I become interested in magic in the 5th grade of elementary school. Through Scholastic Books Services, I purchased The Great Houdini by Beryl Williams & Samuel Epstein for fifty cents. When I got home from school, I started reading the book and stayed up all night reading it until it was finished.

Over the years, I have visited the Houdini Museum in Niagara Falls, Canada (now burned down), visited his grave in New York, followed auctions of his memorabilia, and have read many books that probe deeper into his life. I occasionally do magic performances for my wife’s K-3 kids at the school she retired from.

So, to say the least, I truly do love magic.

Below, and over the next several blogs, are selected images from a massive late 19th century tome entitled simply Magic, subtitled Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, including Trick Photography, compiled and edited by Albert A. Hopkins. The book takes a thorough tour through the popular magic tricks and illusions of the day, including along the way many delightfully surreal diagrams and illustrations.

The third part of this blog will show some particularly great “decapitation” trick photographs.

(All images taken from the book housed at the Internet Archive, contributed by the California Digital Library.) [SOURCE]

Best Regards,

Michael