$12,000
Houdini, Harry. Harry Houdini. Cincinnati: The Strobridge Litho. Co., ca. 1912. Iconic and handsome three-sheet thee-quarter-length portrait lithograph of the famed magician and escape artist in bow tie and suit, his hands folded across his chest. The text block underneath the portrait reads, elegantly and simply, “Harry Houdini.” Framed without glass to an overall size of 41 x 86”. Affixed to a board, varnished, with folds, scratches, and minor chips visible. Perhaps the most recognizable portrait of Houdini, this poster has been dubbed “Houdini for President” by the collecting community thanks to similarities in its design to political advertising of the era. The poster is evidence of the worldwide fame and instant recognition Houdini had earned at the peak of his powers. The poster advertises only who he is, not what he did for a living. He was so well-known by the time Strobridge printed the poster, the public knew he was the world’s most famous magician. He still is, and in 2002, the United States Post Office selected this image for use on a commemorative stamp.
Auctioneer:
Potter & Potter
Date:
2016-04-09
