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[[File: DavenportBrothers1.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ Davenport Brothers]]]]
[[File: PaulTrattner.png|right|thumb|200px|[[Paul Trattner]]]]
 
 
'''Paul Trattner''' (c. 1942-2013) was a retired Baltimore public schools art educator and webmaster who was also a noted magician and popular Santa Claus.


'''The Davenport Brothers''' were the American magicians [[Ira Erastus Davenport]] (1839-1911) and [[William Henry Harrison Davenport]] (1841-1877) who performed in the late 1800s.  Sons of a Buffalo, New York policeman, Ira Davenport, Sr, and Virtue Honeysett, the brothers are famous for deceptively presenting illusions that were claimed to be of a supernatural origin.
== Biography ==
== Biography ==
The Davenports began performing in 1854, less than a decade after the [[Spiritualism]] movement had taken off in America. After stories of the [[Fox sisters]] began to receive public attention, the Davenports started reporting similar occurrences happening to them. Their father resigned from his police job and took up managing his sons and the group was joined by [[William Fay]], a Buffalo resident with an interest in conjuring. Their shows were introduced by a former "Restoration Movement" minister, Jesse Babcock Ferguson, a longtime follower of Spiritualism, who falsely assured the audience that the brothers worked exclusively by spirit power rather than the deceptive trickery of commercial magicians. Ferguson was apparently sincere in his belief that the Davenports were possessed of real spiritual powers.


The Davenports' most famous effect was their box illusion. The brothers were tied up and closed inside a large box which contained a number of musical instruments. Once the box was closed, the instruments would be made to sound. Upon opening the box, the brothers were found tied in the same positions in which they had started the illusion. Those who witnessed the effect were made to believe that supernatural forces had caused the trick to work.
Born in Baltimore but raised in Highlandtown, Trattner earned a bachelor's degree in 1965 from the Maryland Institute College of Art and later a master's degree in art education. He began teaching art in 1965 at Armistead Gardens and Martin Luther King Jr. elementary schools. He later became a graphic arts designer and webmaster at the city school’s headquarters, from which he would retire in 2002.
 
[[Davenport Brothers|Read more about Davenport Brothers…]]
His interest in magic began when an uncle showed him some magic tricks at the age of twelve. By the early 1980s, Trattner was performing magic and "psychic entertainment" professionally. He enjoyed performing historic magic from the 19th century. He performed at the Maryland Historical Society, Center Club, Maryland Jockey Club, Laurel Park racetrack as well as at conventions, senior citizen centers, weddings and private parties.
 
Trattner maintained an interest in the 19th century, including its Christmas traditions. He became an expert on the international myths and legends of Christmas. In later years, with his full white beard, he became a personification of the 19th-century Santa Claus while performing historic conjuring tricks using authentic props from the era.
 
[[Paul Trattner |Read more about Paul Trattner...]]

Latest revision as of 20:02, 22 December 2024

Previous featured articles are located in Category:Featured Article Proposed candidates are listed in Category:Featured Article Candidate



Paul Trattner (c. 1942-2013) was a retired Baltimore public schools art educator and webmaster who was also a noted magician and popular Santa Claus.

Biography

Born in Baltimore but raised in Highlandtown, Trattner earned a bachelor's degree in 1965 from the Maryland Institute College of Art and later a master's degree in art education. He began teaching art in 1965 at Armistead Gardens and Martin Luther King Jr. elementary schools. He later became a graphic arts designer and webmaster at the city school’s headquarters, from which he would retire in 2002.

His interest in magic began when an uncle showed him some magic tricks at the age of twelve. By the early 1980s, Trattner was performing magic and "psychic entertainment" professionally. He enjoyed performing historic magic from the 19th century. He performed at the Maryland Historical Society, Center Club, Maryland Jockey Club, Laurel Park racetrack as well as at conventions, senior citizen centers, weddings and private parties.

Trattner maintained an interest in the 19th century, including its Christmas traditions. He became an expert on the international myths and legends of Christmas. In later years, with his full white beard, he became a personification of the 19th-century Santa Claus while performing historic conjuring tricks using authentic props from the era.

Read more about Paul Trattner...