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was founded in
Martinka's backroom. And, early on the Martinka magic shop became a hang-out and gathering spot where both famous and unknown, professional and amateur magicians alike could socialize, swap stories and share insights. Over the decades of its circa 150-year-old existence, generations of
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Martinka's "Back Room" contained magical treasures dating back to the 1800s along with other secret items that were reserved for a select few. Being invited into the back room was said by some to be a rite of passage in the world of magic. In this space, professional magicians would perform for each
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who pioneered the online magic auction with high end collectables that on many an occasion achieved record prices for certain items. According to
Martinka's then own website, the company continued to purchase magic collections and libraries, which are used to supply
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among others, have visited the shop. The original magic business location at 493 Sixth Ave, New York city has been listed as a historical site by CityLore (Place
Matters) and is identified as the oldest in New York City.
35:& Company in 1877, by two brothers: Francis (1842–1924) and Antonio (1833–1915) Martinka. It is claimed to be the oldest continuously operating magic shop in the United States.
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In 2004, after closing the
Martinka brick and mortar shop in NYC, the company had only an online presence for a year before reopening a store in
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and throughout the years the company has acquired and combined with over 30 other magic firms including Flosso-Hornmann, and Milton Chase.
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store housed a workshop where the company was soon building magic illusions and props for virtually all the famous magicians of the day.
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other and discuss "the latest developments in the world of magic". Over time, these meetings became more formal, and in 1902, the
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119:, kept in the back room. It was a fraternity house where a visiting European magician . . . and a curious teenager from
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The
Martinka brothers also built the special effects for number of shows, including the classic 1939 film production of
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as "a messy
Aladdin's cave of magical marvels from trick cards and ropes to a live lion that one owner, the magician
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the "Coney Island Fakir" (1939), and his son, Jackie Flosso. Most recently, the firm was acquired by
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19:& Company is America's longest running magic company. The business was for a period owned by
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394:"Houdini's Old Magic Shop Disappears, Reinvents Itself as an Online Retailer"
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magic enthusiasts have congregated there. Customers of the past included
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188:. The company also resumed the manufacture of magic tricks and props.
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The business was owned or run by several famous magicians, including
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and collectors throughout the world with vintage and modern
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Photo of
Dunninger at Martinka Shop, 493 Sixth Ave, NYC
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Magischer Zirkel der
Deutschen Demokratischen Republik
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Fédération Française des
Artistes Prestidigitateurs
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1009:Entertainment companies of the United States
392:Silverman, Rachel Emma (December 15, 2000).
350:"Jackie Flosso, 77, Magic Shop Maven, Dies"
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316:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
123:might rub elbows, ideas, and magic wands.
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111:once described the shop while owned by
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823:Mark Wilson's Complete Course In Magic
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512:International Brotherhood of Magicians
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136:was founded at the back of the store.
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285:David Copperfield's history of magic
222:Carnegie, Dean (January 27, 2012).
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224:"The Oldest Magic Shop in America"
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348:Martin, Douglas (2003-10-01).
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47:Society of American Magicians
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783:The Discoverie of Witchcraft
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74:. And in more recent times,
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815:Thirteen Steps to Mentalism
332:"Martinka (former site of)"
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160:The Great (1917), Harry
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472:Academy of Magical Arts
424:Jack Flosso Obituary -
398:The Wall Street Journal
98:and celebrity magician
864:Hugard's Magic Monthly
381:Martinka Official Site
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517:List of magic museums
203:List of magic museums
158:Charles Joseph Carter
981:Midnight ghost show
906:Smoke & Mirrors
462:Magic organizations
594:Magic and illusion
354:The New York Times
276:Copperfield, David
146:"The Wizard of Oz"
108:The New York Times
52:Alexander Herrmann
38:The back of their
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295:978-1-9821-1291-2
181:and memorabilia.
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88:Penn & Teller
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127:The Back Room
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72:Harry Houdini
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45:In 1902, the
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40:New York City
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950:Publications
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756:Misdirection
751:Equivocation
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365:. Retrieved
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227:. Retrieved
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106:
105:
100:John Stessel
96:David Blaine
56:Harry Kellar
44:
37:
32:
30:
16:
15:
1039:Magic shops
850:Abracadabra
842:Periodicals
618:Conventions
170:Ted Bogusta
113:the Flossos
80:Dick Cavett
76:Woody Allen
998:Categories
913:The Sphinx
775:Guidebooks
746:Levitation
739:techniques
737:Tricks and
703:Mathemagic
693:Escapology
678:Children's
662:techniques
608:Assistants
367:2023-02-20
304:1236259508
209:References
940:Magicians
831:Conjuring
668:Cardistry
362:0362-4331
312:cite book
229:April 20,
175:magicians
166:Al Flosso
84:Alan Alda
955:Timeline
892:Magigram
871:The Jinx
713:Platform
623:Exposure
426:NY Times
255:SpyScape
192:See also
164:(1919),
33:Martinka
17:Martinka
969:Related
945:Museums
899:Mahatma
810:(1928–)
672:history
653:Bizarre
601:General
162:Houdini
21:Houdini
960:Tricks
834:(1992)
826:(1975)
818:(1961)
802:(1902)
794:(1876)
786:(1584)
728:Street
718:SĂ©ance
708:Mental
698:Gospel
646:Genres
628:Stores
360:
302:
292:
152:Owners
121:Queens
923:Lists
885:Magic
857:Genii
723:Stage
613:Clubs
179:magic
688:Coin
658:Card
358:ISSN
318:link
300:OCLC
290:ISBN
231:2015
70:and
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352:.
340:^
314:}}
310:{{
298:.
278:;
261:^
148:.
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233:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.