Ed Saint's dynamite

I recently discovered a lengthy obituary for Edward Saint in the Oct. 23, 1942, Hollywood Citizen. Some terrific quotes from Bess in it. But it was the following paragraph that really caught my attention:

    During the past few years Mr. Saint had been writing a book about Houdini which he planned to call "Houdini's Dynamite." It was believed nearly completed, but the manuscript has not yet been found. Mrs. Houdini said it would be placed in the hands of another prominent magician to complete.

A Houdini book by Ed Saint called "Houdini's Dynamite"? Now that's dy-no-mite! (Anyone understand that reference?)

Unfortunately, this is the first and last I've ever heard of this. Could the manuscript still be out there somewhere? The title suggests the book may have been focused on Houdini's spirit debunking.

I guess we can include Houdini's Dynamite by Edward Saint alongside The Truth About Houdini by Theo Hardeen and The Other Side of Houdini by Kreskin as a Houdini book that might have been.

Want more? You can read the full obituary as a "Scholar" member of my Patreon.

Related:

• Hardeen's unpublished Houdini book
• Kreskin's unpublished Houdini book
• Secret recordings of Edward Saint revealed

Unseen Elliot Sanford archive sells for $48,000

An archive of unseen material from Elliot Sanford, a previously unknown member of the Houdini troop, sold for a whopping $48,000 (including 20% buyers premium) at Potter & Potter's Spring Magic Auction today. I had called this possibly the most historically significant Houdini auction lot ever, and it certainly got attention, blowing way past the pre-auction estimate of $15,000-$20,000.

Sanford joined the Houdini show in the final weeks of the magician's life and was eyewitness to all that occurred before and after Houdini's death. He was also one of the pallbearers at Houdini's funeral. Included in the lot is an unpublished manuscript Sanford wrote detailing his time spent with the Houdinis. The material had been held by Sanford's family and, incredibly, has never been read by any Houdini biographer. What's contained in these pages could greatly enhance our knowledge of Houdini's final days.

The auction contained a variety of other Houdiniana. Two annotated Houdini spiritualism scrapbooks from the Joe Dunninger collection brought in a hefty $66,000 (estimate $30,000-$40,000). An attractive 1905 color playbill with nice mentions of the Mirror Challenge and the Prison Cell & Barrel Mystery fetched $7,200. A box of photographic negatives labeled "Houdini in Atlantic City" found $5,280. A photo of Hardeen wearing what might be Houdini's iron bar shackles (a little discussed early invention) unlocked $780.

I had my eye on two unpublished original photos, both of which sold beyond their estimates. One shows Houdini and Dr. A.M. Wilson clowning with a "No Parking" sign outside an Orpheum Theater ($2,280). The other shows Bess as a fortune teller ($660). The story of Houdini and Wilson's famous feud is a favorite of mine. I have no idea what the story is behind the Bessie photo.

A pair of alleged Houdini throwing knives, which have made the reality show rounds over the past few years, failed to get any bids. (I was surprised to even see these in this auction.)

As always, congrats to all the buyers and sellers!

Related:

• The most historically significant Houdini auction lot EVER?
• The saga of Houdini and The Sphinx (Houdini vs. A.M. Wilson)
• What's this about Houdini's throwing knives?

The most historically significant Houdini auction lot EVER?

Potter & Potter Auctions has released the online catalog for their upcoming Spring Magic Auction and it contains a wealth of Houdiniana. Chief among the lots are two recently discovered Houdini spiritualism scrapbooks from the Dunninger collection. Those are expected to fetch a very high price. However, it's Lot 360 that has me losing my mind this morning!

Lot 360 is "Elliot Sanford’s Houdini Manuscripts and Archive." The hitherto unknown Sanford worked as Houdini's secretary in the final weeks of the magician's life and was eyewitness to all that occurred before and after Houdini's death. He was also one of the pallbearers at Houdini's funeral (so identified in Christopher's Houdini The Untold Story, which is the only biography to mention him). Among letters, books, and postcards given to Sanford by both Harry and Bess is an unpublished manuscript he wrote detailing his time spent with the Houdinis. Here's just part of the mind bending auction description:

The manuscripts total over 100 pages, both holographic and typewritten, and are filled with tantalizing looks inside the Houdini home, Houdini’s ill-fated final tour of America, including the fateful episode in Montreal that would cost Houdini his life. Other elements discussed include the Weiss and Rahner families, the aftermath of Houdini’s death, and even the magician’s finances and the nature of his estate and how it was dealt with after his untimely passing. Various drafts and outlines, both typewritten and handwritten are included. In all, an archive of historical significance, filled with tantalizing unpublished data and anecdotes regarding the most famous magician the world has ever known. Sanford began working for Houdini as his business secretary in the last weeks of the magician’s life. His story, told in these pages, but as yet unpublished, describes in minute detail his time with the great magician, from the moment of his first interview for a position as assistant in Houdini’s dressing room, to the time of the fateful death blow delivered to Houdini in Montreal, and beyond. Sanford had a front row seat to these moments in history and recounts them in great detail in the pages of his unpublished memoir, offered here for public sale for the first time. The material in these pages has been virtually unknown until now and is an un-mined trove of lore not incorporated in to any published Houdini biography.

While rare posters and original props will always fetch the highest auction prices and cause the greatest stir, this is the kind of thing I consider a true treasure. A poster doesn't really tell us anything new about Houdini. But these pages hold the possibility of rewriting Houdini history, or at least enhancing our understanding of those critical last weeks and their aftermath.

Might they reveal whether Houdini was ill before Montreal? Might they provide new insight into Bess's substance abuse? Just looking at the sample pages melts my brain. A "near-accident" at Houdini's grave? The "lab" on the top floor of 278? Depending on what these pages contain, yes, this could very well be the most historically significant Houdini auction lot...ever!

Potter & Potter's Spring Magic Auction will be held April 28, 2018 starting at 10:00 AM. Previews take place at Potter & Potter's Chicago gallery April 26 & 27, from 10:00am to 5:00pm. The printed auction catalog, which sports a terrific Houdini cover (right), will ship approximately three weeks prior to the auction.

UPDATE: Unseen Elliot Sanford archive sells for $48,000.

Related:

• The last look at Houdini on earth
• Did a contract clause kill Houdini?

Did Hardeen reveal Houdini's most secret secret?

While visiting the Houdini Museum of New York last June, I saw a remarkable document on display. It consisted of two typewritten pages by Hardeen from a biography he was writing about his brother at the time of his own death. That book was to be called The Truth About Houdini, and if anyone knew that truth, it was Dash!

Among several fascinating tidbits is the following paragraph in which Hardeen apparently spills the secret of Houdini's escape abilities, which I share here with the permission of museum and document owner Roger Dreyer. [UPDATE: Bruce Averbook and The Averbook Magic Art Museum & Library now own these framed manuscript pages and photos.]

Hardeen first explains how Houdini ran away from home at the age of nine, then follows with this bombshell [spelling errors as written]:

While on this trip he became a jockey rode horses and mules &...any thing they put before him. He was accidentally shot in the palm of his left hand, and though at the time it seemed a misfortune--it proved to be the turning point of his life. Because the bullet remaing in the palm of the hand, caused the groth to seem the same as the other hand and apparently was the same. Houdini could contract the hand so that he was able to pull it through the smallest kind of hole. This was the secret that he carried to his grave, and not even his wife knew of it.

No one ever knew about the musclare contraction Houdini was able to perform.

The story of Houdini being shot in the hand is one Houdini himself told, although he set it later in his life. According to Harry, early in his career, he was taken at gunpoint by gamblers and forced to unlock the door of a casino after hours. But Houdini flung the door into the crooks and ducked inside. They took at shot at him through the door, and when Houdini threw up his hand to shield his face, the bullet lodged inside his hand, where it remained for his entire life.

Also displayed at the museum is an original x-ray photo showing the bullet in Houdini's hand. This photo has appeared elsewhere, but seeing the original is a revelation. That's because one can see the "bullet" has clearly been added or at least filled in with black ink. Possibly this was done to enhance the image. Or could it be a fake?

I admit I've never entirely bought the story of the gangsters. Seems like a bit of Houdini fiction. But possibly it was a way to romanticize or misdirect from what Dash claimed was a childhood accident. But I'm still not sure how an object inside Houdini's hand could aid in his escapes. Seems to me it would actually impede his ability to slip out of cuffs, etc.

That brings me to this intriguing footnote in Houdini's Fabulous Magic (page 19) by Walter B. Gibson and Morris N. Young:

Many people thought that Houdini could slip cuffs that were locked about his wrists, but he found that impossible. He even tried compressing the knuckles of his hands in special clamps for hours at a time, hoping to reduce their girth, but it was no avail; so he gave it up.

I've never heard about these clamp compression experiments, but it's likely the source was Walter Gibson, who knew Houdini personally. Was this Houdini once again misdirecting from his big secret? It should be noted that Houdini did slip handcuffs on occasion, sometimes in full view of the audience, and he can be seen slipping cuffs during the jailbreak sequence in The Grim Game.

Finally, it's worth noting that Houdini's left hand gave him problems as he aged. He repeatedly broke his wrist, and in 1926, he told a doctor that he only had "50% strength" in his left hand. Could all this be related to the big secret?

While Dash was not above myth-making when it came to his own career (he also claimed to have been once trapped under an ice sheet), he seemed to be the most candid of all the Weisses. He also famously took umbrage to the Harold Kellock biography, Houdini His Life Story, as being "full of lies."

Unfortunately, Hardeen never completed his Houdini biography, so all we have is this tantalizing tidbit. But what a remarkable thing to hear from the man who knew all of Houdini's secrets.

Related:

• Hardeen's unpublished Houdini book
• Houdini's hands
• Wild in Houdini's New York, 2017

The Cancer of Superstition brings $28,000

The Cancer of Superstition manuscript written for Houdini by H.P. Lovecraft and C.M. Eddy sold today at Potter & Potter's massive auction of Houdiniana for $28,000 (not including buyers premium). The auction estimate was $25,000 to $40,000.

This was the most publicized item in today's auction. I'll be back later to report results on some of the other lots. In the meantime, I am LIVE TWEETING the auction still in progress.

UPDATE: Potter & Potter Houdiniana auction results.

Related:

• LINK: Houdini manuscript 'Cancer of Superstition' divides opinion
• C.M. Eddy, Jr. and The Cancer of Superstition manuscript
• Houdini, Lovecraft, and The Cancer of Superstition

LINK: Houdini manuscript 'Cancer of Superstition' divides opinion

The Chicago Tribune has a very well-researched article by Jeremy Mikula about the authorship of The Cancer of Superstition manuscript going up for auction April 9 at Potter & Potter. Was it written by Houdini, H.P. Lovecraft, C.M. Eddy, or some combination of the three?

"We're selling an object here, not the copyright, and while we want the best price possible, we also want to be responsible," Fajuri said. "The only name on the manuscript is Houdini. One way or another, it has these links to historical figures attached to it, and that's exciting."

CLICK HERE or on the headline to read the full article at Chicago Tribune online.

Potter & Potter's "Houdiniana" auction takes place Saturday, April 9 at 10 AM. The Cancer of Superstition manuscript is Lot 84. You can view all the lots and bid online at Liveauctioneers.com.

Related:

• C.M. Eddy, Jr. and The Cancer of Superstition manuscript
• The Cancer of Superstition is FOUND!
• Houdini, Lovecraft, and The Cancer of Superstition

C.M. Eddy, Jr. and The Cancer of Superstition manuscript

There has been a great deal of press about Potter & Potter's upcoming "Houdiniana" auction and their offering of the lost manuscript for The Cancer of Superstition, a book Houdini was collaborating on with H.P. Lovecratft at the time of his death. Now Lovecraft experts have come forward to clarify the important involvement of Lovecraft's own collaborator Clifford Martin Eddy, Jr. (C.M. Eddy, Jr.), who is most likely the author of the manuscript pages.

The blog Wormwoodiana has an excellent post by Douglas A. Anderson laying out the details of Eddy's work on the project, which Lovecraft buffs appear to have known about well before us Houdinites. Anderson also speculates that The Cancer of Superstition might have only been intended to be short book of about ten thousand words, so the manuscript in the auction might actually be complete.

This is important information and largely new to me, so click below and have a read at Wormwoodiana.

Lovecraft's Lost "Cancer of Superstition" Typescript?

Potter & Potter's "Houdiniana" auction takes place Saturday, April 9th at 10:00 AM in Potter & Potter's Chicago Gallery. The Cancer of Superstition manuscript is Lot 84. You can view all the lots and bid online at Liveauctioneers.com.

Thanks to Douglas Mackintosh for this link.

Related:

• The Cancer of Superstition is FOUND!
• Houdini, Lovecraft, and The Cancer of Superstition
• Potter & Potter 'Houdiniana' auction April 9

The Cancer of Superstition is FOUND!

Potter & Potter Auctions have just made the catalog for their April 9th auction of "Houdiniana" available online and it's a stunner! Early correspondence between Houdini and Martin Beck, unseen film footage, a lobby display board, the infamous "frenemies" photo of Houdini and Margery, and...The Cancer of Superstition.

It's hard to say what is the most significant item in this auction, but it could very well be this 31 page unpublished work in progress manuscript for The Cancer of Superstition, a book Houdini was writing at the time of his death with the great H.P. Lovecraft. It has long been considered lost and a bit of a mystery. Not anymore! As the auction description notes:

Houdini, Harry and H.P. Lovecraft (ghostwriter). The Cancer of Superstition. Circa 1926. Collection of 31 leaves, paginated 1 – 10 [11 – 13 lacking] 14 – 34, being an unpublished manuscript of a work in progress on superstition, divided into the three sections, “The Genesis of Superstition,” “The Expansion of Superstition,” and “The Fallacy of Superstition.” Scattering of typed corrections over misspellings or word changes. Differing inks observed between first ten leaves and remainder of file. Pagination inclusive of bibliography (two leaves). Minor foxing, a few short tears and nicked edges, fine overall.

Previously known only in outline and through part of a first chapter, the work was suspended soon after Houdini’s death as the magician’s widow Beatrice did not wish to pursue it further (see Joshi and Schultz, An H.P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia (2004) [116 – 17]). The material here shows the project further along than other surviving sources have indicated it had reached, Lovecraft and Houdini putting forth a general theory of the history of superstition as an “inborn inclination” traceable to “primitive races” “utterly ignorant of the laws of Nature” that now “persists only through mental indolence of those who reject modern science.” Situating superstition at great length among an array of pre-modern belief systems including animism, fetishism, witchcraft, and black magic, the fascinating document shows the authors struggling to balance this primitivist theory of the development of superstition against evidence of what was really a cross-cultural “scourge” surviving among their contemporaries, even the well educated, introducing citations of early twentieth century studies on superstitious beliefs among students and faculty at prestigious American universities. The few missing pages from the first section distract but a little from the overall strain of thinking revealed in the second and third parts, and a bibliography at the rear provides the full spectrum of ideas Lovecraft and Houdini were negotiating before the project was unexpectedly cut short.

Potter & Potter have put a $25,000 to $40,000 estimate on the manuscript. This will definitely be one to watch. But so will so many of the lots in this amazing auction of Houdiniana.

CLICK HERE to download a PDF of the catalog from the Potter & Potter website. You can also buy a printed edition for $35. The auction takes place at 10:00 AM on Saturday, April 9th in Potter & Potter's Chicago Gallery.

Lots are viewable and open to bid online at Liveauctioneers.com.

UPDATE: Not mentioned in the auction description above is the uncredited work of author C.M. Eddy Jr. on this project. For more on Eddy and the statues of this project at the time of Houdini's death, check out Joe Notaro's Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence to read an amazing letter written by Lovecraft after Houdini was hospitalized in Detroit:

"Poor Eddy, who with my aid has been doing some revision for the nimble wizard, is quite worried about his unexpected intervention of the gods."

UPDATE 2: For more on Eddy and his work on this project, read: C.M. Eddy, Jr. and The Cancer of Superstition manuscript.

UPDATE 3: The Cancer of Superstition brings $28,000.

Related:

• Houdini, Lovecraft, and The Cancer of Superstition
• Potter & Potter 'Houdiniana' auction April 9

Houdini's final unfinished book at auction

Here's another incredible item from Potter & Potter's auction of Houdiniana set for this Saturday, August 23. This is the unfinished manuscript for a book called Witchcraft that Houdini was apparently working on at the time of his death. While I knew about The Cancer of Superstition, Houdini's collaboration with H.P. Lovecraft, this is the first I've ever heard of Witchcraft. Here's the auction description.

Lot 67: Houdini, Harry. Witchcraft. An unpublished manuscript by Houdini. [New York?], 1926. 

Detailed and important typescript with a profusion of holographic corrections and additions in Houdini’s hand throughout. The subject covered is, broadly stated, witchcraft. Houdini examines the entire subject, and gives a thumbnail sketch of its history, drawing and quoting heavily from published sources. More specifically, near the end of the manuscript Houdini writes in detail about the Witch of Endor, a medium in ancient times who was reportedly able to summon the spirit of Samuel at the command of King Saul of the Kingdom of Israel. In much the same way Houdini crusaded against spiritualists in his 1924 book A Magician Among the Spirits (several subjects from which appear in passing in these pages), so does this manuscript demonstrate his unwavering crusade against pillars of the spiritualist faith, which so often used Bible stories as support for its cause. A total of 62 numbered pages on 4to sheets, typed on rectos only, some significantly larger after cutting-and-pasting. The professional tone suggests a guiding editorial hand, while the hundreds of corrections in Houdini’s hand show his tendency toward misspellings and awkward phrases. Some corrections are in pencil or red pencil. 

A copy of an unsigned letter regarding Houdini’s work on the manuscript, dated July 16, 1926, is included, and shows that this was one of the last publishing projects he was working on before his death. Accompanied by a letter of provenance tracing the ownership of the manuscript. 

Estimate: $6,000 – $9,000
Starting Bid: $3,000
SOLD FOR $15,000

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the winner of this manuscript saw fit to have it published?

You can view and bid on all the items in the Potter & Potter auction now at Live Auctioneers. You can also purchase the auction catalog or download a free PDF from the Potter & Potter website.

Related:

• Houdini's "Cologne Papers" at auction
• Bess Houdini's tailcoat at auction
• Houdini's Double Fold Death Defying Mystery at auction
• Potter & Potter auction will include the lost Houdini spiritualism scrapbook

Hardeen's unpublished Houdini book

When Theo. Hardeen passed away suddenly on June 12, 1945, he was working on a biography of his famous brother Houdini. It's unclear if the book was ever finished, but it was certainly never published.

Details on this book have been scant, but in the May 1943 issue of The Linking Ring, Hardeen himself discussed the book and even revealed the title! He writes:

Just now I'm writing "The Truth About Houdini", which will tell how he put color and showmanship into the art of the magician. Houdini learned early the box-office value of 'impossible' darning escapes, and no one knows the intimate facts about his life better than I do. We spent years together perfecting the details of our secret routines.

Coincidentally, Hardeen's title was later used for the first major Houdini documentary made by the BBC and Patria Pictures in 1970.

I believe Hardeen's manuscript is now housed in a private collection. It would be great to one day see it published or even excerpted in a magic magazine. Hardeen seemed much less prone to myth-making than the rest of the Houdini organization, so this book might indeed tell The Truth About Houdini.

UPDATE: Did Hardeen reveal Houdini's most secret secret?

Rose Mackenberg manuscript and Houdini's crystal ball (?) hit eBay

Here's something intriguing. A seller has listed on eBay what they claim is Houdini's crystal ball along with memorabilia from Houdini's chief spiritualist agent, Rose Mackenberg, including a copy of her unpublished manuscript, So You Want To Attend A Séance? Here is the auction description:

HOUDINI’S CRYSTAL BALL – GENUINE! Comes with provenance

YES – this is the real thing. It has been a family treasure for many decades.

Harry Houdini – the famous magician and escape artist owned this crystal ball. [...] After his death the crystal ball belonged Houdini’s associate, the woman known as “The Ghost Detective” and “The Spook Spy” - Rose Mackenberg. The extraordinary career of Rose Mackenberg began during the 1920’s when, as a private detective in her native city of New York, she consulted the famous Houdini on the case of a fake medium. Her successful trapping of the culprit brought an invitation from the great Master of Escapism to join him in his crusade against spiritualists who were falsely leading innocent victims into bankruptcy and unhappiness. From then until his death, Harry Houdini, employed Rose Mackenberg as his detective to travel from town to town ahead of his show posing as a believer, while actually investigating what the local mediums were up to and if any of them might somehow be legitimate. Houdini had publicized a prize of $10,000 that he would give to anyone who could convincingly prove before a distinguished jury of notables that he or she was able to contact spirits from another world. The fortune was never claimed.

In all the years she worked for him, Miss Mackenberg’s efforts only produced one expose after another of charlatans feeding upon the sorrows and misfortunes of a gullible public.

Later Miss Mackenberg toured the lecture circuits speaking on “exposing the tricks of the spiritualist trade.” She also continued her detecting on behalf of Chambers of Commerce, newspapers, Better Business Bureaus and other civic institutions across the United States.

Miss Mackenberg became friends with Virginia Myers, daughter of the famous American artist Jerome Myers (whose works can be seen in over 90 museums throughout the U.S.). Virginia was famous in her own right as a dancer, both in one woman performances at Carnegie Hall and in Broadways shows. Miss Mackenberg gave a signed photo of herself – “To Virginia a swell gal & a good pal. Sincerely Rose, New Year’s Day 1951.” Viginia Myers was the mother of my husband.

Rose Mackenberg, in her will, bequeathed to Virginia Myers the Houdini Crystal Ball as well as photos, lecture programs, newspaper and magazine write-ups, etc. More importantly, she left to Virginia the only (as far as we know) original, manually typewritten final draft of her manuscript relating her experiences working for Houdini and the intimate knowledge she gained of the whole panorama – “So You Want To Attend A Séance?” Copies of all available material will be included with the Crystal Ball. (Publishing rights not included.)

Houdini’s Crystal Ball is shown on a 5” x 5” black cushion. The Ball itself is approx. 3 ½” in diameter. It has a few tiny flaws and scuff marks, all of which attest to its long, well used life. Feel free to contact us with any questions.

I'm not sure what to make of this. The seller does provide nice provenance, but there is no account of Houdini owning a crystal ball of any kind. He doesn't strike me as a crystal ball kind of guy, frankly. But this doesn't mean it didn't belong to him. Houdini owned and displayed several magic wands, but to my knowledge never used one himself (photos show he used a large baton).

I actually find the copy of Rose's manuscript, So You Want To Attend A Séance?, to be the more exciting and potentially more valuable item in this lot, especially as it is an unpublished manuscript (I've confirmed this with the seller). It could provide details of Houdini and Rose's investigations and relationship that we've never heard before.

One thing is for sure, the $25,000 price tag is a little...optimistic. Even if this crystal ball did belong to Houdini, that's a pretty steep number, considering one of his Flight of Time alarm clocks fetched only $1,600 in a recent auction.

The auction (#300617664555) runs until November 10 and can be found HERE.