Perovsky-Petrovo-Solovovo, Count(1868-1954)

Distinguished Russian-born psychical researcher. He was born Michael Solovioy, succeeded to the title of Count, and was generally known as "Count Solovovo" among members of the Society for Psychical Research, London. He joined the society in 1890 at a time when it had commenced the collection of cases for the important Census of Hallucinations (published in vol. 10 of the society's Proceedings ), and he contributed Russian cases to this project.

He investigated the Russian medium S. F. Sambor and uncovered his methods of producing phenomena by fraud, and in 1910 he cooperated with Everard Feilding and W. Marriott in sittings with the famous medium Eusapia Palladino in Naples. He reported on these sittings in Proceedings of the SPR (vol. 25, pp. 57-69). He took a special interest in the question of whether competent researchers, qualified to detect fraud, might still be influenced by illusions induced by séance room conditions. He also contributed to the SPR Proceedings and Journal on such topics as extrasensory perception and the medium D. D. Home. He also reviewed for the Journal those continental journals devoted to psychical research. He was honorary secretary for Russia for the society for many years. In view of his eminent services, the society conferred honorary membership upon him.

In 1936, he moved to London and in his later years acquired British citizenship.

Sources:

Berger, Arthur S., and Joyce Berger. The Encyclopedia of Parapsychology and Psychical Research. New York: Paragon House, 1991.

Perovsky-Petrovo-Solovovo, Count. "My Experiments with S. F. Sambor." Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 30 (1937).

——. "On the Production of Spurious 'Spirit Raps.' " Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 6 (1893).