Water Torture Cell - $45,600 | The Grim Game - $24,000
Doomed to Die - $6,720 | Master Mystifier - $2,400
A Houdini "DOOMED TO DIE!!" broadside beat the auction estimate of $3,000 - $4,000 and brought in $6,720. A 1925 poster is for Houdini's "3 Shows in One" fell right within the estimate at $2,400.
Houdini in Essen- $1,920 | Hardeen at Proctor's - $600
A German playbill for Houdini's 1902 appearance at the Colosseum in Essen sold for $1,920. Hardeen showed that he could surprise like his brother by tripling the low end of his auction estimate and adding $600 to the family.
In other results, the only know example of an Okito poster blew away the $10,000 - $15,000 auction estimate and crept into Houdini territory with a final price of $26,400 (second highest price of the auction). A one-of-a-kind Blackstone poster took in an impressive $18,000. A poster for Thurston as Kellar's Successor sold for $19,200 (short of the $25,000 - $35,000 estimate).
Okito - $26,400 | Blackstone - $18,000 | Thurston/Kellar - $19,200
Among more modern magicians, a poster for Doug Henning's own Water Torture Cell took in $300. An Amazing Randi Milk Can poster found a buyer at $600. A 1980 Richiardi Jr. poster surprised with $2,280 (estimate $400 - $600).
Henning - $300 | Randi - $600 | Richiardi - $2,280
Potter & Potter issued a beautiful hardbound auction catalog for this sale, which is a collector's item in itself. You can download or purchase a copy at their website. The auction house has not yet announced a date for The Nielsen Collection Part II. It will exciting to see what Houdini posters that next auction might contain.
Related:
My late father swapped a number of old posters to Norm Nielsen a number of years back, in exchange for one of his custom reproduction props. I think at least one of Dad's old posters was sold at the recent auction.
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