Standard work on classic stage illusions performed by Robert-Houdin, Bautier de Kolta, Maskelyne and others. Detailed descriptions of techniques of fire eaters, sword swallowers, jugglers, acrobats, etc. Also ancient magic, automatons, magic photography, much more. Over 400 exceptional illustrations. Introduction. Bibliography.
Standard work on classic stage illusions — fire eaters, sword swallowers, jugglers, etc. Also ancient magic, automata, chronophotography, much more. Over 400 illustrations. Bibliography.
INTRODUCTION
THE MYSTERIES OF MODERN MAGIC
Ancient Magic
Division of Magic
Cagliostro
Robertson
Comte de Grisi
Robert Houdin
Carl Herrmann
Signor Blitz
Robert Heller
Alexander Herrmann
Bautier de Kolta
Harry Kellar
BOOK I. CONJURERS' TRICKS AND STAGE ILLUSIONS
CHAPTER I. MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES
Vanity Fair
After the Flood
The Magic Palanquin
Cassadag Propaganda
The Appearing Lady
The Disappearing Lady
The Mysterious Trunk
The Indian Basket Trick
Decapitation
Spiritualistic Ties
CHAPTER II. OPTICAL TRICKS
The Cabaret du Neant
The Three-Headed Woman
Amphitrite
The Mystery of Dr. Lynn
Black Art
The Talking Head
The Living Half-Woman
She
The Queen of Flowers
The Decapitated Princess
Stella
Houdin's Magic Cabinet
A Mystic Maze
Platinized Glass
Statue giving a Double Image
CHAPTER III. MISCELLANEOUS STATE TRICKS
Trilby
The Haunted Swing
The Scurimobile
The Neoöccultism
The Mask of Balsamo
The Invisible Woman
Magic Harps
CHAPTER IV. CONJURING TRICKS
Trick with an Egg and a Handkerchief
The Cone of Flowers
The Magic Rosebush
Magic Flowers
The Birth of Flowers
Tricks with a Hat
A Cake Baked in a Hat
The Egg and Hat Trick
Multiplication of Coins
Magic Coins
The Dissolving Coin
The Spirit Slates
Second Sight
Magic Cabinets
The Traveling Bottle and Glass
Disappearance of an Apple and a Ninepin
A Goblet of Ink Converted into an Aquarium
The Invisible Journey of a Glass of Wine
The Wine Changed to Water
The Animated Mouse
The Sand Frame Trick
Houdin's Magic Ball
CHAPTER V. JUGGLERS AND ACROBATIC PERFORMANCES
Jugglers
The Leamy Revolving Trapeze
Walking on the Ceiling Head Down
The Mysterious Ball
CHAPTER VI. FIRE EATERS AND SWORD TRICKS
"Fire Eaters, Tricks with Fire"
A Stab through the Abdomen
The Human Target
Sword Swallowers
Sword Walkers
Dancers on Glass
CHAPTER VII. VENTRILOQUISM AND ANIMATED PUPPETS
CHAPTER VIII. SHADOWGRAPHY
Shadowgraphy
French Shadows
CHAPTER IX. MENTAL MAGIC
Robert Heller
Second Sight
The Baldwins and Second Sight
Silent Through Transference
BOOK II. ANCIENT MAGIC
CHAPTER I. TEMPLE TRICKS OF THE GREEKS
Puppet Shows among the Greeks
The Shrine of Bacchus
The First Automobile Vehicle
The Statue of Cybele
Marvelous Altars
The Machinery of the Temples
Sounding of Trumpets when a Door was Opened
Opening and Closing Doors when a Fire was Lighted on the Altar
Invention in 1889 A.D. vs. Invention B.C.
An Egyptian Lustral Water Vessel
CHAPTER II. MIRACULOUS VESSELS OF THE GREEKS
The Dicaiometer
Miraculous Vessels
Magical Pitchers
Apparatus for Permitting the Mixing of Wine and Water in Definite Proportions
The Magical Bottle
Ancient Organs
CHAPTER III. THE ORIGIN OF THE STEAM ENGINE
The Eolipile of Heron
Heron's Marvelous Altar
Heron's Tubular Boiler
"CHAPTER IV. GREEK LAMPS, TOYS, ETC."
Perpetual Lamps
An Ancient Automaton
A Greek Toy
The Decapitated Drinking Horse
Odometers
BOOK III. SCIENCE IN THE THEATER
CHAPTER I
Behind the Scenes of an Opera House
The Ordinary Stage
The English Stage
The Stage Floor
The Cellars
The Flies
The Gridiron
Traps
Sliders
Bridges
The Metropolitan Opera House Stage
Wing Posts
Curtain Calls
The Electric Lighting
Paint Bridge
The Property Man
Striking a Scene
The Dressing-Rooms
The Production of a New Opera
"CHAPTER II. SOME REMARKABLE STAGES, ANCIENT AND MODERN"
An Electric Curtain
The Fan-Drop Curtain
An Elevator Theater Stage
Some Remarkable American Stage Inventions
A Revolving Stage
The Asphaleia Stage
A Theater with Two Auditoriums
Curio's Pivoted Theater
The Olympian Theater of Palladio at Vicenza
CHAPTER III. STAGE EFFECTS
Scene Painting
Sunrise Effect
Sun Effect
Change from Day to Night
Stars
Moon Effects
Rainbow Effect
Wind Effect
Thunder Effect
Lightning
Snow Effect
Wave Effect
Crash Effect
Rain Effect
Gradual Transformation
Fire and Smoke Effect
Battle Scenes
Theatrical Firearms
The Imitation of Odors
CHAPTER IV. THEATER SECRETS
Traps
The Swan in Loghengrin
The Floating Rhine Daughters in Rehingold
The Sun Robe
The Ship on the Stage
Miscellaneous Stage Effects
The Destruction of the Temple of Dagon
The Horse Race on the Stage
The Effects in Siegfreid
Siegfried's Forge
Siegfried's Anvil
The Dragon Fafner
Wotan's Spear
The Bed of Tulips and the Electric Firefly
The Electric Torch and Electric Jewels
An Electrical Duel
The Skirt Dance
CHAPTER V. THE NAUTICAL ARENA
CHAPTER VI. A TRIP TO THE MOON
CHAPTER VII. CYCLORAMAS
The Electric Cyclorama
The Painted Cyclorama
CHAPTER VIII. FIREWORKS WITH DRAMATIC ACCESSORIES
BOOK IV. AUTOMATA AND CURIOUS TOYS
CHAPTER I. AUTOMATA
Automaton Chess Players
The Automation Chess Player
A Curious Automaton
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Electric Tachyscope
"Apparatus for Projecting Moving Pictures by the Dmeny, Jenkins, Lumière, and Other Forms of Apparatus"
The Kinetoscope Stereopticon
"The Mutoscope and the Mutograph, with Illustrations of Moving Objects"
Cinematograph Camera
Camera for Ribbon Photography
The Micromotoscope
APPENDIX. ADDITIONAL TRICKS
The Magic Table
Gone
The Spider and the Fly
The Trunk Trick
La Strobeika Persane
Metempsychosis
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS ON NATURAL MAGIC
INDEX