Sanders The Great » Houdini

Exposing Houdini

Sanders The Great — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:26:59 +0000

Modern Mechanix has published a wonderful article from the November 1929 issue containing an interview with R.D.Adams. I’ve never heard of Adams in relation to Harry Houdini before (please let me know if you have), and his “exclusive knowledge” is certainly questionable but the article is interesting none the less. Here’s the introduction:

Harry Houdini, Prince of Magicians, carried with him to the grave the secrets of his extraordinary feats of illusion. Only one man, the artisan who made his magic apparatus, knows the working secrets of Houdini’s most mystifying stunts. That man, Mr. R. D. Adams, continues here his fascinating expose of the master magician’s methods.

The article discusses his escapes from safes, prison cells and the sub trunk amongst other things and interestingly describes a method for Houdini’s walk through a brick wall that is entirely different to that discussed in J.C.Cannell’s “The Secrets of Houdini”.

All in all a great historical piece. How Modern Mechanix got this particular scoop in 1929 is a bit of a puzzle. Please let me know of any ideas, or indeed any more information on R.D.Adams. Read the complete article here.

Portraits Book | Derren Brown Hb New 1905026560 Gdn

Current Price: £25.17
Ends: Mar 12, 2012
Bid Now

Houdini

Growing Up With Houdini

Sanders The Great — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:43:52 +0000

Arthur Moses lives in Oklahoma and has one of the World’s largest collections of Houdini Memorabilia.

NewsOK have published an article written by his daughter discussing what it was like growing up amongst all of these items. She talks about visits from avid collector David Copperfied, and other troupes of interested magicians and about the time she took a Houdini straight-jacket to her show-and-tell at school. Accompanying the article is a short video showing Arthur giving us a quick tour of some of the highlights of his collection.

Arthur has amongst his pieces the actual magic lantern slides that Houdini used when giving a lecture about his exposure of fraudulent mediums, and has also written a book called “Houdini Speaks Out” that includes images from the slideshow.

The Glorious Deception: The Double Life Of William Robinson, Aka Chung Ling Soo,

Current Price: £6.99
Ends: Feb 24, 2012
Bid Now

Houdini

Hardeen Inherits his Brother’s Secrets

Sanders The Great — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:41:59 +0000

After the death of Houdini in 1926, his brother Theodore Hardeen tried to continue his act with little success. The above poster announces this by detailing Houdini’s will as follows:

Fourth: I give, devise and bequeath to my brother; Theodore, Professionally known as “Hardeen” all my theatrical effects, new mysteries and illusions and accompanying paraphernalia, to be burnt and destroyed upon his death – Houdini

Houdini’s will makes it possible the continuance of Houdini’s master mysteries.

2X Derren Brown Svengali Tickets Manchester Lowry (Front Row Of The Circle)

Current Price: £180.00
Ends: Feb 21, 2012
Bid Now

Houdini

Houdini Speaks

Sanders The Great — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:27:12 +0000

In this fantastic audio clip, accompanied by a slideshow of Houdini photographs, we are privileged to hear the great man speaking about his most famous escape: “The Water Torture Cell”. His strong accent makes it hard to understand sometimes but it is fascinating clip. At the end his wife Bess speaks of their shared interest in Life After Death.

African Bush Adventures John Hunter & Dan Mannix Big Game Hunting Kenya 1St D/W

Current Price: £7.99
Ends: Feb 18, 2012
Bid Now

Houdini, Video