Al Mann - The Tesseract

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THE TESSERACT Copyright by Al Mann Exclusives

TESSERACT. A hypercube having eight cubic faces with a rational extention into a fourth dimension. SF FOREWORD Somewhere along the pathways of his life, man will stand on the threshold of an enchanted landscape wherein he will see into the infinite! He will transcend space, and time and the limits of his body. The vision will last but for a fleeting moment but the memory will linger and man will be forever conscious of the higher planes of awareness that lie beyond things seen. Man will yearn to again savor that God-like power with its interminable ecstasy. Practically every human has had an encounter with the unknown. A prophetic dream or an unexplained repeated coincidence. Man has heard the dying speak to the dead. Man has seen evidence of preordained fates. A few have seen 'test' phenomena! Man has inherited from his dim past a sense of wonder that sets his mind afire with the urgency to search for a power beyond his limits. The mentalist, in his masterful role, presents a personification of that Pursuit. Therein lies his appeal.

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1

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

THE TESSERACT CHAPTER I WHERE EAGLES PERCH

In 1853, a Viennese magician performing in his own theatre, forced the same playing card on three persons in the audience and then made the audience believe that the three persons had freely chosen three different cards and that by reading their thoughts he was able to divine their cards. That magician was Johann Nepomuk Hofzinserl Perhaps Hofzinser learned this principle from amother source or perhaps he originated it himself. Albeit, this unique principle stands today as the forbidden fruit of wisdom of the mentalist's art. Subject to countless variations with as yet undiscovered possibilities, the principle affords a wide avenue for miracles. In October 6th, 1950, an effect called "Bluff and Challenge" by Mr. F. V. Schoneck appeared in the Phoenix #213. Magician Schoneck forced the same Ace on four persons and made the audience believe that each person had looked at a different ace. The four aces were later produced from the magiCian's pocketl The deck had contained only one ace while the other three aces were already in the magician's pocket before the effect started. This amazing variation of the Hofzinser prinCiple stands further study. In Nov. of 1968, a young magician walked into Syd Brokman's magic shop in Seattle and hurriedly ordered a 3way forcing deck saying he was preparing a show for the weekend. He then turned and asked which was the best way of forcing the three cards? He was told by this author, "Don't force three cards. Force the same card three timesl" "But," he said, "I am doing the three cards on the sword and I must force three cards." He finally understood the principle after further enlightenment. He was told to simply force the same card, the last card on the sword, on three different persons, then catch the three cards on the sword and callout their names and ask if all the chosen cards have been caught. All three spectator must have to conceed that their card is on the swordl That same night the young magician tried out the method on three of his friends that came calling. He forced the same card on each and though they were sitting together they were completely baffled. The impact of the effect silenced them. Orville Meyer brought this amazing principle to the attention of present day mentalists when he published it in Ed Mellon's "Mentalwise" Vol. 2, #8 under the name of "Impact" in March of 1956.

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CHAPTER I

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

WHERE EAGLES PERCH •......••. cont. Most magicians today are well acquainted with the principle. Many non-magicians are also familiar with it since they read it in David Hoy's book "Super Psychic." For the sake of completeness, the basic principle follows. Using a telomatic or psychomatic deck of cards, (these decks are composed of 2~ different cards cut short with 26 one-of-a-kind long cards cemented to the back), the magician shows the cards to be all different and then shuffles the deck and wraps it with a rubber band and tosses the deck into the audience. He asks the person who catches it to please peek at only one card and then to toss the deck to someone else who does the same and finally the deck is tossed to a third person who also peeks at another card. The deck is then tossed to the magician who pockets the deck without even glancing at it and then proceeds to either tell the chosen cards by reading the minds of the three spectators or predicting the cards that were to be peeked. All three persons peeked at the same card but of course do not know it. The magician simply names three cards one of which is the force card. Or the magician can predict the choice in a newspaper. The effect is amazing to say the least. It is indeed an 'impact' in the minds of the audience. Even if one or all of the spectators was to notice that a forcing deck is being used (by an accidental or deliberate riffle of the deck instead of a peek, for example), they are still baffled wondering how the other two persons were induced to think of the other two cards. The deck used can be a J-way telomatic or psychomatic deck in which case the three spectators may choose or peek at different cards or they may all have peeked at the same card by coincidence. If a J-way telomatic deck is riffled by the spectators they will see different cardsl Orville Meyer in a letter dated 12/23/74 wrote to say, "For the 'imapct' effect, I now use a J-way forcing deck with odd cards at top and bottom. Rubber-band it, toss it to a spec who peeks, he tosses it to a second who takes a peek, and he to a third who takes a peek, then you retrieve the pack. I forgot to say that while talking you can overhand shuffle the deck faces to specs and they never notice the J-way." "I then slowly name two of the force cards plus one card not even in the pack. All three may acknowledge having heard their cards -- if so you quit there. But if one doesn't you know it is the third card you did not name, and you can climax by naming his specific card. Should two of them not acknowledge (practically never happens) just pullout the third force card plus one more (the odd face or top card),

J THE TESSERACT

CHAPTER I

WHERE EAGLES PERCH ..•••.....

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

cont.

and finish it. A little imperfection in a mental act often dresses it up." Gentlemen, let us now open the gate wide and take a journey on the 'avenue of miracles' which will lead us to -- THE VIEW FROM ----------THE TESSERACT "Enter the tesseract, if you dare, and you will see that time does not exist. The future is there as permament as the past, like pictures in an art gallery." SF EFFECT. The mentalist stands on stage or platform holding three business cards upon which he has written three predictions. He infor.ms the audience of his three predictions and states that he is now going to pass out the three predictions for the audience to read before anything else is donel Performer does exactly that and passes out his three predictions into the audience where anyone can read them. He then calls three other persons on stage who have not yet had a chance to read the predictions and asks them to call out the name of any city in the world, a 4-digit number and a word from a book. Performer next collects the three business cards from the audience and reads out loud his predictions for the benefit of those who have not had a chance to read them. All three predictions prove to be correctl This is an effect from another world. no less and should prove to be a brain-buster. yet the method is a simple but clever variation of the • impact' effectl an origination of the author. METHOD. The spectators may choose any city and any 4-digit number, BUT the word from the book is a force word. Let us say that you are using the word • particularly' from one of Himber's force books. All three predictions read alike, "The word chosen will be ·particularly.· .. After his lecture the performer passes one of the prediction cards into the left side of the audience, preferably to a person sitting about the fourth seat from the left at about the fourth or fifth row. This person is instructed. "Sir, (or madam) I am giving you one of my predictions to hold. You may read it if JIOU wish and you may

4 THE TESSERACT THE TESSERACT

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AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

cont.

show it to your neighbors around you, but please, do not let it out of your hands." The next prediction is passed to any person at about the middle of the audience in front with the same instructions. The third prediction is passed out to a person sitting on the right side of the audience and the same instructions are repeated. Next three persons from the back who have not had a chance to read the predictions are called on stage. One person is asked to name any city. the next to name a 4-digit number and the third to choose a word from a book. To speed up the show the force word can be prepared before the show. The spectator is approached and told about the intended show and the word is forced. When the spectator comes on stage, the mentalist says, "You have chosen a word from a book. Will you please tell the audience what that word was." and "You did have a free choice of any word in the book. Is that correct?" After the choices are announced, the performer has someone write them on a black board. Performer next goes into the audience and collects the prediction cards and returns to the stage. He now states, "Ladies and Gentlemen. For the benefit of those members of the audience who did not get a chance to read my predictions, I will now read them to you." Performer then misreads the first two oards by calling the name of the city and the 4-digit number ana then callout the force word. The performer without saying anything else may just dismiss the three spectators from stage thanking them and then proceed to something else. The impact of the presentation does not need any further refinement BUT no doubt that the reader can think of other ways of climaxing this effect. He can write out the first two items on two other business cards secretly with a swami gimmick or he maya write only the force word "particularly" at the bottom of each card and then after collecting them and misreading them pretend to sign his name to each card but instead write in thefirst two items on each card and hand them out to the three spectators on stage saying, "Thank you very much. You may keep this card as a souveneer." The small groups in the audience that read the predictions will be very amazed, specially if the book test was cleverly presented. Each group will assume that the other two predictions were given to the other two persons. The way the cards were passed out will insure that only about 10 persons or less of each section of the audience will read the pre-

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THE TESSERACT •••••••• cont. dictions. The rest of the audience will get the benefit of the full impact of the effect. No one can doubt that the performer read the predictions correctly since many members of the audience also read them and no one disputed the reading. For effect the performer can say, "Did I read the predictions correctly." For a further convincer, the performer can miss on one of the digits of the four-digit number1 This is permissible since the performer claims that he is only 9~ perfect1 The sheer magic of the illusion will come to lite with the retelling later. No one will believe it but the effect has taken its toll.

PANORAMAS OF THOUGHT What follows is a sleight-of-mind illusion that will collectively transport your audience into another plane. The effect can be worked with playing cards, books, newspapers, etc. Either way the effect is devastating. EFFECT. Performer passes a writing pad to a spectator in the audience and instructs him to have several persons in the audience write down the names of playing cards. Six or more persOnS are needed. The spectator with the clip board is told to hold on to it and to keep it secret. Three other persons from the audience are called onto the stage and are told to choose a card from the deck to remember it and tell no one. Performer next asks the person with the clip board to count the number of cards called. Next the performer without knowing what cards were written on the clip board calls off the numbers desired and asks the spectator to tell what cards correspond to that number. Performer only calls off three numbers and the three cards that were freely chosen by the audience match the three cards freely chosen on stagel MEHHOO. The cards written by members of the audience are free choices. The cards picked on stage are force cards and all three persons get the same card1 The paper pad passed into the audience is the Add-a-no pad or any other gimmick that steals the top page to reveal the second page. On the market today are, gimmicked wallets, pads and clip boards (the Lightning Switch Pad by Micky Hades) that can do the trick. There is a special preparation for the pad and special handling which is as follows.

6 THE TESSERACT PANORAMAS OF THOUGHT

CHAPTER I

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

• . . . • . . .. cont.

THE PREPARATION. The top page of the switching pad has numbered lines (up to ten is good) as per Fig. 1. However there is a piece of carbon paper cemented under the top two lines as shown by the diagonal lines at "A.1t The top page is otherwise blank. The second page on the pad is prepared with identical numbered lines BUT the name of the force card is written on the third line. Fig. 2. THE PRESENTATION. Performer goes into the audience with the switching pad. He says that he will ask persons to write on the pad the name of any playing card of their choosing for a special test. Performer collects the names of the first two cards on lines 1 and 2. He then steals the top page which exposes the second page. This page now shows the names of three cards. It shows the carbon impression of the first two cards plus the name of the force card on the Fig. 1 third line. Performer then gives the pad to any spectator who is told to finish collecting enough names to fill the page. Three persons are next called on stage and a deck of the 'miracle' type is used to do a simple force on the three persons. These decks are on the svengali-rough-and-smooth order. When fanned all the cards look different but when spectators are told to cut the deck and peek at the top 1 _ _ __ card they always get a force card. Z....._ _-:-Performer next asks the spectator holding the pad to please say how 3 87~ .If._ _ __ many cards have been chosen by the au5 _ _ __ dience. Next performer calls out. say, the sixth. fourth and third card. Performer states that he does not know what the cards are so asks the spectator to name those cards. Fig. 2 For the climax the persons on stage are asked if their card was called, etc.

,----

A deck of psychomatic cards can also be used. After the spectator cuts. the performer picks up the lower portion. peels back the top card and asks the spectator to look and remember it!

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CHAP'l'ER I

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

MASS TELEPATHY mind EFFECT, Perfo rmer asks the audie nce to try some ish Engl on comm five of ing read ing. He state s that he is think he that s state rmer word s, one of them a popu lar word. Perfo a black boar d that has chalk ed the five words on the back of then passe d out is on one side of the stage . Whit e card s arecard s are next The for vario us perso ns to write words on. the word s. off read colle cted and given to some one else to rmer 's five chos en Many words are read and all of the perfo words are calle d off' nce METHOD, Ten card s are passe d out into the audie out. d passe s card of but the audie nce is not told the number Tray " that has a The card s are next colle cted on a "Bank perfo rmer 's secr et slot on one end and whic h cont ains the adde d with s card 5 words writ ten on five card s. The ten fle or pickthecard s at shuf 5 card s are then given to anyo ne to the turns rmer Perfo . random and call out the writ ten word s and cros ses them black boar d aroun d and reve als his five word nce are also audie the by off as calle d. Othe r words writ ten some members that t poin his calle d but the perfo rmer prov es ghts. thou of the audie nce can rece ive his s that Some members may have picke d some of the word on word s comm only since d the perfo rmer wrot e on the black boar ce chan a is there Also like "tha t" and "whe re" were used . nce! audie the by of ght that the popu lar word is also thou ch word A word that was very popu lar rece ntly was the Fren and. the, . like s word "dete nte, for exam ple. Thre e lette r sethat be may it hat. for, has, etc .• are most popu lar and h is to the good l vera l members thou ght of the same word whic tl

in This test is imme diate ly follo wed as per Mart 173. page ery" Gard ner's book "Mat hema tics, Magic and Myst a two- digit Infor m the audie nce that you are think ing ofhow many pernumb er, etc. as per the book . and then ask hand s sons were think ing of number 371 You will see a lot of go up. AME FLASHES! An expe rt horo logis t has made a gold 'Men tal Watc h' as per Deat h Watch for Art Emerson! "The Siby lline Mess ages" are worth $100 .00." Tom Padd ock, Seat tle. Men talis t Val Geor ge of Ohio has just signe d a 35 week tour cont ract 8/78. Good luck Geor ge from AME.

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THE TESSERACT

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE CHAPTER II AN OPENER

In 1958, Al O'Hagan released through Ed Mellon, an effect called "O'Hagan's Digitelepathy." The effect offered a method of opening a folded card so that any.thing written on the outside would appear to have been in the inside of the card. O'hagan had some clever moves that involved a slight turn of the body and arms. The following version uses an entirely different method. It is done in front of the audience by a mere twist of the hands at the wrist without need for cover or moving the arms and body. The presentation also uses a gimmick introduced by the late Bruce Elliott that enables the performer to show the card all around and devoid of any marks after the requiered data has been written on it with a swami gimmick, on the outside! The effect is excellent to use as an opener for a mental program. It is short and profound. EFFECT a The mentalist displays an index card and shows it to be blank on both sides. He then states that he is going to write on this card a number of two digits. Performer does this secretly and then folds the card twice and secures the folded card with a paper clip. He then calls on any person to callout a number between 10 and 50 and also a second person to callout a number in like manner. A third person is asked to add the two called numbers together. Performer next calls attention to the folded card he has held at his fingertips all the while. He shows the card on both sides devoid of any marks BUT does not call attention to this fact. Performer next removes the paper clip and pockets it and opens out the card and shows it to anyone and asks that person to read the two-digit number on it. The person that added the two called numbers is now asked to callout the total and both numbers match! METHOD AND PREPARATIONa To accomplish this test, you will need an index card. This card measures J by 5 inches and is totally blank on both sides. The index cards with printed lines on one side are not suitable. Before the show fold the card once to crease it and then open it and fold it the other way so that the card can be folded either way. The fold is made in the center of the card perpendicular to the long side. You will also need a pencil and a swami gimmick plus a special paper clip that was the innovation of Bruce Elliott and which was published in the #177 issue of the Phoenix.

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THE TESSERACT

CHAPTER II

AN AL

~NN

EXCLUSIVE

AN OPENER •....... cont. ~he paper clip used is shown in Fig. JA. This is a large metal paper clip that measures 2 inches in length by J/8, inch across. This paper clip is gimmicked as shown in Fig. JB,

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S: ~:~\ ~fc~~:~~ c~~:

shaded area. THE PRESENTATION. Show the index card on both sides casually. With the pencil pretend to write a number on the card but write

i~~~~'wi~~ ~~di!:g~~yf~!!~:r

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:.:..,;=.;.. w]

- A

~////////L!///0(

~

on the inside and then into quarters. ~ Place the gimmicked paper B clip on the card being very careful Fig. J not to expose the white piece of card on the clip. After the two specta t,ora have called out their chosen 2-digit numbers, performer quickly adds them up and secretly writes the total under the paper clip and then slides the paper clip over the number in the act of talking to the third spectator telling him to please add the two numbers called. Performer next shows the folded and clipped card cassually all around and of course nothing can be seen as the gimmick is covering the number on the outside of the card. After the patter the performer removes the paper clip again being careful not to expose the gimmick and also gets rid of the swami gimmick into his pocket. Fig. 4 shows the folded card after the paper clip has been removed and just before the performer opens it to show the inside. NOTE. The folded card as shown in Fig. 4 is in the correct position for ~~~ the proper excecution of the move that ~ \ follows. The card must always be held in this position with the single corners pointing to the upper right hand. ~7 In excecuting the move about to be described, the right thumb and first finger take the card at "A" in Fig. 4 and the left thumb and first finger take it at "B" Fig. 4 The total of the two numbers called by the two spectators is written with the swami gimmick on the outside of the card as shown in Fig. four. This number is of course kept towards the performer and is never seen until the card is opened. In operation, the folded card is held with the single edges of the right side towards the audience, but this is not necessary

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THE TESSERACT AN OPENER

CHAPTER II

........ cont •

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

The move to open the card is shown in Fig. 5. The card is taken with the tips of the thumbs and first fingers and the hands are twisted at the wrist in the direction of the arrows. The right hand turns away from the body and the left hand turns inward. Please note that it is not necessary to make the move hurriedly. The move is made with a snap. What happens in essence is that the performer executes an "umbrella" move with two hands and climaxes by allowing the 'umbrella' to turn inside outl What's important is that this simple move deceives the eye. After many performances with this effect no one has suspected that the card was not opened as stated. Everyone is satisfied that the numbers were indeed written in the inside. NOTEI When writing the number on the outside of the folded card, hold the card with both hands, and as motionless as possible. Write while looking at the audience. Since no suspicion can be directed at the folded card as the audience thinks that you already wrote in the number no one will be on gaurd. The numbers are of course made of a size to hide under the gimmicked paper clip. With a little practice the performer can even draw a line under the numbers in the act of removing the paper clipl

I I

.57 NOTE. In presenting Fig. S this effect, the audience must be aware that the card is evenly folded twice. If any other kind of fold is suspected it would be detrimental to the effect. T~e reader may wish to experiment with other types of paper clips, such as the round type and the X type of clips whiCh come in various sizes.

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AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

THE INSIDE BABEL On May 28th 1978. Bobby Hughes and his beautiful wife visited the AME offices and a number of hefty sessions ensued with the exchange of many ideas. The preceeding effect "The Opener" was performed for them and straight away Bobby put his brain to work and came up with an amazing twist that would do honor to Bruce Elliott. Let Fig. 6 represent the 'gimmick' which is • paper clip cemented to a piece of index card 1/4 the size of the whole card. A window is then cut inside the large loop of the paper clip. If this gimmick is clipped onto a folded card as in Fig. 4. a portion of the folded card will be exposed through the window. just large enough to write a 2-digit number or a small word. Furthermore the piece of card on the gimmick can cover a lot of writing on the card proper. And since only 1/4 of the folded card can be seen by the audience after the gimmick is on then the other 3/4 of the card can be filled with writing. After toying with the principle a bit the working was perfected as shown in Fig. 7. Here an entire message covers one side of the card Fig. 6 except for the lower right 'quarter. The card is folded so that the lower right quarter faces the audience. The gimmick is clipped on the other side of the folded card so that the window is over the space left blank to fill in the numbers. The rest of the message is folded inwards and is not visible. In working the effect, the card is folded and the gimmick in place before the show. The folded card is shown blank. After writing in the total, the gimmick is removed and pocketed. Care must be excercised so that the Fig. 7 piece of card is not flashed. Once the total is written through the window the card can not be shown on both sides. However once the card is opened and the long message revealed the illusion in complete.

1

12 THE TESSERACT

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE CHAPTER III ANOTHER CHAPTER ON THE CENTER TEAR

(The entir e cont ents of this chap ter came to ligh t afte r the book "The Apos osis" was publ ished .) In Jinx #74, page 495 unde r "Th,e et" by Dunn inger , Annemann commented that Joe Ovet te had Secr sold secr et of the cent er-te ar prin ciple via manu scrip t befo rethe Anne mann had relea sed his vers ion in 1932 . In Vol. IV #46 of the New Jinx (Feb . 1966 ) a lette r writ ten by Sid Lorr aine to the edito r was prin ted. In this lette r Sid claim ed that he had told Annemann, Ovet Tom Bowyer abou t the cent er-te ar prin ciple as earlyteasand in a lette r from London. Sid also ment ioned that Ovet te 1928 had late r sold the secr et. Anot her lette r by Sid appe ared in Magick for Oct. 18 1974 . Thes e histo rica l bits abou t the C-T commented on in "Men tal-E ttes" and in "The Apod osis" whic hwere start a searc h by many inter este d read ers for the obsc ure and almoed st unkno wn manu scrip t by ovet te. . This writ er searc hed throu gh the files of the Sphin x and found the corre spon denc e that Sid Lorr aine had with Dr. Wils on of the Sphi nx, in 1928 from London Engl and wher e Sid was visit ing. Durin g the firs t week of December 1928 , Sid wrot e a lette r to Dr. Wils on whic h was publ ished ofthat month in Vol. 27 #10, page s 462 and 463. Sid wrot e that hesame woul d soon visi t with a Mr. J. T. Garr us, an Amer ican stud ent at Camb ridge who was the secr etary of the Pent acle Club , a magi c club , exclus ive for the stud ents of the Univ ersit y. Sid met with Mr. Garr us late r in the month and learn ed of the C-T prin ciple from him and made deta iled note s abou t it. Sid then wrot e lette rs to Annemann. Ovet te and Bowyer desc ribing the effe ct. WHAT IS IT ? Sear ching furth er in the Sphi nx, the ad the date of Septe mber 1931 when the was publ ished seemed indee d time ly and a perf ect fit for the ad cent er-te ar. A xerox copy of the ad was made and sent to Sid Lorr aine askin g that was the ad used by Ovet te to sell the cent er-te ar. him if swer ed in a lette r dated Apri l 14th , 1978 . Follo wing are Sid anexce rpts in Fig. S was notic ed. The ad could well fit a number of shown ment al effe cts but

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THE TESSERACT

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

CHAPTER III

WHAT IS IT? ••••.•.... cont. from Sid's letter. Dear AI.

April 14/78

Many thanks for the Apodosis -- an excellent treatise on the center-tear. This should meet with great approval among the center tearerists. I know you will be pleased with the enclosed Ovette item. About a month ago, Milt THAT WHISPERS THE WRITTEN NAME, Kort wrote, asking if I NUMBER OR QUESTION IN THE PERFORMhad the manuscript Ovette ER'S EAR WHILE HE IS STANDING AT THE had sold, as he wanted OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM? it for a friend that was ? How is it possible when anxious to obtain it.He uses borrowed writing materials? Uses no I wrote Milt that I impressions? No alcohol or chemicals? No ahead" or any other systems? No extra or "one didn't have it -- for in duplicate billets? No switching? No confedermy Ovette items-it was ates, assistants or plants? NO APPARATUS? not among them. But it NO SKILL, STUDY OR PRACTICE? started me thinking -WHAT IS IT? is an exclusive effect! Not just knowing that I had chided ONE TEST, but MANY TESTS in one. For club, parlor or impromptu use. him for marketing the Within one foot of your audience of ONE, thing that I had sent TEN or ONE HUNDRED, WHAT IS IT? bafhim from England- I felt fles and bewilders EVEN MAGICIANS, for imsure I would have saved a mediately it tells you exactly what has been copy. written. This started a search A new and absolutely exclusive mental miracle that every magician should have and use. through a pile of stuff EVENTUALLY YOU WILL - WHY NOT stacked to be sorted, NOW? Send only $1.00 now, today, THIS VERY filed or thrown out-MINUTE, and one minute after you receive and there it was. I had WHA T IS IT? you will be KNOCKIN' THOSE forgotten the title he "WISE, KNOW-IT-ALL GUYS" FOR A REAL gave it but your xerox ROLL! of the Sphinx ad caused JOS. OVETTE a chuckle- for I had 26 Elm St. CORNWALL, ONT., CANADA just unearthed the manuscript a few days before. Then I dug out my First ad on the Center-Tearl old notebooks written Sept. Oct. 19)1, Sphinx in England in 1928 and 1929--and also learned Fig. 8 that while I had remembered Garrus--the student who gave it to me, I had completely forgotten the reference to Wyman of Boston, who had told him the tale of learning it from a medium. It is interesting to note that Joe (Ovette) signed his manuscript and dated it.--So this appears to be the first

?WHAT IS IT?

14 THE TESSERACT

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AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

WHAT IS IT? •.•.... cont. published version, as Annemann's version appeared in 1932. I thought you would like a copy ot the original English notes (written in 1928). Again, many thanks for your kindness and wi th very best wishes. Sincerely, Sid Lorraine Fig. 9 on the next page shows a reduced xerox copy of Sid Lorraine's notes that were written in England in 1928, The lover of the history of magic can feast his eyes with the copy of documents that had been lost for SO yearsl These are the first notes on record describing the Center-Tear principle. Please notel that another name has come into the history. That of a "Wyman of Boston." In a letter dated April 26/78, Sid wrote to say that he had made inquiries about Mr. Wyman when he returned from England but never did find out who he was. Sid assumed that Mr. Wyman was someone interested in Spiritualism and exposes. If any of the readers can throw any light in who Mr. Wyman was, please don't keep it a secret. Write in and tell us. Please note that Sid made a notation of having sent the notes to Annemann, Ovette and Tom (Bowyer) at the top ot the first page of his notes. It is curious to notice here that Ovette never forgot the letter as he later sold the effect. Tom Bowyer did not forget it either, but Annemann completely overlooked it even after it was sold by Ovette. Annemann discovered its true value when he learned of it from Ted Arnold to whom he gave credit (erroneously) in his liNe Plus Ultra" release through Thayer's "Trick of the Month Club. " PLEASE NOTE also. That this new information completely discredits Martin Sunshine's claim that Annemann had released the secret of the center-tear method through Thayer without his permission. The fact of the matter is that the secret had already been sold a year before by Ovette and it had become public property. Fig. 10 shows a reduced xerox (origianl 81 x 11) copy of Ovette's "What is it?" effect that sold for $l.OO in 1931. This document was numbered and signed and dated by Ovette and sent to Sid as a gift on Oct. 20th 1931.

16 THE TESSERACT

CHAPTER III

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

WHAT IS IT? •••.• . cont . ..

Fig. 9 A copy from the orig inal of the firs t note s on reco rd made on the cent er-te ar method by Sid Lorr aine in December 1928 , in Engl and. (redu ced from the orig inal)

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