Super Window

Effect: The performer asks the spectator to pick a card without him seeing the face and replace it in the pack.

The pack is then shuffled and the performer is apparently unsuccesful in locating the card.

After a few attempts ,the cards are thrown against a window in a fit of rage, on looking at the window, the chosen card is seen to be sticking to it, even more surprising is the fact that the card is on the inside of the window.

Preparation : You will need two identical packs of cards and a willing helper.

Method : This trick should be performed in an area with a large window nearby and with the spectator facing away from the window.

The spectator is asked to choose a card from a pack , memorise it and without showing you , replace the card in the pack.

The pack is then shuffled and and a couple of attempts at "is this your card " tried followed by a look of disbelief when the spectator tells you that it is not their card ( this is all part of the act as you dont and dont even need to know the card).

After a few attempts you fake an angry outburst and making sure the cards are squared up , throw the pack broadside at the window, where they will hit the window and fall to the ground except the chosen card which is stcking to the window .

Your helper was already positioned behind the window and spectator and had an identical pack of cards. He was able to see the chosen card and took the duplicate from his pack.

A small piece of looped sticky tape or magicians wax was attached to the duplicate card and it was stuck to the inside of the window.

The helper should then have walked away from the window.

This trick creates a real surprise but it is important to pick up the fallen cards quickly and to pocket the original chosen card.

Magic Spell

This first sequence of cards will allow you to conjure up the card of your choice from any suit in the deck. In the example below, the spades have been set up in order for the magic spell trick to be performed with success. (You could use any of the other suits set up in the same sequence).

Set the cards in the above order so that the queen of spades is on the top of the pile when you hold them face down for dealing. You then spell A-C-E , placing one card underneath the pile for each letter of the card except for the last letter which is turned up to reveal the card you spelt.

Should you wish to successfully spell the whole deck of playing cards, then the pack should be set up in the following order.

You then spell A-C-E out loud, putting the A and C underneath the deck. You then turn the next ( E ) card face up to reveal the ace. You then continue on in this way until you have spelt the whole deck.

Credits to goodtricks.net for this trick

The Transforming Cards

Effect:

Amazing audience reaction as four jokers amazingly transform into four aces, right in front of the audience.

You Will Need :
To make the gimmick you will need 2 matching jokers, glue, the 4 aces and some double sided tape, First take which ever ace you want and glue it back to back with one of the jokers so that you make a double sided card with the ace on one side and a joker on the other, and then place a small square of double sided tape (note that it has to be clear double sided tape) on the center of the other joker, the busy design hides it and that’s the gimmick made

How To Do The Trick :
Set up: start by having your three normal aces in dealing position in what ever hand that you feel comfortable with, Then place the double sided card on top “ACE side facing down”.When you have done this the joker of the double sided card will be face up!!! Then place the “sticky” joker on top of all that face up, That’s the set up complete.

Performance: Say to the spectator that you have four jokers, and continue to show them “this is where you do the elmsley count to make them believe that you have four jokers. When you have finished doing this count the sticky card should end up on top. You now continue and lift of the top joker and say “this guy is the leader of the pack, whatever he does, the rest will do” and turn him over on top of the bundle and give it that magic shake “ (""when you give it a little shake you are really pressing the middle of the top card so that the tape sticks to the next card ”) Now fan them out and they will see that all the cards are now face down, then say “ the real amazing thing about this is that I keep losing jokers when doing this trick and I have way to many aces " and turn them over one by one revealing all the aces to the amazement of your audience.

The Restored Handkerchief

This title will doubtless apply to many tricks with handkerchiefs, so, if the performer thinks it too general, he can find another of his own for this particular trick. Herrmann called it Le Mouchoir Serpent, from the fancied resemblance to a snake which the handkerchief was made to take at one stage of the trick. For it the performer must have prepared a lemon, with a small handkerchief inside. The way to operate on the lemon is as follows: Cut off one end—the apex is the best—and then, by means of a spoon, take out the whole of the interior, being careful to remove the inner white skin. Push in the handkerchief, replace the portion of lemon which you cut off, and sew it carefully on with yellow cotton or silk. The first lemon or two are rather tiresome to prepare, but after a time the job can be done very quickly and neatly. The method of sewing which should be adopted is that known as "under-sewing," and it will be necessary to guard against including the handkerchief itself in the stitching. As the handkerchief placed inside is meant to be subsequently destroyed, it need be of the very commonest description only. It can be obtained for three-halfpence. On the centre table have a small scent-bottle, with methylated spirits, a lighted candle, a common plate, and a knife. Concealed in the palm of one hand are about ten pieces of cambric, each about three inches square, and properly hemmed. Under the vest is a piece of cambric two inches broad and about four feet long, doubled, not rolled, up. Behind the scenes are a couple of pieces of thin wrapping paper about nine inches square. In the hand not occupied by the pieces conceal the prepared lemon, and advance to the audience. Pretend to see something in a gentleman's hair, and, after fumbling in it, produce the lemon. Let several persons smell at the fruit, taking care to present the better-looking end, in case your sewing has not been very successful. Of course, the lemon must not leave your hand, except to be tossed once or twice in the air, to show that it is real. Place this lemon on a side table, and there leave it, with the sewn-up end from the audience.

Now borrow a small handkerchief, the smaller the better but do not take one that is much ornamented with lace Turn to a gentleman, and, whilst asking him to stand up, roll the handkerchief up carelessly in the hand, and, working it round the bundle of pieces which you have concealed, bring it underneath and let the pieces appear at the top. This can be done in an instant whilst you are talking with the person whom you wish to assist you. Give the bundle of pieces, which the audience will think is the handkerchief, to him, with instructions to rub it gently in the hands. You have, in the meantime, taken care to keep the exchanged handkerchief well concealed in the palm. Retire to the stage, and, whilst mounting it, vest the handkerchief and take in its place the doubled-up long piece, which keep concealed by means of the wand. Ask your assistant how he is getting on, and explain that you wish him to rub the handkerchief so small that it can be passed inside the lemon. After a little rubbing has taken place, ask him to open the handkerchief out, to see if it is any smaller. Of course, when he attempts to do so, it will drop about in pieces, to everyone's astonishment. Affect great annoyance, and advance, saying that the trick is now spoilt all through the handkerchief being rubbed the wrong way. Collect the pieces together, and, rolling them up, exchange them in the hand for the long piece. This exchange may at first seem very daring and difficult, but, if care is taken always to have the piece or pieces concealed well down in the hand before the substituted article is removed, there need be no fear of detection; only the performer must go right at it, and not falter in the least. Give the long piece to your assistant, and tell him to rub it this time with the left hand. Whichever way he rubs you must say is the wrong one, and finally ask him to give you one of the pieces that you may show him what you mean. In his attempt to give you one of the supposed pieces, he will unroll the long piece amidst much laughter. After suggesting that the gentleman pays for the destroyed handkerchief, rub it up in the hands and "pass" it into the lemon. For this purpose, it may be rolled up on the table, and passed down a trap.

Instead of "passing" with the hands, it is in every way neater and more effective to use a conjuring pistol, which is loaded with the handkerchief and then fired. This pistol will have to be provided with a large tin funnel, so constructed that the tube portion, which must fit the barrel of the pistol closely, extends for a long way inside the funnel. When a handkerchief, or similar article, is rammed into the funnel, care is taken that it goes around the tube so that, on the pistol, which has been previously loaded, being fired, the flash passes harmlessly down the tube. The mouth of the funnel must never, by any chance, be seen by the audience. These pistols, which are exceedingly useful at all times, can be purchased at conjuring repositories; but it is easy for anyone possessing an ordinary pistol to have it fitted with a funnel by a tinman.

Suppose the long piece either "passed" or fired out of the pistol, take the lemon and cut it open with the knife, and pull out the handkerchief that was already in it. Pretend to advance for the purpose of returning it to its owner, but suddenly discover that it smells of lemon. Say that you will put some scent on it, and, placing it upon the plate, saturate it with spirits from your bottle. Whilst advancing a step or two, to inquire if it is enough, your stage attendant enters and quietly sets light to the spirits with the candle. You turn back and nearly burn your fingers, and start aside horror-stricken.

A slight scene now takes place between you and your attendant, who insists that you told him to set fire to the handkerchief. Run down to the audience with the plate and its blazing contents, asking the owner of the handkerchief to take it in its present state. Turn back and drop it on the floor of the stage, and then go behind the scenes, where quickly take the original borrowed handkerchief from the vest, and wrap it in one of the two pieces of paper (it will add to the effect if you scent the handkerchief a little), which hold in the hand covered by the second piece of paper, open. During your absence your attendant has been dancing about, affecting to burn his fingers, &c. When the handkerchief is nearly burnt out, snatch up the remains of it quickly and pop it into the open piece of paper, roll it up rapidly and exchange for the real handkerchief in paper, vesting it at once, or a severe burn may ensue. This is done whilst hurrying towards the owner of the handkerchief, to whom you say that you have done the best you can, and are sorry that you have only the ashes of the handkerchief to offer; but that if she will leave her address, you will forward a new one in the morning, &c. Finally, you have the supposed ashes blown upon, and then tear open the paper, revealing the handkerchief. If you have scented it, call attention to the fact.

If I wanted to test a conjuror's ability, I should give him this trick to perform. No duffer could ever get half way through it; and yet, by attention to the rudiments of palming, &c., it becomes easy enough. There can be no two opinions about the effect produced. The principal portions should be rehearsed with your attendant.

A very amusing variation to this trick is the following: Purchase two cheap sunshades of a precisely similar pattern. They should be small, and the covers of light alpaca. From one carefully strip the cover, so as to leave the ribs bare, and, at the end of each rib, fasten a piece of cambric exactly similar to those used in the rubbing-away episode. This sunshade have lying upon the shelf at the back of the table, rolled up in paper. In one of the large side pockets have concealed the cover, rolled up and tied with very fine thread, that may be easily broken. Upon the table have lying a piece of paper similar to that in which the sunshade upon the shelf is wrapped. At the opening of the trick, show this sunshade round, and then proceed to wrap it up in paper, on the table. You will always have some extra sheets, and behind one of these the one sunshade is exchanged for the other. Give it to be held in the company. Then borrow a hat, and secretly introduce the cover, placing the hat on a side table. When the trick has proceeded as far as the discovery of the small pieces in the hands of the spectator who is rubbing the handkerchief, place them in the pistol and fire at the sunshade held in the company. Great amusement ensues when the bare ribs are discovered, with the pieces of cambric flying from them. These are then taken off, and the trick proceeded with, as before described, the cover being discovered in the hat at any convenient period. Break the thread, and shake it out well before bringing to view, so as not to suggest any idea of its ever having been rolled up tightly into small bulk.

Credits to classicmagic.net for this trick

Popcoin?

THE EFFECT: The magician holds out a popcorn box and shows that it has no bottom and his hands are empty. Spectators can even put there hand through the box. The magician (with a little magic) tips coins out of the box and hands them around for examination.


THE SECRET: Get a box of popcorn from say the movies, eat all the popcorn (or pitch it) and cut out the bottom. Next get a piece of posterboard or thick paper (must be white) and cut a strip to the size of the inside of the box (narrow side).


Glue it in there on the sides and bottom but leave the top open. Put some coins in there beforehand. Now show the box off and let someone stick their hand down through it.


All the time cover the secret opening with your hand. Now wave your hand or wand over the box and then in a swift motion, tip out the coins exclaiming "Anyone for popcoin?".


TIP: Do this trick at the cinema and make it fun, put enough money in the box for someone to get popcorn with! =P

Credits to Davis (Carlinville, IL, USA) for this trick

Voodoo Ash Trick

Effect: A name is written on a piece of paper on a notepad by the spectator, the paper is torn off unseen by the magician, crumpled up and placed in an ashtray. It is then set alight.

The ashes are then rubbed on the magicians arm and the name of the person written on the paper mysteriously appears.

Preparation : You will need a small notepad, pen, ashtray, lighter and a small piece of soap or wax.

Method: The spectator is asked to write the name of a person or favourite anything of theirs on a notepad.

Then to tear of the sheet of notepaper, crumple it up and place it in the ashtray, where the magician then sets the paper alight.

The magician takes the notepad of the spectator and should be able to see the imprint of the name written on the paper above in the next sheet of the notepad.

Looking at the pad should not be made obvious and some misdirection carried out while he carefully takes the small piece of wax or soap and writes the name on the imprint on his arm or hand ( this action should not be visible to anyone ).

The magician can then take some ash from the ashtray and rub it over the wax where it will stick and create an impression of the spectators word to their amazement.

This is a great trick but depends on the magician creating an atmosphere with an entertaining routine and patter about black magic to enhance the effect and create misdirection to allow him time to pull off the trick.

Coin Squeezing Into Small Hole

Challenge a friend to pass a 20 cent coin through a piece of paper with a 5 cent hole in it … without tearing the paper! When their frustration reaches a satisfactory level, show them how it's done. This trick is shown using a UK 2 pence and 10 pence coin which will work equally as well.

1. Cut a square piece of paper. Trace around a five cent coin and carefully cut out the circle. It will be obvious to your victim that the 20 cent coin is much larger than the 5 cent hole but let them try before going on.

2. Fold the paper in half and drop the 20 cent coin into the hole.

3. Bend the paper like this by pushing the ends of the folded paper towards each other and the coin will fall through the hole without tearing the paper.

What's going on?

This simple trick is stumper because most people assume the paper needs to stretch to make the hole bigger. You can't stretch paper so they either give up, or tear the paper and go red in the face. But a simple fold and a neat little bend makes the hole big enough for the 20 cent coin to slip through.You can add some patter that the magic coin felt that it need ed to lose weight and miraculously lost some weight in an instatnt to allow it to squeeze through the hole. The solution is pretty obvious once you've seen it so to get most enjoyment from this trick, use it to irritate your mates!

Cough Cough

Effect: The magician has a card selected and signed.

The card is then shuffled into the pack by the spectator and it is the magicians job to locate it.

Unfortunately the magician cannot seem to get it right, but after a few attempts, the magician seems to actually regurgatate a tightly folded card.

It is the spectators card, with their signature.

Preparation: You need a pen and a deck of cards.

Method: Have the spectator select a card from the deck and show it to the audience.

After the card is signed control it to the top of the deck by means of a Hindu Shuffle control or a revolving pass.

The deck is now held in the standard dealing position in the left hand ( with the chosen card at the top )

Get a finger break under the top card and palm it with your right hand immediately.

Flourish the rest of the deck with a one hand cut, or one hand shuffle with your left hand and offer it to a spectator to simply mix up the cards.

Make sure the spectator starts to shuffle because some stubborn people start to look through the deck looking for their card.

Then turn your back making this move seem natural to show that there is no possible way that you could know where the card is.

At this time you are folding the palmed card into eighths. ( The smaller the better ) This is easy, as your back is turned you can use both hands to do this and then slip the tiny package in your mouth between your cheek and gum.

Turn around to face the audience. As the card is folded so tightly in your mouth, you can talk normally.

Take the cards and act as if you messed up.

Turn over a couple of cards to reveal what was supposed to be their selection. The card will of course be the wrong selection.

Do whatever you want, just make yourself look bad .

As soon as people start to laugh at you, act as if your hurt, as if something inside of you is wanting to get out.

Make the audience curious, and have the suspense build up.

As soon as they reach their peak work the card out of your lips and and slowly spit the card out onto the palm of your hand.

Unfold it, and watch the audience scream as they see that it is the chosen signed card.

It looks as if you somehow swallowed the card beforehand and regurgitated it back up again.

This trick relies a lot on your acting skills.

Spoon Bending

THE EFFECT: You ask to borrow a spoon or get a spectator to examine one. Taking the spoon in your hands you begin to bend it in half. The spectator can clearly see the spoon bending right round.

With a quick flick of your wrist you show the
spoon to be instantly restored. No bend what so ever can be seen.

The spoon can be handed out once again for total inspection. Nothing out of the ordinary is found.

THE SECRET: So you think you have to be Uri Geller to do some spoon bending right? Think again!

This is perhaps the easiest way to appear to bend a spoon and then restore it in an instant. You simply need to palm a small silver coin in your hand. When you are ready to 'bend' the spoon hold the coin so that just the tip of it is visible. Place the coin on top of the spoons handle and it will look as though you are simply holding the spoon (pic1).



As you pretend to bend the spoon let the handle drop from the back of your hand. As the tip of the coin will still be show it will look like the spoon is bending (pic2). Pretend you are putting a lot of effort into it.

TIP: Spectators must be viewing the trick from the front. Not the side or from behind or the secret will be revealed. Also make sure you do not show too much of the coin or spectators will see it as a coin and not the tip of the spoon.

All that is left for you to do is quickly spin the spoon and hide the coin in your hand in the process. The spoon will look restored and you can hand it out for examination. While the spectators are distracted with the spoon dispose of the coin in you pocket or onto your lap if you are seated.

Here is another cool spoon bending illusion that is perhaps more visual than the first bend.

First you need two spoons. Take one spoon and bend it 90 degrees (at a right angle). Take the second spoon and bend the handle backwards and forwards until the head breaks off. All you need to keep is the handle. Place the first spoon in your hand so the head hangs down and the handle rests on the 'v' between your thumb and pointer finger (pic3).

Take the handle and grip it between your thumb and pointer finger (pic4). If you tilt your hand towards your body the bent spoon will be hidden by the angle of your hand, it will simply look like you are holding a spoon.

TIP: Cheap cutlery is the best to use as it is really easy to bend.

To make the spoon appear to bend simply release your grip on the handle and allow it to slowly fall into your hand. As soon as it touches the 'real' handle pull the spoon out and show that it is bent. Hand this to the spectator to examine and take this opportunity to get rid of the handle in your pocket or onto your lap.

Uri Geller and other mentalists will have you believe they can bend spoons and other metal objects with the power of their minds simply by stroking the object. You may have seen this performed on T.V. Well this is a really easy effect to pull off. All you need to do is prepare a spoon or other piece of cutlery a few seconds in advance.

Simply take the spoon (for this example) and bend the head backwards and forwards until you can see the spoon is nearly ready to break, then STOP. You are giving the spoon 'fatigue' at the bending point. You will notice the spoon gets very hot so be careful.

You may get through a few spoons trying to get it to the 'ready to break point' but not breaking - it's a fine balance, bend it too many times and it will break, not enough and you may have a hard time bending it! I suggest you buy a pack of cheap cutlery to practice. Do not use expensive stuff! One because it costs more and two, it is much harder to bend when you are first starting out.

Once you have your spoon prepared, simply place it back onto a table with the other pieces of cutlery. When you are ready to perform pretend to take any piece of cutlery at random but pick up your prepared spoon. Tap it gently on the table a few times to show it is solid, then begin to rub it at the bend point. Hold the bend point between your pointer finger and thumb. As you rub the spoon apply a little pressure. The spoon will naturally start to bend. Keep working on the bend by rubbing it and applying pressure in both directions.

If the spoon breaks go with it, keep the spoon head and handle still between your fingers, hold the spoon vertically and release your grip slowly. The head of the spoon will start to droop to the side gradually. To finish let the head drop to the table with a bang. This will intensify the effect greatly.

TIP: You can perform these spoon bending tricks with nearly any piece of cutlery it does not necessarily need to be a spoon. However a spoon is perhaps the most recognized when bending cutlery.

Credits to http://www.freemagictricks4u.com/ for this trick.

A Flying Card

A card is selected from an unprepared pack which has been thoroughly shuffled. When the card is returned the pack is again shuffled. The performer holds the pack in his right hand, and asks the name of the selected card. The answer is no sooner given when the card jumps out of the pack, and high in the air.

Fig. 51

Fig. 52

Before the knack of this trick is acquired, there will be no little practice spent on it. When the selected card is returned to the pack, it is brought to the top by the "pass," and left there, even though the cards are once more shuffled. Then the performer places the pack, face down, on the right hand, the thumb on one side, the first and second fingers on the other. The selected card (which is on top) rests on the side where the fingers are, and its opposite edge, where the thumb is, is raised about a quarter of an inch, and held loosely by the thumb, as shown in Fig. 52. The muscles of the hand which must be kept tense, suddenly press the pack into the position shown in Fig. 53; the thumb slips between the top card and the others, while the first and second fingers glide along the bottom of the pack. Almost at the same moment the top card will spring out of the hand and go flying in the air, as shown in Fig. 54. In its descent it will be found possible to catch the card on the top of the pack, but that means more practice and plenty of it.

Fig. 53

Fig. 54

The Melting Handkerchiefs

The performer comes forward with a soup-plate in one hand and two silk handkerchiefs in the other. The plate, after being shown empty, is placed upon the ground, inverted, whilst the performer takes the handkerchiefs in his hands, and commences to roll them up in them. He rubs his hands together, and, on opening them, the handkerchiefs are found to have melted completely away. The soup-plate is then raised by one of the company, and the handkerchiefs are found beneath.

The soup-plate portion of the trick is thus easily managed: The performer has balled up under the fingers of the hand holding the plate duplicate handkerchiefs of those he holds openly in the other hand. They are of very fine silk, and so are easily concealed. As he boldly shows the inside of the plate, where the fingers are, the spectators never suspect the presence of the handkerchiefs, or of anything else. As the plate is laid carelessly upon the floor, it is drawn a few inches towards the performer, the side that is towards the company scraping the ground. In this way the handkerchiefs are got underneath. The melting away of the handkerchiefs is accomplished with the aid of the plain-looking implement depicted at Fig. 45. It is constructed of wood, is hollow, and is blackened on the outside. Through the end is a hole, and through that is passed a piece of stout elastic, having a knot on the inside. On the side seam of the vest is sewn a ring, and the end of the elastic, after being passed through this, is brought round the back and left side, and fastened securely to a button in front. This great length is necessary for the facile performance of the trick. When at rest, the wooden holder rests against the ring on the vest. After the performer has finished placing the plate upon the floor, he retires to the stage, and stands sideways to the company. Supposing the holder to be on his right side, that side would be nearest the company. First of all, the sleeves are turned very far back, and then, under cover of the right forearm, the left hand seizes the holder, and, drawing it out of concealment, places it in the right hand, where the handkerchiefs are being held. The performer may get out the holder before this, if he pleases—the proper time for so doing being whenever a favourable opportunity presents itself—and keep it palmed in the right hand. The arm will always prevent the elastic being seen by the company. With his arms outstretched, and the hands together, the performer proceeds to gather in the handkerchiefs by slow degrees, the fingers of the left hand pushing them into the holder. When they are all pushed home, the hands are opened slightly, the left hand only being moved for this purpose, and the holder, thus released, flies back until stopped by the ring. The performer continues rubbing away the handkerchiefs, still supposed to be in his hand, and he must act as though they were being rolled into an ever-decreasing ball, the final kneading being done by the tips of the fingers of the right hand, working in the palm of the left hand. All that now remains is to have the plate lifted. The trick may be prolonged and varied if the performer has a second holder on his left side containing handkerchiefs of other colours to those first used. By getting this holder out and rolling up the handkerchiefs from under the plate, the new handkerchiefs may be got out and the old ones substituted. Or the trick may be done the other way round, and the change executed first, the second handkerchiefs being found under the plate. There is no reason why this trick should not be even more elaborated, and further changes of handkerchiefs made. This may be done by means of a holder, some four inches in length, open at each end, and connected with the elastic by a metal fork-shaped piece, upon which it swivels by means of a pin passing through the centre. Each side can contain handkerchiefs of different colours, the pin through the centre preventing their becoming mixed with one another, and a variety of changes made, which will be intensely bewildering to the spectators, especially as the performer each time gives the handkerchief for examination, and shows his hands empty. The perfect simplicity and completeness of the method of vanishing permits of its being repeated any number of times, each successive change or disappearance causing fresh wonderment. Care must, however, be taken, in each instance, that the handkerchiefs are pressed well home in the holder, as an exposed portion might be seen as it flashed under the coat; whilst there is still greater danger of its subsequently working out and becoming slowly visible to the company. If the great length of elastic which I have recommended were not employed, the performer would not be able to stretch his arms out to their full extent in front of him; and it is highly essential for effect that the hands should be as far removed from the body as possible. The ingenuity of the performer will enable him to employ the holder in many tricks in which handkerchiefs take part.

To Pass an Egg from a Tumbler Into a Hat

For this a celluloid or a blown egg is needed. To it is attached a fine black silk thread, that has a small hook on the free end, which is fastened to the lower part of the performer's vest. The egg is stowed away under his vest or in a vest pocket. When ready for the trick a handkerchief and a soft felt hat are borrowed and laid on the table; near them are an egg and a goblet. The latter are handed out for examination, and as he goes back to his table the performer exchanges the real egg for the imitation one. Facing the audience, he drops the egg visibly into the goblet. Picking up the hat he stands it behind the goblet, brim up. Taking the handkerchief by two corners he spreads it out, as if to cover the goblet. While the latter is thus screened, the performer moves back a trifle, which causes the egg to rise up out of the glass and drop into the hat. The handkerchief is covered over the glass. Taking the hat in one hand and the glass in the other, the performer orders the egg to leave the glass and go into the hat. Seizing the handkerchief between his teeth he drags it off and shows the glass to be empty. The next moment he pours the egg from the hat into the glass. As he turns to put away the glass he unhooks the thread. Finally he returns the borrowed articles, thanking the owners.

It may be mentioned here that a simple and secure way to attach a piece of sewing silk to an egg is to tie one end of the thread to a piece of broken match, about three-quarters of an inch in length, then make a tiny hole in the shell of the egg, about the center, and push in the bit of match. The thread may break but will not pull off.

The Egg Ching Ching

About the year 1866, Colonel Stodare, a very skillful English conjurer, introduced a little trick with an egg and a handkerchief to which he gave the above title. It proved very successful and Carl Herrmann exhibited it some years later at his first performance in New York; and afterward his successor, Alexander Herrmann, often included it in his program. In its first form, an egg was placed in a glass goblet, over which was thrown a large handkerchief. Standing at a distance, the performer picked up a small square of red silk, which he began to gather into his hands.

When it was completely within his hands they were opened, and it was seen that the silk square had disappeared—if that is not a bull—and in the hands was an egg—presumably the one placed in the goblet. On removing the handkerchief from the goblet, the silk square was seen in the glass, but the egg had gone.

The explanation of the trick is simple: the egg that is placed in the goblet has been blown, that is, it is nothing but an egg-shell, the egg itself having been cleaned out by means of two holes, one at each end. By blowing in one hole the contents of the egg comes out at the other. It is not a pleasant job to prepare such an egg, and for that reason many performers use a wooden egg or, what is much better, one of celluloid, which is made specially for conjurers' use. When the performer is about to place the egg into the goblet, it is lying on the large handkerchief, which is spread over his left hand. A fine black silk thread about four inches long attaches the egg to the center of the handkerchief, and between the two is the silk square which is folded into as small shape as possible and concealed in a half-fold of the handkerchief. To fold this properly it is plaited back and forth until it is one long strip, and then the strip is plaited in the same way until it is about an inch and one-half square. Folded in this way, the natural resilience of the silk will cause it to open out when released.

As the performer is about to cover the goblet with the handkerchief after the egg is in, he relaxes his hold of the silk square and drops that in, also. Back of the second square of silk, which is on a table, is concealed a hollow metal egg, with an opening on one side. The silk square and this egg are picked up together, and as the square is drawn into the performer's hands, he works it into the hollow egg, which he finally shows to the audience, who suppose it to be the egg that was placed in the glass. Going to the goblet, the performer lifts up the handkerchief and with it the hollow egg, and shows the square of silk, which has, apparently, passed invisibly into the glass.

In place of a hollow metal egg, the performer often prepares a real egg. This can be done by soaking the egg for some time in strong vinegar. After a while the shell will become so soft that it may be cut, without splintering, by driving a sharp pointed penknife in with gentle taps. When the piece is out, the contents are scooped out, and the egg is washed out with a weak solution of carbolic acid, and then lined with a thin coating of plaster of paris. Prepared in this way, it is infinitely better than any imitation.

Another and better method:—An improvement on this trick is to use a drinking-glass, the bottom of which has been cut out. This must be done, of course, by a glass-cutter or engraver. He should be instructed to leave a narrow rim around the bottom, that is, the bottom should not be cut close to the edge.

Provided with such a glass, the performer may use a real egg and dispense with the duplicate handkerchief, as only one is needed. Besides the egg and the handkerchief a piece of rather stiff letter-paper is required. This is rolled into a cylinder which will fit easily over the tumbler, as a cover, and is fastened together with a small pin.

This method of presenting the trick has long been a puzzle to many professional conjurers. It is now properly explained for the first time.

Everything being ready, the performer, with an egg concealed just under the lowest part of his waistcoat, advances to his audience, and begs for the loan of an egg. Addressing one of the company, he asks, "Will you, sir, accommodate me with a fresh egg?" extending his open left hand at the same time. "Thank you; lay it here, please." As the performer leans forward to receive it, his right hand goes, naturally, to the bottom of his waistcoat and gets hold of the egg. At the same time the closed hand moves to the gentleman's mouth, and the concealed egg is allowed to show itself at the tip of the fingers. It appears as if the egg were taken from the mouth. The egg is placed on the table along-side a goblet.

In the next move the performer obtains the handkerchief. This he produces "magically," by means of a false finger or any one of the many ways.

He now inverts a glass goblet, placing it mouth down on the table, and on the bottom of this he stands the bottomless tumbler. "I place this here," he says, "so that it may be seen easily, and in it I put the egg which the gentleman has lent me." In putting this in, the performer is careful to have it rest on the rim which is left at the bottom of the glass. "I hope you all can see the egg." As he says this, he picks up the tumbler with his right hand and places it on the extended palm of his left hand. "I will shake the glass so that you may hear the egg as well as see it. Listen." In shaking it thus the egg is dislodged and rests on his hand. With the paper cylinder, which is ready, he covers the tumbler and in front of it, on his fingers, he throws the handkerchief; then picking up with his right hand the empty tumbler, still covered, he replaces it on the bottom of the inverted goblet. The egg is now in his left palm, but the handkerchief conceals it. He turns the hand with its back toward the audience, and bringing his two hands together begins to roll the handkerchief into a compact ball, which he presses into his right palm and holds it there concealed. He then brings the egg to the tip of his fingers and shows it. "See!" he exclaims, "here is the egg, and in its place in the glass we find the handkerchief." As he says this the performer allows his right palm to come over the top opening of the cylinder, into which he drops the handkerchief, which passes into the tumbler. At the same moment he lifts the tumbler cover, showing that an actual change has taken place.

The Pass

One of the foremost artifices resorted to in card conjuring is that known as the "pass," "shift," or sauter la coupe, as it is called in French. By this sleight a card which has been placed in the middle of the pack is transferred to either the top or the bottom without any one perceiving it. The position of two or more cards may be changed as readily as that of one card.

In order to do this the lower part of the pack on which a chosen card is placed must take the place of the upper part, which, in turn, goes to the bottom; in other words the positions of the two halves or portions are reversed.

When a card that has been selected is to be replaced in the pack, the performer opens the pack, as shown in Fig. 1. The card is received on the lower portion of the pack, which is then closed. In closing it, however, the tip of the little finger of the left hand is inserted between the two portions. The pack is now lying in the left hand in the position shown in Fig. 2, that is, with the thumb on the top of the pack and the fingers on the opposite side, the little finger dividing the pack in two.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Placing his right hand over his left, the performer grasps the lower portion of the pack between the thumb at the bottom and the second finger at the top, as in Fig. 3. The top packet which is now held by the fingers of the left hand, the little finger below and the other fingers on top, is drawn away by opening out the fingers, and when it is clear of the lower packet the fingers are closed again, bringing it thereby to the bottom. So that the two packets may clear each other in passing, the right side of the lower packet must be raised a little, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The part marked A in Fig. 4 presses steadily against the root of the left thumb. At BB it is held between the ball of the thumb and the second finger of the right hand. While in this position if the lower part of the left thumb exerts a pressure at A, the side CC will be raised, the thumb and second finger of the right hand at BB acting as pivots. The movements of the two packets must be simultaneous, and be made noiselessly. The right hand acts as a screen to hide the manipulations and should be held motionless. The pack is held at an angle of about forty-five degrees.

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

The manipulations should be practised before a mirror and slowly until the exact moves are reached, but until then speed ought not be sought.

Instead of opening the pack bookwise to receive the selected card, it may be spread out like a fan between the hands, and the little finger inserted when closing it.

Fig. 5

When it is desired to bring the selected card to the bottom of the pack instead of the top, the little finger of the left hand must be placed under the card.

The "pass" may be made with one hand, but as it is almost impossible to make it invisibly it is of little practical use, and need not be considered here.

For this trick, credits to classicmagic.net

Spell it Right

Effect:

The magician shuffles the deck and takes the top thirteen cards. Holding the cards face down, he proceeds to spell the first card name, Ace. "A-C-E," and for each letter, he puts one card under the packet of thirteen cards. He then flips over the next card (the fourth,) and it is an Ace. He repeats this process for each card number, Ace through King. At the end, he has all thirteen cards face up on the table, in sequential order.

Supplies:

~a deck of cards

Preparation:

Remove and arrange 13 cards in the following setup, top card down: Three, Eight, Seven, Ace, Queen, Six, Four, Two, Jack, King, Ten, Nine, and Five. Put these on top of the deck.

A magic teacher named Harold wrote to share a little story he tells his students to help them remember the setup for this trick: "Three hundred & eighty seven years ago there lived a Queen that was sixty four years old. She had two children. One named Jack, the other named King. Jack was ten years old and King was nine years old and the were both in the fifth grade." 3,8 7,A,Q,6,4,2,J,K,10,9 and 5 Thanks Harold! (Harold's Site)

Secret:

To start, pretend to shuffle the cards, leaving the top thirteen untouched (young children can skip the shuffling part and just begin with the 13 cards.

Remove the top thirteen cards as a group and arrange them like a fan, so that your audience can see their faces. Square up the cards, and hold them face down.

When you spell out each card, do it as follows: let's say you're spelling the word ACE. Spell A, remove the top card and place it on the bottom. Then spell C, and remove the top card and place that on the bottom. Next spell E, remove this top card and place it on the bottom. Flip the new top card and show that it's an Ace, and place it ON THE TABLE (not on the bottom of the deck).

Continue in this manner until all the cards are face up on the table. (eh: You spell the cards in order: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K) Your audience may realize that the cards must have been set up beforehand, but this only adds to the mystery - and you can treat it as a puzzle for them to try to figure out.

I know what you choose!

Effect:

The magician gives two volunteers each half a deck of cards and leaves the room (or turns his back).

Each volunteer choses a card from the OTHER person's deck, memorizes and shows it to the audience. The volunteers put the cards they chose into their own deck.

The magician takes each of the decks and spreads them out on the table and tells the audience what the cards were.

Supplies:

~a deck of cards

Secret:

You need to split the deck into cards with a flat (or sharp) top and cards with a round top

(the 3 is usually made with a flat top, but sometimes is rounded... look at your deck to figure out which pile it should be in for your trick)

FLAT TOP:

3 4 5 7 J K A

ROUND TOP:

2 6 8 9 10 Q

with practice it will get easier to spot these cards quickly.

Put the two halves together, one on top of the other. When doing the trick, turn the cards so they're facing you and split the deck so that one half is the flat top and the other is the round top (I usually make this easier by putting the ACE of SPADES where the two halves divide. That way, when I see the ace, I know where to split the deck in two

Give each volunteer one of the halves (one volunteer gets the flat tops and the other gets the round tops).

When they chose the cards and put them in their own deck it ends up that there's one flat top in the round top pile and one round top in the flat top pile.

With practice you'll quickly be able to spot the oddball when you spread the decks out on the table.

Read the Cards

Effect:

Magician lays out 11 cards and asks a volunteer to move several cards over from the right side to the left side while the magician's back is to the cards so he/she doesn't see how many.

Then, when the volunteer is done the magician turns back around. He/she waves his hand over the cards and turns over one of the cards. The number on the card is the number of cards the volunteer moved.

Supplies:

11 cards from a regular deck of 52. Take 1 joker, an ace and all the numbers up to 10.

Secret:

Lay out the cards face down in this order: 6 5 4 3 2 A J 10 9 8 7 (A is Ace and J is Joker).

Then have someone move the cards one at a time from right to left.

Say they moved three cards (the magician wouldn't know it though) the position of the cards would now be

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 A J 10

Then wave your hand over the cards and silently count 7 cards over from left to right. Turn the 7th card over. It's the three!!!

It doesn't matter how many cards they move over, this will always work.

Always count 7 cards over (starting with the setup above) and it'll be the number of cards they moved.

If they decide not to move any at all the card will be a Joker and this tells you they didn't move any at all.

X Ray Vision Magic Trick

A jaw dropping trick that will stun your friends! The object of this trick is to cut a pack of cards into three face down piles. You then gaze at the three piles for a few moments in total concentration and correctly name the top cards of the three piles.

Here is how the trick is done.
Before you start the trick you must know the name of the top card of the pack, which is easy to find out. Simply glimpse at the top card as you spread the pack to show the spectator that it is an ordinary pack of cards!
Now put the pack of cards face down on the table and ask the spectator to cut it into three roughly equal piles, keeping all the cards face down. As the cards are being cut you must keep track of the pile with your known card on top, let's say the "King of Spades".
You now say to the spectator"I have x-ray vision. I have enough of this x-ray power to see through paper and other materials to a depth of about a millimetre, which is just about deep enough to read through a playing card, most of the time!"
Now tell the spectator to write down on a piece of paper each card that you have seen with the "x-ray vision" so that no mistakes can be made.
Now point at one of the piles (not the one with your known card on top), frown for a second and say "That card is the King of Spades" Lift the card up from the pile with your left hand without the spectator being able to see the face of it, smile as if you were right and remember the card (let's say its the five of diamonds) and keep it hidden in your right hand.
Now point to the other pile with the unknown card on top and say, "That card is the five of diamonds" Lift the card up with your left hand and look at it again smiling confidently. Remember this second card, let's say it's the "Jack of Hearts" and hide it with the first card in your other hand.
Now look at the third pile (the one with the King of Spades on top) and say, "That card is the Jack of Hearts". Lift up the card and smile again as you look at it and then place with the other two cards.
Now ask the victim "What cards did you write down?"
As the victim reads out the names of the cards you turn them over one by one showing that you do indeed have x-ray vision!

The Travelling Cards

This is a pretty trick, and one that is always much commented upon by spectators who have seen it neatly performed. The performer has a couple of cards chosen, which he brings to the top of the pack; then, addressing the company, he refers to the notion that the sleeve of the coat is employed by conjurors for their concealment. He deprecates the attempt, made by many performers, to deny the immense aid afforded by this portion of the attire, especially for the effective concealment of eggs, pigeons, cannonballs, and other articles equally easy of manipulation (this as sarcastically as he pleases), and says he will now proceed to demonstrate, conclusively, in what way the sleeve is employed. "So far from there being any difficulty, ladies and gentlemen, in concealing cards, in the sleeve, for instance, it is a very easy matter to cause them to travel up or down with great rapidity, and invisibly. My waistcoat, as you see, contains nothing". The performer cannot very well unbutton and open his waistcoat before the company, so, to show it is empty, he places his hand inside, and performs the action of emptying sufficiently vigorously to dislodge anything that might be there. He next palms a dozen or more cards from the top of the pack, and then, extending the left arm, ruffles the edges of the remaining cards. This act, he explains, has had the effect of sending a card up his sleeve, and he affects to watch its progress. A jerk of the arm is made, the contraction being caused, the performer says, by the passage, by the card, of the elbow. Plunging the right hand into the vest, the cards palmed are dropped there, one card only, taken from the bottom, being slowly extracted. A second card is made to pass in the same way, and another indifferent card extracted. The performer now asks the choosers of the two cards on the top at what numbers they shall pass up the sleeve. This feat is easy of accomplishment, as the cards are taken from the bottom until the proper number has been reached. When the cards in the vest have been exhausted, more can be palmed, and the operation continued until all the pack has been employed; but this finish is by no means necessary to the success of the trick, which may be considered concluded when the two selected cards have been withdrawn, although it is as well to continue passing cards until no more are left in the vest.

The Walking Coin

Simple as this little trick seems it is very deceptive. Attached to the lower button of his vest the performer has a hair or, if at some distance from his audience, a piece of fine black sewing silk. At the other end of this hair or thread is a little pellet of wax, which is stuck to another button of his vest. Asking for a small coin, a dime or a cent, the performer secretly gets hold of the wax and sticks it on the coin. Then he takes a tumbler or goblet in his left hand and drops the coin into it. Shaking the glass and at the same time extending his arm, he causes the coin gradually to creep higher and higher in the glass until it reaches the fingers of the right hand held out for it. The wax is quietly removed and the coin is returned to its owner. By taking care to shake the glass continually, the modus operandi of the trick will be completely concealed.