$20(1 review, 2 customer ratings) ★★★★★

This is the first volume in the famous series of locked books by Will Goldston. He writes in his introduction about his motivation to publish this book: "My aim from the beginning has been to gather together from all sources everything new and big in magic that has not been fully explained before." And indeed we have contributions from the finest magicians living at that time: Chung Ling Soo, Harry Houdini, Servais Le Roy, Conradi, Chefalo, Oswald Williams and Chris Van Bern and others. And don't forget that Goldston himself was a prolific inventor of illusions, many of which are included in this work.
The contents spans the whole gamut of magic from pocket tricks, mentalism, and comedy to large stage illusions. One of the crowning revelations in this volume is Buatier de Kolta's Expanding Cube Illusion which is the basis for the famous Origami illusion.
1st edition 1912; original 506 pages; PDF 300 pages.
- Contents
- Introduction to "Exclusive Magical Secrets"
- Additional Notes
Part I. Pocket Tricks
- The Chefalo Disappearing Knots
- A Loop of String and a Finger
- Caught with a Loop
- From Hat to Hat
- The Handkerchief and the Wand
- The Mesmerised Match Box
- The Mystic Matches
- A New Match Trick
- The Animated Cigar
- The Coin and the Glasses
- The Missing Sixpence
Part II. Drawing-Room Tricks
- Three Card Tricks Including Two Novel Ways of Finding Chosen Cards
- The Mysterious Couple
- A New and Original Thought-Reading Trick with Cards
- An Entirely New Method for Discovering a Chosen Card
- The Spelling Spirit
- The Changing Envelope
- Automatic Chessmen
Part III. Stage Tricks
- The "W.G." Glass Casket
- The Travelling Die
- Silent Thought Transmission
- The Plume and the Tube
- A Bird Cage Illusion
- The Animated Sketch
- Two New Clock Tricks
- The Flying Lamp
- Bertram's Walnut Trick
- The Lemon and Bank Notes
- The Dissolving Ball
- Chefalo's Candle and Handkerchief Trick
- The Accommodating Bottle
- Loading the Big Drum
- The Travelling Eggs
- The "New" Dove Bottle
- The Latest Thought-Reading Trick
- Two Mysterious Cigars
- The Magical Production of an Umbrella and an Umbrella Stand
- The Crystal Cylinders
- The Best of all Handkerchief Swords
- The Glass of Water and the Hat
- A Palm from a Walking Stick
- A New Restored Card Trick
- The Cards through the Hat
- The Rising Cards with the Swinging Houlette
- The Best Rising Card Trick
- The Rising Card Box
- Cards Rising from a Closed Box
- A Complete Watch Act
- The Stool and the Prophet
- The New Die and Hat Trick
- The Changing Rabbit
- The Magical Production of a Large Aviary
- The New Fish Bowl Trick
- The Chefalo Duck Tub
- The New Spirit Pictures
- From Decanter to Wine Glasses
Part IV. Chinese Magic
- The New Rice Bowls
- The Sugar Stick Trick
- Chefalo's Chinese Duck Production Act
- The Production of a Barrel of Water
- The Chinese Pagoda
- The Tea Chest Mystery
- The Magic Cauldron
- The Buddha Mystery
- The Umbrella and the Handkerchiefs
- A Bowl of Water and Some Confetti
Part V. Magical Tips
- An Electric Coin Ejector
- The Best of all Pulls
- The Best Throw-out
- The "Shutter" Trap
- A Double Trap
- The Elevator Trap
- The "W.G." Step-Ladder for Trap
- How to Protect One's Secrets during a Performance
- Martin Chapender's Diminishing Cards
- The "M.A." Automatic Servante
- Methods for enabling a Performer to change Places with his Assistant
Part VI. Harry Houdini's Tricks
- Houdini's Rope Tie
- Houdini's Escape from Two Boxes
- Houdini's Ice Pick Release
- The Houdini Pillory Illusion
- The Houdini Challenge Handcuff
Part VII. Buatier de Kolta
- Buatier de Kolta's Expanding Cube Illusion
Part VIII. Comedy Tricks
- A Novel Hat and Rabbit Trick
- Furnishing a Flat
- The Mysterious Production of a Coil of Rope
- A Weird Dinner Table
- The Production of a Girl on a Chair
- A Novel Cigar Lighter
- The Lazy Smoker
- A Mysterious Bouquet
- A Curious Dream
- The Acrobatic Dog
- The Winking Cat
- A Beard in a Second
Part IX. Quick Changes
- Some Quick Changes
- Quick Change Effect
Part X. Automata
- The Whist-Playing Automaton
Part XI. Juggling
- The Self-Lighting Candle
- A Juggling Feat with an Envelope, a Pair of Scissors, and a Pen
- Balancing a Feather
- "The" Billiard Ball Balance
- A Billiard Ball Balance
- A Fine Balancing Feat with Billiard Balls
- The Billiard Ball and the Fan
Part XII. Stage Illusions
- The Disappearing Piano
- The Lady and the Lion
- The Revolving Piano
- Denton's Cabinet Trick
- The Electrocution Chair
- Kellar's Floating Lady
- The Tea Chest and Tea Boxes
- The Mirror Illusion
- The Cannon and Crystal Box
- The Three Graces
- Will Goldston's Glass Box Illusion
- The Swing Illusion
- The Target Illusion
- Vendetta
- The Mysterious Iron Cage
- The Growing Box
- Canned Goods
- The Pretty Bird
- The Girl and Handkerchief Illusion
- Watch Her Go!
- Gee Whiz!
- The Lady who Revolves in Mid-Air
- Chefalo's Cage Cabinet
- The Merry Widow Illusion
- The Servais Le Roy Illusion 296
- Final Notes
word count: 72016 which is equivalent to 288 standard pages of text
SHARE:
Reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)
★★★★★ Date Added: Friday 19 August, 2022As an amateur close-up magician, I just seriously got more into illusions. Most books before 1970 had a lot of build-it-yourself tricks. Illusions were expensive and complicated. There are a few using fake legs or some simple sneaky moves. You might find more close-up tricks useful. Maybe 2 illusions at the most. They are no worse than the Osborne illusions or Rand Woodbury books. A lot cheaper really. The history here is the best lesson.