Commentary
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Magic Clubs
If asked, I will readily admit that I have been a member of the IBM and the SAM. I reached the second level of the Order of Merlin before dropping out during the pandemic. I believe that I reached more than ten years with SAM in spite of my many in’s and out’s. Currently I’ve… Continue reading
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The Phoenix: Volume 1 Number 11
Magic of the Knights of Magic is featured in the June 12, 1942 issue. According to Magipedia, “Knights of Magic, an independent order of magicians, was formed in New York City in 1920 by Rachel and Simon Cottlow. The organization was founded to promote sociability, fraternity and harmony among local magicians. Its reports could be… Continue reading
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Learning Magic
There’s an assumption in many areas of life but especially in magic. It’s that we know how to learn. We assume that since we attended school and graduated with a degree from high school or college that we learned how to learn. After a corporate education career, I would argue that perhaps some but not… Continue reading
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The Phoenix: Volume 1 Number 10
Number 10 opens with a card effect designed for magicians who perform for magicians. It’s a two part selection that will fool your friends at the club. It does involve a setup as well as a gaffed deck. It would be greatly improved by those who have read Giobbi’s deck switching book. J.G. Thompson’s Silver… Continue reading
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Nightmare Alley
One of my favorite novels of the golden age of noir is William Lindsay Gresham’s Nightmare Alley. Gresham, like many mystery writers of the time, was magic adjacent. He was one of the many authors to write a biography of Houdini. His was published in 1959. Additionally he published a clever torn and restored tarot… Continue reading
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The Phoenix: Volume 1 Number 9
All of the magic in May 15, 1942 edition is “Chinese” themed or as Chinese themed magic was in the mid-twentieth century. This was the time of slapping some pseudo characters on a prop and calling it a mystery of the east. Magic dealer, U. F. Grant was infamous for his spray painted characters on… Continue reading
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Sharpe Comments
The popular journalist knows practically nothing many subjects on which he writes, but he disguises the fact from those who are equally ignorant under an interesting style of writing. Advertisers, salesmen, and politicians puff and discourse on any and every matter with the least possible backing of facts, if they think it to their advantage.… Continue reading