This is my third Scrapbook composed in this month (March 2023). Even though when I mull over my commercial effects and magazine contributions from the decades gone by, the volume of material seems ample for a few more.
But everything I wrote or created is not worth recording or re-publishing in this collection. I found two big files chock-a-block full of the magazine articles I wrote for most of the magic magazines in the 1970's and 80's. About 2/3rds of these are not worth republishing, being my ideas on some dealer prop I purchased, or another magazine article. They would serve no purpose...
When I compiled volume 3 of these "Scrapbooks" I had mentioned it would be the last, unless I found some of my material in Abra and other periodicals I had no access to, along with a few of my earlier contributions and creations. Just two days after the publication of Volume 3, I received an email from Andy Martin, complete with all the Abra articles, and in subsequent emails a couple of my Magick contributions, and all the date and issue references.
I had forgotten since my Swami/Mantra days just how helpful a fellow "magic addict" can be in helping a complete stranger since I had no correspondence...
A magic wand disappears and re-appears. Then suddenly a lump of coal magically appears. The lump of coal disappears and re-appears three times and on the third complete disappearance it jumps into the pocket. Then the lump of coal multiplies into two lumps of coal, then it multiplies into three lumps of coal. To simplify spectator observation, two lumps of coal are removed and the last lump of coal is squeezed tightly in the hand causing the coal to change "under pressure" into a diamond which is given to the lady as a gift.
1st edition 2014, 29 pages
From the foreword by Fred Castl:
He is a great student of Erdnase and I know of no one who knows more about "jog" shuffles than Geoff. He knows more forces than Annemann wrote about but he has also kept up with modern sleights and moves. The magician who wants long and involved routines will be unlucky when he reads this book, but what he will find will be tricks with a plot and methods simplified wherever possible to include the minimum of sleights but the maximum of effect, and I shall be very surprised if there is any magician who cannot find in this book something to use.
This ebook describes 201 easy to do but effective tricks covering a wide range including feats of mentalism, tricks with paper and parts of your body.
From the inside flap of the original book:
John Scarne shows in this ebook how magic that is completely mystifying to the spectator can be as simple as ABC for the performer. From his own immense repertoire of tricks and from the specialities of other great magicians, he has selected the master-deceptions, the best tricks that can be done without skill, training, or special equipment - if you know the secret.
John Scarne is probably the...
Here's an expanded and updated edition of a Paul Curry manuscript that contains not one, but two powerful effects that will give you a reputation as an outstanding magician and psychic entertainer.
Probability Zero
A batch of business cards are numbered and mixed, with their number sides down. A truly sensational climax is reached when a spectator, although he selects the cards at random and doesn't know the numbers on the cards, succeeds in arranging them in numerical order. Is it just chance? Not likely - the odds are over 300,000 to 1 against it.
The Color-Changing Deck
A new...
Here's an expanded and updated edition of the second and final Paul Curry manuscript in the series with a pair of powerful effects that'll give you a reputation as an outstanding magician and psychic entertainer. Both of these card miracles exhibit the brilliant methodology that you've come to expect from Paul Curry.
Think Of A Card
A spectator merely thinks of a card. The performer jots down the name of a card. The spectator names his card and the performer shows what he wrote - it's the name of the thought-of card. A clean-cut, logical effect.
Follow-up
This is a variation of the...
Introducing my Second Chance Collection - a carefully selected set of six individual eBooks ready for rediscovery. While these gems didn't sell well when first appearing on Lybrary.com, I'm confident you will perform these effects if you give them a chance. I'm offering this complete collection at over 50% off the regular price.
And here's what makes this deal even better - I'm including my bestseller for Free: 103 Tips and Resources for Magicians. This eBook alone is worth the price. It will save you time and money.
The title "Secrets - Malini, Leipzig, Vernon, Jarrow, ..." suggests a lot, but these are merely the interpretations and versions of U. F. Grant to some of the classics of Malini, Leipzig, Vernon, Jarrow and others. Grant uses only one page to describe each effect and method. This book is therefore to some degree a disappointment. Nevertheless I think it is a cheap way to learn the plots and a method to several of the greatest tricks of all time. Just don't expect very detailed descriptions. Grant displays in this book an arrogant writing style with comments like 'This is good' or "The best method" or "Fools...
This was Goldston's first magic publication, a mix of magic, some juggling, and a bit of other variety arts such as shadowgraphy and chapeaugraphy.
From the Introduction:
To make this work more attractive than the general run of books on Magic, the following articles have been introduced: - Hypnotism, Smoke Pictures, Hand Shadowgraphy, Elocution, Art of Making-up, Hoop Rolling, Ventriloquism, Stage Illusions, Lock Tricks, etc., in conjunction with Conjuring.
From the foreword by Jeffery Atkins:
To a true lover of the Magic Art, the name of David Devant conjures up every conceivable facet of illusion. He was truly the Master of his craft, and as long as the art of deception continues the name of David Devant will live.
A collection of conjuring secrets for magicians who entertain when surrounded by spectators.
Excerpt from the preface:
The compilation of "A Street Conjurer's Secrets" is the outcome of many years of observation in this country, Australia, America, France and Germany. That the effects are well-known is not to be denied, but it is extremely doubtful if many conjurers are aware of the actual method used by the street entertainer.
This recording was made many years ago by Patrick Page and released as a Trik-a-Tape Video. Martin Breese was able to purchase the full rights to the tape. It is now available as a video download.
The material on this download DVD consists of demonstrations and explanations of the following effects:
From the Foreword:
In selecting these Secrets, I have endeavoured to interest the Fraternity at large. Whether you are a manipulator, impromptu or spectacular worker I trust you will find herein some secret that will add to your reputation as a magician.
The secrets are chosen from over 300 which I classified when writing The Whirlwind of Wizardry and while many are not complete tricks or effects in themselves they are just what adds that little extra touch of smartness to an act, or that little effect to fill up a break.
From the Preface:
Herewith you will find twenty-one effects after the style of those in TRICKS THAT WORK. Variety is the spice of life - I have tried to provide variety with the sincere hope that you will at least get one or two items that will be to your liking.
[Seventeen refers to "IBM Ring 17". There are nine items in the ebook.]
Released to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Club (founded in 1942), this ebook contains contributions from the lecturers and speakers who presented at the club during the 2011-12 season. Material varies from simple to advanced, impromptu, close-up, mentalism and stage including cards, coins, iPads and band-aids.
[Seventeen refers to "IBM Ring 17". There are eleven items in the ebook.]
Seventeen Secrets Volume 2 includes a mixture of close up and stand-up, magic and mentalism with cards, money, cell phones and markers as well as previously unpublished stories from the road. The material is suitable for formal and impromptu performances and covers a range of difficulty.
Shadow is a great utility prop that you make yourself for less than about $13! With Shadow you can switch cards, billets, money, or anything else you can think of. It can be used in mentalism routines to bring in a prediction; you can also make vanished objects appear in an impossible location. You are really limited only by your imagination.
Not only do you get very detailed instructions on how to make this prop (it takes about 3 minutes or so) and handling techniques, but you also get a hard-hitting routine that David uses as a closer in his formal close up performances. The routine is...
Routines for the stand-up magician.
From the introduction by Wm. G. Stickland:
If necessity is the Mother of Invention, we have the answer to the volume of offbeat magical effects which have emanated from the brains of these two enthusiasts in recent years, for living so far from magic activities (except those they have themselves organised) and magic dealers, they have been forced, in their desire to keep up-to-date, to originate their own effects. For several years the contribution of Les Sharps have been features of the British Ring Parade in each Christmas "Linking Ring", and in addition...
This is a compilation of three lecture notes released during the 1980s by Ray Grismer: Short Notes, Magic, and Lecture. As the name suggests these are short notes on the items Grismer presented during his lecture. There is some overlap between these three notes.
Excerpt from the Introduction:
Here is a bunch of my creations in the field of intimate type close-up magic, that I have been using for long in my close-up work. In fact, many of the tricks in this book have been published earlier in Abra, and Magigram. However due to repeat performances, these have been further polished, and the articles are rewritten for this book, including these improvements.
There are many books published for the card magician, the close-up magician, the mentalist, the illusionist, and even the kid show performer but there are very few books for the general practitioner of club and stage magic.
Showstuff caters to that neglected segment of the magic community. In this ebook, you'll find more than 50 tricks and routines, all of them professionally tested.