Ebook - The Conference Illusions by Mike Caveney (Digital Download)
Description & Effect
Unveiling 'The Conference Illusions'
Step into the extraordinary world of historical magic with 'The Conference Illusions,' Volume II of Mike Caveney's monumental work documenting his illustrious career. This digital ebook serves as a unique chronicle of the incredible efforts undertaken to breathe new life into classic, long-forgotten tricks and grand illusions. Over twenty-two years, Caveney has meticulously recreated these wonders for the esteemed Los Angeles Conference on Magic History, overcoming significant challenges whether working with original apparatus from legends like Howard Thurston and Charles Carter, or constructing intricate pieces from scratch. Prepare to embark on an illuminating journey that blends historical reverence with innovative adaptation.
A Journey Through Magic History
This volume is a captivating exploration of magic's rich past, detailing the extensive research behind each featured illusion. Caveney expertly guides readers through the original routines, the historical context, and the fascinating journey of how these effects were presented decades, or even a century, ago. Each chapter is enriched with a wealth of visual material, including rare vintage photographs and posters sourced directly from the files of the Egyptian Hall Museum, alongside exclusive behind-the-scenes and vibrant action photos of the recreated performances. It's a visual feast that transports you directly into the heart of magic's Golden Age, revealing the artistry and ingenuity of its pioneers.
Detailed Recreations and Modern Insights
'The Conference Illusions' goes beyond mere historical recounting. It offers profound insights into the engineering and presentation challenges of classic magic. Learn how Caveney and his team ingeniously improved the mechanics of these apparatuses, re-thought their presentations, and designed routines perfectly suited for contemporary audiences. Discover how effects, after their debut at the History Conference, were successfully presented dozens of times to lay audiences at the Magic Castle, proving their timeless appeal. Chapters cover iconic effects such as Dante's Sawing a Lady in Half, Selbit's Bricks, The Million Dollar Mystery, The Orson Welles Act, and The Spirit Cabinet, providing a comprehensive look at their transformation.
An Invaluable Resource for Magicians
While few readers may add these specific grand mysteries to their acts, the true value of 'The Conference Illusions' lies in the unparalleled educational opportunity it provides. This ebook is a masterclass in magical theory, history, and presentation. By studying the ideas forged by the greatest minds from magic's Golden Age, you'll gain a deeper understanding of misdirection, theatricality, and audience engagement that can be applied to any genre of magic. This PDF digital download offers an intimate look at the legacy of a magic legend, presented with crystal-clear explanations and stunning full-color detail.
Original Specs
For the past five years I have been working on a set of books that document basically everything I have performed during my career. When I started I had no idea that the finished product would fill 700 pages over two volumes. As a long time collector of books and because this will be my legacy, I decided to make the finished product as nice as I possibly could. And now that they are finished I can honestly say that they are everything I had hoped for.
I knew that I could write up the methods, theories, history and funny stories about each routine but I also knew that illustrating them would be a problem. I am no artist. That’s when my long time friend and Hollywood special effects man, Bill Taylor, came to the rescue. Bill turned my basement into a photo studio and for fourteen months we shot pictures. Many hundreds of them made it into the finished books and they are the clearest explanatory photos I have ever seen in a magic book. Because both of these books are printed in full color, each tiny detail is visible.
Volume II is called The Conference Illusions and it is a completely different type of book. During the past twenty-two years I have recreated a number of long-forgotten tricks and illusions for the Los Angeles Conference on Magic History and each one posed its own unique challenges. In some instances I had the original apparatus that once belonged to Howard Thurston or Charles Carter and other times the equipment had to be built from scratch. The book chronicles the research into the history of the illusion, the original routines, how we attempted to improve the mechanics of the apparatus, re-think the presentation and design a routine that was suitable for a modern audience. After their debut performance at the History Conference a number of these effects were presented dozens of times for lay audiences at the Magic Castle and were found to be highly effective a hundred or more years after their creation. Each chapter includes vintage photographs and posters from the files of Egyptian Hall Museum as well as behind-the-scenes and action photos or the performances. Few readers will add any of these mysteries to their acts but there is much to be learned from studying ideas that were created by the greatest minds from magic’s Golden Age.
contents
Foreword 9
Introduction 13
Magic’s Golden Age 15
1993 Dante’s Sawing a Lady in Half 27
1999 Selbit’s Bricks 43
1999 Through the Eye of a Needle 55
2001 The Million Dollar Mystery 69
2003 OH! Chair 101
2005 Del Adelphia Egg Bag 123
2007 The Astral Hand 165
2009 The Drum That Can’t Be Beaten 181
2009 Well I’m! 193
2011 The Orson Welles Act 221
2013 The Spirit Cabinet 247
PLEASE NOTE: This item is a digital download ,Gimmick not included
