Unique original Houdini (1953) poster

This unique poster from the 1953 film Houdini sold a few weeks ago on eBay for only $39. According to the seller it was discovered in storage "along with some other old magic memorabilia."

What's unusual about this poster are the large borders and header. This is where theaters could post showtimes, etc. I have a few original one-sheets for this film, but I've never seen one with these borders. You might recall that Houdini's own early posters, such as King of Cards and Metamorphosis, also spot large border areas. In fact, it's one of the ways to tell and original from a later reproduction.

The seller also listed a battered The Master Mystery Episode Six ("The Mad Genius") lobby card from the same storage discovery. This one sold for the opening bid of $95. Last year a Master Mystery lobby card, also in poor condition, sold for $815.