Magyar Posta and The House of Houdini are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of the world-famous escapologist Harry Houdini with a commemorative stamp speciality.

28 November 2024

To mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of the escape artist, Magyar Posta and The House of Houdini are jointly presenting the commemorative stamp on 29 November at The House of Houdini. One of the special features of the souvenir sheet is that a half-length portrait of Harry Houdini appears as if by magic under UV light.

Among the contemporaries of Houdini, the world-famous escape artist, there were many who believed that the great magician was aided by “supernatural forces”. And with good reason, as Houdini was able, in no time at all, to open the most complex post office safe locks, and free himself with ease from the strongest handcuffs, straitjackets, mail bags with a sewn up mouth and even submerged locked coffins in front of an audience. Houdini’s prestige was so great that his name even appeared in a dictionary of the English language as the pinnacle of the art of escape.

The design in the frame of the souvenir sheet shows the scene from a film performance at the moment he breaks free, while a padlock can be seen in the stamp. A special feature of the souvenir sheet is that the stamp itself can be peeled back and, after folding back the flap, a half-length portrait of Harry Houdini appears in the space below the stamp. Another special feature of the souvenir sheet is that the half-length portrait of Harry Houdini is visible in the padlock on the stamp under UV light, while the padlock can be seen in the half-length portrait of the escape artist after the stamp has been opened. An escape act appears on the commemorative first day cover, while the imprint of the postmark on the cover features the half-length portrait and signature of the renowned magician.

Twenty thousand copies of the new issue with a face value of HUF 1,270, based on the work of Tamás Ajtai and designed by Barnabás Baticz, were produced, with the permission of The House of Houdini and under the exclusive licence of David Merlini, by Codex Értékpapírnyomda Zrt.

The location of the issue of the souvenir sheet is The House of Houdini at 11 Dísz tér, in one of the most attractive parts of Budapest’s Castle District, which, apart from welcoming lovers and practitioners of magic, is a tribute to the greatest escape artist of all time, the Hungarian-born Harry Houdini. Its aim is to preserve in a befitting manner the memory and art of the artist and illusionist after whom it is named and to present to posterity rarely seen, noteworthy memorabilia.

The special stamp novelty will be available at first day post offices and Filaposta in Hungary from 29 November 2024, but may also be ordered from Magyar Posta’s online store.