Pages from dai vernon s select secrets

SELECT/ /^SECÂŤETS

ILLUSTRATE!)

A Varied Assortment Several S e l l

Working

Dai Vernon

Dai Vernon's

SELECT SECRETS (REVISED AND ENLARGED)

ILLUSTRATED

Edited By JOHN J. CRIMMINS, JR.

Second Edition

Published By

MAX HOLDEN 220 West 42nd Street. New York City Coiu right 1949 1» Ma\

Iloldcn

Contents 1. "Topping The Deck."

2.

The Royal Marriages

3.

Follow The Leader.

4.

Vernon's Automatic Gambler.

5.

Addition and Subtraction.

6.

The Little Dictators.

7.

Winged Silver.

8.

Two Impromptus by T. Nelson Downs.

(Methods 1 and 2.)

1. Fallacy of Vision 2.

Matchless Digits.

9. A Cigarette Switch.

10.

Heads or Tails.

11.

Twentieth-Century Handkerchief Trick.

12.

Snow Storm In China.

INTRODUCTION Realizing the extreme difficulty of teaching sleight-of-hand through the medium of a book, I have not at this time attempted to write about the branch of magic which is closest to my heart.

Instead I have offered for your approval, in the following pages, a few tricks which should appeal to the novice, as well as other tricks that should appeal to the advanced amateur and to the professional performer.

One item that I have included. "Topping The Deck", is an example of the type of magic that has been my speciality for many years. I would enjoy nothing better than to write a complete book upon the subject, but a work of this kind is a difficult task, and only the knowledge that a widespread interest exists could encourage me to tackle such a job.

If you arc searching for miracles you will not find them within the confines of these covers, but if you are looking for good practical every-day effects you will find, as I have, that those herein described arc just exactly that.

DAI

VERNON'S

SELECT

SECRETS

"TOPPING THE DECK" When one considers the fact that there are only about a half dozen card workers among" the vast army of amateurs and professionals who palm cards artistically, it should be an inducement to the serious student to master the art of palming.

The reason professional gamblers palm or "hold out" so much better than magicians do is that detection of the gambler's palm spells disaster to him. And as this is to be avoided at all costs, he takes particular care to give his moves the most natural appearance possible in order to prevent the slightest suspicion. Most magicians, on the other hand, consider the palm an easy move to make and arc inclined to believe that they are "getting away with it" when they are only fortunate enough to have a polite audience.

The ideal method for one person is not necessarily the best for another.

The size, the shape, the dryncss or moistness of the hand should be taken into consideration. The following method will be found suitable to the great majority of hands.

There are fundamental rules applicable to all styles of palming but these rules are very often completely ignored by most so called card experts.

Special attention to these rules is most imperative for the palming of a card becomes very apparent if they are ignored.

The most essential thing to bear in mind at all times is NATURALNESS OF ACTION. Attaining this will present no great difficulty if directions are closely followed and certain points carefully checked. You must keep these points in mind at all times if your aim is proficiency.

The first thing to learn is how to hold and conceal the card. It is NOT gripped by the second and third fingers and the palm or base of thumb for this gives a strained appearance to the back of the hand.

The card should cling to the hand. The only place where there is any grip is at the outer corner where it touches the little finger, and the diagonally opposite corner where it touches the palm at the base of the thumb. Imagine that there is a wire extending from the little finger to the opposite diagonal corner of the card and that the grip is only at both ends of the wire. (Fig. 1) If this hold is properly secured the hand can be relaxed and the fingers fluttered—yet the card will cling owing to the spring tension between the two gripped corners.