News

Robert Olson has been performing historical shows as magicians Richard Potter and Bayly for several decades.  His performances are authentic, entertaining, and educational.  And, you will learn what it means to be fooled by a gentleman. 

As Mr. Olson says from the 1978 New York Times article, Recapturing Magic of the Past, “Let’s just say that Richard Potter is my contribution to history. I want to conserve his work in all of the authentic detail it deserves. Besides, the old stuff is still good.“

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Lots include ephemera relating to Spiritualism from Houdini’s personal research files, a Horace Goldin’s Scrapbook, and apparatus from Ray Goulet’s Magic Art Studio.

Online bidding for Haversat & Ewing’s 100 Lot online auction opens on Friday, April 20th at 11AM EST. Register online at Haversat & Ewing Galleries to view the all the lots and place bids.

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The arrival of the new Phantasmagoria exhibit at the MFA provides good reason to mention Richard Balzar’s Peepshows: A Visual History.   This charming book details the history of optical toys such as magic lanterns and peepshows that predated movies, and which created the illusion of images that moved. The devices flourished as popular entertainment in the 18th century.

The MFA exhibit features many items from the late Richard Balzer’s collection. Years ago,  Mr. Balzer presented a fascinating lecture at Magic Art Studio that introduced NEMCA members to his magic lantern collection.  

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The Boston Museum of Fine Arts is sponsoring a special exhibit on The Phantasmagoria now through June 24th.

Phantasmagoria was a form of horror  theater that (among other techniques) used one or more optical devices known as magic lanterns to project frightening images such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts onto walls, smoke, or semi-transparent screens.  The shows started under the guise of actual séances in Germany in the late 18th century, and gained popularity through most of Europe (including Britain) throughout the 19th century.  Learn more about Phantasmagoria at the MFA.

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John Hodgson was interviewed on NPR’s WAMU radio station on his new book, Richard Potter: America’s First Black Celebrity.  The interview is available for free from WAMU and includes excerpts from the Potter book.  

Mr. Hodgson will present on his book in Keene (4/23), Concord(5/5), and Hopinton, NH (6/24). More details..

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Potter & Potter’s Spring Magic Auction, April 28th, 2018, features two recently rediscovered Houdini scrapbooks. The auction also includes Houdiniana in a range of categories, plus a wide offering of magic books, posters, broadsides, ephemera, and vintage magic apparatus. Now you can bid live, online (with a 20% buyer’s premium), at potterauctions.com.

Houdini’s personal copy of his The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin  is being reproduced by David Haversat’s 1878 Press Co., for a limited time. First published 110 years ago, the new edition includes unseen additions and changes made by Houdini himself. This book has been published by David Haversat’s 1878 Press Co.  Deluxe copy – limited production.  $49.95 from 1878press.com.

The meeting at the Magic Barn on March 24 was a great success.  Thanks to Vincent Golden, curator of newspapers at the American Antiquarian Society, for his lecture on the less obvious magic items among their holdings.  The attending members are pictured below at The Magic Barn in Ashland, MA.

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On April 7th and 8th, 2018, Auction Results in conjunction with Owen Magic Supreme, will conduct the third auction of the exquisite magic collection of William H.McIlhany (1951-2017). Bill McIlhany (1951-2017) was the consummate collector of all things magical and was considered one of the most knowledgeable magic collectors in the world.

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A great article by Jeffrey Matulef, on the Genii Online website, on how NEMCA’s Yankee Gathering is Keeping the Spirit of Magic Collecting Alive.

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