About this Event
Supernatural Machines: The History of Spirit Communication Devices with David Brandon Hodge
In the heart of every culture lies a fascination with the afterlife, and a yearning to connect with those who have passed beyond the veil. Since the rise of the Spiritualist movement in the Victorian era, clever inventors and aspiring entrepreneurs alike have created a host of devices crafted to breach this veil between worlds and communicate with the dead. In this richly illustrated presentation, author, historian, and collector David Brandon Hodge explores the secret history of séance apparatus in a special sneak-peek into the pages of his upcoming book, Supernatural Machines: The History of Spirit Communication Devices! Nearly 30 years in the making, the unprecedented, large-format coffee table book presents a comprehensive history of all manner of séance tools, including spirit-writing planchettes and the enigmatic Ouija, from their prehistory right up to the modern era. And this event will mark the first time the book will be available for sale to the public, weeks before its official release!
These devices have left an indelible mark on humankind's psyche, and Brandon will guide participants through the extraordinary history and evolution of these conduits created to speak with the dead. From the Victorian Era’s fascinations with the Fox sisters’ spectral rappings to the controversy and intrigue of the Ouija board, Brandon's work draws on nearly 3 decades of historical research into these enigmatic apparatus, during which time he assembled the world’s largest collection of spirit communication apparatus and related ephemera. He has traveled the globe documenting spirit apparatus from many cultures, and his presentation will unveil this rich tapestry of tools and techniques developed by Spiritualists to communicate with the other side, in a captivating, decade-by-decade journey into the mysterious world of séances, spirit boards, and spookshows.
Brandon's presentation will explore, among other topics, the discovery of table-tipping in the early 1850s, which transfixed the world when Spiritualists discovered the furniture around which they sat would move mysteriously--and with seeming intelligence--beneath their outstretched hands, enabling sitters to interpret the strange tippings as communications from beyond. Participants will hear the history of the automatic writing planchette, whose eerily intelligent movements fascinated enthusiasts around the world in the wake of the Civil War, becoming one of America's first commercial pop culture crazes. These spirit-writing devices were eventually paired with boards bearing printed alphabets, giving birth to the talking board in the late 1880s, inspiring entrepreneurs to patent and commercialize the idea as Ouija, as a new pop culture phenomenon was born, which has persisted through captivation and controversy into the modern era. Witness all this and more, through dozens of rich visuals of forgotten séance depictions and rare artifacts drawn from the pages of Supernatural Machines.
Tickets: $15 (in person only)
Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.
Pre-release copies of Supernatural Machines will be available for sale after Brandon's presentation, which he will be happy to sign for guests.
David Brandon Hodge is a historian, collector, and the foremost scholar on the history of spirit communication devices. Long fascinated by haunting accounts of séances, talking boards, and ghostly encounters, Hodge has spent nearly 30 years carefully curating the world’s largest collection of writing planchettes, Ouija, and obscure spirit apparatus, all featured on his MysteriousPlanchette and OccultArcheology social media outlets. He is a director of the International Association for the Preservation of Spiritualist and Occult Periodicals (IAPSOP), and has contributed séance artifacts from his extensive collection to museum exhibitions worldwide. Hodge holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and History from the University of Texas, and has traveled extensively to document spirit apparatus from many cultures and share his expertise with institutions around the globe. Brandon is frequently featured on popular television, radio, and podcast programs as an occult expert. He owns and operates Monkey See, Monkey Do! toy store and Big Top Candy Shop in Austin, Texas, where he lives with his two children, Jack and Elliot, and the ghosts of several cats.
CONTENT DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed by the presenters are solely those of the presenter and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Presentations are intended for informational and entertainment purposes.
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Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States
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