A considerable amount of (printed) bibliographic apparatus, particularly in the field of the history of printing, is also included here.

(c) The Thacher autograph collection of royal documents. This is one of the most notable collections of foreign autographic documents in the United States. It consists of 676 manuscript documents, 578 prints, photographs, and drawings, 111 rare broadsides and other printed material; in all, 1,365 pieces. There are two portfolios of documents of the royal families of England, beginning with Henry V, A. D. 1480, and coming down to George III; two portfolios of the royal families of France, beginning with Charles V, A. D. 1374; portfolios of documents of the royalties of Germany, Russia, Poland, Spain, Sweden. Every country in Europe is represented.

(d) The Thacher collection of books, autographs, and manuscript documents relating to the French Revolution, a subject to which Mr. Thacher had given years of study in preparation for a projected history. This group contains 1,592 volumes, 352 numbers of contemporary newspapers, and 1,460 autograph letters and documents. by French notables of the Revolutionary period.

(e) The cross of the Spanish naval order of merit, conferred upon Mr. Thacher by His Majesty the King of Spain; seven medals and badges granted for notable services. With these, a locket and cross containing fragments of the ashes of Christopher Columbus.

Mrs. Thacher, the donor of these treasures, was the daughter of George Curtis Treadwell of Albany, a grandson of Gov. John Treadwell (1745-1823), "the last of the Puritan Governors of Connecticut," a graduate of Yale in the class of 1767. From the time of her marriage to John Boyd Thacher in 1872, she was the companion of his studies, sharing his enthusiasms and keeping pace with his researches. They were continually together in the European journeys undertaken almost every year in the search for new treasures. The collections which he bequeathed to her in 1909 and she in turn bequeathed to the Library 18 years later, were the fruits of a joint purpose and endeavor. She was in sympathy with his

purposes, understood them and appreciated them. Her interest in his interests survived him. In insuring the continuity of the collections in perpetuo to be known as the John Boyd Thacher Collection in the Library of Congress, she has not merely builded him a monument more lasting than bronze but perpetuated her own memory among scholars and lovers of the humanities in a manner reflective of her inner self.

Harry Houdini.

By his will, dated July 20, 1924, and a codicil thereto, BEQUEST: dated May 6, 1925, the late Mr. Harry Houdini, who died October 31, 1926, bequeathed to the Library of Congress his entire library excepting his dramatic collection (willed to his widow and executrix, Mrs. Wilhelmina Rahner Houdini). The bequest includes notable collections on magic, spiritism, occultism, and psychical research.

Harry Houdini (Eric Weiss) was born at Appleton, Wis., April 6, 1874, the son of Rev. Dr. Mayer Samuel and Cecelia (Steiner) Weiss. After attending the public schools he entered early upon a theatrical career which became his life work. When it became necessary for him to assume a stage name he chose the name Houdini-the additional "i" to indicate that he wished to be considered like Robert Houdin, the famous French magician. His name was accordingly legally changed to Harry Houdini.

He gradually became the consummate magician and mysterious handcuff manipulator. Houdini, the baffling conjurer and possessor of a thousand tricks, was known the world around, but Houdini, the book collector, was known to but few until revealed to the general public by the terms of his will disposing of a library it took him a lifetime to build.

He inherited from his father his scholarly instincts and in an address before the Club of Odd Volumes he said "The love of bibliographic research has been the corner stone of my life from my earliest years." While on tour, he seized every opportunity to study in libraries, to interview retired magicians and collectors, and to browse in old bookstores and antique shops. He searched catalogues assiduously and often advertised his wants.

From time to time he purchased collections made by his rivals and others, e. g., those brought together by Hiram Stead, Hagan, Adrian Platt, Elliott, Robinson, Edwin Fay Rice, Harrington, Young, and Alexander.

For about six years toward the close of Mr. Houdini's life he was assisted in purchasing and arranging his material by Prof. Alfred Becks, who was in charge of the "theatrical collection" at Harvard University for nearly 10 years. Professor Becks eliminated a number of duplicates and was of aid to Mr. Houdini in developing his collections to a very high standard-this, of course, included the dramatic collection as well as those on magic and on spiritism.

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Early in his career Mr. Houdini took a keen interest in the subject of psychical research. "I have spent a goodly part of my life in study and research," he wrote in his book "A Magician among the Spirits." During the last 30 years I have read every single piece of literature on the subject of spiritualism that I could. I have accumulated one of the largest libraries in the world on psychic phenomena, spiritualism, magic, witchcraft, demonology, evil spirits,” etc.

The collection as received comprises 1,620 volumes and pamphlets and 107 volumes of periodicals on magic and 3,286 books and pamphlets and 134 volumes of periodicals on the psychic. There is also a large group of material consisting of manuscripts (correspondence with those interested in magic and the psychic), newspaper clippings, posters, programs, catalogues, etc.

Of the books on magic Mr. Houdini considered these as of importance: "Hocus Pocus," 1635, second edition; "Natural Magick in XX Bookes," by John Baptist Porta, 1658; "Book of Natural Magic," 1682, by Simon Witgest; "Magic or the Magical Power of Nature," by Johann Samuel Halle, Berlin, 1784; "The Natural Magic," by Johann Christian Wiegleb, 18 volumes; Breslaw's "The Universal Conjurer," London, Orlando Hodgson.

Of the books on spiritism Mr. Houdini regarded the following as necessary to any study of the subject: “De Praestigiis Damonum von Temfelsgespenst, Zauberern

*" by Johann Weier, Frankfurt, 1586; "Historisch Versuch von der Hexery," by F. Hutchinson, Leipzig, 1726; "Die Bezauberte Welt," by Balthasar Bekker, Amsterdam, 1693; "Spiritualism," by John W. W. Edmonds and George T. Dexter, with an appendix by Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, a senator from New York, 1833-44; "Spirit Messages," by Prof. Hiram Corson. Barrett, Lodge, Podmore, Hyslop, Hill, Carrington, and many others are represented.

The large group of periodicals on magic and on the psychic comprise such titles as "The Sphinx" (Kansas City, Mo.), 1904-; "The Magic Circular" (London), 1916; "The Magic Wand" (London), 1923-; "The Mahatma " (New York), 1895; "The Spiritualist" (London), 1877-82; "The Light" (London), 1894; "The Two Worlds" (London), 1887-; "Borderland" (London), 1894; "Occult Review" (London), 1905-.

An important separate group consists of 126 albums of clippings on Houdini, magic, the psychic, lives of magicians, matter relating to political campaigns, historical events and travel. [Through the kindness of Mrs. Houdini we have received as a gift 11 photographs of Mr. Houdini.]

Gabriel Wells.

Mr. Gabriel Wells, of New York City, a publisher of GIFTS: fine books and also distinguished as a connoisseur and bibliophile, presented to the Library of Congress a splendid copy of "Homeri opera, Editio Princeps (Ilias) Florentiæ, 1488." This copy of the "Iliad" of Homer is tall, wide margined, and bound in vellum. It bears the bookplate of the Earl of Mansfield. This unusual gift promptly eliminated this item from the "List of Desiderata" recently issued by the Library of Congress. This action of Mr. Wells is a fitting recognition of the National Library as an appropriate repository for such a monument in the history of culture.

Mr. Wells has also during the year shown his interest in our collections in aiding us to acquire an unusually beautiful Ephrata manuscript of the "Turtel-Taube," at one time in the possession of Benjamin Franklin. (See infra under Music division.)

Dr. William Vail Kellen.

Brown.

We welcomed this year another gift from one who has always shown a very keen scholarly interest in the development of our law collections, especially English law-an interest which has prompted many valuable and important gifts. We refer to Dr. William Vail Kellen, of Boston, Mass. His gift this year comprised, as usual, material of real value to serious investigators in this particular field. The items are here simply mentioned; they will be found listed in more detail in the report of the law librarian (infra):

13 English year books, 1556–1567, original issue.

The boke for a Justice of peace, 1544, original issue.

Year books of Edward II, 1311, 1314–1315 (Selden Society Publications, 1925-26).

J. Stanley A noteworthy gift during the year was that received. from Mr. J. Stanley Brown, of New York City. It comprised 1,280 volumes and pamphlets and 3 maps, chiefly documentary in character and of considerable value in filling missing sections in our series. Certain of the material is in manuscript form, one item of which is "The original book of records of the seal and sea otter catches on the Pribilofs." The collection contains important material relating to the Bering Sea fur seal arbitration.

Evelyn Briggs Baldwin.

Mrs. Archibald Hopkins.

Mr. Evelyn Briggs Baldwin, who has gained distinction in polar expeditions, and who has in previous years presented to the Library certain original records of his work in the far north, still continues his interest in genealogical records chiefly with the purpose of providing source material invaluable to the serious investigator in this field of history. During the year he presented the Library the abstract of chancery proceedings (manuscripts and copies) of Collins Division Class 6, Hamilton Division Class 7, Mitford Division Class 8, Reynardson Division Class 9, Whittington Division Class 10, also the Court Rolls of Hereford, England, and extracts from Bishop's Transcripts of Parish Registers, Bobleian Library, Oxford, England.

Of special value to our historical collections was the gift of Mrs. Archibald Hopkins comprising correspondence and printed material relating to Mrs. Hopkins's