Minneapolis: Carl Waring Jones, (1941). First edition. Hardcover. xx, 135 pp., large octavo, original blue decorative cloth. Signed by the author on front free endpaper. First edition stated on copyright page. More about MAGICAL WAYS AND MEANS: Sixty Tricks by Al Baker. Ninety-Two Drawings by Dr. Harlan Tarbell....
NY: Sphinx Publishing Corp. 1941. First edition. Hardcover. 63 pp; 9.25 x 6 inches; red boards, dustjacket. Each of the named magicians presents a single "trick" followed by a brief biography of each performer. More about OUR MYSTERIES
Philadelphia: Kanter's Magic Shop, (1944). Second printing. Hardcover. 154 pp. + 5 pages ads at rear; 2 full-page illustrations, octavo, red cloth with gilt title. Advice to magicians on how to fine-tune their performances for maximum dramatic effect. Marketing and advertising tips, etc. More about FORGING AHEAD IN MAGIC: The Secrets of Professional Magicians . . . not their tricks . . . but...
NY: George Sully, (1927). Hardcover. x, 165 pp., illustrated; small octavo, red cloth, dustjacket. A playing card handbook divided into 3 sections: Solitaires; Card Tricks; Fortune Telling with cards. More about FUN WITH CARDS
Los Angeles: F. G. Thayer, (1923). First edition. Paperback. 21 pp.; original decorative wrappers, 6.75 x 4.75 inches. 12 magic tricks thoroughly described. More about SELECTED TRICKS
Berkeley Heights, NJ: Fleming Book Co., 1947. First edition. Hardcover. xii, 244 pp., illustrated; octavo, blue cloth with gilt title, dustjacket. Author Stanley Collins spent more than 45 years as a professional entertainer. This volume is one in the publisher's Fleming Magic Classics Series. More about A CONJURING MELANGE: A Collection of Tricks and Puzzles Originated by Stanley Collins. With 146...
London: Hutchinson & Co., (1936). First edition. Hardcover. Maroon cloth with gilt spine title; 288 pp. + publisher's 32-page catalog at rear; frontispiece and 14 full-page plates from photographsm many illustrations in the text. Covers moderately faded, some foxing to text, else very good. English stage magician David Devant (1868-1941)... More about SECRETS OF MY MAGIC: In Which Are Disclosed for the First Time the Secrets of Some of the...
New York: David Kemp & Co., (1936). First edition. Hardcover. viii, 82 pp.; octavo, original black cloth lettered in red, pictorial dustjacket. Joseph Dunninger (1892-1975) was a highly successful stage magician who also specialized in "mentalism" and debunking fraudulent mediums and spiritualists. More about HOW TO MAKE A GHOST WALK: Simple Directions for Staging a Seance. With Drawings by Herman Bernar...
NY: David Kemp and Co., (1935). First edition. Hardcover. Original green cloth with gilt spine title; vi, [3] 228 pp., illustrated with 14 full-page plates, mostly from photographs. Spine gilt darkened, owner name in pencil to front free endpaper, else fine in price-clipped pictorial dustjacket with fading to jacket spine... More about INSIDE THE MEDIUM'S CABINET
NY: Prentice-Hall, Inc., (1947). (not stated). Hardcover. xvi, 225 pp., illustrated; octavo, gray boards, dustjacket. A comprehensive manual for stage-magic by the prolific journalist and proficient magician. More about PROFESSIONAL MAGIC FOR AMATEURS
New Haven: The A. C. Gilbert CO., (1920). First edition. Hardcover. 61 pp. + 3 pages ads; original brown pictorial cloth, 7 x 5 inches. Dustjacket. An assortment of stage effects mostly using common household chemicals, with a few involiving electricity. More about GILBERT CHEMICAL MAGIC: A Presentation of Original and Famous Tricks in Conjuring Accomplished By...
Woodside, L.I, N.Y. Stage Magic, 1944. First edition. Hardcover. 40 pp., illustrated; original orange cloth. Card magic by a prolific author of magic manuals. More about ANNEMANNS CARD MIRACLES AND MENTAL MYSTERIES
London: Stanley Paul & Co., (1936). First edition. Hardcover. Original pale red cloth with gilt spine title; 287 pp. + 8 pp. ads at rear, illustrated with frontispiece and 15 plates from photographs (some plates with multiple images). Covers somewhat soiled, faint dampstain to edges of pages, moderate foxing; near... More about WHITE MAGIC: The Story of Maskelynes. With 25 illustrations
New York: E.P. Dutton, (1911). First US edition. Hardcover. ix, [5], 487, [1] advert pp., 86 illustrations in the text; octavo, slate blue cloth with title in gilt, white cover ornament. The first 2 sections are by John Nevil Maskelyne (1839-1917); the final section by David Devant (1868-1941). Both authors... More about OUR MAGIC: The Art in Magic / Theory of Magic / The Practice of Magic. With 86 figures mainly...
Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, (1932). First edition. Hardcover. 259 pp., 3 full-page plates, including color frontispiece; octavo, original blue cloth. The second book of many books on magic by former stage magician and close friend of Harry Houdini, John Mulholland (1898-1970). More about QUICKER THAN THE EYE: The Magic and Magicians of the World
NY: Wehmen Bros. (1947). Second printing of this edition. 386 pp., more than 500 illustrations from photographs, octavo, blue cloth, dustjacket. "Explaining and Illustrating Tricks by J.N. Maskelyne; Paul Valadon; Trewey; H. De Manche; Charles Bertram; L. Graham Lewis; T. Nelson Downs; Fank Kennard; Mdlle. Patrice; Ellis Stanton and Others."... More about THE MODERN CONJURER and Drawing-Room Entertainer
NY: Funk & Wagnalls, no date (circa 1923). First US edition. Hardcover. [3], 151, [1] pp., 161 illustrations in the text, small octavo, blue cloth with illustrated paper label on front cover. Printed in England, with Cassell & Co's. London address on the last page. Published, according to OCLC/Worldcat, in... More about STAGE ILLUSIONS AND ENTERTAINMENTS
Philadelphia: David McKay, no date (circa 1920s). Hardcover. Original green with title in white and red; octavo, v, 121pp. Illustrated. More about CONJURING TRICKS WITH DOMINOES, DICE, BALLS, HATS, ETC. and Stage Tricks from "Modern...
London: George Armstrong, 1950. First edition thus. Hardcover. 121 pp, profusely illustrated; octavo, blue cloth with gilt title. A point by point repudiation of Harry Houdini's accusations against Jean Robert-Houdin, as published in his 1908 "The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin." More about WHERE HOUDINI WAS WRONG (Les "Erreurs" de Harry Houdini): A Reply to the Unmasking of...
San Rafael: Saint Raphael House, (1949). First edition thus. Paperback. Original stapled decorative wrappers, 9 x 6 inches; 89 pp., illustrated with line drawings. Slight rubbing to spine area of cover, else fine. The secrets of Iranian master prestidigitator Medjid Kan Rezvani - "The King of the Tomatoes" More about THE MAGIC OF REZVANI. "This is an English Translation of LA MAGIE DU SORCIER."
Harrisburg: The Military Service Publishing Co., (1952). Sixth printing. Hardcover. [10], 434 pp.illustrations from photographs and line drawings; octavo, black cloth with gilt title, dustjacket. "The world famous gambling authority . . . gives you for the first time the complete lowdown on Odds, Percentages, Official Rules of Dice Games... More about SCARNE ON DICE
Chicago: G. F. Schulte, 1924. First edition. Hardcover. 40 pp., + 1 leaf of advertisements; 7.75 x 5 inches, green boards, sepia photo frontispiece of the author. A selection of the author's stage effects along with the amusing accompanying "words" the patter the magician has prepared to amuse and distract his audience. More about WORDS FOR WIZARDS
New York: Rand McNally, (1929). First edition. Hardcover. 140 pp., many full-page plates from photograps, octavo, original red leahterette cloth, pictorial endpapers. Secrets of stage magic explained by the McElhones. This copy inscribed and signed on half-title page "To Dot and Lynn with best wishes from Peg and Fritz." More about MAGICAL MYSTERIES: Magic Made Easy
New York: Max Holden, 1946. First edition. Hardcover. [11], 112 pp + 1 catalog page at rear; octavo, original green cloth, frontispiece from photograph and many illustrations from line drawings by the author. Edward Victor was the stage name of Edward Neuschwander (1887-1964), a proficient magician and early member of... More about FURTHER MAGIC OF THE HANDS: An Explanation of New Sleights and Magical Effects with: Cards,...
Los Angeles: F. G. Thayer, 1920. First edition. Hardcover. Green boards, 7.75 x 5.5. inches, 86 pp., illustrated. This copy with bookplate mounted to front endpaper of magician and founding President of the Pacific Coast Society of Magicians H. Syril Dusenbery (1894-1982). More about ORIGINAL CREATIONS FOR MAGICIANS, HITHERTO KEPT "UP HIS SLEEVE." By Charles Waller of...