Blackstone’s Secrets of Magic By Harry Blackstone Sr.

Blackstone's Secrets of Magic is a general magic manual aimed both at amateurs and budding performers. It’s full of illustrated instructions for a wide range of illusions, tricks, and sleights‑of‑hand. Some of the topics included are vanishes, appearances, transformations, and tricks with common household objects, cards, coins, ropes, etc. Blackstone also gives insight into the “showmanship” side of performing magic — how illusion works in terms of audience perception, timing, and misdirection, alongside more mechanical or technical details. Later editions sometimes combine this book with Modern Card Tricks, which adds more detailed material specifically about uses of playing cards and more advanced card sleights.

Harry Blackstone Sr., born Henry Boughton in 1885 in Chicago, was one of America’s most celebrated stage magicians and illusionists. He gained his start early (performing magic as a child) and eventually built up a massive stage show with ornate props, assistants, and spectacular illusions. Among his signature illusions were the floating light bulb, the vanishing birdcage, and the dancing handkerchief. He performed widely — in theaters across the U.S., for troops (during WWII via USO), on television in his later years, and in clubs and fairs earlier on. His influence extended beyond his own shows: he built many of his own props (with the help of his brother Pete), and his performances helped set a standard for large illusion shows.