Welcome to the Mammoth
'Last Straw' Sale of Magic,
Magic Books, Lecture Notes,
Close-Up, Mentalism, Cabaret,
Childrens' Effects, Illusions  and Secret Gizmos ...
PLUS a private VHS Video collection!

Summer 2008
From The Desk of John Gordon

Dear Magic Friend

Are you interested in grabbing hold of some great magic books, effects and gizmos for bargain prices? If so, read on!

I am selling up most of my collection of essential magic tools and effects and library of lecture notes, quality books and videos. You can purchase individual items (if you move fast) but I am also interested in selling bundles or job lots as I need to raise money now.

All you have to do is to let me know of your interests and I'll send you a list and updates as I catalogue and price them all. If there is anything you are particularly looking for, just as as I may have just what you want and I can reserve it for you!

Here's just a small sample of some things I am selling ...

Books by Gary Kurtz, Paul Harris, Ed Marlo

Books on Illusions

Many Ken Brooke items

A Jumping Stool

A Nielson Vanishing Ketchup Bottle

Modern Art (Jim Steinmeyer)

A DaKolta Chair

Linking Rings (sets of 3)

Locking Flap Slates

Card Fountain

Top Hat Champagne Bucket

 

Why EVER would I do this? I have been ripped off and have serious cash flow problems that just won't go away. I can't battle any more, so I am taking the only course of action I can. Allow me to tell you more: A few years ago I had money siphoned out of a business bank account and have never fully recovered from that. It followed a period where I was forced to give my home away to an ex - because she kept our children and I had to provide a home for them! I was left with nothing - except bruises from a beating up her 'lover' gave me (in front of my kids). Add to this a couple of major bad debts from 'clients' (ex-clients!) and a major client who conspired with another magician (and ex associate) to do me out of around £20K a year, all added to the escalation of a major financial problem and me becoming totally out of control. I battled and battled and put on a brave (false) face. I blatantly asked  colleagues for help, but there was no follow through. I was sinking fast. I had to move, uprooted myself from London (where I had been since 1967) ... to reduce outgoings and to get a fresh outlook. Little did I realize that this would be the start of even more problems! What appeared to be a short term ankle injury (caused by the move) has turned out to be something longer term and a major problem that I am still under treatment for and that I may have to cope with to some degree for the rest of my life. For over 18 months the pain and incapacity was so severe it affected all I did. In February 2007 I was signed off by my physio (who could help no more) and referred to another specialist. I waited... and waited. I then heard that July that they could not find the application the hospital sent back in February so I needed to get them to reapply! In November I managed to get an appointment and am seeing a specialist again ... who says that the earlier treatment was inappropriate and that he's going to need to start again, first undoing the 'correction' imposed already! Bad news but I am at last with someone who has the problem under some control.

"But surely just an ankle injury couldn't cause you to
do something so drastic as sell all this valuable stuff!"

Well, yes it could but there's more, a lot more!
 

You see, I had moved to decrease my overheads. I hadn't moved to also decrease my income! And that's what happened. My incapacity created a new situation where there were lengthy periods where I was unable to take on a lot of the kind of work I had been doing. Those particularly affected were those that brought in the biggest income: product launches and trade shows. The need to spend several consecutive entire days on my feet just made much of this impossible, and worsened my condition. This lack of work caused me to tighten my belt further ... and for a while all was fine. I had been also enjoying a growing reputation as a coach. Over many years I had private and corporate clients who consulted me for coaching on magic but also on life coaching, branding, marketing and other small business issues. In the lull of live performance work, I used the opportunity to continue writing up numerous workshops, coaching programs and courses I had developed and delivered live. But there was another disaster waiting in the wings: January 2006 presented me with a major computing disaster. I lost my hard drive AND my back up on the same day. One morning a blank screen ... and everything I had created and stored over 15 years (plus a lot more produced before that and transferred to digital) ... GONE!

Yes, A Lifetime's Work ... Gone!

It was a devastating loss. Many people would have given up, retired, but those who know me know I am not a quitter. I've had to pick myself up again and rebuild. Sure it's been tough. I've had to put myself into embarrassing situations, take chances and put my all into recreating as much as I needed, as much as I could.
 

Many will not be able to imagine the volume of work I had. It is a bit like an author of perhaps 30 books suddenly losing all the research, drafts and finished works, including all the references, illustrations etc etc. I lost all my job history files, and accounts, my lectures, workshop trainer structures and notes, workshop materials, coaching programs, eCourses, about 14 websites I was creating, my entire database .... I could go on. It was devastating. The work was so valuable I spent every penny I had then on attempted recovery. One specialist (who builds computers for Coventry University) saves about 2% but that was mostly corrupt and worthless. Another contact took the drives away for over a month and had people connected with the Government and intelligence work take a look. They found about 2% more ...but it was of little value and incomplete files etc. Bottom line is ... all gone! I have managed to make contact with some previous clients and generate some work. I certainly need more and am actively marketing to achieve that. Over several years I helped many many magicians earn a very good living. They earned thousands and thousands from the work I gave, not to mention the exposure and experience the quality gigs provided. Now I need the work, I never hear from them. Such is life! So ... end of last April I moved again, to retrench and get a new start. That's not been all roses either. I've had massive problems with TalkTalk who I foolishly went with as they were offering free BroadBand with their telephone deal. Since August 2006 I have not had a day (actually an hour) online without problems. Long story I won't go into here, but suffice it to say that it again crippled by attempts to rebuild. I've had to rely upon my partner and it's wrecked our relationship. So ... a new computer, now in the rewriting, redesigning immediate essentials process. Now 20 months on and I have got some coaching and training materials together again and need now to build the websites to deliver them. I'm putting it all together now but am limping badly (pun intended) and suffering severe anxiety problems, verging on a total nervous breakdown together with a chronic reoccurrence of a slipped disc. 'Signing on' and financial assistance are a slow process and I urgently need to raise funds to keep going until I am able to work sufficiently and also generate income from my online activities. I have just been forced to move my 'home' again and facing the prospect of doing that somehow with my poor physical state. It's Summer 2008 as I write this and I have to add a further problem. Many years ago I slipped a disc. Last November I was at Earls Court for an International Conference and fell over (because of my ankle injury) but aggravated my back injury. I have since had chronic sciatic referred pain in my right leg and cannot stand upright without excruciating pain. Whereas previously I have been able to shed such pain in a couple of weeks, this time it had stayed with me for 8 months so far! That takes me back to this sale ...

I gave myself 2 years!

I knew it would be impossible to regain what I had. But I could make some harsh decisions and recreate the most valuable, original and worthwhile material, and meanwhile attempt to carry on working as best I could. And that's where I have been. I've performed a little and designed and rewritten masses. I've also improved my online skills so that I can handle what I will face at the next stages.

But the lack of performance work means I am still broke.

I've done well ... I'm almost there!

BUT ... I had to move home again at the beginning of this year. The house I had all my 'stuff' stored in has been sold. For some time now I have planned to sell a few items to make space. You know how it is! Especially as I have moved my home and my storage several times in recent years. I have spent a fortune storing many of these items, much more than their final worth. But now I have to sell it all anyway. I moved to somewhere very small and there simply isn't room. Simple as that.

So it has to go!

I admit, some of the stuff, much of it, I never even look at any more. It's been stored since it was last used many many months ago, years in some cases! Other things, however, I have used and looked at on a frequent basis. It'll hurt to 'release' these. When I have consultancy projects, new clients I coach or workshops to design ... that's when I dip into my library for inspiration and solutions. But there's enough reasons why I have to let go of these 'wants' and deal with the more urgent 'needs':

To create more space where I am now

To save the cost of moving them yet again

To save the cost of storing them again

To raise funds to keep on going

To get the burden off my mind

To allow others (you) to make use of them

To urgently raise funds so I can give it to those I have made a promise to! 
 

My urgent need is your gain! Paying off some aged debts is long overdue and I need to get a clean start! You are an integral part of that process and I'll reward you for that. Each item is worth much more than the prices listed ... so you can get all these at bargain basement rates.

I Must Move Fast!

If these are the kind of things you could make use of, could benefit from, would like to pick up for a song ... just one small step will get you the details as soon as they are ready.

"Yes please send me details of the magic items
as soon as they become available"

 Now simply fill in this form and you'll be put on my priority notification list
NOTE: Your personal information will not be abused. I hate SP*M as much as you do!

 

eMail: First Name: Last Name: Country: Interests:

Thanks and I look forward to receiving your email