Magician Buatier De Kolta invented many magical effects , including the classic effect of producing bunches of flowers from a rolled up newspaper cone which was shown empty , then it overflowed with flowers into a basket.
Photographs of old time magicians and magic acts. Vaudeville, magic, conjuring , stage illusions.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
Friday, June 27, 2025
Ade Duval Rhapsody In Silk
Ade Duval (with his wife and performing partner, True Duval) was one of the most successful magicians in vaudeville, playing around the world with his stunning act "Rhapsody In Silk".
There is an excellent book about Duval , called 'Ade Duval - Silken Sorcerer' by David Charvet, available from the author: http://charvetmagic.com/catalog/c1_p1.html
This photo (which appeared on the cover of The Sphinx magazine, Dec.1934) shows Ade Duval at the height of his career, touring the world with his assistant True Duval (his wife) with the act "Rhapsody In Silk".
Later after he had retired the elaborate silk act (which required one - to -two hours of reset time between shows), he performed an engaging magic act presented in a light comedic manner, performing his own versions of such classic magic as the multiplying golf balls, the die box, the vanishing milk, and his own Smoking The Thumb, the full secret of which Duval took to the grave, although other magicians have performed successful versions of the feat (such as Fred Kaps and Finn Jon). It's all covered in David Charvet's book 'Ade Duval - Silken Sorcerer'.
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Doug Henning featured in Time Magazine article The Magic Boom July 22, 1974
Time Magazine article The Magic Boom July 22, 1974 , featuring full page photo montage of Doug Henning performing illusions from The Magic Show (then currently the big hit show on Broadway). '
TIME magazine , July 22,1974, ”The Magic Boom: New Sorcery” by Stefan Kanfer (with Patricia N. Gordon), featuring photos of five-year old magician Paris, Milbourne Christopher, Derek Dingle, Doug Henning (with co-stars Dale Soules and Anita Morris, from ‘The Magic Show’ then currently playing on Broadway) , Yumi Ueno, Peter DePaola, James Randi, Mark and Nani Wilson. And an interior shot of the crowded counter at Tannen’s in NYC.
Doug Henning performs Robert Harbin's Zig-Zag Girl in The Magic Show on Broadway. Co-star Dale Soules is is the girl who is zig-zagged. David Ogden Stiers as rival magician Feldman looks on incredulously.










