Estate Sale of Legendary Magician Yields 14 Rabbits Nobody Knew About

The estate sale of the late Irving the Incredible, a stage magician who performed for five decades before his death in December at age 91, has revealed that the illusionist's home contained fourteen live rabbits housed in a concealed compartment beneath the living room floor that no family member, friend, or repair person had ever detected. The rabbits — all white New Zealand Whites of the variety traditionally used in hat production illusions — were discovered when estate liquidator Sandra Pullman noticed 'a soft thumping sound' emanating from the floorboards during an initial walkthrough of Irving's three-bedroom bungalow. 'I pulled up a section of hardwood and found a fully equipped, climate-controlled rabbit habitat built into the crawl space,' Pullman said. 'Fresh hay, water bottles on automatic dispensers, a ventilation system wired to its own circuit breaker, and fourteen rabbits in excellent health. The man was 91 years old and was secretly maintaining a subterranean rabbit colony. That's dedication.' Irving's daughter, Claudia Prestwick, was unaware of the rabbits' existence. 'I visited him every Sunday for thirty years,' she said. 'He never mentioned rabbits. I never heard rabbits. The floor was completely silent. How he soundproofed fourteen rabbits, I have no idea, but it might be the greatest trick he ever performed.' The compartment also yielded 200 silk scarves in various colors, 47 trick decks of cards, a collapsible top hat, and a handwritten note on Irving's personal stationery that read: 'The real trick was keeping them quiet all these years. Feed them at 6 and 6. They like Timothy hay.' The rabbits have been rehomed to a rescue organization. The concealed habitat has been offered to the Magic Castle's museum, which has accepted it as 'a remarkable example of offstage dedication to the craft.' 'Most magicians keep a rabbit or two for shows,' said magic historian Lorraine Prestige. 'Fourteen is not a professional inventory. Fourteen is a lifestyle.'