Hi everyone

I'm new to this board so please excuse anything stupid I might say. I am interested in creating an effect where a ghost image appears in a mirror. I made a simple version of this using some sleight of hand with 4 erflective spirit slates that are shown empty on both sides and then a forced card appears in one of them. Not only does the card look pasted on, but the whole gag is based on a sleight that allows you to show all sides except one.

What I'd love to know is whether an effect exists on the market that handles this problem in a more creative way - or if anyone has any reading or other resource suggestions.

I'm basically looking for an effect that would be based on showing the audience the supernatural principle that "a magic mirror can remember any image it has ever reflected. All you need to know is the magic way of getting it to summon the image...", etc.

There's a similar effect in Dunninger's Encyclopedia of Magic that uses a sort of roll-up transparent sheet that pops up over the mirror surface but the instructions on building it are pretty sketchy.

Any thoughts out there?

Thanks!

Your initial problem does not seem real simple, to me at least. Unless the card is behind the mirror, it seems to me it will look pasted on.

I might try this. Get a cheap mirror and, some way, like a razor blade, scrape the backing off in a square about the size of a card. Glue your card with clear glue, corners only behind the glass. It will look like a mirror around the card but card will be clear to see.

Put this mirror in a frame, much like a picture frame, as long as it has edges that stick out a bit in the front...to create a ridge. This is to accomodate a gimmick much like the gimmick for spirit slate. The frame should have a back as well.

Look at this as a sprirt slate mirror. Instead of the usual gimmick, buy some thin plastic mirror material as thin as possible. You can use same material for the unit above so mirror matches. Put some manila envelope paper on the back of the gimmick.

Show your mirror, gimmick as per spirit slates. Put mirror in manila envelope. Do whatever with the card, as in vanish. Remove mirror from envelope and show card is solid in mirror, under glass and even behind it's closed off.

There are a number of ways to remove mirror from envelope in a manner that takes all suspicion off envelope. If you want more info on this, you can email me. Same basic concept can be done with a newspaper or butcher paper wrap.

quack

There is a gimmick "Impromptu Ghost Glass"
that is used to chemically treat any type of glass/mirror etc that when blown on, produces a "ghost image" of whatever image you want to create. I have never seen it used so its an "at your own risk" sort of thing... but then again, what
isn't? Incidentally I plan on buying this effect soon so if you haven't already found
a solution you might check back here to see
a review.

Were it me...
I would use a two way mirror and have a card frame on the back that is lighted, all of the lights positioned so that they shine toward the center of the card frame (LED would work nicely). When the card needs to appear, the lights on the frame are brought up, preferably with a dimmer, illuminating it through the glass. A switch could be installed so that the card could be removed, turning the lights off in the process. Remote could be used to simplify the effect.

I guess a couple years ago I built something like this...attahed is the link to view. This is not my idea nor do I claim it to be...it is Mr. Jenkins' idea from the magic nook, I believe the plans can still be purchase...it is somewhat difficult to make but pretty cool...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iAiU7Sr4EqI

Jolyon Jenkins' "Ghost Frame": http://magicnook.com/Magi-tronics/MT01-08GhostFrame.htm


Also, a non-electronic version by Spellbinder, based on Loring Campbell's 1945 "Spirit Mirror" can be found in the Mini-Mysteries Book 2 section, item 10, at The Magic Nook.