We at Stevens Magic Emporium have enjoyed sponsoring and seeing some great local talent over the years… Many of which have gone on to be successful and respected in the filed of magic and or other professional areas. Many of these people that have been successful in non-related magic fields, like Dr. Nick Saint-Erne, frequently credit the art of magic for helping them along the way, and most importantly never move away from the art. Alexander Pierce is our most recent aspiring local talent. He’s made an strong impression on both myself and Joe because he has great respect for historical performers form the past. He has admitted he has found more diamonds viewing videos from the Greater Magic Video Library along with a tremendous amount of other video’s that were produced from that era. He’s an extremely respectable and equally talented young man and performer and it makes us very happy to have someone like Alex here at Stevens Magic Emporium. I have asked him to put together a few of his favorite routines to share and below is one that we all hope you will enjoy – Mark Stevens

Origin: When I was playing around with using the “Melt Wallet” I developed the idea to incorporate the smart phone. In doing so I thought if I put the concept that the magic was do to the smart phone it would take away from the face that there could be something to the cards in the wallet. I like the idea of using the smart phone and in my opinion when you can borrow an object especially a person’s phone and use it to create a visual peace of magic it helps boost your credibility as a magician. I hope you like this routine and may find a time where you perform it.

Effect: Two cards are selected and then predictions are found in a Card Wallet that matches the two selected cards. Then one of the predictions is removed from the wallet and placed face up on the screen of a borrowed “smart” phone, the phone and card are placed face down. The second prediction is removed from the wallet and rubbed above the camera on the back of the phone. Then the second prediction card is shown to be blank and the smart phone is removed from the first prediction card and the face of the second card has been printed on the back of the first card. Thus this shows that smart phones are capable of the impossible, even transferring and stamping cards.

Needed: A pack of Playing Cards and A Melt Wallet (available @ your favorite magic dealer)

Method: Firstly you need to acquire a “Melt Wallet” and learn its workings. Second you need to learn how to force two cards to the participant (you may force two cards to separate people) I have found it more effective to just force two cards to a single participant. The force I use is found in 101 ways of forcing pamphlet and is printed many other places.
Bring into sight the “Melt Wallet” and have it held (if it is held by someone remind them not to open the wallet until they are asked as not to spoil the effect) or place the wallet aside then ask if you may borrow a phone from someone make sure the screen of the phone is larger than the playing cards inside the wallet. Now began by forcing the cards to the participant. You have the two cards to be forced on top of the pack. Two separate piles are dealt by the participant have them deal down as many cards as they wish. Then have them count each pile face down to ascertain how many cards are in each pile. (The amount in each pile is trivial) It can be used to take the heat of the fact you are forcing the cards. Mention to the participant that there is not any way you could know how many cards were dealt into each pile. If dealt and counted correctly the cards to be forced should be at the top of each pile. Now have the tops of each pile turned over as to reveal the two selections. Have the wallet opened to show you have in fact predicted the two cards they have in each pile. Then using the melt wallet remove the cards, starting with the card on the right hand side place it on the screen of the phone face up and then together phone and card turn them screen down making sure that the phone covers the entirety of the first card. Then remove the second card from the wallet with the back of the wallet and card towards the participant. Take the second card and run it back and forth over the camera of the phone a few times and then show the card to be blank. Press down on the phone for a few seconds then remove the phone from the card showing that the face of the blank card has indeed been printed on the back of the card under the phone. Then calmly place both cards back into the wallet as not to expose the secret workings of the “Melt Wallet” (I am sorry about the vagueness of the description of the wallet I do not want to give away too much of its inner workings before you purchase it.)

Performance:
“If you could take this pack of cards and please deal down two piles till you feel the urge to stop (the participant does so) Great! Now if you would please take a guess as to how many cards we have in each stack. If you could I would like you to count each pile face down to see how many cards we have in each. (Audience member does this) sir/ma’am was there anyway either one of us could have known how many cards would end up in each pile? (Magician removes melt wallet from pocket and places it near the stacks of cards) Inside this wallet I have made two predictions one for each stack of cards you have dealt. Now it would be amazing if the two cards I have selected and placed into this wallet match the tops of each stack of cards we have in front of us. (Wait for response) please turn over the top of each pile. (As magician shows the predictions in the wallet) now that was amazing but I will attempt a peace of magic here that I hope you find incredible now I do have two predictions in this wallet I would like you to choose just one.(always using the card to the right of the wallet via a magicians force) Great now if I may borrow your phone please it would be appreciated now I will take this card(naming whatever that card is) and place it on the screen here now I will take the phone and turn it over no taking the second card(again naming the second card) I will place it over the camera and run it along like a scanner. I bet you didn’t know that the new smart phones where scanner, fax, copiers, even printers I will give an example of what I mean if I rub face down with this card it then vanishes leaving this side blank and reappears (Well pushing down on the phone as if stamping the image of this card) on to the back of the second card (lift the phone present the fact the face of the blank card has now been printed on the back of the card under the phone) I hope this is a little closer to proving that smart phones maybe capable of anything, thank you.” (Or develop your own patter this was just an idea of a way the routine could be presented.)

Hope you enjoy this routine! Alexander Pierce