The magician is holding one card and asks a spectator to think of any card, then name it. Amazingly, the card the magician is holding is a match. Check the Details for the explanation.
Predictions
The magician first writes a card name on a small slip of paper. Without showing it, it is folded in four to quarter size and left in full view. The pack is now shown, backs and fronts, and is well spread to show that the cards are all different. One card is selected by a spectator and held up to show the audience. If required, the spectator can change their mind and choose a different card. When the final choice is decided on, the slip of paper is handed out to be unfolded and read aloud. On it is written the name of the selected card. This is a cleverly designed trick with good impact on an audience. Complete with instructions copyright L. Davenport & Co, London.
Gamblers might use loaded dice to alter the chance of a dice rolling to a certain number. This set of six dice is loaded in such a way that any number from 1 to 6 could be rolled with certainty. The loading is obvious, making the dice roll in a very suspicious way. The seventh die is not loaded.
The magician gives a dice and a box for examination requesting that the dice is hidden inside the box with the lid on top. Without opening the box, the magician is mysteriously able to tell the number on the top. Complete with instructions. The red and pink boxes in the Davenport Collection are of slightly different sizes. The Davenports advertisement for this trick, illustrated, includes sketches which give a totally false impression of the size of the box. It looks as though the box is as large as a boy’s hand. John Davenport remembers magician Ken de Courcy telling him how disappointed he was when he bought this trick as a youngster and saw how small it actually was. One of the illustrations here, from ‘The Budget’ of April 1958, allows you to read Ken’s comments in his own words.
Magicians love to divine a word chosen by a spectator from a book. This is an entertaining, simple, direct book test which is up there with the best of them. According to Richard, the miracle depends on a psychological principle known as inattentional blindness. Complete with instructions. This was a gift from Richard Wiseman in 2022.
This Demon Series trick involves a book of pocket matches, each match bearing the name of a card. The trick was invented by American magician Mihlon Clayton. The advertisement is also illustrated here. Unfortunately we have not discovered the detailed routine or the instructions. The search continues but, if you know, please contact the Curator.
The magician shows three coloured discs and asks a member of the audience to choose a colour. Whatever colour is chosen, it turns out that the magician has correctly predicted it. There is no clue as to the name, date or supplier of this trick.
Three small envelopes are given for examination each containing a visiting card, including one with a thumb print on it. The performer is able to find the selected envelope whilst they are held behind his back. The trick comes in an envelope together with instructions and a patter routine. The patter is copyright The Magical Mart. This was the company run by Oscar Oswald.
This well made leather wallet is used by magicians to help them create a range of miracles, for example finding a chosen card in a wallet. Manufacturer unknown.
Although this can be used as a normal watch, it also helps you perform an amazing trick. Tell a spectator that you are going to make a time prediction by changing the time on the watch. With the back of the watch facing the spectator, the watch is held out in the open by the strap, proving that the predicted watch time will not be tampered with or readjusted. The spectator is asked to name a time of day, to the exact minute. The watch is handed to the spectator revealing an exact match to the time named by the spectator. Created by Rob Stiff, www.MagicMakersInc.com. Complete with instructions.
Although this can be used as a normal watch, it also helps you perform an amazing trick. Tell a spectator that you are going to make a time prediction by changing the time on the watch. With the back of the watch facing the spectator, the watch is held out in the open by the strap, proving that the predicted watch time will not be tampered with or readjusted. The spectator is asked to name a time of day, to the exact minute. The watch is handed to the spectator revealing an exact match to the time named by the spectator. Created by Rob Stiff, www.MagicMakersInc.com. Complete with instructions.
This is a good example of the direct, practical magic invented by British magician Chris Wardle. The magician shows the six standard ESP cards and places them in a row. A spectator freely chooses a number from one to six. It turns out that the magician’s prediction, which has been right under the spectator’s nose all along, is correct. Complete with instructions.