The Right Way to Do Wrong by Harry Houdini

Chromolithograph Lithograph printed in colors, typically three or more.Reverse calf, with a distinctive suede-like texture, is occasionally used.

Readily marbled (“tree calf”), mottled, diced, colored, polished, tooled in gilt or blind, even scented (known as “russia”). Calf Binding material made from cowhide-versatile, durable, usually tan or brown in color, of smooth texture with no or little apparent grain.Broadside Sheet printed on one side, typically for public display, usually larger than folio size (a folio being a broadside-size sheet printed on both sides and folded once, to make four pages).Book-Plate Label, generally affixed to the front pastedown, identifying a book’s owner.Of particular value to collectors as evidence of a very early form of the book. “Original boards” refers to cardboard-like front and back boards, from about 1700 to 1840, used as temporary protection for books before their purchasers would have them bound. Boards Hard front and rear covers of a bound book which are covered in cloth, leather or paper.

Association Copy copy that belonged to someone connected with the author or the contents of a book.

Armorial Used to describe a binding bearing the coat of arms of the original owner, or with bookplates incorporating the owner’s arms.

Although the name contains the word “tint”, this is a black-and-white printing process aquatint plates can often be hand colored, however. By changing the areas of the plate that are exposed and the length of time the plate is submerged in the acid bath, the engraver can obtain fine and varying shades of gray that closely resemble watercolor washes.

Aquatint Copperplate process by which the plate is “bitten” by exposure to acid.

Interior fine lightest soiling to bright wrappers. “A certain fascination without doubt lingers about crime and the methods of criminals… I have held them up to your gaze, not as heroes, but as malefactors not as examples to be emulated, but as corruptions to be shunned, as you would shun a plague.” With photographic frontispiece portrait of Houdini, numerous in-text pen-and-ink line-cuts of criminals in action, and separate chapters on “Burglars’ Superstitions,” “Pickpockets at Work,” and “Tricks of Bunco Men.” Bookseller ticket tipped to title page, partially affecting imprint. Octavo, original pictorial stiff red paper wrappers.įirst edition of Houdini’s first book- an illustrated exposé of “a world of cheat and crime- a world whose highest good is successful evasion of the laws of the land,” in original wrappers.

The Right Way to Do Wrong: An Exposé of Successful Criminals. ON THE METHODS OF CRIMINALS BY HOUDINI, “HANDCUFF KING AND JAIL BREAKER”: HIS FIRST BOOK

The Right Way to Do Wrong by Harry Houdini