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The final volume of Mark's Collected Card Magic series builds on the previous three volumes and finishes strongly with 10 excellent varied effects for close up, stand up and mentalism.
Impossible - a really baffling routine in which two selected cards lost in the centre of two separate decks, magically swap places while the packs are still in their boxes. No re-set, this can be done in walkabout or in a close up/parlour show.
The Invisible Deck Routine - Mark's classic take on the well known plot, but in which no real deck is ever used. A spectator selects any card from an 'invisible' pack, and drops it into an examined, empty envelope which they initial. Moments later, a real card matching the selection is slid from the very same envelope. Designed for use in a stand up show.
The Caught Card - three cards, a court card and two indifferent ones, all with a hole punched in one end, are examined and threaded onto a piece of ribbon with the court card trapped between the two others. The cards are spread to show they are genuinely threaded on. Despite this, with a pull the court card visibly penetrates off the ribbon and everything can be examined again.
Virus Card - lovely multi-phase routine which is perfect for a one off close up show performance. A blank faced 'virus' card behaves strangely when mixed with the other regular cards, until eventually it turns every single card blank, and all the card faces are shown to have collected together on the virus card.
The Cut And Restored Card - any card is freely chosen and sealed inside a small pay envelope which can openly be shown on all sides. Taking a pair of scissors, the performer cuts across the width of the envelope, yet when the end of the envelope is cut away, the card is slid unharmed from inside, leaving the envelope itself still in two severed pieces. A simple yet very puzzling effect with a highly practical, clever method.
Card In Mind - here's a baffling mental themed effect for a close up/parlour show setting. A spectator shuffles a deck which is boxed and left in view. A second spectator writes the names of any playing card (genuine free choice) on a small square of paper which is folded and his initials placed on it before being left in view. The performer attempts to read the spectator's mind and writes a card name on a second piece of paper, and also a number from 1-52. When the spectator's card choice is revealed, the magician's prediction is shown to be correct, and the number the magician also wrote is counted down to in the shuffled deck, and it proves to land on the very card merely thought of by the spectator.
Colour Confusion - this is a practical up-in-the-hands colour changing deck routine for walkabout performers. A blue deck is shown and one blue backed card is freely touched by a spectator. The value is shown and the card shuffled back into the deck. With a snap of the fingers, the deck is spread face down once more to reveal that instantly every single card back, except one, has changed from blue to red. And the only blue backed card left is found to be the selection.
Horoscope - in this easy to do strolling mental effect, you appear to be able to ascertain the star sign of a spectator. This routine was designed with a female audience in mind, and if performed correctly it gives the impression that you are able to work out a person's Zodiac sign, just by looking at them.
Instant Card Flight - a signed card is slipped into a small pay envelope that has a square hole cut right through its centre. The balance of the deck is placed on the table and covered by a spectator's hand. Holding up the envelope, with the card in view through the hole, the performer passes his hand in front of it, and instantly the card is seen to vanish. The envelope can be torn up, proving it is empty, and when the deck is spread the signed card is found reversed in its centre. This routine is designed for a one off close up performance.
Breakout - one of Mark's all time favourite routines to perform when strolling, this easy to do effect is a riot of fun if presented properly. Since the presentation is so much part of this trick's strength, the full patter exactly as I use it is provided. In essence, a spectator becomes a magician and a selected card, which is shuffled back into the deck, then boxed and wrapped in a handkerchief, is caused by the spectator to penetrate out of the sealed box and arrive loose on the outside of the case. Real worker magic.
1st edition 2018, 64 pages.
word count: 18238 which is equivalent to 72 standard pages of text
