| My great-great-great grandfather was Ira Erastus Davenport. Ira, William H.H. Davenport, and Professor Fay were performing in Sydney in 1877. On July 1, 1877, William suddenly died (perhaps of a brain hemmorage) in his hotel room after one of their cabinet seance performances. William is burried in the Church of God Necropolis in Sydney. Distraught over his brother's death, Ira returned to America. If you like, I can tell you more about their relationship with Fay. My sis lives in NSW, so maybe she could come take a look at it. Also, you should check to see if there are any old instruments associated with the cabinet; specifically, a tamborine, a trumpet, a bell, and a guitar. These were also part of their performance. There might even be some rope left in there as well, but that is highly doubtful. The rope was used to bind the brothers to the cabinet, but part of the act was their escape from the ligatures. As far as value goes, it probably holds more historical value than monetary value. After all, it was prop used to fool people in a staged seance. Currently, I am conducting research on the Davenport Brothers, so any information would be helpful. | |
