FEBRUARY 1936

Price 25 cents - 5 issues Si.00 Foreign l/- 5 issues 4/- postpaid

array of writers which should make any magazine

V ery foolish are the magi who do tricks in
front of cameras. And it is a weak alibi that
they 'didn't know it was a fast one.1 You can't
a success. More power to it.

beat a lens that will catch a bullet in flight

and there is no sense trying. Dave Allison tried
it with the bird cage and Russ Walsh with, his
A nother bit of publishing made its appearance
during the month entitled 'The Linx'. Mo price
was given and no publisher's name attached although
golf' stick to handkerchief and both of these men it wasn't necessary really because all writers in
present their effects in a manner far above aver- the magical field are too well typed to be mistak-
age. Mr. Walsh13 position in the world of magic en. This extremely unpresuming sheet will hence-
is such that no one can suspect him of exposing forth (according to the modest editor) make a prac-
deliberately. Therefore it was ignorance of the tice of revealing the merciless truth about every-
lens1 speed or a gamble which lost. Mr. Allison's thing except good tricks. Don't fail to obtain a
explanation has been that a fast camera was used copy (if only for your magical library) from any
and promised deletions were not made. But no matter of those upon whose shoulders has been shifted the
what the excuses are up to now, the lesson is not liability of sending copies through the mail. My
to attempt sleight of hand tricks before cameras. own little personal giggle is because the half-mad
Do something in which the working is mechanical writer can spend time and money to publish poorly
and hidden if you work before any lens. laid out leaflets while his very sincere subscrib-
ers to other publications have to whistle for
their due. I sympathize deeply as it must be a
U . P. Grant's Magic Eye is a clever adaptation
of modern science. As is usual with Grant ef-
fects, a number of variable tricks have been fig-
great comedown when one has to publish his writ-
ings free and anonymously in order to get them
read.
ured out and the magical hobbyist who likes to
have something set in his home for the mystifica-
tion of his guests will be more than happy when
he can U3e this photo electrical principle to per-
form any number of weird and varied tests.
H ere is a happy thought from across the seas.
Clement de Lion postcards me from France with
a pretty Improvement on forcing with a single
die. In my book on forcing I included the idea
of forcing a card in a row of four where it can
R esponding to a number of inqueries at once I
can state that I will have no books published
in the near future. It is not my idea of being
be counted as two or three, ana five or six. I
suggested rolling again if the ace or four showed
with the remark that to show different numbers
exactly fair to accept material from others for would turn up was the reason. This long distance
Hie Jinx, and then publish effects of my own in a improvement is not to make any excuse when the
separate book or manuscript, As long as The Jinx ace or four turns up but merely say, "We will
is received favorably by magi at large, any and use the hidden number. Please lift it up and see
all material I may have to release will be found what is on the underside." It has to be a five
among its pages. or a three! Thanks a lot, M. de Lion.

H ating, apologies as I do makes this doubly hard

to write. The Winter Extra has been delayed,
not because I was spending time and money writing
I 'll do my best to have an 'improvement' sheet
in the next Jinx. Many letters have come in
during the past year with added touches for the
and publishing sour notes on a worn out piano, but various tricks within these pages, and I have
because I left New York just before Christmas with, selected the best of them to pass on to you. And
a night club revue on tour and have been jumping after that I'll have a set of suggested programs
steadily since that date. In between packing, un- of different types and for different conditions,
packing, and working four shows a night, not to the tricks for which have all appeared in The
speak of the time lost in traveling, I've kept all Jinx since its inception.
mail answered and gotten out one Jinx and one of
the Jordan Series. The Extra has been slowly fin-
ished and it is with a sigh of relief that it fin-
ally leaves my hands. I promise not to get caught D o you use my Psychic V/riting effect which I
marketed a number of years ago and which has
appeared in several books since? If so try this
for time again. variation. Show and number the four sides of the
two cards. Fasten them together with a paper
P ercy Abbott's new magazine 'The Tops' has turn-
ed out to be a worthwhile contribution to magic.
The first issue had good tricks, many ads, and an
clip and have a question written or row of fig-
urea put down on the outside of one of them. Now
let them be opened and the answer to the problem
Page 91
or question is found Inside and all may be kept. [CIGARETTES IN THE DARK. (Annemann) (
Use the old Hardin Divination of the Nile princ-
iple for the figures and either plant a question
or use the answer 'Next year' which will cover
just too many questions to be believed.
O ld Gold having started the idea of trying cig-
arettes blindfolded, there were many effects
and methods based on this theme. In my notebook
has been an idea for the presentation and working
G o over this carefully. Robert Parrish has sent
me a most logical solution to the second half
of the question oropounded in Jinx No. 7 for April
of such an effect, and to me, it was about the
simplest of all.
1935. Vfhen the deck is Sropped inside of the
tambourine, it is allowed to slide over to the
left side where it is grasped by the thumb and
B ringing forth about four packs of cigarettes,
the performer has them opened and dumped into
a hat or bowl of good size. This is placed on a
first finger of that hand (other finger on the table or stand close by and now the performer is
outside of tambourine). The affair is held some blindfolded securely. The committee of one who
distance from body by left hand, as it is slowly has done the blindfolding has been given a pack-
turned vertically, but a.c the right hand is age of matches and stands by as the performer
plunged through it, the tawbourine is naturally reaches into the hat, draws a cigarette and puts
brought back to the body and in an instant thumb it in his mouth. The spectator lights it, the
and first finger thrust deck into right coat poc- performer takes a puff and names the make. Toss-
ket. The tambourine is at once nulled off right ing this away another is drawn and the test re-
arm and tossed aside empty! It is well to have peated. It should be done three times and that
a rubber band around pack. The partly broken pa- is enough in this case. Each time the spectator
per conceals the deck at all times. It's verifies the make as called.
nice to know that back numbers of this sheet are
being thoroughly gone over.
F or working this only the simplest preparation
is made. A cigarette dropper on the market
A nd now comes one for the 'fanners' of the
card brigade. Ben Badley forwarded this from
St. Louis. Mr. Badley disregards the various and
now is most suited for it although I had another
in mind at the time I thought of it. It will hold
ten cigarettes and drop them without fail and
sundry powders on the market for making cards without jamming. Have it under right side of your
fan and slip easily. His formula, if it may be coat and load with three brands in a known order.
called such is to use a cake of Colgate's Float- First have the three or four packages dropped in
ing Soap (White Toilet). Most of the hotels are hat. Then be blinded. Your hand drops to side as
carrying this now in the usual small cakes which you step to hat which is near your side, and you
are just right in size. Otherwise get a large get the first cigarette from dropper which you
bar and cut it into four or five pieces. As a apparently pick out of the hat. The same thing
pad use a folded newspaper. Do one card at a time, happens each time and you get the cigarette from
rubbing it back and front six or eight times, dropper as you lean a little forward for the
working from the center of card. Use soap like a spectator to take burning cigarette from your
crayon and with a circular motion, not touching mouth to check after naming it. I've tried this
it with your fingers after applying and not let- out and know it to be effective as well as simple.
ting it get wet. Use a soft cloth to remove all
lumps and bits of soap, but do this lightly. This
deck will fan under all conditions, and through
much experimenting and many trials, this partic-
ular brand of soap has been found to be the best.
his is a free ad in a way but it can't be help-
T ed. In the current Sphinx is a full page bit
of copy offering an 'Encyclopedia of Self Working
Card Tricks.1 There are 54-0 modern card miracles | THE SPECTATOR'S CHOICE. (Stewart Judah) |
according to the wording and after carefully go-
ing over it all, it seema to me that the compiler,
Dr. Von Deusen, has certainly figured a way to
make money by job lotting off at a fair figure,
the manuscripts and secrets he has collected.
I realize now how so many tricks are printed and
then passed up by magi until they actually see
them performed. On paper the following effect
didn't seem very strong to me, but after holding
Evidently he has satisfied himself that no one of it for a time I had the good fortune of seeing
the many, many originators will take off for his it done. Then I came to, and started doing it my-
domain and create a disturbance, which, to me, is self to get the angles before I used it in these
optimism plus. I can remember when Joe Ovette put pages. It is a cute impromptu effect which can
an ad in the same paper one time and offered, for be done at any moment and should find favor with
seven dollars in cash, about twenty-five (or per- not a few.
haps fifty) dollars vrorth of secrets as adver-
tised in the three foremost magical papers -- take
your pick. Dr. VfHson cut it immediately after
with an apology and some subtly rough wordage.
After all, it is a matter of piracy on the high
D eal out six heaps of five cards each face down.
The spectator now picks out any two cards from
the rest of the deck and places them on the top
seas of Maglcdom and although you'll get good val- of any two of the heaps. He then writes down the
ue if you want to spend the money (provided you names of the two cards on a piece of paper which
haven't bought most of them before by themselves is placed on the table writing side down. As he
and In books) you can sit back and concentrate is doinp. the writing you gather up the six heans
upon the thought that the ones who worked out the so that two of the five card heaps go on each of
tricks are receiving only silent applause. Mr. the six card heaps.
Von Deusen is to be complimented unon finding a
medium through which he can market his wares to
the wareless. R emarkinr that you will select two cards from
those picked up, you run through them and note
the sixth and twenty-second cards from the face
o far this bit of monthly magicacity has not of the pile, "'riting the names of these two on
S been put 'in a position where the acceptance
of advertisements was a necessity to publication.
another paper you nlace it writing side down on
the opposite side of table. Now deal out the cards
When that day dawns we expect to fold up through in too*face down heaps, one card at a time and be-
mediocrity. If we step on toes it is only because ginning at your left and alternating. The heap
of a preponderance of such. '.Vith the circulation on your left now contains the spectator's cards,
as it now stands we know that The Jinx has the and the ri«ht hand has your cards. Tell the spec-
fundamentals of a good policy at least, and we in- tator he is to choose either your pair of cards
tend keeping it so or bow extremely low in defeat. or his which will be finally left on the table.
If he names his discard the right l^and packet,
and picking up the left pile deal out tho cards
Page 92
 Blot Out Your
Dull Evenings
—ENGAGE—

"The Modern Magician"

A Sensation at the World's Fair for your next Concert, Banquet, Party,
TROUBLE OFFICE Club or Lodge Meeting, etc.
Before plajing numbers, see him. His work is entirely different
from the so-called medium or fortune teller. He does not do im- +
possible things, like raising the dead or curing the blind. He has FOR RESERVATIONS. WHITE OR PHONE
brought back from his 18 y a r s ' association in India a secret which •
the great human minds in America have not yet found, in regard ,>!
to domestic and love affairs. Get relief from a dissatisfied mind j
STAN. TURNBULL
from the unseen power. He has helped thousands in Columbus... ji 41 REDWOOD AVENUE
Why not you? Domestic and love affairs are his specialty. Con- ]-1 HAgrave 1318 *«»-io3 Toronto 8
sultation, $1.00. Hours 10 n. m. to 9 p. m, including Sunday. A
116 EAST STATE ST. H

TRANS-CONTINENTAL TOUR
UNDER REDPATH MANAGEMENT
Phone

MALY
TKc Trictey Trickster
INtervale 9-0225

PRESENTING
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FOR YOUR NEXT ENTERTAINMENT

MAGICIAN

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MAGICIAN AND ENTERTAINER

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NEARLY TBM YEARS EXPERIENCE ADDRESS

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AND CLUBS <*%&< *"** ELDORADO. NEBR.
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La £ 8 *
s P S
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r~ S S.

t I3 si
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THAT ENTERTAINING MAGICIAN
PRESENTING
A Refined Program of Modern Mysteries
Now booking enrertainmi ! for (.l.ilti, church societies, and private
Enrerrafnm » For pariicuiars addresi

114 Huntington St., New Brunswick, N. J.

•3 Orders Taken for Genuine pre-War Scotch or R> e, $3.85
per Quart—for Magical Purposes Only
&
53
("DOC") W. S. BATES
FREMONT, OHIO
S S P
I Do a Little Magic BADLEY *
I. B. M. 1632
THE MAGICIAN ROSS BERTRAM
O D
Cable Address, Slicker U . S. A.
All Codes Used
m • A• THE MAGICAL PUNSTER

When you play with BIOYOLE you hold OOOB PLAYINQ OARDS 115 Concord Avenue LO. 2281

PHONE D. 4050

O&icycle -the
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Page 94
 in the same manner, each tine discarding the right learn to talk and when.
hand packet. Continue this until only two cards,
remain on your left and these will be the ones Editor's note: This is an excellent trick for
spectator wrote down. anyone and by a fellow who is raui-Uv corainr up
in night club entertaining. I can't do many"
S hould he want your two cards to remain, discard
the left hand heap and go through the sane pro-
cedure, except that in this case you discard the
sleights (if any) but this is simple because it
uses only the simplest thimble steal. "i.Tiat makes
it good is that there is no vanish and it serves
left hand pile throughout until you have but two as an admirable Interlude on any program.
cards left which are the ones you wrote down.

B eginning this, emphasize that free choice is

given. If he points to the slip which contains
the names of his cards and points to the heap
containing yours tell him that the two cards as
on the slip will be the ones left behind and that
he chooses to discard the right heap, so all
through the effect you will discard the cards
that go to the right. No matter how his choice
goes you have him beaten, I A HOVEL GLASS THRU HAT. (Alvin 0. Thompson) |

A n unprepared glass tumbler is shown and in

it is placed a red silk handkerchief. This
is put on the table and a sheet of paper is next
placed over the glass so that its shape is seen
at all times. A borrowed hat is placed on top of
the covered glass and by holding it at the sides
the performer pushes it down and the glass and
contents pass through the crown into the hat!

I FINGER EXERCISE! (Otis Manning) I

O n the inside of the paper used to cover the
glass Is glued a piece of red silk by one
corner. At this point on the outside of pacer is
T his is really a good finger exercise as well
as effect. The magician patters alonr the
line that many peonle ask him Just how he goes
made a slit so that without trouble the piece
of silk may be pulled into view. It isn't at all
about to keep his finders so nimble. In answer necessary to cover this bit of silk on the inside
of paper but it should be done if you want to
to this much asked question he will show them his show both sides of the paper at the start. How-
flnscer exercise. Two thimbles are shown. One is ever, there shouldn't be any suspicion attached
red and on the right index finger and the other to the paper by anyone so this detail is up to
Is blue and on the middle finger of same hand. you.
The hand is given a slight wave and the red one
is seen to have jumped over the blue and is now
on the fourth finger. The fingers of the left
hand take it off and put It back on the index S howing the glass, the red silk is placed in it.
Uow cover it with the paper and press it down
all around so that the paper takes on the shape
finger but on waving the hand again, the thimble
jumps back to the fourth as before. of the glass. Keep this paper covered glass in
the right hand as you take the hat and for a sec-
ond put the parcel into the hat with the remark,
R epeating this once or twice again the magus
says that the hardest thing to do is make
both thimbles change places. Waving the hand the
"My intention is to pas the glass through the
crown of the hat." This move allows you to drop
blue is now on index finger and the red one on the glass and the paper retaining its shape is
the middle finger. This is repeated a time or immediately withdrawn as you continue. "However,
two and for a finish, when working close enough, most of you v/ould no doubt like to see it as it
the spectator closest may remove the two thimbles happens. At this point put hat on table and pre-
and try it for himself. tend to make a hole in Dauer and draw out tit>
of red silk. "The glass itself could not do this
if it weren't for the rec1 handkerchief which
U se three thimbles for this. Two reds and one
blue. The extra red is thumb mimed to atart
while the other la on index finder and the blue
actually "oes through first and clears a passage
for the tumbler." Tuck the tip of silk back
into paper, and holding the glass (?) on table
is on middle finger. It should be unnecessary with right hand pick up hat and bring over the
to say that the back of hand is kept towards aud- top of it. Let go of the glass and with both
ience. The hand is held, fingers outstretched, hands on hat brim push it down. The paper is
and then the fourth and little fingers curl in, crushed and immediately you lift the" glass with
the fourth finger going into thumb palmed red silk inside from hat. Place this aside, return
thimble. Wave hand and at the same time onen the hat quickly, and as you atep back to your
the fourth and little fingers thumb palming the table for the next trick carelesalv ball up the
Index red thimble. This is done under cover of paper and toss It aside out of the"way. The en-
a sleight wave of the hand. Put red thimble back tire effect should be done smartly with little
on the index finger and you are all set to repeat. stalling so your climax is reached as quickly
Do it about three times. The last time red thimble and surprisingly as nossible.
is put back on index finger the fourth finger
of the left hand goes Into the thumb palmed thim-
ble (red) and steals it away. It may be dropped
into left coat pocket during the last part of
this effect.

D escribing this last part will be rather hard

so try it with thimbles on your fingers. First
thumb palm the one on your Index finger. Then Tlie Jinx is an independent mon-
with aid of thumb and fourth finger, the thimble thly for magicians published by
on middle finger Is lifted off and put on index Theo. Annemann of Waverly, M.Y.. ,
finger. The middle finger now goes into thumb U.S.A. Ib can be obtained direct
palmed thimble. Repeat this several times to the or through any magical depot for
finish. The idea of letting a spectator remove
the thimbles is to prove him wrong should he have 25 cents a copy, and by subscrip-
been thinking you had three thimbles. However, tion is $1 for 5 issues postpaid
never mention using two thimbles as it is sure to any address in the world.
death. The first thing a magician should do is
Page 95
 I THE ORIGION AMD HISTORY OF THE TORN DECK TRICK. (Julian J. Froakauer)

E ditor's note: Mr. Proskauer kindly presented this effect to Jinx read-
ers and I have not taken the liberty of changing the wording of hia in-
structions.
»«SBHKHHHHHHHHHHf*»###

M odern ownership of magical effects is

tor really does invent something new,
a magician announces "This is an original
always in doubt unless its crea-
novel and different. Whenever
effect," in keeping with other
magicians who have a fairly large magical library, I smile skeptically.

O ne magician may make the pass; another magician with a clever shuffle
achieves the same effect of bringing a card to the top or bottom of a
pack. It doesn't make any difference what method is used-it's the effect
on the audience that counts, with which little lecture, we will proceed to
the cause of this article:-
ore years ago than I like to remember, I "invented" an "original" me-
M thod of "Sawing a Deck in Half." It was at the time that "Sawing a Wo-
man in Half" was in vogue. Here it is:-
BFFECT: ii.n unopened pack of cards is handed to someone in the audience.
The seal is broken and cards are shuffled, l.iagician takes pack back, and
has card freely selected by anyone in the audience. Card is replaced in
pack. laagician goes back to stage, llagician then takes saw and cuts pack
in half. Magician takes one half of cut pack in hand, and asks someone in
audience to cry ''stop" at any desired place. Magician pulls cards out of
pack throwing them on floor until someone crys stop". Card on which he
stops is placed on table. He now takes other half of deck and repeats the
"cry stop" effect. He then shows the two pieces and holds them together.
They fit! It is the previously selected card]

METHOD: As selected card is returned to pack, pass it to the top. That's

all there is to the trick - nothing more. The rest is simply showmanship
and presentation, ^s the "half-cards" are being thrown to floor, obviously
you are "second dealing," always retaining the top half card.

w e now skip a few years. "Sawing a Woman in Half" is not ao prominent

now in the minds of non-magical people. But the above described effect
is just as good as it was many years ago. "Torn and Restored Cards," "Card
in a Box," "Card in an Egg," "Card in a Cigarette," and other effects are
in vogue. So let's bring our trick up to 1929:-
METHOD: After a card is selected by someone in the audience,with a flour-
ish a pencil is handed to an unknown assistant with instructions to "Write
your name on this card. That's to identify it later." The magician now
goes through the same type of presentation as above, but instead of using
a saw (it always was difficult to saw a pack of cards in half - the paste-
boards slipped) he states that he has been reading "Physical Culture" mag-
azine lately, and by eating the raw meat and vegetables prescribed therein
can easily tear a pack in half. The balance of the effect is the same.

S till another method, and one I used Jan. 20, 1936 at an entertainment
where Al Baker and I were the only magicians, is this. After the card
has been selected, returned to the deck, and passed to the top, I cut the
deck in half. Placing the halves at opposite ends of the table,I offer the
spectator his choice of either pack. Of course, this is "magician's choice"
and the correct half forced. I give the assistant one half and retain the
half with the selected card on top. I now say to the assistant "do as I
do." With that, I tear up my part of the pack! This brings a good laugh
for usually the assistant "stalls." If he does tear his half in half,it's
still a good thing for I pick up all his pieces, and the pieces from my
half, and "mix them." This confuses the issue. Go back to the original cry
stop idea and you have performed a 'miracle.' Incidentally, for you weaker
magicians (like me) to whom tearing an entire deck is hard work (or an al-
most impossible task) this method where you tear only half the deck is a
swell idea.

A bout three or four years ago at an S.A.M. show a magician did a "Tear-
ing a Pack" effect something like the one described herein. Quite hon-
estly he thought it was original - his method probably is. I don't know to
this day the method by which he achieves his effect - but I do know the
effect on the audience is the same as the above described effect which I
first did about eighteen years ago - and to which I lay no claim for orig-
inality except for the patter and presentation. This trick was first des-
cribed, to my knowledge, about seventy-five years ago, but it might have
been used long before that.

T his is a good effect, and I am glad that the Editor of The Jinx(who had
heard that it was my "original creation") asked me to describe it in
print for the readers of The Jinx. I disclaim any originality of the exact
effect, but I do claim full credit for having been the first to bring it
to light in the last several years.

Page 96