$1,300
Houdini, Harry. Houdini Mersey Sensation newspaper broadside. Liverpool England, 1908. Screen-printed broadside on a single folio sheet of the Liverpool Echo, heralding Houdini’s “daring leap” and coverage of the event in the Echo’s sporting edition. Likely used at newsstands to stimulate sales of papers that described and pictured this one-time escape. 20 x 25 ¾”. Chips, tape, and wear visible; restoration evident, linen backed; B-. Owned by Houdini. This extremely ephemeral item is likely the only one of its kind to have survived, as over-printed broad sheets, still in use at some European newsstands to advertise the day’s headlines, typically lasted for one day or less before being replaced on sandwich boards with the following day’s announcements. The broadside was among personal papers kept by Houdini, and after his passing, by his wife Beatrice. A letter of provenance accompanies the broadside.
Auctioneer:
Potter & Potter
Date:
2014-08-23
