Vigo County Historical Society

Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - July 21, 1985
By Jack Brewer
Vigo County Historical Society

Adams Magic set top-notch

Ask a group of magicians how they started performing magic, and they may tell you they received a magic set for Christmas or a birthday. Whether yesterday or 50 years ago, it probably was an Adams Magic Set.

The Adams Real Magic Set, No. M-1000 was one of five in a series manufactured by S. S. Adams Co. in New Jersey which sold for $1, $2, $3, $5 and $10.

Today's historical treasure from the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley of 1411 S. Sixth St. was the top of the line. It consisted of a suitcase which held three trays of 29 magic tricks. A manual describes each effect, secret, directions and proper presentation of the magic contained in all of the five sets. A child could easily have performed a small magic show lasting one hour.

The S. S. Adams Co. began business in 1906 producing magic tricks and novelties. Bud Adams, president and son of the founder, was not familiar with this set nor its exact production date. Since the magic set contained the Deland Deck of Cards, he estimated it was produced after 1918. Also, his father used round tubes to help display each magic trick in the magic case beginning in 1920.

Two of the magic tricks, the Peg Paddle and the Marble Vase, were manufactured in Germany. This evidence would seem to date the magic set somewhere in the area of 1918-20.

The lid of the case had a drawing of a performing magician. His tablecloth contains several swastika symbols. However, the swastikas face counter-clockwise unlike the one adopted by the Germans in the early 1920s. This particular swastika is an ancient-ornamental decoration found on early Greek coins. The Navajo Indians used it as a symbol representing the sun and infinity.

The magic set was donated to the museum by Mrs. Avice McKibben-McCrae. It belonged to her first husband, Henry Conrad. "We had twin boys and their father would perform the magic tricks for the boys and the neighborhood kids. He was a friend of Jimmy Trimble and enjoyed it (magic)."

The magic tricks consisting of paper, cardboard, or playing cards are missing. Seventeen tricks made out of wood or metal are still in operating condition and most could be used to mystify museum visitors.

Modern day magic sets contain many of the same tricks including the Buddah, Money Mystery, Hindu Beads, Vanishing Handkerchief, Peg Paddle, Linking Rings, Cigarette Vanisher, Okeito Coin Box and the Imp Bottle.

The Imp Bottle, originally made of wood, now is manufactured by the company in plastic. The retail value today for this type of magic set could easily be $50.