Salon de Magie: The Klosterman Collection Part I

Headline Sensation. Colon: Abbott’s Magic Novelty Co., ca. 1944. Headline prediction effect consisting of an outer metal box and internal wooden block holding a sturdy brass tube. The prediction – mailed to the theatre weeks before the magician’s appearance – is shown to match, nearly exactly, the newspaper headline of the town in which the performance takes place. With instructions. Outer box 6 ? x 3 ? x 3 ?". Inner brass tube a tight fit, else very good. Rare. After its invention, this prop was offered to the magic fraternity by Abbott’s for the high price of $25 and on the condition that each buyer would sign a secrecy agreement in order to complete the purchase. A complete history of James’ invention and use of this prop to predict the outbreak of WWII is outlined in Stewart James in Print: The First Fifty Years, at page 212. This unit is said to have been the property of “Doc” Mahendra. Note: the inner brass tube can be freely removed from the wooden block.