Sleight-of-Hand at Auction The Collections of two legendary sleight-of-hand artists, Dai Vernon and Bruce Cervon, will be highlights of Potter & Potter's January 30th sale.
News-Antique.com - Nov 04,2009 - CHICAGO – Lovers of sleight-of-hand and collectors of magicana are already abuzz about Potter & Potter’s January 30th, 2010 sale, featuring the collections of master magicians Dai Vernon and his student, Bruce Cervon.
Dai Vernon (1894 - 1992), was widely regarded as one of the most influential magicians of the 20th century, a revolutionary figure whose long life and career touched nearly every important magicain of the century. Many of his personal effects will be included in the auction. Among the highlights are:
-Dai Vernon’s prop wooden prop case, including apparatus (cards, coins, Malini Egg Bag, Holdout, gaffs, silhouette shears and more) and tricks used by Vernon.
-Of historic significance is Vernon’s first and most personal scrapbook, begun upon his emigration to New York City from Ottawa in 1915. Jammed with photographs of Vernon and his contemporaries, it serves as a unique archive of mostly unpublished images from magic’s golden age and beyond.
-In 1933, Vernon was one of an elite group of magicians elected to membership in the Academy of the Art of Magic. The medallion bearing Vernon’s initials and the Academy’s logo will be included in the sale. Recently cited by Magicol, journal of the Magic Collectors’ Association, as one token “you will never see,” this example, in very good condition, is one of three known to exist (only 12 were originally struck). Estimate $2,000 - $3,000.
-Many association items from Vernon’s collection will be offered, as well. Among the vintage photographs signed and inscribed to Vernon are images of Cardini, Malini, and David Bamberg (Fu Manchu). Especially interesting is an early one-page letter to Vernon from a young Doug Henning, asking to become Vernon's student.
-In 1922, Vernon flummoxed Houdini by performing close-up for the great magician and completely baffling him. This earned Vernon the title of “The Man Who Fooled Houdini.” Three Houdini images from Vernon’s collection will be included in the sale, including a handsome, early photo, ca. 1906.
-Bruce Cervon (1941-2007) moved to California from Akron, Ohio in the mid-1960s to study with Vernon. His long career included many appearances before Hollywood's elite, as well as a lengthy list of corporate clients. Items from his private library, including unique annotated manuscripts, “underground” texts on sleight-of-hand (privately circulated), and apparatus from his 40+ year as a professional entertainer (including his parlor and trade show acts) will be offered.
-Of specific interest to scholars will be the sale of Cervon’s correspondence. Hundreds if not thousands of letters received from magicians detail not only gossip and personal information, but the finer points of various tricks and magic routines.
-In addition , the sale will include over 100 lots of genuinely rare and collectible books and apparatus. Among the highlights of these portions of the sale will be a T. Nelson Downs-style coin ladder, props owned and used by Nicola, his father Nicoli, a horde of limited edition signed books from L&L Publishing, unusual Thayer-made apparatus, scarce Mysto magic sets, as well as early texts on gambling, spiritualism
