Professor Agoston – The Swiss Enigma

This particular card is for Professor Ernst G.A. Agoston (Ernst G.A. Schifferdecker), a wonder worker born in Berne, Switzerland October 11, 1872, who immigrated to America and became a very popular card and platform magician in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

According to a personal write-up in February 1920 issue of The Magic World, Agoston began performing magic at age 12 appearing before the Swiss public as a “Boy Wonder.” He was reportedly following in the footsteps of his uncle, the famous Chevalier Agoston, who toured the continent extensively from 1860 to 1885.

Agoston indicated he himself toured most of the principal cities in Europe and toured South America from 1888 to 1891 with the Rodriquez Brothers Circus. In 1891, he came to the U.S. on a four-masted schooner landing in Florida and later became a citizen. On September 11, 1893, he married Maybel C. Wilson in New Castle, Delaware and they had two daughters, Matilda (June 2, 1900) and Virginia (April 22, 1905). In August 1920, Maybel passed away.

With the outbreak of the Spanish American War, Agoston enlisted August 12, 1898, and joined as a Private in the Second Pennsylvania Infantry. He served only until October 25, 1898, when he was discharged for medical reasons. The injuries he suffered during his four-month enlistment plagued him for the rest of his life.

He operated his own Vaudeville agency and entertainment bureau in Philadelphia from 1904-05, and then returned to playing professional engagements exclusively in drawing rooms, private clubs and the homes of the wealthy. He relocated to Chicago and throughout the 1920s entertained the city’s top family like the Wrigleys, Armours, and others. On December 11, 1921, he married again, this time wedding Rose Dennison of Chicago.

He was best known for his original blindfolded Demonstration of Mental Telepathy. When he wasn’t performing he worked at the Chicago magic firm of B.L. Gilbert, 11135 South Irving Avenue doing general office work, demonstrating magic and illustrations. He was apparently a talented pen and brush artist and reportedly helped Gilbert publish a book “Card Effects Without Apparatus” which featured some of his original card effects. He also performed Kellar’s Growth of Flowers as shown in the accompanying photo which is inscribed to Dr. A.M. Wilson, editor of The Sphinx.

Agoston was an early member of the I.B.M. being #21. At the time he joined he lived at 1814 Howe Street, Chicago. He was also a member of the National Conjurors Association as reported in the February 1923 Sphinx.  

Beginning in the late 1920s and early 1930s, Agoston’s war injuries ended him up in various military hospitals for years at a time including the U.S. Veteran’s Hospital in Dwight, Illinois. He apparently suffered from lung-related issues. The Billboard for October 4, 1930, reported that he was hospitalized with an abscess on his left lung which had placed him in the hospital since 1927. By December 1930, he was back working clubs in Chicago doing card tricks while blindfolded.

Eventually, his ill health or age caught up with him and he died October 15, 1932, at age 60. He is buried at the Sunset Cemetery in Quincy, Illinois. His two daughters lived to old age, Matilda passing away in 1985, and Virginia in 1983.

Bicycle Automobile No.2 back (c. 1913)

The scaling card (above) that Agoston left behind promoted him as “The Wizard With The Cards” and offered his Mental Telepathy act. For ten cents in silver interested parties could obtain his Magic Book and “Phantom Trick Cards.” The card also promoted Bicycle cards with the slogan, “When you play with BICYCLE, you hold GOOD PLAYING CARDS.”