Years ago, Sammy Smith included a charming version of this trick in an order. His mentor, Fetaque Sanders, had shown him his version. It was a Christmas-themed presentation, and used wrapping paper to make the bundle. I'd have to dig it out, but I remember that a penny turned into a dime, and that you gave the dime to the kid.

I just looked on Sammy's website, I don't think he has this available anymore.

Harry, thanks for the info on the Kindle version. I've already paid my $2.99 and downloaded it to my tablet. After a few pages I can tell it's going to be a great little book!

I love this modern world.

When it comes to selling the Buddha Papers to kids, what is, or has been, your selling approach?

A. it's done as a con, as something the kid/adult buys and then can't figure out how to work it

B. It is sold with instructions how to work it.

Mark Lewis says "The most famous buddha papers pitchman was Mickey McDougall otherwise known as the Card Detective."
Maybe some of you are aware of Mickey?

G'day Magicol!

I never met him, but I do remember reading about him when I was a teenager! He was well known as a "card guy", but, I never heard of his "prowess" with "the papers"!

Street pitchmen were "ubiquitous" in the Great Depression of the '30s. A lot of professional performers turned to pitching. --Hey! hamburgers were a nickel!

Al Flosso, literally got his start as a shill (more recent term: "stick")for a pitchman. The late Earl "PRESTO" Johnson pitched the Coin-Go.

The big illusion shows (Blackstone, Thurston,et al) pitched a "magic package" during intermission! It was called "inside money", and it "moved" the show down the road! Just a few years ago, Stan Kramien pitched "the mouse". Asked if it was worth it, He pointed to his bolo tie. (He wore a solid gold "mouse" bolo tie. It had diamonds for eyes!)

Every sideshow act ("working act, or feature freak) pitched something. It augmented their salary. The late Charlie Roark, vent and punch worker (I met him in the Ringling Side Show in '46) had a water pail full of quarters! He pitched "Ventrilos", the Swiss bird warbler.

There was even a pitchman's column in "Billboard".

I'm sure that more than one magician pitched Buddah Papers! --Like those sponge balls, easy and cheap to make up.

Frances Ireland Marshall told me of Jack Hurlbut. During the depression, he LIVED in his panel truck (a van nowadays). He would buy a sponge rubber mattress, which,of course, he slept on. He would park under a street light at night,and with a sharp pair of manicure scissors, he would "whittle" his mattress into sponge balls. He would sell the balls to Laurie Ireland (predecessor to Magic Inc.)Part of the income was living expenses, and part was put "aside" to buy a new mattress when the old one, due to the "whittling", became too small. He made it through the "Great Depression"!

Hey! The "Professor" (DAI VERNON) --a "fairly well known cardician", cut silhouettes for 25 cents!

I'm no pitchman and I have never sold buddha papers, but I would imagine that you would have a routine worked up with the papers that will draw in the buyer without giving away the secret and the papers come with a small printed card with a basic handling and perhaps a short routine, kind of like the Royal papers do.

I would be more interested in knowing the pitchman's routine with the papers.

Where can I find a decent routine with the buddah papers?
how would you pitch the paper to the public?

Dick, it's great you are sharing 'the old days".
This topic has got us readers involved!

A short thread re the Papers is at
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=192

and has a few ideas/sources for pitching by the look of it.

For the reader who isn't familiar with the Buddha Papers, the following YouTube video seems to be what spectators see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvJOFGS7Bt8

I watched a Penquin video and it seemed to miss the paper being turned over. Probably to entice the prospective buyers without revealing
the actual moves.

Somebody like to comment on that? I don't want to encourage off-topic comments, but who knows the ignorance [I say that kindly] of readers re the Buddha Papers?

I had not seen that earlier thread (I just =joined this show" in December '12)

Thanks for the referral! David Tower, whose pamphlet I referred to at the "top" of this thread, posted a comment on "your" thread, so he must still be "around". He had some very cute ideas in that booklet. If the papers appeal to you, you can't really go wrong, by buying his "monogtraph!

Hi Magicol!

I wonder what happened to "DICE"!!! (It's his "fault" that this thresd got started!

I've enjoyed reminiscing! I've only had time to watch one of those on the you tube. I'll come back with a comment when I've seen them all.

Regarding pitching this "little gem"... IMO, it's not as strong for a large tip as the Svengali or the Mouse. --Mainly, because it's hard for a large group to see the prop on a table top. But, over the counter in a magic shop (sadly, there are less and less shops!)it's a "winner".

It's 68 years since I met Buzz Worth on that carnie lot,but, I can still vividly remember walking down the midway after closing time, with him, and watching him make the nut for his meals every night! It was a good lesson for me as a 16 year old!

Some day on another thread, I'll talk about the late Roy Kissell and his family. Roy's dad had a real hustle! He not only got his Svengali stock for free, but, he even got the instructions printed for free! HIs only nut was the "privilege"!

Ok... I'm going to tip my mitt...

Folding and flipping all the papers, (the way the instructions tell you too!). When you display the buddha papers using the folding and flipping method, the papers all have the fold side down. You encorporate the flip into the fold so the paper is flipped as you unfold and flipped back as you fold it. There is a discrepency in the display of the gimmicked packet though. Either you don't flip it when folding it or you don't flip it when you open it up. You have to find a way to take the heat off of this moment. I doubt that many laymen would catch it. I have fooled people who know about the papers with this method, simply because they have never seen it done this way before. I had a magician friend of mine go, "hey! how did you do that? I never saw you flip the paper!"

With the other method you only flip the gimmick packet (this seems to be the way everyone learns it)... The papers are stored and folded flap side up on all the papers. When you fold there is no flipping of any packet. You do have to flip the gimmick, so you have to find a way of doing this without being detected... For example (using the supplied routine with the Royal Papers): you open all the papers and ask to borrow a dollar, you fold the dollar and place it into the papers and fold them up stopping before the last paper, pick up the gimmick packet and point to the spectator with it and ask them if seeing a magic trick is worth a quarter, when thier eyes meet yours to answer, immediately flip the paper and place it back in the last paper and continue with the trick.

Why is the first method not taught or done more? I can't say for sure but I think it is because the first method is discarded as not being natural by magicians. This would be true if you fold up the paper and /then/ flip it instead of flipping as you fold. It could be to throw off those who have read the instructions and are aware of the folding and flipping method. Then again, perhaps no one bothers to read the instructions and just do it the way the demonstrator has taught them.

Finally, you can throw off the wise guys by making your own papers with more ordinary paper... use packing paper, resume paper, and newspaper to make a set of papers... take out the last paper so you only do three folds instead of four. Think of a backstory in your mind of why you are wrapping something in the papers... perhaps it's for storage, to protect a precious photo, or even for use as a temorary wallet. You don't have tell the spectator why, but if you know why then you will convey that with your actions.

Hope this helps.

Brother Shadow had some work on this trick. I thought about using comic book pages.

I've always wanted Brother Shadow's book on the papers... Do you know where I can find a copy?

Here is the title of Carl Herron a.k.a. Brother Shadow's book on the papers: The Papers of Gautama Siddhartha.

There were Four routines in the book:
1. The Fountain of Youth
2. The Elf's Gift (for kids)
3. The Man Who Could See Your Soul
4. A Mystery Solved

The book also included detailed instruction on the construction of the papers.

I don't have this book. I would love to have it in some format... Perferable the original but PDF would be ok... I am especially intrested in the routines. If any one can help me I would be forever greatful.

That sounds most interesting, misterbill!

This is becoming an intriguing thread!

Http://www.dragonskull.co.uk/shadowbook3.htm

Ah you ran up the same blind alley I have.
If you look at this page: http://www.dragonskull.co.uk/books.htm
you will see that his books are now collectable but no longer available, the listing is a reference guide in case you have a chance to buy second hand copies...

I'm no expert, but perhaps you can confirm a theory of mine. The papers in and of themselves are merely a utility device. Learing the mechanics of how they work and the subtleties involved with the display of the device is not enough to make it appear to be more than a puzzle, to appear magical it requires a proper routine and presentation.

You understand!

The little subtleties in the handling and display, are, of course, a factor, (here comes the "but"!) but, the performer and his presentation, are always much more important than the prop!

A change bag could accomplish the same effect, but the papers are so innocent!