Published 1800-1899 in Magic & Conjuring
Authors
Products
| Sort by: Product Name Author- | Listed | Price |
W. H. J. Shaw Catalog 1893William Henry James Shaw A Chicago dealer who did manufacture his own apparatus. 1st edition 1893, 24 pages. | $10 to wish listPDF_facsimile | |
Magic Up To DateWilliam Henry James Shaw W. H. J. Shaw was a magic dealer and apparatus manufacturer in Chicago. Like his magic dealer competitor August Roterberg he decided to write a magic book almost at the same time.
| ★★★★★ $8 to wish list | |
The ExpositorWilliam Frederick Pinchbeck A series of letters, between an unidentified friend and his correspondent (William Frederick Pinchbeck) comprising of how to train a pig, invisible lady and acoustic temple, philosophical swan, penetrating spy glasses, several magic tricks, such as how to catch a bullet, and reflections on ventriloquism. This book includes the first known description of the "Eight Kings" card stack.
| $6 to wish list | |
Magicians Own BookWiljalba Frikell The authorship of this book is not entirely clear, but Frikell is a likely author of at least good parts of the book. However, most likely it is a compilation of material from different sources with potentially a number of editors and compilers. Some of the other names associated with this book are H.L. Williams, George Arnold, Frank Cahill, and John Wyman, Jr. The book covers not only magic tricks of various kinds, but also a lot of what we would call today "kitchen table top experiments" in fields ranging from mechanical and chemical to optical, math and others. It also features a section... | ★★★★★ $10 to wish list | |
Parlor Tricks with CardsWiljalba Frikell The subtitle reads: Containing explanations of all the tricks and deceptions with playing cards. Tricks with cards performed by skillful manipulation and sleight of hand; by the aid of memory, mental calculation, and the peculiar arrangement of the cards; by the aid of confederacy and sheer audacity and tricks performed by the aid of ingenious apparatus and prepared cards. The whole illustrated, and made plain and easy. The first section of this book is identical with the card section in The Secret Out.
| $10 to wish list | |
The Parlor MagicianWiljalba Frikell 100 tricks for the drawing room. Containing an extensive and miscellaneous collection of conjuring and legerdemain; sleights with dice, dominoes, cards, ribbons, rings, fruit, coins, balls, handkerchiefs, etc. All of which may be performed in the parlor or drawing room. Without the aid of any apparatus; also embracing a choice variety of curious deceptions which may be performed with the aid of simple apparatus.
| $10 to wish list | |
Conjuring Contretempsunknown 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. | ★★★★★ $2 to wish list | |
The Black Art or Magic Made Easyunknown
| ★★★★★ $5 to wish list | |
The Real New London Conjuror or the Art of Legerdemainunknown Showing the various ways of performing tricks by sleight-of-hand on dice, cards, etc., together with many surprising deceptions.
| $6 to wish list | |
After Dinner Tricks and Puzzles with your Seal Brand Coffeeunknown A nicely produced collection of mostly puzzles, brainteasers, and some which could be performed as magic tricks. In total there are 36 problems. Solutions are provided for all of them. 1st edition 1896, 12 pages of problems, 2 pages of answers. | $10 to wish listPDF_facsimile | |
The Magic Oracle or Conjuror's Guideunknown This work reveals a mix of card tricks and other small magic effects, science tricks, and in particular chemical stunts and experiments. It also covers the making of fireworks in some depth including how to make an artificial volcano. Interesting was that even in 1850 it was clear that experimenting with mercury (quicksilver) was risky as the following quote from the book shows: Feats performed through the medium of quicksilver should be executed with the greatest caution, as there is some danger attending them. (Obviously, nobody should be casually experimenting with mercury. It is... | $10 to wish list | |
The New Conjuror's Museum and Magical Magazineunknown For magicians most interesting is a section with arithmetic tricks and another with legerdemain featuring effects such as letting a pen-knife jump out of a goblet, some card tricks, coin tricks, and chemical tricks.
| $12 to wish list | |
Card and Conjuring Tricks and Book of Riddlesunknown
| $6 to wish list | |
Scientific Mysteriesunknown A collection of simple and effective experiments illustrating chemical, physical, and optical wonders. Published by the Offices of the Chemist and Druggist. 42 Cannon Street, London.
| $10 to wish list | |
Games of Skill and Conjuringunknown Instructions for games, magic tricks, model building, giving shows, and more.
| $7 to wish list | |
The Champion Pig of Englandunknown This is a lovely old-school children's story about a pig named Grunter Growler, his life on a farm, his animal as well as human friends, and his success winning 1st prize as the most beautiful pig in the country. The interesting part for conjurers is that Grunter meets Toby the Learned Pig which includes a description of a typical performance of Toby. Those who study and research learned pigs might find it interesting. All learned pigs in England were named Toby. It is therefore not clear which Toby was the model for this description.
| $4 to wish list | |
Prestidigitation or Magic Made Easyunknown A complete handbook of legerdemain, containing all the latest optical, chemical, mechanical, and magical tricks and deceptions, amusing transmutations, astonishing sleights and subtleties, together with all the noted tricks of modern magicians and prestidigitators. If you always wanted to make a mouse come out of a pack of cards, change salt to sugar, or make fire burn under water, this may be just the book for you. The author only identifies himself as 'An Old Conjuror'. Excerpt from the publisher's preface: The following pages are not intended to make the reader either a cheat or... | $8 to wish list | |
Circus Life and Circus CelebritiesThomas Frost A history of the circus in Britain during the 19th century. One chapter deals with America, another with circus slang. Perhaps most interesting are the recollections of a gymnast and how he made it into the circus. From the Preface: But of the circus artistes - the riders, the clowns, the acrobats, the gymnasts, - what do we know? How many are there, unconnected with the sawdust, who can say that they have known a member of that strange race? Charles Dickens, who was perhaps as well acquainted with the physiology of the less known sections of society as any man of his day, whetted public... | $5 to wish list | |
The Old Showmen and Old London FairsThomas Frost A detailed chronology of places, dates and performers of fairs in and around London. We learn mostly of theatrical productions of various kinds including pantomime and dances, and menageries exhibiting exotic animals, and less so of tumbling and acrobats, juggling, balancing and the like. It includes some coverage of conjurers including Fawkes, Pinchbeck, Breslaw and others. There is some overlap of stories from Circus Life and Circus Celebrities because some performers and operators were active in both venues.
| $5 to wish list | |
The Lives of the ConjurorsThomas Frost This is considered one of the best early histories of magic. From the Preface: The present volume closes the series of works on the entertaining classes which I contemplated when writing Circus Life and Circus Celebrities, the greater part of which was written before The Old Showmen and the Old London Fairs was commenced, though the publication of the latter work preceded that of the former. In embracing within the present volume the lives of the conjurors of every period and every country, while the record of shows and showmen is confined to London and the suburban districts, (which may now be said to embrace a circle of twenty miles across,) and that of circuses... | $8 to wish list | |
Fifty Years in the Magic CircleSignor Blitz 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: In presenting my Autobiography, I am fully aware of the grave responsibility I assume, and equally so of the presumption of a person describing, in a measure, his own character;—yet it is essentially better to relate one’s adventures himself, than to entrust them to the dictation of others. The reminiscences of my life may not be entitled to any special merit, beyond the amusement they may afford... | $12 to wish list | |
Draw: rules for playing pokerRobert C. Schenck While Robert Schenck served as ambassador in the UK, he was persuaded to write down his rules for poker by a duchess. This was the first publication to deal solely with draw poker. 1st edition 1880, PDF 6 pages. | $5 to wish list | |
The Book of Modern ConjuringR. Kunard
1st edition... | ★★★★★ $10 to wish list | |
Tricks and Diversions with CardsProfessor Miller Interesting here are not only the many card tricks described but also a section on crooked gambling at the very end. [Note that pages 11-14 are missing in our original from which this digital edition has been prepared.]
| ★★★★★ $10 to wish list | |
Modern MagicProfessor Hoffmann 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... | ★★★★★ $7.50 to wish list | |
More MagicProfessor Hoffmann 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
| ★★★★★ $6.50 to wish list | |
Tricks with Cards: A Complete Manual of Card ConjuringProfessor Hoffmann A complete manual of card conjuring. This is not identical to the card sections in Hoffmann's other books such as Modern Magic etc. But this book has been released in sections under the titles Card Tricks With Apparatus and Card Tricks Without Apparatus since 1893. It appears Hoffmann was not too happy about breaking it up into parts.
| ★★★★★ $15 to wish list | |
Baccarat Fair and FoulProfessor Hoffmann Being an explanation of the game, and a warning against its dangers. Excerpt from the preface: A good deal of public curiosity has been of late aroused respecting the game of Baccarat. The present work is designed, in the first place, to satisfy such curiosity by giving an explanation of the game and a statement of its laws. But it has also a second object. There is perhaps no game which so lends itself to the arts of the card-sharper as Baccarat, and if it be true that "in vain the net is spread in sight of any bird," an exposition of the frauds to which the honest player is liable should... | $10 to wish list | |
Two Pounds Less Than An ElephantPopular Mechanics A nicely illustrated article explaining some of the popular pseudo-strength demonstrations made popular for example by Lulu Hurst and others. 200 years ago demonstrations of this kind created a sensation. Nobody could explain them. Many believed these were manifestations of some yet unexplained force. Today they are relegated to party stunts. Nevertheless, some are quite surprising demonstrations you can try out in your living room. 1st edition 1928, PDF 6 pages. | ★★★★★ $4 to wish listPDF_facsimile | |
Mind ReadingPersifor Frazer After a lengthy introduction, it describes and explains the performances of the muscle-reader Mr. Brown. It also describes and explains the performances of the brothers Outerbridge whose purpose it was to prove that these types of experiments are based on muscle-reading and not any other mysterious mental forces. This talk was given before the Social Science Association on May 12th, 1875. Persifor Frazer was an interesting character. For example, he was internationally respected as an expert on handwriting. He devised a process for detecting forgeries through composite photography, leading... | $5 to wish list | |
The Fireside MagicianPaul Preston Familiar and scientific explanation of legerdemain, physical amusement, recreative chemistry, diversions with cards, and of all the minor mysteries of mechanical magic, with feats. As performed in public by Herr Alexander, Robert Houdin, "The Wizard of the North," and distinguished conjurors of all ages and nations.
| $12 to wish list | |
The Life of Mason Long the Converted GamblerMason Long Being a record of his experience as a white slave; a soldier in the Union Army; a professional gambler; a patron of the turf; a variety theater and minstrel manager; and, finally, a convert to the Murphy Cause, and to the Gospel of Christ. This book is an illustration of this paragraph by S.W. Erdnase: Hazard at play carries sensations that once enjoyed are rarely forgotten. The winnings are known as "pretty money," and it is generally spent as freely as water. The average professional who is successful at his own game will, with the sublimest unconcern, stake his money on that of another's, though... | $10 to wish list | |
Lulu Hurst Writes Her AutobiographyLulu Hurst For the first time explains and demonstrates the great secret of her marvelous power. In this autobiography, Lulu Hurst tells her rise to fame and fortune by performing acts of incredible strength on stage. She does this with personal recollections as well as quoting from various newspaper reports. At the time she performed many attributed her strength to some as of yet unknown or unexplainable force. But she had no unusual strength or the aid of any special force. She cleverly used mechanical principles as well as showmanship to make it appear she had super-human strength. In the second... | $10 to wish list | |
Lorento's Wizard's GuideLorento This is a fairly typical magic book from the 19th century. It mixes magic tricks and illusions with science experiments. Due to the fact that back then many did not have a basic understanding of physics and chemistry, many of these exhibitions of science appeared like magic.
| $5 to wish list |