The Encyclopedia of Stage Illusions by Burling Hull

Wow what a beautiful and impressive book. This is the one that they all want, and you’ll almost never find one in this amazing condition. Filled with 240 illusions and 374 pages. I’ve filled out the full contents below (which I have not seen anywhere else) so you can appreciate all the amazing illusions in this impressive tomb.

Not only did I appreciate the depth of detail described for each illusion but I also enjoyed seeing so many photos of the illusions being performed live on the stage by famous illusionists through the years.

Effect: Over a decade ago, Burling Hull startled the Magic World with the appearance of his “Encyclopedia of Stage Illusions”. The entire edition shortly sold out. Ormond McGill was contacted to rewrite the entire book plus enlarge it and bring it up-to-the-minute to produce the greatest encyclopedia assembly of stage illusions ever offered the magic profession.

The book has literally doubled in size and presents 240,of the greatest stage illusions of all times. Jammed-packed within these pages are the masterful illusions of Thurston, Dante, Leon, Goldston, Blackstone, and the great illusionists of the past on to stellar stars in modern illusions as Siegfried and Roy, Henning, Blackstone, Jr., etc. And the book is wonderfully embellished with full page pictures of these illusionists in stage performance of their greatest illusions.

The Illusions in this Encyclopedia are fully described with effect, presentation, and construction details inclusive of working plans and instructions. These illusions if purchased separately would run into thousands of dollars. NOW ALL INCLUSIVE IN THIS GIANT BOOK THIS “ENCYCLOPEDIA OF STAGE ILLUSIONS”.

THIS IS A GIANT BOOK OF 375 PAGES PRINTED ON 70 POUND PAPER IN DELUXE EDITION. HARD BOUND WITH GOLD IMPRINTING, AND TWO COLOR DUST JACKET. THIS IS ONE OF THE TRULY GREAT MAGIC BOOKS TO BE PRINTED IN THIS CENTURY. AS PRINTING IS LIMITED TO 500 COPIES IT WILL SOON JOIN THE PREMIUM RANKS OF MAGIC’S TREASURED COLLECTABLES.

From the creative standpoint, the scores of illusions, as compiled in this book, are priceless. Without questions this Encyclopedia of Stage Illusions constitutes one of the most comprehensive collections of illusions that has ever been published.

The original production of this volume, as prepared by Burling (Volta) Hull, caused a sensation among magicians throughout the world. Every copy was shortly purchased, and it has long been out of print.

Burling Hull is one of the great illusionists of our times. He is internationally famous as a performer, an author of fifty-one textbooks on magic, and a creator of magic and illusions.

Lloyd E. Jones, as the publisher of this encyclopedia of illusions, has asked me to expand and edit this new edition. In this regard, I wish to thank Arnold Furst, Wally Lee. Byron Walker, and other magician friends for their assistance in the production of this comprehensive volume with its tremendous wealth of material.

Contents:

Foreword By the Editor
Acknowledgments
Introduction

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WORLD FAMOUS
STAGE ILLUSIONS PRESENTED IN
ALPHABETICAL ORDER.

A.
Amazia Illusion, The
Amazing Aerial Lady Illusion
Arabian Tent Mystery, The
Art Illusia
Artist’s Dream, The
Arturo’s Cutting A Girl
Asrah Levitation, The

B.
Bangkok Bungalow, The
Beheaded Chinaman Illusion, The
Birth of Flora Illusion, The
(a) The Bodiless Lady
(b) Birth of Chloris Plans
Black and White Illusion, The
Black Art Show, The
(a) Ormond McGill’s Giant TV Act
(b) Omar Pasha’s Black Art Act
Boudoir of a Dancing Girl
Boxes of Buddha
Bridal Chamber Illusion, The
Bungalow Illusion, The
Burning of She Illusion, The
(a) The Periscopic Table
Buzz Saw Illusion, The
(a) Grant’s Buzz Saw Variation

C.
Caliph’s Cutter, The
(a) Abbott’s Caliph’s Cutter
Canes Through a Girl
(a) Light Bulbs Through Girl
Chefalo’s Illusion Cabinet
Chinese Chopper Illusion, The
Chinese Garden Illusion, The
Chocolate Soldier Illusion, The
Costume Trunk, The
Crushing a Woman
Crystal Box Illusion. The

D.
Davenport’s Sword Box
Death Cabinet Illusion, The
DeVega’s Great Divide Illusion
Devil Illusion, The
Devil’s Torture Chamber
Die Box Illusion, The
Disappearing Head Box, The
(a) Grant’s Flat Model
(b) Lawston’s Periscopic Method
Disembodied Princess, The
Dizzy Limit Illusion, The
Dog House Illusion, The
Doll House Illusion, The
(a) Don Rose Doll House
Dream of Wealth Illusion, The
Dream Levitation, The
Dynamo Escape Illusion, The

E.
East Indian Sack Mystery
Electra Act, The
Electrocution Illusion, The
Etheria, The Aeroplane Lady
Executioner’s Dream, The . .. 98

F.
Farmer and the Witch, The
Faust Cross Illusion, The
(a) Simplified Cross Escape
Fire and Water Illusion, The
Fireplace Illusion, The
Flag and Pedestal Illusion, The
Flash Appearance, The
Floating Body, The
(a) Franali Suspension
Flower Maiden Illusion

G.
Ghost Show Illusion, bhe
Giant Production Cabinet
Girl in Dominoes Illusion, The
Girl in the Box Illusion, The
Girl in the Drum Illusion, The
Girl in the Goldfish Bowl, The
(a) Goldston’s Method
(b) Abbott’s Method
Girl in the Shower Illusion
Girl Without a Middle, The
Glass Lined Trunk, The
Goddess of Wine Illusion, The
Golem Illusion, The
Growing Box Illusion, The

H.
Hammock Illusion, The
Hanson’s Kewpie Doll Illusion
Harbin’s Zig-Zag Girl
Haunted House Illusion, The
Hindu Basket Trick, The
Hindu Rope Mystery, The
(a) Thurston’s Version
(b) Blackstone’s Version
Houdini Water Torture Cell Escape
Hugard’s Bullet Catching Illusion
Hull’s Cabinet Illusions

I
I’ll Be D– Illusion, The
(a) Improved Release
Improved “See Through” Steps
Improved Super “Aga”
In, Out, and Gone!

J.
Jack-O-Lantem Girl
Jam Box (Palanquin) Illusion
Japanese Water Fountain, The

K.
King Tut Mystery, The
King Tut’s Chariot Illusion

L.
Lattice Screen Mystery, The
LeRoy’s Revolving Cabinet
LeRoy’s Transportation Boxes
Lighted Box Mystery, The
Lion’s Bride Illusion,The
(a) Thurston’s Version

M.
Mabel Illusion, The
Magician, Ghost and Girl
Mandarin’s Dream Illusion
Marvel Opening Cabinet
Menetekel Mystery Act
Mermaid Illusion, The
Merry Widow Illusion, The
Mignum Illusion, The
Million Dollar Mystery, The
Mirror Illusion, The
Morritt Cage Illusion, The
Mummy Illusion, The
Murder in the Telephone Booth
Mystery of L’Hassa, The

N.
New Burning Alive Illusion
New Flyto Illusion
New Nest of Boxes Illusion
New Sword Cabinet Illusion
Nite Club Girl Vanish, The
No Feet Illusion, The
(a) Black Art Version

O.
Optical Illusions
(a) TheLady Bird Illusion
(b) TheUnreal Repast
(c) The Amazing Crystal Ball
(d) The Mysterious Chinaman
(e) TheLittle People
Oriental Cabinets, The
Oriental Mystery House, The
Oriental Temple of Buddha
Oven Illusion, The
Oyster Shell Illusion, The

P.
Patents On Illusions
(a) T.W. Tobin. 1874
(b) J.F. Blake. 1883
(c) H. Goldin. 1907
Phantastic Doorway. The
Princess of Bakhten. The
Princess of Thebes. The

R.
Reincarnation
Richiardi’s Vanishing Girl
(a) Trunk for Reappearance
Right-Side-Up Girl Illusion
Rip Van Winkle Illusion, The
Rod Through Body Illusion

S.
Sacrificial Cremation, The
Sawing Through A Woman
(a) Two Girl Method
(b) One Girl Method
(c) False Feet Method
(d) Thayer’s Improved Method
(e) New Thin Model Method
(f) Joe Ovette Method
(g) Double Sawing Vertical
(h) Abbott’s Visible Sawing
(i) Harbin’s Improved Method
(j) Hull’s Sawing Presentation
Sedan Chair Illusion, The
Shadow Illusion Act, The
Shooting Through A Woman
(a) Portable Version
(b) Needle Through Body
(c) Sword Through Body
Shot From A Cannon Illusion
(a) The Nest of Trunks
Spider Girl Illusion, The
Spike Illusion, The
Spike Mystery, The
Stretching a Woman
Substitution Trunk, The
Sword Box, The
(a) Grant’s Barrel & Broom

T.
Temple of Benares, The
Three Card Monte Illusion, The
Three Kings and a Queen
Thurston’s “All Out Of a Hat”
Thurston’s “Buried Alive”
Thurston’s “Comedy Screen”
Thurston’s “Crystal Casket”
Thurston’s “Blue Boxes”
Thurston’s Opening Illusion
Thurston’s “Princess of Kamac”
Thurston’s Stage Spectaculars
(a) Boy, Girl and Donkey
(b) The Film of Life
(c) The Moth and the Flame
(d) The Topsy-Turvy Assistant
(e) The Vanishing Horse
(f) The Phantom Piano
(g) The Witch’s Caldron
Thurston’s Spirit Cabinet
(a) Thurston’s Floating Ball
Thurston’s Triple Escape
Thurston’s Vanishing Girls
Tub and Paper Bag Illusion, The

U.
Ultra Levitation, The
Up the Ladder Vanish, The

V.
Vampire Illusion, The
Vanishing Automobile, The
Vanishing Elephant, The
Vanishing Trunk and Lady, The
Vanishing Woman, The
Victory Illusion, The
Victory Girl Production
Volta’s Atomized Girl
Volta’s Bathtub Illusion
Volta’s Enlarging Hi-Hat Illusion
Volta’s Glass Case Illusion
Volta’s Lightning Disappearance
Volta’s Striptease Illusion

W.
Walking Through a Steel Plate
(a) Walking Through a Wall
Walking Through a Ribbon
Waller’s Screen of Life
Who and Which Illusion, The1G
Window of the Haunted House
Woman In the Cage Illusion
Wonderful Illusions of Will Goldston
(a) Chefalo’s Hour Glass
(b) The Devil’s Stove
(c) Girl From the Flowers
(d) The Girl From the Vase Illusion
(e) The Maid Illusion
(f) Producing the Performer
(g) Sawing Through a Horse
(h) The Shadow Illusion
(i) The Spirit Chair Illusion
(j) The Statue That Comes to Life Illusion
(k) The Sword Casket
(l) Vanishing Girl On Scale
(m) Goldin’s Walking On Water

X-Y-Z
Volta’s Conclusions On Illusions
Zig-Zag Girl (see Harbin’s Zig-Zag Girl)