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ALS signed “Kellar,” two pages on two adjoining sheets, 5.75 x 8, elaborately designed pictorial personal letterhead showing Kellar with a devil whispering in his ear letterhead, January 18, 1919. Letter to Harry Houdini about the Society of American Magicians, contemporaries such as Thomas F. Manning (“Dalvini”) and the famous Alexander Herrmann (“Herrmann the Great”), as well as Houdini’s superstitious nature. In full: “If the S.A.M. Will accept the gift I shall be glad to send a large copy of my latest photo to them. Please let me know. I note what you say of poor old Dalvini’s contracts and I don’t blame you for feeling superstitious about them. He was a ‘Jonah’ to everyone he worked for. Including the Kiraflys, Alexander Herrmann, and yours truly. He was a wonderful performer, a finished artist and a good fellow, but, he sure had a jinx for every employer. I called at the Selig zoo today to see Bill Selig but was informed that he had left for New York ten days ago. I have been suffering with a bad case of Grippe and am not over it yet so I stick to the house. The Flu has taken a fresh hold on this town and at last people are beginning to realize that it is a very serious matter. They are quaranteeing all cases and compelling people with only a cold to stay indoors. I feel like H–” A few light brushes to text, and some scattered mild toning to second page and top of first page, otherwise fine condition.
Kellar was a predecessor of Houdini as well as his mentor, a man often referred to as the ‘Dean of American Magicians.’ Houdini certainly read with interest the thoughts of his friend, particularly the unique references pertaining to Herrmann, a French magician regarded as the one-and-only ‘King of Magic’ in the late 1800s and a friendly rival, and Dalvani, a magician considered to be a jinx, or in nautical parlance, a Jonah. Though Houdini himself debunked certain ‘supernatural’ occurrences, he still harbored a superstitious nature...one Kellar acknowledges, and even feeds. Interestingly, Kellar’s last performance was with Houdini at a Society of American Magicians benefit, after which, Houdini demanded that ‘America’s greatest magician should be carried off in triumph after his final public performance,’ with which fellow members lifted him in his chair and carried him off. RRAuction COA.
