Almost a century in the making, appearing for the first time in book form, and the first time in English is Kurt Volkmann’s A History of the Art of Conjuring which is considered one of the most important works on the subject.

Volume One: Offers an in-depth examination of performance magic through the ages, from antiquity and the earliest sources documenting magical performers to modern times and Europe’s most accomplished stage conjurers. Kurt Volkmann’s rich prose guides readers through a wealth of manuscripts, books, newspapers and artwork in over a dozen languages to present an insightful exploration of what magic has meant to magicians and their audiences over the centuries.

Volume Two: Volkmann focuses his keen analytical skills on individual countries and the texts and performers associated with them. Familiar names and stories from across Europe and beyond are viewed afresh, while the repertoires and motivations of lesser-known practitioners are teased out and discussed at length. Volume Two also includes eleven appendices presenting new findings about the sources and magicians Volkmann discusses, as well as a vast Bibliography and an exhaustive Index. This is a magic-history book like no other.

First time available in English is Kurt Volkmann’s complete “Geschichte der Zauberkunst” series. Translated into English by Lori Pieper and Maxwell Pritchard and limited to only 1,000 numbered sets. 1,260-total-pages with 432-color-photographs, printed on archival paper, with foil-stamped cloth binding and sewn signatures, and housed in a luxury slipcase. Published by the Conjuring Arts Research Center in 2023.

NOTE: Due to the size and weight of these books they will be shipped to you directly from the publisher.

“Amazing! What an accomplishment for both Volkmann and Conjuring Arts!” …David Copperfield

“I’ve never seen a magic-history book like this.  It’s more than an encyclopedia of magic and is filled with incredible ideas for anyone who wants to be inspired.” …David Blaine

“Just when you thought you knew something about magic history, A History of the Art of Conjuring comes along and changes everything. These two gigantic books provide a view of magic that is both unfamiliar and endlessly fascinating. Seemingly every page provides us with new information. And as we have come to expect from the Conjuring Arts Research Center, these books are of the highest quality.” …Mike Caveney

“The most thorough and best-researched history on conjuring ever written. […] This two-volume set of Volkmann’s History of the Art of Conjuring is magnificent and—without a hint of hyperbole—is required in the library of anyone with a serious interest in conjuring history.” …Stephen Minch