talkmagic.co.uk

I've been working on an "original" blind shuffle. (It is in one sense "original" in that I've not read it or seen it somewhere).

My query is how to find out whether it is "original" or whether I've inadvertantly "rediscovered" somenthing that someone else has done. It seems far too "simple" to be original. (It is a side effect of my poor technique for the one handed riffle, so I am "naturally" jogging one half of the cards - anyone who has done one handed riffles can probably see where it goes from there). I think it has promise because there is a nce offbeat after the riffle and waterfall have been done so that you can do the stripout.

Is there any way to see whether I'm on virgin territory or whether someone has already done it? I'm not bothered about someone stealing my "idea", it is more about understanding the issues surrounding it. I've heard of people claiming and counter claiming that they have discovered certain effects, and up to now it had never really occured to me how difficult it is to know whether something is new or not.

Your best bet might be asking a good reputable dealer has they have a wealth of information on this sort of thing. Im sure they could find out.

Thanks lindz. But, as has already been mentioned on another post, Manchester is devoid of dealers (reputable or not ) .

Is seige reputable? would he count as a "dealer" or is he more of a "pusher" .

I guess I was expecting one of the "card guys" on here would say "I've seen someone else do something just like that".

For me the only thing to be gained from it being original is just for my own feeling of "wow, I actually invented something with a pack of cards!". I'm never going to put anything in print, even if it works out really well.

I'd say that Seige is more than up to the job and what you may not know is that he is credited with the Chameleon deck that is sold by World Magic Shop.

Given that, I'm sure that there will be many others here that will also provide you with comment.

dat8962

Sorry I was being jokingly flippant about seige. I've read a lot of his posts and I'm sure he is reputable etc.

With props, gaffs and gimmicks it is a lot easier to know about originality becuase someone is trying to sell it. With a particular move/sleight it is not so clear cut. I'm not trying to sell anything, and unless someone has seen or read a particular move then the "originality" is not easy to establish.

Actually based on what you've just said I am going to check out the chameleon deck... (B*gger I've only just sent an order to NUMS as well!)

Sorry I was being jokingly flippant about seige. I've read a lot of his posts and I'm sure he is reputable etc.

taken in hook, line and sinker

Richard Turner does a false one handed riffle shuffle.
Can't say any more as I haven't seen it close up.

Thanks Saxmad you've given me the answer I expected.

My guess is I've stumbled across what he is doing. It really does just work ever so easily. I think the angles for a one handed shuffle almost always jog the cards from one hand.

Shame I was hoping I'd found something that was unique... but that is very unlikley given I've been doing cards 3 months and there are hundreds of people out there with tens of years under their belts.

I will keep it as an occassional alternative to the Eric Anderson Shufflesque shuffle which I've been doing. (Which I must admit inspired me in the first place).

One of the big ironies mentioned in Hiding The Elephant is the catch 22 that magicians find themselves in when staking a claim to originality. If they were working in any other field then they would trip merrily to the patent office and file for one, but patents are public documents, so if someone had a mind to steal an effect all they would have to do was make the necessary search at the office. I guess that's why the magicians' community is so important; offering a sort of peer review system that can (lightly) police claims of originality.

I'd have thought with card sleights especially people must spontaneously happen upon pre-existing methods all the time...

Oh, and sometimes erroneous claims of originality are made by third parties, such as the so called Kellar rope tie which he in fact learnt from the Davenport Brothers, who learnt it from their father, who (according to Barnum) learnt it off of an Amerindian. Ira Davenport Senior was a constable, though, so I suspect he may have learnt the escape from a convict. Conjecture, I assure you. I'm rambling...

Oh, and, of course, Rene Lavand does false 1-handed riffles.
Has to.
He only has one arm.

Of course YOUR shuffle might be different from anyone elses.
It's worth checking.