Hello,

I read about a trick ages ago in a children's magazine. It consisted of an envelope. A spectator was asked a question and the secret answer was written on a piece of paper. Then the paper was sealed in the envelope. The magician would gesture on the envelope and tell exactly what is written.

The trick was apparently does with cotton doused in methylated spirit or ether. While gesturing, the magician would actually rub the the ether on the envelope which would make it transparent temporarily. After the secret is read, the magician would blow on the envelope causing the ether to evaporate (another magical gesture) and the envelope would become opaque again.

Does this trick have a name? I believe it was done by P.C. Sorcar Jr. Is he the inventor of this?

Thanks,
Soumyajit

My brother and I did this with rubbing alcohol to see through the wrapping paper on our Christmas presents.

Hehe, any idea what this specific trick is called?

This method was at least published in 1939 in the compendium 'Modern Magic Manual' By Jean Hugard

While I don't think Hugard necessarily invented it, that publication date is 5 years before Sorcar was born.

Sorcar, like The Phantom, has lived forever...

Julie

I think that you mean SORCAR Junior!

I met Sorcar Senior at the IBM convention, in Chicago, in 1950! He was very definitely an adult.

Indeed - the question was specifically regarding jnr. It is feasible the effect could have been invented by Sorcar snr.

What an honour to have met the man!

OOPS Solarpyk!

I was just commenting on yours of Sept. 10! It had been 17 days since the OP's (it's easier to spell "OP", than Soumyajit) OP, and, my somewhat ancient 84 year old mind had totally forgotten the "Jr." in the OP.

Yes, Senior was a colorful figure, as he wore his traditional wardrobe.

Some of the older magicians wore three piece suits! (it WAS 1950!) but most of the young guys (I was 18) wore much more casual attire!

Lectures were fairly "new" then. I learned a "few" things from OKITO, that were a big help to me. He did a few tricks, but, mainly discussed Showmanship & Presentation. --What an ARTIST!!!

I also met Percy Abbott, and, spent a dollar (!!!) at his booth for his "Perpetual Ball". I have used the "PB" in almost 20,000 shows! (a GREAT investment that really paid "dividends"!)

"Perpetual Ball" sells now for $5, so after factoring in inflation, it still represents an amazing bargain in those terms!

I do very much enjoy anecdotes that link us back to the great magicians - it's easy to forget how many of them are still in living memory.

Hugard gave it this not-so-lyrical name: "Reading Names in Sealed Envelopes."

It predates all magi mentioned .It origins lie in Séance work in Victorian times .
Mark