Thumb Tip Billet Steal

All magicians are familiar with the fake known as the thumb tip, which is a hollow shell shaped and painted flesh color to resemble the first joint of the thumb over which it fits. As used in this effect, the thumb tip should be long enough to cover the full first joint of the thumb, and fit easily so there is room to hold a folded billet which lies under the ball of the thumb, and concealed within the tip.

The slips of paper used should measure about 1" x 2-1/2". When folded twice, the billet may easily be concealed within the tip, as described. The thumb tip is used to get secret possession of one of the questions.

One method is to have the blank slips in the left vest pocket along with the thumb tip, the latter being nearest the body with the open end up. An envelope, size 6-3/4, is in your left side coat pocket. After passing out a few slips, allowing time for these spectators to finish writing their questions, the performer withdraws a slip from his pocket and at the same time brings out the thumb tip in position on the right thumb. He uses this slip to show how the spectators should fold them. With this sample folded billet in his left fingers he thrusts his left hand in his coat pocket, leaving the sample billet there and getting the envelope. He spots a spectator whose question is written and slip folded. This spectator and one or two more are allowed to drop their billets in the envelope.

The performer then quickly inserts his right thumb in the envelope as though to open it, withdraws his thumb, leaving the thumb tip inside the envelope through which it is lightly grasped and held upright by the fingers of the left hand. While doing this, the performer requests a spectator to "just put your slip in envelope," however performer does not let this spectator drop it in--performer simply reaches for the spectator's billet, taking it in his right hand between first finger and thumb which go into envelope. Actually, the billet is put into the thumb tip, the right thumb going in with it and the hand quickly withdrawn, thus secretly bringing out the billet in thumb tip. In getting more slips from pocket, thumb tip containing stolen billet is left in pocket.

The envelope is then handed to another spectator to drop in his billet, and he passes envelope along to others, meanwhile performer has been handing out slips to others, and in talking and moving about, has plenty of opportunity to get thumb tip with stolen billet out on his thumb and quickly extract stolen billet and open it. He must not look at it, just get slip opened out and placed underneath slips in left hand. The next spectator is handed a slip and instructed to "write briefly and plainly and be sure to sign your name--then fold writing inside like this" this giving performer a chance to take stolen slip and secretly read it as he folds it.

Some spectator looks after the collection envelope and brings it to the stage, and is directed to dump the billets out on the table. In the meantime, performer has gotten thumb tip with stolen question in it on his right thumb, and he has also secretly gotten from his left coat pocket, the blank sample billet that he first folded down in the audience, and this blank billet is secretly put on the edge of the pile and used as in previous methods. The one ahead principle is employed, but the use of the thumb tip provides an easy and most natural switch whereby the question just answered may be returned at that moment to the writer.

The right hand, wearing thumb tip containing stolen question, picks up a slip from the pile, and after giving the answer, switches the one ahead billet for the stolen one in this manner: If you take hold of thumb tip with left fingers and thumb, you should be able to withdraw right thumb and billet both at once from thumb tip. With palms towards you, try it before a mirror. The tip remains concealed behind the left fingers, while the billet appears to be taken by the right fingers from the left hand.

Now, with the loaded tip on right thumb, and billet No. 2 held openly between tips of right fingers and thumb (with tip on) you have just completed answering the stolen billet, and you open billet No. 2 to confirm (really to read the one ahead). You refold No. 2 with both hands and finish with it in left hand. To exchange the No. 2 billet for the stolen one in tip, you merely bring the hands together, palms toward you, and put right thumb (with tip on) on No. 2 billet behind the left fingers, grip thumb tip with left thumb and fingers, slide out stolen billet as right thumb is withdrawn from thumb tip, and it will appear to be the No. 2 billet just seen in left hand. See Fig. 2.

Try this before a mirror, and the deceptiveness of the move will be apparent. The stolen billet is now returned to its writer by an usher, or voluntary assistant.

Your left hand holds concealed, the No. 2 billet against the fingers, the thumb tip against the billet, and the left thumb against the thumb tip. The fingers are curled inwards in a natural position and no one suspects anything in the hand.

The next billet (we will call it No. 3) is now picked up by the right hand which is raised to the forehead and an answer given (to No. 2). The hands are brought together to open No. 3 to verify, and is refolded and finally held in right hand which pushes it into the thumb tip along with the right thumb, and the No. 2 billet is brought into view at the same instant, being grasped between fingers and thumbs of both hands for a second, and may then be returned to its writer. You are again prepared with one ahead for the next reading.

It will be noted that the second move, or switch, is the reverse of the first, and both should be practiced before a mirror until you can make the moves with rapidity and certainty, without looking at your hands. It should be done while you are addressing the audience with some remark, such as, "Where is Miss White, I'll return your question, etc."

Also note that both hands are seen to be "empty" as you answer the first question, and likewise on every alternate billet. You make no comment about it, but the "emptiness" of the hands permits you to make open handed gestures so frequently that no one will suspect that anything is, or could be, concealed in the hands at any time.