Catalogs

August Roterberg was a very successfull magic dealer working from Chicago in the 19th century. His catalogs and books are collector items. One of his catalogs, number 15, is reproduced in this ebook. Catalogs help collectors identify and date pieces in their collection. Reading through catalogs is for me an exercise in creativity. When I read an effect description I try to think of a method to achieve it, not knowing the secret behind the trick sold. I am sure you will enjoy browsing through this beautiful catalog with lots of illustrations.

1st edition 1913, 216 pages.

This is the catalog of Martin's Magicassettes from 1986. It describes about 70 of his tapes and includes price list and ordering instructions at the end.

All of these recordings are available here at the Lybrary as MP3 downloads for your iPod. Please check the Audio section for more details.

1st edition 1986; 26 pages.

This is a parody of a magic dealer catalog. The parody was published by Geoff Maltby of Repro Magic. It was a supplement to one of the Club 71 issues.

16 pages

Selections from Ken Klosterman's Salon de Magie. Auction held Saturday, October 29th 2011.

Including Apparatus, Books, Ephemera, and Posters; and featuring his collection of Magical Woodcraft Manufactured by F.G. Thayer and the Owen Brothers together with property from other consignors.

1st edition 2011, 81 pages.

The Collection of Larry Jennings

Including Apparatus, Books and Ephemera; together with other property from selected consignors.

1st edition 2012, 73 pages.

The Collection of Craftsman, Author and Conjurer John McKinven

Including Fine Turned Wooden Apparatus, Books, and Ephemera. Complemented by Choice and Rare Conjuring Books, Houdiniana, Historical Apparatus, Posters and Ephemera From Private Collections.

1st edition 2012, 81 pages.

Gambling Memorabilia Crooked and Square

Featuring Selections from the Collection of Dale A. Whitman. Including Cheating Devices; Rare & Unusual Books on Poker, Gambling, Cheating & Gaming; Crooked and Fair Dice; Playing Cards; Poker Chips; Wheels of Fortune; Trade Catalogs; Prints; Decorative Objects; and Associated Ephemera.

1st edition 2012, 71 pages.

Magic, Featuring the Collection of Charles Reynolds

Including Apparatus, Books, Ephemera, and Posters; Complemented by Material from Other Consignors.

1st edition 2012, 79 pages.

Winter Magic Auction

Including Conjuring Apparatus; Books, Periodicals, and Catalogs; Photographs, Manuscripts and Autographs; Lithographs and Broadsides; And Magicians' Tokens, Medals & Mirror Cards from the collections of Gene Braig and Kevin King.

1st edition 2013, 69 pages.

Cardini the Suave Deceiver

His personal property at auction.

1st edition 2013, 51 pages.

A Selection of Collectible and Unusual Gambling Memorabilia

Including Rare Books; Early Playing Cards; Crooked Gambling Devices; Roulette & Gaming Wheels; Loaded Dice; Poker Chips; "Juice" Joints; Decorative Objects and Posters; Trade Stimulators; and More.

1st edition 2013, 63 pages.

Shelf Sale

Including Contemporary & Collectible Conjuring Books; Ephemera & Posters; Modern & Vintage Magic Apparatus; and More.

1st edition 2013, 77 pages.

Magic Memorabilia

Including Apparatus, Books, Ephemera, Posters and Conjuring Curiosa.

1st edition 2013, 19 pages.

The Magic Collection of William E. King

Including Vintage & Collectible Conjuring Apparatus; Association Items; Ephemera & Posters; Magic Sets, Toys and Puzzles; Complemented by Posters, Ephemera, and Apparatus from Private Collections.

1st edition 2013, 99 pages.

The Collection of Burton S. Sperber

Rare Conjuring Books & Periodicals; Magicians' Tokens and Mirror Cards; Trade, Cigarette and Throw-Out Cards; Complemented by offerings from private collections.

1st edition 2014, 103 pages.

Spring Magic Auction

Featuring Posters and Playbills from the Collection of the late John Salisse, MIMC.

1st edition 2014, 81 pages.

The Devil's Picturebook

Featuring Rare Playing Cards, Games, and Artwork; Antiquarian Books; Ephemera and Advertising; Tiles, China, Royal Bayreuth Porcelain; Cheating Devices, Dice, and Chips; Gambling Memorabilia & More.

1st edition 2014, 145 pages.

Houdiniana Auction

Featuring Personal Artifacts, Posters & Playbills, Handcuffs & Escape Devices, Books, Programs, Challenges, Correspondence, Ephemera, Scrapbooks, Autographs, Photographs Apparatus & Associated Magicana.

1st edition 2014, 91 pages.

Fall Magic Auction

Featuring Personal Artifacts and Memorabilia From The Career of Channing Pollock and The Library of James B. Alfredson. Complemented by a Selection of Collectible Magicana.

1st edition 2014, 93 pages.

The Collection of J.P. Jackson

Featuring American & European Magic Apparatus, Cups and Balls, Books and Vintage Posters. Complemented by a Selection of Collectible Magicana from other Consignors.

1st edition 2015, 115 pages.

Just 15 years after WWII, life was good. As the world rebuilt itself, prosperity reigned. Returning soldiers who needed an outlet to keep their competitive edge found what they were looking for in gambling. Neighborhood poker games, back-alley craps, and illegal casinos were everywhere if you knew where to look. Grifters followed the money trail, too, and not all of them relied on skill. Many used devices such as holdouts, shiners, gaffed cards and crooked dice to ensure that they fleeced the lambs just as surely as if the marks openly handed their cash to the swindler.

Catering to the demand...

This catalog started it all. It is the first one published in 1934, the start of a magic dynasty.

1st edition 1934, 23 pages.

The second catalog already three times thicker.

1st edition 1935, 68 pages.

A massive catalog featuring magic tricks in all categories from balls and birds to cards and coins and wands and watches.

1st edition 1976, 516 pages.

A massive catalog featuring magic tricks in all categories from balls and birds to cards and coins and wands and watches.

1st edition 1993, 575 pages.

Magic products are being offered in the following categories:

• Accessories
• Advertising
• Ball Section
• Bird Cages
• Block Tricks
• Books
• Bottle Tricks
• Candle Tricks
• Cane Tricks
• Card Magic
• Change Bags
• Cigarette Tricks
• Close-Up, Pocket and Intimate Magic
• Coin and Money Magic
• Comedy Effects
• Cups and Balls
• Dice Magic
• Egg Tricks
• Escapes
• Flower Magic
• Glasses
• Illusions
• Kid-Show Magic
• Light Bulbs
• Linking Rings
• Liquid Magic
• Livestock Tricks
• Mental Effects
• Milk Tricks
• Miscellaneous
• Paper Magic
• Production Magic
• Rice Bowls
• Rope Tricks
• Silk Magic
• Spook Material
• Tables
• Thimbles ...

After the index in the back is a section of 14 pages with additional products. This means it is likely that Abbott catalog #18 is pretty much identical to Abbott catalog #17 except for this final section of products.

Magic products are being offered in the following categories:

• Accessories
• Advertising
• Ball Section
• Bird Cages
• Block Tricks
• Books
• Bottle Tricks
• Candle Tricks
• Cane Tricks
• Card Magic
• Change Bags
• Cigarette Tricks
• Close-Up, Pocket and Intimate Magic
• Coin and Money Magic
• Comedy Effects
• Cups and Balls
• Dice Magic
• Egg Tricks
• Escapes
• Flower Magic
• Glasses
• Illusions
• Kid-Show Magic ...

This catalog includes a price list.

1st edition 1987, 516 pages.

A huge catalog including index and price list.

1st edition 1997, 525 pages.

It advertises with: The largest Mail-Order House in the World for Jokes, Magic and Novelties.

1st edition 1953, 39 pages.

Illustrated catalog of conjuring tricks, magical apparatus, ingenious puzzles and more.

1st edition 1920, 71 pages

Unique Magic Studio: New and Original Magic

1st edition 1949, 75 pages.

Unique Magic Studio

1st edition 1963, 155 pages.

Conjuring tricks, magical apparatus and illusions.

1st edition 1954, 279 pages.

Advertises with: Britain's largest magical manufacturer

1st edition 1956, 284 pages.

Magic, books, occultism, mentalism, manuscripts

1st edition 1960, 43 pages.

Arthur P. Felsman took over August Roterberg's business. His catalog looks very similar to the Roterberg catalog with beautiful illustrations and detailed product descriptions. Compare for example with Roterberg Catalog No. 15.

1st edition 1919, 189 pages.

This catalog includes a great article on why magic literature is so important (article can also be found in The Sphinx from March 1936). It should be mandatory reading for today's YouTube generation.

• A Plea for Magical Literature
• Recent and Standard Works on Magic
• Classified Guide to Current Magical Literature
• Fleming Book Company Publications
• Arcas Publications

1st edition 1949, 59 pages.

The start of a legendary business.

1st edition 1956, 57 pages.

A long list of unbelievable variety, depth and breadth of magic tricks, illusions, apparatus, accessories and more. So much in fact that this catalog required three parts.

1st edition 1966, 432 pages.

More tricks, books and accessories for the magician. There are no duplicates from part 1.

1st edition 1967, 167 pages.

Even more tricks, books and accessories for the magician. There are no duplicates from part 1 or 2.

1st edition 1969, 94 pages.

The latest big catalog from Abbott Magic.

1st edition 2004, 472 pages.

This catalog has four color plates in the middle and a price list at the very end.

• Accessories
• Canes and Candles
• Cards
• Changing Bags and Egg Bags
• Children's Magic
• Close-Up Magic
• Comedy Magic
• Escapology
• Flowers and Plumes
• General Magic
• Illusionettes
• Liquid Magic
• Livestock Magic
• Manipulation
• Mentalism
• Money Magic
• Production Items
• Puppets and Ventriloquial Characters
• Rope Magic
• Silks and Ribbons

1st edition 1989, 613 pages.