Marking Systems

132 entries in Mental Magic / Principles / Marking Systems
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
Friedrich W. Conradi-Horster Der Hellseher several spectators chose cards and seal them in envelopes, performer divines the cards inside, marked envelopes
Related to 1896 Der moderne Kartenkünstler 80
Unknown X Rays cards in envelopes are divined, two methods, envelopes marked visually or haptically
Related to 1897 New Era Card Tricks 144
Tom Sellers A New Idea for the "Living and Dead" Effect watermark system
 		1933 More Secrets 11
Unknown An Envelope Mystery forced cards put in envelopes with punch marks, including "A Variation"
 		1935 Mental Magic with Cards 14
Oscar Weigle Alias Divination several spectators write names on slips which are later correctly assigned, one of the names divined as well
 		1937 You'd be Surprised 11
Tom Sellers Graphology Supreme five spectators write the same word
 		1941 Condensed Conjuring 12
Walter B. Gibson Clip Color four different colored cards are cut into different amount of pieces and sealed in envelopes, chosen color is spelled and found
Also published here 1942 The Phoenix 1-50 (Issue 2) 7
Eddie Joseph Money Sense three different coins in three glasses, performer can name coin when he is handed a glass blindfolded, or when a coin is dropped into a glass
 		1942 Coin and Money Magic 106
Eddie Joseph Stop! Fire! several cards chosen, highest card noted, all cards written on billets and burned one by one, performer stops burning of highest card's billet and names it
 		1942 Greater Card Tricks 24
Jerry Sorensen "-and having writ-" sealed message reading, mixed with psychometry and handwriting analysis
 		1943 The Phoenix 1-50 (Issue 45) 186
Cyril Marriott Mark It way to mark a deck, plus one way
 		1944 The Phoenix 51-100 (Issue 73) 298
Richard Lindahl Psychic Match Mystery card is selected which has the same value as the amount of secretly moved matches
 		1945 Miracles in Mentalism and Psychic Experimentation 9
Andrew Smythe Mentalism With Alphabet Cards word is divined
 		1945 Miracles in Mentalism and Psychic Experimentation 60
Eddie Clever Answer to a Mentalist's Prayer indetectible method to mark an envelope and several applications
 		1945/27 Tarbell Course in Magic — Volume 4 202
John Brown Cook, Arthur H. Buckley Psychometry blindfolded performer, psychometry and Q&A
 		1947 Gems of Mental Magic 29
John Brown Cook, Arthur H. Buckley Second Sight at First Glance performer is blindfolded, accurate description of the people who put a personal object in an envelope
 		1947 Gems of Mental Magic 54
Dr. William Weyeneth Tour de clairvoyance four cards wrapped in pieces of paper, performer finds selection, marking system for paper, followed by german translation "Hellsehtrick"
 		1947 La Baguette Magique (Issue 16) 6
George B. Anderson The Human Equation living and dead test with signatures, cards in envelopes, spectator lets a coin fall on the right envelope
 		1949 It Must Be Mindreading 39
Hugh Carroll, Charles Hopkins Out!
1950 The Phoenix 201 — 250 (Issue 202) 808
Theodore Annemann Envelope Marking Method
1951 Psychic Magic — Vol. 3 18
Milbourne Christopher Out of Town living and dead test with people who live in town, one out of town
 		1952 One Man Mental Magic 6
Milbourne Christopher Super Psychometry blindfolded, objects in envelopes
 		1952 One Man Mental Magic 8
Hen Fetsch, Cy Keller Hexappeal pseudo psychometry with names of famous people
 		1952 The Phoenix 251 — 300 (Issue 261) 1042
Aage Darling Pin Up Girl Test five men select a picture of a girl and put them in envelopes, medium divines who chose which picture
 		1953 I'll Read Your Mind 22
Aage Darling Symbol Test spectator selects a ESP card and puts all five cards in envelopes, performer finds correct envelope and divines symbol
 		1953 I'll Read Your Mind 30
Gene "Phantini" Grant A Miracle Mental Routine messages in envelopes reading routine, drawing duplication as climax, blindfolded
 		1955 Phantini's Lost Book of Mental Secrets 1
Fitch Cheney Magic Montes divination of a chosen card, cards with months written on it
 		1955 The New Phoenix 301-348 (Issue 334) 145
Theodore Annemann Impromptu Frame Up two cards are selected and blindfolded medium divines them, then three cards are selected and put in an envelope each, the envelopes are shuffled and the medium divines the cards again
 		1956 Annemann's "No Code" Telepathy 6
Walter B. Gibson Clip Color four different colored cards are cut into different amount of pieces and sealed in envelopes, chosen color is spelled and found
Also published here 1956 The Best in Magic 200
Tony Corinda (1) Sujan Location colored card is divined
 		1958 Pencil, Lip, Sound, Touch and Muscle Reading 43
Tony Corinda (2) With a Pinch of Salt!
1958 Pencil, Lip, Sound, Touch and Muscle Reading 43
Tony Corinda (15) Marking of Billets
1959 Billets 185
Dr. Raymond L. Beebe My Favourite Living and Dead Test spiralbound block marking
 		1960 Magic of the Mind 38
The Amazing Maurice Mental Currency one of four bills is put in an envelope, performer divines which, olfactory method
 		1961 Still More Miracles in Mentalism 17
Clettis V. Musson Predicto cards with four digit numbers, two numbers added, sum was predicted
 		1961 Still More Miracles in Mentalism 45
Robert A. Nelson Nelson Notes on the marking of the cards for predicto
 		1961 Still More Miracles in Mentalism 46
Ken Allen Paper Clip Marking System
1961 The New Phoenix 351-400 (Issue 360) 270
Dr. Stanley Jaks Dr. Jaks Kuvert-Mysterium several spectators get an envelope, three cards are added and total written on a fourth card, those cards are put in one envelope along with a ribbon, color of ribbon, total, fourth card and person holding the cards are divined
Also published here 1961 Dr. Stanley-Jaks und seine Geheimnisse 71
Victor Marsh Paper Clip Marking Idea
1965 The New Phoenix 351-400 (Issue 395/396) 413
Albert Spackman Voodoo cards with outline of a person and x-marked on different places, spectator choses one of the cards where the person is injured, prediction
Related to 1967 The Art of Close-Up Magic — Volume 1 167
Ned Rutledge Singin' in the Brain people summing songs in their heads, performer divines them, spectators write songs down, as a climax two people think of same song
Also published here 1967 Between Two Minds 55
Jules Lenier Psychometric Detective four people, rough smooth edges of torn paper to code
Also published here Mar. 1968 The Pallbearers Review Vol. 1-4 (Vol. 3 No. 5) 167
Don Nielson, J. W. Sarles Dead Test marking with tape
 		Winter 1968 The Pallbearers Review Vol. 1-4 (Vol. 4 No. 2nd Folio) 220
Tom Sellers Envelope Marking System just to mark the different one
 		1969 The Art of Close-Up Magic — Volume 2 49
Tony Griffith Pseudo Psychometry six envelopes, pencil dots
 		1969 The Art of Close-Up Magic — Volume 2 64
Dr. Richard Strausberg The Legacy of Samuel Butler cards with several humorous New Year's resolutions, several spectators chose one on their card, psychometry and comedy character reading
 		1971 The Compleat Magick — Volume I (Issue 13) 62
Bascom Jones The Book of the Damned three phase routine with twelve zodiac cards, spectator select cards which match their personal sgin
 		1971 The Compleat Magick — Volume I (Issue 29) 141
Tan Hock Chuan The Quick and the Dead blindfolded, card is found and name revealed, see Bigbee in #41 for other sources
Related toVariations 1971 The Compleat Magick — Volume I (Issue 34) 167
Blake Edward Maxam Dagger of the Dead! dagger moves to card with dead person's name
 		1971 The Compleat Magick — Volume I (Issue 38) 189
Ed Schuman Sightless Sight several business card on table, one turned over by spectator, divined by performer, tactical marking
 		1972 Tarbell Course in Magic — Volume 7 37
Paul Siegel Marking System using birthday candle, wax
 		1972 Doorway to Delusion 22
Milbourne Christopher Tuning In! people write down their favorite TV shows and performer allocates all correctly
Variations 1972 The Compleat Magick — Volume I (Issue 41) 201
North Bigbee Quicker Quick and the Dead credits and variation for The Quick and the Dead, Fillman Principle
Inspired by 1972 The Compleat Magick — Volume I (Issue 41) 202
Sam Dalal The Skull of Tamoa-mi-ber as Sam Delal, skull pendulum, card found by spectator
 		1972 The Compleat Magick — Volume I (Issue 42) 207
Sid Lorraine Think Dot different marking system than Tuning In!
Inspired by 1972 The Compleat Magick — Volume I (Issue 47) 232
Gerald Kosky Travel Agent cards with names of cities, spectators chose and sign them, performer allocates them correctly
 		1972 The Compleat Magick — Volume I (Issue 53) 261
Arthur Emerson A License to Lie license plate numbers written on name tags, special one is divined by other spectator
 		1973 The Compleat Magick — Volume I (Issue 67) 331
Bob Ostin Vampire- A Method for a Living & Dead Test small cards on one is written "Vampire", cards are folded and stapled, see also page 87 for additional ideas by Bob Ostin and Bob Byrne
Related toAlso published here Dec. 1974 Pabular (Vol. 1 No. 4) 39
George Blake On Vampire other marking system
Inspired by Feb. 1975 Pabular (Vol. 1 No. 6) 76
Dr. Spencer Thornton In the Bag... pseudo-psychometry with paper bags, apparently same marking system was also used by Dr. Jaks
 		1975 The Compleat Magick — Volume II (Issue 119) 592
North Bigbee Fillman Re-Visited ideas for the Fillman principle
Related to 1975 The Compleat Magick — Volume II (Issue 127) 632
Philip T. Goldstein, Arthur Emerson 'tis the Season to Be Lying four name tags, spectator finds the one with the real name, based on Arthur Emerson's "Liar's License" in Sam Dalal's Swami magazine, marking method
 		1976 The Blue Book of Mentalism 10
Nathan Stark Menta Five! graphology reading with five spectators, pseudo psychometry mixed with ESP card divination
 		1977 The Compleat Magick — Volume II (Issue 191) 951
Will Dexter Positive und Negative Markierungen on marking decks, or other objects
Also published here
  • The Gen, Feb. 1953
 Dec. 1977 Intermagic (Vol. 4 No. 4) 129
Larry Becker Perplexing ESP Plaques marking system for ESP cards, business cards etc., address
 		1978 World of Super Mentalism 33
Larry Becker Effect No. 1 Esp divination / duplication
 		1978 World of Super Mentalism 35
Larry Becker Effect No. 2 five symbols drawn on cards and put in envelope, selected one is predicted
 		1978 World of Super Mentalism 37
Larry Becker Effect No. 3 five blank cards, name written on one side and cards turned over, spectator selects one and murder is written on side, it's the same card
 		1978 World of Super Mentalism 41
Bobby Hughes Pocket Pad gaffing, marking and using a spiral-bound pad for Pseudo Psychometry, predictions and add-a-number
 		1978 The Compleat Magick — Volume III (Issue 210) 1048
Larry Becker Ultimate Psychometry with invisible ink pen
 		1979 The Best of Larry Becker's World of Super Mentalism Book II 69
Philip T. Goldstein Teamwork card with names of famous couples, performer and spectator select two that match
 		1979 The Compleat Magick — Volume III (Issue 242) 1209
George B. Anderson The Signature Effects five spectators sign a file card, tear it in half and mixed all together, the corresponding halves are found with the pendulum
 		1980 The Magic Pendulum 6
George B. Anderson One of Five living and dead with male female theme, pendulum finds female
 		1980 The Magic Pendulum 8
Richard Mark Pendulum Power! personal items in boxes used as pendulums, pseudo psychometry
 		1980 The Compleat Magick — Volume III (Issue 250) 1249
Thomas Alan Waters Eraser's Edge method to mark an envelope
 		1981 Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Psychometry) 137
Thomas Alan Waters Stampede method to mark an envelope
 		1981 Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Psychometry) 137
Thomas Alan Waters Post Facto method to mark an envelope
 		1981 Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Psychometry) 137
Thomas Alan Waters Cornered method to mark an envelope
 		1981 Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Psychometry) 137
Thomas Alan Waters Branded method to distinguish different envelopes
 		1981 Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Psychometry) 137
Thomas Alan Waters Printsiple objects are wrapped in pieces of newspaper
 		1981 Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Psychometry) 138
Thomas Alan Waters Seequence objects wrapped in paper and scotch tape
 		1981 Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Psychometry) 138
Gene "Phantini" Grant Myracrypto 1981 several objects (charms) are chosen and divined, then sealed in envelopes and chosen one predicted, princess card trick with objects
Related to 1981 Phantini's Incredible Mental Secrets Volume Two 7
Gene "Phantini" Grant Bacon and Eggs with two sets of ESP cards (two times wavy lines, two times rings), order is correct twice
 		1981 Phantini's Incredible Mental Secrets Volume Two 14
Gene "Phantini" Grant Knockout ESP Test with two sets of four ESP cards, three phases
 		1981 Phantini's Incredible Mental Secrets Volume Two 32
Gene "Phantini" Grant The Audience Hits Back ESP cards sealed in envelopes and divined, majority of spectators guess always correctly
Inspired by
  • Ned Rutledge's "Mass Miracle"
 1981 Phantini's Incredible Mental Secrets Volume Two 63
Gene "Phantini" Grant Supreme Psychometry pseudo psychometry, different objects in envelopes, serial number divination of a bill
 		1981 Phantini's Incredible Mental Secrets Volume Two 71
Gene "Phantini" Grant A Sense of Color five envelopes with different colored sheets, spectators guess them correctly
 		1981 Phantini's Incredible Mental Secrets Volume Two 77
Basil Horwitz Challenge Publicity E.S.P. five ESP symbols are sealed in envelopes and the envelopes are numbered, spectator divines symbols by matching them to a second set of ESP cards on the table
Also published here 1981 The Mental Magick of Basil Horwitz 14
Karl Fulves, Oscar Weigle, Bob Hummer The Borgia Cup No. 53, three cups, poisoned glass is found
 		1981 Self-Working Table Magic 64
Unknown Ein Lebend und Tod Test fibers of paper
Related to
  • Tan Hock Chaun, The Sphinx, 1938
 June 1981 Intermagic (Vol. 8 No. 2) 79
Norman Houghton Love Match spectator and performer shuffle envelopes and pair them up, inside are names of celebrity pairs, they match
 		1982 Fork Full of Appetizers 65
Thomas Alan Waters Grayce spectator selects one picture card, which is divined later
 		1983 Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Mindscript 3: The Symbol Test) 418
Piet Forton Der Wunderschlüssel keys in envelopes
 		1983 Je geschickter desto Zauberer 7
Piet Forton Der zauberhafte Farbensinn divination of different colored balls in a bag
 		1983 Je geschickter desto Zauberer 8
Thomas Alan Waters Tri-Beaut sign, birthdate and selected tarot card are divined, with envelopes
 		1984 Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Thynk) 595
Jules Lenier Psychometric Detective No. 19, four people, rough smooth edges of torn paper to code
Also published here 1985 Self-Working Paper Magic 38
Unknown Magnetic Shim Marking
1986 Amperthand 4
Bob Ostin Postmaster words noted on billets, performer divines words on folded billets
Also published here May 1987 The New Talon (Vol. 1 No. 3) 51
Bob Ostin Araby Location spectator choses one of several billets, each billet has a name, performer divines which was selected
Also published here May 1987 The New Talon (Vol. 1 No. 3) 67
Ned Rutledge Gedankenmelodie people summing songs in their heads, performer divines them, spectators write songs down, as a climax two people think of same song
Also published here Dec. 1987 Intermagic (Vol. 13 No. 2) 102
Roy Johnson D.D.D. "Design and Digit Detector"
a chosen ESP card and a chosen plastic sleeve are divined, prop-heavy
Also published here 1989 Silver Special 18
Ben Harris Mental Photography three photographs are introduced, three spectators each select one, performer divines who has which one
 		1990 Mad Fax and other Mysteries 34
Basil Horwitz Publicity ESP five ESP symbols are sealed in envelopes and the envelopes are numbered, spectator divines symbols by matching them to a second set of ESP cards on the table
Also published here July 1990 Intermagic (Vol. 15 No. 3) 100
Philip T. Goldstein Digression: Concealed Cards rough-smooth marking method (through handkerchief)
 		1991 Thavant 12
Bob Fillman, Tan Hock Chuan Tan/Fillman Principle distinguish papers by grain (the way they bend)
 		1991 Thavant 12
Steve Dusheck Experiment No. 5 thumb tack at tip of thumb tip to mark cards or paper
  • bill pierced behind back at certain position
 		1991 Dusheck's Thumb Tip Magic 48
Roy Johnson S.Z.D. a chosen ESP card and a chosen plastic sleeve are divined, prop-heavy
Also published here June 1992 Intermagic (Vol. 17 No. 1) 15
Al Mann The Secret Marks with paper clips
 		1994 The Naked Thought 5
Basil Horwitz ESP Challenge Mind Control blindfolded, three spectator select an ESP symbol and seal it up, performer hands correct envelope to each spectator, divines symbol and shows correct prediction
 		1994 The Mental Magick of Basil Horwitz — Volume 3 31
Karrell Fox Dream Girls five photos of actresses chosen, performer divines them
 		1995 Much Ado About Something 61
Basil Horwitz The Super ESP Body Language Test pseudo psychometry with writings and ESP card divination
 		1997 The Mental Magick of Basil Horwitz — Volume 4 66
Morley Budden Pyramid Power spectators write secret fantasies on business cards, the performer know who wrote what
 		1997 Simon Says! 117
Jas Jakutsch The Marked Cards marked billets
 		1999 Completely Mental — Vol. 2 29
Joshua Jay Psychometry and Me Magician able to match nametags to five spectators based on their names alone
 		1999 Magic Atlas 143
Chuck Hickok Demonstration Three: People Reading Plus five people draw something on cardboard
Inspired by 2002 Mentalism, Incorporated 81
Bob Ostin Vampire small cards on one is written "Vampire", cards are folded and stapled, see also page 87 for additional ideas by Bob Ostin and Bob Byrne
Also published here 2005 Bob Ostin — A Lifetime of Magical Inventions 24
Bob Ostin Postmaster words noted on billets, performer divines words on folded billets
Also published here 2005 Bob Ostin — A Lifetime of Magical Inventions 98
Bob Ostin Araby Location spectator choses one of several billets, each billet has a name, performer divines which was selected
Also published here 2005 Bob Ostin — A Lifetime of Magical Inventions 100
Christoph Borer Lasset die Musik erklingen! several cards with music titles, selection is predicted with mechanical music box
Related toAlso published here 2006 Compilation 28
Christoph Borer Lasset die Musik erklingen! several cards with music titles, selection is predicted with mechanical music box
Related toAlso published here 2007 Seminarnotitzen 2007 3
Hector Chadwick Keys Psychometry routine with 4 sets of keys, performer able to describe fourth person's keys although they are hidden
 		2008 The Mental Mysteries of Hector Chadwick 17
Hector Chadwick Hector Chadwick's Tossed-Out Q&A
2008 The Mental Mysteries of Hector Chadwick 187
Michael Weber Soul Searcher information written on paper pieces is correctly assigned to spectator, torn edges marking
Also published here 2011 Knew & Improved 8
Jörg Alexander Weber Psychometrie five items by spectators in envelopes
Inspired by
  • "Pseudo Psychometrie" (Stuart Cumberland, Annemann 666 Vol. 1, PDF, 2007)
 2011 ZauberKunstStücke — Band 3 53
Barrie Richardson My Second Spot with bags, paper or cloth
Inspired by
  • "Second Spot" (Maurice Fogel, In Search of the Sensational, 2007)
 2011 Curtain Call 21
James Alan Psycho2Metry with dog-eared paper
 		2012 Seventeen Secrets 30
Michael Weber Soul Searcher information written on paper pieces is correctly assigned to spectator, torn edges marking
Also published here 2012 Blackpool Twenty Twelve 13
Dr. Stanley Jaks Envelope Mentalism several spectators get an envelope, three cards are added and total written on a fourth card, those cards are put in one envelope along with a ribbon, color of ribbon, total, fourth card and person holding the cards are divined
Also published here 2014 The Incredible Dr. Jaks 143
Michael Murray The Universal Force Technique using six numbered business cards to force an object
  • The Gypsy Peek
Inspired by
  • Ken Dyne's "iThought So"
Related to 		2014 A Piece Of My Mind 151
John Lovick Chic Thief pseudo psychometry with drawings
Inspired by
  • "Sneak Thief" (Larry Becker, Stunners, 1992)
 2016 The Performance Pieces & Divertissements of the Famous Handsome Jack, etc. 83
Jared Kopf Impromptu Marking System for pseudo psychometry, originally from "Behind Your Forehead" (Kopf, 2013)
 		2016 Vaticinium ex Eventu 41
Christoph Borer Kloincidence matching routine with toilet signs, male / female
 		2016 21 39
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