Articles - Collector Books Successful Magic (Conjuring) for Amateurs by Norman HunterWhile the title of this book may lead you to believe it is not appropriate for the professional magicians, it is a significant apparatus book with numerous fine line illustrations and photographs over 37 chapters covering over 500 tricks over nearly 400 pages. It was actually released as "Successful Conjuring for Amateurs" for the UK market and "Successful Magic for Amateurs" for the US market with no other notable differences. A later abridged edition called simply "Successful Conjuring" was also released later without credit to the original author.
A chapter on “Conjurer’s Furniture”” shows details of a couple of different black art tables, the associated wells, and tips on usage. “Mysterious Boxes” shows various types of production boxes with well-drawn illustrations of the working including the handkerchief box (or Jap Box) with illustrations and tips on usage including what those holes in the bottom of the box are used for. Production a bird cage from an otherwise empty box complete with a live bird is also covered in detail. “Conjuring with Flowers” covers various type of spring and feather flowers and associated production trays, pots, and cones. Details are sufficient enough for construction. “Tricks with the Magic Wand” follows with a vanishing shell type wand, a rising card effect with a houllete and wand, and other effects. Even the sections on cards covers apparatus effects such as two types of card boxes with photographs of commercial card boxes of the era which are possibly Thayer.
“The Mechanics of Vanishing Tricks” covers a slick water goblet vanish with aid of special water picture. The concept of shells is covered in an explanation of the traveling block “Conjurer’s Camouflage” covers various principles for concealing loads using traps and flaps and shows a method for a vanishing a person illusion. Black art and “Masking” are also covered. Again Hunter does not disappoint in the coin section with apparatus for coin productions and a coin stand. “Tricks with Bottles” covers the standard gimmicked bottle tricks such as passe passe bottle and glass, card in bottle, and the double-necked bottle often used for the topsy-turvy bottle tricks. Some interesting routines are presented using nesting shell bottles including the penetrating bottle
“Sensational Magic and Its Secrets” covers bullet catching, various sawing through body illusions, swords through body, a sword cabinet, walking through a mirror, and more. I can’t recommend the following the directions for making flash paper nor can I vouch for any other of chemical magic tricks. “Miniature Magic: covers a number of small apparatus effects including a matchbox sawing with a card, a card to matchbox mechanical trick, and divination trick with 4 numbered blocks and a gimmicked box. “Weapons for Wizards” covers a handkerchief sword, card sword, orange catching sword, magical pistols for vanishing objects, a variation which is a mini-cannon, and a bow and arrow which vanishes the arrow upon launching it.
“’Magical Cookery” features a cake in hat routine using gimmicked dishes, “conjurer’s cooking pan” (dove pan), and an elaboration which includes a bottomless pan to facilitate the production of a lit lantern. “Levitation Mysteries” includes floating balls, girls, and dolls. The mentalism section includes gimmicked slates, bags, and banners to achieve the magic. “Conjuring Lamps and Candles” covers a vanishing lamp, shooting a silk into a glass lamp bulb, and candle into handkerchief all with numerous illustrations and photographs. A Section on Christmas magic has a number of interesting ideas. “The Tricks of Conjuring” covers servantes of various types, and effects that use them. “Spooky Secrets Fully Explained” includes apparatus for table lifting, making bells ring, a spirit cabinet, and a rapping hand.
“Magical Productions” includes collapsible cages of various types, spring production items, imitation cakes, nesting clocks, and even a dummy skull production item. “Liquid Legerdemain” includes rice bowls and production water bowls. “The Technique of the Watch Trick” is a very detailed account of the smash the watch and make it appear inside a nest of boxes including the intimate details of the boxes with gaffed flaps. “Conjuring with Picture Frames” covers the sand frame (different types), blind frame, a a spring roller effect of an elegant Chinese style pagoda frame on a stand for a restored plate effect.
“Tricks with Trays and Plates” covers various gimmicked flap and secret compartments apparatus for vanishes and appearances. The oriental designed plate with a gimmicked compartment allows for the production of an item while also having a slick method for disguising the fake when released. “Conjuring with Dice, Blocks, and Cubes” covers the old style die box with doors in the front and back and various other block tricks using tubes and shells. “Conjuring with Rings” has an interest effect where the vanished ring appears around the neck of a produced dove. Different variations of trick cabinets are presented for vanishing and subsequent retrieving of the ring.