931

Harry Houdini

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:1,000.00 - 1,500.00 USD
Harry Houdini

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Auction Date:2015 Aug 12 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
TLS, one page, 8.25 x 10.5, February 27, 1918. Letter to journalist and fellow magician Edwin Fay Rice, in part: “Kit Clarke was in to see the show tiday [sic] at the Hippodrome, and saw the Elephant disappear. They come high but must have them. I vanish 12 elephants per week, and twill be hard to continue, as they may get scarce. Hoover may even be after me, for you k[n]ow 12 elephants amounts to a lot of meat. Don’t forget to go [o]ver Kit Clark’s Gift show article, and see what additions and improvements as well as corrections you mqy [sic] find ot [sic] add. If you want another copy of copies let me know.” Nicely matted and framed with a portrait of the illusionist to an overall size of 18.75 x 15.25. In fine condition, with slightly pronounced central vertical fold.

Debuting at New York’s colossal Hippodrome Theater, Houdini’s famous vanishing elephant trick involved a five-ton, eight-foot tall elephant and an even larger cabinet into which it would be coaxed. The doors would close, the curtains would drop, and a dozen men would spin the cabinet until the structure’s back was facing the audience; when opened to the crowd, the elephant was ‘vanished.’ An excellent letter referring to one of his largest-scale tricks. The James Collings Collection.