Gibson, Walter: Houdini's Magic ©1932 Bernard M.L. Ernst; Pub. Harcourt & Brace Co., NY Hardcover, 316 pages ©1960 renewed Roberta Ernst ©1976 Introduction by Funk & Wagnalls Publishing Co., Inc. Published by Bantam Books Softcover, perfect-bound, 5.5x8.5", 206 pages ISBN 0-553-10397-0

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Comments: "Prepared From Houdini's Private Notebooks And Memoranda With The Assistance Of Beatrice Houdini, Widow Of Houdini, And Bernard M.L. Ernst, President Of The Parent Assembly Of The Society Of American Magicians." Originally published by Blue Ribbon Books, Harcourt Brace in 1932. Funk & Wagnalls Edition was part of a two volume book Houdini's Escapes and Magic, published January 1976. The Bantam Books version this contents is taken from is dated Nov 1976.

Contents (from Bantam Books edition, descriptions added July 2022): 

v Introduction (Milbourne Christopher)
xiii Preface (Bernard M.L. Ernst): Feb 15, 1932

1 Part One Introductory
2 Houdini’s Notes on Magic

7 Part Two Impromptu Tricks
8 Coin Transportation: coin in handkerchief transposes
8 The Magnetic Table: table moves along with magician
9 The Spooky Ball: metal ball bearing rolls onto a handkerchief and can be examined
10 The Talking Glass: glass suspended by string answers questions
11 Four Coin Assembly: under cards on a handkerchief
15 Cut and Restored String
17 Balanced Drinking Straw
17 Two from One: two knots from one in a handkerchief
18 The Dissolving Knot: in handkerchief
20 Vanishing Pocket Knife: with a pull

23 Part Three Card Tricks
24 A Good Key Card
24 Half and Half: card passes from one half the deck to another
25 The Traveling Card: with unique stand
27 Card Reading Trick: magician reads cards sealed in envelopes
28 A New Card Box: new version with double bottom
29 The Imprisoned Card: card vanishes from box to appear in envelope
31 A Spelling Trick: with a stacked deck
32 Card Counting Trick: with prediction

35 Part Four Slate Tricks
36 Slate in Bag: slate writing
37 Improved Slate Writing: using a box rather than a flap
39 Novel Slate Writing: with a writer
41 Spirit Slate Effect: with two slates and a handkerchief
43 Single Slate Trick: with a hidden flap
44 Newspaper Test: with slates and cards

47 Part Five Message-Reading
48 Crystal Gazing Mysteries: Question answering for stage
54 Sealed Message Reading: with prepared envelopes
56 Sealed Envelope Test: discovering the questions
60 A Billet Reading: for two persons

65 Part Six Platform Tricks
66 Red and Green Silks: vanish and reappearance
67 The Vanishing Glass (De Kolta): in a cylinder of paper
69 A Clinging Wand with Vanish: using the vanishing wand
71 A Vanishing Wand: with new arrangement
72 The Traveling Die: between hat and die
74 With the Linking Rings: two rings unlink and can be examined
75 A Neat Production Tube
77 Perfection Paper Tearing: torn and restored
78 Cone and Egg: cone and egg transpose
81 Houdini’s Afghan Bands: updated
84 The Vanishing Table Leg: illusion

87 Part Seven Stage Tricks
88 The Traveling Ball: between two boxes on pedestals
90 Kellar's Wine and Ribbon: yards of ribbon from a wine bottle that just poured wine
93 Hat Suspension: for stage
94 A New Dyeing Tube: for changing silks
97 Ching Ling Foo’s Paper Trick: a torn and restored with bowl of water
100 A Duck Production: in wooden basket
102 Chinese Rice Bowls: traditional

105 Part Eight A Second Sight Act
106 A Second Sight Act: a series of telepathic effects for two persons
108 The Watch Test: communicating the time set on a watch
110 The Figure Test to 10,000: audience selects any number from one to 10,000
112 The Playing Card Test: two selected cards
114 The Slate Test: with locked slates
115 The Book Test
117 The Colored Pencil Test: three numbers with three different colored pencils
118 Presentation of the Act: using the above effects

121 Part Nine Stage Illusions
122 Dunninger’s Six Chicks: vanishing of six assistants
126 Frame and Cabinet: appearance of assistant
129 The Cask Illusion: appearance while surrounded
132 A Vanish in Mid-air
136 Sawing a Woman into Twins: in abox
141 Sardines in Oil: appearance of human sardines
145 The Transformation Cabinet: performer and assistant transformaton
148 De Kolta’s Illusion: vanish from behind cloth
151 The Flight of Venus: vanish of a girl on a sheet of glass
156 The Giant Ball of Wool: appearance
159 A Vanish from a Ladder

163 Part Ten Special Stage Effects
164 Living Head Illusion
166 Art and Nature: a pedestal becomes a farmer
169 The Decapitation Act: a complete scene
174 The Torture Pillory: escape
175 A Milk Bottle Escape

170 Part Eleven Anti Spiritualistic Effects
180 A Spirit Cabinet: articles materialze
182 The Spirit Knots: appear mysteriously
184 The Vanishing Chair: comedy chair
186 Spirit Photography: with a confederate
189 A Materializing Cabinet: manifestations from the cabinet
191 Some Mediumistic Effects
192 A Great Cabinet Act: for the medium

197 Part Twelve Notes On Kellar
198 Kellar’s Rope Tie: escape
199 The Cabinet Tie: rope tie escape
202 Kellar’s Committee Cabinet: spirit cabinet
202 Notes on Suspension
203 A Kellar Reminiscence

207 Conclusion
208 About the Author