Hoffmann, Professor: Conjuring And Magic
©1877 George Routledge and Sons Limited
Hardcover, 380 pages

1877. Secrets of Conjuring and Magic.

Inscription says "To Charlie from Bird. Septermber 24th 1901. Also has a stamp that says "O. Meyer, Master Magician, 10-17-38 Denver, Colorado." Fourth Edition George Routledge and Sons, Ltd. London. 373 pages. Book is 5 x 7 1/4". A typed note inside says "Orville Meyer, from whom I bought this copy of Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin's The Secrets of Conjuring and Magic, purchased it from the famous Australian magician, Jean Hugard (John Gerard Rodney Boyce, 1872-1959). Other magicians owned the book before Hugard."

For being over 133 years old, the book has held up well. Pictures 2 and 3 above show where the book is separated from the binding at front and back. There are no rips on the pages themselves. Red boards are frayed at the bottom.

ROBERT - HOUDIN'S
THE SECRETS OF CONJURING AND MAGIC
(1868)
Translated By
PROFESSOR HOFFMANN (1877)
INDEX
EDITOR'S PREFACE ..................................................................................................... 7
AUTHOR'S PREFACE AND DEDICATION....................................................................... 9
THE HOME OF ROBERT-HOUDIN ............................................................................... 11
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 19
CONJURING AND ITS PROFESSORS ............................................................................ 20
THE ART OF CONJURING ........................................................................................... 22
GENERAL PRINCIPLES ............................................................................................... 23
THE HAND ............................................................................................................... 25
ESCAMOTAGE, PRESTIDIGITATION ................................................................... 27
CHAPTER I — COIN MAGIC ....................................................................................... 29
COIN CONJURING..................................................................................................... 29
I. The palm proper ....................................................................................................... 29
II. The tourniquet.......................................................................................................... 31
III. The pincette............................................................................................................. 32
IV. The coulèe ............................................................................................................... 33
V. The italian or "thumb" palm ....................................................................................... 34
VI. Disappearance by means of the sleeve ........................................................................ 34
VII. Disappearence by means of the cravat ........................................................................ 35
CHANGES - MODES OF SUBSTITUTION OF ONE COIN FOR ANOTHER ........ 35
I. The change by means of the palm proper .................................................................... 35
II. The change by means of the coulée ............................................................................ 36
III. The change by means of a tray................................................................................... 36
MORE GENERAL PRINCIPLES ...................................................................................... 37
COIN TRICKS ........................................................................................................... 45
I. The melting coin....................................................................................................... 45
II. The flying coins ........................................................................................................ 46
III. The shower of money ................................................................................................ 50
IV. The multiplication of money ....................................................................................... 52
V. Magical filtration of five-franc pieces ........................................................................... 55
VI. The intelligent coin.................................................................................................... 57
VII. The two hats ............................................................................................................ 58
VIII. The golden coin in a dinner-roll .............................................................................. 59
CHAPTER II — CARD MAGIC ..................................................................................... 61
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 61
VARIOUS SLEIGHTS EMPLOYED IN CARD TRICKS ......................................................... 61
SLEIGHTS OF GENERAL USE ...................................................................................... 62
I. To make the pass ..................................................................................................... 62
II. To make a false shuffle.............................................................................................. 64
III. Forcing a given card.................................................................................................. 66
IV. To change a card ...................................................................................................... 68
V. To palm a card ......................................................................................................... 70
VI. To replace a palmed card........................................................................................... 72
VII. To get sight of a card ................................................................................................ 72
SPECIAL SLEIGHTS USED IN PARTICULAR CARD TRICKS............................................... 73
I. The card thought of................................................................................................... 73
II. The pass, reversed.................................................................................................... 74
III. To slide back a card .................................................................................................. 74
IV. The wide or long card................................................................................................ 75
V. The bridge ............................................................................................................... 75
VI. Marked cards ........................................................................................................... 76
VII. Cards arranged in a given order ................................................................................. 77
VIII. To change one pack for another.................................................................................. 78
ORNAMENTAL SLEIGHTS ........................................................................................... 78
I. To make the pass with one hand................................................................................. 78
II. To change a card with one hand ................................................................................. 81
III. To ruffle the cards..................................................................................................... 82
IV. To throw the cards.................................................................................................... 82
V. To spring the cards from hand to hand ........................................................................ 83
VI. The cards simultaneously turned over ......................................................................... 84
VII. To pick up an outspread pack of cards......................................................................... 85
TRICKS WITH CARDS ................................................................................................ 85
I. Clairvoyance by touch ............................................................................................... 85
II. Mene, Tekel, Upharsin ............................................................................................... 87
III. The cards passing up the sleeve ................................................................................. 88
IV. The cards made larger and smaller ............................................................................. 90
V. The ladies' looking-glass ............................................................................................ 92
VI. The sympathetic cards............................................................................................... 95
VII. The electrified cards.................................................................................................. 96
VIII. The power of the will................................................................................................. 99
IX. The mesmerised cards..............................................................................................100
X. The metamorphoses.................................................................................................102
XI. A magical transformation..........................................................................................103
XII. The card thought of..................................................................................................104
XIII. Thought anticipated .................................................................................................105
XIV. The thoughts of two persons anticipated.....................................................................106
XV. The four aces ..........................................................................................................107
XVI. The card in the pocket-book......................................................................................110
XVII. Now! ......................................................................................................................111
XVIII. The flying aces and kings ..........................................................................................112
XIX. The protean pack of cards.......................................................................................113
CHAPTER III- SUNDRY EXPEDIENTS AND TRICKS OF VARIOUS DESCRIPTIONS..115
TO PALM CORKS, LUMPS OF SUGAR, AND OTHER OBJECTS OF SMALL SIZE...................115
A DIGESTIVE DESSERT—TO EAT CORKS....................................................................115
SUNDRY METHODS OF VANISHING ARTICLES USING A TABLE .........................116
Description of the table ......................................................................................................116
To vanish an article in the act of picking it up .......................................................................117
To vanish an article in the act of throwing it up into the air.....................................................117
To vanish an article in the act of throwing ............................................................................117
To vanish an article by rolling it away ..................................................................................117
Substitution of one article for another by means of second method.........................................117
To vanish a pack of cards ...................................................................................................118
To change a pack of cards into a bird...................................................................................118
To introduce a cannon-ball into a hat ...................................................................................118
THE CHINESE RINGS................................................................................................119
The "passes" with the rings ................................................................................................120
Pass with two rings............................................................................................................120
Pass with three rings .........................................................................................................121
Pass with four rings ...........................................................................................................121
Pass with twelve rings........................................................................................................122
Inextricable chains ............................................................................................................122
THE CRYSTAL BALLS ................................................................................................123
Preliminary preparations for the trick ...................................................................................123
Pass I: The production of the wand .................................................................................124
Pass II: To cause the appearance of a crystal ball...............................................................124
Pass III: To divide a crystal ball into two portions ................................................................125
Pass IV: To produce a little ball from a large one ................................................................125
Pass V: To pass a little ball into a large one.......................................................................126
Pass VI: To make one ball pass into the other ....................................................................126
Pass VII: To stain a crystal ball red ....................................................................................126
Pass VIII: To get the ball out of the bottle again ...................................................................127
THE CANNON-BALL TRICK ........................................................................................127
The vase for the cannon-ball...............................................................................................129
THE PLUMES AND SHOWER OF SWEETS .....................................................................130
The plume trick .................................................................................................................130
The shower of sweets .....................................................................................................131
CHAPTER IV—THE CUPS AND BALLS ....................................................................... 133
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................133
APPLIANCES AND ACCESSORIES NECESSARY FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TRICK ....133
GENERAL PRINCIPLES ..............................................................................................134
I. To conjure away a small ball .....................................................................................134
II. To produce a small ball.............................................................................................134
III. To secretly introduce a small ball under a cup .............................................................135
IV. To pass a small ball between two cups .......................................................................135
V. To cause the disappearance of a small ball placed between two cups..............................135
VI. To cause the appearance of a large ball under a cup ....................................................135
FEINTS...................................................................................................................135
PASSES AND VOCABULARY .......................................................................................136
BURLESQUE INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS......................................................................137
WORKING THE CUPS AND BALLS IN THE OLD STYLE....................................................138
CONUS' METHOD.....................................................................................................140
BOSCO'S METHOD (Bosco's presentation of the cups and balls).....................................142
Bosco's first pass...............................................................................................................143
Bosco's second pass ..........................................................................................................143
Bosco's third pass..............................................................................................................144
CHAPTER V—VARIOUS TRICKS ............................................................................... 145
THE BIRTH OF FLOWERS; or, Magical Vegetation.........................................................145
THE MIRACULOUS FISHERY; or, The bowls of Gold Fish................................................148
Dr. Lynn's method.............................................................................................................150
THE MARVELLOUS EQUILIBRIUM ...............................................................................151
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................... 153
NOTES .................................................................................................................... 155



First English language edition of this guide to performing magic tricks, by the celebrated French conjuror. Robert - Houdin whose name was the inspiration for the performer who came to be known as Harry Houdini.

Robert - Houdin was a renowned clockmaker and inventor (a small automaton he built was purchased by P.T. Barnum), as well as a magician.

Here he provides a series of lessons and tips for the aspiring conjuror, including his lasting dictum on the appropriate dress for magicians ("Let us leave tinsel and high-crowned hats for the mountebanks"). Preceded by the first French edition of 1868. With numerous in-text figures and illustrations.

A wonderful copy of this scarce and most desirable classic of magic literature.