Houdini, Harry (Erik Weisz) | Learn a vivisection act for just $2.00

Houdini, Harry (Erik Weisz)

Magic Made Easy by Prof. Harry Houdini King of Cards and Handcuffs. … This Book contains Magic Tricks, Illusions, Second Sight Acts, Secrets of Money Making, Etc, Etc. New York: Van Fleet, Printer, Clipper Building, ca. 1898

8 leaves (280 x 202, irregular) now separated. Very browned, marginal chipping, each leaf split at central horizontal fold, each leaf backed with Japanese tissue. Wrappers, if ever present, now lost.

A very rare ephemeral survival of one of Houdini's earliest publications. This merchandise catalogue includes a variety of advertisements and notices, including Houdini's announcement that he is "always ready to buy or exchange all kinds of magic paper, books, cuts, tricks, illusions, etc."; an ad for his School of Magic at 221 East 69th Street; an endorsement of Bicycle Playing Cards; a list of magic books he has for sale; "Hints for Amateurs"; "Money Making Secrets"; and a list of 62 tricks and apparatus for sale, including Barrel Mystery ($25), Vanishing Handkerchief ($1), the Magic Trick Fan (50 cents), Vivisection Act ($2), and Metamorphosis Substitution (price on application). Intriguingly, in light of his later crusade against such performances, Houdini even offers to teach the techniques of a spiritualism act.

Evidently the same content was published in Chicago by Schulman in 1898, but in a much smaller format and under a slightly variant title. Two copies of the Chicago printing appear in the book auction records, but the New York edition does not.

REFERENCE:

TTW 52