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Stewart James, one of magic's most prolific inventors, was a Canadian postman.
Biography
Inspired by imaginary friends to create magic, Stewart James was one of the 20th century’s most prodigious inventors of magic effects and one of the art form’s most prolific authors. Though he was a skilled magician who performed for the allied forces during his Canadian tour of duty during World War II – James is best known in the magic world for his uncanny ability to create.
Throughout his 88 years of life, he conceived and published over 400 different trick "plots," which have been adapted by countless other magicians for use in their performances. He can be described as a mastermind who focused his energy on imagining new impossibilities at a table backstage instead of presenting them on-stage. One of his legendary effects was Miraskill published first in The Jinx, No. 24, September 1936, page 147, then in Jean Hugard's Encyclopedia of Card Tricks (1937). Some of his effects were call Jogestja, using letters from his full name.
The collected volumes of his magic written by his Allan Slaight are some of the largest books on magic ever published.