Hooper, Edwin: Edwins Magic Volume One
©1989 K. Edwin Hooper, England
Hardcover, 286 pages

1st of 2 copies

Comments: This is volume One of Edwin Hooper's (of Supreme Magic in London) memoirs. It covers how Edwin got started in being a magic dealer, and includes lots of great stories and anecdotes, as well as a lot of magic from the Supreme Magic days. Most of the effects are for the platform or small stage, but there is some close up magic as well. Lots of stuff for Kid's shows, and for adults as well. All is well explained, with patter and diagrams. Book is also full of historical B&W photos.

Contents:

3 Dedication
5 About the Author
6 About the Illustrator
11 Introduction

13 Chapter One Small Beginnings:


19 Chapter Two Early Tricks
19 The Imp Bottle Improved: clever improvement for this commercial effect
20 The Vanishing Egg: Egg Vase approach using a silk
21 My Ball-Vase Routine: Edwin's handling for the Ball-Vase
23 Up and Down Matchbox: opens by itself without threads
23 Fade-out: "Princess Card" type effect
26 Two Transmitted Thoughts: Slate style card prediction


29 Chapter Three Growing Up: Plumbing mishaps, other pre-magic work


35 Chapter Four The Egg Bag and I
35 The Classic Egg Bag Presentation: Edwin style
36 Egg Bag Variations
36 - Snappy Egg Bag: bag unsnaps to show no trickery
38 - The Hen Bag: turns into a chicken
42 - Net-front Christmas Stocking: construction and working


43 Chapter Five The Cut Tie and All That: Edwin's early magic
44 The Hat Stool: by Austin Temple
50 Colour Rays: a second sight act
51 A Simple Code: details of the code


53 Chapter Six Good Luck, Good Night and Others
53 The Good Night Banner: intro
53 Twin Messages: shows multiple messages
55 The New Card Banner: wrong card rises from banner
55 Red, White and Blue: quicky for silks to flag
56 Cigarette Banner: cigarettes spell out Thank You
56 Rag Picture Banner: another quickie
57 Card Capers: Speller combined with a simple card in wallet
59 Shocking Silk: with a hand vibrator
60 A Scotch from a Scot: Scotch from a crumbled picture of a Scot


61 Chapter Seven In the Army: magic in the army
65 Wu Lings Pagoda: description of this platform effect


67 Chapter Eight More Tricks
67 Comedy Multiplying Balls: uses the typical multiplying ball set
69 Glass of Wine Production: and how to make it
72 Budget Tricks - Three From Six: 6 Card repeat patter
73 Monkey Trick: slatted card frame for children's show
76 Through-Two Tumblers: silk penetrates glass


79 Chapter Nine The Driver: Gerald Sykes, Headless Illusion, Van der Ven, etc.


87 Chapter Ten Trick Time!
87 Transpo Knots: knots transfer from one rope to another
90 Knot-a-Knot Rope: Knots appear and disappear
92 Mind Master: slate and card prediction
95 Streamlined Jumbo Aces: Four cards put in envelope end up the 4 Aces
100 "Do as I Do" Rope Trick: Cut and Restored Rope


103 Chapter Eleven Home Again: Advertising, the Devon Magic Circle, Griff, Swazzler, etc.


117 Chapter Twelve Favourites
117 Willie Wabbit and the Carrots: Jumbo card rabbit and carrots
120 Atom Flash: torn and restored card with flash


123 Chapter Thirteen The Coronation: of Queen Elizabeth II, buried alive, the Hughes, and more


133 Chapter Fourteen Magical Intermission
133 Skippy: Cut & restored jump rope
137 My Magic Hat: Egg Bag variation
142 The Pin Gag: a pin drop interlude for Children's show
143 Pussy in the Well: Square Circle presentation
145 The Magic Gardener: Flowers from hat for Children's Show
150 My Magic Welding Routine: separate chain links become linked


153 Chapter Fifteen The Run-Up: Sales pitch, magic painting, accidents, etc.


157 Chapter Sixteen The Supreme Years Begin: Early success, slander, give and take


163 Chapter Seventeen The First Winners
163 Soldiers on Parade: soldiers change color in guard shack (platform)
167 School Capers: slate trick
170 Six Silken Cords: Sort of a larger Rainbow Ropes
173 Little Weatherhouse: Mr. Sunshine & Miss Rain platform trick


175 Chapter Eighteen Friends and Enemies: Generosity of Harold Beaumont, Wand to Cucumber, Catalogue #1, etc.


183 Chapter Nineteen Successes
183 Rabbit Romp: Rabbit vanish box
186 Kube-o-Sphere: Sponge ball and cube transpo
187 Squares to Spheres - Plus: more sponges and squares
189 Jumbo: Card rise on Jumbo Elephant
192 My 20th Century Rainbow: 20th Century Silks
195 Bang-Gone: Paper snap into a silk vanisher


197 Chapter Twenty Percy and Me: Percy Abbott


201 Chapter Twenty-One A Mixed Bag of Magic
201 Ball in the Beaker: a find the ball routine with plastic (gimmicked and not examinable) beakers
204 Woman Hunt: Find the Lady Jumbo cards
208 Orchids for M'Lady: spring flowers appear in clear box
210 A Can Full of Fun: use for your spring snakes
211 Carnival Cone: production cone
213 Tricky Topper: silks from hat
214 Tipple-Topple Talk: comedy wand


217 Chapter Twenty-Two Ian Adair:

225 Chapter Twenty-Three Pot-Pourri
225 Beyond the Grave: living and dead test
230 Photo-Card Surprise: marker chip contains miniature of selected card
233 I Spy: invisible ink prediction


235 Chapter Twenty-Four Enter the Swinging (Sweating) Sixties: Demonstrations, Werry, Pirates, etc.


249 Chapter Twenty-Five Silks and Coins
249 Silver Flight: coin vanishes from a plexiglass container
250 Coin in the Middle: coin transposition with a twist (gimmicked coins)
253 Spot-On Blendo Improved: variation of Blendo


257 Chapter Twenty-Six The Magigram is Born: Edwin's magazine, Abracadabra magazine, and more


267 Chapter Twenty-Seven New Feature Magic
267 Switch Ring: clever sliding box
269 A Bit of Old China: paper banner effect
271 Flying Beaker: silks and beakers
273 The Third Eye: card effect with specially prepared cards
277 Triangular Thoughts: ESP prediction
281 Rainbow Flowers: with a Tip Over Box

286 Chapter Twenty-Eight The Epilogue: about the next volume