Title: Fifty
Years in the Magic Circle; Being an Account of the Author's Professional
Life; His Wonderful Tricks and Feats; with Laughable Incidents, and Adventures
as a Magician, Necromancer, and Ventriloquist.
Author: Signor Blitz
Publisher: Belknap & Bliss
City: Hartford, Conn.
Year: 1872
Binding Style: Hardcover
Pagination: 432
Illustrated: Yes
Book Details + Condition: Fifty Years in the Magic Circle; Being an Account of the Author's Professional Life; His Wonderful Tricks and Feats; with Laughable Incidents, and Adventures as a Magician, Necromancer, and Ventriloquist. (1872), by Signor Blitz. Illustrated with numerous engravings and portrait of
the author on steel. Publisher's original decorated green cloth boards. In good condition: Some shelf wear; rubbing to corners and slight fraying to spine ends; binding is tight and solid; the pages are free of interior markings. Please see pictures for further condition and detail. Ex Libris bookplate present of James B. Alfredson on the front inside board; Alfredson (1937-2015) was the author of several biographies about magicians, and a co-compiler of the landmark bibliography of magic periodicals. Author Signor Blitz (1810-1877) born Antonio van Zandt in
Deal Kent County, England, was an accomplished magician, ventriloquist (with
his dummy Bobby), juggler and bird handler. He would advertise himself as a
Moravian as he found he could get more work in England as a foreigner. He even
perpetuated the myth in his autobiography. Please see below for more information on Signor Blitz' life and work.
Biography
Antonio Blitz arrived in America from Europe in
1834. He was a great showman who used magic in his acts usually accompanied by
humor. Laughter and mystification were his goals. At the height of his career,
a dozen other magicians were performing under the name "Blitz" in an
effort to capitalize on his popularity. His favorite effect was the Bullet
Catching act (but eventually dropped it as being too dangerous) and Plate
Spinning. He was living in Philadelphia at the time of his
death where gave lessons from his home. His grave was later rediscovered in New
York by Benjilini and has since been restored.
