Snapshots of the Past

[Harry Houdini, the expert handcuff manipulator] – Vintage Wall Art

[Harry Houdini, the expert handcuff manipulator], [ca. 1895] — historic print
[Harry Houdini, the expert handcuff manipulator], [ca. 1895]. Historic print from the Astrology & Magic 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

This historic print of [Harry Houdini, the expert handcuff manipulator] brings a moment of history to your wall. It comes from the collections of the Library of Congress, scanned from the original and carefully restored.

Order it framed and ready to hang, or unframed to match a frame you already love. A conversation-starting piece for home, office, or as a meaningful 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.

[Harry Houdini, the expert handcuff manipulator]

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Long before he was the escape artist who filled theaters worldwide, the young Harry Houdini was billed as "the expert handcuff manipulator," a title printed in bold type on this c. 1895 handbill. Dime museums and variety halls of the 1890s ran continuous shows with many small acts, and performers like Houdini relied on eye-catching advertising to draw crowds off the street. Handbills such as this one, with a striking portrait and a short boast about the act, were cheap to print and passed out by the thousand, which is why so few survive in good condition today. The piece gives a useful glimpse of how Houdini first built his reputation, through showmanship as much as through the handcuffs themselves.

Created / published[ca. 1895]
Medium1 print.
GenreAdvertisements 1890-1900.Handbills 1890-1900.Portrait prints 1890-1900.
NotesPromotional literature from Houdini's days in dime museums.
SubjectsHoudini, Harry,--1874-1926--Associated objects. Magic--1890-1900. Magicians--1890-1900.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan1,104 × 1,438 px · prints to 4 × 5 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-217292

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