Friday, March 13, 2009

Boxing with Royal Vale Heath

Royal Vale Heath was an American Magician and puzzle enthusiast. Every effect he performed or taught utilized mathematical properties. Tricks with serial numbers, Magic Squares and dice were his specialty.

He contributed a full chapter to Hilliards' Greater Magic book (out of print) in 1938 on various number oddities. His own book Mathemagic: Magic, Puzzles and Games with Numbers is considered a classic.

Here he is shown performing his own favorite rendition of the Magic Square in which all numbers add to the same number even when turned upside down!

Photo courtesy of the Doug Edwards Collection.