"American Pickers" & Houdini

[Dustin Stinett]

The latest episode of the "American Pickers" television program has a segment with Harry Houdini and other magic and magicians.

Houdini is (of course) the focus and the "pickee"--a museum owner in Warm Springs, Georgia--has several handcuffs and shackles he claims belonged to the escape artist (he pointed out the "documentation," but the show being what it is, there was no detail on that). One can also see a Carter poster, an Alexander poster, a collection of wands and other ephemera (including throw-out cards, all pinned to the display--yikes!).

There was also a small collection of miniature illusions made by the man who "started the magicians' club" that he used to expose their secrets--or so says the proprietor. (No, the show did not expose the secrets.)

I found the place online, though no details about the magic: http://www.prestonopportunities.com/

[hugmagic]

There was a guy in Atlanta years ago. I believe his name was Chandler who had a huge collection of magic. Of course, Abb Dickson had a lot of stuff that had been liquidated over the years. It was Abb's mother, Edith, that suggested at FDR travel to Warm Springs for his polio. He was a close family friend.
Provenance is very important as to whether these items ever belonged to Houdini or others. A lot of Houdini handcuffs over the years have had dubious authenication. Especially with recent things going on, solid documentation is very important.
Richard

[Dustin Stinett]

Richard, correct if I am wrong, but it seems to me that Houdini's own brother sold stuff to people claiming his late brother used it, but that was not the fact.

[Brad Jeffers]

Thanks for posting this.
I lived in Warm Springs for six years (from age five to eleven) so this was interesting to me on many levels.

[Tom Gilbert]

I thought one piece of his documentation looked like a Hardeen letterhead.