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Memoirs of Robert-HoudinJean Eugene Robert-HoudinThis is a great book written by one of the greatest magicians of all time, Robert-Houdin. He describes in his own words his development from a little boy to a star performer. How he started as a watchmaker, performed in the St. James Theater, and ended up helping France with a conflict with the Marabouts. Read it. Highly recommended. Paul Fleming wrote: Eighteen hundred and forty-five was a great year for magic, and July third of that year a memorable date for all who love conjuring. For on that day Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin first presented his soirees fantastiques in his own little theater - on what... | ★★★★★ $8 to wish list | |
Victor Farelli: A Magical MemoirPaul GordonThis is a brief historical account, a biographical essay, of one of the most intriguing characters in magic – Mr. Victor Farelli. 1st edition 2006, 36 pages. | $8 to wish list | |
Jack Pots: stories of the great American gameEugene EdwardsThis 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.
| $8 to wish list | |
The Great CarmoVal AndrewsThe Colossus of Mystery.
1st edition 2001, 80 pages; 1st digital edition 2019, 53 pages. | ★★★★★ $8 to wish list | |
Fred Culpitt: a brief biographyVal Andrews
1st edition 2001; 1st digital edition 2016, 43 pages. | $7 to wish list | |
Around the world with a magician and a jugglerHardin Jasper BurlingameWonderful biographical information about magician Baron Hartwig Seeman, and juggler William D'Alvini. Also includes a chapter on the German magician Bellachini and a fascinating chapter on the psychology of conjuring.
| $7 to wish list | |
Houdini Souvenir ProgramHarry HoudiniDuring the 1925-26 season this program was sold at Houdini's shows in the lobby of theaters.
| $7 to wish list | |
CagliostroHenry Ridgely EvansCount Alessandro di Cagliostro, by real name Giuseppe Balsamo, was an Italian occultist, mentalist and magician, who managed to achieve entry into the royal courts of Europe where he practiced various occult arts, mentalism, magic, alchemy, etc. His fame continued beyond his death, but eventually he was labeled a charlatan. Regardless of how one wants to portrait Cagliostro, there is a lot magicians and mentalists can learn from him and his exploits.
| $7 to wish list | |
American Gambling and GamblersHugh S. FullertonThis is an excellent series of articles on the history of gambling in America. Excerpt from the introduction: These articles are the result of long travels in many parts of the United States. They are real contributions of human and public interest.
| $7 to wish list | |
The GhostHenry DircksAs produced in the spectre drama, popularly illustrating the marvellous optical illusions obtained by the apparatus called the Dircksian Phantasmagoria being a full account of its history, construction, and various adaptations. Henry Dircks was the first who came up with the stage illusions that later became known as Pepper's Ghost. He had an arrangement with Pepper, they took out a patent in both their names, and Dircks did not want any monetary remuneration for it. John Henry Pepper improved the configuration to make it more practical and successfully staged it earning quite a lot of money with it. However,... | $7 to wish list | |
The True History of Pepper's GhostJohn Henry PepperJohn Henry Pepper took a projection invention of Henry Dircks, called The Ghost, with his permission, and made it practical so that it could more easily be performed. He earned a lot of money staging it. Even though Dircks did not want any payments from Pepper, there was a falling out between the two because the invention became known as Pepper's Ghost. Dircks wanted to have his name associated with it. This prompted Dircks to write The Ghost. Pepper's answer to that publication and dispute came almost 30 years later in this work The True History of the Ghost. He also includes the history and working of Metempsychosis... | $7 to wish list | |
The Unmasking of Robert-HoudinHarry HoudiniHoudini was upset that the widow of Robert-Houdin did not want to meet him. As a revenge Harry Houdini wrote The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin, in which Houdini tries to push Robert-Houdin from his pedestal. He tries to show that most tricks Robert-Houdin claimed as his invention were in fact not his invention and that Robert-Houdin was not this great magician he usually is thought he was. But most of Houdini's allegations are fabricated and do not stand close inspection. Jean Hugard wrote as response to Houdini's nasty book Houdini's Unmasking, where Hugard point for point refutes Houdini's argumentation. I personally favor Hugard's opinion,... | ★★★★★ $6 to wish listPDF & EPUB | |
Josephine Langley Lady Ventriloquist: The story of Mrs Edward HowarthRoger Woods & Maurice S. HowarthThe 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. | $6 to wish list | |
Percy Naldrett: A Man of Sussex, Conjurer and PoetPaul GordonA tribute to Percy Naldrett by Paul Gordon who shares birth place Worthing in Sussex with Percy. Includes photos and other bits and pieces of information not published anywhere else. Percy Naldrett was born on 17th May 1888 and died 28th September 1973. He was a printer by trade and a semi-pro magician and collector. He wrote a number of books such as Magic of the Moment (1912, 50pp), Magical Notes and Notions (1913, 36pp), Miscellaneous Magic (1913, 48pp). He was editor of the Magic Circular from 1938-49. 1st edition 2005, 31 pages. | $6 to wish list | |
Sensational Tales of Mystery MenWill GoldstonStories and anecdotes of the Who's Who of magic in the early 20th century. Several are about Houdini.
| ★★★★★ $6 to wish list | |
Houdini: The Adventurous Life of a Versatile ArtistHarry HoudiniA promotional book with photos and newspaper reports retelling various stunts and performances of Harry Houdini.
| ★★★★★ $6 to wish list | |
Discover Your MagicWolfgang RiebeThis 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.... | $6 to wish list | |
Herrmann the MagicianHardin Jasper BurlingameFrom the preface: Having devoted a number of years to the inventing, manufacturing and sale of many of the most popular magical apparatus made in this country, I now present to the reader, biographies of the two great conjurers known to the world under the names of Carl and Alexander Herrmann, both equally famous in their specialties. The main portion of the book is devoted to clear, compact and illustrated descriptions of the best tricks performed by the two Herrmanns, whom I unite under the appellation of Herrmann the Magician, and by other celebrated performers, such as Cazeneuve, Kellar, Vanek, Heller, Samuels,... | ★★★★★ $6 to wish list | |
Some Rare Old Books on Conjuring and MagicHenry Ridgely EvansFrom the introduction: Magic has been divided into (1) White Magic, or the evocation of angels and beneficent powers; (2) Black Magic, or the summoning of demons; and (3) Natural Magic, or feats performed by dexterity and mechanical appliances, etc. Although believing implicitly in white magic and black magic, the medicine men, spirit doctors, and hierophants of olden times did not disdain to use natural means also to overawe and surprise their votaries. ... With the passing of so-called genuine magic or sorcery we see the rise of natural magic and conjuring. In the Middle Ages conjurers... | $6 to wish list | |
Life Staked at CardsHenry MeyerA 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... | $6 to wish list | |
Browsing Around in MagicBert PrattBert 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,... | ★★★★★ $5.95 to wish list | |
Cagliostro and His Egyptian Rite of FreemasonryHenry Ridgely EvansEvans raises the possibility that Cagliostro's real name might not have been Giuseppe Balsamo, as well as describes his Egyptian Rite of Freemasonry.
| $5 to wish list | |
The Napoleon MythHenry Ridgely Evans(We are carrying this ebook primarily because of the author, Henry Ridgeley Evans, who published several interesting books on conjuring.) On its face the book is about the myth that Napoleon never existed. It was at one time a popular myth, hoax, or fake news as it would be called today. It also provides interesting lessons and insights on how myths can develop. Since there are a number of myths in the world of conjuring, this work can help one understand why and how some of the myths in magic may have developed.
| $5 to wish list | |
Count CagliostroThomas CarlylThis 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. | $5 to wish list |