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…
Back on the day of March 1, 1929 I got a brain wave from a Charles T. Jordan masterpiece and proceeded to revamp a quite perfect force of his into a two person stunt with numbers and names. Now there are two types of effects which do not find sale with magi. Two person ideas and tricks using a dark room. I will grant the latter as being highly undesirable only because the condition is not easily attainable. The former, though, can be moderated by getting away from tedious study and rehearsal and allow of a friend or associate being…
This is Tervil, a prophetic demon. The effect is one of prophecy. Six or seven years have passed since Annemann first produced his Dead Name Duplication test, one which has since found much favor because of its directness in working. This test uses much of the original technique but the picture to the audience is far different. I shall describe the working along with the effect as presented. I hardly think it necessary to describe pellet switching to readers of these pages for it has been detailed before. Three papers are used. They are about 2 1/2 by 3 3/4…
:: SYMMYST :: This is Symmyst, and it identifies a person who has been initiated into the Mysteries. A great favorite of mine since released in 1931 by Annemann has been what was called The One Man 'Genuine' Magazine Test. Peter Warlock, in a biography for The Magic Circular, referred to it "I cannot call to mind in any modern magical literature, any subtlety producing so great an effect." Only once was I "caught", by an alert friend, whose "flash of wisdom" one of those recurrent telepathic ideas gained no doubt from a guilty conscience, gave voice to the correct…
Have you read Hilliard's Greater Magic? In that gargantuan tome of ephemeral mysteries emphasis is placed on subtlety rather than on "finger-flinging", which Hilliardesque term is undoubtedly destined to live through the ages. Tricks of inspired artistry, gleaned from the minds of those high in subterfuge, seem to live for the sole purpose of refuting that misguided adage, "The hand is quicker than the eye". I feel quite sure of having here evolved a new and different effect for card table entertainment, but there is no reason why the presentation cannot be used before an audience of a size to…
Every once in a while a principle makes its appearance and allows of being used in many varied ways. Over a year ago Dr Daley, in Jinx pages, introduced a method of using four pieces of plain silicate (four flaps) to obtain a spirit message. The following effect combines that with another idea which has found favor, and thus a magician's dream easily becomes a reality. In an impromptu manner and at any time or place, you can produce a phantom answer THAT IS A DIRECT REPLY to any question written by the spectator! Carry with you merely four silicate…
:: EFFECT :: From a set of road maps any one is selected, opened to full size and placed on a table. Any three persons then scan the map and mentally select any city or town that may strike their fancy. The medium is placed in a far end of the room facing a corner. The magus then instructs the three persons to write down their mentally selected locations on a small piece of paper so as to have an accurate check at the conclusion of the test. The last person to write upon the slip of paper is told…
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…
Enabling the performer to get into a climax with but very little preliminary preparation, this item forms an effective opening for a mental act. The effect is based on an idea from Secrets of Magic by Blackstone. However, it will be seen that a new principle and method of handling is brought into play which will confuse those who may know the older secret. The performer shows a packet of cards, say from 50 to 100. Each card is blank on one side; the reverse side carries a six figure number. The packet of cards is shuffled and several members…
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,…