For some reason, I was thinking about how playing cards became the center of magic effects. I understand that playing cards were originally created for gambling and games. So, when and why did they become used for magic effects?

When the police started asking about the proceeds of the "gambling" some clever folks said it's "just an entertainment".

Every game of chance has it's cheats. Maybe it was some of the techniques of those cheaters that inspired those interested in Magic to start playing around with cards and devising ways to cheat in an honest way and the rest as they say, is History.
I really don't know the correct answer to your question Andy but I present to you my own Whaco theory.
Iven

The popularity surely soared because cards, like coins are everyday objects that people are familiar with.

Cards are the best in my opinion. Hofzinser said "cards are the poetry of magic". I like that.

Nothing wrong with cards and *good* cardworkers..

The problem is the long drawn out cardroutines, making anybody to fall asleep, even lovers of cardmagic, which includes me..

Too many *cardmagicians* actually are not aware of how to make their work entertaining and straightforward...and SHORT

Almost any cardtrick involving some counting of cards/piles is incredible boring and too long..

Keep it short..that's all I can say..and use strong effects..
Red Hot Mamma, SIGNED Card to wallet, to take some of the strongest..these can be padded by less strong effects in between, as long as they are clear to even the slowest thinker amongst the public and easy to understand..
Just my own opinion...not too many do follow the above mentioned rules..

PS..and please use *natural* moves..avoid moves like the Biddle move and deslike.

You can carry cards around in your pocket as opposed to, say, the Hippitty Hop Rabbits. Hence they are easy to have and are common objects.

Be a pleasant and fun person to be around first, then be a cardman second (or fourth)!

Thanks Pete! It's all for the audience and the magic is secondary.

Yes....but please allow me a tiny protest
WHY then doing magic?
Example..just use Gazzo..he doesn't need it at all..
Why then not just be a 'second' Victor Borge!

IF one is that good in entertaining, one doesn't need the magic..

Werner, such is why folks who learn the craft, often move ahead into comedy or mentalism or even become monologue artists ... or even actors.

Think of Steve Martin and Johnny Carson.

Yes..but still I have a hunch, that some ppl do magic more for their own fun -and still might be entertaining and even funny- then for *just* being an entertainer!

Those choosing to do magic, I suppose, do it for the love of it and wouldn't quit, even IF they where able to entertain without magic..
Taking Johnny Carson ( I don't know that much about Steve Martin) I don't think he was *THAT* good a magician to continue..so the profession he did choose was surely a wise one and he was good at it, as he also was a great friend of magic and magicians and did a lot for promoting them..

Most of my favorite people are cardmen.

It's not about the magic, it's about the cards.

The complete Hofzinser quote (I have it framed and a gift of Richard Hatch many years ago hanging on the wall right next to my workspace here in the studio where its been for at least 12 years):

Card effects are the poetry of conjuring.
Without poetry, there would be no poets.
Without card effects, no conjurors, even
had one the power to cast spells.

Dr. Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser (1806-1875)
in a letter to Carlo Marchini, 15 March 1872, Vienna

-=tabman
http://tabmantables.com

Fr. Cyprian once said, "Too bad there is so much doggerel."

There are soooooo many effects that can be done with cards.

Maybe it all started by accident.

"Oh look! I picked up two cards together! Hmmmm..."

Werner,

You seem like a very talented and knowledgeable magician, and I'm sure you've been doing magic for a very long time. Do you perform for the public? Living in Vegas, I've seen a lot of types of shows; Singing, comedy, juggling, acting, break dancing, piano, orchestra, magic, etc.

Almost ever practitioner of every craft thinks that their craft is the best. However, if you've performed close-up magic for an intimate group, and watched them scream when you make something that has been personalized by them (i.e. Signed cards) appear folded up, in a zippered compartment of your wallet, tell them what card they were merely thinking, etc, I think you'd agree that magic is the most enjoyable (To the audience) type of entertainment there is.

Why? Because it is the most intimate. In addition to magic, I also play the piano, and while someone may enjoy watching a pianist play the Minute Waltz in under a minute, a comedian tell a funny joke, or a singer entertain people with their voice, it can't compare to someone coming up to you personally, and tearing up an object, and then restoring it before your eyes, or making small objects appear, disappear, and multiply in your own hands.

:)
Shane Wiker