author
John Nevil Maskelyne
1839–1917
A Victorian showman with a sharp mechanical mind, this English magician helped turn stage illusion into a modern theatrical art. He was also an inventor and a skeptical investigator of fraudulent spiritualist performances.
2 Audiobooks
The Boy's Own Book of Indoor Games and Recreations A Popular Encyclopædia for Boys
by C. Stansfeld Hicks, John Nevil Maskelyne, Gordon Stables
Sharps and Flats A Complete Revelation of the Secrets of Cheating at Games of Chance and Skill
by John Nevil Maskelyne
About the author
Born on December 22, 1839, John Nevil Maskelyne became one of the best-known British magicians of the Victorian era. Reliable reference sources describe him as an English stage magician and inventor, and note that many of his illusions continued to influence performers long after his lifetime.
Before rising to fame in magic, he trained as a watchmaker, a background that helps explain the precision and ingenuity behind his stage work. He became especially known for exposing deceptive spirit mediums, and his career was closely tied to the development of large-scale theatrical illusion in London.
Maskelyne died on May 18, 1917. Beyond the stage, he is also remembered for practical inventions, including the coin-operated lock associated with the phrase "spend a penny," which adds an unexpected twist to the story of a man already famous for mystery and misdirection.