The Fine Art of Magic

1948
Written by George G. Kaplan
Work of George G. Kaplan
341 pages (Hardcover), published by Fleming Book Company
Illustrated with drawings by Francis J. Rigney
Language: English
138 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
George G. Kaplan Foreword
vii
Chapter 1: Technique for the Short-Card
1
George G. Kaplan The Short-Card principles for the corner-short
 		4
George G. Kaplan The Corner-Short
4
George G. Kaplan The Secret Gadget using nail-clip to short corners
 		5
George G. Kaplan Advantages of the Corner-Short Procedure general comments on the use of corner shorts
 		5
George G. Kaplan Locating the Corner-Short, and the Delayed-Action Control using the corner-short
 		6
George G. Kaplan The Pencil Dot mark for the corner-short
 		6
George G. Kaplan Avoiding Contrasts how to address the problem of white edges after cutting corners short
 		8
To Bring the Corner-Short to the Top of the Pack
8
George G. Kaplan The Kaplan Fan Cut method to bring corner short to the top
 		9
George G. Kaplan To Bring the Corner-Short to the Bottom of the Pack two methods
 		11
George G. Kaplan To Control a Selected Card by Means of the Corner-Short Hindu shuffle
 		12
George G. Kaplan The Kaplan Control of a Glimpsed Card by Means of the Corner-Short
12
George G. Kaplan Retaining Control of several Glimpsed Cards by Means of the Corner-Short
14
George G. Kaplan Controlling Three Selected Cards by Means of the Corner-Short Hindu Shuffle handling
 		16
Hindu Shuffle Force
17
George G. Kaplan To bring a Prearranged Packet above a Chosen Card by Means of the Corner-Short
18
George G. Kaplan Obtaining a Desired Packet Instantly by Means of the Corner-Short
19
George G. Kaplan Using the Corner-Short to Retain a Prearranged Deck in Order using corner-short as divider
 		19
Chapter 2: Subtle Sleights
21
Master Card Control fanning with in-jog
 		24
The Riffle-Force - A New Angle separation of the packets from the back
 		27
The Gambler´s False-Cut straight cut
 		29
The Peek spectator peeks, detailed description
 		30
The Step securing control after peek, overhand shuffle
 		33
To Glimpse or Sight a Card Secretly used in conjunction with the peek
VariationsAlso published here 35
George G. Kaplan Impromptu Marking of Cards rubbing thumb-nail on pencil
 		37
Chapter 3: Tricks Employing the Corner-Short
39
George G. Kaplan Out-of-the-Room Selection using the corner-short
 		42
George G. Kaplan The X-Ray Location newspaper over scattered cards using the corner-short
 		43
Hindu Shuffle Glimpse
43
George G. Kaplan Double-Back Corner-Short Location out of the room selection
Related to 44
George G. Kaplan Mind-Reading with Two Subjects two card location using the corner-short
 		46
George G. Kaplan The "Impossible" Discovery odd/even separation with corner-short as divider
 		46
George G. Kaplan The Twenty-Sixth Card Location - Using a Corner-Short
47
George G. Kaplan Au Naturelle magician says "stop" at a card whose value is used to count to selection, "Natural Card" (see next item)
 		48
George G. Kaplan Natural Card using numerical value on card to count to selection that fits by chance, see also page 101
Related to 49
George G. Kaplan The Topsy-Turvy Fan using odd/even separation and corner-short
 		51
Chapter 4: Close-Up Card Tricks
53
George G. Kaplan Will-o'-the-Wisp Routine sympathetic cards through newspaper with one cover only
Variations 56
Strip-Out Addition
57
Buckle Count
58
George G. Kaplan New Card Affinity spectator and performer each choose a card from half the deck, deck assembled, performer knows the distance of the two selections (originally next to each other)
 		65
George G. Kaplan Revello Card Circle thirteen-card circle layout
 		67
George G. Kaplan The "Stop!" Fan Discovery fan force
Related toVariationsAlso published here 69
Fan Force timing
 		71
George G. Kaplan Kaplan's Clock Trick card from circle to matchbox, thirteen duplicates
Related toVariationsAlso published here 72
George G. Kaplan A Lesson in Misdirection "self-worker"
 		74
George G. Kaplan Rex Card Mystery three double facers
 		79
Packet Turnover hand revolves around packet
 		85
George G. Kaplan Multiple Do As I Do five coincidences with a lot of counting
 		88
George G. Kaplan Follow the Arrow bridge hand with thirteen pointer cards
 		90
George G. Kaplan The Card in the Shoe using a stranger card
 		93
George G. Kaplan, Dai Vernon The Royal Assembly Aces, Kings, Queens and Jacks of each suit separate into piles of their own kind
Variations 94
Strip-Out Addition
96
George G. Kaplan The Captain Kidd Card (First Version) card lost, spectator deals through cards and performer stops him at a card whose value indicates position of selection, Natural Key
 		101
George G. Kaplan The Captain Kidd Card (Second Version) card lost, spectator deals through cards and performer stops him at a card whose value indicates position of selection, Natural Key
 		103
George G. Kaplan Magnetic Thought Transference matches placed on seven-card row on table, another match reacts magnetic to match on chosen card
 		105
Chapter 5: Platform Card Tricks
107
George G. Kaplan The Lie Detector
Variations 110
George G. Kaplan Giant Trio-Flight three selected jumbo cards across with envelopes
VariationsAlso published here 113
George G. Kaplan Envelope Switch
115
George G. Kaplan Card-Stabbing three cards are stabbed from a gaffed (corner-marked) Tally-Ho deck
 		119
Elmer P. Ransom Handkerchief Deck Switch deck on tabled handkerchief
 		121
George G. Kaplan The Kaplan Rising Cards several cards rise from a houlette
 		124
George G. Kaplan The Card in the Balloon torn and restored (except missing corner) card in balloon
 		128
George G. Kaplan A Winning Wager one of five jumbo cards is predicted, with stand for cards
 		134
George G. Kaplan The Kaplan Torn and Restored Card restored card is strung on a ribbon in an envelope
 		137
Teleport Envelope Precursor
138
George G. Kaplan The Chameleon Card giant card transforms into selected card, using Monte sliding gaff
Also published here 141
Chapter 6: Mind-Reading Tricks With Cards
145
George G. Kaplan The Calcutta Mystery (First Version) two card prediction written with different colored pencils, one ahead
Inspired by
  • "The Bombay Mystery" (George Kaplan, marketed)
Variations 		148
George G. Kaplan The Calcutta Mystery (Second Version) without the colored pencils, with spectators initials, one ahead
 		152
Think corner-short and glimpse
 		153
Erdnase Break Glimpse
154
George G. Kaplan Do As I Do top card as key card
 		155
Top Card Glimpse one-handed, packet in riffle shuffle end grip, top card pivoted a bit with first finger
Related to
  • Magic and its Professors, Evans, 1902, p. 100
 156
George G. Kaplan The Princess Card Trick with repeat phase, divided-card gaffs
 		158
George G. Kaplan Making Fake Indexes rubbing off ink and glueing new suit symbols, described for making divided picture cards
 		159
George G. Kaplan The Yogi's Secret putting flesh-colored daub on spectators forehead for an out-of-the-room selection
Variations 163
George G. Kaplan The New Brain-Wave Deck ordinary deck, using hindu force
Variations 165
George G. Kaplan Mahatma Thought Control five spectators each pick four cards and select one, clever
Variations 167
Bottom Card Corner Crimp
170
George G. Kaplan Psychic Sympathy spectator and performer choose and a sign a card from one half each, they find each others cards, duplicate
 		173
George G. Kaplan Twenty-One Cards - A Double Prediction using in the hands anti-faro
 		175
George G. Kaplan Crystal Clairvoyance featuring a napkin force
Inspired byVariationsAlso published here 179
George G. Kaplan Dial two (forced via thrust stabbing procedure) cards are revealed over the phone
 		181
George G. Kaplan Information, Please! on the phone revelation with a order of deck secretly used as list by medium
 		182
The Deck Switch selection found in pocketed deck
 		184
George G. Kaplan The Medium´s Card Test 14/15 forced from one deck, card at that position in second deck has been predicted
 		185
George G. Kaplan Yogi Spelling Test four groups of six progressive spelling sequences
 		186
George G. Kaplan The Eighteen-Cards Spelling Trick one of eighteen cards thought of and then revealed with spelling procedure
 		188
George G. Kaplan The Triple Spelling Trick with the corner-short
 		191
George G. Kaplan The Three-Billet Test No. 1 card chosen and two thought of, all written on billets, performer divines them
 		193
Al Baker The Three-Billet Test No. 2
Variations 194
Chapter 7: More Mind-Reading Tricks
197
George G. Kaplan The Trance Quick-and-Dead Test living and dead test with divination of name, torn edge marking
 		200
George G. Kaplan A Capitol Problem spectator writes name on business card which is put between two others and then in an envelope, performer divines name, hole in card for glimpse
 		204
George G. Kaplan Do-As-I-Do Telephone Test forcing a number with cards
 		209
George G. Kaplan An Improved Sealed-Message Reading card with secret information put in two nested envelopes
 		211
George G. Kaplan Mind-Figures using a convex mirror in stack of billets
 		214
George G. Kaplan The Spirit-Slates and Magazine Test for close-up work
 		218
Nate Leipzig Slate Move apparently showing all four sides of two slates blank
 		219
George G. Kaplan A Cigarette-Paper Pellet Switch on the tip of a pencil
 		223
George G. Kaplan The Three-Billet Test No. 3 three different categories
Variations 226
Billet Switch
228
George G. Kaplan Forcing Three Numbers using cards
 		230
George G. Kaplan The Odd-Even Force forcing an even or odd number with three dice, (reverse) svengali forcing deck
 		231
Chapter 8: Coin Tricks
233
George G. Kaplan The Kaplan Coin Switch
236
George G. Kaplan The Kaplan Okito-Box Presentation pushing a coin through a tiny hole in the lid through the box and a card into glass
 		237
Turnover Move
238
George G. Kaplan Righting Move
Variations 240
George G. Kaplan I Do As You Do ten coin puzzle
 		241
George G. Kaplan The Stack of Quarters
242
George G. Kaplan The Sympathetic Coins two silver, one copper and one copper/silver
 		248
George G. Kaplan Coin-Extraction Perfected two coins and a handkerchief
Variations 251
George G. Kaplan Gypsy Switch Handling
251
Chapter 9: Selected Tricks
255
George G. Kaplan The Spirit Handkerchief multiple knot routine with a Thayer "cabby" prop
 		258
George G. Kaplan A Billiard-Ball Transposition two balls and two glasses, shell
 		260
George G. Kaplan The Brema Tube and Bill loading the tube while showing it
 		263
George G. Kaplan The Cigarette Vanish in Handkerchief seated at table, lapping thumb tip
 		267
George G. Kaplan The Trap-Door 'Kerchief silk for switching objects
 		268
George G. Kaplan Tying the Knot for the Rope Trick "easy, smooth procedure"
Also published here 272
George G. Kaplan The Bent Pin pin is stuck in table, performer slaps it and bends it instead of piercing his hand
 		274
George G. Kaplan, Dai Vernon, Al Baker The Game of "Thirty-One" Played with a Die
275
George G. Kaplan The Fifteen Match-Sticks Puzzle game/puzzle
 		279
Chapter 10: Miscellaneous Platform Tricks
283
George G. Kaplan Ben Ali's Rope using extra loop
 		286
George G. Kaplan The Lemon Trick two bills with similar numbers, flash paper bill
 		292
George G. Kaplan Switching the Bill
297
George G. Kaplan Card, Crystal Ball, and Panties impromptu stooge, card visible in crystal ball, then performer reads spectator's mind with gag revelation (paper panties)
Related toVariations 301
George G. Kaplan The Gypsy Thread Trick with spectator
 		305
George G. Kaplan The Comedy of Errors transposition of a candle and a handkerchief plus a mind-reading gag where audience divines spectator's card
 		313
George G. Kaplan The Kaplan Nest of Boxes Routine
319
George G. Kaplan Chapter 11: Concluding Observations "Magic is a fine art.", on magic as an art, practical tips on organizing tricks in lists and on index cards
 		329
Data entered by Andreas Zirngibl & Denis Behr, October 2005.