I just got a Svengali deck that I won on ebay. The ad described many wondrous things that I could do with this deck, but now that I have it, I see that none of these wondrous things are explained. So now I need a book. Any recommendations?

One other question, is this book 1 or book 2 of the Karl Fulves Self Working Card Tricks? Does it have anything about the Svengali deck in it?

I just think this is so great, to have a place where magically challenged people like me can come for help!

Mary B.

No, the Fulves books don't have any Svengali tricks in them, but a whole chapter can be found in "The Encyclopaedia of Card Tricks" by Jean Hugard which is readily available and reasonably priced.

Thanks, Paul! I took your advice and ordered the Jean Hugard book from Amazon. So in five to seven days, I'll probably have a ton of more questions!!



:patty: Mary B.

You might also try

http://www.magictricks.com

and, where it says "find", type in Svengali deck instructions.

They have a book, 101 Tricks with A Svengali Deck, and others (reasonably priced).

There are many things that can be done with a Svengali, besides the obvious.

Unfortunately, most magicians never go beyond the obvious, which is why this deck so often ends up in the "junk" drawer.

cheers,

Peter Marucci

showtimecol@aol.com

Yes, don't take the deck lightly. It can fry magicians in the right framing.



Peter is very correct.

And whatever you do, please, please, please do not show all the cards have changed to the same. Soon as you do that you’re dead in the water, they recognize it's the trick Uncle Ernie has.

Paul

Huh????? Maybe I'm just dense, but I don't understand what you mean by, "all the cards have changed to the same". They aren't all the same, they're different. Well, the backs are the same, but somehow I don't think that's what you meant.

Is it???



:patty: Mary B.

Mary,

Hold the deck by one end and then rifle the other end from bottom to top and from top to bottom and you'll see what they mean.



Sable

If all those cards are different they've conned you and sent you the wrong deck!



In fairness, they ought to be supplied with SOME basic instructions.



The Svengali deck was invented by Burling Hull in 1908.



Paul Hallas.

I remember selling Mirage (a form of the Svengali) decks and stripper decks in 1968 to earn a little cash. Man, do I feel old now.

There's an interesting e-book at:

http://allmagicreader.com/index.html

called "THE FIN DE SIECLE DECK" that explains the principles of these and other similar decks and there are several tricks included.

Mary,
Maybe they sent you the wrong deck. Please do hold the deck face up from one of the ends-not by sides. Then riffle the pack, don't they seem to be the same? The Svengali deck is consisting of (edited) 52 cards in a specific arrangement.(end editing)
(Usually you do arrange them yourself) If it is so. You may have a small booklet "75 Tricks With a Svengali Deck" by Al Stevenson.
It is a very cheap booklet. If you have the wrong deck, most probably a Stripper deck No harm is done, buy the booklet "75 Tricks with a Stripper Deck" by the same author.
If you can not reach any of them please pm me and I may tell you some effects.

Hello. I am currently in China studying Chinese, and while I was in Thailand over the winter break revived my old interest in magic. There were people in the street everywhere performing and selling classic items like the Svengali deck. It was called "short and long" cards. Like Mary, I would be interested in how to best use this deck. I have used it to force the card and then go on to different ways to reveal it, but what else might be done besides the old "TV Magic Card" give-away ending? I'm good at making up my own effects if given a nudge in the right direction, but here my imagination fails me a little. Thanks!

I LOVE SVENGALI DECKS! My mom got me my first deck when I was about 7 years old. I didn't know much about it then. Heck 11 years later and I'm just now learning some pretty good uses for it.

Mary,

If you like the material in the Hugard book or the "75 Tricks" booklet, and want to move on to some great pitch routines, I highly recommend "The Long and the Short of it" by Mark Lewis.

Check out the online demo:

Click Here!

At a rather pricey $25, I was a little skeptical as to the value of its contents. But after reading it, I was pleasantly surprised. Worth every Penny.

BTW, most of the moves are well within the reach of newbies.

I think you ruin the deck by showing all the same card. do a card trick then change decks. then make the card jump anywhere you want. did this at a magic convention when i did at work shop. magicians are easy. they want to beleive bruised knuckles. Great card stab.

Barry Richardson has a nice routine in "Theater of the Mind" that hides the Svengali principle very well.

Check this out, it may help! IT's a video for the deck.

25 Tricks with Svengali Deck

Find it at http://www.hanklee.com

Hi Mary,
I've been "pitching svengali's for over 25 years at flea markets and fairs.All the above books are good.Their is also a video out " 25 tricks with a svengali deck" that you can get at most on line magic shops for about $10.00.I have directions for 10 tricks I give with the decks I sell, and would be glad to mail you a copy on me.Just PM me with an address.
Hope this helped,have a good day,
Don

Do you think it might be acceptable to do the "total revelation" with Svengali for younger audiences?

:bikes:

I started a new thread on my question here:

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......1&22

Yeah, I agree with some of you, that it would be a bad move to show TT all the cards half change to the same card. TT really is a spoiler, when I show it to a few of my friends. Man shouldn't have done TT.