My Sixth Blog Post

In 2013 I published The Conference Illusions which described all of the antique illusions that I had presented up to that point at the Los Angeles Conference on Magic History. After 2013 I resurrected Carter the Great’s Spirit Cabinet, Rooklyn’s Birth of the Pearl illusion, and John Daniel’s version of the Thin-model Sawing a Lady in Half. All three of these performances are available for viewing on my YouTube channel. In this new book, The Final Conference Illusions, you will learn the history behind these classic illusions, the team effort that was required to bring each one back to the stage, along with their full routines and patter.

This book also serves as a perfect companion to my recent Sawing - The Astonishing History of Magic’s Most Iconic Illusion [2021]. This earlier book focused on the history of the Sawing in Half illusion. The Final Conference Illusions focuses on the technical side, describing the advancements in design and presentation of John Daniel’s Thin Sawing, Virgil’s Thin Sawing, and Walter Blaney’s unique version of the Thin Sawing. Included are 50 additional photographs that did not appear in the original book. You will also find a chapter on the life of Turkey’s most famous magician, Zati Sungur, the man who invented the Thin-model Sawing back in the 1930s. Sungur’s career is brought to life through dozens of previously unpublished photos.

Limited Time Offer

While supplies last, I am sending two pieces of original memorabilia with each copy of The Final Conference Illusions absolutely free. First is an 8-page It’s Magic program from 1967 featuring John Daniel’s Thin-model Sawing illusion. And second, a John Daniel and Irene tri-fold brochure circa 1959 that features the Sawing. Supplies are limited so don’t delay.