Hidden Gems 5 by Mark Elsdon

HIDDEN GEMS 5
Another essential hornbook of latent magic uncovered by yours truly.

More excerpts from my notebooks, listing fabulous tricks that have caught my eye over the years. The first four Hidden Gems books have been incredibly popular so here we are with Volume 5.


These are tricks that define the very concept of ‘hidden in print’. In each entry I list the trick, where you can find it, why I love it and why YOU should look it up. I always describe the effect, occasionally the presentation, but NEVER the method.

Most are in books that you already own (or should!), some are in magazines that you can easily get access to and the odd one or two entries will send you on a major SHM/MagicWeek/eBay hunt. Happy days!

This new eBook collects 100 more of these Hidden Gems: 100 fantastic tricks, where they are published and why YOU should be doing them. There is a mixture of card, coin and close-up magic, as well as plenty of mentalism, stand-up and cabaret material.

If you are on the look-out for great tricks that no one else is doing (and who isn’t?!) then you will find a ton of them in this eBook.


Samples from Vol. 5:

Hidden Gem #19: ‘S Writes’ by Peter Duffie, 7 eBook (p6). An incredible two-phase diary trick. The first part is very clever and seems impossible, but the second part seems like a miracle. I kid you not! I saw it performed before I knew the method and I was totally and utterly fooled. It’s just so casual and disarming. Love it.

Hidden Gem #37: ‘Snap Shot’ by Rainer Pfeiffer, The Book or Don’t Forget To Point (p20). About 15 years ago the names of the Flicking Fingers were everywhere but one rarely hears most of them even mentioned nowadays. Which is a great pity as this book is full of stellar material that is almost all very practical and commercial. This great little trick is a perfect example: two rubber bands instantly link – in the hands of the participant!

Appreciation for Hidden Gems:

“I confess that I would prefer to NOT recommend this ebook, purely for selfish reasons. It’s a treasure chest that will unlock your library and send you racing to fill in any gaps. And I just had to buy a book I didn’t have. This ebook is going to cost me a ****ing fortune!” – R. Paul Wilson

“Mark has curated a spectacular collection! I am like a kid in a candy with so many effects and routines I haven’t even heard of before. The knowledge and insight that has gone into Hidden Gems is incredible.” – Bro Gilbert

“In magic part of our daily ritual is to look for the hidden gems, the real treasures, the real magic. Mark Elsdon is one of the best read ‘treasure’ hunters I know of. When he points out a vein of treasure I explore. In this book Mark doesn’t teach tricks he’s created. Instead he points out sources and effects that you should explore. He’s got great taste in material, meaning you will skip a lot of fodder and simply find some uncovered miracles. If you love finding great magic this book will be a treasure map you will delight in.” – Tim Trono

“Let’s face it; we all know that some of the best stuff is hiding in plain sight. We have all missed a beauty that was staring us right in the face. Well…imagine a book that does the incredible job of giving the savvy magician a second look at that killer material. Mark’s Hidden Gems does exactly that! A collection of high-impact magic, cherry picked to only give you the best of the best. Polish up these Hidden Gems. They are a true treasure. And so is Mark’s ebook.”
– Jonathan Friedman

“Whether you are looking for unique new pieces for your pro working repertoire or killers for your next magic session, Mark has done the hard work for you! There’s gold in these pages from some of the greatest minds in Magic. I’m equally thrilled and annoyed that this collection has been put together; it’s a must-buy.” – James Went

“Choosing new material is a tough process as you have to wade through lots and lots of garbage, to find even a single piece that’s worthy of your time and effort. But not anymore – Mark has done all the hard (and expensive!) work for us so we can only focus on the fantastic, overlooked effects that nobody else is doing! Hidden Gems has my highest recommendation!” – Iain Moran

“Mark Elsdon is my regular source for hidden gems … he scours magic literature and finds ideas that inspire me to look harder, and closer.” – Andi Gladwin

“I have mixed feeling – I suspect Mark has made things a bit too easy. The reader is guided painlessly towards material that many performers have painstakingly researched in order to add it to their repertoires. It’s all there on a plate for you! This is a terrific repository of great magic. Hidden Gems is offered at a great price for what could turn out to be a lifetime’s worth of killer material! A MUST BUY!” – Dave Jones