I found a small envelope deep within my magic drawer containing 5 cards and no instructions or identity.
They are bridge size and the cards are the four Aces. All with different backs (the old kind I grew up playing cards at my grandparents with) different types of scenery, flowers, animals... and the 5th card is a bridge size Ace of Hearts with a blue Bicycle Rider Back.

Any Ideas?

Twisting the Aces with kicker of all different backs.

Doesn't explain the extra A/H, mostly, I don't recall ever doing/buying that trick with that kicker other than Bannon stuff. That all comes in poker size though.

It could be a version of Aldini's "Eye Doctor's Dilemma". Al's trick used Alphabet Cards (Each card having just one letter). When the cards were laid out, they were placed onto the table to resemble an Eye Chart, thus the trick's name.

The original effect had the performer nonchalantly display the backs of the cards (All were red). A duplicate card with a different colored back was then added to the mix. After some byplay, all of the backs changed to the color of the duplicate card which had just been added.

I believe it is possible to do the same effect with the Aces you are describing. PM me if you'd like more info.


Best Magical Regards,

Mark Williams

Poof-Daddy, The extra AH is to show all the cards blue backed as they turn over one by one. Then the four odd backed cards are shown as the kicker. I forget what this trick has been called, but I could research it. PM me if you need details on the handling. John

This sounds right. PM-ing with more info....

I believe that I had this old packet trick myself, many years ago. Five bridge-sized cards, one with a blue Fox Lake back, and the other four backs featuring four different colorful floral or pastoral photos. Mine was called "Nebula Card."

In the routine, only four cards are ever seen (although you're holding all five throughout). As ejohn said, one by one each ace takes a turn at being the only one of the four to magically turn itself face down (repeatedly displaying a blue Fox Lake back) in each otherwise all-face-up successive display of the cards. The climax comes when you then show that none of the four aces have that blue Fox Lake back; each is backed by a different color floral/pastoral photo.

You may already have gotten all you need to know from ejohn and inigmntoya, but if you'd like I can also PM you a brief transcription of the original step-by-step instructions.

Sounds like exactly what I have (although I still do not know where it came from) PM'd you.

Poof Daddy, do you have Jerry Mentzer's "Packet Tricks?" If so, there is a twisting trick in there by Vic Trabucco (don't know the exact name, but it has the word "Twist" in the title); Mr. Trabucco's effect uses the Ace through 4 of clubs, but you could easily modify it using identical handling with your 4 aces. There is a beautiful convincing moment near the end where you turn the last twisted card face up again, and I believe this is what your extra AH is for....

Like Karnak says, you probably already have everything you need..... But just in case you have "Packet Tricks," check it out.

Well... as I was doing some more cleaning / re-arranging of my magic stuff, I found an envelope with a set of instructions that this envelope of cards must have fallen out of. The directions describe the cards EXACTLY as they are. The effect is called "BacFlips" by Norman Schultz (with a whopping price tag of $2.00 penciled in the corner) Probably a steal in today's terms for 5 sourced cards (bridge size with all different backs - one face being duplicated with a Bicycle Back) Nicely printed 1 page instructions (front and back) with illustrations and all wrapped up in a nice printed regular "letter" envelope.

All guesses were certainly good and even I had several different ideas what the cards could "do" with the right sleights and patter. But, it is a strangely wonderful feeling, to actually figure out "exactly" what it is you have in your hands.