Most magicians would recognize Henry Hay (June Barrows Mussey) as the author of "The Amateur Magician's Handbook" and a handful of other books on magic, but did anyone on this forum actually know him personally or see him perform?

He could possibly be the greatest magical influence I've ever had, but there seems to be very little information on him. He must have been good - he was performing professionally in his early teens and made about $90 a week, which was a lot of money in the 20s and 30s . . .

He was also the translator of Das Wunderbuch der Zauberkunst, which, in English, is called Illustrated Magic. He passed away a few years ago. I believe he was living in Germany or Austria when he died. There was an article about it in The Linking Ring.

Illustrated Magic was one of my early influences. I have a copy of it, as well as an original German one, as well.

My first REAL magic book was "Learn Magic" by Henry Hay, and it really got me off in the right direction. Great book.

The Amateur Magician's Handbook by Henry Hay was the very first real magic book I ever read. I remember finding this gem in my local public library when I was very young. I kept re-checking the book out for so long that the library finally offered to sell it to me at a discount - what a bargain.
As I recall, it's that very book that taught me my first lessons in Billiard Ball manipulation...ah, the memories.

As a teen he worked as a "Turk" in full costume, and in fact, arrived at T.Nelson Downs home in I-oh-way, one summer and drove Downs nuts! Downs included this anecdote in a letter to Eddie "Tex" Maguire, the guy who wrote "The Phantom of the Card Table". More info was included in a two part Linking Ring Parade by John Braun, in 1971. This was later reprinted as a booklet, for 12.50.

Best, PSC

Amateur Magicians Handbook - Great book!

Drove Downs nuts? Hahahahahaha . . . that wasn't exactly how Mussey told the story, but that's hilarious.

The Amateur Magician's Handbook was my first "real" magic book, too, and I'm surprised it's not on more "recommended magical reading" lists. Even after I got into the more serious books, I realized that Mussey's teaching style was head and shoulders above most magical authors', and he gives you more of a solid background than most beginner's books would.

Where could I find more info on his visit with T. Nelson Downs, perchance? I bought David Meyer's book, Inclined Toward Magic, but it didn't go into much detail on it.

I have not seen 'The Amateur Magician's Handbook,' but understand it went through many editions. Before I buy, I'd like to know if any editions (and if so, which?) include substantial improvements or expansions. Thanks, I do not have access to stores I can brouse in to make the comparisons.

The 1980's edition has the most expansions and improvements. .. even has a section on kid's shows and a section by James Randi on coaching yourself with videotape. It slowly got better over time . ..

Nobody seems to know much about Mussey, but recently I've dredged up some more interesting tidbits about him:

In his teens, he made more money from his magic than his father did as a college professor.

He served in the Marine Corps in World War II - a captain in air intelligence.
He was one of the writers who set David Copperfield off on his magical path.
He and T. Nelson Downs kept correspondence throughout the rest of Downs's life, after their weekend of magic that time.

And here's the funniest: When he was an old geezer and hadn't done any magic for 20 years, a friend's wife called on him to do a magic show at a Christmas party. So he actually got a copy of his own book, Amateur Magician's Handbook, and looked up all his old routines! He ended up doing the Miser's Dream with candy coins, a few more coin tricks, some silk routines, and the Linking Rings.

He said that he ignored his own warning against pretending to swallow objects in front of kids . .. . pretending to swallow a coin at one point, and he heard a voice pipe up from the back of the room, "Ugh! Money in his mouth!"

Also, he knew a lot of magicians. He had even met Houdini and Thurston and was good friends with Houdini's lawyer. Cardini, Nate Leipzig, Blackstone, Gus Fowler... He seemed to know all the greats of his time. No wonder he wrote such good magic books.

Oh, yes, "The Amateur Magicians Handbook," the book that brought me back to magic after getting away from it in college. I found it in a bookstore near the university and kept looking through it every time I visited the store. Finally I bought it and treasure it to this day.

As a child I used to check out of the library his "Cyclopedia of Magic" every chance I got. Much of it was over my head, I suppose, but I still enjoyed reading the articles. Later I acquired this book as well as "Learn Magic."

I still believe "The Amateur Magician's Handbook" is one of the most valuable books I own. It came out in paperback some years ago, and I have it in that edition, also.

I have heard younger magicians speak of the book disparagingly, and I can only suppose that they have been spoiled by videos and CDs, and have not experienced the joys of learning from a book.

I had the rare opportunity to meet Barrows Mussey (Henry Hay) in Germany. He had a scar on his hand from a nasty cut, which kept him from palming coins, his great passion, but he offered many tips and advice. He also got me an invite to visity Lewis Ganson in England. Great memories for me.

Mr. Hay gave me an autographed copy of the AMH. We corresponded over the years on magic, philosphy and other topics. When he died, his wife, Dagmar sent me copies of correspondence with T Nelson Downs and others. He was an interesting man.

The AMH opened the world of magic to me. It was the first book on magic that was released to the public. Although the magic community often wants to conceal magical sleights and other secrets; from the evidence, Hay's works have launched many, many magicians.

If any of you have Heaney Magic Company catalog No’s 23, 25 or 30 (25 is often seen on Ebay), check out page 5 or 6. It has a nice headshot of 13-year-old June Mussey in Turkish garb and turban. There's also a short write-up of his cross-country travels "alone" and paid for by doing magic shows. It is a reprint from a March 18,1924 article in the Milwaukee Journal newspaper. It was used to show young people what could be done using ordinary tricks that can be found in his catalog.

Cheers, Mark Damon

Barrows Mussey translated and edited one of the prominent handbooks for spelunking (cave dwelling).

I feel that I can always tell when a magician was brought along with AMH, instead of all of the expensive, specialized or modern books.

There is just a different way of going about things, and I can usually feel the texture of AMH that the performer brings with him. Usually when I ask the performer if he started with AMH, his face lights up, and we have an instant connection.

For me, the story associated with this book was not as positive. I learned all of the routines in the book, but I was locked in a closet as a child and didn't have coins, cards, or any props to work with. I learned most of it in my head. I used it as a reference for years, and when I saw something that wasn't in it, I usually found a way to accomplish the piece with whatever concepts that were there.

I must credit this book with my ability to write and read at a college level by the age of 11. It's funny, now that I'm writing quite a bit, I even hear from people who feel that my style is somehow similar to Henry Hay's. I could only dream of creating the memorable, rich emotions that I feel when reading that first chapter again... and again. When I'm not feeling that great about magic or life, I go back and read that first few chapters, and it really gets me back to where I need to be.

We really have to rethink our feelings toward exposure when a book that is this comprehensive is sold for $1.95.

Put this book in the hands of anyone, and we're safe. Nobody without a true desire for magic could get too much information out of this. It's simply not a threat to a real magician. If anything, it would make someone appreciate what you do even more.

I also feel that if anyone wanted to try to be a magician, they shouldn't have to jump through a bunch of hoops. That book is a really nice 'firewall' for those who feel a need to control the entrance of people who don't belong. What other book gives so much, for so little, and to so many?

And imagine how many brilliant effects that we use in our acts that might have never been invented, had it not been for this huge incubator that is the AMH.

I can almost smell the pages of that paperback book right now.

I don't recall what I paid for the AMH when it came out in paperback. It was probably about $2 - $4. While that was not much to pay for a book that revealed so many secrets, it was really not as big a problem for me as some of the books by Marvin Kaye. You had to work at the material in the AMH to make it work for you.

I've never really been comfortable with mass market magic books, especially the ones that reveal proprietary secrets, such as the various "catalogues of magic" which rated tricks on their difficulty and revealed the inner workings of things like Astrosphere. If memory serves, Marvin Kaye wrote one of these.

When I was teaching magic classes for one of our "sundry schools," AMH was at the top of my recommended reading list. By the time a student had gotten through with both of my courses, he could handle the material in the AMH.

I used to haunt the used book shops and publisher's oversight stores in our area. I got wonderful copies of the Bruce Elliott books and the Henry Hay books for very low prices, all in hardback.

Classic Secrets of Magic was one of these. I think I paid about $2.00 for it. It has the Benson bowl routine in it. That's not much to pay for such a great piece of material.

I never met J. Barrows Mussey, but his work definitely was a major influence on my magical career.

Ah, yes what memories AMH brings back to me. I first came across a copy from my high school library when I was a freshman in '67. It too was my first "real" read on magic. I used to check it out very often also and I ended up finding an old copy at a book sale at the local library for a couple of bucks after I graduated High school in '70. I still have that old book and a newer updated version too. I still refer to it every so often. I learned the pass from the text and excellent illustrations (photos). What a great book!
Cardamagically,
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I bought an older copy of Amateur Magician's Handbook on Ebay. Is this classic even still in print. My local magic shop was unable to get a copy, which is why I went the Ebay route to get it.

If it isn't being printed any more, why not? Other classics from the past are being resurrected, reprinted and are selling well from what I can tell.

Without a doubt "The Amateur Magician's Handbook" and "Learn Magic" are wonderful magic books.

Although they were written for the general public, they offer so much information and insight. That to this day they still deserve a spot on the shelf of every serious magic library.

For me personally however, I hold a special place in my heart for another Henry Hay book. That is the Dover paperback edition of "Cyclopedia Of Magic" which I purchased when I was 12 years old for the retail price of $4.00.

Because this "Cyclopedia" is for the most part a compilation of selected chapters taken from the great magic books of the past such as: "The Modern Conjurer", "Our Magic", "Sleight-of-Hand", "Modern Magic", "Illustrated Magic", "The Expert at the Card Table" & "The Art of Magic". It gave me a terrific sample of quality magic when I was at an impressionable age. For this reason I will always be grateful to the author (Mr. Mussey).

Today I have 4 copies of "Cyclopedia Of Magic" (including first editions). But the one I will always treasure is my original, badly worn, dog-eared and highlighted Dover copy from my childhood.

Best regards,
Levent

I believe his wife published a cookbook under the name Henrietta Hay.

If you have the March 2007 issue of MUM, there is an article about Riohard Hatch. Richard actually performed at the last party Mussey ever gave. Mussey was in the process of writing a thank you note to Richard a few days later, when he suffered a coronary infarct and died.

Richard and I tossed around the idea of calling the article "The Man Who Killed Henry Hay," but decided against it.