I'm looking for information about the history of the levitation drawing on the cover of Douglas Magicland's catalogs.
I found a 1931 an ad for an Electrolux gas refrigerator that shows what looks like the painting that the illustration on the Douglas catalog cover was based on.
You can see the original 1931 ad on Pinterest here:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/307863324524636094/

Can anyone tell me when Douglas Magicland's catalogs first started using the levitation drawing?

Artists--especially commercial artists and comic book artists--often keep what is called a morgue file--a collection of images on all subjects that they use for reference when they need to draw something for a specific project. I wonder if the artist who did the Douglas cover had a morgue with the Electrolux ad in it.

Magic regards,
----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez

Hi Sonny,
What an interesting find! You are right, there is undeniably some connection between the two. The Magicland catalog I still have (#43) was copyright 1972, but no telling how long it had been used before that (it's the only cover I remember). Talk about bringing back some memories! The Magicland catalog was right up there with the Sears Christmas catalog. Thanks for posting this!
Nick

Good eye ! That's definitely the same pose. I'm certain you're correct that the illustrator who did the cover for the Douglas Magicland catalog (G.Bell looks like the signature) had the Electrolux ad in his morgue.

Click here to view attached image.

Electrolux had a series of magic themed advertisements.

Click here to view attached image.