item enquiring regarding a recent meeting of hypnotists in LA in 1959. There is a typewritten addition in blue to the lower half of the paper containing a response from Warren Cowan suggesting that Wolfe get in touch with Rena Carroll of the National Institute of Hypnotists.<br /> <br /> 8. Bulletin #4 from the National Guild of Hypnotists of Dorchester Mass. 5 typewritten sheets printed rectos only. An energetic and enthusiastic newsletter detailed the Guild's journey towards incorporation the creation of plastic laminated membership cards that are selling like hot cakes the Preamble to the upcoming Guild Constitution to guard against "the unethical use of hypnotism for demonstration of therapy" and to aid in "certification of ethical users of hypnotism". Note is made of the fact that the Guild has 740 members including such luminaries of the hypnosis world as Dr. Rexford North David Morse popularizing hypnosis and suggestion for dieting which in mid-century US hypnosis was right up there with hypnosis for stopping smoking and drinking and was part of a strategy for marketing hypnosis and suggestion to women and Mr. Charles Miller who lectured on "Mental Alchemy" at a recent March 1959 Massachussetts Chapter lecture series. <br /> <br /> 9. Bulletin #7 from the National Guild of Hypnotists Dorchester Mass. 5 typewritten sheets printed rectos only. Details the "National Guild of Hypnotists Creed" maintaining that members "endowed with high standards" will practice their art "for the good of humanity" and that they will not "cloak in mystery such truths as we come to know them" and that "we will maintain and extend throughout the entire world high standards of ethical practice." The creed is credited to Dr. Leo F. Wagner of Whittier CA. The newsletter also contain details of new members the information that if you can't afford the sub you can be made an honorary member book details and reviews guild merchandise and a host of other updates and details. <br /> <br /> 10. The British Society of Medical Hypnotists. Circa September 1950 there are two gestetner copies of letters from Wolfe to the society dated May and August 1950 both of which are being responded by Dr. S.J. Van Pelt the society president. Van Pelt's letter on headed paper is typewritten for the official recto section of the letter but signed and continued in manuscript to cover the entire verso of the sheet. Van Pelt discusses the highly qualified nature of the membership "As you can see the society consists mostly of fully qualified medical men." and informing him that he is entitled through membership to two more issues of the newsletter. The sincerity of the British Society of Medical Hypnotists is not in doubt they were an entirely different affair to the numerous "Hypnotize your wife slimmer" organizations the field was somewhat plagued by. <br /> <br /> 11. The Journal of Hypnotism; "America's Only Magazine Devoted Exclusively to Hypnosis." June 30th 1951. Single sheet als from Rexford L. North Editor of the magazine printed recto only on headed notepaper. The letter thanks Wolfe for his support informs his of their change of address from Boston's Copley Square to 26 St. Botolph's St. and asking if Wolfe would possibly want to write an article for the magazine detailing his book collection related to hypnotism and mesmerism and requesting access for the purposes of illustrating the article. Signed by North. <br /> <br /> 12. The National Federation of Hypnotists of Rochelle Park NJ. August 1955. A welcome package sent out to Wolfe with a welcome letter signed by Dr. Joseph Edelman the Director of the federation. Also present are; a "Facts about Hypnotism" pamphlet issued by the federation; Vol II no. 1 of "Hypno-Facts" the federation's mimeo-ed newsletter from June 1955; a comprehensive reading list of available source works; the 5pp "Constitution of The National Federation of Hypnotists" penned by Edelman and his co-Director Donald H.M. Davies. Edelman's occasional forays into medical hypnotherapy met with some public success most notably when he succeeded in curing Don Newcombe the baseball hero of his fear of flying which was seriously affecting his career.<br /> <br /> 13. Also present in the field of unlikely ephmera is a permit from the Treasury Department in September 1957 allowing Wolfe in his capacity as a journalist for The New Orleans Item "To board incoming vessels after such vessels have been inspected by Quarantine authorities and boarded by an officer of the Customs Service. unknown