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The Complete Page Wright Manuscript
by T. Page Wright

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The Complete Page Wright Manuscript by T. Page Wright

In the late twenties Larsen & Wright (William Larsen, Sr. and T. Page Wright) were prominent names in magic. They produced a flood of contributions to magic magazines, over one hundred in The Sphinx alone in 1927-28 (so many in fact that The Sphinx felt compelled to publish much of it under a variety of pseudonyms). But in addition there were the Larsen & Wright publications, a large series of printed books and manuscripts offering a mass of original material not appearing in the periodicals.

When T. Page Wright died tragically in 1930, he left behind the finished manuscript for a mooted book. Incredibly, this massive manuscript of original material consisted entirely of previously unpublished material. None of Larsen & Wright's previous contributions to periodicals, books and manuscripts were recycled here; yet the manuscript runs to some 135,000 words.

The reader will find here material for close-up, parlor, club and Stage. But nothing here requires apparatus of any sort. This is purely hand magic. Nothing is required beyond the small objects the audience sees, thimbles, cigarettes, handkerchiefs and cards.

Virtually all of the content originated with Wright and his three magical intimates Bill Larsen, Judson Brown and Jack McMillen. Occasionally, material previously in print is introduced when Wright feels previous descriptions have been inadequate and he takes the opportunity to supply the missing details of handling that are so important. Much of the material is drawn from Wright's personal working repertoire.

Technically, it must be referred to as a book on "general magic," as it contains material on cards, thimbles, cigarettes and mentalism. But, cards dominate the content so completely that for all practical purposes this must inevitably be thought of as a book on card magic.

This would have been an influential book, an important book, had it been released in 1930 as planned and it remains a valuable text today. Many seminal ideas first appear (or would have) here. But it is perhaps even more exciting to unearth less well known but equally deserving items. They are certainly here and awaiting discovery.

After Wright's untimely death, Mr. Larsen mined the manuscript for additional contributions to The Sphinx and, starting in 1936, for his own publication, Genii. But, reading the manuscript in its original form, in toto, gives us a portrait of Wright the performer, and for the era itself, we could not get from reading the articles piecemeal.

This edition is based on a complete carbon copy of the original typewritten manuscript, 275 numbered typewritten pages. It was generously offered to us by Jack McMillen, who knew Mr. Wright intimately from 1925-1929. No material was added to the original manuscript. Some of the language has been tightened, but the changes have been merely grammatical. Absolutely no content has been altered or removed.

All entries bolded in the table of contents below are not included in the earlier printed edition of the Page Wright Manuscript published by Daniel's Den.

1st edition 2012, 362 pages.

Table of Contents

  1. Foreword

    CHAPTER I: Modern Card Sleights

  2. The Pass
  3. - INVISIBLE STANDARD PASS
  4. - THE INVISIBLE PALM PASS
  5. - THE KICK-OUT PASS
  6. - THE JUMPING JACKS
  7. - THE PAGE PASS
  8. - THE FAN AND PASS

  9. Card Control
  10. - THE VISIBLE CUT-PASS
  11. - THE ROLLER PASS
  12. - THE KNOCK-IN PASS
  13. - THE BOTTOM SLIP
  14. - THE FAN BREAK
  15. - A SIDE STEAL VARIATION
  16. - THE L. W. DIAGONAL SIDE STEAL

  17. False Shuffles and Cuts
  18. - THE L. W. FALSE SHUFFLE
  19. - THE RUN CUT AND SHUFFLE
  20. - THE STEP CUT
  21. - THE L. W. FALSE CUT

  22. The Force
  23. - THE CLASSIC SPREAD FORCE
  24. - THE ONE HAND RIFFLE FORCE
  25. - THE ONE HAND FAN FORCE
  26. - THE SPRING FORCE
  27. - A FAN FORCE VARIATION
  28. - A FAN FORCE FROM THE TOP
  29. - THE IMPROVED KNIFE FORCE
  30. - THE RIFFLE FORCE
  31. - THE CUT-AWAY FORCE
  32. - THE NERVE FORCE
  33. - THE CARD CASE FORCE
  34. - OTHER METHODS OF FORCING

  35. Changes
  36. - TOP CHANGE FOR A NUMBER OF CARDS
  37. - THE McMILLEN CHANGE
  38. - THE THROW OUT CHANGE
  39. - A ONE HAND TOP CHANGE

  40. Color Changes
  41. - A RISING CHANGE
  42. - THE NEW BOTTOM CHANGE
  43. - A SIMPLE BOTTOM CHANGE
  44. - THE TWIST COLOR CHANGE
  45. - THE PROJECTING CARD CHANGE
  46. - THE GOBLET COLOR CHANGE
  47. - THE PIVOT COLOR CHANGE
  48. - A CHANGE WITH FINGERS SPREAD
  49. - A SIMPLE DOUBLE COLOR CHANGE
  50. - THE L. W. DOUBLE COLOR CHANGE
  51. - A CLOSE UP COLOR CHANGE

  52. The Glimpse
  53. - TOP CARD GLIMPSE NUMBER 1
  54. - TOP CARD GLIMPSE NUMBER 2
  55. - A SIMPLE PICKPOCKET EXPERIMENT
  56. - TOP CARD GLIMPSE NUMBER 3
  57. - THE FAN GLIMPSE
  58. - BOTTOM CARD GLIMPSE
  59. - A DEALING GLIMPSE
  60. - GLIMPSE OF NOTED CARD NUMBER 1
  61. - GLIMPSE OF NOTED CARD NUMBER 2
  62. - GLIMPSE OF NOTED CARD NUMBER 3

  63. Additional Sleights
  64. - A FALSE COUNT
  65. - A WRITTEN REVELATION

    CHAPTER 2: Ornamental Sleights with Cards

  66. Shuffle And Cut
  67. - A FANCY SHUFFLE
  68. - FANCY CUTS
  69. - A THREE WAY CUT
  70. - A ONE HANDED THREE WAY CUT
  71. - A SIX WAY CUT
  72. - AN EIGHT WAY CUT

  73. Assorted Flourishes
  74. - THE CARDS ON THE ARM
  75. - THE CARD FROM THE KNEE
  76. - A REVERSE PALM SLEIGHT

  77. Production Of Cards At The Fingertips
  78. - FIRST METHOD
  79. - SECOND METHOD

  80. Card Fans
  81. - THE ONE HANDED FAN
  82. - THE SPRING FAN
  83. - PRODUCTION FANS

  84. Production Of Card Fans – A Routine
  85. - FAN OF CARDS FROM BODY
  86. - CARDS THROUGH KNEE WITHOUT PALMING
  87. - CARDS THROUGH KNEE BY BACKPALM
  88. - GIANT FAN FROM ELBOW
  89. - THE SLAP VANISH
  90. - FANS OF CARDS FROM AIR
  91. - A VANISH AND PRODUCTION

  92. The Diminishing and Enlarging Cards

    CHAPTER 3: The Riffle Count And Tricks Therewith

  93. - A CUT AT ANY NUMBER
  94. - AN INSTANT CUT AT ANY NUMBER
  95. - A CUT AT AN UNKNOWN NUMBER
  96. - A CUT WITH A COIN
  97. - A CUT AT ANY NUMBER THROUGHOUT THE DECK
  98. - A CARD TO ANY NUMBER
  99. - A CARD REVERSED AT ANY NUMBER

    CHAPTER 4: Non-Sleight Of Hand Card Mysteries

  100. - THE BACK-OF-THE-DECK DETECTION
  101. - ADDING THE PIPS
  102. - THE FORTY-NINER
  103. - THE NEW TRANSFERRED CARDS
  104. - COLOR SEEKS COLOR

    CHAPTER 5: Card Effects Requiring Pre-arrangement

  105. - ODD PROPHECIES
  106. - THE SHUFFLE-IN DETECTION
  107. - THE DIVINING CARD
  108. - A QUICK DETECTION
  109. - THE RED AND THE BLACK
  110. - THE RED AND THE BLACK Another Method
  111. - TRIPLE COINCIDENCE
  112. - THE L. W. WONDER DETECTION
  113. - THE L. W. SUPER-DETECTION
  114. - THE MASTER POKER DEAL
  115. - HOW MANY HANDS? A New Poker Deal

    Chapter 6: The Reversed Card

  116. - THE HALEY REVERSED CARD
  117. - A QUICK REVERSE
  118. - THE TURNOVER REVERSE
  119. - THE TURNING CARDS
  120. - TAKE YOUR TURN

  121. A Reverse Routine
  122. - THE DOUBLE REVERSE
  123. - THE LONGITUDINAL TURNOVER
  124. - THE WHOLE DECK REVERSE

    Chapter 7: The Spelling Card

  125. - A SIMPLE SPELLING PROBLEM
  126. - THE INSTANT SPELLER
  127. - A SURPRISE SPELLING TRICK
  128. - A NOVELTY SPELLING MYSTERY
  129. - THE TRIPLE SURPRISE SPELLER
  130. - THE MIRACLE SPELLING TRICK

    Chapter 8: Humorous Card Effects

  131. - A MIND READING INTERLUDE
  132. - A CARD CLIMAX
  133. - A CARD INTERLUDE
  134. - THE ERROR ACES
  135. - A LESSON IN CARD MAGIC
  136. - A MISTAKE, BUT.....
  137. - THE REPEATING CARD COMEDY

    Chapter 9: Novel Card Discoveries

  138. - A CARD TABLE DETECTION
  139. - A GIANT CARD REVERSE
  140. - THE L. W. CARD AND NUMBER MYSTERY
  141. - THE ULTRA-RAPID DETECTION
  142. - THE SURPRISE LOCATION
  143. - THE THIRD CHANCE
  144. - BEHIND THE BACK
  145. - A NEW PICKPOCKET PROBLEM
  146. - THE CARD IN POCKET TRANSPOSITION
  147. - A SIMPLE CARD STABBING
  148. - FROM DECK TO DECK
  149. - A NEW CARD CATCHING
  150. - THE J. M. RISING CARD
  151. - THE OBEDIENT RISING CARDS
  152. - THE MAGNETIC CARD RISE
  153. - THE L. W. CARD THROUGH SILK
  154. - THE DECK THROUGH THE SILK
  155. - A SINGLE CARD THROUGH SILK
  156. - THE CRIMINAL

    Chapter 10: Miscellaneous Impromptu Card Effects

  157. - THE REPEATING CARD TO TOP
  158. - REPEATING CARD TO TOP
  159. - A SIMPLE COINCIDENCE
  160. - AN IMPROVED TIP OVER TRANSFORMATION
  161. - THE MAGICIAN'S COMMAND
  162. - TWO PAIR
  163. - A THREE CARD MONTE VARIATION
  164. - A STUD POKER ROUTINE
  165. - FOUR OF A KIND
  166. - THE L.W. SIMPLICITY FOUR ACE

    CHAPTER 11: Mental Effects With Cards

  167. Psychological Card Problems
  168. - PSYCHOLOGICAL FORCES
  169. - EFFECTS PRODUCED BY FOLLOWING A SPECTATOR'S LINE OF THOUGHT

  170. Mental Card Effects Using Physical Methods
  171. - CUT CARD DETECTION
  172. - AN L.W. MIND READING ROUTINE
  173. - THE L. W. FIVE CARD PROBLEM
  174. - A SIMPLIFIED FIVE CARD PROBLEM
  175. - A THOUGHT CARD TEST
  176. - A FREE CHOICE LOCATION
  177. - THE L.W. STOP MYSTERY
  178. - A CARD AND SPIRIT MYSTERY

    Chapter 12: Card Effects For Stage

  179. - THE FIVE SENSES
  180. - ONE ARMED POKER
  181. - A COUPLE OF BRIDGE HANDS
  182. - A LOVE POEM
  183. - FELIX, THE FELICITOUS FELINE

    CHAPTER 13: The Problem Of Presentation

    CHAPTER 14: Cigarette Magic

  184. An Impromptu Routine with One Lighted Cigarette
  185. - MOVE NUMBER ONE
  186. - MOVE NUMBER TWO
  187. - MOVE NUMBER THREE
  188. - MOVE NUMBER FOUR
  189. - MOVE NUMBER FIVE
  190. - MOVE NUMBER SIX
  191. - MOVE NUMBER SEVEN
  192. - MOVE NUMBER EIGHT
  193. - MOVE NUMBER NINE
  194. - MOVE NUMBER TEN
  195. - MOVE NUMBER ELEVEN
  196. - A SURPRISING CIGARETTE IMPROMPTU
  197. - THE L.W. CARD IN CIGARETTE

    CHAPTER 15: THIMBLE MAGIC

  198. Aunt Martha's Thimble
  199. - MOVE NUMBER ONE
  200. - MOVE NUMBER TWO
  201. - MOVE NUMBER THREE
  202. - MOVE NUMBER FOUR
  203. - MOVE NUMBER FIVE
  204. - MOVE NUMBER SIX
  205. - MOVE NUMBER SEVEN
  206. - MOVE NUMBER EIGHT

  207. The Penetrative Thimble
  208. - MOVE NUMBER NINE
  209. - MOVE NUMBER TEN
  210. - MOVE NUMBER ELEVEN

  211. Thimble Thimblerig
  212. - MOVE NUMBER TWELVE
  213. - MOVE NUMBER THIRTEEN
  214. - MOVE NUMBER FOURTEEN
  215. - MOVE NUMBER FIFTEEN
  216. - MOVE NUMBER SIXTEEN
  217. - MOVE NUMBER SEVENTEEN
  218. - MOVE NUMBER EIGHTEEN

word count: 135416 which is equivalent to 541 standard pages of text


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