Reviews of products by Ulysses Frederick Grant
4 ★★★★★ reviews
3 ★★★★★ reviews
1 ★★★★★ reviews
5 ★★★★★ reviews
Victory Carton Illusions
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Peter Heß (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 03 January, 2025)
A view into the years of WW2. Cardboard magic, magic with very cheap and simple materials. I use some of the ideas for kids out magic circus.
The Invisible Man Effect
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Ethan Robarts (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 09 November, 2024)
This manuscript details effects already known in countless "spook show" writings as well as employing a reference to a levitation effect that is not included nor explained in this writing. More of a "take these effects from different sources that you know and put them together to create this". Not worth the purchase.
UF Grant Instruction Sheets 1
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Bill Palmer (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 04 May, 2024)
This is a handy collection of instruction sheets for classic U.F. Grant products. When you run across a set of "Chink Cans," and you can't figure out how to make them work, these are what to order. There is also a nice bill in lemon version that works very nicely. There are eleven tricks in all, including a version of Mental Epic that uses an ungaffed slate.
They aren't fancy. There are numerous misspellings and hand corrections. But all in all, they have historical importance. They were originally published in 1946.
Modern Levitations
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Frederic Clement (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 03 April, 2024)
I give it only 3 stars, because I was expecting more effective levitation effects. In this book, I only found two. Super X levitation is a classic and here you will find a way to build it for a few bucks. Best Yet Levitation is a way of doing a levitation almost impromptu, without specialized equipment. There is also a floating table effect that is somewhat interesting, but other than those 3 effects, all the rest published in this book, which means the Parlor Ashra and the Miracle Suspension, is pure junk, or to stay polite, rather useless material!
Grant's Illusion Secrets
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Frederic Clement (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 02 April, 2024)
A good little illusion book by a great Illusion creator, for a very cheap price! Highly recommended to produce a big scale show with a tight budget. However, if you are going to buy the Devon Knight's compilation called Grant's Lost Secrets, you don't have to buy this one, as most of the illusions of this book are in the other one.
U. F. Grant's Lost Illusion Secrets Revealed
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Frederic Clement (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 02 April, 2024)
Very interesting compilation of illusions and documents written by U.F. Grant. Dozens of great illusions ideas and principles that can be adapted to fit your own show. This is a historical book, so you have to know in advance that some principles are outdated for today's reality. Also, a few illustrations are missing, mostly in the last section. However, you have to read it to get your own imagination stimulated to create your own stuff, and most of the illusions that don't have illustrations, you can figure out what it's supposed to look like. But still, many of the illusions in this book can be used as is, and they are near perfect as is! Even if you only use one of them in your show, it's gotta easily repay the price of the book. Talking about the price, it seems a little too pricy to me, compared to other books of that age, and of public domain. $20 or $25 would have been more appropriate. But that being said, I don't regret my purchase and I would buy it again knowing what I know now...
Victory Carton Illusions
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Frederic Clement (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 29 March, 2024)
This book is a must for any amateur or professional magician or illusionist. It shows us how illusions don't have to be expensive to be impressive! These simple but effective illusions can be built in minutes, they cost a few bucks to build and they play as big as any $5000 illusions! Cardboard boxes look like usual stuff that people know and use in their everyday life, so they are more susceptible of being impressed if you can do something extraordinary with them than if you use fancy, suspicious boxes and specially built props that mean nothing to them. Cardboard boxes seem less possible to be tricked and I am sure that the impact on the audience could be better than many professionally built illusion props. Of course, if you want to have highly durable boxes, you can replace the cardboard with cheap plastic sheets with gaffer tape. I highly recommend this book!
Walking Through a Woman Illusion
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Frederic Clement (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 28 March, 2024)
Not too bad for the price. To me, the use of tables to hide the body looks a little fishy and too much hiding, but at the same time, this is what makes it feasible anywhere any time without any preparation, with chairs, foldable card tables and tablecloth or sheet that you can find almost anywhere.
UF Grant Instruction Sheets 1
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Ron Cowart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 21 April, 2023)
As I have come to expect from this excellent source....PERFECT!!
Gen Grant's Manual of Magic
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Amado Narvaez (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 19 April, 2023)
Like all of Grant's magic, there are some gems here!
Nu Way Out Of This World
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Fredrick Turner (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 04 January, 2023)
Let’s start by saying that this is the routine that Eugene Burger used for most of his career. It’s direct, straightforward magic. Well worth the small investment.
Improved Devil's Newspaper
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 31 August, 2022)
Most magicians know the hanging load method to produce a dove from a really empty shoebox. The trick is very deceptive. This shows how to make it using very common items. I bet 95% of everyone has the 2 items not mentioned. The shoebox idea I mentioned could be a vanish. Reproduce a duplicate item from paper. I do not think the paper should be used as a vanish. It is too flimsy. Drawing attention to it and having to eventually get rid of it. I could put it in the shoebox and put the lid on after using both. Vanish coke can in box. Remove lid. Show both sides. Reproduce from paper. Put paper in box. Can is empty because of weight. Must switch can. Highly recommended.
Modern Illusions
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 13 August, 2022)
Great value for 2 illusions I thought were ingenious. The Gateway and Spot light girl vanish. Neither requires special stage set up. Spot light is a lady who instantly vanishes from a bag. Gateway is basically the hide behind the door taught by Mark Wilson. But you can see through the picket fence. No objects to hide behind. With the new plastic flower bed borders this could be built for about $50 if the gate was cardboard & wood yardsticks.
Grant's Illusion Secrets
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 13 August, 2022)
Amazing. The shower illusion is a modern cabinet easy to build. The big production is good. Park bench vanish was the best. Never would have thought of that. No special backgrounds or mirrors. Any outside bench could be used. Lady does NOT sneak away. There is no lady. Besides the gimmick you may also try a fake hand as it can be put in your jacket easily. Just seeing painted fingernails will help a lot. This would easily be a $20 book if sold by illusion designers. With less content. Well worth the price.
Window Stoppers
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 13 August, 2022)
Had no idea Grant did ad work. The optical illusions fooled me. Real birds underwater. Light bulbs that light not connected. Bulbs move by themselves. Not party stunts. Maybe Halloween. But I could make $$ selling the ideas to stores for publicity purposes. Most corporate stores won't authorize it. But many family stores in the city Square would.
Nu Way Out Of This World
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Sean Hoade (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 July, 2022)
A fantastic addition to the standard Out of this World routine, fully eliminating any need to stack the deck beforehand, making this perfect for a borrowed deck!
Best Tricks with Invisible Thread
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by William Steele (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 18 July, 2022)
1-star review as no 0-star option - Ordered to expand my repertoire of options using IT which I have been working with for around a year now. This booklet contains no actual instructions whatsoever but only a very brief outline of each trick telling what it is but not how it’s done. Each outline is usually no more than a paragraph or a few sentences long. Utter waste of money and while it might cost only the equivalent of a cup of coffee. Go with the coffee as then at least you will get something for your money other than disappointment and a feeling of being ripped off!
Walking Through a Woman Illusion
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 02 June, 2022)
With Bodies in Orbit and 6 Modern Levitations costing about $6 also - I think this is a fair price for a trick most people can actually pull off. I'm 45 now and reading a lot about illusions, this could be done for $30 at the most. Rubber body parts can be bought on eBay. Walmart sells cheap tables and chairs & beach towels. You probably already have some of that. I thought I knew the method & was 99% right. I just couldn't figure out her secret move. Use light-colored chairs with dark tables. The tables look smaller and chairs look bigger. That way she doesn't look stretched taller. Actually, a ruffled shower curtain sold online would benefit. It would look more like melting through. Don't ask why. It just does.
Best Tricks with Invisible Thread
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by James "Gaddy" Gadbois (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 01 May, 2022)
Very nice old book. Everything in it is still usable today. Due to the sub-standard materials of the day they had to work with, everything in here is essentially "bulletproof" with today's miraculous IT resources. The co-author, T.A. Whitney has added new material to supplement UFG's mid-twentieth century text.
Sleight of Hand Rope Trick
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Alan Sands (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 13 April, 2021)
This was easy to download from a computer - but difficult to navigate from a phone. I am looking forward to reading this as it was one of the only two routines ever published before my father, George Sands, published his two routines, "SandSational Rope" and "RopeSational." The other routine that is older is The Professor's Nightmare, or "three rope routine."
35 Miracles with a Mirror Glass
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by David Nethery (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 13 August, 2020)
This is a useful reference book on various uses for this classic prop. I would recommend it.
Something that would improve this e-book would be to update it with recommended sources to purchase a good well-made tumbler or goblet that has been gimmicked in this way. Sadly, there are many cheap, poorly made versions available, but not many good ones. Most of the models currently available are not very deceptive looking; these cheap versions use a plastic glass and a piece of polished metal (a highly polished piece of stainless steel can be very effective, but many of the cheaper glasses on the market don't use highly polished stainless steel.) One of the common mistakes made in these type of glasses (both older models and current models) is to have the edge of the gimmick extend to the very top edge of the tumbler. This makes it too likely that the edge will flash at some point without very careful handling. The best versions are made in such a way that the top edge of the gimmick is lower than the edge of the glass. Some types of acrylic or lucite tumblers or goblets are appropriate for making this prop, but it's hard to beat the use of a heavy, fluted real glass for disguising the presence of the gimmick. Even if some good versions of this prop could be recommended for purchase, magic props tend to come and go - example: a few years ago there was an excellent version made by Steve Dick called the "Diamond Cut M***** Goblet" , but this has been discontinued and is hard to find - so perhaps another valuable way to update this e-book would be to include instructions on how to make your own, with suggestions for appropriate types of heavy fluted glasses or glasses with a "diamond" or "waffle" cut pattern that could be used (antique markets or websites dealing in antique glassware are a good source), also the right kind of material that can be used to make the gimmick. Many of the effects with this kind of glass use a gimmick that is removable, but it would also be useful to provide instruction on how to permanently mount the gimmick with the right kind of clear-drying waterproof adhesive for effects that involve the use of liquid. Some of this may be covered (?) in the e-book Magician's DIY Tips and Tricks by Chris Wasshuber also available here on Lybrary.com, which I don't own (yet), but if not then a section on how to make this sort of prop might be a worth addition to 'Magician's DIY Tips and Tricks' as well.
U. F. Grant's Lost Illusion Secrets Revealed
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by David Nethery (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 02 June, 2020)
I’m an admirer of the creative genius of U.F. Grant, so I was hoping to get more out of viewing the “Missing Files” of “U. F. Grant's Lost Illusion Secrets Revealed”, but I would have to say this PDF is way over-priced for what it is. $5.00 might be a fair price, but $35.00 is too much. The description of this PDF file says:
“Over the years, Grant sold many manuscripts that just contained one illusion along with building plans in most cases. (Some of these were released by Percy Abbott in his catalog without credit to U. F. Grant.) This compilation is a collection of those plans released by Grant and also in the early Abbott Magic catalogs.
Most of these plans are near impossible to find nowadays and most of the ideas and plans will be new to the majority of magicians. The manuscripts have new typeset, corrected errors and added photos.”
Several of the illusions described have no plans or illustrations at all, most have only a few crude sketches that get the basic idea across, but offer little practical guidance on how you would actually build or perform these illusions. Some do have plans with actual dimensions given, but overall the building directions are sparse.
The description -- “The manuscripts have new typeset, corrected errors and added photos” -- gave me the impression that these various old plans and ideas had been substantially edited and updated with the addition of photo illustrations of the illusions, but the “added photos” are simply a few generic stock photos found on the internet:
- On page 18 a stock photo (with the 123rf.com watermarks still visible ... you're supposed to pay the licensing fee if you use stock images) of a girl with a towel wrapped around her for “The Girl in the Shower” illusion, but this stock photo has nothing specifically to do with the Grant illusion, it’s just a cheesecake photo of a pretty girl with a towel around her.
- On page 112 a stock photo of Santa Claus accompanies the “Santa Claus Arrives” illusion, but again this stock photo has nothing to do with illustrating how the illusion would look or how to build it, it’s simply a stock photo of Santa Claus.
- On page 142 there is a photo of a child’s rubber boot, in connection with the “Farmer and the Witch” illusion where it says: “Some performers who are using this illusion have made cloth ‘boots’ to match the costumes, In the event that the audience should get a glimpse of the feet of the children, the shoes will not give the illusion away. Instead of the cloth boots, you could use the cheap plastic boots which are sold for children in the winter time.”
- On page 143 a stock photo of a surgeon and a nurse in surgical masks is printed at the start of the description for “The Doctor and the Nurse Illusion”.
- On page 165 for “The Bunny-Girl Illusion” a stock photo of a girl in a sort of "Playboy Bunny" type of costume grabbed from a Halloween store website. It has nothing to do with the illusion, except the suggestion that “The girl should, of course, be dressed in the popular bunny costume — bunny ears, white collar and cotton tail.”
- On page 167 a photo of the “Girl on Three Swords Illusion”, but it’s simply a photo of the prop as seen by the audience at the start of the illusion, three swords standing upright on a small platform. There is no description or photo of how to make the gimmick.
None of the 6 stock photos included are of any use in helping someone to build or perform the illusions described, so the mention in the description of “added photos” as a selling point is rather misleading.
Nu Way Out Of This World
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Peter Nordstrand (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 03 December, 2019)
Great effect!
Top Secret
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Dave Arch (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 23 April, 2019)
A most excellent method(s) for the headline prediction. I have used the method(s) described to great effect but never knew of their origination. My preference is the USA Today for it's colorful appearance, its brand, and the fact that it's daily. Those who read this will understand the benefits of all three of those qualities. Highly recommended.
Victory Carton Illusions
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by James Perry
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 21 September, 2018)
I own the hardcopy of this book. I bought it when I was a kid in the 80's, and it is my favorite illusion book of all time. Just looking at the easy to make illusions let me dream of the Copperfield type show I could someday put on. The best illusion book for any beginner in magic you will find.
Eliminators
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Fabio Lombardi (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 04 January, 2018)
The book is very old, anyway there are good methods to eliminate that sleights, I already knew some of those, but for 5$ is a good book. I had a problem and I texted Lybrary staff, they are kind and fast in answering, so a good feedback also for Lybrary.
Fake Gambling Act
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brian Reaves (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 27 December, 2017)
Not that great of a routine. Each part can be done separately to appear you are an expert in that aspect, but you can't sit down and do this entire routine at once to show all the aspects of your "skill". True, nothing more than a double lift is ever required here, yet there are better full routines out there. If you don't want to put forth a lot of effort or just want to show off one "talent" like second dealing or center dealing, you may find something here to use. Otherwise, keep searching.
Snip-Snip Want Ad Test
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Trevor Fletcher (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 08 March, 2017)
I thought I was getting a new idea with this purchase. Maybe I should have read the 'fine print'. I have known this method since before I started getting into the performing side of mentalism/magic. If you know a method for this effect that can be done impromptu, this is probably the same one.
However, if this effect is new to you, then by all means, grab this one right now, it IS a great method for a nice effect. I just expected a new/different method is all.
Massive Fire Bowl Production
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Ronald M Levy
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 10 October, 2016)
Devin Knight has made available to us a captivating collection of three effects which share aspects of their methods. There is "U.F. Grant's Massive Fire Bowl Production," which is absolutely spectacular. It is presented with a version of this Trick that produces "A Goblet of Fire," which is themed from "Harry Potter," and also a delightful trick for the Halloween "Trick or Treats" which first produces a candy container, and then offers the child a treat. This is entertaining, charming, and mysterious magic with fire that will surely grab the attention of your audiences.
UF Grant's Lost Card Secrets
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Ronald M Levy
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 27 September, 2016)
The amount of careful research and scholarship Devin Knight has applied to this excellent group of surprising card spelling effects, together with a stunning card transposition, presents the legendary magic of UF Grant so that there are valuable secrets here that are of use by the magician of today. Grant speaks to us once again through the dedication of Devin Knight.
The Milky Way
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Ronald M Levy
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 20 July, 2016)
These three entertaining effects with real drinkable milk ( Yes: real fresh cold milk! ) - in a real glass - have been revived and modernized from a lost U.F. Grant description. They can be performed for adults and children, and two of them are made for using at least two participants at a magic show. They are baffling. Devin explains how to inexpensively make the props yourself, and has figured out how to always keep the milk fresh and cold. His instructions for performance are clear and well written. This really is a lost and unattainable manuscript, and you will enjoy performing Devin’s updated versions of these three effects. Don’t pass this up. These effects could be the hit of your magic show.
Pickpocket Stunts
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Troy Murphie
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 01 July, 2016)
Save you dough. Terrible would be a subtle review.
Tricks with Magnets
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Troy Murphie (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 30 June, 2016)
Nice original version of the Chinese Sticks in this e-book. Also an interesting idea with the 3 Shell Game.
Automat Card Routine
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 29 June, 2016)
Please do not put yourself by the low price or the work of this past master as it is well worth the learning,practice,more practice and performing to great results from your spectators
Girl in Little House Illusion Revisited
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Karl Mathers
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 17 April, 2016)
I performed it in a show last night and people thought I had trap doors and everything, totally fooled them all and dead easy to perform and good fun.
Girl in Little House Illusion Revisited
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Eric Gumieney (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 16 April, 2016)
This is just plain fun. It is a real winner. I smiled as I read the pdf. It reminds me of good old fashioned magic from a bye gone era. Devin Knight does a great job in explaining all that needs to be done to make this effect one that will be talked about long after your show is completed. I'm very pleased with this purchase and I believe you will too. The psychology behind this is insane and FUN!
I highly recommend this.
Eric
Tricks with Magnets
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Angela X (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 27 January, 2016)
There is some clever thinking with magnets here. Even if some of the routines are outdated, the principles can be applied to modern routines. Great buy.
Tricks with Magnets
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 05 January, 2016)
The effects within this work should stimulate any magicians minds into performing them or even creating new ones.
100 Tips and Gags
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Cristian Vidrascu (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 08 December, 2013)
Very disappointing, I would not see myself using any of these. Many are mean-spirited and not so funny. Generally I love anything U.F. Grant, I think he is brilliant, and have fooled many magicians with some of his ideas. However, in this particular case, I would not recommend this booklet.
Brain Busters
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Phil Reda (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 22 May, 2013)
I have always been a fan of UF Grant. This little manuscript is a steal for the price. There are some good ideas looking to be updated and fine tuned. All four routines are good but my favorites are the watch routine and the bill divination.
Floating Light Bulb
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Sam Weiss
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 18 April, 2009)
I really love Grants method for the floating lightbulb. It is simple, precise, beautiful, and simple to accomplish. As the manuscript says you can in fact very easily do this close-up for people. Even though the description of this effect says it is only for stage the original manuscript's claim is right. I would definitely recommend this to any magician... wait no I take that back I want it all for myself!
1,000,000/5 stars!!!
Nu Way Out Of This World
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by McAig
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 07 December, 2008)
If you don't know OOTW, this is a great (not to mention great value) version and well worth getting. If you already are well aware of the basic trick and the many variants around, this is still excellent.
Nu Way Out Of This World
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Grandpa Chet (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 30 October, 2008)
EXCELLENT version of Out of This World! I've heard about it for years, but it's hard to find.
Correction: It WAS hard to find. And it was worth the wait.
Nu Way Out Of This World
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Vincent Fleuranceau
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 28 October, 2008)
Last night I asked Chris if he had this manuscript.
His answer speaks for itself: "I have this manuscript but it was not yet converted. But since it was only two pages I did it overnight and uploaded it. You can now get it."
Great work. Great guy.
Victory Carton Illusions
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Sam Weiss
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 06 April, 2007)
This is a really good ebook and every illusion you will want to use. The 1st one that I made was the dog vanish and I fooled everyone. all I have to say is 3 words
ADD TO CART!!!!!