Ghostly Deck (Haunted Deck) by D. Robbins & Co.

Al Baker popularized the trick with his “Pack That Cuts Itself” in Book One, 1933, p. 7. Animated playing cards go back much farther, though. One such precursor was “The Hypnotised Card” in August Roterberg’s New Era Card Tricks 1897, p. 68. A thread was laid over the lower half of the deck. One end of the thread was stuck to the table’s edge, the other end to a wand. By raising the wand, the thread tipped the upper half of the deck over, face up, with the selection revealed on its face.

In an unpublished notebook circa 1800, an effect was attributed to a magician named Rees in which a card – secretly attached to a length of hair – would slide out of a tabled spread and follow the performer around. Will Houstoun transcribed this anonymous work and published it as The Notebook, 2009, p. 23.

Denis Behr has compiled many versions of this effect here on his amazing Conjuring Archive.

Effect: Performer has a spectator choose three cards from a deck. The three cards are remembered and then returned to the deck. Performer places the deck on his outstretched palm. Mysteriously, the top half of the deck moves forward and then back to its original position, leaving a card protruding. The card is removed and shown to be one of the chosen cards. This is repeated with cards two and three! Truly an excellent effect.

Text Source: conjuringcredits.com – click for details

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