Greater Magic

see also additional material from the 1994 edition
1938
Written by John Northern Hilliard
Work of Various
1,005 pages (Hardcover), published by Carl Waring Jones
Illustrated with drawings by Harlan Tarbell
Language: English
812 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
250 per page
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
The Master of the Playing Cards brief history & information about playing cards
Related to 1
Riffle-Shuffle Positioning of Crimped Card near top
 		6
How to Make the Fan
10
Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin Diminishing Cards fans
 		12
The Reverse Fan
13
The Giant Fan
16
Butt Shuffle brief, no details
 		17
The One-Hand Fan
19
Vanish and Recovery brief
 		20
The Fan "Steal" from packet in hand in preparation for production
 		21
Fan Shuffle as false shuffle
 		25
The Fan Location: By Means of the Regular Fan
Related to 27
By Means of the Reversed Fan "a favorite of Vernon and Horowitz"
 		28
George Pughe The Third Fan Location card is crimped as spectator removes it from fan
 		30
The Peek two methods
 		32
Heel Break
33
Paul LePaul A "Side-Steal" Location
Related to 34
The Pick-up Location End Grip Transfer
Variations 34
The Push Location Tap Injog
 		35
The Push-Back Location setting in-jog when placing two halves together
 		36
Tom Sellers Another Push Location key next to free selection
 		36
The "Slap" Location drop in-jog when two packets are placed together
Related toVariationsAlso published here 36
The Slip Location placing key under spread next to selection
 		38
A Reversed Card Discovery spectator pushes reversed card next to selection
 		40
Cull Placement slipping card next to selection
 		40
The Shuffle Location jog-shuffle, in and out-jog method
Related to 41
The Crimp Location - First Method. (With both hands) in the spread
 		46
Yank Hoe Location with Crimp magician inserts card
 		47
Second Method. (With one hand) as card is pushed in deck
 		49
Third Method. (With both hands) as card is pushed in deck, "End Crimp"
 		50
Dr. James William Elliott Fourth Method. (With both hands) crimp in middle of short side as top half is replaced
Also published here 51
Sid Lorraine Addition to Elliott's Crimp nail nick
 		52
Dai Vernon Dai Vernon Subtlety distant crimped key card, bridge during tabled cut
 		52
Fifth Method. (Card control by means of the crimp) crimping bottom section
 		53
Theodore Annemann Sixth Method. (Crimp and table spread) crimped distant key
 		55
Jack Merlin Jack Merlin Crimp Technique crimping selection while pushing spread forward
 		57
Jack Merlin Jack Merlin Wax Technique
Related to
  • Brain Food, David Parr
 57
John Scarne Seventh Method. (The "Snap" crimp)
57
John Scarne Scarne Ridge Technique
59
Crimp Location Trick card inserted next to selection, or two sandwich cards around selection
 		59
Ben Erens, Henry Gordien, Louis Zingone Nicking the Edge of a Card three methods by those three people for nicking a selection, one with pencil
 		61
Nail-Pricking the Surface of a Card
63
"It's Up to You" impromptu punching some key cards, spectator selects cards and cuts it back into the deck, then deals deck in several piles and performer finds card in pile with selection
Also published here 64
The Knife-Blade Detection scratching the face
 		65
The Pencil-Line Detection one-way via edge mark
Related to 65
The Daub Location
66
Al Baker A Problem in Plumbago stacked and daub
Also published here 67
Carbon-Paper Daub & Carrying Daub tips
 		69
"Golden Glow" Daub
70
John Scarne Ace-Cutting four packets cut to and dropped, top Ace turns over, daubed edge
Variations 72
Dai Vernon Daub Application with Cardcase
Related to 72
Air Pressure Turnover brief
 		72
Newspaper-Piece Daub
73
Paul Rosini A Problem in the Fourth Dimension daub transferred to spectator's thumb via him holding the performer's wrist previously, see also p. 495
 		74
The Warring Principle permanent metal tab at card
Also published here 77
Removable Metal Clip adaption of The Warring Principle
 		78
Crescent Locator Card piece cut out and glued on card
 		78
Double Locator Card Court Loator Card ("Master Card") and Pip Locator Card, pieces glued on card
 		79
Silk Locator Card
79
Eclipse Locator Card shallow card glued on normal card
 		79
Alfred Caroselli Celluloid Key Card transparent celluloid card as locator card
 		80
U. F. Grant Reversed Key Card The "Whoops!" Control
VariationsAlso published here 81
Off-Tone Key Card Sun-Marked Key Card
Worn-Back Key Card
 		81
The Inked Card
82
Double-Backed Key Card
83
The Divided Pack: The Red and Black Location with note of mixed-suit separation
 		85
Color Separation while looking through the deck
 		86
Red-Black Riffle Shuffle
87
Red and Black Location with Riffle Shuffle spectator cuts off cards, remembers bottom card and riffle shuffles packet into rest
Variations 87
The Odd and Even Location
88
Charles T. Jordan The Improved Odd and Even Location
88
The "Reversible" Location using one-way feature of faces
 		88
The Bottom Card Location featuring several key card placements and strategies:
Joker Discard to Locate Key
Face-Dwon Ribbon-Spread Key Placement
Face-Up Ribbon Spread Key Placement
Deal-Down Key Placement
Distant Key Card
Cardcase Load of Key Card
 		90
John Northern Hilliard Experiment in Mind Reading key and shiner
 		92
Jardine Ellis Reducing Mirror
93
Shuffling with a Key Card
94
The Top Card Location key card starts on top
 		95
The Top and Bottom Location having two key cards
 		96
Shuffling despite Key Cards
  • The Overhand Shuffle
  • The Dovetail Shuffle
 		96
The Master Card Location two key cards on top and bottom, spectator riffle shuffles
Related to 97
The New Pack Location key card tricks using new pack order
 		99
The Perfect Card Trick full deck stack
 		100
Charles T. Jordan Interlocking Chain Principle
101
Reverse Order Location
101
Under Which King, Bezonian? card predicted on billet
 		102
The Incomprehensible Detection full stack
 		103
The "Slick Ace" and Some Tricks Therewith information about the slick ace principle
 		105
, Frank Lane "The Master Card" handling of slick aces, four methods (in the hands and on the table)
 		109
Trick Wherein a Packet's Number of Cards is Divined
113
Dai Vernon Trick Wherein a Card is Thrust Beside a Predicted Card two methods, one by Vernon
 		113
Footnote on "Slick Ace" Principle
117
Rupert Slater, John Northern Hilliard Mutus, Nomen, Dedit, Cocis pairs honestly shuffled and switched for duplicates in order ready for deal
Variations 120
Mahendra The Miracle Divination - The Problem of the Three Coins three coins are pocketed by three spectators, performer divines them
Variations 128
S.S. Blodgett The Problem of the Four Aces four aces are pocketed by four spectators, performer divines them
 		136
The Problem of the Three Poker Chips three chips are pocketed by three spectators, performer divines them
 		139
Sam Leo Horowitz The Twenty-Five Card Trick twenty-five duplicates
Related toVariations 142
Sam Leo Horowitz The Mystery of the Penthouse four distributed Jacks come together with one cut
Related to 145
Sam Leo Horowitz Reverse Count Switch
Related to 146
Bottom Card Jog bottom card in-jogged with first finger under deck, step 27
Related to 149
Al Baker The Incomprehensible Divination Row of Ten Cards, see original longer introduction on page 1128
 		150
Al Baker Another Baker Twist on the old Ten-Card Trick Row of Ten Cards
 		153
Ralph W. Hull Magic Number Revealment Row of Ten Cards
Also published here 154
A Matter of Debit and Credit "I have as many cards as you have, and enough....", magician twice divines correct number of cut off cards
Related toVariationsAlso published here 157
Dai Vernon Overhand Shuffle Positioning of Four Cards context (OOSOOM setting?)
 		164
John Northern Hilliard Cards. The Best Kind to Use
164
To Keep Certain Cards in View overhand and basic riffle shuffle methods for:
  • 1. The bottom card
  • 2. The top card
  • 3a. A number of cards (jog shuffle)
  • 3b. A number of cards (lift shuffle)
 		165
G. W. Hunter To Retain the Whole Pack in a Certain Order: 1a. By means of the overhand shuffle
Variations 167
1b. By means of the overhand shuffle back and front with lift element
 		167
2a. By means of the riffle shuffle "zarrow" type
 		169
2b. The inverted V Shuffle "zarrow" type
 		169
Charlier 3. The Hay-mow or Charlier false shuffle
171
4. The weave or Greek shuffle
171
5a. The push through
172
5b. The strip out
173
6. False riffle shuffle
174
7. Red and black location featuring Jordan's false shuffle, Telltale Color glimpse of odd-backed card
 		174
False Cuts on the Table: a. Three Cuts on the Table
175
b. Three Cuts to the Table
176
c. Multiple Cuts on the Table
176
Arthur Finley d. Three Cuts cards left behind on table apparently by accident
Related to 176
e. Two Cuts to the Table straight cut
 		177
f. Three Cuts on the Table
178
g. Running Cut
179
a. Three Cuts in the Hand (Riffle-Shuffle Grip)
180
b. Three Cuts in the Hand (Riffle-Shuffle Grip)
181
c. Three Cuts in the Hand (Hindu-Shuffle Grip)
181
The Pass information about practicing, covering and delaying the pass (via end crimp)
 		182
The Herrmann Pass
184
Wandering Jacks Fragment jacks from middle to top and bottom
 		185
The "Bluff" Pass
185
Substitutes for the Pass: I. Misdirection Mahatma Overhand Shuffle Control
 		186
The Hindu Shuffle genuine shuffle and as single/multiple card control
 		187
The Optical Shuffle back-and-forth false shuffle applied to card control
 		189
The Break and Shuffle overhand
 		189
Sam Leo Horowitz The Fan selection is controlled via jog, with finesse by Horowitz
Related to 190
The Force Advice on the Classic Force
 		191
Stanley Collins Contingency Correction as an out for the classic force
Related toVariations 193
Jean Hugard The Handkerchief Force
Variations 195
John Scarne Forcing Cards Behind the Back
196
Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser To Force any Number from One to Eight
196
Stewart Judah A Card Force
Related toAlso published here 197
A Psychological Force spectator counts to a card, is supposed to choose the position the performer demonstrated
 		198
To Force the Number 9
198
To Force the Second Card of a Row of Four
198
For Forcing One of Two Cards or Piles on the Table
199
A Psychological Force miracle if Ace of Hearts is named, juke box
 		199
Modern Methods of Palming Cards - An imperceptible method of palming the top card(s)
199
Judson Cole, Jean Hugard The Top Card, One Hand Only
200
Morris Loewy The Top Card with Left Hand Only
201
Tenkai Ishida Palming One Card. Tankai's Method "Tenkai" misspelled in title
Related toVariationsAlso published here 202
A Number of Cards left thumb pushes up, possible Horowitz credit on page 1105
Related to 203
John Northern Hilliard Holding a Break in the Pack
204
The Base of the Thumb Break greek break
 		204
With the First Joint of the Middle Finger flesh break
 		204
One-Hand Pass from Flesh Break on the Deal very brief
 		204
Sam Leo Horowitz Holding the Break After a Spectator Peeks at a Card
205
Capt. J.E. Stone Switching the Pack: I. Using Well in Table
Related to 206
Capt. J.E. Stone II. Using a Hat and Blindfold
206
Capt. J.E. Stone III. Using a Handkerchief and Coat Pocket
Related to 207
Capt. J.E. Stone IV. Using a Cardcase and Coat Pocket
207
Capt. J.E. Stone V. To Exchange Decks During a Trick two methods
 		207
Capt. J.E. Stone VI. Using a Prepared Cardcase deck shell
 		208
John Northern Hilliard Final Observations and Caution
209
One Hand: a. Dealing face upwards
Related to 209
One Hand: b. Dealing face downwards
210
Dai Vernon By Means of a Faked Card hole in top card
 		210
John Northern Hilliard Caution
211
With One Hand: a. Dealing face upwards
211
With One Hand: b. Dealing face downwards
212
A Chosen Card Is Discovered at Any Selected Number bottom deal
 		212
Tenkai Ishida The Tenkai Color Change
Variations 212
Sam Leo Horowitz The Horowitz Color Change
213
Sam Leo Horowitz The Fan Steal
214
Reversing Whole Pack - 1st Method
215
Reverse Sleight center to bottom
 		216
2nd Method
216
A Fan Reverse
217
The Elbow Catch
218
A Card Juggle throwing deck from behind shoulder and kicking it upwards with shoe
 		218
Passing a Card Through the Crown of a Derby Hat
219
A True Cut with One Hand as in Erdnase
Related to 219
Dai Vernon A Flourish Count
220
"Butting" or Interweaving the Cards
220
Theodore Annemann New Finishes for Card Tricks: 1. Card Dropping all cards except selection drops out of performer's hand
 		223
New Finishes for Card Tricks: 2. Adaption of the "Spring" Flourish cards are sprung in air singly, card at certain position caught
 		224
Henry Gordien Card under the Napkin
224
A Card Changes in the Spectator's Hand
225
Revealed by Fire name of selected card appears on card in flash of fire
 		226
The Spectator Does it All cards are put in pocket and one selected, performer divines number of pocketed cards and selection
 		226
A Mental Discovery - First Method by dealing
 		227
A Mental Discovery - Second Method by spelling spectator's name
 		229
Fred Heaman The Lie Detector (A Mental Discovery - Third Method)
229
Bottom Card Glimpse brief
 		229
Card Through Hat
230
Nate Leipzig The Flying Card when doing waterfall flourish, only selection drops to floor
 		231
Card in the Matchbox duplicate
 		231
Max Holden A Master Card Trick selection appears at predicted number
 		232
End Crimp
233
Carl Waring Jones The Three Pile Trick spectator notes position of mentally selected card, first card is key card
VariationsAlso published here 234
The Salt Trick deck divides at selected card
Also published here 237
A Good Impromptu Trick value of top card is used to count down to selection
 		237
William H. McCaffrey A Self Working Trick using a no-touch force
 		237
John Northern Hilliard A "Think Stop" Trick
Variations 239
Trick with Two Packs forcing two cards previously reversed in second pack
 		239
A Joker Trick
240
John Northern Hilliard A Few Words Anent the Joker uses of joker in pack
 		241
The Aces and the Criminal aces sandwich selection
Related to 241
Obedient Cards
242
John Northern Hilliard Final Suggestions about impromptu tricks
 		242
The Fadeaway Cards plunger-pushing back & forth a packet through deck until one remains
VariationsAlso published here 243
A Miracle Discovery hands off key card placement
 		246
Top Card Glimpse when looking at bottom card
 		246
Al Saal The New Torn Corner Card pieces placed in handkerchief transform in note with message, other card becomes restored card
 		248
Capt. J.E. Stone The Stabbed Card. New Version with darts on table
 		251
Card in Pocket. I performer finds spectator's card and vice versa
 		253
William H. McCaffrey Card in the Pocket. II
Related to 255
Showing Trouser Pocket Empty
255
Paul Rosini Two Card Location two cards are caught on fingertips (friction toss)
 		256
Rub a Dub Vanish
256
Paul Rosini Saliva Sorcery. I peeked at card disappears and reappears reversed
 		258
Paul Rosini Saliva Sorcery. II card vanishes from packet and reappears in pocket
Related toVariations 260
The Magic Thrust. I spectator pushes card reversed next to selection behind back
 		261
Al Baker The Magic Thrust. II spectator pushes card reversed next to selection behind back
Also published here 262
Theodore Annemann The Magic Thrust. III spectator pushes card reversed between two selections behind back
 		264
Theodore Annemann, Jean Hugard Relativity and Cards signed, one in pocket of performer, one in pocket by spectator
Related to 265
Two Card Reverse
267
George G. Kaplan The "Impossible" Location using Natural Card
Related toVariations 269
"You Do as I Do" - A. The Sympathetic Cards stacked
 		270
B. A Second Example with a Prearranged Deck
272
C. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Part I
275
Wax Card
275
C. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Part 2 do as i do with thought of cards
 		277
D. Variation Without the Use of a Waxed Card
278
E. Domination of Thought three versions
 		279
Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser F. The "J.N.H." Method
281
Rolland Hamblen Do As I Do
281
Prearrangement of Packs Eight Kings
 		283
George G. Kaplan The Five Card Problem two cards, stacked deck
 		283
George G. Kaplan A Brain Teaser card chosen behind back is divined, stacked deck
 		285
George G. Kaplan Modern Long Distance Mind Reading card put from one half into the other is located, clocking
 		286
Dr. Buell A Test Discovery one-way pointer cards
 		287
The Up-to-Date Prophet spectator names number, performer card at that position, stacked deck
 		289
"Tearing the Pack" Trick pack torn in half, card selected from both half, match and are previous selection
 		290
John Mulholland A Spirit Writes name of selection appears on another signed card
 		291
Al Baker The Migrating Cards odd backed, all at once in spectators' pockets
Also published here 292
Jean Hugard "And the Spectator Blew"
293
William H. McCaffrey Color Changing Backs two decks with different colors, various selections change colors of backs and back
 		295
Frank Lane A Poker Deal performer draws four cards which are the Aces, deck flop
Related toVariations 297
Turning the Deck
298
William H. McCaffrey Unique Bridge and Poker Deal shuffled deck, card called out as memory demonstration (stacking), then bridge and poker deal demo
 		298
250 per page
Data entered by Denis Behr, May 2009.