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The International Brotherhood of Magicians

20 Mar

Magician Who Disappeared to Be Honored March 22nd

Category: Blog   Posted by: C. DENNIS SCHICK

 Louisville, Kentucky, March 19, 2018-  The Cave Hill Heritage Foundation and world-famous Magician, Lance Burton, cordially invite the general public to a commemorative ceremony on Thursday, March 22, 2018, at 1:30 p.m., in Cave Hill Cemetery for Thomas Tobin.

 
The magic community is endeared to the illusionary craft of Tobin, who "disappeared" from the magic world in the 1880’s to settle into Louisville. For 135 years, Tobin lie in an unmarked and unknown grave in Louisville’s historic Cave Hill Cemetery. Until now.
 
A permanent memorial designed by Cave Hill Cemetery has been created to commemorate his short, but impactful life, and will be unveiled in a formal ceremony with an official Broken Wand Ceremony by the renowned Lance Burton, with reflections by Jim Steinmeyer. Louisville’s own, David Garrard, will also take part in the ceremony. 
 
Born in London in 1844, Tobin was a scientist, master illusionist, and architect. According to a recent biography on Tobin by Jim Steinmeyer, “It was Tobin’s creations that established the famous cliché, ‘It’s all done with mirrors!’” His amazing ability to create illusions, including The Sphinx and The Proteus Cabinet, are still used today. It is very fitting that Tobin is interred in Cave Hill, as Lance Burton reflects: “My mentor, Harry Collins, is buried at Cave Hill. Also Colonel Sanders, I performed at his 88th birthday party when I was a teenager.” In referring to Tobin, he says, “Like thousands of magicians, I’ve benefited from his incredible work.”
 
The ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m., a short distance from the Broadway entrance of Cave Hill Cemetery. Attendees should check with cemetery security staff for directions as they enter the gate at 701 Baxter Avenue, Louisville, Ky 40204.
 
ABOUT CAVE HILL CEMETERY
 
Cave Hill Cemetery is a Victorian, Rural Garden Cemetery that was chartered in 1848. Currently, there are over 136,000 people interred on the grounds, with over 6,000 soldiers in the Cave Hill National Cemetery. Cave Hill is an active cemetery, serving nearly 600 families per year with in-ground, above ground, cremation, and memorial needs.
 
 
 
 

 


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