Select Secrets: Rare & Important Magicana

LeRoy, Servais (Jean Henri Servais LeRoy). Card Mourning Talma’s Death, Written by her Husband Servais LeRoy. ANS in the form of a black-bordered mourning card, the recto letterpress printed with text regarding “your kind expression of sympathy,” and the verso filled with pencil text in LeRoy’s hand, stating, in part: “My life sweetheart passed away last Thursday week 13th July [1944] 10:50 pm… AMEN …” and initialed “SLR.” 2 ½ x 6 ½”. One old fold. Talma predeceased LeRoy by nine years, in the midst of the last and saddest years of his life. Long retired from the stage (his last show was an ill-fated attempt at reliving past glories before an audience of his peers at the Hecksher Theatre in 1940 – see previous lot) the LeRoys lived out their final days in Keansburg, New Jersey. After Talma’s passing, the Belgian illusionist and inventor scrapped his illusions, becoming a relative recluse until his death in 1953.