Magic in mind

Michael Close

Semantic debates rage on as to whether or not
magic is an art form. Magicians like Michael

Workers series to witness a man who creates
personalized, autobiographical presentations,
original magic effects and plots, and who thinks
deeply about the potential of magic.

Magic in Mind

99

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mindworks. My angle on this approach is, as much as possible, to

else.
Triumphant approach: the trick has apparently failed, but the
magician pulls it out at the end. This has the aspect of a sucker

triumphs over apparent failure the spectators cheer his success,
even though it means that they were fooled. An example of this
found the wrong card.
Distancing approach: the magician removes himself one step
away from the action by couching the entire trick in terms of

Non-magic approach: the comedy and by-play involved in
the routine is really more important than the magic. Down for

100

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

will be of this type.

Workers series you will

climax of a routine an instant before it happened, then even
though they would be fooled they would feel some sense of

following warning: the technical requirements of the trick must
be completed before the point in time when the spectators

trick of your performance need not fall into one of the above
categories. After all, at the end of this trick you are leaving, so it

Magic in Mind

101

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in MindWe’re Back Home

the theatrical structuring of a routine, but that ran be a topic for
every point in time in a routine we ask ourselves two questions:

for anyone who is interested in presentation and showmanship.
The Collected Works of Alex

Elmsey, pages 3-14.
information will be useful as you build your own sieve.
Workers 3
1993

102

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Pit Hartling

Card Fictions proves that

new ground, has an integrated presentation, and
a smart method.

Magic in Mind

103

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in MindTo know what our spectators are thinking during a magic
effect, we must train ourselves to think like our spectators.
At the highest level, this means anticipating a spectator’s
thoughts, words, and actions before they even occur to the
spectator! It sounds more like a mentalism effect than a viable
technique, but Pit Hartling shares with us several useful
patterns of our audiences.

104

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Inducing Challenges

By Pit Hartling

pieces together again?

the performer to the test or put forth in the hope to get to see
some even more fascinating effect.

demonstrate your supposed ability to divine freely chosen cards
and now a spectator takes out her own deck, picks any card and

be clear anyway – but because these moments are dramatically

Magic in Mind

105

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Minda challenge usually generates reactions way out of proportion
apparently rules out advance preparation. Second, the performer
challenges can lead to some of the strongest moments possible

we design our performances to leave only very limited place
encourage challenges and risk not being able to meet most of
not try and prevent those challenges we cannot meet and at the
challenging us, but only with challenges we are well prepared
to meet, we will have the best of both worlds.
The interesting point is that challenges do not seem to arise

in cases where want to avoid being challenged and create them
general answer. The following are just a few observations that
might hint in the right direction.

106

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Desire

Symbolism

The “desire” principle might also apply at a more abstract,

The result is a mess. This automatically seems to create a certain

Of course, there may be independent reasons for that observation, Magic in Mind
other than some obscure “symbolism”, for example, is much

suggest using magic to put the cards in order simply because

Linking or unlinking the rings is equally impossible and takes
about the same time. Nevertheless, one state seems to triggers a

two separate rings and link them together, chances are that after
a while spectators will challenge us to take them apart again.

however, the challenge to put them back together does not arise

107

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

condition of the rings be considered the more “relaxed,” “free,”
“natural” state, while the linked condition contains an inherent

All well and good, but what does all this have to do with
of the above observations about Triumph, for example, could

Cardshark

from The Book

to happen, place the cards away immediately or do something
to prevent the challenge.

immediately after the effect secretly straighten out the deck

mess and wait for somebody to suggest you magically straighten

As an example of how to apply the concept of inducing
“Torn and Restored Transpo” from Williamson’s Wonders
are left with a selected card torn into four pieces. Again, this

Magic in Mind

108

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

truth in the theory of symbolism and my own experience is not
just a collection of mere coincidences, somebody will sooner

challenge you to remove the creases by saying: “This leaves the
claim will provoke contradiction and cause somebody to point

Past Experience

Apparently, challenges can be triggered by past experience.
Suppose during your act you make cards appear out of thin air.

One more example: During an effect you give a spectator a Magic in Mind
deck of cards to keep in his pocket and impress upon him not

retrieve the deck and continue with some other effects. A few
tricks later you hand the same spectator a deck for safekeeping,

you ask him to give you the deck near the end of this trick, he
might remember the previous conditions and refuse to give you
the cards, instead challenging you to let him count the cards

109

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mindin such a way that you can now pretend to be in major trouble
while in fact easily being able to meet the challenge.
Apart from desires, symbolism and past experience, certain
verbal structures seem to hold potential to induce challenges:

Wrong Claims

of Colour Sense
sound bold and obvious, but a few times already somebody

Emphasis

of simply having him reach inside and be surprised, you could
try to induce a challenge through emphasis as follows: Make a
duplicate travel to your pocket. Return it to the deck, steal out
pocket. This time when you say: “and once more, the card is
that word brings to mind the phrase “as opposed to somebody

110

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

suggests you make the card appear in his pocket, he will usually
have no doubt is was his own idea.

Ambiguous Communication/Apparent
Misunderstandings

Another way to make spectators request something is actually
to suggest it yourself without actually saying so. To stay with
the card-to-pocket example: After having made the card travel
to your pocket a few times, say: “And of course, it can go to any
pocket.

said anything to that effect. This allows you credibly to deny

planned anything and at the same time make your spectators

spectator will repeat his idea, explaining it even more clearly.
This will almost automatically sound like a challenge and give

things in magic, challenges are a question of balance. On the one Magic in Mind
hand the strategies must clear and bold enough actually to work
and trigger the correct challenge at least some of the time. On

111

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mindthe other hand one must avoid falling back on a sledge-hammer
that would make the procedure obvious.
And at the risk of stating the obvious, one last important point:

elaborate “presentation” or carefully scripted poetry in rhyme
and metre.

Credits and Comments

Symbolism

topic can be found in the Circular
la Magia de Madrid.” A thorough discussion is to be included in
his upcoming work The Magic Rainbow

Card Fictions
2003

112

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Eugene Burger

is tremendous, and his presence greatly affected
objectives
similar story on page 453.

Magic in Mind

113

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in MindEugene Burger gives serious consideration to his audience’s
thoughts and interests. Here he takes us on a journey that ends
with a beginning: we are taken through the steps he followed
great opening lines.

a notion also put forth by Dariel Fitzkee in Showmanship for

on page 247). I have encountered many people who, as Eugene

elaborate presentations.
Whether or not you make the same assumption Eugene does,
every performance you give must include certain assumptions
about your audience. These assumptions are predictions,
really, about how your audience will perceive you and your
material. Know what these assumptions are, and identify the
outcomes of being right…or wrong.

114

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Creating Interest

By Eugene Burger

much the same way, every exploration of an area of thought
and action, such as conjuring, begins with the assumptions and
preconceptions of the explorer.

which seem so perfectly obvious to him that he wonders

assumptions—even though it might strike some readers as being
highly unorthodox if not downright heretical. The assumption
is this: Magic tricks really are not very entertaining in and of
themselves.

really are not very interested in watching card tricks, that they
intrusion into other, more personally interesting things currently

changed places on the table may make most magicians sit up Magic in Mind

115

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mindto be seen as a bit trivial.
it explains why the performance of card tricks can so easily
generate the response of resistance and sometimes even hostility
and not entertaining, to be confronted with other people who
formal setting such as a concert or a Las Vegas show, people may
enjoy seeing other people in the spotlight, in an informal setting
these very same people often do not enjoy other people being in
the spotlight because the truth is that they, themselves, would
Doing card tricks, especially for a living, is a tricky business.

in my magic, they must perceive me as being interested in it
important.

they are also looking about the room, watching other people as

116

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

a time when they are not talking to each other, when they are
quietly looking about the room.

look at each of them in the eyes, pause, and say,

My smile broadens. They smile too. Their smile says, “yes,” but
word

There are so many other things in this room at the moment that Magic in Mind
are also reaching out for their attention—the lights, the decor,

go to the bathroom, the desire to buy a package of cigarettes,
the list of things that might be competing for their attention is
endless.

attention from other things also reaching out to them.

117

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Minda threat or as some “crazy” - remember we are in a restaurant

and manner that is more extreme, further out, and even bizarre.
in fear. Later, after the show has started, they may scream in
delight, of course, because such laughter and screams of fun
will make other patrons wonder what these people are doing
which seems to be so enjoyable.

in this restaurant, on the other hand might be very casual. The
tuxedo helps. The tuxedo makes my approach so much easier.
off the street wandering around, coming on to the patrons. My
tuxedo, my costume for my role as a magician, protects me from
many unpleasant situations which could otherwise accidentally
arise.

you must now perform the greatest card trick of the 20th century.

118

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

unfolding and proving some more—which, after a few drinks,
is usually too confusing for the spectators on the one hand, and
slows down the action on the other.

century” at this time and place is any card trick that you perform

cards each six times, etc., etc., etc.

that your hands and mouth are, so to speak, on automatic pilot
and your attention is consequently not on making sure the trick

this because you know this trick inside out; you have practiced
it and rehearsed it and you know that your performance of it
your audience.
At this moment, in this time and space “the greatest card trick
of the 20th century” is the card trick you know the best, that you
can perform very, very well, and that is itself direct, deceptive,
and surprising.

Magic in Mind

119

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mindmy promise. As far as these people are concerned, they will see
well be “the greatest card trick of the 20th century.”

they have been really fooled, then they will want to see more.
They are beginning to relax. This is fun, after all, and the truth
is that many people in bars and lounges, even those present in

magician in his tuxedo is performing his wonders for me
The psychology of the singles bar scene is quite fascinating.

in such places, meeting people is not often an easy thing to do.

their names and repeat them and use their names and, thereby,
host” in this room—whose job is not to see that the towels are

room that gets progressively more crowded with people as the

into the fresh, late evening air.

want to arrive before any of the guests. As the guests begin
were not there, would stand apart in little groupings, isolated

120

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

other groups at the party, working my wonders and bringing
these new groups of people together as well.

How to Perform Instant Magic
for learning magic”:
A. Learn how the trick is done.

the start of being great is being different, yet acceptable and
amusing. Learning how to present magic before audiences, he
says, is an individual thing and the real secret is to study and
think for yourself.

very often use the technique of the direct question—the question Magic in Mind

121

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mindasked the question of thousands of people.
Intimate Power
1983

In the next piece, Sam Sharpe wisely points out that we

think this is a blind spot for magicians, and in magic writing.
Few have discussed the topic Mr. Sharpe raises here, and he
magic is: a sophisticated audience watching a sophisticated
brand of magic.
Written in 1932, the essay’s message feels fresh and topical,
even if the writing and examples are dated (you’re about to

122

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Popularity

By S.H. Sharpe

A production which is popular with the public is always sound in
show their approval, then all the critics in the world cannot alter

pretends to despise public favour and consequently his work
remains in obscurity.

appeals to different people in different ways, some enjoying its
of pleasure from it. Then again, works of art are not produced

There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in Magic in Mind
the proportion. A man cannot tell whether Apelles or Albrecht

personage by geometrical proportions, the other by taking the
best parts out of divers faces, to make one excellent…he must

123

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mindwhich have been successful in the past — that is to say, those
which have gained public approval. A work of art which fails to
give enjoyment fails in its primary purpose.

presented to the wrong type of audience, or one in the wrong
mood, for some people prefer sensation; others, spectacle,
comedy, thought-provoking or awe inspiring entertainments.
Some seek relaxation; some, stimulation; while others are not

for the most part, are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb-
shows and noise” and must have comedy exaggerated into
horse-play, and serious presentation into melodrama, before
they can understand them.

would probably be disappointed with the programme, because,

it is unlikely that he would be in the mood for music. Another
disadvantage is for the theatre to be inaccessible, uncomfortable,

a production fails, it must be due either to the thing itself, the
presentation, the showmanship, or the audience.

Mr. Devant has stated, “One way of discovering the worth of

is at fault. The average “man in the street,” on viewing one of

124

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

prejudiced man or an ignoramus would agree with him offhand.
no more effort than is needed to enjoy the picture on a chocolate

This question of vox populi2

the public

audience is one composed of individuals of the kind to whom
the work in question is directed, it seems to me that the mass

but it is not true, because though a beginner may fail with a
good trick, an expert can never make a real success of a poor

both.”

question arises: if various kinds of production suit different

The answer is, naturally, that which appeals to the highest
a spectacular nature and capable of appreciation with little
mental effort at the lower end of the scale, and those needing
close concentration at the higher.

2. Latin phrase. “Voice of the people.” Magic in Mind
Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin
125

Magic in Mindaddition.

savouring of real magic, but if presented as “The Mysterious
Universe” and given a suitable dramatic setting according to the

faculty in the soul which seems to perceive things our physical
senses are unable to transmit to consciousness.
Of course, the deeper effects cannot be expected to appeal to the
who only seek frivolity and triviality in their entertainments and
if she be not fair to
heads almost permanently bent towards it also, how can we be

A true work of art improves with repetition, and only on this
effects presented time and time again within reason, but the
more we see of the poorer ones, the more bored we become,
this way, conjuring effects are like friends: the harder they are to
know, the more they are likely to be worth knowing.

1932

126

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

RenE Lavand

right hand in a car crash. The loss of a hand could
have been a barrier to entry into magic; instead,

moves and routines performable with only one
hand, yet this only accounts for a portion of his
singular success. Lavand has also developed
an autobiographical style in which he recounts

Argentina, he is revered as much for his stories as
he is for his magic.

Magic in Mind

127

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in MindIn this chapter we have explored strategies to help us think like
those we wish to deceive. Let’s conclude on this subject with an
essay by Argentina’s René Lavand, whose brief, poetic essay
mirrors exactly his style of performance.

128

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Spectators

By RenE Lavand

audiences in an attempt to understand how to gear myself to

range of audiences with different reactions, interminable gray

able to rationalize the subtle deceit while others enjoy allowing
themselves to be fooled.

the audiences who fall into the middle “gray” area and instead
concentrate on the spectators at one extreme: the ones that

irritated and complain about not being able to “let go of their
rationalizing,” and those who come to my show without any
other motive than to solve the puzzle.

Magic in Mind

129

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mindunarmed and have eliminated everything which might obscure
my pleasure as a spectator.
There are audiences that express challenge to the magician, as

come to enjoy the tenderness of the marionette or to discover

mention something about how to enjoy illusion: get rid of any
which will permit the performer to communicate amiably. This
posture allows you to hear his words more clearly, enabling you
effect. Try to enjoy as a child, knowing what you know as an
adult.

perform for are not doubters, but those with special expectations

excellent illusions artistically performed by an artist can last for
years.

The Mysteries of My Life
1998

130

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

PartTHREE

CATEGORIZING MAGIC

“Using words to describe
magic is like using a

screwdriver to cut roast
beef.”

—Tom Robbins

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in MindFor as long as magicians have been conjuring, authors have
tried to categorize magic tricks. They are generally of three
of a surgeon. The second has attempted to map the possibilities
with a mixture of what is possible and what we think might
be possible. The third thinks the idea of categorizing magic
we describe the anatomy of a frog or the contours of the
Mediterranean Sea.

will lead us into this discussion with what I believe to be the
believed there to be six.

132

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

The Art of Conjuring

By Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin

dexterity; second, dexterity; and third, dexterity.

The art of conjuring bases its deceptions upon manual dexterity,
mental subtleties, and the surprising results which are produced
by the sciences. The physical sciences — generally chemistry,
mathematics, and particularly mechanics, electricity, and
magnetism — supply potent weapons for the use of the magician.

studied all these sciences thoroughly, at least to have acquired
a general knowledge of them, and to be able to apply some
few of their principles as the occasion may arise. The most
indispensable requirement, however, for the successful practice
of the magic art is great neatness of manipulation combined
with special mental acuteness.

to lay in a stock of apparatus of that kind which of itself works Magic in Mind
the trick. This is what may be called the “false bottom” school of

133

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mindthat of the musician who produces a tune by turning the handle
of a barrel-organ.
Such performers will never merit the title of skilled artists and
can never hope to obtain any real success.
The art of conjuring is divided into several branches, namely:
1. Feats of Dexterity, requiring much study and persistent
practice. The hands and the tongue are the only means used for
the production of these illusions.
2. Experiments in Natural Magic
sciences, and which are worked in combination with feats of
dexterity, the combined result constituting “conjuring tricks.”
3. Mental Conjuring: A control acquired over the will of the
spectator; secret thoughts read by an ingenious system of
diagnosis and sometimes compelled to take a particular direction

4. Pretended Mesmerism
1847, Monsieur Lassaigne, the skilful conjuror, performed these

5. Mediumistic Phenomena: Spiritualism, or pretended evocation
of spirits, table turning, rapping, talking, and writing, mysterious

134

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

6. There are in addition very many tricks which cannot be

which may be described as tricks of “parlour magic,” rest either
on some double meaning, some mere ruse, or on arithmetical
combinations which involve a certain “key,” or mode of working,
but which do not require any dexterity or special cleverness.
These tricks are generally made use of by persons who desire a
ready means of exciting surprise and astonishment.

tricks, which will constitute a special chapter, under the title,
Note from Todd

Karr: As Professor Hoffmann pointed out, this chapter was not
included in the book

Les Secrets de la Magie et de la Prestidigitation
1868

Magic in Mind

135

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin

the tux, tails, and top hat attire to classic effects
the literature of magic is the following quote:
“The magician is really an actor playing the part
of a magician.”

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Next up is an essay that has fallen into disfavor in the last two

decades. In 1944, Dariel Fitzkee famously attempted to classify

all magic tricks into 19 categories. In , he went

so far as to offer a systematic method for creating new effects,

based more on lists and formulas than on critical thinking. On

the whole, fails because it treats the delicate

act of creating magic like painting by numbers.

But Fitzkee gets credit (at least from me) for his valiant effort
to compartmentalize all effects into nineteen categories,

Sharpe. I dispute how and where Fitzkee divides his list, but
you would likely dispute any list I might create as well. You
might even reject the notion that classifying effects is useful at
all.

Tom Stone (represented with his own clever writings on pg.
185) had these words for me when we discussed the inclusion
of The Trick Brain essay:

Fitzkee went wrong when he reduced all magic to

dramatic and emotional aspects from them. Why stop
at 19, by the way? If reductionism is the game, the
number could just as easily be 26, 177, or 8. Well, I

continued the reduction, it would have exposed how Magic in Mind
silly the whole idea was. At the end of any reduction

137

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mind of this kind, there will be only one single, basic effect
Now, try to use that for anything productive!
Tom is harsh in his criticism of Fitzkee’s essay (you should
read the emails I haven’t reproduced here). And his point is
well taken. But I believe Tom overlooks one important use for
lists of this kind. When I read essays like those sandwiching
solving mode. My mind races, trying to identify effects that
luckiest occasions, I come upon a useful idea. Not all the ideas

Sometimes, to create something beyond the borders of what is
thought possible, we must know exactly where those borders
are.

138

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Classification of Effects

By Dariel Fitzkee

Showmanship for Magicians

feel this to be true. Surely, in a world that produces the miracles
of modern chemistry, the impossibilities of radio and radar, the
genuine and important levitations of modern aeronautics, the
black cord elastic which pulls the vanishing handkerchief from
sight cannot be seriously considered as something profound or

triviality the world has ever witnessed. And it has had some
luscious examples, even in my relatively brief time.

become of some practical value.

that, while there are thousands of tricks, there are but few effects. Magic in Mind
A painstaking survey of a library of magic books and catalogues
139
Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

classify into a small group of basic accomplishments.

terms trick and effect.

in their interpretation of the word trick in OUR MAGIC. They
make it clear in that work that they consider trick to mean the
secret means of accomplishing a magical effect, the method, not
the feat itself.

dictionary terms. Trick usually means an individual feat of a

objects with which the effect is accomplished.

penetrations, restorations and so on.

As an example: The trick known as The Rod Through Glass or

Clear Through

the initial issue of THE SEVEN CIRCLES, is a penetration effect.

The Egg Bag is a trick effect which includes

vanishes, productions, transpositions and, in some special

Magic in Mind routines, transformations.

140

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

of The Sphinx Magic in Mind
tricks to their basic components, whereas the present purpose is

certain, as a forerunner of what is to follow in this work.

CARD EFFECTS CLASSIFIED

By T. Page Wright

1.
2. Vanish
3. Transformation
4. Manipulative
5. Memorization
6. Guessing problems
7. Transposition
8. Location and revelation
9.
10.
11.
12.
13. Naming cards
14. Discovery of number selected or moved

changes in the identity of the cards, changes of cards to other
objects or the reverse, and changes in the shape or the condition
of the card or cards.

The manipulative heading included both genuine feats of skill
and impossibilities like balancing a card on a table.

141

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in MindSeveral sub-heads appeared under the location and revelation
divisions.

and not the card category alone. At that time my list included
appearing later in this work.

ANALYSIS OF CONJURING FEATS

By S. H. Sharpe

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

a. Anti-gravity
b. Magical animation
c. Magical control
d. Matter Through Matter
e. Multi-position
f. Restoration
g.
h. Rapid germination

142

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

6. Mental phenomena
a.
b. Divination
c.
d. Telepathy or thought transference
e.
f. Memorization
g. Lightning calculations

in THE LINKING RING Magic in Mind
Sharpe outline.
143
SEVENTEEN FUNDAMENTAL EFFECTS

By Winston Freer

1.
2. Vanish
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Magnetism

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mind11. Levitation
12.
13. Restoration
14. Remote control
15. Sympathy
16.
17.

there is considerable diversity of opinion as to just what these

submitting here my own list which again is at variance with
those outlined by others.

The work of making the necessary research in order to evolve
such an outline is tremendous. Literally thousands of tricks,
from explanations in magic books to the listings in numerous
catalogues, were carefully scrutinized and weighed. After

that some distinctly different effects may have escaped the

this book.

THE NINETEEN BASIC EFFECTS

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

144

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.

with physical accomplishments, gradually change to those of
mental control and culminate in a number of divisions which

to the physical group. The next two following carry a suggestion

character.

A general explanation of the individual groups might be
advisable.

object where nothing appeared before. Something is caused
to come into view without apparent clue as to the source.

as cigarettes from the air, repeated card productions. Neither Magic in Mind

145

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Minddoes it include multiplying effects such as the billiard balls, or
rapid germination.

and multiplication are essentially repetitions of the basic effect
of production, appearance or creation, the cumulative result was
but another way of saying magical creation, which is what this

accomplishments to their lowest common denominators.

from sight by apparently unnatural means.

Obviously, this is the reverse of production. The reverse of
research disclosed very few tricks in this category.
Viewing multiplication from the position of its reverse, multiple
vanish, which is simply a series of vanishes, makes the decision
more valid.

location of a person or an object from one place to another.
This effect has to do with a change in position. The object
might vanish from the hand and reappear upon a nearby
table. Or it might change place from one cylinder to another.

Reasoning basically, of course, the effect actually is a combination

146

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

audience views this as a single effect. To the spectator, the basis
would be movement.

changes identity, color, size, shape, character, etc.

manner similar to transposition, this division is allied with
change relates to appearance or character, not to position, as is
true of transposition.

person or object or thing penetrates the solid matter of
another person, object or thing.

The penetration, of course, is made apparently without altering
the penetrated subject which should show no place for passage.
The penetration may be partial or complete.

wholly or partially destroyed and subsequently restored to
its original condition.

The restored object may or may not carry an identifying mark
placed upon it prior to destruction.

mysteriously endowed with movement.

This is the apparent self movement or supernatural movement Magic in Mind
of an insensate object. Many of the pseudo spiritualistic tricks
belong in this category. The animation may be done under 147

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

Magic in Mindconditions which would insulate the object from outside
assistance. Or the insulation may be dispensed with. The
animation may be in the form of visible movement or it may be
in the form of a result of unseen movement.

contrary to the laws of gravity.

Actually this effect comes very close in its external appearance
to the following effect. Attraction, where magnetic suspension

the subject would seem to be suspended by some magnetic-like

A suggestion was made that this section be broadened to include

broad, as the entire repertoire of magic would, or could, come
under this heading.

power the magician becomes, or causes something or someone
else to become endowed with a power resembling magnetism.

This may be a general power of attraction without discrimination
as to person or thing. Or it may be selective, being only effective

148

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin