CHICAGO – Potter & Potter Auctions‘ early spring Harry Houdini sale, held on April 8, was a profound success. At the end of a long day of enthusiastic bidding, the 345-lot auction realized more than $652,000 and had a 98% sell through rate.
Houdini’s signature apparatus, along with an everyday household item, took several of the top lot slots. Finishing first was his spirit cabinet escape, which sold for $50,400. During a performance relying on this device, Houdini was placed atop a four-legged base, and then a series of four open boxes was lowered over him, one at a time, each successive section being locked to the others below it. Once enclosed, four separate metal rods were lowered through holes in the apparatus, further locking them together. After being only briefly concealed, Houdini seemingly dematerialized from the device, which when examined by a committee from the audience, was shown to still be solidly fastened together.
Houdini’s strait jacket escape, a heavy canvas jacket reinforced with leather across the neck, back, arms and waist, earned $43,200. This remarkable piece of magicana history was accompanied by numerous documents, newspaper articles and photographs tracing the ownership of the jacket from Houdini to his brother Hardeen, and then to Hardeen’s assistant, magician Armand Landry.
The everyday household item that sold markedly well was Harry and Beatrice Houdini’s personal mirror, which had been estimated at $7,000-$9,000 and realized $10,200. This 25-1/4in diameter round wooden framed looking glass was decorated with carved floral ornaments at its apex and around its perimeter.
Visually stunning posters and broadsides promoting Houdini were also well-represented in this sale, led by ‘Harry Houdini. King of Cards,’ which was printed in Chicago by National Printing and Engraving around 1898. Estimated at $12,000-$18,000, it soared to $21,600. The half-sheet, linen-backed color poster was used by Houdini as a young performer and featured his bust portrait at the center and vignettes depicting his facility with a deck of cards above and below. This is one of the first posters produced to advertise the magician just before he attained true fame.
Lot #129, ‘The World Famous Houdini / Master Mystifier,’ was estimated at $6,000-$8,000 and brought $11,400. The circa-1925 three-color card was made to advertise a Chicago venue of Houdini’s final US tour. It was only one of two examples known for this appearance and was found in the rafters of a Chicago bungalow. It was also the subject of a segment on the PBS TV series The History Detectives.
This sale also featured a number of images of Houdini taken during the course of his life. A particular standout was a tintype portrait of Houdini as a young man. The circa-1891 image was likely taken at Coney Island, and shows him seated on a bench and wearing a boater, bow tie and evening clothes. The tintype was estimated at $6,000-$9,000 and delivered $21,600. The picture is perhaps the only example extant, and is among the earliest portraits of Houdini Potter & Potter Auctions has ever offered.
Another strong performer in this category was a transatlantic photo album that held six 4 by 5in mounted silver gelatin print photos of Houdini and his wife aboard the S.S. Imperator on their trip to Europe from America on August 30, 1913. It was estimated at $5,000-$8,000 and made $14,400.
Rounding out the highlights was a first edition copy of the book A Magician Among the Spirits that Houdini inscribed, signed and initialed to fellow magician Howard Thurston: “To / Howard Thurston / Best wishes / Houdini / June 20/1924” and further inscribed: “The result of 30 years research is embraced twixt the covers of this book which I believe will be my monument! H.” The book was also signed by Houdini on the dedication page. Estimated at $6,000-$12,000, the remarkable tome realized $18,000.
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