Rising Cards

[Joe Pecore]

And here is info from an advertisement for the Upton Rising Card Trick in the [[Magical Bulletin]] (1919):


This most wonderful trick was performed at a banquet given by the Canadian Conjurers Club in honor of Brother member, the Great Blackstone, and voted the best rising card trick yet performed.
JAPANESE MAGIC & NOVELTY STORE
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA

[Richard Kaufman]

The earliest mention I can find for the "Sybil Rising Cards" is in Will Goldston's Magician Monthly in 1920. But it's in an ad and there's no mention of the inventor. The Upton Rising cards were also advertised in 1920. The instruction sheets for both marketed versions are identical: same text and illustrations!

[Richard Kaufman]

Joe, you're better at using Alexander than me!

[Richard Kaufman]

Got it! March 1917 issue of Will Goldstons Magazine of Magic:

GOOD NEWS!
Many Card Rising Tricks have been inventedgood, bad and indifferent. But at last the absolutely perfect one has arrived, invented by Albert Edward Page. And, as might be expected, Will Goldston, Ltd., have acquired the sole world agency. We invite attention to their advertisement of it elsewhere in this number. And we add that Gordon Freeman, Stanley Collins, and other well-known magicians, have tested it and are enthusiastic as to its merits.

[T Baxter]

Two sets left unspoken for.

T. Baxter

[Chas Nigh]

Tom, I would like to order the teak version if any are left. Thanks, Charles

[T Baxter]

Please email me directly for information or to place an order. Unless someone who has expressed interest changes their mind and doesn't send payment, all sets are now spoken for.

Many thanks to those who have ordered and/or expressed interest.

Cheers,

T. Baxter

[Bill Mullins]

For what it's worth, there is an original Goldston Sybil Rising Cards at auction at Martinka's right now.

[T Baxter]

Due to the many requests I continue to receive, I'm making another run of the UPTON / SMITH Rising Cards. There's a banner ad on the forum page. Those interested should click on the ad and contact me for further information.

Cheers,

T. Baxter

[mrgoat]

At my magic club a few weeks ago we all had to do a trick more than 50 years old. I did Mr Baxter's Upton/Smith rising cards.

I'd hoped I would entertain them, but actually fooled all of them too. Which was very nice.

My stand is on my mantlepiece, and I love it.

Wonderful thing. Get one.

[T Baxter]

Thanks very much, Mr. Goat. I'm glad you are enjoying your Upton/Smith Rising Cards.

To those writing in to order: The cost of these sets is $175.00 (Canadian) plus shipping. I'm taking orders now, and the sets will be ready to ship out at the beginning of August.

Right now I'm only planning on making 20 sets, and they are going quickly.

Thanks to all who have ordered or written for information.

Cheers,

T. Baxter

[Steve Bryant]

I (most favorably) reviewed this product in Little Egypt Magic back in May 2010, and my admiration for it only grows with time. It's rare to experience such satisfaction with a magic prop and method as this one provides.

[AJM]

Folks

Snap up one of these sets before this limited run sells out.

Cheers

Andrew

[T Baxter]

Thank you Steve and Andrew, for your kind words.

People are asking what type of wood this run is being made in. I've found some very rich looking walnut that I'm using. The one in the ad photo (if you click on the banner ad here) is made from walnut.

Cheers,

T. Baxter

[Richard Kaufman]

Highly recommended! Order quickly!

The only thing I wish Tom would change is to stop calling them the "Upton/Smith Rising Cards" when they were quite clearly stolen from the originator (and Will Goldston's original instrutions even copies with the drawings!). As I noted earlier in this thread:

March 1917 issue of Will Goldstons Magazine of Magic:

GOOD NEWS!
Many Card Rising Tricks have been inventedgood, bad and indifferent. But at last the absolutely perfect one has arrived, invented by Albert Edward Page. And, as might be expected, Will Goldston, Ltd., have acquired the sole world agency. We invite attention to their advertisement of it elsewhere in this number. And we add that Gordon Freeman, Stanley Collins, and other well-known magicians, have tested it and are enthusiastic as to its merits.

[T Baxter]

"Quite clearly" stolen by whom, Richard?

T. Baxter

[T Baxter]

My background understanding of this effect is that it was sold in a Toronto magic shop from some time in the 19-teens on, in a metal form, with a hook underneath that the fingers engaged to hold the houlette in place.

In Toronto it was sold as The Upton Rising Cards. I've no idea whether Joe Whitlam, the original owner of the shop in the early 1900's, had permission to manufacture them in Canada, or bought them from Goldston, or what. To suggest it's "quite clearly" theft may be overstating.

In later years Harry Smith took over the shop and experimented, making the rising cards out of choice woods instead of nickle-plated tin, removing the hook and adding an extended base along with other refinements. He showed me how to make them, and I've been making a few here and there ever since. I call what I now make and sell The Upton / Smith Rising cards in order to show the lineage as it came to me. The directions that I include are on DVD, CD and in print form but are not copied from the original Upton or Sybil instructions.

It'd be wonderful to learn the true origins of the original metal version, but these don't seem entirely clear, at least to me, as I'm not familiar (and can't find any references to) Albert Edward Page, the purported inventor, apart from that short mention Richard supplies above.

If there is some evidence somewhere that shows that Joe Whitlam (the original owner of the Toronto magic shop in question) did not have permission or authority to sell the original metal version as advertised by Goldston, Les Smith, et al, I'd very much like to see it.

Equally, I think that Harry Smith's refinements deserve recognition, even though the basic method remains virtually the same.

I suppose if the details of the true story of the Page/Goldston/Sybil/Upton/Whitlam/Smith/Smith Rising Cards ever come to light, I'll consider changing the name. It would depend on the story, I guess. And who's telling it.

Cheers,

T. Baxter

[Richard Kaufman]

Although the Upton/Smith Rising Cards is mostly unknown in the US, the original Sybil Rising Cards by Albert Edward Page has been well known in the UK for almost 100 years.

Putting the item on the market through Goldston, and the printed credit I cite from March 1917, predates any printed reference to the Upton/Smith Rising Cards (by two years, I believe, but am not sure). Combine that with the fact that the instructions for Upton/Smith take the text and images from Goldston's instructions and it appears that they pinched it. I suppose it's possible that Upton purchased the rights from Goldston, but does Goldston have a history of selling the rights to his exclusive items to dealers in other countries?

There's no question that what Tom is selling is far superior to the original Sybil Rising Cards because it does away with that silly tin houlette with finger holes on the bottom and presents the effect in a lovely wooden houlette that does not look as if it might have been used in a 1950s sci-fi movie.

[T Baxter]

Richard:

Just to clarify -- I'm the one who's called the current version "The Upton/Smith Rising Cards". The tin version sold by Joe Whitlam and the wooden ones that Harry Smith made later (he died in 1978) were always just called The Upton Rising Cards. I thought Harry deserved credit for his insights and improvements in the wooden version, and so the "Upton/Smith" name.

The "Upton/Smith" version that I currently offer for sale does not copy the Goldston directions. I did sell a few sets years ago to a local magic shop that included the original Upton/Sybil directions. I wasn't at that time aware of the Goldston connection.


T. Baxter

[rmecsw]

Hi,
I'd like one, if still available...please send billing info
tks
rmecsw@mac.com

[Richard Kaufman]

Harry definitely deserves credit and again, I recommend this item highly. I don't want anyone to get the impression that Baxter is making these without permission--that's not the case.

Too bad I didn't have room in the Berglas book for David's handling of the original Sybil Rising Cards. :)

[Steve Bryant]

Too bad I didn't have room in the Berglas book for David's handling of the original Sybil Rising Cards.

That would make a lovely Genii piece.

[Bob Poynter]

Richard,
I have one of those metal things that look like a 1950's Sci-Fi film. I bought it in Denver over 50 years ago. Fun, but I don't use it; more of a memoribilia type thing. Of course, I showed the equipment to my wife last night and, as expected, said quickly "I can see your thumb moving." Ah, yes, the magician's wife. Never leave home without her.

[T Baxter]

For those still ordering, I'll be out of town until July 23rd. If you email for information or to order I'll be happy to reply when I return.

Cheers,

T. Baxter

[Bill Mullins]

Included for advanced performers is my work on Think-of-a-Card, and specifically how it relates to this effect. By incorporating my methods the Performer can have an audience member merely THINK of a card in a spread deck and their un-named THOUGHT-OF card rises from the middle of the isolated pack. This out-of-print ebook previously sold on its own for $35.00.

It's interesting to compare Tom's work on Think-a-card to that in the new Berglas book.

[T Baxter]

Back home again and taking orders.

For those interested, there are only 4 sets left unspoken-for in the current run.

Cheers,

T. Baxter

[T Baxter]

Bill:

Pleased to have my A Card Merely Thought Of... book even mentioned in the same paragraph as the new Berglas card book.

Mr. Berglas is deservedly a legend and Richard did a spectacular job of capturing the work (and the man) in The Berglas Effects. Richard's fortitude and skills are unique in the world of magic publishing.

Cheers,

T. Baxter

[Bill Mullins]

A vintage advertisement for the Upton Rising Cards.