Charles Crayford - Magical Deceptions

Charles Crayford – Magical Deceptions

Mostly brief descriptions of stage illusions. There are a few close-up items, though. Available as an e-Book from the Learned Pig Project.

Contents (numbers updated Feb 2017):

1 Preface (Charles Crayford)
3 Introduction
7 The Little Wanderer: vanishing doll
8 Umbrella-Stand From Umbrella: an unusual opener
9 Only a Reel of Cotton: used to deliver handkerchiefs
10 That Ace Again: The Ace travels to the pocket
11 Coin Jugglery: a physical feat
12 Match Arithmetic: puzzle to add 1 to 20 to make 19
13 Try Your Lungs: physical stunt
13 A Useful Candle: commercial item; silk from candle
14 The Hypnotised Match: wooden match stands up on side of box
15 Pigeon Pie: a sort-of dove pan described
15 The Mystic Cauldron: a stage production
17 Jug and Tub Illusion: water and doves stage illusion
19 Flowers Grown While You Wait: flowers grow from a pot
20 Matchbox De Luxe: commercial match-box production item
21 How to Invent Magic: Intro
22 Crayford’s Vanisher: and how it was invented
23 Remarkable Transformation: stage illusion of tea leaves to assistant
24 Vanishing Standard Lamp: stage lampstand to assistant
26 An Hypnotic Trance: hypnotized assistant vanishes, stage illusion
27 Girl Shot Twice Nightly: shooting through an assistant
29 Production of a Horse: stage illusion
31 That’s the Ta-Ta: an instant costume from hoops
32 Card Production: comedy production of greeting cards
33 A Cabinet Illusion: for stage
35 The Wicked Old Man of the Sea: picture to real man
36 The Mysterious Entrance: for the stage show
38 The Magic Grotto: appearance of the assistant
39 The Birth of a Pearl: a classic production of an assistant
40 L’envoi: parting words