ECLIPSE - by Dee Christopher and The 1914 - A Review
Gimmicks and Online Instructions

Every mentalist needs ESP cards in their toolkit and now you can own one of the greatest ESP decks ever devised.

Eclipse is a secretly marked deck of 25 ESP cards (+ gaffs) meaning that YOU know which card your spectator is holding at any time by secretly glimpsing the marks on the back. But these marks are like NO other.

What use are marked cards if you can't see the marks?! This is a very real problem with the typical alternatives; Nothing looks more suspicious than a performer leaning in and closely squinting at the back of a selected card to figure out what it is. Eclipse is the answer; the marks are SO bold, you can literally identify a card a spectator is holding from the other side of the room!

Bold, yes. Obvious? HELL NO. The marks may be bold to you but remain INVISIBLE to the uninitiated. Spectators can freely handle the cards and even under close inspection will struggle to find the secret.

People will be CONVINCED you're psychic!

Eclipse is the brainchild of Dee Christopher, star of BBC Three's award winning Killer Magic television series. Having gone through hundreds of poor-quality ESP cards at gigs, Dee designed Eclipse to last a lifetime; The cards are printed on plastic stock to avoid degradation, so if they get grubby, simply wipe them clean. No more ordering a new pack for every gig you're booked for!

If we supplied your brand new Eclipse deck only with written instructions, it would be GREAT value for money. But we've gone one better (six better, to be precise).

When you purchase an Eclipse ESP deck, you will be granted exclusive access to an in-depth online video masterclass with the creator, Dee Christopher. The video will not only entrust you with the secrets to decode the markings, you'll be taught SIX impressive, hard-hitting effects that can be performed with your new-found knowledge.

What's more, the effects taught can be performed individually or strung together to create a full 25 minute mentalism act, ideal for both close up performances and larger parlor settings. Some of the effects utilize the secret marks, but many don't, equipping you with a multitude of methods to help make backtracking impossible for your audiences.

ESP cards have become synonymous with mentalism ever since they were first used in the 1930s to test for psychic phenomena. The undeniable allure of the five simple shapes have earned them a place in popular culture and now it's your turn to do the alluring.

Join the ever-growing list of magicians and mentalists choosing Eclipse ESP cards over traditional alternatives.

My Thoughts:

Dee Christopher, well-respected mentalist from the UK, is ready to release ECLIPSE in a matter of about 72 hours.. as I write this on Nov. 26th, 2021.

Now that you've read the ad copy.. how does it play out in the real world? Well.. after spending several hours 'playing' with my cards, and watching the videos, here's my thoughts.

ECLIPSE is a complete 25 card set of Zener cards. I'm sure you are familiar with the design... circle, addition sign, waves, square, and star.. made popular by Dr. JB Rhine during his ESP studies at Duke University in the 1930's and 1940's. They are the standard for ESP cards. The difference between regular Zener cards and Dee's cards are.. Dee's cards are marked on the back. Also included are two double-facers and one double-backer, plus one display card will all five symbols. These cards are important for your performances.

Made of a plastic coated stock, Eclipse cards are both made for use in difficult circumstances and for a pleasant appearance. Although not made for skillful handling, they handle just fine. As you'll see in the tutorials, these cards are designed as props for your routine.

The tutorials are designed to give you, not just several effects, but a complete routine of mentalism effects that could easily run twenty to twenty five minutes. If you don't currently have a mentalism set, this is the ideal purchase to get you up and running.

Several different effects are taught in the tutorials. All are prediction type effects and rely on either the markings on the back or a simple multiple outs method made simple with the special cards in addition to the marked cards.. As one of those guys who has trouble spotting marks on many marked decks, I am glad to say that's NOT the case with ECLIPSE. The possibility of a spectator spotting the marks are very, very slim. I think if someone did notice the marks they would still not be aware of what they were seeing, as the marks are not actual numbers or symbols.. but only a positioning of an insignificant line.

Some of the effects taught require multiple outs, and may make it necessary for you to create a double envelope. Unlike traditional multiple out routines that have cards in various pockets or under card cases, Eclipse is designed and taught so the spectator will NOT come to that conclusion. Everything is very compact, and your audience is left unsuspecting. Complete instructions are included, and making your own envelope is a very simple procedure. There are other work-arounds, including a peek wallet, and this DIY is not a big deal.

This is a combination of the Ad Copy effect descriptions and my thoughts.

ESP Opener
A spectator freely names any ESP symbol and you reveal that you knew exactly which symbol they would choose ahead of time. Uses the multiple out method, which is very easy when using double-facers.. Dee's handling of the envelopes makes this so easy. This is designed to be the first effect in your performance.

Sensor
A three-phase routine allowing you to "see" with your fingertips. Each phase increases in impossibility. With multiple methods in play, this powerful routine is impenetrable and everything is completely examinable at its conclusion. The patter for this is wide open. This may be my favorite routine, and makes full use of the marks.

Gambit ESP
Five face-down ESP cards are mixed on the tabletop by the spectator. The spectator drops an unread prediction on top of ANY card. The prediction is opened and is found to match the chosen symbol! Very strong effect.. and a good one to proceed Sensor.

Serial Reveal
You predict the unique serial number on a spectator's borrowed banknote! This effect adds impressive variety to the act and gives you a perfect excuse to naturally use props (envelopes and pens) left on the table from earlier effects. I like serial number reveals, as they seem so impossible. Every bill is different.. and this one extends that premise.

Distance
The entire deck of ESP cards are shuffled by the spectator and washed around the tabletop. At great distance, the performer can reveal each and every card the spectator selects. This effect CANNOT be replicated with any other ESP deck on the market! No argument here. The markings make it possible. I wish I could show you the markings.. but that wouldn't be nice. I may not be able to see the marks as well as some.. but even I can see the marks from about five or six feet away.

Everything's taught by Dee Christopher and Lewis LeVal. The video instructions are good, the sound is good, and the overall method of instruction is easy to understand. There's nothing complicated about ECLIPSE. There are NO sleights.. although there is a move of two to learn when utilizing a double envelope. There are five different video tutorials, representing about 68 minutes of instruction... Everything is online, and there is no need to download anything...

Introduction 1:13 min.
What you get 4:30
The marks 8:48
ESP opener 19:58
Gambit 33:32

I have no doubt many of you will create your own effects. A marked deck of Zener cards is a powerful weapon. If you are a semi-creative guy, ECLIPSE is a great effect to add to your repertoire. It's well worth the effort and the price..

$40.00 .. From Murphy's Magic and their Associates..
https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=70529

Thanks for such a detailed review although I am now going to spend money as a result.

I agree completely with Rick’s review. The material the cards are printed on is wonderful, and will last a long time.
The markings are easy to read, and for me, 6-7 feet is maximum distance for me to see the marks.
This deck will get used by me, and I look forward to the other products that The 1916 release.

You instantly aged them by 2 years

One of my favorite purchases of 2021.

Beautifully produced and presented props, with extremely easy to read markings and lovely routines and handling tips from Dee Christopher and the 1914 team!...Plus Lewis Le Val's input inspired me to finally get around to ordering and studying Zenermancy by Doug Dyment


A happy, safe and healthy 2022 to all here on the Café.
Paul McCaig.

Thank you for thorough review

Thanks for the review.

Curious about the markings. Most ESP effects, the first thought by a spectator is that the cards are marked.
I own a few ESP decks and currently use Beyond ESP. I find the plain back design very fooling for markings. Yet, they take some time to read.
If someone studied the back design on these cards, which spectators often do, would they notice any discrepancy?
I'm drawn to the plastic coated cards for longevity and also a design which offers a quicker read, but not at the expense of discreteness.

It's very unlikely that participants will find the marking. They would really have to scrutinize the backs and contrast/compare them, and even then they are unlikely to see anything. But this hasn't happened for me and, with the right audience management, should be something that doesn't happen.

I really like these cards and what they offer. I will be using them (in combination with another method) to perform a spectator-as-mindreader routine in a parlour show this coming weekend

- Ross

I been using this deck and I never had a participant find the markings. In mind eyes ECLIPSE is better then Beyond ESP but everyone has the right to pick what is better for them

What about Eclipse is better then Beyond ESP to you?

I'd like to know this too. I have Beyond ESP 2 and have never used it. I can't make out the markings reliably.

I have both decks and Beyond Esp 2 is good, but I have used it very sparingly for the reason mindmagic mentioned. Eclipse is, IMO, far easier to read and can be read at a greater distance. Will still take a bit of practice, but once you get it, I think you will probably squint a lot less.

I recently acquired a set and can confirm that the marks are much easier to read than those in Beyond ESP. I'm not sure how far away I'll be able to get, but I'll keep practising.

Is this deck available any online shop?

I agree that the Eclipse markings are very good. I also like the markings used on the Aged ESP cards by Alakazam.
https://alakazam.co.uk/products/aged-esp......am-magic

What is the best ESP deck for those of us with poor close-up vision?

These are beautiful cards! Are they easy to read (ie large & clear)?

I don't think aging the ESP cards is a good idea.
It makes it in my opinion too obvious for the spectator that the performer knows which card is which.
As a kid me and my sisters used to play a lot of card games. And because of the oldness of the deck we recognized a lot of the cards from the back.

Aging a card is already a marking. Not all cards age the same.
Just my opinion.

Eclipse cards look nice btw.

Just picked these up and as a performer who works in a lot of bars, these puppies are great just for the fact that I won’t have to replace them. Plus they are crystal clear. Been waiting for a set like these for a while!