$10,000
Houdini, Harry. Houdini’s holographic notes and sketches regarding Morritt’s Black and White illusion. Together with Houdini’s notes on Morritt’s Spirit Table routine. Four 8vo pages, handwritten on the versos of membership blanks to The Magicians’ Club of London, of which Houdini served as president. Houdini details the construction and working of this large and clever illusion requiring a special arrangement of double glass and calico fabric, which were used in combination to conceal two assistants who are later produced from the cabinet. The third page shows what is perhaps the only detailed diagram of an illusion in Houdini’s hand to be made available for public sale. Hardeen would later write of the Black and White Illusion that it was “the most startling of small cabinet productions.” The fourth page, dated Sunday March 29, 1914, tersely describes Morritt’s spirit table routine, called here by Houdini, “A great big laughing hit.” Houdini describes the two gimmicks that make the trick work and also writes out directions for the routine: “Com[mittee] place[s] hands on table & slowly? Rises. Then makes er[r]atic jumps! This gets laughs.”
Auctioneer:
Potter & Potter
Date:
2014-08-23
