The conjuror unmasked, or, La magie blanche dévoilée
Subtitle: being a clear and full explanation of all the surprizing performances exhibited as well in the kingdom as on the continent, by the most eminent and dexterous professors of slight of hand : together with descriptions, observations, and directions for the tricks of the divining rod, automaton chess player, self performing organ, speaking figure, artificial serpents, mechanical birds, automaton flute player, transparent magical table, &c., &c
By: translated from the French of Monsieur Decremps
Contributors: Evanion, Henry, 1831?-1905, former owner; Harry Houdini Collection (Library of Congress)
Publisher: Printed for and sold by T. Denton ...; And may be had of H. Stechel ... H. Brookes ... and H. Turpin ...
Published: 1785
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 89
Subjects: Early works to 1800; Magic tricks
Work titles: Magie blanche dévoilée
Notes: "... Decremps wrote and published a series of books purportedly to expose all the tricks of [Giuseppe] Pinetti. The first book, La Magie Blanche, appeared in Paris while Pinetti was still playing there in 1784.  The first book was followed by Supplement a la Magie Blanche Devoilee, Testament de Jerome Sharp, Codicille de Jerome Sharp, and others. ... they did have a devastating effect on Pinetti as well as on other practitioners of the mystic art, despite the fact that Decremp's explanations were largely guesswork. ..."  D. Price. Magic, 1985, p. 40 ff.

Horizontal chain lines.

Signatures: A⁴ ²A⁴ B-L⁴ M1.

LC copy's plate has been mounted on a heavier-weight leaf and used as a cover.  Mr. Houdini fashioned an book jacket from a leaf of lightweight paper; accompanied by an envelope.

ESTC T116420

A translation of H. Decremps' La magie blanche dévoilée, with some omissions and many additions.

LC copy has ownership inscriptions of H. Evanion and Harry Houdini; with a note:  I obtained this book from H. Evanion.  H. Houdini, London, Eng., 1903.