Unmasking of Robert Houdin - Harry Houdini - Mitchell Estate

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1908 FIRST EDITION, LOOSE HINGE, NO DJ, BOOLKPLATE OF PREVIOUS OWNER EX LIBRUS - G.W. MITCHELL,TONING ON FRONT AND BACK PASTEDOWN AND FLYLEAF,SHAKEN, HC DAMPSTAINED, GOOD COND

First edition of this work by Houdini regarding his one-time idol. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece of Houdini, illustrated throughout.

Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin was a French watchmaker, magician, and illusionist, who transformed magic from a pastime for the lower classes, seen at fairs, to entertainment for the wealthy, which he offered in a theatre opened in Paris. The author of this book, an American magician Harry Houdini (born Ehrich Weiss), was so impressed by Robert-Houdin that he adopted the stage name of "Houdini" in his honor. Yet later, Houdini lost his youthful respect for Robert-Houdin, believing that he took undue credit for other magicians' innovations. This book is his attempt to unearth the truth behind the fame of the French magician.

Houdini was upset that the widow of Robert-Houdin did not want to meet him. As a revenge Harry Houdini wrote The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin, in which Houdini tries to push Robert-Houdin from his pedestal. He tries to show that most tricks Robert-Houdin claimed as his invention were in fact not his invention and that Robert-Houdin was not this great magician he usually is thought he was. But most of Houdini's allegations are fabricated and do not stand close inspection. Jean Hugard wrote as response to Houdini's nasty book Houdini's Unmasking, where Hugard point for point refutes Houdini's argumentation. I personally favor Hugard's opinion, but you can now find out for yourself and get both books for a few bucks.

In any case The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin is insofar very interesting as it shows a lot of images, clippings, and programs of well known magicians. It documents an interesting part of magic history. In fact, at the time of publication in 1906 it was the first such history of European conjuring pre-1850 which was reliable. It was quite unprecedented in its day in it's depth, and scope of scholarship. In fact, it remained the most distinguished book on the subject until quite recently beginning with the contributions of Milbourne Christopher and continuing to the present. It was of course completely overshadowed by the marvelous The Annals Of Conjuring twenty years later, but that was not a book, it was a serial appearing in The Magic Wand in the late 1920's.

Addenda and Corrigenda
Introduction
I.Significant Events in the Life of Robert-Houdin
II.The Orange-Tree Trick
III.The Writing and Drawing Figure
IV.The Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal
V.The Obedient Cards - The Cabalistic Clock - The Trapeze Automaton
VI.The Inexhaustible Bottle
VII.Second Sight
VIII.The Suspension Trick
IX.The Disappearing Handkerchief
X.Robert-Houdin's Ignorance of Magic as Betrayed by His Own Pen