Jan 28, 2021 - Sale 2556

Sale 2556 - Lot 55

Price Realized: $ 1,125
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 700 - $ 1,000
MAHLON BLAINE (1894-1969)
"[Tibetan] Water Walker." Mixed media with gouache, glaze, and tempera on board. 506x406 mm 20x16 inches. Signed and titled in pencil on verso: "Tib[et] Water Walker / Mahlon Blaine/ Dunninger/ 760 Cauldwell Ave / NYC."

A gift by Blaine to his friend and patron, the famous magician and mentalist, Joseph Dunninger. Both Blaine and Dunninger were cult figures in the circles of magic, mystery, science fiction and fantasy, most prominently in New York City. Blaine illustrated several of Dunninger's books and painted several commissioned works for him. "The Amazing Dunninger" performed for Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, and appeared on radio and television, even inspiring Soupy Sales and Johnny Carson to base humorous characters on him.