HoudiniOpoly.com
Here is an early version of The Landlord's real estate trading game,based on Elizabeth "Lizzy" Magie's The Landlord's Game, U.S. Patent 748,626. The first real estate trading board game was invented by Elizabeth Magie in HoudiniÕs day in 1903, and patented in 1904. Around that time Houdini did the Siberian Transport Cell or "Carette" escape in Russia on May 10, 1903. It was called a rolling "safe on wheels" used to send prisoners to Siberia. This escape will be on the game, 1913.
Elizabeth Magie patented the game in 1904 under the name The LandlordÕs Game. Some of the innovations of the game that won the patent was that it did not have a beginning or end. When a player landed on a box, its value and meaning changed and could be owned by the player. In 1904 Houdini did one of the most famous escapes of his career, The Daily Mirror Challenge Handcuff escape to world wide acclaim. After an hour and ten minutes, Houdini emerged free. As he was paraded on the shoulders of the cheering crowd, he broke down and wept. Houdini later said it was the most difficult escape of his career. These facts about Houdini will be covered in the game as well.
Flush with success and money Houdini returned to the U.S. and purchased a house for $25,000, a brownstone at 278 W. 113th Street in Harlem, New York. The house still stands today.
For playing pieces people would use buttons, coins and charms. In keeping with this tradition this second stretch goal will be to add 6-9 appropriate charms as pawns. This will probably be shipped separate, and we will absorb the the full cost. We have hired several people to attend the NYC Toy Fair and the NYC Jewelry shows at the Javits Center to research this in February and March. More on this can be seen in 24 hours at http://HoudiniOpoly.com/ElizabethMagie.html
In 1924 Elizabeth Magie renewed the patent on her game with some changes. That same year American fantasy author H. P. Lovecraft in February 1924. was commissioned by Weird Tales to write a story for Houdini called "Imprisoned with the Pharaohs" That same year Houdini wrote an exposure of the celebrated Boston medium Mina Crandon, aka "Margery." Houdini, wrote she was a fake. The case receives wide coverage in the press.
Just ordered cards that look like...
If you can use any to give out I can be reached at 570 342-5555
or webmaster(at)houdini(dot)net
For info about the deeds go to DEEDS
For info about the Play Money go to PLAY MONEY
For USA buyers, you can order with paypal, 1, 2 or 4 HoudiniOpoly games by clicking on this next pull down menu
For USA buyers, you can order with paypal, 1, 2 or 4 HoudiniOpoly games with the extra pawns for each set by clicking on this next pull down menu
SET OF 14 PAWNS THAT MAKES THE GAME SO MUCH MORE FUN AND EXCITING! $20. US SHIPPING INCLUDED. The game comes with 6 ordinary standard small chess-like pawns as well. But we have 14 extra "Houdini" related pawns tp make the game a lot more fun. A fan, Kenny Biddle, put up this cropped picture of the pawns on his facebook page. (See below for a detailed explanation of the meaning of each of the special pawns shown. )
Due to the nature of Opoly games, over time, fewer and fewer games will remain unopened, complete and intact. Once those are gone, the collectors market takes over!
Ebay has a rare collection of Houdini movies for sale
Credit due to the following for their tireless research on Houdini and help, often with direct contact or via the Internet,
Dean Carnegie,
Milbourne Christopher,
John Cox-Wild About Houdini,
Pat Culliton,
Joe Fox,
Walter B. Gibson,
David Haversat,
Leonard Hevia,
John Hinson,
Tom Interval,
Joe Notaro,
Arthur Moses,
John Oliver,
Fred Pittella,
Bill Rauscher,
Steve Santini,
Mark Willoughby, and others.
Along with important books by
RuthBrandon,
Milbourne Christopher,
Pat Culliton,
Walter B. Gibson,
Will Goldston,
William Lindsay Graham,
Dough Henning,
Beatrice Houdini,
Harry Houdini,
Bill Kalush,
Bruce MacNab,
Charles Reyonlds,
Ken Silverman and others.
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