SYD KRONISH | Stamps Issue honors 'King of Handcuffs'

Now you see it! Now you don't!
We know that the hand is not really quicker than the eye. That's where we come into the wonderful sphere of the magician. The success of magic lies in his ability to create illusions that have the appearance of reality.
The stamp world was initiated into the world of magic last year when the U.S. Postal Service issued a 37-cent stamp honoring Harry Houdini, the most famous of modern-era magicians who astonished audiences with his daring escapes not only from handcuffs but also straitjackets, ropes, chains, jail cells and even trunks immersed in water.
Background
Harry Houdini was born Erich Weisz in Budapest, Hungary, on March 24, 1874. His family immigrated to the United States when he was 4 and settled in Wisconsin. He went on to perform magic and escape tricks in dime museums, circuses and medicine shows, changing his name in the early 1890s as a tribute to the famous French illusionist, Jean-Eugene Robert Houdin.
In the spring of 1900, he became the star known forever as King of Handcuffs. Beginning in 1915, he electrified audiences with his suspended straitjacket escape. Houdini was bound in a straitjacket with a rope tied around his ankles, then hoisted high above the crowd and suspended from a beam that projected from a window in a tall building. His escape was cheered by the crowds.
The new stamp featured a portrait of Houdini by designer Richard Sheaff showing a confident, self-assured magician at the height of his career taken from a 1911 lithograph poster.
Magicians go back in history to ancient days when a king's personal sorcerer was supposed to be able to make it rain, ward off enemies, prevent and cure diseases, and cast spells on invading armies. History tells us that the ancient Egyptians have given details of their performances before Pharaoh Cheops, who died about 2494 BC.
Houdini would have been great even in those days.
Ways to build collection
The U.S. Postal Service reminds collectors, young and old, that there are five unusual ways to build your collection. The subscription programs provide convenient and automatic ways to receive important stamp issues. You can enroll in any of the USPS exclusive programs to ensure that your collection grows all year long.
The first program is the American Commemorative Panels. You get these stamps and their history together in a collectible format. These limited-edition panels are made of 8-and-a-half by 11-inch extra heavy paper. They feature engraved reproductions of artwork, mint stamps in an acetate mount and include the stories behind the stamps.
The second program is the First Day Ceremony Program. Each ceremony program includes an agenda and participant list, letting you know the activities of the event. You also get fixed mint stamps with cancellations showing the city and the date of issuance.
The third is the American Commemorative Cancellation Set. For each stamp issued, you'll receive an 8x10 color page with mint-condition stamps affixed and canceled with official First Day of Issuance Cancellation.
The fourth program is the American Commemorative Collections Set. You will receive mint commemorative stamps honoring important anniversaries, people, events or aspects of our heritage and culture.
The fifth way is the Standing Order Program. You can receive your favorite types of stamps automatically, including specific format and quantities. You can pick from commemorative, definitive, special stamps and more. You can also include postal stationery and philatelic collectibles.
Start subscriptions by calling (800) STAMPS-24.