House of Mystery
- Mike Kamlet
- Dec 1, 2024
- 2 min read
David P. Abbott may not be a household name, but his legacy has resurfaced recently (more on this later). Abbott was a well-to-do amateur magician from Omaha Nebraska who gave performances in his home (the Mystery House) in the early part of the 20th century to all the famous magicians at the time: Houdini, Keller, Okito, Ching Ling Foo, just to name a few. Abbott’s home had built-ins to allow for various effects including his Talking Teakettle. Abbott published his first book, Behind the Scenes with the Mediums in 1907. Another manuscript (thought to be lost), The Book of Secrets, was published by Walter Graham in 1977 after finding it stored in the Abbott home (Abbott passed away in 1934).
In 2005, Todd Karr (The miracle factory) and Teller, published a two volume set called The House of Mystery. While out of print, these books do appear from time to time in auctions. The deluxe edition (which I have a copy in my collection) commands higher prices and comes with a shell case, DVD,and a signed title page. The books reprint all of Abbott’s publications including some lesser known ones such as The Wonder Girl, a short overview of psychic Eugenie Dennis and The Marvelous Creations of Joseffy, a pamphlet about the inventor of "Balsamo, the Talking Skull"
In the Behind the Scenes with the Mediums reprint, photos were added to explain the effects. The “models” that were used were Johnny & Pam Thompson and Teller. Besides the “spirit” effects, there are methods for the linking rings, coins through table, and cut and restored turban (used by Penn & Teller). The books also have historical information on Abbott as well as commentary from Teller.
While this book is almost 20 years old, David Abbott has been in the news recently. In September, the Omaha magic society, in partnership with Teller, purchased the Abbott home (for $387,000) with the goal of opening in 2026 to carry on Abbott’s legacy and be able to show Abbott’s creations in the original setting. The November issue of M-U-M details how the Omaha magic club reached out to Teller and more information can be found on their website:
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