H. J. Burlingame

H. J. Burlingame (Hardin Jasper) (June 14, 1852 - August 27, 1915) Born in Manitowec, Wis., was a professional magician for a brief time but more noted as a magic dealer and author. He took lessons from David Tobias Bamberg (Okito's father) in Europe and used the stage name "Jasper Bamberg" while performing in Chicago.

At one point, operated 3 businesses at the same time. Chas. L. Burlingame & Co. (manufacturing apparatus and illusions), Ralph E. Sylvestre & Co. (specializing in stage mindreading and fake mediums) and George L. Williams & Co. (for the general public)

His father and mother were among the earliest settlers of Chicago. After living in Wisconsin for some time they moved back to Chicago. When he was about twenty, Burlingame went to Holland, subsequently traveling throughout Europe on foot as correspondent for an American paper. After having returned to live in Chicago for some years he returned to Europe and made a professional tour as a conjurer. He then came back to America, residing in Baltimore and Cincinnati, finally back to his old home of Chicago to settle down.

Gradual waning health culminated in a general nervous breakdown making it imperative that he leave the city and take a long rest. So in 1907, he moved to Syracuse, Indiana where he resided until his death.

Books

• Leaves from Conjurer's Scrap Books (1891)
• Around the World with a Magician and Juggler (1893)
• Tricks in Magic, Illusions and Mental Phenomena, Vol. I (1895)
• Tricks in Magic, Illusions and Mental Phenomena, Vol. II (1896)
• Herrmann The Magician, His Life, His Secrets (1897)
• Tricks in Magic, Illusions and Mental Phenomena, Vol. III (1898) which contians "Bibliotheca Magica", one of the first comprehensive bibliographies on magic.
• How To Read People's Minds (1905)
• Magician's Handbook: Tricks and Secrets of the World's Greatest Magician Hermann The Great (1942)

References

• Mahatma Dec 1898
• Stanyon's Magic July 1901
• Sphinx Oct 15, 1915