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Ian Baxter

Ian Baxter

Entered the world in 1946, the magic world in 1952, witnessing his first trick from a great uncle, who threaded a door key on to a piece of string and with a wave of the hand, the key fell to the floor. The magic bug set in right there and then.

Grandfather followed up with a coin trick and then his father took him in to Bernard's Magic Shop in Melbourne. A few pocket tricks were purchased and this further encouraged the young Baxter towards performing. By the time he was 14, sleight of hand had taken a firm hold.

Decades down the track and magic with cards, coins, small objects and an occasional venture towards mind reading is what keeps the fascination on hold.

Still not retired from vocation as a piano tuner and technician, but has cut back on commercial gigs in order to spend more time with family. Enjoys writing up tailored versions of known classics and when time permits, relaxing over a quiet game of chess.

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Coauthors: Barry Govan, Murray Cooper, Gerry McCreanor

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Ian Baxter
Straightforward Zig Zag by Ian Baxter

This is nothing short of extraordinary. Here is an impromptu card mystery that has it all - A startling transposition of two cards merely thought of!

Based on an original idea from George G. Kaplan, author of that wonderful text The Fine Art Of Magic, this 21st-century revision from Ian Baxter will stop audiences in their tracks. Kaplan's original necessitated a set of duplicate cards, but this new handling does not. No gimmicks, accessories, fake cards, strangers or extras of any kind. This baffling crowd pleaser is totally off the cuff and can be performed at a...

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Ian Baxter
Captured Twice by Ian Baxter

Themed card mysteries are certainly not new. Many of them are tired, worn out, horribly dated, and probably best left forgotten. Even in their day, these forced presentations, spiked with corny patter, invariably put audiences to sleep. Who wants to be supposedly entertained by a magician who is a crashing bore?

Here is an up-to-the-minute card mystery from Ian Baxter that will leave them scratching their heads. This is top drawer material - easy to perform, within range of the most basic card handler, yet fast, mystifying and amusing.

The basic 'Cops and Robbers' theme evidenced here...

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Ian Baxter
Dusting Off the Revolving Aces by Ian Baxter

Herb Zarrow is one of the most recognized names in magic. His Zarrow Shuffle changed the face of full deck false shuffles some seventy years ago, and its popularity shows no sign of abating. Among Herb's other memorable contributions was Revolving Aces, a knockout 'Cutting To The Aces' approach that grabbed immediate attention and saw publication several times. Perhaps the most detailed write-up was in Harry Lorayne's classic text, Close Up Card Magic.

Decades later, here is Dusting Off The Revolving Aces, a revised handling from Ian Baxter that eliminates the necessary setup...

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Ian Baxter
Two Plus Two by Ian Baxter

Adding to a classic of card magic.

"Wow, what a swindle! In the best sense of the word. Just outstanding!" This is just one reviewer sounding off about Two plus Two, an ingenious revision of that popular mystery The Two Card Trick from Bert Allerton. Not overlooking Bro John Hamman stepping forward some years later with a clever overhaul of the same effect, the evolution of this firm favourite continues. Still very eagerly being performed today, it reinforces that old saying - some magic never ages.

Another reviewer comment: "The trick, in essence, is quite simply...

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Ian Baxter
Extra Sympathy by Ian Baxter

Annemann's Synthetic Sympathy is a long-regarded classic of card magic, with a history dating back to 1921 when Charles T. Jordan put out his original version. Annemann slotted it into an early edition of his magazine The Jinx. It took off like wildfire and Jean Hugard promptly included the Annemann update in Encyclopedia Of Card Tricks, further enhancing its popularity. Then Max Holden jumped on the bandwagon and published it yet again, including it in his Annemann compendium Full Deck Of Impromptu Card Tricks.

Holden was particularly...

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Ian Baxter
Aces with Artistry by Ian Baxter

Ace Assembly routines have been with us for decades. Some originate from the best brains in magic, others too numerous to mention, are utterly forgettable - lengthy, complex routines overburdened with ham-fisted false counts, lugubrious palming techniques, endless Double Lifts and quaint presentation ideas.

If you are heartily sick of these approaches, here is a routine that will grab your attention.

Aces With Artistry is just what its title implies, an Ace Assembly that stands up there with the best of them. Visually captivating, AWA owes its pedigree to Ed Marlo and is based...

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Ian Baxter
Three Stewart Judah Card Classics by Ian Baxter

John Northern Hilliard, in his classic text Greater Magic, made this poignant observation: "Stewart Judah looms extravagantly in the field of magic. I would rather see him do a card trick than go to a convention."

Another famous identity, Jay Marshall, editor of The New Phoenix and one of the twentieth century's most celebrated magic dealers, was equally laudatory: "Stewart Judah is the world's greatest magician!"

Similar tributes about Judah have flowed continuously over the years - perhaps helped along by his astonishing book [lp=758790 The Magic...

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Ian Baxter
Another Three Daley Deceits by Ian Baxter

December 1932 and The Sphinx magazine carries a full-page advert for Dai Vernon's manuscript Five Close-Up Problems. Without a doubt, Follow The Leader engenders the most attention out of the five, with card men quickly adding this one to their repertoire. Not surprisingly, Doctor Jacob Daley latches on to this timely classic, eventually releasing his own handling in Bruce Elliott's magazine The Phoenix in 1951.

And now, decades on, Ian Baxter releases his new manuscript Another Three Daley Deceits - following on from Three Daley Deceits published in April 2024. This one includes Baxter's handling of Daley's Delight - Jacob Daley's version of Follow The Leader....

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Ian Baxter
Lightning Strikes Twice by Ian Baxter

Is this a completely new treatment of the hugely popular Ambitious Card theme?

Ian Baxter introduces this new, fast-paced routine that never fails to impress. A selected card starts jumping through the deck, unexpectedly turning up supposedly under control of the 5 of Diamonds. The selection is cut back into the deck and then it happens again - but this time, unexpectedly, with the 5 of Hearts!

Having dispensed with both red fives, the chosen card, already subject to 'lightning striking twice' is lost in the deck and then the performer ribbon spreads the cards across the table. Both...

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Ian Baxter
Smooth Honeycutter by Ian Baxter

Elegance in card magic is not always found in easy-to-work, highly visual effects that can literally gob-smack audiences and leave a lasting impact. Honeycutter is one of those rare gems that easily meets the criteria. Originally published in Bruce Elliott's magazine The Phoenix, this revised version from Ian Baxter adds extra clarity and sparkle to Al Honeycutt's original.

Note if you will: Just eight cards from any deck are all that is required. No setup, no fakes, extras, or accessories are called for. This is totally impromptu, and the necessary skills are minimal. If you can shuffle a deck, you can...

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Ian Baxter
LePaul's Card Magic by Ian Baxter

Paul LePaul was one of the all-time great card manipulators of the 20th century enjoying an amazing career in vaudeville, cabaret, and nightclub work, performing magic just with playing cards.

His lasting contribution to magical literature was that classic text, The Card Magic Of LePaul, first published back in 1949. It has been a revered source of exceptional card magic ever since.

In this new manuscript, card man Ian Baxter revisits three of Le Paul's favourites - The Substitution Envelope Mystery, Hand Picked Aces and that perennial favourite, The Gymnastic Aces.

No sacrificing of effect, no knuckle-busting sleight...

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Ian Baxter
Very Convincing Book Test by Ian Baxter

This may well be the last word in Book Tests! Here is a totally gimmick-free test that looks like mind reading at work. Imagine this...

Two spectators read just a few words from one of three books. The page has been arrived at by chance, with the performer concentrating on just one stand-out word. Following a few moments, the performer announces what that very word is!

As mentioned, a total absence of extras - no cheat sheets, stooges, playing cards, slates, electronic devices, or specially printed books. None of the usual stuff. For the working performer, this is an exceptional, completely...

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Ian Baxter
Three Daley Deceits by Ian Baxter

Doctor Jacob Daley was one of the most respected sleight-of-hand artists of the twentieth century. This acclaimed New York performer left the magic fraternity an astonishing cache of published works, from the acclaimed Stars Of Magic series to prized entries in assorted books and magazines.

Three Daley Deceits offers a new look at three of the Doctor's most celebrated card mysteries, carefully revised by Australian cardman Ian Baxter.

Daley's Aces - In Spades is Baxter's spin on this ever-popular transposition. The four Aces from the deck are slowly and deliberately placed on the table, Hearts and Diamonds...

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Ian Baxter
Three Rapid Spellers by Ian Baxter

To all magicians, amateur and professional - here is a loaded question:

Have you ever been bored silly watching a magician perform a spelling trick?

This is contentious and very obviously axiomatic. Quoting from the Preface of his new manuscript, Australian card man Ian Baxter comments: "Unfortunately, spelling effects in card magic hold the onerous title of being the most laborious, boring presentations imaginable."

This is the point at issue - boredom setting in, thanks to the tedium of endless counting and spelling, usually propped up with trivial patter. Such effects are simply...

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Ian Baxter
BIRT: Baxter's Indian Rope Trick by Ian Baxter

A lovely print-and-perform trick.

Who in magic, beginner or expert, has not purchased, watched, or performed that perennial "Gone To Lunch" or as it is sometimes called, "The Indian Rope Trick"? This magic shop favourite has been making the rounds for decades and is still a consistent best-seller for dealers all over the world.

Would you believe, Australian card man Ian Baxter has for years been performing his own version that tops the original? Baxter put this together back in the 1990's and sold it through limited dealerships. Yes, the 'Gone To Lunch' theme is fully intact, but there...

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Ian Baxter
Quicker Quest by Ian Baxter

A new approach to the Stewart James classic Queer Quest.

Another Stewart James card mystery from the past, brought right up to date by Australian cardman Ian Baxter.

Queer Quest first appeared in The Jinx magazine back in 1938. Publisher Ted Annemann endorsed it immediately because this was obviously not just another card trick. Although the effect is far from new, three spectators each selecting a card with the performer locating them one at a time, Queer Quest stood out because of its simple method and straightforward presentation.

Eighty-five years down the track and Q.Q. is now totally revamped, with easier handling...

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Ian Baxter
Pocketheral Once Again by Ian Baxter

A new approach to the Stewart James classic Pocketheral.

Stewart James (1908 - 1996) was known not just for an immense output of published effects, but his deliberate, somewhat humorous conferring of odd titles to various tricks. Pocketheral was certainly no exception, attracting the attention of, among others, Edward Marlo.

The Cardician, Marlo's celebrated book released back in 1953, included two very worthwhile variations of PTR. Marlo, along with many others, would doubtless have been amused by the name chosen for this one. Marlo's approach involved not twenty but ten cards being dealt in a row, a spectator being asked...

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Ian Baxter
Simplicity Aces Comeback by Ian Baxter

A new approach to the Stewart James classic Simplicity Four Ace Trick.

First appearing in print in Ralph W. Hull's book More Eye Openers, Jean Hugard wasted no time in grabbing it for Encyclopedia Of Card Tricks; it also ended up in John Northern Hilliard's mammoth book Greater Magic, along with a number of other texts as well.

The straightforward plot involves the four Aces of the pack assembling in one heap, following a careful separation from other cards. Economy of movement is top of the list here, buoyed by an absence of sleights and very easy moves. Within reach of any card handler, beginner or expert.

And now, years down the track, Ian Baxter offers this...

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Ian Baxter
Courtskill by Ian Baxter

A new approach to the Stewart James classic Miraskill.

Theo Annemann's journal The Jinx, September 1936, was where Miraskill was first published. Subsequently reprinted in various books and magazines over the years, this Stewart James creation still baffles one and all. The years have not dulled the remarkable impact it can have on today's audiences.

Courtskill is a brand-new version of Miraskill. Australian card man Ian Baxter has concocted a totally new version, with some very distinct advantages.

Barely half the deck is used, trimming the performance time considerably, not to mention a surprise approach involving court...

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Ian Baxter
Princess on the Move by Ian Baxter

Who among us has not heard of, seen, or performed The Princess Card Trick? For the record, it was conceived by Henry Hardin and was first made available way back in 1903. Mahatma magazine carried advertising for it and in the decades that followed, countless 'improvements' ended up in print.

It seems that not too many of these ideas were ever celebrated by the magical fraternity, and no wonder - with crazy fakes and gimmicks being introduced that almost drowned its popularity.

Fortunately, the original idea has remained unchanged which is why today, it is still regarded as a classic of card...

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Ian Baxter
Two-Speed World by Ian Baxter

An approach to the Paul Curry classic "Out of this World".

Out Of This World, Paul Curry's timeless classic, gets a fresh look in this new manuscript from Australian card man Ian Baxter.

Years after its release, the trick retains its enduring popularity. No sleight of hand, an absence of moves demanding any form of dexterity, with attention to presentation steering the success of this baffling mystery every time. OOTW is a timeless gem. The August 1947 issue of Hugard's Magic Monthly, in a poll conducted at the time by Fred Braue, confirmed to the magic world then that this ingenious card mystery be given the mantle of the most...

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Ian Baxter
No Delay: Think Stop by Ian Baxter

A timely favorite for any magician with a deck of cards in hand is Think-Stop. With a popularity spanning decades, this absolute classic has attracted attention from virtually every known card expert of the 20th and 21st centuries. Practical additions and/or worthwhile improvements to this gem are rare indeed. However, this brand-new handling from Australian card man Ian Baxter easily meets that challenge.

Reviewer David Jones comments:

"The Stop Trick is a stunning card effect which has traditionally depended on the use of a psychological force and hence cannot be relied upon to work...

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Ian Baxter
Knockout Book Test by Ian Baxter

No prizes for guessing who it was that did more to popularize mentalism than anyone else. Certainly, a steady stream of impressive performers and writers have kept the kettle boiling over the years, but it was Theo Annemann who, beginning in the first half of the twentieth century, set the pace with ingenious methods and presentations that still influence material today.

He wrote: "It is my theory that any effect to be successful must first be founded upon a simple method, and then be performed with a direct, to-the-point presentation." Hard to disagree with a compelling narrative such as this.

Australia's...

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Ian Baxter
Twist plus Bonus by Ian Baxter

Dai Vernon's Twisting The Aces, has for decades been regarded as an all-time classic and thankfully, the new wave of 21st Century card experts still carry the torch for this perennial favourite. Over the years, new additions and presentations are published, adding even further interest to this wonderful effect.

Australian card man Ian Baxter admits to having performed TTA for sixty years, starting just three years following its publication in 1960. Up until recently, he performed it totally 'as is' from Dai Vernon's More Inner Secrets Of Card Magic.

"Tampering with a Vernon treasure such as TTA, can often promote controversy" admits Baxter....

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Ian Baxter
Chased Marriages by Ian Baxter

Australian card man Ian Baxter presents a brand-new, revamped handling of that timeless classic, Royal Marriages.

Totally impromptu and free of sleights, fakes, stranger cards, accessories and the like. You won't find so much as a camouflaged in-jog here in this modernised gem where the Kings and Queens of the pack magically pair up in their correct suits. Just eight cards are used, the four Kings and four Queens from any deck.

Reviewer David Jones sums it up: "A simple and effective little mystery. Short, stunning and entirely sleight free. Another winner from Ian Baxter."

And the...

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