"Great effect, very clever thinking. I really like the double aspect to the effect. Well done!" - Marc Paul
Duplicity - a double holy grail ACAAN - is an exceptional variation of ACAAN that introduces a structured sequence where every action is first performed by the magician and then mirrored by the spectator. This sequencing creates a clear and logical flow, reinforcing the illusion of a true mental connection.
The strength of the effect lies in its methodical and structured process, making the final revelation feel inevitable and astonishing. The use of an app is justified...
Fire eating and other Yogi stunts.
Most publications on this subject are dated and they generally do not include any information on where the dangers lie. Derek Lever, who has performed almost all the stunts described here, provides additional information on what not to do and why. Somebody who has tried out the bed of nails at 3 years of age, as a photo in this publication proves, knows the ins and outs of these stunts.
Nevertheless, we do not recommend replicating any of these stunts unless you are a professional and know the risks involved.
Magic tricks, puzzles, shadowgraphy, palmistry, crystal gazing, ...
Excerpt from the introduction by Will Goldston:
This Magical Genius writes in these pages for those who do not know the A.B.C. of the Art of Magic. Here are tricks which any amateur magician, man or woman, girl or boy, can perform, and every trick is so clearly explained that to follow the instructions of this famous magician is a very pleasurable pastime.
To the uninitiated some of these little magical problems may seem to be very simple things, and therefore it is well to point out that their very simplicity is proof of their...
A minimalist book test.
Some years ago I decided to design my own minimalist variation of a book test and I sat down and set myself some criteria with the idea of producing some sort of dictionary-style book test that doesn't actually use a dictionary or any other type of magic shop prop.
I wanted something customisable that I could use in cabaret but also for walkaround close-up gigs, so it had to take up minimal pocket space. The prop had to be innocuous and reasonably examinable so a spectator could handle it with minimal audience management, and I wanted the selection process to appear...
Assorted commercial close-up magic.
The term 'commercial' is overused in magic. Every second trick is being marketed as 'commercial' simply because the author has perhaps performed it a few times to a lay audience. The routines in this compilation are truly commercial because Jim Sisti has performed and honed them over decades in hundreds perhaps even thousands of performances. These are the routines he has earned his reputation as a top-flight close-up performer. Every detail, from the presentation to the method, has been thought through.
Excerpt from the introduction:
The effects...
Excerpt from the preface:
... most of the material in this book consists of effects which were intended to appear in Abracadabra. Government restrictions on the use of paper for new periodicals delayed publication of the weekly, and so I decided to release some of the best material in book form.
Most of the effects which follow are my own originalities, but for the benefit of those readers who dislike my ideas intensely, a number of contributed effects by certain magical celebrities have been inserted at intervals, the idea being that, just as the reader is losing patience, a really good...
Excerpt from the introduction:
Although the following card effects will intrigue many magicians, the presentation and handling has been plotted with the lay audience in mind.
To think as a 'layman' is not possible once one has been involved in magic for some time. The best we can do is to try and imagine how a layman regards magic tricks and what will interest him.
Most card magic in print is written by card enthusiasts or technicians, who themselves have forgotten the layman's' viewpoint, or (more likely perhaps) are not interested in card magic for the public. This is not to decry...
An impossible dual deck ACAAN.
Imagine performing a stunning ACAAN-style effect over video chat using two separate decks - one in your hands and one completely out of your control in your spectator's possession. Double Cross ACAAN blends the principles of "Do as I Do" and ACAAN to create a truly impossible experience.
Both you and your spectator shuffle your own decks. They freely select a card and a number, and you do the same. Despite the total fairness, an unbelievable coincidence occurs: in both decks - yours and the one remotely controlled by the spectator - the chosen cards appear...
A version of the Cut Deeper Force that provides reason and logic as to why the cards are turned over.
The Ultimate Hands-Off Force.
Imagine this: Your spectator shuffles their own deck. You never touch the deck, yet you manage to have them freely select a card you already know. Then, for an even more astonishing finish, you can reveal the exact position of their chosen card within the deck.
This isn't a dream – it's the reality of The Force, a revolutionary technique that puts the power of card control unknowingly into your spectator's hands.
Utterly Deceptive: The spectator shuffles...
This is clever, usable magic for table or close-up work with a minimum of skill and an emphasis on misdirection and subtle presentation. In all, a twenty-minute act or superb table routine.
In Transfix, The Pervious Coin, Extortion, Creeping and a Wrinkle on the Miser's Dream, you get some fine coin routines; and in Uncanny Rags, an Afghan Band presentation that segues into a rope routine.
The effects are accompanied by illustrations by the author.
CONTENTS:
The book incorporates three hard-to-find private manuscripts that Nuzzo and Marlo published in the 1980s: Plus Package, Unforgettable Wild Card, and 21st Century Card Magic.
This is how Jon Racherbaumer introduces the book:
Taken at face value, strangers to the subjects and objects of this book will find old and new artifacts - namely the specialties that have been a lasting part of Jimmy Nuzzo's audience-tested repertoire. There are enduring techniques such as the highly touted Side Steal to Rear Palm, Simul- and Deal Steals, the Shootish Coat Load, Peek Count, and Faro Slough-Offs. Each is thoroughly...
Astro Alliteration is a mystical astrological chart that enables the user to perform Doug Dyment's, "Sign Language", Fraser Parker's, Seeing Signs and Ken de Courcy's The Systematic Seer, without involving any of the memory work that each method entails.
Prop-less is good in mentalism, however, when not performing the above effects regularly, a hint of forgetfulness creeps in.
So, the coblynau were ordered to find a method of improving the memory, but that was soon forgotten. Perhaps AI or some other augmented intelligence could be used? Eventually, a mystical chart on vellum was created. (Chart is in PDF format, please provide your own vellum!) ...
Humorous and entertaining mentalism from the Danish master Aage Darling.
The author believes in the simplicity of method allied to mystery and entertainment value, and here you will find comedy in such effects as Pin Up Girl Test and Spirits Test, publicity with Telephotrix and other gems, and mystery and entertainment with all the 15 incredible routines.
Excerpt from the introduction by George Armstrong:
This work is a translation of the original edition, published in Denmark in 1948. Editing the English language edition has been a pleasant task, for Aage Darling, like myself, is more concerned with...
This was one of the first books on the making of balloon animals. These are the big animals, each one made from several balloons. Suitable for stage, floor shows, outdoor work, TV, and more. Teaches you how to make them quickly, right in front of the audience, and includes bits of business.
1st edition 1958, 15 pages; PDF 16 pages.
The greatest of all Floating Ball routines, developed and used by Howard Thurston during his long and illustrious career. A magnificent display of super showmanship for the stage.
Effect: With cabinet doors wide open, you see the ball materialize and float out of the cabinet to the performer standing several feet away. After a number of spectacular moves, the unique highlight comes when the performer, with the ball suspended between his hands, steps off the stage among the spectators. Standing in the aisle facing the footlights, he causes the ball to travel back to the stage over the footlights, high...
The amusing cartoons about poker and its players make this a worthwhile read for any poker enthusiast. Briefly goes into cheating methods.
Do you want to know of a game which is practically devoid of giggling? Some profanity all of the time and now and then a dash of manslaughter, but hardly any laughter except an occasional cackle from the dirty dog who runs a whiz in a jack-pot? Referring, of course, to poker.
Poker - essence of the adventuring traits of the ambitious Yankee. The world's champion recipe for getting something for nothing in a hurry. The only game in which courage so...
This eBook covers the topic of corner short cards in depth, including what they are, how to create them, their impressive capabilities, and 14 very ingenious effects using them. If you're new to the concept of a corner short card, you will discover a powerful tool that will soon become a part of your arsenal. Corner short cards are the secret weapon of many of the top card experts. These weapons help magicians control cards in an invisible way to create miracles.
If you don't have a corner short card in your deck, you are missing out. The versatility of the corner short card is only limited...
Excerpt from the preface:
The vice of gambling is not so generally spread through the American nation as it is in several European countries, but it is spreading gradually even here and is tolerated in its seemingly innocent forms where one would not expect to find it. It is time that the matter should receive the earnest study of all who have the highest good of their country at heart.
They're Just Balls is simply a different approach to performing a few routines with balls. Almost completely lacking any difficult moves or sleights, the routines depend mostly on the standard principles of magic - misdirection and timing.
In this booklet I've attempted a few new ways to accomplish some routines using balls in a unique manner. Included are some effects first suggested in the classic Stars of Magic tome and a perverted view of the Cups & Balls. A ball puzzle and a dramatic 8-Ball production round out this offering. Many supporting photos and videos are also available and...
1st edition 2004, video 1h 28min.