If you have one of the P&L metal card boxes sitting around, this makes an excellent effect as an after dinner or parlor trick. Any card box that locks though, can be used. In short, the spectator writes the name of some dead person on a small card which you give them, and it is placed writing side down and covered with a Queen from the deck. You then put the Queen to your ear, leaving the card with the dead name on the table, but she says nothing. You try again, but still no result. Then, with the remark…
Back on June 9th, 1932, I met this cute principle which I've used many times since for an almost impromptu book or magazine test in homes and at parties. With a minute's access to the book and four minutes with the deck you have as clean cut a test as is possible unless you happen to be one of those genuine telepathists. The deck stack of 14-15 is generally known now among magicians, but that is as far as they have gone with it. To those who don't know the set up idea it is a case of arranging the…
Most of the tricks along this line use only one spectator and the performer. Now it is possible to use two spectators for a double effect. Two ordinary decks are needed. The working will suffice to make clear the effect itself. Hand one deck to one spectator and have him shuffle. As he finishes this, hand the second deck to the other person to mix also. While he shuffles, take back the first deck and give it a further mixing while obviously waiting for the second person to finish. You note both the top and bottom cards of your pack.…
If ever there was an impromptu mental novelty, this should be it. I took the basic working from an idea of Montreal's Charles Peet about two years ago, and it has served me quite well. Borrow a derby or soft hat. Say that you'll show a test of clairvoyance and telepathy combined. Ask for the loan of seven or eight one dollar bills. However, before starting to collect them, step up to one volunteer and ask him to write his name in pencil on his bill to identify it later as his. Ask him to fold it over and over…
Have a deck in hand for following these paragraphs to make it much easier. In effect, the performer genuinely shuffles a borrowed deck and fans them down. One after the other, four people (two alternatively, or even one) select any card freely by pulling it only half out of the fan. These are openly shifted to the bottom of the deck which is handed to a watcher who puts these four bottom cards face down on the table in a row. As yet no one has seen their faces. The spectator is asked to run through the deck and remove…
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…
This is one of those rare effects wherein the performer does it all and never requires the taking of a card. It is simple, the sleights are nil, and the routine, while not astounding, is neat and gives the impression of great skill with the pasteboards. It is impromptu and uses only eight aces at any time. Remove the aces from two decks, and while the backs of all should be alike, in a pinch backs of the same color will do. If a pinochle deck is handy, take the eight aces from it. Routine : The eight aces are…