* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment Ltd NZ
* www.magicnewzealand.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Issue Number: #1126
Date: Sunday 7th September 2014
Editor: Alan Watson
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com
================================
Hi here is the latest news
================================

1. Editor's Message
2. MAGIC Live, August 9-12, 2015
3. David Blaine In Kuala Lumpur Malaysia!
4. Texas Association of Magicians & Kevin James
5. Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee Show Tour
6. Remarkable Magic #360 - Nick Lewin
7. Building Opportunities - #351 - By Kyle Peron
8. Broken Wand - Lubor Fiedler
9. Houdini-Industrial Complex
10. Updates So Far This Week on VanishLive.com
11. Jeff McBride's Virtual Magic & Mystery School
12. The Innovention and The Liverpool Festival of Magic
13. The Illusionists 2.0 - Auckland New Zealand
14. e-zine Archives
15. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice

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1. Editor's Message
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Highlight for Michele and I this week is seeing The Illusionists 2.0 twice! Perfect for all ages, the show had a great balance of comedy, illusion, drama, suspense, technology and pure artistry. Live 3D projection of close-up magic and specially recorded music gave it another exciting dimension. A show of this standard has a truly major impact on the local scene in many ways … our young up and coming magicians are inspired, and professionals like myself reap the benefits from the interest that's generated in The Illusionists 2.0.

Performers are:
Raymond Crowe (Australia) The Unusualist
James More (UK) The Deceptionist
Luis de Matos (Portugal) The Master Magician
Aaron Crowe (Belgium) The Warrior
Adam Trent (USA) The Futurist
Yu Ho-Jin (South Korea) The Manipulator
Jeff Hobson (USA) The Trickster

Also a huge thanks to Luis and his amazingly talented team from Portugal who have been central in helping create this show and work tirelessly behind the scenes.

A perfect balance of international performers to present an awesome show. The show closes here in Auckland, New Zealand on 13th September and next stop Dubai.

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For all those who would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in a HTML format go to: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2014-Jan-to-Dec-2014/1126-Sep07-2014.html

Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com

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2. MAGIC Live, August 9-12, 2015
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Message by Stan Allen, Editor of MAGIC Magazine

The next MAGIC Live, August 9-12, 2015 in Las Vegas, is already 70% sold out. That translates to over 1,000 of our 1,500 spots are already reserved.

Registration is $385, with the amazing hotel rate of just $39 per night. An $85 deposit reserves your place.

This is the convention that everyone agrees is "like no other convention in the world."
Visit www.MAGICmagazine.com/Live and join the party!

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3. David Blaine In Kuala Lumpur Malaysia!
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Article forwarded by Barry Khoo

Magic man Blaine to hit KL streets...
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/09/04/Magic-man-Blaine-to-hit-KL-streets/

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4. Texas Association Of Magicians & Kevin James
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Message by Scott Wells, M.I.M.C. with Gold Star

This week you get a lot for your money. Well, since it costs you nothing in terms of monetary value, you still get a lot for nothing. I attended the Texas Association of Magicians (T.A.O.M.) convention this past weekend and uploaded my usual daily updates from the convention. This was an outstanding convention with some really good talent, great lectures and wonderful friends.

On these podcasts you will hear the Guest of Honor, Arthur Emerson (on the history of Emerson and West) as well as Master Payne (on PowerPiont presentations), Dana Daniels (on "finding the Funny"), Trixie Bond (on next year's T.A.O.M.), Scott Hollingsworth (on the Magic Island), Steve Bedwell (on the national speaking circuit) , Max Howard (on character development), Arthur Moses (on the recent Houdini auction) and many, many more.

Although some of the conversations are about the convention, I know you will find their perspectives on magic-related topics most fascinating and refreshing as you learn a little more about each person.

Here are the links to each day's podcasts:
Day One: http://themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/day-one-taom-2014
Day Two: http://themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/day-2-taom-2014
Day Three: http://themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/2014/8/28/185-day-3-taom-2014-ft-worth-texas
Day Four: http://themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/day-4-taom-2014

And while I was at the T.A.O.M. convention, I sat down for an extended chat with Kevin James who talked about creativity, Gaeton Bloom, the Crazy Horse in Paris, "America's Got Talent" TV show, The Illusionists world tour and so much more.

All these subjects were brought up during Kevin's lecture at the convention, but since he was there to show and explain tricks and due to the restriction of time, he was unable to go into much detail…until he sat down with me for this podcast.

You can hear this fascinating chat on The Magic Word at: http://themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/kevin-james-the-inventor Of course all these are available on iTunes as well as hearing them online or downloading the MP3 files through the website.

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5. Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee Show Tour
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Message by Paul Daniels, UK

Sept 18th - The Forum, Billingham
Sept 19th - The Town Hall, Kidderminster
Sept 21st - The Harlington Centre, Fleet
Sept 24th- The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon
Sept 25th - King George's Hall, Windsor Suite Blackburn
Sept 26th - Howden Park Centre, Livingston

Oct 2nd - The Civic Theatre, Rotherham
Oct 3rd - The Broadway Theatre, Barking
Oct 4th - Chipping Norton Theatre
Oct 5th - The Playhouse, Weston-Super-Mare
Oct 8th- The Savoy Theatre, Monmouth
Oct 9th - The Playhouse, Epsom
Oct 10th - Blackfriars Arts Centre, Boston
Oct 15th - Millfield Arts Centre, Edmonton
Oct 16th - Hazlitt Theatre, Maidstone
Oct 17th - The West Cliff Theatre, Clacton
Oct 18th - Chequer Mead Arts Centre, East Grinstead
Oct 24th - The Lyceum Theatre, Crewe
Oct 25th - The Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford
Oct 26th - Lighthouse Theatre, Kettering
Oct 29th - The Playhouse Theatre, Whitley Bay
Oct 31st - The Regal Theatre, Tenbury Wells

Nov 2nd - Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage
Nov 6th - Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl
Nov 7th - Palace Theatre, Newark
Nov 8th - Camberley Theatre
Nov 9th - The Regal Cinema/Theatre Redruth
Nov 12th - The Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon
Nov 13th - The Swan Theatre, High Wycombe
Nov 14th - St George's Theatre, Gt Yarmouth
Nov 15th - The Mill, Banbury
Nov 21st - The Princess Theatre, Hunstanton

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6. Remarkable Magic #360 - Nick Lewin
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Message by Nick Lewin (US)

Linking those finger rings!

I am very excited by something that happened last week. I have been a long-term fan of the classic '80s TV series "The Equalizer" which starred the great British actor Edward Woodward. I have been looking forward to catching the new cinematic re-boot of the iconic action hero as played by Denzel Washington, which hits movie theatres later this month.

"The Equalizer" series was created by Michael Sloan, who happens to be an old friend of mine, who just wrote a novel about his iconic action hero to tie in with the release of the movie. I downloaded the newly published book from iTunes and received a very pleasant surprise when I discovered that I was name checked in the novel. An equally exciting shock was that Michael even took the time to highlight one of my signature tricks in the pages of his book. Here is the specific quote.

"She looked at the Washington Square Arch, silhouetted against the night sky. Somehow she always found it comforting. Her gateway to a new life. There were two statues of George Washington in alcoves, one as a soldier, and the other as America's first president. She thought of a British comedy magician she'd once seen with her mother in a nightclub in Moscow. She remembered his name was Nick Lewin and he'd been very funny. He'd said of George Washington: "A British soldier, went AWOL, did very well for himself." Her mother had had to explain to her that AWOL meant "Absent Without Leave," and then had patiently explained what "Absent Without Leave" meant, as if she was still a child of eight. But that was all right. It was her mother's gentle way. Natalya remembered the magician had taken a ring of hers, the one her mother had given her with the crest of a dragon on it, and he had linked her ring with one of his own. Amazing!"

Excerpt From: Sloan, Michael. "The Equalizer." Thomas Dunne Books.

I have had the chance to be featured in two episodes that Mr. Sloan wrote based on my real life persona. I got to star in episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" and each one was a special highlight in my career. I have much to thank Michael for over the years and was incredibly thrilled to turn up in the pages of his novel. In many ways it actually seemed more of a thrill being featured in the book than any of my flesh and blood appearances.

In contemplating my fleeting appearance in the Equalizer story I also realized how fortunate I have been in having a signature trick that has brought me the attention and good fortune that Mr. Himber's Linking Finger Rings have done over the years. There is something quite amazing about the impact of this particular trick on lay audiences and they seem to relate to the effect on a very profound level.

This particular routine was also entirely responsible for my being featured in the star studded Hollywood Foreign Press Association tribute to Orson Welles in 1981. The Linking Finger Rings were also the core of my first major television appearance in America on the "Merv Griffin Show," from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. I must have performed the effect thousands of times over the years and it has been the "secret weapon" in my act since the great Marvyn Roy convinced me to master it about 36 years ago. Thank you Marvyn!

It is a wonderful thing to discover an effect that can truly be made one's own. If a performer can master one or two effects that are this powerful in his lifetime then he is a very lucky man. I can think of maybe three items in my repertoire that are key to my commercial success over the years, however the Linking Finger Rings seems to be the one that has caught the attention of audiences the most. It is one of those tricks that you almost believe you are performing a miracle when you do it right. There are not enough tricks that can give you that kind of thrill when you present them.

As I slow down my performing career and begin to step up my life as a writer and lecturer, it is very exciting to be able to pass on my routine to younger performers and help them catch the excitement of this very special effect. You gain a whole new perspective on a routine when you get to teach it to others. You are forced to think about and verbalize many things that were previously unconscious just drifting around in the back of your mind.

It was a blast to realize that someone wanted to share my routine as part of a totally unconnected artistic endeavor. It made me proud and grateful all at the same time and I wish everyone that very warm and meaningful moment in his or her magical journey. Start searching for that special piece of magic and don't stop working on it till you master it.

You can check out my online store at www.lewinenterprises.net
You can reach me personally at nicklewin1@mac.com

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7. Building Opportunities - #351 - By Kyle Peron
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Message by Kyle Peron (US)
magic4u02@aol.com
http://www.facebook.com/perondesign
http://www.kpmagicproducts.com

The saying goes. "It's called show business for a reason." You have to have and know both to be a success. This is very true and you have to be able to balance it well. It is also about building relationships and seeking opportunities when they present themselves. It is also about taking and making opportunities.

Many folks do not realize just how much they can personally benefit their business by being aware of opportunities they often will overlook.

Too many, what they do is a job of sorts. I get hired by the client, I show up and do a great show, I get paid and I leave. To me, it is much more than this and you are missing out on HUGE opportunities.

Being a success in this field is also about relationship building and networking. Getting the chance to know people, friend people and have them get to know you more than just the magic they see on stage.

When a person gets to know you more, you start to change the perception they have. This increases your value to them. The greatest asset you can have is your client and your audience. They are essentially walking billboards. They can and should be able to advertise you and what you do. They will if you give them a reason to.

With this in mind, I always make it a policy to do several things while at every gig I do. This may sound like common sense, but you would be shocked at how many do not do this or not enough.

When I get to the event, the first thing I will always do is seek out the client. I shake their hand and greet with a big smile. I will always complement them in some way. If they have a child that is celebrating a birthday etc. I will ask to meet them and I will introduce myself to them with their parent. I will ask the child if they are ready to have fun and make small talk to get them empowered and excited.

The idea behind this is to break down that concept that you are just a hired hand. That you are just another magician. I want them to know immediately who I am and that I am very different than the rest. I want them to start to build a connection with me and me with them.

If I am setting up or if I am done and they are present, I will always make small talk with them. Just listening and tuning in to what they are saying and going along with that. Many times I will always find a common ground. The ability to talk about something other than the event or the magic. Just 2 people talking about life. This gets them to see your human side and they appreciate it. To smile or laugh with another adult of influence goes a long way.

When at an event I never talk down to anyone about anything. My reasoning is that you never know who knows who. It is always best to be a professional by acting like a professional. Smile always, be kind and show respect to everyone. Get to know folks and show a genuine interest in them.

Before my shows I do a ballyhoo (larger shows) or a warm up (smaller shows). This is aimed at having fun but really getting to know my audiences in a fun way. Many times magic does not happen during this at all. I am having fun with them. I am talking to them, asking questions, joking around and warming them up.

When I do this it breaks down the wall instantly. I get them warmed up to me before the show even starts. This way when the show does start, they 1) want to help and 2) they want to react. These 2 things I do not have to wait for because they are already generating it for me.

Always leave time after your show to meet your audience and share with them a part of you. These folks just saw what you can do and they can and will be walking advertisers for you if you give a bit of your time. Show appreciation. Thank them for watching. Make small talk and be genuine.

When you show appreciation to people throughout your gig, you will be amazed at just how much a positive difference it will make.

I am happy to announce that my newest book, "FESTIVAL MAGIC", is finished and is NOW available at http://www.kpmagicproducts.com ; This 112pg book is filled with the most up to date information on how anyone can work and succeed in the festival and fair markets.

As always, I encourage you the readers to let me know your thoughts. So if you have any thoughts on my articles or suggestions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me directly at magic4u02@aol.com. I would love to hear from you.

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8. Broken Wand - Lubor Fiedler
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Message by Chris Wasshuber and forwarded on by Michael Woolf

Very sad news that Lubor Fiedler has died. I am quite shocked because the last time I spoke with him on Skype there was no indication that anything was wrong. Last year I visited him in Brno and he was both mentally and physically better than most 20 years younger. I wrote an article about that visit for this newsletter. I am repeating it here:

A Day With Lubor Fiedler

Lubor Fiedler lives in Brno, Czech Republic, which is less than 2 hours by car from Vienna. This summer during our vacation in Vienna I planned to visit Lubor Fiedler. Lubor was very kind to accept my self-invitation. I was excited. I briefly met Lubor Fiedler once in 1993, just before leaving on my Japan adventure. This time I had a full day with him. I was excited.

I rented a car, left around 8am to be at Lubor's place at 10am.

The drive from Vienna starts out on a highway, but soon ends in a smaller one lane country road with lots of traffic. The street winds and turns through smaller towns until we come to the former border city of Drasenhofen. The installations of the iron curtain are still there, but nobody was there with an AK-47 to scream 'stoy' into my face as once happened trying to cross border by bicycle. Those memories came back when I crossed the border with my rental car. But thoughts quickly turned back to Lubor. After some more driving I came closer to Brno.

I opened my iPad to use Google maps to see where I am, and where I should be going. My iPad is my GPS for such situations. However, to my dismay Google maps did not work even though I paid for an international data plan. I guess the fine print says somewhere 'doesn't work in Czech Republic'. Anyway, I knew roughly how to get there and had a sheet printed out from Google that gave me enough information to at least get close to where Lubor lived. I was determined. A little technical glitch won't stop me. Luckily I was alone. Nobody was breathing down my neck with "Are we there yet?" "What's taking so long?"

Once I felt I was close enough I looked for a parking spot, took my bags, and started walking. Lubor had the foresight to send me a picture of the apartment complex he was living in. So I had an address and a visual to find his place. I asked one bored person on a park bench and then with a Zig Zag search path I located Lubor's apartment complex. I rang. Lubor answered and buzzed me in. I dashed up four floors in the dark and there was Lubor waiting at the door. He gave me a bear hug like I was his long lost son and then he let me into his apartment.

For me Lubor Fiedler is the greatest magic creator/inventor of all time. He is the one person that has brought more new methods into magic than any other person I can think of - dead or alive. My personal favorite are the Gozinta boxes, but also his Lubor lens is incredible, or think about his dental dam effect, flying color cards, various tricked dice, illusion principles, ... and those only scratch the surface. Very simply put he is a genius in the truest sense of the word. He is also an amazing person.

80 years old he needs no glasses to read, navigates a computer better than people half his age, is organized, remembers everything and has a great sense of humor. The first effect he did for me was his self-combusting card. I freely picked a card from his deck, tore it in half and suddenly the card goes up in flames. A chemical trick. The edges of the card are prepared with Lubor's Combusto, a liquid that has set entire theaters on fire. You can do wonderful fire effects with it, but handle it the wrong way and you will start burning at places you never thought possible.

Lubor did another fire effect for me. Actually he let me try it out myself. I took two of his specially prepared matches and lightly rubbed both heads together. Wooosh a bright flash and a smoke cloud filled the room. Lubor smiles sheepishly. You can't do these effects in a typical US home, because your smoke detectors will trigger. This was fun that I did not have since my chemistry lab times where I mixed things that went boom!

None of these chemical tricks can be turned into marketed effects these days, because they can't be mailed, are dangerous to produce, ingredients are difficult to get, and have their risks in performance, too. But they are so much fun. As an old chemist I wanted to see more. Lubor showed me more. Thinking of it, these tricks would make great experiments for a
Chemistry teacher who wants to show cool stuff in school.

If I would be a teacher I would do them. Most science teachers do lame experiments like watching how ice melts. No kidding! That is not how you get kids interested in science. But when it goes kaboom, fire, smoke and mayhem then the kids want to know more. Lubor would make a great science teacher.

Lubor showed me many other effects, things he is working on, optical illusions, his next Tenyo effects, etc. Too many to list them all, and I shouldn't be talking about them anyway, because these are Lubor's inventions. Some will make their way into a marketed magic trick.

I have no idea how he did them. With some he told me I am close. We started to brainstorm, which was really cool. Here you have Lubor, the greatest genius of magic invention asking for my opinion, my advice. I also realized that Lubor is not just technically skilled, but he has always the entire performance and appearance of a magic effect in mind. For example, for all the videos he showed me, he very carefully chose the right music and music transitions, camera angles, lighting, etc. This was a completely new side of Lubor I was not aware of. He even thought about what music to play during my visit. Think about this. He actually thought about what musical taste I might have.

As you can imagine time flew by terribly fast. He took me out to a nearby restaurant where we continued to talk about magic. We even briefly skyped with Mark Setteducati. Lubor showed me photos from his recent appearance at Magic Live and some of the projects he is working on. Back at his apartment he demonstrated his X-flyer for me, a toy that he and Mark Setteducati developed together. We spoke about the problems the internet poses for magic, theft of intellectual property, crediting, ownership of tricks and inventions ... all things Lubor is thinking about.

As the sun started to set I had to bid my goodbye. Since I did not exactly know how to exit Brno and drive back to Vienna, nor was I sure if I would find my car a few blocks away, or if perhaps it was towed due to me parking somewhere inappropriate, I wanted to leave while it was still light enough.

I was very happy that my car was not towed. I also found my way out of Brno and back on the road to Vienna. I was later than I told my wife who was already trying to reach me. Once I was close enough to the Austrian border my phone started to work again. With my wife informed I could reflect on the wonderful day with Lubor while driving home.

Overall it was perhaps the most interesting magic day in my live. I am very happy that I could spend a full day with a magic legend. I am honored that Lubor demonstrated so many effects for me. My biggest wish is that Lubor is blessed with a long and productive life, so that he can invent many more of his miracles.

The obvious question many will ask is: "Will there be Lubor Fiedler releases beyond Tenyo products, perhaps DVDS, or a book, or more lectures?" Yes, there will be some of that. But I can't tell you when or what right now. All I can say is that good things will come ...

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9. Houdini-Industrial Complex
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Article forwarded on by Mel Kientz

Inside the Houdini-Industrial Complex:
The surprising, secret influence of the great escape artist

With a new miniseries starring Adrian Brody and a huge memorabilia auction, why are we
still so fixated on Houdini?

By Rachel Shteir

Harry Houdini, circa 1899. (Credit: AP)

There are two take-aways from the largest auction of Harry Houdini memorabilia in a decade-it netted over $500,000- that happened recently at Potter and Potter auction house in Chicago. The first is that in our decidedly unmagical age, Americans are more fascinated than ever by the great twentieth-century escape artist. There is plenty of evidence for my theory besides the auction, including, beginning this past Monday, the History Channel miniseries starring Adrien Brody as Houdini. (Other high-profile projects near launch date include a Broadway musical supposedly starring Hugh Jackman as Houdini and a book about the escape artist's relationship with the psychic Margery by the screenwriter David Jaher.)

The allure of Houdini should not be surprising. Since his death in 1926, the escape artist has never been out of fashion. As Adrien Brody put it in a TV interview, Houdini resonated with immigrants trying to achieve the American Dream. His achievements touch nearly every important domain of the twentieth century, including aviation and cinema.

But there is one irritating thing about Houdiniana today that also dates back to his life: the code of secrecy mystifying his tricks. Today this code is alive and well, as was proven by Brody, who apologized last week for the History Channel's decision to reveal a few how-he-did-it type things on their series.

Which brings me to my second Houdini take-away: it's time to end the reflex of keeping these tricks secret-perpetrated most forcefully among the small group of magicians and magic collectors that in my darker moments I call the Houdini Industrial Complex.

"There's probably about 1,000 people who collect Houdini world-wide," said Jim Matthews, who sold Houdini's rare 67 page manuscript on witchcraft for $15,000, told me. Those 1,000 have, you could say, magical influence.

Part of me admires the HIC's commitment to keeping magic's secrets in an era better known for sock puppets, catfishing, and trolling. But part of me believes that it misses the point entirely. In the twenty-first century, it's not how Houdini did it that matters. It's who he was.

In the most recent clashes over spilled secrets, the magicians come off as more shrill than sensible. I'm thinking of the angry reviews of Alex Stone's sloppy 2011 tell-all magic memoir, "Fooling Houdini," or Ricky Jay's occasional surliness when my friend Allen Edelstein's compelling 2013 biopic gets closer than he would like.

The day after the auction, as I paged through the lavish color catalog given to me by Gabe Fajuri, the knowledgeable president of Potter and Potter, I marveled that nearly ninety years after Houdini's death, 286 lots including rare scrapbooks, unseen manuscripts, a transcript of the 1902 German trial, the coat worn by Houdini's wife, Bess, crumpled, yellowing papers, garish show biz posters, explanations of tricks (with diagrams) and a sweat-stained "punishment suit"- a knee-length long straitjacket- sold, often for thousands of dollars.

Super-collector Arthur Moses, who owns over 5,000 Houdini items, flew in from Fort Worth, Texas, to bid. He was forthcoming about his get, which included a rare candid photo of the Houdinis in Monte Carlo. "[Houdini] was a complicated man with an intense drive," he explained via email.

Another Texan to make the trip to Chicago was Jim Baldauf, who was selling a coat worn by Houdini's wife, Bess, in 1905. He had received it at age ten from an octogenarian magician and acrobat. "I do not believe it should be in a private collection," he said, although that is likely where it ended up.

Fajuri told me that many bids were placed via Internet, which only a few years ago, I imagined would break the magicians' code of silence. That has not happened.

Although the Internet has created a new generation of amateur Houdini buffs, like John Cox, who runs the well-informed blog, Wild About Harry, it has not made transparency the norm. Cox disapproves of revealing the secrets of Houdini tricks, or any tricks really. "I don't think it should be done," he said.

Neither did Potter and Potter's Gabe Fajuri. But Fajuri also quoted the magic writer Jim Steinmeyer, "Magicians guard an empty safe."

Fajuri means that keeping secrets isn't what magic is about. And he's right.

Besides outliers like David Blaine, magicians are no longer part of the mainstream cultural conversation. And unlike burlesque, a twentieth century pop culture fad that has reinvented itself by using the language of gender studies, magic, with its largely male population, doesn't really appeal to women.

Before last Saturday's auction, the items creating the most buzz seemed to have appeared out of thin air. One was a scrapbook from 1925 with Houdini's handwritten notes on the pages. Another was the so-called double fold death defying box, a wooden crate housing the milk can into which Houdini climbed and then somehow leapt out of.

What unites these items is their far-flung backstories. They were never in super-collections, or sold on Ebay stores or in other auctions.

The scrapbook was discovered at a swap-meet in California by Michael Bricker, a property manager and antique dealer who declined to say where he found it or the name of his eBay store. The double fold death defying box was owned by Gary Collins, outside of the inner circle because as a so-called gospel magician, he interpolated Bible stories into his shows.

Collins bought the box in the 1970s from a magic dealer and used it until he retired in 2000. "I was going through my Houdini phase," he said.

The scrapbook sold for $36,000. The box sold for $55,000, before the auction house premium

Collins and Bricker agreed to talk about their items. Others declined to do so. But one or two people talked about the magic community's accessibility overall.

Still, any gesture towards access quickly runs into its opposite. The library at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, archivist Lisa Cousins explains, uses its own "eccentric cataloging system-not Dewey Decimal or Library of Congress"-and is closed to non-magicians. (She rushed to say that it allowed researchers.)

David Copperfield's Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts, located somewhere in Las Vegas, claims to be open to researchers as well. But the website makes sending an inquiry difficult. As difficult, in my experience, as finding Copperfield himself. (He did not respond to a query about the Houdini auction.)

The day after the auction, I wandered around Potter and Potter office looking at the Houdini artifacts waiting to be packed up and sent to the people who had paid thousands of dollars for them. The punishment suit hung on the wall, armpit sweat stains darkened the canvas. The coat that Houdini's wife Bess wore, as tiny as that of a child, hung on a mannequin. It reminded me of Jim Baldauf saying, "She looked like a little girl."

The death defying double fold box stood in the middle of the room. It looked like a packing crate.

"That's the point," Gabe Fajuri said as he heaved off the top so I could gaze inside.

I put my head in and squinted. There was a ring where the milk can stood. The room blurred. That was magic.

I hope other people get to see it.

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10. Updates So Far This Week on VanishLive.com
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Message by - Mick Peck
Online Content Editor
www.VanishLive.com

Latest updates on VanishLive.com include:

- Transgender magician stars in 1,000 Londoners film
- Think Big - Play Big - Win Big! : Lee Alex
- Lubor's Gift by Lubor Fiedler
- Infamous Deluxe Set by Daniel Meadows & James Anthony
- Defiance by Mariano Goni
- Dynamo Levitates 1016 Feet Up
- Blaine Performs For Dangerous Inmates

DAILY magic news, articles from around the world and reviews from working professional magicians.

Video of the Week: Christian Cagigal live at The Magic Castle March 2014.

Visit us today at:
http://www.VanishLive.com

- Mick Peck
Online Content Editor
www.VanishLive.com

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11. Jeff McBride's Virtual Magic & Mystery School
--------------------------------------------
Message by Jeff McBride (US)

New things are happening with our online Magic School. I really, sincerely, do hope you will consider becoming a member of our All-New online. Please look at the video at our "Virtual Magic & Mystery School.

Not only will you receive special benefits at each level of membership, but you are also helping the School fulfill its mission of improving the art of magic one magician at a time! Learn more right here: http://www.magicalwisdom.com

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12. The Innovention And The Liverpool Festival Of Magic
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Message by Paul Stone

14th - 18th July 2015

The Innovention and Liverpool Festival of Magic will be the magic event of 2015. There are a several big magic conventions taking place in 2015 with thousands of magicians attending, dozens of competitors and lectures galore, but none of them will be like the Innovention. The
Innovention is different from any other magic convention. We deliberately limit the number of attendees so that everyone is treated like a VIP, and everyone has a great seat for every show, lecture and workshop.

The Innovention is an intimate event where you will see the best shows, the best performers, the best lecturers and the most innovative sessions. There are a variety of excellent hotels all within a 5 minute walk of the superb Playhouse Theatre, where all the events take place.
Next week we will be announcing the first few performers names, so watch this space. Liverpool is a fantastic city to visit with its own special magic, and we are planning some exciting surprises!

So don't wait, register now and take advantage of our very special early bird offer. For full details and to register go to info@innoventionliverpool.com

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13. The Illusionists 2.0 - Auckland New Zealand
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The future of magic IS HERE!
2 to 13 September
Live at The Civic, Auckland

The next generation of magic is in town! The Illusionists 2.0 -- a stunning sequel to the box-office smashing 2013 season of The Illusionists - is announced for Auckland's The Civic theatre this month.

Featuring seven masters of mental and optical illusion, The Illusionists 2.0 is a brand new production that will propel New Zealand audiences into the future of magic and illusion, using cutting-edge visual effects.

A fast-paced, high-energy powerhouse performance, The Illusionists 2.0 gives audiences the chance to witness the magical genius of the world's greatest stars and their genre, each with a unique skill that has won them countless fans globally.

Whether it's the deadly arts of The Warrior, or the high-risk tricks and stunts of The Deceptionist, The Illusionists 2.0 will leave audiences rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Edgy, exciting and most of all fun, it's the perfect live entertainment show.

'Forget abracadabra and rabbits jumping out of hats because The Illusionists 2.0 will make you question whether Harry Potter really is the chosen one.'
Adelaide Advertiser

Venue - The Civic
Season - From Tuesday 2 September to Saturday 13 September
Times: - Tues & Sun, 6.30pm, Wed to Sat 7.30pm,
Matinees - Sat, 2.30pm, Sun, 1pm
Bookings - 0800 111 999 or ticketmaster.co.nz
Tickets: - From $69.90*
Family and Under 16 ticket prices available

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14. E-zine Archives
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Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to:
www.magicnewzealand.com click on the red button center right "Archives"

When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order in folders for each year and are Coded, e.g. 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999)

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15. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice
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Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy.

You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at: www.magicnewzealand.com

Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday.

The opinions and statements expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine.

Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions or statements contained therein.

Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted.

Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted.

All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer.

© Copyright 2014 Alan Watson
www.magicnewzealand.com
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www.watson.co.nz
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© Copyright 2014 Alan Watson
www.magicnewzealand.com
www.facebook.com/magicnewzealandnewsflash
http://twitter.com/#!/magicnewzealand

www.watson.co.nz
www.corporatemagic.co.nz
www.magician.co.nz
www.magicianz.com
www.balloon-twister.co.nz


Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice

Our subscriber list is not made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at www.magicnewzealand.com Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein.
Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer.

Copyright © 2014 Alan Watson.


Magic New Zealand® E-zine