The Most HATED Magicians Ever.

This video delves into the fascinating and dramatic history of the Davenport Brothers, a renowned double act of the 1800s, framed as part of a series exploring historical magic controversies. The brothers gained immense popularity by presenting their illusions, particularly the 'Spirit Cabinet,' as supernatural, claiming contact with the spirit world. However, their success was challenged by skeptics like Harry Keller and The Ghost Club, who sought to expose their methods. Internal cracks emerged when William Fay left the act to join Keller. The situation escalated further when John Neville Maskelyne and George Cook replicated the brothers' show, explicitly denying any supernatural involvement, a move supported by other magicians like John Henry Anderson and Robert Houdin. A chaotic riot in Liverpool, triggered by the brothers' inability to escape a 'Fool's knot,' further exposed their act. Adding another layer, Harry Houdini claimed a confession of fraud from Ira Davenport, though the brothers' own writings suggest a genuine belief in spiritualism. Even Arthur Conan Doyle defended their authenticity. The creator questions whether the extensive exposure was necessary, highlighting the intense rivalries and dramatic events that characterized 19th-century magic and found the quote 'Mia conj ing of no very high order' to be particularly brilliant.