The Magic Collection of Ray Goulet

Lloyd, Arthur. Stage Costume of Arthur Lloyd, the Human Card Index. Black graduation/schoolmaster-type robe owned, modified, and worn by Arthur Lloyd in his long-lasting vaudeville career. Sold together with approximately 150 of the various tickets, cards, and documents produced by Lloyd while wearing the robe, and a quantity of research material and copies of documents related to Lloyd’s career, as well as copies of photos of him wearing the robe. Lloyd’s initials, “AL,” are embroidered below the label in the collar of the garment. A unique and significant relic from a singular, never-to-be-repeated vaudeville act. Lloyd found fame in vaudeville as the “Human Card Index,” an act that showcased his ability to instantly produce from his pockets virtually any card, ticket, form, or document, called for by the audience. This included racing forms, coat check tickets, lottery tickets (from apparently any state or country), playing cards, or any other small paper article. A 1936 Ripley’s “Believe It Or Not” column asserted that Lloyd carried 15,000 cards in his clothing, estimated as weighing 45 pounds. Lloyd’s act was most extensively and famously reviewed in Ricky Jay’s seminal work, Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women. This costume – one of two Lloyd performed in - was owned by Lloyd’s friend Chet Karkut, as noted in Jay’s book.