By:
I'd like to know your opinion of the best, most practical wallet for
working conditions as we'll as your favorite recommended professional
routine (for signed card to wallet) from book or video!!!
By: Asad
Go with the BKM. It's 3 wallets in 1. And, David Parr's Brain Food has
an excellent C to W routine, which you can use the BKM wallet for.
By: Sailer
BZZZZT! Wrong question. Thank you for playing...
8-) 8-) 8-)
There is no "best" wallet. There are several different approaches to card to wallet.
You tell us what you imagine card to wallet would look like, whether you want to use the wallet as a regular wallet, what pocket you wear your wallet in, what kind of clothes you wear, etc etc, and then maybe we can tell you what the best wallet is.
With a little simple misdirection and palming, you can do Signed Card to Wallet with ANY WALLET in ANY POCKET. You could even have it go to the spectator's wallet, for that matter. Consider it a challenge of your magical abilities. 8-) 8-)
By: Don Brandfas
Over the years,I have played with several types of wallets for the
card to wallet and have settled on two different wallets. The Mullica
and Terry LaGerould's Celebrity Autographs. I use both wallets on a
regular basis in table hopping situations. Neither wallet requires any
palming in the MO. As already stated, this is very subjective and a
matter of personal tastes.
By: Risto.L
Well, it's very hard to answer to your question, because it's
completely a matter of taste. Maybe you should ask "what's the best
wallet for my purpose?" and then tell us what kind of magic you are
do`ing. But generally BKM (Balducci, Kaps, Mullica) wallet is a
surefire buy. Because there is three different ways to load in the
card, you can always choose the best one for the situation you are
dealing with.
By: FalgahBoy
I don't do this particular effect, but if I did, I'd probably choose
the Mullica wallet. The card ends up inside a small billfold that's in
a pocket within the wallet. I think Himber wallets look very strange,
and could draw attention to themselves. To be honest, though, these
opinions come only from thinking about this effect, not actually doing
it (i.e, I'm not speaking from experience in this case).
By: Risto.L
Yes, you also asked for good sources on card in wallet. I think you
should check out The card in wallet book (reviewed in Magic Talk
reviews) and the Eugene "beard" Burgers handling of Mullica wallet
(Gourmet close-up video).
By: Richard Parker
Personally, I like the Emerson West Pocket Secretary, which is a
breast-pocket kind of wallet with a zippered compartment inside. I do
a slightly modified version of Dan Fleshman's "Momma in My Wallet,"
which has always played very well. I have recently rewritten my CTW
routine, though, so I can do the CTW without a duplicate and a setup;
basically, I put it on the end of a two-card transposition. The way I
figure it, if you're capable of controlling a signed card and removing
it from the deck and putting it inside a wallet without anyone's even
being suspicious that you've done anything tricky, you shouldn't need
a setup or anything else to perform a miracle.
I think the CTW has to be kind of a kicker. In other words, you need a better plot than just "spectator picks a card and signs it, replaces it in the pack, magician puts the pack down, takes out his wallet, and there is the card inside." I think you need motivation to take out the wallet, maybe have some magic happen, create the magician-in-trouble syndrome, and then use the wallet to get you out of trouble. Something like this: two people select cards, you find the second one and put it down onto the table, miss on finding the first one, turn over the card you just found only to find that it has changed into a card that says "Look in your wallet, dummy," and sure enough there is is the card you're after. I'm just thinking out loud, and I'm well aware that something like this has already been done (but better). I'm just trying to illustrate that the CTW needs to take the magic up a notch, and the best way to do that, in my opinion, is to have a little magic happen first in your CTW routine before the card (hopefully signed) appears in your wallet.
I think I have a list of CTW routines if anyone would like to see them. Our magic group did a "CTW night" one month, and everyone who showed up did a CTW routine and brought xeroxed copies of two or three routines with him or her so that everyone who attended the meeting would basically leave with a book of CTW routines. I have since seen the error of my ways, of course, and would never, ever, ever copy another magician's material and give it to someone else without that magician's and his publisher's express written consent. But I doubt there's anything wrong with posting a list, if anyone wants to see it.
By: Richard Parker
Okay, Jim (and anyone else interested). Here it is. Let me know if you
think I should add something, please! I made the list a year or two
ago, so I'd especially like to know of some good CTW routines in
recent books (but from anyplace, really).
I. No-Palm Methods
1. Gerald Edmundson's CTW (from G.E.'s Jocomo's Best Kept Secrets)
2. "Guts" (from Paul Harris' Art of Astonishment trilogy)
3. Lenny Greenfader's CTW (from Harry Lorayne's Reputation-Makers)
4. Barry Stevenson's CTW (from The Tarbell Course in Magic, vol. 7)
5. "The Signed Card in Wallet" (from Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic)
6. Michael Ammar and Gary Plants' CTW (from Ammar's Easy to Master lecture notes)
7. Bob Gunther's Repeat CTW (from The Tarbell Course in Magic, vol. 7)
II. Methods That Require Palming
8. Roberto Giobbi's CTW (from Giobbi's The Las Vegas Lecture Notes--1996)
9. "On the Card to Wallet" (from Mike Skinner's Classic Sampler)
10. Dan Fleshman's "Momma in My Wallet" (from one of Dan's books)
11. "The $100 Card in the Wallet" (from Paul Gertner's Steel and Silver)
12. Greg Wilson's "License to Thrill" (from Paul Harris' Art of Astonishment trilogy)
13. "The Phantom Card" (from Darwin Ortiz' Cardshark)
14. Bob King's CTW Outline (from a one-page supplement to a set of his lecture notes)
15. Scarne's CTW (from Scarne on Card Tricks)
16. Jim Swain's "The Airmail Card" (from his book Miracles with Cards)
17. Robert Bengel's CTW (from his Back to Basics lecture notes)
18. John Bannon's "Oz Deposit" (from his book Smoke and Mirrors)
III. The Mullica Wallet
19. Tom Mullica's "Miracle Card in Wallet" (source unknown)
20. "D.P. Card in Wallet" (from David Parr's Brain Food)
21. "Mullica Wallet Idea" (from John Riggs' The Magic of John Riggs)
22. Eugene Burger's "Signed Card in Wallet" (from one of E.B.'s books)
IV. Methods Using Other Wallets
23. Stan Menchinger's "Call Me' Card to Wallet" (a Magic Fanatic product)
24. Scotty York's "Escape from Bulgaria" (source unknown)
25. The LePaul Card in Wallet (Larry Jennings' version, source unknown)
26. John Riggs' "Shot from the Hip" (from his book, Magic from the
Ambient Domain -- no gimmick required)
V. Cards to Elsewhere
27. Super Sack (by Randy Tanner and Bud Dietrich; source unknown, but reprinted in Paul Harris' Art of Astonishment Trilogy, book 2, p. 233)
28. John Riggs' "The Professional's Handbook" (from The Magic of John Riggs)
29. Gary Ouellet's "The Miracle Signed Card to Purse" (from one of his #@%!! books -- I can't stand Ouellet)
30. Michael Ammar's "Card in Match Book" (from John Luka's book L.I.N.T)
31. Instructions on the Kelly Bottom Placement and two versions of
Card to Pocket: Tommy Dowd's, and "Simplex Card to Pocket" (from The
Tarbell Course in Magic, Vol. 3)
32. Card to Matchbox from The Book, or Don't Forget to Point, by The
Flicking Fingers, published by Richard Kaufman
By: Alain Aslag Roy
Nice list!
However, you list:
--------------------
II. Methods That Require Palming
[snip]
15. Scarne's CTW (from Scarne on Card Tricks)
--------------------
Having that book handy, I looked it up. It doesn't require palming, but a double force and deck switch.
By: Jay
Collectors Workshop - Any Card to Wallet
Mark Mason's - Mirage Wallet
By: Richard Parker
Thanks, Jay! I doubt I'm interested in the Collector's Workshop wallet
-- I haven't won the lottery yet. It is a marketed effect, right? Do
you know how much it costs?
What is the Mirage Wallet? Is it, too, a marketed effect? I'm looking for additional routines that are written up in books or lecture notes or that are on video. Any additional suggestions?
By: Jay
The Mirage Wallet is Killer. It is self working and VERY visual. I would highly recommend it. You can get more information on the wallet and purchase online at www.magicconnection.com. They have a great price on it of $29.95.
I'll keep my eye on any videos or lectures that have any routines that are not on your list.
By: Jon A. Hand
Bruce Ellliott's BEST IN MAGIC:
2 No-Palming Methods
1 Top Palm using the LEFT HAND in a unique way.
By: Peter Cobb
these questions are for those of you who do, own or have handled a
"Card to Wallet":
By: Bob K
: What Wallet do you use?
Usually Mullica
: Do you own more than one?
Yes.
: And if so which one do you actually use?
Mullica
: Do you own one and not use it?
Yes.
: Why?
Cause I use the Mullica! Actually I own a BKM, Mullica, and a couple others. I wound up buying more than one over 10-12 years because I didn't know which one I'd use and I kept looking for the 'ultimate' wallet. Found out that the ultimate doesn't really exist, but I use Mullica more than anything else.
By: Peter Cobb
Another point, I remember a post from when I was first here about you
recommending a really nice wallet to someone. Could you add more info?
Have you got any price references? As always any help...
By: Bob K
My price preference is always to get the cheapest one if it does what
I want. But I've recommended several. Among them:
BKM- Relatively inexpensive (around $60 or so) and can be used as Mullica, or Kaps or Balducci wallet. Biggest drawback is that it's a typical vest-pocket size wallet and not the type most people carry in their back pocket.
Don't remember the name, but Camirand Academy sells a very nice wallet that can also be used as a Mullica, Kaps or Balducci wallet. It's a smaller size and does look more like the typcial back pocket wallet (although still bigger than the real typical wallets most of us use). It's also fairly expensive (used to be $125, is probably more now).
Hip-Shot wallet- from the people that sell the BKM, it's a smaller wallet that fits in your back pocket. Has a couple different ways of loading and one compartment will take a full deck of cards. Around $50-$60 and most people that have one seem to like it.
Mullica wallet (the one I use most)- usually sells for around $60 from dealers. Mullica used to explain how to make them in his lectures, and if you find the right type of wallet it sells for around $30 usually.
I also have a nice eel-skin wallet that I got from some guy named Bryan Dean Toder about 12-13 years ago. Can't be used as a Mullica though, so I don't get much use out of it anymore.
By: John H. Zander
What Wallet do you use?
Mullica.
By: Brandon Williams
I also use a mullica. For those who are interested in this wallet, or
already use one, you may wish to check out David Parr's wonderful
handling for this wallet in his book, "Brain Food".
By: D
I've used a Barry Price wallet for about 20 years (it does require
palming). They are now sold by Owen's Magic Supreme for almost twice
what I paid. But mine has stood the test of time very well. It is in
excellent condition.
By: Bob Dennis
I own a Mullica wallet, and Randy Wakeman's beautifully made wallet.
99% 0f the time, I use the Mullica wallet. Why? I've gotten used to using it because in some of the restaurants I work, I wear a vest, not a jacket, so I just keep the wallet in my back pocket.
Now that I'm working a gig that I wear a tuxedo at, I still use the Mullica wallet. Why?
Because I use the inside pocket of my tuxedo (where I would put Randy Wakeman's wallet, if I did carry it) for something else.
One other thing about the Mulica wallet, I use David Parr's idea of having a Post-It note stuck onto the card, when it comes out of the wallet.
The Mulica walet works great for this, and the reset time is only a few seconds.
On certain occasions I do carry and use Randy Wakeman's wallet, and I am sure that I'll be using it more in the future. It really is a great work of craftsmanship.
By: Carl Andrews
I own a few, a lePaul style wallet, a BKM Wallet, Mullica, etc.
For a formal show, I use the card in envelope in the LePaul style Wallet. It is simply hard to beat the card in a sealed envelope in a zippered compartment of a wallet in your jacket pocket!
For everday restaurant or walkaround work, I use the Mullica wallet. It requires no reset and you don't have to wear a jacket to perform the effect.
By: Doug Atkinson
Have you seen my card to wallet reference? It won't help you, it will
just confuse you because there are sooo many wallets
available. Anyway, it is still fun to read.
http://members.spree.com/funngames/atki/
Mentzer's Card to Wallet book if very good, though on the expensive side ($40). It provides a lot of information on the various wallet styles available, and a lot of routines.
I have never performed a Card to Wallet routine (yet), though I do own a LePaul style Zippered Wallet with instructions by Supreme.
By: Jeff Kraven
I have and use the Mullica wallet. Its easy to use and doesn't require
any palming. I have also used Terry LaGerould's Celebrity Autographs,
but I wasn't really impressed with it. The Mullica wallet runs about
$70 from MagicSmith, but I also heard it was discontinued. Great
wallet though, highly reccomended.
By: Jon A. Hand
I recently received a Mirage Wallet. After several hundred tries, I
cannot get the gimmick to operate correctly. I don't mean that I
cannot get it to operate correctly 100% of the time; I mean that I
cannot get it to operate correctly EVER. It goes out of alignment and
stays in view, or it does not disappear fully. What am I doing wrong?
Any longtime users of this prop have any suggestions for me?
By: Richard Morrell
Try David Regals 'Special Delivery' or Roger Curzon's 'Card in
Envelope' both work on similar principals to the wallet but without
all the hassle, and its easy to make replacements and looks just as
good.
By: Wallace B.
Try the following: trim the edges of the feke slightly and insert a business in front of the feke.
This has worked for me!
Mind you I still prefer the KB Switcback.
By: Jon A. Hand
Last week I posted a frustrated message about the malfunctioning of
the Mark Mason Mirage Wallet; i.e, I blistered the product for NEVER
working, always hanging, or getting out of alignment. Well, I got both
email and board encouragement, from Chuck Leach, Wallace B, Corey
King, and others here, and indignant outrage for a non-functioning
product from Marvin L and Chuck Leach, among others.
Now, I take it all back! After four hours (over four days) of playing around with it endlessly, over and over, it suddenly "popped" for me, and I mastered the knack! Then, fascinated with it, I did it a hundred times in a row, and it never malfunctioned, never hung up, and never got out of alignment in a hundred tries!
Here is what worked for me:
1. The gaff must be placed an eighth of an inch from the top edge of the half-moon cutout. It worked every time from that position if I did the remainder of the following points correctly.
2. The left hand absolutely must not touch the gaff side of the wallet in any way at the moment of the action.
3. The chosen card must be plucked briskly from the wallet, which not only adis the visual illusion, but also makes the gaff function flawlessly.
4. Optional: In my experimentation, I found that the "equal and opposite reaction" idea might help some of you, too. As the right hand plucks the card from the wallet, the left hand moves away to the left, adding impetus to the gaff. Once I got the knack, though, I did not need to do this any more.
So, I take back all of my derogatory comments! Ah, I should have more patience as a I approach my 50's...
My sincere apologies to Mark Mason and J.B. Magic; this is a neat product, but I impatiently expected it to "work itself." After 40 years as a magic hobbyist, I should know better...
To conclude, I thank all those who had an active role in the thread or contacted me on email. As I said earlier, the Mirage Wallet gave one hundred perfect executions in a row, or 100% accuracy, after I got the knack.
By: Marvin L.
I've read many posts asking questions about wallets. The cost of these
wallets are from moderately priced to rather expensive. Some have
commented on the size of the wallets being larger than our everyday
American wallets. Others have commented that they just look rather
strange. I under stand that with most of these effects the card is
found in a zippered compartment. But is being found in a zippered
compartment worth the cost? Is the trick more effective?
I was fooling around with my Week-At-A-Glance pocket secretary. It has the weekly calender in the front of the secretary and a memo pad in the back. The memo pad is inserted through a horizonatal slit near the top of the secretary.
I find that a card can be loaded behind the memo pad vertically,easily by pulling the pad up to act as a guide. The card ends up in the compartment from which you can remove horizontally.
It can be done effectively from the secretary in an inside jacket pocket or from the back pocket of the pants.
The pocket secretary costs 10 bucks at Staples. Is this common knowledge? If so, forget it.
By: Jon A. Hand
You just described the working of some of the better wallets on the
market. Funny; I would not have thought of using the memo pad as a
guide. Of course, the card is revealed from the left side pocket of
the secrertary (into which the memo pad is also tucked from the top
slit, yes?). For those who have a good top palm, $10 is cheap and very
effective.
I do Martin Lewis' Card to Sealed Envelope in Plastic-covered Insurance Policy, and it is much like your idea above.
Some of the other wallets on the market, such as the Mason Mirage with which I wanted help a few days ago, do not require a palm. And, they fit into the usual back pocket of a man's pants, which the BKM, your fine pocket secretary idea, and many other popular wallets will not do.
Most of the wallets are in the $40 to $75 range, are really fine leather from major wallet makers, and have been altered as necessary to do the desired effect. Hence, their original $30+ price tag and the magic alterations push the price up considerably.
The BKM and others like it have two or three different ways of loading the card, not all of which require a palm. Most of these type of wallets are the large breast pocket wallets/checkbooks, though, which work great with a suit, sportscoat, or even a windbreaker, but not with jeans and a t-shirt.
Finally, Doug Atkinson's LISTMAN site has an excellent overview of the many types of wallets available.
Thanks for the neat idea! I'll be at a Staples this weekend, and I'll check it out!
By: Marvin L
The pocket secretary memo pad is in the right side of the wallet so
the card is withdrawn with the left hand from the right vertical
compartment. The secretary measure 3" across its width. A standard
American wallet measures 4" . Therefore the secretary fits very well
in the back pocket.
By: Jon A. Hand
Yes, but fitting into the back pocket and loading the secretary are
two different things. One would probably need a jacket to cover the
back pocket so that the memo pad would not show, and the necessity of
the jacket sort of negates the hip pocket ability of the secretary.
By: Marvin L.
I'm just assuming that no one is standing directly behind you. The
note pad has to be withdrawn a couple of inches to make it work.
By: Bob K
> I under stand that with most of these effects the card is found
in a zippered compartment. But is being found in a zippered
compartment worth the cost? Is the trick more effective?
I used a standard Mullica wallet for years. A couple years ago I added a zipper to the compartment. Based on my experience the zippered compartment does make the trick more effective.
As to whether it's worth the cost, that depends on what the cost is. A zipper cost me less than $1 at a sewing store. Another couple dollars for some waterproof craft glue (of which I used about 10 cents worth on the wallet) and about an hour to install.
By: Marvin L.
Diregading my lack of manual skills and my pay rate, do you consider the average Joe Magic can do pretty good effective Card to Wallet without the zippe with the method I described? Please be objective.
Ps. Please note I'm becoming familiar with Bob. I hope he doesn't object.
By: Bob K
I think the method you described would be just as effective as most
other methods.
Here's the thing about wallets. If the card winds up in the wallet and the spectator has no idea how it could have gotten there, it's effective. I think it has much more to do with practice and presentation than with the type of wallet and/or the method.
I really don't know exactly why a zipper in the Mullica wallet makes it stronger than no zipper (and maybe with a different method/wallet it wouldn't make any difference). I think maybe it just stops thoughts (or feelings) by the spectator that you could have slipped it in there.
I think there's also some things in wallets that convince the spectator more than others, while some things only help fool other magicians. An example might be Mason's Mirage wallet (which I think looks very good when Mason does it). A big selling point of that wallet is that the spectator actually 'sees' the card being removed from the wallet when it couldn't possibly be there. It does fool magicians if they're not familiar with it, but does it really add to the conviction level of non-magician spectators? I don't think it does if you do any card to wallet that creates the same level of conviction.
But let's face it, a lot of wallets and other gimmicks are sold for high prices because they fool the magician buying while you could get the same reaction with a different/cheaper method when dealing with laymen.
By: Steve Albrecht
I agree with Bob K. I own a bunch of wallets but I love Steve Draun's
"Real Man's Wallet" because it looks like a real wallet and not
something like the size of a small house boat (although I understand
that Ammar's handling of "card to house boat" is excellent). Who in
the real world carries such monstrosities? Well, maybe your
grandmother.
I've done an impromptu "card to sand" (when I'm on the beach with friends...seriously) and it flips them out. Lay people don't care all that much about these zipper details etc. I mean, if the zipper's not brought into play they don't think anything about it. They care about their signed card going to some impossible place.
I think this applies to other areas of magic as well. My girlfriend and her friends recently watched a fellow magician friend of mine (who is incredible by the way) do Kohler's 3 Fly. They had seen me do a version of Kenner's 3 Fly and all remarked after seeing Bob's version that they had seen that trick before. I don't really think they saw a huge distinction between Bob and Chris's version (I can hear the hate mail coming my way).
They were more flipped out over effect's like Kennedy's mystery box or the perfect pen than the best coins across in the world. Experience bears me out on this. I've been doing close up for years and people love things that float or pens that go through body parts than most coins going from hands to hands. I'm not basing this on my own tastes. I'm basing this on my discussions and experience with other real world magicians.
Please, believe I sure would love to own Bob's 3 fly (cost permits at this time)and I think it is as perfect a coin effect as you'll find. My respect for this trick knows no bounds and I have a great love for coin magic and sleight of hand. But lay people don't really see all the details we magicians do. So in the case of a wallet if you can palm a card well and have a thoughtful game plan you can do friggin miracles.
By: EnricoSuave
I just checked my Week-At-A-Glance dayplanner (which incidentally I
did buy at Staples)..
..nope, no card loaded there. Maybe I didn't say the magic words right? Baffling.
By: Marvin L.
There are a couple of different pocket secretaries.Look for the one
that is nor spiral bound. It is model 70-403.
By: RedDevil
Go to Staples office supply and buy the At-A-Glance Monthly/Weekly
Planner (70-431) for 8.98 plus tax. If you do, you have bought the
only card to wallet you will ever need if you like Kaps load style
wallets.
I was curious at Marvin L.'s suggestion, so I bought one. And I played with it. I developed a routine with it using the calendar inside. And I am kicking magical boodie all over the place with this effect.
I have been doing card to wallet a few years now with my hipshot (with the zippered compartment), and I have never been caught and have always received great reactions. But I am getting even better reactions from my routine with this 9.00 planner. And for me, the thing is easier to load.
I haven't been this excited over the results of a "magic" product in, well, a long time. I can't stop performing with it, and it is KILLING spectators.
By: Mike Fordice
I picked one up last night - works well for the intended purpose.
Reminds me of the Pocket Secretary that I got from Art Emerson about 20 years ago.
By: David Regal
Okay, I've gone to three different Staples in Southern California -
none have an At-A-Glance Monthy/Weekly Planner #70-431. They checked
their computers - there's no sign of an At-A-Glance Monthy/Weekly
Planner #70-431. I went to the At-A-Glance Group website (I'm serious)
and used their product search engine, and THEY don't list an
At-A-Glance Monthy/Weekly Planner #70-431. They have a #70-430 and a
70-432.
Is the information correct? If this is a closeout item, could somebody who sees one buy it for me (better yet - buy two)? I'm good for the dough. Thanks.
By: Mike Fordice
At-A-glance #70-431 is correct. I did get one Tuesday at local
Staples. But they had very few. I'll go there tomorrow and look again
and get what they have as I'll be seeing you here in NJ on 5/30.
By: Douglas Byrd
Yes that is the correct number. You can also use 70-403 (red version)
and 70-008 which is a leather (non-aligator skin style). Prices will
very from town to town and state to state. Please understand for those
that might be a bit confused; there is NO zippered compartment
involved with these.
By: Wilson
Ok, everybody, I dont know if this will be at all informative to
anyone, but I found some things out about these planners, and I
thought I would share. I went to my local Office Max and Office Depot
today, and was asking about the model 70-431, the sales clerk informed
me that the At-A-Glance company changes the model number on the
planner every year---therefore even though the planner may be exactly
the same, if it is a different year, the model number would be
different. This is probably why some may have found this model number
and others may have not.
I did find a model number 70-403, which is he 2002 model weekly planner, and has the memo pad in the back. I didnt purchase one of these, but it did seem much like the 70-431 model that was described a few days ago. If it turns out to be the same thing, I would not mind at all picking a few extra up and send them to those of you who may not be able to get one. I dont want to do this until it is for sure that these will be ok--so if anyone cares to check on this, I found the model number 70-403 at Office Depot. And it was made of the alligator skin platic composite matierial--not leather, bringing its total to 9.79.
By: Wilson
Ok , I think I got this all figured out, for those interested . The
picture that is shown in this thread is the 2001 at-a-glance weekly,
model 70-431. Now, the 2002 at-a-glance weekly is model 70-403. They
are exactly the same, as far as I could tell from the pictures, just
diferent years, consequently different model number. Both are pocket
size, made of same snake skin immitation plastic, the memo in the
back. From my expierience, you can get either at a Staples or an
Office Depot. Now they cost around 10 bucks. Now as soon as I can I am
going to go back and check on a leather edition and will try to let
you all know the scoop--price, model number, etc.
By: Mike Fordice
Just took a couple pictures of the 70-431. Front, back, and inside
back cover where the "slide" is located.
Find them at:
http://www.4dice.com/mike/glance.html
(Pictures duplicated below with Mike Fordice's permission)
By: Joe M. Turner
I went to Staples today and saw some with leather covers. They were
more like $17, but they did have the memo pad in the back.
By: SteveW
Just a note to let you know that like David Regal I too was intrigued
with the At-A-Glance Planners after buying one and trying out the idea
it does have a downside. The wallet is NOT leather and did not hold up
after repeated loadings. In fact mine ripped after a few times. It
might be OK for someone with smaller hands, but since it is not
leather and does not have a zipper I found it wasn't for me. You get
what you pay for!
By: Robert Costley
I have during practice or performance performed this effect over a
hundred times with my 9.00 planner. It has not ripped yet. And during
that time, I have experimented with a several ways (some gentler,some
rougher) of loading the card, so I have probably, because of that
experimentation, put the wallet through a rougher performance life
than will occur with my next one. I figure that on average, I will go
through two wallets a year. At that rate, it will take me three years
to equal the price of a hip shot, which I love.
So my advice would be this:
Both products are wonderful. If you don't
own a wallet and don't want to invest 50 or 60 dollars in a good one
right now, spend 9 bucks and practice with the planner. By doing that,
you get the added benefit of having a calendar for the routine (the
calendar works perfectly in my routine and gives a wonderful excuse to
bring out the wallet; the excuse is built in). Then, if you want, you
can buy a hipshot or similar wallet.
Personally, I will not use my hipshot for back pocket routines. I love the routine I use with it in my coat pocket. The planner I will reserve for my back pocket. If anything, the planner has given me the confidence to perform card to back pocket wallet, which thoroughly hated before even though I was regularly doing card to coat pocket wallet. Maybe some of you will get the same benefit.
A side note, I bet if we all look hard enough, we can find a similarly built leather planner for 20 bucks or so.
By: Marvin L.
This wasn't mentioned before but this wallet can be used without
palming by pulling out the jacket lapel with the hand holding the deck
while leaving the selected card inside the jacket to be loaded by the
right hand. I'm not sure where this is printed but Gary Kurtz's book
describes this ruse for another effect.
By: Ed Millis
Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference between the
Kaps load style and other types?
By: Robert Costley
Kaps load means it requires you to palm the card to load the
card. Kind of vague, but I'd rather not be too specific about the
gimmick.
By: Wesley James
For the record, the Card to Wallet method to which you refer was the
invention of Ed Balducci, first manufactured by Willie Schneider of
New York, and appears in the pages of Hugard's Magic Monthly, in 1958,
as I recall. Kaps' involvement was largely that of popularizing the
wallet. The loading techniques most often used with the wallet were
invented by Derek Dingle and I, though claimed, by ommission of
credit, by Frank Garcia.
By: Robert Costley
Mr. James,
thanks for the post! I learned some history today.
2 points of curiosity:
1. Was Balducci's original method very different from the one you and Dingle invented?
2. What is Mr. Garcia's explanation on the omission?
By: Wesley James
Balducci provided no details on how the wallet was to be loaded,
merely that it could be done using the path inherent in the design.
Garcia offered no explanation to me but, when questioned on it by others who knew the history, simply stated, "I didn't say it was mine." I have no desire to cast aspersions on a man who has now passed on. I am simply reporting his response, as reported to me. I believe Paul Cummins can confirm Garcia having created the impression the technique was his.
By: Corey King
A while back someone posted that they were looking for a Mullica
wallet, but I guess the "Original" Mullica Wallet. I directed the
person to the MagicSmith but they said this wasn't the wallet they
were looking for. Out of curiosity, were their two different models of
the Mullica wallet manufactured? Was the earlier wallet (the wallets
that Tom first had for sale) different from the one now able to be
purchased from most dealers?
By: Mark Ross
I recently purchased a Mullica Wallet, as marketed by Jerry Mentzer,
who bought the rights from Mr. Mullica. I made this purchase after
seeing Burger's video "Gourmet Closeup". The wallet I received does
not seem near the quality of the wallet seen on the tape. The wallet I
received is a $30.00 Rolf wallet with the gimmick applied for/or by
Mr. Mentzer. After getting over a bit of disappointment, I have come
to like my new Mullica Wallet a lot.
By: Scott K.
Yes. They don't make the original Mullica wallet anymore. I've tried
about 5 different magic stores, and none of them carry the original
(only a cheap imitation).
I also tried to buy one from Jerry Mentzer himself. Even he doesn't carry the original wallet.
I have seen a few of the original Mullica wallets being auctioned on ebay over the past several months.
A while ago, I got some good advice from one of the users here (Joe M. Turner). He recommended going to your local department store and purchasing one of the pocket secretary type wallets (made by Rolf or Geoffrey Bean). Take out all of the extra inserts, and make your own gimmick. That is what I did, and it works great!
By: Dr. Magic
The BKM wallet is a nice wallet made out of leather. I have used it
for some time and have used both the Kaps and Mullica methods. If you
have the BKM wallet you can do a double card to wallet. As far as
finding a MULLICA wallet I don't know. But I think the BKM wallet is
the way to go. Hope that helps.
By: tboehnlein
I agree with with you Doc I own a BKM and although it is fairly large
I love the wallet, after all it is a breast pocket wallet & I get many
uses out of it other than just card to wallet. I have tried finding
similar ungaffed wallets for the Mullica use only, but haven't found a
thing under 75.00 of any quality at all. So for 60.00 the BKM is a
steal especially considering I use it for everyday use for the past 2
years & it is held up wonderfully.
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