Edwin A. Dawes

Stanley Collins (1881-1966) ran a concert party in Deal. This is a postcard he sent to Edgar Heyl in 1948. His message on the back reads ‘This was my own Concert Party at Deal for Summer of 1910. Stanley Collins’. This postcard is not in the Davenport Collection. It was available on eBay in 2017 and the photograph shown here is off the eBay website. Edwin A. Dawes, in his book Stanley Collins – Conjurer, Collector and Iconoclast, published by Kaufman and Company in 2002 writes: ‘Entertainments in Deal at that time were in the capable hands of a Mr. Charles W. Collins (no relation of Stanley) who had pioneered the cinematograph in the town and was managing director of Deal and Walmer Amusements Limited’. Although Stanley organised the Concert Party, Eddie makes the point that the Collins of the title of the postcard was Charles W. and not Stanley.

The cover of this well produced publicity brochure describes Collins (1881-1996) as an Entertainer, Society Conjurer and Chinese Juggler. The inside pages, also illustrated here, describe other skills such as Juvenile Entertainer and Ventriloquist. It was very common for entertainers to offer a wide range of skills in the early 20th century. Collins’s story is a fascinating one, told well in the book by Edwin A. Dawes: Stanley Collins – Conjurer, Collector and Iconoclast, published by Kaufman and Company in 2002.

Stanley Collins (1881-1996) became a major figure on the UK magic scene. He gained early success as a Society Conjurer and Entertainer. His story is a fascinating one, told well in the book by Edwin A. Dawes: Stanley Collins – Conjurer, Collector and Iconoclast, published by Kaufman and Company in 2002.

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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 September 2023 issue included:
– Newsreel of the 1938 British Ring Convention.
– Radio dice box.
– The Great Modern Psuedourgos Dr Lynn.
– Is it just a puzzle or an entertaining trick?
– The Oswald Williams Noah’s Ark Illusion – now also on film.
– And have you seen . . . Eddie Dawes in his own words.
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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 2023 issue included:
– Prof. Edwin A. Dawes by his sons Michael and Adrian Dawes.
– The metal snapper – was it an improvement?
– Pat Page and the Ju-Ju Stick.
– De Biere’s ALL IN ONE pamphlet, 1919.
– The Ju-Ju Stick by Frank Monaghan.
– Three different puzzles – one solution.
– Going back 150 years to the Egyptian Hall on Piccadilly.
– How to make a curator happy.

To see all the other e-news, click on Website e-news.

Now in its 2nd Edition, May 2023

This item gathers together greetings cards from David Devant and his family. We are most grateful to have been granted permission to include cards from The Edwin A Dawes Collection, The Magic Circle Archives, London, The Paul Kieve Collection, The Ian Keable Collection and The Peter Lane Collection. Click on View Details to download the file.

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 September 2020 issue included:
– Cecil Lyle’s Chocolate Box Illusion.
– The Egyptian Hall, 19th century lithographs.
– Novelties and toys – old and new.
– David Devant, Walter R. Booth and early cinema.
– A talk about John Ramsay by Dr E.A. Dawes.

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In 1994 Eddie delivered this talk in Ayr, Scotland, on the occasion of the unveiling of a plaque dedicating the Ramsay Gardens to John Ramsay. Eddie manages to convey the charm of the man whose close-up skills made him internationally famous. The roles of Victor Farelli and Andrew Galloway in bringing Ramsay’s magic to a wider audience are also covered, as are Ramsay’s less well-known successes with stage magic.

Roberta visited Britain as an American teenager in 1931 with her parents and sister. Her charm and quality of magic made quite an impact, not least at the first convention of the I.B.M. British Ring in Cheltenham. In Britain she is largely unknown today, and Brian tells the story of how a photograph resulted in a journey of discovery to find out more about this talented young lady. Join Brian on his quest for more information below.

1897 was the 60th year of Queen Victoria’s reign. There were to be Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and Maskelyne saw an opportunity to make a good profit by building a Grand Pavilion with a view of the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral, where the ceremony was to take place. Unfortunately, the speculation did not turn out well. Dr Dawes draws on many sources to tell this story. We meet David Devant and Douglas Beaufort and learn about some rather surprising litigation that resulted from Maskelyne’s initiative.