John Carney - Book of Secrets [PDF]

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SECOND EDITION O 2004 by

JOHN

CARNEY and CARNEYMAGIC

All rights reserved, including manufacturing and marketing rights. N o products described may be sold or manufactured without express written permission of the author. N o part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys. tem, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo* copying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without the permission of the publisher.

Library

of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2002093648

ISBN 0.970 1287.0.3 Printed and bound in T h e United States.

WRITING, DESIGN, and ILLUSTRATIONS John Carney

DESIGNand DIGITAL PRODUCTION Michael Albright

EDITING John Lovick

PROOFREADING Matthew Field Todd Karr Tina Lenert Richard Hatch Stephen Minch

PRE-ILLUSTRATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY Bill Taylor

ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHS Mike Caveney's Egyptian Hall Museum Edwin A. Dawes Collection Irving and D o n Desfor Scottish Magic Archives

TO M Y T E A C H E R a nSd I N S P I R A T I O N S . T H A N K YOU.

ART...IN MAGIC? ................................................................................................................................ LEIPZIG~KINNER SURPRISE ............................................................................................... LEGENDS: Johann Nepomuk Hofiinser ....................................................................................... FORGOTTEN RECOLLECTION ................................................................................................... THECLASSIC PASSAND OTHERMYTHS...................................................................... OFFTHE VINE.................................................................................................................................. David Devant ................................................................................................................ LEGENDS: ................................................................................................................. VERBECK'S ENVELOPES MULTIPLE SLIP.................................................................................................................................... LEGENDS: Fred Kapj .........................................................................................................................

198 206 220 222 232 248 258 260 276 286 TOOLS OF THE TRADE ................................................................................................................ 288 ASCENSION ........................................................................................................................................... 300 Al Baker ........................................................................................................................... 322 LEGENDS: SWINGBLADE.................................................................................................................................... 324 MONEYFOR NOTHING ................................................................................................................ 334 John Ramsay ................................................................................................................... 348 LEGENDS: THIMBLE COLLECTION ................................................................................................................. 350 THEFINALLESSON........................................................................................................................ 364

-.,nrney

conslders h~mself a student of maglc doesn

rt~c.111t l ~ a tht-t lacklng In accomplishments. Nor IS t h ~ sany fak ~ n o ~ l r s tor y cloying compliment for the art. I think John consld -1-5

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srudent because he conslders the process of pel

ro he al.rollt learning: learning what an audience sees, does nc

~ s learn ; i11g the subtle differences between the hand and th ,latron. trt-wcrn the mechanical and the illusionary. pt through study and analysis, one becomes exper ~ I IC C ~ I I ~ I I I I Xruy I~R and analysis. A student looks for the next lesson, an1 r x t levcl of cxprrlrise. vid Dcva nt, a pist master of magic and an insightful teacher of the art about thc process of creating a routine in his book Our Magic: "The hemmrli,trf~~or hnds the tenlptation strong upon him to linger lovingly over slekhts, passes and palms galore, while losing skht of the ultimate efect on the minds of the audience. We do not remember having ever seen an illusion with billiard balls in which the effect was not blurred by this sort of thing, instead of being made to stand out in relif like a clearly cut cameo. O n being asked afrerward what the conjurer did with a billiard ball, the spectator probably replied 'Oh, all sorts of things, '" Devant's "clearly cut cameo" is, I think, the perfect simile. It suggests no only the delicate sculpting involved in any routine, but the elegant, jeweldlik' result when the illusion is perfect. This process of sculpting, and the dramatic often disarming results, are something I've come to associate with John Carrie)

...,.,

1

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Over the years, I've had many opportunities to watch John perform, and he always surprises me. He's one of my favorite magicians, not only for his respect. ed level of skill (we magicians still have a fondness for seeing knuckleebusting sleight of hand) but for the seamless way he's been able to mix the technical aspects of magic with inspired presentations. H e can be really amazing. H e can also be elegantly entertaining or genuinely funny, as in his incarnation of the mas. terful but curiously bumbling character of Mr. Mysto. Recently, I've taken advantage of Johnts studies by presenting him with sever. al formidable challenges. In 1997, I and my fellow organizers of the Los Angeles Conference on Magic History asked John to take the part of Miles Mooney, the comic watchman who stars in John Nevi1 Maskely~le'sfamous illusion play Will, [/re Witch and the Wntc/r. T h e n again in 1999 we asked him to play Munga, the Indian magician who stars in Devant's magic play The Mascot Moth. Neither was a logical role for a sleight0ofehand adept. Miles performed no magic at all, but was responsible, over twenty minutes of dialogue, for carefully directing the action around several large illusions. Munga, in the Mascot Moth, was challenged-potentially handcuffed-with a number of mechanical effects from the last century. In each case John surprised us again, perfectly blending character, comedy, and magic to form proud centerpieces in the revived works of Maskelyne and Devant. That's when I learned one of John's secrets. He's a very good actor. As a stu* dent he studied the part carefully, found the way and the times to be funny, and worked meticulously to highlight the magic. Having watched these studies, I was particularly intrigued by John's approach in this book. Here is a real insight into the way he thinks about magic, the way he combines past inspirations with current motivations, and the continual process of searching, trying, experimenting, improving to find the best result. Admittedly, it's the result of a student, someone who loves the subject and appreciates it enough to brutally analyze and diagnose it without losing sight of the delicate, featherweight touches of entertainment throughout. It's more than just a new format for a magic book; it's made me think about magic in a new way and I'm sure that it will do the same for a number of fascinated students who take the time to follow John's example. Maybe we shouldn't be surprised that this professional student has turned out to be a masterful instructor.

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Iascination for us all. W h a t could be as intrigurn!

arid srductivc as a secret? But In any art or craft, the truly valu

hardeearned. T h e essential insght is not someth~n; stmply rnrrc for the asklng, serendipitous discovery, or bought fo Short cuts are an illusion. Parttctpatton is required. any ainonnr of T ~ is isI wha attempted to emphasize in the volume before you. 1 11-n- to trt>rrare t11r student from his passlve mlnd of 44acquiringsecrets" an, amral talents to make contributions to hls own maglc = him to 1 as advancr me art In general. It 1 task of teaching someone the art of magic, I woulc p rovid plere coulrse of study. Flrst, I would help the student develol I an apprrclatlon ot rnag~c'srlch hlstory, providing a paradigm, as well as source of insprmtron. I would also Include the advlce of past masters, an( practxcal theory to condition the student to thlnk analytically about every thlng he undertakes, wlth no detail left unaddressed. I would encourage the student to create hls own routines, adapting wha I teach to his own personal goals and exacting criteria, and to discover an( exploit his own unique talents. I would attempt not simply to feed hi appetite, but to nourish him, providing perspective on trendy moves an( tricks, focusing on efects instead of just methods and novelty alone. Finall) I would challenge my student to live up to his potential, setting his sights . little higher with each new accomplishment; never to feel he "knows it all.' In the chapters that follow I offer sections called "Your Turn" in which thl I

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student can add his own contributions of thought and deed, in the hope that hc does not stop thinking once he has closed the book, and that he will continuc to set new problems to solve, new goals to achieve. I struggled wid1 the editorial decision of exactly how much detail I should ust to describe standard sleights in the descriptions that follow. While it might bc argued that the volume before you is an "advanced" course in sleight of hand, f o ~ the sake of completeness I have decided to describe these moves as if the studen had no other books to reference these sleights. In producing this volume, many thanks are in order. First, I must thank thr many people over the years who have given me their time and trust, as well a: the books of past masters, for sharing the secrets that I now pass on to you. In the present, I am most prodigiously indebted to my good friend Johr Lovick for catching all my naive blunders and helping me clarify many of m) ideas. H e has done tremendous service to me, for which I am truly grateful. am also greatly appreciative that my friends Stephen Minch, Todd Karr and Tin; Lenert should offer their talent and insight to the final draft. They have my deep est admiration as friends and devotees of the art, and have been a great help, no only for their proofreading, but in all areas of the production of this book. My buddy Bill Taylor is simply the nicest fellow in the world, and we all havc him to thank for the beautiful photos that enabled me to render the illustrations Bill's attention to detail has provided the student with precise representations o the actions illustrated. Thanks Bill! I could never have negotiated the immense labyrinth of publishing, with it: confusing corridors of computer twists and turns, without the help of my goo( friend Michael Albright, who has assisted me in the design as well as the tech nical side of the project. T h e process of book#making is filled with counties: details, above and beyond the writing itself. Michael's skill and taste have taker my broad "conceptsti and given them life in the real world. I couldn't have don, it without him. Literally. I always seem to find myself thanking my good friend Mike Caveney. In thi: case, I thank him for his help and support. I am also indebted to Mike's Egyptiar Hall Museum for many of the archival photos in this volume. Eve la Cave! My thanks also to D o n Desfor who contributed many historical photos taker by his father, Irving Desfor. Many thanks also to my friends Bill Bowers, Joe Hodgson, David Williamson for support and friendship, and of course, Faucet and the Professor for their guidance and generosity.

Finally, to Mom and Dad, Karen, Craig, and Susan, for their love and sup port, as well as years of picking cards. My immense appreciation to all for helping to make this book happen. Here I humbly lay all these efforts before you, in the hope that they are to your taste and that they provide not only what you may want, but also what you may need

Attitudes, wholesome self-criticism, and the importance of study and experimentation,

o you rcnlly want to improve your magic? Don't just read that I.ist srntcncr: stop and consider the answer. I'll wait ... If [tic answer 1s yes, what are you willing to do to attain this goal? Would yoti work, say, ten hours a day, or would you rather i t rrn m i n;~tes ~ a day? Honestly, Itm not trying to tell you how !nrMhr rrT you, nor am I trying to shame you into doing bet. srlgmt~igthat it is necessary that you devote your life tc It-1 I t ) . g to rhc ~xclusionof work or family. magic, Iiut, I I yoti don'r r n j q magic enough to devote even a minimal amount oi why not find something else that you truly love, an thoupl.it a ~ i dat sibilities are not considered an imposition? W h y not avocat'Ion who!: . find somerhtng you wnnt to do? Flowcver, if it is your desire to improve, I'm here to encourage you. You have to believe that with greater commitment come greater rewards. These rewards will be in direct proportion to how much you analyze your magic and apply what you've learned in real performances. A serious commitment is required to expand one's understanding and abilities. Applying this type oj discipline to the study of magic means going beyond the search for new trick: and secrets, focusing instead on the quest for insight. T h e process itself wil improve your selfdesteem and enrich your life. T h e idea of "Zentt can sound so mysterious and irrelevant to the Westerr mind. It is said that the Z e n "waytt that can be described in words is no1 the true way. It is for everyone to discover for themselves, without an)

.

ascribed dogma. Z e n and its brother philosophy, Taoism, use elements of nattlrc as metaphors, employing the universe as a teaching tool. With the assistance o these comparisons we may reach a clearer understanding and perspective on issue: more directly relevant to our lives. This is where our pursuit of magic gains re1 evance. I believe it is important to have a hobby of some sort, something that i: just for you, where you decide what is right and wrong. N o one can tell you h o long it should take, dictate its content, or put a price on it. This hobby is you, private world where your decisions are absolute. In this way, the hobby car become a vehicle to discover yourself, to learn, to grow. Free of the restraints o: being "practical," you are free to play and dream. T h e basics of food and sheltet make life possible, but beauty and art make it worth living.

THEWAYIS -0

IN THE TRAINING.

Mbamoro Musashr) Master Swordsman

If you can manage to see your study of magic as a metaphor for your life in general and for exploring your potential, a greater urgency will become manifest, with new energy and avenues revealed. T h e smallest advance or insight will bring great satisfaction and confidence. There are a lot of so~called"experts" who think they have learned all there is to learn, and as a result, they will never really grow or improve. As soon as you think you've got it figured out, you're dead. You have stopped growing and have begun to stagnate and decay. To progress, the aspirant needs to first establish a studentfran~eof mind, accepting responsibility for his own learning. Dai Vernon was a student of magic until the day he died, and was not ashamed to ask ques. tions about something new, or to admit what he did not know. If you are of the right frame of mind, you can find enlightenment from reading a candy wrapper or studying a leaf from a tree. This minddframe demands that you actively look for answers and don't simply wait for the answers to find you. You must have faith that if you put in the proper time and thought, you can accomplish your goals. Dai Vernon spoke of learning escalating in plateaus, instead of ascending at a steady 4.5" angle to success. H e believed you continue to accumulate knowledge and information until you have a sudden fresh insight, which then expands old informa. tion with a new perspective. This heightened perspective elevates you to a new plateau. These revelations, however, are only accessible to those who have put in the requisite time, thought, and experimentation,

Some plateaus last for months, some for years. But without dedication and per* severance, a person could stay at the same low level of understanding for a life* time. "Divine inspiration" first requires that you ask clear and proper questions, and develop an openness to the unfamiliar, before it can reveal its message. By all means seek the counsel of those you wish to emulate, but keep in mind that no one person or book has all the answers, or is completely right or wrong. Compare styles and try to develop critical insight that you may apply to your own development.

A POOR A FAIR

DISCIPLE U T I L I Z E S A TEACHER'S INFLUENCE. DISCIPLE ADMIRES A TEACHER'S K I N D N E S S .

A

G O O D DISCIPLE GROWS S T R O N G

U N D E R A TEACHER'S D I S C I P L I N E . --c.Gasan,

Z e n Master

In these pages, it is impossible for me to tell you what is right and wrong, as everyone has different goals. I can only offer my opinion and tell you the way I like to do things. While it isn't necessary to follow all advice offered you, even from those you consider "big shots," it is, however, wise to listen to and consid. er all advice. Don't break any rules until you know why you are breaking them. You must have logic behind your decisions, not ignorance. Use your head to make your own aesthetic decisions, then test your judgment in the arena of performance. There is no single system or formula that will make you a better magician. Even if one were available, these sorts of boundaries would limit your personal growth by eliminating your personal contributions. It certainly isn't necessary for you to know every trick, principle, or move in existence, but it is a good idea to be familiar with a wide variety of techniques, principles, and concepts to permit you to appropriate them when they may be of use. Bruce Lee, the master martial artist and teacher, used to stress, "Absorl: what is useful," and "It is not daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away the unessential." Customize what suits your goals and file away the rest. There is nc need to feel guilty for not learning the classic pass if you are achieving the effects you want without it. Many times, obsessed with moves and theories, magician: definitely take magic too seriously. But, in my mind, our art's greatest problem is the number of magicians who never take it seriously. There are times wher serious effort needs to be made, even if it be serious play.

W h e n I was a teenager, I read something in Downs' The Art of Magic tha made a great impression on me. "Don't think that because you are a magiciar you don't have to know anything else." Continue your general education in anc out of school. Read biographies of people you wish to emulate and books abou art, history, science and philosophy. These will all have an influence on the magic you do, adding spice and character. Most people stop learning when they are oul of school. These people are missing out on a fuller, richer life. SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY..

.

H e n 9 Llavid Thoreau

Assign

yourself tasks, solve problems, and actively look for areas in which tc improve. You are responsible for how far you will go. T h e work of magic is no1 just wishful thinking. It is exploring and exercising your natural creativity. Witlthese greater efforts come rewards above and beyond the neurotic spasms that often pass for magic.

"What's new?" is the chant that has been repeated ad nauseam in magic shop: throughout the world, for as long as the buying and selling of magic has been a commercial prospect. However, the wise student will ask, "What is old?" and thus discover some unpolished gem long since buried under the avalanche of pop books and "revolutionaryri novelties. T h e classic books of magic contain the seeds that will bloom anew each season they are thoughtfully cultivated. T h e culture of magic embraces a few items each epoch, drives them deeply into the ground, then moves onto the next "new thing," which eventually receives similar treat. ment. Tally the number of Vanishing Bird Cages, Zombie Balls, and Snowstorms at your next convention and you are sure to require several sharpenings of your pencil to complete your calculations. Magicians often think little more of the craft than the average layman, regard. ing magic as secrets learned, bought, or owned. "The one with the coin and the glass? I've got that one. T h e one with the thumb? My nephew does that." H o t on the heels of this disturbing trend is the glorification of "easyto~dorfmagic. By this token, even a violin is easy to play, badh Don't get me wrong, I don't have any problem with magic that doesn't require skill. I know that even the simplest

trick can become marvelous with careful thought. But lowering the bar only per* petuates the misconception among the public, and magicians themselves, that magic is a commodity that can be bought and sold. "Where can I buy that trick? H o w much is it?" Once in possession of the prop and the secret, the consumer is miraculously transformed into a "magician." Their contribution is complete as they pay their dealer and walk out the door. In reality, this is where the real stue dent of magic has only just begun. A large collection of props or an accumulation of secrets does not a magician make. Ask yourself: what makes you more of a magician than the layman who puts down $15 for his first Tenyo trick? Is our status earned through the quan. tity of secrets acquired and the money and time expended? T h e real measure may be one's commitment to a more thorough understanding, Real magic cannot be bought. It is more in the heart and head than in the props and hands. T h e real secrets of magic are in the details, in your thoughtful preparation and creative experimentation. "Magictf is the spirit you infuse into your effects and presentations, a spirit that cannot be bought, stolen, or possessed by anyone else. Herein lies the heart of the matter. H o w can we expect the pub* lic to respect magic as an art when magicians themselves don't respect it? It seems magicians have crafted their own lumpy bed in which they themselves must lie. This syndrome has given rise to the recurring hysteria regarding exposure in magic. Television exposures point their cameras at hidden compartments, mirrors, and wires, as if that is all there is to magic. There is no mention of the minds that invent and develop these ideas, or design their construction and presentation. True, the exposure of secrets is a source of annoyance, but in my mind, it is just that: an annoyance, not immoral, not illegal. I liken this exposure to having your garbage can ransacked by a raccoon. Both are perpetrated by desperate scavengers who leave a mess in their wake. T h e magicians most affected by these exposures are those who bring little more to their performances than the props themselves. W h e n magicians put all their eggs in the "secrettt basket, there will eventually be some mopping up to do. To these magicians, magic is simply an investment. T h e tiny commitment they have invested in this magic is equal to the disinterested fellow who may hap* pen upon our secrets while flipping channels on television, or through a book at Barnes and Noble. If these magic consumers had invested more in a foundation of crafted theater and thoughtful rendering, their house of cards would not teeter so precariously. W h e n we attempt to give back to magic, contributing our time

and thought toward better performance, it not only puts magic in a more respect fill light, it comes back to us personally, manyfold. T h e title of artist cannot bl bestowed randomly; it must be earned. Magic itself is not an art, but there is as in magic. O u r duty as caring magicians is to seek it out. To assume the roles an( responsibilities of artists.

If you are only learning from videos, yo11 are leaving out an important com ponent in your nlagical progress: your own interpretation. Videos teach us to imi, tate, not just technique, but the style and manner of the performer we are watch. ing. f-I/"timing, tris sense of humor, his gestures. To remedy this, I enthusiasti. cally recommend books as your major information source, with much to bt learned "between the lines." In listing the following books, I have included a potpourri of titles and sub, jects. I feel that these studies not only make for a more complete conjuror, bur also stretch one's possibilities. An acquaintance with ideas outside our specific interests presents us with many otherwise overlooked principles which may be applicable to our needs. A general understanding of dove magic will help you with your coin magic, and a familiarity with illusion design and principles will assist you in creating smaller gimmicks and props. This variety also serves to keep our love for magic in a perpetual romantic stage, preserving our interest long after the "bloom is off the rose." As Edwin Sachs suggests, one is not ready for stage magic until a general mas* tery of "small magic" is attained. Working for a few people at a time provides an indispensible cornerstone of technique and general performance skills. These skills provide a springboard for making the rather prodigious leap onto the stage. Here I specifically list sources to find direct methods and clear effects. I have included material with a wide variety of objects for both stage and close~up.I have purposely avoided mention of most current books and those that deal exclu. sively with technical minutia. Current "pop" tricks and books should be seen in proper perspective. Trends come and go in magic. T h e classics will always pro* vide a strong foundation that will stay the weather of many years. Many volumes listed below are out of print but still available through dealers of used magic books. This list could be regarded simply as a few books that I, personally, would bring to the proverbial desert island. I have many other

favorites, but I believe that these books alone would provide enough material and knowledge to keep any of us thinking about magic for a lifetime. I have found biographies of magicians to be quite fascinating and inspirational. Except in the most deifying interpretations, they show the greats of the past as real people like ourselves, experimenting and sometimes failing, but remaining relentless in their pursuit of the hidden secrets of the craft. My favorites in this genre are Carter the Great, Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, The Llfe and Zmes of Augustus Rapp, and David Bambergfs I//usion Show. Milbourne Christopher's I//usrrated History ofMagic and David Price's Magic offer hundreds of fascinating profiles and insightful perspectives on magic's development. Johann Hofzinser's work is exceptional in the history of magic, with beautie ful, poetic plots and innovative, ingenious methods, J. N. Hofzinser's Curd Conjuring and The Magic o f J N Hofiinser will inspire awe as well as new respect for the artistic potential of the magic craft. Sleight of Hand by Edwin Sachs is probably the single most complete book ever written on magic. It includes both stage and close#up magic, chapters on tech* nique, presentation, and all the peripheral skills necessary for great conjuring.

KNOW --c*

T H E WAYS OF ALL

PROFESSIONS.

n/Ayamoto Musasht; Samurai Warrior

Karl Germain constructed some of the most brilliant and elegant magic ever conceived. Germain was a minimalist who eschewed suspicious looking props. His methods were brilliant and his plots engaging. Stuart Cramer's original books have recently been combined, along with additional material in The Secrets of Karl Germain. Read this book and rediscover the joy of magic. David Devant, arguably the greatest conjuror in England's history, has written several terrific books on magic including Secrets of My Magic and M y Magic Life. H e performed both sleight of hand and illusions with all his books written from the perspective of a real performer. Together with Nevi1 Maskelyne, he wrote Our Magic, one of the most thorough and thoughteprovoking magic books ever. N o t all the ideas presented here will be immediately understood or applicable tc what you do. However, if you absorb these concepts, the more you perform, the more relevance they will have for you. I have reread O u r Magic every few year: and each time I find that I discover something I have learned through experi. ence, along with a foreshadowing of what I have yet to learn.

An excellent and entertaining introduction to the principles and psychology o stage illusion may be found in Jim Steinmeyerts analysis of Guy Jarrett, Y'/z< Comnplete Jarrett. In fact, I recommend all of Mr. Steinmeyeris excellent books o original material, my favorite being Device and Illusion. Jim also wrote T h e Magi, ofAlan Wkeling, one of the best books on stage conjuring ever written. It is no secret that I consider A1 Baker one of the greatest minds that magic has ever produced. His Magical Ways and Means and Pet Secrets are indispensible to the serious student of magic. Period. If you can manage to find them, he alsc published A1 Baker? Book and A1 Baker's Second Book, two small paperback book, lets that contain a wealth of clever, practical material. T h e A1 Baker books have been reprinted with additional material in T h e Secret Ways Baker edited by Todd Karr. If you want to understand misdirection and timing, there are no greater author. ities than John Ramsay and Tony Slydini. Ramsay's student, Andrew Galloway, has written T h e Ramsay Legend, T h e Ramsay Classics, and T h e Ramsay finale. In these superb books, many of the art's most subtle secrets are revealed along with some devilishly clever routines. Lewis Gansonts T h e Magic of Slydint and Leon Nathansonts Slydini Encores were two very important books in my early development. Slydini was certainly a mas. ter of misdirection, but the greatest lessons he taught are those regarding timing and choreographed movement. Every magician's library should have reference books covering a wide range of subjects. T h e classic Modern Magic by Professor Hoffmann, along with the sequels Afore Magtc and Later Magic, are some of the most exhaustive studies of the magical art. Everything from mechanical principles, prop construction, sleight of hand, and presentation are covered in these volumes. N o magic reference shelf would be complete without S.H, Sharpers ConjurersJ Optical Secrets, Conjurers' Mechanical Secrets, Conjurers' Psychological Secrets, and Conjurers' Hydraulic and Pneurtratic Secrets. These excellent books give a brief, understandable overview of nearly every major principle in magic. Sharpe also wrote several inspiring books of magic theory, recently republished in a single volume as Neo-Magic Artistry. T h e original six volumes of T h e Tarbell Course in Magic contain enough mate* rial to construct several excellent career#building routines. They are filled with practical, professional material. These volumes are a must#have. I would, of course, recommend any book of material by or about the magic of

4AI

"The Professor," Dai Vernon. I consider Lewis Ganson's The h i Vernon Book of Magic to be the most complete of all his books. It contains magic with a variety of objects, with each routine a lesson unto itself. Be sure to read and reread "The Vernon Touch" chapter at the beginning of the book. This section effectively encapsulates the Professor's theories on sleight of hand that may be applied to every routine you undertake. Vernon was, without a doubt, one of the world's greatest exponents of pure sleight of hand. Magic u~i~F1Fatrcert Ross, one of my favorite books, contains many practical, audid ence*tested routines for the stage from my early mentor and friend. Fatlcett tinder, stood the meaning of a good effect and was skilled at transforming standard tricks, through routining and fresh combinations, creating great magic entertainment. In The Books of Wonder, Stephen Minch presents the superlative work of Tommy Wonder. This two.volume set is filled with brilliant, visual magic and thoughtful essays. Wonder does not demand that we agree with his "theories"; instead he inspires us to think for ourselves. This list is by no means complete, but should serve the reader in good stead. Use these books for reference, guidance, and inspiration. Through your apprecia. tion and respect alone, significant improvements will begin to show in your magic. Knowledge is indeed power, the power to manifest your ultimate potential.

ur motivations and goals in magic. Will they serve you in - long run? H o w can you realize them? W h a t will this require of

? What are you willing to sacrifice? 2) Fot every rnagic video you watch, read two classic books of magic. )'O 11

The performer shows a handkerchiij and begins to rub it between his hands. The handkerchiif appears to shrink smaller and smaller until it vanishes altogether. Using dilerent techniques, the handkerchiif can be made to visibly vanish in the blink of an eye from a glass tumbler or change color when tossed into the air.

a arc. hanrfed

vanish of a handkerchief is very magical indeed. d handkerchief vanishing pull was invented by the ~ a t i e rde Kolta, whose image graces the heading of c n c i l chapter in this book. ; ; r was composed of a black eggshaped container made original elastic cord which ran under the coat. In later varia. connectc Lclans r nc glrnrnlcn w a s fashioned from wood or plastic. With the gimmick concea led in th,I. hand, the handkerchief was worked inside, apparently going tcn released, the elastic drew the gimmick secretly only i ttro the Iist. WI under che coat. After stritable showmanship, the handkerchief was shown to A>--

,

have v;antshed.

.

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popular In the early part of the twentieth century, but 1s rarely seen soday. This 1s a shame, as the obviously innocuous nature of the common handkerchlef along w ~ t hthe brllllant method create an excel* lent effect when properly performed. D e Kolta later Invented a more vlsual verslon, employing technology he had also put to use in his vanlshlng bird cage. This verslon used what mlght be termed a tenslon or counter pull. In thls, a handkerchlef was seen to vls. ibly disappear from the mlddle of a glass tube. A cord attached to h ~ fore* s arm ran up hls arm, across h ~ back, s and down the other arm, where a loop of catgut extended from the openlng of the sleeve. A handkerchlef was then secretly threaded through thls loop. W h e n hls bent arms were extended, the taut cord pulled the loop and whatever was attached to ~t up the sleeve. a qruwz

Later, the brilliant A1 Baker combined the tension pull with a loop of elastic to create his Lightning Pull, which he described in the superb Pet Secrets. T h e corn. bination of the counter pull and the elastic made the vanish incredibly fast. I have developed some touches with this excellent device, along with several unique applications which I offer here for your approval. T h e basic apparatus consists of a velcro strap, which attaches to the left fore. arm. A length of ribbon, approximately 34" long, is sewn into a loop and thread* ed through an eyelet in the strap. This is followed by a length of flat elastic, approximately 20", also sewn into a loop, which intersects the loop of ribbon. Finally, a loop of heavy fishing line, or monofilament, (approximately 4" in diam. eter) is attached to the elastic loop.

The strip is fastened in the middle of the forearm, runs across the back, and down the rkht sleeve, where the loop is secured around the rkht thumb.

Many descriptions of the pull recommend sewing or pinning a small plastic ring above and behind the inside armhole of the jacket. While not absolutely nece essary, this eliminates some of the friction of the pull rubbing against the bote tom inside of the armhole. It also prevents the untimely reappearance of the silk several routines later, trailing behind you like a train on the gown of a June bride. As a neophyte, I had just such an experience, strolling through the audience after a show, oblivious to my flowing appendage. Whether or not you decide to use the bone ring depends on your personal sense of adventure. T h e techniques that follow will be described with the assumption that the vel. cro strap is attached to the middle of the left forearm, with the end of the line running across your back, through the bone ring, with the catgut loop emerging from the right sleeve. Lay the coat on a chair or table, then reach behind your body and secure the catgut end of the pull. Place the loop through the ring sewn to the inside coat sleeve, then place the loop over your right thumb. Insert the right arm into its sleeve, then inserting the left arm into its sleeve, and finish by putting the coat on completely. T h e elastic allows you to move your arms with relative freedom.

To adjust the tension on the pull, use some of the excess ribbon to shorten or lengthen the line to the arm strap, or simply move it up or down the forearm. W h e n you have found the proper length for your body, you may cut off the excess cord and knot it permanently. ii It is recommended that you use a thin white magiclan's" silk handkerchief at least 18" square. A smaller or brighter~coloredsilk might be thought of as a prop, being out of place with a gentleman's normal dress, whereas white is widely accepted and versatile. From the stage, this appears to be an ordinary handker. chief, increasing the impossibility of the effect, due to its apparent bulk. Silk also reduces the friction on the inside of the sleeve, which an ordinary cotton hand* kerchief would produce. You may use this pull with buttoned shirt sleeves, but make sure the shirt sleeve fits a little snugly, and that the coat sleeve is neither too snug nor the line ing too baggy. If so, change coats or have a tailor fix them. Always experiment with a new coat before performing, as differences in tailoring change the effec. tiveness of different techniques. Once you get used to the pull, it's a good idea to always wear the same coat every time you perform with it. A coat that is just a little tight in the shoulders or in the cuff can cause problems. Don't give up practice too quickly if the silk doesn't disappear all the way up the sleeve on your first few tries. T h e work here is done in tiny adjustments of position, action, and tension. "

W h e n practicing, take special note of the shape and position of the hand which holds the silk. You want a direct line for the silk to follow up your sleeve with no sharp angles. If, when you release the pull, there are any turns or obsta, cles in the way, it could slow the vanish or stop it halfway. This, to say the least, is a bad thing. It's very difficult to explain away a silk that is sticking halfway out of the sleeve. Therefore, the best position for the hand, immediately before the release, is with the fingers loosely curled, the wrist slightly tilted downward, thumbnail pointed toward the ceiling. T h e curled fingers act as an extension of the sleeve, cradling the silk from below. T h e little finger grips the silk to act as a brake. This position may be pictured by imagining you are pulling on a rope whick runs up under your arm and into your sleeve. T h e relative positions of the hanc

The curled fmgers are in line with the opening of the sleeve, acting as a chute just previous to the release of the pull.

and imaginary rope show the straight path the silk must follow up your sleeve, with no turns or angles. It will take careful planning and practice to arrive at this position accurately and precisely in a natural manner. Just before you are ready to release the pull, grip it firmly with the little fine ger and extend the arm slightly, just sufficiently to put a firm tension on the elas* tic. Then, when you release the pull, the combination of the tension from the extension of the opposing arm and the elastic shoot the silk up the sleeve as fast as, well, lightning.

"Threading the Loop" might sound like some dangerous maneuver made by a X'y G u n pilot. It is simply a method of unobtrusively attaching the handkerchief to the pull, which is critical to a proper illusion. T h e issue of how the hand. kerchief is threaded through the loop of the pull has never been properly addressed in any of the literature I have read. It is a relatively easy matter to let go of the pull and have the handkerchief shoot up your sleeve. But to thread it through the loop in an inconspicuous manner takes a bit more finesse. T h e position of the loop on the silk is very important. W h e n the handkert chief is folded roughly in half, the loop should then be positioned at the middle of this half silk, folding the silk into quarters. Without this folding, the silk may be too long and only go partly up the sleeve when the pull is released. T h e threading process will be segmented into what Roger Klause has described as "half moves," instead of one extended move it will be broken into steps. After you have displayed the silk, pull it forward, draping it over your right wrist. T h e left hand, palm down, approaches the silk and, with the left thumb and forefin. ger, grabs the loop on the right thumb and pulls it forward over the tips of the right forefinger and thumb, which are pressed together.

There is no hesitation as the pull is looped over the tips of the forefinger anc thumb, and in a continuing action, the silk is carried away to the left, held by its center fold. After a brief display, the left hand reapproaches the right hand. T h e right fore. finger and thumb (which are still pinched together) grab the silk at its foldec center. Now the left thumb presses down on the loop where it exits the sleeve, which allows the right hand to draw the silk upward, to half of its folded.ovet length. It should appear as though you are simply draping the silk over the back of the left hand to fold it.

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Under cover of merely taktng the handkerchief o f the wrtst, the loop rs secured wrth the left forefinger and mtddle finger.

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In a conttnurng actton, the loop rs pulled over the rght thumb andfortfinger.

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The rght forefinger and thumb reapproach the left hand and pull up on the center of the handkerchref:

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Once the silk is threaded, regrip the folded package, transferring it back to the right hand, which holds the folded center at the fingertips. This action should only take a second or two, and the performer should not be looking at the hands or calling attention to them in any way. T h e silk is now properly threaded and you may proceed with the buildup to the vanish.

Pullzng the center of the handkerchief over the back of the left hand

Alternatively, the pull may already be threaded around the center of the dou* bled#over silk as you enter the stage. As you make your entrance, you could appear to be removing the silk from your breast pocket. If used in an opening effect, you could enter with the loop already around the tips of your forefinger and thumb. Reach up and grab the silk from your outside breast pocket, which has been folded in such a way that you can easily pinch it at its exact center with the forefinger and thumb. Give it a quick shake, then thread it through the pull as described. I have also handled the problem of threading the silk through the loop in the following way. I would begin by doing a few "dissolving knots" with the silk. Then I would perform the classic stunt of forming a rabbit out of the silk by draping it over the back of the right hand and pulling a corner up between the little and ring fingers, and another corner in the fork of the thumb, to form the rabbit's ears. As I finished this bit, I released my grip on the corners and allowed them to fall, the silk still draped over the back of the hand. T h e palmap left hand would approach the silk with the fingers going beneath and the thumb on top. T h e loop was then secured through the silk and looped over the tips of the forefind ger and thumb, under the complete cover of the handkerchief as it was drawn away to the left. T h e silk was then pulled through the loop.

I remember, as a young boy, sending away for the "magic vanishertt from a Vic Lawston catalog. It was basically a de Kolta handkerchief pull made of plastic D e Koltats original was an eggshaped wire frame covered in black silk. T h e texl and illustration in the catalog suggested that the handkerchief was "rubbed awayt into nothingness. T h e closest I, and apparently most of my brethren, could comt to the effect of "rubbingtt away the handkerchief was more of a "pushing, shov, ing and lungingtt action. I have attempted to remedy that here. In the handling of the vanish described below, I have tried to add the elemen1 of misdirection to make the illusion of the vanish more natural and subsequentlj more puzzling. T h e following technique comes closest to my vision of a hand, kerchief being "rubbed into nothing." T h e handling has taken in quite a few well, versed magtctans. T h e loop is obtained in the manner described previously in "Threading tht Loop," finishing with the loop over the tips of the right forefinger and thumb Strive to grab the pull, loop it over the fingertips and continue away to the lef~ with the least amount of hesitation. You have simply removed the silk from tht wrist. Thread the silk through the loop and hold it at the fingertips of the righ~ hand in readiness for the vanish. If it is desired to allow more time to elapse before the actual vanish, the silk may be adjusted into what might be termed a modified thumb palm. This secure: the pull, preventing it from going up the sleeve, while giving the outward appear, ance of the silk not being gripped, but billowing loosely in the palmdup hand. Place the silk into the left hand by laying the right palm across the left. Rol or "rubtt the silk loosely between the palms, as if gathering it up into a ball. Aftet a couple of rubs, close the left hand into a loose fist around the silk and dram the right hand back briefly, the catgut loop still being covered by the right hanc and wrist, with the right fingertips remaining in contact with the left hand neat the base of the little finger. T h e appearance is that there is no connection to the right hand, which would seem to eliminate the possibility of a pull. T h e left hand opens again as the right hand covers the silk with the palm anc with a couple revolutions, rolls it into a smaller ball. Palm the balleddup silk ir the right hand and close the left hand as if it contained the silk. Follow the lefl hand with your eyes as it moves upward and slightly to the left. T h e right hanc

now drops to the side for just a moment, with gravity dictating the speed of descent. In the short moment that the right hand is positioned at the side, the little finger grips the elastic and the right arm extends slightly, increasing the ten* sion on the pull. Now, as the right hand begins to move back up to the left hand, the arms are extended slightly as the pull is released. T h e counter tension and the elastic draw the silk up the sleeve very quickly. Your mental subtext in reapproaching the left hand is that you thought that you were through with the necessary rubbing action, but then realizing that the silk is not quite gone yet, you reapproach to rub it one more time. T h e right hand now rises up again to the left palm, covering it as if to give the silk one more rub. It should not yet be apparent that the silk is gone. Continue to rub the palms together, perhaps even inverting the position of the hands in the action. This adds the element of "time misdirection," expanding the moment between the method and effect. Now broaden the rubbing motion, as if brushing powder from your palms. Slowly open the hands to reveal that the silk has disappeared. T h e timing and action of the release is similar to that of sleeving a coin, the silk shooting up the sleeve during the brief transitional moment that the right arm is completely straight at the side and out of the picture. T h e right arm then rises, not too quickly, at a pace no faster than would keep a sleeved coin from falling back out of the sleeve. T h e pull action happens at a very good moment, when all attention is on the left hand. T h e combination of the misdirection, the false transfer of the silk, and the speed of the Baker pull make this very deceptive.

As a general rule, I try to never do a secret move and reveal its resulting effect at the same moment. W h e n possible, I try to use misdirection, as Erdnase advis. es, to "change the moment." It is counterproductive to ask that our hands be scrutinized when we want to do something secretly. T h e effects with the "Lightning Pull" are so strong, I am willing to suspend this rule in certain instances. But, as an homage to what this rule might accom* plish when strictly applied, I offer the following technique which is unusual in that it does not depend on the speed of the pull, as the handkerchief is drawn up the sleeve on the "offbeat," before the actual vanish seems to occur. At the

apparent moment of the vanish, the arms are dead still, which would seem to rulc out the possibility of a pull to those in the know. You will use a small glass o tumbler about 5" tall. At the appropriate moment, attach the pull to the handkerchief as described Hold the looped handkerchief at the fingertips of the right hand. T h e left hanc picks up the glass as the right hand begins pushing the handkerchief inside. Thr handkerchief is held firmly at the fingertips at the point where it intersects thr loop. T h e glass is then re#gripped with the right hand at the rim. T h e right fin' gertips then push the handkerchief against the inside rim of the glass, with thc fingertips securing it. T h e glass is gripped in this way while the left hand com pletes the job of pushing the remaining portion of the handkerchief into the glass T h e grip on the glass is once again changed to facilitate the vanish. Take carc during this grip change not to extend the arm or put any tension on the elastic With the right palm, cover the opening of the glass and press firmly agains~ the rim with the heel of the hand to prevent the handkerchief from coming oui of the glass prematurely. Turn your body slightly to the left, the left arm hang. ing idly at your side. With the right hand, display the handkerchief secured with. in the confines of the glass. Lower the right arm and turn the back of the hanc to the audience, bringing the bottom of the glass in front of your right hip. Stil pressing on the handkerchief with the base of the palm, extend the arm slightl] to put some tension on the elastic. Raise and extend the left arm to display the hand, front and back.

T h e base of the thumb acts as a brake, assurrng the handkerchref does not leave the glass premature&

Under cover of this action, release the silk so that it flies up the sleeve. The release is carefully coordinated with the extending of the left arm, which aug, ments the elastic's pull. In a continuing action, raise the glass up to meet the left hand, keeping the back of the right hand to the audience.

At this point, the audience should not yet be aware that the silk is gone. T h e bottom of the glass is placed on the left palm. Pause briefly, as if something were about to happen. Now shake the glass ever so slightly, strictly for effect. Slowly turn your arms and body outward so that the side of the glass comes into view and the silk is seen to have disappeared. Separate the hands, toss the glass upward, and catch it to emphasize that the silk has vanished.

This method is puzzling to those who know about pulls, as there is no sude den extension of the arms at the apparent moment of the vanish. Since the arms are already extended at that moment, the sleeves are naturally drawn up the fore* arms slightly. It would appear to be impossible for the silk to go up the sleeve, past this gap, without being seen. Of course, at this point it is already long gone.

I ? Wh:~t else cc~uldbe made to vanlsh with thts pull? 2) W h a r u--LA.. r r l t r effects could you accomplish wlth the pull besldes vanishes? -L

s, transformations, penetrations, restorations?

he pull be used to dispose of a gimmick of which the audle ence ts unaware?

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le Kolta invented some of the most enduring illusion! in ma!~ i c He . was born in Lyon, France in 1847, and during his lifetime hc invented itIusions that have been adopted by some of the greatest names ir , ~ a s and t mesent. Even today, it is difficult to watch any magic act anc rnaeic, 0 ' I not see one or rie Kolta's ideas represented. Ne;arly all t h e routines de Kolta performed were original, which is a1 t h e more remarkable, as h e had quite a substantial repertoire. Among tht illusions h e invented are the Vanishing Bird Cage, the Handkerchief Pull the Multiplying Billiard Balls, the Vanishing Lady (from a chair), anc production Spring Flowers. Today all these revolutionary effects are con. sidered standards. In one of his most famous illusions, he showed a small purse from whid he removed a small die. H e went on to explain he saved travel expenses bj carrying his wife from town to town inside this small parcel. This single dic would change in his hands to one a foot square. T h e explanded die wa: le

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placed on a platform where it instantly and visibly grew to over four foot square. Upon lifting the die, his wife was found underneath, expanded to full size as well, none the worse for wear. Buatier de Kolta was the quintessential magic genius with his innovative methe ods and direct, clear effects. Magicians will always owe this man a great debt for the wealth of practical magic he has given us. Photo courtesy Mike Caveney's Egyptian Hall Museum

The introduces a tiny purse, from which he extracts a cgar nearly three times the size of the purse itself: The purse is examined, then a second cigar is removed. Two more cgars are then produced from a spectator i person. The last cignr vanishes from the hands and is found back inside the purse.

,el effeccs In maglc are certainly premlum items. Balls dlsap. p e x nnd cards are found, but truly unpredictable effects are few and far benveen. Properly performed, G.W. Hunter's beautiful rffecr of l i r g agars b e ~ n gextracted from a tlny purse never fails to e\*0ke stunnlrd sutpri se. Producing a wand from a small purse is a chest. nuc wl.lose or~g rn is djfficult to trace, but Hunter took the premise much fur* *I--I.. ., , -1.- , v I c p1 t - A L l l1 3 L r l c Froductions and adding extra business to form a corn* plete routine. 14 e t ~ i g h cthe routine to Nate Leipzig, whose variations were subsequencly p ublished in Dai Vernon? Tibute to Nate Letjztg. T h e effect as descritled i s a ,masterful bit of routining. As the original Hunter trick has never lbeen pubdished, is is difficult to say which touches belong to Leipzig. The IVlnLLIIC; described in the Leipzig book is brilliant, but necessitated scarring "dircyw with a cigar up each sleeve, and the wearing of a vest in which to ditch, then reclaim the cigar. Here, I have adapted the moves to my personal style of dress and performance, and offer it to the reader to taie lor to his own requirements. Francis Carlyle often spoke of effective magicians as understanding "man. agement." This term referred to the careful thought and planning that is required to render a routine seamless and make it appear effortless. Often, the effortlessness we witness in a great performance is only so in appearance. Most of the work is not so much in the skill displayed in the moment, but in choreography and forethought. A true professional won't just cross his fin. gers and hope all will go well in performance. H e has tried many different '

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approaches, allowing for the inevitable mishaps, and remains unshaken when fly takes a noseedive into his ointment. Management is about adapting to you situation, skill level, and performing conditions. First, a word about the props. Two seemingly identical purses are required, on gimmicked and an unprepared one to match. T h e gimmicked purse has a smal oval cut from the middle of the bag, large enough to easily accommodate th cigar. Almost as difficult as the routine itself is finding the right purses. T h e r is no shortcut, so I can only suggest that you scour antique and leather0good shops wherever you go, and eventually you will find something that will suit you purpose. I have been told that small purses are sold in doll shops as full siz purses for dolls. If by chance you do find the ideal purses, I advise you take Bol Read's advice and "buy a gross." You never know when you will lose one or botl of the purses, and you may never find them again! I have only seen this routine performed by a few other people, and inevitabl. the purse is only slightly smaller than the cigar, which lessens the effectivenes of the trick. This problem was solved by my friend Ton Onosaka of Tokyo, whc gave me the purses I have used for the past fifteen years. Ton bought purses wit1 the smallest frames he could find, then tore the leather from the frames. H e cu down the leather and glued them back to the frames to make smaller purses. As for the cigars, they are simply wooden dowels that you cut to a length tha you find comfortable for your own hand. Fullesize cigars are generally too large as the cigar will be palmed between the base of the thumb and the slightly curlec middle finger. T h e cigars I use are 4%" long and a little over 45" in diameter.

The props: Two small purses, one of which has a hole cut on one side. Two wooden cgars, almost twtce the length of the purses. -**

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O n e end of each cigar is rounded off through carving or lathing, then sanded for a smooth finish. Brown wood stain and cigar labels from real cigars give a genuine appearance. Small circles of dark sandpaper glued to the ends will appear as ash, and also facilitate palming the cigars during the routine. I have toyed with the idea of producing small containers of breath spray from the purses, as these are common, everyday objects beyond suspicion. However, there is a certain charm to using the admittedly wooden cigars as incongruous props. I leave this to your own discretion. To begin, a cigar is inserted into the ungimmicked purse, which is placed into the right#side coat pocket, with the end of the cigar to the rear of the pocket. T h e other cigar is inserted into the slit in the closed gimmicked purse and placed in the 1eft.side coat pocket, again with the cigar to the rear.

O n e cigar is pushed into the opening and the other is placed tn the hole in the gimmicked purse.

of one purse

Reach into the left pocket, removing the purse and cigar, with the left fore* finger covering the slit in the purse and the cigar at an angle resting against the ball of the thumb. T h e right palmeup hand approaches the left hand from below and takes the purse, leaving the cigar in the left hand. '-r

PUN the gimmicked purse away from the concealed ctgur. Afier a brief drylay, a reversing of the action loads the cigar back into the hole tn the purse.

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T h e cigar should, of course, be hidden from view at this point, as the left hanc drops naturally to the side. This will leave the top of the cigar concealed fron the front, held between the thumb and first two fingers of the left hand, wit1 the rear portion concealed by the hand and wrist. T h e cigar lies at an angle, run ning down between the base of the fingers and the ball of the thumb. T h e hanc should appear as a loosely held fist.

The cgar loaded back tnto the purse for production.

Display the purse on the outstretched right hand as you comment on hov small it is. Reverse your actions to reinsert the top, tapered end of the cigar bacl into the hole in the purse. "This purse keeps my cigars nice and fresh." Wit1 your right hand, unsnap the purse clasp and draw the cigar just an inch or sc from the purse. Draw it out another inch or so as you slowly display it, makinr it clear that what is happening is impossible. Just before it is completely drawn from the purse, the palmeup right hanc again approaches below the left hand, which transfers the purse and cigar as ; unit to the right hand. Remove the cigar completely from the purse with the lef hand and hold the objects side by side to display them. Pause a few seconds so the audience may absorb what has happened. Displayec in this way, the full effect is allowed to sink in. Allow them time to appreciatc the relative size difference of the purse and cigar before rushing into the nex phase. O n e of my biggest blunders as a budding magician was in assuming tha the audience could absorb everything as quickly as I dished it out. T h e cigar is now placed between the teeth. By placing the cigar between thc teeth instead of the lips, it remains more hygienic and eliminates reticence on thc part of the spectators to handle and examine the cigar. Now make some commen about lighting the cigar.

Afer the production, the props are displayed to allow inspectzon of their relatrve size.

Only after this verbal justification may you then reach into both coat pockets at once, ostensibly for a match. Drop the gimmicked purse and bring out the pursedcigar unit from the right pocket, with the cigar to the rear. D o not look at the hands during this action, which is concluded in the span of two seconds. All the attention or suspicion should be on the cigar at this point. Retake the cigar with the left hand as you knock it against the tabletop and appear surprised that it is solid wood. Hand the cigar to a spectator, then take the ungimmicked purse with the left hand, presenting it to the spectator as well, with the request that he put the cigar back into the purse. H e will not, of course, be able to carry out your request. This business also serves as a casual examination of the props without the performer "protesting too much." I usually add, "Try the other end, it's shorter." It is quite funny how many people try this without considering the absurdity of the statement. After both articles have been examined, take back the open purse with the left hand and pass it to the right fingertips and thumb, which hold it by one side of the frame. This allows the hand to be seen occupied while it is palming the cigar. You can cover more angles by holding the hands close to the body during these

actions. With the left hand, take the cigar from the spectator and push the enc into the purse, and show surprise that it does not fit back inside. By tensing thc arms and simulating exertion, it will appear as though you are using all you strength to make it fit into the purse. After resigning yourself to the impossibil ity, the left hand slowly puts the cigar into the left coat pocket, making it clea with a small gesture that the hand is empty when it leaves the pocket. With the left hand, regrip the purse by the free side of the frame, lifting i closer to your eyes to peer inside. Pretend to see something inside and say, "Nc wonder it wouldn't fit. It will only take one at a time." As you look up at the spectator, bring the hands together and push the fron end of the cigar into the open purse, pinching it through the leather with thc left fingers and thumb.

The bulk of the cgar is concealed behind the rght fingers. The end of the cgar is gripped through the purse with the left fingers.

The rght fingers are drawn back over the stattonary cgar, makrng rt appear that the cgar IS berng removed from the purse

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Now look back at your hands as you slowly draw the right fingers back, reveal* ing the cigar. T h e cigar remains stationary while the fingers move up its length to reveal it. W h e n the fingertips reach the end of the cigar, it may then be gripped at the top and completely removed from the purse. T h e sliding of the fingers and the actual removal from the purse should appear as one slow, smooth action, without hesitation. Knock the cigar on the table to emphasize its solidity and again appear surd prised that it is not an ordinary cigar but a solid stick of wood. Hand the cigar to a spectator on your right with the admonition to assure himself it does not telescope and is neither made of spring nor rubber. By mentioning these things, those who do not have the privilege of personally examining the cigar feel as though these bases have been covered. Handing the cigar to a spectator on the right allows you the opportunity to quietly dip your hand into the right coat pocket and switch purses. To smooth. ly remove your hand from your pocket, use the hand to make some small, appro. priate gesture as you speak rather than simply withdrawing it. T h e gimmicked purse may now be set at the rear of the table, out of reach from the ne'er.dodwells who might want a second examination of the purse. Never walk away from the purse on the table; keep it guarded with your body and arms to fend off any impulsive grab. There should be little attention on the purse at this point, as it has already been examined. If no table is available, or you suspect someone might reach for the purse, you may tuck the purse just under your belt during the following manipulations. Admit that the cigar is not real, which still doesn't seem to explain the myse tery. "I'll put mine away...and use one of yours." Pretend to place the cigar under the palmedown left hand, but actually retain it by pivoting the end of the cigar between the right forefinger and thumb as you pull back with the right middle finger, drawing it back into the right hand. This is a standard vanish for a ciga* rette or pencil, found in many standard texts. Place the left hand, which apparently contains the cigar, into the left coat pocket and palm the other cigar between the middle finger and the base of the thumb. Before you remove the left hand, reach forward and produce the right hand's cigar from the spectator's hair, or use the following original ruse. If the spectator is wearing a suit or a shirt with an outside breast pocket, you may appear to remove the cigar from therein. Reach forward with the palm*down right hand and boldly push the cigar into the pocket, retaining your grip. In a

The front end of the cgar pivots between the pad of the rigJ2tthumb, forefinger, and middle figer, causing the rear of the cgar to swing into the right hand.

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The cgar is hrdden as it tstnserted tnto the pocket, then the cgar 1s ptvoted away from the palm as tt is slowly pulled into view.

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The end of the cgar palmed zn the lcfr hand rs gryped between the rght forefinger and rntddle finger,

By pressing back with the middle finger, the cgar ptvots rnto the hand. The left hand grabs the vtsrble cgar and carnes tt away to the left.

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continuing action, reverse the described pivoting action as you turn your hand slightly palm up and slowly remove the cigar. Display the cigar for a moment. Then, as you look away from your hands, bring them together and perform the following standard cigarette move. T h e visible cigar is held at right angles to the hand as the left hand approach. es the front of the right hand from below. T h e forward tip of the left handis cigar is pinched between the right index and ring fingers, allowing the left hand to release its grip and regrip the visible cigar.

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pushing out slightly with the back of the right middle finger, the hidden cigar is pivoted into the right hand, at which time the right fingers extend to cover the tip of the cigar. In a continuing action, the left hand carries the visi. ble cigar away to the left. This changeaover is facilitated by a slight turn to the left. D o not look at your hands during the transfer. After the transfer, shift all focus to the visible cigar in the left hand.

The end of the cgar rests on the tlp of the rght mrddle finger. By snapplng thrs finger off the rhumb, the cgar is propelled up the sleeve.

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Slowly place the visible cigar into the left pocket, allowing the hand to be seen empty as it is removed. Now produce the other cigar from the spectator's per* son as before. Tap it on the table, then relax for a beat with your right hand at your side. You will now sleeve the cigar as you raise the right hand to the left, as if to place the cigar into the left. T h e cigar is sleeved using what is commonly referred to as the Dr. Roberts method of sleeving, described with a coin in J.B. Bobo's Modern Coin Magic. T h e cigar rests on the side of the right ring fingertip, with the pad of the mid* dle finger resting on the end of the cigar. T h e inside end of the cigar may actu. ally be partway into the sleeve at this point, which insures that the cigar won't miss the sleeve opening. T h e right arm may also be raised slightly up into the sleeve just previous to the sleeving. In an action almost identical to snapping the fingers, the cigar is propelled up the right sleeve. Before gravity takes effect and the cigar begins to fall back down out of the sleeve, the right hand is raised to meet the left as you simulate the action of placa ing the cigar into the left hand. T h e right hand retreats to and rests elevated just above waist level as you build up the vanish of the cigar. After a suitable pause, snap the fingers and show both hands empty.

With the left hand, reach for the gimmicked purse on the table. Display it on the left fingers as you drop the right hand to the side and allow the sleeved cigar to fall into your already curled right fingers. Try to avoid any obvious catching motion of the hand or wrist. Bring the hands together and in one smooth action insert the tapered end of the cigar into the hole in the purse. This is accomplished under cover of transferring the purse to the right hand and unsnapping the clasp of the purse with the left fingers. W i t h the left hand, slowly remove the cigar from the purse, snap it closed, and display them side by side for a moment or two before placing them both into your pocket to finish.

Nate Leipzig: Great skill, great charm. "They like to fie1 they5e been fooled by a gentleman. "

Todd Karr Collec~ion

G.W. Hunter:

O n e of the first and greatest inventors of "pocket tric:ks." Edwin A. Dawes Collectron

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other objects could be produced from the purse?

2) What other effects could be incorporated Into the routine without corn 3) Mov ..,

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the plot or the handling? you perform thls trick without a table? Without a coat?

n o w COUIU you adapt t h ~ sroutine for the stage?

Techniguesfor controlling and concealing playing cards in the hand, along with s~rategiesfor allaying suspicion.

othing strtkcs fear in the heart of the uninitiated as much as the palming a playing card. But thls fear itself is the sine t obstacle to effectlve palming. Once the scent of fear rn rnr arr, all the spectators' senses are on alert and in search tension. These unnecessary fears may be allevlated ~f the stu. le time to learn the proper techniques, as well as engage him* dent wl ' I I selr tn tne stt~dpot tne psychology of palmlng. ,I

ICE TO PLACE O N E OR SEVERAL CARDS

IN THE PALM AND CONCEAL THEM...BUT I T IS ENTIRELY ANQTHER MATTER T O PALM T H E M FROM T H E DECK I N CUCW A MANNER T H A T T H E MOST CRITICAL OBSERVER WOULD N O T EVEN SUSPECT, LET ALONE DETECT, T H E ACTION.

S. U? Erdnase Neophytes are often fearful that they will expose the card as they hold it, but this is not typically what gives away the deception. Stiff arms, awkward. ness, and a guilty conscience all send out warning signals which undermine even otherwise competent technique. Therefore, it is essential that a certain amount of nerve be developed in order to attain success. T h e first few attempts may be hindered by self~consciousness,but once this initial barrier is broken, the aspirant may then begin to forget he has a card at all, instill, ing him with the confidence integral to success.

T h e best way to learn the art of palming is to learn a routine in which it plays a key role. T h e classic Cards Up the Sleeve plot would provide intensive indoctrination. This immersion may even be likened to a musician learning his scales. After acquiring the "motor memory" through repetition, his fingers will be able to move independently of thought. If one really wants to study palming, the aspirant should read Dai Vernon's Revelations, an inedepth analysis of the classic The Expert at the Card Table by S.W. Erdnase. If you add Edward Marlo's excellent Magic Inc. publications, Action Palm, Tabled Palm, and The Side Steal, you will cover just about every considera* tion and possibility.

Most beginners make the mistake of clutching the card tightly in the hand, when actually very little effort is necessary to retain a card in the palm. After the actual palming action, the card is held with a very slight contraction of the hand. However, it is not necessary to grip the entire surface of the card. T h e diago. nally opposite corners are pressed slightly between the base of the thumb and the pad at the outer phalanx of the little finger, with a very slight curve in the card. If palmed correctly, the card creates the sensation of clinging to the hand, with no sense of being gripped or "held." W h e n the card is in the palm, try to eliminate too wide a gap between the thumb and the side of the forefinger, and avoid extending the thumb straight out to the side. In gambling parlance this is known as the "hook" or the "flag." Instead, the thumb should rest lightly against the forefinger with no visible strain. Keep the hand naturally curled rather than completely flat.

The card ts held wrth a ltghtpressure between the trp of the Itttle finger and the base of the thumb at the dragonally oppostte corners.

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For palming a single card, Vernon's "Topping the Deck" from his booklet Select Secrets and the book Further Inner Secrets of Card Magic is the most efficient palm I have found. For the sake of completeness, I will describe it here. T h e covering action for the palm is a two#stroke squaring action which finishes with lifting the pack from dealing position in the palm to the left fingertips. T h e deck is held in 1eft.hand dealing position. Attention is directed else. where, then the two hands come together, the right hand lightly gripping the pack from above, with the fingers in front and the thumb at the rear. Under the cover of the right hand stroking in a squaring action to the left, the left thumb pushes the top card over slightly, angling the inner end to the right. Simultaneously, the inside of the right little and ring fingers press down on the upper right projecting corner, causing the card to spring up into the right hand.

The card is angled on the jrst stroke; then, on the return stroke, the rghtjngerttjs press down on the outer rght corner, which levers the card into the right palm.

If the outer right corner of the card always contacts the inner phalanx of the little finger as the hands come together, you may avoid the tendency to overshoot the palm, with the card projecting beyond the right hand. Now the right hand moves back to the right, completing the second stroke. T h e deck is then lifted up to the left fingertips. Next, simply separate the hands, or place the pack on the table. Avoid any extra squaring, riffling or handling of the pack, which would draw attention to your hands. O n e of the most elementary issues that needs attention is that, as in the pass, the hands must have a plausible reason to come together. T h e only ostensible rea,

sons that come to mind are to square the cards, to close the spread of cards, or to transfer the deck to one hand to free the other for some task. Anything else is loitering. A well*fashioned technique will have the fingers readied in the proper posi. tion so that as the hands do come together, the palm is made instantly. Once the card is secured, the hands should immediately separate, or the pack must be trans* ferred to the other hand. There is no logical reason for the hands to linger,

To palm more than one card, the Erdnase top palm is superior to any other you take only a cursory glance at the figures to follow, you might assume that this is a "finger~flingingttmove. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is ruthlessly efficient, with the action being quite small and subtle. Mastery of this technique will open many new vistas that otherwise would remain out of reach. Let us assume you have controlled the four Aces to the top of the pack and wish to palm them off. As you begin, the pack is in left0hand dealing position. Under some ostensible reason, spread the cards between the hands and secure a break under the top four cards as you close the spread. Only a tiny "flesh" break is held with the tip of the left ring finger. This happens as the deck is adjusted with the right hand, lifting it off the palm and to the left fingertips. If the hands separate, the deck must remain tilted slightly to the right, to conceal the break. This will appear most natural if the left hand drops out of frame or to your side as you engage the audience in conversation. W h e n the hands eventually come together, you must be prepared to make the following adjustment and palm without hesitation. This smooth adjustment is the most critical part of the palming process. As the right hand grips the deck from above, the left little finger moves to the right rear corner of the top four cards, which are separated from the rest of the pack. T h e left little finger now pushes the cards up against the outer phalanx of the right little finger. All other contact with the top four cards is broken. By moving the left little finger to the right and back, the cards seem to float above the pack as they pivot between the tips of the little fingers. To palm the cards, move the left little finger to the right and lift them up into the right palm and pushing them home with the left ring and middle fingers. Take care to avoid

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The cards to be palmed are held between the rght fingers rn front and by the left lrttle finger at the inner rght corner.

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b\ The cards are pushed into the rght palm with the left middle and ring fingers.

lowering the right palm to the cards. Instead, deliver the cards up into the palm where they are gipped between the base of the thumb and the tip of the littli finger, as described before under "Palm Position." T h e palm can be made wit[ the right forefinger slightly curled on top of the pack, which lends a more casu a1 appearance. It is not necessary to keep the pack perfectly horizontal during the palm. As the cards are palmed, the left fingertips may tilt the pack slightlj out of sight under the right hand during the moment the cards are being palmed then back into view as the palm is completed. T h e left hand may then hand thc pack to a spectator for shuffling while the right hand drops to the side or retreat: to the hip.

T h e best moment to do any move is under cover of misdirection, on the "off beat." O n e example of this is to use the following stock gag when passing ou the cards. With the left hand, offer the cards to the spectator with the reques that he shuffle them thoroughly. Just as he reaches for the cards, withdraw then and say? "That's enough." Now look him squarely in the eye as you execute th, palm under cover of a brief squaring action. Immediately separate your hands apologize for your effrontery, then once again offer the pack to the spectator Obviouslyt any appropriate comment will serve in place of this well~worngag. I is submitted here as an example of "changing the moment."

W h e n offering the pack to a spectator, it is best not to offer it with the hand that actually holds the palmed cards. T h e farther this hand extends away from the body, the greater the danger of the cards being seen by spectators on the sides. To avoid this, keep the hands relatively close to the body. While the palming hand is at the side, the natural tendency is to turn the back of the hand to the front to conceal the cards. Ironically, this can be more telling and attracts more attention than if a small portion of the cards were actu. ally exposed. If you compare this to a hand that drops naturally to the side, there will be a marked difference between the two. T h e natural hand has the palm face ing the thigh and the thumbnail facing forward. T h e cards will remain concealed if care is taken to keep the hand close to the body.

Wrong: Turntng the palm completely away from the audtence gtves the hand an awkward appearance. Instead, turn the palm to face the hrp and keep tt close to the body.

T h e hands should by no means remain at the sides for any length of time and rarely at the same time. T h e palms are kept close to the body whenever move ing up the body to make a small action such as adjusting the tie or coat lapel. In many ways, the manner in which you retreat with a palmed card is more critical than the palming action itself. There is a tendency for the hand to retreat too quickly or too slowly. T h e goal is to match as closely as possible the action of the hand retreating when there is no card in the palm. Practice how you will draw back your hand in different situations: sitting crosselegged on the floor, sitting in a chair, standing behind a table, and stand. ing with no table. Suit your palming posture to where your hand would natu. rally rest if no muscles were in play. It is important, if the card is palmed for any length of time, to use the hand in some minor way in order that it not appear "dead." This may be accomplished by pulling up the sleeve, adjusting the tie or coat lapels, or by moving to pick up an object, such as the card case. Don't over* do these movements. Try to relax the elbow and shoulder muscles to allow for a more natural appearance, letting gravity take your hand where it will. If you can

manage to stay relaxed and forget that you have a card concealed, your hand will go where it naturally would. This position should be noted in your practice and eventually may be recreated in your performance without conscious effort. Many performers make the mistake of awkwardly reaching across their body with the "clean" hand to pick up an object directly in front of their dead palm, ing hand, making it abundantly clear that the hand is otherwise occupied. If the function cannot be naturally handled by the hand which palms the card, then the performer should take a step to the side or turn slightly to make the use of the nondpalming hand more natural. My favorite "hold out" ruse is to rest my empty hand palm up directly over the palmed card, with the thumb of the palming hand resting on the palm of the empty hand. This is a transitory resting position and after five seconds or sc would be followed by the hands resting on the hips or replacing the palmed card as the pack is returned after shuffling.

With the card concealed in the rght palm, the right thumb rests on the left palm with the hands resting at waist level.

As the cards are ~ a l m e dzn the rght hand, the left hand with the pack turns counterclockwrse. The pack is then regrrpped by the srdes from above with the rght hand.

Often it is preferable to place the pack on the table rather than handing it to a spectator. Vernon often used the technique of turning the pack counter. clockwise a quarter turn with the left hand as he palmed the cards, then regrip* ping it on its sides with the right thumb at one side and fingers at the other. Here it is held momentarily, supposedly to allow the other hand to gesture or serve some function, or is simply placed on the table.

THEART OF

CARD PALMING CAN BE BROUGHT

TO A DEGREE OF PERFECTION THAT BORDERS O N T H E WONDERFUL.

S, W Erdnase N o t only did the subtle turn effectively cover the palming action, but as the cards and the palm were at right angles to one another, it also served to visual. ly isolate them from each other. Whenever holding the pack from above with a card concealed in the palm, either by the ends or the sides, curl the forefinger in slightly, with its tip resting on the pack. This subtle difference allows a more natural appearance. Vernon also suggested when the pack is placed on the table, that it be placed there with a definitive slap, punctuating the action with a "period.rt T h e wrist of the hand is then "broken," relaxing as it retreats to your side. Without this punctuation, the approach and retreat become one continuous motion with the spectators' eyes following the hand with the palmed card as it withdraws. If there is no break in the action, there will be no break in the spectator's attention.

Palming from under the pack is better covered and less suspect than palm. ing from above the pack. My good friend Faucett Ross was the first to introduce me to the superiority of the bottom palm. H e had completely deceived me with the steal itself, which was followed by resting his hands on his hips to disguise the nature of the guilty hand. T h e bottom palm I will describe here is essentially Erdnase's first method. Although excellent in itself, the original description contains a short footnote that makes the technique even more indetectable: "This palm may be made without the aid of the right little finger the second left finger is dropped sufficiently to

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allow the little finger to take its place, T h e little finger then grips the corner anc pulls the cards back to the left wrist until they lie along the left fingers a: before." These few words say volumes. Allow me to expand and clarify this simple idea. It is essential that the lef~ hand assume a slightly curved position from the start, as if the cards were alreadj in the palm. T h e bottom surface of the pack and the left palm are more or les: at right angles to one another with the left palm facing the body, rather thar with the palm facing the bottom of the pack, as might be assumed. Begin with the pack held a bit more forward in the left hand than in nor ma1 dealing position. A flesh break is held with the left little finger above thc card or cards desired. W h e n ready to execute the palm, the right hand grips tht pack from above, with the fingers at the front end and the thumb at the rear T h e pack is now elevated slightly at the rear, lifting the inner left corner from ; position below the ball of the thumb to a position at the base of the thumb itself T h e inside tip of the left little finger applies pressure above the inner righl corner of the card, pressing it against the base of the left thumb. This will causl it to bend at the center, down the length of the card. In the same motion, thr little finger moves back toward the left wrist, about an inch. T h e card moves t c the right, pivoting off of the inner left corner at the base of the thumb. At thi: point the card is still elevated above the palm. Now, by a slight contraction o the left fingers, the card is "squeezed" into the palm. T h e left little finger slide: up the side of the card, assuming a position beside the ring finger. This little fin ger action is at the rear and below the pack and therefore perfectly covered. If, in your practice, the card is not in a proper palm position at this point, thi: can most likely be remedied in future attempts by adjusting the pivot point at thr base of the thumb. Avoid flattening the left hand up to the pack. Instead, bend thr card in to meet the curved palm. T h e little*finger action described, if reversed, i: the essence of Vernon's handdwashing move (see "LeipzigSkinner Surprise") whicl transfers palmed cards from hand to hand under cover of a casual massaging action O n e of the "tells" that typically belies the bottom palm is that of the hanc opening to receive the card, then closing to retain it. T h e result is that the fin gers are seen to suspiciously open and close when the hand should be merel) holding the pack. Erdnase's finesse eliminates all superfluous movement by bend ing the card at the rear, contouring it into the left hand, which is already con tracted and ready to receive it. This technique is identical to that described as thc Easy Going Bottom Palm by Cliff Green in Professz'onal Card Magic.

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The left thumb revolves around the rght thumb, staying in contact until the left wrist is turned completely rn.

The bttle finger reaches up past the ring frnger and engages the srdes of the cards to be palmed

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developed the following technique for use when palming a card from thr bottom of a small packet but it works equally well with a full deck. It is a verj simple idea but I have never seen it described anywhere in print. T h e pack is held with the right hand from above, at the ends, and fron below at the fingertips of the left hand with the left forefinger curled slightly anc touching the bottom card of the packet. T h e left hand moves back along the sidr of the pack to the rear, in the first of a twoestroke squaring action. T h e tip of the left forefinger contacts the face of the bottom card, causinz it to pivot on the right thumb at the rear and angling the front of the card unde~ the pack to the right. T h e left fingers now move back up the side of the decl to begin the second stroke of the squaring action. Since the card is angled to thr right, it is now directly above the left palm. T h e card may be bent into the lef palm by simply pressing the tip of the left ring finger on the outer right cornel of the card. T h e inner left corner will be pressed against the base of the lef thumb, bending the card at the center.

T h e tip of the forefinger contacts the of the card, angling it to the rght on the first downstroke.

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O n the second downstroke, the left rzng finger engages the rght upper corner of the card.

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The left hand then contracts, drawzng the card Into the palm as the rght hand places the pack onto the table. 'i \ \

T h e left fingers now move down the side of the pack for the second stroke, palming the card. T h e fingers move back up the deck which now rests in the left hand covering the palmed card. Alternatively, you may take the pack into the right hand and place it onto the table.

Here is another instance where the bottom palm is superior to the top palm. In replacing the palmed cards to the bottom of the pack, the pack need not be hidden from view. Erdnase describes how to replace palmed cards on the bottom of the pack. T h e basic action of kicking the palmed cards up over the top of the hand was most likely Vernon's inspiration for his handewashing move (see "Leipzig#Skinner Surprisett). T h e right hand receives the pack and places it into the left hand directly over the palmed cards, roughly at 90° angles to one another. T h e left little finger moves to the right side of the palmed cards, pushing on the outer half of the cards and angling them to the left. T h e left little finger now slides down the edge

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Pull down on cards below the break wrth the lefrfmgers, allowlng the 141 srde of t11 cards to slrde to the r g h ~ .

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The bot~oinhand moves to the left, the reversed pack berng levered up to a posttron squarely beneath the top cover card.

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Square the cards in the hands with the reversed pack below the exposed Nin of Clubs. W i t h the reversal accomplished, the face card will now be exchange for the second card from the face, using the first method of transformation fror Mr. Erdnase's book. This change has been credited by some, to none other tha Harry Houdini. In this instance, the change will be from the Nine of Clubs to a face#dow card. Here I will provide a brief description of the action, along with some extr finesse. T h e pack is held in leftehand dealing position, with the forefinger he1 loosely in the front. T h e right hand is brought to the right side of the pack, wit the palm up. T h e right hand is then levered palm0down onto the face of the pac with the pad of the little finger being first to contact the surface of the pack a

the outer right corner. This contact, as the hand levers palm down, causes the face card of the pack to be jogged forward a quarter to half an inch. This sub. tle motion is much more deceptive than the standard handling where the palm is simply placed flat onto the pack and pushed forward and back. With the top card jogged forward, the heel of the right hand may now con* tact the card second from the face at the rear (the faceedown blank card). Now, instead of sliding the rght hand straight back to draw out the second card as is the norm, move the left hand forward as you tilt the front of the pack down slight* ly, ostensibly to show the face card one more time.

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A s to give the spectator one more look a/ the card, the lefr hand moves forward and down to expose the face card.

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T h e rear end of the pack holds the blank faced card secure agnlnst the palm. From adove, the rght hand appears to hover above the pack.

--. The left hand movesforward, wttlz the forefinger squaring the ourlogged card wit/ the pack.

Tlze rg/lt hand does not lay flat on the pack merely covers the cards and begins to slowly ?trove upward In the spectator? line of vrsron, then to the stde, revealtng the change. but

By

pressing the pack up at the rear and against the heel of the right hanc the second card is pressed securely against the right palm as it is drawn out. Pi this point the card need not be palmed, the muscles of the right hand remainin relaxed. T h e palm will be separated from the pack and appear to be merely h o ~ ering above it. Stop the forward movement of the left hand when you feel th click of the second card clearing the rear edge of the face card. Now, draw the right hand forward over the pack as you simultaneously pu the left hand back, using the left forefinger at the front to lightly push the out jogged card flush with the pack as the palmed card covers it. Continue movin up and forward with the right hand, rising above the pack to slowly reveal th change. Performed properly, the new card is not revealed until the upper hand I a full foot above the pack, giving the impression that the change itself occurre while the hands were separated. This beautiful touch is that of Max Malini, as described by Dai Vernon i Stars of Magic. W h e n the serious student of magic is looking for secrets of th art, this type of thing is the difference between "a trick" and something thz appears to be real magic. To be sure, efficient technique is important. But bod language, nuance, and how effects are defined by the performer are the kind c things that transform the mere magician into an artist. Technique is merely a too To paraphrase Shakespeare, "The e f f e is the thing!"

After the change, obtain a break by pulling down with the right little finger, where the cards will separate at the natural break formed under the reversed Nine of Clubs. Execute a double turnover of the top two cards onto the pack, expos, ing another back. Immediately spread through the pack to show backs through. out the pack, taking care not to expose the reversed card second from the top. As you finish the spread, leave the bottom two cards in the left hand. You will now place them onto the top of the spread in a manner that should appear as though you have turned them over, revealing backs on the reverse side. This uses a sleight similar to the paddle move, creating the impression that both sides of the cards are shown. As applied to playing cards, this move is ge~lerallycred. ited to Francis Carlyle but long ago appeared in Goldston's Great Magicians' Tdicks, credited to Douglas Dexter in his trick "The Mystic Star."

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T h e pack is spread until two cards remain in the lefr hand. The thumb levers the cards up on the left side as the hand turns palm down.

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Done smoothly and wrthout protest, the two cards appear to have been turned over as tlzey are placed on top of the pack.

T h e left thumb moves under the remaining two cards to flip them up against the left fingertips. However, the left hand simultaneously rotates palm down, carefully obscuring the faces of the cards from view, as they "turn over." giving the impression that the cards have been flipped over. T h e left hand (which is now palm down) places the two faceddown cards on top of the pack (with the face0down Nine on top); the cards are then squared with the pack proper. This action is not performed as if to "prove" anything, but

as if you were merely turning the two cards over as you place them on top. I squaring the pack, obtain a break at the natural separation below the fourth car( Execute a quadruple turnover of the top four cards. As you turn over tt cards, allow them to fall injogged a quarter of an inch. Now, as you push tt cards square with the pack, obtain a break beneath them with the right thuml Normally, performing a multiple turnover with this many cards would be risky proposition, but in this case, you could just as well be turning over or card or several, as the intention is merely to check the condition of the cards ar not to prove that you have turned over a single card. To avoid any hesitation I your "get~ready,"try to obtain the break in a separate action before the turnove Lift the top four cards and, without reversing them, place them on the bo tom of the pack. Point to the diagonally opposite corners of the top card of tk pack and state that you have marked the cards there, in the event that this shoul

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The left mrddle finger and thumb pull small packets off the top of the rght-hand packet rnto the left hand.

The packets fall rnto Itfiehand dealing grq Occasionally, the rtght wrrst is turned over to brrefly display the undersrde of rts packe showing a back.

Repeat the shufling and turnrng of the rgi wrist. Due to the two cards reversedpreviously, you may twrce pull a card from the top of the rnverted upper packer onto the lower packet usrng the left thumb.

happen. Beg111a Hindu shuffle, pulling small packets from the top of the deck wrth the left middle finger and thumb, allowrng them to fall Into the left hand, each on top of the one before. After pulling off a couple packets, turn the right wrrst palmeup to brrefly show a back on the underside of the upper packet and name any card, as ~f reading the marks on its back. Resume the shuffle; then, after a couple more packets, turn the rrght wrlst again, name the back of the card as any card, then pull t h ~ scard off the upper packet and onto the leftdhand packet, uslng the left thumb. This will expose another back, strengthening the conv~ctionthat backs are ub~quitous. Repeat the wrrst turn and naming of cards a few more trmes, then once again pull a second card from the bottom of the upper packet onto the lower packet, then resume the shuffle. Stop the shuffle with at least ten to twelve cards remain. ing In the r ~ g h thdnd, then place them on top momentarily, hold a break, then cut these cards to the bottom of the deck. Now spread the cards from hand to hand, being careful to not expose the reversed card on the bottom. Close the spread and turn the deck over in the left hand to expose another back. Look up and away from the cards as you comment on the mess you have made. Under this moment of misdirection, l~ftboth hands up in front of you, displaying the unders~deof the pack to the spectators as you spread the cards from hand to hand again, apparently showing backs on the other side. T h ~ subtle s d~splayIS Ed Marlo's and first appears In "The Wrong Deck" in Jon Racherbaumer's Hierophant #4 (June, 1970).

Afer you square the spread, turn the pack over to expose a back, then look away from the cards. Immediately I$ the hands up in front ofyour chest and again spread the cards from hand to hand, exposing only the underside. Square the cards, turn the pack over, and place it back into left-hand dealing position.

It contains a discrepancy that goes past everyone, if done casually. Th strength lies in its understatement and the fact that you are not trying to mak then1 believe you are showing the other side of the cards, only that you at spreading them again as you talk. If they should assume, as they usually do, th: you are showing the other side, then so much the better. Close the spread as you lower the cards and square them in the left hanc You now have a face down Nine of Clubs on top, followed by a face0up blan card. T h e rest of the pack is face up below. Offer to try and set things straigh "Perhaps if I wave my hand in the opposite direction, counter~clockwise.. O n c again perform Erdnase's first transformation, sliding the top card forward and th second card over it from the rear and onto the face. Express surprise as a blan card appears on the face of the pack. You will now make a reverse fan, showin all the cards as blank.

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Expertmentatlon wlN reveal tlre correct axrs porn 8 thumb apphes pressure. The at whrch the 1 rght thumb presses lghtb on the I+ corner, fan nrng the cards counter-clockwise

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Look away from the blank fan, toward the audrence, then razse the lefr hand up to the chest as you turn the wrrst outward, grvrng the appearance that the fan has been turned over.

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T h e pack is held high in the left hand. T h e left thumb is across the pack at the outer end. T h e axis point is provided by the pad of the left thumb above, just right of center, and the first joint of the left forefinger below. T h e right thumb contacts the side of the pack at the inner left corner and moves counter. clockwise, up and to the left, making a reverse fan. T h e non.index corners show and the cards appear blank. After allowing a moment for this to register, look up and away from the cards as you address the spectators and compel them to shift their gaze upward as you raise the fan up beside your head, turning the hand palm.out at the same time. This will essentially amount to a "paddle movet' with the fan of cards, apparently showing that the underside of the fan is blank as well. Lower the fan, finishing with the left hand palmeup. Close the fan, and seize this opportunity in handling the cards to perform a standard sideesteal (see " O n Palming"), pushing the bottom card of the faceap pack into the right palm as the hands separate. T h e right hand now drops out of frame as you focus atten. tion on the pack. Making one last attempt to correct your misguided efforts, wave the right hand over the pack, depositing the palmed card onto the face, apparently print* ing the cards with a wave of your hand. Holding the pack with the left thumb across the inner end of the pack, fan the cards in the opposite direction by rune ning the right thumb over the outer left corner of the pack to the right so all the indices show. After a pause, again lift the left hand up beside your head, this time without turning the hand palm out, to display backs where they should be. T h e trick is now officially over, but as they react to the obvious finish and your triumph over adversity, square the fan, obtaining a break under the top three cards on the face. T h e simplest way to do this is to spread the three cards as you square the deck, securing a break underneath them with the left little finger. Lift the three cards from above with the right hand and move their left edge over to the right side of the pack. Turn your left wrist inward while the left fingertips drag the Nine of Clubs from below (the back of the triple card) onto the face of the pack. Now cut the two remaining cards to the bottom. As you square the cards, bottom palm the blank card into your left hand as your right hand offers the pack to the spectator for shuffling and the inevitable examination. Pick up the card box with the right hand and transfer it to the left hand, which disposes it and the palmed card into the left coat pocket.

.t your favortte color change f ~ tn t thts routtne wtthout awke sa aL~~usrmrnts? r cransformat~onscould you tnake (card box, clothtng, etc.) Id not detract from the effect?

Pretension, presentation, defining ef/'ts, and the spirit of the artist,

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sk yot~rsclf 411s very important question: "For whom do I dc

you performing more for your satisfaction than that of tllc :~ttdlcnce?"G~veme your attention. Appreciate me. Look 4='-?, n t what I CXII do." H o w much more fruitful to think, "Whac this pcrson enjo;J? W h a t are hls desires and ~nterests?" W h y woulc rrstcd in n performance unless it offered something he mighc c to r r h t c ro on 3 personal level? re iintcresced in themselves first, other people second, anc hrds and colns are clearly at the bottom of t h ~ s11st. But ~f yo^ can m a n a ~ro genuine mystery, contalnlng even the smallest sug, gcstron of tlic. nd dreams of the human anlmal, you wlll reach peo, ple tn a way no amcr art can. A study of htirnan bhavlor and des~reswould not be a wasted effort 1j you wish to be a popular success. However, with an artlstlc success comes the responslbllity of artlsttc lntegrlty. W e must avoid appeal~ngto the low, est common denominator, as this is the antithesis of art. An artistic offerin? should include a sincere expression, sharing something of value. Anything less must be resigned to mediocrity. Even though some dilettantes may flame high in the short term, they are destined to burn out just as quickly. T h e great Fred Kaps used to say that a performer's greatest asset was his "ability as a private person." Kaps' performing personality was one of a polite, considerate gentleman, one you would enjoy spending time with. These attributes served him well, with his warmth and personality drawing niapc?'' Arc

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people in where his exceptional skill and ability could weave their spell. Clevel manipulation and routining are quite useless to anyone but the aficionado, unles: the presentation is entertaining and pleasant to watch. As magicians, we need to gently compel people into participating in the process. Yo11 must assure them: "Experience this. I'll make sure it's worth you1 while." T h e n you must deliver, graciously taking a sometimes reticent audience by the hand, leading them through what should be adventurous and unfamilia~ territory, above and beyond their expectations; "I always thought magic was for kids. I never would have imagined it could be so much fun!" I've always had a great deal of admiration for the spirit of artists from all dis, ciplines who experiment and take cotnmercial risks. Even when all their experi, ments are not well received, they still manage to dust themselves off and contin, ue moving forward, learning and discovering, Their goal is to grow and contribute to their art, rather than only exploit their gift for profit. They don't follow trends, they create new ones. Artists either continue to grow or they decay.

LOVE THE ART

IN YOURSELF,NOT YOURSELF IN THE ART. -0

Constantin Stanislavski

Assuming the role and responsibilities of an artist does not mean performing in a stuffy, arrogant manner. A pretentious manner not only sets up a dangerou: "us against themit scenario, but also distracts from the central focus, which should be material that surprises, stimulates, and entertains. Anything else is self#grati, fication, Art that only ten people in the world can appreciate is destined fot obscurity when the artist makes a deliberate attempt to separate himself from the observer. N o matter how provocative, the aim should be to connect. Without a certain amount of accessibility, or an attempt at communicating, art becomes aca, demic, pointless, and self~serving. In a sense, your performance is a relationship, a transient one for sure, but ulti, mately a certain bond must be established before your idea or message can be heard. T h e single most important ingredient in any relationship is effective corn, munication, sending and receiving, including both verbal and nonverbal dialogue, Without it you are performing at, rather than for, an audience. You must first have a clear idea of the effect that you want to communicate, then you must create interest and speak a common language to deliver this message. To be artistic, this language should have distinction, character, and color,

representing your personal point of view. This then, is what each performet offers to the audience: a unique voice with something to say, with possibilitie: to ponder. Imitating other performers may ILgetbytt in the short term but it car never be anything but a pale impression.

Ask yourself, "What is the effect?" If you can't answer this question in a short statement, it is unlikely your audience will remember the effect the next day, muck less carry the mystery with them for years. All the classics of magic are testament to this axiom. Rtngs link. Cards rise. Money is pulled from the air. Ladies float or are sawn in two. These direct effects make distinct, clear impressions. Let the effect be your goal and strive to travel there in the most direct way Strive to simplify all your magic, eliminating all confusion and irrelevancies, sc the only thing that is revealed is pure effect. Effects may then be embellished with situations that appeal to the emotions, including danger, defiance of natural laws, the meeting of human needs, or humor. Although I perform comedy magic, I confess a certain prejudice against most of that genre, particularly the brand so often seen in comedy clubs. Good corn, edy magic is such a rare thing because it is very difficult to inspire mystery and levity at the same moment with proper measure and equal skill. Frequently per, formers are failed comics looking for a gimmick, or magicians who have collect, ed jokes and gags to cover weaknesses in their conjuring. They don't really study either craft, and as a result, they remain masters of neither. I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment of "entertainment first." But if good magic is your goal, then entertain with magic. Surely your performance must include many other elements besides mystery, but this should not be an excuse for inadequate thought and practice in constructing an illusion. If you can give with your audience in mind, your rewards will come in abun, dance. In this way you are not merely taking up their time; instead, you are giv, ing them mystery and amusement, magicts unique tonic.

...

T h e crowd is rife with anticipation. T h e lights are dimming. Stepping to the stage, Laurence Olivier, in a new adaption of Hamlet. After a thoughtful pause,

he begins. "1 was over there. Then I took one, two, three steps. Now, I will take one more. That is three down and one to go* For a total of one, two, three, four steps. Any questiotls?" T h e reviews are in; this is not entertainment, it is procedure. Worse, it is a description of procedure. From a theatrical standpoint, it is a failure. It did not connect, inform, or transcend. It was a laundry list read aloud. T h e production failed to heed the Bard's advice: "The play? the thing." Now replace the actor with a magician. "I place one, two, three coins in this hand. One jumps to the left hand. Now remember, two in the right and one in the left.." Need I go on? This pointless narrative is often accompanied by busy and confusing actions. W h y does the magician put the coins down on the table, only to pick them up and put them, one at a time, back into the same hand? Because he needs to do a false transfer? True theater requires motivation. In the opinions of those I respect most, attention should be diverted from these actions. Moves and procedure are meant to be performed in the periphery, outside of vision and mental scrutiny. Emphasis is better placed on plot and the festooning of the ritual with appropriate magical ornamentation. This type of "patter" is just what the term implies: blather, an endless series of details that must be considered in a misguided effort to follow the plot. This only reinforces the puzzle aspect of magic and reminds the audience they have not left their everyday lives. This is humdrum, workeaeday drudgery. In striving to remove these distractions, I have found that the more stream. lined the handling, the less I had to say. I finally came to the realization that I had confused procedure with presentation. Good magic shouldn't require a blued print to follow. I had a similar epiphany many years ago, after reading one of my favorite books, Henning Nelmst Magic and Showrnanshlp. T h e book's message is that magic should have meaning or, at the very least, theatrical meaning. Nelms gives the now~classicscenario of walking up to a friend, snapping your fingers, and having a ham sandwich appear in his pocket. Puzzling? Perhaps, but not engaging. Compare this to the scenario of making the sandwich appear after a friend says, "I sure am hungrytt Presto! Now a wish has been fulfilled by a miracle. Your miracle. After reading the Nelms book and concurring wholeheartedly with the author, it dawned on me, much to my chagrin, that none of my tricks had meaning. With this realization, I became depressed and lost interest in magic for a while. Then I reset my sights.

Over the years I've managed to add some measure of meaning to some of my routines, but I'm still just beginning to understand how to do it. T h e first steF is to be aware of the need for something for people to relate to, and to look fot ways to draw them in. Incorporating emotion in an artful and appropriate way is quite a challenge. Typically, attempts at emotional connection tend to be rather labored and tenu, ous. T h e secret then, may lay in a light touch and an earnestness and sincerity that the audience may sense, both in the performer's script and persona. W e must learn to give our presentation as much attention as we assign tc our moves and gimmicks. Some of magic's greatest illusions are not created on the stage, but in the minds of the spectators. It is the responsibility of the mag, ical artist to create context and meaning in his presentations. Magic without the, ater is simply juggling, a display of skill. If magic is to be considered for the lofty title of art, we magicians need first to communicate feelings and ideas rather than merely attempting to dazzle with technical virtuosity. W e need to challenge our, selves with new presentational approaches, and the courage that it requires. Regardless of any success or failure, the adventurous have my respect and appreciation for their efforts. These adventures spell the future of magic itself, either its survival, or its relegation to a quaint, anachronistic novelty.

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an unconventional premlse for a t r ~ c kand run wlth ~ t .

any pretension or psychological threat from your presentations, your spectator may enjoy the experience of maglc rather than feellng

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rnldated bg ~ t .

3) Mentally chart your growth slnce your start In maglc. Where are you In relation to bqnnlng? it

Where do you want to be? H o w much effort w ~ l l r ~ q ~ ~ to i r get e there?

The performer has a spectator peek at a card near the center of the deck. Tlze pack is placed on the spectator ? palm and instantly the selection appears on the face of the pack. A second selection penetrates through the deck and the performer? hand. This card is replaced in the pack, then visibly appearsface up on top.

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tntght hc . ~ s s ~ ~ ~that n c dslnce I am a lover of magrc, that all branch, c.tl to me equally. With no offense intended to lovers r art ;~pp

confess neither a talent nor a predilection toward thrs PWCICE11Jf stlidy. 1 flnd most card locations to be uninteresting I t conlc; ns no surprlse that the trickster should be able to nnd pre, card, as t t is unlikely that anyone would purposely place him. find tIw -,. 11 Ion of laying out his ~mpossible" conditions, unless he fully las a method of, finding the selected card. len L see mayicinns putting spectators through the paces of dealing, cmblinp, and sup~rrfluousmathematics, I can't help thinking, "Why lie just srick his 1little finger in there?" A great deal of time and trou. hlc may hr saved looking for a selected card if you just don't let go of it in rhe first place. Mathematics and procedure are decidedly worldly things, anti. thetical to the fantasy other0world of pure magic. By the same token, ostentatious finger#flinging also undermines the illu. sion of pure magic. A nervous performer often races through his manipula* tions, dazzling at the price of confusion. A display of skill is not effective illu, sion. "Quickness of the hand" is an incomplete, but acceptable, explanation for the average layman. In my philosophy, perpetuating this theory is antithetical to the effects I want to achieve. Relegating magic to a matter of speed robs it of its intellec, tual respectability. Deceiving with speed and confusion is a hollow victory. With proper thought and care, along with ample portions of nerve, we may 11-5,

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perform at a more natural pace and actually be several steps ahead of the spec, tators' analysis. Less is more. My favorite tricks with playing cards are the sort where you "pull it out o their ear." By this 1 mean using cards as arbitrary objects that vanish, appear multiply, change size and form, transpose, transport, float, or defy destruction. Ir performance, my tastes dictate that discovering the identity of a card should be subservient to purely visual illusions. T h e task before us, then, is to eliminate the confusion and procedure asso. ciated with these effects, curtailing suspicion with sound psychology and misdi. rection, rather than sucker4punching the spectators and running for the hills. This routine is full of surprises and is a perfect opener for a series of carc tricks. It is very direct and assists in establishing the performer's credibility-the straightforward effects quickly distinguish him from the rank amateur. If this rou, tine is studied and analyzed rather than just imitated, the management skills anc timing acquired will serve the student well into the future. T h e following routine is based on "Leipzig's Opener" from Dai Vernon's 7;ibutt to Nate Le@&. I read this book as a teenager and still use many of its routine: and concepts. Leipzig was a no#nonsense, practical performer specializing ir direct and startling magic with a minimum of props. This routine was a favorite with that master of sleight of hand, Michael Skinner. Here I have also incorporated a few touches of my own, as well a5 Skinner's dazzling climax. Michael was a dear friend, whom I consider to have been the finest all0around sleight*of.hand magician in the world. H e had a very natural style of handling things, carefully choreographing each movement, each

Superb technrque and thoughtful routrnrng: marks of the great Mrchael Skrnner.

transition, each moment, with nothing left to chance. And yet, when you watched him perform, his movements did not appear to be anything but natural, spontad neous, and unremarkable. Unremarkable until ...the effect. After the stage had been set, after all the moves and the gentle jokes, you felt it. An indescribable rush would wash over you-a profound sense of wonder. Michael understood what an effect was. H e understood how to communicate it, how to make you feel the magic he had created. This is the real art of the magi. cian. N o t the props or the narrow brief of the technician's second deal. Rather, it is in the effective transference of a clear effect, from your imagination to the spectators, without all the distractions of cluttered technique or procedure. O n e of the greatest lessons Michael taught me is not a fine point of tech. nique or some obscure card location. It was the concept he called "The Magic Moment." Quite simply, if you understand this idea, the focus it provides will improve all your magic significantly. It was Michael's belief that there must be a single moment in every effect, when you, as the magician, cause the magic to happen. For example, a snap of the fingers or a wave of the wand wields the magician's influence over natural laws. Sometimes Michael would create an anticipatory tension in what he would call the "exaggerated pause." Just previous to revealing the vanish of a coin or the change of a card, he would sometimes stop still and quiet, his hands hover. ing frozen over the object. H e would hold this pause for five seconds or more, to the point where the silence felt almost uncomfortable. H e would then snap his fingers and reveal the effect of his intense concentration. T h e dramatic sus. pense created by this pause provided a focus and anticipation that increased the effect many times over. In this way, he had made it known that this phenome, non had not just randomly occurred. As a magician, he had caused it to happen. H e had created a "magic moment." Michael made a study of how to emphasize these moments and allow his fine technique to fade into the shadows. In re.describing Leipzigts original routine, I offer some new touches, and also use it to illustrate specific insights on timing and misdirection. I humbly present this routine in a fresh light, where it might be appreciated by a new generation of magicians. I have added Ed Marlots ideas on the replacement of the card, which has added greatly to the effectiveness of the side steal. Begin by having a card selected by the peek method. I first qualify this odd method of selection by explaining that if I were to offer a card in the tradition. a1 manner, I might get a glimpse of the card. Instead, I say I will turn my head

and have a spectator call "Stop" anytime as I riffle the corner of the pack. Holding the pack in the left hand, I riffle back the upper right corner until the spectator calls out "Stop." I now open the pack wide enough for him to see the index of the card and request, "Remember this card." This specific wording is necessary to avoid the spectator thinking of just any card as you riffle the pack.

The lefr liltle finger maintains only a small Ylesh break" after the pek.

Close the gap, maintaining a flesh break with the left little finger at the lower end of the pack. Follow this with a gentle riffle of the pack to add a sense of finality to the moment. Keep your head turned and quickly spread the cards as you reiterate that the card was not removed from the pack. Now square them loosely and separate your hands in a simple gesture. As you turn to look the spec. tator in the eye, ask, "Did you see a card clearly?" Lower your hands slightly, just out of frame. Then, while the spectator is occupied by both your question and your gaze, execute a side steal, bringing the card to the top of the pack under cover of an efficient squaring action (see the deliberate steal in "On Palming"). Immediately following your dirty work, separate the hands and state that you have already eliminated the top and bottom card as possibilities. As you speak, the left thumb pushes the top two cards off the pack slightly so that you may secure a break beneath them for a double turnover. At first, this separation of the hands may seem unnecessary, and the student may suppose that the break for the double turnover should be obtained while the hands still grip the pack at the conclusion of the side steal. I offer that the extra hesitation created by the combination of the two actions would weaken the effece tiveness of both moves, giving the handling a "cozy" appearance. Properly hand dled, the side steal will pass without notice, being finished before focus is placed

on the cards. A beat or two is allowed to pass as you obtain the break, then you may execute the double turnover with no "get.readytf action in evidence. You now show the card is neither on the top nor the bottom by first executing an effie cient double turnover and replacement. Here I describe Dai Vernon's method, the most natural double lift I have found. It replicates most closely the actions of a genuine deal and display, with, out ostentation, flourish, or fanfare. With the pack in 1eft.hand dealing position, the pad of the left ring finger holds a flesh break. This may be obtained in a natural manner by pushing two cards off the pack slightly with the left thumb, feeling the edge of the cards pass over the left fingertips. This is done while you pause in the procedure to make some suitable comment, with the pack out of the frame of attention. T h e left thumb is extended across the pack, then bent slightly with a sepa. ration of half an inch between its tip and that of the ring finger. T h e tip of the left ring finger pushes up, while the left thumb pushes down, bending the card slightly upward on the right and locking the two cards in alignment.

Keeping pressure on the cards between them, the lefttforefi'nger and thumb extend, with the thumb apparentIy having pushed the top card off the side 4 the pack. Without releasing the grip on the cards, the ring finger and the thumb are extended, giving the appearance that a single card has been pushed a half inch off the side of the pack. T h e double is taken by the right hand and gripped at the inner right corner by the right thumb above and the right index, middle, and ring fingers below. Now you simply turn the right wrist inward to display the face of the card. Reverse your actions, turning the right wrist back in the same arc used to display the face of the card and replace the cards on top of the pack.

I 1

The card IS grrpped at the rnner rght corner. The thumb applres pressure at a pornt between the forefinger and tllurnb below, whrle the tip of the ring finger serves to square the cards at the rear,

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The rght hand turns palm down In a small arc, renzninrng close to the pack. A slght pressure IS applied agarnst the deck wrt/l the card, to close any gap between the two cards. The actron rs reversed to replace the cards on the pack. Now grip the entire pack by the inner right corner, in the same manner as the double card, turning the right wrist palm inward to display the bottom card of the pack. In this manner the bottom card is displayed and noted as an indif. ferent card. Regrip the pack face up from below in leftehand dealing grip. T h e right hand grips the pack from above, with the fingers in the front and the thumb at the rear. Look away from the pack as you request that the spectae tor hold out his hand "like this;" you demonstrate with your left hand, which is seen to be empty. Under this misdirection the left hand returns to the pack, approaching from below, and in one fluid motion the left fingertips push the bot* tom card of the face up pack into the right palm in a side8steal action as the pack is transferred back to the left hand. Without hesitation, the left hand takes the pack and begins to place it face down onto the spectator's outstretched hand. Hesitate before actually letting go of the pack, then regrip the pack from above in the right hand as you instruct him further with a demonstration. "No, hold your hand more flat1y...like this." Suiting action to words, extend your left palm perfectly flat, to demonstrate. T h e left hand once again approaches the pack from below. T h e left fingers con* tact the right edge of the palmed card, pulling it from the palm and onto the face of the pack as the left wrist turns down, hiding this from view. T h e pack

As the leftpalm 1s extended, the r g h ~ hand, wrtlz I ~ palmed S card, grlps the cards from above by the ends. The left /land then reapproaches, grlpping the srdes of [/re

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The lefifrngerspull the palmed card square onto the face of the pack. Wrthout hesrtatlon, the lqfi band co,innues, [urntngpalm down ai the pack ts placed on [he specta[ort upturned hand.

is then placed onto the spectator's palm. This entire sequence is given no impor, tance and should be properly acted to give the impression of spontaneity. Ask the spectator to name the card he peeked. Slowly massage the hands a5 if warming up for some fantastic manipulation. This will also serve to establish a "hand washing" action used later in the routine. Sharply clap the hands togeth, er, then lever the pack up with the left fingertips so the bottom card faces the spectator. Leave the face up pack resting on his hand for a full five seconds sc that the effect may be appreciated. Offer to repeat the effect. Turn your head and have the spectator once again call "Stop" as you riffle the pack, split it open so he may see the card, then close the gap and hold a break as before. Once again riffle the pack and quickly spread and close the cards to lend closure to the procedure. Separate the hands briefly, then, as you turn to face the spectator, ask, "Did you see a card, or did I close it too quickly?" Bring the hands together and under cover of a quick squaring action, execute a side steal bringing the selected card to the top, then immedi, ately separate the hands. Repeat the procedure of the geteready, double turnover, and replacement, fol, lowed by turning the pack face up on your left palm. Ask that the spectator hold his palm out as he did before, demonstrating this with your left hand. Your right

'I71cpnck is r#/ed over the pal~n-downrglzt hand, Afier a pnuse for focus, tlre palrned card is dropped ~rrtothe spectator's hand, having apparcnrly pirssed through yours.

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hand now temporarily grips the ends of the face up pack from above to accome modate this gesture. As the left hand returns to grip the pack from below, it pushes the selection into the right palm by use of the side steal. T h e left hand takes the pack into dealing grip and turns palm down just a few inches above the spectator's outstretched palm. Here you have implied that you will do exactly as you did before, but now act as though suddenly inspired to do something a bit different. Ask for the name of this second selection and when it is named, slowly riffle the corner of the pack with the left thumb as if looking for the card's locatioil. Bring the palm#down right hand between the pack and the spectator's hand and riffle the corner of the pack again. This time, release the palmed card and allow it to fall face up onto the spectator's palm, where it will appear to have penetrated the pack and your hand. Pause for a beat or two before moving, in order that the relative positions of the hands and card have registered, making clear the effect of a penetration. Now ask that the spectator replace the card face up in the center of the pack. Dribble or cut the cards to accommodate this. Now spread through the cards as if to remind him that the card is indeed face up in the center. W h e n the face up card is reached, outjog it only slightly, then close the spread as you look away from the cards. As you do so, state that you will teach him how to make the card appear if he will assist by holding out his hand as before. As you square the cards, the face up card is apparently pushed square with the pack, but is actually angled to the right side where a diagonal palmdshift (see "On Palmingn) may be executed to bring the selection into the left palm as you place the pack onto the table with the right hand. T h e business of allowing the spectator to place the card in the pack himself, along with the apparent after. thought of showing it again, addresses the principal weakness of the diagonal

palm.shift; namely, that the move takes place as the card is replaced and atten tion is still focused there. This slight variation is an attempt to heed Erdnase' own advice and "change the moment." T h e right hand grips the cards from above and places them on the table. Yo1 will now demonstrate the actions you wish the spectator to imitate. "Place you hand flat on the pack, then raise it straight up above the pack, snap your fingers and t l ~ ecard will appear." While the spectator is occupied with this request, yo1 will perform an abbreviated version of Vernon's handdwashing acquitment, trans ferring the palmed card to the right hand. As the hands approach one another, the left hand begins to turn palm up with the hand maintaining an angle that keeps the card out of sight, T h e hand meet with the hands at right angles, the palm#down right hand across the lef palm. Under cover of the right hand, the inside of the left little finger moves i l toward the forefinger, pushing the palmed card upward over the side of the fore finger. T h e base of the left thumb provides a pivot point for the card, causinj the outer right corner to peek over the side of the forefinger. At this moment, the right palm comes to rest directly over the palmed car( and by a slight pressure forward, the card is levered into the right palm. At thi. point, Vernon would follow though, dragging the right thumb down to the lef ~ a l min a massaging action. I however, wanted to adapt this move so that it dic not appear to be "hand washing," which would otherwise tend to focus atten tion on the hands. I have done this by breaking the move into two smaller moves or what Roger Klause has termed "half moves."

The inside of the left little finger kicks the palmed card up until the upper left corner prqects over the top side of the forefinger (exposed view). The right palm covers the left, where it presses down and forward on the projecting corner, causing the card to spring up into the rtght palm.

Instead of following though with the thumb rubbing the palm, the hands stop dead at this point, as if you were merely resting your loosely clasped hands in front of you as the spectator carries out your instructions. H e will of course, not succeed in making the card appear, so you offer to show him how it is done. It is at this point that you finish the action of the original Vernon transfer. T h e palm#down right hand moves from its resting position, up and over the left fingertips, then down the back of the left hand with the right thumb extended over the left palm on the downstroke. Throughout, the right hand remains in constant contact with the left hand. Once more, assume an air of concentration as you massage your hand, appard endy in preparation for your miracle. Here, the right thumb briefly massages the empty left palm, in a preparatory "stretch." This not only shows the hands apparently empty, but also provides a suspense~buildingpause as well as focus before the "magic moment." T h e right palm is then placed directly on top of the pack, depositing the palmed card, then moving straight up a foot above the table. As the hand moves

The rlght hand is placed flat onto the tabled deck) depositing the palmed card.

Afrer a moment) the hand is raise stralght up above the pack and the fingers snapped sharply.

upward, snap the fingers sharply, which will apparently cause the selection to appear face up on top of the pack. While there is a great deal going on under the surface, the routine should appear to be straightforward with nothing but the most mundane actions in evis dence up until the "magic moments." It is a perfect example of how a routine can be simplified, without necessarily making ~t tieasyn in execution. At times, simplification may afford the performer's fingers some well~deservedrest, as gim. micks, bluff, and subterfuge offer him respite. There are also slight variations in handling or a single move that can eliminate a significant amount of procedure and clutter. '

litc wrirrIng this, I thought of a much simpler procedure for this ,-,. u**., , LVll can you make this trick "simpler," eliminating portions of ;? Every choice you make involves sacrifice in another area. rhc re allowed, but they must not complicate the overall effect. Gin n--1 naps rnc card could be stolen more directly, without first controlling W h a t does your muse tell you? Listen!

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If

a model for artistry in magic, Johann Nepomu

Jd stand LIII amongst the greatest ever. vorked for sophisticated audiences with refined tastes, writin; bcauritu~prose and poetry to accompany his equally poetic effects. Hofzinse managed to create compelling presentations for his wonderful effects, whicl captured not only the intellect of his sophisticated audiences, but their em0 tions as well. Born in Vienna in 1806, Hofzinserrs talents did not blossom until rela tively late in life. For most of his adult life, he worked for the Ministry c Finance in Vienna, with little evidence that he pursued magic with any mor than a casual interest. Then around the age of forty, inspired by the work of the legendary Dobler and Bosco, he began performing regularly at exclu sive gatherings of Vienna's elite. H e opened a small performing salon whel he was fifty, but did not devote himself to exclusively to performing until hi retirement at age fiftynine! Hafzi Ha

Later in life, he sold many of his secrets and much of his apparatus to his students and other performing magicians, including the great Carl Herrmann. H i s achievements were artisttcally brilliant, but the financial return from his per. formances proved disappointing. This, along with a lack of recognition of his achievements from magicians of his day, account for some bitterness in his later years. This may explain his final wish that all of his apparatus and notes be destroyed upon his death. If not for Georg Heubeck, one of Hofzinser's few students, Hofzinser might be a long forgotten figure in magic today. A young Ottokar Fischer met and took lessons from Heubeck, Later, with Heubeck's help, Fischer began to research Hofzinser's work through his surviv. ing acquaintances, the heirs of his students, and Hofzinser's widow. From letters, manuscripts, and apparatus, he assembled the picture of J. N. Hofzinser that we know today. Fischer eventually published his discoveries in two books, J N Hofiinser Knrtenktienste and later J N Hofiinser Zauberkuenste. T h e former was eventually translated into English as J# N Hofiinseri Card Conjuring by S.H. Sharper and the latter by Richard Hatch as The Magic o f j . N Hafiinser, two "must haves" for any aspiring student. O n e of Hofzinser's most beautiful effects was titled "The Apotheosis of the Rose." In this effect the performer causes the image of a flower to appear on a small hand mirror. As he recites some lovely, appropriate poetry, the rose's color slowly and visibly fades, until it is completely white. A threeedimensional rose is apparently removed from the mirror, with the image in the mirror subsequently vanishing. T h e white rose then appears inside a small, clear vase, is removed, and visibly changes to a vibrant, red rose. All this while musing about life, death, and rebirth. H e had given meaning and context to his magic. Hofzinser's card magic may be considered far ahead of its time. H e invented many techniques in use today that have long since lost their pedigree. Although he possessed considerable skill, he also invented many of the gimmicks and trick cards that we use today. These gimmicked cards, combined with his great skill and imagination, created complex and unfathomable mysteries. J. N. Hofzinser may well be the measure to which all magicians should aspire. H i s tireless dedication, along with his innovative technique and presentations are among magic's proudest artistic achievements.

Lithograph by August Pnnzhofer, Corrrfey M ~ k eCaveney i Egyptian Hall Museum

Three spectators each select two cards. They are requested to remember one card and forget the other. The six selections are then returned to the pack, which is then shuffled.One at a time, the magician cuts to the cards that the spectators have remembered. These cards then change to the cards that the spectators have yoorgotten."

c ,:s

rrdgfng lra~nthe descriptions of the card magtc tn j. A! Hofirns, Airr/rdrrrrrste, Wofztnser was qulte accompltshed at dtfftcult sleigt nI 11.ind. Bur rt was hls plots and repartee that set htm apart 2 one nf r l ~ rflnrrt In maglc htstory. O n e of hls more esotertc and Forget." H e began by havtng two cards selecte

made the absurd request that one of them be forgo1 i r propnsra rrlnr it IS easier to remember than to forget, as what yo foptrrr o not know." n nnc of cntations he wrote for this effect, Hofzinser spoke c a friend zlinz :had two loves, utlable to choose which he would marry. T h spm-tltor is asked to stilect two cards which are to represent their loves. H ----- .- which "love" they had chosen and which was forgot wot~!dthen dc-ccrrnlne ten. He had .wvcral metl~odswith gimmicked cards which are excellent solu tions to the problem. N o doubt he must have had methods with ordinar cards, but they were not included with his few surviving routines. I set abou trying to solve this problem while simplifying the procedure. T h e prope approach was al14mportantr for if the handling was too complex, the effec would be confusing. T h e performer will require proficiency in both bottom and second deal ing. By proficiency I do not mean to imply that he will require the abilit. to deal from the finest brief or with the greatest speed. Neither of these ar of any value whatsoever if the body language, attitude, and technique are any thing less than natural.

To be truly deceptive, there should be no wide, sharp movements. A natural rhythm must be established, without the slightest deviation when the deal is a false one. T h e single most important goal in your practice of these sleights is to match as closely as possible the genuine article. This is infinitely more important than an obsessive preoccupation with technical minutiae. Dai Vernon used to claim that if you are doing a double lift and accidental. ly get a break under three cards instead of two, it is better to do a triple lift rather than hesitate for a fraction of a second as you adjust. Otherwise you would draw attention to what should, for all appearances, be a simple action. I learned a great lesson from watching the late, great Jack McMillen perform a simple trick. H e controlled a card to the bottom of the pack and asked me to name a number. I offered twelve as my number and he began to deal cards onto the table. My eyes burned his hands as he approached the twelfth card, which I had anticipated would be a bottom deal. Then, just as slowly and deliberately as the others, he dealt the twelfth card to the table without the slightest suggestion of guile. H e relaxed at this point, and as no bottom deal was apparent, I relaxed as well. H e then looked me in the eye and asked me to name my card. As I looked up at him to reply, he quietly dealt the bottom card into his hand. W h e n I looked back down he slowly turned over the card in his hand to reveal my selec. tion. H e had not said that the selection would be the twelfth card, he merely asked for a number. T h e lesson was threefold: First, he showed great restraint with his prodigious technique, keeping the movement as simple and as natural as possible. Second, he did not let pride in his technique get in the way by eschewing the necessary misdirection as beneath him. Instead, he compelled me to look away from his hands to add extra insurance to already excellent technique. Finally, he dealt the bottom card on the "offbeatt1-afer my number instead of on the number, when I had expected it. H e had heeded Erdnasets advice when he said, "The resource* ful professional, failing to improve the method, changes the moment." Here I have incorporated Jack McMillenls lessons into Hofzinser's plot. I have found this routine to be very effective in situations where the group is bright and attentive. To begin, have two cards selected by each of three spectators. They may remove the cards themselves if desired, choosing two cards that are easily rememe bered, such as two red queens. First request that they memorize both cards. Once they have assured you they are locked in memory, ask that they now "forgett1 one

of the cards. It is important that they have actually memorized both cards befor making this strange request, or the climax will have little effect. Dribble the cards from hand to hand, stopping with half the deck in eac hand and have the first pair of cards replaced together on top of the lower ha1 Before you continue dropping cards on top of these selections, first push ove the top card slightly with your thumb so that the left little finger may get a brea beneath this card. T h e little finger is not placed deeply into the break, but rathe a flesh break is created using just the pad of the fingertip. This break is thu between the two selections. Immediately dribble the remaining cards on top of the two selections, appear ing to lose the first pair in the pack. At this point square the cards a bit, the lift the half above the break and dribble them back on top, maintaining the fles' break. This should appear as though you have dropped the entire pack from ban' to hand as you request the next spectator to place his cards back in the pack a well. Transfer the break to your right thumb, pick up the entire deck, and agai dribble the cards from hand to hand, stopping the action and separating th halves at the break (see the dribble force in "Up My Sleeve"). Have the seconi spectator's cards replaced here, and as before, obtain a break beneath the top on as you dribble the rest of the cards. Once again dribble only the cards above the break to give a haphazard appear ance, then pick up the pack, maintaining the break with the thumb. Dribble t h cards once more, separating the halves at the break to have the third set of card replaced. Get a flesh break between these two as you finish the dribbling action then square the cards and drop your left hand to your side, maintaining the break W h e n moving from spectator to spectator, don't be afraid to drop the hand wit1 the pack to your side and out of the frame of focus while you speak. It is you nonchalance and the apparent spontaneity of your procedure that makes this sim ple control superior to more complex and conditional handlings. Condition yourself to hold a break without using both hands or rushing ontc the next move. You may imply that the cards are going in different locations b; saying, 4 i Place your cards here and your cards are a little further down, and you cards closer to the center." They will all be replaced at the same spot, but thl position should look random due to the casual handling of the cards and you accompanying narration. You now claim that you will cut to the card that each person has remem bered. hffle the outer corner of the pack a few times with your left thumb, a

...

if trying to decide where to cut. Now approach the pack with the right hand from above and cut off the portion above the break, accompanied by another sharp r~fflewith the thumb. Place the top half below the other, completing the cut. Immediately rotate the pack 180" as you apparently square the pack, tilting it just enough so you may glimpse the bottom card of the pack. Try to spot the card with your peripha era1 vision rather than looking directly at the cards as you turn them.

Rotate the pack clockwise as you square the pack, ttlting the face sltghtly toward yourse6

P-

A$

-

----T 'G

,k

You will reveal the cards in the reverse order that they were returned to the pack. Start by asking the third spectator to name the card that he remembered as you ready yourself for the possibility of a bottom deal. If the spectator names the card you have glimpsed, you must shift their gaze to your face, then immediately execute the Jennings TNT (turn and take) bot* tom deal, a description of which follows this routine. Once this bottom deal has been completed, you may look back down at your hands as you slowly reveal the card. T h e entire TNT dealing action should appear as though you were merely tilting the card up toward as if to check its identity for yourself before committing to the spectators. After displaying the card at the conclusion of the T N T deal, disregard it as unimportant and look away as you flip it face down on the pack. Immediately execute a second deal and "sail" the card (the one he "forgot") across the table in front of the third spectator. T h e flipping over of the card and the second deal are done without rushing, but with no wasted time or movement. It should be

viewed in the spectators' peripheral vision as an incidental action. Deception ; this point should be ruled out in the spectator's mind, as his card has alread been found and it would seem there is little need for critical observation. If the spectator should name a card other than the bottom one you glimpse( it must be the top card of the pack. In this case, you would encourage the spec tator to look at your hands so that all is seen as fair. Establishing the action yo would use to execute the Jennings TNT bottom deal, in the event that it wi be required later, slowly turn this card over to display it. After it is displayed, disregard it as you flip it face down on the pack. Loo away, then deal a regular bottom, sailing the forgotten card to the table in fror of the third spectator. As you look up and ask the second spectator to concentrate on his card, extcute a slip cut. This is done by retaining the top card (the switched out card with the left thumb as the right hand, holding the top half from above by th ends, pulls it clear to the right, then slaps it on top of the lower half. This wi lend the appearance of the pack having been cut, actually sending only this sin gle "remembered" card to the center. Turn the pack end for end in a squaring action as you again glimpse the bot tom card. Prepare yourself for the possibility of a bottom deal as you ask the sec ond spectator to name the card he remembered. According to the spectator's reply, you will either reveal the top card followel by a bottom deal or a bottom deal followed by a second deal. Repeat this Sam procedure with the third spectator, resulting in a card being in front of each spec tator, each presumed to be the cards remembered. Actually, these cards are th 'iforgottenif cards. Now ask the spectators the names of the cards they have forgotten. Befor they can reply, say that it is impossible to remember what is forgotten, unles you are a magician. Snap the first card, turn it over and boldly name it as th, card he had forgotten. Immediately follow this by turning over the second an, third cards as you say, "You have forgotten the -, and you have forgotten th, -." It is not necessary that they name the cards they have forgotten befort revealing these cards. This would slow down the climax of the trick if anyone had to think to recal their forgotten card. Any specific verification needed should come after you havl received your approbation. Just state the cards with confidence and the acknowl edgement from the spectators will be forthcoming.

T h e bortotnadeal technique most suitable for our purpose is a "studt'*type deal, the best of which is this excellent technique, which is the invention of Larry Jennings and appears in Dai Vernon's Revelations. Begin with the cards in a nor* ma1 left0hand dealing grip. When the dealing stops and the last card has been dealt to the table, the left thumb pushes one more card slightly off to the right. Relax your entire body, implying the dealing has stopped and compelling the spectator to look away from your hands. T h e right hand, in a tempo consistent with the rest of the dealing, reap* proaches the left as if to take the next card. T h e pad of the left middle finger buckles the outer right corner of the bottom card slightly, pulling it down and to the right, thereby releasing it from the dealing grip in which the pack is held and pushing it to the right, aligned directly under the top card. Now, the right hand apparently takes the top card, which is actually drawn back square with the deck by the left thumb. T h e right index finger and thumb receive the outer right corner of the bottom card and pull it free and to the right.

The pad of the left mrddle finger buckles the bottom card slghtly, allowrng zt to be separated and pushed to the rtght.

--I

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-_,

C

--

/

The rtght fingers grrp the bottom card as the hand begzns to turn palm down.

Iefr

T h e left wrist now turns inward with the left hand turning palm down. T h e dealt card is now secured by the left thumb below, taking it beneath the invert* ed deck. T h e right hand remains dead still during this action. T h e left hand, with the deck and outjogged card, begins to turn palm up again so you may look at the face of the card. Stop the turning action before the face is exposed to the spectators, then pause as you look at the face of the card.

Now take the card back into the right hand, which finishes the action, turr ing it face toward the audience. T h e subtle change of tempo really works to brea up the action and "change the moment." T h e actual false take of the card is don as you misdirect the spectatorst attention. By the time they have resumed atteo tion on your hands, the deceptive part of the move is finished. Focus is then o the innocuous part of the movement, the turning of the card, which should b done slowly and deliberately. If the proper timing is acquired, the spectator will be under the impressio that he has "burned your hands" closely, unaware that he has looked away ant confident that you have performed everything slowly and fairly.

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The rght fingertp take the bottom card.

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The left hand is lowered agarn exposzng the fac of the card. The card is now taken at the rght

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The left hand wrth the pack, turns palm down and retakes the card at rts lower I$ corner. T h lefi hand 1s then raised to eye level, as If check, rng its identity before showrng it.

"J:

-_I

fingertrps. Now turn the rght handpalm up, exposrng the face of the card.

n

you t-ltrnlnate any moves In this routlne? Can you thlnk of how you

;Ilr rlinlinnre the false deals and accompl~shthe same effect? H o w rlld ginlm~ckedcards make the effect more dlrect? W h a t new prob. 1s would rt create?

Techniques, appbcations, naturalness, punctuation, formless form, and the relkion of Erdnase.

7 (4 )

nnl ilot of the school that cons~dersthe pass and the s ~ d esteal ~ndts,

pcne.~blr in rhc performance of good card magic. Thtnking

things

chrough t ! ~ n r o u ~ h land y emphastzlng your personal strengths should rank h t ~ h r rtn prlortty. I do feel, however, that these valuable tools, in mar r a more direct procedure and are not so difftcult tc CXTCIItI w e d . T h e proper management of these tools IS a fat and put tnto practlce than the actual sle~ghts ~ ~ ~ r i5 ~t 1~1 1~tor attaln r .l\-es.T I11 t m ~ g h be t compared to the d~fferencebetween know* rv to dri into a board and how to bulld a house. T h e phys~, c:11 abi Iity to 11 nd saw IS useless wtthout a blueprint and an under. standin13of nrcl IX-rviost magrcinns plve up too qutckly when they meet a challenge tn tech. nique. If they aren't able to plck it up ~mmed~ately, they toss tt a s ~ d etn favor of less demanding approaches. T h e truth IS, tf you truly want to learn these more d~fficultsleights and believe that you can learn them, more than ltkely you are capable. Your sklll and understanding may be acqulred slowly over a per~odof months or years, but wlth thought and practlce you may achieve a totally natural demeanor throughout your man~pulat~on. T h e necessary cone fidence IS acquired by havlng anttc~patedproblems in countless rehearsals and making allowances for them in advance. Good sleight of hand starts tn the head, with the hands being merely a translating tool. T h e tdeal execution should be unimpressive, unremarkable. T h ~ sis what the great cardman Dr. Elltott spoke of when he prescribed, "Be natural." 1

THECLASSIC PASSand OTHER MYTHS

235

Suspicion of manipulation may be aroused by clues as subtle as a stiff shoul. der, a stationary "dead hand," or any number of unconscious "tells." T h e best magicians provide no such clues, no perceivable differences in character, tempo, or behavior when executing a move. They are well aware of their body language and make a study of their own behavior and how to best use it to their advantage. From a technical standpoint, we should talk and move as naturally as we would while having a casual chat with a friend. A truly artistic and seamless illusion is realized in the concealment of technique with the emphasis on its product.

MANKIND'S GREATEST

PROBLEM IS A PROFUSION

OF MEANS AND A CONFUSION OF ENDS.

Albert Einstein

I heard an interesting anecdote that relates to magicianst common confusion between the creation of illusion and merely "showing off." Actor Harrison Ford once auditioned for a small part in a movie, long before his eventual success. His performance was typically low0key and true to life. T h e casting director chastised him for his subtle, realistic performance and made reference to a charismatic "movie startt that was infamous for his hammy, over.the*top performances. "The first time I saw him," the casting director blustered, "he was just playing the part of a grocery boy. But when he walked into the scene, I took one look at him and said, 'Now, that's a movie star!"' Ford thought for a moment, then replied, "I thought you were supposed to think, 'That's a grocery boy."' Convincing acting is realistic. It disarms us as we allow ourselves to imagine these scenes are real. W e stop observing and are transported into the scene. Similarly, convincing conjuring demands that we make the impossible look etortless, as if we were witness to genuine magic. As Erdnase warns us, displays of skill, conscious or unconscious, will be our undoing. Artists from all disciplines talk of mastering technique as thoroughly as possi* ble, then throwing it away, discarding all conscious thought in execution, Motor memory assumes its function behind the scenes, freeing you to focus on the goal or vision in the present moment. This has been expressed as entering a state of "flow," a state that allows your trained nervous system and instinct to subcon* sciously control your actions. Your behavior should be modular; tailorefitting your timing to individual performances and circumstances. T h e framework is estabe lished, but inside this haven, you are free to improvise. By following no exact

pattern, you are enabled to be more adaptive to changing circumstance. This casual, relaxed attitude is your most disarming and powerful misdirection, psy, chologically as well as physically. You must rehearse until your words and actions do not appear rehearsed. You must remain, as actors say, ii in the moment." If you can manage to make the expee rience feel real and immediate, as if it were all happening for the first time, it then ceases to be an exhibition of an "act" and becomes a unique experience f o ~ that particular audience. Imagine yourself watching and getting thoroughly involved in a grippinp movie. Now imagine how distracting it would be to be abruptly taken out of the theatrical reality by camera shots that include the exposures of facades, crew, and equipment. It would take a great deal of effort for you to once again suspenc your disbelief and care for the subjects of the story. W h e n your script and movements appear rehearsed, the audience may remove themselves from the performance and analyze it from the outside, which is not only bad theater but allows the spectators to focus on your manipulation. These awkward, telling moments may be eliminated by practicing your manipulations ir the context of each individual routine. Instead of practicing technique alone, con. sider the peripheral action as well, such as how you will have the card selected and replaced, and the actions that follow. Each circumstance and presentation wil offer its own unique elements that may be utilized in your misdirective efforts. W h e n you execute a move, you should not be thinking about finger positions Only assiduous practice will reduce the move to what should become a reflex You simply will it, and it happens. In this way, you are detached from the manip, ulation itself, freeing yourself to present the material in an entertaining mannel with as few distractions as possible. Thinking about details of technique during a performance tends to open tht door to suspicion, where its company is non grata. As with all manipulation, you1 rehearsals should include both mechanical and thoughtful practice. It is worthies! to endlessly practice the wrong action. Your thoughtful practice will include tak ing note of where things flash, jam, or make noise, and determine why. After yo1 have made your corrections, you may then begin the subconscious, mechanica practice, training your motor memory by executing the move repeatedly as yo1 talk on the phone or watch television. Then resume thoughtful practice, wherc you take note of any problems remaining, analyze them, make adjustments, ther again return to the mechanical practice. '

THECLASSIC PASSand OTHER MYTHS

I

%37

have heard a classic book defined as one that everyone owns, but no one has read. Tlre Expert at the Card Eble by S.W. Erdnase is certainly one of the most neglected and misunderstood of the classics. "Erdnase," as it is usually referred to, was Dai Vernon's favorite book. It contained some of the first precisely detailed descriptions of technique ever in print, as well as the psychology of their execution. Erdnase was Vernon's first magic book and he read it repeatedly, absorbing it completely, reading between the lines and looking for answers. H a d Vernon not brought attention to the book and clarified its virtues, it might have fallen by the wayside and disappeared into obscurity. Erdnase is as much a book of magic psychology as technique. It contains sece tions on both legerdemain and gambling artifice. Erdnase offers the greatest insight to magicians in the pyclzology of the gambler. Magicians are traditionally blinded by moves and gimmicks and often "cannot see the forest for the trees," as they lose the initial, purer intent of the tools of their trade. Gambling cheats don't have the luxury of resting on theory and toying with fanciful notions. Pragmatism rules the day, with their artifice and psychology born of necessity. If it doesn't the money," it is discarded in favor of more practical techniques. There is much more at stake for the gambler than for the duffer performing a few tricks on a bar stool for his buddies, whose failure risks only short-term embarrassment, at worst. O n the other hand, an "advantage play* errs" proper understanding of misdirection, along with his cultivated aplomb, could mean the difference between eating or starving, not to mention avoiding risk to life and limb. In an attempt to bring to the fore and clarify some of Mr. Erdnase's concepts, I offer here a single example in which to apply them. There may be no greater example to measure one's understanding of these concepts than in the execution of the classic pass. In the pass, or any move for that matter, attitude is as impore tant, or maybe even more important, than technique. After devoting countless hours to practicing a particular move, there is the temptation to "perform" the move, with a misplacement of emphasis. At one point, I had my pass technique up to "exhibition" speed and precision. Typically, if demonstrated for a fellow magician, I would most likely receive a gasp or a compliment on its speed. Naturally, this flattery was intoxicating. But in reality, it served to subtly betray my overall goals.

If performed in context with misdirection, the pass would have gone unnoticed, and the response would not have been so dramatic. T h e spectators should not even be looking at the pack as you do the move. My pass technique these d a y is slightly less perfect in demonstration, but more deceptive in performance. Obviously, a high level of technique is ideal, but alone it is not nearly as decep, tive as a sleight that is well managed and rehearsed in context.

Let us take the pass step by step and use it to illustrate several universal prin, ciples of deception you may apply to all your magic, from dove magic to stage illusions. To begin, we must first address the issue of how the card is selected and replaced. W h e n discussing new techniques, gamblers often ask, "How do you get into it?" and, "How do you get out of it?" These issues must be addressed in equal measure, along with the script and the moves themselves.

THENOTES I HANDLE NO BETTER THAN MANY BUT THE PAUSES BETWEEN THE NOTES-

PIANISTS.

AH, THAT IS WHERE THE ART RESIDES! 1 . . Artur

SchnabeI

You must not, to paraphrase sculptor Robert Irwin, consider only the frame tc your painting, but also the wall on which it hangs, the room that contains it, and the building in which it is presented. Taking the context into account requires that you consider the variables in each situation so that manipulatior flows seamlessly in its surrounding environment. This also serves to present z clear, succinct message. Dai Vernon used to correct any hesitation he saw in m j technique by barking, "Too late!" By this, he meant that suspicion had alreadj been aroused before I had even done the move. My sin was what gamblers ofter refer to as "framing up." To "frame up" refers to the moment's hesitation ir preparation for a move. T h e hands are frozen with no ostensible purpose. Even the slightest hesitation will betray the moment of deception and focu: attention on the hands. To spot the moment of manipulation is the same as know, ing the secret, which, quite simply, is that you are cheating. Just as suspicious i: what is termed the "get~ready," just previous to the actual move, such as thc incongruity of lifting up two cards to get a break just previous the double lift.

THECLASSIC PASSand OTHER M m s

I39

Therefore, we need a plausible excuse to handle the cards. T h e most common covering action for the pass is that of squaring the cards. It will not do to have the cards already squared, as the squaring action would then be rendered super. fluous and the action suspect. T h e great card expert Larry Jennings taught me to spread the cards for the selection and return of a card, in order to motivate the covering action for the pass, At first thought, this may seem a trivial detail, but in fact, the casual nature of the card's return, along with the motivation for squaring the pack, is perhaps one of the most important elements in its effective execution. T h e deck is offered by spreading the cards from hand to hand and a card is removed by the spectator. Split the spread at the point it is removed; then, after the card has been noted, the selection is replaced on top of the lower half. T h e top half is now placed on the lower and roughly squared, obtaining a break above the selected card with the left little finger. T h e action of closing the spread leaves the cards in a naturally unsquared condition which will later justify the cover squaring action. At this point, the little finger maintains a flesh break, with little more than the pad at the tip of the little finger maintaining a separation in the pack. T h e pass must not be executed as soon as the card is returned to the pack, as this is when they are looking closely, in order to see where their card is going and what you will do to control it. You might consider riffling the front of the pack to lend some closure to the action, or quickly spreading the cards above the break as you make some remark, such as, "Your card is lost somewhere in the pack." Now, if you relax, the audience will as well. T h e replacement action is now fine ished. There is nothing more to see. G o back to your homes. T h e single most common mistake in the execution of the classic pass is the tendency to clutch the cards with both hands for several moments while you "get set" or wait for the spectator to look away. If you think about this for a while, there is no plausible reason to hold the pack with both hands for more than a moment or two. T h e specifics of the move may be physically obscured, but in the words of professional gamblers, it "smells." Even if the cards are completely disheveled, the squaring of the pack would still be the matter of a mere second or two. Taking longer will focus unwanted attention on the pack and hands. Don't be afraid to drop your hand to your side as you hold your break, talk. ing or performing some function with the other hand. W h e n the hand is dropped to your side, the break is at the rear and perfectly covered from the

front, Let them forget about their card for awhile. After a suitable pause you may bring the hands together under some pretext and do your dirty work. Be aware of your body language to prevent tensing of the shoulders or the body, which will tip the moment.

O n e should never entertain the notion of executing the pass, or any move, without the use of misdirection. Don't wait until the moment that you are about to do the move itself to decide how to shift focus. T h e misdirection should be thought out well in advance and tailorefitted to individual routines, each of which will offer their own unique opportunities. T h e real work of sleight of hand is in the planning stages, thinking through the moments in between moves and patter, and leaving nothing to chance. As you approach the pack you might simply ask the spectator a question as the right hand approaches the pack. By the time your eyes meet the spectator's, the hands have met, the dirty work is done, and the hands immediately separate. Shifting focus to your face a second before the actual move takes advantage of a very basic characteristic of human sight, T h e human eye is constantly scanning, then focusing on specific sources of information. It then resumes scanning for a new source, ignoring all that is in II between until it once again focuses on what the mind considers ~mportant."Yorr may test this by focusing your attention on an object in the room in which you now sit. Turn your head and look at an object on the other side of the room. You will find that everything between these two objects was a blur, completely out of focus. Everything between the two objects received a low priority of focus. This is the magicianis brief "window of opportunity." This shift of focus takes but a second, which is why the timing of your misdirection must be calculated precisely in rehearsal. Ideal misdirection would provide you a second or more of extra buffer time before the spectator resumes his attention from that which you have diverted it. In order to understand how to misdirect attention, as well as to emphasize your effects, you must learn how to properly apply "punctuation." "Punctuation" is the term Dai Vernon used to describe the different durations, emphases, and beats in performance. All effective music, writing, and speech use punctuation tc focus attention on specific details, and to separate or link different passages. '

THECLASSIC PASSand OTHER MYTHS

24.1

For example, in the written language, there are commas, periods, exclamation points, question marks, colons, and so forth. These each specifically indicate tempo, inflection, and context, organizing ideas into appreciable forms with clear, concise messages. A sentence that runs on forever, without ever changing tone or inflection, doesn't allow the recipient to reflect on specific points or ideas and makes comprehension a struggle, In the example of the classic pass, the card is returned to the pack, the spread is closed, and the hands separate. T h e action is finished and therefore it must be punctuated with a "periodtt to indicate this. T h e hands drop from the frame and the cards are disregarded. T h e entire body relaxes with the audience's focus shift. ing to your face as you speak. T h e face now becomes your new "source of infor. mation." Without this physically implied "period," the entire body points toward and focuses attention on the pack. Should this punctuation be misplaced, the hands remain the point of focus as the audience may interpret this moment as a "comma" or an "ellipsis" in the action, indicating that attention may not be relaxed, as there is more to come.

Here, I will attempt a technical description of "my" pass, which is actually an amalgam of all the best techniques I have encountered. For purposes of this description, the covering action will be that of squaring the cards. In the unavoidably verbose description that follows, try to bear in mind that this brief squaring action is all that should be apparent. Decline all options of bells and whistles which involve ostentatious wrist turns, riffling of the pack, or flashy, spasmatic exhibitions of technique. Simply square the pack and set it aside withe out any "follow~through.~' It is difficult to perform a classic.type pass naturally while the forearms are on a table. Instead, it is recommended that you practice while standing. This posi. tion also puts more distance between your face and hands when attempting to misdirect. It has the added advantage of putting you in a more powerful position for performing. W e will assume at this point that you have had a card selected and returned to the pack. You are now holding a small flesh break above it with the pad of the left little finger. T h e left hand is held just out of the frame of action, resting at waist level. T h e deck is held in a deep dealing grip, with the left middle and

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Wrong: the rlght hand approachesfrom the side, the thumb tends to hook. A nrore natural appearance is rendered If the hand first gestures forward then retreats, approach. ing the pack from the front. The thumb hangs natural(y as it moves down the lefr side cf the ~ a c kto grasp it at the rear.

ring fingers extended up and over the top of the pack from the right side, and the left forefinger extended up over the front end of the pack. into" the pass, the hands typically approach each other Now if, as you from either side to meet at the center, there is a natural inclination to extend the approaching right thumb as you open your hand to grip the pack from above. This protruding appendage has an awkward appearance and acts as a telegraph, ing "flag." To avoid this pitfall, Dai Vernon recommended approaching the pack from the front rather than the side. This is accomplished by first gesturing for* ward with the right hand, bringing the hand palm up in front of the pack. The gesture is accompanied by some appropriate remark or question. At this point, you must misdirect any unwanted attention by addressing the spectator with a question as you look him directly in the face. T h e right hand is brought back over the pack in a retreat of the gesture, turning palm down in the process. In this way, the thumb will extend downward rather than to the side, naturally coming around the left side of the pack and to the rear, instead of stiffly extending in an awkward approach from the side. T h e right hand finishes by grasping the ends of the deck from above. Try to keep the wrists, shoulders, and torso as relaxed as much as possible. As the hands meet, the right hand grips the ends of the lower half of the pack from above, with the fingers in front and thumb at the rear. T h e upper half oj the deck is gripped between the left little finger below and the index, middle and ring fingers from above. This grip allows the left little finger to be pushed fur, ther into the break, all the way up to its middle knuckle. There must be no hes, itation as you efficiently "set the trap" in one smooth motion. T h e pack is now raised up slightly from the left palm and pushed deeper intc the fork of the left thumb. T h e left fingers now apply a downward pull on the

THECLASSIC PASSand OTHER MYTHS

247

upper half of the pack. There is no need to hold the pack perfectly flat and par, allel to the floor while executing the pass. By holding the sides of the pack at a 45" angle instead, less of the top surface of the pack is exposed, and the hands are allowed to maintain a more relaxed position. As the pass is executed, there are two potential "flash points" that would reveal the transposition of the two halves of the deck. T h e top of the pack, if exposed, would reveal the left edge of the upper half moving across the lower half. From below, this same packet might be seen as it rides around the lower packet on its journey to the bottom. In order to shield these movements, you may employ the following technique which will tilt the front of the pack, first upward, to cover the movement from above, then down to cover the movement from below. T h e fingers of the left hand roll upward toward the ceiling, in an action simd ilar to that of the fingertips of the palmmp hand turning a doorknob counter. clockwise. This will raise the front end of the deck slightly above horizontal with the top surface of the pack just out of the spectatorst angle of vision, allowing the top half to travel over to the right unobserved. Now, to obscure the cards from below, the action is reversed, the left forefin. ger lowering and the little finger raising up at the rear, as if the fingertips of the palmdup hand were turning a doorknob clockwise. Under cover of the former lower half, the upper half may pass diagonally around the side of the pack and below. As the pass is completed, the pack is brought back up to the relatively level position from which it started. To clarify, the front of the pack is raised as you begin to pull the top half to the bottom; then, as soon as the top half is out of sight under the right hand, the front of the pack is tilted back down. This "seeesaw" action, might be illuse trated by picturing yourself playing the piano, alternately hitting a key with the left forefinger, and another with the left little finger; now invert the hand, add a pack of cards, and you will begin to understand the fluid oscillation required. T h e shoulders and elbows are not employed in this motion, with the "rockingti of the cards only slightly augmented by the left wrist. T h e bulk of the load is carried by the alternating left index and little fingers. In executing the pass, attempt to keep the packets as parallel to one another as possible, with no sharp angle created as the top half is pulled below the lower. T h e two halves should "kiss," never breaking contact with each other. This will keep the action limited to a smaller space which is capable of being hidden under the right hand. I prefer a slight diagonal path for the upper packet, running from

the outer right to the inner left corner, as opposed to straight out to the right. This is the essence of Neil Elias' jiggle pass concept, which allows the packets to pass each other without flashing from under the right side of the hand. Additional cover may be provided by a naturally motivated turn of the body from left to right which will bring the open right side to the rear as the top half pass. es to the bottom. This body turn should be small and smooth and slow, the turn originating mostly from the torso. T h e right hand, gripping the pack from above, serves only one function, which is to firmly grip the lower half and to allow it to pivot slightly upward on the right side, "closing the gate" behind the upper half as it passes and clears the lower. T h e center axis of this pivot is provided by the right middle finger in the center of the front end and the right thumb at the center rear. With the move now complete, avoid the temptation to riffle the pack or add superfluous squaring movements and wrist turns that might otherwise focus attention on the cards. You have simply squared the cards. Now just release the grip of the right hand and relax. In bringing the hands together, the timing must be such that when the hands finally come together, only a tiny adjustment is necessary, which must be done as efficiently as possible. To accurately gauge how long the hands should be allowed to remain together, Vernon suggested thinking of the pack as a hot plate. T h e pass is then expeditiously executed under cover of some natural action and the hands immediately separate without hesitation before they are "burnt."

Wrong: The two halves should never be at right angles. This would occupy more space with a greater potential to 'fflash"outside the cover of the rght hand.

T h e student may read the above and ask, "How can you perform all these actions at once?" Perhaps it might be of some comfort to know that these actioils are much more subtle than they appear in print. If properly assimilated, the motions are implied, as opposed to being physically overstated.

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T h e left side of the upper packet remains in contact with the lower, sliding diagonally across to the rght, under and below the upper packet, as on a track.

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Better: T h e packets should stay as parallel and level as possible. T h e ltfifingers puN down on tlie upper packet and pull ri d~ago. nally to the rtght.

As you become acquainted with the different points and acquire a feeling fol them, they will blend together into one motion with all functions flowing smoothly together. Speed is most assuredly an asset in the execution of this sleight. But much more essential is that it is performed smoothly and in a natural and relaxed man. ner. A slow pass executed properly will escape attention, while the fastest p a s in the world may telegraph that manipulation has taken place. Strive for a bal, ance between speed and technical precision. T h e best pass is a compromise between the demands of both.

ptss in the context of different routines, letting the struce tllrp " - 7 . -

or ~ C I routine I dictate how you will move and what misdirection

firs I :ach ~ l ~ 1ue i i r situation. Is there a better way to control the card? I ~ Pit.

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If not, practice the timing and misdirection and the "get in"

and - ' ~ e tout."

2) Rrhearse long and hard to make it appear as though you haven't rel-rearsed. b a r n to act natural in an unnatural situation.

3) Apply the concept of punctuation to all your magic. H o w can pauses, emphasis and relaxation be used to your advantage?

4) Mix thoughtful practice (experimentation, correcting small details, solv. ing problems) with mechanical (repetitive) practice.

The performer produces a single grape, which disappears and flies to his pocket. This grape is then visibly split into two, then three. Two of t?ze grapes are placed into the performer? hand and the third is tossed into the mouth and eaten. Upon blowing on his hand, there are again found to be three grapes. This is repeated twice more. Finally, all the grapes disappear from the hand, and the performer is seen to be chewing blissfully on the rntssing fruit.

r s t secrets not often shared with laymen in "tell all'

p c sets for the publ~c, along with the Ball Vases

Linklr~~ and Color Visions, IS that we magicians, belng , - LcI1lg,;.'t l~ steps ahead before we start. W e load lemons snraliy I,tmch, art. u s ~ u l several carry th rttilb tips, plant Rttplicate cards, and have already picked an escape rout( 1 . ny nor&rcllinF beforehand exactly what we intend to do. ,romptu Imagic, or, more correctly, apparently impromptu magic, is usu most saryrtsing and impressive because of the intimacy and its spon appeatancc. An ir formal stunt properly performed can generate as pro forind a rcactioo as a $50 ,000 illusion. In extemporaneous situations, audience

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nanrrally susprnJA scrutiny and disbelief, especially if there is a way tc ease into your routine in the natural course of events or conversation. If yo1 look for opportunities, and study magic's basic principles and methods, you wil have many tools with which to work impromptu wonders. Context adds mean ing and will make otherwise~ordinarytricks more effective. I offer here an entertaining and whimsical variation of the classic Chines marble trick, which appears in Sachs' Sleight of Hand. T h e origins of this tricl are very old and it is the simplicity of plot which has sustained it through th years. It was made popular by the great Silent Mora in the first half of th twentieth century, with Dai Vernon eventually publishing his variation in T h Dai Ernon Book $Magic. I have also included elements from John Scarne's ver sion which appears as the "Classic Ball Routine" in Stars ofMagic. -..---a

For an excellent lesson in sleight of hand, take note of Vernon's analysis of the French drop in 7'he Dai Nmon Book ofMagic. Since this move is integral to the routine described here, I will explain it, along with some personal insight. T h e body language and psychology of the move must be clearly under* stood before any degree of success may be expected. Mechanics are only half of the matter. With a few small adjustments in thoughtful practice, the action becomes much more natural, doesn't "telegraphtt that a move is about to hap. pen, and shortens the distance the grape has to fall into finger palm. This is a good illustration of how sleight of hand is not just a matter of knuckle~busting skill, but more a matter of "paying attention, even to trifles," as Leonardo da Vinci has preached. W e will assume that the ball, or in this case, the grape, is held at the right fingertips and will be taken away with the left fingertips and thumb. As Vernon suggests, this may be made to look much more natural and relaxed than the strained abomination cotnmonly seen. Many textbooks show the fingers of the right hand pointing straight upward, with the approaching left fingers spread widely in "starfishtt fashion. This unnatural position, along with the hesitation in the "frame up," draw attention to the hands before the sleight has even begun. To lend a more natural and disarming appearance, the fingers may instead point at a 45" angle to the left, with the grape held between the right forefinger and thumb. T h e right hand should pick up the grape in this posie tion, without any further adjustment being necessary. Traditionally, the left hand would take the grape into a fist. W e will instead take it at the left fin. gertips which is a much more natural position. T h e left fingers remain relaxed as they approach the right hand, the left thumb poised closely behind the fingers as if to grip the ball against them. Now, imitate as closely as possible the simple action of taking the grape with the left hand. T h e left fingertips cover the grape for a moment and allow the grape to secretly roll into right fingerepalm position. To eliminate any telletale catching action with the right fingers, they should be slightly curled previous to the move, with the grape rolling down the trough formed and stopping at the curled little finger. This eliminates the clutching that makes this move look so atro. cious in unskilled hands. T h e right thumb must remain still just after the appar. ent transfer to create the empty space left by the ball as a point of reference (1.e.

the ball no longer occupies that space). T h e left hand moves up and to the lef. as if to display the grape briefly at the fingertips. T h e right wrist now turc inward as the left fingertips pretend to carry the grape away to the left. In order to theatrically emphasize the vanish of the ball, I use the followin touch. T h e left fingers are closed into a fist with the fingertips well over the bas

1

The rghtfingers are sltghtly curled with the grape held between the fortfrnger and iurnb,

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As the left hand approaches the grape, compel the spectator to look away from your hands, then rmrtate the actron of takrnx - the grape wrth the thumb and first two fmgertlps.

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Exposed: The ball rs allowed to roll down the progressively curled fingers and stop at the Irttle finger. Make no catching motron wrth the right fingers.

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Allow a short moment for the space between the right fingers and thumb to be seen before turnrng the wrist rn. The leftfingerttps and thumb apparently holds the grape, whrch is apparently obscured.

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of the thumb. Apply pressure, then sharply snap the fingers off the base of the thumb into a tighter fist. This creates a snap, and also implies that when the ball disappeared, the fingers closed in on the space no longer occupied by the ball. This serves to offer a more theatrical and dramatic effect of a vanish rather than simply opening the hand. Do not neglect the all4mportant misdirection; never look at your hands dur. ing the actual move. First look at the grape to focus attention there, then look up to address the audience as you quietly perform the move. W h e n it is come pleted, you may look back at the left hand, where you mime the action of hold* ing the grape at the fingertips. Also, you must establish some reason to transfer the grape to provide motivation for the apparent transfer. This may be as sim. ple as "showingn it to a person on the other side of the room or to free the right hand to pull back your sleeve.

At your home or at a party, manage to sneak three small grapes into your right coat pocket. You might want to line the pocket with a napkin or make sure the pocket is clean. Finger palm a fourth grape in the right hand, using only the little and ring fingers to grip it. With the grape palmed, borrow a handkerchief and have two spectators hold onto the corners with each hand, opening it flat to act as a net. Pretend to spot a small speck of "somethingn on the handkerchief, picking it up with the left hand. If there are grapes on a nearby table, you may mime plucking a microscopic grape off the vine with the left hand and "display" it between the forefinger and thumb as you comment on how small it is. Turn the wrist down, simultaneo~~sly turning the right hand palm up as you simulate the transfer to the right forefinger and thumb. T h e grape in finger palm remains hidden by the curled fingers. Transfer the tiny "something" back to the left hand, then secretly begin to roll the grape to the fingertips of the now palm0down right hand. Turn the left hand palm down again, meeting the right hand turning palm up, allowing the grape to "appear." T h e hands continue rotating the grape, transferring it from hand to hand giving the appearance that is is still materializing. Show the grape at the right fingertips in French drop position. Now simulate the action of take ing the grape from the right hand to the left, using the French drop. After a pause, cause the grape to apparently disappear.

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have another," you state as you reach into your right coat pocket. Wit as little hesitation as possible, pick up two grapes and line them up in finger pair above the one already there and bring out the fourth grape visible at the finget tips. Drop this visible grape into the handkerchief safety net. Pick up the grap with the left fingertips and look at it briefly; then, as the right hand begins t turn palm up, the right thumb begins to roll the first palmed grape to the fin gertips. T h e left hand, turning palm down, meets it with the fingertips touch ing, and makes a motion as if twisting the halves of the grape in opposite direc tions. T h e two grapes are pushed together and actually roll against one anothe as they separate and come into view, as if one grape were split into two. Not drop a grape from the fingertips of both the right and left hands. With your left hand, pick up one of the grapes with the left hand and repea the twisting move again, dropping the two split grapes into the handkerchief fa a total of three grapes in the handkerchief. At this point, one grape is finge palmed in the right hand. You will now perform a simplified version of the Thre Ball Transposition, without using the standard pop8up move. With your right hand, pick up the three grapes one at a time and place ther into the left hand. Bring both hands up to chest height, but do not close th right hand into a fist yet. Give the left fist a magical shake, as if something ha left the hand, and follow the slow invisible flight to a point just in front of th right hand. As if in slow motion, the right hand appears to catch something, the opens to show the grape. T h e grape is displayed between the right forefinger and thumb, with the fin gers pointing to the left. As you apparently drop the grape into the outstretche handkerchief, you actually drop it into finger palm as you release a grape fror the bottom of the left hand. With the proper timing and simulated motion, thl

The rght hand apparently drops the grape, actually allowing it to drop into the curled fingers. Simultaneously, a grape is released from the left hand, apparently droppingfron the rght hand.

H a n Ping Chien move should appear as though you dropped the grape from the top of the right hand. Repeat this procedure two more times, until all three have apparently gone across. Now slowly open the left hand to show no grapes remaining. There should be very little heat on the right hand at this point. T h e right hand now picks up two grapes and puts them into the left fist, secretly adding the palmed grape as you close the left hand. Pick up the remain* ing grape and allow it to roll a little on the right hand, then finger palm the grape as yoti make a tossing motion toward your mouth, bringing the hand to within an an inch or two of its opening. Having apparently tossed the grape into your mouth, begin to "chew" the noneexistent grape (don't overdo it, it's just a grape), then slowly blow a stream of air toward the left hand, which then opens to show there are once again three grapes. As if to show the spectators on your right the grapes, apparently dump the grapes into the right hand. Actually, you execute a shuttle pass, retaining one of the grapes in left finger palm, allowing the other two to mingle with the one palmed in the right. It will appear as though all three have come from the left hand. D r o p one of the grapes into the handkerchief, then display the two remain. ing grapes. After a moment, dump the other two grapes back into the left hand, which closes around them. T h e right hand picks up the grape from the handkerchief, finger palms it as you repeat the tossing move to the mouth, along with the chewing and blowing, finally showing there are once again three in the left hand. Repeat the shuttle pass, retaining a grape in the left hand, and show three in the right. Repeat the entire sequence again, except this time, actually toss the last grape into your mouth, Once again blow, then open the left hand to show the grape has traveled from your mouth to the left hand a third and final time.

The French drop may also be executed wrth two grapes at once, by holding them as a

This time drop all three grapes onto the handkerchief, then pick up tw grapes as a unit at the right fingertips. Pretend to take them into the left hanc in a French drop type action. Actually, the grapes are allowed to drop into rig1 finger palm. T h e grapes are lined up at the base of the fingers. Pick up the remaining grape with the right hand, and as you toss it into yot mouth as before, actually toss all three. Chew and blow as before; then, as yo open the left hand to show it is empty, proudly exclaim, with your obviously fu mouth, "Thu gwaps ave dithapeewed!" as you continue chewing. Grab the hanc kerchief from the spectators' grasp, wipe your hands, and dab at the corners ( your mouth as if having just finished a sumptuous meal. It should be obvious t the spectators that you have eaten all the evidence, but how they got from yot hand to your mouth remains an amusing mystery.

:P a rrict: that

you have been doing for years, one you know inside our. NcIIV, how can you change the presentation to involve the audid 111 a way an ordinary trick would not? H o w would you incorpoe r rhe emotions of humor, fear, or pathos into the effect? H o w can e fulfill a lluman want or need? Maybe it might simply be the motid . . vation tor a move. W h y would the hands come together? W h y would I change l~andswith this object? W h y does this look different from the way it would without a move? Now, solve that problem. Take a move that you have done for many years and find a problem with it. T h e simpler the move, the better, something you might consider childishly simple: the French drop, the break in a card trick, vanishing a handkerchief into a thumb tip. Don't see a problem? Look harder! This is the student's job: endless refinement.

JGENDS

C born David Wighton in Holloway, England in 1868 Hc is cons~deredby many to be the finest magician England has ever prc duced. Ry all accounts he was at once skillful and inventive, with a natur: cham, as well as a gift for witty talk. H e was equally accomplished at sleigk of hand and illusion. H e began to play Maskelyne and Cooke's Egyptian Hall beginning i 1893, Cooke eventually retired when the theater moved to St. George' Hall, at which time Devant became a full partner with John Nev Maskelyne. Eventually he appeared as the star attraction, while continuing t tour the provinces in the offdseasons. H e earned handsome salaries, a goo1 portion of which was channeled into developing new illusions. A prolific inventor, Devant often worked out his ideas using small scale models, including miniature figures of his assistants and himself. In this waj he could experiment with different lighting, backgrounds, and blocking anticipating any production problems before investing in full#scaleequipment Outstanding among his original creations are "The Artist's Dream," in whicl

a full.lengt11 portrait of a woman comes to life and steps from the canvas, and his signature piece, "A Boy, a Girl and Some Eggs," in which an unmanageable amount of eggs are produced from a hat, with great comedy resulting from a boy's struggle to hold them without incident. One of his most challenging illusions came to him in a dream. H e saw him+ self dressed as Satan, tempting a "moth," in human form, toward the flame of a candle. T h e moth then instantly disappeared in mid#air, several feet above the floor. W h a t made this most remarkable was that this was accomplished in plain view, without any cover whatsoever! This spectacular illusion, subsequently called the "Mascot Moth," was later utilized in a play of the same name, in which all of the magic was woven into the plot. In 1 9 15, when the stress of both managing and performing proved too great a burden, he dissolved his partnership and continued to successfully tour theaters throughout Britain. After retiring in 1 9 19, he wrote some wonderful books on magic, including Our Magic, Lessons in Conjuring, My Magic Lrfe, and Secrets #My Magic. Along with his invaluable and qualified advice to the working magician, he offered descriptions of many of the wonderful illusions he performed. W h e n Devant died in 1941, The Emes of London called him the ltgreatest magician of all time." H i s inventiveness and tireless dedication certainly qualify him for serious consideration of that lofty title.

Photo courtesy Mike Caveney? Egyptian Hall Museum

A sheet of paper is removedfrom a magazine and torn into two equal pieces. A coin is borrowed and marked for identification. The coin is wrapped in one of the sheets. Upon opening the sheet, it is found to have transformed itself into a sealed envelope made from the magazine paper. This is opened and inside is found another envelope, and inside this a third envelope. The marked coin is found inside this smallest envelope. This entire procedure is immediately repeated. finally, the six envelopes are then transformed back into the or@'nal whole sheet of paper.

rrrainlp one of the most interesting

discoveries I have made

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