Carter the Great: The Vanishing Sacred Elephant

Despite being educated as an attorney, American Charles Carter (1874-1936) preferred the lights of the stage. Mounting some of the largest touring illusion shows of his day, he traveled the world eight times between 1907 and 1936. Performing abroad allowed him to avoid competing with Houdini and Thurston who were then at the height of popularity in magic entertainment in the United States.

This large, eight-page poster evokes the mystery of the exotic places where Carter performed. It features his vanishing elephant illusion. Carter was so thrilled with the design that he immediately wrote to congratulate Otis Lithograph Co., calling the image a “real money-getter”.