Hungarian-born American magician (1874–1926), né Erik Weisz, who would ultimately attain a place among the greatest practicioners in the history of the art. From his early success as the “King of Cards,” Houdini (who took his stage name from his idol, French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin), went on to create ever grander and more elaborate illusions, many of which spectacularly showcased his remarkable physical prowess and skill as an escape artist. An ardent debunker of phony mediums, yet a believer in spiritualism himself, Houdini came to an untimely end when, punched in the abdomen unprepared by a college student who wished to test the magcian’s strength, he suffered from a ruptured appendix. After performing a full show in Detroit with a high fever, he died of peritonitis on Halloween 1926 at the age of 52. Signed book: The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin. NY: Publishers Printing Co., 1908. Hardcover, 5.75 x 8.75, 333 pages. Signed in ink on the front free end page “With compliments of the author, Harry Handcuff Houdini, March 24, 1911, N’hampton, England.” It was in England in the same year that Houdini’s most famous illusion, the Chinese Water Torture Cell, was originally constructed. After performing the illusion for an audience of one to secure copyright protection, Houdini “officially” debuted the cell in the following year, and it ultimately became his most legendary stage feat. In very good condition, with light soiling and wear to binding (snag and small hole at one edge of spine and front cover), a touch of mild soiling and staining to interior (subtle soiling to signed page; some rust staining at gutter of a few rear pages from staples used for index supplement; a few index pages detached but present). The signature and inscription are clear, dark, and otherwise unaffected. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
