Kellar's Disappearing Act

[ericafogal]

Am I the only one who noticed this? It has bugged me for years. I finally found the answer.

If you know anyone who owns a copy of Houdini On Magic by Walter B. Gibson [Dover Publications (c)1953] you can perform a neat trick with the book. Have them get the book - confirm that all is well. It is the same book that has been sitting on their shelf since they bought it from Vick Lawston in 1967 for $3 with the top right corner (containing price) conveniently clipped off. Tell them you are going to make one trick disappear from the book while it is in their hands. ALACAZAM (or whatever). Have them turn to page 196 in chapter VI. The trick listed in Contents "Kellar's Wine and Ribbon" has disappeared! Contents lists "The Ribbon Escape;Kellar's Wine and Ribbon; Lifting a Human Being With Power From Eyes" but Kellar trick is not in book.

Seriously, are there other strange happenings in magic texts that have gone unnoticed until now?

Mystery Solved: Where did Kellar's trick disappear to? It went back in time. Kellar's Wine and Ribbon can be found on pages 142-146 of Houdini's Escapes and Magic - [Book Two : Houdini's Magic]- Blue Ribbon Books (c)1930.

[Jonathan Townsend]

?! making a magic trick description travel from one book to another?

Have you tried this with an audience? Did it go over well?

I can half imagine a routine where one forces the page number, lets them read the table on contents... get them to select the other book and ...

[ericafogal]

I am sure you are spoofing as was I. I was only trying to draw attention to the fact that this discrepancy (a trick listed in a book but never appearing in the text) has existed for 58 years without anyone noticing. Or am I the last to know? I would think a reference to a trick by Harry Kellar would have drawn some attention.

Surely there are other such cases. Such as listing the text of "Our Magic" being included in the Al Flosso book. But where to find them? I thought a discussion might be of interest.

[Jonathan Townsend]

ericafogal, it might well be a fun effect... a trick that happens inside the print of two books.