What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

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erdnasephile
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What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby erdnasephile » May 26th, 2012, 1:19 pm

Sign of the Apocalypse (or perhaps a bad economy)...

As I was passing through a city this morning, I saw at a bargain book store:

Secrets Draun from the Underground
Tarbell 7
Marlo without Tears
Encyclopedia of Card Magic
Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic
Joshua Jay's Magic: the Complete Course

all selling for a fraction of what they are worth.

(I think I'll check back next week to see if the Harbin book shows up! :grin:)

Which leads me to my question: what's the best (by your definition) magic book or best deal on a magic book you've found at bargain/used book store)?

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Kevin Connolly
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Kevin Connolly » May 26th, 2012, 1:34 pm

"The Humorous Magician Unmasked" price: $15.00. It's like finding 3 Harbin books.
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Pete Biro
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Pete Biro » May 26th, 2012, 2:25 pm

I found a Green on Gambling worth hundreds and go it for 50 bucks.
Stay tooned.

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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Richard Hatch » May 26th, 2012, 2:30 pm

The first edition Erdnase currently on eBay was found by the seller at a Goodwill store in Washington State. Wonder what else was there?

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Smurf
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Smurf » May 26th, 2012, 6:13 pm

Harry Lorayne's Best of Friends Volume 2 for $12.50.

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Kevin Connolly
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Kevin Connolly » May 26th, 2012, 7:23 pm

Forgot. I found a set of Charles Dickens books at auction, inscribed to the recipient by Harry Houdini. Price: $50.00
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Timothy Hyde
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Timothy Hyde » May 26th, 2012, 7:25 pm

Many years ago I found a 2nd Edition 1860 Memoirs of Robert Houdin. $6

A few years ago - The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin 1908. I think I paid $20

Also found one of the earliest Magic Catalogues ever published in Australia.
The Secret Notebooks of Mr Hyde - Vol 1 & 2 - http://www.MagicCoach.com

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erdnasephile
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby erdnasephile » May 26th, 2012, 7:35 pm

Richard Hatch wrote:The first edition Erdnase currently on eBay was found by the seller at a Goodwill store in Washington State. Wonder what else was there?


Wow! What a find!

Here's that auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-TRUE-FIRST ... 1c272fe662

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Barefoot Boy
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Barefoot Boy » May 26th, 2012, 9:30 pm

Dunninger's Secrets
Outward sunshine; Inward joy,
Blessings on thee, Barefoot Boy.
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JFox
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby JFox » May 29th, 2012, 1:25 pm

"HarbinCadabra" for $1.95

(in the bargin bin of a retail book store)

JordanB
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby JordanB » May 29th, 2012, 3:55 pm

I picked up Card College #1,3,4, and 5 for $12 each at a Half Price Books in Arlington last year. A few weeks later I picked up Bound to Please, The Aronson Approach, Simply Simon, and Dear Mr. Fantasy (Bannon) for about $45.

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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Magic Mike » May 29th, 2012, 4:39 pm

I found 2 Albo books, Vol. 5 and I can't remember which # the other one was...
$50
I thought it was a real deal...but then I had to complete the set...
that cost way more than $50.

Eric Fry
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Eric Fry » May 29th, 2012, 7:15 pm

A paperback copy in excellent condition of "Cards as Weapons" for one dollar in a used-book store. Top that.

Andres Reynoso
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Andres Reynoso » May 29th, 2012, 7:30 pm

several years ago in some used bookstores in Mexico City:

- Cartomagia by Bernat and Fabregas. $180 mexican pesos (by that years aprox $18 USD)

-Fitzkee's Magic by Misdirection. first edition. $80 mexican pesos, by that time was aproximately $8 USD

-Juegos de manos de bolsillo 1 by Wenceslao Ciur. $50 mexican pesos (by these years $5 USD)

nowadays mexican peso is more devaluated, so the price in USD decrease.

Last year on ebay: The books of Wonder. both inscribed by Tommy Wonder and Stephen Minch. I think $130 s&h included to Mexico City
Andres Reynoso

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mai-ling
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby mai-ling » May 29th, 2012, 8:54 pm

Bobo's Coin Book for $2 at a resale shop.
2nd edition
Hard cover yellow slip cover excellent condition
you will remember my name
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erdnasephile
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby erdnasephile » May 29th, 2012, 10:41 pm

Eric Fry wrote:A paperback copy in excellent condition of "Cards as Weapons" for one dollar in a used-book store. Top that.


Wow--

It doesn't top yours, but I did see a person win "Fatal Sins" (MOABT) on ebay for less than $10 as it was sold as a regular book.

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Vince Hancock
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Vince Hancock » May 29th, 2012, 10:46 pm

Image

Magic with Chemistry
, Edward L. Palder, Grosset & Dunlap, New York, 1964.

"Several of the experiments require definite amounts of chemicals, and there must be no changes. For these, a balance is required. If the amateur does not have one, he will almost surely find an obliging pharmacist at the local drugstore to weigh out the ingredients." (p.11)

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Scotto
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Scotto » May 30th, 2012, 12:31 am

I got a copy of the "The Magic Castle Walls of Fame" on eBay for $9.95, it said that the binding wasn't in the best shape but I wanted a copy. No one else bid on it as the shape was less than perfect. On arrival I opened it up to find about 40 autographs, including The Professor, Kuda Bux, Senator Crandall, and many more. Best $10 I ever spent
Magically

Scotto

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Dustin Stinett
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Dustin Stinett » May 30th, 2012, 12:56 am

$10 or $12 for The Dai Vernon Book of Magic (Supreme edition). Even though I had a copy, I bought it to get it out of that store and gave it to a friend.

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Brisbin
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Brisbin » May 30th, 2012, 9:49 am

I found a copy of John Booth's "Marvels of Mystery" for a couple of bucks in a used bookstore in my old hometown. Turned out to have the bookplate of one of my childhood mentors inside, dated decades earlier. A sentimental and professional find.
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Matthew Field
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Matthew Field » May 30th, 2012, 11:04 am

Sam Sharpe's "Neo-Magic", 2nd edition, 4 (about $6) from The Magic Circle library sale trolley, ex libris Jack Avis.

From the same source: "The Card Magic of Le Paul" 2nd edition, hardback, 9 ($13.50), and "Testament of R.W. Hull" by Trevor Hall, 5 ($7.50).

And lots more!

Most recently (this past Monday), Genii Magazines Sept. 1960 (Silver Anniversary issue),October 1964 (Steranko's World of Escapes), November 1964 (Charlie Miller, start of the Woodfield/Miller MAGICANA column), September 1967 (Slydini), May 1970 (Larry Jennings). Total for them all: 5 ($7.50)

"The Art of Modern Conjuring" 1910 reprint, photo illustrated: 5 ($7.50) and "Page Wright's Notebook" by William Larsen, Sr. (1933) - FREE!

I know that this source is not exactly a "used book shop", but, hey. To me it is a treasure chest. If you're visiting London on a Monday the library is open to the public (or by appointment). To stay for the evening you need to pay 15 and have someone put your name at the door.

Matt Field

Bill Duncan
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Bill Duncan » May 31st, 2012, 2:32 am

The Magic Digest by George Anderson. Still one of the best magic books I own.

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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Curtis Kam » May 31st, 2012, 3:19 pm

@BillDuncan: Ditto. Magic Digest is amazing.

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Brad Jeffers
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Brad Jeffers » May 31st, 2012, 5:38 pm

I found a signed copy of Marlo's "Faro Contolled Miracles" for $10. It's interesting because in the forward it states "Only a limited edition of fifty copies have been made. Yours is copy # 112".
Apparently Marlo xeroxed more copies of his own original book, extending the sale to more than the original 50. My copy has both a xeroxed image of Marlo's signature and an original inscription "To Geo. Kreasal, May you never miss a weave, Ed Marlo Feb-27-1978".

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AJM
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby AJM » May 31st, 2012, 6:49 pm

Soooo - when we're talking here about 'bargain book shops' what are we referring to?

1. Bargain book shops - which here in the UK are stocked almost exclusively with remaindered celebrity biographies and cook books which were only published for the first about 3 weeks before.

Or

2. Second hand bookshops?

With regard to some of the titles mentioned above, I might expect them to be found in the latter but not the former.

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Kevin Connolly
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Kevin Connolly » May 31st, 2012, 7:35 pm

AJM wrote:Soooo - when we're talking here about 'bargain book shops' what are we referring to?

1. Bargain book shops - which here in the UK are stocked almost exclusively with remaindered celebrity biographies and cook books which were only published for the first about 3 weeks before.

Or

2. Second hand bookshops?

With regard to some of the titles mentioned above, I might expect them to be found in the latter but not the former.


Please refer to thread handbook issued above.
Please visit my website.

http://houdinihimself.com/

I buy,sell + trade Houdini, Hardeen items.

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erdnasephile
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby erdnasephile » May 31st, 2012, 10:50 pm

AJM,

I had second hand bookshops (and the like--such as garage sales) in mind when I started the thread. (I'm enjoying reading aobut what treasures everyone has found).

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AJM
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby AJM » June 1st, 2012, 1:25 am

Me too.

Cheers

Andrew

Bob Farmer
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Bob Farmer » June 1st, 2012, 5:44 pm

Back in the early 1970s, after I had been out of magic for years, I had a very boring summer job "working" for the Canadian government (sitting alone in a file room looking at files from World War I). One day at lunch, in a used book shop, I saw THE ROYAL ROAD TO CARD MAGIC for $2. I'd always wanted a copy of that book, so I bought it, went next door to a drug store and bought a deck of cards and spent the rest of the summer working through the book. Unfortunately, my work checking those files suffered greatly.

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Matthew Field
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Re: What's the best magic book you've found at a bargain books store?

Postby Matthew Field » June 2nd, 2012, 5:06 am

Farmer's lack of diligence back in the early 1970's researching Canadian World War i files almost led to the loss of World War II. Oh, the shame.

Matt Field


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