Artist rendering of Vanishing Elephant

Check out this dramatic illustration of Houdini performing his Vanishing Elephant illusion, published without a source credit on the blog Mostly Forbidden Zone.

While the dimensions of the box can’t be correct, there are aspects here that this artist gets right. Showing the cabinet on wheels is one. Also note the circle cut out on the back (this is where the audience would observe the “vanish”).

Hard to know if this image is based on the original Hippodrome vanish or the later Time Square Theater version, which used a smaller elephant and cabinet. Nevertheless, this is a nice rendering of one of Houdini’s most famous and still mysterious effects.