Carl Brema's Magic Profiles

Magic Profiles Carl Brema		Profiles Carl Brema Princess Karnac Morphets Thurston Wobensmith Yogi Club Thomas Yost Assembly #4
	The first offering on Mahatmaland deals with the well-known magic craftsman Carl Brema (1864 – 1942). From 1918 to 1925, Brema’s magic shop at 425 Market Street in Philadelphia was the inner sanctum for magicians both famous and infamous. Houdini, Powell, Thurston, Goldin, Gibson, Felix Herrmann, and many local magicians spent hours discussing magic in the shop.
A photo in the September 1950 Linking Ring, shows Leslie Guest standing at the counter in Brema’s shop. Carl wears his traditional derby hat and behind him on the wall are autographed photos of his friends in magic. When the shop closed in 1934 and Brema’s son Bill moved it to 135 North Eight Street, the photos came into the possession of Brema’s dear friend Randall McCommon. Eventually they came into the possession of noted collector and historian Al Kalan. I had the opportunity to purchase Kalan’s collection and with it came considerable material on Brema and other Philadelphia magicians. We reproduce those actual photos from Brema’s back wall and offer them for your viewing pleasure. Included is a never-before-seen photo of Carl on stage with Marltony, his partner, around 1900 when he was appearing at Wood’s Museum at Ninth and Arch streets. For all of you who never made it up the two flights of stairs in Zorn’s Novelty Store to the inner sanctum many years ago, we invite you to step back in time. For further information on the Brema story you should acquire a copy of Richard Buffum’s wonderful book, “The Brema Brasses.