More than 100 great new tricks that anyone can do requiring little apparatus
THE BEST
by BRUCE ELLIOTT
The Best in MAGIC by ''Bruce Elliott One of the most popular experts writing on magic today here presents over a hundred brand-new tricks. They are subtle, easy to do, and require little or no apparatus. The inventions of some of our greatest magicians, these are sleights that involve a minimum of practice but achieve a maximum of effect. Here are card tricks that are almost foolproof, and others that require some skill and more practice. Sleights for close-up performing, where the magic takes place right under the noses of the audience, and tricks with paper-folding, an ancient art adapted to modern magic, are outlined and diagramed. The author also includes tricks with coins and paper money, rings, ropes, and silks. Mr. Elliott reveals how the "expert" at the card table operates. And he exposes the secrets of "mind-reading." The final section of the book offers several routines that incorporate a series of deceptions, particularly useful for the amateur magician who expects sometime to be onstage. Sixty-eight full pages of how-to-do-it line drawings illustrate these tricks. No. 5970A
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by Bruce Elliott Author of Classic Secrets of Magic Magic as a Hobby ILLUSTRATED BY LOUIS RAVIELLI
HARPER & ROW, PUBLISHERS New York and Evanston
FOR BUNNY AND JUDY, my favorite
tricks
THE BEST IN MAGIC
Copyright, ig^6, by Harper & Row, Publishers, Incorporated
Printed in the United States of America AII rights in this book are reserved. No fart of the book may be used or refroduced in any manner whatsoever without written fermission exceft in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address Harfer & Row Publishers, Incorporated, 49 East 33rd Street, New York 16, N. Y. Library of Congress catalog card number: 55-11405
Contents V * • A PREFACE
ix
CHAPTER 1 Novel Effects All Designed for Close-Uf Performing
i
JIM-DANDY VANISHER. POP-OFF, A TWIST THROUGH T H E WRIST. NICKEL-PLATED. PURSE. RISE. REUNION. VARIANT,
ANOTHER
RISE. GHOST THIMBLE.
BOLT AND
FRAME. T H E LOTUS. LOTUS AND BOW-TIE.
CHAPTER 2 Conjuring with Coins and Pafer Money
36
PENNY-TRATION. WRAPAROUND VANISH. SITTING VANISH. BACK PALM SWITCH. SILVER-COPPER. HANK DROPPER. REWARD. THE HARD WAY. NECROMANCY. THE RIP. THE FOLD-AROUND. PERFECTION.
CHAPTER 3 and Silks
The Magician Performs with Rings,
Rofes, 68
BAGUETTE. THUMB FUN. BREMA PLUS TAYLOR. ELLIOTT ON ELLIS. FADEAWAY. KNOTS. TEAR IT. CAUGHT KNOT. NOT AT ALL. CUT TO MEASURE.
CHAPTER 4 Card Tricks that Work Themselves
97
PAY-OFF. TOPPER. ONE GOOD TRICK DESERVES ANOTHER. IT GOES DOUBLE. 21 JOHN DOE
PLUS. DISCARD. DOUBLE STOP.
MAGICIAN. YOU'RE A LIAR. TIME
MUST
TELL. HAND TO HAND. PARALLELS. YOU DO AS I DO. CARD CLIMAX. PHONE MIRACLES. BEST PREDICTION. "x-DECK."
Contents CHAPTER 5 Card Tricks that Require Some Skill
122
THE ELLIOTT CONTROL. A LESSON IN MAGIC. B.D.V. DALEY'S DELIGHT. A. P. B R R R R T T T T ! FILLIP. SIMON-EASE. TWO BLADES. MINICAM. TABLED. AGAIN. DOUBLE- LIFT DECEPTIONS. BIDDLED. THE CARD IN THE WALLET. SHOULDER CARD. THE CARD IN THE WALLET
AGAIN. CARD
IN MOUTH. POCKETED. CLIP IT. FANCY FREE.
CHAPTER 6
The "Expert" at the Card Table
178
THE SLIP FALSE CUT. NO SECOND DEAL. THE EASIEST BOTTOM DEAL. TABLE-CUT. TEN CARD DEAL. TAKE TEN.
CHAPTER 7 Mind Reading Is Easy
195
5 0 0 LTD. CLIP COLOR. PHONEY. TORN CENTER. THE MALKIN. DEVICE. THE CHINESE PARROT. MORTMAIN.
CHAPTER 8 Routined for Deception
ill
OUT OF THE SMOKE. BLOOMIN' SILK. JOCKO THE GREAT. ESKOW'S ACT.
INDEX
244
VI