There’s no ‘art’ in the picture sense for today’s poster, but there’s a lot of art in getting people to turn up for an event that may just not happen. And here we feature the popular nineteenth and early twentieth century block print poster style.

So a huge audience-grabbing name, of Harry Houdini (Ehrich Weiss) who was certainly one of the first men to fly a heavier than air, controlled aircraft successfully in Australia, in his case at Diggers Rest in Victoria, though the first true flight in Australia remains disputed. Here the promoter is offering Houdini will ‘positively fly’ (weather permitting).

A second version of the poster. In either form, those who like their typography will enjoy the wide variety of block fonts in this one. Some great Houdini links here on the www.ctie.monash.edu.au Hargrave site. A different copy of the poster, and an account of Houdini’s flight and time in Australia here.

James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer.

Source: State Library of Victoria black & white and red versions.