Ellis Stanyon

Born in 1870, Ellis Stanyon became a well-known figure in the world of magic as a performer, dealer, writer, and instructor. He is especially remembered for launching Magic in 1900, a magazine and series of instructional writings that reached readers for many years and helped spread practical knowledge of conjuring.

Stanyon wrote on a wide range of magical subjects, from sleight of hand to stage effects, and built a reputation for clear teaching. Alongside publishing, he sold magical apparatus and books, which placed him at the center of a lively community of performers and enthusiasts in the early twentieth century.

His influence lasted well beyond his own era. Later magicians and historians have continued to recognize him as an important early popularizer of magic literature, and his name remains closely linked with the growth of instructional publishing in the art. He died in 1951.