The Best in Magic

1956
Written by Bruce Elliott
Work of Various
246 pages (Hardcover), published by Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc.
Illustrated with drawings by Louis Ravielli
Language: English
113 entries
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
Bruce Elliott Preface
iii
Bruce Elliott Novel Effects All Designed for Close-Up Performing
1
James Shannon Jim-Dandy Vanisher easy self-made pull vanisher
 		1
Bill Bowman Pop-Off clipped, two paperclips on folded bill link
Variations 3
John R. Boyko A Twist Through the Wrist string through spectator's wrist, string loop with two paper clips
Also published here 5
Derek Vernon Nickel-Plated bending spoon convincer, coin
Inspired byRelated toAlso published here 7
Bill Nord Purse handkerchief appears in invisible purse / purse frame
Also published here 9
Harry G. Franke Rise ball with a hole rises and sinks on a straw (as H. G. Frank)
Also published here 11
Don Tanner Reunion cut and restored cigarette
Also published here 13
John Hamilton Variant thimble penetrates handkerchief
Also published here 15
Carlo Rossetti Another Rise thimble through handkerchief
Also published here 17
John A. M. Howie Ghost Thimble four phase thimble routine, with pencil and tin foil shell
  • Phase 1 - Pantomime
  • Phase 2 - Taps
  • Phase 3 - Pop
  • Phase 4 - Proof
Also published here 20
Gershon Legman Bolt and Frame paper folding illusion, bolt through the frame, as a climax the paper is folded into Cleopatra's Barge
 		26
Gershon Legman The Lotus paper folded into a lotus, spectator can be challenged to take it apart without tearing it
 		30
Gershon Legman Lotus and Bow-Tie bill folded to bow-tie and Lotus
Related to
  • Mitchell Dyszel's "Bow Knot Money" in "The Jinx" 1942
Also published here 		33
Bruce Elliott Conjuring with Coins and Paper Money
36
Harry Baker Penny-Tration seven pennies counted in spectator's hand, one penetrates it
Also published here 36
Wraparound Vanish coin disappears in trouser fold, appears in pocket, penetration
 		37
Fadeaway coin vanish on knee, in trouser fold
Related to 39
Bill Simon Sitting Vanish seated, coin on leg is vanished and reproduced
Related toAlso published here 42
Charles Eastman Back Palm Switch
44
Dr. Theodore Sack Silver-Copper in spectator's hand, with extra coin, two same coins in his hand, has to remove one
 		46
Brian MacCarthy Hank Dropper coin dropped inside folded handkerchief can be stolen out
Also published here 49
John A. M. Howie Reward two coins are produced from handkerchief, then they are wrapped in hank and held in place by a rubber band, coins transform in other coins
Also published here 52
Stewart Judah The Hard way coin in handkerchief, ends threaded through a ring, coin penetrates ring
Also published here 55
Derek Vernon Necromancy two coins penetrate cigar box
Also published here 57
Bruce Elliott The Rip one of five bills vanishes, practical manipulative method
Also published here 59
Bruce Elliott The Fold-Around one of five bills vanishes, folding method
 		61
Harvey P. Graham Perfection serial number, free choice of lemon, no switch of bill
Also published here 63
Bruce Elliott The Magician Performs with Rings, Ropes and Silks
68
Paquette Baguette ring on wand, with handkerchief
Also published here 68
Franklin V. Taylor Thumb Fun ring vanishes and appears on spectator's thumb which was covered by a handkerchief
Also published here 71
Franklin V. Taylor Brema Plus Taylor Brema Nut, nut off rope, with handkerchief
Also published here 73
Bruce Elliott Elliott on Ellis ring off handkerchief
Also published here 75
Dai Vernon Fadeaway two handkerchiefs, knot opens
Also published here 78
Tony Slydini Knots impossible knot
Also published here 81
John Hamilton Tear It handkerchief tied on rope, is pulled free
Also published here 84
John A. M. Howie Caught Knot knots appear on rope
Also published here 87
Dr. Wiener Not At All rope is cut twice and knotted together
Also published here 89
Walter B. Gibson Cut to Measure cut and restored tape measure
Also published here 92
Bruce Elliott Card Tricks that Work Themselves
97
Walter B. Gibson Pay-Off spectator deals half the deck and tries to separate red and black, you predict the relations of the cards to the other half, two phases
Also published here 97
Walter B. Gibson Topper
Also published here 99
Walter B. Gibson One Good Trick Deserves Another selection is put in pocket by performer behind bak, card is predicted on a slip too
Also published here 101
Theodore Annemann It Goes Double deck cut in half, top card on one packet is looked at and tells the top card of the other heap, repeated several times, as a finale both cards are named
Also published here 102
Theodore Annemann Glimpse glimpsing a card while transferring it from the deck on the palm
 		103
Shaman 21 Plus spectator guesses in which row his card is, in the end the card is found by spelling "This is the card you took"
Also published here 104
Jack Miller Discard spectator puts amount of cards on the table and removes some again, the rest is named by the performer
Also published here 105
Franklin V. Taylor Double Stop two cards
Also published here 106
Tommy Dowd John Doe - Magician speller, miscalling selected card, spectator plays magician
Related toAlso published here 108
Paul Curry You're A Liar
Also published here 109
Cy Endfield Time Must Tell using natural imperfection, clock lay out, with lie detector presentation
Also published here 110
Martin Gardner Hand to Hand two card location, similar to Hofzinser's two card catch, deck half face up, half face down, cards are thrown several times
Also published here 112
Roger Barkann Parallels two decks, two predictions placed in books, as well as selections of spectator
Also published here 113
Criss Cross Force
115
John Scarne You Do As I Do two decks, five key numbers
 		116
John Scarne Card Climax at a named number, with down under deal
 		118
John Scarne Phone Miracle spectator finds card performer was thinking of, over the phone
Also published here 118
John Scarne Best Prediction on a business card, with down under deal
 		119
Edward Marlo X-Deck named card has an X on back
Also published here 120
Bruce Elliott Card Tricks that Require Some Skill
122
Bruce Elliott The Elliott Control card from middle controlled to the bottom, buckle
Also published here 122
Bruce Elliott A Lesson in Magic selection is produced with variation of Leipzigs twirl Cut
Also published here 125
Dai Vernon, Bruce Elliott B.D.V. with hole deck in hand, spectator can decide on every card, without looking at it
Also published here 128
Dai Vernon Strip-Out Addition
131
Dr. Jacob Daley Daley's Delight with extra cards, false switches and the delight switch
Also published here 132
Bruce Elliott A. P. also as double lift handling
Also published here 136
Bruce Elliott Brrrrtttt! phase for ambitious card
Also published here 138
Bruce Elliott Fillip card production, looks like a precursor of Jerry K. Hartman's Popover Move
Also published here 140
Bill Simon Simon-Ease simple cut control
Also published here 142
Bill Simon Two Blades with two knives
Also published here 143
Bill Simon Minicam image of card appears on little "photographic paper"
Also published here 146
Bill Simon Tabled single card through table
Also published here 147
Bill Simon Again in spectator and performer's pocket, signed, duplicate
Inspired byAlso published here 148
Clayton Rawson Double-Lift Deceptions
Also published here 150
Clayton Rawson 1. Right in Front of Your Nose
Also published here 151
Clayton Rawson 2. Magic Taught in One Easy Lesson card transforms into selection, apparently spectator does the transformation
Also published here 153
Clayton Rawson 3. Stream-Lined Hypnotism duplicate
Also published here 154
Theodore Annemann Riffle-Force break
 		155
Clayton Rawson 4. The Absent-Minded Spectator one person "forgets" card (he is shown a blank card), other can not find it, duplicate and blank
Also published here 157
Bill Simon Biddled with just ten cards, without selection
Also published here 158
Elmer Biddle Biddle Steal
159
The Card in the Wallet
162
Card Palm
162
Franklin V. Taylor Shoulder Card card to inside pocket or wallet, no palming
Also published here 165
Bruce Elliott The Card in wallet - Again thread with wax
 		166
Lee Noble Card in Mouth while smoking a cigarette as a cover for the load
Also published here 168
Paul Curry, Bill Woodfield Pocketed card to watch pocket, slit, with reflex beginning
Also published here 169
Frank Garcia Clip It monte, card marked with paper clip
Also published here 170
Audley Walsh Fancy Free making a double fan, with an interesting procedure, different designs
Also published here 174
Bruce Elliott The "Expert" at the Card Table
178
The Slip False Cut similar to an Up the Ladder Cut
 		178
Bruce Elliott Second Deal
180
Bruce Elliott No Second Deal miscall and duplicate, fake second deal
 		182
The Easiest Bottom Deal
185
Bruce Elliott Table-Cut reversing a cut, tabled
 		187
Paul Curry, Martin Gardner, John Scarne, Dai Vernon, Audley Walsh Ten Card Deal jonah card
Also published here 190
John Murray Take Ten finale for ten card poker deal, all cards are put in separated envelopes
Also published here 194
Bruce Elliott Mind Reading Is Easy
196
Greer Marechal Jr. 500 LTD. three digits are named to form a number, ruse to break it down to four possibilities
Also published here 196
Walter B. Gibson Clip Color four different colored cards are cut into different amount of pieces and sealed in envelopes, chosen color is spelled and found
Also published here 200
Alan Barnert Phoney person on telephone knows card three times, three different methods
Related toAlso published here 203
Paul Curry Torn Center
Related toAlso published here 210
Dr. Jacob Daley Device bill switch while putting it in envelope
Also published here 213
Robert Fairthorne The Malkin voodoo effect, two paper dolls are rolled up and pinched with a needle, at the same places
Also published here 215
Franklin V. Taylor The Chinese Parrot two selected cards put in book, cards and content of the pages is divined
Also published here 216
Stuart P. Cramer Mortmain book test, word is written by a puppet hand, which moves on its own, thread
Also published here 218
Bruce Elliott Routined for Deception
222
Dave Spindell, Clayton Rawson Out of the Smoke paper match turns into light cigarette, three more cigarettes appear
Also published here 223
John Hamilton Bloomin' Silk silk is produced and vanished several times, then it turns into a rose
Also published here 225
James G. Thompson Jr. Jocko the Great routine with hand puppet, puppet makes handkerchief vanishes and appear and disappear, performs a mini die box and eventually finds selected card
Also published here 229
Steve Eskow Eskow's Act long routine, cut and restored rope, handkerchief penetrates rope, bill travels into knot of handkerchief and torn-off corner into a rope
Also published here 235
Bruce Elliott The Last Word
243
Data entered by Lorenz Schär, December 2016.