A who's who of The New York Magic scene crowded into Tannen's Thursday for the lecture by Gabi Pareras and Pipo Villanueva who were visiting from Spain. Villanueva opened the lecture, performing a three-coin, copper, silver, chinese coin routine that was filled with transpositions and changes. He also performed a strong chop cup routine and an innovative coins through table that was done standing, using a clear glass mug as a vehicle for the coins. 

Pareras performed a series of elegant card effects including an oil and water routine that stood out very strongly for the seeming simplicity and fairness of the approach. In the final phase the spectator fairly shuffles together six red and six black cards which then separate by color at the hands of the magician. Perhaps the most magical and beautiful of the tricks he demonstrated was one where several signed cards magically transfer from his hands to a location underneath a postcard on the table. Aside from the nature of the routines themselves, Pareras's smooth and confident, yet casual handling of various card moves was impressive and highly instructive.

While getting settled in at the beginning of the lecture Pareras jokingly vanished several random items in quick succession that he grabbed from the table, saying "Slydini" as each one went off to the magical netherworld. "Slydini, Slydini, Slydini," he said as each vanish occurred. As he was explaining various tricks he also went off on tangents that touched on other techniques and the lecture included lots of theoretical points of view.

Tannen's was crowded to overflowing for the appearance of these two artists who were lecturing in New York for the first time. Among the magicians spotted were Steve Cohen, Eric Jones, Joshua Jay, Bill Kalush, David Roth, Ricky Smith, and numerous others who work professionally or are actively involved with the New York scene. The lecture was the topic of considerable discussion at the Saturday magic get-together at Cafe Rustico with those gathered demonstrating--or working to recall--the tricks they learned Thursday.

Pareras, who lives in Barcelona, is known as an underground legend on the Spanish magic scene, and he has been deeply influential there as a mentor to numerous magicians. Pipo Villanueva is a young conjuror from Madrid who has won numerous awards.

It was an impressive coup for Tannen's to feature these two magicians in their first New York lecture, and it was a service to the local magic community. Making close-up magic comfortably viewable to an audience is an ongoing challenge that is rarely solved to full satisfaction, however in the case of such crowded events, Tannen's may want to examine their logistical setup to overcome issues with blocked site lines and the temperature of the room. An amplification system would have helped the audibility of the lecture, particularly since it was being translated from Spanish to English by Villanueva. Tannen's did have an overhead camera that projected the lecture onto a monitor which aided in viewing.

Pareras and Villanueva came to New York City from the Buffalo Get-Together, where they gave two presentations the weekend prior to their Tannen's event. While in New York for the week they also spent time meeting privately for sessions with local magicians.

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As Halloween nears New York's magic community is tapping into its spirit side in seances presented in Brooklyn and Queens. Jason Suran attempts to contact the netherworld in an event presented nightly from today through Halloween. The seance is held at the swank Urban Cowboy Bed and Breakfast in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and is presented jointly by Urban Cowboy and A Taste of Magic. The spooky ceremony accommodates just ten guests at each sitting and also includes an hour of cocktails and appetizers before the show. After a prelude in which Suran talks about notable mediums and the history of earlier seances the lights are lowered to pitch black, and participants around the table join hands as an effort is made to reach the other side.

For decades magicians have been gathering for lunch in Manhattan to hang out and share tricks. "The Magic Table," which now meets each Friday at the Cafe Edison on West 47th Street has attracted some big-time attention in the news media lately. An article on the group appeared in the Wall Street Journal last Sunday, and then, this past Friday, a crew from NBC's Today show was on hand to cover the gathering. Correspondent Jenna Wolf joined the table to witness miracles and also express her frustration at not knowing how the tricks were done. She also interviewed the various magicians about their interest in magic and why they participate in the group. Among the conjurors on hand were George Schindler, Kenneth Ferst, Rene Clement, Richie Bossong, Jerry and Lee Oppenheimer, Michael Chaut, Scott Mero, and your faithful reporter. During the course of the lunch sponge balls appeared, dollar bills floated, rubber bands melted, and lots of good conversation (and corny jokes) also appeared. 

"The Magic Table" today is spearheaded by Tom Klem who explained that he connected with the group originally as a historian after he was assigned to write an article about the lunchtime meetings years ago. The coverage from the Wall Street Journal and the Today show should go a long way toward assuring that it continues to thrive as a meeting spot for New York's local magic community.

Twenty-two striking magic posters, including items representing Houdini, Kellar, Thurston, Dunninger, Albini, Ovette, and Rouclere, among others, have been treated by conservators at The New York Public Library, and sixteen of them have been made accessible in the Library’s free Digital Collections web site.

The posters were printed from 1894 through about 1920. Because of their age and their storage in an unstable scrapbook in which they had been pasted, the posters had been subject to deterioration. Now the conserved and restored items can be viewed globally via the web or seen in person at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center where they are part of the Billy Rose Theater Division. The treatment of the posters was funded by Kathy and Alan Greenberg. Alan Greenberg, who died this past July was a longtime board member of The New York Public Library and a passionate fan and performer of magic. The posters were added to the Library's Digital Collections site in September.

According to magic historian Gabe Fajuri, President of Potter and Potter, an auction house specializing in magic, the collection includes “four or five which are particulary uncommon or scarce and one or two which are rare and maybe unique.” He points to a stylized red Houdini poster, heralding the escape artist as “Europe’s Eclipsing Sensation.” “I have not seen that elsewhere, ever.” says Fajuri. Another poster features a striking illustration of Houdini crouched over, bound in manacles around his wrists and ankles, dressed only in skimpy red, white, and blue shorts with gold fringe. “Certainly the Houdini in chains is one of two or one of very few and that’s the best poster of the bunch for a lot of reasons,” says Fajuri. The collection includes a third Houdini poster which has not yet been digitized and which also is quite rare according to Fajuri. It shows a fanciful illustration of Houdini in a tuxedo elevated over a barrel, inside of a prison cell. Houdini is surrounded by devil and angel characters and the poster promotes “Houdini’s Prison Cell & Barrel Mystery.” [Story continues on next page]