Biographies & History

The Life and works of Axel Hellstrom. Contents include:

• Hellstrom's history
• Axel Hellstrom's mnemonic system
• other performers
• Hellstrom & Houdini & the S.A.M.

19 pages

Biography of Captain Gilbert S. Aleman's, a.k.a. Al Mann, early part of his life.

You may know Al Mann only as magician and mentalist. He was also a master mariner, a captain in the merchant marines, who spent years on the sea. This is an autobiographical account of his life before he became a mentalist. There is some mention of gambling, John Scarne, and how Al Mann got into magic, which may be of particular interest to magicians.

• Chapter I First Impressions
• Chapter II Rumors of War
• Chapter III The School
• Chapter IV Of Pins and Heroes
• Chapter V Through the Golden Gate
• Chapter VI Passage To...

When George Schindler wrote his book Amedeo's Continental Magic he used his tape recorder frequently to capture some of the remarkable Amedeo stories. On this recording George introduces Amedeo and we then hear Amedeo himself talking about his life and times in working for over 65 years in more than 23 countries. In 1972 the New York Society of Magicians named Amedeo as "Magician of the Year." Here is your opportunity to hear him talking about some of his experiences.

Recorded October 20th, 1973. Length 52 min.

This is a fun and informative article by an anonymous amateur magician detailing various mishaps of magic performances. Along the way we learn the modus operandi of all kinds of illusions, from Buatier de Kolta's vanishing cage all the way to the bullet catch.

This article was originally published in Chamber's Journal of December 16th, 1882.

1st edition 1882, 5 pages; digital edition 8 pages.

If you want to break into the TV market you have to listen to this. Anthony Owen is currently the most successful TV magic producer in the UK and has worked on the Derren Brown shows, Monkey Magic, Dirty Tricks, The Real Hustle, and many more. And even if you are not trying to become a TV magic star you will hear a lot of great advice for anybody who wants to make a living with magic.

"I thought CDs were out as a way of learning about magic, but this one by Anthony Owen proves I was wrong. You just have to hear him speak to get the full inspirational effect of his amazing story. This is someone...

A very interesting article about early conjuring, conjurers, books and manuscripts. Includes detailed research on how the term 'hocus pocus' came about.

This Orson Welles ebook is a case study of an individual that was able to think "out of the box". Each small fact presented leads to the whole of a thinking process that will always provide an unexpected Third Option. The process that is presented here is the kernel of all deception theory. It's why Bart is called the "defining expert" of deception and counterdeception (the detection of deception) by the intelligence communities of many countries.

Not only does it personify the Whaley Deception Theory it presents the genius of Orson Welles through all his creative work, not just Citizen Kane....

This is a new edition of the famous and unique magic dictionary by Bart Whaley. Bart has continued to correct entries in this dictionary until the present. We have converted everything to PDF and added bookmarks for each entry in the dictionary as well as inserted thousands of hyperlinked cross-references to make browsing and using this dictionary as convenient as possible.

There is simply no other such encyclopedia. Some have tried but nobody has achieved what Bart Whaley has. The depth and breadth is mind boggling. Almost 4000 terms are described. This is the absolute must have magic desk...

New updated edition.

This biographical guide lists over 5,500 men and women associated with the art of conjuring from earliest recorded times to the present: performers, inventors, writers, teachers, dealers, manufacturers, publishers, collectors, historians, and showmen of magic. Several are included from the so-called allied arts of magic. Thus it gives those whose deceptions or careers directly influenced magicians, such as pseudo-psychics and card sharps; and those who share many deceptive methods with magicians, such as escapologists, mentalists, and stage pickpockets and hypnotists....

This book won the SAM Special Library Award. It details Martin Gardner's, Jeff Busby's and Bart Whaley's search to uncover the person hiding behind the pseudonym S.W. Erdnase. It lays out in detail the case for Milton Franklin Andrews. It describes the life of Andrews, how he started with magic, and how he transitioned to become a cardshark, including his travels around the word hustling and cheating to make a living.

A detailed analysis of Erdnase's likely sources and inspirations, as well as other information about the book, its reprints, and other pertinent information will help every Erdnase researcher....

The only biography of the master magician and spy instructor John Mulholland.

"John Mulholland is surely one of the most fascinating personalities in magic history. For his work to advance conjuring as a recognized art, he deserves tremendous respect, and no serious student of magic will want to skip this book." - Michael Claxton, Magic Magazine, Feb 2009.

"I can even imagine him up in heaven huddling with Christopher, Houdini, Blackstone and Thurston as they discuss your biography. Their applause is loud enough to be heard on planet Earth." - Maurine Brooks Christopher

"I am an avid reader of books, all types of books, but not since...

This is the audio-book version of The MagiCIAn: John Mulholland's Secret Life. Listening time over 9 hours. The author, Ben Robinsion, reads the entire book. Additionally he also reads ten letters to and from Mulholland previously unpublished and not part of the book or ebook. Here is the first half of the first chapter:

"John Mulholland is surely one of the most fascinating personalities in magic history. For his work to advance conjuring as a recognized art, he deserves tremendous respect, and no serious student of magic will want to skip this book." - Michael Claxton, Magic Magazine, Feb 2009.

"I can even imagine...

Ben Robinson is a popular scholar showman. He has entertained at such opposite extremes as 21 shows in one week at Hollywood's Magic Castle, and at the Base Camp of Mt. Everest (17,800 ft.). Hartford Courant drama critic Malcolm Johnson wrote of his first one-man show Out Of Order: "Ben Robinson's performance of silent, surreal illusions is MUST SEE entertainment."

In Magic and the Silent Clowns Ben Robinson conjures with his passion of many years - silent clowns and magic. Focusing on Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Harpo Marx, Robinson details Buster Keaton's jumping into...

Bert Pratt was a bookworm, somebody who worked his way through libraries and book stores to find the odd appearance of magic in non-magic books. He wrote a series of articles which were published in the Midget Magician, a journal that saw a print run of only 50. It is therefore safe to assume you have never read these articles.

It includes excerpts from books and magazines now practically unobtainable. Bert Pratt, writing as Ptinos, delved deeply into the old book marts of London, into libraries, into magazine files, to find magic and magical references. The resulting reading is charming,...

A Warlock's Wandering is one magician's memories of his journey along the eternal path of wonder. It is my sincere hope that within its pages you may find something of value in presentation, thought, adaptation, and dressing. Between the lines are little gems of wisdom and knowledge gleaned from the many performers met over the last sixty seven years.

1st edition 2015, 57 pages.

Bob Gill has succeeded in producing a practical guide to the literature of magic for performers, students and librarians. This was, and still is, the only bibliography of performing magic in the English language to contain fully annotated entries evaluating the literature. It includes many rare and difficult to find publications, excluding material only of doubtful merit. It lists and describes over 1000 books and pamphlets on conjuring published up to 1975. Each book listed contains a description of contents and an assessment of value to performers, as well as bibliographical details.

The...

This ebook draws on the contemporary and other accounts to examine the persona Houdini created, having been born one Ehrich Weiss in Hungary prior to immigrating to America as a young child. It recaptures the era of variety and some of the acts that were rivalling Houdini. It explores in detail Houdini's clash with Carl Mysto in Salford in 1904, which had Houdini taking the unprecedented step of exposing his rival's coffin escape on stage. It also tells the story of Jack Wilson, a blacksmith, who claimed to have beaten Houdini at his own game following his challenges to Houdini in Blackburn and Bolton...

This ebook examines some of Houdini's escapades in Lancashire, England and explodes some of the myths that the world famous escapologist built up around himself. It draws on contemporary newspaper accounts and sources. Amongst other stories it relates closely the controversy surrounding Houdini's appearance at the Palace Theatre, Blackburn, England in October 1902 when he faced one of his severest challenges from William Hope Hodgson, who was to go on to be a writer of fantasy literature before his death in the First World War. Houdini, a master of showmanship and publicity, was able to exploit the ordeal...

The ebook tells the stories of 'Dr' Walford Bodie and 'Sir' Alexander Cannon both flamboyant magical characters of the last century. Walford Bodie was a magician-showman known to Houdini who sent him the actual electric chair from "Sing Sing" prison. Cannon was also an eccentric character suspected by MI5 of being a spy in World War II!

The cover features caricatures of Bodie and Cannon specially designed by magic graphic artist Donald Monk.

1st edition 2005, 1st digital edition 2013, 77 pages, 29 illustrations.

A heart-to-heart interview with Rachel Colombini conducted by Cameron Francis. Her beginnings in England, the move to the USA, how she and Aldo met, her difficult moment with open heart surgery, the recovery and more. She then shares a trick never before released and, why not, sing a song!

A history of magic interwoven with Charles Bertram's recollections.

From the introduction:

This is a fascinating travel log, including a good number of photos, by an accomplished magician circling the globe including visits to India, China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Unites States, Canada and other places. He devotes three fascinating chapters to the tricks of the Indian conjurers, but does not tell us a lot about his own performances during his voyage.

From the introduction by Professor Hoffmann:

Dr. Samuel Cox Hooker's Rising Cards have been an unexplainable fascination for nearly a century. Hooker first showed his effect in 1914, and in 1993 and 2007 John Gaughan gave abbreviated performances. Nobody who has seen the Hooker Rising Cards performed has ever been able to explain how such effects can be accomplished. This includes the most notable and most knowledgeable magicians from past and present. How can, from a borrowed and shuffled deck, any card called for rise in the fairest possible manner on a well lit stage only a few feet from the spectators?

This work is not just about...

The hunt to find the true identity of S. W. Erdnase, the author of The Expert at the Card Table, published in 1902 in Chicago, has been raging for more than a century. The book is as revered by gamblers and magicians as the Bible is by Christians.

One of the first and most active Erdnase hunters was well-known science writer, puzzle expert, and magician Martin Gardner, who erroneously thought he identified cardshark and murderer Milton Franklin Andrews as being Erdnase. After Andrews many other candidates were proposed, but none had a case strong enough to withstand scrutiny. None wrote like Erdnase, nor had sufficient opportunity, nor even a...

A unique documentary containing photos accompanied by autobiographical and anecdotal texts, featuring 250 magicians from 28 nations. This first volume includes names from A-H:

• Foreword by Eberhard Riese
• Introduction
• About the Author
• A
  • Adrian Guerra
  • Alan Shaxon
  • Aldo Colombini
  • Alexander Lehmann
  • Alexis
  • Alex Porter
  • Alfred Kellerhof
  • Ali Bongo
  • Almeico
  • Amos Levkovitch
  • Anatoli Kartashkin
  • Andreas Axmann
  • André Dubach
  • Andy Mayno
  • Arino
  • Arsène Lupin
• B
  • Bagattello
  • Bellachini XIII
  • Bert Rex
  • Blake Eduarado
  • Bob Little
  • Bob Sheets
  • Boretti
  • Boris Wild
  • Buccini
• C
  • Camilo Vásquez
  • Carlos Barragàn
  • ChaPeau ...

A unique documentary containing photos accompanied by autobiographical and anecdotal texts, featuring 250 magicians from 28 nations. This second volume includes names from I-O:

• I
  • Irina
  • Ivan Matveyevich Necheporenko
• J
  • Jad
  • Jakob Mathias
  • Jan Logemann
  • Jean de Merry
  • Jean Olivier
  • Jean-Philippe Loupi
  • Jochen Zmeck
  • John Carney
  • Johnny Lonn
  • Jörg Alexander
  • Jörg Willich
  • José Carroll
  • Juan Carlos Rodarte
  • Julius Frack
  • JUNGE JUNGE!
  • Juno
• K
  • Kovari
  • Kuli
  • Kurt Freitag
• L
  • Lars Herren
  • L'Enchanteur
  • Lennart Green
  • Leo Nifosi
  • Lionel
  • Little Green
  • Lorenz Schär
  • Lou DeMilla
  • Lubor Fiedler
  • Lucca ...

A unique documentary containing photos accompanied by autobiographical and anecdotal texts, featuring 250 magicians from 28 nations. This third volume includes names from P-Z:

• P
  • Pad Alexander
  • Pat Page
  • Pat Perry
  • Patrice Curt
  • Patrick Lehnen
  • Paul Gertner
  • Paul Harris
  • Pavel
  • Pedro
  • Pedro Lacerda
  • Peps Zoller
  • Perkeo
  • Perplex & Tiffany
  • Peter Honegger
  • Peter Löhmann
  • Peter Paul Merlin
  • Peter's Magic Show
  • Peter Woerde - De Valsspeler
  • Phantomas / The Magic Phantoms
  • Philius
  • Pierric
  • Pino Pan
  • Pit Hartling
  • Pop Haydn
  • Professor Dr. Bindli
• R
  • Rafael
  • Rafael Benatar
  • Ramón Riobóo
  • Randy Wakeman
  • René
  • René Lavand
  • Rezani
  • Richard McDougall
  • Rico Leitner ...

A unique documentary containing photos accompanied by autobiographical and anecdotal texts, featuring 250 magicians from 28 nations.

The photos were taken by the author from 1980 to 2015 during performances of the magicians in Europe. The texts were contributed by the artists. Foreword by Eberhard Riese.

"A Special Book. An extraordinary book. A history of magic of a different kind." - Eberhard Riese

"These large, beautiful volumes provide an opportunity to spend time with hundreds of magicians who share - in their own words - anecdotes, philosophy, and a bit of themselves. This is...

This is a unique and beautiful ebook that chronicles the fascinating life of Paul Rosini and explains much of the exceptional magic he performed during his career.

Illustrated with rare photographs and beautiful illustrations, this entertaining book relates Rosini's rise to fame in American nightclubs in the 1930's until his untimely death in 1948. Rosini was a master magician and had no equal. His brilliant magic coupled with his sparkling sense of humor, and compelling personality, made him one of conjuring's highest paid entertainers!

In addition to Rosini's life story, detailed explanations...

This is a beautiful comics title which entertains as much as it informs you about the history of magic. See illustrated stories from the lives of Robert-Houdin and Harry Houdini. Learn the secrets of some of the most famous stage illusions as well as the 'most marvelous trick in the world'.

This was issued as #23 in the 'World Around Us' series. Art by George Evans and Gray Morrow.

The Illustrated Story of Magic was never reprinted. This digital edition is the first republication of this title in the Classics Illustrated series. Additionally it is the first digital edition of any of the many titles from the Classics...

Purchase this ebook together with The Amateur Magician's Handbook and receive an immediate $10 discount!

If I ask: "Do you know June Barrows Mussey?" I get a blank stare. If I continue: "you know Henry Hay?" then suddenly the response is: "Certainly. He wrote The Amateur Magician's Handbook."

June Barrows Mussey, alias Henry Hay was a remarkable man who had a magical upbringing. Imagine, a boy of just 14 years old going on an international magic tour in the U.S. all by himself; a year later he went alone to Europe, the Dutch authorities made great trouble when he wanted to enter their country because they felt he was too young. His parents and particularly...

This is a gorgeous and careful digitization of a classic originally published by Harry Stanley in 1962. All drawings have not simply been scanned and included as images but have been converted to vectorized graphics. This means they are crisp and clear even under the largest magnification as well as when printed out.

This PDF ebook has very detailed bookmarks making it easy to browse to your section of choice.

Max Malini was one of the most extraordinary personalities in the history of the performance of magic.

In this ebook, Dai Vernon shows how successfully Malini acted the role of magician and...

This is the long-awaited follow up to the first volume. It is a quality soft back publication, perfect bound. It contains a lot of information that arrived too late for inclusion in the first volume. We are grateful to all those who have helped us produce this set of books on the Remarkable Chan Canasta.

• Publisher's Introduction
• Further Discoveries by David Britland
• Chan Canasta article (reprinted from Magic Magazine)

The first volume can be found here: Chan Canasta: A Remarkable Man Volume 1

1st edition 2001, 45 pages.

Chan Canasta (1920 to 1999) was something of a TV sensation in the 1950s as one of Britain's leading mentalists. His blend of psychology and traditional conjuring which he called psychmagic, was a breath of fresh air. This beautifully ebook is a unique record of his mentalist effects and unique entertaining style.

"Martin has excelled himself with the production values. It looks beautiful; maybe it is the most attractive looking book I have ever seen. If you are interested in Canasta then you will have to buy the book." - Peter Zenner

"I'm not sure that there have been other books quite like this....

This is David Devant's autobiography. On top of his personal recollections he included three chapters on how to perform magic, and six chapters on the history of magic.

• Publisher's Note
• Foreword
• Introduction
• Pictures Of My Early Life
• CHAPTER I. My Introduction To Magic
• CHAPTER II The Hot Pudding And The Vanishing Lady
• CHAPTER III Mixing Magic With Midgets
• CHAPTER IV My Attack On London
• CHAPTER V I Appear With Maskelyne
• CHAPTER VI The First Animated Pictures
• CHAPTER VII Magical Sketches
• CHAPTER VIII A Feast Of Magic
• CHAPTER IX Magic And The Public
• CHAPTER X Secrets Of Magic ...

A Journey Through a History of Magic traces the lives and times of famous magicians throughout history through to many popular present day performers. With pictures and photos that introduce you to many almost forgotten performers who have gained fame.

Featuring a few of the performers who have shaped the art and craft of magic through the ages.

• The History of Magic
• The Conjuror Painting
• Dedi the Magician
• Matthias Buchinger
• Hieronymous Scotto
• John Nevil Maskelyne
• Joseph Pinetti
• Louis Hasselmayer
• Robert Houdin
• John Henry Anderson
• Chung Ling Soo
• Charles Dickens
• Fox Sisters
• Annie Abbott
• Great Lafayette ...

A specially-recorded hour-long interview of Don Driver (interviewer is the late David Alexander) that gives history, insights, and advice on how to make money selling the most popular trick deck in the world. Don also tells many stories and anecdotes of how he got into magic, side shows and ultimately pitching Svengali decks.

duration 1h 5min

This ebook is a treat for any magic historian as well as for anybody who likes to learn more about the history of the cups and balls. A collection of 20 woodcuts, copper engravings and oil paintings from the 15th and 16th century depicting conjurers with cups and balls is described in great detail by Kurt Volkmann, the president of the German Magic Circle from 1952-1958.

For example, you will find the famous oil painting "The Juggler" by Hieronymus Bosch as well as an imitation and a very similar copper engraving. Read what we can learn from the various depictions of the cups and balls. One...

Includes chapters on conjuring, fortune-telling and card-sharping.

• Preface
• Part The First. The History Of Cards
  • I. Introduction
  • II. Oriental Origin Of Cards
  • III. Introduction Of Cards Into Southern Europe
  • IV. Date Of Introduction Of Cards
  • V. Introduction Of Cards Into France
  • VI. The Cards Of Charles VI
  • VII. Invention Of The French Cards And Game Of Piquet
  • VIII. Cards In England
  • IX. History Of Tarots, As Told By Themselves
  • X. Modern History Of French And English Cards
  • XI. The Application Of Cards To Science
  • XII. Card Miscellanies
• Part The Second. Card Playing And Card Players...

Eddie Joseph who was born in India and lived there for most of his life. He wanted to write a detailed, true and unbiased description of the Indian magician and his methods. He penetrated deeply into the subject rather than give it superficial treatment. This ebook will give you a clear perspective of India's Mystery Mongers and their mysterious creations.

1st edition 1940; PDF 73 pages.

3. Introduction
9. Chapter One - Mystery Abounding
16. Chapter Two - Peering Beyond the Horizon
23. Chapter Three - The Gypsy Told Me So
24. Chapter Four - The Magicians of East India
28. Chapter Five - East Indian Mysteries ...

One of the world's foremost authorities on magic books, palming coins and tokens, Mr. Heyl brings you a fascinating ebook on collecting. Includes: Early American Editions of Robert Houdin's Autobiography, Boy's Own Book, American Magic Books, Odd and Unusual Books, Two Worthy Wizards, Mythical Magic Books, Cards for Conjuring, 17th Century Notes, Dainty Conceits, Hocus Pocus, Peripheral Bibliographies, Magic, Black and White, The Cheaters, Rid, Rowlands, Juggling, Sports and Pastimes, Scarce and Rare, Little Known Conjurer's Medals and Tokens.

[This is a collection of articles that appeared in the MUM a long time ago.

1st edition 1964, 1st...

Listen to one of the old timers talking about his friendship with Dai Vernon, T. Nelson Downs and many other big names. If you haven't read the Magic Of Faucett Ross by Lewis Ganson, then this recording will send you to your nearest magical dealer to buy it. If you have the book, then you will see how Lewis Ganson used the material of this recording to create the classic book. One of the funniest recordings in our collection.

This is a licensed reproduction of the famous Magicassette and MagiCD series created by Martin Breese - now owned by Lybrary.com.

An ebook honoring those great women in magic, some from the past centuries. A world survey of "Those Beautiful Dames." Featuring among others Debbie Henning. Dan Waldron has a section on the Blackstone Saga, covering the magical life of Harry Senior, then the Blackstone, Jr. we know. Beautiful and talented women figured in both their lives, with Gay Blackstone a star in the Blackstone show. Marion Nicola writes of her show and life with the Great Nicola, Val Andrews covers many famous lady assistants. Carol Roy, Mrs. Electric releases the inside story of their adventures in odd parts of the...