Cyclopedia of Magic

This remarkable book is organized alphabetically, making it an invaluable resource for magicians seeking a comprehensive foundation in magical knowledge. It features definitions, descriptions, biographies, and routines covering a vast array of magic topics, compiled from contributions by notable magicians such as August Roterberg, Charles Bertram, Eddie Joseph, Ellis Stanyon, John Mulholland, T. Nelson Downs, and many others.

The ebook begins with a User’s Guide outlining its purpose and an index of contributing authors.

A

• Acquitment: definition

• Afghan Bands: brief overview

• Amateur Magicians: definition and article

• Anderson, John Henry: 1814-1874; biography

• Angle-Proof: definition

• Animals: brief article discussing Rabbits, Pigeons, Dogs, etc.

B

• Ball Manipulation: extensive article on various palms, passes, and vanishes, referencing Burling Hull’s Expert Billiard Ball Manipulation

• Ball of Wool: trick description

• Bambergs, The: biographies of Eliaser (1760-1833), David Leendert (1786-1869), Tobias (1812-1870), David (born 1843), Theo (Okito) (born 1875), and David (born 1904)

• Bellachini (Sam Berlach): 1828-1885; biography

• Billet And Message Reading: article discussing One Ahead, Impressions, Transparency, etc.

• Bird-Cage, Vanishing: definition

• Black Art: defined, with an article on the Black Art Table and its construction

• Blackstone, Harry: biography

• Blindfolds: article detailing various forms

• Blitz, Signor Antonio: 1810-1877; biography

• Book Test: article explaining various approaches

• Bosco, Bartolommeo: 1790-1863; biography

• Bradawl or Ice Pick: definition

• Breakaway Fan: definition

• Breslaw: biography of a magician who died in 1783

• Bullet Catching: article

• Business Methods: article on publicity

C

• Cake Baked In a Hat: article

• Card Box: definition

• Card Frame: article

• Card in Cigarette: definition

• Card Index: definition

• Cardini: biography

• Card Manipulation: extensive article covering Back Palm, Bottom Dealing, Break, Changes, Crimp, Double Lift, False Count, False Shuffle, Jogs, Flourishes, Forcing, Glide, Glimpse, Mexican Turnover, Palming, Second Deal, Shifts, Slips, and a bibliography for card workers

• Card Marking: detailed article on principles, dot & puncture, manufacture, shading/tinting, line and scroll work, and marking during play

• Card Setups (The Rosary Deck): explanations of new packs, 8 Kings, Si Stebbins, along with several tricks

• Cards, Flap: definition

• Cards, Key: article describing several types

• Cards, One Way, Pointer, Divided: descriptions of three card location techniques

• Cards Up the Sleeve: routine description

• Card Through Handkerchief: described

• Card Vanisher: various types described

• Carter, Charles J: 1874-1936; biography

• Changeover Palm: definition

• Changing Bag: definition

• Children’s Shows: article with recommendations

• Chinese Magic: definition

• Chinese Wands: multiple versions described

• Ching Ling Foo (Chee Ling Qua): 1854-1918; biography

• Ching Ling Foo Water Can: definition

• Chopper Effects: definition

• Chung Ling Soo (William Ellisworth Campbell): 1861-1918; biography

• Cigar Manipulation: article covering multiple sleights

• Cigarette Manipulation: techniques for both lighted and unlighted cigarettes, including holders

• Clock Dial: description

• Coils: definition

• Coin Box, Okito: definition

• Coin In Handkerchief: definition

• Coin Manipulation: article covering Palms, Changes, Handkerchief Folds, Passes, Sleeving, and a bibliography for coin workers

• Coin Tray: described with a routine

• Coins, Folding: described

• Coins, Shell: described

• Comedy: article with advice

• Comte, Louis Christian Emmanuel Appollinaire: 1788-1859; biography

• Costume: article with advice

• Costume Trunk Trick: described

• Culpitt, Fred: died 1944; biography

• Cups and Balls: article covering palming, cup and wand moves, and East Indian cups

D

• Dancing Handkerchief: described

• De Kolta, Joseph Bautier: 1845-1903; biography

• Devant, David (David Wighton): 1868-1941; biography

• Dice: article on changing dots and Die Through Hat

• Die Box, Sliding: described

• Diminishing Cards: described

• Divinations: effects where the performer discovers concealed objects or their arrangement

• Doebler, Ludwig Leopold: 1801-1864; biography

• Dollar Bill Tricks: description of a torn and restored bill and the bill-to-lemon effect

• Doll’s House: illusion by Frederick Culpitt described

• Dove Pan: described

• Downs, Thomas Nelson: 1867-1938; biography

• Drawer-Box: described

• Droppers: definition

• Drumhead Tube: described

• Duck Vanish: described

E

• East Indian Magic: article

• Egg and Handkerchief: effects detailed with various approaches

• Egg Bag: described, including details on De Biere’s egg bag and a general routine approach

• Equivoques (Conjurer’s Choice): described

• Escapes and Releases: brief discussions on various escape techniques

• Exposures: short article on ethics

F

• Fake: definition

• Fawkes, Isaac: died 1731; biography

• Fish-Catching: definition

• Flagstaff: described

• Flash Paper: definition

• Flower in Buttonhole: definition

• Flower Productions: described in detail

• Forcing: definition

• Four Ace Tricks: covers Charles Bertram’s method and seven other techniques

• Fox, Imro (Isidor Fuchs): 1852-1910; biography

• Frikell, Wiljalba: 1818-1903; biography

• Funnel: described

G

• Gambling Methods: extensive article on card and dice cheating

• General Card: definition

• Gimmick: definition

• Goldfish Bowls: described

• Goldin, Horace (Hyman Goldstein): 1873-1939; biography

• Grandmother’s Necklace: described

• Gyngell: died 1833; biography

H

• Handkerchiefs Prepared as Vanishers: described, including the Die-Vanishing Handkerchief

• Hands: treatment advice

• Hat Trick: detailed description of Joseph Michael Hartz’s item production from a hat

• Heimburger, Alexander: 1818-1909; biography

• Heller, Robert (William Henry Palmer): about 1826-1878; biography

• Herrmann: biography of a magician family

• Hertz Carl (Laib Morgenstern): 1869-1924; biography

• History: article on the evolution of magic

• Hoffmann, Professor Louis (Angelo John Lewis, MA): 1839-1920; biography

• Hofzinser, Johann Nepomuk: 1806-1875; biography

• Holders: descriptions of various ball and egg holders

• Hoods: used for coins, cards, etc.

• Houdini, Harry (Ehrich Weisz): 1874-1926; biography

I

• Illusions: definition

• Impromptu Effects: references to books with impromptu effects

• Indian Basket Trick: described

• Indian Mango Trick: described

• Indian Rope Trick: described

• Inexhaustible Bottle: described with various enhancements

• Invention: article including a chart on Magical Techniques and patent information

J

• Jap Box: detailed description

• Jumping Peg: described

K

• Kellar, Harry (Harold Keller): 1849-1922; biography

• Kellar Tie: described rope release

L

• Lafayette (Siegmund Neuburger): 1872-1911; biography

• Laurant, Eugene (Eugene Greenleaf): 1875-1944; biography

• Leroy (Jean Henri) Servais: 1865-1953; biography

• Levitations: descriptions of various stage levitations, including the floating ball

• Linking Rings: complete routine described

• Literature of Magic: article on historical writings

• Load: definition

• Lota: described

M

• Magical Effects: overview of types of magical effects

• Makeup: described

• Maskelynes, The: family biography

• Mechanical Decks: descriptions of Strippers, Cornered, Forcing Decks, Svengali, Mene Tekel, etc.

• Merry Widow: described

• Mind-Reading: high-level discussion with an example of a two-person code

• Mirror Principle: described

• Miser’s Dream: routine described

• Mulholland, John: born 1898; biography

• Multiplying Billiard Balls: briefly described

• Muscle Reading: article on mind-reading techniques

• Music: article on selecting appropriate music

N

• Needle Trick: threading needles in the mouth described

• Nest of Boxes: described

• Nicola, the Great (William Mozart Nocol): 1880-1946; biography

• Night Club Shows: article

O

• Organizations: SAM, IBM, Magic Circle, etc.

• Organ Pipes: described

P

• Pantomime: article

• Passe-Passe Bottle: described with routine

• Patter: article

• Phantom Tube: definition

• Phillippe or Philippe (Phillippe Talon): 1802-1879; biography

• Pinetti, Giuseppe, De Willedal: 1750-1800; biography

• Pistol: description of a gimmicked pistol

• Plant: definition

• Powell, Frederick Eugene: 1857-1938; biography

• Practice and Rehearsal: article

• Presentation: article on presentation rules

• Programs: article on program development

• Psychology: article on deception techniques

• Publicity: article on advertising strategies

• Pulls: various types described

R

• Rattle Box: described with a routine

• Rice Bowls: various methods described

• Ring: definition

• Ring On Stick: briefly described

• Rising Cards: methods include threads, De Kolta method, with routine and other approaches described

• Robert-Houdin: 1805-1871; biography

• Robin, Henri (Dunkell): died 1874; biography

• Rope Tricks: definition

• Routine: short article

S

• Salting: definition

• Sawing a Woman in Two: briefly described

• Selbit, P.T. (Percy Thomas Tibbles): died 1938; biography

• Servante: detailed description

• Shell: definition

• Shell Game: briefly described, directing readers to Jack Chanin’s Hello Sucker!

• Shower of Sweets: children’s effect described

• Silent Acts: definition

• Silk Tricks: describes various tools including False Fingers, Wands, and more

• Slate Tests: writing on blank slates described

• Sleeve Up His: definition

• Sleight of Hand: definition

• Spelling Master: card effect described

• Spider: definition

• Spirit Effects: article

• Sponge Balls: briefly described

• Stage Settings: article on stage setup with bibliography

• Steal: definition

• Stodare, Colonel Alfred (John English): 1831-1866; biography

• String Tricks: includes brief discussion of various string effects

• Sucker Gag: definition

• Sun and Moon Trick: handkerchief trick described in detail

• Switch: definition

• Sympathetic Coins: Coin Matrix effect described

T

• Table Tricks: definition

• Talk: definition

• Tambourine: production utility described

• Telephone Trick: briefly described

• Thimble Tricks: article on production, multiplying thimbles, and thimble passes

• Thirty Card Trick: cards transfer from one pile to another

• Thread, Black: definition

• Three-Card Tricks: detailed description of Three Card Monte and other methods

• Thumb Tie: release described

• Thumb Tip: definition

• Thumb Writer: definition

• Thurston, Howard: 1869-1936; biography

• Torn and Restored Paper: various methods described, including Torn Cigarette Paper

• Torrini (Count Edmond De Grisy): biography of this fictional character

• Tourniquet: definition

• Transfixed Pack: two card effects described

• Traps: definition

• Trunk Trick, Substitution: stage effect briefly described

• Tumblers: descriptions of various types

• Turban Cut and Restored: described

V

• Van Hoven, Frank: 18??-19??; biography

• Vanishing Performer: described

• Vest-Pocket Magic: definition

• Volunteers: short article

W

• Walking Through a Brick Wall: described

• Wands: article discussing various types including production and gimmicked wands

• Watch Tricks: several tricks described including the Watch Mortar and Watch It!, referencing Samuel Berland’s Tricks with Watches

• Wax: definition

• Williams, Oswald: 1881-1937; biography

• Wine and Water: briefly described

• Wyman, John: 1816-1881; biography

Y

• You Do as I Do: briefly described, referencing Hilliard’s Greater Magic and Hugard’s Encyclopedia of Card Tricks