MISCELLANEOUS FORCES 158--177
158. Force a design or picture with six inch squares of paper folded once each way and in individual envelopes. They are opened in turn and different pictures or designs shown. Replaced, mixed and one envelope selected. Design shown and effect continued. Every paper but the one actually bearing force design is doubled by having a duplicate paper (all these alike) pasted to back of same and folded separately, (well known Buddha money trick) with either to front it may be opened and shown. Performer must always place papers in envelopes one way so that he knows when taking them out which way to open them.
159. I took the old force for colors where the performer has them called out, and writes the same one over and over, and added a cute subtlety which has puzzled a good many magicians. A piece of paper has been ruled off for tearing or cutting into eight pieces. As colors are called I write them down, and merely write the same one over and over--but--I not alone write the word, but make a dot on that slip that indicates the color really named. I have the 12 main colors learned in order around the edge, and if the color is not among these it is odd enough to be remembered anyway. After writing I read the list over slowly as called and check with those who called them. This is the convincer. Can be done with names also but they must be well known names and you are never sure of getting the one called that you are ready for and must force.
160. A clever exchange of slips for those all alike, or for dummies is to use a soft felt hat creased through the middle. Borrow hat and palm in six or eight duplicate color or name slips on one side of crease. Grasping hat under on each side closes either pocket formed by crease. Written slips are dropped into empty side, by changing hands with hat, these are hidden and the others freed for the selection. Then dump out all together and pocket.
161. This can be used for colors or names, or even the names of cards as desired. The spectators write the slips and fold them. They are collected in a dish or cup and so far everything is perfectly fair. Even when the spectator chooses one of the mixed slips and hands it to performer it is still fair. Performer opens slip and looking at it merely says, "Who wrote the ....?" At the same time he refolds paper and drops back into dish. Then effect is proceeded with. This is barefaced but I'm telling everyone that it works like a charm.
162. A mirror glass can be used for a pellet switch, she duplicates are in the back. Originals are collected on a saucer and dumping them into front of glass, saucer is placed over top and pellets shaken up. Glass is turned around during shaking and pellets from other side are poured onto saucer for a selection.
163. With the same mirror glass a pack of about a dozen color cards are shown. Could be made from blank playing cards. Color to be forced is in back compartment with color side out. Any card is selected from shuffled packet and without showing placed back outward in front side of glass. To show, turn glass around which brings force card into view, and then remove it which leaves glass empty.
164. A practical principle which will force things like Life Savers and Chewing Gum is in the removal of the loose wrappers that are around the product. With the above mentioned articles, the wrappers are distinctly different for the various flavors. It is a case of apparently having a number of different flavors but all are alike, the wrappers only being different. Principle could be used with cigarettes by opening package at bottom and substituting another brand. The blindfold cigarette stunt would be easy after this, for cigarettes from several different packages mixed together would enable the performer to puff and name the brand of one selected from bunch.
165. A fair envelope force for colors, names, etc., is in the old double envelope where the front and flap of one is inserted into another and the flaps glued together to form one feked envelope. Eight or ten are prepared from drag envelopes and between double sides is enclosed a slip bearing the name to be forced. Envelopes are freely handled out with paper. Names are written and sealed by audience. Collected and mixed by spectator. Any one freely chosen and handed performer who opens at end, withdraws slip and reads. Almost perfect because everything is done by the audience throughout.
166. This same type of envelope see last entry is handy for the exchange of coins or a bill. Useful when number on borrowed bill is to be revealed on slate. Just a case of placing a bill within envelope and when end is torn off it is taken from compartment and envelope dropped into pocket. Several coins may be changed in this way for use of dates.
167. For the book test a good force is to trim seven or eight pages about an eighth of an inch short along edge. They are trimmed together and first upper trimmed page is one to be forced. Letting covers hang downward, the pages are riffled upwards with thumb and at short section automatic stop is made. Have finger inserted in the same manner as with a short card force described earlier.
168. Another method for opening book at proper place is to secure a new unused book, open near center, hold pages securely and bend backward to break binding at this point. Book will now open at this spot itself if held loosely. Hand to spectator and hurry him. Tell him to open book anywhere and to note first word on left page, etc. Not always a sure fire method but it will work the greater majority of times.
169. Using a telephone book in cities, a page can be found easily where the whole page will be the same surname such as Brown, etc., but there are many names much less common. First force page by short page or inserting card or by forcing number of page. Hold book above vision of party, have them run finger up and down column and stop anywhere. Lower book and have spectator call out the last name. Name can then be shown on slate, etc. Simple but effective.
170. Hand spectator a blank card and ask them to insert it anywhere in end of book. It is then handed someone else to open at that spot and continue. Beforehand performer had duplicate card at correct page at this end of book. In passing from one to another, book is reversed. Card at back can now be pushed in out of sight or with the simplest amount of skill can be palmed away and pocketed.
171. An ingenious word test is to pick a simple word which can be found on the same page a number of times. Say it appears eight times. Counters are marked with these numbers, can be shown different and any one freely selected, yet will count to the known word.
172. This is a perfect mechanical color force. A small rack is made in rectangular shape and on the top and bottom bars are 16 vari-colored rings, eight on each. This can be made up small size and beads used on metal rods instead. The rack is uniform all around so it can be turned away. Any number is called from 1 to 16 and the number counted to, the color being forced. On the frame are only four rings of the force color, the rest being different and mixed. With the frame in front of you put these rings counting from left to right along top and then likewise along bottom - 1 - 5 - 11 - 15. Now by turning the frame around so that the lower ring comer becomes the upper left comer, the force color is found at 2 - 6 - 12 - 16. By turning the frame over so that the other side is towards you, the color is found at 4 - 8 - 10 - 14. Lastly by turning it around on this side you get the numbers 3 - 7 - 9 - 13. So by one of the four combinations you get the color at any number and always count the same way. It can be laying on table so that when number is called, you pick it up correctly and hold for spectator to do the counting.
173. This is a miniature carnival force and can be used for names, colors, numbers, etc. It is a rack over which twenty or more strings are hung, on the end of each being a tag with a name or color written on. The ends are all brought together in front and run through a small tube, about two inches protruding. The spectator pulls on any one of the strings and the name or number pulled up is forced. The trick lies in the tube through which the strings go to keep them together and effectively mix them. The tags that are not to be selected cannot be chosen simply because the strings enter the tube but end there! The ends from which one is selected are attached to duplicate names or to various numbers (if more than one can be used) and the selection becomes very flashy but forced just the same.
174. A sheet of cardboard is divided into sixteen squares of different colors. A number is named, the color counted to and it is always forced. Four squares contain the force color the rest being mixed. But as any one of the sides may be the top, these four colors may be made to show up at any number. With the sheet in front of you and counting from the left to fight always make the force color the 1 - 6 - 8 - 14 squares. By turning sheet around a side at a time, you will see that each change gives you four different positions until all 16 are covered. Write the correct four numbers along edge on the back. Have a number called and picking up sheet properly so correct side is at top allow spectator to do the counting.
175. To force a newspaper advertisement (classified) the answer to which may appear on a slate etc., have a strip of them cut from a newspaper, clipped apart and folded several times. One is selected and dropped into a small drug envelope which is handed spectator for safekeeping. The ad to be forced is in a thumb tip in vest pocket and is introduced into envelope in opening it. In drawing out thumb the ad from inside is pulled out and dropped into envelope. The folded paper is taken from spectator, dropped into envelope and into the empty tip. Thumb follows and comes out wearing tip while envelope is handed spectator. 'A facsimile of the ad may then be made to appear on a slate, etc.
176. This is a showy force that someone might make up and use to good advantage. Twelve small white balls are shown with numbers from one to twelve. A bag is shown and crumpled up to prove empty and then hung so that balls can be dropped in. Balls really have half shells on eleven of them with the different numbers and as they are shown and dropped into bag, the shell is dropped into a back partition just inside bag and the ball in front. Thus they are all alike when spectator reaches in for a ball.
177. A regulation handkerchief box can be used as a forcing box for slips of paper or cards
bearing names and inscriptions. The ones to be forced are in between flap and side of box. The
genuine slips or cards are dropped into box and, upon flap being dropped, box is held over
spectator's head while he reaches in and selects one.