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[[Will Goldston]], (1878-1948), was a popular English stage magician in the first half of the twentieth century, magic dealer and author.
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{{Infobox person
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| image                    = Goldston.jpg
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| image_size                =
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| alt                      =
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| caption                  =
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| birth_name                = Wolf Goldstein or Goldstone
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| birth_day                = September 23,
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| birth_year                = 1878
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| birth_place              = near Warsaw, Poland
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| death_day                = February 24,
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| death_year                = 1948
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| death_place              = Folkstone, Kent, England
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| resting_place            = Jewish cemetery at Dover
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| resting_place_coordinates = 
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| nationality              =
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| known_for                =
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| notable works            =
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| flourished                =
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| awards                    =
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| box_width                =
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| misc                      =
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}}
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'''Will Goldston''' (1878-1948), was originally a stage magician then became a magic dealer, publisher, agent and author.
  
He was born in the city of Liverpool and became interested in the subject at the age of eleven. As well as being a performer he was involved in the merchandising of "magic tricks" and was employed by the Gamages department store in central London, 1905-1914. During this time he edited the [[Magician Annual]] (1907-1912) and, in 1912, Will Goldston's [[Exclusive Magical Secrets]] in an edition of one thousand that was republished in 1977.  
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== Biography ==
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There are uncertainties to where he was born, usually quoted as Liverpool, England. But, it is more likely that he was born near Warsaw, Poland. Goldston became interested in the subject of magic at the age of eleven. Originally employed as a dental technician this did not last long and at the age of sixteen he made his professional debut as a magician. Using the stage name of Carl Devo. At the age of twenty-one he was topping the bill at provincial theatres with his [[Black art]] act<ref>[[Abracadabra|Goodliffe's Abracadabra, Vol. 47, No. 1207, March 1969]], Servants of the Masters, By A.R.H, Will Goldston, page 165</ref>. His career in the Music Hall did not last many years and he was subsequently employed as manager-buyer of Gamage's Theatrical and Entertainment Department in central London, 1905-1914. During this time he edited the [[Magician Annual]] (1907-1912), [[Magician Monthly]] (1904-1913)  and in 1912, [[Exclusive Magical Secrets]] (an edition of one thousand that was republished in 1977).
  
Goldston was an early member of the [[Magic Circle]], but later resigned and joined the [[Magicians' Club of London]].
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Later he became involved in the merchandising of "magic tricks" as William Goldston Ltd. based in Aladdin House, off Leicester Square, in London.  
  
Later in his life he was noted as the person who cracked the "Zancig Code" used by the Danish illusionists of that name and was employed to 'prove' the authenticity of mediums and similar people.
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Goldston also edited [[Magazine of Magic]] (1914 - 1930) and [[Goldston's Magical Quarterly]] (1934 - 1940).
  
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Goldston was an early member of the [[Magic Circle]], but later resigned. He then initiated the creation of the [[Magicians' Club of London]]. He was a close friend of many magicians, [[Houdini]] and [[Chung Ling Soo]] amongst many. However, his relationships always appeared to run hot and cold as on occasions he upset many magicians by revealing their methods in his publications allegedly either without permission or attributing the originator.
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Later in his life he was noted as the person who cracked the "[[Zancigs]] Code" used by the Danish illusionists of that name and was employed to 'prove' the authenticity of mediums and similar people.
 +
 +
His brother James Mayer Goldston (1882? - 1905), professionally known as "Mokana", died at the early age of 23 years of malarial fever in Calcutta while touring india with the Coronation Circus. Mokana is attributed to inventing the hollowed out shoe heel that swivels to reveal a secret space.<ref> [[The Secret Life of Houdini]] by [[William Kalush]] and [[Larry Sloman]] (2006) ISBN 978-1-84739-082-0 p179</ref>
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Another of his brothers, Reuben Goldston, was also a magician, but unlike the others he remained in the north-west of England.
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Goldston was buried in the Jewish Cemetery at Dover, England.
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[[Davenports & Co.]] later bought the business William Goldston Ltd<ref>[[Abracadabra]] v7 no175 04-June-1949 p297</ref>.
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It is generally believed that [[Arthur Ainslie]] was the ghost-writer for some Goldston books.
 
==Books==
 
==Books==
* [[Secrets of Magic]] (1903)
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* [[Secrets of Magic (Goldston)|Secrets of Magic]] (1903)
* Tricks and Illusions (1908)
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* [[Latest Conjuring]] (1905)
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* [[Crystal Gazing]] (1906)
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* [[Tricks and Illusions]] (1908)
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* [[The Young Conjurer]] (1910)
 
* [[Stage Illusions]] (1912)
 
* [[Stage Illusions]] (1912)
* More Exclusive Magical Secrets (1921)
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* [[Exclusive Magical Secrets]] (1912)
* Great Magicians' Tricks (1931)
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* [[Modern Card Tricks Without Apparatus]] (1915)
* Tricks of the Masters (1942)
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* [[Paper Tricks]] (1919)
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* [[More Exclusive Magical Secrets]] (1921)
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* [[Further Exclusive Magical Secrets]] (1927)
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* [[Sensational Tales of Mystery Men]] (1929)
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* [[Tricks You Should Know]] (1930)
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* [[Great Magicians' Tricks]] (1931)
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* [[Goldston's Who's Who in Magic]] (1934)
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* [[Tricks That Mystify]] (1934)
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* [[Tricks of the Masters]] (1942)
  
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{{References}}
 
{{Wikipedia}}
 
{{Wikipedia}}
[[Category:Biographies|Goldston]]
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* The Sphinx, Vol. 3, No 4, June 1904, The Magician of the Month – Will Goldston, page 47
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* The Magician Monthly, Vol. 4, No, 4, March 1908, A CHAT WITH MR. WILL GOLDSTON, REPRINTED FEOM THE "ERA", FEB. 22nd, page 43
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* The Magician Annual, Vol. 3, Jun 1909, Will Goldston, An Interview & an Appreciation, page 5
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* Cover [[American Magician]] March 1911
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* Cover, The Sphinx, Vol. 30, No. 6, August 1931
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* The Conjurors' Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 1, March 1948, Will Goldstone is Dead, page 10
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* The Sphinx, Vol. 47, No. 1 March 1948, Will Goldstone Dies, page 19
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* The Linking Ring, Vol. 28, No. 2, April 1948, A Tribute To Will Goldston, by "Fitz", British Ring Historian, page 26
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* The Magic Circular, Vol. 42, No. 464, April 1948, Obituary, Will Goldstone, page 130
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* Tops Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, April 1948, Will Goldston Dies, page 8
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* Photo [[Genii 1951 May|Genii Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 9, May 1951]], WILL GOLDSTON, page 372
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* The Magic Circular, Vol. 81, No. 879, September-October 1987, A Rich Cabinet of Magical Curiosities, By EDWIN A. DAWES, 137. WILL GOLDSTON – Early Years of Magic of the Magician’s Club, page 184
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* The Magic Circular, Vol. 82, No. 882, January 1988, A Rich Cabinet of Magical Curiosities, By EDWIN A. DAWES, 140. THE MAGICIANS' CLUB FOUNDER, WILL GOLDSTON – THE MAN HIMSELF, page 4
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* The Magic Circular, Vol. 91, No. 974, April 1997, Memorial and Heritage News, page 68 
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* The Linking Ring, Vol. 78, No. 2, February 1998, THE RIDDLE OF THE GOLDSTON “MEMORIAL”, page 67 
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* [[The Glorious Deception]]: The Double Life of William Robinson, aka Chung Ling Soo, the "Marvelous Chinese Conjurer" by [[Jim Steinmeyer]] (2005) ISBN 0-7867-1512-X.
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* The Magic Circular, Vol. 101, No. 1086, January 2007, A rich cabinet of magical curiosities, By EDWIN A. DAWES, 339. FURTHER GLIMPSES OF GOLDSTON: BROTHER REUBEN, THE MAGICIAN, page 20, On Will Goldston, page 163 
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* The Magic Circular, Vol. 101, No. 1091, June 2007, On Will Goldston, page 163
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldston,Will}}
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[[Category:Biographies]]

Revision as of 11:53, 9 April 2015

Will Goldston
BornWolf Goldstein or Goldstone
September 23, 1878
near Warsaw, Poland
DiedFebruary 24, 1948 (age 69)
Folkstone, Kent, England
Resting placeJewish cemetery at Dover
CategoriesBooks by Will Goldston

Will Goldston (1878-1948), was originally a stage magician then became a magic dealer, publisher, agent and author.

Biography

There are uncertainties to where he was born, usually quoted as Liverpool, England. But, it is more likely that he was born near Warsaw, Poland. Goldston became interested in the subject of magic at the age of eleven. Originally employed as a dental technician this did not last long and at the age of sixteen he made his professional debut as a magician. Using the stage name of Carl Devo. At the age of twenty-one he was topping the bill at provincial theatres with his Black art act[1]. His career in the Music Hall did not last many years and he was subsequently employed as manager-buyer of Gamage's Theatrical and Entertainment Department in central London, 1905-1914. During this time he edited the Magician Annual (1907-1912), Magician Monthly (1904-1913) and in 1912, Exclusive Magical Secrets (an edition of one thousand that was republished in 1977).

Later he became involved in the merchandising of "magic tricks" as William Goldston Ltd. based in Aladdin House, off Leicester Square, in London.

Goldston also edited Magazine of Magic (1914 - 1930) and Goldston's Magical Quarterly (1934 - 1940).

Goldston was an early member of the Magic Circle, but later resigned. He then initiated the creation of the Magicians' Club of London. He was a close friend of many magicians, Houdini and Chung Ling Soo amongst many. However, his relationships always appeared to run hot and cold as on occasions he upset many magicians by revealing their methods in his publications allegedly either without permission or attributing the originator.

Later in his life he was noted as the person who cracked the "Zancigs Code" used by the Danish illusionists of that name and was employed to 'prove' the authenticity of mediums and similar people.

His brother James Mayer Goldston (1882? - 1905), professionally known as "Mokana", died at the early age of 23 years of malarial fever in Calcutta while touring india with the Coronation Circus. Mokana is attributed to inventing the hollowed out shoe heel that swivels to reveal a secret space.[2]

Another of his brothers, Reuben Goldston, was also a magician, but unlike the others he remained in the north-west of England.

Goldston was buried in the Jewish Cemetery at Dover, England.

Davenports & Co. later bought the business William Goldston Ltd[3].

It is generally believed that Arthur Ainslie was the ghost-writer for some Goldston books.

Books

References

  1. Goodliffe's Abracadabra, Vol. 47, No. 1207, March 1969, Servants of the Masters, By A.R.H, Will Goldston, page 165
  2. The Secret Life of Houdini by William Kalush and Larry Sloman (2006) ISBN 978-1-84739-082-0 p179
  3. Abracadabra v7 no175 04-June-1949 p297
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  • The Sphinx, Vol. 3, No 4, June 1904, The Magician of the Month – Will Goldston, page 47
  • The Magician Monthly, Vol. 4, No, 4, March 1908, A CHAT WITH MR. WILL GOLDSTON, REPRINTED FEOM THE "ERA", FEB. 22nd, page 43
  • The Magician Annual, Vol. 3, Jun 1909, Will Goldston, An Interview & an Appreciation, page 5
  • Cover American Magician March 1911
  • Cover, The Sphinx, Vol. 30, No. 6, August 1931
  • The Conjurors' Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 1, March 1948, Will Goldstone is Dead, page 10
  • The Sphinx, Vol. 47, No. 1 March 1948, Will Goldstone Dies, page 19
  • The Linking Ring, Vol. 28, No. 2, April 1948, A Tribute To Will Goldston, by "Fitz", British Ring Historian, page 26
  • The Magic Circular, Vol. 42, No. 464, April 1948, Obituary, Will Goldstone, page 130
  • Tops Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, April 1948, Will Goldston Dies, page 8
  • Photo Genii Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 9, May 1951, WILL GOLDSTON, page 372
  • The Magic Circular, Vol. 81, No. 879, September-October 1987, A Rich Cabinet of Magical Curiosities, By EDWIN A. DAWES, 137. WILL GOLDSTON – Early Years of Magic of the Magician’s Club, page 184
  • The Magic Circular, Vol. 82, No. 882, January 1988, A Rich Cabinet of Magical Curiosities, By EDWIN A. DAWES, 140. THE MAGICIANS' CLUB FOUNDER, WILL GOLDSTON – THE MAN HIMSELF, page 4
  • The Magic Circular, Vol. 91, No. 974, April 1997, Memorial and Heritage News, page 68
  • The Linking Ring, Vol. 78, No. 2, February 1998, THE RIDDLE OF THE GOLDSTON “MEMORIAL”, page 67
  • The Glorious Deception: The Double Life of William Robinson, aka Chung Ling Soo, the "Marvelous Chinese Conjurer" by Jim Steinmeyer (2005) ISBN 0-7867-1512-X.
  • The Magic Circular, Vol. 101, No. 1086, January 2007, A rich cabinet of magical curiosities, By EDWIN A. DAWES, 339. FURTHER GLIMPSES OF GOLDSTON: BROTHER REUBEN, THE MAGICIAN, page 20, On Will Goldston, page 163
  • The Magic Circular, Vol. 101, No. 1091, June 2007, On Will Goldston, page 163