While looking for movie-related correspondence in a Houdini scrapbook compiled by Houdini’s personal friend, Quincy Kilby, I came across a couple January 1919 letters signed “Semper Idem” which I thought I would share.

“Semper Idem” was thought to be the secret code message between Houdini and Hilliar; could it also be the secret code message between Houdini and Kilby or was it just a phrase he used in some of his letters to Q.K. and others like Edwaun Fay Rice, curator of the Boston Public Library. What say you!

January 18:

January 28:

Related:

• William Hilliar and the lost Houdini message code
• The Houdini Hilliar Code is Revealed
• Halloween postscript

Thanks to John Cox, I received an early copy of Houdini’s Library, that is to be released on February 17, 2026.

A fresh and fascinating picture book biography about the iconic magician Harry Houdini, an avid book collector who lived and breathed the idea that books are magic, from the author of Caldecott Honor book The Noisy Paint Box.

Houdini is the world’s most beloved magician, and he became famous for all of the amazing tricks he accomplished. Houdini knew just how to captivate his audience, whether it was leaping from a bridge or freeing himself from a straitjacket. But in true magician’s fashion, he kept a secret so great that not many people knew about, and that was his love for books!

As a young boy in Budapest, Harry learned to read at his father’s knee. After the family emigrated to America, Harry grew up to be the amazing Houdini–but never lost his love of reading. He spent the rest of his life collecting all kinds of rare and unusual books, almost entirely about magic. With warm, inviting text and astounding art with miniature models constructed from paper, this extraordinary book opens a new page on the story of Harry Houdini.

The first things that caught my attention, was the cover, where Houdini was hanging upside down in a straitjacket, holding a book and the back cover with Houdini sitting in a chair next to a milk can, reading a book. You got to love the theme.

Opening up the book, I see end sheets that each depict keys with a quote from Houdini that caught my attention:

• “I actually live in a library”
• “The public knows me as a magician….It does not realize that I am a student.”

This is followed by a dedication to John Cox and public libraries, along with acknowledgements to Harry Ransom Center, Library of Congress Rare Book and Special Collections Division, History Museum at the Castle, Bruce Averbook, Dr. Eric Colleary, Gabe Fajuri, Vincent Toms and others.

Opposite the Dedication/Acknowledgment page is the Title page with Houdini upside down in the Water Torture Cell, reading a book.

The well-researched children’s biography starts and ends with the above image.

The author, Barb Rosenstock, uses words to eloquently reveal the legendary magician’s untold story as a devoted book lover, from his father’s books, to visiting used bookstores, to reading a book by Jean Robert-Houdin, to buying more used books to study magic, to collecting books and collections of books, to traveling with a library of books, to having a home filled with books, to hiring a librarian to sort and catalog the books.

The Illustrator, Mar Delmar, uses paper and scissors, to beautifully translate the words into images on each page. And the book ends with an Illustrator’s note with photographs showing the key stages (Final drawing, cutting, painting, building final diorama art) of the process used to create the end product (e.g.,final image seen above).

I highly recommend this captivating picture book biography that reveals the iconic magician’s hidden life as a devoted bibliophile.

The last 6 months of the third year (Kinema Comic 1922) of  the serial, The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI, is now available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Product Description:

The British Boys weekly “The Kinema Comic” ran a serial “The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI” (“Written by Houdini Himself” – or so it says) from April 24, 1920 to November 27,1926.
In these yarns, which no one should miss, the Master of Mystery chronicles his most amazing exploits.
Surviving copies are almost impossible to come by these days.
Joe M. Notaro and Arthur Moses have been tracking down these rare issues and are making them available to you in a book series by year (and months).
In this offering, they have compiled the 1922 (Jul – Dec) weekly serials (27 issues) of “The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI” into a single book (with original illustrations).

Related:

• First 6 months of the third year (Kinema Comic 1922) of The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI is now available
• First year (Kinema Comic 1920) of The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI is now available

Harry Houdini (1874-1926), the most celebrated magician of the 20^th Century, made an elephant disappear in New York City’s Hippodrome on January 7^th, 1918 in front of an audience numbering 5,200 spectators that were there for the Cheer Up! Review, Jennie the elephant was walked into a very large cabinet on stage. The curtains were closed and reopened, and there was no sign of the 10,000 pound elephant! The audience was shocked. Several theories have been posed on how Houdini achieved this trick, …

Houdini’s contribution to the war effort included canceling his touring season so that he could entertain soldier’s and rain money for the war. He also held a series of classes to advise American soldiers how to escape sinking ships and escape from ropes, handcuffs, and similar restraints, in case of capture by the Germans.

The above text is what appears on the back of my rare 3/3 Silver holographic Aurora parallel card put out by Historic Autograph & Card Co in 2023.

Related:

• HHCE Search for New York World Vanishing Elephant Photos
• 100 Years Ago Today – Houdini Made Elephants Disappear
• The Vanishing Elephant Photo
• Houdini Volare Vanishing Elephant Brochure

I published two Houdini Books with the mighty Arthur Moses:

The first 6 months of the third year (Kinema Comic 1922) of  the serial, The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI, is now available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Kinema Comic 1920 (Apr-Dec) The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI available now on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Besides publishing two books, I did posts on books by others:

• The COMPLETE Cancer of Superstition by Harry Houdini &  C.M. Eddy, Jr
• Two Houdini Chapters in The Art of Magic by Ken Trombly

Including being the first to publish a review on what I would call The Houdini Book of the Year:

• REVIEW: Escaping Obscurity The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini 1897-1899

Besides posts on new books, there were many more highlights for HHCE in 2025.

Shared my Houdini adventures:

• HHCE highlights from Magic Collectors Expo

Shared a number of items from my personal collection:

I shared Master Mystery Exhibitors’ Ads from my 4-page “Houdini Herald”:

• Houdini Talks About Himself and the Master Mystery
• Ruth Stonehouse Writes Plays When Only Six
• Houdini’s Tame Eagle in “The Master Mystery”
• The Triumph of Science. A Mechanical Man with a Superhuman Brain
• By Request of Hoover Houdini Chaffs Miss Marsh
• Kidnapped into Pictures
• Handcuffs I Have Met
• Houdini Breaks Own Record in “The Master Mystery”
• Why “The Master Mystery” is a Sure Record=Breaking Serial
• $25 for Houdini’s Secret
• Houdini Made the Kaiser Apologise. The Great Mystic a Victim of Hun Arrogance
• About Publicity

Shared reviews from Feb. 14, 1925 The Billoard Magazine in my collection:.

• 100 years ago, Houdini Played Zanetti at the Hippodrome Theater
• Hippodrome Review of Margery Expose and Submarine Mystery
• Kellar Stunt Not Exposed

Shared my Swedish Film (SF) Houdini movie ads that appeared in the Filmjournalen magazine.

• Filmjournalen 1921 No. 1
• Filmjournalen 1921 No. 10

And also shared my SF programs for his movies:

• Swedish Film (SF) Industry The Grim Game
• Swedish Film (SF) Industry Terror Island Program

Shared my Houdini Master of Mystery Pinball items:

• Houdini Master of Mystery Pinball Translite – HHCE Collection
• Houdini Master of Mystery Pinball Machine – HHCE Collection

Shared my Houdini 98 Press Materials:

• Houdini 98 Press Materials
• Houdini 98 Press Materials – Eight Color Slides
• HOUDINI 98 Press Materials – Two 10 Photos
• HOUDINI 98 Press Materials – Production Information
• HOUDINI 98 Press Materials – Cast Information
• HOUDINI 98 Press Materials – Q&A with Pen Densham (Director)
• HOUDINI 98 Press Materials – Q&A with Cast Members Part 1 of 2
• HOUDINI 98 Press Materials – Q&A with Cast Members Part 2 of 2

Shared my Patti Smith rare booklet:

• Patti Smith rare booklet Ha! Ha! Houdini!

Shared an article by Houdini:

• ME By Houdini

Shared my November 1919 Photoplay Magazine that included some pages related to Houdini and The Grim Game:

• Paramount Artcraft Feature Ad that includes The Grim Game [page 4]
• Photo of Houdini and Fatty Arbuckle [page 96]
• Signs a new contract [page 99]
• The Month In Brief “The Grim Game” [page 112 and page 115]

Shared my latest Tatler Cuff image found in the April 2nd, 1904 Black and White magazine:

• Birmingham “Tatler Cuff” images

Shared, The Daily Illustrated Mirror reports leading up to the Mirror Handcuff Challenge event of March 17^th 1904, the event itself, and post-event reporting:

• March 11 1904 – Birmingham Man Invents a Handcuff With a Lock Which Cannot  Be Picked
• March 14 1904 –The Handcuff King Accepts Our Challenge
• March 15 1904 – Houdini’s Torture Tests
• March 16 1904 – Spoken as a Sportsman
• March 17 1904 – £200 Pounds Offered Houdini for Forecast of this Afternoon’s Test
• March 18 1904 – How He Picked the “Mirror” Handcuffs in One Hour and Ten Minutes
• March 19 1904 –£100 Handcuffs, Exciting Scene at Hippodrome, and Bullet in Hand Story

Shared in chronological order, movie related items found in Houdini scrapbook compiled by Houdini’s personal friend, Quincy Kilby:

• Movie Related Correspondence with Quincy Kilby – June 14 1918
• Movie Related Correspondence with Quincy Kilby – July 14 1918
• Movie Related Correspondence with Quincy Kilby – October 7th 1918

I will be taking the rest of 2025 off to spend time with family and friends.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

In 2026, I will post book reviews for some of the many books planned for the centennial year of Houdini’s Death. Plus, Arthur Moses and I plan to continue our series of Houdini books, where the Master of Mystery chronicles his most amazing exploits. And, I will also share more research, items from my personal collection, and any Houdini adventures which will include the Magic Collectors Expo in NJ/NY and the SAM convention in Appleton, Wisconsin.

2026 is going to be an amazing year celebrating Houdini!

Harry Houdini headlines the list of 1/1 cut signature cards in 2025 Topps Tier One and sells on eBay for $6,323.00 not including Tax and shipping charges.

Front

Back

It came from a Harry Houdini Typed Letter Signed to a Fellow Magician that sold at RR auction on 01/10/2024 for $3,478.

Description
Houdini pays the way for a fellow magician: “Enclosed you will find my check for $15. which will pay your round trip fares”
TLS signed “Houdini,” one page, 8.5 x 11, May 17, 1917. Letter to Boston-area magician Edwin Fay Rice, in part: “As you may want to make your own arrangements I think it best for you to do as you like and enclosed you will find my check for $15. which will pay your round trip fares, parlour cars both ways…Mrs. Houdini and I sorely disappointed that Mrs. Rice will not be down here but such is life.” In fine condition, with some minor chipping to the top edge. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.

Accompanied by the original mailing envelope and a full letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA. A journalist for the Boston Daily Times, Edwin Fay Rice had a short but impactful career in the world of magic, and was a key figure in helping found the Mystics Circle of Boston as a member of the Society of American Magicians.

As a Houdini historian, I find these “cut” signatures a destruction of history. But these days, there’s more likely to be someone prepared to pay money for a cut signature card than a letter. In essence, while the letter is a piece of history, the card is a modern, manufactured rarity with high market demand among a large base of sports card collectors who value those specific attributes over the historical content of a simple letter. So sad!

99 years ago, we loss Harry Houdini. Today, I share a snippet of a letter F. L. Black of the Dearbourn Publishing Co. sent Quincy Kilby on Nov 9 1926:

Note: Dearbourn is located in Michigan.

Quincy Kilby was a personal friend of Houdini, who compiled a Houdini scrapbook which is in the Boston Public Library.

The letter is from an eye-witness who saw Houdini’s last performance in Detroit, talked to him afterwards, confirmed he was suffering intensely; and kept in touch with Hardeen until the end.

Also confirms Bess Houdini’s state as prostrated or one of extreme physical weakness and mental exhaustion, to the point of collapse.

Houdini was definitely more to her than the average husband and he is definitely more to the world as and we continue to celebrate and learn more about the life of this amazing man every year.

Next year is the big one, number 100!

On Monday, September 15^th, John Cox’s gave all his WILD ABOUT HARRY Patreon’s, a heads up, that The Art of Magic by Ken Trombly is available NOW:

I’ll be posting about this on the main blog tomorrow, but I wanted to give you all an early heads that our friend and fellow patron Ken Trombly’s lavish new book The Art of Magic has just been released by Vanishing Inc. You won’t see this in the sample images, but know the book contains two chapters showcasing Ken’s incredible Houdini collection.

The book is available in a Regular and Deluxe Edition. Only 200 Deluxe Editions are being offered so…you know what to do!

Congratulations Ken.

Right after John posted that, I immediately ordered a Deluxe Edition, which arrived on Thursday, September 19^th

I was amazed by the size of it. It is 12 inches by 16 inches and weighs 11 pounds in the slipcase. And I love the title, especially “A Lifetime of Collecting” part of the title. I wish Houdini was somewhere on the cover, but that is just me being selfish, the book really is The Art of Magic, with emphasis on the Art part as it is truly “a work of art” and well designed.

I opened the beautiful book up and discovered there are actually 300 numbered and signed copies of the Deluxe Edition and I got number 279 out of 300.

I wonder who got 278?  Not sure, how the numbers were distributed, but it looks like this will sell out if it hasn’t already. Suffice it to say, glad I didn’t wait.

Author Ken Trombly is one of the industry’s most fervent collectors of magic art: lithographs, posters, etchings–if it depicts a magician in history, Ken probably owns a copy in mint condition. His house is a wonderland from the golden age of magic. But few of us will ever get to see his collection in person. So…The Art of Magic brings that collection right to your fingertips.

I was fortunate enough to see some of this amazing collection in person during a trip to the east coast in 2018.

• Trip to East Coast is Extra Special, Day 4 (Ken Trombly)

And now I was about to relive that extra special day and see Houdini treasures I hadn’t seen in seven years, plus so many new treasures in this beautiful coffee table size book.

In the introduction of Ken’s book, Paul Kieve mentions the following:

Even if you don’t have the privilege of sifting through Ken’s amazing magical basement in person, you can now do so via the contents of this wonderful book. It’s incredibly generous of Ken to share his lifelong collecting passion, this way. Although vintage poster images have become more accessible via the internet, I promise you there are many examples contained within these pages that have never seen either online or in print before.

I echo Paul’s sentiments. The intro is followed by an essay on “The Making of a Collector” where Ken tells how he became a collector (which I love) and that his wish for anyone sifting through the book, “is that you encounter some things in these pages that you never seen before“. His wish came through in spades for me.

The first thing I did after reading the intro and Ken’s essay, was to bookmark the start of the Houdini material with the ribbon bookmark that was sewn into the spine (which was a nice touch.)  And then I started sifting through the two chapters on Houdini, which did not disappoint.

• Houdini Poster and Advertising
• Houdini Photos and Ephemera

Houdini is a focus of Ken’s and he shares some of his favorite pieces, which most have never been seen before.

These include posters like a relic from 1894, a small poster from a 1902 German tour, a letterpress poster from a 1902 performance in the UK, a letterpress poster for a music hall performance calling Houdini “the winner of the great handcuff contest“, a reference to the “mirror cuffs challenge“, a rare 1912 poster featuring the first performances of the Water Torture Cell, a portion of a poster displayed on the upper level of a double-decker bus when Houdini appeared at London’s Hippodrome.

Ken has also collected almost 100 different handbill challenges. Included in the book are challenges from a 1903 jail escape, 1911 escape from being strapped to the mouth of a canon, 1912 escape after being tied to a eight foot plank in sailor’s fashion, 1907 escape from a giant envelope, 1912 wet-sheet challenge, 1910 escape from a hamper, 1910 escape from a seabag, 1913 escape from a jail on The Convict Ship, and others.

And as Ken put it, “the only thing better than a chapter on collecting Houdini is a second chapter” that includes Houdini Photos and Ephemera.

Included is a 1894 program for The Houdini Bothers, 1897 receipt for magic props Houdini purchased from E.J. Dooley, a number of early cabinet photos of Houdini, a program for a talent show of passengers in a 1900 voyage, photos with a young Bess, early photos of Houdini’s parents, holiday cards, and post cards and photos depicting: his bust, Houdini holding the French Letter Cuffs misidentified as the mirror cuffs, various bridge jumps, and straitjacket escapes. Also included is a miss-dated announcement celebrating Australian aviators and Houdini’s first flight, material exposing fraudulent mediums, a 1924 artist’s rendering of Houdini’s shipboard performance for Teddy Roosevelt, and last but not least a cabinet photo of Houdini with the so-called Mirror Cuffs.

For me these two chapters on Houdini alone are worth getting the book, but there is so much more besides Houdini in this book:

So what are you waiting for, order your copy today and enjoy the journey.

On Sunday December 6, 1998 at 8pm, TNT aired the World Premiere of HOUDINI, starring Jonathan Schaech.

I am lucky enough to have in my collection, an original press kit and VHS tape for the this TNT original movie premier.

It includes eight color 35mm color slides, two 8×10 photos, production information, cast information, and director and cast Q&As (Part I and Part II).

Today, I share cast Q&A Part II with Jonathon Schaech (Houdini) and Stacy Edwards (Bess Houdini) from the press kit.

On Sunday December 6, 1998 at 8pm, TNT aired the World Premiere of HOUDINI, starring Jonathan Schaech.

I am lucky enough to have in my collection, an original press kit and VHS tape for the this TNT original movie premier.

It includes eight color 35mm color slides, two 8×10 photos, production information, cast information, and director and cast Q&As (Part I and Part II).

Today, I share cast Q&A Part I with Paul Sorvino (Blackburn), Rhea Perlman (Esther) and George Segal (Martin Beck) from the press kit.