This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/8/2023
HOUDINI, Harry (Erik Weisz, 1874 – 1926). Love Story Typed by Houdini, accompanied by Four Vintage Photographs. [1915]. Five trimmed fragments of pink writing paper bearing a typed “short story” by Houdini, identified as such on the first piece in ink, most likely in Beatrice Houdini’s hand (“Written by Houdini / 1915”) below a penciled notation, “By ? Father Time,” which may be in Houdini’s hand. The story, in form much more a poem than prose, reads, in full: “Short story / that lasts / a blissful / long time, / But -- / This too will pass away. And what is this girl / looking at? / Gaze below gentle / reader and behold / her prince Charming. / And what happened? / turn softly the pages / fear of frightening ‘em. / What arethese [sic] two girls / looking at? / This is “What those two girls are / looking at”.” The typed text is accompanied by four vintage candid photographs, the first picturing Bess and Harry Houdini on the shores of a beach, both in bathing costumes, with Bess on Houdini’s back; the second image is a small printed bust portrait of Houdini; the third pictures two other female beachgoers; and the final image is a full-length portrait of Beatrice Houdini in her bathing suit on the same beach. Images 2 ¾ x 1 7/8”, typed fragments approximately 4 x 4” and smaller. A remarkable and deeply personal memento of the Houdinis and their loving, long-lasting relationship. Houdini frequently wrote love notes and poems to his wife Beatrice, and these fragments are likely from a small notebook or scrapbook he or she kept. The intimate nature of not only the writing, but the images, shows a playful, deeply personal side of the famous magician and his wife when Houdini was at the apex of his fame.