© Copyright 2018 by Trickshop.com.
T HOT-OG R A PH Y
BOB HUMMER
After buying the trick, put yourself to further expense by procuring a straight pin and
conceal pin by placing it in upper part of your trousers seat, where you can remove it
when ready for it. You could also conceal the pin by tucking it under the calloused skin
at the base of fingers (much the same as in the old magnetic card trick.) Thus armed
you are prepared at any time to work this bit of devilishness on an innocent bystander.
You don’t need any cards – just the pin, which is a very good point. Get it? I suggest
that you walk up to your worst enemy and ask him if he possesses a pack of cards of
his own. After the magic nut assures you in the affirmative, beg of him to “keep them
the h - - - out of your sight” (because you can’t stand card tricks, etc.) Also because
it is beneath your dignity as a thot-reader to see his cards, before, during or after this
amazing experiment. Quite unusual to say the least. If he is not sufficiently astonished
at this point, struggle on as follows: Beg of him again for heaven’s sake not to let you
see his cards, but to blindfold you effectively with a handkerchief, paper bag or even a
horse blanket. (Let us assume before going farther that your “friend” has not taken this
opportunity of putting you out of your misery by hitting you over the head with a bottle
of Imperial.) Such being the case, proceed at your own risk. (I also advise you to read
the rest of this before they put the “blinkers” on you, since with a bag over your noodle
you’re helpless and he might foul you up. Do be careful.)
Now get serious and ask the “specked-tater” to take his cards from his pocket and shuf-
fle the business out of them, then to think of one of the first ten cards from the top of the
deck – remember its position from the top of the pack, square the deck and then hand
you the cards. And do you find the card? You sure do, or I’ll give you a rain check. Do
you ask any embarrassing questions? You don’t. Is the card in the same position from
the top when you find it? It is. Is it impossible? It is. Is it simple once you think it over?
It is. Am I clever? I’m too modest to answer that one, but here’s the dope on the dirtiest
swindle of all time.
Receive the cards in your left hand, and holding them FIG. 1
behind your back, take the top card between the thumb
and first finger of right hand. Now place the remainder of
pack between the first and second fingers of same hand,
where it now rests on the remaining three fingers, and the
top card will be separated from above. See Fig. 1. Next,
with the left hand, take the bottom card of deck and place
it under the lone card above, thus two cards will now be
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gripped between the thumb and first finger. Then take the top card of deck and place
underneath the upper two. Then take bottom card and do the same thing – then a top
and so on alternating until 21 or more cards are in the upper packet, after which you
allow the two packets to come together making one deck. (Practice will show how fast
and easily this can be done. Anyway there is no hurry as you are pretending to find the
card and talking of colors, vibrations, etc.) Now, at this point, take the bottom card of the
deck and place it on top.
NOTE: If you're having a problem keeping track when alternating between cards, just
repeat in your mind: "bottom, top...bottom, top...etc."
Remove the pin from trousers seat, or hand, whichever meth-
od you use of concealing the pin, and scratch a large “X” on
the back of the top card. See Fig. 2. The real work is now
over. Bring the pack forward, give it a complete square cut to
demonstrate how to cut the pack, and ask him to give it sev-
eral more such cuts to help you get the proper “radio activity”.
(Another name for Baloney.) Next tell the spectator to fan
FIG. 2 cards out and see if they can see their card somewhere near
the center of the deck. (You’re still blindfolded.) If card is not in center, tell them to cut
again to put it there. Now ask him to cut the cards while still fanned, in such manner as
to leave selected card in same position from top as it was originally. It is also important
when cutting off the cards above his to leave it in original position, that the cards cut off
above be placed on bottom of deck. Nothing suspicious about that. Say “at last I feel a
lot of radio activity.” (BS)
Take the cards once again, and placing them behind your back, run the bottom cards
off one at a time into your left paw, at the same time feeling the back of each card with
your left thumb, until you feel the one with the pin scratch “X”. You won’t have to look
far. When you get the “X” card, note how far it is from bottom of deck. The thot of card
will be at the same number from the top of pack. Take it out and place face down on
the table. No questions asked. Give spectator rest of deck to put out of sight, remove
the blindfold, have card named, throw out your chest and turn card over. Note: to re-
peat, make two parallel lines “=” instead of an “X”, or else steal the scratched card. With
proper showmanship this could be a wonder, and who should repeat a miracle. I’m just
giving you the bare bones.
Please read all instructions carefully and practice this effect before attempting to present
it. It is not difficult to perform, and once you get it down good, you have one of the most
thought provoking effects ever presented with a pack of cards.
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ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
It is usually a “fool’s errand” to try and improve a Bob Hummer effect. From the moment
Bob Hummer appeared on the magic scene in the early 1940s confounding the card
experts, they have sought to improve upon his work – missing the point entirely that the
very essence of Hummer’s often inexplicable card miracles is that they are devoid of
most of the usual slick-handed chicanery that underlies the card-man’s art. So we will
not attempt to improve the process, but rather suggest that instead of wielding a pin
when doing this effect with a borrowed deck, you may consider carrying extra red and
blue Bicycle backed jokers in your back pocket that have been previously pierced with a
pin from the front on each long side near the center about 1/4" from the edge. See Fig.
3. This raises an easy to feel small bump in two spots on the back of the card. These
small perforations are less likely to be seen than a large “X” scratched into the surface
of a card. This also makes it unnecessary to damage a card in a borrowed pack. Of
course, this won’t cover every contingency – just the times when your host has a stan-
dard Bicycle deck. It should go without saying that this option also makes sense when
working with your own pack.
To create
“raised”
bumps on
back of Push pin
card. through
from front to
back of card
in these two
spots.
FIG. 3
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: IT'S NOT A TYPO! In some early magic manuscripts, including
this one – authors used the word, "thot," instead of "thought" (ie. thot-reading). In con-
temporary urban slang, the former has taken on another meaning altogether.
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