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Clairvoyance with Cards

by T. Nelson Downs

One of the oldest of card tricks, as well as the most generally known, is that in which
all the cards in a shuffled pack are named “without seeing them,” although the words in
quotation marks must be taken in a Pickwickian sense. There are a hundred methods,
more or less, of achieving this interesting effect, from the primitive pre-arranged deck
and memoria technica to the small concave mirror held in the palm of the artist, but
most of them are either suggestive or uncertain. In this chapter we shall acquaint the
reader with a number of new methods of reading cards, methods that have not been
explained in treatises on the magic art. A knowledge of the ordinary methods of per-
forming the trick such as the glass mirror, the reflecting ring, etc.—is pre-supposed. We
shall begin the series with a very simple method of naming a single card and conclude
with what is really one of the finest effects and most perfect tricks in this particular
department of card conjuring.

FIRST METHOD—The pack is spread fanwise, the face of the cards toward the au-
dience. A spectator is invited to touch the top of one of the cards. The instant he does
so the performer names the card. The explanation is absurdly simple. As the spectator
touches the top of a card the performer with the left thumb slightly raises the lower
left hand corner of the same card ; and as the fanned pack is held quite away from the
performer, and also rather high a glimpse of the index is afforded. Although this effect
may be repeated, the wise conjurer will be satisfied with the single exhibition of his
clairvoyant power.

SECOND METHOD—In this form of the trick any number of cards are named in
succession without the performer (apparently) seeing them. This is a new, original and
very suitable method of reading cards, and undoubtedly will be appreciated by the read-
er who is attracted by artistic card work. The secret lies in the use of a little feke that re-
flects the index of the cards. This feke is nothing more or less than an ordinary German
silver, or nickel-plated, thumb tack, such as artists and architects use to pin sheets of
paper to a drawing-board. The kind with the slightly convexed head is the best for this
purpose. With a pair of pliers, or other sharp instrument, cut off the tack part close to
the head. With a pellet of conjurer’s wax attach the head to the back of the upper right
hand corner of a playing card. Palm this prepared card and offer the pack to be shuffled,
or the card may be in the pocket while the audience has possession of the pack. Which-
ever subterfuge may be adopted, the card is eventually placed on the bottom of the
pack. Holding the pack in the left hand, with the bottom card squarely facing the audi-
ence, the performer slides all the cards but the bottom one downward, so that the head
of the drawing pin is visible. As the back of the left hand is toward the audience the
palm masks the cards, so that there is no reason to suspect that the pack is not squared.
With the thumb of the right hand slowly push up the card on the back of the pack. As it
rises the index is reflected in the polished surface of the thumb tack, and the performer
is thus enabled to announce its name. This may be repeated until nearly all the cards
have been named, but the conjurer will find that reading ten or a dozen cards is just as
effective as calling off the entire pack. If any one suspects a preparation of the pack, it is
a simple matter to remove the feke, when the pack may be passed out for examination.
THIRD METHOD—This, in the opinion of the author, is the most perfect method of
reading cards ever invented. It is really a brilliant and bewildering trick.

The effect is as follows: A pack of cards is offered to the audience for shuffling, and
while in possession of the audience a number of cards are drawn—six, eight, ten—any
number, in fact, although six will be found the most effective number for the trick.
These cards are replaced and the pack is held to the performer’s forehead, whereupon he
divines the name of each selected card. The cards are not forced, nor does the performer
employ the pass or palm or any other sleight. Furthermore, the method is absolutely
undetectable. The trick, we believe, is the invention of Theodore L. DeLand, Jr.

In order to accomplish this effect two packs of cards are necessary. One pack is quite
unprepared, but the other is not so innocent as it appears. Two of the cards are unpre-
pared, but each of the remaining fifty has one of its indexes cut out, as in Fig. 21. Con-
sequently, if an unprepared card is replaced in a pack so prepared the index is plainly
visible. The working of the trick will now be clear to the reader. The six cards, of course,
are selected from the unprepared pack. While the cards are being marked the performer
changes the unprepared pack for the prepared one, which can be done on the table or
in the pocket. The faked pack has an unprepared card on top and one on the bottom,
so that it does not differ in appearance from the ordinary deck. Holding the pack with
the prepared end in the crotch of the left thumb, the performer riffles the other end and
invites the spectators to return their cards, calling attention to the fact that the cards are
replaced in different parts of the pack, and that everything is square and aboveboard.
Now slip the unprepared card from the bottom to the top of the deck, and, if the pack
is placed to the performer’s forehead (the back of the cards, of course, toward the audi-
ence) it is a simple matter to read the index of the first card, or, more properly, the card
nearest the front of the pack. The card should not be named immediately. The perform-
er should press the pack to the forehead and endeavor to create the impression that the
result is achieved by clairvoyance. After naming the first card the performer fans the
pack, removes the card, and, handing it to spectator, requests him to identify the mark.
The reader will understand that it is necessary to remove each card after it has been
named, in order that the index of the card next nearest to the front may be seen. When-
ever the face of the pack is exhibited cover the missing index with the flat of the thumb.

We have explained merely the bare bones of this effective trick, leaving it to the indi-
viduality of the performer to present it in as dramatic a manner as possible, and with
suitable patter. As the index of each card must be neatly cut out with mathematical
precision, it is impossible to prepare a pack without machinery made especially for the
purpose. The publishers of this book have had special machinery made for the manufac-
ture of this pack and they feel assured that the conjuring fraternity will be glad to know
that they can supply the prepared pack in any style of card at a reasonable cost.

T. Nelson Downs, “Clairvoyance with Cards,” , 1909, 165.

 ‘
H elder ,s Notes
- I’ve always enjoyed this simple premise, and I think it resonates
with the audience because it also plays with what they expect you
to be capable of as a magician.

- Therefore, I believe that since there is little surprise of

effect, the ingenuity of the method needs to be extremely well-
thought out so that it allows the magician to perform it multiple
times and under many conditions.

- The First Method is interesting, but I don’t think it allows for

repetition. In fact, a methodology like that it is much better used
as a secret peek for something bigger than as a direct method to
reveal the identity of the card. When the method you are presenting
is very much the effect you are trying to achieve, it’s usually an
indication that it is not the best method for that purpose.

- The Second Method is a stronger one and can be extremely deceiv-

ing. My only caveat with such type of device is that I don’t like
to hide it secretly in the hand over a long period of time. In
fact, to perform a version like that, this would be my approach:

• First, attach the little convex reflecting surface to the

back of a playing card, which would be at the bottom of the
face down deck and that you know the identity of;

• Then, palm that card in the left hand and give out the
deck to shuffle;

• Retrieve the deck and secretly add the palmed card to the
bottom of the deck again;

• The deck can then be spread between the hands so that

several spectators can touch a card. Every card that is
touched, out-jog that card about half of its length. It’s
important to not emphasize the number of cards being select-
ed, because that will hinder the method. Once you have 7 or
8 cards out-jogged, strip them out using the left hand while
you perform a Vernon Strip-out Addition;

• The remainder of the deck in the right hand is placed aside

on the table;

• Now, with the right hand, pick up the packet of selected

cards from the left hand in Biddle Grip and show the face of
the bottom card (the shiner card) to the audience;

• In this situation, start by “guessing” the color and suit

of the bottom card of the packet (the one you already know);

• As you remove this card, use the reflecting surface to see

the identity of the next card;

• Now, guess the color and the value of this card. As much
as possible, try to not be focusing much of your attention
on your hands, constantly looking to the audience and to
the side;

• As you remove this card, put it in front of the card you

already have in your hand (and that you are using as a re-
flecting surface) and use this action to catch a mirrored
glimpse of the next card, and so on;

• Progressively reveal more details about each card, even-

tually revealing the full identity of each of the last 5
cards you hold. This build up will make the effect be more
 interesting for the audience.

- I’ve shared all the different versions presented in the orig-

inal description, but I would like to focus on the ingenuity of
the Third Method, from Theodore L. DeLand, Jr. There is a bit of
preparation involved, but I believe that what you are able to ac-
complish is extremely powerful under the right circumstances be-
cause it is very direct.

- This is a variation on his handling that I’ve developed. Briefly:

• First, you don’t need to use two decks. Prepare one deck
for this routine, and there is no deck switch needed to per-
form this version;

• Half of the deck is prepared as shown in the image of the

original description, the other half remains unprepared.
Place the regular half on top of the prepared half, and on
the bottom of the deck place a Joker that will cover the
preparation and be used in a theatrical way to reveal the
cards;

• Have three cards selected from the top half, this gives
enough freedom for the spectator to not feel a force at all.
All spectators should be in the front row (you will under-
stand why at the end);

• As the cards are replaced in the deck, make sure they all
are inserted in the bottom half of the deck and that you can
estimate the relative position of each one of them (which
one is closer to the face of the deck, which is next and
which is the last one);

• As the cards are inserted, make sure you display the fair-
ness of handling and that there are no breaks or marks of
any kind while the procedure is being done;

• Once the three selections are lost, turn the deck face
up to show the Joker. Explain that the Joker will act as a
mirror of the thought, and that the spectator should look
at the Joker and slowly imagine that they are holding their
card;

• Give the Joker to the spectator whose card is closer to

the face of the deck, making sure you don’t reveal the deck
preparation;

• Ask him to look at the card, and demonstrate it by looking

at the face of the deck, which is the moment when you glimpse
the identity of his card;

• Now, look at him and focus on him. Slowly reveal the col-
or, then the suit, then if it’s a number or picture and if
number, if it is a high number or low number. This is al-
ready strong;

• Before the revelation of the specific identity of the

card, as if you have some doubts, spread the cards between
your hands and remove that card, glimpsing the next one as
taught in the original routine. Finish the revelation of the
first card by asking the spectator to name their card and
turn over the single card you’ve just moved from the deck;

• Place this selection on top of the face down deck, which

should have the prepared bottom half with the hole closer to
you. Now, using the corner with the hole, riffle the cards
with your right thumb from the bottom to the top. Because of
the hole, you will have a similar feeling as if searching
for a short card. Riffle until you feel the first click and
continue until you feel the second click. Cut the cards at
that point as you are apparently placing the first selection
 back somewhere in the middle of the deck;

• At this point, you already know the identity of one of

the other selections and the third one is already on top of
the deck;

• Now, take the Joker from the first spectator and give it
to the spectator who you know selected the second card (the
one you already glimpsed) and ask him to do the same: to hold
the Joker with the face towards him and imagine his card;
• Proceed to reveal the identity of his card. End of the
second moment;

• As you take the Joker from the second spectator to give

it to the last one, perform a Top Change before giving the
Joker to the third spectator;

• When you give it him, ask him to hold the “Joker” with the
face towards you with the arms well extended and think of
his card. Because he is in the first row, and how you ask
him to hold the card, the audience will not see the face of
the card;

• Slowly, reveal information of the card and as a kicker,

reveal the real transformation of the Joker into the last
card.

- The last consideration is important: “the index of each card

must be neatly cut out with mathematical precision” Have that in
mind while you build out this deck at home; it’s a key element to
have a clear view of the indexes when you need it. My advice is to
use one card as a template. By using the same card, with a slight
bigger hole, you can place it on top of each card and mark with
pencil what portion should removed from each card. Then, you can
use an x-knife to really cut each card individually. At the end,
when you assemble the cards with the holes, you can use a very
small nail file to adjust the size of hole in the cards, making
sure that together they are aligned with each other.