The Wizards' Journal #35

$7.00

X Marks the Spot
by Al-Quadir Marsh

This is like the Invisible Deck but without the R/S problems; you use a regular deck of cards from the Dollar Store, and the Spectator gets to handle it. Instead of just turning a freely chosen card over in the invisible deck, the spectator marks it with an invisible (but indelible) marking pen "X" on the back of his imagined chosen card. When the invisible deck is made visible, the spectator checks all the backs of the cards and the only one having a real indelible "X" mark on the back turns out to be the chosen card just as he imagined it.

$7.00

Silks From Newspaper Revisited
by Jim Gerrish

I never had much respect for the old “Silks From Newspaper” trick when I was a teen-age magician (1955-ish). It was too easy, too simple, and not challenging in the least. It was designed to produce 4 tiny silks by poking a hole in a sheet of newspaper that could be shown empty on both sides, again and again.

Now that I'm all grown up, I have given another look at the old trick and come up with some improvements that allow you to use up to ten full size (12" to 18") square or triangle silks, let a spectator help you make a hole and pluck the silks from the paper, produce a glass of wine as a partial finale, and then for the finally finale, transform the individual silks into one huge silk or multi-colored banner.

Also included are instructions for making my "Twitch Tube" for visibly transforming the silks at the end.

$7.00

Check-R TriX
by Jim Gerrish

In the late 1940's, Arturo invented a clever Checker and Rope Penetration trick that was then marketed by U.F. Grant under the name "Check-R-X." Then Grant, having lots of spare wooden checkers around to play with, came up with a variation of Hans Trunk's 1924 Blue Phantom that Grant released in 1959 under the name "Sing Toy Checkers." That later inspired him to produce a version of the three-way transposition known as the Rice, Orange and Checkers. They're all in here with more Checker effects, and all you need to get started is a 4 inch diameter hole saw for your electric drill press so you can begin cutting out checkers by the dozens from 1/2 inch thick pine wood. Get lots of glossy color spray paint also, for at least 4 colors of checkers if not more.

$7.00

Elf Portal
by Jim Gerrish

Making little wooden Fairy Doors and Elf Doors has been around for awhile, but magicians haven't yet taken advantage of the idea for their own storytelling routines. You show the kids how to make the doors and attract fairies and elves to come into their houses. The Big Head Elf, Santa Claus, has his own portable door that allows him to get into everyone's house on Christmas Eve, but if you want to communicate with the tiny worker elves here's how to go about it.

Your Tiny Elf Portal will have the Elf assigned to your house peek in and leave little presents for everyone. Included are Illusion plans for turning your little Elf doll into a live child wearing a look-alike costume if you wish. One method is for using a child who is in on the secret, and another method is for a child from the audience who dresses up as an elf, but who has no clue as to how he appears by magic.

$7.00

Lunch Box Flea Circus
by Jim Gerrish

This may be the first ever flea circus that fits inside a small tin lunch box. It is smaller than a cigar box, briefcase, and all the small suitcases and trunks currently being built or sold as flea circuses. When you find one for sale, it can cost in the hundreds and even the thousands of dollars. When you find instructions for building one yourself, it usually involves lots of electronic parts.

My goal has been to perform the most number of flea circus tricks as possible, carried and performed in a box no bigger than a standard tin lunch box, and with no need for electronics (although simple battery operated electrical devices aren’t ruled out if they are inexpensive and readily available). If you are ready to be a Ringmaster to a troupe of fleas, here's a good place to start!

$7.00

Window Wonderland
by Jim Gerrish

This effect combines Art and Magic. You begin with Magic – a spectator shuffles a deck of cards, cuts the cards, and deals the cards, finally choosing one of the cards freely and setting it aside face-down and unseen by anyone. While this is going on you are quickly making a painting on a glass window; the one shown is just an example. A snowman is easily painted on glass and you can’t make a mistake… a snowman is a snowman … whether in a drawing or out on your lawn in the wintertime. The Magic in your Art comes when a card appears on your glass window painting... face down. Is it possible? Could it be the same card freely chosen moments ago by the spectator? Of course it is, because that's the Art of Magic!

Also includes a version for those who aren't ready to paint in public - both picture and the card appears just like magic.

$7.00

Matching Mittens
by Jim Gerrish

Using cardboard cards shaped like mittens (you cut out your own), you can perform several Christmasy/Winter tricks in which you and a spectator mix up the cards and then turn them over one by one, and you match each design exactly every time. Combine this with some other Mitten Magic tricks that are included and you have a full routine built around Mittens! You use basic playing card moves, but kids don't have to remember playing card numbers and suits; instead they simply match colors and designs. Also includes my new (2017) The Three Little Kittens trick with cute kittens and vanishing and reappearing mittens.

$7.00

Bingo Games for Magicians
by Jim Gerrish

Many magicians end their party shows with supervised party games. They charge an extra fee for providing this additional service, to cover their expenses as well as the additional time they spend at the party. One way to segue into game time from the magic show, is to perform a Bingo Magic trick. You brag about how lucky you are, and to prove it, you pass out the bingo cards to the audience. One card for you to use is chosen freely by a member of the audience and put into a window envelope where it can be seen at all times. Just in case anyone thinks you are just tricky, not lucky, they can change bingo cards with you, right up until the first call is made. A few calls into the game, you shout "Bingo! I Won!" Your card is removed from the envelope and compared with the calling cards and sure enough, you won - fair and square! Or is it Magic? Meanwhile, you generously give away the gift you won to the next person to call Bingo, and then, if you wish, you can play out the games so everyone can win a consolation prize. This can be performed with 4x4 children's Bingo Cards like the ones shown, or with 5x5 regulation bingo cards. You always win first! Inexpensive sources for Bingo Cards included.

$7.00

Where Do The Duckies Go?
by Jim Gerrish

The Duck Production Tub and the Duck Vanish were invented by Servais LeRoy about 1909. William J. “Doc” Nixon attempted to claim the trick in 1919 but while he attached the name “Where Do the Ducks Go?” to it, and it spread rapidly among other stage magicians, like Theo and David Bamberg (who made improvements), and Harry Blackstone Sr., among others, the trick remained essentially the same until along came a young whippersnapper by the name of Jim Gerrish who reinvented the whole thing for a children’s effect using rubber duckies about the year 1970. These 2017 improvements just make it even better. Now it can be performed solo (with some young helpers from the audience) and everyone has fun quacking like ducks as the little yellow critters appear and disappear and no one knows from whence they come or whence they go!

$7.00

Stocks and Bonds
by Jim Gerrish

Christmas is a perfect time for a Gift of Stocks and Bonds, especially if you like to perform magic escapes. You show your great-great-great grandfather's precious Stocks and Bonds locked up in a large gift-wrapped strongbox. You demonstrate how the stocks are worn around your neck, attached to chains that are held by spectators so you can't go anyplace without your "entourage." To keep you from freeing yourself by trickery, the Bonds are placed on your wrists and your hands are thus confined... behind your back. Step 1: You are covered with a cloth momentarily, and now the Stocks are behind your back locked between the Bonds on your wrists. Step 2: Covered again and the Stocks and Bonds are now completely gone and only the chains remain linked to one another. Step 3: The empty locked strong box, which has been held by a spectator all this time, is unlocked and opened and the Stocks and Bonds are found safely inside.

Published by Imagineering Magic
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