BOOK- My Best

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The pages of this book contain the best tricks from the best brains in magic – not just any effects, but the best and most jealously guarded originations of over 100 magicians.
A compilation consisting of 193 tricks in all branches of magic, contributed by 115 well known professionals, as well as amateurs.
Nine chapters of Card Discoveries and Locations, Cards in Motion (transpositions, flying, and rising), Mental Magic with Cards, Assorted Card Tricks, Pocket Tricks, Tricks for the Home, Tricks for Home and Stage, Stage Tricks, and a section of biographies on the contributors.

CONTENTS:

Chapter 1: Discoveries & Revelations
The Card Between (Bobo the Magician):
A card is selected and returned. Two are are turned face up, the selected card appears between them.
Cards of Cairo (John Booth):
Magician deals two piles until spectator says stop. Cards in one pile are taken, other pile is returned to deck. The number of cards in the pile is used to count down in the deck, and the selection is found.
The Middle Deal (R.C. Buff):
Selection is found at a number selected by the spectator
Dick Tracy Card Trick (Clyde Carny):
A card is selected and returned. Five cards are pulled off, the third card appears to be the selected card, but it turns out to be the fifth.
Tap Force (Milbourne Christopher):
A sort of classic force
Under Cover (Arnold L. Grubin):
Selection appears in the card case
As You Desire (Hathaway):
A card trick for the stage
So That's the Way You Want It! (Charles H. Hopkins):
A card is revealed in an attempt to calm a heckler
Kindred Spirits (Joe Karson):
Two selections come together in the pack
The Timed Turnover (Wilbur Kattner):
Two cards reverse in the pack one at a time
Magneto Box (Dr. Howard B. Kayton):
Card with lots of pips is shown; the pips drop off except the one matching a selection
The Kolar Card Trick (J.J. Kolar):
Fake card with 1/2 circle, tape and ribbon pulls card out of middle of deck.
My Clutch Slips - Or Reverso with No Brakes (Art Lyle):
Selection becomes reversed in the deck
Bill McCaffrey's Prize Winner (William H. McCaffrey):
A card is chosen from one deck and found to be missing in the other deck. The missing card is found in a hat
Card on the Wall (Harry Mendoza):
Deck is thrown against wall, and the selection sticks there
Are You Sure? (Paul Morris):
Four jacks are found, but not selected. Then it is discovered among the Jacks.
The Principle of Alternative Terminations And Its Application When the Spectator Shuffles (Charles Nyquist):
Putting the odds in your favor; a detailed article
Just Think of One (Dolf Rudin):
Two selections appear face out in two glasses
Here's Your Card (Herb Rungie):
Magician counts to the selection
Well, Well! (Ned Rutledge):
Ace of spades locates a card after an apparent miss.Uses 1 rough & smooth, 1 double side
That's The Way They're Done:
Four selections are revealed in different methods, including Martin Gardner's Lie Detector Test

Chapter 2: Cards In Motion
A. Transpositions
Insto-Transpo Perfected (Dr. Raymond Beebe):
Two signed cards held by two spectators transpose. An improvement on Annemann's Insto-Transpo
There'll Be Some Changes Made! (Sigmar K. Hofeller):
Magician uses a tray to handle the deck. Spectator separates reds from black. One half is given to one spectator, the other half to the other. Each takes the top card to show who has reds and who has blacks. Instantly the rest of the packs change color (or places)
Technicolor Transpose (Greer Marechal, Jr.):
Several named cards transpose from red deck to blue deck in the hands of the spectators
Saturn's Card Transposition (Dr. Harlan Tarbell):
One card is visibly placed in a hat. The deck is wrapped in rubber bands from top to bottom and side to side. The magician passes his hand over the deck, and the face card changes to the value of the card in the hat, which is shown to have transposed with the face card. This is repeated as the card is turned back.
Guess It (William H.Wilson):
Two cards in two folders transpose even though they can be seen through a small hole in the folders
B. Flying Pasteboards
Again, The Card In the Wallet (Franklin M. Chapman):
Ungimmicked wallet, but should open at the end, not like a book. Feature is that when you reach for the wallet at the end, your hands are clearly empty.
Parade of the Lamas (Bruce Elliot):
3 Jokers placed down, tapped with others. They move one at a time to other pile
Up My Sleeve (R.M. Jamison):
Jumbo card effect
Effective Passee-Passee Card Melange (C.A. George Newmann):
A pocket to pocket routine
Card Thru Hank (George H. Pittman):
The selection slowly emerges from a deck encased by a handkerchief. An improvement of Hoffman's technique.
Six Cards to Pocket with Extras (Audley V. Walsh):
Cards move from a paper bag to your pocket, with comedy
Here, There and Everywhere (Bob Weill):
Magician needs 3 chances out of 52 to find the card
The Improved "Zens" Cards & Envelopes (M.F. Zens):
The Miracle Pocket to Pocket trick (cards and envelopes)
C. Rising Cards
Rising Cards From Houlette (Charles Arbuthnot, III):
Rising cards from a mechanical apparatus
Mechanico Rising Cards (Verne Chesbro):
In glass, with another mechanical rising mechanism
The Impromptu Floating Card (Sid Fleischman and Bob Gunther):
A card is laid on the palms and seems to float without aid
The JM Rising Card (Jack McMIllen):
A deck is wrapped in a handkerchief and a card rises out
My Best Rising Cards (Peter Warlock):
Using thread and a platform display

Chapter 3: Meeting of the Minds
The Master Mind (Theo. Annemann):
A mental card trick with multiple sub-effects
At a Mentally Chosen Number (Sylvan Barnet):
Spectator thinks of a card and a number. Performer fans through deck and does some arranging. Spectator names card and number, number is counted to and the chosen card is shown
Sensitive Fingers (Eugene Bernstein):
5 cards chosen by 3 spectators from 3 piles are revealed by the backs
Four Ace Memory Test (Mystic Craig):
A verbal force
Extra Joker Prediction (John Crimmins Jr):
A prediction is written on a Joker card, and 12 other cards are spread on the table an one chosen. It matches the prediction.Uses specially printed cards
Next! (Paul Curry):
Selection is made and lost in the deck. A prediction card is inserted in the deck. When the deck is gone through, the prediction card is found to say "yours is the next card", and proves to be correct
Follow Me (Paul Curry):
A do as i do with two decks
Bi-Mentalism (Ronald Edwards):
A double-barreled effect, the first approach using a Si-Stebbins stack, the 2nd using a Svengali Deck. Written card winds up next to selected card
Silent Stop (Professor El-Tab):
Two spectators each handle half the deck and exchange one selection. Magician locates both selections.
DigiVision (Val Evans):
One card is removed from the deck. The deck stays behind the magician's back, but the card is named.
In The Mind ("Hen" Fetsch):
Selections are determined in three different, dramatic methods. Teaches the The Fetsch Force.
Spread, Shuffle, Spread (Martin Gardner):
Spectator takes a card from one end of the deck and places it in the other end, yet it can be determined even though the deck was shuffled. This can be repeated multiple times.
Dark Eyes (Teral Garrett):
Magician can reveal the Ace in an envelope, even in the dark
Turnabout (Walter B. Gibson):
Two spectators come up with a match in two decks. Good prelude to a Do As I Do effect
The Blue Intruder (Nelson C. Hahne):
Spectator names a card, and it is the only blue backed card in a red deck. Requires some skill, and is not for close up
Coincidence? No. Prevision? Yes (George Kaplan):
A clever use of the Brainwave deck
The L.W. Stop Mystery (T. Page Wright and William W. Larsen):
A "Stop" effect using a cleverly gimmicked deck
Mental Rescue (L. Vosburgh Lyons):
Magician is able to determine two cards exchanged, even though the spectators can't.
Two Be or Not Two Be That Was the Question (Richard F. Madden):
Two freely chosen cards (one selected mentally) are reversed in a deck. Another deck is spread and the same cards are found reversed
My Best Trick (George McAthy):
A mental card effect in which the magician doesn't touch the deck
PredictoPack (Orville Meyer):
Selections are made after performer has made individual written predictions. Uses a clever deck prepared from blank back, blank doubles, a couple of blank face cards, and a regular deck. Uses rough & smooth. Two decks can be made.
Encore (Frederick Mosteller):
Part I - a clever speller
Encore Part II (Frederick Braue):
Another version
Part III (Orville W. Meyer):
Another approach
Carbo (Julien J. Proskauer):
A location effect with a clever use of daub
The Mental Broadcast (Clayton Rawson):
A card is selected in another room, the magician is blindfolded, and the deck is placed in his pocket. Cards are removed one at a time as the magician names the card and asks some questions about it relating to the selection. Then the selection is found.
Peek Deck (Dr. Franklin V. Taylor):
This specially gimmicked deck described along with nine different ideas for its use
Out of These Hands (J.G. Thompson Jr.):
Magician determines two cards and which of two spectators hold them
The Future Deck (Jack Vosburgh):
A prediction is written on a card and tossed in a hat. The deck is spread and a card selected and matches the prediction
The Magician's Dream (Audley V. Walsh):
A thought of card is located
Victoria (Herman L. Weber):
A psychological choice effect not to be passed by

Chapter 4: Potpourri Unclassified Gems
One Plus One Equals Three (Roger Barkann):
A four Ace trick with a difference 124 A Two-Tiered Blank Fan and Some Variations (John Braun): some flourishes
Flighty Aces (Lu Brent):
Another four Ace routine
Hallucination (Eddie Clever):
A test in observation
The Alpha Four Ace Trick (Stanley Collins):
For platform presentation
New Color Change of a Giant Card Fan (Del Monte):
A very visual effect
I Won't Play Cards With You (Dariel Fitzkee):
A gambling demonstration
One in Millions! (Royal V. Heath):
Mathematical card effect
Telepathic Routine (Maury Kains):
Application for the Brainwave Deck
The Canfield Set-up (Gerald L. Kaufman):
A stacked deck that let's you win every time at this solitaire game
The King Can Do No Wrong (Gerald L. Kaufman):
A relationship story between the Kings and the Queens
Vanishing Aces (Gerald Kosky):
The missing Ace is removed from the pocket
The Four Burglars (Sid Lorraine):
An adaptation of this classic puzzler
Greatest Four Ace Trick (Orville Meyer):
Ace effect using three double facers
A New Find the Lady Illusion (Howard D. Wise):
Using Black Art and Shell principles for platform
Mind Testing Deck (Ed Wolff):
A gag (be careful who you use it for)

Chapter 5: Pocket Tricks
ST(R)UNG! (Joseph L. Barnett):
A cut and restored string with the aid of a finger ring
The Ghost Coin and Key (Bobo, The Magician):
A half dollar to Key transformation
Paper Napkin Vanish (R.C. Buff):
Without the need for a TT
Ribbon Release (Clyde F. Cairy):
Scissor handles are threaded onto a ribbon and released first in a puzzle manner, then in a magical manner
Gone! (Jack Chanin):
A complete vanish of a coin (must wear a jacket)
Paper Money (Melbourne Christopher):
A rolled up newspaper ball is held in the hand and tapped with a coin, the ball turns into a rolled up bill
I.O.U. (Paul Curry):
A dime changes into a penny in a flash, along with an IOU
Impromptu Bill Reading (Dr.E. G. Ervin):
A quick way to mind read the value of a dollar bill serial number
Four Coin Transposition (Val Evans):
Four coins vanish and are found in the other hand (one at a time)
The Ring on Pencil (Tom Fitzgerald):
Finger ring makes it way onto the pencil, the latter held by a spectator
Pop Through Cigarette (Martin Gardner):
Cigarette pops through the center of a handkerchief
The Ring of Thoth (Nelson C. Hahne):
A finger ring passes onto the center of a handkerchief while the ends are held by a spectator
A Cubical Curiosity (Mark Jacobs):
The spot on a cube changes places
Jamison's Spot Sticks (R.M. Jamison):
A paddle trick with a two bar set like Jumping Gems
Karger's Bent Coin (George Karger):
A coin bending illusion
A Hole In One (L. Vosburgh Lyons):
A hole is punched in three pieces of cardboard, the magician restores three of them
The Pedagogue's Nightmare (Bill McCaffrey):
A paddle trick with three paddles that are designed to hold three pennies each
A Shot of Scotch (Chester Morris):
A shot of Scotch produced from a handkerchief
Three In One (Paul Morris):
Trick with wooden matches and thimbles
Peter Rabbit Goes to Town! (Robert A. Nelson):
Sponge rabbit presentation
Sefalaljia III (Charles W. Nyquist):
A ring is threaded onto a string in an apparently impossible manner
Tapping Pencil (Ralph W. Read):
A pencil can rap messages
Perpetual Pencil (Jimmy Sanders):
A bullet pencil adapted to the old "snapper" effect and also rolls on the table unaided
Poor Man's Bank Knight (Jerry Sorensen):
Only the magician gets the real stick of gum
The Philathropic Poker Chip (Willard S. Smith):
A poker chip gains a sticker with the aid of the spectator's quarter
The Ghost Coins (George Starke):
A handful of coins vanishes
Hornswoggled (George Starke):
A packet of bills keeps changing value
Materialization (Franklin V. Taylor):
A handkerchief is placed over the hand and a clothespin in dipped into the cloth where it comes out with a half dollar
Double or Nothing (J.G. Thompson, Jr.):
A follow up for the above

Chapter 6: Tricks for the Home
Pen-Plexity (John Booth):
A code for a two person mentalist act
Vanishing Salt Trick (Jack Chanin):
Salt poured into fist vanishes to be found in a silk handkerchief
Marbles and Marvels (Stanley Collins):
Two marbles change to two potatoes and then to four
Under the Pan (T.J. Crawford):
A sort of cups and balls with four shallow dishes and four rubber balls
Finger Finger (Bruce Elliott):
Some approaches to a mentalist effect in which the magician always knows how many fingers a couple of spectators are holding up (requires a confederate)
On the Cuff (Bruce Elliott):
A live goldfish trick is briefly described by the editor, then a ring on handcuffs stunt
The Trick Without a Name (Sid Fleischman):
Spectator prints his name in red in a magazine, the page is ripped out an burned, but then returns to the magazine, with the signature intact
The Perfect Pitch Test (Wilbu Kattner):
Magician is able to tell which notes are being thought of without hearing them
Kolar's Magic Shears (J.J. Kolar):
An approach to the Clippo cut and restored newspaper strip
Dead! (Orville Meyer):
Living and dead test
The Morris Plan (Chester Morris):
A coin goes through a finger ring with the aid of a handkerchief
Telephone Book Test (Jack Trepel):
One and two person versions
Assisted by the Dead (M. Van Reese):
A Miniature Seance with four psychic feats
Trinket Test (Jack Vosburgh):
Magician can determine which articles were placed in a hat

Chapter 7: Tricks for the Home and Stage
Multiple Slate Writing (Roger Barkann):
A message appears on several slates that were previously shown blank
Wuxtra! (Sylvan Barnet):
Newspaper headline effect
Egyptian X-Ray Scope (John N. Booth):
With the aid of a magic tube, the magician duplicates a design on a selected card
A Paper Cone, Silk N' Water (Lu Brent):
Red silk and water are put in the cone, a white silk and red water are poured out
The Spirit Mirror (Loring Campbell):
The ghostly image of a card appears on a mirror that was previously shown blank
A Ring In Transit (Eddie Clever):
Borrowed finger ring jumps from right hand to left, even though both hands were covered with handkerchiefs and enclosed in rubber bands
Humpty Dumpty Gets Around (John J. Crimmins, Jr.):
A Fantasy for Children with mechanical apparatus
Double Locking Slate (Harry Dobrin):
A numerical prediction with a gimmicked slate
Double Locking Periscope Slate (Harry Dobrin):
Magician duplicates drawing on a slate
Cut Post Card Mystery (Professor El-Tab):
One of 60 postcards is selected and torn into four pieces, all but one piece vanish. A book of postcards is opened and the card at a predicted page number has only one piece that matches the other three
The Watch, Glass and Handkerchief (Dr. Henry R. Evans):
A watch is apparently accidentally destroyed but then recovered
Hand(y) Magic (Tom Fitzgerald):
Finger and hand stunts - thumb and forefinger, pendulum, arm control, etc.
Big Money (Dr. Joseph H. Fries):
Torn and restored(?) jumbo money
Physician's Ropes (J.H. Fries):
Multi part rope trick - Part I The Mystic Necktie, Part II A Sailor's Rope (cut and restored), Part III Rope Riting (clever ending for any rope routine)
Dy-Cyphering Trick (Royal V. Heath):
Mathematical dice mentalism
Chesbro on Heath's Dy-Cyphering (Verne Chesbro):
Further approaches
Take a Number from 1 to 30 (Royal V. Heath):
Another mathematical trick
Hugard's Butterflies (Jean Hugard):
Tissue paper is torn, wet, and danced on a fan, where dry tissue butterflies seem to fly forth
Magnetic Spheres (Mark Jacobs):
Balls seem to cling to a wand without support
A Silk Production (Mark Jacobs):
Silks are produced from a sheet of paper rolled into a tube
The Bewitched Paper (Dr. Howard B. Kayton):
A do as I do with a cut and restored paper strip
Dollar Bill in Lemon (Gerald Kosky):
Torn bill is restored inside a lemon
The Rise and Fall of Paul Mall (Art Lyle):
Cigarette pack is dropped in a glass, and a cigarette rises from the case
Linking Rings (Greer Marechal, Jr.):
A 4 (5) ring routine using one oversized ring.
Torn and Restored Strip of Paper (Harry Mendoza):
Using a TT
Psychic Impressions (Bob Nelson):
Using the U.P Clip Boards
Mystic Sewing Machine (Dell O'Dell):
Paper is torn and turns into a hat and some pants. Includes poems to go along with it!
The Ring from the Rope (Tom Osborne):
A ring drops off a loop of rope
Tomorrow's News (Herb Rungie):
A future headline prediction
The Invisible Mischievous Genii (Dr. Raymond V. Stone, Sr. - RAMO):
A metal can collapses into a shriveled mess
Moonlight Madness (J.G. Thompson Jr.):
Two-person mental act fully explained with apparatus and suggestions
Tear Supreme (Howard D. Wice):
Torn & Restored magazine papers
Refund (Ed Wolff):
Milk is poured into a paper cone, and money is retrieved!

Chapter 8: Stage Effects
The Telephone Drama (Theo Annemann, Courtesy Max Holden):
A telephone, a friend, a deceased friend and some mentalism
The Test of the Tiber (Theo Annemann):
Mindreading with the telephone book
The Arrowsmith Glass Penetration (G.E. Arrowsmith):
Passing objects through glass
Hat'N Bunny (Dr. Raymond Beebe):
The rabbit from the hat!
The Color Changing Hat and Gloves (Tom Bowyer):
Performers hat and gloves change from black and white to white and black
An Amusing Interlude (Vynn Boyar):
A glass of wine keeps emptying before the performer can drink it
The Flaming Punch (Joan Brandon):
A comedy gag
Fountain of Silks (Franklin M. Chapman):
Bare Hand Silk Production Act
The Silver Shower (Verne Chesbro):
An approach to the Midas Dream coin production act
The Elusive Canary (Mystic Craig):
Canary vanishes from the hand and appears on a stand
My Best Club Laugh ("Hen" Fetsch):
Beer is poured into a paper cone where it vanishes, the paper now has a picture of a happy man on it
My Best Flash Opening ("Hen" Fetsch):
Bouquet from paper cone, milk into paper cone, turns into a dove
My Favorite Trunk Routine (Dariel Fitzkee):
For stage
The Four Door Production Cabinet (Walter B. Gibson):
A stage illusion
The Magic Sewing Cabinet (Hathaway):
A kid's show stage illusion with comedy
Magic of the Wand (Sigmar K. Hofeller):
A wand vanishes and reappears in its box
Pop's Opener (F.H. Jeudevine):
An approach to the cut and restored ribbon
Karson's A La Die Box Illusion (Joe Karson):
A stage size die box that uses an assistant rather than the die
The Lamarque Rabbit Vanish (Abril LaMarque):
For the magician's table
Fatima (William Larsen):
A Fatima doll is constructed from a handkerchief and dances
A Flash Opener (Sid Lorraine):
A comedy bit with a flash bill
Just Raising Cane (Dick Madden):
A cane clings to the hand
Modern Crystal Coin Jar (Harry Mendoza):
Three coins are produced and end up in a glass (gimmicked, but examinable at end)
Nite Club Teaser (Doc Mifflin):
A club routine with a bathing beauty (ends clean)
Thought Projection Test (Grady S. Nicholson):
An experiment in "thought projection"
Oldoscope (Dr. Cecil E. Nixon):
A mind reading machine for stage
The Secret of the Maharajah (Dolf Rudin):
Three borrowed rings end up in a bottle attached to miniature roses and miniature duplicates of selected cards
Patter for the Egg Bag (Lucille Saxon):
A poem for use with the egg bag
The Escape-Ologist (Dr. Raymond V. Stone - RAMO):
A guinea pig escapes from a sack
Namreh's Electrick (Herman L. Weber):
Handkerchief and banknote are loaded into a gun, a light is shot, and the handkerchief and note are found in the broken bulb
Cig to Pipe (Bob Weill):
Instant change
Watch and Nest of Boxes Without Assistant (William H. Wilson):
A borrowed watch ends up in a nest of boxes
Windsor's Egg Bag Routine (Tommy Windsor):
Tommy's routine for an egg bag fully described, adding in a real egg, a lemon, and gags
The M.F. Zens Magic Table and Walking Through Ribbon Illusion (M.F. Zens):
Portable table converts into Walking Thru Ribbon illusion

Chapter 9: Biographical Sketches of Contributors Theo. Annemann
Charles Arbuthnot III
George Ernest Arrowsmith
Roger Barkahn
Sylvan Barnet
Joseph L. Barnett
Raymond L. Beebe
Eugene Bernstein
J.B. Bobo
John Nicholls Booth
Tom Bowyer
Vynn Boyar
Joan Brandon
Fred Braue
John Braun
Lu Brent
R.C. Buff
Clyde F. Cairy
Loring Campbell
Jack Chanin
Frank Chapman
Forest V. Chesbro
Milbourne Christopher
Eddie Clever
Stanley Collins
Mystic Craig
Thomas J. Crawford
John J. Crimmins, Jr.
Paul J. Curry
Del Monte (Charles Reagan)
Harry Dobrin
Ronald B. Edwards
Bruce Elliott
Professor El-Tab (Alfred J. Battle)
Dr. E.G. Ervin
Dr. Henry Ridgely Evans
Val Evans
"Hen" Fetsch (Henry)
Thomas B. Fitzgerald
Dariel Fitzkee
Sid Fleischman
Joseph Harman Fries
Martin Gardner
Teral Garrett
Walter B. Gibson
Arnold L. Grubin
Nelson C. Hahne
Hathaway (John)
Royal V. Heath
Charles H. Hopkins
Jean Hugard
Mark Jacobs
R.M. Jamison
F.H. Jeudevine
Maurice Kains
George G. Kaplan
George Karger
Joseph A. Karson
Wilbur Kattner
Gerald Lynton Kaufman
Howard B. Kayton, M.D.
The Great Kolar (J.J.)
Gerald Kosky
Abril Lamarque
William W. Larsen
Sid Lorraine
Art Lyle
L. Vosburgh Lyons
Richard F. Madden
Greer Marechal, Jr.
George McAthy
William H. McCaffrey
Jack McMillen
Harry Mendoza
Orville Meyer
John W. Mifflin
Chester Morris
Paul Morris
Frederick Mosteller
Robert A. Nelson
C.A. George Newmann
Grady S. Nicholson
Cr. Cecil E. Nixon
Charles Walter Nyquist
Dell O'Dell
Tom Osborne
George Harrison Pittman
Julien J. Proskauer
Clayton Rawson
Ralph W. Read
Dolf Rudin
Herb Rungie
Ned Rutledge
James J. Sanders
Lucille Pierce Saxon
Sigmar - The Magician (Sigmar K. Hofeller)
Jerry Sorensen
Williard S. Smith
George Starke
Dr. Raymond V. Stone, Sr. (RAMO)
Harlan Tarbell
Dr. Franklin V. Taylor
J.G. Thompson, Jr.
Jack F. Trepel
M. Van Reese
Jack Vosburgh
Audley Valentine Walsh
Peter Warlock
Herman L. Weber
Bob Weill
William H. Wilson (Will de Seive)
Tommy Windsor
Howard D. Wise
Ed. Wolff
Michael F. Zens

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