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Adair has always been a prolific creator of magical effects. Several stage magic and card magic effects are explained with beautiful illustrations. Some of the effects you will find explained are:
SEE - THROUGH FOLDER
This is a quick appearance of four silks in a simple folder. The silks appear visibly and are seen through a window in the folder.
SILKEN BUTTERFLY
A pretty conceit with a plaque, showing a picture of a butterfly and with four cut-out holes on the butterfly wings. Coloured silks represent the colours on the butterfly, they are removed, placed into a beaker from which they vanish. There is a sucker gag here, then the silks magically appear back in place on the butterfly plaque once again. There is a splendid additional climax when the four silks magically change into a rainbow!
NO FAKE ANTI GRAVITY
Here Ian turns his attention to a popular old classic effect, the result is a new method which has the advantage of using no fakes - everything can be examined, if you wish!
ALL THE SAME CARDS
This is a version of "Everywhere and Nowhere", but with Jumbo cards, and a surprising climax. A stack of cards is shown, the cards are mixed up and the top card displayed. Now, let us assume that it is the Nine of Diamonds. This card is placed at the bottom of the packet. Cards are given a snap and the nine jumps to the top! Again and again, the card is removed but always it jumps to the top of the packet! Finally, when the audience is sure that the cards are all the same they are turned over and shown to be just that: Each of the cards has a letter of the alphabet on its face, and the cards read 'THE SAME'. Finally the missing playing card is produced from the pocket!
MATCHBOX DEAD AND ALIVE
A trick for you to work without special apparatus. A few ordinary matchboxes and a paper bag are used here. First, on a piece of paper a spectator writes a 'dead' name. This is placed into a matchbox which is closed. On other slips of papers, names of living people are written and these go into other matchboxes.
All matchboxes are tossed into a large paper bag, the top is closed over and the matchboxes shaken around. Magician reaches inside, removing the matchboxes one at a time. When he comes to the dead name, he is instantly able to 'declare the matchbox' which holds it.
DOVE SPIKER
Here a single piece of apparatus is used to bring about an apparent penetration, a vanish and a reproduction. It can be performed, and at the end you still have the dove available for any follow up effects.
COME - TOGETHER SILKS
Silks are displayed and counted, four silks being placed to one side. The other four silks counted separately, are tossed into the air. When the silks are caught it is seen that they have tied themselves together in a long chain! A spectator can be asked to emulate your movements, saying 'Come together silks', but when the silks he holds are shown they have formed into the large Blendo one!
YOUR CARD
This one is very interesting! A prediction, in the form of a card with a large question mark on it, is placed on a stand. A pack of cards is shuffled and three cards dealt from the top of the pack. Each of these cards is different, and the spectator has a perfectly free choice of any one of these. Then the prediction is shown to be correct.
CRAZY SPOTS
This is the effect with which Ian Adair won the 'Linking Ring' award. Spots on a plaque continually change places. The audience demand to see the other side of the plaque and this is revealed to have completely different coloured spots. When the original side is once again shown, the spots here have changed also, and now show 'dots, spots and squiggles'.
ARABIAN MAT
This is a splendid utility prop and has many uses. It will produce silks, vanish silks, change them into a Blendo! The Mat is shown on both sides, then one at a time, three silks can materialise!
THREE FOLDA
A three panel folder, closed flat, is shown. It is dropped open and then freely displayed on both sides. Each side is of a contrasting colour. Folder is formed into a triangular-shaped tube, and a production of silks, etc., is made
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