Claude Noble and “Gypsy’s Party”

This little round “Good Luck” card is not exactly a throw-out card, but it is on heavy card stock, blank on the back, and who’s to say that they were not thrown like a “Frisbee” out to an appreciative audience. I acquired this card many years ago, and I believe it was a purchase on eBay. When I tried way back then to find out who the “Gypsy” was of “Gypsy’s Party” I hit a brick wall.

That was before the creation of the fantastic Ask Alexander database. My posts on this blog would be a single paragraph if it were not for Ask Alexander, and the access it gives to so many magic periodicals from the past, and the history contained in them.

 

What drew me to this card was the statement that this “Good Luck Card was touched by the Magic Wand of Howard Thurston”. The card was given out by Claude Noble who I knew to be a good friend of the late Thurston. As a matter of fact, Noble would travel from his home in Detroit to Columbus, Ohio for many years on the anniversary of Thurston’s death and hold a little ceremony at the great magician's crypt, where he tried to make contact with Thurston’s spirit. He would hold a wand in his hand and hope that Thurston’s spirit would strike it to the floor. For all of the years Noble tried, he never made contact. Below is a photo of Noble with Thurston’s brother William from the 1937 ceremony.

Claude Noble with wand, William Thurston standing.

In The Billboard for August 21, 1943, there was a mention that "Mysterious Lawrence and Claude Noble helped entertain the kiddies at Edward C. Little's 15th annual Ice-Cream Party".  Further research led to many mentions of Ed Little's annual parties in Wabash, Indiana.  In The Linking Ring in September, 1942 it stated that it began "as a neighborhood party.  Through the years it has grown to be a city-wide affair".  There would be a flag raising by members of the American Legion.  There would be a talk to the children on safety by the local chief of police, and of course there would be a magic show by various magicians over the years.

I mentioned that “Mysterious Lawrence and Claude Noble entertained at the event related to the above “Good Luck Card”.  In the May, 1972 issue of The Linking Ring this article was written.
 

All that is left to discover is who was Gypsy? Well Gypsy, otherwise known as Gyp was Ed Little’s small dog. “In theory it’s Gyp’s party, and the children are Gyp’s guests. Of course, the grownups come along, too, just to see the children enjoy things”, so The Linking Ring stated back in 1942. The parties went on for so many years, that when the first Gyp passed away, Ed Little continued on with the celebrations with Gyp II. Here is a photo of Ed, Gyp II , and Gyp’s guests.

From The Linking Ring for September, 1942