Descrizione

First Edition, First Printing, INSCRIBED BY HOUDINI to friend, copyright lawyer, and noted poet Melville Henry Cane, the inscription is signed and dated 04/22/24. The date is noteworthy as the book was printed in March and not released until May 2nd, thus this copy was given to Cane prior to it being readily available to the general public. Assuming Houdini would have had a fairly limited number of advance copies, we can assess Cane's importance to him. With twenty-five illustrations from black and white photographs on 19 glossy plates. Royal 8vo, in the publisher's original navy blue cloth, the upper cover lettered in gilt within a gilt double-ruled frame, the spine gilt lettered. xix, [1], 294 pp. A very nice and well preserved copy of a book rarely found in good condition, the binding solid and sound with just light rubbing or edgewear and a little mellowing to the cloth, the spine lettering faded, the text clean and sound with the paper just lightly aged.