USDThis is the favorite 'book' of Gaetan Bloom. This monthly magic journal only ran for two years (24 issues) but it is filled with wonderful ideas largely on close-up magic. Although most of the effects described are from Frank Chapman, there are a few contributions from people like Charlie Miller, Nate Leipzig, etc.
To give you a sense of what Frank had in mind, here an excerpt from the first issue:
Magic is my hobby ... It has been my hobby for over twenty-five years ... I am not a professional magician ... This may be questioned because I occasionally entertain for a fee ... I do this for two reasons ... To keep my hobby self-supporting ... and to play fair with those who derive a livelihood from magic ... My fee is considered high ... I keep it high for two reasons ... Because I can get it (so can you) - and because it places my performance on a higher plane (and it will yours) ... And so you understand ... at the start ... that I am an amateur magician ... and an amateur editor ... and that "Scrapbook" is not a "last word in magic" ... by any stretchy of the imagination ... It is simply this ... A monthly publication devoted, primarily, to club and pocket magic ... Many of the effects will be taken from my private scrapbooks ... They will be new to you ... I sincerely believe that you will find them valuable ... I know that they are practical ... In addition to these effects ... you will receive, from time to time, the ideas of others ... Not "fillers", understand; but exclusive material that meets my personal standard of judgement ... and for which I will have reimbursed the originator ... I shall ask myself this question before each issue leaves my hands: "Would you be satisfied with this issue of 'Scrapbook' if you had paid a dollar for it?" ... I will never fail to answer that question fairly ... I want "Scrapbook" to be worth at least double what you pay for it ... And I will welcome your opinion of each issue.... It may inspire me to dig a little deeper should the "going get easy" ... Wherever an effect calls for the use of a special gimmick I will supply that gimmick with the issue - providing the cost is not excessive ... This, naturally, you will understand ... As for inter-journalistic, and private, squabbles ... I am not interested ... The "scrap" in "Scrapbook" is not to be taken in any suoh sense ... Those who seek such literary fisticuffs ... had best look elsewhere ... I can find better use for my time ... And, I believe, yours ... It is my intention to keep "Scrapbook" a quality sheet ... Not a "high hat" sheet, mind you ... A quality sheet ... I promise no definite number of tricks to the issue ... One month you may receive four or five ... the next month two ... But in every instance ... you will receive double value for your money ... I am not out to "live" on "Scrapbook" ... I want it to pay its way ... And, I hope, show a small profit ... If it grows beyond expectations I shall reduce the subscription rate ... and see that my original subscribers are rewarded for the confidence placed in me ... One thing more ... and then we will "get to the meat" ... Today - there is a great demand for bar (pocket) magic and small club effects ... This is the field that "Scrapbook" intends to serve ... Are we all set? ... Then - "OPEN SESAME!"
1st edition 1938; PDF 98 pages
Contents
July 1938
- Pleased to Meet You (Frank Chapman) - 2
- Darn Clever These Chinese (Frank Chapman) - 3
- Tap-tap (Frank Chapman) - 4
- Purse Mys'try (Frank Chapman) - 4
August 1938
- Thank You (Frank Chapman) - 5
- Just a Cigarette (Frank Chapman) - 5
- Boutonniere (Bill Larsen) - 6
- Flash Color-change Silk (Frank Chapman) - 6
- Mr. Clubb Goes Berserk (Frank Chapman) - 7
- It's the Climax That Counts (Frank Chapman) - 8
September 1938
- Let's Get Straight! (Frank Chapman) - 9
- The Human Pump! (Frank Chapman) -10
- With Silk (Howard Warringer) - 11
- Fan It! (Frank Chapman) - 12 (added comment on page 9)
October 1938
- The Man With the Pipe (Frank Chapman) - 13
- Dr. Ervin's Straw Trick (Dr. E. G. Ervin) - 13
- Cocktail Pix (Frank Chapman) - 14
- Smart Coin Trick (Frank Chapman) - 15 & 16
- Bull's Eye! (T. Page Wright) - 15
November 1938
- What Do You Think? (Frank Chapman) - 17
- Disintegrosphere (Frank Chapman) - 17
- Watch-in-Loaf (Frank Chapman) - 18 to 29
December 1938
- Screwball (Frank Chapman) - 21
- Obedient Silks (Howard Warringer) - 21 & 24
- Selectosilko (Frank Chapman) - 22
- Dr. Ervin's Psyhic Cigarette (Dr. E. G. Ervin) - 23
- Psychic Slate Mystery (Frank Chapman) - 23
January 1939
- Contest Winners! (Frank Chapman) - 25
- Capture of Black Carew (Frank Chapman) - 25
- Puff (Frank Chapman) - 26
- Sucker Coins (Frank Chapman-Paul Morris) - 27
- For Magi Ony! (Bill Larsen) - 27
- Oriental Papers (Frank Chapman) - 28
February 1939
- Home Sweet Home (Frank Chapman) - 29
- Yogi Stuff (Anonymous) - 30
- Emergency Card in Wallet (Frank Chapman) - 30
- Picture of a Prophecy (Frank Chapman-Jack Keyes) - 31
- Again - The Cigarette From Nowhere (Frank Chapman) - 32
March 1939
- Amator (Frank Chapman) - 33
- Scoop!!! (Art Lyle) - 34
- It's a Date (Frank Chapman) - 34
- Like Mawe Makes (C. R. Mawe) - 35
- Bamboo ("R. D. Spraker- Jr.") - 36
April 1939
- Odds & Ends (Frank Chapman) - 37
- When Your Number Turns Up (Frank Chapman) - 38
- Kontact! (Frank Chapman) - 39
- By Request - The Card in the Matchbox (Frank Chapman) - 40
May 1939
- More Odds & Ends (Frank Chapman) - 41
- Thought Transmission (Dr. Rothbart) - 42
- A Coin Load (Dr. E. G. Ervin) - 43
- Howard Warringer's Resuscitated Cigarette (Howard Warringer) - 44
June 1939
- Curtain Calls (Frank Chapman) - 45
- Corker (Bob Weill) - 46
- Lyle's Coin Vanish (Art Lyle) - 46
- Impromptu Match Routine (Frank Chapman) - 47
- Pencil & Peg Mystery (John B. Ward) - 48
Vol. II, No. 1, July 1939
- Prelude to Act II (Frank Chapman) - 49
- Izariot (Frank Chapman) - 50
- Art Lyle offers Hats All Right (Art Lyle) - 52
- Dr. Ervin offers Magnetized Plate (Dr. E. G. Ervin) - 52
- Chap offers The Floating Cigarette (Frank Chapman) - 52
Vol. II, No. 14, August 1939
- Hindu Turban Mystery (Club Version) (Dr. Harlan Tarbell) - 53
- Sure I'm Da Phantom! So What? - 55
- Len Barker offers Phoney Telepathy (Len Barker) - 56
- Dr. L. Rothbart offers Sugar Lumps (Dr. L. Rothbart) - 56
- Chap offers Crystal Gags (Frank Chapman) - 56
Vol. II, No. 15, September 1939
- Famous Moth Trick (Fred Robert) - 57
- The Bashful Bartender (Howard Warringer) - 59
- Brainerd Baker offers Color Waves (Brainerd Baker) - 60
- Chap offers the Makin's (Frank Chapman) - 60
- Chap offers Match-ic Numbers (Frank Chapman) - 60
Vol. II, No. 16, October 1939
- Knife Thru Coat (John B. Ward) - 61
- Impaled (Joe Ovette) - 62
- X Marks the Spot (Dr. L. Rothbart) - 63
- Quong Yen offers Cig in Bottle (Quong Yen) - 64
- Chap offers Vanishing Glass on Wand (Frank Chapman) - 64
Vol. II, No. 17, November 1939
- Zen's X-clusive Card Combination (M. F. Zens) - 65
- Niteclub Silk Production (Joe Ovette) - 67
- R. D. Spraker offers Reverse 20th Century ("R. D. Spraker- Jr.") - 68
- Dr. Ervin offers Here's How! (Dr. E. G. Ervin) - 68
- Al Cerwin (of Guatemala) offers A Tip for Your Tip (Al Cerwin) - 68
- Howard Warringer offers Hoo-mathpac (Howard Warringer) - 68
Vol. II, No. 18, December 1939
- Master of Will (Eddie Clever) - 69
- Flash Card Production (Tommy Tucker) - 71
- The Fastest Trick in the World (Frank Chapman) - 71
- Restored Rope #7643999 (Art Lyle) - 72
Vol. II, No. 19, January 1940
- From the Pen of Leipzig (Nate Leipzig) - 73
- Surprise Sponge Climax (Dr. L. Rothbart) - 74
- A Penny "Sucker" (Joe Ovette) - 75
- Bad-egg-bag (Frank Chapman) - 75
- Utility Card Stealing Apparatus (Howard Warringer) - 76
- Performance Counts - 76
Vol. II, No. 20, February 1940
- Visible Thimble Penetration (John B. Ward) - 77
- Comedy of Errors (George Pearace) - 78
- Beats the Band! (Dr. L. Rothbart) - 79
- Match-ic Manipulation (Joe Ovette) - 79
- Silk-'n-coin Production (Howard Warringer) - 80
- Making Modern Magic Catalogs Modern - 80
Vol. II, No. 21, March 1940
- The Flashing Fetish (Howard Warringer) - 81
- Nine From Three (Dr. E. G. Ervin) - 84
- Bombay Propaganda (Dr. E. G. Ervin) - 84
- Coin Go (Art Lyle) - 84
- Long Hair (Art Lyle) - 84
- French Safes (Art Lyle) - 84
Vol. II, No. 22, April 1940
- Cigars (Sid Lorraine) - 85
- Troseth's Famous Three Card Routine (George Troseth) - 86
- A Lulu! (Joe Ovette) - 87
- Coin in Bottle (Jim Muir) - 88
Vol. II, No. 23, May 1940
- The O-so-easy Torn & Restored Strip of Paper (Frank Chapman) - 89
- Ovette's Paper Strip Tear (Joe Ovette) - 90
- A Drink - and a Smoke (Frank Chapman) - 91
- Cocktail Cup Routine (Bud Spraker) - 91
- The Spectre Slate! (Dr. L. Rothbart) - 92
Vol. II, No. 24, June 1940
- My Cups and Balls (Charles Miller) 94
- Aerial Card Production (Tommy Tucker) -95
- A Headline Egg-bag Routine (George E. Pearce) - 96
- In Reverse! (Dr. E. G. Ervin) - 96
- Warringer's Wiz - 96
