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Magic Explained
Walter B. Gibson
Permabooks (1949)
In Collection
#4017
10*
Conjuring
Magic tricks
Hardcover 
USA  eng
Gibson, Walter: Magic Explained
©1949 1st Edition, Permabooks; 1958 Vista House Publishers
Hardcover, 188 pages

Comments (Stewart Tame): Part of a line of books, along with Yoga Explained and Palmistry Explained, the 1958 version of The Idiot's Guide To ____ series, apparently.

Contents:

1 Foreword
5 Contents

7 Chapter 1 - Twizzlers: Puzzles and stunts, mostly.
8 Coin and Saucer: Pick up coin from water-filled saucer without getting fingers wet.
9 Dimes and Pennies: Three dimes, three pennies, seven spaces, exchange sides by leapfrogging coins.
10 Power of Thought: Magician tells whether spectator is holding dime or penny.
11 Drop the Match-Box: Magician can drop match-box so it lands on end, spectators can't.
12 Card and Glass: Glass of water balanced on card.
13 Glass and Cigarette: Cigarette and glass held in hand, both tossed into air, glass flips over, cigarette lands in glass.
Match in Mid-Air: Lit match seems to levitate behind clasped hands.
15 Three Coin Twizzler: Three coins placed in hand, one vanishes.
16 The Twizzle Card: Word written on both sides of card turns upside down, etc.
18 One-Hand Knot
18 Coin and Bottle: Bottle inverted and balanced on coin, bottle removed without touching it.
19 The Puzzling Label: Label on inside of bottle.
20 Catch the Sugar: Two cubes of sugar and glass in same hand, cubes flipped into glass one at a time, more difficult than seems.


21 Chapter 2-Pocket Magic
22 The Penetrating Match: Match impaled on safety pin penetrates other bar of pin.
23 Stack the Chips: Plastic chips with different colored spots on each side, spectator stacks chips, notes color on top and bottom of stack, magician names the two colors.
25 Three Medals: Without looking, magician knows which of three medals have been selected.
25 The Mysterious Domino: Domino travels from one match-box to another.
26 Jumping Rubber Band
28 Bottle and Pills: Pellets sink in water, magician covers bottle with hank, removes pellets without spilling water.
29 Self-Opening Match-Box: Match-box opens itself and some matches fly out.
30 Self-Closing Match-Box: Variant of above.
31 Magnetized Glasses: Two glasses seem to cling to the cover of a handkerchief-wrapped book.
32 The Passing Pennies: Under cover of pack of matches, pennies travel from one hand to the other.
33 Three Divining Rods: Three colored rods fit into tube, magician reveals which of three is in tube without looking.
34 The Rattle Bars: One bar rattles, other two do not, spectator never picks the one that rattles.


35 Chapter 3-Self-Working Card Tricks
36 Guess Again: Magician cuts pack, predicts top card of one half, repeats several times.
38 Find Your Own: Spectator selects one card from ten, deals cards one at a time, last card left is their card.
39 As Many As You: Spectator cuts off unknown number of cards, magician does likewise, magician's total seems to predict spectator's total.
42 The Double Clock: Cards dealt in clock fashion, spectator's cards show up at the position determined by the total value of the cards they chose.
44 Three Deal Prediction: Magician writes down prediction, spectator selects that card.
46 Color Sense: Magician seems to know the ratio of reds to blacks dealt by spectator.
48 Faces Up: Cards mixed face up and face down, magician divides deck into two piles with same number of face up cards in each without looking.
50 Sure-Win Poker Hand: Magician's hand beats spectator's even though spectator chooses cards.
51 The Identical Cards: Two decks, magician and spectator choose card with decks behind back, selections match.
54 Nine Card Deal: Spectator mentally selects one of nine cards, magician reveals it.

56 Chapter 4-Suitcase Magic
57 The Quick-Change Handkerchief: Hank changes color when passed through hand.
58 The Wandering Milk: Glass of milk travels from paper tube to hat.
59 The Penetrable Card: Jumbo card in wooden frame, pencil through card.
62 Modern Vanishing Glass: Glass filled from bottle, covered with hank, vanishes.
63 The Vanishing Ink: Glass filled with ink, covered with tube, ink vanishes.
66 Adhesive Milk: Milk bottle inverted, milk doesn't pour out, metal skewer thrust inside bottle to prove no obstructions.
67 Bottle and Rope: Variation on classic Rope and Vase using different method.
68 The Red Ribbon Pack: Cards on ribbon, one chosen and returned to pack, ribbon threaded through, chosen card not top or bottom, cards covered with hank, magician brings out single card to end of ribbon, it is selection.
70 The Gay Blade: Arm guillotine with pivoting blade action, magician's arm through hole, unharmed.
72 The Patriotic Liquids: 12 glasses-four each of red, white and blue liquids-poured into covered jar, cover removed, liquids in alternating layers.
73 The Penetrating Liquid: Liquid in can, sheet of glass placed over can, inverted funnel on glass, everything flipped over, on command liquid pours from funnel into container, can shown empty.
75 The Vanishing Candle: Lit candle covered with cloth, vanishes.
75 Card, Seal, and Ribbon: Card selected and signed, seal placed on indifferent card and signed by another spectator, seal winds up attached to signed card.
77 Sands of Sahara: Two metal pans filled with sand, poured back and forth, pans placed mouth to mouth, flowers produced.

79 Chapter 5-Spook Tricks
82 The Spirit Answer: Two sheets of paper with carbon paper between, question written on paper and signed by spectator, spectator's signature transfers through but question doesn't-answer to question instead.
83 The Polar Ghost: Cool breeze seems to emanate from magician's fingers.
The Talking Key: Key clinks against glass to answer questions.
85 The Spooky Weights: Fishing weights attached to corks inside bottles sway at magician's command.
86 The Floating Table: Two different methods.
88 In the Dark: Bookmark thrust into book at random, room darkened, magician reads first sentence.
89 Under Cover: Magician reads messages written by spectators even though in total darkness.
91 Catch the Ghost: Room darkened, whirling luminous figure appears darting back and forth, vanishes the minute the lights come up.
92 The Spirit Post: Magician's hands tied to post in center of cabinet, curtain drawn, spirits manifest, curtain opened to show magician still tied to post.
94 Seance In the Light: Tambourines, slates, etc. on table, magician holds up cloth in front of table, spirits manifest.
96 The Hand of Cagliostro: Wooden hand on sheet of glass, raps to answer questions.
98 Cassadaga Propaganda: Small chest filled with tambourines, etc. lifted up and balanced on the backs of two chairs, doors closed, spirits manifest.
100 The Knotty Spook: Rope coiled and placed in box with end dangling, rope pulled out by end and seen to have knots tied in it.
102 The Clutching Hand: In darkened room, skeleton hand seen to visibly clutch at spectators.


103 Chapter 6-Larger Magic
104 The Flowing Coconut: Coconut shell used to dip water from large bowl, water poured back into bowl, keeps pouring and pouring and pouring and ...
106 The Eggs From the Hat: So many eggs produced that volunteers can't hold them all.
108 The Fade-Away Glass: Large glass filled with water and covered with cloth, audience members feel under cloth to make sure glass still there, magician whisks away cloth, glass gone.
109 The Imaginary Keg: Cardboard with drawing of keg shown and placed on easel, tap inserted into keg opening (hole in cardboard) and several glasses filled,
111 Fish From the Air: Classic Aerial Fishing routine.
113 Houdini's Giant Bowl Mystery: Sheet of glass in frame laid on table, glass bowl of water on top, water darkened with ink, streamers and more produced completely dry from bowl.
115 The Great Sack Escape: Magician in sack, tied, knots sealed, behind curtain, escapes, leaving knots tied, etc.
117 Canary and Light Bulb: Canary removed from cage, tossed at lit bulb, light goes out, canary seen inside bulb, broken to free it.
118 Fish Globe Production: Bowl full of fish produced.
120 Aquarium Production: Tank full of fish appears on table.
122 Duck or Rabbit Production Box: Box opened and shown empty, duck or rabbit produced.
124 The Flying Cage: Bird cage covered with cloth, lifted from table and placed into frame, vanishes.
125 The Pop-Through Frame: Large square frame covered with sheet of paper and held by assistant, colored silks, flags, etc. produced by punching hole in paper and pulling them through.

126 Chapter 7-Magic of the Mind
130 Message Reading: The One Ahead principle.
131 Single Messages: Messages sealed in envelopes, envelopes signed by spectators, magician reads messages without opening envelopes, spectators open own envelopes to confirm.
133 The Untouched Card: Two packs of cards, magician takes one, both packs shuffled, exchanged, cut, spectator selects card, magician selects prediction card, prediction matches, spectator never reveals card aloud.
135 Duplicated Thought: Spectator writes message or draws figure on slate, wipes clean with wet rag, magician takes slate, reproduces message/drawing.
137 Color Clairvoyance: Colored cylinder chosen by spectator and sealed in tube, magician divines color.
139 Out of the Phone Book: Book test with phone book.
142 The Marked Name: Names chosen at random written on slate, magician holds slate and marks one, name chosen from list by spectator, marked name is the one chosen.
145 The Random Mind: Spectator told to write random three digit number on paper, magician writes prediction, both match.
147 In the Crystal: Spectator gazes into crystal ball and names card chosen by another.
148 Calling All Cards: Spectator correctly names cards chosen by magician.
150 Nailed Thoughts: Deck shuffled, magician nails it to board, spectator tears off cards one by one, magician correctly names them without looking.
152 Nine Out of Nine: Spectator given envelope to hold, asked to concoct random number of five digits or more, arithmetic performed until a final single digit number is reached, spectator selects one of four colors, number and color matched by playing cards in envelope.
155 Relayed Thought: Spectator holds one end of rope, magician the other, another spectator selects random number, magician calls out digits, rope-holder stops him on the correct one.
157 The Mental Challenge: Committee of spectators chooses message while magician out of room, magician enters, writes prediction, prediction matches message.


160 Chapter 8-Stage Illusions
167 Film to Life: Magician interacts with film, seeming to enter the movie, produce objects from it, etc.
170 The Girl of Iron: Girl in trance supports weight of two people, one on each outstretched arm.
172 The Drop-Away Cabinet: Girl in cabinet complete surrounded by audience members, cabinet raised four feet above stage, curtains drop
from sides, girl vanished.
174 The Escape From Sing-Sing: Assistants seem to travel from one cabinet to the other, cabinets decorated like cells, prison theme.
177 Spiked Alive: Cabinet with spikes at top, assistant enters, door closed, spikes (handles protrude from sides) pulled to bottom, spikes seen protruding through bottom of cabinet, moved back up, door opened, assistant unharmed.
179 The Glass Sheet Mystery: Four assistants carry in girl on sheet of glass, cloth held up momentarily, girl vanishes.
180 Crushing A Girl: One assistant in box full of balloons, two assistants in box suspended above it, top box lowered into first, balloons pop, raised back up, assistants unharmed.
183 The Cane Cabinet: Sword Box with canes.
185 Catching A Bullet: History of trick given as well as one method of performing, extreme caution advised.
Product Details
LoC Classification GV1547.G524
Dewey 793.8
Edition [1st ed.]
No. of Pages 188
Personal Details
Read It Yes
Location Magic Library (Home) Shelf I
Condition Very Good
Owner Bryan-Keith Taylor
Notes
Gibson, Walter Brown
(1897-1985)

Gibson, already interested in magic as a child, joined the Society of American Magicians at the age of 22. He knew a great many celebrated magicians personally,such as Thurston, Houdini, Blackstone, Dunninger, and Kreskin for whom he worked as a Ghost writer. He also wrote: The Complete Illustrated Book of Card Magic (1969), Popular Card Tricks (1972), Secrets of Magic (1973), New Magician's Manual (1975), The Book of Magic (1978), Walter Gibson's Big Book of Magic (1980), The Complete Illustrated Book of Divination and Prophecy.
More than just a magic writer, Gibson authored hundreds of other types of books and novels, including "The Shadow" (both in book form and in comic book form), novellettes about "Norgil the Magician," true crime stores for mystery and detective magazines.
Invented: Thumb Cuffs,
In 1971 The Academy of Magical Arts awarded Walter a Literary Fellowship. In 1979 he was awarded the Masters Fellowship.

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Walter B. Gibson bibliography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a complete list of books by Walter B. Gibson published during his lifetime and after his death.

Contents
1 Magic
2 Occult
3 Games
4 Other
5 The Shadow
5.1 Novels
5.2 Short stories
6 Biff Brewster series

Magic
Houdini's Escapes
Houdini's Magic
Houdini's Fabulous Magic
The Book of Secrets
The World's Best Book of Magic
Professional Magic for Amateurs
Blackstone's Secrets of Magic
Blackstone's Modern Card Tricks
Thurston's 200 Tricks You Can Do (1926)
Thurston's 200 More Tricks You Can Do (1927)
Fooling the World (1928)
The Thurston Magic Lessons (1928)
The Official Know-It-All Guide Magic for Beginners: Your Absolute, Quintessential, All You Wanted to Know, Complete Guide, with Walter Gibson and Mike Shelley (2000)
The Bunco Book (1928)
The Magician's Manual (1933)
The New Magician's Manual (1936)
Magic Explained (1949)
What's New in Magic (1956)
The Original Houdini Scrapbook (1976)
Magic for Beginners (Fell's Official Know-It-All Guides)
Advanced Magic (Fell's Official Know-It-All Guides)
Walter Gibson's Big Book of Magic for All Ages
Magic With Science (1975)
Mastering Magic: 100 Secrets of the Great Magicians
Junior magic: Easy-to-learn tricks or magic made simple
Complete Illustrated Book of Card Magic
Professional Magic for Amateurs
The Great Houdini's Book of Magic Tricks, Puzzles and Stunts

Occult
The Complete Illustrated Book of the Psychic Sciences, a History, A Modern Survey, and How-to Instructions, Over 100 Illustrations, with Litzka R. Gibson
Complete Illustrated Book of The Psychic Sciences, with Litzka R. Gibson
Complete Illustrated Book of Divination & Prophecy, with Litzka R. Gibson
The Mystic and Occult Arts - A Guide to Their Use in Daily Living (by the author of The Shadow), with Litzka R. Gibson
Encyclopaedia of Prophecy, with Litzka R. Gibson
Science of Numerology or What Numbers Mean to You
Witchcraft: A History of the Black Art
Hypnotism through the ages
Hypnotism
The key to hypnotism
Dreams, Dreams, Dreams, Dreams, Dreams

Games
Backgammon (A 'Golden Hands' book)
Hoyle's modern encyclopedia of card games: rules of all the basic games and popular variations (1974)
Pinochle Is the Name of the Game (1975)
Poker is the Name of the Game
Poker: How to Play - How to Win
Hoyle's Simplified Guide to the Popular Card Games
Family Games America Plays
150 solitaire games

Other
Knots and How to Tie Them (1993)
Fell's Super Power Memory: A Fell's Official Know-It-All Guide, with Harry Lorayne
Rod Serling's Twilight Zone (1990 adaptation)
Rod Serling's Twilight Zone Revisited
Fell's guide to papercraft tricks, games, and puzzles
The Key to Space Travel
The Key to Astronomy

The Shadow Novels
The Living Shadow (1931)
Eyes of The Shadow (1931)
The Shadow Laughs (1931)
The Red Menace (1931)
Gangdom's Doom (1931)
The Death Tower (1932)
The Silent Seven (1932)
The Black Master (1932)
Mobsmen on the Spot (1932)
Hands in the Dark (1932)
Double Z (1932)
The Crime Cult (1932)
The Blackmail Ring (1932)
Hidden Death (1932)
Green Eyes (1932)
The Ghost Makers (1932)
The Five Chameleons (1932)
Dead Men Live (1932)
The Romanoff Jewels (1932)
Kings of Crime (1932)
Shadowed Millions (1933)
The Creeping Death (1933)
The Shadow's Shadow (1933)
Six Men of Evil (1933)
Fingers of Death (1933)
Murder Trail (1933)
The Silent Death (1933)
The Shadow's Justice (1933)
The Golden Grotto (1933)
The Death Giver (1933)
The Red Blot (1933)
The Ghost of the Manor (1933)
The Living Joss (1933)
The Silver Scourge (1933)
The Black Hush (1933)
The Isle of Doubt (1933)
The Grove of Doom (1933)
Master of Death (1933)
Road of Crime (1933)
The Death Triangle (1933)
The Killer (1933)
Mox (1933)
The Crime Clinic (1933)
Treasures of Death (1933)
The Embassy Murders (1934)
The Wealth Seeker (1934)
The Black Falcon (1934)
Gray Fist (1934)
The Circle of Death (1934)
The Green Box (1934)
The Cobra (1934)
Crime Circus (1934)
Tower of Death (1934)
Death Clew (1934)
The Key (1934)
The Crime Crypt (1934)
Charg, Monster (1934)
Chain of Death (1934)
The Crime Master (1934)
Gypsy Vengeance (1934)
Spoils of The Shadow (1934)
The Garaucan Swindle (1934)
Murder Marsh (1934)
The Death Sleep (1934)
The Chinese Disks (1934)
Doom on the Hill (1934)
The Unseen Killer (1934)
Cyro (1934)
The Four Signets (1935)
The Blue Sphinx (1935)
The Plot Master (1935)
The Dark Death (1935)
Crooks Go Straight (1935)
Bells of Doom (1935)
Lingo (1935)
The Triple Trail (1935)
The Golden Quest (1935)
The Third Skull (1935)
Murder Every House (1935)
The Condor (1935)
The Fate Joss (1935)
Atoms of Death (1935)
The Man from Scotland Yard (1935)
The Creeper (1935)
Mardi Gras Mystery (1935)
The London Crimes (1935)
The Ribbon Clues (1935)
The House That Vanished (1935)
The Chinese Tapestry (1935)
The Python (1935)
Zemba (1935)
The Case of Congressman Coyd (1935)
The Ghost Murders (1936)
Castle of Doom (1936)
Death Rides the Skyway (1936)
The North Woods Mystery (1936)
The Voodoo Master (1936)
The Third Shadow (1936)
The Salamanders (1936)
The Man from Shanghai (1936)
The Gray Ghost (1936)
City of Doom (1936)
The Crime Oracle (1936)
Murder Town (1936)
The Yellow Door (1936)
The Broken Napoleons (1936)
The Sledge-Hammer Crimes (1936)
Terror Island (1936)
The Golden Masks (1936)
Jibaro Death (1936)
City of Crime (1936)
Death by Proxy (1936)
The Strange Disappearance of Joe Cardona (1936)
The Seven Drops of Blood (1936)
Intimidation, Inc. (1936)
Vengeance Is Mine! (1937)
Loot of Death (1937)
Quetzel (1937)
Death Token (1937)
Murder House (1937)
Washington Crime (1937)
The Masked Headsman (1937)
Treasure Trail (1937)
Brothers of Doom (1937)
The Shadow's Rival (1937)
Crime, Insured (1937)
House of Silence (1937)
The Shadow Unmasks (1937)
The Yellow Band (1937)
Buried Evidence (1937)
The Radium Murders (1937)
The Keepers Gold (1937)
Death Turrets (1937)
Teeth of the Dragon (1937)
The Sealed Box (1937)
Racket Town (1937)
The Crystal Buddha (1938)
Hills of Death (1938)
The Murder Master (1938)
The Golden Pagoda (1938)
Face of Doom (1938)
Serpents of Siva (1938)
Cards of Death (1938)
The Hand (1938)
Voodoo Trail (1938)
The Rackets King (1938)
Murder for Sale (1938)
Death Jewels (1938)
The Green Hoods (1938)
Crime Over Boston (1938)
The Dead Who Lived (1938)
Vanished Treasure (1938)
The Voice (1938)
Chicago Crime (1938)
Shadow Over Alcatraz (1938)
Silver Skull (1939)
Crime Rides the Sea (1939)
Realm of Doom (1939)
The Lone Tiger (1939)
The Vindicator (1939)
Death Ship (1939)
Valley of Greed (1939)
The Three Brothers (1939)
Smugglers of Death (1939)
City of Shadows (1939)
Death from Nowhere (1939)
The Isle of Gold (1939)
Wizard of Crime (1939)
The Crime Ray (1939)
The Golden Master (1939)
Castle of Crime (1939)
The Masked Lady (1939)
Ships of Doom (1939)
City of Ghosts (1939)
Shiwan Khan Returns (1939)
House of Shadows (1939)
Death Premium (1940)
The Hooded Circle (1940)
The Getaway Ring (1940)
Voice of Death (1940)
The Invincible Shiwan Khan (1940)
The Veiled Prophet (1940)
The Spy Ring (1940)
Death in the Stars (1940)
Masters of Death (1940)
Scent of Death (1940)
Q (1940)
Gems of Doom (1940)
Crime at Seven Oaks (1940)
The Fifth Face (1940)
Crime County (1940)
The Wasp (1940)
Crime Over Miami (1940)
Xitli, God of Fire (1940)
The Shadow, The Hawk, and The Skull (1940)
Forgotten Gold (1941)
The Wasp Returns (1941)
The Chinese Primrose (1941)
Mansion of Crime (1941)
The Time Master (1941)
The House on the Ledge (1941)
The League of Death (1941)
Crime Under Cover (1941)
The Thunder King (1941)
The Star of Delhi (1941)
The Blur (1941)
The Shadow Meets the Mask (1941)
The Devil Master (1941)
Garden of Death (1941)
Dictator of Crime (1941)
The Blackmail King (1941)
Temple of Crime (1941)
Murder Mansion (1941)
Crime's Stronghold (1941)
Alibi Trail (1942)
The Book of Death (1942)
Death Diamonds (1942)
Vengeance Bay (1942)
Formula for Crime (1942)
Room of Doom (1942)
The Jade Dragon (1942)
The Northdale Mystery (1942)
Twins of Crime (1942)
The Devil's Feud (1942)
Five Ivory Boxes (1942)
Death About Town (1942)
Legacy of Death (1942)
Judge Lawless (1942)
The Vampire Murders (1942)
Clue for Clue (1942)
Trail of Vengeance (1942)
The Murdering Ghost (1942)
The Hydra (1942)
The Money Master (1942)
The Museum Murders (1943)
Death's Masquerade (1943)
The Devil Monsters (1943)
Wizard of Crime (1943)
The Black Dragon (1943)
The Robot Master (1943)
Murder Lake (1943)
Messenger of Death (1943)
House of Ghosts (1943)
King of the Black Market (1943)
The Muggers (1943)
Murder by Moonlight (1943)
The Crystal Skull (1944)
Syndicate of Death (1944)
Toll of Death (1944)
Crime Caravan (1944)
Freak Show Murders (1944)
Voodoo Death (1944)
Town of Hate (1944)
Death in the Crystal (1944)
The Chest of Chu-Chan (1944)
The Shadow Meets The Mask (1944)
Fountain of Death (1944)
No Time for Murder (1944)
Guardian of Death (1945)
Merry Mrs. MacBeth (1945)
Five Keys to Crime (1945)
Death has Gray Eyes (1945)
Tear-drops of Buddha (1945)
Three Stamps of Death (1945)
The Mask of Mephisto (1945)
Murder by Magic (1945)
The Taiwan Joss (1945)
A Quarter of Eight (1945)
The White Skulls (1945)
The Stars Promise Death (1945)
The Banshee Murders (1946)
Crime Out of Mind (1946)
Mother Goose Murders (1946)
Crime Over Casco (1946)
The Curse of Thoth (1946)
Alibi Trail (1946)
Malmordo (1946)
Jade Dragon (1948)
Dead Man's Chest (1948)
The Magigal's Mystery (1949)
The Black Circle (1949)
The Whispering Eyes (1949)
Return of The Shadow (1963)

Short stories
"Riddle of the Rangoon Ruby" (1979)
"Blackmail Bay" (1980)
[edit] Biff Brewster series
Brazilian Gold Mine Mystery (1960)
Mystery of the Mexican Treasure (1961)
Mystery of the Ambush in India (1962)
Egyptian Scarab Mystery (1963)
Mystery of the Alpine Pass (1965)