S.S. Baldwin and the Press – Thomas A. Sawyer

[Dustin Stinett]

S.S. Baldwin and the Press
Thomas A. Sawyer
110 pages, hardbound (no dust jacket)
$35
Reviewed by Dustin Stinett

Every magicians storywhether well-known or unknownadds another thread to the tapestry of magics history. These words, spoken many times by Mike Caveney, is the preamble to his further endorsement that the historian and collector need not concentrate on the most notable or desirable names in magics grand past to make lasting and important contributions to its record. This marvelous book by Thomas A. Sawyer is a perfect example of that notion.

The average magician has likely never heard of Samuel Spencer Baldwin (1848 1924) though they might have heard of The White Mahatma, Baldwins theatrical title. To be sure, however, the details of his amazing career are certainly not in the consciousness of the mainstream and that is unfortunate since performers like the Piddingtons, Dunninger, Kreskin, and subsequent entertainers stand squarely on his shoulders. Anyone even remotely interested in the Q&A (Question and Answer) act should have this book not only for its historical context, but for the methodological details that can be extrapolated from its pages. This is not to say that this is a how to bookits notbut the attentive student will garner important lessons that are still as viable today as they were in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

As its title implies, much of the books contents is taken from hundreds of press clippingsmany of which are reprinted here in their entirety or redacted so as to leave only the pertinent material. (Note that they are not reproduced: Mr. Sawyer took the commendable and painstaking care of transcribing the text from deteriorating clippings or poor microfiche images so as to make it readable.) These articles are supplemented with information found in Mr. Sawyers personal collection of Baldwin materials and the result is a partial biography and near complete chronicle of Baldwins remarkable career.

Baldwins audiences were wide-ranging. He attracted true believers, skeptics, and those simply out for an evenings entertainment. And while Professor Baldwin or the White Mahatma debunked spiritualism in his act and likewise claimed no supernatural abilities for him or his wife (of which he had more than one who would act as his onstage partner over his lifetime), the believers, including many newspaper reviewers who were unable to conceive that the phenomena they witnessed on the stage was a theatrical contrivance, would still question what powers he and his wife possessed. This led to some interestingand ultimately very usefuldescriptions of Baldwins performances. The student of mentalism will find the aforementioned lessons in these detailed accounts. As to be expected, there is unintended exaggeration in these pieces, but the repetition from the various sources (through time, place, and writer) exposes the hyperbole and shines a light on the facts. For the knowledgeable student, the jump to methodology is not insurmountable.

When the author/publisher released this bookalmost two decades agoIm not sure if he had a clear idea of who his target market is. Its production values are exquisitebibliophiles will appreciate its construction and layoutand Mr. Sawyers writing is relaxed and entertaining while maintaining scholarly integrity (no mean feat). Mainstream mentalists in search of only material may have ignored this work as a history book only for hardcore historians. This is only a part-truth. Historians already have this book, as do some collectors. Would-be historian/collectorsparticularly those who need to see an example of how one can share the fruits of their work with their colleaguescan hold this book up as a shining illustration of that process. But this little history book is also a goldmine for the performer who understands that a complete education in their craft can make them a much better entertainer. I believe S.S. Baldwin and the Press deserves a diverse audience; an audience as diverse as its subject held at the height of his career.

* S.S. Baldwin and the Press * Thomas A. Sawyer * 110 pages hardbound (no DJ) limited edition * Available from Aladdin Books (Fullerton, CA): email aladdinbooks@earthlink.net or by phone at (714) 738-6115 * $35 (plus domestic postage: $4 media mail, $6 priority. Contact John Cannon for international rates and options. PayPal accepted (use email noted above)

[Michael Close]

A beautiful poster of Baldwin (from the Nielsen collection) and accompanying article by Tom Ewing can be found in the July 2010 issue of M-U-M.

Close

[Richard Hatch]

Excellent review, Dustin! Can we quote it on our site's description of the book?
http://www.magicbookshop.com/product_in ... cts_id=143

[Dustin Stinett]

Thanks Dick. The short answer is yes, but please check your PMs.

Thanks again!
Dustin

[Diego]

Helpful to mentalists as well as historians is true. Those who think they are fooling others without the knowledge and skill needed, for covert preshow work, should read the critical press reviews, from over 100 years ago(!) that hammer that only questions written on the supplied writing boards, are answered by The Baldwins.

Regardless of the occasional bad review, Baldwin knew how to sell his medicine, and get over to his audience.
An innovator in mentalism/psychic entertainment and among the first that Houdini saw using handcuffs in their presentations, before he did.

The regard and affection Houdini had for Baldwin over the years is evidenced in his letters to him and his daughter, Shadow Baldwin. Thurston briefly had him perform on his show as well.

I still remember buying letters and photos from Shadow's estate, from an antique dealer in San Francisco, but not having the additional $35 to buy the scrapbook of clippings, said I would return later that week to buy it, only to find out he had sold it the next day to someone else. 20+ years later, I learned it was Thomas Sawyer who bought it.

[Gregory Edmonds]

It's cool that you've reviewed an older book (this one published 17 years ago), honestly. A lot of the better works of conjuring (and for that matter, most any topic) are "lost" to the modern reader, but for the usual word-of-mouth advertising.

As former editor of VIBRATIONS, the Psychic Entertainers Association's official monthly journal (well, semi-monthly, when I produced it), I had the opportunity to write a very short piece on Samri and Kitty Baldwin. They were very interesting characters indeed.

Another author (from Texas, as I recall) contacted me about five years ago, and asked if I'd supply photographs for his Baldwin biography. I did so, but don't know what ever happened to the book project. I've had a few of the latter go by the wayside as well, when my health declined about the same time.

If he (the author) happens to read this, please contact me at ClientServices@ArsPraestigium.com . Perhaps we can work something out, if you've not yet gone to press.

Samri was one of magic's more interesting individuals, representing a true dichotomy of thought and purpose. He and his bride / partner (in some of his advertising cabinet photos, wore the full-regalia of the Masons, hoping to capitalize on the esoteric reputation of the latter), and promoted his first wife, Kitty, as "The Modern Witch of Endor," and played her role completely straight, claiming she was the "real deal," concerning all things psychic.

While this went on, he simultaneously took a public posture that all things supernatural (or paranormal, the more modern rendition of the term), were indeed fake.

His posters were some of the most fascinating lithographs ever produced, for magicians or other causes.

Thanks, Dustin, for bringing Samri back to mind.

Greg Edmonds
(see our nearly life-sized HOUDINI bust at ArsPraestigium.com. We'll be adding more "magical" personalities down the line).

PS I forgot to mention, EVERY mentalist should know the name Samri Baldwin (The White Mahatma), as it was He who created mentalism's favorite act, The Q & A. The world's most popular stage mindreaders have made a living with this (the most successful proponents being Ann Eva Fay, Dunninger, Kreskin and ... well, you know who you are.