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CARDINI (Richard Valentine Pitchford, 1895 – 1973). Three Photographs of Cardini by Lusha Nelson. [New York, 1935]. A trio of matte finish sepia tone three-quarter length portraits of the famed manipulator, and the most imitated magician of the twentieth century, posed in his stage costume, including his cape, top hat, white gloves and bow tie, with a fan of cards held before him. In two pictures, he holds his trademark monocle in his right hand. Each 6 ½ x 3 ¾”, loosely mounted to a mat board.Nelson (1900 – 38) was a regular contributor to Vanity Fair and a protégé of Edward Steichen. In his short career – ended unexpectedly by lymphoma – he photographed celebrities from Katherine Hepburn and Jesse Owens to Alfred Stieglitz and Fiorello Laguardia.