House of Mystery – Vol. 2 by Teller, Todd Karr

This two-volume set includes Abbott’s Book of Mysteries, a collection of super-mysteries which, so far as I know, has never been surpassed. Abbott was a genius who built his work on the devious principles he learned from spirit mediums, who could not afford to get caught. With these miracles, Abbott fooled Houdini, Kellar, Okito, Ching Ling Foo, and all the greatest minds in magic, and recorded his secrets in step-by-step detail in two of the most delightful and detailed books ever written on the art of magic. This edition’s annotations and the newly-rediscovered articles and letters, including seven original hand-illustrated Kellar letters, make this set as essential for the history buff as it is for the professional performer. – Teller FORTY essays on technique, magic psychology, and presentation by TELLER, plus his own top-secret billet-switch method.

Over 100 diabolically clever close-up, stage, and mental effects

More than 700 illustrations

The complete writings of David P. Abbott, including the legendary Book of Mysteries, Behind the Scenes with the Mediums, and previously unpublished material.

Bonus chapter on the life and mysteries of illusion genius Joseffy with a biography by Jim Steinmeyer.

Contents:

INTRODUCTION Todd Karr
PREFACE Walter Graham

A DETECTIVE STORY IN THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY Teller

MYSTERY SOIRÉES
David P. Abbott’s Occultism T. W. McGrath
Abbott’s Wonders A. M. Wilson
David Abbott of Omaha Will Blyth
Midwest Magic Leslie Guest
David P. Abbott E. G. Ervin

DAVID P. ABBOTT’S
BOOK OF MYSTERIES

PART 1
ELECTRICAL MYSTERIES
1. Balsamo, the Living Skull

2. The Talking Teakettle
Meyers’ Kettle William H. Meyers
Letters from Kellar Harry Kellar
Voice in Tea Kettle Opens Book of Past C. de Vidal Hundt
Abbott Kettle Authentication David P. Abbott
Improved and Perfected Kettle A. M. Wilson
Ghosts that Talk – by Radio Harry Houdini
The Unfortunate Exposure of the Talking Kettle Illusion
Regarding the Talking Tea Kettle Kendall Banning, Clyde W. Powers
The True History of Talking Tea Kettle David P. Abbott

3. Additional Effects
Loud-Speaking Daylight Trumpet
Ventriloquial Acts
The Educated Parrot and the Musical Canaries
The Kettle for a Second-Sight Act on the Stage
Second-Sight Effects
Method of Exchange of Questions in a Hall or Theater
The Kettle Spirit Plays a Phonograph Record with Her Fingernail
Guests About This Table Converse with a Spirit in a Large Trumpet
Best Stage Method of Answering Written Questions
Transmission of Thought to Ladies on the Stage
Transmission of Thought from Performer to Audience
Technique of Answering Questions from the Stage
Addenda to Part I

PART 2
MYSTERIES FOR THE PARLOR
1. The Floating Ball Illusion
The Gift of a Violin Okito
2. The Chinese Rings: An Act
3. The Spiritualistic Table
4. Best of All Slate Writing
Letter from Kellar Harry Kellar
5. The Indian Turban Illusion
6. The Spirit Portrait Mystery
Foreword
Solving the Mystery
Stage Version
Home Version
7. The Serpent of Pharaoh
8. Matter through Matter
9. Ching Ling Foo’s Paper Tearing Mystery
Letters from Kellar Harry Kellar
A Reminiscence of Ching Ling Foo David P. Abbott
10. Han Ping Chien Coin Illusion
Han Ping Chien David P. Abbott
11. Pocket-to-Pocket Card Illusion
12. Sawing a Woman in Two (with cords)
13. Spiritualistic Spoon and Glass
14. The Want-Ad Test
Letter from Kellar Harry Kellar

PART 3
MISCELLANEOUS EXPERIMENTS
1. Hankerchief and Flower Illusion
Handkerchief Illusion David P. Abbott
2. Kellar’s Superior Paper-Tearing
Letters from Kellar Harry Kellar
3. My Own Coin Illusion
4. Cut and Restored String Illusion
Kellar’s String Illusion
Letter from Kellar Harry Kellar
5. The Argot
Letters from Kellar Harry Kellar
6. Han Ping Chien’s Double Tape Illusion
7. Slate and Billet Illusion with Sitter’s Own Slates
8. Wooley’s Double Tape Illusion
9. Wooley’s Twenty Penny Illusion
10. The Mystic Circle and the Invisibles
11. Mock Sad Alli’s Pocket-to-Pocket Illusion
12. Candy Vase and Flower Illusion
13. Roterberg’s Growth of Flowers

FURTHER MYSTERIES
Introduction
1. Tsu Pein Chin Chein
2. Living and Dead Test
3. Vanishing and Reappearing Silk
4. Tables
5. Die Box
6. Flag Change
7. Vase, Cone, and Orange
8. Color Change
9. Rising Cards and Horseshoe
10. A Handkerchief Trick

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF DAVID P. ABBOTT

INDEX

Table of Content “taken” with the kind permission of Todd Karr from http://www.miraclefactory.org