John Mulholland's Story of Magic (Inscribed. First Edition.)

John Mulholland

Published by Loring & Mussey Publishers, 1935

Inscribed on the front flytitle page: "For Major William Kelly / this account of some of the other magicians / Cordially / John Mulholland." Bound in clay blue cloth with black debossed lettering on the cover and spine. Heavily illustrated throughout with photographs, drawings, and other artifacts in black and white. Contents are divided into three parts: 1) The Early Magic Shows; 2) As the Art Advanced; and 3) Present-Day Mystifiers. 79 pp. Lacking dust jacket.EXCERPT FROM THE TEXT: "There has always been magic ever since there have been people with minds to be fooled. But the real early magic was mixed with the work of priestcraft and the medicine men. It was shown to make the impressed spectators give power to the performer.The magic we know today began but a comparatively short while ago; only a thousand years or so. The entire purpose of this magic is to entertain the spectators. As it has been said about drama that 'No play is a play until it is acted,' so it is true that magic does not exist except as the performer shows it. The real history of magic therefore would be the biographies of its exponents. " [.] (From Part I: "The Early Magic Shows", page 7.ABOUT THE AUTHOR: "John Mulholland (born John Wickizer) (1898-1970) was an American magician, author, publisher and intelligence agent. [.] Mulholland learned the art of magic as a teenager with John William Sargent, President of the Society of American Magicians. Mulholland was a professional magician for two decades, working in small companies and large stage shows. He ran one of the first magic workshops and was from 1930 the editor of the magical trade magazine The Sphinx. Mulholland was a close friend of Harry Houdini. He published many books on magic and its history. His collection is now owned by David Copperfield." (Wikipedia).CONDITION: External cover shows moderate wear and soiling. Leaves have lightly and evenly toned throughout. Some discoloration within endpapers. Completely unmarked except for the author's inscription. Continuous minor crimp a the top corner of the textblock through page 26. Hinges are strong and the binding is sound. Illustrations are bold and wonderful. A very nice, inscribed, first edition copy. The perfect gift for any magician or magic enthusiast. Full refund if not satisfied. Seller Inventory # 077414

Bibliographic Details

Title: John Mulholland's Story of Magic (Inscribed....
Publisher: Loring & Mussey Publishers
Publication Date: 1935
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
Signed: Inscribed by the Author
Edition: First Edition.