This move is not so much a sleight as a feint.

Where is the first reference to after returning the deck to the case, you squeeze the sides of the case and stick the flap of the box under any number of cards on the top of the deck?

Thanks for your help.

Jeff Pierce

I don't know the answer, but I'm guessing the idea was commonly used within the context of "Card Through Handkerchief". If you can't get a direct answer to your question, I suggest looking up every single reference you can find for "Card Through Handkerchief" and see how far back you can trace the "flap between cards" concept.

There's an effect in The Encyclopedia of Card Tricks (1937) called "The Penetrating Cards" (p.338, Dover edition) where the flap idea is present, although it doesn't include the helpful tip of squeezing the box. I'm unsure whether this was in Gravatt's first edition, or if it was a later entry by Hugard.

Another place to look is Blackstone's Modern Card Tricks (1932). Gibson explains a boxed CTH trick there. I lost my copy so I can't look it up.

I'm sure earlier references exist somewhere. You can go as far back as Roterberg's New Era Card Tricks (1897) if you're determined enough (i.e. crazy). This is where searchable ebooks show their true value.

Thanks Craig, that's a place to start.

Jeff

In kinds of these questions with card cases you have take into account from which time on card cases are used for keeoing playing cards.
I wrote the manuscript ESCORIAL '97 CARD CASES (a subject of the Escorial cardician's meeting in 1997). In researching for that manuscript I found out that still in 1925 it was usual to sell the regular decks in paper wrappers, and only more expensive decks were sold in handmade boxes and special cases. I found the fist effects with card cases in the end of the 1920's.
So this gives you a limit of time for the move.
Reinhard