Old and well known (to magicians) card tricks which make use of specially printed and feked cards can often be improved and modernized to make present day miracles. Here is a version of the old Sphinx Card Trick which has graced many a catalog for fifteen cents.

From an ordinary pack of Bicycle cards three are removed by different persons and initialed. Dropping them into a hat, the performer asks one to name his card and it is removed and replaced in the deck. Now the remaining two spectators name their cards, look for them in the hat, but they are gone. In their place is the one card just removed and placed in the deck! The two that have vanished are back in the deck, cards may be shown one by one and the initialed pasteboards are the ones used.

Feked cards are used but they are natural and unsuspected. One is the familiar double backed card to match the deck. The other is made as per the illustration. This card has had the 7 index at one end erased and an 8 index drawn in.

This is put face up on top of the deck and covered with the double backed card. The real 8 of Spades is in a position to be forced. You have three chances to force this card as it doesn’t matter which of the spectators gets it. We suggest dotting a corner and forcing it by the ‘classical’ method of fanning. One who can get rid of it in three trials doesn’t have to be so very clever.

When the three cards have been selected, they are collected face up on the deck after the initialing, the 8 spot being first and the remaining two on top. Now the 5 top cards are turned over together. There is nothing suspicious here as everyone knows three are being turned and two more don’t make any difference. Then the three top ones are openly thumbed off into the hat.

Thus, in the fairest of manners you have in the hat the real 8 spot, the double backed card and the feked 7. The other two are on top of the deck.

Cutting the deck it is placed on the table. Now turn to the three people and, as if by chance, look at the one who had the 8 spot and ask him to name his card. When he does, you reach into the hat and bring out the double backed card and feke together as one, holding your finger over the 7 index so it appears to be the 8. This is put onto the top of the deck and cut to the center, but a slip cut is made which retains the double backer on top.

Now finish as stated in the effect. On looking into the hat, the two other people find only the genuine 8 of Spades. The deck is run through face up with the 7 end of the feke card showing and the two cards are found back (?) in the pack. If the cards be handed to a spectator to run through himself, and the right end of the feke card is up, he can find them himself. Naturally, while the real 8 spot is being found and removed from the hat, the card on top of deck (double backer) is palmed off and pocketed before the deck is run through.

This is an excellent close-up item gives the maximum of effect with a minimum of skill.