Timeline of magic

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2700BC - The reputed first known performance of a conjuring effect (cups and balls) by the magician Dedi in ancient Egypt. Dedi has done other effects by decapitating a birds head and reattach the head resurrecting it. (This is disputed as there is nothing in the reference to Dedi, specifically in the Westcar Papyrus, to indicate that he did the cups and balls for anyone. The famous drawing of two men performing the cups and balls, from the tomb and Beni Hasan is believed by most experts to be bakers making bread with bread molds.)

50-300AD - The Acetabularii performed the Cups and balls in ancient Rome using stones and small vinegar cups (hence the name Acetabularii). Acetabularii are a group of magicians specializing on the cups and balls effect

400-1000 - The dark ages and little is known about the history of magic but much of it was associated with the occult and magic as entertainment not prominent.

1000-1500 - The Middle Ages where much magic was still associated with the occult and witchcraft. The growing trading nature of society allowed some street or circus performers to make a living out of old classics such as the cups and balls and indeed more modern ideas such as cheating by short changing via sleights with coins and other small objects.

1584 - Reginald Scot publishes The Discoverie of Witchcraft(sic) a book designed in part to counter the activities of persecutionists, but at the same time it revealed many conjuring secrets of the day. Magic and witchcraft were still linked, and many copies of Scot's book were burnt in the early 1600s.

1805 - Year of birth of Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin (d. 1871). The father of modern magic, who brought it from the street and circus side shows to an elegant stage or drawing room setting.

1874 - Year of birth of Harry Houdini aka King of Cards and King of Handcuffs (d. 1926). Real name Ehrich Weiss, he achieved fame as an escapologist.

1876 - The first publication of Modern Magic. Written by Professor Louis Hoffman (1839-1919)(Real name Angelo John Lewis), it was a definitive work on the state of the art of that time.

1894 - Year of birth of Dai Vernon (d. 1992). Aka as The Professor and The Man That Fooled Houdini, he was born as David Frederick Wingfield Verner in Ottawa. The most influential 20th C magician.

1902 - The "Expert At The Card Table" is published by The Charles T. Powner Co. was written by S.W. Erdnase. Considered by any serious card worker as the first and one the most important books written.

1905 - Feb - The British Magical Society formed in London, UK; the oldest continually meeting magic society in Europe. Its first President was David Devant. In June it evolved into The Magic Circle. This prestigious organisation acts like a trade union for magicians and has strict rules against exposure. (It expelled its founder for alleged exposure, something it has done to many famous magicians.)

1921 - P.T. Selbit performs the first ever "Sawing in half", something that is, in present day, synonymous with the art of magic.

1926 - On All Hallows Eve at 1:26 pm, Harry Houdini dies.

1949 - The first publication of Royal Road to Card Magic Written by Jean Hugard and Fred Brau, it's still an important first text for card workers today.

1952 - The first publication of Modern Coin Magic Written by JB Bobo, considered by some the "bible" of coin magic, many other works reference this one.

1956 - David Copperfield is born on September 16th, as David Seth Kotkin.

1963 - The Magic Castle is formed by Milt Larsen in Hollywood USA by converting a 1908 Victorian style mansion to a centre of magical excellence. Many leading magicians have performed there. Dai Vernon was resident magician in the latter part of his life.

1968 - The book 13 Steps to Mentalism by Corinda was published and is one of the most famous magic books.

1994 - The first WWW magic stores appear following the older text type newsgroups and bulletin boards. Pictorial and information sites soon follow, changing the way magic is learned and distributed for ever.

1997 - The Masked Magician , Val Valentino, provokes much controversy by exposing magic secrets on major Fox TV specials. David Blaine brings "Street Magic" to America.

1999 - Supernatural, Criss Angel, before the mind freak show now by Criss Angel.

2006 - Romany becomes the first woman ever to win a major competition at the world famous Magic Circle when she won the Stage Magician of The Year Title on 29th October