Biographies & History in Magic & Conjuring: page 6

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.

This is Thomas Carlyle's long essay on Count Cagliostro, published in 1833 in Fraser's Magazine. He is examining the hero and his shadows - what was false about Cagliostro. Cagliostro was a Sicilian mountebank, whose lasting notoriety was a bit part in the Diamond Necklace Affair that rocked pre-Revolutionary France, and whose most enduring work was the confession extracted by the Roman Inquisition, a tome published in 1792, three years previous to Cagliostro's demise in an Inquisitional cell.

1st edition 1833, 61 pages; PDF 42 pages.

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...

A silent film record of Dai Vernon's visit to Britain in 1958.

If you have only read about the Professor Dai Vernon but never seen him in real life, then here is your chance for a glimpse into what he was like. You will see him sightseeing and you will see him perform several of his feature routines such as the Symphony of the Rings, card production, color change, wand spin vanish and more.

• Portsmouth: H.M.S. Victory and Dicken's Birthplace
• Polo at Cowdrey Park
• Stratford-on-Avon
• Fellow Magicians
• Leipzig's Card Levitation
• Card Production
• The Symphony of the Rings
• Colour Change
• Wand spin Vanish
• Jumping Jack
• Charlie Miller's Diminishing Cards ...

A fascinating casebook of true stories from the self-styled "Card Detective" that reveals the inner workings of backroom poker cheats, dice scams, bunco artists, horse race swindles, rigged games of the carnival and midway and much, much more.

Written in a breezy style, "Mickey" MacDougall takes the reader along for an entertaining and informative ride as he consults with casino bosses and card room owners to stamp out cheaters and grifters.

Swindlers take many forms and purvey their trade anywhere people gather: aboard trains and cruise ships, at the racetrack, in back alleys, military...

The Delphos Kleeblatt, a German newspaper, was established by Carl Jettinger in December 1889 on a suggestion by Edward Gallaway. It ran until 1905. Gallaway approached Jettinger with the idea, having just returned to Delphos from a stint as a typesetter at a German newspaper in Indiana, and convinced him to partner with him in this newspaper startup. However, before the newspaper was launched Gallaway changed his mind, left Delphos, moved to Ft. Payne in Alabama and started there the Payne Weekly People. Carl Jettinger, a bit miffed by first being convinced of the great idea, and then Edward bailing out...

This is basically Wolfgang's life story, a great motivational blueprint to achieve your dreams.

How to gain the competitive edge in your life and business. Become aware of everything around you. Clarify and achieve all your goals. Learn to adapt to change. Create a positive image with every one around you. Wolfgang has inspired and motivated more than a million people around the world. This is a comprehensive study on how to gain mastery over your own life, whether in the corporate, or personal field. Every aspect is clearly presented, without losing the true sense or heart of the matter....

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

Dr. Cannon was probably magic's most unusual character. He lived for many years on the Isle of Man where he ran a healing sanctuary. He had his own fully equipped theatre - The Enchanted Hall. Goodliffe, who was afflicted by a crippling disease, was encouraged by Dr. Cannon to take a free course of treatment.

Goodliffe knew Cannon well as a result and provides an absorbing portrait of this man on the recording. Of course you hear Cannon speaking as well. Fraud, fake or genuine mystic? Decide for yourself after listening to yet another voice from the mysterious past.

Believe it or not,...

• Preface - Paul Gordon
• About the Author by Martin Breese
• Introduction - Paul Gordon
• Edward George Brown - a biography by Paul Gordon
• Obituary by Francis White
• Heartfelt Tributes
• - John Carney
• - Roger Crosthwaite
• - Members of The Magic Circle
• Trevor H. Hall & The Card Magic of Edward G. Brown
• Willane's Methods for Miracles
• Ibidem - P. Howard Lyons
• The 'Lost' Magic of E.G. Brown
• - Divination of Two Mentally Selected Cards
• - The Three Billet Test
• - A Cigarette Change
• - The Penetrating Tumbler
• - Handkerchief and Glass to Hat
• - A Nap Hand
• With Thanks to Edward George Brown
• - The Brown Detective - Peter Duffie
• - Thin...

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...

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 account of the author's professional life; his wonderful tricks and feats; with laughable incidents, and adventures as a magician, necromancer, and ventriloquist.

Excerpt from the Preface:

Harry Leat describes incidences during his magic life, some odd, some funny, some unbelievable. Often another well known magic celebraty was involved, such as Houdini, Selbit, Trewey, ... This book makes a great read. No tricks.

1st edition, 1923, Harry Leat, London; 77 pages.

The renowned sideshow showman Ward Hall reminisced about the time Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Circus attracted a record-breaking crowd of over 20,000 people inside the sideshow. "The Greatest Show on Earth" was playing Montreal during the 1950s. However, over a decade later, Giovanni Iuliani surpassed this world-breaking record many times over.

200,000 ATTENDANCE RECORD!

In 1966, Giovanni Iuliani presented 5 major freak phenomena alive on a high elevated stage at two Montreal movie houses. These high attendance halls each featured on their giant screen the classic horror...

• A Typical Culpitt Performance
• The Vanishing Stick (Or "Culpitt's Cork")
• The Abanazer Fan Vanish
• Torn And Restored Newspaper
• The Bathing Costume Trick
• A Rabbit From A Hat
• Culpitt's Clock
• Cards Ala Culpitt
• Egg-Bag Ruses
• Production Of Eggs From A Net-Fronted Bag
• The Doll's House Illusion
• Culpitt's Silk Loader
• Culpitt Card Box
• Reward Poster
• "On Toast"
• Rabbit To Silks
• A Culpitt Card Sleight
• Thumb-Nail Sketch

1st edition 2001; 1st digital edition 2016, 43 pages.

Introducing Harry Houdin—one of the most versatile performers you've never heard of. Born decades before the great Harry Houdini, he claimed to be the nephew of Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, the famous French conjurer of the 19th century.

Houdin, who billed himself as "The Great Polynational Mimic," toured Australia and New Zealand between 1860 and 1863 with a one-man act featuring drawing-room magic and international impersonations done to song and dance.

Harry Houdin: The Great Polynational Mimic is the first formal work of research written about this virtually unknown, albeit colorful, entertainer.

1st edition 2013, 27...

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...

In the world of Magic there are few people who have made such a substantial contribution as Harry Stanley. This is volume one of four. In these four volumes hear the story of 25 years of Unique Magic.

These four volumes are packed with memories from the fertile mind of Mr. Unique himself. If you were a personality on the magical scene during the 40's, 50's and 60's you are bound to be mentioned somewhere. Lots of information about the famous Unique Studio, the Gen Magazine and people like Johnny Hart, Al Koran, Alan Alan, Ken Brooke, Lewis Ganson, Orson Welles, Slydini, Channing Pollock, Chan Canasta.

This is a licensed reproduction...

In the world of Magic there are few people who have made such a substantial contribution as Harry Stanley. This is volume two of four. In these four volumes hear the story of 25 years of Unique Magic.

These four volumes are packed with memories from the fertile mind of Mr. Unique himself. If you were a personality on the magical scene during the 40's, 50's and 60's you are bound to be mentioned somewhere. Lots of information about the famous Unique Studio, the Gen Magazine and people like Johnny Hart, Al Koran, Alan Alan, Ken Brooke, Lewis Ganson, Orson Welles, Slydini, Channing Pollock, Chan Canasta.

This is a licensed reproduction...

In the world of Magic there are few people who have made such a substantial contribution as Harry Stanley. This is volume three of four. In these four volumes hear the story of 25 years of Unique Magic.

These four volumes are packed with memories from the fertile mind of Mr. Unique himself. If you were a personality on the magical scene during the 40's, 50's and 60's you are bound to be mentioned somewhere. Lots of information about the famous Unique Studio, the Gen Magazine and people like Johnny Hart, Al Koran, Alan Alan, Ken Brooke, Lewis Ganson, Orson Welles, Slydini, Channing Pollock, Chan Canasta.

This is a licensed reproduction...

In the world of Magic there are few people who have made such a substantial contribution as Harry Stanley. This is volume four of four. In these four volumes hear the story of 25 years of Unique Magic.

These four volumes are packed with memories from the fertile mind of Mr. Unique himself. If you were a personality on the magical scene during the 40's, 50's and 60's you are bound to be mentioned somewhere. Lots of information about the famous Unique Studio, the Gen Magazine and people like Johnny Hart, Al Koran, Alan Alan, Ken Brooke, Lewis Ganson, Orson Welles, Slydini, Channing Pollock, Chan Canasta.

This is a licensed reproduction...

From the preface:

Henry Ridgely Evans provides an account of the history of conjuring, from ancient Egypt through the Middle Ages and into the 20th century. He develops biographical portraits of many well-known magicians and includes descriptions of their acts. Perhaps the most unusual feature of the work is that at the very end he includes photos of the hands of many famous magicians.

From the Proem: