L MANN g'a:c/~ POST OFFICE BOX 144 • FREEHOLD, NEW JERSEY 07728

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(201) 431-2429

POST OFFICE BOX 144 • FREEHOLD, NEW JERSEY 07728

"~e "t~t r;! co2~~~~ by Al Mann Exclusives

" Order and simplification Are the first steps towards the Mastery of a subject -

Thomas Mann The Magic Mountain

The Test of Thoth is the Supreme table billet switch as used by Charles Foster and other top billet workers. It is detailed in print here for the first time!

It is a Masterpiece of the Billet Worker's Art. A thing of beauty and yet so easy to do.

This test is so perfect and undetectable that expert-observers­exposers were never able to catch Foster or Reese doing the switch. All they knew was that a switch had been made but did not know when, where or how!

This test has been confused with the inferior test called the Supreme Office Billet Switch.

In The Test of Thoth, the spectator's billet never leaves the table (or so it seems). The operator appears to just mOVe it along the surface of the table for about 2 or J inches, in the pretext of aligning the billets or pellets (ala Reese) or placing them on the -center of the table, out of reach (ala Foster).

The test can be done with billets (folded slips of paper) or pellets (balled slips). It is most deceptive when done with billet~.

Ii .st·flll.u(,tL.:ciOfA, : Take a piece of white card 2 by Ji inches and fold it into quarters and place it on the table tent-fashion.

Next, reach over with your right hand (or left if you are left handed) and pinch the billet, but do not lift it off the table.

The back of your fingers are towards the audience and your thumb towards you. Then just move the billet along the surface of the table and release it. That is exactly what you will pretend to do during the switch. And that is exactly what your audience will See you dol And that is exactly what the action will look like. You only move the billet 2 or J inches towards you. The visible back of your fingers never move! During the actual switch only your thumb will move!

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THE TEST OF THarH AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

T~ SIZB OF THE BILLETS must be according to the size o£ your hands so you may want to make the card or paper a bit larger or smaller.

"lie ",i//14" ... t'l' t:;~t.": Make a dummy billet by £olding a second card exactly as the one on the table and placp it cross-wise at your £inger-tips as shown in Fig. 7. The billet is held in place by pressure applied on the ends by the first and little fingers. If this pressure is removed, the billet should fall free. While the billet is in the finger-tip grip, the fingers are held solidly together Fig. 7 and ne.ver move, except that the operator can close his hand in a relaxed fist before the switch is applied.

?ltt r.a r: Sevitclt,: (in four easy steps) 1. The real billet with the message is resting

on the table tent-fashion, while you have a dummy billet in finger-tip-grip position, Fig. 7. Your hand may be slightly cupped to avoid flashing the billet.

2. With your fingertips pointing downward, reach over and pinch the real billet between your thumbtip and your fingertips, aligning the ----~~--~-------two billets so that they look like one billet, Fig. 8, but do not show them or call attention to this fact. Release the grip on the dummy.

3. Move the real billet and dummy billet together as one towards you about 2 or 3 inches and at the same time pull the real billet up into palm position with your thumb tip, Fig. 9.

4. Pull your hand up off the table, leaving the dummy behind in tent-fashion and secretly stealing the real billet. The hand is again cupped into a relaxed fist.

The switch is executed in a relaxed and natural manner and is never done as a fast move. The slower the switch is made, the more convincing it looks. Eig. 9

Cupping the hand before and after the switch is a natural move that all billet worker do.

The professionals never take any chances. When they have a billet or anything else palmed, they cup their hands like a fist as though that is the way they always hold their hands.

For easy handling use card stock until the moves are mast­ered. Smooth card is preferred •

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THE TEST OF THOTH AN AL MANN EX.CLUSlVE

After you have maste~ed the moves with card stock, try it with paper slips, and later p~llets.

The Test of Thoth is a killer. The perfect switch. A sitter or sitters across the table from you can watch you intently and see absolutely nothing other than that you moved their billet.

To appreciate this devastating move, watch yourself in a mi­rror. Only a few minutes' practice should make you a master, but you must practice it always and do it under fire continuosly to become a master of the billets.

?~e "e.c:i:C eltf '7tz.t!Jt4 i". ~Ct:idU- Let's observe a master billet worker, Charles H. Foster, doing his thing.

Foster is holding sway in the lounge of the local main hotel. There is a massive dining table, fireplace, easy chairs etc. His visitors request a demonstration of his powers. He instructs the visitors to please take small pieces of paper and write down thoughts, names, numbers, words or questions. Several persons begin to do just that.

Foster has a dummy billet in finger-tip grip position and his hand is slightly cupped. After one of the sitters writes two or three messages he reaches over and says, "place all the papers in the center of the table. He makes the switch with his right hand and also takes up a billet with his left hand and moves it to the center of the table. "Mix them all up. And don't let me see what you are writing."

Foster then goes to the fire place to relight his cigar and reads the stolen message paper. He then palms the paper in his left hand in readiness for the folding-switch (this switch should be known to the reader. You can find a version of it in Practical Mental Effects) .

After the writing is all done, Foster approaches the table and reads a thought in the mind of one of the sitters, (the info he read in the first billet!) Everyone is amazed. He then does the psychometric bid, saying, "I am going to pick up the piece of pa­per in which that one question is written." He further mixes up the pile of billets and then picks one, throws it away and picks another. "I think this one is it." He then opens up the billet, reads it. Smiles. Does the folding-down switch and says, "See for yourselves!" Everyone is stunned! From then on Foster con-tinues doing the one-ahead and baffling everyone. Some feel like screaming after witnessing the awesome power of this man.

NOTE I In the above routine, the dummy billet, which is blank is secretly marked by bending back a tiny corner.

In doing 'the 'psychometric bid,' the operator can pick up folded billets and place them to his temple, and do the temple­switch (detailed in Acidus). The psychometric bid is very strong. The sitters will say, "I did not know myself which was the paper that contained the message. How could he know?" By this demons­tration, the operator is displaying not only telepathic powers but clairvoyant powers as welll

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THE TEST OF THOTH

PRACTICE PRACTICE

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AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

PRACTICE

The key to success is to practice the correct way. So let's go

over the moves again. The four fingers of your switching hand form a shield that will

cover all the secret moves, so you must learn to keep the four fin­

gers tightly together as if they were cemented. When you reach over to pinch the real billet, pinch it h~rd.

This will help in releasing the grip on the dummy. If needed Just

move the middle finger inwards to help release the dummy. Then move the hand towards you slowly at a regular clip instead

of fast. Pull the real billet up into palm position and then just

push the dummy along with the finger tips and do not lift your hand

up until you are sure that the dummy is free and loose and that it

will stay on the table. When lifting your hand up, you must do it carefully so that

the dummy remains behind in tent-fashion. This is what clinches

the move and makes it look like nothing tricky has been done other

than to move the billet a bit.

PUSHING THE BILLET AWAY. After you have mastered the move of

switching billets while pretending to pull them towards you, you

will find that you can also do the same thing by pushing them to­

wards the spectator. This is the master stroke when you need to

give back the real billet to anyone and asking them to verify, etc.

?he $i~(,e ~44din~: The 'lest of Thoth is the perfect

answer and'solution for doing the private reading and divining

a single question (or more). Sitter is given a prefolded card and told to write out his

question and to place the folded billet on the table tent-fashion.

This can be demonstrated with another billet. Reader then takes the billet and places it in front of himself

and makes passes over it, etc. The switch has been made and the

real billet is read on his lap. He jots down a few notes on his

writing pad and then pushes the billet back to the sitter saying,

"Please take this card and place it in your pocket. You may keep

it as I have no further use for it." For the climax he reveals the

secret thoughtl This is a mind-shattering demonstration since the sitter can

see his folded billet on the table at all times and sees nothing

tricky. Later the sitter will swear that he had the darn billet in

his pocket at all times or he will forget the billet entirely since

apparently it had nothing to do with the psychic's powers.

When referring to the card on the table, the psychic comments

that it is totally opaque and impossible for the human eye to pene­

tratethe card since it is folded four ways. The size of the card used here can be 2 by.3 inches .. Practice the moves until you can do them w1thout mov1ng the

visible fingers.

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\L MANN g'zc/~ POST OFFICE BOX 144 • FREEHOLD. NEW JERSEY 07721

The following is an elaboration on an idea sent to me by Gene Grant reffering to a close-up billet test where it appears that the Mentalist never touches the billets!

The Test of Thoth has been entwined into the method.

By Gene Grant and Al Mann

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IN EFFECT: A person i9 told to think of a word or design and

to jot it down on a busine~s card (prefolded) and to fold the card

which is thrown into a gla@s. The Mentalist says that he also

will jot down a thought or design on another card. Mentalist folds

his card and throws it into the glass also. The spectator is then given a slate and a piece of chalk to

hold while the contents of the glass are emptied into the table.

Mentalist then tells anyone to take one of the cards and des­

troy it by tearing, while the second card is given to another per-

son to do likewise. After the cards are destroyed, the Menta-

list instructs the spectator with the slate to chalk his thought

or design secretly on the slate, while the Mentalist does the same

on another slate. When the two slates are compared the thoughts or designs are

the same!

METHOD, The secret is of course The Test of Thoth billet switch.

The card given to the spectator is marked by prefolding it off­

center so that a tiny step is seen on the edges. After the cards

are dumped on the table, the Mentalist gives his card to someone

to tear while the other card is switched and the dummy is passed

out to the other person for tearing. A piece of double-sided

scotch tape is attached to the Mentalist's slate to make it easy

to anchor the card there after doing the vUnbrella Move' or what­

ever after the spectatorV s billet has been stolen. The rest is ob­

vious and the conclusion follows. The actions imply that the Mentalist hardly tOuches the folded

cards. The pieces of the cards must be either burnt or thrown into

THE TEST OF THOTH

PRANT INI 's PHOEBE cont. ••

6 AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

a receptacle where they cannot be reached. Some performers us: a tall four-foot long-neck wi~e bottl~. Reese would t~row them 1nto the spittoon. Another method tfiat will create talk 1S to use water­soluble paper which is then thrown into a bowl of water where they dissolve. This type of paper is available at some dealers.

?~clJ,'I.4 : A design duplication using two persons from the audience. ... I

EFFECT. Psychic says that he 1S g01ng to draw a s1mp e desing on a piece of card, which he folds and places on. the table in sight of all. He then asks a spectator to also ~h1nk of a simple design and to draw it on the card handed h1m, to fold it and also place it on the table. The two folded cards are far apart on extreme ends of the table.

Psychic then produces a slate and chalk and places the slate down flat in front of the spectator and then picks up the specta­tors folded card and places it on top of the slate.

Psychic then picks up his folded card and together with a second slate hands it to a second person in the audience. "Please open up my card and copy the design on the slate but do not show it to anyone yet. Please remember that I drew,that design long be­fore anyone else at the beginning of the experiment."

Psychic then goes and picks up the slate on the table, dropping the folded card on the table where it remains in sight of all and he tells the first person to draw his design on the slate large enough for all to see. After the designs are drawn, the psychic takes up the cards and throws them away or leaves them on the table.

The slates are then compared and found to contain the same design drawn on them by the audience I Psychic may then show the cards to the audience.

Method. The Test of Thoth switch is used twice. The 5 ESP designs are also used. The circle, cross, wavy lines, square and star. Psychic draws a star on a card, folds it and places it on the table in sight of all.

The first spectator is then told to think ~f one of the 5 ESP designs (cards may be used to illustrate the designs) and to also draw it on a prefolded card, which he again folds and places on the table. When the psychic produces the first slate, he picks up the spectator's card, does the switch and places a dummy billet on the slate. (It is well to also draw the star on the dummy card).

Psychic next produces a second slate and chalk and picks up his folded card, does the switch again and gives the slate and card to a second person in the audience. This second person is now holding the card upon which the first person drew his designl He or she draws the design on the slate and keeps it secret for the moment. Psychic next plcks up the first slate and asks the first person to draw his design by memory- (that is why the designs must be simple - the psychic must make sure by asking the person if he can remember his design and to not change his mind.) the first billet is dropped on the table.

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THE TEST OF THOTH AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

TETHYS cont. ••

NOTE I The climax of this effect is so strong that there is no need to show the cards afterwards. It is best to just discard or destroy the cards, however a lot of little touches can be added if desired. For example, after the slates are shown to the audience the psychic takes back the card from the second spectator and can at this time show it to the audience. Then if desired he can walk to where the first card is, switch it and give it to the first spec­tator as a souvevir.,

NOTE I Of the 5 ESP designs» the star is the favorite, so if the star is drawn on the slates, the psychic can show the dummy cards which also contain the star. The psychic watches the first person as he chalks his design on the slate~ If he sees that he has drawn a star then there is no need for ~witching cards further. He can just pick up the dummy card and show it to anyone in the audience.

The presentation of this effect is strong. The psychic never knows what is drawn on the card until the slates are shown at the climax.

This effect can be made stronger if words or names are used instead of designs. The effect then takes the semblance of a pre­diction.

* * * You now have in your arsenal a very powerful weapon. The Test

of Thoth billet switch is the ultimate. You will be amazed that you can do all these tests with a little practice. But take heed and practice correctly. Your mental attitude is very important. You can develope the correct attitude by watching the reflect-ion of your hand in the mirror as you practice. Do not look at your real hand but only at what you see in the mirror. The cor-rect moves will fool you too.

The muscles of your hand and fingers will tire while practi­sing but after the moves become routine you will be able to do them in a natural manner and you will be on the road to mastering the art.

In the beginning you will have the natural tendency to move your fingers as you do the switch. This you must avoid. Your mind must control the muscles of your finger and tell them what to do.

When performing the switch on the platform or stage, you must watch your angles. The back of your fingers must face the audience squarly.

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THE TEST OF THOTH AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

'J/te ""'t'U~8't,(4 ~t'~erk ./ Let's proceed one step further, Gentlemen, into the realm of

the impossible. Eye witnessing sitters that have seen the performance of The

Test of Thoth said that the psychic never touched the folded card but only pushed it with the tip of one fin~erl

That is exactly what seems to happen 1n the following routine.

You are seated at your reading table. The circle of the ~odiac with the 12 signs covers the top of your table.

A sitter is told to write down his question on a prefolded card which he then places in front of him tent fashion.

Tbe psychic reaches over and moves the folded card to the cen­ter of the circle and asks, "What is your birth sign'?"

Upon hearing the answer he then. moves the billet to that particular sign on the circle and then gives his reading and an­swers the question after which the folded card is again pushed to­wards the sitter for him or her to keepl

What you do is to execute the 'switoh' when you mOve the card to the center of the circle and as soon as the switch is made, you close all your fingers except the index finger which you use to push the card around to the proper sign. Fig. 10.

By closing your other fingers into your palm, you have accom­plished two goals. You are covering the stolen billet and also creating the illussion that you are only touching the folded card with one fingertip I

Rumor has it that one initiate is creating havoc and making the big bucks with this one test.

Ours is a beautiful art. • • Keep it secret.

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