John N. Hilliard – Greater Magic

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Discover “Greater Magic: A Practical Treatise on Modern Magic” by John Northern Hilliard, expertly edited by Carl W. Jones and Jean Hugard, with illustrations by Harlan Tarbell.

Originally published in 1938, “Greater Magic” serves as a comprehensive encyclopedia tailored for magicians, rather than the general audience. This essential resource was exclusively circulated within the magic community and covers a wide array of topics, including card tricks, silks, billiard balls, sponge balls, cups and balls, coins, cigarettes, bills, ropes, linking rings, mentalism, magic squares, apparatus magic, stage illusions, and much more.

The book features 715 effects contributed by over 100 renowned magicians, including legendary figures such as Max Holden, Percy Abbott, J. N. Hofzinser, Theodore Annemann, and many others. It stands as a cornerstone in the field of magic literature, having been recognized by H. Adrian Smith as one of the “Ten basic books for a working library of conjuring.”

The 1994 edition enriches the original content with new material, offering historical insights, commentary, and additional effects that were not part of the first release.