Credits: 1 to 10 in Lorayne's The Magic Book?

[Tom Stone]

In the last chapter of Harry Lorayne's "The Magic Book" from 1977 is a small trick called something like "From 1 to 10".

I've seen it in other sources as well, with other titles, using spongeballs etc.

Can anyone advice on how to properly credit this item?

[Richard Kaufman]

If it's the thing where you have two items and you count from 1 to 10 and they both end up in one hand, it comes from Martin Gardner.

[Tom Stone]

Wonderful! Any idea on the source and publishing year?

[Joe Pecore]

In "Roy Benson by Starlight", it's described within his Benson Bowl Routine as the "Chinese Count". It's also noted that both Dai Vernon and Johnny Thompson preferred a version with an eight count.

[Joe Pecore]

Also from "Roy Benson by Starlight":

"This is an old effect that Benson always referred to as the Chinese Count, though many magicians know it as a match transposition that Dai Vernon called the Chinese Matches. According to a description of the effect in the September 1958 issue of The Gen, Vernon said it was a trick he first saw performed by a Chinese magician."

[Philippe Billot]

In Martin Gardner Presents (1993), the references are:

Leslie Hunt's Move (with matches) in Match-ic (1935) by Martin Gardner

Passe Passe Sponge by Martin Gardner (1940), marketed trick sold by Ireland Magic Co.