$16,000
Houdini Large Letter Lock. Heavy metal combination lock with a variety of letters engraved on its sides and front. Houdini’s brother, Hardeen, writes in the accompanying letter of provenance, “The large Letter lock that I sent you, was brought to Houdini while he was working at the Alhambra Theatre Paris France in the year 1905. I think it is a German lock. The lock was NOT brought on the stage but thrown on the stage from the front of the house with the command to ‘open that if you can’. Houdini looked at it, made a speech to the audience, saying that it would take him to[o] long to open the lock during his performance, but if the Gentleman would wait until after the show, he could try and open it in his dressing room. This was agreed to, and after the act, the man waited outside of the dressing room for over an hour. The truth is Houdini opened the cuff or lock in about fifteen minutes, but for spite made the man wait an hour. He kept the lock. And I do not think the lock has been opened since, as I have forgotten the combination. Yours Truly, Hardeen.” The original TLS dated Oct. 14, 1937 has been framed in a shadowbox along with the lock and a reproduction portrait of Houdini. 17 x 19 ¼”. Rare. A detailed photograph and description of the lock – including an amusing anecdote regarding a challenge in which Houdini used it to defeat one of his many imitators – appears in The Great Houdini Handcuffs and Legirons by Dick Wresch (Corberry Press, 1961).
Auctioneer:
Potter & Potter
Date:
2014-08-23
