top of page

Darren McGavin as

Carl Kolchak by

Scotty Philllips

THE MAGICIAN

by Finnish artist VESA PELTONEN

This illustration and poem are from the book "A Museum of Wonders and What the Young Folks Saw There Explained in Many Pictures," published in 1884 by Frederick Burr Hopper The Magician... This is a famed Magician, who has come from Bundelpore; He reads the stars by midnight, and studies magic lore; He takes a watch and pounds it up into a powder small— The owner never more expects to see his watch at all— Then suddenly it is produced from out his neighbor’s hat, And, strange to say, it is all right, though it was pounded flat. He makes a pudding in his hat, and then, to your surprise, He takes a dozen eggs from it—you cannot believe your eyes! More wondrous still, six lovely doves now fly up in the air— No wonder this magician can make the children stare! But there is a magician—I know him very well— Who has more power in his touch, more magic in his spell; He can raise you from a hovel, he can give you house and land, Costly jewels, lovely fabrics, all will come at his command; Though you are in rags he’ll clothe you in garments fine and fair; If you’re starving he can bring you a feast both rich and rare. He turns the yellow wheat to flour—he changes grapes to wine, The apples into cider, the wool to cloth so fine. He builds the grandest bridges; he quarries marble fair; He paints such wondrous pictures; he carves such statues rare; He can weave the fragile laces; he can crush the iron ore— Drill the eyes of finest needles—through the giant mountains bore. He can drain a mighty river, and build cities where it ran; He can raise up tons of metal, or gently waft a fan; He can spin a thread of gossamer—twist iron bars in two; There’s no end to the miracles that he can show to you, Or the wonders he’ll accomplish, if you will strive aright The task that lies before you to do with all your might; But he must be your master, and he'll rule you like a Turk. The name of this Magician: Well, I’ll tell you—“ Mr. Work!”

This is a piece of art created by Marylin DaSilva which is displayed at gallery shows. Her work is based on telling stories through imagery and representational elements. Her trademark surface treatment of gesso and colored pencil creates a rich palette for her sculpture and wearable pieces. Her work has been displayed nationally and internationally, including at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the National Gallery of Australia. She is represented in public and private collections. Also, she has been featured in numerous books, magazines and catalogues. She was invited to be “Master Metalsmith 1999” by the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. She recently received the honor of being selected as a Fellow of the American Craft Council. Marilyn da Silva is Professor and Program Chair of the Jewelry/Metal Arts Department at California College of the Arts in Oakland where she has been since 1987.

The Magician Self Portrait With Four Arms

1952 by Rene Magritte

The Magic of Baltimore

Demons Club Member's Artwork

International Artwork

39" (99 cm.) h. x 32"w. x 19"d. Theatre background 88"h. x 60"w. x 25" d. The man is 29"h. Posed upon a wooden stage is the scene of a magic show depicting the illusion of a magician levitating a lady. A stately,goateed gentleman-magician,wearing rich evening dress in the manner of the famous illusionist Robert-Houdin,stands behind a red-velvet bench,holding a magic wand in his left hand and a hoop in his right hand. Reclining on the bench is a lady,presumably selected randomly from the "audience",dressed in a light green satin-crepe gown,nervously anticipating the performance as she blinks her eyes and fans herself. The two figures have paper mache heads with oil-painted features,kidskin eyelids,glass eyes,the man with hinged jaw. The complexly-designed spring-driven mechanism comprises a main cluster of six wooden cams which pass up through the legs of the Levitator. There are also three auxiliary wooden cams that direct the movement of the lady's eyelids,fanning and the levitation itself. Music is provided by a "fat" cylinder Sublime Harmonie movement. Movements: There are eleven movements. At first the magician leans forward while waving his wand,fixing his gaze so as to hypnotize the lady. She slowly stops fanning herself and closes her eyes,falling into a sleeplike state,yet receptive to his suggestions. In her trance she rises,her body horizontally suspended in mid-air. The magician then passes the hoop fully across her body several times to and fro,as though to prove to his speculative audience that there are no "tricks". His left arm is so articulated that it can do complete circles in both ways. Finally the lady's body levitates downwards,back onto the bench,and she opens her eyes,now broken from the trance,and she fans herself once again. The Levitator raises his head to the audience and moves his lips and blinks his eyelids as accepting accolades for his remarkable feat.

Tommy Cooper Toby Jug Collectors Guild 1996/97 by Kevin Francis Ceramics manufactured by Peggy Davies Ceramics. This 9.5" Toby Jug captured the great man on stage, wearing his trademark red Fez , matching red socks and black evening suit with white shirt and bow tie, pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Tommy Cooper is one of the few magicians to have a life size statue of himself as well.

bottom of page