Magic 1400-1950s

by Caveney, Mike

• ISBN13: 9783836509770
• ISBN10: 3836509776
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-11-01
• Publisher: Taschen America Llc

Summary

The art of magicMagic has enchanted humankind for millennia, evoking terror, laughter, shock, and amazement. Once persecuted as heretics and sorcerers,magicians have always been conduits to a parallel universe of limitless possibility whether invoking spirits, reading minds, or inverting the laws of nature by sleight of hand. Long before science fiction, virtual realities, video games and the internet,the craft of magic wasthe most powerful fantasy world man had ever known. Asthe pioneers of special effectsthroughout history, magicians have never ceased to mystify us by making the impossible possible. This book celebratesmore than 500 years of the dazzling visual culture of the worldrs"s greatest magicians. Featuring over1,000 rarely seen vintage posters, photographs, handbills, and engravingsin one 650-page volume, it tracesthe history of magic as a performing artfrom the 1400s to the 1950s. Combining sensational images with lucid and incisive text,Magicexplores the evolution of the magicianrs"s craft, from medieval street performers to the brilliant stage magicians who gave rise to cinematic special effects; from the 19th century'sGolden Age of Magicto groundbreaking daredevils like Houdini and the early 20th century's vaudevillians.

Author Biography

About the editor:
TASCHEN editor Noel Daniel graduated from Princeton University, and studied in Berlin on a Fulbright Scholarship. She received a master’s in London and was the director of a photography art gallery before becoming a book editor. Her TASCHEN books include Magic 1400s–1950s (2009) and The Circus 1870–1950 (2008).

About the authors:
Mike Caveney is a writer, collector, professional magician, and the publisher of over 50 books on the theory, practice, and history of magic. His biographical works include Kellar’s Wonders (2003) with Bill Miesel, and Carter the Great (1995). An avid collector and performer for over four decades, he has appeared onstage or on TV in more than 20 countries.

Jim Steinmeyer is the author of many books on magic history and practice, including Los Angeles Times bestseller Hiding the Elephant (2004) and The Glorious Deception (2006). He has created deceptions featured by magicians such as Doug Henning, David Copperfield, and Siegfried and Roy, and critically acclaimed illusions for Broadway hits Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, and Into the Woods.

About the contributing author:
Ricky Jay is one of the world's great sleight of hand artists, and a distinguished actor, historian, and best-selling author. His Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women and Jay’s Journal of Anomalies were both New York Times "Notable Books of the Year," and he defined the terms of his art for The Cambridge Guide to American Theatre and Encyclopedia Britannica.

Supplemental Materials

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

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