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
