Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

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Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 27th, 2019, 11:05 pm

Does anyone know much about the British Magician Graham Adams? I would be very interested to know anything about him and his published works (if any) along with any information about his publication regarding Erdnase. There was a rare transcript of his sold at auction a few years ago which was inscribed by him stating that this copy was one of just 4 copies published. I see it sold for about $2000.

If any of you have a copy I would be interested in making an offer! ;)
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Edwin Corrie » June 28th, 2019, 2:15 am

I also understood that there were really only a handful of copies of the actual lecture notes, so good luck with finding one. But Martin Breese published "The Best of Pentagram Card Magic" which has a chapter on the work of Graham Adams. It seems to be still available from various dealers.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 10:53 am

Edwin Corrie wrote:I also understood that there were really only a handful of copies of the actual lecture notes, so good luck with finding one. But Martin Breese published "The Best of Pentagram Card Magic" which has a chapter on the work of Graham Adams. It seems to be still available from various dealers.



Thanks Edwin, I will see if I can locate a copy. There seems to be very little online about him.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Bill Mullins » June 28th, 2019, 11:42 am

An old British journal, "Conjuror's Chronicle", has a series of articles by Graham Adams. These are accessible through AskAlexander, of the Conjuring Arts Research Center.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 28th, 2019, 11:54 am

Lybrary.com sells all the Martin Breese items.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 12:59 pm

Bill Mullins wrote:An old British journal, "Conjuror's Chronicle", has a series of articles by Graham Adams. These are accessible through AskAlexander, of the Conjuring Arts Research Center.


Thank you, Bill. I appreciate the link!
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 1:03 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:Lybrary.com sells all the Martin Breese items.


Thank you, Richard, I will take a look. I am only interested in Adams work with cards and I read somewhere that he did a lecture on Erdnase.... do you know if that is true or not?
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Joe Lyons » June 28th, 2019, 1:14 pm

Christopher1979 wrote:
Edwin Corrie wrote:I also understood that there were really only a handful of copies of the actual lecture notes, so good luck with finding one. But Martin Breese published "The Best of Pentagram Card Magic" which has a chapter on the work of Graham Adams. It seems to be still available from various dealers.



Thanks Edwin, I will see if I can locate a copy. There seems to be very little online about him.


The pentagram itself might be a better purchase as it has @ 30 effects from Graham plus everyone else.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Joe Lyons » June 28th, 2019, 1:39 pm

Christopher1979 wrote:
Richard Kaufman wrote:Lybrary.com sells all the Martin Breese items.


Thank you, Richard, I will take a look. I am only interested in Adams work with cards and I read somewhere that he did a lecture on Erdnase.... do you know if that is true or not?


Upon perusing The Pentagram I saw where Graham Adams gave a lecture to the Magic Circle in 1931 entitled "S.W. Erdnase - His Book".

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Q. Kumber » June 28th, 2019, 2:02 pm

I will be at The Magic Circle on Monday. I will check if it is in the library there.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Joe Lyons » June 28th, 2019, 2:07 pm

Q. Kumber wrote:I will be at The Magic Circle on Monday. I will check if it is in the library there.


In the Pentagram Peter Warlock states that there is a full copy there in the permanent library "copiously illustrated with first class photographs".

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 2:20 pm

Q. Kumber wrote:I will be at The Magic Circle on Monday. I will check if it is in the library there.
I will be very interested to hear what you find on your return!
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 2:27 pm

Joe Lyons wrote:
Christopher1979 wrote:
Richard Kaufman wrote:Lybrary.com sells all the Martin Breese items.


Thank you, Richard, I will take a look. I am only interested in Adams work with cards and I read somewhere that he did a lecture on Erdnase.... do you know if that is true or not?


Upon perusing The Pentagram I saw where Graham Adams gave a lecture to the Magic Circle in 1931 entitled "S.W. Erdnase - His Book".


I doubt there are any lecture notes but very interesting!....
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 28th, 2019, 2:39 pm

I believe that the ltd to 4 Erdnase lecture notes were reproduced somewhere. But that's a vague recollection. If not, it's unlikely you will be able to find or read a copy.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 28th, 2019, 2:43 pm

Did anyone note this yet? http://www.everythingerdnase.com/gallery/graham-adams/
There are 6 copies of the lecture notes, all hard bound. One is apparently in the Conjuring Arts Research Center in New York.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 2:46 pm

Thank you, Richard... I love hunting for rare books and lecture notes so maybe one day I will be able to locate a copy.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 28th, 2019, 2:47 pm

Have you tried looking on Ask Alexander?
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 2:48 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:Did anyone note this yet? http://www.everythingerdnase.com/gallery/graham-adams/
There are 6 copies of the lecture notes, all hard bound. One is apparently in the Conjuring Arts Research Center in New York.


Wow!...now that is interesting!
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 2:50 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:Have you tried looking on Ask Alexander?
No, I am going to have a look through in a while.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 28th, 2019, 3:18 pm

Should always be the FIRST place you start.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Joe Lyons » June 28th, 2019, 3:31 pm

Image

Lecture notes that sold at auction in 2007 for 125 pounds. It mentions six copies and 48 photographs.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 3:34 pm

Joe Lyons wrote:Image

Lecture notes that sold at auction in 2007 for 125 pounds. It mentions six copies and 48 photographs.


Nicely researched! 125 pounds seems like a steal. Mind you that is over 10 years ago.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 3:36 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:Should always be the FIRST place you start.
I usually do but then I realized I did not keep my membership up and didn't know what was searchable without one.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Joe Lyons » June 28th, 2019, 3:39 pm

Probably a steal. It sold with a 1902 copy of EATCT with Dai Vernon's name on the title page and a folder full of other material relating to Erdnase's identity.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 3:43 pm

Not understanding, there is no way it sold in a group with a personally owned Vernon 1st of EATCT and other related material for 125..... do you mean it was in the same auction as the EATCT 1st?
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Joe Lyons » June 28th, 2019, 3:46 pm

The auction house added a note that the book was not a first, but probably published a few years later. Same lot.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Joe Lyons » June 28th, 2019, 9:06 pm


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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 10:36 pm



125 was the opening bid and the auction states that it was "passed" so it looks like it was unsold!.... crazy! where was I then hahaha....
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Denis Behr » July 1st, 2019, 3:27 am

If you want to have a look at the content, an overview is listed here: https://www.conjuringarchive.com/list/book/1914

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Marco Pusterla » July 1st, 2019, 6:04 am

Christopher1979 wrote:125 was the opening bid and the auction states that it was "passed" so it looks like it was unsold!.... crazy! where was I then hahaha....


The internet does not have the correct information on old auctions. I was at that auction (John Fisher's collection): the lot sold for GBP 3,400 plus premium, to a young bidder in the room.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » July 1st, 2019, 9:32 am

Marco Pusterla wrote:
Christopher1979 wrote:125 was the opening bid and the auction states that it was "passed" so it looks like it was unsold!.... crazy! where was I then hahaha....


The internet does not have the correct information on old auctions. I was at that auction (John Fisher's collection): the lot sold for GBP 3,400 plus premium, to a young bidder in the room.


Thanks for the info Marco, that sounds like a very respectable price.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Andy Galloway » July 3rd, 2019, 7:30 pm

In the 1950`s and 60`s I was fortunate to spend some time with Graham Adams and remember him giving a lecture at a Scottish convention in 1960 where he demonstrated several sleights from Erdnase such as second and bottom dealing. He was always very kind and helpful to young magicians. A gentleman in every sense of the word.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Richard Kaufman » July 3rd, 2019, 8:04 pm

Nice to hear from you, Andy.
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » July 3rd, 2019, 8:53 pm

Andy Galloway wrote:In the 1950`s and 60`s I was fortunate to spend some time with Graham Adams and remember him giving a lecture at a Scottish convention in 1960 where he demonstrated several sleights from Erdnase such as second and bottom dealing. He was always very kind and helpful to young magicians. A gentleman in every sense of the word.


Fascinating to hear some "inside information" regarding Adams. Thank you for sharing!
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Tom Sawyer » July 4th, 2019, 4:30 am

I don't think that anyone mentioned here that a couple of years ago, Potter & Potter offered for sale at auction a copy of the first edition of Erdnase with Adams's bookplate.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Roger M. » July 4th, 2019, 11:24 am

You may already have one or both of them Christopher, but as a collector and student (which I assume you are in my reading of your posts) I imagine that you have one (or both) of Tom Sawyers earlier books on Erdnase in your collection?
It was my reading of Tom's S.W. Erdnase: Another View that kickstarted my lifelong interest in Erdnase.

It was actually Tom who was the first to start asking the hard questions as to Erdnase's identity. His observations (documented in his 1994 books) were the first to seriously question the conclusions arrived at in TMWWE ... and those questions are essentially the same ones we continue to seek answers for today.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » July 5th, 2019, 2:07 am

Roger M. wrote:You may already have one or both of them Christopher, but as a collector and student (which I assume you are in my reading of your posts) I imagine that you have one (or both) of Tom Sawyers earlier books on Erdnase in your collection?
It was my reading of Tom's S.W. Erdnase: Another View that kickstarted my lifelong interest in Erdnase.

It was actually Tom who was the first to start asking the hard questions as to Erdnase's identity. His observations (documented in his 1994 books) were the first to seriously question the conclusions arrived at in TMWWE ... and those questions are essentially the same ones we continue to seek answers for today.


Hello Roger, very much so!. I am both a collector and a student of mostly gambling based card work. Funny you say about the Tom Sawyer books, I have just bought S.W. Erdnase: Another view and am about to get started on it. By any chance, what was Tom's other publication?

Many thanks!
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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Bill Mullins » July 5th, 2019, 12:00 pm

Erdnase, Another View by Thomas A. Sawyer, 1991. 67 pp.

Erdnase, Another View (2nd ed., revised and enlarged) by Thomas A. Sawyer, 1997. 77 pp.

Comments on the Powner Editions of the Expert at the Card Table, Thomas A. Sawyer, 1991

Further Thoughts on S. W. Erdnase, Thomas A. Sawyer, 1991, 16 pp.

"Suicide or Snuff?" article reprinted in Aphelion: An Epilogue, 1997, 42 pp, compiled from his periodical Aphelion.

Rethinking S. W. Erdnase, Thomas A. Sawyer, 2015, 145 pp.

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Bill Mullins » July 5th, 2019, 12:20 pm

(And for what it's worth, yesterday [July 4] was aphelion -- the moment when the Earth was farthest from the Sun in its orbit.)

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Re: Graham Adams Card Magic & Erdnase

Postby Christopher1979 » July 5th, 2019, 1:47 pm

Thanks Bill!
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