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Topit
A Topit is a pocket installed inside a jacket used by magicians to dispose of objects secretly. It plays a similar role in the magician's toolkit to pulls, holdouts, servantes, and techniques such as sleeving or lapping. While the original Topit booklet by Patrick Page was put out by Lewis Davenport Ltd. in London decades ago, it was Michael Ammar who popularized the Topit with his refinement of Topit technique and inspired a number of well-known close-up magicians to adopt it. Topits were employed by pickpockets and thieves during the 19th century. This primitive form of the topit was called the "Poacher's Pouch". The art of Topit has developed, like some other forms of magic, in symbiotic relationship between magicians and grifters, both considered sleight of hand Sleight of hand (also known as prestidigitation or ''legerdemain'' ()) refers to fine motor skills when used by performing artists in different art forms to entertain or manipulate. It is closely associated with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Ammar
Michael Ammar (born June 25, 1956) is an American close-up magician. He is recognized worldwide as one of the greatest living magicians. Background Ammar was born in Logan, West Virginia. His father's background was Syrian, Ammar earned a degree from West Virginia University in business administration in 1978. Magician In 1982, Ammar competed with magicians from 30 countries to win the "Gold Medal in Close-up Magic" at Lausanne, Switzerland. During the 1980s he developed a close friendship with his mentor, Dai Vernon ("The Professor"), whose influence is apparent in Ammar's performances. Michael Ammar has many television credits. He was the magic week finale on Late Night with David Letterman in 2010. He has made multiple appearances on The Tonight Show. He moved to Los Angeles - where he became a regular performer at the Playboy Mansion, and made appearances on the Merv Griffin Show, The Tonight Show, CNN, and Travel Channel. Ammar appeared at the Magic Castle in Hollywood ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lapping (magic)
In the art of conjuring Conjuration or Conjuring may refer to: __NOTOC__ Concepts * Conjuration (summoning), the evocation of spirits or other supernatural entities ** Conjuration, a school of magic in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' * Conjuration (illusion), the performance of s ..., lapping refers to a set of techniques whereby a performer seated at a table can secretly dispose of an item into their lap. A common lapping technique is to sweep an item into the lap while pretending to pick it off the tabletop. Conflicts There are two issues with lapping: one must prepare the lap beforehand so that objects do not slip between the legs and retrieval of the lapped object(s). Features Subtle uses of lapping, such as secret switches or disposing of secret devices, enable effects that would not otherwise be possible. Stand-up magicians, such as "table-hoppers" at restaurants, may need to use a Topit or other device to obtain a similar effect, due to their inability to lap. The magicians who ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magician (illusion)
Magician or The Magician may refer to: Performers * A practitioner of magic (supernatural) * A practitioner of magic (illusion) * Magician (fantasy), a character in a fictional fantasy context Entertainment Books * ''The Magician'', an 18th-century novel by Leitch Ritchie * ''The Magician'' (Maugham novel), a 1908 novel by Somerset Maugham * ''The Magicians'' (Priestley novel), a 1954 novel by J. B. Priestley * ''The Magician'' (Stein novel), a 1971 young adult novel by Sol Stein * ''The Magicians'', a 1976 novel by James E. Gunn * '' The Magician: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel'', a 2008 novel by Michael Scott * ''The Magicians'' (Grossman novel), by Lev Grossman, published 2009 * ''Magician'' (Feist novel), a 1982 novel in the ''Riftwar'' series by Raymond E. Feist * ''The Magician'', a 2021 novel by Colm Tóibín Films * ''The Magician'' (1898 film), a French short directed by Georges Méliès * ''The Magician'' (1900 film), a silent film by Thomas Ed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Servantes (magic)
Servantes are theatrical properties or "props" used by magicians. Their purpose is to assist the magician to misdirect the audience. An example of a "prop" is a simple bag or pouch hanging from the magician's belt or a small platform placed out of sight of onlookers (behind a magician's table). Some magicians keep their props in plain sight; a ring may be used to keep the pouch open. Common items stored in the servante are playing cards, cups, or balls. Other magicians keep their servantes concealed to enhance the illusion. References Magic (illusion) {{magic-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sleeving
Sleight of hand (also known as prestidigitation or ''legerdemain'' ()) refers to fine motor skills when used by performing artists in different art forms to entertain or manipulate. It is closely associated with close-up magic, card magic, card flourishing and stealing. Because of its heavy use and practice by magic (illusion), magicians, sleight of hand is often confused as a branch of magic; however, it is a separate genre of entertainment and many artists practice sleight of hand as an independent skill. Sleight of hand pioneers with worldwide acclaim include Dan and Dave (magicians), Dan and Dave, Ricky Jay, Derek DelGaudio, David Copperfield (illusionist), David Copperfield, Yann Frisch, Norbert Ferré, Dai Vernon, Richard Valentine Pitchford, Cardini, Tony Slydini and Hélder Guimarães, Helder Guimarães. Etymology and history The word ''sleight'', meaning "the use of dexterity or cunning, especially so as to deceive", comes from the Old Norse. The phrase ''sleight of hand ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for two millennia. The City of London, its ancient core and financial centre, was founded by the Romans as '' Londinium'' and retains its medieval boundaries.See also: Independent city § National capitals The City of Westminster, to the west of the City of London, has for centuries hosted the national government and parliament. Since the 19th century, the name "London" has also referred to the metropolis around this core, historically split between the counties of Middlesex, Essex, Surrey, Kent, and Hertfordshire, which largely comprises Greater London, governed by the Greater London Authority.The Greater London Authority consists of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. The London Mayor is distinguished fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pickpocket
Pickpocketing is a form of larceny that involves the stealing of money or other valuables from the person or a victim's pocket without them noticing the theft at the time. It may involve considerable dexterity and a knack for misdirection. A thief who works in this manner is known as a pickpocket. As an occupation Pickpockets and other thieves, especially those working in teams, sometimes apply distraction, such as asking a question or bumping into the victim. These distractions sometimes require sleight of hand, speed, misdirection and other types of skills. Pickpockets may be found in any crowded place around the world. However, Barcelona and Rome were recently singled out as being particularly dangerous pickpocket havens. Thieves have been known to operate in high traffic areas such as mass transit stations, even boarding subway trains so they can use the distractions of crowds and sudden stop-and-go movements from the train to steal from others. As soon as the thieves have ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Symbiotic Relationship
Symbiosis (from Greek , , "living together", from , , "together", and , bíōsis, "living") is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasitic. The organisms, each termed a symbiont, must be of different species. In 1879, Heinrich Anton de Bary defined it as "the living together of unlike organisms". The term was subject to a century-long debate about whether it should specifically denote mutualism, as in lichens. Biologists have now abandoned that restriction. Symbiosis can be obligatory, which means that one or more of the symbionts depend on each other for survival, or facultative (optional), when they can generally live independently. Symbiosis is also classified by physical attachment. When symbionts form a single body it is called conjunctive symbiosis, while all other arrangements are called disjunctive symbiosis."symbiosis." Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Confidence Trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibility, and greed. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ..intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men') at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". Terminology Synonyms include con, confidence game, confidence scheme, ripoff, scam, and stratagem. The perpetrator of a confidence trick (or "con trick") is often referred to as a confidence (or "con") man, con-artist, or a "grifter". The shell game dates back at least to Ancient Greece. Samuel Thompson (1821–1856) was the original "confidence man". Thompson was a clumsy swindler who asked his victims to express confidence in him by giving him money or their watch rather than gaining their confidenc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sleight Of Hand
Sleight of hand (also known as prestidigitation or ''legerdemain'' ()) refers to fine motor skills when used by performing artists in different art forms to entertain or manipulate. It is closely associated with close-up magic, card magic, card flourishing and stealing. Because of its heavy use and practice by magicians, sleight of hand is often confused as a branch of magic; however, it is a separate genre of entertainment and many artists practice sleight of hand as an independent skill. Sleight of hand pioneers with worldwide acclaim include Dan and Dave, Ricky Jay, Derek DelGaudio, David Copperfield, Yann Frisch, Norbert Ferré, Dai Vernon, Cardini, Tony Slydini and Helder Guimarães. Etymology and history The word ''sleight'', meaning "the use of dexterity or cunning, especially so as to deceive", comes from the Old Norse. The phrase ''sleight of hand'' means "quick fingers" or "trickster fingers". Common synonyms of Latin and French include ''prestidigitation'' and ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
