Details: This book is the first I hope of a series on close-up magic by some of the people who have attended what I believe to be the world’s greatest close-up magic convention.

“Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic” easily recognized by the Four F’s on the cover was started in April 1971 at the famous Forks Hotel in Buffalo, N.Y. Three people put their heads together and decided that it would be nice to have a convention dedicated strictly to the art of close-up magic. They were Eddie Fechter, Bill Okal and myself “Obie” O’Brien. Since then, Bill Okal is still doing close-up magic but is not longer associated with F.F.F.F. Eddie Fechter died March 31, 1979 leaving myself to carry on “The Original Closeup Magic Convention”. Always the last Friday and Saturday in April is when the clan gathers in Buffalo, N.Y. at the Forks Hotel. This year was our 12th. We have to limit the number of attendees to approximately 100 because the Forks Hotel is a very small place and that is why this convention is strictly by invitation only.

All of the profits that will be made on this book will be used to improve future F.F.F.F. conventions. I sincerely hope you enjoy the magic within.

Contents:

Page i: Introduction

Chapter I: Cards

Page 1: Unknown (Harry Carroll)
Page 3: Five Finger Discount (Del Copley)
Page 5: Mental Nick (Thomas Craven)
Page 7: Side Steal a la Doty (J. C. Doty)
Page 9: Joe’s Trick (Ed Eckl)
Page 11: Blazing Saddles (Tony Econ)
Page 13: Everywhere and Nowhere (Neal Elias)
Page 15: Double Dazzling Slop Shuffle Triumph (Bob Farmer)
Page 19: Universal Prediction (Phil Goldstein)
Page 20: Any Card Any Wallet (Bob Haines)
Page 21: No Skill Four Ace Assembly (Mike Hilburger)
Page 23: AC/DC T.B.S.M.R.R. (Peter Isaacs)
Page 26: Houdini and Svengali (Denis MacKenzi)
Page 27: Mirror Twist (Ray Mertz)
Page 29: Water and the Oil Barons (William P. Miesel)
Page 30: The Card is Cigarette (Tom Mullica)
Page 32: Four Card Do As I Do (Mike O’Dowd)
Page 34: Challenge Poker (Mack Picknick)
Page 36: The Gambler and His Accomplice (Mack Picknick)
Page 37: Three Alike (Victor Trabucco)
Page 38: Progressive Blues (David Walker)

Chapter II: Coins

Page 45: Deflation (Del Copley)
Page 46: Bomb Bay Production (Tom Gagnon)
Page 47: Flip Up Production (Tom Gagnon)
Page 49: Vi-Sil-Co (“Obie” O’Brien)
Page 50: Reverse Color Changing Matrix (Tom Staton)

Chapter III: Miscellaneous Close Up Magic

Page 53: Son of Morning (Gene Anderson)
Page 54: The Orange Chop (Bob Follmer)
Page 56: A Ball Production (Tom Gagnon)
Page 57: Eggstraordinary (Claude Hale)
Page 58: A Tape Recorder Gag (Mike Hilburger)
Page 59: Ring on Wand Routine (Karl Norman)
Page 61: Zig Zag Thumb (Meir Yedid)
Page 64: Out of This Alphabet (David Drake)
Page 65: Love Match (Norman Houghton)