The ad for this item sounds very appealing: a group of people each draw a picture. The papers are mixed, yet when the performer turns around he proceeds to hand the correct drawing to its owner. The $65 price tag is very, very steep, however.

Anyone have info on this effect? Who is Dexter?

I have ordered it and it should already have arrived. I hope I have recieved it in a few days, and then you´ll be sure I´m going to give a review!

Mikael

Marc Salem uses this in his show, and kills with it every time. There again, he is a master performer and his patter and persona fits the effect to perfection. If you want to see just how good this can be, then catch Marc.

What you have written in your description is Psuedo Psychometry. I believe the effect that is being marketed that you are asking about is Larry Becker's Sneak Thief, which is in hi book Stunners. (Yes, it's out of print.) There are other effects that are similar as well. The last person's drawing is duplicated or described by the performer, seemingly without the performer ever having looked at it. I agree that Marc Salem's performance of this is a beautiful thing. I know little of Dexter other than he has other marketed items as well.

In thoughts,
Allen

I have seen Marc Salem perform this effect, and I have the Larry Becker explanation of his STS. My question is this:

Does anyone know of a way to allow the spectators to mix their cards (or papers, or whatever it is that are to write their thoughts on)before they write on them?

Gianni

Hi Gianni, Yes there are a few options available to you which fit this requirement. I have sent them to you as a PM, in keeping with forum policy.

Oops! Should have sent that privately. None of you saw it....right?
Ted (Leondo)

Am I wrong, or is this effect described and explained in 13 Steps? The method is actually quite simple yet deceptive. But it is definetly not worth $65. The effect can be done with an ordinary note pad and a few pencils. Maybe Dexter has a different method that I don't know about, and that might explain the price tag.

The $65 price tag is throwing me off. The ad does say that method is very simple.

Just saw the posting on the Pseudo Psychometry. I'm trying to figure out why it would be necessary to have the cards (boards,papersetc.) shuffled before being written on. It seems to me that the audience has no idea what to expect, so why run when you're not being chased (to quote Al Baker).

I agree with corpmagi Giani, can't see what the point is of mixing the papers up first, that is magic, rather than mental thinking.

I always used a jumbo set of Becker's Perplexing ESP Plaques to do the Sneak Thief routine, makes it a lot simpler and no need to buy extra props lol.

Paul Hallas.

Well, I have to say I am surprised that no one sees merit in mixing the cards. It seems to me that knowing which card belongs to which person is so obvious the method of the effect that one would want to address it in some way. Even if the spectator cannot see the marking or whatever differentiates the cards, I assume that they MUST assume that the performer somehow knows whose card is which.

I don't see this as running when you are not being chased. I think you are being chased and almost within their grasp.

Gianni

Gianni, the performers' back is turned while the drawings are being done and cards are then mixed. From a lay audiences' point of view, how could the performer possibly know. I don't think you really want to call attention to supposedly plain pieces of cardboard.

When Marc Salem does this routine, he uses just plain white cardboard and lets the spectators take the cards home with them...I have one ot these cards as my wife was a participant in this routine in his recent show here in New York and even knowing that there must be a marking, I can't find one. It is the design duplication at the end of the routine that really clinches it and makes this routine a winner and my wife still has no clue how he knew which drawing was hers!

The only merit I can find in mixing the cards first is if you use the mixing to explain the methodology that "other" mentalists use to throw them off the track. This seems like it would be a big mistake to give them any explanation. I really don't think that a lay audience has any clue as to the method of this effect if presented properly.

Are we still talking about the Dexter routine that retails for $65 at Denny and Lee?

Yes, it is the same effect. Dexter's marketed item is actually an old effect that mentalists already use. I suggest that you get the method behind this demonstration from a book. It's better value for your money.

HI Ganni,
I think that if you are simply performing the effect as "identifying who's card is who's" then there is possibly some merit in
the mixing. However, I beleive that presented this way you are missing a large part of the entertainment value of the effect.
I have performed the std Psuedo Phycometry
without actualy identifying the spectators
Just giving a reading based on the item and the vibrations you recieve from it(easy because you know who it belongs to) when you have done the reading ask who the item belongs to. then ask them what they thought of the reading.
check out
"The Mental Mysteries and other writings of william w larsen snr"
for great input on this effect
phillip

I too agree that mixing the blank cards up prior to the effect makes it look a lot like a trick, kind of mental magic and not mentalism any more.

However, rather than mixing them, if you feel you need prove that they have a free choice of any card at all and therefore marks would make no difference, why not simply have them go over to the table and retrive a card from the pile themselves. Don't say anything about free choice as it is now obvious they have a free choice. This is much more subtle. Just tell them all to go and retrieve a card.