Schindler, George: Presto Magic for the Beginner ©1977 George Schindler, Reiss Publishing ©1990 Dorset Press Softcover, perfect-bound, 5.5x8.5", 192 pages ©2010 Dover Publications Softcover, perfect-bound, 5.5x8.5", 192 pages ISBN 13: 9780486477596

Image courtesy eBay seller Slacks!

Image courtesy Dover Publications

Comments: Illustrated by Ed Tricomi.
From the Dover edition: "This Dover edition, first published in 2010, is an unabridged republication of the work originally published by Reiss Publishing, New York, in 1977."

Contents (from book, updated June 2019)

11 Preface

13 Chapter 1 Introduction to Magic
13 Some History
15 Three Categories
16 - Closeup Magic
16 - Club or Cabaret Magic
16 - Grand Illusion
17 Misdirection - Key to Magic

20 Chapter 2 Making Things Disappear
20 The Vanish
21 - The French Drop
23 - Palming
25 - Classic Palm Vanish
26 - Classic Coin Vanish
28 - Never Was
28 - You're Too Late
29 - Table Sweep
31 - Back of the Hand: back palm
34 Mechanical Devices
34 - The Pull
36 - More Pulls
36 Down the Tube: vanishing handkerchief from paper tube
38 Amedeo's Vanish: house-key vanish
41 - Lightning Bill Vanish: with a handkerchief
43 - Satan's Cloth: vanishing prop, also known as Devil's Handkerchief
46 - Paper Bag Vanisher: gimmicked paper bag

48 Chapter 3 Something From Nothing
48 The Production
49 - Where to Hide Things
49 - Let's Have a Drink: glass production from Satan Cloth
50 - The Candy Bag: version of Paper Bag Vanisher but from cloth
52 - It Pays to Advertise: production from newspaper
54 Boxes and Tubes
54 - Mirror Box: production box
55 - Tip-over Box: hides compartment
56 - Tube of Plenty: a production cylinder
58 - And a Glass of Milk: producing a glass of milk from the tube
58 - Milk Through: another version
60 - Out of a Hat: gimmicking a top hat
61 - Milk and Cookies: baking cookies in a borrowed hat
63 Black Art
64 - The Drinks Are on the House: bottle appears in empty box
65 - That's All, Folks!: clever ending using black art
66 Producing Money
67 - The Downs Palm
69 - The Miser's Dream

71 Chapter 4 Presto—Change!
71 Changing One Object into Another
72 Color-Changing Wand
73 Changing Silks
74 Magic Washing Machine: using a mirror box
76 Flag Transformation: using the Paper Bag vanisher
76 Money—Money—Money: one dollar bills change to fives
78 Silk to Egg
79 Color-Changing Knife: a two-knife routine, 1 regular and 1 gimmicked

82 Chapter 5 Transpositions
82 Changing Places
83 Flying Rope: using two Paper Bag Vanishers
84 Ribbon of the Orient: a liquid transposition
87 The Devil Loses: a costume transposition for children

92 Chapter 6 Restorations
92 Back to Normal
92 Cutting and Restoring a Rope - Classic Method
96 Square Knot, Please: another cut and restored with a knot
98 Pull It Away: a lightning fast restoration
99 Restoring Humpty-Dumpty: torn and restored paper
100 M'Lady's Necklace: a string of pearls cut and restored in a glass

103 Chapter 7 Solid Through Solid
103 Penetrations
104 Cups and Balls: using paper coffee cups
108 Persian Beggar's Rink Trick: finger ring on stick
110 Scissors Through: using two spectator's, a scissors is pulled free from a rope
112 Link It: bracelet is thrown onto a rope
114 Walk Right Through: walking through a rope
115 Comedy Shirt Trick: removing the spectator's shirt

118 Chapter 8 Escapes
118 Escapes and Releases
119 Kellar's Rope Tie: releasing yourself from hands tied behind your back
121 Comic Rope Escape: while seated
123 Laundry Bag Escape

125 Chapter 9 Levitations And Suspensions
125 Lighter than Air
126 Floating Ball Illusion: small silver ball floats in an out of a cup
128 Elevator Ring Illusion: finger ring rises on a wand
129 Lifting Wand: wand rises out of a bottle
131 Simple Suspension: wand suspends to the hand
133 Rising Cards: selected card rises from deck in a glass
135 Impromptu Method: another version
136 The Princess Floats: an inexpensive floating assistant

140 Chapter 10 Mindreading And ESP
140 Mentalism
141 Newspaper Test: spectator writes word selected from newspaper, which is revealed
143 Gypsy Method: using the center tear
146 Four at a Time: variation of the above
147 Book Test: using a phone book
151 Magazine Mystery: a magazine test
152 Predictions
153 Number Forces: the 1089 force
154 Star Prediction: an ESP card prediction
156 Answering Sealed Questions

159 Chapter 11 Magic With Cards
159 Card Tricks
160 Your Card Is in Chicago: spelling card location
161 Coincidence: two spectators find cards at the same time
162 The Force: a card force
163 - Phantom Photo: selected card in photo frame
165 Key Cards
165 - Card Stabbing: card is located by stabbing a deck in a bag
167 - Hieroglyphics: comedy location
168 Short Corner Key
169 - Quick Reversal: selection is reversed in deck
170 A Good Ear for Clubs: a riffle location
170 Out of the Pocket: card at any number
171 Eight Kings: deck stack
172 X-Ray Eyes: magician can see the through the cards
172 Triple Reversal: using two stacked decks
174 Handling Your Deck
174 - Key Cut: cutting the key card
175 - Overhand Shuffle
176 - Spreading the Cards
177 - Switching a Deck

178 Chapter 12 Props
178 A Few Words about Props
179 Borrowing
180 Gimmicks

181 Chapter 13 Entertain
181 Routining + Patter + Presentation = Entertainment
182 Routining
183 Patter
185 Presentation
188 Final Words

189 Bibliography
190 Index