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DAI VERNON’S TRIBUTE
TO
NATE LEIPZIG

Written and Photographed

by
LEWIS GANSON

Digital conversion
by
Craig Matsuoka

Published by HARRY STANLEY

Unique Magic Studio, 14 Frith Street, London, W.1
Printed in England by H. Clarke & Co. (London) Ltd.,
(Harry Clarke, M.I.M.C.)
34-46 New Inn Yard, London, E.C.2
Dedicated to
Mrs LEILA LEIPZIG
the motivating inspiration behind
the success of a great artiste

Mr. & Mrs. Nate Leipzig, taken in London

shortly after their marriage
“The Professor”
DAI VERNON

5
CONTENTS
Page
FOREWORD ....................................................................9
CHAPTER ONE Nate Leipzig................................................12
CHAPTER TWO Leipzig’s Card Sleights...............................22
Colour Change..........................................22
Side Slip....................................................25
Peek Control.............................................26
The Pass....................................................28
Double Lift...............................................29
CHAPTER THREE Leipzig’s Stage Act—1...............................32
Thimble Routine.......................................32
CHAPTER FOUR Leipzig’s Stage Act—2...............................38
Colour Change Routine............................38
CHAPTER FIVE Leipzig’s Stage Act—3...............................42
Slap Four Ace Routine.............................42
CHAPTER SIX Leipzig's Stage Act—4................................48
Card Locations..........................................48
CHAPTER SEVEN Leipzig's Stage Act—5................................54
Card Stabbing...........................................54
CHAPTER EIGHT Leipzig’s Stage Act—6...............................64
Twenty Card Trick...................................64
CHAPTER NINE “A few grips with a Cane”..........................70
CHAPTER TEN Tricks with Knots........................................76
Fade-a-way Knot......................................76
Handkerchief Off Wrist............................78
Double-Triple Knot..................................79
CHAPTER ELEVEN Cigars from Purse........................................86
CHAPTER TWELVE Tear up with a Twist....................................94
CHAPTER THIRTEEN Coin Quickies............................................106
Thumb Roll.............................................106
Coin Roll................................................107
Boomerang Coin.....................................108
Balanced Coin........................................110
“Right There!”........................................111
Slow Motion Coin Vanish......................115
Coin from hand to hand.........................118
Coin on the Knee....................................120
Another Coin Vanish..............................121
CHAPTER FOURTEEN Coin Tricks................................................124
Coin in Glass..........................................124
Copper and Silver Transposition............129
Penny out of glass of Beer......................130
Leipzig’s Pride........................................131
CHAPTER FIFTEEN Off the Beaten Track.................................138
The First Born Child...............................138
Creation of Life......................................139
Reading the Pencil..................................140
Cigarette paper Prediction......................141
Tumbler Vanish......................................143
Dice Moves.............................................145
Levitation of a Cigar or Cigarette...........146
Ring on Stick..........................................149
Vanish of Matches..................................150
The Stretching Match.............................151
Ball Vanish.............................................152
CHAPTER SIXTEEN Some Favourite Card Tricks......................156
Leipzig’s Opener....................................156
Acrobats..................................................157
Automatic Gambler................................160
Ambitious Card Quickie.........................162
Mathematics...........................................163
Leipzig’s Favourite Four Ace Trick.......165
The Matching-up Trick...........................167
Bottom Card Change..............................169
Twirl Cut................................................170
Card Change...........................................171
Knife Glimpse........................................173
Reverso...................................................173
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Tricks with Faked Cards............................176
Sympathetic Thirteen..............................176
Princess Card Trick................................180
The Magnetised Cards............................183
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Peeked At..................................................188
Palm Up..................................................188
Turnabout...............................................188
Spring Card Location.............................189
Card Through Handkerchief...................189
The Rising Card......................................190
Stop Trick...............................................191
Card by Thought.....................................191
FOREWORD
by Lewis Ganson
It has given me great pleasure to co-operate with my
good friend, Dai Vernon, in the compilation of several
books on magic, my part being to record his work from
actual demonstrations and verbal instructions he has given
me. For this present book, some text had already been
written by Dai Vernon himself in several notebooks in
which over many years he recorded magical effects and
methods. A large part of these writings consisted of
methods used by Nate Leipzig, copied down at the time of,
or soon after, Leipzig’s performances. Being an intimate
friend of Leipzig’s, Dai Vernon was able to see the same
tricks performed time and time again, and in consequence
was able to include every detail. In addition, the patter used
was set down word for word. On several occasions Leipzig
demonstrated his methods for Dai, and was always
generous and helpful in explaining each small item to
ensure accuracy.
Dai Vernon’s knowledge of these methods was used to
produce VERNON ON LEIPZIG, one of the parts of that
excellent publication STARS OF MAGIC. This was edited by
BRUCE ELLIOTT and GEORGE STARKE with photographic
interpretation by GEORGE KARGER. Four tricks were
explained in this article and our thanks go to the New York
magic dealer, LOUIS TANNEN, for his kind permission to
quote freely from this work. We make no claim to have
included in the book all the tricks which Nate Leipzig
performed. Obviously, there are omissions, as during his
lifetime he must have selected hundreds of them—some
may have only been performed once or twice; others may
have been tried in the early part of his career then discarded
as other material was favoured. What we have attempted is
to include all those effects which Dai Vernon or his
associates have witnessed, and for which can be provided
accurate descriptions of the methods Leipzig used. Dai
Vernon also posed for the photographs to ensure accuracy
of the hand positions.

9
In compiling the list of tricks for inclusion, we are
greatly indebted to that clever magician from St. Joseph,
U.S.A., FAUCETT ROSS, who for many years has made a close
study of Leipzig’s methods. He kindly provided us with the
very considerable amount of information in his possession,
including many letters about Leipzig which passed between
Dai Vernon and Charlie Miller. He also sent us a most
comprehensive list of “memory joggers” which has proved
invaluable.
For the information contained in the chapter entitled “A
few Grips with a Cane”—we owe our thanks to CONRAD C.
BUSH of America and FREDERICA of Scotland. The latter
gentleman also kindly sent us biographical notes on Nate
Leipzig which greatly assisted the preparation of Chapter
One. We were also able to check other facts in that chapter
from Nate Leipzig’s Autobiography, published in six
monthly parts (Sept. 1953—Feb. 1954) in M.U.M., the
Magazine of the Society of American Magicians.
We are greatly indebted to MRS. LEILA LEIPZIG who kindly
provided photographs of her late husband, and to ALLAN
JAMIESON of Scotland who also lent photographs from his
collection. J. B. FINDLAY and JACK POTTER both placed their
collections of magical information at our disposal, and once
again DENNIS PATTEN has captured pictures with his pen and
pencil which eluded my camera.
We in the magical fraternity are indeed fortunate in
having Harry Stanley to promote, publish and foot the
production costs of our books, and also Harry Clarke who
makes such a splendid job of the books themselves.
No one but Dai Vernon could have produced the magical
knowledge necessary for writing this book, and magicians
of the present and future will treasure the secrets it
contains. In making use of the knowledge, they will keep
alive the memory of Nate Leipzig, one of the world’s
greatest and most respected magicians.
Lewis Ganson.

10
CHAPTER ONE
NATE LEIPZIG

Nate Leipzig in 1907 wearing the Decoration of

The Inner Magic Circle — Gold Star

11
CHAPTER ONE
NATE LEIPZIG

To obtain a true understanding of the methods used by a

certain magician, it is helpful to appreciate why those
methods are effective in that particular person’s hands. His
personality, appearance, character and general outlook on
life all play a part in determining the type of subterfuge
with which he can best deceive an audience. Obviously,
two performers with totally different personal
characteristics may be able to use similar methods, but each
will develop different techniques in their employment.
Dai Vernon gives us a good example of this in his
comparison of Nate Leipzig with Max Malini. He tells us
that: “Where Malini was harsh and challenging, colourful
and bold, Nate Leipzig was quiet, genteel, soft in manner
and voice and gave at all times the impression that here was
a gentleman it would be very pleasant to know better”.
Judson Cole said of Leipzig: “Very few acts have real
authority. Nate had it, plus that intangible glamour which
has been called everything from stage presence to personal
magnetism; but call it what you will, he literally electrified
an audience when he walked out on stage”.
The different backgrounds of Malini and Leipzig were
reflected in their magic. Malini started by busking in
saloons; a hard school in which he developed an almost
crass approach to mankind. Leipzig first worked as a lens
maker—a quiet and contemplative way of making a living.
The influence of his background on his magic can be
summed up in his own words when he said: “Dai, I’ve been
doing magic for almost fifty years. They (an audience) like
to feel that a gentleman has fooled them”. On another
occasion he said: “If they like you as a person, they’ll like
your act”.
Both Malini and Leipzig played before large audiences
in all parts of the world and their public acclaim and fame
were the results of these performances, but they both were
really close-up magicians. Both are now remembered best

12
for the seemingly impromptu miracles which they would do
off stage, under the close scrutiny of keen observers.
Now let us study briefly the circumstances which
determined Leipzig’s background.
He was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on 31st May, 1873.
His real name was Nathan Leipziger and he was the third
youngest of a family of eight children; seven boys and one
girl.
Nate’s father was born in Russia, but at an early age was
taken to Sweden by his father. Deciding to strike out for
himself, he went to America. One of the first towns he
visited was Utica, N.Y. and there he met the girl who was
to become his wife. After marriage, they lived for four
years in Utica and Nate’s two elder brothers were born
there, then the family returned to Sweden and lived in
Malmo. Later they moved back to Stockholm where Nate
was born. Due to the failure of the family business, Nate’s
father and brother Hyman, left for America in 1881, then a
year later they sent for the rest of the family.
The Leipziger children had the best education the family
could afford and three particular traits ran through the
family—drawing, music and magic; actually drawing was
the most pronounced. Three of the boys dabbled in magic
but Nate was the only one to take it up seriously, although
he never dreamed it would ever become his life’s work.
The first interest in magic came through Nate’s uncle who
had once been with a circus and sometimes did tricks for
the youngsters.
The family was not too prosperous and Nate had to start
work when he was twelve years old. He began as an errand
boy for L. Black & Co., Opticians of Detroit. Later he
worked at the bench, learned how to grind lenses and repair
all kinds of optical goods.
During this time, Nate had become proficient with a lot
of pocket tricks and was invited out a good deal.
Sometimes he borrowed some magical apparatus from
another boy and went out on engagements, a few of which
were paid but most were for experience only.

13
The first full evening show of magic which Nate saw
was given by Herrmann the Great, at the Opera House,
Detroit. Not having much money in those days, he had to
sit in the gallery but it was a wonderful evening. He was
greatly impressed with Herrmann’s style of performance,
and how he held an audience by his appearance and
personality from the moment he stepped on stage. In later
years, Nate saw many more fine magicians at the same
theatre—Houdini, John Schiedler, Guibal the Frenchman,
Hornmann, Karl Germain and many others.
Nate moved from L. Black & Co. and joined Max
Rudelsheimer’s optical business, where he worked for
seventeen years. He continued to accept engagements, and
had purchased a second-hand dress suit so that he could go
to any type of social function without being embarrassed.
A meeting which had much bearing on Nate’s future
success was when a young boy named Merrill Day showed
him some clever coin work. As Nate was able to show his
card work in return, they became very friendly. They met
once a week with the understanding that they were to have
something new and original each time. During this period,
Nate figured out some of his best effects which he
continued to perform for the rest of his life. Merrill Day and
Nate never missed an opportunity of seeing any magicians
playing in the district, and for one memorable week, spent
most of their free time with Howard Thurston at the Temple
Theatre. From then on, back-stage at the theatre became
Nate’s second home and he met and entertained many of
the world’s magicians—Ten Ichi, Harry Kellar, Ziska and
King, Martini and Maximilian, Bunth and Rudd, Albini and
many others.
Horace Goldin appeared at the Detroit Opera House and
gave one of the finest magical performances Nate had seen.
One evening at Geese’s restaurant, Nate was introduced to
Goldin as the “local Magician” by one of the city’s leading
merchants. Asked by Goldin what he could do, Nate
performed the coin roll then went on to show some of his
pet card tricks. In return Goldin did a few pocket tricks
extremely well, but then Nate had the great satisfaction of
14
fooling him completely. In Nate’s own words: “We were
drinking beer so I asked Goldin for a penny. I told him to
see that it was perfectly dry, then to take it by the sides and
drop it in my glass of beer in such a way that it would drop
perfectly flat in the bottom of the glass. He did so and then
I proceeded to tap the glass with my finger, when the penny
floated up to the top of the beer. I was satisfied when I
heard Goldin say: ‘Do that again’, for that is a magician’s
reaction when he is completely beaten”.
Leipzig’s first experience of performing on the
professional stage was almost his last. The manager of the
Temple Theatre called Nate up, and asked him if he would
stand in at any time any booked act could not appear. When
such an occasion arose, Nate obtained permission from
Max Rudelshiemer and went on with the understanding that
it would be for a few days only. Nate later confessed that he
never realised the difference between the amateur and
professional until then. Anyway, being a local boy, he went
over fairly well for the first day, but the Sunday audience
was a rougher type, especially in the gallery. They liked the
act which preceded Leipzig and hooted and yelled for an
encore. Nate spent the most miserable fifteen minutes of his
life, and all ideas of making show business a career were
swept from his mind.
A meeting with a magician named Adams started Nate
using thimbles, as Adams showed him a few moves which
were very good. Nate made up some metal holders to hold
the thimbles, so that he could make the full production. By
exchanging ideas, a full thimble routine was worked out,
and it was this which eventually formed the basis of
Leipzig’s stage routine.
After working nearly seventeen years with Max
Rudelsheimer, the optician, Nate became somewhat
dissatisfied with conditions and made up his mind to leave.
Even so he had no idea of going into show business,
although his great love was going back stage at the Temple
Theatre to meet the performers. However, he was
eventually persuaded to join the Berol act. Felix Berol and
his brother Willie had an established act, making rag
15
pictures on stage. They were about to split up and Felix
offered Nate a half interest in the act. They started out in
New York then found that Willie Berol had decided to take
a lady partner and do the same act, using the same name,
which he had a right to do. Neither act did well and both
struggled along for about six months. Felix decided to do a
solo memory act, so Nate joined forces with Willie. The
arrangement was not successful and after a while they gave
up.
Nate was determined not to be a failure and concentrated
on private work with his magic. He went to all the leading
agents in town but had a thin time for several months.
When he was down to his last two dollars he met Alfred
Guissart, an architect and amateur magician, who asked
him to be his guest that night at a dinner at the Elks Club in
New Rochelle. After dinner there was an entertainment and
Nate was persuaded to perform. He did some of his
favourite effects and was called back several times. That
evening was the turning point of his career, as he began to
get calls from agents offering him private work. Soon he
was making forty to fifty dollars a week—fifteen dollars
from an agent was at that time the average fee.
Nate Leipzig had obviously designed his performance,
for private engagements, and at first did not consider that
his material was suitable for vaudeville. However, a favour
that he did for J. Warren Keane showed that the Leipzig
brand of Magic could prove extremely popular with theatre
audiences.
It happened that Warren Keane was playing Proctor’s
5th Avenue Theatre, but wanted to sail for Europe on the
Saturday. He had permission to take time off, providing he
could get someone to deputise for him. He approached Nate
Leipzig to take his place at Proctor’s for the Saturday and
Sunday shows. Nate maintained that he did not have the
right type of act for this work, but Warren Keane insisted
that the tricks which Leipzig performed would be a big
success. Leipzig eventually accepted, but it was in fear and
trembling that he stepped on to the stage on that Saturday
afternoon. He need not have worried for he was due for a
16
pleasant surprise. As he was leaving the theatre by the stage
entrance after his first stage performance, two messages
were handed to him, one from William Morris, one of the
biggest agents even in those days, and the other from the
man who booked the Proctor circuit, Jules Ruby.
Nate called on the two agents and was offered
engagements by them both. He finally accepted a short tour
for six weeks on the Keith circuit, booked by William
Morris. Within weeks his salary was twice raised and he
knew that in addition to his private engagements, he also
had another medium for his magic.
We have said that Leipzig was essentially a close-up
performer. It did not matter that he worked on a stage, his
personality and presentation were those of a close-up
worker. After walking on stage, he established himself in
the eyes of the audience as a magician with a thimble
routine. The rest of his act was performed for a committee
from the audience which joined him on stage. The effects
Nate obtained were seen by the audience through the eyes
of the committee—often it was impossible for all of the
audience to see the faces of the cards used, but they were
amused by the reactions of the few people in the
committee. The amazing thing was that Leipzig enchanted
the audience with a few thimbles and a pack of cards—but
then the principal magic was Leipzig’s personality, charm
and complete hold he had over his audience.
To centre all attention on what he was doing, Leipzig
had a spotlight focussed on the small objects he was
handling. This was so essential that in all his contracts
Leipzig stipulated that he must have a spotlight from the
front of the house. In America this was usual practice, but
in Europe the spotlights came from the wings or the sides
of the stage. This was fatal, as the light striking his hands
from the sides cast a shadow over the small objects. Many
theatres had great difficulty in arranging for the special
spotlight, but since it was one of the conditions of the
contract, it had to be fulfilled. At the Palace Theatre, Cork,
the best that could be arranged was to have a boy holding a
light in the orchestra; then came the other extreme at the
17
Zoo Hippodrome in Glasgow, where a special platform was
built over the orchestra leader. On the platform was an
object like a cannon; when this was switched on Leipzig
almost felt that he had been shot—they had borrowed a
searchlight from a ship! The light was so strong that
Leipzig could hardly bear to work with it on. It was such
insistence on these aids which helped Leipzig to put over
his act—yet there is no doubt at all that the one big factor in
his success was Leipzig himself.
Leipzig travelled the world with his magic, being
particularly popular in Britain, Australia and South Africa.
Wherever he went he was accepted in all circles, his
gentlemanly bearing and charming personality endearing
him to all with whom he came into contact. He had the
unusual honour of appearing before two Kings and Queens
on the same occasion. On 9th June, 1907, their Majesties,
the King and Queen of Denmark were the guests of our
own King and Queen at Buckingham Palace and Leipzig
was commanded to appear before them. Other members of
the Royal Family were also present, including the Prince of
Wales.
Leipzig was the only professional artiste who was not a
member of the legitimate stage to be accepted at the
exclusive Lambs’ Club. He was also the first magician to
be presented with the Gold Medal of the Magic Circle—
inscribed, “Presented to Nate Leipzig by the Inner Magic
Circle, April 11th, 1907—for good fellowship and
originality.”
Dai Vernon tells us of Leipzig that: “He was deadly sure
in every trick he did”. Every trick he performed had been
carefully analysed, its weak points so concealed as to seem
like strength—nothing was left to chance. As an example—
Leipzig never fan-forced a card in his life. The only force
he used in his public performance was one wherein he kept
a break, riffled the pack and had a spectator put his finger
into the pack as he riffled. He shoved the opening in the
pack on to the spectator’s finger, guaranteeing success.
In the chapters which follow, we show how Leipzig
guaranteed the success of his methods by simplification,
18
perfect timing and strong misdirection. We emphasise that
he did not use difficult sleights, indeed he used
comparatively few sleights as such, preferring the subtle
move in place of manual dexterity. Certainly he earned a
reputation for great manipulative skill, indeed his early
advertising material carried the statement, “The
Phenominal Digital Expert” and “Premier Manipulator of
U.S.A.”, but the facts are that he avoided any method that
had the slightest chance of failure.
Leipzig had two rules which all magicians should heed
—”If their attention palls in the slightest, change tricks
quickly”, and more important: “Don’t ever perform unless
coaxed”. Leipzig realised that people may ask to see a trick
out of politeness, but would not press the point unless
genuinely interested.
Everyone who knew Nate Leipzig remembers him as a
gentleman in the true sense of the word, for he had the very
real kindness that is such a basic component of true
gentility. This is exemplified by the occasion when Dr.
Daley sat next to Nate during a performance by a magician
who had stolen every trick from Leipzig. At the conclusion
of the performance, Dr. Daley said:
“Nate he did your act”. “Yes”, said Leipzig, “but he did
it so well”.
Leipzig made a wise choice when choosing a wife, for in
addition to being an ideal partner, Leila helped him
considerably in his work, especially from the business
angle.
Nate Leipzig died of cancer on October 13th, 1939 at the
age of 66. So passed a great magician, and the world of
magic mourned one of its most respected members.

19
Front Row Left to Right
Blackstone, Rouclere, Kellar, Leipzig,
apart on right Clyde Powers

20
CHAPTER TWO
LEIPZIG’S CARD SLEIGHTS

Page
Colour Change 22
Side Slip 25
Peek Control 26
The Pass 28
Double Lift 29

21
CHAPTER TWO
LEIPZIG’S CARD SLEIGHTS
Nate Leipzig took every precaution to avoid failure of a
trick, and to this end employed simple sleights and the most
direct methods. Although the total number of card tricks he
performed in his stage and close-up acts was considerable,
the number of different sleights used was small in
comparison.
To prevent confusion in our explanations of Leipzig’s
card effects, we propose to devote this chapter to the most
important card sleights he employed, then refer to them by
name only in the appropriate places in the text.

COLOUR CHANGE
Card experts agree that the colour change, or
transformation, is one of the most magical effects possible
with a pack of cards. Leipzig performed it superbly and
made it an important item in his card magic. In his stage act
he included a complete routine in which he featured the
colour change.
To ensure that the reader clearly understands the moves,
we suggest that a pack of cards is taken in the hands, and
the actions made as the text and photographs are studied.
Hold the pack face up in the dealing position in the left
hand, but instead of having the thumb across the face card,
straighten it and rest it along the left side of the pack—
Figure 1. Study the photograph and see how the left hand is
tilted to bring the pack almost vertical and face on to the
audience. Additionally, the hands are held in front of the
body, not to the left as is more usual when performing this
effect.
Bring the right hand over the pack, resting the thumb at
the top (inner) end and gripping the opposite end with the
tips of the second and third fingers; the little finger is just
around the corner at the right side—Figure 1. Notice how
this method of holding permits almost all of the face card to
be seen.

22
With the tip of the left forefinger at the back of the pack,
push the back card to the right until it begins to pivot on the
right little finger, then continue pushing with the left second
and third fingers until the card is in the right palm.
Immediately the left inner corner of the card is clear of the
pack, the left little finger goes into the triangle formed to
grip the pack. Figure 2 clearly shows the view from
underneath the pack.

23
To ensure the reader has no doubt as to the angle of the
moved card, we have also photographed it with the right
hand removed—Figure 3. The photograph shows how the
card has pivoted on the right little finger and is in just the
right position to fit snugly into the right palm. The
photograph also shows how the left little finger has moved
into the triangle to grip the pack, after the left inner corner
of the card has cleared the pack.
Leipzig had several logical excuses for bringing his right
hand to the pack, and these are explained in the chapters
which follow, but for the purpose of practice we will
assume that the reason is to lift the pack to display the left
palm. The palming takes place immediately after the right
hand comes to the pack, and the card is already in the right
palm when the pack is lifted to show the empty left hand.
Place the pack back into the left hand, removing the
right hand momentarily to let the full face of the visible
card be seen. Keep the left hand perfectly still, then bring
the right hand across the pack from left to right, leaving the
palmed card flush on the face of the pack as the hand
travels.
When we study Leipzig’s colour changing routine
described in Chapter Four, we will see how he varied the

24
appearance of each change, but basically the method was
the same.
Leipzig not only used the colour change moves for the
transformation effect, but also for transferring a card
secretly from the top of the pack to the bottom, or from the
bottom to the top.
SIDE SLIP
When Dai Vernon was describing the sleights for this
chapter, he originally placed the colour change and side slip
together. The reason for this was that the moves for both
are almost identical, but whereas the card to be palmed in
the Colour Change comes from the back of the pack, in the
Side Slip it comes from the centre.
For greater clarity we have treated them as two separate
sleights, but once the reader has mastered the Colour
Change he can be confident that the Side Slip is also his.
Hold the pack in the dealing position in the left hand. In
this instance the thumb is across the face card, not along the
side as in Figure 1, and the pack is not tilted up to show the
top card. Usually the pack will be face down when this
sleight is employed.
The reason for making the Side Slip is to steal a card
from the centre of the pack, and we will assume that a
break is being held under a card which has either been
previously peeked at by a spectator, or returned to the pack
after being noted.
Hold the break with the tip of the left little finger, which
is at the right side of the pack, near the right inner corner.
When the side slip is to be made, bring the right hand to the
pack exactly as for the colour change. Now pull down with
the left little finger to widen the gap in the pack, for the left
third finger to slip in and begin to push out the card above
the break. As the card begins to travel, the outer right
corner pivots on the right little finger. Push with the left
second finger, actually pushing the card into the right palm,
the action being the same as pictured in Figure 2.

25
To follow the same course as Leipzig, immediately the
card is in the right palm, move the left hand (holding the
pack) to the left ear and riffle the corner of the cards with
the thumb—as if listening for a certain sound.
The replacement of the card can be made in several
ways according to the result to be produced. This aspect
will be dealt with when we study the effects in which
Leipzig employed the side slip.
PEEK CONTROL
Instead of having a card actually taken out of the pack,
Leipzig preferred to have a spectator peek at a card. It
seemed impossible that any control could be exercised over
a card at which the merest peek had been taken.
The holding position is with the pack well forward in the
left hand, the face of the pack towards the curled fingers. In
this position the left little finger is in contact with the inner
right corner of the pack. The left side of the pack is in the
fork of the left thumb, with the thumb itself across the back
of the pack which it grips firmly. The left fingers
themselves do not grip the pack but are relaxed.
To have the peek taken, extend the left hand towards the
spectator, the pack held vertically for the face of the front
card to be towards him. Demonstrate what is required by
placing the right forefinger at the top

26
right corner of the pack and pulling a portion of the pack
back, just sufficiently to expose the index corner of the card
at the break. Allow the gap to close again, then ask the
spectator to place his thumb at the right corner and push
back at any spot to expose the index of any card to his own
eyes Figure 4. He is to take only the merest peek, then
immediately allow the gap to close again.
As the spectator takes the peek, keep pressure with the
left thumb crotch on the left side of the pack and allow only
the right side of the pack to open—the left side remains
closed like a book. Close the left little finger (Figure 4),
and hold a flesh grip as the spectator releases the pressure
to permit the gap to close. The flesh grip (or pinch of flesh
between the cards) is only sufficient to cause a gap of about
a tenth of an inch under the little finger, but because of the
pressure of the left thumb on the back of the pack, no gap
shows anywhere, the cards being in perfect alignment,
except for bevelling.
As the left hand moves back and down to bring the
backs of the cards upwards, bring the right hand over the
pack. The right thumb goes to the inner edge and the
fingers to the outer edge, but not until this grip is firmly
taken is the pressure of the left thumb relaxed.
Still retaining the flesh break with the left little finger,
tilt up the left side of the pack and rest the ball of the left
thumb on the centre of that side. Shift the position of the
right hand a little, the thumb remaining at the inner end, but
the second and third fingers only at the outer end. Squeeze
with the right hand, running the right thumb and fingers
along their respective ends to show that the outer end and
top side of the pack are perfectly square and without a gap.
Do not overdo this proof, but make it apparently a squaring
action only, then allow the pack to settle on to the left palm
once more, the left thumb resting along the left side of the
pack.
As the flesh break has been held by the left little finger
the whole time, all is in readiness for either the side slip or
any other form of control to be carried out.

27
THE PASS
Although Leipzig used a move to transpose the bottom
and top halves of the pack, it could not be called a pass in
the true sense of the word. No attempt was made to cover
the actual hand movements, but strong misdirection was
employed to distract attention. For each trick in which the
move was used, Leipzig had a different form of
misdirection, therefore we will describe it each time in the
text as we come to it, even though there will be some
repetition.
Here are just the mechanics of the move.
Assume a card has been returned to the centre of the
pack, and a break is being held above it by the tip of the left
little finger.
Bring the right hand over the pack, the fingers curled
over the outer end for the tips to contact the portion below
the break. The pad of the thumb is at the opposite end of the
lower portion of the pack. Lift the lower portion of the pack
only, Figure 5, and bring it to the top. In other words
transpose the two halves of the pack.

28
DOUBLE LIFT
Leipzig had a different handling for the double lift which
he invariably used.
He held the pack in his cupped left hand—the position
which is clearly shown in Figure 6—and his right thumb
and forefinger lifted two cards at the inner corner. To do
this he first separated slightly the top card, then the second.
He inserted his right thumb tip into the break under the
second card and ran it upwards along the pack till stopped
by the left thumb. At this point he stripped the cards
obliquely from the pack, backwards to the left with a fast
brushing action across the top of the pack, Figure 6 and
turned the card face upwards. Owing to the pressure of his
right thumb tip opposite the space between the first and
second fingers of his right hand, the card was warped at the
right inner corner. When the turn was completed and the
left outer corner of the card(s) came into contact with the
top of the pack, the card(s) snapped in the opposite
direction, Figure 7, making a crisp sound. It was the
clearness of the noise which allayed any suspicion, for it
sounded exactly as if a single card was pulled free.
If the sleights described in this chapter are mastered,
little difficulty will be experienced in understanding
Leipzig’s card routines.

29
When studying these routines, it will be seen that in
some of them Leipzig employed the same sleight time and
time again. This is particularly true of his routine of Colour
Changes described in Chapter 4. Because of the
comparative simplicity of the colour change sleight itself,
he was able to execute it automatically, enabling him to
concentrate on presentation. Additionally, because he
varied the moves leading up to the effect requiring the
sleight’s employment, the repetitive trickery did not arouse
suspicion.

30
CHAPTER THREE
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT-1

Page
Thimble Routine 32

31
CHAPTER THREE
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—1
THIMBLE ROUTINE
Although Leipzig eventually played before large
audiences all over the world, and his main fame was gained
through those performances, he was actually a close-up
magician. His personality and form of presentation
remained those of a close-up performer, even though his
audiences were large enough to till a theatre.
The articles used in Nate’s performances were small—
thimbles and cards, which are difficult to see at a distance,
so the entertainment he produced was brought about to a
great degree by his handling of his committee, by his own
manner and personality, and by his superb showmanship.
It was at Bennett’s Theatre, Ottawa, long before the first
World War, that a very youthful Dai Vernon first saw Nate
Leipzig perform. After the show Dai went back stage, was
received by Leipzig, and with the audacity of youth
proceeded to show the master some card tricks. Nate
warmed to him and a firm friendship resulted which lasted
until Nate’s death.
Dai Vernon saw Leipzig’s show on so many occasions
that not only did he fathom every move, but he also learnt
his patter almost word for word. Leipzig raised no objection
to Dai taking notes, indeed he was always willing to
explain and demonstrate any of his methods which might
need clarification. So from these very detailed notes, we are
able to produce an accurate description of Leipzig’s stage
act, together with authentic explanations of the methods he
used.
His stage setting was extremely simple. He worked ‘in
one’, which allowed just comfortable depth of stage for
there to be an ordinary small table a little left of centre.
Four chairs, two at the right and two at the left side of the
table were in readiness for a committee of up to four
persons which Leipzig later persuaded to come up from the
audience.

32
In the following text, Leipzig’s patter will be given in
italics.
He entered wearing tuxedo and said: “Ladies and
Gentlemen, I shall show you a few simple novelties, using
no apparatus whatsoever...only my hands. Watch me
carefully”.
THIMBLE ROUTINE
He commenced with a simple but effective thimble
routine, during which the orchestra played soft music in
waltz time. As he produced each thimble, the drummer
gave a tap on the “block”. Leipzig showed surprise by
facial expression as thimbles appeared and vanished.
EFFECT. First he produced a red thimble on his right
forefinger, placed it against his left palm and curled his two
middle fingers inwards to just cover the thimble. On
straightening the two fingers, the thimble had vanished.
Reaching to the left, he produced it again on his forefinger.
This was done twice, then he placed the thimble in his
mouth and reproduced it from the bottom of his waistcoat
(vest). Again, the thimble was placed on his left palm,
covered by curling the two middle fingers and vanished,
then the left hand was plunged into the right side of his
jacket and the thimble reproduced on his left forefinger.
Now he held his two hands up in front of his body and
made the thimble jump from his left forefinger to his right
forefinger and back again. This was repeated two or three
times. Finally, with a bang on the drums, he showed both
hands with fingers and thumbs extended when it was seen
that there was a thimble on each—eight thimbles! He
removed each thimble singly, letting it fall into a glass
standing on the table.
METHOD Two thimble-holders were used. One
containing four thimbles was located under the waistcoat
(vest) and the other, containing live thimbles, at the right
side of the jacket. One thimble was in the thumb-palm
position of the right hand at the start.

33
The production of the first thimble was made by quickly
bending the right forefinger, inserting the tip into the
thimble then straightening the finger.
For vanishing the thimble, the right forefinger was
placed ACROSS the base of the two left middle fingers
which then slowly closed over the thimble—Figure 1. Now
the right hand was quickly pulled away from the left hand,
as if the thimble fitted tightly on the right forefinger and
needed a sharp tug to release it. Simultaneously the
forefinger was bent inwards (for the thimble to be thumb-
palmed) then immediately straightened. The impression
was that the thimble had been left behind under the two
curled middle fingers, so that the effect was excellent when
the fingers uncurled to show an empty palm. After a pause,
the thimble was produced again as at the start.
This vanish and recovery was repeated, then as the hand
was brought up to the mouth, the forefinger was quickly
bent inwards (the thimble thumb-palmed) then straightened
just as the hand reached the mouth, so actually the finger-
tip was bare as it entered the mouth. Next the forefinger
was pulled sharply away from the lips as if the thimble was
a tight lit, the empty forefinger was shown, then the hand
was plunged under the bottom of the waistcoat. While the

34
hand was out of sight, the thumb—palmed thimble was
brought to the tip of the forefinger and the four thimbles in
the holder were positioned, one on the thumb and the others
on the second, third and little fingers. Before the hand was
withdrawn from the waistcoat, the thumb was bent inwards
and all fingers, except the forefinger, were bent over it. By
straightening the thumb, the thimble was left in the curled
fingers. When the hand was withdrawn from the vest, only
the thimble on the forefinger was visible.
The thimble was apparently placed in the left hand and
the same vanish as the first one carried out, then the LEFT
hand was plunged into the right side of the jacket and all
live thimbles in the holder were positioned on the fingers
and thumb. By bending the thumb, curling the second, third
and little fingers then straightening the thumb, the hand
could be removed with only one thimble showing—on the
forefinger.
Leipzig next held up both hands in front of his body,
about two feet apart, with just the one thimble showing on
his left forefinger. By quickly bending and straightening
both forefingers, he was able to thumb-palm the thimble
from the left forefinger and pick up the other thumb-palmed
thimble on the right forefinger, the illusion being that the
thimble jumped from one forefinger to the other. By
reversing the process, the thimble seemingly returned to its
original position. He repeated this about three times, then as
the drummer banged on the bass drum, he bent both thumbs
into the thimbles held by the curled fingers, then
straightened and opened wide all fingers to display a
thimble on each finger-tip and on both thumbs. Finally, he
dropped each thimble separately into a tumbler, the
drummer giving a tap on the “block” as each thimble hit the
glass.

35
36
CHAPTER FOUR
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—2

Page
Colour Change Routine 38

37
CHAPTER FOUR
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—2
COLOUR CHANGE ROUTINE
If the colour change moves explained in Chapter Two have
been mastered, then the reader will easily understand this
routine. It consists of the face card of the pack being
transformed four times, but although Leipzig used the same
moves for each transformation, he varied the procedure
leading up to the effect and so ensured his audience’s
continued interest. For instance, for the last transformation
he changed the Five of Spades into the Four of Spades, the
illusion being that he had rubbed away the centre pip.
We have placed each routine of Leipzig’s stage act into
a separate chapter so that it can be studied on its own, but
the reader will understand that one routine followed on
smoothly from another.
THE ROUTINE. To conclude the previous routine,
Leipzig dropped each thimble separately into a glass and
took his applause. He then picked up a pack of cards which
was set up only in that the third card from the top was the
Five of Spades and the fourth card the Four of Spades. He
stepped forward and said:
“I shall now show you a few simple problems with a
deck of cards. I shall explain each problem as I go along.
Every time my hand crosses the pack, the card on the front
will change. Now watch closely...”
Holding the pack almost vertically in his left hand and in
front of his body, he brought his right hand over the face
card and made the colour change. He used the method
described in the previous chapter, stealing a card from the
back of the pack into the palm of his right hand, then
bringing the hand over the pack to deposit the card flush on
the face. He kept his left hand perfectly still during the
change and when he moved his right hand away to disclose
the new face card, he kept it in a cramped position, as if
making a clumsy palm. Looking directly at one person
only, Leipzig then looked down at his hand, looked back
again, smiled, then turned the hand to show it empty.

38
“ Did you see that? I shall do that again, only much
slower.”
He made the same colour change again with somewhat
slower hand movements, but this time he omitted the
“sucker” business.
“Now this time I shall do it with my fingers wide apart
so that you may see exactly—how—it’s—done!”
Once again he repeated the colour change moves, but
after the right hand had come over the pack and secretly
deposited the palmed card on its face, Leipzig opened his
fingers wide and drew his right hand back towards his body
and up. This time the Five of Spades was seen on the face
of the pack.
“I shall give you one more chance to catch me. This
time I will change the five to a four by rubbing away the
centre pip. Let me give you a tip. Never rub the card this
way...”
He stole the back card (the Four of Spades) as before
then brought his right hand across the face of the pack from
LEFT to RIGHT.
“...but always this way”.
Now his right hand moved up from the BOTTOM to the
TOP of the face card of the pack, depositing the Four of
Spades, the appearance being that the centre pip of the Five
of Spades had been rubbed away.

39
40
CHAPTER FIVE
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—3

Page
Slap Four Ace Routine 42

41
CHAPTER FIVE
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—3
SLAP FOUR ACE ROUTINE
During Nate Leipzig’s lifetime an inaccurate explanation
of this trick was published. Nate told Dai Vernon that he
would like the real method to go on record, and went over it
time and time again with Dai so that there should be no
misunderstanding.
The effect is that two Aces are handed to one spectator
and two to another. One spectator places one of his Aces on
top of the pack and the other on the bottom; the other
spectator places both of his Aces in the centre of the pack.
Mystic passes are made over the pack, then the cards are
run from hand to hand and no Aces can be found. The
performer slaps the face of the pack and an Ace appears.
This happens three times, a different Ace appearing after
each slap, then a spectator is handed the pack and the fourth
Ace returns to its face while it is in his hands.
Again we find that Leipzig used simple and direct
methods, extensive use being made once more of the
Colour Change moves, but this time to bring about quite a
different effect.
THE ROUTINE After taking his applause for his
performance of the colour changing routine, Leipzig said:
“Now that I have explained that much, we will proceed
further. For the next two or three problems, I shall need a
committee”.
He tried to persuade up to four members of the audience
to come on stage to see fair play. Sometimes he had two
persons on his left side and two on his right (we will
assume this is the case for the purpose of this description),
but he did not waste time, and often there were only two
people on stage with him.
“Now, gentlemen, I am going to have you watch me very
closely to see if you can catch me. Come in close”.

42
He handed the Ace of Clubs and the Ace of Hearts to the
man nearest to him on his right, and the Ace of Spades and
the Ace of Diamonds to the man nearest to him on his left.
He turned to the volunteer on his right and had him place
the Ace of Clubs on the bottom of the pack and the Ace of
Hearts on top. After showing the cards once or twice and
emphasising their respective positions, he turned to the
volunteer on his left. During the turn, he undercut the pack,
taking the BOTTOM portion in his right hand, then with his
left thumb he pushed the top card (Ace of Hearts) of the
left-hand portion a little to the right. As he asked for the
other two Aces to be placed in the centre of the pack, he
brought his hands together with an indicating gesture and
secretly picked up the Ace of Hearts from the left-hand
portion on to the bottom of the right—hand portion, but
jogged it to the right. He watched the position of the two
cards in the hand of the volunteer on the left, and if the Ace
of Spades was above the Ace of Diamonds, he had them
returned together to the top of the portion of cards in his left
hand—if they were in the wrong order then he had them
dealt singly on to the left hand portion; that is the order was
reversed so that the Ace of Diamonds was dealt first—see
note at the end of the chapter.
As the right-hand portion of cards was placed on top of
the left-hand portion, he got a break ABOVE the protruding
Ace of Hearts with his left little finger. He now made a
move something like the Pass.
His right hand was above the pack and his fingers curled
over the outer end, for the tips to contact the portion below
the break. The pad of his thumb was at the opposite end of
the lower portion of the pack. He lifted out all the cards
below the break and brought them to the top. In other words
he transposed the two halves of the pack. Although the
action was made as if it was meant to be a secret one, it was
obvious that something happened. Leipzig then made it
seem that he had purposely aroused suspicion by saying:
“ No, look—still in the same position”
and showed the Ace of Clubs on the bottom of the pack and
the Ace of Hearts on top.
43
The actual positions of the four Aces in the pack were
that the Ace of Hearts was on top, the Ace of Spades
second, then the Ace of Diamonds; with the Ace of Clubs
on the bottom.
“ Now, Gentlemen, you have returned your Aces to the
deck. What I intend to do is to cause them to vanish
completely. Do you think I can do it? You don’t—I don’t
think so myself!”
As Leipzig said the last part of the sentence, he looked
from one person to another, and his words implied that the
committee were watching so closely that it would be
impossible for him to make a false move without detection.
The implication caused amusement.
Once more he showed the Ace of Hearts on top of the
pack and the Ace of Clubs on the bottom, then said :—
“Gather around very closely”.
During this business, he slipped the bottom card (Ace of
Clubs) to the top. Stooping forward a little and holding the
pack in front of him in the same position as for the colour
change, except that in this instance the backs of the cards
were towards the spectators, he made the colour change
moves to bring another card from the bottom of the pack to
the top. However, this time he replaced the palmed card as
he slapped the pack. Remarking: “When I slap the cards
like this the Ace will leave the pack”, he slowly turned the
pack over to show that the face card was an indifferent one
—the Ace of Clubs had vanished.
Next he turned the back of the pack to the audience once
more and slowly turned over the top card—another
indifferent card. He pushed this card into the centre of the
pack. He then proceeded to show that the Aces had
completely vanished by turning the pack face up and
running the cards from hand to hand before the eyes of the
committee-man on his right. When halfway through the
spread, he turned to the volunteer on his left and continued
spreading the cards down to the last few cards. Closing the
pack just before reaching the Aces, he held the pack face up
on his left hand and said :—

44
“Now, Gentlemen, watch me closely. Every time my
hand slaps the deck...like this...”.
He slapped the pack with his right hand.
“...an Ace will appear”.
After he had slapped the pack, Leipzig’s right hand
came immediately to the pack again and the back card was
side-slipped into his right palm. He again slapped the pack,
left the Ace flush on the face, and as his hand came away,
the Ace of Clubs was revealed.
Taking the pack momentarily into his right hand, he
gestured to the volunteer on his left saying:—
“Get in closer”.
As he placed the pack back into his left hand, he side-
slipped the back card into his right palm. Dropping this
hand to his side he looked at the volunteer on his right, then
brought up the right hand and made a fluttering move with
his right fingers, indicating that he should come closer. This
was very disarming to the audience as the usual stillness of
the hand concealing a palmed card was absent. Now he
slapped the pack again for the second Ace (Hearts) to
appear. During the laughter which resulted, the third Ace
was side-slipped from the back of the pack into his right
palm. Again he slapped the pack and showed the face of the
Ace of Spades on the pack. Addressing the volunteer on his
left, Leipzig said:—
“Now we still have the Ace of Diamond’s to appear, and
I am going to let you bring it back yourself...”.
As this was being said, Leipzig side-slipped the fourth
Ace into his right palm and also took the pack, face out,
into the same hand.

45
He asked the volunteer to hold out his left hand, palm
upwards, and demonstrated what he required by holding out
his own left hand as in Figure 1. Bringing both hands close
to the spectator’s palm, he took the pack face up with his
left hand, then with his left fingers under the pack, pulled
the card from his right palm on to the face of the pack, but
turned the pack face down in the process so that the new
Ace was not seen, and in the same sequence of actions,
placed the pack on the spectator’s palm.
Leipzig tapped the volunteer’s hand, then slowly turned
the pack to bring the face to the audience, when the Ace of
Diamonds was seen to have returned. The change from the
Ace of Spades to the Ace of Diamonds was most effective
as there is a great contrast between these two cards.
Having taken his applause, Leipzig requested the
committee-men to be seated in the chairs provided.
NOTE—Leipzig once told Dai Vernon that he considered
there were only two hazards in his stage act. One was the
toss of three cards from hand to hand in THE TWENTY CARD
TRICK (Chapter Eight), and the other was in the trick
described above. This was watching to see if the man
holding the Spade and Diamond transposed them. If he did,
he had to be told to deal them singly on to the left hand
portion of the pack-to reverse the order.

46
CHAPTER SIX
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—4

Page
Card Locations 48

47
CHAPTER SIX
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—4
CARD LOCATIONS
In this routine Leipzig had cards merely peeked at by
four spectators, then proceeded to locate and reveal the
cards in different ways. Having a card noted by the
“peeking” method is particularly effective, as it is not taken
from and returned to the pack, but a corner of the pack is
opened by the spectator himself, just sufficiently for the
index corner of the card to be glimpsed. The seeming
impossibility of the performer being able to control the card
under these circumstances, makes the subsequent revelation
particularly bewildering.
We have described this method of peek control in
Chapter Two, and will now show how Leipzig employed it
in the following routine.
THE ROUTINE. At the conclusion of his Slap Four Ace
Routine, Leipzig saw that his four committee-men were
seated, two at each side of the table, then said :—
“I shall now have several of the Gentlemen here, as well
as one or two in the audience, look at the cards. Now, I do
not ask you to draw cards, but simply to open the deck at
any place and glimpse at a card. All I ask of you is that you
keep your mind on your card”.
Leipzig’s next procedure was to have the two volunteers
seated to the left of the table each peek at a card. He then
went into the audience and had someone peek at a third
card, then finally one of the volunteers seated to the right of
the table peeked at a fourth card.
After each card was peeked at in the manner explained,
Leipzig side-slipped it to his right palm and returned it to
the top of the pack as he went to the next volunteer to
explain what was required. Eventually he had the four
peeked at cards on the top of the pack, the last card peeked
at being the top card.
With the pack held face-up in his left hand, Leipzig
stood before the committee-man on the right and said:

48
“I am going to ask this Gentleman to watch the deck
closely...”.
As this was said he side-slipped the back card into his
right hand (colour change moves) and took the pack into
the same hand. Pointing to the face card with his left
forefinger, he continued the sentence:—
“...because your card is going to appear right here”.
Taking the pack into his left hand, he pulled the palmed
card on to the face with his left fingers in the action of
turning the pack face down. Holding the face-down pack in
his left hand almost up to the volunteer’s chin, he smiled
and said:—
“Is that close enough?...Can you see them?”
Now he flicked the side of the pack with his little finger,
which came so close to the volunteer’s face that it almost
hit his nose.
“It’s all in the click”.
As he said this, Leipzig slowly turned the pack to show
that the volunteer’s card had arrived on the face.
He placed the pack on the table, then addressed the man
in the audience, asking him the name of the card he had
peeked at. We will assume it was the Ten of Diamonds. He
continued:—
“I am going to count of the cards one at a time and
whenever you say ‘stop’, your Ten of Diamonds will be
there”.
Leaving the pack on the table, he proceeded to pick off
cards singly from the top and place them face down in his
left hand. Immediately the man called “Stop”, Leipzig
asked, “This one”?, then side-slipped the bottom card into
his right palm, brought his right hand over the cards in his
left hand and deposited it on top. Without pause, his right
hand travelled to the cards on the table, and as his pointed
to the top card, he said: “or the next ...”.
Usually the man said: “In the hand”, and Leipzig turned
the card to show that it was the correct one. If the answer
was: “On the table”, then he pushed the top card in his left
hand to the right with his left thumb as he picked up the top
card of those on the table with his right hand, and without
49
showing it, dropped it on those in his left hand. He turned
his left hand up a little to obscure the backs of the cards,
then immediately took the projecting card with his right
thumb and forefinger and showed the face—a simple
change.
To re-assemble the pack, Leipzig picked up the cards on
the table and placed them on the bottom of those in his
hand. This brought the remaining two cards which had been
peeked at to the bottom of the pack, but because of the
count their order was reversed. For this reason, Leipzig
next dealt with the FIRST committee-man who peeked at a
card, as his card was now on the bottom of the pack. He
asked the man to name the card he had peeked at—we will
assume it was the Four of Spades.
As Leipzig approached the man, he side-slipped the
bottom card and brought it to the top of the pack. He fanned
the pack—face-up and said:—
“ You will notice I use no duplicate Four of Spades”.
He spread all but the last few cards and so concealed that
the Four of Spades was the top card, then squared the pack,
turned it face down and made the double lift to show an
indifferent card on top. He said:
“I shall place the cards in this Gentleman’s own hands
and ask him to count cards singly on to my palm. Whenever
he stops, his Four of Spades will be there”.
In a quiet voice, Leipzig cued the committee-man to
hand him only ONE card, and told him to insist, “That’s
enough !”
When this happened, the audience assumed that Leipzig
was beaten, for they thought they had just seen that the top
card was not the Four of Spades.
Leipzig looked nonplussed, then slowly turned over the
card to show that it was the correct one.
He now called upon the committee-man whose card was
still to be revealed and said:—
“Don’t you try to fool me too!...Just name your card”.
Leipzig shuffled the pack and brought the bottom card to
the top. He then handed the committee-man a knife and
remarked:—
50
“I’ll ruffle the deck and I want you to stick the knife in
any place you wish...in the pack!”
The knife was thrust into the pack, the card beneath the
blade removed and, of course, proved to be the wrong one.
Leipzig made the Top Change as he remarked:—
“Too bad...did you say it was the (named wrong card)?
No—then we will see what we can do. Just blow on the
card, please”.
The volunteer blew on the back of the card Leipzig held
out for him, then the card was turned to show the correct
face.

51
52
CHAPTER SEVEN
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—5

Page
Card Stabbing 54

53
CHAPTER SEVEN
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—5

Leipzig stabbing between two selected cards while the

pack is wrapped in newspaper

CARD STABBING
We wrote the explanation of this trick for the DAI
VERNON BOOK OF MAGIC, but it is one of Leipzig's great
tricks and this present book would certainly not be
complete without its inclusion.
EFFECT. With a committee-man on his right and another
on his left, Leipzig picked up another pack, fanned them,
and had each person freely select a card. He then said that
he made one stipulation—THAT THE TWO CARDS MUST BE
PLACED TOGETHER IN THE PACK—

54
so the volunteer on the right was requested to hand his card
to the volunteer on the left, who returned both cards
together to the centre of the pack.
After shuffling the pack Leipzig wrapped it in
newspaper, then picked up a knife and held it poised over
the upturned side of the wrapped pack. After a dramatic
pause, accentuated by a roll on the drums, he plunged the
knife into the upper side of the pack so that it protruded out
of the underside. Leaving the knife in position but tearing
away the paper, Leipzig said that the blade SHOULD be
between the two cards and asked his two helpers to name
them.
He repeated the name of one card, lifted the knife and all
the cards above it, then slowly turned his hand to show the
face of the card against the blade—it was the card named.
He next repeated the name of the second card, when flipped
over the top card of those remaining with the point of the
knife. Again it was the correct card.
Leipzig’s facial expression was one of both relief and
triumph at his success.
SETTING. After his routine of card locations Leipzig
stood in front of the table; a little to the right of centre. On
the table was a quarter of a full page of newspaper and a
table knife. The newspaper was creased across the centre,
the purpose being for one edge to tilt upwards to enable it
to be picked up easily—another example of Leipzig’s
attention to detail.
Leipzig asked the committee-men to stand, two on each
side of him. Only two persons actually assisted with this
trick—those nearest to him.
STAGE 1. Leipzig fanned the pack face down, made a half
turn to the right, and requested the nearest committee-man
to select any card. He then turned to his left and had a
second man select any card. As he told the selectors to look
at and remember their cards, he squared the pack.

55
STAGE 2. At this point, Leipzig addressed the audience:—
“I make just one stipulation; the two cards must be
returned together to the pack”.
Turning to the selector on his right, he said:—
“Hand your card face downwards to this Gentleman
(indicating the selector on his left) so that he may return
both cards to the pack”.
Let us assume that the person on the right selected the
Five of Clubs and the person on the left, the Queen of
Diamonds. The Five of Clubs is handed to the person on the
left who places it under his own card.
STAGE 3. Leipzig gave the outer end of the pack an
UPWARD riffle as he demonstrated that the two cards were to
be placed somewhere in the centre. As the cards were
riffled he held the pack towards the person on his left, who
returned the two cards together. However, he was not
permitted to push the cards right home because Leipzig
withdrew the pack with the two cards still protruding. To
complete pushing the cards in, Leipzig brought his right
hand over the pack, the first, second and third fingers
extending over the outer ends of the protruding cards, and
pushed them diagonally into the pack. Notice in Figure 1
how the cards are slanted to the left, the tip of the right
56
forefinger being on the left outer corner of the cards. As the
cards go into the pack, their outer left corners pass the left
corner of the pack, so that when the cards are straightened
in the pack, they are lower down in the hand than the rest of
the cards and protrude at the inner end.
After the cards were in the pack, Leipzig took it at the
inner end with his right hand (covering the protruding
cards) and with a smile, held it right forward towards the
nose of the person on his left, almost causing him to pull
back his head as he said:—
“Is that alright ?”
In print this gesture may seem out of keeping with
Leipzig’s normal gentle manner, but his smile and general
attitude made it seem amusing byplay, included to
emphasise the fair manner in which the two cards had been
returned to the pack.
STAGE 4. Leipzig took the pack into his left hand to
perform an overhand shuffle. Actually, the tip of his right
thumb contacted the protruding card at the inner end of the
pack (Figure 2), and he lifted away all the cards below the

protruding cards and shuffled them on to the top of the

cards in his left hand. This left the two selected cards on the
bottom of the pack. Again he shuffled, this time drawing
57
off the top and bottom cards together (Figure 3), then
shuffling on top until the selected card that was originally
second from bottom, came to the top. This left one of the
selected cards on the bottom of the pack and the other on
top. In our example, the Five of Clubs would be on the
bottom and the Queen of Diamonds on top.

After shuffling, Leipzig held the pack face down in his

left hand and said:—
“Of course, the two cards are now completely lost in the
pack”.
As if to emphasise this fact, he gave the outer end of the
pack a pronounced UPWARD riffle with his right fingers,
while keeping his left thumb pressed firmly on the centre of
the back of the pack. This riffle was purposely drastic and
was repeated if necessary, according to the condition of the
cards he was using. The object was to secretly bend
(bridge) the complete pack in an upwards direction. At the
same time Leipzig SIGHTED AND REMEMBERED the bottom
card.
STAGE 5. Because the newspaper and knife were on the
table behind him, Leipzig had a logical excuse to turn to his
left to indicate their presence. During the turn, he inserted
his left little finger into the centre of the pack, and as he
58
brought his right hand over the back of the pack, he lifted
the top half a little so that his right thumb could go to the
back end, and his fingers to the front of the bottom half of
the pack. This was actually the first moves for transposing
the two halves of the pack, but it was not completed
immediately, the bottom half of the pack being simply
lifted by the right hand.
His hands remained together momentarily, for his left
thumb to push the under-cut bottom packet of cards
inwards towards his right palm. Figure 4 shows an exposed

view of this happening, the result being that the packet was
bent drastically in the opposite direction to the rest of the
cards. Notice how the right forefinger is extended to point
to the objects on the table as Leipzig said:—
“On the table we have a piece of newspaper which I will
use to completely wrap the deck”.
He completed the moves to bring the bottom half of the
pack to the top, and carried the pack away in his left hand,
towards the newspaper on the table, his thumb pressed
firmly on the back of the pack to keep the gap closed. He
then picked up the newspaper between the first and second
fingers of his left hand, the turned-up edge making this

59
simple, even though he was holding the pack in the same
hand.
STAGE 6. Bringing the newspaper forward Leipzig took it
into his right hand, then held his hands apart, the pack in his
left hand, held with his thumb pressed firmly on the back of
the pack and his forefinger underneath. The thumb pressure
kept the gap closed, enabling the person on the left to give
it a close inspection while the audience saw it from a
distance.
Leipzig brought the pack and paper together, placing the
right side of the pack against the crease in the centre of the
paper. As he folded one half of the paper over the pack, he
moved the pack with his left hand an inch or so to the left.
This made a gap between the edge of the pack and the
paper. He completed folding the paper sideways round the
pack, forming a long parcel. The outer end of the paper was
bent down and under the pack, then the inner end was
similarly treated. During the folding, the pack itself was
kept still, the paper being folded round it so that when the
parcel was made the back of the pack was still upwards. At
each stage of the folding, he applied pressure with his
thumb and fingers to prevent a bulge appearing where the
pack was double-bridged. Although it appeared that the
pack was wrapped normally, the paper was not wrapped
tightly, and as a little extra space was gained by moving the
pack in the beginning, there was sufficient spare space for
the bulge to develop when required.
STAGE 7. Leipzig held the parcel in his left hand, the hand
over the pack with the pads of the fingers at the outer end,
and the pad of the thumb at the inner end. He then asked the
selector on his left to hand him the knife, which he received
with his right hand. He said :—
“I propose to plunge this knife through the side of the
wrapped deck, and if I am successful the blade SHOULD go
BETWEEN the two selected cards”.

60
Holding the parcel with the side of the pack upwards at
just below waist level, and the knife in his raised right
hand, he paused for dramatic effect while the drummer
gave a roll on the drums. By exerting inward pressure on
the bottom half of the pack between his left thumb and the
tips of his fingers at the ends of the parcel, the bulge in the
pack opened wide. He held the edge of the parcel directly in
line with the footlights, and could actually see the space as
the rays of light revealed it.
On a crash of cymbals, Leipzig plunged the knife down,
penetrating the paper and causing the blade to pass through
the quite large gap formed by the double bridge (Figure 5),
so that it protruded from the opposite side of the parcel.

Still keeping the parcel at the same height from the floor
of the stage, he turned it sideways to bring the handle of the
knife to the right, then took both pack and knife into his
right hand, the right thumb pressing on the back to flatten
out the bulge. Keeping the parcel quite still, he began to
almost pick pieces of paper away from it with his left hand,
all in time to music, until all the paper had been removed.
Still without moving the pack or knife, he placed his left
hand underneath the pack and asked for the names of the

61
two selected cards to be revealed. He repeated the names
then said :—
“The card above the blade should be the...(naming the
card he sighted (Stage 4)—at least, I hope so!”
As he named the card, he lifted the knife with all the
cards above it with his right hand, and turned his hand to
bring the face of the card against the blade towards the
audience. Leipzig then half-turned it towards himself, and
appeared relieved when he saw that he had been successful
so far. Now he named the second card, brought the point of
the knife to the packet in his left hand, and flipped over the
top card. He showed great relief when he saw that he had
been completely successful.
Holding both cards face on to the audience, one in each
hand, he posed for effect, looking triumphant at just having
risked his reputation on being able to find the selected
cards.
Leipzig acted his part extremely well. He did not convey
that he was certain to succeed, but left a doubt as if he too
was anxious about the result. He told the audience that
when he stabbed the pack, the knife SHOULD go (not WOULD
go), between the selected cards.
For dramatic effect, he paused while there was a roll on
the drums, then plunged the knife into the pack on a clash
of cymbals. He held the parcel quite still as he picked the
paper away—all in time to music—which focussed all
attention on the pack. The look of apprehension on
Leipzig’s face heightened the tension as the knife was
lifted, then there was some relaxation as he gave a smile of
relief—not too pronounced as only half the trick had been
successful as yet. The smile expanded to one of triumph as
the second card was flipped over. Lastly there was the final
pose with the faces of both cards held towards the audience,
and Leipzig smiling as if to say; “I’m pleased I didn’t
miss”. All these things added greatly to the presentation—it
was showmanship at its best.

62
CHAPTER EIGHT
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—6

Page
Twenty Card Trick 64

63
CHAPTER EIGHT
LEIPZIG’S STAGE ACT—6
TWENTY CARD TRICK
The effect produced in this routine is that after having
ten cards counted on to his left palm and ten on to his right,
Leipzig gave one packet to a member of the committee to
wrap up in a handkerchief. He then caused three cards to
pass from the packet he was holding in his own hands, to
the packet wrapped in the handkerchief and held by the
committee-man.
The plot, being easy to follow, produced a good effect
and was considerably strengthened by Leipzig’s form of
presentation. He performed the routine as the concluding
item in his stage act, and in consequence built it up with a
strong climax to leave a lasting impression.
THE ROUTINE. For his card stabbing trick Leipzig was
assisted by the two committee—men nearest to him, so for
this last routine he asked the other two to help him.
He began by saying:—
“I will now show you that I can cause cards to leave one
place and go to another without even touching them”.
He handed the pack to the committee-man standing on
his left and said :—
“Count ten cards face down into my hand. Please count
aloud so there will be no mistake”.
Leipzig held out his left palm for ten cards to be counted
on to it. As the committee-man counted the cards aloud,
Leipzig also counted aloud, then said:—
“I want you to be sure that there are ten cards here..”.
He counted the cards aloud again, taking each one
slowly and deliberately from his left hand into his right, and
holding them at about head level for all to see. As he
counted, taking one card onto the face of another, he
secretly jogged the eighth card a little to the left, so that the
three face-on bottom cards were eventually protruding to
the left of the packet, now held in the right hand.

64
“...ten cards. Now count another ten cards aloud into my
hand”.
Again the committee—man counted ten cards aloud
from the pack on to Leipzig’s left palm, Leipzig counting
them aloud with him. The position was then as in Figure 1.
Leipzig now prompted the person with the pack to place it
on the table and take his seat.
“The Gentleman has counted ten cards which I have in
my right hand and ten in my left hand. Had I counted them
myself, you might have accused me of cheating, and I
wouldn’t blame you much for that..”.
Turning to the committee-man on his extreme right, he
continued:—
“...Have you a handkerchief, please?—Just step over
here...”.
Leipzig gestured with his right hand as he reached this
point, bringing his right hand over to the left and actually
tossing the three jogged cards from the bottom of the right
hand packet onto the top of the left-hand packet.
“...Come right up close. Now wrap these ten cards in
your handkerchief”.
Leipzig handed him the left-hand packet and as he
wrapped up the cards, Leipzig prompted him to hold the

65
finished parcel tightly between his two hands. This gave
Leipzig a cue for saying:—
“Ah! Don’t choke them!...Now what I intend to do is to
cause a few cards from this packet (indicated unwrapped
packet he was holding) to jump right through the
handkerchief”
Leipzig had prompted the helper to place his hand over
the wrapped packet and pull it back as if to say:
“I dare you!”, which caused amusement.
Holding his packet in the left hand, Leipzig false-
counted the seven cards as ten into his right hand, took
them back into his left, then said :—
“Watch closely”.
He brought his right hand over the packet to the
accompaniment of a drum roll, and made a tossing action
towards the wrapped packet held by the helper.
“Did you feel that one arrive? You didn’t! Well, it
certainly is there alright”.
He false counted the seven cards he was holding as nine.
“Now keep your eyes open this time”.
Again Leipzig made a tossing action from the packet he
was holding towards the wrapped packet, the drummer
giving a tap on the wood block for effect. Leipzig false-
counted the seven cards as eight, then smiling, he turned
suddenly to the committee-man on his left and putting the
cards right up to his eyes, false counted the cards once more
saying:
“You see, another really has gone. There are only eight
left. Just hold them tightly by one corner.”
The committee-man took the face-down cards, holding
them with his thumb and forefinger right at the corner of
the packet.
Leipzig cupped his palms together around the held
packet, then accompanied by a drum roll, made a tossing
action towards the wrapped packet. He prompted the
helper, whispering: “When I tell you to count the carols,
stop at six and scratch your head”. Aloud he said:
“Now, count the cards one at a time—and slowly—into
my hand”. Almost without exception the committee-man
66
was quick to understand what was required, and counted
the cards into Leipzig’s hand, stopping when he came to the
sixth card and scratching his head in bewilderment.
“You see, you now only have seven left out of ten”.
Leipzig turned to the person holding the wrapped packet
and said:
“Now you take your cards out of the handkerchief and
also count them into my hand”.
As the packet of cards was uncovered, Leipzig reached
over, took the handkerchief and shook it out to show that all
the cards had been removed. He then indicated for the
committee-man to start counting, but quietly prompted him
to stop at ten and scratch his head before continuing the
count.
This was done and, of course, much amusement was
caused when the helper paused at the count of ten,
scratched his head in bewilderment, then counted to
thirteen.
“You see, you now have thirteen!”
Leipzig gestured to include all the members of the
committee and said:
“Thank you very much, Gentlemen”.
At this point, Leipzig was bowing to applause and the
committee returned to their seats in the audience as the
orchestra was playing Leipzig off to his exit.

67
68
CHAPTER NINE
“A FEW GRIPS WITH A CANE”

Page
A Few Grips with a Cane 70

69
CHAPTER NINE
“A FEW GRIPS WITH A CANE”

Leipzig performing The Magnetised Cane

one of the most discussed of his tricks

Nate Leipzig was much in demand at fashionable Clubs,

his type of entertainment and genteel manner well suiting
the comfortable surroundings and good fellowship usually
associated with such places.
The routines he performed in his stage act had originally
been designed for more intimate occasions, and so he was
able to use much of the same material should he so desire.
However, he built other routines for his Club Act, and
usually opened with the effect about to be described,
announcing it as: “A few grips with a cane”. He passed his
hands along a walking stick, then opened his fingers, when
the stick remained suspended against his palms, as if held
by some magnetic force. Even though his arms travelled in
an arc and his hands moved along the length of the stick, it
still clung to his palms.
When describing this performance, observers have used
Leipzig’s own designation of the item employed, and it is
often assumed that it was a straight cane. Actually, for his
performance, he used a walking stick with a crooked
handle, and it was this type of handle which enabled the
stick to be balanced in such a manner that it appeared to
cling to his hands.

70
To perform the effect, select a stick which is not too
heavy. Holding the stick horizontally, clench the fingers of
both hands around it from above, resting both thumbs ON
TOP of the stick. The left hand should be about six inches
from the ferrule end, and the right hand at the centre—the
crooked handle is to the right as in illustration (a).
Extend both arms forward at shoulder level, then raise
the forearms, first upright, then tilt them back slightly.
Holding the stick firmly with the left hand, open the right
hand and tilt it slightly backwards. The stick should be
across the palm of the hand, resting ON the flesh at the base
of the thumb (b).
Gently release the grip with the left hand—do not
remove the left hand; simply release the grip in order to feel
if the stick is balanced correctly. If not balanced, grip it
again with the left hand and slide it to the left or right
across the right palm until the point of balance is reached.
When you feel the stick is balancing, close the right fingers
firmly around it at that point (c). Now open the left hand
and slide it once or twice along the stick, first to the ferrule
end then back to the right hand. This action is seemingly to
“magnetise” the stick. Next grip the stick firmly with the
left hand at the point CLOSEST to the right hand, open the
right hand and slide it a few times along the stick to the
handle, then back to the left hand. When sliding the hands
along the stick, keep them to the REAR of the stick and NOT
on top. Close the right hand around the stick at the point
immediately adjacent to the left hand. Tilt BOTH hands
backwards from the wrists, then straighten the fingers-but
keep the fingers close together. You will find that the stick
balances, the base of the right thumb being the only point
which actually supports the stick, although the left palm is
very gently resting against the rear of the stick. To all
appearances the stick is clinging to the palms of both hands
(d).
Open all fingers wide apart, then slide the left hand
about a foot away from the right. In doing this, the right
hand assists by moving to the right, the friction between the
stick and the flesh at the base of the right thumb permitting
71
X = POINT OF BALANCE AT BASE OF RIGHT THUMB
Y = POINTS OF PRESSURE

72
the stick to be drawn to the right. Actually, although the
right hand still remains at the point of balance, the
appearance is that both hands are being moved in opposite
directions along the stick (e). When the hands are about a
foot apart, wiggle the fingers gently but rapidly—this looks
very effective.
Remove the left hand completely away from the stick,
then bring the right hand close to a spectator and ask him to
remove the stick. He is almost bound to examine the stick
closely, and grab your hand to feel if it is coated with any
adhesive substance.
While the stick is clinging to the palms, a cute effect is
obtained by jerking the right thumb spasmodically, when
the stick will tilt to the right. It is surprising how far it can
be made to tilt out of its horizontal plane without falling.
To obtain the best effect, the palms of the hands should
be as near vertical as possible. The crooked handle, which
is turned in towards the body, provides leverage to out-
balance the tendency of the stick to roll, so that the point of
balance can be extremely small, and the hands can be held
almost vertical without the stick falling. Additionally, the
surface texture of the stick should be rough, such as with
Ash or Cherrywood.
Another variation is to proceed as before, up to the point
where the stick is apparently clinging to the hands, then
begin to move the hands in an arc, the right above the left,
bringing the stick upright with the crook handle at the top.
This is accomplished by bringing the pads of both thumbs
to the underside of the stick, resting them there, then
curling both little fingers in very slightly. It will be found
that the stick is actually gripped by pressure between the
pads of the thumbs and the flesh at the side of the base of
the little fingers (f). The alteration of the position of the
thumbs is so small that it should be imperceptible,
particularly as when the palms of the hands are brought
upright once more the thumbs move to the back of the stick
again.
When the stick is gripped at the four pressure points
shown (f), the hands can be shifted along the stick. It’s just
73
that one hand does the gripping while the other one moves.
Additionally, the stick can be turned over, both arms
moving in an arc to bring the left hand above the right, the
crook handle now pointing downwards.
Always return to the position with the palms towards the
audience, and the stick really balanced on the flesh at the
base of the right thumb. Finish in this position and allow a
spectator to remove the stick.
The photograph at the beginning of the chapter shows
Leipzig himself actually balancing the stick, the appearance
being that it is .really clinging to his palm.
As the point of balance is so small the stick can also be
made to appear to cling to a finger which is bent back
slightly, or the back of the thumb which is bent a little at
the first joint—the hand can be turned and the stick made to
cling to the back. Many variations are possible, but one
should be careful not to make the routine too long by
repetition.
Considerable practice is required to acquire the
smoothness of action necessary to make the clinging effect
convincing, but the time spent in its mastery is certainly
worthwhile, as from then on it can be performed at any time
without any preparation.

74
CHAPTER TEN
TRICKS WITH KNOTS

Page
Fadeaway Knot 76
Handkerchief off Wrist 78
Double-Triple Knot 79

75
CHAPTER TEN
TRICKS WITH KNOTS
In the type of magic Nate Leipzig performed, something
happened almost immediately; there was no long sequence
of actions before an easily remembered magical effect was
brought about. For this reason, there was no danger of the
interest of the spectators waning through boring
preliminary manoeuvres.
Leipzig kept to this principal even when performing
tricks in which knots had to be tied or untied. He
endeavoured to select only items which conformed to his
requirements, but should there be a strong effect which he
wished to include, that had a move which slowed down the
action, then he sought means to vary or eliminate it.
FADEAWAY KNOT
Leipzig credited G. W. HUNTER with originating this
knot, in fact he always praised Hunter’s ability and
performed many of his tricks.
Leipzig used a small blue silk to demonstrate, and talked
about the difference in the appearance of the actions for
forming a false knot from those when a genuine knot is
tied. His actual patter was:
“Anytime a false knot is tied, you will notice that the
ends of the handkerchief are held. However, it is
impossible to tie a false knot if the handkerchief is held like
this”.
After twisting the silk ropewise between his hands, he
held it at the centre, hands a few inches apart, with the
fingers under the silk and thumbs on top. Actually the silk
itself was gripped between the thumbs (above) and the
second fingers (underneath), as in Figure 1. With his right
forefinger he crossed the right side of the silk OVER the left
side, then took it DOWN and around with his left forefinger.
As this side of the silk was moving, it was pinched between
the left first and second fingers (Figure 2), the action being
aided by the left thumb. His right hand now made a half
turn inwards, which turned the loop over, and immediately

76
the left first and second fingers went up into the loop,
taking the side of the silk with it. After transferring his hold
to the left hand, his right hand pulled this end slowly up
through the loop—Figure 3.
Holding the silk up by one end in his left hand, he
brought his right hand down the silk to join the false knot.

77
Finally, holding his right hand, with the forefinger
extended, at the right side of the silk, he struck the knot
with his finger when it untangled and seemingly dissolved.
HANDKERCHIEF OFF WRIST
Leipzig was very fond of this item and never missed a
chance to perform it. Whenever he was using a large
handkerchief in one of his tricks, he would tie two
diagonally opposite corners together to form a loop, then
show the following effect.
He placed the loop over his left wrist, with the knot on
the back of the wrist. With his right hand, palm upwards, he
brought it to the back of the loop and placed his right thumb
only through the loop, at a point about half-way up the left
side of the handkerchief—Figure 4. Gripping the material
at this point, he twisted his right hand inwards and brought
the second loop over his left hand—Figure 5.
By pulling upwards, the handkerchief came off the wrist,
the appearance being that a penetration had taken place.
As stated above, a large handkerchief or silk about 18
inches square is needed for this effect, as there must be
sufficient material for a second loop to be formed and taken
over the left hand. The twisting action traps a portion of the
material against the bottom of the wrist, which holds the

78
loops on the wrist until a sharp upward tug is given to make
the release.
DOUBLE—TRIPLE KNOT
A piece of rope, about four feet in length, was used for
this item which Leipzig performed to show how two knots
could be tied simultaneously. After untying the knots, he
repeated the moves, but this time three knots appeared.

79
The rope was held between his hands, each hand being
about three inches from the end it was holding. He crossed
the right end in front of the left end and gripped the point of
intersection with his left thumb and forefinger, so that the
loop of rope was held completely in his left hand. Bringing

his right hand behind the loop, he reached down to within

six inches of the bottom of the right side of the loop, picked
up the rope at this point and hung this second loop over the
crossed ends—Figure 6.
Reaching into the second loop with his right first and
second fingers, he gripped the right side of the main loop
between them—Figure 7.—and drew his hand back,
pulling the rope with it to form yet another loop. Into the
new loop he reached with his right thumb and forefinger,
gripped the END of the rope on the right (Figure 8) and
pulled it backwards through the loop. This caused TWO
separate knots to be formed in the rope.
If the reader will go through the moves described with a
piece of rope in his hands, studying the text and
photographs at each stage, then no difficulty will be
experienced. The moves flow smoothly into one another as
the portions of rope to be grasped seem to come
automatically into position.

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The additional effect of causing three knots to appear
after the first two knots had been untied, and the actions
repeated, was accomplished by first untying the knot on the
left side of the rope, then pretending to untie the knot on the
right. Readers who are conversant with the work of SLYDINI
will know how deceptive this simulated untying can be. To
carry it out, proceed as follows:—
1. Hold the left side of the knot itself between the left
thumb and forefinger, the SHORT end of the rope

81
hanging down to the left, between the thumb and
forefinger.
2. Bring the right hand to the top of the twist in the knot,
the piece you would pull on if actually untying the knot.
3. Pull on this “twist” but swivel the right hand down a
little, which will force the knot between the tips of the
left thumb and forefinger. The long and the short ends
of rope are now side by side, with a tiny loop of rope
formed just above the tips of the left thumb and
forefinger.
4. Slide the tips of the right thumb and forefinger on to the
tiny loop and pull on it. To hold the knot firm, bring the
left second finger against the forefinger over the knot.
In addition to help in hiding the knot, it also aids by
providing pressure on the small piece of rope—the left
thumb also exerts pressure on the opposite side of the
knot.
In the simulated untying, the right thumb and forefinger
pick at the knot, but it is the loop formed by the short piece
of rope which is picked. Because the loop is held tightly by
the left thumb pressure, a certain amount of force is
necessary to pull up the end of the rope, which would be
necessary if the knot was really being untied. The exertion
is shown by the facial expression—an acting part which
must not be over-played. If the correct amount of pressure
is exerted on the rope by the left thumb, the necessary force
expended to pull up the small piece of rope will
automatically be seen in the facial expression.
Additionally, if the knot was really being untied, then it
would have become looser after the loop had been pulled
up an inch or so, therefore relax the pressure of the left
thumb a little, and allow the short piece of rope to come up
more easily from that position.
5. Pull the short piece of rope upright, just as it would be
at the completion of untying. As the knot itself is
covered by the tips of the left first and second fingers, it
appears as if the knot has been untied.

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To continue with the second part of the Leipzig effect,
bring the right hand over in front of the left and transfer the
knot to under the left first and second fingers. In this
position the knot is hidden, and it is now possible to carry
out the moves for making two knots in the rope
simultaneously. When finally pulling out the rope between
the two hands, in addition to the two knots formed by these
moves, the third knot also appears.
The effect can again be repeated by genuinely untying
two of the knots, and simulating untying the third one.
When genuinely untying a knot, see that the actions
appear identical with those when untying is only simulated.

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CHAPTER ELEVEN
CIGARS FROM PURSE

Page
Cigars from Purse 86

85
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CIGARS FROM PURSE
We have devoted a separate chapter to this trick because
Leipzig performed it so well and so often that he became
identified with it. He told Dai Vernon that G. W. HUNTER
showed him the main part of the routine, but it is the
touches which Leipzig added which undoubtedly made it
into one of the finest little intimate tricks in magic. When
Leipzig performed this routine, EVERYBODY enjoyed it.
The effect as the spectators saw it was briefly as follows.
Leipzig took a little purse from his pocket, opened it and
extracted a cigar the size and solidity of which made it
quite impossible for it to be put back from whence it came.
Handing the purse and cigar for examination, Leipzig asked
a spectator to try and put the cigar back in the purse. When
it was proved that this was impossible, Leipzig took back
the purse, opened it and extracted yet another cigar. Next
Leipzig placed the purse and cigars in his pocket, but one
cigar appeared again in his right hand. Three times he took
away the cigar but it always re-appeared, then after he had
taken it in his left hand it vanished completely. Taking the
purse from his pocket, he opened it and removed the cigar!
Leipzig built this into a particularly strong item,
ensuring that every move meant something by eliminating
all suspicious looking actions. When studying the method,
we will see that each separate effect was clean-cut and
convincing, yet they fitted together neatly to form a well-
balanced routine.
REQUIREMENTS. Leipzig used two identical purses of
the type with a twist fastener at the top. The photographs
show the pattern required. They are still obtainable and
although most models have the main portion made of
plastic instead of soft leather, it makes no difference to the
working.
One of the purses had a slit in one side as shown in the
illustration. This purse was CLOSED and placed in the vest
(waistcoat) pocket on the left side, the slit towards the

86
FRONT. The second (unprepared) purse was OPEN in the left
pocket of the jacket.
Two WOODEN cigars were used, one in the jacket pocket
on the left side and the other in the right side pocket.
Leipzig made no secret that the cigars were made of wood,
in fact he called attention to the material, as being solid,
which heightened the mystery.
PERFORMANCE. When he considered that a suitable
time was approaching for presentation of this routine,
Leipzig placed both hands in his jacket pockets and gripped
the ends of the cigars with his curled fingers. He positioned
the cigars so that the free ends pointed up past the wrists,
the ends actually entering his jacket sleeves. Removing his
right hand, he brought it up and with a casual gesture
smoothed the hair at the side of his head with his right
palm. By so elevating his arm, the cigar slid up his sleeve.
After a pause, he made a similar gesture with his left arm,
getting the second cigar up his left sleeve. He was now
ready to perform, but would delay commencing until a
suitable opportunity was presented. He began by saying: “I
have a purse here somewhere”, tapped his body with both
palms, then opened his jacket with his left hand and
removed the purse from his waistcoat pocket with his right
hand. Keeping the slit in the side of the purse downwards,
he tossed it from hand to hand, which allowed the hands to
be seen empty in a natural manner. All movements so far
had been above waist level, so that there was a natural
reason to keep the arms bent and so prevent the cigars from
sliding from the sleeves. If he was seated while performing,
then he held the purse at the top in his right hand and
tapped it on the table saying: “Do you hear anything or see
anything?” Should he be standing then he shook the purse
close to a spectator’s ear and asked the same question. This
action provided a natural excuse for the left hand to drop to
his side when the cigar slid down his left sleeve, for one
end to be caught by his cupped fingers.

87
The purse was now transferred to his left hand and as the
slit was underneath, the tip of the cigar could be worked
into it. Leipzig opened the fastener on the purse by delicate
movements of his right thumb and forefinger, paused to
show his right hand empty, then reached into the purse with
the same thumb and forefinger and slowly extracted the
cigar (Figure 1), his left fingers effectively hiding the slit.
Leaving the purse open in his left hand, Leipzig held up
the cigar in his right hand and said: “This is not a real cigar
—it’s made of wood”, then tapped it against something
solid to prove his statement. As he tapped the cigar, he
nonchantlantly placed his left hand (and purse) into his
jacket pocket, dropped the purse with the slit in and brought
out the open unprepared purse, This was done slowly and
casually, and even though the ruse was a bold one, the
switch of one purse for another was not detected.
Leipzig handed the cigar to a spectator saying:
“See if you can put it back”—then handed him the purse.
As the purse was taken, Leipzig’s right hand dropped to his
side for the other cigar to fall into his cupped fingers.
After allowing just sufficient time for the purse to be
examined, Leipzig took it back with his left hand and said:
“Here, let me get this other one out of the way”. As the
words were being spoken, he reached into the purse with

88
his right fingers, and inserted just sufficient length of the
cigar for the end to be gripped by the left fingers and thumb
through the sides of the purse. By drawing back his right
fingers upwards along the length of the cigar, the illusion
was that it was being pulled from the purse.
Next he placed the open purse in his jacket pocket, but
as if remembering that he had not closed it, he removed the
false purse, snapped it shut, then placed it in his waistcoat
pocket with the slit facing outwards.
Taking the second cigar in his left hand, he apparently
placed it in his jacket pocket; actually he brought it out
again, held with one end against the flesh at the base of the
thumb and the other end by the curled tip of the second
finger. Taking back the first cigar from the spectator, he
held it upright and at one end between the right thumb and
forefinger, then took it into his left hand. Actually, as the
hands came together for the visible cigar to be taken by the

left thumb and forefinger, the back of the right second

finger was placed on the palmed cigar, whilst the right first
and third fingers clipped the end of the cigar as in Figure 2.

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Under cover of the hand, the right first and third fingers
were bent inwards pivoting the cigar from the left to the
right hand, the tip of the right second finger moving in to
contact the end of the cigar, and hold it in the same position
in the right hand as it had previously occupied in the left—
Figure 3.
The visible cigar in the left hand was now carried to the
jacket pocket, but as the left hand entered the pocket, the
right hand reached forward, the tip of the right thumb was
placed under the palmed cigar at a point near the tip of the
second finger, and the cigar was levered upright into view,
the holding position now being between the tips of the
thumb and forefinger as before.
The left hand, which had “palmed” the other cigar, came
from the pocket and over to take the visible cigar from the
right hand, enabling the moves to be repeated for
apparently placing the cigar in the pocket with the left hand
and producing another with the right hand.
Leipzig repeated this multiplication effect about three
times before actually leaving one of the cigars in his left
jacket pocket. With the other cigar, he then performed a
vanish, first holding it upright in his left hand between his
thumb and second finger. The left hand was held with
fingers pointing upwards, so that the cigar extended above

90
the fingers for almost all of its length—the left thumb was
behind the second finger at the rear of the cigar. Bringing
his right hand above the free end of the cigar, Leipzig
began to tap the end with his right fingers. The cigar was
seen to sink down a little more with each tap, but when the
cigar was almost out of sight, the last tap was given with an
extra forward movement of the right hand which caused the
cigar to be levered upwards into the right hand, one end
held by the tip of the second finger and the other end

contacting the flesh at the base of the thumb. Moving both

of his hands together, the left hand forward and the right
hand back towards his body, he slowly lowered his left
hand to show the empty palm. Simultaneously, his right
hand pushed the tip of the palmed cigar (slanting
downwards) between two of the buttons of his waistcoat as
shown in the exposed view in Figure 4. In the same
continuous movement, his right hand went to the waistcoat
pocket to remove the purse, the left hand holding the
waistcoat at the bottom in the natural action of holding it
still to assist the right hand. The tips of his left fingers
curled under the bottom edge of the waistcoat (Figure 5),
gripped the end of the cigar, and pulled it free as the right
hand removed the purse.

91
Placing the purse on his left fingers as at the start of the
routine, he allowed the end of the cigar to enter the slit,
then snapped open the purse, reached inside with the right
thumb and forefinger, and slowly removed the cigar.
Finally he snapped the purse shut, placed it in his waistcoat
pocket, then placed the cigar in his right jacket pocket,
which left everything as at the beginning and in readiness to
perform the routine again at the next suitable occasion.
Sometimes, when Leipzig was performing the routine
standing up, he apparently placed the cigar in a spectator’s
breast pocket saying: “Here, keep this as a souvenir”.
What actually happened was that he sleeved the cigar as his
hand reached the spectator’s pocket. His method of
sleeving was to hold one end of the cigar between the tips
of his right thumb and second finger, with the free end
pointing backwards towards his sleeve. As his hand came
against the spectator’s pocket, his first finger snapped the
end of the cigar, causing it to be propelled backwards up
the sleeve.

92
CHAPTER TWELVE
TEAR-UP WITH A TWIST

Page
Tear-up with at Twist 94

93
CHAPTER TWELVE
TEAR-UP WITH A TWIST

Some of Leipzig’s Props

When Leipzig was in England, he met AMAC, who

offered to sell him his illusion, “The Elusive Lady”, at a
very reasonable price.
This is a stage version of the Three Card Trick, using three
giant cards suspended from a batten. Behind each card is a
small pedestal. A girl assistant stands on the pedestal
behind the centre card which completely covers her.
Between each card is a space of about three or four feet.
The girl vanishes from behind the centre card and is found
behind the card on the right. Again the girl stands behind
the centre card, vanishes, then appears from out of the
audience. Amac used to repeat the procedure, but explained
that there was an invisible curtain. He demonstrated by
actually hanging a red curtain on the centre card and a coat
at the back of the card to completely isolate the girl. Amac
then used a sucker effect after which he removed all three
cards—the girl had vanished, but made her re-appearance
from off stage.
Leipzig intended to end his stage performance with such
an illusion to act as a complete contrast to the small props
he used for the rest of his show. However, he turned down
Amac’s offer, then after he had returned to America,
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regretted not having made the purchase. As a substitute, he
tried to incorporate “Walking away from a Shadow.” He
had a large frame covered with a white sheet, coated with
“Strobalite” luminous paint. When a person stood in front
of the frame and a strong light was switched on, the shadow
of the person was seen on the frame. The light affected the
degree of luminosity of the paint, then when it was
switched off and the person moved away, the portion on
which the light had fallen showed up more brightly than the
area on which the person’s shadow had fallen. It looked as
if the person had walked away from his or her own shadow.
Leipzig was never completely happy with this illusion,
and only included it occasionally during the latter part of
his career. FRED KEATING had the “Shadow” illusion after
Nate Leipzig’s death. Incidentally, Fred Keating was an
intimate friend of Leipzig’s, and was the only actual pupil
that Leipzig taught, indeed he once actually billed himself
as such.
So it was with the small articles shown in the
photograph above that Leipzig was really at home, his
restoration of a torn cigarette paper being a minor miracle.
He created a truly magical effect, handling everything so
neatly and cleanly that the result delighted and completely
bewildered his audience.
EFFECT. Leipzig removed a packet of cigarette papers
from his pocket and asked a spectator to remove one of the
papers. Taking the paper from the spectator, Leipzig slowly
tore it in half, then in quarters, and rolled the pieces into a
ball. Holding the ball in such a manner that it looked quite
impossible for a duplicate to be concealed, he pulled out
and upwards with his right fingers, causing the paper to
straighten to its full length—fully restored.
Offering to explain the method, Leipzig had the
spectator remove Two more papers from the packet, one of
which he rolled into a ball, then showed how he concealed
it gripped at the crotch of his right thumb. He then slowly
tore the second piece into quarters which he rolled into a
ball. As this was being done, he accidentally (?) dropped
the ball of whole paper from his thumb crotch. He only
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noticed this, apparently, when he came to explain how he
secretly switched one ball for the other. Saying he must
now proceed differently because of the “accident”, he
actually continued in the same manner as previously, and
showed the torn paper restored. A typical Leipzig touch at
the finish was to pick up the dropped ball, and switch it for
the ball of torn pieces, in the action of placing it in front of
a spectator.
When the spectator opened up the supposedly whole
paper, he found it in pieces!
PREPARATION. Take a single cigarette paper and
starting at one end, roughly pleat the paper in both
directions until a small spill is formed. Squeeze the spill up
into a tight little ball.
Prepare three or four of these balls and have them in the
right side jacket pocket, together with the packet of
cigarette papers.
PERFORMANCE. Place the right hand in the jacket
pocket, pinch one of the tiny balls between the tips of the
right first finger and thumb, and remove the packet of
papers. Holding the ball against the back of the packet
cover with the tip of the forefinger, let the packet fall open,
then hold it towards a spectator asking him to remove a
single sheet of paper. Notice in Figure 1 how the packet is
held at the tips of the thumb and forefinger for the spectator
to remove a paper.

96
Take the paper from the spectator with the left forefinger
and thumb, drop the packet on the table (the ball is now
between the tips of the right forefinger and thumb), and
immediately transfer the paper to the right thumb and
forefinger. The paper is taken at the top right corner, the
tips of the right thumb and forefinger opening sufficiently

to take the paper without releasing the ball. Stroke the

paper downwards with the left thumb and forefinger
(Figure 2) to straighten it out. Transfer the grip on the
paper to the left forefinger and thumb, simultaneously
bringing the right second finger alongside the first finger,
and rolling the ball with the right thumb, so that it can be
gripped between the sides of the right first and second
fingers. Stroke the paper downwards with the right first and
second fingers in front, and the right thumb behind—
Figure 3.

97
At all times, when handling the paper, the fingers should
be kept slightly apart and well separated whenever possible.
This gives a neat and delicate appearance to the handling,

and apparently shows that nothing is concealed, without

actually calling attention to the fact by words or unnatural
gestures.
Just before tearing the paper in half, roll the ball back to
its original pinched position between the tips of the right
forefinger and thumb. Notice how the paper is then held
(Figure 4—the ball is held behind the paper with the right
thumb).

98
Tear the paper very slowly, hold the two pieces apart,
then place the right hand piece IN FRONT of the piece in the
left hand. Stroke the two pieces in an upward direction,
with the right first and second fingers in front. Under cover
of the first stroking movement, return the ball to its former
position, pinched between the sides of the right first and
second fingers. Square up the two pieces neatly, then tear
them in the same manner as before, into four pieces. Just
before making the tear, position the ball between the tips of
the right forefinger and thumb as previously. Stroke and
square up the four pieces neatly, before bunching them
together, allowing only the left forefinger and thumb to
separate and grasp the torn pieces. Hold the left hand
slightly higher than the right as this is done.
When making the tear, the reason for placing the right-
hand pieces in front of the left-hand pieces is to allow the
separation of the left thumb and finger, whereas if the left-
hand pieces were placed in front of the right, it would be
awkward for the right thumb and forefinger to grasp all the
pieces, without a separation of the thumb and finger.
Crumple the four pieces into a tight neat ball with the
left forefinger and thumb, then deliberately carry it over to
the right hand to position it at the very tips of the right
forefinger and thumb. The concealed ball is just below the
visible one, out of sight because the pressure of the thumb
on the forefinger causes it to sink into the flesh.
We now come to a particularly subtle switch which is
one of the high points of Leipzig’s genius. The switch of
the two balls can be made without detection under the
closest scrutiny, as a trial will prove.
With the ball of torn pieces in full view at the tips of the
right forefinger and thumb, and the duplicate whole ball out
of sight below the visible one, hold your right hand at right
angles to the table top, the tips of the forefinger and thumb
pointing to the left. Place the tip of the left forefinger
against the top visible ball and press against it, and against
the tips of the right forefinger and thumb.

99
Slightly rotate with the right forefinger tip and thumb tip
with a counter-clockwise motion, and pull backwards a
little towards the body with the tip of the left forefinger.
This combination of moves turns the balls around to bring
the whole ball into view at the tips of the right and left
forefingers, with the ball of torn pieces out of sight below.
Simultaneous with the switch being made, the two thumb
tips are pressed together, and as the fingers extend
outwards, the thumbs come inwards—Figure 5. Study the
photograph which shows that the only point of contact
between any of the fingers and thumbs is at the tips of the
two forefingers. Bear in mind that the spectators have just
seen that there is nothing concealed in the left hand or
fingers. The switch is so convincing that seemingly the ball
of torn pieces has never left their sight.
After a moment for display, move the left thumb up and
press the tip against the bottom of the visible ball, covering
the hidden ball at the same time, so that it is now concealed
between the left thumb and forefinger.

100
Separate the right fingers (the spectators see nothing
then) and take hold of the top of the visible ball with the
tips of the right forefinger and thumb. Twist or turn the ball
until the left thumb and forefinger can pinch a hold on the
little ball. As soon as this is accomplished, pull out and
upwards with the right thumb and forefinger, causing the
paper to straighten out to its full length—Figure 6. The
effect to be aimed at is an instant and visible restoration of
the pieces.
First pull the paper between the two hands to straighten
it, then pull it completely from the left hand for a distance
of about two inches. Immediately grasp it again with the
left thumb and forefinger for both hands to pull on it. To
hold the hidden ball during the momentary separation of the
hands, transfer it to a position between the left first and
second fingers, then roll it back with the thumb, for it to be
pinched between the thumb and forefinger as the paper is
again held by both hands.
Use both hands to flatten out the restored paper, and
under cover of this action transfer the ball to the pinch
position between the right forefinger and thumb. In doing
this, the paper should be held parallel to the table for the
transfer to take place under the paper. The spectators now
see the separated left fingers.

101
Display the paper on both sides, holding it by one
extreme corner, the ball pinched behind it as in the
beginning of the effect.
Apparently the effect is over, so crumple up the paper
and convey it to the pocket with the right hand, securing
another tiny ball between the thumb and forefinger before
the hand leaves the pocket.
After a slight pause, offer to explain how the effect was
accomplished. Pick up the packet and offer it to a spectator,
asking him this time to remove TWO papers from the packet.
Take ONE paper from the spectator with the left hand, drop
the packet on the table and immediately transfer the paper
to the right hand, taking it between the first and second
fingers. Roll the ball so that it is held by the thumb and
second finger behind the paper, lifting the first finger out of
the way.
With the left hand, take the second paper from the
spectator. Place the right-hand paper with the ball
concealed behind it, behind the left-hand paper so that the
papers and the ball are held by the left thumb and second
finger. Bring the left forefinger behind the papers to pinch
the ball against the left thumb. Seize the lower right
extreme ends of the papers with the right thumb and
forefinger, then seize the left ends with the left thumb and
forefinger.
Take one paper in the right hand so that you have a
paper in each hand. Place the left-hand paper on the table,
retaining the ball between the tips of the thumb and
forefinger.
Note that when repeating the effect the hidden ball is
secreted between the left thumb and forefinger, and not
between the right thumb and forefinger as in the first effect.
Crumple up the right-hand paper with the right fingers,
then bend the right fingers inwards very quickly and
transfer the crumpled ball to the right thumb crotch.
Display the right hand on both sides to show that the
crumpled paper is hidden, but reveal its true position by
rolling it into view with the tip of the left little finger,
which points to it (Figure 7). Explain that you will show in
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slow motion, just how one ball of torn pieces is substituted
for a duplicate ball of whole paper. Pick up the open paper
with the tips of the left thumb and forefinger (the secret ball
goes behind the paper), and tear it once, very slowly and
deliberately. As the second tear is being made, allow the
known ball to fall from the right thumb crotch. Pretend not
to notice that you have dropped the ball, but proceed in the
same manner as in the first effect, until you reach the point
where the ball (really two) is between the extended
forefingers (Figure 5). Explain that you are now going to
switch the ball of torn pieces between the forefingers, for
the whole ball in the thumb crotch. Feign surprise when
you find that you have dropped the ball and say that due to
the accident, it is necessary to proceed differently. Actually
you carry on as before and show that the torn paper is
restored. Let the whole paper drop to the table, then pick up
the ball that was supposedly dropped by accident. lt is a
simple matter to switch this one for the torn pieces, so that
when a spectator opens it at your prompting, he finds torn
pieces instead of the whole piece which he most certainly
saw crumpled up into a ball before his eyes.

103
This effect was a great favourite with Nate Leipzig who
was at his very best with this lovely item of close-up magic.
He was often complimented on his superb handling, but
received the compliment modestly, saying: “After all, I’ve
been doing it for forty years.”

104
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
COIN QUICKIES

Page
Thumb Roll 106
Coin Roll 107
Boomarang Coin 108
Balanced Coin 110
Right there 111
Slow Motion Coin Vanish 115
Coin from Hand to Hand 118
The Coin on the Knee 120
Another Coin Vanish 121

105
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
COIN QUICKIES
Nate Leipzig used several coin flourishes and quick
tricks to gain the interest of spectators. Although the
performing time of each was perhaps seconds only, they
were fascinating to watch and caused attention to be
focussed on him T. NELSON DOWNS and MAX MALINI both
held a coin like a precious object. Leipzig was perhaps less
flowery, but had a great neatness and grace of handling.
He drew attention to the coin and made it appear as
something really important.
THUMB ROLL
With the exception of Nate Leipzig and himself, Dai
Vernon has never seen any other magician perform this
coin flourish. Although not difficult it is pleasing to the eye,
and was used by Leipzig as a preliminary effect before he
started some more important trick.
Start with a coin in the thumb-palm position, then bend
the fingers inwards for the tip of the forefinger to rest on
the free edge of the coin. Push with the forefinger, when the
coin will be taken through the fork of the thumb and will
topple over, to become balanced on the thumb itself.
Unbend the fingers a little, but leave them sufficiently
curled to catch the coin, then press the thumb against the
bottom of the forefinger. This causes the coin to fall off the
thumb, when it is caught by the curled fingers and pushed
back into the thumb-palm for the action to be repeated.
Performed continuously the visual effect is that the coin
is rolling around the thumb, and when the actions are
carried out with BOTH hands simultaneously, it becomes
particularly fascinating to watch.
In Figure 1, a coin can be seen being pushed through the
fork of the thumb of the right hand, where it is ready to
topple over on to the thumb. The left-hand coin has just
been pushed off the thumb and caught by the curled left
fingers.

106
COIN ROLL
The coin roll, as we know it today, is performed by
holding the coin against the underside of the forefinger with
the thumb, then pushing the coin over the side and on to the
back of the finger. By first lifting then lowering the second
finger, the edge of the coin is clipped between the two
fingers and levered over on to the back of the second finger.
Next the third finger is first lifted then lowered, to lever the
coin onto the top of the third finger. The little finger is now
lifted a little more than were the other fingers, and the coin
is gripped and PULLED DOWN between the third and little
fingers, when the thumb, which has moved under the hand
to contact the coin, slides the coin across the underside of
the fingers and pushes it over the side of the forefinger for
the action to begin again. Repeated continuously the visual
effect is that the coin rolls over the fingers, under the hand,
then over the fingers again.
ALLAN SHAW claimed originality for the coin roll,
having found it by accident. During his act, he was
producing coins by jerking them from the palm position
and catching them between the tips of his thumb and
forefinger. He partially missed one, for it landed between

107
the fingers, then toppled over and over. Later he practised
doing it purposely and so developed the coin roll.
Leipzig performed the coin roll in the same way (indeed,
Dai Vernon affirms that he has never seen anyone perform
it better), but he also had an original addition. When he was
a boy, one day he saw that a button on his overcoat was
loose. So as not to lose it he removed it and toyed with it as
he walked. He found that he could make it topple over his
fingers, but he held his hand palm upwards as in Figure 2.

It was just another step to combine the two methods. He

performed the regular coin roll up to the point when the
coin is taken down between the third and little fingers, but
then he turned the hand palm up and caused the coin to
topple from finger to finger before turning the hand once
more and again proceeding in the normal manner.
BOOMARANG COIN
When performing this effect, Leipzig would say:—
“Most magicians make the coin roll out and back this
way...” He gripped the coin at the extreme edge near the
top, between the tips of his right thumb and first finger.

108
Holding the coin about an inch above the table top
(Figure 3), he brought his hand down smartly and released
the grip on the coin. This caused the coin to SKID outwards
on the table, then because of the clock- wise spin, it would
return again to between the thumb and forefinger. Leipzig
then continued his patter:—
“. . . but I do it this way.”
He held the coin ON EDGE between his First and second
fingers at an exact right angle to the second finger (this is

109
important). With his first finger, he rolled the coin to the
back of the second finger (Figure 4). Pressing firmly he
then twisted the first finger back quickly, giving the coin a
sharp CLOCKWISE spin as it reached the table. At the same
time the hand tossed the coin forward for about eighteen
inches. The spin caused the coin to roll back to his hand,
where he caught it by the edge between the tip of his thumb
and forefinger, as in Figure 3.
BALANCED COIN
Leipzig almost always performed this little flourish with
a coin before he began a coin trick. He did it with natural
grace and neatness, and was so adept with it that magicians
thought he used a pin to hold the coin upright.
He held his left hand palm upwards, and perfectly flat,
with the fingers almost arched backwards. He made
everything look important and so gained everyone’s full
attention and interest. With his right hand, he placed the
coin at the tips of the left second and third fingers, in such a
position that although he found the point of balance, the

coin was almost falling off the fingers, but held in place by
the tip of the second finger which was just under the outer
edge of the coin (Figure 5). With the tip of the right second
finger, the coin was now slowly lifted so that it pivoted

110
upright (Figure 6). At the same time he drew the resting
edge of the coin closer to the left finger-tips, and pressed
the second and third fingers tightly together. The coin was
now upright and Leipzig would slide his right second finger
up and off the top, leaving the coin balanced on edge.
To make the coin fall, he apparently coaxed it over
backwards with his right fingers, so that it fell on to his left
fingers.

“RIGHT THERE”
This was Leipzig’s favourite “quickie” with a coin. He
must have performed it thousands of times and it was
always well received. He knew what people liked and
developed a form of presentation that was particularly
effective. Performed in the Leipzig manner this little trick
will be a success. Dai Vernon has tried other forms of
presentation, but they never go as well as Leipzig’s own.
There are just two lines of patter and the trick only takes
just as long as it takes to say them—with pauses in the
correct places.

111
“When you place a coin in your hand—and push it in
like this—you must never take it out—you leave it right
there!”
Hold the right hand back upwards in a loose list, with
the first finger curled just a little less than the rest. Hold the
coin at the extreme edge with the left forefinger and thumb.

112
As you say: “When you place a coin in your hand...”
push the coin into the opening of the right fist (Figure 7),
but due to the less curling of the right forefinger, the coin
slides across the first joint of the second finger until the
edge contacts the side of the third finger, which acts as a
stop. Now the edge of the coin is gripped between the sides
of the right first and second fingers (Figure 8—exposed
view), the hold on the coin with the

113
left thumb and forefinger is released and the left thumb
removed, but the forefinger is pushed right into the list, the
left hand turning PALM UP in the process. As the forefinger
goes into the fist, say: “...and push it in like this...”
While the left forefinger is still in the fist, the right hand
starts to turn palm up, but the coin is still held at both sides
until the angle is such that there is no fear of the coin being
seen. As the right hand is turning, the fingers begin to open
and the pressure on the edge of the coin by the third finger
is released, which leaves the opposite edge of the coin
clipped between the first and second fingers (there must be
no coin edge showing through the fingers). The tip of the
left forefinger remains on the right palm (Figure 9)
momentarily, as you say: “...you must never take it out...”
By this time the right hand is palm up and the left hand
now comes to an identical position, so that both hands are
palms up and side by side, with fingers held evenly and
thumbs relaxed naturally (Figure 10), not held stiffly.

After a pause both hands begin to turn backs up, the

fingers curling in towards the palms to hide the coin as it is
taken to the thumb-palm position; as the hands come backs
up, the fingers straighten as in Figure 11. Pause, then close
the right fingers into a loose fist as you say: “...you leave
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it...” Reach in with the left thumb and forefinger and
slowly remove the coin (Figure 7) as you complete the
patter: “...Right THERE!”

SLOW MOTION COIN VANISH

Before commencing this effect Leipzig remarked that
there was no need for there to be “quickness of the hand to
deceive the eye”, in fact he would prove this by performing
in slow motion. He then proceeded to make a coin vanish
and reappear, showing his hands back and front with
fingers open—all accomplished with slow, deliberate
movements.
To do this, hold the coin at the edge between the right

115
Still with the tips of the forefingers touching, place the
tip of the left thumb against the edge of the coin (Figure 15
—exposed view), and as both hands turn, push the coin
again to the normal thumb-palm position. At this point, the
hands are in the form of an inverted V, the fingers open and
touching at the tips. Wiggle the fingers (Figure 16), which
covers the curling second and third fingers which clip the
coin. Close the fingers of both hands and with the tips of
both thumbs, push the coin up, causing it to appear above
the top of the fingers.

The effectiveness of this manipulation depends upon

slow, smooth movements and a keen study of angles.

116
COIN FROM HAND TO HAND
The basic effect of this coin “quickie” is the passing of a
coin from one hand to the other. Leipzig used two
presentations and we will describe both.
FIRST METHOD. Two coins are used; say a half-crown

and a penny. A coin is shown in each hand, each balanced

117
on the pad of the third finger—a perfect position for a coin
to be taken to the palm.
After displaying the coins, place the left hand coin
between the lips and AT THE SAME TIME, turn the right hand
inwards, the fingers curling halfway into the palm.
Reach over with the left hand and apparently take the
right hand coin (Figure 17). Actually, the left fingers cover
the coin and the left thumb SEEMS to go underneath, but
under cover of the left fingers the right fingers curl and take
the coin to the palm proper position. Move the left hand
away as if holding the coin. Take the other coin from the
lips with the fingers of the right hand and as this hand is
brought down, balance the visible coin on the pads of the
curled fingers.

Hold the closed left hand over the right hand and make a
crumpling action with the left fingers. Open the left fingers,
and simultaneously allow the coin to fall from the right
palm on to the coin balanced on the pads of the fingers.
SECOND METHOD. At the start display the two coins on
the right hand, one being actually on the fingers. Reach
over with the left hand as if taking the coin from the

118
fingers, but as the left fingers come in front of the tips of
the right fingers, back-palm the coin as in Figure 18
(exposed view). Place the right hand under the bottom edge
of the waistcoat (vest), and the closed left hand at the top of
the waistcoat. Open the left fingers as if dropping the coin,
and simultaneously curl the right fingers to bring the back-
palmed coin against the other coin, causing a loud click.
Show the two coins on the right palm and the left hand
empty.
NOTE—In back-palming a coin, Leipzig held it on his right
first and second fingers. When the coin was covered by the
other hand (in the action of taking), he gripped one edge
with the side of his forefinger and the opposite edge with
the side of his third finger. He now bent his second finger
and brought it to the front, the coin revolving on its axis.
Immediately the coin was at the back of his hand, he
released the grip with the third finger, leaving the edge of
the coin clipped between the first and second fingers.
THE COIN ON THE KNEE
This is a particularly intriguing method of causing a coin
to vanish. Leipzig created a strong impression with this
item because the result was totally unexpected. Sit on a
chair with the right side of the body towards the spectators,
and place a large coin (half-crown) on the right knee. Gain
the spectator’s interest by saying how difficult it is to pick
up the coin from the knee with the palm of the hand,
without touching it with the fingers.
Proceed to demonstrate by bringing the right palm over
the coin, the fingers and thumb spread wide apart. Act the
part of experiencing difficulty in gripping the coin, then lift
the hand slowly straight up, but appear disappointed when
the coin is seen still resting on the knee.
Try again, seemingly endeavouring to grip the coin by
contracting the muscles of the palm and moving the base of
the thumb inwards and outwards in your efforts. Raise the
hand slowly and carefully again—still the coin remains on
the knee.
Make another attempt but this time, although the actions
appear the same as before, bring the thumb close to the side
119
of the hand as it descends, bringing the fleshy part at the
base of the thumb over the left side of the coin. By
extending the thumb away from the side of the hand, move
the coin to the left. Continue the contracting movements of
the little finger and thumb as if trying to grip the coin, but
with the thumb action secretly work the coin to the left,
when it will eventually be clear of the hand and held
momentarily against the inner side of the thigh by the
thumb. Release the coin for it to slide smoothly down the
inner side of the thigh and into the crease of the trouser leg,
formed in the action of sitting down.
Continue the efforts to grip the coin, even though it has
already gone, then slowly and carefully raise the hand
straight up for about six inches. Look down at the knee and
appear pleased that at last you have succeeded in lifting the
coin. Say; “See how flat my hand is”, then after a slight
pause, turn the hand over slowly to show the empty palm.
Alter your facial expression to one of surprise—then smile!
Do not be in a hurry to retrieve the coin; there will be
ample opportunity later when you adjust the trouser leg, to
either cross the legs or stand up.
NOTE—A trial will show how easily and neatly a crease
will form in the leg of the trousers when sitting down. To
make quite certain that the mouth of the crease runs from
the inner side of the knee in an almost horizontal line to the
back of the thigh, the hands can assist in the action of
hitching up the trousers at the knee. As the right side of the
body is towards the spectators, the crease is out of sight.
ANOTHER COIN VANISH
Leipzig used this coin vanish in an effect which was
somewhat similar to one of Malini’s. First we will explain
the method for the vanish then the full effect.
He placed a coin on his left palm, close to the base of the
fingers, then brought his right hand beneath the left and
used it to close his left fingers. As if to make quite certain
that the coin was still there, he opened his left fingers,
picked up the coin again then placed it back on the left
palm as before. Once more the left fingers were closed with

120
the right hand, but the coin was secretly carried away
between the right thumb and fingers.
A trial will show that if the right thumb is brought against
the side of the left little finger, and the right forefinger
against the side of the left forefinger (both hands palm
upwards, left above right), the left fingers can be closed by
bending the right hand back upwards. Just before the left
fingers are completely closed, the right thumb and
forefinger bend inwards and grip the coin, one at each side
of its edge, and carry it away to the left, past the tips of the
left finger.
Leipzig used to blow a puff of cigarette smoke at his left
hand, before slowly opening his fingers to show the hand
empty.
We are indebted to FAUCETT ROSS for the following
description of the effect in which the vanish is used, for he
contributed it to the GEN—Volume 10 Number l l—March
1955.
“When sitting down at a table, or later, Leipzig would
secrete a half dollar under his folded napkin. At the proper
time he would ask for the loan of a half dollar and in doing
so would make a gesture so that both hands were seen
clearly empty. When the coin was offered he asked that it
be clearly marked. As this was being done he nonchalantly
moved the napkin to one side and finger-palmed the hidden
coin. Taking the borrowed coin from its owner, he held it
between both hands, looked at the mark and with the right
hand apparently tossed it on the table; requesting another
party to cover it with his hand. At this point, however, he
switched coins—palming the borrowed coin and releasing
his own from the finger palm.
At about the same instant he would deliberately
introduce the borrowed palmed coin under a convenient ash
tray or small butter dish.
Here is the exact move. The coin was centre palmed
(classic palm), and when the tray or dish was moved only
an inch or so, the palm of his hand was virtually touching
the table. The coin was released and the object simply

121
moved over it. This was merely a gesture as Leipzig asked
the owner to place his finger on the tray or dish.
He then lighted a cigarette and after taking a few puffs,
picked up the borrowed (?) coin and placed it on his left
palm. He then performed the vanish, blowing a puff of
smoke towards the closed hand which slowly opened—the
coin was gone.
With a smile Leipzig asked the lender to raise the
ashtray or dish under which the marked coin was revealed”.

122
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
COIN TRICKS

Page
Coin in Glass 124
Copper and Silver Transposition 129
Penny out of a Glass of Beer 130
Leipzig`s Pride 131

123
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
COIN TRICKS
In this chapter we deal with those coin routines which
Leipzig used in his close-up performances. He always had
the necessary coins and other objects in the correct pockets
ready for performance on any suitable occasion. It is an
interesting fact that every night when he came home, he set
out his pocket apparatus in order on top of his bureau.
When he dressed in the morning the articles were loaded
back into the pockets. This became a ritual with him and in
consequence, he was never at a loss to produce an effect
through lack of preparation. An additional and valuable
advantage was that by having this apparatus in exactly the
same place for every performance, his actions became
almost instinctive.
COIN IN GLASS
For this trick, Leipzig had a coin marked by a member
of the audience. He then took a pack of cards in its case and
placed it over the mouth of an empty tumbler. The marked
coin was wrapped in a piece of paper, and two or three
spectators were asked to feel the packet to confirm that the
coin really was inside.
Leipzig slowly tore the packet (seemingly the coin had
vanished), and allowed the pieces of paper to flutter down
on to the card case. A coin was heard to fall into the glass
which when removed by a spectator, was seen to be the one
originally marked.
REQUIREMENTS. On the table Leipzig had a glass
tumbler, a pack of cards in its case, a piece of paper about
four inches square, and a handkerchief.
METHOD. Leipzig took no chances, so realising that it
was seldom possible to match a borrowed coin with one of
his own, had two identical coins in readiness. He had one of
these coins ringer-palmed in his right hand and handed the
other out for marking. The fact that he did not use a
borrowed coin in no way weakened the effect, as the coin
was clearly marked by an independent witness at the start,
and the marking was confirmed by the same person at the
conclusion. As the coin was taken back from the spectator,
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Leipzig apparently placed it on the table, but what actually
happened was that he slid the coin along his thumb with his
forefinger (Figure 1), taking it into the thumb-palm
position, then brought the finger-palmed duplicate to the
tips of his fingers and thumb and placed it on the table. This

change is almost identical with H. DE MANCHE'S method

described in CONJUR1NG WITH COINS, edited by NATHAN
DEAN.
With his left hand, Leipzig picked up the card case and
immediately transferred it to his right hand in order that he
could move the tumbler forward with his left hand. This
provided him with the excuse for casually setting the card
case at the very edge of the table, with the marked coin
underneath. Figure 2 shows a view from underneath and it
will be seen that the coin and case were now in position to
be picked up together without fumbling.
Next he picked up the piece of paper in his right hand
and handed it to the spectator nearest to him. He then
picked up the tumbler, showed it to be empty, placed it
mouth up on the table and covered it with the card case.

125
Figure 3 shows a view from underneath of how the marked
coin was trapped between the rim of the glass and the card
case, with the major portion of the coin over the mouth of
the glass. Leipzig picked up the handkerchief, showed it
both sides, then draped it over the case and tumbler. He
retrieved the examined piece of paper, took the visible coin
and wrapped the paper around it.

126
The method of folding the paper was that after the coin
had been placed in the centre, the left side of the paper was
folded over it, then the right side. Leipzig extended his
hand and asked a spectator to feel the coin through the
paper. Keeping the paper level all the time, Leipzig folded

the front portion over to the rear, then holding the paper
with the thumb above, the first and second fingers
underneath and the third finger at the rear of the packet, he
extended his hand once more to have the coin felt through
the paper. As he drew back his hand, the coin slid back
inside the paper and came to rest against the third finger.
Figure 4 shows an exposed view (the handkerchief has
been omitted). Next he folded the front portion of the
packet over to the rear and had the coin felt through the
paper yet again. When drawing back his hand, the coin slid
out on to his fingers. There was no need to tilt the packet to
make this happen, the action of drawing back the hand
being sufficient. The coin was now in the finger-palm
position and the hand was turned (Figure 5), for the left
hand to be brought up to assist in slowly tearing the packet
into small pieces.

127
Holding the pieces over
the glass, Leipzig allowed
them to flutter down on to
{the handkerchief-covered
tumbler, as with the heel of
his right hand he touched
the outside edge of the case.
This caused the coin to fall
into the tumbler, when of
course the appropriate sound
was heard.
The spectator who
originally marked the coin
was asked to remove it from
the tumbler and verify the
markings. As Leipzig
received back the card case
which the spectator
removed, he placed it over
the duplicate coin and set
both down together on the
table, leaving his hands free.

128
On some occasions, Leipzig dispensed with the paper
and after setting the card case on the tumbler, wrapped the
handkerchief completely over both, twisting it under the
bottom of the tumbler and holding it with his right hand as
in Figure 6. Taking the visible coin in his left hand, he
made a throwing action towards the tumbler, palming the
coin under cover of the hand movement.
Simultaneously, he pulled on one side of the
handkerchief with his right fingers, which moved the card
case sufficiently for the marked coin to drop into the
tumbler.
COPPER AND SILVER TRANSPOSITION
Leipzig was very fond of this trick and nearly always
included it when performing close-up magic. The effect is
that a silver coin, held by a spectator, changes places with a
copper coin held by the performer. As the change takes
place seemingly while the spectator is actually holding the
coin in his own closed fist, the effect is particularly strong.
METHOD. Leipzig had two identical copper coins
(pennies). One of these was in the right pocket of his jacket
and the other finger-palmed in his right hand. He displayed
a silver coin (half-crown) between his right thumb and
forefinger, and told a spectator that he must grasp it tightly
in his hand. To demonstrate what was to be done, Leipzig
held his own left hand palm up and threw the silver coin
into it, closing his left fingers quickly as the coin struck his
palm, then turning his closed hand over and saying:
“See—close your fingers tightly and turn the hand
over”.
Leipzig took the silver coin from his left hand into his
right and threw it down on to the spectator’s palm.
However fast the spectator closed his fingers, Leipzig said:
“Try that again. Can you do it just a little faster ?”
and took back the silver coin. On the second throw, he
switched the silver coin for the copper one, the moves
being exactly the same as described in the previous trick,
but the actual change was made as the hand was raised to
make the throw. As the hand moved down, the copper coin
was released, but the hand continued to travel past the
129
spectator’s hand. The spectator closed his fingers quickly
over the coin and turned his hand over, firmly believing
that he was grasping the silver coin.
With his right hand, in which he had the silver coin in
the finger-palm position, Leipzig reached into his jacket
and brought out the duplicate copper coin between his
thumb and forefinger. He showed it, then threw it into the
left palm calling “Heads” or “Tails” as the case may be. He
repeated this a few times then made the switch, again
closing his left fingers quickly over the silver coin and
immediately turning his hand over.
Now he said:
“All I’m going to do is touch your hand with mine”.
He brought his closed left fist over and lightly touched
the spectator’s hand. Drawing back his hand, he opened his
fingers and said:
“Look, I have the silver coin...(he gestured for the
spectator to open his hand)...and you have the copper.”
Leipzig often followed this trick with the one known as
“EXPANSION OF TEXTURE,” using the version described in
DOWNS’ “THE ART OF MAGIC”.
PENNY OUT OF A GLASS OF BEER
Although the principal used for this trick is well known,
Leipzig’s presentation made it very entertaining. The effect
is that a spectator is asked to pick up a coin and drop it into
a glass of beer. After the performer has made some mystic
passes over the glass, the coin rises slowly up out of the
beer.
METHOD. Leipzig performed this trick seated at a
table with a glass of beer in front of him. In his waistcoat
pocket he had a penny with one end of a long piece of hair
attached to it by a pellet of wax. The other end of the hair
was fastened to the inside of the pocket.
When ready to perform, he removed the penny from his
pocket and placed it on the table alongside the glass of beer.
To a spectator he said; “Please pick up that penny and
drop it in the glass of beer”.
After the spectator had complied with the request,
Leipzig placed his right fingers at the side of the glass and
130
began to tap the glass. A slight backward movement of his
body would cause the coin to rise slowly in the glass of
beer. As the coin reached the top of the glass, Leipzig took
it with his right fingers and simultaneously removed a
handkerchief from his breast pocket with his left hand. As
he wiped the coin he got rid of the wax, then placed the
coin on the table, when usually someone would pick it up to
examine.
As a variation, Leipzig sometimes held the glass in his
left hand as he tapped the side with his right fingers,
seemingly to make the coin rise.
An interesting novelty which Leipzig once possessed
was a tiny cross made of green jade. He used this to follow
up the rising coin effect, dropping the cross into the glass of
beer when it would slowly rise to the surface. No hair was
necessary to make this happen, as the weight of the tiny
cross was such that when a sufficient number of air bubbles
had formed around its surface, it would rise of its own
accord. He carried it around for many years but finally lost
it. He told Dai Vernon that he thought he must have
swallowed it.
LEIPZIG’S PRIDE
In Leipzig’s hands this trick with the stack of coins was
a masterpiece. He would never perform it if he knew other
magicians were present, guarding the secret jealously, as
naturally he wished to keep it exclusively for his own use.
Leipzig used the following articles:—
(a) Six English pennies and a hollow stack of
duplicates, riveted together at one point at the edges,
which allowed them to be fanned slightly.
(b) A small cone made of leather, the base of which
was just large enough to cover the stack without
jamming.
(c) A wooden cone which fitted inside the leather cone.
This had two functions; it kept the leather cone in
shape when not in use, and it was also used for the
purpose of misdirection.

131
(d) Two sixpences (or dimes), identical in appearance,
each with a visible blemish in exactly the same spot.
SET UP.
(1) The six pennies and one of the sixpences (or a dime)
were in a purse.
(2) The leather cone with the wooden cone under it
were in the right pocket of the jacket, together with
the stack of coins; the second sixpence being in the
hollowed out cavity.
(3) An ashtray or other small tray, with a felt-covered
bottom, was on the table.
PERFORMANCE. Assuming that the reader has made the
same preparations as Leipzig, he should proceed as
follows :—
Have a spectator seated opposite and give him the tray,
asking him to hold it in his left hand. Tip the coins out of
the purse on to the tray, then as if noticing the sixpence for
the first time, pick it out and return it to the purse. Make no
mention of the blemish on the six-pence; it may not even be
noticed, though it often is, so when the duplicate sixpence
eventually makes its appearance, the blemish is an extra
convincing factor.
Ask the spectator to count the pennies from the tray on
to your left hand. As this is being done, place the right hand
in the jacket pocket, get the stack of pennies (with the
duplicate sixpence inside) into the finger-palm position,
opening away from the fingers, then bring out the leather
cone (with wooden block inside) between the thumb and
fingers.
Holding the six single pennies in the left hand, use the
left fingers to remove the wooden block from the cone and
place it on the table. Hand the leather cone to the spectator
to examine, asking him to hold it up to the light and look
through it, gesturing with your two hands as in Figure 7.

132
Drop the hands to the table in the position shown in
Figure 8. Apparently take the loose coins from the left
palm with the right fingers, but actually let the STACK slide
between the right thumb and fingertips, bringing the top of
the stack towards the spectator.

133
Ask the spectator to extend his right hand, palm
downwards, then grasp his hand firmly with your left hand,
the left forefinger below and the thumb on top (the loose
coins held secretly by the curled second and third fingers),
for your right fingers to place the stack (with the sixpence
inside) on the back of the spectator’s hand. Tell him to keep
his hand still to prevent the coins falling, as you square up
the slightly fanned stack.
With your right hand, take the cone and cover the stack
(Figure 9), still retaining your grip on his hand with your
left hand. Ask him if he is quite certain that the coins are
still on his hand. Whatever the answer may be, grasp the
cone at the BASE between the right thumb and forefinger
and lift it straight upwards, showing the coins.
Slowly and deliberately replace the cone over the stack.
Study the next four actions very carefully as upon their
correct execution depends the success of the whole routine.
The actions must be spaced at equal intervals, with about a
second and a half between each.
(1) Draw your right forefinger across the spectator’s
wrist.
(2) Snap the thumb and second finger together.

134
(3) With a minimum of movement of the left hand,
release the loose coins in a shower to fall into the
tray, which the spectator has been instructed to hold
beneath his hand.

(4) Lift the cone straight up as before, but exert slight

pressure at the base with the thumb and forefinger
so that the stack is lifted with the cone. As the stack
clears the hand, slip the tip of the little finger
underneath and simultaneously flip the cone over
towards the spectator. The stack lands like a loose
thimble on the tip of the little finger which then
folds into the palm.
The even spacing of the movements has been specially
emphasised because it is of the utmost importance. The
timing must be such that there is a precise and exact pause
after the coins have been dropped, and before the cone is
lifted to disclose the sixpence on the back of the spectator’s
hand.
After another slight pause, tilt the spectator’s hand with
your left hand, causing the sixpence to slide off into the tray
to join the six pennies. At the same time your right hand
steadies the tray. Actually, this action

135
conceals the stack which is still on the tip of the little
finger, below the tray. The felt covering the bottom of the
tray prevents any tell-tale noise. Study Figure 10 which
shows the position at the climax; both palms are seen to be
empty.
Under cover of the surprising climax, reach with the half
closed right hand to the loose coins and gather them up.
Either take them to the pocket, ditching the stack at the
same time, or drop them all and the stack into the purse and
close it.
Leipzig always picked up the leather cone, placed it
daintily over the wooden block, then put both in his pocket.

136
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

Page
The First Born Child 138
Creation of Life 139
Reading the Pencil 140
Cigarette Paper Prediction 141
Tumbler Vanish 143
Dice Moves 145
Levitation of Cigar or Cigarette 146
Ring on Stick 149
Vanish of the Matches 150
The Stretching Match 151
Ball Vanish 152

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
Realising that the best publicity was obtained by having
people talk about his magic, Leipzig was always seeking
novel and interesting items to include in his programmes.
The following tricks are certainly unusual, and illustrate
how astute Leipzig was in selecting effects which really
impressed his audiences.
THE FIRST BORN CHILD
Nate Leipzig was very keen on this item and considered
the effect to be particularly strong.
On first reading one may wonder why this has caused so
much comment, and why it has been constantly discussed
by well posted magicians. The plot seems to be rather thin
and the method appears to give only a fifty-fifty chance of
success, yet in practice the results produce exceptionally
favourable comment. It is something which can only be
judged by practical test.
The effect is that a spectator is asked to give the MAIDEN
name of any woman who has a child or children, then the
performer immediately states whether her first born is male
or female. This is accomplished by the performer secretly
counting the number of VOWELS contained in the given
name. If the number of vowels is even, the performer states
that it is a boy—if uneven, then it is a girl.
In correspondence with FAUCETT ROSS we asked for his
opinion and quote his reply: “I vividly recall that when Dai
first told me about this Leipzig effect about thirty years
ago, I remarked: ‘It’s utterly silly and impossible’.
Whereupon for several months after, I made an intensive
‘survey’ and kept accurate records of the names of every
mother, and the sex of her first born child, I could meet or
find out about. The results? Not infallible, but successful in
71% of the cases surveyed. To this day, I am not sure
whether or not there is anything in it!”
We have copies of several letters from Dai Vernon to
Charlie Miller and in one he writes: “Nate had great faith in
this. It took me a long time to convince Doctor Daley that
this effect really was GOOD. Afterwards he loved to tell how
138
he made a canvas of the entire staff of the French Hospital
with this. He too kept a record and was 80% WRONG, but
everyone kept insisting that it was the best trick that he had
ever done for them! Doc said they absolutely seemed to
forget the failures but raved about the hits”.
CREATION OF LIFE
This trick was reserved for those very special occasions
when Leipzig wanted to really stagger a person or persons
present. He told Dai Vernon that he considered it to be one
of the most effective tricks he performed, yet the number of
times it was included in a performance could be counted on
one’s fingers. He made no claim to originality, indeed he
said that he had first seen a similar version performed by
someone else.
The effect was that a cigarette paper was taken from a
packet and whilst held in the fingertips, was folded to form
the shape of a butterfly or moth. It was then released and
flew away, leaving the spectators with the greatest mystery
of all—the creation of life!
Leipzig used a real live white moth for this effect and
after carefully folding its wings, placed it in a tiny celluloid
capsule. This capsule had a ball of wax on it to enable it to
be attached to the back of the left thumb. It was obtained
and positioned when his left hand went to his pocket to
bring out a packet of cigarette papers.
With the capsule on the back of his thumb, Leipzig held the
packet of cigarette papers at his fingertips, delicately
removed a single sheet, then deposited the packet on the
table. After slowly turning the paper over and over between
his fingers, he began to fold it into the shape of a moth.
With his hands together and his fingers closed, the capsule
was opened for the real moth to be removed. Momentarily
moth and paper were held together, then the folded paper
was slid away and into the capsule on the back of the
thumb. Now holding the real moth, Leipzig seemingly
continued to shape it, then as he relaxed the slight pressure
of his fingers, it began to move as if the first stirrings of life
were being instilled. Finally, he opened all his fingers,

139
holding his hands with the palms towards the audience, for
the moth to fly away from his hands.
The capsule was out of sight behind his left thumb and
under cover of the surprise caused by the release of the
living moth, Leipzig picked up the cigarette packet from the
table with his right hand, passed it immediately but casually
to his left hand, which conveyed it to the pocket for the
capsule also to be disposed of.
READING THE PENCIL
Leipzig’s favourite mathematical type of trick was to
have someone write down three digits, reverse them and
subtract the lesser from the greater. Although no
information whatsoever was given to Leipzig and he asked
no questions, he was able to give the correct result.
Some practice in observation is required here but it is
nowhere near as difficult as it may seem.
Give a spectator a pad and pencil then walk away from
him before you give him the necessary instructions. Tell
him to write down three digits on the paper. As he does
this, you are glancing in his direction and WATCH THE
PENCIL. In almost all cases, you will be able to determine
either the first or last figure immediately as it is written, but
the aim is to get both. If you do, turn the head away, then
instruct the spectator to reverse the figures, write them
underneath the first three, draw a line and subtract the
lesser from the greater.
If you observed the first and last figures when the first
three were written, add 10 to the smaller and subtract the
larger. This will give you one of the digits in the final
answer. Subtract this from 9 to get the other figure. The
middle one will always be 9 so there is nothing to worry
about there.
Should you only observe one figure the first time, then
you have a second chance when the digits are written in the
reverse order. However, if there is still doubt, yet a third
chance is available, for when the final answer is written
down, only one of the final figures need be observed,

140
because if this is subtracted from 9, the answer will give the
other one, as we know the middle one will always be 9.
Obviously the best effect is when you get the first and
final digit as the numbers are first written, then you can turn
away and pay no further attention. It will be a great help if
you imagine in your own mind that YOU are writing the
figures. By THINKING about YOUR HAND making the same
actions as the spectator’s, the figure just written can be
visualised correctly almost every time.
Leipzig himself was nearly always able to ‘read the
pencil’ by just a quick glance in the spectator’s direction.
He did not favour tricks in which there was risk of failure,
and the reason he liked this one so much was because he
had three chances to watch the pencil and get the first and
last digit. If he was not sure the first or second time, he
could always check after the line was drawn for the
subtraction.

CIGARETTE PAPER PREDICTION

This is a mental effect, but like all Leipzig’s tricks,

things happened quickly without over-long preliminaries.
The effect is that a spectator is asked to remember the
name of an old school teacher, departed friend, etc. A
packet of cigarette papers is removed from the performer’s
pocket for a single paper to be removed by the spectator,
who then screws it up into a tiny ball. When the ball is
opened out the name being thought of by the spectator is
found written on it.
Leipzig used a packet of cigarette papers which had been
faked only in that one cigarette paper had been removed
and attached to the back of the packet by means of two

141
rubber bands as in Figure 1. This was in the right jacket
pocket together with a stub of pencil.
The effect was performed by Leipzig while he was
sitting at a table. Sometime before performing he secretly
removed the packet and stub of pencil from his pocket and
dropped them on his lap.
When about to perform, he positioned the cigarette
packet (paper side up) on his knee and grasped the stub of
pencil in his right hand. He began talking about the power
of concentration, then asked a spectator to name some
person whom he had known well in the past. As the name
was given, Leipzig simply wrote it in capitals on the
cigarette paper. This was done under cover of the table and
at a time when the spectator had no notion that an effect
was about to be performed. If Christian and surname were
given, Leipzig only put down the Christian name—which
enabled the writing to be done quickly. Next he placed his
right thumb on the centre of the paper and pushed. This
pulled the ends of the paper away from the rubber bands, so
that he could roll it up into a tiny ball between his thumb
and forefinger.
Holding the cigarette packet, pencil and tiny ball in his
closed right hand, he placed it in his right jacket pocket,
deposited the pencil, positioned the ball between the pad of
his thumb and forefinger, brought out the cigarette paper
142
packet and dropped it on the table. Now he asked the
spectator to remove a single sheet of paper and crumple it
up into a ball. As the paper was crumpled, Leipzig said:
“Just a little smaller” and reached forward to take the ball
and give it a pinch. Although he only held it momentarily
with his arm still outstretched towards the spectator, he
rolled the two balls around each other so making a switch,
then apparently gave the ball back for the crumpling to be
completed.
The spectator was asked to place the ball on the table
and keep it under the closest scrutiny. Leipzig held the
spectator’s hand and told him to concentrate on the name.
After a dramatic pause, the spectator was told to open
the paper, when he found the name he was concentrating on
written in capitals.
When this effect was talked about afterwards, it was
nearly always stated that the name appeared, even though it
was merely thought of. The fact that it had been told to
Leipzig was forgotten. Additionally, the spectator was
emphatic that he took a paper, examined it and never
allowed Leipzig to touch it.
Dai Vernon asked Leipzig why he did not insist on the
spectator looking at both sides of the paper when it was
taken from the packet, as it was quite unprepared. Leipzig
replied that as the spectator took out the paper himself, it
was good magic.

TUMBLER VANISH
Dai Vernon did not actually see Nate Leipzig perform
this trick but received an account of it from ARTHUR
FINDLEY.
The effect is the well-known vanish of a tumbler from
under a newspaper cover shaped around the glass, but
instead of performing seated at a table, as is usual, Leipzig
used the seat of a chair as his performing surface.
The props used were a tumbler, a coin and a sheet of
newspaper.

143
After shaping the newspaper around the tumbler (the
reason being to make the glass opaque), Leipzig placed the
coin on the seat of the chair and covered it with the
tumbler. He had the spectators gather round the chair,
stating that he proposed to make the coin vanish, then lifted
the covered tumbler to show that the coin really was on the
chair before covering it again.
Making a magic gesture, he stated that the coin had
vanished and lifted the glass to prove his claim. He feigned
surprise when he saw the coin was still on the seat.
Covering the coin again, he apologised for the failure but
promised that the second attempt would be successful.
Again he made a magic gesture and lifted the glass with
confidence, only to find the coin still there! Actually, as he
lifted the glass with his left hand, he brought it over to his
right and allowed the glass to secretly slip from the cover,
when his large right palm gripped the bottom and carried it
away and behind the back of the spectator on his right. He
now placed the glass-shaped cover over the coin, taking
care to handle the cover in exactly the same way as if it still
contained the glass.
Once more he affirmed that he would make the coin
vanish on this third attempt, making another magic gesture
with his left hand. Instead of lifting the cover, he brought
down his left hand sharply on top of it, smashing it flat, as
he said: “If the coin doesn’t go, the tumbler will”!
After a pause of just sufficient length to allow the effect
to register, Leipzig brought his left hand over the back of
the collar of the spectator standing on his right and as his
left hand pulled back the person’s jacket collar to permit the
passage of the hand down inside the jacket, his right hand
was brought up inside the jacket from the bottom, carrying
the tumbler up to about mid-way. The left hand reached
down, grasped the tumbler and brought it into view from
the collar of the jacket.
Leipzig’s extra large hands helped considerably to palm
the tumbler from the cover, but he also made use of the
spectator standing on his right, using his body to shield the
glass leaving the cover, then held the glass behind the
144
spectator’s back whilst the newspaper cover was First
placed over the coin then smashed flat.

DICE MOVES
Leipzig usually carried two small dice in a framework
case which was so constructed that it held the dice together,
side by side, yet allowed all but the inner (adjacent) faces to
be seen.
Before commencing, he said: “There’s an old trick
known to schoolboys, where a dice is turned over like this”.
He demonstrated by holding one of the dice between his
right thumb (below) and forefinger (above) and pushing the
dice with the tip of his forefinger to make it roll over once
towards the tip of his thumb. Now he said: “...but this is
not that trick” and proceeded to perform a simple routine
with the two dice using the magician’s turn.
The effect he brought about was simply showing the
spots on the bottom face of both dice, placing them on the
back of his hand then lifting to show the spots had changed.
The feature which will be of interest to readers is the
“pay off”, which was two-fold.

145
First he showed a move with one dice which he placed
on the back of his left hand without first showing the
bottom face. He brought over his right hand (palm down)
and placed his right first and second fingers fiat on the back
of the left hand, gripping the dice between them—Figure 2.
He rolled his right hand to the right, the second finger
revolving on the back of the left hand. Actually the
forefinger moved more than the second finger, causing the
dice to roll past one more face than it would have done if
the two fingers had moved together—Figure 3. This
appeared to be the bottom face of the dice and when the
moves were reversed, it was assumed that this face was
against the back of the left hand. Leipzig now picked up the
dice daintily with the thumb and fingers of the right hand
and slowly turned the dice to show that the spot had
changed on the bottom face—Figure 4.
For the final effect the two dice were replaced in the
little framework case, which was placed on the back of a
spectator’s hand, then a change was made of the spots on
the bottom faces of the two dice by using the magician’s
turn.
LEVITATION OF A CIGAR OR CIGARETTE
Here is a nice “quickie” which Leipzig often performed
when smoking a cigar or cigarette. He would remove it
from his mouth and place it on his left palm, one end at the

146
base of his fingers and the other end protruding over the
tips of his fingers. By waving his right hand over his left, he
seemingly caused the outer end of the cigar to rise slowly
until it was standing almost upright.
The secret was a little plug of hardwood shaped like a
slim cone. Inserted in the larger end was a piece of metal,
bent at right angles and with a needle-sharp point—Figure
5(a). The whole thing was quite tiny and was secretly
placed in Leipzig’s mouth prior to performing.
After lighting the cigar, Leipzig pushed the hardwood
plug into the end with his tongue and teeth (b), then
removed it from his mouth. First holding the cigar upright,
the end against the thick skin at the base of his fingers, he
slipped the needle point under his skin, then lowered the
cigar until it rested along his fingers (c). It was now simply
a matter of arching his fingers backwards to make the outer
end of the cigar rise slowly. By reversing the process, the
cigar was made to lower itself flat on the fingers.

147
Fig. 5

148
RING ON STICK
One of the small props which Leipzig always carried
was a wedding ring. When he saw someone with a ring
which was similar in style, although not necessarily the
exact shape, he sought an opportunity to perform the
following trick:—
He borrowed any stick that was handy; a drum stick,
coat hanger, etc., and after secretly securing the wedding
ring in his left hand, loaded it on to the stick, sliding it to
the centre and keeping it covered with his left hand. Now
he asked to borrow the ring he had noticed and holding the
stick upright in his left hand, brought the borrowed ring
over the top and asked: “Do you think it possible to put this
ring on the stick like this when you are holding both
ends?” As he said: “like this”, he dropped it on, catching it
in his left hand and timing matters so that the duplicate ring
was released to be caught by his right hand which was
moved quickly to the bottom. The appearance was that the
borrowed ring was simply dropped on to the top of the stick
and caught at the bottom. In almost the same movement, he
moved the stick in an arc to bring it horizontal and
extended his left hand, asking the person who lent the ring
to grasp the stick with a hand at each end.
Giving just a quick glimpse of the duplicate ring, he
brought his right hand over his left, gave the left hand a
smart tap, thumb-palmed the duplicate ring and
simultaneously quickly drew his left hand back and away
from the stick, to leave the borrowed ring spinning on the
centre.
Under cover of the surprise, Leipzig dropped the
duplicate ring in his side pocket.
Leipzig performed this trick boldly, relying on excellent
timing to cover the trickery. Often he borrowed rings with
stones in, but was not caught out because he ensured that
only part of the duplicate ring was seen, when it was
assumed to be a portion of the band of the borrowed ring.

149
VANISH OF THE MATCHES
Leipzig wore a “wish bone” ring on the third finger of
his left hand, but had to switch it for a wedding ring when
he wished to perform this effect. He always carried a
wedding ring in his pocket to perform the RING ON STICK
effect, so was always prepared. The “wish-bone” ring did
not lend itself for tricks, but nobody noticed that he was
wearing a different ring when he did the match vanish.
The following explanation of Leipzig’s handling of this
item was provided by FAUCETT ROSS.
Most magicians are familiar with the effect—several
matches are vanished, one at a time by secretly transferring
them from the fingertips to an invisible position under the
ring. T. NELSON DOWNS had his own version of this trick,
and his presentation is fully described in Dai Vernon’s fine
book SELECT SECRETS.
Leipzig’s handling and presentation were entirely
different, as he was able to perform it entirely surrounded; a
procedure not possible in the Downs version. The finish
was also quite different.
If performing at the dinner table, he commenced by
spreading a table napkin on the table, at other times he used
a handkerchief. Three wooden matches were removed from
his pocket and placed in a row on the napkin or
handkerchief. Even these simple arrangements were done
with meticulous care and grace.
The left hand was held palm up over the centre of the
table and one match picked up by the right hand and placed
between the left forefinger and thumb, which held it by the
head. The right hand now came over the left and under its
cover the left second finger pivoted the match and guided
the free end under the ring at the back of the third finger.
When it was in position, Leipzig pressed with his left
thumb on the head until the match was about a third of the
way under the ring, the thumb continuing to push it, but
now only to make it lie evenly behind the finger. The ring
hand brushed the palm of the left hand very quickly, then
turned palm-up when both palms were seen to be empty
and all fingers slowly separated.
150
Again the right hand picked up a match and the vanish
was repeated. The one match remaining was similarly
treated and both hands held palm up for an instant. Then the
right hand grasped the handkerchief or napkin at the middle
of the side nearest the performer, and pulled it over the
empty left palm.
The right forefinger and thumb nipped the centre of the
handkerchief and likewise gripped the matches through the
fabric, withdrawing them from the ring.
The handkerchief was elevated dramatically into mid-
air, a slight shake and the matches dropped in a shower on
to the table—a simple but effective finish.
In addition to the special ring, Leipzig also used special
matches. These were rubbed smooth with a piece of emery
cloth and the ends slightly pointed for ease in working.
Leipzig took no chances!
THE STRETCHING MATCH
This is a simple little item that Leipzig sometimes used
as a follow-up to his VANISHING MATCHES. We are again
indebted to FAUCETT ROSS for the following description.
“Nate Leipzig showed me this item in his dressing-room
at our local ‘Electric Theatre’ in 1924. He used a very long
wooden match—about six inches. He told me he usually
carried this in his left jacket or trouser pocket, and it was a
simple matter to get it into his left sleeve while his hand
was casually placed in the pocket.
After reproducing the matches in the previous trick, he
picked up a match from the table with his right hand and
carelessly tossed it on to his left palm. The right hand then
picked it up and dropped it back on to the table. This
enabled him to show his hands empty without calling
attention to them.
He now picked up another match with his right hand and
simultaneously dropped his left hand to his side. The long
match slipped down his sleeve for one end to be clipped
between his first and second fingers. The ordinary visible
match was held at the ends by both hands, so that the left
end actually touched the end of the clipped long match.

151
Leipzig remarked: “Strange how the weather today
affects a wooden match. Watch!”
So saying, the tips of his right first and second fingers
slid over the visible match and secured the end of the long
match. Now he gave a tugging movement and the regular
match apparently stretched to abnormal dimensions by
simply separating the hands. The regular match, of course,
remained in his right hand—finger palmed.
The long match was then tossed on to the table or
handed to a spectator. If seated at a table, Leipzig simply
dropped the regular match on to the floor or to his lap.
Otherwise, he disposed of it at a convenient opportunity.

BALL VANISH
To perform this vanish, hold the left hand cupped into a
loose first in front of the chest. Take the ball between the
right thumb and second finger and carry it up from the front
to the top of the left list—Figure 6.
Drop the ball into the opening of the left fist by tilting
the right hand upwards, then continue tilting the right hand
upwards above the left, the right thumb pointing
downwards into the opening of the left fist—Figure 7. Now
tilt the right hand down quickly pivoting it on the thumb,
and as it comes under the left fist (Figure 8), release the
ball for it to fall into the curled right fingers.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE LEFT HAND SHOULD NOT MOVE,
nor must there be any catching movement with the right
fingers. It is a question of RELEASING the ball WITHOUT LEFT
FINGER MOVEMENT, for it to FALL INTO the curled right
fingers WHICH THEMSELVES DO NOT MAKE A CATCHING
MOTION. TIMING is all important.

152
153
154
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
SOME FAVOURITE CARD TRICKS

Page
Leipzig’s Opener 156
Acrobats 157
Automatic Gambler 160
Ambitious Card Quickie 162
Mathematics 163
Leipzig’s Favourite Four Ace Trick 165
The Matching up Trick or
Comedy of Errors 167
Bottom Card Change 169
Twirl Cut 170
Card Change 171
Knife Glimpse 173
Reverso 173

155
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
SOME FAVOURITE CARD TRICKS
Nate Leipzig would never lend one of his own packs of
cards to another magician for the purpose of performing a
trick or demonstrating a sleight. He was extremely fussy
about his cards, which was understandable, for they were
constantly in use and he needed them in good condition.
However, on just one occasion he did lend Dai Vernon a
pack to be shown a new move, but stated frankly that this
was the first time he had allowed his cards to be used by
someone other than himself.
LEIPZIG’S OPENER
Leipzig almost invariably used this effect to introduce
his close-up card work.
EFFECT. A card is freely selected by a spectator who then
returns it to the pack. After shuffling, the pack is placed
face-down on the spectator’s palm but when it is turned
face-up again, the selected card appears mysteriously on the
bottom. This effect is repeated up to just before the point
where the pack is placed on the spectator’s palm, but this
time the performer extends his own right hand palm-down
above the spectator’s hand and the pack is placed above the
performer’s hand. Now the pack is riffled, when the card
apparently penetrates the performer’s hand and appears
face-up on the spectator’s palm.
METHOD. A card is freely selected by a spectator, who
notes it then returns it to the pack. The performer secretly
brings it to the top with a shuffle, then shows it to be an
indifferent card by a double lift (see Chapter Two). After
replacing the card(s) face-down on the pack, the pack is
turned face-up and held on the upturned left palm for the
face card to be seen.
The pack is next taken in the right hand, and the left
hand extended palm-up as an explanatory gesture, the
spectator being asked to do likewise.

156
As the pack is taken in the performer’s hands, prior to
placing it on the spectator’s outstretched palm, the sideslip
is made (see Chapter Two), secretly taking the under
(selected) card into the right palm. The pack is placed face-
up on the spectator’s palm and he is asked to note that his
card is not on the face of the pack.
The pack is momentarily re-taken in the performer’s
right hand (which is palm downwards with the face card
half exposed), as another gesture is made with the left hand
to indicate that the spectator should flatten his hand.
The performer then brings his left hand under the pack
to take it from the right hand, the left fingers extended
under cover of the right hand, to the edge of the palmed
card and as the pack is taken, the thumb side of the left
hand automatically pushes the pack to the left. The card
slides evenly into place flush on to the face of the pack, as
the whole pack is turned face downward and placed on the
spectator’s palm by the performer’s left hand.
The spectator is now asked to name his card, then slowly
turn the pack face-up on his own palm. His selected card is
now staring him in the face.
An offer is made to repeat the effect, and the
proceedings are exactly as before up to the point where the
card is slipped on to the face of the pack.
This time the pack is taken as before from the right
hand, but the card is NOT added as the pack is turned face
downwards preparatory to putting it on the spectator’s
palm.
Just as this is about to be done, the right hand, palm-
down and holding the palmed card, is simply extended
under the pack and as the pack is riffled with the thumb, the
palmed card is allowed to fall face-up on to the spectator’s
hand.
ACROBATS
This baffling piece of trickery is simple in plot—a pack
of cards is divided into halves and the face-up bottom cards
of each half mysteriously change places.

157
Leipzig always carried a duplicate card with him to
achieve this effect. For this description, we will assume that
a duplicate Queen of Hearts is employed.
PREPARATION. One Queen of Hearts is placed second
from the bottom of the pack, while the other is near the
centre.

METHOD. Holding the pack in the right hand by the ends,

with the face card towards the palm, riffle the side with the
left thumb as you would with a book when looking for a
specific page. State that you need a contrasting card to the
one on the bottom of the pack, which we will assume is the
Eight of Clubs. Locate the Queen of Hearts in the centre of
the pack and slide the half-pack in the right hand backwards
as in Figure 1.
Call attention to the Eight of Clubs, then open the pack
bookwise, showing the full face of the Queen of Hearts in
the centre of the pack. Hinge the Queen packet face-down
with the left hand as the right hand also turns it’s half pack
back-up. The positions of the hands are now, right hand
palm-up and left hand palm-down. However, as this visible
action occurs, the left fingers invisibly draw off the Eight of
Clubs from the face of the right—hand packet on to the
face of the left-hand packet—Figure 2. The left hand
continues its motion, moving away to the left. At this point
both packets are backs up and both hands are now given a
158
little shaking motion. This covers the movement of the left
first finger which moves to the end of the packet and
pushes the block of cards flush with the protruding added
card. The hands are slowly turned to bring the cards face
upwards, the right hand turning a little in advance of the left
hand—Figure 3.
The transposition seems to take place magically and
almost visibly.

159
The sleight used is actually the well-known slip-pass,
but the natural handling and the overlap of the packets,
enable the move to be made in a particularly clean manner,
with no chance of a tell-tale flash as the card is transferred
from one packet to the other.
The effect is now instantly repeated, confusing the
audience even more thoroughly this time.
You still have half the pack in one hand and half in the
other. The Eight of Clubs on the left half, the Queen of
Hearts on the right. Under the Eight of Clubs in the left
packet is a Queen of Hearts. Place the half with the visible
Queen under the half in the left hand, with the Eight of
Clubs packet on top, making a step as shown in Figure 1,
just as you did the first time.
The situation is now all set for the repeat, since you are
again in the starting position.
AUTOMATIC GAMBLER
It is often difficult to appreciate the effectiveness of a
trick from the written description, so in this instance we
hasten to point out that Leipzig was credited with great
manipulative skill by audiences who saw him perform this
item. As the plot is connected with gambling, the trick has a
wide appeal, especially as it appears that the performer has
the requisite control over cards to enable a winning hand to
be dealt.
To perform, remove from the pack all the Tens, Jacks,
Queens, Kings and Aces—that is a packet if twenty cards is
used.
Ask a spectator to suggest some Poker hands, but steer
him clear of a Royal Flush. For instance, say the first hand
suggested was a Straight Flush, take the necessary five
cards from the twenty but take them in a certain order, say:
Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, Clubs, Hearts. It does not matter
what hands are asked for (except a Royal Flush) so long as
the required cards are left in the packet, but as each hand is
removed the performer ensures that the suits follow on in
the same sequence. For example, say a Heart was the last
card of the first hand, then a Spade would be the FIRST card
of the second hand. Obviously no attention is called to the
160
fact that the suits of the cards of the hand follow a set
sequence, and this will not be noticed because all emphasis
is placed on the TYPE of hand asked for.
If the reader will study Figure 4, it will be seen that four
hands have been placed out. Now if the hand at the top left-
hand corner is picked up first and held face up in the left

hand, then the top right hand cards placed on top, the suit
sequence will be kept intact. Now the hand on the right in
the bottom row is picked up and finally the last hand.
Turn the packet face down, deal out four hands again
then ask the spectator to point to any hand, stating that you
will endeavour to make his hand beat any of the hands
previously constructed. Collect up the other three hands and
without showing the faces of the cards, return them to the
pack. Now dramatically turn over the remaining hand and
show that it is a Royal Flush.
Because the original twenty cards were secretly arranged
in suit order, all four hands finally dealt were Royal Flushes
but, of course, the spectator only sees the card faces of one
hand—the one he freely selected.

161
AMBITIOUS CARD QUICKIE
The theme here is the well-known “ambitious” card
which mysteriously returns to the top of the pack after
being thrust into the centre. Leipzig used it as a “quickie” to
good effect.
A card was shown by the performer (it could be freely
selected by a spectator if desired) and thrust into the centre
of the pack. Actually it was pushed in diagonally as we
have explained for the Card Stabbing effect (Chapter
Seven), so that it eventually protruded for about an inch at
the lower end of the pack. Because the insertion was carried
out with the face of the pack tilted towards the audience,
the left hand covered the end of the protruding card. The
top card of the pack was now slid back which masked the
protruding card. By placing the right forefinger on the top
inner corner of the top protruding card, and the thumb
opposite on the index corner of the under protruding card—
Figure 5, both cards were pulled out as one, the sides

sliding along the curled left little finger as in Figure 6,

which kept them in perfect alignment. Both cards were
placed on top of the pack WITHOUT the grip being released,
and they were immediately turned over to show that the
card originally placed in the centre of the pack had returned
to the top.

162
Next both cards were placed on the top of the pack, the
top card taken (without showing its face) and thrust into the
centre of the pack, but without making it protrude at the
inner end. To make the actions appear exactly as in the first
instance, the top card was pulled back about an inch before
being turned over to show that once again it had returned to
the top of the pack.
MATHEMATICS
Leipzig liked to include this item in his performances for
the reason that it seemed to be brought about by calculation
rather than magic, and was therefore different to the rest of
his effects. He performed this quite often at Lamb’s Club.
Again the plot was simple for Leipzig had three cards
selected from the pack then seemingly proceeded to
determine their values and suits by a mathematical
calculation.
PREPARATION. When the three cards were removed
from the pack by a spectator, the stipulation was that they
should be three consecutive cards. By arranging the pack so
that there were at least two indifferent cards between each
picture card, it was assured that only one picture could be
taken with any three cards. Additionally, the suits were
arranged to give say, high Spades and low Diamonds
together, and high Hearts with low Clubs. By noting from
which section of the pack the three cards were removed,
Leipzig knew the suits of the high and low cards.

163
METHOD. A spectator was given a pencil and paper to
work out the sum which Leipzig set—he did not rely on
someone else’s mental arithmetic for he always took every
precaution to ensure his tricks were successful.
After the three consecutive cards had been freely
selected by the spectator, Leipzig would ask him to write
down the highest numbered card——Court cards being
valued at: Jack—11, Queen—12, and King—13.
The highest number was now doubled by the spectator, 5
added, the total multiplied by 5, then the second highest
card added. This total was multiplied by ten, then finally
the lowest card added. Leipzig was given no information
until the final total was reached.
When the spectator revealed his total, Leipzig mentally
deducted 250 from it and the final result gave him the value
of the cards.
For example, let us assume that the value of the three
cards were 4, King (13) and 9.
1. The highest number is doubled, i.e.
13 by 2 ; 26
2. 5 is added : 31
3. Multiply by 5 ; 155
4. Add second highest number (9) ; 164
5. Multiply by ten 1,640
6. Add lowest number (4) 1,644
This total of 1,644 was given to Leipzig who mentally
deducted 250 from it to get 1,394; or King, 9 and 4.
Because he had noted the section of the pack from which
the cards were taken, he could determine the suits.
These calculations work out for any three cards when
only one is a picture, but there is an anomaly to watch. The
final figure may be say, 1,207, when the 12 could be
thought to be a Queen. However, as the next figure is a
nought, you know the first card is a Jack and the second a
10.
LEIPZIG’S FAVOURITE FOUR ACE TRICK
The Four Ace Trick which Leipzig usually performed is
akin to the STANLEY COLLINS version, yet it contains certain
important touches of Leipzig’s own.
164
The effect is that the four Aces are placed in line on the
table and three more cards are placed on each Ace. The
Aces vanish singly from the piles. After the pack has been
shuffled, four more piles of cards are dealt and a spectator
is asked to hand the piles to the performer in any order he
wishes. The fact that the four Aces have all assembled in
one pile is revealed in a novel manner.
METHOD. Remove the four Aces from the pack and place
them in line, face down, on the table. From the pack
seemingly place THREE cards on each Ace, but as the cards
are pushed over from the top of the pack by the left thumb,
push FOUR cards into the right hand, stating there are three.
This is quite easy to do and should be carried out boldly,
without attempting to make a clever false count—just push
off four cards into the right hand and count: “One, two,
three cards here” as you place them on an Ace. Continue in
the same manner until all four Aces have been covered with
four cards on each.
Pick up the first pile and holding the cards by the sides
in the left hand, give them a good lengthways bend (as if
preparing for the Three Card Monte). Still holding the cards
by the sides, first show the face card (Ace) then lower the
hand to bring the backs of the cards upwards. Then placing
the right thumb at the outer end of the packet, pull off the
top card counting: “One”. Do the same with the second
card, taking it on top of the first as you count: “Two”.
Glide back the Ace with the left little finger to enable the
next two cards to be taken as one on the count “Three”,
then show the Ace and take it on top of the other cards as
you say:
“...and the Ace of...,four”.
Place the packet face down on the table, then rest the
palm of the right hand on the packet and press down,
seemingly as if to crush the cards. Pick up the packet and
hold it in the left hand in the glide position. Show the face
card, lower the hand to bring the backs of the cards
upwards, then bring the right forefinger to the outer end of
the packet, draw out the bottom card and place it FACE UP on
the table. Make the glide then draw out the second card and
165
place it face up on top of the first. Draw off the next two
cards AS ONE and place them face up on the other two.
Finally flick the last card, turn it over and place it face up
on the others. As the Ace was the back card of the two
placed down as one, it appears to have vanished.
Carry out exactly the same procedure with the three
remaining packets, then collect the packets together and
place them face up on the table.
Openly add four more cards, counting them singly and
face up from the pack to show they are not Aces, and
bending them in the same manner from the sides to
conform with the other cards. Say: “That makes twenty
cards”, then drop the rest of the pack face up on top.
Pick up the pack, turn it face down and deal five cards,
face down in a line on the table and say: “Five”. Now deal
another round and say “Ten”. Continue until there are FIVE
hands of FOUR cards each; saying: “Fifteen” as the third
round is dealt and “Twenty” for the final round. Make the
deal rapidly but cleanly. Due to the arrangement of cards,
the third or middle hand will consist of four Aces.
Ask a spectator to indicate any hand. We will assume
that he indicates the middle or Ace pile. Move this to a
position corresponding to the centre spot of the 5 on a dice.
Should it be any other hand then move it to represent one of
the four corner spots of the five. The idea is that you appear
to place some importance on his choice, but actually when
he indicates each of the five hands, you move them so that
finally the Ace hand is in the centre of a square which has
one of the indifferent hands at each corner.
Turn over one of the corner hands and deal or spread the
face-up cards in line to form the side of a square. Continue
with the other three indifferent hands to complete the full
square. Say: “Here’s a magic square which never fails to
bring the Aces back”. Turn over and spread the centre hand
to show the four Aces framed by the indifferent cards.

166
THE MATCHING UP TRICK
OR COMEDY OF ERRORS
This is another trick which Dai Vernon showed to Nate
Leipzig. We explained Dai Vernon’s own version in INNER
SECRETS OF CARD MAGIC, page 22. Leipzig adapted it for
his Club Act, speeding up the first part of the action and
adding a fine touch to strengthen the climax.
Briefly, the effect is that from the pack a spectator
selects a card which is placed aside without the face being
seen. The performer states that he will shuffle the pack and
endeavour to bring the three matching cards to the top. The
pack is shuffled and the top card shown to be, say, a Jack,
which is dropped face down on the floor. After three cards-
all Jacks—have been found and dropped face down on the
floor, the card originally selected is turned and found to be
an Ace. The four Jacks are now turned face up and are seen
to have changed to Aces; that is all four cards match.
Leipzig was very fond of tl1is effect and almost
invariably included it in his Club Act. The pack was set up
with the Ace of Spades about two-thirds up in the pack, and
from the top down Ace, Jack, Ace, Jack, Ace, Jack.
Leipzig asked for two volunteers and had one stand on
his right and the other on his left. He then ran the cards
through his hands to show them, and obtained a break
above the Ace of Spades with the tip of his left little finger.
Although he very seldom forced cards, he made an
exception with this trick. He riffled the cards and asked the
volunteer on his left to poke his finger into the pack. As the
volunteer’s hand was advanced, Leipzig simply pushed the
pack forward, timing the riffle so that the forefinger went in
at the break for the card below the forefinger to be removed
face down. He carried out this force very boldly and took
no chances.
When asking for a card to be taken, Leipzig emphasised
that it was to be removed face down and placed aside
without the face being looked at or shown.
After this was done, Leipzig stated that even though he
did not know which card had been selected, he proposed to
find the three matching cards, simply by shuffling them to
167
the top. He now made a false shuffle then double-lifted the
two top cards as one to show a Jack (Chapter Two).
Turning the card(s) face down on the pack, he immediately
removed the top card and without showing its face, dropped
it face down on the floor. It was the apparently careless
manner in which he dropped the card which was the real
Leipzig touch, for it did not seem to matter which way the
card fell, though actually it always landed face down. If the
reader will take a card and hold it face down in the right
hand, the thumb on top AT THE CENTRE and the second
finger underneath, the face being parallel to the floor, then
release it at any height, it will glide down without turning
over.
Leipzig now made a simple slip cut, false shuffled,
double-lifted to show another Jack, turned the card(s) face
down and immediately dropped the top card on the floor.
The whole procedure was repeated, when apparently three
Jacks were on the floor.
For the first time the face of the selected card was
looked at and named as the Ace of Spades. The look on
Leipzig’s face registered surprise and disappointment.
However, he instructed the volunteer to turn over the three
cards on the floor and while this was being done, Leipzig
walked right away. The effect can be imagined when it was
seen that he had apparently been able to magically change
the Jacks into Aces, and so bring about a successful
conclusion to “Matching up the Cards”.
On several occasions, Leipzig told Dai Vernon that the
reason he did not like other tricks employing the force was
because, in certain circumstances, they could not be
repeated, as the force was becoming so well known that
people would be on the look-out for it and guard against it.

168
BOTTOM CARD CHANGE
This is a card “quickie” which Leipzig often used
between tricks.
Without showing the face card, place the pack face
down on the left palm at right angles to the fingers. Bring
the right hand over the pack, the thumb at the inner end and
the fingers at the outer end. With a slight downward
pressure, push the pack towards the left wrist and
simultaneously revolve the pack backwards on the palm—
Figure 7. The pressure causes the bottom card to stay in
position when the right hand and pack covers this card.
Attention is drawn to the face card now showing, then the
reverse moves are made to bring the pack flush on the
original face card. After a slight pause, lift the pack to show
the changed face.
Providing the spectators are to the front when the face
card comes into view, the right hand and pack provide
plenty of cover.

169
TWIRL CUT
Leipzig had great neatness of handling with the objects
he used for his magic, and this was enhanced by many little
flourishes which he included to capture and sustain interest.
The following method of cutting the pack looks neat and
efficient, without giving the impression that great
manipulative skill is being employed.
Hold the pack in dealing position in the left hand. Bring
the right hand over the pack, the thumb at the inner end and

170
the middle finger at the centre of the outer end. Lift up the
top half of the pack with the right thumb and swing it to the
left for about an inch, the outer end of the top half of the
pack pivoting on the right second finger. Return the right
thumb to the centre of the inner end of the lower portion of
the pack for it to retain both top and bottom packets of
cards-Figure 8. As the left hand is drawn back slightly,
double the left forefinger inwards until the back of the first
joint contacts the projecting corner of the upper packet.
Move the right hand inwards for the upper packet to
revolve clockwise (Figure 9) until it is directly in front of
the lower packet and right in the dealing position in the left
hand. Place the packet from the right hand on top of the
packet in the left hand.

CARD CHANGE
Here is another card “quickie” which Leipzig often used
between other tricks. He gave a spectator any card to use as
a locator and asked him to push it anywhere into the pack,
but leave it protruding at the outer end for about two-thirds
of its length.
With his right thumb at the inner end of the pack,
Leipzig gave an upward riffle when, because the protruding
card now formed a “short”, he was able to instantly locate

171
the card above the inserted card. With the tip of his thumb,
he also lifted the end of the card below the inserted card.
By glancing down, he noted the index corner of the card
above the inserted card—Figure 10.
Leipzig asked the spectator to lift the front of the pack to
note the card freely selected by the insertion of the other
card. He then inserted his right forefinger into the pack
under the card below the protruding card, and slid back (or
sideways) all the cards above the break-Figure 11.
When the bottom card of the right hand packet was next
shown, it was seen to have changed.

172
KNIFE GLIMPSE
Glimpsing the reflection of the index corner of a card in
the shining surface of a knife blade is an excellent dodge.
Leipzig held the pack at the inner left corner between his
left thumb at the back and first, second and third fingers in
front. The face of the pack was towards a spectator and held
close to Leipzig’s body. He had the spectator advance
towards him, then handed him a knife with the request that
the blade be inserted in at the top right corner of the pack,
the purpose being to look at any card in the same manner as
with the peek. As the knife entered the corner of the pack,
Leipzig twisted the pack inwards a little, causing the pack
to move on the knife blade at such an angle that a reflection
of the index corner could be seen from above as he glanced
down.
The photograph at Figure 12 shows the view the
performer gets as he glances down.
REVERSO
After Leipzig had finished his close-up performance and
put away his cards, he was often asked to “Do just one
more trick”, then if the request was really sincere, he
performed REVERSO. By reserving it for such occasions he
had no need to switch packs, for he used a faked pack to get
his result, then after it was over he simply put the cards
away and took his farewell.
The pack consisted of twenty-six ordinary cards and
twenty-six double-backed cards, spaced alternately
throughout the pack. Additionally, the pack was cut on the
‘Svengali’ principle, so that by holding the pack upright
and by the ends in the right hand, the right thumb at the
centre of the top end, and letting them fall forward in pairs
past the right thumb to be caught by the left hand, they
could be shown to have faces.
Holding the pack with the back up in the left hand, he
dealt the first card back up (double back), the second face
up (ordinary card) and so on throughout the pack.

173
By spreading the pack between his hands, he was able to
show alternate faces and backs.
Squaring the pack, he held it in his left hand and slapped
it with his right, then turned it over and spread it between
his hands to show that the cards had righted themselves to
show all backs. After squaring the pack, he turned it with
the faces to the spectators and performed the Svengali
move to show all faces. Finally, he returned the cards to the
case, placed it in his pocket and took his leave.
Leipzig liked this trick and got a lot of effect out of it.

174
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
TRICKS WITH FAKED CARDS

Page
Sympathetic 13 176
Princess Card Trick 180
The Magnetised Cards 183

175
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
TRICKS WITH FAKED CARDS
When Dai Vernon was about to describe the first trick in
this chapter, he told me that Leipzig used a set of double-
faced cards.
Unfortunately Dai did not have a note of what the actual
faces were on each side of the cards, but by a coincidence,
we were able to supply the missing information.
It so happened that early in 1946, I was sent to the War
Office and often spent my lunch hours in the late WILL
GOLDSTON’S Magic Studio in Green Street. At that time I
was collecting any interesting magical items that I could
find and mentioned this to Will. Next time I called he
handed me an envelope and said: “Here’s a little present to
add to your collection”. Inside were three old letters, all to
Will himself; one written by HOUDINI, another by HORACE
GOLDIN and the third by NATE LEIPZIG. This last letter asked
Will Goldston to make up certain double-faced cards, and
although I asked Will at the time what trick the cards were
for, he was unable to enlighten me. Naturally, when Dai
mentioned the double-faced cards I produced the letter, and
we were delighted to find that it was the key we needed.
SYMPATHETIC 13
Having come by the secret of the trick through a
coincidence, it is just another coincidence that the whole
theme of the trick is—coincidence! Actually the effect is an
adaptation of one by ELLIS STANYON.
EFFECT. The performer removes the thirteen Clubs from
the pack, arranges them in order from Ace to King, then
places them in an elastic holder which only covers the end
of the cards.
Next, a spectator is asked to remove one complete red
suit from the pack. The performer takes them, arranges
them in order from Ace to King, spreads them face up
between his hands, then has the spectator take one card and
reverse it. The cards are now mixed up haphazardly and
given to the spectator to hold face-on to the audience.
Taking cards alternately from the holder and from the
packet held by the spectator, the performer shows that those
176
originally placed in the holder in order from Ace to King,
have re-arranged themselves in exactly the same order as
those mixed haphazardly—even to the one reversed card.
REQUIREMENTS. The reproduction at Figure 1 of
Leipzig’s letter to Will Goldston, dated August 8th, 1922,
shows that the double-faced cards are printed as follows:

177
Front—Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King
—all Clubs.
Back—9, K, 2, 6, 10, 3, (Back, Jack, 4, 8, Queen, Ace, 5
—all Clubs. Note that the Seven of Clubs is an ordinary
card.
The cards in the pack corresponding to those shown in
the top row are discarded and the double-faced set
substituted. It is desirable that these cards are spaced

throughout the pack and not already arranged in order, but

have the Seven of Clubs somewhere near the face of the
pack. Place the cards in the case.
The holder for the cards is in the form of two wide
elastic bands joined together by another band. These bands
are stitched together to form the type of holder shown at
Figure 2.
A glass into which the holder and cards will fit is also
required.
PERFORMANCE. Remove the cards from the case and
say that you propose to remove the complete Club suit.
Take out the ordinary Seven of Clubs and place it face up
on the table, then find the rest of the faked Clubs, placing
each one on the Seven. Hand the remainder of the pack to a
spectator, square the packet on the table and in lifting it,
178
contrive to give a flash of the back of the packet when the
back of the ordinary Seven will give a natural appearance.
Spread the face-up packet between the hands, stating
that you will arrange the cards in order from Ace to King.
When this is completed, place the holder around the packet
as in the photograph. A five spot is at the back of the packet
and because the elastic bands cover four of the spots, the
card will look like the Ace; that is, both sides of the packet
will appear identical. The packet must now be turned
secretly and this can be done as the glass is picked up and
displayed. Actually, Leipzig tossed the packet carelessly in
the air and caught it with the “five” side upwards, which he
was able to identify by the stitching on the holder. If it did
not come down the right way he spun it again.
Place the packet in the glass with the “five” side towards
the audience—see Figure 2. Ask the spectator to remove
any red suit from the pack and arrange it in order, from the
Ace on the face of the packet to the King at the back.
Take the spectator’s packet and spread it between the
hands to show the cards in order, then say: “I want
everyone to be sure they are well mixed”, and apparently
deal the cards haphazardly face up on the table in the
following manner.
Deal the first four cards—not in line but in a
remembered order so that the deal can be continued, the
fifth card on the first, the sixth card on the second and so on
until all thirteen cards are dealt. Now pick up the first pile
and drop it on the fourth, then the second pile on the fourth
and finally the third pile on the fourth. Pick up the packet,
spread the cards and cut the packet to bring the FIVE to the
face. Spread the cards again to show that the cards are
mixed, then as you say to the spectator: “Take any card
and reverse it”, push forward the SEVEN and have the
spectator reverse it and place it back in the SAME POSITION in
the packet. Leipzig made no attempt to force the Seven, he
simply stopped at this card while spreading the cards, and
pushed it forward for the spectator to take.

179
Show the cards with one reversed, then square the
packet and give it to the spectator to hold alongside the
glass as in the photograph.
Remarking on the sympathetic nature of cards under
certain conditions, take cards alternately from the holder
and the packet held by the spectator, showing that they
match, even to the reversed card. To avoid drawing out the
effect, the last four cards in each packet should be taken
together, spread and called out to highlight the matching.
PRINCESS CARD TRICK
In THE ART OF MAGIC, T. Nelson Downs tells us that
HENRY HARDIN was the originator of the Princess Card
Trick. There are three methods described in the book, one
of which employs the same type of faked cards as Nate
Leipzig used. However, Leipzig’s method has a subtle
difference which adds to the effectiveness of the trick.
At one of Leipzig’s performances for King George V.
the King was so intrigued with this item that he asked for it
to be repeated three times. Leipzig kept the actual set of
cards he used for the performance and later gave them to
Dai Vernon. In consequence we have been able to use them
for the photographs reproduced in this chapter. It is
interesting to note how much more worn is the King of
Diamonds than the other four cards, for this card is the one
handled individually, and its worn condition gives some
indication of the many occasions Leipzig must have
performed the trick with this set of cards alone.
EFFECT. The performer shows a fan of five cards and
asks a spectator to think of one of them. Turning the faces
of the cards towards himself the performer gazes at them,
then removes one which he puts under his arm.

180
The faces of the four cards remaining are shown—it is seen
that the very card being thought of by the spectator has
been removed.
REQUIREMENTS. A close study of the photograph at
Figure 3 shows that of the five cards only one—the King
of Diamonds—is normal, the other four are different at
each end; that is, one has the Queen of Diamonds at one
end and the Queen of Hearts the other; the second is the
Queen of Spades/Queen of Clubs, the third Jack of
Spades/Jack of Clubs and the fourth, Jack of Hearts/Jack of
Diamonds.
PERFORMANCE. Have the five cards together; give
them a shuffle, then spread them in a wide fan and hold
them in the left hand with the faces towards a spectator.
Ask him to think of ONE card.
Close the fan, give the cards a shuffle, then when lifting
them to fan them again (this time with their backs towards
the spectator), take them at the inner end so that are
reversed.
Gaze at the spectator, then at the faces of the cards and
after careful deliberation, take out the King of Diamonds
(without showing its face) and place it under the left arm.
Study Figure 4 and take particular note of the fact that the
hand holding the fan is well back towards the body, so THAT
THERE IS ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE FOR THE KING TO TRAVEL
when being placed under the arm.

181
Turn the fan of four cards so that they face the spectator
(Figure 5) and ask: “Did I get it?” Obviously the card
thought of is not visible, so the answer must be in the
affirmative.
Turn the fan again to bring the backs of the cards
towards the audience, take the card from under the arm and
WITHOUT SHOWING ITS FACE, place it with the other four, then
immediately shuffle the cards.
ARTHUR FINDLEY, in many conversations with Dai
Vernon, always considered that the most subtle point in this
trick as Leipzig performed it, was the shortening of the
distance between the fan in the left hand and the King
under the arm. Because the distance is so short, it takes a
fraction of a second only to remove the King from the fan

182
and place it under the arm, and only the same short time to
take it from under the arm and replace it in the fan. For this
reason, no importance is placed on the card itself—all
thoughts being on the fact that the remembered card is
missing from the fan. After shuffling the cards, the effect
can be repeated.
THE MAGNETISED CARDS
The visual effect obtained with this trick is that the
performer arranges cards in the form of a figure, somewhat
like a star, on his upturned palm, then slowly turns his hand
over when the cards stay in position, clinging to the palm as
if magnetised.

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There have been several methods devised for producing
this effect, but for certainty of operation and cleanness of
working, in our opinion, the version used by Leipzig is
quite the best.
The secret is seen in the illustration which shows a faked
card, made by splitting open an ordinary card (b) and
inserting in the centre a small circle of paper-thin brass.
Soldered to the brass is a short length of the pointed end of
a needle (a). This needle pierces the face of the card at a
slight angle (c). The construction of the card will be clear
from the drawings at Figure 6.

This fake card is at the back of eight ordinary cards at

the commencement of the trick. The packet can be given to
a spectator who is asked to count the cards on to the
performer’s left palm. This reverses the order to bring the
fake card to the face of the packet. Because the fake card is
the same thickness as an ordinary card, and the needle point
indiscernible from a short distance, there is no fear of the
spectator noticing any difference between the fake card and
the eight ordinary cards.
The performer now squares the packet, turns it face
down and takes it into his right hand. While showing his

184
left palm to be entirely free from preparation, he holds the
packet face down between his right thumb at the inner end
and his second finger at the outer end. Slight pressure
between the thumb and second finger bridges the packet. In
bringing the packet to the left palm as in Figure 7, a slight
backward move, combined with a downward pressure,
causes the needle point to penetrate the first layer of thick
skin of the palm at the

185
base of the fingers. Immediately the needle point is felt to
be firmly attached, the right hand releases its grip on the
packet.
With his right hand, the performer takes one card at a
time from the top of the packet, and inserts one end under
the bottom card. He continues insetting cards to make the
pattern shown in Figure 8.
When all eight cards have been positioned, the
performer places the tip of his right forefinger on the centre
of the fake card and slowly turns over both hands.
Now he slowly removes his right hand, when the cards
will be suspended from the left palm as in Figure 9.
The performer talks about the magnetic properties of
cards, and assures the spectators that this force can actually
be felt. He asks a spectator to hold the end of any one of the
protruding cards and draw it slowly away from the others.
By exerting slight downward pressure with his fingers, the
performer ensures that the spectator will feel a slight
vibration and drag as the card is pulled across the flesh,
before it comes free. This feeling is difficult to describe, but
a trial will show that when a card is drawn under pressure
across flesh, the flesh texture and slight dampness causes a
discernible vibration and frictional drag.
Finally, the performer asks the spectator to hold both of
his hands cupped under the suspended cards. By bringing
his right hand under the cards and pushing the fake card
forward with the tip of his forefinger, the performer causes
all the cards to fall into the spectator’s hands. The faking of
the one card is so well hidden that with the casual handling
given by the spectator in collecting up the cards, there is
little fear of it being detected.

186
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
PEEKED AT

Page
Palm up 188
Turnabout 188
Spring Card Location 189
Card through Handkerchief 189
The Rising Card 190
Stop Trick 191
Card by Thought 191

187
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
PEEKED AT
We have previously recorded that Leipzig seldom had a
card removed from the pack, preferring to have a spectator
peek at one, then to control it by means of the Side Slip as
explained in Chapter Two. Because the card was not
selected by removal, and because it seemed that any form
of control was out of the question, Leipzig was often
credited with revealing cards which had merely been
thought of, particularly when a description of the procedure
was being given by an eyewitness some time later.
Leipzig made use of the peek and side slip in the
following tricks, then varied the method of revelation to
produce different effects.
PALM UP
After a card had been peeked at by a spectator, Leipzig
made the Side Slip to bring the card to the top, using as
cover the action of carrying the pack to his left ear and
riffling the corner, as if listening to the sound. He now
made the double lift to apparently show the top card again,
turning both cards as one face down on top of the pack
before placing it on the table. Stepping back a little, he
brought his hand to his mouth, seemingly to cover a cough,
but used this action to moisten his right palm with saliva.
Next he placed his right palm fiat on top of the pack then
lifted it high, turning it on the way down to reveal the face
of the peeked at card now showing on his palm.
TURNABOUT
In this item the peek method was again used for having a
card selected, which was then controlled to the top by the
Side Slip.
Leipzig made the double lift and momentarily left both
cards (as one) face up on top of the pack. He now turned
the pack over, and simultaneously took the top reversed
card to indicate the face card of the pack, then placed the
card right way up to cover the face up card on the back, as
the pack was turned up again.

188
The pack was now cut and immediately spread across
the table, when the peeked at card was seen to be face up in
the centre of the face down cards.
SPRING CARD LOCATION
This is a novel revelation often used by Leipzig. Again
the selection of the card was by the peek and the control by
the Side Slip, yet in this instance the card was not brought
to the top, but only slipped half out of the side of the pack.
The cards were now sprung from hand to hand when the
card would fly out and fall to the floor. If it fell face up,
then Leipzig would point to it dramatically and have it
confirmed as the card peeked at. If it fell face DOWN Leipzig
said: “A card ALWAYS flies out and lands FACE DOWN—
please name the card you are thinking of” When the card
had been named, he had someone turn it face up for
confirmation.
CARD THROUGH HANDKERCHIEF
Leipzig used the regular method for performing this
trick, except that he had a card peeked at, then side slipped
it to his right palm as he took the pack into his right hand in
the action of handing it to a spectator for shuffling.
Picking up a handkerchief, he held one corner in his left
hand and the opposite corner in his right. To show the other
side of the handkerchief, he crossed his hands, keeping the
back of his right hand to the front during the crossing and
re-crossing.
His right hand was now taken under the handkerchief,
and turned to bring the palm upwards, then the pack was
taken back and placed on top of the handkerchief, over the
palmed card. Holding the pack and peeked at card from
above with the left hand, the right hand was removed and
both hands then assisted in wrapping the handkerchief
around the pack. First the front portion of the handkerchief
was carried up to cover the face of the pack, then each side
was carried up at the back of the pack. The ends were then
twisted together to form a sort of handle above the top end
of the pack. This left the peeked at card in a sort of
bottomless pocket at the back of the handkerchief

189
Holding the wrapped pack in one hand by the “handle”,
Leipzig now had the card named and began to shake the
pack from side to side. The card would appear slowly from
the bottom of the pack, seemingly penetrating the
handkerchief.
Leipzig was very fond of this trick and once said to Dai
Vernon: “As well known as this trick is amongst magicians,
it is known only to a few laymen. Magicians miss it out
because they know it. It’s a very fine effect.”
THE RISING CARD
Again the selection of the card was by the peek, and the
control to the top by the Side Slip—the actual rising being
accomplished by the use of wax and thread. However,
Leipzig had an effective addition, for when the card began
to rise, he had the spectator move his hand backwards and
forwards about three inches above the pack.
We explained Dai Vernon’s own method for the Rising
Cards, using wax and a thread, in the book I NNER SECRETS
OF CARD MAGIC, page 27. In this routine, one end of the
thread is attached to the card by wax and the other end
anchored to a fly button. Leipzig’s addition can be
incorporated to advantage in that routine, or any other in
which cards are caused to rise by the same means.
When Leipzig had secretly attached the thread to the
card at the back of the pack by means of wax, he held the
pack in his left hand in the rising position. At the start he
kept his right hand out of the way and extended his left
hand forward towards a spectator, asking him to wave his
hand about three inches over the top end of the pack. As the
spectator’s hand was being moved (showing that there was
nothing attached to the pack), Leipzig made the back card
slowly rise by pushing it up with his left thumb. When it
was almost touching the spectator’s hand, Leipzig called:
“Look out—look out!” and brought up his right hand (with
the thread now over his right thumb) and pushed the
spectator’s hand out of the way. By lifting his right hand he
made the card rise into this hand, which caught the card
about eighteen inches above the pack.

190
STOP TRICK
A peeked at card was eventually shown when a spectator
called “Stop” as Leipzig shuffled the pack.
After the peek, a break was held, then the pack moved to
position for the Hindu Shuffle, the break under the peeked
at card being taken up by the right thumb as the right hand
came to the pack for the shuffle to commence. The shuffle
continued until the spectator called “Stop”, then the stack of
cards above the peeked at card was pulled off” and the card
remaining in the right hand shown.
Leipzig also used this as a force.
CARD BY THOUGHT
Dai Vernon showed this trick to Nate Leipzig, who
afterwards frequently used it in his performances.
The effect is that a spectator merely peeks at a card after
which the performer reads his thoughts to find the correct
one.
The pack is held in the performer’s left hand in position
for a peek to be taken by a spectator. After the peek has
been taken and a break held secretly, the performer carries
the pack behind his back with the left hand only and carries
out the following secret manoeuvre.
The break is pulled open by the left little finger and the
peeked at card worked out by the tips of the fingers, as with
the Side Slip. As the card comes out of the pack, it is tilted
over on top of the thumb. Now the top card of the pack is
swivelled forward and tilted, the tip of the first finger going
to the second card to prevent more than one card moving.
The reversed card can now be pushed under the top card.
Figure 1 shows the position clearly at the stage when the
reversed card is about to be pushed under the tilted top card
—note the position of the first finger on the original second
card. The foregoing manoeuvre takes but a moment and the
pack is then brought forward, when it looks normal because
the top card covers the reversed card. Asking the spectator
to concentrate on the face card, the performer extends his
left hand to enable the face card to be seen. As if to
emphasise this request, the performer brings his right hand

191
to the pack to indicate the face card—Figure 2. This
momentarily gives cover as the left thumb pushes the back
card a little to the right to reveal the index corner of the
reversed card. After the corner has been glimpsed, the left
thumb pulls the back card flush on the pack once more.
All that remains is for the performer to apparently read
the spectator’s thoughts and reveal the name of the card as
dramatically as possible.

192