Five reputation maker routines. This is one of the cleverest effects we have seen and capable of being used in many different ways. As a note in balloon. As a smashing prediction. As a clever and colourful "Just Chance" routine with three balloons, etc.
You'll thrill to the simplicity of the method. And the cunning of it. Listen to the details of the first effect ... and the others are equally convincing, equally baffling.
Note in Balloon. An inflated balloon is shown and placed to one side. A dollar bill of any value you prefer is borrowed from a member of the audience who himself notes the number and places any identifying mark on the note which he wishes. Up to now, remember, the magician has not even touched the note. The note is now taken and wrapped in a handkerchief and held by another spectator. Magician suddenly snatches the handkerchief away ... and the note has vanished. Taking up the balloon and shaking it something is seen to be rattling around inside it. The balloon is placed in the handkerchief so that the four corners of the hanky are held like a bag and the balloon is burst by any member of the audience by thrusting a pin in the handkerchief. Spectator himself removes the note which was inside the balloon ... it is the actual borrowed one.
It is worth noting that there are no switches of note ... only one note is used ... the actual borrowed one, and there is nothing to get rid of when the effect is over. No sleights of any kind are involved.
In the "Just Chance" routine two of the balloons contain messages, one a bill. You always get the bill. As a prediction, a newspaper head-line, etc., can be scaled into the balloon several days before the event and on the great day you are proved correct. The balloon is popped by a member of the audience who checks your prediction. The diabolical method can be used in many other ways.
1st edition 1966, PDF 5 pages.
word count: 1586 which is equivalent to 6 standard pages of text
