Magic
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Toni Forster on Magic Books
Until recently I had not heard of Dr. Forster. I purchased Ted Lesley’s Paramiracles published by Hermetic Press book from a second hand dealer. It had come out about 30 years ago and, for some reason, hadn’t shown up on my radar screen. Dr. Forster was a friend and confidant of Lesley’s and, for a… Continue reading
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The Phoenix: Volume 1 Number 5
April 5, 1942 is the date of the fifth edition of the Phoenix. It begins with a gambling card effect by Elliott that leverages the jog shuffle work from Erdnase. Ann Y. Mous’ Slide-less is a marked coin in sealed boxes effect that would be appreciated by the magic club crowd. The fact that it… Continue reading
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The Phoenix: Volume 1 Number 4
Walter Gibson’s billiard ball routine is the feature in the March 20th edition. It’s an appearance and vanish of four balls. Gibson states that he has an entire billiard ball book planned however it doesn’t seem like he published it. Alvin R. Plough’s Rehydration is a clever science trick using the theme of WWII conservation… Continue reading
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What’s In Your Wallet?
Everyday Carry (EDC) has become a ubiquitous selling point for magic tricks today. You’ll find it in ads and videos marketing the latest gadgets, downloads, and tricks. In the past before close up magic became close up magic, stuff magicians carried was simply called pocket tricks. If you think about it, EDC is another term… Continue reading
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The Phoenix: Volume 1 Number 3
The March 6, 1942 issue features magic by Clayton Rawson, Harry Baker, and Frank Taylor. The Rawson card effect, Scrambled Thought-waves, is a delight. Using a few gaffed cards two selections are revealed in a humorous manner. With some arts and craftsmanship, the effect could be updated to today’s sensibilities. The nice thing about Rawson’s… Continue reading
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The Phoenix: Volume 1 Number Two
The second issue of the Phoenix arrived on February 14, 1942. According to the Backroom, the editors were still trying to determine the frequency of publication. They eventually settled on bi-weekly – meaning every two weeks. (The confusion with bi-weekly versus bi-monthly has always been a pet peeve.) The lead effect was Bruce Elliott’s Hard… Continue reading
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Exploring Performance
Magic, whether you consider it an art or a craft or, perhaps, both, only exists for a moment or two. The performer and the audience co-create an experience that triggers a reaction and an emotion. Magic doesn’t exist outside of the performance space between the performers and the participants. It’s relational. It doesn’t exist in… Continue reading