ABRA RIPJust got the news via Abra that this is the las

[John McDonald]

Just got the news via Abra that this is the last ABRA! Th news is that the deal fell through at the eleventh hour and the proposed publisher did not want to go ahead after looking at the latest operational info. Can't help but feel with a heavy heart I have a piece of magical history in my hands.

[Paul Gordon]

Yes, very sad... I've been a subscriber and contributor for nigh on 30 years. I'll miss it. It's nice to know, however, that I have an effect in the very last issue. Quite moving, really!

Paul Gordon

[Anthony Owen]

I've been a subscriber for almost 25 years and have a complete run of all the issues. I'm surprised by how much the news has saddened me.

Best,

Anthony

[Darren Lawbuary]

Very sad news, indeed. The end of proud, long era.

[Francesca Moffet]

I really enjoyed reading Abra, when I was in London I used to pop into Davenport's for a few copies. Sad news.

[Richard Kaufman]

Can someone give me a few publication details on Abra? Date of first issue? When it was sold to Davenports? How many years did it run?
Thanks.

[John McDonald]

Goodliffe first published it on February 2, 1946 it passed to Davenports in 1984. March 29th was last issue no 3296.

A total of 63 years 1 month and 27 days.

[A1exM]

There is a bit of history here but not quite up to date;

http://itricks.com/news/?p=7497

I think it's a real shame and a sad day for British conjuring.

Alex

[Q. Kumber]

And as far as I know, it was never late.

Fabian (E. Ray Griffiths) was the first assistant editor, until sometime in the 1960's when he died and Donald Bevan took over. Donald became editor when Goodliffe died in 1981. Donald retired a few (two or three) years ago, when Walt Lees took over.

[GranHoudini]

On a Happier Note!!!

Below is a HUGE selection of Abra's spanning the years 1946 to 1989.



The number, in parenthesis, shows the number of issues which come with this volume.

A Complete Volume consists of 26 issues.

Been looking to fill in some of those holes in your collection? Look no further....

Prices are as follows:

Complete Volumes - $25.00/each
Almost Complete Volumes - $20.00/each

Thanks,

Sparky

STEPHEN A. SPARKS
Stephen A. Sparks Collectibles
Specializing in Houdiniana
P. O. Box 1345
Spring, Texas 77383-1345 USA

281-353-1014 (Phone and/or Fax)
281-827-4001 (Cell)

Email: Houdini374@aol.com

Website: www.GranHoudini.net

=====

(22) Volume 3, #53-55, 58-65, 67-75, 77-78 - Dates span Feb. 1 - July 26, 1947
(22) Volume 4, #79-95, 97-100, 102 - Dates span Aug. 2, 1947 - Jan. 10, 1948
(25) Volume 5, #106-130 - Dates span Feb. 7 - July 24, 1948
(25) Volume 6, #131-151, 153-156 - Dates span July 31, 1948 - Jan. 22, 1949
(23) Volume 9, #209-211, 213-227, 229-230, 232-234 - Dates span Jan. 28 - July 22, 1950

(24) Volume 16, #391-396, 398-408, 410-416 - Dates span July 25, 1953 - Jan. 16, 1954
(25) Volume 18, #443-449, 451-468 - Dates span July 24, 1954 - Jan. 15, 1955
(26) Volume 19, #469-494 - Dates span Jan. 22 - July 16, 1955 - Complete Volume-

(26) Volume 20, #495-520 - Dates span July 23, 1955 - Jan 14, 1956 - Complete Volume-
(26) Volume 21, #521-546 - Dates span Jan. 21 - July 14, 1956 - Complete Volume-
(22) Volume 22, #547-560, 562-563, 567-572 - Dates span July 21, 1956 - Jan 12, 1957
(26) Volume 23, #573-598 - Dates span Jan. 19 - July 6, 1957 - Complete Volume-
(25) Volume 24, #600-624 - Dates span July 27, 1957 - Jan 11, 1958
(26) Volume 25, #625-650 - Dates span Jan. 18 - July 12, 1958 - Complete Volume-
(22) Volume 26, #651, 653-654, 656-665, 668-670, 672-676 - Dates span July 19, 1958 - Jan.10, 1959
(26) Volume 27, #677-702 - Dates span Jan. 17 - July 11, 1959 - Complete Volume-
(25) Volume 28, #703-721, 723-728 - Dates span July 18, 1959 - Jan. 9, 1960
(25) Volume 29, #729-740, 742-749 - Dates span Jan. 16 - June 4, 1960

(24) Volume 30, #755-763, 765-771, 773-780 - Dates span July 16, 1960 - Jan. 7, 1961
(24) Volume 31, #781-799, 801, 803-806 - Dates span Jan. 14 - July 8, 1961
(23) Volume 33, #834-852, 854, 856-858 - Dates span Jan. 20 - July 7, 1962
(25) Volume 34, #859, 861-884 - Dates span July 14, 1962 - Jan. 5, 1963
(24) Volume 35, #886-890, 892-910 - Dates span Jan 19 - July 6, 1963
(26) Volume 36, #911-936 - Dates span July 13, 1963 - Jan. 4, 1964 - Complete Volume-
(26) Volume 37, #937-963 - Dates span Jan. 11 - July 11, 1964 - Complete Volume-
(24) Volume 39, #989-998, 1000, 1002-1014 - Dates span Jan. 9 - July 3, 1965

(25) Volume 40, #1015-1017, 1019-1040 - Dates span July 10, 1965 - Jan. 1, 1966
(24) Volume 41, #1041-1057, 1059-1063, 1065-1066 - Dates span Jan. 8 - July 2, 1966
(21) Volume 42, #1067, 1069-1073, 1075-1079, 1081-1088, 1090-1092 - Dates span July 9 - Dec. 31, 1966
(24) Volume 44, #1119-1136, 1138-1140, 1142-1144 - Dates span July 8 - Dec. 30, 1967
(25) Volume 45, #1145-1157, 1159-1170 - Dates span Jan. 6 - June 29, 1968
(26) Volume 46, #1171-1196 - Dates span July 6 - Dec. 28, 1968 - Complete Volume-
(24) Volume 47, #1197-1206, 1208-1212, 1214-1222, - Dates span Jan. 4 - June 28, 1969
(23) Volume 48, #1223, 1227-1248 - Dates span July 5 - Dec. 27, 1969
(25) Volume 49, #1249-1265, 1267-1274 - Dates span Jan. 3 - June 27, 1970

(24) Volume 50, #1275-1280, 1282, 1284-1300 - Dates span July 4 - Dec. 26, 1970
(26) Volume 51, #1301-1326 - Dates span Jan. 2 - June 26, 1971 - Complete Volume-
(26) Volume 52, #1327-1352 - Dates span July 3 - Dec. 25, 1971 - Complete Volume-
(26) Volume 53, #1353-1378 - Dates span Jan. 1 - June 24, 1972 - Complete Volume-
(26) Volume 54, #1379-1404 - Dates span July 1 - Dec. 23, 1972 - Complete Volume-
(25) Volume 55, #1405-1425, 1427-1430 - Dates span Dec. 30, 1972 - June 23, 1973
(26) Volume 56, #1431-1456 - Dates span June 30 - Dec. 22, 1973 - Complete Volume-
(25) Volume 57, #1457-1468, 1470-1482 - Dates span Dec. 29, 1973 - June 22, 1974
(19) Volume 58, #1486-1491, 1493, 1496-1497, 1499-1507, 1509 - Dates span July 30 - Dec. 28, 1974
(20) Volume 59, #1510-1511, 1513-1514, 1517, 1519-1522, 1524-1534 Dates span Jan. 4 - June 21, 1975

(24) Volume 60, #1535-1555, 1557, 1559-1560 - Dates span June 28 - Dec. 20, 1975
(25) Volume 61, #1561-1570, 1572-1586 - Dates span Dec. 27, 1975 - June 19, 1976
(25) Volume 62, #1587-1604, 1606-1612 - Dates span June 26 - Dec. 18, 1976
(23) Volume 63, #1613-1621, 1625-1638 - Dates span Dec. 25, 1976 - June 18, 1977
(23) Volume 64, #1639-1652, 1655-1656, 1658-1664 - Dates span June 25 - Dec. 17, 1977
(23) Volume 65, #1665-1668, 1670-1685, 1688-1690 - Dates span Dec. 24, 1977 - June 17, 1978
(25) Volume 66, #1691-1705, 1707-1716 - Dates span June 24 - Dec. 16, 1978
(25) Volume 67, #1717-1718, 1720-1742 - Dates span Dec. 23, 1978 - June 16, 1979
(26) Volume 68, #1743-1768 - Dates span June 23 - Dec. 15, 1979 - Complete Volume-
(22) Volume 69, #1769-1770, 1772-1775, 1777, 1779, 1781-1794 - Dates span Dec. 22, 1979 - June 14, 1980

(25) Volume 70, #1795-1808, 1810-1820 - Dates span June 21 - Dec. 13, 1980
(25) Volume 71, #1821-1845 - Dates span Dec. 20, 1980 - June 6, 1981

(21) Volume 86, #2214-2215, 2217-2226, 2228-2236 - Dates span July 2 - Dec. 3, 1988
(23) Volume 87, #2237-2246, 2249-2250, 2252-2262 - Dates span Dec. 10, 1988 - June 3, 1989

[Pete Biro]

SAD indeed... I used to live by my copies of ABRA.

[A1exM]

John Helvin's Blog has further details concerning Abra. Very interesting read.

http://johnhelvin.blogspot.com/2009/03/ ... ation.html

[Richard Kaufman]

John Helvin's blaming of Davenport's for the demise of Abra doesn't make any sense to me: all magazines are having a difficult time now and Abra's sales were sinking for many years.

He also misstates that Abra was the longest-running "national" magic magazine ... not sure what that means. The longest running magazine is The Magic Circular, the longest running independent magazine is Genii (which started 10 years before Abra).

[Magic Newswire]

I've heard it referred to as the "Longest Running Magic Weekly" elsewhere. Is that what they mean? You'd know better than I Richard.

[Richard Kaufman]

Yes, it is the longest running "weekly," but that's not what he writes.

[Paul Gordon]

I'm sure I'm correct in saying that Rabbi Gringras had something to do with the ownership...at some stage! (If not, sorry!)

I've got a full set and when I peruse it, I'm startled at the quality of - for instance - the card magic! A collected book, or two (or ten), would be a great project!

Paul Gordon

[Ray T. Stott]

Rank opportunist! :D

[Francesca Moffet]

In my opinion Abra didn't really keep up with the times, there should have been more information about in available online and it wouldn't have hurt to advertise a bit more on magic websites or forums etc. Part of it's charm for me was the fact that it was a tad old-fashioned though.

[Jolly Roger]

Devastatating news! Abra has been part of my life for nearly all my life. I was a regular columnist for some of those years.

What is interesting is that the magical world is now without a magical weekly publication. Maybe Richard can start one on this side of the pond. When I spoke to my old friend and editor Walt Lees at Blackpool in February, he did not give me a hint of its impending demise. JR

[Richard Kaufman]

Considering how hard it is to get a monthly out on time and keep the quality high, it would seem impossible to do so with a weekly. But that's the point: there is no need for a weekly anything anymore with the Internet making hour-by-hour information available to you for 24 hours a day for FREE. Even "Newsweek" has given up on reporting "news."

[the Larry]

Richard certainly understands this. News is today spread via the Internet. The ever shrinking number of people who get it from newsprint is fast approaching zero. I always have to chuckle when they show blog sites on TV. That is one of the worst kind of reporting you can imagine. It is like they are pleading with us: "Please, please don't turn off the TV, here we show you what's written on those blogs!" - second hand news.

If you think about it, newsprint is a highly wasteful product. One day it is printed with an enormous expense in raw materials. The next day it is delivered with an equally enormous expense in energy, and the second day it is tossed out into the trash. Particularly the dailies have no reason to survive.

Weeklies and Monthlies have a much better chance to make it alive through this reformation of the media industry. Unless Richard is doing something crazy, Genii should be with us for a long time.