This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/8/2023
HOUDINI, Harry (Erik Weisz, 1874 – 1926). Miracle Mongers and Their Methods [Signed]. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1920. FIRST EDITION. Brown publisher’s cloth lettered and ruled in black. Portrait frontispiece of Houdini, plates and illustrations. 8vo. Minimal foxing, boards somewhat bowed, general shelfwear; very good. INSCRIBED AND SIGNED on the flyleaf by Houdini to fellow magician William “Bill” Hilliar: “To my good friend Hilliar who having lived full score years a showmans [sic] life will know just how I felt when writing this book. Good luck to you and yours. [Signed] Houdini Jan 22/1921.” W.J. Hilliar (1876 – 1936), English by birth, moved to America at the dawn of the twentieth century and, once settled in Chicago founded an influential periodical, The Sphinx, which would carry on as the primary source of information about magicians and their trade for over fifty years. He abandoned his post as its editor not long after the magazine was first released, but remained active not only as a performer – in circuses, sideshows, vaudeville, and virtually any other venue he could find – but also as a writer, penning general handbooks on magic, hand shadows, and even serving for a spell as the editor of the Billboard’s magic page. It has been said he was the ghost writer of books for both T. Nelson Downs and Howard Thurston.