Ace Assembly performed by Mike Skinner

[Thomas Van Aken]

Hi all,
Can somebody point me to the references of an Ace Assembly that I saw performed by Mike Skinner as a follow up to his "Sentimental Aces" ? Basically he offer to repeat the trick saying that he will show the faces of each the cards until the very end. He actually put the three "child" aces with an extra indifferent card at the bottom on top of the leader ace then immediately show that the four aces are together by spreading them hiding the indifferent card. As far as I remember, it is an immediate assembly and not a one-at-the-time one.
Thanks and regards
Th.

[Jackpot]

I think what you are looking for can be found in the November 2000 edition of Genii which honors Mike Skinner.

[Philippe Billot]

Page 57

[Thomas Van Aken]

Hi Jackpot & Philippe,
Thanks but the routine you are pointing me to is « Sentimental Aces », Skinner’s version of Dai Vernon’s « Slow-Motion Four Aces ». As mention above the routine I am looking for was used by Skinner as a follow up to « Sentimental Aces » and is not a one at the time assembly.
Br,
Th.

[Philippe Billot]

You saw him on a video or you remember him in a meeting?

His version looks like 1002nd Aces created by Alex Elmsley

[Thomas Van Aken]

Hi Philippe,
I never meet Skinner, I saw this sequence on a video (I think one of those edited by Geno Munari year's ago that show Skinner in his prime fimed by Roger Klause). It can be indeed a version of 1002 aces even if it does not follow the most seen sequence of putting the child aces in the deck.
If I remember well, Skinner follows this assembly with Larry Jennings's open traveller by taking advantage of the hidden fifth card in the aces packet at the end.
Br,
Th.

[Philippe Billot]

Otherwise, if you have Marlo's Magazine, Vol. 2, you can look at pages 107-117. May be Skinner's inspiration come from Marlo's approaches.

[Philippe Billot]

Or, may be this trick is described in Michael Skinner's Professional Close-up Magic (4 volumes) videos.

You can find them here:

https://www.mymagic.com/l/specials/mich ... deo-series

[Bill Evans]

The effect you are looking for is called Instant Aces and can be found, performance only, on the video “The Legendary Repertoire of Michael Skinner, Volume 2”

[Philippe Billot]

I see. I understand why I don't find any explanation. it's a performance only.

Thank Bill.

[Bill Evans]

I haven’t had the chance to check Skinners notebooks to see if it’s in there. As you may recall, Richard was able to get permission from John Carney (who Michael left his notes to) to include these as a bonus to the Skinner Tapes. These audio tapes exchanged between Michael and Allen Okawa are some of the most valuable additions to the scant published works Michael did, if you are willing to dig them out. I listen to them over and over and always come away with something new. I knew Michael well, but there are things in these tapes we never discussed so it’s kind of like getting another session each time I listen. Might be boring to a lot of people, but I love these recordings.

[Thomas Van Aken]

Hi Bill,
Thanks, this is the one I was refering to.
I wonder if it has been published somewhere, maybe under another name because if I am not mistaken, "instant aces" also refers to a different effect by Larry Jennings described in "Cardwright".
Anyway, it should not be too complicate to reconstruct the modus operandi from the performance.
Br,
Th.

[Philippe Billot]

You are right. Larry Jennings had a trick named Instant Aces, which was described at least three times (in differents supports). Epilogue, The Classic Magic and Apocalypse

Please, Thomas, could you simply explains what spectators see because your first explanation was very bref (for me and I haven't the DVD)

[Thomas Van Aken]

Hi Philippe,
You should buy those DVD's.
They show Skinner in his prime and give him better justice than the ones published years later by L&L when Skinner was sick.
The effect is fairly standard: The aces are shown and apparently put on the table in a T formation then three apparently indifferent cards are put on each ace and the aces are immediatly shown to have assembled in the leader packet.
It relies on "KBV type" handling but before you jump, it is NOT Marlo's "KBV aces" that is a technical variation of "Bluff Aces Assembly" (one at the time assembly ala Vernon's "Slow-Motion Aces").
Br,
Th.

[Philippe Billot]

OK. Thank you, Thomas.

Reading your first explanation, I believed this was a variante of "Iconoclastic Aces" by John Bannon

[Thomas Van Aken]

I was not familiar with Bannon's routine but just find it performed on youtube. It is indeed similar in effect but not entirely identical as the handling for the switch is different and it looks like the Bannon's routine does not include the subtilty that allows showing the face of the indifferent cards packet before putting it on the leader ace.
Anyways, the Skinner's videos were shoot in the early 80 and Bannon's first book was published in 1986 or 87 so Skinner's routine can hardly be called a variation of Bannon's.

[Philippe Billot]

Sure because Mike Skinner has left us in 1998 and Bannon explained his trick in Mr. Myster Fantasy published in 2004.

I just wondered if Skinner's version have the same approach that Bannon's.

[Thomas Van Aken]

Answer is no.
The switching techniques are clearly different.

[Philippe Billot]

OK. Thank you again.

[Bill Evans]

I finally got the chance to view the video. Although this effect is not in the notebooks, it looks fairly easy to figure it out using biddle steals. I’ll try to work on it this afternoon and let you know my results.

[Curtis Kam]

I think I know the routine you’re speaking of. Allen Okawa taught it to me. I have been told that it’s a Marlo construction, but I have never seen the actual write up.

The handling is exactly what you’re likely thinking, with that first pull of the first ace being the most difficult moment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bill Evans]

This will only make sense if you have seen the video. This effect has two biddle moves, one fairly easy and one pretty hard. You have the 16 card packet in your left hand, 4 aces on top with a break under the top 8 cards. Top 3 aces are pulled off with the left thumb. As the last ace along with the 3 extra cards are pulled off, the first 3 aces are taken back underneath the packet. You set the “aces” in T formation with the real ace in the bottom closest to you. Then the second biddle move is done while showing the first 3 cards to be placed on the leader ace. With a break under the bottom 3 aces, thumb off the first two indifferent cards. As the third indifferent card is pulled into the left hand, the first two indifferent cards are left on the bottom of the packet while at the same time, the 3 aces under the break are picked up by the left hand as the final indifferent card is pulled off hiding those 3 aces. This is not an easy move. You just need to figure out how to make your hands do it. Position now is one indifferent card followed by 3 aces which are now placed face down on the leader ace. To show the aces, the packet is turned face up and the bottom 3 aces are spread with the left fingers away from the double, then double dropped to the table as the right hand comes back for the other three aces which are dropped, one at a time, on the double.

[Bill Evans]

I meant to clarify that in the second biddle move, the indifferent cards go into the gap between the three aces and the main packet, otherwise there is no way you’re going to get that ace packet into the left hand.

[Philippe Billot]

I re-read KBV Aces by Marlo (M-U-M December 1959) and I notice his handling is simpler (with the Veeser Concept) than Skinner's method.

But maybe it's a matter of taste...

[Thomas Van Aken]

Hi Bill,
At another look at « instant aces » and look like there is a much more simple way to handle the second switch than the one you describe: after the first switch, there is three indifferent card on the table and one ace in the leader position. In your hands you have nine indifferent cards followed by three aces. You now peel the three aces and one indifferent cards at once in your left hand keeping a break between the aces and the indifferent card then you peel another indifferent card in your left hand then a third one reloading to indifferent cards to the bottom of the pack ending with one indifferent card followed by three aces in your left hand that can drop on the leader packet.
Did I miss something here?
@Philippe, I would not be surprised this is the handling used in KBV aces. By the way, can you confirm if the version of KBV aces described in MUM is a one-at-the time ace assembly or not?
Br,
Th.

[Philippe Billot]

Not exactly.

AFter showing all the aces face-up, he put them face down in a row.
Next he counts the twelve cards face-up and put three face down on each card on the table.
Then he assembles three packets on the table in a pile and takes the last (which contains the Ace of Spade known by the spectators) et shows immediately that he has the three other aces.
Of course, spectators can verify that the twelve cards are indifferents.
It's not really a slow-motion as he doesn't show that each ace has vanished from its respective packet.

It's the Veeser Concept which permits to show all the cards face-up.

[Bill Evans]

Much better solution than mine. Thanks.

[Thomas Van Aken]

Hi all,
Based on Philippe’s description of KBV Aces and what I can see Skinner doing on the taped pointed by Bill and not to mention Allen Okawa reference to Marlo shared by Curtis Kam, I think we can safely conclude that what Skinner is performing is KBV aces or a variation of it.
Thanks Gentlemen’s for your respective input.
Merry Christmas
Th.

[Philippe Billot]

Merry Christmas (Joyeux Noël)