Hocus Pocus Junior. The Anatomy of Legerdemain. Or, The Art of Juggling set forth in proper Colours. London: Printed by G. Dawson, 1663. The sixth edition, “with many additions.” One-third smooth calf over marbled boards, spine banded in gilt with date at foot and gilt-stamped title label. 32 leaves, unnumbered. Woodcut frontispiece, woodcuts in text. Unnumbered; A – F3 [lacking balance, A3 and A4 bound out of sequence]. Small 4to. Dawes and Findlay bookplates. Joints worn, title page darkened, inked marginalia, corners of five leaves expertly repaired (not affecting text), F2-3 reinforced with archival tissue. Toole Stott 361. RARE; one of two known examples of this edition.
Dr. Dawes recounted his acquisition of this rare book—originally part of the Findlay collection, and sold in one of the groundbreaking auctions at Sotheby’s in 1979—in his “Rich Cabinet of Magical Curiosities” in The Magic Circular for December, 2004:
“On the first day of the sale lot after lot astronomically exceeded the pre-sale estimates, driven up by fierce competition principally between American participants. It was the witnessing of so much of his father’s collection passing into transatlantic hands, as British buyers were consistently outbid, that led David Findlay to invite me to join him for coffee at a shop in Chancery Lane during a break in the proceedings. He too had been amazed by the prices that the lots were commanding and, very graciously, said that he wished me, as a good friend of his father, to have the opportunity to purchase four books that I would particularly like from the remainder of the sale. If I would choose accordingly he would then make arrangements with Sotheby’s for these titles to be bought in, along with certain lots that he was intending to purchase himself, mainly those containing books and monographs authored by his father. The customary formalities in connection with ‘buying in’ would be observed and this arrangement was to remain confidential to myself. Naturally I was overwhelmed by David’s generosity yet equally sensitive to the delicacy of choice that had been placed upon me. After much thought I gave him my selection of titles and, as they eventually came up the next day, they were duly bought in by David Findlay under the code name of ‘Frampton’.
“For the record, the four titles I chose in response to David’s invitation were catalogued thus: Thomas Hill (1684), Natural and Artificial Conclusions; Hocus Pocus Junior, the Anatomy of Legerdemain (1663); “Cavendish” (1888) Second Sight for Amateurs; and J. Fairburn (c.1815) New London Conjuror. These all came under the hammer on the second day of the sale, 6 July, a day especially auspicious because it happened to be my birthday. I could not have wished for nicer presents!”