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Crimson Deck
Crimson Deck

Crimson Deck - Laura London
$40.00
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=65897

The Hype:

The most innocent, yet diabolical gaffed deck of cards!

From television and the real-world working repertoire of Laura London, comes the most versatile gaffed deck of cards: The Crimson Deck!

The Crimson Deck is a brand-new utility in the world of trick cards that allows you to have a card selected in the fairest manner possible. Just spread the cards, and then let the spectator place their selection back into the deck themselves. So far, you couldn't ask for a more fair process. The magician can then spread the cards and there are only 51... the spectator's selection has vanished. It can then appear in the card box that just a moment ago held the deck and has been in the spectator's possession, or anywhere else you want it to appear!

- Ready to perform right out of the box

- Comes with full routines by: Laura London, Nicholas Lawrence, and The Other Brothers

- Simple enough for beginners, powerful enough for pros.

- Includes multiple, separate, in-depth instructional videos

Unlike most gaffed decks, this is not a one trick pony. Multiple, different style routines are taught and once you have it in your hands, you'll find yourself inventing your own routines as well!

You can perform standard sleight of hand card magic, then use the features of The Crimson Deck to achieve the impossible, then end with your favorite card trick closer, all without a single deck switch. Try doing that with an Invisible Deck!

My Take:

In 1934, Ralph Hull released his Mirage Deck which allowed you to do your Svengali routine plus spread the cards face up on the table showing them all to be different. Your spectator selected a card, replaced it into the deck and the deck was spread. The selection is gone and made to reappear wherever you would like. A real revolutionary idea at the time. A while back Daryl reinvigorated the deck with an instructional DVD. . In reading of the original Mirage Deck it seemed to me that the deck could not have every card in it or it would just be too thick so a deck had to be made of of maybe half the cards. Laurie London has taken the basic idea and has pared it down. You can now have the entire deck and the great thing is that your spectator can actually remove the deck from the box herself.

You are taught three routines with the deck (thus showing its versatility). The first is by Laura herself. After having her spectator select a card and cut it back into the deck, then replace the deck into the box.. She then proceeds to use a fairly standard ESP reveal of the chosen card. The spectator then removes the deck from the box herself and it is spread onto the table showing that the selection has vanished. When she looks into the card box, the selection is found folded into quarters. This is all accomplished without a Mercury fold. Another thing missing is the necessity of any sleights. About as easy as it gets and most of the work happens in the spectator's hands.

Next up is a routine by Nicholas Lawrence. Nicholas used to be one of the creative brains behind Sans Minds but is now on his own and if you have seen any of his products, you know just how inventive he can be. A lot of his tricks looks like special effects and some require extensive arts and crafts. None of that here. You get the deck ready to roll. Nicholas cuts the deck into three piles and the spectator chooses one of the piles. The cards are dribbled until he says stop and the card is viewed and memorized. When the pile is spread, the card has vanished. A second pile is indicated (spectator's choice, no force) and the cards are spread to show that the selection has traveled to this packet. The cards are once again closed and then spread to show that the selection has once again disappeared. The last pile now holds the selection which (surprisingly?) vanishes. The card box , which was set aside before the selection was chosen, is found inside the card box. The whole routine is presented as a demonstration of sleight of hand skills, but requires none.

I have become a big fan of the Other Brothers. Their stuff is always very clever and fun and it looks like they are having such a great time in their videos.  The kind of guys you would like to share a beer with. This is a nice routine using small packets. The fifth card from a packet of five travels to another four pack. Looks clean as can be and the spectator can actually do some of the handling. Toughest thing here is an Elmsley.

All three routines are well done and it shows that with a little thinking you can come up with your own. (My personal favorite would be the routine from Nicholas Lawrence.) The only downside I might have is as to the price. The idea for the deck, like I said, is Ralph Hull's not Laura's. However by trimming it back has become a lot more practical. I would have been much more comfortable with a price of $25.00 - $30.00. Still you can perform some killer routines with it without breaking a sweat. So, I recommend this with the limitation of price mentioned.

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