DC Magic History gathering announces some speakers

[Ken Trombly]

As registrations come in for this April, 2013 convention in DC - The Washington Symposium on Magic History - we are announcing some of our planned speakers. Dale Salwak, who visited North Korea as a guest of that government as part of a small delegation of magicians, is going to "pull back the curtain" and tell us about some of the tricks and techniques that the magicians of that secluded nation have developed, absent influence from the West. This presentation will include seldom-seen film footage of a North Korean magic show. Bill Kalush will give a talk about Harry Houdini that Houdini buffs and others with even a passing interest in this show business icon will want to attend. Interested in seeing the highlights of magic collections you likely have never viewed? We have two potential talks, one recently booked that deals with a lesser known poster collector, who also made his name as a performer - and the other is a more well known collection from across the pond...and more about those later. Darwin Ortiz, who is well known as a magician's magician, but less known to magic history groups, will be sharing with us his remembrances of the New York City magic scene, c. 1970...so be sure to wear your bell bottoms and paisley shirts! Alexander Herrmann scholar and avatar James Hamilton will be presenting a not to be missed talk about some lesser known facts of the mustachioed mesphistoholean himself. DC area performer and conjuring historian, Eric Henning, will give a talk on Charles Bertram that will include recreations of some of that early performer's effects. ......And there is more to come, but we wanted to whet your appetite for now. On another front, we are getting a strong interest from people who wish to consign items in our auction of vetted materials with no seller's premium. So, if you are interested in selling something more significant than a box of thumb-tips and svengali decks, let us know of your interest soon, as we are going to try to limit the number of items, given that we have much planned for that day. Lastly, the convention hotel - the Bethesda North Marriott Conference Center and Hotel - has informed us that rooms are going quickly. At $109 a night, you can't find a nicer place to stay in the DC area in April, so do not delay in booking your room for the conference, once you have registered. And registration is simple. Just go to http://www.magicposters.com/conference_2013/main/

Rounding off the weekend with a huge dealers room, and a private exhibit at the Library of Congeress of magical rarities from the Rare Book Division (which houses the Houdini collection, and includes Hofzinser apparatus and some other amazing goodies), what's not to like?
I am looking forward to seeing many of you in Bethesda in April!