Louis Tannen Magic Catalog 10

This will be my second post about Magic this season, and it's related in more than one way.

I picked up this Louis Tannen Magic Catalog Number 10 at the same magician's estate sale where I found the Room for Doubt Magic trick. It dates from 1973.

Louis Tannen's Magic Shop is the oldest operating magic shop in New York City, having opened in 1925.  It was bought by Tony Spina in the 1970's.  Louis Tannen passed away in 1982.

As I mentioned, I've always associated Magic and Halloween closely.  I previously mentioned Houdini's connection, but I think it's also because so many tricks are associated with Ghosts, Witches and Devils, as is evidenced by the ads in this magic catalog.  Though uncredited, I've always loved the artwork in these magic catalogs.  I hope you do too.  

Note: I have a new toy: a hand-held scanner.  It's good for scanning books that are too thick to lay flag on a flatbed scanner.  But they have their limitations as you'll notice in these scans.

Lou Tannen in the middle next to Tony Spina (right), new owner of Lou Tannen's Magic Shop and creator of  the "Room for Doubt" magic trick.

I borrowed a finger guillotine from a friend of mine when I was in second grade.  He had all the cool stuff.  Unfortunately, I somehow managed to break it.  My dad attempted a repair, but it was never quite the same.

I received "The Multiplying Rabbits" trick in my first magic set.  While it was cute, it wasn't much of a magic trick.

Here's the ad for "Room for Doubt" as previously posted.

My brother, who was an amateur magician, made me a version of this Zombie trick.  It was surprisingly basic, yet fairly impressive when done properly Unfortunately, I never learned to do it properly.

Put you head in this guillotine.  What could go wrong?

Put your arm in this guillotine.  What could go wrong?

I can imagine "Brain Washed" was funny for about 10 seconds.

I'd love to have some of those posters.

Jim Steranko was an artist for Marvel Comics.  He began his career there as penciller for Nick Fury. Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.  His stint at Marvel lasted a short 3 years after having a falling out with Stan Lee over a disagreement on a horror comic (Tower of Shadows #1) he had written and illustrated. Steranko is still with us at 84.