Talon, Phillippe [Henry Graham] | A playbill advertising notable imposter Henry Graham

Talon, Phillippe [Henry Graham]

Victoria Royal Theatre ... Passion Week!. Lambeth: J.W. Peel, 1858

Letterpress playbill (686 x 419 mm). Printed in orange and black, with four woodcut vignettes and woodcut coat of arms; old horizontal fold, small tears along fold and at margins, some small chips, long repaired tear to head.

The French conjurer Phillippe Talon was one of the great magicians of his day—touring Scotland and Ireland before landing in London, where he became widely acclaimed. He is "generally acknowledged to be the pre-eminent French conjurer before the advent of Robert-Houdin" (EE). What is significant about this distinct playbill, however, is that it is "advertising not Talon, but another who purposely usurped his name and reputation. The imposter was a fellow called Henry, or Harry, Graham, who made a career of impersonating foreign magicians and capitalizing on their fame. ... The great magician Carl Herrmann ... came energetically to the defense of his friend Philippe [sic] when he realized that an impostor was performing in his stead. Herrmann left Graham with a 'bleeding proboscis, and discolored optic, to proceed as well as he could to entertain his audience'" (EE).

"The Mulholland Library has an undated Philippe playbill for a show at Guildford with [the same woodcuts as this playbill]. A note, likely in Houdini's handwriting, reads 'graham Bogus Philippe [sic]'" (EE).

REFERENCE:

EE, p. 136