THE name, “Houdini,” has long been synonymous throughout the world with such words as “uncanny” and “supernatural.” Indeed, so widely known is Houdini’s name, that it appears in this connection in Funk & Wagnalls’ Dictionary.

Houdini emphatically does not believe in occult superstitions, and he probably would deny, jus at vigorously, that his miraculous escapes from prison cells and handcuffs are aided by disembodied “spirits” – as so many believe they are. And yet there is no denying that many of his amazing exploits smack of the supernatural. No wonder his name is associated with things that cannot be explained!

His strange adventures in the far corners of the world are as hair-raising, as uncanny and as deeply absorbed as the fiction we have published in WEIRD TALES. Wherefore, mindful of what our readers like, we proposed to Houdini that he select from his vast store of experiences a particularly thrilling adventure and tell our readers about it.

He acquiesced – and the first installment of his extraordinary article appears in this issue of WEIRD TALES. You probably have read it before turning back here to read The Eyrie; and we think you will agree with us that it’s one of the most interesting things we’ve ever published.

Unless we’re grievously mistaken, you will like the second and final installment still better.  Terrifying, to say the least, were Houdini’s adventures in that underground, torture chamber, but more terrifying still are the things that follow.  In the April issue of WEIRD TALES the Houdini article will be concluded, and we can promise you that you’ll feel well repaid for having read the rest of it.

We recommend that you order the April issue early. Tell your newsdealer to save a copy for you. There is likely to be an unprecedented demand for it; and you will feel chagrined if the salesman says, in response to your belated request, “We’re all out of April WEIRD TALES.”

We also suggest that you miss none of our forthcoming issues. This Houdini article, remember, is only the first of a series.  More will follow.  Watch for them.

Related:

• Now Rare: Weird Tales Girasol Collectibles

Last week, I teased the above photograph of me in front of Korby’s, which I can now reveal is the front for the entrance to David Copperfield’s private museum in Las Vegas.  Well, a museum tour was included in the price for the 2021 Magic Collectors Expo, August 19-21, 2021 at The Orleans Hotel, Las Vegas, NV.

So what a perfect time for me to attend my first Magic Collector’s Expo. But, before we get to the tour of a lifetime, which was on day 2 of the expo, let’s start with Day 1 and go from there.

Thursday, August 19 2021

At the registration table, Stan Alan greeted me and made me feel very welcome.

I then entered the dealer room and saw my buddy, Arthur Moses, who had a couple of tables filled with Houdini related items.  I picked up some Houdini movie images, magazines, and his latest Houdini and Sherlock Holmes books.

Next stop was Roger Dreyer’s table where I picked up an original Houdini photo of “Hollywood Harry”.  I first met Roger in 2018 at his Houdini Museum of New York.

After chatting with Roger about a recent post and Houdini movie items in his collection, made by way over to Tom Ewing’s table where I picked up a copy of his book on Frederick Eugene Powell: Master of Magic & Mystery.  Powell has quite the connection with Houdini and Man From Beyond movie.

So within an hour, my wallet was quite a bit lighter, but I was thrilled with my latest additions to my collection.

Spent the next hour, visiting the other dealer tables (which included a nice chat with Gabe Fajuri about Potter & Potter Salon De Magic auction October 30^th) before the introductory session began.

Unfortunately, fellow Houdini collector, Ken Trombly, didn’t make the trip.  Hopefully will get to catch up with him in the near future.

The first session of Day 1 kicked off at 4pm with Paul Stone and Mike Caveney.

Paul welcomed everyone to Las Vegas and did a tribute to Siegfried & Roy, Norm Nielson, and Johnny Thompson.

And Mike shared how the David Copperfield Collection came to be with an off the cuff comment for David to buy the Mullholland (Houdini) Collection.  Apparently, David wasn’t a collector at first, but Mike mentioned to David that it would be nice to keep the Mullholland collection together in America and it could be a tax deduction. The rest is history; the purchase of the Mulholland collection led to many more purchases and the collection of all collections.

The evening session of Day 1 started at 7pm and included David Charvet, Charles Greene III, David Sandy, and Mike Caveney.

David C presentation was on Alexander.  It was based on his latest book, Alexander, Before He Knew.

Charles presentation was on Iona. It was based on his latest book, Iona (Clementine de Vere).

David S magical presentation was on the Helicopter Cups.

And, last but not least, Mike’s presentation was on the corrected history of sawing a lady in half. It was based on his latest book, Sawing: The Astonishing History of Magic’s Most Iconic Illusion.

After the killer presentations, spent some time hanging out at Arthur’s table in the dealer room, where he introduced me to some folks, which included Ben Winn, Lupe Nielsen and Charles Greene III.

Talked to Lupe about the idea I had for adding one of her beautiful reproductions of the 3 sheet Grim Game poster to my collection in the future, and using it as one of two secret ways in and out of a new Houdini room I plan to have built; the other secret way would be book shelves.   She loved the idea and said to let her know when I’m ready.

Charles and I had a nice chat about researching Iona, my Houdini research, and him taking a trip to Los Angeles in the future.

Friday, August 20, 2021 (David Copperfield Tour)

I was on tour 11 with some great people, including Les Arnold.

We entered through the Korby’s store front and watched a short video.  David Copperfield himself opened up a door and peaked in on the group before disappearing.  I may have been the only one that saw him, he gave me a thumbs up and I gave him a thumbs up back.  After the video, we were escorted into a large warehouse area that had some of David’s larger props like the Death Saw.  We then moved to what appeared to be a very small room, where David stood behind the original Macy’s Department Store Magic counter where he bought his first trick (which he performed).

David then turned, lights&music magically came on, and the next thing you know we were all transformed back in time to Tannen’s Magic Shop.  It was simply breathtaking and a moment of wonder and amazement that I will never forget.  And this was only the start of the tour.  Oh, baby!

Jim Rawlins then took us through the Magic Props room housing the Albo collection. There was areas devoted to Thayer, Abbots, P&L, Owen, Marshall, Okito and German manufacturers.  This was followed by Stan Allan’s tour of contemporaries like Mr. Electric (Marvin Roy), Richiardi, Chanin Pollack, Walter Blaney and Doug Henning.

Next, Mike Caveney led the tour of The Golden Age of Magic, which included Blackstone, Carter, Chung Ling Soo, Dante, Thurston and others.

We then went upstairs, where Gabe Fajuri pointed out items belonging to Houdini like the bath tub from 278, Double Fold Death Defying Mystery Chest, a Milk Can, Original Wax cylinders and Edison player, Baby shoe, Mirror Cuff, Silver Replica Cuff, Straijacket, Iron Maiden, and Water Torture Cell (WTC).  I did my best from a distance to get a good look at the Mirror Cuff and the Silver Replica that were in separate display cases from each other.  Would love to see them close up, side-by-side and over-layed on one another for comparison, someday.  I did get a close-up look at what I believe was De Kolta’s Cube, which I found quite interesting.  I also found it interesting as to how small the WTC looked on display; I knew it was small, but it looked even smaller in person.

Also, got to see Houdini’s bookcase from 278 and some amazing posters which included: two different WTC posters, a 1911 Buried Alive Poster, Overboard Box Escape Poster, French poster for Master Mystery, 3 Sheet Grim Game Poster, and a giant Straitjacket poster, among others.

Next, Chris Kenner took us through Robert Houdin Autoomata Heaven, followed by Charles Green III overview of magic posters, and then Will Bradshaw from Copperfield’s staff showed us the research center. After that, we made our way pass the Houdini bookcase and posters along the back wall, where we were overlooking the Golden Age of Magic below, where they allowed us to snap a couple quick photos on our way to the library, which was the end of tour.

Tour of a lifetime!  Thank you to all the tour guides and people behind the scenes; and thank you David for opening up your house and sharing your treasures. Truly amazing!

Footnote: Apparently, two Merry and Bright books with different publication dates than the one I own, were seen on a private tour after one of David’s shows many years ago. Would love to know the publication dates, contents, and story behind the one’s in David’s collection. On the tour, I looked for them in the Houdini bookcase, research center and library but didn’t see them.  My copy was owned and signed by Harry Houdini and contains all 30 publications (Sept 1920 to April 1921) of “Houdini’s School Days” ghostwritten by Herbert Allingham.

Returned to Orleans Hotel and had dinner with Arthur Moses, Gary Hunt (handcuffqueens.com), and Michelle Ainsworth.

After dinner, beer, and great conversation, Stan Alan hosted the evening session on the Blackstone Show which included Magic Starring Harry Blackstone 1995 PBS Television Special with commentary from Gay Blackstone, Bill Smith and Allen Bracken. Wish Adele Rhindess could have made the trip! Lot’s of fun was shared by all.

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Joe Hanosek and I helped Arthur Moses pack up his stuff for his long drive home.

The morning session was hosted by David Sandy, which included Richard Hughes sharing with us the little known history of feather flowers, Gabe Fajuri sharing excerpts from John Fisher’s Heroes of Magic book, and Les Arnold sharing about the career of his grandfather and the great lengths he went to in order to perfect his original illusions (Fire and Water, the Miniature Haunted House, Ribbon Shot Through a Woman and others)

Had lunch with Gary Hunt and Michelle Ainsworth.

The afternoon session was hosted by Lance Rich.

Phil Schwartz kicked it off with a light-hearted look at some notable magicians’ demise. Phil started his presentation with a quote from Houdini:

“The easiest way to attract a crowd is to let it be known that at a given time and a given place someone is going to attempt something that in the event of failure will mean sudden death.” Harry Houdini

Retonio Breitenmoser shared the History of Quick-Change

And Lance Rich closed the afternoon session with a trip down the strip of Las Vegas history of magicians (Greats, Dates, and Firsts) that received a standing ovation.

Returned for Cocktail Hour at 6pm, where I shared with Roger Dreyer the story of how I came to own the extremely rare Grim Game “Message From The Clouds” advertising card that was dropped from a plane, found by a road workman and later used as a bookmark in his journal.

The Expo closed with a fabulous Las Vegas Dinner & Show with performances by Mac King, Retonio & Natalie, Les Arnold, David Sandy & Lance Rich (Leon Pillary Escape) and David Goldrake.

After the show, got a chance to catch up with Hatari (Joe Patire) and his wife Lisa, who I met during my trip to Scranton Houdini Musuem in 2015.

Hatari and I talked about David’s Houdini milk can (left) that we saw on the tour compared to the Houdini milk can (right) Hatari escaped from at the 2015 Magic History weekend.

Special thank you to Bill Smith and all his helpers for putting on an amazing Expo.

And a shout out to Arthur Moses for making my first Magic Collector’s Expo extra special.

I plan to attend the next Magic Collectors Expo  April 13^th-15^th in Austin, TX which will include a tour of Harry Ransom Center, which is on my Houdini bucket list.  Hope to see some more Houdini Nuts there.

Credits:

• David Copperfield Tour images courtesy of Magic Collector’s Corner Facebook Group page

Will share details of my incredible experience in a future post.

As promised in a previous post, I am sharing a condensed summary of the first 29 publications (9/18/1920 to 4/2/1921) of Houdini’s School Days leading up to the final publication (4/9/1921), Houdini’s Last Great Stunt at Rathgar.

Hope you enjoy this special treat which is being shared for the first time:

Harry Houdini at the age of fifteen is sent to Rathgar, a school for troublesome boys.  He is introduced to Dick Heart, a sneak, and Arthur Merlin, the First Eleven captain.

Later Heart interferes with Houdini. A fight is arranged, and Houdini quickly defeats Heart, much to the surprise of his schoolfellows.

Houdini overhears a conversation between Heart and a flashy dressed man. Heart is entrusted with money to take to the bank of Burnash. He invites Merlin to accompany him.  He introduces Merlin to a billiard saloon.  Merlin loses eight pounds of the headmaster’s money. Houdini recognizes the billiard shark, and plays him a game. He wins back Merlin’s eight pounds.

Houdini and Merlin are attacked in the grounds of the bank manager’s house. The burglars lock them in an empty shed. They escape, and in turn, lock the burglars in the strong room.

The Head orders Houdini and Merlin to his study for punishment, and accuses them of theft. They mutiny, and lock themselves in a class-room.

Harold Jugson, the new scholar, is introduced. Mr. Jugson, the bank manager, saves them from the doctor’s anger. The new pupils – the “Terrible Twins” – upset the school; Merlin is knocked out. Houdini challenges them to a fight.

He beats Joe Barker after a terrible tussle.  They return to school through a wood, and find Jugson tied to a tree. They rescue him.

Burnash Fair is put “out of bounds.” Houdini & Co. determine to visit the fair. They meet the doctor and Heart there. Heart has set a trap for them.

Heart takes the clown’s place at the circus. On their return, to Rathgar the Doctor sends for Houdini and Merlin.

Houdini has trouble once again with the “Terrible Twins”.

Houdini and Merlin are attacked by the twins and Ginger, the school porter. They escape from the Twins’ study, and run away from school.

Houdini and Merlin meet Lord Markham. He invites them to breakfast with him.

The doctor heads a deputation to Lord Markham. He meets Houdini and Merlin, and demands an explanation.

Lord Markham makes Houdini and Merlin promise to return at once to Rathgar.

They do so, and meet a new pupil, Percy Vere, who poses as spiritualist, and claims great detective abilities.

The terrible twins Joe and Jim Barker are in trouble.  Jim is ill with measles, and Joe, becoming very unpopular, bolts from school. Houdini and Merlin search for him on Preacher’s Island.

They find him tied up in a sack. They release Joe, and he tells them Flash Ben had attacked and bound him. Flash Ben returns, Houdini & Co. overwhelm and capture him.

They afterwards release Flash Ben, who goes away. Joe Barker remains on the island, hidden in a tree. Flash Ben returns at night and searches in the ruined hut. He brings forth a parcel tied up in a cotton handkerchief, which he deposits in his boat. Heart and a card-sharper named Fitz George turn at the island in a boat. They demand a share of the treasure from Flash Ben. Joe Barker escapes in Flash Ben’s boat with the treasure. He hides it among the play-boxes, and after writing a letter to his brother, starts off for London. The jewels prove to have been stolen from Lord Markham’s castle. He writes to Dr. Dickson, and suggests that Houdini, and Merlin have hidden them in a spirit of mischief. The gems are found in Merlin’s play-box.

Merlin is told by Dr. Dickson that he is under a cloud, but pending investigation he is to have his liberty. Houdini and Merlin go for a ramble towards the sea. They are captured by the pupils of Crag Castle College, and accused of attempting to set fire to a wood. Mr. Grimthorpe Jones, the headmaster, orders them to be locked in separate cells. Houdini makes a daring descent from his prison window, and escapes from his raptors on a borrowed horse. He returns to Crag Castle College disguised as an apple woman and rescues Merlin.  Cycling back to Rathgar, Houdini and Merlin meet Fitz George, the billiard sharp, who tells them of Heart’s connection with the stolen Markham jewels. The “Dauntless Three” of Crag Castle College challenge Houdini & Co to a battle royal.

Houdini & Co accept the challenge and meet the Dauntless Three at the Three Beeches. Tough Ben appears, and strikes Houdini a terrible blow. They carry Houdini back to college, but Dr. Dickson disbelieves their story. He decides to personally investigate, and meets Tough Ben, who give him a shock.

Note: This info was compiled from the Merry and Bright’ book in my collection that was once owned by Harry and Bess Houdini and signed by Harry Houdini on the first page.

I am the proud owner of all 3 Houdini issues of 2004 reprints by Girasol Collectibles:

1. March 1924. “The Spirit of Fakers of Hermannstadt” (part 1 of 2) p3+. “The Eyrie – Ask Houdini” p83+.
2. April 1924. “The Hoax Of the Spirit Lover” p3+. “The Spirit Fakers Of Hermannstadt” (part 2 of 2) p52+. “Ask Houdini” p86+.
3. May-June-July 1924 (single issue) “Imprisoned with the Pharaohs” p3+. “Ask Houdini p167+.

While not as rare as the originals, these limited Girasol Collectibles are now out of print and extremely hard to come by all three.

The Girasol Collectible was a ‘Pulp Replica’ designed to give the reader a true taste of the pulps without the frailty or expense of a decades-old collectable.  That said, the replicas are no longer inexpensive ($60 to $100), but still cheaper than frail originals ($600 to $1000).

The outer covers, the interior pages and the advertisements are all taken directly from the pages of the original magazines. They were left intact to give the reader a true feel of the originals, as well as appreciating them for their interest.

The original magazines were printed on cheap pulpwood paper high in acid content, which contributed in part to their scarcity today. These editions are on an off-white bond paper intended to simulate the original look, while offering a greater longevity.

The overall construction and appearance are as faithful to the original items as was reasonably possible.

Future posts will look at the Ask Houdini sections of each magazine.

HHCE Collection

Thought I would share a short Houdini article from my February 29, 1924 copy of The Vaudeville News Trade Journal that I found very interesting and packed with info for 1924.

HHCE Collection

Herbert Allingham was the writer of a number of short story series that Houdini attached his name with:

• Jorkins & Co (Film Fun)
• The Amazing Exploits of Houdini(The Kinema Comic)
• Houdini’s Schooldays (Merry and Bright)

This week we explore, Allingham’s contribution to Houdini’s Schooldays.

According to Julia Jones book, Fifty Years in the Fiction Factory,

“In 1920 the escapologist Harry Houdini made a well-publicised visit to England. Merry & Bright responded to its readers’ interest by giving them Houdini’s Schooldays as their weekly serial. As the editor explained, ‘A man like Houdini could not fail to have had a wonderful early life and these stories tell of his adventures while still at school.’ In Merry & Bright’s version, however, the boy Houdini was not Erich Weiss, the rabbi’s son from Budapest, growing up impoverished in America; he was a cricket playing, boater-wearing fine young fellow at Rathgar College. He was in fact Will Holt, Allingham’s Duffer, with the Dufferish-ness reduced a fraction and the agility played up. Only a few new sentences and occasional descriptors were needed to make this happen and, apart from a change of proper nouns, Houdini’s Schooldays was simply the fourth printing of A Regular Duffer, the story that Allingham had first written in 1904 for Aldine’s True Blue. This seems to have been Allingham’s own initiative. A diary entry for 10 June 1920 states that he ‘went to New Cross and saw Houdini. Fixed up with him about school days.”

The four printings of Regular Duffer are as follows:

1. A Regular Duffer (True Blue 1904)
2. Will Holt’s Schooldays (Aldine Library c1908)
3. Chums at Rathgar (Puck 1911)
4. Houdini’s Schooldays (Merry&Bright 1920)

And I have originals of two of these in my collection.

• Will Holt’s Schooldays (Aldine Library c1908)
• Houdini’s Schooldays (Merry and Bright 1920)

That’s right, I am the proud new caretaker of a Merry and Bright’ book that was once owned by Harry and Bess Houdini and signed by Harry Houdini on the first page.

This book, “Merry and Bright”, contains 30 publications of “The Favorite Comic” published in London from Sept 1920 to April 1921. “Merry and Bright” comics featuring Houdini’s Schooldays” was 8 pages of newsprint published every week. These comics include both amusing illustrations and short fictional stories. The newspaper sold in London for three halfpence english coins (1 1/2 d).

Houdini enjoyed reading the stories and likely paid to have this book created for his personal library.

I am so excited to finally own something of Houdini’s and believe it or not, this is the only item in my collection to date that is signed by him, despite studying and collecting Houdini for over 45 years.

In a future post, I will share a condensed summary of the first 29 publications (9/18/1920 to 4/2/1921) of Houdini’s School Days leading up to the final publication (4/9/1921), Houdini’s Last Great Stunt at Rathgar.

Last year, I shared five of the six 1978 Stuart Pharmaceutical calendars from the series numbered DM-17301 to DM-17306:

1. January/February(George Goebel Collection)
2. March/April (HHCE Collection)
3. May/June (HHCE Collection)
4. July/August (HHCE Collection)
5. September/October (Missing)
6. November/December (HHCE Collection)

And today, I share the missing September/October (DM-17305) calendar, thanks to Roger Dreyer at houdinireavealed.com and an alert from John Cox.

Related:

• Roger Dreyer launches “Houdini Revealed” (1-3)
• Roger Dreyer’s Houdini Revealed, Parts 4-6
• Roger Dreyer’s Houdini Reveals, Parts 7-8