2016-02-15 Guide to the Magic and Conjuring Collection, circa 1860s-2014 SPEC.TRI.MAG Finding aid prepared by Mackenzie Sommers; Courtney Bishop

951537558

 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210
2017 November; 2021 August This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2021-09-15T09:53-0400 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Magic and Conjuring Collection SPEC.TRI.MAG Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 2.486 Cubic feet circa 1860s-2014 Magic for the stage is a performing art that uses illusions or tricks to entertain audiences. The Magic and Conjuring Collection contains advertisements, articles, and booklets relating to magicians and magic show performances. Also included are photographs, programs, posters, and broadsides. Materials range in date from circa 1860s-2014. (10) oversize folders; (2) 5” letter document boxes; (1) 2.5” legal document box; (1) oversize flat box English, French Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute Arrangement of Materials

Materials are arranged alphabetically by format type and within each type are arranged alphabetically by title or topic of the item. Items with the same format and title or topic are further arranged chronologically.

 Acquisitions Information

Accession No. TRI.2012.0049: Purchased; Accession No. TRI.2014.0019: Purchased, 2014 March; Accession No. TRI.2014.0020: Purchased, 2014 October; Accession No. TRI.2014.0044: Purchased, 2014 April; Accession No. TRI.2014.0055: Purchased, 2014 May; Accession No. TRI.2014.0079: Purchased, 2014 September; Accession No. TRI.2014.0102: Purchased, 2014 October; Accession No. TRI.2014.0103: Purchased, 2014 October; Accession No. TRI.2014.0104: Purchased, 2014 October; Accession No. TRI.2014.0105: Purchased, 2014 October; Accession No. TRI.2014.0108: Purchased, 2014 October; Accession No. TRI.2014.0109: Purchased, 2014 October; Accession No. TRI.2014.0110: Purchased, 2014 October; Accession No. TRI.2014.0114: Purchased, 2014 November; Accession No. TRI.2014.0120: Purchased, 2014 December; Accession No. TRI.2014.0131: Purchased, 2014 December; Accession No. TRI.2016.0113: Ralph MacPhail, Jr., 2016 September; Accession No. TRI.2017.0019: Purchased, 2017 February; Accession No. TRI.2017.0060: Purchased, 2017 April; Accession No. TRI.2018.0016: Purchased, 2018 January; Accession No. TRI.2018.0054: Ralph MacPhail, Jr., 2018 April; Accession No. TRI.2018.0066: Ralph MacPhail, Jr., 2018 May; Accession No. TRI.2019.0032: Purchased, 2019 April; some acquisitions unknown

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Magic and Conjuring Collection, SPEC.TRI.MAG, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute, Ohio State University

 Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.

 Use of Materials

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.

 Processing Information

Processed by: Courtney Bishop, Mackenzie Sommers, 2017 November; Courtney Bishop, 2021 August; Finding aid written by: Courtney Bishop, 2017 November, 2021 August

 Historical Note

Magic for the stage is a performing art that uses illusions or tricks to entertain audiences. Stage magicians perform several types of illusions or tricks such as escape, vanishing acts, teleportation, transformation, and sleight of hand. Conjuring relates to magical acts in that they invoke spirits or cast charms and spells. Magic for the stage is distinct from paranormal and ritual magic.

 Scope and Contents

The Magic and Conjuring Collection contains advertisements, postcards, programs, articles, and booklets relating to magicians and magic shows. Also included are cards, contracts, fliers, correspondence, magicians' letterheads, photographs, posters, broadsides, and magic trick instructions. Materials range in date from circa 1860s-2014.

 Related Archival Materials Lester Lake Magic Collection Maurice F. Raymond Collection Separated Materials America's favorite pranks, magic / Garner Novelty Company Adams catalog of pranks & magic tricks, magic sets, rack displays / S.S. Adams Company Advertisements Articles Booklets Broadsides (notices) Magic shows--19th century Magic shows--20th century Magic shows--21st century Magic tricks--19th century Magic tricks--20th century Magic tricks--21st century Magic--19th century Magic--20th century Magic--21st century Magicians--19th century Magicians--20th century Magicians--21st century Photographs Posters Programs (documents) Advertisements: 77th Annual Magi-Fest 1 27 2008 January 31-February 2 Advertisements: #323 Nelson's Spirit Rapper (Nelson Enterprises: Columbus, Ohio) 1 23 circa 1950s Advertisements: Abbott's 15th Annual Magic Shows 1 28 circa 1948 Advertisements: Abbott's Magic 70th Get-Together 1 29 2007 August 1-4 Advertisements: Blackledge (J. Elder) "This Something Called Magic" 1 30 circa 1933 Advertisements: Books and articles for sale 1 22 undated Advertisements: C.A. George Newmann shows 2 4 1917-1918 Advertisements: "De La Mano's Great Magic Show and Educated Animal Exhbition" 2 6 circa 1880s Advertisements: Dr. Neff shows 2 1 circa 1957 Advertisements: The Great Raymond 1 31 circa 1910s Advertisements: "I Can Hypnotize Your Friends" 1 1 undated Advertisements: "Magic Comedy Magic Live!" starring Steinfeld (Adam) (autographed) 1 2 2014 March Advertisements: "The Pioneer Mentalist Newman and his Modern Miracle Show" 1 3 circa 1930s Advertisements: "Splendid Amusement! Startling Feats of Legerdemain! Mr. A. Walker" 6 undated Advertisements: "Symphony in Smoke" 1 4 circa 1940s Articles: Daily Herald "Last Will and Testament" (Houdini) 5 undated Articles: "Gent An Approach to Relaxation" 1 5 1958 February Articles: Virginia Magic Society newsletters 1 6 1966-1995 Articles: Virginia Magic Society newsletters 1 7 1967-1970 Articles: Virginia Magic Society newsletters 1 8 1968-1971 Articles: Washington Wizards 1 9 1976 Booklets: 20 Years of Horror with Bill Neff 2 2 1960s Booklets: "Dante Sim-Sala-Bim: 50 Tricks for Everybody" 2 7 circa 1941 Booklets: "De La Mano's Great Magic Book" published by N.Y. Popular Publishing Company 1 32 1877 Booklets: "Genius of Illusions" by McKinven (John A.) 1 11 1980 Booklets: "Hellstromism" by Nelson (Robert) 1 10 1935 Booklets: "The Life and Times of Augustus Rapp" by Parrish (Robert) 1 12 1959 Broadsides: Anderson le Magicien 8 1905 March Broadsides: "Blackstone Spook Show" 4 1 circa 1940s Broadsides: "De La Mano's Champion Exhibition" 9 circa 1875 Broadsides: "Fake Mediums Exposed" 1 33 circa 1920s Broadsides: "Heavenly Fish Fry and Magic Stag Party" 4 2 1960s Broadsides: Professor De La Mano 1 34 circa 1875 Broadsides: Theatre Royal Hartlepool 1 35 1950s Cards: 20th Annual Magi-Fest 1 36 1951 February 9-10 Cards: "Seasons Greetings from The Officers of Counts of Conjuring" 1 37 1970s Cards: Variety of magic entertainers contacts 1 38 1980s Catalogues: The Second Oldest Profession 1 13 1993 Certificates: Marsh (Richard) Counts of Conjuring North American Order membership 1 39 1980s Contracts: Blackstone (Harry) and Alvord (Ned) 2 8 1945 February 9 Contracts: Blackstone Magician 3 1 1945 January 27 Correspondence: Smith (Edwin) "The Little Professor" and auction of his magic materials 1 14 2002, 2007 Correspondence: To Lippy (John D.) from Burgess (Clinton) 1 15 1929 March-May Correspondence: To Sobrinho (Jose Famadas) from Rodrigues (Antonio Olívio) 2 5 1925-1929 Fliers: "An Evening with Paul Daniels" 1 25 undated Fliers: "The Magic of David Copperfield: Radical New Illusions" 3 2 1987-1989 Fliers: Pacific Coast Association of Magicians annual Stars of Magic 3 3 1933-1945 Letterheads: The Great Raymond 3 4 circa 1910s Letterheads: "Memorandum from Chung Ling Soo Marvellous Chinese Conjurer" 2 9 1900-1918 Letterheads: Neff Madhouse of Mystery 1 16 undated Magic Trick Instructions: Conjuring 3 5 circa 1880 Magic Trick Instructions: "Neff Madhouse of Mystery Bag of Tricks" 2 3 1940s-1960s Photographs: Color painting of woman holding an image of a cat up to a chicken 3 6 circa 1990s Photographs: The Great Raymond 3 7 circa 1990s Photographs: Six of Bigelow (Norman) (4 signed) 7 undated Scope and Contents

Inscriptions on photographs:

"To Joseph and Pamela with my best wishes. From Norman Bigelow"

"To Prynce Wheeler With sincere appreciation for the years of friendship and advice. I wish you many happy years ahead. Your Friend Norman Bigelow"

"To Prynce Wheeler one escape artist I would like to see your again while escape artistry is making a comeback. Bigelow 'Houdini Incarnate'"

"'My audience sits there and wonders why I do this and I sit and and wonder why they watch.' All the best to you Prynce. Norman"

 Photographs: Unidentified magicians 3 8 1949 Postcards: Abbott's Magic Novelty, bridge, home of Blackstone the magician in Colon, Michigan 3 9 1970s Postcards: The Great Raymond (blank) 3 10 circa 1990s Postcards: Long Tack Goldston Gautier 1 17 1938 Postcards: Neff Madhouse of Mystery (blank) 1 18 undated Posters: "Abbott's Magic Get-Together" 4 3 1988 August 10-13 Posters: "Abbott's Magic Get-Together" 4 4 1990 August 8-11 Posters: "Abbott's Magic Get-Together" 4 5 1996 July 31-August 3 Posters: "Abbott's Magic Get-Together" 4 6 1997 August 6-9 Posters: "Joseph Gabriel's Magic! on Broadway" at Lamb's Theatre poster 2 1997 Posters: "Masters of Illusion" 1 circa 1990s Posters: Sermon (Zera) "A Night in Wonderland together with Bell's Original Royal Marionettes" 3 undated Posters: Wood's Museum and Variety Theatre (Chicago, Illinois) 4 circa 1860s Programs: 24th Meeting of the Magic Collectors' Association 1 19 1993 May 6-8 Programs: "Abracadabra" 3 11 1995-2003 Programs: "B. F. Kieth's Theatre Program" 1 20 1926 March Programs: "Blackstone and His Show of 1001 Wonders!" 3 12 circa 1945-1952 Programs: "Blackstone and His Show of 1001 Wonders!" 2 10 1950s Programs: "Blackstone Magic Shows" 3 13 1980 February 4 Programs: "Blackstone World's Foremost Magician and His Company" 2 11 1960s Programs: "Chinese Acrobats & Magicians of Taiwan" 3 14 1979 November 18 Programs: "David Copperfield Dreams & Nightmares" 3 15 1996 December Programs: "An Evening with Paul Daniels" 1 26 1985 Programs: "Hello, Hollywood, Hello!" Staring the Fercos: Europe's Premier Illusionists 2 12 circa 1988 Programs: "The International Sorcerer Milbourne Christopher and his magic show 'Now You See It'" 3 16 1954 April 19 Programs: "Paul Daniels: The Magic Man" 1 24 undated Programs: "Penn & Teller" 3 17 1985-1991 Programs: "Shanghai Acrobats & Magicians" 3 18 1988 October Programs: "Siegfried & Roy at the Mirage" 3 19 1990-2003 Programs: "Siegfried & Roy at the Mirage" TRI Shared 3 1998 Programs: "Sim-Sala-Bim" 3 20 1940-1941 Programs: "Walden the Premier Deceptionist" 3 21 undated Silk Programs: Society of American Magicians "Annual Benefit Show for the B.M.L. Ernst Relief Fund" 1 21 1940 February 24