Al Cohn

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Al Cohn

Postby Guest » May 13th, 2004, 9:24 pm

I'm still trying to get basic information on Al Cohn who ran a magic shop in NYC. (Despite the similarity of names, he is not the same man as Al Cohen of Washington, DC.) Mr. Cohn had a little renown in his day as the Sponge Ball King. What I know is that he had a shop in NYC until about 1951 when he retired to Miami. He had a shop there, too--I believe it was called either The Magic Shop or Al's Magic Shop. He participated in the Magic (or Magicians') Roundtable in Miami, but I don't know anything about that organization except that they met at the now-defunct MacArthur Hotel. There was a 1951 article in the Saturday Evening Post that put his age at 55, making his birth year 1895-96. According to the Internet, he died sometime in the 1980s. I'd like to get his correct life dates, plus the name of his shop in Florida. (If you know anything about the Magic or Magicians' Roundtable in Miami, I'd appreciate it, too.)

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Mike Rose
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Re: Al Cohn

Postby Mike Rose » May 14th, 2004, 9:38 am

I don't know if this will help you, but here is what Bart Whaley's "Who's Who in Magic" has to say:

Cohn, Al[bert]
(USA: - c1980) Magician since 1910s. Pro dealer in New York City (the Greenwich Toy House at 125 W. 49th St & then on 8th Avenue as The Magic Center) from 1941 until he sold in 1951. Tutored Dick Biow. Known as "The Sponge Ball King". Tricks in Hugard's Magic Monthly. Retired to Florida.

bjkatz
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Joined: January 6th, 2022, 1:09 pm
Favorite Magician: Al Cohn

Re: Al Cohn

Postby bjkatz » January 6th, 2022, 1:26 pm

I can help to some degree. It´s been a long time since you posted your question. Al Cohn was my great uncle. Al was born Abraham Eckstein in 1896 and died in Boca Raton Fl in 19601. Al got in trouble with the mod and left NY where he changed his name and met Harry Houdini and learned magic from him. I have a copy of the Saturday Evening post the featured him. My family refers to him as the mafia magician.

It is my understanding his shop in Miami was Al’s magic shop and was more of a hobby than career. I have become the family historian and welcome any information you may have.


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