Switching Decks
By Harlan Tarbell

Modern-day magicians have often made something complicated that the old-timers accomplished in a simple action. One of these things is switching one deck for another. Various contraptions have been brought out for this purpose, some of which seem far removed from the simple subject at hand. I am going to describe a method of changing decks, say a deck of forcing cards for a regular deck, or a deck of regular cards for a threaded pack, such as was used by Herrmann, Powell, DeKolta, Kellar, Ransom, Reno and many others. I, myself, have used it many times in performing the rising cards, where I wanted to switch a regular pack for one threaded for the card fountain.

The threaded deck B is on the table under a silk handkerchief, Figure 1. The audience, of course, is not aware of this hidden deck. Now, let's say that three cards have been selected, returned and shuffled in the pack. This deck is held in your right hand. Pick up the silk at the rear with the left hand, thumb underneath, and place deck A under it, Figure 2. Transfer the silk from the left to the right hand. Put the silk down on another part of the table in full view. All this is but a moment's work, and to the audience all that you have done is simply to place a deck of cards on the table and pick up a handkerchief, which is temporarily in the way, and place it aside. Try this method and see how easy and effective it is.