Snapshots of the Past

[Christmas card of Mrs. Harry Houdini, with bust portrait of Mrs. Houdini] – Vintage Photo Print

[Christmas card of Mrs. Harry Houdini, with bust portrait of Mrs. Houdini], 1935 Dec. — historic print
[Christmas card of Mrs. Harry Houdini, with bust portrait of Mrs. Houdini], 1935 Dec.. Historic print from the Christmas collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

[Christmas card of Mrs. Harry Houdini, with bust portrait of Mrs. Houdini] comes to life in this historic print, reproduced from the original with every detail intact. The original is held by the Library of Congress, so what you hang is a true record of its time.

Framed, it is ready for the wall; unframed, it is ready for the frame you choose. It makes a striking addition to a living room, study or office, and a thoughtful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past has been bringing history to the wall since 2001, for tens of thousands of customers worldwide.

[Christmas card of Mrs. Harry Houdini, with bust portrait of Mrs. Houdini]

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Beatrice Houdini sent this Christmas card in December 1935, and it pairs a bust portrait of her with a printed greeting, a combination that makes it more personal than most holiday cards of the period. The record notes that she had been a performer in her own right before marrying Ehrich Weiss, and that after Harry Houdini became the central star of their act, she kept working at the craft of illusion and never stopped seeing herself as a magician. Reproduced as a halftone print, the card shows how photographic portraits were adapted for mass-printed holiday greetings in the 1930s.

Created / published1935 Dec.
Medium1 photomechanical print : halftone.
GenreChristmas cards 1930-1940.Autographs 1930-1940.Portraits 1930-1940.Halftone photomechanical prints 1930-1940.
NotesBeatrice Rahner was a performer in her own right when she married Ehrich Weiss. Together they became the well-known couple Mr. and Mrs. Harry Houdini. In the early years of their marriage they performed in full partnership on stage. Then Harry Houdini became the star of the show and both devoted themselves to his career and to his legend. Beatrice Houdini, however, knew and could practice the art of illusion and, as this card documents, she recognized her role as a magician.
SubjectsHoudini, Beatrice,--1876-1943--Associated objects.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan1,015 × 1,536 px · prints to 3 × 5 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-140698

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