Potter & Potter 'Houdiniana' auction April 26

Need something to look forward to? How about a Houdiniana auction from Potter & Potter! That happens on April 26, and if past Houdiniana auctions from Potter are anything to go by, this will have some stunners!

If you need more to look forward to, I recently updated my patrons on the progress of my first Houdini Chronology book. That will have some stunners too!

Related:

• Rare pitchbooks highlight 'Houdiniana' auction (2018)
• Potter & Potter Houdiniana auction results (2016)
• Potter & Potter's Houdiniana auction results (2014)

Houdini in Urbana! (UPDATE)

When I first started my Houdini chronology project, my initial task was to just confirm and catalog the already voluminous available information about the theaters and cites where Houdini played. But I've now reached a point where I have it so complete that any new discovery is a joy, especially when it's a city where I have no record of him playing.

One such discovery is below. On September 27, 28, and 29, 1923, Houdini played a Junior Orpheum in Urbana, Illinois, as part of a split week. 

So congratulations Urbana! You are now on the list of cities that enjoyed Harry Houdini.

UPDATE: Since posting this, I have learned that this Orpheum was actually located in Champaign, IL (part of the Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area). Best of all, it's still there!

Related:

• Houdini no Junior

Houdini's Night With the Spirits?

Here's a discovery that initially had me very excited. We know Houdini did spiritualist exposure shows very early and very late in his career. But here's one from mid career, 1911!

Chester Times, December 8, 1911

Unfortunately, my Houdini chronology tells us this can't be the real Houdini. Houdini was performing at the Keith's Theater in Columbus, Ohio, all this week. On this very night, December 8, he accepted a challenge from the Lazarus Company to escaped from a packing crate. (The original challenge playbill is in the Fred Pittella collection.) 

It's 466 miles between these two cities and even today it's a 12 hour train ride. So it appears this is someone using Houdini's name, or someone using a Houdini-like name that the newspaper misconstrued. But it's still a strange coincidence that it foretells Houdini's future performances and spirit lectures. And it sounds like a good show!

And if this is Houdini performing in two places at the same time...well, we would have all the proof of the supernatural we need!

The Handcuff King in England

I recently subscribed to The British Newspaper Archive, and I'm losing my mind! I'm adding volumes of information about Houdini in the UK my Chronology. I'm also coming across many photographic gems, such as the below. This comes from the February 17, 1904 Tatler magazine. Not much to say except, wow, what a pic!

For the record, Houdini appeared in the UK in 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, and 1920.

Okay, back to work!

Houdini to the minute

Here's a clipping from the January 15, 1923 St. Louis Post Dispatch that is unlike any other Vaudeville advertisements I've encountered while working on my Chronology. Most ads are in the style of playbills that list the performers by importance. Houdini, of course, tops the bill. But this ad shows the acts as they actually appeared during the course of the twice daily shows.

I love this for the insight it provides. Here we can see Houdini took the stage at exactly 3:19 PM (matinee) and 9:19 PM (evening). It also shows us Houdini's act was exactly 25 minutes in length, matching the Morgan Dances as the longest acts on the bill. Houdini's act on this tour featured the Needles and the Water Torture Cell, although sometimes a challenge would be performed instead of the USD.

Here's a bit of extra trivia about this particular engagement. On the evening of January 17th, St. Louis Mayor Henry Kiel went on stage as part of Houdini's committee.

Okay, back to work...

Those tricky Houdini imitators

While working on my Houdini Chronology, I rely a lot on old newspaper ads that provide many dates and places where Houdini appeared. But I've learned I have to be careful. Below is an ad for what appears to be Houdini at the Garden Theater in Buffalo during the week of May 11, 1907. I had even added this to the chronology. But then I had a closer look.

This is actually an appearance by The Great Alexander (presumably not the Alexander). But the placement of the text and the wording deliberately encourages a misreading that this is Houdini himself. And this isn't the only example of deceptive billing that I've come across. I've also noticed some who have attempted chronologies before me have have fallen victim to one of these tricky Houdini imitators.