Magic!

A DigitalNZ Story by seanpaulk

Image: Grand Opera House: English Amusements presents "Blue Velvet", a magical revue starring The amazing Mr Rooklyn from London. Watch his fingers. Supported by celebrity vaudeville and international lovelies. Grand Opera House Wellington. Com[mencing] Friday, January 11 [1946]. Wright & Jaques Ltd., Albert Street, Auckland.

Grand Opera House: English Amusements presents "Blue Velvet", a magical revue starring The amazing Mr Rooklyn from London. Watch his fingers. Suppo...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Opera House Wellington :Commencing at the matinee Easter Saturday April 12th. The Great Levante and his magical extravaganza, Hows Tricks / Rob[er]t Kemp [del]. Central Printing Co. (Chas Sowden) Ltd Burnley. [1941].

Opera House Wellington :Commencing at the matinee Easter Saturday April 12th. The Great Levante and his magical extravaganza, Hows Tricks / Rob[er]...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Grand Opera House: First time in New Zealand theatrical history ... 2 world famous personalities together. The Amazing Mr Rooklyn, magic of the mind and hands [and] the Eminent Van Loewe, highlights of hypnotism. Sensational! Baffling! Hilarious! Grand Opera House, April 20th to May 2nd [1953].

Grand Opera House: First time in New Zealand theatrical history ... 2 world famous personalities together. The Amazing Mr Rooklyn, magic of the min...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Artist unknown :Coming ... the Great Benyon presents "Bam-Boo-Zalem". [1955?].

Artist unknown :Coming ... the Great Benyon presents "Bam-Boo-Zalem". [1955?].

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Grand Opera House: The amazing Mr Rooklyn from London, internationally famous magician. A host of new and unbelievable mysteries plus Vaudeville featuring Australia's foremost comedian, Joe Lawman and full supporting company. Comm[encing] Friday, Jan. 7 [1949]

Grand Opera House: The amazing Mr Rooklyn from London, internationally famous magician. A host of new and unbelievable mysteries plus Vaudeville fe...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: On stage! Baffling! Magic of the mind and hands, the Amazing Mr Rooklyn. First time in New Zealand theatrical history 2 world famous personalities together! The Eminent Van Loewe. Highlights of hypnotism. [1953].

On stage! Baffling! Magic of the mind and hands, the Amazing Mr Rooklyn. First time in New Zealand theatrical history 2 world famous personalities ...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: World tour direct from America. Virgil, world-famous magician and company, featuring Julie, America's sweetheart of magic. Printed by W E Smith Limited, Sydney. [ca 1952].

World tour direct from America. Virgil, world-famous magician and company, featuring Julie, America's sweetheart of magic. Printed by W E Smith Lim...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Artist unknown :Nicola the man who knows. Is he man? Is he devil? Sees all. Tells all. Knows all. Ask Nicola anything. / R.P. Melbourne [1938].

Artist unknown :Nicola the man who knows. Is he man? Is he devil? Sees all. Tells all. Knows all. Ask Nicola anything. / R.P. Melbourne [1938].

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Grand Opera House, Wellington: The Great Nicola, world's master magician. Nicola beats the fakirs of India at their own game. Season commencing Saturday, December 24th [1938].

Grand Opera House, Wellington: The Great Nicola, world's master magician. Nicola beats the fakirs of India at their own game. Season commencing Sat...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Civic Theatre (Christchurch?) :Introducing the long-awaited, sensational and incomparable "Escalante", mass hypnotist, in Sensations of 1957. Civic Theatre Thursday June 27th, Friday June 28th, Saturday June 29th. Uproarious pandemonium with "Escalante". 1957.

Civic Theatre (Christchurch?) :Introducing the long-awaited, sensational and incomparable "Escalante", mass hypnotist, in Sensations of 1957. Civic...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Grand Opera House :Chang in person. "A trip to Hades". First tour of New Zealand by arrangement with J C Williamson Theatres Ltd. Seven nights only! Com[mencing] Saturday, June 24th at the Matinee. 1939. Printed in Australia by Victory Publicity Pty Ltd.

Grand Opera House :Chang in person. "A trip to Hades". First tour of New Zealand by arrangement with J C Williamson Theatres Ltd. Seven nights only...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Opera House [New Plymouth] :The Great Levante and his magical extravaganza "How's tricks". Opera House June 4th, 5th. Direct from Kingsway Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Sydney, King's Theatre, Melbourne / A E Claxton. Central Printing Co. (Chas Sowdon) Ltd, Burnley [1941].

Opera House [New Plymouth] :The Great Levante and his magical extravaganza "How's tricks". Opera House June 4th, 5th. Direct from Kingsway Theatre,...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Opera House Wellington :Friday January 7th. The amazing Mr Rooklyn from London. 100 laughs! Thrills! Mysteries! [1949]

Opera House Wellington :Friday January 7th. The amazing Mr Rooklyn from London. 100 laughs! Thrills! Mysteries! [1949]

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Cecil Morris doing magic card tricks

Cecil Morris doing magic card tricks

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Cecil Morris doing magic card tricks

Cecil Morris doing magic card tricks

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Cecil Morris doing magic card tricks

Cecil Morris doing magic card tricks

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Theatre Royal (Wellington) :Maccabe. Theatre Royal tonight, Saturday 12th October. Positively last night. The Magic Statue, also the burlesque melodrama of Vanquished Villainy or Virtue Victorious! in which Mr Maccabe enacts the whole Dramatis Personae, appearing in the last scene in two characters at once. Tonight positively last night of Mlle Minnia, in her graceful dancing as "Madrilena" and "The Highland Laddie". Geo. Buller, Manager. Printed at the Evening Post Office, Willis Street. [1889].

Theatre Royal (Wellington) :Maccabe. Theatre Royal tonight, Saturday 12th October. Positively last night. The Magic Statue, also the burlesque melo...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Opera House :Professor Anderson the great Wizard of the North and Mdlle Blanche Anderson the musical Espanita and illustrator of the occult science. New entertainment from the Paris Exhibition (first time in New Zealand). Haggett & Percy, printers [1890?]

Opera House :Professor Anderson the great Wizard of the North and Mdlle Blanche Anderson the musical Espanita and illustrator of the occult science...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Mr Cooze the magician

Mr Cooze the magician

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Mr Cooze the magician

Mr Cooze the magician

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Mr Cooze the magician

Mr Cooze the magician

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: "There is nothing up my sleeve". (Urewera Country)

"There is nothing up my sleeve". (Urewera Country)

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: [Scrapbook page] Alberto, the gay inconsequential deceiver, who is a great favourite with Auckland Opera House audiences; Nikola, Sa Hera [1920-1922]

[Scrapbook page] Alberto, the gay inconsequential deceiver, who is a great favourite with Auckland Opera House audiences; Nikola, Sa Hera [1920-1922]

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Carter, Master magician, Opera House, Monday Feb[ruary] 17, [1908. Programme cover double spread].

Carter, Master magician, Opera House, Monday Feb[ruary] 17, [1908. Programme cover double spread].

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: The Equilibrist

The Equilibrist

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Magician Cecil Morris entertains at Kiwi Concert Party performance in Italy, World War II - Photograph taken by George Kaye

Magician Cecil Morris entertains at Kiwi Concert Party performance in Italy, World War II - Photograph taken by George Kaye

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Gintaro and his wife Isabella, around 1909

Gintaro and his wife Isabella, around 1909

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: The Great Levante and his magical extravaganza

The Great Levante and his magical extravaganza

State Library of Victoria

Image: Witchcraft & medicine in Eddystone Island

Witchcraft & medicine in Eddystone Island

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Playbill - Pictorial and typographic. Depicting Mr. Jacobs performing what appears to be the bird of paradise magic trick on stage, surrounded by presumably the characters impersonated by Mr. Jacobs in his 'comic piece in ventriloquism entitled The Landlord at Home; or, Gout and Hoarseness versus Family Grievance.

Playbill - Pictorial and typographic. Depicting Mr. Jacobs performing what appears to be the bird of paradise magic trick on stage, surrounded by p...

Victoria and Albert Museum

Image: "Press notices, Evening post" ... [Advertising flyer for magicians Vernon S Raymond and Charles M Howard. 1906].

"Press notices, Evening post" ... [Advertising flyer for magicians Vernon S Raymond and Charles M Howard. 1906].

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: The persecuted butler. From Letters on demonology and witchcraft by Sir Walter Scott

The persecuted butler. From Letters on demonology and witchcraft by Sir Walter Scott

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: "Tak aff the Ghaist". From Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft by Sir Walter Scott.

"Tak aff the Ghaist". From Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft by Sir Walter Scott.

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Linda maestra! (Pretty Teacher)

Linda maestra! (Pretty Teacher)

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Witch riding backwards on a goat

Witch riding backwards on a goat

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: A Zulu witch doctor, all coitipleta with medicine chest and float-horn bottles, as he appeared at a welcome to the All Blacks during the present tour of South Africa. (Evening Post, 04 August 1928)

A Zulu witch doctor, all coitipleta with medicine chest and float-horn bottles, as he appeared at a welcome to the All Blacks during the present to...

National Library of New Zealand

Image: The spell

The spell

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Volaverunt (They Have Flown)

Volaverunt (They Have Flown)

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: 'Voodoo doll'

'Voodoo doll'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Carmen doll

Carmen doll

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Newspaper

VOODOO. (Hawera & Normanby Star, 25 January 1906)

National Library of New Zealand

Newspaper

VOODOO WORSHIP IN CUBA (Wairarapa Daily Times, 17 December 1919)

National Library of New Zealand