You place the joker and the torn pieces into the card box and give it a shake. You then dump out only one playing card, the restored signed selection. On the back of the playing card is a stamp and the magicians address!

Setup:
You need a duplicate card of any card in the deck. I prefer to use a court card because you are going to have a dummy signature on it. On your duplicate court card, sign the white space that borders the card. On the back of the second court card, place a stamp in the upper right corner and address it to yourself, however do not put a return address.

Place the stamp card face down on top of the deck and the dummy card face down on top. Remove any other card from the deck and slide it face down into the cellophane around the card case so that it is on the side with the half moon cutout. Finally, on the back of the Joker Guarantee card, place a stamp and address it to the USPC office in Ohio. Put the joker in your wallet or pocket.

Go Time:
“I use a lot of playing cards. The USPC has become a good friend of mine. I order directly from them now, so they hook me up every now and then. Let me show you how fast their service is.” Cut the deck and hold a break, then do a riffle force and cut your setup back to the top.

Do a double turnover and have them sign the white space on the court card. Pick up both cards and bring them to your mouth to blow, subtly reinforcing the normal back. Place the cards back on the deck and do a necktie second deal, removing the second card (dummy card). Place the deck face up on the table.

“If I tear this card up, I can usually get a replacement for it, thanks to the Joker.” Tear the card into 3rds or 4ths and place them on the table. I usually place the pieces on the table face up, with the 2 signed pieces(assuming you tore in 4ths) on the bottom of the packet.

Pick up the deck, keeping the top necktied towards yourself. Remove the Joker and read the guarantee on it. Show the back of the Joker and point out that it is addressed to the USPC. Place the Joker face up on the deck and pick up the torn pieces momentarily.

“Now, I would say that card is defective. It is torn after all.” Drop the pieces to the table again. Do a double turnover and remove the top card, then place the deck in your pocket or face up on the table. Even though the address has changed on the card, no one will notice.

I use my fingers to obscure some of the address also. Place the card into the card case so the face is towards you on the moon side. “Usually I put this in the mailbox, but for now I will use the card box.” As you put the card in the box, squeeze the sides of the case inward, causing the box to buckle.

Use your thumb to open the gap between the card and the cellophane. Pick the torn pieces up and drop them into the gap. The lid of the box will obscure where they are actually going. Close the lid and shake the box for a second, then dump the card out of the box. “That was fast, huh? Now my address is on it. Instead of sending a replacement though, they just fixed your card for us.” Now you turn the card over and show the signature.

Thoughts:
If the deck is on the table, you can pick it up and thumb the Joker into your pocket as you are putting the deck away. This is a good trick for table hopping because you can give the card away and it has all of your information on it. You can write in a website or phone number after the effect. I only do this effect for potential clients due to the fact that a stamp is wasted each performance.

Shout Outs:
This is effect is similar to an effect in Miracles with Cards by James Swain. His effect is structurally different, as well as a different presentation. His effect has a friend sending him a card in the mail.

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If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll remember that this month’s “The Full Montoya,” you’ll remember that Donny Orbit is filling in for Jason. Donny’s article was focused on a technique to help you create a trick. Using this technique, he created the effect below. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Phoenix by Donny Orbit.

Effect:
The magician removes some business cards that have a plethora of different symbols drawn on them. One symbol is chosen to act as an incantation for the magic.

The paper clip that was holding the business cards is bent into a distorted shape and wrapped in tissue paper. The paper is lit on fire and dropped in an ashtray. Like the phoenix flying from the ashes, the paper clip is not only undistorted, it is now in the shape of the chosen symbol.

Setup:
You need about 20 business cards. On about ten different business cards, write down the names of 10 different symbols. Some examples are: heart, club, diamond, spade, star, square, circle, trapezoid, tetrazoid, whatever. On another 10 business cards you are going to write down what symbol you will force.

Assume you are going to force the heart. Place the 10 force business cards on top of the random cards and place a paper clip around them. Finally, take another paper clip and bend it into the force shape. I chose a heart because it is the easiest to shape, outside of a basic square or circle.

Place the heart shaped paper clip in your left pocket with your prepared business cards. Place a lighter and a piece of flash paper in your right pocket.

Go Time:
“Have you guys ever heard of the mythical bird, the Phoenix? In mythology, the Phoenix built itself a nest made out of cinnamon twigs which caught fire. It burnt to the ground with the bird inside. The bird then miraculously rose from the ashes born anew.

I don’t have any birds here with me, but I want to try something. I have a stack of business cards here with a bunch of different symbols written on them. I am going to let you chose one at random. Whatever word that is on the card will be used as an incantation to see if we can’t make our own Phoenix rise.”

Remove your business cards and drop the paper clip on the table. Turn the business cards face up and call attention to about 6 or 7 of the different words. Turn the business cards face down and cut about 5 cards from the bottom to the top. Fan the business cards out and have someone touch one.

You have to force one of the 10 central cards. After they touch one of the cards, let them remove it and keep it so that you don’t see the word written on it.

Place the business cards back in your pocket and pick up the paper clip. “We are going to let this paper clip represent our mythical bird. Sir, if you would please bend this paper clip into a distorted shape. Anything at all.” Let the person distort the paper clip. Make sure that they don’t try to bend it into any sort of shape.

Take the paper clip back and hold it in your palm up right hand. “I don’t have a nest to burn, but I do have some kindling.” Reach into your left pocket and pick up the heart shaped paper clip in finger-palm. Remove your hand and apparently place the distorted clip into your left hand while executing a shuttle pass to retain the distorted clip.

Immediately reach into your left pocket and ditch the distorted clip, bringing out the flash paper and the lighter. Wrap the flash paper around the heart clip and drop it in a nearby ashtray. “Say the incantation of the word you selected inside your head and light the tissue paper. Not only is the paper clip not mangled, but it is now in the shape of a heart. What word did you select?” Allow the spectator to show the business card around to everyone.

Thoughts:
If no ashtray is available, hold the flash paper at your fingertips and let the spectator light the paper. Gently toss it in the air as the paper ignites so that you don’t burn your fingers.

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Here’s the idea, you take one word from Column A, one word from Column B and throw them at a word from Column C. This is an exercise designed to help spawn new creative en devours.

These of course need to have some way to bridge with one another. For example, assume you have chosen paperclips, in a flash of fire and spectator assisted.

“Let’s see, spectator assisted. Flash of fire. I know for a fact I don’t want someone burning themselves, so I’ll handle the fire. Paperclips. Hmm, they have those memory metals that can be burnt into different shapes. Maybe force the shape and pull out a piece of metal in the shape of a paperclip.

Better yet, what if I dump a box of paperclips out, have someone chose one, then switch it for the memory metal. I wonder if I could wrap the metal in flash paper and have it change its shape? Now the force. I don’t want the handling to seem to contrived, so what about a few business cards set up so that half of them are the force symbol for the metal, the other half are random.

I could even use a papeclip to hold the business cards and apparently use the same paperclip to make the change. After a shuttle pass, I could place the actual paperclip in my pocket with the business cards as I remove a piece of flash paper.”

So using this concept, thus is born Phoenix, this month’s free trick.

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However, as much as he is keeping secret, he has also very generously donated an effect to this month’s newsletter. Below is his description and effect in his own words. Also, Donny did not ask me to do this, but in return for his generosity, I’ve decided to give him a plug for his e-book entitled “Inside the Head of Donny Orbit.”

Also, you can find a review of the book here: Inside the Head of Donny Orbit Review.

Hypnotizing the Masses
By Donny Orbit

Effect:
The magicians has a coin signed and held tightly by a spectator. A single match is torn out of a book and used to light the others. Instantly, the lit match vanishes, the book hasn’t been set ablaze and the coin is no longer signed.

Method:
So this one is easy on sleights. It’s all presentation baby. You need a matchbook, a piece of flashpaper, a handful of change and a marker. Using a small amount of spit, attach the flash paper to the inside cover of the matchbook. I simply tear a sheet off of a flash pad and fold it in 4ths, then attach it to the cover BEHIND the matches. When you open the matchbook up, all the spectator will see are matches. When you are setting up the flashpaper, bend the cover as far back as you can, later on in the routine, this small amount of “work” will come in handy. Put the matches in a left pocket.

I mention a handful of change because you cannot rely on the spectator to have loose pocket change. I always have 2 matching quarters, 2 nickels, 2 pennies and 2 dimes in one of my pockets. If you do borrow change from a spectator, you can always ring in one of yours as a duplicate. Place the marker in the right pocket with the coins and you are all set.

Presentation:
“Has anyone here ever been hypnotized or went to a hypnotherapist? Sometimes they use a flame to induce a hypnotic trance. I am going to try to put everyone under for a moment.” Bring out the matchbook and tear a single match out. Light it and wave it around for a second, then blow it out and place the burnt match into your pocket (after it cools of course) “Everyone is now under. You might not feel it yet, but you will. Does anyone have a coin I can borrow? No, here, I have one. Please sign and write a time on it if you can.” Bring out the marker, one coin fingerpalmed and the duplicate coin for the spectator to sign. Once they have signed it, hold it in the left hand as you blow on it to dry the writing. You are now going to do a fake take of the left hand coin and place the duplicate into the spectators hand. As you place it in, gently close their fist for them. “Hold onto it tight. In a minute I am going to ask you a question about it and see if you are indeed hypnotized.” Place the marker in your pocket ditching the extra coin.

“If a little fire put you under, imagine what a big fire can do.” Pick up the matchbook and tear out a match. Strike the match on the back side and pull it away from the matchbook momentarily. Under this misdirection you will pivot the matches into your palm. Hold the matchbook so the majority of it is hidden behind your left fingers, except for the open flap. Your left thumb will reach up and pull the actual matches into your palm, they will pivot down away from the flash paper completely. Touch the match to the flashpaper and the audience will see a bright flash. Blow on it as your right hand moves up and down to put the match out. 2 things happen at once. Your left hand pivots the matches back into place as the cover is closed, and your right hand simply drops the match on a downward stroke. The audience will not see the match fall. Hold your right hand into a fist as your left hand tables the matchbook with the open side down.

“You have been under this whole time and I am going to prove it. When I snap my fingers you will all wake up.” Snap your left fingers over your right hand. “I didn’t really tear out a match just now.” Open your hand and show the match gone. “If I didn’t tear out a match I couldn’t have set the rest of the matches on fire.” Open the book and show all the matches inside. “And when we first started, I didn’t even have you sign a coin.” They open their hand and find no initials on it.

Thoughts:
Easy and fun. This is a good restaurant trick. Dropping a match on the floor while you wave your hand to put it out is an old idea I think from Tarbell. This is a good effect because it has 3 different effects built in for a 1,2,3 punch. If anyone ever sees the match on the ground, I mention that it was the one that we used to put everyone under, which is why I place the first match into a pocket.

Reset:
I keep a flash pad in my inside coat pocket, so I can tear off a sheet and place it in the matchbook. You will get some minor scorching on the cover of the matchbook after each performance , so after about 3 to 4 performances you will need to change matchbooks. I bought 50 matchbooks from walmart for about 4 bones, so that will last quite awhile. Flash paper is one sheet per performance. The signed coin can be washed after you get home so it can be used again. If you put the marker in your right coat pocket after the performance with the signed coin, as you are moving to the next table you can drop the marker back into your pocket without fear of the signed coin mixing among the others.

Credits:
Jay Sankey has an effect where flash paper is lit to give the impression of a matchbook being lit. The effect can be found in his 20 years of Magic lecture notes. The idea of waving a match and dropping it to effect a vanish was taught to me by a magician named Ed Andres, who stated it can be found in Tarbell.

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