Rising Card Effects are designated in the magician's vocabulary as "beautiful" effects. This means that these effects are especially clever and effective. And, indeed, they are.

I do not know who first performed the rising of a card from the pack, but whoever he was, he certainly had a brilliant idea. It has stood the test of many, many years and many, many audiences and proved to be of real Magical value.

Thurston, the big spectacular magician, has made the rising card effect one of the feature tricks of his show for many years. Other magicians the world over, wherever playing cards are used, have put rising card experiments on their programs.

There have been many methods used in accomplishing the effect -- some very simple to perform, others very complicated. Many performers have exercised their ingenuity on rising card problems so that interesting variations of the effect have been brought forth. Some of these require apparatus which costs hundreds of dollars.

In presenting various rising card methods to you in this course, the idea has been constantly before me to give you those methods which are practical, which require only a medium amount of skill and yet are excellent in effect, and, above all, to present them to you in such manner as to enable you to make up the apparatus easily and with almost no cost.

I give you three good methods in this lesson. Varying conditions under which you perform require different methods of working and it is well to be prepared for any occasion. However, you will, no doubt, favor one of the methods over the others and find greater delight in performing the effect by this method. If experience teaches you that you are most successful in presenting this method, you can then make this your feature rising card effect.

1. CARDINI'S RISING CARDS

This effect was shown to me by Cardini. It is worked on the elaboration of an old principle in Card Magic which has been sold in crude form in circuses, carnivals, dime museums. street corners, and where not. It has commonly been called the "Jumping Card." In the crude method a rubber band was fastened to two cards in a deck and another card was placed between them, forcing down the rubber band. The card was held in place with the fingers. When it was released, the rubber band contracted and forced the card out of the deck, causing it to jump up into the air.

This method of Cardini is worked out to a nicety and is excellent for presentation in Club, Parlor or Stage work.

EFFECT:

Five cards are selected by spectators, remembered, and returned to the deck. Magician holds deck in left hand. He commands and the selected cards rise one at a time up out of the deck, until at the end the last two cards rise together. This gives the performer an opportunity to get in some comedy patter. After the cards have risen, the deck may be given to spectators for examination.

PARAPHERNALIA:

1 -- A deck of cards.

2 -- Two specially prepared cards.

SECRET AND PATTER:

To Prepare:

Take an elastic band, about Size 18 as manufactured by Eberhard Faber and sold at any book or stationery store. Cut off one end of the rubber band. Be sure to use fresh rubbers and test them to see that they do not break easily.

Take the King of Clubs and the Queen of Diamonds from an extra deck. Cut a small hole in the upper part of each card. Through the hole in the King push one end of the rubber band. Pull it through until about an inch and a half of band from hole to curve in band is left on face side of card. Figure 1.

Figure 2 shows arrangement of rubber band on face of King. Now with a wire clamping machine, such as is used in offices to fasten papers together, clamp a staple across the rubber so that it fastens it securely on both sides of card.

Now take the Queen and push the other end of rubber band through hole in this card from the back through to the front. King and Queen should face in same direction and should not face each other. Treat the rubber band similarly as you did with the King.

Figure 3 shows how the two cards look with rubber band hanging down between them and ends clamped to the cards.

Experimentation will teach you how tight and how long you will want the rubber band to get the proper rising of the cards. I have found the most satisfactory length of the band to be about two and a quarter inches when it is held straight out between the cards. Figure 4.

To complete the band arrangement, cut the extra length of the bands from the two ends, allowing about a quarter of an inch to hang down beyond staples. You cut these ends from the back of the King and the face of the Queen.

If a wire stapling machine is not handy for your use, push the band through the King in the same manner as described above and sew it to the King with needle and thread. Then spread glue over the back of the card and on the rubber band and place another card over it. The two cards should be carefully glued together as one.

Now take any indifferent card and push the rubber through it as you did with the Queen in arrangement above. Sew band to this card. Spread glue well over the face of it and over end of rubber band. Place the Queen on this card, facing outward. Press cards together well to look like one card with band securely held.

The resulting arrangement looks just like that described above and shown in Figure 3.

Have prepared cards in center of deck, stapled ends nearest you. On "Top" of deck place a duplicate King of Clubs and Queen of Diamonds.

To Perform:

Insert little finger of left hand under the Queen of the prepared cards. Perform the PASS, thus bringing the

King and Queen from "Top" of deck to the center and the faked King and Queen to the bottom of deck. Make the JOG in preparation for forcing.

FORCE the King of Clubs on one spectator and the Queen of Diamonds on another.

Allow three more spectators free choice of a card each.

Perform the PASS again, bringing the prepared King and Queen on the "Bottom" to the center of deck. Reverse deck so that stapled ends are toward audience. Cover end of cards with right fingers to prevent audience from seeing the space between prepared cards.

Collect cards one at a time in reverse order from which they were selected, that is, the last one first and the King and Queen last. As you collect each card, you return it to the deck in this manner:

Hold deck with A end upward, cards facing audience. Take card from spectator with right hand and place it in deck, between the two prepared cards. Figure 5.

Push card down with right fingers. This, of course, forces the rubber band down between the two prepared cards and is around D edge of the selected card. Figure 6.

Collect the next card and place it in deck on "top" of card just placed there. You will have no difficulty in finding this place in the deck. Then collect the third selected card and place on "top" of second, and finally collect the Queen and the King and place them on "top" of the other selected cards. All five selected cards are now between the two prepared cards. Figure 7.

Hold pack of cards firmly gripped in left hand with forefinger over top edge to keep selected cards from being pushed out.

"Some time ago I discovered something peculiar about the relationship between cards and people. It seems that when a card is held for a few moments by a spectator, it absorbs a certain magnetism which causes it either to get lighter or to separate itself from the others by the power of friction. For instance, here is one rising up now and separating itself from the others."

Hold deck as in Figure 8. Have little finger at bottom of deck to keep cards under influence of rubber band from coming out at bottom. Grip deck on one side with thumb and other side with fingers of left hand.

Gradually release your pressure on deck. This causes the rubber band to force the selected cards upward. Allow all five selected cards to rise up as one card. As cards are held squarely with faces toward audience, spectators are not aware that there are really five cards before them rising up out of the deck instead of one.

Permit cards to rise up just a little beyond half their length. Now study this move carefully, in which you remove the front card without letting audience suspect that there are other cards behind it.

Grasp upper edge of front card with first finger and thumb of right hand. Place left forefinger on upper edge of four cards in rear. Pull top edge of first card forward a little and pull it up with right hand. As you do this push the rear cards down into deck with left forefinger. Be sure little finger of left hand holds bottom of deck securely. Figures 9 and 10.

As you remove card from deck, call it by name: "The Three of Clubs" (or whatever card it may be).

Drop card on table or place it on front of deck.

Release pressure of fingers again and let the next card rise with the other three behind it. Remove the front card and push down the rear three as before. Call the card.

"The Ace of Spades" (or whatever card it may be).

Allow next card to rise with the other two behind it. Remove this card and force other two back into deck. Call card.

"The Ten of Hearts" (or whatever card it may be).

Now reverse deck. Release pressure again. The selected King and Queen, now under the rubber band, push up the prepared King and Queen and cause them to rise up from the deck. With a little practice you can cause the King to rise up first by releasing pressure on that card first. Figure 11.

"Ah, the King!"

Then the Queen rises up also.

"And the Queen! Either he is hiding behind the Queen's skirts or else she will not let him go out alone."

Remove the King and Queen, holding the right thumb over staple and rubber band. Fan cards a little and show them to audience. Figure 12.

Place these prepared cards on front of deck and then fan whole deck in right hand.

If you wish to continue using the deck after this effect. lay the selected cards on the table as they rise. Then when the King and Queen are out, the deck can be handled freely and can even be given to spectators to examine as the apparatus is gone.

NOTE:

There are a number of interesting ways to handle the Queen and King. You can control their rising by means of the first fingers of either hand, allowing one to rise and pushing the other down and vice versa. This gives you an opportunity for comedy patter to put your effect across with a bang. You may let the Queen rise up about an inch and then allow the King to shoot up behind it. The King can always be kept down until ready by means of the left forefinger.

Be prepared with patter no matter how they arise. If King comes up and Queen does not, reach in and pull out Queen, and removing both cards from deck say, "Ah, running away from the Queen, eh?"

2. THE RISING CARDS AND CARD CASE

A method for presenting a rising card effect which can be used for work at close quarters if necessary.

EFFECT:

Performer fans a deck of cards and divides it into two halves, giving one-half to a spectator. Spectator is requested to remove any card from his section of the deck and place it among those held by the performer. Two other spectators, likewise, select cards and return them to section held by magician. All the cards are now placed in the card case and it is shown freely. On magician's command, the selected cards arise one at a time. You may permit spectators to remove cards themselves to prove to them that cards arise from center of deck.

PARAPHERNALIA:

1 -- Prepared deck of cards.

2 -- Prepared card case.

SECRET AND PATTER:

To Prepare:

Talk half of a deck of cards. With a sharp pen-knife, cut out the central portion of one card as shown in Figure 13.

Using this card as a guide, cut out the central portions of 23 more cards. Square up the 24 prepared cards and you will have a packet with a uniform rectangular hole running through them. Figure 14.

On "Top" of these prepared cards place the Queen of Diamonds and on the "Bottom" place the King of Hearts. (You may use any other cards, just so you remember them as key cards. I merely suggest using the Queen and King.) Then place these cards on "Top" of rest of pack. Figure 15.

Take the cardboard case which cards came in and cut a rectangular hole in the back of box, about an inch wide and about an inch and a half in height. This hole should be so placed that when flap of box is pulled back it is completely covered. If necessary slit down the back cover of box about half an inch on each side to permit flap to go back farther. Figures 16 and 17. Usually, however, the box is already slit on each side.

To Perform:

Have deck in case when you start performing. Remove deck from case and place case on table with prepared side down and opening away from audience.

Fan the deck with both hands. You will find that you have no difficulty in fanning the cards, showing faces to audience, without exposing the holes. Note where the King of Hearts is in the pack. Then separate the deck into two packets with the King of Hearts on the "Bottom" of packet in left hand. Figure 18.

Square up cards in each hand. "Will you, sir, take this half?"

Give unprepared cards in right hand to spectator.

"Just remove a card, remember it, and return it to this half of the deck which I hold."

Spectator places card among those which you hold. Deck should be held fanned out with backs of cards up. Have two more spectators select cards from unprepared section of deck and return them to section you hold. Have each selected card placed in a different part of packet. Figure 19.

Square up packet. Collect remainder of deck which spectator is holding and place these cards in front of packet you hold. Shift the Queen from "Top" of deck to "Bottom."

Pick up card case from table, being careful not to expose hole in back. Place deck in box with backs of cards against hole in back of case. Fold down the lid of box over the hole in case. Show box freely on both sides to audience.

Take box in right hand, front toward audience. Allow lid to fly up. Place forefinger of right hand against the first card exposed through hole in case. Figure 20 shows view away from audience.

To spectator who drew first card,

"Have you much influence with cards? Some people seem to have remarkable power over them. What was the name of the card you selected, sir? The Five of Diamonds? Thank you. Now you say, 'Five of Diamonds come to papa.' That's it."

With forefinger of right hand, which is in position, push up the first selected card -- in this case, the Five of Diamonds. Figure 21.

"Well, talk about influence! You not only make them sit up, but rise up."

Push down lid of box over hole in back and turn box over so that audience can see back of it. You must also show audience that selected card is rising up from among the other cards. Remove card with left hand. Figure 22.

You may drop card on table or, if more convenient, place the card back in the box in front of the deck.

To second spectator who selected card,

"Have you a similar acquaintanceship with cards? Will they shift around to suit you? The name of your card, please. The Ace of Hearts. Now say to yourself mentally, 'Ace of Hearts, walk right out and greet your friend'."

Push the Ace up with one push to make it rise about an inch, and then suddenly pull it down again.

"Ah, it's playing peek-a-boo with you."

Suddenly push card up until it is exposed for a few inches. Then make it jump up and down four or five times, pulling it down about an inch each time.

"Either you can't make up your mind, or else the card is shimmying."

Now push card all the way up and remove it with left hand as you did the first.

"And now for the last. Do not tell me what it is. Just think of it. Now concentrate. Up she comes — the

Six of Spades -- your card."

Remove card and place it in the rear of deck in the case.

Allow whole deck to slide out of box, being careful not to expose hole in box. Drop the case on the table with the hole down. Fan cards slightly, show them on both sides, square them up, and place them on table.

NOTE:

Another way of utilizing this principle is to use two decks. Prepare one by cutting a hole as described above through all the cards except the "Top" and "Bottom" ones. Place this deck in your lower right-hand vest pocket.

Come forward with regular unprepared pack in the prepared box. Remove deck from case and have three or four cards selected by spectators, giving the whole deck to each spectator to select his card from.

Then take pack. Request that spectators hold up their cards so that rest of audience can see them, but not the magician. So saying, turn your back to audience for a moment. This gives you a chance to drop deck into inner right-hand coat pocket and to remove the prepared deck from the vest pocket.

Have selected cards placed back into this prepared deck. Transfer "Top" card to "Bottom" of deck. Place cards in case and proceed with experiment as described above.

3. RISING CARDS FROM GLASS TUMBLER

This is perhaps the most popular method of performing a rising card experiment. It is particularly suited to stage performance or working under conditions in which the magician is some distance from his audience. Magician must be far enough away and have such lighting conditions that a fine silk thread will not be visible to spectators.

EFFECT:

Three spectators select a card each. These are returned to the deck and thoroughly shuffled in. The deck is placed in a glass tumbler. A hoop is passed over glass and cards to show that there is no outside connection. The magician then commands and the selected cards rise one at a time. Cards and glass are examined by spectators after performing of experiment without their discovering the secret.

PARAPHERNALIA:

1 -- Two decks of cards.

2 -- A spool of very fine black silk thread -- Number AAA is best. If you cannot obtain it, use Number A.

3 -- A glass tumbler or goblet with bottom large enough to hold a deck of cards easily.

4 -- A wooden hoop, such as is used for embroidery work. It is effective to have this painted a bright color.

5 -- A table on which to set supplies.

6 -- A small wire staple.

7 -- A handkerchief.

SECRET AND PATTER:

To Prepare:

Take one of the decks and remove the following cards:

Queen of Hearts

Ten of Hearts

Ten of Diamonds

Seven of Spades

And Seven Indifferent Cards.

Take one of the indifferent cards, say, the King of Spades. Cut a small slit in upper edge A of the card, about one-fourth inch deep. Insert an end of silk thread into this slit, allowing about one-fourth inch to hang down on face of card. Figure 23.

Let thread come down over back of card, then place the Queen of Hearts on "Top" of it. Pull thread up over back of Queen exactly half way between the ends. On Queen and the thread place an indifferent card. Pull thread over back of this card. Now place the Ten of Hearts on "Top" and pull thread up again. Continue the threading of the cards, placing the Ten of Diamonds next, then an indifferent card, then the Seven of Spades, and finally two indifferent cards. Place the seventh indifferent card on the "Bottom" of the deck. Figure 24 shows you the set-up. All the cards must face the same way.

You can readily understand that if the thread is pulled the Seven of Spades will be pulled up as the back two cards act as a fulcrum.

Figure 25 shows the arrangement of your table. The staple is driven in at the back end. To this the free end of the thread is tied. Determine the length of your thread by holding the cards about 18 inches above the table and about a foot in front of you. With cards in this position, the thread should be taut. Place prepared cards at front of table, faces up. In front of cards place a handkerchief to screen them from audience. Arrange thread carefully on table so that it will not get tangled or caught in anything. Place glass tumbler near cards at front of table and wooden hoop on opposite side and farther back.

On the other deck of cards place the Queen of Hearts, the Ten of Hearts, and the Seven of Spades. Arrange these in reverse order with the Seven of Spades on "Top" in preparation for FORCING.

To Perform:

FORCE the Seven of Spades, the Ten of Hearts, and the Queen of Spades on three different spectators respectively. Give the pack to each spectator and ask him to return his card to it. Finally have some member of audience thoroughly shuffle the deck.

Come back to table and place cards on the threaded cards with left hand, faces of cards up. At same moment pick up handkerchief with right hand and then the glass tumbler also with right hand.

"There is an old saying that people who live in glass houses should dress in the dark. It might not hurt this glass to give it a polish and make it still more transparent." Show glass freely and wipe it out with handkerchief.

"This glass is of pure crystal, made especially for this magical experiment so that you can see through it -- that is, the glass and not the experiment."

Drop handkerchief on table and pick up the cards. Place them in tumbler, faces toward audience. The thread hangs down behind the glass. Figure 26.

"You can see the cards in the glass, can you not? That is why I wanted the glass to be transparent. There is nothing left for you to imagine. 52 cards isolated in a glass house."

Figure 27 shows the arrangement of cards — the unprepared deck facing the audience, behind it the threaded deck with thread hanging down behind it. You see here also how you hold the glass with the cards in your left hand in front of table, with the thread stretched straight out from back of table.

"I hear one card telling another that he might be in a glass house but that he cannot see much because of the others. Ah, there he is registering his dissatisfaction and coming out."

Move glass slightly forward. This pulls the thread tighter and causes the Seven of Spades to rise because this is the last card which was threaded. Figure 28.

"The Seven of Spades. Was that your card, sir? Correct." Pretend that you hear a murmur in audience.

"What's that? Oh, I know what you are thinking. You think that some spirit pushed the card out. Oh, my no!"

Pick up the hoop from table with right hand and pass it over cards and glass. Practice how to do this so that you can do it very naturally. Place hoop above glass in a horizontal position. Figure 29. Bring hoop down over glass and onto left arm. Figure 30.

Shift left hand upward a little on glass. Now bring hoop to vertical position still on left side of glass. Figure 31.

Pull B side of hoop over glass and down to a horizontal position again. Hoop is now clear of thread and can be pulled down over bottom of glass and removed. Figure 32.

Figures 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38 show the routine of passing a hoop over a threaded object. Learn this thoroughly. It is exceedingly useful in convincing your audience that certain things have no outside connection, although they really have. Never mention anything about threads or wires. Do not even suggest the fact that magicians ever use such things.

Follow each step shown in the diagram and you will have no difficulty in learning how to perform this. Learn each stage of the move and then perform it quickly as one continuous movement.

"No 'spookses'. That card came out because of pure curiosity."

To spectator who selected second card, "And what card did you select?

The Ten of Hearts? Ten of Hearts, arise!"

By this time you have stepped forward a little to take up slack in thread. You now push glass forward a little again, causing the next threaded card to arise, which is the Ten of Diamonds.

"I said the Ten of Hearts, not the Ten of Diamonds. Your card was the Ten of Hearts, wasn't it, sir? The Ten of Diamonds is so anxious to break into society that it breaks in wherever there is the slightest chance."

Push card down into glass again. This leaves it threaded as before. Move glass back a little to give thread enough slack to enable you to push card down easily. "We'll try again. Up, Ten of Hearts!" Up comes the Ten of Diamonds again.

"What? Coming up again? You are a naughty, naughty card."

Place glass on table and remove the Ten of Diamonds from deck in glass. Place it in the palm of your left hand, back up. Spank card about four times with right hand.

"Papa will have to spank. Now you go back with the rest of the little 'cardses' and stay there."

Return card to front portion of deck so that it will not interfere with remaining threaded portion of prepared deck. Pick up glass from table again and hold in left hand as before.

"Perhaps you would have more influence with your card, sir. Will you just say, 'Ten of Hearts, arise'?"

When spectator says this, permit the Ten of Hearts to arise. This is the next threaded card and it will come up readily if your thread is taut.

"I think the Ten of Hearts likes you better than it does me." Remove Ten of Hearts and place on front of deck.

"Now, for the third and last card. Up - up - up."

No card comes up. Look at the deck a moment, perplexed.

"Did you see any card come up? If any did, I can't see it. (To spectator who selected third card.) What was the name of your card, may I ask? The Queen of Hearts? Oh, no wonder. We cannot expect a Queen to rise under ordinary circumstances."

Make a low graceful bow, and as you do so, say,

"Could we have the delightful pleasure of having your gracious majesty arise so that we might gaze on your gorgeous beauty?"

Let the Queen arise.

"All hail the Queen!"

Stand up straight again. Remove the Queen and place it on the front of the deck.

Push glass forward a little. This causes the thread to pull out of the slit in the King card which you started your threading from. This frees the glass and deck entirely.

Take deck from glass and fan it wide with right hand. Also show glass freely. Replace deck and glass on table.

SUGGESTIONS:

There are numerous ways of applying this principle in the working of the rising cards. One method is to arrange your table as shown in Figure 39. Everything is set in the same way as described in preceding effect, except that thread is not tied to staple at back of table, but is pulled through it and tied to an iron washer or nut or small weight. Enough thread is allowed to enable the performer to stand several feet away from the table with weight in his left trouser's pocket. The glass with the cards is not held in the hand but remains at the front of the table.

Have table set as in Figure 39. FORCE cards you desire selected as above. Have them returned to pack. Place pack on the prepared cards already on table.

Pick up handkerchief and glass with right hand, and at same time pick up iron weight with left hand and place it in your left trouser's pocket. This move will not be noticed for the leaning of the body makes such a movement appear natural. Also you are using MISDIRECTION— directing the attention of the audience to the handkerchief and glass.

Figure 40, next page.

Proceed to wipe glass as before and place it on table. Pick up the deck and place it in glass, faces of cards toward audience.

Now stand far enough away from table to make thread taut. Move your body slightly and the pull on the string will cause the first threaded card to rise. You may make a movement of your hands toward cards to cover your body movement, or gesture with right hand and push left hand against thread. Figure 41.

Assistant Method:

This is a popular method when magician carries an assistant with him. In this case, thread is passed through the staple on back of table and then to floor where it is passed through a second staple. Figure 42.

Thread is then stretched across stage to wings where an assistant holds it and causes cards to rise. Figure 43.

IN PERFORMING THESE RISING CARD EXPERIMENTS, REMEMBER NATURALNESS IN YOUR MOVES. THERE MUST BE NO SUGGESTION OF PULLING.

LESSON 19

Interesting Rising Card Experiments from my own repertoire. Among them are these effects:

1. Three cards are placed in an examined envelope by a spectator. In a most mysterious manner, they suddenly rise out of the envelope.

2. Another method of causing three selected cards to rise out of an envelope.

3. Three selected cards rise out of a book after having been dropped in here and there amongst the pages.

4. An impromptu card rising out of a book.

5. Deck of cards is placed in glass and covered with a soft felt hat. On command the three chosen cards rise through the hat.

6. Deck of cards is dropped into a hat. Three cards rise in a bewildering fashion from hat.