Editor's Introduction
The day of "quick moves" of "the hand is quicker than the eye" sort of Magic is over. It always did belong more to the repertoire of the Juggler than to that of the more polished Magical Entertainer. His is an ART which combines Dramatic Art both verbal and pantomime, the science of Misdirection, Wit and Grace of PRESENTATION, and should never depend entirely on mere manual dexterity.
Instead there has been developed a newer type of Magic, where easy and graceful movements slow enough for all to see and assimilate mentally, is made the goal.
This more modern phase of the Art depends upon scientific principles, upon psychologically worked out formulae--the little gaps in our mental processes, between observation and mental interpretation.
In editing the present collection of Card Experiments and presenting them to the Magical Fraternity, I do so with great pleasure. Pleasure born of the love of good Magic, and of an appreciation of the excellence of the material itself.
Annemann, though a young man, is no new entity to those of us in New York State or who have visited the I.B.M. Annual Magical Conventions in the middle west or the S.A.M. Banquets or Meetings in the east.
He has achieved a reputation among magicians for his unique way of presenting his baffling card mysteries. Baffling because he is known to be one who never indulges in any of the accepted sleights, passes nor quick moves. Unique in presentation because of his practice of allowing the experiments to be operated largely or wholly while the pack of cards is out of his possession and in the hands of the spectators. In this field of which he makes a speciality, he is in a class by himself.
If the reader desires super-mysteries of the card order, which create their effects without the use of a lot of difficult sleights, and which neither employ nor require any skill in manipulation, then this collection will solve his problem perfectly.
A great deal of time, thought and care in editing, rewriting and illustrating the inventor's original directions have been expended with the hope that it may achieve its object of making the doors clear, simple and easy to follow, so that the reader may present the effects successfully.
Gilbert Gault.