Hey all,

I am re-adding Aronson's "Under Her Spell" back into my repertoire. I feel it is a strong effect, but, as before, I never felt comfortable with the Stanley Collins Vanish.

Somewhere in my library I dimly remember a few alternatives to it, but for the life of me I cannot remember the names of the sleights.

Any suggestions for replacing the Collins Vanish with something less "glidey" would be appreciated.

Thanks everyone!

Vlad

There are ways to loosen it up so it doesn't look so stilted. One way is to loosen up. That way it won't look so stilted.

Also, if it doesn't work for you in one direction, change directions. What would the move look like if you held the packet by the ends instead of by the sides? How would it look if you held the packet in normal dealing grip but took cards off the bottom just as in the Collins Vanish? What would it look like if you took cards off the packet in the same pattern as the Collins Vanish but held the packet face up?

Play around.

I am not sure if you mean not comfortable the way the move looks (not natural) or are unable to do the move reliably (the cards split). If you have trouble with the double splitting then there is a very easy handling found in Michael Skinner's Professional Close-Up Magic video vol.2 (dropping the aces). If in the other hand you just don't like the way it looks, then you can find a different handling for the vanishes, which doesn't look glidey at all, in Alex Elmsley's Tahoe Sessions video vol.2 (Collinspell). Obiously in either case you'll have to arrange the position of the cards after the vanishes so they end up for the "Under Her Spell" ending, hope that helps.

Hi Vlad,

Check out "Second 16th Card Book Vol. 2" for a move I designed a few years ago. It's a strong vanish...one that Michael Vincent likes and uses. (The "Illogical & Discrepant Vanish" is what I call it.)

Best, Paul Gordon

Vlad check out "The Card Magic of Edward Marlo" (Ed Marlo) for his work on the 4 vanishes and his variant of Collins Aces. Good stuff in that book BTW.
http://www.qualitymagicbooks.com/?nd=full&key=2622

Cardamagically,
Dom

You can use a Buckle Count.

Thanks everyone for the help! The move itself is of course easy, I just don't feel it is natural looking - for me. The suggestions given here are all excellent.

Dom: I am looking at the work in The Card Magic of Edward Marlo as we speak. Thank you for the reference. Amazing how answers lie within arm's length

Paul: I will look into your suggestion as well. Thank you sir!

I prefer obviously to keep handlings consistent, so, for instance if in one routine I am using an EC for a vanish, and in another a BC, I want both to look identical. Since the methodology is different but the handling looks to the spec as the same thing it is actually more disarming. It makes little sense to me to effect one vanish from a certain position and then later do it in another. Yes, the specs are THAT sharp, but for me, there is something contrived in a move like the CV - all due respect to Stanley Collins of course.

I guess it is the same school of thought that dictates - and I agree with - that false and true shuffles should look identical.

Again, thank you to ALL who have posted. I will have Under Her Spell back in my repertoire in short order thanks to you!!!

My best,
Vlad

I'll be publishing a new set of vanishes in my next manuscript. Vlad (and Vlad only), I'll send you a copy of that section (once it's typed up) if you'll pm me your email address.