May Magic Auction

Crossini, James. “Houdini” Escape Trunk of James Crossini. A finely made mahogany “Brooks” trunk bound with brass hardware, owned and used by James Crossini, a British escape artist, and who billed it as a trunk owned and used by Harry Houdini. In effect, the performer made his escape from the locked trunk after being sealed inside by a committee from the audience, but also after the trunk had been fastened inside a canvas cover. With keys. 22 x 38 x 23 ½”. A few marks of wear at the hinges and on the exterior from use, but overall a handsome and finely built example of Herbert Brooks’s masterfully designed escape trunk. Accompanied by a TLS of provenance from Crossini’s one-time assistant Ronnie Marshall, stating that he “understood [the trunk] belonged to Houdini.” Crossini billed the trunk has “Houdini’s own £10,000 Trunk Mystery. Sold together with a quantity of ephemera related to the history of and Crossini’s performances with the trunk, including a series of photographs of the trunk in use on stage, two 8 x 10” photos of Crossini with the trunk, a handwritten outline of his trunk routine, and four large letterpress posters advertising Crossini’s performance of the trunk on various British music hall shows.