Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

[F] It will be observed that this trick is terminated after the manner described at page 45, to which the reader is recommended to refer, as the above description will be more clearly intelligible by the aid of the further explanations there given. There is another method of performing this trick, which dispenses with the necessity of “turning over” the pack. In this case, as you place the four aces on the top of the pack, you insert the little finger of the left hand under the three uppermost, and make the pass to bring these three to the bottom, still, however, keeping the finger between them and the rest of the pack. You deal out the four top cards (supposed to be the four aces), as above, and three others on each of the three non-aces. You next ask some person to draw any three cards (taking care not to let him draw one of the three at the bottom), and place them at the top of the pack. The moment he has done so, you again make the pass, thus bringing the three aces upon them. You then say, taking off (without showing) the three top cards, “Now I will take these three cards, freely drawn from the middle of the pack, and place them here on this last ace.” From this point the course of the trick is the same as already described. TO CHANGE THE FOUR ACES, HELD TIGHTLY BY A PERSON, INTO FOUR INDIFFERENT CARDS.--This is a most brilliant trick, and puzzles even adepts in card-conjuring. In combination with the “Shower of Aces,” which next follows, it was one of the principal feats of the Elder Conus, and subsequently of the celebrated Comte.