Comments: Illustrated by Richard Kaufman. Edited & Designed by Adam Fleischer. There were 6 volumes in the NY Magic Symposium collection. The books include material submitted by participants in the symposium, held in the 1980’s. Although most of the material is close up magic, there are a few stage and parlor type items. Each volume has some good material, and represents an interesting look at magic in the 80’s. The last volume was to be Collection #6, but instead was published as Spectacle, by Stephen Minch.

Contents:

9 Introduction: about the event and the book
11 Foreword: intro to the book by Kaufman

13 Part I Performers
14 Paul Harris B&W Photo
15 Torn and Restored Mentalist (Paul Harris): a torn off section of a card case is used to write a prediction. The flap is used to stab the deck and finds the two matching selections. Finally, the flap with written prediction is restored to the card case
19 Three Fourth (Paul Harris): a corner is torn off a card, and the card is added to the deck. Torn corner is also added to the deck, and the corner and torn card instantly change places. Used as a lead in to Paul’s Ultimate Rip Off from Super Magic
22 Michael Ammar B&W photo
23 Squeeze Play (Michael Ammar): Surprise ending to some other routine to show magician uses a crooked deck. Uses a “crooked” Z shaped playing card deck and a close up papd.
25 Kointakey (Michael Ammar): Improved handling of J.B. Bobo effect. A half dollar penetrates from inside the pocket and then turns into a key
28 David Roth B&W photo
29 Funnel (David Roth): simplified handling version, performed seated (lapping). 3 Coins are dropped through a funnel where one shrinks and falls through the spout. Now 2 coins are dropped in and one more changes. Last full size coin is examined again. It is dropped into the funnel but doesn’t change. Shrunk coins are dropped in and out pours 2 full sized coins again.
32 Chinese Coin Surprise (David Roth): climax to short one coin routine results in production of large, 8″ Chinese coin
34 Daryl B&W Photo
35 OverwhElmsley Aces (Daryl): Aces are removed from deck and placed face down on top. They are dealt to the table. Three more cards are dealt onto one of the Aces as selected by the spectator. The other three Aces are returned to the deck. Suddenly all he indifferent cards turn to Aces.
37 Passing a Sandwich (Daryl): Two red Kings are removed from deck and placed face up. Face card, such as 4 Hearts, is magician’s card. Spectator selects another card, and sandwiches it between the Kings in the middle of the deck. Deck is turned face up, and magician’s card is removed and thrust quickly in and out of the deck, where it changes to the spectator’s card. When the deck is spread, the face down card between the Kings is found to be the magician’s selection.
40 Fantasio B&W Photo
41 Silk Through Glass (Fantasio): a silk is placed in a glass, and a larger silk covers the glass and is sealed with a rubber band. The silk is pulled through the bottom of the glass.
43 Fantastic Chip Turnover (Fantasio): method to apparently show both sides of a two color poker chip or C/S coin
44 Derek Dingle B&W photo
45 Cornered Bill In Cigarette (Derek Dingle): torn bill vanishes and is actually found inside a cigarette. Teaches a bill exchange and a cigarette switch
49 The Card for Head Trick (Derek Dingle): A card is selected and returned to the top half of the deck. The magician shows how the trick is done, as the card should be next to the bottom of the upper half. He has the spectator find the card. When she fails, she will look up and see the card on the magician’s forehead!
51 John Cornelius B&W Photo
52 Spring Set (John Cornelius): a flourishy card revelation: it pops up and turns over on top of the deck
55 Armed and Ready (John Cornelius): Quarter catching stunt is shown with right arm. When performed with the left, the quarters change to pennies!
58 Levent B&W photo
59 Instant Continuous Fan Production (Levent): pure sleight of hand flourish
60 Larry Becker B&W photo
61 Larry Becker (Delayed Reverse): spectator selects a card and returns it to the deck, which is cut. the spectator is asked to cut to his card two times, which fails. Next, the spectator is given the face up deck and asked to pretend to remove one card and reverse it. When the deck is spread, one card is reversed: the selection!
64 Slydini B&W Photo
65 The Slydini Second Deal (Slydini): all condition second deal
68 Krezel’s Natural Grip Method (Ken Krenzel): a variation on the grip and take

69 Part II Guest Contributors
71 The Hofzinser Ace Tunnel (Richard Kaufman): Four Aces are removed and tabled. Selection is made and returned to deck. Aces are gathered, and inserted sideways into the deck. Spectator is asked to state Ace with same suit as selected card. Instantly that Ace reverses itself. Spectator is told at the same time that her card has reversed itself in the deck. However, when found, the reversed card is seen to be the Ace. When the Ace is turned over it is the selection
74 Generally More Specifically (Richard Kaufman): Universal card plot, impromptu
75 Schizophrenia (Tom Mullica): performer places a match in the mouth and strikes a cigarette to light it, which, of course, just ruins the cigarette. Match is removed and another match and cigarette are obtained. Match is lit, and burning end is placed in the mouth. Smoke emits from the nose as performer realizes 2nd mistake. Undaunted, the cigarette is now pushed up the nose. An ustruck match is now removed from the mouth, and the cigarette is recovered from the rear. Match is struck and cig is placed in the mouth. Match just smokes, and cig taste awful as performer realizes filter end is out. Finally, a Zippo lighter with a match inside is pulled out. Performer makes one more attempt at lighting but ends up with another match in the mouth rather than a cigarette. Finally, a lit cig is produced from the coat.
78 A Fitting Climax (Edward Marlo): A coin is placed under each card in a square formation and the coins vanish. Ending to a coin assembly routine
81 In View Card In Envelope (Edward Marlo): freely selected and signed card appears in a sealed envelope that has been in full view of the audience
86 Vanishing Oil and Water (Jon Racherbaumer): 8 cards shown with a red and black mix. Four are removed and remaining shown to be still mixed. They are then shown to be all reds. They are flexed and shown to be now alll blank. Four discarded cards are shown to be all blank
89 Kelly Reverse (Gene Maze): Instant reverse of a selected card
91 Anytime Ultra Mental (Russel Barnhart): Performer reverses one card in the deck. Spectator thinks of a card and performer spreads the deck to reveal the previosly reversed card and turns it over to reveal the selection.
95 Sign of Four (Roy Walton): 8 card is removed for later. Cards are dealt into 3 packets, with Aces removed and placed over them on the table. Spectator turns over the three tabled packets. Aces are placed into the deck as the deck is reassembled. The 8 card is now revealed and another card is announced to be reversed in the deck: a four. This makes the magic number 12, so 12 cards are placed between the 4 and the 8. Deckis shuffled twice (perfect straddle faros) and only four cards now appear between the two cards: they are the 4 Aces!