neon love

The greatest fame was won by William Hope (1863-1933), who previously worked as a carpenter, but in 1905 he made his first photography on which a spirit appeared behind his friend. From then on he became an appreciated guest of spiritualistic circles, so much that he could not fulfill all their orders, and therefore founded, together with five other photographers trained by him, a ghost photographer’s company called Crewe Circle. The company flourished especially since the First World War, when everyone wanted to see, at least in the form of obscure spirits, their beloved ones fallen on the front. The work of Hope was supported by the greatest names, from the Anglican Archbishop Thomas Colley to Sir Conan Doyle. Although his tricks were unveiled in a book in 1922, his popularity did not diminish, and he remained a sought for photographer until his death in 1933. His photo album was found at a Lancashire antiquarian bookshop by a curator of the National Media Museum, and recently they were published on the Museum’s website. (X)

(via treeinbrooklyn)