Here are two photos of Harry Houdini. Believe it or not, one is from around 1900 and the other is from 1904.
Date: 1900
We know the one from eBay is from around 1900, based on the image appearing on the front-cover of a four-page brochure distributed along with the theatre program to patrons of the London Alhambra Theatre in 1900. This image can be found on page 13 of Christopher’s Houdini A Pictorial Life.
Date: 1904
And we know the other one from Harry Ransom Center is from 1904, based on the fact that it is dated 1904 and the evidence presented in an earlier post.
The suits are clearly different in the photos, as well as the pin affixed to his white shirt.
Special Thanks to John Cox for the reference on the image in Christopher’s Houdini A Pictorial Life.
There really isn’t much of a difference between both photos, and that’s because HH only aged 4 years in the interim. During the time of these two photos, he went crazy buying expensive clothing, and nice Italian shoes. And he made sure he was photographed in them. Eventually, he toned down his fashion to something less extravagant and more conservative, as most men do as they age.
Agreed! Dating these photos has been quite the challenge. Houdini had so little regard for his attire off the stage.
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