Locations are drugs on magical markets, especially when they pertain to cards instead of beautiful blondes of the type picturized by California press agents. But let's suppose a blonde is your "medium". Put her in another room. Give a spectator the deck for plenty shuffling. He thinks of one card. Take back the deck, ask him for the card's name. From among them you pick out that card and put it before him. The deck is laid down and you retire from active service. "Put your card anywhere in the deck," you say, "give them all a shuffle, and then…
An assistant from the audience distributes nine numbered slips of paper, the performer asking each person to write a question or bit of personal data. The written slips are collected in an unprepared envelope by the distributor and sealed. In full view at all times, the envelope is placed before the audience by the performer and another assistant recruited to watch it. The medium is now introduced and seated with her back to the audience, well blindfolded. During this, the envelope and slips are burned by the spectator. A large slate is shown to contain a square divided into nine…
Radio sets of the short-wave type have been tinkered and experimented with by magical acts and dealers for the past six years at least. And, with all the effort so far expended, there are very, very few such sets in operation today. It can be attributed both to the cost and to the complexities of the electronics which go into the making of such apparatus. For all the experimenting has been done in a "shooting at the moon" vein, the idea being to transmit, by ultra short-wave, the human voice of the performer to the assistant, or the actual voice…
I have been using what I consider a very practical and mystifying little conception with a big effect. It is impromptu and can be done anywhere and at any time, something that is pretty rare for worthwhile effects of this nature. It can be learned, with an assistant, in five minutes, which is another point in its favor. No apparatus is needed. Any pack of cards is borrowed from the host or hostess. Mixing the cards, the performer requests that the assistant, or medium, be sent to a distant room for the time being. He now states that one person…
One of the subtle methods for the transmission of signals has been passed around a good deal in its original form. The switching on and off of an electric light in another room was found to act on the radio with sharp static like snaps. Presumably the performer would be given a number or card and leave the room before the medium returned. In another room he would signal her through the radio which had been turned down a little but not off during the test. I played around with this idea and found out an important secret which allows…
In many instances a performer wants to present a two person effect of mentalism, but is prevented from doing so because of intricate codes and methods of communication requiring rehearsal. In this instance we learn of a truly simple way by which the medium (or party of the second part) is able to receive the desired information right in front of those witnessing the test. No practice is necessary on the part of the medium, and so it becomes an ideal 'stunt' for those whose wives decline with vehemence to 'learn all that stuff'. For illustration of the communication principle…