Houdini's last hire

Here's one last Providence related post for this anniversary week. While searching for a review of Houdini's show, I stumbled on this classified ad that appeared in the Providence Journal 95 years ago today.

Providence Journal, Oct. 6, 1926

We now know the man who landed this job was Elliot Sanford. Sanford joined the troupe in Providence and had a ringside seat for all the dramatic events of Houdini's final weeks. He even acted as one of Houdini's pallbearers. He would remain with Bess into early 1927 to help her settle the estate and move to a new home. He then returned to his old job in Providence. 

In 2018 an unpublished manuscript written by Sanford about his days with the Houdinis sold at auction for $48,000.

Related: 

• Houdini arrives in Providence
• Which synagogue did Houdini visit in Providence?
• The most historically significant Houdini auction lot EVER?

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 Included in the lot is an unpublished manuscript Sanford wrote detailing his time spent with the Houdinis.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I had my eye on two unpublished original photos, both of which sold beyond their estimates.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?

Genii & Houdini: October 1941

Continuing our look back at the history of Houdini on the cover of Genii, The Conjurors Magazine -- which is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year -- here we have Vol. 6, No. 2 from October 1941.

Cover art this time is the well-known King of Cards poster. However, when it appeared on this cover, it was a rediscovery, as editor William Larsen notes: "The poster which is reproduced on the cover was found in the Houdini files by Edward Saint, Houdini Archivist, and especially rephotogrpahed, on his instructions, for our use."

With their direct link to Edward Saint and Bess, these early Genii's are filled with gems such as the King of Cards poster (which you'll note has the Welsh Bros circus header). One can imagine Ed Saint pushing for a Houdini cover every October by offering Larsen some irresistible rarity. As with the October 1940 issue, this issue contains another unpublished Houdini article called "Keynote To Success". Larsen notes in the introduction:

A typed note accompanied this article, reading as follows: "Please edit. Dictated at mid-night in a hurried manner. Mr. Houdini has not yet seen typed copy. E.F. Sanford, Secretary." Dated October 20, 1926, eleven days before Houdini's death, we, and Dr. Saint, Houdini Archivist, believe it the last article even written by the Great Showman.

The brief article is accompanied by a photo captioned as the last portrait Houdini ever had taken. It's worth noting that in his article Houdini singles out Lafayette as "the greatest producer of mysteries that has ever lived, according to my opinion."

Once again the issue features a memorial page from Bess, and also the story of how Houdini asked, and received, a $1000 fee for performing at a private party. "Nice pay if you can get it", notes Larsen.

Coming next: October 1942

Click here for a complete list of all the Genii-Houdini cover issues.