1910 houdini in the air - the daily telegraph
April 20, 1910. The Daily Telegraph. "HOUDINI IN THE AIR. Record Flight In Australia." A superb document detailing Houdini and his record flight and attempts in Australia in March of 1910. Houdini is interviewed in the article and two great photographs as well. In 1909, Houdini became fascinated with aviation. He purchased a French Voisin Biplane for $5,000 and even hired a full-time mechanic. After crashing once, he made his first successful flight on November 26 in Hamburg, Germany. The following year, Houdini toured Australia. He brought along his Voisin Biplane with the intention to be the first person in Australia to fly. On March 18, 1910, he made three flights near Melbourne. It was reported at the time that this was the first aerial flight ever in Australia. After completing his Australia tour, Houdini put the Voisin Biplane into storage in England. He announced he would use it to fly from city to city during his next music hall tour, and even promised to leap from it handcuffed, but he never flew again. The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper, founded in 1879. The Daily Telegraph ran as a broadsheet until 1927, then it switched to a tabloid format. To this day it is one of the top Australian news outlets. RARE and a great Houdini document!
1901 the handcuff king - black and white budget publication
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January 5, 1901. Black & White Budget, The Illustrated Newspaper. "The Handcuff King." A really neat insight into a specific time into Houdini's early career. This rare article outlines the experience and what occurred when the writer from the Black & White Budget got to witness firsthand the several different and unique escapes demonstrated from Houdini. A wonderful depiction and fantastic photographs of Houdini in compromising circumstances. The Black and White Budget was a British weekly illustrated record and review weekly periodical founded in 1891 by Charles Norris Williamson. The first issue of Black & White Budget appeared on October 14, 1899. Thereafter, it continued under that name until May 30, 1903, after which it appeared as Black & White Illustrated Budget. In 1912, it was incorporated with The Sphere. The Sphere maintained popularity as a top British newspaper until the closure of the paper in June of 1964. Another early and unique Houdini artifact. Rare!
Houdini: Art and Magic
Houdini: Art and Magic, 2010. Incredible essays on the artist’s life and work are accompanied by interviews with novelist E. L. Doctorow, magician Teller (of Penn and Teller), and contemporary artists including Raymond Pettibon and Matthew Barney, documenting Houdini’s evolution and influence from the late 19th century to the present. Beautifully illustrated with a range of visual material, including Houdini’s own diaries, iconic handcuffs, and straitjacket, alongside rare period posters, prints, and photographs, this book brings Houdini, both the myth and the man, back to life. One of Jon's favorite Houdini reads!
1904 HOUDIN's great feat - the manchester guardian
February 28, 1904. The Manchester Guardian Newspaper. "HOUDINI'S GREAT FEAT - HARDEST TASK HE HAS EVER HAD." Witnessed by many skeptical journalists who used every ingenuity and device at their command to frustrate the "handcuff king's" efforts to free himself from the chains, handcuffs, and iron bands which they loaded him... An entertaining Houdini document unfolding different sections including, "STAGGER HUMANITY," "CHARLES PEACE HANDCUFFS," "WHAT WAS RELIED ON," "DISPATCH, CHALLENGE WON," and "HOUDINI CONFESSES." A wonderful presentation of Houdini and his thoughts. Founded in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian and changed its name in 1959 with its sister papers The Observer and The Guardian, The Guardian is part of the Guardian Media Group, owned by the Scott trust. The trust was created in 1936 to "secure the financial and editorial independence of The Guardian in perpetuity and to safeguard the journalistic freedom and liberal values of The Guardian free from commercial or political interference." A rarity.
HOUDINI OWNED HANDCUFF KEY
Original Harry Houdini owned key, circa 1920s. Short barrel-type key from Houdini’s personal collection, handsomely framed together with a photograph of the magician and an extensive LOA regarding its provenance. The key was once part of the collection of Paul Harter, who acquired parts of Houdini’s collection from the magician’s brother, Hardeen. A great 100 year old Houdini collectible. Professionally framed, matted and mounted.
1916 HOUDINI SIGNED THE SPHINX PERIODICAL
Rare Harry Houdini signed issue of The Sphinx periodical. The issue is dated June 15, 1916, and is volume 15, number 4. The Sphinx was a monthly magic magazine published from March 1902 through March 1953 by William J. Hilliar. The Sphinx had a long and successful history of association with the Society Of American Magicians (S.A.M). Houdini was elected nine successive times as President of the Society of American Magicians. A complete set would contain 52 volumes, 597 issues, and almost 17,000 pages. A splendid Houdini and magic collectible.
1905 houdini king beyond question - the daily mirror
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1905 The Daily Mirror. "KING BEYOND QUESTION." An awesome congratulatory article to Houdini from The Daily Mirror. "Most heartily do we congratulate Mr. Houdini on his marvelous ingenuity in freeing himself from the new and extraordinarily difficult handcuff which a representative of this journal fixed upon his wrists at the London Hippodrome yesterday afternoon..." The London Hippodrome was opened in 1900. It was designed by Frank Matcham for Moss Empires and built for £250,000 as a hippodrome for circus and a variety great performance. Entry to the venue was through a bar, decorated as a ship's saloon. The performance space featured both a proscenium stage and an arena that sank into a 230 ft, 100,000-gallon water tank (about 400 tons, when full) for aquatic spectacles. The tank featured eight central fountains, and a circle of fountains around the side. Entrances at the side of the auditorium could also be flooded and used for the entry of boats. Shows included equestrian acts, elephants and polar bears, and acrobats would dive from a minstrel's gallery above a sliding roof, in the center of the proscenium arch. The auditorium featured cantilevered galleries, removing the columns that often-obstructed views in London theatres, the whole was covered by a painted glass retractable roof, that could be illuminated at night. The Daily Mirror was launched on November 2nd, 1903, by Lord Northcliffe. It was not an immediate success and in 1904 Northcliffe decided to turn it into a pictorial newspaper with a broader focus. The name was changed to The Daily Illustrated Mirror, which ran from January 1904 to April 1904, when it reverted back to The Daily Mirror. The front page was mainly photographs. Circulation grew to 466,000 making it the second-largest British morning newspaper and is a huge success to this very day. An incredible Houdini document and two wonderful hand drawn illustrations of his feats performed at the London Hippodrome.
1900s HARRY HOUDINI PHOTOGRAPH
Early 1900s photograph of the legendary Harry Houdini. A wonderful side bust view photo of Houdini in tuxedo. Black and white. 8" X 10".
1918 HARRY HOUDINI SIGNED SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MAGICIANS MEMBERSHIP CARD
Original and extremely rare Harry Houdini Signed The Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.) Membership Card. The membership card is issued to Oscar Teale for the year of 1918 and is number 38. Signed by Houdini as President of the magical fraternity and by Teale as its Secretary. Oscar Teale was the fourth President of the S.A.M. in 1908-09. Teale also worked as the private secretary for Houdini and he wrote a series of articles on magic and debunking spiritualism in the Sphinx magazine in 1925. The Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.) is the oldest fraternal magic organization in the world. Its purpose is to advance, elevate, and preserve magic as a performing art, to promote harmonious fellowship throughout the world of magic, and to maintain and improve ethical standards in the field of magic. To promote these endeavors the S.A.M. presents awards and fellowships in recognition of outstanding achievement in the Art of Magic. Founded in the year of 1902 in the back room of Martinka's magic shop in New York. Martinka & Company is America's longest running magic company. The business was for a period owned by Houdini. The Society Of American Magicians expanded under the leadership of Harry Houdini during his term as National President from 1917–1926. Houdini sought to create a large, unified national network of professional and amateur magicians. The S.A.M. now embraces over 5,000 members and almost 300 assemblies worldwide. In July, 1926, Houdini was elected for the ninth successive time President of the Society of American Magicians. Every other president has only served for one year.
1910 handcuff tricks esposed - illustrated life and history of houdini
1910 Handcuff Secrets Exposed. Illustrated Life and History of Houdini. Leicester: Willsons’ Printers. Pictorial wrappers. Illustrated. 8vo. 32pp. A fantastic example of the hard to acquire Houdini book. A rarity!
