The British Close Up Magic Symposium – Collected Works of a Decade of Close-Up Magic

The British Close Up Magic Symposium is a substantial anthology that preserves the creative output of one of the most respected close-up magic convention series of its era. Bringing together material published across the first decade of the Symposium (1989–1999), this hardcover compilation offers a broad and valuable collection of routines, ideas, and professional insights from many leading performers in modern magic.

Presented in A4 format across 214 hardbound pages, the volume contains 80 contributions from 52 close-up magicians from around the world. It compiles material originally released in limited convention books, along with additional routines from the special 10-Year Anniversary publication, making a large body of previously scattered material accessible in one definitive reference.

Contributors include renowned names such as Michael Ammar, John Bannon, Aldo Colombini, Guy Hollingworth, David Roth, Andy Nyman, Michael Vincent, Tommy Wonder, and many other accomplished close-up performers and creators.

The scope of material is exceptionally wide. In addition to card magic and coin magic, the book includes routines using unusual everyday objects such as jelly bears, goldfish, spoons, polo mints, and apples, reflecting the creative diversity of the Symposium. Beyond tricks and routines, readers will also find professional essays and practical advice on topics such as table approach, restaurant magic, trade show performance, audience management, and performing close-up magic for children.

This combination of performance material, theory, and professional experience makes the book especially valuable for magicians interested not only in tricks, but in the broader craft of close-up entertainment.

You receive with The British Close Up Magic Symposium a rich and varied anthology of routines, ideas, and professional wisdom from a remarkable era in close-up magic.