Tarbell, Harlan: Tarbell Course in Magic Vol 1 ©1927 Tarbell Systems, Inc., 1941 Louis Tannen, 1971 D. Robbins & Co., Inc. 408 pages HB

Comments: The Tarbell Course in Magic (volumes 1-8) covers almost every aspect of magic from close up to parlor to stage effects. Even though some of the effects are a bit dated, the principles you will learn here are foundational to magic. Also, it should be noted that many of the routines still hold their own today. The Tarbell style provides almost all the details: drawings, patter, tips, and suggestions. Some of my favorites from Volume 1 include: 85 The Dissolving Coin in glass of water, 88 Vanishing Coin In Handkerchief (wax on corner), 90 Coin Through Handkerchief, 94 The "Pencil" Coin Vanish and Reappearance, 103 How To Vanish a Coin by Wrapping It In a Piece Of Paper, 115 The Homing Coins (money tray), 121 Thumb Tip Hint on depositing in Jacket Pocket, 122 Thumb Tip Palm, 129 Passe Passe Salt from thumbtip, 131 Ring penetrates rubber band on finger tips, 157 Cups & Balls routine with rubber balls, 163 Simple sponge ball technique, 173 Patriotic paper balls: uses 9 balls and three bowls, 232 You do as I do cards with 2 decks; easy.Chapter 13 Card sleights, and 276 Card in Orange.

Contents:

Lesson 1: History of Magic

21 Magicians in the Bible, Zoroaster, Merlin, Alchemy, etc.

Lesson 2: Magic As A Science. (principles of magic)

45 Professional Attitude, performing, practicing, misdirection, etc.

Lesson 3: Sleight of Hand with Coins (Palms, Holds, Vanishes, Aquitments)

64 Palming Used in Coin Sleights
67 Holds Used in Coin Sleights
68 Manipulative Methods for Vanishing a Coin
82 To Get Rid of a Coin After Vanishing It in Hand

Lesson 4: Coin Tricks

85 The Dissolving Coin: A marked coin vanishes when dropped in water glass.
88 Vanishing Coin In Handkerchief: A coin vanishes under a handkerchief
90 Coin Through Handkerchief: a coin penetrates a handkerchief
92 Copper Or Silver Penetration: Two coins wrapped in a handkerchief, selected coin penetrates
94 Pencil Coin Vanish and Reappearance. Coin vanishes and reappears using pencil wand

Lesson 5: More Coin Tricks

97 Joe Berg's Miracle Coin Vanish: Coins wrapped in a handkerchief vanishes and reappears
100 Coin, Envelope, and Handkerchief: Marked coin transposes from envelope to knotted handkerchief
103 Vanishing a Coin by Wrapping It In a Piece Of Paper
105 Homing Coins: A money tray miracle.
111 Invisible Money Transit: As above
115 Multiplying Money Tray and how to build one.

Lesson 6: The Thumb Tip:

118 Mystery Of The Burning Cigarette: Lit cigarette dropped in handkerchief without harm.
121 The Asbestos Palm: Lit cigarette vanishes in magician's hand
122 Burning A Borrowed Handkerchief: Borrowed handkerchief is set on fire and yet remains undamaged.
125 Enchanted Paper: lit paper.
128 A Comedy Interlude
129 The Passe - Passe Salt: Salt disappers from left hand, poured from right

Lesson 7: Impromptu Tricks:

131 The Penetrating Ring: rubber band trick
134 The Jumping Rubber Band: A rubber band jumps from fingers to fingers
137 Metal Ring On A String: Solid ring removed from string whose ends are in full view
140 Patriotic Rings and String: Selected color ring is removed from rope
143 Penetrative Cigar Band: Cigar band removed from rope
144 Vanishing Ring On String: "ring" of string is eliminated by magician after spectator fails
145 Kellar's Cut And Restored Cord: 30" wrapping cord cut & restored
149 Comedy Version Of Germain Cord Effect: As above
152 An Impromptu Cut And Restored Cord Effect

Lesson 8: Ball Tricks:

157 Cups And Balls: Routine uses three paper coffee cups and sponge rubber balls. Ends with large load revelation.
163 Three Wandering Sponge Balls: standard sponge ball routine
170 Four Traveling Balls: sponge ball routine with hat
173 Patriotic Paper Balls: Three bowls and red, white, and blue balls.

Lesson 9: Mathematical Mysteries

179 Mystery Of The Traveling Numbers: Number prediction
184 Spirit Mathematician: Called out numbers sum prediction
189 Numbers on the Arm: variation where numbers appear on arm
189 Rapid Banking: $1 and a check for $1 exchange places

Lesson 10: Effective Card Mysteries

193 Rising Card Escape: Card rise from case
199 Sealed Card Mystery: 2 card predict third selected card
205 A Psychological Impossibility: 2 cards selected by 2 spectator, 2nd card turns out to be first
208 Hindu Color Changing Deck: Blue backed deck shown, card removed with red back, entire deck now red!

Lesson 11: Impromptu Card Mysteries

213 Joe Berg's "Count Down" Card Mystery: Counting revelation
215 Tenkai's Reverse Cards Mystery: Cards are reversed but restore themselves
217 Royal Card Discovery: card prediction
219 Birds of a Feather: Performer and spectator each select card and mix them in deck. The end up together
221 Card Appearance at a Selected Number: counting revelation
223 Change-About Card: Selected card mixed in deck and jumps to top: fails 3 times, one failed is card.
225 Find The Burglar: selected card found between two kings
227 Selected Cards From The Spectator's Pocket

Lesson 12: Mental Card Mysteries

229 Al Baker's "Twin Soul" Card Prediction: double prediction
232 You Do As I Do: Two deck peformer and spectator selections match
234 Baffling Discovery: One of five card prediction
236 Thought Location: Spectator and Magician both select card. Spectator's card ends up in Magician's pocket
238 Card In The Pocket
239 Mystic Card Clock Dial: Clock dial prediction
241 Thoughtful Joker: Joker helps find selected cards
243 Sense Of Touch Discovery: selected cards found inside hat
245 Henry Hardin's Cards In Hat Discovery: Cards are named as removed from hat

Lesson 13: Card Sleights

243 The Pass: Regular, Modern, Side Steal, How to use
254 The False Shuffle: G.W. Hunter, Wiggle Woggle, Riffle, Top & Bottom Control
258 The False Cut: Pack In Hands, Three Way Table Cuts, Four Way Cuts, Card Control
262 The Force: The Classic Force
264 Forcing Decks, Force with Knife, Mathematical Force
265 Forcing Bottom Card
266 Force Behind Performer's Back
267 Circus Trick: trick with a forced card
268 The Riffle Force with prepared/unprepared cards
271 Forcing One of Four Cards on Table (various)
273 Slip of Paper Force

Lesson 14: Novel Card Mysteries:

275 Snap It: Hat is snapped and selected card jumps out
276 Card And Orange: Selected card found in orange
284 Devil's Letter: Card not found in bananna, but another card changes into it
290 The Bewitched Banana: Banana cut into selected number of pieces

Lesson 15 Restoring Torn Papers

297 Chinese Paper Mystery: torn & restored tissue
301 Wintertime In China: Snowstorm from torn papers (2 versions)
306 Japanese Torn And Restored Napkins: torn & restored with fake explanation
312 Hindu Paper Tearing: Torn, burned, and restored
316 Milady's Parisienne Hat: Torn papers restored into a paper hat

Lesson 16: Rope & Tape Principle

321 Coats, Tapes, And Rings: Coat and rings removed from rope
329 Coat, Ropes, And Rings: Similar to above
334 Prisoner's Escape: Rope through neck
338 Magic Orange: Orange falls from tapes into magician's hands.
342 Walking Through Tapes with another Tapes Release

Lesson 17: Handkerchief Tricks

345 The Wandering Handkerchief: Colored hankerchiefs travel from pocket to pocket
350 The Silk and The Flame: Silk produced from candle, vanished, and more
356 The Candle, The Silk, and The Paper Tube: Another silk & candle routine
358 Elusive Silks: change bag routine

Lesson 18: Knotty Silks

363 Instantaneous One-Handed Knot In Handkerchief
364 The Pull-Away Single Knot
365 The Dissolving Single Knot
367 The Speedy Single Knot
368 The Fade-Away Double Knot
369 Nu-Way Double Knot
371 Quick Release Double Knot
372 Leg Tie and Release with Handkerchief
374 The Magical Bow Knot
375 Chair Tie and Release with Bow Knot
376 The Educated Knot: a knot slowly untiles itself in a silk
378 The Sympathetic Silks: Three silks knot/unknot with three others
382 Tommy Dowd's Silk Penetration: Handkerchief penetrates rope
385 Al Baker's Handkerchief Through The Arm
386 The Phantom Knots: Colored silks tied together and separate

Lesson 19 Eggs and Silks

389 The Egg, the Glass, And The Handkerchief: egg in glass and handkerchief transpose
394 Eggs-traordinary Eggs-planation: Silk and egg routine with fake explanation
399 Sucker Handkerchief Vanish
401 One-Man Handkerchief Vanish: Visible comedy
404 Repeat Handkerchief Vanish: handkerchief changes into lemon