Between Sal and myself we have over 80 years of publishers photos and thousands of studio portfolios sal was photographing as far back as 1928 till his death in 1995 and me I’ve been published as far back as 1978 and I’m still rolling this is a photograph of both of us and my little brother Key West 1976 hell of a year
Sal had many locations in Manhattan this is the place he was partners in eighth Avenue the 60s what a fun place that was some pretty wild images came out of there And definitely some wild stories to go with them
In 1935 great uncle Sal was 24 years old he opened up a mask photography studio in Manhattan he created this mask to assist him In his mind reading act and hypnotizing people 1937 he made six of them that year I have three hanging in our house
In 2004 I opened up Terracina West Studios there was 65 masks all through the studio and house wherever you were at there was a mask staring at you The two mask you’re looking at Sal created them in 1937 they were used in his mind reading act and hypnotizing people they’re both over 80 years old And in incredible condition Lisa and I have them hanging in our dining room and throughout the house here in Florida there’s 35 of them hanging around the rest are in storage What’s bizarre about them is the ingredients in the papier-mâché mix pyramid scrapings from Egypt Haitian voodoo dust and secret potions from around the world
My great grandfather Luigi Costello.Terrracina. Sal and Tony’s father Second cousin two notorious crime boss Frank Costello in Chicago we got stories from Elizabeth New JerseyI was his first great grandchild he died when I was eight remember him always giving me a dollar patting on the head and saying something in Italian
Portrait by Sal Terracina His little brother captain Tony Terracina photographed above his bar in Key West Fishel they drink all night wake up and do it again