I recently saw John Carney perform the Diminishing Cards and it looked GREAT! Does anyone know what version he uses?

By the way, this guy kills. What a great set he did, very funny and very good magic, EXCELLENT, this guy is a real pro.

MagicMan1957,

I agree John Carney is great. I saw him in England a couple of years ago and had the chance to be the spectator who is used in his Just a Cigar routine. I was only 12 at the time and this had a lasting impression on me.

The version he does is the Al Baker version. This is described in The Secret Ways of Al Baker (all of his books in one) but I can't remember which book it was published in. It might be a bit expensive to get the whole book for this trick. Reading the description I can't really understand how to make the gimmick anyway, and I think it is quite a fiddle.

But that's the routine.

owen

Al Baker's Diminishing Cards are sold by Viking and presently advertised in Magic, Genii, and Linking Ring. Costs $25 and worth every penny. Blair Best is also a very good set. I don't know who sells Blairs Best.

Mine wore out so bought Bakers. Bakers is a little harder to use than Blairs best BUT it is easier to reset. The fans are riveted together. The base is made of brass. Don't see how they sell it for $25.

In 25 years, I'm on my second Baker set. I think it may have been $20 the first time and the first piece of magic I ever bought over $10.

I would say it's one of the most fun routines I have ever done for both the spectators and me.

How about Diminishing Returns by Mike Powers, I believe is his name. How is the set there?

U.F. Grant really made a beautiful set, very simple, maybe the simplest ever... but that was what was so good about it.

I have a version based on the Edward Victor deck where the full deck gets smaller and there are NO LOOSE PIECES.

I know the version Pete and truthfully, it is THE best since there is no major "moves" just a squeeze and a fan of the cards to show them smaller. Is there nothing that you do not know?!?!?! ;-)

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat

Tommy Wonder has a great version in my opinion.

I don't know that I'd categorize "Diminishing Returns" by Mike Powers as a typical "diminishing cards" type of effect since in Mike's effect the cards shrink only once versus multiple times as in other "diminishing cards" effects. Regardless, I think Mike's effect is fantastic.

Larry D.

Is there any other routine for the al bakers diminishing cards ? I don't like the instructions routine in which ypu “compare” the small deck with a normal card. I have the gimmick but never used it because I didn't liked the handling...

I remember having this as a teen. I'm not sure whos version it was, but it used the brass rivets mentioned above. It was a neat little routine.

Ali Cook did a nice version on UK television some years ago. It was quick and to the point - a fan of cards seemed to get visibly smaller and smaller, until it vanished all together.

The sleight of hand/stripper deck idea could be very nice, and is something I've always thought about working on. I never seem to get around to it though.


Jim

Could it be you are just not wearing the right hat?



I used to do Mike Powers' "Diminishing Returns" but it doesn't go near as small as Al Baker's routine if I recall. Although I think the Powers routine is "just enough" ie no overkill.

I purchased Tommy Wonder's "shrinking card fan" (correct name?) at a convention back in the mid 90's. He stated that it would not go to market. It has a lot of craftsmanship in it, that took hours to make one. He only had a few of them. No instructions. It has been sealed up and put away all these years. I have always wondered what it would be worth. He performed it, and blew everyone away. Fan shrank away slowly, until it vanished. He was such a genius.

I've got a mint set of Jim Hooper's Nemo Diminishing Cards, sold via Ken Brooke back in the 70's.

What's so creative about this version is that the cards diminish whilst simply held in one hand. I don't think there's any version as clean.

https://youtu.be/ogFcwW-imaM

Anyone know where I can buy Al Baker's Diminishing Cards in UK?

I have the vikings set but I never performed it , I feel that it is obvious that you always steal something ...And the comparison with the regular size card it feels unnatural to me. Maybe I'm thinking as a magician? Are the reactions good for this effect?

My opinion: Jim Steinmeyer has the very best solution to this effect.

And where this is published?