I know this post will get moved, but I have no idea where to put it. I’m putting it in “Ever So Sleightly” because this is where I normally post…

Does anyone know who James L. Henry is? There is a “James L. Henry” magic collection at my school’s library. However, these books are considered “rare” so they are stored in a city nearby and I have to have each book transported to my school’s library, and I can only have 10 books transported at a time. From what I can see on the library database, he has over 500 books/pamphlets, including the bound copies of the first seven Tarbell books. I decided to put in a request for those seven books, and two books about Dai Vernon called "The lost inner secrets : a tribute" and "The Dai Vernon book of magic.”

Additionally, the “regular” section of the library, where the books are actually located, I found the first four volumes of the Tarbell Course and a bunch of other books on magic. I didn’t write down the titles, but I remember seeing a Cyclopedia of Magic (it looked really old), and a few books on Houdini and Robert-Houdin. I browsed through the Tarbell Course today and it was really interesting. The cups and balls routine is a little different from routines today because it uses foam balls.

I feel like I need to do something with all of this information. Does anyone have any ideas? I’m REALLY curious what’s inside the pamphlets from the James L. Henry magic collection. I can’t find a description online.

Here is a link to SOME of the titles in the collection:
Click here for the list.

I don’t know what the librarian searched for, but he found twice as many results. I think the pamphlets aren’t on the link that I put in this post.

I think this list requires special access by someone with an account at the university.

If The Lost Inner Secrets is in this collection, then it could not have been acquired before 1987. This gives me a framework to look for the identity of James L. Henry.

Hey Bill I just tried the link again and it doesn't work. I think it was a temporary search or something.

1.) Go to: pathfinder.berkeley.edu (do not put www. or http://)
2.) For the search type in: James L. Henry Magic
3.) For the option select: Notes/Table of Contents keyword(s)

And 224 items should appear. When I went to the library, more items showed up though.

Also this library is open to the public so anyone who wants to come to Berkeley can use it! However you need to order the books ahead of time to make sure they are present when you arrive. This particular library will be closed from late spring to early fall 2008.

That's a beautiful library. I have spent many an hour in there looking around. Im only 15min down the freeway

-Todd

Hey Lint,

Do you mean the main library? The collection is held at a center in Richmond and the books must be ordered for temporary use.

This magician probably donated his books to the library upon his death.
I have seen this happen a number of times.
Like many of us, he probably cxollected material over a long period of time.
All the libray's here have some kind of magic book collection. All of them have been donated by the families of area magicians.

Mobius

Hey Mobius, where exactly is "here"? Do you live in the Bay Area?

You have to be very careful about donating your books to libraries. Once they are donated, the librarian has total control over what happens to them, even if you have a will that states that the collection will remain intact.

I've seen really nice collections end up on the excess books table.

If you have a wife or children, tell them how to dispose of your collection so it will do them and magic the most good.

Make sure they know what your library is worth and who to sell it to.

Collections that remain intact are a rarity these days.

I should add this. There are some private collections that are immense. Byron Walker's collection is actually made up of several collections. The nice thing about Byron is that if he knows where something is in his collection, he will let you know where to look it up.

It saves a lot of leg work and wasted money. Note that he doesn't spoon feed you information. He lets you do some work. But he points you in the right direction.

Part of doing research is the thrill of discovery.

Hey Bill, who is Byron Walker? Also where is his magic collection located? Is it mostly old stuff or newer stuff?

Byron is a magic book dealer who lives in Oakland or San Francisco, if I'm not mistaken. His library spans the entire history of the written word in magic. He has original copies of things like Discoverie of Witchcraft and Hocus Pocus Junior. He has also written extensively about things like the history of P&L magic. He sells new and used books.

I see him at collectors' events.

Yes Byron lives over here in the east bay. I have never met him nor spoken with him but a mutual friend has offered to take me to his house someday to explore. I hope to take him up on the offer someday!

And Matt I mean the campus library....wonderful place. Met my wife near there

-todd

Lint, is that where you found all the routines for your cups and balls bibliography? Also, did you go to UC Berkeley?

Bill, you said that Byron is a dealer. Does he have a store?

Hi matt, no I never attended UCB, I moved to berkeley about 3 years ago and moved out to WC about a year ago for work. The material I have gathered for the bibliography comes from my own library and research. Most of the older submission come from help of older bibliographies (although I intend to check each of them for accuracy).

Byron's inf is below. I do not think he has his own webpage. I've heard it is best to just phone him and ask what you are looking for.

Byron Walker
Box 3186
San Leandro, CA 94578
Phone: 510-276-1854

-todd

Oh interesting. Thanks Lint, I will give him a call if I ever need rare material.

I don't think Byron has a store, as such. He usually has a booth at various conventions. He doesn't just carry rare material. For example, he carries some of the things I publish.

You really should give him a call sometime.

Interesting collection. Not super - there are no books before 1900 - but still some of books searched by me. Most interesting N223 "Robert-Houdin, the great wizard: celebrated French conjurer, author, and ambassador" with 17-th chapter... Information that really it was translated by Sphinx for me new... Long time try get it.

Just an update: I browsed through a few of the Tarbell courses and the Dai Vernon books. I saw some interesting tricks, but I only spent a few hours in the library. I now know some more thumb tip tricks and an interesting way to locate a short cornered card.

Also, I don't think I will go to the library for a while because I have a lot of stuff that I recently bought.