Biographies & History in Magic & Conjuring: page 5

This is a reprint of an interesting book from 1895. Mr. Burlingame covers the earliest days of magic, then goes into detail about magic and magicians as they existed in the 19th century. This material is seldom found in magic books of today, but the man who would be a complete magician should know something of the history of the art he follows. Well written and very interesting reading.

1st edition 1895, 1st digital edition 2013, 44 pages.

During the 1925-26 season this program was sold at Houdini's shows in the lobby of theaters.

• Houdini - A Biography
• Some of the Wonderful Feats Accomplished by Houdini
• Houdini's Greatest Thrill
• Magical Tricks and Illusions
  • The Vanishing Matches
  • The Mysterious Thumb Tie
  • The Vest Turning Mystery
  • The Spirit Release
  • The Spirit Knots
  • The Vanishing Knot
  • Surgery Extraordinary
  • The Restored Tooth-pick
  • Black or Red
  • A Good Coin Trick
  • The Sphinx
  • The Thauma Illusion
  • The Magic Butterflies
  • The Rope Amputation
  • A Subtle Dime Vanish
• A Few Personal Facts
• Houdini Reveals He "Reads" Minds ...

This is the article that ran in The Sun on November 1st, 1926 after Harry Houdini's untimely passing.

• Friend of Ingersoll
• Body Coming Here
• Born in Wisconsin
• Tricks of Every Kind
• Mediums Interest Him
• Investigated 'Margery'
• Deny Injury in Montreal

1st edition November 1st, 1926, PDF 5 pages.

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...

A promotional book with photos and newspaper reports retelling various stunts and performances of Harry Houdini.

• Official Police News From Germany!
• In The Name Of The King
• Royal Police Presidium
• Mighty Audience
• Houdini Handcuffed
• False Hope Overthrown
• A Welcome Concession
• Frock Coat Sacrificed
• Victory
• Presentation Model
• A Sportsman's Telegram
• An Episode In Houdini's Life
• Condemned Murderers Released By Houdini
• Crowd Quickly Gathers
• Ponderous Barred Door
• Prisoners Are Dumbfounded
• Some Of The Great Feats Accomplished By Houdini
• Wizard In Gaol
• Surrenders To Police
• Startled...

Houdini wrote a very nasty book about Robert-Houdin claiming that Robert-Houdin stole many tricks and was in reality not as great a magician as he usually is portraid. Jean Hugard sets with this book the record straight and reveals Houdini's fabricated arguments. Houdini's unmasking of Robert-Houdin was just a revenge on Robert-Houdin's family and had little to do with reality. But you can find out for yourself and read The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin. Houdini's Unmasking originally appeared serialized in Jean Hugards magazine Hugard's Magic Monthly.

Published as part of "Hugard's Magic Monthly" beginning with volume 15, number 1, June 1957; 78 pages; PDF 48 pages....

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...

The actual experiences of a visitor to the most famous gaming resort in the American metropolis.

Excerpt from the introduction:

Indian Conjuring is an illustrated guide to Indian magic tricks by Major L. H. Branson, a British officer in the British Indian Army and magician. It includes explanations and step-by-step instructions for a variety of magic tricks that the author came across while serving in colonial India during the early twentieth century.

• CHAPTER I: A Comparison
• CHAPTER II
• The Cup And Balls
• CHAPTER III: The Bamboo-Sticks
• The Ring On The Stick
• CHAPTER IV: The Glass Box
• CHAPTER V: The Bowl Of Rice
• CHAPTER VI: A Rope Trick
• The Swastika
• The Egg Bag
• CHAPTER VII: The Dancing Duck
• CHAPTER VIII:...

In this ebook, George Boston, old time magician, takes his readers behind the scenes of the magic shows. Associate and confidant of the great men of magic, he recalls the greatest "tricks" in his memory and in many cases tells "how it was done." The great names of magic - Thurston, Blackstone, Houdini, Kellar, Carter and Nicola - appear in these pages. The book is liberally illustrated with many photographs, and is written in the highly readable style that has made Robert Parrish's For Magicians Only and New Ways to Mystify such popular favorites.

• About the Authors
• Introduction
• 1 How I Became a Magician
• 2 The Illusion Show
• 3 Thurston's Mysteries of India ...

This is the story of an Austrian inventor, his patent, and his appliance to make objects and people invisible on demand.

In the 1930s the Austrian press was excited about the invention of "invisibility rays" by an Austrian inventor. The invention was licensed by the company Semperit (the largest car and bicycle tire manufacturer in Austria) and exhibited at a trade show where it became a sensation and was viewed by hundreds of thousands of visitors. During that trade show, the inventor made for the first time also people invisible. He applied and received a patent in Great Britain for his...

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

From the introduction:

This is not your typical magic video. While Tony Shiels demonstrates a few bizarre magic effects, it is for the most part a human interest piece. Tony invites us into his home as well as into the woods where we see him talking, walking, pointing at leaves and stones, giving performance advice and pondering the past - all done in his weird and unique way.

If you want to learn more about the personality behind Tony Shiels you will love this video. If you are after the next best effect you will certainly be disappointed.

Includes a five minute intro with Martin Breese talking about his foray...

Ken Brooke was known throughout the world of magic. He was a magic dealer who achieved such a reputation for reliability and quality that there are thousands of magicians throughout the world, amateur, and professional who bought almost every trick he produced. Visitors from every country in the world made a beeline for his studio within minutes of arriving in London because just to visit Ken Brooke was an experience not to be missed. In partnership with Frank Farrow, he built the Ken Brooke Magic Place into a magical institution second to none. Considered by many to be the greatest magical...

This is a collection of wonderful poker stories, some obviously pure fiction, some based on true facts, at least some of the actors are historical figures that did indeed exist. It reveals a good amount of how card sharps plied their trade, and illustrates many of the local differences in playing draw poker.

The book has been illustrated by Ike Morgan of Frank Baum and Wizard of Oz fame.

• CHAPTER I
  • What Is Poker
  • Its Origin, And Why We Like It
• CHAPTER II
  • The Early Days Of Poker
  • Steamboat Games
  • A Mammoth Raise
  • Bowie's Good Deed
• CHAPTER III
  • Poker In Washington
  • A Story Of...

Joe Karson, of course, invented the famous "Zombie" floating ball, but there was quite a bit more to Karson than just that.

The ebook is divided into two main sections; Karson's biography and Karson's creations (books, tricks and commentary). It has 29 photos, most not seen in many years. Besides extensive research in New England public records, several people who knew Karson were also interviewed, both magicians and laymen. Some of the well known magic personalities interviewed were; John Calvert, Jim Cellini, Ray & Ann Goulet, Jay Marshall, Sidney Radner, Nick Ruggiero, Les Smith, Tony Spina, Ben Stone, Parker...

Here is one of magic's most fascinating personalities giving the secrets of how he achieved everything that every young magician would wish to achieve. How magic earned him a luxury cruise ship, a luxury private airplane and stardom on TV, the theater and many movies.

John takes us back to his early days and tells how his career actually started when he produced an egg from the pocket of a young friend whilst at Sunday School. You'll hear how a little bit of magical-style misdirection got him his first big break teaching Clark Gable card moves for a film; Clarke fluffed it all and Calvert...

This is the second volume of John Calvert's Story. Sit back, relax, and listen to a life full of magic. Learn from one of the greatest and most successful magicians of all time.

(See here for Volume 1.)

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

This is a wonderful opportunity to experience the life and times of one of the UK's major performance artistes, whose illustrious career started in the 1960's and spanned over 40 years. Not only does this ebook provide a carefully researched and fascinating look at Johnny himself, it also shines a light on the general showbiz scene of the same period, as Johnny rubbed shoulders with many of the greats from the entertainment and TV world.

The ebook runs to over 200 pages and is profusely illustrated with playbills and photographs that really help to conjure up a clear vision of showbiz in...

The fascinating true story of the Lancashire mill girl, Mrs Edward Howarth who became a music hall artiste as Josephine Langley, an accomplished ventriloquist. She was particularly popular during the First World War with her patriotic 'Soldier Act'. The family emigrated to America but returned to England after many adventures during the Prohibition era.

1st edition 2008, 1st digital edition 2013, 34 pages.

Once again Goodliffe provides a stimulating introduction to another archive series recording. This time the subject is Kalanag - Master Illusionist.

The live recordings from Sim Sala Bim have been drawn from various sources. Without the marvelous introduction by Goodliffe this recording would simply be a record of the past but now, Kalanag lives again. Goodliffe was the first British magician who was allowed to see Kalanag's show from backstage.

Goodliffe starts with a short introduction on Helmut Schreiber, aka Kalanag, including some of his Nazi background, accusations, and counterpoints....

For a lifetime, Kodell traveled the world with his unique creativity, and a flight of birds. Headlining long running shows around the world in five-star venues from the Moulin Rouge and the Lido in Paris, the London Hippodrome, The Savoy Hotel, and the London Palladium in the United Kingdom, and the Ed Sullivan Show, New York’s Copacabana, and The Latin Quarter in the United States. He also accomplished a number of firsts in his career including being the first magician to perform in Las Vegas. Kodell always strived to be different with his magic and his life, from flying an airplane at the...

A sketch of the life of Henry Meyer a converted gambler.

Henry Meyer was by his own account a very successful gambler who would play predominantly in Europe. One day he played against a young man and won all his money. Subsequently, that young man took his own life. At that point, Meyer realized that the young man was his younger brother. This charring experience made him give up gambling completely.

While I don't doubt that Meyer was a professional gambler who would later reform and give up gambling, the story with his brother rings a bit too fantastic. It is hard to believe that he and...

"Mark is one of the truly interesting characters in the world of showbusiness. He has a brilliant yet wicked sense of humour, and is often misunderstood by his peers. As someone who has known him for much of his life, I consider him to be a man of incredible talent as both a performer and grafter [demonstrator]. He is extremely resourceful, and is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to magic and other branches of entertainment. His life is truly one of mystery and intrigue, and he is a wonderful raconteur as will be seen in the pages of this masterpiece. I would consider Mark to be a true showman, and...