$30.00
Amazing rare find. The book has been well loved but the interior pages are still in really good condition.
Volume 2 of The Greater Magic Library transitions away from the cards of Volume 1 and focuses heavily on classic sleight of hand and parlor magic, making it an absolute goldmine for foundational, traditional routines.
Key Content & Categories
Silk Magic: This volume features extensive work on silk handkerchief production, vanishes, and color changes. It covers brilliant utility moves like the Stillwell Handkerchief Act and various methods for loading and stealing silks smoothly.
Billiard Balls: A masterclass in the classic multiplying billiard ball routine. It details the precise mechanics of palming, vanishes, color changes, and the strategic use of shells to create a highly visual stage routine from thin air.
Coins: While cards dominate Volume 1, Volume 2 introduces Hilliard's curated collection of coin magic. It covers standard palms, changes, and routines like the Miser's Dream and classic coin assemblies, emphasizing natural hand positions and misdirection.
Cigarettes and Small Objects: Reflecting the popular vaudeville and cabaret styles of the early-to-mid 20th century, a significant portion of this volume is dedicated to the manipulation of cigarettes, matches, and thimbles. Even if the specific objects change to suit modern audiences, the underlying sleights and loading techniques remain incredibly relevant.
The Methodology & Legacy
What makes Greater Magic Vol. 2 a perennial classic isn't just the breakdown of the tricks, but Hilliard’s deep focus on psychology, misdirection, and presentation.
Hilliard spent years traveling the country as the advance agent for Howard Thurston's massive illusion show, allowing him to session with and collect secrets from the absolute best magicians of the era (including Max Malini, Cardini, and T. Nelson Downs). The instructions are famously clear, accompanied by the iconic, precise line drawings of Jean Hugard.
For a performer who appreciates traditional, old-school theater magic, this volume represents the very bedrock of classic, clean sleight of hand that relies on skill, poise, and audience management rather than complex gimmicks.