Tops Treasury of Illusions….Compiled by Neil Foster

Description Soft covers; 1st edition; March 1965; very good pre-owned condition. There are very few books in magic dealing with the subject of stage illusions. Most secrets and workshop plans or blueprints sell for several dollars up to hundreds for each illusion. This book delved into the past twenty-five years of The TOPS Magazine (over 300 issues) and selected SIXTY of the finest illusions that have appeared in its pages. These are suitable for the modern stage magician, nightclub act and sideshow performer. Practical illusions to meet todays working conditions (none require old-fashioned stage traps, etc.) and many can be made at a very reasonable cost. The sixty illusions run the gamut of stage effects figuratively and literally from A to Z, from the “Artists Dream Illusion” to the “Zombi Girl Illusion” with fifty-eight more in between covering a wide variety. There are principles of Black Art; a Levitation; three Penetration Illusions; four Comedy Illusions; four Double-Exchanges; five Escapes; six distinct Novelty-type illusions; seven methods for performing the famed East Indian Rope Mystery; eight illusions for vanishing a human being and nineteen illusions designed for the appearance or production of one or more persons! In addition, to the SIXTY illusions there are extra features such as four pages devoted to the building of a portable stage “back set”; Kellar’s original patter for his presentation of “The Levitation of The Princess Karnak”; rare newspaper advertising and publicity used by such world famous illusionists as Thurston, Dante, Nicola, Blackstone, etc.; two unusual lists of ‘show and railroad requirements’ for Howard Thurston’s big show. Compiled by Neil Foster. Printed on quality stock the book measures 8-1/2 x 11 inches, 100 pages with over 150 illustrations and pictures and an art cover. We take great pride in offering “TOPS TREASURY OF ILLUSIONS” to the magic fraternity. The secrets of most of these illusions are not obtainable in any other book! Never before has such a complete and authoritative book on illusions been published. Contents include: Artists’ Dream Illusion Beauty and the Least Big Opener Bikini Girl Illusion Black Art Principles Book of Life Catch a Ghost Illusion Chest Escape Chinese Straight Jacket Church of Life Illusion Cinemagic (Motion Pictures to Life) Close-Up Illusion Club Performer’s Spook Act David Devant’s Hindu Rope Trick Don’t Shoot, Mister! Double “B” (Box Ballyhoo) Double Exchange Illusion Dramatique Duel of the Ghosts Dunninger’s East Indian Rope Trick Everything But the Kitchen Sink Floating a Strange Lady Floating Effects With Thread Gallows Illusion Gambol of the Ghosts Girl From Cape Illusion Grandfather’s Clock Illusion Haunted House Hello-sion Hiding an Assistant Hindu Rope Illusion Houlette Illusion Instant Vanish Illusion J.K. Wright’s Indian Rope Trick Kellar’s Levitation Patter Keyo Illusion Magic Back Set Name Plates Illusion Night Club Hindu Rope Oriental Cabinets Packing Box Escape Paradox Hatbox Illusion Phonovision Pile Driver Illusion Pillory Escape Queen of the Ribbon Cage Satan’s Seat Screen and Tabouret Illusion Seeing Thru a Girl Sorcerer’s Cellar Stage Thermometer Surrealistic Art Svengali’s Rope Trick Television Production Tent of the Sultan Thurston Show Requirements Totable Totem-Pole Vanishing Boy Vanishing Boy and Auto Vanishing Dog Walking Thru a Ribbon Walking Thru a Steel Plate Wonderful Vanish Zombi Girl