The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin

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The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin is a controversial 1908 book by magician Harry Houdini that critically challenges the legacy and originality of famed French illusionist Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin.

All labels observed (2)

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf book
magic history book
non-fiction book
arguesThat Robert-Houdin borrowed tricks from earlier magicians
linked to: Robert-Houdin

Robert-Houdin exaggerated his contributions to magic
many feats attributed to Robert-Houdin were not original
author Harry Houdini
containsIllustrations true
countryOfOrigin United States
criticizes Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin
linked to: Robert-Houdin
documents earlier conjuring literature
prior inventors of famous illusions
focusesOnPeriod 19th-century stage magic
genre biographical criticism
magic history
hasBibliographicCategory 1908 non-fiction books
books about performing arts
works about magicians
hasNotableTheme authorship of magical inventions
debunking of heroic narratives
myth-making in entertainment history
hasPageCount some 300 pages
hasPerspective defensive of earlier magicians
highly critical of Robert-Houdin
hasReception divided among magicians and historians
hasTargetAudience general readers interested in magic
magic historians
magicians
includesBiographicalMaterialOn Harry Houdini
Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin
linked to: Robert-Houdin
influenced subsequent historical reassessments of Robert-Houdin
isDescribedAs controversial
isEarlyWorkOf Harry Houdini as an author
language English
mainSubject Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin
linked to: Robert-Houdin

exposure of magic methods
history of stage magic
mediaType print
mentions European magicians of the 18th and 19th centuries
publicationYear 1908
publisher The Publishers Printing House
questionsLegacyOf Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin
linked to: Robert-Houdin
questionsOriginalityOf Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin
linked to: Robert-Houdin
relatedWork Houdini On Magic
The Secret Life of Houdini
subjectArea cultural history
performing arts
timeOfWriting early 20th century

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Harry Houdini authored The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin
subject linked to: Houdini
Harry Houdini wrote The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin
The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin arguesThat Robert-Houdin exaggerated his contributions to magic
linked to: The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin
Erik Weisz publishedWork The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin
Ehrich Weiss wrote The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin