We are proud of the result, and we believe, justly so. It is submitted for your approval. It contains several new items, and many tricks, the secrets of which have been very expensive to buy. We hope you like it. If you do, we may feel encouraged to prepare still a third Encyclopedia of Card Tricks, or an Encyclopedia along some other branch of magic.
Edward Marlo originated The Elevator Cards back in 1948 and now, Ian Baxter's latest streamlined offering is available. Short, snappy and to the point, with several strong magical moments. This is totally impromptu, practically sleight free and is sure to please the most discriminating card worker. This is one of Baxter's best!
of the masters of the art. In most cases no complicated sleights are required, the moves will be natural and simplified as to require a minimum of practice.
It is my sincere hope that you will learn these effects and feature them in your repertoire as you will acquire a great knowledge of magic and win for yourself the reputation of a great sleight of hand artist.
[Note that Aldo forgot to add the figures which are referenced in some of the tricks. Generally speaking this is not too big a problem to understand how the tricks work, but keep this in mind when purchasing this ebook.]
Glimpses into the mind of one of mentalism's pioneers.
"Arnold Furst taught me a thing or two back in '59 that you ought to know - about presence and timing, charity and goodwill, and keeping an audience on its toes. Oh yes, Magic, too."
Six effects and related stories about Arnold and his mentoring of young folks. Some methods are very old with a new approach. Others will be new to the reader. Something of value for every mentalist and entertainer.
JUST A MAGAZINE: An impromptu Mental Effect with a 'found' magazine, anywhere, anytime. Ideal for small groups, sales training or teaching...
Virtual Color Separation is an unusual and incredible effect of hands-off card magic, manageable even remotely, through a video chat, such as Zoom, Skype or Google Meet, but especially possible to perform by phone, with a spectator who has a common deck of 52 playing cards, that the magician will never have the opportunity to see but will still be able to control inexplicably, coming at the end to separate the red-suited cards from the black ones, without the spectator any wiser.
A lady chosen as a spectator, after having separated the red-suited cards from the black ones, will choose the...
Surprise Overture / Chiam Yu Sheng: Phil Goldstein's Overture is given a four-of-a-kind kicker ending.
Tap Triple Wild Coin / Scott Baird: David Roth's Stand-up Wild Coin is combined with some bits of business with a pen, and at the end, the coins all change into a third denomination.
Impromptu Speller / Kyle Leon: Kyle's handling of an impromptu spelling location. Kyle has added some nice touches to a simple spelling location, making the method harder to backtrack.
Spelling to the Aces / Corey Harris: As the title says.
Handy Speller / Andy Choy: A wonderful mnemonic method for determining...
... ... a blank card. (No brain!) The magician apologizes and lets them select another card – again they pick a blank. And then he does it for a final time – and again picks a blank, to the hilarity of his friends!
It's a Number's Thing: A vintage mathematical-type card trick that you can do at impromptu gatherings.
5 effects in total, plus a gag with a rubber dove, great value!
... that not too many of these ideas were ever celebrated by the magical fraternity, and no wonder - with crazy fakes and gimmicks being introduced that almost drowned its popularity.
Fortunately, the original idea has remained unchanged which is why today, it is still regarded as a classic of card magic.
Beautifully simple, all it consists of is having a spectator mentally select one card from a group of five. The performer chooses one, then moments later reveals his choice has been correct. Simple, baffling, and in the right hands - memorable.
... At the center of the spread are the two face-up jacks, with one face-down blue card between them. Barry removes this card and turns it over. It is his signed selection!
Now, get this: There are no forces, no difficult sleights, no gaffs/gimmicks, and no setup. This routine can be performed impromptu with two borrowed decks, and they don't even have to be complete. You just need to carry or borrow a permanent marker, so Barry can sign his card.
[Note that this effect is also part of Not Your Ordinary Card Tricks where it was described in a somewhat less detailed fashion.
... at the faces of every card and picks one that he tables face down. For the first time, the spectator reveals the name of his card. Let's say, the King of Diamonds. The magician turns the face-down card over ... it is the King of Diamonds!
Effortless. No sleight. No move. Examinable. Can be done impromptu.
Looking for commercial, practical, and unforgettable material you'll actually use? Four Real Workers delivers exactly that - four powerful, practical, audience-tested routines that belong in every magician's arsenal.
Inside you'll discover:
MYSTERIOUS BOILING WATER - a startling impromptu effect with nothing more than a glass, water, a handkerchief, and a rubber band. The water boils mysteriously.
ULTIMATE IMPROMPTU DIE DIVINATION - a clean, fooling way to divine any thought-of number on a die.
INTO THIN AIR - a brilliant, overlooked handling of Theodore DeLand's Phantom Card...
A card game between four players, in which the magician seems to have no control, unless he manages to use magic to enchant the cards of each of the players.
This is a completely improvised card trick that the illusionist performs by randomly choosing three spectators and giving them a common deck of cards (even borrowed) that they can freely shuffle, before dealing a hand of cards (five apiece) to each of them.
The magician will show that, after everyone has looked at their cards, they must choose and remember the highest value card, placing it on top of their deck, keeping all cards...
Completely impromptu, locating two freely thought-of cards.
The spectator freely shuffles the deck and cuts it into two packets. Two spectators each think of a card, then freely cut their packets before the two packets are combined.
The spectators freely cut the cards, think of two selections, and mix up the deck. There is no stack. Even so, the magician can accurately determine the exact position of both selections in the deck.
1st edition 2026, video 10:22.
Performance excerpt:
Next is a completely impromptu routine.
First, have the spectator shuffle the deck freely.
Kyle MacNeill has been intrigued by the art of magic since the age of 10. He is very interested in card magic, especially non–gimmicked and impromptu ones. His work is inspired by such card experts as Aldo Colombini, Dan and Dave, Cameron Francis, David Forrest and others.
He has recently been interested in mentalism. His creative juices really started flowing after being influenced by such magicians as John Bannon and David Penn, after visiting the prestigious Blackpool Magic Convention. He thanks all his friends and family for putting up with his many performances!
He is usually seen with a pack of cards stuck to his hands, lost in the world of magic creation...
... on the table. When the envelopes contents are removed by the spectator, the prediction matches the card just cut to.
800 - THO-UGHT:
This revolutionary effect is a multi tool of mentalism that is worth ten times this ebook! The psychic entertainer presents a challenge of his powers during an impromptu setting. He offers up his cell phone as a sort of challenge prediction. It is sealed inside of a ziploc baggy and given to a spectator to keep it hands off and for safe keeping. A game of guess the numbers ensues. 3 spectators are selected for their ability to guess the three numbers that...
Fallout is an impromptu and devilishly clever, mentalist’s card to pocket. The spectator chooses a card from a deck that he has shuffled, and returns the card. The magician never sees the faces of any of the cards. Yet he still manages to read the spectator’s mind and work out the name of the card. The magician reaches down into his pocket and removes the selected card.
No Forces! The spectator does almost all the work! There's only one real 'move' in the entire routine...The card can even be signed!
You will receive a manuscript explaining all aspects of the trick in high detail...
This is the favorite 'book' of Gaetan Bloom. This monthly magic journal only ran for two years (24 issues) but it is filled with wonderful ideas largely on close-up magic. Although most of the effects described are from Frank Chapman, there are a few contributions from people like Charlie Miller, Nate Leipzig, etc.
To give you a sense of what Frank had in mind, here an excerpt from the first issue:
Magic is my hobby ... It has been my hobby for over twenty-five years ... I am not a professional magician ... This may be questioned because I occasionally entertain for a fee ... I do this for two reasons ... To keep...
... replaced by a folded $1.00 bill (or any other bank-note), on which you can print the words "LEFT POCKET" using your home computer and printer.
The instructions also detail a version using three other objects, that you probably already have or can easily get, that is 100% self-contained and 100% impromptu, as you'll always have these objects with you.
Notes: Impossible was inspired by a very old mathematical principle, but it completely slays laypeople and magicians alike. The final kicker of having the words "LEFT POCKET" written on the folded Lotto ticket should be credited to Vincent...
This 10 page manuscript contains instructional photographs and my description for producing the sound of the thread snapping as the button is ripped form the coat. The routine is a powerful lesson on how advanced preparation will enable you to perform a seemingly impromptu miracle.
Enjoy some new tricks — pocket tricks that you can make yourself, card tricks you can do with anyone's deck of cards, stage routines with various magic props that you can make.
This is the first of a series of writings by U. F. (Gen) Grant and Frank Lane, who formed a partnership in the writing magic books.
... turns 23 cards face up and only now the spectator reveals the name of his thought-of card, the 4D! The 24th card is turned face up by the spectator... It is the 4D!!!
Easy to remember and to perform.
Use your own regular deck.
Examinable.
No table required.
As a bonus effect, you get an impromptu version that is especially designed for walk-around situations.
... shuffled. The performer names his chosen card and the spectator deals to his chosen number. The performer's named card is found at that location. The spectator then deals to the performer's chosen number. The spectator's card (unnamed until that moment), is found at that location.