My Best

A collection of the best originations conceived by eminent creators in the inventive field of twentieth century magic.

1945
Written by James G. Thompson Jr.
Work of Various
384 pages (Hardcover), published by D. Robbins & Co., Inc.
Illustrated with drawings by Tom Fitzgerald
Language: English
206 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
J. B. Bobo The Card Between
Also published here 9
John Booth Cards of Cairo
10
R. C. Buff The Middle Deal middle deal bluff, selected card dealt at named number
 		11
Clyde Cairy Dick Tracy Card Trick almost the same as Fingerprint Card Trick
Related to 11
Milbourne Christopher Tap Force card is touched by spectator, moving the fan slightly
 		12
Arnold L. Grubin Under Cover not flap type case, flat box with cover
 		13
Hathaway As You Desire a stand with 6 different color cards, spectator choses a color, spectator's card is behind
 		14
Charles Hopkins So That's the Way You Want It! card behind back, performer knows selected card
 		16
Joe Karson Kindred Spirits two selected cards found together in the deck
 		18
Wilbur T. Kattner The Timed Turnover two cards reverse one by one, see also Orville Meyer's "Timed Turnover"
 		18
Card Reverse from the middle to the bottom, out of "Farelli's Card Magic" page 63
 		19
Dr. Howard B. Kayton Magneto-Box small cards in transparent case, after the box is shaken, the selected card sticks to one side
 		20
Joseph J. Kolar The Kolar Card Trick wrong card is attached to ribbon with a sticker and put in deck, when pulled out it is now selection
 		20
Art Lyle My Clutch Slips (Or Reverso with No Breaks)
21
Tenkai Ishida Optical Reverse
22
William H. McCaffrey Bill McCaffrey's Prize Winner two decks, premonition, card is found in hat
 		23
Harry Mendoza Card on the Wall chosen card tacked to the wall
 		24
Paul Morris Are You Sure? instead of the chosen card, four Jacks are found, chosen card appears in the end
Also published here 25
Slip Cut bottom slip cut while cutting four packets
 		26
Charles Nyquist The Principle of Alternative Terminations - And Its Applications When the Spectator Shuffles stratagem for controlling a card while spectator shuffles the deck, several outs
 		27
Dolf Rudin Just Think of One two cards are found
 		30
Herb Runge Here's Your Card card is selected, deck put behind magician's back and the card put at a selected number
 		30
Ned Rutledge Well, Well! face up ace should find spectator's card
Related to 31
Jerry Sorensen That's the Way They're Done four cards are found, one with Martin Gardner's "Lie Detector Test"
 		33
Dr. Raymond L. Beebe Insto-Transpo Perfected spectator and magician sign the cards
Inspired by 35
Sigmar K. Hofeller There'll Be Some Change Made! red cards change places with black cards, in the pockets of two spectators
 		37
Greer Marechal Jr. Technicolor Transpose cards transpose from two different colored decks
 		38
Harlan Tarbell Saturn's Card Transposition Visible transposition, cards under rubber bands change
 		39
William H. Wilson Guess It with folder
 		41
Franklin M. Chapman Again - The Card In the Wallet no palming
 		42
Bruce Elliott Parade of the Lamas with three jokers

 		43
R. M. Jamison Up My Sleeve with jumbo cards
Also published here 45
C. A. George Newmann Effective Passee-Passee Card Melange with envelopes and two different colored backs
 		46
George H. Pittman Card Thru Hank through case and handkerchief
 		49
Audley Walsh Six Cards to Pocket with Extras with a bag, a paper crown and six folding boxes (!) as a climax
 		53
Robert Weill Here, There and Everywhere with card to pocket ending
 		54
Michael F. Zens The Improved "Zens" Cards & Envelopes
Related to 55
Charles Arbuthnot Rising Cards From Houlette
59
Verne Chesbro Mechanico Rising Cards
60
Sid Fleischman, Robert "Bob" J. Gunther The Impromptu Floating Card card floats over palm up hands
Variations 63
Jack McMillen The J.M. Rising Card with handkerchief, plunger
Variations 64
Peter Warlock My Best Rising Cards chair thread set-up
 		66
Theodore Annemann The Master Mind stack, billet index
 		69
Sylvan Barnet At a Mentally Chosen Number
71
Eugene Bernstein Sensitive Fingers five selected cards are found by touch alone
 		72
Mystic Craig Four Ace Memory Test Mental force of an ace based on luck
 		73
John J. Crimmins Jr. Extra Joker Prediction
Related to 74
Paul Curry Next! the selected card is found next to a card with the message "Your card will be next"
Related toAlso published here 75
Henry Christ Christ Force
76
Paul Curry Follow Me two decks, two cards match after Henry Christ cutting procedure
Also published here 78
Paul Curry Turn of the Century Location setting short double backer as key card, out-of-hand selection procedure
Related toAlso published here 79
Paul Curry Force & Vanish with Henry Christ Force double facer
Also published here 79
Ronald B. Edwards Bi-Mentalism card is pushed in a deck, named card is found next to it, two versions:
  • 1. Stack and nail writer
  • 2. Svengali
 		80
Professor El-Tab Silent Stob think stop with two cards
 		82
Val Evans Digivision card is selected behind the back, clever
 		83
Hen Fetsch In the Mind reprint
Related to 84
Hindu Force mentioned as " The Fetsch Force"
 		88
Martin Gardner Spread, Shuffle, Spread one to ten cards are removed from a spread and replaced in the other half, after a shuffle all cards are found, sharp/round index divided deck
 		89
Teral Garrett Dark Eyes four Aces in enveloppes are ascertained behind the back, unusual method involving sugar, salt and Aspirin
 		91
Walter B. Gibson Turnabout two decks, two cards are exchanged and match
 		92
Nelson Hahne The Blue Intruder
94
George G. Kaplan Coincidence? No. Prevision? Yes three decks, two shuffled and dealt face up, at one point same card appears at same position, this card is reversed in the third deck
Related toVariations 94
T. Page Wright, William Larsen The L.W. Stop Mystery spectator thinks of any card in half the deck, all shuffled together and pocketed, spectator removes cards one by one and performer stops him at selection
VariationsAlso published here 95
L. Vosburgh Lyons Mental Rescue two spectators have five cards each and exchange one, performer divines it
Also published here 96
Richard F. Madden Two Be or Not Two Be - That Was the Question two decks, second deck has selected cards reversed
 		97
George McAthy My Best Trick clever
 		99
Orville Wayne Meyer Predictopack
101
Frederick Mosteller, Frederick Braue, Orville Wayne Meyer Encore Spelling to the thought of card, gaffed deck, three versions, count-spell
Related to 103
Julian J. Proskauer Carbo daub from carbon paper
 		106
Clayton Rawson The Mental Broadcast wax
Variations 108
Franklin V. Taylor, Warner Perry, James G. Thompson Jr., R. C. Buff Peek Deck with several ideas and handlings
Related to 111
James G. Thompson Jr. Out of These Hands
115
Lin Searles The "So Simple Force"
116
Jack Vosburgh The Future Deck prediction written on a playing card matches selection, gaffed deck with cards already written on the faces, related to Curry's "Touch"
Also published here 117
Audley Walsh The Magician's Dream
119
Herman L. Weber Victoria psychological card force with percentage
 		120
Roger Barkann One Plus One Equals Three
Related to 122
John Braun A Two-Tired Blank Fan and some Variations
124
Lu Brent Flighty Aces
Related to 127
Eddie Clever Hallucination three people look at top card, everybody sees a different card
Also published here 128
Stanley Collins The Alpha Four Ace Trick
131
Del Monte New Color Change of a Giant Card Fan with fanning cards
 		132
Dariel Fitzkee I Won't Play Cards With You
134
The Milk Build Shuffle
135
Royal Vale Heath One In Millions! ten named cards, their order recorded, performer arranges them so that they can be spelled out in original order
Variations 138
"Maury" Kains Telepathic Routine card is telegraphed to the audience written on a tray
 		140
Gerald Lynton Kaufman The Canfield Set-Up set-up to win solitaire or canfield
 		141
Gerald Lynton Kaufman The King Can Do No Wrong
142
Gerald Kosky Vanishing Aces aces to spectators pocket, duplicates
VariationsAlso published here 144
Sid Lorraine The Four Burglars two parts
 		144
Top Change Paket Switch
 		146
Orville Wayne Meyer The Greatest Four Ace Trick McDonalds Aces
 		147
Howard D. Wise A New "Find the Lady" Illusion with board, black art and shell
 		150
E. D. Wolff Mind Testing Deck
Variations 152
Joseph L. Barnett St(R)ung
Related to 155
J. B. Bobo The Ghost Coin and Key
Related to 156
R. C. Buff Paper Napkin Vanish
Related toVariationsAlso published here 157
Clyde Cairy Ribbon Release ribbon and scissors
 		158
Jack Chanin Gone! in breastpocket
 		160
Milbourne Christopher Paper Money piece of newspaper to bill
 		161
Paul Curry I.O.U dime is wrapped with paper and in a flash the paper vanishes, coin transforms to a penny, under the penny is a little circle of paper "IOU 9 ct"
Related toAlso published here 161
Dr. Edward G. Ervin Impromptu Bill Reading
163
Val Evans Four Coin Transposition four coins travel from hand to hand, extra
 		164
Tom Fitzgerald The Ring On Pencil
165
Martin Gardner Pop Through Cigarette cigarette through handkerchief
 		166
Nelson Hahne The Ring of Thoth
Variations 167
Mark Jacobs A Cubical Curiosity spot vanishes from cube with card and glas
 		169
R. M. Jamison Jamison's Spot Sticks
Also published here 170
George Karger Karger's Bent Coin switch
 		172
L. Vosburgh Lyons A Hole In One hole punched through four pieces of paper, three of them restore
 		173
William H. McCaffrey The Pedagogue's Nightmare three paddles, with coins
 		174
Chester Morris A Shot of Scotch appearing glas of Scotch, handkerchief
 		179
Paul Morris Three In One
Inspired byAlso published here 181
Robert A. Nelson Peter Rabbit Goes to Town Sponge rabbit routine, with offspring climax
 		182
Charles Nyquist Sefalaljia III ring tied on string, without cover
Variations 183
Ralph W. Read Tapping Pencil spectator feels "impulses" that still pencil makes on back of his hand, or on table or box
Also published here 184
Jimmy Sanders Perpetual Pencil bullet-type pencil with disk rolls on table until order is given
 		185
Jerry Sorensen Poor Man's Bank Night with one chewing gum and three pieces of cardboard, all wrapped
 		186
Willard J. Smith The Philanthropic Poker Chip seal appears on poker chip, as a pitch, see Sphinx "Victory Poker Chip"
 		186
George Starke The Ghost Coins handful of coins vanish, soldered coins
Also published here 188
George Starke Hornswoggled bills change total value several times
Related toVariationsAlso published here 189
Franklin V. Taylor Materialization Coin appears with the help of a spring clothes-pin and a handkerchief
 		195
James G. Thompson Jr. Double or Nothing Coin disappears with the help of a spring clothes-pin and a handkerchief
 		195
John Booth Pen-Plexity code a number to a medium with a fountain pen
 		197
Jack Chanin Vanishing Salt Trick salt vanishes from hand and appears in handkerchief, tube
 		197
Stanley Collins Marbles And Marvels marbles reappear in hand and turn to potatoes in the end
Related to 199
T.J. Crawford Under the Pan four balls travel from under four plastic pans under one
 		200
Bruce Elliott Finger Finger
Related to 202
Bruce Elliott On the Cuff handcuffed under the cover of a cloth a solid ring penetrates the chain, it has to be cut off to be removed
 		204
Sid Fleischman The Trick Without a Name signed page of a Reader's Digest is burned and reappears bound in the magazine, clever
Related to 205
Wilbur T. Kattner The Perfect Pitch Test chords are transmitted, people hold fingers on piano keys and think of the sound
 		206
Joseph J. Kolar Kolar's Magic Shears clippo
Also published here 208
Orville Wayne Meyer Dead!
209
Chester Morris The Morris Plan Coin in handkerchief secured by a ring, penetrates the ring
 		210
Jack Trepel Telephone Book Trick two versions, second as two person telepathy
 		211
M. Van Reese Assisted by the Dead name appears on arm, ashes
 		213
The Finger Switch
215
Jack Vosburgh Trinking Test objects placed in hat, medium knows which were removed
 		217
Roger Barkann Multiple Slate Writing several slates, on every slate appears a message
Related toAlso published here 219
Sylvan Barnet Wuxtra!
220
John Booth Egyptian X-Ray Scope cards with symbols, card is revealed with the aid of a mysterious tube, juiced deck
 		221
Lu Brent A Paper Cone, Silk N' Water red silk put in cone, water is added, red water an white silk result
 		222
Loring Campbell The Spirit Mirror card appears in Mirror, flap
 		223
Eddie Clever A Ring In Transit from hand to hand, hand wrapped in handkerchief
 		224
John J. Crimmins Jr. Humpty Dumpty Gets Around story trick for children
 		225
Harry Dobrin Double Locking Slate
Related to 228
Harry Dobrin Double Locking Periscope Slate with mirror, design duplication
 		229
Professor El-Tab Cut Post Card Mystery a piece of a post card vanishes and appears at a selected page
 		230
Dr. Henry R. Evans The Watch, Glass and Handkerchief watch, glass and handkerchief disappear and appear again one by one in a tophat
 		232
Tom Fitzgerald Hand(y) Magic
  • removing thumb and forefinger
  • the pendulum (arm swing)
  • arm control
  • stretching arm and palms up
  • hitting hand on the edge of a table, gag
 		234
Joseph H. Fries Big Money torn and restored bill with false explanation
 		239
Joseph H. Fries Physician's Rope three part rope routine
  • the mystic necktie
  • a sailor's rope
  • rope riting
 		240
Royal Vale Heath DY-Cyphering Trick method of quickly calculating five three digit numbers, second method with dice
Variations 242
Verne Chesbro Chesbro On Heath's "Dy-Cyphering" coding numbers with dice
 		244
Royal Vale Heath Take a Number from 1 to 30 number on cards, numbers in column add on
 		246
Jean Hugard Hugard's Butterflies snow storm, with paper butterlies
Related toAlso published here 247
Mark Jacobs Magnetic Spheres four rubber balls with holes stick together
 		250
Mark Jacobs A Silk Production several handkerchiefs appear from a paper tube
 		250
Dr. Howard B. Kayton The Bewitched Paper clippo with spectator, spectator fails
 		251
Gerald Kosky Dollar Bill in Lemon one half of a bill is burnt, other half found in chosen lemon
Also published here 252
Art Lyle The Rise and Fall of Paul Mall rising cigarette from packet
 		253
Greer Marechal Jr. Linking Rings four rings, and handkerchief through ring
 		254
Harry Mendoza Torn and Restored Strip of Paper thumb tip method
 		256
Robert A. Nelson Psychic Impressions Q&A
 		257
Dell O'Dell Mystic Sewing Machine paper to panties
 		259
Tom Osborne The Ring from a Rope with extra
 		261
Herb Runge Tomorrow's News headline predictions, nested in three tubes
 		263
Dr. Raymond V. Stone (RAMO) The Invisible Mischievous Genii flatten tin can
 		264
James G. Thompson Jr. Moonlight Madness with flashlight bulb attached to the performer's rear
Related to 265
Howard D. Wise Tear Supreme
275
E. D. Wolff Refund milk poured in paper cone transforms into coins and bills
 		277
Theodore Annemann The Telephone Drama name and telephone number
 		279
Theodore Annemann The Test of the Tiber
Related to 280
George E. Arrowsmith The Arrowsmith Glass Penetration objects penetrate large sheet of glass
 		283
Dr. Raymond L. Beebe Hat'n Bunny living rabbit from folded opera hat (chapeau claque)
 		286
Tom Bowyer The Color-Changing Hat and Gloves
Also published here 288
Vynn Boyar An Amusing Interlude wine visibly vanishes from glass, when it is raised to the lips
Variations 291
Joan Brandon The Flaming Punch flame from liquid, piece for a magic bar routine
 		292
Franklin M. Chapman Fountain of Silks silk production routine, with unfolding silk fountain, one-man and two-assistant version
VariationsAlso published here 293
Verne Chesbro The Silver Shower miser's dream with bucket and gimmick
 		298
Mystic Craig The Elusive Canary canary vanishes and appears in a frame
 		301
Hen Fetsch "My Best" Club Laugh beer vanishes from paper cone, multum in parvo, gag ending
 		301
Hen Fetsch "My Best" Flash Opening milk in paper cone transforms into a dove
Also published here 303
Dariel Fitzkee My Favorite Trunk Routine magicians disappears from inside a bag in a box and appears in the audience
 		305
Walter B. Gibson The Four Door Production Cabinet objects appear from a box with four doors
 		308
Hathaway The Magic Sewing Cabinet shirt is restored in a box, children trick
 		311
Sigmar K. Hofeller Magic of the Wand wand vanishes from newspaper and appears in wand cabinet
 		313
F. H. Jeudevine "Pop's" Opener ribbon is cut and becomes circle which is cut in half in two circles, clippo variation
 		314
Joe Karson Karson's A La Die Box Illusion woman appears in box
 		315
Abril Lamarque The Lamarque Rabbit Vanish rabbit appears and vanishes in a box
Also published here 316
William Larsen Fatima cane penetrates handkerchief and vice versa, handkerchief is twisted into ballerina
 		319
Sid Lorraine A "Flash" Opener flash paper bill vanish
 		320
Dick Madden "Just Raising Cane" sticks to hand and rises
 		321
Harry Mendoza Modern Crystal Coin Jar coins to crystal glass, all at once, with helper
 		324
Doc Mifflin Nite Club Teaser bra and panties on a woman change places with the cover of an umbrella, version of Hofzinser's "Mutilated Parasol"
 		325
Grady S. Nicholson Thought Projection Test named city in envelope, multiple out
 		326
Dr. Cecil E. Nixon Odloscope mind reading machine
 		328
Dolf Rudin The Secret of the Maharajah three borrowed rings vanish and appear attached to roses inside a bottle, strange
 		332
Lucille Saxon Patter for the Egg Bag
334
Dr. Raymond V. Stone (RAMO) The Escape-Ologist guinea-pig is produced from a bag, put into the bag and the bag is sealed with wax, the guinea-pig escapes
 		334
Herman L. Weber Namreh's "Electrick" handkerchief and bill are shot into a light bulb, apparatus
 		337
Bob Weill Cig to Pipe
338
William H. Wilson Watch and Nest of Boxes Without Assistent watch in present (nest of boxes)
 		339
Tommy Windsor Windsor's Egg Bag Routine routine with a lot of jokes
 		341
Michael F. Zens The M. F. Zens Magic Table And Walking Through Ribbon Illusion plans for a table
 		345
James G. Thompson Jr. Biographical Sketches of Contributors
  • Theo. Annemann
  • Charles Arbuthnot
  • George E. Arrowsmith
  • Roger Barkann
  • Sylvan Barnet
  • Joseph L. Barnett
  • Raymond L. Beebe
  • Eugene Bernstein
  • J. B. Bobo
  • John N. Booth
  • Tom Bowyer
  • Vynn Boyar
  • Joan Brandon
  • Fred Braue
  • John Braun
  • Lu Brent
  • R. C. Buff
  • Clyde F. Cairy
  • Loring Campbell
  • Jack Chanin
  • Frank Chapman
  • Forest V. Chesbro
  • Milbourne Christopher
  • Eddie Clever
  • Stanley Collins
  • Mystic Craig
  • Thomas J. Crawford
  • John J. Crimmins, JR.
  • Paul J. Curry
  • Del Monte
  • Harry Dobrin
  • Ronald B. Edwards
  • Bruce Elliot
  • Professor El-Tab
  • Dr. E. G. Ervin
  • Dr. Henry Ridgely Evans
  • Val Evans
  • "Hen" Fetsch
  • Thomas B. Fitzgerald
  • Dariel Fitzkee
  • Sid Fleischman
  • Joseph Harman Fries
  • Martin Gardner
  • Teral Garrett
  • Walter B. Gibson
  • Arnold L. Grubin
  • Nelson C. Hahne
  • Hathaway
  • Royal V. Heath
  • Charles H. Hopkins
  • Jean Hugard
  • Mark Jacobs
  • R. M. Jamison
  • F. H. Jeudevine
  • Maurice Kains
  • George G. Kaplan
  • George Karger
  • Joseph A. Karson
  • Wilbur Kattner
  • Gerald Lynton Kaufman
  • Howard B. Kayton, M.D.
  • The Great Kolar
  • Gerald Kosky
  • Abril Lamarque
  • William W. Larsen
  • Sid Lorraine
  • Art Lyle
  • L. Vosburgh Lyons
  • Richard F. Madden
  • Greer Marechal, JR.
  • George McAthy
  • William H. McCaffrey
  • Jack McMillen
  • Harry Mendoza
  • Orville Meyer
  • John W. Mifflin
  • Chester Morris
  • Paul Morris
  • Frederick Mosteller
  • Robert A. Nelson
  • C. A. George Newmann
  • Grady S. Nicholson
  • Dr. Cecil E. Nixon
  • Charles Walter Nyquist
  • Dell O'Dell
  • Tom Osborne
  • George Harrison Pittman
  • Julien J. Proskauer
  • Clayton Rawson
  • Ralph W. Read
  • Dolf Rudin
  • Herb Rungie
  • Ned Rutledge
  • James J. Sanders
  • Lucille Pierce Saxon
  • Sigmar - The Magician
  • Jerry Sorensen
  • Willard S. Smith
  • George Starke
  • Dr. Raymond V. Stone, SR. (RAMO)
  • Harlan Tarbell
  • DR. Franklin Taylor
  • J. G. Thompson, JR.
  • Jack F. Trebel
  • M. Van Reese
  • Jack Vosburgh
  • Audley Valentine Walsh
  • Peter Warlock
  • Herman L. Weber
  • Bob Weill
  • William H. Wilson
  • Tommy Windsor
  • Howard H. Wise
  • Ed. Wolff
  • Michael F. Zens
 		347
Data entered by Lorenz Schär, November 2013.