Arthur Ainslie

Arthur Ainslie (1870-1940), born Arthur Wellesley Odell Pain, was a performer and author who possibly was a ghost writer for many magic books.

Arthur Ainslie
Born	Arthur Wellesley Odell Pain April 21, 1870 England
Died	January 31, 1940 (age 69)
Categories	Books by Arthur Ainslie

Biography

He appeared at Maskelyne's Theater on many occasions presenting, in addition to his own, many effects performed by his idol, David Devant. He was the first, in 1913, to do the production of a dog from a made-up kennel.

Ainslie would pose "Unsolved Problems" in The Magician Monthly magazine outlining magical effect he'd like to do, usually adding "but I haven't the slightest idea how it can be done." Ainsley generated many ideas in this way, one of which turned into the trick performed by both Clive and Noel Maskelyne as "The Man who carried a Bag."

Many of his published effects can be found in the series put out by Percy Naldrett.

Books and Writings

• Water Wizardry (1922)
• The Wizard Up-to-Date: Some Simple Conjuring Tricks... (ar) Boy’s Own Paper Jan, Feb 1920
• Some Simple Tricks with String (ar) Boy’s Own Paper Jan 1921
• How To Give a Conjuring Entertainment (ar) Boy’s Own Paper Jan 1923
• Some Easy Conjuring Tricks (ms) Boy’s Own Paper Jan 1925

References

• THE WORLD'S FAIR, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10th, 1940.
• The World's Fair, Saturday, January 27, 1968, page 6
• GOLDSTON'S MAGICAL QUARTERLY, March 1940, "ARTHUR AINSLIE" by A FRIEND, page 478
• Abracadabra Vol. 54 (1972)
• http://records.ancestry.com/Arthur_Wellesley_Pain_records.ashx?pid=85141255.