Description:

Harry Houdini
New York, NY, July 10, 1925
Harry Houdini Denies Being A "Gaukler" - Or Mountebank - In TLS With Great Spiritualist Debunking Content
TLS
A 1p typed letter boldly signed by American illusionist Harry Houdini (1874-1926) as "Houdini" at bottom. July 10, 1925. [New York, New York.] On watermarked paper with "Houdini / 278 West 113th Street / New York, N.Y." letterhead. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, even toning, and isolated edge darkening. A partially rusted paper clip impression found at upper left. Hole-punched along the left margin. Else near fine. 8.375" x 10.875."

Harry Houdini wrote this letter to German writer Karl Graf von Klinckowstroem (1884-1969), an independently wealthy intellectual from Munich with whom Harry Houdini regularly corresponded during the 1920s. A historian of science, technology, and culture, von Klinckowstroem was intrigued by the occult, especially the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, but he also showed a receptiveness to Houdini's skepticism about false mediums.

Houdini wrote in part:

"I wish to inform you that I was at eight seances of Eva C. in London, each one lasting approximately three hours. If you wish I can send you the notes I made of the entire eight seances.

Regarding Dr. v. Schrenck-Notzing saying that I am a professional 'Gaukler,' my father had a College in Chicago and I taught Greek, Hebrew and Latin in the Junior Classes, and if he will point out anything in my book that I cannot prove, I would greatly appreciate the same.

I would kindly ask you to send me your book 'Der Physikalische Mediumismus' and I will remit price per return. Also please send me 'Psychische Studien' June 1925, as I would like to reply to the gentleman personally.

For your information, I did have a lot of trouble with Harper Brothers — at least the representative — there are a number of names and words misspelled in my book but that is no fault of mine and here and there they cut out a paragraph or instance on page 206, they quote Mrs. Margaret Deland as saying 'As for the scientific value of the evidence submitted by Sir Oliver, one must not lose sight of the fact that by far the greater part of it is from the experience of others and accepted by him as established facts, in most instances with little or no investigation as applied to his own.' By following his career, one familiar with the psychology of deception will see that he has been an exceptionally 'easy mark,' when in reality they cut out the paragraph that I quoted from Mrs. Deland and published my summing up, as if Mrs. Deland had made such a statement.

I have a sworn affidavit of Remigius Weiss and if you wish a copy of same, will send it to you. My cable address is 'Houdini, New York' and I would advise you to send me yours in case of emergency.

From the circular that I received from Germany about your book, I notice you mention W. S. Davis. He is a very good friend of mine. He is still alive and well, and was as you know a professional medium..."

In the opening paragraphs of the letter, Houdini passionately denies a critic's claim that he is a "professional 'Gaukler.'" A German word, "Gaukler" means "charlatan" or "mountebank" figuratively translated. In self-defense, Houdini cites the high level of education attained by both himself and his father, Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weiss, effectively challenging his opponents to prove him wrong. The accusation seems especially galling because Houdini had been attempting to eradicate true "Gauklers" for the last several years.

The correspondence between Houdini and von Klinckowstroem typically revolves around the people, places, schemes, and themes of the spiritualist world they knew and shared. In this letter jam-packed with spiritualist debunking content, Houdini refers to more than five well-known mediums and psychical researchers from the United States, United Kingdom, and France, whose careers spanned from the 19th century to the present day (the 1920s).

Highlights among these are, from order of mention:

- "Eva C" referred to Eva Carrière (1886-1943), an alleged French medium who claimed to have the ability to create ectoplasm. The case of "Eva C." polarized the occult community. Carrière's séances were elaborate productions of stagecraft which often culminated in her stripping nude. Her ectoplasm was later revealed to be wads of chewed up paper, magazines, and newspapers suspended by strings and wires.

- "Dr. v. Schrenck-Notzig" referred to the German psychiatrist and psychical researcher Albert von Schrenck-Notzing (1862-1929). He had written an article called "Der Okkultismus im Lichte der Gegnerischen Kritik" ["Occultism in the light of opposing criticism"] published in the June 1925 issue of the magazine "Psychische Studien" ["Psychological Studies"] that Houdini was requesting a copy of. In his article, Dr. von Schrenck-Notzing had questioned Houdini's authority as an expert of the occult, and characterized him as an arbitrary spiritualist debunker.

- "Mrs. Margaret Deland" referred to American writer Margaret Deland (1857-1945). She later contributed to ed. Carl Murchison, "The Case For And Against Psychical Belief," published in 1927. Houdini mentions Deland in the context of his book, "A Magician Among The Spirits" (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1924). Through carelessness on the publisher's part, Houdini explains how Deland had been egregiously misquoted on p. 206, in Chapter XII, "Investigations - Wise and Otherwise."

- "Sir Oliver" referred to Sir Oliver Lodge (1851-1940), an English physicist interested in telepathy, spiritualism, and the afterlife. Lodge had written about his experiences attempting to communicate with his son Raymond, a British officer killed in World War I, in "Raymond; Or, Life and Death" (1916). Lodge's emotional vulnerability and openness to mediums' suggestions disturbed the psychical community.

- Remigius Weiss (ca. 1852-1941), known theatrically as Remigius Albus, was a former Philadelphia medium who collaborated with Harry Houdini to unmask charlatans.

- "W.S Davis" was Houdini's personal friend as well as a professional medium, who gained Houdini's respect because he submitted himself to "test conditions." Mentioned several times in Houdini's 1924 book "A Magician Among The Spirits," one of Davis's greatest coups was exposing the Italian false medium Eusapia Palladino.

Houdini mentions three different books and magazines during the course of this short letter, demonstrating the great extent to which reading and digesting literature informed their communication. Houdini requests a copy of "Der Physikalische Mediumismus" ["Physical Mediumism"](Berlin: Ullstein, 1925), a book co-written by von Klinckowstroem and two collaborators, von Gulat-Wellenburg and Rosenbusch. Von Klinckowstroem also provided Houdini with German-language magazines like "Psychische Studien" ["Psychological Studies"], for many years published in Leipzig, Germany. Lastly, Houdini cautions von Klinckowstroem not to overly trust book publishers, referencing bad experiences in the publishing of his own book, "A Magician Among The Spirits."

During the last half of his career as a celebrated illusionist, stuntman, and entertainer, Houdini emerged as one of the world's preeminent psychical researchers. After over 30 years of applied study, Houdini had built up a massive archive of relevant scholarship, and his expertise on the subject enabled him to routinely lecture at American universities. Houdini actively investigated fraudulent mediums, in his view thus preserving the real art and craft of explicable magic. In the 1920s, Houdini had famously sponsored a cash prizes (drawn from numerous sources) to be presented to any genuine medium. Houdini's investigations into mediums had resulted in dozens of convictions.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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