Search found 109 matches

by Kent Blackmore
February 29th, 2024, 8:37 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Bernard Reid's New Zealand history books available again
Replies: 1
Views: 730

Bernard Reid's New Zealand history books available again

I am very pleased to advise that with the approval of his executor, Bernard's books are now available to order from Lulu.com. These include his four volumes of the "Magicians in the Golden Age of New Zealand Vaudeville" in hardcover and paperback, "Jon Zealando - A Magical Legend"...
by Kent Blackmore
June 18th, 2023, 7:31 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Tom Selwyn-Conjuror & Expert Card Manipulator
Replies: 11
Views: 7201

Re: Tom Selwyn-Conjuror & Expert Card Manipulator

Glad to hear your research is progressing, Jim, since we were last in touch. I'd love to hear about it when you release your work.
by Kent Blackmore
February 15th, 2023, 10:49 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Joe Pecore and Magicpedia
Replies: 1
Views: 2501

Joe Pecore and Magicpedia

May I make a small request? On 'Magicpedia', Joe Pecore's username is still linked as the contact for new contributions. As I understand Joe died in 2019, it would be a shame for anyone to try to contact him and receive no response. Joe was obviously the (excellent) driving force behind Magicpedia b...
by Kent Blackmore
November 22nd, 2022, 4:30 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Alfred Silvester - The Fakir of Oolu
Replies: 0
Views: 1681

Alfred Silvester - The Fakir of Oolu

Announcing the first installment of: Alfred Silvester – The Fakir of Oolu and his Family of Magic Alfred Silvester (1831-1886) is most famous for his connections to the revolutionary “Pepper’s Ghost” illusion, and for his artistic and technical improvements to the Aerial Suspension illusion which he...
by Kent Blackmore
September 19th, 2022, 7:47 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: The Colditz Conjurer - new book
Replies: 2
Views: 1529

The Colditz Conjurer - new book

I frequently get involved in somebody's search for information about the history of a magician, whether a family member or a professional magician of interest, or some person who had a connection with a notable magician. I've enjoyed having some correspondence with James Green, as he researched for ...
by Kent Blackmore
March 3rd, 2021, 1:10 am
Forum: Other Magic Publications
Topic: Modern Magic (Hoffman) editions
Replies: 9
Views: 9029

Re: Modern Magic (Hoffman) editions

Peter Evans' new book, "19th Century Conjuring Books" lists McKay editions as:
c1903 - 102 Market St
c1906 - 610 Washington Square
c1912/26 - 604-08 Washington Square.
by Kent Blackmore
June 26th, 2020, 8:57 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Was Houdini aware of the Centre Tear?
Replies: 8
Views: 2038

Re: Was Houdini aware of the Centre Tear?

Richard, speaking of Wyman, it's unclear whether you're aware of John W. Wyman the magician, so I'll just mention his name here.
https://geniimagazine.com/wiki/index.php?title=John_Wyman
by Kent Blackmore
May 21st, 2020, 2:38 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician
Replies: 16
Views: 4119

Re: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician

And in answer to the original question in this thread, we STILL haven't found a photograph!!
by Kent Blackmore
May 21st, 2020, 2:37 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician
Replies: 16
Views: 4119

Re: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician

Can't quite believe I've finally finished; it took a lot of work. Adelaide boy, John "VERTELLI" Morcom swung on trapezes, walked on a tightwire across the Dangar Gorge, carried passengers across the wire on his back, and performed magic including some beautiful Japanese illusions such as t...
by Kent Blackmore
May 16th, 2020, 9:37 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician
Replies: 16
Views: 4119

Re: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician

Much more to come on Vertelli, as I wade through a story much larger than I expected! A quick online search of US newspapers shows numerous appearances from 1880-1896 in Washington State, Sacramento, Wichita etc. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/search/pages/results/?state=&date1=1789&date...
by Kent Blackmore
May 6th, 2020, 12:47 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician
Replies: 16
Views: 4119

Re: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician

These biographical entries seem to show that an Albert EDWARD Morcom owned the novelty shop in the 1930 period. http://morcom.one-name.net/pp174.htm - entry 16664 and Albert M. Morcom was his son http://morcom.one-name.net/pp174.htm#i438 (entry 00438) - died Nov.30, 1971 aged 68 at Alamo, Contra Cos...
by Kent Blackmore
May 5th, 2020, 6:27 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician
Replies: 16
Views: 4119

Re: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician

Thanks again, I'll pursue it, though the only clue that comes immediately to light is Morcom's graduation from Haight School CA. in 1916. My more focused research into Vertelli's life in Australia shows that his brother, James, was also a performer but acted as advance agent for a number of performe...
by Kent Blackmore
April 28th, 2020, 7:48 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician
Replies: 16
Views: 4119

Re: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician

Thanks folks! I will investigate those links; the magic shop is tempting but I think the odds are against it being "our" Morcom.
by Kent Blackmore
April 27th, 2020, 10:19 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician
Replies: 16
Views: 4119

Re: Prof. Vertelli, a forgotten magician

Hi, I realise this post is over a decade old, but I am currently working on an essay concerning Vertelli's history in Australia, for my historical website at http://sydneymagic.net It would be interesting to learn more of Vertelli's time in Japan. I'm afraid I have not located any photographs. There...
by Kent Blackmore
September 27th, 2019, 3:17 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: IONE, Queen of the Air
Replies: 1
Views: 1951

IONE, Queen of the Air

In 1905, Howard Thurston travelled to Australia with tons of magic and very little money. Among the illusions he presented at the Sydney Palace Theatre was a floating lady effect named "Ione, Queen of the Air" in which his assistant rose from a standing position into the air, revolving and...
by Kent Blackmore
July 15th, 2019, 7:18 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Tom Selwyn-Conjuror & Expert Card Manipulator
Replies: 11
Views: 7201

Re: Tom Selwyn-Conjuror & Expert Card Manipulator

Thanks, Bill. A few photos of Selwyn can be found in the Ensor scrapbooks published online at http://www.sydneymagic.net/ENSOR/ensor.html in Volumes 9 and 11 (pages 84-86, and 107)
by Kent Blackmore
July 15th, 2019, 6:12 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Tom Selwyn-Conjuror & Expert Card Manipulator
Replies: 11
Views: 7201

Re: Tom Selwyn-Conjuror & Expert Card Manipulator

I know this is 9 years late, but I have been also starting to accumulate some information and photographs of Tom Selwyn, with the hope of publishing at least part of his life story on my website [url]sydneymagic.net[/url] . I can't speak for his claims regarding his early touring days, which like mo...
by Kent Blackmore
March 20th, 2019, 8:02 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Death of Alistair Maskelyne
Replies: 12
Views: 8250

Re: Death of Alistair Maskelyne

Yes, thanks Richard, it was a great read.
by Kent Blackmore
February 7th, 2019, 10:35 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: The Great Levante - online photos
Replies: 0
Views: 1337

The Great Levante - online photos

I have just published online a series of some 250 photographs of Leslie Cole, "The Great Levante". Most of these photos are images which either did not make it into my 1997 biography of Levante ("Levante - His Life No Illusion"), or have been obtained by me since its publication....
by Kent Blackmore
January 21st, 2019, 11:16 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Murder of Davo the Magician
Replies: 0
Views: 1741

Murder of Davo the Magician

Check out my two most recent stories of Australian magic history: Davo the magician was murdered in Queensland in 1941. It was a brutal murder, committed by a teenage boy already on his way to becoming an incorrigible criminal. But Davo’s murder was only the start. There was much, much worse to come...
by Kent Blackmore
September 27th, 2018, 8:47 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Passing of Moi-Yo Miller Montes
Replies: 10
Views: 3285

Passing of Moi-Yo Miller Montes

I haven't seen mention of the death of Moi-Yo Miller on this forum, so this is an extract from Alan Watson's 'MagicNZ' with an announcement by Gerald Taylor: Message by Gerald Taylor (Australia) Dante's assistant Moi-Miller Montes passed away at 104 years of age. Her daughter, Charisse, was with her...
by Kent Blackmore
August 27th, 2018, 11:51 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Joe Stuthard radio interview
Replies: 5
Views: 2617

Re: Joe Stuthard radio interview

I thought you would enjoy it! I have happy childhood memories of seeing Joe present his classic routines at "Coles" supermarket in the center of Sydney; met him and Mary a few times in Delarno's magic shop.
by Kent Blackmore
August 27th, 2018, 10:23 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Joe Stuthard radio interview
Replies: 5
Views: 2617

Joe Stuthard radio interview

JOE STUTHARD This 24-minute interview with Canadian-born magician and pitch man, Joe Stuthard, comes from an audio cassette out of the Steve Walker estate. There is no detail regarding the interviewer or date, but judging by the "identification" introduction it was clearly a professional r...
by Kent Blackmore
March 20th, 2018, 2:29 am
Forum: General
Topic: Pick off Pip (Dai Vernon’s Version)
Replies: 28
Views: 24304

Re: Pick off Pip (Dai Vernon’s Version)

The video was a lecture, I don't think I have the right to reproduce the whole thing though this little clip is fine. The Berg Knot wasn't taught here. Vernon was performing in the morning - not his preferred time!
by Kent Blackmore
March 19th, 2018, 7:25 am
Forum: General
Topic: Pick off Pip (Dai Vernon’s Version)
Replies: 28
Views: 24304

Re: Pick off Pip (Dai Vernon’s Version)

I've put up a short clip of the trick performed by the Professor, from a non-commercial video.
https://youtu.be/19D4Np3Cn4k
by Kent Blackmore
February 26th, 2018, 8:45 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: The Harrie Ensor Scrapbooks
Replies: 4
Views: 5374

Re: The Harrie Ensor Scrapbooks

The scrapbooks are going up at a cracking pace - Volume 9 of 13 has just been put online, and has some very rare material. The "Fakir of Oolu" was Alfred Silvester (1831-1886), a professional photographer and exhibitor in England, a claimant to be the inventor of the iconic "Pepper's ...
by Kent Blackmore
February 19th, 2018, 5:56 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: The Harrie Ensor Scrapbooks
Replies: 4
Views: 5374

Re: The Harrie Ensor Scrapbooks

Thanks Marco; I'm excited to be able to read and publish these. Volume 3 has just gone up, and for the historians, it has two pages (6/7) of biographical information on Phil Davies, the mechanist to Chung Ling Soo, which does not appear in my late friend Brian McCullagh's book "Chung Ling Soo's...
by Kent Blackmore
February 18th, 2018, 9:28 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: The Harrie Ensor Scrapbooks
Replies: 4
Views: 5374

The Harrie Ensor Scrapbooks

Harrie Ensor, Australian magician, and one of Australia’s earliest magic collectors, left behind a remarkable set of thirteen loose-leaf scrapbooks containing photographs, programme notes, biographical information and promotional material about magicians from the late 1800s to the 1960s. These books...
by Kent Blackmore
February 13th, 2018, 7:57 pm
Forum: Collector's Marketplace
Topic: Query - The Annals of Conjuring
Replies: 1
Views: 1059

Query - The Annals of Conjuring

Just inviting comments on whether original magazine sections of "The Annals of Conjuring" (S W Clarke) are still desirable collectables, or whether the publication of the complete set has made collecting the originals unnecessary.
by Kent Blackmore
November 29th, 2017, 1:45 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Coin(s) through Transparent Silk References Please
Replies: 32
Views: 6325

Re: Coin(s) through Transparent Silk References Please

Petrick's routine using his magnetic stage-sized coins?
by Kent Blackmore
September 5th, 2017, 1:41 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: 'I never saw a U-Haul following a hearse."
Replies: 61
Views: 22536

Re: 'I never saw a U-Haul following a hearse."

It's a difficult thing trying to plan for succession of your magic collection, but it needs to be done. I've seen too many magicians' collections binned by families who can't be bothered to sort out the magic from in between the porno magazines they've just found in their beloved father's home. You ...
by Kent Blackmore
September 5th, 2017, 1:32 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Charles Wallack, magic assistant and rogue
Replies: 1
Views: 3912

Re: Charles Wallack, magic assistant and rogue

The full tale of Professor Eagle is now up at my Magic in Sydney site. It corrects a significant error in Charles Waller's "Magical Nights at the Theatre" which wrongly placed the British performer Barnardo Eagle in Australia. James Eagle toured the gold-rush regions of Australia during th...
by Kent Blackmore
September 3rd, 2017, 7:43 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Charles Wallack, magic assistant and rogue
Replies: 1
Views: 3912

Charles Wallack, magic assistant and rogue

Think you have trouble with your magic assistants? In 1860, the Australian gold-fields magician, Professor James Eagle , had his magic equipment stolen by a rival magician. One of the two accused was Charles Wallack, who was eventually discharged ... and then went on to work for Professor Eagle as h...
by Kent Blackmore
August 12th, 2017, 4:44 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Professor Thomas Rea – Ventriloquism, Magic, Balloons and Scandal
Replies: 2
Views: 5190

Professor Thomas Rea – Ventriloquism, Magic, Balloons and Scandal

For the first time, a detailed history of Professor Thomas Rea; one of the earliest Magicians in Australia (1844-1889), Ventriloquist, Puppeteer, Gunsmith, pioneer Hot Air Balloonist .... and child molester.

http://sydneymagic.net/HISTORY/REA/rea.html
by Kent Blackmore
July 17th, 2017, 9:39 pm
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: The terrrible death of Professor Rignold
Replies: 0
Views: 4239

The terrrible death of Professor Rignold

A new story, from a long time ago. The tragic death of Professor Rignold during Australia's gold-rush days, while performing a trick with a gun (but not the Bullet Catch).

http://sydneymagic.net/HISTORY/RIGNOLD/rignold.html
by Kent Blackmore
July 11th, 2017, 7:44 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Professor Hennicke and Madame Stella in Australia & N.Z.
Replies: 0
Views: 3852

Professor Hennicke and Madame Stella in Australia & N.Z.

My latest addition to the story of early magicians in Australia is now up http://sydneymagic.net/HISTORY/HENNICKE/hennicke.html Professor Hennicke (a.k.a. sometimes as Abda Shah) toured extensively in Australia and New Zealand between 1866-1890 with his wife, Madame Stella, performing the Arabian Bo...
by Kent Blackmore
July 11th, 2017, 7:40 am
Forum: Magic History and Anecdotes
Topic: Levante Book
Replies: 12
Views: 6463

Re: Levante Book

Nice! If you have a chance anytime, a photo would be great. Thanks for the 2002 comments on my book too, which I only just spotted!
by Kent Blackmore
August 9th, 2016, 7:46 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Death of Lesley Piddington
Replies: 3
Views: 1909

Death of Lesley Piddington

Lesley Hazlitt, formerly Piddington, passed away on August 2 at the age of 91.

http://tributes.smh.com.au/obituaries/s ... =181010354
by Kent Blackmore
March 25th, 2016, 3:28 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: A novel ring trick from 1893
Replies: 7
Views: 3836

Re: A novel ring trick from 1893

..... and if I could remember where I learned this, I'd be doing well ! To simplify the instructions a little, here's a top view of the string threaded over the helper's thumbs. You are on the "B" side and the rectangle is your left finger, resting across the top of both strings. (Note the...

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