I saw an amazing gallery of
magic-themed linotypes by Kreg Yingst (thanks,
Gordon!). My very favorites are:
the Vanishing Audience, who perhaps escaped through the door marked "Exit"
the Disappearing Rabbit, which takes the form of a playing card and animates if you can spin in the card in your mind
the Floating Finger, which promises the secret (of the optical illusion!) for $9.95. (I find this hilarious!)
the Cups & Balls, in which the magician is depicted as a two-faced jester, with the bells on his cap resembling balls that he's juggling
the Linking Rings, where the magician's eyeglasses resemble a monocle, which (along with the curl of the mustache) mirror the rings
the Floating Sphere, which resembles an eyeball as the ring goes past it
And I especially love the ones that seemingly reveal a secret of magic:
the entire Card Table hidden in the magician's pocket
the comical Finger Trick, reminiscent of a Mad Magazine gag
the Coin Trick, revealing the secret slot in the magician's head
the Die Box, where the die is shown to dive into the hat
the magician's brain palmed in his hand during the Pencil Penetration
the trapdoor under the hat where the rabbit hides
the Vanishing Elephant who floats up into the stage curtains
and the secret of the Mind Reader, which hypnotizes the viewer to buy a print