$3,000
De Kolta, Buatier. Spring Flowers Used by Buatier de Kolta. Circa 1890. Eight tissue-paper prop flowers with green silk leaves and spring steel ribs. De Kolta produced these, and hundreds more, from an empty paper cone. Bright pink buds expand to a width of 6”. One flower damaged, else good. Housed in a cardboard sleeve bearing a holographic note: “Flowers used by Bautier De Kolta at Eden Musee, New York City. Several need minor repair & silk leaves but due to association I never made them. Will get my old date book and look up approximate date for you. Condition may have prompted his gift to me. From JD.” This may have been written by magician and collector John Dittmar of Texas. De Kolta, one of the most inventive magicians of his generation, devised a host of classic illusions including the Vanishing Lady, Vanishing Birdcage, The Cocoon, and Spring Flowers. These, then, are flowers made and used by the magician who invented them.
Auctioneer:
Potter & Potter
Date:
2017-06-10
