Historical locations related to L.W. de Laurence - Edited!

On Halloween I decided to stop by some locations of interest regarding L.W. de Laurence. De Laurence was a local publisher, hypnotist, mail order innovator, swindler and the head of at least two local magical orders. For more information, follow this link to previous posts regarding de Laurence.

Due to a typo on my part, I originally visited an incorrect location.  Many thanks to David Metcalfe for pointing this out to me.  The post and accompanying photographs have now been corrected.

The first location, at 3340 S. Michigan Ave., was listed in 1915 as being the home of de Laurence's Order of the Black Rose.  That same year the Order's address was also listed as being on Wabash.  Whether the Order moved, or whether the local press confused de Laurence's organization with his publishing headquarters is unclear.  Unfortunately the original building no longer stands, and this location is now occupied by a generic building on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus.

Also in 1915, this location on E. 47th St. is listed as his home address. 

supplemental materials for a recent lecture

I was kindly asked to speak yesterday at DePaul University.  I gave a presentation for Jason Winslade's class, regarding the history of the occult in Chicago.  I discussed personalities, publications and organizations.  After my lecture, the students went on a brief walking tour to spot some locations of interest.  When they returned, I had a few publications sitting on the table to spark a bit of conversation.

Lauren de Laurence - The Great Book of Magical Art

The day after I found and purchased a book by Lauren de Laurence, I walked into Bookworks in Lakeview, only to find this astonishing gem.

Lauren de Laurence - The Great Book of Magical Art, Hindoo Magic and Indian Occultism

It's huge, beautiful and at $275, much more than I can justify spending right now.  So if you're in the market, drop in to Bookworks.  It's in the glass case near the rare books and first printings. 

For more about Lauren de Laurence in Chicago, click the label of his name at the bottom of this post.

Scarlet Imprint book release, June 2nd

Scarlet Imprint makes some amazing looking books.  For example, their newest release Mandragora.

From the Scarlet Imprint website

"Further explorations in esoteric poesis," Mandragora includes nine essays and the work of 48 poets.  

There will be a book release at Life Force Arts Center on June 9th. 

Psychic Power magazine

Psychic Power magazine was the forerunner of Occult Digest, being published in the earlier part of the 1920s.  Like the Digest, it was edited and published by Effa Danelson.  Psychic Power was just slightly different in that it had less illustrations and focused a bit more on Spiritualism, seances and etc.

A year's worth of Psychic Power, bound.

Local spirit photographer W.K. Dunmore published a series of essays in Psychic Power which would later be published in book form.

Dunmore also had ads featured in the back of the magazine.

The Psychic Power headquarters, later home to the Occult Digest and Occult Book Mart.

Documenting seances and other events at the center.

Two articles from the same year regarding radio gaining "sight."

I'd read before about Edison's secretive inventions intended to contact the deceased.  I appreciate finding this article published during his lifetime.

 Publisher and editor Effa Danelon