Look here for magic apparatus, magic sets and magic related items such as association pieces, trophies and badges for clubs.
These 40 or so blocks look brand new and it is clear they have not been used to print anything. It seems they must be spare blocks, in case they were needed during the print-run of the book. The images shown here include the halftone blocks for Robert Harbin and Charles Bertram. There is also a PDF which lists all of the magicians included on these blocks and explains how the pages of illustrations were printed.
Davenports made great use of printed matter and used to print much of it themselves. A selection of printing blocks is shown in the PDF which can be accessed by viewing the details of this item. The PDF also includes two cutters: one for a rabbit shape and one for a top hat shape.
This plate has multiple images on it, one of which has been sawn out, presumably for use in some promotional material. The largest image shows Lewis in a pose which was used on the letterhead of ‘Les Davenports’ notepaper, item N2718 which is also illustrated here. This act was formed after the death of Lewis’s first wife, Julia. The act consisted of Lewis who provided the magic and Julia’s brother, Dave Dwyer, who provided the comedy.
Gus Davenport became involved in creating and selling premium lines for a number of companies, including the large breakfast cereal companies. Smaller customers sometimes required inexpensive magic tricks and puzzles. So this collection was printed on one sheet prior to the individual items being stamped out. With simple instructions they made a successful popular give-away.
The magician ties the wand and two rings onto the cords and asks spectators to hold the ends of the cords, so that the rings and the wand are seen tied together in the centre of the cords. When the magician pulls the wand out of the knots, the two rings magically come free from the cords. Complete with instructions but no manufacturer’s name. However, the trick is called Escape Rings (9) on the instructions, suggesting that it might be trick number 9 in the Henbrandt Ltd series of magic ticks. If you look at N2672 you will see that trick no. 9 in the series is Magic Escape Rings.
Although this can be used as a normal watch, it also helps you perform an amazing trick. Tell a spectator that you are going to make a time prediction by changing the time on the watch. With the back of the watch facing the spectator, the watch is held out in the open by the strap, proving that the predicted watch time will not be tampered with or readjusted. The spectator is asked to name a time of day, to the exact minute. The watch is handed to the spectator revealing an exact match to the time named by the spectator. Created by Rob Stiff, www.MagicMakersInc.com. Complete with instructions.
Although this can be used as a normal watch, it also helps you perform an amazing trick. Tell a spectator that you are going to make a time prediction by changing the time on the watch. With the back of the watch facing the spectator, the watch is held out in the open by the strap, proving that the predicted watch time will not be tampered with or readjusted. The spectator is asked to name a time of day, to the exact minute. The watch is handed to the spectator revealing an exact match to the time named by the spectator. Created by Rob Stiff, www.MagicMakersInc.com. Complete with instructions.
The magician mysteriously produces a number of pocket watches. This version is probably the one sold by Davenports. The manufacturer is not known, although the likely source is Germany.
Davenports made their own conjurers wax, and even in the 1990s the family was selling it in these tins which originally contained anti-dim cloth that was used during World War II for gas masks.
The UK TV licencing company sent out this note to advertise the fact that a paper licence was no longer needed. One side of the note says ‘Make your paper licence magically disappear!’ The other side includes the instructions as to how you can scrunch your TV licence into a tight ball and then magically make it vanish.
