Phoenix Hardbound Compilation - Book
Phoenix Hardbound Compilation - Book
Phoenix was a biweekly Magic Periodical by Walter B. Gibson with Assistant Editor Bruce Elliott (whom became editor in 1944) which ran from No. 1, Jan. 1, 1942 - No. 300, Feb. 19, 1954. Originally compiled by Tannen's Magic, later reprinted by D.Robbins Magic.
It would usually contain three to five tricks per issue.
This is one of the greatest buys in magic today. You have no idea of the number of tricks, the amount of information, the witty, very interesting columns of magic trivia, news, argument, history, biography, reports, reviews and everything else that appears in the New Phoenix. That includes drawings, art work, cartoons and graphics. The staff, besides being top show biz personalities themselves, were surrounded in New York by friends and artists in the above named categories, all of whom helped in the magazine.
Volume 1 includes issues 1-50
Volume 2 includes issues 51-100
Volume 3 includes issues 101-150
Volume 4 includes issues 151-200
Volume 5 includes issues 201-250
Volume 6 includes issues 251-300
The Phoenix - Volume 1 (Issues 1-50 | January 1942 - December 1943)
296 Entries | 207 Pages | Hardcover | Illustrated
Highlights include:
- Hard Boiled Miracle - A nickel vanishes and re-appears in a hard boiled egg
- Blow Up - Marked coin penetrates an inflated balloon
- Cut to Measure - Cut and restored tape measure
- Site-Unseen - Three selections are found by stabbing an unknown card reversed in the deck
- Ry for Mystery - A method for preparing for Out of this World during your performance
- Match Stickler - Burnt match vanishes and appears in spectator’s hand among unburnt matches
- Getting Away from Card Tricks - A surprising appearance of a whiskey glass during the explanation of a color change
- Cute Cut - Three selections are cut to
- Deferred Coincidence - Three cards selected from a red deck and from a blue deck end up matching
The Phoenix - Volume 2 (Issues 51-100 | December 1943 - February 1946
259 Entries | 200 Pages | Hardcover | Illustrated
Highlights include:
- Allow Me - Matchbook opens and a match stands up on its own
- Card Trick from Sphinx - A deck is held to the wall by flash paper that, when ignited, makes all the cards fall except for the selection
- Off the Bottom - One-handed bottom palm
- Matchless - Steel ball through filled matchbox
- Travel Thought - Divining two cities using cards and a map
- One Hand Control - Aces are lost and then found again using one hand only
- Tickets for Two - Two decks, two selections change places
- Detail Does It - “Do As I Do” but with three coins instead of cards
- Wine Go - A principle for vanishing liquid and also pouring two different liquids from a bottle
The Phoenix - Volume 4 (Issues 151-200 | May 1948 - April 1950)
237 Entries | 197 Pages | Hardcover | Illustrated
Highlights include:
- No Misdirection - A clever quick trick for stopping hecklers
- Tabled - A single card through table
- Shoulder Card - A card to inside pocket or wallet without palming
- Jam Auction - A one to five dollar transpo that ends with the five turning into a dime
- Telexicon - Spectator cuts several alphabet cards and forms a word that the performer is able to divine
- Seconds - One-handed second deal
- Pop - Card jumps from the top of the pack up into the air
- Say it With Music! - An intriguing presentation for divining a selected vinyl record
- A Penny For Your Thoughts - Blindfolded performer divines the date of a coin and two selected words from a dictionary
The Phoenix - Volume 5 (Issues 201-250 | April 1950 - March 1952)
253 Entries | 200 Pages | Hardcover | Illustrated
Highlights include:
- Dagger in the Mind - Blindfolded card stab using two decks and two cards
- Note to Hand - Clever matchbox billet switch
- Sic Transit - Selected cards visibly appear in a beer glass
- Grant’s Card Trick - Three cards change places in the spectator's hand and performer's pocket
- Full! - Empty matchbox becomes full
- Elmsley’s Puncture! - A hole on a business card is moved
- 10 to 1 - Dime is stretched until it's a silver dollar
- Allerton’s Biddled Card - A unique handling for the classic Biddle Trick
- Siumlacrum - Performer knows exactly where a spectator pushed a needle through a doll
The Phoenix - Volume 6 (Issues 251-300 | March 1952 - February 1954)
257 Entries | 200 Pages | Hardcover | Illustrated
Highlights include:
- The Unambitious Card - Card travels down from the top one card at time (a fun effect for magicians)
- It’s The Humidity - The pips fall off the Aces leaving you with blank cards
- Rotator - A prop for writing down the order of a shuffled deck so it can be used as a memorized deck
- Invisible Water - A glass of water appears behind a wine list
- It’s My Move - The “poisioned” glass is found before it’s too late
- The Miser’s Dream Come True - A Miser’s Dream routine using a wine glass
- Made Match - A piece of wood is transformed into a match
- Migraine - Powder transforms into aspirin pills
- Bottom Reversal Control - A card is controlled to the bottom, while also being reversed in the process
- X-Deck - Named card has an X on the back