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unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,3,,"UNITED
STERARIES"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,6,,"THF UNMANKING
ROBER"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,8,,"8061
'00 3H.L
MEN
INICHOH
18
NIGNOH -
JO
DNINSVINNO TH.L"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,9,,"313341
Copyright, 1906
Copyright, 1907
Copyright, 1908
By HARRY HOUDINI
Entered at Stationer's Hall, London, England
All rights reserved
Composition. Electrotyping and Printing by
The Publishers Printing Company
New York, N. Y., U.S.A."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,10,,"Dedication
This Book is affectionately dedicated to the memory of
my father,
Rev. M. S. Weiss, Ph.D., LL.D.,
who instilled in me love of study and patience in research"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,12,,"CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION,
7
CHAPTER
I. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-
HOUDIN,
33
II. THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK,
5I
III. THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE,
83
IV. THE PASTRY Cook OF THE PALAIS ROYAL,
II6
V. THE OBEDIENT CARDS-THE CABALISTIC CLOCK-THE
TRAPEZE AUTOMATON,
I4I
VI. THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE,
.
176
VII. SECOND SIGHT,
. 200
VIII. THE SUSPENSION TRICK,
. 222
IX. THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF,
245
X. ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC AS BE-
TRAYED BY His OWN PEN,
. 264
XI. THE NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS,"" 295
[5]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,14,,"INTRODUCTION
T
HIS book is the natural result of the moulding,
dominating influence which the spirit and wri-
tings of Robert-Houdin have exerted over my
professional career. My interest in conjur-
ing and magic and my enthusiasm for Robert-Houdin
came into existence simultaneously. From the moment
that I began to study the art, he became my guide and hero.
I accepted his writings as my text-book and my gospel.
What Blackstone is to the struggling lawyer, Hardee's
""Tactics"" to the would-be officer, or Bismarck's life and
writings to the coming statesman, Robert-Houdin's books
were to me.
To my unsophisticated mind, his ""Memoirs"" gave to
the profession a dignity worth attaining at the cost of
earnest, life-long effort. When it became necessary for
me to take a stage-name, and a fellow-player, possessing
a veneer of culture, told me that if I would add the letter
""i"" to Houdin's name, it would mean, in the French
language, ""like Houdin,"" I adopted the suggestion with
enthusiasm. I asked nothing more of life than to become
in my profession ""like Robert-Houdin.""
By this time I had re-read his works until I could re-
cite passage after passage from memory. Then, when
Fate turned kind and the golden pathway of success
led me into broader avenues of work, I determined that
my first tour abroad should be dedicated to adding new
[7]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,15,,"INTRODUCTION
laurels to the fame of Robert-Houdin. By research and
study I would unearth history yet unwritten, and record
unsung triumphs of this great inventor and artiste. The
pen of his most devoted student and follower would
awaken new interest in his history.
Alas for my golden dreams! My investigations brought
forth only bitterest dis-
appointment and sad-
dest of disillusionment.
Stripped of his self-
woven veil of romance,
Robert-Houdin stood
forth, in the uncom-
promising light of cold
historical facts, a mere
pretender, a man who
waxed great on the
brainwork of others, a
mechanician who had
boldly filched the in-
ventions of the master
craftsmen among his
predecessors.
""Memoirs of Robert-
Houdin, Ambassador,
Robert-Houdin in his prime, immedi-
Author and Conjurer,
ately after his retirement. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
Written by Himself,'
proved to have been
the penwork of a brilliant Parisian journalist, em-
ployed by Robert-Houdin to write his so-called auto-
biography. In the course of his ""Memoirs,"" Robert-
[8]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,16,,"INTRODUCTION
Houdin, over his own signature, claimed credit for the
invention of many tricks and automata which may be
said to have marked the golden age in magic. My in-
vestigations disproved each claim in order. He had
announced himself as the first magician to appear in
regulation evening clothes, discarding flowing sleeves and
heavily draped stage apparatus. The credit for this revo-
lution in conjuring belonged to Wiljalba Frikell. Robert-
Houdin's explanation of tricks performed by other
magicians and not included in his repertoire, proved so
incorrect and inaccurate as to brand him an ignoramus
in certain lines of conjuring. Yet to the great charm of
his diction and the romantic development of his personal
reminiscences later writers have yielded unquestioningly
and have built upon the historically weak foundations of
his statements all the later so-called histories of magic.
For a time the disappointment killed all. creative
power. With no laurel wreath to carve, my tools lay idle.
The spirit of investigation languished. Then came the
reaction. There was work to be done. Those who had
wrought honestly deserved the credit that had been taken
from them. In justice to the living as well as the dead
the history of the magic must be revised. The book,
accepted for more than half a century as an authority
on our craft, must stand forth for what it is, a clever
romance, a well-written volume of fiction.
That is why to-day I offer to the profession of magic,
to the world of laymen readers to whom its history has
always appealed, and to the literary savants who dip into
it as a recreation, the results of my investigations. These,
I believe, will show Robert-Houdin's true place in the
[9]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,17,,"INTRODUCTION
history of magic and give to his predecessors, in a pro-
fession which in each generation becomes more serious
and more dignified, the credit they deserve.
My investigations cover nearly twenty years of a busy
a
or
focus
b2
the
Frontispiece of ""Hocus Pocus,"" Second Edition, 1635, one of the earliest
works on magic. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
professional career. Every hour which I could spare
from my professional work was given over to study in
libraries, to interviews with retired magicians and col-
lectors, and to browsing in old bookstores and antique
[10]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,18,,"INTRODUCTION
shops where rare collections of programs, newspapers,
and prints might be found.
In order to conduct my researches intelligently, I was
compelled to pick up a smattering of the language of
JOH BAPT PORTA
Ca Philosoph, Madamatitor and Atrologic zus
govo. on
John Baptist Porta, the Neapolitan writer on magic. From an old woodcut
in the Harry Houdini Collection.
each country in which I played. The average collector
or proprietor of an old bookshop is a canny, suspicious
individual who must accept you as a friend before he
will uncover his choicest treasures.
As authorities, books on magic and kindred arts are
practically worthless. The earliest books, like the magi-
cian stories written by Sir John Mandeville in 1356, read
like prototypes of to-day's dime novels. They are thrill-
[ II ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,19,,"INTRODUCTION
ing tales of travellers who witnessedmagical performances,
but they are not authentic records of performers and
their work.
One of the oldest books in my collection is ""Natural
and Unnatural Magic"" by Gantziony, dated 1489. It
is the author's script, exquisite in its German chirography,
artistic in its illuminated illustrations, but worthless as an
historical record, though many of the writer's descriptions
and explanations of old-time tricks are most interesting.
Early in the seventeenth century appeared ""Hocus
Pocus,"" the most widely copied book in the literature of
magic. The second edition, dated 1635, I have in my
library. I have never been able to find a copy of the
first edition or to ascertain the date at which it was
published.
A few years later, in 1658, came a very important con-
tribution to the history of magic in ""Natural Magick in
XX. Bookes,"" by John Baptist Porta, a Neapolitan.
This has been translated into nearly every language.
It was the first really important and exhaustive work on
the subject, but, unfortunately, it gives the explanation
of tricks, rather than an authentic record of their in-
vention.
In 1682, Simon Witgeest of Amsterdam, Holland,
wrote an admirable work, whose title reads ""Book of
Natural Magic."" This work was translated into German,
ran through many an edition, and had an enormous sale
in both Holland and Germany.
In 1715, John White, an Englishman, published a
work entitled ""Art's Treasury and Hocus Pocus; or a
Rich Cabinet of Legerdemain Curiosities."" This is
[iz]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,20,,"INTRODUCTION
Het Natuurlijk
TOVER-BOECK
of
SPEEL =TONEEL
der
KONSTEN
Frontispiece from Simon Witgeest's ""Book of Natural Magic"" (1682),
showing the early Dutch conception of conjuring. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
[*3]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,21,,"INTRODUCTION
fully as reliable a book as the earlier ""Hocus Pocus""
books, but it is not so generally known.
Richard Neve, who was a popular English conjurer
just before the time of Fawkes, published a book on
somewhat similar lines in I715.
Germany contributed the next notable works on magic.
First came Johann Samuel Halle's ""Magic or the Magical
Power of Nature,"" printed in Berlin, in 1784. One of
his compatriots, Johann Christian Wiegleb, wrote eighteen
books on ""The Natural Magic"" and while I shall
always contend that the German books are the most
complete, yet they cannot be accepted as authorities save
that, in describing early tricks, they prove the existence
of inventions and working methods claimed later as
original by men like Robert-Houdin.
English books on magic were not accepted seriously
until the early part of the ninetcenth century. In Vol.
III. of John Beckmann's ""History of Inventions and
and Discoveries,"" published in 1797, will be found a
chapter on ""Jugglers"" which presents interesting matter
regarding magicians and mysterious entertainers.
I
quote from this book in disproving Robert-Houdin's
claims to the invention of automata and second-sight.
About 1840, J. H. Anderson, a popular magician,
brought out a series of inexpensive, paper-bound vol-
umes, entitled ""A Shilling's Worth of Magic,"" ""Parlor
Magic,"" etc., which are valuable only as giving a glimpse
of the tricks contemporary with his personal successes.
In 1859 came Robert-Houdin's ""Memoirs,"" magic's
classic. Signor Blitz, in 1872, published his reminis-
cences, ""Fifty Years in the Magic Circle,"" but here
[14 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,22,,"INTRODUCTION
C
JOHN WHITE, Autbor of
ART's Treafury, and Hocus
Pocus ; or a Rich Cabinet of
Legerdemain Curiofities.
John White, an English writer on magic and kindred arts in the early part
of the eighteenth century. Only portrait in existence and published for the
first time since his book was issued in 1715. From the Harry Houdini Col-
lection.
[
15"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,23,,"INTRODUCTION
again we have a purely local and personal history, without
general value.
Thomas Frost wrote three books relating to the history
of magic, commencing about 1870. This list included
'Circus Life and Circus Celebrities,' ""The Old Show-
men and the Old London Fairs,"" and ""Lives of the
Conjurers."" These were the best books of their kind up
to the time of their publication, but they are marked by
glaring errors, showing that Frost compiled rather than
investigated, or, more properly speaking, that his in-
vestigations never went much further than Morley's
""Memoirs of Bartholomew Fair.""
Charles Bertram who wrote ""Isn't it Wonderful?""
closed the nincteenth-century list of English writers on
magic, but his work is marred by mis-statements which
even the humblest of magicians could refute, and, like
Frost, he drew heavily on writers who preceded him.
So far, in the twentieth century, the most notable con-
tribution to the literature of magic is Henry Ridgely
Evans' ""The Old and the New Magic,"" but Mr. Evans
falls into the error of his predecessors in accepting as
authoritative the history of magic and magicians fur-
nished by Robert-Houdin. He has made no effort
whatever to verify or refute the statements made by
Robert-Houdin, but has merely compiled and re-written
them to suit his twentieth-century readers.
The true historian does not compile. He delves for
facts and proofs, and having found these he arrays his
indisputable facts, his uncontrovertible proofs, to refute
the statements of those who have merely compiled. That
is what I have done to prove my case against Robert-
[r6 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,24,,"INTRODUCTION
Frontispiece from Richard Neve's work on magic, showing him performing
the egg and bag trick about 1715. Photographed from the original in the
British Museum by the author.
2
[ (17 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,25,,"INTRODUCTION
Houdin. I have not borrowed from the books of other
writers on magic. I have gone to the very fountain head
of information, records of contemporary literature, news-
papers, programmes and advertisements of magicians who
Signor Antonio Blitz, author of ""Fifty Years in the Magic Circle"" (1872).
Original negative of this photograpli is in the Harry Houdini Collection.
preceded Robert-Houdin, sometimes by a century. It
would cost fully a million dollars to forge the collection
of evidence now in my hands. Men who lived a hundred
years before Robert-Houdin was born did not invent
[ 18]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,26,,"INTRODUCTION
posters or write advertisements in order to refute the
claims of those who were to follow in the profession of
magic. These programmes, advertisements, newspaper
notices, and crude cuts trace the true history of magic as
Philip Astley, Esq.
Ruc. by Alex. Bogg. & c. Aug 1.1806.
Philip Astley, Esq., an historical circus director, a famous character of
Bartholomew Fair days, and author of ""Natural Magic"" (1784). From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
no romancer, no historian of a single generation possibly
could. They are the ghosts of dead and gone magicians,
rising in this century of research and progress to claim
the credit due them.
[r9]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,27,,"INTRODUCTION
Often when the bookshops and auction sales did not
yield fruit worth plucking, I had the good fortune to
meet a private collector or a retired performer whose
assistance proved invaluable, and the histories of
Charles Bertram (James Bassett), the English author and conjurer, who
wrote ""Isn't it Wonderful ?"" Born 1853, died Feb. 28th, 1907. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
these meetings read almost like romances, so skilfully
did the Fates seem to juggle with my efforts to secure
credible proof.
To the late Henry Evans Evanion I am indebted for
[20]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,28,,"INTRODUCTION
many of the most important additions to my collection
of conjuring curios and my library of magic, recog-
nized by fellow-artistes and litterateurs as the most
complete in the world.
Evanion was an Englishman, by profession a parlor
magician, by choice and habit a collector and savant.
He was an entertainer from 1849 to the year of his death.
For fifty years he spent every spare hour at the British
Museum collecting data bearing on his marvellous col-
lection, and his interest in the history of magic was shared
by his excellent wife who conducted a ""sweet shop""
near one of London's public schools.
While playing at the London Hippodrome in 1904 I
was confined to my room by orders of my physician.
During this illness I was interviewed by a reporter who,
noticing the clippings and bills with which my room was
strewn, made some reference to my collection in the
course of his article. The very day on which this inter-
view appeared, I received from Henry Evanion a merc
scrawl stating that he, too, collected programmes, bills,
etc., in which I might be interested.
I wrote at once asking him to call at one o'clock the
next afternoon, but as the hour passed and he did not
appear, I decided that, like many others who asked for
interviews, he had felt but a passing whim. That after-
noon about four o'clock my physician suggested that, as
the day was mild, I walk once around the block. As
I
stepped from the lift, the hotel porter informed me that
since one o'clock an old man had been waiting to see
me, but so shabby was his appearance, they had not dared
send him up to my room. He pointed to a bent figure,
[ 2I ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,29,,"H Eranion
Last photograph of Henry Evans Evanion, conjurer and collector, taken
especially for this book in which he was deeply interested. Died June 17th.
1905. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 22]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,30,,"INTRODUCTION
clad in rusty raiment. When I approached the old man
he rose and informed me that he had brought some
clippings, bills, etc., for me to see. I asked him to be
as expeditious as possible, for I was too weak to stand
long and my head was a-whirl from the effects of
la grippe.
With some hesitancy of speech but the loving touch of
a collector he opened his parcel.
""I have brought you, sir, only a few of my treasures,
sir, but if you will call-
""
I heard no more. I remember only raising my hands
before my eyes, as if I had been dazzled by a sudden
shower of diamonds. In his trembling hands lay price-
less treasures for which I had sought in vain-original
programmes and bills of Robert-Houdin, Phillippe, Ander-
son, Breslaw, Pinetti, Katterfelto, Boaz, in fact all the
conjuring celebrities of the eighteenth century, together
with lithographs long considered unobtainable, and news-
papers to be found only in the files of national libraries.
I felt as if the King of England stood before me and I
must do him homage.
Physician or no physician, I made an engagement
with him for the next morning, when I was bundled into
a cab and went as fast as the driver could urge his horse
to Evanion's home, a musty room in the basement of
No. I2 Methley Street, Kennington Park Road, S.E.
In the presence of his collection I lost all track of
time. Occasionally we paused in our work to drink tea
which he made for us on his pathetically small stove.
The drops of the first tea which we drank together can
yet be found on certain papers in my collection. . His
]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,31,,"INTRODUCTION
Very rare and extraordinarily fine lithograph of Robert-Houdin, which he
gave only to his friends. It depicts him among his so-called inventions. His
son, Emile, doing second siglit, is behind him. The writing and drawing
figure is on his left. On his right under the clockwork is a drawing which,
on close examination of the original, shows the suspension trick. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 24]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,32,,"his chief anxiety was for the future of his wife and then
for his own decent burial. When these sad offices had
been provided for, he became more peaceful, and when
I rose to leave him, knowing that we had met probably
for the last time, he drew forth his chiefest treasure, a
superb book of Robert-Houdin's programmes, his one
[25]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,33,,"INTRODUCTION
Corn Exchange, Maidstone,
legacy, which is now the
central jewel in my col-
FOR TWO NIGHTS ONLY.
lection. Evanion died
UNDER DISTINGUASHED PATRONAGE.
THEBAND
ten days later, June 17th,
and within a short time
or THE vertzun LIGET INFANTSY
MILITIA
his good wife followed
wn attend on each Erening by the tund cerminsion of Col. Ser Thos. M. Wilson, Bart.
him into the Great Un-
known.
Even more dramatic
was my meeting with the
widow of Frikell, the
great German conjurer.
I had heard that Frikell
and not Robert-Houdin
SOIREES MYSTERIEUSES 1!
was the first magician
MR. J. SAVREN,
to discard cumbersome,
draped stage apparatus,
Artist in Experimental Philosophy, and
Natural Magic,
Sege . inform the - of thet
of
and to don evening
.
Novel - The te
deme by - - of the The MISTICAL
ILLUSTRATION will
MODERN
clothes, and I was most
anxious to verify this
MAGIC
rumor, as well as to in-
terview him regarding
equally important data
The Illusionary of Natural Science, Egyptian Mystery, the Manipulation of
the Chinese, the greatest Recamotes in the World.
PROGBAMME EXTRAORDINAIRR
bearing on the history of
PARE L
The Obediees Carde and theie Eccestricities
Le Mouchod- de confocum, "" What wit be
The Croutal Torala, its Divination, ne the Oracle
Hundred Yeare?
magic. Having heard
of Fomale Destiny
The Grand Escomotago, the Mireculous Pre-
The VANGAL of VENUS is the Prisco of
sectasion to the
Bacchue
The Bassers of - - Molti-
The Wateh Mascrovre, or the Wooders of Magical
farione Production in of the
that he lived in Kötchen-
Manipsiation
ALLIES
PART IL
A Night is the PALACE of NANKIN, or Novel
The Coffers of the Stores
Represvetation of the Wonder Working
broda, a suburb of Dres-
and Spint like Tou de phymique
Magie of the great Celestial Empire of
The Evenoncent Powers of Bodino
CHINA
Fiora's Tree . Minatore and CONE
a Liquid Metamorphosi and reprodection of the
Le Estraordisaire, les Bonlots des Allies
Coldee Circled in Peratorial
The CHINESE CREATION, the mout Brilliant
den, I wrote to him from
The Mesallic Currency, ita Trassitory Motion and
and Jorsplicable Toare over
Final imperceptible Joursey to the Crystal
Ascient or Modern Magle, parely
Cabset
of Chinese Origle
Cologne, asking for an
edome OPEN AT SEVES TO AT e'creca.
interview. I received
Poster used by James Savren. From
the Harry Houdini Collection.
in reply a curt note:
[ 26  ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,34,,"INTRODUCTION
""Herr verreist,"" meaning ""The master is on tour.""
This, I knew, from his age, could not be true, SO
I took a week off for personal investigation. I ar-
rived at Kötchenbroda on the morning of April 8th,
1903, at 4 o'clock, and was directed to his home, known
as ""Villa Frikell."" Having found my bearings and
studied well the exterior of the house, I returned to the
depot to await daylight. At 8:30 I reappeared at his
door, and was told by his wife that Herr Frikell had
gone away.
I then sought the police department from which I
secured the following information: ""Dr."" Wiljalba Frikell
was indeed the retired magician whom I was so anxious
to meet. He was eighty-seven years old, and in 1884 had
celebrated his golden anniversary as a conjurer. Living in
the same town was an adopted daughter, but she could not
or would not assist me. The venerable magician had suf-
fered from domestic disappointments and had made a VOW
that he would see no one. In fact he was leading a
hermit-like life.
Armed with this information, I employed a photog-
rapher, giving him instructions to post himself opposite
the house and make a snap shot of the magician, should
he appear in the doorway. But I had counted without
my host. All morning the photographer lounged across
the street and all morning I stood bareheaded before
the door of Herr Frikell, pleading with his wife who leaned
from the window overhead. With that peculiar fervency
which comes only when the heart's desire is at stake, I
begged that the past master of magic would lend a help-
ing hand to one ready to sit at his feet and learn. I urged
[27]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,35,,"The Author standing in front of Villa Frikell at Kötohenbroda, Germany. where the master magician, Wiljalba Frikell,
assent the yearn of his life. From the Harry Houdini Collection."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,36,,"INTRODUCTION
the debt which he owed to the literature of magic and
which he could pay by giving me such direct information
as I needed for my book.
Frau Frikell heard my pleadings with tears running
down her cheeks, and later I learned that Herr Frikell
also listened- to them, lying grimly on the other side of
the shuttered window.
At length, yielding to physical exhaustion, I went away,
but I was still undaunted. I continued to bombard Herr
Frikell with letters, press clippings regarding my work,
etc., and finally in Russia I received a letter from him.
I might send him a package containing a certain brand
of Russian tea of which he was particularly fond. You
may be sure I lost no time in shipping the little gift, and
shortly I was rewarded by the letter for which I longed.
Having decided that I cared more for him than did some
of his relatives, he would receive me when next I played
near Kötchenbroda.
With this interview in prospect, I made the earliest
engagement obtainable in Dresden, intending to give
every possible moment to my hardly-won acquaintance.
But Fate interfered. One business problem after another
arose, concerning my forthcoming engagement in Eng-
land, and I had to postpone my visit to Herr Frikell
until the latter part of the week. In the mean time, he
had agreed to visit a Dresden photographer, as I wanted
an up-to-date photograph of him and he had only pictures
taken in his more youthful days. On the day when he
came to Dresden for his sitting, he called at the theatre,
but the attachés, without informing me, refused to give
him the name of the hotel where I was stopping.
[29]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,37,,[OE]
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,38,,"INTRODUCTION
After the performance I dropped into the König Kaffe
and was much annoyed by the staring and gesticulations
of an elderly couple at a distant table. It was Frikell
with his wife, but I did not recognize them and, not being
certain on his side, he failed to make himself known.
That was mid-week, and for Saturday, which fell on
October 8th, 1903, I had an engagement to call at the
Villa Frikell. On Thursday, the Central Theatre being
sold out to Cleo de Merode, who was playing special
engagements in Germany with her own company, I
made a flying business trip to Berlin, and on my return I
passed through Kötchenbroda. As the train pulled into
the station I hesitated. Should I drop off and see Herr
Frikell, or wait for my appointment on the morrow?
Fate turned the wheel by a mere thread and I went on to
Dresden. So does she often dash our fondest hopes!
My appointment for Saturday was at 2 P.M., and as my
train landed me in Kötchenbroda a trifle too early I
walked slowly from the depot to the Villa Frikell, not
wishing to disturb my aged host by arriving ahead of time.
I rang the bell. It echoed through the house with pe-
culiar shrillness. The air seemed charged with a quality
which I presumed was the intense pleasure of realizing
my long cherished hope of meeting the great magician.
A lady opened the door and greeted me with the words:
""You are being waited for.""
I entered. He was waiting. for me indeed, this man
who had consented to meet me, after vowing that he would
never again look into the face of a stranger. And Fate
had forced him to keep that VOW. Wiljalba Frikell was
dead. The body, clad in the best his wardrobe afforded,
[ 3I ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,39,,"INTRODUCTION
all of which had been donned in honor of his expected
guest, was not yet cold. Heart failure had come suddenly
and unannounced. The day before he had cleaned up his
souvenirs in readiness for my coming and arranged a quan-
tity of data for me. On the wall above the silent form
were all of his gold medals, photographs taken at various
stages of his life, orders presented to him by royalty-
all the outward and visible signs of a vigorous, active,
and successful life, the life of which he would have told
me, had I arrived ahead of Death. And when all these
were arranged, he had forgotten his morbid dislike of
strangers. The old instincts of hospitality tugged at his
heart strings, and his wife said he was almost young and
happy once more, when suddenly he grasped at his heart,
crying, ""My heart! What is the matter with my heart ?
""
That was all!
There we stood together, the woman who had loved
the dear old wizard for years and the young magician who
would have been SO willing to love him had he been allowed
to know him. His face was still wet from the cologne she
had thrown over him in vain hope of reviving the fading
soul. On the floor lay the cloths, used SO ineffectually
to bathe the pulseless face, and now laughing mockingly
at one who saw himself defeated after weary months
of writing and pleading for the much-desired meeting.
I feel sure that the personal note struck in these remi-
niscences will be forgiven. In no other way could I
prove the authoritativeness of my collection, the thorough-
ness of my research, and the incontrovertibility of the facts
which I desire to set forth in this volume.
[ 32 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,40,,"THE UNMASKING OF
ROBER'T-HOUDIN -
CHAPTER I
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-EOUDIN
R
OBERT-HOUDIN was born in Blois, France;
December 6th, 1805. His real name was
Jean-Eugene Robert, and his father was Prosper
Robert, a watchmaker in moderate circum-
stances.
His mother's maiden name was Marie Catherine
Guillon. His first wife was Josephe Cecile Eglantine
Houdin, whose family name he assumed for business rea-
sons. He was married the second time to Françoise Mar-
guerite Olympe Naconnier. His death, caused by pneu-
monia, occurred at St. Gervais, France, on June 13th, 1871.
Barring the above facts, which were gleaned from
the register of the civil authorities of St. Gervais,
all information regarding his life previous to his first
public appearance in 1844 must be drawn from his own
works, particularly from his autobigraphy, published in
the form of ""Memoirs."" Because of his supreme egotism,
his obvious desire to make his autobiography picturesque
and interesting rather than historically correct, and his
utter indifference to dates, exact names of places, theatres,
books, etc., it is extremely hard to present logical and con-
3
[33]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,41,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
sistent statements regarding his life. Such discrepancies
arise as the mention of three chiklsen in one chapter and
four in another, while he does net give the names of either
Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin. Photograph taken about 1868. From the
HIarry Houdini Collection.
wife, though he admits his obligation to both good
women.
According to his autobiography, Jean-Eugene Robert
was sent to college at Orleans at the tender age of eleven,
and remained there until he was eighteen. He was then
placed in a notary's office to study law, but his mechanical
[ 34]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,42,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
tastes led him back to his father's trade, watchmaking.
While working for his cousin at Blois, he visited a book-
shop in search of Berthoud's ""Treatise on Clockmaking,""
but by mistake he was given several volumes of an old
encyclopaedia, one of which contained a dissertation on
""Scientific Amusements,"" or an exposition of magic.
This simple incident, he asserts, changed the entire
current of his life. At eighteen, he first turned his atten-
tion to magic. At forty, he made his first appearance
as an independent magician or public performer.
On page 44 of his ""Memoirs,"" American edition, Robert-
Houdin refers to this book as an encyclopaedia, but several
times later he calls it ""White Magic."" In all probability
it was the famous work by Henri Decremps in five vol-
umes, known as ""La Magie Banche Dévoilée,"" or ""White
Magic Exposed."" This was written by Decremps to
injure Pinetti, and it exposed all the latter's tricks, in-
cluding the orange tree, the vaulting trapeze automaton,
and in fact the majority of the tricks later claimed by
Robert-Houdin as his own inventions.
In 1828, while working for M. Noriet, a watchmaker in
Tours, Jean-Eugene Robert was poisoned by improperly
prepared food, and in his delirium started for his old home
in Blois. He was picked up on the roadside by Torrini,
a travelling magician, who nursed him back to health
in his portable theatre. Just as young Jean recovered
Torrini was injured in an accident, and his erstwhile
patient remained to nurse his benefactor and later to help
Torrini's assistant present the programme of magic by
which they made their living. His first public appearance
as the representative of Torrini was made at Aubusson.
[ 35 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,43,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
-
[36]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,44,,"To=bay, Thursbay, July 3, 1845,
first Representation
OF
The fantastic Goirces
OF
Robert-Toubin,
Automata, Sleight-of-Hand, Magic.
The Performance will be composed of entirely
novel Experiments invented by
M. ROBERT-HOUDIN,
Among them being :
The Cabalistic Clock
Obedient Cards
Auriol and Debureau
The Miraculous Fish
The Orange-Tree
The Fascinating Owl
The Mysterious Boquet
The Pastrycook of the
Pierrot in the Egg
Palais Royal
To Commence at Cight o'clocli.
open at balf:past beurn.
Price of Places: Upper Boxes, I fr. 50 C.; Stalls, 3 fr.;
Boxes, 4 fr.; Dress Circle, 5 fr.
Programme for the opening of Robert-Houdin's theatre in Paris. Repro-
duced from the American edition of his *Memoirs.""
[ 37]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,45,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Torrini was an Italian whose real name was Count
Edmond de Grisy. He was a contemporary of Pinetti.
In all probability, during the long summer of their inti-
mate companionship, Torrini not only initiated his fas-
cinated young guest into his own methods of performing
ILLUSIONS.
IVE A G x E.
Robert-Houdin's favorite lithograph for advertising purposes. Used on
the majority of his posters and in the original edition of his ""Memoirs."" From
the Harry Houdini Collection.
tricks, but also into the secrets of Pinetti's tricks. In
his ""Memoirs,"" Robert-Houdin makes no secret of the
fact that both Comus and Pinetti, together with their
tricks, were topics of conversation between himself and
Torrini.
When Torrini was able to resume his performances,
[38]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,46,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Raser "" esprees Datrensge e
Gracess
THE QUEEN,
HIS ROYAL HIOHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT.
HEA ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCEESS OF KENT,
THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUEE & DUCHESS OF CAXBRIDO&,
KEA ROYAL HIOHNESS THE DUCHESS OF OLOUCESTEL
A GRAND
MORNING FETE,
A CONCERT & DANCING,
""
Batts and for the Labouting Classes,
IN COULSTON
PLACE
Ox WEDNESDAY, JULY TR$ 19ta,
Under the above exalted Patronage,
AT
The Residence of ARTSUR Esq.
Waich Ass most hindly placed et the dispesal the Ledies
TEE CONCERT
san sombine sminent et the tollsting use babe most estigingis
assistants
MADAME GRISI,
MADAME CASTELLAN,
MADLLE ALBONI,
MARIO, M. ROGER, sto. TAMBURINI, a SIG. LABLACHS.
CONDUOTOR
SIGNOR COSTA.
A
TENT WILL BE ERECTED IN THE GROUNDS,
""
ROBERT-HOUDIN.
whe Ase .... -
The Grounds will be open from One o'Clock untu Sigbs.
TICKETS FOR THE TETE,
THE or WHICN will et LIMITED,
Can only be procured on the presentitation of Vouchers from the following
LADIES
Decesse or
os
es Ricameyo.
or
VIMCUNTEN ******
or
(revers os
es
or
os
ances.
Orcatse or Stocistom.
or
Leav Acasa:
becusss or
or
LADT as &suse.
or Mostross.
""
LADT Stamist.
o
or
Decuses or
os
Lem
os
Cocatus Gast.
Leot
os
or
or WATEAPORN
Laos
o
"" PROUNADA.
COFNTESS os
or
Cor>rase
Lare Gastam.
os
Bases,
os
LAM Jewn
Mabast V. as
or
LIONEL Da
or
Tes L.DT
or Ducomes,
Now *** Nuarom.
Nas. Nims.
Single Tickete
22 2s. esch.""
detional for comorried Sons and Deughters of the same Pamily. 21 1. -
N°
Venchers will be exchanged at Mr. MITCHELL' Zoyal Libras, 33, O14 Sond Street
on TN& tava, lern. - tare JULV.
Robert-Houdin's first appearance before Queen Victoria, July 19th, 1848.
A very rare, and possibly the only, programme in existence, chronicling
The original, now in the Harry Houdini Collection, was presented to James
Savren by Robert-Houdin.
[39]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,47,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Jean-Eugene returned to his family in Blois. During
the next few years he mixed amateur acting with his
daily labor, leaning more and more toward the profes-
sion of public entertainer. But his ambitions along this
line were nipped in the bud by
ST. JAMES'S THEATRE
marriage. Mademoiselle Houdin,
Menday, March 28,
And Curing the Week.
whose father was a celebrated
GREAT FREACN CONJOREA,
watchmaker in Paris, visited old
friends in Blois, their native town,
and became the fiancée of young
Robert. As the new son-in-law
was to share the elder Houdin's
business and naturally wished to
secure such benefits as might ac-
crue from SO celebrated a family
-
-
sy
Mest Gracions Majesty
""
of watch and clock makers, he
--
- mas - -
-
vamar, masom se, sessy
at THEE ABOVE DURING SASTER wase.
applied to the council of state
SVERY
- - à
DAY PERFORMANCE
and secured the right to annex
MESBAY & SATURBAY
""Houdin"" to his name, Jean-
masom so APRIL
""
Eugene Robert, and thereafter was
vervass
known only as Robert-Houdin.
His life between 1838 and 1844
Poster used by Robert-
Houdin during an Easter
was divided between reading every
engagement at the St.
James Theatre, London.
work obtainable on magic, and his
From the Harry Houdini
duties in his father-in-law's shop,
Collection.
where he not only made and re-
paired clocks, but built and repaired automata of various
sorts. His family shared with him many financial vicissi-
tudes, and about 1842-43 his first wife died, leaving him
with three young children to raise. Earlier in his ""Mem-
oirs"" he speaks of having four children, so it is more
[40]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,48,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
than likely that one died before his wife. He married
again soon, and though he gives his second wife great
credit as a helpmate he does not state her name.
By this time he had acquired more than passing fame
Robert-Houdin as he appeared to the English critics. Reproduced from the
Illustrated London News, December 23d, 1848.
as a repairer of automata, and in 1844 he mended Vau-
canson's marvellous duck, one of the most remarkable
automata ever made. Doubtless other automata found
[ 4I ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,49,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
their way to his workshop and aided him in his study of
a profession which he still hoped to follow. During these
discouraging times he was often assisted financially by
ST,
-
regest
ENTERTAINMENT
Tuesday. Thursday
Saturday Evenings,
DAY.
PERFORMANCE
90
Wednesday
Morning.
at
Poster used in 1848 in London by Robert-Houdin. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
one Monsieur G-- who either advanced money on
his automata or bought them outright. In the same
year, 1844, he retired to a suburb of Paris, and there,
[42]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,50,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
he asserts, he built his famous writing and drawing
figure.
The next year, 1845, he was assisted by Count de
L'Escalopier, a devotee of conjuring and automata, who
advanced the money to fit up
and furnish a small theatre
ST JAMES'S THEATRÉ
Saturday Evening, Aug. 19.
in the Palais Royal. Robert-
POSITIVELY THE
Houdin went about the work
LAST
NIGHT
of decorating and furnishing this
OF THE SEASON.
theatre with a view to securing
BENEFIT OF
the most dramatic and brilliant
MILE-HOUDIN
effects, surrounding his simple
ROBERT
tricks with a setting that made
HOUDIN
them vastly different from the
will POSTIVELY MAEE ats
same offerings by his predeces-
Last Appearamce in Lendon
Naturday Evening, Aug. 19,5'
sors. He was what is called to-
Outes to Nio Eagagement et the Theatre Reyal, Mascheath.
which Tuesday Evening aexi, Arges $2.
THE PROGRAMNE
day an original producer of old
BITS & INVENTIONS
THE avexava
ideas. On June 25th, 1845, he
MILE-HOUDIN Me ,
SECOND SIGNT,
us
gave his first private perform-
""
INVISIBILETE,""
ESCAMOTAGE EXTRAORDINAIRE,
ance before a few friends. On
AMILK-HOUDIN
Suspension Ethereenne,
BY UGENE-BOUDIN.
July 3d of the same year his
aoxgs, da. PIT, GAL STALLS, la se.
PRIVATE BUXES ... STALLS
-
SOVAL sa,
theatre of magic was opened
formally to the public. The
programme of this performance
Poster for theEmile-Houdin
benefit at St. James's Thea-
is shown on page 37.
tre in 1848. From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
It will be noted that the famous
writing and drawing figure was not then included in Robert-
Houdin's répertoire, nor does it ever appear on any of his
programmes. He exhibited it at the quinquennial exhibi-
tion in 1844, received a silver medal for it, and very soon
sold it to the late P. T. Barnum, who exported it to America.
[43]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,51,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
This question naturally arises: If Robert-Houdin built
the original writing and drawing figure, why could he not
make a duplicate and include it in his programme? Surely
Sadier's ""Wells
POSITIVE NIGETS
ROBERT
SERIES of MAGICAL
ILLUSIONS
MONDAY, MAY 9th, 1853. and Every During the Woek.
The Entreptd Soldier.
The Produstion of Flowers.
The Animated Oards.
The Instantaneous Transpesition
The Marvellous Oraage Tree.
The Golden Shower.
The Mephistepheles Telescope.
The Enchanted Garland of Flowerte
The Traveiling Turtile Devea.
A Wonderfal Surprise fer the Sadies.
The Transparent Oryatal Eex.
varmo PART.
The Confectioner.
The Taeshaustible Sowl of
SECOND PABT.
The Orystal Balle, or Great Series
Bobert Mondia's Portfelle
of stight et Hand Wricks.
astonishing Envisibility.
Press Circie,
.
Sa.
Bexes,
-
Sa.
PII, - Is.
Gallery .
PRIVATE soxma
as, - as N. su.
. of The -
-
-
Poster used by Robert-Houdin when he played at Sadler's Wells, London,
in 1853. He never refers to this engagement in his writings because he was
not proud of having appeared in a second-class theatre, while his rival, ,Anderson,
held the fashionable audiences at the St. James's, where Robert-Houdin had
worn out his welcome. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
it was one of the most remarkable of the automata which
he claims as the creations of his brain and hands.
[44]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,52,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
In 1846 he claims to have invented second sight, and
at the opening of the season in 1847 he presented as his
own creation the suspension trick. During the interim
he played an engagement in Brussels which was a finan-
cial failure.
In 1848 the Revolution closed the doors of Parisian
theatres, Robert-Houdin's among the rest, and he re-
turned to clockmaking and automata building, until he
received from John Mitchell, who had met with great
success in managing Ludwig Döbler and Phillippe, an
offer to appear in London at the St. James's Theatre.
This engagement was a brilliant success and for the first
time in his career Robert-Houdin reaped big financial
returns.
Later Robert-Houdin toured the English provinces
under his own management and made return trips to
London, but his tour under Mitchell was the most notable
engagement of his career.
In 1850, while playing in Paris, he decided to retire,
and to turn over his theatre and tricks to one Hamilton.
A contemporary clipping, taken from an English news-
paper of 1848, goes to prove that Hamilton was an
Englishman who entered Robert-Houdin's employ. Ham-
ilton signed a dual contract, agreeing to produce Robert-
Houdin's tricks as his acknowledged successor and to
marry Robert-Houdin's sister, thus keeping the tricks
and the theatre in the family. During the next two years
Robert-Houdin spent part of his time instructing his
brother-in-law in all the mysteries of his art. In July,
1852, he played a few engagements in Germany, including
Berlin and various bathing resorts, and then formally
[45]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,53,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
retired to his home at St. Gervais. Here he continued
to work along mechanical and electrical lines, and in 1855
he again came into public notice, winning awards at the
Exhibition for electrical power as applied to mechanical
uses. In 1856, according to his autobiography, he was
Robert-Houdin's grave, in the cemetery at Blois, France. From a photo-
graph taken by the author, especially for this work, and now in the Harry
Houdini Collection.
summoned from his retirement by the Government to
make a trip to Algeria and there intimidate revolting
Arabsby1 the exhibition of his sleight-of-hand tricks. These
were greatly superior to the work of the Marabouts or
Arabian magicians, whose influence was often held re-
sponsible for revolts. What Robert-Houdin received for
[ 46 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,54,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
performing this service is not set forth in any of his works.
He spent the fall of 1856 in Algeria.
From the date of his return to St. Gervais to the time
of his death, June 13th, 1871, Robert-Houdin devoted
his energies to improving his inventions and writing his
R
Bas-relief on Robert-Houdin tombstone. From a photograph taken by the
author, especially for this work, and now in the Harry Houdini Collection.
books, though, as stated before, it was generally believed
by contemporary magicians that in the latter task he
entrusted most of the real work to a Parisian journalist
whose name was never known.
He was survived by a wife, a son named Emile, and
a step-daughter. Emile Houdin managed his father's
theatre until his death in 1883, when the theatre was
[ 47 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,55,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
sold for 35,000 francs. The historic temple of magic
still stands under the title of ""Théâtre Robert-Houdin,""
under the management of M. Mclies, a maker of mo-
tion picture films.
During my investigations in Paris, I was shocked to
-
The last photograph taken of Robert-Houdin and used as the frontispiese for
the original French edition of his ""Memoirs,"" published in 1868.
find how little the memory of Robert-Houdin was revered
and how little was known of France's greatest magician.
In fact, I was more than once informed that Robert-
Houdin was still alive and giving performances at the
theatre which bears his name.
1 48 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,56,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Contemporary magicians of Robert-Houdin and men
of high repute in other walks of life seem to agree that
Robert-Houdin was an entertainer of only average merit.
Among the men who advanced this theory were the late
Henry Evanion of whose deep interest in magic I wrote
in the introduction, Sir William Clayton who was Robert-
Houdin's personal friend in London, Ernest Basch who
saw Robert-Houdin in Berlin, and T. Bolin of Moscow,
Russia, who bought all his tricks in Paris and there saw
Robert-Houdin and studied his work as a conjurer.
Robert-Houdin's contributions to literature, all of
which are eulogistic of his own talents, are as follows:
""Confidence et Révélations,"" published in Paris in
1858 and translated into English by Lascelles Wraxall,
with an introduction by R. Shelton Mackenzie.
""Les Tricheries des Grecs"" (Card-Sharping Exposed),
published in Paris in 1861.
""Secrets de la Prestidigitation"" (Secrets of Magic),
published in Paris in 1868.
""Le Prieuré"" (The Priory, being an account of his
electrically equipped house), published in Paris in 1867.
""Les Radiations Lumineuses,"" published in Blois in
1869.
""Exploration de la Rétinue,"" published in Blois, 1869.
""Magic et Physique Amusante"" (œuvre posthume),
published in Paris in 1877, six years after Robert-Houdin's
death.
In his autobiography, Robert-Houdin makes specific
claim to the honor of having invented the following
tricks: The Orange Tree, Second Sight, Suspension,
The Cabalistic Clock. The Inexhaustible Bottle, The
4
[ 49 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,57,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal, The Vaulting Trapeze
Automaton, and the Writing and Drawing Figure.
His fame, which has been sung by writers of magic
without number since his death, rests principally on the
invention of second sight, suspension, and the writing and
drawing automaton. It is my intention to trace the true
history of each of these tricks and of all others to which
he laid claim as inventor, and show just how small a
proportion of the credit was due to Robert-Houdin and
how much he owed to magicians who preceded him
and whose brain-work he claimed as his own.
[50]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,58,,"CHAPTER II
THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
R
OBERT-HOUDIN, on page I79 of the American
edition of his ""Memoirs,"" thus describes the
orange-tree trick, which he claims as his inven-
tion: ""The next was a mysterious orange-tree,
on which flowers and fruit burst into life at the request of
the ladies. As the finale, a handkerchief I borrowed
was conveyed into an orange purposely left on the tree.
This opened and displayed the handkerchief, which two
butterflies took by the corners and unfolded before the
spectators.""
On page 245 of the same volume he presents the
programme given at the first public performance in the
Théâtre Robert-Houdin, stating:
""The performance will be composed of entirely novel
Experiments invented by M. Robert-Houdin. Among
them being The Orange-Tree, etc.""
Now to retrace our steps in the history of magic as set
forth in handbills and advertisements of earlier and con-
temporaneous newspaper clippings describing their in-
ventions.
Under the title of ""The Apple-Tree"" this mechanical
trick appeared on a Fawkes programme dated I730. This
was II5 years before Robert-Houdin claimed it as his
invention. In I732, just before Pinchbeck's death, it
[ 51 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,59,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
appeared on a programme used by Christopher Pinchbeck,
Sr., and the younger Fawkes. In 1784 it was included in
the répertoire of the Italian conjurer, Pinetti, in the guise
of ""Le Bouquet-philosophique."" In 1822 the same
trick, but this time called ""An Enchanted Garden,""
was featured by M. Cornillot,
who appeared in England as the
pupil and successor of Pinetti.
The trick was first explained
in public print by Henri De-
cremps in 1784 when his famous
exposé of Pinetti was published
0
under the title of ""La Magie
Blanche Dévoilée,"" and in 1786-
87 both Halle and Wiegleb ex-
posed the trick completely in
their respective works on magic.
That Robert-Houdin was an
Diagram of the orange-tree
omnivorous reader is proven by
trick, from Wiegleb's The
Natural Magic,"" published in
his own writings. That he knew
1794.
the history and tricks of Pinetti
is proven by his own words, for in Chapter VI. of his
""Memoirs"" he devoted fourteen pages to Pinetti and the
latter's relations with Torrini.
Now to prove that the tree tricks offered by Fawkes,
Pinchbeck, Pinetti, Cornillot, and Robert-Houdin were
practically one and the same, and to tell something of
the history of the four magicians who featured the trick
before Robert-Houdin had been heard of:
Unquestionably, the real inventor of the mysterious
tree was Christopher Pinchbeck, who was England's
[52]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,60,,"Pinchestic
stopher Pinchbeck, Sr. This is the oldest and rarest authentic mezzotint in the
orld pertaining to the history of magic. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 53 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,61,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
leading mechanical genius at the close of the seventeenth
century and the beginning of the eightcenth. He was a
man of high repute, whose history is not that of the
charlatan, compiled largely from tradition, but it can be
At YOUNGS Gront Riem, the of unite
Mall, faring de Hay-Market, feem The
GAAND TREATHE of the MUSES, jaft
find Mr. PINCHBECK,
THIS wonderful Machine is the Altonifh-
men et of that fee it. the Magnificraçe of bs
the Deliescy of the Painitag und Seulprure, and the
great variety of moving Figures makes it the moit fur-
priling Piece of An thaz has ever yer appear'd in Europe.
It regrefenta a Landfeape, witha view of the Sea. termina-
sing infentibly NE 4 vall wich Shipsfailing, plying
to doubling Capes, and diminithing by degrees
an des difappear, Swans in . River filling and pluming
Duck Hunring to Perfection, and grest variety
Motions Likewife Piéture, re-
OEPUTUS in playing amang rhe Bealts
fiere the very T res, as well du Bnnes, are feea 10 move,
as if animared and compell'd by the Hamony of bia Harp.
It allo perfoins on feveral Infrumenta great variety of moit
excellent Pieces of Mulick compos'd by Mr. HANDRE, Co-
RELET Bosescims, and orher celebtated
wich fuch wonderful Exaänel, that fearce any Hand em
equal. It liacwife imitates the fwee Hamony of any Avi-
ary of Birds, wherein the refpeltive Notes of the Nightin-
gale, Woodfark, Cuckoo, &c. are performed 10 to gieat a
Perfebtion, as not to be dillioguillid from Nature it felf.
Wirh feveral other grand 100 dious to men-
tiow, Prices rs. 25, 6 d. and To be feem from to
in the Morning rill To Nighr, by two, or more, without
lofe of Time.
Nate, This curious Machine will be removed ia a few
Days next Deas but oxie to the Leg Tavem in Fleetflieet,
Clipping from the London Daily Post of November 30th, 1798. Used by
Christopher Pinchbeck before he joined Fawkes. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
corroborated by court records, biographical works, and
encyclopaedias, as well as by contemporaneous newspaper
clippings.
According to Vol. XLV. of the ""Dictionary of National
Biography,"" edited by Sidney Lee and published in 1896
by Smith, Elder & Co., 15 Waterloo Place, London:
""Christopher Pinchbeck was born about 1670, possibly
[ 54 ]
1"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,62,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
in Clerkenwell, London. He was a clockmaker and
inventor of the copper and zinc alloy called after his name.
He invented and made the famous astronomico-musical
clock. In Appleby's Weekly Journal of July 8th, I721,
At FAWKFS's THEATRE,
In near the Hay-market, will
be prefentedite following Entertaimments.
Firtt,
H IS Diverting and Incomparable
feveral Thingscatirely new.
of HAND, in whichie performe
N. n. In particular be caufera Tree to grow up in a Flower-
Pot upon the Table, which will blow and bear ripe Fruit in.a
Minute's Time,
Second, His Famous linde
Thind, The CLOCN, with two moving Pilures
Tascly made b, Mr. Pinchbeck.
Fourth, The Vest TIAN MACKINE, being the huen Piece
et Workmaufhip in the World, for moving other
Cariofities.
Fifth, The ANTIFICIAL Vrow of the wherein
is very nateraly imitared the Formament fpangled with Multitude
of Stari; the Moon's Increale and Décreate the Pawa of Day il
the diffufing his Lightar has Rifing : the beautiful Redneis of
the Horizin at hts a in a fine Summer Evening, The
Occait it alfo repreferred, with Ships under Sail,
Miles the Water, Difance; and their others they pafs B near by that Fort, their Shadows as &cc, the' are they at leea levent lis
28 muy
each other with Guits, the Report anddeccho of which are as
plaialy heard as the from Places they Anpear to be.
Every Weck are diffevent
Nore, Every Night tlats Week will be
following
1. The Ciry of Granz In the Drifredom of Stirla in Germany.
11. The Clry of Autwerp Nin Brabant in
III. The City of Grand Cairo in Egres.
IV The City of Africa.
every Evening precifely ar SFx n° Clock.
Pic AL Middle Upper 64
And thanhe Company may not be with Coll, theve
is Contrivanzes TO keep der Warn.
Note, Gendeaco and may have a privale Performance,
giving Noute the Sight befort.
Advertisement from the London Daily Post during 1730, showing the orange
tree as offered by the senior Fawkes, just previous to his death. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
it was announced that Christopher Pinchbeck, inventor
and maker of the astronomico-musical clock, is removed,
from St. George's Court (now Albion Place) to the sign
of the ""Astronomico-Musical Clock"" in Fleet Street, near
the Leg Tavern. He maketh and selleth watches of all
sorts and clocks as well for the exact indication of the
[55]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,63,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERTT-HOUDIN
time only as astronomical, for showing the various
motions and phenomena of planets and fixed stars.'
Mention is also made of musical automata in imitation of
singing birds and barrel organs for churches, as among
Pinchbeck's manufactures.
""Pinchbeck was in the habit of exhibiting collections
of his automata at fairs, sometimes in conjunction with a
juggler named Fawkes, and he entitled his stall ""The
Temple of the Muses,' 'Grand Theatre of the Muses,
or 'Multum in Parvo.' The Daily Journal of August
27th, 1729, announced that the Prince and Princess of
Wales went to the Bartholomew Fair to see hisexhibition,
and there were brief advertisements in The Daily Post of
June 1 2th, 1729, and the Daily Journal of August 22d
and 23d, I729. There is still a large broadside in the
British Museum (1850 C. 10-17) headed 'Multum in
Parvo,' relating to Pinchbeck's exhibition, with a blank
left for place and date, evidently intended for use as a
poster. Ile died November 18th, 1732; was buried No:
vember 2ist, in St. Denison's Church, Fleet Street.
""In a copy of the Gentlemen's Magasine, printed 1732
page 1083, there is an engraved portrait by I. Faber,
after a painting by Isaac Wood, a reproduction of which
appears in 'Britten's Clock and Watch Maker,' page I22.
His will, dated November roth, 1732, was proved in
London on November 18th.""
During one of his engagements at the Bartholomew
Fair, Pinchbeck probably met Fawkes, the cleverest
sleight-of-hand performer that magic has ever known,
and the two joined forces. Pinchbeck made all the auto-
mata and apparatus thereafter used by Fawkes, and, in
[56]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,64,,"A very rare mezzotint of Christopher Pinchbeck, Jr., combining the work
of Cunningham, the greatest designer, and William Humphrey, the greatest
portrait etcher of his day. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[57]
:"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,65,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
sold for 35,000 francs. The historic temple of magic
still stands under the title of ""Théâtre Robert-Houdin,""
under the management of M. Melies, a maker of mo-
tion picture films.
During my investigations in Paris, I was shocked to
-
The last photograph taken of Robert-Houdin and used as the frontispiese for
the original French edition of his ""Memoirs,"" published in 1868.
find how little the memory of Robert-Houdin was revered
and how little was known of France's greatest magician.
In fact, I was more than once informed that Robert-
Houdin was still alive and giving performances at the
theatre which bears his name.
1 48 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,66,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Contemporary magicians of Robert-Houdin and men
of high repute in other walks of life seem to agree that
Robert-Houdin was an entertainer of only average merit.
Among the men who advanced this theory were the late
Henry Evanion of whose deep interest in magic I wrote
in the introduction, Sir William Clayton who was Robert-
Houdin's personal friend in London, Ernest Basch who
saw Robert-Houdin in Berlin, and T. Bolin of Moscow,
Russia, who bought all his tricks in Paris and there saw
Robert-Houdin and studied his work as a conjurer.
Robert-Houdin's contributions to literature, all of
which are eulogistic of his own talents, are as follows:
""Confidence et Révélations,"" published in Paris in
1858 and translated into English by Lascelles Wraxall,
with an introduction by R. Shelton Mackenzie.
""Les Tricheries des Grecs"" (Card-Sharping Exposed),
published in Paris in 1861.
""Secrets de la Prestidigitation"" (Secrets of Magic),
published in Paris in 1868.
""Le Prieuré"" (The Priory, being an account of his
electrically equipped house), published in Paris in 1867.
""Les Radiations Lumineuses,"" published in Blois in
1869.
"" ""Exploration de la Rétinue,"" published in Blois, 1869.
""Magic et Physique Amusante"" (œuvre posthume),
published in Paris in 1877, six years after Robert-Houdin's
death.
In his autobiography, Robert-Houdin makes specific
claim to the honor of having invented the following
tricks: The Orange Tree, Second Sight, Suspension,
The Cabalistic Clock. The Inexhaustible Bottle, The
4
[ 49 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,67,,"invention of second sight, suspension, and the writing and
drawing automaton. It is my intention to trace the true
history of each of these tricks and of all others to which
he laid claim as inventor, and show just how small a
proportion of the credit was due to Robert-Houdin and
how much he owed to magicians who preceded him
and whose brain-work he claimed as his own.
[50]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,68,,"CHAPTER II
THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
R
OBERT-HOUDIN, on page I79 of the American
edition of his ""Memoirs,"" thus describes the
orange-tree trick, which he claims as his inven-
tion: ""The next was a mysterious orange-tree,
on which flowers and fruit burst into life at the request of
the ladies. As the finale, a handkerchief I borrowed
was conveyed into an orange purposely left on the tree.
This opened and displayed the handkerchief, which two
butterflies took by the corners and unfolded before the
spectators.""
On page 245 of the same volume he presents the
programme given at the first public performance in the
Théâtre Robert-Houdin, stating:
""The performance will be composed of entirely novel
Experiments invented by M. Robert-Houdin. Among
them being The Orange-Tree, etc.""
Now to retrace our steps in the history of magic as set
forth in handbills and advertisements of earlier and con-
temporaneous newspaper clippings describing their in-
ventions.
Under the title of ""The Apple-Tree"" this mechanical
trick appeared on a Fawkes programme dated 1730. This
was 115 years before Robert-Houdin claimed it as his
invention. In 1732, just before Pinchbeck's death, it
[ 51 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,69,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
appeared on a programme used by Christopher Pinchbeck,
Sr., and the younger Fawkes. In 1784 it was included in
the répertoire of the Italian conjurer, Pinetti, in the guise
of ""Le Bouquet-philosophique."" In 1822 the same
trick, but this time called ""An Enchanted Garden,""
was featured by M. Cornillot,
who appeared in England as the
pupil and successor of Pinetti.
The trick was first explained
in public print by Henri De-
cremps in 1784 when his famous
exposé of Pinetti was published
B
under the title of ""La Magie
Blanche Dévoilée,"" and in 1786-
87 both Halle and Wiegleb ex-
posed the trick completely in
their respective works on magic.
That Robert-Houdin was an
Diagram of the orange-tree
trick, from Wiegleb's The
omnivorous reader is proven by
Natural Magic,"" published in
his own writings. That he knew
1794.
the history and tricks of Pinetti
is proven by his own words, for in Chapter VI. of his
""Memoirs"" he devoted fourteen pages to Pinetti and the
latter's relations with Torrini.
Now to prove that the tree tricks offered by Fawkes,
Pinchbeck, Pinetti, Cornillot, and Robert-Houdin were
practically one and the same, and to tell something of
the history of the four magicians who featured the trick
before Robert-Houdin had been heard of:
Unquestionably, the real inventor of the mysteriot
tree was Christopher Pinchbeck, who was England
[52]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,70,,"and
-
Pinchester
Christopher Pinchbeck, Sr. This is the oldest and rarest authentic mezzotint in the
world pertaining to the history of magic. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 53"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,71,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
leading mechanical genius at the close of the seventeenth
century and the beginning of the eighteenth. He was a
man of high repute, whose history is not that of the
charlatan, compiled largely from tradition, but it can be
& YOUNGS Reem the of Leal-
Mall, facing rke Hay-Market, fern The
GRAND TREATAL of the MUSES, jaje
Mr. PINCHBECK,
THIS wonderful Machine is the Altonifh-
et all that feeit. the of be Struc-
tue, the Delicacy of the Paining quit and the
grast valiety of moving Figures m-k-s i the mott
priling Piece of An that has ever yer appear'd in Earope.
It di Landfeape, witha view of the Sea. termina-
to sieg PL dey difeppear, - doubling Avaft Swans Capes, in and River With diminifhing filling Shipsfailing, by plurning degrees plying
. and
Duck Hunilig to Perfection ard greas variety
M Motions Likewife Pifture, N-
la * Foreß playing umong the
Rere the very T ces, well as Banes, ere feen TO move,
as if animared and compell'4 bythe Hamony of bia Haxp.
It alle perfoims on feveral Inftruments great of molt
excellent Pieces of Mulich compos'd by Mz. H FANDEL, Co
RELLS ALEINONI, and orher celebtated
with fuch wonderful Exadneti, that fearce any Hand can
equal, It the fweet Hazmony of any AVI-
ary of Bieds, wherein the refpective Notes of the Nightin-
gate, Woodlatk, Cuckoo, &cc. are performed to fo giear a
Perfedion, NS not ro be from Naruze it fell.
Wirh feveral orher to men-
tion, Frices 55. 25. 6.d. and - To be feeo from 10
in The Morning vill to Night, by two, DE more, wichout
lofs if Fins.
Nate, This curions Machine will be removed ia a few
Days Deas but oute to the Leg Tavem in Ficerflieer,
Clipping from the London Daily Post of November 30th, 1798. Used by
Christopher Pinchbeck before he joined Fawkes. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
corroborated by court records, biographical works, and
encyclopaedias, as well as by contemporaneous newspaper
clippings.
According to Vol. XLV. of the ""Dictionary of National
Biography,' edited by Sidney Lee and published in 1896
by Smith, Elder & Co., 15 Waterloo Place, London:
""Christopher Pinchbeck was born about 1670, possibly
[ 54 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,72,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
in Clerkenwell, London. He was a clockmaker and
inventor of the copper and zinc alloy called after his name.
He invented and made the famous astronomico-musical
clock. In Appleby's Weekly Journal of July 8th, 1721,
Me FAWKFS's THEATRE,
In Tames-freet, near the Hay-marker, will
be prefented tbe following Entertainments:
Firft,
H
IS Diverting and Incomparable
feveral Thingreatirely new.
DERTERITY of HAND, in which he purforme
N. B. In particular he caufesa Tree to grow up in a Flower-
Pot upon the Table, which will blow and beay ripe Pruis in a
Minute's Time.
Second, His
Third, The MUNICAL CLOCK, with EWO moving
lately made by Mr. Pjochbeck,
Fourth, The Vast FIAN MACHINS, belag the Piece
of Workmaufhip in the World, for moving Pidures aud other
Curiofities.
Fifth, The ASTIFICIAL Vazw of the WORED, wherein
Es very naturaDly imicated the Firmament fpangled wall a Maltifuide
of Stari; the Moon's Increale and Decreale the Pawa of Day :
the diffuling bis Lightar his Rifing the beautiful Redne(s of
the Horizon at lis Sercing. as in a fine Summee Eyening. The
R allo repre(ented, wih Ships under Sail, 28 fevent
Miles Diffance; ethers fo neas that their Shadows are Teen lia
de Water, and as they pars by any Fort, Caftle, &c, they
esch other with their Goms, the Report and-Ecchool which are às
plainly heard es cho' from the cal Places they appear to be.
Every Week are
Note, Every Night during this Wick will be
1. The Ciry of Grarz Dalsedom of Stitia in Germang.
11. The Cirs of Autwerp in io Flandess.
IIT. The City d Grand Caleo to Egypt.
IV The City of Algrervia Africa.
Brginning CWITY livening precifely ar Nix o' Clock.
Pir DE Midde Unper
Audtharthe Company naay with Cold, there
is Contrivances the Warm.
Note, and Lades may have a privas
giving Nouce the Night before.
Advertisement from the London Daily Post during 1730, showing the orange
tree as offered by the senior Fawkes, just previous to his death. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
it was announced that Christopher Pinchbeck, inventor
and maker of the astronomico-musical clock, is removed,
from St. George's Court (now Albion Place) to the sign
of the ""Astronomico-Musical Clock"" in Fleet Street, near
the Leg Tavern. He maketh and selleth watches of all
sorts and clocks as well for the exact indication of the
[ 55 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,73,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
time only as astronomical, for showing the various
motions and phenomena of planets and fixed stars.'
Mention is also made of musical automata in imitation of
singing birds and barrel organs for churches, as among
Pinchbeck's manufactures.
""Pinchbeck was in the habit of exhibiting collections
of his automata at fairs, sometimes in conjunction with a
juggler named Fawkes, and he entitled his stall ""The
Temple of the Muses,' Grand Theatre of the Muses,'
or 'Multum in Parvo.' The Daily Journal of August
27th, 1729, announced that the Prince and Princess of
Wales went to the Bartholomew Fair to see hisexhibition,
and there were brief advertisements in The Daily Post of
June I 2th, 1729, and the Daily Journal of August 22d
and 23d, I729. There is still a large broadside in the
British Museum (1850 C. 10-17) headed 'Multum in
Parvo,' relating to Pinchbeck's exhibition, with a blank
left for place and date, evidently intended for use as a
poster. He died November 18th, 1732; was buried No-
vember 2ist, in St. Denison's Church, Fleet Street.
""In a copy of the Gentlemen's Magasine, printed 1732,
page 1083, there is an engraved portrait by I. Faber,
after a painting by Isaac Wood, a reproduction of which
appears in 'Britten's Clock and Watch Maker,' page 122.
His will, dated November roth, 1732, was proved in
London on November r8th.""
During one of his engagements at the Bartholomew
Fair, Pinchbeck probably met Fawkes, the cleverest
sleight-of-hand performer that magic has ever known,
and the two joined forces. Pinchbeck made all the auto-
mata and apparatus thereafter used by Fawkes, and, in
[56]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,74,,"-
Christopher linchlul
A very rare mezzotint of Christopher Pinchbeck, Jr., combining the work
Cunningham, the greatest designer, and William Humphrey, the greatest
trait etcher of his day. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[57]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,75,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Fawkes, he had a master-producer of his tricks. Christo-
pher Pinchbeck never appeared on the program used by
Fawkes, save as the maker of the automata or apparatus,
but directly after the death of the elder Fawkes, and
a few months before his own, the elder Pinchbeck ap-
peared with the son of his deceased partner, and was
advertised as doing ""the Dexterity of Hand"" performance.
This indicates that he was inducting young Fawkes into
all the mysteries of the profession at which the two elder
men, as friends and business partners, had done so well.
Christopher Pinchbeck was survived by two sons,
Edward and Christopher, Jr. Edward, the elder, suc-
ceeded to his father's shop and regular business. He was
born about 1703, and was well along in years when he
entered into his patrimony, which he advertised in The
`Daily Post of November 27th, 1732, as follows: ""The
toys made of the late Mr. Pinchbeck's curious metal are
now sold only by his son and sole executor, Mr. Edward
Pinchbeck.""
This announcement settles forever the oft-disputed
question as to whether the alloy of copper and zinc which
bears the name of Pinchbeck was invented by Christopher
Pinchbeck, Sr., or by his son Christopher, Jr.
All newspaper and magazine descriptions of the auto-
mata invented by the elder Pinchbeck indicate that his
hand was as cunning as his brain was inventive, for they
showed the most delicate mechanism, and included entire
landscapes with figures of rare grace in motion.
""Christopher, the second son of Christopher Pinch-
beck the elder,"" continues the biographical sketch, ""was
born about I7IO and possessed great mechanical ingenuity.
[ 58 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,76,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
While the elder son, Edward, was made executor and
continued his father's trade in a quiet, conservative
fashion, the younger son struck out along new lines and
The Wet died the Mr.
- for bis by
max
FAWKES
The best portrait of Isaac Fawkes in existence. The original, now in the
Harry Houdíni Collection, is supposed so have been engraved by Sutton
Nichols. It is said that there is only one more of these engravings extant.
became even more famous as an inventor than his brill-
iant father had been.
[ 59 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,77,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
""He was a member and at one time president of the
Smeatonian Society, the precursor of the Institution of
Civil Engineers. In 1702 he devised a self-acting pneu-
matic brake for preventing accidents to the men employed
in working wheel-crancs. In The Gentlemen's Magazine
for June, 1765, page 296, it is recorded that Messrs.
Pinchbeck and Norton had made a complicated astro-
it the Conk and Half Moan Tavern in
Temple- Bar,
r
HE famons Mr. FAWKS
performi moft furpriting Trick by
Desterity of Hand, with Regi,
curions India Birds, Mice and Money,
Which Curionits no Perfon In the
dom cari presend to thom To-
gether with the Activity of Body
perform'd by his Polture Maller, bring 9
Boy about Ten Years of Age, who Far -
ceeds all that ever in Eumpe. Who Transforms his Body
into fuch a various Shapes, 21 Curpaties human Faith to believe
our Geting. Likewite the Rezilan Searamouch Dance, with two
four Note, Legs, We have and the bur had Printe. the Body, Honour and prefent Majchy Headi,
one to the Admiration of all
to perterm before bis
ling George, att the Quality of the whote Kirg-
dom. with great Applaufe. Beginning evary Evening precifely it
N.B. Any Gentiemen or Ladies may have 2 private Performance
any Tirm of the Day, giving an Mour's Notick.
An early Fawkes advertisement, clipped from a London paper of 1795.
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
noinical clock for the Queen's house, some of the cal-
culations of the wheel having been made by James Fer-
guson, the astronomer. There is no proof that Pinchbeck
and Norton were ever in partnership, and there are now
two clocks answering to the description at Buckingham
Palace, one by Pinchbeck, with four dials and of a very
complicated construction, and another by Norton.
""Pinchbeck took out three patents: the first (No: 892),
granted 1768, was for an improved candlestick with a
[60]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,78,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
spring socket for holding the candle firmly, and an
arrangement whereby the candle always occupied an
upright position, however the candlestick might be held.
In 1768 (patent No. 899) he patented his nocturnal
remembrancer, a series of tablets with notches, to serve
as guides for writing in the dark. His snuffers (No. III9)
patented 1776, continued to be made in Birmingham
The Daily Poft.
`KIDAY, January 21, 1726.
S's and POWEL's Theatre, in
in James-freet, mear the Hay-Marlet,
be
ving Entertainments, viz.
1726
FIRST his furprizing Dex-
Hand, far exceeding all thatever
Perform in this Kingdera. ad The fancus
Poftare-Mafter. de The Mafics) Closk, that
Play variety of Tunts, on the Orgia, Fluse,
and Sine-
Flageleig with Hirds, felf. Whilling and
from Life the it Bath: And The 4th. wiole
Powyl's
Play
of The Prineefs Elisabeth, er Rife of bugge
Punch: With the Comical Humonrs of Enquire Punch, and his Foot-
man Gudgeon. Perfoim'd by the Richeft Bnd Figures that ever
was fees in England. Concluding with an Piece of Ma-
chinery, after the Italian Manner, repreferring the Eplendid Palace of
Diana breaking into Domble and Triple Prefpeds, with all the Changes of
Srents and Decorations belonging to the Play. N. B. The poors will be
open'devery Day at Five a Clock. And in Regird that Gentlemen and La-
dies thall not be difappointed, we beghi exalty as Six, and none to bead-
mitred afuer. Prices: S. . S. snd6d
A clipping from the Taily Post, London showing that Fawkes combined
forces with Powel, the famous Bartholomew Fair puppet man. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
until the last forty years or so, when snuffers began to
go out of use. In I774 he presented to the Society of Arts
a model of a plough for mending roads. Pinchbeck's
name first appears in the London directory in 1778, when
it replaced that of Richard Pinchbeck, toyman, of whom
nothing is recorded.
""Christopher Pinchbeck, Jr., was held in considerable
esteem by George III., and he figures in Wilkes' London
[61]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,79,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Museum (ii-33) in 177° in the list of the party who
called themselves the King's friends. He died March 17th,
1783, aged 73, and was buried in St. Martin's-in-the-
Fields. His will, which was very curious, is printed in
full in The Horological Journal of November, 1895. One
of his daughters married William Hebb, who was described
as 'son-in-law and successor of the late Mr. Pinchbeck
at his shop in Cockspur Street' (imprinted on Pinchbeck's
portrait), whose son Christopher Henry Hebb (1772-
1861) practised as a surgeon in Worcester. There is in
existence a portrait of Christopher Pinchbeck the younger,
by Cunningham, engraved by W. Humphrey.""
The mezzotints of the Pinchbecks, father and son,
herewith reproduced, are extremely rare, and when I un-
earthed them in Berlin I felt myself singularly favored
in securing two such treasures of great value to the history
of magic. S. Wohl, the antiquarian and dealer from
whom they were purchased, acquired them during a tour
of old book and print shops in England, and thought them
portraits of one and the same person; but by studying the
names of the artists and the engravers on the two pic-
tures, it will be seen that they set forth the features of
father and son, as indicated by the biographical notes
quoted above.
Of the early history of Fawkes, whose brilliant stage
performance lent to the Pinchbeck automata a new lustre,
little is known. It is practically impossible to trace his
family history. His Christian name was never used on
his billing nor published in papers or magazines, and
after repeated failures I was about to give up the task
of discovering it, when in I904, aided by R. Bennett,
[62]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,80,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
the clerk of St. Martin's-in-the-Field: Parish Church,
Trafalgar Square, London, England, I came upon the rec-
ord of his burial. This record, which I found after many
days' search among musty, faded parchments, showed
that his Christian name was Isaac, and that he died May
25th or 29th, I731, and was buried in St. Martin's-in-
the-Fields Parish Church.
The records further show that he was buried in the
Ai FAWKES's Booth in the Upper Moor-
fields, will be prejented the
FIRST wonderfal his Famous Dexterity of Pofture-Mafter, Bndy exceeds all Europe. The
that
Mulical Temple of Arts with two moving the one a
Concert of the oher the Siege and of Gibraltar,
of Machine being Parnaftus, the with finelt with three Piece Apollo moving of €lock-work andthe Pidtures, in the Mufes the firft World. playing on reprefents Bay 3d, the various
Another
Hill
Nine
Infiraments of Mulick, the bext a beauriful View of a River, with
Syms and other Fowls and Filh, fporting as the' Alive, The lait
gives a Profpeßt of the New Palace Yard, with the whole Pro-
cellion of the late Coronation of their prefent Majefties murch-
ing from the Hall to the Abbey,
Note, Half the Performasce can't be in this Adver-
tifement.
Nore, We thow twice yvery Evening the Firft beginning at Five,
the other & Seven.
Clipping from the London Post during 1728, showing the oldest evidence
procurable of the original ""Two a Night"" performance. From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
church vault, the coffin being carried by six men. Prayers
were said in the church, candles were used, and the great
bell was tolled. As the fees amounted to £6 I2S., a goodly
sum for those days, all signs indicate that the funeral was
on a scale more costly and impressive than the ordinary.
Fawkes was worth at his death £10,000, which was
considered an enormous sum in those days. Every
penny of this he made performing at the fairs.
The earliest announcements of Fawkes' performance
in my collection are dated 1702 and include advertise-
[63]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,81,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
ments headed ""Fawkes and Powel,"" ""Fawkes and
Phillips,"" and ""Fawkes and Pinchbeck."" Powel was the
famous puppet man, Phillips a famous posture master
(known to-day as contortionist), and Pinchbeck was the
greatest of mechanicians. Fawkes seems to have pos-
sessed a singular gift for picking out desirable partners.
From this mass of evidence I am producing various
This prefent Evening,
Room, over the Piazza's, at the
to the Ray Market, the Famoes, FAWKES pet.
formi molt by Mand, with
Curinution al that Kind, being what has
thew by any of Pelfon with the Agiviry
of
in
Body by before Pitture the Allo or rest performed theye will
be Dunces by twe Poiture ID They
crimm the and ty be bure Foor righ, and Plemy
Dance an tentian with Dis
and but one Body ta the Admination of all ato
Ing and of the Slack Reprain fishio
as war never performed by any other
prec Gly at and th-jors
Day N. Mow the Clentlemen Place abole, and Hours every any
N. may bave: privaté
RE an he
tof this longer whan the Stalon - to that be
Acani ay and Ladies Eancies by Desterity of
Hand for thake owa Diverion
By Permifion,
A
the Chriftian Coffee-houle at Smithfield
Bano the prefent Evening DE will performent
- by Mr. CLENCH of who imiratey the
Hom, Pack of Roundi, the Tham Doctor, old
deungen Man, und the Beits 1 the Doubte Courtel, the Organ
with three Volerity sul are perforged with bis Natural
Volie 4 allo - Ellex song by Mt. Clench, after which ma nare
- can puform.
Clipping from the London Post, February 7th, 1724, in which Fawkes
announces his retirement and offers to teach his tricks to all comers. Below this
announcement is the advertisement of Clench, famous as an imitator and an
instrumentalist.
clippings. By a peculiar coincidence one of these I
believe offers the most authentic and earliest record of
""two a night"" performances in England.
In my collection are a number of other clippings from
the press of the same year, in April and May, 1728, but
none of them says ""twice a night,"" therefore I judge
[64]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,82,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
that the custom of giving two performances in a night
was tried previously to April, 1728, and then abandoned,
or after the first of May.
In the London Post of February 7th, 1724, Fawkes
announced an exhibition ""in the Long Room over the
piazza at the Opera House in the Haymarket."" At this
time he also advertised the fact that he was about to retire
and was exposing all his tricks. The clipping of that
date from my collection has the following foot-note:
""Likewise he designs to follow this business no longer
THISTO give Notice, That the famous
Mr. at his Booth in WeR-Smirhield, the
followine moft farprizing Trickt, after a new M. chad, vis. He takes
ao rempry Bag. lays it on the Toble, and tarns it feveral Times infide
ouf, then commanda 100 Eags our of it, and feveral Showers of real
Gold and Silve: then the Bag beginning to fwen, feveral Sons of
wild Fowls ron out of ir upon the Table. He throws up a Pack of
Cards, and carter them to be living Birds flying aholt the Room. He
caufes
be
any
Piltérel. Re living blows Seatts, Likewife the Spors Birds, the of and the other Canda Line Creaturesto off oron, Pofture and appear Mafter, changes upon 4 them the French Ta- to
Scalfold one-far Boy, aborit 9 exceeding Foor Vears bigh; ell of and that Agr. bends who how'd backward perform) in Europe. above till hir whole farprizing Rands Body upon hangs Acti- a
Too
ever He
below his Legs, and rifes again wishnut any help of his Handv. He
himfilf 6 Forte hetween two Chairs, while he plays uport the
ingenious Vialin, Their Hours, Tricks every by if both Day, he was the from upon erformers, 9 in the Slick Morning Kope: redious till here With 9 ar to above Night, too the
100
laft Shows beginnion ar 3. 31 and 7. in the Evening, With . good
Mulick. Pric 12 d.
Clipping from the London Daily Post of August, 1735, in which Fawkes
advertises his admission price as twelvepence. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
than this season; so he promises to learn any lady or
gentleman his fancies in dexterity of hand for their own
diversion.""
When Fawkes was not in partnership with some puppet
showman, he always advertised his own puppets as ""A
court of the richest and largest figures ever shown in
England, being as big as men and women! "" His ad-
mission charges varied, but I2 pence seemed his favorite
5
[65]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,83,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
figure. About six years before his death he had his own
theatre in James Street, near the Haymarket, in which
he exhibited for months at a time before and after fairs.
I reproduce a clipping from my collection showing
Fawkes' last program. Here it will be seen that his first
trick was causing a tree to grow up in a flower-pot on the
table, and bear fruit in a minute's time. In The Gentle-
men's Magazine, that oft-quoted and most reliable peri-
odical, of February 15th, 1731, readers were informed
that the Algerian Ambassadors witnessed Fawkes' per-
We hear that young Fawkes and Pinchheck are now arrived in
Town from the Bath and Saliabury; where they have, da the
moft agreeable Mariger, entersained the Nobility and Quality with
their very lurprieing and to whom the Tate
Mr. Fawken, in his Life-tjme, had communicated all thofe wogder-
fal Secrets which gave fuch univerfal Satisfaction to all his Specla
tors : And we are likewife affored, that every Particular is preenvo
in its utmoft Perfection, viz. His Artiticial View of the World
his Turprizing Dexterity of Mand, in which he caufes a Tree to
grow out of a Flower-Pot on the Table, which u Home and bears
ripe Fruit in a Minute's Time; his famous little Pefture-Mafter of
leven Years old, not to be equal'd in Europe, who likewile per-
forms on the flack Rope to Admitation - his enternaining Muncal
Clock, with two beautiful moving Piltures, and an Aviary of Bardr,
ar natural as Life itlelf; alla a curious Venesian Maching, an w'i
by all Artifis to be the fmefi Piece of Workmanfhip in the World;
au which furgrizing Entersalnments we hear will be perf rm'd nex
Week at the late Mr. Fawkes's Theatre, at the old Tennis-Court
in James-fireet near the day-market. 1732
Clipping from the London Post, showing that young Fawkes collaborated
with Pinchbeck and together they offered the orange-tree trick in 1739. From
the Harry Houdini Collection.
formance. At their request he showed them ""a prospect
of Algiers, and raised up an apple-tree which bore ripe
fruit in less than a minute's time, which several of the
company tasted of.""
Fawkes, too, had a son, and thus the partnership and
the friendship which had existed between the elder
Fawkes and the elder Pinchbeck were carried on by the
second generation. All of the marvellous apparatus made
[66]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,84,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
by Pinchbeck the elder, for Fawkes, may have been
bequeathed by the latter to his son, but, in 1732, Pinch-
beck the elder and Fawkes the younger were in a booth
together, and Pinchbeck was advertised as doing ""the
dexterity of hand"" performances. After Christopher
As FAWKES, Great Theatrical Booth,
In Weft Smithfield, faceing the White Hart Alt-
konfe near Cow-lane End,
D
URING the fhort Time of Bartholomew-
Fair, which liegins out Monday next, the 23d Triftant,
and ends the Thorfday following, the Publick will be di-
verted with the fediniving Entertainments, which have
gain'd fuch great Applanfe, viz.
Firit, Fawkes's ducomparable Dexteriry of Hand, who
perforins feveral forpriling Tricks entirely new and
very curions.
Secondiy, The amazing Mulical Clock, witli two curious
Miving Pictures.
Thirdiy, The famous yourg Pofore-Mafter, who
vauls the flack Rope to the Admiration of all that have
fech him, and far exceeds any riung of the Kind in Enrope:
Fourthly, The Temiple of Aris, wbich is the fineft Piece
of Workmanibip in the World, the Machmery confifting
of valt Variery of Moving Figtires, and many other inimi-
table Curioliries.
Fiftlily, That fine Piece of Machinery, the Artificial
View of the World, wherelo are Hiww Variery of duffercar
Profpecis; parricniarly the chree following, viz.
. of Windfor Caltle, wich a View of
the River of Tliames,
2. The City of Grand Cairo da Egypt.
3. A Proficet of the Town, Fort and Bay of Gibraltar,
N. B. To begia every Day at Ten in the Moruing and
End at Ten at Niglio
Aus 16 9736
Clipping from the London Post, August 16th, 1736, when young Fawkes was
playing alone. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
Pinchbeck, Sr., died, young Fawkes started out on his
own account. In I746, according to an advertisement in
my collection, a Fawkes and a Pinchbeck were together
again, so the son of Pinchbeck must have joined the
younger Fawkes for exhibition purposes. The accom-
panying clippings from contemporary publications trace
the history of young Fawkes, and prove that the tree
[67]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,85,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
which bore fruit in a minute's time was still on his pro-
gramme.
For many years it was supposed that only one portrait
of Fawkes was in existence, but it now seems that three
were made. I publish them all, something which no one
has ever before been able to do. One was taken from
a Setchels fan published about 1728, although some
Reproduction of page 1996 of Hone's ""Every-Day Book"" in the Harry
Houdini Collection. This is a portrait of Fawkes, engraved on a fan by
Setchels in 1721 or 1728. Fans like these were distributed at the Bartholomew
Fair.
authorities say I72I. It appeared in Hone's ""Every-
Day Book,"" page 1226. Another, I believe, was en-
graved by Sutton Nicols, as Hone mentions it in his
description of Fawkes. In the fan engraving, it will be
noticed that there appears a man wearing a star on his
[68]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,86,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
left breast. It is said that this is Sir Robert Walpole,
who was Prime Minister while Fawkes was at the height
of his success, and who was one of the conjurer's great
admirers. Hogarth also placed Fawkes in one of his
engravings as the frontispiece of a most diverting
brochure on ""Taste,"" in which he belittles Burlington
Gate. This makes the third portrait from my collec-
tion herewith reproduced.
According to an article contributed by Mons. E. Ray-
naly in the Illusionniste of June, 1903, the orange tree
next appeared in the répertoire of a remarkable peasant
conjurer, whose billing Mons. Raynaly found among
""Affiches de Paris."" This performer was billed as the
Peasant of North Holland, and gave hourly performances
at the yearly fairs at Saint-Germain.
It is more than possible that he purchased this trick
from Fawkes or Pinchbeck, having seen it at the Bar-
tholomew Fair in England.
He featured the orange tree as follows: ""He has a
Philosophical Flower Pot, in which he causes to grow on
a table in the presence of the spectators trees which flower,
and then the flowers fall, and fruit appears absolutely
ripe and ready to be eaten.""
His posters are dated I746-47 and 1751.
The next programme on which the mysterious tree ap-
pears is a Pinetti handbill, dated in London, 1784, when
the following announcement was made:
""Signore Pinetti will afterwards present the assembly
with a Tree called Le Bouquet-philosophique composed
of small branches of an orange-tree, the leaves appearing
green and natural. He will put it under a bottle, and at
[69 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,87,,"MASQUERADE
Masquerade and opera at Burlington Gate. Reproduction of Hogarth's engraving entitled ""Taste,""
belittling the artistic taste of London. This caricature verifies the Fawkes advertisement, reproduced
on page 64, for here the conjurer is pictured leaning from the window of the 'long room"" and calling
attention to his performances. From the Harry Houdini Collection."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,88,,"own composition, the leaves will begin to change and
the bouquet will produce natural flowers and various
fruits.""
Pinetti is one of the most fascinating and picturesque
figures in the history of magic. His full name was Joseph
Pinetti de Willedal, and, like Pinchbeck and Fawkes, he
was a man of parts and readily made friends with the
nobility. In fact, there is some question as to whether
he did not come of a noble family.
He was born in 1750 in Orbitelle, a fortified town once
claimed by Tuscany. What can be gleaned regarding
his early history goes to prove that his family connections
were excellent and his education of the best. One of his
portraits, reproduced herewith, shows a half-crown of
laurel decorating the frame, and on one side of the bust is
a globe, while in the rear of the picture is a stack of books.
This would establish his claim that he was once a professor
of physics and geography. In fact, the legend beneath
the portrait, being translated from the French, runs:
""I. I. Pinetti Willedal de Merci, Professor and Dem-
onstrator of Physics, Chevalier of the Order of St. Philipe,
Geographical Engineer, Financial Counselor of H.R.H.
Prince of Linbourg Holstein, Born in Orbitelle in 1750.""
As it has so often happened in the history of savants
and students, there ran in Pinetti's blood a love of the mys-
terious with that peculiar strain of charalatanism which
went to make up the clever performer in old-time magic.
Evidently he resigned his duties as a professor for the
more picturesque life of the travelling magician, and he is
first heard from in this capacity in the French provinces
[71]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,89,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
in 1783. His fame quickly carried him to Paris, where
in I784 he appeared before the court of Louis XVI.
His arrival was most opportune, for just then all Paris
I.I.PINETTI
Ritterund Konigh: Freus Hopphyficus
by yeiner infeclungin Hamburg
A wood-cut used by Pinetti during his engagement at Hamburg, Germany, in
October, 1796. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
and, for that matter, all Europe had been aroused to a
new interest in magic by the brilliant Cagliostro.
From Paris he went to London, playing at the Hay-
market and creating a sensation equal to that which he
made in France. Later he toured Germany, playing in
[72]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,90,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
Berlin and Hamburg. Next he went back to his native
land, Italy, but later returned to Germany for a second
engagement. In 1789 he appeared in Russia and never
I.I.PINETTI willidal de merdi profes
et demonstrateus de philoso, chevalier de Cordre de pt
argenieur glographe it Constiller der france
prince de hotatein
Orlandle
preidar the and
The only authentic portrait of Pinetti in existence, the only known copy
extant being in the Harry Houdini Collection.
left that country. There he married a Russian girl,
daughter of a carriage manufacturer. They had two
children. Pinetti would have left enormous wealth, but
[73]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,91,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
in his later years he became interested in ballooning,
the sensation of the hour, and spent his entire fortune
on balloon experiments. He died in Bartichoff, Volhinie,
aged fifty years.
Pinetti was a man of rare inventive genius and almost
N° a Beduer en and
Henri Decremps, the French author who exposed and endeavored to ruin
Pinetti, but succeeded only in immortalizing him.
reconstructed the art of conjuring, so numerous were his
inventions. For half a century after his death his suc-
cessors drew upon Pinetti's inventions and répertoire for
their programmes. Naturally such ability aroused bitter
jealousies, especially as Pinetti made no attempt to con-
[74]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,92,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
ciliate his contemporaries, either magicians or writers on
magic. He issued one book, whose title-page reads:
""Amusements Physiques et Differentes Expériences Di-
vertissements, Composées et Executées, tant a Paris que
dans les diverses Courts de l'Europe. Par M. Joseph
Pinetti de Willedal, Romain, Chevalier de l'Ordre Mérite
de Saint-Phillipe, Professeur de Mathématiques et de
Physiques, Protégé par toute la Maison Royale de France,
Pensionnaire de la Cour de Prusse, etc., 1785.'
The work, however, was not a clear and lucid explana-
tion of his methods and tricks. In fact some of his con-
temporaries claimed that he deliberately misrepresented
his methods of performing tricks. Among these writers
was Henri Decremps, a brilliant professor of mathematics
and physics in Paris, who proceeded to expose all of
Pinetti's tricks in the book referred to in the preceding
chapter, ""La Magie Blanche Dévoilée."" This work was
in five volumes and was so popular in its day that it was
translated into nearly every modern language. The fol-
lowing explanation of the trick is taken from page 56 of the
English translation, entitled ""The Conjurer Unmasked :
""The branches of the tree may be made of tin or
paper, so as to be hollow from one end to the other in
order that the air which enters at the bottom may find its
exit at the top of the branch. These branches are so
adjusted that at intervals there appear twigs made from
brass wire, but the whole so decorated with leaves made
from parchment that the ensemble closely resembles
nature.
""The end of each branch is dilated to contain small
pieces of gummed silk or very fine gold-beater's skin,
[75]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,93,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
which are to catch the figures of the flowers and fruit
when the latter expand by the air driven through the
branches to which they were fastened by a silk thread.
""The tree or nosegay is then placed on a table, through
Decremer
which runs a glass tube to supply
air from beneath the stage, where
a confederate works this end of
""
the trick, and causes the tree to
'grow' at the prearranged sig-
nal.""
Decremps's signature writ-
ten by himself on the last
Later it was described as being
page of a copy of his book
now in the Harry Houdini
accomplished entirely by springs,
Library.
and real oranges were first stuck
on the tree by means of pegs or
pins, and the leaves were so secured around them that at
first appearance they could not be seen. Then a piston
was used to spread all the leaves, another that forced
the blossom up through the hollow branches, etc.
Pinetti's personality was almost` as extraordinary as
his talents. A handsome man who knew how to carry
himself, acquiring the graces and the dress of the nobility,
he became rather haughty, if not arrogant, in his bearing.
He so antagonized his contemporaries in the fields of
magic and literature that he was advertised as much by
his bitter enemies as by his loving friends. Many of his
methods of attracting attention to himself were singularly
like those employed by modern press agents of theatrical
stars. He never trusted to his performances in theatres
and drawing-rooms to advertise his abilities, but demon-
strated his art wherever he appeared, from barber-shops
to cafés.
[76]
-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,94,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
Perhaps the best pen pictures of Pinetti and his methods
are furnished by E. G. Robertson in his ""Memoirs.""
Robertson was a contemporary of Pinetti, and, like him,
a pioneer in ballooning. His ""Memoirs,"" written in the
French language, were published in 1831. The following
extracts from this interesting book tell much of Pinetti's
life in Russia and of his professional history as tradi-
tion and actual acquaintance had presented it to M.
Robertson:
'Pinetti had travelled a great deal and for a long time
had enjoyed a great European reputation. He had done
everything to attain it. There was never a man that
carried further the art of the 'charlatisme.' When he
arrived in a town where he intended to give a show, he
took good care to prepare his public by speeches, which
would keep it in suspense. In St. Petersburg great and
incredible examples of mystification and of prestidigi-
tation were told about him.
""One day he went to a barber-shop to get shaved, sat
down in the chair, had the towel tied around his neck,
and laid his head back ready for the lather. The barber
left him in this position to get hot water, and when he
returned, guided by force of habit, he applied the lather
where the chin should be, but he found feet, arms, hands,
and body in a coat, but no head! Such lamentations!
No more head! What could it mean? He opened the
door, and, frightened to death, ran away. Pinetti then
went to the window and called the barber back. He
had put his head in his coat in such a clever way, covering
it with his handkerchief, that the surprise and the fright
of the barber were quite natural. Of course this barber
{ 77 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,95,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
8
the
JOSEPH
PINETT!
wh
Day genier placess to bunke de A le Preferrer
PINE T T2) Bown to ample des Arts, does inition
our 2 Phinique or of Medications
Frontispiece of Pinetti's book, ""Amusements Physiques,"" pub-
lished in Paris. 1785, one of the first treasures of the Evanion Collec-
tion purchased by the author.
[78]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,96,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
did not fail to spread over the whole town that he had
shaved a man who could take his head off and on to his
wish.
""Pinetti met in a summer-garden a young Russian who
sold small cakes. He bought a few cakes, bit into them,
and complained of finding a hard substance. The youth
protested, but Pinetti opened the cake before him and
found inside a gold piece. The magician pocketed the
gold piece, bought another cake, then a third cake, and in
fromph Pinettin If Hammeth Willed
Pinetti's autograph, written by him on the back of the frontispiece, reproduced
on page 78. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.
each case found a new gold piece inside. He tried to buy
the rest of the cakes. The passers-by had in the mean
time come round the seller, and everybody wanted to buy
as well. The market seemed to be all right, a ducat for
a
kopeck! Twelve francs for a cent! The young man
refused to sell any more, hurried away, and when alone
opened the cakes that were left. He found only the
substances of which the cakes were made-nothing else.
[79]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,97,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
He had two left, so he hurried back to offer these to
Pinetti. Pinetti bought them from him, opened them
and showed in each one the gold piece, which the young
man could not find in the two dozen cakes which he had
spoilt. The poor boy bit his lips and looked at Pinetti
with wondering, frightened eyes. This little adventure
was advertised here, there, and everywhere, and was told
in the clubs and in the society gatherings, and very soon
the name of Pinetti gave the key to the enigma, and
Pinetti was in demand by everybody.
""When Pinetti came on the stage, he had the knack of
attracting members of the nobility around his table, by
letting them learn some small secrets. This would render
them confederates in working his tricks. He would appear
in rich suits, embroidered in gold, which he changed
three and four times in the evening. He would not
hesitate to deck himself in a quantity of foreign decora-
tions. In Berlin it was told how Pinetti would go through
the streets, in a carriage drawn by four white horses. He
was clad in fine embroidery and decorated with medals
of all nations. Several times it happened that, as he
passed by, the soldiers would call arms and salute, taking
him for a prince. One day the King of Prussia rode out
in his modest carriage drawn by two horses. Ahead of
him drove the supposed prince. When the King witnessed
the mistake made by his soldiers, he made inquiries as
to the rank of this man to whom his men were paying
such honor, then gave the Cavalier Pinetti twenty-four
hours to get beyond Prussia's borders.""
Whatever may be said of Pinetti's charlatanism, it
must be admitted that he gave to the art of conjuring a
[80]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,98,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
great impetus which was felt for several generations. It
is not remarkable, therefore, that when the French magi-
cian Cornillot appeared in London in 1822 he announced
himself as the pupil and successor of Pinetti. This was
Extraordinary Chemical Iliustrations,
and FEATS or LEGERDEMAIN,
M. CORNILLOT,
PUPIL AND SUCCESSOR OF THE FANED PINETTI,
Seppostfully
informe the of the K tropolia, that be contiones . gire
Every WEDNESDAY,
At the Paul's Head Cateaton Street,
And every MONDAY, THURSDAY, and SATURDAY,
At the Great Room, in Spring Gardene.
AMAZUNG ust
PEILOSOPEY AND CHEMISTRY,
And FEATS OF LEGERDEMAIN,
Whish hore escited the admiretion of the le all - principal Toome of -
-
-
-
-
de
-
Tes GARDEN, eli Ninde of Revers - - Se - - and
-
-
assudy. - the - of - The de dess - .
Novel Sahibilie
GLASS or -
purprising Ibemical
de
PURSTITS MYSTSRIOUS PENDULUN, which - - - -
Theaghte of - Reholders á. "" - pasplesing - gredune - - -
aparationa, b, the ald of -
THE GRAND TRIUMPH OF PINETTI.
OF TUR sum. chich - - - estenales Thestra.
Tes INCONCBIVABLE CHALLESOS or being . encessuive - Incresse of
is - - of
THE GRAND TRIUMPH OF COMUS,
Brough - perfoctice by a. CORNILLOT,
ANAZING PERFORMANCE OF CAUSING A LIVING PERSON
To be is . plase chese be - - beea
Revillimitate Thunder 80 naturally, that it will be thought to proceed from the Clouds
These - be varied t, of lisporiments esth the Presente,
Pome -- Feste of Legordomale, the preseding Eshibitions.
x
-
-
Dotal
-
/ - - de - Preparations - f
Boncer
s. - Opm Pofermances degla precionly, to T. T6,
- Asse, N. - de at - - of - - may le
-
de
Seht 18:11
.. - - - -
Reproduction of a handbill distributed on the streets of London in Sep-
tember, 1829. The orange-tree trick is on the bill under the name of ""En-
chanted Garden."" From the Harry Houdini Collection.
when Robert-Houdin was seventeen years of age,
twenty-three years before he made his professional début,
and on Cornillot's programme we find another version
of the now famous and almost familiar tree trick. As
will be seen from the accompanying reproduction of a
Cornillot handbill, the tree now appears as ""An En-
chanted Garden,"" and, if the wording of the bill is to be
6
[81]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,99,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
believed, Cornillot had improved the trick and was using
more than one tree or plant.
Cornillot remained in England for some time and is
classed among the conjurers of good repute. Another
bill in my collection shows that he played at the Theatre
of Variety, Catherine Street, Strand, in October, 1823.
He was then assisted by several singers and dancers,
including the famous Misses Hamilton and Howe, pupils
of M. Corri. In his company was also an Anglo-Chinese
juggler, who, in addition to feats of juggling, ""swallows
an egg, a sword, and a stone, a la Ramo Samee.""
To sum up the evidence against Robert-Houdin in
this particular trick: Four magicians of high repute gave
public performances before Robert-Houdin knew and
operated the orange-tree trick. Three eminent writers
exposed it clearly and accurately. Robert-Houdin, as
an indefatigable student of the history of magic, must
have known of the trick and its modus operandum. He
may have purchased it from Cornillot, or as a clever
mechanician he had only to reproduce the trick invented
by his predecessors, train his confederate in its operation-
and-by his cleverly written autobiography-attempt to
establish his claim to its invention.
[ 82 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,100,,"CHAPTER III
THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
I
N his ""Memoirs"" Robert-Houdin eulogizes the vari-
ous automata which he claims to have invented. The
picturesque fashion in which he describes the tre-
mendous effort put forth ere success crowned his la- ,
bors would render his arguments most convincing-if
stern historical facts did not contradict his every statement.
One of the most extraordinary mechanical figures
which he exploits as his invention was the writing and
drawing figure, which he exhibited at the Quinquennial
Exhibition in 1844, but never used in his public perform-
ances, though he asserts that he planned to exhibit it
between performances at his own theatre. This au-
tomaton, he says, laid the foundation of his financial
success and opened the way to realizing his dream of
appearing as a magician.
On page 196 of his ""Memoirs,"" American edition, he
starts his romantic description of its conception and
manufacture. According to this he had just planned what
promised to be the most brilliant of his mechanical in-
ventions when financial difficulties intervened. He was
obliged to raise two thousand francs to meet a pressing
debt. He applied to the ever-convenient Monsieur G--
who had bought automata from him before. He described
the writing and drawing figure minutely to his patron,
[83]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,101,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN 1
who immediately agreed to advance two thousand five
hundred francs, and if the figure was completed in eight-
een months, two thousand five hundred francs more were
to be paid for it, making five thousand francs in all. If
the figure was never completed, then Monsieur G
was
Writing and drawing figure claimed by Robert-Houdin as his invention.
From Manning's Robert-Houdin brochure.
to reimburse himself for the amount advanced by select-
ing automatic toys from Robert-Houdin's regular stock.
After liquidating his debt, Robert-Houdin retired to
Belleville, a suburb of Paris, where for eighteen months
he worked upon the figure, seeing his family only twice a
week, and living in the most frugal fashion.
He employed a wood-carver to make the head, but the
result was so unsatisfactory that in the end he was
obliged, not only to make all the complicated machinery
which operated the figure, but to carve the head itself,
[84]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,102,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
which, he adds, in some miraculous fashion, resembled
himself. This resemblance, however, cannot be traced
in existing cuts of the figure.
The chapter devoted to this particular automaton is
so diverting that I quote literally from its pages, thus
giving my readers an opportunity to take the true measure
of the writer and the literary style of his ""Memoirs.""
Here is his description of his moment of triumph:
""I had only to press a spring in order to enjoy the
long-waited-for result. My heart beat violently, and
though I was alone I trembled at the mere thought of
this imposing trial. I had just laid the first sheet of
paper before my writer and asked him this question
:
'Who is the author of your being?' I pressed the spring,
and the clockwork started-began acting. I dared hardly
breathe through fear of disturbing the operations. The
automaton bowed to me, and I could not refrain from
smiling on it as on my own son. But when I saw the eyes
fix an attentive glance on the paper-when the arm, a
few seconds before numb and lifeless, began to move
and trace my signature in a firm hand-the tears started
in my eyes and I fervently thanked Heaven for granting
me success. And it was not alone the satisfaction I ex-
perienced as an inventor, but the certainty I had of
being able to restore some degree of comfort to my
family, that caused my deep feeling of gratitude.
""After making my Sosia repeat my signature a thou-
sand times, I gave it this question: 'What o'clock is it?'
The automaton, acting in obedience to the clock, wrote,
'It is two in the morning.' This was a timely warning.
I profited by it and went straight to bed.""
[85]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,103,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Robert-Houdin injects a little humor into this chapter,
for he relates that as Molière and J. J. Rousseau con-
sulted their servants, he decided to do likewise; so early
the next morning he in-
Lebe hich ulu schoene vited his portress and
Stadt Dresden
her husband, Auguste, a
stone-mason, to be pres-
else Sode
ent at the first perform-
ance of the figure. The
Les Androides
mason's wife chose the
question, ""What is the
vienment reveir
emblem of fidelity?""
The automaton replied
leur pays
by drawing a pretty lit-
tle greyhound, lying on
Specimens of penmanship executed by
the Droz writing automaton in 1796 and
a cushion. The stone-
1906 respectively. From the brochure
mason wished to see the
issued by the Society of History and
Archaeology, Canton of Neuchatel, Switz-
works, saying: ""I under-
erland.
stand about that sort of
thing, for I have always greased the vane on the church
steeple, and have even taken it down twice.""
When the work was completed, according to page
208 of the American edition of his ""Memoirs,"" he
returned to Paris, collected the remaining two thousand
five hundred francs due him from Monsieur G
,
to whom he delivered the figure, and two thousand
francs more on an automatic nightingale made for a
rich merchant of St. Petersburg. Incidentally he men-
tions that during his absence his business had pros-
pered, but he fails to state who managed it for him,
and here is where I believe credit should be given Opre,
[86]
-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,104,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
the Dutch inventor, who was unquestionably Robert-
Houdin's assistant for years.
In 1844 he claims to have borrowed the writing and
drawing figure from the obliging Monsieur G-
to
exhibit it at the Quinquennial Exposition, where it
attracted the attention of Louis Philippe and his court,
thus insuring its exhibitor the silver medal.
At this point Robert-Houdin deliberately drops the
writing and drawing figure, leaving his readers to believe
that it was returned to its rightful owner, Monsieur G
,
but, unfortunately for his claims, another historian steps
in here to cast reflections on Monsieur G- owner-
ship of the figure. This writer is the world's greatest
showman, the late P. T. Barnum, who purchased the
figure at this same exposition of 1844, paying for it a
goodly sum, and this incident is one of the significant
omissions of the Robert-Houdin ""Memoirs."" Either
Robert-Houdin sold the figure to Mr. Barnum for Mon-
sieur G
, or such a person as Monsieur G
never
existed, for in his own book Mr. Barnum writes:
""When I was abroad in 1844 I went to Paris expressly
to attend the ""Quinquennial Exposition'-a exhibition
then held every five years. I met and became well ac-
quainted with a celebrated conjurer, as he called himself,
Robert-Houdin, but who was not only a prestidigitateur
and legerdemain performer, but a mechanic of absolute
genius. I bought at the exposition the best automaton he
exhibited and for which he obtained a gold medal. I
paid a round price for this most ingenious little figure,
which was an automaton writer and artist. It sat on a
small table, pencil in hand; and, if asked, for instance,
[87]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,105,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
for an emblem of ""fidelity,' it would instantly draw the
picture of a handsome dog; if love was wanted, a cupid
was exquisitely pencilled. The automaton would also
answer many questions in writing. I took this curiosity
The late P. T. Barnum, the world's greatest showman, who bought the
writing and drawing figure from Robert-Houdin, and wrote at length of the
French conjurer is his autobiography. Born July 5, 1810. Died April 7,
1891. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
to London, where it was exhibited for some time at the
Royal Adelaide Gallery, and then I sent it across the
Atlantic to my American Museum, where it attracted
great attention from the people and the press. During
my visit, Houdin was giving evening legerdemain per-
[88]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,106,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
formances, and by his pressing invitation I frequently
was present. He took great pains, too, to introduce me
to other inventors and exhibitors of moving figures,
which I liberally purchased, making them prominent
features in the attractions of the American Museum.""
Barnum then continued to describe Robert-Houdin's
greatness and his cleverness in the use of electricity.
The showman was always a welcome guest at the magi-
cian's house, and he relates how, at luncheon time,
The figure of Cupid as executed by the Droz drawing figure. From the
brochure issued by the Society of History and Archacology, Canton of Neu-
chatel, Switzerland.
Robert-Houdin would touch a knob and through the
floor would rise a table, laden with inviting viands. These
details in the Barnum book make it all the more inex-
plicable that Robert-Houdin should omit all mention of
the great showman's name in his ""Memoirs.""
Just at this time the amusement-seeking public
seemed greatly interested in automata, so it was only
natural that Barnum, great showman that he was, should
scour Europe for mechanical figures. Soon after he
purchased the writing and drawing figure claimed by
[89]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,107,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Robert-Houdin, he brought to America a talking figure
invented by Professor Faber of Vienna, to which he
refers most entertainingly
PALAIS ROYAL,
in his address to the pub-
Argyll Street, Oxford Circus, W.
lic dated 1873:
TALKING
""The Museum depart-
ment contains 100,000
curiosities, including Pro-
fessor Faber's wonderful
talking machine, costing
me $20,000 for its use
for six months; also the
National Portrait Gallery
of one hundred life-size
paintings, including all
the Presidents of the
United States, etc.; John
Rogers' groups of historic
statuary; almost an end-
MACHINE
less variety of curiosities,
1
Thc Exhibition is not limited to simple talking. but is enhanced by an
including numberless au-
esplanstora description of the method of producing the various sounds,
words, and sentences, visitors alsc-being aliowed to inspect every part of the
Machice. It is rot only interesting to the Scieutific as illustrating the theory
tomaton musicians, mech-
acoustics, bat to the Rublic in general, especially to the young.-to
whom it offers an ineshoustible fund of wonder ald
EXHIBITING DAILY From 11 a.m., till 10 p.m.
anicians, and moving
Admission, 1s. Reserved Seats, 2s. Children, 6d.
scenes, etc., etc., made in
Hanger advertising the Professor Faber
Paris and Geneva.""
talking machine, exhibited by P. T. Bar-
num during 1873 in his museum de-
It can be imagined how
partment. This automaton was the first
talking figure. From the Harry Houdini
wonderful this talking
Collection.
machine must have been
when Barnum gave it special emphasis, selecting it from
the hundreds of curios he had on exhibition. As this
talking machine is probably forgotten, I will reproduce
[90]"