Francis Martineau

Francis Martineau
Born	Francis Benjamin Martineau March 10, 1922 Raymore, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died	January 8, 2012 (age 89) Vancouver, Canada
Nationality	Canadian
Categories	Books by Francis Martineau

Francis Martineau (1922 - 2012) was a Canadian magician, magic illustrator and author, best known for his illustrator in Rice's Encyclopedia of Silk Magic.

Biography

In 1944, he joined Canada's armed forces, during which he performed magic shows for service men throughout Canada and Europe. After his tour-of-duty in 1946, he returned to Vancouver and opened his own art studio.

At the 1947 annual Pacific Coast Association of Magicians convention in Seattle, he won four awards. He also won the William Shelly Trophy in recognition of excellence in stage magic from the Vancouver Magic Circle in 1954. A charter member of the Vancouver Magic Circle (IBM Ring 92), he also served as its President in 1954.

He is probably best known as the illustrator for Rice's Encyclopedia of Silk Magic, creating thousands of illustrations and hand lettering the entire text also. In his Genii column, Dai Vernon said that Francis' illustrating and hand-lettering were "the most amazing thing seen in a lifetime of magic."

In 1961, Martineau met Mark Wilson who hired him to work on some of his TV specials building illusions and sets along with a young John Gaughan.

He also became a regular contributor and illustrator of many articles for Genii magazine.

Books

• Victory Bouquet (1944)
• Miracle Silk (1945)
• Walsh Cane Routines (1945)
• Rope Hectic (1946)

References

• The Linking Ring, Vol. 30, No, 6. August 1950, Who Is This Guy, Martmeau? By Thornton Poole, page 22
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 75, No. 8, August 1995, THE ART OF DECEPTION Part II or The Magical Affinity Between Conjuring and Art by Chuck Romano, page 69
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 92, No. 5, May 2012, Broken Wands, Francis B. Martineau, page 109
• http://www.ibmring92.com/newsletters/jan2012.pdf