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Robert Harbin - The Magic of Robert Harbin
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This book contains， for the first time， the secrets of the best of all the original tricks and illusions that have eminated from the finest inventive brain in the magical world today.
1970， Eric Mason， M.I.M.C.
The Magic of Robert Harbin was a book by Robert Harbin which included the plans (and performance rights) for the Zig Zag Girl.
In August of 1968， after Jim Sommers finally admitted that he had made the Zig Zag Girl illusion without Harbin's permission， Harbin decided to write "The Robert Harbin Book of Magic" in order to provide the plans for the Zig Zag giving owners of the book the right to build and perform the Zig Zag Girl. To purchase the book， one had to send for a prospectus and sign a legal document agreeing to keep the secrets. The owner were only allowed to build things from the book for their own use.
Only 500 copies were printed and then Harbin had the plates destroyed. The Magic Circle is currently in possession of the rights.
There were also a limited number of the books sold to magic society libraries for ￡10， but not sent until two years after the initial printing.
In the 1980's， individuals unknown for many years， but later determined to be Al Mann and Craige Snader， had a firm in Mexico print and bind a number of illegal copies of the Harbin book.
To tell the difference， on page 154 the original has a small sticker with text in the margin (beginning with "This is confusing...")， the copies have the text actually printed (not a sticker) on that page.
Another bootleg version， a softbound photocopied (one-side)， was reportedly done by Gary Darwin.
The Index of illusions in the Magic of Robert Harbin is as follows：
The Vanishing Vase and Flowers
Harbin's Vanishing Radio
Harbin's Folding Trolly
The R.H. Cigarette Routine
The R.H. Rope Routine
Harbin's Torn and Restored Newspaper
Drinka Pinta
Cage to Bouquet or The Ever Vanishing Birdcard
My Lady's Ring
Harbin's Packaway Tables
Upside-Down Production Box
Super X Plus
Harbin Chair Suspension
The Magic Carpet
Super Simplex Levitation
Beer Barrel Penetration
Head Off
Experiment 13
R.H. Sww Saw (Visible Sawing Through)
Topsy Turvey
Take it Away
Little by Little
The Zig-Zag Girl
The Great Book Test
The Knight's Tour
Master Plan
Vana， the Living Plant
The Red Hands
The Hands of Dracula
The Space Wheel
Petra
The Invisible Man (or Out of this World)
The Wizard of OZ
The Ruby Shoes
The Cauldron
The Mutilated Straw Man
The Vanishing Witch
The Sentry Box
Last Word (If Ever a Wiz there Woz)
Last Last Word
Will o' the Wisp
Copy of Agreement
Other Books by the Author
(Note： this is not a very good scan， but I suppose we must be content with what we find. I believe this was produced from one of the "bootleg" copies referred to above in the description.)
This book contains， for the first time， the secrets of the best of all the original tricks and illusions that have eminated from the finest inventive brain in the magical world today.
1970， Eric Mason， M.I.M.C.
The Magic of Robert Harbin was a book by Robert Harbin which included the plans (and performance rights) for the Zig Zag Girl.
In August of 1968， after Jim Sommers finally admitted that he had made the Zig Zag Girl illusion without Harbin's permission， Harbin decided to write "The Robert Harbin Book of Magic" in order to provide the plans for the Zig Zag giving owners of the book the right to build and perform the Zig Zag Girl. To purchase the book， one had to send for a prospectus and sign a legal document agreeing to keep the secrets. The owner were only allowed to build things from the book for their own use.
Only 500 copies were printed and then Harbin had the plates destroyed. The Magic Circle is currently in possession of the rights.
There were also a limited number of the books sold to magic society libraries for ￡10， but not sent until two years after the initial printing.
In the 1980's， individuals unknown for many years， but later determined to be Al Mann and Craige Snader， had a firm in Mexico print and bind a number of illegal copies of the Harbin book.
To tell the difference， on page 154 the original has a small sticker with text in the margin (beginning with "This is confusing...")， the copies have the text actually printed (not a sticker) on that page.
Another bootleg version， a softbound photocopied (one-side)， was reportedly done by Gary Darwin.
The Index of illusions in the Magic of Robert Harbin is as follows：
The Vanishing Vase and Flowers
Harbin's Vanishing Radio
Harbin's Folding Trolly
The R.H. Cigarette Routine
The R.H. Rope Routine
Harbin's Torn and Restored Newspaper
Drinka Pinta
Cage to Bouquet or The Ever Vanishing Birdcard
My Lady's Ring
Harbin's Packaway Tables
Upside-Down Production Box
Super X Plus
Harbin Chair Suspension
The Magic Carpet
Super Simplex Levitation
Beer Barrel Penetration
Head Off
Experiment 13
R.H. Sww Saw (Visible Sawing Through)
Topsy Turvey
Take it Away
Little by Little
The Zig-Zag Girl
The Great Book Test
The Knight's Tour
Master Plan
Vana， the Living Plant
The Red Hands
The Hands of Dracula
The Space Wheel
Petra
The Invisible Man (or Out of this World)
The Wizard of OZ
The Ruby Shoes
The Cauldron
The Mutilated Straw Man
The Vanishing Witch
The Sentry Box
Last Word (If Ever a Wiz there Woz)
Last Last Word
Will o' the Wisp
Copy of Agreement
Other Books by the Author
(Note： this is not a very good scan， but I suppose we must be content with what we find. I believe this was produced from one of the "bootleg" copies referred to above in the description.)
