$7,000
Cincinnati & New York: The Strobridge Litho. Co., ca. 1903. Striking full color lithograph depicts Brindamour performing the Levitation illusion, his brunette assistant suspended in mid-air in front of him, while mystic rays radiate from his fingertips, apparently causing her to float in mid air. Three gnomes look on as he performs. 17 5/8 x 27 ". Tiny repaired tears, minor restoration in lower border; A-. Scarce. Best-remembered as an escape artist, Brindamour (1870 - 1941) was Houdini's most successful competitor. Besides jail breaks, his signature escape was a handcuffed bridge jump, sometimes into partially-frozen rivers. He also devised clever escape stunts from unusual devices and restraints, including locked barrels filled with beer, a spiked Spanish Cell, and glass display cases. The levitation was part of his full stage show that was soon abandoned in favor of his more successful (and in-demand) escape act. As a result, few posters featuring Brindamour's illusions have survived the years. Along with Brindamour's magic apparatus, the posters were discovered in storage in the 1920s.
Auctioneer:
Potter & Potter
Date:
2017-02-04
