MAGICIAN THROWOUT CARDS
(Pictured on the left is Frank Ducrot's Throwout card on a National Card Company's Rambler no. 23 with a Blue Hindoo Back, ca. 1890. Value $125)
Frank Ducrot, real name T. Francis Fritz, (1872-1939) was one of the organizers of the Society of American Magicians and held card number fifteen. He continued to perform, invent, sell, and teach magic for the remainder of his life. One of the many effects that scores of magicians through the decades will continue to tip their magician’s hat in thanking Frank for creating would be the classic silk effect “Twentieth Century Silks”.
A "National" and "U. S. P. C." playing card could well be considered the scarcest throwing card of all. It's face features a young and not yet successful Harry Houdini as a magician offering instruction in sleight of hand.
While the face of a scaling card generally is the highlight of any piece, the back often has a story to tell. Given the costs involved in producing throwing cards, many magicians used standard or stock throwouts -- often blank cards which could be overprinted or cards offered by manufacturers which could be customized by the performer.
Other card backs carry advertisements for things like chewing gum, automobile tires, odd inventions, magic courses and, most notably, card designs showcased by playing card manufacturers. Indeed, one common scaling card back was made by a copper engraving block sold to magicians to make do-it-yourself souvenirs. The back designs, then, can help date a card and offer insight as to how it was prepared.
(Pictured on the left is Frank Ducrot's Throwout card on a National Card Company's Rambler no. 23 with a Blue Hindoo Back, ca. 1890. Value $125)
Frank Ducrot, real name T. Francis Fritz, (1872-1939) was one of the organizers of the Society of American Magicians and held card number fifteen. He continued to perform, invent, sell, and teach magic for the remainder of his life. One of the many effects that scores of magicians through the decades will continue to tip their magician’s hat in thanking Frank for creating would be the classic silk effect “Twentieth Century Silks”.
A "National" and "U. S. P. C." playing card could well be considered the scarcest throwing card of all. It's face features a young and not yet successful Harry Houdini as a magician offering instruction in sleight of hand.
While the face of a scaling card generally is the highlight of any piece, the back often has a story to tell. Given the costs involved in producing throwing cards, many magicians used standard or stock throwouts -- often blank cards which could be overprinted or cards offered by manufacturers which could be customized by the performer.
Other card backs carry advertisements for things like chewing gum, automobile tires, odd inventions, magic courses and, most notably, card designs showcased by playing card manufacturers. Indeed, one common scaling card back was made by a copper engraving block sold to magicians to make do-it-yourself souvenirs. The back designs, then, can help date a card and offer insight as to how it was prepared.