Harry Houdini Signs and Inscribes His Book, “A Magician Among the Spirits”
To Edwin Dearn, a prominent magician, and thus a remarkable association
A 19 year old Wisconsin native, Houdini’s first major booking was at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, and thereafter he secured a regular booking performing at Chicago’s first acknowledged vaudeville theater, Kohl and Middleton’s Museum. It was in Chicago that Houdini received the call to travel as part of the...
A 19 year old Wisconsin native, Houdini’s first major booking was at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, and thereafter he secured a regular booking performing at Chicago’s first acknowledged vaudeville theater, Kohl and Middleton’s Museum. It was in Chicago that Houdini received the call to travel as part of the Orpheum Circuit, a series of major nationwide vaudeville houses. In time he worked his way up to being the highest paid and most popular vaudeville performer in the country. He went on to appear in London and Berlin, and tour the world.
In 1926, Houdini opened a one-man show on Broadway, simply entitled “Houdini”. Performing to record crowds and rave reviews, he then took the show on the road. His last performance in Chicago was at the Princess Theater in early April 1926. He died in October of that year.
Edwin Dearn became interested in magic in 1913 and spent a great number of his early years in China. He also entertained many world-famous magicians in his home. He was a member of many of the great magicians’ clubs, including the International Brotherhood of Magicians, having first joined in the 1920s.
A copy of Houdini’s book “A Magician Among the Spirits,” New York: Harper & Brothers, 1924. A first edition, inscribed and signed “To Edwin A. Dearn, Houdini, February 4, 1925”. Blue cloth stamped in gilt. Portrait frontispiece of Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle.
Frame, Display, Preserve
Each frame is custom constructed, using only proper museum archival materials. This includes:The finest frames, tailored to match the document you have chosen. These can period style, antiqued, gilded, wood, etc. Fabric mats, including silk and satin, as well as museum mat board with hand painted bevels. Attachment of the document to the matting to ensure its protection. This "hinging" is done according to archival standards. Protective "glass," or Tru Vue Optium Acrylic glazing, which is shatter resistant, 99% UV protective, and anti-reflective. You benefit from our decades of experience in designing and creating beautiful, compelling, and protective framed historical documents.
Learn more about our Framing Services
