The Genii Forum

The latest issue of MAGICOL is at hand. I have only read four pages, but I am looking forward to the next 115 or so: the entire issue is devoted to the life of Paul Fox, written by David Ben.

I read his opening "Words of Wisdom" and cheated a tad by jumping to his closing notes. This is going to be an incredible read.

And on a personal note, I sure wish a couple of people with whom I dealt with when I was working on a biography that was derailed would read David's "Words of Wisdom." Maybe--just maybe--they will gain an appreciation for my point of view. And thank you David Ben for some marvelous words.

Dustin

All I can say, Dustin, is AMEN to your words. A splendid issue.

I just sent this email to David Ben:

Dear David,

I am overwhelmed. You have given subscribers to Magicol an entire book as a bonus to their subscription. And what a book!

I think I first became aware of Paul Fox when I bought his Miracle Gimmick from Tannen's. The catalog description seemed almost to good to believe. The effect is, in a sense, a miracle.

Then Jeff Busby hawked his version of the Paul Fox Cups, via Danny Dew. I purchased some great magic from Busby (such as the Flash Card Frame by Pat Page and Colin Rose) but there was always something I felt was untrustworthy about the man. And this before the Braue Notebooks debacle.

So to find the story of Paul Fox, pretty much an enigma to lovers of magic history, told in this beautifully assembled package is a real Christmas treat.

I don't know how you find the time to accomplish all that you do. You are a spectacular achiever in the Art we so love.

Thank you, David.

Best,
Matt Field


I guess one of my reasons for reposting this here is to commend Magicol to Genii Forum participants. If you don't subscribe, you are missing a lot. Info is at http://magicol.magicana.com/ . It is a delight and a real bargain.

Matt Field

When asked about Volume 2 of the Vernon biography, David Ben has mentioned books on Allan Slaight (now done) and Paul Fox as preceding it.

Is this Magicol piece the entirety of the Paul Fox work, or is it a preview of a larger work in development?

Just finished reading this book. Wow! So much about Fox's life that wasn't known. He tried to market, unsuccessfully, some of his inventions that were not related to magic. He had more magic effects on the market than I was previously aware of. Danny Dew was most likely the best friend Fox ever had. Fox suffered a hard life but it's nice to know his daughter and her children are doing well.

And now it's clear there were three sets of the silver engraved Paul Fox style cups that George Starke had copied in Iran. We know that Bill Taylor and Persi Diaconis each own a set and the whereabouts of the third set is still a mystery. A thank you to David Ben and to those who assisted him on this wonderful bio.

I think David is working on the second Vernon volume now, and will get back to it once his run of The Conjuror is done in January.