The Strange Inventions of Doctor Ervin by Dariel Fitzkee

Doctor Edward George Ervin was a dentist and amateur magician whose mentor and teacher was famous William Robinson, aka Chung Ling Soo.

Excerpt from the introduction by T. Nelson Downs:

Nearly thirty years ago, when I first met Dr. Ervin I was not only greatly impressed with the man himself, but also the type of magic he stood for. During the passing years this impression has become increasingly strengthened. To me the words "Ervin" and "subtle ingenuity" mean one and the same thing, for I have been privileged to share the greater part of his choicest magical inventions during a long period.

As per the old proverb, "the proof of the pudding is in the eating," a number of the most effective items in my present program are of the Doctor's invention. Therefore, it goes without saying that practicability is a fundamental quality.

Excerpt from the foreword:

In my opinion one of the greatest inventors of subtle tricks with small objects is Dr. E. G. Ervin of Kansas City, Mo. For ingenious subtleties there is no one to my knowledge that equals him. And this is not alone my opinion.

• Introduction

• Foreword

• Dr. Ervin

• Lighted Cigarette Through Handkerchief

• Borrowed Cigarette Through A Dinner Plate

• "Rolling" A Cigarette

• A Cigar Fake

• A Lighted Cigarette Vanish

• Cigarette In Electric Light Bulb

• Ultra Dollar Bill And Cigarette Effect

• Repeating Vanishing Bill

• Dollar Bill And Lemon Routine

• Coins From Nowhere

• One-Hand Watch Production

• Mephisto Sealed Billet Reading

• New Version Want Ad Test

• One Man Blackboard Test

• Billet Test

• A Table Levitation

• Comedy Slate Test

• Telepathic Prediction

• Table Acquitment

• Match Box Monte

• Little Demon Silk Production

• Inverted Match Through Fist

• Torn And Restored Tissue

• Phantom Tobacco Trick

• Table Knife Levitation

• A Subtle Penetration

• The Diabolical Die

• Suggestions

• A Sucker Production

• An Impromptu Production

• Cut And Restored Turban

• A Torn Cigarette Paper Idea

• "Any Color" Silk

• Ringing A Ribbon

• Transformo

• Telling The Time On A Watch

• Burned And Restored Handkerchief

• Three Card Monte

• Find The Joker

• Diminutive Wine And Water

• Needle Trick

• Needle Trick – Self-Contained Method

• Milk Transposition

• Vanishing Glass Of Water

• Glass Of Water Vanish From Bamboo Rod

• Vanishing Glass Of Water A La Okito

• The Stretching Handkerchief

• Restored Ribbon

• Marvello Paper Tearing

• Rising Card From Tumbler

• Color Changing Silk

• The Dissolving Cigarette

• Mighty Lak A Rose

• A Spooky Yarn

• Three Times – And Out

• Egg And Lemon

• Another Paper Tearing Trick

• Untying Silk

• A Cone Load

• A Cut And Restored Lemon