Parrish, Robert: Great Tricks Revisited, Thoughts on Classics ©1995 David Meyer, Magic Book Hardcover, no dj, 126 pages

Image courtesy Davenport's Magic Kingdom

Comments: edited by Phil Willmarth, illustrated by Tony Dunn. I don't own this one, but found it in the local library. It is a revisit of apparatus magic, such as the Die Box, and designed to show that apparatus magic needs just as much thought, attention to detail, and practice to enhance the effect and presentation as does "hand" or "head" magic. Each illusion includes thoughts, details, patter, and line drawings.

Contents:

vii Foreword by Phil Willmarth

ix Introduction

1 Nest of Boxes. Presented as "The Great Camera Illusion", and designed to use the Linking Rings to allow loading of the innermost box.
8 The Die Box: Suitable for adults. Uses a Cat in the Hat book, and features the production of cans of cat food at the end from the top hat.
17 The Spirit Dial: A seemingly un-gimmicked clock dial ends on predicted number when spun freely.
25 Do the Spirits Return?: The rapping hand, using an Owen-Thayer board and hand; also incorporates a rising card effect.
37 Age of Illusion: An effect with a mirror glass suitable at most all angles.
41 Rising Cards: Using a glass and a box to allow the deck switch
44 The Coin Jar: Coins are tossed toward a handkerchief covered glass jar and are heard to land inside. Three more coins are tossed as the handkerchief is pulled away, and are seen to fall inside.
49 Sympathetic Magic: Two decks are used, all the clubs removed from each. First Spectator's packet is arranged in sequence. Second packet is mixed and a single card reversed. First Spectator's packet is found to now be the same!
54 Well of Invisibility: A routine for the Japanese Box, using a silk, sponge, and rubber ball.
58 Brain Wave: A presentation for the BrainWave deck using the Hindu Shuffle to force the card.
60 Ellis in Bangkok. A well done ring (Jardine Ellis Ring) off ribbon using a novelty jewelry box
63 To Have and Have Not: Uses an Owen Brothers Watch Box, a glass, wand and shopping bag. A borrowed ring passes into a locked box on top of a tumbler. The box is placed in a bag and placed on top of the tumbler, wherein the ring drops into the tumbler. Finally, the ring is found back in the locked bag.
67 Sand Frame: Used to make a signed card magically appear.
70 Immortal Card Trick: Three effects: the Open Prediction, the Card in the Envelope, and the Torn and Restored Card.
76 All I know About Cards (In Five Minutes Flat): A comedy lecture on card manipulation designed for an audience of magicians
78 Trained Cards: A selected card transposes pocket to pocket. Uses deck of double facers.
81 Card Stabbing Trick: Two cards are selected and returned to the deck. The deck is wrapped in rubber bands and brown paper. A knife is inserted in the deck, and the spectator unwraps the deck, finding the blade resting between the selections!
86 Gordon's Divination. Packets of cards are removed, the magician divines the bottom card of each packet. Followed up by divination of a card buried in the pack while the deck is in its case. Uses stacked deck.
89 Card in the Orange. A thorough routine of the card in orange, complete with torn corner card.
94 A Note About Classic Apparatus. A comment about antique apparatus
95 Joe Scott's Routined Classics. A short biography of Joe Scott, and an intro to some of his routines as offered in The New Tops magazine.
97 The Cap and Pence. A clean version using a leather or paper tube, and ability to use a simple, homemade gimmick. With some additions by Parrish
105 The Card on the Wall: Clean handling using a portable gimmick
108 Handkerchief to Egg: Simple method with idea for plucking red silk from the air.
111 Card Sword: A simple but effective presentation, shows how a spectator becomes a partner
114 Cum Gano Salis, or the 'Our Town' Salt Trick: Uses two easily made gimmicks. A pantomime production of salt really produces salt!
117 Inertia: Four eggs are set upon four tubes, which sit upon a tray, which sits upon four glasses half filled with water. The tray is quickly extracted from beneath the eggs, and the three eggs drop without breaking into the glasses of water.
121 Bob Marvin's Floating Ball: an idea (without routine) for a vertical stage IT hookup
123 Afterword (Phil Willmarth): a short biography of Robert Harkness Parrish, Jr., 26 Dec 1918 - 3 Mar 94.
125 Bibliography: a list of 28 references used