Byron Walker's Magic Books

THE ULTIMATE THAYER by Dr. Robert Albo and Phil Schwartz is on its way and will be mailed in June 2010!.    This will consist of :

1. An oversize, 9” by 12” hardbound volume of pictures and history of Thayer’s magical life.  This will have more than 250 pages and be in full color throughout.
2. A second, matching volume with color photos of more than 400 pieces of Thayer-Owen apparatus, with catalog descriptions and additional information.  This will also have more than 250 pages in full color.
3. A folder containing ten DVDs of performance of the apparatus shown in the second volume, plus historical footage dating back more than seventy years.
4. A reproduction of the true first Thayer Catalog (yellow covers, not red) including the loose photos, as issued.  This is reproduced from the only known complete copy, which is in my collection. This will be in an envelope on the inside back cover of the first volume.
5. A beautiful, newly minted Thayer commemorative token housed in an envelope on the inside back cover of the second volume.
6. A hardbound slipcase to hold all of the above, lavishly decorated in gold on black cloth (Thayer colors).

The Ultimate Thayer will be limited to only 400 sets.  The price is $450 plus postage. .  I accept cash, check or money order in person or mailed to my post office box. (If more convenient, I accept PayPal to my Email address above if you add their charge to me.  That makes $463 if from U.S. funds, $468 plus postage if converted from non-U.S. currency).  Like all of the publications from Dr. Albo, this will undoubtedly increase in value in the future.  NOTE: COPIES NOW IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY.  THE PRICE IS $450 PLUS SHIPPING.  CALL OR EMAIL FOR TOTAL.  THEY ARE THE FINEST PRODUCTION FROM DR. ALBO EVER! 

Charles Bertram: The Court Conjurer by Edwin A. Dawes.  1977 First Edition.  This is copy #7 of only fifty copies of the Deluxe Edition signed by the author, specially bound in pebbled leatherette, with colorful dust jacket, housed in a pebbled leatherette slip case.  360 pages, 8 ½ by 11, color plates.  This copy has an additional fine inscription by the author.  Fine copy, $250

, The Davenport Story Volume One: The Life and Times of a Magical Family 1881-1939 by Fergus Roy, 2009, is a beautiful volume of 440 large (A2) pages, hardbound in DJ.  This is superbly illustrated with photos depicting the early years.  I’ve placed the dust jackets in archival dust jackets to protect your investment.  $150, including shipping in the U. S.

The Davenport Story Volume Two: The Lost Legends, 2010, continues the Davenport story and features the first publication of “lost” books of three prominent British magicians/authors: Robert Harbin, Edward Victor and G. W. Hunter.  341 large (A2) pages, hardbound in DJ.  I’ve placed the dust jackets in an archival dust jacket protector to protect your investment.  $150, including shipping in the U. S.

Revelations by Dai Vernon.  1984 First edition.  A mint copy in near mint dust jacket.  $100

A Magician’s Tour – Revisited by Harry Kellar, with many additions by Phil Temple.  This is a beautiful book of xii plus 226 pages, 8 ½ by 11, hardbound in dust jacket.  This reprints the autobiography of Harry Kellar with dozens of added photos and a fine 20 page color section of the beautiful Strobridge, H. A. Thomas and W. J. Morgan Kellar posters that we treasure today.  (Two of the posters exist in only one known copy).  Included is a nice reproduction of the scarce Kellar’s Wonder Book of 1903, 56 pages in colorful wraps.  Limited to only 500 copies, I have a few new sets at $100 for both.

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Dante Audience Book: “50 Tricks for Everybody”.  Mint copies from Dante’s 1940 season with Dante on the front cover and Moi-Yo Miller on the rear.  24 large pages (10” by 12”) plus covers this is loaded with Dante photos and history, plus the 50 tricks.  $15

Miniature Mysteries With Cards, compiled by Barbara Walker  (yes, my ex-wife who used my research library extensively).  1980, x plus 166 pages, hardbound in dust jacket.  This is an interesting compilation of effects utilizing miniature cards, largely arranged in chronological order from 1774 to 1979.  I have a few new copies with extra sheets of miniature cards laid in so you can perform novelty card magic right away, for only $20

Stanyon’s Magic.  This is the deluxe 1996 Kaufman & Greenberg edition, 3 volumes in slipcase.  This edition adds a “Publisher’s Note” regarding the set and the valuable new 44 page index.  Of additional interest is the added copy of a letter from Ellis Stanyon explaining his 5 year gap between Vol 14 #11 and Vol 14 #12 (Aug 1914-Sep 1914/1919).  This is a previously owned set in near fine condition.  Limited to 500 sets and no longer available from the publisher.  Reduced from $250 to only $175

Bill Severn’s Magic Trunk, probably 1970s, consists of an attractive slipcase designed to look like a trunk and containing four of Bill’s books:

Magic Shows You Can Give,

Magic in Your Pockets

Magic Comedy

Magic With Paper.

All five items are in VG condition.  $20 for all.

Alexander The Man Who Knows by David Charvet and John Pomeroy, number twelve in the series of Magical Pro-Files from Mike Caveney.  2004, 218 pages.  A fine copy in fine dust jacket.  First Edition, limited to 1000 numbered copies and this edition is out of print.  $60

The Classical Technique of Fire Eating by Gerald Taylor. First Edition.  #367 of only 500 numbered copies.  43 pages, 20 “Art Photo Studies” of Bruno Nolo’s Living Statue Fire Act.  This copy was nicely inscribed by the author in 1976.   A fine copy.  $35

David Roth’s Expert Coin Magic.  The deluxe 1985 First Edition issued in slipcase at $69.50 in 1985.  This is a near mint copy in as new slipcase.  $69

Encyclopedia of Silk Magic Vol 4.  1993 First Edition and out of print.  (The first three volumes were published by Harold Rice, Volume 4 was compiled by Mark Trimble).  This includes a master index to all four volumes and perhaps complete your set?  A fine copy in fine DJ.  $45

Corporate Presentations by Leo Behnke.  1992, 12 plus 126 pages, 8 ½ by 11, with the two blueprints in a pocket in the rear.  If you want to do trade shows or corporate presentations this is the book that tells you how.  Issued at $100, this fine copy is $85.

The Card Magic of Nick Trost.  1997 first edition, fine copy in fine dust jacket.  $45

Million Dollar Card Secrets by Frank Garcia.  1975, 128 pages.  A very nice, clean copy.  $90

The Card Magic of LePaul.  1959.  219 pages, 313 VG photos!  Hardbound, gold stamped on front cover and spine.  A fine copy in fine dust jacket.  $50

Original Magic by Marconick.  About 1967.  200 pages of the originations of this Dutch innovator.  The text is trilingual (English, French, German).  Superbly illustrated with photos and line drawings on glossy paper.  How to make Money Trick, Hindu Thread, Through a Beer Mat, Fire Bowl, Rope Through Neck, Rope Routines, Card Magic, dozens more.  Fine copy in dust jacket.  $30

Bookishly Yours by J. B. Findlay.  1987.  #142 of only 300 copies.  This contains 14 nice photos of the Findlay collection plus text on his massive hoard.  Fine copy, $20

Fourth Collectors Annual by J. B. Findlay.  1952.  A fine copy, inscribed, dated and signed by Findlay to Dr. Zina Bennett.  $100

Ray Ricard, A Short Title History and Checklist of Wee Books, 1800 to 2005.  Limited to 150 numbered and signed copies.  111 pages, 8 1/2 x 11. 2 color plates and 12 color photos in text.  This is the comprehensive history and listing of 754 books on magic and the allied arts that conforms to Jimmy Findlay's description of a "wee" book (can be sealed an an envelope 3 1/2 x 6 inches".  Published at $35, I have a few remaindered copies at $25.

The Dai Vernon Book of Magic.  Harry Stanley first edition with the best photos.  A very nice, clean, bright copy (no DJ).  $40

Houdini’s Conjurers’ Monthly Magazine.  1991 Kaufman edition, limited to only 500 sets and long out of print.  Two volume set in slipcase.  Added is a new Publisher’s Note.  As new set.  $250

Houdini Periodical Bibliography by Arthur Moses is the valuable listing of Houdini’s appearances in periodicals, both magic and for the public, from June 1898 through December 2005, about 2,000 of them!  The sixteen page color section is a real treat.  Hardbound, 96 pages, 8 ½ by 11.  Highly recommended to any magic collector or Houdini enthusiast.  List $40, this as new copy only $30

The Houdini Code Mystery: A Spirit Secret Solved by William Rauscher is the ninth in the Magical Pro-Files Series.  Limited to 1,000 numbered copies, tipped in color frontispiece, 192 pages.  This fine copy, hardbound in DJ is only $40 

The Life and Many Deaths of Harry Houdini by Ruth Brandon.  1993 Random House First U. S. Edition.  358 pages plus 24 pages of photographic plates.  As new in as new DJ.  $24

Houdini’s Texas Tours 1916 & 1923 by Ron Cartlidge. 2002 First Edition, viii plus 119 well-illustrated pages detail much previously unrecorded information on our hero.  A fine hardbound copy in near fine DJ.  $20

Houdini: His Life Story by Harold Kellock, From the Recollections and Documents of Beatrice Houdini.  1928 Harcourt, Brace and Company First edition, x plus 384 pages, Frontispiece and 30 photographic plates.  Pasted to the front free end paper is a very old Houdini clipping on Houdini’s secret code.  A very good, tight copy.  $50

Houdini on Magic by Walter Gibson & Morris Young.  1953 First Edition, xv plus 280 pages plus many pages of photos.  A fine copy in fine DJ, with the magical bookplate of F. William Kuethe.  $35

Houdini: Master of Escape by Lace Kendall.  1960, 187 pages, hardbound in DJ.  Like all copies of this title that I’ve seen this is ex-library, but other than a few library marks the book and DJ are quite clean.  $25

Benjilini on Houdini.  1994 first edition.  x plus 71 pages, 8 ½ by 11.  Bibliography, fine, inscribed copy, copy #100 of only (I believe) 100 copies.  $40

Whodunit? Houdini?  Thirteen Tales of Magic, Murder, Mystery edited by Otto Penzler.  1976 First Edition.  xi plus 253 pages.  A nice collection of short stories involving magicians by Clayton Rawson, Walter Gibson, Maxwell Grant (I know it’s the same guy), Erle Stanley Gardner, Carter Dickson and eight others.  Very nice copy in interesting dust jacket.  $20

Houdini: The Untold Story by Milbourne Christopher.  1969, 261 pages.  This copy has the F. William Kuethe bookplate and three Houdini newspaper articles tipped in.  A very good copy in very good dust jacket.  $25

Magic Collecting by Dr. Robert Albo.  16 pages, 8 ½ by 11 in pictorial wraps.  This contains Dr. Albo’s thoughts on collecting and his career as a collector plus 53 photos of the famous Albo Collection.  As new, autographed on the title page by Dr. Albo.  This is one of the supplements to go in your Volume Eight or to stand alone.  $25

Dr. Albo: Complete set of the first three Supplements to go into Volume Eight, consisting of:

1. Title page
2. The Okito Timeline (by Eric Lewis)
3. Floyd Thayer
4. Force Books and Book Tests (by Bill Kuethe)

This is a new set, removed from the shrinkwrap to photograph and replaced.  All for only $65

The Oriental Magic of the Bambergs by Dr. Robert Albo.  (Volume One of the series).  1973 First (and only) edition and one of the most difficult to obtain.  Full color frontispiece tipped in and color section.  Limited to only 1,000 copies.  Correction sheet laid in.  Signed by Dr Albo on the limitation page.  A fine copy in a fine plastic jacket.  $500