The Cost of Spirit Photography
Spirit photography was part of the thriving “supernatural economy” driven by desire to communicate with the dead. Almost all instances of spirit photography were commercial in nature and photographers who managed to capture images of deceased spirits on film saw considerable financial returns for their labor.[1]
To ensure that accurate comparisons can be made across different time periods and locations, all prices mentioned have been converted to dollars and adjusted for inflation to reflect their equivalent value in 2023.[2][3]
Spirit Photograph Sitting
$93.42
Édouard Isidore Buguet charged twenty francs for spirit photography sittings in 1876, which, when converted to dollars and adjusted for inflation, is equivalent to $128.89 in 2023.
Frank N. Foster charged one dollar and ten cents for spirit photograph sittings in 1905, which, adjusted for inflation, would be equivalent to $37.40 in 2023.
William Hope charged four shillings and six pence for spirit photograph sittings in 1900 for a dozen prints and the cost increased to 30 shillings in 1921, which, when converted to dollars and adjusted for inflation, is equivalent to $63.20 in 2023.
William H. Mumler charged five dollars for spirit photograph sittings in 1862 and the cost increased to ten dollars in 1869, which, when adjusted for inflation, is equivalent to an average of $184.04 in 2023.
A. Norman charged one dollar for spirit photograph sittings in 1905 for two pictures, which, adjusted for inflation, would be equivalent to $34.00 in 2023.
F. M. Parkes charged one guinea for spirit photography sittings in 1875, which, when converted to dollars and adjusted for inflation, is equivalent to $137.48 in 2023.
Edward Wyllie charged two dollars for spirit photograph sittings in 1900 with extra prints for twenty-five cents, which, adjusted for inflation would be equivalent to $71.23 in 2023.
Mail-Order Spirit Photograph
$71.23
William M. Keeler charged two dollars for mail-order spirit photographs in 1900, which, adjusted for inflation would be equivalent to $71.23 in 2023.
Reproduction Spirit Photograph
$8.62
Colby & Rich offered reproductions of famous spirit photographs by William H. Mumler for fifty cents each in 1875, which, adjusted for inflation would be equivalent to $13.60 in 2023.
Frederick A. Hudson offered reproductions of his most popular spirit photographs for one shilling each in 1873, which, adjusted for inflation would be equivalent to $6.15 in 2023.
William H. Mumler offered reproductions of his most popular spirit photographs for twenty-five cents each in 1871, which, adjusted for inflation would be equivalent to $6.13 in 2023.
[1] The Commercialization of the Afterlife – 2010
[2] www.in2013dollars.com
[3] www.measuringworth.com