1939 - 1947 ORIGINAL SCRAPBOOK AND EPHEMERAL MEMORY BOOK OF A TEENAGE MAGICIAN WHO WORSHIPS HOUDINI AND SCARNE - BOASTING A RARE ORSON WELLES MERCURY WONDER SHOW FOR SERVICE MEN

JACK FLEMING a.k.a. PEAWADI THE MAGICIAN

Publication Date: 1939

About this Item

On offer is a sensational scrapbook and homage to magic and magicians in pre-World War II America. Jack Fleming, of Denver Colorado, beginning as early as 1939 through 1947, collects ephemera, broadsides, business cards, photographs and clippings and much, much more nearly filling a lovely large folio sized scrapbook. Jack was a teenage magician using his real name and several stage names, including PEAWADI THE MAGICIAN. Items include letters from local organizations (boys and girls clubs, school events, etc.) thanking him for performing, local news articles about his performances, and much more regarding his own entertaining. The first page of the scrapbook has a pamphlet program of "The Colorado Society of Magicians" promoting its "First Annual Houdini Memorial Program". The program is dated 1943. It is a single fold, 4 panel, program. The inside has a page filled with portraits of 10 Colorado Society Magicians and 5 "Florence Kesslers Dancers". Much of the scrapbook is an homage to Houdini whom he obviously idolized but also other huge names like Scarne who trained GIs how to avoid card sharks and dice cheats. The scrapbook also contains a very rare broadsheet of The Welles Mercury Wonder Show "ORSON WELLES THE MAGNIFICENT - The Mercury Wonder Show for Service Men" which was carefully tipped in at its upper corners but otherwise the broadsheet is loose. The broadsheet is in very good condition and has a shallow vertical crease across its entire length (probably folded at one point), and it has several horizontal creases from where it is folded to lay flat and safely in the scrapbook. There are no chips or tears to the broadsheet. [A copy of this broadsheet was sold at a 2002 Swann Galleries Auction (Sale Number 1949 - Lot 241) as part of the MAGIC - THE MANNY WELTMAN HOUDINI COLLECTION. Swann states: Scarce playbill for Welles and his bag of tricks, listing the various acts and setting them off with amusing vignettes, 21 1/2 x 6 inches sight size; matted and framed. Np, [1943] Estimate $2,000-3,000 - sold for $1600.] Collectors of 20th Century magic will be thrilled with the depth and breadth of this young man's abilities and interests in the world of magic. The scrapbook is 11.5" x 15.5", has illustrated vinyl covers, spiral bound. 42 of its 48 pages (24 leaves) have items on them. Some are loose. Overall VG. Size: Folio - over 12" - 15" tall. Seller Inventory # 0001440

Bibliographic Details

Title: 1939 - 1947 ORIGINAL SCRAPBOOK AND EPHEMERAL...

Publication Date: 1939

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good