August Roterberg

German-born August Roterberg (1867-1928) came to the United States as a teenager and started out as a mail-order magic salesman before opening a magic store in the lobby of Chicago's Palmer House Hotel. He changed the way magic books were written, addressing himself to professionals rather than amateurs, and adding illustrations, which were unusual in his day. A practicing magician, he invented the Multiplying Billiard Balls trick.

German-born August Roterberg (1867-1928) came to the United States as a teenager and started out as a mail-order magic salesman before opening a magic store in the lobby of Chicago's Palmer House Hotel. He changed the way magic books were written, addressing himself to professionals rather than amateurs, and adding illustrations, which were unusual in his day. A practicing magician, he invented the Multiplying Billiard Balls trick. See less