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MORE
EFFECTIVE CARD
TRICKS
- BY -
LOUIS F CHRISTIANER
All rights to manufacture effects herein described
have been reserved.
Published by
E F RYBOLT
Los Angeles
Calif
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COPYRIGHT 9 9
BY
E F
RYBOLT
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T H E C A R D A N D T H E F R A M E
There are a number of card and frame tricks now
in use but the following method has long been a
favorite of mine In effect a card is selected from
the deck and a corner torn from it by the spectator.
This card is then placed on a little stand in plain
view of the audience.
A frame is then brought forward which is
composed of a glass black cardboard and w ooden
backboard. The frame is handed to a member of
the audience who takes it apart and finds it to be
w ithou t preparation and absolutely em pty. T he
frame is then put together and wrapped in a hand-
kerchief and finally held by the spectator who chose
the card and who also holds the corner of same.
The performer then removes the selected card
from the stand and rolling it into a small ball he
wraps it in a handkerchief and gives it to someone
to hold. At comm and of the performer the card
vanishes from the handkerchief and is found in the
frame and the corner is found to fit perfectly.
Some skill and much nerve is required for this
clever effect. In the first place two card s alike are
used. One of these has the upper righ t hand corner
torn off and is placed on the bo ttom of the deck.
The duplicate is on top of the deck.
The frame is absolutely without preparation and
contains the glass black cardboard and backboard.
On the back edge near one corner is a small pellet
of wax. You are now ready to perform the trick.
Force the duplicate card and while the spec tator
is looking at the card bring the other card from the
bottom to the top of the deck. Take the selected
card in your hand and then as an aftertho ught have
one corn er torn off bu t by hold ing the card you
can be sure that the upper right hand corner is torn
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off and also that it will be nearly like the corner
torn from the duplicate card. In tu rn ing to place
the card on the little stand, the top change is made,
placing the duplicate on the stand, but this change
is never noticed, especially as the card is the same.
Bring forward the frame, holding same in the right
hand, first fingernail having scraped off the wax.
The frame is taken by the spectator, during which
the performer places the pellet of wax on the top,
of selected card. T he spectator takes the frame
apart, and hands the backboard to the performer
who places it underneath the cards in his left hand.
The black board is then handed performer, who
places it on top of cards, pressing down slightly so
as to cause the card to adhere to same. The per
former at once takes the frame and glass and shows
it.
A handkerchief is placed over the spectato r s hand
and the frame placed together again, this time the
black board going in place so card will be against
glass. Fram e is then wrapped in handkerchief and
held by the spectator.
The duplicate is then taken from the stand and
folded up small and wrapped in a handkerchief, in
one corner of which is a folded piece of paper to give
the impression that person is really holding the
card. The real card is palmed .
The trick from this point is readily understood.
As before stated, this method I have used for a good
many yea rs and offer it now for the first time. I
have never had the trick detected and have worked
it before many magicians.
T H E C A RD S A N D H A T
The performer introduces a deck of cards and
same is thoroughly shuffled, after which two cards
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are freely selected, noted and returned to the deck.
A large handkerchief is shown to be without prepa-
tion and the deck of cards wrapped up therein . A
derby hat is borrowed and placed mouth down upon
the table. Th e cards in the handkerchief are then
placed on top of the hat. The performer com mands
the selected cards to vanish from the deck and to
appear underneath the hat. U nw rapping the hand-
ker hief the selected cards are seen to have van-
ished, while upon turning over the hat, the cards are
found underneath same.
This very effective flight of selected cards is based
upon a well know n trick, Th e Card Th rou gh the
Handkerch ief. After the deck has been shuffled,
then two cards are freely selected, and after having
been noted, are returned to the deck and brought
to the top of the deck by means of the pass, or any
other method that the performer desires.
The handkerchief is either on a table to the per-
former's left or in the outside coat breast pocket.
I prefer the latter . After the chosen cards have
been brou gh t to the top of the deck, tho: deck is held
in the right hand, face up, or with the two selected
cards nex t to the palm. The large handkerchief
is then laid over the deck, and the thumb and second
finger of the left hand grips the deck through the
handkerchief, a t the sides. Thus the thum b is able
to form a break above the two top (or selected)
cards which are gripped in the palm of the right
hand. The left hand then lifts the deck and hand-
kerchief away, while the right hand, containing the
two selected cards, is brought from under the hand-
ker hief with back to audience so as not to expose
the palmed cards, and takes deck in the palm, this
time, however, the two selected cards are on the out-
side of the handkerchief. The handkerchief is then
folded around the deck, as in the Card Through the
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Handkerchief method, and is finally held by the
ends of the handkerchief, with the selected cards to
the back.
A hat is then borrowed or one that has been used
in a previous experiment, may also be used in this
effect. The performer state s that he will place the
deck in the hat, and at the same time he drops the
deck smartly into the hat, but still retaining the ends
of the handkerchief. This will dislodge the cards
from the back of the handkerchief and will cause
them to drop into the hat. A t once ho changes his
mind and removes the deck from the hat, stating
that it would be better to keep the deck in sight all
the time.
The hat is then turned mouth down on the table.
This is done rather quickly so that the cards will not
fall out of the hat. Th en fold the handkerchief
around the deck and rest same on top of hat. Th e
trick is then accomplished. After hav ing command-
ed the cards to pass from the deck into the hat, re-
move the deck and show that the selected cards are
gone. Then lift up the ha t and the chosen cards
are found thereunder.
This is a really effective trick and if the reader will
try it out with the cards and handkerchief in hand,
it will not seem so complicated as it reads. If de-
sired, the old method of palming the cards in the
ac t of picking up the handkerchief, may be used in-
stead of th at described. A very clear and complete
explanation of this method will be found in Roter-
berg's Card Tricks.
TH E C RD ND TH E P L TE
I
have used the following very effective card trick
for many years in club and parlor entertainments
and have always found that it was favorably re-
ceived.
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A card is chosen and torn into a number of small
pieces. These pieces are wrapped in a piece of paper
napkin then in a borrow ed handkerchief alte r
which a rubber band is wrapped around the bundle
thus formed and the whole thing dropped into a glass
tum bler. After exhibiting a china plate it is rested
on top of the glass. After due interval the plate is
removed show ing the chosen card sticking on the
bottom of same wholly restored with the exception
of one corner which has been retained by the person
who chose the card. Th e handkerchief and paper
napkin are then unwrapped and the pieces of card
found to have vanished.
First of all choose a plate that is as nearly smooth
on the bottom as possible. Some plates have a
ridge around the bottom and one of this description
is unsuitable. Cut a piece of cardboard abo ut a
half inch less in diameter than that of the bottom
of the plate. One side of the cardboard is painted
to match the top of your table while the other side
is covered with glazed paper to match the plate.
After tea ring a corner off a card say the six of
he arts it is stuck face down on the bo ttom of this
cardboard after which the cardboard is placed with
the card side down on the table where owing to
matching the table top it is not noticed. Th en roll
up a piece of a paper napkin into a small ball and
with an elastic band place it in your righ t coat
pocket. Have a dup licate six of hearts on top of
the deck.
Start by forcing the dup licate six of hea rts. Card
is then torn up small and the pieces dropped into a
piece of paper napkin held on your left hand. You
have
during this time obtained the corner torn
from the other card and finger palmed in the right
hand . W he n the pieces are placed on the paper
napkin you pretend to take a corner really the
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palmed corner, and hand to the person who chose
the card, to hold. This person is then told to wrap
the paper and pieces of card into a small ball. While
this is being done, you palm in the right hand, the
duplicate ball from the right coat pocket.
A borrowed handkerchief is then laid over the
left hand, and the ball held by the person is taken
by the thumb and first finger of the right hand and
apparently wrapped in the handkerchief, in reality
the duplicate is substituted and the ball containing
the pieces is palmed . The right hand then goes
into the coat pocket, to get the rubber band, leaving
the palmed ball behind . The band is then placed
around the ball and the whole thing is dropped into
the tumbler.
The plate is now shown and in setting it down on
the table it is placed on the cardboard fake which
adheres to the bottom of the plate owing to a little
wax, which you have previously placed there. Your
excuse for setting the plate down is to move the
table a little closer to the audience. Now pick up
the plate and casually set it on top of the glass.
The trick is now done. All you have to do is to
patter according to your own ideas and finally show
the card on the plate. The card is removed , after
which the plate is placed to one side and at the first
opportunity the cardboard is removed.
The effect may be greatly enhanced if both the
tumbler and the plate are treated with the well-
known ammonia and hydrochloric acid, so when
they are placed together smoke is formed. This
trick was first described by the au thor in the M agic
W and under slightly different conditions.
TH E MYSTIC DD ITION
The performer hands to a spectator to hold, a
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sealed envelope. Next a deck of cards is shuffled
and one chosen by a person, who without looking
at it, places it in his inside coat pocket. Five o ther
members of the audience are then requested to take
a card, after which the performer places the deck
on the table.
The last spectator who chose a card is requested
to call out the num ber of pips on the card. H e says
it is an ace, or one spot on the card. The next spec-
tator has 2, the third 4, and the fourth 3, which
when all added tog ethe r give a total of 10. The
fifth person who chose a card is requested to call
out the suit of the card tha t he holds. H e says it
is a heart. Therefore, add ing the suit to the num-
ber of spots, the resu lt is the ten of he arts . T he
envelope is then torn open, and a small slip of paper
taken out by the person holding same. Up on it is
w ritten ten of he arts . T he first spec tator, who
has the card in his inside coat pocket, removes it
and finds it to be the ten of he ar ts.
One of the most effective tricks that I have ever
used for parlor entertainments, and most simple in
execution. T he reader when he finds that it is all
done by forcing, must not despise the trick for that
reason.
To begin with, the ace of any suit is laid face
down on the table, on top of this a deuce, then a
four and finally a three . The se can be of any su it,
ju st so the total is 10. On top of this is a heart,
making no difference how many spots, just so it is
a heart. Th en on top is the last card, or which will
be the first card selected, is the ten of he art s. T he
cards in this order, are placed in the outside, right
coat pocket. The final bit of prep aration is to write
on a slip of paper, the ten of hea rts , which is
folded up and placed in an envelope and then
se led
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Picking up the deck, the performer goes into the
aud ience , and offers same to be shuffled. W hile
this is being done, the right hand palms the cards
from th e coat pocket. The deck is then received
back in the left hand, and immediately placed in the
right, which adds the palmed cards to the top of the
deck. As an excuse for plac ing the deck from the
left hand to the right, the left hand reaches into the
coat pocket and takes out the sealed envelope which
is given to a spectator sitting close by.
The first card is then brought to the center of the
deck and forced on some gentleman, who is re-
quested to place the card in his coat pocket without
looking at it, and without letting anyone sitting
around him, get a glimpse of it. The five rem ain-
ing cards are forced on different members of the
audience. I vary th e forcing, by first using the
slip. The cards are riffled and a person requested
to say sto p when he or she so desires. The deck
is then separated at this point and in the act of
handing out the lower portion to the person, the top
card of the deck is slipped to this portion and it is
this card that is taken . The next card I force in
the regula r old manner. The third card I force by
making us of Henry Hardin's method, so thor-
ough ly described in Bu rling H ull's Bu lletin of
Late st Sleights. The fourth and fifth cards are
then forced by means of the slip, as used in the sec-
ond card. Th e reader may have some other method
of his own, and if the different cards are forced in
different ways there will never be any doubt in the
minds of the audience, but what the cards were
freely chosen.
All that now remains is to add up the cards as
described, finally having the envelope opened and
lastly, the ten of hearts taken from the spectator's
pocket. T ry this some time in your next parlor
en terta inm ent. It will produce a very good effect.
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T H E F L Y I N G C A R D
This is a very clever and at the same time very
easy trick. It has been used in many club pro-
grams and I have always found that it takes very
well.
A deck of cards is thoroughly shuffled and a card
selected noted and retained by the chooser of same.
An envelope is then shown and sealed after which
it is placed on a small stand resting in plain view
during the entire experiment. Fifteen cards are
then counted from the deck and the person holding
the selected card is requested to place his card
am ong the fifteen and hold them . The envelope is
then held in front of a candle to show that there is
no thin g in it and once more is placed on the little
stand . The performer then comm ands the selected
card to leave the fifteen and to appear in the en-
velope. The fifteen cards are then counted show ing
the selected card to have vanished. The envelope
is then cut open and the selected card is found
therein.
Two duplicate cards are required for the trick.
The y are bo th placed on top of the deck. T he top
one of the two has a minute pellet of wax in the cen-
ter of it. The envelope is w ithou t prep aration . A
small pellet of wax is placed on the lower vest but-
ton. A candle in a candlestick a pair of scissors
and a small stand with a clip on the top complete
the preparation.
To begin the trick the performer advances into
the audience with the deck of cards in his left hand
and the empty envelope in his righ t. The envelope
is given out for inspection sealed and handed back
to the performer who carries it plainly to the table
upon which he places it. The n he lights the candle
and shows the envelope in front of same the reflec-
tion of the light being seen through the envelope.
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The envelope is then placed in left hand on top of
the cards while the candle is placed behind the clip,
or rather alongside of the little stand, and the en-
velope then placed in clip of stand . Bu t it is then
that the card on top of the deck is carried with the
envelope on account of the pellet of wax on same.
The envelope is naturally placed with the card away
from the audience.
Then the performer goes into the audience and
forces the duplicate of the card on some member
of the audience. Fifteen cards are then counted off
and the deck placed on the table. Durin g this time
the performer gets the small pellet of wax from the
vest button and places it in the center of the top
card of the fifteen. These cards are show n after
which a break is made in the center, the card with
wax being brought to the center and the person
allowed to place his card in center of same, but
really on top of the waxed card. Cards are then
squared up and a slight pressure made so as to cause
the selected card to stick to the wax.
The selected card is then commanded to leave
the fifteen and to appear in the envelope. The cards
are then counted and of course the selected card is
gone, on account of being stuck to the wax . The
end of the envelope is then cut open, but just before
taking out the card move the candle behind the
envelope so as to show that the card has arrived.
Then reach into the envelope with the thumb and
first finger, really only the thumb goes into the
envelope while the first finger draws the card from
the back of envelope. The impression created is
that the card was taken right out of the envelope.
Th ose familiar with H enry H ard in's Sa tan 's
M ail will recognize the envelope effect, othe rwise
the effect is original with the author.
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TH E TR VELING C RDS
A spectator thoroughly shuffles a deck of cards
and counts off ten onto the perform er's hand. From
these ten, three are selected, noted and returned to
the pack (of ten ). The performer then shows his
right trouse rs pocket to be em pty. H olding the ten
cards in his outstretched left hand, he commands
one of the selected cards to pass from the left hand
into the trousers pocket, and showing the hand to
be empty, he reaches into the pocket and removes
one of the selected cards. T he pack is at once
counted by a spectator and found to contain only
nine. Th is is repeated with the two remaining
cards, the pack being counted each time to show
that only one card goes at a time.
A little skillful palming is the foundation of this
m ysterious trick. As the deck of cards is handed
out to be shuffled, three cards are palmed from the
top of the deck in the righ t hand . Th e spec tator
then counts ten cards into the left hand and lays
the deck on the table while the performer adds the
three palmed cards to those in the left hand, making
thirteen in all. Now, three cards are selected, noted
and returned to the pack, where they are brought
to the top of the deck or rather the pack, by means
of the pass . (My own particula r method is to have
the cards sighted by just lifting up part of the deck.
This is used a great deal by Leipsig and Merlin, and
is explained in D ow ns' A rt of M ag ic )
As the three selected cards are brought to the top
of the deck, they are palmed and the pack handed
out to be counted once more. W hile this is being
done, the hands go into the trousers pocket in a nat-
ural m anne r and the cards inserted in the top of the
pocket in the right side, the pocket being at once
pulled inside ou t to show th at it is em pty. Of
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course there are still ten cards in the pack which is
held ou tstre tched in the left hand. Riffle th e pack
and command a card to pass from the pack into the
trousers pocket, and at once produce a card from the
pocket. D ur ing this , the little finger of the left hand
is inserted under the top card and in act of handing
out the pack to be counted the top card is quickly
palmed. The pack when counted is found to con-
tain only nine cards.
Receive the pack back in the right hand and at
once transfer it to the left hand, during which the
two top cards are palmed. Th e right hand is in-
serted into the trousers pocket, leaving the palmed
cards there, but at the bottom of the pocket and
separate from the two selected cards already at the
top of the pocket. Riffle the cards and produce a
second card. The performer himself counts the
cards this time and miscounts one, ( M odern
Magic ) showing only eight cards to be left.
For the last time hold the cards outstretched in
the left hand while a spectator holds the w rist. The
right hand is inserted in the pocket and quickly
places the three cards in the top of the pocket and
tu rn s the pocket inside out. A mental note is
made while doing this just whether he has placed
the two cards on top or underneath the remaining
selected card. The cards in the left hand are riffled,
the last selected card is taken from the pocket, and
the spectator holding the wrist at once counts the
cards and finds only seven, thus proving that the
three selected cards have passed into the pocket
one at a time.
After reading the above, it will appear that a
great deal of skill and palming is required, but it is
not as hard as it really seems. And from expe-
rience, I have found that this effect is very convinc-
ing and well worth the trouble.
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TH E FIVE C RDS
The following simple card trick I have often used
and found that it creates quite a mysterious im-
pression. N oth ing absolutely original is claimed
for it, although I have never seen it in print, nor
have I ever seen it performed.
In effect, a deck of cards is shuffled. Five cards
are then dealt onto the table, face down. A specta-
tor is requested to touch one. The performer then
counts fifteen cards from the top of the deck and
has the spectator place the selected card, which has
been noted, among the fifteen. The spectator then
holds the packet tightly between his hands. Th e
performer shows his trousers pocket to be empty,
and then commands the selected card to leave the
spectato r s han ds and to pass into his pocket. The
spectator then counts the cards face up on the table
and finds tha t the selected card has vanished. The
rformer then produces it from his trousers pocket.
As before stated , the method is very simple. Any
five cards and five duplicate cards are required.
Five are arranged in such an order that the per-
former can tell by feeling, what card he has hold of.
The other five are arranged in the same order and
placed in the outside right coat pocket. The deck
of card s is shuffled and while this is bein g done, the
performer palms the five cards from the coat pocket
and places them on top of the deck, when same is
returned to him.
These five cards are then dealt onto the table,
face dow n. Kno wing the order, it makes no differ-
ence to the performer what card is touched, for he
will at once know wha t card it is. The tro use rs
pocket is shown to be empty by placing the cards
therein, in the top of the pocket.
The performer then counts fifteen cards from the
top of the deck, and during this moistens his finger
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and dampens the top card of the fifteen. The se-
lected card is placed among the fifteen bu t on top
of the moistened card so when the spectator holds
them tigh tly together the selected card will adhere
to the damp card and same are dealt as one card
thus giving the impression that the card has van-
ed. If the performer does not use an ivory fin-
ished card he will have to place a small pellet of
wax in the center of the card upon which the se-
lected card is placed.
Knowing the card selected and in just what posi-
tion this card is among the five in the trousers
pocket it is an easy matte r to produce the card
from the pocket.
It is not necessary to use the trousers pocket for
all the cards but the five cards can be distributed
in various pockets. How ever I have used the trick
as described above and have always been well satis-
fied with the reception it received.
THE TOP CARD
H ere is a little card trick with which I have had
considerable success and although simple in effect
and execution is none the less mystifying and
brings into play some well known moves in card
work.
A deck of cards is tho rou gh ly shuffled. A spec-
ta tor no tes a card after w hich the deck is again
shuffled. A ttention is called to the top card which
proves to be other than that noted by the spectator.
The performer then makes a quick downward move
and the selected card appears face up on the top of
the deck.
The only difficult move in the trick is th at of ge t-
ting the card face up on top of the deck. A card
may be forced or chosen as desired and b roug ht
to the top of the deck by means of
the pass or other
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method at control of the performer. I sometimes
use the flesh grip, referred to elsewhere in this
book, and which is explained in D ow ns ' A rt of
M agic. H av ing the selected card on top of the
deck, shuffle the cards and display the two top
cards as one, the spectator naturally saying that the
card exposed, is not his card.
The cards are, during this, resting in the palm of
the left hand. The hand sweeps dow nw ard, the
thum b at the same time pushes the selected (top)
card to the extreme opposite edge of the deck,
where card is gripped between thumb and finger
tips,
and is completely turned over so it will appear
face up on top of deck. At the same time, the
thumb riffles the edge of the deck and card is
shown. Try this move with the cards in the hand
and it will not seem so difficult. There is a little
trick very similar in effect in A rt of M agic, bu t
the method of w ork ing is very different. It is just
one of those quick little effects that take so well.
TH E DOU BLE REVERSE
ll
entertainers who do card tricks, are more or
less familiar with, and have done at some time or
another, the well-known trick of earning a chosen
card to appear, face up, on top of the deck which
has dropped to the floor. For a long time, I have
had a particular method of working this trick, and
have never seen it done quite in this manner.
Two cards are chosen and returned to the deck,
after which they are brought to the top of same by
any method tha t the performer desires. I use the
pass for the first card and the second card I have
glimpsed as explained in D ow ns ' A rt of M agic,
holding the break by the flesh of the third finger,
slipping the card out and palming it to the top of
the deck. The cards are then shuffled w itho ut dis-
turbing the top cards, which are the two selected.
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After the shuffle the deck is finally held in the
left hand while the righ t is seen to be em pty with-
out calling atten tion to the fact. The deck is then
taken in the right hand during which the left thum b
pushes the top card over to the right for about half
an inch. Th e right hand at once raises the deck
into the air and drops it into the lowered left hand.
The top card then turns over by the action of the
air and when the deck strik es the left hand the first
card selected is face up thereon.
Now atten tion is at once called to this ca-d. and
with the little finger of the left hand a break is
formed between the two top cards and the deck
that is between the card that is face up and the
next card which is the second card selected or
rathe r the first selected card the second one having
been palmed on top of this. The little finger of the
left hand thus forms a break at the lower corner just
as if the pass was about to be executed. In pass-
ing the deck to the righ t hand the little finger raises
the two top cards up and the first finger and thumb
of the right hand grasps them and lifts them to
one side but the action is carried on without the
least bit of hesitation and while the right hand is
abou t to be raised into the air. The deck is once
again dropped to the lowered left hand and when
it strikes the hand the second selected card will
be found to be face up the two cards turn ing com-
pletely over in the air. As the first selected card
will be face dow n it app ears as if it had changed
to the second card during the action of dropping
from one hand to the other.
It is difficult to explain this effect clearly but if
followed with cards in hand it should no t be so
hard and it is very effective the redeem ing feature
being that one does not have to stoop to the floor to
gather up the cards as in the old method.
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T H FOUR KINGS
The four k ings are rem oved from l-.he deck and
freely shown from all sides. Th ey are then placed
in the deck in different positions and the deck thor-
oughly shuffled.
Attention is then called to the bottom card of the
deck (the deck being held so the face of the cards
is toward the spectators), and which is found to be
an indifferent card. The performer then merely
passes his hand over the card which is suddenly
changed to one of the kin gs . A mere flip of the
cards is all that is required to change this king
into one of the others, and so on, until all the kings
have been produced.
Absolute mastery of the pass, or the Hermann
pass,
and the fact tha t the cards used are strip -
pers is the secret of this trick, which
will
be recog-
nized as an adaption of Leipzig's Four Ace trick.
After the kings have been inspected, they are re-
turned to the deck, but in different parts, and also
turned around so that the larger end of the kings
will be at the smaller end of the deck, in much the
same manner as strippe rs' 'are always used.
The deck may then be shuffled as much as de-
sired, without disturbing the cards, or rather the
kings.
After calling atten tion to the bo ttom cards
of the deck, the performer merely runs his thumb
over the edge of the deck, and so locates the king
nearest the bo ttom . The little finger is then insert-
ed and the pass made, bringing the king to the bot-
tom. T he Herm ann pass is the best for this change.
Th is pass is thoroughly explained in Ed rnase's E x-
pert at the Card T ab le and in Roterbe rg's Card
Tr ick s. W ith this pass, the color change is per-
fect and cannot be detected.
After the four kings have thus been produced, I
generally follow up with an effect common with the
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aces. I again offer the kings for examination, dur-
ing which three cards are palmed from the top of
the deck. The deck is held out and the kings
placed on top of same. The person is then asked
if
he is
satisfied that
the
kings
are
unprepared,
during which the palmed cards are dropped on top
of the deck.
The four kings are then placed in a row on the
table, but in reality only one king and three indif-
ferent cards. The three cards are then placed on
each supposed king, but the three real kings are
placed on the only king in the row and three indif-
ferent cards, which
are
shown
are
placed
on
th
other cards.
Some spectator is then asked to point to any
two piles. If two are taken, one of which contains
the kings, theother twopiles areplaced to oneside
and the two chosen left on the table. It does not
make any difference which two are chosen, for the
performer arranges so that the pile containing the
kings is still left on the table. This process of
forcing
the
choice
on the
pile
of
kings
is
well known
in fact is very thoroughly explained in Hoffman's
Card Tricks, but is merely used here to follow up
the foregoing effect with the kings. The combina-
tion described above is very effective and I have
used it with very good results in parlor work.
THE OBE DIENT C RD
A card
is
selected, noted
and
returned
to the
deck.
The two red aces are then removed and tossed into
the air only to return to the deck together. The
selected card is then commanded to appear between
the two red aces. Going thro ug h the deck, it is
found that the performer's command has been
obeyed, for the selected card is found between the
two red aces.
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The trick is one that I have performed for some
time and which is a variation of one performed by
Malini, Merlin and other well known card experts.
In their hands, a good deal of manipulation is re-
quired and the average performer does not care to
bother with it.
In the above effect, however, all that is necessary,
is to remove the two red aces, and place them on
top of the deck. On one, a small pellet of wax is
placed. In the act of having the selected card re-
turned to the deck, the pass is made and same is
placed on top of the ace with the pellet of wax, and
by a slight pressure, is made to adhere there . T he
deck is then squared up.
The performer then runs through the deck and
removes the two red aces, one of which has the se-
lected card stuck on the back. T he red aces are
shown and squared together. Th ey are tossed into
the air, and by the usual twist of the wrist, are made
to return, the deck being opened to receive them.
Now, by giving the deck a riffle, the selected card
will be separated from the ace and going through
the deck same is shown.
It is assumed that my readers are well up in card
work, and as the pass, returned card and throw ing
a card has been explained so often, such description
at this time is superfluous.
F A C E U P
This is a card trick for the card table, and is based
upon a trick, Simply Drop them as described by
Dr. R. M. Woodward, some years ago in the
Sphinx.
While sitting at the card table, anyone is allowed
to select a card, note it and replace it in the deck
and the cards are cut. T he performer then deals
the cards out as fast as he can, face down, with the
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exception of the selected card, which appears face
up. As will be seen, the effect is very sim ilar to
Dr. Woodward's, but by reason of the fact that the
performer is sitting down, he is hampered with
doing any sleight of hand.
After the cards are shuffled, the performer notes
the bottom card. Th en anyone cuts the cards and
takes any card from the pack and replaces it on top
of the portion that was originally the top of the
pack. Now , when the cut is made, the bottom card,
which the performer knows, will be on top of the
selected card. The ca rds may then be cut as often
as desired, without danger of disturbing the cards.
In running through the deck, the chosen card is
found and brought to the top, after which the deck
is shuffled, leaving the chosen card third from the
top. In shuffling again a few are accidently
dropped and in putting them back on top of the
deck, the performer notes how m any there are. In
this way, he knows how far down from the top,
the selected card is placed. The cards are then dealt
out, face down, as quickly as possible, the performer
cou nting the cards all the time. W hen he reaches
the selected card, it is given a twist, to turn it face
up, but continues counting out the cards for a short
time after the selected card has been passed. The
idea is to create the impression that you are just
running through the cards, and there must be no
hesitation w hatsoever. This is really a very effec-
tive trick and must not be despised because no new
methods are offered.
T H E F O U R A C E T R I C K
The following version of this fine effect I have
used for some time with good success.
Three duplicate aces are needed, and these should
match the deck used. To begin, the three du plicate
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aces the ace of clubs hearts and diamonds are on
top of the deck. The n three ordinary cards on top
of these. The regula r aces of the deck are near the
bottom . Firs t run throu gh the deck and remove the
aces
and set them face up on the table with the
ace of spades second from th e left. Now place thre e
cards on top of each ace of course the three dupli-
ca tes will fall on the ace of spades. This set is then
forced by any of the well known methods.
Now pick up the first pack of cards after you
have placed the pack containing the ace of spades
to one side and show that there is only one ace and
thre e indifferent cards. T o do this the cards are
held face to the audience between the thu m b and
the first finger with the third and little fingers at
the back of the cards. W he n the cards are fanned
it will be found that the ace will come right on the
little finger and if a slight pre ssu re is exerted on
the ace it will bend out from the othe r cards . Now
this first pack is placed down in the left hand. The
next pack is shown in the same way and the ace
spru ng out as described. Now in the act of placing
this pack on the other the ace is slipped to the bo t-
tom of the other pack and only three cards are placed
on the pack in the hand. This is repeated w ith the
remaining pack. T hu s three aces are on the bottom
of the pack in the left hand instead of being mixed
up as the audience imagine.
There are now twelve cards in the left hand.
These are counted from hand to hand during which
the aces are brough t to the top of the pack. In the
act of coun ting the little finger is slipped between
the ninth and tenth cards allowing the three aces
to be readily palmed and disposed of later. The
trick is then finished and the aces appear together
in the selected pile.
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N IMPROVEM ENT
A very old but at the same time an extremely
effective card trick
is the one
wherein
the
slip
is
used to suddenly cause a card to appear in any
position of the deck.
A card
is
selected
and
brought
to the top of the
deck. The performer then makes a break in the
deck and asks if the top card of the lower half of
deck is the one selected. The card is then tapped
with the top portion of the deck and the top card
of
the
lower portion
is
found
to
have changed
to the
selected card.
The improvement consists in having the selected
card appear face up after tapping same with the
upper part of the deck. Proceed in the usualman-
ner andbringthe cardto the top of thepack. Now
cut
the
cards
and
hold
the
lower half
in the
left
hand
on the
palm with
the
second
and
third fingers
outstretched and hold the upper half in the r ight
hand in the same position as it was when it was
lifted up only with the faceof the card UD .
A spectator
is
then requested
to
look
at the top
card of the lower half and see if it is the selected
card. U pott receiving a negative answer the lower
half
of the
deck
is
tapped suddenly with
the
upper
half and in
this movement
the
fingers
of the
left
hand catchthe top cardof theupper deck andpulls
it to the lower half and at the same time the left
hand makesaturnso thepalm ofhand willbedown.
This movement leaves the selected card face up on
the lower half of the deck. Riffle the cards and
then show
the
selected card.
The
effect
is
very
surprising. Try it.