Introduction
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Marco Pusterla, an Associate of The Inner Magic Circle with Silver Star, professional magician, historian, book publisher, and collector. Marco's journey into magic began in an unexpected way. As he recounted:
"My father is an artist. He makes ceramic statues, and it was commissioned by the Turin Magic Club, one of the two magic clubs that we have in Turin, to do a portrait of Bartolomeo Bosco... So we had magicians from the club coming to see the work, to give the commission, and I was quite young then. And so they showed me some tricks, and I just was hooked."
This chance encounter set Marco on a path that would lead him to become a performer, magic historian, publisher and prominent member of the magic community.
Books That Influenced Marco
When asked about the magic books that influenced him the most in his early years, Marco highlighted two:
1. Arte Magica by Silvan - This book sparked Marco's love for magic history.
2. The Big Book of Magic by Patrick Page - This comprehensive guide put Marco on the road towards performance.
Marco praised Patrick Page's book, saying, "I still think today that is probably one of the best books for a beginner to learn about magic because it covers every aspect of magic from close-up to manipulation to stage performances to illusions."
The Italian Connection
Growing up in Italy in the 1980s presented unique challenges for a young magician. Marco explained:
"I’m a child of the Eighties and Italy did not have many magic shops. They were starting to come up, but there were probably two or three in the whole country. So I did not really have much of an opportunity to acquire material."
Despite these limitations, Marco found inspiration in Italian television magicians like Silvan, Tony Binarelli, and Alexander. These early influences shaped his approach to magic and fueled his passion for the art. Marco recently collaborated with Silvan on a revised version of the book Arte Magica.
Building a Magic Library
Marco's love for reading naturally led him to start collecting magic books. His collection began with Italian magic books but quickly expanded as he learned foreign languages to access a wider range of magical literature. Today, Marco's library boasts over 5,000 volumes in various languages.
When asked about advice for aspiring magic book collectors, Marco emphasized the importance of personal connection:
"I think that your collection should have books that talk to you. So books that are relevant to you, books with which you find some sort of affinity. Otherwise, there is the risk that you only accumulate books."
Revealing the Real Ralph Chefalo
One of Marco's most significant contributions to magic history is his research on Italian illusionist Ralph Chefalo. When Marco read The Wonderful Magic of Chefalo by Val Andrews, published in 1983, Marco felt the book didn't do justice to the magician's life and career. Marco shared:
"(I thought) ‘I think this magician needs some more research. Was he really the greatest Italian magician of the 20th century?’ So I started to research his life, and I think, yes, probably we can say he was certainly the most popular Italian magician of the 20th century."
Marco's research has led to numerous discoveries about Chefalo's life, tricks, and innovations, shedding new light on his contributions to magic history.
Ye Olde Magic Mag
In 2014, Marco launched Ye Olde Magic Mag, a quarterly publication dedicated to magic history and collecting. When asked about his inspiration for starting the magazine, Marco explained:
"What I wanted to do was to have a magazine that could be contemporary. So a magazine itself with current stories, also because I was always following magic auctions on the Internet. I noticed that on eBay, for example, and other places, there were some wonderful, rare, or unique magic objects that were sold. And after 90 days, they were removed from the eBay archive. There is no trace of that."
Through Ye Olde Magic Mag, Marco aims to preserve magic history and provide a platform for sharing knowledge within the magic community.
Upcoming Projects
Marco is currently working on several exciting projects, including a definitive biography of Ralph Chefalo and a compilation of the best articles from Ye Olde Magic Mag. He's also passionate about exploring underrepresented areas of magic history:
"I think that we have not studied enough the social impact of magic, what magicians did for society, to society, and why magic is still an interesting and a live pastime."
As our conversation drew to a close, I was struck by Marco's deep passion for magic, his commitment to preserving its history, and his desire to share knowledge with the wider magic community. Whether through his publications, research, or collecting, Marco Pusterla continues to make significant contributions to the magical arts, ensuring that the rich tapestry of magic's past informs and inspires its future.
Resources
Marco Pusterla's website: https://www.mpmagic.co.uk/
The Ephemeral Collector: https://smallmagicollector.wordpress.com/
Ye Olde Magic Mag: https://yeoldemagicmag.com/
Timestamps
00:00 How Marco’s father's art led him to magic
03:39 Books ignited Marco’s love for magic
07:08 Limited foreign influences on Italian magic in the 1980s
11:27 Researching Ralph Chefalo
16:39 Connecting with a deceased magician’s estate
19:34 Joined The Magic Circle, met leading magicians
22:03 Christian Chelman's book, Hauntiques, focused on rich stories
24:06 Marco’s success in selling 1,000 copies
31:21 Ye Olde Magic Mag highlights rare magic artifacts and influential figures
35:56 Inviting speakers for magic history events in the UK and Italy
37:36 Studying magic's social impact, its historical context
43:11 Publishing collection of best magic articles from Ye Olde Magic Mag planned
45:19 Cherished books: Exclusive Magical Secrets, Arte Magica, and The Commercial Magic of J.C. Wagner
49:11 Marco's contributions to magic preservation, website for more information and contact