Overview

Kurt Volkmann's complete Geschichte der Zauberkunst series of articles has been fully translated into English by Lori Pieper and Maxwell Pritchard. This two-volume critical edition offers the most comprehensive historical survey of conjuring and performance magic from antiquity through the nineteenth century. Richly documented and rigorously contextualized, the work traces the evolution of conjuring as both a cultural practice and professional art, situating magicians within broader intellectual, social, and artistic histories. Volume One maps the foundations of performance magic from the ancient world through the Romantic era, culminating in authoritative studies of canonical figures such as Robert-Houdin, Hofzinser, Herrmann, and Maskelyne. Volume Two extends this inquiry across Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and beyond, documenting regional traditions and overlooked innovators through detailed case studies and newly uncovered archival materials. Eleven scholarly appendices further illuminate forgotten performers and lineages. With its extensive notes, illustrations, and bibliography, this edition represents a landmark resource for historians of theatre, popular entertainment, and cultural exchange, making it an indispensable addition to academic libraries. Both volumes feature 1,260 pages with 432 color illustrations throughout and comprehensive annotated endnotes. Volume Two includes a vast Bibliography and an exhaustive Index. Printed on archival paper, with foil-stamped cloth binding and sewn signatures, and housed in a luxury slipcase. Limited edition, numbered copies.

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