Lewis Ganson: Complete Routines Manipulation
Ganson, Lewis: Complete Routined Manipulation
©1981 Lewis Ganson, Supreme Magic Co., Bideford, Devon, England
Hardcover, w/dj, 505 pages
Lewis Ganson Complete Routined Manipulcation
Image courtesy eBay seller jackie_ford

Comments: a compilation of Ganson's Routined Manipulation Parts 1, 2, and Finale.

Contents (copied from the individual books, page numbers do not reflect this compilation):

Routined Manipulation Part I

4 Preface: by Lewis Ganson

5 Presentation of Manipulation: Essay introduction
6 The Performer: personality, dress & appearance, care and use of the hands, speech, behavior, make-up
11 His Outside Aids: Stage setting, lighting, music, apparatus
14 Technical Ability

16 The Production of Lighted Cigarettes: introduction
16 Requirements and Preparation: cigarette droppers, cigarettes, hollow pipe & cigar, lighted match from shoe
18 Manipulations
18 - The Thumb-palm
19 - To Switch a Cigarette
20 - Aquitment With a Lighted Cigarette
21 - Another Production
21 - A Vanish & Recovery
23 - A Triple Production
24 - Through the Knees
24 - Multiple Production
25 The Routine: in 8 stages

29 How Right You Are: Stop card trick, originally using a Svengali deck but updated for rough & smooth
29 The Rough and Smooth Pack
30 To Show the Cards All Different
30 To Shuffle the Cards
31 The Force
31 To Take Two Cards As One
32 The Routine: in four phases

36 Koran Torn and Restored Newspaper: Uses a tabloid size paper and needs a metal strip.
36 Preparation and Requirements
37 Performance
40 Notes

41 Fan Finale: Card fan flourishes
41 The Double Pack: cards to use and preparation
42 Performance
42 The First Fan
42 Closing the Giant Fan
43 The Second Fan
43 The Colour Changing Giant Fan
44 Splitting the Fans
46 To Close the Fans
46 The Single Handed Giant Fans
47 The Circle of Cards
48 The Routine: in 8 stages

50 Crazy Fans: a close up fan routine
50 Preparation
50 The Weave
51 To Alter the Angle of the Packs
51 To Make a Giant Fan
51 Possible Angles For the Packs
52 The Routine

54 Multiplying Lighted Candles: up to 8 candles produced
54 The Apparatus: describes gimmick by Unique Magic Studio, but adaptable to other brands
54 Preparing the Apparatus
55 The Size of the Flames
55 The Holder
55 Manipulation: for right and left hand
58 Suggestions For Routines
58 - Routine No. 1: four candles
59 - Routine No. 2: eight candles
60 - Routine No. 3: eight candles
60 Notes

61 Fred Robinson Explains
61 The Invisible Riffle Pass: top and bottom of deck is transposed during what appears to be a riffle
62 The Bottom Deal: uses a more natural method of holding the deck

65 The Walnut Shells and Pea: Three Shell Game routine
65 The Shells
65 The Pea
65 The Working Surface
65 The Basic Move
66 The Kick Steal
67 The Finger on the Shell
68 The Routine: in four phases
69 Notes
69 Additional Sleights for the Walnut Shells and Pea
69 - To Steal the Pea
70 - The Tea Cup
70 - Pic-a-Back
70 - The Spread

71 Gambler's Luck: a Four Kings routine with a Four Ace poker hand
71 Effect
71 Preparation
71 Presentation and Patter

74 Ken Brooke's Cups and Balls: As explained by Ken Brooke
74 Set Up: usual set of cups, three cork balls, and an onion
74 Working: a 24-step routine

80 The Egg on Fan: paper visibly changes to an egg when bounced on a fan.
80 Preparation
81 Performance
81 How to Prepare the Egg Skin

83 Card Production Supreme: cards produced from the hand, even with the fingers spread.
83 Method for Holding the Cards
84 To Change The Cards From One Hand to Another
84 To Interlock the Fingers
85 To Bring the Cards Into the Back Palm Position
85 To End a Back and Front Palm Card Routine

87 Matchic: Adapted from Hans Kaiser routine, a paddle routine using wooden matches
87 Requirements: two wooden matches specially prepared and an optional holder
87 Routine: in 5 stages

89 Readapack: Performer can reveal the next card cut, can be repeated and uses a non-gaffed deck; uses the Glimpse
89 Performance

91 My Name - Your Name:
91 Effect: Adaptation of Dr. Daley's "Ad Lib Spelling" card trick
91 Method
92 Performance and Patter

93 Magic With Coins: from the weekly "Abracadabra", first two sleights based on work by T. Nelson Downs.
93 Sleight No. 1: The "Ace" of coin productions. Four coins produced from the seemingly empty hand
96 Sleight No. 2: Coins in a clear glass are dumped into the hand, then invisibly tossed back into the glass
97 A "Coins In Glass" Routine: using the commercial "Copenetro" (which seems to still be available)

100 Koran's Solo Aces: The aces leave the piles and join a chosen ace one at a time.
100 The Buckle Count
101 Koran's Solo Aces Working

104 The Smoking Clay Pipes:  as performed by the German "Punx"; chemical magic
104 Effect: Smoke blown from two apparently empty pipes
104 Requirements: two ordinary clay pipes, liquid ammonia, spirit of salts, metal tray
105 Performance

107 Harold Beaumont's Dice Routine: A clever four effect dice routine demonstrates magician's control of the dots
107 The First Effect
107 The Second Effect
107 Third Effect
108 The Fourth Effect

108 Thought Prescient (Harold G. Beaumont - a different Harold than above!)
109 Effect: A card is shouted out. The Performer tosses a deck of cards in the case and puts it on the table. One card is missing: the named card!
109 Working

110 The Chinese Linking Rings: 8 ring routine follows advice from Robert Harbin
110 The Rings: recommends standard set of 10-inch rings
111 Performance and Patter
111 The Drop Count
112 Joining the Rings
114 I Can - You Can't
115 The Long Chain
116 All In One
118 Dropping the Rings
118 Notes

Routined Manipulation Part II

5 Preface (Lewis Ganson, 1951)
6 Prefatory Note (J. Barrows Mussey): on Ganson and this 2nd volume

7 Money Attracts Money: Ganson's coins across routine. Uses a 5th silver coin to "attract" the coppers
7 Performance
11 Outline

12 The Colour Changing Pocket Knife
12 The Type of Knife to Use: uses three knives: W/R, W/B, and Striped
12 A Convenient Holder
13 Methods of Making the Knife Twist: three methods
15 Three Vanishes
17 The Knife Changes Colour Whilst Held By a Spectator
18 To Change One Knife for Another
19 The Routine and Patter

21 Thimble Manipulation:
21 Objections: Three Objections to Thimble Magic addressed
22 Wilfred Bader's Thimble Routine
22 Thimbles: Uses one red and 10 yellow thimbles, recommends giant wooden thimbles
23 Holders: described
23 Preparation
24 Sleights and Steals
27 Performance of the Routine
34 Alternative Presentations: doing thimbles for a cabaret setting or a children's show
35 Levitation: levitating a thimble.

37 The Crystal Prism: A selected card is revealed in a prism.

38 Card Quota: Section presents variations on common card sleights
38 The Glide
39 A New Location: for controlling a torn-off corner card
40 - The Card in Wallet: use of location with the commercial wallet by Bill O'Conner, gaff not exposed
41 - The Card on the Ceiling
41 A Simple Pack Switch
42 Card Coin Cut (Dr. Georg Schitzkowski): Spectator cuts deck through a handkerchief, and a coin marks the selection

45 Ken Brook's Chapter:
45 The Ken Brooke Routine For the Cap and Pence: Includes Ken's effective vanish for small items.
45 - Requirements: stack of pence gimmick, stack of pennies, a box of matches, and two peanuts
45 - Preparation
45 - Performance
47 - A Clean Prediction
47 - Effect: Prediction removed several in a hat matches chosen object, no stooges.
48 - The Actual Force
49 - Method of Working

51 Henry Hay's Coins Up the Sleeve: Includes descriptions of Hay's palm and vanish sleights
51 - The Palm
51 - The Vanish

55 Colour Change, Penetration, and Vanish: a silk routine using the dye tube; includes a Jack Chanin vanish.
55 The Colour Change
58 Penetration Plus
58 Performance
59 A Vanish

61 Beer is Best: a paddle routine
61 The Paddle Twist
62 Beer is Best Routine

63 Cecil Keech's Ropan Silk
63 Effect: Silk transposes between a long and short rope, and the rope grows
63 Equipment: uses a gimmicked rope
63 Preparation
64 Performance

66 My Opening Card Routine
66 Effect: Production of multiple fans of cards
66 Sleights Used
66 Requirements: white gloves, playing cards, champagne bucket dress stick or cane
67 Performance

70 Dr. Geimer's Dice Routine (Dr. Alexander Geimer)
70 The Dice Move: the basic move used for the routine
70 The First Effect
71 The Second Effect
71 The Third Effect
71 The Fourth Effect

72 Koran's Miracle Blindfold Card Act: A complete act with seven card revelations performed while blindfolded
72 Requirements
73 Preparation
73 Performance
73 Sense of Touch
74 Stop - By Power of Thought
74 Three Times Three
75 Double Thoughts
76 Prediction Plus
76 Force Superb
77 The Payoff

78 Harold G. Beaumont's Quartet: 4 effects
78 - The Coincidental Cut: card routine with red & blue decks where the odd cards find their matches
79 - Maybe This Is Crazy!: Production of a giant fan of cards
79 - Clean Cut Transposition. Four aces transpose with four spot cards in glasses
80 - The Sympathetic Ropes: Tied and untied ropes transpose, required knowledge of Tom Osborne's Three to One rope trick

82 The Sympathetic Disks: Hilliard's Sympathetic Coins (Matrix) using coloured disks
82 Performance
83 Suggestions (Terence J. Coates)
84 To Show Both Sides of the Discs
85 Turning The Disc Under the Card

86 Egg Bag, Bag Egg: adapted from Percy Abbott routine
86 Effect: does not have a spectator handling the bag
86 Requirements: uses a Japanese silk egg bag, a duplicate ungimmicked bag, hollow egg with hole, latex rubber egg, etc.
87 Preparation
87 Performance

91 Will Ayling's Fashion Parade: a rolled up magazine rises and falls over two cords

93 Modern Billiard Ball Manipulation: Introduction and brief history of ball magic
94 The Type and Size of Balls to Use: discussion of various types and colors available with advantages and disadvantages
95 The Half Shelf: to use or not to use
96 The Care and Preparation of the Hands
97 The Two Palm Positions:
97 - The Palm Proper
97 - The Finger Palm
98 Simulation
98 Exercises With the Palm Proper
99 Exercises With the Finger Palm
99 Methods of Vanishing a Billiard Ball: 5 methods
103 Producing a Ball In the Hand: 2 methods
104 Productions With the Aid of the Shell: 2 methods
108 Acquitments with Billiard Balls: 6 methods to show the hands apparently empty
113 Manipulation of the Shell
114 Palming the Shell: 5 methods
115 Acquitments With the Shell
115 Apparatus Used for Obtaining a Ball Secretly
116 The Use of Misdirection
118 The First Routine: single ball multiplies to four
122 The Second Routine: An extension to routine one
123 Colour Changes with Billiard Balls
123 The Substitution of One Ball for Another: 5 methods
127 Colour Changes by Means of the Shell: 2 methods
129 The "Eight Ball" Routine: climaxing with the production of 8 balls

133 Conclusion

Routines Manipulation Finale

5 Harry Clarke Photo: B&W photo of Harry Clarke, publisher of magic works
9 Introduction: by Lewis Ganson, 1954

11 Section One: Anti-Gravity Glasses
13 Lewis Ganson Photo: B&W photo of Lewis Ganson with the cups & balls
15 Chapter One: A Clear Case of Anti-Gravity: an expanded version of The Anti-Gravity Glasses routine. The cups not only suspend beneath the tray, but the tray is inverted and a single cup is suspended, and silks are even drawn from the glasses while suspended.
23 Chapter Two: Some Reflections on Anti Gravity: Additional ideas on the above routine, with discussions of gimmick designs. 
26 Elizabeth Warlock's Version of the Anti-Gravity Glasses: a silent routine by the daughter of Peter Warlock

31 Section Two: Magic With Coins
32 Fred Kaps Photo: B&W photo of Fred Kaps
33 Chapter Three: Fred Kaps Coins & Glass Routine: four coins appear, vanish and reappear in a glass previously shown empty. Uses the basic slight from The Art of Magic called "Down's Latest Method for 'The Miser's Dream'".Utilizes a handkerchief, a glass tumbler, four half crowns (Kaps' uses palming coins), and a coin dropper
47 Chapter Four: Peter Warlock's Take a Bow, Jack Avis: English Penny and Florin change places in folds of a handkerchief. Uses a handkerchief, a Penny, a Florin, a gimmicked Penny, and a penknife (though a marker could be used instead of the penknife). 

51 Section Three: Linking Rings
52 Ken Brooke Photo: B&W Photo
53 Chapter Five: Ken Brook's Linking Ring Count: A method of counting the eight rings to accompany the Odin routine. Highly recommends all readers to get M. Claudiu Odin's book The Odin Rings, translated by Victor Farelli, compiled by E. Gardet, & published by Edward Bagshawe & Co., 1931

67 Section Four: Magic with Dice
68 Gerald Kosky Photo: B&W photo
69 Chapter Six: Gerald Kosky's "How Many"?: Three dice change places in performer's hands, change size, then even become blank.
74 Chapter Seven: Ali Bongo's "Deolali Dice": a gimmicked dice set that you can build. Routine is fairly short. Two small die are poured from a shaker cup onto the table and inserted into the right fist. "Fertilizer" is poured over the right hand, and two large die are dumped out, the small die are nowhere to be found. The large die can be examined, if necessary

81 Section Five: Handkerchief Magic
83 Chapter Eight: Charlie Edward's Dissolving Knots: Dissolving silk knots and a rope through tied wrists routine.

97 Section Six: Magic With Sponge Balls. An excellent treatise on sponge ball magic
99 Chapter Nine
99 Part I. Requirements and Principles: the "invention" of sponge balls by Jesse J. Lybarger, Al Cohn, and the contribution by Joe Berg (1926). Covers the type of sponge to use, how to cut the sponge, the basic effect, and stages of performance
102 Part 2. Adding One Ball to Another: Four methods and placing the balls down
106 Part 3. Two Subtle Moves: To show three balls only (in both hands), and The Spectator Holds a Ball (multiply in spectator's hand)
108 Part 4. Vanishes From the Hand: Five methods detailed
117 Part 5. A Sponge Ball Routine: with advice Do Not Make the Routine Too Long, and Build Up to a Climax. Routine combines the two in the hand and one in the pocket with multiplication in the spectator's hand
119 Part 6. Accessories: brief description of other tools that could be helpful in a sponge ball routine such as: rubber production fruit, sponge ball to bunny, and handkerchief pull, for examples
121 Part 7. Rabbit's Habits: Three routines for sponge rabbit sets (good)

127 Section Seven: The Magic of Al Koran
128 Al Koran photo: B&W
129 Chapter Ten: Al Koran's Simplex Torn and Restored Newspaper: alternate method from Routined Manipulation Parts I/II. Ganson states, "I was particularly impressed with the apparent absence of the possibility of there being any hiding place for the torn pieces..." Similar to the Al Baker method.
139 Chapter Eleven: A Pound for your Card: Spectator removes any card from the deck and signs it. It is sealed in an envelope. A bill is borrowed and the serial number noted and placed in a purse. The two switch places. Needs just some envelopes, a purse large enough to cover a card, and cards.
146 Chapter Twelve: The Fate of a Fiver: A five pound note is torn and restored, this is repeated and it is burned accidentally, only to be opened as change for a fiver, including coins. Uses fake notes rather than real ones, though if you don't mind destroying a bill each performance you could use a real note...
154 Chapter Thirteen: Hanky Panky Routine: Incorporates the following effects - penetration of a handkerchief by a pencil, burnt and restored handkerchief, cut and restored handkerchief (credits Jack Chanin), continuous production of coins from the handkerchief (also Jack Chanin), production of a cigarette and lighter from the handkerchief, and production of a glass of wine (Jardine Ellis). The handkerchief is unharmed.
165 Chapter Fourteen: Perfection Do As I Do: Two packs of cards are used, one is handed to a spectator. Spectator takes a card face down from his deck, performer removes a card from his, they are both the same. Performer places the Queen of Hearts down and turns the spectator's card down, when turned up, it too is the Queen of Hearts. Uses the Paul Curry Turnover Change.

171 Section Eight: Miscellaneous Magic
172 Chapter Fifteen: Perter Burto's Burnt & Restored Paper Strip. 18" long paper is burnt, ashes are grabbed, and the strip is restored from the empty hand. (uses TT)
175 Chapter Sixteen:  Hans Trixer's Miniature Cups & Balls: This cups and balls routine is more of a Three Shell Game, but using small wooden cups similar to the Indian Style cups and balls, a small "pea" ball as used in the Walnut Shell & Pea, and climaxes with the revelation of a coin under one of the cups. 
180 Chapter Seventeen: Hans Trixer's Silken Canary: small canary on the finger is thrown and changes to silk.
182 Chapter Eighteen: Hans Trixer's Slot Machine: Two coins placed in the left hand change to a small bottle or other object.
185 Chapter Nineteen: John Lewis's Colour Thimbles: short color change routine with three thimbles, each of a different color
187 Chapter Twenty: Hans Trixer's Silk Penetro: Billiard ball penetrates a handkerchief; no gimmicks

191 Section Nine: Card Magic
193 Chapter Twenty-One: Alexander Elmsley's All Backs Routine: Variation on Dai Vernon's All Backs routine. A pack of cards apparently have no faces, but they are revealed in mysterious ways. Utilizes a simple to make gimmicked card. 
200 Chapter Twenty-Two: Patrick Page's Cards to Pocket: 12 Cards travel to the pocket, with various mishaps in between. Utilizes a slightly gimmicked pocket and the Buckle Count
207 Chapter Twenty-Three: Jack Chanin's Card on the Line: A card is selected and returned to the pack. A Ribbon is placed through the top card, and the card put in the middle. When pulled, it changes to the selected card. Deck may be borrowed (but be aware it will be damaged!)
211 Chapter Twenty-Four: The Nicholas "Thought Card": Spectator thinks of any card, then pulls it, face up, out of the deck. Card is then lost in the deck, which is shuffled and put back in the box. Performer clips a business card to the deck, and asks magician to take it to the performer's helper, who proceeds to write the value of the selection on the business card.
214 Chapter Twenty-Five: Peter Warlock's PW Slip Cut: A one handed false table cut
217 Chapter Twenty-Six: Bobby Bernard's Educated Frog: Card selected and returned to the deck. Deck is cut, 12 cards selected and put in a circle. A wind up frog finds the selected card. Uses a Svengali deck.
220 Chapter Twenty-Seven: Mary Kinson's Fan See Card: Selected card is revealed in a fan of cards.
223 Chapter Twenty-Eight: Brain Wave by Telephone: Dai Vernon's Brainwave Deck as performed by Lewis Ganson and his wife 225 Section Ten: Card Magic by Manipulation
226 Chapter Twenty-Nine: Some Observations on Card Manipulation: a description of points to be considered in a good production of card fans routine. Includes the Front and Back Palm, Cover for the Pivot, Acquitments, Stealing Extra Stocks of Cards, and Hiding the Corners of the Cards
230 Chapter Thirty: Preparation of Cards for Manipulation: How to physically prepare the cards, including: what type of card to use, removing stiffness, splitting, etc.
235 Chapter Thirty-One: The Continuous Production of Fans of Cards: detailed description of the improved method
241 Chapter Thirty-Two: The Production of Single Cards: Method One if large numbers of single cards are to be produced, and Method Two (by Ken Brooke) for up to 6 or 8 cards
246 Chapter Thirty-Three: Manipulation in Gloves: Advantages include good looks, no damp hands, and extra cover is provided by the gloves
251 Chapter Thirty-Four: The Card Routine: the full routine outlined, using the above improved approaches


Previous