Magic Show

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The pasteboards temporarily

ignore gravity.

THE BUOYANCY PACK

By Clayton W. Rosencrance

The magician hands a deck of playing cards to a spectator for shuffling. Taking
back the pack, the magician holds it in his left hand as if about to deal the
cards. His right hand takes the top card and moves to the right. To everyone's
surprise the rest of the cards follow, until the deck is ribbon spread between the
hands with no visible means of support.
Bringing the hands together, the magician squares up the pack, turns it over so
the cards are face up and again moves the hands apart so again the cards are
ribbon spread in thin air.
Finally, the magician closes up the pack and hands it back to the spectator for
another shuffle.
Clayton W. Rosencrance's The Buoyancy And Cleaving Pack Of Cards was
published in the magic magazine 'The Sphinx' in February of 1917. Despite its
simple method and startling effect it seems to have attracted little interest, but
it was never quite forgotten as over the years there have been occasional
attempts to 'improve' the method using sleeve pulls and double line reels.
However, none of these improvements quite captures Rosencrance's nearly
impromptu miracle.
Props & Setup
Any pack of cards. Rosencrance lived in a time when it was possible to borrow a
pack of cards and this is what he recommended. A rubber band. Rosencrance
used a 2-1/2 inch (6.4 cm) rubber band which could be comfortably stretched to
about 14 inches (36 cm.) The band was 1/8th inch wide (3 mm.)
The rubber band is finger palmed in the right hand to start. An easy way to do
this is to have the deck and band in a coat pocket, palming the band as the deck
is taken out. Rosencrance recommended handing the deck out for shuffling and
while this was being done palming the rubber band.
Handling
When the spectator returns the shuffled deck, take the cards in the left hand,
backs up as if about to deal them. When the right hand approaches the left
under cover of the cards slip the rubber band over the second, third and fourth
fingers of the left hand.
As the left thumb pushes the top card toward the right hand, the right thumb
and forefinger take that card while the other fingers of the the right hand go
through the band loop.
When the right hand leaves the left hand, extending and stretching the band,
the left thumb keeps feeding the cards on the rubber track and the extension of
the rubber carries them away from the left hand until the pack of cards is
spread out.
In returning the cards back to their original position the right hand should move
gradually. Turn the pack over on the left palm so the faces are up, then repeat
the spread.
After the cards are returned to the left hand for the last time, square up the
deck. In doing that the band can be disposed of by palming it or letting it drop
to the floor. The deck can again be passed out for examination.

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The deck in the left hand, the rubber

band finger palmed in the right hand.

The hands are brought together, the

second, third and fourth fingers of each
hand going into the rubber band.

The spread begins, note that the thumb

and index finger of each hand guides
and supports the cards.

The cards spread across space.

The ribbon spread is closed and the

deck turned over so it is face up.

The spread is repeated with the cards

face up.

The second, third and fourth fingers of

each hand go through the band loop
and curl back in towards the palms. This
curling in raises the band up higher and
prevents it from accidentally slipping off
the fingers.

The deck tilted to show the path of the

rubber band and the position of the
thumb and first finger of each hand.

Performance Notes
Rosencrance comments that the effect can be performed "at very close range,
as the spectators look down on the cards and the cards cover the rubber band,
making it invisible to the spectators' eyes." In fact, this might be said to be the
only drawback to the effect as invented and may be the reason why the double
line reel or loop of line on an elastic sleeve pull have been put forth as
alternatives.
While two parallel lengths of stronger, lighter line running under the cards may
improve the angles, the original method, done very close up, remains the most
effective.
On first trying this effect it becomes quite obvious it isn't as easy as it looks.
The two lengths of rubber band have to be brought up as high as possible so
they are in line with the hands. Rubber bands are no longer as elastic as they
were in Rosencrance's day, so the maximum extension may be less. Finally,
attempting to make a perfect ribbon spread is not advised. While card workers

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are disposed to mathematical neatness, the effect is easier and looks more
magical if the spread is random rather than precise.
Photographs by Ellen Lebowitz.
Magic Show is 2003 by Robinson Wizard, Inc.

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