Trick of the Month – January 2012

What better way to start the new year than with some more great magic? Happy New Year!

We’ll start our recommendations with a trick which isn’t brand new, but we’ve been playing with it recently and like it a lot. Alice’s Revenge is Bob Farmer’s variation on the B’Wave/Twisted Sisters concept but in many ways looks cleaner.

Reset is very quick and there is lots to like about the method. I’m a bit of a fan of this type of packet trick and it rocks in at only £13.50.

Our second suggestion this month is not so much a trick as a way of adding an extra level of impossibility to your existing card effects. The Wonder Sealer does just what its name suggests and enables you to ‘factory seal’ a deck of cards which you have previously set up in whatever way you wish. Refills available. £39.99

Forgive us for a slightly different kind of recommendation to end with. The Magician and the Cardsharp (subtitled: The Search for America’s Greatest Sleight-Of-Hand Artist) is an intriguing ‘biography’ exploring the life of Dai Vernon and in particular his hunt for an elusive move ‘the centre deal’. Although the author is not a magician, he writes well on the subject and it gives a fascinating insight into the life and times of this great magician.

And if you just don’t fancy reading a book, then why not get yourself a deck of these beutiful Erdnase Limited Edition playing cards. Erdnase’s classic book was a key inspiration for Dai Vernon, and these cards pay homage to his time and elegance. £5.50 for a beautiful collectible deck.