Keith Abson scrapbooks relating to The Magician Dreams

MLMSS 10509/Boxes 1-9
MLMSS 10509/Box 10X

fonds

approximately 1966-1984

Textual Records, Clippings, Ephemera, Prints

9636108

2.08 metres of textual material (9 boxes and 1 outsize box) - typescript, printed, manuscript

Keith Oswald Clyde Abson (6 June 1912 to 29 September 1988) was born in Victoria, and was involved in several magic clubs in Sydney, including the Independent Magical Performers of Sydney which merged with the Australian Magicians' Club, of which Keith became President, serving during the mid-1970s. Keith produced the club magazine Gems of Magic, of which only one issue was previously known to exist. He wrote two documents 'Harlan's Magic Circle' and 'The Magician Dreams' which gives a sense of Keith's deep love of magic and its importance in his life.

Reference:
Library correspondence file

Bequeathed by Keith Abson to his grandson James Abson. The collection also comprises scrapbooks and papers from the J. Albert Briggs collection, the Harrie Ensor papers, and the estate of George Whittaker (Chandalu).

Box 1
The Magic Book by Keith Abson Man of Magic, April 1984. Includes original handwritten poem by George Whittaker (Chandalu) Manuscript. Lot 80
The Magician Dreams, Gems of Magic, Book 2-B. 100 Magic Tricks compiled from the scrapbooks of magic by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, 5 October 1973. Lot 75

Boxes 1-2
The Magician Dreams, Gems of Magic, Book 3-C. 100 Magic Tricks compiled from the scrapbooks of magic by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, 4 October 1973. Lot 73

Box 2
The Magician Dreams, Items of magic. Book 4, 100 tricks compiled from the scrapbooks of Keith Abson, Man of Magic, 1 October 1973. Lot 73
Magic scrapbook , Keith Abson, 1 January 1978
Magic Tricks Book 5, compiled by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, 30 September 1973. Lot 83

Box 3
The Magician Dreams, Gems of Magic, Book 7, 100 tricks compiled from the scrapbooks of Keith Abson, Man of Magic, 29 September 1973. Lot 70
Magic Tricks, Book 8, compiled by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, 28 September 1973. Lot 78
Royal Australian Conjuring papers, magic scrapbook, Number 8. Lot 85

Box 4
The Magician Dreams, Gems of Magic, Book 9. 100 tricks compiled from the scrapbooks of magic by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, 24 September 1973. Lot 86
Keith Abson’s magic scrapbook, Number 9, 18 May 1975
The Magician Dreams, Gems of Magic, Book 10. 100 tricks compiled from the scrapbooks of magic by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, 22 September 1973. Lot 87

Box 5
Magic scrapbook, compiled by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, 1978
Magic scrapbook, compiled by Keith Abson, Man of Magic
Magic scrapbook, No. 16, compiled by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, November 1982. Lot 92

Box 6
Magic scrapbook 17, January 1983, compiled by Keith Abson, Man of Magic. Includes original trick by Abson ‘The Invisible Card’. Lot 93
Magic scrapbook No. 18, compiled by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, April 1983. Includes Harrie Ensor collection of handwritten papers, ca. 1904. Lot 94

Box 7
Magic scrapbook. No. 19, compiled by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, May 1983. Includes Harrie Ensor papers. Lot 95
My Last Magic scrapbook. No 20, compiled by Keith Abson, Man of Magic. Clippings, anecdotes and final magicians secrets. Lot 96

Box 8
One hundred magic tricks. Off the Beaten Track. Volume 2. Compiled by Keith Abson, Man of Magic. Lot 79
The Magicians Dreams, Gems of Magic, Chapters 1-5. Typescript. Lot 67

Box 9
The Magician Dreams, By Keith Abson, Man of Magic. Manuscript. Lot 66
J Albert Briggs papers – A collection of Illusions, Ideas and Magical Experiments, manuscript of tricks with diagrams. Includes signed trick script by J.M. Maskelyne The Will, the Witch and the Watchman and poems by illusionist Chandalu (George Whittaker). Lot 101
The Original Magician Dreams by J Albert Briggs. Manuscript scrapbook with miscellaneous contributions and ephemera by Keith Abson. Lot 102

Box 10X
Scrapbook the Magician Dreams, Book of Illusions, 1966-1967, by Keith Abson, Man of Magic, on shand kydd wallpaper swatch book. Includes apparatus blueprints, magic trick notes and instructions.

Poster from this collection has been catalogued seperately at Call No.: POSTERS/2021/15

In copyright:
Copyright holder:: State Library of New South Wales
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Man of Magic. The Keith Abson Magic Collection.