This cache of 39 "magical keys" used by Harry Houdini in his world-famous escape act were no less than the keys to the Great Houdini's kingdom. Without them, after all, he would have become fish food. Houdini's shtick was to jump into the cold sea, manacled and chained, the weight of the chains causing him to quickly sink to the ocean floor. Then, out of reach and holding his breath, he would struggle to somehow get free, unlock the handcuffs and swim to the surface. The audience would wait, seconds moving like minutes, minutes like hours. How could he survive? To Houdini, the keys must have possessed magical qualities, since when he died in 1926 his will specified that all of his magic equipment and secrets be entrusted only to his brother, Theo, also a entertainer touring under the name Hardeen. He further specified that upon Hardeen's death, all the equipment and secrets should be destroyed. Hardeen didn't agree and instead, before he died in 1945, he gave this batch of different size and shape keys to Sidney Radner, a Hardeen protege and the curator of the Houdini Museum in Las Vegas and owner of the biggest Houdini memorabilia collection in the world, from whom we obtained them. The keys vary in size, with some small enough for Houdini to have hidden them in his mouth (or wherever), and most look suited to opening dungeon gates given their ring-top designs and large teeth. The age-darkening and scattered rust only increase this eerie look and are right in keeping with Houdini's image. Houdini relics are hotly sought and have fetched astronomical prices at auctions worldwide, and nothing could possibly be more essential to his legend than his very magical (and profitable) keys. Each key comes with a unique LOA from Radner.