BOBBY BERNARD AND I have been friends for over sixty years.  As teenagers we were in concert party together – he did vent dressed as a schoolmaster with a naughty boy pupil and I did magic. I remember it well.

“What’s your name?”

“Isaiah sir”

“Why do they call you Isaiah?”

“Cos one eyes ‘igher than the other!” 

Later we were both members of the group that used to meet every Saturday in London with Jack Avis, Roy Walton, Alex Elmsley and others and Bobby was always at every magic event in the magic calendar. He is part of the scenery of the last half century and nobody has had more contact with the greats all over the world or has more detailed knowledge of magic, its methods and its practitioners than most other people of that era.

He is truly a walking magic encyclopedia.

Which is why it is somewhat sad but timely I suppose that I read that he is putting his lifetime’s collection of magic, apparatus, ephemera and souvenirs of his close relationship with magic and magicians, carefully gathered for  the last sixty years up for auction.

I’ve been to his flat and it is truly an Aladdin’s cave. It is packed from floor to ceiling with wonderful items. Tricks that you cannot buy any more. Gifts from many of the greats he has met. Exquisite paintings of himself and other magicians, signed photographs, one off items made by the legendary magic craftsman Martin and much more.

It’s sad that such a loving collection is being released to the magic world but Bobby as well as many of us is getting older, not always in the best of health but still turning up every week at The Magic Circle and conventions and unable to care for the wonderful souvenirs of a lifetime in magic.

I’m glad that a professional auctioneer is to handle the sale of his collection, the same company that did so well in disposing recently of part of John Fisher’s vast collection. The date was fixed for 3rd April but I understand that it is now to be staged in May the date to be announced.

 If you’d like to possess a unique part of the history of magic from the last half century then you’d do well to grab the catalogue when it is published and get yourself along to the auction when the date is announced. Watch this space.

It’s sad that Bobby is giving up his lifetime’s acqisitions but generous that he is passing real magic  gems onto the next generation so they may enjoy their real worth.

I’ll tell you more about Bobby in a later item.

Filed under: Magic Miscellanea, Magic News