Seven Keys to Baldpate

The magician presents a padlock and seven keys. A spectator is invited forward and proves that only one of the seven keys actually opens the lock. Once all the keys have been placed in a paper bag, six other spectators are invited forward and each of them selects a key from the paper bag. The magician then proceeds to successfully reveal which spectator has the one key that opens the lock.


The only props needed are an ordinary padlock, seven ordinary keys of which only one opens the lock and lastly and ordinary paper bag is needed. This is obtainable from any hardware store.

The teaching in this is excellent and there are no difficult moves to learn. The impact of this effect does, however, rely on the presentation. There is a couple of suggestion as to how you could present it, but this effect is a canvas on which you can paint your own personality and creativity.

In my opinion this is a really powerful effect, but I caution you to only perform this if you have a good story to go with it, else this effect will fail. There a lot of other versions out there, all of which uses either gimmicked locks or a change bag. This one really only uses ordinary props.

Seven Keys to Baldpate works well for a stand-up/parlour performance.

Sounds like they have simply changed Max Maven's Kurotsuke effect to keys, to add to the myriad versions of this classic plot.

I think Ted Annemanne, the premire mentalist of modern times lived and performed years before Max Maven was born. I believe "7 keys to Baldpate" is explained in his book "13 Steps to Mentalism" a book every mentalist should have as their bible of work.

Except that Annemann had nothing to do with "13 Steps To Mentalism" which was written by Tony Corinda some two decades after Annemann's death. BTW, Annemann's name does not end with an "e." (Two things every mentalist should know.)

Annemann's "PRACTICAL MENTAL EFFECTS" and Tony Corinda's "13 Steps to Mentalism" should be on every mentalist's shelf if for nothing else respect to icons or if you need a more practical reason not to be embarassed if their names are dropped and you are clueless. 7 Keys to Baldpate was his published in Jinx, I believe.

I am thinking that with a lock that looks old enough I could work this one into my medieval/renaissance show.

-Max

I purchased this manuscript to see how the handling differs from other methods I am familiar with, and while nothing that unusual, it is a bit different. In the end, though I went for a Hemingway Lock from Collectors Workshop. The real underlying problem is that it is a trick that comes across as a game, and unless you can make the game interesting and engaging, it can fail miserably. I use the theme of thought control/influence and most of the time it gets a good reaction. Venue is important here, too. I prefer the way Max Maven does it onstage with several spectators sitting in chairs for a lengthy part of his show.

So does 7 keys to Baldpate follow the Max Maven method, or is there something new to learn?

Depends on the version, but I think most of the "7 Keys to Baldpate" methods do not use the Kurotsuke method. Annemann had at least a few methods published, Corinda has 2 in 13 steps, there's at least one in Tarbell that I found. There are several versions with gimmicked locks (many of them expensive but offering you some pretty amazing control over the lock) several that use other gimmicks for the keys (Annemann's original is one such), and several that are completely gimmick free. Max Maven published a version of it in "Verbal Control" and "Multiplicity" as well. There is definitely something new to learn if all you know is Kurotsuke, but most of these are older than Max himself, or at least published before he began performing. My personal favorite is the Hen Fetsch version (ungimmicked), but YMMV. Good news is that collecting the various methods can be done on the cheap, as almost all of them are in books that are available as cheap ebooks.

A good source for info on this is Jim Kleefelds book "Locked".

Mark Strivings is also very knowledgeable on the subject.

I also have several versions of the effect.

There are many ways it is accomplished to be honest.

-J-

The best version of Seven Keys to Baldpate was 7th Key, released by the late David Deval. Completely in the hands of the spectator!

Looks impressive "JBD" ...
though quite a large lock, I believe

It is quite a large lock compared to Key-R-Rect. The David Deval 7th Key padlock is appoximately 4 inches in height and 2.75 inches at its widest width.

One thing with this lock the performer never touches the lock in performance. Once the spectator chooses the right key out of the seven keys and opens the lock, all keys can be tested. The performer still has not touched the lock one key works six do not. This is an advantage over the Kurotsuke method, although Kurotsuke is cheaper and still works. I prefer the self working David Deval route.

I was a good friend of the late David DeVal for the last six years of his life. He had performed his 7th Key effect for me, and I was amazed at the clean working. I never asked how it was made. I thought I knew a thing or two about lock mechanisms, but this one had me puzzled. Fast forward about four years, and David was too unwell to fill orders for his locks. He asked me to do them for him, and sent me some rough sketches of the work. I made the first one in his workshop under his supervision. He was satisfied, and I was amazed at the method. It was ingenious. Over the next two years I produced all David's locks. I stopped when he passed. I inherited his notes, locks keys, tools etc., but not his genius.

I am now retired, but have just agreed to do one more DeVal Seventh Key as a special, following a request from the US.

It will be the last from me. They are fiddly to do right.

Happy memories.

Nice to see Riley is keeping David Devals products at the forefront! I have a few items from David Deval, which are well made quality makes of lock. There are still good current makers of padlock effects today for example, Mick Hanzlik locks.

Although some padlock effects have been produced using in my mind unbranded inferior padlocks, which the general public are unfamiliar with the brand, which at times convinces the spectator the lock is suspicious.

What is the value today of a MINT De Val 7th key with all keys? (I own one and woild like to know.)

It seems to me that the method used in Charles Gauci's "Body Language" might work quite well for the effect being discussed here. Gauci uses a cloth bag instead of a paper one and 5 balls instead of 7 keys, but ... well, if you know how Gauci figures out who selects the 1 gold ball from among the 4 black ones, you'll get what I mean. (If not, PM me, and we can discuss it further.)