The Magic of J.R. Rendell

Above: The antique magic book complete with secrets, newspaper clippings and the handwritten rules of J.R. Rendell. 

Here at RDM we're always scouring the magic archives looking for principles on which to inspire the creation of new tricks. As as result I can sometimes be found in dusty book shops and antique emporiums sourcing new materials and of course looking out for anything magic related for my own personal collection!

As you can imagine due to the nature of our craft finding anything of value or interest, available to the general public, can prove quite difficult, and luck certainly plays its part.

You can there for imagine my surprise when after scouring a hobbies section in an old book shop for anything magic related, and not finding anything of value, I was about to leave the premises when I noticed a rare and antiquated section. With nothing to loose I walked through the security barriers and headed for the performing arts area – all of one shelf.

A quick glance across the shelf revealed the usual string of pastimes, but then my eye caught the spine of a faded brown clothed book of which the words “Our Magic” could be faintly seen in black text. Expecting this to be the title of something completely irrelevant I edged it off the shelf and immediately my eyes caught the author’s names on the front cover: Nevil Maskelyne & David Devant. (I would just like to make you all aware at this point that pronouncing expletives at any volume while in an antiquated book section tends to make the assistants nervous. They think you’ve broken something.)

Anyway, I carefully opened the book to reveal the price. (I was hoping for a double figure to no avail – let’s just say it was more.) The previous owner had acquired the book in 1914 and as this was a Routledge publication, what I was holding was a first edition from 1911. As I carefully glance through the book it became apparent that littered throughout were numerous bits of ephemera belonging to the previous owner who, through meticulous filing, had written his name on the book and many of the secrets amongst the pages. The owner, who I can only identify by the newspaper cuttings reviewing his shows, was a Mr. J.R. Rendell.

As I stood there I began to think of how much Mr. Rendell must have thought of this book and its teachings to store within its pages, his prized secrets and cuttings. With that thought in my mind I bought the book knowing that not only did I own a rare written work by two of the greatest British magicians of all time, but with its providence left by its previous owner, I own something truly unique and magical.

Until I find a way of reading the text without destroying the spine I cannot give you any pearls of wisdom from the book at this time, but this was not my intention when I wrote this article anyway….

What I found at the back of the book intrigued me most of all, and it is this I wish to share with you: Four sides of handwritten text by J.R. Rendell outlining the rules for performing magic. I have yet to discover if these are printed in the book, but until I have read it I would like to think that they are his own. Either way they make interesting reading. For your own personal reflection, here are the “Conjuring Rules” as adhered to (and possibly conceived) by the Georgian magician J.R. Rendell.      

1) Never set aside any accepted rule unless it be absolutely necessary to do so for some clearly defined reason.

2) Always endeavour to form an accurate conception of the point of view most likely to be adopted by a disinterested spectator.

3) Avoid complexity of procedure, and never tax either the patience or memory of an audience.

4) Never produce two simultaneous effects, and let no effect be obscured by any subsidiary distraction.

5) Let every and each magical act represent a complete, distinct, and separate entity, comprising nothing beyond one continuous chain of essentials, leading to one definite effect.

6) Let every accessory and incidental detail be kept well “within the picture” and in harmony with the general impression which is intended to be conveyed.

7) Let nothing occur without an apparently substantial cause, and let every production cause produce some apparently consequent effect.

8) Always remember that avoidable defects are incapable of justification.

9) Always remember that a plea of justification is, ordinarily, an acknowledgement of error and consequently, demands every possible reparation.

10) Always remember that a notable surprise is incapable of repetition; and that the repetition of an effect, of any kind whatever, cannot create surprise.

11) A minor conception ordinarily demands the cumulative effect of repetition; a conception important in itself, usually, create a distinct surprise.

12) The simultaneous presentation of two independent feats is permissible when one of them is associated with cumulative effect and the other is a final surprise.

13) Unless good reason can be shown never explain upon the stage, precisely what you are about to accomplish.

14) When presenting an effect of pure transition, the first and most important essential is the avoidance of every possible cause of distraction.

15) When an effect of transition ends with a sudden revelation or surprise, the course of transition should usually be punctuated by actions or sounds leading up to, and accentuating the final impression.

16) In every effect of pure transition, the beginning and end of the process involved should be distinctly indicated by some coincident occurrence.

17) In each presentation, the procedure should lead up to a culminating point of interest; at which point the magical effect should be produced, and after which nothing magically interesting should be produced.

18) When a presentation includes a number of effects in series, the final effect should represent the true climax, and its predecessors successive steps whereby that climax was reached.  

19) No magician should even present in public, any magical feat in which the procedure cannot be, or has not been adapted to his own personal characteristics and abilities.

20) Never attempt in public, anything that cannot be performed with the utmost ease in private.

21) Never present in public any performance which has not been most perfectly rehearsed, first in detail and, finally, as a whole.

Finally I would like to finish this article by addressing those who would like to discover their own piece of magic history. Never assume that an establishment is too old, new, big or small. They are all full of secrets – such is our art and therefore the perfect place for magical antiquities to hide.