Tales of Magic and Mystery

Tales of Magic and Mystery, Volume 1, Number 1 (1927) This inaugural issue of *Tales of Magic and Mystery* combines instructional and narrative content centered on magic, mysticism, and the supernatural. Featured are historical profiles of notable occultists and magicians: Cagliostro, the 18th-century impostor claiming the elixir of life; Madame Blavatsky, founder of Theosophy; and magicians Buatier de Kolta and Joseffy, known for elaborate illusions like the "Vanishing Lady" and "Expanding Cube." The issue includes a scholarly article on werewolf superstitions in medieval Europe, tracing beliefs in demonic transformation across Prussia, Lithuania, and France. Fiction pieces are contributed by Frank Owen ("The Black Well of Wadi," a desert mystery) and other authors. A biographical sketch by Howard Thurston recounts an encounter with an Indian magician in Benares. The magazine also features Howard Thurston's account of escape artist Houdini's hazardous performances. Regular departments include "Easy Magic You Can Do" with practical tricks and their secrets, plus a feature on Rahman Bey.