author
Edwin Thomas Sachs
d. 1910
Best known for a classic handbook of conjuring, this Victorian-era writer helped bring sleight of hand to a wide audience. He also wrote about sport and was active in the magic world, where his practical approach made him a lasting reference for amateurs and professionals alike.
1 Audiobook
Sleight of Hand: A Practical Manual of Legerdemain for Amateurs & Others
by Edwin Thomas Sachs
About the author
Edwin Thomas Sachs was an English writer remembered chiefly for Sleight of Hand: A Practical Manual of Legerdemain for Amateurs & Others, a book that became a long-lived favorite among students of magic. Public-domain library records confirm his dates as 1850–1910, and surviving editions of his work show how clearly he explained the techniques and showmanship behind conjuring.
Sources from magic-history collections describe him not only as an author but also as an amateur magician and contributor to The Magic Circular. They also note that he became an Honorary Vice-President of the Magic Circle in 1906 and joined its Inner Magic Circle in 1907, reflecting the respect he earned within that community.
Sachs also wrote beyond magic. Bibliographic records connect him with The English Turf: A Record of Horses and Courses, showing the range of his interests as a writer. Today he is best remembered for making stagecraft and close-up deception feel approachable, practical, and entertaining to learn.