talkmagic.co.uk

never thought about it until now but how capable is a billet knife at the loading operation.

Not too practical Sammy as you must have the bill signed and the knife needs pre preparing,
Also most knives look so broad and out of place these days.

The easiest Bill in Orange!! is in Down Your Alley by the late Ali Ben Ali--Magick Enterprises Sheffield--Russ Hall
then there is
Robert Harbin's first published in 1934 and later--I think--in one of those last Magigrams. (Supreme Magic--after Edwin)
So Easy Bill in Orange Hugards Magic Monthly Vol. XX1 No. 6
Alan Shaxon's Bill in Walnut--his book My Kind Of Magic
Bill in Walnut, in Egg in Lemon.. Peter Warlock--1939 The Magician magazine
and Wayne Dobson's very funny Bill in Banana--one of his early books

Allen Tipton

I am lucky to have these as about 5 years ago one of my magic students--an ex junior member of our magic club--and then at university--asked me to research the effect for him. So they are still on my PC
Since leaving Uni. he is in a performing company--York way-- and still doing a lot of Magic

Allen Tipton

basically a non switch of lemon method is what im looking for... one that can be handled by a spec

with a signed note. thanks allen

This is one of my favorite routines to do, generally on stage but a close-up audience is great as well.

I obviously have my lemon prepared in advance with a ripped corner in a bowl with other lemons (sometimes I use oranges), and to mark which one is mine I utilize that manufacturer sticker that comes on fruits from the market. Either my fruit is the one with one, or the one without one, or altered in a way visible to me, just so I can recognize it from the others.

I like to invite a specky to come up and select the lemon. I use a simple "choose a lemon" force, where she chooses lemons then depending on if my lemon is contained in that pile we either keep or toss them. Until she has "selected" the gaffed lemon, which I make her seal up tight in a bag and promise to guard very securely until I need her later on in the evening, I then let her sit back down.

I then ask the audience if I could borrow a bill from anybody, invite a specky on stage so I can borrow a dollar from them, I tell them not to worry I'm a professional, as I rip the corner off of their dollar. Already palmed in my hand is the corner of the bill that I have secreted away in the lemon, so it's a quick change-up to hand them that corner instead of theirs. I also have them write down the serial number off of their dollar bill before returning to their seats with a promise to have a reverse of fortune before the night is over. (this is funnest with a fifty or hundred imo).

Now I have the dollar with a ripped off corner (the specky's real dollar), generally I'll just perform a TT vanish, sometimes using my flint flasher with a quick ditch for effect, however I've also used pulls, sleight of hand, and also actually burning the dollar (however I hate wasting money, only if it's a single). I then patter about the dollar traveling to a trusted place, then make the girl come on stage with the bag. They remove the lemon from the bag, and either with or without my help (depending on how clumsy I gauge them to be with a sharp knife) the lemon is cut in twain, revealing a dollar with a corner ripped off, which just magically upon examination matches the corner perfectly that was given out earlier! And the serial numbers match, it is an act of god hallelujah!

Great reaction, usually use this as my opener for smaller stage shows, or sometimes a finale for small close-up shows.

And I hope Viscus you have tissues/paper hankies ready to mop up any juicy mess--hands--bill etc

OR
do what several magicians do. Wrap the borrowed bill in cling film i.e the clear 'plastic' material that is used to cover food.
That way the spectator's property is not soaked in juice and he is happy.

Wrapping foil has also been used

Allen Tipton

you can get bill in lemon knives.
This is just one of them.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgO_rY7da1s

Barrie Richardson's "Theatre of the Mind" has a lot of discussion of, and a couple of methods of achieving, this effect - if I remember correctly.

There is always the Bill in Lemon book. http://charvetmagic.com/catalog/i15.html it is now out of Print but there are probably a few laying in wait.

Then there is the one in the Mark Wilson Course in Magic

and even a Card in Orange--substitute bill--in Hermann's Book Of Magic--19th. century book. That is TOO easy!

and of course the VERY expensive version advertised in Stan Allen's Magic Magazine--was it about $100 plus ???

I am sure if I searched my bookshelves there are others!!

Oh, of course. The very Inventive Vanni Pule--'Bill Squash ' in the October 2010 Linking Ring

and I have a nice Bill in Potato--also in TLR

Allen Tipton

And to answer Sammy : BILL IN LEMON KNIFE
The Mak Magik version-- --see the link by Dale Shrimpton-- looks very good on the video dem.
No preparation.
Might have to check if it is angle proof--it WON'T be.

emagictricks.co.uk advertise one at £37:19
But do not say which model

READING a number of other magicians comments on the Tannen version. No one really liked it.


Most of us agree--there are less expensive--easier & more effective ways of performing this Classic Effect.

Allen Tipton

Oh HECK!!
There is also the simple--just a lemon and a small paring knife described in 'Magic With Faucett Ross' by Lewis Ganson. (Supreme Magic Co.) pages 122 to 124.

This is the MAX MALINI version. Simple and sneaky.

I shall be counting Lemons to send me to sleep tonight!!!

Allen Tipton

THEN --oh no--not another?????

Lemon, Cup & Banknote by Eddie Burke. Mr E Enterprises

SOMEONE--Mandrake perhaps!! should put all these into 1 list for future Lemon Seekers!! Or should that be Lemon Pickers ? !!

Allen Tipton

I'll see what I can do! The one effect I've always wanted to see performed in a restaurant is when Mr.Magic does 'Bill in Lemon' calls it 'Bill in Lemon' and when the freely chosen lemon is opened instead of the currency note is the 'bill' for the meal!

Here we go again!!

And there was of course The Great Jarrow ( Emil Jarrow) and his--

SAWING A LEMON IN HALF

He used to pass SEVERAL bills into the Lemon.

Work that one out guys!!

Allen Tipton