Is this the proper way to create a high voltage (low current) straight DC signal from a 9V battery?
This is certainly a reasonable way to go about the problem.

However, you'll probably have an easier time by splitting the voltage increase into two steps. 

First step, get your transformer to give 400v or so rather than 1500v, much easier to wind, insulate, will run at higher frequency, all sorts of good things.

Next step, multiply the output with a Cockcroft Walton or Dixon multiplier, in this case a quadrupler. If your load can accept a balanced voltage, then a pair of doublers, one producing +ve, the other -ve, will be more efficient than a single-ended quadrupler.