BODIE, Dr. Walford (1869 – 1939). The Great and Only Dr. Walford Bodie. London & Birmingham: James Upton, ca. 1910. Stone lithograph depicts a lively trial scene in which Bodie passes 30,000 volts through his body in front of wig-clad judges and “an expert electrician” at the High Courts of London. The central image is complemented by vignettes of an electric chair, x-rays, a “cage of death,” and “electric bombs,” all part of Bodie’s music hall show. 27 1/2 x 19". Central folds and border chips and tears repaired; A-. SCARCE.
Both conjurer and con man, Scottish-born “Dr.” Walford Bodie practiced hypnotism, ventriloquism, and presented electrical experiments on stage as well as demonstrations of “bloodless surgery.” This poster commemorates the great “Bodie Trial,” in which he was sued for and lost a case for misrepresentation of his credentials. The image bears a striking resemblance to a famous Houdini poster depicting the escape artist’s triumph in a Cologne courtroom in 1902.