October 2018: Torn Card transposition - Hero

Discuss the tricks and sleights which appear in Genii.
Jonathan Townsend
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October 2018: Torn Card transposition - Hero

Postby Jonathan Townsend » September 21st, 2018, 9:56 am

Hi Folks,
The October issue 2018 has an item titled Hero: Where One Card Gives Its Life For Another.
It's great to see folks exploring the poetry implicit in magic trick narratives.

What is the history of the torn card transposition? I'd like to put this latest item in context of other items such as Versa Plus.
( https://www.stevensmagic.com/shop/versa ... en-brooke/ )

Thanks,

JonT
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

Philippe Billot
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Location: PARIS - FRANCE

Re: October 2018: Torn Card transposition - Hero

Postby Philippe Billot » September 23rd, 2018, 2:49 am

This trick can be a combo of Vice-Versa by Jacob Daley (The Jinx, no 57, June 1939) and The Torn Joker by Ed Marlo (Ibidem no 8, December 1956). About the sleight used, read The Wild Card Kit by Jon Racherbaumer, page 35 (It's funny!).

Philippe Billot
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Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: PARIS - FRANCE

Re: October 2018: Torn Card transposition - Hero

Postby Philippe Billot » September 23rd, 2018, 8:59 am

I read Torn and Restored Transposition by David Williamson (Williamson's Wonders, 1989) and I learn that Clayton Rawsom explains the same trick Ed Marlo explains in 1956 (Ibidem). His trick is entitled The Cockeyed Cards and is in Genii, July 1938, page 391. Ergo Rawson seems to be the first to create a Torn Card Transposition.

Jackpot
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Re: October 2018: Torn Card transposition - Hero

Postby Jackpot » December 29th, 2018, 9:11 pm

I don't know if this is covered in any of the references cited by Messers. Townsend and Billot as I do not have access to all of those references. If it is in their citations I apologize for covering ground which has been already covered.

I liked the overall effect presented by Mr. Mansilla except for turning the deck over to find a contrasting card. I've done the effect several times using a packet of four cards on top of the deck. For example, the top card of the packet is a face down Four of Clubs, second from the top is a double-backed card matching the deck, third from the top is a double-faced card (Queen of Hearts/Four of Clubs) with the Four facing down, and lastly a Queen of Hearts facing down.

Keeping with Mr. Mansilla's routine in all other aspects I do the following: 1. Perform a quick shuffle which ends up with the four card packet intact and on top of the deck. 2. Perform a quadruple turnover showing the Queen. 3. Turn the cards back over and deal off the top card (the Four) face down. Perform another shuffle which ends up with the now three card packet intact and on top of the deck. Perform a double turnover showing the Four of Clubs side of the double-faced card. Do not turn the double-facer face down, but leave the Four facing up and tear it in quarters.

This is the way I prefer to perform the effect because I feel it makes the two card used appear random. The magic could happen with any cards in the deck.
Not the one who created the Potter Index.


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