Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser – Hofzinser’s Card Conjuring

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Hofzinser was born at the beginning of the 19th century and lived in Vienna during a time called the ‘Biedermeier’. This was a time where people enjoyed art and entertainment in drawing-room presentations and at little receptions in the houses and villas of the rich and famous. Hofzinser thus never performed on a stage but perfected the branch of magic today known as ‘Close-up’. One could argue that Hofzinser is the grandfather of close-up magic in particular close-up card magic. And this book is all about card magic. We have to thank Ottokar Fischer for collecting Hofzinser’s material about hundred years later. But a gap of hundred years is difficult to bridge. And today scholars argue about many details of Hofzinser’s life and particularly his tricks and inventions. Disregarding all the little details， Hofzinser without a doubt was one of the giants of close-up magic who discovered and invented many great pieces of deception. Anybody who wants to call himself a serious card man must study Hofzinser’s material. 



Translation of ‘Kartenkünste’ by Ottokar Fischer; 1st edition， 1931， George Johnson， London; reprint， 1973， Karl Fulves; reprint， 1986， Dover Publications， New York; 188 pages. 



Table of Contents 

page page 

Foreword 

Editor’s Preface 

Preface 

Biography of J. N. Hofzinser 

Guide to Performance 

Experiments with Unprepared Cards 

The Sympathetic Numbers 

Synonymous Thoughts (First Method) 

Association of Thoughts 

The Four Eights 

Experiments with Duplicate Unprepared Cards 

Everywhere and Nowhere (First Method) 

The Four Aces 

The Metamorphosis of the Flying Card 

Experiments with Double-Sided Cards 

Sensation 

Pre-Determination of Thought 

Thought 

The Power of Faith 

The Four Kings 

Experiments with Pre-arranged Packs 

Domination of Thought (First Method) 

Domination of Thought (Second Method) 

Experiments with Divided Cards 

Remember and Forget (First Method) 

Remember and Forget (Second Method) 

Remember and Forget (Third Method) 

[Gary Kurtz is teaching his methodology in this video.] 

Omnipotence of the Ladies 

Deceive Your Neighbour as Yourself 

The Married Hearts 

The Married Hearts， the Loving Couple 

The Queen of Hearts 

The Mysterious Pack of Cards 

Everywhere and Nowhere (Second Method) 

Everywhere and Nowhere (Third Method) 

Experiments with Differently Prepared Cards 

Synonymous Thoughts (Second Method) 

The Insoluble Impromptu 

Lost， Stolen or Strayed – a King 

Experiments with the application of Transparent Cards 

The Ace of Hearts 

Experiments with Mechanical Apparatus 

The Flying Thought 

The Three Powers 

Appendix 

Card Problems