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1st edition 1954.
Sleightly Sensational by BILL SIMON Illustrations by ED MISHELL Edited by BRUCE ELLIOTT
DEDICATED TO MY LOVELY WIFE,
RONA, WHOSE MAGIC IS OF AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...............................................................................................................5 FOREWORD .................................................................................................................................6 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................6 IN GENERAL ................................................................................................................................7 CARD EFFECTS ...........................................................................................................................9 THE MATHEMAGICIAN ..........................................................................................................9 EYE DOUBT IT .........................................................................................................................9 THE FLASH CHANGE ............................................................................................................11 ................................................................................................................. ............................................. 17 THE TURNABOUT .................................................................... THE IMPULSIVE LADIES .....................................................................................................18 ............................................................................................. ................... 19 THE FOUR PACKET SHUFFLE .......................................................................... TWO UP ..................................................................... ............................................................................................................................... ............................................................. ... 21 THE VITAL PREDICTION .....................................................................................................23 THE LONDON ILLUSION .....................................................................................................26 MISCELLANEOUS EFFECTS ....................................................................... .................................................................................................. ........................... 28 SPONGE SURPRISE .......................................................................... ............................................................................................................ .................................. 28 THE RING ON WAND ...........................................................................................................29 ..................................................................... .. 31 THE COIN TRANSPOSITION AND CLIMAX ................................................................... TABLE OF CONTENTS
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FOREWORD ONE OF the main charms magic holds is its never-ending development, new methods, new effects, new presentations. In writing this book I hope to add to what has been done in the past. Sincere thanks to Dai Vernon for his introduction; to Bruce Elliott for his fine editing; to Lou Tannen, whose assistance has made this book possible; and, of course, to Ed Mishell, for his excellent illustrations. illustrations. BILL SIMON
INTRODUCTION No one has to spread the news to magic enthusiasts that Bill Simon is one of the top card manipulators in the United States. He has shown his work to most of the experts in this field and I feel sure that they would agree with this appraisal. His original and subtle methods combined with his crisp, neat handling of cards make his effects exceptionally entertaining and baffling. Knowing how logical and practical he is when discussing problems connected with playing cards, I feel sure that he is particularly qualified to write an authoritative book on his methods. “Effective Card Magic,” his last book, will attest to this. Those who read it must have appreciated the excellent material, the way it was described, and the spirit in which it was written. Cards are the most popular of the many branches of conjuring today. However, a card trick must be thoroughly understood and well performed to be well received by the public. Mr. Simon has selected a few of his most effective experiments and his instructions are clear and concise. He has made his book informative and interesting. If you enjoy card magic, you will enjoy this book.
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IN GENERAL MANY IDEAS and impressions which I have developed relative to the performance of magic, card magic in particular, have been stated in “Effective Card Magic.” A year having passed since their publication I find that my opinions haven’t changed to any great degree. However, there are a few things I would like to mention to the reader before he begins the following chapters which are, for the most part, concerned with technique, effects and their methods. Practically all of the effects should be read with the apparatus in your hands. When reading one of the card effects, for example, you will find it easier to understand if you have a deck of cards in your hands so that you can run through the description of the method as you read. A simple move appears to be very complicated when described, but by running through the move as you read, it will become very clear and obvious. Once you understand the basic mechanism of the move you must then practice and adapt it to yourself so that it may be performed undetectably. If the move is of such a nature that it cannot be performed undetectably then you must develop suitable misdirection which will give you ample cover. Once you have learned the necessary moves or method, you should develop the presentation. After all, your audience doesn’t see the technique or moves . . . all they see is the clear-cut effect. And if the effect is not performed in an interesting manner it will be dull to them regardless of the ingenious means you employ. A brother magician may appreciate your skill, but an effect well-performed before a layman should not give the impression of skill. Thus you will have to build up a dramatic presentation, or perhaps an amusing dialogue, to sell your effects solidly. One of magic’s most prolific writers, Bob Orben, has contributed tremendously to the entertainment value of magic. He has written many excellent books which not only contain wonderful gag lines and comedy situations, but he has also written patter for specific effects. By carefully selecting material from this wealth of comedy matter, by selecting material which best suits yourself you will be able many times over to increase the entertainment entertainment value of your performances. performances. The above has not been written with the view in mind that everyone in the world can be an efficient comedian. I do believe that a pleasant style of performing, with some well placed comedy remarks, will be the best style for the average non-professional performer to adopt. If you belong to any of the magic organizations you may have noticed that over a period of time a certain effect is associated with one particular performer. You may wonder how or why this came about. Usually it is the result of this person constantly constantly working on, and improving the particular effect so that he knows exactly how to present it under unusual circumstances. Not only has he the ability to perform it technically perfect, but he also has the patter, the nuances, the bits of business that go with it. You should develop several pet tricks to this degree as once you have them they will remain with you forever. Once again, as in my other books, I have not used trick or gimmicked cards or apparatus to accomplish the effects described. If you feel that you can improve your performance of these effects by using methods other than those given here I highly 7
recommend that you do so. The principle reason for my restricting the methods to purely impromptu means is that by so doing you are always ready to perform these effects. If you need a gimmick, and you do not have it with you, then you cannot perform that particular trick. By using ordinary objects you may borrow them and always be able to give an effective performance. So much has been written about practice . . . and so little is done about it! Many magicians attempt to perform effects which require practice. If they refuse to practice (which is the only possible way to learn technically involved moves) then why don’t they simply concentrate concentrate on the thousands of effects which require no practice. Some magicians shudder at the thought of practice—they feel it is either unnecessary or that their ability doesn’t demand that they practice. Then, when performing, they “miss” or “flash,” or fail in other ways. It takes an exceedingly vain man to accept the thought that he doesn’t require practice. How many people are aware of the fact that great musicians, men and women at the very top of their professions, practice six and eight hours a day? How many successful motion-picture stars (I should include TV stars) still take dramatic lessons, retain voice coaches, continue with their dancing instructions? People who have reached the peak of their professions continue to practice, and learn, and improve, It certainly should not be too much to expect a magician to learn how properly to perform his effects before performing for the public. From time to time I hear magicians discussing the value of magic, or the cost of magic. If you see an effect you can’t use then any price you pay for it is too great. If you see a trick, or move, or sleight that you can use then you can never over-pay for it. After all, once you learn a move or effect it remains with you for life. If you are an amateur you can gain from it endless pleasure when performing for your friends. If you are a professional then it is your necessary “business equipment” . . . you can use it commercially and your cost is nominal. The wonderful “Stars of Magic” series series will help me illustrate this point. In reading the entire series series there were five or six items which individually were worth, to me, many times more than the entire cost of the series. It is true that some effects did not impress me too greatly, and others I was already familiar with; but the overall value of the items I did get were worth buying the entire series three times over! In closing these random thoughts I can only wish you much success and enjoyment from your magic. Always respect magic and this respect will be repaid to you in many, many ways.
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CARD EFFECTS
THE MATHEMAGICIAN This is a self-working interlude, apparently mathematical, but following no known laws of mathematics. In effect, two spectators discover the four aces by random dealing. Have the four aces on top of the deck and apparently mix the cards, without disturbing the top four cards. “To be honest I’ll also bury the top and bottom cards,” you say. Take two cards from the bottom and place them in the center of the deck, squaring the deck. Take two cards from the top of the deck (two aces) and place them in the center of the deck, but secure a break over these two two aces with your your left little finger. finger. “I need two mathematically inclined spectators,” you say. Have two people come forward to assist you. Cut off all the cards above the break and hand half to one spectator. Hand the remaining half in your left hand to the other spectator. “You each have about half the deck. Now I want you each, independently of each other, to deal as many cards off your halves as you please. Just deal the cards singly, in a pile in front of you, and stop dealing whenever you want to.” Each spectator deals as many cards as he wishes so that now each has a packet of cards in front of him and also each has some un-dealt cards in his hand. Take the un-dealt cards from each of the spectators and place them aside. “You have both dealt as many cards as you wished, and there could certainly be no way of my knowing or controlling how many cards you have each dealt, is that right ?“ After they both acknowledge this you say: “I want you each to pick up the pile you have dealt and then deal two piles from the one, dealing singly and 9from 9from left to right.” Each spectator picks up the packet in front of himself and deals two packets so that at the conclusion of their dealing there will be four packets face down on the table, two in front of each spectator. Just have them deal from left to right and deal out all of the cards, even though in some instances the packets will not come out even. If the instructions have been followed exactly as given, there will be an ace on top of each of the four packs. Do not simply disclose this but build it up, saying something to the effect that: “There are endless permutations involved in just such a simple dealing procedure as we have followed. There are over 20,000 possibilities. ‘Well, let’s see what result we have from this dealing.” Turn over the top four cards, or have the spectators do this, and you will get an excellent response when the four aces are disclosed.
EYE DOUBT IT The magician explains that one of the strongest magical devices is to have people believe that they are seeing things which don’t actually exist. To illustrate this point the 9
performer places two cards face to face: Far example, the two red queens. “Now you know that these cards, the red queens, are face to face. You also know that if I were to show them to you they would certainly not change their characteristics. Yet, by rubbing the backs of the queens I can make them change to the two black deuces. Suiting actions to his words, the magician shows that the cards have changed to the black deuces. “To continue, we realize that these only look like the black deuces,” the performer says, “With this in mind I’ll now bring us back to reality.” The magician places the black deuces together, rubs them, and they once again are shown to be the red queens. “I never did change these queens to deuces. You only thought I did,” concludes the performer. You may use whatever subject cards you desire, in performing this effect. I prefer the red queens and black deuces as there is such a definite color contrast contrast.. Begin by placing the two black deuces on top of the deck. Turn over the deuce which is second from the top so that it is face up beneath the top deuce. The queens should be face down in different parts of the deck. Begin by discussing how people can be made to think or believe that they see certain things which, in reality, do not exist. Run through the deck, face up, and remove the two red queens. Place the queens face to face on the table and gently rub them. Point out that the queens do not change characteristics and have a spectator spread them apart and look at their faces. As this is done, secretly secure a break under the top two cards of the deck which has been held face down down in your left hand hand (in dealing position) during during the rubbing process. process. With your right hand place place the two queens face to face and put them on top of the deck. deck. Rub the back of the top queen, not exposing the queen beneath it. You now apparently turn the two face to face queens over on top of the deck so that the queen which was on top should now be under the other queen. What you really do is turn over all the cards above your break (four cards) on the top of the deck. To all appearances the top two cards are still the face-to-face queens, but actually you have substituted the two black deuces for the queens . . . the queens are 3rd and 4th from the top! Rub the top of the deck, not separating the two top cards. With your thumb, pull the top card a fraction of an inch to the left so that the face up deuce’s right edge shows. With your right forefinger pull up on the right edge of the card second from the top so that you may lift the two top cards off the deck. Since they are face to face you may show the backs of the two cards you are lifting off the deck. Your spectators will believe that you still hold the red queens. Place the two cards on the table, tap the backs and show that the queens have changed to deuces. During the surprise secure a break under the top two cards which are on the deck (the face-to-face queens). The two black deuces should both be face up on the table. Pick up one of them and place it face up on top of the deck. Apparently turn the deuce on the deck face down, but actually turn over all the the cards above your break. (Because (Because the back of a card shows on top of the deck it will appear that you simply turned the deuce face down on the deck. Actually the deuce is now third from the top.) With your right hand lift the top two cards off the deck as one card (the face-to-face queens). Place the cards in your left hand on the table and with your left hand pick up the face 10
up deuce which is on the table. Apparently you hold a face up deuce in your left hand and a face down deuce in your right hand. You now place the face down cards cards (as one single card) card) over the face up card card in your left hand. Hold them square, rub the backs, and with your right forefinger pull back on the top card. The top card (a red queen) will move back exposing a face up queen in your left hand (be certain that the black deuce is squared beneath it). Turn the top card face up showing that it has also changed back to a red queen. Place both cards (actually three cards) face down on top of the deck. You have apparently changed two red queens to black deuces, and then returned them to their original condition. At the conclusion of this effect you will find no face up cards to get rid of and you are all set to go into your next effect.
THE FLASH CHANGE In this effect you set about to prove the aphorism: “The hand is quicker than the eye.” You do this by showing four indifferent cards and magically changing the cards to four aces in a twinkling of an eye. To perform, secretly set the four aces on top of the deck (or any other four cards of similar value). Riffle shuffle the deck, being careful not to mix the aces with any indifferent cards. “I am going to .attempt to prove that the hand is quicker than the eye,” you begin. “To do this I am going to let you freely select any four cards you wish, and in a twinkling of an eye I plan to change them to four different cards.” Spread the deck out on the table, face down, and have the spectators touch any four cards they wish. Avoid having them select one of the top four cards. Pick up the deck in your hands and have the four selected cards turned face up on the table. Ask, “Do you wish to exchange any of the cards on the table for any of the cards still in the deck?” If they wish to make a change allow them to do so. The purpose of suggesting this exchange is to give you an opportunity to spread the deck between your hands and secretly secure a break under the top four cards, which you now do. Square the deck and hold it in your left hand, your left little finger secretly holding a break under the top four cards. Call attention to the face up cards on the table and place the card of highest value on top of the other three. Let’s assume that this card happens to be the queen of hearts. Say “The queen of hearts is highest in value so it’ll occupy the most important important position in this trick.” With your right hand take the queen off the other three and, using it as a scoop, place it under the other three face up cards and thus lift all four face up indifferent cards off the table and into your right hand. You must now perform a simple series of moves to get the queen on top of the deck, followed by the four aces, followed by the other three indifferent cards, followed by the 11
remainder of the deck. There are two ways of accomplishing this: a, would be to use the Simon Card Add, as described in “Effective Card Magic,” or by the following procedure: Place the four indifferent cards face up onto the deck for an instant apparently to square them up. Lift off all of the cards above the break with your right hand, thumb at the rear, fingers at the front. Apparently you hold the four indifferent cards face up in your right hand; but actually the four face down aces have been secretly added to them. Place your left thumb over the first face up indifferent card held in your right hand and by applying pressure with your thumb retain the indifferent card face up on top of the deck. “Four indifferent cards,” you say. Use the cards held in your right hand as a lever to turn the card on top of the deck face down. Repeat this move with the second and third indifferent cards. You will now be holding the queen of hearts face up and secretly squared under it ,will be the four aces. Take the queen, as one card, and place it on top of the pack. Then pick it off the pack, calling attention to it, and turn it face down. If the above sequence of moves has been followed properly you will have the queen of hearts on top of the deck, followed by the four aces, followed by the remainder of the deck. All the cards are now face down. “I am going to change these four cards in a flash,” you say. As you remark “four cards” spread the top four cards off the deck, by way of illustration, and secretly secure a break under them. You now apparently count the four indifferent cards off the deck into the right hand, but you actually count five cards. Because of the break you are holding this will be a simple move to perform. Continue as follows: With your left thumb, push the top card off the deck and take it with your right hand (still retaining the break). Count “One.” Push the next card off the deck and on top of the card held in yours right hand, counting: “Two.” You next count “Three,” but actually push off two cards as one—because of the break this is simply done. Finally count “Four” and deal the next card off the deck and onto those held in your right hand. The cards in your right hand are held squarely. Lift your right hand to flash the bottom card and say, “As before, the queen is still the leader card.” Insert the packet of cards held in your right hand into the front of the deck, for about half its length. length. Turn the deck over to show again the face of the queen of hearts. Turn the deck face down, and secretly, with your left forefinger push the queen squarely into the deck. This can be done indetectably as the deck masks the action. With your right hand pull the pack of cards into the position as shown in fig. one. Hold the deck at its lower edge with left fingers and thumb.
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Give the deck a sharp flip with your left wrist and the four protruding cards will snap out of the deck and fall face up on the table. “Look! In a flash I have magically changed the four indifferent cards to the aces!” The startling change will completely surprise your audience. If you will note, the description above keeps calling attention to the queen of hearts . . . one of the indifferent cards. The reason for this is that laymen psychologically will not remember any of the indifferent cards unless it is pointed up to them. By doing this they are constantly aware of the fact that you have four indifferent cards among which is the queen of hearts. If you don’t point out one of the cards the effect of the change will not be dramatic as they will not recall any of the different cards and the sharp edge will he taken off the change. Cards in themselves, have endless possibilities, but when you combine them with dice (and their endless variations, both numerical and technical,) then it is difficult to visualize the range of possible effects. I worked out a few effects, but I believe that an entire book could be devoted to effects combining cards and dice. I have not used sleight of hand with the dice, nor extra cards, nor any of the many mathematical computations. But effects using these devices should be developed. I am sure that other magicians will work out ingenious uses for the basic ideas given here. 1. The Transposition In effect, an ace, two, three and four of clubs are shown and placed face down upon a table. Four dice are used, and one is placed on each of the face down cards. The die placed on the ace is turned so that the digit one is top-most; the die placed on the deuce is turned so that two is top-most; three is seen on the die which is on the three card; and four is seen on the die which is on the four of clubs. By changing the positions of the dice, from card to card, the cards are magically changed. An unusual climax ends the effect. To perform, remove the ace, two, three, and four of clubs and place them face up on the table. As you run through the deck to remove these cards secretly place the ten of clubs on top of the deck. Remove four dice from your pocket and show them to the spectators. “I am going to use the dice as markers,” you say. Turn the dice over so that a one, a two, a three, and a four 13
is on the top of the dice. “The die with the digit one will go on the ace, the two will go on the deuce, the three die on the three of clubs, and the four die on the four of clubs,” you explain. Pick up the four face up cards with the ace on the top of the face up packet, the deuce under it, next the three, and the four on bottom. Place them face up on top of the deck, which is face down and in your left hand. Spread the four top cards, from left to right, showing them in ace-two-three-four order. Secretly secure a break under the card fifth from the top (the first face down card, which is the ten of clubs) and square up the face up cards. Remove all of the cards above the break from the deck and place the remainder of the deck on the table for a moment. In your right hand you apparently hold the four face up cards, actually you have secretly added a face down card beneath them. Take the face up ace off the packet, show it, turn it face down and place it on the bottom of the packet. Repeat this move with the other three face up cards. Apparently the four cards are now face down and still in ace, deuce, three, four order. Place the packet face down on top of the deck. Take the deck in your left hand, double lift the top two cards as one, showing the ace, and say, “The ace goes here.” Turn the two cards face down and deal off the top card, placing it on the lower left side of the table. Place the die showing the number one on top of it. Deal the next card to the right of the card on the table and call it the “Two,” placing the die showing the two on top of it. Deal the next card to the upper left corner of the table, calling it the “Three” and place the die showing the three on top of it. Double lift the top two cards as one, showing the four of clubs, turn them face down and deal off the top card, calling it the four, to the upper right corner of the table. Place the die showing the digit four on top of it. If you have followed the above you will have dealt the four cards in a square pattern, as in Fig. two. Place the deck in the center of the squire.
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“By changing the marker dice I can make the cards change,” you say. Change the positions of the “one” die and the “two” die. Snap your fingers and remove the card which is now under the “one” die. Turn it face up on the table showing that the ace has followed the “one” die. Put the “four” die on top of tile deck, which is in the middle of the square, and place the “three” die on the card previously occupied by the “four” die. (Fig. three indicates the present position.)
Say, “By moving the “three” die over here I make the three of clubs follow it.” Turn the card under the “three” die face up and show it to be the three of clubs. Place the “two” die on top of the card formerly occupied by the “three” die and command it to change to the deuce. Show the deuce under the “two” die. “And now for the four,” you say. “I’ve made a mistake. By error I left the “four” die on top of the deck. Let’ see what happened.” Remove the card from under the “four” die and show it to be the four of clubs! All of the original cards will now be face up with one card face down in the lower left hand corner. “Let’s see what we can do with this card,” you say. Pick up all four dice and place them on top of the face down card (the ten of clubs). “Let’s count the spots on all the dice,” you say. “By adding together the one, two, three, and four we get ten. Watch!” Slowly turn over the ten of clubs and you will have completed the effect. 2. The Big Change In effect, an ace, deuce, and three are shown and dealt face down on the table. Three dice are used and one die is placed on each of the three face down cards. A die showing “one” is placed on the ace, a die showing the “two” is placed on the deuce, and a die showing the “three” is placed on the three. Some of the cards change places but, by error, all three dice are turned so that they all show three. In dismay the performer shows that instead of an ace, 15
deuce, and three he now has three different threes I However, he changes the three threes back to the original original three cards. To perform, run through the deck and remove the ace, deuce, and three of clubs and place these cards face up on the table. As you go through the deck secretly place two other threes on top of the deck. Put the face up ace on the deuce, and the face up deuce on the three. Place the three cards on the deck and spread them, from left to right, secretly securing a break under the card fifth from the top. Square up the cards and remove all the cards above the break. Apparently you hold a face up ace, deuce, and three in your right hand hut you have secretly added two face down threes beneath these cards. Remove three dice from your pocket and turn them over so that a one, a two, and a three shows. You still have the face up cards in your right hand. Remove the ace and turn it face down, placing it on the bottom of the packet. Repeat this move with the next two cards and you will apparently still have the cards in ace, deuce, three order face down. Place the packet of cards on the face down deck. Pick up the deck and apparently deal off the ace, deuce, and three, from left to right. Place the die showing the one on what should be the ace, the die showing the two on what should be the two, and the die showing the three on what should be the three. Explain that by changing the positions of the dice the cards will change. As you patter, secretly secure a break under the top two cards of the deck, which should still be in your left hand in dealing position. Change the positions of dice “one” and “three,” fig, four.
Pick up the card which is under die “one” and it will be seen to be the ace. “Notice that the ace of clubs follows the “one die,” you explain. Pick up the face up ace and place it face down on top of the deck, retaining your break. “Suppose this “one” die wasn’t changed with the “three” die. What would happen ?“ Turn the “one” die over so that a three shows and touch this die, with the three now uppermost, to the top of the deck. Remove the die and turn over as one card, all of the cards over your break. The ace will have apparently turned to the three of clubs! Secure a break under these face up three cards and hold it with your left little finger.
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“We now have two dice with the ‘three’ showing,” you say. “Let’s’ see what’s under the other one.” Pick up the card which is under the “three” die, turn it face up and show it to also be a three. “What if this other one was a three?” Turn over the die showing “two” so that a “three” shows. Snap your fingers over the die and remove the card beneath so that you may show it is also a three! Three threes are now face up, two on the table and one (the three of clubs) on the deck. Unknown to your spectators is the fact that under the three of clubs you have two other cards also face up, and a break beneath all of them. Pick up the two threes which are on the table and place them face up on the three of clubs. Apparently turn the three cards face down, but actually turn over all of the cards above your break. Immediately deal the cards off the deck one at a time, from left to right on the table. “I started with an ace, deuce, and three and I’ll try and finish with the same cards. How can I get rid of the three threes?” Pick up one of the dice and turn it so that the “one” is uppermost. Place this on the card to the left. Place the second die on the card in the center, turning it so that the “two” is uppermost. Place the third die on the card to the right. Wave your hand over the three cards and remove them, showing that an ace is under the “one” die, a deuce under the “two” die, and the three of clubs under the “three” die. Climax.
THE TURNABOUT In this effect a deck of cards is cut into six or seven small packets. The packets are assembled by turning some face up and leaving others face down so that the deck is apparently composed composed of mixed up face up and face down packets. The magician, in an instant, spreads the deck out to show that all of the cards face the same way. To perform, have a white-bordered deck shuffled. Give the deck a slight upwards bridge and cut it into six or seven small packets in a row. Let us call the packets from left to right, 1 through 7. Pick up packet 1 and turn it face up. Place it upon packet 2. Packet 2 now consists of the top half face up cards and the bottom half face down cards. Pick up packet 2, turn it over, and place it on packet 3. Pick up packet 3, turn it over, and place it on packet 4. Continue this procedure until all of the cards have been assembled into one packet. To all appearances the deck is a mix-up of face up and face down packets. Actually the top half of the deck consists of face up cards and the bottom half are all face down cards. Cut off about one-quarter of the deck and show that you’ve cut to a face up card. Replace this quarter and then cut off about three-quarters of the deck showing that you have cut to a face down card. (This cutting will help convince the spectators that the cards are haphazardly mixed.) Replace the packet in your hands and then cut the deck at the division point, between the face up (top half) and face down cards. Because of the bridge you originally put into the deck it will be easy to find this point. Show that you’ve cut to a face down card (the top card of 17
bottom half) and when you replace the packet you hold in your hand turn it face down. The deck will now be completely face down. At the appropriate moment spread out the deck showing that you have magically adjusted all of the cards so that the deck is in perfect order. Note: When assembling the packets you must apparently be staggering the packets so that they will appear to be one packet face up, the next face down, the next face up, etc. To make this look convincing revolve one of the packets sideways and place it upon the next face down packet. Then pick up the “mixed” packet and revolve it end for end, placing it upon the subsequent face down packet. By doing this in a casual manner, first sideways and then end for end, you will add greatly to the illusion.
THE IMPULSIVE LADIES In this effect you use three queens and the four aces. The queens are placed on the spectator’s hand. When one of the aces is placed alongside the queens you show that the queens have invisibly left the spectator’s hand for he now holds the four aces while you, the performer, hold the three queens. Remove any three queens and the four aces from a deck. Turn the queens face down, explaining that the ladies are bashful. Place the aces face up on top of the queens. Spread the seven cards between your hands showing the three face down queens, on top of which are the four face up aces. Close the packet, but as you do so insert your left little finger under the top ace.
Square the packet in your left hand, your left little finger under the top ace. Your right hand helps square the packet, right fingers in front and thumb at the rear, At an opportune moment half-pass (revolve) the six cards which are beneath your left little finger. The top ace, which does not move, acts as cover for this move, as does your right hand. Your right hand
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provides masking cover. Fig. five shows the half-pass or revolution being performed from the performer’s view. Square the packet, which apparently still has the three queens face down and the four aces face up. Actually, three of the aces are face down, the three queens are face up, and one of the aces is face up on top of them. “I want you to hold the three ladies,” you say. Hold the packet in your left hand and one at a time openly draw the three bottom cards off the bottom of the packet and have the spectator hold them face down in the upright palm of his hand. These will be taken for the three queens as you openly placed the three queens on the bottom of the packet when you started the effect. You apparently hold four face up aces. Be careful when removing the face down “queens” that you do not spread the face up cards and expose the true condition of the cards. Turn the packet of four cards face down in your hand, remarking that you will hold the aces. Remove the bottom card, the ace, turn it face up and have the spectator place it with the “queens” he holds in his hand. “The three ladies you hold are very impulsive,” the magician says, “and when a stranger joins them they are apt to do anything. Look at them and see what they have done.” The spectator turns his cards face up and finds that instead of the three queens and one ace he has the four aces. “See what they did? They immediately jumped over to my hands,” exclaims the performer as he shows that he holds the three ladies.
THE FOUR PACKET SHUFFLE The idea of being able to shuffle a face up packet of cards into a face down packet and have the cards magically all face one way has been an intriguing problem for many years. Dai Vernon offered an excellent solution in his effect, “Triumph,” and Ed Mario came up with another fine solution though both Vernon’s and Mario’s solutions were entirely different. My thoughts on this effect resulted in a method described in “Effective Card Magic.” At the time “Effective Card Magic” was published I had developed the following following routine but I was not yet ready to release this so so in its stead I explained a similar method method but a shorter routine. I will now explain the original routine and suggest that you run through it with a deck in hand. Make whatever changes or additions you desire after first learning the original routine. To perform this effect you must either set-up before you do the trick or prepare in between tricks. The average magician will set-up beforehand while the expert will devise his own means of “openly” setting up; therefore, I will simply explain the prearrangement for the average magician and allow the expert to devise his own means. To set: hold the deck face down in your left hand, in dealing position. Reverse the bottom quarter of the deck so that it is now face up on the bottom of the deck. Remove a card from the top of the deck and place it on the bottom of the deck.
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Spread the deck between your hands and you will find that the top three-fourths of the deck is face down followed by one-fourth face up with a face down card on the bottom of the deck. Secure a break with your left little finger over the first face down card which is above the face up cards. All of the cards above your left little finger will be face down, and the card immediately below your left little finger will also be face down followed by one fourth of the deck face up with a face down card on the bottom of the deck. You are now ready to perform and this arrangement should have been done in secret, prior to presenting the trick. You are holding the deck in your left hand, secretly retaining a break. With your right hand cut off the top quarter of the deck and place it to your right. Cut off the next quarter of the deck and place it to the left of the packet on the table. Cut off all of the cards above the break and place them alongside the two packets packets already on the table. The last packet (which (which is apparently another face down quarter of the deck) is laid alongside the three other packets. Apparently you have cut the deck into four approximately approximately equal face down packets. Actually, the packet to the left consists of face up cards with the exception of the top and bottom cards (we shall now refer to this packet on the left as the KEY packet). When placing the KEY packet on the table be careful that the top card doesn’t spread and expose the face up cards. Turn any two of the packets, other than the KEY packet, face up. Explain to the audience that you are going carefully to shuffle face up cards into face down cards and that you want them to to be certain that that you shuffle honestly. honestly. You will now perform several riffle shuffles. While performing these shuffles you must be very careful not to expose the condition under the top cards of the packets. To do this simply mask the packets with your hands as you shuffle. When squaring up the shuffled-in packets do so very slowly and openly. Place the KEY packet to your left and place one of the face up packets to your right in riffle shuffling position. You will now riffle shuffle the face up packet into the KEY packet. To do so begin by first releasing a few of the cards from the KEY packet, then riffle shuffle each packet into the other, but be certain that the last cards to fall are from the KEY packet. Square up the two packets. Apparently you have riffle shuffled a face up packet into a face down packet. Actually, all of the cards shuffled are face up, with the exception of the top and bottom card of the now larger KEY packet. Turn the KEY packet over so that it is apparently face up. Place it to your left. Place the face down packet to your right, in riffle shuffling position, and riffle shuffle the face down packet into the KEY packet, being certain that the first and last cards to fall are from the KEY packet (as you did the first time you riffle shuffled). Your audience will believe that the packet in front of you (the KEY packet) is a hopeless mix of face up and face down cards. Actually, all of the cards in the packet are now face down with the exception of the top and bottom cards. Turn the KEY packet over so that it is now apparently face down. Take the last packet, which is face up, and place it to the right of the KEY packet, in riffle shuffling position. Riffle shuffle these together, again being certain that the first and last cards to fall are from the KEY packet. You now have the deck in front of you, all cards face up with the exception of the top and bottom cards. 20
Jog the bottom card to the left. Cut the deck once, the jogged card protruding from the left of the deck. Again give the deck a simple cut, but this time remove all of the cards above the jog and place them on the bottom of the. deck. To the spectators, the above cuts appear to give the deck a few square cuts, but upon completion of the cuts you will find that you have brought the two face down cards together on top of the deck. Beneath them is the deck, face up with the exception of these two top cards. Say to the spectators: “The cards have been hopelessly shuffled and cut, face up into face down cards so that it is impossible for anyone to straighten out the deck without running through the cards and sorting them singly. But believe it or not, by simply waving the top card over the deck I magically adjust all of the cards.” As you say “waving the top card over the deck” you double lift the two face down cards off the deck and wave them over the deck. Then slip them both (as one card) face up into the face up deck. Immediately turn the deck backs backs up and spread it out on the table showing that you have actually accomplished what you have claimed! A few after-thoughts have occurred to me and I believe them worthwhile mentioning. You can broaden the routine and add as many shuffles and cuts as you wish, but I have found that the above procedure (three riffle shuffles and two cuts) are more than enough to convince anyone that the cards have been thoroughly mixed. It is also possible to start the trick by having a card selected, and take advantage of this selection by eventually (after straightening out all the cards) having this the only reversed card in the deck; but I have found that the idea of shuffling face up into lace down is a strong enough effect without complicating it with “another card discovery.” Don’t misunderstand this to mean that I am belittling card discoveries, it is just that you will get far more credit for performing incredible shuffles if you restrict this effect solely to a shuffling effect rather than a “find a card” trick.
TWO UP Prediction effects are extremely impressive because in successfully concluding a prediction the performer appears to surmount obstacles more formidable than those imposed by simple earthly things such as shuffling, shuffling, cutting, etc. “Two Up” has the additional advantage of being completely completely impromptu. In effect, a spectator freely shuffles a deck. The deck is. handed to the magician who removes two cards and places them face up on the table. These cards are inserted, face up, into the face down deck by the spectator. Let us assume that the two cards are the three of spades and the jack of hearts. “Would you believe it possible for me to know in advance the exact position where you would place these cards? ‘Well, believe it or not I knew beforehand that if I were to give you the three of spades and the jack of hearts, your ‘luck’ cards, you would place the black three right next to the other black three and the red jack right next to the other red jack.” To prove this is so the performer removes, or has the spectator remove, the face up three and the card just below it, and also the face up jack and the card just below it. These face down cards are turned over and it is found that the spectator placed the face up three of spades next to the three of clubs, and the face up jack of hearts next to the jack of diamonds. 21
The reason I suggest doing this as a prediction effect is that (although it is more of a coincidence type trick) spectators will sometimes say you are lucky when you present a coincidence trick, but give you credit for the incredible when performing a prediction. To perform, have a deck freely shuffled. When it is returned to you turn it face up and look through it, explaining that you must remove two “luck” cards for the spectator. Actually, note the bottom card and the card fifth from the top. Let us assume that the bottom card is the jack of diamonds, diamonds, and that the card card fifth from the top is the three of clubs. clubs. Look through the deck and remove their counterparts: the three of spades and the jack of hearts. Place the three of spades and jack of hearts face up on the table and then square up the deck and place it face down. You must remember that the card on the bottom of the deck is the jack. (The reason for this is that you must always have the counterpart of the bottom card replaced nearest the bottom. If the spectator replaced the three near the bottom and the jack near the top you couldn’t conclude conclude the effect as given below.) Explain that these are this particular spectator’s ‘luck’ cards and that you know exactly how he will react to them. Pick up the deck and hold it face down in your left hand. Have the spectator pick up the three of spades and tell him to insert it anywhere face up in the deck as you riffle the deck. Riffle the front of the deck with your right fingers and have the spectator place the three face up in the face down deck. However, as you riffle, time your riffling so that he will place it somewhere in the top half of the deck. Have him pick up the jack and place it face up somewhere in the deck. Riffle slowly now so that he is sure to place the jack somewhere in the bottom half of the deck. Be certain that your spectator is convinced that he freely placed the face up cards in the deck. The deck is now squared and face down with the exception of the two cards. Say, “Let’s see where you placed the ‘luck’ cards.” You now apparently run down to the face up cards, but as you do so you must perform the work.
Have a deck in hand as you follow these instructions. Run the cards singly, from left to right. When you come to the fifth card (the three of clubs) push it deeper under the cards already in your right hand so that its left edge (the left edge of the three of clubs) is to the right of the left edge of the indifferent card just above it. Now, when you continue to run the cards from left to right (the sixth card on) you will be able to push them between the three of clubs and the card above it. Fig. six shows a bottom view. Continue to run the cards over the three of clubs until you come to the face up three of spades. Pull the three of spades half its length out of the deck so that it projects from the front of the deck. Do this with your left hand, your right 22
hand holding all the cards run into it. By separating your hands at this point to pull the three of spades out of the deck you also simplify loading the three of clubs under the face up card. When you bring your bands together to proceed with the effect you will have loaded the three of clubs under the protruding face up three of spades. You continue to run the cards from left to right, only your right fingers now pull at the bottom card of the deck, the jack of diamonds, and secretly drag it beneath the cards you are spreading between your hands. When you come to the face up jack the face down jack should have slipped under the spread cards and to the right of it. The jack of hearts is pulled out half its length, the other red jack being loaded beneath it, and the remainder of the cards cards in left band are placed under all all of the cards held in the right hand. To conclude the effect have the spectator remove all of the cards above the three of spades and then remove the three of spades and the card immediately beneath it. Then have all of the cards above the jack of hearts removed and then remove the jack of hearts and the card immediately beneath it. Turn over the two face down cards and show that you accurately predicted where the spectator would place the ‘luck’ cards.
THE VITAL PREDICTION It all started one day when Paul Curry, while discussing unusual card effects, mentioned to me that he had long been working on a good method of performing a prediction trick. Curry’s effect differed from the usual prediction in that the spectator was to be shown the name of the card BEFORE the effect began. This, of course, presented many unusual problems. During a short stay in Chicago I discussed this effect with Ed Marlo. Marlo worked out several interesting ways of performing this and he, in turn, mentioned it to several British magicians who happened to be visiting this country to attend a convention. The result was that some of the keenest English magic minds worked out solutions to the effect, several of which have appeared appeared in the “Pentagram” “Pentagram” magazine. The above preface is written to explain some of the background to this effect and to give Paul Curry credit for the original idea. I approached the effect in a slightly different manner then other solutions I’ve seen and I’ve come to the conclusion that a book could be devoted to this effect alone. In my method a pack of cards is shuffled by the performer who then writes the name of a card on a slip of paper, for example: the three of spades. This ‘prediction’ is placed writing side up on the table so that all of the spectators can see it. The magician starts to deal the cards off the deck one at a time, face up into a pile on the table. “Whenever you command me to stop,” says the performer, “I will deal the card you stopped me at, face down. You may say ‘stop,” at any time and change your mind if you wish.” The performer continues to deal through the deck until ‘stop’ is called. At that point the performer openly, removes the card stopped at and places it face down onto the face up packet. He also calls attention to the card it is placed upon. “You stopped me at this card,” says the performer, “well, notice that it is being placed right on top of the seven of hearts (or 23
whatever the cards may be). If you had stopped me an instant sooner you would have stopped me at the seven of hearts. If you waited a few moments longer you would have stopped me at a card beyond this card (the face down card) which you actually did stop me at. Before I proceed do you wish to change your selection of the card that you stopped me at?” If a change of card is desired, then the face down card is turned face up and the performer continues to deal the cards face up until he is stopped at some other point. When he is stopped again he then places the card stopped at face down on the face up cards. Let us assume that the spectators are satisfied to stop at the face down card now resting on the face up seven of hearts. The magician places the remainder of the deck face up on the cards on the table so that the entire deck is face up with the exception of the card next to the seven of hearts. The deck is cut a few times to show other possibilities of selection. selection. The deck is then spread out, face up, and the face down card (which is still next to the seven of hearts) is removed and turned face upwards. It is seen to be the three of spades, the card openly predicted at the start of the trick! To perform, have the deck shuffled. Upon getting the deck back, square it in your hands and glimpse the bottom card. Let us assume that it is the three of spades. Borrow a pencil and paper, and while your spectators are securing these writing implements secretly reverse the three of spades face up on the bottom of the face down deck. Now double undercut one card to the bottom of the deck or simply place a card from the top to the bottom while ‘toying’ with the deck. The three of spades should now be faced up and second from the bottom of the deck. Note: If you do not wish to perform the above moves, simply set a reversed card second from the bottom before you start the effect. When the spectators hand you pencil and paper, very openly write the three of spades (or whatever the reversed card happens to be) on the paper and allow everyone to see what you have written. Start to deal the cards onto the table, face up and one at a time. After you have dealt several cards invite a spectator to say, “stop,” at any time. When he does stop, you give him a chance to change his mind. After he has decided upon the position at which he wishes to stop, you cleanly remove the face down top card of the, deck and place it, face down, on top of all of the face up cards dealt. Call attention to the card beneath the stopped-at card. In this instance let’s assume that it is the seven of hearts. You still have a packet of cards face down in your left hand. Turn this packet face up and say: “You could have had me deal through the entire deck, or even stopped me at this card (indicate the bottom card). In fact you could have stopped me anywhere.” With your right thumb secure a break under the top two cards of the face up packet. You must now double under-cut these two cards to the bottom of the packet. To perform this move, for those unfamiliar with it, hold the packet in your right hand, your right thumb separating the two cards. With your left hand under-cut about half the cards held by your right hand and place them on top of the packet held by right hand. Now under-cut all of the cards beneath the break held by your right thumb and place them on top of the packet. If you have performed this correctly you should be holding a packet of cards face up in your right hand (thumb at rear, fingers at front) with the three of spades face down on the bottom of the face up packet. 24
With your left hand pick up the packet of cards on tile table. Push the face down card (which is on top of the left hand packet) slightly to the right to show that it is just above the seven of hearts. Pull the face down card back square with the packet but secretly insert your left little finger underneath the face down card. Place the cards held in your right hand on top of the cards held in your left hand. Still retain the break with your left little finger. With your right hand hand push about one one quarter of the face up up cards to the right. right. As you do this continue pattering to the effect that “you could have stopped me at this point in the deck, etc.” With your left little finger push to the right the card just above it. This will be the indifferent face down card. Do this in the same manner as the side-steal.
Push the indifferent card to the right until it is in line with the protruding packet, Fig. seven. Note, right hand is eliminated for purposes of clarity. The protruding packet and your hands will mask this card. Apparently cut the protruding packet to the bottom of the face up deck, but as you do so, your right thumb and fingers pull with them the indifferent face down card. If the above has been accomplished properly properly you will now hold the deck face up in your left hand with an indifferent card face down on the bottom of the deck and the three of spades face down just above the seven of hearts. Spread the deck from left to right, being careful not to expose the card reversed on the bottom of the deck. When you come to the reversed card point out that it is still next to the seven of hearts. This will serve as proof that it is the very card at which they originally stopped you. Have them remove the reversed card, the three of spades, and when they turn it face up they will see it is the card you visually predicted! Undercover of this climax you will have ample opportunity to turn over the indifferent reversed card and thus set the deck back in normal condition for your next effect. This method eliminates making an open switch of the card at the wrong time: when attention is at a high point on the “stopped-at” card. It also “proves” that you eventually turn over the card they stopped you at because this card has always (?) remained next to its prior
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card, the seven of hearts. I believe these two important points are the main advantages of, this method.
THE LONDON ILLUSION This effect, when presented in a clean manner, has a startling climax. The magician prefaces the trick by telling how hundreds of years ago when belief and fear of the. supernatural were common in England (and in London in particular) the fate of peoples’ lives was many times decided by chance. For example if a man was suspected of being guilty of some form of black magic the advocates would try and get a sign, some significant indication from the “great beyond,” to prove the man’s guilt or innocence. To illustrate how these signs would make themselves known, the performer shuffles a deck of cards and has the spectator take half. The performer and spectator each shuffle their respective halves and each freely choose a card. The cards chosen by the spectator and the performer are shown to be of the same color and value! This, most assuredly, would be interpreted as a definite ‘sign’ from some mystical power. To perform, start by having two cards of similar color and value on the bottom of the deck, for example, the two black aces. Shuffle the deck, not disturbing these two bottom cards. Have a spectator assist you and have him take half of the deck (the upper half). Both you and he shuffle your respective halves, but you secretly retain the black aces on the bottom of your packet. Have the spectator bury a card from the top of his half into the center (you do likewise) and then have him bury a card from the bottom of his pack into the center. You remove the bottom card from your half and put it into the center of your packet but secretly secure a break under it with with your left little finger. finger. “I want you to run through your half, faces down, and remove any card you desire,” you inform the spectator. He runs through his half and the card he removes is placed face down on the table. You run through your half and apparently remove a face down card at random, but you actually remove the card that was above your left little finger. (This will be one of the black aces; the the other is still at the bottom of your your packet). Push the card you selected (the black ace) towards the spectator and tell him to place it on the bottom of his half. You apparently place the card he selected on the bottom of your half, but you actually place it second from the bottom by using the following sleight: The Reverse Glide. To perform the Reverse Glide square the deck in your left hand, then bevel it to the right. Grasp the deck with your right thumb at the middle rear, and your right fingers at the front. With your left fingers push the bottom card, the black ace, three-quarters of an inch to the right. You will note that your right little finger makes contact with the upper right hand corner of the black ace.
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Tilt the front of the deck slightly towards the floor to cover the following move : Apply pressure with your right little finger against the upper right hand corner of the black ace. This should be done by a pressing of the corner towards your body. If this is done properly you will notice that this forces the ace to warp and separates it (at the upper left hand corner) from the remainder of the packet. It opens a passage between the ace and the rest of the packet.
When you have properly opened the ace your left hand picks up the spectator’s indifferent card and apparently slides it onto the bottom of your packet. Actually, the indifferent card is slid between the black ace and the remainder of the packet! (Run through this several times with a pack of cards so that you learn to do this cleanly.) Fig. eight shows the indifferent card (spectator’s selection) selection) being placed above the ace of clubs. After you have properly properly performed performed the Reverse Glide Glide build up to the climax. climax. Tap your packet against the spectator’s packet and turn over your packets simultaneously. simultaneously. The coincidence of the two black aces will be exceedingly effective.
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MISCELLANEOUS EFFECTS
SPONGE SURPRISE This is a short sponge ball routine that is a departure from the usual sequence of moves. It has good entertainment value and utilities two regular size sponge balls (about 2 inches in circumference) and 15 to 20 very small sponge balls or pieces of sponge. To perform, have the two regular size sponges in your right pants pocket and the bunch of small sponges together in your left pants pocket. Remove the two regular sponges and have them examined. Show that your hands are unmistakably empty and begin by forming your left hand into a first. Place one of the sponges on your left fist. The sponge should be gripped firmly by your left thumb (near the crotch) and the base of your left forefinger. With your right fingers poke the sponge into your left hand. However, because of the tight grip on the sponge the sponge ball compresses and does not actually go deep into the hand but is held tightly, by the left thumb and forefinger. (Note: if you were to release pressure on the sponge ball it would spring up to its regular size and appear to be simply on the top of the fist as in the beginning). “One sponge ball in my left fist,” you say. “I will now place the other on top of it.” Take the second sponge ball and hold it at the base of your right fingers. Display the ball, palm towards the audience. Turn your right palm away from the audience and cover your left fist for an instant with your right hand. As you cover your left fist you release pressure on the sponge held in your left fist and the ball in your left fist immediately springs into view and appears to be the second ball. The second ball is actually finger-palmed finger-palmed in your right hand. “I now have both sponges in my left hand,” you patter, as you poke ball one deep into the left hand. “Do you believe it possible for one of the sponges to pass itself, invisibly, through space? Watch!” As you say this you form your right hand into a fist and hold both hands before you. Slowly work the sponge in your right hand into view. Open your left hand showing only one sponge. “I’ll try it once again, so watch closely.” As you say this you again place the first sponge on your left fist and apparently poke it into your left hand, gripping it at the base of the left thumb. Again apparently place the second sponge on top of the first sponge, actually fingerpalming the second sponge and springing the first sponge into view. “Two sponges in my left hand,” you say. Your right hand covers the left fist, for a brief instant, apparently to poke the sponge into your left fist. Actually, your right fingers grip and finger-palm this sponge under the motions of poking it into your fist. You now have both sponges pressed together and secreted in your right hand. Bring both your hands forward (they are formed into fists) and this time invisibly pass both sponges from from your left hand hand to your right hand. hand.
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Show both sponges and say that you will simplify the trick by eliminating one of the sponges. Hold one of the sponges at the base of your right fingers and show to the audience. Apparently place this sponge in your left hand. (This is a standard pass as used with coins, billiard balls, etc. and should present no problem.) Your left hand apparently holds one of the sponges. Place your left hand into your left pants pocket. Your right hand (with its secretly palmed ball) picks up the second ball, that is on the table, and by squeezing it against the palmed ball appears to hold only one ball. Show this and place both balls (as one) against the outside of your left pocket. Rub your right hand against the pocket and show that the ball in the pocket has apparently penetrated your pants fabric. Both balls are placed on the table. As this is done, your left hand grips as many of the small sponges as it can and holds them tightly. Your left hand is withdrawn (as a fist) from your left pocket while completing the pocket penetration effect and will be unnoticed. “You may not realize it but these tricks are very hard on these sponges and sometimes they literally go to pieces. Let me show you.” As you say this, your left fist is brought into view. You poke both balls into the top of your left fist, but grip them both in thumb-palm position. You repeat the idea of the sponges “going to pieces,” and and as you do, spring open your left hand releasing all of the small balls. Do not release the two regular balls, which are snugly held in your left thumb-palm thumb-palm position. position. The above finish will be quite effective, and under the surprise of the appearance of the many small sponges you will have ample time to place your left hand in your pocket and get rid of the two large sponges.
THE RING ON WAND This impromptu version of the classic Ring On Wand effect has the advantage of being easy to perform yet it retains its complete effectiveness. In brief, a borrowed ring is placed under a handkerchief and magically passes passes upon a wand or pencil which is never out of view. Borrow a ring, preferably a large ring, and a handkerchief. You may also use a borrowed pencil or a thin wand. I prefer to use a pencil as it makes the effect completely completely impromptu. Your right hand shows the ring and places places it under the center of the handkerchief. handkerchief. Your right thumb grips a fold of the handkerchief and holds it as in Fig, nine.
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(You are now set to perform the usual move of the “Coin Through Handkerchief.”) Grasp the end of the handkerchief marked X in fig. nine with your left hand and pick it up about half the length of the handkerchief. Thrust your right hand, holding the ring, down into view so that your audience can clearly note that the ring is still in the center of the handkerchief, Fig ten.
To again cover the ring your right hand flips BOTH sides of the handkerchief over the ring. This secretly brings the ring behind the handkerchief, exactly as it dues a coin when you perform the “Coin Through Handkerchief.”
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The ring is concealed by the right fingers, Fig. eleven, and is behind the handkerchief, rear view. With your left hand take the pencil and tap the top of the handkerchief so that the sound of pencil against ring can he heard. (The pencil hits the front of the handkerchief behind which is the ring). Place the pencil behind the handkerchief handkerchief and between your right fingers and the handkerchief secretly slipping it through the ring. To outward appearances you have simply placed the pencil behind the handkerchief and both ends of the pencil should be in full view. Fig. eleven eleven shows the pencil pencil being introduced introduced through the ring. ring. Have a spectator grasp both ends of the pencil. Wave your left hand over the top of the handkerchief; then grasp the handkerchief with your left hand. Pull the handkerchief away with a downward tug, and at the same time spin the ring, which is on the pencil, with your right hand. Bring both hands away and the ring will be seen to be spinning on the pencil. A double penetration …. first the ring must have passed through the handkerchief, and second it must have penetrated the pencil!
THE COIN TRANSPOSITION AND CLIMAX The classic Copper and Silver coin transportation effect is one of the strongest close up coin tricks ever developed. “Hen” Fetsch, one one magic’s very clever originators, showed me a favorite version of his several years ago. The first part of this effect is similar to the trick “Hen” showed me, but the method is completely different. In effect, an English penny and an American half-dollar are shown. The penny is placed in a spectator’s handkerchief and the half-dollar is held in the performer’s hands. The performer shows the half-dollar and clinks it against the enclosed penny. In a flash the coin in the performer’s hands changes to the penny, and upon opening the handkerchief the halfdollar is discovered. In addition, a climax is then performed. 31
1 Needed are two similar appearing half-dollars and one English penny. Have the three coins together in your right jacket pocket, the penny in between the two other coins. 2. When you are ready to perform put your right hand in your right jacket pocket and remove the three coins, finger palming the one nearest the base of your right fingers. This finger palm is performed by gripping the coin by slightly closing your right fingers. Due to the fact that you originally set the penny between the two halves you will have one of the halves palmed by performing the above move. 3. The other two coins, the penny and the other half, are dropped into your left hand and then onto the table. Have a spectator place an identifying mark on the penny and the half. 4. Pick up the penny and place it at the finger tips of your right hand. By carefully closing the right fingers the palmed half will not show. Borrow a handkerchief and toss it over the penny so that the penny is seen to be jutting j utting out of the center of the handkerchief. handkerchief. 5. With your left hand, approach the handkerchief to lift it by the protruding penny; but actually feel deeper into the handkerchief and grasp the half dollar through the handkerchief and lift the handkerchief off your right hand, holding the half-dollar through the fabric. As the handkerchief comes off, your right hand allow the penny to slip into the right fingers in finger palm position. To all appearances you have simply lifted the penny and handkerchief off your right hand, but actually under cover of the handkerchief you have substituted coins. This switch is very simple to perform as a few trials will convince you. 6. You are apparently grasping the penny through the handkerchief handkerchief at your left finger tips. Have a spectator hold the ends of the handkerchief so that the penny “cannot be slipped out.” 7. Release your grip on the handkerchief and the spectator, holding the ends, will seemingly have the penny in his possession. Pick up the half-dollar which has been previously marked and hold it at -your right finger tips. Clink it against the coin in the handkerchief handkerchief a few times and then suddenly dart it beneath the level of the handkerchief and out of view for an instant. During this moment your right fingers exchange the position of the two coins so that the penny is now at your right finger tips and the half is finger palmed. (Note: This exchange of the two coins is difficult to describe but is just an elementary exchange of the positions of the coins. If you find this difficult to perform with only your right hand, you may bring your left hand down to assist you. in the exchange.) 8. Show the penny at your right finger tips and immediately have the spectator open the handkerchief. In it will be seen a half dollar which they will take to be the originally marked half. You then proceed in one of the two following ways, but first let me point out the effectiveness of this transposition: up until the last moment they have seen the marked half dollar in view . . . you clinked it against the penny a few times, and suddenly you have the penny at your finger tips! This is visible, startling magic
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9. To conclude, you may immediately repeat the effect, and at the finish you end with the two originally marked coins; which you elaborately have identified, or use the second alternate ending: 10. Pick up the visible penny and half and hold them at your right finger tips. (The originally marked half is secretly concealed in finger palm position.) Say, “I know you are wondering how I made the penny and half change places. I’ll give you a certain amount of information regarding this. I had to make the coins actually pass through the fabric of the handkerchief. Here, I’ll show you how this is done.” Take the half held at right finger tips with your left fingers, the penny still held at right finger tips. Openly place this half into your left pants pocket. Rub the penny (still held by your right fingers) against the outside of your pants pocket at the approximate position occupied by the just pocketed’ coin. Rub it a few times and then say, “Now !“ As you say this, allow the penny to fall against your right fingers, hitting against the coin that concealed there. The clink it will make as it falls will add to the effect. Immediately show the penny and half are in your right hand, and then have both coins examined so that the original markings are identified by the spectator who marked them. THE END
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