Modern Magic – Professor Hoffmann
1876 1st Print

For sale: a rare and exceptional first edition, first printing hardcover copy of Modern Magic by Professor Hoffmann , with no dust jacket. First Edition unstated and undated, 1876 George Routledge.  Presumed first printing with American Edition stated on the title page with no subsequent printing. 564 pages of text and one page of ads. Illustrated with 318 engravings.

The exterior of the book is in Very Good condition with lightly faded, forest green cloth boards with some sheen still present, and strong title gilt and black on a lightly sunned spine and stronger on the ornately decorated front cover.  The book also features a faded top stain and clean, but toned side and bottom page blocks. Also present is a strong binding, no spine tilt, and strong hinges that are starting to crack. Also with, rolled and frayed spine ends, moderate edge wear, and rounded and rubbed corners. The interior of book is in Very Good condition with the previous owner’s name and from whom received on the second free end paper. Page 240 has a long tear mended with acid-neutral tape. The rear end paper and the interior pages are clean and moderately toned, making it an excellent addition to any collection.

No dust jacket.

Modern Magic by Professor Hoffmann (real name Angelo Lewis) is a treatise in book form, first published in 1876, detailing the apparatus, methods and tricks used by the magicians and conjurors of that era. It describes in detail much of the art of conjuring, from magician’s costumes and apparatuses to principles and instructions on slight of hand and non-slight of hand card tricks, prepared decks, coin tricks with and without apparatus, tricks with watches, rings, handkerchiefs, dominoes, dice, cups, balls, hat tricks and numerous miscellaneous tricks.