Acting the goat… and getting it

It was an exploding chair which recently put an American dealer in touch with a world-famous illusionist.

After dropping out of an online auction for an exploding lodge chair, Al Lohman of Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, received a cryptic email from the winning bidder, who indicated he was interested in buying fraternal and vaudeville items made by the DeMoulin Bros. & Co of Greenville, Illinois. After replying to the email, Lohman learned that the sender was celebrated illusionist David Copperfield.

The chair was designed to collapse with a ‘bang’ produced by a .32-calibre blank cartridge that was loaded into the mechanism, said Lohman.

Copperfield collects vaudeville props and fraternal items manufactured around the turn of the century by DeMoulin. He paid about $2000 for the c.1890 exploding chair, which was used in initiation ceremonies of new lodge members.

Now, Mr Lohman might have missed out on the chair but he did have a mechanical goat made by DeMoulin in the early 1900s. The goat, which stands about 3ft 4in (1m) high, was also used to initiate new members into the secret proceedings of a fraternal order.

“The new member would be blindfolded and set on the goat and paraded around the hall,” he explained.

The DeMoulin goat was special because it was in excellent condition and came with its original shipping crate addressed to an Odd Fellows Lodge in Norway, Michigan. The shipping label indicates that DeMoulin manufactured lodge supplies and uniforms, “costumes, regalia, banners, badges, flags, lodge and church furniture, show wardrobes”. The company is still in business making band uniforms.

When David Copperfield voiced interest in the goat, Lohman offered to deliver it to Milwaukee where the magician was scheduled to perform. Lohman and his wife, Judy, met
the entertainer there and finalised the deal. The selling price was not revealed.
Al Lohman is a longtime collector and estimates he has accumulated about 500 to 600 fraternal and Masonic items. He also has a two-wheeled DeMoulin goat. The goat David Copperfield bought rolls along on five wheels, has stirrups and is equipped with a pneumatic noisemaker.
Meanwhile, Mr Lohman is still in the market for an exploding chair.