The Magic Collection of Jim Rawlins

Blackstone, Harry (Henry Boughton). Blackstone’s Production Screen Illusion. Circa 1930. Self-contained illusion made up of a large four-fold screen in black with decorative panels accented with flowers and birds. A girl can be produced or vanished from the folds of the screen. Panels approx. 96 x 22”. In the original orange canvas-lined packing case. Owned and used by Harry Blackstone, Sr. in his illusion show. See Hippisley list #B1217. To easily identify his show property, Blackstone painted all of the packing cases carrying his show bright orange. This made loading and unloading a simple matter; anything painted orange belonged to Blackstone. It also made it simple to “acquire” new property without paying for it – by painting it orange, and loading it out of the theatre with the rest of show.