My Thoughts on Will Goldston

Will Goldston (1878-1948) magical entrepreneur, author and dealer is one of my favourite figures in magical history.
He began his magical career at the age of 17 performing as Carl Devo. He went on to manage the magical department at Gamages store in London, later opening his own shop Will Goldston Limited at Alladin House, London supplying books and effects to the magical trade.

He became famous as a prolific author, writing many books, including his infamous “locked books” beginning with Exclusive Magical Secrets (1912) the first editions of which had a lock and key designed to keep there contents secret. I am very privileged to own one of these first editions, and it is a fantastic book, and the cream of my collection.

Many discredit Goldston as merely a writer who stole and republished other magicians tricks, and partially that is true. I believe, however, that he had a nobler intent: he wanted to record and share information within the magical community to allow new ideas to germinate and magic in general to improve. This extract from a chapter called “Let There Be Harmony” from “Tricks of the Masters” published in 1942 spell out his hypothesis:

“Why is it that so many magicians are over-cautious in the manner in which they keep their secrets? I do not suggest, of course, that a conjurer who has spent much thought, time and money in producing a series of new tricks should be willing to satisfy the curiosity of any beginner who wants to take a peep behind the scenes. But are not some magicians a little too secretive in their behaviour to other magicians of equal rank? … One feels sure that a more free exchange of ideas would be of great benefit to the art of magic, and to magicians themselves, for the better the trick the greater the public interest in its performance, and the more the public can be interested in a trick the better for magic and for magicians generally.”

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Hiding the Elephant

Jim Steinmeyer’s book is a journey thorough the rich history of magicians, their creations and their quest for the impossible. Starting with Houdini’s famous and infamous illusion of making an elephant disappear, Jim traces the various inventions in “optical conjuring,” from Pepper’s Ghost to Tobin’s Proteus Cabinet and the famous wonders at Egyptian Hall. Covering all magicians of the day, Chung-Ling Soo, Lafayette, Houdini and Will Goldston. [more...]