Arthur Ainslie

[[Arthur Ainslie] (1871-1940) was born Wellesley Pain. He was the author of Water Wizardry and was possibly a ghost writer for many other magic books.

Mr. Ainslie would pose "Unsolved Problems" in The Magician Monthly 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 came up in the trick performed by both Clive and Noel Maskelyne under the title of "The Man who carried a Bag."

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

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

Books

• Water Wizardry (1922)

References

• THE WORLD'S FAIR, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10th, 1940.
• Abracadabra Vol. 54 (1972)