Fasinating story! I always find the history of a routine or effect adds so much more when using it!

Out of interest, does anyone know the best rising deck on the market? I've never used the effect but would be tempted if there was a similar model to what Mr Gibbs talks about!

"Best" is a subjective term. There are methods that are very clever and very expensive. There are methods that are very clever and very inexpensive. So much depends on your working conditions.

Some prefer the A.M.Y. deck, because of the thickness of the gimmick. Others prefer the Ted Biet system. Some like Kundalini Rising, which can be performed with any deck. Others prefer the Devano, because there is nothing that will stick to the cards.

There is a method in Martin's Miracles that is great if you are seated, but it doesn't require a lot of thinking to figure out how to use it standing up.

I recently had the opportunity to examine and handle an original Devano Deck made by Devano himself.

It is completely untrue that the gimmick takes up nearly half the deck. It takes up only a small group of cards

The deck can indeed be fanned, shuffled, and handled freely.

The Devano mechanism does not hang up if properly manufactured, used, and maintained. The deck I examined belongs to David Berglas, who used the routine constantly in his professional work at one time. It had not been used for decades, yet worked perfectly, and repeatedly.

The use of tape rather than pins simply does not allow you to perform the effect as cleanly or effectively.

Ted Lesley gave me a Devano that was made up for one of his routines. It works very well. I remember the ones that Howard Bamman used to make. Those were very nice. Both of these use pins. Howard used surgical steel suture needles.

Posted: Mar 12, 2010 2:46pm
I think part of the confusion over the Devano decks was actually the result of something Tannen's made when Devano first started selling his decks. These were the "Devano" decks that had a brass weight. They were also sometimes called the "Vosburgh Lyons Decks." These had a rather thick gimmick section, mainly because brass isn't as dense as lead, and requires more metal to achieve the same kind of action. These also had a wig tape gimmick. I'm not sure when they were originally sold, but I believe there is a reference to the Devano vs. Lyons controversy in one of Annemann's editorial sections in an issue of Jinx.

The discussions of the rising card decks reminded me of the chapter "They Make the Magic" in Dexter's _Everybody's Book of Magic_. In addition to the Devano rising card deck, Dexter mentions an inventor named Martin who also made a rising card deck which is apparently rare and different in principle. Can anyone provide more information on Martin and his deck?

I also remember Del Ray's rising cards routine from his stage act. That incorporated a couple of highly visual "extras" including a moving pip card and a last minute revelation of a card when it seemed that Del had "forgotten" to reveal the last card selected. Then there's the "rising card case effect" when the card case that "accidentally" fell off his table and then jumped back onto the table when Del gave it a dirty look.

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez

Martin made clockwork rising cards. They are very hard to find. He was a mechanic-machinist who lived in London right about the time of WW II.

Kick me hard... I had and sold two jumbo Martin decks and one Poker size, as well as one German version of the clockwork system. I have a poker and jumbo Devano both made by Howard Bamman and they are fabulous.

At one time I made up a few jumbo electric-powered Devano's. One was used by Fred Kaps.

I have a Devano style jumbo that needs restoration and used, I think TANTALUM, a metal heavier than lead, but harder and thinner.

gotta go, Dodger game getting interesting.

Tantalum would be heavier than lead. Tungsten would be heavier than tantalum. It is as dense as gold.

So a "gold" Devano could be worth a couple of thousand hides?

Martin was "discovered" by Arnold DeBiere around 1926. DeBiere kept him a deep secret until he went to the big magic show in the sky around 1934. Martin was at the funeral. Cardini had him make things, then Davenport, then Frakson and others. He was considered the "Rolls Royce of Magic Mechanics."

I've owned several pieces of Martin apparatus, not as collectibles but as working props. They are absolutely reliable but that reliability does not come cheap. My first jumbo Rising Card deck was aquired in 1970, two years after Martin's death. It was $250. The second one came to hand just a few years ago and was $2500. The poker-sized clockwork decks are around $3,000 when available, which isn't very often.

I am wondering if the new production run of AMY risers has ever taken place. Does anybody have any info?

Chris I was wondering the same thing. I have two originals in TallyHo and now am looking for bicycle versions.

I've got an ARNE deck in Bikes that a friend bought for me in the USA during his holiday. It's quality/manufacture is pathetic if I'm honest, despite the $35 price tag! They are unreliable rubbish and I'd never dream of using them commercially. The instructions are also a complete and utter joke - such dealers should be banished from the fraternity as they are clearly focussed purely upon profit rather than advancing the art of magic.

By comparison, I have a Devano Deck made in Alf Cooke cards, manufactured by Mitch Devano in the early 1970's. It still works an absolute dream.

As for the 'slimmest' version of the Rising Cards - I think the slimmest version of rising cards I have is a gimmick by Gus Southall - and released by Ken Brooke in 1968. It's only 2 card thick and can be added to any deck - making it examinable.

I have found a guy who makes them today...he either makes the 8 card or a 5 card one. They are being shipped to me and will report on the quality.

Mowee,

I would like to know who sells the A.M.Y. deck; please let me know by PM if you do not wish to post your findings.

I used the original Devano for many years--purchased from Magic, Inc.--and used it for the Don Alan routine. It is nice, and the use of the pin system is reliable and somewhat permanent in that there is no need to put on new tape.

Later, I purchased the thin model from Paul Diamond, and found it more practical than the original Devano, although it was not quite as robust.

Still, I think the thin model deck is preferable for several reasons. First, there is little likelihood of flashing the gaff. Second, the deck can be handled much more normally, e.g. you can do overhand and Hindu shuffles. Third, you can allow the rising to take place in the spectators' hands as is done in Whit Haydn's remarkable and powerful routine.

Incidentally, I agree with the argument that the face card of the gaff should be a court card--my Devano uses the King of Hearts. I do not recall what the Paul Diamond version had, but I think (from the above comments) it probably was the A.M.Y deck, which would have had the court card on the face of the gaff.

From a magic store, I purchased today's standard-issue, rising card deck and was disappointed. The gimmick is made up from twelve cards, which is good. The face card is the Ace of Clubs, which does not camouflage the gaff as well as a court card would. The tape is mounted on a small square cut from a playing card, and this became dislodged from the thread. Finally, there are no gromets as there are in the original Devano. I am not sure these are essential or even desirable, but he lack of them reduces the longevity of the deck. Finally, the mechanism is not nearly as smooth as with the Devano or with the first thin-gimmick model I purchased from Paul Diamond.

Incidentally, Mowee, it is pretty simple to convert a Tally Ho gimmick to work with a Bicycle deck: just replace the top card of the gimmick.

Jim

Why ask mowee, Jim? Ask Barry Gibbs. The AMY deck is his. You might be able to send him a private message if you check the first post in this thread.

Bill...I had posted hoping Barry would make it again. But not sure if he is still around of what happened. As I said I have two of his originals, but now needed them in Bikes since my Tally Ho's are getting rarer.

You may be able to track him down by clicking on the link in one of the posts he left. It won't take you directly to him, but the people where that post leads may be able to help you.

Regarding Tally-Ho's getting rare -- where have you looked? Kardwell has them. Murphy's doesn't have them at this time. I think some of the "street magic" sites that had them at one time have switched over to some of these trendy bike cards. But your gambling houses are probably going to be your best bet for these.

Yeah Bill...I am going to check out Gamblers Warehouse in Vegas this week when I am there. I love Tally Hos but since as of now USPC ain't making them....oh well gotta adapt.

I have just published a downloadable video on the Thin-Model Rising Card Deck. It is thirty minutes long, teaching my routine and handling.

Available at http://www.popsmagic.com/store/p111/Pop_......deo.html