Happy Birthday David Copperfield

David Copperfield Autographed Photo

Happy birthday to Emmy Award and Guinness World Records-winning magician David Copperfield! Our Collector's Treasure of the Day is this 8 x 10 inch black and white glossy photograph which has been hand-signed by Copperfield, the most commercially successful illusionist in history. Crisp signature on a Fine glossy photograph. Authenticity guaranteed for life by Collector's Shangri-La.

Happy Birthday to The Amazing Randi

Conjuring Autographed by James Randi

Happy birthday to magician and scientific skeptic the Amazing James Randi, co-founder of Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation. Our Collector's Treasure of the Day is an autographed copy of his book Conjuring, a history of magic that explores the exploits of some of the most notorious magicians in history. Brand new hardcover includes insert hand-signed by James Randi. Authenticity guaranteed for life by Collector's Shangri-La.

The Amazing Randi with Collector's Shangri-La proprietor Kevin Segall and son at The Amazing Meeting 2014

Happy Birthday Neil Patrick Harris

Choose Your Own Autobiography Book Autographed by Neil Patrick Harris

Happy birthday to the Tony and Emmy award-winning stage and screen performer, Neil Patrick Harris, best known as Barney Stinson in the popular CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and for the titular roles in Doogie Howser, M.D. and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.  Our Collector's Treasure of the Day is an autographed copy of his memoir Choose Your Own Autobiography. Brand new First Edition hand-signed on the first free end page by Harris. Provenance Barnes and Noble signing 11/2014. Authenticity guaranteed for life by Collector's Shangri-La.

Happy Birthday Harry Houdini

Harry Houdini Skeleton Key Display

Happy birthday to magician and escapologist Harry Houdini (1874-1926). Our Collector's Treasure of the Day is this skeleton key from Houdini's personal collection. The key is mounted, framed and glazed. Originally billed as "The Handcuff King," significant portion of Harry Houdini's early repertoire involved escaping from various sets of handcuffs (and other restraints) presented to him by challengers; he eventually expanded the act to include escapes from jail cells, locked canvas mailbags, crates tossed in rivers, and other such scenarios. The key was obtained from the estate of famous key and lock collector Paul Harter who originally purchased Houdini's locks and keys from Houdini's brother Hardeen. In fine condition. Framed display is approximately 15 x 16 inches. Authenticity guaranteed for life by Collector's Shangri-La plus RR Auction COA.

Happy Birthday Penn Jillette

Penn & Teller Rot in Hell Playbill Magazine Autographed by Penn Jillette and Teller

Happy birthday to magician, author, and television / podcast host Penn Jillette, best known as half of the team Penn & Teller. Our Collector's Treasure of the Day is this copy of Playbill Magazine from the magic stage show Penn & Teller Rot in Hell (1991) that has been hand-signed by the illusionists. Authenticity guaranteed for life by Collector's Shangri-La.

Don't miss the duo answering the phone for Collector's Shangri-La on YouTube!

Happy Birthday Harry Houdini - Collector's Treasure of the Day

Harry Houdini Skeleton Key Display

Happy birthday to magician and escapologist Harry Houdini (1874-1926). Our Collector's Treasure of the Day is this skeleton key from Houdini's personal collection. The key is mounted, framed and glazed. Originally billed as "The Handcuff King," significant portion of Harry Houdini's early repertoire involved escaping from various sets of handcuffs (and other restraints) presented to him by challengers; he eventually expanded the act to include escapes from jail cells, locked canvas mailbags, crates tossed in rivers, and other such scenarios. The key was obtained from the estate of famous key and lock collector Paul Harter who originally purchased Houdini's locks and keys from Houdini's brother Hardeen. In fine condition. Framed display is approximately 15 x 16 inches. Authenticity guaranteed for life by Collector's Shangri-La plus RR Auction COA.

Happy birthday Penn Jillette - Collector's Treasure of the Day

Penn & Teller Rot in Hell Playbill Magazine Autographed by Penn Jillette and Teller

Happy birthday to magician, author, television host, and filmmaker Penn Jillette, best known for his work as half of the duo Penn & Teller. Our Collector's Treasure of the Day is this copy of Playbill Magazine from the 1991 magic stage show "Penn & Teller Rot in Hell" which has been hand-signed on the cover by illusionists. Near fine condition. Authenticity guaranteed for life by Collector's Shangri-La.

Don't miss Penn & Teller answering the phone for Collector's Shangri-La on YouTube!

Thanks to Magicians Penn and Teller for our Latest Voicemail Greeting!

Our sincere thanks go out to eccentric magicians Penn and Teller - Las Vegas superstars and hosts of the Showtime series Bulls**t!  They've provided the latest outgoing voicemail greeting for Collector's Shangri-La. If you call us and we're unavailable to answer, you'll hear an abbreviated version but if you want to hear their "director's cut" check it out at our new YouTube channel! While you're there, take a listen to our previous greeting recorded by filmmaker John Waters.

James Randi and Bill Nye the Science Guy Autographs from the 2011 Science Symposium

This past weekend (June 24-26) I attended the Skeptic Society's 2011 Science Symposium. The Skeptics Society is a nonprofit, member-supported organization devoted to promoting science and critical thinking while resisting the spread of pseudoscience, superstition, and irrational beliefs. I'm personally fascinated by conspiracy theories, the paranormal, and the supernatural - heck, I even ran a counterculture store for the second half of the 1990s. However, at heart I'm a pretty die-hard skeptic and have been a member of the Skeptic Society for many years.

The Science Symposium was three days of lectures, discussions, videos, and rubbing elbows with fellow skeptics like Bill Nye the Science Guy, Skeptic Society founder Michael Shermer, and magician and psychic-debunker James Randi. Sunday we were given the choice of a San Andreas Fault Geology Tour led by paleontologist/geologist Dr. Donald Prothero or a tour of historic Mt. Wilson Observatory.

I opted for the Observatory Tour, and wasn't disappointed. I had wanted to visit the Observatory since falling in love with a peculiar exhibit at the Museum of Jurassic Technology.  The MJT displays a number of extraordinary letters written to the observers at Mount Wilson Observatory between 1915 and 1935 by people from all walks of life and the world over expressing their idiosyncratic understandings of the universe. In other words - aliens, flat Earth theories, and other weirdness. In case you want to check it out, they've also published a book of these letters: No One May Ever Have the Same Knowledge Again.


 
Bill Nye The Science Guy's
Big Blast Of Science Book Signed by Bill Nye

Though I'm a bit too old to have grown up with Bill Nye the Science Guy, I've probably seen every episode of his ground-breaking show with my 10 year old son. Kids love him, but this weekend he was just as inspiring to a room full of jaded adults about changing the world for the better through science education.
  

 

Conjuring Book Hand-Signed

by magician James Randi

The Amazing Randi gave an extraordinary presentation in spite of just recovering from some major health problems. Magician James Randi is known as as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience which he collectively calls "woo-woo." Randi founded the James Randi Educational Foundation which offers a million dollar prize to anyone who can demonstrate evidence of the paranormal or supernatural under test conditions agreed to by both parties. The money is still sitting in the bank after several decades.

If any of this sounds interesting to you, I'd also recommend checking out the Amazing Meeting in Las Vegas July 14-17. Four days of fun, fellowship, and critical thinking! I won't be able to make it, but you know who will? The Amazing Randi, magicians Penn and Teller, Bill Nye, Mythbusters' Adam Savage, the Skeptic Society's Michael Shermer, NOVA's Neil deGrasse Tyson, The God Delusion's Richard Dawkins, and a bevy of top-notch scientists and writers.