No. 11. The Hat Catch

For this flourish you wear your hat, silk hat for preference.

Holding the cards in the usual way you spread them on the back of your left arm. (Fig. l). Grasp the brim of your hat with your right hand, then jerk the line of cards upwards by quickly raising your left arm, immediately afterwards dropping it to your side.

Swing the hat around in front of you with a circular motion and sweep the cards into it before they fall. (Fig. 2).

By having a bag fake in the hat it could be so fixed that the cards would fall to the bottom but would be prevented from falling out. After catching the cards in the hat, turn it crown up and shake it, but the cards do not fall. In the meantime you have had ample opportunity to secure another pack from a clip on your left hip. Turn the hat mouth upwards and produce this pack from the crown in a fan.

If a hat is worn for your entrance this would make a brilliant opening for a series of manipulations.