Paper Tearing Scrapbook

Details

ProvenanceThis item is part of a collection of magic and entertainment props which belonged to Harold Watson. He was born on 20 March 1900 in Meadows. Besides his career as a school teacher in South Australia, he was fascinated in magic research and became a semi-professional magician. Known as The Wizard Watson he had his own branded props to entertain the audience with mystery and excitement in his shows. Harold Watson was an initiator of the Adelaide Magicians' Club in 1920. The Australian Society of Magicians had been founded in Sydney on 15 January 1907.

A component of Harold’s shows was paper tearing. In his collection of note books, there is a copy of Albert Briggs’ ‘Paper tearing made easy’. Introductory words of the booklet state: ‘The tearing of designs from paper is an art that is easily mastered. It not only provides entertainment, but novel table mats for the home can easily be made’. Harold added his own notes and newspaper clippings about the art of paper tearing to this booklet.SignificanceA number of items of magic paraphernalia in the State History collection give us the opportunity to take a look behind the curtain of magicians and their magic.

One of just over 30 items in a collection which belonged to magician Harold John Watson.DescriptionA handmade rectangular book of typed and written sheets, newspaper cuttings and illustrations stapled on the left hand side of the booklet with fours staples. The booklet is folded in the centre so that the front cover is entitled “Paper tearing made easy”.Creator (person)Harold WatsonAcknowledgement Date of CreationBetween 1st January 1917 and 31st December 1982Date of UsageBetween 1st January 1917 and 31st December 1982MaterialPaper
|Cardboard
DimensionType: Open
Height: 205
Width: 260
Depth: 5
Unit (Lengths): mm
|Type: Closed
Height: 205
Width: 140
Depth: 5
Unit (Lengths): mm
Accession NumberHT 2017.1530

Connections

PeopleHarold Watson

Image Credits

Image FilenameHT2017-1530_CI36036.jpgCopyrightHistory Trust of South AustraliaLicenseCC-0

Image Credits

Image FilenameHT2017-1530_CI36037.jpgCopyrightHistory Trust of South AustraliaLicenseCC-0

Image Credits

Image FilenameHT2017-1530_CI36038.jpgCopyrightHistory Trust of South AustraliaLicenseCC-0

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