david regal - speaking volumes

7/22/2019 David Regal - Speaking Volumes

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T he pleasureone of life

ve become F:t that man'om of instru

ne spentrely, many J-ied avenue!

:>fsitting down with a book on magic is "', ., great joys. In recent years, however, magi~~videosDpular,and some (including, I admit, me) lament the, of those interested in magic inay be enjoying this:tion to the exclusion of the rich rewards afforded byexploring and contemplating the contents of books.Dads ead to Heaven, and there are merits to havingof magic instruction, but at this juncture in time itto erect a detour sign and point toward the path cur-

th(' ,.i,

vin the 1970s) and" robaticAces" from Le Pau ' ook-I r --any magician do that tric an ye it.

The Card Magic of Le Paul is a classic-the effects and movlthose of a mmter. Though often referred to as "The Acrobatic Aces,effect "The Gymnastic Aces" s both easy o do and enormously imp"to a lay audience. Allan has been working on a new book for somenow. I've seensomeof the effectsdemomtrated; and I can assureyouthis effort will contain some of the sweetest ard magic ever concoct

:mspr travelednumber of magicians the following message:

vould be great to see f its possible to get people digginglibraries, enjoying great books on magic. Here's how I'dit. ...In all our repertoires are certain effects hat we

~at books found in our libraries-effects we love that noperform. While I understand we enjoy the act not manyricks, I thought perhaps I could twist the arms of sometm, and have them revealone such trick-a trick fromlove to do, but is not seen erribly often. Would you pleaseng this mail with the name of one such trick? You need'nethod, ust the name of the trick, the book where it canfew sentences o describe why its a great trick.few weeks I have ~ ~~~ ~L~ 1~~ky recipient of the

fO very generol ;. The contributors:al order. My cc Jear in italics at the

tKhike

?ersdo these :pected magici,?ook hat theynsider answeriit describe he 1ftund; and aFor the past Jeen Illt: lU~

1S mag1clans)mments ap)

thoughts of over 4appear in alphabeticend of each entry.

DAVID ACERdo Darwin Ortiz' "Jumping Gemini" every chance I get (Darwin)ttiz At The Card 1able, 1988) .It's an incredibly rich pa~ket trick.'here's soooo much magic, especially given the fact that only fourmgimmicked cards are in play.

Darwins effects are superbly thought out. 'Jumping Gemini" is antfect within the ability of any card worker and, as Mr. Acer testifies, a'nockout. The book Darwin Ortiz at the Card Taple contains one ofhe strongest collections of card effects I've ever seen bound in a single

volume. Darwin states hat the starting point for this effect was Chesbroand Wests ']umpin.R:Jackrabbit Card" from the book Tricks You CanCount On.

David ison

tten many well-received book2 Natural Selections is one Ojreen. "The Sanders Incident,(Jorth the price of the book. .

rjormer and hasmagic. The effect "Cheap Labour"

~most commercial card effects 've /'m Natural Selections, Volume II,d it isn't even a trick.

LEE ASHERBlackstones Modern Card 1ricks and Secrets of Magic, 1932 (NewYork George Sully and Company, Inc.). It is a collection of twobooks in one. I think most people have the combo and not the indi-vidual books themselves. This book is filled with powerful pieces ofmagic. Unfortunately things aren't properly credited in this booklike the Blackstone Control and a few others. The control isreally a Hofzinser idea that predates Harry B. by a few decades.Nonetheless, it is a fantastic book.

Asking me for my favorite thing is like asking me to eat onePringle ...can't do it! So here are a few that you can choose..from. Imean how can I not mention "The Hung Card" on p.4i in theSecretsof Magic section or "The Red Hot Ball" on p. 79. Blackstonewas a master!

But seriously, I truly dig the "Four Ace Change" on p.162 in theModern Card 1ricks section. I am not sure if it's original withBlackstone but it's one of the best sucker effects around. If youappreciate sucker tricks like I do, this one is up your alley. I love itbecause of its simplicity and directness and also because it uses oneof the most underrated moves in card magic-the Glide.

I have seen a trillion variations of this effect and most are struc-tured to eliminate the infamous Glide. Truthfully, none of themreally do the effect justice. Now I think the Glide works great here.Trust me, I am no big fan of the Glide and try to use it as little aspossible but, in this instance, it is the perfect tool.

When I performed this effect (a long time ago) I remember thatthe key to selling this sucker effect is the way you hold your fingersover the Three to make it look like an Ace. This effect plays with thespectator's mind. They are so sure you are trying to "pull a fast one"on them-and you really are! That is my entertainment for theevening! Suckers. ...I think the ultimate lesson taught from thiseffect is the timing of when to use the hackneyed move.

It can be applied to a lot of our routines in general. Check out"Four Ace Change" and I promise you will have a blast. It is really apowerful piece of magic.

If Lee'scontribution to this list doesn't make you go out and seek thtBlackstone books (both ghostwritten by Walter Gibson), nothing will. Thtbooksare easy:o locate. They wereoriginally printed in large quantities ({ora magic book), and reprinted so usedbook shopsoften have them as wel!

A LAN ACKERMANperform for laymen that I have illLie Detector" from the New Hex m

A couple cone do are

:r seenany-azine (back;


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In Decembe1; 1938, 7:' Sakamoto publishedhis method for the "Cut and Restored Silk Handkerchief" in a publica-tion by the 1OkyoAmateur Magicians Club. Tenkai improved on themethod and the result of his labors was published in The Magic ofTenkai. Tenkai, like Vernon, was an incredibly well-rounded magician,and this book includes effectsusing cardr, coins, bills, dice, cigarettes, ope,and more. Eugene, one of our great teachers,hasgiven us numerous booksthat explore the presentation of magic as well as detail the methodr behind

exquisite routines hes developedover the years.

assomepublic libraries. Lee is one of the Young Turks of card magic, so his, .frankness egarding the use of the Glide is both surprising an:itifreshing.:/~--- MICHAEL AMMAR

I guess he easiest hing to mention would be "Roll Over Aces" fromThe Complete Works Of Derek Dingle (1982). This great book wasn'tout back in the late 19705, but I'd search out Derek's stuff in lecturenotes and separate manuscripts. Derek was a huge influence on a lotof people back then, and as I would read through this heavy work I'dthink to myself "This guy must have two cannonballs in his shorts.He must need a special kind of Tuxedo that allows him to walkaround with a wheelbarrow or something."

But like everything else, I suppose, not everyone was as big a Dinglefan as I was. I remember the first time I did this routine for Vernon.He got that funny smile on his face and said "If I could climax asmany times as a Dingle routine I'd be a happy man "

When Michael performs this trick he wrings a phenomenal effect out ofan already amazing routine by presenting it as a timed challenge.Michaels choiceof material is always outstanding, and he never stops nhis quest to make the most of the effect he is working with. His MagicCastleparlor act is so strong, he performs his well-known cups and ballsroutine in the middle. The Dingle book, written by Richard Kauftnan,is a must-have or the student of modern card magic.

OHN CARNEYI would choose the "Expansion of Texture" from The Dai Vernon Bookof Magic. It's a great trick, when well acted, but I have actually onlyseen one other performer who has done it in all my life. If you carrytwo quarter-sized copper foreign coins everywhere you go (as I do),along with a handkerchief in your outside suit breast pocket, or bor-row one, you have about five to ten minutes of great magic.

I start with a few knots, beginning with Charlie Miller's "LeftHanded Knot" (from his Magic, Inc. booklet). Then the "Spirit Knot,"which is from Hatron and Plate's Magicians Tricks and How They areDone, I believe. Then I do the "Copper-Silver Transposition," followedby the "Expansion Of Texture." I then offer to explain how it is doneand go into "Kitty's Treat" from my book, Carney Knowledge, whereinI produce a tiny, realistic, mouse, which instantly disappears.

This has a nice, exciting conclusion to the routipe, or one couldvanish the handkerchief with a pull or produce something from thehandkerchief to conclude. This sequence has the advantage that itappears as though all you have is one copper coin and everything elseis either borrowed or very ordinary. The fact that you have extras orgimmicks about your person doesn't enter into consideration. Lookslike pure magic.

The Dai Vernon Book of Magic, by Lewis Gamon, has been reprint-ed by L&L, and is certainly a book worth its weight in gold. The varietyof magic it contaim is amazing-everything from Vernons "Cups andBalls" routine to 'Rosinis Thimble Routine. " Card enthusiasts will findVernons 'Poker Demomtration" and "The Last T ick of Dr. Jacob Daley. "Johns own books on magic are rich with thought and filled with the expe-" , -" new book will be out soon.

RAFAEL BENATARimon Aronson's "Paragon Poker," from The Aronson Approach,

because it's a full-fledged gambling routine with an interestingdevelopment and a very simple set-up that can be achieved betWeentricks. The effect zigs and zags the spectator's sensations. Technically,

only requires a good Overhand Shuffle technique, and yet can bea closer anywhere.

This clever routine-an expansion of the Gardner-Marlo pokerdemonstration-is the type of showpiece that leaves ittle doubt as to themagicians otherworldly skill with a pack of cards. This book also con-tains Simons "Mark-A-Place" move, an outgrowth of Bill Simons'~usiness Card Prophecy" sleight, which will be of tremendous interestto any reader not familiar with it. Aronsons output is staggering; His"UnDo Influence" principle from Try the )mpossible is one of the moreincredible recent developments n card magic.

Rafael is a close-upartist who mines the utmost entertainment valuefrom every effect hat he presents. He has the chops o perform anything,so his choiceofSimons clever-yet-simple routine attests o its impact.

BRUCE CERVONActually I don't do very many tricks that are straight out of thebooks-1 always seem to muck around with them a great deal. I'mpretty safe, however, if I mention a trick that I have shown to some ofthe most knowledgeable card people around and it blows them away.

In many ways I'm cheating because t comes from one of the vernonChronicles which I worked on. The trick I'm speaking of is "Why AmI Here?" in More Lost Inner Secrets,Volume Two. You must try it on aspectator. Jon Racherbaumer is going to write up some variations andmy presentation for a Linking Ring Parade some time in the futUre-they too are interesting.

"Why Am I Here?" is a partially se/fworking; amazing card locationthat seems o defy all logic. A cqrd is selectedrom a spectator-shu.lJled eck,then found when random values are cut to and a seriesof packets dealt tothe table. There seems o be no way at all to arrive with any precision atany particular spot in the deck. The Vernon Chronicles, written byStephenMinch are gloriously produced volumes dedicated to Vernons con-tributions to magic.

EUGENE BURGERT enkai's "Cut and Restored Silk Handkerchief" frm The Magic oflinkai (1974}, written by Gerald Kosky and Arnold Furst, publishedby Magic Limited. It's magic. You lay a silk on a piece of paper, foldthe paper around the silk so the ends of the silk protrude, then cut itin half right in the center. The pieces are separated-there's no ques-tion that the silk has been cut. You bring the halves together, thenpull one end of the silk, and the other end moves-the silk emergesintact from the paper! It's damn hard to do. I saw it performed on TVwhen I was nine or ten years old, but I can remember it better thantricks I saw last week.

When I spoke o Eugene, we ended up discussinggreat effectshes alwayswanted to include in his repertoire that no one ever does. He felt this oneeffect stood out above the rest.

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~nd Magic as ac, and his radar

Professional Magic Made Easy, The Best in Ma;Hobby. Daryl is a walking compendium of close-uphas pointed to a real treasure.

'OHN CORNELIUSI like ;'Bluff Aces" out of an Ireland Yearbook

(Magic, Inc.). It is an Ace assembly that is easy to do.Terse ut telling, Johns recommendation is an excellentone, as one might

expect rom one of our most inventive creators. Mar/os effect '~Iuff AceAssembly" was irst published in 1955 in The Ireland Yearbook. It wastaught to me by a friend in New York many years ago--I never knewwhere the trick was irst published until now. Happil} it turns out theyearbooks are still available in bound orm from Magic, Inc., and they areexcellent. In fact, I received communication from one magician whorecently sold off most of his book collection. ..but kept the IrelandYearbooks.

MARC DE5ouzAMy choice is "The Hydrostatic Glass" from My Kind of Magic byAlan Shaxon, published by Goodliffe Publications. When I was 13years old one of my mentors, Lee Grey, gave me the book Marvelsof Mystery by John Booth. It was published by Kanter's MagicShop, which was then owned by Lee. It still remains an incrediblebook chock full of workable material. One of the stand-out effectsto me was "The Hydrostatic Glass." The thought of that effectremained with me until I saw Alan Shaxon perform it around1972. What a killer!

I was even more thrilled to purchase his book which had his entirehandling detailed, including the patter. How rare to find a book froma professional performer teaching the material right out of his act. Ifound a set and immediately put it in my show as a closer. It got a verystrong reaction. Over the ensuing years I've refined the script, makingit fit my personality, even as it evolved over time. It has remained mycloser for nearly 30 years. I have tried to replace it but I can't ...it issimply the strongest closer I've ever found.

Marc is an incredibly well-rounded performel; and his selection of aneffect s one I can't ault---a Jew months ago I went to an art supply storeto purchase celluloid and a hole cutter ur the purposes of making up "TheHydrostatic Glass!"Marvels ofMystery was reprinted by Supreme MagicCompany bound with Forging Ahead in Magic as The John BoothClassics, and may be easier o locate n this urm. DeSousa's Deceptions,a book written by David Acer to bepublished by the Camirand Academy,was published in April

PAUL CUMMINSI suppose hat there are two routines that I use constantly and that I/don't seemany other performersdoing. The first is a personalized er-, sion of Roy Walton's The Smiling Mule," from The CompleteWalton,

Volume1, p.llS. The other is Vernon's "Emotional Reaction," fromDai Vernonsnner Secrets fCard Magic, by Lewis Ganson, p.l.~erful piece or laymen. The build-upto an impossibility is answeredwith a great gag, signaling the end ofthe trick which providesample misdirection for the dirty work. Then,of course, he performer makes good on the impossibility. Presenta-tionally and methodologically, his is ust about a perfect routine!

The Vernon routine works as well for magicians (who are not hipto its method) as or the laity. It is virtually sleight-free, he spectatordoes he work while the deck is in their hands giving the procedure avery fair ambiance,and the handling of the key card s so well hiddenby Vernon'sconstruction that the revelation of the selected ard trulyseemsmpossible.

RoyWalton s a giant, and his effect The Smiling Mule" is wonde1:fitLIn my ibrary it is ound in the bookletThat Certain Something (1979)on p.13. Though he effectdoesn't ven ake up the entirepage, t pulses ~with the contemporary ision that is unique to so many Walton effects.Vernonsoutine s a lessonn presentation.Usingnothing more han a keycard (albeit well-disguised),he createsa showpiece.Pauls From AShuffied Deck In Use containsa rich assortment f inely-craftedmate-rial for every maginablesituation. His FASDIU Press as releasedinebooks uchas Fusillade (with Doc Eason),an explorationof the multipleselection ard routine.

DARYLHow's this: "Dr. Sack's Dice Routine" from Classic Secretsof Magicby Bruce Elliott. I live and work in Las Vegas and this is a naturalfor me. The effect is strong and visual, i t's easy to carry around (ittakes up very little space in the pocket), there is nothing to reset, ituses ordinary objects (I've been known to borrow the dice and per-form the routine impromptu), everything can be examined, and itgets away from the usual card, coin, and rope effects. This is mykind of magic!

I learned the Sack routine from the same book (though it was irst pub-lished in Elliott's magazine The Phoenix), and what a great book it is.Bruce Elliotts books werepublished lor the general public and at the timehe got into hot water lor revealing the secrets hey contained; much ofwhich came rom The Phoenix. I so enjoy the Sack routine (No cards! Nocoins!). I published a inale lor the routine-not that it cries out or one-in Close-Up and Personal. Other Bruce Elliott books I've enjoyed are:

DEAN DILLI think that "The V ISine Trick" in Best of Friends Volume II will be mychoice. I am not a fan of"Oil and Water" tricks. This one kind of feelslike "Oil and Water," but isn't for many reasons. I will show it to youwhen I see you and you will know what I mean.

Harry Loraynes hefty Best of Friends books have an enormousamount of magic in them. One could write an article suggesting choiceeffects in these books alone. "The Visine Trick" was contributed byCharles M Hudson, and is a variation of Roy Waltons "Oil andQueens" (originally from The Devil's Playthings, 1969-ish}. As Dean

points out, its not really an "Oil and Water" effect. Though you beginwith alternating red and black cards, at the tricks conclusion, there areonly black cards-the red cards have vanishedlchanged depending onthe picture you paint with your presentation. Dean is a great guy tohang out with, as he loves magic and is devoted to a tricks effect-heappreciates he end result regardless f the technical demands of the rou-tine. His book Intimate Miracles, written by nm 1rono, contaim achoice sampling of his visually arresting magic, some of which he per-

~ rmed on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.STEVE DRAUN

he "Tenkai Pennies." I first saw the effect in Bobo's Modern CoinMagic. Then, years later Dave Solomon's brother Louie did it forme. He did it well and for a moment I was fooled. Then I realizedit was the old Tenkai trick. I saw that it could be done completelyimpromptu since any virtually any size coin will work (I always try


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~o borrow a couple of quarters). I combined it with an old gag and have ever seen him with a deck of cards in his hands,I do it all the time. you will beg, borrow, or steal the book! Purchasing it is

Steves own book Secrets Draun from Underground, written b

< " ROBERTO GIOBBlThere are many effects and routines I use from the old Itali(Rossetti), French (Robert-Houdin), Spanish (Ciur6), and Germ(Hofzinser) books, where most of the concepts used nowadays in camagic can be found. But for my friends who read Genii I will citereadily available American book source: "Business Card Prophesy," p.32 of Bill Simon's Effective Card Magic (Louis Tannen, New Yo1952). This is a wonderfully simple card effect. I use t often when sting at a table with a small audience in the context of private sho(some call this table-hopping, I call it individual private shows).

Simon says o use a spectator's business card, but I prefer to use mown-it takes less time until the card comes forth. Some commercily eager colleagues will also appreciate the fact that at the end the sptator is left with the performer's business card and some others migbe encouraged to ask for one. I hasten to add, however, that this shounot be the determining factor for choosing an effect, in my opinion

After many years of performing this I made just a few adaptatioin handling, timing, and audience management. When the spectahas thoroughly shuffled the cards, I take the deck and glimpse tcards while I hand him my business card so he can make sure it. hno preparation--chemical, mechanical, or otherwise. As I take tcard to write the prediction on it, I place the deck back in front of thspectator. He is asked to let the cards fall on the table in small pack

AARON FISHERl'Henry Christ's Fabulous Ace Routine" from Cliff Green'sProfessionalCard Magic (1961), though a better description can befound in Epilogue March, 1974). First of all, you don't need o havea card selected. t really does have a pleasing economy of method.It's a full self-contained routine-it's like you're doing a completemagic show with the four Aces. What drew me to it was the way itflows together so nicely. At the time I read it, some serious criteriawas that it was un to perform.

Also: "Discrepancy City Prediction" from John Bannon'sImpossibilia 1990). ,A phenomenal trick. There are at' least three tricks from that

book that are regularly in my repertoire. If you think about it,that's a pretty powerful statement. How many books can you saythat about?

Cliff Greens ook s one associate ith the Le Paul book-a volumefilled with greatmoves nd tricks. His 'PhoenixAces" s a lovely ieceofcard handling. John Bannons booksare, as Aaron has pointed out,superbvalues.Theycontain tricks that comerom a man who clearlyhasan undistortedview of what makes n effect n the mind of an audience.His 'Play It Straight (Triumph) "from Impossibilia is a classic. bookof Aarons own magic will be appearing n the next month or so. f you

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The cliff Green routine, involving multiple Aces of Spades being, ~ , .then turning into the Jour different suits, is one wewe seehim-hC)\

"The Phoenix Aces" seem self working by comparison) Magic. It's very strong and easy to do. I don't have any--by most magicians. Ricky Jay used to do it, calling dealing skills but this allowed me do a fake gambling demo"The Laughing Card Trick." One of the problems with Green's \ without them. The reactions were always strong and the amount you

--.c .they are rather odd and dif- row about the cards after the deck is shuffied seems overwhelming.--present, which i~ ~roba~ly why more people don't d~ ~em: j! h,,"Black Jack Challenge" from Paul Harris' Close-Up Entertainer. It

,. , , ..m the has a rhythm to the production of black Jacks that I like. But the bestTony Spina sold it to me at Lou part is in the middle. The Jacks and Aces are separated but instantly

I was 14-what a sadist! It changed my life. I pair off into blackjacks. It's a little like "Reset" at that point.I ~ave seen "ScrewedDeck" ~om ~ Close-Up Kinda Guy, Jannen "Ok~wa's ~ellophane,Surprise" from ~aul Harris' Close-Up1983) performed; and zts a kzlle7: A wonderjiJl method for an Entertamer. Its great. I dont smoke so I havent had very man oppor-the conclusion of a performance, the deck in play is / Unities to do this. It's one of the cle om an restored effect ever.., pool cue and put away. ~ces Wild" "Matching the Cards" from Ver on's Inner Secrets ~c. It's

great because it can be done both c os on stage. It was one Idid a lot. I liked to make it the second or third trick. I just liked theway it drew the audience in even if they thought they have seen everycard trick to be seen.

-In the non-card category I did a Ring Transpo trick from PatrickEverything Richard saysabout the Cliff Green book is true. A few years Page's The Big Book of Magic. You held a ring and covered your hand

with a handkerchief A rubber band was put around the h~dkerchiefsealing your hand. The ring would disappear and reappear elsewhere.I liked it because the spectator could hold your wrist the whole timeto make sure the ring didn't go up your sleeve.

Rays generosity has provided you not with a trick, but an act! Of noteis the fact that one more person has singled out Inner Secrets of CardMagic, for yet another effect. "Matching the Cards" is a classic lot, withinherent drama, just the right amount of complexity, and a finish thatalways brings applause. "Okawas Cellophane Sufprise, " .from Close-UpEntertainer, is one of those -wish-I-thought-ofthat pieces of magic wherethe method is as amusing as the trick is amazing. Rays own effects,andtheir fantastically original charactel; bespeaka novel appreciation for theroad less raveled-they're available on video from Meir Yi'did.

KEN KRENZEL"Chic" Schoke's "Hippity Hop Aces," from The Jarbell System 1927)and Jarbel15 (1948). Chic Schoke wore a hearing aid, but looked likea cross between Lionel Atwill and Adolph Menjou-dignified, sophis-ticated and elegant. "Hippity Hop Aces" is a beautiful segue into orout of any Ace effect. The effect is that the red Aces are placed backto back, and the black Aces face to face; one pair held in the righthand by the long edges, the other in the left. You blow, and in fullview there is an instantaneous transformation-the red Aces are nowface to face, and the black Aces are back to back. It is a stunning, star-tling effect.

People have lost the ability to visualize from the printed page, with-out the aid of a video. It seems, ironically, that the only way peoplewill understand the pqwer of this effect is to see t done.

[Editor's Note: I waS recently told that the "Hippity Hop Aces" wasnot originated by Chic Schoke, but by another gentleman years earli-er. This is but one of many caseswhere author Harlan Tarbell credit-ed th~ person who demonstrated the item to him ratl)er than its orig-inator. I can't remember the name of the true creator, however I vivid-ly recall that the person who brought this to my attention clearly stat-ed that when he performed the trick he held the cards by the shortends! Of course, this makes the illusion much easier to achieve andmore deceptive.]

Kens enryclopedic knowledge and skill with a pack of cards s legendary.His advice to look to Jarbell needs no more compelling argument. The

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" " --~...and fin a cheap S. O.B. There is nothing I need say about Mister..Manyofthe

illustrated; and published.OHN KENNEDY

, .."from Ellison Poland's Wonderfitl Routinespublished in 1969. This is a simple coin trick that is very,. be repeated for the same audience. I have fooled

(including magicians} with this one., listen. He is the creator of some of the most diaboli-."' This book was not in my library but you

I ran out to get a copy after reading Johns missive. Its easy o ind

ROGER KLAUSE, one might not be willing to draw attention to a" However, my choice would be Dai Vernon's "Colour

, contained in his Inner Secrets of Card Magic by LewisMy reasons for selecting this little miracle are: The direct

..the subtle method (done under the spectator'srepetition; greatest impact with a

(the effect lives on in the mind of the spectator asto examine the cards in the days to come). Malini

Newspaper Headlines with his presentation ofRoger is the second person to nominate a trick from this slim book with.' I have never seen anyone perform this effect, so

.The book-in fact, theVernon Inner Secret series-has been reprinted by L&L..-' ' ..Rogers

In Concert, written by Lance Pierce, is bursting with excel-His rout ine "The Sponge and the Sleeve" is a masterpiece of con-' one semes the intellect that

level.,RAY KOSBY

Vernon's "Poker Demonstration" from The Dai vernon Book of


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Lth cases, he published routines are fine pieces as originally offeredJ:d are worthy of a serious second look by the fraternity.~ he first routine is Harnman's "Kings Through the Table" from

~ul Le Paul Presents he Magic of Brother John Hamman.The second routine is Derek Dingle's "Four Coins in the Countin'"

.from Dingles Deceptions.I remember the first time I saw "Kings Through the 1able. " A NewYork riend did it for me at a restaurant and I was loored. Since thattime, I haven't seen another living soul perform the effect. The bookDingle's Deceptions (Lorayne) is an explosion of excellent magic."Four Coins in the Countin"' is a beautifully orchestrated assembly.Both tricks were reprinted and revised in the Hamman and Dinglebooks written by Richard Kaufman. Wesley s a thinket: He, of course,has written extensively about magic in his own books and highly-respectedperiodicals. His card technique called "The Load Up" waspublished; with permission, as "Coming Up in the World" in FrankGarcias Super Subde Card Miracles. The move is now a standard;eapon in every card magicians arsenal.

and a secondspectator s ask to introduce the businesscard anywhere.All of this creates he impression hat I have

never touched the pack--even some magicians swear his is true.Only now do I touch the pack and do the turnover move but thenplace he deck back in the samespaceon the table which the specta-tors have associated ith the "no touch" wne. I let them read he nowvisible message nd then have hem check the cardsaboveand below.This is absolutely nexplicable and memorable or laypeople.The book Effective Card Magic is illed with strong effects, ut itshard to beat he oneRobertohasselectedThis trick alls into an odd cat-egory-its onemostcard magicians now oj; but ew actuallyperform! Ican onlyguesswhy this s so.Perhapst is becausehe trick is sosimple odo, it is hard to see ast that to theprofound effect t has upon an audi-ence.Leave t to Roberto o sound the wake-up call. He has writtenbooks-the Card College series, ublished by HermeticPress-that havebecome tandard eferenceextson card magic.

WILLIAM GOODWIN

,1 MARK jENESTJI must reiterate my opinion on Brother John Hamman's "ThePinochle Trick," on p.97 of The SecretsOf Brother John Hamman. Ihave performed it for maybe a dozen magicians, and not one of themwas familiar with it. This would definitely be the trick that for me,meets your criteria. I honestly do perform it, and as good as the trickis, I've wondered why more magicians don't do it.

The routine is a major head scratcher, particularly the Ace flurry atthe end. Maybe this is an obvious point, but I think that laypeopleshouldn't know how we do our tricks. Far too many effects havedetectable methods but are appreciated for the magician's efforts, orout of courtesy. Laypeople are completely baffled by "The PinochleTrick." To them, there is no explanation for it. It is not a magicianfooler, but who cares? [Editor's Note: It fooled most magicians towhom it was shown before The Gemini Count was published.] Hereare just a few of the exciting Pinochle Trick attributes: Easy to do!;Uses four ungimmicked cards!; Lots of changes!; Undetectablemethod!; Chicks dig it!

Once again, the Secrets of Brother John Hamman is singled out, andeach time for a different effect.Let all of us thank the ates for allowing usto walk in this mans beneficent shadow. Mark Jenests shadow is not sobeneficent, but he is recognizable o the younger half of the world for hiscountlessmagical appearances n The Disney Channel as well as the guywith his ace on thousands of magic sets.The older half of the world knowshim for his marketed magical items, all of which possess spark of origi-nality.

PAUL GREENWhen I was starting out, I loved Elliott's Classic Secretsof Magic. Lotsof good stuff in there. My favorite book was The Amateur MagiciansHandbook by Henry Hay. There is a ttick in there that I do not do toooften, but it does have a place in my repenoire. It is the trick where theKings and Queens continue to match suits. It taught me about settingcards in a stacked condition so that even when they're shuffied, theyremain intact. It uses he "Down And Under Shuffie" and a few othersubtleties. In the right place and at the right time it is a charming pieceof magic. I use it in restaurants and some suite work when there areobvious couples. Charming ttick.

The Amateur Magician's Handbook is a delight-a rich lesson nmagic with exceptionally clear photographs. Don't let the word 'amateur"throw you off the scent-this is a book brimming with valuable informa-tion. The effect Paul mentions is a variation of ~rnons "The RoyalMarriages, " and it is ound on page 224 of the Ha)' book. Pauls magic istight, clea1;and exceptionally commercial soyou can be


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Schoke effect s one I've only seenKen peiform, and it has anadditional attribute that makes t stand out from the rest: its plot is, out of the ordinary. Kens books on magic, such as The Card Classics

of Ken Krenzel and Ingenuities, written by Harry Lorayne andStf?phenMinch respective~ contain rich reservoirs of thought. Ken als~fls I look like a crossbetween Lionel Atwill and Adolph Menjou.

tast year writing what will be a comprehensivevolume dedicated to the(bill switch and all its permutations.

BILL MALONEOne of my favorite hidden mysteries, published in Annemanns CardMagic, is "The Scarne Thought Card" by John (who else!) Scarne. Thisis a real mind-blower to laymen and magicians alike. When presented

HA R R Y L O RAY NE properly neither will have a clue as o how you found the card they areNick Conticello's "Seeing Through the Deck" from 1Iirbel17 (1972). just thinking 0 I use a crimp instead of a shon card. I also use all 13Harry says "It's a mathematical thing I've blown people away with. cards instead of 10. Have fun with what I consider a little miracle.The effect is that a card is thought of from a group of five that the Things that work for both layman and magicians are l)ard to find.spectator takes from a shuffled deck. There's no control, the deck is Annemann's Card Magic is the title given to 4~~rintcut a million times, then you look through the deck of cards and find of two Ann~ts: Ted Annemailn's Full Deck of Impromptuthe selected card. I've fooled magicians with it!" ~nd Annemann's Miracles of Card Magic. "The Scarne

The story became even more interesting when I asked about Nick Thought Card" originally appeared n the latte1: The effect takes very littleConticello: Harry continues, "1 have no idea who he is. He found me space o describe,and is very clevel: What I like most about it is the actwheg ,Tannens was advenising that they were doing 1Iirbell ?: That that its the sort of trick a casual reader might think would not fool anyone.was -around the same time David Kotkin begged me to put his trick W&en it comes o close-upmagic, one would be hard-pressed o ind a cur-in. He said 'If I ever make a million dollars, I'll give you ten percent.' rent performer with a better reputation than Bill Malone. Ignore his adviceWell, one thing happened but the other didn't. Anyhow, this guy Nick at your own peril!Conticello came up to me at the restaurant where I used to hang out

Saturdays with 'The Good Guys' and showed me a couple of E R I C MEA Dmathematical card tricks-this was one of them. He fooled me wi~ I'd suggest "Kaplan's Clock Trick" from The Fine Art of Magic byit. I never saw the guy again. I never heard his name again. I've never' George Kaplan (p.72). I have fooled some very knowledgeable magi-seen anyone do the trick. I've never heard anyone mention the trick!" e cians with this trick, doing it exactly as it is writren. It is also a very

Another nod to 1Iirbell. Its long been held that a person could make a strong effect for the public. The only point on which Kaplan is notliving in all areas of magic with nothing but The Tarbell Course in clear is how you count the 11 cards as 12. I use the Carlyle FalseMagic as his or her source of information. Harry of course, s one of our Count, also known as the "walking fingers" count (this is described inmost prolific authors. It for some reason,you do not own Harrys Clpse- many places-probably the most accessible to most readers will beUp Card Magic, get it. It wilt do more than supply you with an out- Paul Harris' Art of Astonishment, Book 3, p.241). Although the subtlen tanding selection of routines, it wilt fill you with a joy and enthusiasm "bluff count" he suggests works perfectly for non-magicians, I stilllJr the craft, thanks to Harrys prose. It certainly did that for me. Harrys prefer the false count no matrer who the audience. This is a great piece

creative output is a gift to magic that will endure. because the effect is absolutely impossible. The conditions are strin-gent, the handling is non existent, and the climax comes as a completesurprise. It is even stronger in the company of magicians who thinkthey are familiar with "clock" rype effects-because this one uses aradically different method. Plus, doing it will make you giddy becauseit is methodologically diabolical. You really feel like you have pulledoff a perfect con. I have performed it for 10 years or more with spec-racular results. I have never seen anyone else do it. I'll probably regrettelling you this for your anicle, as it is sure to get around if it's spot-lighted. I agree with Juan Tamariz-that The Fine Art of Magic is trulyone of the best magic books ever published. (Tamariz makes this asser-tion in his book Sonata-in the introduction to "The RoyalAssembly.") Almost every trick in The Fine Art of Magic is wonhy ofstudy, practice, and performance. It really is that good.

lime to get your hands on The Fine Art of Magic, right? I love thisbook. When I lived in New }Qrk, I was i1rtunate enough to have Georgesign my copy. This book, published in 1948 by the Fleming Book Co., isusually in the stacks of used magic book dealers. t is filled with a hugevariety of nicely routined magic effects. 've only just made the acquain-tance of Eric, and Im very glad I have. His effortless, charismatic per-forming style belieshisthoughifitl approach o magic. He enjoysdoing whatthis article encourages-si.fting through books on magic for hidden gemsthat can be molded to it onespersonality and style. [Editor's Note: Someof the material in The Fine Art ofMagicwas created by Dai Vernon andSam Horowitz and published with neither permission nor credit.]

JOHN LOVICKHere are a few tricks that I actually do that I rarely see others do. I'mmentioning a few because some might not qualify for what you're look-ing for: Goshman's "Cards Thru Newspaper" &om M!giL:.iljL-GlJ5h yPatrick Page and Albert Goshman. The effect has real clarity. If donewell, it's beautiful, poetic, almost hypnotic. Uses ordinary objects.Needs no patter, and is very deceptive. Eddie Fechter's "Be Honest,What Is It?" &om Magician Nitely by Jerry Mentzer. This may notqualify because David Blaine did it on TV and a lot of magicians

$.ped on the bandwagon. But two cards transform in the spectator'sh d! If your presentation and audience management skills are whatey should be, you hand someone the wrong card, and there is no dan-er of them looking at it. Jay Sankey's "A Fold ~nl-1QQ.%

~y Richard ~ufman. A ~ssible location effec,~that needs no special props or glmmlcks. LIke Card on Forehead,you carry the impossible location with you at all times. Ken Krenzel's"The Magic Bullet" (a version of Peter Kane's "Shooting Joker") &omThe Card Cl4ssicsof Ken Krenzel. Talk about a fun premise. You get tobe a bad asswith a gun and then actually shoot a spectator with it.

John has been very kind to point out so many effects.Note that EddieFechters trick has been singled out a second time. Ken Krenzels "TheMagic Bullet" should be in t'Veryones epertoire, and I encourage eople tolook up his version entitled "Caught Red-Handed. " John has spent the

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Goldstein book, and as one of the most respectedwrit-~and publ~hers, in the fie~ continues to releasea

OE MONTI :The trick is David Roth's very deceptive coin vanishfrom Jarbell 7. I believe it's his first published effect. The coin isconcealed on the back of the left hand as both hands are shownempty. There was never a retrieval for this vanish. I came up withone many years ago: When both hands are shown empty you nowtell the spectator that you are going to make your thumb vanish;your right thumb is placed in the palm of your left hand and yourfour right fingers naturally go behind your left hand, catching theconcealedcoin. This is all done in one move. You claim that it costs50 cents to see he thumb vanish. Now you produce the coin any-way that a finger palmed coin can be produced. It's very magical.

David Roth contributed two coin vanisheso Tarbell 7. The one oeis referring to is called ~nother Amazing Coin Vanish. This m~ve,along with ~n Amazing Coin Vanish, which precedest, are excellent.Also found in the Money Magic section ofTarbell 7 is "Sol StonesChanging Chips, a beautijitl coin routine. I used o stand wide-eyed;watching Solpeiform the effect n the back room of ReubensDeli. foeis one of those arepeiformers who has 'the touch. His close-up hopsare inely honed;and he s a wonderfitl comedian,equallyadeptat per-forming on sta e. oe was fte u tributor to Harry LoraynesApocal reprinte , where one can en. oaking up thetho t behind oes direct, visceralmagic.

-7 -, /

/QHN MENDQZAthis day, I do "Stop!" and "Coincidentally Yours," from Harry, ' .-' ~ Card Magic. I don't see others do either of them

often. I als~ "Veeser's Aces" ['~cetimation"] and "MarIo., " from MarIo's Faro Controlled Miracles, both shown to, , Roger Smith~hose Necromancer is one of tIie-s1eeper maga-

in card magic. However, all four of the above tricks have, handling changes and transformations by me over-, , ---r ., .-If I really want

a magician, I do "The Karl Le Fong Trick" out of The.-r .Roy Walton. It's not-a big killer trick, but I've, it.

Of course must tell you the plot of "The Karl Le Fong Trick" (also, -, Complete Walton), or you will otherwise go mad with, In the effect,a card is selected nd returned to the deck at a posi-, , at a spot decided by a spectators random

rlectator rolls two dice to arrive at a new numbel;, 1Zn the deck. The magician never knows either., and arrive at

,- ojWaltons effects, here are no gaffi. "Marlo MiracleTO s '~timation Aces" and is simply one of the best

-~ctsever devised Many variations have appeared in" ' magicians since the original waspublished in 1964..magic. In particulal; his

Book of John, its sequel and The Mendoza Portfolio contain a--

TOM MULL.CAthat comes to mind is "The] .STEPHEN MINCH

here are some offbeat tricks I've always wanted to perform:"Cointraption" by J.J. Oohnny Johnston). The published routine

..a small portable trapdoor made of brass. It isThrough Table" in which the coins penetrate

up through the tabletop and appear under the trapdoor. The pub-lished routine is good, but the prop seems to have more potential. It..-

from The.-the past

.in the 1960s I fooledmany magicians with it. I love the trick because it is completelyimpromptu. I used to use the trick as a challenge. I used it when peo-

.pIe would say, "The hand is quicker than the eye!" I'd do this effect.But I think it a lovely idea. extremely slowly and give the audience a chance to catch me. The

the November 1980 issue of Pabular. other great part of the trick is that it's self-working. What a great trick.Another trick I thought it worth the cost of having made up was The Royal Road to Card Magic by Hugard and Braue is so much

Paul Harris' "Screwed Deck" from his Close-up Kinda Guy, p.7S. more than an entry-level volume of card tricks. It contains excellentFor some reason-perhaps because it required a specially made box effects that play just as well today as when the book was published inand deck-this item didn't make the cut for Paul's Art of 1949. 1Omscontribution to this article is terrific, as he has heartily rec-Astonishment volumes. ommended an effect that magicians know of but Jew perform because

Yet one more trick I had the gimmick made for, but never got they question its ability to ool and entertain. Thank you, Jam, for shin-around to trying was "The Terpsichorean Card" on p.93 of ing a light on a neglectedgem. Another superb and simple trick in theRoterberg's New Era Card Magic. This was a method for causing an" book is "G;:ai!- Spelling Tric~.,." Anyone who has seen Jam performunprepared card to stand on end, then to dance. knows that he hiS the chops to perform any effect he wishes, so his rec-

A card tri~k I've always loved to perform is Phi~ Goldstein's "Five- .' .of this si~et-eJf!ctive trick speaksof its powe1:Card Polka. It started out as a marketed effect m 1976, but even- ~ ~ ) ~tually made it into Focus, p.SS. Great magic and a very funny story .J EAR L NE L SONto support it. ~y story falls into the "I love having my mind changed" category.

The Paul Harris effect s one I have seen erformed live only once. t is In the late 1970s Frank Simon and I were constantly working ohoutstanding. My copy of Focus by Phil GoldJtein looks like the cat made material. He had come to know my personal foibles concerning cardlove o it-the cover s stained and ragged I was a big an of the little pam- magic. I think we all have things we avoid, sometimes for no logicalphlets that Max put out in the 1970s, so when Focus was irst published reason. Frank started touting a trick by Elmsley to me that he(and its since been eprinted by Hermetic Press) was delighted So many thought I should be doing. But, he knew I would never do itclevercard effects ..but one of my personal avorites is 'PicassoAces. It is because it used a stranger card. He finally gave me a copy ofone of the prettiest card routines I've ever seen. Stephen published the Pentagram and just asked that I read the routine. Reluctantly, I did.

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~ ,.. I hare stranger cards. Needless to say, I was blownaway just reading the trick. I worked it up, and have closed my seton many occasions with ~~bitious Stran~ " It can now be foundin The Collected Works ofAieX Elmsle;\ Volume 1.

From my upstairs office in Burbank I hear the rustling of pages asmagicians allover the world turn to their Alex Elmsley books. This isquite a kind gift from Earl. ~mbitious Stranger" is a six-phase .,' cout of a routine that could be the showpiece of anyones act. Milt Kortwas the first to publish an ambitious card routine using an odd-backedcard (and many other effects with odd backs-see his Off-Color CardTricks). Elms/ey, as is his wonp(and working independently), took holdof the premise and routined it to the nth degree. Earl is magics Midas.His co~bined qualities of razor-sha7p thinking combined with anunparalleled understanding of effect and deep devotion to sleight of handturn the magic he touches nto gold. His book Variations has becomeoneof the most sought-after collections of modern close-up magic.

sons and performers, our aesthetics also change and our ability tounderstand improves. Reading a book such as Expert Card 1echnique .Ia "newbie" is a much different experience from the one that occurswhen you read the samebook later in your magic life. I remember read-" -,-,-, ..Backthen 1 was primarily Interested III heavy-duty sleight of hand andsmugly eschewed semiautomatic tricks or ones that used extensivesetups. For example, when I initially read Loray~ntal1y~ instantly discounted it. Several years later, I performed it fora lay audience and found that it played big-time. Ever since, it has beenpart of my active repertoire. In fact, I often include it in my workshop-lecture sessions. When I taught it (as an object lesson) not long agoduring a lecture at the Magic Castle (for the Gemini group), MaxMaven (who was in the audience), confided afterward that the tric!{sbeen a favorite of his, as well. So ...this would be the trick-seldom-seen-but-great-to-do that I'd recommend. Another is Mario's version ofthe "Dunbury Delusion" that is buried in an old issue of M UMMario published several versions, but this one is a killer..Close-Up Card Magic is a marvelous book, with enough solid routinesto establish a person as The Worlds Greatest Card Handler in the eyes fany audience. very few perform "Coincidentally lOurs, " even thoughmany have read it. Jon, if you get a nasty note rom Max, its not my ault.Jon Racherbaumel; needlesso say, s one of todays most respectedauthorsin the field. Based on his output of excellent books, one might expect omeet a guru with a stern gaze, but one would find the opposite-a gen-( tJUS nthusiastic man who loves he ins and outs of magic.

DAVID REGALI felt it would not be right for me to weasel information out of otherpeople, only to keep mum mysel I do many effects that meet the cri-teria of this article, but if I were to pick one killer that no one everdoes, it would have to be "Quadruple Coincidence" from Scarne onCard Tricks (1950; p.97). This effect, a version of "you Do as I Do"on steroids, is credited t~ George Starke and contains multiple ele-ments that coalesce nto everything I love about magic. The effecihas,at its core, a simple method, it requires precise audience management,clarity, and, at one particular moment, a set of brass balls. The endeffect is simply overwhelming. An incredible piece of magic. The bookScarne on Card Tricks is filled with subtle, brilliant effects with cards.

[Editor's Note: We published Dai Vernon's handling of this routinein Geniis December 2001 issue. As for David Regal, he was too mod-est to write a "glamour" paragraph about himsel so I'll do it. He's oneof the cleverest guys around, with a bunch of books and videotapes tohis credit, including Up Close and Personal published by HermeticPress. David is currently on the writing staff of ABC's According to Jim.His new two-volume collection of magic, Constant Fooling, is due tobe released this year.]

JOHNNY ACE PALMERMy two favorite books are The Mark Wilson Course in Magic, byMark Wilson; and The Amateur Magicians Handbook, by HenryHay. I really think the coin roll is explained well in both of thesebooks. agic with Cards, by Garcia and Schindler has a great expla-nation oft e Si Ste ms se uohnny has mentioned three books that have a wealth of practical mate-

rial The Mark Wilson Course in Magic is extremely well laid out, withrock solid effects. Paul Green has already extolled the virtues of TheAmateur Magician's Handbook. As for the Si Stebbins section of Magicwith Cards, the effects '1t Must Be Mind Reading" and "Clairvoyant" are Jsupremely strong. Johnny sees the entertainment value inherent in any '\1move or trick he comes across. One of the memorable moments in his actis when he makes the audience gasp in unison with his handing of whatis, at its core, a version of the classic "Two Little Dickie Birds!"

a compellilgls~est~~ i~d:e~ ~t's see Were ou opose such a question for my consideration, I should have to say thatmy reply must be, hands down, "One Hand Ace Cutting" from MarloMagazine Volume Three. The clever application of fine jog work (thebasis of the handling in this MarIo jewel), combined with some mod-est technical refinements which I contributed, make this one part ofmy '~" material, particularly when performing for "fast company." Itis really more of an exhibition of skill than a piece of fine card magic,however. It is also one of the more obscure MarIo gems that, due toincomprehensible reasons, hasn't been widely circulated. To my mind,it's a perfect example of the multitUde of arcana that await excavationfrom the matrix of the printed record.

The MarIo Magazines are not easy o track down, but you can oftenpurchase them from used magic book dealers such as John Greget inScottsdale,Arizona. Jim is a font of information and a fascinating indi-vidual in areas beyond magic, though he loves sleight of hand and has adeep appreciation for the art. His classic columns for Genii contain awealth of top-drawer items. In addition, he looks like an American JamesBond-I must never let my wife seehim.

BARRIE RICHARDSONHere are some old and wonderful effects. "Indian Rice StabbingIllusion" by Eddie Joseph from The Art of Eddie Joseph, edited byHugh Miller, published by Supreme Magic. He would end his stageshow with this stunt. I use a large jam jar and a chopstick. I get a gaspand then applause when I release the jar and do a long pour.-Max.M~~Hypnotic G~ Qiv!?ation" ~ ~les,Volume Two, page 219. This effect comes as close as you are going to~ mind reading. No preparation, and lots of room for a dra-

JON RACHERBAUMER -At lectUres and appearances I've been hammering away at the notionof revisiting classics and old books-namely because as evolving per-30 Ger


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match, then the match head visibly reappears and the match is ",lit. The effect is then repeated. Stars of Magic, first issued asseparate pamphlets, then reprinted in bound form by Louis1annen, is about as good as it gets in terms of material andmethod of imtruction. A glorious collection. Jims own magic books arefilled with powerfitl card effectsdesigned by a man who knows what canbe done with a pack of Bicycles-his effectspossesshe quality of beingboth stunning and intellectually stimulating.

revelation. Vernon loved this. '~ Match for Gravity" fromJames in Print, The First Fifty ~~e effectpublished in the Linking Rt~g in 1926mo this stunt with

to a coffee cup and I borrow a watch and stick it in theThe string is passed over a wooden spoon which is held extend- \will break, the watch or the cup," I ask. A wonderful \

demonstration. From the same book, ~_~ici0/Ace Tric' (first published in More Eye Openers, 1933). The trickmore eye-popping when done with big cards and having the

do the placement of the cards. This was picked as Best Card MI C HA EL V IN C EN Tof the 19405, I believe. ~ In answer to your question, there is a trick~ hiCh cam to my mind

Josephs output was large and varied-several of his effects are ~ immediately and that is Larry Jennings' "Look-An Illus. ." Thisasstand-alone ealers tems hroughAbbottsofColon, Michigan. effect was first published in Genii back in the ate 1 san. subse-is still oneof the strongest ffectshat can be donewith quently reprinted in ~ Tennin!s n Card and Coin Han!!l!!!1!.This

Editor's Note: Recalling that the trick was published earlier by little booklet contains some real gems.T o my knowledge, haveseenelse, contactedMax Maven, who provides an accuratehis- only three magiciansperform this effect. The first person was Rickyof " ..n:" "It was called 'Prize Winner,' b William Jay n 1981. The next time I saw t performed was by Derek Dingle

It's in GreaterMagic, which puts it back t~, but I in 1982 when I was in New York. I asked Dingle about the effectt was irst put out as a manusctipt around 1934. Regardless, and he told me it was in the little booklet. Dingle did a cleverpublication precedeshe Josephmanusctipt by just over a thing-he did not explain the workings of the effect but left me toOn the heels of that, it was released et again (under the do the research.The only other person I saw perform this effect wasArmstrong in England, ctedited to ...Michael Skinner. I have been performing it since 1982.

Arrnstrong."] The 1ndian RiceStabbing llusion" is veryseldom I normally don't like packet effectswhen they come out of a plas-et theprops can be purchased n a grocerystore! ~ Match for tic wallet. "T wisting the Aces," "Daley's Last Trick," "The Ambitiouss a stunt of thesame lk, and Barrie waskind to tip his dressing Classic" (also by Jennings), and "Look-An Illusion" are what I calleffect-I can maginean audience f spectatorsitting with bated natural packet effects, because he cards are removed from the deckBarrie's wn book,Theater of the Mind, publishedby Hermetic in play. So much magic achievedwith just a small number of cards.one devoured over o cover he day purchasedt. It wasoneof Michael is one of the smoothestworkersaround; and his choiceof

ooks f 1.999. material is sublime. 'Look-An Illusion" is basedon Doctor Daleys"Observation ist, " but has an additional kicke1: The Jennings bookalso contaim his "Chop Cup" routine, perhaps he strongest,most mag-ical routine everdevisedor theprop. Michael is in the midst of assem-bling a book of his own magic, which, if his act is any indication, willcertainly be illed with treasures.

DAVID SOLOMONthe trick thatI love to do from an old book, I love to per-1 Card Trick." I know that you think that I am pulling

leg, but I'm not. "I do the three-phase routine that is in MarIoliars. I also d~ ~~yv~o~s ot Eddie field's "Card ~e

I have written about thi,~,!1!outine in the MarIoI did do the miscall version exactly as I learned it from his ,

The Artfitl Dodges of Eddie Fields (by Racherbaumer).book is a five-dollar paperback book released in

it is as unpretentious as it is excellent. Author Jonupdatedand expanded the material/or The Greater Artful

elds, a sumptuous hardbound volume published inDavid Solomon clearly likes guys named Ed, and Marlos21-Card Trick, " with help from Draun, Solomon, and

oasts n old chestnut over an open ire. It contains numer-and multiple throw-offi making it impossible to track the

David Solomon is one of the clever card men rom Chicago, andSolomon's Mind, written by EugeneBurgen is a ascinating, Iov-

produced collection of the ruits of his labors.JIM SWAIN

trick that I really love--~4 save or special, impromptu occasions,Carlyle match trick in the original Stars of Magic. It is a

of magic, and I've never seen anyone else ever do it.ffect 'Decapitation" (Stars of Magic, p.5.?; Series 4, No.1) is

e of surprising, visual magic with a clear effect that people talkIn short, the magician scrapes he head completely off a paper

Roy WALTONA trick I have used since the publication of the book is the changeof a silver coin to a copper one, the effect being repeated severaltimes. It appeared n the !:!!!!!!:, ~!!!!!;js by Edward Victor, andwas the trick that Oai Vernon based Spellbound" on, a fact that hementioned in a couple ofhis lectures attended. The Victor routineis delightful and has a wonderful steal that I have never seen any-body use.

"The Changing Coin" is found on p.42 of Magic of the Hands( eprinted;along with its two sequels, y Kaufman and Company sTheXic~ TrjJQ.gy~.l yearsago). Edward Victor created The E~Card Trick" as well as effects hat were he basisof "The Coins andChampagneGlass, "nIt, " and "Convincing Control. Roy Walton s atowering igure in card magic, whosename hasalreadycomeup a fewtimes n this article. Suffice t to say,severalmagicians,when ndepen-

j t iy quest ioned in regard to this art ic le, said "Well theres this Waltonthing I do ...but thats not one of the tricks Iin prepared to give away. "

MICHAEL WEBER~ne of my buried favorites is from the classic-Scarne on Card

Tricks. At age 11 or 12, I used to carry the little 99-cent Signetpaperback and a deck of cards around with me. Amazing that there

June 2002 31


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are great handlings of "Miraskill," "Card onCeiling," and "Out of This World" in this one little book.

Take a look at effect number 107-"Scarne's Six-Way Baffler." Itis an earlier (and simpler) version of current favorites like SimonAronson's "Shuffle Bored" and the recent "Chain Letter" card trick.The fact that it can be performed with a borrowed and shuffled deck ,is a real benefit. The effect which follows (108, George Kaplan'ssim-plified handling of the "Six-Way Baffler"), cuts down the proceduresubstantially and the interested performer will think of many waysto take the basic procedure n new directions.

As mentionedearlie1; his is a book that is ove1f/owingwith useablematerial. It is sti~ found in used book shopssince t has beenreprintedoften. The credits n the book read ike a WhosWho of magic:Francis Carlyle, Martin Gardne1;Bill Simon, AI Altman, AI Bake1;Cardini, Bob Humme1; Charles Jordan, Cliff Green, D1: Daley,Dunninge1;Dai Vernon,Nate Leipzig, Henry Christ, Jack Chanin, AIFlosso,Audley WaLsoh,tewart James, Oscar Weigle, Frank Garcia,George Schindler, Louis Zingone, Harry Lorayne, Johnny Paul,J!oward Thurston, Paul LePaul, GeorgeKaplan, Harry Houdini,Stewart udah, u: E Grant, Blackstone, ruceElliott, Si Stebbins,PaulRosini ...these are ust some of the namesassociated ith tricks in thi~book!Michael Weber s deservedly onsidered go-to man in the worldof magic. f you don't take my word or it-take his.

l-. I'..-, ',II-~--R PAUL W L)ONIf you want to know about an excellent little effect that almost

~obody does (or bothers to learn), check out "Under Your Hat" in \ HER B Z A R ROWRoyal Road 10 Card Magic. Reading the description you can see why n answer to your request-this is an effect I've been doing smost people pass it by. The first step is to borrow two hats, but since 1950 and have not seen anyone else perform. The source is Hugahats are so rare today, the effect is immediately dismissed. In actual Magic Monthly, which is also in book form. It is an effect by Clayfact I use this with my own hat-a crushable felt fedora and any cup Rawson called "Sleight of Mind," which is based on an effect or glass that is available. Rufus Steele book. Clayton's additions and handling upgraded

Now it is practical ifl happen to have the hat or ifl see another hat effect greatly in my opinion. It is a wonderful layman effect wwith a brim of any kind at someone's house. Why go to all this trou- great subtlety and leaves the spectators believing it really is mble? Check out the effect: Any five cards are selected by five people dreading. It's impromptu and uses wo shuffled decks. I use my owho collect the cards into a single pile and shuffle. The magician never handling, and as you have said, I hate to call attention to this iteknows which card belongs to which spectator. The cards are sealed n The effect "Sleight of Mind" is from the February 1950 issuan envelope which is dropped into the hat and each spectator writes Hugard's Magic Monthly, a periodical that was published frodown the name of his card on a slip of paper and drops it into anoth- 1943-1964. Many say there has never been a better magazine. er hat (or cup, glass, bowl, etc.). The envelope is stood in plain sight filled with a wide assortment of varied effects from some of on the brim of the mouth-down hat. Any slip of paper is now select- best minds of the day. In addition, it contains reviews and commed and handed to the performer. The owner of the card written on this that make fir a fascinating magical time capsule. "Sleight of Mind"slip is asked to take the envelope, open it, and remove the cards. There based on Ed Marlos "Double Thought" whic~!!!as pub~n Rare only fiur-the missing card is his selection and it's under the hat. ~ ~2 ~~i~g Card Tricks. The effect is about as impossibl

The entire effect requires one very simple move but, presented mental magic with cards gets. Two spectatorsare involved. One caproperly, will completely baffle your audience. In this case t's not the peeked; another is purely a mental selection, yet the magician correeffect (card disappears and is found under hat) that makes this so pow- identifies both cards with zero fishing and zero outs. The psychoerful but the procedure, the remarkably fair way in which the effect is involved is, in a word; cunning. Herb Zarrow is a name known toresolved and, most importantly, the props used to present the effect. card magicians, fir his famous false riffle shuffle, yet his contributioThe challenge is to keep each phase of the setup interesting so the to card magic extend far beyond that-his name has become synoeffect doesn't become boring before it has begun. The secret to that is mous with excellence.to perform it after the audience has accepted you as a magician.I've got to hire Paul to do ad copy, becausehe makes me want to per- .firm this effect tomorrow and every day thereafter fir the rest of my life! For me, reading the replies from all these wonderful magicians wThe Royal Road to Card Magic is, as already stated; a fabulous rare tteat. I hope you are inspired to crack open a few of those boresource. Paul is well read; has an unwavering dedication to the craft, that may be gathering some dust, and delve into the wealth of maand chops that leave the rest of us mortals in awe. His praise of this ial they possess.

Hugard and Braue volume should, I hope, indicate that its not "stuff " Paul hlis-recently co~leted a pr~ect devoted to exploringbooks contents, which should prove to be compelling.

I! MEIR YEDID~'Manipulative Aces" from Harry Lorayne's Quantum Leaps. Althou

1 have not performed it in many years, it used to be one of favorites as it gave me a chance to both educate people abo~variotypes of shuffies while losing the Aces in the deck and then showmy skill by cutting to the lost Aces. At the right time and place it a "reputation maker."

Quantum Leaps waspublished by Harry in 1979 and its considby many to be one of his best books. "Manipulative Aces" is one of teffects hat gives audiences he impressionyou are God with a deck ocards ...or 47 cards if you're Harry ("Ive used this deck since I wkid. .."). Another killer in the book is ~n Amazing Revelation-DisplaIve seen Harry make a room of magicians scream with this-it dosee?n os$i.blefqr a personwith~@1JI-1- ingers to do. Mei1; though fam

) r his "hand magic" (and unlike Harry has only nine fingers), iscomplished and knowledgeable close-up magician. His own books ctain excellent effects. n particula1; ~Up

--M.gir, 1~ritten by Gary Ouellet and published by the CamiraAcademy, contains his !:!i!!emJ~ mtert~inin!! .'~~' one ofbest card effects 've etfer seen. recently watched Rafael Benatar slMagic Castle audience with a skilljitl presentation of this impressive t

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