Last month at the Magic Collectors Expo 2023 in Cleveland, I was excited to finally add a Beagles Famous Cinema Star Series Postcard of Harry Houdini to my collection.

I missed out on this rare item, when Potter and Potter auctioned one off, that sold for $1200:

Description

HOUDINI, Harry (Erik Weisz, 1874 – 1926). Tinted Real Photo Postcard of Houdini in Restraints. London: Campbell-Gray, ca. 1910. “Real Cinema Stars” series RPPC of Houdini in a classic pose, encumbered with numerous locks, cuffs, and restraints. Embossed border, with flesh tones tinted in realistic colors, as issued. A near-fine example, postally unused.

Although, the Potter and Potter auction listed this as 1910, it actually came out in 1920s.

Per Early Cinema Postcards:

Beagles Famous Cinema Star Series Postcards Main Series (Card No’s 101 – 301) were published between 1920 to 1930 in both sepia and hand tinted colour versions with embossed borders. Selected cards in the Main Series were also published as sepia with a flat plain border OR black and white with an embossed border.

It would appear that the letters were assigned in batches of 6 so when card 195A was produced, number 195B/195C/195D/195E/195F were reserved for that star to be issued maybe at a later date.

That said, I have only seen the Houdini Card No. 195A [Harry] Houdini as a hand tinted colour version with embossed border.

Lots to love about this rare item:

1. Guaranteed to be a real photograph that has been tinted by hand.
2. The classic pose was taken by Campbell-Gray during the same time as Houdini’s Mirror Cuff feat at the London Hippodrome which I am fascinated with and have studied.
3. The postcard represents Houdini as a famous cinema star which has been a focus of mine for years.

Feel like I hit the trifecta.

Related:

• Early Houdini Trading Cards