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TRIBUTE TO MAGIC’S
GREATEST TEACHER

<*)

DR. HARLAN TARBELL

1890—1960
There is no one in any magic club
who has not at some time or other
learned from Dr. Tarbell. There are
many who lay the credit for their en-
tire professions to the Tarbell Course,
that vast storehouse of magical knowl-
edge, painstakingly illustrated in great
detail, with a text so crystal clear in
simple English that students were do-
ing the tricks almost as they read
about them. Dr. Tarbell had two great
God-given talents that fitted in per-
fectly with his acquired talent of
magic—he drew like an angel and he
wrote with amazing clarity.
He alone had been able to put be-
fore magicians, beginners or other-
wise, in a form they could quickly
and easily understand.
You may never have met him per-
sonally, although he was so faithful in
fraternal magic that seldom was he
away from any national or local con-
vention, any gathering of the clan.
When you met him for the first time,
you thought of him as a little like
Will Rogers—slender, wiry, five foot
eight, never weighing over 130
pounds, keen of eye, ready of tongue,
a little nervous and restless, kind to
everyone, comfortable to be with,
easy to know.
Dr. Tarbell is not only for this
generation. He will be known as the
greatest teacher in magic. The man
who laid down the rules, and played
the game according to them.
(continued on back flap)
 THE TARBELL
COURSE IN MAGIC
 The TARBELL
COURSE IN
MAGIC

WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY

HARLAN TARBELL

Edited by
Ralph W. Read

Revised Edition

VolumeIV
(Lessons 46 to 58)

PUBLISHED BY

D. ROBBINS & CO., INC.

70 Washington Street, Briokivn: N.Y. 11201
 Copyright, 1927, by Tarbell System, Inc.
Copyright, 1978, by Tannen Magic, Inc.
Copyright, 1978, by D. Robbins & Co., Inc.
Eighth Printing, 1989

COPYRIGHT IN CANADA AND IN ALL COUNTRIES

SUBSCRIBING TO THE BERNE CONVENTION

All rights reserved: No part of this book, text or illustrations,

may be reproduced in any form without the written
permission of the publisher.

A ROBBINS PUBLICATION

Printed in U. S. A.
 To
My WIFE
Martua Beck TARBELL
CONTENTS

RONTIOPIRGE = S52 255 SSSc2 5S SR Ngee ee ee «et oe II

PREDICA TION 686 faa scsi TE coh Rin gt Sele ane gi oi+ so + V
CONTENTS jt to te cel Sie ain th obrt Goel cuttt bail «oes IX
BUT RODUCTIONS cr. fore. fan 5s sat hs ee A ANS XIII
Lesson 46—NovEttTy MAGIC..............---
eee eee cece eeeeees 21
Christopher’s Telegram to Flowers, 21—Flash Paper, 23—
Christopher’s Flaming Napkin, 23—Instantaneous Flower Pro-
duction, 25—Bert Easley’s Impromptu Cigarette Production,
27—Smoke Up Your Sleeve, 29—Impromptu Hydrostatic
Glass, 32—Freezing a Glass of Water, 34—Isely’s ‘‘Anti-
Gravico,” 36—Water Production from Paper Cup, 39—Water
in the Hat, 41—Berland Cup and Water Transit, 43—The Soap
Pitchman, 46—The Stamp Album, 51—Dell O’Dell Stamp
Album Presentation, 54—Drawer Box, 54—John Booth’s Album
of Stars, 55—Knife and Paper Squares, 62—Koko and the
Jumping Block, 64—Cut and Restored Necktie, 69—Jack
Gwynne’s Color Changing Rabbit, 71

Lesson 47—THIMBLE MAGIC................

00cee eeceecee cece 73
A 16-Thimble Routine, 73—Preliminary Special Practice, 75—
Thumb Palming, 76—Back and Front Palming, 76—Production
of Thimble, 77—Change-Over Palm, 78—The Thimble Act
Routine, 79—Outline of Thimble Act, 96—The Miser’s Dream
with Thimbles, 97—Some Interesting Thimble Vanishes, 99

Lesson 48—SwaLLOWING NEEDLES AND Razor BuaDEs.......... 103

The Needle Mystery, 103—Threaded Razor Blades in Mouth,
108—A John Booth Suggestion, 111

LEsson 49—UNIQUE CARD MAGIC..............

00 cece eee eens 113
Kolma-Tarbell ‘‘Snooty Snake,’’ 113—The Flash Card Change,
116—Tarbell ‘‘Card on the Necktie,’”’ 119—The “Yankee
Doodle’ Card, 120—Joe Berg’s Flip-Up Card, 122—Pop-Up
Cards, 123—The Jump-Up Card, 124—The Revolver Card,
125—Audley Walsh’s Side Spinner, 126—Audley Walsh’s Long
Distance Spinner, 127—The Floating Queen, 128—The Vanish-
ing “Bird Cage’ Card, 130—Mendes’ Shooting Card, 132
x
Lesson 50—NoveE
tty Risinc CARDS..............0000eccccceee 135
Modern Rising Cards from Envelope, 135—Enchanted Cards
and Envelope, 139—Bewitched Rising Cards and Envelope,
142—Mysterious Bookmarks or Rising Cards from Book, 145—
A Book and a Card, 148—Rising Cards Through Hat, 150—
Rising Cards Out of Hat, 152—Tarbell’s Haunted House Rising
Cards, 154

Ibesson 51—Canp TRANSITION. . 04+ esc... 0s «oe eee 157

The Flying Cards, 157—Tarbell “Flying Cards,” 158—The Pass-
ing of Three Selected Cards, 165—Flying Cards and Envelopes,
166—Wilder’s Flying Cards, 170—Hen Fetsch’s Surpasso, 172—
Ships That Pass in the Night, 174—Red and Black Transposi-
tion, 177—The Cards Up the Sleeve, 181—Cards Up the Sleeve
(Shoulder Method), 187

LESSON 52—MENTAL AND Psycuic MystTerigs.................. 191

Himber’s Transcendental Book Test, 192—Hen Fetsch’s Double
Knockout, 196—Grant’s New Slate Test, 200—Answer to a
Mentalist’s Prayer, 202—Distant Mental Communication, 206—
The Yogi’s Prediction, 209—Rapid Mental Transference, 211—
Superba Prediction, 214—Nail Writer, 214—Telepathic Pic-
tures, 216—A ‘‘One-Man” Mind Reading Act, 219—The Billet
Switch, 222—A Modern Crystal Gazing Act, 224—Changing
Basket, 225—The Ballot Box, 230—The Excelsior Mind Read-
ing Act, 231—The Anna Eva Fay Method, 232—Ralph Read’s
Improved Method, 233—Ralph Read’s Tabulating System, 238
—Telepathic Deck of Cards, 244—The Psychic Paper, 246—
The Quick and the Dead, 248—Ralph Read’s Tapping Pencil, 259

Lesson 53—THe THuMB TIE...............

cece eececccccccees 263
Ten Ichi Thumb Tie, 264—Modernized Ten Ichi Thumb Tie,
271—Tip-Top Thumb Tie, 272—Chow Sen Thumb Tie, 274—
Frank Ducrot Thumb Tie, 275—Jack Miller Thumb Tie, 276—
Tarbell’s Simplex Thumb Tie, 277—Tarbell’s “Li Ling” Thumb
Tie, 279—Tarbell Tape Tie, 280—Tarbell’s Chinese Thumb
Tie, 281—Mel Forrester’s Rubber Band Thumb Tie, 283

Lesson 54—CHiInesE LinkineG RINGS.................

cece eeeee 287
Eleven-Ring Routine, 288—Weber’s Emergency Routine, 306—
Jack Miller’s Spinning Rings, 311—Tommy Dowd’s “Odin”
Ring Count, 312—Tommy Dowd’s Spinning Ring Flourish, 314

Lesson 55—Maaic with RIBBON..................cseeeeeeeees 317

The Cut and Restored Ribbon, 317—A Card on Ribbon Mys-
tery, 320—The Dollar Bill on the Ribbon, 323—The Ghostly
Ribbon, 326—A Spirit Communication, 328—A Wandering
Ribbon, 333—King Solomon’s Marriage Bands, 335—The
“Whamsy” Cut and Restored Ribbon, 337
x
LESSON 56—SILKEN TRICKERY..........
0.0.0 ccc cece ccececeeees 341
Carlyle’s 20th Century Silks, 341—Al] Baker’s 20th Century
Silks, 344—A] Baker Dye Tube, 345—A] Baker’s Sympathetic
Silks, 347—A Remarkable Giant, 350—Jack Miller’s Knotty
Silk, 352—The Penetrative Silk, 355—The Cords of Phantasia,
357—Instant Handkerchief Spread, 365—“‘Flash’’ Silk Produc-
tion, 366—Carlyle’s One-Hand Silk Production, 368—Carlyle’s
Multiple Silk Production, 370

LESSON 57—SLATE MYSTERIES. ...........

0c cece cee eee eee eeen 375
Double-Slate Writing, 375—Deck of ‘Forcing’ Cards, 376—
Two Messages on Slates, 378—How to Force Two Messages,
379—Double Envelope, 380—Billet Switch, 382—Al1 Baker Slip
of Paper Force, 383—Numbered Double-Slate Writing, 386—
Simplex Double Slates, 389—Single-Slate Writing, 390—Trans-
fer Single-Slate Writing, 391—Dobrin’s Double Locking Slate,
392—Larsen and Wright Double Message, 394—Jack Miller Slate
Routine, 396—Multiple Slate Writing, 399—A Spooky Message,
402—Message on Paper, 406—Chinese Comedy Slate Message,
408—White Chalk of Many Colors, 411

WEESSON 95. LE
LUSIONS .5h.5 tities Gases uss’ oPlasuelencuale > oisslevesns cuavaale + hs 413
David Bamberg’s ‘The Girl from the Light,” 413

ConTENTS—VOLUMEs 1, 2 AND 3, TARBELL Course In Maaic..... 418

INTRODUCTION
+ 8 et &

AGIC, LIKE OTHER ARTS and sciences, is growing, and each year finds
newer and better ways of doing things to keep up with a progres-
sive world. We are never too old to learn. As the late Opie Read, noted
novelist, used to say to me, ‘We should always know something today that
we did not know yesterday; and know something tomorrow that we did
not know today.”
Experience is such a great teacher—we learn so much from actual
performances and observing the reaction on our audiences. We cut out
certain parts here, and add something there, until we know that we shall
get a sure-fire response. We learn from associating with progressive magi-
cians and exchanging effects. We congregate in the magic shops and meet
others who are interested in magic, discussing this sleight and that trick.
This is particularly true in the larger cities such as New York, Philadel-
phia, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

This Course in Magic goes to the very bedrock for the modern con-
jurer. Professionals have told me that each of the lessons is actually a
book in itself. This is true of a great many of the lessons due to the various
presentations and the several methods that are given for doing a certain
trick. Thus you are able to choose a method that best suits you, and you
have the material you may need in an emergency some time. A variety
of methods gives us the opportunity to make our programs different from
the other fellow. Certainly, it would be a great mistake if all did the same
trick in the same manner. A dozen magicians should be able to appear on
the same bill and not duplicate any effects.
Occasionally a professional magician will question the advisability of
including so much valuable professional information in this Course which
is sold to, amateurs as well as to professionals. They feel that the secrets
should be limited to only those who make their living as magicians. But,
it is from amateur ranks that the professionals have come—we don’t know
of any performer that started at the top. And the professionals have gained
much, and will still profit from, the new tricks, effects, routines, etc., that
are constantly being conceived in the brains of the avid amateurs. There
are great men among the amateurs, the semi-professionals and the full-
time professionals, and no reason for jealousy among them.
Magic’s great enemy is the poor presentation of its mysteries. One
poor magic show can ruin the booking opportunity for a really skillful
performer who tries to follow it. But a great show, that people joyfully
XIII
talk about, paves the way for another . . . so let us do our magic with high
art and good English.

ETHICS AMONG MAGICIANS

There is one subject I have been wanting to discuss with our students,
and that is the importance of getting along with other magicians and
becoming popular with them. So many times it is just a little thing that
makes one popular or unpopular. Some, in their curiosity to find out how
a trick is worked, or the desire to feel important in the eyes of others, do
the wrong thing and become disliked. Every magician could give a list
of pests that irritate him.
One thing some must learn is the respect for others’ property. Some
amateurs do not hesitate to go backstage when a professional magician’s
show is set, pick up the apparatus, examine it to see how it works, and
perhaps get it out of order or mixed up. If the magician should baw] out
such a pest, the latter will say, “But I’m a magician, too.” But he is
sadly lacking, for one of the basic fundamentals in being a. magician is
“Never touch anything in a magician’s set-up, for everything has its
definite place and arrangement.”
Frakson once had a piece of apparatus set for his show and some
amateur came in and loosened up one of the screws to see what was inside.
This suddenly released delicate springs which caused them to break, and
it cost Frakson $125 to have the damage repaired. It had to be rebuilt in
Europe and for weeks Frakson had to leave the mystery out of his show.
A person picking up private things this way reminds us of the person
who visits your home and, when you are not looking, goes through your
private closets and dresser drawers to see what you have in them. Do
not touch another performer’s apparatus unless you have special per-
mission. He may have secrets that he does not want others to know, and
it is his right to have those secrets.

I once had an odd experience. I had just finished playing a matinee

in a noted kindergarten school. The curtain had been closed and I stepped
out in front to talk to some friends who were there to see the show. I
heard a noise backstage and I opened the curtain a bit to see what was
happening. There stood a lady giving my apparatus away to the children.
..+ ‘Madam, what are you doing?” To which she answered, “Oh, I’m
just giving the apparatus away to the children. You don’t need it any
more, do you; you are all through with the show. I thought the children
would just love to have it.” . . . I chased down the hall and here and there
to get all the apparatus back. What can one do with a woman like that?
People rushing backstage, particularly in auditoriums, picking up appa-
ratus and trying to find where the rabbit went, are truly a nuisance.
XIV
 Another unpopular fellow is the one who knows a few tricks and
rushes up on the stage when the magician asks for an assistant to help
him. Maybe the nuisance knocks over or trips over a couple of people
in his hurry to get onto the stage and show off. I have seen such a type
start making faces, acting smart, and even taking a trick out of his pocket
and doing it. Magicians prefer assistants from the audience who know
little or nothing about performing magic. They are the ones who give the
most natural reactions of mystification. Should a magician have difficulty
in getting an assistant from the audience and you think it advisable to
come to the rescue and help him out,. be a gentleman, act like one and
volunteer your services as a gentleman from the audience would. The
magician is paid to do the show—the assistant from the audience is merely
incidental.
A good way to be unpopular, not only with the performer but with
the audience as well, is to talk out loud during the show and explain to
those nearby how the magician’s tricks are done (>). Due to an inferiority
complex such a person wants to show his importance and thinks by be-
littling another he will be made great by contrast. The audience resents
such explanations, for the average person, like my friend Ashton Stevens,
would rather believe that the magician performs miracles. It is the mys-
tery and being baffled that entertains. Break down the mystery and you
become unpopular. Elbert Hubbard once said, “It is better to keep your
mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove
all doubt.”
Then there is the fellow who stands out in the lobby of the theatre
between the acts or after the show and does tricks, explaining that he
knows more than the magician on the stage. To show his knowledge, he
tries to explain how the magician did his tricks . . . ““They’re easy. Noth-
ing to °em.”’ Why trespass upon other people’s property? The magician
paid for the use of the theatre or has been paid to play there. The other
fellow should hire his own hall. When Dorny (W. C. Dornfield) comes in
contact with some would-be-magician belittling another magician in the
theatre, he says “Yes, but he’s working and you're not.”
When a magician comes to town to play before a private closed group
in which guests are not admitted, there is the fellow who, so anxious to
see the show, breaks in anyway even if he has to crawl in the back window
or break down the front door. He doesn’t hesitate to break into the party.
He may try to drink up the liquor, if any is served, eat up the sandwiches,
and disagree with anything the magician intimately discusses with those
around him. ‘Mind reading?’’ he says “Nothing to it. No such thing
as telepathy. He uses gimmicks. What do you mean by saying So-and-So
is a great magician? Why, that guy doesn’t know enough to come in out
of the rain.”
Respect the rules of an organization. If extra guests are not admitted
XV
there must be a reason and a person from the outside can make it very
embarrassing for the committee by forcing his way in. The magician is a
guest of honor and people want him exclusively to themselves. The pres-
ence of another magician or one who thinks he is, may only interfere with
the plans and make things uncomfortable. Always remember that there
are things a.gentleman may do—and things he must not do.
This same fellow may insist on seeing the show backstage and at a
psychological moment stick his head out through the center of the back
curtain to see what the magician is doing from behind. Or he climbs up
into the flies above and looks down. Some amateurs are resentful if a
performer does not let them stand or sit backstage while the act is being
presented. If refused, the amateur may go away saying that the magician
is a conceited snob, or other names that are unprintable. Please remember
that the stage belongs to the magician alone—no visitor has any right to
be there unless by specific invitation of the magician.
If a person wants to become very unpopular with a program com-
mittee just write them a letter and tell them what a rotten magician they
hired, that they paid too much for him, and that the fellow writing is a
far better magician at one-half the price. Now when a committee hires
a lecturer or an entertainer it gives itself credit for good judgment, and
belittling or criticism of that judgment, results in resentment. If you
want to get in bad with a committee and have them lay off your show
forever, just write a letter belittling the magician they have selected.
Anyhow, the program chairman usually gives such a letter to the magician
himself. How much better it would be for another magician, amateur,
semi-professional or professional, to write a nice letter to the committee
thanking them for bringing a magician to town, thus satisfying the people’s
love for magic. By respecting the committee’s judgment, he would gain
their good will.
A magician was heavily billed to appear for money raising purposes
in an Eastern city. Meeting him at the train, the program chairman told
him that the committee had sought to promote the show by giving a
luncheon for a group of the local amateurs and semi-professionals in ad-
vance. This had been done but the local group knocked the visiting
magician, “‘exposed”’ his tricks, told of the fakes used on ropes, gave away
the “‘secret” of his mindreading act, etc., according to the chairman.
The magician commented, “I hope you didn’t take the boys seriously—
you know, they like to talk and give all sorts of funny explanations of
tricks.”". The chairman replied, “They meant it seriously, all right, and
furthermore said they couldn’t understand why we were paying so much
money for you when they could give us a much better show for a great
deal Jess money.”
“Well,” continued the magician, “wait until you see my show. If
you are not satisfied 100%, and you really think that I do my mysteries
XVI
the way the boys said, and your audience is not pleased—and baffled—
I won’t charge you a cent for my performance.” P.S.: They were amazed,
paid the artist in full, and made a solemn promise that they would never
hire any of the local group for any affair with which they were connected.

You wouldn’t believe this could happen but Bruce Elliott has the
proof. He wrote to a semi-professional asking for a report on the show
of a certain magician billed to play in that city. The report stated that
the magician was only mediocre, his act was very slow, his mental effects
were tiresome, in fact the visiting magician was just no good. A few days
later Bruce received a telegram saying: “Don’t print what I recently
wrote about that magician. I just saw his show and it’s terrific. He has
taken the city by storm.” When asked for an explanation of the first
report, the semi-professional said that he had not seen the show at that
time but heard a couple of amateur magicians say the show was no good,
too slow, etc. So the moral is—do not believe half of what you hear,
and pay no attention to the other seven-eighths.
A magician seeking publicity calls upon a newspaper but finds a cool
reception. Later he discovers that the editor had asked one of the local
amateurs for his opinion of the visiting performer, and the local boy’s
jealousy caused him to expose the secrets of his feature stunts, pointed
out what and where to watch for trickery, etc. This is so unfair and so
unsportsmanlike. By playing fair, excellent publicity could have been
gotten for both of them.
Exposure of our tricks in newspapers and magazines has been a con-
troversial subject for some time. Some magicians have furnished such
articles enabling them to get publicity by exposing the other fellow’s
tricks—not their own. If someone exposed his tricks, loud would have
been his complaint. But the other fellow’s tricks are claimed to be “just
a few little unimportant wrinkles of no special magical value.” It all
depends upon who is injured. Certain types of articles on magic are be-
lieved to stimulate interest, but the promiscuous exposure of fundamental
effects is not good. The answer to this question will determine the pro-
priety, “I do this trick—do I want it exposed promiscuously to thousands
of readers?”

Another unpopular person in the eyes of the professional magician is

the one who comes backstage and always wants passes for himself and
friends. The magician is there to make money and he may not control
the finances of the house. For any passes he gives, he may have to pay
out cold cash to the management. Amateurs will often come to the box
office and want tickets free. “I’m a magician,” the amateur might say,
“and a very good friend of the performer.” Most likely, the performer
doesn’t even know the fellow. Committees so often hire a magician to
make money for them and figure that much of the ticket sale will come
XVII
from amateurs who love magic and will want to see the show. They have
tickets to sell, not give away.

For years I have tried to give my good friend Nicola passes to my

shows; but he always insists on paying his way in at the box office like
any other paying customer. I know how Nicola feels about it because I
usually pay for seats myself. Kellar said he never liked to play a place
in which there were not at least fifty amateur magicians because he figured
on not only the amateurs buying tickets but their relatives and friends as
well.
Another breach of magical ethics is to see a successful performer
present an original novelty act and then go out and copy it trick for trick,
dress for dress, and patter for patter. This is no less than stealing. Ten
to one the imitator presents a far inferior show and is paid about one-
tenth what the originator gets.
Then there is the stealing of another’s name. Some not only steal
tricks but also the name of a successful artist. It has happened to me.
A professional who regularly plays schools, was trying to book his magic
show in a High School but the principal turned him down with the com-
ment that a fellow named Tarbell did his magic show here a month ago,
and we do not want any more magic, it was so terrible. This professional
knew me, and was prompted to ask a few questions—““What did he do?
What did you pay him, and what did he look like?”’ The principal re-
plied—‘‘He attempted some sort of second sight but made a poor show-
ing—he did a lot. of tricks that our kids easily saw through, and it was
apparent that he didn’t know his business, except to collect the $25 fee
upon which we had agreed. A short, fat fellow that nobody liked.”
“Well,” said my professional friend, “if you had said the fellow was
rather thin, that his show was a tremendous success, charged you $500
instead of $25, and that you wanted him back again, I would say that you
had Dr. Tarbell, but it so happens that Dr. Tarbell was confined to a
hospital bed at the time of the show you mention.”
One of the problems of the successful magician is to prevent those
cheaters from cashing in on the other artist’s success by copying his
tricks, his name or his literature. Advertising and promotional circulars
have been appropriated, a spurious name substituted for the genuine,
while the testimonials are used intact—photostatic imitations being made
therefrom. Build success around your own name, or a suitable stage
name that is distinctly individual. Few know Houdini’s views on this
subject, but he once told our editor, Ralph Read, that if he were to do
it all over again, he would never use any name but his own, which would
be “White,” the English version of the “Weiss” of his parents.

Possibly some may think that I have devoted too much space to that
XVIII
small minority of unpopular people in the field of magic, but one rotten
apple can spoil a barrel full, and one detractor ¢an spoil many profitable
engagements for dozens of worthy magicians.
Tn all the world there are probably no commodities as cheap, and at
the same time as valuable, as are—courtesy, kindness and consideration.
They bring their own reward, tenfold.

XIX
Lesson 46
NOVELTY MAGIC

HERE IS ALWAYS a demand for novelty effects in magic. Surprise is

the spice of life. People naturally expect the unexpected from the
magician. In this lesson are mysteries, effects and routines that the
progressive conjurer will find most welcome.

CHRISTOPHER’S TELEGRAM TO FLOWERS

This is another quick opener that Milbourne Christopher has found
very much worth while due to its novelty and value as an attention-arrester.
EFFECT:
The magician comes on with a telegram which he reads to the audience.
He explains that he really expected flowers and upon crumpling up the
telegram and tossing it into the air it changes to a bouquet of flowers.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—About 25 tissue paper spring flowers, obtainable from magic dealers.
Each flower should have a cord attached to its base. The length
can be finally determined by experimentation.
2—A telegraph message form.
To PREPARE: ESTER
: UNION) ___—=
The spring flowers are stacked together a | eee
and the free ends of the cords are knotted
together and fastened to the lower left hand
corner of the telegram with a piece of Scotch
tape, Fig. 1. The length of the cords will be
determined by the ease in which the flowers
will expand and make a nice bouquet well
bunched together. Experiment with the
spring flowers you use by first tying the ends
of the cords together. With a wire clip keep
the flowers stacked together until ready to
use. This keeps the flowers from springing
open prematurely.
To PErrorm:
Remove the wire clip from the stack of spring flowers and hold the
21
22 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

flowers in the left palm. The left thumb pressing on them keeps them from
opening. Hold the flowers and telegram as in Fig. 2. Keep the back of
your hand towards the audience when you come out on the stage.

— FIG. 2

“I was handed this telegram just as I was coming out on the stage. It
says ‘Best wishes and success with your show in (city). Fraternally, Society
of Magicians.’ Very nice but personallyI expected flowers.” .. . Crumple
up the telegram with the right hand, bringing it in the left hand, Fig. 3.
Throw the telegram and flowers into the air. The spring flowers will
open and the result is a bouquet of flowers, Fig. 4. ‘The crumpled telegram
is drawn inside the bouquet. Catch the flowers as they come down.
Toss the bouquet onto the table, or to assistant.
Nore: It may be easier for some to work with the spring flowers
palmed in the right hand because of a right hand entrance on the stage.
In this case attach cords to the lower right hand corner of the telegram.
Folding of the telegram over the flowers will also screen them regardless
from?what angle you;come on the stage.

FIG. 5

MeErTHOop 2
In this case a Western Union boy or someone brings up the telegram
in an envelope from the audience, or someone brings it on the stage from the
wings. In this method the telegram and flowers are arranged as before
but the flowers are placed on the center of the telegram, Fig. 5. The right
side of the telegram is folded over the flowers-and finally the left side, Fig. 6.
The folded telegram is put in the usual Western Union envelope.
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 23

When the boy brings in the envelope, open it and remove the folded
telegram taking care that the flowers do
not prematurely spring open. Hold the
flowers shut with the thumb and fingers
of the right hand while you open the first
ON \
by.
a0
fold with the left hand. Reach left thumb
under the remaining fold and press on the
flowers. Open the fold, Fig. 7, read the
telegram and crumple it in front of
the flowers, throw into the air, with the FIG. 7
resulting bouquet.
MeErtHop 3
This is done by having a legitimate unprepared telegram brought in.
The flowers, with Scotch tape on the end of the knotted cords, are held in
left hand. The Scotch tape is between the thumb and first finger tip.
When the telegram is opened the Scotch tape is pressed against it and all
is ready for the final toss into the air.

FLASH PAPER
Flash paper must have been designed by someone who realized the
magical effect of a flash of flame. It looks like a heavy white tissue paper
but when a lighted match or the end of a burning cigarette is touched to it,
the paper bursts into a flash of flame and disappears in the air without leav-
inganash. It has many uses in magic, and is obtainable from magic dealers.
Some performers like Keith Clark and Dorny have a small piece of flash
paper in the hand and cause a flash of fire to appear upon their entrance,
be bending back the lighted end of a cigarette or cigar which they are hold-
ing in the same hand.
I find a pretty effect with flash paper is to place it in a glass containing
links of chain—which have been shown separate—then to light a match,
blow it out and touch the burnt end to the paper causing it to burst into a
flame. Flash paper is so sensitive that the heat remaining in the burnt
end will ignite the paper. Then I pour out the chain, each link within
another making a true chain. The flash effect is that of magical welding.

CHRISTOPHER’S FLAMING NAPKIN

With the war came a scarcity of flash paper so Milbourne Christopher
worked out an interesting method of making a sheet of flash paper go further
—of making a small piece of flash paper do the work of a much larger piece.
EFFECT:
The quarter of a paper napkin is shown. When a lighted match or
end of a burning cigarette is touched to one corner, the napkin suddenly
bursts into flame. Christopher many times does the effect without ap-
24 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

parently lighting the paper napkin. While holding it in his hand it sud-
denly bursts into a flash of flame.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A white paper napkin.
2—A sheet of flash paper.
3—A match or a cigarette.
To PREPARE:
Cut out a piece of flash paper two inches square and cut out the
quarter of a paper napkin. Crumple the flash paper a bit and place it on
the corner of the napkin, Fig. 1. Fold and crumple the bottom corner of
the napkin around it so that the flash paper protrudes from the corner,
Fig. 2. Thus prepared, place the paper on the table.

FIG.|
FLASH
PAPER
J

To PEerrormM:
With the left hand, pick up the paper about midway and touch a
lighted match to the flash paper with the right hand, Fig. 3. The sudden
ignition of the flash paper sets up a sudden flash reaction in the paper
napkin itself and it quickly bursts into a flame. Let loose of the napkin
in plenty of time with the left hand to avoid burns. The tossing of the
napkin into the air and its burning while floating is pretty.
MEtTHop 2: This consists of concealing a short length of lighted
cigarette in the left hand, Fig. 4, and, by bringing the right hand over to the
napkin, the lighted cigarette secretly touches the flash paper.
Meruop 3: While the paper napkin is held in the left hand, the right
hand lights a match, preferably the larger wooden size, the match is blown
out and its burnt end touched to the flash paper. The heat of the end of
the match causes the flash paper to ignite.
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 25

Meruop 4: In this arrangement the small piece of flash paper is

pasted onto the paper napkin by its corners, Fig. 5.

FIG.5

Now that you know the effect, numerous applications and ideas may
suggest themselves. Handled properly, a full size napkin can be used.
In this case even a somewhat larger piece of flash paper could be used to
heighten the flash, but is not necessary as a rule.

INSTANTANEOUS FLOWER PRODUCTION

The manipulative details on this pretty flower production were given
to me by Carlyle (Lyle Laughlin) who uses it as an opener for his magic act.
The sudden appearance of a large bouquet
of flowers in each of the performer’s hands
is beautiful. The moves and the whole
routine seem to us to be easier and
smoother than any previous ones with
which we are familiar.
EFFECT:
The performer comes out upon the
stage. He raises his empty hands above
his waistline and in each hand there
suddenly appears a bouquet.
PARAPHERNALIA:
Two feather bouquets, commonly
called sleeve bouquets, about
thirteen inches long, which can be
purchased from a magical dealer.
At the end of the stem is a one-inch
metal ring, Fig. 1.
To PREPARE:
A bouquet goes down each coat sleeve
so that a ring comes into the palm of
each hand as in Fig. 2.
26 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

To Prerrorm:
Come out upon the stage with hands at your sides or in a natural
position. The backs of your hands are toward the audience so they can

not see the rings in your palms. Bring the second fingers back and through
the rings, Fig. 3.
Raise the hands and arms, at the same time straighten out the second
fingers, Fig. 4. Bring the thumbs up under the wire stems, Fig. 5, and
push up the stems forcibly with the thumbs as you bring your hands to-
wards the body then make a big arc up and out from the body. The result
is that the flowers are forced out of the sleeves and into position as in Figs.
6 and 7. The bouquets practically spring out of the sleeves and into the
position shown in Fig, 6.

Practice these moves so that the production becomes graceful and al-
most automatic. The arc up and out from the body is very important for
the ease, the rhythm and the swing of the production.
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 27

BERT EASLEY’S IMPROMPTU CIGARETTE PRODUCTION

Where a person is required to produce a number of cigarettes in a
novel manner, and with but a moment to get ready, Bert Easley’s routine
will be more than welcome. It is suitable for the parlor, club or stage.
EFFECT:
The performer shows his right hand empty, and suddenly produces a
cigarette at his right finger tips. He places this cigarette in his mouth.
Suddenly another cigarette appears at his right finger tips, which he places
at an angle at the other side of his mouth. The cigarettes keep appearing
one at a time and, in his endeavor to get rid of them, he sticks them in his
ears, over his ears, in his mouth and between his fingers. Where a greater
number of cigarettes are used, the extras can be tossed to the audience.
To PREPARE:
From a package of cigarettes, dump twelve or more into your left coat
pocket. This should be done secretly as the audience must not be aware
of cigarettes in pocket. Finger palm one cigarette in right hand, Fig. 1.
To PEerForM:
You are facing the audience with your hands held about waist high.
The left hand is casually shown so that the audience sees its palm. The
back of the right hand is towards the audience. Bring the right hand
over to the right of your body, slightly turning your body and head towards
the right. The back of this hand should now be to the audience, thumb
down, Fig. 2.

FIG. 2. Fic. 5 —

The left hand casually goes into the left coat pocket and palms three
cigarettes between the base of the thumb and the second finger, Fig. 3.
Bring the palm of the right hand up towards the audience and as you
do so, cause the outer end of the cigarette to protrude at the rear between
the first and second fingers, Figs. 4 and 5.
28 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Bring the cigarette back to the position shown in Fig. 1, but the palm
of the hand is now towards the audience. Push the cigarette with thumb
and finger into the position shown in Fig. 6. You have apparently pro-
duced a cigarette from your empty hand. The left hand in the meantime,
with the three cigarettes palmed, is removed from the left coat pocket and
brought up in front of the body as in Fig. 3. The body faces the audience

again. As the right hand is brought over to transfer its cigarette to the
tips of the thumb and first two fingers of the left hand, the separated right
second and third fingers, Fig. 6, nip the ends of the three cigarettes, Figs.
7 and 8. The right fingers curl backward with the cigarettes and the left
hand takes the first cigarette away, Fig. 9. Place the produced cigarette
at an outward angle in the right corner of your mouth.

Get the little finger under the first cigarette A, Fig. 10, and the thumb
between A and B, then kick up A into the finger tip and thumb position as
shown in Fig. 11. Take A away with the left hand and place in the left
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 29

corner of your mouth at an outward angle, that is, pointing to the left.

Kick up cigarette B exactly as done in bringing A into position. Take

B with left hand and put it into the left pocket. While the left hand is
palming out three more cigarettes as before, Fig. 3, the cigarette C is pro-
duced by keeping the back of the right hand towards the audience and mov-
ing the hand to the right. The right thumb pushes the cigarette out be-
yond the little finger and into view, Fig. 12. This varies the method of
production.

In the meantime the left hand has come out of the left coat pocket
with the three palmed cigarettes. C is taken in the left hand as the three
cigarettes are nipped in the right hand, the same as were the first three,
Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

Bring A to the finger tips and left

hand places it in your left ear, Fig. 13.
B is produced and left hand places it
into the left coat pocket and agam
palms three cigarettes. Always re-
member that it is the next to the last
cigarette in the right hand which is
transferred to left hand and a load
stolen from pocket. Cis produced as in
Fig. 12, out past little finger.
The production is continued in the
same routine until you have four
cigarettes in your mouth, one in each
ear, one above each ear and two in each
hand, Fig. 13. This gives a total of
twelve cigarettes. If more are used,
toss the extras one at a time to the FIG. 13
audience some place during the routine. ;
For instance, put one in your ear and toss the next one to the audience,
another in the other ear, etc.

Practice the moves and the routine faithfully so they become second
nature. Bert Easley has taken familiar principles in cigarette manipula-
tion and combined them into an interesting, laugh-provoking novelty.

SMOKE UP YOUR SLEEVE

When Arnold Belais first introduced this smoke effect at the Society
of American Magicians in New York, it was a decided hit. It is one of
those apparent impromptu happenings that clicks with novelty, comedy and
arealization of good entertainment.
30 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

The performer puffs on a cigar or cigarette, gets a mouth full of smoke,

blows it down one sleeve, and it comes out the other!
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A length of rubber tubing long enough to go from the opening of
one sleeve, over across the back and down to the opening of the
other sleeve. Rubber tubing similar to that used in fountain
syringes is all right. Each end of the tubing is provided with a
mouthpiece consisting of a 10c cigarette holder. The mouthpiece
or narrow end is inserted in the tubing. The wide, or funnel, end
thus protrudes. This makes a better grip for your lips. A
cigarette holder should be in the end of tubing into which you
blow the smoke, even if none is inserted into the opposite end.
2—Attachments to hold the tube to the wrists such as a leather strap
with buckle to go around the wrist, or a band of cloth elastic.
There is a leather covered steel wrist watch attachment on the
market, which looks like a bicycle pants clip—this is ideal for the
purpose. To fasten the outlet in the left sleeve, Belais wears his
wrist watch.
3—A lighted cigar or cigarette.
To PREPARE:
The ends of the tubing must be anchored at each wrist. There
should be a wrist band for each wrist. The tubing comes between the
wrist and wrist band. The length of the tubing is such that the extreme

‘
V¢
Wid

ifv
1o
ends of the mouthpieces should be—about an inch inside the opening of the
left sleeve, and about two inches inside the opening of the right sleeve into
which the smoke will be blown. The mouthpiece in your left sleeve must
be attached to your wrist on the inside of your arm, Fig. 1. That is so the
tubing will be away from the audience and thus concealed as the arm is bent
upwards with the back of the hand towards the audience.
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 31

The tubing down the right sleeve must lie along the inside of the arm,
and exit on the outside below the wrist, Fig. 2. If you crook your right
arm at the elbow with the palm of the hand towards your face, the back of
the hand is “outside” or towards the audience. The action of bringing
up the arm with the palm of the hand towards the audience, placing the
palm on the right shoulder, enables you to bend your head forward with
mouth into the sleeve. Then you may readily get the end of the cigarette
holder into your mouth without fumbling.
The easiest way to attach the contrivance is to remove your coat,
attach a band to the right wrist, then put hand and arm into the right coat
sleeve carrying the end of the tubing down with them. The left hand
grasps the other end of the tubing and carries it down the left sleeve, mak-
ing sure that the tubing keeps to the side of the arms nearest your body.
The tubing thus arranged gives freedom of action.
To PEerrorm:
Hold the lighted cigar or cigarette in the right fingers, and after draw-
ing in and getting a good mouthful of smoke, the right hand is brought up,
palm facing you, past the face and over your right shoulder. The head
bends slightly forward so the mouth goes into the sleeve where the lips
easily take hold of the cigarette holder at the end of the tubing, Fig. 3.

ae
& ae
hn?
NN
FIG.4

Blow the smoke into the tube and raise your left hand so its palm is
towards audience, and away from body at left side. The fingers point
upward and wiggle as smoke comes out left sleeve (left hand palm should
show in Fig. 4.) The audience must not see the smoke come out of the
tube. The effect must be that the smoke goes down the right sleeve and
out the left one, without the apparent use of any apparatus or outside
means of preparation. Its beauty depends upon its seeming impromptu
performance. This is a beautiful effect performed in a cigarette routine.
VaRIATION: Belais uses a pretty variation by combining the smoke
effect with the vanishing handkerchief. A silk handkerchief is rolled up
32 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

and apparently placed in the left hand, the fingers closing as though hold-
ing the silk. Actually the silk is kept in the right hand concealed. As
soon as the smoke is blown down the right sleeve and out the left, the
left hand is opened and the silk seems to have vanished in the smoke.

IMPROMPTU HYDROSTATIC GLASS

In the hands of the late Jos. Scherer of Chicago, this was a dinner
table masterpiece. He often did it at the bar, or just anywhere a glass of
water happened to be available. But the dinner table was his favorite
“stage’’ for this miracle which seemed to require no preparation.
EFFECT:
As the group sat at the table, Scherer casually picked up the tumbler
of water before him and took a sip. He transferred the glass from hand to
hand and poured out some of the water so all were positive that all was
regular and void of trickery. Then, placing one hand over the mouth of
the glass, he inverted it, and the water remained suspended in the upside
down glass when he removed his hand. The glass was then turned back
to its normal position and it, as well as his hands, examined.

PARAPHERNALIA:
Several circular sheets of flexible clear celluloid, Fig. 1, varying in
diameter, such as 214, 254, 234 and 274 inches. These are in your
pocket, easily get-at-able.

FIG.3 FIG.4
FIG.|

To PREPARE:
Examination will reveal the fact that about three or four sizes of the
celluloid fakes will permit you to perfectly cover almost any of the tumblers
generally used for table water. So you cut your circles accordingly.
It is the use of the thin flexible sheet celluloid that permits the presentation
in the manner described, as it will easily bend in your palm, Fig. 2, and
press snugly against the side of a tumbler when that same hand grasps the
tumbler. The hand and the celluloid both conform to the shape of the
tumbler, and the fake is therefore not seen, Figs. 3 and 4.
 Lesson 446-—NOVELTY MAGIC 33

You secretly press your bare palm over the mouth of the tumbler to
ascertain what size fake will fit. The pressure makes a momentary im-
pression on the palm on which you can have tiny ink marks to indicate
various diameters, and thus be able to secure the right fake from your
pocket, and palm it in the right hand.
To PERFORM:
While a goblet or stem glass can be used, this is best adapted for a
tumbler since the straight side permits the fake to be pressed flat against
it and is thus invisible.
Take a tumbler which is nearly full of water. Pick it up with your
right hand which then’holds the fake against the glass, Fig.3. Hold itso
the fake is out under the tips of the right fingers but still completely covered
by the right fingers. You make some comment as you take a sip, to
casually draw attention to the fact that you are drinking from the glass—
“‘Here’s to you,” or other remark such as “One more little drink.”
Pretend that the water tastes bad and remark, ‘J don’t want to be all
upset by this kind of water.” Get another glass or cup and suit the action
to the statement, ‘‘I’ll just pour off a little from the top.”” Leave about 24
of the tumbler full of water which you still hold in your right hand.

FIG.6
Now extend your left hand with fingers wide open so its emptiness is
obvious without comment—nobody knows what you intend todo. Trans-
fer the glass of water from the right to the left hand. The fake goes along,
unseen, at the same time, and rests snugly against the tumbler under the
grip of the left hand, same as it was held by the right hand. To get the
fake in the proper position in the left hand, the right hand is momentarily
screened by the left hand in the act of transferring the tumbler. At that
moment,'the right thumb is drawn back thus rolling the tumbler so the
fake may be completely covered by the left fingers which curl around both
fake and glass, Fig. 5. The movement is easy and natural and excites no
suspicion. The right hand is casually extended in a gesture, with fingers
wide apart—obviously empty, as was the left hand a moment before.
Another method of easy transfer from the right to the left hand, is to
simply grasp the glass with the left hand on the side opposite that held by
the right hand. It is easy for the left thumb and fingers to grasp the edges
of the celluloid disc, keeping it still curved against the glass, Fig. 6. Show
34 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

right hand casually with a gesture—showing it contains nothing—but

without saying so.
The glass (and fake) may be transferred back to the right hand, if
desired, or you may proceed to the actual demonstration at this point.
As one hand takes hold of the tumbler, the other hand comes away with the
fake palmed, Fig. 2, and immediately places the fake, unseen, on the mouth
of the tumbler while the hand holds it there, Fig. 7. With the tumbler

thus held between both hands, they are turned over and the fake gently ©
but firmly pressed close to the mouth of the tumbler all around. By
slightly releasing the pressure of the hand from the fake, its correct func-
tioning is ascertained, and when O.K., the lower hand is removed, Fig. 8.

The water thus appears to be suspended contrary to the laws of gravity,

Replacing the hand beneath the glass, it is turned upright, the fake palmed
off and allowed to drop into a napkin on your lap below the table. Both
hands are then casually shown empty and a great mystery ended.

FREEZING A GLASS OF WATER

The freezing of water in a glass is a variation of Jos. Scherer’s Hydro-
static Glass which we have just described.
EFFECT:
The performer fills a glass tumbler about three-quarters full of water.
He places his left hand underneath the glass and his right hand over the
mouth. The water in the glass seems to freeze and ice can be seen forming
in the glass. The glass is turned upside down, the right hand is removed
from the mouth of the glass. Because the water seems to be frozen into
ice inside the glass, it remains suspended in the inverted glass.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A glass tumbler.
2—A pitcher of water.
 Lesson 446-—NOVELTY MAGIC 35

3—A piece of celluloid to fit over the mouth of the glass, such as is
described in the Impromptu Hydrostatic Glass.
4—A piece of thin cellophane—such as used around a cigar.
> , To PREPARE:
a Crumple the cellophane up into a small ball; Fig. 1,
and palm it in the right hand. The piece of celluloid is
in the pocket or some place handy to get at with the
FIG. right hand.
To PERFORM:
Fill the glass about three-quarters full from the pitcher. Hold the
glass of water on the left palm. . . ‘‘It is said that ancient mystics, by merely
concentrating their minds upon a glass of water, could cause the water to
freeze in the glass. A mystic would hold a glass of water on his left hand and
cover the mouth of the glass with his right hand.”
Cover the mouth of the glass with your right hand, as in Fig. 2.
As you do so, drop the crumpled ball of cellophane into the water, and then
shake the glass up and down a few times. This allows the cellophane to
open up and expand. The cellophane opened in the glass gives the ap-
pearance of water freezing into ice within the glass.

[ey )

up 1d

Remove the right hand and, while your eyes are concentrated on the
glass, reach into your right trousers pocket and palm the piece of celluloid.
Or the celluloid can be secretly gotten out of a clip from under your coat.
Sometimes, in the pocket method, I would remove my handkerchief for a
moment after I had palmed the celluloid, wipe off the glass a bit and re-
place the handkerchief in my pocket.
Replace your hand over the glass getting the celluloid in place. Turn
the glass upside down and remove your right hand. The celluloid keeps
the water from coming out. The effect to the audience is that the water
has frozen into ice, and ice being solid, stays in the glass, Fig. 3... “And
thus the water would freeze in the glass.”
36 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Place the glass aside on the table upside down, to be gotten rid of
later. Or you can turn the glass back to normal position again, palm off
the celluloid and place the glass upon the table. . . “Jt is amazing what
those ancient mystics could do.”
Norte: Freezing water in a glass reminds me of the magical freezing
demonstrations of Charles Leedy. He used to remove a cigarette from the
pack, blow on it, and cause it apparently to freeze. He would break it
into two or three pieces and one could hear the solid cigarette crack as
though frozen solid. The secret was in the fact that Leedy used to get
some brown school chalk and cut it down to cigarette size, wrap it in
cigarette paper to resemble a cigarette and place it in the pack with the
real cigarettes. He would pass out a normal cigarette to a spectator, then
he himself would remove the prepared one. After blowing on it, all that
was necessary was to break it imto three pieces, the chalk cracking like
breaking ice.

ISELY’S “ANTI-GRAVICO”
Thanks to John Isely for permission to put his fast selling hydrostatic
bottle effect in this lesson.
EFFECT:
A Coca Cola, Seven-Up, or soda pop bottle is borrowed and filled
three-quarters full of water. The bottle is turned upside down but the
water does not run out. Matches and a pencil are inserted in the inverted
mouth of the bottle and float in the top of the bottle, but still the water
does not pour out. At the magician’s command, however, the water
gushes out into a glass or pitcher. The bottle can be immediately passed
out for examination.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A special transparent celluloid cap
formed to fit any standard white or
colored soft drink bottle, Fig. 1. There
is a hole in the cap five-sixteenths of an
inch in diameter which will permit
matches and pencils to be inserted.
FIG.1
This cap is manufactured by Isely and there is a patent pending;
it can be purchased from a magic dealer under the above name.
If the cap should fit loosely around a bottle top, it can be ad-
justed smaller by dipping it in warm water and pressing around the
rim with your thumb. This is done in secret. Ordinarily this is
not necessary and up to date I have not had to do so.
2—A soft drink bottle. The smaller size like that used for Coca-
Cola, Seven-up, Dr. Pepper and soda pop, is the best. Do not
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 37

use the larger quart bottle size. The water pressure is too great.
3—Matches, a pencil, and any light weight wooden or paper article
that will float upward in the water and that will pass through the
opening in the cap.
4—A large glass or a pitcher of water.
To PREPARE:
Bottle and glass of water are on the table. Have the transparent
celluloid cap some place where you can easily get it unobserved. Matches
and pencil are handy.
To PERForM:
The celluloid cap is finger palmed in the right hand with the smooth
rounded side against the fingers. The cap is directly over the second and
third fingers so that the first finger and thumb have considerable freedom.
Pick up the bottle with your left hand.
“TI am going back to high school-days when in the Physics class we used
to do strange things with a bottle of water.”’... Pour water from the glass or
pitcher into the bottle until the bottle is about full. Then pour back some
water into the glass or pitcher until the bottle remains only three-quarters
full. By pouring out some water, shows that the water really comes out
when the bottle is inverted. This is just a bit of psychology in connection
with what is to follow.

“The idea was to fill a bottle about three-quarters full of water and put
your hand over the mouth of the bottle.”’. . Place your hand over the bottle
mouth and as you do so, place the celluloid cap over the opening, Fig. 2.
... ‘And then turn the bottle upside down on your hand.”
Turn the bottle upside on the palm of your right hand. The opening
of the bottle is just slid from the fingers over onto the palm, Fig. 3,
38 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

in the turning of the bottle... ‘‘The water would not come out of the bottle.
Of course you did not dare to take your hand away.”
As you say the latter, move your right hand away to the right with a
gesture. No water comes out of the bottle because of the cap. Place your
hand back under the mouth of the bottle. “Just keep your hand tight
against the mouth of the bottle. Should you be a magician you can take your
hand away.”
Take your right hand away. Hold the bottle in your left hand so
that the center of the bottle is about as high as your chin... ‘And even
then the water will not come out; because, confidentially, it’s hypnotized.”
Pick up a match with your right hand and insert the head end into the
center of the celluloid cap at the mouth of the bottle. Wiggle the match a
bit, Fig. 4, and let loose of the match. It will float on up into the bottle.
Be sure the opening is slightly away from the audience.

Tip the bottle to an angle and push another match slowly up into the
neck of the bottle. Let loose of the match and it will also float up to the
top of the water in the bottle. Do the same with the third match. If
you place a match halfway through the celluloid cap it will remain sus-
pended, Fig. 5, neither going up nor down, which naturally creates a mys-
terious effect. Push up on the match and it will float up into the bottle.
Pick up the pencil. Use a pencil without a rubber attachment.
Push the pencil rather quickly into the bottle or it will draw water, and
cause water to leak out. Diplay the bottle for a moment, showing the
items in the water... ‘‘Good swimmers all of these things—and floaters!”
Place the palm of your right hand back under the mouth of the
bottle, and against the celluloid cap. Turn the bottle upright and in
doing so, bring right thumb up against the side of cap and remove cap.
“Now all that remains, is to dehypnotize the water and pour it back into
the glass.”. . Pour the water back into the glass or the pitcher. Wipe
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 39

your hands with a handkerchief and replace on the table or in the pocket,
leaving the gimmick in it.
Nore: In my own program I sometimes have the cap on the bottle
in the beginning. I pick up the empty bottle and turn it upside down upon
my right palm. In turning the bottle upright again, steal off the cap and
finger palm it. Pick up the glass of water and pour it into the bottle and
proceed with the regular routine.
Another method is to conceal the cap in your mouth. In the act ef
drinking from the bottle, it is a simple matter to slip the cap into position
over the mouth of the bottle. With another drink at the finish, the cap
may be removed as it comes into the mouth.

WATER PRODUCTION FROM PAPER CUP

This simple water production using paper cups was worked out for
my show some time ago and it has been very useful and effective.
EFFECT:
The performer picks up a paper tube or cover and places it on the fore
part of table. He picks up two paper cups and shows them freely. One
of these he places in the top of the paper tube and allows it to rest on the
table. The cover is removed, the cup picked up and water poured from
it into the other cup. A cup of water has been mysteriously produced.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Three paper cups, the kind with slightly raised bottoms. The
cups I use are 35¢ inches high, 3 inches in diameter across the mouth
and 2 inches in diameter at the bottom.

2—A paper or metal cover 514 inches high and 314 inches in diameter
To PREPARE:
One of the cups, A, has the top rolled edge cut off, Fig. 1. The second
cup, B, has the bottom cut out, Fig. 2. The third cup, C, is unprepared.

FIG.1 FIG.2

The cover is easily made by rolling a piece of book cover paper into a
tube and binding the outside edge with Scotch Tape or gummed paper.
40 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

The edge inside the tube should also be taped. A tube made of metal is
more serviceable, but the book cover paper tube answers the purpose, Fig. 3.
To set up the trick, fill cup A about 34 full of water. Place it on the table.
Over this, place the cover, Fig. 4. Place cup B, without a bottom, in the
unfaked cup C, Fig. 5.

Fic 3 ENG: <t CS)

To PERFORM:
Pick up the cover with the cup of liquid inside, Fig. 6, and move them
to the fore part of the table. If done nonchalantly, one would not suspect
that there is anything in the cover. The cup inside should be raised with -
the fingers a bit inside the cover so there will be no chance of the audience
seeing the hidden cup inside, while the cover is being moved.
Show cup C with B inside. Hold them so the audience can see inside
the cups. Remove B, show C empty and place Cin B. The cups'can be
freely shown now as the bottom of C looks like the bottom of B. Place
B back in C. B should always be kept at such an angle when alone so the
audience can not see that it is bottomless. Place cup B into the top of the
cover and press it down into cup A containing the water, Fig. 7. Do not
do this too quickly, or it will splash. This move should be practiced.

FIG.7
Lift up the cover showing the cup on the table. Show the cover empty
and replace it on the table. Pick up the cup of water with the right hand,
and the empty cup with the left hand. Pour the water into the left hand
cup, Fig. 8. Pour back and forth a couple of times to show it is real water.
This is good to precede any mystery requiring a cup or glass of water.
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 41

WATER IN THE HAT

An apparent mistake by the magician is so often welcomed by the
audience, particularly when the seeming accident turns out in favor of the
performer and no harm done. Fred Shadley and I were experimenting
with a bottomless glass and a celluloid glass that fitted around the bottom-
less one, and we hit on a funny gag that met with excellent success when
tested before the very first audience. To simplify matters the idea was
worked out with paper cups.
EFFECT:
The magician talks about pouring water from a glass into a paper
cup, but absentmindedly pours it into a borrowed hat. Realizing suddenly
what he has done, he lowers the empty cup into the hat and brings it out
fairly well filled with water which he pours back into the glass. The hat
is turned over and shown to be empty and unharmed.

FIG. I FIG, 2 FIG. 3

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A special papercup. This is made from two fairly large paper cups.
Cut off the top rolled rim of cup A, Fig. 1, and even it up with
sharp scissors. Cut off the bottom of cup B, Fig. 2. Cup B will
now fit into cup A asin Fig.3. The two together look like one cup.
Colored cups are the best, such as pink, green or blue.
2—A hat, which may be borrowed from the audience.
To PREPARE:
The prepared cup AB is on the table together with a glass about two-
thirds full of water.
To Perrorm:
Borrow a gentleman’s hat and show it empty. Hold the hat in your
left hand, by the brim, mouth of hat upwards. Pick up the prepared cup
with the right hand and casually show it empty.
“A magician friend of mine, while attending a dinner party, accidentally
tipped over his cup of tea. He explained to the hostess and the guests that the
tea had really gone through the cup instead of out the top. Science has shown
us that a solid object has more space than solidity. For instance, if I were to
42 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

place this paper cup into the hat”... Place the cup down into the hat, Fig.
4,... “It would be easy to take it invisibly out through the bottom of the hat.”
Make the motion with your right hand as though pulling the cup out
of the bottom of the hat... “There you are, the cup itself. Of course to
you it may be invisible. However, if I push it through the bottom of the hat
again I can lake it out the top so you can see il again.”

Pretend to push the invisible cup through the hat and then reach into
the hat and remove cup A, leaving cup B in the hat, Fig. 5. There is noth-
ing suspicious about this move. ‘To the audience you just remove the same
cup that you putin. Place the hat, mouth up, on the table. The audience
takes the above bit as a gag or piece of comedy.

Transfer cup A to the left hand, being careful that the cup is held so
the audience does not see the open bottom. Pick up the glass of water with
the right hand. Pour the water from the glass down into cup B inside the
hat, Fig. 6. The audience thinks you just poured the water into the hat.
 Lesson 446—NOVELTY MAGIC 43

“Wait a minute. I didn’t mean to pour the water into the hat but into
this cup. Oh, well, we'll put the cup into the hat and scoop up the water.”’.. .
Lower cup B into cup A in the hat. Because there is no bottom in B it
sinks down easily into A. Lift out A and B as one cup, Fig. 7. . . ‘‘and the
hat is unharmed.” ... With your left hand, turn the mouth of the hat
towards the audience to show it is empty. Replace on table... “The
water? We just pour it back in the glass.” ... Pour the water from cup into
the glass.

ANOTHER PaTTER VERSION:

“T knew a man who said he could keep cool in the summer time by earry-
ing a cup of water in his hat.”” Show the hat empty and place it on the table.
Show the cup AB empty and place in the hat. Lift B out of the hat leav-
ing cup A inside. “I forgot to put the water in the hat.” ... Pick up glass
and pour the water into cup A inside the hat. . . “Or rather, I should have
poured the water into the cup, instead of the hat; and then put the cup into the
hat.” ... Put cup B down into hat into cup A.

“Then when the summer was over I could take the cup of water out of the
hat and pour it back into the glass.”"... Remove A and B together as one
cup and pour the water from the cup into the glass. Show the hat empty
and unharmed... “Such a process would keep the hat from getting wet and
thereby catching cold from the dampness thereof.”

BERLAND CUP AND WATER TRANSIT

I shall never forget the time that I performed this mystery for my
personal class in magic at the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians in
Oakland, California. The effect was so startling that it had them all
guessing. Finally, to break the tension I taught the students how to
perform this clever puzzler of Sam Berland’s. Try it on an audience and
see the effect.

EFFECT:
The performer shows a paper cup which he fills about two-thirds full
of water., He borrows a hat and, after showing it empty, places it on the
table mouth upwards. Into the hat he places the cup of water. On
second thought, the performer removes the cup of water and places it in a
paper bag. Squeezing the mouth of bag closed, he suddenly smashes the
bag by bringing his other hand up against the bottom. The cup of water
has vanished! For the benefit of those who might think that the cup is
still inside, or that the performer may be using a paper shell, the magician
tears the bag open and gives it to someone in the audience. There is
nothing left but the crumpled paper bag. The performer then reaches into
the hat and removes the paper cup with water.
44 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A regular sized paper cup, about 35¢ inches high, 3 inches in
diameter at the top and 2 inches at the bottom, Fig. 1. The bot-
tom is slightly raised. A smaller cup can be used if desired.
2—Another paper cup as above, except that the top rolled edge is cut
off and the bottom is cleanly trimmed away, Fig. 2. This cup
must fit inside of one of.the regular cups, Fig. 3. The edge of the
inner cup B is trimmed around even with the top edge of paper cup
A. If properly done you can show the audience the inside of the
prepared cup when you turn it mouth towards them, without excit-_
ing any suspicion.

FIG.| FIG.2 FIG.3 FIG.4

3—Another paper cup about two-thirds filled with water, or a pitcher

of water.
4—A paper bag.
5—A hat, which can be borrowed, if desired.
6—A rubber band.
To PREPARE:
Cup B rests inside of cup A, Fig. 3. Nearby is a pitcher of water.
On table is the paper bag. The rubber band is in right trousers pocket.
To Prerrorm:
Borrow a hat from someone in the audience, or use your own and place
on table, mouth upwards. Pick up the prepared double cup and show it
empty. Pick up the receptacle of water from table and fill the prepared
paper cup about two-thirds full of water, Fig. 4.
“This is a story of prohibition days. You know the definition of a pro-
hibitionist—a person who does not drink liquor—in public. People drank
liquor out of everything from glasses, bottles, tin cans and shoe boxes to paper
cups. I had poured some gin into a paper cup—hydrogin and oxygin. I
do not drink the stuff myself bul I was going to a party that did. Now the
idea is, how to get the gin indetectably to the party. ‘I'll carry it in my hat’
 Lesson 46-—NOVELTY M AGIC 45

says I to myself.” ... Place the paper cup with water into the hat, Fig. 5.

““Yes,’ said a friend of mine, ‘a fine looking specimen you will be, carry-
ing your hat along the street and balancing it like a tight rope walker. Here,
let me get you a bag . . . . put the cup into this bag.’ ”

Pick up the paper sack, open it up, and hold it in your left hand.
Reach into the hat with the right hand and remove the bottomless cup B,
which leaves cup A with water inside of the hat, Fig.6. Hold cup B at such
an angle that the audience can not see the bottom of the faked cup. Handle
it as though it was heavy with water. Place the cup in the paper bag,
Fig. 7, apparently setting it on the bottom of the sack in a careful manner.
a9
“Don’t spill the liquor,’ said my friend, ‘Keep the cup upright.
When the cup is out of sight in the bag, crush the cup flat between thumb
and fingers, Fig. 8. Fold the cup again, Fig. 9, and then another fold in
the opposite direction, Fig. 10. Close the hand around the folded cup,
Fig. 11, and remove your right hand which secretly contains the folded re-
mains of the cup.
46 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

‘Put a rubber band around the top of the bag.” ... Reach into right
trousers pocket and leave the folded cup. Bring your hand out with the
rubber band. Crunch the bag together at the top and place rubber band
around top of the bag. Do this in the same careful manner as though the
bag contained a cup of liquor.
“So I started for the party. Along the street I met a policeman. ‘What
have you got in that sack?’ he yells. ‘Nothing,’ said I. ‘Nothing?’ said he.
‘You mean to tell me you are just carrying a sack of nothing?’ ‘That's right,’
I said .. . ‘See’?”’ Holding top of the bag with your left hand, smash the
bottom with your right hand, squashing the bag between the hands.
“Nothing ... Goodbye!” ... ‘Wait a minute here, not so fast,’ said he.
‘Open up that sack.’”” Remove the rubber band and open up the bag—
opening at top.
‘There, the bag is opened. Goodbye!” .... ‘Hold on, let me see the
sack,’ he continued. ... ‘‘So he took the bag and tore it into pieces... .
and of course there really was nothing in the bag.”
Tear the bag into pieces, and give to some spectator in the audience.
Reach into the hat, remove the cup of water and pour it back into the
pitcher with which you started.... ‘‘You don’t catch me wasting liquor.”

THE SOAP PITCHMAN

How well I remember, as a boy, when the soap pitchman came to town
and set up his stand with soap, his horse and buggy or covered wagon nearby.
Later he used the automobile and would unfold the back of his car making
a sort of platform out of it.
His idea in selling soap for a quarter a bar was to insert one dollar, or
five dollar, bills inside the wrappers of some of the cakes and toss them into
the basket with the other cakes of soap. Spectators in their gambling fever
to get something for nothing bought many cakes of soap. Needless to say,
the performer was not working for “‘charity”’ purposes, and lost very little
money, the ‘‘Shills” getting the soap with the bills in the wrappers. Of
course, for ‘‘advertising purposes’ one of the well-known townspeople
would get a lucky package containing a dollar. Should the soap salesman
be there for a couple of nights; naturally a number of the townspeople got
dollar bills, so that a goodly crowd would be back the second night to buy
soap in even greater quantities, this time with the bait increased to five
dollar bills.
William Larsen and I were talking about the soap pitchman and he
suggested that the dollar bill and cake of soap idea could be adapted to a
magical mystery; combining it with the salesman’s patter, a “‘three card
monte” idea, and by having the money show up in some unexpected place.
We worked out this simple routine for a magical mystery.
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 47

EFFECT?
The performer displays four wrapped cakes of soap and tells about the
wonderful qualities of his soap. As no one can keep him from giving away
money if he wants to, he wraps a dollar bill in one of the cakes of soap and
places it on the table in front of him. So as to make it fair for the folks on
the right he places another cake at the right of the one on the table; and
to make it fair for the folks at the left he places another cake at the left. . .
“Now, who will give me a quarter for any of these cakes of soap?’’... He
moves the cakes around a bit. A spectator selects the one he thinks the
dollar is in but the money is not there. Two cakes remain. Another
spectator selects one, but no money. Finally the third cake is taken by
another spectator but there is no money there either... “J am very sorry,
gentlemen, but the money is in the cake over here.” ... He opens the fourth
cake at his left and true enough it does contain the dollar bill.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Four cakes of toilet soap, such as Camay, Palm Olive, Woodbury,
etc. The cakes must be wrapped and all alike.
2—A prepared dollar bill, which consists of a bill folded to one-eighth
of its size, with green side outward. It is made into a pull by
attaching a black rubber elastic and safety pins, Fig. 1.

3—Two single dollar bills to match the other. All three, when folded,
should be similar in appearance.

To PREPARE:
Attach a safety pin to the
right lower side of your vest.
Through this run the end of the
pull so that the dollar bill is
against the front side of the
safety pinon the vest. Attach
the other end of pull to the
back of the vest with a safety
pin, Fig. 2. Place the folded FIG.3
bill in your right lower vest FIG.2
pocket, Fig. 3. Also place one of the other folded bills in the same pocket,
but at the left side so that either bill can be gotten at easily, Fig. 3.
48 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

The third bill is placed inside the wrapper of one of the cakes of soap,
between the soap and the wrapper, Fig. 4. Rewrap the soap. Make a
pencil mark on this wrapper so it will be easily recognized. Each soap
wrapper should have the ends unsealed so they will all look alike. Place
the prepared cake at the bottom of the stack of four cakes on the table.

To PERFORM:
DOLLAR BILL
“I wonder how many of us, particularly those
who came from the smaller towns, remember the soap
salesman who used to come to town in his horse and -
buggy, later his automobile, set up a table, a ballyhoo,
and sell soap. He placed dollar bills or even five
dollar bills inside some of the soap wrappers mizing
them with the others and gave his customers free
choice. Let us go back to those days and let me be
the soap pitchman.”

BG From now on the patter is given in “street

fakir’ style. .. .‘‘Now folks, gather in a little closer, for I want to tell you
about one of the most amazing discoveries of the age.” ... Pick up the top
cake of soap, and hold it in your left hand...

“Had this article been possible in ancient Egypt, people would have looked
upon it with awe and reverence. Egyptian princesses dreamed of this famous
body, youth, skin and mind beautifier; and it is truly said that if Cleopatra
could have obtained this amazing substance she would have never been bitten
by an adder. And yet—strange as it may seem—this remarkable wonder of
the modern civilized world contains the very oils that ancient princesses and
queens used to bring forth that glamorous beauty for which they were famous.
Beautifying and cleansing substances which emperors and brave men fought
over that they might bring home to their loved ones. What is this great dis-
covery I am describing? Gather a little closer folks that you might all hear.
It is ‘HEAL-YU’ soap, folks, the great glorious ‘HEAL-YU’ soap. Little
do you know how blessed your are to be among the wise progressive people of
this fair land who are here tonight to learn about ‘HEAL-YU’ soap. Hun-
dreds of people have told me how they have been helped. The sick have escaped
the grave, the poverty stricken have gotten great riches; and men and women
have found their sweethearts, their loved ones; their Prince and Princess
Charmings. Society women in New York City pay from one dollar to five
dollars per cake for this magic ‘HEAL-YU’ soap. But tonight I am not
charging you. five dollars a cake, or one dollar a cake. I am not here to sell
you anything. I am here only to demonstrate the qualities of this product.
You do not have to buy a thing. I am here to give you at cost, this remarkable
article. Not five dollars, not one dollar, not even fifty cents—but only
TWENTY-FIVE cents—one-quarter of a dollar!
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 49

“How can I stand here and practically give things away? Folks, listen!”
Remove the regular detached dollar bill from your vest pocket and
unfold it... “Here isa dollar bill. Is there anyone who can prevent me from
giving you this dollar bill, if I so choose? If I wanted to give a hundred dollar
bill to this gentlmen here, is there anyone who can prevent me from doing so?
Of course not. It is my privilege to give you money, if I choose, or to give you
none, if I choose—is that right? Of course. Millions of dollars are spent
each year to advertise products in magazines alone. Can't we give you the
money direct, if we want to, and let you do the advertising?”
Refold the dollar bill as you are talking and replace it in the left side
of your vest pocket. Partially unwrap the cake of soap you are holding and
show the soap... ‘Just look at the texture of this soap. Did you ever see
another soap like it? Now folks, I am going to take this dollar bill.” ...
Remove the prepared dollar bill (on end of pull) with your right hand.
Your thumb and fingers conceal the safety pin and elastic. Let the folded
bill be plainly. seen, Fig. 5. The back of your hand is towards the
audience. Apparently you have taken out the same bill you just placed
in your pocket... ‘And wrap it inside with this cake of soap.”

Place the folded bill between the cake of soap and the wrapper, Fig. 6.
Move the left thumb and fingers in towards the body a bit which brings
the soap wrapper up so as to screen the right fingers. Unobserved, you
allow the) folded bill to slip back into your right fingers, because of tension
of the elastic. The right hand, back to audience, is brought back near
your body for a moment, the bill is released, flying back, unobserved, under
your coat and up against the safety pin on the side of your vest. There
should be no unnatural move. The audience must think that the bill is
still in the soap wrapper. Now fold over the soap wrapper with both
hands and bring it back to normal shape.
“Yes, folks, if I want to give money away, I can do so. I could place a
dollar in every cake of soap and it would just be my own business. I'll place
this cake of soap on the table’... Place the cake on the table in full view in
50 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

front of you... “Who will give me twenty-five cents for this cake of soap?
Just a minute! The people over at the right side say that they are not given
a chance—that you people here in the center can take it quicker because you are
nearer. So as to make it fair for all I will place another cake of soap beside
this one.”. . Pick up one of the other cakes and place it about three or
four inches or so at the right of the first cake.
‘Now the folks on the left say, ‘What about us? Aren’t you going to
give us a chance?’ Of course Iam. Fair play is my motto. So I'll place
another cake over here at the left.”... Place another cake three or four inches
or so to the left of the first cake, Fig. 7.

FIG.7
“To make tt fair for all Iwill just move the cakes around a bit.”... Move
the cakes about, changing their positions, but so all can follow the first
cake... “Now who will offer me twenty-five cents for any one of these re-
markable cakes of ‘HEAL-YU’ soap? Any cake on the table! You, sir,
thank you. Is that the cake you want? Now remember, sir, even tf you
only got the soap, and no money, you still have far more than your money’s
worth. Isn’t that so? Yes, sir!”
If you are on the stage you can pick up the pointed out first cake, open
it up and show there isno money init. If spectators are near, or you have
a committee, a spectator can open the wrapper and discover the absence of
money... “Yes, folks, I have made this fair for all. You just did not keep
your eye on the cake of soap with the money, sir. Who will give me twenty-
Jive cents for any one of those that remain on the table? Thank you madam,
you want this one?”... It is opened but it contains no money.
“Now remember, folks, as I have said, I can give my money away or not,
just as I choose. The soap is worth more than you pay for it and when I give
you money I do so out of the kindness of my heart. You all admit that. Who
will give me twenty-five cents—one-quarter of a dollar—only one more chance
~—who’ll take a chance for twenty-five cents? You, sir?”
The wrapper is opened but still no money. .. ‘“Remember folks I have
given you free choice of any cake of soap on the table. The only trouble,
folks, was that in your anxiety you did nol choose the right cake of soap—
the one in which I placed the dollar bill.”
As you say this, pick up the fourth cake at your left, open it up and
remove the dollar bill. Place the bill back in your right lower vest pocket,
after having shown it to the audience.
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 51

THE STAMP ALBUM

I remember seeing the stamp album mystery some years ago, in which
an empty stamp album suddenly filled itself with a collection of postage
stamps on each side of the pages. I believe the idea is English in origin.
It was based on an old familiar principle in magic, of every other page being
cut short, which resulted in the pages being blank when the ends of the
pages were thumbed one way, and the book appeared full of stamps when
the pages were thumbed in the opposite direction. The short page auto-
matically fell against the long page. This principle is also used in the
Svengali forcing deck of cards.
When I was a boy I bought a “Magic Picture Book,” based on a
similar principle in which blank white pages suddenly became filled with
pictures; the pictures would change to reading matter; then to pictures
of animals or birds, and finally blank again. The pages had the ends cut
on the bias, some from one side, and some from the other.
John Giordmaine, that clever magician of Toronto, Canada, applied a
jogging principle to the stamp album and thereby made it possible to show
the pages either blank or with postage stamps, without turning the album
around, nor having to thumb the pages from the opposite direction. He
can run the pages backwards or forwards and get either result that he wants.
EFFEcT:
The performer shows an envelope filled with various kinds of postage
stamps. He seals up the envelope and places it in full view on the table.
A stamp album is shown empty. Suddenly it fills with stamps on both sides
of the pages. The envelope is cut open and shown empty.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A specially prepared stamp album. This is just a photo album,
commonly used for pasting snapshots in, Fig. 1. Both the cover
and the pages are black. The album that John Giordmaine uses
is 7 X 11 inches, and bound on one end with a series of metal rings
about 54, of an inch in diameter. There are eighteen sheets of
heavy black paper in the book. A postage stamp is pasted on the
front of the book for quick identification without hesitation.

FIG. | FIG.2.
To construct the album, the outer end of the first page is cut as
in Fig. 2. The upper tab is represented as A and the lower tab as
52 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

B. B is jogged about 1% of an inch. The next sheet has A cut

out and jogged as in Fig. 3. Continue to cut away B from the
odd numbered sheets and A from the even numbered ones. Paste
postage stamps between the first and second sheets, Fig. 4. You
can arrange these to suit yourself. Between the second and third
sheets, the pages are left empty. Between the third and fourth
sheets both pages are{covered with stamps. Every other pair of
facing pages is covered with stamps. The rest are empty.

€80 a
pea
BG os
FIG.3 FIG.4

If properly done, you can thumb the edges of the pages at A,

Fig. 5, and the album can be shown as blank. Or if thumbed from
the left hand, the thumb slips over B. Move the right hand thumb
over to B and thumb the pages from front to back and the stamped
pages show up, Fig. 6. Thumb the pages with the left hand from

COMPARTMENT
COMPARTMENT INNER
A PARTITION

FIG.7 — END pasTED To

SEAL RIGHT END
OF FRONT COMPARTMENT

A and the stamps still show. The right hand thumbs the pages
from front to back, and the left hand from back to front.
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 53

2—Postage stamps. These are the cancelled postage stamps both

foreign and domestic that can be bought for very little at a novelty
store or place where collector’s stamps are sold. Get a couple of
envelopes or so.
3—A double envelope, Fig. 7. You have already been told how to
make the double envelope, by cutting the front off of one envelope
and inserting it in another, Fig. 7. The inner partition is pasted
to the rear of envelope on the right end for about a half-inch in
width. This so that when the right end of the envelope is finally
cut off the contents of compartment A are sealed inside and only
compartment B will be open. Seal the two flaps together. The
envelope now looks quite ordinary.

4—A pair of scissors.

To PREPARE:
Place a handful of cancelled postage stamps, similar to those in the
book, in compartment A of the double envelope. Place envelope on table.
Beside it put the stamp album.

To PERFORM:
Pick up the envelope of stamps. .. ‘Did you ever collect postage
stamps?”’. . . With the right hand lift some of the stamps out of the
envelope and show them. Let the audience see that the envelope contains
stamps. Place them back... “J once got a whole envelope full; sealed
them up and put them away.” ... Seal up the envelope and place on the
table in full view of the audience.
“T also bought myself a stamp album.” ... Pick up the stamp album
and show it empty by thumbing the pages at the proper tabs... “It’s
full of nice blank pages.” ... You can run the pages back with left hand
from B on the opposite page. Close the album.
“It’s been months now and I’ve never pasted the stamps in the album—
so I think the only way I’ll ever be able to get them in the book is by magic!” .. .
Show the album filled with stamps by thumbing with your right hand at B.
You can'reverse the pages with stamps by thumbing with left hand at A.
Close the album and place it on the table. Pick up the envelope and cut
off the right end with the scissors. Do not cut very deep. Open the
envelope and show the B compartment empty. The stamps in A com-
partment are sealed in, out of view... “J guess we got them all. Some
stamp collector!”
Norte: Another good method of vanishing the stamps is the double
paper cone—either the Superba Paper Cone or the Royal Paper Cone,
described in Volume 2, Lesson 22.
54 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

DELL O’DELL STAMP ALBUM PRESENTATION

Dell O’Dell, popular lady magician, has a knack of making her mys-
teries interesting by using poetry at times for patter. It gives her magic
a certain rhythm that appeals to an audience. She has very kindly given
me her presentation of the stamp album mystery for this lesson.
EFFECT:
A stamp album is shown to be empty, and placed under the performer’s
left arm or on the table in full view. From a box a drawer of postage
stamps is removed and the latter dumped into a glass bowl. The stamps -
are placed back in the drawer and the drawer closed. The stamps are
shown to have appeared on each page of the book; and the drawer box
shown to be empty. _The performer changes her mind and says she would
rather use the book for photographs. So the album becomes empty again
and the stamps return to the drawer box.
PARAPHERNALIA: ;
1—A special stamp album as in John Giordmaine version.
2—A drawer box, Fig. 8. This piece of -
apparatus was popular with con-
jurers for many years. It is obtain-
able from magic dealers. The box
has a drawer which, when opened,
can be shown empty, or filled with
articles, as the performer desires.
The drawer proper is a type of
wooden shell surrounding a real
drawer on the front, bottom and two
sides. The shell can be pulled out
enough to be shown empty, or it will come out with real drawer inside.
The drawer is controlled from the bottom of box by the performer’s finger.
3—Cancelled postage stamps.
4—A glass bowl, such as a fish bowl.
To PREPARE:
The drawer box contains about the same number of stamps that are
in the album. The box is on table. You start by holding the prepared
stamp album,
To PERForm:
‘Hobbies, my friends, are quite popular this year.
Folks collect all sorts of things both quaint and dear.
Some gather china, some rugs, coins or odd lamps
But my hobby is collecting rare old stamps.”
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 55

“Now, I’m rather a busy performer, you see,

Yet I love my hobby quite passionately;
So I’ve had to devise a method that’s new.
Watch me closely and I'll show it to you.”
“Here is my album—it’s pages are bare,”
Show the album empty by thumbing its pages from both directions,
as already described. This is done two or three times. Close the album
and place under the left arm or on the table in full view. Pick up the
drawer box.
“And here is a box full of stamps quite rare;
Pull out the drawer and pour stamps into the glass bowl. Show the
stamps freely by running your hands through them.
“T'll use the box and place the stamps inside.”
Replace the stamps back in the drawer, the drawer back in box.
“Knowing that my magic won't be denied.”
“T pronounce the mystic words in great haste—
Abra-cadabra! my stamps should be placed;
If you don’t believe it, we'll have a look—
Here are the stamps nicely pasted in my book!
Show the album filled with postage stamps. Pull out the outer shell
drawer and show that the box is empty. Replace drawer and place the
box on the table.
“Of course, like a woman, I might change my mind
And suddenly decide, another hobby to find—
Suppose I want to save photos of men—
Hokus Pokus—and it’s empty again!
Show the album to be empty again. Open up the drawer box and
show it again filled with stamps. The stamps are poured into the bowl.

JOHN BOOTH’S ALBUM OF STARS

For several seasons on the lecture platform this effect was used and
registered very well in John Booth’s presentations. It is colorful, loaded
with human interest and combines several surprises. It is based on the
stamp album idea but elaborated into a photo mystery. The patter re-
corded here is factual and exactly as used by Booth.
While a trick of this nature poses more difficulties than may be first
apparent, I believe its working has been simplified so that it can be pre-
sented totally surrounded, in a parlor, or upon a large stage. Because of
the number of movie worshippers in the world a trick with photographs
of current screen idols is of especial interest.
56 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

EFFEcT:
The performer shows an empty photo album; also an empty picture
frame; and the photos of six prominent movie stars. The six pictures are
placed in an empty envelope and tucked in a pocket on the inside of the
back cover of the album. These pictures vanish from the envelope;
five appearing pasted on different pages in the album, and the sixth one,
which has been selected freely by a spectator in the audience, appears in
the picture frame!
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two good 8” X 10” portrait photographs, each identical, of six.
easily recognizable movie stars. Those in which the head is easily
seen, are preferred. These can usually be obtained from the
publicity departments of the large motion picture companies.
Request the photos that are printed on the thinnest paper that the
studio can supply. The photos should be cut down to 7” X 814”,
which you can easily do, or have done.
John Booth, as this is being written, uses the photos of Mickey
Rooney, for the youngsters; Lionel Barrymore, for the oldsters;
Spencer Tracy, for the conservatives, and three popular lady stars"
such as Hedy Lamarr, Greer Garson and Ann Sothern, for those
who want their hearts to beat faster.
T
ghOFONG R 4 2—A special photograph album.
A sh? L0No Purchase two photograph albums
exactly alike. The cover size
should be 104% X 13% inches.
Get the kind with a fancy silk
A cord running through one end,
which permits the leaves to be
removed or changed as necessary.
To construct the trick album,
you put a “front cover” on each
side. The covers must be so
arranged that they look the same
whether the trick album is
opened from one side or the
other. There are thirteen leaves
in the album, usually of heavy
black paper. Every other leaf
is cut a quarter of an inch short.
The outside leaf at the front
and the one at the back are full length.
Therefore the first leaf is full length, the second leaf cut short, the
third leaf full length, the fourth leaf cut short, etc. The odd
leaves are full length and the even leaves are cut short, Fig. 1.
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 57

The five photos which are to appear in the album are pasted
carefully, so they will lie absolutely flat, without wrinkles, onto
the short leaves, Fig. 2. With the album lying flat on the table,
the photos are all pasted on the upper side of the leaves, the
opposite side of the leaves being blank. Leave one short page
blank at the center of the album, to be the one page on which no
photograph will appear. John Booth uses Hedy Lamarr as the
photo which will appear in the picture frame later on, and uses the
other five for the album.

daLsvd
3903

FIG.4

After much experimentation as to the simplest, most effective

and self-contained method for causing the photos to vanish from
the envelope in which they were placed at the beginning of the
mystery, Booth developed this idea. An extra page from the
discarded album is pasted to the inside of each cover, on three
sides, so that a pocket is formed to hold an envelope, Fig. 3. In
each case the opening of the pocket is at the top of the cover at the
back, whether the album is held with one or the other front cover
facing the audience.
3—Two envelopes, exactly alike, and large enough to hold six of the
photographs, Fig. 4. The envelopes must be of such size as to
slip easily into the pockets on the inside of the album’s covers.
The 744” X 1014” envelopes purchasable at stationery stores, are
recommended. Cut 2” off the flap end.
4—A ‘special picture frame for the production of one of the photos.
A standard picture frame designed for any 8” X 10” photograph is
purchased from any department or picture framing store. These
frames come complete with glass and cardboard backing.
The cardboard backing is removed and a piece of dark blue
cloth is smoothly glued over one side of it. When this is dry and
trimmed neatly around the edges, glue to the center of it the Hedy
Lamarr picture (or whatever star you want to use). A cloth flap
is made of the same dark blue cloth that was used on the cardboard.
 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

The picture frame is laid on the table with the glass in place.
Lay the cloth flap, which is an inch or two longer than the frame
itself, onto the glass. It must fit smoothly on the glass with the
projecting tab at the top. Onto this, place the cardboard, the
picture against the flap. Four small nails or brads can be used
to keep the back in place. Now the inner piece of cloth projecting
outside is folded over onto the back, Fig. 5. From the front the
frame looks empty, Fig. 6.

CLOTH

LIOR SEELAR REE

ie

FIG.S FIG.6

To make the picture appear in the apparently empty frame, he

simply covers the frame with an opaque, but attractive cloth.
When he withdraws the cloth his fingers catch the cloth tab
through the covering, pulling this out of the frame entirely, thus
revealing the picture which it had concealed. This picture frame
is but an enlarged variation of the old playing card frame so
popular in magic throughout the years.

5—An opaque, colorful, attractive cloth large enough to cover the

picture frame on both sides. Cloth should be large enough so that
when it is removed from the picture frame, the blue cloth removed
from the picture frame will not be seen, but is completely hidden
in the opaque cloth.
6—A special forcing deck of cards. From your magic dealer get
twelve playing cards that are blank on one side. This is a type of
card with the regular back but the face is blank. Have the
dealer treat with ‘“‘roughing fluid’ the blank faces of six of the
cards, and the backs of the other six cards. Now if you will
place a roughed-back card on top of a roughed-face card, squaring
the cards, you will find that if all the cards are stacked together,
when they are fanned they will appear to be but six cards. They
adhere, in pairs, to each other.
 Lesson 46-—NOVELTY MAGIC 59

Get some black waterproof India ink and with a lettering pen
or a brush, print in large letters the name of one of the movie stars
on the smooth blank side of the paired card facing you. Separate
the cards and on the roughened blank face of the other card print
in a similar style HEDY LAMARR, Fig. 7. A different movie
star is lettered on each of the six cards having untreated faces
while the same name, HEDY LAMARR, is lettered on the rough-
ened blank sides of the adjoining six cards.

SPENCER
TRACY
FIG.7

Square up the cards. When you fan the cards they appear as
six cards, each bearing a different name. Turning the cards face
down and fanning them out he asks any spectator to touch one of
the cards, Fig. 8. The cards are openly and cleanly cut at the
indicated card (really the pair held together with roughing fluid)
so it is now on top. Lift up only the top card and it is a Hedy
Lamarr forcing card.
This is an infallible force for a card, easy, natural in execution,
and indetectable. If desired plain cards the size of playing cards
can be used. Such cards would be blank on both sides.
To PREPARE:
In pocket C on the inside of the cover of the album put one of the
empty envelopes opening towards the top opening of pocket. Place the
six photos of movie stars on the table in a pile. Nearby is the other en-
velope. The frame with inner cloth in place, is on the table standing
against a small box or other object. Near it is the opaque covering cloth.
The album is also on the table—the pasted photos inside facing upward.
The cover A is upwards. Each of the covers should have a small identify-
ing mark on them so that you can readily tell which is which, without open-
ing the book. The forcing set of cards is also handy.
To PERFORM:
“*A question frequently addressed to professional magicians is this;
‘Who invents the tricks you gentlemen perform?’ Interestingly enough,
60 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

seventy per cent of all the tricks you see performed today were created by
magicians since 1860. Magicians themselves develop them.”
““My neat presentation, for example, really had its origin in 1939 down
in quaint old Bahia, Brazil, with a friendship struck up during an automobile
trip I made with Mr. David Bernstein, vice-president of Loew’s, the firm which
owns the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. Not long ago he sent to me, with
his compliments, six attractive photographs of some of his leading stars.”
Pick up the six photos on the table and display them rather quickly
with brief comments like the following: ‘‘Greer Garson—perhaps better
known as Madame Curie or Mrs. Miniver. Young and bright looking Ann
Sothern, the Maisie of motion pictures. Here is that perennial favorite, a
member of the Royal Family of the American theatre, Lionel Barrymore.
One of your favorite~actors and an all around good fellow, Spencer Tracy.
Andy Hardy, whom you know as ‘Mickey Rooney’—I see that someone has
tampered with my pictures and put a handlebar mustache on the poor chap!’”’. . ,
Show the picture of Rooney on which you have put a garish mustache. . .
‘And, finally, glamorous Hedy Lamarr! For safe keeping I place the photo-
graphs in this envelope.”
Place the photos in the envelope and place
it in full view against some object on the table.
Pick up the album... “J bought an album with
Just enough pages in it to hold the pictures.”
Hold the album in the left hand, and with
the right hand thumb the pages from the front
to the back allowing them to fall down so as
to show that the album is blank, Fig.9. Hold
the album open at back cover. Show the
pocket D... “In this pocket, on the inside of
the back cover, made to hold spare pictures, I
placed the photos until I could find the time to
sit down and paste them in properly. JI never
could scrape together four consecutive minutes for
this job even though I did buy a silver frame into
which I might place one of the six photographs—
the one of my favorite star. Even the frame lay
forlorn and neglected for some time, in a corner
irreverently covered with a dust cloth!”
Exhibit the apparently empty picture frame. Cover it with the
opaque colored cloth and place it upright against some object on the table.
“But the stars of Hollywood are themselves a magical people. Edgar
Bergen, Harold Lloyd, Chester Morris, Orson Welles and others of the film
colony are zealous followers of the magician’s art. ‘Why,’ I thought, ‘wouldn’t
it be appropriate to do a trick with my siz new Hollywood photographs?’
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 61

Let us begin by framing someone—I mean, by putting someone in the frame.

Since you are my guests and I am entertaining you I shall let you choose our
favorite star for the evening. I have recorded each of the stars names on one of
these siz small cards.”
Exhibit the prepared cards reading off the name inscribed on each...
“Will you select one movie star by indicating any one of the siz cards in this
fan? Touch any card!”. .. The cards are fanned with lettered sides
downward. The spectator touches one of the cards. The cards are openly
and cleanly cut at the indicated card (really the pair) so it is on the top.
Remove the top card and give it face down to the spectator. The card will
separate from its paired one by lifting at the edge... “Please don’t tell
a soul, including me, whom you have selected to be our honored star tonight.”
The cards are returned to the table and the album is picked up. .
“One-of the eight basic effects known to every magician, into which categories
every trick ever invented can be broken down, is that known as transposition;
the instant flight of a material object, invisibly and instantly, from one point to
another, like a ray of light or a wave of sound. Why can’t we paste all the
_ pictures into the album, by magic, in this fashion? I shall attempt to cause
all but one of the photographs to fly instantaneously to their proper places in
the leaves of the book. Watch! In five simple passes; ONE—TWO—
THREE—by the way, please notice that at no time during this mystery does
my hand leave the end of my aam—FOUR—FI VE!”
Holding the bound or hinged edge of the
album in the left hand, thumb the free edges of
the pages with the right thumb so as to show
that five photographs have made their way into
the album and are pasted, one to a page, on
five of the six leaves, Fig. 10. The middle one
is blank.
With a comment, remove the envelope
from pocket C, now on the inside of the back
cover, laying it up against some table object.
The album is returned to the table and the
frame, still covered, is picked up.
“Now, for the first time, will you kindly tell
us whom you selected to be the star of stars, the
one who was not to go into the album but for whom
we have exclusively reserved the silver frame?
Hedy Lamarr! You certainly go for glamour
girls!”... Lift the cloth but find no picture in
the frame.
“TI don’t think she has left the envelope as
yet!’”’... Cover the frame again and put it back in place as before on the
table... ‘‘She was just awaiting orders from her director! A tiny pass and
62 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

lo! Away she flies, leaving the envelope empty!”. .. The envelope is torn
slowly into several pieces and the bits drift gracefully to the floor.

“Tn the holy of holies, if we are lucky, we should

Jind this gentleman’s choice, our missing picture’...
As you are saying this you have picked the frame
up from the table again, and are holding the bot-
tom of the frame with the left hand. With the
right hand grasp the cloth at the top and also
the outer tab of the blue flap. Remove the cover-
ing and the inner blue cloth, revealing the photo
in the frame, Fig. 11... “the glamorous Hedy
Lamarr!”
FIG, I}
Nore: The patter is that used by John Booth himself, but you
can readily change and modify it to suit your own taste.

KNIFE AND PAPER SQUARES

For years magicians have been color changing the handles of knives,
picking off and replacing the heads of matches, jumping pegs on paddles,
vanishing and reproducing paper squares on knife blades, etc., all employ-
ing the original move for creating the illusion. This move was a double
move in which your hand made a half turn, say from right to left, and at
the same time the fingers rolled the knife a half turn from right to left.
This kept the same side of the knife finally in view, since the two half turns
actually made one full turn. The knife actually turned over during the
move, but the move was so fast that the second side was not seen.

Recently Russell Walsh of Chicago showed me the simplest move of

_all for accomplishing this result. The right hand holds the table knife as
in Fig. 1. The right hand now turns over from right to left, as in the orig-
inal move, but now note the difference in the finger action—THE RIGHT
THUMB ROLLS BACKWARD, OR FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, CAUS-
ING THE KNIFE TO REMAIN CONTINUOUSLY WITH THE
SAME SIDE EXPOSED TO VIEW. THERE IS NO VISIBLE TURN-
ING OVER OF THE KNIFE as the OPPOSITE motions of the hand,
and of the fingers, keep only one side of the knife to be seen at any stage of
the double movement. Practice it before a mirror to get the effect and
to insure your moves being correctly done. The knife should be kept as
still and motionless as possible, except for a slight rocking motion of the
knife which gives the illusion of the knife turning.
The same moves may be applied to the Paddle, to Matches, to Kan-
ter’s Chameleon Knife, etc., but we shall describe its use with the squares
of paper on the table knife which has edges that closely resemble each other
and thus aid in concealment of the basic principle involved.
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 63

EFFECT:
The performer places three squares of paper at intervals on the blade
of a table knife. He places three more squares of paper on the opposite
side of the knife in the same positions. He removes two squares, one
above and the other below it on the opposite side of the blade. The blade
is shown both sides to show the two squares were removed. Two more
squares are removed in a similar manner, and again the blade is exhibited
on both sides, to show that only one square of paper remains on each side
of the knife. The last two squares are removed and the knife shown blank
on both sides. Suddenly the squares of paper return to the knife, three
on each side as originally placed.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A table knife.
2—Six squares of paper, about 1 or 34 inch square.
To PERFoRM:
Moisten the squares of paper and place three on each side of the blade
as in Fig. 1. Show both sides of the knife. Hold the knife in the right
hand, Fig. 3. The handle rests on the tips of the fingers with the tip of
the thumb on top.

Fig. 2

Pretend to remove the first two squares at the left, one above and one
below blade of knife, in reality only one square, the top one facing audience,
is removed, Fig. 2. The movement is performed by bringing tips of left
thumb and first two fingers over the first squares of paper. Remove the
top square, as though taking two squares, crumple and toss aside

Apparently show the knife on both sides by using the turn-over move-
ment (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) which shows that only two squares of paper re-
64 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

main on each side of the blade. Pretend to remove the two middle squares,
removing only the top one. Crumple and toss away. Again show the
knife apparently on both sides. Then apparently remove the remaining
two squares. Again it is only the top one that is removed. Crumple and
tossaway. By the turn-over movement show both sides of the knife blank.

Show the left hand empty and hold it in front of the knife blade for a
moment. Under cover of hand, turn the blade over so that the side with
three squares of paper is upwards. By apparently turning the blade,
show that the papers have reappeared on both sides of the knife. Again
remove the papers, seemingly two at a time, in reality only one, as already.
taught. Leave the blank blade for examination or place aside on the table.

KOKO AND THE JUMPING BLOCK

Some years ago Professor Hoffman (Angelo Lewis) in his book “Later
Magic’ described a mystery with wooden blocks and a cover. It was the
story of ‘‘Fidgety Phil,” the funny little block who couldn’t keep still.
Put him on top the two others, he would jump to the bottom. Eugene
Laurant had a nice version of this effect. Four blocks were used, but the.
spectators were only aware of three. Laurant had a clever way of se-
cretly getting rid of the extra block at the end by way of a cunningly con-
cealed black art well in a rather thin table.

Robert Lotz, who has been interested in effects for children, as well
as his manipulative magic, worked out a nice routine using children’s
alphabet blocks and a Jack-in-the-Box. The mystery has been well re-
ceived by adults as well as children. The magician can get quite a bit of
comedy with Koko, if properly presented. This type of effect worked
out nicely with comedy poetry.
EFFECT:
The performer brings forth a four-sided tube with open ends and
two covers. The covers are removed and the tube placed upright on the
table. The tube is lifted leaving three wooden alphabet blocks on the table.
Noticing that the blocks are upside down, the performer places them on
the table in a row, right side up. A wooden box is shown, the cover opened
and a clown Jack-in-the-Box jumps up. The magician says his name is
Koko. So Koko is removed and the box shown empty. The B and C
blocks are stacked up on the table and covered with the tube. Koko is
stood upon top of the tube so that nothing can get in or out. The A
block is placed inside the wooden box and the lid closed. Upon opening
the box the block is found to have vanished. Koko is removed from the
top of the tube and placed back in the box. The tube is lifted and the A
block is seen to have found its way mysteriously beneath the B and C
blocks—all three being stacked together on the table.
 Lesson 46—-NOVELTY MAGIC 65

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Three 3” wooden blocks to represent three alphabet blocks.
Paint with bright colors so they will show up nicely. The A block
is red, the B block is green, and the C block is blue. The letters
are painted on with white and outlined with black. Four sides
of a block are covered with a letter on each side but the top and
bottom of the block are black, Fig. 1.

ij
CoN
ihoe

2—A metal shell which has only 5 sides. This fits comfortably over
the A block and is decorated exactly like the A block. The inside
of the shell is painted black, Fig. 2. From a few feet away the
open top of the A shell and the black top of the solid wooden A
block look the same.

ETD

at
a
sh
UO i

||
|

vn

3—A cardboard tube, Fig. 3. This is about 15” long and 314” square.
The size will have to be determined by the size of the blocks and
shell. The tube should slide down comfortably over the blocks
and shell. By pinching the opposite sides of the tube with fingers
and thumb from the outside, a block ought to be easily held con-
cealed inside. Fit acardboard cover on each end of the tube, Fig. 4.
 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

4—Koko, the ‘Jack-in-the-Box’”’ Clown. Figs. 5 and 6 shown how

Koko is constructed. The base is of wood, about 274” square.
The feet are of cardboard glued to the top of the base. The spring
is one from a spring sausage so familiar to magicians. The bottom
of the spring is attached to the base and the top is stuck into a
cork. The head is made from a ping-pong ball with a hole cut
into the bottom for insertion of the cork which makes the neck.
A hole is cut in ball for a plug to represent a nose; also a plug on
both sides of the ball for the ears. The face has painted eyes,
eyebrows, mouth, etc. The clown suit is easy to make and slip
over the spring. The mittens are attached to the sleeves of the
costume. A small clown hat is fastened to the top of the ping-
pong ball. Thus constructed, Koko is quite a comical fellow.

5—A wooden box, Fig. 7, with lid and latch to hold Koko. This
box should also be of such internal size that the A shell will fit
snugly into the box, the top of the shell coming up even with the
top of the box. The box is painted black on the inside with the
same paint used on the inside of the shell. When the shell is in the
box with the opening of the shell upright, the box can be shown
empty without the audience being aware of anything in it. The
outside of the box can be stained natural wood color such as dark
oak or walnut; or it can be colored opposite to that of the blocks.
A pea-green or pale blue would look pretty; or yellow or orange.
 Lesson 46-—NOVELTY MAGIC 67

To PREPARE:
Place the A shell on the table upside down. On this place the B
block upside down; the C block upside down and the A block right side up,
Fig. 8. Cover with the tube and place cardboard covers on the top and

9
bottom. Koko is in the wooden box, his wooden base on the bottom of the
box and his head up against the lid. The lid is held shut with the wire hook.

|
||| :
Etats

FIG.7 FIG.8

To PERFORM:
“Magicians get ideas from funny places. Some time ago I came in
touch with some alphabet blocks such as children use to learn their A, B, C’s.”.. .
Lift up the tube with blocks inside and remove the lower lid and place the
tube on the table. Remove the upper lid. Lift up the tube holding the
A block at the top, concealed inside. ‘This is easily done by pressing on
one side of the tube against the block with the right thumb and the opposite
side of the tube and block with the right second finger. The A shell, B
and C blocks remain stacked on the table.
“So I utilized three of the blocks, A, B, and C.”... As all attention is
on the three blocks on the table, and you are talking, secretly allow the A
block in the tube to slide down to the bottom of the tube. Hold it in
place with your right thumb and fingers pressing through the tube and
place on the table. The block is now on the table, right side up, at the
bottom of the tube. The left hand should be on the bottom of the tube
when the block slides down within the tube, to prevent exposure.
“T have them upside down.”. .. Pick up C and place on the table,
right side up, then near this place B, right side up, and finally the A shell.
The shell, going on the table squarely, sounds like a block. The blocks and
shell should be in a row. The open top of the shell and the painted solid
tops of:the blocks look alike.
Pick up the wooden box containing Koko... “Rickus rackus, Poke-o
doke-o! Open the boz,'And here is Koko!’’... Open the wire hook, allow the
68 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

lid to fly up and Koko to jump up into view. Lift Koko out of the box
and show the box empty. Place the box on the table, close its lid and place
Koko in a standing position on top of the box.

“Koko is a magician in his own right. Would you like to see Koko do a
trick? Of course you would. All right, Koko, tell me what to do and I'll
do it for you. You want me to pick up this C block and place it on the table,
and on top of it place the B block.’’. . _ The blocks should be placed so a
corner faces the audience and the audience can see two of the sides. The
C block is placed on the table and B placed on it. Reach to pick up the A
shell... ‘‘What’s that! I’m not to touch the A block? Oh, you want to put
the cover over the B and C blocks. What's that? You want them dropped
down inside the tube. You must think they are Santa Claus going down the
chimney. So you want to play Santa Claus!’’... Pick up B and C, one in
each hand, and drop C down into the top of the tube. It sounds like it
hits the table, really falling on top of the A block concealed inside. . .
“There goes the C block.”

Drop B down into tube on top of C. Both blocks

must be right side up... “One for the money, And two
for the shows, Down the chimney the B block goes. . Now
you want to get on top of the chimney.”. .. Place Koko
on top of the tube so that he faces the audience, Fig. 9.

“Oh, you want to see that nothing else goes in or

comes out of the tube. What are you going to do with
this A block? A good idea, we'll place it over here inside
the wooden box.”’. . . Open the wooden box and place
the A shell inside, with opening of shell upright, Fig. 10.
The top of the box can be slanted slightly backward for
this. Push shell down into the box, close lid and
fasten.

‘There, Koko, the A block is inside the box and the

lid nailed down. He says that is what I think!... What
do you mean, that is what I think? I put the A block
inside of your wooden house here. I'll show you!”... Open the lid and
show the box to the audience, empty. You keep the shell from falling
out by putting the tip of a finger over the edge of the box.

‘Koko you are playing tricks. Get down inside of your bor.”... Re-
move Koko from the top of the tube and place him back in the box. The
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC 69

fact that he goes into the box convinces the audience that the box is empty.
Place the box, with Koko, back on the table.

FIG.1O FIG.

“IT wonder what Koko did with the beautiful red A block?”... Lift up
the tube revealing the three blocks stacked up on the table—A, C and B,
Fig. 11... “There’s the A, underneath the C and the B.”... Quickly un-
stack the blocks and place in a row, hitting each block smartly on the table
as it is laid down... ‘Give Koko a hand.”

CUT AND RESTORED NECKTIE

For some time the cutting of a spectator’s tie into pieces and restoring
it again, has been popular with many magicians. There have been many
methods of accomplishing this from special apparatus, to added loops, and
planting a special duplicate tie with a spectator in the audience. He wears
the tie as his own, the tie is cut up and finally exchanged for a duplicate
whole one in a changing bag, paper bag, double paper cone, or a changing
box. In the method given here the performer cuts up his own tie and re-
stores it in a clean and direct manner.
EFFECT:
The magician wears a four-in-hand necktie with his informal clothes.
With a pair of scissors he cuts pieces off the tie until there is nothing left
but the knot up against the collar and the loop that goes around the neck.
He places the cut pieces down into the opening of his vest. He touches
the knot at his collar and brings his hand outward with a sweeping gesture,
revealing that the tie is whole again as in the beginning. The tie can even
be removed from the neck and shown if desired.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two four-in-hand neckties exactly alike.
2—A pair of scissors.
To PREPARE:
Tie one of the ties normally around your neck and then place the
70 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

hanging parts of tie A into the opening of your shirt, out of sight. This
leaves only the knot in sight, Fig. 1.
Cut away the narrow middle portion of the other tie so that there is
left the same amount of tie B as the parts of tie A hidden under the shirt,
Fig. 2. Tuck the ends of these two pieces of tie B up into the knot, Fig. 3.
To the audience you are just wearing an ordinary four-in-hand tie.

To PEerrorm:
“I have often wondered why neckties are so long. A man’s vest usually
covers up the largest part of the tie.”’.... Pick up the scissors and cut off a
part of B, Fig. 4. Tuck the remaining uncut ends back into the vest. . .
“See, one wouldn't know the difference anyway. Of course, if one wanted to
keep his tie out of his soup entirely why not cut it off right up to the knot?”

Cut the tie up near the knot, Fig. 5. With the left hand reach up to
the knot and slip away the small piece tucked in the knot. Do this in such
a way that the audience is not aware of your doing anything to the tie.
This leaves the regular tie in the position, Fig. 6, which is the original posi-
tion shown in Fig. 1.
“Oh, well, some people may not like that style.”’... Place the cut away
pieces down inside the vest. This gets rid of them. Place your right
 Lesson 46—NOVELTY MAGIC ; 71

thumb under the parts of tie A that are just below the knot, Fig. 7. Bring
your thumb out and down a bit smartly, thus bringing the tie out from the
shirt into full view again, Fig. 8. Apparently the tie has been mysteriously
restored... ‘“So we are right back where we started.”’

Note: Once you have mastered the principle you can cut up the tie
as you choose. The pieces can be vanished from the right trousers pocket,
from a small box, bag, or paper cone, etc.

JACK GWYNNE’S COLOR CHANGING RABBIT

This is a quickie which in Jack Gwynne’s hands is very effective. A

white rabbit dropped through a bottomless basket changes to a black
rabbit.

FIG.1 FIG.2

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A bottomless metal waste basket. Get a metal waste basket from
a department store and cut off the bottom part, Fig. 1. The
baskets are usually elliptical in shape. From the top of the metal
basket a black bag is suspended. The top of the bag fits evenly
around the inside of the top of the basket. The basket should be
of such size that when it is placed over the black rabbit, Fig. 2, it
covers it well but will not leave too much room to spare.

2—Two rabbits, same size, one white, one black.

To PREPARE:
Place the black rabbit on the table, and cover it with the bottomless
basket, Fig. 2.

To PEerForm:
Show the white rabbit, holding it by the back of its neck in your right
hand. Bring the lower part of the rabbit down into the top of the metal
basket. Your left hand is grasping the top of the basket. Raise the basket,
72 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Fig. 3. Let go of the white rabbit allowing it to fall into the bag which
catches it, and the raising of the basket exposes the black rabbit on the
table, Fig. 4.
The basket, with white rabbit concealed inside, is handed to the
assistant who quickly takes it away while you pick up and exhibit the black
rabbit. If no assistant is used the basket can be set aside on a chair or
another part of the table.

FIG.3

Timing is important in this color change. The lifting of the basket

and the dropping of the white rabbit into the concealed bag must harmo-
nize perfectly. Jack Gwynne has such perfect timing that the change of the
white rabbit into a black one is a perfect and puzzling illusion. The basket
is not big enough to hold two rabbits at the same time, which makes the
illusion very mystifying.
Lesson 47
THIMBLE MAGIC
fe

'HIMBLES MAY have been designed for sewing purposes, but the manipu-
lative magician has found them very effective in sleight of hand.
Every kind is used, from the simple aluminum or silver thimbles to the
brightly colored metal or wooden ones. Cardini used rhinestone thimbles.
Work with thimbles is flashy and permits of beautiful moves as they
appear and disappear. They reflect the light and thus are very effective.
As in other branches you have the three fundamentals in thimble work:
1—Production, or appearance. 2—Vanishing, or disappearance. 3—
Transformation, or changing.

A 16-THIMBLE ROUTINE
In this lesson I give you a series of moves in such continuous action as
to make a pleasing thimble act or combination. You learn to work from a
single thimble manipulation to a great production for the climax.
EFFECT:
The performer reaches out into the air and causes a thimble to appear
at the tip of his first finger. This is placed in the left hand. Suddenly it
disappears—then he finds it at his right elbow. It is thrown upwards and
disappears in thin air, reappearing on the tip of the second finger of his
right hand. Again the magician throws the thimble high into the air and
again it is gone—but in a moment it is back on the tip of his first finger.
Next, in a most mysterious manner, the thimble becomes red and then
changes back to its normal color again. The thimble continues to appear
and disappear in bewildering fashion.
It jumps from the first finger of one hand to the first finger of the other
hand. Then the spectators gasp in amazement as the magician reaches
into the air and a thimble appears on each finger of his right hand, then
on each finger of his left hand. He drops the thimbles into a glass on the
table. He reaches into the air again and this time four more thimbles
appear on the finger tips of each hand.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Sixteen thimbles. Be sure that these fit your different fingers and
will not fly off when your hand is in motion. It is well sometimes
to file grooves on the inside to give a good grip. The thimbles may
all be the same size except smaller ones for the little fingers.
73
74 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

2—A special thimble painted bright red and large enough to fitover
one of the other thimbles. It is easy to paint an ordinary thimble
with red lacquer. It dries quickly and will prove satisfactory.
3—A glass tumbler on a small table.
4—Special holders made from cardboard and black elastic tape.
SpEcIAL THIMBLE HoxtpEr: Take a strip of cardboard long enough to
cover four thimbles and wide enough to be bent over the top and sides of
the thimbles, Fig. 1. Sew four pockets of black elastic tape to hold the
thimbles. These must be large enough to allow insertion of thimbles easily

e HES

Fl G. 3

and tightly enough to hold them securely until needed. Fold over the
top and sides of the cardboard and glue the sides at the rear, Figs. 2 and 3.
The purpose of this top is to keep thimbles from pushing out when fingers
are inserted. Fig. 2 shows front of holder. Fig. 3 shows rear view. A
safety pin is attached at the rear by glueing a piece of bristol board over
the solid bar of pin.
Brass or other metal may be used for this holder. Holes must then
be punched in the metal through which to sew the elastic. Sometimes the
holder is omitted and elastic tape is sewn to form pockets for thimbles on
the under side of vest and coat. Magic dealers sell various types of holders.
To PREPARE:
Sew a special holder under left side of vest. Have the front end of the
holder about four inches from the center of the vest and about half an
inch above the lower edge of vest. Arrange all holders with openings of
thimbles downward so that your fingers can be inserted in the thimbles by
curling them under the edge of vest or coat.
Under the right edge of vest place another holder, or sew black elastic
tape to vest with pockets for three thimbles. The space between the two
end thimbles should be about 214 inches. A small thimble for little finger
should be inserted in the right end of this holder and a regular size thimble
in the forward pockets.
At the left front edge of vest sew a small pocket to hold a thimble on
the inside of vest. You may use an elastic pocket here also. Insert a
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 75

thimble with open end towards the edge of vest so that it can be removed
when finger is inserted.
Fig. 4 shows the arrangement of thimbles which you have now under
your vest—one thimble in a little pocket under the left edge; three thimbles
in a holder under the right lower edge with a small size thimble on the right
end of that holder; four thimbles in a holder under the left lower edge.
Under the left edge of your coat sew a thimble holder to accommodate
five thimbles. Place this about four inches from the front edge and about
34 of an inch up from the lower edge of the coat. At the rear end of the
holder insert a red thimble, then a small thimble, then three regular
thimbles. Place holder in such position that when the arm drops naturally
to your side, the left fingers can curl up under the coat and remove the
thimbles easily on tips of fingers.

Fle.S:

Have, a special holder for four thimbles in similar position on right

side under edge of coat. Fig. 5 shows arrangement of thimbles and holders
under the coat. A holder with five thimbles under left edge—a holder
with four thimbles under right edge.

PRELIMINARY SPECIAL PRACTICE WITH THIMBLES

You must get each move in thimble manipulation as nearly perfect as
possible. Use your mirror in practicing and work at it earnestly. There
are certain basic moves and principles which you must master before you
can begin to think of a thimble act. These are all numbered for you
through the lesson. You must practice the first four before you study the
actual performance of the whole act. Practice these moves with both hands.
76 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

1—THUMB PALMING A THIMBLE

You must be able to bring a thimble placed on the tip of the first finger
easily and quickly into the crotch of the thumb.
Study Figs. 6, 7 and 8 carefully. Notice how the first finger brings the
thimble back to the crotch of the thumb where the thimble is gripped,
allowing the first finger to be released and to return to the first position.
When the thimble is properly thumb palmed, it is not visible to the audience
when the back of hand is towards them. Practice getting the thimble
quickly back on the finger tip again. Practice this basic move with the
thimble on the tip of each of the first three fingers.

2—BACK AND FRONT HAND PALMING WITH THIMBLE

This enables you to show both back and front of the hand empty and
yet have a thimble in your hand. This move is to bring the thimble
quickly from thumb palm position to the back of the hand and then back
into the crotch of thumb again.

CAG
Ww Sy
FIG.7 = FIG.10

EX. We a
The thimble is held thumb palmed as in Fig. 9. Bring all fingers back
and grip the thimble between the first and third fingers. The tip of the
second finger is in front of the mouth of the thimble. Release the thimble
from thumb and lift it up in the fingers. The second finger goes under the
mouth of the thimble and the first and third fingers grip therim. Your
fingers pivot the thimble slightly to bring it into this position resting flat on
the second finger, Fig. 10.
Extend the fingers and the thimble is brought to the rear of hand,
resting on second finger and gripped between the first and third fingers,
Fig. 11. Now close the fingers into the palm of hand again and bring the
thimble back into thumb palm position.
If you are going to do thimble work, you must realize the importance
of mastering the moves of getting a thimble quickly from the finger tip to
the thumb palm position, then back to the finger tip. Also in getting the
thimble from thumb palm to the back of hand and again to thumb palm.
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 724

In using back and front hand palming to conceal a thimble, it is abso-

lutely necessary to study carefully angles of visibility and natural covering
of the hand to screen the thimble during the movements.
Place the thimble on the back of hand as in Fig. 12. Palm of hand is
held toward audience so that thimble is not visible, Fig. 13. Bring the
thumb outward and downward, rotating the hand with the thumb as you
do this. Close the fingers a little, Fig. 14.

2 :
ED
DNS
FIGI2 i FIG.15
==
N eg ATOR FIG. 16

2 FIG.13
Ay/

FIG. 17
Bring the thumb up behind the hand
and further close the fingers, so that you can
a readily thumb palm thimble. Insert the
) aN o* second finger in the thimble to help you get
: > it into crotch of thumb, Fig. 15. Open the
FIG. FIG. fingers straight out, Fig. 16. Fig. 17 is a
Ig eZ 19 detailed diagram showing each move in ac-
Se
FIG complishing the preceding manipulation.
20 ~=Ss-FFirst, the thimble is grasped between the
first and third fingers and rests on the back
Vire of the second finger. As the fingers curve
FIG. downward toward the thumb, the thimble
is pivoted and rotates downward until it is
finally placed on the tip of the second finger.
Then it is thrust into thumb palm position. This diagram is a side view.
Figs. 18, 19, 20 and 21 show the moves from the rear, away from the
audience. Study these illustrations closely until you understand them per-
fectly and can perform the moves without hesitation. Now with thimble
thumb palmed, you can show the back of hand empty—and you have thus
shown both sides of your hand apparently empty. To get the thimble
from thumb palm to back of hand again, just reverse the movements.

3—PRODUCTION OF THIMBLE
Have the thimble on the back of hand gripped by first and third fingers.
Pull the second finger tip downward and backward, causing the thimble to
78 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

revolve into position shown in Fig. 22. It is now easy to insert the tip of
second finger into the mouth of the thimble. The thimble is held tightly
between first and third fingers so that it can be pressed down well on the
second finger, Fig. 23.

a, a FIG. Ne
Open the fingers slightly when thimble is adjusted, to make a ‘‘clean”
production. To facilitate the movement and to cover it slightly, I lower
my hand about 12 inches while getting the thimble on the finger tip. Then
I raise the hand again and show the thimble on the finger tip. Sometimes
I vary the production, however, by holding the hand as still as possible, and
get the thimble suddenly onto the finger tip. This showmanship used in
varying manipulations is something which you must acquire by experience.
It is necessary for successful presentation and gives finish to a performance.

4—CHANGE-OVER PALM
This manipulation enables you to show both hands empty and yet have
thimble concealed. The thimble is changed over from one hand to the
other. To start, the thimble is thumb palmed in the right hand, Fig. 24.

FIG. 26

F G

/
FIG.25 FIG. 27
Look at the left hand and bring it toward your right hand until the
hands meet in front, backs toward audience. Slip the left hand inside the
palm of the right and slip the tip of second finger of the left hand into the
thimble, Fig. 25. Immediately thumb palm the thimble in the left hand
by curling the second finger down to the crotch of the thumb, and leaving
the thimble there, Fig. 26.

Continue moving both hands to the right, showing back of the left
hand and palm of the right, with fingers apart, Fig. 27.
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 19

Figs. 28, 29 and 30 show the positions of the hands in relation to your
body while you perform the change-over. First, your right hand with the
thimble thumb palmed is in front of you. Your left hand is out at your left
side with palm shown empty to the audience, Fig. 28. Bring the left hand
over to the right in front of you. Slip the thimble onto the second finger
and thumb palm the thimble in the left hand, Fig. 29. Continue moving
hands to the right, keeping back of the left hand now to the audience, and
exposing the palm of the right hand, Fig. 30.

THIMBLE
THUMB
PALMED

You have now shown both sides of both hands to the audience with
nothing in them. The change-over must be done in one continuous move-
ment with no hesitation so that the audience will not suspect anything.
Practice changing-over the thimble from right to left, and left to right hand.

THE THIMBLE ACT ROUTINE

To Perron:
You are now ready to study the actual performance of your thimble
act. At the end of this section of the lesson I give you an outline of the
entire act. You can then get a mental picture of the whole presentation
as your audience sees it, and you will not be confused by al] the moves and
manipulations you learn here. Study each move carefully as you go along,
and when you have them all mastered, the organization and presentation of
the whole act will be clear to you.
Turn your right side a little toward the audience. Reach up into the
air with the left hand as though to catch something. Close the hand and
then open it again to show nothing init. This is your misdirection for get-
ting a thimble into the right hand.
Follow your left hand with your eyes and the audience will do like-
wise. Then at the same time, curl the right fingers under the lower right
edge of vest. Insert the forefinger in the middle thimble, remove thimble,
and thumb palm it. The back of right hand is toward audience and atten-
80 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

tion is misdirected by the left hand, so you have no difficulty in doing this
unnoticed. Reach into air now with the right hand and bring the thimble
onto the tip of forefinger. You have apparently caught a thimble out of
the air. Show it by turning the hand back and front.

5—SLOW THIMBLE VANISH IN HAND

This is so named because of the slow, easy way in which a thimble
vanishes when placed in the palm of one hand. The thimble is on tip of
the right forefinger. Hold the palm of the left hand facing audience.

FIG 33
FIG. 3)

FIG.
34
FIG.32
Place the right forefinger against the left palm, Fig. 31. Close the left hand
around right forefinger, Fig. 32. Remove the right forefinger, leaving the
thimble in the left hand, Fig. 33. Then open the left hand and show the
thimble in it, Fig. 34. This is all done in plain sight of audience.
Place the thimble on the right forefinger again and place it against the
left palm as you did before. Close the left hand over it again, but do not
grasp it tightly. Bring the right forefinger into a nearly horizontal posi-
tion. Remove it, with the thimble (secretly) still on it, from left hand and
thumb palm the thimble quickly in the right hand, Fig. 35. Immediately
bring the right forefinger into the position shown in Fig. 36.

(2PD, FIG.35
SF
A ae
F

\
THIMBLE

PALMED
he36 yy)
yM
FIG. 38
The end of the right forefinger is away from the audience when you
withdraw the thimble and thumb palm it. This move will not be seen by
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 81

the spectators, therefore. To them it will appear that you merely with-
drew your finger from the left hand without the thimble. Open the left
hand slowly and the audience sees that the thimble has vanished, Fig. 37.
To help conceal the thimble in thumb palming it in the right hand,
rotate the right hand a little toward the audience when removing the finger
from the left hand, then raise the hand a little while thumb palming.

6—SECOND FINGER HIDE-AWAY

Place the second finger of the right hand into the thimble, freeing it
from the thumb palm. Fig. 38 shows the right hand as seen by the audi-
ence. Fig. 39 shows the actual move. Place the right forefinger against
the left palm again. The other three fingers are curled down into the palm
of the right hand. The knuckle of the second finger is near the lower edge
of left hand, Fig. 40. The hands are shown as the audience sees them.
The palm of the left hand faces the audience. The back of the right hand
is toward the audience.

F1G.39
i me

FIG.4]

Mac tese FIG.42

Stretch all fingers except the right forefinger, out in back of the left
hand. This move, of course, conceals the thimble on the second finger of
right hand, Fig. 41. Move the right forefinger over to the first joint of the
little finger of the left hand so that the palm of the right hand is shown to
the audience, Fig. 42.
Bring the forefinger back to the palm of the hand again as in Fig. 41.
Close three fingers again as in Fig. 40. Now show the back of the left hand
and point at it with the right forefinger. You have apparently shown both
sides of the hands with nothing concealed. Thumb palm the thimble in
right hand again.

7—PRODUCTION OF THIMBLE FROM EMPTY LEFT PALM

Point at the palm of the left hand with the forefinger of the right, as in
Fig. 40. Bring the left thumb forward and downward to cover the right
forefinger down to within half an inch of the joint. The moment the fore-
82 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

finger is covered, insert it in the thimble at the crotch of thumb and

straighten the finger again. Close the left hand loosely around this finger
and then lift it away from the right forefinger and thimble, exposing them.

8—PULL-AWAY THIMBLE VANISH

Hold the hands in position shown in Fig. 43. The left hand points
downward, back toward audience, the right hand horizontal with forefinger
and thimble pointing to the left. Cover the thimble with the left hand,
closing the fingers around it, Fig. 44.

¢ Sl
ANS
: FIG.45

ay
BM oy: cE FIG.46
As you close the fingers of the left hand around the right foretinger,
thumb palm the thimble in the right hand. Fig. 45 shows the actual move,
away from the audience. Bring the right forefinger back to position again
and draw the closed left hand away as though you actually pulled the
thimble from the finger and held it in the closed hand, Fig. 46.
THUMB Open the left hand slowly and grace-
PALM fully, and show that the thimble has van-
\ SE ished. Open out the fingers of right hand
also, but keep the back of the hand to the
FIG.47 audience, Fig. 47.
Learn to open your hand gracefully.
This is important for good magic and finish
in presentation. You must use showmanship to open your hand prop-
erly—not too fast or too slowly. You can tell a master performer by the
way he opens his hand in vanishing an object.

9—PRODUCTION FROM THUMB PALM

Your next production is from behind your left elbow. Put the right
hand behind the elbow and quickly bring the thimble from the thumb palm
position to the tip of the right forefinger. The elbow need cover the fore-
finger only up to the middle joint. Hold the hand up to show the thimble.

10—THROW-AWAY VANISH
The effect of this vanish which you perform now is that you merely
toss the thimble into the air and it vanishes. The thimble is on the tip of
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 83

the right forefinger. As you make a throwing motion and your eyes follow
the imaginary thimble in its upward flight, you thumb palm the thimble
in the right hand and bring the forefinger quickly back to the outstretched
position again. Figs. 48, 49 and 50 show the overhand throw, in which the
hand is brought up in pretending to throw the thimble, and then down as
the thimble is thumb palmed.
An underhand throw may be performed by bringing the hand down
first before throwing and then upward as you extend the forefinger, free of
thimble, and pretend to complete the throwing of the thimble. You must
misdirect with your eyes as you pretend to throw the thimble upward.

As you pretend to throw the thimble upward with the right hand, reach
under left edge of coat with the Jeft hand and insert the second finger in the
red thimble.
Close the fingers to conceal the thimble and then get the thimble into
the position shown in Fig. 51. This is really the finger palm position.
The thimble is at the base of the first and second fingers. The mouth of the
thimble is toward the thumb. Keep the red thimble in this position in the
left hand as you produce the thimble in the right hand.
Reach out with the right hand and apparently catch the thimble from
the air. Bring the thimble to the tip of the forefinger and show it to the
audience as though you had caught the thimble from the air, Fig. 52.

REAR 11—TWO-IN-ONE COLOR CHANGE

‘RED
Bring up the left hand with back to the
audience. Bring the back of the right hand
up against the left, Fig.53. When the lower
part of the left hand is covered, bend left
Ps thumb up and insert in the red thimble,
Fig. 54.
Under cover of right hand, bring the
FIG.53 FIG.54 left thumb with red thimble down to the
84 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

crotch of the right thumb and thumb palm the thimble there, Figs. 55
and 56.

pie hienys

HUMB
Aesles
THIMBLE FIG.57
FIG.S5. alae FIG. 58
Be careful of angles of visibility here. Keep the back of the right hand
squarely before the audience. Turn the left hand over to expose its palm.
Place the right forefinger against the left palm, Fig. 57. Now turn the
back of the left hand to the audience. Insert the second finger of right
hand in the red thimble which is thumb palmed. Bring the left thumb for-
ward and down to cover the forefinger and second finger of the right hand.
Under this screen, straighten out the second finger, bringing the red thimble
next to the thimble on the forefinger. Close the left hand around both
fingers and thimbles, Fig. 58.
Push the red thimble up above the other thimble and hold secure by
the closed left hand. Quickly remove second finger of right hand. This is
all done in a few seconds. The effect to the audience must be that you
merely covered the thimble on the right forefinger with the left hand, Fig.
59. Insert the plain thimble into the red thimble with the aid of the left
hand. Now bring the right hand down to show that the thimble has
changed to ared one. Show front and back of right hand. Open the left
hand and show front and back. There is no other thimble in evidence.
The silver one, therefore, must have changed to red, Fig. 60.

12—CHANGE BACK TO ORIGINAL COLOR

This is an adaptation of the Pull-Away Vanish to a color changing
effect. Hold the hands in position shown in Fig. 61. The left hand points
downward. The right hand is partially concealed behind the left. Curl
the right forefinger inward to thumb palm the red thimble Fig. 62.
Stretch the finger out again with only the silver thimble left on it.
Remove the left hand and turn its palm to the audience to show it empty.
Show the silver thimble on the right forefinger, Fig. 63. The effect to the
audience is that you merely covered the red thimble with the left hand and
the thimble changed back to silver again. This is all done very quickly—in
just a few seconds. Now bring the left hand inside the palm of the right
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 85

and slip the second finger into the red thimble. Then thumb palm the red
thimble in the left hand, Fig. 64.

RED
FIG. 59 |
Fic 60 V/ FIG 62
RED

FIG.63 e

y FIG.65
FIG. 64 FIG. 66 a

Continue moving both hands to the right so that the right palm is ex-
posed to the audience and the back of the left hand is towards the audience.
This is the regular Change-Over Palm, Figs. 24 to 30.
You still have the silver thimble on the right forefinger. Drop the
left hand to the side. Turn the right side to the audience. As you make
the move of throwing the thimble from the right hand into the air, drop the
red thimble in the left trousers pocket.
Now:vanish the silver thimble from the right hand as you were taught.
See Figs. 48, 49 and 50. Next you produce the thimble from behind left
knee. With the right forefinger extended, reach behind the left knee.
Under cover of knee, get the finger into the thimble and straighten again.
Bring it out as though you took it from the knee.

13—THUMB DOWN VANISH

This vanish is similar to the method used for color changing. You
have a thimble on the right forefinger. Show the palm of the left hand,
then turn it with back to audience. Place the forefinger behind the left
hand, closing the left fingers around it, Fig. 65. Remove the right fore-
finger from closed left hand, obviously leaving thimble in left hand, Fig. 66.
86 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Open the right hand and show its palm to the audience to convince
them that you really placed the thimble in the left hand. While looking
at the right hand, bend the left thumb and insert it in the thimble, Fig. 67.
Strike the right hand on the back of the left. As you do so, bring the
thimble on the left thumb down to the crotch of the right thumb and
thumb palm it there, Fig. 68.

REAR
aii = FRONT
oy FRONT Z

Kt }!

67 FIG.69
FIG.68 THUMB
PALA FIG. 70

Fig. 69 shows the actual movement away from the audience, in

thumb palming the thimble from the left thumb into the right hand. Turn
left hand over, palm to the audience and point the right hand at it, Fig. 70.
The effect to the audience is that you struck the left hand with the
right to vanish the thimble, and then immediately turned the left hand over
to show the thimble had vanished. Produce the thimble at the tip of the
right forefinger from the left elbow.

14—TRANSFER COLOR CHANGE

This is another method of performing the color change. It can be sub-
stituted for the Two-In-One Color Change if you have difficulty in getting
a thimble to fit over another. It may also be used to change a small metal
thimble into a large wooden one. This method may be used for changing
a thimble into a small potato. To do this, cut a hole in the potato into
which the thimble will fit.
Now, to use it here in the Color Change—get the red thimble on the
tip of the right second finger from under coat as you did in preparation for
the Two-In-One Color Change. You also have the silver thimble on the
right forefinger. Place the right forefinger against the palm of the left
hand. The other three fingers are curled into the right palm, Fig. 71.
Bring the left thumb forward and downward, turning the hand with back
to the audience. Let the right forefinger with thimble, slip around hand
to the back during the turn. Extend the second finger into the left palm
and grasp the red thimble in the closed left hand, Fig. 72.
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 87

The effect to the audience is that you showed the palm of the left hand
and tapped it with the right forefinger, then turned the hand and tapped its
back to show both sides empty. Release the second finger of the right
hand from the red thimble and remove it quickly, leaving the thimble in the
left hand, Fig. 73. Place the forefinger with silver thimble into the left
hand, and the moment it is screened, thumb palm the silver thimble in the
right hand, Fig. 74.
(23 REAR
SS ears wc VIEW

Fl mae
FIG. 75
ENG: TI Cite
FIG. 74.
FIG.72 FIG.76
Fig. 75 shows the actual move away from the audience. While still
under cover of the left hand, straighten the right forefinger and insert it
in the red thimble. Pull the right hand away from the left. Show the red
thimble on the forefinger to the audience. Turn the left hand over to show
its empty palm to the audience, Fig. 76.
The silver thimble, which is thumb palmed in the right hand, may be
shifted around from thumb palm position to the second finger tip so that at
intervals the fingers may be spread apart and then the thumb. When the
thimble is on the second finger, keep the finger curled into the palm as you
spread the thumb apart. To change the thimble back to silver again, re-
peat the same movements as used in changing the silver one tored. Blend
your movements smoothly and do the changes in a few seconds.
Now, go back to the routine for your
thimble act again. You have a thimble on
the right forefinger and you are going to use
the Back and Front Hand Palming manipula-
tion, taught to you in the beginning of this
IN FIG.77 section of the lesson.

Back AND Front HAND PALMING:

NH Place a thimble on the tip of the right
second finger, Fig.77. Move the hand down
about 12 inches, then up again, and under
cover of this large movement, press your
FIG. 78 thumb against the thimble and aid the sec-
ond finger to slip out of the thimble, Fig. 78.
Slide the first joint of the second finger
under the opening of the thimble, grasping it between the first and third
88 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

fingers, Fig. 79. Now open your hand and the thimble automatically goes
behind it and is not visible when the palm is shown to the audience, Fig. 80.
Show both sides of the hand empty by doing the Front and Back Hand
Palming as described in the beginning of this section of the lesson. See
Figs. 9 to 21. Finally, bring the thimble to the back of the hand position
and then produce it on the tip of the second finger as taught you in basic
move Number 3, Production of Thimble, Figs. 22 and 23. Make the
thimble appear suddenly.
Another good manipulative move—Reach up with the left hand and
pretend to take the thimble from the right second finger. In reality, back
palm the thimble in the right hand under cover of the left hand. Bring the
left hand away from the right and open it to show that the thimble has
vanished. Show the palms of both hands. Then manipulate the thimble
to the front palm in the right hand and show the backs of both hands.

4
ag
FIG.79 Ts
lS
FIG.81 poh

Fic. sO = melen:

Again manipulate the thimble to the back palm on the right hand.
Reach into the air with the left hand, suddenly close it as though grabbing
something from the air. Bring the left hand to the right and pretend to
place a thimble on the second finger of right hand. In reality, you merely
produce the thimble on the right second finger from the back palm position.

15—HEAD VANISH
Do the Pull-Away Thimble Vanish (Move No. 8). For variation,
hold the forefinger in a vertical position instead of horizontal. Have the
finger pointing upward, pretend to remove the thimble from it with the
left hand—in reality, thumb palm the thimble in the right hand. Then
bring the closed left hand suddenly down on top of your head, opening the
hand as you do so, to give the effect of pounding the thimble into your
head, Fig. 81. You now reproduce the thimble from your mouth. Bring
the right hand toward the mouth, and as you do so, insert the forefinger
into the thimble, Fig. 82.
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 89

When the hand is about two inches from your mouth, stretch out the
forefinger and push the thimble into the mouth. The end of the finger is
away from the audience and the hand is in motion so that the thimble can
not be seen. To the audience it appears that you put your forefinger with
nothing on it into your mouth, Fig. 83.
Remove your
forefinger from the
t ay a= mouth, showing the
ay thimble on it. Ap-
) parently the thimble
cet went through your
\3t’ head down into your
FIG. 83 vf mouth, and from there
you produced it, Fig
FIG.84 AL) FIG.87 84.

16—MOUTH VANISH
The effect is that you show the thimble on the right forefinger, place
it in your mouth, show the thimble in your cheek, and then swallow it.
Bring the forefinger with the thimble up to the mouth, Fig. 85. Lower the
hand and show the thimble again, Fig. 86. Bring the hand quickly to the
mouth. In an instant, thumb palm the thimble in the right hand with-
out stopping the motion, and place the forefinger in the mouth without the
thimble, Fig. 87.
To the audience it appears that you actually put the thimble into your
mouth. Remove the forefinger from the mouth without the thimble on it,
of course. Put your tongue in your cheek to give the effect of a thimble
being there. Remove tongue from cheek and pretend to swallow thimble.
>

oe
w
a

Your next production is from your right ear. Bring the right hand up
toward the ear, with forefinger pointing to it. When your hand is near the
ear, curl the forefinger into the palm and get the thimble on the finger.
Suddenly straighten the finger with the thimble and insert it quickly in the
ear, Figs. 88 and 89. Remove your finger with the thimble and show the
palm of hand to the audience. You apparently took the thimble out of
your ear, Fig. 90.
90 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC
Remember that any production from the thumb palm which you
make or any thumb palming of thimble which you do should be covered
with a sweep of the hand toward or from the object or part of your body.
The large motion of the arm and hand covers the small one of the actual
manipulation. There must be continuous motion—no jerks or hesitation.
Pretend to place the thimble in your mouth and vanish it again. The
thimble, of course, goes into thumb palm position. Produce the thimble
from under the right side of your vest. Slip the thimble on the third finger
of right hand from thumb palm position. You will have no difficulty in
doing this with the aid of the thumb and other fingers.
Curl your fingers under the right side of the vest. Insert the little
finger in the small thimble and slip the thimble out of the holder. Insert
the forefinger in the front thimble, bring it out, and expose it to the audi-
ence, keeping the other fingers still under the vest. To help you do this,
hold the lower right edge of the vest with your left hand. The effect is that
you swallowed a thimble and then produced it from under your vest.
Do the Slow Thimble Vanish in Hand (Move No.5). Turn your right
side toward the audience. Place the right forefinger with thimble against
the left palm and vanish the thimble by thumb palming in the right hand.
Be sure to keep the other fingers, with thimbles, curled into the right palm.
See Figs. 31 to 36. Drop theright hand down. Show the left palm empty.
Produce the thimble from under the left side of vest. Curl the left
forefinger under the lower left side of vest and remove a thimble on it from
the holder there. Bring the hand out. Keep the other fingers curled into
the palm, and the forefinger outstretched so that it is shown to better
advantage with the thimble on it.
You now have this arrangement of thimbles in your hands: a thimble
on the Jeft forefinger; thimbles on third and fourth fingers of the right hand;
a thimble thumb palmed in right hand.

17—THIMBLE JUMP FROM HAND TO HAND

Stand facing the audience. Show a thimble
on the left forefinger pointing upward. Hold
the right forefinger in a similar position. The
backs of hands toward audience, and other
fingers curled in, Fig. 91.

Move the left hand down about a foot and

then suddenly up again. On the upward mo-
tion, thumb palm the thimble in the left hand.
FIG,91 Straighten the forefinger immediately again.
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 91

The effect is that the thimble has suddenly vanished from left forefinger.
Now do a similar movement with the right hand—down and sud-
denly up again. On the upward motion, get the thumb palmed thimble
on the right forefinger. Do this in a flash so that it will not be noticed
by the audience. Straighten the finger immediately and show it with the
thimble on. The effect is that the thimble vanished from the left fore-
finger and suddenly appeared on the right. If the movements are properly
timed, the effect is that the thimble jumps from one hand to the other.
The movement may be varied by holding the fingers in a horizontal
position instead of vertical. Make throwing motions of the hands toward
each other to cover the small thumb palming or production movements.
Finish with the thimble on the right forefinger.

18—SIDE SWING JUMP OVER

This is a variation of the Thimble Jump which you may find convenient
to use sometimes when you have only one thimble in each hand and need
not be so careful about not exposing the palms of the hands.
Show the thimble on the forefinger of the left hand. Point at it with
the right forefinger. Keep the back of the right hand to the audience.
In the right hand you have a thimble thumb palmed, Fig. 92. Bring the
left hand to the right hand. When the hands are close together, with
backs to audience, thumb palm the thimble in the left hand and get the
thimble on the right forefinger from thumb palm in the right hand, Fig. 93.

Continue the movement of the hands to the right. Now the right
hand goes out to the right side with the thimble on the right forefinger,
and the left hand points at it, Fig. 94. The effect is that the thimble jumps
from the finger of the left hand to the finger of the right. Reverse the
movement and the thimble apparently travels back to the left hand again.
To RETURN TO THE THIMBLE Act RoutINeE:
Turn your right side to the audience. You havea thimble on the right
forefinger. Pretend to throw it into the air—but, in reality, thumb palm
92 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

itin theright hand. Just before doing this get the thimble already thumb
palmed onto the second finger of the right hand, Fig. 95. As you make this
movement, curl the left fingers up under the left lower edge of the vest and
insert them into the thimbles in the holder there.

Fig. 96 shows the view away from the audience. Your right hand is
up. From it you vanish the thimble on your forefinger. This goes into
thumb palm position. The thimble that was thumb palmed goes on your
second finger. You already have thimbles on the third and fourth fingers.
Under cover of your body your left hand gets four thimbles, one on every
finger, from the holder under the lower left edge of the vest. Keep your
left hand closed to conceal the thimbles and drop to the side. Your eyes
must misdirect attention of the audience to the right hand, Fig. 97.

Tue First Bic Surprise:

Suddenly pluck thimble out of the air with right forefinger, getting it
from thumb palm position. Then suddenly open all fingers and show a
thimble on each, Fig. 98.
THE SEconp Bic Surprise:
Now turn your left side to the audience, keeping your left hand down at
the side. Thumb palm the thimble from the forefinger. Hold the fore-
finger outstretched with nothing on it. Then make a sweeping motion of
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 93

the arm, produce the thimble on the finger tip, and show it Fig. 99. Sud-
denly open the left hand and show a thimble on each fingertip, Fig. 100.

F1G.99 FIG. 100

Tue Tuirp Bic Surprise:

Drop the thimbles from the right hand into a glass on the table. Let
the right hand fall to the side. Then drop the thimbles from the left hand
into the glass. To do this, turn your left side to the audience, Fig. 101.

g
LH. 9
=
- FIG.IOL FIGHOZ
=
Cur] the right fingers under the lower right edge of your coat and insert
them in the thimbles in the holder there. Remove the thimbles on your
finger tips and keep the hand closed and down at the side. This view is
away from the audience, Fig. 102.
Turn your right side to the audience now. Keep the back of your right
hand to the audience and thumb palm the thimble from the forefinger.
Now reach into the air with the right forefinger outstretched and nothing
on it, and catch a thimble on the finger tip.
With your right side turned to the audience, and the use of misdirec-
tion to the right hand, reach under the lower left edge of the coat with the
left hand and remove the four thimbles from the holder, on each of the left
finger tips. Thumb palm the thimble from the left forefinger.
Open right hand and you again have a thimble on each finger tip.
94 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Tue Fourts Bic Surprise:

Turn your left side to the audience. With nothing on it, thrust the
left forefinger into the air. Catch a thimble on it. Then suddenly open
all fingers and again you have produced a thimble on each finger tip.

Drop the thimbles into the glass, first those from the right hand, then
those from the left... This completes your Thimble Act.

SUGGESTIONS AND VARIATIONS:

A thimble act of this kind may be finished after the production of the
first eight thimbles—that is, the two surprise productions of four thimbles
on each hand. The double production of two sets of four thimbles on each
hand, however, gives double the punch to the act. Producing thimbles in
such numbers as a finish for the act gives a smashing climax to the single
thimble sleights. The act may be shortened by omitting some single moves

Trousers Lec PropucrTIon:

Placing holders with thimbles inside of the bottoms of your trousers is
another method for supplying thimbles for productions. Sew a holder of
four thimbles inside the bottom edge of the right
trousers leg and a holder of three thimbles inside
left trousers leg, Fig. 103.

Have a thimble on the right forefinger and

vanish it into the air—in reality, by thumb
palming it. Slip this thimble from thumb palm
onto the second finger. Reach up under the left
FIG.1IO3 trousers leg. Get the three thimbles from the
holder onto your free right fingers—first, third,
and fourth. Remove the right hand with all fingers curled into the palm
except the forefinger. Show this finger freely with the thimble on it. You
apparently vanished a thimble into the air and found it again under your
left trousers leg.

I Do the Pull-Away Vanish (Move No. 8)—placing the thimble from the
right forefinger supposedly into the lefthand. You really thumb palm this
thimble in the right hand. Reach up under the right trousers leg with the
left hand, get the thimbles on all finger tips, remove hand with the fingers
curled into the palm, except the forefinger. Show this freely with a thimble
on it—apparently the same thimble which you just vanished.

Bring the hands to the front of the body, backs of hands to the audience.
Do the Thimble Jump from Hand to Hand as taught you above. See
Fig.91. Perform this two or three times. Then say to the audience:
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 95

“I just overheard someone remark that I use more than one thimble. I do!
I use eight.” .. . Open all fingers wide and show all eight thimbles at once—
one on each finger tip.
Hat Propucrion:
Another method of getting four thimbles—have four placed inside of
the crown of a soft felt hat, resting in the crease, Fig. 104. Have the hat
on a table nearby.

After you have vanished the thimble from the forefinger of the right
hand and thumb palmed it, reach into the hat with the left hand and insert
each finger into a thimble, Fig. 105. Remove your hand with the thimble
on the forefinger exposed, and the other fingers curled into the palm, Fig.
106. Then make your big production of four thimbles. Or, if you desire

ie EICIOS
FIG.1IO6

to produce eight thimbles from the hat, have three more thimbles concealed
in another fold inside of the hat. After apparently vanishing a thimble,
reach in with the right hand, get the three thimbles on the finger tips. The
thumb palmed thimble makes the fourth for the right hand. Suddenly
produce these four in the right hand. Or, produce all eight thimbles at the
same time.
96 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

OUTLINE OF THIMBLE ACT

This outline gives you the sequence of the productions and the vanishes
just to make it clear to you the effects which the audience see as you proceed
with your thimble act:
1—Reach into the air with the left hand.
Reach into the air with the right hand and produce a thimble on
the tip of forefinger.
2—Vanish the thimble in the left hand.
3—Show both hands empty.
4—Produce a thimble on the right forefinger from empty Jeft hand.
5—Vanish it again in the left hand by pulling it away from the right.
6—Produce thimble from behind left elbow on the right forefinger.
7—Toss the thimble into the air and it vanishes.
8—Produce thimble at the right finger tip by reaching into the air.
9—Change a silver thimble into a red one.
10—Change the red thimble back into the original silver one.
11—Vanish the silver thimble in the air again.
12—Produce a thimble on the right forefinger from behind left knee.
13—Vanish it by striking the right hand on the left.
14—Produce it on the right forefinger again from the left elbow.
15—Vanish the thimble suddenly, and show both sides of both hands
concealing nothing.
16—Produce it on the tip of the right second finger.
17—Vanish by pounding the thimble into the top of your head.
18—Produce from your mouth.
19—Vanish it in the mouth and swallow it.
20—Produce from the right ear.
21—Vanish in the mouth again.
22—Produce from under the right side of your vest.
23—Vanish in the left hand.
24—Produce from under the left side of your vest.
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 97

25—Jump the thimble from hand to hand several times.

26—Vanish the thimble from right forefinger into the air.
27—Produce it on the right forefinger again.
28—First big surprise production—
Four thimbles—one on each of the right fingers.
29—Produce a thimble on the forefinger of the left hand.
30—Second big surprise production—
Four thimbles—one on each of the left fingers.
31—Drop the thimbles from both hands into a glass.
32—Produce a thimble on the right forefinger again from the air.
33—Third big surprise production—
Four thimbles again on the right hand.
34—Produce thimble on the left forefinger.
35—Fourth big surprise production—
Four thimbles again on the left hand.
36—Drop the thimbles from both hands into glass, ending the act.

THE MISER’S DREAM WITH THIMBLES

This effect is a variation of The Miser’s Dream, using coins, as taught
you in Volume 2, Lesson 23, page 99.. The same principles are applied to
the use of thimbles. Review the effect with coins before you study this
variation and you will have no difficulty in mastering this application.

HD) DD) To PREPARE:

FIG: 1O7 Stack 12 thimbles inside of each other,
Fig. 107. Hold the stacked thimbles in-
side of a hat with your left hand. In
order to heighten the effect of thimbles
falling into the hat, place a saucer or small
plate in the bottom of the hat and when
the thimbles drop they will make a good
sound, Fig. 108.
FIG.108
To PEerrorm:
; A little ingenuity on your part can build up for you an interesting rou-
tine with thimbles. Vary it with Front and Back Hand Palming; throw-
ing a thimble into the air and catching in the hat; throwing a thimble
through the bottom of the hat, etc. Refer back to The Miser’s Dream and use
98 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

it as a basis for working up a thimble routine. Here is a suggested routine:

Start with 12 thimbles stacked and held inside the hat in the left hand.
1—Pretend to catch something from the air and to throw it into the ©
hat. At the right moment drop one thimble from the stack in the
left hand. Reach in with the right and get a thimble on your fore-
finger. Thumb palm it in the right hand and cause it to vanish by
a slight upward throwing movement.
2—Produce this thimble from under the left elbow. Pretend to throw
it into the hat, thumb palming it again. Drop a thimble from the
left hand into the hat. You now have one thimble in the hat.
3—Produce a thimble from the left knee. Pretend to drop it into the
hat. Drop a second thimble into the hat from the left hand.
©

4—Produce from the air. Get the thimble

on the right forefinger from the thumb
palm position, Fig. 109.

Now turn your left side to the audience.

Pretend to throw the thimble into the
air—in reality, back palmit. Show both
rN sides of hand empty. Then suddenly pro-
FIG.109 Boece duce the thimble at the second finger tip.
HAT
Turn your right side to the audience. Pretend to push the thimble
through the bottom of the hat. Have the palm of your hand to
the audience. Bring the hand down about a foot, then up to the
hat, and in a flash, back palm the thimble. At the proper time,
drop a thimble from the left hand into the hat. This is the third
thimble in the hat.
5—Produce a thimble from the left elbow. Have the palm of your
hand to the audience, fingers screened behind the left elbow.
Bring the thimble back onto the second finger tip. Then bring
the hand out and show to the audience. Pretend to drop into
the hat. Release the fourth thimble from the left hand.
6—Produce from the ear. Pretend to place the thimble into your
mouth. Place the tongue in the left cheek to give the appearance
of a thimble inside. Pretend to blow the thimble into the hat.
The thimble is, of course, thumb palmed in the right hand, and
you drop a fifth thimble into the hat from the left hand.
7—Catch a thimble from the air, producing it on the right forefinger.
Pretend to throw it high into the air. Reach out with the hat,
supposedly catching it. Release the sixth thimble from left hand.
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 99

8—Catch the thimble from the air again. Pretend to throw it into
the hat. Drop the seventh thimble from the left hand.

9—Place the right hand at your nose. Pretend to blow a thimble

into the hat held underneath. This time allow the thimble to
fall from the right hand into the hat. Reach into the hat and
remove one thimble on the right forefinger. Look at it, then pre-
tend to throw it back into the hat. In reality, thumb palm it,
and drop the eighth thimble into the hat from the left hand.

10—Produce the thimble from the under side of the hat. Pretend to
drop itinto the hat. Release the ninth thimble from the left hand.

11—Produce from under the hat again and supposedly throw it into
the hat. Drop the tenth thimble into the hat from the left hand.
You now have one thimble in the right hand and one in the left.

12—Produce a thimble from behind the right knee and pretend to

throw it into the hat. Drop the eleventh and last thimble from
the left hand.

13—Reach up as high as you can, standing on your tiptoes and pre-

tend to catch a thimble from the air on the right forefinger. Out-
stretched body gives a good effect. Drop the twelfth thimble
into hat from the right hand.

14—Remove the saucer from the hat with thimbles on it. Pour the
thimbles back into the hat or into the glass on the table to show
them to the audience.

Thimble catching may be elaborated by having holders with thimbles

placed at various parts of body. You may place them in this way—one in
a vest pocket; one in holder under front edge of vest between the second
and third buttonholes; one under the right lower edge of vest; one under
the left lower edge of vest; one in a holder under the right coat lapel; one
in a holder under the bottom edge of the left trousers leg. Make your
thimble productions snappy and well-timed, for maximum effect.

SOME INTERESTING THIMBLE VANISHES

THuMB Tip VANISH:

The method is the same as the one used

in vanishing a cigarette in a Thumb Tip.
See Volume 1, Lesson 6, page 117. The
bare hand thimble vanish is good. Fig. 110 ;
shows how a thimble fits into the Thumb Tip. FIG.NO
100 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

PHantToM THIMBLE VANISH:

Take a thimble to fit closely on the right forefinger. Cut it in half
lengthwise. It is well to paint the edges flesh color. Place the half
thimble on the back of the right forefinger. Fig. 111 shows how it fits the
finger. When front of hand is shown, the thimble is not visible, Fig. 112.

FIG.UIS

FIG. HI = y
FIG:112 FIG. 114

Cover the back of the right hand with the palm of the left and turn
both hands over so that the backs of both face the audience, Fig. 113. Un-
cover the right hand and expose the thimble which has suddenly appeared
on the right forefinger, Fig. 114.
Keep the back of the right hand well toward the audience and the half
thimble looks like a whole one. To vanish again, merely repeat the mo-
tions used in making the thimble appear. Cover the right hand with the
left and turn both over to show the thimble gone.
You may remove the half thimble from your pocket and put it on the
back of the right forefinger in full view of the audience. Then vanish it
and make it appear as taught you above. After the last production, just
remove it from the finger and place in your pocket. The audience will not
suspect that it is not an ordinary thimble.
ANOTHER PHANTOM THIMBLE VANISH:
Hold a handkerchief over the left hand and make a well in it, as you did
in vanishing a cigarette by the Thumb Tip method.
Show the thimble on the back of the right forefinger and place it in the
well of the handkerchief. Turn your left side to the audience. Remove
the right forefinger with the front of it facing the audience. It appears that
you placed the thimble in the handkerchief. Grasp the handkerchief with
the right hand, being careful not to expose the half thimble, and draw the
handkerchief slowly from the left hand. The thimble has vanished.
Leave the half thimble in your pocket as you place the handkerchief there.
Smaut Paper Bac VanisH:
A pretty little effect. Four thimbles are shown in a small cardboard
box. They are removed one at a time and placed in a small
 Lesson 47 — THIMBLE MAGIC 101

opaque paper bag, about 3 inches high, 2 inches wide, and 1 inch across.
The paper bag is then torn into bits, the thimbles have vanished and are
reproduced one at a time from various places on the body.
To PERForM:
Place four thimbles in a small cardboard box and show them freely.
Place them on table at your right. Pick up the small paper bag and open
it, holding it in the left hand. Turn your left side to the audience. Get
the half thimble on the back of right forefinger from right trousers pocket.

Reach into the box on the table, show-

ing front of right forefinger to the audi-
ence. Dip into the box and then draw
finger out with its back turned to the
audience. You have apparently taken a
thimble from the box, but, in reality, you
just turned your finger around to show
the half thimble, Fig. 115. Place the é aus
right forefinger in the bag, apparently FIG.IIS yp
leaving the thimble there. Withdraw the
finger with front to audience and the half
thimble on the back concealed, Fig. 116. FIG.) 16 Z

Continue this until you have apparently removed all four thimbles
from the box and have placed them in the bag. Turn your left side to the
audience. Reach into your coat pocket with your right hand for a rubber
band and leave the half thimble there. Twist the top of the paper bag
and place a rubber band around it.
Now suddenly tear up the bag into small pieces and let the pieces
flutter to the floor. The thimbles seem to have vanished from the bag.
To produce them, merely have four thimbles placed in various parts of your
clothing. Produce them one at a time and drop them all into the cardboard
box as though replacing them.
The Phantom Thimble may be arranged on the front of the finger and
productions and vanishes worked accordingly—producing a thimble by
showing the front of the finger and vanishing by showing the back.
The Phantom Thimble may be used in many interesting effects.
Place four half thimbles on the backs or fronts of the four fingers of the
right hand. Cover them for a moment with the left hand, turn the hand
to make them vanish. Then cover again and turn to produce them.
Study your angles of visibility carefully in this effect.
Lesson 48
SWALLOWING NEEDLES
AND RAZOR BLADES
Ld

THE NEEDLE MYSTERY

HE EMINENT Houpin1 featured this effect on his vaudeville programs.
He studied it in detail and worked out his presentation from the stand-
point of showmanship. He created a great big effect using what is probably
the tiniest objects ever employed in magic—needles.
EFFECT:
From one to five packages of needles are shown. The needles are
removed from the packages and placed on the performer’s tongue. He
swallows the needles and shows his mouth empty. Then the magician
swallows a yard or two of white cotton thread. He drinks some water to
help his swallowing. Next he shows his hands empty, reaches into his
mouth, and grasps an end of the thread. He pulls it slowly from his
mouth, and all the needles are threaded one by one on the thread!
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two packages of needles. Size 5 is suitable.
2—A spool of white cotton thread.
3—A glass of water.
To PREPARE:
Take the two packages of needles. File the points down on all the
needles except one. They must be blunt so that they will not prick your
mouth. Some performers use them with
the regular sharp points, but this requires
Cee expert handling and is not necessary.
POINTED
fe NEEDLE
Now in one package replace the
needles as they were at the beginning,
putting the one sharp-pointed needle on
one side. This needle is the one you pass
out for examination. Be sure the needles
look just as they did when you bought
them. Close up the package, Fig. 1.
103
104 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

The needles from the other package are threaded on about 4 or 5

feet of thread in this way: Be very careful to follow directions here.
KNOT About 6 inches from one end of the thread,
£ place a needle. Tie a knot on each side
of the needle so that it will not slip out
of place. Then thread the rest of the
needles at irregular intervals along the
B1G34N
thread, knotting each into place. Leave
at. least six inches free on each end of the
FIG, 2 thread, Fig. 2.
Now bunch the needles together carefully. Put the heads together,
then fold the thread back and forth in zigzag fashion so that it will not
tangle, Fig. 3. After the last needle is in place, wrap the remaining thread
around the bundle and pull about an inch of the end through the middle
of the needJes. This will keep the thread in place and will furnish an end
for you to grasp when the time comes, Fig. 4.

OVaydHL

NEEDLES
NEEDLE
| CONCEALED
FiGeS IN MOUTH

When ready to perform, place the roll of threaded needles in your

mouth between your cheek and the base of your gums on the left side of the
lower jaw. The heads of the needles should point to the front. The pack-
age should be well pressed down into the jaw. If the needles have been
properly prepared, you should feel no discomfort from them. You will also
find it easy to talk. Some performers carry the needles so arranged in their
mouths for many minutes, so that they do not arouse suspicion just before
they perform, Fig. 5.
To PEerrorm:
Come forward with the package of needles and spool of white thread.
“One of the puzzling features of Oriental magic is the famous needle mys-
tery. Because of the difficulty in handling needles and the conditions under
which the experiment is performed, it truly deserves its place amongst the so-
called East Indian miracles.” . . Open the package of needles and show it.
Lesson 48 — SWALLOWING NEEDLES AND RAZOR BLADES _ 105

“I shall first ask someone to see that this is a package of genuine needles.”
. . Go down to the audience. Remove the pointed needle from the pack-
age and hand it to a spectator to feel.
“Just by feeling the point, needles (needless) to say, you soon discover
that needles are needles.” . . Keep the rest of the needles in the package, but
show them freely. Allow the spectator to retain the pointed needle. Now,
say to another spectator:
“Sir, will you please take this package of needles and help me for a little
while?” . .. Give him the package of needles and assist him up to the stage.
Note: It is not necessary to go into the audience to show the needles
if it is not practical to do so on certain occasions. Instead, have two spec-
tators come up to assist you. Give the sharp needle to one, and the pack-
age of needles to the other. Have one stand at your right and the other
at your left so that the sharp needle cannot be replaced in the package by
the spectators. Should, by any chance, the needle happen to be replaced,
just remove the rest of the needles, leaving that one in the package. This
will not be noticed by the spectators. Also give the spool of thread to the
spectator holding the sharp needle.

“T shall also ask you to hold this thread.” . . . Give the spool of thread to
the spectator who is on the stage assisting you. Have this assistant at
your right. Have your table with the glass of water on it a little in front
of you and to your left.
“You, sir, are to act as chief inspector. First, I want to convince you
that my mouth is empty.” . . Open your mouth and show alJ parts. Push
the lips away from the upper and lower gums in front to show there is noth-
ing concealed there. Show the space between the upper teeth and the
cheek on each side. Now apparently show the spaces between the lower
jaw and the cheek on each side. To do this insert the forefingers into each
side of mouth and cover the bundle of needles with the left forefinger. You
must do this rather slowly and carefully to convince the audience that there
is nothing in your mouth. Some performers
shift the needles from the lower to the upper
jaw and back again, but this requires long
practice and great care. This other method
will prove entirely satisfactory. Fig. 6 shows
the fingers being inserted into the mouth to
show it empty.
“Nothing there. Will you please give me
the needles?’ . . . Remove the needles from the
package. Be sure to keep them in plain sight
all the time until you get them into your
mouth. Show the needles to the audience, bunch them up together and
106 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

hold them between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. Show
them to audience again, holding the palm of the hand toward the audience.
Open your mouth and stick out your tongue. Place this bundle of
needles on your tongue, heads toward the rear. Move your head around
so that all can see the needles on your tongue. Show them to the assistant
also, Fig. 7.
Now close your mouth, and with the tongue force the needles over into
the space between the cheek and lower jaw on the right side, opposite to
the side where the prepared needles are concealed. Pretend to swallow the
needles. In other words, you make a swallowing motion to create the |
illusion of swallowing the needles.

WARNING: Donot throw your head back, for there is danger of your
actually swallowing some needles. Some performers do throw their heads
back in pretending to swallow the needles, but it is unwise for you to do so.
You can get the same effect by leaning your head forward. Get the needles
into position and then straighten your head. It will appear that you did
lean your head back somewhat to swallow.
After this maneuver, sigh and say: ‘Not so bad at that. Now for the
thread.” . . . Break off about the same length of thread as the one on which
you have the needles threaded. Roll up about 12 inches of it into a ball
and place in your mouth. Then gradually draw the thread into the mouth
with a chewing motion. Be sure not to have your hands come near the
mouth during the needle swallowing or eating of the thread, Fig. 8.
It is easy to get thread into a small wad in your mouth and to force it
over on the right side with the unthreaded needles. Fig. 9 shows the posi-
tions of the bundles of needles—prepared ones are on the left side, the un-
prepared ones and the wad of thread on the right.
Nore: When working with more than one package of needles for
swallowing, each package is apparently swallowed one at a time. In
Lesson 48 — SWALLOWING NEEDLES AND RAZOR BLADES 107

reality, each bundle is pushed over to the lower right side of mouth between
jaw and cheek and stacked together there. It takes skill to work with
several packages, so do not attempt it until you have mastered working
with the pretended swallowing of one.
“Rather a light dessert for a needle meal.” . . . Pick up the glass of water
and drink some of it, or just pretend to drink. . . . “That is sure to wash the
thread down.”
Go through the movements again of showing the mouth empty, hiding
both bundles of needles with the forefingers. Do this rather hurriedly.
“T am going to ask, sir, that you help me now and be very careful in doing
so. What I intend to do is to cause the needles to thread themselves on the
thread and then I shall pull out the thread with the needles strung on it. I shall
ask you to take the thread and pull it slowly. Do not jerk. A slight jerk and
I might injure my throat. So be careful.”
Now make facial motions as though forcing something up your throat.
Do not exaggerate these motions. Show the hands empty, fingers wide
apart. With first finger and thumb of the right hand reach into your
mouth. Push the needles up from the left side of the mouth onto your
tongue. Grasp the end of the thread and allow the bundle of needles to
unroll on your tongue.
Slowly pull out the thread. When
about eighteen inches of thread has
appeared, have a spectator take
hold of the thread. This leaves your
right hand to assist in getting the
needles out of your mouth. When
you come to the end of the thread,
grasp it in your teeth. Take the
FIG.10 other end from the spectator again
and hold in your right hand. Hold
the string of needles straight out with your coat sleeve as a background to
show them up better, Fig. 10. Your effect is now completed, and you may
place the thread and needles aside.
Norte: If you prefer, you may get rid of the loose needles from the
mouth in the act of apparently drinking the water, which, in this event,
would be in an opaque tumbler or bath room cup. The wad of thread
would be secretly expelled into the tumbler along with the loose needies and
would not be seen. At the finish you have nothing in the mouth.
It is not very aesthetic to hand a spectator the moist end of the thread
withdrawn from your mouth, and it is recommended that you have a clip
which you snay onto the end of the thread when you first bring it out. The
spectator is given the clip to hold while you continue to draw out thread.
108 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

THREADED RAZOR BLADES IN MOUTH

It was Buerger, of Detroit, who hit upon the idea of using safety razor
blades instead of needles—for the threading in the mouth mystery—as razor
blades are larger and more easily seen than needles. The effect is similar
to the needle swallowing mystery, but instead of using needles, you substi-
tute razor blades, apparently swallowing ten of them followed by a length
of thread, and finally regurgitating with each blade strung on the thread.
In Buerger’s method he switched razor blades by using a special rather
large hollow spool with two compartments, to hold ten blades each.
There are a number of ways that one package of blades can be changed -
for another and in this presentation I shall stay away from the mechanical
methods and special stands, and suggest simple switches.
a
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Twenty double edged safety razor blades.
These should be chromium plated in order to improve their visi-
bility. Any good plater can do this for you without much expense.
Plating dulls them. One can be resharpened with a whetstone.
2—Spool of heavy white thread.
3—A small wooden stand on which to stack the threaded blades, Fig. 1.
It consists of a rectangular piece of wood about a quarter of an
inch thick and three inches long by two inches wide. Two small
nails are driven through it, so spaced that nails will run through the
two main holes in a razor blade. This device by Harold Sterling
simplifies the threading and handling of the blades.

4—A folded pocket handkerchief which has an inch and a half slit
cut through the center of the upper layer of cloth. The upper and
second layers of cloth are sewn together to form a pocket large
enough to comfortably hold ten threaded razor blades, Fig. 2.
Lesson 48 — SWALLOWING NEEDLES AND RAZOR BLADES 109

5—An opaque bath room cup partially filled with water.

6—A saucer.
7—A playing card.
To PREPARE:
On a four-foot piece of strong white thread tie the ten dull razor blades.
The blades should be about the distance of two razor blades apart. To aid
in this the blades should be stacked on the razor blade holder, with the
thread winding around the nails, Fig.1. There
is a blade tied on each end of the thread. Fig. 3
shows the blades stacked together, and removed
from the holder.
This packet of blades isplaced in the pocket
in the handkerchief, Fig. 2. About half of the
length of the blades protrudes from the pocket.
The prepared handkerchief lies on the table with the blades underneath—
corner A is toward the rear.
The other ten blades—sharp one on top—are in the saucer nearby. A
playing card is also on the table, as well as a spool of white thread. Near
at hand is the bathroom cup with water in it.
To PERFoRM:
“Someone asked Ching Ling Foo, the famous Chinese magician what he
would have for lunch and he said ‘Needles.’ . . . ‘Needles? Steel needles?’, the
inguisitor asked.... ‘Yes,’ said Foo, ‘Needles, with thread for dessert.’ . . .
So saying, he took out a package of needles, opened them up, swallowed them,
and picking up a spool of white thread, unrolled a few feet, rolled the thread
into a ball and swallowed it. But the man’s amazement came when he saw
what Foo finally did with the thread and the needles.”
“Instead of needles I am going to use razor blades which are larger, more
dangerous and I believe are more interesting to use. The gentlemen in the
audience know that razor blades are razor blades. I use ten of them.”
Pour the blades into your hand and return the saucer to the table.
Fan the blades and separate them so as to show they are just razor blades,
and that each is separate and distinct. Place them back in the saucer.
Pick up the sharp blade, also the playing card, and slice sections off the
card cleanly and quickly, so there is no doubt about the blade being sharp.
“The blades must be handled very carefully because of their extreme
sharpness. A blade cuts a thick playing card as though it were mere tissue.”
If desired you could have two playing cards and in apparently show-
ing two or three blades sharp, merely pick up the same one each time, but
usually one blade is enough to demonstrate. The pieces of card can flutter
onto the table or the floor.
110 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“It is said the Chinese do things backwards and that dessert starts the
meal so let me first eat a few feet of white thread.” . . . Pick up the spool and
unwind about four feet of the thread. Put the spool aside, roll the thread
into a ball, which can be easily done by winding it around two fingers. The
balled up thread is placed on your tongue and then the mouth is closed.
Pretend to swallow but do not swallow the thread.
Pick up the opaque glass containing water and pretend to drink, really
expelling the ball of thread back into the glass during the assumed drinking.
Swallow as though drinking water. If desired you can put the ball of
thread into the left side of the mouth between the gum and cheek and really
swallow some water. Then eject the thread into the cup before finally re- .
placing the cup on the table.
“The thread has been washed down and swallowed. Water always helps.
Now for the ten sharp razor blades.” ... Pick up the ten blades and, squaring
them together, place on the tongue so all can see. I would advise having
the sharp blade inside. Show the saucer empty after you remove the blades.
Pretend to swallow the blades, but of course you do not.
Bring the cup up to your mouth and apparently drink the water, really
ejecting the blades into the cup under cover of drinking. Place the cup
back on table. Pick up handkerchief with blades upright and at the rear.
“Delicious!” . . Pat the handkerchief against your mouth as though to
wipe the lips after drinking, which gives you a chance to unload the threaded
blades into the mouth. This is a natural move. Practice it well to give
the impression that you just wiped your lips with the handkerchief. Re-
place the handkerchief on the table. These threaded blades are slipped
down in the right side of the mouth between gum and cheek.
“Watch—a Chinese miracle!” . . Do not say much, as you do not want
your speech to seem unnatural and give you away.
Get the blades back into the center of your mouth again. Show your
hands empty. Pat your
stomach a bit, then reach
up to your lips and grasp
the top blade. Bring it
forward and draw it out
allowing the thread and
the other threaded blades
to follow, Fig. 4. A trick
of showmanship is to
hold a blade here and
there between the teeth
FIG. 4 and when almost out
you can give a bit of a jerk on the thread which causes the blade to flip out.
Lesson 48 — SWALLOWING NEEDLES AND RAZOR BLADES 111

When the last blade is between the teeth reach up with the left hand and
grasp it. You can thus hold the string of threaded razor blades out in
front of you which makes a nice flourish. . . . ‘“‘Yes—strange are the mysteries
of the Chinese.”
Note: This mystery is for an adult audience, and not for a children’s
audience. Do not make unusual grimaces or exaggerated facial expres-
sions. Do everything in a natural manner.
If you object to putting the one sharp blade into your mouth, you can
start out with eleven blades, and then decide touse ten. You count them—
find there is an extra one and discard it (the sharp one).

A JOHN BOOTH SUGGESTION

~ The razor blade mystery was featured by John Booth in some of the
best hotels in the Americas. He gives an excellent description with patter
in one of his delightful books.
He uses an excellent method, yet simple,
to switch ten really sharp single blades for
ten threaded ones.

He simply uses a pocket handkerchief upon

which the threaded blades are placed and a
part of the handkerchief is folded forward
over the blades, Fig. 5.

The sharp blades are placed on the rear of

the handkerchief and in reaching for the
thread with the left hand, the right hand
flips over the flap of the handkerchief, covering the sharp blades and expos-
ing the threaded ones, Fig. 6. This is an easy indetectable move.

fg
Lesson 49
UNIQUE CARD MAGIC

A= YOU WILL FIND “something different”—an assortment of tricks

and stunts that will give added interest to any program. Practically
everything in this lesson now appears in print for the first time. Included
are a couple of “oldies” which are so little known that they will be eagerly
accepted as new by the present generation.

Norte; With the cards all facing in the same direction, the ‘‘top’”’ card of the
deck (in any position) is back outwards; the “‘bottom” card is face outwards.

-KOLMA-TARBELL “SNOOTY SNAKE”

I instinctively admire the man who can take a simple inexpensive
article and, by combining it with some other simple thing, create something
that is worth dollars. A thing created for one purpose may be far more
valuable when used from another angle. “Dr. Kolma’’ was playing with
a collapsible snake in a can, and a deck of cards, when he suddenly hit on
an idea that became very popular. I added an idea, put the effect in my
own show, and the surprise finish was just what the audience ‘needed.

EFFECT:
A spectator in the audience is asked if he would like to be a magician.
He is given a deck of cards and asked to shuffle the cards. He is then told
to have a spectator select any one of the cards, tear an index corner off
the card, keep the corner and replace the card back in the deck. The
cards are shuffled, the performer takes them and places the deck on the
table. He calls attention to a can of marshmallows but says the name is
misleading because the can contains a very ferocious snake. He opens
the can and out jumps a collapsible green cloth spring snake with the
selected card on his snoot. The card is removed and given to the spectator
in the audience to see if the corner he is holding, fits. It proves to be the
same card. The interesting part about this mystery is that any deck can
be used, any card chosen and that the card appearing on the snake’s snoot
is the same card the spectator selected. The card can be marked in any
way the spectator wishes, even to writing his name across it.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A spring snake in a can, as commonly sold by magic and novelty
113
114 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

stores. We have all seen the can marked Marshmallows or

Peanut Brittle, from which a collapsible green cloth spring snake
jumps out when the cover is opened.
2—A deck of cards.
The snake is specially prepared by taking a heavy piece of black linen
thread and threading it into a darning needle. Attach one end of the
thread to the snake with a knot about fifteen inches away from the head
of the snake; run the needle through the snake bringing the thread out
through the center of the head end of the snake, Fig. 1.

TH Rene w NEP BUTTON

FIG. | KNOTS

To the end of the thread tie a flat button which is from 14 inch to 5g
of an inch in diameter, and make a series of knots for a half-inch back from
the button, Fig. 1. The knots in the thread prevent the button from
striking the cloth of the snake and avoid a shock when the folded snake is
expanded later on. Place a piece of “‘Wiztax’’ (adhesive tape with
adhesive material on both sides of the tape) on the button, Fig. 2. If
you can not get “Wiztax’’ just glue two pieces of adhesive tape back to
back. One side of the tape sticks to the button and the other side to the
card to be selected later on.

ADHESIVE
TAPE

FIG. 3 FIG.4

Place the snake in the can, compressing it so that the button and the
thread stay out, as in Fig. 3. Allow the button and the thread to stay
outside of the can, the button being on the table with the adhesive side up,
Fig. 4. The top is screwed on the can to prevent the snake from expanding
prematurely.
To PREPARE:
The can is on the table with the button, adhesive side up, a few inches
behind the can, out of sight of the audience. The deck of cards can be laid
across the thread in front of the button.
 Lesson 49 — UNIQUE CARD MAGIC 115

To PeRForm:
Pick up the deck of cards . . . “Is there anyone here who would like to
be a magician? You would, sir! Then step up here and take this deck of
cards. Did you ever see a Chinaman do a card trick? You didn’t? Then
you can play the part of a Chinese magician doing a Chinese card trick.”
Fan the cards towards audience and show them to be all different.
Give the deck to the spectator selected to do the trick . . . “Shuffle the
cards. . . . Go down into the audience and ask anyone to select a card. How
about the gentleman there. Sir, would yow like to select a card. Good. Take
any card, remember it and tear an index corner from the card about the size
of a nickel. The corner with the number on it. Keep the corner and place
the card back in the deck . . . Now, my volunteer Chinese magician will please
shuffle the cards and give the deck to me.”
When the deck is given to you, hold it in your left hand as in Fig. 5,
with the backs of the cards towards your right. Place your right hand on
the deck; your thumb at the inner lower corner of the cards; your index
finger bent against the top card, and the remaining fingers at the outer
end of the deck. Run the tip of the right thumb over the corners of the
cards and when it comes to the break where the corner was torn off a card,
it gives a clicking sound, the same as a short card, and easily enables you to
cut off the bottom of the deck at that place, Fig. 5. You can readily get
your left little finger between the two packets of cards, make the pass and
bring the torn corner card to the top of the deck. This is all the work of a
moment.

TORN CORNER FIG.5 FIG.6

“You see, sir, you would not be a good magician unless you could shuffle
the cards.” . . . Place the deck on the table, on top of the button, the faces
of the cards upward, Fig. 6. Press down with the right index finger on
the center of the deck when you place the cards on the table so as to affix
the torn corner card (now on the under side of the deck) firmly onto the ad-
hesive tape on the button.
ry.‘In this can 1 have a very ferocious snake.” ... Pick up the can with the
116 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

left hand and place the right hand on the lid, Fig. 7... “And from now on
anything can happen.”
Holding firmly onto the can with the left hand, unscrew and remove
the lid with the right hand, allowing the snake to expand and jump out of
the can. When the snake expands it draws the thread back inside again,
pulling the button, with the selected card attached, from the deck, and up
against the head of the snake. Fig. 8.

The snake jumping out of can with the'card on its snoot is a surprise to
the audience and most unexpected. Pick up the snake, remove the card
from the button, place the snake aside and say to the gentleman who
selected the card, “Was this your card, sir? The Eight of Hearts! To
prove that this is really the same card the gentleman selected, I want the magician
here to go down to the gentleman, take the card and see if the corner fits.”
The assistant does down into the audience and gives the torn corner
card to the gentleman who selected it and of course the corner fits . . . ““The
corner fits exactly. Thank you. Keep the card and the corner for a souvenir.
And as for the other gentleman, I want to congratulate him on being such an
excellent Chinese magician.”
Note: For convenience and so that the snake jumping out of the can
may be controlled, it is a good idea to attach the bottom end of the snake
to the bottom of the can. This is easily done by punching a couple of
small nail holes in the bottom of the can; threading a linen thread through
the bottom end of the snake, running the thread through the holes and
tying it on the bottom. The snake jumps out of the can but is still held
to the bottom of the can so you can easily reach over with the right hand,
grasp the snake and show the card on the end. This is the method I use.

THE FLASH CARD CHANGE

Karl Germain gave the magic profession a great many mysteries, among
them this pretty change of one card for another. It was popular in his
own programs. It is effective because of its simplicity and directness.
 Lesson 49 — UNIQUE CARD MAGIC 117

EFFECT:
Two cards are selected by spectators in the audience; the cards are
returned to the deck and well shuffled by the spectators. The deck is
placed in a glass tumbler—the face of the cards towards the audience.
Attention is directed to this card facing the audience. A silk handkerchief
is momentarily held over the glass and then removed. The card facing
the audience has changed to one of the selected cards. Again the silk is
held for a moment over the glass, and when removed, the first selected
card has changed to the second selected card. Sometimes to make the
change seem instant, the silk is merely snapped in front of the glass con-
taining the cards.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A deck of cards.
2—A double-face card. This type of card has one card, say the Queen
of Hearts, on one side and the Ten of Spades on the other. A
double card can be made for the purpose, by rubber cementing
two cards together back to back and pressing out flat. Magic
dealers can supply double-face cards that are printed on both
sides—one thickness. The cards used should be in great contrast
with each other, so that when one card is changed for another
there is no doubt about the change.
3—A glass tumbler, preferably with straight sides that will hold a
deck of cards.
4—A dark colored 18” silk handkerchief.

To PREPARE: DOUBLE
Place a card, say the Five of Diamonds, on the CARD
table face up. On this, place the double card,
Ten of Spades, upwards. On this any card, say
the Eight of Hearts, back up, Fig. 1. In front of
this pile place the silk handkerchief to screen the
cards. In front of the silk place the glass tumbler.
The deck of cards can be nearby with a Queen of
Hearts and a Ten of Spades on the top—duplicates
of the ones on the double card. FIG. I
To PERFORM:
Bring the two top cards to be forced, to the center of the deck by means
of the pass and force the Queen of Hearts on one spectator and the Ten of
Spades on another person. Hand the deck to the first spectator and tell
him to return his card to the deck and shuffle the cards. Give the deck to
the second spectator and have him replace his card and shuffle. Take the
pack and place it face up on top of the three cards on the table.
118 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Pick up the glass in one hand and the handkerchief in the other and
wipe out the glass. Replace the silk on the table and pick up the deck
including the three extra cards, and place inside the glass, the bottom card
facing the audience. Casually turn the glass around to show the back of
the deck. Return to original position and place the glass on the table.
Remove the Five of Diamonds from the rear and place it at the front
of deck so it faces the audience, Fig. 2. The Queen of Hearts now faces
the rear... “‘I think this Five of Diamonds will give a better contrast for what
is to follow.”
Pick up the glass by its stem and hold between your thumb and tips —
of fingers so it can be turned easily at the proper moment, Fig. 3. Pick up
the silk with the other hand and hold so it can easily cover the glass when
it is snapped or momentarily held in front of the glass.

yn)
Sa

FIG, 2 FIG.4

To first spectator: ‘‘What was the name of your card, sir? The Queen
of Hearts? Thank you! Watch!” ... Snap the silk in front of the glass and
under cover of the silk quickly turn the glass half-way around bringing the
Queen to the front, Fig. 4. This sudden appearance of the Queen in place
.of the Five spot is very effective. Practice this move carefully before the
mirror until it is perfect. The audience must not see the turn of the glass.
Remove the Queen—the double card—from the front and place at the rear
of the deck. The Ten of Spades now faces outward at the rear.
Ask the second spectator to name his card. Snap the silk in front or
the glass and turn the glass half-way, bringing the Ten of Spades to the
front, Fig. 5... “The Ten of Spades!”
Apparently lift out the Ten of Spades from the front of deck, really
taking an extra card or two with it and place them at the rear of the deck.
Now the deck can be shown front and back. Again I say practice this
well, for properly done, it is beautiful and seemingly without explanation.
 Lesson 49— UNIQUE CARD MAGIC 119

TARBELL “CARD ON THE NECKTIE”

This surprise appearance of a selected card upon a gentleman’s necktie
will find a welcome reception by magicians who are looking for novelty
finishes to card tricks. This effect has entertainment value.
EFFECT:
A gentleman is asked to come up from the audience and stand at the
left of the performer. He is asked to freely select a card from a deck,
remember it, replace it in the deck and the cards are shuffled. The deck
is then placed back in the card case and both sides of the case shown.
All of the cards are actually in the case. The gentleman is asked if his
card is a red card. Suddenly the audience is aware of a card having
appeared on the gentleman’s four-in-hand tie. It is the same card that the
gentleman selected.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A deck of cards and card case.
2—A sharp pin or needle is soldered to a metal disc 14 inch in diameter
as in Figs. 1 and 2. Conjurer’s wax covers the other side of the
disc, Fig. 2. The end of the pin slants slightly upward so it will
catch into the tie easily.
SOLDER

METAL
DISC

CONJURER'S
<— PIN WAX
FIG.

FIG.3
To PREPARE:
Secretly affix the metal disc with pin, on the slot side of the®card case,
Fig. 3. | Place the case containing the deck on the table.
To PERForm:
Pick up the case and remove the deck. Take care not to expose the
metal disc. Place the case back on the table. Ask a gentleman to assist
you. Place him at your left side... “Sir, you do not mind if I test your
ability as a card player? ’Tis well, I suppose you know one card from the
other.”
Fan the deck and show the cards to be all different .. . “I suppose
you know the Aces from the Kings, and the red cards from the black ones .. .
120 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC
Square up the cards and fan them again, having him take any one of the
cards... ‘Take any card, sir, they are all free. Remember the card and place
it back in the deck again.”
The card is replaced in the center pf the deck, the pass made and the
card brought to the top. The cards can be shuffled, still keeping the card
at the top. Pick up the card case from the table, covering the metal disc
with your hand. Show the case empty. Place the deck in the case so
the backs are toward the slot. Put the flap back in place so it comes
between the top selected card and the balance of the deck, Fig. 3. With
right thumb and fingers lift up the waxed metal disc and place it on that
portion of the card showing through the slot in the case, Fig. 4. Note that.
the point of the pin points downward. Cover the slot with your right
thumb and show the case freely on both sides.

FIG.4

“Did you select a red card sir?” ... As you say this look him in the eyes,
and with your right hand bring the case up against his tie, Fig. 5. Your
thumb is on the left side of the case and fingers are at the right. The slot
is upright and the pin points downward. Hook the pin into the tie and
draw the case downward leaving the card hanging on his tie, Fig. 6.
“Pardon me, but is that your card on your tie? It is? This is the tie
that binds.” ... Remove the card. The pin can be easily slipped off the card
with the aid of the fingernail.

THE “YANKEE DOODLE” CARD

For those who want a simple entertaining way of discovering a selected
card, by the spectator himself, this is it.
EFFECT:
A spectator selects a card from the deck, remembers it and returns it
to the deck. He is given the deck and told to lay the cards down one at
 Lesson 49— UNIQUE CARD MAGIC 121

a time on the table, while he whistles or sings ““Yankee Doodle.” The

selected card shows up just as he stops whistling.
To PREPARE:
A deck of cards is the only paraphernalia. One card is a short card
and this is placed the sixteenth from the top of the deck. By running
your thumb over the edge of the deck the short card is easily located.
To PEnrorm:
Fan the deck from the bottom and have a card freely selected and
remembered. Square the deck and, running your thumb over the inner
edge of the deck, locate the short card allowing it to fall on the lower packet,
and separate the deck just above it. Have the selected card placed on top
of the short card, drop the top packet of cards on the lower packet and
square the deck.
“Sir, can you sing ‘Yankee Doodle?’ You can. This is what I want you
to do. Sing ‘Yankee Doodle’ and put cards down on the table as you sing
like this.” .. . You sing one bar of “Yankee Doodle”...
‘YANK-ee DOOD-le WENT to TOWN” . . . and place a card down
on the table where I have capitalized the words. This gives four cards to
the bar. Properly timed, this is very natural and easy. Pick up the four
cards and place them back on the deck. Give the deck—backs up—to
the spectator who selected the card . . . “Sing ‘Yankee Doodle’ and put the
cards down.”’
It may be necessary for timing and effect to sing along with him.
The cards should go down on the capitalized letters or beats indicated,
so that four cards fall to the bar. There being a total of four bars in
“Yankee Doodle,” sixteen cards should be used up:
YANK-ee DOOD-le WENT to TOWN
1 2 3 4

Up-ON a LIT-tle PO-NY

5 6 Tees

He STUCK a FEATH-er IN his HAT

9 10 11 12

And CALLED him MAC-a-RON-I

13 14 15 16.

When the spectator removes the sixteenth card to place upon the table,
stop his hand a moment before he can lay the card down .. . “What was
the name of your card? The Ten of Hearts? Turn over the card you have in
your hand.” . . . The spectator turns over the card and, true enough, it is
the card he selected . . . ‘‘The Ten of Hearts. Thank you.. You are a
magician!”
122 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

JOE BERG’S FLIP-UP CARD

This quickie card production has been popular with Berg for years.
EFFECT:
A card is selected, remembered and returned to the deck by a spec-
tator, who in turn can freely shuffle the deck. The performer takes the
deck back in his own hands and, riffling the cards over the edge with his
finger, causes the selected card to rise almost half way out of the deck.
PARAPHERNALIA:
eof & 1—A deck of cards.
oe 2—A half card such as the Eight of Clubs, Fig.
g 1. This should be from another deck so as to
FIG. 1 es duplicate a card to be forced.
To PREPARE:
Place the half card in your right hand trousers pocket or secrete it
some place where it can be readily reached with the right hand and palmed.
Face of this half card is towards your body so when it is palmed, the back
of the card will be against the palm of the hand. The duplicate whole
Fight of Clubs is on top of the deck.
To PEeRForM:
Bring the Eight of Clubs from the top of the deck to the center and
force it on aspectator. Tell him to remember it and return the card to the
deck. You can give him the deck in his own hands while he replaces the
card... “Shuffle the cards well.”

While the spectator is shuffling the cards you calmly get hold of the
half card and palm it in your right hand with back of card towards the
palm. Take back the shuffled deck with the left hand and secretly place
the half card on top of the deck. Hold it in place by the thumb and
fingers of the left hand, Fig. 2.
Strip out half of the deck at the left—the bottom half of the packet—
Hindu style—and place it on top of the packet—right on top of the half
 Lesson 49 — UNIQUE CARD MAGIC 123

card. This brings the half card to the center of the deck, but still in its
position as shown in Fig. 2...‘ Now, sir, think of your card!”
Hold the deck in your left hand with fingers across the face and the
thumb down low on the back of the cards, Fig. 3. With the right thumb
under the bottom edge of the deck and the tip of the right index finger at
the top, spring or riffle the cards backwards and suddenly withdraw the
right hand. Properly done, the half card will fly part way out of the deck,
as in Fig. 4. Experiment with position of thumb on the back of the deck,
and test the pressure required to allow the half card to come into the right
position ... ‘Is that your card, sir?” ... Pretend to push the half card back
into the deck but really palming it out.

VARIATION:
In case the half card flies out of the deck and onto the table or floor,
Fig. 5, pick it up and show it to the audience and spectator as you remark,
“You only thought HALF enough!”
Nore: Some performers like to do this latter effect in place of the
rising card or flip-up card in deck. If you prefer this, the deck can be held
face up and the half card shot out of the deck face up. Hold your left
thumb very low on the deck, lower than for the flip-up card, and the half
card will fly completely out of the deck when you riffle.

POP-UP CARDS
Novelty is always being sought in card manipulation, so let me call
your attention to this quickie.
EFFECT:
Cards appear suddenly one at a time at the finger tips of the per-
former’s right hand, or shoot up into the air from the hand.
To PERForM:
You use only a few cards which are secretly palmed in the right hand
with backs of cards outward, and the hand held out in front of the body.
124 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MACIC _

With the tip of your right thumb on the upper right hand corner of the top
card, force the card backward from the top, Fig. 1.

Pull the tip of your thumb downward, releasing the card which flies
up and is quickly caught between the thumb and the finger tips, Figs. 2
and 3. This takes considerable practice. This move is a favorite with
Audley Walsh. The card can also be allowed to snap upwards, as in
Fig. 4. This card. is followed by others, one at a time. Walsh can make
the cards shoot upwards almost like a fountain.
Arthur Buckley, an expert card manipulator, used to often say,
“Any trick worth while is worth spending a year to perfect.’”’ Never be
discouraged by your first efforts. Be sure your method is right, then work
for smoothness, speed, timing, and proper effect.

THE JUMP-UP CARD

Audley Walsh has used this effect with success in his various shows at.
clubs and on the stage as well, for a number of years.
EFFECT:
A selected card jumps up from the deck into a hat which is held a
couple of feet above. The hat is placed on the performer’s head and the
spectators suddenly see the selected card in front of the performer's fore-
head, held in place by the hat which he is wearing.

FIG.\
FIG.3
To Prerrorm:
Have a card freely selected, returned to the deck and bring it to the
 Lesson 49— UNIQUE CARD MAGIC 125

top. Hold the deck in your left hand, lifting up the bottom edge of the
top (selected) card and holding it in place away from the deck with the
second finger, Fig. 1.
Bend your second finger up a bit so as to get a good spring tension on
the card, Fig. 2. Note how the thumb at the top holds the card in place.
Release the thumb pressure by drawing it back over the edge thus freeing
the top card which will permit this selected card to fly upwards. Practice
this until you can do this movement easily.
When the card is set, ready to spring, remove the hat from your head
or pick up the hat and hold it a couple of feet above the deck. Release the
card and it will fly up inside the hat, Fig. 3. Turn the hat up enough to
keep the card inside. The card will now fall against the front of the hat,
Fig. 4.

FIG.4 FIG.S
Place the hat on your head and as you do so, allow the card to slip
partially down out of the hat and be held on the forehead by the hat, as
in Fig. 5. This last move is not easy and takes considerable skill and
timing.
Audley Walsh has mastered the move and in his hands it is a pretty
effect. The snapping of the card alone without the forehead effect is good.
Some performers like to use no hat or selected card but just snap up a num-
ber of cards into the air one at a time.
THE REVOLVER CARD
This effect that Richard Himber likes to do is a variation of the Jump-
Up Card.
EFFEcT:
The performer holds a deck of cards in his right hand as though the
deck might be a revolver. Suddenly a card shoots out from the deck and
travels several feet distant.
To PerForm:
You need only the deck which is held in the right hand as in Fig. 1.
This gives the effect of a revolver grip in shooting. The right forefinger
extends over the outer end of the deck while the inner edge of the bottom
card is brought out in springing position and held by the right thumb,
126 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Figs. 2 and 3. Release of the first finger, and pressure by the thumb will
cause the bottom card to shoot out from the deck to the front.

Where the performer wishes to have a card selected, returned to the

deck, secretly brought to the top of the deck, and shot out towards the
spectator who selected the card, the process is simple. In this case the deck
faces the opposite direction from that shown in the drawings so that the
top card can be shot out instead of the bottom card. Practice the moves
well and you will have a novel effect that is right to the point.

AUDLEY WALSH’S SIDE SPINNER

EFFECT:
The performer holds a deck of cards in his left hand and a hat, mouth
upwards, in his right hand. A card suddenly jumps out of the deck,
revolves, and spins itself over into the hat. This is followed with other
spinning cards.

FIG.|

To PERForM:
Hold the deck in the left hand, Fig. 1. Note carefully the position of
the little finger on the end of the deck, the thumb above and the three
fingers below. The lower edge of the card is raised a bit and its edge held
by pressure of the tip of your second finger, and the tip of the thumb on
the upper edge of deck. The hat is held mouth upwards in right hand.
 Lesson 49— UNIQUE CARD MAGIC 127

Release the left thumb from the top card as you press upward on the
card with the second finger tip, Fig. 2. This causes the card to spring
upward and to the right. However, the little finger acting as a pivot on
the edge of the card, causes the card to revolve, Fig. 3, and spin over into
the hat, Fig. 4.

EIGaS

Again, practice is important to get the exact pressure on each card

before it is released so it will find its way into the hat. Sometimes the
position of the hat has to be adjusted to get better results. In Walsh’s
hand the spinning of the cards seems so easy and natural.

AUDLEY WALSH’S LONG DISTANCE SPINNER

Here is another technique for spinning a card for some distance. While
it may seem difficult to do in the beginning it is well worth practicing.
Audley Walsh performs this spinner very effectively. He has used it for
years in his various performances.

GRIP EFFECT:
A deck of cards
is held in the per-
former’s left hand,
while in his distant
right hand he holds
FIG, 2 a hat, mouth up-
ward. Acard sud-
denly starts spinning away from the deck and
describes an arc through the air and over
THUMB STRAIGHT
Peivinnupa Gains e :
into the hat. ThisiD isis followed by other
PACK WITH PRESSURE cards, one at a time.

To PERFormM:
The deck is held in the left hand as in Figs. 1 and 2. Note carefully
how the deck is curved; the first finger is on the upper edge of the deck;
the second finger is held tightly against the face of the deck, facing the
128 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

audience; while the third finger presses upward on the bottom edge of the
deck. There must be pressure between the first and second fingers. The
left thumb, which has its nail cut close, presses its tip end against the lower
left hand corner of the top card of the deck. The thumb must be held
taut and straight with strong pressure.

WITHOUT BENDING,
THUMB SNAPS UP
FiG 3

Without bending, the thumb snaps the top card upwards and to the
right. The forefinger, acting as a pivot, causes the card to revolve to the
left as in Figs. 3 and 4. This causes the card to spin to the right and .
upward in an arc to fall into the hat held by the right hand, Fig. 5.

It will take practice to judge the force and distance. Even without the
hat the spinning is interesting, but particularly interesting when the hat
is used. While this is expert card juggling, it forms a beautiful number
in card manipulation for the magician. This is also an effective production
for selected cards which have been brought secretly to the top of the deck.

THE FLOATING QUEEN

Levitations have always been popular with magicians. This is one
of those effects which has to be tried out in front of a mirror in order to
 Lesson 49— UNIQUE CARD MAGIC 129

appreciate the impression made by this floating Queen upon an audience.

It is popular with Joe Karson, and in his hands is a beautiful mystery.
EFFECT:
In miniature, the performer does the floating lady with a Queen from
a deck of cards. The card seemingly floats away from the hands.
To PEerForm:
Show the Queen freely and also that your hands are empty, without
saying so. Your first move, after showing the Queen, is to bend the lower
right hand corner away from you, Fig.1. This outward tab or bend should
extend about three-quarters of an inch. This bending of the card is done
under cover of the hands, the audience not being aware of same.

FIG.1

Hold the card in the left hand between the thumb and fingers, back
of the card towards you, Fig. 2. Bring the right hand over to the left
hand and bend the lower right hand corner with the second finger. This
is but the work of a moment.

Bring the right hand up a bit so its forefinger extends above the left
hand, and nip the bent corner of the card between the right third and fourth
fingers, Fig. 3. Now by bending the third and fourth fingers back, Figs.
4 and 5, you naturally bring the card away from the left hand, and also
away from the first two fingers of the right hand.
130 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Fig. 6 shows how the card looks to the audience. To them it seems
to be floating and not connected with the hands in any way. The right
third and fourth fingers can be moved
from side to side, lowered and raised
a bit to show the Queen floating about.
Stand in front of the mirror and master
the moves before you attempt it before
an audience.
You will note carefully the posi-
tion of the hands, Fig. 6. Remember
that the right hand is nearest you and
raised higher than the left. This so
the left hand will completely screen the third and fourth fingers of the right
hand. The spectators must not be aware of any finger movements.

THE VANISHING “BIRD CAGE” CARD

I saw Joe Karson do this novelty vanish while seated opposite me on
a train to Boston. The card seemed to vanish into thin air. His moves
were so natural and well timed that he fooled everyone watching him.
EFFECT:
The performer says that people have been puzzled for years regarding
the vanishing bird cage with a bird in it. He goes on to tell about the
vanishing bird cage and uses a card from the deck instead of a cage. He
goes through the movements of holding the cage, and suddenly raising his
hands, the card vanishes! The performer opens his coat, pulls up his
sleeves, shows both hands empty—the card has completely disappeared.

To PerrorM:
“People ask me—‘How can a magician hold a bird cage with a live bird
in it and then suddenly have it vanish? What becomes of the bird and the
cage?’ What's that, sir? You never saw a magician vanish a bird cage and
 Lesson 49 — UNIQUE CARD MAGIC 131

a bird from his hands? I haven't a bird or a cage but we will let this playing
card represent both. The cage is held between the hands like this.”
Imitate a magician holding a bird cage by holding the card, face
towards the audience, between your hands, as in Figs. 1 and 2. Note the
position of the right end of the card against the middle joints of the right
fingers. This position must be exactly right for the final move of vanishing
the card.
“Watch the cage and the bird! One—Two—Three?” ... As you say
“Three’ you suddenly extend both hands upward and toward the left.
As you do so, you bend the second, third and fourth fingers of the right
hand back, bringing the card against the palm of the hand, Fig. 3. The
left hand, with the palm towards the audience, is extended out a bit farther
than the right hand. The back of the right hand is towards the audience . .
.. “Gone!”
The right hand, bearing the concealed card, moves back, grasps the
right coat lapel.and opens up the right side of the coat, Fig. 4. It is easy
to do this with the first finger and thumb without exposing the card...
“Nothing under this side of the coat!’
e
ARD gant
= f
CoicenteD
IN HAND

FI6.4

With your left hand, lift up the left lapel of the coat, opening that side
of the coat. Here is a particular move that must be done right. As you
open the left side of the coat, your body swings to the right so your left
side is well towards the audience, Fig.5. The right hand releases hold
on the right lapel, and under cover of the coat, quickly drops the card into
the right outside coat pocket. Right hand quickly comes back to the
lapel again . . . “And nothing on this side!”
Show the coat with both sides wide open. Let go of the coat lapels.
Pull up the sleeves a bit . . . “Nothing up the sleeves!” . . . Show hands
empty ... “That’s the way you vanish a bird cage!”
Nore: Practice each move so they all blend one into the other. The
whole vanish is but the work of a few seconds.
132 THE TARBELL COURSE IN M:LGIC

MENDES’ SHOOTING CARD

John Prince Mendes, known professionally as ““Prince Mendes,” was
a big hit as the soldier-magician in Irving Berlin’s musical “This Is the
Army.” Popular in Mendes’ act before he joined the army was a novelty
card effect which he presented to me for this Course in Magic. It has the
action and surprise to make good entertainment.
EFFECT:
A card is selected, remembered, and returned to the deck by a spectator
from the audience who has come upon the stage to assist. The cards are
shuffled and the deck placed back into the card case and sealed shut with
the flap. The card case is given to the spectator to hold in his right hand:
Standing a few feet away the performer extends his hand and suddenly
the selected card penetrates the card case, travels through the air and over
to the performer’s -waiting hand. The card is shown to the audience to
be the selected one.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A deck of cards.
2—A specially prepared card case. This is made by cutting a semi-
circular slot at the bottom end of the card case on the side opposite -
the flap slot, Fig. 1. Cut the bottom of the case on both sides of
the new slot so that when the deck is in the case the top card can
be easily slid out the bottom of the case. The purpose of the slot
is so a piece of wax can easily be attached to the card.

3—A card reel, Fig. 2. This consists of a circular metal case with
a spring and drum inside that winds up a piece of black thread.
The outside end of the thread is attached to a button. On this
button is a piece of conjurer’s wax. These reels and wax may be
obtained from dealers in magical apparatus.
This reel is provided with metal clips on one side and all painted
flesh color. This is so it can be grasped between the second and
third fingers of the right hand. Even the type of reel without
clips is not hard to hold in the hand.
 Lesson 49 — UNIQUE CARD MAGIC 133

To PREPARE:
Have the deck in its case in your pocket, or on the table. The reel
in your pocket or place where it is easy to get with your right hand.
To PERFoRM:
Ask a spectator to come up on the stage to assist you. Remove the
deck of cards from the case, taking care that the prepared slot on the rear
is not exposed. Have the spectator select any card, remember it, return
to the deck and you secretly bring it from the center to the top. Shuffle
the cards without disturbing the position of the selected card on the top.
Place the deck back in its case, face up, so that the selected card will come
against the special slot on the rear of the case, Fig. 1.
Hold the case in your left hand and get the reel
in your right hand so that the waxed button faces
the front. Ask the spectator to hold the card
case, flap slot up, between his thumb on top, and
his fingers underneath, Fig. 3.
Bring your hands together and with the left
fingers grasp the waxed button and pull it out so
that it can be grasped between the right thumb
and finger tips.
“Hold the deck horizontally.” . . . In saying this,
grasp the end of the card case with the right hand
and secretly attach the waxed button to the
selected card through the slot.
‘Hold the deck tightly.” . . . As the assistant tightens his hold, move
back a few feet. The black thread unwinds from the reel. You extend
your right hand a bit in front of you . . . “Sir, think of your card. Now
loosen your hold a little on the cards.”

THREAD

WINDLASS FIG. 4
IN HAND

When he loosens his hold a bit the selected card will come out through
the slit in the bottom of the case and fly through the air into your hand,
Fig. 4... “What was your card, sir? The Ten of Diamonds? The Ten of
134 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Diamonds is correct.” . . . Show the card you are holding and remove it
from the waxed button. Take the card case from the spectator assisting
you.
Nore: Another way of causing the card release is for you to hold the
card case by the end after wax is attached to the selected card. Then move
your right hand away, allowing the thread to unwind. Relax your left
hand grip, allowing the card to slip out of the case, through the slot in the
bottom and fly over to your right hand. In this method you regulate the
release of the card. You must practice this mystery well, so you have
everything under control and know just how to handle the assistant and
the release at the proper moment, ala Mendes. Also be sure that the slit
in the bottom of the card case is large enough to allow the card to pass
through easily.
Lesson 50
NOVELTY RISING CARDS
e

M2 INTERESTING rising card effects are given to you in this lesson,

in addition to those given you in Lesson 27, Volume 2. Rising card
effects are‘always interesting to an audience because the action of the cards
seems impossible except for some unseen power. The methods described
are not difficult to construct and are well worth the time involved to per-
fect and present.

MODERN RISING CARDS FROM ENVELOPE

This rising card mystery speaks for itself.
EFFECT:
Nine playing cards are shown and three are selected by members of
the audience. Cards are thoroughly shuffled by a spectator and dropped
into an envelope which is then sealed. The top of envelope is cut off with
scissors. A small easel is freely shown from both sides, and the envelope
is placed on the easel. At command, the three selected cards rise one at a
time from the open end of the envelope. Envelope is then opened and
the six remaining cards poured into the hand.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Nine playing cards.
2—Nine duplicate playing cards.
3—Four indifferent cards.
4—Fine black silk thread.
FIG.)
5—A pair of scissors.
6—Double Envelope. The making of a double envelope has been
described in Lesson 9, Volume 1. But I will again describe its
construction for an extra touch is needed in this rising card effect.
You require two regular envelopes, size 35g X 614 inches.
Cut off a strip about a sixteenth of an inch from the two sides and
bottom of one of the envelopes. This frees the front with flap,
Fig. 1. Discard the balance of envelope. Run a strip of white
rubber cement, or paste, across the right side of this envelope sheet
for an inch and a quarter, Fig. 1.
135
136 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Insert this piece of envelope into the other envelope, Fig. 2.

It acts as a partition, making a compartment on each side. Press
right side of envelope so cement sticks to side above it, Fig. 3.

FIG 2

This cementing is done so that when right end is cut off the
envelope for about an inch, there is still a quarter inch of cement
sealing compartment A, allowing only compartment B to remain
open, Fig. 4.

FIG.4

7—Envelope Stand. This is made of wood and is stained and polished,

or is painted with enamel. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show its general con-
struction and size. The front side of the stand contains a slot at
top into which seven threaded cards can fit comfortably.

SLOT FOR THREADED

CARD, Ss CARDS IN
-.¥_ HOULETTE

FIG.
vA

To PREPARE:
Decide upon three cards to be forced. Let us say the Three of Hearts,
the Seven of Spades, and the King of Clubs. Remove these three cards
 Lesson 50 — NOVELTY RISING CARDS 137

from one group of nine cards, and place the remaining six cards in the rear
compartment B of the double envelope. These should face the outer
(address) side of envelope. Seal flaps together.
The three cards are threaded amongst the four indifferent cards, in
regular card rising style, Fig. 8. The first card has a quarter-inch slit in
center of top through which the end of silk thread is placed, then thread
brought down over back of the card and the King of Clubs, C, placed on
this. Thread is brought up over back of this card and an indifferent card
placed on King. Thread goes over top and down back of indifferent card.
This process is continued with Seven of Spades, B, and the Three of Hearts,
A. The threaded cards are dropped into the slot in the stand and thread
run over the top and under pin in table cloth or staple in table top, and run
offstage to an assistant. End of thread may be tied to an iron washer with
enough slack so that when washer is placed in performer’s pocket he can
easily pull thread, causing selected cards to rise.
Place the other nine cards on the table with the three selected cards
in the center. Nearby rests the prepared envelope and a pair of scissors.

6
q
w EN END
ran H OFENVELOPE

AG.8

To PErFrorm:
Pick up the nine cards and force the three cards in center upon three
spectators. Cards are returned to other six cards and cards shuffled.
These nine cards are placed in front compartment A of double envelope,
backs of cards towards audience. These face in the same direction as
those in compartment B. Seal envelope. Pick up the scissors and cut
an inch off the pasted end of the envelope. There is still a quarter of an
inch of cement holding compartment A sealed. Pick up stand and casually
show both sides, replacing it on the table. Place the envelope on the ledge
at front of stand, address side of envelope towards audience, and open end
upward, Fig. 9.
138 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“From a number of cards, three have been freely selected, returned, cards
shuffled and placed in this envelope. The top has been cut from the envelope.
And now, sir, what was the name of the card that you selected? The Three of
Hearts. Come Three of Hearts.”
Thread is pulled and the Three of Hearts rises out of slot in the stand,
Figs. 10 and 11. To the audience it looks as though the card were rising
out of the envelope. When card has fully risen, grasp it in hand, remove,
and place on the table.

“‘And you, sir, kindly just think of your card.” Continue pulling thread
and the Seven of Spades rises. “The Seven of Spades. Was that your card,
sir? Correci.”” When the card has risen, remove it and place on table.
“‘Madam, you, too, selected a card. Will you ask your card to rise?”
The lady calls for card, but nothing happens. ‘“‘That’s strange. Call out
the name of your card.” Lady calls out, ‘““The King of Clubs.”
“The King of Clubs? No wonder the card did not rise. No doubt he
has retired for the night, and the King must not be disturbed. Except, of course,
on a special occasion and this is a special occasion. Please say, ‘Arise, your
majesty, and come forth to greet your subjects!”
As lady says this, the thread is pulled and the King of Clubs rises. . . .
“The King himself.”
Remove card and place on table. Pick up the envelope from the
stand and open up compartment B, allowing the six cards therein to fall
out into the hand. With compartment open, give audience a casual look
inside of envelope, and then place it on the table.
“Three cards have risen, leaving siz. And you will find your cards have
truly risen—to the heights.” Casually show each card one at a time, and
place on the table.
 Lesson 50 — NOVELTY RISING CARDS 139

ENCHANTED CARDS AND ENVELOPE

EFFECT:
Three cards are selected by members of audience. A spectator then
places them in an envelope and seals them in. Magician places this en-
velope in a small open metal frame which is on an upright stand. The top
of the envelope is cut off with a pair of scissors. Upon command the
selected cards rise out of the envelope one at a time.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A deck of cards.
2—Spool of fine black silk thread.
3—Heavy manila envelope, 35g X 614 in.
4—A special tin or brass case.

FIGA
You should have this case made by a tinner or
metal worker. It should be large enough to hold
10 cards easily. It must not be too small or you
will have difficulty in making the cards rise out of
it. About one-third of its length from the top,
have a tin ledge by which the case can be hung
FIG. 2 on a frame. Paint the case a dull black, Fig. 1.
5—Special stand to hold envelope and tin case.
Get a thin board. Cut it out at the bottom to
make two legs. On the front side of the board at-
tach a ledge to support the envelope. Varnish,
stain or paint board an attractive color. On the
FIG.3 back attach a tin holder painted black to support
the tin case with cards. Hinge a piece of wood
onto the back or attach a bent wire to hold the
board upright. Fig. 2 shows side view of the
stand and Fig. 3 shows back view.
If desired, open work may be cut into the board
and backed up with a piece of black cloth to con-
FRONT cea] the arrangement at the back.
From the front it just appears that the envelope
is resting on board which is propped upright.
FiG4 The audience does not suspect any mechanical
arrangement behind it, Fig. 4.
6—A metal frame.
This may be made of tin or brass and painted a
bright red. It should be large enough to hold the
140 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

envelope and case with cards. The ledge on back

of tin case for cards fits over top edge of this frame.
On the bottom is a holder by which frame may be
put onto a base or pedestal, Figs. 5 and 6.

7—A base or pedestal to hold frame.

FIG.
The upright may be made of metal or wood.
You may use a piece of metal piping and paint it
black with a wooden base gilded with gold bronze.
The pedestal should be about 214 feet high so that —
when whole apparatus is put together its height is
No about three feet, Figs. 7 and 8.

FIG.
FIGS 8—A pair of scissors.

To PREPARE:
Take any three cards—in this case, the King of Diamonds, the Eight
of Spades, and the Ten of Hearts. Thread them with four other indifferent
cards. Place the threaded cards into the black tin case. Place tin case in
tin holder on back of the envelope stand.

Carry the thread through a staple on the floor a little back of where
you intend to place the pedestal, Fig. 8. Then run the thread offstage to
an assistant for him to operate at your command. Or if you operate it
yourself, attach an iron washer to the end of it and place on table, eventu-
ally to be placed in your trousers’ pocket. In this case allow yourself the
proper amount of slack in the thread.

Place the empty envelope on the stand. In front and to the right
place the pedestal with the metal skeleton frame on it. Take a deck of
cards and remove the King of Diamonds, the Eight of Spades, and the
Ten of Hearts. Place them on “top” of deck in readiness for forcing.

To PERForM:
Force the three cards on three different spectators. Pick up envelope
from stand, open it, and show it empty. Give it to first spectator who se-
lected card.

“Just see that the envelope is empty and place your card inside.” Take
envelope and pass it to next spectator. “And will you please place the
card which you selected with the other card in the envelope?”’ This done, go to
the next spectator. ‘Place your card in the envelope with the other two and
then seal the envelope.”
 Lesson 50 — NOVELTY RISING CARDS 141

Have cards placed in envelope so that they face to front of it. If

you find that cards are not placed in right, just remove them under pretense
of showing them to audience again. Then replace them and have some-
one seal the envelope.

Or, another way of working is to notice which way cards are placed
in envelope, facing front or back, and then place envelope on the stand so
that cards face outward regardless of which side of envelope is out. The
point of this is to make sure that you do not have the cards rising face
outward from the front of the envelope (supposedly) when the spectators
placed them in with backs to front of envelope.

Keep envelope always within sight of audience. Place it again on

envelope stand, Fig. 4. Go to pedestal. Remove skeleton frame and
show it freely on all sides.

“T can see you as well through this side (look through frame at audience)
as I can through this side’ (reverse frame and look through other side).
Pick up the pedestal and set it down again.

“Someone said that this skeleton frame on top of this pedestal would make
a good lighthouse if it only had a light in it.”

Place frame back on pedestal. Pick up envelope from stand. As you

do so, place thumb in front of envelope and fingers behind stand so that
you can lift up also the tin case with threaded cards. Do this easily and
naturally as though you picked up only the envelope. Keep the tin case
well hidden behind envelope.

“I told the gentleman that we'd try to have a little

light on the subject and would fix up a lighthouse
with keepers and everything.” Place envelope in
frame, allowing ledge on back of tin card case to
hook over top edge of frame, Fig. 9.

“This envelope makes a good look-out station.”

Pick up scissors and cut about three-quarters
of an inch from the top of the envelope. . . .
“We shall cut a hole in the roof, or make a window on
top, or something. We have three good watchers
inside in the form of the three cards that were
selected. Yoho! Yoho! A ship insight!”

Assistant pulls thread and first card rises. Or

if you are performing alone, move backwards
enough to make the card rise, Fig. 10.
142 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“Watchman Number One is right on the job—the king of all he surveys.

Your King of Diamonds, sir.” Remove the King. To the audience, of
course, it appears that the card rose from the envelope. Though the card
really came up from behind the envelope, the illusion is perfect.

“Another ship.” The next threaded card is caused to rise. “And

another watchman on the job. (To spectator who drew card.) You see,
sir, he doesn’t want you to go on the rocks. The Eight of Spades was your
card, was it not? Eight bells, and all’s well.” Remove card.

“The boys are working in shifts. Nezt shift!” Assistant causes Ten of -
Hearts to rise more slowly. ‘‘A little lazier than the rest. (In a loud voice.)
A shipful of pretty girls in sight!”

Assistant pulls thread quickly. This, of course, causes the card to rise
suddenly.... “‘That’s getting some action.”” Remove card.

Nove:
ST

Another way of making frame for envelope and

metal card case is to have a flat piece of tin or
heavier metal soldered to bottom of frame to
form a base for it to stand on. This eliminates
—| the pedestal but makes it necessary for you to
have a table on which to set the frame, Fig. 11.
Fic.
If card case, or houlette, as it is commonly called,
is made of brass it can be nickel plated.

BEWITCHED RISING CARDS AND ENVELOPE

This is another variation of the envelope method of performing rising
cards. It is easy to prepare and simple in operation.

EFFECT:
Three selected cards are placed in an envelope and envelope sealed.
Top of envelope is cut off. Magician commands, and up come the three
cards out of the envelope, one at a time.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two decks of cards.

2—Fine black silk thread.

3—A double heavy manila envelope, 35g < 644 inches.

4—A pair of scissors.

 Lesson 50 — NOVELTY RISING CARDS 143

To PREPARE:
Remove the Six of Clubs, the Jack of Spades, and the Ten of Diamonds
from one deck of cards. Thread them between four indifferent cards. At
the bottom edge of one outer card paste the end of a strip of paper. Draw
this under the rest of the cards and paste the other end of it at the bottom
edge of the other outer card. This will keep the cards between from falling
down, Fig. 12.
Run end of thread through back of envelope with the aid of a needle.
Place cards in rear division of envelope. Put a little glue on each outside
card and paste back of envelope and partition, down on the cards to hold
them in place, Figs. 13 and 14. Now paste both flaps of envelope together
so that envelope looks like an ordinary one. If you have prepared the
cards carefully, they will not be noticeable.

THREAD FIG.AS
FIG. 14 —
Have prepared double envelope on table. Have end of thread at-
tached to back of table, as explained in Lesson 27, Volume 2. The length
of thread should be-about the same as in “Rising Cards from Glass Gob-
let” in that lesson. Experimentation will teach you the exact length of
thread for practical results. Place duplicate Six of Clubs, Jack of Spades,
and Ten of Diamonds on top of other deck in readiness for forcing.
To PERFORM:
Force the Six of Clubs, the Jack of Spades, and the Ten of Diamonds
on three different spectators. Then collect the cards and hold them up in
right hand so that all can see them. Call cards by names and hold them
in full view as you turn to drop deck on table and pick up envelope with
left hand. As you pick up envelope from table, place left thumb over spot
where thread comes out. Show envelope on both sides, then bring threaded
side to rear, Fig. 15.
144s THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC __
“An envelope is commonly used for sending letters, but in this case, we
will send a card instead. For good luck, we'll make it three cards.”

Show the envelope empty and place the three cards in it. Spread the
cards fanwise and hold them with faces towards audience so that all can see
that you actually put them into the envelope, Fig. 16. Seal the envelope.

a FIG.I6

“By sealing the envelope it becomes a first class package—which is quite

necessary for a firs! class experiment before a first class audience. So, then,
we mail the Six of Clubs, the Jack of Spades, and Ten of Diamonds from here—
(Place envelope in right hand and hold it as far to the right side as possible.
You stand facing audience.)—to here. (Bring envelope in a semi-circle -
with a sweep over to the left hand, which should be extended a little to the
left.) That is what they call fast air mail. Let us open the envelope and
see what the mail man brought.”

Pick up scissors and cut about half an inch

from top of envelope. Lay down scissors and hold
envelope in left hand. Gradually bring the en-
velope forward so that thread is drawn taut and
first card rises, Fig. 17.
“A code message. An uprising at ten o'clock
a. m. Someone is going to get up at ten o'clock
tomorrow morning. Coming right up out of

Remove Ten of Diamonds with right hand. Continue moving so that

thread is stretched taut and the Jack of Spades slowly rises.
“Ah, his name is Jack. There is a dark man in the case. He carries a
Spade. Said he is going around trying to dig up a girl friend for the party to-
night. Maybe, a blonde. He seems to hare no visible means of support.”
Remove the Jack and cause the third card to rise—the Six of Clubs.

“A siz. Six Clubs. Six Clubs all in one night. That's what they call
stepping oul. How does he do it? But the mystery is solved. The woman pays
and pays.”
 Lesson 50 — NOVELTY RISING CARDS _ 145

Remove the card. Pull the envelope forward again. This move re-
leases thread from slit in front card and releases envelope from thread.
You can now turn envelope around and bring it forward to show audience
that it is apparently an ordinary one. Drop cards and envelope on table.
NoTE:
Sometimes for a finish I tear the envelope with the selected cards in it
through the middle, then place both pieces together and tear it again.
If you do this carefully and with a flourish, audience cannot see the cards
inside and believes that there is nothing left in the envelope. This is
added showmanship. You have not shown envelope to be empty after
cards have risen, but tearing it offers seeming proof that there is nothing
inside. The tearing is not necessary, however, for audience has seen the
cards rise and does not suspect that anything is left in envelope.
If you have an assistant, you may have him cause the cards to rise by
pulling thread from the wings as explained in previous effect.

MYSTERIOUS BOOKMARKS
Or
RISING CARDS FROM BOOK
EFFECT:
A very pretty experiment in which three selected cards are placed in
different parts of a book. The book is closed, yet on command the cards
rise one at a time.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two decks of cards.

2—A book, preferably old; size about 6 X 9 or 5 X 714 inches.

3—A tin case. This should be large enough to hold 9 cards easily.
Bottom edge is closed. Top edge is open. You can have a tinner

FIG 18

make it for a small sum. In emergency use cardboard, Fig. 18.

4—Fine black silk thread.
146 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

To PREPARE:
Near the front part of the book cut out enough space to fit tightly
around the tin card case, Fig. 19. Glue the tin case into the hole cut out for
it, Fig. 20. Then glue one page down over each side of the case. The
book may now be shown freely with opening of case away from audience.
The pages may also be run through except for the prepared part and the
audience will not suspect anything.

Three cards which you are going to force are threaded between four
indifferent cards. In this effect, we shall take the Ace of Spades, the Two
of Hearts, and the Nine of Diamonds. Place the threaded cards in the
case with thread hanging over top edge of book. Now attach end of thread
to back of table as described previously. Place book on table, prepared. _
edge away from audience.
Take other deck of cards and place the Ace of Spades, the Two of
Hearts, and the Nine of Diamonds on “‘top” in readiness for forcing.
To PERFORM:
Pick up book from table, as you say, “Some time ago in looking over the
books in a second hand store, my attention was called to this one. I picked it
up, and as I did so, I noticed a peculiar action on the part of the bookmarks.
The bookmarks, strange to say, were playing cards, and they acted queerly.
Being a conjurer, I naturally became attracted to the peculiarity of the incident.
I purchased the book and brought it home with me. On close examination I
discovered some odd facts about it. I have oflen wondered about the former
owner. I am curious to know whether he was a conjurer or interested some-
how in mysticism. I have never discovered the real secret of this peculiar book,
but I have learned some of its peculiarities. For instance, let me show you some-
thing about its bookmarks. This deck of cards will answer the purpose nicely.”
Place book on table and pick up cards. Perform the pass, thus
bringing the desired cards to the center for forcing.
“Will you, sir, be kind enough lo select any one of these cards for the
experiment?” Force card on this spectator, then continue with two other
spectators, forcing the two remaining cards. Collect the three cards and
show them to audience, calling them by name. Hold them up high so
that they are in full view as you place remainder of deck on table. Pick up
book again.
 Lesson 50 — NOVELTY RISING CARDS 147

“T shall let these cards represent bookmarks.” Run carelessly through

loose pages of book. Open book wide in one place.... ‘In this place, I
shall put the Ace of Spades.”
Run through a few more pages and place the Six of Hearts in another
place in the book. Show audience that you actually put the card inside of
the book, Fig. 21.

(a f
(maa
“Here I shall place the Siz of Hearts. And in still another placeI shall,
put the Nine of Diamonds.” Close the book and show it on both sides,
being careful to keep top end away from audience. Hold book in left hand
as in Fig. 22.
“Now suppose that I want to turn quickly to the place where the Ace of
Spades was placed. I have but to give the Ace a thought and out it comes to
tell me of its location.” As you say this, pull the thread taut and the Ace in
the tin case arises.
“All I would have to do is to open the book here
and find my place. Or suppose I want to find the
place where the Six of Hearts is located. I have
but to think of the Six of Hearts, and it immediately
presents itself and remains here until I remove
it or reach in to open the book at the desired pages.”
Move book so that the Six of Hearts will rise.
Then remove the card, Fig. 23.

“‘And now there remains the Nine of Diamonds. An odd card that. It
so happens that if you use a nine spot for a bookmark, you must knock on the
book three times before it will appear. I learned this secret by accident. The
Nine would not rise, so I struck the book, and luckilyI struck it three times.”
Strike book three times with knuckles of right hand. Pull thread taut
again, and nine rises, and is removed.

“And thus the Nine rises to tell of its location. Perhaps you can explain
it. I cannot. These bookmarks are as puzzling to me now as they were the
first time I performed the experiment.” Lay book and cards aside.
48 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC
A BOOK AND A CARD
This impromptu rising card effect can be done anywhere at a
moment’s notice. It is surprising and puzzling in its effect.

EFFECT:
A card is dropped inside of a book. Magician shows the book on both
sides and his empty hands to the audience. Suddenly the card rises in a
bewildering fashion from the book.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A deck of cards.
2—A book.

To PERFormM: =
Run through the pages of the book to show that nothing is concealed.
Then give book to a spectator to hold.... ‘‘Would you mind holding this
book? You don’t have to read it.”
Give deck of cards to another spectator and ask him to select a card. ...
“Just take oul any card from the pack.”
Take book from first spectator and open it about in the middle. Re-
(quest that second spectator drop card into book. ... “‘Please drop the
card into the book. By the way, did everyone see what the card was?”
Pick up card with right hand. Hold book in left hand with one side
towards audience in a vertical position, Fig. 24. Name the card, what-
ever it happens to be—assume it to be, “The Five of Diamonds.”

SS
AUDIENCE ——-
AUDIENCE
AUDIENCE

FIG 26

Hold book as in Fig: 24 with front cover facing audience. Hold card
in right hand in readiness for back palming. The position of the book
should screen your right hand, Fig. 25.
“T'll drop it into lhe book again.”’ As you say this, you apparently
drop the card into the book. Your hand makes the motion. It is thus
brought back of the cover of the book, which is ina vertical position and
screens right hand. Thus screened, back palm the card, Fig. 26.
 Lesson 30 — NOVELTY RISING CARDS 149

Back hand palming is taught to you in Lesson 25, Volume 2. By this

time you should be proficient in performing it. It is a very important prin-
ciple and must be mastered.
Now raise right hand, with card back palmed, out of the book and
close book with left hand. Show palm of right hand empty and show book
on both sides to audience, Fig. 27.

CARD Back an od ig

@ B

AUDIENCE ae
. ZAFIG. 27 Ne —_
x
Fie 29

Turn book up to vertical position again. Bring your right hand back
again behind the book. Manipulate the card back to finger tips and place
it against the back cover of the book. Hold it there with tips of fingers,
Fig. 28. Swing book around to upright position, taking care not to ex-
pose card at the back. Now hold card with thumb of right hand, Fig. 29.

FIG.St

Bring up left hand and place left thumb against card, fingers in front
of book. Now place right hand at lower right corner of book, Fig. 30.
“Do you remember the old song, ‘I’d Rather Be On The Outside Looking
In Than On The Inside Looking Out’ or something of that kind? That is
the reason why, when you place a Five Spot inside, it comes outside.”

With left thumb push up card behind book. Audience cannot see
movement of your thumb in pushing card. Be sure to hold book at such
an angle that upper rear edge is not visible so that, audience cannot see
that card does not come from inside of the book, Figs. 31 and 32.
150 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

The illusion from the front is perfect. The audience sees your hands
holding the book closed, and the selected card apparently rising from the
middle of the book. Remove card with right hand.

RISING CARDS THROUGH HAT

Another effect with threaded cards—a bit out of the ordinary. I
worked out this effect years ago and have always found it a winner.
EFFECT:
Three cards are selected by spectators and replaced in the deck.
Deck is thoroughly shuffled and placed in a glass cup. A soft felt hat is
now dropped over the cards. The magician commands and the chosen
cards rise one at a time through the hat.
PARAPHERNALIA:
{Oren ENO 1—Two decks of cards.
2—A soft felt hat, especially prepared for Rising
Cards.
3—Fine black silk thread.

4—A glass cup that will hold a deck of cards. A

kitchen measuring cup will do.
FIG |
To PREPARE:
Have a card case made of tin, Fig. 1. Punch a few holes in this case.
In one side of the crown of the felt hat, just a little inside of the top
edge, cut a hole. Leave the lining intact. Insert the tin case in this open-
ing in hat. Sew around the case to hold it in place between the lining
and the hat. Glue the opening around the case, Fig. 2.

FIG.2 FIG. 3

Fig. 3 shows prepared hat. It is placed with prepared side towards

audience and nothing unusual is visible. The opening at the top is made
inside of the top edge so it will not he visible from a side view of the hat.
 Lesson 50 — NOVELTY RISING CARDS 151

Thread three cards, duplicates of which you are going to force, be-
tween four indifferent cards. Place them all in the tin case. Edges of
cards should be just a little below edge of case. Thread free end of the
thread into a needle. Carry it from top edge of case across crown of hat,
Fig. 2, and run the thread off stage to an assistant, or make the arrange-
ment whereby you can control pulling of the thread yourself.
To PERForM:
On three different spectators, force du-
plicates of the three cards which you have
threaded. Have them returned to deck
and shuffled in by another spectator.
Place cards in glass, facing audience,
and place cup on table. Pick up hat at
top with left hand, covering opening in
hat with palm of hand. Show hat all
around without calling verbal attention to
same, and especially inside. If carefully
prepared, the inside shows nothing un-
usual.
Drop hat apparently carelessly over the
cards and cup. In reality be very care-
ful to set hat down with prepared side
straight towards audience. Also be sure
that cards in case are facing towards
audience, Fig. 4.
“You have heard of a man talking through
his hat, and if talk can go through a hat,
why not other things?”
Pull thread which causes first card to
rise out of hat, apparently passing through
the hat, Fig. 5... . “No sooner said
'FIG.S than done. Was this your card, sir?”
Card is removed from hat and shown,
and placed on table.
“Now, madam, Just concentrate on your card for a moment and visualize
it also coming up out of the hat.”” Thread is pulled and card drawn up about
an inch or so. Stop it there.
“You'll have to concentrate harder than that. You must have gotten
your mind off the card and thought of something else . . . or someone else.
Concentrate again.”
Card is pulled up all the way and removed, and shown.... “That's
better. Was this your card, madam? Correct. Of course I know what some
of you are thinking. I wish I could see the card go up through the hat. Let's
:
152 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

try something. Sir, what was your card? King of Diamonds. Thank you.”
Remove pack of cards from glass and, looking through the cards find
the King of Diamonds and cut the pack, bringing the King to the “bottom.”
Deck is held in left hand with King of Diamonds facing the audience.
Your right side is towards audience.

Bring right hand up in front of the deck, and

with left hand reverse the “top” card. This is
easily done indetectably by separating top edge of
card with left thumb, Fig. 6, and then bringing
first and second fingers of left hand against
lower edge; raising lower edge against deck and
pivoting card around so it faces to the rear.

“We will place the King of Diamonds on the front of the deck so you can
see it.”
Place deck in glass so King faces audience. Glass should be held in
left hand and deck placed in it with the right hand. Pick up hat with
right hand, and as you place glass on table and hat over glass, screen the
glass well with the hat. This enables you secretly to reverse the glass
with a half-turn, bringing the King to the rear and the rear card to the
front. Allow hat to drop down on table covering glass and cards.

“Watch!” .... Pull thread, causing duplicate King of Diamonds in

houlette to rise. . . . ‘‘Up comes the King of Diamonds through the hat.”
Remove card and place on table. Lift up hat showing that the King
of Diamonds has vanished from the front of the deck. In raising the hat
hold it so the inside shows to audience. Hand covers slot over houlette.
The front card vanishing from the face of the deck is very effective.

RISING CARDS OUT OF HAT

This trick is similar in operation to the mystery just described, but the
effect is somewhat different.
EFFEcT:
Three cards are selected by spectators, returned to the pack, and
shuffled in. Pack is then dropped into an empty hat. Mysteriously,
one by one, the selected cards rise out of the hat.
 Lesson 50 — NOVELTY RISING CARDS 153

PARAPHERNALIA:

1—Two decks of cards.

2—Specially prepared hat.

3—Fine black silk thread.

FIG.1

To PREPARE:
Have a metal case made like the one used in the “Rising, Cards Through
the Hat.” Place this case inside of the hat between the lining and the
sweat band on one side, Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Be sure that opening of the
case or houlette is far enough down beyond the edge of hat so it can not be
seen by audience.

THREAD

FIG.2

Select three cards, duplicates of those which you are going to force,
and thread them between four indifferent cards as previously explained in
this lesson. Insert cards in the case in hat, drawing the thread over top
edge of case, across opening of hat, and over brim at rear, Figs. 2 and 3.
Pass thread through a pin or staple on rear of table to assistant off-
stage, or make arrangement for yourself to pull thread.

To PERFoRM:
Force three cards and have them returned
to the deck and shuffled. Pick up hat with
fingers of right hand over the brim at point
where case isinserted. This conceals the top
opening of case and threaded cards inside.
Show inside of hat to audience, Fig. 4.
Place hat on table, crown downwards, with
card case side nearest audience, Fig. 1.
Drop the deck of cards into the hat.
154 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Pull thread and the three duplicates

of the selected cards will rise out of
hat, one at a time, Fig. 5. The effect
of cards rising out of a hat without
apparent physical means is good magic.
FIG.5

VARIATION:

CARD
HOULETTE

FIG,6

Cards rising from a silk hat is very effective and dressy. Holder is be-
tween hat and the hatband and lining, and the thread runs over top of hat,
Fig. 6. A card rising out of hat is shown in Fig. 7.

TARBELL’S HAUNTED HOUSE RISING CARDS

This novelty in rising cards is quite unusual and entertaining.
EFFEctT:
Three cards are selected from a deck of cards and reshuffled into the
deck. A small metal haunted house is shown and the roof and house
proper separated from each other. Both are shown freely inside and out.
The deck of cards is dropped into the lower story and the roof with upper
story put on. Soon, one of the selected cards rises through the chimney.
This is followed by the other two selected cards.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A specially constructed ‘Haunted House.’’ This house, con-
structed by Ireland, can be obtained from your dealer.
2—A deck of cards.
3—Three duplicate cards, plus three indifferent cards.
4—Very fine black silk thread.
 Lesson 50 — NOVELTY RISING CARDS 155

ConsTRUCTION OF HauNTED HovseE:

This is constructed of metal for convenience but could be made of
wood. Fig. 1 gives the dimensions and Figs. 2 and 3 give the general con-
struction. The lower story is in form of a box with bottom in it. It is
painted on the outside with irregular door and windows. .The upper story
has eaves on both sides, and extensions on the triangular ends which fit
down into the lower story and hold the two closely together as in Fig. 1.
CARD
HOULETTE HOLE

FIG.

FIG. 1.

Along one side of the inside of roof is a metal card holder or houlette,
large enough to comfortably hold six playing cards. This is securely fas-
tened or soldered in place. Fig. 3 shows the opening of houlette in the
chimney. Note hole in top through which black silk thread is passed.
The house is painted black or a dark blue or dark green on inside.
The outside is a warm gray with black window frames and white window
panes. The door is black with a white window pane. The roof is green
with black lines to represent shingles. The chimney is red with black
and white lines to suggest mortar between the bricks.
To PREPARE:
The three duplicate cards of the three that are to be forced—let us
say the Eight of Hearts, the Six of Clubs, and the Jack of Spades—are
threaded in the usual rising card manner, Fig. 4. The end of thread is
passed through the hole in rear upper side of houlette and cards placed in
the houlette. A pull on thread will cause the three cards to rise one at.a
time, Fig. 5.

The top of the house is placed on the lower part and thread allowed to
pass outside under lower edge of the roof, Fig. 6. Thread can run through
156 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

staple on back of table, or pin in table cloth, and runoff stage for assistant
to pull. Or thread can be controlled by performer in ways already de-
scribed in this and in the previous volume.

To PERFORM:
The house is sitting on the table with thread set in position. Pick up
deck of cards and force the Eight of Hearts, the Six of Clubs, and the Jack
of Spades on three spectators, respectively. Cards are returned to deck
and shuffled. The deck is then placed in full view on the table:

The upper story of house is removed and the inside

shown, with fingers of right hand covering lower por-
tion of the card houlette, Fig. 7.

The lower story is picked up with the left hand

and freely shown, inside and out. Lower story is
placed back on table. Into this is dropped the deck
of cards. The upper story is replaced on lower story.

“This is a haunted house—and as is customary

with haunted houses—anything can happen! Even
ghosts can come up out of the chimney, which isn’t a bad
idea. But let ws put the spooks to work inadifferent
manner.”

A pull on the thread will cause the Eight of

; Hearts to slowly rise through the chimney, Fig. 8.
FIG.8&
“The Eight of Hearts! I believe that is the card you selected.”” When
card has risen to greatest height, remove it and place on the table. The
Six of Clubs rises.... “The Six of Clubs. That was your card, was it not,
Madam? Thank you.”

Remove the Six of Clubs and place it on the Eight of Hearts on

table.... ‘I believe there was one more card selected.” ... You wait a
moment but nothing happens.... “Up! Up! Up!”

Still nothing happens. If possible, at this time have a “‘crash” back

stage caused by an assistant dropping a box with broken glass init. Ora
can with rocks in it could be shaken and dropped. A rotary whistle could
be blown to add to the effect. Even a Halloween rattler could be used... .
“Sounds like the Jack of Spades. What was your card, sir? Oh, it was the
Jack of Spades.”

The Jack comes up faster than the others. Remove the Jack and
place on the table.... ‘‘There is no doubt about it—the house is haunted!”’
Lesson 5]
CARD TRANSITION
—=_—_—_——

J Bow LESSON deals with card magic involving the invisible passage of
cards from one place to another. Here is a type of magic that has been
popular with magicians and audiences for years. A few cards may pass
from a packet of cards held by one spectator, to a packet of cards held by
another person; or black cards may change places with red cards; or
cards from a packet held in the performer’s left hand apparently travel
up the sleeve one at a time and appear in his right trousers pocket. The
student will be well repaid for mastering one or more of these effects.

THE FLYING CARDS

The effect which has become a classic in card conjuring through the
years, is the passing, one at a time, of three or more cards invisibly from
one packet of cards held by one spectator to another packet of cards held
by another spectator. This effect has been known under various titles
such as “The Fifteen Card Trick,” “The Thirty Card Trick’’ because
fifteen or thirty cards were used; “Precipitation of Cards,’ ““Pocket to
Pocket Cards,”’ because packets were placed in spectators’ pockets; and
“Multiplication of Cards.”
A simple method, and still liked by Walter Gibson, was to remove a
deck of cards from the case and ask a spectator “How many cards are there
in a deck of cards—without counting the Joker?” . . . The answer is fifty-two.
The Joker is removed and laid aside. Performer states that he wants to
divide the deck into two equal parts. One half of fifty-two is twenty-six.
So he asks a spectator to take the deck and count twenty-six cards down
upon the table, one at a time. This done the performer says, ‘‘Since one-
half of fifty-two is twenty-six, I will take this half of the deck and you just keep
the other twenty-six cards.”’ Each puts the cards in his pocket. Three
cards are caused to invisibly leave the spectator’s pocket one at a time and
appear with the cards in the performer’s pocket. The cards are removed,
counted, and true enough, the spectator has only twenty-three cards and
the performer has twenty-nine.
The method is ridiculously simple. Some time before, the performer
had removed three cards from the deck and placed them in his pocket.
When the deck was removed from the case and the Joker discarded the
deck contained only forty-nine cards. Twenty-six cards were counted
off on the table. This left the spectator twenty-three cards which he put
157
158 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

into his pocket. The twenty-six card packet went into the performer’s
pocket containing the three cards. All that he had to do was to put in
the showmanship and pretend to pass the cards from pocket to pocket.
METHOD 2:
A method of stepping up the effect for modern day audiences is to use
the inner right coat pocket and first show it empty. The spectator is also
asked to empty his inner right coat pocket. The pockets are turned
back in. Before the show, three cards were placed in the performer’s
upper right vest pocket unknown to the audience. When the pocket was
turned out and replaced, the left hand naturally went into the pocket,
the coat being held open by the right hand. Coat is allowed to close and
in a moment the three cards are transferred from the vest pocket to the
coat pocket. The coat covers the move, and the hand is immediately
withdrawn from the coat. The trick is then performed as described.
METHOop 3:
In another early method, which was very popular with magicians,
two spectators were called up on the stage and one was given thirty cards
to count one at a time upon the table. The performer picked up the packet
of thirty cards and in squaring them up in his hands, secretly palmed off
three cards (some performers took four or five cards). At the same time
the performer drew attention away from his hands by asking his two
assistants to empty their inside right coat pockets so they would be empty.
The twenty-seven cards were placed on the table. The audience thinks
there are thirty.
The assistant, Mr. Left, cut the deck into two packets or heaps as
nearly equal as possible. He was asked to choose one of the heaps and
place it in his inner coat pocket (sometimes outer breast pocket was used).
Mr. Right was told to pick up his packet and count the cards one at a time
onto the table. Let us assume there are sixteen cards, The magician
explains to the audience that if there are sixteen cards on the table and the
original packet contained thirty cards, there must be fourteen cards in
Mr. Left’s pocket. As he says this, the right hand, with three cards
palmed, was brought down on top of the cards on the table and the whole
packet of cards picked up, squared and given to Mr. Right to put in his
inner coat pocket. The trick was really done, and it was only necessary
to issue the magical command.

TARBELL “FLYING CARDS”

For my own programs I worked out a simple, direct, and indetectable
method for transferring the cards in the performance of this magic classic,
and it is well worth the time and practice to masterit. Instead of the usual
thirty cards I use twenty-four, counting twelve cards into a packet instead
of fifteen. It gives a little better timing for my routine.
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 159

EFFECT:
Twelve cards are counted into the performer’s left hand by a spectator
and twelve cards are counted into his right hand. Another spectator wraps
the right hand packet into a handkerchief and holds it. The left hand
packet is recounted to see that no mistake has been made, and given to
the other spectator to hold. Someone in the audience is requested to call
out a number between one and five. Let us assume that the number
three is called. The performer now says he will cause three cards to pass
from the twelve held by Mr. Right, into the wrapped packet held by Mr.
Left. One card passes .. . another card passes. The performer counts
the packet of cards and finds there are only ten. He now pretends to
take a third card from the packet and to hold its “spirit” in his hand.
Mr. Right then counts his cards and finds there are only nine. The per-
former tosses the invisible card into the packet inside the handkerchief.
Three cards have now passed. Mr. Left removes the packet from the
handkerchief and counts the cards. He finds that he now holds fifteen
cards instead of twelve!
To Perrorm:
“Ts there anyone here who can count to twelve?” .. . Have two gentlemen
come up from audience. You stand between them. Turn to Mr. Left and
say, Shuffle this deck thoroughly and count twelve cards into my left hand...
Count twelve cards into my left hand one at a time and count them aloud so
that all may hear you.”
The performer holds out his left hand, palm upward, and Mr. Left
counts twelve cards out one at a time into his palm, Fig. 1. The cards
should be counted, backs up. If Mr. Left does not count loud enough,
you count with him. You must impress upon your audience the fact that
twelve cards are in your hand .. . “Twelve cards.”’

~NY

SV

NSS:

S SN>
SQGAGGSS

eet
Hold up the packet of twelve cards and fan it out slightly, Fig. 2...
“You are correct, sir—a very good mathematician.” . . . Square up cards
again. As you do so, insert the first joint of left little finger under the top
three cards in the packet. Your left hand and little finger are in the same
position as in doing the pass, Fig. 3 (Volume 1, Lesson 13).
Drop the left hand with packet to your side. Hold the cards so that the
audience is not aware of the position of the little finger, as it separates the
160 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

top three cards. To the audience it appears that all you have done is
to fan out the cards to be sure that Mr. Left was correct in his count.

|An FIG. S

“‘Now, Mr. Left, count twelve cards onto the palm of my right hand. Please
count them one at a time, aloud, so that there will be no mistake in the number.”
. . Now square up the cards and reverse them so that they face upwards.
Hold them between the tips of your right fingers and thumb, Fig. 4...
Hold your hands far apart—the right packet with faces upwards; the left
packet face down with little finger separating the top three cards, Fig. 5...
“Twelve cards in each hand.”
Turn slightly to Mr. Left. As you do so, take the position shown in
Fig. 6. Turn the back of your right hand towards the audience, and bring
the packet of cards in each hand on a horizontal line with each other .. .
“Mr. Left, have you a handkerchief which we can use?”

ph. /
I
/ LabsN
/ ys
\
e, FIG.7 —s
ae
THe Carp TRANSFER:
The following secret move teaches you the principle of transferring
cards from one packet to another. Study it carefully and practice it
until you can perform it perfectly. Your hands are in this position, Fig.
cod
7. “A” designates the top three cards on the left packet.
As you ask for a handkerchief, quickly pass the packet in your right
hand over the packet in your left hand, Fig. 8 . . . Place your right thumb
against the “‘A” section (top three cards) of the left packet. Your left
little finger separates these three cards from rest of packet so that it will
not be difficult to grasp them with the right thumb. The first joints of
second and third fingers of right hand bear down on the outer end of the
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 161

three cards, Fig. 9 . . . Carry these three cards away at the bottom of the
right packet. Bring them up against the rest of packet, Fig. 10.

This whole move is done very quickly. It must appear that you
merely passed the right hand past the left as a gesture in asking for the
handkerchief. You must not hesitate an instant in bringing away the
three cards from the left packet. The finish leaves the right hand up in
front of Mr. Left for a moment, Fig. 11 .. . You now have nine cards in the
left packet and ‘fifteen cards in the right packet.

“Thank you, that one will do nicely. I will have you wrap the,twelve
cards I hold here in the handkerchief. Wrap them securely so that no cards
can get in or out without your knowing it.’’ . . . Mr. Left wraps the packet
of fifteen cards in the handkerchief, Fig. 12. Of course, the audience and
your aids think that the packet contains twelve cards.

|| | ws AP
te } = ~*~
5 yan lee
Mererteyersah<
“Hold them in your right hand, up about shoulder height, so that the
audience can see them. Now, to make sure that Mr. Left placed twelve cards
in my left hand, I will count them again.” ... Your next move is to prove
that the nine cards which you hold are twelve.
162 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

THE FatsE Count:

Hold the nine cards, faces toward you, in your left hand, with thumb
on top of cards, Fig. 13. With your thumb, push the first card over to the
right, grasp it with your right hand and remove it from the packet. As
you do this, count aloud, Fig. 14... “One.”

Now with your left thumb, push the second card over to the right a
little. Bring the card in the right hand up behind the packet in the left
hand and place your right thumb on top of the second card, Fig. 15.
You apparently take this card, but here is where you perform the false
count. Move your right thumb toward the right to make the sound of
drawing the card from the pack. The second card extends slightly over
the edge of the pack. By pushing down on the card at the edge with your
right thumb, and then releasing it, you get the snapping sound of removing
a card from the pack. After your right thumb snaps the card, your left
thumb draws the second card back onto the pack. Your right hand moves
to the right several inches with the one card in it just as though you had
really taken off another card from the pack, Fig. 16... “Two.”
The audience has heard the drawing of the card and the snap, and
naturally they think that you have pulled TWO cards from the packet
and now have them in your right hand. You count—‘“two’—to help the
illusion.

ap

AW
BY
i)

FIG. 17

Count the third card actually into right hand on top of the one card
there, making the snapping sound as you bring the card away from the
packet ... “Three.” ... False count the next .. . ‘‘Four.” .. . Count the
next card fairly ... “Five.” .. . False count next card... “Siz.”
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 163

You have in reality now three cards in the right hand and six in the
left packet. These are now counted fairly . . . ““Seven—eight—nine—ten—
eleven—twelve.” . . . Count the cards fairly fast. Be sure to keep the
timing and rhythm in straight and false counting exactly the same.
“Mr. Right, I shall ask you to hold these cards. Take them with your
right hand and hold them up on your right lapel.” . . . Give the packet to Mr.
Right and then place his right hand with the cards on his right lapel at the
buttonhole, Fig. 17. The reason for doing this, is to place the cards out
of Mr. Right’s line of vision. This keeps him from counting the cards.
Occasionally you find an assistant who works against you and is contrary.
Placing the cards in this position will forestall any such difficulty.
Pick out an intelligent looking person in audience and ask the party to
call out any number between one and five. In the majority of cases the
person will say three. It is a psychological fact that this number will be
called in most cases when you ask for a number between one and five.
We will carry on the routine now just as though the spectator had called
three. Later on I will tell you the method of procedure if the numbers
one—two—four—or five are called instead of three.
“The lady says ‘Three.’ That was your own free choice, was it not? You
could have selected one, two, four or five. ° But she says ‘Three.’ Then three it
shall be . . . I am going to remove one card from this deck” .. . With your
right hand reach over and pretend to remove a card from the packet held
by Mr. Right. Hold up your right hand as though you had acard init...
“but, as this is the spirit of a card, some of you may have difficulty in seeing
it... Mr. Left, push the card through the handkerchief with the other cards.”’
Pretend to take another card from Mr. Right’s packet. Hold up your
hand as though you held a card... “Now I have a second card... Oh!
Oh! .. . I’ve dropped it” . . . Pick up invisible card and hand it to Mr. Left.
“Did you see it pass? Suppose we actually see whether the cards are
passing over to the gentleman .. . Mr. Right, will you please give me your
cards? ... I will show you that I have really taken two cards from this packet.
Two from twelve is ten, is it not? . . False count the nine cards in the packet.
Do your false count on the second one to make the nine cards count as ten.
Count each card aloud and distinctly, to convince the audience that you
hold ten cards in your hands.
“The two have gone. But you said you wanted three to go... I will now
take another card from the pack.” . . . Pretend to take another card with
your right hand and hold up the hand as though it held a card... “Mr.
Right, will you please count the cards to ascertain whether or not I am holding
acard?...Count them into my left hand, one at a time. . . That’s right...
One—two—three—four—five—siz—seven—eight—nine—’ ... You now
look at the invisible card in your right hand, and you loudly say, “And
this makes ten,”
164 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“And, Mr. Left, you can take this third card and place it with the fourteer.
you now hold in your handkerchief.” . . . He goes through the motions oi
putting the card through the handkerchief . . . “Now you have how many? . .
Fifteen? . . . Unwrap the handkerchief and count the cards one at a time intc
my left hand.”
Mr. Left counts the fifteen cards into your left hand and you count
with him, especially accenting thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.
Bring the packet of nine cards from the right hand over on top of those
in the left hand but keep them separated by the left little finger . . . Thank
the gentlemen for helping you. Just as Mr. Left starts to turn and go,
place your right hand over the cards and palm the nine cards. Then
grasp his right lapel with your left hand and open his coat .. .“Pardon me,
sir, before you go”’~.. . Reach up under his coat to a point under and a little
behind his right shoulder. Fan the cards out from the right palm and bring
them out so that the audience can see them . . . “Before you go I'll take those
few cards of mine which you have up under your coat.”
This last move is a good comedy touch. This you will find to be a
good finish. The back of your right hand is towards the audience, and
they do not suspect that you have cards in your hand.
Wuat To Do WHEN NumBers 1, 2, 4 on 5 ARE CHOSEN:
According to a law of psychology when a person is asked to call a
number between one and five, he will call three in most cases. In per-
forming this effect you transfer three cards from one packet to the other,
thus making fifteen cards in one packet and nine in the other. You are
counting on the working of this psychological law to make the spectator
call the number three. You must, however, be prepared for emergencies—
for the times when spectators will call numbers other than three.
If the spectator calls number one, or number five, you say, “J want any
number between one and five.” . . The spectator then thinks that you want
number two, three or four, and will choose another number.

If number two is called, you must change your patter to suit this
number instead of three. You played up and emphasized the fact when
number three was chosen, but with number two, do not do this . . . Do
not let your audience know that two is not the number you wanted. They
must think that any number chosen is all right.
Perform the trick to the point where two cards have passed. Prove
this by false counting the nine cards to be ten. Then continue in this way:
“I have caused the two cards which were chosen to pass. Now would you like
to have me explain to you how the cards pass over? All right, this is the way
it is done.” . . . From this point you may complete your experiment with
the third card, supposedly explaining the effect by passing a third card.
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 165

If number four is chosen, start out this way: “‘How would you like to
see the cards pass—visibly or invisibly?” . . . Most people would like to see
them go visibly. They want to see how it’s done and perhaps expect the
cards to fly through the air.
“Visibly? Then visibly you shall see them go. Mr. Right, will you
please give me one card? .. . You are certain that this is just one card?
Fine. Now I will carry it visibly over to Mr. Left and have him place it with
the other cards in the handkerchief. Take the card, sir?” ... That’s right...
into the handkérchief . . . “One card has passed. How many did you say you
wanted to pass, sir? Four? All right, we will pass another one visibly.”
At this point a snicker runs through the audience for they think you
are just being funny .. . ““What’s that? It is no trick to do it visibly? Well,
maybe it isn’t, but you said you wanted the cards to go visibly, so visibly they
are going. You can all see them, can you not? What's thal? You would
rather see them travel invisibly? Then we'll have them go invisibly.” . . . One
card has been passed to the packet in the handkerchief so that you now
have eight in the packet held by Mr. Right. You may now complete the
mystery, pretending to pass three more cards. You must change your
patter, of course, to conform to the situation.

THE PASSING OF THREE SELECTED CARDS

This is similar to the method just described except that three cards
freely selected by the audience in one packet are invisibly transferred to
the second packet. This is a routine requiring no advance preparation.
To PEerFrorm:
The assistant from the audience is given a deck of cards and asked to
count twelve cards onto the palm of your left hand, one at a time. Have
a spectator in the audience freely select a card from this packet of twelve
and remember it. Continue this with two other people. If desired, the
packet of cards can be handed to each person to make his selection. In
collecting the cards, spread the packet and have the first card go in about
the center. Keeping the little finger of your left hand above the card in
readiness for a pass, square the packet. Spread the cards again, separating
the deck where the little finger is, and have the second card placed on top
of the first.’ Again square the cards with your little finger secretly on top
of the two selected cards. Have the third card placed in the packet on
top of the other two selected cards. Secretly make the pass, bringing the
three selected cards to the top of the packet. Spread the cards a bit, get
your left little finger under the three top cards, and square the cards.
You are now ready with this packet held in the left hand, to have
Mr. Left count twelve cards onto the palm of the right hand. At the
psychological moment the three selected cards are transferred to the
bottom of the right hand packet. Give the left hand packet to Mr. Left,
166 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

first asking him to place the other cards he is holding, on the table. Cut
the packet you are holding in right hand, so that the selected cards are
brought to the center. Wrap these cards in a handkerchief and let Mr.
Right hold same. (See the preceding trick for The Card Transfer.)
Proceed with passing of the three cards one at a time. You can ask
each spectator the name of his card before you pretend to invisibly carry
it from the left hand packet to the one on the right.
Finally show that Mr. Left has only nine cards, and separate the
cards one at a time to show that the selected cards have really gone. Have
Mr. Right open the handkerchief, remove the cards and count them onto
your right hand palm to show there are fifteen. Fan the cards and ask
each spectator to name his card. Remove each one and show that the
three selected cards have really travelled to this packet. I have performed
this method many times and know it is very effective.

FLYING CARDS AND ENVELOPES

Here is an interesting variation of card transition that has become
more or less of a classic. The method of working is rather simple but the
effect on the audience is very puzzling. Time and care should be used to
master its presentation.

EFFECT:
From a deck of cards, a spectator counts twelve cards onto the table.
These twelve cards are placed into an empty envelope, the envelope sealed
and given to a spectator, Mr. Right, to hold. Another spectator, Mr.
Left, counts twelve more cards out onto the table. He picks these up
and, going into the audience, has each of three people select a card and re-
place them in the packet, which in turn is shuffled. These twelve cards
are placed in another envelope which Mr. Left holds. Upon command of
the performer the selected cards pass one at a time from the envelope at
the left to the envelope at the right. Upon opening the left envelope only
nine cards are found and the selectors in the audience admit their cards
have vanished. From the envelope on the right, fifteen cards are removed,
three of which are the selected ones.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A stack of white envelopes. Would suggest about ten envelopes of
regular size, 35g” & 614”.
2—A special envelope, A, made by cutting off the flap, Fig. 1.
3—A deck of cards.
4—Twelve extra cards with same back design as the deck. Have them
well mixed with all four suits including three court cards so as to
give a natural appearance of just being part of a deck.
5—A pencil.
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 167

To PREPARE:
From the deck of cards remove the twelve duplicate cards to match
the twelve extra cards. Remove twelve more cards from the deck and
place aside. On top of the deck place the first twelve duplicate cards,
back up, and on these place the twelve extra cards. Thus there are fifty-
two cards in the deck. The cards can be fanned and the deck shown as a
normal deck since no one will notice that there is a set of twelve cards
with duplicates.
Remove nine cards from the twelve cast aside and place in one of the
envelopes which we will call B. The cards should be backs up.
Place envelope B on top of the stack of envelopes, flap side upwards.
Open the flap and place the special flapless envelope A on top of B, Fig. 2.
To the casual observer A and B look like just one envelope. The flap of
B appears to be the flap of A.

FIG.|

Place the three cards remaining on the table, on top of A, with backs
of cards upwards. On these cards place an envelope, flap side up, which
we will call envelope C, Fig. 3. The stack of prepared envelopes is on the
table, flap sides upwards, and beside them is the prepared deck of cards.
To Perrorm:
Have two spectators come up to assist you. Place one at your right
and the other at your left. A small table is in front of you. Pick up the
deck of cards and casually fan them with the faces towards the audience.
Give the’ deck to Mr. Left .. . “Can you count to twelve, sir? You can.
Count off twelve cards back up from the top of the deck into a pile upon the
table. Count the cards one at a time out loud so everyone can hear you and so
we can be certain you have counted twelve cards.”
Pick up the stack of envelopes and hold in your left hand, thumb on
top. As Mr. Left counts the cards in a pile onto the table, count with him
if necessary in order to accent the fact that twelve cards are on the table.
The backs of the cards are up. While the cards are being counted you
get your left fingers under the top envelope C and under the three cards.
168 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“You are to be congratulated, sir, on being able to count twelve cards.” . . .

Pick up envelope C with the three cards secreted beneath it, and toss down
upon the pile of cards on the table, Fig. 4. Handled in a nonchalant
manner, you have indetectably added three cards to the twelve on the
table, making a total of fifteen.
Turn to Mr. Right as you do this . . . “Examine this envelope, see that
it is empty and place the cards into the envelope. I do not want to even touch
the cards myself.” . . . ‘‘Seal the envelope and place it in the upper left breast
pocket of your coat.” . . . Remove the pencil from your pocket with your
right hand . . . “But first write your initials plainly on the envelope.” .. ..
When the envelope is sealed, initialed and placed in the pocket, be sure
that part of the envelope protrudes from his pocket in full view.

“Mr. Left, count down twelve more cards one at a time onto the table.
Count aloud.” . . . Twelve cards are counted upon the table. These are
duplicates of the first twelve counted, but no one knows this. These cards
are also backs up... “Twelve cards. You'll be an expert counter after a while.
Take these twelve cards, go into the audience and have three people each take a
card... Give them free choice” . . . “Be sure and remember your cards. Now
place them back in the packet again. Then give the cards to someone to thor-
oughly shuffle.”
When this is done have the assistant bring the cards back to you.
Place them into envelope A, backs up, Fig. 5. Push them well into the
envelope. Grasp the flap of envelope B with the right hand; while the
left thumb holds envelope A back and in place on the stack, the right hand
pulls out envelope B, Fig. 6. Pull it clear of the others and give it to Mr.
Left .. . “Seal up the envelope and initial it, please.”
When you remove envelope B, the flap side of the envelopes are
towards you, and the audience does not see that A is held back. They
are only aware of twelve cards being placed in an envelope and the envelope
being given to Mr. Left. Place the stack of envelopes aside, A downward,
out of sight. This is a clever method for exchanging twelve cards for nine
others, in a simple straightforward manner.
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 169

“Place the envelope with cards into your upper left breast pocket, and
please let it protrude so it may be in view at all times.
“Let us review what has been done. Mr. Left here counted twelve cards
onto the table which Mr. Right placed into an empty envelope, sealed the en-
velope, placed his initials on it, and placed it in full view in his pocket. Twelve
more cards were counted one at a time onto the table and three cards freely
selected by members of the audience, remembered, and the cards shuffled into
the packet. The twelve cards were placed into another envelope, the envelope
initialed and placed into Mr. Left’s pocket. Remember these two gentlemen
do the work and I just take it easy.”
“But now, to do the seemingly impossible. Strange stories have come
out of the Orient of people who project themselves to distant places in an in-
visible manner. Perhaps we can apply a similar principle to cards. Mys-
lerious stories, too, have been told of the magician’s power to read minds. Let
us combine thetwo in an interesting mystery.”

To one of those in the audience who selected a card: . . . “Please think

of the card you selected ...I have it. . .’’ Reach over to assistant at the left,
pretend to invisibly remove a card and hold it between your right thumb
and fingers .. . “Is this your card? Itis. Thank you. Now I shall carry
it over to the gentleman on the other side and place it with those in the envelope.
One and twelve are how many? Thirteen. Now you have thirteen cards in
the envelope. The gentleman on the other side only has eleven.”
To another person who selected a card: ‘Concentrate on your card, sir.
I shall invisibly extract it from the envelope.” . . . Touch your right fingers to
the envelope and pretend to carry away a card in your fingers... . “You
will recognize your card, sir.”
Mr. Right, just take the card and place it with the others. You now have
fourteen cards. Now for the third card. Let the third person think of the card
he selected... Mr. Left, please remove the gentleman’s card from your envelope
and give it to me.” . . . Spectator goes through the motions of removing the
card and giving it to you. You pretend to look at the invisible card. . .
“Wrong card. Put it back and try again.”
Spectator goes through the motions and pretends to put the card back,
take out another and give it to you... ‘‘That’s better. Sir, you are quite a
mind reader.” . . . You give the invisibie card to Mr. Right and have him
place it in the envelope.
“Thus the three cards selected in the audience have been transferred from
the envelope on the left to the one on the right. But the hardest part of the
mystery is to cause the three cards invisibly to leave the envelope on the right and
go back to the one on my left.” . . . This gets a bit of a laugh as though the
passing of the cards were only hokum . . “But not at these prices.”
170 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“Mr. Left, remove the envelope from your pocket. Note your initials
are still there. Tear open the envelope, remove all the cards and count them
one at a time onto the table... nine... Three from twelve leaves nine!”’

Pick up the cards and begin passing them, faces towards the audience,
oneat a time from the right to the left hand. Pass all the cards from hand to
hand, slowly .. . “Are any of the cards you three people selected amongst
these? .. . They are not there.

“Mr. Right, remove the envelope from your pocket, check up on your initials,
lear it open, and removing all the cards, count them one at a time onto the table
... fifteen... Fifteen cards. Three more than the original twelve. And now-
to prove to the audience that the three selected cards have magically passed
over, 1 want the person who selected the first card to call it out.”

Regardless of what card he selected from the twelve given to him,

duplicates of all twelve are on the table. Pick up the cards from table,
remove the one named and show it to the audience. Likewise with the
others .. . ‘‘The three selected cards have truly travelled across.” ... . To the two
assistants, ‘Gentlemen, you are to be congratulated.”

WILDER’S FLYING CARDS

This routine is similar to the “‘Flying Cards and Envelopes” just de-
scribed except that Harry Wilder uses no specially prepared flapless en-
velope. He switches two regular envelopes in an easy natural way.

FIG.2

He uses a stack of, say, ten envelopes—five with flap side facing one
way and five with the flap side facing the other way. When the cards are
held in the left hand, Fig. 1, the flaps on the top envelopes face towards
the audience. The flaps on the bottom envelopes face away from the
audience. But when the left thumb turns the stack over so that the
bottom envelopes come to the top, their flaps now also face towards the
audience, Fig. 2.
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 171

To PREPARE:
Nine cards are placed in the bottom envelope. Three cards are under
the top envelope. The deck is set up as already described in “‘Flying
Cards and Envelopes.”
To Perrorm:
Go through the routine of having Mr. Left count twelve cards onto the
table, backs up, in a pile. Toss the top envelope with three hidden cards
underneath it, onto the pile. Mr. Right is told to pick up the envelope,
examine it and to place the twelve cards in it (really fifteen); then to seal
the envelope and put it in his outer left breast pocket.
Place your right hand on his left shoulder and tell him to step forward
abit. Your left hand holds the envelopes, Fig. 3. This is a natural move
but is done to simulate a necessary move to be done later.

Mr. Left again counts twelve cards onto the table. Three cards are
freely selected by three members of the audience, one each, returned to
the packet, shuffled and cards given to you. You place the twelve cards
in the top envelope and close the flap.

“Mr. Left, would you also please step a bit forward?” ... As you say
this, your left hand, with envelopes, touches Mr. Left’s right shoulder
while your'right hand points forward, Fig. 4. Under cover of his body you
reverse the envelopes in your left hand which brings the one with the twelve
cards to the bottom and the one with the nine cards to the top.
Your left hand again comes into view of the audience rather quickly.
The whole movement of urging the assistant forward with the left hand
is natural, he being on your left side. It is but the work of a moment.

Remove the top envelope with the nine cards inside, give it to Mr.
Left and tell him to seal the envelope and place in his left outside breast
pocket. Place the stack of envelopes aside and complete the routine as
already described in the previous effect.
172 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

HEN FETSCH’S SURPASSO

There is an interesting angle on this version of the ‘‘Flying Cards”
that was worked out by Hen Fetsch and has proven a favorite with him.
Any pack of cards and some borrowed envelopes are all you need.
EFFECT:
With a person standing at your left, and another at your right, a deck
of cards is produced and given to Mr. Right. He shuffles and counts ten
cards onto your right hand. They are sealed in an envelope by Mr. Right
and his initials put on the outside. Mr. Left next shuffles the cards and
counts ten of them face down onto your left hand, the rest being laid aside.
Mr. Left takes his cards into the audience and has two selected and
marked. They are returned to the packet which is shuffled once more.
These are sealed in the second envelope and Mr. Left initials it.
Each assistant now holds his own envelope and the spectators name
their chosen cards. The marked cards invisibly pass. Mr. Left opens
up his envelope to find only eight, a checkup showing the named cards
gone. Mr. Right opens his envelope to find twelve inside, and from them
takes the two marked pasteboards which are given out for identification.

EIGHT Two
CARDS CARDS

No. | No. 2 No. 3

FIG. |

To PREPARE:
In the No. 1 envelope place any eight cards from any deck and seal.
On the outside mark the initials which you have ascertained in advance,
as those of a man whom you will later on invite up to assist you as Mr.
Left—he is ignorant of these subtle plans, of course. In the No. 2 en-
velope place any other two cards from the same deck. No. 3 envelope is
empty. Nos. 2 and 3 are unsealed. All three envelopes are put inside
your inside cvat pocket with No. 2, flap innermost, next to your body,
followed by No. 1, flap outward, and then No. 3 on the outside. A pencil
in your breast pocket, and the balance of the deck in your lower right vest
pocket completes the quick and easy setup, Fig. 1.
 Lesson 51 — CARD TRANSITION 173

Two people from the audience are asked to come up and assist you.
One is placed at your right side and the other at your left. Give the deck
of cards to Mr. Right. He shuffles and deals ten cards face down onto your
right hand. Then you take the deck with your left hand and give it to
Mr. Left. Your left hand then removes envelope No. 3, which is empty,
from your pocket. It is given, along with the counted ten cards, to Mr.
Right, who places the cards inside and seals the envelope.
During this procedure your right hand gets the pencil. Take the
sealed envelope No. 3 with your left hand, flap uppermost and ask Mr.
Right his first and last initials. Write them on the flap, and have them
verified by him.
Next have the deck shuffled by Mr. Left. During the shuffling re-
place the pencil in your breast pocket and transfer the sealed envelope to
your right hand. Ten cards are counted onto your left hand. With the
cards still in your left hand remove the pencil again with your right hand
and give the cards and the pencil to Mr. Left . . . “Take these ten cards and
go down into the audience. Have two people select one card each. Let each
have free choice—any card he or she wants.” . . When this is done continue:
“T want you to mark each card, any kind of marks you wish, then return the
cards to the packet and misz the ten cards well.”
Before Mr. Left goes into the audience take from him the balance
of the deck and place it in your left coat pocket with your left hand. Upon
his return to your left side take the pencil back with your left hand and ask
him to give the ten cards an additional shuffle. As you talk, and while
he shuffles, replace the pencil in your pocket with your left hand. Transfer
envelope No. 3 from the right to the left hand. The left hand now goes
inside your inside coat pocket, leaves behind the sealed No. 3 envelope,
and removes the other two envelopes, No. 1 and No. 2. In appearance, if
anyone notices at all, you’ve merely removed another envelope.
The top envelope, No. 2, flap uppermost, contains the two extra
cards. The bottom sealed envelope No. 1, flap down, contains eight cards
and has on it the initials of Mr. Left, which you wrote in advance. The
assistants'can not see these initials.
Please do not hurry this exchange. It is not necessary, and on trial
you willsee why. Just make your movements natural, slow and deliberate.
Take the ten cards from Mr. Left with your right hand and place them in
envelope No. 2 containing the two cards. The right hand then gives this
envelope to Mr. Left for sealing. Here it is well to remind you that no
one can later on look back and suspicion that two cards were added, as
this “‘left’’ envelope will have only eight cards at the finish of the effect.
The right hand takes the sealed envelope from Mr. Left and places it
on top of the envelope in his left hand, flap uppermost. You ask Mr.
Left for his initials. You remove the pencil with your right hand, thank
174 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

him, and secretly put down the initials of Mr. Right instead. Replace
the pencil in your pocket and go into your build-up. Pass the envelopes
from hand to hand as you speak to, or mention, each assistant. Let each
one then have his own (?) envelope. Naturally, the initials on the en-
velopes determine to whom they are given, thus effecting a clever switch.
Now you can conclude the effect in a showmanlike manner, as all that
remains is to cause the two selected marked cards mysteriously to leave
the envelope held by Mr. Left and appear in the envelope held by Mr.
Right. When Mr. Left tears open his envelope, only eight cards remain.
They are shown one at a time—the two marked cards have disappeared!
Mr. Right tears open his envelope and twelve cards are counted by
him, one at a time onto your open right hand. Remove the two marked
cards and show that,they have really travelled across invisibly.
Nore: Should you borrow envelopes, take a bunch and say you
“need a couple,” but secretly you take three, and return the balance. This
is an effect that must be tried, not just read and forgotten. The fact
that the same marked cards are revealed at the end is very puzzling, and the
trick rates as a real brain teaser.

SHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT

This gem is contributed by Dr. Raymond L. Beebe who has developed
a routine and method requiring no sleight of hand or misdirection, and its
cleverness and simplicity ¢onform to the many subtle effects devised by
this well-known devotee of the mystic art. His timely patter adds much
to the effect.
EFFEcT:
From a red backed pack, ten cards are counted off onto a spectator’s
left palm; and from a blue pack, ten cards are counted off onto his right
hand. Without further ado, three cards are caused to magically pass
from one hand to the other, and a recount proves it—seven cards are left
in one hand, and thirteen are found in the other hand, three of them being
of the opposite color.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two packs of cards, one red backed, one blue backed.
2—A bottle of good roughing fluid.
To PREPARE:
The red backed pack: Count off ten cards. Apply roughing fluid to
the entire face of three cards; and to the entire backs of three others.
When dry, place a rough-face card on the back of a rough-back card, then
a plain card; another rough-face on a rough-back; a plain card; and the
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 175

final rough treated pair; then the two remaining plain cards go, one each
at top and bottom of this packet.
Fan or spread this packet and it appears to consist of only seven
cards, due to the roughing treatment which causes three pairs to adhere.
Now reverse all ten of these cards by counting them off singly, face down,
and drop the packet in this reversed condition on top of the red pack.

The blue backed pack: Count off ten cards. Apply roughing fluid to
the faces of three of them. Then take three other plain red backed cards
from the red pack, and apply roughing to their backs. Assemble these
three prepared pairs, each a blue on ared. With the packet of seven blue
cards face down, place these treated pairs at positions 3, 5 and 7 from the
top. A tiny pencil dot at the corners of the bottom card of this group
secretly aids you in identifying the last card of this group of (apparently)
ten blue backed cards when you later remove them from the pack. With
these cards set up as just described, place this packet of thirteen cards face
down on top of the blue pack which then goes into its case.
To PerFrorM:
You produce the two packs in their cases and remove the red pack
from its case, as you get a spectator to come up and assist you... “We
have a Lend-Lease problem io solve this evening ... ] presume you can count
up to ten—not ten millions, just plain ten—with the politicians counting only
in the billions, one is apt to forget the old simple arithmetic.”
With the red backed pack in hand, faces towards audience, you are idly
overhand shuffling the pack, but you only mix the bottom cards, never
disturbing the stack of ten on top. A riffle shuffle will accomplish the same
purpose. Remember that the top ten cards have no roughened surfaces
in contact as now arranged in the pack. In this position these ten cards
count off exactly as would any unprepared cards, hence you count them
off slowly and deliberately, one at a time onto the volunteer assistant’s
left hand, face down. Show each card front and back as you place it so
that the red back of each card is impressed on the minds of the spectators.
“Now, sir; these ten red cards represent ten newly painted ships which our
Government has allotted for Lend-Lease to one of our Allies .. . are you satisfied
that you have ten of them? . . . you are sure, thank you.” . . . Should some sharp
assistant wish to recount them, let him do so, as this is the pay-off when he
finds ten cards as per your count. In this case, remark that you will also
count them for the benefit of the audience, and you direct the counting
action to them, as you thus get the cards reversed and back into the neces-
sary relationship—with the roughened surfaces in contact.

The actual fair count of the ten red backed cards will put the assistant
at ease, and will remove suspicion in connection with the counting of the
blue cards, which pack you now take in hand and fan the entire pack, face
176 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

down so the blue backs are plainly visible in a wide fan. With the pack
still fanned out somewhat, the blue backs fully visible, your left thumb
pushes over the top ten (really 13), as you count aloud and leave the packet
well spread as your right hand lifts them off the pack. The pencil dot
makes it easy to cut off at the right number. Show them front and back
as you patter.
“T shall also use ten of these blue cards, and shall recount them to make
sure there is no mistake . . . hold out your right hand, please . . . careful, sir!
hold those red cards a little farther away ... no mizups here . . . all right, here’s
one...two...a total of ten blue cards.” ... Your right hand holds the well
spread fan with backs towards the spectators as you do this counting, taking
the bottom card off with the left hand, for one, and showing it front and
back as you place it face down on the assistant’s right palm. Continue
counting from the bottom, occasionally lifting the fanned group up to show
the faces of the cards. Counted in the same tempo as were the red cards,
and showing front and back of each card, it appears fair in every respect
and no one ever questions this count of the blue cards.
“Tt is clear to all that the gentleman has ten red backed cards in his left
hand, and ten blue backed ones in his right hand . . . please hold your hands
extended far apart, and note that I do not touch the cards for a moment during
the demonstration . . . the blue cards represent the blue waters in the port:of
one of our Allies, and the object is to get the Lend-Lease ships across the ocean
without danger from submarine attacks. I shall use some magic camouflage
on one of the red ‘ships’ and make it invisible . . . I simply wave my hand like
this and the first red ship can not be seen as it crosses the ocean over to the other
side... you didn’t see it go, did you? No... well, that’s as it should be...
now another red ship... [ make it also invisible . . . and across it goes .. . thus
.. . they want three red ships over there at once . . . so this third one . . . in-
visibly makes the crossing and arrives safely in the blue waters of the Allied
haven.”
As you go through the motions with your hands of directing the
““‘passage”’ of the ships, you can mention a submarine sighted “‘off port”
and zig-zag your hands to simulate dodging, etc.
“How many red cards did you have originally? ... Ten... that’s right...
and you see I have none . . . give me the red packet.” .. . Take the red packet
in your right hand, and with your left thumb, push the cards out into a
fan to appear as seven. Then turn them face down and point with the left
index finger to each card as you count them, still held in a fan. Then
withdraw and count the cards one at a time from the bottom of packet
as you had previously counted the blue cards . . . “There are now but seven
red ships on this side.” . . . You show front and back of each of the seven
cards as you draw them off, and finally you drop them on the red pack.
“Now, let me have the blue cards and we shall see whether the red ships
got into their respective berths.” . . . Take the packet in your left hand and
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 177

hold them so the backs are plainly visible to the spectators as you slowly
count off the cards one at a time from the top into your right hand.
“One, two, three, four...ah!...ared one... five, siz, seven, another
red ship .. . eight, nine, ten, still another red one, eleven, twelve, and thirteen . . .
a total of thirteen—ten blue cards and three red ones—the red ships that suc-
cessfully evaded the submarine nests and safely reached our Allies! . . . Magic
certainly plays an important part in this war, and I shall be glad to use my
powers whenever called upon.”
Be sure to emphasize the red cards as they appear among the blue ones
in the counting. Sometimes it is very convincing to let the assistant count
the blue packet, as the pairs will separate easily with the inexperienced
pressure which he will apply. It is important to remember that you
first count the ten red backed cards off the top in the normal manner; the
ten (supposedly) blue backed cards from the face or bottom of a spread out
fan; the next count is of the seven red cards from the bottom of a spread
fan; the final count of blue (and red) is off the top in the normal manner.
Nore: If performed before a large group, a red silk might be tied
around the left arm which hand holds the red cards; and likewise a blue
silk on the right arm. thus keeping the respective positions easily identi-
fied. Or, as the miracle seems almost too great, cover the assistant’s left
hand and red packet with a red silk; and a blue one over the blue packet.
These coverings will give the audience something on which to speculate,
and help divert solutions away from the cards themselves.

RED AND BLACK TRANSPOSITION

With the introduction of roughing fluid as a magic accessory for caus-
ing two cards to adhere together and yet be separated easily, I worked
out an interesting method of accomplishing a pretty effect in which ten
red cards mysteriously change places with ten black ones. Needless to
say the older methods were either performed with sleight of hand or double-
faced cards. With this new method the effect could hardly be better if
the cards actually did change places.
EFFECT:
Two empty goblets are placed about a foot apart on the table. Ten
black cards) are shown one at a time, front and back and placed into one
of the goblets. The front black card, say the Nine of Spades, is placed
at the foot of the glass. facing the audience, to be used as a marker. Ten
red cards are shown one at a time, front and back, and placed into the other
goblet. The front card, say the Ten of Hearts, is placed, facing the
audience, at the foot of this glass. Now for the mystery. The performer
reverses the positions of the Nine of Spades and the Ten of Hearts, placing
the black Nine in front of the glass containing the red cards; the red Ten
in turn is placed in front of the glass containing the black cards. But when
178 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

the supposed black cards are removed and freely shown they are found to
be red cards, and the supposed red cards in the other glass are found to
be black. Each has followed the leader.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Nine black playing cards—would suggest the spot cards because
of visibility, with clubs and spades mixed.
2—Nine duplicate black cards.
3—A Nine of Spades.
4—Nine red playing cards—hearts and diamonds mixed.
5—Nine duplicate red cards.
6—A Ten of Hearts.
7—Two glass goblets large enough to hold playing cards. The goblet
used for rising cards is ideal.
To PREPARE:
Have your magic dealer make short cards of one set each of nine
black cards and nine of the red ones. He has a special cutter for cutting
a bit from the end of the cards and another instrument to round the corners.
In emergency a sharp knife and scissors can make short cards. The cards
should be shortened about a sixteenth of an inch.
Have the dealer treat the faces of all the short cards with roughing
fluid. When dry this makes the surface of the cards slightly adhesive
when two roughened surfaces are put together. Roughen the backs of
the nine regular black cards and the nine regular red ones.
On the face of a short black card place a regular red card, Fig. 1.
Square up the two cards. Thus two roughened surfaces are together.
Do this with the remaining eight short black cards and the eight regular
red cards. Place Nine of Spades on the face of uppermost red card, Fig. 2.

~~ SHORT
CARD

FIG.\

; Place a regular black card on the face of ashort red one, Fig. 3. Con-
tinue this with the other eight regular black cards and the eight short
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 179

red ones. Then place the Ten of Hearts on the face of the uppermost
card, Fig. 4.
Pick up the first group of what appears to be nine red cards and one
black one. You can fan them or spread them apart from left to right with-
out exposing the nine hidden black cards. The cards can be freely shown
front and back.

#— SHORT
CARD ;

4g
‘h &
gh *
a
Square up the first packet of cards and strike the bottom edges on the
table. Hold the packet, faces towards the audience, in the left hand with
the thumb on the inner side and the fingers on the outer. Bring the right
thumb on the top edge of the packet, the first finger at the center of the
Nine of Spades, and the remaining three fingers at the bottom edge of the
packet. Riffle the cards with the tip of right thumb, from back to front
and the cards will appear to be all black, Fig. 5.

Similarly with the other packet. The nine pairs and one red card
become ten red ones when riffled. This is the principle upon which the
mystery depends.
T> PERForM:
Place the two glasses about a foot apart on the table. Pick up the
packet of ‘“‘red’’ cards with the black Nine of Spades facing the audience.
Hold in your left hand and riffle them with right thumb from back to front
to show that it is a packet of black cards. Separate the cards far enough
as you riffle, and lower the right hand far enough to expose to the audience
the black cards showing in the left hand. Also turn the packet in the right
hand each time so the audience can see the backs of the cards... . “Ten
180 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

black cards!’ .. . Place them in the glass at the left so that the Nine of
Spades faces the audience, Fig. 6.
Pick up the other packet and, riffling the cards, show them to be
all red cards. Place in the glass at the right so that the Ten of Hearts
faces outward, Fig. 7... ‘Ten red cards!”

FIG.8

Reverse the glass al the left so that the backs of the cards are towards:
the audience. Remove the Nine of Spades and place at the foot of the
glass in front and let it lean up against the glass, Fig. 8... “This Nine of
Spades, being a black card, will act as a marker for the other nine black cards
in the glass.”
In a similar manner reverse the glass at the right so that the backs of
cards face the audience. Remove the Ten of Hearts and place at the foot
of the glass, similar to Fig. 8... “This Ten of Hearts, being a red card, will
act as a marker for the nine red cards in this glass.”’
Up to now each movement seems natural and fair . . . “Now for an
odd mystery. Why is it, that when I change the position of these two markers”
... Pick up the Nine and the Ten and transpose them. Now the Ten is
in front of the left glass and the Nine is in front of the right glass. Pick
up the packet from the left glass . . . “Instead of having the black cards in
this glass I now have the nine red ones to match the red Ten of Hearts?”
Spread the cards (pairs) out in a wide fan and show both sides so there
is no doubt but what there are nine red cards. Fan and spread with care
so as not to expose the black cards hidden behind the red ones. Replace
the cards in the glass, faces towards audience.
‘And over in this glass”... Remove the packet of cards from the glass
at the right, spread them (pairs) out and show both sides . . . “we have the
nine black cards to match the black Nine of Spades . . . Place the packet back
into the glass at the right with faces towards the audience . . . “Ti’s amazing
how even cards will follow their leaders!”
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 181

THE CARDS UP THE SLEEVE

Another card classic. There are many methods and routines used in
performing this effect. Each performer uses a variation of the experiment
which best suits his individuality. After you have mastered the trick as
taught here, you may start blending in other principles or varying parts
of the effect to develop a routine which you like best. This effect is a good
one to use after “The Flying Cards.”
EFFECT:
The performer counts twelve cards from the deck, holding them
towards the audience so that they can be seen. The cards are held in
left hand. He pulls out his right trousers pocket to show that it is empty.
The performer says that cards will pass invisibly up his sleeve into his
empty pocket. He clicks the packet in his left hand and then removes
a card from his right pocket. This is repeated until the twelve cards have
passed one by one, through the performer’s sleeve, into his pocket.
To Perron:
Count off twelve cards from deck, calling the number of each one
distinctly so that audience will be sure that twelve have been counted.
Hold the faces of the cards towards the audience so that the spectators see
them and can perhaps remember a few. Place the rest of deck on the
table. Transfer the twelve cards from right to left hand .. . ‘We have
twelve cards.”
Fan the cards with faces towards the audience, using both hands in
doing it. Close the fan and insert your left little finger to separate the top
three cards, as previously explained. Stand with your right side turned
a little towards the audience. Extend your left hand, holding the backs
of the cards towards the audience.
If you are performing on a stage you may call up a spectator to assist
you. If you are performing in a parlor you may have a spectator remain
seated while reaching into your
pocket... “Will you, sir, please
reach into my right trousers pocket
to see that my pocket is empty and
that all is fair? ... you find it
empty ... thank you.” While the
spectator is reaching into the
pocket, turn your right side 4 FIG.I9
towards the audience, Fig. 18.

MIspDIRECTION PaLMING:
Place your right hand over the cards. With the aid of your left little
finger, palm the top three cards of the packet in your right palm, Fig. 19.
182 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Hold the other nine cards in the right hand also, to make it appear that
you merely transferred the packet from the left to right hand, Fig. 20...
“You are convinced, are you not, that there is nothing in my pocket?”

SS

SSS

FIG, 22

Fig. 21 shows the position of the cards in your hand. Three cards
are palmed in the right hand and the remaining nine cards of the packet
are held by the thumb and forefinger . . . The audience sees only the back
of your hand. Place the packet of nine cards into your left hand again
and draw the right hand with the palmed cards away, towards your trousers
pocket, Fig. 22.
Pocket CONCEALMENT:
Put your right hand into the right trousers pocket and push the three
cards into the upper corner. Hold them there a moment with your thumb,
Fig. 23. With the tips of the fingers, bring out the pocket. You will
find that the pocket can be drawn out and shown empty even when there
is something in it, Fig. 24. Replace pocket.

CARDS
CONCEALED IN
UPPER INNER.
CORNER OF POCKET

FIG, 23

Note the use here of emphasis. You requested the spectator to reach
into the pocket. He found that it was empty. Now you pull out the
pocket and show it to be empty. The audience is in this way convinced
Athat you have nothing in your pocket.
“I will now recount the cards to make assurance doubly sure.” . . . False
count the nine cards as twelve. Count the cards one at a time aloud.
Always have the backs of the cards to audience in this form of false count-
ing. There is danger of detection if the audience can see the faces of the
cards for they are likely to notice when the same card remains in sight for
two counts! ... “‘Twelve cards.”
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 183

Hold the packet in the left hand, backs of cards to the audience.
Your left hand is extended and your right side is turned towards the
audience, Fig. 25 .. . “What I propose to do is to cause the cards to pass one
at a time up my sleeve and down into my right trousers pocket.” ... With
the right hand draw an invisible line from your left hand up along the sleeve
and dowa to your right pocket—meurely touching the outside of the pocket.
“All I have to do is to click the cards and they will pass up my sleeve.
This is quite similar to the way I vanish an elephant or a big bowl of goldfish
and water up my sleeve. Sleeves are quite handy. If I want to produce a
lady I merely shake my sleeve and a lady assistant appears. If I wish to
vanish her, I say ‘Hocus Pocus’ and she vanishes up my sleeve again. Now,
watch closely and perhaps you can see the cards go. One’... Click the cards
with your left thumb. Show the right hand empty, fingers wide apart
and palm of hand to audience. Reach into the pocket with your right hand
and take out one of the cards. Throw it on a nearby table or chair, Fig. 26.

“Did you see it go? ... (Click the cards) ... There goes another...
Two” ... Reach into your pocket after showing the right hand empty.
Throw the second card onto the table. A few spectators may have heard
of palming and may think that you palm the cards in some way, so when-
ever you can do so, show your right hand empty before reaching into the
pocket.
“T hear someone saying to himself, ‘I wonder whether those cards really
do go up his sleeve and into his pocket.’ Let us see.” .. . False count the nine
cards as ten... ‘Two from twelve leaves ten. You see two cards have passed.
Now again.” (Click cards) ... “‘Three.” .. . Count the cards out slowly
so that all will be thoroughly convinced that you have nine cards. Fan
the cards again as you did in the beginning of the effect. Close the fan
and insert your left little finger to separate six cards from the remaining
three.
“T will ask the gentleman here to reach into my pocket himself to see whether
the third card is there.” . . . Turn your right side to the audience. As the
spectator reaches into your pocket, place your right hand over the cards
again, palm the six top cards in the right palm. With the tips of the left
fingers, turn up the three cards with faces towards the audience, using the
thumb and first finger of the right hand as a pivot, Fig. 27.
184 __ THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

The effect is that you have transferred the packet of cards to your
right hand and turned it over so that the audience could see the face of the
bottom card. The audience is absorbed in watching the spectator who is
reaching into your pocket and may not even see this move at all. When
spectator removes the third card from your pocket, take the three cards
in left hand again and reach into your pocket with the six cards palmed in
the right hand. Repeat the move of pushing the cards into the upper
corner of the pocket, holding them with your thumb, and pulling out the
pocket to show that it is empty.

“You are sure, sir, that there was nothing else in my pocket?” . . . The
gentleman responds, and you push the pocket back again . . . “Now, watch
again.” (Click the cards with your left thumb.) ‘‘Up the sleeve goes the
fourth card and here it is in my pocket.” .. . Remove a card from the pocket
and place it on the table.
“Neat.” . . . Click the cards. Then reach into the pocket and palm
one card... “I thought it went into my pocket but I guess it didn’t.” .. . Bring
your right hand out of the pocket with the palmed card and place the hand
behind your left knee. Be careful always to have the back of the hand
towards the audience when you are palming cards. . . “Jt seems to have
travelled down behind my left knee.” . .. Turn your hand over and bring the
card out, holding it by the thumb and tips of right fingers, Fig. 28.
This effect of apparently reaching up with the tips of the fingers and
thumb bringing out a card, is an important one. Practice palming a card,
moving it about to various places, and then quickly getting it to the tips
of the fingers and thumb, then suddenly producing it. By pressing the
card against some surface, in this case the knee, you will have no difficulty
in getting it from your palm to the tips of your fingers.

/ /

“They wander around sometimes.” . . . Click the cards. Reach into

your pocket and take out another card. Place it on the table. . . “That
one went all right.” . . . Click the cards. Take another card from the
pocket and place with the rest on the table . . . “Up the sleeve and into my
pocket.” . . . Click the cards. Reach into your pocket, palm-a card, and
bring the hand out ... “That's funny. Oh, I see it got stuck at my elbow.”
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 185

As you say this, reach up behind left elbow and bring out palmed
card with finger tips and thumb of right hand. Place the card on the
table . . . “They get stuck in the joints occasionally. How many have we
lefi?” . . . False count the three remaining cards as four . . . “‘One—two—
three—four. Fourcardsremain.” Click the cards and then count the three
cards slowly as three . . . “‘Please reach into my pocket and remove the card.”’
... We now have three cards left.”
SELF-CONTAINED CARD VANISH:
Show the three cards separately, then square them up and hold them
in the left hand with faces towards the audience . . . Hold them as shown
in Fig. 29. Click the cards again . . . With the right thumb slip the first
card down away from the other two. Hold the remaining two cards in the
left hand tightly, as one, Fig. 30... “One card.”
Place the two cards held as one on top of the first card. Hold tightly
with your right thumb. Snap the cards with your left fingers as you put
them down. This.makes it appear that you have only two cards, Fig. 31...
“Two cards.” ... You have apparently vanished a card. Square up the
cards perfectly so that the three will look like one card and hold them in
the left hand . . . Snap the face of the card with your right second finger . . .
“Pass.” ... Turn the cards over as one.card and snap them on the back
with your finger . . . “One card left.”
The snapping of back and front confirms the impression of holding
only one card. In my work I actually throw three cards from right to
left hand and they do not come apart. You will find many uses to which
you can put this principle of showing three cards as one. As you advance,
new ideas may present themselves to you for using this principle . . . “Now
the last card.”

< IN
—————_ S
oe@ I ‘ aS
by $ mee y 2
iA a 99 ¢/ ~
f/, ace
: \FIG. 3)

FIG. 33
Ca
ra
Back To Front Hanp Carp VANISH:
Place the three cards as one with backs to audience on the back of
your right hand. Grasp the edges under the first and last fingers at about
the second joints, Fig. 32... Pass your left hand over the cards on the back
of the right hand, Fig. 33... As you do this, turn the fingers and cards
down into the palm of the right hand. Bring out the second and third
fingers, then straighten all the fingers, Fig. 34.
186 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

As the left hand leaves the right hand, it should be kept closed as
though it had taken a card from the right hand and closed around it.
Cards are now concealed in the palm of your right hand, Fig. 35. Bring
your left hand about eighteen inches away from the right and open it
slowly to show that the card has disappeared . . . Place your right hand in
your right trousers pocket and bring out the cards one at a time . . . “One—
two—three.”
Nore: Also learn to do this effect without having a gentleman reach
into your pocket. In stage work a spectator may not be near enough—
or it may not be advisable to use a committee.

FIG. 35

VARIATIONS:
The preceding effect may be presented in a little different way. Be-
forehand place two cards in your upper left vest pocket, faces towards
your body. Then while you are performing and have passed about six
cards into your pocket, click a card and pretend that it did not go into
the pocket. Start looking for it and reach up under your coat with the
right hand. Take the cards from the vest pocket quickly and carry
them up under your shoulder. Grasp the left side of your coat with the
left hand and open the coat. Bring out the two cards fanned out, backs
to the audience, Fig. 36.
“That time two went up together and, as a result, got stuck at my shoulder.
Let them now continue on their way.” . . . Let go of coat with left hand.
Reach up under the left side of the coat with your right hand and quickly
put the cards back into your upper vest pocket. Then move your hand up
to the shoulder so that the audience can see the coat lifted, giving the
impression that you placed the cards there . . . ‘‘One—two—there they go...
And here they are.’ . . Reach into your trousers pocket and take two cards
out. Then continue the effect as described above.
EmeEerGENcY Mertuop:
If you should happen to be before a group, some of whom have seen
you perform this before, and think you use palming, it is best to vary the
effect in the way I shall describe here. These spectators are watching you
closely and you must leave them completely mystified at the end.
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 187

Slip three cards into your right trousers pocket beforehand. Then
instead of counting off twelve from the deck, false count nine cards off as
twelve. Show your pocket empty by the method described above. Start
clicking the cards. The sharpest eye can not see the cards go into the
pocket now, for they are already there.
Another ruse is actually to count twelve cards from the deck or to
have someone else count them, then to palm off six and replace them on
top of pack in squaring up the pack and placing it on the table. Have
six cards in your pocket before you start.

CARDS UP THE SLEEVE (SHOULDER METHOD)

This is a pleasing variation of the foregoing effect. Instead of pro-
ducing the cards from the trousers pocket they are produced from under
the left side of the coat at the shoulder.
EFFEctT:
Twelve cards are counted from the pack and placed in the left hand.
The performer causes the cards to pass one at a time up his left sleeve,
and takes them out from under the left shoulder of his coat.
To PERFoRM:
Have twelve cards counted from the deck and hold them in your left
hand, separating the top three cards ready for palming in the right hand.
Palm off the three cards in your right hand and drop the hand a little at
your side.
“Before beginning this odd mystery I want to tell you about a magician’s
sleeves. This one has two ends, one at the bottom (point with right hand to
bottom of sleeve) and an end at the top.” .. . Grasp the left edge of your coat
with your left hand and make a gesture with the
right hand to show the upper end of the sleeve, =A CARDS on
placing your hand on the left shoulder. Drop the SHOULDER,
left side of the coat. This screens the right hand
and the palmed cards. Leave the cards on the $A N
upper part of the left shoulder. The weight of the FT
a
coat will hold them securely in place. The audience
is not aware of your real move. It appears that FIG, 38
you were merely explaining the sleeve, Fig. 38.
“There have been many stories told about magician’s sleeves and how
things go up and down them. Of course, a sleeve is the only place where a
magician could conceal anything, especially a couple of lions, a tiger, a dozen
rabbits, a billy goat, a couple of girls, and a barrel of pickled herring. The real
problem, however, is ‘Just how does the magician cause the various objects to
pass up and down a sleeve?’ I will explain by causing these cards to walk up
my sleeve one at a time. First, we have twelve cards.” . . . False count the
nine cards as twelve.
188 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“T will place them in my left hand and when I click them, up will walk
a card into my sleeve and travel upwards.” . . . Click the cards in your left
hand ... ‘Did you see that one go? A little too fast, was it? Well, here it is.”
Show your right hand empty, fingers wide apart. You must convince
the audience that you have nothing in your right hand. Reach up under
the left side of your coat and take one card from the shoulder. Show it
plainly. Place the card on the table . . . “One card. Up one end and out
the other. Again!’ ... Click the cards with your left thumb . . . “Up goes
the second card.”
Show your right hand empty again and then take another card from
the shoulder . . . “‘ You see it is a sort of clickety click arrangement. Do they
really pass up the sleeve? We shall see.” . . . False count the nine cards as
ten... “Ten cards left. The two have gone. Now watch the cards just as
closely as you can so that you will see one jump out from the packet in my
hand and into my sleeve.”
Click the cards . . . ‘See that one jump? Here it is.” . . Take the third
card from your shoulder . . . Count nine cards as nine.
Fan the cards a bit, then square them up and get your little finger
under the top six cards. Palm the six cards in the right hand, then place
the three remaining cards in your right hand. Refer back to Figs. 19 and
20. The audience believes these three cards to be nine. They do not
suspect that you have cards palmed. Place the three cards in your left
hand again, click them, and reach the right hand up under the coat to the
left shoulder. Place the six cards on your shoulder. Take one card out
with a quick and snappy movement ... ‘‘That’s a speedy fellow.”
Now produce the next five cards one at a time, varying the manner
of producing perhaps two of them. Reach up under your shoulder and
pretend that you failed to locate the card. In reality, palm one of the
cards in your right hand. With the left hand lift the left edge of your
vest, reach up under it with right hand, and bring out the card by thumb
and finger tips, as you did in the production at the knee. . . ‘“That one
went so hard tt lit down under my vest.”
Another time, palm a card from the shoulder and produce it from the
right coat pocket, or from the bottom of your left trousers leg . . . “These
are getting to be regular sky-rockets.” . . . Produce cards until only one is left
at the shoulder, and you have three in your left hand. Count the three as
four, then click the cards and take another card from the shoulder. Now
count the three cards slowly as three.
Pivor Carp VANISH:
This is a most important move and one which can be used in many
effects to vanish a number of cards. With practice you will perfect this
move and become skilled in its use. The effect is that you just push the
 Lesson 51— CARD TRANSITION 189

cards into your left hand which closes on them. Then you open the left
hand—and the cards have vanished.
Place the three cards in your left hand as shown in Fig. 39. This is
the way it looks to the audience. Push the cards into the left hand with
your right fingers, the edges of the cards in contact with the second joint
of the right fingers, Fig. 40. When cards are almost all in the left hand,
push the tips of your right fingers forward. This causes the cards to pivot
on the left index finger and to revolve automatically into the right palm.
Bend the right hand slightly and palm the cards, Fig. 41.

Say
yf WV
-——9 f/f
FIG. 40

At the moment when the cards are propelled into the right hand, close
your left hand as though cards are init. Elevate the left hand, constantly
looking at it. Remember your misdirection here—not to look at the right
hand at any time when you have cards palmed in it, Fig. 42. Open the
left hand slowly and show that the cards have vanished.

na Pivot fe2?
¥ pa: A

VN \
ASA
FIG.41
pe
Now place your right liand suddenly into the right trousers pocket,
push the palmed cards into the upper corner of the pocket, and bring the
pocket out empty. Then pull the left pocket out empty. Look perplexed
as though you do not know where the cards are. Push the pocket back in
again. Keach up under your coat to the left shoulder, then feel around
vest for them. Give your vest a shake as though you are shaking some-
thing down. Then suddenly reach into your right trousers pocket again
and remove the three cards... Or, the right hand can be pushed under the
left side of your coat and the cards produced from the shoulder.
Lesson 52
MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES
+— eet eee

HROUGHOUT THE YEARS magicians have successfully entertained

audiences with imitations of telepathy, extra-sensory perception,
spiritualistic and psychic phenomena. Since the magical methods em-
ployed were always under control, they have made stage presentations
seem even more real than if true demonstrations were presented.
There is a desire on the part of people in general to delve into the
unknown, the invisible, the supernatural, with the hope that the future
will bring them solace and greater happiness. People can bear a lot of
trouble and grief today, if they feel that just around the corner are health,
wealth and love. Knowing this trait in people, performers billed as mind
readers, crystal gazers, psychics, etc., have found no difficulty in packing
halls and theatres all over the world.
While some unscrupulous mediums, fortune tellers, etc., have taken
advantage of the trusting public and fleeced them of large sums, we do
not regard, or accept, such fakers as members of the magical fraternity.
It is not news to mention that there are charlatans in all walks of life,
and that the large body of mystery workers are opposed to any and all
shady or dishonest tactics. We feel as did the late Elbert Hubbard—
“No matter what happens at the magic show, you should still have your
watch, your pocketbook and your appendix.” Our exhibitions are pre-
sented to entertain and please the audiences, adding mystery and puzzling
problems to tickle the brain in a stimulating search for suitable explana-
tions. And it is a fact that the legitimate fees earned by some of our
mystery men are quite large—as high as the fees obtained in any other
branch of the show business—and far greater than the money taken in
by any faker.
It should be noted that there is a psychological difference in the
appeal, in the manner of presentation, between what we call two branches
of the mystic art—“‘magicians”’ and “‘mentalists.’’ While both accomplish
their effects by trickery, the mentalist rarely admits it. There is an im-
portant reason for this attitude of the mentalist. His mysteries of the
mind are impressive only when cloaked in an atmosphere of genuine
phenomena. Long experience has taught the wisdom of this serious and
earnest presentation. Ample proof of these statements will be found by
observance of the methods of the leading professional artists—those
occupying the topmost rung being accepted as genuine by a great majority.
191
192 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Performers of mental and psychic mysteries usually preface their

demonstrations with a statement to the effect that they make no claims
to possession of supernatural powers, and that the presentation is solely
for the entertainment and amusement of those present who may draw
their own conclusions as to the means or methods by which it is accom-
plished. However, the performer proceeds to do his act as though it were
a genuine example of unusual powers—which, in fact, it is! If presented
as mere tricks, the act would not command anywhere near the same in-
terest and spellbound attention—if indeed, it didn’t fall flat.

Take the case of Houdini. Despite the fact that he lectured against,
and exposed, fraudulent spirit mediums, always denying the possession’
of any supernatural power, a great many people believed that he was
aided by psychic forces in the marvelous mysteries which he performed . .
the great showman made his subtle appeal to the imagination through his
impressive methods. I shall never forget attending McVicker’s Theatre
in Chicago while still in my teens—the effect on me of seeing Kellar’s
famous ‘‘Spirit Cabinet’—done as only he could do it; and later, the
creepy feeling in the hushed silence created by Thurston as he spoke in
whispers from the big stage—clearly audible to all—as he demonstrated
“Princess Karnac,”’ the levitation of a living lady in full view! We thought,
“There surely must be some unseen power at work’’—and, of course,
there was!

Most of your editor’s friends know that his pet peeve is the combined
use of the words—Mental Telepathy—which may be compared to saying
“wet water,” ‘‘cold ice,”’ etc. The word telepathy itself means the trans-
ference of thought from the mind of one person to the mind of another
person by means other than normal, hence all telepathy must be mental,
and the use of the word mental in conjunction with the word telepathy
is improper.

In this lesson is a wide assortment of effects for use impromptu, at

home, club, platform, or stage, some of them quite new, and some so
deceptive when properly presented that the uninitiated can hardly be
blamed for ascribing them to supernatural, or occult power—more power
to you!

HIMBER’S TRANSCENDENTAL BOOK TEST

We are indebted to that musician-magician, Richard Himber, for

this subtle conception with which he has been fooling some of the wisest
heads in magic. The basic principle is extremely clever, and this, with
his showmanship, makes it a gem of mental magic, in our opinion. It has
the advantage of being workable on the instant—anywhere a few books
are available for free choice—there being no advance preparation.
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES 193

EFFECT:
Any three books are brought forth by anybody from any source—
books which the performer has never seen before. A spectator designates—
(A) one book for the performer; (B) one for himself; and (C) one book
to be laid aside, or given into the custody of any other spectator.
The performer flips through the pages of his book, stopping whenever
Mr. B requests, the page number being written down by Mr. C. In the
same manner, Mr. B flips through his book, stops on any page, keeps the
page number secret except that Mr. C writes it beneath the performer’s
number, and totals the two numbers. From this total are determined
the page and line in the book held by Mr. C who opens the book accord-
ingly and holds it concealed from the performer’s view. The chosen line
is divined and read aloud by the performer.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Any three books, each about 150 to 200 pages or more.
2—Paper and pencil.
~ To PREPARE:
The secret lies in the unsuspected observance and memorization of a
line, or a few words in some line, in any one of the books as the performer
casually flips through the pages of each volume while he explains what is
to be done. Then to cause the numbers, seemingly selected by chance, to
finally arrive at a total from which the secret page and line may be indi-
cated. The page number flipped to, or selected by Mr. B, is actually a
free choice and this fact serves to further create the impression that the
performer’s page number is also determined by chance.

To PERFoRM:
The three books having been submitted, have two spectators come
forward to assist you. The books are on the table near you. You are
idly fingering the books and flipping the pages from back to front, picking
up first one book and then another. In this casual turning of the pages
you are talking about the demonstration, hardly glancing at the first book
as you run the pages off your thumb. Doing likewise with the second book,
you quickly steal a glimpse and secretely note, for example, that on page 43,
line 7 reads, “A CHANCE TO MAKE MONEY.”
It makes no difference at what page you glimpse the line, except
that the page be under 50. For practical.purposes, anywhere from 35 to
49 are the most suitable pages. The line you memorize is determined by
adding together the digits of the page glimpsed—in the above example,
4 plus 3 giving line 7, as mentioned above; this book we shall call C, and
it is to go, ultimately, though seemingly by chance, into the hands of one
of the volunteer assistants whom we shall call Mr, C. The performer
194 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

replaces book C alongside the first book on the table, Fig. 1, and picks
up the remaining book, flipping through its pages and placing it on top
of book C. On those two, the first book is placed, thus book C is at the
bottom of the pile of three. Your patter starts as follows and runs along
as the demonstration proceeds.

“This is to be a demonstration of telepathy, the transmission of the thoughts

of one person to myself by means which are unusual, in that it is accomplished
through channels not generally understood and not in common use. It has
been found that concentration upon some visible thing—written messages,
printed words, or thoughts similarly recorded, makes it easier for all con-
cerned, and avoids all doubts as to correctness of the test, since the visible
words offer confirmation. Hence, we shall use these books for our test—books
which I have never seen before.
“Mr. B, will you please select any two of these books? . . . these two? ...
change your mind if you wish . . . it makes no difference . . . all right, these
two.” ... If he has left book C on the table, tell Mr. B to keep either one
and give you the other book, his free selection. Book C is given into the
custody of the second assistant, Mr. C, for safe keeping—no one else to
touch it.
If Mr. B picks up book C and another, ask him to decide which to
keep himself, and which to hand to the other assistant. Whoever gets
book C, becomes Mr. C, and merely holds the book tightly shut until
later on. The other assistant becomes Mr. B, and the remaining book,
A, is taken by you—again calling attention to the fact that free choice
has been allowed. Mr. C is given the paper and pencil.
“Now I want Mr. B to think of some number . . . or, better still, let’s
leave it entirely to chance ...I shall flip the pages of my book, and as they
run, you tell me to stop at any point... there? . . . all right, that is page 57.
Mr. C, will you please write down 57, the page at which I was stopped?”
We use page 57 in the foregoing patter, assuming that the line you
secretly glimpsed in book C is on page 43, line 7. The 57 is the page you
announce as the number at which you were stopped, because it is the
remainder after deducting the secret page number, 43, from 100. This
bit of deceit is unknown to the spectators who assume that you have simply
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES 195

announced the page number at which you were stopped. Actually, as you
let the pages run off your thumb from back to front, you can see the page
numbers as they flit by, and you try to stop at 57 if possible, but, at least,
somewhere near it. As you announce it to be page 57, you close your
book, A, and lay it on the table.
“Now. Mr. B, since my number is between 50 and 100, will you please
flip the pages of your book, stopping at any page numbered between 50 and
100? At whatever number you stopped, keep it secret from me, but show it
to Mr.C who will please write it down immediately beneath my number, 57...
Mr. B, do you wish to change your number? . . . you may if you wish .. . you
need not run through the pages if you prefer to just select some other number
between 50 and 100 . . . I want you to remember that it is absolutely free choice
. . . and it is important that you also remember that my number was selected
by chance BEFORE YOU MADE YOUR SELECTION.
“All right, everybody is satisfied ... Mr. C, will you kindly add those
two numbers and keep the total secret? If the total is over 100, disregard the
first figure on the left, but take the last two figures on the right, and deduct
them from the number chosen by Mr. B . . . deduct from the number you wrote
under my number 57 . . . you understand? Let Mr. B take a look to make
sure that you have it done correctly.
“Mr. C, without telling anyone that final number, please take in your
hands the book which you have guarded from the very beginning . . . no one
has seen inside that book nor even touched it but yourself since it was given
into your care? . . . thank you, sir. Will you please turn to the page number
corresponding to the final number you have just obtained? . . . you have it
before you? . . . now add together the digits that form that page number—if the
page number is 98, add the 9 to the 8 which gives you 17, and then count down
on that page to that line from the top, do you understand? All right, you
have your eyes on that line? . . . Concentrate your thoughts on that one line
as you read the line—mentally—so no one shall know it but yourself...
“Tt comes to me. . . yes, that line reads, ‘A CHANCE TO MAKE
MONEY.’ .. . Is that correct? Thank you . . . yes, show the book to the
spectators so they may also check as to the accuracy of the test.”
To make clear the arithmetic of Mr. C, let us assume that Mr. B
chose number 63, and this Mr. C puts down under your announced 57:
57—Your number 63—B’s number
63—B’s number 20—Last two digits of total

120—Total 43—Final number (page in book .C)

4 plus 3 = 7, Line number on page 43

Actually, the total of your number and Mr. B’s number is always over
196 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

100, but you make the statement to Mr. C, that IF it is over 100, he is
to drop the first digit, just to indicate no knowledge of the figures on your
part.
It is a most subtle bit of the ‘“‘magic of numbers” that makes this test
possible, and it is a secret not easily discovered by the layman. It makes
no difference what number between 50 and 100 is selected by Mr. B, the
answer will come out as you desire. For example, to your 57, add 98,
the total is 155. Omit the 1, deduct 55 from 98 and the final number is
43, your secretly chosen page in book C.
In another example, assume that your chosen line in book C is on
page 37 which would make it line 10. You announce your “‘chance page
number” to be 63 (100 minus 37); to this Mr. B’s number, say 84, is
added, totaling 147. Deduct 47 from 84 and the final number is 37, same
as your secretly chosen page in book C. This example requires that you
count down to line 10 which takes time, so we suggest in practice that
page numbers be selected that add up to a low line number, such as 32,
40, 41, 42, etc. By using a different page each time, it avoids comment
by anyone who may have witnessed a previous performance. We strongly
advise against repeating the trick at once, due to the showmanship in-
volved in the selection of the books.
Where you have access to the books in advance, as in your own home,
you can memorize a line and page number in two or three books, and
thus proceed from that point. With a poor memory, you need memorize
only the first two or three, or the last few words of any line.

“HEN” FETSCH’S DOUBLE KNOCKOUT

While the average lay audience might not see the difference between
this and the older methods of working the addition trick, there are points
in this presentation that make for exceptional clarity and directness of
action. It also eliminates certain pitfalls usually encountered in the
older methods. It is well for the showman to have various methods of
gaining a similar end, which can be substituted for each other as the
occasion demands. ‘‘Hen” Fetsch has given the mentalist something in
this ““Double Knockout” effect that is popular with him and deserves
careful study and presentation. The slates are unprepared.
EFFECT:
Choosing a prominent member of his audience, the magician stands
this person (A) at one end of the room or stage. With a piece of chalk
and a slate the magician stands at a distance. Four more of the assem-
blage are asked to rise and stand at their seats. The first is requested to
concentrate upon the year of his birth or any other important year in
his life. The second person thinks of any year in the history of our country.
The third mentally selects any number between one and two thousand,
 Lesson 52— MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES _ 197

To vary the numbers, a fourth assistant thinks of the first four numbers
of his telephone number, license number, Social Security number, etc.
After a bit of thought the mentalist writes upon his slate (but does
not show) the total of the numbers thought of by the four persons. He
hands the slate to A who holds it with the figure side away from the
audience. With an additional piece of chalk and a slate the magician
now steps into the audience and asks each of the four to call out their
figures. Each set of figures is written on the slate and verified by the
thinkers. Returning to the platform the magician totals these figures
and then exchanges slates with A. A is told to call out each set of
figures, beginning at the top, and as each set is called it is again verified
by the thinker. A strong point here is to have some member of the
audience write the figures on a piece of paper as a double check. A is
then asked to check the addition and read aloud the total, showing it to
all. ‘Fhe climax is when the magician turns his original slate proving that
he had mentally divined the total while the persons were only thinking of
their figures.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two school slates, large enough so the numbers are plainly visible.
2—Two pieces of white chalk.

To PREPARE:
“Hen” Fetsch says, “After such a buildup I can see some readers
quitting when a plant or confederate is mentioned—although I prefer a
hidden assistant—similar to a thread puller. After all, what’s the differ-
ence? I can only hope the magician will follow through and then let it
all assimilate to the point of trying it out.”
The plant is the fourth person to stand in the audience. Fetsch finds
the best plant is a friend who can be trusted, but even that friend is unable
to figure out a solution to the problem, from the information given him.
Instructions to the prospective plant:
1—Think of any four figures. Repeat these figures to the magician
when approached.
2—Verify as his selected numbers, the figures called out by A, regard-
less of numbers he selected in the beginning. Be a “‘yes’”’ man.
Where a plant is involved I don’t think you can top that for simplicity.

To PEerrorm:
“For a number of years the world has been interested in telepathic re-
actions or the transference of a thought from one mind to another. Tonight
I would like to try an experiment with four different minds in the audience.
198 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

First of all, before we begin, I would like to have a gentleman come up from
the audience to assist me. You will do nicely. Will you come up please?”
A gentleman comes up to assist you. Have him stand on the side of
the stage at your left... Pick up a slate and a piece of chalk from the
table . . . “I would like to have four people stand up in the audience .. . I
merely want you to stand at your seats.”
Have four people stand up, one of which is your plant. To the first
person: “J want you to think of the year in which you were born, or any
other year that is important in your life. Have you the number in mind?
Concentrate on it. Think of the first figure, the second figure and the third
figure. Thank you...I think I have it... You do not mind if I write your
number upon this slate.”
Pretend to write his number on the slate you are holding. You just
write down any number of four digits, but write small as though making
a note. Say to the second person:
“Will you concentrate on any year in the history of our country. Just
think of the year that some particular event occurred. Have you a year in
mind? You have... I will do a little more writing. Think of the third
digit again .. . I think I’m right.”
Again pretend to write the number on the slate but write small any
number of four digits under the other number. To the third person:
“T simply want you to think of any number between one and two thousand
such as 1725, 1685, 1214... Any number at all between one and two thousand.
Concentrate on the number.”
Pretend to write the number on your slate as before. To the fourth
person—the plant: “Think of any four numbers in the telephone book.
You ought to know a good number, sir. Or do you have to look up your num-
bers? Any number will do that comes into your mind. Have you got one?
Think of it.”
Again pretend to write the number on the slate. ‘‘Now to do a little
addition work. Remember that up to now I haven’t asked you to tell me a
single number you have thought of.” . . . Pretend to add the numbers on
your slate. Then rub out the numbers and write across the slate, large
so it can be easily seen later, 8432.
Give this slate and chalk to A at left and have him hold the figure
side away from audience. They must not see these figures until the
psychological moment. Pick up the other slate and piece of chalk...
““Now, so we can check up on what has been thought of, I want you one at a
lime to give me the numbers you have in mind.”
Go down into the audience and ask each of the four to give you their
figures. Write them one at a time under each other. Let us say the
 Lesson 52— MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES _ 199

first three numbers are: 1876, 1492 and 1646. You will find that each
of the first three selected sets of figures will always fall within the range
of 1000 to 2000. However, this fact is not apparent to the audience due
to the subtleties employed in the selection of the figures. Thus, by the
numbers coming within this range you are enabled to control completely
the total as follows: Let us assume the total to be 8432 that you have
written on the first slate. Never create a total below 7000 or above 12000.
This guarantees your totalling the figures correctly.
1—Write the first three sets of 1876
mentally selected numbers on 1492
your slate, in this manner: 1646
2—When the plant repeats his
numbers to you rather quietly, 1876
disregard them and write in 1492
the total number instead, 1646
leaving a space for the fourth
number, as follows: 8432

3—When you go back to the

stage and apparently total
the figures, you add a fourth
set that will total up to the
desired answer, as follows:
6 and 2 and 6 are 14. At this 1876
point in the addition, add in 1492
the figure that will total out 1646
to 2, which is 8... 14 and 8 8
are 22. Put down the 2 and —_—
carry two: 2

This is repeated with the other three

columns to complete the 8432 total,
Fig. 1. In the minds of the spectators
you are merely adding and writing
down the total.
4—Exchange slates and have Mr. A call out
the four sets of figures. All numbers are
verified, with the plant acknowledging
the last set as his.
Say to assistant A:
“Will you again add the figures to make
sure that the total I got was correct?” FIG. 1

“Read the total . . . 8432. Show the slate to the audience. Thank you.
200 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Now, ladies and gentlemen, four people were asked to stand in the audience
and merely think of numbers. Before anyone told me anything, I wrote
numbers on a slate, added them and wrote the total on the slate. Then I went
to each person who had thought of a
number, and each gave me the number
aloud of which they had thought. I
added them up. I had the assistant call
the numbers again and verify them—
and he, too, added them. We both
obtained the total of 8432. Isn’t it
strange that I, too, had written the total
of eight thousand four hundred and
FIG.2 thirty-two on this slate!”
As you speak, you turn the other slate around and show the number
on it, Fig. 2. Experience will reveal various dramatic high points in pres-
entation and effectiveness.

GRANT’S NEW SLATE TEST

Our great and clever friend, ‘“Gen” Grant, has never once refused
to let The Tarbell Course have any of his secrets for publication. We are
truly grateful for his generosity and we are certain that our students have
enjoyed and used his many contributions. In this test, just released
recently, he has injected a new method for doing the slate addition trick
using an ordinary slate and no confederates.
EFFECT:
Practically the same as the “‘Double Knockout” just described. Any
four spectators think of various years. Performer writes down a predic-
tion based on these thought-of numbers, giving the prediction to anyone
to hold. The performer openly writes on a slate the actual numbers which
are now called out loud by the spectators; he adds them, and has any-
body recheck the total. The numbers are shown to the choosers and con-
firmed. The spectator shows the prediction which agrees with the total
on the slate, and all may be examined.
To PERFORM:
All you need is paper and pencil for the prediction; slate and chalk
for the addition. First decide on a total to be predicted—somewhere near
7640. We will use this as an example, and you proceed to write this
number on the prediction slip, but let no one see it. Give slip to a spec-
tator to hold.
Draw four lines across the slate. A writes down in the top space the
year he was born; B writes an important year in his life; C, the year of
his marriage; and D, the fourth person, is the one holding the prediction,
and writes any desired year. Take the slate from D, step back and re-
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND’ PSYCHIC MYSTERIES 201

mark that you will add the figures and then have it checked by anyone.
As you step back, you pretend to draw a line under the figures (line is
already there), but instead of the chalk touching the slate, your fingers
secretly drag across D’s (bottom) line, erasing same with the one stroke
from right to left and back again. The back stroke passes for a mere
flourish,
Now you say: ‘‘Let’s make this row a little clearer.” What you really
do is to write below the line your predicted total, 7640. Of course, nobody
sees what you are doing, but any suspicions that might be aroused are
quickly dissipated a moment later when you hand the slate to another
spectator to check the addition. You still have to go through the apparent
motions of adding the figures. Your fingers are secretly completing any
final erasures necessary in that last line which is now blank—you have the
following situation on the slate:
There are three sets of figures in the
example, a blank line, and a total. In this
blank space you fill in the proper figures
which will bring the total of the four lines
to equal your prediction.

In other words, as you add up the first right hand column, you get 4,
so in the blank space of that column you fill in a 6 to make the column
total with a zero. The audience thinks you are putting down the 0 but
what you do is enter the 6 in the blank space. Next column you get 6,
so you insert an 8 in the blank space to make it foot 14; next you get 28,
so you add an 8 to make the 6; and the final column comes to 6 so you
insert a 1 to make the 7 in your total of 7640. Here is the convincing
feature—you hand the slate to someone away from D, to check your
arithmetic, and they will find it correct. Not only is the addition correct,
but you proceed to have the various figures confirmed by the writers.
But you go only to the first three, A, B and C. As they verify, you
erase their numbers, one row at a time. You start for the last man, D,
but you stop suddenly and say: “Vo, we will not show this gentleman the
slate with the total—we shall ask him to open the prediction and read my
total, first.’ As you are talking, you erase the last (D) line, supposed to
be his number, thus leaving only the total, 7640, on the slate. He reads
your prediction and you show the total on the slate to the entire audience.
Nore: Do not use a perfectly clean slate for the test. Instead, mark
all over the slate with chalk and then rub it off so as to leave a whitened,
or greyish, smear of chalk on the slate. This makes your erasures of row
D less liable to suspicion, as the general grey of chalk all over will help
hide any trace of the erased figures,
202 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

ANSWER TO A MENTALIST’S PRAYER

Eddie Clever, well-known inventor and writer on things magical, has
contributed this original invention or discovery of his for the benefit of
Tarbell students. We think the title is wel chosen for it makes easy
identification of a particular envelope from among others, and without
any faking or preparation of anything used in the effect. It is an exclusive
item in the Course, having never been published, and indeed, Clever has
given it to but a few and for a price, hence we offer abundant thanks,
EFFECT:
Unseen by the performer, spectators seal a red playing card in one
envelope, and single black cards in other envelopes which are then thor-
oughly mixed. Standing at a distance, the performer calls “‘red’’ or
“‘biack,”’ as a spectator holds up one envelope at a time. Or envelopes
may be handed to performer behind his back and identification made
instantly. <A selected card, with indifferent cards, in sealed envelopes, as
above, may be identified in the same manner. The “Living and Dead”
test is made easy by this method, the envelope containing the slip bearing
the dead name being identified at a distance, or when picked from a hat.

No. No.

Pee OE See cri ale sae

Fic. FIG. 2

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Twelve Manila “drug envelopes’ with end flap, the common
variety measuring 2% inches wide X 414 inches long, the paper
being sufficiently thick to be opaque, Fig. 1.
2—An envelope as above, but made as in Fig. 2.
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 203

The illustrations show the slight difference in the two types of en-
velopes as produced by the manufacturers, a difference which would escape
notice unless your attention were directly called to it. Some manufac-
turers paste the envelope as in Fig. 1 where you will note the side-wing
at the right is folded over first, and the left side pasted over it. In Fig. 2
the manufacturer has first folded over the left wing and then pasted the
right wing over it.
This accidental difference completely eliminates any preparation of
the envelopes, yet is apparent to you at quite a distance, or may be easily
detected behind your back by running your thumb nail across the backs
of the envelopes—flap side upwards and flap end nearest your body.
To PERFoRM:
Tue “Rep AND Buack’”’ Errect: Use one No. 2 envelope and twelve
No. I, all in one stack. Have a spectator select a red card and hand him
the No. 2 envelope in which to seal it while your back is turned. Others
are given the No. 1 envelopes in which they seal black cards, and all
envelopes shuffled, unseen by you. As the envelopes are laid on your
hand you identify the one containing the red card by pretending to ‘‘weigh”’
it—calling out “black” for the others, of course.
Or, all the shuffled envelopes may be dropped into a hat in your
absence from the room. Upon your return, you offer to bring out the
“red’’ envelope at any number from 1 to 13 named by the audience. In
the removing process, you locate the red envelope and stand it on its
narrow edge in the hat, or slip it under the hat band, unnoticed until
ready. If you prefer that the sealed envelopes be handed to you one at
a time behind your back, any spectator may gather them and shuffle
before handing them, one at a time, to you behind your back. You turn
so your “‘feeling’” is concealed, and announce the colors as described.
To call the colors while standing at a distance, you collect the sealed
envelopes yourself, keeping the flap ends together and facing the same
way. You hand them to someone to shuffle, then you take them back
and hand them to the person who inserted the red card, being sure that
the flap sides are downwards as you lay them on his hand. Thus when
the spectator holds each one to his forehead, the flap side faces you and
you watch for the No. 2 envelope. When it comes up, you call “Stop”
and announce that it contains the red card.
To Pick Our anp NaME A SELECTED Carp: Use one No. 2 and five
or six No. 1 envelopes, and a pack of marked cards, or a prearranged pack.
If using marked pack, have a spectator shuffle it, then spread the cards
face down on the table. Any spectator draws out a card, concealing its
face, but you know it from the back. Hand this spectator the No. 2
envelope in which to seal his selection. Four or five indifferent cards
(need not be looked at) are sealed by spectators in other envelopes. All
204 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

envelopes are gathered and shuffled by a spectator, and the trick per-
formed by any of the methods already described, the name of the card
being finally announced.
If a prearranged pack is used, you may false shuffle them and have
a spectator cut them. You spread them face down on the table and turn
your back while a spectator pulls one card part way out of the spread.
Then you turn to the table and gather up the cards above the selected
one, then the balance of the cards on the other side, placing the former
upper portion underneath the other portion. The bottom card gives you
the clue to the selected one. The balance of the procedure is as above.
Tue Livinc anp Deap Test: Five blank cards are passed out, one
spectator writing the name of a dead person, the others writing a name of
a living person on each of the other cards, all unseen by the performer.
The dead name card is inserted in the No. 2 envelope, and the others
in No. 1 envelopes. Have a spectator collect the envelopes, shuffle them
and you proceed to identify the one containing the dead name, using
the method where the envelopes are tossed into a hat and hat held by
a spectator above his head. Or, you may collect the envelopes and use
the method where you stand at a distance, as previously described.
The greatest effect is obtained if the performer announces the actual
name of the dead person after having identified the envelope containing it,
and doing so before the envelope is opened. Clever employs two methods
for secretly ascertaining the dead name, the method immediately following
being the one most generally used.
If a total of five names are to be written, you need about six or seven
No. 1 envelopes, one No. 2, and one special one which we call a “window”
envelope. This “window” envelope is one of your No. 1 type from which
the central part of the front has been removed, leaving only a “frame”
around the edges of what was formerly the front.
Arrange the envelopes in one pile, beginning at the bottom as follows:
a No. 2 envelope, back downwards; five No. 1 envelopes, backs down-
wards; on top of these, one No. 1 envelope, back upwards; then on top
of all, the “‘window”’ envelope, back upwards, thus concealing the window
which is against the packet. A rubber band goes around the packet.
The five blank cards should be about the size of a bridge playing
card which will ‘‘center” the writing when card is placed in the window
envelope. Place all five blank cards in your pocket.
To PERFORM:
With packet of envelopes in left hand, ‘“‘window”’ envelope uppermost,
hand a card to a spectator with request that he write the name of a dead
person on it; another card to another spectator for a living name, and
three more cards likewise for living names.
 Lesson 52— MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 205

Return to the writer of the dead name, request him to hold his card
with writing underneath “so nobody tan see it.” You take his card “‘to
show how the cards are to be inserted in the envelopes,” and proceed to insert
his card, face down, in the top (window) envelope as it rests on the en-
velope stack.
When this card is completely inside the envelope, you slide that
envelope out from beneath the rubber band, and with the window side
of envelope facing you, hold it up in full view so all can see it. You,
of course, can see and read the dead name which faces you through the
window.
Then you say, suddenly, ‘“‘Pardon me, did you write your initials on
the backs of the cards? . . . I want everyone to write his initials on the back
of his card.” Of course, nobody wrote his initials since they were not
so instructed. At this time, you have replaced the dead name envelope
back in its original position on top of the stack, and you at once withdraw
the dead name card, still face down, and hand it to the writer for initialing.
While he is doing that, your left hand easily and secretly turns over
the stack of envelopes so the No. 2 envelope is now on top. Remove the
rubber band, hand the No. 2 envelope to the dead name writer, and pass
out the next four No. 1 envelopes to the other writers. This leaves three
envelopes in your hand which you drop into your coat pocket—extras you
do not need. Have each spectator seal his envelope after which you
proceed to finish the trick by any of the methods already described.
OtrHER MEtHops: Cut away completely and cleanly the full front
of a No. 1 envelope and discard the back portion. On the inside of the
front part, paste a sheet of thin, sensitive carbon paper. Have the bottom
envelope of your stack, face out, and lay the prepared fake sheet, on it,
carbon side against the stack.
Turn the stack over and put a No. 2 envelope on top. Slips of fairly
thin paper are used instead of cards. Encircle the packet of envelopes
with rubber bands under which on the top (No. 2) side put four pieces
of paper. Put one piece of paper under bands on the opposite side of
stack so it rests right on the fake envelope. All is ready.

Hand the whole stack, fake side up, to a spectator who writes a dead
name. He keeps the paper and you hand the stack to another person
some distance away. During this, you turn the stack over. The second
spectator assumes that the previous slip was on top of those now there.
The remainder of the names are similarly written, each person keeping
his own slip.
The envelopes are then passed out, the No. 2 going to the dead name
writer, etc., and all requested to seal their papers within.
While they are
sealing, you walk back to your table during which action you transfer the
206 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

fake from top to bottom of stack so the carbon impression is exposed to

your secret gaze, thus giving you the dead name. Reveal it as before.
Ratpw Reap’s “PerFEcTED MentTAL MastTerPigce”’: The device
of this name is also used by Clever for secretly ascertaining the dead name.
It consists of a regular pack in its case, the latter cleverly arranged with
a special and very sensitive impression fake within. On this is secured
an impression of anything written on a slip of paper resting on the front
of the card case. There is no carbon paper, and the device may be used
over and over again without any impairment of its secret duty.
One slip is on the front of the card case, and four slips on the back,
all secured in place by rubber bands around the whole. The writing
procedure is the same as in the foregoing method, and, later, at an oppor-
tune time, the card case is opened inside your coat pocket and the im-
pression fake extracted so it may be palmed and secretly read.
Magic dealers supply Ralph Read’s device with instructions for some
twenty different mental effects including one in which playing cards are
used instead of the names of persons, one card being chosen by the spec-
tators to represent the “‘dead” one. This, of course, supplies a prime
reason for using the pack of cards which is not so reasonable when the
names of persons are to be written.
GENERAL UsEs OF THE “CLEVER” ENVELOPES: The “Padlock and
Keys” trick is made easy. After the key that opens the lock is removed
from the ribbon, a spectator seals it in a No. 2 envelope, the other keys
being sealed in No. 1’s. All are shuffled and you work either way—at a
distance, or have them handed to you, one by one. The principle is
adaptable to many other effects of a similar nature and the student will
readily discover ways in which to use it in his programs.
Norte: No great difficulty should be experienced in finding the two
types of envelopes; however, at times, one will have a square flap and
the other a round flap. In such case, use the square flap for the No. 2
envelope and make it conform with the No. 1 as follows. Lay a No. 1
envelope on the No. 2, and trim the square flap so it is round in conformity
with the other and thus both flaps match.
From time to time other differences in structure will turn up—the
shape of the small pasted-up portion at the bottom will be a trifle longer
or rounder, and will thus furnish a distinguishing feature.

DISTANT MENTAL COMMUNICATION

This act is excellent for tests before newspaper men or others with
whom you wish to create an impression of unusual ability in “thought
transference.” It is not suitable for stage work, as a rule, but is adapted
to special situations.
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES 207

EFFECT:
The performer states that his assistant is at 4 nearby hotel. He says
that if there is proper concentration at this end, his assistant can tell
what is happening here even at this distance. Several objects freely
chosen by spectators are then laid on the table. The performer borrows
some paper and writes down a list of the articles for checking up later.
This is given to a spectator to hold. Another spectator is then requested
to write a message to the assistant, telling him what he is to do—that is,
to tell what objects were placed on the table. The performer is kept under
observation while two spectators go to the assistant and deliver their
message to him. The assistant sends back a sealed message, which is
then opened and shown to be a list of the articles placed on the table.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Three or four sheets of white paper, about 3 X 5 inches.
2—White wax, paraffin, or a wax candle.
3—A box of Finger Print Developer (see The Excelsior Mind Reading
Act, this lesson.)
4—A powder puff or some cotton.
5—A pencil, fairly hard lead.
To PREPARE:
Take one of the pieces of paper and rub one side well with the wax
or paraffin, making it a white carbon paper. Place this sheet with two
others in your inner coat pocket.
To PerrorM:

Let us assume that you are performing in someone’s office. Tell

the spectators that you are about to show them a demonstration of thought
waves being transferred and picked up like the reception in a radio. You
state that your assistant is at a hotel room some distance away. He must
pick up the waves reflecting what happens here, and to do so, he depends
entirely on his ability to tune in mentally. Ask for some stationery and,
at the same time, take the three sheets of paper from your pocket.
“Any paper will do—just something to write on. That's it, letterheads
or plain paper.” . . . If letterheads, casually turn the sheets over and
place them on the table, printed side downwards. Place your own three
sheets on top of the other sheets. Be sure that the waxed side of the
prepared paper is against the upper sheet of the borrowed paper.
“Let me request that each of you present help in this experiment, each
one at a time. And I will keep track of what you do so as to check up later.
First, one of you lay a coin on the desk, any kind and remember the date.” . .
Assume that the spectator lays a half-dollar on the desk. You write on
208 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

your paper as each object is laid down. The impression of what you write
is, of course, left invisibly on the borrowed paper because of the waxed
carbon above it.
“First, a half-dollar, date 1918. Now, take a piece of paper and write
on it the name of any country, city, or town in the world. . . . That's fine...
Portugal . . . Now, another write the name of any color ... Purple.” ...
Meanwhile, you write down each item as it is selected, in list form.
“Anyone got a bunch of keys? That's it. Eight keys on the bunch.
Name any number between one and five million. I'll keep track of it. 48,952.
I guess that will be enough for a test. I shall ask you, sir, to hold this list
with which we can check up later. Youcan all pick up the articles now as we
have a record of them.” . . . Give the sheet with list on it to one of the spec-
tators. Casually pick up your other two sheets of paper and put aside.
‘Now, I want you to take a sheet of your own paper here and write a
letter or note on it in your own words to my assistant, telling him that we have
placed a number of things on the desk here and want him to get into mental
communication with me so that he can name these things as we have listed
them. Use your own language in the message. Then take the letter and seal
it in one of your own envelopes. You may deliver it by messenger or take ut
there yourselves, as you like.”
You know, of course, that the top surface of the letterheads bears
the secret wax impression of the list. Casually, you turn over the three
sheets of letterhead, and gently slide forward the top (unprepared) sheet
which will be readily taken by the spectator. As he is writing the message
to your assistant, you are carelessly handling the two sheets in your hands
and slip the top sheet underneath so the wax impression sheet is on top.
As the spectator goes to fold his note, you extend the impression sheet to
him and say, “‘Here, you'd better put in this blank sheet for the reply.” You
are folding it as you talk, being careful to fold it so the impressions are
on the inside and thus avoid smudging with the fingers in handling. The
reason for having the wax impression on the back side of the letterhead
is for possible emergency. If the spectator should take that sheet on
which to write his note, the wax impressions are on the back and will not
interfere with his writing. After he has sealed the envelope, you supply
the assistant’s name, hotel, and directions how to get there.
When the letter is delivered to your assistant, he excuses himself for
a few moments. In another room, he takes the Finger Print Developer
and powder puff and develops the list on the paper. This method of
developing is taught to you later in this lesson. He then takes a pencil
and paper and writes out the list of things, making them into sentences
rather than just a list. For instance, if you have listed—Eight keys—as
one article, your assistant should write: ‘There were eight keys.” He
seals his list in an envelope. When the messenger returns with the mes-
sage, it is checked up with the list kept in the office and found to coincide.
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 209

THE YOGI’S PREDICTION

The performer shows an envelope and a blank card. He says that
while he is not a fortune teller, he can often foretell how the human mind
will think. For instance, he will write a prediction on the card, place it
in the envelope, seal the envelope, and have a spectator initial it so that
there will be no exchange. The magician then asks one spectator to give
him a number between 1 and 100,000; another to name a city, another
to call out a color, and still another to name any day of the week. He
tears open the envelope, removes the card—and to everyone’s amazement,
there written on the card are the number, the city, the color, and the day
which spectators called out.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—An ordinary envelope.
2—A piece of red carbon paper, the kind adapted to pencil work.
3—A plain card of a size easy to slip into the envelope, preferably
with soft surface that takes a carbon mark readily.
4—A sheet of white or yellow paper smaller than the envelope.
5—A black pencil. :
6—A red pencil.

CARBON
CARBON

FIG.) FIG.2

To Prepare:
Cut the carbon paper down so that it fits into the envelope as shown
in Fig. 1. Have it come to within an inch of either end, and just below
the opening of the envelope so that when the flap is raised it will not be
seen. Paste the plain paper side of this carbon paper by the corners to
the inside front of the envelope. The carbon side faces into the inside
of the envelope so that when a card is placed in the envelope it comes in
direct contact with the carbon paper and anything written on the front
side of envelope will be transferred by the carbon to the card, Fig. 2.
210 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

To PERFORM:
Come forward with the envelope thus prepared, with blank card, the
piece of white or yellow paper, and pencil. Stand on the steps leading
down from the stage to the audience.

“T am not a fortune teller nor a clairvoyant. I do not see far into the
future for you and tell you that you will marry a dark-haired gentleman or
a widow with siz children. But there are times when I can predict things
that a human mind will do in the very next moment. I will work preferably
with strangers. First, on this card I am going to write a few words. You
will note that it is just a blank card. I will write them in red.”

Show both sides of the card. Using envelope and yellow paper as a
rest, pretend to write down four things'on card with the red pencil. Scan
the audience as you do so and look straight at four people you will use
later on. If you desire, you can have four people stand up for the demon-
stration. In reality, you do not make a mark, but you make the audience
believe that you write a prediction. Be careful of your angle of visibility
here so that the audience can not see that you are not actually writing.
Place red pencil in your pocket.
“T have written a prediction. I will now place it in the envelope and seal
it.” . .. Open the envelope, being careful not to expose the carbon. Place
the card inside between the carbon and back of envelope. Seal the en-
velope. . . “Will you, sir, just place your initials on the envelope so that you
can identify the envelope later on?” . . . Give the spectator the regular lead
pencil and have him initial the envelope, then take the pencil and envelope
from him.
“T want some spectator to help me. You will do fine, sir. I ama stranger
to you, am I not? I am going to ask you to give me the first number that comes
into your head. Any number between one and a hundred thousand. Make
it as big as you like or as complicated as you choose—whether you say 742 or
4040 makes no difference. What is the number?”

Let us suppose that the spectator says 6792. He may call out almost
anything. Hold the envelope in your left hand with face up. On this
place the yellow paper. Take your pencil in your right hand. . . “Just
by way of checking up, I’ll write down the number on this piece of paper.
Siz thousand, seven hundred, and ninety-two.” ... Write this number on
the yellow paper. It is transferred through the carbon onto the card
inside of the envelope.

“Will you, madam, give me the name of any city that comes to your
mind? Any city in the world. ... Paris? You must have been thinking of
styles for a new dress.” ... Write down the name, Paris, under the number.
This also is transferred to the card.
 Lesson 52— MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES 211

“Now, sir, how are you on colors? Name any color

you happen to think of . . . Red?”” When a spectator
names a color, write it down under the city . . . ‘“Now,
we have seven days in the week. Which day appeals to 6792.
you most? Thursday?” ... A fourth spectator names ane
a day of the week, and you write this down under the Pak
color. You now have the four things written on the FRaneley
piece of paper as shown in Fig. 3. Inside of the en-
velope is the white card with the same things written
on it, having been transferred through the carbon
paper. FIG.3

“T shall ask the gentleman here to take the piece of paper and hold it
so that we can check up.” . . . Read from the paper while in the spectator’s
hands. . . “The gentleman’s number—6792, the city was Paris, the color—
red, and the day—Thursday” ... To the gentleman who initialed envelope:
“Do you recognize your initials and writing, sir?”
Show him the envelope. Now tear off the end of the envelope, being
careful to keep above the carbon paper so as not to expose it. Remove
the card and show it ... “You see that the prediction was correct. I wrote
on this card just what the four people called out. Let us check it up... The
number—6792; the cily—Paris; the color—red; and the day—Thursday.”

Take the paper from the gentleman and return to the stage. Place
the card, envelope, and paper on the table, or in an inner pocket.

Notre: Show the card freely but do not let the spectators scrutinize
it too closely, and they will not discover that it is a carbon copy of what
was written on the paper. Writing with a red pencil and using red carbon
has great possibilities. It is not possible to use black carbon, as no black
pencil writes in a way that resembles the black carbon impression.

RAPID MENTAL TRANSFERENCE

The principle involved here has many possibilities. It was received

with open arms into the field of “‘mind reading” some years ago.
;
EFFECT:
The performer shows a card, an envelope, and a pencil. He gives
the card and pencil to a spectator with request to write any number
between one and a million. The card is then sealed in an envelope. The
spectator is asked to concentrate on his number. The performer takes
the pencil and in a moment writes the spectator’s number, digit by digit,
on the envelope. The card is then removed from the envelope and the
two numbers shown to check.
212 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A blank card about 2 X 31% inches.
2—An opaque manila pay envelope, about 314 X 434 inches.
3—A pencil.
To PREPARE:
Take the envelope and insert in it a piece of cardboard. This is done
so that when you cut a slit in the front of the envelope, the back or seamed
side will not be affected. Cut your slit about 14% inches from the flap end
of the envelope. Cut it to within about half an inch from the sides of the
envelope. Remove the cardboard. If the slit is made with a very sharp
knife or razor blade, it will not be noticeable when the envelope is shown
hurriedly. Ata distance of a few feet from the spectators, the slit is not
visible at all. However, be on your guard, so that the slit is not exposed,
Figs. 12, 13.

SUT

ywv FIG. 14
Fi@.12 FIG.i3

To PEeRForM:
Come forward with the prepared envelope, card, and pencil. Hold
the pencil in your right hand. Hold the envelope in your left hand with
the slit side down on palm and the flap side upwards. Have the card on
the envelope, Fig. 14.
“Before beginning the demonstration of thought transference, I usually
make a test at rather close quarters to determine harmony of thought. Audi-
ences vary just as radio conditions vary. One night you hear a station very
clearly, and the next night you perhaps can’t even get that station.” . . Come
down close to audience. If performing on stage, stand on the runway.
“Will you, sir, be kind enough to help me? TI believe you have good
power of concentration. Please take this card and pencil and write down
any number belween one and a million. I suggest that you write a number
of three or four digits, though, of course, you have your own free choice. Do
not let me see the number—keep that side of the card hidden from me.” ...
Spectator writes number on card.
“And I shall ask you to place the card in this envelope.’ . . . Show the
slit side of the envelope by taking it in your right hand and then replacing
in left. The slit will not be noticed. The envelope held in left hand in
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 213

position shown in Fig. 14, makes it easy for the spectator to insert the
card without noticing the slit.
“Keep the number side of the card downward and away from me and
just slip the card into this envelope.” . . . As he places the card in the en-
velope, guide it so that it goes through the slit and most of the card is
between your left palm and the envelope instead of inside, Fig. 15.

Watch your angles of visibility. Make sure that no one can see the
card outside of the envelope. Hold it close enough to you and stand far
enough away from the spectators to cover the card well. Seal the flap
of the envelope and hold the envelope in the position shown in Fig. 16.
This exposes the numbered side of the card and enables you to read it at
a glance. Do not keep your eyes on the envelope but glance at it very
quickly and look up again at the spectator who wrote the number. As
you talk to him, allow the envelope to slip back onto the palm of the left
hand again.
“You have written a number, sir, of your own free choosing— a number
somewhere between one and a million. I have had you write it on this card
so that you may the better concentrate on it. Will you, sir, think of your
number, one digit at a time, starting with the first? That's fine! I sense the
number two... Is that right, sir? It is.” ... Write the number 2 on the
envelope.
“Now, the next number. Seven—right? Seven .. . The next—that’s
right, concentrate hard. One... correct? You are doing fine, sir... Again—
the next number. Nine—right? Down goes the nine.” ... You have writter
each number as it is confirmed.
“Now, try it again. Oh, there aren’t any more—that’s all there is. All
right, then. The number is—two, seven, one, nine. Let us check up.” ...
Tear open the flap of the envelope, reach inside with your right hand
and draw out the card, part of which must still be in the envelope. Show
the numbered side to the audience and read the card, aloud . . . “Two—
seven—one—nine.”
I suggested using numbers, but names could be written and spelled
out letter by letter. This principle can also be used to read messages or
read questions.
214 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

SUPERBA PREDICTION
In the hands of a good performer this prediction mystery, based upon
the slit envelope principle described under ‘‘Rapid Mental Transference,”’
is amazing.
EFFECT:
The performer states that he is going to write a prediction and asks
a gentleman to stand up in the audience. So he takes out a pencil and
writes something on a card which he places in an envelope. He asks the
gentleman to think of any city in the world, a free choice. The man
names the city aloud so the whole audience can hear. Upon opening the
envelope and removing the card it is found that the performer had pre-
viously written the name of that same city upon the card!
PARAPHERNALIA: ~
1—A pay envelope with a slit cut across the front near the upper edge,
as described in ‘“‘Rapid Mental. Transference.” This envelope
should be about 24% X 4% inches.
2—A blank white card about 17% X 314 inches which will readily
go through the slit in the envelope.

PENCIL
LEAD
em

a FIG. 2 FIG.3

3—A Nail Writer, Fig. 1. This consists of a flesh-colored metal band

which fits around the tip of the thumb, Figs. 2, 3, and on whose
bottom side is soldered a small tube large enough to hold a short
piece of soft pencil lead. With the Nail Writer one can easily
write on a card held in the hand without the audience being aware
of the action. Because of this fact the clever performer can work
wonders. Nail Writers can be purchased from magic dealers.
4—A pencil.
To PREPARE:
The pencil is in your coat pocket. The envelope and card are on
the table and the thumb writer is in your right trousers pocket or some
place, easily accessible.
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 215

To PerForM:
“Tt is said that a prophet is a person who can tell years in advance what
is going to happen. I am not in the prophet class; but it is interesting to observe
sometimes what a person will do a short time in advance and how his mind
will think. Will the gentleman sitting over there please stand up for a moment
... Thank you!” ... The gentleman arises. You pick up the envelope and
card from the table and remove the pencil from your pocket.
“You and I have never discussed this demonstration before, have we?
In fact you do not know even now what I am going to attempt. I say this
because there are many people who can not conceive that a demonstration such
as this can be performed in a normal manner without the use of confederates
or without preliminary rehearsal... Now, Mr. A, even though you and I,
sir, have been strangers, I am going to try and predict an operation of your
mind-ahead of time. So we can easily check later I am going to write that
prediction upon this card.”
Pretend to write something on the card. In reality you leave the
card blank. Replace the pencil in your pocket... ‘And place the card
in this envelope so the prediction will not be exposed ahead of time.
Place the card in the envelope, flap side towards the audience, and
through the slit, as already described in the previous effect. Thus most
of the card is on the outside of the envelope. Be careful not to expose
same.
“Sir, think of the name of any city in the world... . any city in any
country. I want you to have your own free will and choice, and you have
thousands to choose from. Have you thought of the city? Please name that
city out loud so everyone can hear it.” ... As you are talking your right
hand has casually gone into your right trousers pocket and you secretly
get the Nail Writer on your right thumb. The hand is removed. The
envelope with card is held in the left hand as in Fig. 4. The right hand
is brought up to the right edge of the envelope with the fingers in front
of the envelope and thumb with writer attached, behind. The pencil
point of the thumb writer is directly on the card.

FIG.4

Let us say that the gentleman assisting calls out the city, Calcutta.
With your right thumb you write the word Calcutta on the card, Fig. 5.
You will find this is not very difficult, and after a little practice you can
216 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

become quite proficient in thumb writing. The movement of the thumb

is hidden from the audience by the envelope and the fingers. Drop the
right hand to the side and continue holding the envelope with card in
the left hand.
“Calcutta is the city that the gentleman has named. He evidently has
India on his mind. Sir, out of any city in the world you had free choice, did
you. not, and yet out of all the thousands of cities you could have named, you
decided upon Calcutta.”
As you are talking your right hand is again casually placed in your
right trousers pocket and the writer slipped off the thumb. Remove
hand from pocket, and opening the flap of the envelope, reach in and slip
out the card. Crumple the envelope and toss it on the table.
‘You will remember that even before I asked you to think of a city I
wrote a prediction on this card. I want this other gentleman sitting in front
of me to take this card and read aloud what I have written so everyone can
hear.” . . . “Calcutta is right.”” . . . Show the people sitting nearby that
Calcutta is actually written on the card . . . “Thus you see I have predicted
in advance the name of the city the gentleman would think of.”
Norte: Any subject such as numbers, cards, etc., can be used for-a
prediction. With a little ingenuity in tune with the times you can present
a mystery that will rank as a miracle. But never do more than one effect
with this device in any program.

TELEPATHIC PICTURES
This effect is good for stage or club work. If you have any aptitude
as an artist, it will work in very nicely as a mental feat and will help
you create a sensation.
EFFECT:
The performer asks a spectator to draw any picture or symbol which
he chooses on a piece of paper. He tells spectator to fold this paper and
place it in his pocket so that the performer can not see it. This done,
the spectator is asked to concentrate on what he has drawn. The magician
then takes a pad of paper and draws a similar picture. The spectator
unfolds his paper and checks up his drawing with that of the magician.
This may be varied by having the spectator secretly write a sentence.
The performer then reproduces the sentence word for word on the
cardboard or pad.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A book with paper jacket on it, such as most books have to adver-
tise it and protect the cover. Use a book of a size that is con-
venient to handle.
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 217

2—A piece of black carbon paper for pencil transfer. Carbon comes
in various qualities. You must have the kind which readily
transfers pencil markings.
3—A fairly hard pencil. No. 3 is suitable.
4—A black marking crayon.
5—A pad of drawing paper about 11 X 14 inches.
To PREPARE:
Cut out a piece of the carbon paper, making it about one-half inch
smaller than the book all around. Paste it by the corners to the inside of
the paper jacket on the front cover. Have the carbon side so that when
the jacket is replaced on the book, carbon side is next to the book, Fig. 1.
Place a sheet of white paper the same size as the carbon on the front
cover-of book so that it is directly under the carbon when book is closed.
If you desire, you may paste the corners of this paper to the book, Fig. 2.

Fig | FiG.2 % FlG.3

Replace the jacket carefully around the book again. Trim it down
so that it laps the front cover only about one inch. If you do this properly,
the book looks like an ordinary book and no one suspects that it has been
tampered with. Now, when a piece of paper is put on the front side of the
jacket and is written or drawn upon, the pencil marks are immediately
transferred to the sheet of white paper underneath the carbon.
Fig. 3 shows how the drawing is made on a piece of paper on top of
the book. This same drawing is now also on the piece of paper underneath
the jacket. This prepared book is a valuable piece of apparatus and can
be utilized in many ways. It is a common thing to use a book to write on,
therefore such a book does not arouse suspicion. The spectator thinks
you are merely giving him something handy upon which to write.
To PEerrorm:
Have a gentleman come forward to help you and have him stand at
your right as you face the audience . . . ‘‘To begin this demonstration, 1 am
going to ask you to take this piece of paper and this pencil—or, if you prefer,
just use your own paper and pencil—and draw anything you choose. It may
be just something simple—a symbol of some kind, a geometrical design, a
218 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

house, or an animal. Draw anything you wish—the main thing is to draw

something. When you do it, however, hold your paper so that I can not see
it under any circumstances.”
Give the spectator the pencil and paper, then pick up the book and
place the paper on the front side of the jacket, directly above the con-
cealed carbon . . . “‘You do not have to make a fine oil painting—just any
simple drawing that you can make quickly—anything that comes into your
mind. While you do this, I shall turn my back. . . After you have drawn the
picture, fold up the paper and hold it or place it in your pocket so that I can
not possibly see it.”
When he is ready, turn around and pick up the pad from the table,
holding it in the right hand. Take book from the spectator with your left
hand, holding the front cover upward. Place the pad on top of the book
and hold both in Your left hand. Take the pencil from the spectator and
place in upper vest pocket. Stand a little to the left and back of the
assistant. Now hold the pad and the book up vertically in left hand with
the book concealed behind the pad. Neither the assistant nor the rest
of the audience should see the book, Fig. 4.

FIG
‘Have you ever had any experience in telepathy, sir?” . . . With your
right hand reach under the front cover of the book and pull the jacket
free of the cover. Let the jacket just lie on top of the front cover so that
when the proper time comes it will be easy to lift it and see the drawing
reproduced through the carbon paper on the paper on the front cover of
the book, Fig. 5.
‘‘Have you ever suddenly had a feeling that so and so was doing a certain
thing and then found out that exactly what was in your mind, has happened?
Some people call these feelings presentiments, others just call them hunches.
I have asked you to draw a picture of some sort for me. You still have the
paper.” ... The eyes of the audience go to the spectator. With your
right hand lift the upper flap of the jacket. Glance quickly down and
look at the duplicate picture transferred to the paper.
It takes but a moment to do this. Let the jacket fall back into
place. Now allow the book to come up into vertical position against the
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES _ 219

pad again. Let the cardboard pad drop in a horizontal position so that
the book is exposed beneath it. Do this as you gesture with your left
hand towards the spectator . . . “Now, I want you to concentrate on what
you placed on the paper. Keep it well in mind.”

Drop the book onto the table as you say this, and pick up the black
marking crayon . . . ‘“Sometimes it is almost impossible for me to catch certain
mental vibrations, but I believe you are going to be a good subject and will
concentrate so that I will have no trouble in performing the demonstration.

“On this pad I shall endeavor to follow your mental thought waves and
vibrations so that I can duplicate as nearly as possible your thoughts. You
think of the drawing you made and keep your thoughts moving on the lines of it.”

With your right side turned to the audi-

ence, uvid the pad in your left hand and
pushed against your chest for support.
Begin to draw, making sure that the audi-
ence can see you easily as you progress with
the drawing. Make the drawing as nearly
like the spectator’s as possible, Fig. 6.
Sometimes stop a moment and tell him to ,
concentrate on the drawing a little more. FIG.6

“Now, sir, will you please unfold your slip of paper and let us all see
whether I have caught your mental vibrations.” . . . Take the paper from the
spectator and show his drawing to the audience .. . “J have been pretty
successful, have I not?”

A “ONE MAN” MIND READING ACT

This requires no assistant and is adapted to both stage and parlor.
EFFECT:
The performer passes out small slips of paper and pencils with the
request that spectators write questions, etc. (as in other Mind Reading
Aets). The papers are folded, collected, and placed on a table. The
performer picks up a tablet and pencil to help him get mental impressions.
Then he picks out one of the slips of paper and puts it aside. He writes
down his impression of the message contained on this slip of paper. If it
is a question, he answers it. The slip of paper is then unfolded, and the
message in it is found to check up with the performer’s impression. The
paper is refolded and passed down to the writer. Another slip is picked out
and the same routine carried through with it, and so on with as many slips
as the performer has time to handle.
220 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MACIC

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Slips of paper, 2 X 21% inches.
2—A glass bowl or plate for collecting slips.
3—Pencils, fairly soft lead.
4—A commercial size tablet, 8144 X 11 inches. Remove its cover.
5—A candlestick and candle.
To PREPARE:
Cut a slit in the top of the candle large enough
to hold a folded slip of paper. Fold each piece
of paper in four, and crease it well. Mark a
small number with pencil in the corner of each
slip, starting with 1 and continuing upward.
Open the slips again. The purpose of folding
OPEN them beforehand is to have the spectators use
the same folds and thus have all the slips uniform
FIG.19 —goce in appearance, Fig. 19. Have the slips on a plate
or in a glass bowl with the pencils. Have the
tablet and pencil ready.
To PERFORM:
Your opening speech may be like the one used in the Crystal Gazing
Act. Pass out papers and pencils to the spectators and request that they
write questions, numbers, dates, etc., and sign their names to the slips.
Tell the spectators that each slip is numbered and that they should fold
their slips so that the number is on the outside. Tell each to remember
his number.
Collect the slips on the plate or in the glass bowl and take up the
pencils. As you return to the stage and your back is towards the audience
reach up to the plate with right hand and palm one of the slips—using
either the Finger Palm or the Front Thumb Palm method. Keep the back
of your hand towards the audience. Notice the number on the slip of
paper if you can. If not, you can get it later. Let us say it is No. 8.

CANDLE

BowL
OF niCle
PAPERS 2

REAR OF TABLE PAPER

FIG.20 FINGER PALMED

Place the bow! with slips on the table. Have the table arranged as
shown in Fig. 20. Pick up the tablet with your left hand. Turn to face
the audience, holding the tablet as shown in Fig. 21, Your fingers are in
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 221

front, and thumb in back of the tablet. With a natural movement bring
your right hand back of the tablet and place the slip of paper under your
left thumb, Fig. 22. Then continue the movement of your right hand
over the top of the tablet to reach for the pencil on the table.

With pencil in your right hand, grasp the bottom edge of the tablet,
releasing the left hand with the slip of paper. Keep the left hand screened
by the tablet, Fig. 23. With your left fingers open the slip of paper and
hold it pressed against the back of the tablet with the left thumb. Grasp
the bottom edge of the tablet again with your left fingers. The right hand
with pencil is now released, Fig. 24.
“Not only do I find that having you write your thoughts helps me to catch
them, but also I find that if I write myself, it enables me to concentrate better
and to tune in more readily to outside impressions.” . . . Scribble hurriedly
on the tablet and hold it up to the audience, always keeping the back of
it with slip of paper toward yourself. This brings the tablet up and the
slip of paper in your line of vision. Quickly read the message on the slip,
Fig. 25. Bring the tablet down again toward your left. Grasp its bottom
with your right hand and quickly refold the slip with your left hand.
Quickly bring the left hand back into position again, the thumb holding
the slip on the back of the tablet and the fingers in front at the bottom
edge. As you do this, you must keep up your patter to misdirect at-
tention. Say something like this:

REAR VIEW FIG. 25

“This isn’t spirit writing, however. Somehow, the spooks have never
been so communicative with me as to jump around on my paper.” . . . Turn
the tablet upright again, forcing the slip upward with your left thumb.
Grasp the tablet at the top with your right hand, the fingers in front and
thumb in back. Push the slip up under the right thumb, Fig. 26.
222 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Drop the tablet to your right side, being careful to keep its back
concealed. Reach over and take a folded slip of paper from the plate on
the table and hold it up in your left hand, Fig. 27. Notice number on
this slip—say it is 21. The slip you already have is No. 8... ‘Will No. 8
please concentrate for a moment? Fine! I get an impression from K. R.”
Place the No. 21 slip in the slit at the top of the candle. The audience
thinks you are getting impressions from this No. 21 slip. In reality, you
are giving the message from the No. 8 slip you have in your right hand
behind the tablet, Fig. 28. Pretend to write impressions on the tablet as
you call them out. Under cover of the tablet finger palm the No. 8 slip in
your right hand. As you hold the pencil in your right hand also, it helps
to conceal the slip.
@ SLIP OF
PAPER

Vi
F16.21 FiG. 28
(FS
Ve
et

NE
we

FIG.29

Suppose the message on the No. 8 slip reads—‘‘Will our house be

finished by September? Mrs. Karl Richmond.” ... “K. R., where are
you? Mrs. Karl Richmond. That's it, hold up your hand. You want to
know something about a future event. It has something to do with building.
I get an impression of a home in process of construction. Is that right? Are
you thinking of a home which you are building? What's the matter? Do
you want to get into it by September? Just keep in touch with the contractor.
He can push ahead or delay, and your contact with him will help you get
action. I believe I got your mental impression all right.”
Pick up the No. 21 slip from the candle with your left hand. Place
the tablet and pencil at the rear of the table with your right hand. Bring
your hands together and open up the folded No. 21 slip. Read the message
to yourself. Perhaps it is this—‘‘Tell me my telephone number, Main
684-J—William K. Smith’—Pretend that you are reading Mrs. Karl
Richmond’s (No. 8) message . . . ‘‘That’s right. You wanted to know about
finishing your home in September, as I said.”
Tue Bitter Switcu:
The moves of unfolding, folding and switching the slips are very
important. Study and practice these movements very carefully. Do
not go any further until you have mastered them. Practice before a
mirror.
After you have picked up the folded slip from the candle hold it in
the position shown in Fig. 29. Push the left thumb between the folds of
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 223

the slip and push up the rear part, Fig. 30. Now open the slip completely.
Open your right hand and slide the open slip into your right hand so that
it covers the palmed, folded No. 8 slip, Fig. 31.

PR (GR
TWO PAPERS
1 AS ONE

J aS NS
FIG. eDQ&

Fold the No. 21 slip again by pushing over the left side of it with your
left thumb. Then fold over the top part to the rear, pushing it down with
your right index finger. Press the slip down on top of the No. 8 slip in
your right palm, apparently to crease it well. Take both slips pressed
together between thumbs and forefingers of both hands. Show freely as
one slip, exposing the palms of both hands to the audience, Fig. 32.
Now hold the slips pressed against the first three fingers of your
right hand with the right thumb, Fig. 33. The right thumb draws the
top slip back into the right hand, ready for finger palming. This slip is
No. 21. The left hand takes the under slip which has been finger palmed
all the time in the right hand. This slip is No. 8—the message on which
you just read, Fig. 34.

FIG. 35
Drop the right hand to your side. As you do so, curl three fingers
of the right hand inward and finger palm the No. 21 slip. Keep the back
of your hand to the audience, Fig. 35. Return the slip in your left hand—
No. 8—to the spectator who wrote it... ‘I will just return the paper to
the owner so that she may keep it as a souvenir.” . . . Step down to the audi-
ence far enough to hand the slip to someone to pass along to Mrs. Rich-
mond. In ‘some cases, if owner is near enough to you, you may deliver
the slip personally.
Go back to your table and pick up another slip of paper. Suppose it
is No. 19. Call out number of slip palmed in your right hand . . . “Number
21, Number 21—where are you?” . . . Place this No. 19 slip in the slit of
the candle. Pick up the tablet and pencil again and pretend to write
impressions . . . “J gel an impression from W. K. S. Concentrate, Mr.
Smith. You want me to tell you what your telephone number is. If I had
a telephone book here, it might be easy. Isn’t your first name, William? Wil-
224 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

liam K.? Think of your number, please—first the exchange, Main—isn't

that right? Now the numbers—SIX, EIGHT, FOUR, J. Main 684J.”
Lay the tablet and pencil on the table again and pick up slip No. 19
from the candle. Open it as before and pretend to check up on Mr. Smith.
You now go through the routine of folding the slip and switching it for
the palmed slip in your right hand as just explained. See Figs. 29 to 35.
Return slip No. 21 to its owner.
Pick up another slip—say, No. 7. Do not use the tablet from now
on except to accent a point or draw a picture. As you pick up each slip,
call out the number of the slip palmed in your right hand. In each case,
tell spectator your impression or answer his question, then go through
the routine of opening the slip apparently to check up but really to read
the next message-, Then refold the slip and switch it for the palmed slip
from your right hand then return the answered slip to its owner.
Continue with as many messages as time permits. Put your best
showmanship into the last message or question. Dispose of the last palmed
slip by placing in your pocket. This method of reading one ahead will be
found very useful. Some member of your audience may have heard of
the one ahead method, but this one completely baffles them for you ap-
parently return the slip to the owner. In the old method the performer
merely opened the slips and read one ahead but did not return the slips.
The important thing here is to start properly and get the message from
the first slip, then everything works smoothly.

A MODERN CRYSTAL GAZING ACT

An ingenious yet simple method of working which appeals to many.
The performer passes out blank cards, envelopes, and pencils to the
audience. Spectators write any question they desire answered, or numbers
on coins or bills, telephone numbers, addresses, etc., on the cards. They
then seal the cards into the envelopes. Envelopes are collected and placed
in a glass bowl on the table in the center of the stage. The magician takes
a crystal ball and gazes into it. Then he begins to read off questions and
answers them. He gives the numbers written, etc.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Blank cards, size about 2 < 3% inches.

2—Manila pay envelopes, large enough to hold the cards and opaque
enough so that the writing on the cards will not show through.

3—Pencils, fairly soft lead.

4—A crystal ball with small pedestal.
5—A special book for question reading.
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 225

6—A special collection basket.

7—A glass bowl.
8—Small table or stand.
9—A pair of scissors.
10—Other accessories according to the requirements of your act.
To PREPARE:
Carps AND ENVELOPES: You must prepare duplicate cards and
envelopes for those which you pass out to audience. If you pass out three
dozen cards to the audience, take another three dozen, seal them into as
many envelopes, and place in the sides of the prepared collection basket.

CATCH

mi
1
cos 7
FA ‘ SED

>Q
+.
z
FIG.2
FIG. 3

SpecrAL CoLuection Basket: To the audience this basket looks like

a decorated basket. Itisin reality, acleverly constructed piece of apparatus
used for exchanging envelopes placed in it by the audience, for duplicates
prepared by the performer, Fig. 1. The basket has a false bottom of two
pieces, each being spring-hinged to the sides about one-half inch up from
the real bottom of the basket, Fig. 2. Each part of the false bottom swings
up against the sides of the basket and is held in place by catches just under
the handle which is across the middle of the basket, Fig. 3.

FIG.4
FIG.5

When the handle is dropped down, the catches hold the parts of the
false bottom up against the sides of basket, Fig. 4. When the handle is
raised, the catches are released and the parts of the false bottom fall into
place, Fig. 5.
This basket is usually made of reed and lined with satin to make it
decorative and to conceal the mechanism. It is much better to have it
226 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

built by an expert than to try to construct it yourself. This basket is

much better than the usual “spirit basket’’ as there is more room in it for
concealing questions. This basket is very valuable for it has many uses.
To prepare for your performance, divide the duplicate envelopes.
Place one-half of them on one side of the false bottom and other half on
other side. Swing the two sides of the false bottom up and secure with
catches by lowering the handle. On the real bottom, drop the same number
of cards, envelopes and pencils, ready to be passed out to audience, Fig. 6.

ENVELOPES
AND CARDS

=
We FIG.6
CrystaL Bau: The crystal ball is just a round glass ball and not the
expensive kind. It is used merely for effect and has no magic properties
so the quality of it does not matter. You merely lead spectators to believe
that you see visions in the crystal, and it also serves to misdirect the atten-
tion of the audience, Fig. 7.
The crystal has been associated with clairvoyants and psychics for
many years. Many people study crystal gazing seriously, hoping to
reach the stage where they can see visions and foretell future events in
the crystal. If anyone has ever seen mental pictures or future events in
a crystal, it is because he stretched his imagination I hope you will
never take the crystal seriously. It is merely an accessory to give suitable
atmosphere to your work.

SS es e FIG.10
5 ; FIG.
16.9

Mystic Book: This book looks like an ordinary book, on which you
place the pedestal with the crystal ball, Fig. 8. It is prepared, however,
in this way: Take a book of fair size—about 514 X 74% X 14 inches.
With a sharp knife, cut away part of the book as shown in Fig. 9. Do
not cut the first two and the last two pages in the book. Cut a few pages
at a time until you have cut them all. Close the book. Turn the pre-
pared side away from the audience and they will never suspect the book
of being prepared, Fig. 10. The space in the book is for concealing cards
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 227

on which the spectators have written. As you pretend to gaze into the
crystal standing on the book, you slip out the cards a little and read them.
SraGinc THE Act: The act may be presented from many angles.
It may be given Hindu, Chinese, Persian, Egyptian, or modern dress.
Decide on the manner in which you want to present it, and have your
settings and costume bear out the part you are playing. If Hindu, use
a Hindu costume and have your stage settings of Hindu design. Some-
times the burning of incense helps to create a suggestive atmosphere.
If ‘you make the act modern, wear dress, tuxedo, afternoon, or business
suit. The cutaway coat and striped trousers make a dressy appearance.
To PEerrormM:
Have the collection basket ready with cards, envelopes, and pencils
on the table. The crystal ball and mystic book are offstage. Here is a
suggestion for your introductory speech, which you should vary to fit
your style of presentation:
“Ladies and gentlemen: Down through the ages men have been interested
in mind reading and the foretelling of events through mental power. As a
result, an amazing number of clairvoyants, fortune tellers, spirit mediums,
astrologers, mind readers, psychics, and what not, have arisen, claiming
supernatural power.
“Science has established, however, that those things which seem to have
a supernatural aspect are merely natural phenomena. What at one time
appeared to be superhuman is now recognized as merely mental development.
Modern research has brought about astonishing revelations with regard to
man’s mental powers. It has shown that we all possess similar mental powers
but that these powers vary greatly in development. Some by inheritance and
development are strong in the artistic, others in the mechanical, others have
peculiarly strong development of mental powers.
“The discovery of the radio has awakened startling realizations. You
sit in the privacy of your home, and by the mere turning of a knob, you bring
in music and programs from cities thousands of miles distant. It seems
hardly possible, yet it is so. Imagine the effect if several hundred years ago
you could have introduced a modern radio, or even a phonograph for that
matter! The people would have believed that you had supernatural power
and brought the voices and music from some distant planet. They would
have believed that they heard spirit voices or the singing of angels.
“Now that we understand the wonders of the radio, which is just a piece
of mechanical construction, we stop to think of the even greater wonders which
might be accomplished by the human mind when it is properly attuned. We
have all had odd mental experiences. The ‘phone rings and we instinctively
feel that it is Aunt Mary calling, and, sure enough, we answer and il is Aunt
Mary. We get a mental ‘hunch’ of something which is going to happen.
This is an example of being mentally attuned.
228 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“These things have interested me for some time, and I have experimented
with mental reactions. Some of these experiments I want to present to you
this evening, not as a fortune teller or clairvoyant, but just a regular human
being dealing with impressionistic problems. I have found many interesting
things about your mind and my mind, and if you will follow carefully what
I say, we can uncover some interesting things. My success depends upon
your willingness to help. Some people try to do the opposite from what I
tell them so as to trick the performer. This is the same as telling these people
to turn to number 50 on their radio and they will hear New York, and having
them turn to number 80 instead. Of course, they can’t get New York because
they didn’t follow instructions, and then they say, ‘There! 1 knew you couldn't
get New York!’ There is nothing magical in radio messages, nor is there
anything magical in mental messages. You must follow the law to get results.
“The first thing necessary is for you to concentrate. So many things
run through our minds that to keep our minds on one certain subject seems
almost impossible sometimes. For this reason, I am going to have you write
your mental message. The process of writing impresses the message on the
mind. Many times writing is not necessary when a person has developed
great powers of concentration and is in a quiet place. In an audience, how-
ever, writing proves to be the most effective way of concentrating. I will pass
out cards, envelopes, and pencils. On the card write your message distinctly
and carefully to impress it on your mind. Then seal the card in the envelope.
“Now, as to what you should write. Perhaps you would like to ask a
question—perhaps some problem is bothering you. But remember, no foolish
questions—for they have foolish answers. Perhaps you would like to write
the date of one of your coins, the number of a bill, your telephone number, the
name of your watch, the name of a great event and when it happened—or, if
you like, you may draw a simple picture or design like a circle, a square, a
triangle, or such. At the bottom of the card write your name—then seal the
card well in the envelope.”
Take up the basket and pass out cards, envelopes, and pencils. Dis-
tribute them over the house. Give a card, an envelope, and a pencil to a
person. As you move about among the audience, keep up a running talk
about what spectators can write or draw and about sealing cards in en-
velopes, etc.
After sufficient time is allowed for writing, collect the envelopes in
the basket and the pencils in your hand. As you go back to the stage,
raise the handle of the basket. This causes the false bottom to fall into
place, covering spectators’ envelopes and exposing your duplicates. Be
careful that no one can see into the basket. Walk over to the table on
which is standing a glass bow]. Pour out the envelopes from the basket
into the glass bowl, holding the opening of the basket toward the audience
to show that the basket is really being emptied. Casually place the basket
offstage.
 ____ Lesson 52 —— MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES _ 229

The assistant helping you takes the basket off-stage, opens the false
bottom, and pours the envelopes with cards out on his table. Withsharp
scissors, he quickly cuts open the ends of the en- AG
velopes and takes out a dozen or so cards—the ve
number depending upon the length of your act.
The assistant arranges these cards, with writing
uppermost, in a little pile and places them in the
left side of the mystic book. He places this book,
the crystal and the pedestal in a handy place for
you offstage, Fig. 11. CARDS
After you place the basket offstage, there is a wait while the assistant.
prepares the cards. I suggest your filling in the time with short. mental
mysteries described elsewhere in this lesson.
ReapInc THE MeEssaces: The crystal ball, the pedestal, and the
book are brought in and placed on the table, as in Fig. 8. When carrying
in the book, it should be held horizontal, and at all times the opening is
kept to the rear. Take care not to disturb the arrangement of the cards
inside the book. Hold the crystal ball in your hand while you offer this
explanation for using it.
“The crystal has long been associated with mental and occult phenomena.
Men have bought fine crystals valued at hundreds of dollars in the hope of seeing
something in them to foretell the future or to read men’s thoughts. To me the
crystal is a means of helping me to gain intense concentration and to attune
my mind to outside forces.”
Place the crystal ball on the pedestal on the book. You can stand
up or sit down behind your table. Gaze at the crystal and as you do so,
slide out a card from the book with your hand. Pull it out just far enough
to glance at it. Continue to look at the ball and slide the card to the right
side of the opening in the book. You can still glance at it, if necessary,
and it is now out of the way of the next card. Now look at the audience.
“Concentrate on the thing you want me lo tell you. Concentrate on whal
you have written. When I call out your name, please raise your hand. Just
as in radio, I can not tell where messages are coming from. If you will let
me know just where you are, I can work directly with you.”
Suppose the first card has on it this message—X16526518B, Thomas
Coleman—You know that this is a number on a bill. The letter on the
end tells you that, for bills come in lettered series... ‘‘Ah, here is a
message from T. C. Who signed himself with T. C.2_ Thomas Coleman is
the name. I get, Mr. Coleman, that you want me to tell you a number on a
bill which you have. If you have the bill handy, will you please take it in
your hand and concentrate on the numbers one al a time? Are you ready?
NX-1-6-5-2-6-5-Seven—no not 7---it's a 1 -—the nerl is 8 -the letter is B.”
230 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Continue working this way with the other cards. You should have
no trouble in getting your information from the cards without being
detected. If you find one card which gives you a chance for good show-
manship, hold it back for the closing number and come out strong with it.
To answer this feature card, take the crystal from the pedestal and come
down front with it—then answer it. Should someone draw a picture,
draw a duplicate of it on a piece of cardboard with black crayon, or a slate
with white chalk, to make an effective finish for your act.
Tue Battor Box: This is another piece of apparatus for collecting
and exchanging slips or envelopes that is simple to construct. It will hold
more envelopes than the basket. It consists of a wooden box with a slot
in the top into which the slips or envelopes are dropped, Fig. 12. The
box is then taken upon the stage and the bottom of the box is opened and
the slips or envelopes allowed to drop out into a glass bowl.

FIG.13 FIG. It
But the box is not as innocent as it seems because there is a wooden
partition across the middle, in reality a hinged door held in place with a
catch, so that there are two compartments in the box, Fig. 13.
The fake slips or envelopes are put in the bottom compartment and
the spectators’ slips or envelopes are dropped through the slot and fall
into the top compartment. The fakes fall out into the glass bowl. The
box is taken back stage, the inner door or partition is unlatched and opened,
Fig. 14, and the real’slips or questions allowed to fall out so the desired
information may be gotten from them.
SUGGESTIONS:
If you are working under conditions where there are no other acts
backstage and your assistant has full freedom, you may use this clever plan
for getting information. Have the assistant copy the cards onto a black-
board with white chalk or a large cardboard with heavy crayon. He
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES _ 231

then stands at the right front of stage back of wings and holds up the
cardboards for the performer to read, Fig. 15. Be careful that the as-
sistant can not be seen by the audience. A glance or two will convey the
information to you, and you can hold the crystal ball and move about
on the stage while answering questions and giving out information.

FIG. 16

Another ruse is to take a piece of black velvet about twelve inches

square. With a smaller piece of black velvet, make a pocket in one corner
of the large piece. This should be large enough to hold cards and allow
room for sliding them to the side out of the way. The pocket should be
on the under side. Place the piece of velvet over your left hand and
grasp the crystal ball through it in your left fingers. Under cover of the
velvet, raise a card with your right hand and glance at it, then slide it to
the right side of the pocket, out of the way. Keep your eyes apparently
on the crystal all the time, Fig. 16.
The crystal ball may be eliminated and the tablet idea substituted as
taught you later in this lesson. This merely requires copying the cards
onto a tablet.
THE EXCELSIOR MIND READING ACT
These are the three fundamentals in presenting a mind reading act:
1—To ascertain secretly what a spectator wants to know.
2—To answer the spectator to his complete satisfaction so that your
remarkable ability impresses him.
3—To ‘present the work in such an interesting manner that it holds
attention, stirs the emotions, and is long remembered.
In this lesson you are given various methods of ascertaining what the
spectators write. The means employed in this Excelsior Act are among
the best and have been the basis for some of the most successful acts in
the business. If it is intended to perform in parlors, in clubs and on the
stage, it is recommended that you perfect yourself in several of the methods
herein, and thus enable you to meet practically any conditions, with or
without an assistant, etc.
232 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

In answering your spectators’ questions, you must be positive and

convincing. Talk distinctly and loud enough to be heard by everyone.
Talk directly to your spectators so that they are convinced that you mean
what you say. Drive your points home. Beware of anything half-hearted
or apologetic. Keep using the power of suggestion and let nothing creep
in to destroy your audience’s conception of you as a ‘““Super-Mentalist.”
To create interest, your work must be highly entertaining. Introduce
comedy as often as possible, even if you have to use an occasional ‘‘fake”’
question. Pretend that a certain question or problem was put to you and
have a funny answer ready. Look at the audience without concentrating
on any certain spectator so that no one person will think you spoke directly
to him. Some powerful effects can be produced this way. When you are
seriously answerizg questions, strive always to do so in the most interesting
manner possible. Make your act so interesting that people will want to
see you again and again and will talk about you so much that others will
want to see you—and so on until your success artistically and financially
is assured.
This act requires the use of an assistant. In some cases, he is used
behind the stage; in other cases, he is used to go through the audience
with paper and pencils. Then again when a lady assistant is used, she
is often placed on the stage to answer questions while the performer goes
down through the audience to check up on people wanting information.
Sometimes two or more assistants are desirable. This act can, however,
be presented by the performer alone if he has a few minutes between acts.
EFFECT:
Pads of paper and pencils are passed out through the audience, and
spectators are requested to write anything they choose on the paper.
They may write telephone numbers, addresses, names, questions, or make
drawings. Then each is told to tear off the paper, fold it, and place it in
his pocket. The performer or assistants at no time touch this paper on
which is written the information or question. In spite of this, the magician
is able to sit on the stage and tell what the spectators have written and to
go about answering the questions. If a drawing has been made, the
magician takes a pad of paper or goes to a blackboard and draws a duplicate.
Tue Anna Eva Fay MeEruop:
For years the late Anna Eva Fay created a sensation in the theatres
across the country. People flocked to the theatres to see and hear her.
First I am going to give you her original system for getting information
from the audience and then I am going to give you Ralph Read’s wonderful
improvement.

In the Anna Eva Fay method pads of paper were used which were
about 84% X 11 inches in size. The perforated pads were the best since
 Lesson 52— MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES 233
each sheet was divided into three to five sections
and could be easily separated one from another
becausé of the perforations, Fig. 1.
Take the tablets of white paper and on the under
side of the third sheet down from the top, rub over
it with white paraffin. Be careful to cover all parts
of the sheet except near the edges. It is easiest done
by opening the pad between the third and fourth
sheets and placing the pad at the edge of the table
with the first three sheets on the table. The sheet
can be easily waxed without mussing. With a cloth
wipe off any surplus wax. FIG. |

Do not remove the paper from the tablet or pad to do this. If you
dc it properly, a spectator can run through the pad without detecting any
special preparation. The surface of the under side of the third sheet will
be slightly waxy. in texture, but not enough to make it noticeable to a
spectator. This waxed surface acts like a carbon paper—a white carbon.
If you take a hard lead pencil and write something on the first or
second sheet of the pad, you will find that the wax will cause an imprint
on the upper side of the fourth sheet, of what was written. You can not
see it, but it can be brought out by a developing process. Take a bit of
cotton, or a powder puff, dip it in the Finger Print Developer (see under
Ralph Read’s Improved Method) and daub lightly on the paper. The
developer will adhere to the waxy impressions on the fourth page. It is
then easy to read what has been written.
So you see, you need not have the actual slips on which the spectators
wrote. You merely collect the pads and pencils and, then behind the
scenes develop the fourth pages of the pads. Thus you bring out what
was written. The audience is so much interested in holding on to their
written slips that they are not suspicious of the pads. These are casually
collected to get them out of the way and then taken back stage. Hard
pencils are used and are furnished to the spectators so that they will have
to bear harder in order to write and thus make the imprint clearer.
RautpH Reap’s Improvep MetHop:
Years ago Ralph W. Read, the editor of the Tarbell Course in Magic,
was a manufacturer and dealer in magical apparatus in Chicago. The
name Read and Covert was known to magicians the country over. Read
specialized in practical effects and was constantly bringing out new and
improved methods. He specialized to a great extent in mental and psychic
mysteries. He sought better ways and more foolproof methods of doing
things. I shall never forget the time that the Great Alexander, famous
for his theatre “‘mind reading act,’ came into Read’s magic studio and
noticed a telephone on the counter, which had no connections. Alexander
234 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

picked it up, took off the receiver and jokingly called up the ‘‘Spirit World.”
He almost fainted with amazement when someone in the “Spirit World”
apparently answered him through the receiver and held a conversation
with him. Ralph Read had devised and perfected a mystifying use of the
induction system, a forerunner of wireless telephony.
So at the height of Anna Eva Fay’s success with her stage mind
reading act, Read saw certain weaknesses in the construction of the pad
and worked out a new one that fooled the wise ones. It revolutionized
the pad writing methods, and mentalists welcomed the idea with open arms.
One day a mentalist came into Read’s store to buy something néw
for his act. Read said, “I’ve got a new pad for getting messages you'll
like. Ill make one up for you.” So he reached up amongst the shipping
room materials afid took out a piece of cardboard.
“Give me three sheets of that stationery over on the desk and two
of those metal fasteners.” . . . So Read punched a couple of holes near
the end of the cardboard, laid the paper evenly on the board and affixed
the three sheets to the board with the fasteners. He gave the pad to the
mind reader and said, ‘‘Now go over in the corner, turn your back to me
and write on the paper any question you want answered.”
The customer did as directed; tore off the sheet of paper, folded it up,
and pocketed it . . . “Now give me the pad,’’ Read continued, “‘and re-
member that the secret is in the pad.”’
“What do you mean, the secret is in the pad?” replied the man,
thinking Read was trying to mislead him by using a method entirely
apart from pad writing. “You can not get any information from that
pad because it is nothing but a piece of cardboard and three sheets of
your stationery which I picked out myself and I know there is no wax
or carbons used to get any impressions in this set-up.”
“Well, I’m still telling you, it’s in the pad, and now give me a chance
to go out of the room a minute or two.” . . . When Read came back he
said, “That’s a fine question to ask before you have paid out your money
for a pad! .. . The question you asked was, ‘How do you do it?’?”’... And
that was the question the mind reader had written. The man stood speech-
less with amazement.
How did Ralph Read fool that customer? What was the method
used that stage mind readers would readily spend one hundred dollars, or
even five hundred dollars for, if necessary? That is the method I am about
to explain to you... . “I get it from a waxed impression on the paper,”
Read explained.
‘What do you mean you get the information from a waxed impres-
sion on the paper?” said the mentalist, “I picked up that paper from the
desk, and there was no wax on that paper.”
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 235

Tue RaupH Reap Secret: There was no specially prepared waxed

sheet of paper and for this reason any sheets of paper could be used. It
was the cardboard that was waxed on one side. The sheet of paper against
the waxed side of the cardboard received the impression in wax for future
development with finger print developer later on, behind the scenes. The
developer used by the finger print experts in the police departments brought
up the waxed impressions in a sharp distinct black that mere lamp black
powders would not do. The writing when developed from the impression
is reversed but can be easily read in a mirror.
How tHE Pap Is ConstrucrEp: Read used a heavy type of pressed
grey cardboard, smooth on both sides and cut to 84% X 11 inches in size.
Near one end, two holes were punched, Fig. 2. One side was rubbed all
over with a cake of white paraffin—such as is used in canning—and then
the paraffin is rubbed down and smoothed with a piece of cloth. Properly
done, the cardboard looks unprepared and gives no suspicion of being
waxed.
Three sheets of paper 8144 X 11 inches were used. These are per-
forated in a special manner by means of a pattern tracer commonly used by
dressmakers. ‘This tracer consisted of a small wheel which has sharp
points evenly spaced a short distance apart around the circumference.
The wheel is attached to a handle so it will roll easily across a piece of
paper and cut holes into the paper as it rolls across. This perforated
paper is easy to tear.

FIG.2 AiG Fleet

Stationery stores carry perforated paper pads which will also answer
the purpose to supply the proper perforated paper. The first or topmost
sheet is perforated as in Fig. 3. The second sheet is perforated as in Fig. 4.
In this way the perforations do not come on top of each other when one
sheet is on top of the other. This is done so that when a question or
statement is written across one of the sections on the second sheet it will
236 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

not overlap the writing of the topmost sheet when the wax impression is
made on the third sheet.
The third sheet should be just a plain sheet of paper without perfora-
tions. This third or bottom sheet is against the cardboard and receives
the impressions to be developed. Punch holes in the top of the papers to
match the holes in the board and fasten to the cardboard with metal paper
fasteners, Figs. 5 and 6, front and rear views.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A few Ralph Read ‘‘mind reading pads.”
2—A No. 3 lead pencil, to go with each pad.
3—A box of Finger Print Developer, which
can be had from Institute of Applied
Science, 1920 Sunnyside Ave., Chicago, Il.
For those who want to make their own de-
veloper to bring up the waxed impressions, here
is Ralph Read’s own formula: Lamp Black, 7
parts; Fine Graphite, 2 parts; Acacia Powder, 1
part—all well mixed together.
This is not rubbed on, nor is it sprinkled on
the sheet to be developed. A long row or ridge
of powder is run across the top edge of the paper,
Coe then allowed to gently slide down the tilted sheet
REAR of paper. The powder thus passes over the entire
FIG.6 sheet, bringing out all the wax impressions thereon.
Be careful not to shake the clinging powder off the
impressions which are backwards, or in reverse, on the paper, and must be
read by holding the paper before a mirror.
4—Some cotton or a powder puff.
5—A writing tablet—814 x 11 inches.
6—A mirror.
To PREPARE:
Have your pads and pencils ready to pass out. The Finger Print
Developer, powder puff, mirror, tablet and pencil are backstage in the
dressing room, where secrecy can be maintained.

To PERFORM:
The number of pads and pencils that you pass out depends greatly
upon the size of the audience. Each pad is good for from eight to ten
people. These pads and pencils should be passed out in various parts of
the audience by your assistant early in the program so as to allow time for
 Lesson62— MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES 237
developing backstage. Give the people in the front, middle, and rear of
the house a chance to write. Assistants can explain to the people that they
write on the lower slip first, tear it off, fold and retain it; then to pass the
pad on to someone else to write. The assistants should watch that only
the two top sheets are used. Should the third sheet be used in some cases,
do not worry as only about fifteen or twenty questions are needed anyway
and the other pads will supply them. Experience will help you to govern
the writing on the pads. In small groups where the performer is working
alone he can pass out the pads in advance himself and have the pads
finally passed back minus the written questions.
I am not giving you a set opening speech but only offering one from
which you can get some suggestions to write out one of your own. Just
say enough for a satisfactory explanation and dramatic presentation.
“Ladies and gentlemen: Perhaps never in the history of the world have
people been so interested in mental communication, telepathic problems, the
occult and the psychic as they are today. Recent discoveries and experiences
are bringing forth phenomena that have invited careful investigation. With
the development of radio and the traveling of vibrations over such great dis-
tances—things which have been developed mechanically—one wonders what
could be accomplished by such a wonderfully attuned organism as the human
brain with its marvelous mental power. .
“If people had been told a hundred years ago that without any visible
speaking connection it would be possible to listen lo a program of music in
New York City while in Chicago, they would have regarded the idea as the
conception of a crazy man. Just so it is with everything new that is brought
forth. What is difficult today, we will understand easily tomorrow. Many of
us have had presentiments and hunches that amazed us when we learn how
accurate they were. We may sit in Chicago and suddenly feel that there is a
big fire in St. Louis, and then pick up a paper the next day and find it to be
true.
“How far human thought vibrations travel, we do not know. But if
radio vibrations travel, why shouldn’t thought? What I am about to present
is not due to supernatural power. Jt is but the working of scientific law.
I have developed certain senses in such a way as to understand certain con-
ditions that the ordinary person misses. All of us have this power but all do
not know the proper way to use it. As I stand here now, I can sense a number
of thoughts—some stronger than others. Some people's thoughts are easy to
get vibrations from, others are difficult. And with so many vibrations coming
from an audience at the same time, there is often a confusion such as you get
from a number of stations together on the radio.
“In order that you may concentrate on certain thoughts, I am going to
have you write those thoughts on a piece of paper. The writing itself is not
important, but seeing a thing written or drawn impresses it on your mind
and so makes the vibrations from your mind stronger.
238 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“For your convenience, I shall pass paper and pencils out to you. You
may write anything you would like to have me tell you. Perhaps you have
some problem you would like to have solved. Write any question you choose—
but not foolish questions, of course. Or write your telephone number, a date
on a coin, a number on a bill, name of a watch, your name and address, or
draw a picture—any kind of picture or symbol, perhaps a square or a star.
Just write anything that comes into your mind. If you prefer, you may use
your own paper and pencils. The main idea is to write. Now each one of
you take your slip of paper, fold it, and place it in your pocket or hold it hidden
in your hand. I do not collect any of the papers. You write your own mes-
sages and keep the paper on which you have written them. I never see them.
By the way, write your name on the bottom of your slip of paper so that it will
help me to locate you. Please return pad and pencil, for use in my nect per-
formance, but keep the slip of paper on which you write your question.”
After the writing has been done, the pads and pencils are collected
and quietly taken backstage into the dressing room. The sheet up against
the cardboard is removed, the powder puff is dipped in the Finger Print
Developer and run over the side of the paper that has been up against the
paraffined surface of the pad. The writing will come out in black, but
backwards, or reversed. Hold the developed sheet in front of the mirror
to read it, and pick out the most interesting items. Take items from all
parts of the theatre. You now tabulate the questions for secret access on
the stage, using the following clever method.
Ratpu ReAD’s
TABULATING SYSTEM:
Take an interesting item
from the list and write it in
abbreviated form across the
back of the cardboard of the
writing tablet—about one inch
above the bottom edge. Se-
lect another question and copy
it immediately above the first
one on the back of the tablet.
Continue this until you have
the desired number you intend
to answer, putting down the
name, date, numbers, or other
To Yack Smith important data needed to
Aute Wo,/567f Kenneth Brown properly answer the query.
Will mother get well? Mary Stawtoy
Then fold the tablet cover
Will / be business Success nesct year,leuid 6.Bradley
Sleeper berth LF 207 B Witlara Jones back over the rear of the tablet
to conceal the writing. Fig. 7
shows cover folded back and
FIG. 7 raised to read the questions.
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 239

You can walk on with the tablet, or have assistant bring it out on a
small table. The audience never sees the back side with the writing. As
you hold the tablet against your left arm so the front sheet is towards
you, you scribble a word or two, draw a crude design or picture
of a coin—a circle with a $ sign in it—this to represent the “‘impres-
sion” you get in connection with a question relating to money matters;
a heart with an arrow through it to represent a question about love, etc.
Holding the tablet with one hand, fingers on the front, thumb on the folded-
back cover at the rear, you hold the front of the tablet out towards the
audience to exhibit your “impression.’”’ With your thumb at the back,
you slide up the cover a trifle from the bottom and thus bring into your
view the next question. This is repeated to ascertain each new question,
simply sliding up the cover a little farther each time. The cover slips back
again after you glimpse your next question, and again conceals the writing.
PRESENTING THE Minp Reapine Act:
It is well to open a mental type of act with short mental mysteries
such as predictions, telepathy effects with cards, numbers, slate tests, etc.
Some performers do this to play for time while slips are being written
during the first part of the act, and it gives them time to do the collecting
and developing. The short demonstrations are valuable even if slips have
been collected before the evening program has been started.
Now we will go into the presentation of the final phase of the act
resulting from the knowledge gained by the pads. You can stand up to
do the act, or, if desired, you can sit down if you have the personality to
do so and still hold interest. Most performers stand. Address the audi-
ence along these lines.
“Let me emphasize again the fact that I am not a fortune teller, a clair-
voyant, or spirit medium. It is not my purpose to tell you who will be Presi-
dent of the United States next time or who will win the Derby Race in Kentucky
next year. Even if I could predict such things I would not be allowed to tell
them because of the betting that might result from such a disclosure. I have
no Indian spirit guide, nor do I go into any trance and exude ectoplasm.
“My work is to present a form of mental radio—to catch your vibrations
here and there. I can not always tell from where these vibrations come—
whether from the left or right side of the house. Sometimes I catch a vibration
stronger from the rear of the room than from up here in front. And when you
realize the number of thoughts projected at once, you can readily understand
that I must attune myself closely. It is a great deal like tuning in on a radio.
A distant station may come in louder than a nearer station, and if there are
too many within a small radius, it is difficult to separate them at times. And,
of course, you know that some stations are practically impossible for you to get.
“T use this pad of paper to help me get impressions. I find I am of a
temperament that makes it easier to get impressions when I sketch or write
240 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

them down as they come into my mind. Some people find that a crystal ball
helps them to concentrate, others use a silver urn or just a round piece of
metal.” .. . Scribble on the tablet to demonstrate how you get impressions.
Exhibit your scribbling, and thus secretly ascertain the first question.
“When I call out your question or name, or give you an indication that
I have caught your vibration, raise your hand. Then I can work directly
toward you.”
Let us say that the information at the bottom of the cardboard of
the tablet is ‘Sleeper Berth Lower 9. 207B, William Jones.”” You are
now ready to get impressions. You must act as though you are concen-
trating and then scribble or draw on the pad a little. Your success with
an act of this kind depends on how you put it over. It must be slowed
down in places and snapped up quickly in others. You must keep your
audience entertained and their interest at a high pitch.
ANSWERING THE SLIPS:
There is a trick in answering the slips that spectators wrote, and a
good performer can make the merest bit of information sound like some-
thing big. You must remember that you are playing to the whole house
and not just to the person whose slip you are answering. In an audience
of a thousand, only one person knows what he wrote on his slip. The
other 999 do not know, and it is from the standpoint of these 999 that
you can apparently work miracles. They take it for granted that you are
saying the right thing to this one person, and marvel at your insight.
If you were merely to read the slips, it would be puzzling as to how
you do it; but when you tell people what they wrote and give them extra
information which they think is not on the slip, they are stunned. You
can readily understand that merely to read from a slip: “Mr. William
Jones has written—Sleeper Berth 9, 207B’’—would be lifeless and not the
least impressive. Remember, that you are not supposed to be reading
slips, but reading thoughts. You must not be too accurate, but must feel
your way along just as though you were actually catching mental vibra-
tions. Here is the way to handle the information given:
“T catch a vibration from someone who has the initials—W. J.—W. J.—
W. J.—Where are you? It is a male vibration. Oh, there you are. That's
it, raise your hend when I call your name. We are strangers to each other,
are we not? Have you ever seen me before? No. W.J. Just a minute, I
shall tell you your name. It is—it begins with J.—Jones. That's tt—
William Jones. I catch that you are thinking of a journey. Is that right,
sir? Yes—a journey by train. I see you sleeping—or rather trying lo sleep
on that train. About the middle of the car—you have a lower berth—Berth
Number 9. Is that correct sir? What's that?—You want me to tell you the
number of the car? Let me see. Concentrate real hard, sir. Now, I get the
vibration. Two-O-Seven. (Hesitate, then come out suddenly)—B. Is
that right?”
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES _ 241

Answering in that manner, takes the audience away from the thought
of slip writing. They think that the man only signed his initials, and yet.
you could tell him his name. They do not know that he gave you the
information about his berth and car number. They believe you told him
about the journey he was thinking of through your mental powers. You
told your audience to begin with that you are not a fortune teller, clair-
voyant, or spirit medium; but they begin to feel that you have psychic
power anyhow, otherwise you could not tell a perfect stranger his name
and his thoughts about traveling. The power of suggestion is a wonderful
thing. It is amazing what you can do by playing upon the imagination.
Perhaps the next question is this: ‘Will I be successful in business
next year? David G. Bradley.” This requires resourcefulness since you
do not know whether Mr. Bradley is an employee or an employer. Let
us try it this way:
“T get a vibration from someone who ts thinking about the future and is
wondering what the next year will bring forth. It seems to be coming from
aman. Just a moment—and I will get the name—Bradley. Where are you,
Mr. Bradley? There youare. Your first name is David, isn’t it, Mr. Bradley?
David G. You are interested in business. Business is more or less un-
settled, and we are going through some rapid changes which demand close
attention. You can make it a good year if you will. I see one or two months
that are not quite so good, but do not worry about them—the others will counter-
balance. Study every angle of your proposition, see where it is different from
the other fellow’s, utilize your strongest assets, and tf you see any leaks, stop
them right away. Studying character will help you.”
Another slip may read this way: ‘Will mother get well? Mary
Stanton.” The answer may be given in this manner:
“T sense a person worrying about her mother. I get the initials of the
person—M.8S., M.S., where are you? That's it, raise your hand. It seems
as though I see your mother sick-—in fact, you seem quite worried about her.
I can not diagnose, or give treatments. But be sure she is in the hands of a
good physician who understands diet and the various methods of treatment.
And do not let her worry. You will find that a kind word, a bouquet of flowers,
and lots of appreciation will help her to be happy. She will improve.”
Another may have written: “My auto number is 15678. Kenneth
Brown.” Here is a sample answer:
“T catch the initialk—K. B. K. B., where are you? I seem to see a
vibration of your childhood and another boy calling you Kenneth. Think
hard of what you want me to tell you. I get a picture of an automobile. Has
it to do with an automobile? My mind is led to the back and the number on
the back of the car. You want me to tell the number on your car. Think of
the number. Three—no, that isn’t right. Now I have it. One-five-six-seven-
eight. Is that right?”
242 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

As you progress you tear off a sheet each time from the front of the
tablet and write on the next. The answering of questions just requires
the use of common sense and judgment. Those questions which you can
not answer readily, you can just pass by. If someone wants to know the
result of a certain race, campaign, or other public affair, say something on
this order: “I am sorry that I can not answer that question. It affects the
public in general and it would not be advisable for me to answer at this time.”
You can always get out of private affairs gracefully by stating that
you know what they want to know, but because of the private nature of
the information, you will not divulge it in public. If it involves law or
medicine, you can always say that it is a question which a lawyer or doctor
can best answer. In some cases, you can say that the answer would be
too long and you must hurry. You are not supposed to get everyone’s
vibration, hence you are not criticized for any omissions.
In case anyone tries to force you to read their slip, do not let it worry
you. Just say that you do not get the vibration at the moment but
perhaps will later on as there seems at present to be an antagonistic vibra-
tion coming from some place. Get the name of this person, then see
whether it is on the list as you go on answering other questions. Perhaps
the assistant can find it in the pads backstage and can write it on a large
card and let you read from the wings.
You need never worry about any audience stumping you, for you
have not claimed supernatural power. You can get only those vibrations
to which you are sensitive, and if you are not attuned to a certain person,
you are bound to make mistakes. You do not claim perfection, nor do you
claim to answer all things. You merely sense mental conditions. And
remember, that in an audience you can pick the questions which you
want to answer. If you can not answer a question, say nothing about it.
Sometimes people ask you to locate lost articles, such as rings. You
can say, ‘Are you sure that you did not leave it in the bathroom?”’ Many
rings are mislaid when people remove them to wash their hands. When
the slips have names of articles, numbers of automobiles, birth dates,
numbers on bills, or things of that nature, the answer is easy.
GENERAL TYPES OF QUESTIONS:
There is a great deal of sameness to questions asked in any audience.
They can all be sifted down to a simple arrangement. There are questions
on health, wealth, and love. Those three classifications cover a multitude
of things and have many angles.
There are those in your audience who have lost articles; there are
those who are merely curiosity seekers; and there are those who want to
get something for nothing. There is the student who is wondering whether
he will pass his examinations, the inventor who wants to know whether his
patent will be a success. These questions come invariably: ‘Shall I make
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES _ 243

a change? Can I trust so and so? Who wrote the anonymous letter?
Does so and soloveme? Are wemated? How long am I going to live)”—
you can make this humorous by answering, “I see that you are going to die
some day, provided you live long enough.”

In some cases, you need not give an answer. Merely state the question
and then suddenly have the vibration drowned out by a stronger one and
continue with the next bit of information. Good humor rightly applied
can be used at times. However, never make fun of anyone.

Suppose someone makes a drawing instead of writing a question or

information. This gives you a good opportunity for showmanship. Assume
that Frank Smith makes a drawing of a pig. You say: “I see a picture in
someone’s mind. Hold it, whoever it is. It is coming from a person with the
initials—F. S. Where are you, F. S.? Are you thinking of the picture?
Do not change the original picture you thought of. Keep it in mind. Have
you a pencil and paper? Will you draw your original thought on a slip
of paper?” ... This member of audience thinks you mean the picture
which he drew before. The rest of the audience thinks you caught a
passing thought from someone. Be sure to see that this person gets a
pencil and paper . . . ‘“Draw the picture line for line the best you can. Have
you finished? Now I shall try to draw the picture you have in mind.”
Draw with soft black crayon so that it will show up well. Make the
sketch as nearly like the original as possible. Then compare with sketch
just made by spectator and show both to the audience. You can get
someone to draw a picture in the very beginning when all are writing on
slips. Merely suggest it to several people in your patter and they will do
it. This is a great finish for an act of this kind.
Suaeestions: Experienced mind readers have found that a good way
to get the spectators to write direct information on some of the slips is to
print or letter with a pencil or pen on the slip the information you want.
Suppose the bottom slip of the top sheet of each pad bears this inscription:
Write Down Your TELEPHONE Number, Your NAME AND ADDRESS.
In this way you get the telephone number, name and address. Perhaps
you have written across the top of another slip—Draw a Picrurs. Only
a few get the slips asking for direct information so the bulk of the house
knows nothing about that angle.
Much information can be gotten from the ticket seller in the box
office of a theatre where reserved seats are being sold. Advance reserva-
tions give you a chance to find out about certain people and where they
sit. One mentalist had the box office man note the amount and kind of
change he gave to some men and note whether it was hurriedly placed in
the lower right or left vest pocket. He got the information to the mentalist
that John Smith, sitting in seat 7, row G, center aisle, put a quarter, a dime,
and a nickel in his lower left vest pocket.
244 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

TELEPATHIC DECK OF CARDS

The ability to shuffle a deck of cards, toss the deck into the audience,
and have a member look at a card—then tell him the name of that card,
has been the magician’s dream for years.
An early method was to use the so-called forcing deck in which all the
cards are alike with the exception of one bottom card and one top card
which were different. In this way the face of the deck could be shown
to the audience, giving the appearance of a regular deck of cards. The
top card could also be shown. A rubber band was wrapped around the
deck crosswise, the deck tossed to a member of the audience, with the
request that he bend back part of the deck with his right thumb and look
at a card—but only one card. He was told to peek down into the deck
and not just take the top or bottdm cards. The cards were then tossed
back to the performer who would name the card.
FORCING END
OF DECK

YSH1S90L
ASisvd
GYV>
ONIDYOYS
G3Vv2
avINeSsY
INV
FIG.4
GIlier2:
The late Henry Hardin (EK. A. Parsons) who gave magicians some
interesting ideas in magic, had a special deck printed in which one-half of
the face of each card was printed with a Five of Diamonds and the other
half with the regular cards of a deck, Fig. 1. Special printing plates had
to be made for each card. When the deck was riffled on one end the cards
could be shown all different, but when riffled on the other end they were all
the Five of Diamonds, with the exception of the bottom card which was a’
regular card, say the Eight of Hearts. The top card was a regular Five of
Diamonds. After showing the cards to be all different by riffling one end,
the magician wrapped a heavy rubber band twice around the end of the
deck composed of the different cards, Fig. 2. The deck was tossed to a
member in the audience and he was instructed to lift up a portion of the
deck with his right thumb, while holding the deck backs up in his left
hand. He naturally lifted up the free end of the deck and sighted the only
card he could see, the Five of Diamonds. It was an easy matter to name
his card. With this deck the magician could first lift up the regular end
of the deck with his right thumb and show the card to give an example of
what the spectator was todo. Then the rubber band was wrapped around
this end. Hardin called this the ““Monte-Cristo Deck.”
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES 245
Burling Hull brought out the ‘Svengali Deck,’’ a novel forcing deck
in which every other card was a forcing card, cut short on one end. The
deck was held backs up in the left hand and riffled from the bottom to the
top on the end with the right thumb. The short forcing cards fell down,
paired against the regular long cards, and in this way the pack could be
shown with the cards seemingly all different. But when a spectator placed
his finger into the riffled deck, it was sure to land on top of one of the force
cards. This card could be removed and noted.
Dr. Ford Rogers of Kansas City, seeking a method of easily shuffling
the Svengali deck in the overhand method, hit upon the idea of pasting one
end of the forcing card on top of the regular card, Fig. 3. In this case the
regular card was cut short, while the forcing card was left normal. The
reason for this was, that instead of the spectator reaching his finger in a
riffled deck and removing a forced card, he was asked to lift up one end of
the deck with his thumb and look at a card. The only card he could lift
up was a long card—a forcing card. Having used the Hardin deck for
tossing out into the audience, one of my first thoughts with the Rogers
Forcing Deck was to wrap a heavy rubber band crosswise around the
pasted end of the deck, Fig. 4, and toss the deck out into the audience,
telling the one who caught the deck to simply lift up any card at the end
with his thumb and look at it, Fig. 5. I usually explained what to do by
lifting up the end of the deck and looking at a card myself before I tossed
out the deck. After the spectator has looked at a card and remembered
it, deck is tossed back and performer reveals the name of the card.

FORCING
CARD

ANaWwa3ad
yageny
SaYyVD
NSSM13¢d

FIG. 7
Then I wondered why the deck couldn’t have the rubber band go
around the center, and the spectator permitted to lift up either end. So
I put a narrow strip of white rubber cement across the center of the face
of the forcing card and across the back of a regular card. When the
cement was dry, the two cards were tightly pressed together for a firm
binding. The regular card was cut short. Fig. 6 shows the arrangement
but the difference in length between the regular and forcing card is exag-
gerated for clearness in understanding the principle.
A deck like this may be freely shuffled with the cards facing the
audience to show them all different. Then a rubber band is wrapped twice
around the center of the deck, Fig. 7, and after explaining what the per-
246 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

former wants done, the wrapped deck is thrown out to a member of the
audience to look at a card. He is instructed to hold the deck, backs up,
in his left hand and with his right thumb to lift up one end of the deck and
glance at any card in the deck—but only one card. Regardless of what
end he lifts, he is bound to lift up a forcing card. The deck is tossed back
to the performer and placed out of the way. The spectator is told to con-
centrate on the card, and in a telepathic manner the name of the card is
announced by the performer.
I called this deck “The Telepathic Deck” and used it privately over a
period of years. I donot know-how many other mentalists thought of such
a natural adaptation of the Svengali principle and the Rogers variation but
it is simple and direct in presentation.

“~ THE PSYCHIC PAPER

This is a good effect and very puzzling. It used to be a favorite
dinner table effect with the late H. S. Paine of Chicago.
EFFECT:
The performer lays four different colored pieces of tissue paper on the
table, one red, one green, one blue, one black. A book of cigarette papers
is picked up, out of which a sheet is removed and passed to a spectator
for examination. The magician rolls this cigarette paper into a ball and
places it on any color of tissue paper chosen by a spectator. Another
member of the audience is then asked to select a number anywhere between
one and one thousand and to name it. He is then told to pick up the
ball and open it. There on the cigarette paper is the number which the
spectator selected, written in the same color as that of the paper which
the other spectator selected.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A cardboard apparatus which you can easily make. Take two
pieces of cardboard, slightly larger than a sheet of cigarette paper.
Cut a large rectangular opening in A. Then hinge the two pieces,
A and B, together with gummed tape, Fig. 18. Place a sheet of
cigarette paper on B, then fold A down over it. Place a rubber
band around A and B to hold them together, Fig. 19.
2—F our two-inch squares of colored tissue—red, green, blue, and black.
3—Four colored pencils, each about an inch and a quarter long—red,
green, blue, and black. In order to distinguish each pencil by
touch, prepare them as shown in Fig: 20. Leave the red one as it
is. Make a small groove around the middle of the green one.
Have a square pencil for the blue one. Make a large groove
around the black one.
4—A book of cigarette papers.
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES _ 247

To PREPARE:
Place a blank cigarette paper in the cardboard holder and fasten with
arubber band. Place this in your right trousers pocket. Also place the
four prepared pencils in the same pocket. Place the four pieces of tissue
paper and book of cigarette papers in your right vest pocket.

Bue
re

Buck @ eee
cy

To PERFORM:
Remove the tissues and cigarette papers and place on the table.
Arrange the tissues in a row, a few inches apart, in this order—red, green,
blue, black. Remove a cigarette paper from the book and give it to
spectator to examine. Place the book aside.

“Just a cigarette paper.” ... Take the cigarette paper from the spectator
and show it on both sides. Also show your hands empty .. . ‘Which I
shall roll into a small ball and place on the table.” . . . Roll the cigarette paper
into a ball between the fingers and place on the table in front of the tissues.
Show your hands empty. Casually place your right hand into your right
trousers pocket.
‘Now, select any one of the colored tissues on the table—red, green, blue,
or black. Choose any one freely.”’ . . . Assume that the spectator says red.
Find the red pencil in your pocket with your finger tips. Say to another
spectator:

“You, please, think of any number—say, between one and a thousand.

Have you thought of the number? Name it aloud so all can hear and there
will be no doubt about it later.”” ... As you say this, get the cardboard appa-
ratus into position in your pocket so that you can write on the cigarette
paper with the red pencil. After a little practice you will have no difficulty
in writing inside of your pocket without being detected. It is a natural
attitude to stand with the hand in the pocket. Assume that the spectator
calls out number 742. Write it as you repeat it after him .. . “Seven—
four—two. Remember the number 742. That was your own free choice, was
it not?”
Slip the rubber band off the cardboard holder in your pocket and take
out the cigarette paper. Roll it into a small ball, similar to the one lying
on the table. Hold it concealed between first and second finger tips and
248 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

thumb of right hand and bring the hand out of your pocket, Fig. 21. Say
to the spectator who selected the color: “‘I believe you selected the red paper?
It would be better to place the ball of paper on the color you selected.”
JEL Ss: os BALL

aN a ADNEaO
NUMBERED REEN BLUE BLACK

i @ NUMBERED Wass .
Pick up the ball on the table, grasping it between the same fingers
which hold the numbered ball, Fig. 22. Place your finger tips on the red
tissue and drop the numbered ball on it, retaining the blank ball in your
fingers. Bring your right hand down to the side. To the audience it
appears that you merely picked up the ball from the table and placed it
on the red tissue. In reality, you made an exchange, placing the numbered
ball on the tissue, Fig. 23 . . . “We'll place it in the center of the red tissue.”’
Adjust the ball on the tissue with your left hand as you place your
right hand in the right trousers pocket and drop the ball in it. Remove
the hand from the pocket when it will seem most casual . . . ‘Now, let us
see how things stand. First of all, we rolled a piece of white cigarette paper
into a ball, which we placed here on the red tissue selected by the gentleman.” . . .
Say to the spectator who selected the number: “Your number, I believe,
was seven...” Hesitate as though you had forgotten the number. The
spectator names it.
“That's right. Seven—four—two. Concentrate a moment on it, while
you sir, concentrate on the red color. I do not know whether or not you believe
in psychic phenomena, or the power of mind over matter. You selected a
number and you, a color. I shall not touch the ball
of paper myself. No one could possibly have known
z 4 #) beforehand the number you selected, sir, or the color.
However, to show you an interesting development,
I want you, sir, to pick up the ball of paper and
2) unfold it carefully.”
The spectator picks up the ball of paper and unfolds it. Take the
paper from him and show it freely, passing it out for examination, Fig.
24... “And there you will find 7—4—2 written in red.”
THE QUICK AND THE DEAD
There is interesting psychology in mysteries of this type. This is due
to the fact that the name of a dead person is involved, thus suggesting
spiritualistic phenomena and allowing the imagination to hold sway.
For this reason the performer can use a certain amount of dramatic pres-
entation. The striking of a gong, a touch of green spotlight when avail-
 ___Lesson 52— MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES __ 249

able, can be made to add an extra touch of eeriness. It isn’t so much what
you do, but how you do it.
MeErtuHop 1:
EFFEcT:
A number of people in the audience are given slips of paper and are
requested to write the names of living people and of dead people, one name
to a slip. These slips are folded up by the spectators and dropped into a
borrowed hat. The performer then reaches into the hat and one by one
picks up the folded slips. He holds them to his head and picks out the
dead people from the living, reading the name aloud to verify it.
STRAIGHT EDGE

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A— sheet of f paper : >
2—A few pencils.
3—A borrowed hat. DEAD

STRAIGHT

To PERFORM: x O Qi Waa
“I need a few strips of paper. This sheet will do. I can tear il into a
few strips.” . . . Tear the sheet of paper into seven or eight strips. The
first and last strip will have one straight edge while both edges of the
other strips are uneven. Here lies the secret, Fig. 1. Put the strips on
top of each other, placing one with the straight edge third in the pile and
the other one sixth. Or you may place both slips with straight edges on
the bottom of the pile and pass them out at will.
“I am going to pass strips of paper among you for you to write upon.”
. . . Give the upper slip to a spectator with a pencil. Say to him in a
rather low voice: ‘‘Just write the name of some living person on the slip.”
. . . Give the next slip to another spectator . . . ‘And you just write the
name of some living person.”
To a third spectator give the third slip with a straight edge .. . “Write
the name of a dead person.” . . . Pass out the fourth and fifth slips with the
request that these spectators write the name of a living person. The sixth
slip has a straight edge and the sixth spectator is requested to write the
name of a dead person. The seventh, the name of a living person.
“Do not let me see what you have written. When you have written a
name, concentrate on it for a moment, then fold the papers up rather small
and drop them into the hat.” . . . Have the slips folded as shown in Fig. 2.
The edges must show. If the spectators fold the edges in, you can easily
straighten them out a little. Pass the borrowed hat, and let the spectators
drop their folded papers into it. If desired, a member of the audience
may be allowed to collect the slips.
250 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“And I shall ask you, sir, to mix them up well.” . . . Give the hat to
some spectator so that he may shuffle the slips well by jiggling the hat a
little. Take the hat again and place it on the table, mouth upwards...
“On these papers have been written the names-of living people and the names
of departed ones who have passed into the great unknown. The names are
well hidden and mized up so that no one knows which is which. I want each
of you who have written .the name of a dead person to concentrate on that
name. Strange as it may seem, the dead have a peculiar influence.”
Reach in and pick up a slip from the hat. See whether it has a straight
edge or not. If it has, you know the slip contains the name of a dead
person. If not, you know it is a living person.
Let us suppose the first slip has the name of a
living person. Place it against your forehead and
close your eyes for a moment as though you are
concentrating, Fig. 3...‘J¢ is my intention to
separate the dead from the living and to tell whether
a name hidden inside the folded paper is that of a
departed spirit or a living person... this is the
name of a living person.”
Open the slip and read the name. Toss the slip aside in full view
of the audience. Then pick up another slip. Suppose this has a straight
edge. Place it against your forehead as you did before . . . ‘This bears
the name of a departed spirit—the name of a dead person.” . . . Open the
slip and read the name aloud . . . “Js that correct? Who wrote the name
of this dead person? You, madam? Thank you.’ Continue this, finally
getting second dead name slip and reading it.
Henry Harpin’s VARIATION:
Many years ago the late Henry Hardin called the magician’s attention
to the straight and rough edges of torn papers. He had a clever idea in
which he showed two borrowed hats empty; placed one on the table and
used the other to collect the slips containing the names of living and dead
people. This hat was also placed on the table or even on another table.
Mysteriously he caused the slip bearing the name of the dead person to
leave the other slips and appear in the other hat.
The method was very simple. He had the names of five or six living
people written on slips and another person to write the name of a dead
person on a slip (the one with the straight edge). The slips were folded
and dropped into the hat by the writers themselves. The hat was given
to someone to shake and thoroughly mix up the slips. The performer
reached his hand into the hat as though stirring up the slips but he first
caught sight of the one with the straight edge, palmed it in his right hand
and brought the hand out of the hat. The hat was placed on the table
and the other hat picked up with the right fingers under the rear side of
the brim and the thumb on top. This caused the slip to be hidden under
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 251

the brim. The hat was turned up to be shown empty, the front part of
the brim taken in the left hand and the mouth of the hat tipped towards
the rear. This allowed the right hand to come for a moment into the hat
so it could drop the slip inside. The hat was placed on the table.
Now all that needed to be done was to tell an interesting story of how
the dead separated themselves from the living and that many times the
same thing happened even when their names were brought forth. Dump
the slips out of the first hat and have a spectator read them and show
that they are all living. Pick up the other hat and have a spectator reach
inside, take out the single slip and read the name of the dead person.
To Catt Out THE NAME OF THE DEAD Person: In case you would
like to call out the name of the dead person before the slip is opened by a
spectator and add to the mystery the method is simple. After you have
palmed out the slip from the hat in your right hand give the hat to another
spectator to further mix the slips, and say you will turn your back while
he does it so that you can not possibly see the mixing. The moment your
back is turned, quickly open up the slip, read it, fold it again then palm
it and turn towards the audience again. Get the slip secretly into the
second hat, and now, knowing the name of the dead person, it is very
easy to name it at the proper time after slip has been found in the hat.
Tn naming the dead person you might grope for awhile and start to slowly
spei! it, then suddenly name it. If a prominent person, first tell about
seeing a picture of some of the things he is noted for, then name him.
For instance if George Washington were named, say: “J get a picture
of colonial days, of a war, of freezing soldiers, of a man praying, of a boat
crossing a river with soldiers. I see a man sitting in the president's chair
with letters of light emblazoned above him saying ‘The Father of Our Country.’
... The name of the dead person is George Washington.”
MetuHop 2:
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A sheet of writing paper, the commercial size, 8144 X 11 inches.
2—A few used envelopes.
3—A sheet of carbon paper, the special kind for use with a pencil.
To PREPARE:
Inside of two of the used envelopes on the side of —_CARBON
the address, paste a piece of carbon paper with thie
carbon side toward the inside of envelope, Fig. 4.
Fold the piece of writing paper like a letter and
place it inside of the envelope between the carbon
and the back of the envelope. This paper may be a
letter, blank on the back.
252 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC
Now if someone places a piece of paper on the address side of the
envelope and writes on it, a carbon impression will be made on the letter
inside of the envelope. As the envelopes have been used and are taken
from the inside coat pocket seemingly to fit the emergency and give spec-
tators something to write upon, they arouse no suspicion.
Tear the sheet of paper into strips and pass them around with pencils
as in Method 1. Give the spectators envelopes to write on. Give a pre-
pared envelope to each of the two people who write the names of dead
persons. After the slips are ready have them folded and dropped into a
hat. Collect the envelopes, getting the two prepared envelopes on top.
“Men folks are often teased about carrying their wives’ letters around in
their pockets und forgetting to mail them. I have been carrying these around
with the intention of answering some time. Here is one from an old pal.”
Pull out the letter from a prepared envelope with the carbon writing
toward yourself. Pull it out just far enough to see the name of the dead
person written on it and then push it back into the envelope... . “He says,
‘Am broke. Send me a hundred.’ A hundred what? I haven’t sent the
hundred.” . . . Place this envelope at the bottom of the others. Slip the
letter out of the next prepared envelope a little to read the name of the other
dead person written there ... “Oh, that’s a letter from my tailor. I guess
I had better put them away.”
Thus in a joking manner, you have gained the information you need.
Another way of getting these names is to turn your back for a moment
on some pretense and then slip the letters out of the envelopes far enough
to see the names. Another method for getting the name of one dead
person is to take the letter from a prepared envelope and on the side
opposite to that which has carbon writing, scribble something with a pencil,
while you tell the audience to concentrate on the names written. You
pretend to show the manner in which the names were written and that
gives you the excuse of taking the letter from the envelope and seeing
the name. Sometimes by bulging open the end of an envelope, you can
see inside and observe what was written.
Go through the routine of taking the folded papers from the hat and
placing them on your forehead to pick out the dead people. With show-
manship tell the names of the dead persons. Assume that one is Napoleon
Bonaparte... “As I hold this paper on my forehead, I get an impression of
an army, a French army—an army of another period in history. Standing
oul is a small figure, his arms crossed. Has anyone here been thinking of
Napoleon Bonaparte?”
Or suppose the name is a strange one, such as Mary Smith. Tell it
in this manner: “J gel an impression of a woman. Her first name begins
wilh an M. Just a moment-—I think I can catch it. Mary! That's right—-
her first name ts Mary. Mary Smith. Who wus thinking of Mary Smith?”
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 253

MeErTHop 3:
Effect is similar to Method 1, except that the names are written on
cards and sealed in small manila envelopes. The performer is still able
to pick out those envelopes which contain the names of dead people.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Any number you require of small manila envelopes.
2—Small cards to fit into the envelopes.
3—Pencils.
To PREPARE:
Make a small pencil mark or dot on those envelopes which are to
contain the names of dead people. Have these prepared envelopes on the
bottom of the packet of envelopes, and the unprepared ones on top. Take
them from top or bottom as required.
The pencil marks will not be observed by spectators. You can work
this effect with a large group and quite a number of people writing. If
you have a number of names of dead people, you can get your information
by the “One Ahead” System—that is, getting the name of the first one,
then opening an envelope which does not contain that name but is believed
to by audience, and using this for the next name to call out, and so on.
Another method of marking ‘‘dead’’ envelopes at the moment is with
your thumb nail or finger nail on the edge of the envelope.
To PerForM:
Have the names written on the cards and get the cards of dead persons
into envelopes marked by you. Collect the envelopes and proceed to call
out names. Hold one envelope to your head . . . “‘Here is the name of a
dead person. Someone had the name, William Jennings Bryan, in mind.
Correct?”
Look at the audience, but at no one in particular. The spectators
believe that someone did write that. name. This gives you an opportunity
to tear open the envelope and read what. is actually written on the card.
Assume it is George Washington, but read aloud the name, William
Jennings Bryan.
Proceed to go over envelopes calling out the “living” until you come to
another one with a pencil mark .. . ‘“Here is the name of another dead person.
Not living, but dead. It begins with G. The initials are G. W. Who here
wrote the name of a person with the initials, G. W.? Raise your hand. Ah,
you wrote the name of a dead person, did you? You did. The initials are
G. W. Was the first name George? It was. George Washington?”
Open the envelope to see what is written on the card and read the
name, George Washington, aloud. Suppose the card has the name, Ann
Livingston, on it. Lay it face down on top of the other card on the table.
254 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Proceed with this routine until you have picked out all the marked
envelopes. As you still have one dead name to read, pick up an envelope
containing the name of a living person and pretend it is the name of a
dead one. After calling out the name, you can open this envelope and
take out the card while you name the last dead person . . . “There, I believe
I have called out every name of a dead person. Did anyone write the name of
a dead person which I did not call? . . . You see that I have been able to pick
out the dead people each time without a mistake.”
MEeErnHop 4:
Use slips of paper instead of the envelopes and proceed to read names
of the dead as above, by the ““One Ahead” System. At the finish you
have opened the slip of a living person. Fold up this slip and pretend to
place it on table. In reality, thumb palm it and slip it back into the
hat. Bring out thi§ slip of paper last and give it to the spectator. You
can call the name out and have it verified by the spectator as a finish to
the effect.
MErTHop 5:
Slips of paper are passed around as in other methods. When these
are collected, they are burned. Yet the performer is able to call out the
names of the dead people.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Small pieces of paper about 2144 X 234 inches.
A piece of 84% X 11 writing paper will cut into 16 pieces of this size.
2—A large manila envelope.
3—A candle in a candlestick; matches to light candle.
4—A plate on which to place the burning envelope.
5—Several half-size pencils.

SLUT

To PREPARE:
Cut a two-inch slit in the bottom edge of the envelope, Fig. 5. Have
the candle in candlestick on the table at your left as you face audience.
Fold each slip of paper once across in each direction and open it out flat
again, Fig. 6.
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 255

To PERFoRM:
Light the candle and say: “I want to perform for you at this time an
old spiritualistic rite as performed by Persian priests in days of old. It is
still performed in some places on special occasions. First of all, I am going
lo pass some slips of paper among you that I want you to write on. Then
when you have written, concentrate, but do not let me know what it is.”
Pass out pieces of paper and pencils to several spectators. Have
some write the names of living persons and some the names of dead people.
Remember those people who wrote the names of dead persons. Have the
slips folded. Your preliminary folding acts as a guide.
Remove the prepared envelope from your pocket and collect the
slips inside the envelope. Place the slips containing the names of living
people at the bottom of the envelope and those containing names of the
dead at the top, Fig. 7.
Reach into the envelope with your right hand and push “dead”’ slips
through the slit a little so that they can be easily grasped by the left hand.
The back of the left hand screens the slips from the view of the audience
and they are not aware of your movements here, Fig. 8. Seal the envelope
and take it in your right hand. As you do so, press the left thumb down
on the ‘‘dead”’ slips and retain the slips in your left hand. Close your
fingers around the slips to conceal them, Fig. 9.

“This rite was performed for certain reasons, but one of those reasons,
no doubt, was to show the power of the priest. Members of the congregation
would write the names of living people and dead people upon slips of paper
which one of the ushers gathered and sealed in a large envelope. The priest
took the envelope, faced the altar, and holding the envelope above his head,
went through a number of incantations.”
Turn your back to audience and hold envelope above your head in
right hand. Hold fingers over slit to keep it closed, Fig. 10. The moment
your back is turned, put the “‘dead” slips from your left hand in your left
lower vest pocket. Remove one slip, open it, and glance at what is written
on it. Fold the slip again and replace in your vest pocket. You will have
no difficulty in unfolding and folding the slip with the left hand if you hold
it against you. Practice will enable you to do this very quickly.
256 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“Then he would wave it above one of the candles nearby.” . . . Place the
envelope a little above the flame of the candle, still keeping your back
to the audience, Fig. 11. While you are talking, get another slip out of
your vest pocket, open it, and read it. Then refold it and slip it into your
right lower vest pocket, out of the way.
“Then he would raise the envelope over his head again and finally place
it in the mystic flame of the candle, setting it on fire.” .. . Set fire to the
envelope and let it burn. Keep your back to the audience until you have
finished your routine of taking out the two slips, reading them, and placing
them back in their proper pockets. Then turn to the audience.
“Flames have played an important part in Oriental ceremonies and are
often associated with the psychic.” ... Drop the remaining part of the en-
velope onto the plate. Face the audience .. . “An interesting part of the
ceremony was the pfiest’s power to separate the living from the dead. As
you hare noted, the names have been written of both living and dead people.
You who have written the names of dead persons, please concentrate on. them.”
@® -

® ©) Gra

See | \H/
; d. “7s
You know the names of two dead persons and can proceed to name
them with proper showmanship . . . “I get an impression of a departed
spirit, of a woman. Barbara, I believe, is her name. Who is thinking of
Barbara? Just a moment, I shall try to catch the last name. .J —J is the
first letter, then I get an O. The name is Jones. Barbara Jones. Is that
correct? It is. Thank you. A vision passes me of a man, a man of fair
build. He is trying to say something. His name is Frank. Who ts con-
centraling on the name of Frank? You, Madam? Thank you. Jusl keep
your mind on that person for a moment longer. I do not seem to get the last
name. I can only get a color—it is a flash of red—now it is darkening and
has become brown. Perhaps it will turn to black. No, it is remaining thal
color. It is evidently a symbol. The color is opening and a face appears.
Is the name Brown? Frank Brown. Right? Thank you.”
This gives you an idea of the way in which the names are called and
you can work up your own ideas around this as a nucleus. Various names
may be expressed in symbolism to add mystery. Continue this until you
have named all the dead people, turning your back and reading several
slips at a time if you have more than two with names of dead people.
Do not have too many of these. Finish the effect by saying: “Jn just
such a manner were the priests able to tell the dead from the living.”
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES — 257

Meron 6:
This is similar to Method 5, except that instead of standing up with
your back to the audience and reading slips under cover of your body,
you sit behind a table draped with a tablecloth and read the slips under
cover of the tablecloth. Unfold the papers and read them in your left
hand while you burn an envelope and talk to the audience, Fig. 12.
MeEruop 7:
This is a good method to use if you have an assistant. Have small
manila envelopes and cards passed out to spectators, about two dozen of
them. Ask about six spectators to write the names of dead people and
the rest to write the names of living persons. Give marked envelopes to
the former and plain ones to. the latter. Have the cards sealed in the
envelopes and collected in a Changing Basket as described in this lesson.
When the basket reaches the stage, raise the handle and allow the
flaps to fall down and conceal the collected envelopes, exposing the fakes
which were in the sides. Empty the duplicates into a glass bowl or on a
table and toss the basket offstage. The assistant offstage picks out the
marked envelopes, opens them, and writes the names of the dead persons
on a large card. He holds this up in the wings so that you can see it.
You pick up envelopes from the glass bowl, hold them to your forehead
and pretend to pick out the names of the dead and call them out.
Another stunt is to have a lighted candle and set fire to the envelopes,
allowing each to burn a little and then dropping it on the tray. You
apparently read the name in the envelope by the flame. The Changing
Bag described in Volume [ is also a good way of collecting envelopes and
changing them for duplicates. Slips of paper without envelopes may be
used also in this method.
MeEtHop 8:
In this method the cards or slips upon which the living and dead are
written are sealed into pay envelopes by the spectators who wrote them.
In collecting — en-
velopes keep the ones
with the livitig names
in the same order with REVERSED
the sealed flaps at the silent 5
top. Simply reverse NAME oe
} envelopes
the ] with the DEAD
names of the dead PERSON
people, Fig. 13. No
matter how much the
envelopes are over-
hand shuffled it is easy
to pick out the en-
velopes containing the FIG.13
258 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

names of the deceased. The plain side of the envelopes should be kept
toward the audience.
MeErHop 9:
Sometimes this variation of the living and dead effect is truly wel-
comed. A spectator is given a card with six numbers, 1-2-3-4-5-6 written
in a column a half-inch apart. The spectator is given a pencil and asked
to secretly write the name of a dead person opposite any one of the num-
bers, to take his free choice; and then to write the name of a living person
opposite each of the other five numbers. When the card is handed to the
performer he knows very quickly the name of the dead person.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A card or a piece of paper or a pad of paper, preferably with a
somewhat rough surface. About 4 X 514 inches is a good size.
2—A pencil with a soft lead such as No. 1, B, or 2B.
To PREPARE:
Write the numbers 1-2-3-4-5-6 one beneath the other about a half
inch apart on the card, paper or pad of paper, Fig. 14.
Sharpen the pencil to a very fine point, with the lead gradually
widening out away from the point.

Se
Sewer
[StS

FIG. 14 FIG.IS
To PEeRForM:
Let us say we use a card. Give it to a spectator, also give him the
specially fine pointed pencil . . . ‘Throughout the centuries people have been
___ Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES _ 259

interested in the living and the dead and the relation between the two. I have
handed you a card with six numbers one beneath the other. Without telling
me or anyone else I want you to merely think of the name of a dead person,
preferably one you might have known while living or is dear to you but is a
stranger tome. One that I would not know whether he or she is living or dead,
by seeing the name written. I want you to secretly write that name while I
turn away from you, opposite any one of the numbers. Do not let me know
after which number you have written the name. I want you to have free choice.”
The person chosen, writes the name of the dead person opposite one
of the numbers . . . “After you have done that write the name of living persons,
preferably people I do not know, after each of the other five numbers.”’
When this is done turn to the person and take the card. Let us say
that the card shown in Fig. 15, which is a typical example is shown to you.
At a single glance you can pick out the dead person, because it is the one
in which the first letter starts with the thinnest line. In this case it is
the C in the name Charles Smith that has the thinnest line. The point
of the pencil being finely sharpened starts thin but being a soft pencil
on a fairly rough paper the lead quickly wears away leaving the rest of
the writing in a wider line fairly even in the rest of the name and the
other names. It is the first thin line of the writing of the initial that is
the clue. I have no trouble in recognizing a thinly sharpened point even
on a No. 2 pencil on a fairly smooth surface. I suggested a soft pencil
and a roughened surface to make the detection foolproof. Experiment
until you find the combination that suits you best.
“Because all of the names are in the same handwriting and are names
I do not know; and I do not know after which number you wrote the dead
person; by ordinary means there is no way by which I could distinguish the
dead from the living. But it is said that a person passing over on the other
side carries a different vibration and that the dead separate from the living
in an interesting way.” . . . As you are talking casually place the card over
on the table out of the way.
“T close my eyes for a moment. All the names are blacked out except the
name of one. It seems to stand out as though written in light. It is the name
of Charles Smith. I would say that he was the dead person you had in mind.
Ts that right, sir? It is! Thank you!”

RALPH READ’S TAPPING PENCIL

Here is one of those “big” little things that has been generally over-
looked, although it appeared in the original Course. Ralph has puzzled
people with it for many years—he conceived it when, as a boy in high
school, he hobnobbed with spirit mediums on the side. Eugene Bernstein
of Chicago has made it one of his pets for years and it has contributed
much to his reputation as a performer of startling effects.
260 ~ THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC
EFFEcT:
A lead pencil is shown, then held by its blunt
end in the performer’s right fingers, the pencil
pointing downward. Any spectator extends
his hand on the back of which the performer
rests the point of the pencil which latter is thus
held perpendicularly, Fig. 1. The spectator
may grasp the center of the pencil with his
other hand, if desired.
Without further ado, the spectator acknowl-
edges that he feels distinct impulses at the
pencil point, one or more such impulses fol-
lowing slowly or rapidly as desired by the
“4 operator. Placing the pencil point on top of
the spectator’sthead, he plainly “hears” the impulses. And by touching
the pencil point to a table top, a box, etc., distinct raps are emitted
directly from the object touched.
PARAPHERNALIA:
A lead pencil, without metal or rubber tip.
To PERFORM:
The principle is the same as with the noise-maker “‘can’’ with a rosin-
coated cord attached. The resistance resulting from rubbing the cord
produces vibrations which act on the can. The “‘rubs’’ on the pencil must
be so tiny that no movement of the thumb is discernible. The position
in which the pencil is held is very important, so follow carefully the in-
structions and illustrations.

FIG.3
FIG.2

To “generate magnetism” you briskly rub your right fingers on your

coat sleeve, but with the real object of making the thumb as dry as possible.
Grasp the blunt end of the pencil with right thumb, first and second fingers,
palm downwards, the pencil pointing downwards below the hand. The
upper, blunt end of the pencil rests firmly up agaist the right forefinger
about midway between the finger tip and the first joint. The right second
 Lesson 52 — MENTAL AND PSYCHIC MYSTERIES 261

finger is on the far side of the pencil, just below the top, this finger being
smack up against the right forefinger. The tip of the thumb rests firmly
on the near side of the pencil, just below the top and the fleshy ball of the
thumb presses tightly against the under sides of BQTH the first and
second fingers. They must be in three-point contact, Figs. 2, 3 and 4.
The thumb tip and tip of second finger squeeze the pencil tightly
between them, unknown to others. In addition, the thumb exerts an
upward pressure, thus squeezing the ball of thumb tighter into the flesh
of the TWO adjoining fingers. Increased upward pressure of the thumb
will cause the thumb to slip or jump up a fraction of an inch, along the
surface of the pencil. This causes an invisible vibration of the pencil
felt as an impulse upon the back of the spectator’s hand, or it will produce
raps when the pencil is in contact with a table top, box, etc. Successive
upward pressures of the thumb tip will continue to make impulses until
the thumb and fingers are squeezed so closely together as to prevent the
flesh from “giving” any more.
Starting with the initial grip, we have felt, but have never seen, Mr.
Read produce as many as fifteen impulses without letting go of the pencil.
The very minute “jumps” of the thumb tip are screened behind the first
and second fingers, but they are so tiny that even a close watcher can not
perceive any movement of his thumb.
If your thumb is dry and hard, so much the better—otherwise rub
your thumb with rosin to gain greater frictional resistance. It is not
necessary to press the pencil point very hard against the hand or head
of the spectator. With a hard dry thumb you can produce the same
effect with a fountain pen, however its smooth surface does not offer as
much resistance as the tipless wooden pencil. A small stick can also be
used, and any of these may be borrowed, if desired. With practice, you
may allow a spectator to hold the top of the pencil while you grasp it at
its center and cause impulses to emanate from such a grip, but this is
not quite as easy as the grip at the top when, of course, the spectator may
grasp the center of the pencil “to prove that you do not move the pencil
during the demonstration’’—this is always effective.
With an empty box of cardboard or wood, on the table to act as a
sound box, you can produce raps loud enough to be heard all over the
room, and may thus indicate cards, numbers, ages, fortunes, etc.

&°# 0
Lesson 53
THE THUMB TIE
+ Ca

EN IcHI, NOTED Oriental magician, brought this puzzling mystery to

America years ago. It was an instantaneous hit. It had the fresh-
ness of originality and novelty and looked so impossible. Magicians
puzzled over the true method of performing. Dealers, anxious to cash in
on the popularity of the thumb tie, offered quite inferior methods. Ten
Ichi did impart his real method to E. H. Collins of the Yost Magic Com-
pany of Philadelphia, who later gave the secret to Ralph Read, together
with the type of cord that Ten Ichi used in his Oriental presentation.
I first saw the thumb tie performed by Asahi, another very clever
Oriental magician, some years later during his American vaudeville tour.
He revived the thumb tie interest as his presentation was indeed a work of
art. His coordination of movements and timing were so perfect that he
could produce the mystery in the midst of the audience as well as on the
stage. His thumbs were tightly tied together with strong rolled rice paper
cord, yet he caught hoops mysteriously upon his arms, removed them as
easily; passed his tied thumbs through a wooden pole held by an assist-
ant, as easily as though his thumbs were not tied. He passed his tied
thumbs through a borrowed umbrella and a gentleman’s arm or neck.
Arnold De Biere, Carl Rosini, Frank Ducrot, Jean Hugard, Levante,
Paul Rosini, Mardoni and others featured the thumb tie in their programs.
It has been a feature number in my own programs for years. I spent con-
siderable time and research in the science and art of this mystery.

I have thought many times of writing a book on practical thumb tie

methods. Instead, I am giving you practical master methods in this lesson
which is a book in itself. Choose the method you like best and practice it
well so that you will be skillful in presentation before you present it to the
public. You must practice it until the operation becomes second nature.

There is no set routine on the thumb tie. Each successful performer

has his own routine. It permits of imagination. Various types of rings,
poles, sticks and such can be used to heighten the effect.

I am purposely avoiding the methods requiring special apparatus such

as a ring around the right thumb; a false thumb tip which slips over the
thumb, sometimes used with an adhesive tape thumb tie. The methods I
use are without any special apparatus, as far as the tie itself is concerned.
263
264 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

TEN ICHI THUMB TIE

This is the original thumb tie that Ten Ichi made famous.
EFFECT:
The performer has his thumbs securely tied together with two cords
by some member of the audience. In spite of his thumbs being tightly tied
together he almost instantly passes solid hoops onto his arms and just as
easily removes them. He also passes his thumbs through a wooden pole,
or a person’s arm in a most mysterious manner. Tied thumbs can be
examined at any time and cords are finally removed by the one who tied
the thumbs together.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two pieces of stiff brown smooth wrapping cord 15 inches long and
about an eighth of an inch in diameter.
You can buy a ball of this material. There is a cord made of
twisted brown paper that is good for this type of work. The cord
must be rather hard and smooth, and stiff enough to make a sub-
stantial loop which will stand out by itself, but at the same time
the cord must be soft and flexible enough to tie readily.
Ten Ichi used to take strips of rice tissue paper about an inch
or an inch and a half wide, Fig. 1, and twist it spiral fashion around
a piece of wrapping cord, overlapping each twist, Fig. 2. Some-
times paste or glue was placed on one of the edges of paper to hold
it in place. At times just twisted rice paper, Fig. 3, was used.

RICE PAPER

FIG. oa FIG.4
Pipe cleaners rolled together are fine for the Ten Ichi tie. I used
5 twisted together for each cord. Instead of tying, the ends of pipe
cleaners were wired together. The wire makes a substantial loop.
2—Two rings or hoops. The single rings used in the linking ring
routine are very satisfactory, Fig. 4. I suggest nothing smaller
than a 9-inch ring. The 1014-inch size (diameter) makes a good
ring. A wooden hoop from 12 to 24 inches in diameter is used by
some performers.
 Lesson 53— THE THUMB TIE 205

3—A wooden or bamboo pole about five or six

feet in length and an inch or so in diameter.
A wooden curtain pole is good. For the per-
former who must pack small the pole can be
cut into two or three pieces and the pieces
held together with metal screws which fit in
Fig. 5 the adjoining part, Fig. 5. Parts are easily
screwed together into one rod. I use a pole
made of rod aluminum about an inch in diameter and fixed so I can take
it apart into three pieces. I also used a brass rod which was chrome plated.
The metal poles were not heavy as they were hollow. Instead of a long
pole, a cane, a wand or a short pole can be used.
To PeRForM:
Request a spectator to come up from the audience to assist you. He
stands at your right side.
“Years ago an Oriental magician brought to this country a remarkable
mystery in which, with his thumbs securely tied together, he seemed to accom-
plish the impossible. Tonight I want to present to you a version of this mys-
tery. First I want you to look at these two rings.” ... Give a spectator the
two rings and have him examine them.
“Some people say these rings must have a hole in them. There is a hole—
do you see it?—right through the center.” ... Pass your hand through the
center of the ring. This is good for a laugh.
“T will slip a ring over each arm and up on each shoulder.” ... Slip
ring over each arm and up on each shoulder. Or, if desired, rings can be
held at elbows.
‘Now to have my thumbs tied togethers. . . here, you take one of the cords.
Hold the cord tightly between your hands. Pull and tug on it. It is
strong wrapping cord.”’
Show both sides of your hands to the audience and then cross your
thumbs, the RIGHT thumb being UNDERNEATH the left one. Place
crossed thumbs ON TOP of
the stretched cord, held by
assistant, Fig. 6.

“Tie the cord tightly

around my thumbs with a
knot on the top.... As the
spectator goes to tie your
thumbs together bring the
base of the thumbs close
together, Fig. 7. This isa
move so as to gain neces-
266 1HE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

sary slack. Figs. 8 and 9 show the principle of gaining slack. Position
9 requires far greater amount of cord to tie. Bring thumbs back to posi-
tion shown in Fig. 8 and you will find so much slack in cord that thumbs
can be easily released. As thumbs are being tied, stress the fact that the
spectator should tie the thumbs as tightly as possible. The cord is tied
tightly with a double knot at the top, Fig. 10. Pick up the other cord
from table and give to the spectator.

FIG lO

“Tie this cord securely between my thumbs.” ... Cord is brought into
position shown in Fig. 11. The two ends are tied as tightly as possible,
Figs. 12 and 13.
“Tie all the ends together at the top.” ... Each of the two ends are
brought up and tied to one of the ends at top, respectively, Fig. 14... .
“There is no doubt but what my thumbs have been securely tied together.”

Show both sides of thumbs to audience. Turn to the assistant so that

the left side of your body is towards
the audience. Bring the fingers of
your hands together so as to conceal
the tied thumbs from the assistant.
The back of your left hand screens
the thumbs from the audience.
Slip your right thumb out of the
loop, Fig. 15. If properly tied this
 Lesson 53 — THE THUMB TIE 267

should be very easy when your thumbs come into position as in Fig. 8.
Slipping of thumb can be aided by grasping outer edge of loop with tips of
second and third fingers of left hand. Let the rings slide down your arms
to your hands and out between the thumbs to fingers. Back of left hand
screens the thumbs from the assistant. Let the right thumb slip quickly
back into the loop.

FIG.17
te

“Please hold these rings a moment.”... The assistant grasps the rings
_as in Fig. 16. Note how performer holds rings at this stage. Open your
fingers and draw your hands away letting the spectator hold the rings as
in Fig. 17. Show the front of your thumbs to the audience to let them see
that your thumbs are still tied. Properly performed the leaving of the
rings with the assistant will cause laughter. The reason for this is because
of a perplexed look on the assistant’s face and the fact you have done
something apparently impossible.
“Now, sir, I want you to throw the rings towards me but in this man-
ner.” ... Take one of the rings from the assistant and, standing back a
few feet, toss it slowly back to him so that the ring is upright.

FIG.18

“All right! Throw one of the rings at my thumbs.” .. . The assistant

throws one of the rings as in Fig. 18, but just before he throws it, bring the
ends of your fingers together and release the right thumb from the cord
loop. As the ring gets almost to your hands, open hands apart far enough
to let the ring slide onto your left hand, past the thumb and onto the left
arm to elbow position. The right thumb is immediately slipped back into
268 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

the loop and the tied thumbs brought up into view, Fig. 19.
“There you are—the ring is on my arm but my thumbs are still tied to-
gether.” . . . Open your hands with palms towards audience, Fig. 20, and
show the thumbs still tied. Then show the back of thumbs and hand.

“Come ahead with the next ring!” . . . The assistant throws the second
ring ina similar manner. This time you catch the ring on your right hand
and allow it to go to your right elbow. The right thumb again slips quickly
back into the loop, and the tied thumbs are again shown to the spectators.
“The second ring is on my right arm—but my thumbs are still tied to-
gether. Now sir, ifyou will kindly take hold of the rings again.” .. . The rings
are again slipped down your arms and into position between thumbs and
fingers, Fig. 16. The assistant takes hold of the rings, and you free your
hands away from them with a pull to give the effect of the rings passing
through the tied thumbs.
ee both of the rings up together in front of you.”’ . .. The assistant
y brings the rings into position, Fiig. 17. Bring
your hands up against rings then draw back
about eighteen inches, release your thumbs and
thrust hands through both rings, back of your
left hand towards assistant. Slip right thumb
back into position. Then swing your body
around towards the left so you face the audience
and so you can show your tied thumbs. The
rings are on your right arm.

“Maybe you didn’t understand this.” . . . Face

the assistant again and release your hands from
the rings. Show the tied thumbs to audience
again, then take the rings.

“We will place the rings on the table.” . .

Place rings on table and pick up the pole and
ee give it to the gentleman assistant to hold,
FIGEZI Fig. 21. If a shorter pole or cane is used he
 Lesson 53— THE THUMB TIE 269

holds it in both hands, Fig. 22. Right hand is towards the bottom and the
left hand is towards the top. If the hands were reversed thepee arm
would screen too much and the position would be awk-
ward for your routine.
“Let us use this pole. Hold it tightly, sir. One end
on the floor and theother in your left hand.’ Ifashorter
stick is used, say, ‘‘Hold the upper end with your left hand
and the lower end with your right hand.”
To the audience show your hands from the front,
Fig. 20; then face the pole with hands about a foot
away. Close fingers together, Fig. 23, withdraw the
right thumb, Fig. 24. Bring hands suddenly in a down-
ward curve towards pole,opening fingers enough to let
pole slide between hands, Fig. 25. Hands go beyond
pole and right thumb is instantly brought into loop. “ FIG.22
The left second and third fingers aid in holding loop in position, Fig. 26.
Always keep thumb movements hidden from the assistant holding the pole.

There is psychology in knowing just when you should have your hands go
through the pole. You can temporarily direct the assistant’s eyes up a bit
by looking at him.

os) Susie FIG. 27

Fig. 27 shows thumbs back up to normal and pole between your arms.
Turn towards the audience so the pole comes to your right elbow. Bend
your right arm in front around the pole and show tied thumbs to audience.
270 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“‘Sometimes we’re on the inside as well as the outside.” . . . Bring hands

back to position, Fig. 27. Close fingers again, Fig. 26, withdraw thumb
and let pole slide out between fingers, Fig. 25. Close fingers, Fig. 24, when
pole is free, and slip right thumb back into loop again, Fig. 23. Show tied
thumbs to audience, Fig. 20.

“Or on the outside as well as on the inside!” . . . Thrust hands through

pole again. . . . “Sometimes there.” . . . Bring hands back on the outside
again. . . . “Sometimes here.”

Now comes an interesting and puzzling move to the audience. Hands

go inside and out of the pole three or four times very quickly. The thumb
can be held released from loop during these moves and quickly slipped back
into place at the firfish. Use back of your left hand as a screen so the
assistant can not see your released thumb.

“Yes sir, solid through solid!” . . . Place pole aside and say to assistant:
“Place your left hand on my right shoulder.”

FIG. 28 FIG.29

The spectator places his left hand on your right shoulder, Fig. 28.
Your hands are beneath his arms. Suddenly bring your hands up through
his outstretched arm, Fig. 29. Show tied thumbs, then suddenly bring
hands down into position as shown in Fig. 28. ‘The arm movement is prac-
tically the same as when a pole is used.

““When you take your seat you can have the audience eramine your arm.”
Some performers vary this by placing hands over assistant’s head and
on back of his neck, then pulling the hands around the neck suddenly. . .
“There ts a slight space between your vertebrae, sir! . . . now untie my thumbs.”

Assistant unties the thumbs and you show ridges in thumbs and how
tightly cords were bound. . .““Anyway, it’s an Oriental mystery!” ... Thank
the assistant and dismiss him.
 Lesson 53— THE THUMB TIE 271

For VARIATION IN ROUTINE:

1—You can begin with pole and close with rings.
2—Use two assistants instead of one and have them hold a ring on
each side of you.
3—Use an outstretched silk handkerchief held by diagonal corners in
assistants’ hands, instead of a pole.
4—Use a number of rings.
5—Use the upright part of a chair back as a pole.
6—Use a borrowed umbrella or cane in the audience.
7—Use a piece of clothesline held horizontally between two assist-
ants. You stand at the center in back of the line, and push
hands back and forth through the line. It adds to effective stage
presentation. Pole can be held horizontally instead of the rope.
8—Have a ring or two thrown to audience and back to you.
9—Throw a ring into the air and catch it on arm when it descends.
10—The thumb tie is very effective in Oriental costume.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

Be sure you can do the thumb tie indetectably and with confidence be-
fore you present it to an audience. It is too brilliant a piece of magic to
take any chance of letting the audience discover the modus operandi.
IT MUST BE DONE RIGHT, OR NOT AT ALL!

MODERNIZED TEN ICHI THUMB TIE

In this method a single piece of smooth, fairly stiff wrapping cord is
used instead of two. Start with a piece of cord about 33 to 36 inches long.
Have your assistant from audience hold it stretched out between his hands.
Place your thumbs under the cord and cross the thumbs so that the right
thumb is underneath the left one, Fig. 1. Note that the base of the left
thumb is on top of the base of the right thumb, Fig. 2.

FIG.2
Have assistant tie a double knot in cord on the front (side away from
you) of crossed thumbs, Fig. 3; bring the ends around on top again and
272 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

tie another double knot, Fig. 4.

Now have the cord marked B brought over the top of the left thumb,
around in front of thumb and out between the left thumb and the right

hand, Fig. 5. The cord marked A is brought over the crotch of the left
thumb, down in front of thumb and out at the bottom, Fig. 6. Have assist-
ant tie the cord tightly with a double knot. Trim down the ends of the
cord so that only an inch or so extends beyond the knot.

Properly ‘tied you will find it very easy to slip the right thumb from
the loop, Fig. 7, when the proper time comes, and back into place again.
The loop being a double cord is very substantial and permits of quick action.
The routine is the same as the Ten Ichi Thumb Tie.

TIP-TOP THUMB TIE

This thumb tie is favored by some magicians because the cord is tied
first around the right thumb and then the left thumb is placed on the knot
upon the right thumb, and the cord is tied tightly around the left thumb.
The cord is about 18 inches long. Grasp the center of the cord in the
crotch of right thumb, Fig. 1. Assistant from the audience stands at your
right. Have him tie a single knot keeping the cord at the base of the
thumb. You pull your hand slightly away from assistant as he ties, so that
the cord comes down a bit below the bottom joint of thumb, Fig.2. Have
 __ Lesson 53 — THE THUMB TIE ‘ 273

the assistant tie a double knot, Fig. 3. You tell the assistant to tie the
cord around your thumb as tightly as possible.

Place the left thumb on top of the knot on the right thumb, Fig. 4.
Assistant ties a double knot on top of the left thumb. Have him tie it
tightly. Trim the ends of the rope so that they extend about an inch or
so from knot, Fig. 5.

FIG 4 \FIG.5

You will find that you have plenty of slack within the loop as you pull
the right thumb down a bit, Fig. 6, and that it is easy to release right

e FIG.6

thumb, Fig. 7. The left finger tips against the end of loop, help to keep
loop in position for release of right thumb and its coming back into place
again. You can carry on the usual thumb tie routine.
274 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

CHOW SEN THUMB TIE

I originally devised this tie for my own use by combining the principles
of the Ten Ichi and the Tip-Top thumb ties. Two cords about 15 inches
long are used.

One cord is held tightly stretched between the hands of an assistant

from audience. Your thumbs are crossed and placed on top of the cord,
Fig. 1. Note carefully the position of the thumbs. The left thumb covers
the lower joint of the right thumb. Note the dotted line across base of
thumb, Fig. 2. A cord tied around the thumb at this point forms a loop
large enough for the thumb proper to be easily slipped through. The posi-
tion of the left thumb on top of the right thumb forces the assistant to tie
across this dotted line, Fig. 3. Have him tie the cord as tightly as possible
and make a double knot on top of left thumb.

FIG 5

Have him bring the second cord around loop of first cord and around to
front, Fig. 4, between the thumbs. Fig. 4 shows view of thumbs from assist-
ant’s standpoint. Have him tie the second cord tightly, using a double
knot, Fig. 5.
Tie one of the ends of the second cord to one of the ends of the first cord,
 Lesson 53— THE THUMB TIE 275

Fig. 6. If desired the other two ends can also be tied together. Trim the
ends to about an inch from the knots.

The right thumb can be easily slipped out of the loop and back in.
Fig. 7 shows position of the loop. Use regular thumb tie routine.

FRANK DUCROT THUMB TIE

Frank Ducrot was a master of the thumb tie and it was a feature num-
ber in his programs. Many magicians wondered just what method Ducrot
used. I am giving you the real Ducrot tie. I had Jack Miller pose for the
illustrations of this tie as Ducrot taught Miller his thumb tie years ago, and
Miller in turn became adept in its use. Ducrot knew well the value of the
base of the right thumb to get a proper sized loop, but obtained the tying
there in an interesting way.
Two pieces of cord are used, each about 15 inches long. An assistant
from the audience is given one cord and told to hold an end in each hand
and stretch the cord horizontally between his hands. You bring your
thumbs up to the center of the cord and nip it in the crotches of both
thumbs, having him release the ends of the cord, Fig. 1.

Bring the left thumb over across the base of the right thumb as in Fig. 2.
Have the assistant tie the two ends of the cord tightly around your thumbs.
tying a double knot on top of your left thumb.
216 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

As the assistant ties your thumbs, you push the right thumb downward,
under cover of the hands, which forces the cord up tightly against the base
of the thumb, back beyond the lower joint of thumb, Fig. 3.

RIGHT THUMB
————
JOINT

Fig. 4 shows a view from the top while the right thumb is forced down-
ward. After the knot is tied the right thumb is brought up and the thumbs
assume the position as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 shows how the second cord is brought under the left thumb around
the left side of the loop formed with first cord. Tie
the second cord tightly around the first cord,
using a double knot, Fig. 7. Tie the four ends
together at the top of the left thumb, Fig. 8.
You will find it quite easy to perform the
thumb tie routine by slipping the right thumb out
of loop, Fig. 9, and back into loop again. The
second and third finger tips of left hand against
edge of loop can readily assist in keeping the loop
in a workable position.
JACK MILLER THUMB TIE
This is an interesting wrinkle that Jack Miller uses at times in com-
bination with the Frank Ducrot thumb tie. He has puzzled magicians
with this one as he can perform so slowly; and even watching the top of
his thumbs there can be seen no release of the thumb.
 Lesson 53— THE THUMB TIE 277

The secret is the addition of a ring of cord that slips over his right
thumb. To prepare, take a piece of cord and fit it loosely around the right
thumb, then sharpen the ends, Fig. 1, and coat each end with white rubber
cement. Allow them to dry awhile, then press ends together forming a
ring, Fig.2. You now have aring that you can easily slip over your thumb,
Fig. 3. Magician’s wax may be used instead of white rubber cement if
you can not obtain the latter.
This ring is lying on the table inside of the two metal rings, and a
handkerchief or something in front to screen the fake ring.

After your thumbs have been tied by the Ducrot thumb tie, or what-
ever tie you are using, you slip your right thumb out of the loop and as you
go to pick up the rings from the table you slip the circle of cord around your
right thumb. This should be done without hesitation, as though you were
just picking up the rings. The thumbs are brought into position as in
Fig. 4. To the audience there is nothing suspicious and the extra ring of
rope looks like the cord tied originally around the right thumb.
When the rings are thrown at you all you have to do is to separate
your thumbs and bring them together again. In going through the pole
held by someone the thumbs have but to separate in passing the pole, and
can be kept quite close to the pole, Fig. 5. At the finish, slip the right
thumb back into the original loop again and have thumbs untied, or cord
cut from thumbs.

TARBELL’S SIMPLEX THUMB TIE

There is always a demand for a simple

thumb tie that works easily and quickly. Start
with a piece of cord about 20 inches long.

Wrap the center of cord twice around the

" FIG.I left thumb and have assistant from audience tie
a double knot on top of the thumb, Fig.1. The
278 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

cord should be tight enough so that the knot on top will not slip out of posi-
tion. Fig. 2 shows a side view of tied thumb.

Bring your right thumb up below left thumb and have the assistant tie
your right thumb tightly to your left one. As you say this put the side of
left thumb on the right thumb so that the knot rests on the right thumb,
Fig. 3. This is a bit of misdirection to show right thumb is tight up against
the knot.

Now bring your thumbs up to a vertical position with palms of hands

towards assistant, and twist your left thumb to the left so thumbs are held
flat against each other, Fig. 4. Have the assistant tie a double knot in the
cord in front of right thumb. Impress on his mind to tie you as tightly as
he can.

But no matter how hard he tugs he can not really tie you tightly
enough to prevent abundant slack. Fig. 5 shows a close-up side view of
the thumbs. You will note the magnitude of the loop that extends from
the knot on top of the left thumb to the knot on the front side of the right
thumb.

To release your right thumb, bring the fingers together in front of

thumbs as a screen, Fig. 6, and then withdraw the right thumb, Fig. 7.
Because of the size of the loop, the right thumb can be placed back into
loop and thumbs crossed again in an instant.
 Lesson 53— THE THUMB TIE 279

TARBELL’S “LI LING” THUMB TIE

Here is another practical thumb tie that is simple in operation. Cord
should be about 33 inches long.
Tie the center of the cord twice around the left thumb and have assist-
ant from audience tie a double knot on the left side of your thumb, slightly
towards the top, Fig. 1.

Bring your right thumb up underneath your left thumb, Fig. 2, and
have assistant tie cord tightly so that the knot is on the front side of the
right thumb. Thumbs are held in a vertical position while tying is being
done. Fig. 3 shows a view of thumbs and tie from above. The position
of the first knot at the side of the left thumb gives you a basis for slack in
the cord. Extra slack can also be obtained by bringing the base of the
thumbs closer together as in the Ten Ichi thumb tie.

cies FIG.
Have the assistant bring the ends of the cord up and tie a double knot
on top of the left thumb. Fig. 4 shows one view of this, while Fig. 5 shows
your view. ‘Trim the ends of the cord away to about an inch of the upper
knot.
Properly tied you will find that the right thumb readily slips out of
the loop, Fig. 6. The double cord stiffens the loop. The second finger tip
of the left hand touches the loop so as to hold it in position for speedy
withdrawal or insertion of the thumb. From now on use ‘the regular
thumb tie routine.
280 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

TARBELL TAPE TIE

I often used this tie in the Chinese part of my show and it met with
excellent response from the audience. My thumbs were securely tied
separately, as well as together, with cotton tape that was about 26 inches
long and from 5% to 34 of an inch in width. In this method there is no
release of either thumb from a loop.
The center of the tape is placed over the left thumb, and assistant from
the audience is asked to tie it tightly around your left thumb. The knot
is on the right side of thumb. Have him continue tying knots until seven
or eight have been tied, Fig. 1.

FIG 3

Place the right thumb against the last knot and have assistant tie the
tape tightly around the right thumb and then trim the tape up to an inch
or so of the knot on the right side of the right thumb, Fig. 2.
: If desired the tape can be wrapped twice around the left thumb before
tying the first knot, and then twice around the right thumb before the final
double knot is tied on the outside of the right thumb.
With this tie there seems to be no way by which rings could be thrown
upon the arms, or thumbs passed through a pole or other solid object. But
the audience does not know that over on the rear of an upright outside sup-
port of your chair-back is a razor blade tightly wedged into the wood
with the edge upwards, Fig. 3. A ring hangs over the chairback, Fig. 4.

You step in back of the chair a moment to pick up the ring and your
thumbs are spread apart. The center of the knotted tape is brought di-
 Lesson 53— THE THUMB TIE 281
rectly down upon the sharp edge of the razor blade and, with a slight back
and forth motion, the tape is cut in half, Fig. 5. Because there are knots
on either side of the cut, the tape still remains securely tied around each
thumb.
This cutting movement takes but a second. Apparently you just pick
up a ring or rings from the chair. Keep your thumbs together as though
nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Thumb tie routine is performed
by merely pulling thumbs apart slightly as an object passes the tie.
At the finish the tape should be cut off with the scissors. The thumbs
can be shown any time during routine by just pressing the knots against
each other. No one ever suspected this trickery in my performances.

If desired the blade can be affixed to a chair with the sharp edge of the
razor blade facing downward. In this case the knotted tape is brought
under the edge and cut as the thumbs push upward and slightly forward
and backward. ~
There are numerous other places where a blade can be concealed. For
instance on the back of a table. If you use a “‘spirit”’ cabinet with metal
poles the blade can be fastened to the front pole at one side with the blade
at the rear of the pole, concealed from the audience. If you use a suit case,
the blade can be fixed to a block of wood inside, and the tape cut as you
remove the rings from the inside of the case.

When Dr. Hai Wun Choy, of the royal house of Korea, was my assist-
ant years ago, he used to cut the knotted tape with a pair of sharp scis-
sors. He was standing offstage behind a screen unknown to the audience.
As I reached my hands off stage to take the two metal rings from his left
hand he quickly severed the tape with the scissors in his right hand. This
done he gave me the rings. To the audience, I had merely reached a few
inches offstage to get two large metal rings There was nothing suspicious
in the move.

TARBELL’S CHINESE THUMB TIE

I will teach you another method of performing the thumb tie which
does not necessitate pulling the thumb in and out of the tie. It is very
simple, and yet most illusive. It is so bold in nature that its very boldness
adds mystification to it.

EFFECT:
The performer’s left thumb is securely bound and tied with tape.
The same is done with the right thumb. The thumbs are then placed to-
gether and bound tightly. In spite of the tying of his thumbs individually
and together, the performer now passes rings and poles between his hands.
282 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two pieces of white cotton tape, about 54 wide, 15 inches long.
2—Pair of scissors.
3—A pole, hoops, etc.
To PerrorM:
Have a spectator wrap one piece of tape twice around your left thumb
and tie it securely on under side of thumb. Allow him to make two or three
knots, Fig. 1... “Tie the tape good and tight.”
Have the spectator wrap the other piece of tape twice around your
right thumb, tying it well on upper side of thumb, Fig. 2.

iy SN
Place left thumb on right thumb. Wave your hands back and forth
a moment to throw ends A and B on upper sides of hands and ends C and D
on under sides of hands. Waving of the hands confuses the spectators and
leads them to believe that each pair of ends is now around opposite thumb.
In reality each pair of ends is around its own thumb, Fig. 3. With a slight
wave of hands, get ends A and B between left fingers to lift them up out of
the way, Fig. 3A. Then say to spectator:

(Hh), ALR
8, \ : IWVA
FIG : Fic. aS %
“T shall ask you now to ‘ie the upper thumb to the lower one. Pull tight
and tie a good knot.” ... Hold thumbs up so that the spectator can tie ends
C and D around lower thumb, Fig. 4.
‘Now, secure the lower thumb to the upper one doubly tight by tying these
other two ends together.”’ . . Turn backs of hands up and have spectator tie
ends A and B on top of upper thumb, Fig. 5. Trim ends down to an inch
or so from the knots. To audience:
 Lesson 53— THE THUMB TIE 283

“Note carefully how my thumbs have been securely tied. Each thumb
has been wrapped with tape and tied and then both thumbs have twice been
securely tied together. As.you can readily see, such a tie would bind me se-
curely, and my only hope of release would be to have someone cut the tapes off
with a knife or pair of scissors.”
Show thumbs to audience. They appear to
be tied securely together, yet each thumb is en- re c
tirely separate from the other. Fig. 6 shows a side (I)
view of the manner in which thumbs are tied.
The thumbs are pulled apart to show this clearly.
Of course, you do not permit the audience to see 8 \o
such a view as is shown in Fig. 6. It is now an FIG.6
easy matter for you to pass objects between your
hands, as in the preceding routines. To finish have the tapes cut from
thumbs with a pair of scissors, preferably by your own assistant. This
tie can be worked at angles and under conditions impossible with the
regular method. It may be performed down in the audience with people
all around you. You may permit short examination of thumbs when
they are together.

MEL FORRESTER’S RUBBER BAND THUMB TIE

EFFECT:
Performer’s thumbs are securely bound with a heavy rubber band.
Yet in spite of this, he passes hoops onto his arms and passes his tied thumbs
through a broom handle, cane, or other solid objects.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A large, heavy rubber band. Experimentation will show you the
size best adapted to your thumbs. Band must not be too tight
or too loose.
2—A broom, or cane, rings, etc.

To PERForM:
Request’ someone to come up from the audience to assist you, and have
him stand at your right.
““A rubber band is only a small article, but it can hang on about as well
as anything I know. It is said that once an Oriental policeman, not having a
rope handy, tied up his prisoner with rubber bands. And the prisoner didn’t
get loose either because the policeman knew how to tie him. One of the bands,
I have been told, went around the thumbs.”
Follow these moves carefully. They are not difficult, but you must
watch the details to get them correctly. Hold the band in your left hand.
284 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC
Push thumb and index finger of your right hand through the band, Fig. 20.
Make loops in the band with thumb and first finger, as shown in Fig. 21.
Slip the loop from index finger over onto thumb. This leaves your
thumb secured by a double loop in the rubber band, Fig. 22. Repeat this
series of moves exactly in the same way with the left thumb. You now
have the arrangement pictured in Fig. 23. The loop around right thumb
is A, the loop around left thumb is C, and the band between the loops is B.

Pies
FIG. 21 pe aNd
FIG. 22

“Something like this. Anyway, I am well tied. A nice time I would

have getting my thumbs out of two tight loops like these.” . . Show hands, both
sides, and move thumbs to show that they are tightly bound, Fig. 24.
Pick up cane or broom and give it to assistant from audience.

/; ow.

ir, a
\ f
FIG. 24

“Now, if you will please hold this broom up... . That's right, the brush
part on the floor and the handle up. Now please hold the handle tightly.”
Have spectator assisting you hold broom straight up in a vertical position.
‘Nothing could pass under the broom because of the floor or above the
broom because of the gentleman’s hands.”’ ... As you say this, screen the right
hand with the left, and push the second finger of right hand into loop C.
Then insert third finger also in loop C, Fig. 25. When the loop is secure
on second and third fingers of the right hand, remove left thumb from loop
C. Be careful to screen this movement behind the hands, Fig. 26.
Place the left thumb quickly under B portion of rubber band. Keep
hands close together so that the assistant and the audience can not see your
movements, Fig. 27. Pull down slightly with fingers in loop C and bring
the thumbs close together. The audience is not aware that you have made
any change in the arrangement of the rubber band. It appears that the
thumbs are still secure in the loops, Fig. 28.

a
 Lesson 53 — THE THUMB TIE 285

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. The policeman placed the man’s arms around
a small tree for extra precaution.” .. . As you say this bring the hands up
to the broom about a third of its length from the top. Withdraw left thumb
from under the band. Open hands only enough to allow broom handle to
pass between, Fig. 29.

Ye

FIG,
FiG,26 FIG.27 28

When hands are around broom handle, like a flash, slip the left thumb
under B portion of rubber band again. Turn thumbs to the audience and
to the assistant to show that they are still securely bound, Fig. 30. The
effect produced is'that you have passed the broom handle right through the
rubber band between your hands. . . . “Like this. Now my arms are around
the tree, or broom rather. Of course, being bound like this, it is impossible...”
Slip thumb out of B, bring
hands away from the broom
handle, and slip thumb back
under B again very quickly.
Practice for perfection in this < ’
move. You must perform it very \
rapidly so that neither the assist-
ant nor the audience suspect you AiG. Fio.30
are doing anything out of the or- id
dinary. Becareful to keep hands
screened and hold them as closely together as possible while passing them
around the broom handle.
oe
. . to escape . . . Now that you understand that, I shall explain it
again.” .. . Repeat the above effect—putting arms around broom handle
and then bringing arms away. Pick up rings from table and give them to
spectator assisting you, all the while keeping thumbs closely together. You
then proceed with the other demonstrations previously described.
At the finish open loop C a little with second and third fingers of the
left hand and quickly slip it back onto left thumb. Remove the other
fingers. Loops are now around both thumbs again as they were in the
beginning of the effect. You may now have the assistant examine the
bands around thumbs and remove them to see that they are intact... .
“The moral of which is, ‘It is better to be a magician than to go to jail.’ ””
Lesson 54
CHINESE LINKING RINGS
hoe ee oe

HE Linxinc Rincs is one of the oldest tricks and one of the finest if
presented in a finished and skilled manner. Audiences have been
amazed for years by this effect of linking and unlinking solid steel rings.
I well remember the time when I saw Ching Ling Foo, the celebrated
Chinese conjurer, present it years ago. He made a masterpiece of it.

While a set of linking rings can be found in almost every magician’s

stock of apparatus, very few performers have ever mastered the routine
well enough to present the effect with showmanship. The usual presen-
tation is mediocre and lacks finish. The few men, however, who have
studied the rings closely and have mastered the work with them have
made of them a thing of beauty. The work of these few men makes them
stand out in sharp contrast to the ordinary linking ring presentation.

Eugene Laurant was one of those magicians who had spent years with
the rings and in his hands the effect was a classic. It is a rare privilege
for me to be able to give you Laurant’s own routine with the linking rings.

Laurant’s routine was the result of years of study and of experience.

He had used dozens of variations, but he discarded them all and settled
down definitely to using only those which he found most effective. His
routine was snappy, just the right length, and full of showmanship.

The student of magic should study closely the ways of the successful
professionals. The things to watch lie in their manner of presenting
effects, rather than in the effects themselves. See how they eliminate
unessentials and constantly play up strong points with a punch—see how
they avoid needless and monotonous repetition, but play up repetition with
force when it strengthens the mystery and better pleases the audience.

Handling the rings is not difficult, but it requires practice. You must
become so accustomed to handling them that you can follow the routine
almost automatically. You must be so familiar with them that one move
blends into another—and this comes only through practice. You must
have the ease of working so well in hand that your mind is left free for put-
ting the effect over with showmanship. Laurant said that he made it a
habit to run through his linking ring routine before each performance to
keep it fresh in his mind so that he could work at high pitch.
287
288 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

In this lesson I give you the complete routine and also the patter
which Laurant used. It is impossible to give you his showmanship, but I
hope you will work up the effect for yourself with real showmanship.
The usual set of linking rings consists of eight rings. Laurant used
eleven, and the routine is taught to you with that number. An eight-ring
routine can easily be worked out from the principles in the Laurant routine.
EFFECT:
Ten steel rings are linked together and unlinked in a most mysterious
manner. Various designs are then formed with the linked rings and
interesting combinations are worked out. The final amazing effect is
accomplished by linking all the rings together to form a cross of steel.
Then the magician links all the rings on one ring and suddenly unlinks them
one by one and drops them to the floor.

Sole" Fancoet

PARAPHERNALIA:
A set of eleven nickel plated steel rings, each about eight inches in
diameter, Fig. 1.
Three of the rings are linked together: A, B, C.
Two more rings are Jinked together: D, E.
Four separate solid rings: F, G, H, J.
Two so-called KEY rings: K, K. These have openings in them,
about 3¢ of an inch.
To PREPARE:
One of the key rings must be concealed from audience. Laurant
used a special pocket sewed inside of the right side of his coat for this pur-
pose. There is a snap fastener at the opening of pocket which keeps the
key ring secure in the pocket until it is needed. This can be unsnapped
 Lesson 54 — CHINESE LINKING RINGS 289

at amoment’s notice, Fig. 2. In case of emergency when Laurant was not

prepared with his special pocket, he merely placed his fountain pen in his
regular inside right coat pocket and hooked the key ring on to that, Fig. 3.
The remaining ten rings are then arranged on the table in this order:
First, the other key ring (K)—then on top of that, the four single rings
(F, G, H, J)—then the three linked rings (A, B, C)—and finally, the two
linked rings (D, E). These should be squared up to look like a pile of
singlerings. Fig. 4 shows the order of piling rings on table, starting with K.

To PERFORM:
With one key ring inside your right coat pocket, come forward with
the other ten rings in your right hand. When you pick up the rings from
the table to come forward, have the top of the pile—the two linked rings—
against crotch of right thunb and the key ring towards tip of thunb and
fingers, Fig.5. Take the key ring with left hand and place it on the table.
This leaves nine rings in the right hand.
“T am often asked the question. ‘What do you consider to be the oldest
known trick to magic and magicians?’ and I always answer, ‘Perhaps the
Linking Rings of China.’ It may therefore not be out of place here to relate a
legend regarding these rings.
“Centuries ago in China, a priest in the temple made a chain of links of
steel or copper or perhaps brass—we know not of just what metal—to suspend a
lamp—the lamp of life—and this lamp hung directly over the altar. Now,
the old priest of the temple, with his followers gathered about him, would lower
the lamp, remove it from the chain, and place it upon the altar. Then he would
take the chain, made of these huge links of steel, and separate them, one from
the other. His followers noticed that he had no difficulty in doing this, and
though they examined these links of steel again and again, they could find no
opening of any kind in them.
“The story soon spread about and pilgrims came from far and near to see
the man who could take links of steel—pul them together and take them apart—
when they were solid with no opening in them. There is no doubt in my
mind that this old priest of the temple wanted to impress his followers with the
fact that he possessed mystic power. In presenting this problem myself, how-
ever, I say the phenomenon is due to natural law. Let us look the rings over.”’
290 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

To show the rings separately, merely pass them from the right to the
left hand. Pass the first three single rings with the hands about 12 inches
apart, Fig. 6.
Decrease the distance between your hands and pass the rings faster
when you come to the linked rings. If you pass these properly, they will
appear to be single rings. Practice this carefully before your mirror.
ee a

= E {

( FIG. 7
RINGS _ FIG ©

After all rings are in the left hand, drop them one at a time back into the
right hand. Keep the left hand a little above right hand but close enough
to it to catch the rings quickly. Be careful not to let a linked ring drop
to the bottom of a ring it is linked in. With a little practice, you can
make perfect the illusion of showing separate rings. Make your move-
ments as natural as though you were really showing all to be separate
rings. You can put a little emphasis on showing those rings which are
separate, Fig. 7. You must leave a definite impression with the audience
that the rings are separate. While showing them, say:
“We find that the rings used in the chain of the lamp in the temple are all
separate and distinct, one from the other. First, let us prove that the rings I
use are genuine in every way. The best test for steel is sound. We will test
first with two rings. ...” Take two of the single rings in your left hand.
Move hand up and down to make rings strike each other and jingle,
Fig. 8.... “‘They sound as clear as a bell.”’
OPENING
Vv

FIG.8

FIG.9
Pick up key ring from table and hold it with opening at top between
your hands, Fig. 9... . “Here we have a faulty ring. I had it cut apart to show
you the vast difference in sound between a ring with opening and a solid one.”
Place this key ring on the left hand with two solid ones. Shake the rings
this time just to get a clattering noise in direct contrast to the jingle of the
two solid rings before, Fig. 10.... ‘You hear a clattering metallic sound
now—not like the clear, bell-like jingle of the solid rings. Were I to use a
 Lesson 54— CHINESE LINKING RINGS 291

ring with an opening, you could detect it immediately by its dull, clattering
sound. Wecan not use sucha ring so we shall toss it aside.”
Throw the ring to one side or to back of stage, Fig. 11. This is show-
manship. You are convincing your audience that a ring with an opening
can not be used and you discard such aring. If there is a magician watch-
you perform, he will be puzzled. He is accustomed to using eight rings,
consisting of three linked rings, two linked rings, two single, and one key
ring. He will sit up and take notice when he sees you throw away your
key ring. So you see, in this effect you interest not only the average
audience, but those who may have read a solution of the usual routine and
even those who have performed with the rings.

FIG.1

“We must use clear-sounding rings of solid steel just as the priest of old
used.” . . . Strike the two single rings from your left hand together, Fig. 12.
Now square up all the rings in the right hand and transfer them to
the left. If properly held, they look like a bunch of single rings. Sud-
denly allow the outer ring to drop off tips of fingers. This ring is one of
the two linked together, and it will drop to the bottom of the other ring
in which it is linked. Spin the ring quickly with right hand. This adds
action and dash to your presentation, Fig. 13.... ‘Behold, we have two
rings suddenly linked together.”

Take the two linked rings in right hand and dangle one from the other
to show that they are linked.... “Immediately, you say to me, ‘Do you
mean to say that you can take two perfectly solid rings and actually link them
together?’ Well, the proof is in the sound. Let us try whether they are solid
ornot.” Jingle the two linked rings together in the right hand to bring out
the clear bell-like tone, Fig. 14. . . . ‘You notice that the sound is the same as
the sound of the solid rings you heard before.”
292 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Drop one of the linked rings in right hand so that it will hang sus-
pended from the other ring. Then transfer a bunch of rings from left hand
to right hand, leaving two single rings in the left hand. Jingle these two
rings together to show similarity of sound, Fig. 15.

Y FIG. 16

ie G

© FIG 15

Place bunch of rings back on left hand, leaving the two linked rings
in right hand. Jingle these two rings again to show clear sound, Fig. 16.
Allow ring D to slip over right wrist. Look at bunch of rings in left hand,
and suddenly let ring B drop from the three linked rings in left hand.
Spin ring B with right hand, Fig. 17.... “Let us try it again. Two more
rings link themselves together.’ ‘Transfer the three linked rings—A, B, C—
to right hand. Strike ring B with one of the four single rings from left
hand, Fig. 18.... ‘And they ring true.”
Drop ring C, which falls to bottom of ring B and forms a chain of three
rings, Fig. 19. This routine with three rings is easy if you arrange them
properly in the beginning. Experience will help you in working them.
However, should ring B not be the one to drop down first, do not let it
worry you. A or C can drop first and then B, and you will get equally
satisfactory results.
—> Sy

m
$ Oa)
a + uw
°
re
w
rm)
(é

“Ah, now we have five rings linked together. The linked ones are no diff-
erent in sound from the single ones.’ Hold the rings as in Fig. 20—linked
rings in right hand and four single rings in left. Jingle first one bunch
and then the other.
With left hand grasp bottom of ring C, Fig. 21. Bring ring C upward
 Lesson 54— CHINESE LINKING RINGS 293

so that the three linked rings stretch from left hand down to right. Right
hand holds rings A and D together as though they were linked, Fig. 22.
“A chain of five. You see them—but perhaps a better way to convince
you ts to let you take the rings and thoroughly examine them.” . . . Leave the
stage and come down into the audience. Now bring the right hand up
with ring A on a level with ring C in the left hand. Hold as in Fig. 23.
Bring the hands close together. This brings rings A and C next to
each other. This is preliminary to pulling apart apparently ring A from
ring D, Fig. 24. Say to a spectator at your right: “Please look at these
rings, sir.”

FACING
y AUDIENCE

As spectator starts to take hold of chain of rings, say: ‘‘One moment,

let me separate a couple so that our friend over here may see them also.” .. .
Apparently disconnect ring D from A by giving it a sudden jerk. Then
hold the two linked rings—D, E—in right hand and the three linked rings—
A, B, C—with four single rings in left hand, Fig. 25.
“Two for you—and three for you.” Give D, E to one spectator and
A, B, C to the other. . . . ““Would you like to examine a ring, too, sir?” ...
Give one single ring to another spectator. . . . “And you, sir?” .... Give
another ring out for examination. ... ‘‘And you?”.... Give a third single
ring to spectator... . “And, sir, here is the last one.”
“T want you all to examine every one of the rings carefully before I collect
them. You will find that each ring is as solid as it can be and as strong as it is
possible to make them with steel.”
After allowing a few moments for examination, collect the three
linked rings, squaring them up in right hand—then the two linked rings,
squaring them up with the three in right hand. At this point, stop a
moment and face audience, Fig. 26... . “Last night a young man explained
294 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

this trick to a young lady sitting next to him in the theater. He said, ‘You
watch that magician when he gathers up the rings. He will start for the stage,
and as he turns around, he will exchange the rings in his hand for some others
which he has hanging on his back under his coat.”
As you say this, turn quickly towards stage to illustrate your meaning.
When your back is turned, slip the key ring from your inside coat pocket
on to your right hand with the rest of rings, Fig. 27. Bring all the rings in
your right hand up over your right shoulder, Fig. 28. . . . “Imagine me carry-
ing a bunch of rings on my back.”

2 x

AS
FIG. : FIG.29
27

Turn to face the audience. . . . “J hope you do not accuse me of such

nonsense. Will you please touch one of these rings, sir?”’. . . Hold the rings
in the right hand towards spectator, turning the key ring slightly towards
him. Be careful to cover the opening in the ring with thumb and fingers
of right hand, Fig. 29.
The spectator will, in most cases, touch the ring nearest to him—the
key ring. Regardless of which ring he touches, however, you turn the
bunch of rings in towards your body and take the key ring in your left
hand. Give the bunch of linked rings from right hand to a spectator to
hold... . “Please hold these rings for a moment. This gentleman has selected
aring for me touse. Ifind ita good one.”

Ba of h
FIG. 30 seh es eler FIG. 32
Hold up the ring, with thumb and finger of lefthand covering opening X.
Right hand is in the same position on the other side of the ring. Expose
palms of hands to audience, Fig. 30. Close the left hand over the ring.
To give the effect of revolving the ring to show it solid all around, hold the
ring tightly with left hand and bring the hand upward. As you do this,
close the right hand over the ring, Fig. 31.
 Lesson 54— CHINESE LINKING RINGS 295

Now bring the left hand downward, holding the opening X tightly.
As the ring turns, slide right hand over the ring downward until the hands
are in position shown in Fig. 32. Perform this move about three times.
Practice it well in front of your mirror. Notice how deceptive the move is
in giving the appearance of actually revolving the ring several times.
“Now, tf you who are holding the other rings up the aisle will hold them
in this manner, I will try to make a chain for you, linking the rings together
as you hold them in your hands, right before your eyes.” . . . Show the specta-
tors holding single rings how to grasp them. Demonstrate with your own
ring, grasping it with both hands close together at the bottom, Fig. 33.
Now come forward and ask another spectator to touch your ring at
any point. Hold the ring towards him as shown in Fig. 34. . . . carefully
concealing opening X. “‘Touch this ring anywhere you like, sir.”
TOUCH POINT
WITH FINGER

FIG, 33

The spectator will usually touch the side of the ring nearest to him at
a point between your hands. If he touches the other side of the ring,
merely reverse the ring, bringing this side to the front... . ‘Thanks. Now,
please notice this point. I shall place my finger tip near it to mark it.” ...
Place tip of right index finger at the selected point on the ring. Then place
finger tip near this point, raising it and replacing to accent the point, Fig. 35.

STRIKE
RING

“T will connect each ring right at the point the gentleman has touchea.
Watch!” .. . Walk up to one spectator holding a single ring. Strike your
ring against his at the selected point, Fig. 36. Place your ring against his
again at the selected point. Be careful to conceal opening X in left hand
and tilt left side of ring upward a little, Fig. 37.
“Hold your ring tightly, sir.” . . . Now strike his ring again with your
296 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

ring held at an angle of 45 degrees, slanting down from the left hand, Fig.
38. With your ring at an angle, the blow causes the spectator’s ring to be
forced suddenly to the left near the opening X of your ring, Fig. 39. The
spectator’s ring automatically goes into the opening in your key ring and
comes back to the selected point, linked in your ring. Release the open-
ing from the left hand just enough to permit penetration of the other ring
and then conceal it again in left hand. The illusion is that spectator’s
ring penetrated your ring at the selected point, Fig. 40.

Figs. 41 and 42 give another view of this movement. You are holding
opening X in left hand and indicating the selected point with right index
finger. Your ring is on a slant downward from the left hand. As you
strike the spectator’s ring at the selected point, his ring is pushed suddenly
to the left, slips into opening X, is linked in your ring, and comes back to
the selected point at the tip of right index finger.

This all happens so quickly that the illusion of penetration at the

selected point is perfect. This is a very important move, and, it alone, is
worth many dollars to the magician performing linking rings. Practice
it well until you absolutely master it. You will be well repaid for your
time and effort. Move your ring up and down through the spectator’s
ring to show that they are actually linked, Fig. 43... . ‘The two rings are
linked together at the selected point.”
The moment you have shown the linking of rings, push your left hand
through the spectator’s ring, taking ring away from him on your left wrist.
Pass on quickly to another spectator holding a single ring, Fig. 44... .
“Hold tighlly, sir. Watch the point on my ring.”
 Lesson 54 — CHINESE LINKING RINGS 297

Raise right forefinger again and lower to indicate the selected point.
Strike his ring at the selected point, then raise your ring suddenly, strike
his ring again and link it as you were taught todo. Quickly show the
rings linked and thrust your right hand through his ring. Carry his ring
away on your right wrist, Fig. 45.

FIG. +4

Continue linking the rings on until all four have been taken up. Take
the ring from the third spectator after it is linked by passing your left
hand through his ring. Take the ring from the fourth spectator by passing
your right hand through his ring. Allow the four rings to fall to the bottom
of your key ring, hanging from left hand, Fig. 46... . “Four rings linked
on my ring—each at the point selected by the gentleman.”
Spin the four rings on the key ring. The noise and movement add
action at this point. . . . Stop suddenly as though some spectator had said
something. ... “What! Why, of course, if you can put them on, you can take
them off!”

Y 32

FIG. FIG
4A 49

Quickly bring the four rings up with right hand near opening X con-
cealed in the left hand, Fig. 47A. Slip the rings through opening X with
the aid of the right hand. Then drop them one at a time into the right
hand, Fig. 47B. Instead of dropping the key ring, bring it down to the
right hand suddenly, giving the appearance of dropping it, Fig. 48. Hold
the five rings in the right hand. Take the five linked rings which a specta-
tor is holding. First, take A, B, C and then D, E with the left hand,
Fig. 49.... “TI will take the rings you have, sir.”
Go back to the stage, and while your back is turned, perform the fol-
298 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

lowing moves quickly: Study the diagrams closely. Fig. 50 shows the
order in which you hold the rings to begin with—four single rings in
crotch of right thumb and key ring towards tips of fingers; three linked
rings in crotch of left thumb and two linked rings towards tips of fingers.
Bring your hands together so that the key ring in the right is next to the
outermost ring in the left, Fig. 51.

Rreene 2° K23 (R) MK? 3

FIG, FIG,
52
50 Si

Transfer the key, ring from right hand to left, Fig. 52. Reverse the
position of the rings in the left hand so that the key ring is now in the
crotch of the thumb. You will find this very easy to do by twisting your
wrist and swinging the rings around the opposite way, Fig. 53. Bring
the hands together again and transfer the three linked rings to the right
hand, Fig. 54.

|
RD,
53

x
|FIG.
54

Allow the bunch of rings to slip over the right arm. Slip one of the
two linked rings through the opening X in key ring in the left hand, Fig. 55.
Figure 56 gives you a close-up of what happens. You hold the key ring
in left hand and hold two linked rings between your hands as you link one
of these rings through key ring.
Allow the two linked rings to hang down from the key ring. Turn to
the audience. To the spectators it appears that you merely put all the
other rings over your right arm and are holding the three linked rings you
just took from the spectator, Fig. 57... .‘‘I notice you were trying to pull
these rings apart. You can not take them apart by pulling. If you would
like, however, I will remove one from the chain. Which one? The middle?
Allright.” ... Pretend that you heard someone call out the middle ring.
“In order to do this, the rings must not be jerked apart but must be put
together.” . . . Study carefully how to perform the following moves. Grasp
 Lesson 54— CHINESE LINKING RINGS 299

the middle ring with the right hand, Fig. 58. . . . Bring the center ring up
and pass it through the opening in the key ring. Shift this ring from in
front of the key ring to the rear of it, Fig. 59... . With your right hand
grasp the bottom ring E at its joining with D, Fig. 60.

Na itr
MOVING
aS
K Dy

FIG, 59 FIG 60
FIG. 58 My

Revolve ring E upward so that the bottom of the ring comes up to the
left fingers. Now hold the three rings at the bottom in the right hand,
Fig. 61. With the left hand grasp the key ring, which is now between rings
D and E, Fig. 62. Bring the right hand up, and the left hand down, so
that the rings are in position shown in Fig. 63... . “Then remove the middle
ring this way.”

KEY RING
IN CENTER

FIG.
63

FIG.GI

Pull the middle ring down slowly with the left hand, Fig. 64. Show
this ring separately, then strike it against the two rings in the right hand,
Fig. 65... . “And put the other two together again.” ... Drop one of the rings
in the right hand. It will make a noise as it falls to the bottom of the
other ring in which it is linked. This pretended linking of the two rings is
very effective, Fig. 66.

FIG.
(es 65 FIG.

+7Ne ae
Now place eight of the rings on the table this way: The three linked
300 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

rings—A, B, C—in one pile; the two linked rings—D, E—in another pile;
and three single rmgs—F, G, H—in a third pile, Fig. 67. The two re-
maining rings are the key ring, which you now take in your left hand, and a
single ring, which you take in your right hand. Strike the key ring against
the solid ring. Then allow ring J to slip onto the key ring, Fig. 68.

Slowly move the rings apart. Then suddenly let ring J drop, linked
on ring K, Fig. 69. The two rings are suspended from the left hand.
Spin ring J fast with right hand, Fig. 70... . “You see tt is connected.”
Bring the rings together again so that you can slip J through opening
in K and unlink them. Then slowly move the two rings apart. To the
audience they appear to be linked still, Fig. 71. Bring the rings to posi-
tion shown in Fig. 72 with edges touching as though they were linked.

Fic. 71 NJ FIG.73

ROM
FIG.72

“To remove il, I must find the identical place at which it was connected.”
... Pull the rings apart suddenly .. . “And thus, the rings separate easily.
Let us take two others.”
Drop J onto pile of single rings on the table—F, G, H. Link D onto K
as you did 'J. Grasp ring D with right hand. Palm of hand must face
the audience so that the little finger is above, Fig. 73. Quickly bring D
up beside K, turning the backs of both hands to the audience. This move
so twists the rings that they come into position shown in Fig. 74.
Slip D quickly through opening in K from rear to front, and let it fall
into position shown in Fig. 75. Swing the rings back and forth a little. ...
“Here we have a queer little figure.”
 Lesson 54 — CHINESE LINKING RINGS 301

Pick up E with right hand and lower K a little with left hand, Fig. 76.
Move K down so that it is between D and E, Fig. 77... . “An hour glass.”

Then bring K up to the middle of E, Fig. 78. Hold K with both hands
and let E balance in it, Fig. 79... . ““A gyroscope.” . . . Bring the rings to-
gether and unlink D and E from K. * Place D and E on the table. Pick
up A, B, C, holding them squared up together in the right hand. K is in
the left hand... . “Let us make a longer chain.”

Quickly link ring A into K, Fig. 80. . . . Give the rings a jerk, pulling
them out of the right hand and letting them fall suspended from K in the
left hand. It appears that you took four single rings and suddenly linked
them into a chain, Fig. 81. Put the right hand through the lower ring C
from rear to front, and turn the ring to the left as far as it will go to show
that the rings are firmly linked, Fig. 82.
——
aS
, “Sy .
is
FIG. 83
FIG. 84

FIG. 85

Bring C up parallel with K, Fig. 83. Slip C through the opening in

K, allowing the rings to fall into the formation they take as shown in Fig.
84. Fig. 85 shows another view of this formation, called the Iron Knot.
302 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Grasp C again with the right hand and unlink the chain of rings. Hold
between your hands as in Fig. 86... . “Back to the chain.”
Pick up the bottom ring C again and link it through K. This brings
A and C together with K above and B below, Fig. 87. Grasp A and C
with the right hand and bring them up so that B and K fall together to
the bottom of these rings, Fig. 88. Grasp K and B with the left hand and
raise them, allowing A and C to hang from them, Fig. 89... .‘‘The two rings
linked into two.”

Pull the rings to show that they are securely linked, holding B and K
in the left hand and A and C in the right. Now release B from the left
hand and let it fall to the bottom of A and C. Hold the chain suspended
from the left hand, Fig. 90.

With the right hand reach in between A and C. Grasp the top of
ring B, Fig. 91. Pull B up and out to position shown in Fig. 92. Remove
the right hand. The rings will remain in this posi-
tion. Swing them in the left hand, back and
forth. ...“‘A swing for one.”

Grasp B again with right and turn the forma-

tion horizontally. Hold the rings up in front of your
face, Fig. 93... .‘‘A baseball mask.”

Now bring the rings down. Place B from right

 Lesson 54— CHINESE LINKING RINGS 303

hand in left hand with K. The formation is shown in Fig. 94, and is called
a globe. Turn the hand over, reversing the position of the ring forma-
tion, Fig. 95, calling it arose. With the right hand open the upper part
of formation a little, Fig. 96. Grasp the rings firmly with the left hand
and allow them to open up, Fig. 97, which is the opening of the rose.

AWB FIG. 44
FIG 95 FIG. 96 ;
SIH!

Let the rings fall over hand, Fig. 98... . “A round square.” . . . Bring
the rings back into position shown in Fig. 99... . ““An iron cross.”

7 @
: : icy
100

88 FIG.99 FIG. 101

Swing the rings back to the closed rose formation as in Fig. 100.
Then back to the swing formation, Fig. 101. . . . “And back to the little
swing for one. But the boys and girls seldom like a seat for one. Never
mind.” . .. Grasp the outside ring with the right hand and unlink it from

Flo
103

cs (e

the key ring, Fig. 102. This brings the rings back to the chain formation.
Rings are in this order: K in left hand, then A, B, C, linked init. Chain
is stretched between left and right hands, Figs. 103 and 104.
304 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Twist the rings again by grasping the bottom ring C and turning it to
the right as far as it will go. Then bring C towards K, Fig. 105. Place
C alittle back of K. This causes A and B to swing out towards the audi-
ence and upward a little to make the formation shown in Fig. 106. Swing

ee
this formation as you did the seat for one. . . . “We have a seat for two.”

FIG. 106
FIG 105
Drop C again to form the chain of four rings. Pick up two single rings
with the right hand—H, J. Also with the right hand grasp B on the chain
of rings, Fig. 107A. Link H and J on K, working from the rear to the
front. Take B in left hand with K and let the other rings fall to the
bottom, Fig.107B. Shake the rings. . . . “Two rings holding four.”

K
®)

BIT IK A la
FIG.
107B
B FIG.
AC 108

HJ Cc

Drop ring B from left hand. The rings fall into position shown in Fig.
108... . “Again two more rings.” . . . With the right hand pick up F, G—
two more single rings—from the table. Grasp B again with the right hand
msn __AN
FRo!
‘ "TS ‘ K —
SS NL

FG
LINKED K
a ONTO FIG,

FIG. 10

as you did before. Raise the right hand with the rings up behind K, Fig.
109. Link F, G through K. Grasp B with the left hand, Fig. 110.
Holding the rings suspended from B and K in the left hand, shake the rings
vigorously, Fig. 111... . “Siz rings linked into two.”
 Lesson 54— CHINESE LINKING RINGS 305

Drop B. This gives you the formation shown in Fig. 112. With
the right hand pick up the two linked rings—D, E—and bring them up to
K, Fig. 113. Link one of these rings on K—let us say, D. Raise E up
with the right hand above K. Keep your grasp over opening in K with

K
F

6 4
B FIG
2

the left hand, Fig. 114. Place ring E in your mouth. Separate F, G and
hold on the right side of K with the right hand. Put your left hand
through H, J and grasp K at the opening with the left hand, Fig. 115... .
“A cross of steel.”
t

FIG. 117

a
FIG. 114 TG oe
16 ie
“)
FIG. WB

Hold K up in the left hand, allowing D, E to fall down from the key
ring. The rings now give the formation shown in Fig. 116. Now move
the rings up and down vigorously in the air, and with the help of the right
hand, get all the rings linked onto the key ring, Fig. 117.
Spin the rings with the right hand. Grasp the key ring with the right
hand. With the left hand turn the ring to bring the opening to the bottom
just above the rings linked on K, Fig. 118. Shake the key ring up and
306 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

down, allowing the rings to fall to the floor one at a time, Fig. 119....
“And finally, under the magic spell, they fall one by one to the floor.”
es Finally, drop the key ring down with the others,
=) just as the last solid ring falls. Because of the
x bunch of rings on the floor and attention drawn to
| you, the key ring will not be noticed. As the key
ring falls, raise your hands upward at your sides and
FIG.N9 bow slightly for your finale.
Be sure to pick up the rings immediately or
have your assistant do it, getting the key ring after
the first few solid rings. In linking and unlinking
rings, be careful to keep the movement well covered
~ with the left fingers so that the opening is never ex-
posed to the audience. You have a fine routine here
with therings. Practice faithfully until you get every
move as nearly perfect as possible. Then study
showmanship and put so much into your work that
you will bring the house down with applause when
you perform the Chinese Linking Rings.

WEBER’S EMERGENCY ROUTINE

This is the ring routine used by Herman L. Weber, author of “The
Lincoln Rings.”’ This routine is simple and is very useful in an emer-
gency since no key ring is used. ‘This is just the thing to work on the fellow
who gives you two solid rings to link or a couple of linked rings to pull
apart. Weber has specialized in ring effects for years and his routine for
emergency work is truly welcomed.
EFFECT:
The performer shows four single rings, then taking two in one hand and
two in the other, links them together—two within the other two. Sud-
denly he pulls them apart again. He links two of the rings, one inside of
the other, and places the two single rings over the top of a chair. The
two linked rings in his hand are pulled apart, and when the two single rings
are picked up from chair, they are found to be linked together. The rings
are then passed out for examination.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two single linking rings.
2—Two rings linked together.
To Prerrorm:
Let A and B represent the two single rings and C and D, the two
 Lesson 54— CHINESE LINKING RINGS 307

linked rings. Pick up A, B, C, D together and hold the four rings in the
right hand, Fig. 120. Start counting the rings with the left hand, grasping
each ring and swinging it back to the right wrist or forearm, Fig. 121.
When you have finished counting, the rings are held in the right hand as
shown in Fig. 122.

CYas
C
v FIG.
(22
=~

iS
V

Take the single rings A and B in the right hand, and the linked rings
C and D in the left hand, Fig. 123. Slap AB in front of CD and then in
back of CD, Fig. 124. Now push the right thumb between A and B and
bring the separated rings towards CD, Fig. 125. Push the rings CD be-

poy . CIC)
po cD 8 g

FIG. 123
FIG 125

FIG.
pS. So 124
22
=
SLAP RINGS
TOGETHER

tween AB, Fig. 126. Grasp the rear ring B in the left hand together with
CD. Three rings are now held by the left hand and one by the right.
Keep the rings close together, Fig. 127.
co Ae
aN Se a
A
i
.= rs y FIG.128 G
— ae
8 /,
Ne >
u 4 FIG.130
FIG.127 ay Vs
ri FIG. 129
Grasp the outer ring C in the right hand with A. Then release C from
the left hand and pull C and A away together with the right hand, leaving
B and D in the left hand, Figs. 128, 129 and 130.
308 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

The routine from Figs. 125 to 129 should all be done as one continu-
ous movement. The rings should then be pulled smartly apart resulting
in the effect that all four rings have been linked together. Be sure to hold
AC firmly with right hand and BD close together with the left.
Reverse the movements, going from position shown in Figs. 129 to 126.
Then separate the rings with a graceful easy motion as though dissolving
the rings through each other. Hold the rings as in Fig. 123 and immedi-
ately drop CD on the left arm, Fig. 131. Throw A and B from right hand,
one at a time, onto the left arm. For showmanship, hold both hands
obliquely upward here and make a momentary gesture, Fig. 132.

Allow the rings to slide from the left arm to the left hand, Fig. 133.
Swing the left hand towards the right and grasp the opposite side of the
rings with the right hand. Single rings A and B are now to rear and backs
of hands are towards the audience, Fig. 134. Transfer the rings to the
right hand. The rings are now held as shown in Fig. 135. CD are towards
the palm of the hand and AB are towards the tips of fingers.

FIG
% [36

Now throw A and B together onto the left arm as you did with C and
D before. Hold CD in the right hand in position shown in Fig. 120.
With the left fingers draw C away from D to spread the rings open, Fig.
136. Open the rings straight out, still keeping the right hand over the
joining of the two rings, Fig. 137. With the right hand acting as a hinge,
pivot D over in front of C and grasp the opposite side of both rings with
the left hand, Fig. 138.
Now grasp the rings firmly in the left hand, and with the right hand
open C out towards the right. This time the left hand acts as the hinge
 Lesson 54 — CHINESE LINKING RINGS 309

and covers the joining of the two rings, Fig. 139: With the left hand,
pivot D over in front of C and take the rings with the right hand, and hold
as shown in Fig. 140. Release one ring from right hand with a sharp mo-
tion downward and backward, throwing one ring into the other with a clang.
Spin the lower ring with the left hand, Fig. 141.
Fido.
° 137 Fic. Cc O
138
ae
—= — ce
= — aN fe
=)
RIGHT HAND ACTS
AS RINGE ANO ; Fic lo
CONCEALS JOINT

Pass CD out for examination. When they are returned, take them
in your right hand, slipping the little finger between the rings, and the rest
of your hand on the edge of the top ring. While calling attention to CD,
slip AB down to the left fingers, Fig. 142. Hold the single rings A and B

in the left as shown in Fig. 143. Fingers are towards yourself, back of
hand to the audience. Secretly insert two middle fingers between the
rings, leaving the index and little fingers to hold ring nearest you, Fig. 144.

Draw the forefinger out from under both rings, causing one ring to
fall downward a little and hang suspended from the little finger. Insert
the forefinger again under the edge of the upper ring. These rings are now
held in position similar to those in the right hand, Fig. 145. Turn your
body to the left, bringing the right side to the audience. Allow CD in
310 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

the right hand to come together as AB spread apart in the left hand. This
takes place while you are turning to the left, and the rings are close together
in front of your body, Fig. 146.

FIG

bo NS.
E> FIG. 147
é a \ :

To the audience it appears that you have changed the rings from one
hand to another, transferring the single rings to the right hand and the
linked rings to the left. Drop rings CD onto a chair. These are the
linked rings from the right hand, but the audience believes them to be the
single rings. They look like single rings as they hang on the chair, Figs.
147 and 148. Grasp AB with right hand, placing the little finger under the
lower edge of A and the rest of the fingers around the side edges of A and
B, Fig. 149.

I;
FIG,

Bring the hands and rings to a horizontal position. Fig. 150 is a view
from above, showing positions of hands. Fingers of left hand are upward,
and the back of the right hand is upward. B is released from the little
finger of the left hand so that the left hand grasps only the outer edge of
A, Fig. 150.

2 \
ee
(5
—|

150
ARROW Ae
POINT WHHe Re
B CLICKS AGAINST A

Release A from the right hand and hold only Bin it. Pivot B around
a little on A until the hands are holding the rings by the outside edges as
shown in Fig. 151. Hold the rings in a vertical position again. B isin
 Lesson 54— CHINESE LINKING RINGS 311

front, and A towards yourself. In this position, the rings seem to be linked
together and the following motions convince audience that they are linked.
With the rings pressed together, push B towards left hand and then
bring it back to position shown in Fig. 151. As you do this, raise the
lower edge of B and then strike it smartly against the lower edge of A.
Lift the lower edge of B about two inches. The illustration shows the
edge of B lifted higher, but it is just to make it clearer to you how you do
thismove. The arrow indicates the point where B strikes A, Fig. 152.

FIG
A 152

WSS

Repeat this once or twice. Then with a circular motion, draw the
rings apart and hand them out for examination, asking the spectators to
see whether they can put them together again. Pick up the rings from
the chair as though they were single rings. Go back to Fig. 136 and per-
form moves from that point through Fig. 141. Then pass the linked rings
out to the audience, asking the spectators to see whether they can get the
rings apart.

JACK MILLER’S SPINNING RINGS

This spinning of one ring within the other is very puzzling and con-
vincing. Jack Miller has heightened his linking routine with it for years.
EFFECT:
The performer shows two separate rings and links them together.
He spins one ring around the bottom of the other, and then exchanges
rings and spins the other ring in a like manner.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A key ring.
2—An unprepared ring.
To PERFoRM:
Key ring, K, is held in the left hand, fingers and thumb covering the
slot. The unprepared ring, A, is held in the right hand. Show them
separate and link the two together in true linking ring style. Allow A to
drop down, released from the right hand. Transfer the key ring, K, to
the right hand, the hand covering the slot. Pick up A with the left hand,
312 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

and hold the key ring, K, with the right hand as in Fig. 1. Note that the
thumb and first two fingers hold the ring just above the slot.
Spin the key ring towards you rather rapidly and you will find that the
slot will jump over the other ring and come again into the same position in
your hand, Fig. 2. This requires practice but you will soon get the knack.

You can also spin the key ring so you catch it on the second time
around. Should, by any accident, the key ring fly off the other ring, do
not worry as such a separation of the rings is very pretty.
Now drop A down on the key ring and hold the latter in the left hand,
fingers covering the slot. Spin A around the key ring with speed so there
is no doubt in the spectators’ minds but what both rings are solid.

TOMMY DOWD’S “ODIN” RING COUNT

In Odin’s Ring Routine, commonly known to linking ring manipula-
tors, there is a move in which a key ring, a
single ring and two rings linked together are
casually counted off as four separate rings.
Tommy Dowd worked out some practical finger
manipulation for this count that I advise the
magician doing linking rings to master.
The four rings are first held in the right
hand as in Fig. 1. Note that the key ring lies
on all four of the fingers, while the other three
rings, A, B and C, respectively, have the first
three fingers underneath and the little finger
on top. A is a single ring; B and C are the
two linked together.
 Lesson 54 — CHINESE LINKING RINGS 313

Bring the rings up to the left hand and slide A over to the left fingers
so that the left index is on top of the ring and the other three fingers rest
underneath, Fig. 2. Another view of the rings is given in Fig. 3, the index

finger being curled back, and the right hand with the three rings having
been brought back to its original position as you say, “One!”
LITTLE FINGER
ON TOP oF B+C
TAKES A

FIRST FINGER \ X\
TAKES B+C 4 \
cS << 4 a
FlG.6 ZY of

Bring the three rings up again, and as you do so, the pressure of the
right thumb and little finger bring B and C up and out to the front, far
enough away from the key ring, Fig. 4, so that the left index comes under
the two rings, Fig. 5.
314 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

At practically the same time the little finger of the right hand, which
is on top of B and C, comes under A, Fig. 6. The left hand pulls out the
two rings, B and C, from the front and upward, Fig. 7, while the right
hand takes back ring A, the three fingers of the left hand easily releasing it.
You count, “‘Two!”’

Properly performed, it appears to the audience just as though you

counted one more ring onto the one held in the left hand. They can not
see the move whereby you got the linked rings B and C over together while
you slipped A back into the right hand under cover of the linked rings.
They think you hold A and B in the left hand when in reality you hold B
and C. :
With rings in hand, practice this move many times until it becomes
natural and without thinking. This is the important move of the count.
The rest of the counting is easy as you merely place ring A with B and C,
saying, ‘‘Three!’’. . Then finally place the key ring with the others, bemg
careful not to expose the opening. . . “Four!”

TOMMY DOWD’S SPINNING RING FLOURISH

Here is a pretty flourish for unlinking two rings. It gives an added

touch to your ring routine where you have a key ring and a single ring
linked together and you want to separate them.

To Perrorm:
Hold the key ring in the left hand with the opening under the thumb,
Fig. 1. The single ring A hangs from the bottom of the key ring K.
Grasp the single ring A in the right hand and bring the upper part tight
against the key ring, Fig. 2. Bring the single ring towards you, and with

OPENING

KEY
RING

a sharp downward thrust of the right hand, spin ring A and release the
right hand from the ring. The result is that A spins and travels around the
key ring, Fig. 3.
 Lesson 54 — CHINESE LINKING RINGS 315

The left thumb allows free play to the key ring opening so that when
A comes to the top of the key ring it is grasped by the right hand again,
Fig. 4, and A easily slips free through the key opening, and is brought
down and back of the key ring, Fig. 5.

RING
SLIPS THRU
OPENING FIG.4 FIG 5

Practice this many times before you perform it in public. Watch the
action in a mirror and you will appreciate how effective itis. It is a beauti-
ful thing in Tommy Dowd’s hands.
Lesson 55
MAGIC WITH RIBBON
fe — RR
Pe EOE

|Pee INTERESTING experiments in which a piece of ribbon plays a promi-

nent part. Because of the colorful effect of ribbon, it enhances the
value of these experiments.

THE CUT AND RESTORED RIBBON

EFFECT:
A bright red ribbon is shown by performer and an end is given to each
of two spectators to hold. Showing his hands empty, the magician gathers
up the middle of the ribbon and cuts it in half, then twice again for good
luck. The pieces fall to the floor. Or, if desired, the ends of the ribbon
may be burned. Yet in a moment, the ribbon is completely restored.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A Thumb Tip.
2—A piece of bright red ribbon, about six or seven feet long and one-
half to an inch wide.
3—An extra piece of similar ribbon, about nine inches long.
4—A pair of scissors.
5—A small fan.

To PREPARE:
Take the nine-inch length of ribbon and fold it over to make a loop with
the two ends meeting. Glue the two ends into the Thumb Tip at the under
side. Or, if you desire, make two small holes near the under edge of the
Thumb Tip. Sew the ribbon to the Tip through these holes, Fig. 1.
Fold ribbon into the Tip so that end of loop comes on top, Fig. 2.
When you place your thumb in the Tip, it goes on top of the ribbon;
and when you draw your thumb out, the loop of ribbon is easily pulled out
with it, Fig. 3.
Place scissors in upper left coat pocket and the fan in a convenient
right hand pocket.
317
318 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Place Thumb Tip on right thumb as in Fig. 3, and have long piece of
ribbon in right hand.

FIG.

To PERFORM: ~
Ask two spectators to come up from the audience to assist you. Have
one stand on your right and the other on your left.
“Tt is said that Confucius, the great Chinese philosopher and teacher, once
wanted to teach some of his students a certain philosophy. He thought the best
way to do it was to give them something which they could actually see. So he
took a piece of ribbon and asked two students to hold an end each.”
Give each of spectators assisting you an end of ribbon. You stand
behind ribbon and at the middle of it, Fig. 4.
“*The way to true friendships,’ said Confucius, ‘is the straight, bright
line of understanding.’ He went on to say that it too often happens that another
mind steps in and tries to destroy friendship.”
Show your hands empty. Then pick up ribbon at the middle with
thumb and index finger of right hand, Fig. 5.
“This disturbing element takes the line of understanding at the middle
and holds it in his left hand ready to make ‘trouble’.”
Place ribbon against palm of left hand, Fig. 6.

ne a FR. Bay
2

Fig. 7

Curl left fingers over ribbon. Remove right forefinger from ribbon,
then grasp Thumb Tip on right thumb securely in left palm, Fig. 7.
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 319

Withdraw right thumb from Tip, pulling with it the loop of ribbon at-
tached inside. The effect to the audience is that you have pulled the middle
of the long ribbon up through your left palm and out between your thumb
and forefinger to form a loop. In reality the middle of the long ribbon is
grasped in the lower part of your left hand. The Thumb Tip is in the palm
with the loop of ribbon extending out above your hand, Fig. 8. Reach into
upper left coat pocket. and take out scissors. “Then with the scissors of
dissension, he tries to cut off understanding at the middle.”
Cut a piece from the loop of ribbon and let it fall to the floor. Then
cut the ribbon twice again, letting these pieces fall to the floor, Fig. 9.

FIG,9

FIG. 8

“To make sure his work is well done, you see, he keeps cutting into under-
standing, inch by inch. Then he looks at the two severed ends and smiles and
tucks them into his left hand of evil-doing.”
Tuck ends into Thumb Tip with right thumb until they are allin. Of
course, to the audience it appears that you are tucking the ribbon into
palm of left hand. Insert thumb into Tip and carry Tip away on right
thumb. Show right hand empty by waving it around a little, holding end
of Tip toward audience, as you have been taught. Keep your grip on long
ribbon in left hand, Fig. 10.
“Then he takes the fan of hate and confusion and tries to fan in many wild
exaggerated tales and suspicions.”
Reach into coat pocket with right hand. Leave Tip in pocket, and re-
move fan. Openitout. Fan left hand a little.
“But the force that rules the universe is peculiar. The very fanning which
is supposed to pull friends apart often acts as a bond to cement friendships to-
gether. And where true friendship exists, all the cutting in the world, or the
fanning of misunderstanding, will not destroy the true, straight line of under-
standing built between the two friends.” Release ribbon from left hand and
let it fal stretched out again between the two spectators.
“There is much happiness in the wisdom of understanding. And Con-
fucius without confusion made his philosophy clear to his students.”
320 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

A CARD ON RIBBON MYSTERY

EFFECT:
Performer asks a spectator to select card from a deck. He then picks
up an envelope and a piece of ribbon. Showing the envelope empty, he
makes a hole in the center of it with his knife. Through this hole, the rib-
bon is threaded. The selected card is then dropped into the envelope which
is sealed. Magician then states that he will cause the ribbon mysteriously
to penetrate the selected card. Envelope is torn open and card removed.
Lo and behold, the ribbon is running right through the center of the card!

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A double manila envelope, as described in Volume 1. Envelope
must be opaque so articles inside cannot be seen through paper.
2---A piece of bright-colored ribbon, three feet long and one-half inch
wide.
3—A deck of cards.
4—An extra card—let us say, the Six of Spades.
5—A pocket knife.

To PREPARE:
Take the extra Six of Spades. Place it in the rear compartment of the
double envelope. (We call the two compartments front and rear as they are
when you hold the envelope with the flap open and the back toward you.
Fig.) Lhe rear compartment is really toward the front
of the envelope.) Have face of card toward inner
partition. Seal the two flaps together, Fig. 11.

Remove the Six of Spades from the deck of

cards and place it on “top” of the deck.
Ui Have the prepared envelope, ribbon and deck
IN REAR COMPARTMENT of cards on table.

To PERFORM:
Have spectator come up from the audience to help you.
“Science has recently shown that objecls supposedly solid are nol really so.
These solids are reully composed of small particles with spaces between. Of
course, these spaces cannol be seen. For this reason, a radio wave passes through
seemingly impenetrable objects. In magic we have used these laws of solid
through solid for many years. A rather odd example of the working of this law
came to my altention in conneclion with a playing card and a ribbon.”
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 321

Pick up the deck of cards. Make the regular pass, bringing the Six of
Spades from the “top” to the center of the deck. Make the jog above this
card in readiness for forcing on your assistant.
“Any card will answer the purpose. Select one, if you please.... What
card did you select, sir? The Siz of Spades.”
Place the deck on the table. Pick up envelope andribbon. Open en-
velope and show it empty.
“Please look in the envelope, sir. You will find it as empty as my pocket.
Now to begin with, in our experiment, it is necessary to have a hole through the
envelope.”
Take the pocket knife and push the large blade right through the
centerof the envelope and through the card sealed into the fake compart-
ment, Fig. 12.
“Then we must run this ribbon through the envelope.”
With the aid of your knife, push one end of ribbon through the enve-
lope. Draw the ribbon through until half hangs down on each side of
envelope, Fig. 13.
“When we open the envelope, you can see the ribbon running right through
both sides.”
Open the envelope wide so that all can see the ribbon penetrating both
sides, Fig. 14.

[s WS
: |
FIG.I2

“Just an envelope, you see, with a ribbon running through it. Now, sir,
if you will let me have the card you selected, I shall place it inside the empty
envelope.”
Take the card from assistant. Hold envelope

and card so that all can see them plainly. Place

|ae the card inside of the envelope as shown in the

FIG-I5 illustration, Fig. 15.

322 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

As soon as you get the card into position shown in Fig. 15, turn the
envelope with open flap towards you. Push the card down into the envelope
in a vertical position at the right end. This brings the card away from
ribbon in the center of envelope. Audience, of course, thinks you merely
continued to push card down in the horizontal position as they saw it.
Moisten flap and seal. Then turn the envelope with the flap side towards
audience again, Fig. 16.
‘You observe that the card has been placed down on the ribbon. This pre-
vents the ribbon from being easily pulled through the envelope.”
Pretend to pull on the ribbon to show that it does not move easily.
“In fact, the ribbon is held so tightly that it doesn’t want to move at all.
However, if I pull hard enough, a peculiar thing happens. The ribbon is pulled
up into the card, and instead of passing under the card, will pass right through
it. Let us try again.”
Pretend to pull the ribbon again and to have difficulty in making it
move. Then really pull it and show the audience that it does move now.
Pull it back and forth a few times.
“Now, it slides easily.”
Tear open the envelope at the end opposite to where the selected card
is, Fig. 17.
“‘We open the envelope and reach inside.”
Insert your right fingers into the envelope, spreading apart the com-
partment containing the card you originally placed there. The ribbon, of
course, is running through it. Be careful to push the middle partition flat
against the flap side of the envelope with the spectator’s selected card con-
cealed between them, Fig. 18.

FIG.17 Pr
1G

Show the inside of envelope to assistant. Then hold the opening

towards audience. Show right hand empty, reach into envelope with it
and grasp card. Pull the card down gradually so that all can see the ribbon
actually through it and through both sides of envelope, Fig. 19.
“Tf you observe closely, you will see that the ribbon has penetrated the center
of the card you selected, sir.”
Pull card and ribbon free of envelope and show both sides, Fig. 20.
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 323

“Proving thereby that things are not always what they seem, and that solid
objects can be passed through other solids.”

To the assisting spectator:

“You perhaps would like to possess this card and ribbon in commemoration
of our little téte-a-téte. However, be careful not to explain how we accomplished
this experiment.”
Note: To facilitate getting the ribbon through the envelope, you
may thread ribbon on a large bodkin and push it through prepared envelope
and card that way. When the ribbon is through, slip the bodkin off.

THE DOLLAR BILL ON THE RIBBON

EFFECT:
Performer borrows a dollar bill and has its owner copy the number on
bill for future identification. Showing an envelope empty he cuts a hole
through the center with a pocket knife and threads a ribbon through the
envelope. The borrowed bill is placed in envelope on top of the ribbon.
When the bill is withdrawn it is found threaded upon the ribbon. Both
bill and ribbon are given to the owner who identifies the bill as the one he
originally lent the performer.
PARAPHERNALIA: Roce pecsdeqysit| A
1—A double opaque manila envelope, 914 X aN
4 inches, similar to one used in the Card
on Ribbon Mystery. But the flap is
sealed’ shut and a quarter of an inch is torn off of one end. See
illustration. This gives two compartments A or B, depending on
which side the middle partition is moved.
2—A bright colored ribbon three feet long and one-half inch wide.
3—A pocket knife to cut slit in envelope.
4—A dollar bill.
5—A borrowed dollar bill.
324 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

To PREPARE:
Take a dollar bill, fold it in half and place it in compartment B of
double envelope, as shown. The bill should be only fairly worn and as
near a duplicate of borrowed bill as possible. Green side of bill should be
folded inside so that the numbers show on the outside.
In the other compartment A, place a letter or papers of some kind.
Place envelope in inside coat pocket with other letters.
You might even fix envelope so it looks just like a regular letter you
have received in the mail.
To PERFORM:
Remove double envelope from pocket and take out the contents of
compartment A. This is done to give the impression that you are using
something unprepared.
“A friend who had returned from Africa said, ‘I saw a Witch Doctor do
something that has had me puzzled ever since. He took a piece of wood and
pushed another piece of wood through it, and yet both pieces of wood, were
solid.’ This set me to thinking. I haven’t two pieces of wood but I can use
other objects—for instance, a dollar bill. Will someone please lend me a dollar
bill}”’
Borrow bill, but be sure it is not too new or too old. You can always
say that you want a bill of a certain texture.

“To identify your bill remember the number on it. Write it down care-
fully so there will be no mistake. You can even mark the bill if you care to,
but, as you know, no two bills have the same number.”

Take the bill and fold in half so that the green side is innermost. Pick
up envelope with left hand and put the right index finger into opening of
compartment A, pushing partition against B. Show the envelope empty
by holding the opening towards audience.
“This envelope will answer the purpose.”’
Place bill into compartment A in the same position as duplicate bill
in compartment B. As soon as bill is halfway down in the envelope, push
the partition over against it and bring out the duplicate bill from B. The
effect is that you just put the borrowed bill in the envelope and took it out
again.
“Yes, this envelope is big enough.”
Put the duplicate bill on table for a moment, or in upper breast pocket
of coat, so it sticks out and is always visible. Pick up ribbon and show it.
Take the pocket knife and cut a three-quarters of an inch slit through
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 325

the center of envelope. The knife also passes through the concealed bor-
rowed bill, as shown in the illustration.

“T asked a man if he could push this ribbon through an envelope and he

said, ‘Certainly.’ So he cut a hole in the envelope and just threaded the ribbon
through it.”
Thread the ribbon through the opening by using pressure of pocket
knife against end of ribbon. Pull the ribbon through so that half of ribbon
is on each side of envelope. Put knife aside.
“There was no doubi but what the ribbon went through the envelope.”
Show the ribbon running through both sides and the inside of envelope
by opening compartment B and pressing edges of envelope together a bit to
enlarge the opening. Show freely to the audience. They can see that the
envelope is empty and that the ribbon passes through.
“But what Imeant was, to pass a ribbon through the envelope magically
without cutting an opening in the envelope.”
Pick up the dollar bill and place it in compartment B. Bill is pushed
down as far as ribbon. Envelope is large enough to conceal bill from view.
“Some people say, ‘It is impossible to pass one solid object through another
solid object,’ but remember you are attending a magic show and nothing is im-
possible in the land of magic. Watch!”
Tap envelope three times with right hand. Reach into compartment
A and remove borrowed bill threaded on the ribbon. See illustration.
“And you will find that the gentleman’s bill is threaded upon the ribbon.”
Pull bill and ribbon clear of envelope. As you do this squeeze envelope
with left hand enough to cause opening of compartment A to be wide open so
that the spectators can see in the envelope. Lay envelope aside or place in
inside coat pocket.
Hold ribbon by ends so that the bill dangles down at the center.
“Look, sir, see that the ribbon is really threaded through the bill, and now
check up the numbers to see whether it is really your bill. The number on this
bill is ——————.._ Read the number you wrote down.”
Spectator reads aloud the number he has copied.
326 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“Tt is the same bill. Wear this around your neck in memory of the occa-
sion.” Give bill and ribbon to the gentleman.
Nore: If you are working at very close quarters so that the numbers
on duplicate bill might be seen to be different than on the borrowed bill,
you can fold bills so that the green side is on the outside and the numbers
are on the inside.
The one thing you must remember in performing magic is the condi-
tions under which you are working. You must adapt your method of work-
ing to the situation at hand.

THE GHOSTLY RIBBON

A mysterious cut. This excellent experiment with a ribbon and an

envelope is an effect worked out by Douglas Dexter of London.
EFFECT:
Performer picks up a long envelope from which he removes a Chinese
fan and throws it aside. He then cuts off the bottom end of the envelope
with a pair of scissors. Now taking up a long piece of heavy silk ribbon, he
pulls it all the way through the length of the envelope, leaving the ends
hanging out. His next move is to cut the envelope in half, right across the
middle. Much to everyone’s surprise, however, when he pulls the two
sections of the envelope apart, it is plainly seen that the ribbon is still
whole.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A bright-colored length of ribbon—about 30 inches long X 2 inches
wide.
2—A long manila envelope, about 214 or 3 inches wide and 9 inches to a
foot long.
If you cannot obtain envelopes like this at a stationery store,
you will find it easy to make them from manila wrapping paper.
Cut a strip of paper about 61% inches wide by 15 inches long. Lap
over the two long edges of the paper about one-half inch and fold
paper so that this comes in the middle of one side.
Paste these two edges well together. At both ends cut off the
seamed side of the envelope about two inches, leaving the other
side for flaps. Fold up one of these flaps and paste to envelope.
Fold over other end but do not seal this flap.
3—A pair of long-bladed scissors.
4—A small Chinese fan.
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 327

To PREPARE:
Take the envelope and just through the front only, cut a slit across
the middle. This leaves the back of the envelope whole. At each end of
the slit cut away a tiny triangle of the paper. This is done to make it easy
to insert the point of the scissors and make the cut across the envelope
complete in one movement, when you come to that part of the trick. Be
careful that these little cut triangles do not show from the back of the
envelope, Fig. 21.
AS AUDIENCE SEES rr

\ FIG.
23

Insert a small Chinese fan in the envelope to keep it extended and so

facilitate the working of the experiment.
Place the envelope with fan in it, on table, prepared side of envelope
down. Have ribbon and scissors handy.
To Prerrorm:
Pick up envelope with fan. Keep prepared side concealed in hand.
“In life's many illusions, things are not always what they seem. Things
have both a material self and a spirit or ghostly self. When we deal with the
latter, we find some interesting phenomena. This brings us to an odd mystery—
that of the Ghostly Ribbon.”
Open the envelope, remove fan and place it aside. Be sure to keep
prepared side of envelope away from audience. Pick up scissors and cut
off the sealed bottom end of the envelope.
“This is really a mystery of Old England, involving an envelope with the
bottom cut off. The reason for this is to make a tube of the envelope through
which a ribbon can be freely passed.”
Press the edges of envelope a little to make it bulge. Pick up the
ribbon and insert one end in the top of envelope. Let the ribbon slide down
through the whole length of envelope and out the bottom end. Have the
ends of the ribbon of equal length as they extend from the envelope, Fig. 22.
Take the envelope in left hand as shown in Fig. 23. Flap end of en-
velope is towards your right hand. Prepared side is towards you and away
from audience. This figure shows how the audience sees the envelope.
Insert your scissors ready to cut.
328 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Fig. 24 shows the actual operation of the cutting. This view is toward
yourself. Insert one point of the scissors into the bottom of the slit in the
envelope. Pass the scissors up and under the ribbon and out through the
top end of the slit. You can readily see that when you cut, the ribbon will
be unharmed.
‘Now we take this pair of sharp scissors, and with it we cut. There is a
peculiar thing about this Ghostly Ribbon, however, it is like ghostly vapor.”
Cut the envelope in half with scissors. One clean cut should be suffi-
cient to separate it into two sections. Withdraw the scissors.
“Unlike the envelope, it will not stay cut, but immediately and invisibly
merges into the whole ribbon again.”
©

WHAT REALLY
HAPPENS

Separate the two sections of envelope and show that the ribbon is still
intact. Pull the ribbon free from the pieces of envelope and show it again,
Fig. 25.
“To quote Old Mother Hubbard, ‘There are more things in heaven and
earth than we have dreamed of in our philosophy.’”’
Norte: An experiment like this permits of good patter. You may use
an old faded ribbon which looks Oriental and build a story around it about
ancient times. You might say it was brought. to you from an old castle in
Persia by a ghost who inhabited it at one lime. Or use any original ideas
for patter which occur to you.

A SPIRIT COMMUNICATION

In Volume 1, Lesson 9, I taught you The Mystery of the Traveling

Numbers. In this lesson I give you an interesting variation of that effect,
combining it with the use of ribbon.
EFFECT:
Two pieces of cardboard are shown to be blank on both sides. A spec-
tator is requested to identify each of the four sides of the cardboards by
numbering them 1, 2,3 and 4, respectively. These cards are then wrapped
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 329

with ribbon and given to a spectator to hold. Magician now asks several
spectators to write numbers of three digits, one under the other, on a small
pad of paper. Another member of the audience adds these numbers.
Magician then opens up the package of cards, and inside on one of the card-
boards, the sum of the numbers has been mysteriously written.
PARAPHERNALIA: }
1—Two pieces of heavy white cardboard, about 414 X 7 inches.
2—A yard of light-colored ribbon, such as light blue or pink, about
five-eighths of an inch wide.
3—A small pad of paper. A pencil.
To PREPARE:
The Cards:
Take one of the pieces of cardboard and write in the center of it the

ss she nents 1.
Beto). / == 8 aT
Me RIBBonw Covers
NUMBERS
FG. 27 FIG. 28

numbers—2285. Make each number one-half inch high. Write them with
crayon or ink, Fig. 26.
Place the card A with numbers on it on top of blank card B, and square
up so they are even all around, Fig. 27.
Take the ribbon and cover the number on the top cardboard with it.
Allow about 11 inches of the ribbon to extend beyond the cardboard at the
right side and the rest to hang down over cardboard on left side, Fig. 28.

LONG EnD

j FG. 7A

TEND FIG 29 2

$worT
eno ———> FiIG.28B

Now turn the cards over and bring the ends of ribbon together at
the center. Bring left ribbon under right and up around the cards back to
the center again, Figs. 28A and 28B.
330 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Tie a bow in the center with the two ends of the ribbon. This knot is,
of course, on card B, Fig. 29. The audience sees two blank cards tied with
a piece of ribbon and suspects nothing unusual about them.
The Pad:
On one side of pad write in pencil the following numbers under each
other, in the same way that you did in preparing the card in Lesson 9:
623
864
321
283
194.
See Fig. 35. The sum of these numbers is 2285, the same number that
you wrote on Card A. Have prepared cardboards on table nearby, or in
your suitcase, and have pad, numbered side down, on table, in your pocket,
or grip.
To PEeRForM:
Come forward with the package of cardboards. It is well to have a
spectator come up to assist you.
“There are some things in Magic which are as mysterious to me as they are
to my audiences from the standpoint of scientific analysis. And this is one.
There was an Old English merchant once who used to keep track of his financial
department in an odd way. In a most mysterious manner he could tell just
how his business was prospering day by day, even when he was away on a long
Journey. This was his method. He used to carry with him two pieces of card-
board tied up with baby blue (or pink) ribbon with a pretty bow on them, such
as I have here.”
To assistant, handing him pencil:
“Please take this pencil. And now I want you to know that these pieces of
cardboard are really just pieces of cardboard with a side on each side. JI shall
ask you to mark all four sides, one at a time. Mark this one here in the lower
right hand corner with the number 1.”
Hold cards in front of assistant as shown in Fig. 30 and have him mark
Number 1 in the lower right hand corner of this card—the one with the num-
bers concealed under the ribbon.
“T shall turn the cards over and have you mark this side number 2.”
Turn the cards over so that bow of ribbon is on top, and have assist-
ant mark the number 2 in the lower right hand corner, Fig. 31.
“That's two sides.”
Unfasten the ribbon and remove. Audience sees all of this card B, and
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 331

it is blank. Take upper card B and place it under card A with the number
2 still facing upward. This brings the numbered side of card A, which was
marked number 1, between the two cards.
“Now mark the number 3 on this side in a similar manner.”
Spectator marks top card number 3. Square up the cards and turn
both over together so that assistant may mark fourth side, Figs. 32 and 33.

FIG.32

Fic
SS 6 30 Fic 31
<7. Fie
ory 33

“And finally, mark this remaining side with the figure 4. Now you have
plainly marked all four of the sides, sir.”
Move the upper card to the right about an inch and a half to show the
numbers 4 and 1 to audience. Then turn cards over and show the numbers
3and 2. Square up the cards again.
“T shall again tie up the cards with the ribbon, and
then ask you, sir, to act as guardian over them.”
Tie the ribbon around the cards again, mak- SupaeD
ing a bow on the side marked 4, Fig. 34. Give
cards to assistant.
Take the prepared pad and hold numbered side
against palm of left hand. Hold pencil in right,
Bignso. ©
“On this small pad of paper I want several people to write numbers of three
digits, such as 689 or 405—any number you choose. Write your numbers
under each other so that we can add them later. I shall ask five people to write
any numbers that come into their heads so that you may be convinced that the
numbers are absolutely of free choice by the spectators. Will you, sir, write
your number of three digits?”
Hold pad in palm of your left hand while assistant writes his number.
Go to four more people and have them each write a three-digit number.
In some cases you may hand pad to spectator as he writes number, but
be sure he holds numbered side down on knee or hand. A good magician uses
332 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

judgment. If he sees any movement to turn pad, he quickly puts his thumb
on top and fingers under it, apparently to steady it.
Take the pad after five spectators have written numbers and go some
distance away to a spectator who does not know what numbers have been
written. Have pad in left hand and drop it to side.
“Who in this assembly is a good mathematician for adding purposes?”
As you say this, turn the pad over so that the faked numbers are upper-
most and spectators’ numbers are against palm of left hand. This is very
easy to do without being noticed. Tear off upper sheet with faked numbers.-
‘Ah, here is a person who looks like a likely mathematical expert. Would
you mind just adding these numbers together?”
Draw a line under the figures. Give pencil and this sheet of paper to
spectator. Place pad in pocket.
“Just take care that the total is correct, as it is a matter of. grave respon-
sibility.” Say this in a joking way to give a touch of humor.
“You have added the numbers, sir? Thank you. Now the secret of the
English merchant's ability to keep track of his daily business finances every day
and to see how much business he did even while he was on a journey was ac-
complished through the power of the magical cards which the gentleman there
holds.’ Motion to assistant holding the cardboards tied together.
“All the merchant did was to take these two blank cardboards which the
gentleman examined and marked—tied them together—and left the rest to their
mysterious power. Let the numbers which the various people wrote represent the
five sales of the day.... Mr. Mathematician, what was the day’s business?
How much money did we take in? You say two thousand, lwo hundred, and
eighty-five dollars. Not bad for a light day, ts it?”
Take the paper with figures from spectator so that he will have no
evidence left with which to check up later the numbers which other spec-
tators actually wrote. Say to spectator holding cards:
“Will you please untie the cards, sir, and look on the
A Yt inside?’ Assistant unties the cards, separates them,
and looks on the inside. “A number has mysteriously
é appeared on one of the blank cardboards. Two thou-
oss Se sand, two hundred, and eighty-five—the exact numbers
+ that the sum of the five figures lolaled.”’ Take cards
FIG. 36 from assistant and show card A with the number on
it so that all can see it plainly, Fig. 36.
“So here was the merchant's secret. His answer was recorded daily on the
cards. And now thal the business men here have seen this remarkable system,
I know that their business methods will be completely revolutionized.”
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 333

A WANDERING RIBBON

EFFECT:
Two envelopes, one pink and one blue, are given out for examination.
A spectator seals the blue one and makes a large mark of identification on
it. Performer then gives spectator a long piece of ribbon to examine and
mark for identification. Performer then places ribbon in pink envelope
and seals it in. He shows his hands empty and tears the pink envelope into
several pieces. The ribbon has vanished! He picks up the blue envelope,
tears off the end, reaches into envelope, and draws out the marked ribbon.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A Thumb Tip.
2—A piece of ribbon about 18 inches long X five-eighths of an inch
wide—soft ribbon so that it can easily be secreted in Thumb Tip.
3—Two envelopes, one pink and one blue. These should be opaque.
You may use any other colors, just so the two can be differentiated.
4—A black lithographic pencil.
To Perrorm:
Have spectator mark blue envelope and the ribbon with the pencil—any
mark by which he can identify them.
Show envelope to be empty, then permit spectator to examine it and
seal it. Hold envelope high so that it can be seen at all times and place it
standing against some object on table.
Show pink envelope and ribbon in left hand. In the meantime, place
right hand in pocket and get Thumb Tip on right thumb while talking.
“There is one thing which I wish someone would explain. Why is it that
if I place a red ribbon in a pink envelope...”
Bring pink envelope in left hand into position shown in Fig. 37. Take
ribbon in right hand. Be sure to keep Thumb Tip screened behind ribbon
and fingers of right hand.
REAR
Put thumb and fingers of View
right hand with ribbon into Ze FRomT
the envelope. Turn to right view

and hold hands up at right

side, so that back of envelope
is more towards audience and
all can see you tucking ribbon Fic 37 ait By
apparently into the envelope.
Hold Tip in envelope by pressure of left thumb and fingers outside. Re-
move right thumb from Tip and poke ribbon into it, Fig. 38.
334 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Be sure to get all of the ribbon nicely tucked into the Tip. On the
last poke, insert your right thumb in Tip again. Bring envelope around so
that front of it faces audience again. Remove Thumb Tip from envelope,
carrying it away on right thumb. Show right hand empty by pointing
thumb towards audience.
Hold envelope in horizontal position in front of you, bringing right
thumb with Tip back of it. Moisten flap and seal envelope, Fig. 40. Show
envelope on both sides, then show hands empty with fingers spread wide
apart. ‘And tear up the envelope...”
Finger palm the Thumb Tip in right hand. Tear envelope in half and
then into a number of small pieces. Drop pieces on table or let them flutter
down onto the floor.
ws

TIP

Fig 39 REAR

“The ribbon will vanish?”

Insert right thumb into Tip again. Pick up blue envelope with left
hand and show both sides.
“But if I take the blue envelope that the gentleman found empty and then
sealed—and tear off the top...”
Finger palm the Tip again. Tear off top end of blue envelope, Fig. 41.
Replace Tip on right thumb. Show right hand empty. Open the end
of the envelope by bulging it a little with left hand and by inserting fingers
and thumb of right, Fig. 42.
“‘And then open up the envelope with the thumb and forefinger of my empty
right hand—and reach well within the envelope ..

FIG. 43

Grasp Tip with thumb and fingers of left hand outside of envelope.
Slip right thumb from the Tip, grasping ribbon with thumb and first finger.
Draw ribbon slowly out of envelope Fig. 43.
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 335

“We find the red ribbon in this blue envelope. And it is the SAME rib-
bon, for here is the mark which the gentleman put on it. Would you be kind
enough, sir, to identify the ribbon?”
Now to dispose of the evidence: You may crush up the envelope with
the Tip inside and place it on table. Or if you want to pass the envelope
out for examination, transfer envelope from left to right hand, bringing
right thumb into the Tip inside as you do so. Then hand the envelope to
spectator and carry Tip away and place in pocket, Fig. 44.
Nore: A similar effect is produced in this manner: Show both lower
vest pockets empty. Then tuck ribbon supposedly into left pocket, but
really into the Thumb Tip—just as you did with the envelope. Now show
left vest pocket empty and produce ribbon from the right vest pocket. You
may permit spectators to examine pockets before the experiment.

KING SOLOMON’S MARRIAGE BANDS

This is a modification for practical use of the old Afghan Bands. It is
an age-old principle brought up to date. There is a touch of comedy in the
effect and, because of its nature, it is adapted to mixed audiences made up
of a group of young people of the marriageable age.
EFFect:
Performer shows a band of bright red cloth. He tears it in two, thus
forming two separate rings. One of these rings is torn in two parts and in-
stead of forming two rings, the two bands are found to be linked together.
The other half of the original band is torn in half and the surprising result
is one large band instead of two separate bands.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A strip of bright red percale—36 inches long by 4 inches wide.
To PREPARE:
Get a yard of percale and make up a few of these bands. Percale
comes in yard width. One yard will make nine bands. The material tears
crosswise very easily and you will find no difficulty tearing it into bands.
Take one four-inch band. With a pair of sharp scissors cut a slit two
and a half inches long in one end and one inch long in the other, Fig. 1.
Bring the two ends of the band
together. Take the lower left
hand end of strip and give it a
half twist. Sew it to the upper asin
left hand strip with white thread.
By doing this, you bring the in- ;,n,
side of the cloth at one end FIG. |
against the outside of the cloth at
the other end, Fig. 2.
336 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Take the lower right hand end and give it a whole twist. Sew this end
to the upper right hand end with black thread. This whole twist brings
the outside of the cloth right back again to outside of the upper end, Fig. 3.

|
( Si
FHREAD REAR FRONT
K. wHove
TWiST

FIG. 3 FIG.4 FIG. 5 pede

Through each of the two sewed sections of the band cut a slit about
two and a half inches long, Fig. 4. Fold up the band with faked ends in-
side. Have ready on table.
To PERFORM:
Pick up the folded band from table and hold it in left hand.
“Tt is said that King Solomon was a very wise man—so wise that he was
able to keep peace among one thousand wives. Men in this day and age wonder
how in the world he did it. I have discovered the secret—not from King Solomon
himself for I never knew the gentleman personally—but in a roundabout way
from a friend whose great great grandfather’s great great grandfather's great
great grandfather was personal magician to the King and thus he got the inside
information. It seems that the king knew how to pick’em. Before he married
each time of the thousand times, he brought out his magic marriage band.”
Unfold the band, taking care to keep the prepared side at the back and
away from the audience. Hold band over left hand as in Fig. 5. Fig. 6
shows front view. Band appears to be ordinary to the audience.
“This is one of then—a strip of red cloth made in the shape of a circle.
He would tear the circle apart.”
Grasp band through large slit in middle, one hand holding each side of
the band. Pull sideways in opposite directions, tearing the band until it
is torn through into two separate bands, Fig. 7. Hold one band in each
hand with prepared joining covered by palms of hands, Fig. 8.
“And when it tore into two separate rings, he knew that the young lady
before him was not in harmony with him and that their lives were too far
apart.”
Let the ring that is sewed with white thread hang over your left arm
and take the ring that is sewed with black thread in your right hand.
“Perhaps the band, however, when it was torn formed two bands, one linked
in the other.”
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 337

Insert fingers of both hands into slit in this band and pull apart until
band is torn all the way around. The result will be one band linked in
another, caused by the half twist which you made in joining the band,
Fig. 9.

¥: XN

FIG.8 FIG.9 FIG 10

“This was better—while they moved in separate circles, they were linked
together in other respects.”’
Drop linked bands on table. Take the other band from the left arm
and put fingers in the slit in readiness for tearing.
“Then came the real test.”
Tear the band all the way around. The result will be one large band
instead of the two that one would expect; caused by the whole twist which
you made when joining this band, Fig. 10.
“He tore the band again and it became one large band. He knew then that
the young lady and he were in harmony and were joined together as one. So
they were married and lived happily together ever after.”

THE “WHAMSY” CUT AND RESTORED RIBBON

Arthur Leroy, who performs this easy, effective cut and restored ribbon
says: ‘‘What magic needs today is less ‘whimsy’ and more ‘whamsy.’ ”’

EFFECT:
A length of ribbon or tape is given to a spectator and he is told to cut
the ribbon into three separate pieces about the same length. He is told to
tie the ends of the pieces to form one strip. The performer takes the tied
ribbon and holds it up showing the two knots. This is rolled into a com-
pact parcel and, after showing his pocket empty, the pocket is replaced and
the knotted ribbon placed in it. The performer explains that his pocket
contains a peculiar atmosphere that will heal cuts. After due time the
spectator is asked to reach into the pocket and remove the restored ribbon.
338 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two lengths of ribbon (or tape). A nice size is four and a half feet
long and one inch wide. This effect can be done with long or short,
wide or narrow, ribbon or tape.
2—Two extra lengths to match, each about four inches long.
3—A pair of scissors.
To PREPARE:
Tie the short strips of ribbon around one of the Jong pieces about a
third from each end, Fig. 1. Each knot is a sliding knot. This is to give

FIG.|

the effect of three pieces of ribbon being tied together. This strip of ribbon
is rolled into a compact ball and placed in the upper left corner of the right
trousers pocket, Fig. 2 (A). The other ribbon and scissors are on the table.

FIG.3

To Perrorm:
Pick up the strip of ribbon and the scissors from the table and give them
to a spectator from the audience and tell him to cut the ribbon “‘ruthlessly”’
into three pieces, each about the same length. Fig. 3. Then have him tie
the three pieces together into one strip, Fig. 4. Take care that the knots

LE
ee Do
v Fic. + b

are similar to the sliding knots on other piece of ribbon in your pocket.
You can tie the ribbons together yourself if you like.
Show your pocket empty, Fig. 5, keeping the rolled ribbon up in the
inner upper corner. This method has already been described in Volume 1,
Lesson 17. Replace the pocket, and push the ribbon (A) to the bottom.
 Lesson 55 — MAGIC WITH RIBBON 339

“While my pocket appears to be empty it is really filled with a strange

healing atmosphere from the Himalaya mountains. I could say Catskill
mountains, but that would be a lie; because they don’t. Cats kill rats.”
Show the tied ribbon (B), and roll into a ball similar to (A)... . “‘Now
the Pizazza of Pizaz in performing this ingenious ingenuity said, ‘What we
need is less whimsy and more whamsy.’ That is why by rolling this cut and
knotted ribbon into a compact ball and placing it in the magical mountain
atmosphere within my pocket. ...”’ Place the ball of ribbon in your pocket
and push it into the inner upper corner, Fig. 6, . . . “the knots will mysteri-
ously disappear and the ribbon will become whole again in one piece. Reach
into my pocket and remove the ribbon.”

FIG 6

The spectator reaches down into your pocket and removes the ball of
ribbon (A). Take it from him and unroll it. . . . “Yes sir, in one piece.”
Suddenly note that the ribbon is still knotted. . . . “Oh, Oh, something
has gone gizzlegander. And my reputation at stake. Let’s see, the Pizazza of
Pizaz rolled the ribbon into a ball around his hand.” . . . Wind the ribbon
around your left hand, Fig. 7, and in doing so let the knots secretly slip off
the ribbon into the right hand.
“Then the mountain atmosphere was shown in the pocket.” . . Turn your
pocket out and show, leaving ribbon (B) hidden in corner, and in replacing
pocket leave the false knots in the pocket.
“I know what the trouble was. I should have reached into the pocket and
taken a nip of the healing atmosphere of the Himalaya mountains and sprinkled
it on the ribbon.” . . . Reach into the pocket quickly and apparently take a
pinch of the atmosphere in the thumb and finger tips of your right hand and
pretend to throw at the ribbon.
Unroll the ribbon and show it in one piece stretched between your
hands. Have the palms of the hands towards the audience. .. . “As I said
in the beginning, ‘C’est la guerre!” ”’
Lesson 56
SILKEN TRICKERY
+ Ly

ILKS AND BEAUTY go hand in hand, the lustrous sheen and soft touch
combining with gorgeous colors and tints to delight the eye. Some of
the prettiest and most puzzling mysteries with silks will be found herein—
the cherished secrets contributed by several of the greatest exponents of the
magic art. »
CARLYLE’S 20Ta CENTURY SILKS
In Volume 2, Lesson 30 we explained the beautiful handkerchief mys-
tery of causing a silk to appear between two others that had been knotted
together and placed in a glass. That original method consisted of a double
silk in which was hidden the silk that was later to appear between the two
silks in the glass.
Carlyle (Lyle F. Laughlin) uses a method in his act which caused con-
siderable interest and speculation by many magicians since he used only
single silks, and the two that he tied together were so natural looking as to
avoid suspicion that another silk was hidden in one of the silk’s folds.
Carlyle has generously permitted us to publish for the first time the method
that he uses.
EFFECT:
Two separate silk handkerchiefs are freely shown and are then tied
together. Another handkerchief is vanished and appears knotted be-
tween the two other silks.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A blue 18-inch silk handkerchief.
2—A green 18-inch silk handkerchief.
3—A rainbow 18-inch silk handkerchief. Fig.
1 shows a practical style starting with a blue
corner (the same color blue as the solid blue
handkerchief); then a band of yellow, a
strip of rose, a band of yellow and finally a
green corner. FIG.|
4—A duplicate rainbow silk.
5—A small rubber band.
341
342 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

To PREPARE:
Tie the green corner of the rainbow silk to a corner of the blue silk,
Fig. 2. Bring the top corner of the rainbow silk down about two-thirds
of the way over the silk. Fold the lower corner up over this, Fig. 3. Fold
the blue corner over to the right and back to the left, Fig. 4. Roll the top

edge down and then the bottom edge up, Fig. 5. Fold the rolled rainbow
silk along the edge of the blue silk, Fig. 6. The blue corner of the rolled
silk extends two inches beyond the edge of the blue silk. Roll the blue
silk around the rainbow silk, beginning with the tied corner, Fig. 7. Place
the small rubber band around the blue silk at the place where the tab of the
rainbow silk protrudes, Fig. 8. This permits the silk to be handled easily.
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 343

However, this rubber band is not necessary if the silk is handled with care
when being picked up from the table. Place the prepared blue silk on the
table with the tab end at the rear. Over this place the green silk, and
nearby the duplicate rainbow silk.

TAB

ule
yusgsnd

FIG
8

To PEeRForM:
Pick up the prepared blue silk,
with the left hand, so that it grasps
the blue handkerchief at the place
the tab comes out, Fig. 9. Do not
expose this joint to the audience.
Pick up the rear corner of the green
silk with the right hand. Tie the
corner of this green silk to the blue
tab of the rainbow silk. Ifarubber
band is used over the blue silk,
secretly slip it off onto the tab.
To the audience you have just tied
the corner of a blue silk to the cor- FIG.9
ner of a green one, Fig. 10. Roll up FIG.10
the silks starting with the knot and place in a glass or just lay on table.
Pick up the rainbow silk from the table and vanish it. This may be
done with a double paper cone as described in Volume 2, Lesson 22. Ora
handkerchief pull may be used, a handkerchief ball, or any favorite method.
344 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Once the handkerchief is vanished all that remains

is to grasp a corner of the green handkerchief and snap
the handkerchiefs out of the tumbler into the air, Fig. 11.
The rainbow silk easily slips out of the blue silk and is
seen tied between the two silks, originally tied, Fig. 11.
Norte: Carlyle many times uses a plain white, yellow
or red silk to appear between two other silks. This is
easily done by dyeing one corner of the middle silk with
blue the same color as the blue silk, Fig. 12. Or a blue
tab may be sewn on the silk. When the tab of the rolled
middle silk projects out of the blue silk, the blue tab
looks like a corner of the blue silk proper. The effect
of tying two blue silks together and having a yellow

silk appear between them is pretty. Many colors of silks can be

used. Even a bright red one can appear between two whites, yellows or
light green ones.
Numerous color arrangements are possible with the Carlyle method.
Owing to the number of folds of silk around the inner rolled silk, a dark-
colored silk will not show through a light-colored one if properly handled.
In the older method of the double silk it was necessary that the double
silk be dark in color and opaque. Another advantage in the Carlyle
method is that when unprepared silks are used they can be unknotted and
used as regular silks afterwards.

AL BAKER’S 20TH CENTURY SILKS

This method of performing the ever popular ‘‘20th Century Silks”
in which a vanished silk is found tied between two previously knotted ones,
is so typical of Al Baker. It is apparently done with simple familiar objects.
EFFEcT:
Three separate silk handkerchiefs, red, white, and blue, respectively,
are freely shown. The white and the blue silks are then tied together by a
corner of each. A sheet of paper is rolled into a tube into which the white
and blue silks are tucked, taking care that a corner of each of the silks
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 345

projects from the top of the tube. The tube with silks is placed inside an
empty glass tumbler, and the tumbler in turn is set on an inverted glass
goblet. The red silk is vanished. Upon pulling out the white and blue
silks it is found that the red silk is securely tied between them. The tube
is removed from the glass, unrolled, shown empty, and the glasses replaced
upright on the table.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Six 15-inch silks—two whites, two blues and two reds.
FELT

dOL

C4
es FIG. 2 eiieat
FIG.|
2—An “Al Baker Dye Tube,” Fig. 1. This is similar to the regulation
dye tube, but has an improved sliding partition inside, with a
special felt top that allows silks to easily free themselves from the
top of the tube, when other silks are pushed in at the bottom.
Your magic dealer can sell you this tube. If a regular dye tube is
used, glue a piece of felt to the upper part of sliding portion.
3—A bottomless glass, Fig. 2.
4—A glass goblet, Fig. 3.
5—A sheet of stiff paper twice as wide as the dye tube is long.

BLACK ART
WELL

FIG.+
6—A magician’s table containing a black art well, Fig. 4. This well
should take and conceal the dye tube, yct be small enough so that
the bottomless glass can be set over it.
346 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

To PREPARE:
Tie a red silk by its diagonal corners, between the white and the blue
one, Fig. 5. Load this into the top of the dye tube so that the center of
the red silk goes in first followed by the rest of the red silk, and then the
white and the blue silks side by side, so as to leave a corner of the white
and the blue just within the top of the dye tube. This loaded tube rests
on a couple of clips at the rear of the table unseen by the audience.

The table is now arranged as in Fig. 6, with the rear edge of the paper
over the hidden tube, the three other silks draped over the top and front
of the table, with the two glasses nearby.
To PEerrormM:
Pick up the paper, show both sides and replace on the table with rear
edge over the concealed tube. Pick up the three silks and show them to be
red, white, and blue. Tie the white and blue silks together by a corner of
each. Replace them on the table. Again pick up the paper with your
fingers at the rear edge so you can easily lift up the tube behind it. ‘Roll
the tube into the paper in regular dye tube fashion. Allow the dye tube to
slide down almost to the bottom of the paper tube. Hold the paper tube
in the left hand. Pick up the knotted white and blue silks and push them
into the bottom of the tube, the white and blue going in together, the
knot going in towards the last.

This causes the corners of the other two silks in the tube to be pushed
out of the top. Pull them partially out, Fig. 7. Apparently these are two
of the corners of the silks you just pushed in at the bottom.
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 347

Place the bottom of the paper tube down into the bottomless glass,
which in turn is directly over the black art well in the table. The left
first and second fingers nip the rear of the glass. The paper is allowed to
unroll a bit which allows the dye tube to slip down through the bottomless
glass into the black art well, Fig. 8.
Bring the left thumb to the front side of the glass and lift it, placing
it on top of the inverted goblet, Fig. 9. The goblet acts as a pedestal to
isolate the glass, paper tube and silks.

FIG.IO

Vanish the red silk via the pull or any way you choose. All that re-
mains now is to have a spectator grasp the corner of the white silk and
another assistant grasp the corner of the blue silk, then pull in opposite
directions. The result is that the silks are pulled free from the paper tube,
revealing the red silk tied between them. The paper is removed from the
glass, unrolled and shown empty.
Nore: By using a tall opaque plastic tumbler with cut out bottom
and a cloth bag attached, Fig. 10, instead of the glass goblet, the trick can
be done on \any table, as the black art well is eliminated. It is obvious
that the dye tube slips down into the hidden bag at the proper time.
Instead of causing the red silk to vanish, another version is to poke
it into the bottom of the tube following insertion of the knotted white and
blue silks. Going into the tube as a separate silk, and coming out tied
between the other two, is quite effective.

AL BAKER’S SYMPATHETIC SILKS

In Volume 1 of this Course were described methods to perform ‘‘The
Sympathetic Silks’ in which three separate handkerchiefs are shown and
3A8 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

placed on the table. Three other silks are tied together by their diagonal
corners. The first three, in sympathy, are also found knotted together.
Al Baker, who has given so many fine ideas to magic, devised a method
which he used so successfully in his Chautauqua days. The method he
employed in order to show two separate silks at a distance apart, and then
have them suddenly knotted together, is to me, a classic in handkerchief
magic. The moves are so natural and seemingly impossible, producing an
effect that is truly artful magic. As methods have already been given for
causing two or more knotted silks to become untied, Al Baker’s method of
causing the two unknotted silks to become knotted will be given here.
Baker always believed that the tying of only two silks was much more
effective in his programs than the tying of three. His psychology is that.
the simpler and more direct the method, the better is the effect.
EFFeEct:
Two silk handkerchiefs are seen lying clearly apart on top of, and
hanging down over the front of the table. The performer picks up the two
silks by the rear corners and shows the silks to be separate and distinct.
The two silks are brought together and are placed in a bunch on the table.
Upon again picking up the silks they are found to have become securely
tied to each other by opposite corners in a genuine double knot.
PARAPHERNALIA:
DRAPE AROUND TABLE
LOOSE FOR A FEW INCHES 1—A draped table. For years a typical
IN FRONT magic table has been one with a felt
top and a hanging of colored drape,
with perhaps gold fringe around the
bottom edge. The top of the drape is
usually thumb-tacked to the edge of the
table top or held suspended by means
of headless nails. Baker left untacked
waa! 224 about ten inches or so at the top of the
FIG.) drape in front at the center, Fig. 1.
2—Two silk handkerchiefs, 18 or more inches square. I prefer to use
27 or 36-inch silks.
To PREPARE:
Tie two corners of the silks together with a square knot, Fig. 2. Lay
the silks across the table and over the front with the knot in between.
Tuck this knotted part into the opening caused by the loosened drape, Fig.
3. Carefully arrange the silks so they look natural and separate. Here
are two knotted silks that look separate and unknotted because the drape
hides the knots and connecting parts of the silks.
To PEerForM:
Call attention to two separate silks lying upon the table. Standing
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 349

at the right side of the table (your right as you face the audience) pick up
corner B of the silk farthest away, with the left hand; and corner A of the
other silk with the right hand—and lift them up so that the silks are vertical.
A 8B

D
Do not disturb those parts of the silks hidden by the drape. This permits
the entire audience to see what appear to be two separate and distinct silks.
Place corner A into the left hand with corner B, Fig. 4. This brings the
two silks together. Grasp the silks with the right hand above the table

top, Fig. 5, and, pulling the silks up with the left hand, and the right hand
down slightly, the knotted portion comes out of the drape opening unseen
under cover of the hand and silks. Release your hold of the silks with the
left hand and place the silks somewhat bunched up on the table. Get the
E corner of the silk out a bit so it can be easily picked up later. By grasp-
ing corner E or F, and snapping the silks upwards, the two silks are seen to
be securely knotted together.
MErHop 2:
This method is for a table that does not have an opening or a slot at
the upper edge of the drape, in fact it can be done on any covered, draped
or even undraped table. The knotted part of the silks is hidden under a
350 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

heavy cloth, a newspaper, or a sheet of cardboard lying on the table.

The knotted portion is merely tucked under the front edge and the silks
carefully arranged to look separate, as in Fig. 6. Sometimes the two rear
corners of the cloth, newspaper or cardboard are thumb-tacked to the

table so as to make for smooth and easy per-

formance. The routine handling is exactly
the same as in the previous method where
the knotted portion of the silks is hidden by
the drape.

A REMARKABLE GIANT
Some years ago William Larsen and T. Page Wright wrote a series
of magical mysteries for entertaining children. In it was an interesting
handkerchief trick dealing with a giant. I took the idea, developed a
different procedure and used it with success in my own programs. It was
just as appealing to adults as to children. This method shows another use
of Al Baker’s Sympathetic Silk method as applied to a 20th Century Hand-
kerchief type of routine.
EFFECT:
A yellow and a red silk are seen separately draped over a table, a
few inches apart. A yard of white ribbon lies on the table nearby. The
two silks are lifted up by a corner of each, shown separate, then brought
together and replaced on top of the table. The white ribbon is vanished
in a paper cone and found tied between the two silk handkerchiefs.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two 18-inch silks, one yellow and one red.
2—Two lengths of white ribbon, each 36” X 114” wide.
3—A piece of colored show-card board, about 9” X 14”.
4—A double paper cone for vanishing the ribbon. The construction
of this cone is shown in Volume 2, Lesson 22.
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 351

To PREPARE:
Tie one end of a ribbon to a corner of the yellow silk, and the other
end to a corner of the red silk, Fig. 1. Fold up the ribbon carefully and

9°
Dy

place on the table; cover it with the FOLDED

RIBBON
show-card and arrange the silks a
few inches apart, Fig. 2, as explained
in Al Baker’s Sympathetic Silks.
The yellow silk is at the left and the
red silk at the right. To the audi-
ence it appears that two separate
silks are on the table. Have the
loose ribbon folded and lying across
the top of the cardboard between
and touching those ends of the hand-
kerchiefs. Nearby is the paper cone.
To PEeRForm:
“One day while I was walking along a country road I met a giant. He
was the biggest giant I had ever seen. He was so tall that when he looked down
upon a field of golden wheat, and a field of red poppies, with a winding road in
between, he thought that the wheat field was a yellow handkerchief, the field of
red poppies was a red handkerchief, and the winding road was just a white
hair ribbon.” . . . Pick up the white ribbon. . . ‘‘ ‘My daughter needs a white
hair ribbon,’ said the giant, ‘so I shall take it home to her.’ So. he just picked
up the winding road.”... Open up the ribbon and show it to be a length of
ribbon.... ‘‘And put it in a paper bag.”
Pick up the double paper cone, open it and show it to be a square of
paper; fold it again, open up the inner compartment, drop the ribbon in it,
fold the top of the cone over and place it nearby on the table.
** “My daughter would also like a nice yellow anda pretty red handkerchief.’
So he picked up the field of golden wheat and the field of red poppies.” .. .
Pick up the silk at the right with the left hand and the silk at the left with
the right hand, taking each by a rear corner. Hold them in a perpendicular
position, bring them together and hold in the right hand. Casually pick
up the cardboard and lay it farther back on the table. It no longer covers
the white ribbon which is now hidden from the sight of the audience by
the two silks. Place the silks down over the concealed folded ribbon.
352 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“* ‘But really,’ he said, ‘my daughter has so many colored handkerchiefs,

why should I bother taking these home?’ So he just laid them aside.”
“* ‘Wait a minute,’ I said, ‘No one can pick up a winding road for a hair
ribbon, nor a field of wheat and a field of poppies for handkerchiefs. Besides
there isn’t such a thing as a giant in the first place.’... ‘Well,’ he remarked,
‘it seemed quite logical’. . . so he just disappeared... So, as I said,” ...
Pick up the paper cone, unfold it and show it empty... “No one could put
a winding road ina paper bag.”’... Fold the cone and replace it on the table.
“Nor could he pick up a field of wheat, or a field of poppies ... and I was
right.” ... Grasp a side corner of the yellow silk, nearest you, and give
the silk a jerk to the right so as to open up the ribbon, and show the ribbon
tied between the two silks... ‘“‘There was the field of golden wheat, the field
of red poppies and the winding road in between.”

JACK MILLER’S KNOTTY SILK

Jack Miller performed his unknotting and knotting silk for me some
time ago and it appealed to me so much, I was glad when he offered to
release the methods used for the students of this Course in Magic. He also
posed for each of the illustrations necessary to show the proper moves.
EFFECT:
The performer fairly ties a single knot in the center of a twisted silk
handkerchief, yet this knot mysteriously dissolves in full view. Suddenly
the knot reappears in the silk—a real single knot.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A silk handkerchief, 18 inches square, or larger.
2—A piece of black thread about twenty inches long.
To PREPARE:
Sew one end of the thread to a corner of the silk handkerchief. On the
other end of the thread tie a safety pin. The thread should be nineteen
inches long for practical working. This may vary some with the size of
handkerchief used or the performer’s physique. Attach the safety pin to
the lower part of your vest on the right side, or to your trousers. Place the
silk in your right trousers pocket or your inner coat breast pocket.
To PERrForM:
Remove the silk from your pocket and hold it between your hands
about a foot in front of your body, Fig. 1. The end A has the thread at-
tached and things are positioned so the thread runs horizontally from end
A to your body. Bring the silk into position, Fig. 2, in preparation for
tying a single knot. Note the position of end B in the left hand, how it
comes over the index finger and down over the palm of the hand. End A
is brought up behind with the right hand. Tie a regular single knot by
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 353

bringing end A through the handkerchief loop, Fig. 3. Pull the knot
tight enough to give it body, Fig. 4. It will take experimentation to tell
just how tight the knot should be for ease in working later on. It must be
tight enough to hold together when the next move is made, and not so
tight that moves can not be made easily and naturally.

Now comes an important move. Bring the right hand with end A up
to the knot, Fig. 5. Move the hands and silk to the left far enough to
cause the end A to be drawn into the knot and out again to the right finger
tips, Fig. 6. This move is done naturally and the audience is not aware

FIG.S

of anything happening. The move unties the knot but the tightness of
the knot folds still holds it together. It is now a Dissolving Knot (Volume
1, Lesson 18)—loops that hold in place. Pull out end A a bit farther to
354 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

the right, still keeping the knot in place, Fig. 7. Blow on the knot and
pull your hands apart—the knot will dissolve and disappear, Fig. 8.

This is a beautiful series of moves and must be well practiced. Stand

before a mirror and watch your moves so as to get them properly blended.
The move of making the real knot into a.dissolving knot is really beautiful
magic, and is done so simply and indetectably.
To magically reproduce the knot in the center of the handkerchief,
hold it as in Fig. 9. Note how end B crosses the palm side of the left hand
and projects between the index finger and thumb.

Bring the left hand over to the right so that the fingers come under
the thread, and the B end of the silk comes over the thread, Fig. 10. The
thread should be in a horizontal position. Push the end of the silk over
the thread with the left thumb and grasp it between the left first and second
fingers, Fig. 11. Bring the left hand down and towards the left, Fig. 12,
which loops the silk over the thread. The left hand now comes up and
allows the silk to straighten out, Fig. 13. Note how the thread now loops
itself around the handkerchief. End A is brought up to the left hand and
held as in Fig. 14. The right hand grasps the thread. Drop end A and
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 355

as you do so, pull end B and the silk upward and outward. This causes
the thread to pull end A around B and form a single knot in the handkerchief

Fig. 15. The right hand slides along the thread to grasp end A. Practice
all moves until they become natural and seemingly automatic.

THE PENETRATIVE SILK

I have often wondered where the principle of the Penetrative Silk
originated. I remember discovering this same technique years ago while
still quite young. I tied a black silk thread to the opposite diagonal ends
of a silk handkerchief, and in experimenting with that thread, discovered
some interesting moves. Various silk manipulators throughout the world
must have independently discovered the same principle.
EFFECT:
A silk handkerchief is held by its diagonal corners, one in each hand.
The center of the outstretched silk seemingly penetrates the upper bar of
a chair back, or passes back and forth through a vertical rod or pole.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A 15+inch silk handkerchief.
2—Black silk thread.
3—A wooden-back chair with a bar across the top.
4—An upright wooden pole on a base; ora pole held by an assistant.
To PREPARE:
Tie an end of the black silk thread to a corner of the silk handkerchief.
Stretch the thread diagonally across the silk to the opposite diagonal corner
and tie an end of the thread to that corner.
To Perrorm:
Bring the silk underneath the top cross-bar of the chair-back. Corner
A is held in the right hand and the opposite diagonal corner B is held with
356 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

the left hand. The thread is stretched between A and B above the hand-
kerchief, and over the right fingers, Fig. 1.

BLACK
THREAD

A and B are brought up above the back of the chair, Fig. 2, the left
thumb being inserted under the thread. Note how corner B of the silk is
held by the closed left fingers. Release corner B and smartly pull the hands
apart, Fig. 3. Corner B comes down under the chair top so fast and back
to the left hand that the effect is that the handkerchief penetrated the
chair itself. Experience will indicate the correct timing and speed required
to make the illusion perfect.

For the stage, use an upright pole setting in a base on the floor. Hold
the handkerchief by diagonal corners as in Fig. 4. The thread passes over
the top of the left fingers. You are standing directly back of the handker-
chief and pole. Bring the hands with the silk, in front of the pole. Be-
cause the left fingers separate the thread from the silk, it is easy to get the
right thumb over the thread, allowing the thread to run out through the
crotch of the thumb, Fig. 5. Pull the hands smartly apart, at the same
time releasing corner A from the right hand. This corner A flies around
the pole and back into the right hand, Fig. 6. Properly timed, the illusion
is that the silk passed through the pole.
To make the silk pass from the front to the back, bring the corners A
and B to the rear and get the right thumb up under the thread, Fig. 7.
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 357

Pull the hands quickly apart, releasing corner A from the right hand and it
will fly around the pole and back into the right hand again, Fig. 4.

About three times back and forth make a proper showing for full
appreciation of the illusion. But do not forget that these moves must be
practiced until perfect.

THE CORDS OF PHANTASIA

The late Ottokar Fischer of Vienna, a grand man in magic, gave me
this interesting mystery years ago. It was a hit in the programs of Okito
(Theo. Bamberg) and Fu Manchu (David Bamberg). It has since become
very popular with magicians everywhere. Fischer took the basic principle
of the old Grandmother’s Necklace, in which three wooden beads threaded
on two cords were pulled off the cords leaving the cords intact, and made it
into a practical, mystifying, and clean-cut stage effect. Its impromptu
nature and its ability to puzzle, even while surrounded by an audience, are
appreciated by the modern magician.
EFFECT:
Two pieces of clothesline are freely shown and held apart. A magic
wand is firmly tied with a knot in the center of the ropes. One spectator
at the left is given two ends of the ropes to hold, and another spectator at
the right is given the remaining two ends. Two silk handkerchiefs are tied
around the ropes at the left of the wand, and two silks are tied at the right
of the wand. With one of the ropes a knot is then tied around all of the
silk handkerchiefs. While the two assistants are holding tightly onto the
ends of both ropes, the performer quickly and easily pulls the wand and
the four silks free from the ropes. The ropes remain stretched out between
the two assistants, free of knots while the silk handkerchiefs still retain
their original knots.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two 6-foot lengths of white soft clothesline.
2—A magician’s wand.
3—Four 18-inch silk handkerchiefs of different colors.
358 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

To PErFrorM:
“There is an interesting story told in Persia about the strange Cords of
Phantasia.”. . Hold up the two ropes, one in each hand, Fig. 1. This
shows them to be separate. Have two spectators come up from the
audience to assist you. Have one stand at your left and the other at your
right—Mr. Left and Mr. Right.

= FIG.3
FIG.1

“There were two cords similar to these used in a temple ceremony.”

Pick up the magic wand and give it to Mr. Right. Have him hold aan
end in each hand. Over this wand drape the two cords so that the centers
of the ropes are on the wand, Fig. 2... “A priest's wand, or a candle from
the altar, was tied into the center of the cords.”
Grasp the two strands of B in your left
hand and the A strands in your right hand and
tie a single knot, Fig. 3. Pull the ropes tight,
Fig. 4. Give the two ropes at the left to Mr.
Left and the other two to Mr. Right. The
ropes being tied correctly and properly placed,
if the wand were removed each spectator would
find that he holds in his hands two ends of the
same rope, and that the two loops separated
FIG.4 upon removal of the wand, Fig. 4A. The audi-
ence is not aware of this, and to them you have
merely tied a couple of ropes around a wooden
stick.
. Around the cords were tied four colored
silks, used to represent the four important parts
=I Loo ~SCCté«fsaan to be developed. . . the yellow represents
FIG.4A Mentality or Intelligence.”... Tie the yellow
silk around the ropes at the left of the
wand, Fig. 5... “The green represents the Will of man.”... “The red silk
stands for Vitality—the bloodstream of life.”... ‘‘And last but not least the
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 359

blue silk which represents the Spiritual side of life. Let me bring them all
together and bind them closer with another knot.”. .. You have tied the silks
in the positions as illustrated.

Take one of the ropes from Mr. Left and one—either one—from Mr.
Right and tie them in a single knot, Fig. 6. In doing this you end up by
Mr. Left and Mr. Right each holding an end of A and an end of B. You

44

GD e
RZ
GE Zea
Hi,

have switched ends, under the guise of tying a knot. This is necessary so
as to have two outstretched ropes between the two assistants at the finish
instead of having two loops as in Fig. 4A. The assistants hold a rope in
each hand, Fig. 6.
“It is said that no matter how much we are bound up with the troubles
of the world, we have within us the power to free ourselves and rise above them
all.”. . Grasp the silks with the left hand and the wand with the right
360 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

hand. Pull the wand clear of the ropes and the silks away from them, Fig.
7. The two ropes are now outstretched between the two assistants. . .
“The knots have disappeared from the cords,
but the silks remain knotted—the red, the
yellow, the green and the blue! As the old
priest used to say, ‘Things that bind us are
usually the. phantoms of illusion.’ ”’
Nore: Fig. 8 shows a different method
of tying the silks around the ropes. The
knots appear in the center of the silks
instead of towards the ends, as in Fig. 5.
METHop 2:
In this method Ottokar Fischer elimi-
nated the use of the wand and used
another silk handkerchief instead.
To PERFORM:
Give a silk handkerchief to Mr.
Right to hold outstretched by its
diagonal corners between his hands, Fig. 9. Place the ropes over the silk
so that the center of each rope is at the top edge of the folded handkerchief.

Grasp the ropes B with the left hand and the ropes A with the right hand
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 361

and tie a single knot, Fig. 10. Pull the knot fairly tight and hold the left
end of the silk and rope B with your left hand, Fig. 11, the spectator letting
go of the silk.

Bring the right end of the silk up and tie a single knot around the
lower part of the knot in the ropes, Fig. 12. Give the two ropes at the
left to Mr. Left and the other two to Mr. Right.
The knotted silk is now in the center, Fig. 13.
Tie the other silks around the ropes as in
Method 1, and finally cross over one of the
rope ends at the left, to the right side, and vice
versa, by tying a single knot in the center.
The method of release for the center hand-
kerchief is very simple, as seen in Fig. 14.
Simply pull the knot of the handkerchief free
from the rope and this allows the silk to be
easily pulled free, thus permitting the other
handkerchiefs on the ropes to come free.

METHop 3:
This is my favorite method of performing the Cords of Phantasia.
362 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

EFFECT:
Two pieces of soft clothesline are held stretched out between two
assistants. The performer ties a silk handkerchief around the center of the
ropes. Then the ropes are tied into a knot against the silk handkerchief.
Again they are held stretched out between the two assistants, the knotted
handkerchief in the center. Two silks are tied around the ropes on each
side of the knot. Another knot is tied around the silks with one of the ropes.
Yet, instantly all of the silks are pulled clear of the ropes, without removing
the knots in the handkerchiefs.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Five or more 18-inch, or larger, silks of various colors.
2—Two 6-foot lengths of soft clothesline.
To PERFORM:
Have two people come up from the audience to assist you. Show the
two ropes and have these assistants hold an end of each rope so the ropes
are stretched out between them. Pick up one of the silks and tie it around
the center of both of the ropes, using the same tie that Al Baker does in
his handkerchief release from the wrist. I will explain it in detail.

Hold the silk handkerchief in your hands and under the center of the
two outstretched ropes as in Fig. 15. Corner A goes between the first and
second fingers of the left hand while
corner B is held naturally in the right
hand. Bring end B over across the
tops of the ropes, through the second
and third fingers, from back to front,
and over the crotch of the left thumb,
Fig. 16. With the right hand reach
through the loop thus made in the
silk, and grasp the corner A between
the thumb and fingers, Fig. 17. Bring
corner A through the loop from back
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 363

to front; as you do so nip

the silk tightly between
the left second and third
fingers and rotate the
left thumb forward while
the fingers go backward
thus drawing the silk into
a small loop, C, Fig. 18.
Pull A to the right and
thus tighten the silk into
aknot, Fig.19. Because
of the small loop C, this
forms the Dissolving
Knot, as explained in
Volumel. Release your
second finger from the

6
loop C and slide your left hand over to corner B, then pull the ends A and B
far apart across the top of the two ropes, Fig. 20. To the audience you
have merely tied a single knot in the handkerchief around the ropes. Bring
corner A back over the ropes towards B and go down under the ropes and
out to the right, Fig. 21. Bring A and B together at the top and tie a
double knot, Fig. 22.
364 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Bring your right thumb between the two ropes D and E, at the right
side of the knotted silk and the right index finger between the two ropes
at the left side of the knot. Your left thumb and fingers take corresponding
positions on the opposite side of the silk. Close the right hand which brings
rope E to the right, folded back on itself; at the same time close the left
hand which brings rope D folded back against itself, Fig. 23. Tie a single
knot with the two ropes, Fig. 24. Have Mr. Left hold two ends of the
ropes and Mr. Right the other two, the ropes outstretched between them.

Tie two silks around the ropes on each side of the knotted silk F.
as in Fig. 25. Take an end of either rope at left and an end of any rope at
right and tie a single knot around the silks, thereby switching the ends as in
previous methods.

Grasp the four silks with the left hand under the knots. Grasp the
knot of knotted silk F with the right hand. Pull up on the knot which will
release the silk from the ropes (same as the knotted silk release from around
the wrist). Pull the other four silks downward and they also are released,
still knotted, from the ropes which remain outstretched without a knot,
between the two assistants.
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 365

INSTANT HANDKERCHIEF SPREAD

Magicians have been intrigued by the way John Booth causes a large
silk to appear suddenly outstretched between his hands—the silk being
held by its two upper corners. In his act he rolls up three smaller silks in
his hands and then causes them to change into one large butterfly silk.
This effect is known in magic as Blendo. It was originally and is still
generally performed by using a double silk, with the three silks going inside;
but by using a large single unprepared silk, and three smaller unprepared
silks, a routine can be worked out that is not possible otherwise.
Using unprepared silks Booth can produce three colored handkerchiefs
from his apparently empty hands, then tucking them into his left hand
causes them to change into one large butterfly silk. From this silk he pro-
duces a bouquet of flowers and a stack of glasses filled with water. It is not
my intention to go into details about productions nor about Blendo which
has been explained in Volume 3, Lesson 42, page 320; but the important
thing is to show you the proper fold that Booth uses to get a folded silk to
open suddenly between his hands, while it is held by the two upper corners.
To PREPARE:
The eleven accompanying illustrations will show you step by step the
folds required. For ease in working I suggest sewing a white button on
one upper corner of the silk and a black button on the adjoining upper
corner. In this way you can easily grasp the white button with the right
hand and the black button with the left hand, causing the handkerchief,
in opening to come automatically into the right position. Of course,
where there is no back or front to the design on the handkerchief it does
not make much difference which corner is used. The buttons are just large
enough to be easily seen.
WHITE BUTTONS,

BLACK BUTTON Soe cie.3

FIG. |
To fold, spread the silk out on the table as in Fig. 1. The buttons are
on the right side. Fold the silk in half by bringing the lower edge up on
top of the upper edge, Fig. 2. The lower right hand corner is now folded
over at an angle as in Fig. 3. Bring the upper left corner over this last fold
366 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

and crease at the upper edge, Fig. 4. Fold up again as in Fig. 5, and down
again. Then bring the corner up again, Fig. 6. The number of these folds

will depend on the size of the silk. Now bring the left corner over on top
of the right corner, Fig. 7, and fold back the upper corner, Fig. 8. Bring -
the left corner over to the right again, Fig. 9, and roll the silk up with the
button corners on the outside, Fig. 10.

To PERFORM:
With the rolled silk hidden in either hand it is easy to grasp the black
button between the left first two fingers and thumb; and the white button
in a similar way with the right hand. Just pull the hands apart and the
silk is instantly opened in front of you, Fig. 11.
Norte: Where the handkerchief is large it is sometimes necessary to
give the silk an extra fold after it has reached the position of Fig. 6. This
is done to reduce the width of the fold and thereby allow a smaller roll to
be made. To make this fold just bring the bottom edge up on top of the
upper edge. Regardless of the size of the silk used you have the important
general principle of the “Instant Handkerchief Spread” and can apply it to
suit your needs.
“FLASH” SILK PRODUCTION
Years ago in a silk routine I needed as the opener, the instant appear-
ance of one to three silks at my right finger tips. I hit on a simple system
of doing this.
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 367

EFFECT:
The hands are shown empty. The right hand, with empty palm
towards the audience, reaches out and apparently plucks one to three silk
handkerchiefs from the air. Each silk is held by a corner, and all of them
hang down, fully opened. ;
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—One to three silks, 18 inches square. Py
2—Black silk thread. z
To PREPARE: :
Tie one end of the thread around the corner a
of a silk handkerchief, and roll up the silk around
this tied corner, Fig. 1. If three silks are used, FIG.)
the thread is tied around a corner of each silk, the corners being tight to-
gether as one. Place the rolled silk, or silks, under the right coat lapel,
Fig. 2, and the free end of the thread is tied or looped over a vest button.
The thread should be long enough to hang down in a loop, as illustrated.
To PErForm:
Secretly get the right thumb under the loop of thread so that the
thread goes up over the outside of the thumb and down under the base of
the thumb to the roll of silk under the coat lapel, Fig. 3. Carefully note
the position of the thread.

Show both hands empty with palms towards the audience, Suddenly
reach forward with the right hand. This move automatically pulls the
silk out from under the lapel, and into the right finger tips. The silk opens
up enroute, so that the hand holds the silk by one corner, as in Fig. 4.
It is easy to break the thread close to the silk if silk is needed for further use.
368 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

CARLYLE’S ONE-HAND SILK PRODUCTION

Students of magic ask, ‘““How do you roll a silk handkerchief so it will
stay wrapped until needed, and yet so it can be opened up at any instant
desired, quickly and easily, to give a sudden appearance at the finger tips
of one hand?’’ Carlyle (Lyle F. Laughlin) solved that problem in a prac-
tical way, and it will profit any magician to make use of his method.
EFFEctT:
After showing the hands empty, the magician reaches out into the
air with one hand and suddenly a silk handkerchief appears, held by one
corner by the finger tip and thumb of the hand.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A special piece of apparatus around which to wind a silk handker-
chief. It cOnsists of a 44% inch length of brass tubing (or other
metal) having a slot starting at one end and running 4 inches.
A safety pin soldered i a metal bar at one end of the tube, Fig. 1.
The slot is a bit over1of an inch in width. The tube is about
546 of an inch in dianiater:
2—A silk handkerchief with a smal] knot in one of its corners.

FIG.+
To PREPARE:
Fold the silk with diagonal corners overlapping, Fig. 2. Continue
to fold over, Figs. 3 and 4, thus making a folded strip of silk. Place one
end on the special tube and wrap the silk around it in “figure eight” style,
Figs. 5 and 6. It is important that the silk comes around the bottom and
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 369

over the top. Give the silk a good tug as it goes around the metal rod.
You will note that the diagonal corner of the silk opposite the knotted
corner is first to be wrapped on the tube, the knotted end coming last,
Fig. 7.

FIGtE a.
Tuck the B portion of this end of the handkerchief into the slot of the
tube so that the knotted end A protrudes from the tube, Fig. 8. Tuck the
B portion of the silk into the ball of silk so that only the knotted tip A
protrudes from the ball. Pull the ball of silk down to the end of the tube,
Fig. 9. Pin the safety pin onto the trousers leg so that the tube hangs
straight down with the wrapped silk at the bottom end, just high enough
and hidden by the coat, so that the right hand can easily reach under the
coat with curled fingers and pull the silk ball off the tube.

To PERFormM:
Reach under your coat with curled fingers and slip the rolled hand-
kerchief off the tube. The rolled silk will be as in Fig. 10. It is so tightly
wrapped it can be thrown around like a ball without opening, yet the
moment the knotted end is pulled the silk opens. After the ball has been
secretly obtained from under the coat, do the change-over palm to show
your hands empty. Get the rolled silk into the right hand so that the
knotted end is held between the first and second fingers, with the ball in-
370 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

side the hand, Fig. 11. The back of the hand facing the audience is shown
in Fig. 12. For clarity the tip of the handkerchief is shown projecting
between the first and second fingers. Now when the right hand reaches
out and gives a downward snap, at the same time releasing the ball, the
knotted tip is pulled out, the handkerchief flies open, Fig. 13, and the sud-
den appearance at the finger tips is very effective.

FIG.I3

FIG.I2

Nore: Instead of using the slotted metal tube an ordinary pencil can
be used as an effective substitute. In this case the handkerchief is wrapped
just as you would with the slotted tube, but instead of tucking the knotted
end into the slot, the end is tucked inside the roll alongside of the pencil.

CARLYLE’S MULTIPLE SILK PRODUCTION

Carlyle (Lyle Laughlin) in his act features a beautiful silk produc-
tion from apparently nowhere. It is based on principles in a combina-
tion that makes excellent entertainment.
EFFECT:
The performer removes a silk handkerchief from his breast pocket
and holds it up, with hands otherwise empty, for the audience to see.
Upon stroking the silk, another silk appears beside it; again the handker-
chief is stroked, revealing a third silk. These three silks are casually
laid over the right leg and counted. Upon counting them again there are
five silks. These in turn are laid over the left leg for a moment while
counting—when raised and counted again there are eight silks in all.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—HFight silk handkerchiefs, 18 to 24 inches square. Each silk may
be of a different color.
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 371

2—Two rubber bands, 2 inches long.

3—Two black shoe buttons.
4—A special long pocket in each trousers leg.
5—Two hooks, from a hook and eye set.
To PREPARE:
The special pocket in each trousers leg is three inches wide and extends
from a few inches above the bottom to about half-way between the knee
and the opening of the regular trousers pocket. Each pocket is under the
braid side of the trousers so that an opening about two inches long can be
made on the rear edge of the braid, or the center of the braid, Fig. 1.
Alongside the opening, towards the rear, is a hook from a hook and eye.
The hook points upwards, Fig. 2.

FIG. \
Two silks go into the left special pocket and are prepared by placing
a corner of each silk together, folding over and being held in place by a
looped rubber band, Fig. 3. The other end of the band is looped through
a black shoe button. Place the two silks in the left special pocket, push-
ing them up from the bottom so that the rubber band with button projects
from the opening along the braid and is held in place by running the
rubber band through the hook, Figs. 4 and 5. Three silks go into the
right special pocket, arranged like those in the left pocket.
A knot is tied in a corner of each of the other three remaining silks.
372 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

One silk is folded up and placed in the left outer breast. pocket as a pocket.
handkerchief. Each of the other two is folded as in Figs. 6, 7 and 8,
and placed under the left sideof the vest, Fig. 9, with the knotted ends pro-
truding a bit from between the vest buttons.

To PerForM:
Remove _ handker-
chief from the breast
pocket and spread it
out between your
hands, the knotted
corner in right hand,
Fig. 10. Casually
show silk on _ both
sides and bring it into
position again as in
Fig.10. Right thumb
and forefinger nip the
corner of upper silk
which was under the
vest. The left cor-
ner of spread-out silk
in front is released
from left hand, which
grasps the silk just
below the right hand,
Fig. 11. Pull this silk
together with the one
 Lesson 56 — SILKEN TRICKERY 373
from under vest, to the right, Figs. 12 and 13; the left hand grasping
the diagonal corner opposite the knot on the silk from vest, along
with the corner of the first silk. Roll the silks by rotating the hands,
Fig. 14. Bring the two corners together, Fig. 15. Drop the one in the
left hand which then grasps one of the two upper corners. Separate the
hands and pull apart, Fig. 16. This causes the two silks to separate with a
pretty twisting effect.

Fi6.15

Place one of the silks over the left leg above the knee so that a corner
comes over the shoe button. The left leg is raised a bit for this. The foot
can be placed on a chair if desired. Then show the other silk spread apart
as in Fig. 10 and repeat. the moves, Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. Place

FIG.17
these two silks on top of the other silk on the leg so that corners of each
are above the shoe button, Fig. 17. Bring up the upper middle corners
374 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

and fold the silks over, Fig. 18. Bring your right hand up under the left
hand and around the silks, Fig. 19. With the left hand, pull the three
silks, plus the two in the spe-
cial pocket, up to the left,
through the closed right hand.
The latter keeps the silks to-
gether so the spectators will
not notice the two added from
the trousers leg, Figs. 20 and
21. Drop the silks from the
right hand which comes up to .
the left hand. Release the
shoe button and rubber band
from the two silks by grasp-
ing the A corners in one hand
and the B portion of the silks
in the other hand, see Fig. 3.
Pull the hands apart which
automatically frees the silks
FIG.18 FIG.I9 from the band.

Count the silks one at a time from left to right, placing each silk over
right leg so that a corner of each comes over the shoe button. The right
foot can be on the chair or the leg just raised slightly. Grasp the sloe

button releasing it from the hook; grasping also the corners of the other
silks. Place your left hand around the silks, just below the right hand,
this hand pulling the silks out to the right through the left hand in a similar
manner as was done on the left side. Count the silks one at a time, first
of all releasing the three silks from the rubber band, and show the eight
silks. The routine should be done in a smart, well-timed manner so that
the silks apparently come from nowhere.
Lesson 57
SLATE MYSTERIES
$—-—-—. NED Ly
Que WRITING has been used in so-called spirit seances, as well as by the
magician, for many years. Ingenuity has produced a variety of
methods. The conditions in the seance room are different from those on
the magician’s stage, and the methods explained in this lesson are designed
for the magician’s use. They are easy to perform and very puzzling.
The general effect of slate writing is to show one or two slates, blank
on both sides. Then in a mysterious manner cause writing or pictures to
appear on one or two of the slates—perhaps the answer to a question. Or
the slate, or slates, may be used to reveal the name of a chosen card, a date,
the answer to a sum of numbers, a name, or to bring forth a drawing similar
to one drawn by a member of the audience.

DOUBLE-SLATE WRITING
This is a popular method of slate writing and has withstood the test of
the years. The basis is called the “flap slate.” There are many effects
that can be performed by this simple principle. Let us start by adapting
the principle to a routine with a selected card, it being very effective.
EFFECT:
Two school slates are freely shown to be blank on both sides and one
slate is placed directly on top of the other and the sides squared up. A
deck of cards is fanned, shown, and wrapped with a rubber band. The
deck is tossed to a spectator in the audience with the request that he look at
one card in the deck and remember that card. He is asked to name the

FIG. !
card he has chosen. Let us say it is the Nine of Hearts. When the slates
are separated, there written boldly upon one slate is NINE OF HEARTS,
the same card he selected.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two school slates the same size, Fig. 1.
375
376 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

2—A slate flap, Fig. 2, made of silicate, or cardboard painted on both

sides with blackboard paint. This is a special dull paint that takes
chalk and can be wiped off with a damp rag. The flap fits neatly
within either slate frame, and yet not tight enough to prevent it
from falling out when the slate is turned upside down.
3—A piece of white chalk.
4—A deck of forcing cards. This deck is made up of 44 cards all alike,
say 44 Nine of Hearts. You can buy forcing decks of cards all alike
at a magic store. For this particular routine you also need 8 regu-
lar cards, each different. Place one card on top of the 44 and the re-
maining 7 cards on the bottom or face of the deck. If you hold the
deck in your left hand with the faces of the cards towards the audi-
ence you can fan off the first 6 cards casually and square the deck
again. The effect of fanning just these few cards impresses the
fact in the minds of the spectators that all the cards in the deck are
different and that it is just a regular deck of cards.
5—A heavy rubber band to place crosswise around the deck.

FLAP
FIG. 2

FIG.3
To PREPARE:
Write NINE OF HEARTS on one of the slates with the chalk, Fig. 3.
Place the flap over the writing so as to conceal it from view, Fig. 4. You
can now show the slate on both sides, and to the audience it looks just like
a blank slate.
Place the other slate on top of this, Fig. 5, so the flap is inside and place
the slates on the table. Nearby have the forcing deck and the rubber band.
To PERFORM:
Pick up the slates from the table. . . ‘‘For years people have instinctively
been interested in mysteries which seem to be caused by some unknown force—
such as writing on the wall—messages upon a slate—or a message in the sky.
Let us begin this mystery by using two slates.”
 Lesson 51 — SLATE MYSTERIES buy aie
Separate the two slates taking the upper slate in the right hand; and
the lower slate, with flap uppermost, in the left hand, the left thumb upon
the flap. Show the slates on both sides. . . ‘‘Two blank school slates. Some-
one said that this one was a picture of.a black cat walking down a dark street at
midnight, with a frame around the picture.”

Show one slate as you say this. Then place the two slates together as
before, the flap on the bottom slate, pointing upward, Fig. 5. Place the
slates on the table in full view but reverse them as you go to the table. This
allows the flap to drop from the upper slate down into the frame of the
lower slate, thus leaving the message side of one slate and falling upon the
blank side of the other slate.
“Tam going to use a deck of playing cards. I guess you know the Five
of Hearts from the Ten of Spades, or the King of Clubs.”

Hold deck so that it faces the audience, in left hand, and with the right
hand fan a half dozen cards to the right, Fig. 6. Square up the deck and
place the rubber band around it, Fig.7. Toa gentleman in the audience:
“Sir, I would like your assistance in this. I am going to toss you the deck
of cards.”’ Toss the deck of cards to the gentleman. The rubber band
should be tight enough to keep them squared up, and prevent scattering.
“First square up the cards and hold the deck in your left hand—backs of
the cards up. Now with your right thumb I want you to lift some of the cards
far enough to look at one card. Because of the skeptics do not look at the top
card or the bottom one. Cut down into the deck some place and look at only one
card. Close the deck again and keep it closed. You must concentrate on only
one card and remember it.””
“Just toss the deck back again.”” Catch the tossed pack and, without
paying attention to it, place it on the table. Pick up the two slates.
Raise the upper slate slightly to see if the flap is in place on the lower slate.
‘If not, it can be quickly adjusted with the left thumb.
“T want you, sir, to think of the card you selected. Think of it in words
and concentrate on the slates while you are doing so.” . . . Pause a moment
while he concentrates on the card.
378 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

‘Now, will you please call out the name of your card.” ... The gentleman
says ‘The Nine of Hearts” because it was practically the only card that he
could look at, as there are 44 of them in the deck.

“The gentleman says, ‘The Nine of Hearts!’

That was the card you were concentrating on?
Fine! Remember, I gave you a choice of any
card in the deck! Watch!” . . . Separate the
top slate with the left hand and hold the
bottom slate, with flap uppermost, in your
right hand, the flap held in place by the
right thumb. Turn over the slate in the left
hand and show Nine of Hearts written upon
it, Fig. 8.... “And by some strange means the
FIG.8 Nine of Hearts is written upon this slate.”
Place slates together and replace on table.
Note: Should, by any accident, the gentleman look at the top card,
or those on the bottom, and call out same, do not be perturbed, just say:
“For your first attempt you are concentrating well. Now, I am going to
toss back these cards again to you and some place down around the central part
of the deck look at only one card and remember it.” . . . He is bound to get the
Nine of Hearts next time, if he follows directions.

TWO MESSAGES ON SLATES

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two slates the same size.
2—A slate flap that fits both slates, as previously described.
3—A piece of soft white chalk.

The date is The color is

Maroon
FIG,2
FIG. | FIG.3

To PREPARE:
Write one message on one slate, Fig. 1; and the other message on the
slate flap, Fig. 2. This is done with the chalk. Place the flap, with the
message inside, on top of the message on the first slate, Fig. 3. The two
 Lesson 57 = SLATE MYSTERIES 379

messages face each other. Put this slate on table, flap side up, and on this
place the unprepared slate.
To PERFoRM:
Pick up the two slates. Remove the top slate with the right hand and
hold the bottom slate, flap upwards, in the left hand. The left thumb
keeps the flap from falling out. Show the slates on both sides. Hold the
left hand slate flat, flap side up, and on this place the unprepared slate.
Bring the slates to a vertical position. Place on the table so that the un-
prepared slate is on the bottom and the flap slate on the top. The flap drops
from the top slate onto the lower one.
Force two questions to which the writing on the slates will give a suit-
able answer. At the proper moment pick up the slates, raise the upper
slate a bit at the rear so the left thumb can adjust the flap on the bottom
slate, if necessary. Remove the top slate with
the right hand and hold the bottom slate in the
left hand, the flap held in position by the left
thumb.
Show the message on the upper slate,
Fig. 1 and then the message on the lower slate,
Fig. 4. The message, while really on the flap,
FIG.4 appears to the audience as though it were
really written on the slate.

HOW TO FORCE TWO MESSAGES

Here are two practical methods for forcing a question, a date, a color,
a name, or whatever is desired to be answered or appear on the slate.
Let us say that we want to force a date, say Dec. 7, 1941, and the color
maroon, as just shown in the illustrations of the effect just described.
EFFEcT:
A dozen slips of paper about two inches square are passed out on one
side of the theatre and each person receiving a piece of paper is to think of
a date and write it on his respective paper. Then each is to fold the paper
twice and drop the papers into an empty envelope that another spectator is
given for collection of the papers. The spectator is told to seal the envelope
and come back on the stage with it.
A dozen slips of paper are given to the spectators on the other side of
the house and each is to think of a color and write the color on his slip.
The performer shows another empty envelope and collects these papers
which also have been folded twice by the owners. This envelope is also
sealed. The envelopes are cut open and their contents poured out on the
table. An assistant from the audience freely selects a folded paper from
380 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

each of the piles. Regardless of the freedom of choice the performer is still
able to force the desired date and color.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Thirty-seven slips of paper 2 inches square.
2—Scissors.
3—A plain opaque envelope, 6144 X 35¢ inches.
4—A double envelope, size as above.

B
FiG.4§

To construct: Cut off a sixteenth of an inch strip around the

three edges of an opaque envelope, Fig. 1. A, B and C show the
edges\to be cut. Remove the front side of the envelope, Fig. 2, and
discard the rest of the envelope. Place a 3¢ of an inch strip of
rubber cement, or paste, along the right hand edge of the front side,
Fig. 3. Insert this into another envelope of the same size, Fig. 4,
and press the right hand pasted edge so that the front side of the
envelope is secured to the side of the full envelope. The envelope
now has two compartments D and E.
FLAPS
Z SEALED
gee

FIG.6
To PREPARE:
Write the date Dec. 7, 1941, on twelve of the slips of paper and fold
the papers twice, Fig. 5. Place these twelve folded slips of paper in the E
compartment of the double envelope. Wet the E flap and seal it to the
other flap. To all outward appearances the envelope should now look
just like a regular envelope, Fig. 6. No‘one’should be aware of the hidden
compartment containing the slips of paper.
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 381

Write the word maroon on a slip of paper, fold it twice and put in right
hand pocket or clip it under your coat so it can be easily secured.
Fold the balance of the papers twice as shown in Fig. 5, then open
them again, Fig. 7, and place a dozen on the double envelope and a dozen
on the plain envelope. The envelopes are on the table near each other.
To PerFrorM:
“In the experiment I am about to perform I am going to pass some slips of
paper on this side of the audience and some more on the other side of the audi-
ence. Those at my left I want to think of a date, perhaps the month, day and
year when you were born, or a date in history. Even the date of your marriage
will do, if you. men can remember the date. On the side of the audience at my
right I want you to think of any color or shade of color. You do not have to
confine yourselves to such simple colors as red, yellow, green or blue but might
think of -other colors like orchid, cerise, maroon, topaz, cardinal, heliotrope
and so forth. Then after you have written, fold the papers twice.”
Pick up a slipof paper and show how to fold it, Fig. 5. Ask a lady
in the audience to assist you. Give her the plain envelope and a dozen
slips and have her go to the right side of the audience and pass out slips.
END
CUT AWAY

FIG 7 FIG.8
“Pass these slips out among the audience over on this side and have
them wrile the name of any color on them. See that they are folded, then collect
them in this envelope. You can look inside and see that it is empty. Seal up
the envelope and come back on the stage again.”
Pick up the double envelope and the other dozen slips and pass these
out yourself to the spectators on your left side.... ‘‘Write any date that
you choose, then fold the papers twice.”
When this is done, show the envelope empty and collect the folded
papers in it. Seal the envelope, and come back to the stage. Keep the
envelope in full view of the audience. The lady is standing at your right.
“Did you collect all the papers and seal them in your envelope? You did.
Thanks. I had you do this so neither you nor I would get a chance to see any
of the words written upon the slips and the slips would all be mized together.”’
Pick up the scissors from table. Hold your envelope in position as
shown in Fig. 8 and cut off just a bit of the pasted end. If you cut too
382 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

deep you will cut away the pasted part and you need the pasted end so
that it will conceal compartment D, and only compartment E will be open.
“T want you to cut off the end of your envelope the same as I cut off the
end of my envelope. . . . and pour the slips out onto the table.” ... Pour the
slips—the duplicate ones—out of compartment E onto the table, Fig. 9.
Give the lady the scissors and have her cut an end off her envelope.
Either end is all right as her envelope is not prepared. Have her pour her
slips out onto the table a foot or so away from yours. If you have two
tables you can have her pile on the second table. If you desire, two plates
can be used on the table, and the contents of each envelope poured onto a
plate. Take her envelope and put it aside with yours.
“Neither you nor I know what is written on the papers, do we? I am
going to have you freely choose one of the slips of paper from the bunch you
placed here on the table.” ... As she was pouring the slips onto the table
you secretly secured the extra folded paper with the word maroon written
on it and hold it finger palmed in the right hand.

FIG.)

The lady picks up one of the slips. You take it away from her with
your left hand keeping the slip at your finger tips... . . “Is this the slip
you want to choose or would you rather choose another one? I want you to
have free choice and be satisfied with your choice.
When you are satisfied that is the slip wanted, casually without look-
ing at your hands, bring left hand with slip A over to the right hand and put
A directly on B, Fig. 10. Hold both slips tightly together with the right
thumb and turn the palm of the right hand to the audience so the palm
can be seen. The two papers together look like one paper, Fig. 11. Bring
the right hand to the left so that the back of
the hand is towards the audience. Your
hand is directly in front of you. Pull back
slip A with the right thumb, Fig. 12. Take
slip B in the left hand, Fig. 12, leaving the
slip A in the right hand. Curl the second,
third and fourth fingers around slip A.
Open slip B and hold it out for the lady
to read. She reads aloud the color—
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 383

maroon.... “Maroon is the color.” .... Place this slip on the table
away from the other slips.

Casually pick up another slip and open it, showing it to the lady.
This one says “purple,” or whatever the slip reads. This move is just
to impress upon the audience that the colors are different. Picking up the
second slip is a convincing subtlety if handled properly.

“Now reach over in this pile of date slips and pick out anyone that you
choose.” ... She picks out a slip. It makes no difference which one as
they are all alike. Take it from her with the tips of your left fingers and
hold the slip high up so it never leaves the sight of the audience.

“Ts this the one you wani? You can select any other instead of this one
if you choose. But you prefer this one. All right, open this one and read
aloud the date on it.”

She opens the slip and reads the date, Dec. 7, 1941, which you repeat
aloud so all can hear. Place this slip on the table with the maroon slip.
Then pick up the slates.

“T do not know whether you believe in spooks, or spirits, or the powers of the
unknown forces, but strange things do happen. For instance, I showed two
blank slates which I placed one on top of the other. The lady here freely chose a
date and a color from amongst a couple of dozen other dates and colors. The
date chosen was Dec. 7, 1941, and the color was maroon. Open the slates and
show the writing. Isn’t it strange that this slate has recorded the same date,
Dec. 7, 1941, and this other slate says the color is maroon? There are more
things in heaven and earth than we have dreamed of in our philosophies.”

The two methods of forcing, work together very nicely. While each
seems to be the same procedure for a freely chosen slip, yet each method is
distinctly different.

AL BAKER SLIP OF PAPER FORCE

Al Baker has worked out a natural and indetectable form of a force
for a slip of paper, that every student of this type of magic should know.
EFFECT:
Spectators in the audience write a question, date, color, name or other
subject matter on slips of paper and fold the papers. Someone collects
them on a plate and brings the plate up on the stage. The slips are well
mixed. An unprepared envelope is given to the spectator to examine.
He is asked to freely select any one of the slips of paper. This done, the
performer places the slip in the envelope and after sealing the envelope
gives it to the spectator to hold. Upon the spectator opening the envelope
384 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

at the proper moment and taking out the slip, it contains the desired in-
formation which the performer wants.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A number of slips of paper, about 214 inches square.
2—A plate.
3—An envelope.

To PREPARE:
Fold the slips of paper twice, first one way, and then the other which
makes a square of paper about an inch and a quarter square. Open the
papers again. Doing. this in advance lets the spectators fold along these
lines after something has been written, thus making the folded slips uniform.
On one of the slips write the question or whatever you want to force.
Fold this slip and place it in your left trousers pocket. The envelope is
placed on the table with the slips.
To PErFrorm:
Pass out the slips of paper to various people in the audience. A spec-
tator can do this. Have them write a question, a date, a color, a name or
whatever line of thought you wish. Then have them fold up the slips and
have a spectator collect them on the plate. He brings the plate up to
you and places it on the table.

You pick up the envelope, show it empty and give it to the spectator
to examine. If desired you could give him a few envelopes and have him
take his choice of one. As he is looking at the envelope it is easy to casually
place your left hand in your left trousers pocket for a moment and finger
palm the force slip of paper you placed therein. Remove the hand with
the slip and drop the hand to the side. ‘Take back the envelope with the
right hand and transfer it to the left hand, Fig. 1. As the left hand is
brought up to the envelope the second, third and fourth fingers can be
curled enough so the palmed paper will not be exposed to view, and then
opened again when the envelope screens the fingers and slip of paper.

With the envelope held as in Fig. 1 you can handle the envelope in a
natural manner, even showing both sides without suspicion, as the en-
velope is held naturally and the left fingers hide the slip.

Have the spectator freely select one of the papers on the plate. Take
it in your right finger tips. Accent the fact that he can take any paper he
chooses. Hold the envelope in a vertical position, Fig. 1, with the flap
side towards the audience. Bring the second finger of the left hand be-
tween the paper and the envelope and nip the slip between the second and
third fingers, Fig. 2.
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 385

We will call this slip B; the one the spectator selected, A. Bring slip
A to the first and second finger tips of the right hand and reach up and
open up the envelope flap with the right thumb, Fig. 3. When the flap is
fully opened the right fingers with slip A automatically go behind the en-
velope, Fig. 4, so that slip A can be easily gripped between the first and
second fingers of the left hand, and the slip B is gripped by the second
and third fingers of the right hand, Fig. 5.

FIGS

Bring the right hand from back of the envelope immediately, slip-
ping the second finger around on the other side of the slip so the slip is
held between the right thumb and the first three fingers. Place slip B in
the envelope, Fig. 6. In the meantime the left fingers have brought slip A
between the fingers and the envelope as in Fig. 1. Seal the envelope.
Curl the fingers of the left hand around the slip A and let the hand fall to
the side as envelope is taken in the right hand and given to spectator to hold.

FIG.6

You can casually place the left hand in your trousers pocket for a
moment as you are recounting to the spectator that he has freely chosen a
question which in turn has been sealed in the envelope.

You can then pick up your slates and show the answer, message, date
color, name or what not on it and then check up by tearing open the en-
velope. The spectator can open the envelope himself and check.
Nore: This method of billet switch need not be confined to a force
but can be used in exchanging a five dollar bill for a one dollar bill, or a
small package or article such as a coin, for another.
386 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Al Baker uses this exchange for a three card monte effect in which he
places a five dollar bill in one envelope and a dollar bill in each of two other
envelopes. The audience has difficulty in finding the envelope with the
five dollar bill. Needless to say the five dollar bill was exchanged for a
one dollar bill in the first envelope and then a one dollar bill was exchanged
for the five in the second or third envelope.
The thing that every student of magic must fully realize is that a
principle can be used for many effects and it gives a magician a chance for
original presentation.

NUMBERED DOUBLE-SLATE WRITING

EFFEcT:
The performer shows two blank slates and marks each side, 1-2-3-4,
respectively. The slates are placed together, a tape is wrapped around
them, and they are given to someone to hold or placed in full view on the
table. A spectator is asked to think of a question. Slates are then un-
tied and a message has appeared on one of the slates.

FIG.2
FIG.|

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—Two school slates, the same size, Fig. 1.
2—A black flap for one slate, Fig. 2, as described in the beginning of
this Lesson. Cover one side with a piece of newspaper. Dust
the black side with some chalk to match the slate.
3—A few pieces of newspaper on the table, size of the flap.
4—A piece of chalk.
To PREPARE:
In the middle of one side of one slate, write

aa
the figure 1 and an answer that will fit almost any
question. If desired, the answer may be funny.
Write, ‘Time will tell,” or make a row of ques-
tion marks, Fig. 3. Cover the writing with the
flap, black side out. Place the slate on the table
FIG.3
with the flap up. On this place the other slate.
Have the pieces of newspaper and chalk on the table.
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 387

To PERFORM:
Pick up both slates. Remove the upper one with right hand and
hold the other with the left hand, keeping the flap in place with the left
thumb, Fig. 4.

FIG.5

“For this demonstration, I use two blank school slates. And I number
each one of the sides.” .. . Place the unprepared slate in right hand down on
the table. Pick up the chalk and make the figure 1 in the center of the flap
of the other slate as you did previously on the slate itself. The audience
believes you are writing the 1 on the slate proper, Fig. 5. Call out “One.”
Turn the slate over, holding the flap in place, and make the figure 2 on
other side, saying “Two.”
Place the slate on the table, flap side down and on the newspaper
pieces, near the edge of the table. Pick up the other slate and make a 3
on one side, announcing “Three.” Turn the slate over and make a 4,
saying “And four.”
Pick up the first slate, leaving the flap on the table. As the flap has
newspaper backing, it is not noticed on the other pieces of newspaper,
Fig. 6. Keep the written side down and place this slate on the other one.
The numeral 2 is on top and the message is now between the two slates.

FIG6

“I shall ask you, sir, to tie these slates together with this tape.” . . . Hand
the tape to the spectator and have him tie the slates together, Fig. 7....
“Now you may hold them for a while. Please hold them up so that everybody
can see the slates all the time.”
388 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Say to another spectator: ‘Have you ever been interested in spirit

writing, sir? Have you ever communicated with the spirits—the spirit of
some departed friend? Perhaps there is some question that you would like to
ask and have one of the departed give an answer. I want you to ask a question
in your own mind. You need not say tt aloud. Just think of it. Have you
done so? Concentrate on it for a moment.”
Say to the spectator holding slates: “‘Do you feel any peculiar sensa-
lion or impulse from the slates—a sort of trembling? I believe you are a psy-
chic yourself. Would you mind opening the slates now? Remove the tape and
open them up.”
The spectator does as requested. Pick up the slate with the message
on it and show it to the audience. .. . “The spirits have written, ‘Time will
tell.’ Perhaps ’tis just as well for time answers many questions.”
Note: If you have three or four question marks on the slate, say:
“I’m afraid you have even the dear departed brothers guessing.”
Sucecestions: If you are working at a public performance with many
strangers, you may pass out a few slips for spectators to write questions.
Gather the slips in a Changing Bag as described to you earlier in the Course.
On all the duplicate slips, have the same question written, perhaps some-
thing dealing with a local problem. Have a spectator reach into the bag
and remove a question, reading it aloud. You then untie the slates and
show the answer.
A simple method of forcing a slip of paper involves the use of a soft,
felt hat. Push the crown of the hat up to form two compartments. Place
the duplicate slips, all containing the same questions, in A, Fig. 8. Place
your right hand under compartment A, squeezing it tightly from the outside
to conceal the duplicate slips, Fig. 9.

FIGS
After the spectators. have written their slips, have them dropped
into the hat and they will fall into compartment B. While talking, pass
the hat to left hand, squeezing compartment B closed with your left hand
and releasing compartment A. Shake the hat up and down to mix the
duplicates and have a spectator select one. He brings out a duplicate,
of course, containing the question you had written. The slates are opened
to show the answer to the question. The slate writing trick is good for
the mathematical problem in which spectators call numbers and the total
mysteriously appears on the slate.
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 389

SIMPLEX DOUBLE SLATES

The effect is similar to the first method, except that no flap is required.
EFFECT:
The performer shows two blank slates and places a small piece of chalk
between them. They are given to a spectator to hold, and when they are
opened, it is found that a message has mysteriously appeared on one of the
inside surfaces.
PaRAPHERNALIA:
1—Two school slates the same size.
2—A very small piece of chalk that will fit between the slates.
3—If desired, a piece of tape to wrap around the slates.
To PREPARE:
Write a message on one side of one slate with chalk. Until you lean
the effect, call this slate No. 1, the message side A and the other side B.
The other slate is No. 2 with sides C and D. Just for practice purposes
mark the slates as shown in Fig. 1. After you have the routine mastered,
omit the letters as the audience must see only blank slates. Have the
small piece of chalk on the table.
To PERFoRM:
Pick up the slates, holding them parallel to each other and close to-
gether. Have side B facing the audience. Have both hands at about the
middle of the sides of the slates, Fig. 2.

Revolve the slates downward to show side

D, Fig. 3. Then bring the slates back again to
the position shown in Fig. 2. Separate the
slates, holding B in the right hand and C in the
left, Fig. 4.
Bring the slates together again, placing C
on B. The message is now at the rear, as in
390 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Fig. 5. Hold the slates in the left hand with C upward. The message is
on the bottom, Fig. 6.
“Oh, I forgot to put a piece of chalk in between the slates. We must
have a piece of chalk.” . . . Lift the upper slate and hold in the right hand,
showing C side to audience. Turn it over to show D, then C again. Place
this slate down on the lower slate again to cover it only partially.

FIG.6

“Here is a piece of chalk.”’ ... Pick up the small piece of chalk and place
it on C. Pick up the lower slate with the right hand and show side B to
the audience, concealing the message at the rear. Now place this slate on
C and square up the two slates. B is uppermost and the message is now
between the slates, Fig. 7. Show sides D and B again by revolving the
slates as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

| You were
oes ofa
man named
BROWN

cIG.7 FIG.8

When you first place the slates together, the skeptics in the audience
may feel that they would like to examine the slates more closely. But
when you open the slates and show the blank insides under pretense of
placing the chalk between them the audience is satisfied that the slates are
blank on all sides. Tapes may be tied around the slates and a spectator
may be allowed to hold them. Then the slates are opened and the message
is found to have appeared between them, Fig. 8.

SINGLE-SLATE WRITING
EFFECT:
The performer shows one slate, both sides blank. He places the
slate on the table in full view and mysteriously a message appears.
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 391

To PREPARE:
This is the same flap method as used in the Numbered Double-Slate
Writing. Write a message on the slate and cover with the flap. Havea
few pieces of newspaper on the table.
To PERFORM:
Show both sides of the slate, then place it flat down
on the table for a moment to drop the flap on the
pieces of newspaper. Pick up the slate again and
stand it against something, message side away from
the audience. Or the slate may be wrapped in news-
paper and given to a spectator tohold. At the proper
moment, the spectator removes the newspaper and re-
veals the message. Or with proper showmanship you
turn the slate around and show the message.
FIG.1
Another way is to start to place the slate in a
paper envelope open at one end, Fig. 1, then suddenly decide to wrap it
in newspaper; you leave the flap in the envelope.

TRANSFER SINGLE-SLATE WRITING

EFFECT:
The performer gives a slate to spectators for examination. He then
washes both sides of it with a wet sponge. The slate is wrapped in a piece
of newspaper and given to a member of the audience to hold. When the
paper is removed, a message is found on the slate.
To PREPARE:
The secret lies in writing the message backwards with soft white
chalk in the middle of a sheet of newspaper, Fig. 1.
To PERFORM:
After the slate has been examined, wash over it with a damp cloth.
Then wrap it in the prepared piece of newspaper so that the chalked part
of the paper comes against one side of slate. Run your hand over the
paper or rub it over your knee as you wrap the slate to get the message
onto the slate. The wet slate causes the chalk
to stick to it. A dry slate can also be used but
does not take the chalk so well.
Give the wrapped slate to
<gs a spectator to hold, then at
ra:[0 the proper moment, unwrap
the slate and crush the news-
paper into a ball and toss it
aside. Show the message on
FIG | the slate, Fig. 2.
 392 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

A VISIBLE MESSAGE
This method was popular with Chung Ling Soo years ago when he was
touring England.
EFFECT:
A slate is freely shown on both sides. The performer picks up a
cloth and bunching it up in his hands rubs it over the slate. A message
appears upon the slate in full view, in chalk.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A slate.
2—A piece of soft cloth.
3—Powdered chalk.
4—A small brush.
5—Juice of an onion.
To PREPARE:
With the brush dipped in onion juice, write the message that you want
to appear, on a slate. Be sure to make the letters or numbers large and
plain so as to be easily read Jater on. When onion juice dries, the slate
can be freely shown to be blank on both sides. Bunch up the cloth and
dip one side into the powdered chalk.

To PERFORM:
Pick up the slate and show it to be blank on both sides. | When the
time comes to make the message appear on the slate, pick up the bunched
up cloth and rub the powdered chalk side across the onion juice message
on the slate, Fig. 1. The chalk will adhere to the onion juice. You can
rub the cloth back and forth across the slate a couple of times so the mes-
sage will be sure to stand out well. The effect of a message suddenly ap-
pearing in full view on a blank slate is very good, Fig. 2.

DOBRIN’S DOUBLE LOCKING SLATE

: In my teens when I was doing slate magic I wanted a method by
which I could use a single slate and, without going near a table, get a mes-
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 393

sage on it or vanish a message from it, or cause a question written on it to

be answered. So [hit on the idea of using a flap on one side of the slate
that folded in the middle so if folded one way it covered one half of one
side of the slate and if folded the other way covered the other half of that
side of the slate. Because each side of the flap also represented half of a
slate, pushing the flap from one side to another presented a new side to the
slate. Dunninger and Al Baker hit upon the same idea. It was a logical
idea for anyone doing slate mysteries.

1G.!

But it remained for Harry Dobrin to employ the idea and make a
practical piece of magical apparatus to appeal to the magic market. This
slate not only has a flap hinged at the center of one side of the slate so it can
fold either way on the slate; but the flap locks on both ends so it can be
handled with freedom, Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

DouBLeE
SINGLE
FIG .4 FIG. 5

The flap is made of two sheets of silicate so that when folded either
way the surface of the slate is smooth. Fig. 4 shows how the two pieces of
silicate are creased in the center and the two halves glued together to make
a flap. The thickness of the silicate is exaggerated in the drawing to show
the principle. The single parts of the silicate are glued to the slate proper.
The slate and flap are made to slide in the frame. On the under side of
each inner end of the frame is a slot into which
the end of the flap can slide and lock itself. Fig.5 FLAP
shows how the slate is slid back and forth from
left to right, or right to left, by the thumbs to
lock and unlock the ends.

To PREPARE:
Write the} message with white chalk on the \c s cs tus asen
flap side of the slate, Fig. 6, then fold the flap GIGe6
394 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

back to the left and lock it under the left end of the slate. Fig. 3.
To PEerrormM:
You can show the slate freely on both sides to be blank. Hold the
flap side at the rear as in Fig. 5. Slip back the slate part to the left al-
lowing the flap to open, Fig. 1, and with the left thumb push it over into
position shown in Fig. 2, and finally flat on the slate. Then slide back the
slate proper with flap, under the right inner edge of frame and lock the
flap, Fig. 6. You are now ready to reveal the message written on the slate.
Nore: This slate has many uses such as switching one set of numbers
for another set to be added; one message for another; one card for
another; the appearance of a picture; vanishes; appearances, or trans-
positions, etc. I have used the slate in my own shows with great success.

LARSEN AND WRIGHT DOUBLE MESSAGE

This is a simple, clean-cut method of getting a message on both sides
of a single slate. It was given to me years ago by Larsen and Wright.
EFFECT:
A school slate is shown freely on both sides, also a sheet of cardboard
slightly larger than the slate. The cardboard is held for a moment in
front of the slate, with the result that when removed the slate has a message
written on both sides.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A school slate.
2—The usual flap to fit within the frame of slate, Fig. 1.
3—A sheet of cardboard, white or colored, slightly larger than the
slate, Fig. 2.

FIG.| FIG.2

To PREPARE:
Write the message with white chalk on one side of the slate, and
another message on one side of the flap, Fig. 3. Let us say in this instance
that you want to reveal the names of two chosen cards, the Six of Clubs and
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 395

the Ten of Hearts. Place the flap on the slate so the written messages
are inside, and the plain sides of the slate and flap are outside, Fig. 4.
Place the cardboard on the table, and on this the slate, flap side up.

dvi

FIG.4 FIG. 5

To PERFORM:
If you want to reveal the names of two cards, force the two cards by
one of the methods described in this Course. Pick up the slate with the
right hand and hold the flap in place with the right thumb. Show the
slate on both sides. Turn it upside down so that the right hand is at the
top, the thumb points downward, and flap is at the rear, away from the
audience. With the help of the left hand tilt slate a bit to loosen the flap
and let it drop down a bit so its lower edge is on the frame of the slate, Fig. 5.
In this position the flap can easily be picked up later. Transfer the slate
to the left hand, left fingers behind the slate and thumb in front, pointing
down. Pick up the cardboard with the right hand and, after showing
both sides, place it in front of the slate, so that it comes under the left
thumb at the top, and the left fingers come up behind the slate and touch
the flap, Fig. 6.

Pull the cardboard downward, and with it the flap, Fig. 7. Continue
pulling down the cardboard until it has cleared the slate, Fig. 8. The
flap is hidden behind the cardboard.
 396 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

“This is a clean slate.”’ . . . Bring the cardboard up in front of the slate

again so that the flap comes into position on the front side of the slate,
Fig. 9. By means of your thumbs you can adjust the flap into position
in the slate so it fits nicely.

FIG.1O FIG.U

Remove the cardboard and show both sides revealing the Ten of
Hearts, or whatever message you want, on the front side, Fig. 10, and
then, turning the slate over and showing the Six of Clubs written on the
rear, Fig. 11. Place the slate aside on the table flap side up, and cover it
with the cardboard.

JACK MILLER SLATE ROUTINE

This routine was brought out by Jack Miller many years ago and
started much interest in numbered slate routines without the use of a flap.
Only two slates are used.
EFFECT:
Two school slates are shown and attention is called that each side is
blank by numbering the slates on each side, respectively 1-2-3-4. Yet at
the proper moment a message is shown written on one of the slates.

To PREPARE:
Unknown to the audience make the number | near the upper corner
of one side of a slate. Write a message, or whatever you want to appear
on the slate, on the bottom half of the slate, Fig. 1.

Place this marked slate B underneath the other slate A, with the mes-
sage side upwards, between the slates.
To PERFORM:
Bring forward the two slates stacked together, slate A on the top,
Fig. 2. Show the top side of A to the audience and with chalk Jet the
spectators see you mark the figure | in the upper left corner, Fig. 3, similar
to the 1 you secretly made on slate B. Reverse the slates by turning the
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 397

top towards you, Fig. 4. This brings the side of B into view and conceals
the side of A marked 1.

FIG.|

Place a 2 in upper left hand corner of B, Fig. 5. Always let the audi-
ence see you make the numbers. The right side of your body is towards
the audience and the slates are held at your left. Now comes the impor-
tant move—secretly rub out the 1 on A now at the lower left corner of the rear
slate, with the left second finger which is behind the slate. The left thumb is
in front and the fingers behind.

FIG 4 A FIG.S
FIG.6
Push slate B with the number 2, to the right, Fig. 6. Place B under
A so that the 2 shows, Fig. 7. Mark a 3 in the upper left corner of slate A.

FIG.7 FIG.8& FIG.9°

Place slate A with 3 underneath B so that both the 3 and the 2 show.
Fig. 8. Reverse the slates by bringing the top edges towards you and
downwards, bringing the 1 on the message slate B into view, Fig. 9.
398 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Mark a 4 in upper left corner of slate A, Fig. 10. This is the position
where the 1 was marked but has now been erased. Grasp slate B in the
left hand, and slate A in the right hand and bring the slates to a horizontal
position, Fig. 11. Keep the left edge of A up against B so as to hide the
message written on the lower half of B.

FIG.V2

Pivot slate B around in front of A so that the 2 side shows to the audi-
ence, Fig. 12. Turn the upper edge of slate A towards your body and
turn slate A over so that the side with the 3 on it is towards the front,
Fig. 13. Now separate the slates for a few inches, Fig. 14.

B FIGS FIG.I4

Reverse A, bringing the 4 side into view again and place it in back of
B2, Fig. 12. Place the slates close together, the 4 side is inside, and bring
A A

FIG.IS FIG.I6

the slates to a vertical position, Fig. 15. With the left hand holding slate
B{with 2, and the right hand holding slate A, separate the slates pulling
A to the right, Fig. 16.
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 399

“You will note that the slates are clean.” . . . Put the slates together
again, turn over sideways bringing the 3 side of A to the top, and the 2 be-
hind it, Fig. 17. Place the slates on the table or give to a spectator to hold.
At the proper time separate the slates and show the message on the slate
marked with a 1, Fig. 18.

FIG.A7 FIG.I8

Practice this routine well until it becomes almost second nature.

One move fits into the other andfyou will soon get the knack of it. The ef-
fect is that the full four sides of both slates have been freely shown, yet in
reality only three full sides were shown until the message was exhibited.
Note: Some of the mediums employed this method because of the
absence of apparatus or gimmicks that might be discovered. They were
very adept in its presentation and closely guarded the subtle secret.
Our editor, Ralph Read, reports that a Chicago medium featured the
effect and, through repeated demonstrations, found that she could make
the critical erasure of the 1 with the one downward movement of the left
hand immediately after the turn-over, Fig. 4. The left hand is at the top
edge when the turn-over is made, then is slid down to the bottom, the left
fingers erasing the figure 1. Some chalk should be rubbed over all four
corners where you later write the 1-2-3-4. You only partially erase the
chalk so as to leave the slate somewhat grey. This conceals any incom-
plete erasure of the 1.

MULTIPLE SLATE WRITING

There are times when a performer wants to get, messages on three or
four slates in an easy and effective manner. Here is the method used by
Roger Barkann. As only one flap is used, there is little to conceal in the
production of messages. Each slate is shown to be blank on both sides
before the messages appear.

EFFEct:
The performer comes forward with a stack of four slates. He shows
each to be blank on each side. He numbers three of them with a piece of
chalk, 1-2-3, respectively. The fourth slate he casually shows both sides
and puts aside on the table, saying that three slates are enough. The
400 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

three numbered slates are placed in full view of the audience. However,
upon turning each slate over, one at a time, a message has appeared on
each of the three slates.
ParAPHERNALIA:
1—Four school slates of the same size.
2—A silicate flap, powdered a bit with chalk to match the color of the
slate. If the slate itself is already black, this is not necessary.
The flap must fit the slates as previously described, Fig. 1.
3—White school chalk, preferably the softer kind.

GiGsZ

To PREPARE:
Write a message on one side of each of three slates, a different message
on each slate. On the fourth blank slate, stack the other three slates,
message side of each facing upwards. Place the flap on top of the upper
slate, thus covering the message written upon it, Fig. 2.
To PERFoRM:
Pick up the stack of four slates casually showing the bottom and the
top of the stack. The flap is held in place with your hand to keep it from
dropping out. The slates should be placed on the left forearm and one
end held by the left hand. The flap is upward, likewise the message on
each of the three slates. Let the flap and message side of the slates turn
in towards your body so as not to be seen by the audience when the mes-
sages are exposed without a flap.
Lift the top slate from the stack with the right hand, Fig. 3, and show
both sides. Replace the slate on the stack with the flap side down, so that
the flap will be against the message side of the second slate.
Turn the stack of slates towards the audience and on the top slate
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 401

write the number 1, Fig. 4. Remove the upper slate, but in doing so be
sure that the flap correctly fits onto the second slate, so as to properly
cover the message and cause no suspicion.
Place slate, number 1 on the table with its
message side down and the number side up. Or place
it against something so the slate will be in full view of
the audience. Three chairs could be used and a slate
placed on each seat standing against the back of each,
upright and in full view. Pick up the second slate, hold-
ing the flap in place and using care not to expose the
message on the third slate. Holding the slates as in
Fig. 3 will prevent exposure. Show both sides of the
second slate and place on the third slate so that the
flap comes between the two and covers the message on the third slate.
Write the number 2 on the upper slate. Remove the top slate, again tak-
ing care that the flap is properly adjusted in the frame of the third slate.
Place slate number 2 on the table beside the other one, the number side
towards the audience, similar to slate 1.

FIG. 5
Lift up the third slate and show both sides. You can casually show
the upper surface of the fourth slate, as there is nothing written on that
slate. Place the third slate on the fourth with flap side downward so the
flap falls onto the bottom slate. Write the number 3 on the top slate and
place it beside the other two slates, Fig.5. “Three slates will be enough; I
will just place this one aside.” . . . Place the fourth slate aside on the table.

FIG.6
All that remains is to bring forth the message on each of the three slates
when the time comes, by reversing each slate, Fig. 6.
402 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

Note: Where it is desired to produce a message also on the fourth

slate, the routine is as follows. In this case the message on the fourth
slate is hidden when the third slate is raised by also turning the message
side of the fourth slate towards the body. After showing slate 3 on both
sides, place it flap downwards on slate 4. Mark the number 3 on the top
slate and place that slate beside the other two.
The message on slate 4 is covered by the flap. Show slate 4, the last
slate, on both sides, and write the number 4 on the side not containing the
flap. The flap side should be on the under side. Slate 4 is now held in
the left hand. (However, it too can be stood up against something, being _
careful not to misplace or get the flap out of position.)
You work up the part that gives the reason for the messages to ap-
pear. This done, pick-up slate 1 and turning it around, show the message
written thereon, reading it aloud so there will be no mistake on the part of
the spectators that a chalk message has mysteriously appeared.
Pick up slate 4 and place slate 1 under 4 which you are holding in the
left hand. Square up the slates so that the flap will fall on slate 1. Lift up
slate 4 from slate 1, turning the flap side of the latter slate away from the
audience as you do so. Exhibit the message that has appeared on slate 4.
Place slate 4 back on 1 so that the flap comes between them.
Lift up slate 3 and, turning it around, show the message that has ap-
peared on it. Place slate 3 on the other two on your left arm.
Lift up slate 2, turn it around and show the message written on it.
Place 2 on the other three slates and set the slates aside.
The fact that the flap is handled in this manner, requires no special
get-away or dropping on the table. For this reason, the multiple slate
mystery is adapted to close work in the parlor as well as a stage mystery.
If desired, it is very easy in stage work to leave the flap on the table by
placing slate 4 flat on the table for a moment.

A SPOOKY MESSAGE
Walter Gibson has used this combination with good effect. It pre-
sents an easy, safe way of working an interesting method of causing the
name of a freely selected card to appear on a slate.
EFFECT:
A school slate is freely shown both sides, and is placed on the table.
A: spectator is given a deck of cards to shuffle and to remove any card he sees
fit, but it must be back up and he is not to see it. The spectator places the
card back up on the slate. The performer picks up another similar slate,
shows it on both sides, and on one side writes with white chalk, THE
NAME OF THECARDIS. He places this upon the other slate and card,
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 403

so that the written words are on the inside. The magician says he has
given the spirits something to work on and they in turn will write out the
name of the card, which no one knows, upon the slate. Upon lifting up the
top slate nothing seems to have happened. It still bears the words that the
performer wrote. This puzzles him a bit, but knowing the spooks to be
quite tricky at times he picks up a cloth and wipes off the chalk letters on
the slate. Strange as it may seem, they do not all wipe off. Those that
remain spell out, TEN OF HEARTS. The card on the other slate is
lifted up, turned over and it proves to be the Ten of Hearts.
PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A slate and flap, Figs. 1
and 2.
2—A duplicate slate.
3—A piece of white chalk.
FIG. 1. FIG. 2 4—A deck of cards.
_ To Prepare:
On one of the slates write with chalk the letters, THE NAME OF
THE CARD IS, (Fig. 3). Now with white show card color, or paint,
cover the lettersT,E, N, O, F, H, E, A, R, T,andS. The last T is formed
from the D in the word CARD. The painted letters should be the same
thickness as the chalk ones, and the paint should be dull, or flat. A shiny
enamel paint is no good as it is not like dull chalk. When paint is dry
wipe off the slate clean and, TEN OF HEARTS stands out as in Fig. 4.

FIG.4
Fill in the letters with white chalk again so as to form the letters,
THE NAME OF THE CARD IS (Fig. 3). Properly done, the letters
look as though they were all drawn with white chalk.
Remove the Ten of Hearts from the deck and place it face up on the
writing on the slate, Fig. 5. Cover with the flap. The slate now appears
to be blank on both sides. Place the slate on the table, flap up, and on
top of this slate place the other slate.
To PERForM:
Pick up a deck of cards—the one with the Ten of Hearts removed—
and give it to a spectator. ... “Sir! Do you believe in spooks? I had a
404 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

friend one time who said he didn’t believe in spooks, but was afraid of them all
his life! But whether you do or do not believe in spirits, shuffle up this deck of
cards, and then holding the deck, backs up, remove any card and without
looking at the card or showing it to anyone place it upon this slate.”
Pick up the unprepared slate and, after showing it upon both sides,
hold it out so the spectator can put his selected card on it, Fig. 6. The
card must be back up. It does not matter what card the spectator places
on the slate. Replace the slate on the table. Pick up the prepared one.
Hold the flap side towards the audience.
“It is very important that none of us knows the name of the freely selected .
card—for I want you to see the power of the spirits who see and know things
that we do not. However, we must encourage the ghostly forces by doing some
of the work ourselves. _Of course, we could simply talk to the spirits and say
“Spooky what is the name of the gentleman’s card?’ Even though he would
answer you wouldn’t hear him unless you hear spirit voices. To encourage the
spirits I will write on the slate ‘THE NAME OF THE CARD IS.’’’

FIG.7

Write on the flap, THE NAME OF THE CARD IS, duplicating as

nearly as possible the writing on the real slate hidden from view by the
flap. ... “I’ve writien that much. Now, let the spirits finish the message.”
Turn the slate over so that the writing on the flap faces downward.
Place the slate on the other slate and card. You can pick the other slate
with card up from the table and hold both slates square up in your hands,
Fig. 7. To the spectator who selected the ecard. . . . “Perhaps you have
never attended a spirit seance before. Let us see what has happened.”
Lift up the top slate at the rear edge. Do not raise the front edge.
This is so you can get a glimpse to see if the flap is properly fitted into the
frame of the lower slate. If not, you can quickly fit the flap with one of
your thumbs without the audience being aware of the fact. Drop the top
slate again. ... “J thought I would peek inside but I forgot we can’t very well
see a spook, except maybe on a dark night. Come, spooky, tell us what the name
of the card is and write it on the slate.”’
Lift up the top slate with the left hand and show the writing side to the
audience. Replace the other slate on the table with the flap and card up-
wards. ... “It doesn’t look like anything has happened. I remember one time
someone said to Houdini ‘Can we talk to the spirits?’ and Houdini answered,
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 405

“Yes, we can talk to the spirits—but will they answer? Maybe I didn’t leave
enough room for a spook to write the answer. . . or sometimes a spirit is very
tricky ...1 have an idea.”
Remove your handkerchief from your pocket, or have one on your table.
Wipe the chalk letters off the slate and reveal the painted letters, TEN OF
HEARTS...., “Ten of Hearts! Lift up the card you placed on the slate, sir!
Show it to the audience . . . there you are—The Ten of Hearts! Sir, you can't
foola spook!” ... Place the slate on top of the other slate on the table.
OTHER CARD CoMBINATIONS
Not only can Ten of Hearts be made from “The Name of the Card Is”’
but also Five of Hearts and Nine of Hearts as well. This gives you a
chance to use a different card where you are doing a number of shows in the
same place or before many of the same people.

PiGre

Fig. 1 shows how the number FIVE is made from THE NAME,
Fig. 2 explains how NINE is made from the word NAME.

IF YOUR ONE F OUR OF

CARD IS AMONGST D |AMONDS
THE 52

FIG. 3 FIG.4
From time to time different magicians have tried to break away
from the Ten of Hearts and devise words to fit other cards. Ralph Read
hit upon the words IF YOUR ONE CARD IS AMONGST THE 52,
Fig. 3, to make FOUR OF DIAMONDS, Fig. 4.
406 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

In pattering this you can say, “Jf your one card is amongst the 52 cards
in the deck I will call upon the spirits to name it.” Then you can go through
the usual routine.
I sometimes use the words HE’S THINKING OF ONE OF THE
CARDS, Fig. 5, to form the card KING OF CLUBS, Fig. 6. In order to
get a B from a D I cover the middle bar of the B with a bit of black chalk
and round out the right side of the D with white chalk.

HE'S THINKING
OF ONE OF
THE CARDS

FIG. 5

The patter I use is, ‘Sir, J want you to think of your card. Oh, pardon
me you do not know what the name of your card is. Well just visualize the
back of a card without worrying about what the card is, But your super-
conscious mind knows, Spirit, oh, kindly spirit, he is thinking of one of the
cards, will you name il for us?”
Another method is to use a forcing deck as described in Lesson 52
for use in the Mental Magic. ‘The deck is wrapped with a rubber band
and thrown to a spectator to peek at a card and remember it. The “spirits”
will tell him the name of the card he is thinking of... “Spirit, dear spirit,
concentrale on this man. HE'S THINKING OF ONE OF THE CARDS
in the deck. No one but himself knows what the card is. Read his mind and
write the answer on this slate.”

MESSAGE ON PAPER

In this case the message appears on a sheet of paper and the slates seem
only incidental.
Errect:
A sheet of paper is shown on both sides and placed on a slate. Another
slate that has been freely shown is placed over the other slate and paper.
At the psychological moment the slates are separated and a message is
found to be written on the paper.
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 407

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A slate with flap, Fig. 1.
2—A duplicate slate.
3—Two identical sheets of paper a bit smaller than the flap.
To PREPARE:
Write on one sheet of the paper the message, answer to a series of
numbers, or whatever you desire to appear on the paper, Fig. 2. Turn the
paper over and place it on the slate, Fig. 3. The writing is against the slate

FIG. +

proper. Let us call this slate A. Place the flap on slate A so as to cover the
paper, Fig. 4. Have the plain sheet of paper and the other slate nearby.
To Perrorm:
Pick up slate A, with flap on top. Holding the flap in place with your
fingers, show the slate on both sides. Show the piece of plain paper on
both sides and place it on the flap, Fig. 5. Pick up slate B and freely show
it on both sides and place it on top of the slate A and the paper, Fig. 6.
Show the slates on both sides and in placing the slates on the table
have the slates reversed so that slate A comes on the top. You can open
the slates a bit at the rear and adjust the flap to fit the bottom B slate.

RE" «16.6
FIG.5 FIG, 7

Go through the necessary routine required to bring forth the climax

of showing the message, then pick up the slates, lift the top slate off and
show the message that has appeared on the paper, Fig. 7.
408 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

CHINESE COMEDY SLATE MESSAGE

This mystery is for comedy purposes. There are times when the
magician wants to do a spirit slate mystery but without seriousness.

EFFECT:
A slate is shown blank on both sides with the exception of a chalk line
drawn across the Jower right corner of the slate on one side. A lady is asked
to come up from the audience and be seated in a chair. She is asked to write
her initials in the triangle of the slate which has been set off by the chalk
line. The performer says that since the spirits work in the dark he will
temporarily place the slate in an envelope. He has pushed the slate in part
way when he happens to think that there is one spirit—an old Chinese
magician—who said he could do things better in the light. So the slate is
placed on the lady’s lap, initialed side down. Someone in the audience is
told to ask a question that they would like the Chinese magician to answer.
The slate is removed from the lady’s lap and the magician’s answer shown—
written in Chinese. The performer gives a funny interpretation.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A slate and a flap. The flap is prepared by cutting off the lower
right corner, Fig. 1.
2—A piece of white chalk.
3—A small bottle of Show Card White (water color) and a small brush.
4—A heavy paper envelope open at one end into which the slate can
be placed. It should be about two inches wider and longer than
the slate, Fig. 2.

To PREPARE:
With the brush dipped in
Show Card Color, paint two
Chinese characters on the slate,
Fig. 1. Also a line across the
lower right corner of the slate.
This line is determined by first
| placing the flap in place on the
FIG.2 slate and drawing a pencil line on
slate along the cut-away edge of
flap. Remove the flap and paint a line along the right lower side of the
pencil line. When the slate is covered with the flap, Fig. 3, the lower right
cut-away edge of the flap is not noticed because of the white line along its
edge. The line is apparently made so as to provide a separate space in the
lower corner for a spectator to write his initials.
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 409

Cover the slate with the flap, Fig. 3, and place in the envelope. Put
both on the table so the flap side of the slate is up.
To Pernrorm:
Pick up the envelope with slate, and remove the slate, holding the
flap in place with your fingers. Place the envelope back on the table.

FIG.3 FIG.4

“Do you believe in spirits? Chinese spirits? I am often asked, ‘Can we

talk to the spirits?’ Yes, we can talk to the spirits; but the problem is, will
they answer? I remember Moy Hun Toy, the Chinese magician who died some
years ago. He said, ‘Any time you need to call on a spirit to answer questions
just call on me to know all, see all.’ I am tempted tonight to call on Moy Hun
Toy and see just how well he can answer one of our questions. It is said that.
spirits are fond of writing on slates. We have the slate and also the chalk.
I am going to ask the young lady here to come up and assist me.”’
Have a lady come up from the audience and sit in the chair at your
left. Show both sides of the slate to.the audience. .. . ‘We will use this
slate. It is blank except for a chalk line I have drawn in this corner to provide
a place for the lady to write her initials in the corner of the slate.”
Give the lady a piece of chalk and hold the slate out in front of her,
your thumbs holding flap in place, and the triangular space pointed at the
lady so she can easily write her initials in it. This she does, Fig. 4, and
you show the initials to the audience.
“A-M-T. Are those your initials? They are..... It is said that spirits
like to work in the dark so we will place the slate in this dark envelope. But
first look inside and see if you see a spirit inside.”’
Let the lady look inside the empty envelope. As she does this bring
the flap side of the slate to the rear and secretly slip the flap out of position
so it slips down with bottom edge resting on the lower part of slate frame,
Fig. 5. The cut-out part enables the left hand to easily lift the flap out of
the frame into position as in Fig. 5. Right thumb holds flap in position.
Take the envelope from the lady with your left hand and place the
slate in it until about two or three inches from the top, Fig. 6. The left

;
410 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

hand holds the envelope at the bottom and the right hand holds the slate
at the top. Allow the flap to slip down into the envelope.
“We will let the spirits work in the dark by placing the slate back in the
envelope. However’’.... Remove slate from envelope, leaving flap inside. ...
“‘Moy Hun Toy said he would rather work in the light.”
Place the envelope with flap, casually back on the table. . . . ‘‘Prefer-
ably on a lady’s lap. Madam, you do not mind if I place this slate on your
lap?”’. ... Place the slate with writing side down, on her lap and have her
place her hands on top of the slate, Fig. 7.
“If you feel the slate getting cold and clammy do not be scared. Now I
am. going to call on some member of the audience to ask a question and one that
he or she would like to have the spirit of Moy Hun Toy answer. Perhaps you
are interested in travel, money, love, any sort of a problem you would like
Moy Hun Toy to answer.”
It doesn’t matter what kind of a question is asked. Suppose someone
asks as follows. . . . “The gentleman asks ‘When will I go to California?’
I would say that he is interested in traveling. Let us call upon the spirit of
Toy to come down and write the answer upon this slate. Madam, do you feel
anything being written on the slate? You do not? You are not feeling so well
this evening. However, let us see.”

FIG.9 FIG.1O
FIG.7
Pick up the slate and show the audience the Chinese writing, Fig. 8
.... Yes, Toy has written the answer on the slate. And are these your initials?”
Look at the slate. To audience: “J forgot to tell you, Moy Hun Toy
being a Chinese spirit would naturally answer you in Chinese. However, it
might be a good idea for me to interpret the message for you.” . . . Point at the
characters as you explain. .. . “Sir, you wanted to know when you would go
to California. The character at the top says ‘YES’ and the writing at the bottom
says ‘NO’—so take your choice.”
The less the answer fits the question the better. There are occasions
where you want another answer to fit, so you interpret it accordingly.
 Lesson 57 — SLATE MYSTERIES 411

WHITE CHALK OF MANY COLORS

Slate comedy is always welcomed, and this effect is one I have used
with success from time to time. It combines a seemingly old gag with a
new surprise finish.
EFFECT:
After showing a slate on both sides the performer calls attention to a
piece of white chalk which he says is Chinese chalk with magical properties.
He claims that with this piece of white chalk he can write any color. For
instance, the color RED. He writes the word RED on the slate in white
chalk. Of course this gets a laugh from those who do not know the gag,
and a derisive smile from those that do. The performer then proceeds to
write GREEN and BLUE also on the slate in white to further prove he can
write any color. He places the slate on the table for a moment, and then
thinking the audience did not really understand, he picks up the slate and
shows that the RED is really written in RED chalk, the GREEN in
GREEN chalk, and the BLUE in BLUE chalk.

PARAPHERNALIA:
1—A slate and a flap, Fig. 1. One side of the flap is covered with a
piece of newspaper, Fig. 2.
2—Pieces of white, red, green and blue chalk.
3—A piece of newspaper.
To PREPARE:
Beforehand print the word RED with the red chalk, the word GREEN
underneath it with the green chalk, and beneath that the word BLUE
with the blue chalk, Fig. 1. Place the flap on top of this writing with the
black side outwards and newspaper side on the inside, Fig. 3. On the table
place a sheet of newspaper larger than the size of the flap.
412 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

To PERFORM:
Pick up the slate and the piece of white chalk. Show both sides of the
slate. . . . “Years ago an old Chinese teacher was telling his pupils about a
remarkable piece of chalk. While it seemed to be just a stick of common white
chalk yet it would write any color. He explained that white was in reality
made up of all the colors of the rainbow and that it wasn’t so difficult therefore
to write any color. So he asked one of the pupils to name any color and the
pupil said ‘RED.’ So the teacher wrote R-E-D on the slate. . . Then he said
it was Just as easy to write GREEN. ... Or even BLUE.”
Write RED, then GREEN, then BLUE on the flapside in white, as in
Fig. 4. Make the same size and type of letters that you used for marking
the colored letters beforehand. ... ‘Yes, il is amazing whal one piece of while
chalk can do.”’. . . . Turfi the slate over so that the flap side is on the bottom
and place the slate on the piece of newspaper.
‘I suppose you are like the Chinese pupils. They said he just pulled a
gag on us that is older than Methuselah. They secretly gave him the Ha-Ha!
Now, the Chinese teacher was a wise man and he knew what his pupils were
thinking so he picked up the slate’... .

FIG.S

Pick up the slate leaving the flap on the piece of newspaper, Fig. 5.
Keep the blank side of the slate towards the audience. Turn the slate over
... ‘and showed them that he had really written RED in RED, GREEN in
GREEN, and BLUE in BLUE. . .. Let that be a lesson to you!”’
Lesson 58
ILLUSIONS
<,
¥

| ga FURNISH the large, the spectacular, and the flashy effects that
climax the magic show. There are many things to consider in the
making and the presentation of an illusion. What are its showmanship
possibilities? Will it bring people into the box office? Does it make news-
paper publicity? Does it transport easily? Has it entertainment as well
as mystery? There must be a properly worked out routine, proper timing,
and showmanship. The dressing of an illusion is important.
The professional who uses the illusions for the road must use more care
in building for sturdiness, setting up, taking down, and transporting, than
does the amateur who constructs illusions for a special or occasional use.

DAVID BAMBERG’S “THE GIRL FROM THE LIGHT”

David Bamberg (Fu Manchu) is truly a fine illusionist. His Chinese
Wonder Show has been the talk not only of audiences but also magicians.
He can take a simple principle and elaborate it into a brilliant stage pro-
duction. His father, Theo. Bamberg (Okito), was a brilliant magician.

David gave me this illusion some years ago. It was a feature in his
show. Regarding it, he said: ‘“This illusion is one of my principal stand-
bys. It is the great mystery of my show. It fools: magicians because the
principle is new. I have other massive illusions, but this thing weighs little,
is easy to set up, can be worked right down front stage, is easy to build and
easier to do.” It is self-contained, costs little to build, requires no traps,
mirrors or fake scenery, and can be done in a parlor as well as on a stage.
EFFECT:
A small platform on which is a four-sided, square cabinet, made of thin
frames covered with paper, is rolled onto the stage. The front door is
opened and an electric light hanging through the center of the top is re-
moved. The lid is raised, the performer takes the light and shows it
shining through each side, to demonstrate that the cabinet is really empty.
He even walks around the cabinet with the light. The lid is closed and
then the front door. The light is replaced through the center hole in the
lid so it hangs on the inside of the cabinet. Another lamp is also lighted
beneath the thin platform to prevent any trap work. Suddenly, shadows
are seen floating around inside the cabinet, two hands with long fingers
materialize, then slowly a shadowlike body materializes from the bottom of
413
414 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

the cabinet. It forms itself into the profile of a girl. The magician claps
his hands and the girl bursts through the paper. The sides, the back and
lid are now broken and the whole cabinet is shown to be a simple framework.
PARAPHERNALIA:
The paraphernalia consists of a specially constructed four-sided,
square cabinet made of thin wooden frames covered with paper. The
cabinet rests on a platform, Fig. 1.

PAPER HOLE FOR LIGHT

WOODEN
FRAME

There is a secret door at the rear of the cabinet, covering about two-
thirds of the space, which opens inward, Fig. 2. The door is hinged on the
wooden framework. At the rear of the right side frame is a piece of metal
to prevent the door from swinging outward too far and as a protection.

32

ELECTRIC
CONTACTS
Z

Fig. 3 shows the sizes of cabinet and platform. The cabinet is about
 Lesson 58 — ILLUSIONS 415

44 inches high and 32 inches square. The platform extends a foot beyond
the cabinet. There is a circular opening in center of the paper in the lid
large enough to insert an electric light. The lamp cord plugs into the side
of the platform and connects with another cord running offstage to a plug.
Another electric light is under the center of the platform which also has a
cord which plugs into the side of the cabinet alongside the other light cord.
Fig. 4 gives a view of the cabinet with lid and front door open. Notice
how the lid is hinged at the rear. Hinges are placed on the rear of side
frames so as not to interfere with the secret rear door that opens inward.
The paper is thumb-tacked on the wooden frames from the inside.
The platform is easy to construct. It should not be too heavy. There
is a leg at each corner and a caster on each leg.

To PREPARE:
The girl assistant, dressed in practical illusion clothes, Chinese or
otherwise, sits on the platform back of the cabinet. She is hidden from
the audience, Fig. 5.
To PErrorm:
The illusion is wheeled onto the stage, the girl hidden at the back.
The front door is opened and the electric light shown hanging inside.
Remove the lamp and raise the lid. Stand in the cabinet and, with lighted
bulb, show the inside of the cabinet. Close the lid and place the lighted
bulb on the side of the cabinet, then carry it to the rear and pass it between
416 THE TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC

the girl and the cabinet, Fig. 6. The light is run along the paper from top
to bottom in a circular motion. Seeing the light also the feet, shoulders
and head of the performer, no one would dream of a girl being on the back
of cabinet. The effect is most deceptive. The light is now given to an
assistant to hold, and the front door is closed. The girl pushes open the
secret back door and, entering the cabinet, closes the door again.

REAR DOOR
eS

LIGHT
IN FRONT
OF GIRL

FRONT DOOR eh fig,7

FIG.6
The cabinet is whirled around and the light put back through the
opening in the lid. The girl is sitting at the rear on the inside of the cabinet,
Fig. 7. Therefore, the cabinet appears to be still empty.

She places only her hands and arms in front of the light with slow
movements and the effect is that the audience sees a shadow on the paper
on the front door—a shadow coming up from the platform. Slowly the
girl works herself in front of the light until she is pressed against the paper
door at the front, Fig. 8. Upon a signal, she jumps through the paper,
Fig. 9. The sides, the back, the lid are now broken and the whole cabinet
is shown to be a simple wooden framework.
 PET SECRETS OF WORLD-FAMED ARTISTS
Many well-known performers contribute their latest and most closely
guarded effects to this course as a tribute to Harlen Tarbell—a gra
cious acknowledgment of his genius and untiring efforts on behalf
of the magic fraternity.
FOR AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS
The Tarbell Course in Magic is written for all whe desire to become
peerchert in the art, whether for social amusement, or profit, 45,397
arbell volumes have been printed. Here is...
A COMPLETE, EXPANDING, LIBRARY OF MAGIC
.. . which will consist of several volumes, and will cover magic in all
Its phases —.note below the contents of previous volumes:

Volume 1 — 19 Lessons — 410 Pages — 918 Illustrations — $17.50

History of Magic Effective Card Mysteries
Magic as a Science Impromptu Card Mysteries
Sleight of Hand with Coins Mental Card Mysteries
Coin Tricks Card Sleights
. More Coin Tricks . Novel Card Mysteries
. The Thumb Tip . Restoring Torn Papers
Impromptu Tricks Rope & Tape Principle
Ball Tricks « Handkerchief Tricks
Mathematical Mysteries . Knotty Silks
Eggs and Silks

Volume 2 — 14 Lessons — 410 Pages — 1087 Illustrations — $22.50

20. How ‘to Please Your Audience 26. Selected Card Mysteries
21. Magic with Wands 27. Rising Cards (17 methods)
22. Double Paper Mysteries—many 28. Egg Magic—Tarbell’s Egg Bag
deceptive effects —Unbreakable Egg, etc.
23. Magic with Coins 29. Billiard Ball Manipulation
24. Cigarette Magic, with lighted 30. Handkerchief Magic, De Luxe
and unlighted cigarettes 31. Rope Magic—new, clever
. Sleight of Hand with Cards— 32. “Ghostlite’ Mysteries
back palm, seconds, etc. 33. Illusions—low cost effects

Volume 3 — 12 Lessons — 418 Pages — 1116 Illustrations — $22.50

34. Routining a Magic Show 40. Card Mysteries
35. How to Make People Laugh 41. Card Stabbing
36, Intimate Magic 42. Novelty Handkerchief Magic
37. Conjuring with Currency 43. Color Changing Silks
38. Modern Coin Effects 44. Rabbit and Dove Magic
39. Fundamental Card Sleights 45. Illusions

Volume 4 — 13 Lessons — 418 Pages — 1140 Illustrations — $22.50

46. Novelty Magic, wide variety 53. The Thumb Tie—!I0 Methods
47. Thimble Magic—complete act 54. Chinese Linking Rings
48. Swallowing Needles & Blades 55. Magic With Ribbon
49. Unique Card Magic 56. Silken Trickery, De Luxe
50. Novelty Rising Cards 57. Slate Tricks, new & novel
51. Card Transition Tricks Methods with | & 2 slates, etc.
52. Mental & Psychic Mysteries 58. Illusionsx—Fu Manchu’s

Volume 5 — 13 Lessons — 418 Pages — 1152 Illustrations — $22.50

59. Unique Magic 66. Tarbell Hindu Rope Mysteries
60. More Unique Mysteries 67. Modern Rope Magic
61. Four-Ace Effects 68. Magic of the Bambergs
62. Modern Mental Mysteries 69. Magic with Bowls and Liquids
63. Hat and Coat Productions 70. Illusions
64. Oriental Magic 7). Publicity and Promotion
65. Original Oriental Secrets

Volume 6— 10 Lessons — 410 Pages — 1200 Illustrations — $22.50

Edited by BRUCE ELLIOTT
72. Novel Ball Magic 78. Silk and Rope Penetrations
73. Unique Card Effects 79. Escapes and Substitutions
74, Novelty Magic 80. Spirit Ties and Ver’ Turning
75. Rope Magic 81. Modern Stage Magic
76. Mindreading Mysteries 82. Stage Productions
77, X-Rav Eves and Blindfold Effocts 83. Magic es Theatre

Volume 7 — 8 Lessons — 496 Pages — Fully Illustrated — $25.00

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THE BOOK YOU'VE BEEN WAITING
FOR ps COMPLETE,
with Index for
ell 7 Volumes

WRITTEN & EDITED

‘A CARNIVAL OF
bY
MENTAL TRICKS
HARRY LORAYNE
*
*
REMARKABLE
POCKET TRICKS 600 ILLUSTRATIONS
as
* By
490 PAGES
@ ED MISHELL
QUR BIGGEST ONE

Some of the best minds in magic contributed to write this tome, (It weighs over two pounds)
We are sure this book will spend more time in your hands than on your bookshelf To best
describe Tarbell #7—these are the contents.
Lesson +84— MORE MENTAL MAGIC
Lesson #85
— CARD MAGIC
Lesson #86— ROPE MAGIC
Lesson #87— NOVELTY MAGIC
Lesson +88— MONEY MAGIC
Lesson +89 — SILK MAGIC
Lesson #90— ILLUSIONS YOU CAN MAKE
Lesson +90— LATE ARRIVALS
The binding is in beautiful Black & Gold and matches the other Six Volumes in decor and
feel. Here's a book that's easy to read, contains exciting magic, is written with expertise and
is apleasure to own. A big PLUS is the complete CROSS INDEX of all SEVEN VOLUMES OF
TARBELL. If you want to fill in any of your missing Tarbells, here are the prices
Tarbell #1— $17.50 each
Tarbell #2—
Tarbell #3—
Tarbell +4— '$22.50 each
Tarbell +5 —
Tarbell #6 —
Tarbell 7 is the last of the series. This long awaited book is available NOW and your orders
will be processed immediately. Price $25.00

Published by
D. ROBBINS & CO., INC.
70 Washington Street
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201
A MASTER OF IMPOSSIBILITIES
Dr. Tarbell was a genius in creating, solving and demonstrating
mysteries. The things you know cannot be done—Dr. Tarbell did.
He made mystery not only an art but a science. He puzzled the
magician as well as the layman. At an early age, Dr. Tarbell real-
ized the strange power that mystery held over man and how it
shaped his destiny. He saw how legends lived when facts died and
how illusion too often looked more like truth than truth itself. So
he began to study magic and mystery the world over as practiced
by the Witch Doctors of the Jungles, the Gulli-Gulli Wonder Work-
ers of Egypt, the Magicians of the Orient and Occident, the Priests
of the Pagan Temples, together with the Mysteries of Truth brought
forth by the great Magi—the Wise Men of the Inner Brotherhoods.
From his uncanny knowledge of these things he developed pro-
grams that were the outstanding sensations of the American
platform.
Dr. Tarbell’s skill in creating mystery, his pleasing personality,
his individualistic sense of humor and his ease of speaking, placed
him in a class by himself. Every kind of audience enjoyed Dr.
Tarbell. He was a supreme entertainer.