Introduction

To all magic enthusiasts and my esteemed colleagues, I present “Magic and its Professors,” hoping it captivates your interest. Part III features insights from some of today’s finest magicians and inventors. I extend my gratitude to them for their invaluable contributions. Special thanks to Mr. T. Francis Fritz, editor of Mahatma, and Mr. William J. Hilliar, editor of The Sphinx, for allowing the reprinting of significant exposes from their journals. I also acknowledge the brilliance of inventors and performers such as Adrian Plate, Henry Hardin, Doctor Elliott, W. B. Caulk, William J. Hilliar, Frank Ducrot, Clinton Burgess, Hal Merton, W. J. Sargent, “Selbit”, Howard Thurston, T. Nelson Downs, Fred J. Peters, Prof. Hornmann, Martinka Bros., Prof. Ambrose, Ellis Stanyon, and many others.

• HENRY RIDGELY EVANS

• INTRODUCTION

• PART I

  • ROBERT-HOUDIN – CONJURER, AUTHOR AND AMBASSADOR

  • THE MECHANISM OF GHOSTS

  • THE SHADOWS OF A CLEVER PAIR OF HANDS

• PART II

  • THE PRINCES OF PRESTIDIGITATORS

  • ENGLISH AND EUROPEAN CONJURERS

• PART III SYMPOSIUM OF MAGIC

  • BY HENRY HARDIN

    • – The Evasive Dollar

    • – Mephisto’s Mail

    • – A Wrinkle and a Deception

    • – The Fakir’s Test

    • – Dissolving Views

    • – A Big Catch

    • – Transcendental Card Reading

    • – The Chromatic Ribbons

    • – An Original Egg Bag

  • BY PROF. HORNMANN

    • – The Egg Bag

  • BY WILLIAM J. HILLIAR

    • – The Goldfish Trick

    • – A New Handkerchief Tube

    • – The Hilliar Rising Cards

    • – Ching Ling Foo’s Paper Tearing Trick

  • BY FRANK DUCROT

    • – Ducrot’s Wonder Vase

    • – Ink and Water Trick

  • BY MARTINKA

    • – An Apple Of Paracelsus

  • BY CLINTON BURGESS

    • – Card Trick

  • BY HAL MERTON

    • – The Ring In The Egg

    • – The Chinese Rice Bowls

  • BY ADRIAN PLATE

    • – Vanishing Mouchoirs

    • – Handkerchiefs and Cylinder

    • – The Multiplying Flower

    • – The Restored Ribbon

  • BY WILLIAM B. CAULK

    • – Growth Of Flowers

    • – Improved Decanter and Flying Handkerchiefs

  • BY PROF. AMBROSE

    • – New Soup Plates And Handkerchiefs

  • BY RUPERT DE VERE

    • – The Fairy Flowers And Charmed Card

  • BY ELLIS STANYON

    • – Boer Vs. Briton

    • – The Change – By Sleight-of-Hand

    • – Parasol v. Handkerchiefs

  • BY FRED J. PETERS

    • – The Magic Bomb

    • – A Novel Card Ladder

  • BY DR. ELLIOTT

    • – Dr. Elliott’s Stage Setting

    • – The Mystic Scissors, Ring, Spools and Ribbons

    • – Dr. Elliott’s Watch Box

  • BY HENRY RIDGELY EVANS

    • – “She”

    • – Magnetic Wand

  • BY HERBERT VICTOR

    • – Japanese Magic

    • – An Opening Trick

  • BY LA VILLE

    • – Cleopatra’s Tomb

  • BY GEORGE W. BROWN

    • – The Magic Water Bowl

  • THE SVENGALIS

  • BY F. C. JENKENS, CHILI, S. A.

    • – The Fairy Christmas Cracker

  • BY HARRY KELLAR

    • – A New Face On An Old Friend

  • BY JOHN W. SARGENT

    • – The Homing Handkerchiefs

  • BY “SELBIT”

    • – The Levitation Of A Pack Of Cards

  • BY T. NELSON DOWNS

    • – The Flying Handkerchief

    • – A Novel Match Trick

  • BY HOWARD THURSTON TRICKS WITH CARDS

    • – Card in the Coat

    • – Card Through the Knee

    • – Rising Card For Parlor

    • – Card Through a Hat

  • BY HENRY V. A. PARSELL

    • – A Subtle Coin Trick

    • – New Divining Wand

• APPENDIX

  • A VISIT TO THE GRAVE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN