Apparatus

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The September 2024 issue included:
– Update on the Davenport Collection on Instagram.
– Demon Travelling Clocks – the sound of magic.
– Film of Peter Warlock performing his Penetration Frame.
– Bewildering the Maharajah in 1925.
– Owen Clark’s 4 page OWEN brochure.
– Claude Chandler presents Devant’s Revue of Magic at St. George’s Hall in 1922.
– Film of Cecil Lyle’s Chocolate Box Illusion, performed in 1985.
– 1906 Magic Circle membership medal (badge) for Martin Mayhew.

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In the 1980s Fergus Roy, husband of Betty Davenport, conceived the idea of a TV magic series which was aimed at children, but which was also to be of interest to adults. The idea was adopted by Thames Television who called the series Illusions. Each programme featured a large illusion performed by actor Adam Wide. This Chocolate Box Illusion is one of two in the Davenport Collection. This clip, in colour and with sound, comes from the Illusions show, Series 2, Programme 1 in 1985.

Peter Warlock (1904-1995) was a well-respected British magician with magic inventions and books to his name. He chose Davenports to market his Penetration Frame which became very popular as a ‘mini-illusion’. This clip, taken in Davenports studio, shows him performing his Penetration Frame followed by a ring on rope routine. During the ring on rope trick, at the end of the film clip, you can see a Davenport Demon Head trademark statuette on the table on the right-hand side. The film was probably taken around 1940 when Davenports traded from 39/41 New Oxford Street in London.

Click on Details if you would like to download a PDF of this e-news.

E-newsletters like this one are sent out four times a year, highlighting recent additions to the website. If you’d like to be added to the mailing list, please contact the curator.

The June 2024 issue included:
– Lifetime Achievement Award.
– Film of Edward Victor performing his Diminishing Cards.
– Film of the 1936 German Magic Circle Convention, Munich.
– Harry Leat’s bizarre GRUB trick.
– Harry Leat’s ‘Magic in a Name’ Cards – Louis Nikola.
– Leat’s Supernatural Silk trick.
– Claude Chandler’s unfinish autobiography.
– Leat’s Matchbox to Candle transformation.

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When Marvin Berglas was the guest speaker at the John Salisse Luncheon Club on 22 April 2024 in London, he gave this pack to all attendees. The luncheon club is an opportunity for attendees to share information and views on topics of magic history and collecting. It was founded by John Salisse in 2002 and meets typically three times each year.

Alan produced this for a workshop of The Young Magicians Club on 19 April 2008. This is the club organised by The Magic Circle. The tricks inside are strong magic, entertaining and can be performed without special apparatus.

The description on the envelope is that an ordinary playing card when passed in front of the hand, changes into a flower. It is hard to believe that anyone ordering this through the post would be impressed when it arrived. E. & S. was a name used by Ellisdons.

This is said to be the Professional Edition. The envelope containing the trick says ‘The only trick cards on earth enabling you to perform what heretofore had been considered an impossibility’. Read the rest of the description on the envelope to see if you agree. Complete with instructions.

The bullet (a steel ball bearing) can be made to rise and fall inside a tube. The ball and the tube may be examined, but the audience is unable to repeat the miracle. Complete with instructions. The supplier is unknown, but a torn label on the base of the box suggests it has come as a sample from Japan.

Four three spot cards are show. First they change into four Aces, and finally they are shown to be blank. Complete with instructions. The envelope containing the trick has the initials L D on it, for Lewis Davenport, confirming that the trick was supplied by Davenports.

The following description comes from the envelope in which the trick was sold. Three “Cutie” Zodiac Cards are placed in the Astrologer’s Tent. One Disappears! The Watchers think they are Wise, and How They Bite on the Sucker Finish. It’s a Sockeroo . . . BUT THE STARS WON’T TELL!

This sucker trick was distributed by Thayer’s Studio of Magic. Complete with instructions.

The performer shows the four Eights of a pack, which change into the four Twos. They then change into four red cards, folowed by four black cards. Complete with instructions. The envelope and instructions have E. & S. on them, confirming that the trick was from Ellisdons.