From the introduction:
I think Edwin has been a little presumptuous in billing this lecture as 'Originalities'. Most new ideas and twists spring from something that has gone before so I lay no claim to the basics but enjoy playing around with them to produce 'new' material etc. to entertain. Time is short so let's get on. Descriptions are brief and condensed mainly printed here to serve as memory joggers to the demonstrations in the lecture. I hope they help you to make up and perform something that you have found to your personality. You have my permission to make a 'one-off' for your own...
"It's a thing of beauty. Everything is covered and I believe it might be one of the best purchases magicians can make today. You cover everything in detail and it's a pleasure to watch. - Olivier Boes
I want us to reimagine and revolutionize our tipistry. Tipistry means breathtaking thumb tip handling ability, competence, proficiency, and mastery. If we can pull this off, you'll also skyrocket your confidence with a thumb tip.
My methodology is to perform close up, with no weird or wacky moves. I just perform slow and deliberate with handling and moves that defy logic.
The Thumb...
A collection of some 15 effects with silks, ribbons, rings, balls, glasses, tubes, paper, dice, and other objects.
1st edition 1980, 34 pages; PDF 33 pages.
For the German edition see Pavel's 15 Mikro Tricks (German).
1st edition 1971; PDF 32 pages.
From the introduction by Terry Seabrooke:
Billy is my longest standing magical mate - although we have been known to fall over now and again!!! We have shared so much in our lives, but the overall love we all have for Billy, is his help on all things magical, and his readiness to share with all of us his most creative ideas on new tricks and particularly on amazing and entertaining presentation. Give Billy, what to most of us is just an ordinary trick, and after thought and work, he will come up with a real commercial presentation which is above all - ENTERTAINMENT.
A superb selection of items from the professional repertoire of Roy Johnson. Mentalism, comedy and visual magic with cards, books, rope, keys, shoe laces, music, fire and razor. Revealed are some of Roy's most closely guarded secret methods. Much of Roy's own patter is included for you to use, or adapt to your own style. The methods given are simple and effective, leaving you to concentrate on the "job in hand" ... entertainment!
1st edition 1995,...
From the introduction:
The word itself, "Cabaret", carries overtones that conjure exotic pictures of nude dancers, the "Moulin Rouge" and German Beer Cellars; a sort of high-class iniquitous entertainment enjoyed by the lucky few. But that is all changed. It's been brought down to the level of the man-in-the-street. Now he can have a ringside seat for dining, dancing, drinking, a show ... and gambling.
Yet he won't take advantage of all this 'loose-living' unless there is also a "SHOW", as the proprietors of these establishments well know. There is a plethora of singers and 'groups', and...
It is not easy to define, in a few words, Mariano Tomatis, but I want to try: he is a "Curiosity Generator". Because his books, his conferences, and, above all, his "pills" on Youtube (Mesmer in pills) are for me an inexhaustible source of information, culture (magical or otherwise), ideas, and, above all, a continuous stimulus to know, to seek, to try, to create, to "go upstairs".
Two pills, in particular, struck me and interested me (n ° 92: Coin, pen and cell phone, and n ° 228: Seeing with the third eye): once seen, I tried to analyze possible developments, discovering Masters, authors,...
From the Preface:
The object of this little book is to supply the amateur conjurer with a simple text-book on his art, leading him by graduated stages from the first principles to a degree of proficiency at which he will be able to produce magical effects on the stage or in the drawing-room.
The Appendix sets forth clearly the construction of the various pieces of apparatus referred to in the text, so that the amateur will be able either to construct these himself or get them cheaply made.
Lastly, the author would like to add, that most of the tricks and illusions contained in this...
From the preface by John Ramsay:
The author, my friend Douglas Francis, has handed me part of the manuscript of this book, and he has also given me a personal demonstration of some of the effects described therein. Every trick proved entertaining and convincing in his capable hands, and, consequently, I can recommend them with every confidence to all exponents of "Close-up" Magic.
From the foreword:
As the title suggests, the contents of this book are confined to that type of effect that can be literally performed right under the nose of the spectator, in other words - Close Quarter...
An excellent selection of tricks by no other than David Devant. From his introduction:
I have always maintained that the art of the conjurer is closely allied to that of the actor, but with this difference: the actor selects a character and impersonates it. He has all the advantages of a proper dress, suitable to the character he is playing, of beautiful scenery, and music, and lighting, and the various other little things which are comprised in the theatrical word “effects.” The actor has all these aids to assist him in persuading people that the man they see is not the actor, but...
Tricks about travel and more.
Here's a selection of cool self-working magic and mentalism tricks perfect for close-up and stand-up.
For example: The spectator freely selects a luggage label that has a holiday destination written on it. When a world map is opened, their chosen destination is circled.
Or how about this: A selection of postcards is shown - they're moved from the back of the pile to the front. When the spectator calls 'STOP!' the very next postcard is the only one with a hand-written message on it.
Or: Three luggage labels with vacation destinations written on them are...
Here are 12 more mind-blowing Bob Hummer close-up and parlor puzzlers that will entertain most any audience. From the brilliant mind of Bob Hummer comes this tasty helping of magic and mental mysteries using cards, a spoon, and even a 6 x 6 checkerboard. Some of these offerings were originally sold as separate manuscripts and are now out of print.
Also included in this volume are the effects that made up Hummer's 3 Trix booklet in 1947, which has been out of print for decades. Now you can add these great tricks to your performing arsenal before the other magicians in your area get them....
Turn a cap into a magic prop and have cards appear and change. For example, you can use it for a kind of 'card stabbing' routine where you spring the cards and catch one card in your cap. Or have one card visually change into another. To make the gimmicks requires some arts and crafts, but nothing too complicated and no supplies you wouldn't likely already have.
The separate effects are:
Not all gimmicks can be incorporated into the same cap and thus not all effects shown could be done with just one cap.
Deepak also explains a lovely linking effect...
Excerpt from the introduction by Kevin James:
These notes are a compilation of some of his newest ideas as well as some classic Bloom. He is well known around the world as a powerhouse creative magical inventor.
His genius is in the simplicity of his methods and the strong impact they have on the audience. He is a minimalist, allowing nothing to distract from the magic. Most of his ideas are with very ordinary objects making the impact even stronger on the audience.
Two years ago Gaetan was honored by the Academy of Magical Arts and Sciences in Hollywood with a Masters Fellowship...
1st edition 2022, video 11:43
Conducting effects on the telephone presents some "structural" difficulties:
You have to prepare a meticulous presentation and review it in detail; in close-up or on stage you have the viewer in your presence and you can check at any time if they are following your instructions correctly. On the phone no! You must therefore try to write simple, unique instructions and you must check periodically (if not almost every time) that these have been carried out as you expected.
You must prepare (as with all performances) an introduction that describes the purpose of the game, where you start...
Vanish small objects such as a coin, sponge ball, poker chip, card corner from your bare hand.
The construction of the gimmick requires some arts and crafts. The method produces a sound that you need to be able to mask with music or some other way. Also, you will have to watch your angles. This method works fine for a social media video or perhaps on stage but is otherwise not very practical.
1st edition 2022, video 9:49.
Back at long last is this masterpiece of close-up work featuring cards, coins and mental effects. The genius of Paul Curry lives on in this newly expanded edition. The privately printed first edition is now a prized collector's item. When one does come up for sale, it fetches a high price. Indeed, a soft cover first edition recently sold on the big auction site for well over $100.
The tricks in this ebook were created, as all tricks should be, with an accent on the effect. Take a look to see what is included:
The whiteboard bat is a paddle with whiteboard surfaces that allow you to write or draw pretty much anything on it with an erasable marker. This allows you to customize the classic paddle trick to your heart's content. Ian Adair developed this idea in the 1970s from an older version that used a blackboard material and chalk. In this ebook you will find loads of ideas what to do with it.
Note that no paddles are included with this download. But it is not too difficult to make these yourself from self-adhesive whiteboard material.
Close-up magic routines.
Excerpt from the introduction:
In this book you will see that most of the effects are simple. Although some of them require a few basic counts and moves they are all entertaining. In fact all the effects can be good openers. Many of the card tricks use playing cards with unusual pictures. From my past experience I have seen that people prefer these kinds of cards more than the usual playing cards. As much as possible I have tried to avoid "select a card" effects, but for one which I feel is a very strong one. I don't claim that everything in this book is original...