Svengali in Cards

The Svengali deck has been a pitchman item for years. Gerald admires the skill of the Svengali pitchman. They handle the deck and do amazing tricks to sell the deck to bystanders. But Gerald's writing is not a treatise on "pitching" the Svengali. His purpose in using the Svengali is different from the pitchman's.

In Power of the Svengali, Gerald explores how to handle the Svengali as an ordinary deck, not as a special gaffed deck to sell. The power of the Svengali comes from its ability to produce tricks not possible except by advanced sleight of hand. Even skillful sleight of hand can...

The Svengali deck of cards is a specially prepared deck of playing cards (Poker-sized or Bridge-sized) that can be used by magicians or entertainers to perform various tricks. The deck and the tricks performed with it are assisted by its unique design and require almost no skill. It is based on a very old principle of entertaining deception and confidence game manipulation.

The cards of the deck can be flipped or riffled to create the illusion that the deck is completely ordinary. It can even be apparently mixed and shuffled. The trick involves a spectator choosing a card from the deck and...

An easy and effective multiphase routine with a Svengali deck. A spectator is correct continually in finding a previously selected card which the performer underlines with the punch line "How Right You Are."

From the introduction:

Moves, routines, and stories around the Svengali deck.

"Okay, I'm impressed!!! Your book on The Long and the Short of It is wonderful. I'm still working on a few of the moves that I never dreamed were possible with a Svengali Deck. Excellent Routine!!! You've definitely put in the time and have the expertise with this trick to be called a Master. You get 2 big thumbs way up for your book." - Doug Howe

"Mark Lewis has spent a considerable amount of time pitching Svengali decks. He has written a useful and succinct manuscript on the subject. There is no padding. The routine Mark explains...

It's witty and it's full of wisdom. These are the ramblings of Mark Lewis on Internet forums. Irreverent and funny at times and full of deep thinking about magic and mentalism at other times.

Many incredible anecdotes of his varied life as a fortune teller, magician and hypnotist. In addition to this are techniques described on how to pitch svengali decks, how to do psychic readings, and most important of all how to do magic with showmanship and verve.

Included is a video clip of his legendary svengali deck routine which he has performed all over the world thousands of times plus tips...

Make money at magic shows, fairs, carnivals, or simply entertain your audience with the Pitchman's Svengali Routine. Now you, too, can add extra income at your shows by demonstrating and selling Svengali Decks, using this carefully constructed routine. Built along the time-honored comedy sales pitch, as used by medicine men and carny hucksters, this routine includes full patter and presentation so not only is the audience entertained, but the spectators are also primed to buy.

In this revised and updated version, you also get wholesale sources and other valuable information to help ensure...

An excellent work on the Svengali Deck, including drawings and photos.

• Mechanics Of Svengali Deck
• Handling The Svengali Deck
• Main Points To Remember
• Running The Cards
• Double Lift
• The Riffle Shuffle
• The Overhand Shuffle
• The Fan
• The Spread
• The Drop
• Effects With Svengali Deck
• Stabbing Trick No. 1
• Stabbing Trick No. 2
• Stuthard’s Svengali Subtlety
• Methods Of Switching Deck To Ordinary Cards
• Suggested Routine With The Svengali Deck
• Finally

1st edition 1948, 15 pages; PDF 13 pages.

This is a new effect from Devin Knight's recent East Coast lecture tour. It uses a special Svengali deck in a way that magicians will never suspect. So you know, you will need to own or buy a Svengali Deck and gimmick it to do this trick. Take this to your next magic club meeting and puzzle the members.

EFFECT: The performer shows a deck of cards and mixes them. He invites a spectator to stop him as he deals the cards face down on the table. The person can stop him anywhere in the deal, there are no restrictions. The performer deals until the person says stop. The performer shows the card...

The Svengali Deck is an ingenious magic deck of cards. You can learn over 110 amazing tricks and routines. Some of the tricks you will be able to do:

• Show a normal deck - then change all the cards to the previously selected card.
• Seal a card in an envelope - then have spectator pick the card in the envelope.
• Spectator stabs the deck - the selected card is where the person inserts the blade.
• The selected card appears in your pocket or anywhere else.
• The card that was selected appears anyplace where the spectator cuts into the deck.
• and much more

This exclusive book has now been republished as an ebook. Encyclopaedic in scope, with notes on making, handling, pitching, and performing in a variety of situations.

Contents

• Handling the Svengali Deck
• Pitching the Svengali Deck
• About the Tricks
• Impromptu
• Almost Impromptu
• Multi-Method Classics
• Novelty Revelations
• Things going wrong, and sucker effects
• Apparatus Required
• Special Decks
• Publicity, Promotion, Spectacle
• Using sleights and moves
• Miscellaneous
• The Last Word

1st edition 1999, 181 pages.

This ebook holds extremely valuable information for anybody who would like to become a pitchman or grafter who sells Svengali decks and other items. Even if you do not sell as a pitchman, but perform on the street or other public venues you will learn quite a bit from Walt Lees.

Some of the points discussed are:

• Which magic tricks are suitable for pitching?
• Types of pitching
• Earnings and rewards
• Requirements of a good pitchman
• Styles of pitching
• Choosing a good site
• Peek selling times
• What to have with you
• Dealing with complaints, hecklers, pilferers, non-buyers, aggro merchants,...

Here, Chris Wardle explores the use of long and short cards (Svengali Deck style) for mental magic presentations. Whilst initially he gives some background to the Svengali deck and how to make and handle one, some routines use variants on the deck and several don't use playing cards at all. There are thirteen routines from Chris plus some additional commentary and a bonus routine from publisher Paul Hallas. Chances are after reading this you'll not think of the Svengali deck in the same way again.

Since the appearance of this booklet (his third) Chris authored Magic For Everyone (2006) and...

Twenty-five pages of previously unpublished information on successful pitching – tips, ideas, and insights from highly experienced pitchmen. What to wear, details on the joint, and more. A valuable addition to the Don Driver Svengali DVD on pitching the Svengali and the Don Driver Interview.

1st edition 2009, PDF 25 pages.

The Comprehensive Guide to Making Money Pitching Svengali Decks

Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been made on selling the humble Svengali Deck and yet few people ever learned the inner secrets of how to pitch the deck successfully. This DVD fills that shortage.

Don Driver pitched for twenty-five years all over the country. He learned his pitch from S. David Walker, the Grand old Man of Svengali pitching who has been at it since the early 1940s. Mr. Walker learned from Mickey MacDougall, the creator of the Svengali pitch.

Explained in detail is a pitch that has been polished and...

This recording gives all the secrets of grafting or pitching. Walt reveals the secrets that enabled him to earn a handsome living pitching such items as Svengali decks, the coin and glass, three card trick, and other tricks of the grafter's trade. You will find everything from the grafter's own language and terminology, to the pitches, and how to make the products.

Walt Lees is a born pitchman. His voice draws you in. It plays with your mind, you are getting interested, intrigued, fascinated, excited, until you can't hold it anymore - you must have this trick - you buy it, and the pitchman...