"The Crystal Locket" by Dr. Jaks (New York City)
Dr. Stanley Jaks needs no introduction to the world of Mentalism having established himself as a first-rate performer. This effect is one of his favourite close up tricks and the routine is just as was written by Dr. Jaks for this Step.
An interesting crystal locket is shown and placed on the table. It is one of those pendant lockets that hangs on a chain and should be an attractive ornament, it is also necessary that it opens so that you can put a slip of paper inside—but most types of pendants are made to hold a small photograph so you will have little trouble getting one.
Next you tear off a sheet of paper from a notepad. This sheet is prepared for the trick by having faint pencil lines ruled on it. The size of the pad should be three by five inches. The top sheet has five lines ruled across the width on one side, and two lines ruled along the length on the other side (Dia-gram No. 29).
Having removed the top sheet the performer takes a pair of scissors and cuts along the five short lines making six slips of paper. On the back of each of these slips will be two lines running the other way. The slips are handed to six people and each person is asked to write the name of a male or female friend on their paper. However, it is important that you emphasise that the name should be written across the lines covering the full distance between the three divisions, and you say that you will explain the reason why in a moment.
The scissors are placed on the table and the performer turns his head whilst the writing is done. Still with-out looking, he tells each spectator to take the scissors and having writ-ten the name, cut along the two lines dividing their slip into three sections, and when this has been done, to turn all the slips writing side downwards and to mix every one together in a pile in the middle of the table. When that has been done, he turns round again.
The performer picks up the locket and begins to talk about the powers of a Pendulum. The spiel is patterned along the lines of the old sex detector trick, and the locket is used to demon-strate that a Pendulum swings in circles to indicate a male, and in
straight lines to indicate a female. (Diagram No. 30).
Holding the chain so that the locket swings about two inches from the eighteen slips of paper, the performer moves around until suddenly there seems to be some reaction. The locket begins to swing back and forth in straight lines—over one piece of paper.
Triumphantly the performer siezes this piece and folds it without looking at the writing on the underside. He puts this piece in the locket, closes it.
and then explains that it will act as a locator for the pendant.
Again he holds the locket over the slips on the table and moves round until he finds another piece which reacts the same way—and then another.
These two are pushed to one side. This done, the piece in the locket is re-moved and added to the other two. These three are lined up to form one piece again—but left face down on the table for the moment. The locket is held above them and this time begins to react immediately. This, says the performer, shows without doubt that the name was written by a lady. All the ladies are told to hold out their hands, and one by one the pendant is tested over their palms. One of the hands give a reaction and the performer asks this lady if she will admit that the name she wrote was a Female friend.
She agrees that it was so.
This lady is now asked to turn over the three slips on the table and she finds that out of all the eighteen pieces, mixed and identical in appearance, the Crystal Locket has located the three bits of paper that spell out the name of the woman friend written in her own handwriting!
The Method
Based on an idea of Stewart James, I think that it has been hoccussed beyond recognition. Consider, what do you really have to know? You must be able to identify one slip of paper, and you have to know who wrote on it in the first place—that's all.
When you remove the top sheet from the pad, hold it with the five pencil lines towards you. As you cut off the first slip, make sure that you cut slightly above the pencil line so that this piece of paper HAS NO LINE ON IT.
Give this piece to a lady and remember that she has that slip. Put it on the table in front of her with the white side down—the two lines showing upper-most. Go back to cutting the other slips from the big sheet and do so in the same manner which will have the result that the next five pieces all have a pencil line along one edge. This is your means of identification—simple and sure.
When you turn your back, instruct the first lady with the blank-back slip to write a name—the name of a female friend. Tell the others to write the name of a male friend. When you hold the locket over the eighteen pieces of paper, scattered across the top of the table, you will have ample oppor-tunity to look for the three pieces that do not have the faint pencil line across them. These must be the three that matter.
The routine requires a lot of presentation—in Mentalism EVERYTHING is presentation and even though you told the lady to write a female name, they will be amazed how you found out—and how the pieces all came to-gether. The effect could of course be presented as a Living and Dead Test,
but I personally never liked those effects.
Three Little Questions (by Corinda)
I have used this routine for many years and I have found it indispensable for the occasion when one is called upon to display one's strange faculties to ladies. It is not my trick—the effect is as old as the hills—going back to the days when Fraudulent Mediumship was big business in America.
How-ever, this is my handling and my routine and it is the result of trying out many variations to find the very best.
The Effect
The Mentalist condescends to give a lady a private reading. To try and receive inspirations which may answer any three personal questions the lady may like to ask. No positive results are guaranteed and the questions should be serious and private. The lady writes three questions and the performer answers them. Having done that, the lady will never forget you!
The Routine
Get ready before you offer to give the reading. Prepare by taking a sheet of paper size 5 x 4 inches (or thereabouts) and tear it into four equal pieces.
One of these will be your dummy billet and must be marked. Roll it into a tight ball and screw a tail on it to mark (see page 185). Drop the dummy in your pocket for the moment and with the three slips and a pencil on the table you are ready to begin.
Hand the three slips to the lady with the pencil and tell her to consider any three personal questions she likes. Emphasise that she must be serious and that she has a free choice of any subject—no embarrassment will be caused. The lady is told to print one question on each slip of paper and to tell you when she has done that.
You walk away—well away and make no effort to see what is written.
However, if you do happen to pencil read all her questions by looking in a mirror—don't pass it by! Whilst waiting, take the dummy from your pocket and hold it in the right hand. When she tells you she has done that, call out—"roll the pieces into a ball please, each one separately". Give her time to roll up the first and the second but arrive at the table as she is rolling the third. Immediately pick up one and say—"No—roll them really tight please—like this". Switch that one as per the instructions given under Section 7 of Technique in this book.
Put the dummy down and tell her then to take all three in her hands and to mix them thoroughly so that neither of you know the order (that's why you mark the dummy!) As she does this, sit down opposite her and holding the first real billet in your lap—read the question. Tell her to follow your instructions very carefully. Look at the three billets now on the table and see which are the two real ones. Push one of these forward with your finger and say "hold that to your forehead please". Now this is important from the point of view of presentation. Whatever the first question may have been—answer if favourable but also indirectly. NEVER let it be known that you know the exact wording of her question. Suppose she wrote:—
"Should I go and see Mary or will she visit me".
Start your reading by saying that you have no idea what questions she has asked or which question she has chosen and is holding now. Say that you receive "ideas" and "feelings" that could mean something regarding any of the questions so if you say anything that fits one of her questions—she must say yes, and acknowledge that she understands what you are talking about.
Your first remarks are deliberately vague and gradually you build up the reading to make it obvious that you are answering one question, finally you deliver an answer which is a mixture of the unbeatable reply—a sure-fire prediction, a happy ending, flattery, etc., etc. The answer may be something like this:—
"As soon as you held that paper to your forehead—I got an inspiration which suggested a clock. Does that have anything to do with any of your questions? You can't place it—never mind. Now I also see what appears to be a calendar, would I be right in saying that somehow you are concerned with time? Don't answer yet—I also get a letter—a friend
—a message from someone who has been away for a while—you are waiting to hear from someone—is it a friend?" (She will place the
question by now) "I can see a rather unexpected event here, you think you are going to meet someone—a lady—but this lady can't be just where you think she is. You must meet this lady—she wants to see you, you have a lot in common—especially your intellectual tastes. I cannot say exactly what the question is—but I feel I should answer it by telling you that you must see a lady—and that there will be a letter concerning this matter. You understand what I mean—I could go a bit further but I feel that this matter is really too personal to discuss openly—you know what I mean don't you? Let me read what you wrote please . . . ."
At this point you reach forward and extend your hand. She drops the billet into your outstretched palm. You open it, appear to have a little diffi-culty reading it and then slowly read out loud the exact wording of her
FIRST question. At the same time you note and remember this question—
which is the next you will answer. Look at the billet and make the mis-reading convincing. Smile as though to say "well I was almost dead right!"
Immediately screw up the paper again and drop it into your pocket—with indifference.
Point to number two on the table, the only real billet left, and tell her to hold that one to her forehead. During the reading of this one, which is done on similar lines to the first, you exchange number one for number two in your pocket and drop the first question on to the table. Do this as though you are not thinking.
When you end the second reading, do the same stunt, open it and misread the question thus learning the third question. At the end she will be holding a blank piece of paper to her forehead—but for the climax we add a nice touch.
When the reading has finished—have number three question in your hand.
Take the dummy as though you intended to read it aloud like the other two—but change your mind and giving it back to the lady say, "read it out and tell me what you wrote". You switch the dummy for the third question at this point and give her back the proper slip of paper. The other two questions lie on the table in case she should look and you have the dummy back in your pocket.
It's the One Ahead System—one of the oldest and one of the best. The effect will do you more justice than fifty card tricks—you wont find much
better anywhere and it's nothing—a rigmarole with a few bits of paper and lots of spiel. That is Mentalism.
"It's a Record" by Corinda The Effect
A gramophone record is seen displayed. A catalogue of records is produced, any page selected and that page torn into small pieces. Any
piece is selected and the title of any record taken from that piece. The title is announced—and when the record is played—it is the same one as was selected. Nothing more than a prediction like a newspaper test disguised as a coincidence.
The Method
Obtain a catalogue of gramophone records which can be got from any dealers for nothing. Sort through your records and find one that most people will recognise when they hear it. Locate the title of this record in the catalogue and remove that page. Tear out the section with the title until you get a piece of paper about one sixteenth the size of the original page. Fold this twice and have it in your pocket—this piece shall be the dummy billet.
To perform, have a gramophone ready and one record on show. Take the catalogue and explain what it is and that it contains no fewer than seven thousand different titles. Count them if you wish to be exact! Hand the book to someone and tell them to tear out one page—take it from them as soon as it has been torn out.
Tear it in halves and in halves again—once more tear and again until you have a handful of pieces. Go to another person and ask them to take any piece and fold it twice. Drop the other bits aside and then take the chosen piece and hold it up whilst you explain that the choice was one in thousands . . . switch this piece for the piece in your pocket (by any of the
methods given) and hold it yourself. Go to a spectator and open it up—
hold your thumbnail right under the title of your record and say to him,
"Will you read that title out loud please". He does—leave the paper with him—return to the gramophone—show the only record and play the first few bars . . . .
Presenting the L & D Test. Corinda
As Dr. Jaks says—"Living and Dead Tests and not everybodys' favourite effect"—but this presentation does make any of the standard methods amusing and interesting. You have four living names written on slips of
paper—and one dead name written on another. By marking the dead name billet you keep track of it. Now we come to the location of the dead name.
The five billets are mixed and laid in a row. You get one of those novelty key-chain skulls that are on the market and have it on a chain. Much the same as the sex detector trick—you use that, acting as a Pendulum to locate the dead name. It's a nice touch—appropriate and a bit better than the usual "deep trance" revelation.
"Great Minds Think Alike" by Punx Introduction
In every hundred or so new tricks that come along each year, one finds that ten of them are really any good. Out of that ten. we are fortunate if we find one that is distinct and really exceptional. This is one in a hundred—
I would go further and say, one in a thousand. A veritable miracle of mental magic and a secret that up to now—four people in the world know.
Six months ago Punx the German Mentalist walked into my studio and performed this trick. When I had seen it—I had two words to say—"How much?" But it was too good to be bought or sold and after six months'
persuasion Punx gave in—and for the first time in print—here is the Punx Test or "Great Minds Think Alike".
The Effect
Two strangers are used. One leaves the room and one stays with you.
You ask him to think of anything he likes—a word—a number—a drawing, he has a free choice. He writes down what he thinks of—rolls the paper into a ball and drops it into his pocket. YOU DO NOT TOUCH HIS PAPER. The other person is called into the room, given a sheet of blank paper and told to gaze at it and try to get an inspiration of something. You don't suggest anything. If he sees anything—and he must not guess—he is
to write it down and roll the paper into a ball. He does as he is told. Both subjects now exchange their papers, open them and read them—THEY ARE THE SAME. No known method is used—it is a new development by Punx.
Never mind about the method for a moment. Can I ask you quite honestly
—do you know of a better effect for Mentalism? What is there so near to the real thing—so clear and unbelievable? There is nothing—this is one of the best—a classic.
The Method
I have promised Punx that every detail of working will be given so that his trick will not be ruined by bad workmanship. I ask you to follow the
I have promised Punx that every detail of working will be given so that his trick will not be ruined by bad workmanship. I ask you to follow the