(Note by Annemann: I thought that I exhausted the 14-15 deck stack principle long ago but Mr. Vosburgh has a decidedly new angle for its use in a book test. Besides this "break-down" of chances to a three-word possibility there is included a revelation via slates which, for the first time to our knowledge allows of the word being foretold (?) by the performer without the use of a definite force.) Remove two aces from a deck and arrange the remaining 50 cards by values so that each adjoining pair, when added together, total either 14 or 15. (7-8-6-9-5-10-4-J-3-Q-2-K-A-K-2-Q-3-J-4-10-5-9-6-8-7-7-7, etc.)…
In Jinx #131 there appeared an effect by Sid Lorraine aptly entitled 40,000 Words. As a pocket dictionary test it might well have been marketed for a price. While that which follows is another effect of the same order I have found it a quite perfect follow-up, or repeat, to the one mentioned. No extra book then is needed, and the immediate repetition of the word test with someone else will upset no little any wise magi trying to check up on your actions. A ten-cent store pocket dictionary is given a person for a free selection of a single…
The performer introduces a pocket dictionary. The spectator looks through it -- has a free choice of any one of the many printed words. The word is written by him on a card and it is inserted momentarily in the dictionary. After a moment of concentration, the spectator pockets the card and hands the dictionary to the performer who immediately opens it and reads aloud the word chosen together with its definition. If this were a dealer's item, I might emphasize the following points: Absolutely no force -- no carbons -- no mirrors -- no loose page inserts - comes…
Picture this: The performer stands with his back to the person holding a book or dictionary, preferably the latter. The man opens the book and thinks of one of the words. The word is not forced, the performer does not know what word will be selected, he cannot see the spectator or the book, but he, the performer, tells the spectator the word of which he is thinking --- and it's a one man test which does not use confederates. The quite simple method is based, as bold as brass and as subtle as Satan, upon the forcing of homonyms,…
Let ALPHA represent a conjurer and BETA an assistant from the audience. ALPHA presents a school satchel telling the audience that it belongs to his young nephew. Unfastening the straps he removes about half of a dozen books, five of which should be read at school, and one which obviously shouldn't. Next he removes the slate, a piece of chalk, a small writing pad and a pencil. (If he is a performer who essays the humorous manner he will no doubt fill in time by removing lengths of string, bits of toffee and the like) "There is Magic in everything"…
If you actually could do true mind reading you would proceed exactly as you do in this hitherto unrevealed and astonishing test. That is what arouses the amazement of the spectators -- entire absence of any apparent method. Every move is seemingly done by the spectators themselves -- any one spectator or several, it makes no difference. If you see a spectator who has brought his own newspaper you may use that, if you wish. Any newspaper, any page, any column, any want ads from that column -- entirely free choice. You never see the want ads which are selected.…
The effect IS the thing, and this effect IS different. Three books or magazines are shown and one selected by choice. The performer has three piles of envelopes, each of a different size so they can be nested one within the other. From the smallest pile he gives a spectator one into which he puts a blank piece of paper and seals. The envelope is placed into one of the next size larger and the spectator writes his name across the flap. This marked set of two envelopes is now sealed in the last and largest size of the three.…
2511 Cypress St. Columbia, S.C. May 21, 1939 Dear Mr. Annemann : It all started when Jenny Gayden called and asked if I'd come to her party that night. During the afternoon I went over to the neighborhood where Jenny lived and scouted around. At several filling stations, drug stores, and an all night restaurant I took down their telephone numbers along with names and addresses. Back home, in front of my own phone, I did some heavy figuring. Under each of the dial holes wherein you put your finger is a number and above each number are three letters…
3316 Center Street Omaha, Nebraska Jan 10th 1927 Theo Annemann Waverly, N.Y. Dear Mr. Annemann : I like your hair book test fine for stage. It is a deep mystery but the other slate chalk test is not easy enough for me to try. I sure made a hit with the Challenge mind test but have changed it to suit my type of work. I admire the clever ideas about Si Stebbins but for me simplicity is always best and if you can ever show me an effect more superior that I am getting with my way I will adopt…
You begin this one by having your wife leave the room (or does she do that anyway when you begin doing tricks ?). Have her hidden as far away and with as many closed and locked doors intervening as possible. Play this fact up. Then shuffle the deck and have a spectator cut. With the deck face down before him, the spectator now cuts off any number of cards up to half the deck. Without looking at it, he places the bottom card of his cut off portion in his pocket, keeping the rest of the packet himself. The performer,…