Despite his father’s disapproval of magic, Walter Edwin Floyd (American 1861-1940) was able to persuade magician Professor Harrington to teach him the trade after Floyd saw him perform in 1871. He moved to assisting magician Robert Nickle before venturing into his own professional career in 1879. His acts included a two-person mind reading act with his wife, Mohala (Mary Robinson) and he sometimes shared ideas and information in collaboration with Harry Houdini to expose fake mediums. Floyd performed for nearly 60 years before he died on stage of a heart attack while performing the “Miser’s Dream”.
The minimalist styling of this poster relies on the name recognition of Floyd himself rather than the grandeur of his tricks.