Biographies & History in Magic & Conjuring

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 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 is a digital facsimile version of the original hardcover book. [The one hardcover I had left has sold. Sorry.]

Back in the 1970s Martin Breese had the chance to record Robert Harbin on one of his early Magicassette releases. The Harbin Magicassette probably rates as the most popular of his recordings.

In 1983 Martin asked the late Owen Griffith to transcribe the words from the Harbin Magicassette. The late and great Eric Mason created the illustrations for The Harbin Book. One day at a business trade fair Martin saw a full scale photo litho printing machine being demonstrated and decided to leap in to the deep end and he bought the demonstration machine and had...

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....

"Frankly, I find your approach the most careful and cautious of all that have been published." - Bart Whaley

"Hurt's book is very good writing on a subject I care about. I enjoyed it tremendously and learned a great deal in the process. I think you will, too." - Richard Hatch

In 1902 under the pseudonym S.W. Erdnase and the title Artifice, Ruse and Subterfuge at the Card Table a book on sleight-of-hand with cards was published. This book became the bible for card magicians. To this date it remains arguably the single most important book on sleight-of-hand card magic. Some of the most respected masters of card magic,...

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 cardsharp 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...

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....

Paul Voodini presents Victorian Seance and the Birth of Mentalism, recounting the rise of Spiritualism in the 1800s, the antics, tricks, and techniques of the fraudulent mediums, and how this led directly to the birth of that branch of the magical arts known as 'mentalism.'

This detailed manuscript outlines and explains such techniques and methods as mesmerism and hypnosis, table-tipping, slates, automatic writing, book tests, 'reading' techniques and Q&A, spirit manifestations, the Ouija board, and much, much more. The text also touches on escapology, quick change, and other magical techniques. ...

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...

We know how they did it! The Piddington's were a 1949 husband and wife telepathy act who seemed able to transmit their thoughts to each other, even across vast distances. They could do this without talking.

Finally, the unfathomable mystery behind the world's most baffling telepathy act is revealed after 70 years of silence. Martin T Hart takes us on a fascinating and detailed journey into the lives of 'The Amazing Piddingtons' and deep inside the cunning methods that fooled a global generation. To this day no magician or scientist has ever discovered how Sydney was able to transmit his thoughts...

The biography of a great artist and creative of the Italian and international magical world.

Fifteen years after his death, the artist, magician and writer Roberto Bombassei, through a work of research and study, pays tribute to his mentor by publishing for the first time his biography: his beginnings, his path, his studies, his thoughts, his creations.

Foreword by Tony Binarelli. English translation and additional notes by Biagio Fasano.

• Foreword By Tony Binarelli
• A Few Words From The Author
• The Birth
• The Meeting With Fred Kaps
• Parapsychology: A Bit Of Truth And A Lot Of Scams
• Parapsychology...

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....

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

A lucid commentary on the first printed English conjuring text; showing the development of magic tricks from 1584 up to the present day. Written by a magician for magic historians and magicians interested in the beginnings of their art. Including many unpublished references to Reginald Scot with quotations and illustrations from most of the early English books with conjuring from 1584 up to 1784.

The text will show Scot's influence on his contemporaries along with witchcraft beliefs before and after the Discovery of Witchcraft was published. With definitions of old English words in the text, a bibliography of...

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 ...

David Alexander and Richard Kyle would speak for hours on the phone exchanging their thoughts, their insights, and their discoveries regarding Erdnase. Richard Kyle would often write a letter to David afterward to memorialize...

A fascinating glimpse into Okito's (Theo Bamberg) life and creations. The Bamberg dynasty had magicians spanning seven generations. Okito was a prolific inventor, builder of tricks, and exceptional performer. Learn the details of many of his most cherished secrets.

From the introduction by Dorny:

1920's film footage plus booklet revealing the closely-guarded secrets of the Indian Cups and Balls, the Mango Tree effect and much more. Together with attempts at the Indian Rope Trick plus bonus footage of Kuda Bux doing the Fire Walk.

Here is some amazing 1920's film footage capturing street magicians at work with some of the great Indian classics that are so rarely seen by Westerners. Much of the material on this download DVD (it is accompanied by an exciting musical track) is explained in the 40-page PDF (to download it see your digital shelf).

You will see great performances of the...

Martin Breese spent a substantial amount of time to piece together routines and information about Al Koran with the help of many of his friends, people who worked with Al Koran in some form or another, information on audio recordings, magazine articles and many other bits and pieces of information. Originally published in 1983, but revised by Martin Breese before his untimely death in 2012.

The ebook contains virtually every Al Koran effect as performed on TV. It analysis the effect and the method, then provides the exact words of patter as used by Al Koran.

There is a listing of all...

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...

Excerpt from the introduction by Robert Parrish:

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...

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.

Martin Breese recorded this interview on September 16th 1977, but never released it. He passed on the reels to me with the instruction to release them whenever I wish. Topper Martyn was an extraordinary showman, magician, juggler and musician. Learn about his life and the lessons he learned.

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...

Known as The Tabman, Tabby Crabb moved through the innercircles of Close up and comedy magic for two decades both with his skill at crafting magic accessories like the famous Tabman Tables, Casino Chips, Knife through Arm, fine hardwood magicians' Wands and much, much more and appearing onstage and backstage with Amazing Johnathan and Kozak the Magician. Additionally Tabman spent five years as the hotel shows director for The International Brotherhoond of Magicians.

This ebook tells the truth about many relationships in the magic field. Relationships with customers like Max Maven, Harry Anderson...

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...

The authorized book of Rovi's life, philosophy, and magic. The first part deals with Rovi's life from birth, through military service and marriage all the way to his success in magic. A fascinating story with over 50 tricks including the much-requested "Cowboy Trick." Wonderful effects for a variety of skills. Many sleights are thoroughly explained and discussed, including Rovi's fabulous forces, pass, side slip, peek and top change. Many of these ideas appeared in print in this book for the first time.

Wonderful illustrations by Tony Dunn; produced and partly edited by Anthony Brahams.

1st edition 2000, The...

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 ...

"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...

This ebook presents an analytical review of works on card cheating that are written in English and published before 1900. Given this scope, The Reference Guide to Early Works on Card Cheating takes 151 publications, and documents the card cheating techniques that they describe. Only card techniques discussed in the context of cheating at card games are considered. The 146 defined techniques are used to evaluate the publications based on their breadth and their contribution to the literature. The breadth is indicated by the absolute number of techniques each work describes, and the contribution...

There are not many short biography compilations in magic and this one by Goldston is still one that is being consulted frequently. The most extensive one is by Bart Whaley (Who's Who in Magic) but while Whaley covers many more magicians he does not include portraits. Goldston includes many portraits of magicians and his biographical sketches can sometimes be much more extensive than in other such compilations. Goldston groups magicians as professionals, semi-professionals, and amateurs. He covers 90 professional magicians, 50 semi-professional magicians, and 69 amateurs.

1st edition 1934, 114 pages; PDF...

The only biography of the master magician and spy instructor John Mulholland including his work for the CIA.

"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...

This is the audio-book version of The MagiCIAn: John Mulholland's Secret CIA 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...

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...

Way back in 2005, I began broadcasting a world-first: an hour dedicated to magic, live from London. At the time, I was presenting my breakfast show on commercial radio. Every Monday evening at 7pm GMT, the airwaves went live with Radio Magic. Each episode featured a ten-minute interview with a famous star of magic (see The Magic Interview Series ebook). As a spin-off from that year-long project, I recorded a few long-form interviews with magicians and these recordings became available as CDs: thus, the Magic Interview Series was born. Looking back, I was podcasting before podcasts! Now, for the first time ever, these...