In the late twenties Larsen & Wright (William Larsen, Sr. and T. Page Wright) were prominent names in magic. They produced a flood of contributions to magic magazines, over one hundred in The Sphinx alone in 1927-28 (so many in fact that The Sphinx felt compelled to publish much of it under a variety of pseudonyms). But in addition there were the Larsen & Wright publications, a large series of printed books and manuscripts offering a mass of original material not appearing in the periodicals.
When T. Page Wright died tragically in 1930, he left behind the finished manuscript for a mooted book. Incredibly, this massive manuscript of original material consisted entirely of previously unpublished material. None of Larsen & Wright's previous contributions to periodicals, books and manuscripts were recycled here; yet the manuscript runs to some 135,000 words.
The reader will find here material for close-up, parlor, club and Stage. But nothing here requires apparatus of any sort. This is purely hand magic. Nothing is required beyond the small objects the audience sees, thimbles, cigarettes, handkerchiefs and cards.
Virtually all of the content originated with Wright and his three magical intimates Bill Larsen, Judson Brown and Jack McMillen. Occasionally, material previously in print is introduced when Wright feels previous descriptions have been inadequate and he takes the opportunity to supply the missing details of handling that are so important. Much of the material is drawn from Wright's personal working repertoire.
Technically, it must be referred to as a book on "general magic," as it contains material on cards, thimbles, cigarettes and mentalism. But, cards dominate the content so completely that for all practical purposes this must inevitably be thought of as a book on card magic.
This would have been an influential book, an important book, had it been released in 1930 as planned and it remains a valuable text today. Many seminal ideas first appear (or would have) here. But it is perhaps even more exciting to unearth less well known but equally deserving items. They are certainly here and awaiting discovery.
After Wright's untimely death, Mr. Larsen mined the manuscript for additional contributions to The Sphinx and, starting in 1936, for his own publication, Genii. But, reading the manuscript in its original form, in toto, gives us a portrait of Wright the performer, and for the era itself, we could not get from reading the articles piecemeal.
This edition is based on a complete carbon copy of the original typewritten manuscript, 275 numbered typewritten pages. It was generously offered to us by Jack McMillen, who knew Mr. Wright intimately from 1925-1929. No material was added to the original manuscript. Some of the language has been tightened, but the changes have been merely grammatical. Absolutely no content has been altered or removed.
All entries bolded in the table of contents below are not included in the earlier printed edition of the Page Wright Manuscript published by Daniel's Den.
1st edition 2012, 362 pages.
Table of Contents
- Foreword
CHAPTER I: Modern Card Sleights
- The Pass
- - INVISIBLE STANDARD PASS
- - THE INVISIBLE PALM PASS
- - THE KICK-OUT PASS
- - THE JUMPING JACKS
- - THE PAGE PASS
- - THE FAN AND PASS
- Card Control
- - THE VISIBLE CUT-PASS
- - THE ROLLER PASS
- - THE KNOCK-IN PASS
- - THE BOTTOM SLIP
- - THE FAN BREAK
- - A SIDE STEAL VARIATION
- - THE L. W. DIAGONAL SIDE STEAL
- False Shuffles and Cuts
- - THE L. W. FALSE SHUFFLE
- - THE RUN CUT AND SHUFFLE
- - THE STEP CUT
- - THE L. W. FALSE CUT
- The Force
- - THE CLASSIC SPREAD FORCE
- - THE ONE HAND RIFFLE FORCE
- - THE ONE HAND FAN FORCE
- - THE SPRING FORCE
- - A FAN FORCE VARIATION
- - A FAN FORCE FROM THE TOP
- - THE IMPROVED KNIFE FORCE
- - THE RIFFLE FORCE
- - THE CUT-AWAY FORCE
- - THE NERVE FORCE
- - THE CARD CASE FORCE
- - OTHER METHODS OF FORCING
- Changes
- - TOP CHANGE FOR A NUMBER OF CARDS
- - THE McMILLEN CHANGE
- - THE THROW OUT CHANGE
- - A ONE HAND TOP CHANGE
- Color Changes
- - A RISING CHANGE
- - THE NEW BOTTOM CHANGE
- - A SIMPLE BOTTOM CHANGE
- - THE TWIST COLOR CHANGE
- - THE PROJECTING CARD CHANGE
- - THE GOBLET COLOR CHANGE
- - THE PIVOT COLOR CHANGE
- - A CHANGE WITH FINGERS SPREAD
- - A SIMPLE DOUBLE COLOR CHANGE
- - THE L. W. DOUBLE COLOR CHANGE
- - A CLOSE UP COLOR CHANGE
- The Glimpse
- - TOP CARD GLIMPSE NUMBER 1
- - TOP CARD GLIMPSE NUMBER 2
- - A SIMPLE PICKPOCKET EXPERIMENT
- - TOP CARD GLIMPSE NUMBER 3
- - THE FAN GLIMPSE
- - BOTTOM CARD GLIMPSE
- - A DEALING GLIMPSE
- - GLIMPSE OF NOTED CARD NUMBER 1
- - GLIMPSE OF NOTED CARD NUMBER 2
- - GLIMPSE OF NOTED CARD NUMBER 3
- Additional Sleights
- - A FALSE COUNT
- - A WRITTEN REVELATION
CHAPTER 2: Ornamental Sleights with Cards
- Shuffle And Cut
- - A FANCY SHUFFLE
- - FANCY CUTS
- - A THREE WAY CUT
- - A ONE HANDED THREE WAY CUT
- - A SIX WAY CUT
- - AN EIGHT WAY CUT
- Assorted Flourishes
- - THE CARDS ON THE ARM
- - THE CARD FROM THE KNEE
- - A REVERSE PALM SLEIGHT
- Production Of Cards At The Fingertips
- - FIRST METHOD
- - SECOND METHOD
- Card Fans
- - THE ONE HANDED FAN
- - THE SPRING FAN
- - PRODUCTION FANS
- Production Of Card Fans – A Routine
- - FAN OF CARDS FROM BODY
- - CARDS THROUGH KNEE WITHOUT PALMING
- - CARDS THROUGH KNEE BY BACKPALM
- - GIANT FAN FROM ELBOW
- - THE SLAP VANISH
- - FANS OF CARDS FROM AIR
- - A VANISH AND PRODUCTION
- The Diminishing and Enlarging Cards
CHAPTER 3: The Riffle Count And Tricks Therewith
- - A CUT AT ANY NUMBER
- - AN INSTANT CUT AT ANY NUMBER
- - A CUT AT AN UNKNOWN NUMBER
- - A CUT WITH A COIN
- - A CUT AT ANY NUMBER THROUGHOUT THE DECK
- - A CARD TO ANY NUMBER
- - A CARD REVERSED AT ANY NUMBER
CHAPTER 4: Non-Sleight Of Hand Card Mysteries
- - THE BACK-OF-THE-DECK DETECTION
- - ADDING THE PIPS
- - THE FORTY-NINER
- - THE NEW TRANSFERRED CARDS
- - COLOR SEEKS COLOR
CHAPTER 5: Card Effects Requiring Pre-arrangement
- - ODD PROPHECIES
- - THE SHUFFLE-IN DETECTION
- - THE DIVINING CARD
- - A QUICK DETECTION
- - THE RED AND THE BLACK
- - THE RED AND THE BLACK Another Method
- - TRIPLE COINCIDENCE
- - THE L. W. WONDER DETECTION
- - THE L. W. SUPER-DETECTION
- - THE MASTER POKER DEAL
- - HOW MANY HANDS? A New Poker Deal
Chapter 6: The Reversed Card
- - THE HALEY REVERSED CARD
- - A QUICK REVERSE
- - THE TURNOVER REVERSE
- - THE TURNING CARDS
- - TAKE YOUR TURN
- A Reverse Routine
- - THE DOUBLE REVERSE
- - THE LONGITUDINAL TURNOVER
- - THE WHOLE DECK REVERSE
Chapter 7: The Spelling Card
- - A SIMPLE SPELLING PROBLEM
- - THE INSTANT SPELLER
- - A SURPRISE SPELLING TRICK
- - A NOVELTY SPELLING MYSTERY
- - THE TRIPLE SURPRISE SPELLER
- - THE MIRACLE SPELLING TRICK
Chapter 8: Humorous Card Effects
- - A MIND READING INTERLUDE
- - A CARD CLIMAX
- - A CARD INTERLUDE
- - THE ERROR ACES
- - A LESSON IN CARD MAGIC
- - A MISTAKE, BUT.....
- - THE REPEATING CARD COMEDY
Chapter 9: Novel Card Discoveries
- - A CARD TABLE DETECTION
- - A GIANT CARD REVERSE
- - THE L. W. CARD AND NUMBER MYSTERY
- - THE ULTRA-RAPID DETECTION
- - THE SURPRISE LOCATION
- - THE THIRD CHANCE
- - BEHIND THE BACK
- - A NEW PICKPOCKET PROBLEM
- - THE CARD IN POCKET TRANSPOSITION
- - A SIMPLE CARD STABBING
- - FROM DECK TO DECK
- - A NEW CARD CATCHING
- - THE J. M. RISING CARD
- - THE OBEDIENT RISING CARDS
- - THE MAGNETIC CARD RISE
- - THE L. W. CARD THROUGH SILK
- - THE DECK THROUGH THE SILK
- - A SINGLE CARD THROUGH SILK
- - THE CRIMINAL
Chapter 10: Miscellaneous Impromptu Card Effects
- - THE REPEATING CARD TO TOP
- - REPEATING CARD TO TOP
- - A SIMPLE COINCIDENCE
- - AN IMPROVED TIP OVER TRANSFORMATION
- - THE MAGICIAN'S COMMAND
- - TWO PAIR
- - A THREE CARD MONTE VARIATION
- - A STUD POKER ROUTINE
- - FOUR OF A KIND
- - THE L.W. SIMPLICITY FOUR ACE
CHAPTER 11: Mental Effects With Cards
- Psychological Card Problems
- - PSYCHOLOGICAL FORCES
- - EFFECTS PRODUCED BY FOLLOWING A SPECTATOR'S LINE OF THOUGHT
- Mental Card Effects Using Physical Methods
- - CUT CARD DETECTION
- - AN L.W. MIND READING ROUTINE
- - THE L. W. FIVE CARD PROBLEM
- - A SIMPLIFIED FIVE CARD PROBLEM
- - A THOUGHT CARD TEST
- - A FREE CHOICE LOCATION
- - THE L.W. STOP MYSTERY
- - A CARD AND SPIRIT MYSTERY
Chapter 12: Card Effects For Stage
- - THE FIVE SENSES
- - ONE ARMED POKER
- - A COUPLE OF BRIDGE HANDS
- - A LOVE POEM
- - FELIX, THE FELICITOUS FELINE
CHAPTER 13: The Problem Of Presentation
CHAPTER 14: Cigarette Magic
- An Impromptu Routine with One Lighted Cigarette
- - MOVE NUMBER ONE
- - MOVE NUMBER TWO
- - MOVE NUMBER THREE
- - MOVE NUMBER FOUR
- - MOVE NUMBER FIVE
- - MOVE NUMBER SIX
- - MOVE NUMBER SEVEN
- - MOVE NUMBER EIGHT
- - MOVE NUMBER NINE
- - MOVE NUMBER TEN
- - MOVE NUMBER ELEVEN
- - A SURPRISING CIGARETTE IMPROMPTU
- - THE L.W. CARD IN CIGARETTE
CHAPTER 15: THIMBLE MAGIC
- Aunt Martha's Thimble
- - MOVE NUMBER ONE
- - MOVE NUMBER TWO
- - MOVE NUMBER THREE
- - MOVE NUMBER FOUR
- - MOVE NUMBER FIVE
- - MOVE NUMBER SIX
- - MOVE NUMBER SEVEN
- - MOVE NUMBER EIGHT
- The Penetrative Thimble
- - MOVE NUMBER NINE
- - MOVE NUMBER TEN
- - MOVE NUMBER ELEVEN
- Thimble Thimblerig
- - MOVE NUMBER TWELVE
- - MOVE NUMBER THIRTEEN
- - MOVE NUMBER FOURTEEN
- - MOVE NUMBER FIFTEEN
- - MOVE NUMBER SIXTEEN
- - MOVE NUMBER SEVENTEEN
- - MOVE NUMBER EIGHTEEN
word count: 135416 which is equivalent to 541 standard pages of text
