Card Manipulations No. 5
Jean Hugard
Next | Previous | Contents
The Spring PalmOne of the first moves that attracts the dabbler with cards, is the flourish of springing the cards from one hand to the other. This can be turned to good use in covering a rapid and imperceptible palm of the top card.
In executing the flourish the fingers of the right hand are straightened out as the last card leaves the hand. In using the flourish to palm the top card, however, the second, third and fourth fingers are bent inward as the last cards leave the hand, the forefinger only remaining extended, and they pull the top card back into the hand. Fig. 3.
The sleight is executed with the right side of the body to the
front so that the back of the hand is towards the spectator. The action is not difficult as a few trials with the cards will show.The following tricks will serve as examples of effective use of the spring palm.
Tricks with the Spring Palma. Introducing the Ambitious Card Trick
Have a card freely chosen, returned, and, by means of the pass, pass substitute, or your favorite method, bring it to the top. By the double lift show that the top card is not the chosen card. Let the two cards remain face up and turn the deck over. Show that the bottom card is an indifferent one also.
Holding the pack in the same position draw out the lower of the two reversed cards, showing it again, turn it over and replace it. Turn the pack again and the chosen card will be reversed second from the top.
Making some remark about the ambitious nature of the cards, have the chosen card named, execute the spring palm and it appears with startling effect facing the spectators on the top of the deck.
The palmed card can be slipped to the bottom under cover of squaring the deck, or it may be left on top of the chosen card in the action of turning that card face down. In the latter case you are ready to continue with the routine moves of the favorite "Ambitious Card" trick.
After having satisfied a spectator that his card has been lost in the deck but, in reality, having brought it to the top and kept it there, spring the cards into your left hand. Tell your victim that you will repeat the flourish and invite him to call "Stop" whenever he wishes.
Spring the cards into your left hand as before and stop the movement When the call is made. Then spring the remaining cards on to the table, palming the last card, i.e. the chosen one.
Pick up the cards from the left hand, adding the palmed card (Card Manipulations No. 4), and put them face down on the tab]e, the tip of the forefinger pressing on the middle of the top card. Let the spectator name his card and show that he actually stopped you at that very card.
By a slight modification of the moves in b. an easy, sure force can be made. Have the card to be forced on the top of the deck. Spring the cards into your left hand, inviting a spectator to call "Stop" whenever he wishes, then spring the remainder of the cards on to the table, palming the top card.
Take the cards from the left hand, adding the palmed card, and hand the packet to the spectator inviting him to note the card at which he stopped you.
For this effect it is necessary that one of the four kings be forced and after it has been replaced, and the pack shuffled, it must be on top of the pack. These moves having been made by the reader's favorite methods the next step is to borrow a hat. This, you explain is to represent a ship, the fifty-two cards the passengers and crew, and the chosen card is to be considered to be the captain.
Turn up the sweat band of the hat and put it crown downwards on the table. Holding the cards ready for the Spring Flourish, say, "The ship is all set to sail and the captain, crew and the passengers embark,"--spring the cards into the hat, palming the top card. Fig. 4. Turn the sweat band down and slip the palmed card under it. "They start their voyage, weather calm and everybody happy." Take the hat by the brim, fingers inside and thumb outside, rapping the card under sweat band and covering it with the fingers. Move the hat around.
"Soon they run into a storm, the vessel rolls, she almost turns turtle,"--shake the hat and simulate as best you can the movements of a small vessel buffeted by a storm. "Finally the captain gives the order, "Abandon Ship". Empty the cards out on the table, turning the hat upside down and shaking all the cards out. Keeping the fingers over the part of the chosen card protruding from the sweat band, show that the hat is empty. Put it on the table crown downwards, letting the chosen card slip down from under the band.
Gather up the cards and hand them to the spectator who drew a card, asking him to see if it is amongst those rescued. He cannot find it. Ask him to name it. "The King of---" You say, "Evidently since we appointed your card to be Captain he has followed the tradition of the sea and gone down with his ship. Will you see if it is so?"
The spectator takes up the hat and finds his card in it.
Although the spring palm is not used in this feat it is included here as being perhaps the best of all tricks done with the Spring Flourish. The effect is this--a card having been freely chosen, replaced and the pack shuffled, the magician produces a wrong card. This is pushed into the deck so that about three-quarters of its length protrudes from the side. The cards are then sprung from hand to hand and the card visibly changes to the one drawn.
The method is this: Allow a card to be freely chosen and replaced. Bring it to the top by whatever means yen prefer and false shuffle, leaving an indifferent card above it. Announce that you have found the card and turn the top card face up. The drawer tells you that is not his card. Execute the double lift, standing with your right side to the front and the deck almost upright on its side, to prevent exposure of the second card's face, and insert the two cards, as one, in the side of the deck. Allow about three-quarters of an inch of the length of the cards to protrude.
Announce that you will cause the card to change visibly into the correct card and have this named. Spring the cards downwards smartly into the left hand. The two cards turn over, leaving the chosen card face up and protruding from the other cards.
I must confess that until I saw this feat done perfectly I was skeptical as to its practicability. It does require some work but the change is so startling that it is well worth the effort required to master it..