Maine Antique Digest May 2015

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Maine Antique Digest, May 2015 13-C

and have different interests,” he said.

Burger, known as a closeup magi-

cian who does tricks under the noses of

small groups of guests, concurred, both

from a collector’s and performer’s point

of view. “I have one die box that is the

cleverest I’ve seen, and I’m not inter-

ested in another,” he said, adding that

working magicians today don’t need a

bunch of intricate apparatus. “You just

need cards, coins, and some routines.”

For more information, contact Pot-

ter & Potter Auctions at (773) 472-

1442, e-mail <info@potterauctions.

com> or check the website (www.pot terauctions.com).

A highlight of the sale was a scrapbook

of magic in England from about the

1860s to the 1880s. Compiled as a diary

by an anonymous person, it contained

newspaper and magazine clippings,

engravings, and (perhaps most inter-

estingly) about 35 original watercolor

and pen and ink drawings of magic

acts or magicians on stage. Estimated

at $3000/4000, the book went for $9600

to a telephone bidder, who had staying

power over an ardent latecomer to the

auction focused on that single item. The

scrapbook contained animated photos

of performers at Egyptian Hall in Lon-

don, doing such tricks as plate spin-

ning and sitting on air. Seances were

featured, even detailing what questions

were asked during the sessions. The

book had a list of ventriloquists, hand-

written accounts of performances by

spiritualists and conjurors, and depic-

tions of the “enchanted girl” levitat-

ing and the chess-playing automaton,

among many other magic notables.

Original drawing of M. Herrmann.

Original drawing of chess-playing automaton.

- AUCTION -

Mary Jean McLaughlin

Antique Wicker

ANTIQUE WICKER

By Appointment Only

(860) 767-3397

M

ary

J

ean

M

c

L

aughLin

P.O. Box 534, Ivoryton, CT 06442

has moved to Ivoryton, CT (ESSEX)

and is still buying & selling

Antique Wicker

OF THIS QUALITY

Please check our website or request a catalog. We

charge NO buyer’s premium & offer in-house shipping.

u

Shiebler

u

Gorham

u

Alvin

u

Wood & Hughes

u

Tiffany

u

Polhemus

u

Whiting

u

Albert Coles

u

Wendt, etc.

Offering rare & unusual patterns by manufacturers

such as:

P.O. Box 12537, Ft. Pierce, Florida 34979

Phone: (772) 465-0770

u

Fax: (772) 468-9020

W:

www.silverauctions.net

E:

silverauctions@bellsouth.net