Magic Clear and Concise Explanations

of Classic Illusions

By Ellis Stanyon

From little table tricks to grand illusions, this how-to book by a famed performer and author offers something for every aspiring magician. More than 200 popular illusions - accompanied by simple, well-illustrated explanations - range from several ways to make a handkerchief disappear to dissolving a billiard ball and stage levitation. A wide variety of attention-getting stunts include sleight of hand, tricks with coins and hats, stage performances, and even shadow figures.

The writings of Ellis Stanyon (1870-1951), a professional magician and London-based magic dealer, remain highly sought after by illusionists of all types and experience levels. Stanyon published a well-received magazine at the turn of the twentieth century that remains an in-demand collectors' item, and he ran afoul of Harry Houdini for his exposures of trade secrets. Novices and experts alike can benefit from his easy-to-follow guide, in which everyday items like nickels, candles, and plates are transformed into the tools of magic.

Contents Include:

Preface by Henry Ridgely Evans

Chapter I. Introduction
14 The Dress
15 The Table
16 The Servante
18 The Wand
19 Concluding Observations

Chapter II. Principles of Sleight of Hand Applicable to Small Objects
26 Palming
29 Le Tourniquet
29 The Finger Palm
31 To Change a Coin

Chapter III. Tricks with Coins
33 Magical Production of a Coin
33 A New Coin Fold
34 Coin and Candle
35 The Invisible Flight
36 Vanish for Duplicate
36 To Pass a Coin Through the Body
38 Swallowing Illusions
38 Coin and Lemons
40 The Pocket Vanish
41 To Pass a Coin into an Ordinary Matchbox held by One of the Spectators
42 Coin, Wine-Glass, and Paper Cone
43 Coins, Hat, and Plate
45 To Vanish a Marked Coin From a Tumbler and Cause it to Appear in a Small Box, Wrapped in Paper, in the Centre of a Large Ball of Wool
46 To Vanish a Number of Coins from a Plate in a Sheet of Flame
47 Program and Coin
51 Filtrated Coin
52 The Penetrating Coin
54 Coin in the Bottle

Chapter IV. Tricks with Handkerchiefs
57 Peregrinations of a Handkerchief
57 Handkerchief and Candle
59 To Vanish a Handkerchief and Produce it from your Collar
59 To Pass a Handkerchief into the Pocket of a Spectator
60 To Fire a Handkerchief into a Gentleman's Hair
63 The Handkerchief Cabinet
65 The Handkerchief Vanisher
66 Magical Production of Handkerchiefs
70 Color-changing Handkerchiefs
74 Mechanical "Pull" for Vanishing a Handkerchief
76 The Flying Handkerchief
78 Brass Tube to Produce, Vanish, or Change a Handkerchief
82 Disappearing Handkerchief
84 Handkerchief from Tissue Paper
85 The New Cylinders and Handkerchief Trick
87 The Handkerchief Burned and Restored

Chapter V. Tricks with Balls
93 Creation, Manipulation, Multiplication, and Annihilation of Billiard Balls
93 Creation
94 Manipulation
98 Multiplication
99 Annihilation
101 Billiard Balls and Basins
102 Color-Changing Billiard Balls
103 The Change to White
104 The Change to Black
104 The Diminishing Billiard Balls
106 The Handkerchief Ball
107 The Dissolving Billiard Ball
108 Fancy Sleight with a Small Ball
110 Rouge et Noir
111 Ball, Handkerchief, and Tumbler

Chapter VI. Hat Tricks
119 Loading
120 The Magnetized Hat
125 To Produce a Number of Eggs from a Hat held Crown upward

Chapter VII. Anti-Spiritualistic Tricks
127 The Climbing Ring
128 The Mysterious Name
129 A New Postal Trick
130 New Slate Tricks
133 The Spirit Handkerchief
135 The Mysterious Communication
136 The Great Dictionary Trick (New Method)
138 Long-Distance Second Sight

 Chapter VIII. After Dinner Tricks
142 The Chinese Cross
144 The Floating Metal Disc
146 The Balanced Coins
147 Mutilated Cigarette Paper
151 To Read the Whole of the Cards in a Pack just Shuffled (New Method)
153 Balancing Feats
155 Walnut Shells and Pea
156 The Restored Cut
157 The Garter Trick

Chapter IX. Miscellaneous Tricks
159 Flash Paper
160 A New Fire Flash
161 Conjurer's Ammunition
162 Smoke from Two Empty Pipes
162 Fire-eating Trick
163 Exploding Soap-bubbles
164 The Tube and Ball
166 The Ubiquitous Thimble
169 The Mysterious Tambourine
171 The Bran and Dove Plates
173 The Wandering Stout
175 A Crystal Water Mystery
177 The Wizard's Breakfast
180 The Hydrostatic Tube
183 The Hydrostatic Tumbler
185 Paper Cone, Watch, Rabbit, and Boxes
188 The Magical Production of Flowers
195 Magic Incubation
198 The Wizard's Omelet
199 The Wonderful Production of Ribbons at the Finger-Tips
200 Japanese Bird Vanish
202 New Fire Trick
203 The Ring on the Wand
204 Disappearing Glass of Water
207 Anti-Gravity Wand

Chapter X. Stage Tricks
209 Aerial Suspension
214 New Vanishing Performer Illusion
216 The Blue Room
223 Levitation
225 The Saratoga Trunk Mystery

Chapter XI. Shadowgraphy
Diagrams

Details: Magic Clear & Concise Explanations of Classic Illusions

130 pages, perfect bind, softcovers, size 5 1/2" by 8 1/2".