Mentalism & Spiritism in Magic & Conjuring: page 6

EFFECT: Any three people take ordinary watches the performer provides to a far corner of the room and set them to any hour and minute. They in turn each wrap their watch in a small opaque paper bag. These are placed anywhere and you can divine the exact hour and minute on each watch. No gimmicked watches or electronics are used. At the end, everything can be fully examined and nothing will be found amiss.

1st edition 2022, PDF 7 pages.

I love the mentalism effects on the phone, and I often use them in close-up and sometimes - appropriately modified - stage performances. I have collected more than 100, in the last 2 years and, slowly, I am proposing them with these publications. Some draw inspiration from real "pearls" of great artists, which I allowed myself to face, with extreme humility, developing them with a new setting, sometimes adding some interesting details. Others are a little older, even centuries, maybe even well known, but they are often "disruptive" as never before! Still, others are mine or, better said, by...

The mentalist shows some Alphabet flashcards to the participants. The cards are mixed and distributed. The participants are asked to form a word using the letters they have received, from which the mentalist will be able to divine all of them.

• Uses an ordinary object.
• Self-working.
• Not process heavy.
• If needed, the effect can be repeated with a different result.
• The effect can be adjusted to be able to perform to a smaller group.

Bonus Effect: The Missing Link

Each participant exchanges cards after they were mixed and distributed, and yet the mentalist is able to identify which...

Here's a fantastic method for predicting virtually anything. The gimmick is simple and all you need to make it is two common items you might already have. The gimmick enables you to create feature effects that play huge.

The Washing Line: 8 items are hanging on a line - 7 are clean, and one needs washing again. The audience freely eliminates them one at a time until one remains - it's the one that has a large 'stain' on the back. Includes full routine. So easy to do, yet so clever. No force, no stooges - just a brilliant 'slap-your-forehead' method.

Predict-a-Star: Several DVDs are shown....

Discover and process natural force books.

In his "Autome" book test video, Max Maven demos a book test and a forcing method. What he does not do is explain how to find and process books other than the one he demos. That's what this manuscript does. My process, including all the required worksheets, teaches how to use almost any 300+ page popular novel, in any language, as natural force books.

The Effect: The mentalist introduces three popular paperback books and hands them out to the audience. As the books are examined, the mentalist has members of the audience record several random numbers....

This routine was presented some time ago and now, after having faced various situations, both on stage, in the parlor and in the living room, the time has come to apply some modifications which simplify the conduction of the effect, which can be proposed in close up, in person, on the phone (audio only) or on stage: three different and interesting ways for the same effect.

The method used is explained in detail, so that the effect can be modeled by the performer and repeated immediately afterward, making it difficult to immediately understand the method used.

The principle is interesting! ...

Bending Minds Vol. 3 ends the collection of effects centered on the principle of the binary system, according to a new and innovative vision. In this third volume, not only playing cards will be used to tell our magical stories, but also tickets or some business cards.

You will find 4 new effects and an extra bonus one, using cards or just some tickets, with a number of elements varying from 3 to 7. Throughout the course of the effect, the cards are subject to a dynamic, the positions are constantly changing, each time in a different way. Even more than in the first two volumes you will...

Here's a cool mentalism effect where you force a series of Scrabble pieces in the fairest of ways. The effect can be performed in close-up or standup situations. A bag of Scrabble pieces is shown in a paper bag - spectators can freely select any pieces - they are all mixed - just like in a normal game of Scrabble. The performer reveals that he knew how many points their Scrabble tiles would add up to, plus which word would be made, in a novel way. This is easy to do and easy to make. All you need is a couple of paper bags ... and the gimmick is so easy, you can make a pile of them at the same...

Techniques and routines for the Himber Wallet.

The Himber Wallet is a change device for flat card and paper items, like currency notes or bills, playing or visiting cards, pay envelopes, paper slips etc., which is an understatement, like saying "The Rolls Royce is just an automobile". When the Himber Wallet is correctly handled, it is far superior to other change wallets, card boxes, or devices that serve the same function.

Some wallets allow one to subtly prove no change has been made, when in fact it has. The contents of one side of the wallet can change, while the contents of the opposite...

Gregg teaches two methods for the same trick. The question this trick tries to answer is who was the famous author of The Expert at the Card Table? This trick will probably not provide any deep insights into this question but it may produce laughing, weeping, protesting, or other human emotions because the subject of Erdnase can evoke some very strong ones.

One method is based on equivoque, the other uses a Himber wallet.

1st edition 2022, PDF 3 pages.

Perform some amazing close-up routines with 15 dominoes with ESP symbols. These dominoes are not included with the ebook but they are fairly simple to make yourself.

This manuscript gives you the basic principles and presentations for a variety of possible effects. The principles involved are self-working in nature, and have been explained in sufficient detail to enable you to create your own amazing routines with these attractive and intriguing props.

• The Psychic Dominoes
• Psychic Stacking
• Choice or Fate
• Unique Match
• Desire and Destiny

1st edition 2004, 16 pages; PDF 15 pages.

This ebook features 28 of Mel's mentalism ideas, each of which is commercial and entertaining.

It also has an interesting essay on getting the basics right as well as three further pages of great one-liners to use in your act. Mel's methods are practical and uncomplicated - he has a real gift for getting directly to the nub of what is needed to created any desired effect - and so there will be many ideas that you will soon be including in your repertoire.

• Introduction
• Svengali Postcards
• Any Time Impromptu Book Test
• My Drink Prediction
• Blackout Gag
• Minor Miracle with M&Ms
• The Magic...

An expose of routines, apparatus and deceptions resorted to by mediums, clairvoyants, fortune tellers and crystal gazers in deluding the public.

Excerpt from the introduction:

• DEDICATION
• INTRODUCTION
• ROPE TIES
• BLINDFOLDS
• SEALED ENVELOPE READING
  • Alcohol Method
  • Wax Pads
  • Back Of House Steal
  • Switching In Audience
  • Changing Bag ...

The Final Straw - a very clever mentalism effect. Five different colored straws in a cocktail glass. One straw contains a rolled-up gift voucher for the holiday of a lifetime and a year's supply of cocktails. All the others contain a note which says 'you lost!' Spectators select any 4 colored straws (no forcing) the contents of each straw is pushed out ... and they all lose. The remaining straw has the winning gift voucher. This is so clever and virtually self-working. You'll need to buy some straws - you should have everything else you need. As usual with Graham's effects, they are easy to...

During his last years, Basil Horwitz recorded a set of new routines on audio tape. When he passed away his wife Heidi sent these tapes to Martin Breese to turn into a new book. Martin worked on it for a good while together with the help of Clifford Card and Mike Vance. They were almost finished but also Martin passed away before he could publish the book. Having purchased Martin's business I took over this project which I can finally present to you.

• Foreword
• Body Language, Heads or Tails
• Mental Hypnotic Suggestion
• ESP Body Language
• Lesson in Body Language
• Challenge, ESP, Body Language
• Three Experiments...

Methods and presentations for blindfolds, or 'sightless vision'.

Amongst the most sensational of magical effects, is the ability of the magician to do things blindfolded, which would normally require the use of his full vision. Like escapes, a blindfold drive is an excellent publicity stunt, in which you can involve the police department, the local medical and municipal authorities, the town council, the local newspapers and TV, and half the town people. It is one effect that can be performed under any conditions, drawing room, stage, club, arena, or across a town or state. And it is probably...

A collaborative effort between the author and Ken Kline, an expert on extrasensory perception.

Excerpt from the preface:

A collection of self-working tricks based on a simple mathematical principle with multi-colored chips.

You will need to make the 5 chips yourself. Each chip has a color on the front and back. These chips can be easily made with stickers or permanent makers.

1st edition 1975, PDF 11 pages.

An exceedingly clever use of Max Maven's Bonsai Force. Predict the free and random arrangement of four colored blocks.

Excerpt from the introduction by Max Maven:

Alexander's own method of a convincing Question-and-Answer (Q&A) routine that borders on genuine ESP. Learn it and you, too, can be "The Man Who Knows!"

At one time Alexander offered his original Q&A routine through Thayer as a separate manuscript. Out of print for years, this clever method is once again available to mentalists and psychic entertainers to baffle a new generation of audiences.

The act is specially devised and arranged for the performer who caters to Lodge, Club and College lecture tours since no assistant or apparatus is required. A truly one man act. This act had previously...

A book test, a 3-card trick, and a 5-envelope impossible selection routine - all self-working.

A prediction envelope is placed on the table, along with the performer's favorite novel. The spectator is handed a magazine that has had the staples removed and is asked to select any one of the double pages she likes. It's a free choice. She is then asked to add all the page numbers together. Let's say the number totals 170. She turns to page 170 in the novel ... and the prediction reveals which city is mentioned, the make of car which is talked about, and the unusual word on line 4! In fact,...

Read what is written on a folded business card, sealed between two credit or gift cards and secured with criss-crossed rubber bands.

This is a full card peek that is easy to do. You can prepare this in minutes. The ebook has crystal-clear visual instructions.

Routine: A spectator is asked to think of a name or number or draw a simple picture on a business card, and then fold the card. The folded business card is sealed between two credit or gift cards, secured with criss-crossed rubber bands, and then placed aside. Under seemingly impossible conditions, the performer reveals what was...

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...

A great mentalism effect for small groups to huge crowds.

Effect: A pile of cards with the name of a movie star on each one is shown to a helper. They remove one and it's placed into an envelope, whilst the magician turns away - the remaining cards are removed. It's a completely free choice.

There are no stacks, and no card set up - they can be freely shuffled by the spectator first. The cards are not marked. The envelope is 100% opaque. The spectator holds the envelope with their card inside, in front of their face - and the performer asks a member of the audience which movie the spectator...