Expert's Portfolio was the collection that solidified Jack Carpenter's reputation as an underground legend and a creative forcee. Don't let the sparse production values (wiro bound, soft-cover) throw you. The contents of this rare and acclaimed collection focus on gambling material and card magic, as well as the numerous original sleights that are also taught.
Darwin Ortiz praises the volume in his foreword, and this collection is considered to be essential reading for serious card workers, and many believe it to be Carpenter's best work. Here's a sampling of what you'll find:
One-Handed Triumph is a superb construction, and as the title makes clear, it's a version of the classic plot but with the added intrigue of using just one hand.
"The Legend of Silas Greene" is a gambling effect told with rhyming patter.
"Scarne's Dream" is a beautiful production of four Aces at the same time, from a fan.
"The One Shot Shift" is, arguably, the best multiple shift-to-palm sequence ever devised.
In all there are more than a dozen routines and moves, and each one is described with care and precision. 91 pages. Illustrated.