Martin, Jon. Archive of ALSs and Directions from Jon Martin to Danny Dew. Five ALSs (one incomplete), two signed Christmas Cards, and five handwritten pages of directions for Martin-made magic tricks. On lined an unlined 8vo and 4to sheets, Martin discusses orders of various tricks from Dew, mentions his first customer Arnold De Biere, as well as the working of various tricks: his Lazy Tongs (Butterfly), card reels, ball & cord, various pulls, and more. The directions outline the working of still more Martin apparatus: the Ring Pull, Jumbo Pack Coin Dropper, Snuff Box, and more. All letters signed “J. Martin.” Rare. Danny Dew was one of Martin’s best customers, and owned one of the largest collection of Martin-made apparatus in the United States. Martin’s career as a magic maker began when De Biere hired him to manufacture special props for his own show – exclusively. It was not until Martin’s death that the “secret source” for De Biere’s apparatus was discovered and word got out. He quickly developed a reputation as the leading builder of mechanical apparatus in the world, crafting his special brand of tricks for an exclusive clientele that included Cecil Lyle, the Davenports, Cardini, Danny Dew, Frakson, and Graham Adams, to name but a few. While a genius craftsman, Martin was, by all reports, illiterate, meaning that these letters were most likely dictated by him but in fact penned by his daughter or son-in-law, who lived with him.