The title stems from a Dr Stanley Jaks mystery, in which he used a purse and a small Buddha figurine. His routine inspired me to create this baby. It is a combination of three routines for formal close-up shows sitting at the table: a trick inspired by a method by Dan Fleshman, a ring and rope sequence by Dan Garrett and a signed, folded card in the purse a la Al Goshman. A lot is going on, and the reconstruction is impossible.
We need two identical purses, a silken cord, a large silver finger ring (mine comes from Seville and is crafted from a Dollar coin), the deck and a marker. For convenience, I wear a knee magnet holder underneath the trousers. That way, the second purse can be stored (opened) on the knee and later loaded.
One purse is opened and placed on the knee. The other contains the silver ring and the cord. I place this on the table to the side. Two cards are chosen, and a spectator signs one of them on the face. Control the cards, so that the signed card is third from the top, and the other selected card second from the top. False shuffle and false cut the deck.
Get a break underneath the top three cards. Turn over the top card it is none of the selections. Pick up all three cards as one and perform the twirl change. It has transformed into the signed selection.
Put the cards back onto the deck and with a double lift, turn the two top cards face down. Deal the top card in front of the spectator. He is to put his hand onto the card.
Palm the top card and hand the deck to a spectator for shuffling. Whilst he is doing this, have another spectator open the purse and remove the ring and cord. This gives you more than enough misdirection so that the hand with the palmed card can drop into the lap, fold the card and insert it into the purse which is snapped shut. You are way ahead.
To put in some time misdirection, perform a short and visual ring and rope sequence. I do Dan Garrett’s “Faustus Ring” here, which is visible, brief and baffling. Before, when I am in the mood, I do two finger ring stunts, which I learned from De’vo vom Schattenreich. Look up his DVDs, and you are in business.
When finished with the ring and rope thing, thread the ring onto the cord and hold the ends. You will use the ring and cord as a pendulum to find the second spectator’s card.
The spectator spreads the cards on the table, and you try to locate the card with the ring. But it doesn’t work. The ring “moves” by itself towards the spectator who keeps his hand on his card! Something is wrong, ask him to lift the hand and turn the card face-up: the second spectator’s card is staring him in his face! This is a powerful effect; it is unexpected and will get an extreme reaction.
While the spectators are reacting, you put the ring and cord down on the table, pick up the purse and exchange it with the purse in the lap. I use the classic Slydini switch for this.
Then put the purse in front of the spectator, let him open it and remove the signed folded card.
Leave the deck on the table, because almost for sure someone will grab it and check it. That doesn’t matter; you are clean.