talkmagic.co.uk

Rorschach Ink Blot Cards
presented by Card-Shark
(Then click on the 6 of Hearts and scroll down!)
and Dr. Todd Landman

What they say:
Ever since the middle of the 19th Century, 'ink-blot' images have been used as popular parlour games in certain circles and became a standard method for psychological testing and personality profiling. Swiss scientist Hermann Rorschach developed a psychology test named after him that uses ten different ink-blot images.

Metaphysical magician Dr Todd Landman gives deep background info concerning the test and the images and developed several magic routines but also gives tips where to find effects that can easily adapted to these cards.

The images are an alternative to the more familiar Zener cards or 'Rhine' symbols used for testing for the existence of extra sensory perception.

The history and flexible, yet structured features of these images now available in our vintage style make them perfect for magicians, mentalists, and readers.

You receive a pack of 53 cards altogether, containing the following:

* 5 sets each of the ten cards with different images on them.
* You get 1 card containing an overview of all ten images that will easily help you to memorize the position and marking of each card
* You also have two additional cards that are designed in the style of the original images, but one appears as an angel and the other one as a devil.
* The backs are marked, having the same Heirloom Deck backs.
* The cards are also 'pointer' cards, which opens up a range of possibilities for mentalism effects.
* Cards available with red or blue backs

Cost:
€29,50
(About £27?)

Difficulty:
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
1–4
(Depending on what you do with the cards)

What I say:
I just received my deck of the Ink Blot Cards and I must say I'm extremely pleased with what I got. The cards look so nice the aging looks authentic and the marking systems (two on each card) is brilliant. A lot of mentalists hate the use of playing cards, because they feel it points them towards the trickery of magicians. Well, here is a perfect solution for performing plenty of well known card magic with ink blots.
It comes with a 8 page booklet, explaining both marking systems, each symbol and ideas for presentations, for example:
- Psychic Oil and Water
- Discover your inner self
- Pure mind reading
- Psychometry
- Drawing dupe
- ESP Match effects
- The Luna Series
- Readings

The possibilities are not limited to the booklet, as so many tricks, moves and sleights with playing cards can be adapted to the Ink Blot Cards.

Dr. Todd showed me a few moves in April and I knew I had to have this set — without a doubt! And now I have played around a bit, I see I was right and you get to be an authentic mentalist with the ink blots, not a card magician that knows some mentalist tricks.

Overall:
9/10
I would have given this a full 10, but I think the price is rather steep and the Card-Shark website is a bit special. (It is for example impossible to post a direct link to Ink Blot Cards).

Nice review. Thanks. I'm very slightly disappointed about the playing card backs but I guess this is necessary if they are to be marked. It looks like a very nice deck; just when I thought they had finally run out of ideas for a theme for a new deck, along comes the Rorschach ink blot deck. I'm very tempted but I'm a bit light of wallet at the moment; might have to wait until the new year.

Regarding the pricing of Card-Shark's wares, although they do seem a little on the high side, I personally don't have a problem with it. Christian a one talented chap and his products really are first class when it comes to quality. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't mind paying for this quality because it's a joy to own his work. £30-odd is not cheap but neither is Christian's skills. Have you seen his Medieval Tarot deck? Superb, that is. Anyway, thanks again for the review. I expect Card-Shark will see an order from me soon-ish.

I don't feel that the design on the backs annoys in any way, because it's not a back that people would associate with regular playing cards.

I agree that the Card-Shark product is high quality stuff and deserves the price, but I had to pay additional £14 tax when it arrived, because the packet had a pocket of packing list and invoice on the outside, adding it up to almost £44 for me.

I have a few other Card-Shark products, met Christian in London when he was beginning his career a few years ago and since then he has grown professional and his quality work is exceptional. (Of course it is ... he's German!)

And if you know Dr. Todd, he would never be associated with anything less than perfect!

So, thumbs up for those two brilliant minds and their nimble fingers.

Wow, £44 is excessive. 83p per card, no less! And yes, the Heirloom backs are very nice.

I'm going to ask The Card Collection if they have any plans to stock the deck. They already stock a selection of Card-Shark's products, so hopefully they will. Don't want to risk getting hit by customs.

So what sort of reactions have you been getting from people? I don't expect many people see this kind of thing very often. My mind is already considering the possibilities for this deck....

Nice job, Card-Shark and Dr. Todd.

Trying it out tonight on "real people" (as opposed to family members) and I'm excited as to what the reaction will be, as this is quite unorthodox. Will report!

This looks sexy!

Hey guys, thanks for the great review.

And now after rebuilding my website it should be a 10/10.

Here is the direct link to the cards:

http://www.card-shark.de/index.cfm?page ... 7&ArtID=89

I have to find out what happened with customs. There are no customs within the EU and perhaps I made a mistake with gunnar as I then would have charged him too much.

The Euro prices are for EU magicians as I have to charge the VAT, so there are no extra customs.

Usually also I send out items as a letter and Gunnar is one of the VERY few I ever heard of whos envelope was opened up and charged. Here I don´t have to do a customs declaration when I send a letter around the world.

So Gunnar, I have to find out if I should only have charged you 34.50 US$ plus 5 US$ shipping as these prices are without VAT. This means if you are outside of the EU like Norway. Sometimes it is a little bit irritating doing all correctly.

After all: thank you all guys.

And have a look for my newest project, the Phoenix Deck Project that could be the successor of the Bicycle deck.

Who's the chap in the photo? Just wondering.

Replicant wrote:Who's the chap in the photo? Just wondering.

It's Rorschach.

The cards look great, but with the postal service dodgy at the moment, I'm very hesistant to order from overseas at the moment. I might stick in a bulk order for some Phoenix cards while I am at it!

I loved the look of these when Todd first showed me a while back, i might just have to pick some up.

Looks great, and Card Shark will have done a top job.

I tried the Ink Blot Cards "out in the public" and it received really great reaction. Only 1 person refused to try anything out, as she thought I would be able to find out if she was mentally ill or not.

But for all others, it worked wonderfully and I am very happy with the cards. I did a few variations of the ideas that come with the pack. Brilliant!

Here you can read further information on the Inkblot test by Hermann Rorschach: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorschach_test

Thanks for all the kind words here folks. I am getting great feedback from the community and great reactions from my audiences. I have taken these to China and Macedonia recently and have had so much fun with them.

Ian Rowland wrote a nice review in the latest Magic Circular for those magi here that receive it...

I made up a jumbo set, which features in my new DVD...