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1. McManus-Young clipping collection of materials on magic, 1870-1955

   42 boxes. Approximate number of items: 17,000. -- Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

   Summary:

   With a date span of 1779 through 1955, the McManus-Young Collection provides a rich survey of the literature of "illusion practices," which includes works on conjuring, ventriloquism, fortune-telling, spiritualism, witchcraft, gambling, hypnotism, automata, and mind reading comprised of a gathering of thousands of pamphlets and offprints. This ephemeral literature is the backbone of modern magic. Through these small publications, tricks are revealed and outlined, techniques are discussed and performances are detailed. The clippings in the collection include nearly 17,000 items.