Magic & Conjuring: page 12

A practical guide to the invention of tricks plus newly created tricks.

"I must say that I was prepared to dislike this book ... Wilker's discussion, however, is so pleasant and unassuming that one can hardly disagree with him. In part, this is because Wilker seems to recognize the inherent problems in stating hard and fast rules about creativity and so limits his conclusions accordingly." - Stephen Hobbs

From the Preface:

From the introduction:

From the preface:

This work builds on Wilker's The Creation of Magic. It is helpful to have read it, but it is not required.

There is a definite mathematical theme running through this ebook. Not that there is any heavy math involved, just that the routines have an underlying mathematical basis. Wilker has a variety of interesting presentations and throw-offs that disguise the mathematics during the performance.

"Methods for Minor Miracles is an enjoyable and worthwhile read." - Stephen Hobbs

• Preface
• Chapter 1. Stacks And Double Stacks
  • Weighty Cards
  • One Third Lucky
  • Signpost
  • Match Point
  • Double Stack Principle
  • Animal Kingdom ...

This is a compilation of Peter Wilker's contributions to Abra. In 1991 he contributed a Triad Cavalcade to issue #2357. A couple of individual tips and tricks from other issues complete the collection.

• Introduction
• The Broken Match Ceremony
• Third Clue
• Dating
• The Devil's End
• Saltpetre Indices
• The Missing Prediction

1st edition 1991, PDF 14 pages.

The "Seven times Petrick" series was released in seven volumes, each with seven tricks covering a different subject, and each with a different color cover. This is the purple one.

• Lipstick Levitation: Selected card placed against the outside of the filled card box rises over the deck.
• Balloon Penny-Tration: Penetration of a penny into an empty, blown-up balloon.
• The Shrinking Card: A card is selected from a regular deck which transforms into a miniature deck. The selected card is replaced in the miniature deck only to transform into a random card.
• Strange Change: A card is selected,...

This is one of the all-time great books on magic, because it teaches not just a large selection of great tricks, but also a lot of concepts, applied psychology and ways to handle spectators.

A great big wonderful ebook about a great big wonderful performer and his tricks - the late great restauranteur, Matt Schulien. Schuliens Restaurant, the legendary and favorite eatery of local Chicagoans and visitors from abroad was a family owned enterprise for 113 years. Matt grew up in the family business and a lifetime of fooling patrons at his saloon made Matt one of the world's finest close-up men....

Every generation a magician comes along, whose intention is to record magic in an encyclopedic fashion. Professor Hoffmann was the first in recorded history to attempt such a feat with his trilogy Modern Magic, More Magic, and Later Magic. Certainly many magic books have been published before him, mostly copying from each other. But none reaches the depth and breadth of Prof. Hoffmann's work. The material in these three books records the state of the art of magic in the late 19th century. Today we know more tricks and we have also refined our techniques and methods. But it is astounding how much was already known...

This is the second volume of the Hoffmann trilogy. If you liked Modern Magic you will love More Magic. There is too much to list. Refer to the 'Table of Contents' below for details. This book was rated one of the ten basic books for a working library of conjuring by H. Adrian Smith, historian, collector and owner of the largest private magic library in his time. Other books in this top 10 list are

• Magicians' Tricks by Henry Hatton and Adrian Plate
• The Expert at the Card Table by S.W. Erdnase
• The Art of Magic by T. Nelson Downs
• Modern Magic by Prof. Hoffmann
• Later Magic by Prof. Hoffmann
• The Modern Conjurer by C. Lang Neil
• Our Magic by Maskelyne and Devant
• Tarbell Course by Harlan Tarbell
• Greater Magic by John Northern Hilliard

It is the third volume of the Hoffmann trilogy. The 1911 edition was expanded by almost 200 pages with the chapters 'New Miscellaneous Tricks' and 'Recollections of Hartz the Wizard'. This expanded 1911 edition is what you will get here. This book was rated one of the ten basic books for a working library of conjuring by H. Adrian Smith, historian, collector and owner of the largest private magic library in his time. Other books in this top 10 list are

• Magicians' Tricks by Henry Hatton and Adrian Plate
• The Expert at the Card Table by S.W. Erdnase
• The Art of Magic by T. Nelson Downs
• Modern Magic by Prof. Hoffmann
• More Magic by Prof. Hoffmann
• The Modern Conjurer by C. Lang Neil
• Our Magic by Maskelyne and Devant ...

Latest Magic is the last book in Hoffmann's series Modern Magic, More Magic and Later Magic. Hoffmann had quite some problem finding a publisher for this book. The reason being the quality of the contents. When Modern Magic came out it explained new tricks and tricks which were performed at the time. Thus it was indeed 'modern'. It is also without a doubt the best book in the series. Latest Magic describes Hoffmann's own creations and dealt with a magic which was already considered old fashioned. From a historical perspective it still makes quite an interesting read.

1st edition, 1918, Spon & Chamberlain, New York; 2nd edition, 1919; 222...

After writing Later Magic, Professor Hoffmann intended to follow it with a fourth book. However, advancing age and other engagements compelled him to abandon it. Nevertheless he wrote this volume, which is not really a part of his trilogy, but functioned as a place to put the material he already collected. A few Hartz items in this book have been already dealt with in Later Magic. Otherwise the contents is new.

It is interesting to note that although Hoffmann writes in the preface to Magical Titbits that he abandoned the book which should have followed Later Magic, he authored in 1918 a book called Latest Magic which according to the...

"This book is going to be a classic. Punx takes the simplest of effects and weaves an 'entertainment factor' about them that makes it a delight to read and easy to perform. His artistry blends magic and fantasy. A true example of making magic - magick!" - Masklyn ye Mage

Punx was the acknowledged master of 'Magic as Theater', actually the creator, where the performance takes center stage and method only serves the role to support and enable the performance. There are wonderful stories, excellent tips on tricks and handling, and deep insights into the Art of Performing Magic.

Punx...

"Your wonderful book is entertaining, informative and inspiring. It is written in the humorous, intellectual style that is so uniquely yours ... You will live on in the history of Magic - forever." - Siegfried and Roy

These routines are taken from Punx's full evening show. This material is not only audience-tested, it is the material that one of the greatest magicians of the twentieth century used to earn a living. It is not a book for beginners. Some of the routines have only partial explanations. This is because most of this material consists only of presentations, many of them for...

All three Punx ebooks for one low price. Learn magic as theatre from the master who created this style of magic.

Sixty simple conjuring tricks that you can do without apparatus or sleight-of-hand. This ebook contains coin, card, second-sight, balancing, mathematical and miscellaneous tricks.

COIN TRICKS

• The Balanced Coin
• Coin And Ring
• Counting The Coins
• The Disappearing Penny
• Fifteen Instead Of Twelve
• It's There, Then It Isn't
• Juggling With Coins
• The Obedient Sixpence
• The Perforated Penny
• Piercing A Coin With A Needle
• Reversals
• Sixpence And A Bottle
• Vanishing A Penny
• Vanishing A Penny From A Borrowed Handkerchief

• The Dimidiated Card
• Happy Families
• It's There, Then...

• Chapter I: Introduction
• Chapter II: Dress, Table, Wand, Apparatus, And Stage
• Chapter III: Tricks With Handkerchiefs
• Chapter IV: Palming, Passing, And Changing Coins, Rings, And Small Articles
• Chapter V: Tricks With Coins Not Requiring Apparatus
• Chapter VI: Coin Tricks Requiring Apparatus
• Chapter VII: Tricks With Cups And Balls
• Chapter VIII: Tricks With Rings
• Chapter IX: Tricks With Hats
• Chapter X: Tricks With Watches
• Chapter XI: Tricks With Dice And Dominoes
• Chapter XII: Tricks With Electricity
• Chapter XIII: Miscellaneous Tricks
• Chapter XIV: Spiritualism And Mesmerism

1st edition...

A mix of conjuring tricks, science experiments, puzzles, games, gags, and other amusements. Most have been taken from the pages of the Sheffield Weekly Telegraph.

• The Hatched Bird
• The Match Trick
• The Enchanted Coin
• Hypnotic Burlesque
• Mysteries V. Shadows
• Magical Colors
• Destruction of Two Fluid Bodies, and the Formation of One New Solid in their Stead
• The Two Invisible Substances
• To Illuminate the Surface of the Water
• The Well of Fire
• To Produce Fire by the Mixture of Two Cold Liquids
• The Exploding Bubble
• Artificial Thunder
• Pressure Of Air Shewn By A Wine Glass
• The Magic Bottle ...

From the preface:

In Tractare (a Latin word that means "to handle") the exploration of unusual effects continues. Tractare features magic that is easy to do, based on a subtlety or simple move, but nothing that really requires sleights or finger flinging. Here you are able to beguile your audiences while making them smile, laugh, engage and become part of your show.

From the preface:

Rachel Colombini's first DVD: Card magic, close-up, parlor and stage; tricks for everyone. Included is a special guest appearance by FANTASIO. Here are the routines:

• ZODIAC CODE (Rachel & Aldo Colombini): You show seven glasses covered with colored bags. One card and one glass are selected. The selected card is revealed in the selected glass. The other glasses are full of money.
• WILD CARD CASH (Rachel Colombini): Two Jokers shown front and back. A bill (money) appears between them.
• PERFECT PREDICTION (Rachel Colombini): A spectator deals cards and stops anywhere; you predicted that card....

Magic for everyone: Close-up, parlor and stage. Rachel and Aldo Colombini are performing and explaining the following routines:

• RING TWICE (Aldo Colombini): Two rings are threaded on a piece of rope. One is selected and it becomes free (or vice versa!).
• SORCERER’S STONE (Rachel Colombini): Five ‘stones’ are shown and a spectator selects one. While you are back to the audience you find the selected stone. Can be done with any objects (even with people) and over the phone.
• CONTROL COINS (Subir Kumar Dhar): Great impromptu coin routine. No sleights at all, yet, you predict the chosen...

Rachel and Aldo used to go on big lecture tours frequently. In 2011 they gave their final 'Farewell Tour'. With farewell they only mean farewell to big lecture tours, not farewell to magic. Rachel and Aldo will continue to be very active in magic, produce new DVDs and I am sure we will still see them now and then at conventions and other magic happenings. If you have not been able to see their farewell lecture then here is your chance to acquire a very special ebook.

Here in their own words:

This is the first half of the live lecture performed by Aldo and Rachel Colombini in 2011 on their Farewell Tour. It is one of the last filmed lectures of Aldo and is a great tribute to his artistry and memory and a wonderful keepsake.

Here you can go to Part 2. And here you can get the lecture notes covering Part 1 and 2.