MAGIC
UNITY
No. 41
NEW YORK, JUNE, 1916
(INCORPORATED)
OFFICIAL
ISSUED TO
MONTHLY
MEMBERS
BULLETIN
ONLY
ILLUSTRIOUS MAGICIANS: The next regular meeting will be held on Saturday Evening, July 1st, 1916, at the Magical Palace, 493 Sixth Avenue, at 8 o'clock sharp. There will be no meetings in AUGUST or SEPTEMBER
E L E C T E D TO M E M B E R S H I P 483. Morand Francis Caldwell (HARRY THURBER)
33 Clifford St., Boston, Mass. 484.
E. Cooper Taylor 115 Pearson Road, West Somerville, Mass.
485.
Randolf Josef Wagner West lOtk Boulevard Erie, Pa.
APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP Recommended by
Louis A. Normandeau 4484 Kimball Ave. Richmond Hill, L. I., N. Y.
f James X. BarroWS G. G. Laurens
%/tsC&Z-Te^c^*&<U
Attest:
M. I. PRESIDENT
R. I. SECRETARY
EDITED BY THE PRESIDENT Send contributions to : R.
VAND I E N
PRESIDENT 230 UNION STREET JERSEY CITY, N. J.
G. G. L A U R E N S SECRETARY 7 SOUTH 13TH STREET NEWARK. N. J.
MIGHT
Vol. 5
The Committee appointed at the meeting May 6th reports as follows: Your Committee recommends and proposes the following changes and additions to the By-Laws of the Society of American Magicians, relative to accepting members under legal age, and adding branch societies to the S. A. M. ELMER P. RANSOM, LIONEL M. HOMBURGER. D.D.S., GUSTAVE G. LAURENS. Add P>y-Laws: Article XVII, Sec. 1.—JSranch societies of the Society may be formed as follows: A charter may be issued by the Council, for such a branch society on formal application to such Council, provided they shall have adopted a name and rules for their government, and shall submit a copy of the same with a list of the members, at the time the application is made ; and provided that the said rules of the branch society are not inconsistent with the charter and By-Laws of the society. Sec. 2. Seven or more members resident in a locality shall be necessary before a charter can be granted. Sec. 3.—Branches so formed shall be numbered in regular order, in consecutive series, and each shall be known by its number and name of its locality. Sec. 4.—Branch societies so organized shall admit to membership only persons who are members of the Society of American Magicians. Each branch shall furnish to the Secretary of the Society the name and address of its Secretary, to whom all official communications shall be sent. At each annual meeting of the S A. M. the said officer shall make a report showing the number of meetings his branch has held during the year, the number of members in good standing, and any matters pertaining to the work of the Branch Society. Upon request of the Council the Secretary of any Branch shall furnish any information which the Council may request pertaining to the membership and work of said Branch. All changes in the bylaws of a Branch Society shall be approved by the Council before the same can be effective. In the event that the membership in any Branch is reduced to less than seven members, or in the event that a Branch refuses or fails to comply with any of the above requirements, the Council may take action, as in the case of a member, for the purpose of having the revocation of the charter of such offending Branch voted upon. No person who may be elected an honorary member of any Branch, unless he or she is a member of the S. A. M. in good standing, shall be permitted to vote or take any active part in the business proceedings of the Branch with which affiliated. Sec. 5.—Each Branch Society, so organized, shall be required to pay a charter fee of five dollars.
jSOCIETY OF AMERIGAN Article VIII.—Membership. Add to Sec. 4.—If the applicant has not attained the age of 21 years, he must accompany his application with a bond signed by some responsible person, obligating himself for the proper fulfillment of the applicant's promises and obligations to the Society in case the applicant is admitted, such guarantor to furnish one or more commercial references. Article VIII, Sec. 1.—Omit "of legal age." PERSONALITY Personality is perhaps the one requisite of the finished magician that the student is most likely to underestimate, but a single glance at the great artists in our profession will show that no two can possibly become confused in our minds because their personalities are so absolutely different. On the other hand the rank and file are so much alike that one can hardly recall the distinguishing; characteristics of any one of them. This is not because the personalities of the latter are not as diverse as those of their more successful brothers, but because they do not allow their personality to get into their work. Nearly all of the younger performers, and quite a sprinkling of the older ones, arc prone to select some notable magician whom they admire and, more or less unconsciously, make their own act a weak imitation of his. Because they have lived day in and day out with their own personality and never saw anything wonderful about it, they cannot conceive that it is the best asset they have, but the day that they wake up to this fact will be the day that carries them farthest forward on their road to success. A year of hard work along other lines cannot produce such happy results. Just try this out, my children, and you will be surprised to find how the old tricks will be born again and become living things, instead of the ghosts of other days. POCKET TRICKS Pocket tricks are great assets to magicians who do private work. By cleverly working a small trick while talking to a committee or individual who is considering engaging him, many a magician has clinched the date, and working a pocket trick after the show is over has often led to a re-engagement. Care should be used in selecting pocket tricks, the great point being to secure those that can be repeated several times without fear of detection. Of course no one will interrupt your program by asking you to repeat a trick, but it is very different when working in a crowd. There you are sure to be called upon to ''Do it again," and unless you cheerfully comply, you lose the advantage that the trick has given you. I have one little trick of this class that I repeat as often as requested, and sooner or later I am almost sure to find someone who thinks he knows how it is done, and the funny part of it is that his guess is right, and still I am able to prove to his entire satisfaction that he is wrong. I have another that I do in four different ways with precisely the same result, so it is quite impossible for any but a magician to follow the moves.
MAGICIANS
Many a man who does not care much for magic, and has little interest in a stage performance, can be easily relieved of his goat by having a clever little trick sprung "right under his nose." INVENTION Sometimes a new trick will stand up to the test, But nine times in ten the old-timers are best. Like old friends, and old books, and old wine it's a cinch That old tricks won't fall down when it comes to a pinch.
So he is the greatest inventor, I say, Who presents an old trick in a clever new way. —Grumpy O'Grouch. THE HOUDINI LIBRARY Observations by Oscar S. Teale, Past Pres.
On one of David Devant's visits to America he spent twelve consecutive hours with Houdini in his library, at which time he pronounced the Houdini Collection "The British Museum of Magic." That was some years ago at a time when the library was embryonic compared with its present magnitude. When the archives of an individual merits comparison with a pride of the British Nation, it becomes worthy of more extended consideration. It has been the good fortune of the writer to get in closer touch than any other outsider, perhaps, with this marvelous library ; therefore best qualified to Speak authoritatively. The Houdini Library is undoubtedly the greatest accumulation of necromantic literature ever gotten together under one roof anywhere, aud a duplication of it would be impossible, even though every library and museum throughout the whole world were to contribute all of their specimens. It is the only comprehensive library of the Magic Arts. This is not idle speculation, neither is it advertising Buncomb. There are other collections of books bearing on magic, but one only can exist to contain the 'diamonds of the first water." Only one can contain the original, either in manuscript or in type attested by the signature of the author. It would be impossible to put a money value on this MUSEUM, of which the books are of themselves in excess of any other existing collection, by at least FIVE FOLD. No other library can boast of twelve books representing the mysteries of the theatrical stage and possessing an intrinsic value of one hundred dollars per volume. Neither can any but the Houdini collection, exhibit a single volume, the actual market value of which is $500—a veritable ''treasure trove." Each volume, aside from the incomparable records contained within the confines of its cover is a work o, art; they are each and all exquisite specimens of high-art book-binding, of such character to be as rarely met with in any library. It is not to be wondered at that their present possessor revels in that luxury of vanity pardonable only by the fact that counterfeiting of this unique mass of high-art literature is beyond human possibility a fact which alone can establish its intrinsic worth. But these are not altogether exceptions in the Houdini collection.
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN
MAGICIANS
one by Signor Blitz. With rare exception, copies of every known publication bearing on magic (not excluding magazines and magazine articles) will be found in the Houdini Collection. Extremely rare engravings and oil-painted portraits of past-masters, most prominent of which is an unpublished original of Cagliostro; and the only known portrait of Philadelphia. Signed engravings of Bosco, Bellachini, Frikell, Basch of Hanover, Hofzinser, Colonel Stodare, John Henry Anderson, Davenport Brothers, Fay, and Dobler the Poet Magician. (Some of Dobler's poems, in his own handwriting are also to be found in this collection.) As to the manuscript we might say there are hundreds of letters (originals) by innumerable HARRY HOUDINI celebrities. Having met the son of Phillippi, There are many volumes of choice contents bear- Houdin came into possession of numerous letters ing the unquestionable "ear-marks" of high-class art and data, therefore he is the only one in possession in book-binding; such rare specimens as gladden of historical facts which can explain the Mystery the heart of the genuine bibliologist to a state of Phillippi and what became of him. This son, ecstatic. Patrick (previous to his death) some years ago, The prize of the Houdini Library is a book on placed all of his material in the hands of Houdini, magic written by a monk, one Gantzioni, in Lon- and this material constitutes a very interesting secdon, 1489. The title of which reads: tion of Houdini's manuscript data. In this section Albamasia Sive will also be found letters written by John Henry Naturalis & Unnaturalis, D. E. Anderson to his son, asking how the Davenport Citationibus Commissione Bros, performed their feats. Appropos these letAuthoris Scrysti ters: In 1908 Lloudini met with Ira Erastus This book is in manuscript, a good example of Davenport and read to him many of these letters quaint, high German text, and it is in an excellent and other data in his possession, and at the conclustate of preservation. The illustrations are hand- sion of an all-night conversation, Davenport said to drawn and tinted with water-color, ?nrl they are Houdhii, "]Ioudim, though I lived chrough all the quite as quaint as the chirography This is the years that have past, you positively know more oldest book on magic known to be in existence, and about the real facts than I, who was the principal the only one bearing its date. The fact that no actor in the vivid scenes." During this interesting printed copies now exist would seem proof positive conversation they discussed old-timers, and when that this book never was put in type. Another Ira asked Houdini his age, refused to believe he was antiquity is White's book which is dated 1614; and talking to a young man, for, said he, "No man could a copy of Second Edition of Hocus Pocus, printed know so much about the old-timers and be a young in 1637. Houdini informs me that a most pains- man." (At this time Ira Erastus Davenport was taking search among the libraries, museums and not only an old man, but had become blind, and book-mongers of the world has not succeeded in therefore could not realize that he was confronting bringing to the light of day a single copy of Hocus youth.) Pocus of the First Editionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;therefore there seems Such incidents as the above (and the Houdini to be no record of the date of its publication. There records abounds with them) serves to show how are other manuscript books by notables of yore, deeph' and how conscientiously Harry Houdini has among them one by Savern. applied himself and how successful he has been in A Gem in the Houdini collection is the identical accumulating indisputable evidence and historical copy of an encyclopaedia from which Robert Hou- facts by aid of which he is able to controvert misdin got his inspiration to become a magician (as statements and unreliable canards which have charHoudin states in his Memoirs). This book came acterized many articles written by persons less well into the possession of Houdin by chance, and after informed. his death it, together with automatons and other Efarry Houdini is a profound student, and this paraphernalia, was sold to Bruxelles, and eventually has been a life work with him. But, this is not a coming into the possession of DeVerlie. from whom biographical sketch, therefore we must desist from Houdini purchased it and all remaining automatons, that line of thought. with assurance of the unquestionable genuineness Houdini has thousands of bits of manuscript givof these treasures. ing formula and description of marvelous magical But space forbids giving historic data, so we effects that have never appeared in print; enough must be content for the present with a mere sug- to produce many volumes of most valuable informagestive list of the contents of this storehouse of tion on the art of magical entertainment; all in the mystery. original handwriting and illustrated by diagrams The jewels of the Houdini Library embrace drawn more or less crudely by the inventor. He presentation copies of the original edition of Robert has dozens of Scrap-books which include one of Houdin's publications ; as it also does one by De- Comus, dated 1780; one of Breslaw's, dated 1799; cremps ; and the only copy known to exist bearing others by Evanion, Savern, Davenport Brothers, the autograph of Chev. Pinetti. There is also a Baily, Alexander, P'eknum Conjurer, lohn Henry book autographed by John Henry Anderson, and Anderson, Bosco. Katterfelto and many others, too
SOCIETY OF AMERIGAN MAGICIANS numerous to mention, which represent the assiduous labor of years by men of more or less renown. Thousands of clippings of magicians now forgotten or but little known who in their time were rated as the big entertainers. Scrap-books filled with the â&#x20AC;˘comedy side of magic, cartoons and caricatures of men historically and politically famous, many of whom have been portrayed as necromancers, wherein the artist found a motif for his sketch in Houdini's acts, which therefore supplied inspiration to innumerable cartoonists who have portrayed their victim, if a politician, as being in a tight position, and generally explaining: "This is not a political Houdini." (In this way Houdini has been the subject of cartoons the world over.) Houdini's collection of Programs is incomprehensible ; it is simply marvelous to behold. It contains programs of old-timers, among them the private collection of Houdin, Anderson, Savern, Ingleby, Moritz, Testo, Davenport Bros., Alexander, Evanibn, Deverli, Jacobs, Henry the Ventriloquist, and hundreds of more modern magicians. The latest accession being a complete scrap-book containing the magical record of the late Archivist of S. A. M., Andrew G. Waring (which the writer has been privileged to contribute). Among the miscellaneous books will be found a large collection of "Chap-books" such as have been issued by magicians throughout the ages past. Among the thousands of rare programs will be found items of interest which are impossible of duplication, many of them with marginal notations of tricks that were performed and explanations as to how they were done. These programs cover a period from 1700 up to the present time. Of Automatons and other apparatus we find the Trapese Performer, Rope Dancer, Money Automaton and many other wonderful novelties. Harry Houdini's enforced absence from home by professional engagements has heretofore precluded the possibility of his supervising the tabulation and classification of his material. The writer has but slight knowledge of the magnitude of the collection, for as the actual extent of material in the aggregate becomes manifest, when fresh surprise supplements surprise (until surprise ceases to recur) as hampers and cases are opened and the accumulation of years of research is brought to view (as it has been my privilege to casually observe), there is no longer any wonder that the combined energy and full time service of four men skilled in such work of tabulation is now brought into requisition that the collection may assume some degree of cosmos before the resumption of professional engagements by its owner. Houdini himself does not realize the extent of his possessions, as a connoisseur of the art of legerdemain and kindred subjects as the writer has frequently told him. Per force of environment the accumulation is now distributed in four rooms with no positive information at hand as to what is still obscured in storage. The possession is worthy of and should be sheltered within a fire-proof compartmentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;such a calamity as befell our Compeer F. E. Powell "would indeed be a calamity resulting in irreparable loss of the only authentic historical record of the magic art extant. It would be simply impossible in space at command to enumerate the wonders of this, the iargest and most famous Library and Collection of Magic
Lore, or to form even an approximation of its magnitude. Even so: an approximation only; can result from occular investigation. I would therefore suggest: If the S. A. M. officers, to the extent of a dozen or fifteen, have any desire to visit this astonishing aggregation of marvelous material, I am quite confident that both Mr. and Mrs. Houdini will extend their most bountiful hospitality to them as they have been generous in doing for me personally. Most Illustrious President VanDien, why not make this opportunity the initial number on your program of good things in store for the coming year? Contributed by 111: Harry Kellar. Around the World Tour THE GREAT RAYMOND AND COMPANY Personal Direction Maurice F. Raymond Theatre Aguia D'Ouro, Oporto, Portugal, May 4, 1916. Dear Mr. Kellar: Here's just a "hello'' line to wish you well and to apprise you of the fact that we are still on earth, and still "globe-trotting." After a somewhat eventful tour through Porto Rico, Cuba and the West Indian Islands, and a not too successful attempt to play Mexico, we covered more thoroughly than on previous tours, Central America, Panama and all of South America. Thanks to reputation made on several trips before through these territories, have played to big business most every place, in spite of the world crisis. There have been more magicians in South America (and I guess every place), believe me, in the last three years, than ever before. After a profitable time in Rio, playing seasons at the three principal theatres, we booked to Lisbon via Madeira, intending to play Funchal, then make a side trip on one of the little coast boats to the Azores, playing Fayal, Terceira, San Miguel, back to Funchal and then to Lisbon, but fate, in the shape of German submarines, interfered, and after a sight of a periscope we came straight through to Lisbon at a speed which, I think, surprised even the captain and engineers. The kind Kaiser's war craft cost me a nice sum, as we had theatres booked, deposits and rents paid, towns billed, and six weeks' lost salary to pay the advance agent. However, with the usual Raymond luck, I lit like a cat in Lisbon (on my feet, as usual) and, through the illness of Titta Ruffo, secured, with the loss of a very few days, the Colyseu Dos Recreios, the second largest theatre in Europe, where I had played previous engagements with big success, and where we did this time smashing big business. On this tour of Portugal, I have dug up three or four new places to play, all of which have turned out very well. We played Oporto for nine days, then the picturesque little town of Braga, for three days to capacity, and now back here for a further seven days, prior to Madrid. We open Madrid season at the Teatro De La Princess, on June 1st, for fifteen days; this is the most exclusive theatre in all Spain, where heretofore nothing but very high-class drama and opera