Potter & Potter Auctions
Live Auction

Houdiniana

Sat, Apr 8, 2023 12:00PM EDT
Lot 54

HOUDINI, Harry (Erik Weisz, 1874 – 1926). Love Story Typed ...

Estimate: $4,000 - $8,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$30 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $200
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000
HOUDINI, Harry (Erik Weisz, 1874 ? 1926). Love Story Typed by Houdini, accompanied by Four Vintage Photographs. [1915]. Five trimmed fragments of pink writing paper bearing a typed ?short story? by Houdini, identified as such on the first piece in ink, most likely in Beatrice Houdini?s hand (?Written by Houdini / 1915?) below a penciled notation, ?By ? Father Time,? which may be in Houdini?s hand. The story, in form much more a poem than prose, reads, in full: ?Short story / that lasts / a blissful / long time, / But -- / This too will pass away. And what is this girl / looking at? / Gaze below gentle / reader and behold / her prince Charming. / And what happened? / turn softly the pages / fear of frightening ?em. / What arethese [sic] two girls / looking at? / This is ?What those two girls are / looking at?.? The typed text is accompanied by four vintage candid photographs, the first picturing Bess and Harry Houdini on the shores of a beach, both in bathing costumes, with Bess on Houdini?s back; the second image is a small printed bust portrait of Houdini; the third pictures two other female beachgoers; and the final image is a full-length portrait of Beatrice Houdini in her bathing suit on the same beach. Images 2 ? x 1 7/8?, typed fragments approximately 4 x 4? and smaller. A remarkable and deeply personal memento of the Houdinis and their loving, long-lasting relationship. Houdini frequently wrote love notes and poems to his wife Beatrice, and these fragments are likely from a small notebook or scrapbook he or she kept. The intimate nature of not only the writing, but the images, shows a playful, deeply personal side of the famous magician and his wife when Houdini was at the apex of his fame.