STAGE SPONGES
Here's a great item by the late great Billy McComb. Here's what Terry Seabrooke said when this first became available. "Once again Billy McComb has done it!!! He has taken the Sponge Balls and made a routine suitable for close-up, cabaret and even stage, with entertainment at the highest level. No set-ups, no bulging pockets, just a trick with gags and magic for the modern audience. I have seen him work this in close-up and stage at the Magic Castle & the reaction is just terrific. You now have in your hands a routine which you will be able to work under any conditions & you will be delighted with your efforts - get those sponge balls out & try it. You will have something in your act you will be proud of." Includes Billy's own patter and gags.

TORN & RESTORED SIGNED CARD
Again, a complete routine including gags for a Torn & Restored Signed card that can't be beat. McComb included all his patter, & all the moves in this booklet and he eliminated all the problems normally associated with this trick which enables you to give 100% to the presentation. "Tip-in" illustration by Billy.

TORN & RESTORED NAPKIN
Here is a great Torn and Restored Napkin routine which you can do at any time, at any venue. As always, Billy included patter, handling, and illustrations for easy learning.

PAPER BALLS OVER THE HEAD
A routine with patter which you can include in your own act. Includes a history of the paper balls as told by William, patter and complete routine.

Inspired by the late great Sid Lorraine's original Moon Rock, this item has been unavailable for many years. We are re-introducing it with our unique design and handling, making it a winner in the close-up or walk-around circuit.

Turning from a strange looking rock into a piece of Swiss cheese, it resets by one easy move in under a second. Presented in a tongue in cheek manner, it’s great for breaking the ice. It establishes you as a zany off the wall character who is going to be a lot of fun!

Another booklet from "Lenier’s Lair" which contains 14 different effects of both mentalism & mindreading including tests of psychometry, predictions, mind control, fortune reading and much more. As Jules says, "Mentalism is a money maker. It always was and probably will be until the day that science makes a breakthrough and everybody can really read everybody else’s mind". And there you have it! All the effects use a minimum of apparatus. Chapter 1 is entitled "Four Ideas for the Mentalist who is Completely Unprepared".

Mentalistic: Folios I, II and III by Jules Lenier
Reviewed by Donald Bevan, Abracadabra Number 2683

These three booklets averaging 12 A5 pages each, contain mental card tricks. Except number three which has one card trick which turns into a pretty neat book test, and ESP routine and an effect with two gaffed coins.

Folio I opens with ‘Mindabililty’ a hairy favourite, the old, old 21 card trick. Except that there are subtleties here to throw anyone (laymen who may know it in particular) off the scent. Enough to produce a stunned reaction when a chosen card is named, under seemingly impossible circumstances. This is good. For a bit of fun, ‘Two Heads Are Better Than One’ involves two spectators, a deck of cards and two ‘invisible’ dice. The dice are ‘rolled’ and cards matching the number thrown placed into a spectator’s pocket. This number determines the choice of card from the rest of the deck - which by elimination turns up unexpectedly despite repeated shuffles and cuts. The final item in the Folio is ‘I’ll Get Them All’. Thirteen cards passed among spectators are remembered. Shuffled into the deck and the deck pocketed, random cards are immediately produced from the pocket on demand. No indexes! Easily learned and the routine easy to do. Strong enough to close your act!

Folio II begins with ‘Mirror Image’, a marketed effect from 1975 which, like the other routines in this Folio requires a set-up, cleverly disguised using the ‘Stay Stack’ principle. In playing with this you could even amaze yourself at the results! ‘Just Think’ is just that - a spectator thinks of a card and you name it. As simple as that? Well, perhaps not quite because there is a bit of work to do, but it’s a routine to make people stop and think! Item three, ‘Twins’ matches two selections in the fairest manner, then hits your audience with a double climax.

Folio III invites the reader to search among that box of odd gimmicks every magician has stored away. ‘The Mind’s Eye’ uses a double-faced card for a simple but effective book test; ‘I-Ching Prediction’ involves a tale of fate and double-sided coins with audience participation. ‘Your Mind Is Mine’ needs double-face and double-back ESP cards ofr a startling revelation.

If you can overhand shuffle, in and out-job, undercut and ‘throw’, you can do all the effect in these books. Even if not, then Jules Lenier gives simple instruction where needed.