Sorcerer by Martin Breese

Back in the 1980's when Martin Breese was a fledgling Magic Dealer advertising regularly in Abracadabra he decided to create a little free house magazine to keep his clients in touch with magic that he was releasing and information about the magic scene for those who were not living in London or within easy reach of London. The Newsletter grew until one day it was so successful that he decided to turn it into a proper magic magazine and so Sorcerer Magazine was born.

Now in this digital edition we have combined all the issues of The Newsletter and Sorcerer Magazine. It is a window on the history of the magic scene in the London of the 1980's as well as a chronology of Martin's magic business.

Most issues had excellent original tricks from many big names and numerous contributions from Stephen Tucker and David Britland. Other contributors included: Peter McDonald, Hiruhito Hirata, Max Maven, Harry Seed, Ken de Courcy, Basil Horwitz, Bill Zavis, John Mendoza, Paul Hallas, Michael Austin, Reinhard Müller, Bob Quilietti, Paul Brignal, Al Smith, Amos Hudini, Simon Dixon, Solyl Kundu, Alex East, Jim Adams, Henrique, John Jarvis, Nigel Backhurst and even Martin Breese.

There were reprints of good material too from Eddie Joseph and Edward Victor. The magazine had a great following and as original copies are hard to find we are sure that many will welcome this version of The Newsletter and Sorcerer. This digital edition is a faithful reproduction of the original issues complete with all the original typographic errors just as it was published.

697 pages

News Sheet

1. News-Sheet No. 1 – Martin Breese in Exile – November 1980 – 12 pages
1. open letter from Martin Breese about situation with ABRA
2. Goodlifffe is Seriously Ill in Hospital
2. So What is Happening Back Here at the Ranch – items at the shop
4. Migration – by Steve Dusheck & Ed Mishell – after sales sheet and additional notes
6. more items at the shop
9. Unsolicited Testimonials
10. more comments from Martin Breese
11. Coming Along Fast – items in the works
13. Christmas Card

13. News-Sheet No. 2 – March 1981 – 16 pages
14. Lewis Ganson and Goodliffe
14. Jat - illustrator
15. Master Handling of ‘Zig Zag Deck’ - Alex M. East
16. Big Oaks from little Acorns – editorial comments
17. Zig Zag Extras – Alex M. East
17. The Magic Lounge – construction report
18. ’Room Service’
19. new effects for sale
20. In Writing from our Customers - letters
21. From the News Desk – Finn Jon & Richard Ross at the Crazy Horse
21. Collector’s Corner
21. Paul Daniels Show – brief comments
21. Magical Coincidences (?) – while traveling
21. Sterling Products and Johnson Products – both to be available
22. Ren Kin Jutsu – effect from Haruhito Hirata
23. Pound Note Routine – Harry Seed
25. Mendoza Book arrives
25. Magic Medallion – effect by Martyn Long
26. Back to the Hard Commercial World – items for sale
28. Crazy Caption Contest

29. News-Sheet No. 3 – July 1981 – 20 pages
30. Magic Lounge - open
31. It Is Curtains – new video topes
32. Jack Yates – Martin Breese’s new agent for Africa
33. Crazy Caption Contest - winner
33. Top 100 Club - report
33. Newsletter No. 3 Available with a Supplement [not included]
35. more items at the shop
38. Good News – order at the current prices before the new catalog prices come out
38. More Solid Deception – new style fake – Paul Hallas
39. O-Key-To – effect by Paul Hallas
40. more item at the shop
48. Crazy Caption Contest

49. News-Sheet No. 4 – Convention Special - Summer 1981 – 16 pages
50. The Professional Scene – reported by Terry Seabrooke
51. Billy McComb Teach-In Session - announcement
52. items at the shop
53. John Mendoza Lecture - announcement
54. books at the shop
55. The Magic Lounge - description
56. more items & books at the shop
58. Routine for the 5 Knife Set – Michael J. Austin
59. more items & books at the shop
61. My Spoon Trick – effect by Martin Breese
63. closing comments

65. News-Sheet No. 5 – November 1981 – 24 pages
66. miscellaneous comments from Martin Breese
67. map to the Magic Lounge
68. Babel Magazine - review
69. John Mendoza London Lecture - confirmation
70. items in the shop
71. The Misdirected Flying Ring of Basil Horwitz – described by Owen Griffiths
74. more items at the shop
77. poem by Vic Conners
78. more items at the shop
82. death notices for Jim McCall, Raymond Hafler & Maurice Fogel
83. more items at the shop

89. News-Sheet No. 6 – The Day of Close-Up Magic Convention Issue - 1982 – 24 pages
90. The Day of Close-Up Magic - announcement
91. Meet John Mendoza
92. The World’s Fastest Mind Reader - Graham P. Jolley - announcement
93. more news about the Convention
93. Magic at the New Cresta, Solihuull
93. Magic at Christmas
94. Roger Crosthwaite booked
97. Bill Nagler, M.D. – lecture tour
98. Here is the Programme
98. item at the shop

113. News-Sheet No. 7 – 1982 - 24 pages
114. Hello – comments from Martin Breese
114. The Day of Close Up Magic - report
117. Bob Read Lecture - announcement
118. Ken Brooke – The Ace Place – and the Magic Lounge - announcement
119. items at the shop
121. Zig-Zag Cig-nature - effect
123. correspondence and additional comments from Martin Breese
125. Alec Pendle’s Cosmic Connection – additions by Frank Prescott
126. additional items at the shop

137. News-Sheet No. 8 – June 1982 – 21 pages
138. comments from Martin Breese
139. items at the shop
143. Sugar Stack – effect by John Mendoza
146. more items at the shop

158. News-Sheet No. 9 – Convention Special – September 1982 – 24 pages
159. comments from Martin Breese
159. items at the shop
169. Dichotomy – effect by Phil Goldstein
170. The Twenty Card Coincidence – effect by John Mendoza
171. more items at the shop
177. Magic Lantern at the Narrowboat Theatre - promotion
178. map to the Magic Lounge
179. Alternative Mandarin – effect by Paul Hallas
180. more items at the shop

182. News-Sheet No. 10 – October 1982 – 32 pages
183. comments from Martin Breese
184. items at the shop
189. Alternative Handling for Clones – Aubrey Sinden
190. One Armed Jack and the Talking Pack – effect by Colin H. Linn
194. more items at the shop

214. News-Sheet No. 11 – January 1983 – 20 pages
215. items at the shop
222. The Great Soprendo – lecture announcement
222. more items at the shop
224. Evolution of an Effect – card effect from John Mendoza
226. Additional Routine for the Al Koran Medallion - Henrique
227. more items at the shop

234. News-Sheet No. 12 – 1983 – 16 pages
235. Ken Brooke - obituary
236. items at the shop
236. Peek Handling for Jerry Sadowitz’s “The Whisperers” – Bill Zavis
238. more items at the shop
239. Spell-Binder Special Issue
241. more items at the shop
248. What’s in a Name? – marked deck routine by John Jarvis

250. News-Sheet No. 13 – July 1983 – 20 pages
251. comments from Martin Breese
254. items at the shop
258. Number Sense – Eddie Joseph
260. Editor’s Page – Stephen Tucker
261. more items at the shop
263. Unmarketed – routine for the Ted Lesley Working Performer’s Marked Deck – Stephen Tucker
265. Classico – coin effect - Stephen Tucker
267. Cutting Corners – card effect – Stephen Tucker
268. more items at the shop

270. News-Sheet No. 14 – December 1983 – 36 pages
271. items at the shop
272. Editorial – Martin Breese
273. more items at the shop
275. Arrival – variation of John Mendoza’s “Dollar Sandwich” – David Britland
279. more items at the shop
283. Comment
284. more items at the shop
285. Mind-Nova – ESP card effect – Basil Horwitz
287. more items at the shop
291. All Square – reprinted effect - Peter A. McDonald
293. more items at the shop
295. Collectors Corner
297. Book Shelf – books at the shop
303. more items at the shop

The Sorcerer

1. Sorcerer – Premier Issue - December 1983 – 26 pages incl. covers
1. Editorial – Martin Breese
3. Book Shelf – books at the shop
6. comments and more items at the shop
13. Out of Becker – Peter A. McDonald
16. Collector’s Corner
18. more items at the shop
20. A Passe-Passe Coin Effect - Edward Victor - reprint
23. more items at the shop

2. Sorcerer – Second Issue – n.d. – 26 pages incl. covers
25. Editorial – Martin Breese
27. The Magic Club Junior Close-Up Competition and Day of Magic - announcement
29. The Cat is Out of the Bag - Rumors
30. Horwitz Wallet - advertisement
32. The Pink Peeker – book test - Stephen Tucker from Spell-Binder 3
34. items at the shop
36. Collectors Corner
37. more items at the shop
40. Book Shelf – books at the shop
45. Crayon – effect - Stephen Tucker from Spell-Binder 3
47. Video Magic – VHS tapes at the shop

3. Sorcerer – Third Issue – n.d. – 26 pages incl. covers
49. Editorial – Martin Breese
51. Catalogue News
52. Three to the Top – card effect - Nigel Backhurst
53. Congratulations to Abracadabra on reaching issue 2000
54. Collectors Corner
55. more comments from Martin Breese
56. items at the shop
57. A Note from Bob Quilietti – testimonial for Crikey
58. Fraud Swap – card effect - David Britland
60. Book Shelf – books at the shop
62. New from the U.S.A. – new items at the shop
63. more items at the shop
65. Exposure – article by Martin Breese
66. Help Wanted – reader needs assistance
67. more items at the shop
68. Closure – card effect – Phil Goldstein
69. more items at the shop
72. Hopscotch – effect – Phil Goldstein from Spell-Binder 23

4. Sorcerer – Fourth Issue – n.d. – 34 pages incl. covers
73. Editorial – Martin Breese
74. Street Entertainers – festival at Covent Garden
78. items at the shop
79. Chinka Dice – Chink-a-Chink routine – David Britland
83. more items at the shop
85. Scotch on the Hop – effect – Patrick Page
86. more items at the shop
89. Gremlins – effect – Stephen Tucker
96. more items at the shop

1. Sorcerer – Fifth Issue – October 1984 – 38 pages incl. covers
105. Editorial – Martin Breese
109. The Vampire Ring – finger ring effect - Paul Brignall
112. items at the shop
115. More Velleda Variations – David Britland
117. more items at the shop
118. Ken De Courcy Writes – new routine for Drikey
119. more items at the shop
120. A Bob Quilietti Review – of David Roth’s Video
122. more items at the shop
130. Talking Tables in the Wee Small Hours – article by Bob Quilietti
133. The Moving Finger Writes – effect by Bob Quilietti
135. more items at the shop

1. Sorcerer – Sixth Issue - n.d. – 42 pages incl. covers
141. Editorial – Martin Breese
143. items at the shop
146. Bob Quilietti on ‘Video’ – reviews of new VHS tapes
148. more items at the shop
150. Credit Fraud – mental effect – Paul Brignall
152. more items at the shop
154. A Little Light Entertainment – effect – Cliff Moss
156. more items at the shop
158. The Spellbound Deck – card & coin effect – David Britland
160. more items at the shop
162. Cigarette Through Coin – coin effect – Al Schneider
164. more items at the shop
168. Coin Thru – effect – Amos Hudini
169. Great Balls of Fire – effect – Amos Hudini
170. more items at the shop
172. I’d Rather be in Philadelphia – card effect - David Britland
174. more items at the shop
179. John Lenahan lecture announcement

1. Sorcerer – Seventh Issue - n.d. – 50 pages incl. covers
181. Editorial – Martin Breese
183. Exposure – article by Al Smith
185. Colour Sandwich – card routine – Simon Dixon
188. Bob Quilietti on the Horwitz Wallet
189. Pink Elephants – effect – Solyl Kundu
191. items at the shop
194. Aces High – card effect – David Britland
196. Clickety Click – card effect – David Britland
198. Decoy – card effect – David Britland
200. Universal Coin – coin effect – David Britland
203. more items at the shop
207. Coin Thru Ring – coin effect – Al Schneider
209. more items at the shop
215. Card to Wallet – card effect – Paul Brignall
217. more items at the shop
218. books in stock (and VHS)
226. Editorial - continued

1. Sorcerer – Eighth Issue - N.d. – 50 pages incl. covers
229. Editorial – Martin Breese
231. items at the shop
234. Maxi-Maxi Twist – card effect - John Mendoza
238. more items at the shop
240. Printer’s Dilemma – effect - David Britland
243. more items at the shop
246. Another Fine Mesh – card effect – David Britland
249. more items at the shop
252. Flip-Top – card effect – David Britland
254. more items at the shop
256. Bob Quilietti on the Brilliant Coin Vanish
258. more items at the shop
264. A Word to the Wise – book test - David Britland
266. more items at the shop
267.  
274. more items at the shop
275. Editorial - continued

9. Sorcerer – Ninth Issue – November 1985 – 50 pages incl. covers
277. Editorial – Martin Breese
280. items at the shop
282. Ringing the Changes – routine for Wild Rings of Bob Little – John Jarvis
284. more items at the shop
286. Die Cutter – card effect – David Britland
288. more items at the shop
294. Ghost Spellers – Phil Goldstein
296. more items at the shop
300. Gecmetrick – effect – David Britland
302. more items at the shop
305. John Jarvis on Star Gate
306. Double Fantasy Changes the More Things – card effect - Reinhard Müller
307. No-Second-Deal Master of the Game – card effect - Reinhard Müller
309. more items at the shop
314. A Short Spell – card effect – Martin Breese
316. more items at the shop
320. Editorial - continued

1. Sorcerer – Tenth Issue - February 1986 – 50 pages incl. covers
325. Editorial – Martin Breese
     • The Cosmosis (Levitation) Correspondence
330. items at the shop
333. Elusive Blades – knife effect reprint - Eddie Joseph
339. more items at the shop
342. Spellstack – card effect – David Britland
345. more items at the shop
350. This, That and the Other – card effect – Jim Adams
354. more items at the shop
360. Mindspell – card effect – David Britland
363. more items at the shop
372. Editorial - continued
373.