Eight years ago, in 1930, I evolved what was a new effect in subtle cardology. A mentally chosen card was to automatically turn over in the deck! There could be no sleight or fumble of a known nature, and the card must be an absolute free choice from among the 52.

The method, with which I had good success in deceiving not a few of the experts, was based on a principle of preparing cards on their surface so that when a pair of these treated sides did come into contact they would adhere enough to prevent separation when the deck was fanned. Only a slight amount of pressure was necessary to separate two such cards. I used beeswax rubbed on the cards to make a very thin coating. However, the magical dealers now supply a fluid for preparing such cards, it being quite satisfactory.

My first objective was made possible by preparing the backs of all cards in a deck. Then 26 were placed back to back against the other 26. Any arrangement may be fixed up just as long as you can look at the face of any card and immediately know the identity of the card adhering to its back. The deck thus became a two faced one of 26 pairs.

Returned to its case, the deck is ready for use. Remember which side of the deck is which.

The cased deck was shown and the spectator told “I am going to make you think of one of the 52 cards. To prove I am right, I have turned that particular card over in the deck. Just think for a moment or so and then name a card that comes into your mind.” When the mentally selected card is named, you knew immediately if that card was up or down as the deck was in the case on the table. The deck was then removed with the named card face down. The spectators saw only a face up deck taken out. Fanning the cards carelessly, you would watch for the card at the back of which was the chosen card.

At this point a little pressure separated the two, and the back of a card seen among faces. The spectator would remove this reversed card and find it actually to be his as thought of.

Two years later, in 1932, in Colorado, that prince of good magic and good fellowship, Paul Fox, told me of a variation.

Get two decks of cards, having red and blue backs. In making this up, two complete sets can be made at one time leaving no waste. Remove all the red cards from the deck of red backed cards, and all blacks from deck of red backed cards. Lay in a face up row from RIGHT TO LEFT the Ace to King of Hearts followed by the Ace to King of Diamonds, a row of 26 cards. Under this row lay out face up the Ace to King of Spades followed by the Ace to King of Clubs, reading from LEFT TO RIGHT.

Now prepare the FACES of all cards.

To assemble the deck, turn each card in the top row face down on the card under it in the bottom row. Assemble these heaps by putting the left end pile of two on the next to its right. These cards are all put on the next to their right, etc.

Fan out the cards from left to right naturally and no faces will be seen, no matter which side of the deck may be upward. However, each side will show backs of an opposite color. At any moment it is possible to separate a pair and show the face up card immediately beneath it. The last bit of preparation is to put a pencil dot in the upper left and lower right corners of the 14th pair from the top of the deck. Then turn the deck over and do the same on the 14th pair from that side. Put the deck in a neutral case, one which does not indicate from the outside the color of the backs of the cards within.

In presenting, the cased pack is given to someone to hold or pocket. The subject is told the aforementioned things about what is to happen, and after the card is named, you remove the deck from the case. If the card named is a red one, the deck is removed with the red backs up. If a black card, deck is taken out with blue backs uppermost. The cards are deliberately fanned, and in doing so you count to the spot where you know the named card is waiting.

For instance, suppose the card named is the Five of Clubs. Deck is removed with blue backs upward. You know the top 13 pairs represent Spades, so you fan carelessly and start counting the backs beginning with the dotted (14th) card. As you pass the fourth and reach the fifth, a little pressure brings the Five of Clubs face up into view.

The same procedure applies to any card. However, unlike the finish of my first method, this has a different climax. You draw the face up card out and drop it on the table, saying “I didn’t want anyone to think I was a sleight-of-hand artist, so I used a card with a different back.” And so saying the card is turned over.

A capable performer is not going to worry about anyone getting at the deck for he’ll be into something else without delay. There is an extra detail though that some might want to use. In the right and left coat pockets have two ordinary and complete decks, one red backed and one blue. Each pocket also contains a pencil. The moment the card is turned over on the table, and the contrast of color seen between card and deck, the performer says “Will you please autograph the card for me? I keep a collection of all cards with which I’m successful.” And at that moment the faked deck is dropped into the proper pocket (whichever color back has been uppermost) and the pencil brought out. The card signed, the performer can take it, at the same time removing and handing the spectator the unprepared deck for the next number.

This effect has great possibilities if properly built up in an impressive manner. Such a presentation will take any thought away that you are doing a trick. It is simply considered a problem of mental coercion. One well known Eastern mentalist has garnered some good press notices and pictures by using this one stunt as a long distance telephone test.

Try it a few times as outlined here, and you will find that you have a real confounder.