[HERRMANN] BRADY, Matthew (1822 ? 96). Large-Format Glass Plate Negative of Alexander Herrmann. Washington, D.C., 1893. Being the original imperial glass negative captured in Brady's studio. A three-quarter length image of Herrmann in his prime, posed beside a table laden with the trappings of his trade: scattered playing cards, a theatrical scrapbook, a small skull, and a magic wand. With Brady's name, date, and location marked in the negative. 17 x 14". Offered together with a full-size archival limited edition Exhibition Print of the image, 32 x 24". A remarkable survivor and an arresting, detailed, and revealing image of this most famous of all magicians in the Victorian era. This negative and the very image of Herrmann was lost to history until its rediscovery in 2014; until that time, it was unknown to magic collectors and historians, and no other examples by Brady (positives or negatives) have been traced, including his extensive archives now housed in the Library of Congress.