Lot of 9 Vintage Houdini Biographical and Nonfiction Books, One Signed by Author

Description

You get the following nine (9) vintage magic books. Before buying, please carefully read the following descriptions and look closely at all photos so there are no surprises.
The Great Houdini
(Paperback)
Author(s):
Beryl Williams and Samuel Epstein
Publisher:
Scholastic Inc. (TK 76)
Year:
Circa 1973 (original copyright year is 1951, but the printer's key indicates otherwise: 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22     3 4 5 6 7/8)
Binding:
Paperback
ISBN:
0590026402
Description:
A classic children’s Harry Houdini biography, but not a perfect scholarly work as the authors used a bit of creative license. Illustrated.
Pages:
Pages275
Dimensions:
6 13/16" x 4 3/16"
Condition:
Fair-plus; a pretty crisp and tight copy, but there’s a 1” corner torn from the bottom left of the back cover, a 1” wrinkle in the same area, deep yellowing on all pages, a small dog-ear on the lower-right corner of the front cover, some old (but not sticky) sticker residue on the spine, and expected aging and light rubbing on the covers.
Houdini: The Man Who Walked Through Walls
Author:
William Lindsay Gresham, noir novelist and nonfiction author
Publisher:
Macfadden Books
Year:
1963, second printing
Binding:
Paperback
ISBN:
N/A
Description:
The first truly scholarly biography on Harry Houdini. This is my actual childhood copy, but I never read it because I read my hardback copy back in the day. With eight black-and-white photo inserts on pages 129–136.
Pages:
263
Dimensions:
7" x 4 1/8"
Condition:
Good, especially for a 58-year-old book. Tight spine. Deep yellowing on all pages. Some rubbing and mild creasing on front and back covers, with a longer (but relatively benign) vertical crease along the front cover’s spine. This particular copy wasn’t read. I know that because this is my childhood copy, and I read the hardback copy I had instead to preserve this one. The front endpaper still has my 1970s childhood signature in pencil at the top. Sorry, I didn’t have the heart to erase it.
Houdini: The Untold Story
Author:
Milbourne Christopher (1914–1984), a well-known magician, author, and historian
Publisher:
Pocket Books
Year:
1975, third printing
Binding:
Paperback
ISBN:
671783343
Description:
An early, thorough, authoritative, no-nonsense biography about Harry Houdini. A 32-page insert of black-and-white photos with captions appears between pages 146 and 147.
Pages:
298
Dimensions:
About 7" x 4"
Condition:
Good-plus, tight unread copy, all pages yellowed, mild rubbing on front and back covers (back cover rubbing a bit darker), light creasing on upper-right corner of front cover and first few pages, and light creasing at top of back cover. No tears or major defects.
Houdini’s Magic
Author:
Walter B. Gibson (1897–1985), a prolific author and literary creator of
The Shadow
Publisher:
Bantam Books
Year:
1976
Binding:
Paperback
ISBN:
0553103970
Description:
Magic tricks edited and published from the notes and memoranda of Harry Houdini. Illustrated.
Pages:
207
Dimensions:
About 7" x 4"
Condition:
Good-minus; a pretty tight copy with yellowing on all pages, a 1/4" tear at the upper right of back cover, a spine crease, some mild rubbing and mild dents on back cover, and my childhood “Tom’s Magic Shop” sticker and “Tom the Magician” rubber stamp on front endpaper.
Houdini On Magic
Author(s):
Walter B. Gibson and Morris N. Young
Publisher:
Dover Publications Inc.
Year:
Circa 1969
Binding:
Paperback
ISBN:
486203840
Description:
A classic, historical, and revelatory edited compilation of previously published material from Houdini’s notes, memoranda, pitch books, and related sources. Illustrated with drawings and photos.
Pages:
277
Dimensions:
About 8" x 5 1/4"
Condition:
Good condition, pretty tight and clean, amazingly little yellowing for a 52-year-old book, a few mild impressions on the front cover, a 2
" crease at bottom right of back cover, and a couple of small brown marks on long edge. Otherwise in great shape.
Houdini’s Amazing Escapes
Author:
Walter B. Gibson
Publisher:
Coles Publishing Co. Ltd.
Year:
1980
Binding:
Paperback
ISBN:
N/A
Description:
Canadian edition of
Houdini’s Escapes
, a revelatory collection of escape tricks supposedly from Houdini’s “rough notes drawings, blue prints, and manuscripts,” according to Bernard Ernst, Harry Houdini’s attorney and confidant. Sparsely illustrated.
Pages:
317
Dimensions:
About 8 1/2" x 5 1/4"
Condition:
Good, but has dark yellowing on all pages and my childhood bookplate on front endpaper, which, I’m sorry to say, created lots of moisture damage only on that page. Also light rubbing on front and back covers. Otherwise a tight, clean, and crisp copy.
The Great Houdini
(Hardcover)
Author:
Beryl Williams and Samuel Epstein
Publisher:
Julian Messner
Year:
1965, twelfth printing
Binding:
Crappy ex-library hardcover, no dust jacket
ISBN:
N/A
Description:
A classic children’s Harry Houdini biography, but not a perfect scholarly work as the authors used a bit of creative license. No illustrations except the same one on chapter headers.
Pages:
182
Dimensions:
About 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Condition:
Poor. Ex-library copy with front and back covers damaged with old brown tape still present, abrasions on front and back covers, blue marker scribbles on lower edge, front endpaper and title/copyright pages missing, pen/ink underlining and circling throughout foreword and first two chapters, page 5/6 disconnected from book, small brown marks on inside-front cover, “About the Authors” and back endpaper pages missing, some dog-earing on a few pages, brown spots on pp. 159–165 and 171–175, and mild wrinkling on some pages; otherwise, the rest of the pages are good.
Card Tricks and Conjuring
Author:
Dr. J.W. Elliott (Harry Houdini, editor)
Publisher:
Coles Publishing Co. Ltd.
Year:
1980
Binding:
Paperback
ISBN:
N/A
Description:
Canadian edition of the 1923 edition of
Elliott’s Last Legacy: Card Tricks and Conjuring
, published by Adams Press Print.
Pages:
322
Dimensions:
About 8 1/2" x 5 1/4"
Condition:
Good-minus. 2" crease/dog-ear at upper-left corner of back cover, mild impressions on front and back covers, 1/4" peel of outer plastic layer at top of spine, my childhood bookplate and accompanying moisture damage to front endpaper and the page that follows, and dark yellowing on all pages. Otherwise a tight, clean copy and good to have if you don’t want to invest in the 1923 book.
The Magician and the Spirits
(Autographed by Author)
Author:
Deborah Noyes
Publisher:
Viking
Year:
2017
Binding:
Pictorial hardcover with dust jacket
ISBN:
9780803740181
Description:
An author-autographed nonfiction book about Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s friendship and the debunking of fraudulent Spiritualism. Autograph on title page (it’s real because Deborah herself sent me the book).
Pages:
152
Dimensions:
About 9 1/4" x 6 1/4"
Condition:
Book unread, almost like new except for a 1/2
" manufacturing defect at the lower-left corner of the front cover. Dust jacket almost like new except for a 1 1/2" dog-ear at the upper-right corner of the front flap and a mild 1/2" wrinkle at the lower-left corner of the front.
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Thanks so much for looking!
Tom