Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

CHAPTER IV. TRICKS INVOLVING SLEIGHT-OF-HAND OR THE USE OF SPECIALLY PREPARED CARDS. We have already explained the nature and use of the “forcing” pack of cards. It may be well, before we go further, to give a short account of one or two other species of prepared cards. THE LONG CARD.--This is the technical name for a card longer or wider, by about the thickness of a sixpence, than the rest of the pack. This card will naturally project to that extent beyond the general length or width of the other cards, and the performer is thereby enabled to cut the pack at that particular card whenever he chooses to do so. With the aid of such a card, and a tolerable proficiency in “forcing” and “making the pass,” many excellent tricks can be performed. Packs with a long card can be obtained at any of the conjuring depôts. The best plan, however, is to purchase two ordinary packs, precisely alike, and to have the edges of one of them shaved down by a bookbinder to the requisite extent, when you can insert any card of the other pack at pleasure to form your long card, and thus avoid the suspicion which would naturally arise from the performance of several tricks with the same card. A still greater improvement upon the ordinary long-card pack is the biseauté or tapering pack, in which, though only one pack is used, any card may in turn become the long card. A biseauté pack consists of cards all of which are a shade wider (say the thickness of a shilling) at one end than the other. (See Fig. 33, in which, however, the actual difference of width is exaggerated, in order to make the shape of the card clear to the eye.)