Change the Queen of Hearts into the Queen of Clubs, shoot a hole through the Ace of Spades, and toss a deck into the air and make it vanish! This classic guide is loaded with sleights and tricks, from the card palm and the false shuffle to illusions employing coins, handkerchiefs, and bottles. More than 200 illustrations and diagrams illuminate such tricks as how to make a desired card appear, setting up the prearranged pack, and compelling a spectator to inadvertently choose the card of the performer's choice.
German-born August Roterberg came to the United States as a teenager and started out as a mail-order magic salesman before opening a magic store in the lobby of Chicago's Palmer House Hotel. Roterberg changed the way magic books were written, addressing himself to professionals rather than amateurs, and taking the then-unusual step of adding illustrations. Although this 1897 classic was intended for professional magicians, its clear and detailed instructions make it appropriate for dedicated amateurs.
