These instructions were meant for a range of magic sets, because they make it clear that “this sheet contains directions for every trick in this box, but the box does not contain all tricks described”. The instructions are in English and were printed in Bavaria where Spear was based. The date will be early 20th century.
These instructions are similar to those for a box of Conjuring Tricks made by JW Spear & Sons in Bavaria – see Ref. no. N1223. Note that the last page of the instructions, illustrated, has the amusing bookplate of the Clinton Burgess Magical Reference Library, New York, stuck on it.
These instructions were found in a Davenport store. Page 4 mentions the Demon Series, LD & Co London. We believe that Lewis Davenport introduced the Demon Series in the early 1920s. To the best of my knowledge no boxes of chemical magic survive. However, in an early catalogue from 15 New Oxford Street (a shop to which Davenports moved in 1915) there is an advertisement, illustrated here, for a range of Chemical Magic Cabinets. For many decades Davenports stored a range of glassware suitable for chemistry sets. It may be that Lewis Davenport decided that chemistry sets were just too much trouble and the sets were soon abandoned.
