Once again it was Harry Houdini who topped the bill in the most recent magic memorabilia auction held by US specialist Potter & Potter Auctions (20% buyer’s premium).
Sold at $55,000 (£39,855) by the Chicago saleroom was a twovolume scrapbook that Houdini compiled and annotated on the subject of spiritualism. One volume included newspaper and magazine cuttings from the US and other sources (shown above), but the second was almost entirely focused on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s belief in spiritualism and the supernatural.