Another Book Update and More

The Conjuring Arts Research Library every summer for the last 3 years has had a special FREE book download. They offer a different book each week to download in pdf format. Many of these are hard to get and all are out of print. This week they have Prof. Hoffmann's MORE MAGIC. You can still find this volume from time to time on ebay, but here is a chance to get it for free! Just visit the following link this week http://shop.conjuringarts.org/store/pc/FREE-More-Magic-PDF-by-Professor-Hoffmann-127p1218.htm#.VaMSR0WpNWY
In addition they have a number of 50% off deals as well so be sure to stop by their site and check out what they have to offer.

Next is a surprise catalog by Potter and Potter Auctions. It's for the Magic LIVE Auction which takes place in Las Vegas on August 12th. Unfortunately for me, I won't be attending this year and this auction, unlike their others, won't be open to online bidding. Still, the catalog has great images and who knows, it might inspire you to head to Vegas!

To download the catalog or order a printed version, go here: http://www.potterauctions.com/auctions/upcoming

It Must Be Book Month, Another GREAT DEAL

I just saw over on Chuck Romano's website that he found 'a stash' of his great book on Paul Rosini called HOUSE OF CARDS-The Life and Magic of Paul Rosini. This book is a real gem. The first 101 pages is the biography of Paul Rosini. The next 100+ pages is the magic of Rosini. What's great about this is you really get to understand him as a performer through his choice of material. And then as an added bonus there is a reprint of Paul Rosini's Magical Gems by Rufus Steele, which runs about 67 pages. A total of 320 pages on the incredible Paul Rosini.

I paid $35 for the book when it first came out. Chuck is selling these for $17. Get them while you can! Click the link above to head over the Chuck's site!

Incredible Hofzinser Deal-Act Now!

I just found out about this and sadly, you've only got a few hours to act before the sale is over. Hocus Pocus, the online magic dealer is having a 24 hour sale, which ends tomorrow at noon on the two incredible Hofzinser Books by Magic Christian.

These normally retail for $299.95, but during their 24 hour sale, which ends noon July 10th, you can grab these two books for $149.95. That is 50% off and these books are fantastic.

Volume 1 is Non Plus Ultra -Magic of the 19th Century
Volume 2 is Non Plus Ultra- Hofzinser's Card Artistry

If you're interested, go here to read the review I wrote of these books back in Feb of 2014. http://www.themagicdetective.com/2014/02/the-ultimate-hofzinser-books-review.html

If you don't  have these books, you should jump on the chance to get these 2 volumes at half price!

Harry Cooke's Grave

I've been doing some research on Horatio Cooke recently. He has quite the life story which I covered briefly in an earlier blog article. I was rereading the magazine article that Mark Cannon wrote for the MUM back in April 2006. The article was incredible and it ended with Mark discussing the difficulty he had trying to locate the grave of Harry Cooke. He eventually discovered it with the help of magic historian, Diego Domingo. There is a great photo in the magazine of Mark kneeling in front of the grave.

I realized that I never included Harry Cooke in my The DeadConjurers blog. So I went online and found another photo in Find-A-Grave.com. The photo owner Don Lynch kindly gave me permission to use the photo that he took of the grave. Thanks Don!

But I also found something else of interest. I found the photo of a grave belonging to 'The Infants of HG Cooke and LM Cooke' in Illinois. I'm 99% sure this grave belongs to two children of Harry and Louisa. They lived in Illinois before moving out west to California. It's likely these two children died in childbirth.

Harry Cooke and his wife are buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles, the same cemetery where Harry Kellar is buried. Incidentally, they were good friends.

Photo used with permission of Don Lynch

In Search of Maro, Prince of Magic

I'm currently working on a special project about The Great Maro. His real name was Walter Truman Best and he was a popular Chataqua and Lyceum performer. He died in 1908 at the young age of 39. But before he died he made connections with a number of interesting characters from the world of magic. These include A.M. Wilson, Silent Mora, Eugene Laurant, J. Elder Blackledge, Karl Germain and Harry Kellar.

His life story is fascinating. Digging up information on him has been exciting, thrilling, difficult at times, and yet really enjoyable. I'm attempting to put together a recreation of part of his act. A previous article I wrote about The Flags of All Nations was actually part of the act I'm working on. And just today I got the inside work to his Meteoric Ribbon Routine.

I'm wondering if anyone out there has information on Maro, or even props and such you'd be willing to share for my project. I'd like to have a powerpoint presentation and if I could have photos of his actual props, that would be so incredible. Anyone with any Maro knowledge, please contact me!
carnegiemagic@me.com

Once the project is complete, I'll post an article about the life of Maro here, and I'll probably begin another season of The Magic Detective Youtube Show with a longer episode about Maro.