American illusionist, magic historian, and author (1914-1984) who served as president of the Society of American Magicians, as an honorary vice-president to The Magic Circle, and was one of the founding members of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Three items signed by Milbourne Christopher, including two TLSs on his personal letterhead signed “Milbourne,” and a Playgram program from October 1960, signed in fountain, “Milbourne Christopher.” The earlier letter, December 13, 1963, in part: “I’ve set up an hour of magic and illusions for the Dec. 22 Jackie Gleason on CBS-TV. My old friend Jackie as Reggie Van Gleason will be ‘the World’s Greatest Magician’ and I will perform too.” The second letter, September 28, 1967, in part: “Curious the papers gave a big play to the Bishop Pike statement, that he seemed to talk with his dead son through Rev. Arthur Ford, but no mention of the Houdini message! Ford was the medium who produced the Houdini message for Mrs. Houdini, who was ill and under a doctor’s care at the time. At first she said the message must have come from Houdini. When she recovered from her illness, she repudiated her statement. Ford had the right words, of that there is no question. How he got them is another matter. Until she died Mrs. Houdini constantly repeated the statement she had never received a message from her husband.” In overall fine condition, with somewhat irregular toning to the longer letter.
