Art of Magic and Sleight of Hand: How to perform amazing close-up tricks, baffling optical illusions and incredible mental magic.

264 Pages·2011·25.526 MB·English

by  Nicholas Einhorn

THE ART OF
AND
• How to perform amazing close-up tricks, baffling
optical illusions and incredible mental magic
• Reveals the secrets of over 120 magic
tricks, with over 1,000 colour photographs
• Includes magic with cards, matches,
rope, silk, thimbles and money
NICHOLAS EINHORN
THE ART OF
MAGIC
AND SLEIGHT OF HAND
Magic is universally recognized as a \A/onderful form of
entertainment, both as a hobby and a professional art form.
This book reveals the secrets of a wide range of tricks and
explains how to achieve a polished performance, with tips
and advice on planning patter, rehearsing and creating your
own performance style.
History of Mystery The book opens with an
introduction to the most important events and
names in magic’s rich history, including comedy
and close-up magicians, illusionists and television magicians.
Card Magic The scope for performing tricks with
cards is enormous. This chapter explains how to
grip, shuffle and control cards, how to force cards,
do self-working tricks and perform advanced card flourishes.
Dinner Tabie Magic Items found on the dinner
table can be used to entertain and amaze your
guests. The tricks in this chapter focus on glasses,
napkins, cutlery, straws, cups and sugar cubes.
Match Magic The shape and size of matches
make them ideal for creating optical illusions and
simple magic tricks. With a box of matches in your
pocket, you can perform an entire magic show.
String, Cord and Rope Magic The cut and
restored rope effect is a staple of the magician’s
repertoire. This chapter shows how to do this and
other illusions such as making a knot disappear at will.
Mind Magic Your audiences will believe that you
have psychic powers with the routines in this
chapter. There are many ways of creating the
impression of mind-reading and thought transference.
Siik, Thimble and Paper Magic Magic tricks
using handkerchiefs and small objects have
always been popular. This chapter shows how to
do a variety of sleights of hand with these everyday props.
Money Magic Everyone enjoys watching money
appear out of thin air. Once you have learnt basic
techniques such as palming and vanishing, there
are many tricks to perform with both coins and banknotes.
With over 120 incredible magic tricks and more than 1,000
step-by-step colour photographs, this book will enable you to
amaze your friends and family.
£14.99

THE ART OF
MAGIC
AND SLEIGHT OF HAND
whether your aim is
to become a full-time
professional magician
or simply a competent
hobbiest ready to
entertain your friends
at your next party, the
following pages will
teach you the basics
of this wonderful art -
and much more besides.
Prepare to enjoy over
120 magic tricks that
will keep you and your
audiences amused
for hours.
THE ART OF
MAGIC
AND SLEIGHT OF HAND
NICHOLAS EINHORN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN FREEMAN
LORENZ BOOKS
contents
To Hilary, Stanley and Francine
for their never-ending support.
And to my wife Joanne for the magic
she gives me every single day
Introduction 6 Self-working card tricks 48
Keeping the secret 6 Sense of Touch,
This edition is published by Lorenz Books
Fooling people 8 The Four Burglars 48
Lorenz Books is an imprint of Misdirection 8 Hocus Bogus 50
Anness Publishing Ltd Practice, patter and style 8 Reversed 52
Hermes House, 88-89 Blackfriars Road
Magic shops 9 Face Value 53
London SEl 8HA
Watch and learn 9 The Indicator 54
tel. [phone]; fax [phone]
www.lorenzbooks.com; [email protected] Magicians’equipment 10 You Find It! 55
Instant Card Revelation 56
© Anness Publishing Ltd 2002,2003,2004 The Next Card is Yours 57
history of Do As I Do 58
Published in the USA by Lorenz Books
Impossible Card Location 60
fax [phone] mystery
Magic Time 62
Published in Australia by Lorenz Books 12 Spectator Cuts the Aces 64
tel. [phone]; fax [phone] Four Card Poker 66
Spell-a-Card 68
Magic and magicians through
Distributed in the UK by Aurum Press Ltd
Controlling a card 69
tel. [phone]; fax [phone] the ages 14
Finger Break, Thumb Break 69
Magical inventors 16
Distributed in the USA by National Book Double Cut, Double Cut
Literary experts 18
Network, tel. [phone]; fax [phone] Control 70
Magical venues 20
www.nbnbooks.com
In-Jog Dribble Control 71
Comedy magicians 21
Run and Back Control 72
Distributed in Canada by General Close-up magicians 22
Simple Cverhand Control 73
Publishing, tel. [phone]; Illusionists 24
fax [phone]; www.genpub.com A False Cut 74
Television magicians 28
Card tricks requiring skill 75
Distributed in New Zealand by David
Countdown 75
Bateman Ltd, tel. [phone];
Gliding Home 76
fax [phone] card
Trapped 78
magio
All rights reserved. No part of this publication Card through Handkerchief 80
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, 30 Cards Across 82
or transmitted in any way or by any means,
Card under Glass 84
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording
Forcing a card 85
or otherwise, without the prior written Introduction 32
permission of the copyright holder. Hindu Force 85
Basic card techniques 34
Slip Force, Cut Deeper
The Hand, Dealing Grip,
A CIP catalogue record for this book Force 86
Mechanics’ Grip,
is available from the British Library.
Cross Cut Force and
Biddle Grip 34
Prediction 87
Publisher: Joanna Lorenz Dribbling Cards,
Managing Editor: Judith Simons Special gimmicks 88
Two-Handed Spread 35
Project Editor: Felicity Forster Pips Away 88
Squaring the Cards,
Art Manager: Clare Reynolds Changing Card 90
Swing Cut 36
Editor: Judy Cox
Find the Lady 92
Photography: John Freeman, assisted by Charlier Cut 37
Card through Tablecloth 94
Alex Dow The Glimpse, Out of the
Rising Card from Box
Hand Model: Jennifer Schofield
Box Glimpse,
Designer: Steve West (Version 1) 96
Square and Glimpse 38
Jacket Design: Michael Morey Rising Card from Box
The Braue Reversal,
Editorial Reader: Penelope Goodare
(Version 2) 98
Production Controller: Steve Lang The Glide 39
Card to Matchbox 100
Double Lift and
10 987654321 Advanced flourishes 104
Turnover 40
Thumb Fan, Pressure Fan 104
Snap Change 41
The author and publishers have made Cne-Handed Fan,
Ribbon Spread and Turnover 42
every effort to ensure that all instructions
Cne-Handed Reverse Fan 105
contained within this book are accurate Shuffling cards 44
Giant Fan, Comedy Card
and safe, and cannot accept liability for any Overhand Shuffle 44
resulting injury, damage or loss to persons Force 106
Table Riffle Shuffle 45
or property, however if may^arise. Matches Card Spring 107
Weave Shuffle and Waterfall 46
and rope should bemused with caution. Back Palm 108
1 ■
Rope through Neck Again! 158 Thimble through Silk 205
dinner table Hunter Bow Knot 159 Paper magic 206
Impossible Knot 160 Telekinetic paper 206
magic
Slip Knot 161 Cut and Restored
110
Cut and Restored Rope Newspaper 207
(Version 1) 162 Snowstorm in China 208
Introduction 112 Cut and Restored Rope
Rolling Straw, Clinging (Version 2) 163
Cutlery 114 Rope through Apple 164 money
Bending Knife (Version 1),
magic
Bending Knife (Version 2) 115
Bouncing Bread Roll 116 mind 212
Vanishing Glass 117
magic
Torn and Restored Napkin 118
Introduction 214
Sugar Rush 120 166
Easy money tricks 216
Sugar Rush Uncovered 122
Linking Paper Clips 216
All Sugared Up 124
Introduction 168 Bending Coin (Version 1),
Two in the Hand 126
Coin under Bottle Tops 170 Heads 1 Win! 217
Knife and Paper Trick 128
Whispering Jack 171 Impossible Coin Balance 218
The Cups and Balls 130
“X” Marks the Spot 172 Floating Banknote 219
Dice Divination, Human Basic coin techniques 220
Calculator 174 Finger Palm and Production,
match
Impossible Prediction 175 Thumb Clip 220
magic Ash on Arm 176 Classic Palm 221
Tri-Thought 178 Downs Palm, Downs
134
Just Chance 180 Palm Production 222
Money Miracle 182 Bobo Switch 223
Introduction 136
1089, 1089 - Book Test, Coin Roll 224
Match through Safety Pin,
Double Book Test 183 Coin vanishes 225
Self-Extinguishing
The Big Prediction 184 French Drop 225
Match 138
Black Magic, Temple of Thumb Clip Vanish 226
Broken and Restored Match 139
Wisdom 185 Fake Take 227
Vanishing Match 140
Sleeving a Coin 228
Vanishing Box of Matches 141
Coin in Elbow 229
Static Match, Jumping silk, thimble
Handkerchief Coin
Match 142
and paper Vanish 230
Lit Match Production 143
Clever Coin Vanish 231
Match through Match 144 magic 186
Coin Wrap 232
Matchbox off String 145
Coin Vanish from Matchbox 234
Burnt Match in Introduction 188 Pencil and Coin Vanish 235
Matchbook 146
Silk magic 190 More money tricks 236
Simple Silk Production 190
Switcheroo 236
Mid-Air Silk Production 191 Coin through Table 237
String, cord
Rose to Silk 192 Coin through Handkerchief 238
and rope Pencil through Silk 194 Coin in Egg 240
Silk Vanish 196
magic 148 Coin in Bread Roll 241
Milk to Silk 198 Coin through Pocket 242
The Trick Which Fooled Bending Coin (Version 2) 243
Introduction 150
Houdini 200 Appearing Money 244
Cut and Re-Strawed 152
Thimble magic 200 Paper to Money 246
Jumping Rubber Band 154
Jumping Thimble 200
String through Arm (Version 1) 155
Thimble from Banknote 201
String through Arm (Version 2), Glossary ^ 250
Thimble Thumb Clip,
,
String through Ring 156 So uppliers /v iIj X 252
Vanishing Thimble 202
Rope through Neck 157
Thimble from Silk 204 Index /uL <2 S \ 254
lo £ 1
introduction
If you have never before had an interest in learning the
art of magic, then be warned. You are at the beginning
of a journey that could and often does last a lifetime!
I became interested in magic while watching a
magician on my fourth birthday and knew at that very
moment what I was going to do for the rest of my life.
That was 22 years ago and I have been performing,
creating and learning ever since.
Those of you who have already learnt a few magic
tricks know how much fun it is to amaze and amuse
people. Magic as a hobby is unique in that it not only
fascinates the person studying it, but family and friends
also. This is one reason why magic is such a wonderful
pastime. Another is the sense of achievement from
mastering any of the skills you undertake to learn.
Magic is also universally recognized as a wonderful
form of entertainment. If you ever get the opportunity
to visit one of the many magic conventions that take
place all over the world, you will see a wide mixture
of people. Every ethnic background is represented -
young and old, amateurs and professionals, students
and people in every career imaginable - but all of them
share one thing in common. They all love magic. Above: Many hours of practice and rehearsal are necessary in order for you to
Many of the routines and magic tricks in this book attain a level of ability that will leave your audiences speechless at your skill and
can be performed at a moment’s notice with whatever stunned by your magic.
objects happen to be lying around. You may want to
break the ice at a meeting in the office, entertain at a The methods for all the tricks are clearly explained,
dinner party or show a few tricks to your children. with photographs showing each step. For convenience,
Whatever the situation, you will be in a position to the explanations are from a right-handed person’s point
perform something amazing. of view; left-handed readers can reverse the left and
Within this book you will find over 120 miracles to right hands, as necessary.
learn and perform. Many are very simple and are what Professional magicians use many of the tricks in this
magicians call “self-working tricks”. Despite this term, book, and very soon you will be performing them too.
do not expect that the tricks will work themselves. You may be surprised at just how simple some of these
However simple a trick may appear to be, practice and tricks are to perform, but do not be disappointed. The
rehearsal are always required to enable the performer easier the method the less there is to go wrong.
and performance to look polished and professional. Remember how you felt the first time you saw a
You may only wish to learn one or two of these magic magician make a coin vanish right before your eyes?
tricks, but if you perform them with confidence you Or that time your card was found, even though you
will be amazed at the reaction you will receive, and shuffled the deck and told no one what it was? Well, in
may well be inspired to learn more. learning magic you are about to give up some of that
As you progress though the book, you will be sense of wonder in order to allow others to experience
introduced to a number of moves and sleight-of-hand and appreciate the art. This brings us on to a very
techniques. Many of these are not particularly difficult important point.
to learn, but again require practice in order to reach
a point where you will feel comfortable using them. keeping the secret
If you learn everything in this book, you will have
an excellent grounding in the basics of the art of magic. A magician’s golden rule is always to keep the secret.
If you want to learn more, you will find details of your There are several reasons for this. You are investing
nearest magic shop at the back of the book. time and effort in learning the magic tricks in this
6 introduction