The late Ralph W. Hull was a tireless originator in the field of magic, and was particularly active in devising amazing mysteries with playing cards. The Tuned Deck, which he described as "my most cherished trick," was accorded nineteen pages in the monumental work, Greater Magic. Other Ralph W. Hull specialties have appeared in the form of pamphlets, one of which is the subject of this review.
John Northern Hilliard wrote a foreword to More Eye Openers, in which he described in rather flowery language, but with substantial accuracy, most of the contents of the booklet. Modified slightly, the description is as follows:
"Here is magic, as I understand it. Here are card mysteries for all kinds and conditions of the conjuring clan .... For example, 'Birds of a Feather Flock Together,' a brilliant card problem in transposing cards, in the genre made famous by the artistry of Dai Vernon. Here is hocus-pocus to confound the quidnuncs! In 'Any Deck Read From the Card Backs,' Mr. Hull initiates you into one of the 'lost mysteries' - an artful method of 'reading' borrowed cards as easily as you would a prearranged deck. 'The Elusive Jack' is an impromptu 'two-card monte' effect that is even more of a 'delusion and a snare' than its three-card namesake of the fair- and circus-grounds. 'The Jumping Jacks' is another impromptu appeal to the lover of pure sleight-of-hand.
"Whoever it was might it have been Job who cried out 'O, that mine adversary had invented a four-ace trick!' would forswear his words after reading Mr. Hull's directions for 'The Simplicity Four-Ace Trick.' In 'Diamond Thieves and Blackmailers,' our author has concocted a mystery thriller in terms of card magic. 'The Never Miss Card Trick' should be a boon to the parlor entertainer called upon to work with a borrowed pack, an impromptu feat the amateur entertainer will not willingly let drop from his repertory! The same holds true with two other impromptu feats in this collection: 'Magical Touch versus Mental Thought' and 'The Will O' the Wisp Card.' But the gem of the collection, from my own point of view, is 'The New Torn and Restored Card.' Here is a problem that satisfies all our yearnings for the miracle. The impossible is made possible. Personally, I should bracket this effect among the masterpieces of card magic."
Three feats not mentioned by Mr. Hilliard are Hull's Magic Picture Book Deck, with patter (which Mr. Hull calls "one of my best card tricks"), Magic Number Revealment (Improved), and Which Card Left? (a trick with "Jumbo" cards). Also worthy of mention are three pages of Valuable Card Sleights. Altogether, here is an abundance of first-rate material for the lover of card tricks.
More Eye Openers is a 28-page booklet, size 7 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches, bound in soft boards. It has 22 illustrations, 14 of which are photographic halftones which do not reproduce well on the cheap paper that has been used. The text itself is set up in rather small type, and is not too well printed, though it is sufficiently clear to be readily readable.
