It is common knowledge that one of the world's greatest magicians gave himself the stage name of Houdini. He was born as Erik Weisz in Budapest in 1874. He emigrated to the United States of America with his mother and four brothers in 1878. The family changed the spelling of their surname to the German "Weiss" and, in turn, Erik became "Ehrich." In turn that was shortened to "Ehrie" and anglicized to "Harry." According to his boyhood friend, Joseph F Rinn, in his book Sixty Years of Psychical Research, Weiss started his magic career some time in 1889. A couple of years later, in early 1891,...

Exclusive Magical Secrets was originally published by The Magician Ltd as a limited edition of 1000 in 1912. It was bound with a lock on the cover and became known as "The Locked Book of Magical Secrets." The author, Will Goldston, was born in 1878 in Liverpool and first went on stage under the name Carl Devo. He later became the manager/buyer of Gamage's Theatrical and Entertainment Department. Goldston was an early member of the Magic Circle but resigned and formed his own society - The Magicians' Club of London with Harry Houdini as President, a post he held until his death. He set up in...

This is a new print of John Nevil Maskelyne's 'Sharps and Flats'. It is not a facsimile edition but has been completely re-typeset and edited. It is one of the most famous classic gambling and magic books ever written.