Al Baker's Books of Magic Tricks - Book One & Two

AL BAKER’S BOOK ONE

AL BAKER’S

BOOK

ONE

ENGLISH EDITION.

COPYRIGHT.

DEMON SERIES

Messrs. L. Davenport & Co. have purchased the English

publishing rights from Mr. Al Baker of New York, U.S.A.

L. DAVENPORT & CO.,

(Incorporating Maskelyne’s Mysteries)

Manufacturers of High Class Magical Apparatus,

204, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON, W.C.1.

CONTENTS

The Pack that Cuts Itself

The One Man Lights Up Seance

A Card and a Number

Al Baker’s Pet Hat Trick

Al Baker’s Rising Cards

Feel My Pulse

The Al Baker Wrist Tie

The Impossible Card Discovery

Cards of Thought

Al Baker’s Addition Trick

Another Rope is Cut and Restored

The Finger Points

The Matchmakers

Say When

Al Baker’s Billet Mystery

Self Unknotting Handkerchief

TO MY FRIENDS, MAGIC LOVERS:

I want to dedicate this book, not to one person, but to the many friends that I have made on my travels around the United States.

For the true lover of the Art I have only sincere admiration, and it has always been a pleasure to meet and know them. Among both the professionals and amateurs are some of the finest types of men I have ever known.

Looking back over a span of years I realize the many fine points and ideas that have come from amateurs and those who didn’t profess to know it all.

Showing a trick is comparatively easy to putting it clearly in print, and I want to thank Anneman for his judicious use of the blue pencil, finding spots where I could write less and tell more, and in general, being a marvelous deleter and paraphraser.

To John Northern Hilliard, whom I consider the greatest writer on Magic as an Art, I want to extend my sincere thanks for the encouragement that caused me to start and finally finish my maiden effort, to wit: Al Baker’s Book.

AL. BAKER.

AL BAKER’S PACK THAT CUTS ITSELF.

This effect was originated by me some years ago and was carefully guarded for a long time. I performed it for such well known magicians and clever card experts as T. Nelson Down, Nate Leipsic, Horowitz, Eddie McGuire, Bill McCaffrey, Dai Vernon and Max Holden, a shadowgraphist. They all agreed that it was something entirely different and new, and excerpts from old issues of the Sphinx attest to their sincerity.

Like all good things, it became a mark for imitators to shoot at but so far they have missed by a wide margin. I therefore take great pleasure at this time in placing before you the first real description of the effect as I do it myself.

To prepare for this the performer takes a needle full of very fine black silk thread. Push the needle through the coat about three inches below the left armpit. On end of thread is a large knot or small bead which is pulled tight against inside of coat. Extend arm almost straight out and cut off thread at finger tips. This is the correct length and at this end is placed a small pellet of magician’s wax. By reaching under coat and pulling the bead down, the wax end will be pulled up against the outside of coat and thread can be carried for an indefinite period without fear of it being in the way.

Borrow a deck and ask a spectator to shuffle it and while in his hands to remove a card. He then passes the pack to another party who does the same. While this is being done, performer crosses arms for a second and right fingers grasp the wax end, and draw it out, holding wax end between the right thumb and finger. Asking for return of pack which he accepts in extended left hand, performer requests that the selected cards be shown to audience. While this is being done, performer sticks the wax to lower side of bottom card as shown in Fig 2, and then removes top card, transferring it to bottom on top of wax which is now between the two bottom cards.

Pack is now laid face down on left hand with wax at side nearest audience, the thread running down between the two middle fingers and along back of hand.

Performer now takes first person’s card in right fingers and pushes it under the deck to bottom as in Fig 3. He then cuts about two-thirds of the pack and lays on hand near wrist as in Fig 4. The front or bottom heap is now picked up and placed on top of rear pile and deck squared. To audience the deck has merely been cut and the replaced card lost. The second card is taken the same way and pushed into the lower half of deck as per Fig. 5, it striking the thread and pushing this back also. Deck is now squared again, hand opened flat as in Fig. 6, and the second party is asked first to name his card.

By slowly and steadily extending the arm, the pack will be seen to cut itself towards the audience, and if performer continues to extend arm, the portion that has cut itself will return to its original position on top of deck, leaving the selected card protruding at front. Performer then has spectator remove card.

Be repeating the same moves, the second selected card will be found in the same manner and this is also removed by spectator himself.

After the return of upper half the last time, the position of upper half will not coincide exactly with the lower. Cut pack at this spot which brings the two cards with wax between to bottom of pack. Remove bottom card and the left thumb will be resting on wax which the thumb nail pushes off, allowing thread to drop away and