Angelo Faticoni

Angelo Faticoni (1859 – August 2, 1931) was a professional freakshow artist and contortionist who was renowned for his unusual buoyancy. He was known as the 'Human Cork'.

Faticoni was an Italian-American who discovered during his early childhood that he was able to float for long periods of time, although he did not use his abilities professionally until later life.^[1] Faticoni's professional feats include being sewn into a sack and thrown into a river attached to a 20-pound cannonball. A journalist at the time reported that Faticoni soon poked his head out of the sack and "he remained motionless in that position for hours".^[1]

On another occasion, the artist swam across the Hudson River tied to a chair which was weighted with lead.^[2] Doctors at Harvard University tested Mr Faticoni's abilities by observing him in a pool of water with a 20-pound lead weight tied to him. Faticoni stayed afloat for 15 hours. Doctors concluded that Faticoni's abilities were due to abnormal internal organs.^[1]

Though contemporary scientists were unable to find illusion-ism in Faticoni's work, the media frequently suggested that his unusually abilities were due to other-worldly forces. Popular psychics of the time suggested that spirits assisted him with staying afloat.^[1][3] Although the 'Human Cork' promised to reveal the secret of his buoyancy, he died before he was able to,^[3] passing away on August 2, 1931 at St. Vincent's Hospital whilst visiting relatives in Jacksonville, Florida.^[1] Faticoni's obituary in the New York Times carried the headline; "Human Cork dies, secret untold".^[4]

References

1. Randall Floyd (January 17, 1993). "Human Cork's death sank attempts to uncover secret". The Augusta Chronicle.
2. "Apertif". The North American Review (University of Northern Iowa) 232 (4): 289–291. October 1931. JSTOR 25113906.
3. New York Herald Tribune, August 13, 1931, p.8 c.1
4. "'Human Cork' dies, Secret Untold". New York Times. August 13, 2010.