Jay Marshall’s legendary collection of magicana is still trying to find a new home. In May, 2007, a small portion of Marshall’s horde was auctioned off at the annual Magic Collectors’ Weekend in suburban Chicago. The sale grossed nearly $300,000.
For those that missed an opportunity to bid last year, another is on the horizon. A second public auction of ephemera, apparatus and memorabilia from Marshall’s collection will take place in Louisville, Kentucky, on Sunday, July 27, 2008 at 9:00 am – the morning following the conclusion of the Combined IBM/SAM 2008 Combined Convention. The auction will be held at the Galt House Hotel, in Louisville.
The auction will contain rare Houdiniana, including autographs, books and photographs related to the great escape artist; lithographs and broadsides advertising famous magicians of yesteryear including Thurston, Dante and Professor Anderson; choice apparatus; unique and extensive collections of ephemera relating to many famous 20th century magicians; as well as hundreds of antiquarian and collectible books, many of them signed and inscribed to Jay Marshall.
Of specific note are the following items:
-Houdini’s Paper Magic, signed and inscribed to T. Nelson Downs
-Early Houdini poster for an early appearance in Germany
-Scarce T. Nelson Downs one-sheet lithograph
-Rare Professor Anderson broadside dated 1857
-Dell O’Dell’s personal scrapbooks and patter files
-A Grand Expose of the Science of Gambling (1860), one of 20 known copies
-An ornate Bran Vase used by Alexander Herrmann
The sale will be conducted by Potter & Potter Auctions, Inc. and previews will be held throughout the SAM/IBM Convention. Further information, registration forms, and a complete catalog (for preview as a free download, or for purchase) are available at www.potterauctions.com.
