Richard Sherry and Dayle Krall have taken the restoration of the mysterious Water Torture Cell they discovery in 2019 to the next level. Richard has created a special plexiglass liner that allows the cell to be filled with water and performed. (!) Below is a video of Dayle inside the water-filled cell. According to Richard, this is being done in connection with a possible television project.
In the video description Richard now expresses his belief that this cell is genuine:
"This Water Torture Cell does not appear to fit into the commonly accepted timeline of the Water Torture Cell's history. However, after much research and help from many prominent people in the escape community, we have come to the conclusion that this is an authentic Houdini Chinese Water Torture Cell."
Richard has launched a webpage in which he shares details about the cell and its restoration: www.HoudiniWaterTortureCell.com.
They believe the cell is authentic but haven't shared thoughts on its possible origin. Its measurements purportedly match those of Radner's original cell. Is this what we're looking at? The rust spots around the front metal trim are a close match. Or is this a cell made in Britain around Houdini's time that managed to make it this far? That 1909 British coin wedged in there implies this.
ReplyDeleteRichard mentions on his webpage:
ReplyDelete“In 1970 the Water Torture Cell was put on display in The Houdini Hall of Fame which was a museum in Niagara Falls, Canada. The original museum moved to a new location in 1971 and the Water Torture Cell was moved to the new locations along with all the other paraphernalia.
…
Dean provided the precise measurements and dimensions of the WTC that James Randi had drawn up of the Cell that was first delivered to the Niagara Falls museum in 1970.”
AFAIK: The museum at Niagara opened in May 1968 (opening ceremony June 6 1968) and moved some time in 1972. Radner stored the Water Torture Cell he acquired from Theo Hardeen in his house in Massachusetts from 1942 until 1971 (when he shipped it to the museum in Niagara. And June 1971, the Amazing Randi performed straitjacket on the day of the arrival of cell in Niagara Falls.
Hoping someone can clarify or verify the dates.
There's no question that the Radner cell went to the Hall of Fame in 1971. What happened after that has my attention. Was it copied by Muller? If so were parts from the original exchanged with the copy? Or is the Sherry/Krall cell entirely different and was made in the early 20th century?
DeleteOf course they believe it's authentic and want us to believe as well, they built it!
ReplyDeleteI've really not changed my position on this from the day it was first revealed. Without any provenance, it's just a cell made by an unknown person at an unknown time for unknown reasons.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Without any answers from the Sherry/Krall team, one would have to sit on the fence.
DeleteRichard and Dayle can't tell us what they don't know. It's the people who sold the cell to Richard and Dayle that I would like to hear from. Where did they get it? That's a question they should be able to answer. Then we it follow it backwards.
DeleteHello John. We do believe we know where this Cell came from and you and I had discussed this in great length during a phone call a few months ago. If people are interested they can visit the Theories section of our website at www.HoudiniWaterTortureCell.com. What we don't have is this elusive notarized paperwork that everyone wants to show that the Cell was stored and a reproduction put on display. I don't think people document shady things to have a traceable record them.
DeleteDid Sid Radner get a signed letter from Hardeen proving that the Cell that was sold was a legitimate Houdini Cell? According to this train of thought, without this provenance there is no proof (although I am certain the Cell Hardeen gave Radner is a true Houdini Cell). Where is the provenance for the entire Houdini collection that still exists today? Is there provenance for the fact that the metal remains of the Houdini Cell after the museum fire were the only pieces left over prior to the John Gaughan rebuild? Was that included in the letter of sale to David Copperfield?
It is well documented that Sid Radner had a lawsuit against John Gaughan claiming that John had built a replica. Where does provenance fit in that?
Sorry Richard. Didn't mean to upset or offend. I don't recall you telling me or you knowing yourself exactly where these people got this cell. I know you have theories and those theories maybe be correct. But did the owners ever say specifically something like, "Henry Muller dropped it off here in 1980"?
DeleteBy provenance I just mean do we know who owned this cell before the sellers and are they willing to put that in writing? With that info, we can accept the cell coming into existence at that time and go back and find the previous owner if possible. If we find that, it cements the earlier link and so on. Maybe we can go all the way back to Houdini! I'm just interested in a chain of custody that can be cross examined. For me, that’s an essential part of concluding something is genuine. But I’m a historian. So my requirements are maybe different.
Sid absolutely had a letter from Hardeen saying this was the Houdini Torture Water Torture Cell. And I'm sure DC has something that attests to the fact that the pieces are from the destroyed cell. Heck, when I bought my Houdini window card, even though I know it’s 100% genuine, I asked the seller to write up a little note explaining where she got it. Chain of custody for the future. True, it’s only as good as the person’s word, but it’s better than nothing.
I find it disheartening how people say one thing in a private email to me or Dayle and then another in a public forum.
ReplyDeleteWe came to the conclusion that this Cell is a legitimate Houdini Cell because of the Randi plans, what people in the field have said and the intricate details of this Cell.
Patrick Culliton had said in an earlier comment that resemblance is not provenance and I throughly agree however there is so much more than just resemblance with this Cell. All of this has already been shared in detail. I wish I could share the Randi plans and show how they match up to this Cell but I can't because of a promise which I can live with.
Thank you to anonymous for thinking that I have the talent and insight to have built this Cell. I always get a kick out of you. :)
The cell was stored and a reproduction put on display? Where? The Hall of Fame?
DeleteThat's an odd remark to make and I quote you.
ReplyDelete"Thank you anonymous for thinking that I have the talent and insight to have built this Cell."
What?
Your own website peddling items YOU manufacture states the following:
"These will be made to the exact specifications of Houdini's Chinese Water Torture Cell including the type of mahogany wood that was used in Houdini's. This will be a working and performable Water Cell." Price: Price upon application Product Number: 235-11
http://www.richardsherrysmagic.com/products/escapes/escapes.php
The Cell's I made and list on my site were based on the measurements that were in the Houdini Hall of Fame (26.5" x 26.5" x 59"). Those are the exact specifications that I refer to.
DeleteThis new Cell that we have does not match the Cell that sat in the museum it matches the one in the James Randi documentation. We received this Cell before receiving the James Randi documentation by 10 months therefore it is impossible for me to have built this.
I have previously mentioned that I thought I knew how the Cell worked but realized that I had been wrong once we received this new Cell and Randi's documentation. This is the insight that I was referring to.