RAMESES (Abraham Marchinski, 1876 - 1930). Rameses in his Egyptian Temple of Mysteries. London: S.C. Allen, ca. 1910. Bright half-sheet stone lithograph advertising the performance of this British music hall magician. A butterfly woman floats over the performer, and another woman springs from a burning brazier. 30 x 20 1/8”. Linen backed. A. A bona fide music hall and variety show star, Rameses, billed as the “Egyptian Wonder Worker” was the first illusionist to appear at London’s famed Palladium. His show grew from humble beginnings to a stage-filling spectacle, one feature of which was a mystifying levitation, depicted here by the artist as the flight of an assistant with butterfly-like wings. Sadly, Rameses’ life story was one that went from rags to riches, but ended as it began, in rags, when he died nearly penniless at the age of 54.