Herrmann, Alexander | The face of magic

Herrmann, Alexander

Boston Theatre. … Grand Testimonial to the Great Hermann [sic] the Celebrated Prestidigitateur, on Wednesday Evening, June 28th, 1876. … Being the Event of the Season. Boston: F. A. Searle, Printer, 1876

Printed broadside playbill (737 x 262 mm). Repeated woodcut vignette portrait of Herrmann by W. Mackwilz; a few marginal tears or chips, some into text, tipped to mat board. Matted, framed, and glazed with Plexiglas. 

"The repeated motif of Alexander Herrmann on the left side of this playbill is the face of magic. More than any other performer, he defined the look of the modern magician: he was a figure tall and slim, sporting a mustache and goatee, decked out in white tie and tails. Minus the marcelled hair, this remains even today the stereotypical Madison Avenue image of the conjuror" (EE).

This grand benefit performance was opened and closed by Herrmann himself and featured his "Astonishing and Mysterious Spiritual Cabinet Seancé." Other performers included comedians, an astrologer, tumblers, a harpist, and Herrmann's wife, here billed as "M'lle Addie Scarsey, Parisian Velocipedist."

REFERENCE:

EE, pp. 154–55