Modern Magic

1876
Written by Professor Hoffmann
Work of Professor Hoffmann
511 pages (Hardcover), published by unknown publisher
Illustrated with drawings
Language: English
348 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
250 per page
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
Professor Hoffmann Introduction some rules for conjuring
 		1
Professor Hoffmann The Magic Wand
4
Professor Hoffmann The Magician's Table
5
Professor Hoffmann The Magician's Dress
  • Profondes
  • Pochettes
  • "Loading" Pockets
 		8
Professor Hoffmann General Principles of Sleight-of-Hand applicable to Card Tricks
11
To Make the Pass - First Method very backbone of card-conjuring, the
 		12
Classic Pass Half Pass
14
Professor Hoffmann Managing the Pass misdirection and gaze
 		14
To Make the Pass - Second Method
15
Classic Pass False Cut as top half is taken, or as top half is replaced
Related to 16
To Make the Pass - Third Method
17
To Make the Pass - Fourth Method one-handed version of Third Method
Related toAlso published here 18
To Make the Pass - Fifth Method flourishy
Also published here 18
To Make the Pass - Sixth Method
Related toVariationsAlso published here 19
To Make the Pass - Seventh Method
20
To "Force" a Card
21
Forcing Pack one way or three way
 		23
To make a "False Shuffle" - First Method small top stock
 		23
To make a "False Shuffle" - Second Method slip shuffle
 		23
To make a "False Shuffle" - Third Method Charlier type shuffle with optical bluff placement to top
 		24
To make a "False Shuffle" - Fourth Method fans pushed into each other and stripped out again (Zarrowesque concept)
Also published here 25
To make a "False Shuffle" - Fifth Method multiple packets
 		26
To make a "False Shuffle" - Sixth Method multiple packets, real cut
 		26
To "Palm" a Card
27
Palm Glimpse glimpsing palmed card
 		27
Palm Replacement
27
To "Ruffle" the Cards one-handed or two-handed
 		27
To "Change" a Card - First Method bottom change
 		28
To "Change" a Card - Second Method bold, bottom card shown, top side-jogged card quickly removed instead
 		29
To "Change" a Card - Third Method top change
 		30
To "Change" a Card - Fourth Method "With one hand only."
 		31
Prof. Robert Hellis To "Change" a Card - Fifth Method "To change a card without the aid of the Pack"
in context of effect in which wrong card changes into selection
 		32
Prof. Robert Hellis To "Change" a Card - Sixth Method To change severals cards at once.
 		33
To Get Sight of a Drawn Card
  • First Method (center)
  • Second Method (bottom)
 		34
To "Slip" a Card
Variations 35
To Draw Back a Card Glisser la carte
 		36
To "Turn Over" the Pack
37
To Spring the Cards from one Hand to the Other
37
To Throw a Card
38
The Bridge
39
Professor Hoffmann The Value of Personal Instruction
40
Simple Modes of Discovering a given Card - First Method top cards openly pushed back one by one until spectator stops, bottom card force card
 		42
Second Method 21 card trick, also with general number
Variations 43
Third Method spectators remember cards and their positions
 		44
Various Modes of Disclosing a Discovered Card - First Method deck hit out of spectator's hand
 		44
Second Method single card friction toss
 		45
Third Method air-pressure turnover
 		45
Fourth Method equivoque procedure
 		45
To make a Card vanish from the Pack, and be found in a Person's Pocket stuck to back of hand
 		46
To place the Four Kings in different parts of the Pack, and to bring them together by a Simple Cut
47
Hidden Block Packet Switch
48
The Four Kings being placed under the Hand of one Person, and the Four Sevens under the Hand of Another, to make them Change Places at Command
48
Eights as Sevens
49
Four Packets of Cards having been Formed face downwards on the Table, to discover the Total Value of the Undermost Cards
Related to 49
Throw Packet to Count its Cards
50
To Name all the Cards in the Pack in Succession full stack, Eight Kings explained
 		50
The Cards being Cut, to tell whether the Number Cut is Odd or Even
51
The Whist Trick. To deal yourself all the Trumps all four hands contain all cards of a suit
 		51
To allow a Person to think of a Card, and to make that Card appear at such Number in the Pack as Another Person shall Name card and its position remembered, bluff counting started with that number, with variation
Related to 52
The Cards Revealed by the Looking-Glass joke
 		53
To Guess Four Cards thought of by Different Persons
Related toVariations 53
The Pairs Re-paired
54
The Magic Triplets variation with twenty-four cards and triplets instead of twenty and pairs
 		55
Another Mode of Discovering a Card Thought of twenty-five cards, different dealing pattern
 		55
To Guess, by the aid of a Passage of Poetry or Prose, such one of Sixteen Cards as, in the Performer's Absence, has been Touched or Selected by the Company verbal code
 		56
To Detect, without Confederacy, which of Four Cards has been Turned Round in your Absence one-way margins
 		57
To Arrange Twelve Cards is Rows, in such a manner that they will Count Four in every Direction puzzle
 		58
To Place the Aces and Court Cards in Four Rows, in such a manner that neither Horizontally nor Perpendicularly shall there be in either Row two Cards alike either in Suit or Value puzzle
 		58
The Congress of Court Cards with the twelve court cards
Related to 59
The Long Card
60
Biseauté or Tapering Cards
60
A Card having been Chosen and Returned, and the Pack shuffled, to Produce the Chosen Card instantly in various ways long card or stripper deck, see following tricks
 		62
To Pick out the Card,the Pack being placed in a Person's Pocket stripper or with palm
 		62
To Cut at the Chosen Card stripper, long card, or ungaffed after spectator shuffle (palm)
 		62
To Let all the Cards fall, save the One Chosen long card or stripper deck
 		62
Classic Pass False Cut
63
To Fling the Pack in the Air, and Catch the Chosen Card
63
To Change a Card drawn haphazard to the Chosen Card long card or stripper
 		63
To Divide the Pack into several Packets on the Table, allowing the Company to stop you at any Moment, and to cause the Top Card of the Heap last made to Change into the Chosen Card wide card as key card
 		65
Shuffling Deck with Key Card
65
Dribble Force Precursor using wide card
 		65
To teach the Company a Trick which they Learn without Difficulty, then to allow them to Succeed or to cause them to Fail at your Pleasure deck dealt in four piles and suits separated, taught to audience and they fail or succeed
Related to 66
To Distinguish the Court Cards by Touch preparing by "bending" edges slightly upwards with knife
 		69
Professor Hoffmann Concealing the Cause
69
To name any Number of Cards in succession without Seeing them cards named one by one with deck behind backs, two methods
 		70
To make Four Cards change from Eights to Twos, from Black to Red, etc. divided cards
 		71
Turning Cards End for End small packet
 		73
A Card having been Drawn and Returned, and the Pack shuffled, to make it Appear at such Number as the Company Choose two methods (Glide and Re-Deal)
 		73
Several Persons having each Drawn and Returned a Card, to make each Card appear at such Number in the Pack as the Drawer chooses
75
The "Three Card" Trick with bent corner
 		76
To Nail a Chosen Card to the Wall
77
The Inseparable Sevens Eights as Sevens, robbers
 		77
The Inseparable Aces three x-cards behind, robbers
 		79
Push-off Count
80
Holding Two Breaks
80
Having placed the Four Aces in different positions in the Pack, to make the two Black change places with the two Red ones, and finally to bring all Four together in the middle of the Pack
80
A Card having been thought of, to make such Card Vanish from the Pack, and be Discovered wherever the Performer pleases twenty-seven cards, card palmed out and multiple endings suggested (pocket, transformation, on chair, ...)
 		83
To cause a Number of Cards to Multiply invisibly in a Person's keeping cut-off packet weighed, then it multiplies
 		84
Cutting Force spectator cuts to a break while performer holds deck
 		84
Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin The Pack being divided into Two Portions, placed in the keeping of two different Persons, to make Three Cards Pass invisible from the One to the Other beginning with sealed deck
 		86
To allow several Persons each to draw a Card, and the Pack having been Shuffled, to make another Card drawn haphazard Change successively into each of those first chosen
Related to 87
Professor Hoffmann Tips on the Classic Force
89
To make Four Aces change to Four Kings, and Four Kings to Four Aces four double facers, using hat
 		90
Professor Hoffmann Making Double Facers
90
Having made Four Packets of Cards with an Ace at the bottom of each, to bring all Four Aces into whichever Packet the Company may choose faced deck and alternative method
Related to 91
Conus To Change the Four Aces, held tightly by a Person into Four Indifferent Cards Conus Aces
 		93
The Shower of Aces deck changes into all Aces
 		97
Several Persons having each drawn Two Cards, which have been Returned and Shuffled, to make each Couple Appear in Succession, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the Pack "The Ladies' Looking-glass", favorite of Comte
 		99
Friction Toss
100
To make Two Cards, each firmly held by a different Person, change places duplicate
 		101
To Change Four Cards, drawn haphazard, and placed on the table, into Cards of the same Value as a Single Card subsequently chosen by one of the Spectators optional forcing pack
 		102
Two Heaps of Cards, unequal in Number, being placed upon the Table, to predict beforehand which of the two the Company will choose ambiguous prediction, two handlings (number of cards or values in pile & odd/even pile with palming)
 		103
A Row of Cards being placed Face Downards on the Table, to indicate, by turning up one of them, how many of such Cards have during your absence been transferred from one end of the Row to the other
Variations 104
Several Cards having been freely chosen by the Company, Returned and Shuffled, and the Pack placed in a Person's Pocket, to make such Person draw out one by one the chosen Cards spectator extracts (top) card from his pocket, favorite of Herrmann
 		106
The Cards having been freely shuffled, and cut into three or four heaps, to name the top card of each heap
108
To allow a Person secretly to think of a Card, and dividing the Pack into three heaps, to cause the Card thought of to appear in whichever heap the Company may choose
108
Single Card Cull
109
To allow a Person secretly to think of a Card, and, even before such Card is named, to select it from the Pack, and place it singly upon the Table one in fifty-two, or switch
 		110
Table Edge Drag Switch into servante (lap)
 		110
A Card having been Secretly Thought of by one of the Audience, to place two Indifferent Cards upon the table, and to Change such one of them as the Audience may select into the Card thought of using psychological force
 		111
Psychological Force picture card amongst number cards
 		112
A Card having been Drawn and Returned, and the Pack shuffled, to divide the Pack into several Heaps on the Table, and to cause the Drawn Card to appear in such heap as the Company may choose
114
To change a drawn Card into the Portraits of several of the Company succession
115
A Card having been drawn and returned, and the Pack shuffled, to place on the Table six Rows of six Cards each, and to discover the chosen Card by a throw of the Dice
116
A Card having been withdrawn and replaced, to call it from the Pack, and to make it come to you of its own accord thread, tabled rising card from spread
 		117
Professor Hoffmann Mode of Preparing specially adhesive Wax for Conjuring Purposes
118
The Whist Trick. Improved Method. "To deal yourself all the Trumps, the three other Players holding the usual mixed Hands"
 		119
Pochette-Profonde Switch
119
The Magic Sword "A Card being drawn and replaced, and the Pack flung in the Air, to catch the chosen Card on the point of the Sword"
Related to 121
Three Cards Repeating Forcing Pack
125
The Rising Cards (La Houlette) "Several Cards having been drawn, returned, and Shuffled, to make them rise spontaneously from the Pack"
some variations in apparatus explained
 		125
Ungimmicked Rising Cards
129
The Jumping Cards "Two or three Cards having been drawn, returned, and shuffled, to make them jump out of the Pack"
using prop box
 		130
To make a Card stand upright by itself on the Table tin slip
 		132
Changing Card-boxes, and Tricks performed with them
134
Two Card Transposition using two mechanical card boxes
 		136
Restoration in Card Box prop
 		136
Card Box Force using prop for switch
 		136
The Mechanical Card-box
137
The "Card and Bird" Box
138
The Card Tripod switching device
 		139
The "Torn Card" card restored except corner, which then visibly reappears, different versions of the mechanical card explained
 		139
Mechanical Changing Cards three different ones
 		142
Visible Change of Rising Card mechanical card
 		143
Classic Palming of Coins
146
Pass 1 right hand classic palm, fake transfer to left (described with coin but for all small objects)
 		147
Friedrich Wilhelm Frikell Pass 2 featuring thumb grip
 		149
Friedrich Wilhelm Frikell Frikell Thumb Palm
149
Pass 3 fake pick-up
 		150
Pass 4 (Le Tourniquet) "French Drop"
 		150
Pass 5 (La Pincette) French Drop from natural grip
 		151
Pass 6 multiple coins with sound
 		151
Pass 7 (La Coulée) for large coin, featuring front palm clip
 		152
Front Palm Clip
152
Pass 8 with wand in same hand
 		153
Mentioning Palm Positions brief, "coin by its edges between two of the fingers, or between the thumb and the side of the hand" & finger palm
 		153
Professor Hoffmann Managing the False Transfer gaze and angles
 		154
Professor Hoffmann The "Click" and Delaying the Effect
155
Changes Change 1 - Change 5
 		157
A Florin being spun upon the Table, to tell blindfold whether it falls head or tail upwards coin gaffed
 		159
Odd or Even, or the Mysterious Addition rather transparent math trick in which performer apparently knows whether the amount of coins selected is odd or even
 		160
To change a Florin into a Penny, back again, and then to pass the same invisibly into the pocket of the owner first transformation in hand of spectator, coin marked
 		161
To make a marked Florin and Penny, wrapped in separate Handkerchiefs, change places at command including variation with spectator's and performer's hands instead of handkerchiefs
 		163
To make two marked Coins, wrapped in separated Handkerchiefs, come together in one of them (expansion of texture configuration)
 		164
Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin Wrapping Coin in Handkerchief fake wrapping, two methods
Related toAlso published here 166
To Pull Four Florins or Half-crowns through a Handkerchief with assistance of spectator, presented as vanish and reappearance from spectator's clothes
 		168
Producing Clink with Wand when tapping on clothing, two methods (gimmicked wand and ungaffed)
 		170
To pass a Marked Florin (or Half-crown) into the Centre of two Oranges in Succession
Variations 170
Right-Left Equivoque
171
The Flying Money To make a Coin pass invisibly from the one hand to the other, and finally through the Table, using penny stuck with wax under the table
 		172
To rub One Sixpence into Three two coins start secretly stuck to underside of table
 		175
The Multiplication of Money coins are borrowed and multiplied, with or without coin tray
Related to 176
Coin Tray money plate
 		177
To make a Marked Sixpence vanish from a Handkerchief, and be found in the Centre of an Apple or Orange previously examined coin stuck to knife
 		178
The Travelling Counters twelve coins, travel around, at one point they are stuck together to a solid block
 		180
The Wandering Sixpence coin traveling from underneath one card to another, two sticky coins
 		181
The "Heads and Tails" Trick coins turn over in a stack of coins, double-faced coin
 		182
Inertia Sleeving
Related to 183
The Magic Cover and Vanishing Halfpence hollow coin stack
 		184
The Animated Coin, which answers Questions, etc. coin jumps around in glass, threaded coin or gimmicked glass, as question-answering coin
 		185
Dice Box dice glued in box in secret compartment as force
 		187
The Vanishing Halfpenny Box "To make a Halfpenny vanish from the Box and again return to it", little round box, coin with inside of box on one side
 		187
The Rattle Box "To make a Coin vanish from the Box, through still heard to rattle within"
 		189
The Pepper-box for vanishing money
 		190
The Brass Money-box for vanishing a coin
 		191
The Brass Box for Money, known as the "Plug-box" to vanish, reproduce or exchange coins
 		192
The Handkerchief for Vanishing Money coin sewn in corner
 		194
The Demon Handkerchief (Le Mouchoir du Diable)
195
The Davenport Cabinet things put inside vanish
 		195
The Nest of Boxes
197
The Ball of Berlin Wool
198
The Glass Goblet and Cover coins appear audibly in glass goblet
 		199
The Glass without Cover, for Money coins appear audibly in glass goblet
 		200
The Miraculous Casket coins vanish one at a time from mechanical box
 		202
The Half-crown (or Florin) Wand
203
The Shower of Money
205
Money-Slide holder to steal coins one by one
 		207
The Vanishing Plate, or Salver coins vanish when picket up from plate
 		208
The "Changing" Plate
210
Frank Hiam The Tray of Proteus by Hiam & Lane, for switching, vanishing, producing
 		211
To indicate on the Dial of a Watch the Hour secretly thought of by any of the Company arithmetical procedure
 		213
To Bend a Borrowed Watch Backwards and Forwards optical illusion
 		214
The Watch-mortar and the Magic Pistol parts of crushed watch are placed in handkerchief and shot from pistol to loaf of bread, restoration
 		215
The Snuff-box Vase to change, vanish or produce small objects
 		217
Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, The Watch Box for vanishing a watch
Related to 219
The Watch Target pistol shot on target, where watch appears mechanically
Variations 220
The Mesmerised Watch To Make any Watch a Repeater, watch answers question with bell sound, featuring sound gimmick
Related toVariations 222
The Flying Ring borrowed ring vanishes from paper, using duplicate on elastic string
Also published here 225
Ring Pull duplicate finger ring on elastic in sleeve
 		225
To Pass a Ring from the one Hand to either Finger of the other Hand substitute ring on pull, temporary hook servante behind leg
Also published here 227
To Pass a Ring through a Pocket-handkerchief using wire gimmick
 		228
To Pass a Ring through the Table glass, hat and handkerchief with ring sewn inside
 		228
Professor Hoffmann Lighting and Background for Thread Work
229
To Pass a Ring invisibly upon the Middle of a Wooden Wand, the Ends being held by two of the Spectators
Also published here 230
The Magic Ball and Rings three rings vanish from box, reappear inside special ball on special stick
Related to 231
To Pass a Borrowed Ring into an Egg
Related toAlso published here 233
The Magic Rose ring travels into mechanical rose
 		234
Professor Hoffmann Tricks with Handkerchief
236
The Handkerchief that cannot be Tied in a Knot
237
The Handkerchief that will not Burn passed through flame without harm
 		237
The Vanishing Knots
238
To Exchange a borrowed Handkerchief for a Substitute methods using coat
 		240
The Locked and Corded Box "Washerwoman's Bottle" to steal handkerchief stuffed in opaque bottle, reappears in box or nest of boxes or elsewhere
 		241
The Reversible Canister bottle with two compartments to switch handkerchief or something else
 		245
The Burning Globe brass globe for switching
 		246
The Transformed Handkerchief "one of Herrmann's favourite tricks", borrowed handkerchief transforms into pieces, reappears in produced lemon, burned and restored once more
Related to 246
Professor Hoffmann Loading a Lemon
248
The Handkerchief cut up, burnt, and finally found in a Candle with assistant
 		249
Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, The Shower of Sweets sweets appear on plate from loading bag with handkerchief, another loading bag from Robert-Houdin
Related to 251
Sweets from Wand gaffed wand to produced sweets
 		253
The Feathers from an Empty Handkerchief fifteen to twenty plumes from handkerchief, body load
 		254
The Flying Plume feather plume from tube to shawl
 		256
The Magic Laundry borrowed handkerchiefs are "washed" in water tub and magically dried
 		258
Colonel Stodare The Egg and the Handkerchief
Related toAlso published here 260
The Hand Box, for Vanishing a Handkerchief secret container attached to hand
Related to 263
To arrange a Row of Dominoes face downwards on the Table, and on returning to the Room to turn up a Domino whose points shall indicate how many have been moved in your absence "Row of Ten Cards" with dominoes
Related to 265
To allow any Person in your absence to arrange the Dominoes in a Row, face downwards, and on your return to name blindfold, or without entering the Room, the end numbers of the Row
267
To Change, invisibly, the Numbers show on either Face of a Pair of Dice
Related to 268
To Name, without seeing them, the Points of a Pair of Dice arithmetical
 		269
Professor Hoffmann The Cups and Balls introduction
 		271
1. To Palm the Ball three methods
 		273
2. To Reproduce the Palmed Ball at the End of the Fingers
274
3. To Secretly Introduce the Palmed Ball under the Cup
275
4. To Simulate the Action of Placing a Ball under a Cup
276
To Reproduce a Ball from the Wand
276
To Return a Ball into the Wand
277
To Pass one Cup through another
277
Professor Hoffmann General Comments on structure and presentation
 		278
Cups and Balls Routine
  • Pass I. Having Placed a Ball under each Cup, to draw it out again without Lifting the Cup
  • Pass II. To make a Ball Travel invisibly from Cup to Cup
  • Pass III. Having placed a Ball under each of the end Cups, to make them pass successively under the Middle Cup
  • Pass IV. Having placed two Balls under the Middle Cup, to make them pass under the two Outer Ones
  • Pass V. To pass three Balls in succession under One Cup
  • Pass VI. To place three Balls one after the other upon the top of one of the Cups, and to make them fall through the Cup on to the Table
  • Pass VII. To pass three Balls in succession upwards through the Table into one of the Cups
  • Pass VIII. To pass two Balls in succession from one Cup to another without touching them
  • Pass IX. To make three Balls in succession pass under the Middle Cup
  • Pass X. The "Multiplication" Pass
  • Pass XI. To Transform the Small Balls to Larger Ones
  • Pass XII. To again Transform the Balls to still Larger Ones
 		279
To Palm a large Ball two methods
 		293
250 per page
Data entered by Denis Behr, July 2013.