FROST, Thomas (1821 - 1908). Circus Life and Circus Celebrities. London: Chatto and Windus, 1881. 8vo. Maroon cloth stamped in black, with gilt titles to spine, black endsheets. Paper library label of Harry Houdini to the spine; SIGNED AND DATED by Houdini on the half-title, "Harry Houdini / April - 28 - 1902." Affixed to the spine is a numbered label indicating that the work was part of his personal library.

Scattered throughout the pages are inked or penciled X-marks made by Houdini. This book was one of the volumes he regularly consulted in the process of writing The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin (New York, 1908), and the articles he published in his own periodical preceding that publication.

Houdini called Frost's works "the best books of their kind up to the time of their publication...," and the first four marked references in this volume are adjacent to text describing conjurers and their performances. 

Several signatures crudely opened, corners softly bumped and rounded, minor chips to spine. bottom edge of rear board roughly rubbed. Good to very good.