Sirref,

If you watch Jay Scott Berry perform his Symphony of the Ring on Ribbon routine (using an ungimmicked piece of ribbon and a brass or gold plated ring) and you'll understand what real magic is. Simple props, elegant handling, real magic.

Mike

perrier with a twist

wrong spot but sure enjoy 'shadow coins'
and a great color change!

I think a very good mental effect comes close to real magic. I have an effect in which I predict the year on a coin. the prediction is written on a card that lies on the table all the time. the spectator chooses a coin out of many coins from different years. she leaves that one on the table. I pick it up and dispose it on the card. My hands are seen to be otherwise empty. still the coin matches the predicted year. Its the only coin from that particular year. they have no clue.

I forgot another one. from darwin Ortiz with a si stebbins deck and an invisible deck. but I forgot its name. I use it all the time. Its in at the card table

A card catcher and Peter Marvey using it hehe.

I'll have to say Paul Harris' 'Twilight Angels' that is the BEST, people can't forget about it to this day!

They keep checking my deck for that card as well!

It's really good stuff!

Triumphs are also pretty wicked, but I think, personally, that people would be amazed at your 'skill' rather than it happening by 'magic'.

Just a thought

Take care,

Logan

Sheesh, I can't believe no one mentioned Card Warp yet. Done properly, it's abolutely stunning!

For another card effect that's perceived to be close to real magic, and one of the first one's I learned about 15 years ago, is not a purchased one but a "self-made" one (not that I made it up; read it in a chapter by Penn and Teller). The last time I did it was about a week ago at work for about 10 people. It went like this:

I shuffled a normal deck of cards, and laid them face up on the table. Taking out my wallet, I used one of my credit cards as my "cutting tool." Moving up and down the deck with credit card, the spectator told me to stop at her place of choosing. I insert the credit card, lift up the cards on top of the credit card so that the people can see at which card the deck was cut to below it.

I then very openly remove the credit card, place it back in my wallet, and tell one of the spectators to pick up the deck. I then have them shuffle the deck for themselves, and then take out the chosen card. To their astonishment, the card they all just clearly saw in the deck is now missing. I also make it clear to them that after cutting the cards, I did not even touch the deck.

In this particular case, I had a person across the room lift up his computor monitor, and there, lying underneath, was their chosen card. Absolutely amazing!

I've used many variations on this. For Christmas I cause the card to appear in a chosen walnut. I've made it appear in an orange. You get the idea.

To us in the know, this is probably an amateurish effect, but to the layman, it's nothing short of pure magic.

Brian

Im now not sure what Marvey uses a post says he uses a spider gimmick.

Mentalism and effects that happen in the hand of the spectator are always great ways to go

out of this world.