Guide to the John H. Percival Papers, 1898-1973
Providence Public Library, Special Collections
150 Empire Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-455-8021
Fax: 401-455-8065
email: special_collections@provlib.org
Published in 2014
Collection Overview
| Title: |
John H. Percival Papers |
| Date range: |
1898-1973 |
| Creator: |
Percival, John H. |
| Extent: |
1 linear foot
|
| Abstract: |
This collection features the personal papers of magician, John H. Percival, including correspondence and photogrpahs. Also included are personal notebooks, in which Percival has recorded notes on tricks and the patter to accompany them. |
| Language of materials: |
English |
| Repository: |
Providence Public Library, Special Collections
|
| Collection number: |
MSS011 |
Scope & content
This small collection comprises of the personal papers of magician, John H. Percival. A bulk of the collection is correspondence. Photographs, writing drafts, and several notebooks are also included.
Access Points
Subject Names
Subject Topics
Subject Topics
Document Types
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in two series:
- I. Correspondence. This series is arranged chronolgically with two folders for selected correspondents.
- II. Biographical documents and photographs.
Biographical note
John H. Percival was born in East Providence and developed an interest in the magical arts after seeing a magic show when he was a child. From the age of eight until his death at eighty-six, Percival remained active as an amateur magician, using the pseudonyms ‘Mysterious John’ or ‘Rene’ when he performed. The first trick Percival learned involved breaking a matchstick in two, wrapping the pieces inside a handkerchief and removing the matchstick whole at the conclusion of the trick. When not engaged at his day job with the New England Telephone Company Percival attended performances and magicians’ conventions, where he became acquainted with many 20th century magicians, including Harry Blackstone, Howard Thurston and Harry Houdini.
Percival acted as a ‘stooge’ for Houdini — a plant in the audience during the latter’s performance — during a few shows the legendary magician performed in Providence. When Houdini called upon an audience member to bring him a pair of handcuffs from which to escape it was Percival who provided the special cuffs. He also inspected the tank used by Houdini in his escape from the Chinese Water Torture Cell. In a 1963 interview with M-U-M, Percival remarked that he and Houdini got into an argument over the examination of the front bars of the tank, though whether this was a genuine tiff or merely acting for the benefit of the audience is not clear.
Percival was active as a magician for much of his life, appearing in clubs, lodges and churches, where he performed a variety of illusions, including escapes, but card tricks were his specialty. Though he would occasionally enlist his wife, Irene, as a partner during a mindreading act, Percival was mainly a solo artist, which could have its pitfalls. During what was doubtless a memorable performance at the Iroquois Theatre in East Greenwich disaster struck when a drop crashed down from the ceiling onto his carefully arranged prop table.
In addition to his role as a performer, Percival was an avid collector of magic books, periodicals and ephemera, amassing over 1,500 items during his lifetime. The book collection of over 1,200 items features volumes on magic tricks, ventriloquism, spiritualism and gambling. Items of particular interest include Will Goldston’s Exclusive Magical Secrets, which took Percival two years to find and is secured with a lock and key, Harry Houdini’s exposé of fraudulent spirit-mediums called A Magician Among the Spirits, a mystery novel by Clayton Rawson titled Death from a Top Hat and a practical guide to fortune-telling, Zancig’s New Complete Palmistry. In addition to his books, Percival also donated his collection of periodicals, catalogs, correspondence, photographs and manuscripts. Among Percival’s ephemera is an autograph book of magician’s signatures which he collected between 1916 and 1931 and his correspondence with H. Adrian Smith, whose own collection of magic books can be found at Brown University’s John Hay Library.
Access & Use
| Access to the collection: |
There are no restrictions on access. This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Providence Public Library Special Collections department. |
| Use of the materials: |
Researchers are requested to cite the collection name and the Providence Public Library in all bibliographic references. |
| Preferred citation: |
John H. Percival Papers, MSS011, Providence Public Library. |
| Contact information: |
Providence Public Library, Special Collections
150 Empire Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-455-8021
Fax: 401-455-8065
email: special_collections@provlib.org
|
Administrative Information
| ABOUT THE COLLECTION |
| Acquisition: |
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| ABOUT THE FINDING AID |
| Author: |
Finding aid prepared by Zachary Lewis and Jordoan Goffin, 2012. |
| Encoding: |
Finding aid encoded by Stacie M. Parillo, 2014.
2014 September 10 |
| Descriptive rules: |
Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) |
Additional Information
| Related material: |
Providence Public Library Special Collections, John H. Percival Ephemera Collection.Providence Publib Library Special Collections, John H. Percival Magic Collection.Images from the Percival Magic Collection at the Providence Public Library Special Collections can be viewed online, http://j.mp/percival-images . |
Inventory
| Box 1, Folder 1 |
|
Correspondence
|
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1908-1920 |
| Box 1, Folder 2 |
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Correspondence
|
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1921-1930 |
| Box 1, Folder 3 |
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Correspondence
|
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1931-1940 |
| Box 1, Folder 4 |
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Correspondence
|
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1941-1949 |
| Box 1, Folder 5 |
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Correspondence
|
|
1950-1951 |
| Box 1, Folder 6 |
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Correspondence
|
|
1952-1953 |
| Box 1, Folder 7 |
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Correspondence
|
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1954-1955 |
| Box 1, Folder 8 |
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Correspondence
|
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1956-1957 |
| Box 1, Folder 9 |
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Correspondence
|
|
1958-1959 |
| Box 1, Folder 10 |
|
Correspondence
|
|
1960-1961 |
| Box 1, Folder 11 |
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Correspondence
|
|
1962-1963 |
| Box 1, Folder 12 |
|
Correspondence
|
|
1964-1965 |
| Box 1, Folder 13 |
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Correspondence
|
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1966-1967 |
| Box 1, Folder 14 |
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Correspondence
|
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1968-1969 |
| Box 1, Folder 15 |
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Correspondence
|
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1970-1973 |
| Box 1, Folder 16 |
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Correspondence
|
|
undated |
| Box 1, Folder 17 |
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Correspondence, Eddie "Tex" McGuire
|
|
undated |
| Box 1, Folder 18 |
|
Correspondence, Lean "the Magician" Sylvian
|
|
undated |
Series 2. Biographical documents and photographs
| Box 1, Folder 19 |
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Drafts of writings
|
|
undated |
| Box 1, Folder 20 |
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Photographs
|
|
undated |
| Box 1, Folder 21 |
|
Membership cerftificates
|
|
undated |
| Box 1, Folder 22 |
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Documents relating to the Percival Collection
|
|
undated |
| Box 1, Folder 23 |
|
Notebooks (1 of 3)
|
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undated |
| Box 1, Folder 24 |
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Notebooks (2 of 3)
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undated |
| Box 1, Folder 25 |
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Notebooks (3 of 3)
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|
undated |