Used Copy

The P&L Book

by Walker & Seaver

By Barbi Walker and Robert Seaver
Published Sept. 1992 – Limited First Edition (#50 of 1000 Copies and signed by publisher)

This highly sought-after volume is a tribute to the legendary Petrie & Lewis (P&L) magic apparatus company — known for their precision-crafted props and beautiful, functional designs. The P&L Book chronicles the history, craftsmanship, and range of products created by this pioneering magic manufacturer, which helped define the golden age of stage and parlor magic.

Inside, you’ll find detailed descriptions, historical notes, and black-and-white photographs of classic P&L items — from coin boxes and card props to their famed vanishing and production apparatus. This book is not just a collector’s guide but also a nostalgic journey into the golden years of American magic manufacturing.

A must-have reference for collectors, historians, and anyone with a love for vintage apparatus.

Highlights:

• Comprehensive overview of P&L’s products and legacy
• Packed with rare photos and illustrations
• Limited First Edition—only 1,000 copies printed (this is #50!)
• Ideal for magic historians and apparatus collectors

Book Condition:

This is a used but excellent condition hardcover copy, hand-numbered #50 of 1000 in the limited first edition run from 1992. The binding is tight and unshaken, with clean pages throughout. Blue cloth covers with gold foil stamping are near pristine, showing only minimal shelf wear. No writing, foxing, or damage to internal pages. Includes original dust jacket, which is bright and intact with only faint edge wear — very hard to find in this condition.

This low-numbered copy (#50) commands the higher end asking price becuase serious book & apparatus enthusiasts prefer the lower numbers in their collections.

This book is; 12" by 9",277 pages, Hard bound, with over 60 color photographs included.

Contents Include:

I Acknowledgements
III Preface

1 John Petrie, My Grandfather (Stewart Petrie, M.D.)
7 Memory Lane (John Booth)
9 P&L The House Where Tricks Were Born (John Henry Grossman M.D., M.I.M.C.
13 The Final Days (Bernie Walsh)
15 The Wonderful Wizard of Westville (Robert C. Seaver)

57 Petrie-Lewis Instruction Sheets
59 Preface to the Instructions
61 Bags
65 Balls
69 Bottles, Cans & Lotas
75 Candles and Rockets
81 Cards
99 Cigarettes
111 Clocks
115 Coins
121 Cups and Bowls
129 Dice
133 Firecrackers
139 Flowers
145 Funnels
147 Glasses
153 Livestock
161 Matches
167 Paper and Wood
169 Pencils and Crayons
173 Reels and Pulls
177 Ribbons,Rings and Rope
189 Shooting Through a Woman
197 Silks
209 Tables
211 Thimbles
215 Tubes
225 Wands
231 Miscellaneous

241 Additions and Curiosities
257 Color Pages
269 Index