Houdini, Harry (Erik Weisz) | Houdini to give the Swansea salts the slip

Houdini, Harry (Erik Weisz)

Challenge ... We the undersigned experienced Seamen, hereby challenge you to escape from the trussing … used in olden days … Houdini accepts the above Challenge for 2nd House Friday night, at the Empire Theatre. Swansea: C.E. Willing, 1913

Letterpress handbill (184 x 102 mm) printed in red, dated 13 January 1913, and signed in type by Captain Henry Barnes (35 years a seaman); Bernard Westenborg (10 years a seaman); and Edward John Barrett (16 years a seaman); 2 tiny nicks on left margin, upper right and lower left corner slightly dog-eared.

Houdini's wrists were to be trussed to a broomstick placed behind his knees, then tied with his feet upwards to a seven-foot plank, which was secured with additional roping. Houdini accepts the challenge to escape from the seamen's contrivance in full view of the audience, provided "there are no slipnooses tied around his neck to endanger strangulation … "