Bob Ostin — A Lifetime of Magical Inventions

2005
Written by Stephen Tucker
Work of Bob Ostin
183 pages (Hardcover), published by Alakazam
Illustrated with drawings by Stephen Tucker
Language: English
144 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page Categories
Peter Nardi From the Publisher...
7
Jerry Sadowitz Foreword
10
Max Maven A Few Words From Max Maven...
11
Stephen Tucker From The Author...
12
Bob Ostin Introduction
13
Bob Ostin, Hubert Lambert Twisted Twins mate of selection is found face up in the deck
Also published here 15
Bob Ostin The Ring In The Glass of Beer ring placed inside rattle box vanishes and appears in beer glass, glass covered with tissue and ring found with hook, Okito Glass
Also published here
  • "The Conjuror" Vol.1, No.2. December, 1995.
 16
Bob Ostin Add On method to add card to the deck, while performing Vernon's Variant
Related toAlso published here
  • "New Pentagram" January, 1972.
 18
Bob Ostin Shooting a Bullet Through a Signed Card toy gun with flash paper is used and shot on deck, selection is found with hole
Related to
  • "New Pentagram" January, 1972.
 18
Bob Ostin Liquid Production From Cup liquid production as an ending for dice stacking routine, brief
Related to
  • "Mini Foo' Gimmick" in "New Pentagram" December, 1976.
Also published here 		19
Bob Ostin Stack to Stack combining Lie Detector with other routine using a stack, stack management
Related to 20
Bob Ostin The Hand of Destiny skeletal hand emerges from card spread to point to a position, gag
 		20
Bob Ostin Squeaker tie squeaks
 		21
Bob Ostin The Vanishing Deck half deck with pull
Also published here 22
Bob Ostin Vampire small cards on one is written "Vampire", cards are folded and stapled, see also page 87 for additional ideas by Bob Ostin and Bob Byrne
Also published here 24
Bob Ostin Focus additional ideas for David Berglas' Ad Infinitum
Inspired byAlso published here 25
Bob Ostin Focus 2 more ideas for Vampire routine
Also published here 25
Bob Ostin The "Fan Hide" Move one handed fan hides card, as a glimpse, to load card
Also published here 26
Bob Ostin, Dick Simonds Tickets Please gag, correct rolled up bus ticked is found out from several
Also published here 26
Bob Ostin, Dick Simonds, Captain F.W. Collins, John Ramsay Off the Handle ribbon penetrates handle of cup
Also published here 27
Bob Ostin My Double Lift
28
Bob Ostin Picking Up the Pieces
Also published here 29
Bob Ostin Challenge Coin Across brief, with gaffed coin
Also published here 29
Bob Ostin With Thanks To Jennings shell, last coin in spectator's hand
Inspired byRelated to 30
Bob Ostin The Thumbtip Loading Box loading a thumb tip from a matchbox
 		34
Bob Ostin Demonology signed card ends up with a burnt corner, name of card appears in a flash on tissue paper
Also published here 36
Bob Ostin The Pinky Peeker similar to Larry Becker's Flahback concept
Also published here 38
Bob Ostin Silent Sleight in the hands, bottom to top
Also published here 40
Bob Ostin The Easy Coin Routine four coins are produced, travel from hand to hand and are placed into pocket, continuous production of coins to finish
 		42
Bob Ostin Multiple Coin Production from fingerpalm
Inspired by 42
Pop-Up Move brief
 		43
Bob Ostin Gallo Pitch Variation brief
 		43
Bob Ostin The Poor Man's Fire Wallet self-made fire wallet
 		44
Bob Ostin The 'Helical' Card Trick gag description of impossible effect
Related to 45
Bob Ostin Cheers! name of chosen card appears on bottom of can
 		46
Bob Ostin Jumping Cigar Band cigar band jumps on little finger
 		47
Bob Ostin Ambitious Cut adding a card on top, while cutting the deck
 		48
Bob Ostin Uses For The Faulty Follower ideas for Vernon's Variant (here called Faulty Follower)
  • To Add a Card
  • Lucky Charm Idea
Also published here 48
Bob Ostin Pipe Dream cards removed from box, later dice or any other objects are produced from same box
 		48
Bob Ostin Corner-To-Corner Dice Stack dice stacking sequence, one die balanced on corner
Also published here 49
Bob Ostin A Better Cigarette Pull coin attached to pull
Also published here 50
Bob Ostin The "Four-In-One" Routine - Plus One! variation on routine in Fingertip Fantasies, coin changes to matches, coin flurry, coin changes to cigarette and lighter is produced
Also published here 50
Bob Ostin Topsy Turvey strip of paper is cut to form a string of little men, one man in the center is upside down
Also published here 52
Bob Ostin On Holiday Thanks To Roy packet of sixteen symbol cards, words are spelled to find the four chosen picture cards
Inspired byVariationsAlso published here
  • "On Holiday Thanks to Roy" in "Club 71" May, 2003.
 55
Bob Ostin The GONE Card Trick small plaques with letters to spell the word 'gone', chosen card packet and appears between plaques
Related to 57
Bob Ostin Bandinage cards is wrapped with rubber band, card on front changes to performer's and to spectator's card, gaff with pull
 		59
Bob Ostin The Green Die Mystery selection is shuffled in the deck, die is thrown and spectator as many times as he wants, selection is found at total
Related to
  • "The Green Die Mystery" in "Club 71" Autumn 2003.
 61
Philip T. Goldstein Die Easy selection is among five random cards, die is thrown to find it
Related to
  • "Die Easy" in "Club 71" November 2003.
 62
Bob Ostin The Green Die Rolls card is found using a die and spelling
Related to
  • "The Green Die Rolls" in "The Magician" January, 2004.
 63
Bob Ostin Sign Of Five Prediction matchbox is freely placed on one of five packets, inside is a prediction of the four top cards in form of four corners of the same cards
Related to
  • "The Sign of Five Prediction" in "The Magician" February, 2004.
 64
Bob Ostin Secret Enclosed two different-colored napkins are rolled up and travel from hand to hand, as a climax, one is found inside the other
Inspired byRelated to
  • "Secret Enclosed" in "The Magician" March, 2004.
 66
Bob Ostin Twister die starts to twist, when selection is placed on the table
Related to
  • "Twister" in "The Magician" June, 2004.
 67
Bob Ostin Two Routines For The Pecking Bird forcing stack and rough and smooth solutions
 		69
Bob Ostin The Searcher card is placed next to its mate
 		70
Bob Ostin The"Colour Conscious" Force paper clip is used to force a name from a list
Related to 71
Bob Ostin The Table-Hopper's Check Card tip for table hopping, to remember tables
 		72
Bob Ostin Sleightly Haunted with small gaff
Also published here 73
Bob Ostin Thought Transmitter using a box to transmit selection
Also published here 73
Bob Ostin On Edge writing on edge of deck changes to name of selection
 		74
Bob Ostin Star Trek discs with names of stars and planets, mental spelling and tapping ends on selected disc
 		75
Triad Cavalcade short intro on Bob Ostin
Also published here
  • "Trick Cavalcade" in "Abracadabra" Nr. 1564. January, 1976.
 78
Bob Ostin The "Optical" Coin Production coins produced from between two cards
Also published here
  • "The 'Optical' Coin Production" in "Abracadabra" Nr. 1564. January, 1976.
 78
Bob Ostin The Signature Fiddle signatures are written on pieces of paper and then torn in halves, performer finds matching pairs under table
Also published here
  • "The Signature Fiddle" in "Abracadabra" Nr. 1564. January, 1976.
 79
Bob Ostin The Serendipity Card Change backpalm gag for magicians, card shrinks on back of hand
Also published here
  • "The Serendipity Card Change" in "Abracadabra" Nr. 1564. January, 1976.
 80
Bob Ostin Inner Secret two different-colored napkins are rolled up and travel from hand to hand, as a climax, one is found inside the other
VariationsAlso published here
  • "Inner Secret" in "Abracadabra" Nr. 2087. January, 1986.
 81
Bob Ostin The "No Load" Dice Cup Production production of playing cards or bills from cup, after dice stacking
Variations
  • "The 'No Load' Dice Cup Production" in "Abracadabra" Nr. 2741. August, 1998.
 83
Bob Ostin Predestination spectator shuffles packet face-up into face-down under table, amount of reversed cards is predicted
Variations
  • "Predestination" in "Abracadabra" Nr. 2355. March, 1991.
 84
Bob Ostin Spectator's Choice Coin Penetration coin of any denomination is given to the performer and penetrated with a pencil
Variations
  • "Spectator's Choice Coin Penetration" in "Abracadabra" Nr. 2355. March, 1991.
 85
Coin Switch
86
Bob Ostin Signature Transposition performer and spectator sign back of two cards, signatures change places
Variations
  • "Signature Transposition" in "Abracadabra" Nr. 2355. March, 1991.
 87
Bob Ostin Ring And Cord variation of first phase of Grismer's ring and string routine
Inspired byAlso published here 89
Bob Ostin The Cridge corner of card bends by itself, gaffed card
 		89
Bob Ostin Improved "Lie Detector" variation to Lie Detector in Fingertip Fantasies, only fragment of routine
Also published here 90
Bob Ostin The Multi-Card Gimmick multi card to force one out of six cards
 		90
Bob Ostin Magical Ca$h Cards two plates with letters are used to spell the word cash, bill is produced
Related to 91
Bob Ostin The Nautilus Card "New Submarine Card", odd-backed card placed perpendicular in three-card packet rises up and down
Also published here 93
Bob Ostin Coins Through Table And Basket Vanish four different sized coins, into glass, without extra coin
Also published here 94
Bob Ostin The Credit Card card with slit, coin appears and vanishes again
Related to 95
Bobby Bernard Sleeving a Coin
96
Bob Ostin Card Case Hold-Out
96
Bob Ostin Postmaster words noted on billets, performer divines words on folded billets
Also published here 98
Bob Ostin Araby Location spectator choses one of several billets, each billet has a name, performer divines which was selected
Also published here 100
Bob Ostin Tilt to Countdown card at named number
Also published here 102
Bob Ostin Paper Prison paper fold with coin, small hole in paper and coin visibly penetrates paper
Also published here 103
Bob Ostin Pandora's Boxes (Version 2) sympathetic matchboxes, lids open and close, without thread method
Inspired by 105
Bob Ostin One Cup, One Ball normal cup
Also published here 106
Bob Ostin The Paper Clip Force forcing one of six cards, using a die and a paper clip
Also published here 108
Bob Ostin The Lucifer Load dice stacking with only outside cover of match box bent into tube, final load many matches
Also published here 109
Bob Ostin Click! in the hands
 		111
Bob Ostin The Shredder paper in shredder, number of total of two cards appear cut out on paper
 		112
Bob Ostin The Satanic Disc 666 word from list is selected and divined, using a CD and case
Inspired by 114
Bob Ostin The Thimble Box thimble vanishes and appears in wooden box
 		116
Bob Ostin Nuts Thru The Hole two nuts penetrate hole of chinese coin, all threaded on cord
Also published here
  • "Nuts Thru The Hole" in "The Crimp" Nr. 4.
 118
Bob Ostin A Bit On The Side card spun on table, center pip turns 90°
Also published here
  • "A Bit On The Side" in "The Crimp" Nr. 40.
 119
Bob Ostin Ostin's Orifice card with hole is placed face up on table, spectator places his finger through hole and closes eyes, card turns over
Inspired by
  • Mr. E. Ozo's "Out Of Sight" in "The Crimp" Nr. 14.
Also published here
  • "Ostin's Orifice" in "The Crimp" Nr. 40.
 119
Bob Ostin The Frog Princess card is folded to origami frog, transformation of card
Related toAlso published here
  • "The Frog Princess" in "The Crimp" Nr. 53.
 120
Bob Ostin A Chinese Ghost Story two chopsticks with a hole in the center are connected with a tooth pick and placed inside a glass, they start moving
 		122
Bob Ostin The Envelope Hold-Out envelope to add cards on top of the deck
 		124
Bob Ostin The Devil's Dictionary matches used to select a page (multiplication of several piles), word is divined
 		124
Bob Ostin Status Quo card rises to named number
 		126
Bob Ostin Truly Invisible Thread invisible thread gag, using spool
 		127
Bob Ostin Bob's Magical Definitions... humorous definitions of magic terms
 		127
Bob Ostin Magic Of The Mind using cards with phrases
 		128
Bob Ostin "Is There Anyone There?" ink forms into chosen ESP sign, signed card, uses Velleda pens
Also published here 130
Bob Ostin The Perfect Vanish sleeving technique for thimble
Also published here 131
Bob Ostin Hofzinser's Key Fob photo key case with four pips of all suits, one Ace is chosen, corresponding suit remains in key fob
 		132
Bob Ostin Match-to-Flower match is ignited and then changes to flower
 		133
Bob Ostin The 'Romantic' Card Trick using the cross sum force twice, finding queen and king of hearts
 		134
Bob Ostin Skullocation Routine
Also published here 134
Bob Ostin Sponge Ball to Dice
Also published here 135
Bob Ostin The Vanishing Hole coin vanishes in slit of paper
Also published here
  • "The Vanishing Hole" in "Magic Mag" Vo. 3, Nr. 6. 1982.
 136
Bob Ostin The Perfect Shell gag for magicians
Also published here
  • "The Perfect Shell" in "Magic Mag" Vol. 3, Nr. 6. 1982.
 137
Bob Ostin Well Done! gag to use for kid magician, well done written on card
 		137
Bob Ostin The "Thanks To Gus" Rising Cards variation of Gus Southall's rising card gimmick
 		138
Bob Ostin The "Stand Up" Coin borrowed coin balanced on back of hand stands up by itself
 		139
Stephen Tucker Previously Marketed Items
141
Bob Ostin Inebriation cards with names of animals and drinks, spelled sentence leads to matching cards
Inspired by
  • "Auto Suggestion" (Bob Ostin)
 142
Stephen Tucker Stephen Tucker's Routine for Bob Ostin's Inebriation cards with names of animals and drinks, spelled sentence leads to matching cards
 		144
Paul Curry Swindle Switch brief
 		144
Bob Ostin Bamboozled water changes to beer
 		145
Bob Ostin Dicey on of six cards is chosen by paper die, when die is opened it is made from the same card
 		147
Bob Ostin Flash Cigarette Vanisher cigarette vanishes in a flash
 		148
Bob Ostin Loop Hole three cards with holes, threaded with cord, center card is penetrates cord
 		149
Bob Ostin Clear Deception sympathetic matchbox variation, without thread, with additional idea by Peter Kane
 		149
Bob Ostin The Backward Card Trick homing card, with back of cards, different handling than in Fingertip Fantasies
Also published here 151
Bob Ostin Predict-A-Trip comedy prediction of chosen holiday destination
 		153
Bob Ostin Pendulum finding selection with a pendulum, rubber band stretched over card on table, card moves
 		154
Bob Ostin The Peg normal and miniature deck used, selection placed inside peg, same card from miniature deck appears in miniature peg
 		155
Bob Ostin Transfusion plastic pen is placed over card and visibly ink fills up, color is missing from card
 		157
Bob Ostin Beam Shot flash light placed on several packets, torch lights over correct card
 		161
Bob Ostin The Flugle Bug box with miniature cards and "flugle bug", bug jumps on one card which matches selection
 		163
Bob Ostin Color Changing Thimble
164
Bob Ostin Submarine Cards card placed face up and perpendicular in three-card packet rises up and down
VariationsAlso published here 165
Bob Ostin The Card Bug bug on string is suspended over cards, selection sticks to it
Inspired by
  • Robert Harbin's "Dippy Magnet"
 169
Bob Ostin The Wishing Paper paper with a lot of holes changes to bill
 		170
Bob Ostin The Ostin Card-Index
171
Bob Ostin Spooky Dice eerie moving pair of dice
 		173
Bob Ostin Punchboard Prediction board with holes in one side and numbers in other side, pierced number is predicted
 		174
Bob Ostin Ostin's MI10 card in spectator's pocket predicts selection
 		176
Bob Ostin Bob's Wilting Flower
178
Bob Ostin Dice Prediction prediction in bulldog clip, dummy is dragged inside the clip
 		179
Stephen Tucker Information publishers of magic magazines
 		181
Stephen Tucker (reviewer) Seeing Is Believing by Bob Ostin
on The Bob Ostin Lecture video from International Magic 		182
Bob Ostin The Final Word
183
Data entered by Lorenz Schär, January 2021.