Here's an entertaining, 25- to 60-minute lecture that you, the magician or mentalist, can present on the topic of scams and cons. And it's a money-maker.
Become an Expert on Cons and Swindles...
Or just talk like one. This is a new field for most magicians and mentalists, allowing you to give your lecture to civic groups, security seminars, government agencies, corporations -- anywhere people gather. And these organizations have deep pockets, too, able to pay you well for your time.
Fabled Bunco Games of History...
Now become practical, effective tricks in the magician's hands, each one building up to a smash climax. Not to be confused with other types of bunco books, which merely explain various "skin games." The Gyp Artist goes far beyond this and uses each one as the theme of a complete trick.
Includes
The Golden Fleece — The Million Dollar Bond Swindle — The C.O.D. Office Hoax — Sold For Taxes — The Fifth Race Is Fixed — Dealing in Futures — Genuine Antiques at Auction — Count Your Change Before You Leave The Window — Letter of Credit Swindle — Eighteen Karats - and more.
Demonstrate Your Talk
Enthrall your audience with entertaining examples, based on simple, inexpensive items that you already have around the house, or modestly priced pieces of equipment easily obtained from any magic dealer, or even more cheaply made up by yourself with but little patience. Better still, each one is suited for parlor, platform, club or stage — and will be welcomed by audiences of all types.
Become a Bunco Buster
This lecture package allows you to discuss and illustrate the great confidence games and swindles of our day, mystifying one and all as you do. Patter suggestions are supplied where needed, plus a complete introductory lecture if you are to present all the items as a complete show.
1st edition 1949 (Thayer)
word count: 11209 which is equivalent to 44 standard pages of text
Reviewed by Gary Parkin (confirmed purchase)
★★★★★ Date Added: Saturday 03 June, 2023I pondered this purchase for some time. $12 felt like a lot (it still does) and despite the long blurb, I felt it didn't really tell me what I wanted to know. So I thought I'd leave the review I wish someone else had left in the hope that it helps other future purchasers.
The book does not contain the bunco games I wanted. The blurb lists some old cons/swindles and in fact this is exactly what you get. The lecture is good and is slightly updated with mentions of the internet and smartphones. But just because the cons are old, don't think they are not still being used. The lecture tries to present these swindles in an entertaining manner with some, but not all, demonstrated using standard magic props.
Obviously, I've not presented this lecture, so my opinion is based entirely on reading it. But it sounds OK. Presented for the right group, it could go down well.
But what you really get from this booklet, (over 45 pages) is a great example of how re-framing your usual repertoire can affect the presentation and performance. Mr. Larsen, for example, uses Out of This World to illustrate how a tax swindle might work. It's quite inspired.
So while I don't think I'd ever present the lecture as is, I will certainly be using Mr. Larsen's ideas for re-framing tricks. And I shall certainly be using parts of the lecture as filler material as well as looking up similar items in other books on cons, swindle and bunco.
