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I am not a magician and don't seem to be able to do tricks involving sleight of hand. However, I do enjoy baffling my friends at parties.

I have made coins vanish and cut ropes, etc, but this has been using props that people can't examine afterwards. Also card tricks seem to lack that lasting 'wow' factor.

I recently tried the 'Wonder Treasure Box', and that was perfect. In fact it had greatest impact because it was so simple, yet no one else could open it even after many attempts.

Can anyone recommend other tricks I could try - suitable for close-up, that don't require any skill, and that can be fully examined by the audience?

Many thanks

Try the Karl Fulves books of self working nmagic - coins, cards and so on. Plenty of ideas in them and you don't need to buy special props so the specs can examine them as long as they want to. However if they get used to the idea of being able to examine everything, they may insist on it when you're using a gaffed or gimmicked item.

I'm with Mandrake, all Karl Fulves books are well worth looking at if you're after a few nice tricks for parties.

A third vote for Fulves' work. Some of the stuff is really powerful when performed well.

And another vote. But he wrote more than just the "Self-Working" books; look out for "Easy Magic" and "The Big Book of Magic Tricks" which are even better.

Barry

33pgr wrote:Also card tricks seem to lack that lasting 'wow' factor.

that hurt!

Yes I would have to agree you cant go wrong with the Fulve's books. Although the tricks say self working remember this little quote- Perform not to impress the audience, but to give them joy.’ I. Tajo

Best wishes

Karl Fulves and John Scarne are excellent for the self workers. I particularly like Fulves self working rope magic.

Going back to the original post....with a slightly different tack.
There's tons of things you could perform with, for example, ropes/string where people can examine things afterwards. A DVD such as Darryls 3 DVD set of rope magic fits the bill, a lot of it is totally simple/almost self-working, and virtually all of it could be "examined afterwards".
Bruce

JammyT wrote:

33pgr wrote:Also card tricks seem to lack that lasting 'wow' factor.

that hurt!

No worries, the 'wow' factor lies in the performance/performer not in the trick.

Thanks for all the replies - guess what I will be asking Santa for!

Sorry about my 'wow' comment. But as bmat says, I'm sure it was more a reflection on me than the tricks.

Thanks again...