Pages from the magic of louis s histed

THE fllPGIC OF LOUIS S.

GOODLI FFE PUBLICATION

Louis S. Histed, M.B.E., an Associate of the Inner Magic Circle, Vice-President of the Mahatma Circle of Magicians, Honorary VicePresident of the Yorkshire Magic Club and Member of the Institute of Magicians, is certainly the greatest Backroom Boy' of British Magic.

His name and his repute have been known only to the select few for many years, but his magic has been seen by many thousands on the music-hall stages of the country—and indeed of the world. Nearly every illusionist of note in this country uses one or two exclusives " of Histed s invention —to name but a few, Jack Le Dair, Cingalee, Benson Du Lay and D Albert. From him they know they will get something new in effect, and very often new in principle—for as a principle finder he is at least the equal of Charles T. Jordan, and in a wider field.

In this book is to be found the cream of the tricks, ideas and principles which have gone, over the years, into his monster note-book.

Here is the life-time s harvest of one man's brilliant thought and patient experimentation. And as every harvest carries the seeds of the next, we are confident that the principles which the author here discloses for the first time, and the new presentations he has devised for other effects, will bear further fruit in the work of amateur and professional magical entertainers all over the world.

Continued on back Hap.

J

THE MAGIC

of LOUIS S. HISTED

THE HIPGIC OF LOUIS 8.

Edited and Presented by FABIAN

Illustrated by DENNIS and

Introduced by DR. H. PARK SHACKLETON, O.B.E.

A

GOODLIFFE PUBLICATION

THIS BOOK IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED TO

MAUD WHO CHEERFULLY ALLOWED ME TO MAKE MOST OF THESE THINGS ON THE DINING

ROOM

TABLE

First published, October, 1947

PRINTED IN ENGLAND By the Journal Printing Offices, Cannon Passage, Birmingham 2 and PUBLISHED by GOODLIFFE THE MAGICIAN

6, Colonnade Passage, Birmingham 1

INTRODUCTION Dr. H. PARK SHACKLETON, O.B.E.

is a waste of time, but a very real pleasure, to write an Introduction to a magical book by Louis S. Histed, as no sane magical enthusiast would waste time reading an introduction when, by turning over the page, he could get to the Master's ideas.

But I hope that on some quiet night, months after you have bought, read and tried out the contents of this book (and they are all practical), you will turn to this Introduction, as I should like to tell you a few things about the author.

Louis is one of the giants of magic, both physically (he's 6ft. 5in. if you don't know him) and mentally. I have known him intimately for many years, and when we go out together (I'm 5ft. 7m.) I have to trot to keep up with him. But mentally, I have to gallop. His mind is concise, clear and quick. And when he starts to think magically, I have never met anyone who can keep up with him.

Histed, one of the really great magical inventors, is so keen on magic that he will discuss it with anyone interested, be he neophyte (even one from the country) or expert, and he tosses his own contributions over the footlights with an utter disregard for their value. In fact, when he has once invented a thing he has himself no more interest in it. And so with this book. He has laid bare secrets which are far too good for you, dear reader. They should have been kept for myself and, possibly, one or two others.

As many of you will know, I have been privileged to introduce to the public many of the Histed inventions. And I don't know which has given me more pleasure, presenting his effects or watching the growth of them. The joy of seeing him arrive at my house with a parcel under his arm, and of hearing him say, in that gentle way of his, " Do you think this is any good ? " and then of seeing one of the NEW tricks which he has now decided to put into print for the benefit not only of modern readers but for posterity.

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His magical inventions are too numerous to tabulate, but I feel that one, the principle of which has been and is being used by countless conjurers, should be singled out. I refer to his DAIRY trick. I saw all the experimental models (over a period of months) before the final effect was shown to members of the Yorkshire Magical Club. This was years before the Square Circle was ever heard of, and I want to put it on record that " Lou " definitely invented this particular use of the Black Art principle. If he knew this were going into his book he would forbid the Banns, as he is much too modest and, frankly, he doesn't care.

He's a grand chap ; he's written a grand book, and you are lucky to own it (at any rate, to have read it).

CONTENTS COLOUR PLATES " I ' v e Snothing up my Leave" Humpty Dumpty . . .. ..

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Frontispiece facing page 64 PAGE

Introduction, by Dr. H. Park Shackleton .. " The Amazing Deceptions of Louis S. Histed " " This is my Story" .. .. .. .. " In the Beginning " .. .. .. ..

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3 7 8 9

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15 16 18 20 22 24 25 27 30 32 35 38 41 44 45

CHAPTER ONE : MAGIC WITH CARDS

The Spencer Fan .. .. .. ..

The Pocket Pass ..

Car Item's Continuous Single Card Production One Card : Four Moves .. .. ..

Card and Ribbon .. .. .. ..

A Card in Mind Brush. Up Your Cards . . .. .. ..

Hand to Hand Thick Cards .. .. .. .. ..

Again the Thick Card . . .. .. ..

Any Card Called For . . .. .. ..

Brass!

The Miracle Divination . . .. .. ..

Another Presentation . . .. .. ..

Before the Miracle Divination.. .. ..

CHAPTER T W O :

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MAGIC FOR " O N E C A S E "

Simplicissimus Rope Gimmick.. ..

Two Moves with the Rings . . ..

Papyrus Instantaneous Production in Chimney So Longfellow Wrote " Humpty Dumpty Simplified Golf . . .. .. .. ÂŁ1 Note Passe Passe . . .. ..

Humpty Dumpty .. .. ..

Chameleon Reels. . .. .. ..

Camouflage .. .. .. ..

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.. "! .. .. .. .. ..

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51 52 55 57 58 59 62 64 65 69 5

CONTENTS—continued CHAPTER THREE : A COUPLE OF OSCAR'S

Straight From the Shoulder Just the Reverse ., Who'll Bid Five Bob ?

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77 78 81

CHAPTER FOUR : INSPIRATIONS AXD BRAINSTORMS

Lever-loading .. .. ..

The Milk Miracle Made Certain Wot ! No Beer ?

The Crystal Cylinder . . ..

Tip-up Table Load .. ..

The Bunder Boat Brainstorms .. .. ..

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87 89 90 91 92 94 97 103 109 111

CHAPTER FIVE : ILLUSIONS

The Paint Box Effect The Easel Illusion ..

Materialisation .. ..

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CHAPTER SIX : MAGIC WITH LIQUIDS

Some Scientific Principles .•.

The Automatic Siphon .. ..

Two Masking Principles ..

The Chinese Vase .. ..

A Secret Still . . .. ..

Milk Transit .. .. ..

The Cocktail Trick .. ..

Black and White Transposition The Tippler's Dream .. ..

Water Pots Inexhaustible Containers ..

A Triple-load Jug .. ..

The Indian Rice Bowls ..

The Burmese Rice Jars ..

Niagara .. .. .. ..

The Frontispiece is a transcript by Dennis of Dean Farquhar's study of Louis Histcd in his " Carlton" act during the first World War.

115 119 120 122 123 125 130 135 136 138 143 147 149 151 155

THE AMAZING DECEPTIONS OF LOUIS S. HISTED

GOODLIFFE

H

T is doubtful whether an inventive and original mind to equal that of Louis S. Histed, M.B.E., A.I.M.C., could be found amongst the members of the magical fraternity living today—and one would have to search laboriously amongst the dead to unearth his equal. In fact, a long and patient investigation, carrying us into the untrodden paths of primitive Wales, was necessary before we discovered this incredible inventor and persuaded him to yield up his secrets —for he is an uncommonly modest man.

Every magician honours the Square Circle, Sand and Sugar, the Jiffy Slate and the Victory Riser, but few connect them with Louis Histed, who actually invented them all. Obviously, these ideas are not the only ones from that source ; equally ingenious, practical, reputation-making items, as yet "undiscovered," are tucked away in his notebooks. Our contribution has been to sort these out, to encourage this brilliant creator of new marvels to agree to their publication, and to bring them together, re-ordered and edited by Fabian, copiously illustrated by Dennis, and introduced by Dr. H. Park Shackleton, O.B.E., M.I.M.C, in the form of a book produced in a manner worthy of its contents.

Gathered here are representative items to suit every performer's repertoire : Card Sleights, hitherto unpublished, brilliant in their conception and easy of execution ; Apparatus Effects for young and old, full of colour, surprise and mystery ; Illusions daring in conception, practical of execution and packed with audience-appeal; Subtle Stratagems, Ingenious Devices, and Wrinkles without number, all combining to make this a work which we expect to be th.e most universallyacclaimed of this decade.

T H I S I S MY S T O R Y

FABIAN

HE day after the arrival at the office of a pink foolscap folder entitled, "Tricks, Ideas and Principles," Goodliffe, who had taken it home to devour its contents overnight, handed it to me with the words, " Read that ; it's dynamite ! " I did, and it was.

T

Between, the two covers of this loose-leaf notebook I found revealed a world of magical ingenuity, a host of new principles, a score of clever adaptations of principles already known ; and all illustrated in colour by an artist with considerable dash. It was incredible that this should be the harvest, over the years, of one man's magical research. Yet so it was. This was the notebook of Louis S. Histed, and we were to have the honour of presenting its contents to the world. We felt, and still feel, that we were handling one of the classics of the future. We know that this book will take its place beside Robert-Houdin, Hoffman, " Our Magic " and Tarbell.

One condition posed by the inventor was that he shouldn't be bothered with having to prepare the material for the press.

That was to be my task. By great good fortune, I was invited to ride on the tailboard of history. I set to work, and as the days passed and the book began to take shape, fresh material began to arrive by successive posts. A note, "This is the lot," accompanied each instalment. Several times, I prepared to write " Finis," only to have to start again on the contents of the next mail.

Some of the additional material was written in so smooth a style and in such charming English that any " writing up " could only have spoilt it. Wherever, in the following pages, the aura of a warm personality glows through the text, you may be certain that Histed is writing, un-" improved."

That the demands of a busy life made it impossible for him to write the book himself is a matter for regret. Posterity must content itself with the matter ; for the manner, I trust it will find it in its heart to forgive me.

THE

MAGIC

OF

LOUIS

S.

HISTED

IN THE BEGINNING LOUIS S. HISTED LOOKS BACK

n

PLUNGED into a sea of magic long before I was old enough to realise its uncharted dangers. With the careless rapture of extreme youth I embarked on shows of a semi-public nature, almost without invitation, and certainly without financial reward. I had not been told about the inferiority complex ! With the passing of years, almost three-quarters of a lifetime spent in the earnest pursuit of magical knowledge, I now know how little I know.

Nothing would now induce me to display my lack of knowledge and ability in a public performance. This, however, •does not prevent me from telling my many professional friends, twice nightly and Wednesday matinees, exactly how their acts ought to be presented. Nor does it stop me from writing for Goodliffe.

By 1915 I had achieved an actual height of 6ft. 5iins., and this, coupled with an attestation form which gave my apparent and not my actual age, permitted me to shoulder arms on parade and annoy the troops with immature magic when off duty. As to the quality of the magic, you shall judge.

I had a trick with a piece of flash-paper which burned away with explosive intensity, being apparently transformed into a red silk handkerchief fully six inches square ! The handkerchief was secretly delivered from the drawer of the matchbox where it had been cunningly concealed, and the patter, lifted bodily from John Warren and David Devant, ran something like this :—• " Most conjurers have a habit of borrowing things ; money, if possible. But I am different from most conjurers, and most conjurers are glad of it ! However, I want to borrow a fifty-pound bank note, if someone would be good enough to lend me a fifty-pound bank note." (An expectant 9