Hamman DVD's -- Runic Nines

[Guest]

Hope someone can help- I have watched a number of the routines on the Hamman DVD's (absolutely great stuff- thanks for capturing this material)- I'm intrigued by the Runic Nines on volume 5- my understanding is that this is an ungimmicked version of the Final Aces - that makes sense - but I have been unable to find a write-up of this version or something closely similar. Can anyone point me to this ungimmicked version?

[Richard Kaufman]

"Runic Nines" is based on the notion that people looking at a 6 spot upside down will see a 9. This is a clever little idea which Marlo used in a great trick in one of his Magazines where a 6 vanished from a fan of cards (I think it was the Ace to 8 of Diamonds). He really had the 9 in place of the 6, and when the fan was held with the indices oriented so the magician saw them rightside up, and the spectator upside down, the spectator saw the 9 as a 6 and it flew by.
Brother John's idea was to take this notion (which Brother John had used before Marlo in his trick "Odd Even Odd" which remained unpublished for many years) and use it to do "Final Aces" without the double-ended cards.
"Runic Nines" was an experiment, and I believe it failed. I felt it was so unconvincing that I did not even videotape the explanation. Brother John was not convinced it would work, either, because unlike the quick flashes of the upside down numbers in the cited routines, "Runic Nines" required this little idea to be carried on for a long period of time.
So, that's why it's explained neither on the videotape nor in the book.
In retrospect, of course, I think it was pretty dumb not to at least record the method for posterity, but that's the way it goes. I'm sure with a little work and knowledge of Brother Hamman's techniques it can be reconstructed. But, I really don't think it will fool anyone.

[Guest]

Thanks for the rapid response - I'll watch the video again and look for it.