Hi!

Not sure if this is the right category in which to post this question, but here goes: A long, long time ago I saw Doug Henning performing on TV. One close-up effect that he did has always stuck in my mind. I'm not sure of the details surrounding the effect, but what he did was tear a small piece of paper about the size of a playing card into two pieces. Then he stacked those two pieces and tore them into four pieces. After each successive stacking and tear, the pieces got smaller and smaller until they literally vanished from his fingers. I remember the camera being very close-up to his hands as this happened. I'll never forget that effect.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to a similar effect that can be purchased, studied, perfected, and then performed in a similar manner? What was so "different" about this effect was how extremely close-up the camera was to Henning's hands as he did it. Then...suddenly...the pieces were gone!

Thanks for any suggestions or help!

Frank

Torn and restore cigarette paper is the name of the effect.

Mago Mai

Hmmm - doesn't sound like a torn and restored cigarette paper to me, Mago! Sounds like a torn then vanishing playing card...

quote; ".....what he did was tear a small piece of paper about the size of a playing card into two pieces. Then he stacked those two pieces and tore them into four pieces. After each successive stacking and tear, the pieces got smaller and smaller until they literally vanished from his fingers."

I saw him performing that effect in Atlanta, Ga. back in the 80s. It is really a beauty. He used cigarette paper like the ones people use to roll up their own cigarettes.

Al Koran has a nice routine on his book called Professional Presentations.


Mago Mai

Doug Henning was performing the torn & restored cigarette paper. His handling is similar to Ron Wilson's from the UNCANNY SCOT.

Martin Lewis also has a video explaining his handling. Both handlings are great for this excellent trick.

Keep looking for great Magic.

Regards,

Paul

Thanks for the info, guys!

Thanks,Paul...I didn't know about those references.

Mago Mai

I remember Doug tearing up a card, into halves, quarters, and then into eight and each time he tore it he would put the pieces together and dump out a half dollar. You may be remembering something different. This effect and the fickle nickle he did on that show is what got me interested in magic. I believe it was a Jerry Andrus routine, "Misers Miracle" maybe. Of course that was 30 years ago and I may be remembering it wrong
Ronnie

I believe he performed Nate Leipzig's torn and restored rolling paper. It would have been nice if he did the ending with the moth. That kind if thing was so his style.