Henry "Box" Brown

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jwizard
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Henry "Box" Brown

Postby jwizard » August 1st, 2014, 4:44 pm

Does anyone have ephemera or memorabilia related to Henry "Box" Brown? He is a very early African-American magician from the early to mid 1800s. I have read the reference in Magipedia taken from the Haskins book. Any other known references? I have just started my quest and will be using "Ask Alexander" but am looking for broadsides, ads, etc. to supplement any references in the literature. Thanks.

Bill Mullins
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Re: Henry "Box" Brown

Postby Bill Mullins » August 1st, 2014, 6:06 pm

How much are you willing to spend?

link

jwizard
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Re: Henry "Box" Brown

Postby jwizard » August 1st, 2014, 7:41 pm

Thanks Bill. I had seen that item which re-ignited an interest I had in finding out more and possibly putting a short monograph together.

Bill Mullins
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Re: Henry "Box" Brown

Postby Bill Mullins » August 1st, 2014, 8:11 pm

The wikipedia article on him seems to be more substantive than the Magicpedia one. His biography is online, but was published before he performed much magic. Here is a lithograph printed soon after his escape.

jwizard
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Re: Henry "Box" Brown

Postby jwizard » August 1st, 2014, 9:25 pm

Once again Bill, thanks for your help.

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Joe Pecore
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Re: Henry "Box" Brown

Postby Joe Pecore » August 2nd, 2014, 8:56 am

Ricky Jay has a page on him in his book Extraordinary Exhibitions ( http://www.amazon.com/Extraordinary-Exh ... 1593720122 ) which includes a picture of a playbill of a show he was in.
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Frank Dudgeon
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Re: Henry "Box" Brown

Postby Frank Dudgeon » August 3rd, 2014, 11:22 pm

There is an entire chapter on Henry "Box" Brown in Jim Magus' "Magical Heroes: The Lives and Legends of Great African American Magicians."

You're probably aware of this, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to mention it.

Good luck with your hunt.

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Brad Jeffers
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Re: Henry "Box" Brown

Postby Brad Jeffers » August 4th, 2014, 12:49 am

Page 58 of David Price's MAGIC : A Pictorial History of Conjurers in the Theater is devoted to Prof. H. Box Brown.

There is pictured an interesting broadside ...

"The Programme will consist of the following : Destroying and restoring a Handkerchief, astounding feat with the Sword and Cards, the wonderful Flying card and Box Feat, Burning Cards and Restoring them again, the most Wonderful and Mysterious Doll, the Inexhaustible Hats, the wonderful experiment of passing a Watch through a number of Boxes, the extraordinary feat of Flying Money, the Inexhaustible Pan, the instantaneous Growth of Flowers, the Enchanted Glass, etc., etc."

There was also a spiritualism expose.

According to Price, "His performances have been described as somewhat less than great."

There is also Box Brown, the movie, which is as yet unreleased.

Richard Hatch
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Re: Henry "Box" Brown

Postby Richard Hatch » August 4th, 2014, 3:10 am

Ice McDonald mentions him in an NPR interview due for broadcast tomorrow on Morning Edition, I believe.


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