Can you tell us about your connection to T. Nelson Downs? I'm a former Marshalltown guy who was born across the street from Downs' old house at 7 S. 3rd Ave. Any chance you might write a much needed book on Downs?

Hi,
Boy, I wish I knew more about Downs. My connection is a bit tenuous. Faucett Ross used to tell me stories about him. Most of these stories are from when Faucett himself was a very young man. He talks of Downs being a very colorful character. He related some of these stories in his book, Magic With Faucett Ross. He also has a few of Downs routines there. It is one of the best books written on stage magic. Downs' apparently came up with the name "Miser's Dream", which up to then was called the "Aerial Treasury", or just the coin catching trick. He made a whole act out of this and related coin magic. He was a railroad telegraph man in his younger years, and spent his spare time at work practicing coin moves.

I am an Iowa boy myself. Once, when I was about 17, I thought, "here I am, an hour or so away from Marshalltown, the home of Downs, and I have never visited." So I jumped in the car with my fresh driver's license, and drove there. I looked through the phone book calling the few people with the name Downs, hoping to talk to a relative. I found a great nephew and talked to him for a while, but otherwise it was a fruitless visit. I'm afraid I am not an authority on Downs'.

For now, we will have to settle for the stories Faucett has in print, and Downs' excellent Modern Coin Magic.

all the best,
Carney

Alas, the Downs home is now a parking lot. He retired to Marshalltown when he had saved up $50,000 from his world travels/performances and "retired" at the early age of 42. He opened a vaudeville house a few blocks away from his house and even sold some magician apparatus for awhile. In 1935, there was a dinner in his honor at the Tallcorn, still the "skyscraper" in Marshalltown about about 8 stories. Downs passed away not far from where he developed his art of coin handling. He is buried about 2 driving minutes from his last home with a simple grave marker, "T. Nelson Downs The King of Koins." As a Marshalltown boy I still can't believe that many notables (such as Dai Vernon) stopped by my hometown to visit with Downs.

Gegood,
Looks like you are the man to write the Downs book! You seem to know a lot about him. I'm sure a lot of people would like to know more. Maybe a web site devoted to info and research on Downs? I'll leave it up to you!

Retired at 42? Wow!..........$50,000 today would get me next to nothing!

Re: the greats passing through Marshalltown.........I marveled at this when I went to visit Faucett in St. Joseph, MO. We used to go to this little Caféteria called Jerry Ann's..........down home buffet and a slice of pie. Some really great magicians had eaten in that humble Café. I had eaten there years before I did magic, with relatives that lived in town.

Looking forward to seeing TnelsonDowns.com !

Carney

You just gave me my next project. I purchased http://www.tnelsondowns.com and http://www.thekingofkoins.com this morning. I'll see what I can put up (I work on websites 50 hours a week at my day job). I'll grab some photos when I'm back in Marshalltown later this month.

I have this vague memory that Faucett Ross might of had some notebooks of Downs. Is that true? If so, do you know who has them now?

Also, Mike Caveney hopes that someone will write a Downs book so that Caveney can publish it. I'm sure that it will be a beautiful and interesting book to hold, like his Carter, Kellar, and Alexander treatments.

Thanks again for the idea. I'll be in touch.

I am not aware of any Downs notebooks.

Faucett inherited much of Downs stuff. As Faucett got older, he eventually sold most of it to CR "Bud" Tracy in Florida........I don't know the man or the details, just knew he was a rabid Downs fan.

glad to hear about the new Downs site. Let me know when it is up and running.

Otherwise, I'm not sure who would have more information on Downs. His Art of Magic has lots of his mateiral. It was ghost written by Hilliard, I believe.

all the best,
CARNEY