2024-04-08 Preliminary Inventory of the Maurice F. Raymond Collection, 1896-1948, circa 1980s SPEC.TRI.MFR Finding aid prepared by Courtney Bishop; Tricia McEldowney Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210
2017 November; 2024 February This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2024-04-08T11:08-0400 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Maurice F. Raymond Collection SPEC.TRI.MFR Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 0.69 Cubic feet 1896-1948, circa 1980s Maurice F. Raymond (1877-1948) was an American magician, who toured the world performing magic. Litzka Raymond (his wife, born Pearl Gosner and who later went by Litzka Gibson) was a harpist and illusionist who joined him on his tours. The Maurice F. Raymond Collection contains programs, advertisements and fliers, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and photographs. The materials are dated 1896-1948, circa 1980s. (4) oversize folders; (2) letter file folders; (1) 2.5" legal document box English, Spanish, French Gibson, Litzka R. Raymond, Maurice F., 1877-1948 Arrangement of Materials

This collection is unprocessed. Materials are arranged in the order received.

 Acquisitions Information

Accession No. TRI.2014.0045: Purchase, 2014 April; Accession No. TRI.2014.0126: Purchase, 2014 November; Accession No. TRI.2018.0094: Purchase, 2017 January; Accession No. TRI.2018.0096: Purchase, 2013 November; Accession No. TRI.2018.0101: Purchase, 2014 November

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Maurice F. Raymond Collection, SPEC.TRI.MFR, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute, Ohio State University

 Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.

 Use of Materials

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.

 Processing Information

This collection is unprocessed; finding aid written by: Courtney Bishop, 2018 November; Tricia McEldowney, 2024 February.

 Biographical Note

Maurice F. Raymond was born on May 30, 1877 in Akron, Ohio. He began performing young and rose to fame as an illusionist in the early 20th century. He used the stage name “The Great Raymond.” His acts featured large scale illusions and escapes, including his “Mytempsicosis—fastest trunk escape in the world.” He toured in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Raymond married Litzka Raymond (born Pearl Gosner and who later went by Litzka Gibson) in 1927 after the death of her first husband. She assisted Raymond during his performances and also had acts of her own as a magician and harpist. Maurice F. Raymond died in 1949, and Litzka Raymond married Walter B. Gibson later that same year.

 Scope and Contents

The Maurice F. Raymond Collection contains advertisement fliers of Maurice F. Raymond's performances (alone and with his wife, the harpist and illusionist Litzka Raymond) in English, French, and Spanish; programs; lists of his international tours; newspaper clippings; a handwritten inventory of props; typed articles about him, correspondence; an application for employment; promotional material; his marriage certificate with Litzka Raymond; business cards; tickets, receipts; and photographs. Also included are biographical materials about the American writer Walter B. Gibson, a list of his books and the announcement of his memorial service held in New York in 1986. The materials are dated 1896-1948, circa 1980s.

 Gibson, Litzka R. Raymond, Maurice F., 1877-1948 Advertisements Correspondence Fliers (printed matter) Magic shows--19th century Magic shows--20th century Magic--19th century Magic--20th century Magicians--19th century Magicians--20th century Newspaper clippings Photographs Programs (documents) Promotional materials Flyers, advertisements, newspaper clippings, programs 1 1 1920s-1930s Newspaper clippings, photographs, flyers, advertisments, press releases, interview 1 2 1920s-1930s Programs (1928 November-1930 September), flyers, advertisements 1 3 1928-1930 Inventory of props, expense receipts, correspondence, application for employment 1 4 1929 Raymond (Litzka), wife: calling cards, marriage certificate, promotional materials, magazine article 1 5 1927-1948 Gibson (Walter B.), writer: information 1 6 after 1941, 1986 Photographs, newspaper clippings, miscellaneous 1 7 1920s-1930s Accession No. TRI.2014.0045 0.1 Cubic feet 1910s-1930s (1) oversize folder 'The Great Raymond' performance at Theatre Royal (Windsor) broadside Accession No. TRI.2014.0045.001 1910s-1930s Accession No. TRI.2014.0126 0.1 Cubic feet 1896, 1928, 1932 Theater programs, handbills, posters, and newspaper advertisements 2018 TRI Accessions Box 4 1896, 1928, 1932 Accession No. TRI.2018.0094 0.1 Cubic feet 1924 October 13 "The Great Raymond" at Exeter Hippodrome linen backed broadside Accession No. TRI.2018.0094.001 1924 October 13 Accession No. TRI.2018.0096 0.02 Cubic feet circa 1980s Reproduced program from circa 1920s "The Great Raymond and Company in Magic and Mystery" at Goodyear Theatre 2018 TRI Accessions Box 3 circa 1980s Accession No. TRI.2018.0101 0.12 Cubic feet 1924-1930 Scope and Contents

This accession contains advertisement posters in Spanish for shows, check stubs, list of names, and a thank you note. Materials are dated 1924-1930.

 Advertisement posters for shows Accession No. TRI.2018.0101.001 1929-1930 Spanish Check stubs, list of names, and thank you note 2018 TRI Accessions Box 3 1924-1926