Kellar, Harry (Heinrich Keller) | The first portrayal of imps whispering secrets to a magician

Kellar, Harry (Heinrich Keller) 

Kellar the Great Magician. Cincinnati & New York: Strobridge Lith Co., 1894

Color lithograph poster (30 1/4 x 19 7/8 in.; 768 x 507 mm). A closed tear, with infinitesimal loss, near Kellar's left ear, a few tiny spots of surface abrasion. Laid down on linen.

Kellar first incorporated mischievous sprites and devils into his posters with this iconic image from 1894; the imps are depicted whispering into his ear the secrets of magic. This conceit was subsequently adopted by many other magicians, including Hermann the Great, Thurston, Blackstone, Dante, the Great Raymond, Carter the Great, George—and Ricky Jay. Jay claimed that the present poster represented an early, uncommon issue that was not used commercially because Kellar considered the imps to be too frightening.

REFERENCE:

Exemplars, p. 44; Illustions 192; Magic, p. 298