Book Without A Name - Theo Anneman PDF

THE BOOK WITHOUT
A NAME
ANNEM ANN
Biblioteca Fundación Juan March (Madrid)

Th.
ook Without a Name
'E y
THEO. ANNEMANN
W ith Introduction by
A l. B a k e r
P U B L IS H E D BY
MAX H O L DE N
N ew Y ork

Copyright 1931
by
M a x H o l d e n
Printed and Bound by

Printed in U.S.A. Wm< q popper & Co.
First Edition Rotogravure - Printing - Lithography
April, 1931 New York

I’m dedicating this, my first book, to
Raymond McEwan and A. B. Bartron.
Little could they have foreseen the
path I was to follow when they showed
me my first tricks.
T h e A u t h o r .

The printers of this "Book Without a
Name” are proud that this, the first
Magical Work ever to be done in the
Rotogravure Process was entrusted
to them.
They have done their best to have
its format in keeping with the best
traditions of the Graphic Arts and up
to the highest standards of book
making.
The best minds in the Magical World
have told us the effects are the master
piece of a superior artisté — we hope
the book is worthy of its contents.

I n t r o d u c t i o n ...
It is the usual thing for a writer to go to a friend for an
introduction to his work, knowing well enough that the friend
will say all the nice things that the author would like to say
himself.
I have been approached several times by budding authors
to write an introduction for a book of new and original
creations.
A fter reading the manuscripts and finding the effects not
so 'new’ and not so 'original’, I tactfully refrained from granting
requests because I feel that the market is already overcrowded
with magical plagiarism. Therefore, the fact that I have read
the manuscript of this book and am now writing the intro
duction speaks for itself.
Having seen Annemann do these effects and knowing of his
ability to get 'that something’ out of his presentation I can see
real value here for the performer who is looking for the greatest
effect from the simplest method. Annemann has a distinctly
different approach and way of presenting his effects and this
alone is the secret of why he is able to fool even magicians w ith
tricks they already know.
I think that if the reader will carefully study Annemann’s
presentation as much as his method, he w ill get more real value
than if he hastily reads the book just to see 'how’ the tricks
are done.
A l Ba ker.

F o r e wo r d ...
The author must have his say even though it be little.
My ideas and conceptions differ a great deal from those of
some with whom I am acquainted. It is m y theory that any
effect to be successful must first be founded upon a simple
method and then be performed with a direct to-the-point
presentation. It is m y contention that the moment one deviates
from this straight-line, he is not doing what a genuine magician
or mind reader would do.
To follow the above rules I have had to renounce all of
the so-called performing ethics, inasmuch as I consider the effect
upon m y audience above everything.
So, to some, m y methods may seem bold, daring, bare-faced,
and in a number of cases rather under handed, but before de
ploring these facts, admitting them, please consider what the
ultimate effect is on those who are watching.
I wish to thank Mr. A l Baker and Mr. Max Holden for
helping me w ith the photographs.
Lastly, my heartfelt thanks go to Mr. Julien J. Proskauer,
business manager of The Sphinx, and member of many magical
societies, whose knowledge of magic and attitude towards the
Art has helped make this book possible.
T heo. A n nem ann .

I n d e x ...
The 'Really N ew ’ Locator Card......................................... 10
A n Original Set Up Discovery.......................................... 11
One in Fourteen------------------------ ---------------------------- 13
A N ew Thought Card Spelling Effect............................ 14
Whichever You Pleasel....... .— .............. .................... ......... 16
Count Your Cardl ------------------------------------------------- 17
Telepathy in the Audience.................................... .........— 19
The Red and Blue Back Mixup......................................... 20
The Gambler in Person------------------------------------------- 22
The Gambler is Back Again...-.................................... — 25
Psychic Sympathy Method N o. 1--------------------------- 27
Psychic Sympathy Method N o. 2---------- ----------- ----- 29
The Four Pile Location........................................................ 30
The Genii C ut Deck Location............................................ 33
The Mystery Card Reading Method................................ 35
A N ew Apparatus for the Pellet Switch----------------- 38
Find the Lady.--------------- --------------------- ------------------ 41
The Improved Magic Square Presentation....................... 42
The One Man 'Genuine’ Magazine Test............................ 46
Mental Coloring— Telepathy w ith Silk.-------------------- 49
The Color-Tell Billiard Balls------- --------------------------- 51
Seeing in the Dark........................... ....-................................ 52
Seven Keys to Baldpate------------------------------------------- 54
A Prophecy of the Koran_____________ ____________ 58
Jimmy Valentine Opens a Safe____________________ 61

The “Really New”
locator (^ard. ..
I SINCERELY hope that this is my own originality because

it is of untold value to the subtle card man. However,
although I claim it as a 'find’ of my own, I can never be sure
that it hasn’t been thought of before by someone.
Just imagine picking up a strange pack of cards at any
time or place. Then imagine having a perfect locator card in
that pack in one second without it being out of sight for a
moment, without adding anything or taking anything away,
and without apparatus needed of any type. When I say 'locator
card’ I mean one as perfect for the purpose as a short or narrow
card and yet in this case it is neither of those two.
By now it must seem like a marvelous secret but it is so silly
and simple that even now my reader may just pass it over.
MERELY TAKE TH E UPPER R IG H T COR N ER OF
A N Y C A R D A N D BE N D BACK TH E TIP OF SAME
U N T IL IT BREAKS.
H ow many times have you accused a party (in your mind,
of course), of being a clumsy dolt because they used your new
pack and broke the corner of a card? I don’t mean break it off,
nor by bending half the card, but just at the corner and just
so that it has cracked. It must be done from the face back
wards and not from the back towards face. N ow do this at
the diagonally opposite corner when the deck is turned end
for end.
That’s all there is. You have the same thing as a short
card. Riffle the deck from face towards back at this corner
and when you reach this card it will snap and you w ill stop at
it like any self respecting 'short.’
D on’t ask me why. I found it two years ago while playing
with an old deck that had some broken corners. Since then I’ve
used it constantly and some magicians are wondering how I did
a certain trick with their own new pack.

cAtt Original Set - Up
‘D iscovery. ..
I T H IN K I have something here that will open the eyes of

the ones who have handled cards for any length of time and
who have had occasion to use a set up or stacked deck.
There are two stacks which have weathered the ages, one
being the well known Si Stebbins arrangement of rotating suits
and a three advancement in values, and the other is the arrange
ment using the rhyme 'Eight Kings threatened to save, ninety-
five Queens for one sick Knave.’
O f the two, the latter was much the best from many
standpoints, the most important being the apparent haphazard
ness and the fact that there was no semblance of mathematical
progression as in the former. It is very apparent in the Si
Stebbins arrangement that when 3-6-9 shows up and then
repeats itself a little further on something more than chance
is at work.
The one great objection to the 'Eight Kings’ method was
the labor involved in setting this up as the cards must be found
and stacked one at a time. The Stebbins method in contrast
was simply put together by making four piles of the separated
suits which had been placed in order from Ace to King. Each
pile was started three ahead of the other and the mere picking
up of the cards in rotation set them.
My discovery, and I claim it as a real and worthwhile find,
is an arrangement whereby the 'Eight Kings’ stack' can be put
together as quickly and simply as the Stebbin arrangement and
therefore the one great fault of this well thought of arrange
ment is eliminated.
W e shall suppose that your suit arrangement is Hearts,
Clubs, Diamonds and Spades. We separate the four suits into
four piles. N ew each pile is taken face up and arranged thusly
from back towards face of pile— 4 - 7 - K - A - 9 - 3 - 6 - 5 -
1 0 - J - Q - 2 - 8 . This is very simple to learn when gone over
a few times and is your entire key. Arrange each of the four
suit piles in this order and have them face up before you in the
correct suit order from left to right. The first pile starts with
-e f 1 1 j»

an Eight. Cut the second pile so a King is at the face. Cut the
third making a Three the face card. The fourth is cut to
bring the Ten up.
Starting from the left pick a card at a time from each pile
over and over placing them face up in left hand and do this
until all are picked up. Your deck is now completely arranged
in the correct order and from the time you start with a mixed
deck and separate the suits until you finish, this should not
take over three minutes.
I am not at liberty to mention his name, but one of the
best known men in magic has used this stack for years and
always had to set them one by one. I had the pleasure of setting
his deck several times when in a great rush, once on a subway
train, and thus I can be sure that in this case, at least, the 'find’
has been more than welcome.

One in Fourteen...
I H A V E found a rather good trick to end up any series of

effects in which a stacked deck is being used. It destroys
the order, hence the reason for it being last.
The deck is placed on the table and the performer walks
away. A spectator steps forward, cuts the deck several times
and then takes the top card from deck. He remembers it, places
it on table and deals 13 more cards from deck on top of it.
Picking up these fourteen cards, the spectator shuffles and mixes
them as he pleases, finally handing the cards to the performer.
The performer in turn, fans the packet once, draws a card and
throws it face down on table. The party names his card, turns
over the one on table and finds it to be correct.
Simple? Very much so because in the stacked deck every
thirteen cards complete a cycle of the thirteen values and then
start over.
A ll the performer must do is look for a pair of cards of
the same value and there will only be one such pair among the
fourteen cards. The noted card is the one whose suit precedes
the other and there you are! Thus if there are two Four spots,
one a Heart and one a Spade, the Spade is the card because of
your suit order in the stacked deck which is Hearts, Clubs,
Diamonds and Spades. If the pair were a Diamond and a Club,
the Club would be the one. It all happens simply because the
top card is looked at and the fourteenth card from any one in
deck is of the same value and the next suit in order.
<5f 1 3 )fr

cA I"New Thought Qard
Spelling Effect. . .
T
HIS rather gets away from having people pick a certain
card which is desirable. The performer deals four piles of
four cards each onto the table, places the deck face down and
walks away. H e asks that someone pick up any of the piles,
look at them and to merely think of one, to place the packet
on the deck, the other three packets on top of all and to cut
the deck once or twice. Taking the deck, the performer gives
it a cut or two and hands it back to the spectator with the
explanation that he must touch the deck once in order to bring
his power into play.
The spectator is asked to spell his thought of card to himself
and to deal the cards one at a time w ith each letter spelled
silently. When he stops, the performer asks him to name his
card and to turn over the next one face up. It is the one!
We must first arrange sixteen cards on top of the deck.
Make four sets of four cards each. Starting with the first of
each set, the cards in each set spell with 12, 13, 14 and 15
letters respectively. For instance, the first set from back to
face could be Four of Hearts, Seven of Spades, Four of Diamonds,
Queen of Diamonds. Thus the first spells with 12 letters, the
second with 13, then 14 and lastly IS.
W ith these sets arranged, pick them up backwards onto the
deck so that when you deal them off, it will be done naturally
into four piles. My own method for a quick set up is to run
through the face up deck and locate four 12 letter cards and
put them on top. Follow these with four 13 letter cards, then
four 14 letter cards and then four that spell out in 15 letters
on top of all. To deal, make a row of four, then four more on
top of these and repeat this twice more and you are set. It is
done perfectly natural as one would deal.
If using a borrowed deck I make a short card as described
in this book and have it on the bottom.
A ny pile is picked, a card merely thought of and the packet
placed on top of pack. Then this is followed with the other
three which has the effect of placing twelve cards on top of the
4 14

four among which is the thought of card. The deck is cut
and the performer takes it and cuts it a couple of times, cutting
at the short card and not forgetting to cut the short card back
to bottom so that the deck is left exactly as it was after the
packets were replaced. N O W TH E T H O U G H T OF CA RD
WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE AFTER TH E LAST LETTER
OF ITS NAM E IN TH E SPELLING. What more can one wish
for. The performer never knows what the thought of card is
until the spectator names it and turns that very card over.
Some may wish just to have the packets replaced and then
give the deck a false cut and hand it to the spectator. Or by
noting the bottom card, one could fan through the pack several
times and cut it back to bottom. I prefer however, any method
that does not necessitate the performer looking or seeing any of
the cards at all.

Whichever You ‘Please...
ERE is a very cute location of a card in a rather different
H manner and impromptu w ith any cards.
A card is chosen, replaced and the deck handed directly
to the spectator who is asked to cut it several times and then
to deal it into either two, three or four face up piles. Great
stress is laid upon the fact that he may do whichever he pleases
and during this the performer walks away. This having been
done, the performer asks the party to pick up the one pile con
taining their card and to discard the rest of the deck. This
packet is cut once or twice, the performer takes it face down
and deals a card at a time into a face up pile. Suddenly he
stops and declares that he is holding the chosen card. It is
nanied, he shows the card, and once more he is acclaimed as
successful.
This is practically automatic, but it is also practically
indetectable. A ny card is chosen and in fanning for the selec
tion, the performer counts cards from the top so that he has
the card replaced under the 11th or in other words, the chosen
card is replaced 12 th from the top. As he hands the deck to
the spectator for cutting and dealing he notes the bottom card
and this is the key.
The deck is cut as pleased and dealt into either two, three
or four piles faces up. In turning around at the finish the
performer sees at a glance how many, or he can tell at once
from the size of the packet given him.
The rule is simple. If the above has been followed out
correctly the chosen card follows the key card in the packet by
three, four or six cards. The performer merely divides the
number of piles dealt into twelve and he has the number. If
three piles were dealt, the chosen card would be fourth after
the key card. If four piles, the card would be third after the
key. The key and the chosen card will always fall into the
same pile. H ave the card 12th from the top, note the bottom,
and it works.
-§{16)fr

Count Tour Card! . . .
T
HIS is a far cry from originality but I consider it rather
a novel effect from the presentation standpoint. In short,
I have taken a very old principle, arranged it to repeat twice
instead of once, and it is made to look like something new.
A party is asked to take the inevitable card, note it and
then replace it among the others. A fter a possible shuffling or
cutting, the deck is handed directly to the spectator with the
request that he find his own card and save the performer a lot
of worry and trouble*
He is asked to start dealing the cards face down one at a
time and to turn a card face up whenever he pleases, but not
to go too far and make the effect boring.
The spectator deals and turns one face up. The performer
says, 'You have turned up any one card that you pleased. Is
it your selected card?’ The answer, of course, is in the negative.
The performer then asks the number on the card turned
up. We shall assume it to be a six. The spectator is asked to
deal another pile and to turn over the sixth card.
'Is that your card?’ asks the performer and the answer is
again 'N o.’ Again the performer asks the number of the card
turned up and the reply is 'Ten.’
The performer continues, 'Three times and out. You may
have one more chance and if you fail I guess I’ll have to find it
myself. Count another pile and turn over the tenth card this
time.’
The party deals nine and the performer stops him. H e is
asked to name the card he first selected and upon doing so, he
shows the next or tenth card, and it is the selected one.
There are possibilities here for a comedy presentation due
to the apparent mistakes and the continuance even in the face
of such contretemps.
The method however, is purely a simple arrangement and
automatic. From the top or back of deck is arranged eleven
cards as follows regardless of suits: The top card is a Ten
followed by a nine and so on in numerical order to the Ace
which is followed by another Ten. That’s all.

S mam
p
The card is selected from deck below these eleven arranged

cards and the performer breaks the pack so that the card is
replaced twenty-first from the top. I would suggest that in
first fanning the cards for the selection the performer count ten
or fifteen and then finish the count while apparently fanning
the cards a little more for the return. Some may prefer a
bridge or other means of getting twenty cards up so that the
chosen one may be replaced twenty-first. The rest works itself.
The first number must not be over ten and I usually ask
the party to silently think of any single figure and to count
down and turn that card over. Regardless of what the number
on the first card is, the second will always be the Ten and the
chosen card is tenth beyond that so they can’t miss.
-«C18

Telepathy in the cAudience...
I D O N ’T guarantee this as a 100% foolproof effect but I

will say that if the performer is careful in his working and
selection of assistant, it should not fail once in tw enty times if
that. It is adaptable to giant cards.
Announcing that he shall try a test of telepathy between
two members of his audience, the performer asks one to choose
one card from a deck to remember it and then to replace it.
The party is told to think of the card as a picture rather
than as only a name. The second man is handed the deck and
told to step to a far side of the room and turn his back. He
is asked to look through the deck, fanning them slowly past
and when he comes to some one card which stands out as being
different than the others, or one which impresses him as being an
unusual card, he is to pick out that card, turn around and hold
it with its back towards the audience. H e does so and the
performer asks the first man to name the card he has been
thinking of. The second man shows the card he picked by
himself and IT IS TH E CORRECT CARD!
This is purely impromptu but everything depends upon the
performer. Some will not like this but some w ill make a big
thing of it.
The secret merely is that after the first party replaces the
chosen card, the performer in his own way, reverses it in the
deck so that it lies near the center and face up.
Read the lines above where the performer tells the second
party what to do. It must all be done good naturedly and
positively not seriously. That is, until after the selection and
you are ready for the climax.
I leave it up to the performer to judge his man for this
job. A good natured person is essential and I always pick
portly ones too. The lines above to this party very subtly
convey the fact that he is to take the unusual Card and the
stunt, worked properly, will not fail once in tw enty or more
times.
■ *1 9>

-
The Red - and - Blue

(.'Back cMixup . . .
T
HIS w ill no doubt go into the routines of many club and
social artistes who are looking for something different in
general effect.
It is announced that a very peculiar affinity exists between
cards of the same value and suit. In order to illustrate this,
tw o decks are brought out, one having a blue back and the
other being red.
Each deck is shuffled by the audience and acknowledged as
being thoroughly mixed. The performer takes the tw o decks
and very openly shuffles them together mixing the big double
pack well. This double pack is dropped into a hat borrowed at
the beginning and holding it over his head the performer asks
each of three people to name any number up to ten. Reaching
into the hat with his free hand, he brings out cards one by one,
dropping them aside, until coming to the number given by the
first party, this card is seen to be a R ED back and is placed
back out against a glass or stand. Continuing, this is repeated
w ith the second person whose card turns out to be BLUE and
lastly w ith the third party’s number the card at which is
another RED.
N ow the three parties are asked to name a number again
and starting with the first the card at his number proves to be
BLUE and it is placed alongside his first card. This is done
w ith the others and they get RED and BLUE respectively.
It is surprising at the attention the audience gives these
cards as they are reached and placed on the stand and at the
interest in the coincidence of the colors appearing as they do.
Imagine the surprise then, when the performer turns the
three sets of cards face out and each set consists of a matched
pair!
I don’t think that such an effect can be surpassed for the
simplicity with which it is accomplished. Method means nothing
and the feat has the appearance of something real deep and to
the magician probably very complicated.
The whole thing depends upon a mere setup of six cards
only taken from the decks (three each to m atch) before starting.
■*5f 2 0 fa

They are arranged from back to face 1, 2, J, 1, 2, 3. The dupli
cate numbers represent a pair of like cards. However the back
arrangement is important too. The first 1 is RED, the following
2 is BLUE and the 3 is RED. The second 1 is BLUE and is
followed by 2 and 3 which are RED and BLUE in order.
It is only necessary that these six cards thus arranged be
loaded into the hat and every performer will suit himself about
this part. I personally hate sleights because I can seldom get
away with them, but in this case it is less than simple to palm
the cards in from your pocket as you borrow a hat while the
double deck is being mixed. However, they can easily be
dropped in from the bottom of the card cases you are holding
when you borrow a hat at the start.
Thus the shuffled double deck is dropped into the hat and
the six cards become top or bottom. The rest is mere routine.
The numbers called, they are each counted to, these cards coming
from one side of deck and at the proper number the card taken
from the other side.
It is really quite a thing to watch this effect from the front
and see the different colored backs come out mixed and at the
proper number having a certain color appear right there. It
warrants a fair trial though to really prove what I have said
about its effect on your audience.
4 2 1 13-

The Qambler in ^Person...
I T is the desire of many magicians to really be as good as an
audience considers them. H ow often, after a card effect or
two, the remark is heard, 'H ow would you like to play a game
with him?’ Due to this thought there often comes a request for
the performer to show them how a few good hands should be
dealt and it is at this point that the average card man is in deep
water.
These tw o methods for card table demonstrations w ill no
doubt fill the bill for many a person who needs something like
it but can’t bother to learn a lot of different sleights and shuffles.
In the first routine, the performer has a spectator thoroughly
m ix any deck and taking same, the performer deals five hands
of poker face up. H e explains that this is what would happen
should the spectator be dealing and he asks that they note which
of the five hands would be the winner.
Picking the five hands up, the performer now states that
he shall try to deal a few fair hands and he asks which of the
five shall get the highest. One is designated and the performer
slowly and fairly deals the hands, the selected hand always being
the top or highest of the lot.
This is so extremely simple that it must be worked to
realize the good effect. The first dealing of the hands is to
build the hand for the next deal. When the hands are on table
faces up, the performer must locate a fair hand, and it is
important that he only take one card from each of the five dealt
out hands. I have yet to see a combination of cards which would
not contain a possible hand of likely value. Starting, with a full
house (three of a kind and tw o of a kind) you w ill be able to
build four of a kind with an extra high card, a straight, which
is quite common and easy to get, or an ordinary flush which is
probably the easiest of all. As you do this time after time,
it gets to be second nature to spot the various cards to make a
combination even as you deal them out. You do this dealing in
a slow unhurried manner so that they may watch the various
hands and see which is the highest the first time.
The picking up is the real secret. The hands are scooped
up one at a time and dropped face down on top of deck and it
is only necessary that the desired card from each hand be on top
<ef 2 2 }>

or at the back of this heap. Thus in picking up each hand you
pick one, two, three or four cards as the case may be and scoop
up the remaining cards with these in hand and drop on deck and
so your wanted card is on top.
When all hands have been picked up in this manner, if they
were dealt out again, the first hand would contain the cards
and be highest but the idea of letting them choose which of
the five is to get the good hand this deal makes it appear as if
the performer can just deal the cards wherever he pleases. A ll
that is necessary, however, is to add one, tw o or three cards to
the top of deck from bottom which w ill automatically do the
work. If the third man is to get the hand, add two cards, etc.
This is easily done quite openly while you false shuffle or false
cut the deck, as you must remember that you are doing this
as an exhibition of skill and deft mixing. The psychology here
is that if you didn’t shuffle or monkey with the deck at all, the
idea of a stack is uppermost in their minds. However, if you
shuffle and apparently mix the cards, they assume you are stack
ing them in some uncanny fashion and will laud .your skill to
the heavens.

The Qambler is (Rack cAgain...
T
HIS can logically follow the first hand described as you
stipulate that this will be done under more strict conditions.
You explain that many people presume that the card dealer must
stack his cards beforehand or know just how they are placed
so that when he deals them they w ill appear in the right places.
However, in this instance, the performer declares that he shall
allow the spectators themselves to arrange the cards in any order
and that he can thus prove the results due to his method of
skillful shuffling.
W hile talking the performer has taken 20 cards from the
deck, or just enough for four hands of poker. The cards are
the Tens, Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces. He arranges them
with values together and holds them in a fan in his hand.
Three spectators are designated as players. In turn they
are asked to name some combination of five cards that they
might receive from the cards performer is holding. For example,
they may say, 'Three Jacks and two Aces,’ or 'A King, Queen,
Ten, and Two Jacks.’ They are asked not to call high hands,
like Straights, Flushes, etc., as the purpose of this first part is to
insure the cards being well mixed around. As the various hands
are called, the performer places them face up on table until he
is left w ith but five which he places before himself.
It is now explained that by knowing where various valuable
cards are laying in the deck, the performs: can expertly shuffle
them to another spot where they are ready for dealing. The
four hands are assembled and holding them faces down the
performer shuffles them and cuts them a few times.
Then after cutting, he deals the four hands and ends up
with a Royal Flush for himself while the others have but
ordinary or poor hands.
The tricky part comes in when the cards are first being
placed on table. The performer knows that he is going to
build himself the Hearts suit or any other suit. The others go
by values only.
Thus, in laying out the hands with the values called for,
he merely places the Heart suit to come out right. W e shall
assume the four face up hands spread before you. Follow
■ % 2 5 fr

illustrations. One heart must be second in one hand. One heart
must be third in one hand. One heart must be fourth in one
hand. Tw o hearts must be in one hand, one at each end.
N ow this may all seem very hard to do but after doing this
steadily for nearly four years I can safely say there is no combi
nation possible of being called that you cannot arrange. You
do not have to have the hands in order on the table or put
them down in that order. Just so that when the four hands
are finished they will come under the above rules for placing
the Heart suit. Another point is that you need not lay the
cards down in the exact order as they are called as long as the
hand contains the various values asked for. And again, always
have the entire hand of five cards told you before you start
picking them out and laying them down.
The next part is the picking up of the four hands. They
are all face up on table. Pick up the hand containing the two
Hearts and drop it on the pile which has the Heart in second
place. This double pile goes on the hand which has the Heart
in third place and they are all dropped on the remaining heap,
the packet squared up and turned face down.
A ny simple false mixing here w ill suffice and the packet
may be genuinely cut as desired. I like to ask a spectator cut
and in completing the cut note whether the bottom card is a
Heart or not. If so, I can then start dealing and stress the
point that I deal from the cut. If it isn’t a Heart the first
time, have another cut by someone else, and it is very seldom
that tw o cuts w ill not bring a Heart to the face which is all
that is needed to start the deal.
The deal is fair enough and the five Heart cards will never
fail to drop in front of yourself if you placed them correctly.
This may seem complicated and I w ill grant that it is
rather difficult to explain any too clearly, but with the illus
trations I think that one w ill quickly grasp the simple principle
of a truly worth while table effect.
In the illustrated example, the first set of four hands are as
they have been asked for by the players. The second set is
the same cards after they have been dealt. The performer has
just dealt himself the fourth hand, and a study of the first
layout w ill show how he set it up for himself by placing the
Heart cards in the various positions.
<5f 2 6 Jj).

Psychic Sympathy...
A Tbutfirstafter
reading, this effect may sound rather daring to some,
you think it over and then finally try it out, it
will be found that it really works and what’s more is really
effective.
Tw o decks are shown. The performer selects a spectator
to assist and explains what he is to do. H e is to take one deck
and stand at a distance with same on his left hand. He is to
cut the deck at any spot, note the card, replace the cut and
square the deck up. That’s all.
When the spectator does this, the performer runs through
his deck and picks out one card. The party is asked to name
the card he is thinking of and the performer turns his card
around. It is the same! A t once the performer picks another
party and duplicates the feat once more.
I have several methods for this effect and any one of them
may be used at will and according to the likes of the performer.
The first method is making use of an old friend. Two
single kind force decks are obtained, all cards of each being
alike. I would suggest one a black picture card and the other
a red spot card. Each deck has a contrasting face card and
the top card of each deck has been taken from the opposite
deck. N ow read the presentation carefully.
The performer picks up one deck and as he talks shuffles
it. It is very easy to overhand shuffle the deck twice. The
top card is shuffled to bottom and the bottom to the top. Once
more and they are back in the same original positions. Or, it
is very easy to dovetail shuffle and leave top and bottom cards
in position.
The performer explains that the spectator is to hold deck
on hand and to cut somewhere and note a card. In explaining
this, the performer suits his words with actions and cuts the
deck several times towards himself as he talks. The 'patter’
may go something like this: 'Don’t look at three or four cards
and clutter up your mind w ith many, but make a clean cut
somewhere and remember the card you look at. Say, for
instance, the Seven of Hearts, or again, the Tw o of Clubs.
Just keep a picture of it in your mind rather than the words
of its name.’
•>§{ 2 7 p .

-8{28¡5>

As the performer mentioned the cards he has cut and is
glancing at the face up cut (which no one else can see) and
this bit of misdirection is worth plenty to the effect in general.
The deck is given spectator and performer walks away,
picking up the second deck which he also shuffles as he did the
first one. Standing at a little distance and facing the spectator,
he is asked to now look at a card which is done.
The performer runs through his cards as if he were looking
for something, back and forth a few times and then draws a
card out. It is the one card from the other deck which has
been on top of this one. The spectator names card and per
former shows his with a grand flourish.
Immediately the performer takes spectator’s deck in left
hand and picking another spectator hands him the deck from
right hand. This is the deck containing duplicates of a different
card. And the deck performer has just taken from spectator
number One has a duplicate of force card number two on top
of it ready to be picked by the performer who, it seems, is
always right. M ETHOD NUM BER TW O
W ith this idea it is possible to use only one deck and to
have the same deck used for the two cuts and a different card
is forced each time.
This deck is made up of twenty-six cards alike and twenty-
six more alike of a contrasting card to the first. The 13 th card
o f each group of 26 is a short card. Place the two halves to
gether, riffle until you hit a short card and cut deck. N ow
examine it. The top 13 cards and the bottom 13 cards are of
one kind, while the center 26 cards are alike. N ow riffle near
center and when you hit the short card there cut again. The
same thing holds good except that the top and bottom 13 now
are the original middle 26, and vice versa.
Thus when the 26 cards are split into top and bottom
packets they present very little selecting possibilities while the
middle 26 give a pretty wide expanse. There’s the secret.
The deck is handed a party to cut and note a card as in
the first version. It is inevitable that they cut among the center
26. Try it for yourself. Taking the deck from them, the per
former merely has to cut it at the short card and the deck is
ready for another selection resulting in a totally different card.
In this version a second deck may be used if wished or the
performer may reveal the card in another manner to suit
himself.
This deck can be used in any effect in which the forcing
o f tw o cards is desired.

The Four-Pile lo ca tio n ...
T
HIS is an excellent location of a noted card and under
real good conditions. Using a deck of cards with a reverse
back pattern arranged all one way, the performer asks the
spectator to first shuffle the deck.
That being done, he is intrusted to deal the deck into four
face down heaps to thoroughly separate them. In the meantime
the performer walks away and turns his back. A fter this the
spectator is requested to select any of the piles, to take any
card from somewhere w ithin it, to remember the card, place it
on any of the heaps and then to reassemble the piles in any order
he chooses. Thus it becomes very evident that no possible way
could influence the selection of the card and certainly one could
find no fault with the returning to the deck and the resulting
pick up of the piles, all of which is left entirely to the whims
o f the spectator. And yet, the performer merely has to take
the deck, deal a card onto the table one at a time and face up,
and ACTUALLY STOP W H E N TH E N O T E D C A R D IS
A RRIV ED AT!
As said at the beginning the reverse back principle is brought
into play. The shuffle does not disturb this arrangement. Then
the performer takes the deck for a second and explains what the
spectator is to do in dealing four piles a card at a time. In
describing this, the performer actually deals a row of four from
the top of the shuffled deck and then the second four on top of
those. As he asks the spectator if he understands, the performer
changes the deck from left to right hand and incidentally it is
simply turned end for end. The left hand scoops up two of
the piles, the right hand drops the deck on top of them in left
hand and then scoops up the remaining tw o piles and drops
them on top of deck. In an innocent and open manner, four
cards have been reversed both on top and bottom of the deck.
It is handed to the spectator for dealing.
Because of this arrangement the top and bottom cards of
each pile are reversed from the others.
The selected card is taken from in and among the cards
of any pile. N o matter upon which pile it is placed and no matter
how the piles are picked up, the selected card thus comes
between two of the reversed cards while the other three pairs
3 0 )§►

of reversed cards are together in the deck w ith nothing between
them.
W ith the deck face down in left hand, the cards are dealt
into a face up pile and the performer watches for the reversed
pairs. He goes right along until one reversed card appears
followed by an oppositely turned card. As he deals this one
face up he sees that the next on deck is the second one of the
pair and his quest is at an end.
It is a strong point that he actually never sees the face
o f a single card from the time the deck is thoroughly shuffled
until he takes it to find the card.

The Qenii Qut-<T>eck
lo ca tio n . . .
U R IN G various effects, the performer has the deck shuffled
D well and then placed face down on his left hand. He
announces that he shall use only the one hand that in this case
the noted card will not even be removed from the deck.
Turning his head away he asks a party to merely cut the
deck anywhere on his flatly outstretched hand, to note the card
cut at, to replace the cut, take the deck in their own hands
and give it several more cuts.
Yet, although the position of a single card in the deck
hasn’t been changed except for the cutting of deck, and even
though performer did not see the cutting done and never looked
towards the card, he easily and correctly finds the noted card
w ith no trouble. Again I call your attention to the fact that
at no times are the fingers closed around the deck and no
crimpings or marking of the cards is necessary.
Our old friend, the reverse back, is here again. The first
shuffling of the deck does not hurt the one-way set up. As it is
placed on left palm of performer he gets a glimpse of the bottom
card and remembers this. This remembered card is never used as
a key-but is to later act as a guard and tell the performer where
the noted card IS N O T . It can only be one other place as w ill
be seen.
N ote the illustration for the holding of the deck when it
is first cut. On the left hand which is held outwards to the
left a little and the performer’s head is turned to the right.
The moment that the cut is made, the performer says,
"Look at the card cut at and be sure I don’t see it at all.” As
this is said, the performer turns even farther to the right and
the left hand swings around so he is holding deck behind his
back. The cut is then replaced, the deck picked up, cut several
times more and then given to performer.
The turn did it because the action of putting the hand
behind his back reversed the pack on hand. The other half
was replaced.

As the condition now exists, two halves of the pack are
turned in opposite ways. The selected or noted card is thus the
last card of one of the halves or the one before the next that
is turned the opposite way.
Remembering the previously noted card, the performer deals
the cards into a face up pile and watches the back of deck in
left hand. When he deals a card and the next is reversed, the
one dealt will either be the one noted by performer or the one
noted by spectator. If the former, the dealing is continued until
the reverse happens again when the card just dealt w ill be the
noted one.
I earnestly hope that the reader will try this out as it is as
clean a method of getting a card as can be wanted under the
conditions which are about as strict as a card location can over
come.

The ¿Mystery Qard Reading
¿Method. . .
ATperformer
any time or place, and with
is able to apparently
any deck of cards, the
look through them and
read them one by one as often as desired. During the reading
they are laying face down on his left hand and as they are
named, they are dealt off into a face up pile. There is no apparatus
or fake used and the secret is so simple and correctly placed
as well as timed that people standing on three sides of the per
former cannot catch a thing. It is of worthy note that even
a person knowing the exact method cannot see it being applied.
It is essential that this be presented slowly and easily as
there is positively no need or use of any fast moves.
Method: When you first place the shuffled deck behind
your back, it is necessary to know the top card. Either use your
own method for ascertaining this or follow my own. As you
first place the deck behind back, note the bottom or face card.
N ow merely crimp or bend one corner of the bottom card, cut
deck and hand it back to the owner for an additional shuffle
with the remark that someone might accuse you of seeing the
bottom card. Take it back again face down on left hand, openly
cut it once or twice and cut the crimped card to top. Place
deck behind back and you know the top card!
W ith deck behind back, slowly named the color, suit and
value of the top card. This enables you to— shove two top cards
into right hand without changing the orc^r, turn the next four
or five cards face up on deck and then replace the top two
cards faces down. The index corners of the face up cards are
now at the upper left corner of deck.
A fter naming the top card, the deck is brought to front
around right side by right hand, holding it flatwise with fingers
at front end and thumb at the rear. The deck is brought across
in front of you and placed face down on left hand. The top
card is dealt off face up to show it correctly named and the
left hand without a further move curries the deck back of
you once more when the next card is named and the procedure
repeated.
<•{ 35 }>

The deck was held in right hand, fingers at front and
thumb at rear in bringing it forward, but what the audience
couldn’t see was T H A T TH E R IG H T FOREFINGER A T
TH E UPPER LEFT C O RNER WAS H O L D IN G TH E TW O
TOP CARDS UP ABO U T A Q U A R TER IN C H , W H IC H
BR O U G H T TH E TOP CA RD OF TH E FACE UP FEW IN
SUCH A POSITION T H A T ITS IN D E X WAS PLAINLY
SEEN AS TH E PACK WAS CARRIED ACROSS A N D DR O P
PED IN T O LEFT H A N D . In other words, the first finger
holds a small break which shows you the index of the next
card. When right hand drops deck in left, the break is, of
course, lost and the top card dealt on table or shown. The
left hand carries deck behind back and this is the time when
tricky work is being watched for.
Behind the back this time, the right hand merely takes
second card from top and places it on top turning it over at
the same time. Then holding it as before with the tw o card
break at corner, the top card is named and the deck brought
around for dealing and the next face up card spotted. Continue
this the several times until the face up few have been used,
when, after the last card is dealt, the deck can be shuffled
or examined.
The beauty of this method is that at all times the deck
is kept squared up, the bottom card always remain the same,
and the deck can always be seen top and bottom. It is also
important that at no time can anyone see the performer make
a move or make any semblance of a peek.
< § (3 T

A ¿New (Apparatus for the
(Pellet Switch . . .
T
H ERE are many magicians who have wanted to do some
thing in the way of a pellet reading effect to introduce
into a performance as an exhibition of how a medium would
give a single sitting seance.
Lately there has been put on the market a piece of apparatus
which was designed. for an entirely different purpose. The
Petrie-Lewis Match Box for changing cigarettes is it. Read on
and see how this ingenious little thing can make a pellet switch
possible.
In effect, the performer hands a person a piece of paper
on which they write a question or notation, fold it and lay it
on the outstretched left hand of performer. H e steps to table,
takes a match from the box, and openly burns the paper to
ashes. Taking a small 4 by 6 inch pad from pocket, the per
former announces that he shall attempt to get an automatic
writing. H e scribbles a little on the pad and reads it aloud but
the spectator says that it is in no way connected with what
he wrote. The performer tries again and this time gets a perfect
answer and the pad is handed directly to the spectator to verify
the reading.
Nearly three years ago, I produced a pellet steal which was
read by the use of the pad, and as far I know the handling of the
pad should be credited to Dr. Ervin of Kansas City.
The box is in the right coat pocket to start and the fake
top has been filled w ith matches. On the under side of the
box and impaled onto the tw o sharp prongs is a duplicate pellet.
In the same coat pocket is the pad w ith writing side outward.
Have the slip written on and folded. Accept it on left
fingers near end. Step back and turn a little to left. Box is
brought out with right hand which places it for a second on
left fingers while right gets a match and scratches it. In placing
the box on fingers, the pellet there simply went directly into
the side of the box aided by the left thumb and the fingers which
are just under the box are in contact with the dummy pellet
there. The match lights and the box is grasped in right hand
between third and little fingers and heel of hand while match
» h8{88).>

New Pellet
Switch
The spectator’s pellet
is slid into the box
as it is placed on
hand for removal of
match. When bo* is
laid aside the dummy
pellet is left on
fingers from bottom
of bo*. Note the
method for reading
the writing in back
of the pad.
■<{89]».

at tips of forefinger and thumb lights the pellet in left hand.
The moment it lights, match is blown out and dropped and
right hand goes to pocket with box and stays there easily while
performer watches the pellet burn.
Performer turns more to right now and drops the burning
pellet on an ash tray or saucer there and right hand has of
course ample time to take pellet from side of box and open it
against face of the pad.
The pad is brought forth and after an explanation the per
former scribbles anything irrelevant that he pleases as he really
reads the slip. H e reads what he has written, it is said to be
wrong, and he at once crumples up the top sheet w ith pellet,
tears it off and drops in pocket or throws aside where he can
get it later. The ash tray is a good place.
N ow he starts over and this time gets the good answer.
The pad is then handed directly to spectator which in an open
manner prevents any further thought about it in any way.
O f course, the matchbox may be used for a switch with
any other method of finish, but I wanted to complete out the
effect of such a handy article.

Find the J^ady. . .
A NSideffect quite like this was invented a few years ago by
Lorraine. In this case however, the method is totally
different and knowing one will give no clue to the other.
Everything used may be borrowed and nothing else is
used other than the unprepared cards and the unprepared en
velopes. I suggest using five. The deck is handed a spectator
who is asked to remove any one of the Queens and all four of
the Kings or Aces.
Holding the envelope open and singly, the performer asks
the spectator to drop the odd cards in and as each card is placed
into an envelope it is sealed. We now have five sealed envelopes
one of which contains the lady. The spectators mix them well
and they are handed the performer behind his back, either one
at a time or all together. Regardless of the procedure, the
performer draws one envelope away from the others and declares
that it contains the Queen. It is opened and the Queen drawn
forth. Everything may be examined as there is nothing to find.
This secret is based on the fact that all standard envelopes
are just a trifle higher than a playing card. Playing cards are
31/2 by 2 Z2 while the Bridge decks are % of an inch less in
width.
So behind his back, the performer merely gives each envelope
a sort of 'bending feel’ and the Queen envelope cannot be missed.
By a little experimenting the performer will find that when
the cards are placed in the envelopes long side down, and he is
holding the envelope open, he can by a very simple motion,
jump the card to a standing position and this little detail, while
not necessary, is worth acquiring.
4>1 ) 5*

The Improved ¿Magic Square
^Presentation. . .
I do not wish to claim anything new for this centuries old
feat but I do think that I have made a better effect out of it
and m y work has been to make it a shorter, snappier and more
interesting item for your program. There may be several other
small details of my own inserted but they are of no great con
sequence.
My idea of the good presentation is thusly; the performer
announces the making of a magic square under extraordinary
conditions, but before starting wishes to make clear just what
a magic square is.
Drawing a square of sixteen smaller squares, the performer
fills them in quickly from one to sixteen and explains that he
has made a magic square of 34. In short, by adding the columns
horizontally, vertically, diagonally, any square group of four
numbers, or the four corner numbers, one will reach the same
total of 34. Truly, a remarkable combination and arrangement.
N ow , the performer continues, he will show the amount
of concentration and memory he has applied to this problem
inasmuch as he can instantly make a magic square of sixteen
different numbers that w ill result in any total desired by the
audience. T o do this, it is obvious that he must carry any
number of totally different combinations in his mind.
Lastly to do away with any thought of mathematical
methods, he will fill in the various squares in any order in which
they are pointed to by a spectator! This is the strongest point.
A number is named, the square drawn and following the
pointing finger of a spectator, the performer quickly fills in
the squares and the effect is over. In my mind, the presenta
tion is clear, clean-cut and not in the least bit cloudy or draggy.
My method requires absolutely no memory at all except
for the simple bit of calculating.
The illustration shows the original magic square of 34
which is the smallest that can be made. If one cares to learn
this, all well and good, but I simply suggest your writing down
the figures beforehand on the slate or blackboard in ordinary

pencil writing which you alone can see. In chalking down your
numbers, cover the pencil writing and nothing can be seen by
the spectator who comes forward.
One very subtle point is that you use this first square
to aid you in making the next one although you are apparently
all through with it.
To keep everything clear please follow the rest of this with
pencil and paper on which you have written the first square.
You ask a spectator to name a number, say higher than
34 and up to 100. You put same down and T H E N make the
outline of the square. Make this deliberately AS THIS GIVES
Y O U AMPLE TIME T O MAKE Y O U R SLIGHT CALCULA
T IO N .
First, subtract 30 from the number given. Divide the
remainder by 4 and you get either a result, or a result and a
remainder. If you get an even result with no remainder you
merely subtract one from it and remember the result as your
key number.
If you get a result and a remainder, you think of them as
for instance 3-2; the first being the result and the latter the
remainder. In your mind you make a equation by subtracting
one from the result which gives you 2-2, and then a final
move o f adding both result and remainder to make a new
remainder which gives you as a key number 2-4. The above
tw o paragraphs are your complete rules.
When there is a remainder in the final key number, this
figure of the two applies only to the squares numbered 13, 14,
15 and 16 in the original diagram first made. The other 12
squares use the first of the two key numbers. When there is no
remainder, the single figure applies alike to every square.
When the spectator points to the various spaces on the
blank square you are keeping an eye on the filled in one near
it and can note instantly the corresponding square on the first
one. By adding the key number to the number in the first
square you arrive at the correct number to put down the square
you are working on.
We shall make an entire example from the illustration.
A fter the first part, the number given was 43. This was
written down and as the square was being drawn, the following
calculations were quickly made:
• if 4 4 )* •

Subtract 30 leaving 13. Divide 13 by 4 which gives 3-1.
N ow the performer says to himself "3-1, 2-1, 2-3”. Thus 2-3
is the key. I have detailed the process of this before.
When a square is pointed to, you note the number in the
same square o f the original, add the correct key number and
mark down the total. In this case, the first key figure "tw o”
is being added to all squares from 1 to 12 inclusive while the
second key figure "three” is being added to squares 13, 14, 15
and 16. The square which Mr. Baker is just pointing to would
be filled in with an “eight”.
When there is no remainder after the division and you
have only a single key figure after the subtraction of "one”
from it, you just forget about squares 13, 14, 15 and 16 and
add this key figure to them all in the same manner.
Once tried out, this effect will be liked by many who
heretofore have thought it too complicated or hard to learn.
I detailed this some time ago to a party who wanted it more
as a pocket effect for impromptu use. He had the original
square printed on the back of a name card at one end, and after
showing what a magic square was like would make one at the
other end using any number named. The card was then left
with the party and served as a rather cute ad.

The One-Man ‘Qenuine *
¿Magazine Test...
H E performer has several copies of a popular magazine
T such as Collier’s at hand, they being different issues. He
wants to attempt a word test and he asks a spectator to pick
any of the magazines he cares to use for it. Tw o other spectators
widely separated are asked to stand also, the first being requested
to name some number of his own free choice that is not over
the limit o f the pages which the selected magazine contains.
Upon this being done, the second party is asked to name some
figure up to ten that may come to mind.
The performer now instructs the man w ith the magazine
to open it at the page first named and then to count to the
word at the number named by the second person. H e is to keep
his finger upon that word and think of it. Picking up a slate
and chalk, the performer writes little by little and finally asks
the man to name the word aloud.
Upon that being done, the performer turns the slate and
HE HAS W R IT T E N TH E VERY SAME W ORD!
There are no lists, memory of any nature, assistants or
confederates and nothing used but the magazines alone. It is
extremely subtle.
First you get three copies of one week’s issue. Then you
get a copy each of two different issues. This type of magazine
is put together by staples at the center. Remove the staples
and exchange covers so that Y O U H A V E TH REE COPIES
W IT H TO TALLY DIFFER EN T COVERS OF VARIOUS
WEEKS, BU T ALL TH REE COPIES ARE ALIKE IN C O N
TENTS.
D on’t mention that you have three different magazines.
They w ill see that much and you merely ask them which one
of the issues would they like to pick. You return to the front
with the remaining tw o and lay them right beside you. The
numbers are named before you tell the spectator just what you
want him to do.
You carefully and clearly explain that you Want him to
Open the magazine at the number first named and to hold it
up so that no one can see the page but himself. As you start
• $ 4 .6 fa

talking you pick up the top copy by you and carelessly illustrate
but it must be carelessly done or not at all. Knowing the page
you can open quite near it but if you don’t hit it, don’t try to
get to it yet. You know it is only a few either way.
Personally I ink dotted the edge of the pages in fives so
I could practically hit it everytime and this is a good hint.
Remember that this must all be done as if you are en
treating him to keep the book up and so no one can see a thing.
When he has the page you tell them: "N ow when you have
the right page, just start in at the top and count one, two,
three and stop at the word at the second number.” As you
talk you are actually doing it and you generally have the word
long before they get to it themselves.
This may have read very bold like but it is nothing at all.
To the audience you are making it clear what he is to do and
you are using the nearest object. In many cases the number
is not so large and you can get the word on the page with just
a glance and without going into further detail.
This should have a little practice to get the handling of
it learned well. W ith the pages marked and a few trials you
should never miss and it is all over in a second or two of
explaining.
And then besides, who would think that you actually were
looking it up in front of them?
-Sf 4.8 )>

cMental Qoloring.
Telepathy in Silk . . .
SILKS have always held a very important part in the Art
of Mystery. However, their use, insofar as mental and mind-
reading effects have gone, has been restricted to very little. Thus
when Mr. Stuart Robson, a long ardent fiend for subtle ideas,
and likewise an important executive for Florenz Ziegfeld, gave
me the following item, I accepted it in all gratefulness as some
what of a rarity.
It is for two people, the performer himself and his assistant.
Six differently colored handkerchiefs are shown while the assistant
is taken from the room. In his or her absence the performer has
someone freely choose any one of the colored silks that they
may wish.
A t this time, it is very important that the performer
impress upon all that the selection is perfectly free and I have
found it very effective to tell them to change their mind
several times before naming the color desired.
When one has been picked, the spectator is asked to merely
hold-it in their closed hand and to keep it completely covered.
The assistant is sent for and the performer may leave the room
before they return.
Upon entering the room, the assistant walks directly to the
party and merely touching the back of their hand CORRECTLY
NAMES TH E COLOR OF TH E CHOSEN SILK!
This may seem much more of a mystery when I tell you
that there is nothing used but the silks and the spectator.
N othing is done secretly at all and the assistant gets no in
formation or help from the performer.
The secret only offers further proof of the greatest adage
of magic, that the simpler a method is, the more subtle and
practical it becomes.
The performer is standing near the handkerchiefs when one
is picked and he takes it up and over to the selector. W ithout
mentioning the particular hand, or in fact, anything about
hands, the performer asks the party, "W on’t you just hold the
silk tight and so that none of it can be seen?” As he says this,
the performer suits his words by putting the handkerchief into
->5{ 49 Is*

their hand, closes their fingers tight around it and is done.
H E HAS SEEN T O IT T H A T IT WAS TH E CORRECT
H A N D ! In this way we cover the six colors. W e shall call
them 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
"1” is in the LEFT hand. “ 2” is in the R IG H T hand.
"3” is placed in one hand and covered with the other and
BO TH hands cupped hide the silk. But, you say, the other
three? Quick Watson. The last three are the same as the first
three with one difference.
If one of the last three is selected the performer puts it in
the hand of the spectator and then tells them to please stand
and ask the assistant to try the test with them when he reenters
the room.
Thus their action denotes in a simple manner which set
of three the silk is in, and the particular hand does the rest.
O f course, this could be varied by using a lady for the
first three and a gentleman for the others, but I always prefer
doing it with the party who does the selecting as this seems
more logical. A nd again, there are many times when you are
entertaining an audience composed of but one sex. However, the
basic idea and principle is there and ready to be adapted to the
style and mind of each performer.
• $ 5 0 ^ .

The Qolor - Tell ¿Billiard
¿Balls. . .
IV IN A T IO N effects have always been more or less popular
D although more or less the same in effect to the audience.
I have read at least fifty of such feats and I guess the height
of genius has been put into some of them in order to divine
the hidden article. All kinds of mechanical devices have been
put to use as well as the simplest of ruses.
In this effect a number of enameled wooden balls are
shown and can be examined. A small box of any material but
which is of a size to loosely hold one ball can also be examined
as it is really unprepared.
You are, of course, ahead of me for the rest of the presenta
tion. Behind his back, the performer can correctly name any
of the colors which may have been secretly placed in the box.
Heretofore such effects have generally been limited to three
or four articles to be hidden but in my case and method one
can have fifteen balls if you just have them differently painted.
Or, the balls may be used minus the box and yet the experi
ment works. This, despite the fact that every ball is of the
same size and weight and have been secured at the same time
under the same conditions. Where then can the secret lie?
The balls, after being painted their various hues, are done
over by you but in water color. Thus the dark secret merely
becomes one of taking advantage of cropping p*:ut. It is only
necessary for the performer to rub a moistened finger across
a ball in order to have an illustrated cue as to the color in the
box or held behind him. Otherwise the balls may be examined
and handled without fear, unless the examiner has just finished
washing his hands and hasn’t as yet reached a towel.
I would suggest that the effect be done twice. First with
the box and then without which will have the effect of throwing
would-be solvers off the track.
4 51 }>

Seeing in the ‘D ark . . .
T
H E possibility of one’s seeing in the dark as well as in the
light (nyctalopia) has always had a fascination for me. The
main requisite is to obtain light in some manner and to avoid
detection w ith it.
In the past, the problem has been given much attention
with good and bad results. Some took advantage of the dark
ness to force or bring into play material of which the audience
did not know. Then an opaque bag was made use of as cover
for a flashlight. Luminous paint then made its appearance and
prepared cards were used to cast a luminous glow onto the
reading matter. Even writing was done on prepared surfaces
so that the medium only had to look at it in the dark in order
to read it. Then luminous pigments were even introduced into
the writing ink in order that the writing glow in the darkened
room and make itself known.
Experience with these methods proved far from the height
of success. Forcing could only be applied to cards or standard
objects and carried no personal appeal such as writing. The
opaque bag and light were clumsy to operate with although
workable. Luminous cards would lose their radiance quickly
and while bright would throw a reflection that was bad. Using
such a surface for writing itself gave the spectator a soft
yellow tinted side that had a totally different "look and feel”
from the opposite side. The metallic pigments would not dissolve
in ink and had to be constantly and well mixed for even
mediocre results. So where are we?
I don’t claim that I have a cureall for this. I think I have
as practical a device as any of the above and one that w ill stand
better and stricter conditions. Perhaps five years from now
it will be relegated to the basket by the advent of something
by far better.
But here are the strong points of what I have to offer as
a possible solution. It can be done in any room without prepara
tion. A N Y reading matter or writing can be examined before
hand or brought from home, and T H A T IS W H A T Y O U
R EAD. There is positively no reflection of any kind possible.
It is always ready and does not need the previous "get ready”
that luminous paint needs. And lastly, the performer can sub-
52

m it to a search in order to prove that he has no apparatus upon
his person.
The answer to all of this is very simple. It is nothing
else but the fountain pen flashlight with a slight preparation.
These are obtainable at all novelty stores and for years were
constantly carried by doctors for throat examinations. They are
exact models of fountain pens and clip in your pocket, always
ready.
Paste or glue a small piece of dark green or red tissue
paper over the bulb end. N ow cut from a piece of black
electrician’s tape a small piece of a size to completely cover
the end and shut out all light. In the center of this punch a
small hole not over one-eighth of an inch in diameter. Putting
this over the tissue and bulb results in a small point of colored
light which w ill not reflect under any condition.
When this light is on and is held within an inch of the
writing or printing, it can all be easily read. The light glow
is so slight that even though the pen be held facing the audience
it would not be seen for quite a while.
The fact that it appears to be such an innocent article and
one so commonplace, makes it possible for the performer to be
at easy in its use. And again, nothing but a pen could be so
accessible and quickly put into operation.

Seven Keys to ¿Baldpate...
T
H E mentalist states that he has discovered such a force
as metallic sympathy which arises between any metal objects
that must of necessity come into repeated contact with each
other. W ith rapidly moving parts, this has been more or less
catalogued as static electricity and produced through friction.
But with articles that merely come into close contact through
handling there exists a sympathy, even though they be inanimate.
In this case, the experiment shall be illustrated by a padlock
and key.
A genuine Yale, Corbin, or other well known make of
padlock is shown and a reward offered if anyone can prove or
show that the lock is not just as it left the factory or has ever
been tampered with. W ith the lock is a key on which has been
tied a piece o f colored ribbon to identify it from six other
keys that are lying at hand.
Announcing that the tagged key is the only one that can
open the lock, the other six being odd keys, a spectator is asked
to take the lock and try them one by one. As he tries each
key and it fails to work, he drops it into a small bag and
upon the last one actually fitting and opening the lock, the
ribbon is removed and that dropped in also among the others.
Shaking the bag and mixing the keys well inside, the per
former steps to each of seven people and they reach in and take
one key from the bag in their closed fist. Absolutely no one
sees the key removed by each until all seven are out.
Taking the wrist o f the party who is still holding the
padlock, the performer passes to each closed fist in turn and
merely holds his free hand near it. Suddenly he stops at one
outstretched hand. "This hand holds the key that fits the lock,”
he exclaims. The spectator hands the key directly to the party
w ith the lock and holding the lock in fu ll view the key is tried.
The lock snaps open! And immediately the performer reoffers
his reward if any of the other keys which are still being held,
will open the lock.
This can be built into a real astonishing effect for any
audience and it is far from being hard.

I |lll II INI
The necessaries are one lock, six odd keys that w ill not
fit and seven that will. The bag is a changing bag and the
illustration is of the new P & L Spirit Bag which is the
daintiest and nicest bit of such work ever produced. I have
found no bag better for this effect. It looks rather silly to
drop seven keys into a bag big enough to change a rabbit and
this new type just fills the bill.
N ow follow this routine closely: Prepare by dropping six of
the duplicates into one side of the bag and then change over so
the bag is now empty. You are ready. Have a ribbon tied to
the other correct key to prevent its being mixed among the
six odd ones.
Show the lock and explain about the keys. The spectator
comes up. Ask him to try the six odd keys one by one and
as he finds they wont work he drops them singly into the empty
side of the bag you are holding. H e now tries the seventh and
the lock opens. Just at the moment the lock opens you change
hands with the bag and switch sides bringing the six duplicates
up. The spectator then removes the ribbon and drops the key
in among the others. As he drops it in, ask him to scoop them
out and count them in aloud again. Seven. And one of them
fits the lock. Really all seven do that very thing!
The performer now passes among the spectators and asks
a man to reach in and to take any one he wishes and keep it
in his closed fist. Your telling this first man what to do serves
as a slight pause and the bag is switched side for side again.
N ow the performer passes to six other people in turn and each
remove a key until the last is taken.
I advise doing this haphazardly and not in a straight
row. This is simply because the first selected key is always the
right one and you should be able to eventually pass one or two
duds before stopping at the correct one.
The selecting done, the tricky work is done and the finish
is played up as strongly as desired to a climax as of course,
the right party is known and the other six won’t fit the lock.
Thus you start w ith seven unprepared keys and a lock and
end the same way. The use of the bag is merely incidental and
is never mentioned but just used and that’s all.
"K 56' }•>

It might be a good plan when passing from hand to hand
at the finish in search of the key, to pass two duds and hit it the
third time. Too much play is boresome. When you touch the
first hand, shake your head and say, "N o, there isn’t a thing
there. It can’t be the key. Try it.” The party with the lock tries
it and it doesn’t fit. This occurs with the second in the same
manner. But with the third one the performer becomes elated
and declares that this must be the key itself. It is tried— and
works.
Various strong presentation points are in this and will be
worked up by the enterprising performer. One is that during
the entire effect from start to finish you need never so much
as touch a key or the lock. They are laying in full view and
are first picked up by the spectator. Throughout the routine
you only carry them and mix them. The trying of the keys and
the opening of the lock is done by your audience and what
could be more fair? O f course, you can use five keys instead
of seven but then I wouldn’t have had such a good title for
this real little mystery.
57

cA (Vrophecy of the Koran...
I STILL remember when, around 1920, there was a deluge of

methods for this effect and invariably they were more or
less complicated in procedure or necessitated the faking of
envelopes w ith carbon. In an effort to simplify the working
and preparation I think I have succeeded inasmuch as the effect
is just as strong from the viewpoint of the audience.
The performer has an unprepared letter envelope and two
business or blank cards. H e asks that the envelope be initialed
w ith large letters so that it can be seen all of the time as the
original one. While this is being done (and which also allows
spectators to see that it is ordinary) the performer writes some
thing upon the card with his pencil. This he openly drops into
the envelope and allows the spectator to seal it.
Holding the envelope so that the initials can always be
seen, the performer asks a party to think for a moment and
then name any city or town in the country. Upon this being
done, someone else is asked to name a number of four figures
and lastly a third person is requested to name any color which
may be their favorite. As each is named, the performer writes
it upon the other card at hand as a check.
Tearing the end from the envelope after again showing
the marks, the card is withdrawn and read aloud by a spectator.
The performer has written something like this, 'Someone will
name the city o f -------------------- , another w ill say the figures
----------------- , and another w ill pick the color o f ---------------------- ’
TH E PROPHECY OF TH E K O R A N IS CORRECT!
First, I advise a little practice before a mirror. The only
things needed are TH REE cards and an envelope. Follow the
presentation.
The only preparation is to write on one of the cards some
thing like what has been quoted in the description of the effect
but leaving places blank where the names are to be. Place
another card onto this and hold them together as one card.
Personally I keep the three cards together in the envelope which
is in my pocket. Take out the envelope, remove the cards
together and merely fan the top and single card a little, making
a remark that you shall present a problem and use a couple
cards and a envelope which you would like to have initialed
<5{58]fr

for identification. D on’t try to stress the point that you have
two cards. The audience sees you use only tw o and telling
them things that they can see is superfluous and gives rise to
suspicion. Audiences are far from being as dumb as some per
formers seem to think.
Placing the tw o cards together aside for a moment or
dropping them in side pocket, the performer now writes on the
card in hand and actually writes what is on the other card.
Giving the audience a quick flash of writing on the card but
not allowing them to see it closely it is dropped into the
envelope and sealed. Taking the envelope, it is held in the
left hand with initialed side outward. The other card (tw o as
one) is taken from pocket and as the performer explains that
he is going to ask several people to think of things, the right
hand in gesture allows of both sides of this card being seen
BUT POSITIVELY N O M E N TIO N IS MADE OF TH E FACT
T H A T IT IS BLANK. It is placed on the envelope in hand
so that it can be written upon. As it is placed on back of
envelope, the right hand lifts it again in one further gesture
but in reality the left thumb on envelope has retained the top
blank card and when the card in right hand is replaced on top,
the writing previously placed there is now facing the performer.
The three things are named and each time the performer
writes them down but writes them in their proper spaces which
are ready for them. As the last one is written, the right
fingers pick up the card, reads the three things again and lays
the card on table for a second. In reality, the under or blank
card was picked off, looked at, and placed face down on table.
On the back of the envelope is the written upon card.
The right hand takes hold of the envelope from the top
with fingers in front and thumb in back holding the card and
left hand tears off the left end (performer’s left) of the
envelope. Blowing into this end, the left first and second
fingers are inserted while the thumb goes onto outside of back
and w ith one upward pull the card is apparently withdrawn
from w ithin and handed directly to spectator.
Immediately the envelope is dropped torn end down into
right side pocket as performer steps to table, picks up card
again and looking at it reads the three items aloud and has
each spectator state that no one knew they were going to
select these things.
<Sf 59

The spectator with card then reads aloud everything the
performer wrote and the climax is there. Drawing the envelope
from right pocket, the small card is left behind and the initialed
envelope is left in audience.
I w on’t bother to enumerate the strong points in this
effect as they w ill be easily seen by performers. The psychology
of the performer writing a lot on the card to start with is
for the contrast w ith the amount of writing done on the
second card.
Another subtle piece of business for those so inclined is
to make a mistake on the first card as you write it and to cross
it out openly and continue. Needless to say, the same mistake
has been made and crossed out on the other card. D on’t think
for a moment that this won’t be noticed and thought about
when the card is being passed around after.
•*§( 6 0 jjt

Jimmy Valentine Opens a Safe..
SOME may wonder at this being included in this book but at

least I am trying to give varied effects. I always keep
away from ideas that require apparatus and preparation of any
lengthy type so this will certainly come under that head. Good
publicity stunts are scarce and hard to find, and once attempted
this w ill prove its worth. True, the man who will ardently use
all of the other effects herein wont use this, but there are many
amateurs and semi-professionals, not forgetting the professionals
themselves, who will find this of untold value when they can
not find use for the other ideas.
Advertisements appear to the effect that the Great -------
w ill prove his uncanny ability to fathom the impossible in an
astonishing and original manner. To heighten the effect it will
be made a matter of life or death.
A local business office or individual will offer his safe to be
used, the combination of which is known to only the usual
trusted few. Arrangements are made to have the safe in a public
spot where it can be seen by all. This can also be used in any
office for officials and newspaper men as a feature news stunt.
A person knowing the combination is to sit about ten feet
from the safe and to keep his mind on the combination numbers.
Last of all, to show his sincerity (and to add to the sensa
tionalism) the performer has a young lady or boy locked into
the safe before he starts to work.
IN FULL VIEW TH E PERFORMER KNEELS BEFORE
TH E SAFE, SLOWLY T U R N S TH E COM BINATION KNOB
A R O U N D A N D A R O U N D , BACK A N D FORTH, T H E N
SU D D EN LY GRASPS TH E BOLT, THROW S IT BACK,
OPENS TH E D O O R A N D HELPS O U T TH E LADY!
Are you intrigued? Everything seems aboveboard, it is all
in full view and the combination is unknown to the performer
Y ET TH E SAFE IS OPENED!
Please go back over the effect and visualize it again. Then
read on and disillusion yourself.
The girl has a small screwdriver. That’s all. Years ago a
method for escaping from a safe explained that the inside plate
must be removed but that is erroneous today. On the inside
■<•{ 6i |e<-

of safe doors is the tumbler block and it is never held by more
than tw o screws.
Immediately the door is closed, these tw o screws are removed
and the tumblers pulled out. There is nothing that can fall
apart or break. It merely consists of four or five discs on a
shaft and all that is necessary is for these to be lined up so the
slots all correspond.
W ith tumblers out the door could be opened at any time
which would be alright if the safe were under cover and not
in full view.
The performer stands close to the safe so that his body
covers the bolt handle. As he fiddles with the combination knob
with right hand the bolt is pressed w ith the left hand and the
moment the tumblers are out the bolt slides back.
Inside, the girl lines the discs up and the moment the bolt
is back she puts the tumbler block back into place and inserts
the screws. It is very difficult to get the tumblers back into
place and then rely upon them being just right for the bolt
to be thrown. Thus the process of replacing AFTER the bolt
is back.
The girl now either taps on the inside or pushes the door
slightly whereupon with a grand gesture the performer bangs
the bolt as if opening it for the first time and opens the door.
There is nothing left to do but to take the photographs
and then take the girl out to dinner. You have saved her life
and at the same time have presented a modern version of cracks-
manship, for entertainment purposes only.
4 < 52^-

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THE BOOK WITHOUT

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Printed and Bound by

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I SINCERELY hope that this is my own originality because

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I T H IN K I have something here that will open the eyes of

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Biblioteca Fundación Juan March (Madrid)

I H A V E found a rather good trick to end up any series of

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The card is selected from deck below these eleven arranged

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I D O N ’T guarantee this as a 100% foolproof effect but I

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The Red - and - Blue

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"K 56' }•>

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I STILL remember when, around 1920, there was a deluge of

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Biblioteca Fundación Juan March (Madrid)