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practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,104 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 104 | CHEAPEST AND BEST IN THE WORLD. THE N. Y. HOME MAGNET Is a Beautifully Iilustrated, Large, 32 Column Paper, Published regularly every month, at the low rate of FIFTY CENTS A YEAR. The price is the only "cheap" thing about it. Haudsomely illastrated. 1t is first class in every way, shape and manner. BOYS will read it, for it has the best Hunting, Indian and Sea Stories tells how to make traps, toys, bows and arrows, etc., etc. GIRLS will like to hare it, for it is brimful of superior Tales of the Affecions and of Home Life ; will any quantity of articles on Love-making, Household Managemeut, Fashions, 1.10 ' oilet Mysteries, l'eserving, Cutting Dresses, Workiug Crochet, Lace, Brald, etc., etc. MEN willlike it for i18 vast amount of valnable information on every subject that can improve the mind, the morals and the habits. Givingall new phases of thouglit, all new luventions, aud particularly those by which mouey can be easily made. LADIES go to embeillsh nome, and render it nore attractive; tenchings in every kind of willlike The MAGNET, for in its columns will be foand everything detailed that can culinary ecounty, and modes ef making little money go a good way In household mauagement. EVERYBODY will like THE MAONET, for in its columns will be tound somithing to sult every taste, whether grave or gay; whether in search of amusemient, In- struction or protit, you will became for its pernsal wiser, better and richer. Nothlug 18 tou light and amusing, nothing too grave, learued or uneful to flud a fit place 111 THE MAONET'S varied pages. These are a few of the subjects that will befound in every number of THE MAGNET : Tales and Romances. Maids, Wives aad Widows. Ways that are Dark. Lively Editorials. Young Folks' Department. Humorous Department. our knowledge Hox. Poetry. Mousehold Hints. Health Hints. Facts und Figures. Portfollo of Iuformation. Answers to Correspondents. Coujuring. Aud hundreds of other useful and profitable employments will be written upon and explained by experts, 80 tuat the reader cau both inf… | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,209 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 209 | CONCERNING PATTER 193 great deal, and done very little, and that I had had very little real magic for my money. On the other hand, the loquacious doctor was always amusing, and it must not be forgotten that to amuse, even more than to puzzle, is the raison d'être of the mod- ern magician. It seems to me therefore quite legitimate to use, to a reasonable extent, the art of the raconteur to supplement that of the magician. If my own patter is in some cases found super- abundant, I have at any rate done my best to make it amusing, and if the reader opines that I have not paid sufficient regard to the late Mr. Ducrow's cele- brated maxim, "Cut the cackle, and come to the 'osses," he is quite at liberty to cut my cackle to what he may consider more reasonable proportions. No doubt, time would be saved thereby. If, for instance, he were to cut out the little romantic fictions with which I have introduced "The Miracle of Mumbo Jumbo" and "The Story of the Alka- hest," and start "right away" with the bare per- formance of the trick, both could be exhibited in little more time than I have allotted to either alone. Which treatment is likely to give the greater satis- faction to his audience, he must decide for himself. Where the performer has the gift (for a "gift" it undoubtedly is) of devising effective patter for himself I am strongly in favour of his doing SO. Borrowed patter may be likened to a borrowed dress-coat. It is never likely to be an exact fit, and | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,211 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 211 | CONCERNING PATTER 195 away from the true explanation of the marvel, and to suggest, in a more or less plausible way, some other, remote from the real one. The suggested explanation may be either pseudo- scientific, where possible based on some generally accepted truth (and it is surprising what a long way even a few grains of truth go in such cases) ; or it may be downright "spoof," delivered however with due appearance of seriousness. The explana- tions will naturally fall a good deal short of the George Washington standard of truthfulness, but the most tender conscience need not in such a case have any scruples on the score of veracity. No sane person expects truth in a fairy tale, and a magical entertainment, from beginning to end, is but a fairy tale in action. To put the matter in an epigrammatic nutshell: Truth is "a gem of purest ray serene," A virtue always to be cultivated, But such depends,-you'll gather what I mean, On how you happen to be situated. At home, abroad, wherever I may be, I tell the honest truth, and shame the d- . But when you ask to be deceived. Good gracious! You can't expect me then to be veracious. In that case only do I make exception, And most deceive when vowing "no deception." This function of patter, the leading away the minds of the audience from the true explanation of the puzzle offered them, may be materially assisted | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,213 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 213 | CONCERNING PATTER 197 but with only a cloudy recollection as to what they were. In devising, as is sometimes desirable, new patter for an old trick, an endeavour should be made to look at the effect from an entirely fresh point of view, so as to make the trick practically a new one. A remarkable instance of such a transformation is furnished by an incident in the life of Robert- Houdin. At one period of his career he was entrusted by the French Government with a very important mission. He was sent to Algeria, spe- cially charged to "astonish the natives," and by his greater wonders to destroy their belief in the pretended miracles of the Aissoua. Among other surprises, he decided to make use of his "Light and Heavy Chest," a chest which, as the reader is doubtless aware, became at command, by means of an electro-magnet in the pedestal on which it rested, so "heavy" that the strongest man could not lift it from its base. This trick, pro- duced at a time when the phenomena of electricity were but little understood, has produced an immense sensation at his Paris performances. But the Master instinctively felt that the trick in that shape would produce little or no effect on the more primitive mind of the Arab. He would sim- ply have taken for granted some mechanical means of holding down the chest, beyond his own com- prehension, no doubt, but by no means to be regarded as miraculous. Robert-Houdin decided | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,215 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 215 | CONCERNING PATTER 199 cheerful. Geniality of manner is one of the most valuable assets of the conjurer. Above all, don't be nervous. You may say "I can't help it," but to a great extent you can. It is largely a matter of will. Start with the idea that all will go well, and it will probably do SO. On the other hand, a low- spirited conjurer always makes a low spirited audience. In any case, be sparing of puns, which have been deservedly described as the lowest form of wit. A single pun, if good enough (or bad enough) may win a laugh, and score to your credit, but to pep- per an audience with verbal shrapnel in the shape of puns is an outrage on good taste. Passing to the third function of patter, the mis- direction of attention in the course of a trick, we will assume that you have made a start in the right direction at the outset, by suggesting some fanciful explanation of the effect you intend to produce, SO that your audience, starting from wrong premises, do not know the points at which their too close observation would be inconvenient. The best way of diverting their attention at one of these critical points is obviously to attract it to some other direc- tion. A mere sentence, particularly if accom- panied by appropriate action, will suffice. Sup- posing, to take an elementary instance, that the performer desires to drop unseen into the profonde from his left hand some small article for which he has just deftly substituted a duplicate, now exhib- | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,217 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 217 | CONCERNING PATTER 201 that he is actually the person whom he represents. The modern magician should do the same. If he has enough of the true artistic spirit to imagine, when he steps forward on the platform, that he is a magician, and that his miracles are genuine, he will go a long way towards producing a like impres- sion in the minds of his audience. Bearing this in mind, describe what you propose to do as an "effect," a "marvel," an "experiment," or a "phenomenon"; never by any chance as a "trick." It may be objected that I have myself repeatedly used the obnoxious word in the course of the fore- going pages, but that is another matter. This book is written by a conjurer for conjurers: and as between ourselves we are forced to admit, painful though it be to do so, that our greatest miracles are only tricks. But we need not tell the public SO. Logically-minded persons know it well enough, if they are allowed to think about the matter. Our business is to make them, for the time, forget it. A wise old Roman said: Populus vult decipi: decipiatur. Your audience wish to be deceived; in fact they have come together for that purpose. By all means let them be deceived to the top of their bent; and the first step towards effectually deceiv- ing them, is to persuade them, if possible, that there is "no deception." The patter for a given trick, once composed, and tested by a few performances in public, may thenceforth, SO far as the professional is concerned, | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,208 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 208 | CONCERNING PATTER IT will doubtless have been observed that I have in the foregoing pages been somewhat lavish in respect of patter. I have done SO for two or three reasons. First, in order to enable the reader to form a better estimate of the effect of the trick presented, duly clothed and coloured, to the mind of the spec- tator. A trick described, however minutely, from the mere mechanical or technical point of view, gives scarcely more idea of its actual effect than the rough charcoal sketch of the artist does of the finished painting. Secondly, because ready-made patter, if the reader cares to use it, will save him a considerable amount of trouble. My third reason is more personal, namely, that it has been a labour of love to do SO. To my mind the devising of some little bit of appropriate fiction to serve as intro- duction to a trick is the pleasantest part of the inventor's work. It may perhaps be thought that I have, in some of the more ambitious tricks, been overliberal in this particular. I remember thinking, after wit- nessing a "show" by Dr. Lynn, a popular per- former of the last generation, that he had talked a 192 | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,12 | 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] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,15 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 15 | CONTENTS PORTRAIT OF PROFESSOR HOFFMANN Frontispiece PAGE PREFACE vii SOME New APPLIANCES OF GENERAL UTILITY 1 Magical Mats 1 Fairy Flower-Pots 5 Patter Introducing the Flower-Pots 8 Adhesive Cards and Tricks Therewith 10 The Missing Card 12 NOVEL APPLICATIONS OF THE "BLACK ART" PRINCIPLE 17 Black Art Mats and Black Art Patches 17 A Magical Transposition 23 The Detective Die 26 Dissolving Dice 32 Where is It? 38 CARD TRICKS 46 Arithmetic by Magic 46 Those Naughty Knaves 49 Magnetic Magic 55 The Telepathic Tape 57 A Card Comedy 60 The Fast and Loose Card-Box 63 A Royal Tug of War 64 Sympathetic Cards 66 Tell-Tale Fingers 68 Divination Doubly Difficult 72 A New Long Card and Tricks Therewith 77 The Mascot Coin Box 83 ix | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,14 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 14 | CONTENTS. iii PAGE A chemical trick, to follow one where a young friend has as- sisted 43 To draw three spools off two tapes without those spools having to come off the ends of those tapes, and while the four ends of the tapes are held by four persons... 44 To restore a tape whole after it has been cut in the middle 46 On the continuity of tricks 49 The invisible hen, a very useful trick for supplying eggs for breakfast or dinner 53 Tricks with a plain gold ring 56 Friendly suggestions. 59 The conjuror's "bonus genius" or familiar messenger. 61 The shower of money. 63 To furnish the ladies with a magic supply of tea or coffee, at their selection, from one and the same jug 64 To furnish a treat to the gentlemen 66 Ventriloquism 67 Ventriloquism among the ancients 70 Modern professors of the art. 71 The theory of ventriloquism 76 The means by which it is effected 79 Practical illustrations. 81 Polyphonic imitations 87 A mountain echo 88 Points to be remembered. 88 Concluding remarks 90 To make the magic whistle 91 | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,117 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 117 | CULTURE EXTRAORDINARY 101 it off again. In its downward movement the tube passes over the little hook on No. 2; but in lifting it off again its upper edge comes within the outer arm of the hook, and carries this off with the ball attached to it, leaving tube No. 2 empty. The lat- ter, shown empty accordingly, is passed over No. 3 and carries off its load in the same way. You have thus proved (!) in the most convincing way that all three tubes are empty, though as a matter of fact No. 3 is the only one in that con- dition, Nos. 1 and 2 each containing a suspended ball. The patter from this point may vary according to the fancy of the performer. If he has the knack of producing the appropriate combination of fact and fiction, it is preferable that he should do SO for himself. As I have elsewhere remarked, bor- rowed patter rarely comes SO "trippingly on the tongue" as that of which the performer can say with, let us hope, undue depreciation of his merits, "a poor thing, but mine own." The fable with which I should myself introduce the trick would run somewhat as follows: "You have all heard, ladies and gentlemen, of intensive culture, gooseberries grown while you wait, and that sort of thing. It is done by enclos- ing the seed, or the young plant, in a confined space and keeping it warm and comfy. It has always seemed to me that there is a good deal of magic about the process, and I thought I would like to | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,119 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 119 | CULTURE EXTRAORDINARY 103 second finger and thumb of the left hand, and apparently take it back by means of the pincette or tourniquet; then professedly dropping it into the second tube. "And now, to complete the set, we shall have to grow a red ball. Here is a seedling of that col- our." You pick up the little red ball, and make believe to pass it after the same fashion into the third tube. "And now to supply the heat. We do not need much, the space being SO confined. I find that even the flame of a match is sufficient." You strike a match and move the flame round and round within the top of the larger tube till the thread catches fire and releases the ball. Should this be heard to drop, you account for it by remark- ing "I dare say you noticed a little explosion. That is caused by the sudden radio-activity of the component atoms re-arranging themselves in the expanded form." You raise the tube and show the ball: then go through the same process with the second tube. Under cover of raising this tube to show the ball, you get the large red ball from the vest into the left hand and palm it. "Perhaps you would like to watch the progress a little more closely." You pick up the third tube and place it upright on the palm of the left hand, in so doing introducing the palmed ball from below, and advance with it to the company. "The red balls are especially sensitive to heat. | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,89 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 89 | DIVINATION DOUBLY DIFFICULT 73 The requirements for the trick consist of two packs of cards, and an envelope with adhesive flap, of such a size as to accommodate one of them. One of the two packs is a "forcing" pack, consisting of three cards only, each seventeen times repeated. The cards of each kind are however not grouped all together, as is usually the case, but are arranged after the manner explained in More Magic (p. 13), viz. : assuming the three cards to be the knave of clubs, the seven of spades, and the nine of dia- monds, the pack will consist of groups of those three cards, in the same order, repeated through- out. The effect of this arrangement is that, wherever the pack be cut, the three cards above or below the cut will always be a set of those three cards: and the same result follows, however many times the pack may be cut, or however many such groups may have been taken from it. The second pack has no preparation, but the three cards corresponding to those of which the forcing pack is composed are SO placed as to be ready to hand for palming. The performer advances with the forcing pack, meanwhile executing a false shuffle of the kind which leaves the pack as if cut, but otherwise undisturbed as to order. Holding the pack on the outstretched palm of his left hand, he invites some- one to cut it. This done, he takes back with the other hand the upper portion of the cut, and says, "You have cut where you pleased, have you not ? | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,91 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 91 | DIVINATION DOUBLY DIFFICULT 75 Will you kindly shuffle this other pack for me." (He runs the cards over fanwise, showing their faces, SO as to prove that they are an ordinary mixed pack: then hands them to be shuffled, and while this is being done, palms the three secreted cards. "Shuffle them thoroughly, please, and then spread them a little, faces down, upon the table, and lay your handkerchief over them. "Now I am going, in the first place, to attempt a little thought-reading. I shall endeavour by that means to discover the three cards each person chose, and then, by means of the sense of touch, which I have cultivated to a rather unusual degree, to pick them out, without seeing them, from among the cards under the handkerchief. I shall only ask one indulgence. To leave a little margin for possible mistakes. I shall ask your permission to pick out four cards instead of three for each per- son, SO as to give me one extra chance. Will the gentleman who drew first kindly look my way, and say to himself slowly, the names of the cards he drew. Thank you, Sir! I think I read them right." He inserts his hand under the handker- chief, and after a little pretended fumbling, brings out the three palmed cards, with one indifferent card in front of them. He does not show or look at them, but asks the second chooser to think hard of his three cards, afterwards taking four more from under the handkerchief. Having done the same in the case of the third drawer, he spreads | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,10 | 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,254 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 254 | Die Chineilche Reproduction of an engraving in an old German Encyclopaedia in the Harry Houdini Collection, which credits to the Chinese the trick of climbing into the air and having the body fall down piecemeal and being set together again. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,66 | 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,56 | 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,52 | 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,46 | 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,50 | 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,54 | 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,42 | 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,48 | 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,125 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 125 | Ebeatte, Mr. Louis's ROYAL, MECHANICAL, and OPTICAL Darhibition wall continue open Four Nights longer only, with the Addition of a New Pirca. Monday, April 1,1815, Wednesday, Thurday and Friday following, the 5th, 6th, and 7th. And, in erder to make his Exhibition mill more wartly of the Public Patrosage, the Proprietor bege leave to inform them, that, in Addition to the whale Selection already exhibited with UNBOUNDED APPLAUSE, he will introduce, every Evening, A SUPERB MECHANICAL Peacocl AS LARGE AS LIFE, In its Natural Plumage! Which imitates, so closely, the CRIES, ACTIONS, and ATTITUDES of that stately and beautiful Bird, that it is not unfrequently supposed to be an absolute living Animal. properly trained to act as as Amasing Deception. Ahbongh - Description cas property itlestrate these . Ast. yet to merey to the pablic sa des of their and of the imitative powers with waxh these Figares - esplanation mbitted, they exb.bited the follewing - " are . manaer TWO ELEGANT AUTOMATA, As large as melare, the - . POLONNESE, the - . sov. Nething cae the adroicable of these Pieces. The large Figure - alment with bumse Faculties, eshiliting the esual feste of . Mope- Dancer, in the felless of hfs. The - Figare . envested with equally astonishing powere of activa. To sech ledice - are spectasore it - be . very that these exertious do not escite thowe - whird arese the aight of Pigares freught with lite. performies feas ettended with - mech dange. A Superb MUSICAL LADY, Represeeting the BELLE BOXLANE, whe pleye with the grentess preceise Sistere Arra, every - preveede frove the presere of the and feet, - the apprepriate keys, - keing persea, with the of her besd. eyes, and eye-hds, . directed to the heye. The compect and well preperticeed forma, and easy enaffected air of thie Female Figure, have been gvessly and considured by the very best jedges - happy combission of the asta of Desige - Nechaniom, whish predeces . the same tiase the of respiratice. THE MSCHANICAL DRAWING AND WRITING MASTER, A JUVENILE ARTIST. The fig… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,190 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 190 | FOR THE FIRST TIME. The Mechanical PEACOCK, THE VIEW OF THE CITY or A - Piece of Anificial Animation which imitases, 6 clofely. the Cries, Altions, and Assicudos of the Sasely and beastifel Bied. thas it ie sot enfrequently fappoled to be an abfolate liv ing Animal, propedly imaned 10 aû as - amuling deception apos the Public. Stockholm, The Magnetic Clock, or to - Viss ell be - ender Sell .... the arrsa well as TRE SEAUTITUC SCENS or THE Nowly is fapported on two Chryfal Columna, and termounted by a charaCerific Figur of which will amule and divert the Company. by difoovering Voyage of Captain Parry to the their arc. on an Aiphobetical Dial Plate, fernifhed with a feif-moving fedex. The Senfative WIND-MILL, North Pole: Which regulases its motion by the apparens impalie of a Word from any Speflator-sa forms - obey the With of the Company by a pelitive Gift of Incaition, His paseage threugh the Frotes Straits, amonger the SELECT EXPERÉMENTS IN FLOATING ICE. HYDRAULICS, Os the Sbore will be - Sequimere, with their Sledges draws by Degs.-Besre persued and , hilled b As See sal be represested Esquimaux Wome is their native Boate; also the Londing of the Sailore from the Discesery Ships. Fary and Hecla. A GRAND DISPLAY OF WATER-WORKS, THIRD PART THE CITY OF The rifes from the frome of the Suge, endafter forming into many delightful Fountains, is conjoined with Amsterdam, FIRE OF DIFFERENT KINDS, wa ou Ast the - bellile Ziements ferioully rell together to the Cieling of the Thestre, the Water The Vise . - the ote The Viee of the Bridge " es the Ametel. The Toes . - ages late Morese thie - - .. of the Met " alfo to the fimme heigle a Lafkre with Candles burning. FIRE-WORKS PLAYING, An Aquatic Exhibition on the River. A . le - several Trephico of Victery. the Ascras of the ie ", tring - diepery oth Experimess, without any Offeince even to the mon delicase but efter Ellers. Perase is - - gaie the Top, .. beer eve, the Pras. TOURTUI PLECE. THE WOVOERFUL ANO UNRIVALLED To will be added fevera) Original Experiments in the Sc… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,260 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 260 | Fire Nights only. AT THE NEW ASSEMBLY ROOMS. The celebrated CHING LAU LAURO, - - - --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CLA - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - a - - - - - - - - - - - - The - - - - 1 - - - - CHING LAULAURO um - - - Os Munday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, March the the 1218 121h, and 14th, 1834. = - - - - - - - - - PART #. THE CHEST OF ARCHIMEDES, The Column of - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A at Whet Tim the Wax Candies Eschanted ELEPHANT OF KNOWLEDGE, Forge, Printiag! Flying Watch, MAGE SOTTLE, APPLES OF BEELZEBUB, MAGIC EGGS, LOTEAL 440 with WARIETY - FART n. VENTRILOQUISI - - ROGEERIES OF NICHOLAS. of the Creation, - - the Thruals, Blackbied. Lark, A. - - - - - - de Hir Surprising Poccers of Imitation, CHANGES OF CDUN. - - - Agwy - - the LND DECEPTIONS. PARTE 101. of Strength, - . SEPTO ASTIC EXERCISES. the Jir upou Nothing!! - - - - - - - Allesdance. - - - - - - - M. PABAER - MALE PRICE - - Fim - - - - - - Friday Morsing, at - - 2 - Collection. sumpension in 1832. From the Harry | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,258 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 258 | Five Nights only. AT THE NEW ASSEMBLY ROOMS, The celebrated CHING LAU LAURO, Norcules, and the - furope, Magaro, Nechanicies, of the - and veluable Mechssical, Optical, and Nagient Transformatives - whese Performances the greatest and they hate been eshibited. C.L.L. be had the of Serforming before thes " the " Rreghtee, and ressived letter, by chais Mayesties commend, &m al approvel of ear% Perfermasce, wich Sagether with several others from the Earts of Dewlogh, Nredfent, Marquia leses . Nr Passs's, High etreet of whrth the folloning " repy - Sie rese. Ste, Ny these I have to state that vour Performiece+ " the Pevilion. . the isth of sembei were appreved of by these Majestive Ching Les Lovre, - em vou' Servant See Notel. H The Nebility, Gestry. and the Publer of eiverhamptor and " we séformers the CHING AULAURO LATF or VAUNHALL GARDENS AND DHUNY LINE 1H1 ATKE Well have the beneut of appearing be fore them On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, Narch the 10th, lith, 12th, 13th, and 14th, 1934, To Talente in . complete serice of Ammements. combreing- PART I. THE CHEST OF ARCHIMEDES, AND The Column of These self-ecuing pleces of were recruted by the celebrated am! entraded the Cablest of Curiosities at Paris, ber unforeces the Gefore the completies of these Master pieces of Art, they sere dieposed of and gower - gratify the Public with anch advaired pieces of A Game at Whist, Time Flies, the Wax Candles Enchanted ELEPHANT OF KNOWLEDGE, Fulcan's Forge, Miraculous Printing Flying Watch, NAGIC BOTTLE, APPLES OF BEELZEBUB, MAGEC mags, LOYAL NETAMORPHOSE, &c. with , " II.LUSIONS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION PART II. VENTRILOQUISII. CHINO LAU LAURO - the hesour to ansounce that, previons to bas return to Loudon to resume his Eagagements, be bes been induced to preseet novel and popular SATIRICAL LEC TURE. and NOV DIVENTI<EMENT, en.itled ROGUERIES OF NICHOLAS. Imitations of the Feathered Crestion, such as the Thrush, Biackbird. Nightingale, Sky Lark, &c. Also vertraying a variety of Eecentric and Cheracters diaw… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,312 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 312 | For Six Nights only. BY PERMISSION OF the Night the Atayor. In the Large Room, opposite the Custom-House, IN WHITEFRIAR-GATE The Inhabitanits of HULL and its yicinity are respeeifully informed, that On Wednesday Evening, Aug. 26, 1818. And Thursday, Priday, Satarday, Monday ind Eveninge following, The Indian Jugglers Will exhibil their unrivalled Performances: These extraordinary Indians are Natives of Seringapatani, and have been eihibiting for some tume past in the Metropolis, before many of the Nobility, who unanimiously pronouaced them to be the first Masters of the Art in this Kingdom. Amongst the semerous Performances the follewing may be acticed: Various Deceptions with Cups and Balls; CHANGING SAND TO DIFFERENT COLOURS; A SERIES or EVOLUTIOS With Four hollow Brass Balls, about the size of Oranges. The pewer of the Jeggiot over these is miraculess he causes them to describe every possible Circle-horidontally, pendiculasiy, obliquely. transversely, rosed his Legs, under bis abost his Head, in small and lange Circumferences, with wondross rapidity, and keeping the whole is Motion at the same timo. This being the solo fruit of Elort, Activity. quickesse of Eye, and rapidity of Motion, ao one who has not witocsacd it can form as iden of its excellenco. This part of the Performsece will be accumpanied with Music STRINGING BEADS WITH HIS MOUTH, Ae the rame time terning Ringt with bi, Fingers and Tees. Wonberful geat with Large TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL Feats of Balancing, la which ome of the Indians hes a School Doy's common Peg-top, which be commences to spia with great relocity in bis hand, and from theace conveys it os a point as hac as a Needle, Which is balenced on his Chie, and in this situation makes et bow to the Company, while revelving on the before -mentioned point, and afterwards restorce it b, the Werd of Commund, to the Equilibriam sad Stcadiness as whes first spea. Erecting a curious Pagoda on the top of his Nose, AND ASNOVING THE SANE WITH INGENUITY. His manly activity in throwing a Large Ball, the s… | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,106 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 106 | Fortlune Telling Made Easy; OR, THE DREAMERS' SURE GUIDE. CONTAINING PLAIN, CORRECT AND CERTAIN RULES FOR FORETELLING WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. BY THE CELEBRATED GABRIEL, The Astrologer of the 19th Century. A Complete Oracle of Destiny. In this Book yon have all that was ever made known by the ancient Egyp. tians, Assyrians, Persians, Grecks, Chinese and Hindoos relating to the occult sciences. Much has been procured from overlooked sources, and transcribed from the original hieroglyphies. The substance, also. of all that has been brought to light by the researches and investigations of modern Astrologers and Professors is here laid before the reader in a plain and intelligible manner. This Book contains The celebrated Grecian Oracle of Destiny.- -The renowned Egyptian Fortune Telling Tablets.-Th Great Hindoo Trial of Destiny.-Palmistry the art of telling fortunes by the lines on the hand.-Fity-two Grecian observations on moles.-Hlow - to make the Dumb Cake.-The - birth of children, and forc- telling other events by the moon's age and the days of the week.-Tc know if yourlovcofa person will be mutual.-Charms, Spells and Incantations, To procure Dreams, Tokens, and other insights inio futurity.-Fast of St. Agnes -The Nine Keys. Magic Rose.-Cupid's Nosegay.- - The Ring and the Olive Branch.-Love's Cordial.-TheWitches Chain.-Love Letters.- Strange Bed. - To see a uturehusband.- - Toknow whatfortune your future husband will have.-The Lovers'Charm.-Ilymenial Charm. -For a girl to ascertain if she willsoon arry.-Physiognomy: the art of discovering a person's disposition by their features.- -How to tcll a person's character by means of Cabalistic calculations.- -Fortune-telling by means of a tea or cof- fec cup-How to read your fortune by the white of an egg.-To chcose a husband by the hair.-Lucky day8.-Fortune telling by dice. -Fortune tell- ing by cards.-Dreams and their interpretation.-s complete dictionary of dreams. This Book will acquaint you truthfully about What your pertico in life will be. Whether you will dio … | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,1 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 1 | GV 1547 P88 Copy 1 | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,1 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 1 | Google This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project to make the world's books discoverable online. It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books are our gateways to the past, representing a wealth of history, culture and knowledge that's often difficult to discover. Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book's long journey from the publisher to a library and finally to you. Usage guidelines Google is proud to partner with libraries to digitize public domain materials and make them widely accessible. Public domain books belong to the public and we are merely their custodians. Nevertheless, this work is expensive, so in order to keep providing this resource, we have taken steps to prevent abuse by commercial parties, including placing technical restrictions on automated querying. We also ask that you: + Make non-commercial use of the files We designed Google Book Search for use by individuals, and we request that you use these files for personal, non-commercial purposes. + Refrain from automated querying Do not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system: If you are conducting research on machine translation, optical character recognition or other areas where access to a large amount of text is helpful, please contact us. We encourage the use of public domain materials for these purposes and may be able to help. + Maintain attribution The Google "watermark" you see on each file is essential for informing people about this project and helping them find additional materials through Google Book Search. Please do not remove it. + Keep it legal Whatever your use, remember that you are respo… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,29 | 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,366 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 366 | ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Eckartshausen's Clock Trick 160 Engraving, Reproduction of, from an Old German Encyclopedia 227 Evanion, Henry Evans 22 Exposure of Barney Eagle 154,155 Faber, Professor, Hanger Advertising Talking Machine 9° Falck Poster Used in 1835 183 Fawkes Advertisement 60,61,62 Fawkes Clipping 64,65,66,67 Fawkes, Isaac, Portrait 59 Frikell, Herr und Frau 3° Frikell Villa 28 Frikell, Wiljalba, in His Youth 297 Garnerin Poster Used in 1815 120 Goose Poster 220 Gyngell, Lithograph 126 Gyngell, Portrait of 122 Gyngell Poster Used in 1816 I2I Gyngell Programme of 1823 125 Haddock Advertisement, 1706 166 Handbill Advertising the Fake Automatic Artist, 1826 III Hardeen, Theo. Weiss 25 Heimburger, Alexander, Illustration 24° Heimburger, Alexander, Portrait of 238 Heimburger, Alexander, Poster 242 Heller, Robert and Haidee, Portraits. 202 Heller, Robert, Grave of 208 Heller, Robert, Programme of 1851, only one in existence 204 Heller Poster Used in 1853 206 Herrmann, Compars, Billings 196,19 Herrmann, Compars, Portrait 194 Herrmann, Compars, Programme 232 Hocus-Pocus, Frontispiece Second Edition, 1635 10 Hofzinser, Johann Nep, Engraving 162 Hogarth's Engraving Entitled 'Taste' 7° Hone's Every Day Book," Reproduction of page 226 68 Houdin and Son Emile 201 Houdin Bas-Relief 47 Houdin Grave 46 Houdin, Robert 8,24,34,41,48 Houdin, Robert, Favorite Lithograph for Advertising Purposes 38 Houdin, Robert, First Appearance before Queen Victoria 39 Houdin, Robert, Poster Used at Sadler's Wells, 1853 44 [iii] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,367 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 367 | ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Houdin, Robert, Poster Used at St. James Theatre, London 40 Houdin, Robert, Poster Used for Emile Houdin Benefit, 1848 43 Houdin, Robert, Poster Used in London, 1848 42 Houdin, Robert, Poster Used in 1852 223,224 Houdin, Robert, Poster Used to Advertise His Trapeze Perform- ance 167 Houdin, Robert, Programme for the Opening of Robert Houdin's * Theatre in Paris 37 Houdin, Robert, The only Poster Showing his Complete Stage- setting 36 Houdini, Harry Frontispiece Indian Basket Trick 276,277,279 Indian Juggler's Handbill 283 Ingleby's Book Frontispiece 259 Ingleby Handbill Dated 1808 258 Jacobs, M., Lithograph 158 Jacobs Poster Featuring the Travelling Card 151 Jefferini Handbill Dated 1833 256 Katterfelto 165 Katterfelto Clipping of 1782 161 Lauro, Ching Lau, Handbill 23I Le Confiseur Galant 139 Leschot, Jean Frédéric, Portrait 95 Louis Programme of 1815 108 Macallister, Andrew, Portrait 193 Macallister, Domingo 134 Macallister Programme 192 M'Kean, Master, Front and Back of Original Handbill distributed in London Streets in 1831 213 Manfrede, Blasius de Manfre or Blaise, Rare Woodcut 272 Marchand, Floram 275 Marriot Programme Featuring Cabalistic Art in 1831 255 Mysterious Lady Billing 215 Mysterious Lady Cut 2 1 6 Neve, Richard, Frontispiece, 1715 17 Philipsthal, de, Poster Used in 1811 104 Philipsthal Programme of 1806 173 Philipsthal Programme of 1803 102,103 Phillippe and Assistant Domingo 134 Phillippe Lithograph, 1842 137 Phillippe Poster 184 Phillippe Poster Used in 845-46 132 [iv] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,352 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 352 | ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Phillippe, Reproduction of Pastel Portrait 13° Pinchbeck, Jr., Christopher, A Very Rare Mezzotint 57 Pinchbeck, Sr 53 Pinetti Clipping of 1784 2T0 Pinetti, I. I., Portrait of 73 Pinetti, I. I., Woodcut Used in 1796 72 Pinetti's Autograph 79 Pinetti's Book Frontispiece 78 Porta, John Baptist II Poster of the Learned Goose 220 Poster Used for Benefit of de Philipsthal, 1829 IIO Programmes and Posters Reproduced, 26, 37,39.40,42,43,44.81, 102, 193, 104, 108, IIO, III, II3, II4, 118, 120, 121, 125, 132, 147. 150, 151, 154, I 55, 156, 161, 167, 170, 173, 182, 183, 184, 188,189,191,192,196,197,204,206,212,214,215,216,220, 221,223,224,231,232,234,242,253.254,255,256,258,261, 269,272,282,283,292,309,311. 3°3 Rannin Lithograph, Showing Him Doing Sword-Walking Act 269 Robin, Henri 198 Robin, M. and Mme., in Second Sight 218 Samee, Ramo, Handbill 282 Savren, James, Poster Used by, in 1855 26 Schmidt Programme Used in 1827 113 Schmidt Poster IT4 Schmidt Programme of 1821 182 Suspension Chloriforeene Lithograph 234 Thiodon Bill of 1825 173 Testot, Programme Featuring Cabalistic Art in 1826 254 Testot Rare Handbill Printed about 1800 253 Water Spouter 272 Water Spouter and Juggler 275 White, John 15 Whole Art of Legerdemain, Frontispiece from Ingleby's Book 259 Wiegleb's Diagram of Orange-Tree Trick 52 Witgeest's, Simon, Frontispiece from Book of Natural Magic, 1682 13 Writing and Drawing Figure from Manning's Robert-Houdin Brochure 84 Young, E. W., Lithograph 152 | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,365 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 365 | ILLUSTRATIONS PAGR Breslaw Lithograph 164 Buck, English Conjurer, Only Portrait Known 257 Buck Handbill Dated 1844 261 Cabalistic Art 254 Cabalistic Art Featured on Marriott Programme in 1831 255 Cabalistic Art Featured on Testot Programme in 1826 254 Cabinet Trick Offered by Davenport Brothers 200 Cagliostro, Comtesse de, Portrait of 251 Cagliostro, l'Almanach de, The Brahmin's Suspension 229 Cagliostro, Rare Pastel Portrait 248 Charles Poster Used in 1820. 128 Chinese Magicians 227 Ching Lau Lauro Handbill 23X Clipping Advertising the Writing and Drawing Figures Exhibited by Jacquet Droz 99 Clipping of 1812 Proving the Partnership of de Philipsthal and Maillardet 197 Clipping Used by Christopher Pinchbeck in 728 54 Clock Trick, Eckartshausen's 160 Cornillot, M., Reproduction of Handbill 81 Davenport Brothers' Announcement 292 Davenport Brothers 14 Davenport Brothers' Cabinet Trick 200 Davenport Brothers in Their Prime, Portraits of 288 Decremps, Henri 74 Decremps Signature 76 Döbler, Farewell Programme 180 Döbler, Ludwig, Portrait 187, 100 Döbler Programme 19.1 Döbler Programme Dated 1842 188 Domingo Macallister 134 Don Carlos, "the Double-sighted Dog Billing Used 221 Droz Automaton 96,98 Droz Figure of Cupid 80 Droz, Henri-Louis Jacquet 94 Droz, Jacquet, Drawing Figure TOO Droz, Pierre Jacquet, Portrait of 02 Droz Writing Automaton Specimens in 1796 86 Dutchwoman, Decoration Used to Advertise 214 Eagle, Barnardo, Frontispiece from Eagle's Book 153 Eagle, Barney, Poster 156 Eckartshausen's Automatic Rope Vaulter 169 [ii] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,340 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 340 | IM SARL. Dienstag, dem 25. Januar 1648. Neue und ausserordentliche VORSTELLUNG im Gebiete der NATÜRLICHEN' ZAUBEREI, mit Hülfe der Experimental-Physik, Mechanik, Electricität, Hydraulik und des Galvanismus, gegeben von dem grossen nordischen Zauberer Professor I. ANDERSON aus London bekannt in England unter dem Namen: "THE GREAT WIZARD OF THE NORTH." Herr Professor Anderson schmeicheit sich mit der Hoffunn. dass seine Productio- nea, welche in LONBON.PETERSBURG, BERLIN.STOCKHOLN, COPÉNHAGEN und zuletzt in HAMBURG die chrendste Amerkennung fanden. sich auch der Theilnahme des hiesigem hochverehrlichen Publikums erfreuen werden. Progra me m. Erste Abtheilung: 1. Zwei fliehende Schnapflücher. 2. Die wonderbare Mühle und der gelebrte Ägyptier. 3. Ein neues Zauberspiel, genannt die apsserordentliche Metamorphose. 4. Der Todte wird lebend, der Lebeade stirbt. (Neu.) 5. Ein schuell zubereitetes Frühstück. 6. Zum Erstenmale! Ausserordentliches Experiment: Herr Professor ANDERSON wird 6 Uhren durch den Körper. eines der Anwesenden passiren lassen, ohne dass derselbe lndi- gestionen bekomnit. 7. Ein grosses Manöver mit 12 Schnapflüchern. 8- Aus dem Hate irgend eines Anwesenden entwickeln sich auf den Wink des grossen Zaubrers Tausende von Blumen-Bouquetts, Tausende von Flaggen aller Nationen, Schuüren, Puppen ect. sowie ein vollständiges zweischläfriges Federbett. Zweite Abtheilung: 1. Banknoten und Preussische Thalerscheine halten die Feuerprobe. 2 Die gehorsame Flasche. 3. Die sprechenden und tanzenden Thaler. 4. Das Wasser wird lebend. 5. Die schnelle Wäsche. Ein gitter Rath für unerfahrne Hausmütter. 6. Die ägyptischen Wunder. Preise der Plätze Erster Platz 16 Ggr. Zweiter Platz 8 Ggr. Gallerie 4 Ggr. Cassen-Oeffnung 6 Uhr. Anfang 7 Uhr. Eatrée-Billets sind am Tage der Vorstellung im Ballhofs-Saale bei Herrn Evers, zu erhalten. Handbill used by Anderson in Germany. January, 1848, when Robert- Houdin claimed that he was playing in the English provinces. From the Harry Houdini Collection. [311] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,369 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 369 | INDEX PAGE PAGB Tolmaque 289 Trick, Suspension 49,222,31 Tom and Jerry 230 Trick, Suspension, Ethereal, Tom Thumb, Gen 24I 222-312 Torrini, 35,38,52,140,209, Trick, Suspension, Chlorifo- 250,300,301 reene 233 Toulet, Mlle. Louise 289 Trick, Suspension, of Sheshal 230 Tours de Cartes et de Gibe- Trick, The Inexhaustible Bot- cière 279 tle 49,312 Travelling Bottle 185,188 Trick, The Pastry Cook of the Travelling Card, Poster of Palais Royal 49 Jacobs. 151 Trick, The Vaulting Trapeze Tribune, New York 240,241 Automaton 49, 141 Trick, Apple-Tree 5 I Trick, Watch in Loaf of Trick, Basket, Illustrations, Bread 276,277,279 Trick, Writing and Drawin~ Trick, Bell 242 Figure 49 Trick Cabinet of the Daven- Two Elegant Automata 172 port Brothers 290 Trick, Chinese, of Climbing Unmasking of Robert-Hou- into Air 227 din 33 Chinese, Reproduction Ure, Andrew, M.D of 227 T. rick Clock, Diagram of I 60 Van Esten, Mr 168 Trick Disappearing Hand- Vaucanson 41,95 kerchief 245-254 Verlag. Heusers 287 Trick, Indian Basket, Voisin 163 276,277,291 Trick. Magic Clock. Diagram Walking Cards, The 156 of 160 Water-spouter 272,273,275 Trick, Mystic 163 Water-spouter and Juggler 27. Trick, Obedient Card, fea- Webster, Daniel 243 tured on a Barney Eagle Weiss, Rev. M. S., Poster 156 dedication page Trick, Orange-Tree 51-55 Weiss, Ehrich (Harry Hot- Trick, Orange-Tree, Diagram dini) Frest. spièce of 52 Weiss, Theodore Hardeen 1 25 Trick, Rope-tying 293 White Magic 35 Trick, Second Sight 49,200,312 White Magic Exposed Trick, Secret of Trained Bird White, John I2 and Bell 243 White, John, Portrait of 15 Trick, Shoulder of Mutton Wiegleb, Johann Cliristian 14 and Card 257 Willmann, Carl 305 1- GENERAL BOOKBINDING co. 125ST C34 6017 75 53 ED QUALITY CONTROL MARK | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,354 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 354 | INDEX PAGE PAGE Adelphia Theatre 256 185, 191, 233,235,289,297 Advertisement from the Lon- 308-310 don Daily Post during 1730 Anderson, Mrs. Hannah 146 showing the Orange Tree Anderson, Mrs. Leona A., as as Offered by the Senior she Appeared in the Sus- Fawkes 55 pension Trick 236 Album des Soirées 217 Anderson Poster, Alexander the Conjurer 233 Alexander the Conjurer, Illus- Anderson Window Poster Ex- tration 240 posing Barney Eagle 155 Allen, Prof. George 267 Announcement used by Day- Althotas 251,252 enport Brothers 292 American Magicians, Society Antonio 302 of 307 Apple-tree Trick 5r Anatomie of Legerdemain 180 Appleby's Weekly 55 Anciens et Nouveaux Tours A rts, Manufactures a n d d'Escamotage 279 Mines, Dictionary of 9. I Anderson and Son Lithograph Astley, Philip, Esq., An His- presenting 'Suspension torical Circus Director 19 Chloriforeene" 234 Astley, Philip, Esq., Portrait Anderson Billing of 1838 150 of 19 Anderson's Book Cover-de- Astor Library 24I sign 148 Astronomic Musical Clock 55 Anderson Handbill used in Aufschlüsse zur Magie, Repro- Hannover, Germany 311 duction of an Illustration. 169 Anderson, J. H., 14, 23, 25, Autograph a n d Portrait, 119,131,145 Pierre Jacquet-Droz 92 Anderson, J. H., Lithograph, Autograph of Decremps, 75 186,317 Automata, Two Elegant 172 Anderson, J. H., Portrait of Automaton Chess Player, 266, 267 Wife and Son 146 Automaton Trapeze 166 Anderson, J. H., Very Rare Automaton Writer of Jac- Poster used in 1838, 147, quet-Droz 96 [321] 1 | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,355 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 355 | INDEX PAGE PAGE Balls, Crystal 222 Bosco 235,298,302,393 Balsamo, Joseph 250 Bosco, Bartolomeo, Photo- Bamberg 235 engraving of 3° Barnum, P. T....43.85.241) 296 Bosco's Grave, Photograph of 306 Barnum, P. T., Portrait of 86 Bosco, Madame, Photogmaph Barrel, The Inexhaustible 180 of 305 Bartholomew Fair Memoirs, Bottle, Inexhaustible, 176, by Morley 16 181, 84, 186, 188, 195, 222 Basch, Ernst 49.138 Bottle, Infernal, Poster used Basch, Ernst, and Le Confi- by Phillippe 184 seur Galant, Photograph 139 Bottle, Magic 192 Basket Trick, Indian 276,277 Bottle of Sobriety and In- Basket Trick, Indian Boy. II- ebriety 182 lustration 279 Bottle, Travelling 185 Batuta, Ian 226 Box, Crystal 222 Beckett, Mr 219 Brahmin Suspension Hlus- Beckmann 211 tration 220 Beckmann's, John, History of Breslaw 3.143.103.209, 221 Inventions and Discoveries Breslaw, Book on Magic, Published in 1797 14 Frontispiece of 144 Bell Trick 242 Breslaw Lithograph 164 Benton 143 Breslaw, Triple Colored Lith- Berthoud's Treatise on ograph of 164 Clockmaking 35 Brewster, Sir David 181 Bertram, Charles 16 Brick-mason Macallister 193 Bertram, Charles, Portrait of 20 Britten's Clock and Watch Billing used by Mysterious Maker 56 Lady 215 Broken Heart, The 286 Billing used for the dog, Don Buck, Only Known Por- Carlos. 221 trait 257 Biography, Dictionary of Buck Handbill 261 National 54 Bismarck 7 Cabalistic Art featured on Blackstone 7 Marriott Programme 255 Blitz, Signor, 4.235.267 Cabalistic Art featured on Blitz, Signor Antonio, Por- Testot Programme 254 trait of 18 Cabalistic or Obedient Clock, Boaz 23 156-157 Bolin, T 49,163 Cabinet Trick offered by Bologna 116 Davenport Brothers 200 Bologna Bill of 1812 170 Cabinet Trick Print 290 Bologna Poster 118 Cagliostro. 72.250.252,254 [322] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,356 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 356 | INDEX PAGE PAGE Cagliostro, Comtesse de, rare Clipping from the London Portrait 251 Telegraph in March, 1812 107 Cagliostro, l'Almanach 209 Clock and Watch Maker, Cagliostro, Pastel Portrait of 248 Britten's 56 Calhoun 243 Clock, Astronomic Musical. 55 Card in the Pocket 183 Clock Pedestal 166 Card Trick as featured by Clock Trick, Diagram Ex- Anderson in 1836-1837 142 poses 160 Cards, The Obedient 141-156 Clockmaking, Berthoud's Caroly's L'Illusionniste 199 Treatise on 35 Castinia, Sieur 166 Confectioner's Shop 166 Century of Inventions 281 Confidences d'un Prestidigita- Charles 116,127 teur 300 Charles Poster dated about Confidence et Révélations 49 821 128 Conjurer Unmasked, The, Chess Congress, Book of First 74.75.168 American 267 Conjurer's Pocket, The 160 Chess Player, Automaton, 266, 267 Comment on Devient Sorcier 265 Chinese Trick, Reproduction Cook, the Pastry, of the of an Engraving 227 Palais Royal 116,172 Ching Lau Lauro Suspension 230 Cornillot 25.52 Ching Lau Lauro Programme 231 Cornillot Handbill 79 Ching Ling Foo. 240 Count Pererilli 235 Chloriforeene Suspension. 233 Course of Experimental Phi- Chloriforeene Suspension, losophy 18: Lithograph 234 Creation of Flowers Igo Chronicle, The 177 Crystal Balls 222 Cireus Director Astley 10 Crystal Box 222 Circus Life and Circus Celeb- Cupid, The Figure of, as ex- rities 16 ecuted by the Droz Draw- Clay, Henry 243 ing Figure 87 Clayton, Sir William 49 Clipping from Newspaper fea- Dale, E. J 207 turing Pinetti, Second Sight 2T0 Davenport Brothers, Clipping from Newspaper of 149, ,287.289.291,316 Jacquet-Droz 101 Davenport Brothers, An- Clipping from Newspaper of nouncement of 202 Katterfelto, from 1782 161 Davenport Brothers, Cabinet Clipping from the London Trick of 290 Daily Post of Nov. 3°, Davenport Brothers, Photo- 1728, used by Christopher graphs of 288 Pinchbeck 54 Dean, Henry 180 [323] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,358 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 358 | INDEX PAGE PAGE Faber, Prof 88 Gantziony, Natural and Un- Falaise, James de 275 natural Magic, dated 1489 I 2: Falck of Koenigsberg, Garde Française 222 182, 183, 184 Garnerin 116,119 Falck of Koenigsberg Poster 183 Garnerin Poster I20 Fantastic Portfolio 222 Garrick Theatre 286 Father of English Prose 226 Gazette, Evening 24I Fawkes 14, 51, 52, 56,58 Gentlemen's Magazine 56 Fawkes Advertisement 55,60 Globe, The 177 Fawkes, Isaac, Portrait of, 59, 68 Goose, Learned 219 Fawkes Newspaper Clipping, Goose, Learned, Poster 220, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 Grande Initiation au vraie Feliciani, Seraphinia, Com- Pratique des Célèbres Phy- tesse de Cagliostro, rare siciens-Prestidigitateurs. 278: Portrait 251 Grave of Bartolomeo Bosco 306 Fifty Years in the Magic Cir- Grave of Robert Heller 208. cle 267 Grave of Robert-Houdin 46. Flora's Gift 183,100 Grisy, Count Edmond de 38: Flowers, Creation of 190 Guillon, Marie Catherine 33: Flowers, Origin of 222 Gun Delusion, The 128,155 Frikell, Herr und Frau, Por- Gutle, Johann Conrad 163, trait of 3° Guyot's Physical and Math- Frikell, Villa 28 ematical Recreations 14.3. Frikell, Wiljalba, 9, 26,27 Gyngell, 29,31.32,235,296,299 25,116,121,124,166,172 Frikell, Wiljalba, in his Gyngell's Colored Lithograph 126. Youth 297 Gyngell's Letter to Evanion 124 Frontispiece from Breslaw's Gyngell's Portrait I22 Book on Magic 144 Gyngell's Poster I2I Frontispiece from Eagle's Gyngell's Programme 125 Book 259 Frontispiece from Hocus Po- Haddock 105,116,117 cus, second edition of 1635, Haddock Advertisement 106 IO-12 Halle, Johann Samuel 14 Frontispiece from Ingleby's Halle's, Johann Samuel, Ma- Book, Whole Art of Leger- gic or The Magical Power demain 259 of Nature 14. Frontispiece from Richard Hamilton 45, 28q. Neve's Book on Magic 17 Handbill Advertising the Frontispiece from Simon Fake Automatic Artist III Witgeest 13 Handbill of Buck 261 Frost, Thomas. 16,228 Handbill of Ingleby 258: 1325] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,359 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 359 | INDEX PAGE PAGE Handbill of Jefferini 256 History of Inventions 211 Handbill of Original Indian History of Inventions and Jugglers 283 Discoveries, by John Beck- Handbill of Ramo Samee. 282 mann 14 Handbill of Testot 253 Hobbs, Hart & Cou, London 28: Handbill, Reproduced Front Hocus-Poeus 43. TSo and Back, used to Adver- Hoeus-Pocus, Frontispiece tise Master M'Kean : 212 second edition. 1635 10,12 Handbill used by Anderson Hoffmann, Professor, in Germany 311 265, 278,279. 281, 286 Handkerchief, Disappearing, Hofzinser, Johann Nep., rare 245-254 Engraving of 162 Hardee's "Tactics" 7 Hooper's Recreations 211 Heads of King George and Houdin, Cecile Eglantine 33 Queen Charlotte, executed Houdin. Emile 47 in their Presence by Droz Houdin, Emile, Benefit Post- Drawing Figure in 1774 100 er at St. James Theatre in Hebb, William 62 1848. 42 Heimburger, Alexander, II- Houdin, Favorite Lithograph lustration 24° for Advertising Purposés Heimburger, Alexander. Pho- used by Robert-Houdin 38 tograph of 238 Houdin, Jean-Eugene Ro- Heimburger, Alexander, Pro- bert- Portrait taken in 1868 34 gramme, the Suspension Houdin Poster announcing Trick 242 the Appearance of Robert- Heimburger, Herr 233.237 Houdin before Queen Vic- Heller, Robert 205,207 toria and her Court 39 Heller, Robert and Haidee, Houdin Poster used during Portraits of 202 an Eastern Engagement at Heller, Robert, Grave 208 the St. James Theatre, Heller, Robert, Programme. - 204 London 49 Heller, Robert, Poster 206 Houdin Programme for the Henry, M 116,125 Opening of Robert-Houdin Herald, New York 241 Theatre in Paris, July 3. Herrmann, Alexander 179 845 37 Herrmann, Compars, Houdin, Robert-, 7. 16, 23, 25, 195,233,235,296,297,299 35. 38. 45, Herrmann, Compars, Best 50, 52. 195. 197. 235 Portrait in Existence 194 Houdin, Robert-, and Son Herrmann. Compars, Billing 196 Emile, Illustration pre- Herrmann, Compars, Pro- senting Second Sight...... 201 grammes 197,232 Houdin. Robert-, as he ap- [326] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,368 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 368 | INDEX PAGE PAGE Henri, Second Sight. 218 Spirit Bell 24 l'Almanach de Ca- Suspension, Brahmin Illustra- TO 229 tion 229 ge, George, & Co 278 Suspension Chloriforeene. 233 Jules de 116, 128 Suspension Chloriforeene larence Theatre 256 Lithograph 234 Inn 166 Suspension, Ethereal 222,312 Suspension featured by Com- W 217 pars Herrmann, a Pro- erz 28q gramme of 1848 232 Ramo, Handbill. 282, 286 Suspension Trick 222 James 25 Suspension Trick, As Mrs. James, Poster 26 Leona A. Anderson ap- berg 267 peared 236 112, 116,172,181 182 Suspension Trick, Programme Poster 114 Presenting, by Alexander Programmeof 1821, 182 Heimburger 242 Programme used in Suspension Trick used by 113 Robert-Houdin 224 ic Amusements 35 Sight 200 Talking Machine, Hanger Sight, by M. and Mme. Advertisement 88 218 Taste, Engraving by Hogarth 7° Sight, Illustration 201 Testot Handbill 253 Sight of the Young Testot, M. Félix 255 landers 214 Testot Programme featuring de la Prestidigitation 49 Cabalistic Art 254 of Conjuring and Theatre, Adelphia 256 265,278 Theatre, Garrick 286 of Magic 49,302 Theatre, Liverpool 256 of Stage Conjuring. Theatre, Robert-Houdin 47 279,281,299 Theatre, Royal Clarence 256 230 The Secrets of Conjuring and onfectioner's 166 Magic 265-278 re of Decremps 75 The Secrets of Stage Conjur- Elder & Co 54 ing 279, 281, 299 of American Magi- The Temple of the Muses 56 397 The Trapeze Automaton.... 166 ens of Penmanship The Trapeze Performer 168 ited by Droz's Writing The Trapeze Tumbler 222 maton in 1796 and Thiodon Bill of 1825 173.1 174 respectively 84 Three Talented Highlanders. 214 [331] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,361 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 361 | INDEX PAGE PAGE Lee, Sidney 54 lin in 1784 by Johann Le Manuel des Sorciers 279 Samuel Halle 14 Le Prieuré 49 Magic, The Old and the New, L'Escalopier, Count de 43,280 by H. R. Evans 16 Les Radiations Lumineuses. 49 Magie des XIX. Jahrhun- Les Secrets de la Prestidigita- derts von Uriarte 287 tion et de la Magie 278 Magie et Physique amusante, Les Tricheries des Grecs 49 49,279 Letter to Evanion from Gyn- Mahomet 285 gell 124 Maillardet 105 Letters on Natural Magic 181 Mandeville, Sir John 11,226 Le Voltigeur Trapeze 166 Manfrede, Blaise 271,274 Lewis, Angelo J 265 Manfrede, Blaise, Wood-cut. 272 Lithograph of Rannin doing Marchand, Floram 274 the Sword-walking Act 269 Marchand, Floram, Publica- Lithograph showing All of tion 275 Phillippe's Tricks 137 Marriott, the Celebrated, Pro- Liverpool Theatre 256 gramme featuring Cabal- Lives of the Conjurers 16,228 istic Art 255 London Daily Post Clipping Martin, Henri 104 of Christopher Pinchbeck, Martinka, Francis J 207 from Nov. 30, 1728 54 Maskelyne IIO London Telegraph Clipping Masonic Order 252 of March, 1812 107 Materia Prima 252 Louis Programme 108,171 Mechanism, View of Jacquet- Droz Writing Machine 98 Macallister 134,135,195 Melies, M 48 Macallister, Andrew, Por- Memoirs of Marquis de Mer- trait of 193 ville 287 Macallister, Brick-mason. 193 Memoirs, Robert-Houdin's, Macallister Programme 192 14-51, 52, 176, 203, 217, M'Kean, Louis Gordon 213 2 22,225,245,266,268,280, M'Kean, Master, Handbill 212 295,296,300,302,318 MacKenzie, R. Shelton 49,265 Merode, Cleo de 3I Maëlzel 266,267 Merville, Memoirs of Marquis Mag, Miss Matilda 289 de 287 Magazine, Gentlemen's 56 Mezzotint of Christopher Magic Bottle 192 Pinchbeck, Jr 57 Magic, Natural and Unnat- Mezzotint of Christopher ural, by Gantziony 1 2 Pinchbeck, Sr 53 Magic, or the Magical Power Mitchell, Dr. J. K 266 of Nature, printed in Ber- Mitchell, John 45,297 [328] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,362 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 362 | INDEX PAGE PAGE Modern Magician 239 Origin of Flowers 222 Morley's Memoirs of Bartho- Original Billing used by Mys- lomew Fair 16 terious Lady 215 Morse, S. F. B 24I Mortimer, Dr. W. Golden 207 Pastel Portrait of Cagliostro. 248 Mortimer's Mysteries 207 Pastry Cook of the Palais Moving Pictures 67 Royal 116,172,193 Mysterious Lady, Billing used Pedestal Clock 166 by 215 Pepper, Mr 299 Mysterious Lady, Cut of 216 Pererilli, Count 235 Mystic Bell Trick, The 163 Phantasmagoria, A de Phil- ipsthal Programme 102,103 Naconnier, Françoise Mar- Philipsthal's Programme of guerite Olympe 33 806 173 Narrowness of Robert-Hou- Phillippe, 23, 45, 116, 129, din's Memoirs 295 133, 135, 184, 185, 193, 195 Natural Magic, by Johann Phillippe Lithograph and his Christian Wiegleb 14 Scotch Assistant Domingo. 134 Natural Magic, by Simon Phillippe Pastel Portrait 130 Witgeest I 2 Phillippe Poster 132,184 Natural Magic Frontispiece 13 Phillippe Poster featuring Natural Magick in XX Bookes the Infernal Bottle 184 by John Baptist Porta I 2 Philosophy, Course of Exper- Neve, Richard 14 imental 181 Neve, Richard, Frontispiece, Photo-engraving of Bartolo- Work on Magic 17 meo Bosco 301 Newspaper, The Lady's 177 Photograph of Alexander Niblo's Garden 24I Heimburger 238 Noriet, M 35 Photograph of Bosco's Grave 306 Nouveau Manuel Complet Photograph of Mme. Bosco. 305 Sorciers, les scènes de Ven- Pinchbeck, Christopher, triloquie 279 52, 54, 56, 58 Nouveile Magie Blanche Dé- Pinchbeck, Christopher, Jr., voilée et Cours Complet de a very rare Mezzotint 57 Prestidigitation 278 Pinchbeck, Christopher, Sr., The Oldest and Rarest Obedient Cards, The 141-156 Mezzotint in the Wor'd Old and New Magic 16 Pertaining to the History Old London Fairs 16 of Magic 53 Old Showman, The 16 Pinchbeck, Clipping from Opre 140 London Daily Post of Nov. Orange Trick 51-55 30. 1729 54 [329] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,363 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 363 | INDEX PAGE PAGE Pinetti, 23,35, 38, 52, 69, 71, Programme of de Philipsthal 73, 76, 171, 209, 2II, 213, Benefit IIO 221, 298, 300, 301, 302 Programme of Döbler 188 Pinetti, Chevalier 182 Programme of Macallister 192 Pinetti, Clipping featuring Punch 177 Second Sight 210 Punch Cartoon reproduced, Pinetti, Engraving of 7² proving J. H. Anderson's Pinetti, Signora 211,213 Inexhaustible Bottle Trick 186 Pocket, Conjurer's 160 Polk, President 243 Ramo Samee Handbill 282,286 Polonnese 1 7 2 Rannin Lithograph 269 Ponsin, J. N 278 Rannin Lithograph showing Porta, John Baptist 12 Walking on Swords 269 Porta, John Baptist, Por- Rare Poster of Learned Goose 220 trait of II Raynaly, Mons. E 69 Portrait of Buck 257 Recreations, Hooper's 2II Portrait of Compars Herr- Recreations, Physical a n d mann 194 Mathematical, by Guyot 143 Portrait of Eugene Bosco 315 Recréations Physiques 279 Portrait of Henry E. Evanion 22 Redmond, Professor 289 Portrait of Henri Robin 198 Reproduction of an Engrav- Portrait of Robert and ing of Chinese Trick Climb- Haidee Heller 202 ing into the Air 227 Portrait of Wiljalba Frikell Reproduction of an Illustra- in His Youth 297 tion in "Aufschlüsse zur Poster of Robert-Houdin on Magie' 169 which his Complete Reper- Reproduction of Cartoon in toire Appears 224 Punch, 1843, proving An- Poster used by Anderson in derson's Inexhaustible Bot- London, 1848 313 tle Trick 186 Poster used by Falck of Koe- Reproduction of Handbill nigsberg 183 used to Advertise Master Poster used by Heller 206 M'Kean 212 President Polk 235,243 Reproduction of Handbills Print showing Cabinet Trick. 290 used by Mysterious Lady. 216 Programme, Farewell, of Dö- Robert, Jean-Eugene, bler 189 33,34,35,40 Programme of Anderson 848 309 Robert, Prosper 33 Programme of Ching Lau Robertson, E. G 76 Lauro 231 Robin, Henri, 197,199,217 Programme of Compars Herr- 289,296,297,298 mann 196,197,232 Robin, Henri, Portrait of 198 [330] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,360 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 360 | INDEX PAGE PAGE peared to the English Crit- Indian Jugglers Handbill 283 ics. Reproduced from the Inexhaustible Bottle, The, Illustrated London News, 176, 181, 184, 186, 188, 195, 222 December 23, 1848 4t Infernal Bottle Poster used Houdin, Robert-, Bas-relief by Phillippe in 1838 184 on Tombstone 47 Ingleby Handbill 258 Houdin, Robert-) Grave of 46 Ingleby the Senior 256,258 Houdin, Robert-, last Photo- Ingleby's Book, Frontispiece, graph taken and used as Whole Art of Legerdemain 259 the Frontispiece for Mem- Introduction 7 oirs. 48 Inventions, History of 211 Houdin. Robert-, only Poster showing his Complete Stage Jacobs, M. 149,296,297 Setting 36 Jacobs, M. Portrait of 158 Houdin, Robert-, Portrait 8 Jacobs, M., Poster 151 Houdin, Robert-, Poster on Jefferini Handbill 256 which His Complete Reper- Jefferini. Mr 256 toire Appears 223 Jeux de Société 279 Houdin, Robert- Poster used Jugglers, Indian, Handbill 283 in London in 1848 42 Journal des Sciences 268 Houdin. Robert-, Poster used Journal. The Court 177 ito Advertise His Trapeze Performance 167 Katterfelto 23,161,166 Houdin, Robert- Poster when Katterfelto Clipping of 1782. 161 he Played at Sadler'sWells, Katterfelto Portrait 165 London, in 1853 44 Kempelen, M. de 266 Houdin, Robert-, Rare Litho- King George and Queen Char- graph 24 lotte Heads, executed by Houdini, Harry, Portrait, the Droz Drawing Figure Frontispiece in 1774 TOO How to Become a Wizard 278 Koin King, The, T. Nelson Hulton, Charles 181 Downs 265 Kraus, K. K 260 Illusionniste, The 199 Illustration of Hindoo Basket Lady's Newspaper 177 Trick 276,277,279 L'Almanach Cagliostro 299 Illustration of the Brahmin La Magie Blanche Dévoilée, Suspension 229 or White Magic Exposed, Inaudi 203 35.52.211 Indian Basket Trick, Learned Goose 210 276,277,279 Learned Goose Poster 220 Indian Jugglers 275 Le Confiseur Galant 137 [327] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,34 | 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,38 | 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,22 | 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,33 | 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, i… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,24 | 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,20 | 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,16 | 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,25 | 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,27 | 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,14 | 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,31 | 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,23 | 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,39 | 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,30 | 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,21 | 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,17 | 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,19 | 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,15 | 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,28 | 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,26 | 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,18 | 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,36 | 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] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,141 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 141 | Ine Or 120 tally across it, about halfway down. Through this a black pin, bent at the head, passes as shown in Fig. 22. In preparation for the trick a piece about three feet long of black plaited silk line, with a small wire ring at one end, is passed by the aid of a needle through the hole in the tray from the outer side; thence upward through the various sections of the pagoda, beginning with the undermost, till FIG. 22 it finally comes up through the head. After the needle has been drawn off, the end of the thread is formed into a loop, which is passed over the cross- pin before mentioned. The thread is then drawn taut from below, the several segments of the pagoda resting fairly one upon another in the cen- tre of the tray. The intermediate portion of the thread is drawn up till the little ring at the outer end comes close to the tray, and is laid upon it in | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,155 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 155 | Inn VRACLE OF 139 ing selected the question he or she desires to have answered, the dial is laid on the stand with the "suit" or Fig. 26 side uppermost, and the pointer is placed in position on its pivot. The querist is invited to breathe into the glass, which is then lowered on to the stand. The pointer begins to move, and after a moment or two of indecision, 9 Fig. 26 Fig. 25 Fig. 27 comes to rest opposite one or other of the four suit- pips; we will suppose, for the sake of illustration, the diamond. The glass is then lifted off, the dial reversed, the pointer replaced, and the glass once. more lowered on to the stand. Again the pointer moves, and stops this time, we will say, at the num- ber "seven." The seven of diamonds is sought | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,238 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 238 | L'ENVOI WITH these last lines I lay down my pen, as I have long since laid down the wand. I do SO with regret, for writing about magic has always been to me a labour of love, but failing energy and failing eyesight warn me that my day is over, and that "the night cometh, wherein no man can work." When I first began to discourse of magic, I had the whole field, in a literary sense, to myself. That state of things has long since ceased to be. Fertile brains and ready writers have taken up my task, and magic has now a worthy literature, growing day by day. "So mote it be!" Furthermore, if I may be allowed a word of ad- vice, let me say that every lover of magic, be he professional or amateur, should join a magical so- ciety. No great work can be carried forward with- out organization, and the success of such bodies as The Magician's Club and the Magic Circle here, and the Society of American Magicians over seas, has proved that magic is no exception to the rule. I must not close without a word of hearty thanks to Harry Houdini, Oscar S. Teale and John W. Sargent, of the Society of American Magicians, for their generous offices in connection with the publi- cation of my book. With this last legacy to the friends, at home and abroad, who have derived pleasure or profit from my writings, I bid them a cheery farewell. LOUIS HOFFMANN. 222 3477-3 | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,9 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 9 | LATEST MAGIC BEING ORIGINAL CONJURING TRICKS INVENTED AND ARRANGED BY PROFESSOR HOFFMANN (ANGELO LEWIS, M.A.) Author of "Modern Magic," etc. WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS FIRST EDITION NEW YORK SPON & CHAMBERLAIN, 120 LIBERTY ST. 1918 | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,17 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 17 | LATEST MAGIC INTRODUCTORY SOME NEW APPLIANCES OF GENERAL UTILITY THE little appliances to be presently described are the outcome of ideas which, after a long period of incubation in my note-books, have ultimately taken concrete form in what, I venture to believe, will be found to be practical and useful items of magical apparatus. I may further claim that they combine in an exceptional degree absolute inno- cence of appearance with a wide range of practical utility. Examples of their uses are indicated in the following pages, but the inventive reader will find that these by no means exhaust their possibili- ties of usefulness. MAGICAL MATS The first to be described are of two different kinds, to be known as the "Card" and "Coin" Mat respectively. They are in appearance simply cir- cular table-or plate mats, with an ornamental 1 | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,244 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 244 | LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 1 029 714 238 0 | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,2 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 2 | LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. GV1547 Cumprinty Shel P.88 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,127 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 127 | LOST AND FOUND 111 magic in it still. Not so much as there was, I dare say, but still it retains a good many magical quali- ties. Among them is a curious talent for recover- ing lost property. For instance, I once had a dog. His name was Socrates, but he was generally called 'Socks.' In fact, he preferred it. He was a val- uable dog, because he combined SO many different breeds. He was partly pug, and partly grey- hound, and partly dachshund, and partly chow, and partly bull-dog and partly terrier, and partly of two or three other breeds that I can't for the moment remember. One day Socks went out to see a friend, and didn't come back again. I sat up all night for him with a stick, but he didn't come home till morning. In fact, he didn't come home even then. I thought I had lost him for good, and I was quite distressed about it. "Just when I was beginning to get over the loss I had a further shock. My precious Desdemona handkerchief was missing. But the very next day I heard a barking outside, and there was my dog with the handkerchief tied round his neck and three other dogs with him. The handkerchief had recovered them all. "You don't believe that little story. I thought you wouldn't. People never will believe anything a little bit out of the way. It is just the same with fish stories. I know a man who, when he was a boy, fishing in a pond with a maggot on a bent pin, caught a four-pound salmon. He didn't claim | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,129 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 129 | LOST AND FOUND 113 the handkerchief to find it, but first you would like, no doubt, to have a look at the handkerchief itself. Notice the richness of the pattern. It is said to be after a design in the Alhambra. I don't mean the Alhambra you gentlemen go to, but the real Moorish one in Spain. Leaving the handkerchief for the time being in the possession of a spectator he returns to the table, meanwhile palming the velvet patch, and the substituted half-crown, and ostensibly picks up the original, in reality rendering it invisible by laying the patch over it, and showing the substitute in its place, after the manner described at p. 19. He then advances to the company with the substi- tute coin and offers it to one or other of the spec- tators, remarking, "Take it, please, and pass it to one or other of your neighbours SO that I shan't know where it is."7 Under pretence of offering the coin, he passes it from the one hand to the other, and vanishes it by, say, the tourniquet, SO that the person holding out a hand to receive it gets nothing, and says SO. "What do you say, Sir? You have not got it? But surely, I have just handed it to you. You are not joking? Then it must have fallen on the floor. Please look around you a bit." (Pretends to do so himself.) "Not there? Well, this is extra- ordinary." (To the lender of the coin.) "I am very sorry, Sir. Your money is lost in a way I did not anticipate. But after all, when I come to | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,131 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 131 | LOST AND FOUND 115 THE RIDDLE OF THE PYRAMIDS This, in good hands, will be found a very effec- tive trick. I have the less hesitation in saying so, because the assertion is only to a very limited extent self-praise. The idea of the effect to be pro- duced was my own, as also to a certain extent the method of producing it. I had even got SO far as to devise, in anticipation, suitable patter. When, however, I proceeded to put my ideas into practice I found myself pulled up by unexpected obstacles. The object to be attained, as will be seen by the sequel, was the instantaneous re-adjustment of the sundered parts of a small pyramid, and this I pro- posed to do by means of the pull of a thread, fine enough to be practically invisible. Now, to make segments of a pyramid not only draw together, but sit squarely one upon another, it is necessary to have forces operating simultaneously in two dif- ferent directions, and the need for this caused diffi- culties which I found myself unable to cope with. Indeed, I had practically decided to content myself by producing a somewhat similar effect in a sim- pler way, as exemplified in the trick which I have called the Miracle of Mumbo Jumbo, which next follows. As luck would have it, however, I mentioned my difficulties to my good friend, Mr. Holt Schooling, a gentleman whom I have more than once had occasion to refer to in my writings in connection | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,19 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 19 | MAGICAL MATS 3 Each mat has a secret space, after the manner of the old "multiplying" salver, between its upper and under surfaces. The opening in each case is opposite the lower end or point of the shield before mentioned, so that, however the mat may be placed, a glance at the shield will always furnish a guide to the position, for the time being, of the opening. Fig. 2 In the case of the card mat the secret space (see Fig. 2) is just large enough to accommodate three playing cards, one upon another. The corre- sponding space in the coin mat (Fig. 3) is shorter, narrower and deeper, being designed to receive, | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,71 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 71 | MAGNETIC MAGIC 55 The expert will recognise this last effect as a "chestnut" among card tricks, but it is none the worse on that account, and it forms a particularly appropriate sequel to the principal trick. If the performer possesses the "flower-pot," one of these will naturally be used in place of the hat. MAGNETIC MAGIC Requirements. Card mat, loaded with a single known card (precise nature optional). Pack of cards with corresponding card at top. A horse- shoe magnet, the larger the better for the sake of effect. The two flower-pots, placed at some dis- tance apart, preferably on separate tables. We will suppose that the card selected for the purpose of the trick is the ten of spades. Per- former advances, and delivers patter to something like the following effect. "By way of a change, I should like now to show you a little experiment in magnetism, but mag- netism of a new kind. The old sort was a com- paratively poor affair. It was only useful with iron or steel. Anything else it wouldn't attract for nuts. My sort of magnetism is a very superior article. It will attract all sorts of things, so long as they are not too heavy, like a sack of coals, or a lawyer's bill. So far, I have been chiefly experi- menting with cards, and I will show you how it works. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,87 | 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,233 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 233 | MELODEON FOR POBITIVELY TWO WEEKS ONLY. MONDAY, MAY 15TH, FIRST NIGHT or ROBEAT THE FAMOUS SOMATIC CONJURER, PIANO-SOLOIST AND CAUSEUR, wae MAS rest ass 365TH PERFORMANCE IN NEW YORK, Belag . career " success which . other Conjurer has, et asy time, accemplished le that eity, PART 1.-MAGIC. WONDER 1 HELLER'S CABALISTIC CLOCK WONDER II. THE ERIAL DELI. VONDER III INPORNAD celebrated Patent Mediciné Ware- bouse in the Netherlund WONDER IV THE_ WITCHES POLE, with singular developments in Cartomancy WONDER V ANIMATED DOLLARS, with Life and Intellegence Manifested WONDER VI. HELLER'S ARABESQUE RINGS WONDER VII THE DEVIL'S PUNCHBOWL PART II-MUSIC. No. & GRAND FANTASIA on Airs from the "Sonnambula" of Thalberg, performed by ROBERT HELLER, on Steinway's Grand Pianoforte. No. 3 Ma Laughable Description the Piano-practice of a Boarding School Young Lady.-Illustrated. The Young Lady by Robert Heller. PART II.--MBTE. 200. 2. HELLER'S SECOND-SIGHT MYSTERY Anvented by Sim, by éle and which has made bie colebrity frota hio appresesee in public, being designated as No. PLUMES OF VICTORY . wisse PART PARLOR KAOIC, or Tricks Made Ensy, every - person in the Audiends not , only shown the Tricks, but taught publicly how to do them, do that they may go and start out asconjurers for them esivesani achieve as great a fortune as bas fallen to the lot of Rosear, Poster used by Robert Heller during his Boston engagement in 1853. From the Harry Houdini Collection. [206] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,104 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 104 | MISCELLANEOUS TRICKS MONEY-MAKING MADE EASY Requirements. Coin mat loaded with two double pennies, shell side undermost. Lighted candle and velvet mat (with pocket) on table. Presentation. Performer comes forward with coin mat hanging down in his right hand (mouth of loaded space upwards), and asks for the loan of a penny, marked in some conspicuous way. Receiv- ing it on the mat, he shows it, so placed, to the per- sons, seated on each side of the owner, in so doing making it obvious to them, without remark, that his hands are otherwise empty. Then returning to his table, with the mat and the coin on it still in his hand, he delivers patter to the following effect: "Now I am going to show you a nice easy way of making money. I was told when I was a small boy, "Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.' I believe they do. The pounds take such good care of themselves that very few of them seem to come my way. But you can make a bit even with pennies, if you know how to set about it. All you need is a really good penny to start with. It doesn't matter how you get the penny. You may beg, borrow, or steal it. Per- 88 | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,105 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 105 | MONEY-MAKING MADE EASY 89 sonally, I prefer to borrow it. If you try the other two ways you get yourself disliked, but you can always get people to lend you things, if you ask prettily; and I've always been celebrated for my nice borrowing manner. You must all have no- ticed that the gentleman lent me a penny without the slightest hesitation. I daresay if I had asked him, he would have made it two-pence, or even six- pence, if he had as much about him. In this case, however, one penny is enough for my purpose; and here it is with the owner's own mark upon it. Observe that it is just a plain ordinary penny, and you can see for yourselves that it is the only one I have-in my hands, I mean. I am always truth- ful. As a matter of fact, I believe I have another in my left trouser-pocket, but I promise you that I won't use it.'' Pass mat, with coin on it, from one hand to the other, showing the hands otherwise empty, and leaving the mat finally in the right hand: then let the marked coin slide off it into left hand, the concealed coins passing with it. Put down the mat, and show all three coins together (the marked coin in front) held between fore-finger and thumb, broadside toward the spectators. Thus held, they are, even at a few feet distant, undistinguishable from a single coin. "Now I am going to make money. Not much, perhaps, in fact only a penny at a time. I shall start by making this one penny into two. Cent | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,107 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 107 | MONEY-MAKING MADE EASY 91 "But here I must really draw the line. If k ept on like this, there would be none of the original penny left. It is already getting weaker and weaker. Besides, there wouldn't be time for any- thing else, and I have several still more wonderful things to show you. "And now to put these extra pennies back again into the original coin. At present it is only one- fifth its proper weight and if the owner tried to pass it in this condition there would be trouble. I should explain, by the way, that these others are not really solid coins: though they look like it. They are what the spiritualists call astral coins, if you know what that means: I don't quite know myself; SO I won't attempt to explain, but I believe in the Police Courts they are known as 'duffers.' ", Lay all five coins on the velvet mat, each of the shells slightly overlapping the solid coin to which it belongs. "Here we have one, two, three, four, five. I pick up two of them." (Draw shell over solid in act of picking up.) "I give them a gentle squeeze and they become one only." (Show as one, and replace on mat behind the mouth of pocket.) "Now I treat two more in the same way." (Repeat accordingly, replacing these also, as one, on mat.) "We have now only three left. Let me see, which is the original? Ah here it is, with the owner's mark upon it." (Pick it up and show in left hand.) "Now I rub one of these others into | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,200 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 200 | Mechanical and Mathematical FEATS OF Alhough - description ese property thefe Mechnaical Pieces of Art, yet to convey " the Pablic - ides of theis and of the incuitive Powers wich which they feem invelled, the is Dexterity. Two Elegant Automats, . dotail of these which evrite the the liants Oue of which a FEMALE FIGURE, as large as life, performs as a ROPE DANCER in inication of Le Belle fo jutly celebrated throaghos Earope -the other is an arrsa rellowine es LITTLE PAILASSE, whofe apperent Naivesse and Powers of Action are equally aftomifhing. Pinses , fee - Homee FOR THE FIRST TIME. The Mechanical PEACOCK, THE VIEW OF THE ciry OF A monk Pista of Anificial Animation which imitates, fo clofely. the Cries, Altions, and Atticades of - and besetifel Bird, thas it ie sot enfrequently fappoled to be an abfolute) lie ling Animal, property " ad as as amuling deception epon the Public. Stockholm, The Magnetic Clock, or le - Viee ell - of Sull - " the be the Forte . Shore arrsa waics will as PROSENTED vas SCENS os THE Monly is on two Chryfal Columma, and furmosnced by a charaßeriftic Figus FALSTAFF, which will amafe and diven the Company. by difovering Voyage of Captain Parry to the chaie Thenghto, are. os an Alphobetical Dial Plase, fornified with a Geil- moving Index. The Senfative WIND-MILL, North Pole: Which segulases its motion by the appasent of a Word from any forme . obey the is the Company by a politive Gif of Inteition. Hie passage threagh the Froses Straits, amonget the SELECT EXPERIMENTS IN FLOATING ICE. HYDRAULICS, Os the There eill De - Equimest, with their Sledges drawa by Degs.-Bears pursued and , hilled b Seilora. As eal be represcated Women in their native Bosts; also the Londing of the Sailore from the Discosery Ships. Fery and Hecle. A GRAND DISPLAY OF WATER-WORKS, THIRD PART-THI CITY OF Th Waser rifas from the fromt of the Suge, and after forming into many delightful Fountains, de. & conjoined with Amsterdam, FIRE OF DIFFERENT KINDS, vas ou Ast - Ziements farioully rell segether the Cieling of the The… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,334 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 334 | NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS" Eugene was said to be the superior of his famous father in sleight-of-hand, but he was wild and given to excesses. Women and wine checked what might have been a brill- iant professional career. Disabled, poverty-stricken, and Only photograph of Madame Bosco, given to the author by Mrs. Mueller, Madame Bosco's niece, at the funeral of Wiljalba Frikell. respected by none, he soon disappeared from the con- juring world, and according to Carl Willman in the "Zauberwelt" he died miserably in Hungary in 1891. In the mean time, Bosco and his wife lived in poverty in Dresden, where the once brilliant conjurer died March 20 [305] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,342 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 342 | NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS" STRAND THEATRE Festively the Last wight of PEOFESSOR NND ERSON'S ASTONISHING SOIRKES MYSTEBLEUSES, TO sa THE Legitimate Wonders of the Nineteenth Century! NEW WONDERS OF WITCACHAFT, An NAGIC! This Evening, THURSDMY, Jau. - the - APPEGRANCE AND 1848 ROVAL ENTERTAINMENT, Mistrative of the Fallecy of Magle, - THE GREATEST WONDER OF THE AGE SON WILLE CONDENSEL CHLOROFORM 68 MUST SEC SUAPRISING SGAIN MAZING BEATS NOYAL PROGRAMNE of SCIENTIZIC WONDERS PAST PART n. The RECHANTED - CMANGEABLE some - SIGET; its Fallacy illustrated. CANDLE with - ANIMATED MOUCHOS The EFSTIC VOLUNS Grand EYDRAULIO - NON.EFTUCT on The BANE, 2 Fishing GRAND SCRAP 8008 ELECTRIS SCAAPS Thes of aux WATCHES - The EYSTIO Grand POTROUREI of The Learned Deves, the Broken The - - - LAST woudsa, ANDER-INS Orange, and Exchanted SUSPENSION CILOROFOREENE cma of the Am; Jack in the (8, your NENUT "Jack sa de MASTER ANDERSOS S. - - bie . - purcles of ered - - Me - - - - Elhet of Drag. - 2 ** - CEAPEAU DU BIASLE = - ANDURMON - - THS will IN THE AIR, " ^ - - . n - ONLT SUPPOS? A VALKING STICS. Poster used by Anderson during his closing week at the Strand Theatre, London, January 11th, 1848. From the Harry Houdini Collection. [ 313 ] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,330 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 330 | NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS" by Torrini, as is set forth on page IO4. He pictures Torrini as dogging the footsteps of Pinetti through all Italy and finally driving him in a state of abject misery to Russia, where he died in the home of a nobleman, who sheltered him through sheer compassion. Robert-Houdin Bartolomeo Bosco in his prime. From an engraving in the Harry Houdini Collection. must have known this was absolutely untrue, for he quotes Robertson, who published Pinetti's true experi- ences in Russia. Pinetti took a fortune with him to Russia, acquired more wealth there, and then lost his [301] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,346 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 346 | NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS" certainly he was not justified in picturing his rival as one who had passed his prime, whose popularity had waned, whose répertoire no longer attracted the public. John Henry Anderson as he appeared in his later years. From a cut in the Harry Houdini Collection. For, in addition to duplicating Robert-Houdin's entire ré- pertoire, Anderson offered tricks of which Robert-Houdin knew nothing, and for years to come he constantly recon- [317] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,326 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 326 | NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS" chapter III. of this book will show. Frikell was the pioneer in dispensing with cumbersome stage draperies. Robert- Houdin claimed this innovation as the product of his own ingenuity. Compars Herrmann was playing in London when Robert-Houdin made his English début under Minnel Wiljalba Frikell in his youth, showing the peculiar costume worn by con- jurers at that time. The author secured this portrait a few weeks before Frikell's death and sent it to the veteran conjurer, who was amazed to learn that this print was in existence. Now in the Harry Houdini Collection. Mitchell's direction, and was presenting, trick for trick, the répertoire claimed by Robert-Houdin as original with him. Henri Robin disputed Robert-Houdin's claim to having invented the inexhaustible bottle, and proved his case, as will be seen by reference to chapter VIII. Jacobs [ 297 ] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,344 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 344 | NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS" comic. Besides, it had the double result of making the London public laugh and bringing a great number of shillings into the skilful puffer's pockets." Reference to my collection of Anderson programmes Eugene Bosco, son of the original Bosco. From the Harry Houdini Collection. and press clippings proves that while on the Continent his performances had created such a sensation that, according to the ethics and etiquette of his profession, Anderson was quite justified in assuming the title of "The Napoleon of Necromancy " and in depicting even kings [315] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,336 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 336 | NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS" graveyard devoted to the poor and unclaimed dead. To prevent this, I purchased the lot and tombstone, and presented the same to the Society of American Magicians, of which organization, at the present writing, I am a member. A man of noble birth and brilliant attainments was the original Bosco, and his name became a by-word all over the Continent as the synonym, not of cruelty, but of clever deception, yet never has posterity put the name of a great performer to such ignoble uses. For who has not heard the cry of the modern Bosco, "Eat-'em-alive"? To-day I can close my eyes and summon two visions. First I see myself standing bareheaded before a neglected grave in the quiet cemetery on Friedrichstrasse, Dresden, the sunlight pouring down upon the tombstone which bears not only the cup-and-balls and wand, insignia of Bosco's most famous trick, but this inscription: "Ici repose le célèbre Bartolomeo Bosco.-Né a Turin le II Janvier, 1793; décédé à Dresden le 2 Mars, 1863." The history of this clever conjurer, with all its lights and shadows, sweeps before me like a mental panorama. The second vision carries me into the country, to the fairs of England and the side-shows of America: "Bosco! Bosco! Eat-'em-alive Bosco. You can't af- ford to miss this marvel. Bosco! Bosco!" Follow me into the enclosure and gaze down into a den. There lies a half-naked human being. His hair is long and matted, a loin cloth does wretched duty as clothing. Torn sandals are on his feet. The eulogistic lecturer dilates upon the powers of this twentieth-century Bosco, but you do not listen. Your fascinated gaze is fixed on various hideous, wriggling, writhing forms on [307] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,328 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 328 | NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS" nach Cagliostro, shows Robin offering this figure in March, 1846, or a year and seven months before it was presented by Robert-Houdin. Yet the only reference made by Robert-Houdin to this popular and gifted contemporary is in "The Secrets of Stage Conjuring" where he remarks slightingly that Robin spoiled Mr. Pepper's business by giving a poor imitation of the latter's ghost show. Again, in ignoring Herrmann, he proves his narrowness of mind, his utter unwillingness to admit any ability in his rivals. Compars Herrmann was no ordinary trickster or mountebank, but a conjurer who remained in London almost a year, playing the very best houses, and later scoring equal popularity in the provinces. He was deco- rated by various monarchs and was famous for his large gifts to charities. Even the present generation, including theatre-goers and students of magic, remembers the name of Herrmann, when Robert-Houdin is forgotten or would be but for his cleverly written autobiography. Wiljalba Frikell, to whom should go the credit of cutting out heavy stage draperies, never claimed the innovation as a carefully planned conceit, but as an acci- dent. His paraphernalia were destroyed in a fire, but he desired to live up to his contract and give a performance as announced. He therefore offered sleight-of-hand, pure and simple, with the aid of a few tables, chairs, and other commion properties which were absolutely undraped. He was also compelled to don regulation, severely plain, evening clothes. The absence of draperies, which natu- rally aid a conjurer in attaining results, created so pleasing a sensation that Frikell never again draped his stage nor wore fancy raiment. Had Robert-Houdin told the [ 299 ] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,348 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 348 | NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS" the hand of another man, who at his instigation belittled his contemporaries, and juggled facts and truth to further his egotistical, jealous ambitions. But the day of reckoning is come. Upon the history of magic as promulgated by Robert-Houdin the search- light of modern investigation has been turned. Credit has been given where it belongs, to those magicians who preceded Robert-Houdin and upon whose abilities and achievements Robert-Houdin built his unearned, un- merited fame. The dust of years has been swept from names long forgotten, which should forever shine in the annals of magic. Thus end, also, my researches, covering almost two decades of time, researches in which my veneration for old-time magicians grew with each newly discovered bit of history; researches during which my respect for the profession of magic has grown by leaps and bounds. And the fruits of these researches I now lay before the only true jury, the great reading public. My task is finished. [319 ] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,332 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 332 | NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS" time the bird trick was not in his répertoire exclusively. All English magicians employed it. Apparently the head of the fowl was amputated, but often in reality it was tucked under the wing, and the head and neck of another fowl was shown by sleight-of-hand. Quite probably the Parisian public did not consider Bosco cruel. Robert- Houdin and his friend Antonio, being versed in sleight- of-hand and conjuring methods, read cruelty between the deft movements. Certain it is that the name of Bosco has not been handed down to posterity by other writers as a synonym of cruelty. The animus of Robert-Houdin's attack on Bosco is evident at every point of the narrative. Now he accuses him of bad taste in appearing in the box-office. Again he suggests that the somewhat impressive opening of Bosco's act savors of both charlatanism and burlesque, when in reality the secret of showmanship consists not of what you really do, but what the mystery-loving public thinks you do. Bosco undoubtedly secured precisely the effect he desired, because Robert-Houdin devotes more than a page to a most unnecessary attempt to explain away what he considered Bosco's undeserved popularity. Bosco was not only a clever magician, but a man of many adventures, so that his life reads like a romance. This soldier of fortune, Bartolomeo Bosco, was born of a noble Piedmont family, on January IIth, 1793, in Turin, Italy. From boyhood he showed great ability as a nec- romancer, but at the age of nineteen he was forced to serve under Napoleon I. in the Russian campaign. He was a fusilier in the Eleventh Infantry, and at the battle of Borodino was injured in an engagement with Cossacks. [303] | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,231 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 231 | NEW STRAND THEATRE. C SOIREZE MYSTÉRIEUSES DE ROBERT HELLER. These elegant and original Performances will be given at the above Theatre C Commencing at 8 A MORNING PERFORMANCE EVERY MONDAT TEUREDAY, AT HALF-PAST 2 O'CLOCK. On each occasion will be presented the following inexplicable experiments, invented and performed by Ecbert Heller. PART I. The Cabaliatic Clock Le pendule Cabalistique The Obedient Dove La colombe Obéimente The Fans and Balle Les eventails et les boulets de Canons The Plumes of Feathers Les plumes The Basket of Flowers La corbeille de Flueis 000 The Marvelious Orange Tree. L'Oranger PART II. The Mysterious Port-folio Port-feuille mysterieus The Mystic Boquet Le bouquet mystique The Wonderful Balance L'equilibre The Automaton Cook Le cuisnier automate The Safety Casket L'écrin de Sureté The Magio filtration Le filtration magique PART III. THE SECOND SIGHT I LA SECONDE VUE or ERNEST HELLER. ESCAMOTAGE or ERNEST HELLER WHO WILL VANISH FROM THS ETES or THE AUDIENCE The Bottle LA bouteille The cornucopies Le corne d'abondance From which Fana, Toys, Bonbons, Journals, &c. will be shovered upon the audience in the greatest profusion. Dears de epm at 7, and at sfer the Morning - PRIVATE moxes 1s. a £1 11s 6d. Stalls 3a.; Boxes Pit Gellery 6d. The Bes Cillee epea from " to & dally: where Tickets and Finses may be secured. a - Programme used by Robert Heller in 1851-52, when he was about e years of age. Probably the only programme of this date in existence. in the Harry Houdini Collection. [2041 |
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