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'''Gustavus Katterfelto''' (or '''Katerfelto''') (c. 1743-1799) was a Prussian [[Magic (illusion)|conjurer]], scientific lecturer, and [[Quackery|quack]].<ref>[[Eric Maple|Maple, Eric]]. (1968). ''Magic, Medicine & Quackery''. Hale. p. 124. "Best known of all late eighteenth-century quack buffoons was the mountebank Gustavus Katterfelto, the conjuror who employed a combination of legerdemain, pseudo-science, and clever publicity techniques to fascinate the public for a whole decade."</ref><ref>Dawes, Edwin A. (1979). ''The Great Illusionists''. Chartwell Books. p. 61</ref>
'''Gustavus Katterfelto''' (or '''Katerfelto''') (c. 1743-1799) was a Prussian [[Magic (illusion)|conjurer]], scientific lecturer, and [[Quackery|quack]].<ref>[[Eric Maple|Maple, Eric]]. (1968). ''Magic, Medicine & Quackery''. Hale. p. 124. "Best known of all late eighteenth-century quack buffoons was the mountebank Gustavus Katterfelto, the conjuror who employed a combination of legerdemain, pseudo-science, and clever publicity techniques to fascinate the public for a whole decade."</ref><ref>Dawes, Edwin A. (1979). ''The Great Illusionists''. Chartwell Books. p. 61</ref>


Christian William Anthony Katterfelto (known as Gustavus) arrived at [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] in September 1776 and traveled around [[Great Britain|Britain]] until his death in 1799. He performed in London from 1780-84. The widespread flu epidemic of 1782 made him famous as a quack, when he used a solar microscope to show images of microbes he believed were its cause.<ref>Jameson, Eric. (1961). [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015048689270;view=2up;seq=70;size=125 ''The Natural History of Quackery'']. Charles C. Thomas Publisher. pp. 62-63</ref> These "insects" provided him with the catchphrase "Wonders! Wonders! Wonders!" which often headed his advertisements. He also lectured and entertained using magnetism, electricity, and many other aspects of science.
Christian William Anthony Katterfelto (known as Gustavus) arrived at [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] in September 1776 and traveled around [[Great Britain|Britain]] until his death in 1799. He performed in London from 1780-84. The widespread flu epidemic of 1782 made him famous as a quack, when he used a solar microscope to show images of microbes he believed were its cause. He lectured and entertained in [[Piccadilly]] using magnetism, electricity and the terms "styangraphy, palenchics, and caprimantic arts" to impress his audience.<ref>Jameson, Eric. (1961). [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015048689270;view=2up;seq=70;size=125 ''The Natural History of Quackery'']. Charles C. Thomas Publisher. pp. 62-63</ref> These "insects" provided him with the catchphrase "Wonders! Wonders! Wonders!" which often headed his advertisements.<ref>Haslam, Fiona. (1996). ''From Hogarth to Rowlandson: Medicine in Art in Eighteenth-century Britain''. Liverpool University Press. pp. 202-203. ISBN 0-85323-630-5</ref>


Katterfelto was an accomplished conjurer, who performed with a black cat which he advertised as "evil".<ref>Paton-Williams, David. (2008).''Katterfelto: Prince of Puff''. Troubador Publishing. p. 81. ISBN 978-1906510-916</ref> He claimed to have launched the first hot air balloon fifteen years before the [[Montgolfier brothers]], and claimed to be the greatest natural philosopher since [[Isaac Newton]].<ref>Altick, Richard Daniel. (1978). ''The Shows of London''. Harvard University Press. pp. 84-85</ref><ref>Paton-Williams, David. (2008).''Katterfelto: Prince of Puff''. Troubador Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 978-1906510-916</ref>
Katterfelto was an accomplished conjurer, who performed with a black cat which he advertised as "evil".<ref>Paton-Williams, David. (2008).''Katterfelto: Prince of Puff''. Troubador Publishing. p. 81. ISBN 978-1906510-916</ref> He claimed to have launched the first hot air balloon fifteen years before the [[Montgolfier brothers]], and claimed to be the greatest natural philosopher since [[Isaac Newton]].<ref>Altick, Richard Daniel. (1978). ''The Shows of London''. Harvard University Press. pp. 84-85</ref><ref>Paton-Williams, David. (2008).''Katterfelto: Prince of Puff''. Troubador Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 978-1906510-916</ref>

Revision as of 22:41, 26 April 2016

Gustavus Katterfelto

Gustavus Katterfelto (or Katerfelto) (c. 1743-1799) was a Prussian conjurer, scientific lecturer, and quack.[1][2]

Christian William Anthony Katterfelto (known as Gustavus) arrived at Hull in September 1776 and traveled around Britain until his death in 1799. He performed in London from 1780-84. The widespread flu epidemic of 1782 made him famous as a quack, when he used a solar microscope to show images of microbes he believed were its cause. He lectured and entertained in Piccadilly using magnetism, electricity and the terms "styangraphy, palenchics, and caprimantic arts" to impress his audience.[3] These "insects" provided him with the catchphrase "Wonders! Wonders! Wonders!" which often headed his advertisements.[4]

Katterfelto was an accomplished conjurer, who performed with a black cat which he advertised as "evil".[5] He claimed to have launched the first hot air balloon fifteen years before the Montgolfier brothers, and claimed to be the greatest natural philosopher since Isaac Newton.[6][7]

He performed on several occasions for the Royal family. The poet William Cowper refers to Katterfelto in The Task.

References

  1. ^ Maple, Eric. (1968). Magic, Medicine & Quackery. Hale. p. 124. "Best known of all late eighteenth-century quack buffoons was the mountebank Gustavus Katterfelto, the conjuror who employed a combination of legerdemain, pseudo-science, and clever publicity techniques to fascinate the public for a whole decade."
  2. ^ Dawes, Edwin A. (1979). The Great Illusionists. Chartwell Books. p. 61
  3. ^ Jameson, Eric. (1961). The Natural History of Quackery. Charles C. Thomas Publisher. pp. 62-63
  4. ^ Haslam, Fiona. (1996). From Hogarth to Rowlandson: Medicine in Art in Eighteenth-century Britain. Liverpool University Press. pp. 202-203. ISBN 0-85323-630-5
  5. ^ Paton-Williams, David. (2008).Katterfelto: Prince of Puff. Troubador Publishing. p. 81. ISBN 978-1906510-916
  6. ^ Altick, Richard Daniel. (1978). The Shows of London. Harvard University Press. pp. 84-85
  7. ^ Paton-Williams, David. (2008).Katterfelto: Prince of Puff. Troubador Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 978-1906510-916

Further reading

  • Fara, Patricia. "Katterfelto, Gustavus (d. 1799)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/15187. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.). The first edition of this text is available at Wikisource: "Katterfelto, Gustavus" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  • Paton-Williams, David. (2008). Katterfelto: Prince of Puff. Troubador Publishing. ISBN 978-1906510-916
  • Williams, Neville. (1962). Rogues and Rascals in English History. Collier Books.
  • Katterfelto and his Black Cat at The Great Cat
Attribution
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