Pages from precursor no 97 39115

mnGflzme OF innovfmon XCVII

PRECURSOR XCVII This is PRECURSOR XCVII and is published in August 2005. PRECURSOR is edited by William P. Miesel and is published by unikorn magik. The editorial offices are at 2215 Myrtle Street, Erie. Pennsylvania, 16502-2643 (phone 1-814-454-8802). unikorn magik can be reached through Ed Eckl, "Clutter Cottage," 3 Gregg Street, Beverly, Massachusetts, 01915-2913 (phone 1-978-927-9388). PRECURSOR will be published more than three times a year, and it will be sold for $21.00 (U.S.) for three issues. Outside the United States. Canada, and Mexico, three issues are sent Air Mail for $25.00 (U.S.).

Pete Lentini likes Glimpses, and his "Glimpse After A Spectator Peek" is one of them.

"Echo of a Miracle" by Al Thatcher is a two-card discovery that is based on "Thought Echo," which is a Sam Schwartz trick that appeared in Pallbearers Review, Vol. 9 #5.

Marty Kane tells us what his favorite movie is in this card trick - "Men In Black."

"Two Pennies To Rub Together" is a combination coin/card trick from Tom Batchelor.

Matthew Episcopo gives us "Absolute Astonish-Mint," another routine using the "Dime and Penny Trick."

I like Card and Dice Tricks and "High Roller" by Sumit Dua falls into this category. Even though I do have quite a few copies of Jerry Sadowitz's Crimp the two copies cited by Sumit. #'s 34 & 41 are not in my library, so I am not familiar with all of the possibilities of Sadowitz's principle. I learned about this principle from Jerry Sadowitz's "Trade Show Dice." and think it's great.

David Kockish gives us "Coercion" a variation of the "Ultra Mental" effect, which was inspired by ideas found in Allan Ackerman's Here 's My Card.

"Very Clean Hofzinser" is Nick Trost's handling of the popular "Hofzinser Ace Problem."

Another Neal Elias trick from his notebook dated 1956 is "Aces After Daley." His inspiration was Dr. Jacob Daley's "The Affable Aces." which was in Genii, Vol. 5 #12, August 1941. By the way. Dr. Daley said that his inspiration came from Edward Victor's "The 'Deo-Ace' Trick, which is in Magic of the Hands. Since this plot is quite similar to the "Hofzinser Ace Problem."

I would guess that this plot is really timeless.

Thirty-five years ago. Dom Cervas and I were having a session and fooling around with the Faro Shuffle and "To Match or Not To Match" evolved out of that session. At this point in time, I no longer can recall exactly who added what to this routine.

William P. Miesel August 1.2005

A GLIMPSE AFTER A PEEK This is a very natural way to catch a Glimpse after a card has been peeked.

1. Hold the deck face down in your left hand in dealing position. Tilt your left hand back, bringing the face of the deck toward a spectator.

2. In standard "Spectator Peek" fashion, riffle the upper end of the deck with your right fingertip. Say, "Call 'Stop' as I riffle the cards. " When the spectator calls, "Stop, " stop the riffle and have the spectator note and remember the face-card of the upper packet.

3. At this point, catch a left little finger break under the peeked card. everything is standard.

Up to this point,

4. Perform a wrist turn bring the left hand back up. The left fingers kick the back packet of the deck a fraction of an inch to the left.

5. At the same time, the right hand turns palm up, grasps the entire deck at the outer end between the thumb on the face and the fingers on the back.

6. The left hand lets go of the deck. Raise the right hand so that the backs of the cards are facing the spectators.

7. Give the deck a "One-Handed Fan" with the faces of the cards toward yourself. In the center of the fan there will be a very slight break between the selected card and the cards on its face.

8. Glimpse the pip of the selection at the break, comment, "Your card is lost somewhere in the center of the deck. " 9. You now know the name of the peeked card, so just hand the deck to the spectator for shuffling; after which, it can be revealed as desired since you know its identity.

Pete Lentini

GOOD NEWS . . . I received a DVD of "Nightmare Alley", the 1947 movie based on the book

by William Lindsay Gresham. It stars Tyrone Power and Joan Blondell. and it got very high ratings when it came out and when it was reviewed in the movie and video reviews.

It's the story of a carny who learns mindreading and becomes very successful with his partner.

Of course, greed settles in as he begins a blackmailing scheme. Leonard Maltin says, "A compelling look at carny life." Well worth the viewing.

Ed Eckl