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I love the 1800 series bicycle cards and was wandering if they ever made a svengali deck with that design, and if they did, does anyone know where I would be able to get one?

Cheers

No, they didn't.

It would be a bad idea to make a sven deck in the 1800 style, as the spectator will already see the cards as some what peculiar and will therefore want to examine them.

Mostly I would agree, but if the character performing the trick were a Victorian magician then an 1800 series deck would be more in keeping with the character than a modern deck.

but you are not performing during the Victorian era to Victorian era people, you are performing to modern day people who still see the cards as something out of the ordinary to what they are used to seeing, ergo will want a closer look at them.

I couldn't disagree more strongly with the "specs will want to examine them" comments. If people are grabbing for your cards, you're doing something wrong (and no, I don't just mean your technique is off).

I would, however, not use the Bicycle 1800's decks. They don't really look all that great. I would look into either the gypsy or heirloom decks from Card Shark

http://www.card-shark.de/index.cfm?lang=en

They look much more authentic. They also do custom printing work, so you might even be able to get a Svengali deck from them.

Demitri wrote: If people are grabbing for your cards, you're doing something wrong

Correct, you are useing props that look proppy instead of regular.


Trust me, I used to carry vanity decks around with me all the time to mess around with, and without fail people would want to see them. I wouldn't even be showing them a trick, I would just have them out and people wanted to look at these different cards that were out of the ordinary from what they are used to seeing. It's just simply human nature. And yes, on plenty of occasions the comment "those look fancy" followed by an apparently knowing wink was very common. I'm not saying it's everybody, but to say those people do not exist is simply ridiculous.

No offense, Arkesus - but I think you misunderstood my post. I didn't say those people didn't exist - I said if they're grabbing for your cards, you're doing something wrong. Big difference.

Also - as he said that he's performing as a victorian magician - then certainly his cards aren't proppy - they're period. Again, big difference.

Demitri wrote:Also - as he said that he's performing as a victorian magician - then certainly his cards aren't proppy - they're period. Again, big difference.

*Ahem* - she. And I'm not performing yet (much as I wish I were.) I am more throwing lots of ideas around and doing a huge amount of practising with the intention of a Victorian type performance. Obviously it wont be entirely historically accurate as women didn't perfom as magicians so much.

Demitri wrote:I would, however, not use the Bicycle 1800's decks. They don't really look all that great. I would look into either the gypsy or heirloom decks from Card Shark

http://www.card-shark.de/index.cfm?lang=en

They look much more authentic. They also do custom printing work, so you might even be able to get a Svengali deck from them.

Thank you for that link, they look beautiful!

I have a regular deck of 1800 series so surely to avoid any suspision I could just do a trick with the regular deck in which the spec gets to handle the cards and have a nosey at them, they go into the pocket, bit of coin magic, and out comes the sven deck from the same pocket in a matching box and they'll just assume they have already inspected it.

Sorry - SHE!

careful over at card shark - that site has the potential to magically drain your wallet.

I'm with Dimitri on this one.

I think that far too much is made of spectators thinking that certain fancy decks of cards are suspicious and wanting to handle and inspect them.

I've used different decks during my time and it's a phase that lots of magicians go through before realising that when performing in the real world, any money saved is money that benefits you. £1.50 for a deck as opposed to £6+ is a high difference in costs, particularly when you're gigging on a regular basis.

From experience of performing for thousands of lay people over time, virtually no-one has ever questionned a fancy deck of cards as being suspicious. You get the occasional 'they're nice' comment but that's about it as to the vast majority of lay people, a deck of cards is a deck of cards.

In fact, most lay people aren't familiar with the Bicycle card brand in the UK.

I have a set of 1800s and the Card Shark cards look so much more suitable. They look aged, rather than being printed to look aged.

The Heirloom deck looks lovely!

dat8962 wrote:In fact, most lay people aren't familiar with the Bicycle card brand in the UK.

Good point. Well made. People who have been fooled will desperately scratch for anything so they don't feel foolish. Your cards are the easiest, and most obvious target, and cries of 'trick deck' will meet your ears regardless of card brand.

DaveM wrote:I have a set of 1800s and the Card Shark cards look so much more suitable. They look aged, rather than being printed to look aged.

The Heirloom deck looks lovely!

Agreed. The disappointing thing about the otherwise beautiful 1800s is the modern design. The Heirlooms are the ticket!

Demitri wrote:careful over at card shark - that site has the potential to magically drain your wallet.

I think I am just going to have to resign myself to being permenantly skint!

Thanks for all the helpful pointers guys.