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87-401: In modern times, wands are usually associated with stage magic or supernatural magic , but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge . A stick that is used for reaching, pointing, drawing in the dirt, and directing other people, is one of the earliest and simplest of tools. It is possible that wands were used by pre-historic peoples. It

174-434: A wand of office that represents their power . Compare in this context the function of the ceremonial mace , the scepter , and the staff of office . Its age may be even greater, as Stone Age cave paintings show figures holding sticks, which may be symbolic representations of their power. The association with power may be its use for corporal punishment. In the 18th-century ballads " Allison Gross " and " The Laily Worm and

261-446: A bronze vessel. As in most medieval grimoires, all magical operations are ostensibly performed through the power of God, to whom all the invocations are addressed. Before any of these operations (termed "experiments"), the operator must confess his sins and purge himself of evil , invoking the protection of God. Elaborate preparations are necessary, and each of the numerous items used in the operator's "experiments" must be constructed of

348-453: A certain degree of sleight of hand and carefully functioning mechanisms and devices to be performed convincingly. This form of magic was popular around the turn of the 19th century—today, many of the original mechanisms used for this magic have become antique collector's pieces and may require significant and careful restoration to function. Magicians describe the type of tricks they perform in various ways. Opinions vary as to how to categorize

435-422: A computer screen. The computer screen affords ways to incorporate magic from the magician's wand to the computer mouse. The use of computing technologies in performance can be traced back to a 1984 presentation by David Copperfield , who used a Commodore 64 to create a "magic show" for his audience. More recently, virtual performers have been experimenting with captivating digital animations and illusions that blur

522-533: A conventional magic show. Bizarre magic often uses horror, supernatural, and science fiction imagery in addition to the standard commercial magic approaches of comedy and wonder. Shock magic is a genre of magic that shocks the audience. Sometimes referred to as "geek magic", it takes its roots from circus sideshows , in which 'freakish' performances were shown to audiences. Common shock magic or geek magic effects include eating razor blades, needle-through-arm , string through neck and pen-through-tongue. Comedy magic

609-613: A facsimile edition in 1914. Gollancz's manuscript had been copied in Amsterdam, in the Sephardic cursive Solitreo script, and is less legible than the BL text. The Hebrew text is not considered the original. It is rather a late Jewish adaptation of a Latin or Italian Clavicula text. The BL manuscript is probably the archetype of the Hebrew translation, and Gollancz's manuscript a copy of

696-416: A given effect, and disagreement as to what categories actually exist. For instance, some magicians consider "penetrations" a separate category, while others consider penetrations a form of restoration or teleportation. Some magicians today, such as Guy Hollingworth and Tom Stone have begun to challenge the notion that all magic effects fit into a limited number of categories. Among magicians who believe in

783-405: A head off, and then "restore" it, make something appear to move from one place to another, or they may escape from a restraining device. Other illusions include making something appear to defy gravity, making a solid object appear to pass through another object, or appearing to predict the choice of a spectator. Many magic routines use combinations of effects. Among the earliest books on the subject

870-692: A high level of world renown. He opened a second theatre in Glasgow in 1845. Towards the end of the century, large magic shows permanently staged at big theatre venues became the norm. The British performer J N Maskelyne and his partner Cooke were established at the Egyptian Hall in London 's Piccadilly in 1873 by their manager William Morton , and continued there for 31 years. The show incorporated stage illusions and reinvented traditional tricks with exotic (often Oriental ) imagery. The potential of

957-442: A limited number of categories (such as Dariel Fitzkee , Harlan Tarbell , S.H. Sharpe), there has been disagreement as to how many different types of effects there are. Some of these are listed below. Many magic routines use combinations of effects. For example, in " cups and balls " a magician may use vanishes, productions, penetrations, teleportation and transformations as part of the one presentation. The methodology behind magic

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1044-407: A live audience, who provide the remote viewer with a reassurance that the illusions are not obtained with post-production visual effects . Many of the principles of stage magic are old. There is an expression, "it's all done with smoke and mirrors", used to explain something baffling, but effects seldom use mirrors today, due to the amount of installation work and transport difficulties. For example,

1131-656: A magic wand to maliciously transform her victims. In the mid-20th century, the MGM and Disney media companies popularized magic wands via four films in which wands were wielded by benevolent female fairy characters. Those films were The Wizard of Oz (1939; MGM; a wand-staff was wielded by Glinda the Good Witch of the North ), Pinocchio (1940; Disney; a wand was wielded by the Blue Fairy ), Cinderella (1950; Disney;

1218-573: A number of later (17th century) Latin manuscripts. One of the oldest existing manuscripts (besides Harley MS 5596) is a text in English translation, entitled The Clavicle of Solomon, revealed by Ptolomy the Grecian and dated to 1572 (British Library, Sloane MS 3847). There are a number of French manuscripts, all dated to the 18th century, with the exception of one dated to 1641 (P1641, ed. Dumas, 1980). A Hebrew text survives in two versions, one kept at

1305-401: A period in which performance magic became a staple of Broadway theatre , vaudeville , and music halls . Meanwhile, magicians such as Georges Méliès , Gaston Velle , Walter R. Booth , and Orson Welles introduced pioneering filmmaking techniques informed by their knowledge of magic. Magic has retained its popularity into the 21st century by adapting to the mediums of television and

1392-446: A theatre or auditorium. This type of magic is distinguished by large-scale props, the use of assistants and often exotic animals such as elephants and tigers. Famous stage illusionists, past and present, include Harry Blackstone, Sr. , Howard Thurston , Chung Ling Soo , David Copperfield , Lance Burton , Silvan , Siegfried & Roy , and Harry Blackstone, Jr. Parlor magic is done for larger audiences than close-up magic (which

1479-528: A wand was wielded by a fairy godmother ), and Sleeping Beauty (1959; Disney; a wand was wielded by each of three fairies). In The Wizard of Oz and Pinocchio , the fairies' wands are embellished with a star-shaped ornament on the end, whereas in Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty , the fairies have wands with traditional plain tips. Magic wands commonly feature in works of fantasy fiction as spell -casting tools . Few other common denominators exist, so

1566-415: A will of its own, or behave magically in its own right. A classic magic trick makes a bouquet of flowers shoot out of the wand's tip. Stage magic Magic , which encompasses the subgenres of illusion , stage magic, and close-up magic , among others, is a performing art in which audiences are entertained by tricks, effects, or illusions of seemingly impossible feats, using natural means. It

1653-440: Is Gantziony's work of 1489, Natural and Unnatural Magic , which describes and explains old-time tricks. In 1584, Englishman Reginald Scot published The Discoverie of Witchcraft , part of which was devoted to debunking the claims that magicians used supernatural methods, and showing how their "magic tricks" were in reality accomplished. Among the tricks discussed were sleight-of-hand manipulations with rope, paper and coins. At

1740-493: Is a form of street performing or busking that employs a hybrid of stage magic, platform, and close-up magic, usually performed ' in the round ' or surrounded by the audience. Notable modern street magic performers include Jeff Sheridan , Gazzo , and Wittus Witt . Since the first David Blaine TV special Street Magic aired in 1997, the term "street magic" has also come to describe a style of 'guerilla' performance in which magicians approach and perform for unsuspecting members of

1827-606: Is closely associated with the text. The Greek manuscript is referred to as The Magical Treatise of Solomon , and was published by Armand Delatte in Anecdota Atheniensia (Liège, 1927, pp. 397–445.) Its contents are very similar to the Clavicula . An important Italian manuscript is (Bodleian Library, Michael MS 276) an early Latin text survives in printed form, dated to ca. 1600 (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Memorial Library, Special Collections). There are

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1914-454: Is commonly used by children's magicians and mentalists . Corporate magic or trade show magic uses magic as a communication and sales tool, as opposed to just straightforward entertainment. Corporate magicians may come from a business background and typically present at meetings, conferences and product launches. They run workshops and can sometimes be found at trade shows, where their patter and illusions enhance an entertaining presentation of

2001-531: Is for a few people or even one person) and for smaller audiences than stage magic. In parlor magic, the performer is usually standing and on the same level as the audience, which may be seated on chairs or even on the floor. According to the Encyclopedia of Magic and Magicians by T.A. Waters, "The phrase [parlor magic] is often used as a pejorative to imply that an effect under discussion is not suitable for professional performance." Also, many magicians consider

2088-716: Is mentioned that 'rods' (as well as rings) were found with Red Lady of Paviland in Britain. It is mentioned in Gower – A Guide to Ancient and Historic Monuments on the Gower Peninsula that these might have been wands and are depicted as such in a reconstruction drawing of the burial of the 'Red Lady'. During the Middle Kingdom of Egypt , apotropaic wands began to be used during birth ceremonies. These wands were made out of hippopotamus tusks which were split down

2175-477: Is often referred to as a science (often a branch of physics) while the performance aspect is more of an art form. The Key of Solomon The Key of Solomon ( Latin : Clavicula Salomonis ; Hebrew : מַפְתֵּחַ-שְׁלֹמֹה , romanized :  Map̄teḥ Šəlomo ), also known as the Greater Key of Solomon , is a pseudepigraphical grimoire attributed to King Solomon . It probably dates back to

2262-471: Is the use of magic in which is combined with stand-up comedy. Famous comedy magicians include The Amazing Johnathan , Holly Balay , Mac King , and Penn & Teller . Quick-change magic is the use of magic which is combined with the very quick changing of costumes. Famous quick-change artists include Sos & Victoria Petrosyan. Camera magic (or "video magic") is magic that is aimed at viewers watching broadcasts or recordings. It includes tricks based on

2349-626: Is to be distinguished from paranormal magic which are effects claimed to be created through supernatural means. It is one of the oldest performing arts in the world. Modern entertainment magic, as pioneered by 19th-century magician Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin , has become a popular theatrical art form. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, magicians such as John Nevil Maskelyne and David Devant , Howard Thurston , Harry Kellar , and Harry Houdini achieved widespread commercial success during what has become known as "the Golden Age of Magic",

2436-434: Is used to command, whereas a wand is seen as more gentle, and is used to invite or encourage. Wands are traditionally made of wood—practitioners usually prune a branch from an oak , hazel , or other tree, or may even buy wood from a hardware store , and then carve it and add decorations to personalize it, though one can also purchase ready-made wands. In Wicca , the wand can represent the element air , or fire (following

2523-636: The Book of Honorius , along with various other ideas from that grimoire, were later incorporated into the 16th-century grimoire The Key of Solomon . The Key of Solomon became popular among occultists for hundreds of years. In 1888, there was the publication of an English translation of the Key of Solomon by Samuel Mathers (one of the co-founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn ), which made

2610-536: The British Library , on a parchment manuscript, separated in BL Oriental MSS 6360 and 14759. The BL manuscript was dated to the 16th century by its first editor Greenup (1912), but is now thought to be somewhat younger, dating to the 17th or 18th century. The discovery of a second Hebrew text in the library of Samuel H. Gollancz was published by his son Hermann Gollancz in 1903, who also published

2697-503: The Greco-Roman magic of late antiquity . Several versions of the Key of Solomon exist, in various translations, with minor to significant differences. The original type of text was probably a Latin or Italian text dating to the 14th or 15th century. Most surviving manuscripts date from the late 16th, 17th or 18th century. There is also an early Greek manuscript dating to the 15th century (British Library, Harley MS 5596) that

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2784-530: The internet , with magicians such as David Copperfield , Penn & Teller , Paul Daniels , Criss Angel , David Blaine , Derren Brown , Mat Franco , and Shin Lim modernizing the art form. Through the use of social media , magicians can now reach a wider audience than ever before. Magicians are known for closely guarding the methods they use to achieve their effects , although they often share their techniques through both formal and informal training within

2871-532: The magic community . Magicians use a variety of techniques, including sleight of hand , misdirection , optical and auditory illusions , hidden compartments , contortionism and specially constructed props , as well as verbal and nonverbal psychological techniques such as suggestion , hypnosis , and priming . The term "magic" etymologically derives from the Greek word mageia (μαγεία). In ancient times, Greeks and Persians had been at war for centuries, and

2958-501: The suit of coins from earlier, non-occult decks, with the suit of pentacles . The Rider–Waite–Smith tarot deck was designed by two members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith . Waite provided the general guidelines for the deck (including the names of the four suits, and thus the suit of wands), and detailed guidelines for the designs of the Major Arcana , and he hired Smith to do

3045-613: The 14th or 15th century Italian Renaissance . It presents a typical example of Renaissance magic . It is possible that the Key of Solomon inspired later works, particularly the 17th-century grimoire also known as The Lesser Key of Solomon or Lemegeton , although there are many differences between the books. Many such grimoires attributed to King Solomon were written during the Renaissance, ultimately being influenced by earlier works of Jewish theosophical kabbala and Muslim magicians. These, in turn, incorporated aspects of

3132-516: The 17th century, many books were published that described magic tricks. Until the 18th century, magic shows were a common source of entertainment at fairs . The "Father" of modern entertainment magic was Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin , who had a magic theatre in Paris in 1845. John Henry Anderson was pioneering the same transition in London in the 1840s. Towards the end of the 19th century, large magic shows permanently staged at big theatre venues became

3219-442: The 18th century, magic shows were a common source of entertainment at fairs , where itinerant performers would entertain the public with magic tricks, as well as the more traditional spectacles of sword swallowing , juggling and fire breathing . In the early 18th century, as belief in witchcraft was waning, the art became increasingly respectable and shows would be put on for rich private patrons. A notable figure in this transition

3306-535: The 1st century AD, the wand was a common symbol of magic in Roman cults, especially Mithraism . In the 3rd and 4th centuries, there are frequent depictions on sarcophagi of Jesus Christ according to one opinion using a magic wand to perform miracles, such as the raising of Lazarus and feeding the multitude . Others scholars disagree with that, claiming that these objects are staffs since images of Christ with it "appear alongside images of Moses performing miracles with

3393-595: The 20th century included Okito , David Devant , Harry Blackstone Sr. , Harry Blackstone Jr. , Howard Thurston , Theodore Annemann , Cardini , Joseph Dunninger , Dai Vernon , Fred Culpitt , Tommy Wonder , Siegfried & Roy , and Doug Henning . Popular 20th- and 21st-century magicians include David Copperfield , Lance Burton , James Randi , Penn and Teller , David Blaine , Criss Angel , Derren Brown , Dynamo , Shin Lim , Jay & Joss and Hans Klok . Well-known women magicians include Dell O'Dell and Dorothy Dietrich . Most television magicians perform before

3480-834: The BL one. A French edition titled La véritable Magie Noire ou Le secret des secrets ( The True Black Magic or The secret of secrets ) is kept at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France . It is a translation from Hebrew by Iroé-Grego, dated 1750. An English edition based on the manuscripts of the British Library was published by S. L. MacGregor Mathers in 1889. L. W. de Laurence in 1914 published The Greater Key of Solomon , directly based on Mathers' edition, to which he made alterations in an attempt to advertise his mail-order business (for example by inserting instructions like "after burning one-half teaspoonful of Temple Incense" along with ordering information for

3567-409: The Golden Dawn uses several different types of wands for different purposes, the most prominent of which are the fire wand and the lotus wand. In Wicca , wands are traditionally used to summon and control angels and genies, but have later come to also be used for general spell-casting. Wands serve a similar purpose to athames (ritual daggers), though the two objects have their distinct uses: an athame

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3654-562: The Great. Herrmann was a French magician and was part of the Herrmann family name that is the "first-family of magic". The escapologist and magician Harry Houdini (1874–1926) took his stage name from Robert-Houdin and developed a range of stage magic tricks, many of them based on what became known after his death as escapology . Houdini was genuinely skilled in techniques such as lockpicking and escaping straitjackets, but also made full use of

3741-499: The Lord appeared to him and extracted a promise that he would keep the text hidden from the unworthy and the wicked, after which he was able to read it plainly. Iohé Grevis then placed a spell on the book that the unworthy, the unwise or those who did not fear God would not attain the desired effect from any of the workings contained in the book. Book I contains conjurations , invocations , and curses to summon and constrain spirits of

3828-782: The Machrel of the Sea ", the villainesses use silver wands to transform their victims into animals, in emulation of the Odyssey that preceded them. In C. S. Lewis 's 1950 novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe , the White Witch 's most feared weapon is her wand, whose magic is capable of turning people into stone. This, again, employs the Odysseyan motif of an evil female witch who uses

3915-467: The Persian priests, called magosh in Persian, came to be known as magoi in Greek. Ritual acts of Persian priests came to be known as mageia , and then magika —which eventually came to mean any foreign, unorthodox, or illegitimate ritual practice. To the general public, successful acts of illusion could be perceived as if it were similar to a feat of magic supposed to have been able to be performed by

4002-613: The Table. He throws up a Pack of Cards, and causes them to be living birds flying about the room. He causes living Beasts, Birds, and other Creatures to appear upon the Table. He blows the spots of the Cards off and on, and changes them to any pictures. From 1756 to 1781, Jacob Philadelphia performed feats of magic, sometimes under the guise of scientific exhibitions, throughout Europe and in Russia . The "Father" of modern entertainment magic

4089-407: The ancient magoi. The performance of tricks of illusion, or magical illusion, and the apparent workings and effects of such acts have often been referred to as "magic" and particularly as magic tricks. One of the earliest known books to explain magic secrets, The Discoverie of Witchcraft , was published in 1584. It was created by Reginald Scot to stop people from being killed for witchcraft. During

4176-487: The appropriate materials obtained in the prescribed manner, at the appropriate astrological time, marked with a specific set of magical symbols, and blessed with its own specific words. All substances needed for the magic drawings and amulets are detailed, as well as the means to purify and prepare them. Many of the symbols incorporate the Transitus Fluvii occult alphabet. According to the mythical history of

4263-446: The audience close to the magician, sometimes even one-on-one. It usually makes use of everyday items as props, such as cards (see Card manipulation ), coins (see Coin magic ), and seemingly 'impromptu' effects. This may be called "table magic", particularly when performed as dinner entertainment. Ricky Jay , Mahdi Moudini , and Lee Asher , following in the traditions of Dai Vernon , Slydini , and Max Malini , are considered among

4350-532: The capabilities of wands vary wildly. In J. K. Rowling 's Harry Potter series, the first book of which was published in 1997, personal wands are common as necessary tools to channel and project each character's magic, they are used as weapons in magical duels, and it is the wand that chooses its owner. A wand is also present in the Children of the Red King series in the possession of Charlie Bone as well as

4437-469: The cup) in his writings because they are in the Key of Solomon , whereas he got the cup from the tarot suit of cups . In Levi's 1862 book Philosophie Occulte , he wrote a fake excerpt of a Hebrew version of the Key of Solomon , and that fake excerpt was part of the inspiration for the Golden Dawn's ritual objects, and especially their lotus wand. The ceremonial magic of the Hermetic Order of

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4524-434: The dead and demons in order to compel them to do the operator's will. It also describes how to find stolen items , become invisible , gain favour and love , and so on. Book II describes various purifications which the operator (termed " exorcist ") should undergo, how they should clothe themselves, how the magical implements used in their operations should be constructed, and what animal sacrifices should be made to

4611-580: The devil and the occult. During the 19th and 20th centuries, many stage magicians even capitalized on this notion in their advertisements. The same level of ingenuity that was used to produce famous ancient deceptions such as the Trojan Horse would also have been used for entertainment , or at least for cheating in money games . They were also used by the practitioners of various religions and cults from ancient times onwards to frighten uneducated people into obedience or turn them into adherents. However,

4698-408: The document, as recorded in its introduction, Solomon wrote the book for his son Rehoboam , and commanded him to hide the book in his sepulchre upon his death. After many years the book was discovered by a group of Babylonian philosophers repairing Solomon's tomb. None could interpret the text, until one of them, Iohé Grevis, suggested that they should ask the Lord for understanding. The Angel of

4785-472: The fact-checking website Snopes dedicated a page to debunking the trick. German magician Wittus Witt performed interactive magic tricks live on TV from 1993 to 1997. Viewers were able to call Wittus Witt live in the television studio and perform a magic trick with him directly. In total, Witt performed this special magic 87 times, every other week. Theatrical magic describes a dramaturgically well thought-out performance that has been specially designed for

4872-521: The famous Pepper's Ghost , a stage illusion first used in 19th-century London, required a specially built theatre. Modern performers have vanished objects as large as the Taj Mahal, the Statue of Liberty, and a space shuttle, using other kinds of optical deceptions. Magic is often described according to various specialties or genres. Stage illusions are performed for large audiences, typically within

4959-589: The foremost practitioners of close-up magic. Escapology is the branch of magic that deals with escapes from confinement or restraints. Harry Houdini is a well-known example of an escape artist or escapologist . Pickpocket magicians use magic to misdirect members of the audience while removing wallets, belts, ties, and other personal effects. It can be presented on a stage, in a cabaret setting, before small close-up groups, or even for one spectator. Well-known pickpockets include James Freedman , David Avadon , Bob Arno , and Apollo Robbins . Mentalism creates

5046-1024: The impression in the minds of the audience that the performer possesses special powers to read thoughts, predict events, control other minds, and similar feats. It can be presented on a stage, in a cabaret setting, before small close-up groups, or even for one spectator. Well-known mentalists of the past and present include Alexander , The Zancigs , Axel Hellstrom , Dunninger , Kreskin , Deddy Corbuzier , Derren Brown , Rich Ferguson , Guy Bavli , Banachek , Max Maven , and Alain Nu . Theatrical séances simulate spiritualistic or mediumistic phenomena for theatrical effect. This genre of stage magic has been misused at times by charlatans pretending to actually be in contact with spirits or supernatural forces. For this reason, some well-known magicians such as James Randi (AKA "The Amazing Randi") have made it their goal to debunk such paranormal phenomena and illustrate that any such effects may be achieved by natural or human means. Randi

5133-529: The incense). The Key of Solomon is divided into two books. It describes the necessary drawings to prepare each "experiment" or, in more modern language, magical operations . Unlike later grimoires such as the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (16th century) or the Lemegeton (17th century), the Key of Solomon does not mention the signature of the 72 spirits constrained by King Solomon in

5220-442: The lines between magic tricks and reality. In some cases, the computer essentially replaces the online magician. In a 2008 TED Talk, Penn Jillette discussed how technology will continue to play a role in magic by influencing media and communication. According to Jillette, magicians continue to innovate in not only digital communication but also live performances that utilize digital effects. The 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns ushered onto

5307-601: The middle lengthwise, producing two wands, each with one flat side and one curved side. Due to the curved nature of a hippopotamus tusk, these wands were curved, with one pointed end (the point of the tusk) and one blunt end (where the tusk was removed from the hippopotamus). Hippopotamus tusks may have been used to invoke Taweret the hippopotamus goddess of childbirth. The earliest apotropaic wands used in Egypt were undecorated, but "from around 1850 BC, they were usually provided with decorations of apotropaic figures directly related to

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5394-407: The nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Mechanical magic is a form of stage magic in which the magician uses a variety of mechanical devices to perform acts that appear to be physically impossible. Examples include such things as a false-bottomed mortar in which the magician places an audience member's watch only to later produce several feet away inside a wooden frame. Mechanical magic requires

5481-421: The norm. As a form of entertainment, magic easily moved from theatrical venues to television magic specials. Performances that modern observers would recognize as conjuring have been practiced throughout history. For example, a trick with three cups and balls has been performed since 3 BC and is still performed today on stage and in street magic shows. For many recorded centuries, magicians were associated with

5568-499: The painting, and to make original artwork for the Minor Arcana . Waite instructed Smith to not paint actual wands in the wand cards, but rather to paint large tree trunk staffs with some foliage growing on them, so as to make an association between wands and Eliphas Levi 's phrase "the flowering rod of Aaron " from Levi's fake fragment of The Key of Solomon . In British formal government ceremony , special officials may carry

5655-469: The performances of his rivals, John Henry Anderson and Alexander Herrmann . John Henry Anderson was pioneering the same transition in London . In 1840 he opened the New Strand Theatre, where he performed as The Great Wizard of the North . His success came from advertising his shows and captivating his audience with expert showmanship . He became one of the earliest magicians to attain

5742-481: The popular MMORPG World of Warcraft where caster classes such as the mage and warlock use wands offensively. Magic wands and staves are often used in the magical girl genre of anime and manga (or other media) as well. Based on their magical symbolism, stage magicians often use "magic wands" as part of their misdirection . These wands are traditionally short and black, with white tips. A magic wand may be transformed into other items, grow, vanish, move, display

5829-411: The products offered by their corporate sponsors. Pioneer performers in this arena include Eddie Tullock and Guy Bavli . Gospel magic uses magic to catechize and evangelize. Gospel magic was first used by St. John Bosco to interest children in 19th-century Turin , Italy to come back to school, to accept assistance and to attend church. The Jewish equivalent is termed Torah magic. Street magic

5916-440: The profession of the illusionist gained strength only in the 18th century, and has enjoyed several popular vogues since. Opinions vary among magicians on how to categorize a given effect, but a number of categories have been developed. Magicians may pull a rabbit from an empty hat, make something seem to disappear, or transform a red silk handkerchief into a green silk handkerchief. Magicians may also destroy something, like cutting

6003-418: The public on the street. Unlike traditional street magic, this style is almost purely designed for TV and gains its impact from the wild reactions of the public. Magicians of this type include David Blaine and Cyril Takayama . Bizarre magic is a branch of stage magic that creates eerie effects through its use of narratives and esoteric imagery. The experience may be more akin to small, intimate theater or to

6090-665: The range of conjuring techniques, including fake equipment and collusion with individuals in the audience. Houdini's show-business savvy was as great as his performance skill. There is a Houdini Museum dedicated to him in Scranton, Pennsylvania . The Magic Circle was formed in London in 1905 to promote and advance the art of stage magic. As a form of entertainment, magic easily moved from theatrical venues to television specials, which opened up new opportunities for deceptions, and brought stage magic to huge audiences. Famous magicians of

6177-547: The restricted viewing angles of cameras and clever editing. Camera magic often features paid extras posing as spectators who may even be assisting in the performance. Camera magic can be done live, such as Derren Brown 's lottery prediction. Famous examples of camera magic include David Copperfield's Floating Over the Grand Canyon and many of Criss Angel 's illusions. Classical magic is a style of magic that conveys feelings of elegance and skill akin to prominent magicians of

6264-693: The spirits . The book is mentioned in Goethe’s Faust I, in the scene where the poodle transforms himself into the devil Mephistopheles. For such as your half-hellish crew – The Key of Solomon will do. The Key of Solomon is mentioned in H.P. Lovecraft's " Supernatural Horror in Literature ", where Lovecraft says it "illustrates the power of the weird over the Eastern mind". It's also mentioned in Ricardo Palma 's Tradiciones peruanas (1897), in

6351-529: The staff". Italian fairy tales put wands into the hands of the powerful fairies by the Late Middle Ages . Wands are used in the Enochian magic of John Dee , the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn , Thelema , and Wicca , and by independent practitioners of magic. Wands were introduced into the occult via the 13th-century Latin grimoire The Oathbound Book of Honorius . The wand idea from

6438-406: The stage was exploited for hidden mechanisms and assistants, and the control it offers over the audience's point of view. Maskelyne and Cooke invented many of the illusions still performed today—one of his best-known being levitation . The model for the look of a "typical" magician—a man with wavy hair, a top hat, a goatee, and a tailcoat—was Alexander Herrmann (1844–1896), also known as Herrmann

6525-591: The story Don Dimas de la Tijereta'. Along with Johannes Kepler’s Astronomia Nova , the Key of Solomon is one of two real-world texts the fictional character Dr. Stephen Strange returns to the Kamar-Taj library in the Marvel Studios film Doctor Strange . In the scene, Kamar-Taj Librarian and current Marvel Cinematic Universe Sorcerer Supreme Wong reads the titles Strange is returning. “The Book of

6612-516: The sun religion, or particular aspects of it, inscribed on the convex upper side... most of whom carry knives to ward off evil forces". These apotropaic wands were also inscribed with protective text on the flat side, such as "Cut off the head of the enemy when he enters the chamber of the children whom the lady... has borne". The latest apotropaic wand found belongs to the Second Intermediate Period king Senebkay . It seems that

6699-405: The term "parlor" old fashioned and limiting, since this type of magic is often done in rooms much larger than the traditional parlor, or even outdoors. A better term for this branch of magic may be "platform", "club" or "cabaret". Examples of such magicians include Jeff McBride , David Abbott , Channing Pollock , Black Herman , and Fred Kaps . Close-up magic (or table magic) is performed with

6786-503: The text of the Key of Solomon available to the anglophone world. That 1888 English version inspired Gerald Gardner , the creator of Wicca , to incorporate the wand and various other ritual objects into Wicca. The creators of the Golden Dawn got their idea to use a wand, as well as their other main ritual objects (dagger, sword, hexagrammic pentacle , and cup), from the writings of the mid-19th-century occult writer Eliphas Levi . Levi himself mentioned most of those objects (all except for

6873-546: The theater and theater-like situations. It is not about individual tricks that are strung together, but about logical connections of tricks that lead to a story. The protagonists of this magic stage art were the German magician Fredo Marvelli , Punx , and Alexander Adrion . In the United States, they included Richard Hatch and Max Maven . Mathemagic is a genre of stage magic that combines magic and mathematics . It

6960-475: The time, fear and belief in witchcraft was widespread and the book tried to demonstrate that these fears were misplaced. Popular belief held that all obtainable copies were burned on the accession of James I in 1603. During the 17th century, many similar books were published that described in detail the methods of a number of magic tricks, including The Art of Conjuring (1614) and The Anatomy of Legerdemain: The Art of Juggling ( c.  1675 ). Until

7047-536: The use of these objects in Egypt declines after this point. The Barsom used by Zoroastrian Magi is a bundle of twigs that was used during religious ceremonies. While the Barsom is not a wand itself, it was also used for divination purposes, and may be a form of prototypical wand from which later magical wands descend. The concept of magic wands was used by the ancient Greek writer Homer , in his epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey . In all cases, Homer used

7134-539: The wiccan author Raymond Buckland , who got his element associations from the Golden Dawn), although contemporary wand-makers also create wands for the elements of earth and water . The suit of wands is one of the four suits in the 1909 Rider–Waite–Smith occult tarot deck , and other, later tarot decks that are based upon that deck. The suit of wands replaced the suit of batons from earlier, non-occult tarot decks. The Rider–Waite–Smith tarot deck also replaced

7221-537: The word rhabdos (ῥάβδος), which means 'rod', and implies something that is thicker than the modern conception of wands. In those books, Homer wrote that magic wands were used by three different gods, namely Hermes , Athena , and Circe . In The Iliad , Homer wrote that Hermes generally used his magic wand Caduceus to make people sleep and wake up. In The Odyssey , Homer wrote that Athena used her magic wand to make Odysseus old, and then young again, and that Circe used her magic wand to turn Odysseus's men into pigs. By

7308-516: The world stage a surge of online magic shows. These shows are performed via video conferencing platforms such as Zoom . Some online magic tricks recreate traditional card tricks and require user participation, while others, like Plato's Cursed Triangle, are based on mathematical, geometrical, and/or optical illusions. One such online magic trick, called Esmeralda's Crystal Ball, became a viral phenomenon that fooled so many computer users into believing that their computer had supernatural powers, that

7395-406: Was Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin , originally a clockmaker, who opened a magic theatre in Paris in 1845. He transformed his art from one performed at fairs to a performance that the public paid to see at the theatre. His speciality was constructing mechanical automata that appeared to move and act as if alive. Many of Robert-Houdin's mechanisms for illusion were pirated by his assistant and ended up in

7482-421: Was the "foremost skeptic" in this regard in the United States. Children's magic is performed for an audience primarily composed of children. It is typically performed at birthday parties, preschools, elementary schools, Sunday schools, or libraries. This type of magic is usually comedic in nature and involves audience interaction as well as volunteer assistants. Online magic tricks were designed to function on

7569-516: Was the English showman, Isaac Fawkes , who began to promote his act in advertisements from the 1720s—he even claimed to have performed for King George II . One of Fawkes' advertisements described his routine in some detail: He takes an empty bag, lays it on the Table and turns it several times inside out, then commands 100 Eggs out of it and several showers of real Gold and silver, then the Bag beginning to swell several sorts of wild fowl run out of it upon

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