Second Story Books is proud to present a collection of books, magazines, and ephemera belonging to the renowned writer and publisher in the field of magic, Max Abrams. In addition to being a curator, Abrams was also an amateur magician, with membership in both the famed Magic Castle in Los Angeles, as well as the International Brotherhood of Magicians (“IBM”). Abrams was a prolific contributor of articles and book reviews to multiple magic magazines, including Genii, and he published the definitive book on the acclaimed mentalist and magician, Theo Annemann. The inventory presented in this catalog is emblematic of his lifelong love of magic and is a legacy tribute to his dedication to the world of magic.  

The remarkable Max Abrams Magic Collection covers the entire range of magic-related subjects:

• Coin Magic
• Card Tricks
• Mentalism
• Close-up and Stage Magic
• Silk Magic
• Linking Rings
• Rope Magic
• Professional Patter

There are 490 listings in the catalog with over 70 of them signed, with many of them limited editions and boxed sets by such famous magicians as:

• Dai Vernon
• J.G. Thompson
• Walter Gibson (The author of the famed pulp and radio show, The Shadow)
• Burling Hull

There is an impressive compilation of magician-related magazines stretching back to the 1910’s, including:

• Genii - Both a near complete run starting 1936 through the early 1990’s, plus a broken set of bound volumes
• The Jinx - original issues of the famed Theo Annemann must-have magazine
• Pallbearers Review - Karl Fulves' magnum opus
• The Sphinx - Issues going back to the 1910’s of this seminal magicians magazine

Also available is an extensive assemblage of over 2,000 booklets, catalogs and other ephemera on all aspects of the fields of magic and mentalism priced at $10 each. These are available to view by appointment only at the Second Story Books Rockville, Maryland location.  Please email collections@secondstorybooks.com to make an appointment.  

The present collection offers a window into the literary world of American poet and humorist Ogden Nash (1902–1971). It is comprised of 239 volumes published between 1886 and 1971, among which are numerous presentation and association copies. All books in the present collection come from the shared personal library of Ogden and Frances Nash. The collection spans poetry, humor, light verse, and literary criticism, and includes a significant number of first and limited editions, often in original bindings or dust jackets. Of particular note are six books inscribed by Nash to his wife, Frances (including five authored by Nash, one of which is in an “Author’s Copy” half-leather binding).

The Russell Collection contains over 300 books, broadsides, and pieces of ephemera produced between the waning decades of the ancien regime and the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.