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W. G. Magnuson

Walter G. Magnuson was born September 27, 1904. He was quite a character and eventually performed under the stage name of Del-Ardo. Starting in the early 1920s, he released poorly typed manuscripts of his mental, psychic and pseudo-hypnotic secrets. Over his lifetime, he released more than 125 of these manuscripts. His business flourished from the 1920s to 1970s. The original manuscripts were mimeographed and are extremely rare nowadays. If you can find one, the writing is usually faded and hard to read. His most famous work was called: The Twentieth Century Mindreading Act and was released in 1935.

Later in life, Walter G. Magnuson became Reverend Walter G. Magnuson, and started giving spirit readings. He was the co-organizer of Rockford Illinois' Largest Spiritualistic Church, giving readings in the Rockford area. Many manuscripts he released were on cold-reading and how to fleece the suckers, as he termed them.

As a "human pincushion", he worked at Ripley's Believe It Or Not Odditorium Show, doing up to 22 performances a day. He received an extra dollar for each spectator who fainted at the sight—his arms, legs, neck, and face being punctured by needles, pins, and police badges.

He edited the house organs of the International Mentalist Association, The Seer (2 issues) and Mystic (1 issue), both published in 1929.

He died, May 4, 1988, at the age of 83.

Coauthors: Devin Knight, Anthony Nelmar Albino

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W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight
Perfection Mindreading Act by W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight

This was considered by W. G Magnuson to be the perfect method for doing a question and answer act. No manila envelopes are used. The performer passes out slips of paper and pencils. He can do this or have an assistant pass the slips out.

Once the slips are passed out, each audience member writes a question on the paper and folds it up. The billets are collected by either the performer or an assistant to speed things up. The collected billets are brought forward and dumped on a table in full view. They are not switched; the actual billets are in full view. The mentalist picks up a closed billet...

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W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight
Secrets of Gallery Reading by W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight
"Gallery Reading is unique, it's unlike any other book on cold readings. I love it! It is organic, real and different. It's not stock, but exploring and seeming comprehensive to the audience. You will use it right away. I did." - Marc Salem
Imagine that you have finished your mental act and then start telling complete strangers, with remarkable accuracy, their secret thoughts, as well as their private and personal affairs from stage. You can point out people who have lost objects or money and apparently help them find them in some cases. This is accomplished without any impression devices,...
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W. G. Magnuson & Anthony Nelmar Albino & Devin Knight
Forbidden Knowledge by W. G. Magnuson & Anthony Nelmar Albino & Devin Knight

You too, can apparently have the legendary psychic powers of the seventh son of the seventh son. This release will show you how and take your abilities to the next level. Learn advanced techniques from three of the legends in cold reading and mentalism: Magnuson, Nelmar and Knight. Techniques so advanced that Magnuson said you will make other mediums look like rank amateurs.

Back in the 40s, W. G. Magnuson dared to expose these secrets. Just as mediums threatened Houdini for his exposures, successful mediums also threatened Magnuson with bodily harm and threats of ancient curses if he exposed these...

★★★★★ $50
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W. G. Magnuson
The Ellis Mindreading Act by W. G. Magnuson

EFFECT: The performer delivers a short lecture on mental telepathy and introduces the lady medium, whom, he explains, can with mental telepathy, answer any short question of a serious nature.

Small pads and pencils are passed out to interested spectators, requesting that they write their important questions, sign their name and fold the paper two times to make a small billet, with the question concealed inside. While the questions are being written, the medium is blindfolded and seated behind a small undraped table on the stage or raised platform. The folded billets are now collected in an...

★★★★ $6
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W. G. Magnuson
20th Century Mindreading by W. G. Magnuson

20th Century Mindreading is a classic and is considered to be one of the best things that G. W. Magnuson ever released. It is the Holy Grail when it comes to cold-readings. It contains the Alain DeLysle cold reading spiel which many mentalists consider the best cold reading ever written.

The DeLysle reading is brilliantly conceived and will hit 99 out of a 100 sitters. When you first read it, you will think someone has written a detailed life history of you! It's that good. This is considered a full-blown reading and goes from cradle to grave.

All you have to do is read it over a few times...

★★★ $8
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W. G. Magnuson
How To Make Money with Mind Reading by W. G. Magnuson

Here is a rare release from the past by G. W. Magnuson. In the 40s, he put out a booking system for mentalists. It showed an easy way to get into theaters with your mind reading show. This system was used by most of the prominent mentalists in the 40s and 50s including Bob Nelson.

Believe it or not, this almost forgotten system still works today, but on a more limited basis. If you are a mentalist looking to fill in some of your open dates, then you may find Magnuson's ideas to be of use.

In the 40s and 50s, many top names mentalists were using this system to make a good living, while others not...

★★★★ $3
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W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight
Silent Two-Person Codes Revealed by W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight

Imagine being able to secretly transmit information to your assistant in complete silence and without having to learn a lot of code words. Imagine you could do this without any electronics and very little practice.

Ordinary spoken (verbal) codes are more or less known to modern audiences, but the methods herein described defies detection, even if the method should be known to the party who sees it. Normally, to do this today requires secret electronic equipment costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars capable of sending secret impulses to your assistant. Such is not the case with these...

★★★ $4
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W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight
Zenith Spirit Manifestation by W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight

This was designed to fool both skeptics and magicians. This is one of the most stunning mediumistic stunts ever devised. It was developed and used by the old school mediums. It was so unbelievable; it fooled reporters, skeptics and magicians. A medium who could be searched and placed into a darkened room could cause a spirit to materialize in full view, without the aid of any secret assistants. This could be done in anyone's home.

The amazing thing was that this was accomplished without luminous cardboard props, luminous cheesecloths, luminous paint or other props sold by Nelson Enterprises....

★★★★ $3
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W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight
Del-Ardo's Private Sealed Envelope Reading Method by W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight

Del-Ardo was a professional medium of the old school. He developed many ways to read messages in a sealed envelope, but this was his favorite method and was the one he used most. This is also the same method that was used by psychic, Jason Michaels, during his career, with a few of his improvements. Devin Knight is still using this improved method to this day.

This method is also being used by phony mediums today who are working the spiritualist churches and camps because it is almost 100% foolproof and there is almost no chance of getting caught cheating. The method is that good.

A plain...

★★★★ $6
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W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight
Just Think by W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight

If you really had psychic powers, you could answer questions just thought of. There would be no need for the person to write the question or tell you what it was. He would just think of a question in his mind. If you really had psychic powers you would immediately answer the question WITHOUT any pumping or fishing! There would be no hesitation! Of course, this sounds 100% impossible; unless, you really were psychic.

A noted performer once said, "The man who can create an act whereby you ask a spectator to just THINK of the question and then you answer it...will be doing something. In fact,...

★★★★ $8
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W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight
Annotated Secret Professional Pseudo-Hypnotic Methods by W. G. Magnuson & Devin Knight

This is a reprint of the rare and hard to find Secret Professional Pseudo-Hypnotic Methods first released by G. W. Magnuson in 1931. The original manuscript was poorly typed and full of typos and grammatical errors. Devin Knight has taken this work and reset the type to make it easier to read, corrected the typos and grammar and added photos. In addition, Devin has annotated the text with badly needed updated information regarding these methods.

Interestingly, Magnuson did not believe there was such a thing as real hypnosis and developed an act of pseudo hypnosis. Some of his best effects...

★★★★★ $10
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