Description:

Harry Houdini
[New York, NY], December 24, 1924
Harry Houdini TLS Hoping That Spiritualist Tome Provides "Hail Columbia" To 1924 "Scientific American" Committee Investigation Against Mina Crandon
TLS with Pamphlet

Two items related to celebrated magician Harry Houdini (1874-1926), including a typed letter signed by Houdini as "Houdini"; and a book prospectus for Houdini's anti-Spiritualist exposé, "A Magician Among The Spirits." Ca. 1924. Various places. Expected wear, else very good to near fine; individual condition issues will be elaborated below. The largest item, the prospectus, measures 6.25" x 9."

The lot includes:

1. A 1p typed letter signed by Houdini as "Houdini" at lower right. December 24, 1924. [New York, New York.] Typed on a half-sheet with Houdini's address as "Houdini / 278 West 113th Street / New York, N.Y." embossed at the letterhead. Expected wear including even toning, flattened transmittal folds and a few extra wrinkles, with isolated edge darkening, chips, and/or tiny closed tears. Scattered pin holes at upper left, with negligible scattered adhesive traces, mentioned just accuracy. Else very good to near fine. 8.375" x 5.375."

Houdini addressed this letter to his close friend and frequent correspondent, the British stage magician Will Goldston (1878-1948), in full:

"Dear Will Goldston: -

Will you please buy and send me the book entitled 'Towards the Stars', I think it is by Bradley, the publishers are T. Werner Laurie, London.

I am waiting for this as it gives 'Hail Columbia' to the Committee of the Scientific American. Pardon brevity. I am in a rush…

P.S. Eric Dingwall is over here to investigate the Crandon case. Do you know him? I have met him a number of times and found him O.K. Up to the present time he has not visited me in New York…"

Houdini was anxiously seeking a copy of British medium H. (Herbert) Dennis Bradley's "Towards The Stars" (London: T. Werner Laurie, Ltd., 1924). Bradley's book described the author's sittings with an American medium named George Valiantine, from whom Bradley later claimed to have "acquired" the ability to communicate as a direct voice medium! Houdini evidently thought that Bradley's book would significantly help the anti-Spiritualist cause; he wagered that it would serve as a "Hail Columbia" - or rousing influence - on the "Scientific American" Committee investigation. ("Hail, Columbia" was a popular Civil War-era patriotic song considered to be one of the nation's unofficial national anthems.)

Houdini's letter mentions his investigation into Mina "Margery" Crandon (1888-1941), also known as the "Witch of Lime Street." "Margery" Crandon was the Canadian-born wife of a prominent Boston surgeon who began experimenting with Spiritualism in the early 1920s. Crandon claimed to be a conduit to the invisible world by channeling her dead brother. Ringing bells, apparent spontaneous manifestations of ectoplasm, and the unpleasant touch of disembodied hands during her seances convinced many. In 1924, Crandon's name was submitted for consideration in the contest sponsored by "Scientific American" magazine: a cash prize offered to any authentic medium.

The "Scientific American" 5-person investigating committee - among whom Houdini was one - was comprised of five members who brought expertise from a number of fields, including the occult, psychology, and physics. The committee attended multiple seances with Crandon in July and August 1924. Four of five committee members concluded that Crandon was a fake. Houdini mentions one of his fellow "Scientific American" committee members in this letter: Eric J. Dingwall (1890-1986), a British psychical researcher who served as the official research officer of the Society of Psychical Research from 1922-1927.

2. An original 4pp pamphlet entitled "A Magician Discusses Spiritualism," being a book prospectus for Harry Houdini's upcoming publication, "A Magician Among The Spirits" (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1924). The book prospectus includes weird and eerie photographs of supposed spirit photography. Complete with a blank Arthur P. Felsman (Chicago, Illinois) order form at the back! Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, else very good. 6.25" x 9."

Houdini's "A Magician Among The Spirits" was just one way that Houdini combatted the scourge of false mediums and fraudulent occult practitioners. During the last part of his career as a world-famous illusionist, stuntman, and entertainer, Houdini emerged as a preeminent psychical researchers. Houdini had built up a massive archive of relevant scholarship after over 30 years of applied study, and his expertise on the subject enabled him to routinely lecture at American universities. Houdini actively investigated false mediums, in his view thus preserving the real art and craft of explicable magic. In the 1920s, Houdini had famously sponsored cash prizes (drawn from numerous sources) to be presented to any genuine medium.

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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  • Dimensions: larger item (pamphlet) measures 6.25" x 9"
  • Medium: TLS with Pamphlet

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