Number 6 was a free issue and also dated April 5, 1942. The opening effect is a cut and restored by Walter Gibson using a paper tape measure. I don’t know how readily available they are today as the last time I saw them was at the IKEA store a few years ago. It would… Continue reading

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

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

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

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