Magicol No. 174 - Feb 2010 Words of Welcome In the foreword to his Antique Gambling Chips with Price Guide and Chip Codes (1985), Dale Seymour wrote, “Collecting holds such a strong fascination for some people that it is often difficult for those who have not encountered the obsession to understand how collectors can be so dedicated to their special area of interest. Collecting offers a chance to seek undiscovered treasures, to explore a part of the past by accumulating bits and pieces of information and then assembling them as one would assemble a puzzle. A collector shares the excitement experienced by an anthropologist, the sense of wonder experienced by a historian, the appreciation of design and technique experienced by the artist or craftsman, and even the anticipation of potential profit felt by the speculator or investor.” Members of the Magic Collectors Association (“MCA”) are indeed treasure hunters, puzzleists, anthropologists, historians, artists, craftsmen, speculators, and investors. The MCA and this publication will now cater to those interests under the stewardship of Magicana, a Canadian-based performing arts organization and registered charity created to explore and advance the performance and study of magic as a performing art. If you visit Magicana’s website www.magicana.com, you’ll see that it’s a good fit. One of Magicana’s goals is to “share wonder,” and it will do so for the members of this organization through the pages of this magazine, the Annual Collectors’ Weekend, and, as we move forward, through the Internet. One of the strengths of our organization is the global nature of our interest. There are magic historians and collectors in all corners of the earth. From my experience most of them are only too willing to share their knowledge. This magazine will provide a forum for them. For now, let this issue represent the direction of the organization. It starts with William Pack’s Walking the Magic City, the first of what we hope over time will be numerous articles of a similar vein from contributors in other world magic centers: London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Vienna and, of course, Colon. It also includes a brief portrait of Dai Vernon, one culled from the personal papers of his wife, Jeanne Verner. Not only does it provide an insider’s eye on one of the most influential magicians of the 20th century, and one whose personal effects and props have recently been featured at auction, it also offers fodder for anecdotes that we can share with others when we try to describe what made the people who manufactured, performed, or were associated with the items we collect, tick. Tom Ransom from Toronto, Canada has initiated, through these pages, The Toole Stott Project. We hope that other collectors will send us additional entries that we can eventually post online for members and also publish in a separate monograph. Terry Harris’ contribution reminds me of why I love apparatus and, although I continue to add pieces to my collection, I could certainly benefit from learning more about the things that I already possess, be they posters, postcards, books, publications or props. I need to learn what makes Thayer, for example, Thayer; and not just who built a better die box, but how and why. So, treat this as a call to arms, particularly for those who collect apparatus: send us articles that explain why a collectible is collectible in terms of design, craftsmanship, use, and scarcity. Help us become connoisseurs of magic. Finally, this issue also includes articles and columns you’ve come to expect. We have book reviews by Michael Claxton, Dustin Stinett, and Gabe Fajuri; a convention report by Dr. Gene Matsuura, and an appreciation of the late Dr. John Booth by Jim Alfredson. As mentioned earlier, Magicol is only one aspect of the MCA. The Conference is another. Magicana will be presenting, on behalf of the MCA, the 41st Annual Magic Collectors’ Conference in Chicago May 13th to 15th. Chicago is the ancestral home of not just of this convention but also of all gatherings of magic historians and collectors. Just as the Yankee Gathering, the Magic Circle Collectors’ Day, the Los Angeles Conference on Magic History and the European Magic History and Collectors Congress have built on the best practices of the MCA gatherings, moving forward it is time for the MCA to learn from the others. If all these gatherings share one thing in common, it is the passion of those who organize them. You see it in the gracious hospitality of Ray and Ann Goulet, the inspired research of Eddie Dawes, the sophistication of Magic Christian, and the extraordinary dedication to detail by Mike Caveney, John Gaughan, Frankie Glass and Jim Steinmeyer. We will try to do the same. So please consider joining us in Chicago where we get to honor two of our own—George Daily and Mike Caveney— and share our passion with friends new and old. Our third area of operation, and perhaps the most exciting, is the Internet. Technology is such that there is now no excuse for not benefiting from the resources it offers. As the year progresses, you will see, and have access to, more information of interest to the membership than ever before. Several online projects are now up or in development. The late Sid Lorraine, for example, is blogging—telling his life story with words and pictures—on a weekly basis. We will also be hosting a variety of online exhibitions. The Stewart James Exhibition, developed by Joe Culpepper in partnership with Magicana and the Conjuring Arts Research Center, is a prime example of what is possible. We look forward to working with members who wish to curate an exhibition that draws on their expertise and collection so that both reach a wider audience. Finally, as one of our goals is to provide timely tangible benefits for members, we need to communicate. Fortunately, the Internet provides us with the means to do so. Although we will continue to mail issues of Magicol, complete with an annual dues renewal notice, to members, make sure that we have your email address, and please visit www.magicana.com on a regular basis for MCA updates. Before I sign off—and I promise not to take up as much space in future issues—I’d like to acknowledge several people. First, on behalf of all of us, I’d like to thank David Meyer and his wife, Anita, for all they have done for the MCA over the past fifteen years. I’d also like to thank their team; Mary Parrish, Daniel Waldron, Jim Alfredson and Tad Ware, among others, deserve our utmost respect for their tireless efforts not only to publish Magicol but also for elevating it in terms of content and design. I’d also like to thank Julie Eng, James Alan, Gabe Fajuri and David Meyer for assisting with the transition, Michael Albright for his redesign of Magicol, all the contributors to this issue, and those who provide counsel behind the scenes including, among others, Jim Alfredson, Mike Caveney, Michael Claxton, James Hagy, William Kalush, Jan Janson, Dr. Gene Matsuura, Richard Kaufman and Clay Shevlin so that the MCA and Magicol will continue to thrive. — David Ben   BACK TO MAGICOL