21 Gems of Magic

Author/Originator: Ormond McGill

In 1946, stage magician and hypnotist Ormond McGill published this entertaining collection of 21 favorite effects—ideas culled from his own notebooks and informal sessions with fellow performers. While some routines reflect the period in which they were written, several stand out as surprisingly practical and adaptable for today’s working magician.

Highlights include:

A Spectator-Handled Four Ace Trick — The spectator freely handles the cards throughout, yet the four Aces impossibly assemble in a pile of their choosing—no force involved.

The Card in the Mousetrap — Perfect for comedy clubs, stag parties, or casual performances. A freely selected (and optionally signed) card is lost in the deck. A shoebox or hat is shown empty and inverted. A spring-loaded mousetrap is placed inside. The magician tosses the deck into the container—snap! The trap catches the correct card! A guaranteed crowd-pleaser with an old box and an ungimmicked $2 mouse trap.

A Clever One-on-One Mindreading Feat — A simple, ingenious ploy makes for an effective mindreading or design duplication routine that plays well in close-up or casual settings.

Now fully re-typeset and formatted for easy printing on 8.5" x 11" or A4 paper. 41 pages, illustrated.