The Life & Times of the Great Lafayette-Bio-Magic Book-1st Ed Stage Illusion-OOP

Description: The Life and Times of the Great Lafayette Title: The Life and Times of the Great LafayetteAuthor: Arthur SetteringtonPublisher: Abraxas PublicationsPublication Date: 1991HardcoverBook Size: 9" x 11 1/4"Pages: 112Edition: 1st EditionBook Condition: Excellent-Like New!Dust Jacket Condition: Excellent-Like New! "The Most Hated Magician Who Ever Lived!" A fascinating account of Houdini's friend and contemporary during the "Ragtime" era! More than a biography ... you'll be transported back to the early years of the past century and meet all the major players of what was known as "The Golden Age of Variety" and the heyday of magic. The Life and Times of the Great Lafayette is a must-read book for any serious student of magic. It is an extremely insightful look at what magic was like at the turn of the century and also examines where it was heading in the future. Approximately 20 years ago, renowned magical author Arthur Setterington released a biography about The Great Lafayette, a friend and colleague of Houdini's during the "ragtime" era. The Life and Times Of The Great Lafayette transports you back to the Golden Age of Magic, offering exclusive revelations and little-known details of its most important players like Houdin, Horace Goldin, Will Goldston, Carter, P.T.Selbit, Chung Ling Soo, Jasper Maskelyne and others. Lafayette is one of those characters who it’s difficult for magicians to directly learn from. By all accounts he wasn’t a great magician: he was, though, clearly a superb showman, a shrewd businessman and a creator of spectacular story-themed illusions, many involving large animals. I suspect the nearest modern-day equivalent was the Siegfried & Roy show; although Lafayette was continuously touring his show, rather than having the luxury of a permanent venue. However for anyone interested in a magical eccentrics, the golden era of magic performing and conspiracy theories, then you can’t do much better than Lafayette. Whether it’s his obsession with his pet dog Beauty (given to him by Houdini), intrigue about his sexuality (was his glamorous assistant, Lalla Selbini, his lover?), confusion (in death) between himself and his double, the incredible turnout at his funeral in Glasgow (which his brother failed to pay for until High Court action was taken) and Will Goldston’s preposterous contention that he was the ‘most hated magician in the world’, you don’t get better tabloid copy than this. Here's a small taste within the pages of The Life and Times of the Great Lafayette:A surprising revelation regarding the rumors around Chung Ling Soo's death during the bullet catchHoudini's "patriotic mystery" and his role during the war effortsThe reason why Lafayette almost got into a fistfight with the World Heavyweight Boxing ChampionWhy Lafayette almost sued Horace Goldin You'll discover revealing details like:Lafayette's unnatural, obsessive relationship with his dog Beauty (if you thought Houdini's attachment to his mother was excessive...wait until you see this.)Some of the most iconic legends surrounding LafayetteThe unconventional methods Lafayette employed to gain publicity and earn fees as high as £1000 per week (a mind-boggling amount of money in the early 1900's).Find out why Will Goldston referred to Lafayette as "The Most Hated Magician Who Ever Lived" ... in spite of the fact that between 150,000 - 200,000 people lined the streets for his funeral! You'll also learn about:Lafayette's bizarre internment requestThe gift Houdini gave Lafayette, and the unusual tribute he bestowed upon his deathHow Lafayette "fooled them in life - and in death"How Lafayette designed all of his own illusions and proudly boasted that he had never bought or sold a trick.There are even two detailed chapters filled with illustrated explanations of some of Lafayette's most popular illusions, including "The Lion's Bride" -- which was actually the first time a Lion had been used in a magic show. This is beautiful foreshadowing for how Siegfried & Roy would use these "King of Beasts" to promote their success for over 50 years. Learn what actually happened during the tragic theater fire that killed Lafayette such as:What caused it and how it could have been preventedHow the fire revealed an important clue about Lafayette's lifeHow the wrong man was almost cremated as the result of a case of mistaken identity Over two dozen photos, posters and playbill reproductions accompany Setterington's richly-textured prose, recalling the first decade of the past century in such vivid detail you can almost smell the oil lanterns! Please examine the photos of this book. I have included photos of the index. I have also included photos of especially colorful, interesting or autographed pages. I will be happy to answer any specific question, just send me an Email!Listing info courtesy of: Magicref ATTENTION: A large part of the value of magic tricks and magic books is the SECRET!! As such, there are NO REFUNDS on magic tricks or books (unless I make a mistake, something is not as advertised, etc.)! I will try to be very detailed & accurate in my descriptions & also try to include the approximate skill level to assist in your decision, but I will not tell you how the trick is done! If you have any questions, please send me an Email BEFORE bidding!

Price: 129.95 USD

Location: Rancho Cordova, California

End Time: 2024-03-16T09:00:00.000Z

Shipping Cost: 5.95 USD