The Genii Forum

This is a
Mint unopened copy that I have started the bid at $1.00 and NO RESERVE!

https://m.ebay.com/itm/The-Magic-Of-Joh ... 3003641450

It's at $298 with 5 days to go.
Now it gets interesting...

It's precisely not interesting. The book is being reprinted and will be identical to the first printing, including Johnny Thompson signing every copy.
It is now at its retail price, and it should sell for that price unless a few people feel very foolish and can't wait until July.

That's the interesting part, at least to me. Will the books sell at the retail price, or will they decide they can't wait until July?

Now $325.

Peace, Joe

I have a feeling that the bidders are not aware of the "second printing". I just received my copy yesterday and let me say that $295 is a great deal for this wonderful two volume set. It would be interesting to know how many copies were printed for the first run? I spoke to James Alan at Magicana and he told me that the books printed for the first printing run were expected to take 3 years to sell out but instead they all sold out in one month!! Thompson is HOT right now!

They are a beautiful set of books, as we have come to expect from Magicana - I hope there are more in the pipeline.

Andrew

I believe the first printing was 1,500 - as it was mentioned somewhere that was the amount of fly leaves Mr. Thompson signed.

Q. Kumber wrote:I believe the first printing was 1,500 - as it was mentioned somewhere that was the amount of fly leaves Mr. Thompson signed.

Wow, i didn't expect so many!.

Julie acknowledged to me that 1500 were indeed printed.

Peace, Joe

Since it looks like this set is going to sell well over retail, I suspect that there is going to be a deal to be had when several more folks seeking to turn a quick profit put their copies up for auction right after this one. This, coupled with the spreading word of the second printing, would seem likely to drive down the street price in the near term to retail or thereabouts. Might be worth getting in on the action for those that missed the first printing.

I could be wrong, but I guess we'll see.

erdnasephile wrote:Since it looks like this set is going to sell well over retail, I suspect that there is going to be a deal to be had when several more folks seeking to turn a quick profit put their copies up for auction right after this one. This, coupled with the spreading word of the second printing, would seem likely to drive down the street price in the near term to retail or thereabouts. Might be worth getting in on the action for those that missed the first printing.

I could be wrong, but I guess we'll see.

I think it depends. If your a collector you might pay more for the First printing.

Fair point.

Bouncing off of that: The thing about these books is that it seems clear that once Mr. Thompson decided to release the good stuff, he wanted it to be out there, not limited to just a selected few (as long as they are serious students and can pony up the $300 presumably).

Accordingly, practical books like these cry out to be read and more importantly applied to actual performance. I truly believe these books are meant to be worried over, dog-eared, and written in. For them to sit in climate-controlled cabinets all shrink-wrapped and pristine would seem like a rather large waste, IMHO. Still, everyone comes to magic for different (and equally valid) reasons, so my judgey opinion is just that. YMMV, of course.

erdnasephile wrote:Fair point.

Bouncing off of that: The thing about these books is that it seems clear that once Mr. Thompson decided to release the good stuff, he wanted it to be out there, not limited to just a selected few (as long as they are serious students and can pony up the $300 presumably).

Accordingly, practical books like these cry out to be read and more importantly applied to actual performance. I truly believe these books are meant to be worried over, dog-eared, and written in. For them to sit in climate-controlled cabinets all shrink-wrapped and pristine would seem like a rather large waste, IMHO. Still, everyone comes to magic for different (and equally valid) reasons, so my judgey opinion is just that. YMMV, of course.

I totally agree. I think that is why many collectors, myself included, will by a "deluxe/Collectors edition" + a regular edition. I have many collectors editions of EATCT but i also have a $2 copy that i use as you mentioned.

I have these books, and quite an extensive library of most of the major books published in the last 35 years. I write in all of them. I write in the margins, I cross-reference variations, I rate each effect I read with a star system to avoid having to re-read the book to find what I considered the best material. Collecting is fun, but I buy these books because I love magic. There are better ways of generating a return on investment than flipping books. Unfortunately, the market has many more speculators than when I started. I believe this in part feeds piracy, but that is another discussion all together.

PickaCard wrote:I have these books, and quite an extensive library of most of the major books published in the last 35 years. I write in all of them. I write in the margins, I cross-reference variations, I rate each effect I read with a star system to avoid having to re-read the book to find what I considered the best material. Collecting is fun, but I buy these books because I love magic. There are better ways of generating a return on investment than flipping books. Unfortunately, the market has many more speculators than when I started. I believe this in part feeds piracy, but that is another discussion all together.

Any book i have over the value of $30 i could not deface for anything. I love magic as much as anyone but i have spent a lot of time and money buying books and i don't intend to render them worthless by writing all over them.

You would pass out if you saw the books I have written in.

The funny thing is that to another magician, or my son should I be so lucky that he takes up this hobby, my annotations add value to the reader but I guess not to eBay.

PickaCard wrote:You would pass out if you saw the books I have written in.

The funny thing is that to another magician, or my son should I be so lucky that he takes up this hobby, my annotations add value to the reader but I guess not to eBay.

I am sure i would.

PickaCard wrote:You would pass out if you saw the books I have written in.

The funny thing is that to another magician, or my son should I be so lucky that he takes up this hobby, my annotations add value to the reader but I guess not to eBay.

That's how I look at it. I understand Christopher's rationale (especially given the line of work he is in); however, for me magic is just a hobby and it's the cross references and ideas that I find most valuable to keep me from having to go over covered ground when I pick up a book again after a few years. For example, Apocalypse already has great indices, but I ended up doing a complete cross reference to my collection of original Apocalypse issues starting from the last issue to the first. This allows me to see every future reference to a previously published routine written in right alongside the original publication. That synergy helps a lot when I'm working up a routine for performance.

I do try to be judicious and neat in my annotations though. Most of the them are in light pencil or ball point ink. I couldn't bear to use a highlighter in any of my books. (I think it's weird when people sometimes highlight the majority of words in a chapter.) The one thing I don't do is write my name in the book, unless the author autographs the book to me.

Besides, if writing in books is good enough for the Half Blood Prince, it's good enough for me!

erdnasephile wrote:

PickaCard wrote:You would pass out if you saw the books I have written in.

The funny thing is that to another magician, or my son should I be so lucky that he takes up this hobby, my annotations add value to the reader but I guess not to eBay.

That's how I look at it. I understand Christopher's rationale (especially given the line of work he is in); however, for me magic is just a hobby and it's the cross references and ideas that I find most valuable to keep me from having to go over covered ground when I pick up a book again after a few years. For example, Apocalypse already has great indices, but I ended up doing a complete cross reference to my collection of original Apocalypse issues starting from the last issue to the first. This allows me to see every future reference to a previously published routine written in right alongside the original publication. That synergy helps a lot when I'm working up a routine for performance.

I do try to be judicious and neat in my annotations though. Most of the them are in light pencil or ball point ink. I couldn't bear to use a highlighter in any of my books. (I think it's weird when people sometimes highlight the majority of words in a chapter.) The one thing I don't do is write my name in the book, unless the author autographs the book to me.

Besides, if writing in books is good enough for the Half Blood Prince, it's good enough for me!

You are correct in what you say regarding my line of work. I have seen many rare and sought after magic books that are only worth 30 - 40% of the market value because of crude annotations in the margins. I can relax knowing that you are both neat writers and are not likely to highlight 4 pages of text with a bright marker

I have no problem with making annotations. However one's taste changes over the years and something you thought excellent on first reading may have lost its appeal a few years later, while an overlooked item may on future reading be a gem.

Dick Koornwinder told me that Fred Kaps annotated his books, and showed me a copy of Frank Garcia's Million Dollar Card Secrets published in 1972. Garcia claims he'd been performing the trick Three in a Million for thirty years. Kaps annotated that he had shown it to Garcia in 1963.

For more info on that trick check out David Britland's Cardopolis column in the October 2017 Genii, and Quadruple Coincidence in the Johnny Thompson books.

That particular trick has had more coincidences for me than you can imagine. I must write them up.

This is a great conversation. The difference is are these tools or are they treasures? I was in the book business for 30 years and have many cherished 1st editions, collecting magic books was just part of that frenzy. I wish I used what I have but like the hoarders on American Pickers to some extent these are projects that I hope to get to "some day". LOL

I also am a historian and have no problem highlighting 3 pages and making notes in history books I own, those books for my research are tools and marking, dog earring and annotating are all part of the game.

If I were a working pro I most certainly treat these as tools. On that note I got a couple of books from Steve Cohen and it was SO cool to see what he had and can only imagine what a seasoned expert like that would gain from the books on his list.

I'm dying to dig into the egg bag, I have always wanted to learn this and now I have no excuse to not learn from the best.

Great thoughts all around on this.

Peace, Joe

I will just add that obviously if the annotation's are made by a well know magician it does change me above statement greatly.

erdnasephile wrote: I couldn't bear to use a highlighter in any of my books.

Remember that book where Michael Ammar saved you the trouble ...

Christopher1979 wrote: You are correct in what you say regarding my line of work.

Uh, what is your line of work?

Bill Mullins wrote:

Christopher1979 wrote: You are correct in what you say regarding my line of work.

Uh, what is your line of work?

Antiquarian and rare book dealer

Brad Jeffers wrote:

erdnasephile wrote: I couldn't bear to use a highlighter in any of my books.

Remember that book where Michael Ammar saved you the trouble ...

Arrgh! My eyes! My eyes!

I am a voracious reader, always have been and never once marked in a book. I am embarrassed to say though that it has more to do with my rearing than inclination and it stuck. I can certainly see the great benefit of learning through annotation.

On the other hand I am lucky enough to own Tommy Wonder’s old copy of Stars of Magic and love the fact that it’s marked up. Anyone translate Dutch?

Joe Lyons wrote:I am a voracious reader, always have been and never once marked in a book. I am embarrassed to say though that it has more to do with my rearing than inclination and it stuck. I can certainly see the great benefit of learning through annotation.

On the other hand I am lucky enough to own Tommy Wonder’s old copy of Stars of Magic and love the fact that it’s marked up. Anyone translate Dutch?

Hey Joe, I would love to help you with the translation of the annotations of Tommy Wonder. My native language is Dutch.
Let me know if I can help.
Best wishes,
Remco

remco wrote:

Joe Lyons wrote:I am a voracious reader, always have been and never once marked in a book. I am embarrassed to say though that it has more to do with my rearing than inclination and it stuck. I can certainly see the great benefit of learning through annotation.

On the other hand I am lucky enough to own Tommy Wonder’s old copy of Stars of Magic and love the fact that it’s marked up. Anyone translate Dutch?

Hey Joe, I would love to help you with the translation of the annotations of Tommy Wonder. My native language is Dutch.
Let me know if I can help.
Best wishes,
Remco

That would be greatly appreciated Remco. Please pm me an email address and I will send a couple of photos to you.
Thanks again
Joe