Vanishing Inc.
Step right up and feast your eyes on one of the world’s most jaw-dropping private collections of magic posters—now revealed for the first time! The Art of Magic showcases what can only be described as a treasure trove of magic posters. This oversized tome is, quite frankly, a masterpiece in its own right. It’s a collection entirely devoted to the art and artistry that has shaped the history of magic.
Author Ken Trombly isn’t just your average collector; he’s a full-blown aficionado of magic art. Lithographs, posters, etchings—if it features a magician from history, Ken’s probably got a pristine copy tucked away. His home is like a time capsule from the golden age of magic. But let’s be honest, not many of us will get the chance to see his collection in person. So, The Art of Magic does the next best thing: it brings that stunning collection straight to your coffee table.
Speaking of coffee tables, this beauty is a whopping 16" by 12". It’s too grand and gorgeous to hide away on a shelf (unless you’re a fan of boring décor). The Art of Magic deserves a prime spot, front and centre, so you and your mates can gawk at these captivating images with just a flick of the page. Inside, you'll discover a delightful mix of both celebrated and obscure heroes of magic.
You’ll get to know the legends you recognise—Kellar, Chung Ling Soo, Thurston, Houdini—but brace yourself for the hidden gems you won’t find anywhere else. Meet John Henry Anderson and Robert-Houdin, who paved the way for the golden age, and marvel at how the technology and artistry evolved over time—from broadsides of all kinds to those dazzling stone lithographs we all adore.
But here’s the kicker: the real joy in The Art of Magic lies in the unsung heroes. Discover Professor Hartz and Will Wood, and even a quirky magician named "Hellmann," whose most stunning poster somehow manages to misspell his name. (Classic!) You’ll also encounter a magician whose claim to fame is... eating rocks! Yes, you read that right.
Let’s not forget about Carlincourt, a travelling magician who, for reasons that are still unclear, was enlisted by Abraham Lincoln to spy on Confederate troops during the Civil War. Talk about multi-tasking!
And it’s not all about the people—Ken has a fantastic array of hilarious animal broadsides featuring everything from learned pigs to… well, learned horses (because why not?).
Ken Trombly himself provides the commentary for each image, sharing snippets of history about each performer, how he came to acquire each piece, and often why it resonates with him as a collector. It’s a deeply personal narrative that takes you on one collector's journey through our craft.
Alongside a plethora of stunning full-colour stone lithographs—many of which have never been published before—the book also features rare ephemera, from sheet music with magicians to one-of-a-kind Houdini documents and photos. Oh, and there’s even a chapter dedicated to iconic prints and engravings of those cheeky cup and ball performers.
The Art of Magic is a lifetime’s worth of collecting, but the book itself has been years in the making. World-class National Geographic photographer Richard Nowitz painstakingly captured the images in Ken’s collection, and Andi Gladwin has crafted an elegant layout that does justice to the splendour of these golden-age images.
If you appreciate the stunning visuals that showcase our craft’s rich history (who doesn’t?), this book should be a must-have for your collection.
The Art of Magic is available in both a regular edition and a deluxe set, which features a stunning slipcase and a signed bookplate by the author. Only 200 deluxe sets were produced, and once they’re gone, they won’t be reprinted. So, better act swiftly before you’re left in the dust!
