Thurston – Do the Spirits come back? – c1910

In Victorian England at this time there was a phenomenal interest in almost everything. If Charles Darwin’s book The Origin of the Species had made us question our own creation, everything else needed to be questioned. As the nation grew in to the 1900s Edwardian era, so to did an insatiable appetite for all things dark and supernatural. There became a vociferous interest by many, for  seances, card readings, tarot cards, palm readings, ouija boards, magic, hypnosis and the items this poster is questioning, reincarnation and the after-life.

Howard Thurston never actually appeared on stage with a skull during his performances that didn’t stop the artist of this elegant poster, playing with the evocative and provocative imagery to promote his shows.

In the poster Thurston seems to be picking up “messages” from the dead persons skull. There’s the usual red sprites and levitating ladies, bells, owls of the night a tambourine and even a firing gun!

An original poster was auctioned off in 2015 for $6,240

Thurston was a stage magician from Columbus, Ohio. His childhood was unhappy, and he ran away to join the circus, where his future partner Harry Kellar also performed. Thurston was deeply impressed after he attended magician Alexander Herrmann’s magic show and was determined to equal his work. He eventually became the most famous magician of his time. Thurston’s traveling magic show was the biggest one of all; it was so large that it needed eight train cars to transport his road show.

Our posters are carefully and professionally created from vintage originals. Whilst great care is taken in the production of these posters, we also try to maintain a vintage feel, so there may be small imperfections, fold marks, scuffs, tears or marks that were part of the original poster master. If these do appear they should be visible on the larger views of the item on this listing. The originals of many of the posters we offer can cost many thousands of pounds, so whilst these posters look great, especially framed and mounted on a wall, they are intended as a fun, affordable reproductions and not intended fine art prints.

The 50x70cm version has been specially produced to be used in conjunction with Ikea’s 50x70cm Ribba picture frame which currently retails for around £12. So you can bag a print and frame for a great price.