Magic and Methods of Ross Bertram

Comments: Well illustrated with lots of B&W graphics;       Photography by Helen and Ross Bertram.       Magic and Methods contains a lot of magic, a bit for everyone.       Some of       the magic is quite advanced, but a lot is within reach of most,       and       some are quite simple. Well written, entertaining stories, and       well       thought out effects. Highly recommended.

Contents:

vii Acknowledgments (Dai Vernon, Faucett Ross, others)
     ix Foreword by Ross Bertram
     xv Introductions by Dai Vernon, Faucett W. Ross
     xvii Early Bertram by David Drake (lengthy biography)

1 Chapter 1: Coin Magic Part One
     2 Knotty-Knotty: Copper or Silver coin penetrates handkerchief       held by       spectator 2, and vanishes to reappear in handkerchief held by       spectator       1.
     6 Devaluation: A coin roll is performed several times, and half       changes       to dime with hand empty. Dime then vanishes
     7 Yank A Hank: a coin placed on a handkerchief disappears when the       handkerchief is yanked away. The handkerchief is tied in a knot,       and       the coin appears inside the knot. (impromptu)
     9 The Diamond Penny: Dime and Penny using ordinary coins
     10 Copper and Silver Transposition: C/S transpose, one travels to       the       other hand, then vanish!
     12 Gold and Silver: Dime and penny transpose
     13 The Money Changer: Half Dollar changes to English Penny and       back       again several times
     16 The Porous Paw: Coin penetrates the hand
     17 A Trio of Vanishes: each appears the same, but works       differently
     19 Rubdown: Half rubbed into the table, vanishes, and appears in       other       hand. Half rubbed again, turns into a dime, and forty cents is       found       under other hand.
     20 Eleven Cents: Dime is placed on palm to join penny already       there,       but when hand is opened, dime is gone while other hand is shown       quite       empty. Penny is picked up and replaced, and dime appears
     21 Through the Hand: coin is cleanly shown in left hand, which is       turned over fist down. Right hand rubs back of left hand, and coin       penetrates up.
     23 Double Cross: Copper/Silver transpose in separated hands, then       one       joins the other
     24 Ten to One: a dime is stretched into a silver dollar
     25 Twenty One Cents: performed impromptu using regular coins
     26 Four Coins Go: use of a coin vanisher
     27 Coins Through the Table: Four coins pass through table to join       four       coins in other hand

29 Chapter Two Coin Magic Part Two
     29 The Metamorphic Coin: A half dollar inserted into the fist       turns       into an English Penny
     30 A Penny-Tration: English Penny passes through back of hand
     31 The Penetrating Coni Method #2: As above, only one coin used
     32 The Penny Pincher: English Penny held at fingertips is vanished       instantly, and is plucked from the air.
     34 Fifty Two Cents: A C/S routine including the Bertram Turn Over       Switch
     37 Coin Assembly: four coins placed in a matrix assemble under one       card
     41 The Slap Vanish: Coin vanishes as slapped audibly into the palm
     42 A Coin in a Tumbler: impromptu coin passes through bottom of       glass
     43 Passing the Half Bucks: Three coins pass to the other hand, on       the       fourth attempt, the three coins join the first instead
     46 The Vanishing Props or Twelve Silver Dollars: a story about Dai       Vernon and his magic props
     46 The Squeeze-Away Coin: a half dollar is slowly squeezed into       nothing, hand is empty, and then reappears
     48 Fifty-Fifty: Two Fifty cent pieces are shown, one changes into       a       quarter
     51 Hush Money: Two half dollars placed into the fist turn into a       dollar       bill; with optional finish
     54 Cash In Hand: Four halves are produced from the fist. Both       hands       shown empty after each production
     56 Bertram's Best: 6 coins across routine

59 Chapter Three Card Magic
     59 S.W. Erdnase: short essay about The Expert at the Card Table
     59 Vernon Card Change: an in-the-air card change
     61 A Nice Card Trick: another story about Dai Vernon
     61 The Pivot Change: a card changes while pivoted at the       fingertips
     63 The Pay Off (Card in Wallet): uses regular wallet with zipper       compartment. A prediction is wrong, and the payoff is made, with       the       card (could be signed) found in the zippered compartment. The main       detail is the well illustrated wallet load.
     65 In the Drink: yet another anecdote
     66 Bertram's One Hand Card Change: another change, card held by       thumb       and fingertips
     67 An Effective Top Change
     68 Doc Daley's Card In the Wallet: How to prepare a Prince Gardner       style wallet.
     70 The Blackstone "Birdcage" Card Vanish: The vanish and       reappearance       of       a card in a similar fashion of the Birdcage vanish
     71 Harry Blackstone: Anecdote
     72 The Cards to Pocket: Ten cards. Five phases with wind up.

79 Chapter Four: At the Card Table
     79 Background: intro to gambling lectures
     79 T.V. Gambling Interviews: knowing your subject
     80 The Allen Kennedy Center Deal by Dai Vernon
     82 Never Too Young: another Dai Vernon anecdote
     82 Bertram's Square Up Invisible Pass
     84 Bottom Steal and Recovery: hold out
     84 Bertram's Hold Out Palm: hold out
     87 A Cut to Retain Bottom Stock #1
     88 A Cut to Retain Bottom Stock #2
     89 True Dedication: Charlie Miller/Fawcett anecdote
     89 The Waterford Crystal Tumblers: another anecdote

90 Chapter Five General Magic
     90 The Salt Trick: the salt pour using a gimmick
     92 Broken and Restored Cigarette
     95 The Impromptu Broken and Restored Cigarette: uses only one       cigarette
     96 The Broken and Restored Cigarette (Psychological Method):       impromptu,       one cigarette
     98 The Broken and Restored Cigarette (Once More): uses one and a       half
     99 Again, the Broken and Restored Cigarette: with lighter
     102 Bertram's Bill in Cigarette: burnt bill ends up in cigarette
     105 Bertram's Bill Tear: using one bill
     106 The Egyptian Ball - Bertram Style: Red ball in silk changes       places       with white ball in goblet
     109 The Egg Bag: Tarbell Style. Wooden egg vanishes in bag, then       reappears. Egg vanishes on outside of bag and reappears. The egg       is       placed in the pocket, then removed and put in the bag, where it       turns       into a lemon.
     113 With a Ring: Borrowed finger ring ends up in sealed box handed       to       spectator. No gimmicked box.
     114 The Ring in the Box: an interesting anecdote
     115 My Favorite Drink: Impromptu. An empty tumbler is covered with       a       handkerchief and becomes filled with a drink
     116 My Rope Tie Routine: a comedy routine. The volunteer who ties       the       magician is never aware that the magician has free use of his       hands,       although the magician gestures throughout the performance.
     118 Look, It's a Real Rabbit: Paper rabbits are torn from a       newspaper       and crumpled up, from which a real rabbit appears.
     120 The New Oriental Act: Anecdote

122 Chapter Six About Sleeving
     122 From the Palm Proper: the sleeve and the retrieval
     123 Sleeving From the Clenched Fist
     123 The Toss-Back From the Fingertips
     124 From Left Palm to Right Sleeve
     124 As a Transformation
     124 Off The Table Method
     125 The Drop
     125 The Pumpkin Seed Vanish
     126 The Reverse Pumpkin Seed
     126 The Toss Up
     126 The Finger Snap
     127 Toss From Left Fingers to Right Sleeve
     127 From the Closed Hand
     127 Some Helpful Hints

129 Chapter Seven Francis Carlyle: a tribute
     129 Francis Carlyle: Short biography
     129 The Blindfold Act: an overview description of Carlyle's       approach to       this act, not a full routine
     131 Carlyle and Ross: anecdote
     131 Carlyle and Carlyle: anecdote
     132 The Cups and Balls: Use large cups for baby chick loads. Does       not       provide the entire cups and balls routine, focus is on the ending.       8       chicks are produced and placed in the pockets or in the Doctor's       bag       used. Some good comedy is included. Routine then goes into an       audience       participation section starting as a sponge ball routine but ending       in       baby chicks produced from the spectator's pockets.
     136 Helpful Hints: Where to get chicks, what to feed them, how to       palm       them, and so forth
     137 The Chicken Story: anecdote

138 Chapter Eight Paul Fox
     139 Easy Lite Cigarettes: secretly lighting a cigarette
     139 Smokeless Cigarettes: cigars disguised
     139 Reading the Cards: while blindfolded
     140 The Thumb Tie: How to do the tie
     142 The Paul Fox Rising Cards (Danny Dew Version): how to       construct and       use
     144 The Candy Bowl: anecdote
     144 Cashing a Cheque: a check is written, wrapped in tissue,       lighted,       and turns into a bill

147 Chapter Nine Count Me In
     147 T. Nelson Downs' Masterpiece: Four halves are vanished one at       a       time from the loose right hand, and reappear just as cleanly.
     149 The Downs' Gimmick: anecdote with Dai Vernon
     150 Oil and Water by Danny Dew: Using a packet of eight (9) cards
     152 Sympathetic Silks by Howard Huntington: Howard's routine
     153 Emil Jarrow by Danny Dew: Introduction to Emil Jarrow
     154 Nickel and Dime or Penny Routine (Jarrow): Comedic routine for       changing a penny to a nickel in the spectator's hand
     155 The Evolution of an Egg by Max Sterling and Harry Schilling:       Egg on       Fan routine

159 Chapter Ten Historical Bits
     159 The Rhythm Count: for any sleight
     159 Toss Vanish of a Thimble: application of above
     160 Origin of the Salt Trick
     161 The Brain Wave Deck: using a special case
     161 Erdnase Illustrator: Anecdote
     162 Good News! Anecdote
     162 Living Silhouettes: Anecdote