The magic tricks presented here are subtle, easy to do, and require little or no apparatus. The inventions of some of our greatest magicians, these are sleights that involve a minimum of practice but achieve a maximum of effect.
Here are card tricks that are almost foolproof, and others that require some skill and more practice. Sleights for close-up performing, where the magic takes place right under the noses of the audience, and tricks with paper-folding, an ancient art adapted to modern magic, are outlined and diagramed. The author also includes tricks with coins and paper money, rings, ropes, and silks.
Mr. Elliott reveals how the "expert" at the card table operates. And he exposes the secrets of "mind-reading." The final section of the ebook offers several routines that incorporate a series of deceptions, particularly useful for the amateur magician who expects sometime to be onstage.
Sixty-eight full pages of how-to-do-it line drawings illustrate these tricks.
A famous amateur magician said about this book:
"Bruce Elliott is just about the brightest mind in magic. Nobody has contributed more that is valuable and really new, and as an editor and writer his position is unique in the field. The Best in Magic may sound like a pretty big title for one book, but Elliott is the one man who could bring it off." - Orson Welles
A popular television and nightclub performer commented:
"This is material for every magician - from the budding amateur to the most advanced expert. The tricks, despite their simplicity, are deceptive in the extreme. Yet with them even the tyro can give a polished performance. As a professional magician, I consider this book a 'must.'" - Jay Marshall
- Preface
- CHAPTER 1 Novel Effects All Designed for Close-Up Performing
- JIM-DANDY VANISHER [Jim Shannon]
- POP-OFF [W. Bowman]
- A TWIST THROUGH THE WRIST [John Boyko]
- NICKEL-PLATED [Derek Vernon]
- PURSE [Bill Nord]
- RISE [H. G. Frank]
- REUNION [Don Tanner]
- VARIANT [John P. Hamilton]
- ANOTHER RISE [Carlo Rossetti]
- GHOST THIMBLE [John A. M. Howie]
- BOLT AND FRAME [G. Legman]
- THE LOTUS [G. Legman]
- LOTUS AND BOW-TIE [G. Legman]
- CHAPTER 2 Conjuring with Coins and Paper Money
- PENNY-TRATION [Harry Baker]
- WRAPAROUND VANISH
- FADEAWAY
- SITTING VANISH [Bill Simon]
- BACK PALM SWITCH [Charles Eastman]
- SILVER-COPPER [Dr. Theodore Sack]
- HANK DROPPER [E. Brian MacCarthy]
- REWARD [John A. M. Howie]
- THE HARD WAY [Stewart Judah]
- NECROMANCY [Derek Vernon]
- THE RIP
- THE FOLD-AROUND
- PERFECTION [H. P. Graham]
- CHAPTER 3 The Magician Performs with Rings, Ropes, and Silks
- BAGUETTE [Paquette]
- THUMB FUN [Franklin V. Taylor]
- BREMA PLUS TAYLOR
- ELLIOTT ON ELLIS
- FADEAWAY [Dai Vernon]
- KNOTS [Tony Slydini]
- TEAR IT [John P. Hamilton]
- CAUGHT KNOT [John A. M. Howie]
- NOT AT ALL [Dr. Wiener]
- CUT TO MEASURE [Walter Gibson]
- CHAPTER 4 Card Tricks that Work Themselves
- PAY-OFF [Walter Gibson]
- TOPPER [Walter Gibson]
- ONE GOOD TRICK DESERVES ANOTHER [Walter Gibson]
- IT GOES DOUBLE [Ted Annemann]
- 21 PLUS [Shaman]
- DISCARD [Jack Miller]
- DOUBLE STOP [Franklin V. Taylor]
- JOHN DOE - MAGICIAN [Tommy Dowd]
- YOU'RE A LIAR [Paul Curry]
- TIME MUST TELL [Cy Endfield]
- HAND TO HAND [Martin Gardner]
- PARALLELS [Roger Barkann]
- YOU DO AS I DO [John Scarne]
- CARD CLIMAX [Scarne]
- PHONE MIRACLE [Scarne]
- BEST PREDICTION [Scarne]
- "X-DECK" [Ed Marlo]
- CHAPTER 5 Card Tricks that Require Some Skill
- THE ELLIOTT CONTROL
- A LESSON IN MAGIC
- B. D. V. [Dai Vernon]
- DALEY'S DELIGHT
- A. P.
- BRRRRTTTT!
- FILLIP
- SIMON-EASE [Bill Simon]
- TWO BLADES [Bill Simon]
- MINICAM [Bill Simon]
- TABLED [Bill Simon]
- AGAIN [Bill Simon]
- DOUBLE-LIFT DECEPTIONS [Clayton Rawson]
- BIDDLED [Bill Simon]
- THE CARD IN THE WALLET
- SHOULDER CARD [Franklin V. Taylor]
- THE CARD IN WALLET - AGAIN
- CARD IN MOUTH [Lee Noble]
- POCKETED [Paul Curry and Bill Woodfield]
- CLIP IT [Garcia]
- FANCY FREE [A. V. Walsh]
- CHAPTER 6 The "Expert" at the Card Table
- THE SLIP FALSE CUT
- SECOND DEAL
- NO SECOND DEAL
- THE EASIEST BOTTOM DEAL
- TABLE-CUT
- TEN CARD DEAL
- TAKE TEN [John Murray]
- CHAPTER 7 Mind Reading Is Easy
- CHAPTER 8 Routined for Deception
- OUT OF THE SMOKE [Dave Spindell and Clayton Rawson]
- BLOOMIN' SILK [John P. Hamilton]
- JOCKO THE GREAT [J. G. Thompson, Jr.]
- ESKOW'S ACT
- The Last Word
1st edition 1956, 246 pages; PDF 164 pages.
word count: 56998 which is equivalent to 227 standard pages of text
