Biographies & History in Magic & Mentalism: page 4

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:

Table of Contents

• 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 ...

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 ...

This 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.

Table of Contents

• CHAPTER I
  • What Is Poker
  • Its Origin, And Why We Like It
• CHAPTER II
  • The Early Days Of Poker
  • Steamboat Games
  • A Mammoth Raise
  • Bowie's Good Deed
• CHAPTER III
  • Poker In Washington ...

The record of a career famous for adventure and vicissitude, and in which the jester won more tricks than the gamester.

• Preface
• Chapter I: Birth And Early Peregrinations
• Chapter II: Becoming A Patron Of The Pasteboards
• Chapter III: Early Times On The Mississippi
• Chapter IV: Getting A Sobriquet And Meeting Great Men
• Chapter V: The Turnpikes, The Packets And The Inns
• Chapter VI: Initiated In The Sons Of Malta
• Chapter VII: From The Green Mountains To Pike's Peak
• Chapter VIII: With The Bold Soldier Boys
• Chapter IX: The Fraternity Of Gamesters
• Chapter X: To Point A Moral And Adorn A...

Table of Contents

• A Typical Culpitt Performance
• The Vanishing Stick (Or "Culpitt's Cork")
• The Abanazer Fan Vanish
• Torn And Restored Newspaper
• The Bathing Costume Trick
• A Rabbit From A Hat
• Culpitt's Clock
• Cards Ala Culpitt
• Egg-Bag Ruses
• Production Of Eggs From A Net-Fronted Bag
• The Doll's House Illusion
• Culpitt's Silk Loader
• Culpitt Card Box
• Reward Poster
• "On Toast"
• Rabbit To Silks
• A Culpitt Card Sleight
• Thumb-Nail Sketch

1st edition 2001; 1st digital edition 2016, 43 pages.

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 most complete history of Abbott's Magic, and in particular it covers the long history of the Abbott's Get Together.

• Welcome to the 2016 Abbott Compendium
• Abbott's Historical Documentation
• Art of the Abbott Catalog
• Art of the Get Together
• Complete Get Together Performer List
• Timeline of Abbott's and the Get Together
• 2016 Magic Capital Events
• 79th Get Together August 3-8 2016

1st edition 2016, 521 pages.

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.

You will find three bankruptcy files in this PDF, one with No. 842 from 1899 which consist of 37 pages, one with No. 8576 from 1903 with 476 pages, which is the Jamieson-Higgins bankruptcy, and the bankruptcy No. 8577 from 1903 with 624 pages. The particularly interesting one is the last No. 8577 which was the James McKinney & Co. bankruptcy.

The Jamieson-Higgins bankruptcy is included because James McKinney printed essentially all of the books Jamieson-Higgins published and they were also financially entangled.

It also tells the tale how Chris Wasshuber located the files, had them digitized, and how...

Written by a man who spent seventy-four years ... a lifetime in magic! A professional magician, a world traveler, author, inventor, founder of the world's largest magic company. Percy Abbott, the 'Caliph of Colon', and magic are synonymous. In this ebook you will discover stories, experiences, secrets and advice that only a lifetime in magic can offer. You will uncover facts about the greats that will amaze you. There is a fund of information on tricks and illusions new to present day magicians.

Contents

• Dedication
• Memories
• Foreword
• The Chrystal Lantern
• Comedy Snake Basket
• Lost In...

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....

• CARDINI He seemed bewildered by his own magic
• BLACKSTONE "The Last of the Great Magicians"
• LEON MANDRAKE He wore a turban or a top hat - depending on the gig
• DUNNINGER Was it true that the renowned mindreader couldn't read the mind of a gnat?
• DAVENPORT BROTHERS Their spirit cabinet brought them fame. But were they mediums or magicians?
• PROFESSOR NEUMAN He had misread a mind - and the police hauled him away
• THE GREAT LESTER Did he have the exclusive rights to that name?
• GEORGES MÉLIÈS A magician who transformed himself into a filmmaker
• CHARLIER No one knew where he came from - or where he finally went ...

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 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...

A Warlock's Wandering is one magician's memories of his journey along the eternal path of wonder. It is my sincere hope that within its pages you may find something of value in presentation, thought, adaptation, and dressing. Between the lines are little gems of wisdom and knowledge gleaned from the many performers met over the last sixty seven years.

1st edition 2015, 57 pages.

This is a biography of Chris Van Bern (1872? - 1950) christened The Busy 'B' by The Magician Monthly in 1911 because of his versatility as a variety performer. His presentations were original and he was something of a 'character'. He became a member of so many local magic clubs throughout the UK that it is believed his record has never been surpassed by anyone. He was Honorary Vice President, for example, of The Modern Mystic League (Blackburn & District Society of Magicians), and The Order of The Magi (Manchester). A generous man to all magicians he co-authored A Whirlwind of Wizadry with De...

This is not your typical magic video. While Tony Shiels demonstrates a few bizarre magic effects, it is for the most part a human interest piece. Tony invites us into his home as well as into the woods where we see him talking, walking, pointing at leaves and stones, giving performance advice and pondering the past - all done in his weird and unique way.

If you want to learn more about the personality behind Tony Shiels you will love this video. If you are after the next best effect you will certainly be disappointed.

Includes a five minute intro with Martin Breese talking about his foray...

• HENRY SLADE Was he a medium or a magician?
• CAGLIOSTRO The Mystery Man of Europe
• KATTERFELTO Lecturer, conjurer, and quack
• SERVAIS LE ROY He levitated a pianist and her piano
• C. W. STARR His vanishing act was for sheriffs
• TORRINI His greatest illusion was himself
• SIGNOR BLITZ What he pulled from a hat one night kept a family together
• CHARLES MORRITT His masterpiece was the Disappearing Donkey
• THE BOTTLE CONJURER How was he going to jump into a bottle?
• MAELZEL There was more to his Chess-playing Automaton than met the eye
• ROBERT HELLER His mindreading act mystified audiences
• THE BANGS...

This 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.

A 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.

• Preface - Paul Gordon
• About the Author by Martin Breese
• Introduction - Paul Gordon
• Edward George Brown - a biography by Paul Gordon
• Obituary by Francis White
• Heartfelt Tributes
• - John Carney
• - Roger Crosthwaite
• - Members of The Magic Circle
• Trevor H. Hall & The Card Magic of Edward G. Brown
• Willane's Methods for Miracles
• Ibidem - P. Howard Lyons
• The 'Lost' Magic of E.G. Brown
• - Divination of Two Mentally Selected Cards
• - The Three Billet Test
• - A Cigarette Change
• - The Penetrating Tumbler
• - Handkerchief and Glass to Hat
• - A Nap Hand
• With Thanks to Edward George Brown
• - The Brown Detective - Peter Duffie
• - Thin...

One of the world's foremost authorities on magic books, palming coins and tokens, Mr. Heyl brings you a fascinating ebook on collecting. Includes: Early American Editions of Robert Houdin's Autobiography, Boy's Own Book, American Magic Books, Odd and Unusual Books, Two Worthy Wizards, Mythical Magic Books, Cards for Conjuring, 17th Century Notes, Dainty Conceits, Hocus Pocus, Peripheral Bibliographies, Magic, Black and White, The Cheaters, Rid, Rowlands, Juggling, Sports and Pastimes, Scarce and Rare, Little Known Conjurer's Medals and Tokens.

[This is a collection of articles that appeared in the MUM a long time ago.

1st edition 1964, 1st...

Introducing Harry Houdin—one of the most versatile performers you've never heard of. Born decades before the great Harry Houdini, he claimed to be the nephew of Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, the famous French conjurer of the 19th century.

Houdin, who billed himself as "The Great Polynational Mimic," toured Australia and New Zealand between 1860 and 1863 with a one-man act featuring drawing-room magic and international impersonations done to song and dance.

Harry Houdin: The Great Polynational Mimic is the first formal work of research written about this virtually unknown, albeit colorful, entertainer.

1st edition 2013, 27...

This is the first real history of magic in the English language. It first appeared in serialized from in The Magic Wand.

Sidney W. Clarke tells the story of magic from its earliest traces in recorded history, all the way to the celebrated masters of Robert-Houdin, Maskelyne, and the ones who followed them.

[Note: This edition was newly formatted for convenient reading and searching on mobile devices.]

1st digital edition 2013, 288 pages.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Ancient Conjuring
• The Mediaeval Jugglers
• The Jugglers’ Tricks
• Hocus Pocus
• The...