Bertram, Ross: Magic and Methods of Ross Bertram ©1978 Magic Limited - Lloyd E. Jones Hardcover, w/dj, 163 pages

Image courtesy Bryan-Keith Taylor

Comments: Well illustrated with lots of B&W graphics; Photography by Helen and Ross Bertram. Magic and Methods contains a lot of magic, a bit for everyone. Some of the magic is quite advanced, but a lot is within reach of most, and some are quite simple. Well written, entertaining stories, and well thought out effects. Highly recommended.

Contents:

vii Acknowledgments (Dai Vernon, Faucett Ross, others)
ix Foreword by Ross Bertram
xv Introductions by Dai Vernon, Faucett W. Ross
xvii Early Bertram by David Drake (lengthy biography)

1 Chapter 1: Coin Magic Part One
2 Knotty-Knotty: Copper or Silver coin penetrates handkerchief held by spectator 2, and vanishes to reappear in handkerchief held by spectator 1.
6 Devaluation: A coin roll is performed several times, and half changes to dime with hand empty. Dime then vanishes
7 Yank A Hank: a coin placed on a handkerchief disappears when the handkerchief is yanked away. The handkerchief is tied in a knot, and the coin appears inside the knot. (impromptu)
9 The Diamond Penny: Dime and Penny using ordinary coins
10 Copper and Silver Transposition: C/S transpose, one travels to the other hand, then vanish!
12 Gold and Silver: Dime and penny transpose
13 The Money Changer: Half Dollar changes to English Penny and back again several times
16 The Porous Paw: Coin penetrates the hand
17 A Trio of Vanishes: each appears the same, but works differently
19 Rubdown: Half rubbed into the table, vanishes, and appears in other hand. Half rubbed again, turns into a dime, and forty cents is found under other hand.
20 Eleven Cents: Dime is placed on palm to join penny already there, but when hand is opened, dime is gone while other hand is shown quite empty. Penny is picked up and replaced, and dime appears
21 Through the Hand: coin is cleanly shown in left hand, which is turned over fist down. Right hand rubs back of left hand, and coin penetrates up.
23 Double Cross: Copper/Silver transpose in separated hands, then one joins the other
24 Ten to One: a dime is stretched into a silver dollar
25 Twenty One Cents: performed impromptu using regular coins
26 Four Coins Go: use of a coin vanisher
27 Coins Through the Table: Four coins pass through table to join four coins in other hand

29 Chapter Two Coin Magic Part Two
29 The Metamorphic Coin: A half dollar inserted into the fist turns into an English Penny
30 A Penny-Tration: English Penny passes through back of hand
31 The Penetrating Coni Method #2: As above, only one coin used
32 The Penny Pincher: English Penny held at fingertips is vanished instantly, and is plucked from the air.
34 Fifty Two Cents: A C/S routine including the Bertram Turn Over Switch
37 Coin Assembly: four coins placed in a matrix assemble under one card
41 The Slap Vanish: Coin vanishes as slapped audibly into the palm
42 A Coin in a Tumbler: impromptu coin passes through bottom of glass
43 Passing the Half Bucks: Three coins pass to the other hand, on the fourth attempt, the three coins join the first instead
46 The Vanishing Props or Twelve Silver Dollars: a story about Dai Vernon and his magic props
46 The Squeeze-Away Coin: a half dollar is slowly squeezed into nothing, hand is empty, and then reappears
48 Fifty-Fifty: Two Fifty cent pieces are shown, one changes into a quarter
51 Hush Money: Two half dollars placed into the fist turn into a dollar bill; with optional finish
54 Cash In Hand: Four halves are produced from the fist. Both hands shown empty after each production
56 Bertram's Best: 6 coins across routine

59 Chapter Three Card Magic
59 S.W. Erdnase: short essay about The Expert at the Card Table
59 Vernon Card Change: an in-the-air card change
61 A Nice Card Trick: another story about Dai Vernon
61 The Pivot Change: a card changes while pivoted at the fingertips
63 The Pay Off (Card in Wallet): uses regular wallet with zipper compartment. A prediction is wrong, and the payoff is made, with the card (could be signed) found in the zippered compartment. The main detail is the well illustrated wallet load.
65 In the Drink: yet another anecdote
66 Bertram's One Hand Card Change: another change, card held by thumb and fingertips
67 An Effective Top Change
68 Doc Daley's Card In the Wallet: How to prepare a Prince Gardner style wallet.
70 The Blackstone "Birdcage" Card Vanish: The vanish and reappearance of a card in a similar fashion of the Birdcage vanish
71 Harry Blackstone: Anecdote
72 The Cards to Pocket: Ten cards. Five phases with wind up.

79 Chapter Four: At the Card Table
79 Background: intro to gambling lectures
79 T.V. Gambling Interviews: knowing your subject
80 The Allen Kennedy Center Deal by Dai Vernon
82 Never Too Young: another Dai Vernon anecdote
82 Bertram's Square Up Invisible Pass
84 Bottom Steal and Recovery: hold out
84 Bertram's Hold Out Palm: hold out
87 A Cut to Retain Bottom Stock #1
88 A Cut to Retain Bottom Stock #2
89 True Dedication: Charlie Miller/Fawcett anecdote
89 The Waterford Crystal Tumblers: another anecdote

90 Chapter Five General Magic
90 The Salt Trick: the salt pour using a gimmick
92 Broken and Restored Cigarette
95 The Impromptu Broken and Restored Cigarette: uses only one cigarette
96 The Broken and Restored Cigarette (Psychological Method): impromptu, one cigarette
98 The Broken and Restored Cigarette (Once More): uses one and a half
99 Again, the Broken and Restored Cigarette: with lighter
102 Bertram's Bill in Cigarette: burnt bill ends up in cigarette
105 Bertram's Bill Tear: using one bill
106 The Egyptian Ball - Bertram Style: Red ball in silk changes places with white ball in goblet
109 The Egg Bag: Tarbell Style. Wooden egg vanishes in bag, then reappears. Egg vanishes on outside of bag and reappears. The egg is placed in the pocket, then removed and put in the bag, where it turns into a lemon.
113 With a Ring: Borrowed finger ring ends up in sealed box handed to spectator. No gimmicked box.
114 The Ring in the Box: an interesting anecdote
115 My Favorite Drink: Impromptu. An empty tumbler is covered with a handkerchief and becomes filled with a drink
116 My Rope Tie Routine: a comedy routine. The volunteer who ties the magician is never aware that the magician has free use of his hands, although the magician gestures throughout the performance.
118 Look, It's a Real Rabbit: Paper rabbits are torn from a newspaper and crumpled up, from which a real rabbit appears.
120 The New Oriental Act: Anecdote

122 Chapter Six About Sleeving
122 From the Palm Proper: the sleeve and the retrieval
123 Sleeving From the Clenched Fist
123 The Toss-Back From the Fingertips
124 From Left Palm to Right Sleeve
124 As a Transformation
124 Off The Table Method
125 The Drop
125 The Pumpkin Seed Vanish
126 The Reverse Pumpkin Seed
126 The Toss Up
126 The Finger Snap
127 Toss From Left Fingers to Right Sleeve
127 From the Closed Hand
127 Some Helpful Hints

129 Chapter Seven Francis Carlyle: a tribute
129 Francis Carlyle: Short biography
129 The Blindfold Act: an overview description of Carlyle's approach to this act, not a full routine
131 Carlyle and Ross: anecdote
131 Carlyle and Carlyle: anecdote
132 The Cups and Balls: Use large cups for baby chick loads. Does not provide the entire cups and balls routine, focus is on the ending. 8 chicks are produced and placed in the pockets or in the Doctor's bag used. Some good comedy is included. Routine then goes into an audience participation section starting as a sponge ball routine but ending in baby chicks produced from the spectator's pockets.
136 Helpful Hints: Where to get chicks, what to feed them, how to palm them, and so forth
137 The Chicken Story: anecdote

138 Chapter Eight Paul Fox
139 Easy Lite Cigarettes: secretly lighting a cigarette
139 Smokeless Cigarettes: cigars disguised
139 Reading the Cards: while blindfolded
140 The Thumb Tie: How to do the tie
142 The Paul Fox Rising Cards (Danny Dew Version): how to construct and use
144 The Candy Bowl: anecdote
144 Cashing a Cheque: a check is written, wrapped in tissue, lighted, and turns into a bill

147 Chapter Nine Count Me In
147 T. Nelson Downs' Masterpiece: Four halves are vanished one at a time from the loose right hand, and reappear just as cleanly.
149 The Downs' Gimmick: anecdote with Dai Vernon
150 Oil and Water by Danny Dew: Using a packet of eight (9) cards
152 Sympathetic Silks by Howard Huntington: Howard's routine
153 Emil Jarrow by Danny Dew: Introduction to Emil Jarrow
154 Nickel and Dime or Penny Routine (Jarrow): Comedic routine for changing a penny to a nickel in the spectator's hand
155 The Evolution of an Egg by Max Sterling and Harry Schilling: Egg on Fan routine

159 Chapter Ten Historical Bits
159 The Rhythm Count: for any sleight
159 Toss Vanish of a Thimble: application of above
160 Origin of the Salt Trick
161 The Brain Wave Deck: using a special case
161 Erdnase Illustrator: Anecdote
162 Good News! Anecdote
162 Living Silhouettes: Anecdote