The Secrets of Houdini.

CANNELL, John Clucas. [Raja Shamraj Rajwant Bahadur].

Item Number: 106582

London: Hutchinson & Co, 1931.

John Clucas Cannell’s authoritative biography of the world’s greatest escape artist, Harry Houdini. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece portrait of Houdini, illustrated with photographs of Houdini demonstrating his tricks. From the library of Raja Shamraj Rajwant Bahadur with his ownership initials “S.R.A.S” to the front free endpaper. Indian nobleman Raja Shamraj Rajwant Bahadur assembled India’s greatest library, famed for its diverse collection of rare antiquarian manuscripts and important books. Very good in the rare original dust jacket which is lacking the spine.

In this astonishing book, the Vice-President of the Magician's Club, John Clucas Cannell reveals in full detail Houdini's mysterious escapes from a huge bank-safe in London; from a boiler in which he was riveted; from a sealed paper bag; from a packing-case dropped into a river; from a coffin in which he had been buried alive for an hour under six feet of earth; from handcuffs, leg-irons, cells and prison vans; from knots, rope-ties, and strait-jackets. Fully illustrated with diagrams and photographs, the work covers every phase of the career of one of the world's most remarkable magicians and the greatest escape artist of all time.