DELL O’DELL – WORLD’S LEADING LADY MAGICIAN – COLLECTION OF 28 MAGIC ITEMS
“The Queen of Magic’ – Dell O’Dell was the stage name of Odella Newton (20 October 1897 – 5 February 1962) an American magician regarded in her profession as a pioneer who provided a role model for modern female performers. She was noted for being one of the first magicians to appear on television, on her own show. – WIKIPEDIA
In the 1940s and 1950s my grandmother was active in the Bronx Woman’s Club serving as president, and arranging programs for the New York City club’s meetings. Packed in an envelope mailed to her by Dell from 5040 Sixty-First Street, Woodside, Long Island, is this vast collection / archive of Dell O’Dell tricks and booklets. Sadly the postmark is not on the envelope having falling off with stamps. It is my good guess that my grandmother, in arranging a Dell O’Dell program for the club, received this impressive paper collection.
Twenty-eight paper items, many in the original envelopes, and never opened – I will leave that up to you as you wish, Starting off is the spiral bound 6 by 9 inch MAGICAL MOMENTS: A BOOK OF ENTERTAINMENT by Dell O’Dell
and, inside, Dell inscribed this to my grandmother
the next two booklets are a tad smaller than the above, and include: A BOOK OF ENTERTAINMENT, 1944, and EVERYBODY’S FUN, 1943. The cover of the later is on inferior paper and has chipped with some tape on the spine.
Inside an 8 1/4 by 5 1/2 manila envelope are six tricks still sealed in smaller envelopes, and a magic card. The envelopes include: CROSS OR CRESCENT PROBLEM; INITIAL D PUZZLE; HORSE AND RIDER PUZZLE; SQUARE PUZZLE; STRETCHING STICKS; MYSTIFYING MAGICAL CARD; and a smaller card – LUCKY FOUR LEAF CLOVER
in this next image you can see two unopened business size envelopes with DELL O’DELLS DANCING DOLL – that is two of them. The green card (measuring about 5 1/4 inches square) is WONDERS OF THE WORLD, and finally the “Patter for Heaven and Hell Paper Trick.”
here are pictured ten items – a magical Christmas card, eight cards of optical illusions (some duplicates), and a small booklet (about 2 5/8 inches by 4 inches) WHAT MEN KNOW ABOUT WOMEN. You need to buy this auction just to learn that SECRET.
and, finally below is the BLOCK PUZZLE, another sealed HORSE AND RIDER PUZZLE, and a Brain Teaser card.
I do hope this treasure trove of Dell items finds a new magical home.
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