Houdini playing cards deal out $35,000 at auction

A deck of playing cards purported to have belonged to Houdini in his early years sold for $35,000 (43K including premium) at a Goldin auction on Sunday. Wild to think this might have been "one of the first decks used by Houdini," as the accompanying note reads.

Offered is a legendary piece of illusionist history, a deck of playing cards personally owned by the great Harry Houdini, famed escapist and stunt performer. This relic has a long history in the magic community after originally leaving the possession of Houdini in 1926. Houdini passed away in 1926, leaving this deck of playing cards to his wife, Bess Houdini. Bess gifted the deck to a fellow magician Audley S. Dunham, who after Bess' death gifted the deck to legendary "Society Magician," J. Elder Blackledge. Blackledge was well regarded amongst magicians of the time, and worked from the 1920s through the 1950s as a "society magician," performing in the White House for Franklin D. Roosevelt on several occasions. Blackledge popularized in America the famous magic act, "The Chinese Linking Rings," and performed them on occasion in Leland, Michigan. After Blackledge's passing in 1961, the deck was gifted by his widow to fellow magician and Leland resident William B.F. Hall. Hall passed in 1968, and his widow Sally Hall would pass the deck to their final owner Lawrence L. Michaels.

The deck of cards consists of 46 individual pieces. There are 45 playing cards in the offered deck, including a single Joker card. The deck appears to be missing a single Ace, Queen, 10, 9, 6, 5, 4, and 3. The reverse of the cards features a detailed blue/white back design, and traditional Jugendstil design on the obverse. The deck is also accompanied by a blank card, with "THIS DECK was one of the first used by Houdini (about 1890). Mrs. Houdini gave it to Audley S. Dunham who gave it to me December 14, 1943," along with a blue ink signature seemingly of J. Elder Blackledge. The playing cards exhibit heavy general wear, small tears, and associated creases, with soiling throughout the obverse and reverse of each card. Some cards display some minor peeling from the corners, separating the front and back of the card. Some of the cards detailing on the obverse have faded, partially removing the corner symbols on some cards. Several cards display corners that have been clipped or torn.

The auction does not specify the make of this deck, but if you've read that fine book Escaping Obscurity, you'll know that early in his career, Houdini endorsed U.S. and National Playing Cards as "the very best and finest." Those may be what Houdini is handling in the famous image from 1898 that was later used to illustrate his "King of Cards" poster. You can see that the Ace of Spades and card backs do not match the auction cards.

Thanks to Jim Klodzen for the Ace of Spades image and Roger Dreyer for the King of Cards photo.

Related:

• Paging Professor Murat
• The King of Cards in 1926
• Harry Houdini, card cheat