I'm wondering if there exists a fairly extensive reference text for looking up a trick's name or title.

When I was new to all this I'd see names like Ba*k Ni**t, or Th**e F*y, or Ch**r T*st, or O*t O* T**s W***d, (hopefully you get the idea; trying to minimize exposure here) but then it would take me a while to dig up exactly what trick or effect was being discussed. Having seen quite a bit of magic I knew most of the tricks but I had no idea what their "magic names" were!

I've since found a few good books that describe classic effects by name, and Genii magazine's online Magicpedia is a pretty helpful resource (especially for names of card plots). But I'm curious if anyone has ever attempted to compile a comprehensive list of most of the classic/common trick names with descriptions, either as a published text or a website list or maybe just a really good glossary in one of the larger books on general magic. It'd be great if there was one with an index to cross-reference other things in addition to the titles such as coins, cards, mentalism, stage apparatus, and types of effects (production/vanish/transposition/etc).

Check out the link below
exactly what you are describing


http://archive.denisbehr.de/

Thanks for the reminder about Denis Behr's site, MorrisCH. It's definitely a great resource for referencing where to find more information on certain tricks, and where to locate different variations of a single trick.

I'm hoping to dig up a good glossary on common/classic tricks and their descriptions (by name or title of trick), so I welcome more suggestions.

Maybe I'll need to start compiling a list for myself.

If your compiling it your self --make copys and keep a ring binder of all effect/explanation-etc-- will have effect name-discription-pattersuggestion-etc -plus maybe manufactor/sales shop- also many different Magic catalogs --just an Idea-

Trick names is one thing, but especially for people like me who are no native speakers of English a glossary of English terms of magic in general would be helpful. Normal dictionaries usually do not contain these words that very often have a meaning completely different from their normal meaning. I wonder if anybody knows about the existence of such a glossary?

Novestro -- Some general-interest, entry-level magic books include a glossary. "Magic for Dummies" and Bill Severn's "Magic as a Hobby" are two examples. But I'm afraid these sorts of glossaries aren't likely to be particularly complete.

Wikipedia has a pretty good list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_magic_(illusion)

So does Glossery Central: http://www.glossarycentral.com/magic/

Genii magazine's Magicpedia might be the best of the online terminology reference guides: http://geniimagazine.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

Thank you very much, Doug, your links are a great help!

The Denis Behr site is awesome, I am grateful for the hard work there.