Alfred Silvester - The Fakir of Oolu and his Family of Magic
British photographer and magician, Alfred Silvester, is widely known for
his connection to the history of ‘Pepper’s Ghost’, one of the most
iconic stage illusions of the Nineteenth Century, and for his
advancements in the performance of Robert-Houdin’s famous Suspension
illusion, performed under the stage name, ‘The Fakir of Oolu’.
Far less known is the fact that Silvester, who came to Australia in 1874
and eventually settled here, had multiple generations of descendants
who were also magicians and theatrical performers, leaving a legacy of
magic in Australia which extended until 1940 and beyond. We unravel the
long and complex history of the Silvesters, and publish a trove of
photographs from the 1800s which may not exist anywhere else.The story is available for you to read online, but here is your chance to own a hardcover book with 300 pages, A4 size, full colour illustrations throughout.
“... the aerial suspension act has become
common property; it has been utilised in burlesque, while some persons have
nearly made a serious drama of it. Many performers have done the trick as a
dry, hard, fact; the only man who has got a spark of beauty and poetry out of
it is the Fakir of Oolu.”
- London and Provincial Entr'acte, July 4, 1874
- London and Provincial Entr'acte, July 4, 1874