It would only be copying if he knew what the rough mechanics were.

If you saw an ambitious card routine for the first time, you would know that it requires getting the chosen card to the top repeatedly. Obviously, you would need to figure out one or two methods to do so. After fiddling around for abit, you could easily "discover" the side steal or a pass. That wouldn't be copying or taking from someone.

Then it would be "reverse engineering." When some people do it, they are called "innovators." Others are accused of copying.

Some of us find this distinction gratuitous. Or amusing.

Here is my gut thoughts about the side slip. I think Malini and Leipzig who were both performers of magic for a living had a lot to do with it - if not inventing the move - making it work.

Performers back in those days did not write books. They did shows. And they did not show stuff around much. I feel the side slip is an evolution from the full palm and if it wasn't Leipzig or Malini that came up with a way - from a need - to full palm a card from the center of the deck.

It would be hard to say "Who did".

Hilliard was a great magician and a great magic writer but he was not a card man like Leipzig and Malini were. Malini is often credited with the concept of having more than one card selected - like in his card stab routine.

So my vote is that it was invented by Leipzig and evolved into a way that Malini used it because his hands were very small.

Here's a Move, of interest. The Tenkai Reverse. Someone else independantly invented it too. That is the GREAT CARD MAN, Martin Nash. I just saw this while watching one of his tapes. Just a little fact you may have, or may have not knew, Ed, (Eddini).

How about the Half-Pass? Who came up with this one? I don't think it's been mentioned yet. Thanks, Ed, (Eddini).

The problem here is that sleights are often attributed to those who made them popular and not to the originator.
One reason may be that the sleight was shown by a generous but virtual unknown.
Some originators may never be known.

See here for the origins or at least written references for a whole host of sleights suitably categorised...

http://archive.denisbehr.de/archive/rout......l=10,745

Would you please tell me where I can get writeups on this? I am having difficulty executing the side steal and I don't know why.

I am sure this will stir things up but I have to state that I was shown the push through shuffle by Tom Passarelli and my dad Paul Arbitelle when I was 7 years old and I was taught the faro sguffle by the Coney Island Fakir Al Flosso when I was only a kid. As a result I later had the priveledge of starting Darryl Martinez on the road to his present position in magic and happily watched him blow Pete Biro's mind when Pete was hawking the Frisco Kid. I am now working with another top close up worker, Manny Samperio and am sure that he will start a new era in card moves. His mind is better than anyone I've ever met and he just turned 18.
Also for some faro magic I just piublished a year ago a book titled ACES and it tells the story from both the magic side and the gamblers side.