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Magicana of the Golden Age

Sat, Jun 20, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-06-20 11:00:00 2026-06-20 11:00:00 America/New_York Potter & Potter Auctions Potter & Potter Auctions : Magicana of the Golden Age https://auction.potterauctions.com/auctions/potter-potter/magicana-of-the-golden-age-22866
Highlights of this closely-curated sale include remarkable rarities from the golden age of conjuring: a diverse array of Houdiniana, Victorian magic apparatus, relics from the stages of St. George's Hall, rare posters, select modern props, and choice ephemera. Purchase Catalog
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Lot 79

Alexander Herrmann Post-Mortem Hand Impression.

Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000
Starting Bid
$500

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HERRMANN, Alexander (1844 - 1896). Alexander Herrmann Post-Mortem Hand Impression. Dated in ink on December 19, 1896 and being an inked outline and rubbing of the hand of the famous sleight-of-hand magician. On a single 4to sheet, 9 7/8 x 7 5/8". 

Herrmann died on December 17, 1896 in his private rail car after leaving a performance in Rochester, New York. Hargett—at the time America's foremost expert in palm reading—took this impression two days later. This palm print was published in Hargett's book, New Discoveries in Palmistry, in 1897 along with impressions of the hands of Mark Twain, Sarah Bernhardt, and other celebrities. 

Overall Dimensions
Weight: 1.00 lbs

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