Magic & Conjuring: page 2

I was lucky that I stumbled across this book very early on in my magic development. It had a huge impact on how I approached magic and how I think today about magic. The introductory chapter "The Vernon Touch" should be mandatory reading for every magician. I would go so far as to recommend re-reading it every year. Martin Breese wrote: "One of the most important books of magic ever written." Max Holden said: "I consider Vernon the greatest man with a pack of cards of the present day." Many consider Dai Vernon, the professor, as one who had probably the biggest impact on magic in recent times. ...

These are Daniel's impromptu magic notes.

"Cliptrip alone is worth the price of these notes!" - Chris Kenner

"Stretch is the best use of this old rubberband principle i have ever seen." - Dan Harlan

" .....(smile)...." - Paul Harris

This is an ebook for serious beginners. This book will not make you a master – that is not what is meant by the title. This book will, however, set you on what the author believes is the best path to mastery. You’re going to learn:

• About learning magic and reaching mastery itself, the largest context.
• Practical, time-tested sleights that cater to all venues of close-up.
• Secrets of presentation for a memorable performance.
• Skills you need to have that underlie everything else.
• Amazing tricks and routines, both easy and powerful.
• How to be a magician.

1st edition, 2005; 232 pages....

This is a neat little collection of bar tricks, stunts and simple magic effects. Some of it will be familiar to you, some have a new twist or plot and others might be completely new to you. Julian added photos to make it very easy to present these on your next visit to your favorite bar or restaurant. It is a good idea to have a few of these stunts ready when you are not prepared to do a full magic show, but still want to be the center of attention.

1st edition, 2004.

1. Red or Black
This trick will prove that your volunteer has ESP as they correctly predict whether cards are red or black. ...

This book includes detailed work on the "Cups and Balls," and the first version of the "Stack of Pence" (i.e., "Stack of Quarters"). It is probably the first English book written from the viewpoint of a performing magician. Any serious magician should read this book, not to learn a lot of new tricks, but to realize how much has been known for a long time. This book is part of our history. I understand that $60 or more for a paper reprint is hard to justify, but now for a few bucks there should be no excuse to not read this wonderful little treasure.

1st edition, 1634; 52 pages.

3. The Epistle...

Michael Wild has teamed up with another hard core bar magician, Todd Diamond, to share with you their knowledge and great effects for the bar/pub venue. If you read Bar Magician it will become obvious that these two gentlemen have done magic in bars for quite some time. They explain their thinking and reveal some of their best effects. A bar can be a tough and sometimes rude place. Todd and Michael included one effect that matches this environment: "Two Cigarettes Having Sex". Be warned that this presentation may offend you. You might not want to do this for your in-laws next to the Christmas...

The title "Secrets - Malini, Leipzig, Vernon, Jarrow, ..." suggests a lot, but these are merely the interpretations and versions of U. F. Grant to some of the classics of Malini, Leipzig, Vernon, Jarrow and others. Grant uses only one page to describe each effect and method. This book is therefore to some degree a disappointment. Nevertheless I think it is a cheap way to learn the plots and a method to several of the greatest tricks of all time. Just don't expect very detailed descriptions. Grant displays in this book an arrogant writing style with comments like 'This is good' or "The best method" or "Fools...

This booklet was inserted in volume 44 number 8 of The Sphinx. It was published as a gift to the loyal subscribers. Illustrations were done by Francis Martineau.

1st edition, 1944, Sphinx Publishing Corporation, USA; 11 pages.

3. Preface
3. Eyes Colour Blind
3. Verrall's Visible Four Aces
4. From Deception to Doll's House
4. Verrall's Chameleon Carnations
7. Verrall's "Bango!"
7. Grandfather's Nightcap
8. Verrall's Vanishing Vase
8. It Hasn't Been Done Before!
8. Decanting a Rainbow
10. Francis Martineau
11. Verrall Wass

This is a wonderful and extremely rare book. If you could find this book at all somewhere to purchase, you would need to put down around $5000. But it is not just its rarity which is so fascinating, it is its contents. This is a great magic book. Many outstanding tricks are taught. I found new routines and new principles I haven't seen and read anywhere else - and I consider myself as fairly well read in magic. I love this book. It is highly recommended.

It describes how to change the color of a rose. How to shoot a bird and bring it back to life. How to drown a fly for 24 hours and bring...

The most famous invention of Nikola is his card system, which is described in The Nikola Card System and in an abbreviated version in Encyclopedia of Card Tricks. Cards are not the only area Nikola excelled in.

From the inside cover: Magical Masterpieces is no mere fanciful title. It is an apt description of a selection from the accumulated repertoire of a practical magician whose outstanding characteristic is the painstaking perfection and stamp of individuality of all his productions. It is safe to say that if a new book of magic provides only one workable and suitable addition to the reader's store it is a sound investment. The magician...

What an excellent book. The quality of the material is outstanding. What makes this book particularly rare is a chapter on juggling and how to fake great juggle skills. I have yet to see another book on magic with such an extensive chapter on juggling. You will also find the obligatory chapter on shadowgraphy, a good write up of black art, and large sections on cards, coins, and tricks with many other props. You will find billiard ball manipulation as well as stage tricks with large apparatus.

1st edition, 1902, Frederick J. Drake & Co, Chicago; 440 pages; PDF 325 pages.

• Introduction ...

To tell you the truth, I do not know much about the author, G. C. Hines. But this shouldn't distract us from the contents of this neat little booklet. He describes how you can dye your own handkerchiefs. You will find some routines with handkerchiefs and two methods for the rising card - one for a stage and one for a parlor setting; two floating ball routines and a flag vase routine.

1st edition, 1915, Modern Mysteries Co.; 12 pages

3. A Word by the Author
5. Table Levitation
5. Dyeing Handkerchiefs
6. Handkerchief Wand
7. Flag between Handkerchiefs
8. Rising Cards - Stage Method
9. Rising Cards - Parlor...

This book is the continuation of The Modern Wizard; same format almost same number of pages and same style. For example the 'handkerchief productions' are continued with methods twelve, thirteen fourteen, fifteen and sixteen. You will find many interesting plots with eggs, glasses, coins, silks, tubes, plates, flowers, nest of boxes, ...

1st edition, 1896; 112 pages.

5. Robinson's Flying Handkerchiefs
9. The Improved Soup Plate and Handkerchief Trick
10. First Method
10. Second Method
11. Third Method
12. Fourth Method
13. The Four Soup Plates and Handkerchiefs
15. The Handkerchief Coloring Trick
16. Handkerchief Productions,...

Roterberg was a dealer, but he also wrote excellent magic books - four altogether. The Card Tricks and how to do them is an excerpt from New Era Card Tricks. So actually he wrote only three books. The Modern Wizard was his first one. It explains tricks with silks, eggs, glasses, billiard balls, coins, candles, pill boxes and more. Roterberg has a very efficient style of describing a trick. He supplies no patter or other fluff, but still manages to explain a trick thoroughly. He packs 68 tricks or methods into merely 120 pages. He closes his book with the chapter "The Art of Magic" where Roterberg gives a crash course in how to be a good magician....

This book has a broad range of contents, from stage juggling, to the history of playing cards (a really nice article), pocket tricks, illusions, biographical information, ... It is in the very same style as the other Magician Annuals. If you enjoyed those you will surely love this one, too.

1st edition, 1912, London; 99 pages.

6. Will Goldston, A Terrible Experience, Hohn Keyman
10. Original Patter for Original Minds, Woolfe Clyne
14. A Liner on Fire at Sea. An Original Lightning Painting Effect, Fred Velasco
17. Stage Juggling, Fred Velasco
21. Tricks for 1911-12, Jay Gee
29. The Magic Reel of Cotton,...

This book is filled with a variety of interesting articles, from trick descriptions to patter suggestions, from biographical information to theory. Among others there is a trick contribution by Houdini. This book is layed out beautifully, almost like a magazine. Overall a very nice and interesting book to read.

1st edition, 1910, The Magician Limited, London; 106 pages.

3. Index
5. The Editor to his Readers
7. The Scribe, The Failure, and The Magician JOHN KEYMAN
10. Amateur Conjurer's Accessories GEORGE JOHNSON
12. The Magic of Suggestion PROFESSOR HOFFMANN
14. New Patter for Popular Problems WOOLFE CLYNE
23. Wine v. Water CHRIS VAN BERN
25. Telepathic...

This book describes quite a number of card tricks and has a wonderful account of some of Buatier de Kolta's illusions, for example his famous "de Kolta Chair". An interesting story evolves around the cartoon on page 62, which depicts a famous magician's wife in a not very favorable light. Goldston released later a new edition which had this cartoon removed. Goldston also tried to buy back all the first editions but was not quite successful.

1st edition, 1910, London; 100 pages.

4. The Editor to his Readers, Will Goldston
5. An Interview and an Appreciation, Henry Byatt
7. Apparatus for Amateurs,...

This is the second volume in Goldston's Magician Annual series. It has a nice little section on Chapeaugraphy and a large section on patents. You will find there all kind of improvements to various apparatuses. And there is biographical information and recollections of famous magicians as well as a lot of photos of celebrities.

1st edition, 1909, London; 96 pages.

7. The Editor to His Readers, Will Goldston
8. Comedy Jugglers, The Great Weiland
10. Famous Magicians, Robert Ankele
11. Living Marionettes, Leah Laurie
13. Card Tricks, Dr. Elliott
14. My First Appearance on the Stage as a Magician, W. N. Winget
15. Episodes...

This was the first Magician Annual Will Goldston compiled and edited. It covers quite some ground. From juggling and optical illusions, to ventriloquism and palmistry. Of course you will find also magic illusions, tricks and patter. And if you want to read a little bit about hoop rolling, you can, too. These Magician Annuals are real fun to read. They are a great window into the past.

1st edition 1908, Gamage Ltd., London; 98 pages.

4. The Editor to His Readers, Will Goldston
5. Juggling Manipulations, Paul Cinquevalli
7. Crayon Drawing for the Stage, J. F. Burrows
8. Barrel and Packing-Case Tricks,...

This is the last book in the 'Magician Annual' series of Goldston. It carries a slightly different title, 'Annual of Magic' instead of 'Magician Annual', but otherwise is kept in the very same style and type of contents as all the other books in this series. Beside tricks, illusions and patter, you will find a lot about magicians of this era. For example the "Who's Who and Why" is an interesting article.

1st edition, 1916, Will Goldston, London; 72 pages.

• A
  24. Abbott's Spirit Paintings Illusion
  16. Adhering Pips and Blank Cards
  7. Advertise, How to
  5. Advice for the Student
  37. Aeroplane and Trunk...

Just as the last release Magic of the Depots 1924, Depot Magic lines up several dealers to describe a few tricks each. However the most interesting article in this book is by Leo Rullman and is entitled "The Hobby of Book Collecting".

1st edition, 1925, Harry Leat, London; 92 pages.

6. A Bad Trait.
7. Liberty.
11. Introduction.
    Mr. CHARLES R. BRUSH
21. Two Handkerchief Secrets.
22. A Colour Study.
24. Magician's Wax.
25. The Cigarette Stand.
26. Magician's Elastic.
27. His End.
    MESSRS CHICAGO MAGIC Co.
29. The Magicians Card Box.
31. The Penetrated Card.
33. Improved Glass of Water Through Hat.
36. The Enchanged Tube.
    MESSRS B. L. GILBERT MAGIC...

This book is based on an interesting idea. Line up the best magic dealers and let each one contribute a series of tricks and routines. Not a bad idea indeed. Some of the dealers who participated are Davenport & Co., Gamage Ltd., Hamley Bros., The Magical Apparatus Co., ...

1st edition, 1924, Harry Leat, London; 100 pages.

9. Introduction.
   L. DAVENPORT & CO.
16. New Ball Holder.
17. New Card Drawer.
18. New Cigarette to Handkerchief.
19. Triangle Coin Stand and Box.
20. The New Production Box.
21. The Vanishing Lamp.
23. New Coffee Trick.
    PROFESSOR EDGAR.
26. Productive Candle Shade.
28. The "New Cut" Card Locator. ...

From The Sphinx: Diversified Magic is Harry Leat's latest contribution to magical lore. Diversified rightly describes the contents of the book. The variety is great, the quality superior, the originality genuine. Of the twenty chapters it is difficult to say which is the most interesting, and of the tricks and other effects, which is the best. The Organ Pipe Pagoda, and the Eclipse Ventriloquial Figure are alone worth more than the price of the book. Mr. Leat's introduction is full of matter for serious thought and consideration. The patter for the tricks, and the dialogue for the vent. figure are lively,...

An original blurb read: Tragic Magic containing original magical sketches, tricks, some humour, and many interesting items that will grip you.

From The Sphinx: And here is another one that awakens my cereberzation - Harry Leat's Tragic Magic. Here is a book of 122 pages of the queerest conglomeration of sense and non-sense, good magic and irrelative matter - yet relating to magic - that has yet crossed my rugged editorial path. The table of contents lists 42 items, and I advise the purchaser of the book not to skip a single one of them. I do not know why the book is named Tragic Magic, for the magic...