Valadon, Paul. Paul Valadon’s Card Manipulation Table and Cards. British, ca. 1904. Metal and wooden with intricately hand painted top. At least three mechanisms have been built in to the table top which, when combined with the specially prepared cards, facilitate the production and vanish of playing cards at the fingertips of the magician. Together with a small wooden case to accommodate the specially prepared cards. XX” high. Worn from use, but good condition overall. Dr. Grossman acquired the table from Paul Fleming, a professional magician and later a successful Economics professor. Valadon was well known for his abilities as a card manipulator, and posed for several photographs demonstrating his skills in C. Lang Neil’s classic book, The Modern Conjurer. His use of camouflage as an aid in card manipulation is not widely known. At one time, Valadon was slated to succeed the famous American magician Harry Kellar, having left his post at Maskelyne & Cooke’s Egyptian Hall on the pretence that he would take over upon Kellar’s retirement. Instead, after giving Kellar the secret of Maskelyne’s famous levitation and touring with Kellar for a short while, personality clashes ended their partnership. Howard Thurston struck a deal with Kellar and was presented with the “mantle” of magic in 1908. Valadon continued performing, but died virtually penniless in 1913.