This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/15/2025
[DAVID DEVANT]. HEMSLEY, Harry. Painting of a Devant Illusion and Stage Set. Watercolor on paper shows an elaborate stage set with a skeleton cabinet at its center, painted on the verso of Hemsley's stationery (the verso shows a pencil sketch of the apparatus). Accompanied by an ALS on elaborate Hemsley stationery that states, in part, “The sketch was merely a suggestion made to David Devant how to produce and effect similar to The Window of the Haunted House without the use of gauze screens. I regret I cannot give you further details. I have on many occasions furnished settings for Maskelyne's – in fact, the last show at St. George's Hall used one of my sets." With the original mailing cover and a later TLS from Magic Circle Archivist Arthur Ivey related to the illusion.