The Ricky Jay Collection

The Ricky Jay Collection

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 605. (Ventriloquism) | "The Human Voice Divine".

(Ventriloquism) | "The Human Voice Divine"

Auction Closed

October 28, 08:54 PM GMT

Estimate

1,200 - 1,800 USD

Lot Details

Description

(Ventriloquism)

A group of six broadsides


Sieur Blight, [Joseph] Askins (Thomas Haskey). The Celebrated Ventriloquist ... The King's Conjurer. [London]: Hughes, [1806?]. Hand-dated "1806" or "1808" in upper left corner, location of performance handwritten; chips to left margin. — Theatre, Leeds. Messrs Mathews and Incledon ... Ventriloquy. Leeds: Edward Baines, 1812. Letterpress playbill (317 x 190 mm). Printed in two columns at center; creases, some soiling, chips to right margin. Mounted on linen. — Mr. Nichols. Ventriloquism ... Masonic Hall. [Philadelphia]: np, [ca. 1832?]. Old folds, chips to left margin, head, and foot. [With]: Contemporary printed note (205 x 90 mm) describing ventriloquism; foxed, partially trimmed at right margin. — New Strand Theatre ... The Great Magician Mr. Sutton ... Mons. Adrean ... Dance of the Dinner Plates. Np, 1838. Letterpress playbill (355 x 430 mm). Two-column broadside, large woodcut vignettes to foot depicting magicians' performances, vertical and horizontal type; old fold, chipped at corners, a few pinholes, some browning and fingersoiling. Mounted on a sheet of paper. — Chestnut Street Theatre ... Mons. Alexandre. [Philadelphia]: np, 1840. Letterpress playbill (510 x 170 mm). Printed in several type sizes; old fold, small chips to left margin. — Professor MacMillan. Theatre, Ayr, ... The Human Voice Divine. Manchester: Jacques, [ca. 1844]. Letterpress playbill (375 x 225 mm). With decorative engraved text; old folds, a little offsetting, fingersoiling. Tipped on to a sheet of paper with testimonials tipped on to verso.


"Ventriloquists have often been compared to magicians, as their art is essentially deceptive: making sounds that seem to emanate from directions and places chosen by the practitioner" (Exemplars). The group of playbills here attest to the power of this deception, advertising the acts as "The Human Voice Divine" in one, and explaining in another that the performer could "throw his voice into the body of any gentleman present, and seemingly hold a familiar conversation with him." The psychic and divine overtones to these performances only increased their allure and show their kinship with conjuring.


Sold as group lot, not subject to return.


REFERENCE:

Exemplars, p. 297

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