![]() ![]() ![]() He also invited people and companies to issue formal challenges where he was dared to escape from the most freakish looking contraptions. Later in 1912, he invented the Water Torture Cell as well. In order to keep his act interesting he started adding other daring stunts to his repertoire, like the Milk Can Escape. He returned to the United States in 1906, and worked the Keith’s Vaudeville Circuit for three years, this time commanding a salary of $1000 per week. He later traveled to France and then Russia, where in spite of the anti-semitic sentiments he managed to find work. In Germany he was known as Ausbrecherkönig or Escape King. He played in cities like Cologne, Dresden, Frankfurt, Hannover and Leipzig. He was quite a sensation in England, and he alternated his circuits of British music halls with tours on the continent, mostly in Germany. Slater booked him on the spot and this marked the beginning of his success in Europe. Slater (the manager of the Alhambra Theatre) to take him to Scotland Yard, where he managed to free himself from restraints almost instantly. When he arrived to England, he had no contract, except a scrapbook and a suit case. In 1900 Houdini headed for Europe and eventually parted company with Beck. By the time he added a straitjacket escape to his repertoire, he was making $400 per week. His salary kept increasing from $60 per week to $250. Houdini signed a contract with Beck that placed him in leading Orpheum vaudeville houses in cities like Kansas City, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Denver, San Francisco, and in Keith’s houses in Boston and Providence. Houdini did just as requested, and through Beck’s initial management and assistance, he became one of the top vaudeville performers in the early 20th century. Martin Beck one of the most important theatrical managers of the time met Houdini and challenged him to escape from a few handcuffs. It was not until 1899, that Houdini’s career really took off as the King of Handcuffs. He and his wife Bess, made only a modest living. For years he paid his dues, working at dime museums, medicine shows and circuses. ![]() Keep in mind that Houdini did not become an overnight sensation. To advertise the show, he repeated the feat at a newspaper office and at a police station. The first public performance of the handcuff escape was in November 1895, where he announced that before he was locked in the Substitution Trunk he would allow his hands to be secured with borrowed handcuffs from the audience. This poster depicts the act that launched Houdini’s career and made him famous. The poster now resides in the Copperfield Museum. Norm Nielsen acquired it from the late Jay Marshall in 1991, and it was part of our collection for twenty-four years until March of 2015, when it was privately sold to David Copperfield. The other poster was part of the Nielsen Magic Poster Collection. This Fechner poster sold for USD $78,000 at auction in 2006, and according to rumor, it was sold to a collector in India. We only know of TWO originals in existence: One was in the Christian Fechner Collection in France. What most people do not know is that it is an extremely rare poster. One can find numerous versions of it printed on paper, canvas, tin plates, trays, cups, mugs, etc. The iconic Houdini image is probably the most reproduced magic poster of all time. Lithographer: Russell Morgan Lithograph, Co.Name of Poster: Houdini – Eclipsing Sensation.Nothing on Earth can hold Houdini a Prisoner.” This is probably the most famous and iconic vintage poster image in magic The Most Famous Poster in Magic 24-02-2020 The Most Famous Poster in Magic: Houdini – Eclipsing Sensation “The World’s Handcuff King & Prison Breaker. ![]()
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