(1995 - )
Born in Newark, NJ, Qua-Fiki joined the Wiz Kids in January of 2008 and started on his career as a magician. He is the grandson of Phineas Spellbinder, nephew to Wiz Kid Director Frederick Goode, and cousin to Wiz Kid Eleazar Goodenough. His step father is Wiz Kid Lee, so magic is definitely in his environment, if not his blood. He is currently working on escapes as his Wiz Kid specialty.
Invented: Blendo Rope Penetration (2008), Two Color Ropes through neck (2008), T-Shirt Change Bag (2008), Triple Rope Penetration (2008), Signed Sit On It (2008).
Wrote: Blendo Ropes (with help from Phineas Spellbinder in The Wizards' Journal #16).
Informative Web Site: http://www.wizkidzinc.com/Qua-Fiki/Qua-Fiki-Fans.htm
(1940- )
His early years were spent in Elmhurst, Illinois (Harlan Tarbell's hometown), a western suburb of Chicago. His interest in magic was began in 1950, from seeing Dr. Tarbell perform. Then he received his first magic book, Tarbell Course in Magic - Volume 1, on his eleventh birthday. After discovering that Dr. Tarbell had donated his entire course to the local library, Jon spent many hours studying each volume, along with many other magic books in the library.
He joined the IBM and the SAM in 1966, is a member of the Order of Merlin, and a Lifetime Member of the Magic Castle. He is currently the Associate Editor of Richard Kaufman's Genii magazine. Prior to accepting this post, he contributed to numerous other magazines.
Wrote:
Arcade Dreams, Marlo
Without Cards (1997), The Artful Dodges of Eddie Fields
(1976), In a Class by Himself, The Legacy of Don Alan
(1996), The Wild Card Kit (1992), At The Table,
Card Finesse 1 and 2, Card Fixes, Legendary Kabbalah,
Sankey Unleashed, Counthesaurus, Hierophant, The Ascanio
Spread, Sticks and Stones.
Video Link
( c. 1934 - 1998)
Born James W. Raeke, Wayne Raeke was a member of the Baltimore, Maryland Yogi Magic club and part of the Baltimore magic scene through the 60's & 70's. He was a barber by trade, and did magic as a hobby, with the occasional show here and there. He was always working on new effects and routines.
In 1970 he was the manager of The Jokers Wild Magic Shop on Kenwood Ave. in the White Marsh area. The shop moved to Belair Road in 1972 and lasted until 1976. When the shop closed, Wayne moved to Houston, Texas and started a youth magic group, The Jokers Wild Junior Club. About that time his health started to fail and he ended up with diabetes and in a wheel chair.
While he worked on and routined quite a number of magical effects for his students, the only thing that he really is known for was his Anytime, Anywhere, Linking Ropes, originally dated 1965, and then reprinted and republished in 1981 in its current form with Bill Palmer's editor's notes and illustrations.
His contribution to magic is
based on an obscure knot, known as the "Running
Knot" and found in the 1919 Boy Scout Manual. It is
of little use to anyone, but Wayne recognized its
importance to the Linking Rope Routine that he was
working on. Anyone who has tried it is amazed that he
even discovered this use for such an obscure knot.
Some inventors, like U.F.
Grant, churn out a new trick practically
every day. Others, like Wayne Raeke, produce one effect
per lifetime. All enrich the art of magic and are worthy
of recognition for their efforts.
Thanks to Marty Grams for providing the basic
information, and to Bill Palmer for providing additional
information used in the above biography.
(?-?)
Professional magician, dealer, magic manufacturer.
Invented Phantom Ribbon, Box of Baghdad, Dagger Livestock Production, Reidel Card Rise Box, Mandarin Production Box, Chinese Rice Box, Animal Fair, Box Of Bagdad, Chinese Surprise Production Tube, Golden Disk Of Amun Re, Improved Sucker Blocks And Tube, Orchids To You, Pagoda Trick, Phantom Plastic, Push Down Dove Vanish, Rabbit Garage, Rameses Ribbon, Reidel's Improved Square Circle, Rice Box To Lantern, Sammy The Seal, Temple Of Wang, Twirl Around Box, Unicorn Box and many more.
(1912 - 1981 )
Born Harold Randolph Rice in Salineville, Ohio, his interest in magic came from seeing performances of S. S. Henry, who was playing one of the vaudeville circuits. Young Harold saw shows free in return for feeding Henry's pet goat, which vanished from a box twice each day.
Rice attended the University of Cincinnati as an art major and soon was designing and creating his own silks for a magical silk act. Silk King Studios was created in 1929 when local magicians persuaded Rice to make silk squares for them.
Rice made monthly contributions to the Linking Ring from 1932 to 1940, and then began publishing his collections of silk magic effects in small books. The first volume of Rice's Encyclopedia of Silk Magic was published in 1948 and contains many of his own silk magic inventions.
| Robert-Houdin,
Jean Eugene (1805-1871) Born Jean-Eugene Robert in Blois, France. Soon after his marriage to Cecile Houdin in 1830, he adopted 'Robert-Houdin' as his stage name and had it legalized on 10th September 1856. Apprenticed as a watchmaker in Blois, he learned magic c1827 from an accidental purchase of the 2-volume 1792 edition of the Dictionnarie Encyclopedie des Amusements des Sciences, Mathematiques et Physiques, which included tricks copied from Ozanam, Guyot, Decremps, Pinetti, etc. A prolific inventor, including The Orange Tree (1845), Light and Heavy Chest (1845), Shower of Plumes (1845), Le carton fantastique (1848), Aerial (Broom) Suspension (1849), Diavolo Antonio (1849), and possibly both silent code (1849) and Stop Trick. Informative Video: http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=bzNpEMsBUU8&feature=related |
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(1867-1928)
Born in Hamburg, Germany. Moved to USA. Pro dealer in Chicago (A. Roterberg, at 145 Illinois Street) by 1894 to 1916, selling his mail order business in 1908 to Ralph W. Read and his shop to Arthur & Carl Felsman in 1916.
Invented Multiplying Thimbles (The eight thimbles on two hands version) and Multiplying Billiard Balls (Excelsior Ball Trick 1898).
Wrote: New Era Card Tricks (1897), Card Tricks and How To Do Them (1902), Latter Day Tricks (1896), The Modern Wizard (1896)
Media: August Roterberg (CD - contains copies of all his written works above).
| Roy, Marvyn (1925- ) Marvyn Roy and Carol with their act, Mr. Electric, appeared at Radio City Music Hall, the London Palladium, The Latin Quarter ice shows, floor shows, night clubs, theatres, arenas and amusement parks. With their acclaimed light bulb act, and later as the Diamond Illusionist, they traveled for years with the Liberace show. Born Marvin A. Levy, he first learned magic in the 1930's from a Mysto Magic set. In 1939, as "Marvin, The Magic Silk Merchant" he won an award at the PCAM convention in San Francisco. In 1956, he married Carol Williams, a rope spinning ice skater, and together they developed the new electric act: "Artisty in Light with Marvyn Roy & Carol." Inspired by Horace Goldin's Canary in the Light Bulb, Marvyn designed a new illusion Girl in Light Bulb. Wrote: Mr. Electric Unplugged (2005) |
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(? - ?)
Magic Dealer/ manufacturer from South Bend Indiana. He also wortked with Abbotts and Tannens, selling them some of the rights to his original effects.
Invented: Spooky Spots (c. 1940), Swallowing Wand, Fantastic, Swindle Pips, Hypnotic Block, Vanishing Television Set, Miracle Memory Power, Sword Through Neck, Double Dynamite, Pentro Penny, Daffy Dice, Real Smoke, Mental Pencil, Crazy Cube,Coin Capers, Hypnotic Card Box, Black Magic, Genie Beads, Atomic Power, Little Fooler, Card and Silk Sword, Shooting Through the Girl, Double Box Prediction Chest, and many more.
(1903-1985)
Born Orlando Carmelo Scarnecchia, he was a recognized expert of gambling cons and cheats. His passion was the demonstration of card tricks. In 1938, he was selected as one of the 10 living Stars of Cards (beside among others, Leipzig, Rosini, Cardini, Vernon). Scarne met Harry Houdini and became a personal friend. But Scarne backed off magic tricks after taking a huge splinter into his foot while jumping off a bridge -- tied up and in chains like Houdini, of course!
He wrote a booklet called Scarne on Dice to help servicemen understand how to avoid dice cheats.
Invented the board game Teeko.
Wrote: Scarne on Dice, Scarne on Card Tricks (1950), The Amazing World of John Scarne (1956) and many books on gambling and games.
(1538-1590)
Scot was a Justice of the Peace in Kent, England. In 1584, he wrote one of the first explanitory magic books "Discoverie of Witchcraft." Scotīs work was intended as an argument against the existence of witches, and a protest to the rising tide of persecution that was occuring in England in the 1500's. Scot was guided in writing the sections of the book dealing with legerdemain by John Cautares, a 16th century French sleight-of-hand artist who made his living as a laborer and resided in London. The sections devoted to magic tricks contain valid explanations of many effects still performed today, but include very little instruction on the handling of the sleights.
Among the many techniques and gimmicks "discovered" are: magiciansī wax, double-sided coins, various finger palms, classic palming, coin shells, the classic force, lapping, loading for cups and balls, threads, false shuffling, second dealing, confederacy, "bar bets" (as they would be called today), mentalism including a simple second sight-style code, false bottomed boxes, paddle tricks, the double-tape (grandmotherīs necklace) principle, a four hundred year old sophisticated version of the "magic coloring book" invented by a man named Clovis, and much more.
| Selbit,
P. T. (1881-1938) Born in Hampstead, London and named Percy Thomas Tibbles he learned magic c1895. He became a professional illusionist c1900. Aka 'Joad-Heteb' and 'Joad Heteb' with pseudo-Egyptian act 1902-08. By spelling his last name backwards and dropping one of the "b's" he transformed himself into P.T. Selbit. Selbit was a prolific inventor of illusions, including Wrestling Cheese (1912), Walking through a Wall (1914), Sawing through a Woman (1921), Girl without a Middle (1924), Through the Eye of a Needle (1924), and possibly Siberian Chain Escape. Also: Stretching a Girl, Avoiding the Crush, Wrote: The Magician's Handbook (1901) |
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(? -?)
Invented: Quantum Bender, The Bubbler, Brain Scan Wallet, Atomic Bills, Mental Clip, Giant Sickle Blade Illusion
Informative Web site: http://www.johntsheets.com/
(?-?)
Tomoyuki Shimomura is one of a new wave of magic creators on the Tenyo Magic Company team. His forte is producing effects that are entertaining but which also have an interesting story line. With his knowledge of close-up magic, he was commissioned to write for An Introduction To Card Magic. He is a polished technical writer and therefore invaluable to Tenyo for the instruction sheets included with the products.
Shimomura's inventions manufactured by Tenyo: Hyper Vision (1989), Moon Spinner (1990), Wild Wallet (1991), The Nostradanus Clock (1991), The Haunting (1992), Crystal Pyramid (1994), Eye of the Idol (1995), Phantoma (1996), The Unusal Suspects (1996), Bird Watcher (1997), Pop-Up Card (1998), Lucky Rabbit (1999), Grand Derby Prediction (1999), Wild Wallet - Leather (1999), Dynamite Tube (2000), Mystery China Box (2001).
| Soo,Chung
Ling (1861 - 1918) Born William Ellsworth Robinson, he first called himself Robinson, the Man of Mystery when he started his magic career. A challenge by the famous Chinese Illusionist Ching Ling Foo, to duplicate his bowl of water production for a prize of $1000, was responsible for Robinson (who met the challenge but was never paid) changing to Chung Ling Soo and performing a Chinese-style act. In 1905, there was a bitter rivalry (or was it all made up for the publicity?) between Soo and Foo. Soo's most famous trick was the Bullet Catch. The trick went wrong when Soo was performing in the Wood Green Empire, London, on March 23, 1918. Some of the gunpowder exploded in the live chamber, setting off the loaded bullet which hit Soo in the chest. Invented: Small Coin Box, Incredible Archery Illusion, Birth of a Pearl, A Gem From Bagdad, Mahatma |
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(born Victor Grimes, 1930 - )
Formerly magic assistant to Jim Gerrish, branched out on his own as a stage magician in 1964, then fell under the influence of Wizard-style magic in 1975. Legally changed name to Phineas Spellbinder in 2001. Co-founded (with Jim Gerrish) The Magic Nook for Wizards, Witches and Magician in 2003 primarily to publish The Wizards' Journal. Spellbinder is an inventor of many Wizard-style magical effects. Some of his favorites include The Fabled Cloak of Invisibility (2006), The Crystal Clear Cups and Chicks, Crazy Cabana Illusion, Invisible Candy/Cookie Jar (released 2006), Shrink-A-Dink(2006), Jumbo Monte (2005), Better Book Test (2006), Chinese Fish Sticks & Appearing Goldfish (2006), Poltergeist (2006), Potpouri (2006), Parallel Universe (2007), Elevator Box (2003), Sefalajia Revisited (2007), The 2007 Vanishing Radio (2007), Elemental Science (2007), Silks to Christmas Tree Mystery (after Devlin) 2007, and many more.
Wrote: Tear-Able Magic
(with Eleazar Goodenough - 2005), Dollar
Store Magic (2007)
Edited: The Wizards' Journals, The Wit and
Wisdom of Mark
Lewis, Magicbob's
"I Hate Card Tricks" , Magicbob's
"I STILL Hate Card Tricks"
Informative Web site: http://www.magicnook.com
(1902-1983)
Born Johannes Edmund Spreer in Germany, Edmund became interested in magic at thge age of 14. In 1926, he toured Latin America with The Great Raymond as a show mechanic. In 1928, he began his lifelong association with David Bamberg (Fu Manchu) working as chief mechanic and first assistant. He created many of the illusions, not only for the Fu Manchu show, but for other famous magicians of his era.
In collaboration with David Bamberg, invented the Isis Illusion (variation of Chung Ling Soo's Mahatma Illusion), The Chinese Strangulation Rack, Variation on the Book of Life Illusion, The "Little Stinkhouse", Fu Manchu Cremation, Modified Triangle Illusion, Fu Manchu Spirit Cabinet, Canvas Covered Trunk Substitution, The Monkey Cage (Gorilla Vanish), The Robot, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Fan Illusion, The Chinese Bazaar, The Geisha Illusion, Fu Manchu Duck Vanish, The Lantern Illusion (Atomic Woman).
(1870-1951)
Born in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England. At the age of 12, on seeing a magician at school do the Die-thru-Hat, Stanyon puzzled it out and duplicated it. Learned c1883 reading Hoffmann's Modern Magic. Introduced Paper Folding as a stage act by 1895.
Magic was a monthly magazine produced and edited by Ellis Stanyon. It was first published in October 1900 and ran for 177 issues with a break during the 1914 -18 war and the final issue was published in June 1920.
Ellis Stanyon was a noted magic dealer, author and publisher and in the first issue of Magic he set out his intention which was to‚ popularise the Art of Sleight of Hand. He is credited with inventing the Back Palm., The Stanyon Silver Dollar Box, Crystal Silk Cylinder, Flash Silk Gimmick, Flash Pull,
Wrote: Magic (1901), Bibliography of Conjuring and Kindred Arts (1899), Conjuring for Amateurs and Professionals (1897), Conjuring with Cards (1898), Hand Shadows (1898), Flashes of Fun (1897), Paper-Folding (1895), New Coin Tricks (1899), Fire And Chemical Magic ( 3 series, from 1906- 1909), Great Handcuff Tricks, Great Paper & String Tricks (1904), New Billiard Ball Sleights (1904), New Handkerchief Tricks (1900), New Card Tricks (in Four Series, from 1900 - 1910) and many more.
(?-?)
Invented: The Human Deck of Cards, Mothomorphosis,
Wrote: Sticks That go Zoom, Lecture Notes: Magic For The Working Magician
Media: Close-Up Magic, Magic with Cards for Beginners,Magic with Cards for Magicians, Amazing Card Tricks ANY Magician Can Do, Unbelievable Card Miracles,
Informative Web Site: http://www.stapletonmagic.com/
(1958 - )
Jim Steinmeyer was born in 1958 and grew up in Oak Park, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. His brother, Harry, was interested in magic and when his brother lost interest, Jim took up where his brother left off. Jim was graduated in 1980 from Loyola University of Chicago, with a major in communications. It was while he was attending Loyola that he contacted Doug Henning and began designing illusions for him. Jim currently lives in California.
Inventions include: Statue of Liberty Vanish, Origami, Interlude, Elevator, Walking Through a Mirror, Modern Art (1995), Bunko, One Card Monte, Matrix Poker (with Alan Wakeling), The World's Thinnest Deck of Cards, Soft Shoe Monte, Artist’s Daydream (1991), Artist’s Dream (Modern Version- 1991), Audience Acupuncture, Audience Dis-Member, Backstage with a Cane Cabinet, Bits and Pieces, Blueprint Vanish, Buried Alive Modern Version, Chainsaw Decapitation, Cube-ism, Cutout to Life, Death Tank Escape, Disappearing Bus, Do-it-yourself Suspension, Doll and Doll’s House, Elephant and his Shadow, Fade-In, Fade-Out Cabinet, Goon Box Production, Headache Illusion, Headless, Holography, Hospitality (1995), Hot Air (1991), Houdini’s Rope (1991), Incubus, Indiarubber (1991), Inside-Out Production Box, Lady in the Puzzle (1991), Little Doll’s House, Magical Puppet Theatre, Miracle Levitation, Neon (1991), One-Way Hole, Optical Modern Cabinet, Optical Sawing, Osmosis, Perforation, Plate Glass Mystery, Pole Levitation, Portrait to Life, Real Image Ghosts, Sawing a Horse in Half, Secret Cabaret Sawing, Shadow Theatre (1995), Sliding Spikes, Small Packages (1991), Three-Space Mystery, Through a One-Inch Hole (1991), Time and Space, The Torch Box, Translucent Shadows, Two Places at the Same Time, Vanishing a Herd of Elephants, Walking through a Fan, Windshear. There are many other inventions not included in this list.
Wrote: The Complete Jarrett (1981), Hiding the Elephant (2003), Impuzzabilities and Further Impuzzabilities, The Magic of Alan Wakling (1993), Art & Atrifice (1998), Device and Illusion (1991), Strange Power (1992), Modern Art (1995) The Howard Thurston Workbooks - Volumes 1 and 2, The Science Behind the Ghost (1999), The Conjuring Anthology, The Glorious Deception: The Double Life of William Robinson (2005), Charles Fort: The Man Who Invented the Supernatural (coming in 2008), and many others.
Jim is also a frequent contributor to MAGIC magazine.
Informative Web site: http://jimsteinmeyer.com/
(?-?)
Born J. MacLachlan, Max Sterling who had moved to Cullompton near Exeter, Devon, UK to become a chicken farmer, claimed to have originated the egg-on-fan trick. The specially prepared egg required for this effect is still today referred to as the Sterling Egg. He was invited to become the first President of The Exonian Magical Society. Max, who had played the halls over a long period, including Maskelynes at St. George's Hall, accepted the honor but resigned a few months later because he disagreed with the proposed rule of secrecy which, in his view, prevented him from discussing his magical effects and thoughts with 'my numerous international magical friends.'
Sterling's weekly paper "The Magical World" (c 1910- 1911) often carried bits by his friend Servais LeRoy, among others.
Wrote: Problems in Mystery (1909)
(c 1800 - c1900)
Invented the Stillwell Ball (c 1887) (gimmick) used in silk and handkerchief magic. The basic principle of a thumb loop is also used for many other devices today.
Wrote: Stillwell's Handkerchief Manipulation Act (c1900)
| Stodare,
Colonel Joseph (1832-1866) Born Jack Inglis in Scotland, Colonel Stodare (or Stodartt) was among the most noted performers in England until his sudden death at the age of 35. In 1865, he demonstrated the Sphinx Illusion (drawing at right) which had been recently invented by Thomas William Tobin (the first use of this principle of concealment). The illusion created a sensation and Stodare was invited to give a command performance to the oldest daughter of queen Victoria. In that same year, he contracted Tuberculosis and in October of 1866, he died. After his death, his brother Alfred Inglis began performing under the name Stodare. Another illusion Stodare made popular was the Indian Basket, using the Tip-Over Trunk principle. Wrote: Stodare's Fly Notes, or Magic Made Easy (1865). |
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(?-?)
Shigeru Sugawara joined the Tenyo Magic Company in 1967, but creating magic wasn't his speciality at the time. However he did go on to create excellent tricks such as "Pencilla" and the extremely popular "Squeeze Play". In 1977, he was awarded the Tenkai Prize. Shigeru is a consistent inventor who created over 25 Tenyo tricks.
Sugawara's inventions manufactured by Tenyo: Art Bank (?), Rope to Silk (1975), Dynamic Coins (1975), Water Mystery (1976), See Through Card (1976), Squeze Play (1977), Ultra Tube (1977), See Through Guillotine (1977), Card Frame (1977), Card Changer (1978), Pendant (1978), Mystery of the High Hat (1979), Lucifer's Lock (1980), The Frame of Destruction (1980), Black Hole (1980), Tunnel of Darkness (1980), Wonder Window (1982), The Alpha Tunnel (1984), Excalibur (1985), Paradox (1986), Ninja Experiment (1987), Mirage (1987), The Gorilla Bar (1987), Space Towers (1988), Mini-Zag (1989), Pencillia (1993), Burglar-Ball (1994), Merlin's Coffer (1995), Money Shredder (1999), Money Cutter (2000).
(1898 - 1984)
Illusionist from Turkey, inventor of the "Thin Model Sawing Illusion" (c. 1924)
Informative Web site: http://abone.turk.net/sbasarir/ZatiSungur.htm
(?-?)
Toru Suzuki created what is considered one of the most famous and popular Tenyo Magic Company tricks of all time - "Crystal Cleaver". His visual magic is very creative His most recent Tenyo creation is "Salt Cups."
Suzuki's inventions manufactured by Tenyo: Micro Magic Bank (?), Transpa Vision (1992), Crystal Cleaver (1992), Future Clock (1994), Oh No! (1994), Credit Slasher (1993), Clyde - Magic Rabbit (1995), Hankie Penetration (1996), Trisector (1996), Funnel Vision (1997), Puzzling Queen (1998), The Cutting Edge (1999), Magic Painting (1999), X-Ray File (2000), Salt Cups (2001).
(? - ?)
Performed with his wife, Claire, as the comedy team of "Parker Swan and Claire."
Invented: Card in Watermelon, Parker Swan Dollhouse Production
Wrote: How to Force a Watermelon (1973)
(1918 -2006)
James Wesley Swoger was born in Pittsburgh, PA. He became interested in magic at the age of five and gave his first show at the age of eight. He opened his first magic store (managed by his mother) in 1937. Manager and owner of Regows Magic Studio in Pittsburgh, PA (Spell Regows backwards!). He renamed the business "James Swoger House of Enchantment" circa 1968.
Invented: Blushing Nickle, Sparkle-Lite Production Tube, Mental Stamp, Mental 13, Swoger Coin Box, Spider Beside Her, 7th Wonder Card Box, Digitelephathy, Enchanted Confections, Keni Key, Mental Slate, Skeleton In The Closet, Sliding Glue, Sphinx Production Box, Stage Size Chineese Gong, Topsy Turvy Drink and many more.
Wrote: Enchanted Ball Manipulation
Informative Web site: http://www.houseofenchantment.com/pages/swogerpage.html
(?,?)
For his cartoon magic character Sylvester the Jester, Dan Sylvester has invented the bottomless hat, elongated pencil up the nose, cartoon binoculars, stretching tongue, popping eyes, steam from ears, Makin' Sparks, Suspended Dimension, and many more effects.
Informative Web-site: http://www.sylvesterthejester.com Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_zTB3R1-aU