$4,800
Houdini, Harry. Unpublished page proofs from Scientific American, with Houdini’s notes and signature. Being a grouping of page proofs for stories intended for publication in several 1924 issues of Scientific American. Atop one page on which appears a story by J. Malcolm Bird titled “The Margery Mediumship – II” is the following note in Houdini’s hand: “Exhibit Bird’s page proofs of article that Bird promised Father Heredia to be publishes, and which was never done. H.” Atop another page, on which an article by Bird titled “Psychic Frauds” begins, Houdini writes, “Pages shown to father Heredia and never used. H.” and “Bird lied as usual & Heredia asked for refutation & these pages were supposed to be printed & never appeared. Houdini. I have a letter covering all this”. Some underlining on other pages. 13 pages total. Old folds from original mailing, otherwise very good. Though Houdini and J. Malcolm Bird served together on the Scientific American committee to investigate psychic claims, it is widely acknowledged by historians that Bird – at least when it came to his dealings with Margery and her husband Dr. Crandon – helped prove her psychic abilities to be genuine even when he knew they were not. Houdini, never one to shy away from a fight, knew this and made his feelings on the matter plain, both in person and in print, generating considerably publicity in the process.
Auctioneer:
Potter & Potter
Date:
2014-02-08
