Houdini's pocket watch with secret message sells for $204,000
A gold-filled timepiece engraved with the escape artist's birth name fetched more than five times its high estimate at auction.
A gold-filled pocket watch gifted to escape artist Harry Houdini by his wife, Beatrice, has sold for $204,000 at auction, according to the Times of India. The price significantly exceeded the $20,000 to $40,000 estimate provided by Potter & Potter Auctions.
The 19th-century French cylinder pocket watch contains a hidden message inside the hunting case. While the inscription appears to be a romantic birthday note, the first letters of the central words spell 'EHRICH', which was Houdini's birth name, Erik Weisz.
Beatrice, known as Bess, gave the watch to Houdini in 1910 while the couple was touring Australia. The engraved date of March 24, 1910, matches Houdini's true birthday, despite him often using April 6 for public purposes.
Potter & Potter described the watch as being in near-fine condition with a working mechanism that requires servicing. The item was part of the 'Houdini Returns: The Centennial Auction' and attracted 13 bids.
The watch has a documented history of ownership, having previously belonged to mentalist Joseph Dunninger, collector Raphael Ellenbogen, and Kevin Connolly. The final sale price of $204,000 includes the buyer's premium.