When the show invited me to come to San Jose for an interview, I reached out to Diego and asked if I could bring the trumpet. For this type of show, I knew I needed a good visual. I was thrilled when Diego said yes and grateful that he entrusted me with it. I also brought a signed Magician Among the Spirits and a program from Houdini's spiritualism lecture. But, as expected, the trumpet is what they really flipped for, especially Zak Bagans. For that one night, it was the star of the show!
I should clarify that this isn't the only Houdini spirit trumpet out there. Roger Dreyer's Houdini Revealed museum has a trumpet that best matches some Houdini photos. Fred Pittella has a Houdini trumpet the size of a person. Brandon Hodge has what he believes to be the Benninghofen trumpet. But Diego's trumpet has excellent provenance and shows the ravages of use. And what I said during the show is true. It has never been shown before. So I'm happy to have brought it into the light (so to speak).
As for the episode itself, I thought it was bonkers and an absolute blast! Our great friend George Hardeen was magnificent. I loved it when he said Houdini has been present at every seance; we've just been unable to perceive him. I also loved that they visited Houdini locations in San Francisco to collect "energetic trigger objects." And that photo from the seance and those voices they captured are pretty freaky! They know what they're doing as paranormal investigators and as showmen. Where the line is, I'm not sure. But it's great television.
However, I cringed when I heard myself say, "He was a believer in Spiritualism.” I think what I said was, "He was a believer in Spiritualism in his youth.” Because that is true. It's also true that Houdini always believed in the possibility of spirit communication, although he was very skeptical of people who called themselves mediums and the Spiritualist movement. Sorry Harry.
One thing that didn't make the cut is when we left the "Witches Cap," we became lost in the tangled maze of the house. Nothing to do with ghosts, but it was awesome. It was also near midnight, the very time Houdini himself visited the house.
I tried hard to get the Official Houdini Seance to bring their 2024 seance to Winchester Mystery House to mark the 100th anniversary of Houdini's visit. That didn't work out. So I'm happy to have had an amazing anniversary experience in the house, and I thank Zak Bagans and the Ghost Adventures team for providing that experience. And, of course, a huge thank you to Diego Domingo for allowing me to bring his incredible Houdini spirit trumpet along for the ride!
Want more? I've uploaded several high-resolution photos of Diego's Houdini spirit trumpet to my Patreon. You can also see photos of the Winchester Mystery Houses' own Houdini relics.
Related:
Most collectors generously allowed me to see and quote from material they owned. (I thank them individually in the book.) But to my frustration, two collectors with sizable Houdini holdings gave me only limited access, and two others refused to let me see anything at all. May they live and be well, these folks.
No less of my information about Houdini has come from the holdings of private collectors. Tom Boldt of Appleton, Wisconsin, invited me to read investigative reports prepared for Houdini by Rose Mackenberg and Stewart Griscom, Houdini’s account of his visit to Anna Eva Fay, and a hundred-page stenographic record of Houdini’s Philadelphia confrontation with J. Malcolm Bird. Mario Carrandi Jr., of Belle Mead, New Jersey, graciously allowed me to take notes on Houdini’s quarrelsome correspondence with Martin Beck, and to examine rare cabinet photographs of Houdini. From the large collection of the late Milbourne Christopher (1914-84)— magician and historian of magic—Mrs. Maurine Christopher permitted me to select for study manuscripts that include some of Houdini’s letters to Will Goldston, Harry Kellar, and others, and Houdini’s draft of A Magician Among the Spirits. David Copperfield gave me entry to his magic museum in Las Vegas, housing many of Houdini’s notes on tricks, his wax cylinder recording of patter for the Water Torture Cell, and many unique Houdini posters, lockpicks, and photos. I spent a full day at the home of David Meyer in Glenwood, Illinois, researching his choice scrapbook of clippings and personal memorabilia amassed by Houdini between 1900 and 1905. Stanley Palm of Brooklyn, New York, gave me unlimited consultation of a scrapbook gathered by Houdini in the 1890s and of Houdini’s first diary (ca. 1878-79)—key items in my account of Houdini’s early career. Most of Houdini’s other diaries—indispensable to writing his biography—are owned by a collector who generously allowed me to read them but wishes to remain anonymous.Other collectors who own and have furnished me with original Houdini material are Roger W. Barrett, Marie Blood, John Bryce, Jr., Mike Caveney, Kevin Connolly, James Crossini, Patrick Culliton, Frank Dailey, John Daniel, Paul Daniels, Edwin A. Dawes, David De-Val, Diego Domingo, Roger E. Dreyer, John Gaughan, Ron Hilgert, Edward Hill, John Hinson, Don Hinz, Volker Huber, Ann M. James, Gene Keeney, Dorothy Young Kiamie, Ken Klosterman, George S. Lowry, William Mcllhany, Arthur E. Moses, Henry Muller, Norm Nielsen, Fulton Oursler, Jr., Charles Reynolds, Tom Rozoff, Stephen Sparks, the late Manny Weltman, and Herb Zarrow. They all have my liveliest gratitude, although my exact debt to each is made clear only in the full notes.Others from whom I received valuable information about Houdini include Barbara Belford, John Booth, Dick Brooks, Mildred L. Buckley, David Charvet, Ormus Davenport (Ira Davenport’s great-grandson), Dorothy Dietrich, Carol Durgin, Tom Ewing, Jack Flosso, Ken Force, Stephen James Forrester, Lewis Frumkes, Alfred Holden, Ricky Jay, Walter Johnson, S. T. Joshi, Frank Koval, Kathy Leab, Bill Liles, Norman Mailer, Brooks McNamara, Marion Meade, Joel Miller, Ona Nowina-Sapinsky, Dr. James G. Ravin, Mrs. Alfred W. Roberts, David Roth, Clarice Stasz, Ken Trombly, the late M. Samuel White (Houdini’s nephew). Dr. Richard Wresch, and W. Gordon Yadon.
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| Silverman with Sid Radner in 1991. |
On the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini's midnight visit to the fabled Winchester Mystery House, Zak and a team of paranormal experts attempt to summon the legendary magician's spirit. Will escaping death’s grip be Houdini's greatest trick?
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| The Plain Dealer, Aug 6, 1907. |
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| The Plain Dealer, Aug 8, 1907. |
Marcus, "The man in the box," is featuring Houdini's packing case trick and is industriously seeking engagements. When last heard he was in Coxsackie, N.Y.
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