I seen this back in the 80s on a VHS tape. It wasn't an underground secret as you stated. This effect is old....



Best
Ray

Gaetan described in the lecture how it was underground before it was published. And Dan Harlan talks about how he needed to wait a long time before anyone would teach him.

I got the impression this was before the 80s. It's old, but the coolest thing about this teaching is to see the decades of ideas and refinements that he's added. From him and from others. Great trick. The sucker explanations just killed me.

I bought something similar years and years ago, (80s?) and it was called "Standing On Edge" I think. It was a dollar bill that stood on edge using the same principle here. The dollar was even bent into a 90degree angle and it still stood up. Kinda crazy looking.

I learned this several years ago from a magician who lectured at my IBM Ring that would be well known to patrons of The Café. It was NOT Gaetan Bloom, however.

I was under the impression that the guy who lectured at my Ring was the inventor of the effect. Now I'm not so sure. He did not credit Bloom or anyone else as the inventor as far as I can remember.

Bloom's performance of this easily blew the other magician's performance away.

Style counts, and Gaetan Bloom has style! The skill level is very low, but the performance level of Gaetan is very high!

I have never tried to perform this, but seeing Gaetan do it has renewed my interest in it.

:bat:

It is also in his new two volume book set which is worth getting.

Nice presentation of a really old method. No way Harlan was fooled by this though.

Harry Allen from Daytona Magic has been doing this probably 30 years or more.

Actually, Ken Brooke was the 1st time I heard about this trick. He sold it for a very short time in England. At once Tannen's Magic copied it and sold it here in the U.S. as stated as "Standing On Edge". If I remember correctly, credit was given to Bob McCallister for releasing this trick. That was in the mid to late 1970's. What was not mentioned in the instructions was the routine, it was only sold as a playing card being placed on it's edge and stand erect. Thus it was not very popular, as there was basically no routine as shown in the current video of Gaetan Bloom presenting an extended routine.

It now looks awesome and is a complete routine. I don't know if it was presented according to the current video, most likely it was, but it was never mentioned in the printed one page instructions.

The draw back with this effect are the it needs a working surface and it is not that easy to get set up in from of the audience. It is possible, but if you are nervous about such things, then you may want to work on your transmitting being nervous while working.

This is more one of those tricks that when you are gathered with a group, you pull it out at the right time and present for some amusing entertainment. If you use a small close-up mat to move from table to table, it would be easy to prepare the mat and work it continuously.

This trick is really about keeping the different effects moving and not to present it as trick but an entertainment piece. Thus you have nothing to prove as your presentation takes care of that aspect.

I am very happy to see an extended presentation of this trick. So there you have my experience with this trick.

Note: Most of the material in the demo of the lecture included material Gaetan Bloom has been doing from the 1970's. That is over 35 years ago, Gaetan Bloom has been working on these tricks.

I was at a Magic Convention in New York City in the late 70's I think. Bob McAllister had a table in the dealer room and was selling these. He did the demo for me and it really amazed me.

I remember that one too.

Definitely far from a new principle (and not really underground, as this was a marketed effect decades ago, and not "by Gaetan Bloom," unless I'm mistaken), but I still like very much Gaetan's handling.

Couldn't sleep so downloaded this. It's brilliant. So inexpensive, but just so cool. Real value for money here.

Bought this the other day (more so for Gaetan's presentation which I love)- it is easy to set-up and perform. I agree- if you are not familiar with this- it's a great value for the money.

RNK

The Amazing Standing Card is just a small taste of what a great lecture Gaetan put on.

http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/3657

it is chalked full of super effects!

Is it possible to perform this with business cards and non playing cards?

YES!

I bought this because I've always loved the effect. This is a fantastic piece of entertainment. It's not knuckle busting by any means, but I know it will get a great reaction. I'm excited to finally start performing this.

Does any store in Europe sell this?
thanks

Don´t know - but it is listed as "Penguin Flat Pack" with free world wide shipping.

I bought it. Had not really thought about the method.

The video put a smile on my face. The method is simple, but yet devious imo. The whole trick is based around what he is doing and it all seems so logical, but it also part of what he has to do to make it work.
I like the way he explains how the effect came into existence. It like the story from birth to what it is now, how its was changed, adapted, moulded into what it is.
I like his enthusiasm,...

I could go on, but even if I never use this trick(which is very possible, I am a very casual one), I have no regrets at all about this purchase.

There is absolutely no description of the performance, effect and/or conditions in Penguin's ad. Obviously the title gives you some idea, but have we come to the place where you are forced to watch a video rather than reading about something?