ERDNASE

[Roger M.]

Did Miracle Factory ever actually come out with their Erdnase book?

No, not yet.
It's still in production with the pre-orders now closed (to resume upon publication) and the deluxe edition sold out.

There is no timeline offered for its delivery.

[Brad Jeffers]

There is no timeline offered for its delivery

When pre-orders were first being taken in Jan 2020 there was a timeline. The book was to be available in the spring of 2020.

This was later changed to the summer of 2020.

Three years later and the timeline is now "as soon as we complete it".

[Tom Sawyer]

Hi All,

Some of you might be interested to learn that among the projects I’m now working on are (a) a reprint of S.W. Erdnase: Another View and (b) an enlarged version of Rethinking S.W. Erdnase.

Probably in connection with that, last night I was looking through the remnants of a book that John Luckman gave me (or sold to me for some super-low price, but I think he gave it to me) of the Fleming edition of the Erdnase book, which he had used in making images for a reprint of the book. This was probably circa early-1970s. It was basically the front and back covers and all the leaves that made up the book. (The spine had been chopped off.)

I guess I placed the title page (that leaf) in a “safe” place, since it isn’t with the rest of the book. I'm pretty sure a few other leaves have also gotten separated from the main batch.

Anyway, there were a couple of things I found interesting. On what I assume was the front free-endpaper, it appears to say, in ballpoint pen, “Nan & Ran MacDougall” (though the “&” is really one of those “plus sign” things). The writing is reasonably clear. Obviously the surname is familiar, but those other names mean zip to me.

Another thing of mild interest is the rubber-stamp impression of “BERT WHEELER | HOLLYWOOD MAGIC.” This was pre-ZIP Code. Also, the phone number stated is HO. 2-9550, without an area code.

Also, that same page has an old pencilled price of 2.00. That has a line through it, and beneath that is a subsequent price, 1.00.

Elsewhere (on a different page) there is yet another old price: 1.50.

Pretty funny stuff! But I suppose many of us have seen low prices pencilled into old magic books, which in many cases would seem absurd now.

—Tom Sawyer

[Brad Jeffers]

it appears to say, in ballpoint pen, “Nan & Ran MacDougall” Obviously the surname is familiar, but those other names mean zip to me.

I would wager that that would be screenwriter Ranald MacDougall and his wife, the actress, Nanette Fabray.

[Tom Sawyer]

Brad, that's great information. Thank you!

I found a signature of Ranald MacDougall on eBay, and it definitely was quite different from the writing under discussion, so the writing wasn't his.

I found many signatures of Nanette Fabray on eBay, many with an additional word or brief phrase. At that point, I was pretty sure it wasn't her handwriting, either.

But then I found a few handwritten letters elsewhere on the internet, and now I'm pretty certain that the names in the book were indeed written by her.

Anyway, thanks again.

—Tom

[Bob Coyne]

Here's another author who wrote under a (mostly reversed) anagram of his actual name:

Salohcin Treboun. Nicholas Breton. Poet. (c. 1545/53 – c. 1625/6) 'Pasquil's Mistresse, or the Worthie and Vnworthie Woman; with his Description and Passion of that Furie, Jealousie,' 1600. The dedicatory epistle is signed 'Salohcin Treboun,' apparently an anagram upon Nicholas Breton. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Breton,_Nicholas

[Bob Coyne]

I ran across a bunch more of these that I hadn't seen before (source listed below):

• Alcofribas Nasier (real name Francois Rabelais). In 1532, for Pantagruel King of the Dipsodes, the first of his Gargantua series.
• Grubendol. (real name Henry Oldenburg). A German writer who lived in England. 1619-1677
• Challudie (Simon) (real name Charles Du Moulin). French jurist. 1500-1566. Changed the U to an I.
• Nellerto (real name Don Juan Antonio Llorente). A Spanish historian. 1756-1823
• Ostilio Contalegni (real name Agostino Coltelini). Florentine poet. 1613-1693.
• Cadenus (real name Jonathan Swift). Pen name was an anagram of Decanus (the dean). 1667-1745.
• Usinulca or Alcuinus (real name John Calvin). Theologian. From Calvinus, using V and U as identical letters. 1509-1564
• Edgar Cuthwellis and Edgar U.C. Westhill (real name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson). He considered these before adopting Lewis Carroll as his pen name.
• Redbarn Wash (real name George Bernard Shaw). Rearranging the letters in his middle and last name.
• H.A. Largelamb (real name A. GRAHAM BELL). In June 1907, an article appeared in the National Geographic magazine.
• Mr. Mojo Risin (real name Jim Morrison of the rock band The Doors). In song, "L.A. Woman".

From https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3784&context=wordways

[Joe Lyons]

A first edition of The Expert just went for $5040 with buyer's premium.

I believe that's the lowest it's been for a while.

[AJM]

Another name that is an anagram.

Atticus Pund - the Poirot-style detective featured in the novel ‘Magpie Murders’ by Anthony Horowitz.

Warning - anyone posting the solution will immediately be banned from the Forum.

Andrew

[Joe Lyons]

Warning - anyone posting the solution will immediately be banned from the Forum.

I believe they would be...

[Jonathan Townsend]

Some may have seen the miniseries on PBS last year.

How common a word was palaver?

* I’m looking for an editor more than an author based on the artist’s report.

[Dave Le Fevre]

Since the name was written Atticus Pünd, and ü is usually expanded to ue, the anagram doesn't really work

Phew!, some would say

[AJM]

Well thank goodness for that!

The future of the Forum is safe!

[Joe Lyons]

Since the name was written Atticus Pünd, and ü is usually expanded to ue, the anagram doesn't really work

Phew!, some would say

That's a relief.

I think we can all agree that United Catsup is a safer term than Putin Ducats.

[Dave Le Fevre]

Putin Ducats

Ah, now I see it.

I'd thought that it was Stupid Aunt, but that left me with an unused C.

[Bill Mullins]

A first edition of The Expert just went for $5040 with buyer's premium.

I believe that's the lowest it's been for a while.

Recent sales (from Liveauctioneers):

5/2023 $5250
12/2022 8750
3/2022 10,625
1/2021 11,875
3/2020 10,625

[Joe Lyons]

A first edition of The Expert just went for $5040 with buyer's premium.

I believe that's the lowest it's been for a while.

Recent sales (from Liveauctioneers):

5/2023 $5250

My mistake, $5250.
I should have known, I have paid that 25% fee recently.

[Richard Evans]

However, I do have a new candidate to put forward. His name has been mentioned here before - back in 2015 when the McKinney bankruptcy files were found. At the time, he was considered unlikely to be the author of TEATCT. After digging deep into his background over the last 3 years, he has proven to be much more interesting than would first appear and I believe there is sufficient evidence to make him a serious person of interest.

My candidate is Emory Cobb Andrews

I'm considering how best to share the large amount of information I've gathered to support this.

I am pleased to say that I will be revealing the evidence in favour of Emory Cobb Andrews at The Magic Circle's History Day on Saturday 3rd June. If you're in London you'd be very welcome to come along - it's a great day and the event is open to members and non-members alike. All the talks will be recorded and will be viewable (for members only) on the Magic Circle's website a short time later. Aside from my talk on EC Andrews/SW Erdnase, the programme for the day features: Noel Britten, on a little-known illusion; Michael Symes, on Magic in the Opera; Steffen Taut, on magic manufacturer and dealer, Manfredo; and Richard Wiseman on the history of interactive magic.

A few days after my presentation, the full account of my research will be published in a great magic history journal that's easily accessible in hard copy or pdf. Details to follow.

I'm looking forward to sharing this with you.

[Tom Sawyer]

Richard Evans: Sounds great!

On another topic, I just saw this on eBay, a 1934 (on title page) Erdnase. It has some pencil markings, but still I doubt that the book will be there for long:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/235024731701/

—Tom

[Stephen Burton]

Richard Evans: Sounds great!

On another topic, I just saw this on eBay, a 1934 (on title page) Erdnase. It has some pencil markings, but still I doubt that the book will be there for long:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/235024731701/

—Tom

It's the truncated version with only 178 pages so not as collectible as other Drake copies.

[Roger M.]

It's the truncated version with only 178 pages so not as collectible as other Drake copies.

Indeed, because it's not often mentioned in the ongoing conversation, I wonder how many folks realize that there's 30 or so pages of card tricks missing from this particular Drake edition?

[Tom Sawyer]

Hi All,

This is an update on my post here of April 30, 2023, where I said, in part:

Probably in connection with that, last night I was looking through the remnants of a book that John Luckman gave me (or sold to me for some super-low price, but I think he gave it to me) of the Fleming edition of the Erdnase book, which he had used in making images for a reprint of the book. This was probably circa early-1970s. It was basically the front and back covers and all the leaves that made up the book. (The spine had been chopped off.)

I guess I placed the title page (that leaf) in a “safe” place, since it isn’t with the rest of the book. I'm pretty sure a few other leaves have also gotten separated from the main batch.

Well, I was just reorganizing a bookcase, and I ran across a copy of The Man Who Was Erdnase that I didn't even know I possessed. It was in really nice condition (unlike the everyday copy that I often have consulted), and I flipped through it. I was happy to see, tucked just inside the back cover, the "missing" leaf.

The following is a little description that I published in one of my magic-collecting periodicals (Aphelion: A Journal of Magic History and Bibliography, Number 11, November 1994):

In reviewing The Man Who Was Erdnase (Whaley, Gardner, and Busby) a couple of years ago [remember, this was published in 1994], I was interested in Busby's description of a very early copy [so it seemed back then!] of The Expert at the Card Table at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. He mentions that the triangular subtitle has been cut and scotch-taped back. Something similar has been done with the title page of my copy under discussion. The words "WITH CRITICAL COMMENTS/BY/ PROFESSOR HOFFMANN" have apparently been cut out (by a rectangular cut) and then taped back into place. I have always thought that this was done in connection with the laying-out of the page for photographing. A small slip of paper with the GBC logo and the address BOX 4115/LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89106 has been taped onto the title page, on top of the imprint (CHICAGO/THE CHARLES T. POWNER CO./1944).

The GBC logo and address are in red ink, and I think that was a "return address" had been clipped from an envelope, because there is a vertical crease to the left of the address.

—Tom Sawyer

[Stephen Burton]

It's the truncated version with only 178 pages so not as collectible as other Drake copies.

Indeed, because it's not often mentioned in the ongoing conversation, I wonder how many folks realize that there's 30 or so pages of card tricks missing from this particular Drake edition?

Yes, if the last two words of the Erdnase copy are not "hocus-pocus", I'm not interested in owning it.