Description:

Harry Houdini
[New York, NY], July 8, 1925
Harry Houdini Trains NYC Police Detectives & Exposes Frauds, from the Clumsy to the "Perverse"! TLS With Great Spiritualist Debunking Content
TLS
A 2pp typed letter boldly signed by American illusionist Harry Houdini (1874-1926) as "Houdini" at center right of the second page. July 8, 1925. [New York, New York.] On watermarked paper with "Houdini / 278 West 113th Street / New York, N.Y." letterhead. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds and paper clip impressions (including one partially rusted) found at upper left. Hole-punched along the left margin. Else near fine. 8.375" x 10.875."

Harry Houdini wrote this letter to German writer Karl Graf von Klinckowstroem (1884-1969), an independently wealthy intellectual from Munich with whom Harry Houdini regularly corresponded during the 1920s. A historian of science, technology, and culture, von Klinckowstroem was intrigued by the occult, especially the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, but he also showed a receptiveness to Houdini's skepticism about false mediums.

One of the most interesting parts of this letter is Houdini's announcement that he has been appointed to serve as an instructor at the New York Police Academy, a recognition he considers "the highest honor that has been paid to me for a long time." Houdini would eventually teach a 3-month-long course to 100 police detectives. His primary goal in teaching the class was to educate detectives about some of the nefarious ways that pseudo psychics can mislead and defraud the public. New York City Police Commissioner "Big Bill" Edwards is quoted elsewhere as saying about Houdini's curriculum: "I don't expect the men to become second Houdinis nor to be able to perform his tricks, but his lectures will certainly sharpen their powers of observation…" (Isabel Stephen, "A School to Teach Police How to Fight Ghosts," "Oakland Tribune," September 6, 1925.) The need for Houdini's course testified to the pervasiveness of fake mediums in the 1920s.

The correspondence between Houdini and von Klinckowstroem typically revolves around the people, places, schemes, and themes of the spiritualist world they knew and shared. In this letter jam-packed with spiritualist debunking content, Houdini refers to 10+ well-known mediums, mentalists, skeptics, and psychical researchers from the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany, whose careers spanned from the 19th century to the present day.

Highlights among these are, from order of mention:

- Remigius Weiss (ca. 1852-1941), known theatrically as Remigius Albus, was a former Philadelphia medium who collaborated with Harry Houdini to unmask charlatans. In the letter, Houdini wrote: "I made a special trip to Philadelphia and spoke with Remigius Weiss… I am awfully pleased that he is still alive and in full possession of his faculties…"

- "Slade" referred to Dr. Henry Slade (1835-1905), an American false medium who perfected the parlor trick of "slate writing," that is, producing messages supposedly inscribed by the dead. Dr. Slade conned people on both sides of the Atlantic by using double slates, swapping slates, and even scrawling in chalk with his toes. In the letter, Houdini darkly states that Dr. Slade was "perverse," later clarifying that he had it on good authority that Slade was a hermaphrodite.

- Stuart Cumberland (1857-1922), a British mentalist who disbelieved in telepathy but believed in interpretive intelligence through physical cues, such as muscle reading.

- "Prof. S.S. Baldwin" referred to Samuel Spencer Baldwin (1848-1924), known theatrically as Samri Baldwin and among audiences as the "White Mahatma." Baldwin was one of the first American magicians to perform question and answers tricks on stage. Baldwin wrote extensively about Slade in his memoir, ed. F.C. Florence, "Spirit Mediums Exposed by Prof. S.S. Baldwin" (Melbourne: M'Carron, Bird & Co. Printers, 1879).

- "D.D. Home" was David Douglas Home (1833-1886), a Scottish psychic extremely popular among Victorian audiences for his perceived ability to rap, knock, and even levitate during seances.

- "Foster" almost certainly referred to Charles H. Foster (1838-1888), an American medium known as the "Salem Seer." Foster's eeriest séance phenomena included "skin-writing" in which the names of the deceased would somehow manifest on his skin. In the letter, Houdini wrote of Home and Foster, "Incidentally, I wonder if you know the case against D.D. Home and Foster, the American medium…"

- "Mrs. Cook" referred to Mrs. Cecil B. Cook, the pastor and trustee of the William T. Stead Center of Soul Communion, whom Houdini had unmasked just six days earlier, on July 2, 1925. Mrs. Cook had been using a metal trumpet to impersonate Houdini's non-existent dead son. Of Mrs. Cook, Houdini rather begrudgingly called her "one of the best trumpet mediums in America." Houdini continued, "I went into the room disguised and you ought to have heard the women scream when I detected Mrs. Cook with the trumpet in her mouth giving me a message from a son that I never had…"

- "Margery" referred to Mina "Margery" Crandon (1888-1941), also known as the "Witch of Lime Street." "Margery" Crandon was the Canadian-born wife of a prominent Boston surgeon who began experimenting with spiritualism in the early 1920s. Crandon claimed to be a conduit to the invisible world by channeling her dead brother. Ringing bells, apparent spontaneous manifestations of ectoplasm, and the unpleasant touch of disembodied hands during her seances convinced many, but not Houdini.

- "Frau Rothe" was Anna Rothe (1850-1907), a German con artist whose act centered around apport, or the apparent transference of objects between spiritual planes. Rothe was exposed in Berlin in 1902 after investigators discovered fruit and flowers stashed on her body and in her clothes, intended to be passed off as gifts from participating spirits. The "blumen-medium" was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment and a fine.

During the last half of his career as a celebrated illusionist, stuntman, and entertainer, Houdini emerged as one of the world's preeminent psychical researchers. After over 30 years of applied study, Houdini had built up a massive archive of relevant scholarship, and his expertise on the subject enabled him to routinely lecture at American universities, and, as we have seen, at the New York Police Academy. Houdini actively investigated fraudulent mediums, in his view thus preserving the real art and craft of explicable magic. In the 1920s, Houdini had famously sponsored a cash prizes (drawn from numerous sources) to be presented to any genuine medium. Houdini's investigations into mediums had resulted in dozens of convictions.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 8.375" x 10.875"
  • Medium: TLS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

June 26, 2024 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000