"Doc" Brumfield

I first wrote of Arthur W.C. “Doc” Brumfield in my book “Conjurors and Cornfields: Magic on the Indianapolis Stage” in 1999. This book recounted the history of magic in the city and wider state of Indiana based upon memorabilia I had collected or been given over my young collecting career. It is appropriate with this new blog that we cover him again given his throwing card in my collection. I’m not certain how many other examples may be out there.

According to The Sphinx, Brumfield was born October 12, 1890, and it is uncertain when he became interested in magic but he was considered an “insider” by professionals and amateurs alike. He operated the Welworth Company, a combination magic shop and locksmith business at 99 West Pratt Street in Indianapolis.

He was a founding member of the Indiana Magic Fraternity and allowed the club to use his shop for their monthly meetings. In the summer of 1925, national discussions were already underway regarding the creation of a protective organization for magic dealers – the early whisperings of the Magic Dealers Association. All interested dealers were instructed to contact Brumfield, who served as acting secretary until a permanent organization was established.

His advertisements in The Sphinx show that he was a major magic book and magazine dealer in the early half of the 20^th century. He also published a few manuscripts including “And a Pack of Cards,” “Merlin’s Master Manipulations,” and “Merlin at the Card Table.”

Brumfield was also a supplier of handcuffs and related escape equipment to performers in this field and was close friends with Houdini. Whenever the handcuff king was in town he and Brumfield would gather for late-night gab sessions. Brumfield was also close friends with Joe Kolar from Chicago who performed an escape act at one time. The autographed photo to Brumfield below credits him with providing the handcuffs seen in the photo.

Continuing with his publishing background, Brumfield was the manager of advertising for the Seven Circles Magazine, published by the International Magic Circle, edited by Walter B. Gibson. Another of his close friends was John Northern Hilliard. In fact, Brumfield was the last person to see Hilliard alive. He had spent the previous evening with Hilliard at the Lockerbie Hotel in Indianapolis. Hilliard came to the city in March 1935 in advance of Thurston’s appearance there. He had made the rounds of the newspapers and had spoken with reporters and returned to his hotel. When he did not appear for a scheduled meeting the next morning, hotel staff opened his room and found the 62-year-old dead.

After Hilliard’s death, Brumfield wrote to Hilliard’s daughter requesting permission to print a small booklet of miscellaneous articles that John and he had discussed. He wanted Hilliard’s daughter to find the articles and send them his way. One of the articles was on old-time magicians while another dealt with Hilliard’s experiences as an advance man and publicity agent for Thurston.

There was even consideration of Brumfield being appointed editor of Hilliard’s unfinished master work “Greater Magic.” The publisher, Carl Waring Jones learned of the planned smaller booklet by Brumfield and objected to it so it never came to pass. Part of the proposed manuscript was printed in the June 1947 issue of The Conjurors’ Magazine.

Brumfield was an early member of both the S.A.M. and I.B.M. He also designed, printed and distributed commemorative stamps promoting early conventions for both organizations. Many of the publicity photos used in my book came from Brumfield’s files.

After Brumfield’s death in 1945, local magician, escape artist and mentalist Sir Edwards, acquired all of the stock, magazines and books from the Welworth Company and offered them for sale in magic magazines of the period. The ad below is illustrative of that effort.

Brumfield’s simple scaling card features only his company’s logo and Doc’s name. The logo appears to show an imp trying to keep another imp (or secret?) under lock and key. I do not know who produced the card as it doesn’t seem to be a U.S. Playing Car design. It is printed on heavy card stock.