History of Magic Methods
Magic Methods was founded in 1969 by Mr. Alfred "Jerry" Mentzer in Ohio. Jerry transferred to Greenville, SC in the early 1970's to continue his career as a mechanical engineer with the Union Carbide Corporation. The Magic Methods business was acquired by Eddy Wade in 2014 and moved from it's Greenville, SC location to its current home of Mount Holly, NC in 2016.
Jerry Mentzer was Eddy's friend & mentor during Eddy's formidable years in the Art of Magic. Jerry taught Eddy many of the routines and effects he still performs today. To give Eddy a way to earn a bit of spending money, during his young years of growing up, Jerry allowed Eddy to help manufacture and package many of the effects Magic Methods sold through (in the 1970's & the '80's) an actual printed catalog. Each summer, Eddy attended several annual magic conventions with Jerry, helping him set-up the dealer display and demonstrating the items for sale.
We have been providing magicians with outstanding products and top notch customer service for over 48 years now. Whether you are an amateur, professional performer or a life-long magic enthusiast, we have something to offer you.
Our product line ranges from the most recent developments in magic apparatus, props, and books to the tried and true classic effects. Please feel free to browse our online offerings and sign up for our occasional newsletter.
Magic Methods operates primarily as a mail order company. In addition to mail order, we also display at a limited number or magic gatherings & conventions. Our main focus is publishing our book titles, manufacturing the many tricks invented by Mr. Mentzer and those he acquired rights and permissions to distribute. Magic Methods also carries a small inventory of good magic from other manufacturers and inventors.
A list of books authored by Jerry Mentzer. Listed by the Year the book was First published
For a more complete description of the contents of the book Or to place an order for one of the titles,visit our website at www.MagicMethods.com - Note some titles may be temporarily out of print.
- 1972 Card Cavalcade 1
- 1973 Multiple Push Through Control
- 1973 Master Ball and Silk Manipulation
- 1973 Close-up Cavalcade - OOP
- 1974 Magician Nightly - The Magic of Eddie Fechter - OOP
- 1974 Card Cavalcade 2 - OOP
- 1975 Cards and Cases
- 1975 Super Cents
- 1975 Close-up Cues
- 1975 Club Cues
- 1975 Another Close-up Cavalcade - OOP
- 1975 New and Novel Knowledge
- 1975 Card Cavalcade 3 - OOP
- 1976 How To Do The Dancing Cane
- 1976 The Magic of Paul Harris - By Jerry Mentzer - OOP
- 1977 Cuts, Counts, Moves and Subtilely
- 1977 Close-up Cavalcade Finale
- 1977 Card Cavalcade Four - OOP
- 1979 Card Cavalcade Finale
- 1980 Second Lecture Notes
- 1981 Basic Skill With Cards
- 1982 Forcing A Card
- 1982 Packet Tricks -OOP
- 1982 Silk Potpourri
- 1983 Lecture Three
- 1984 On the Corner Short
- 1984 Magic With Finger Rings
- 1984 Effective Cups and Balls
- 1986 Climax Coins
- 1987 Simple Yet Effective Tricks With Cards
- 1988 Magic With A Copper Silver Coin
- 1991 Card to Wallet - The Book - OOP
- 1992 Magic With Credit Cards
- 1993 Fechter - OOP
- 1993 Card File - OOP
- 1994 Close-up File
- 2000 Card File Two
OOP= "Out of Print"
A Partial List of Magically Entertaining Effects Created by Jerry Mentzer and still produced by Magic Methods.
- 6+9=15 Paddle Trick
- Disc-O
- Divination Mental Die
- Improved Kavorting Kords
- Marked Cards Routine
- Midget Sextet Card
- Mini Maxi Miracle Cards
- Pick A Drink Routine
- Prediction Unlimited Wallet
- Sherlock’s Hold Out
- The Big Bet
- Triple Coverage Magic Insurance Policy
- Twist 2000
- Ultimate English Three Card Monte
- Util-O-Silks Device
- Ultimate Salt Routine
For complete descriptions of the effects listed or to place an order for them, see our website description pages. If the item is not listed yet, contact us we probably have it.
A list of books published by Magic Methods, but written by others:
Listed by the Year First published
- 1974 Fechter’s Dice Holdout Methods for Magicians - Jerry Mentzer
- 1975 Bennett’s Best - By Horace Bennett
- 1976 The Magic of Paul Harris - By Jerry Mentzer - OOP
- 1976 On Your Feet - By Horace Bennett - OOP
- 1981 Bennett’s Fourth Book - By HoraceBennett
- 1981 Downs Palm Technique - By HoraceBennett
- 1982 Tricky Stuff - By Roger Sherman
- 1982 Close-up With Cards - By Ken Simmons
- 1982 Intermediate and Advanced Coin Technique - By Rubinstein - OOP
- 1982 Cards With a Different Touch - By Ken Simmons
- 1983 Magic Afoot - By Horace Bennett
- 1983 Alternative Handlings - By Horace Bennett
- 1984 Card News - By Christin Scherer
- 1984 Familiar Themes - By Horace Bennett
- 1985 Close-up of The Damned - By Richard Bartram, Jr.
- 1986 The Bennett Touch - By Horace Bennett
- 1989 21 Himber Wallet Routines By Ken Baker
- 1991 The Jiggle Pass - By Taylor & Elias
- 1993 Mystification - By Richard Bartram, Jr.
- 1995 The Magic Of John Riggs - By John Riggs
- 1996 Magic from the Ambient Domain - By John Riggs
- 1997 Trephine - By Richard Bartram, Jr.
OOP = "Out of Print"
A Partial List of Major Effects & Routines Produced By Magic Methods for other Creators.
By Paul Harris
- Solid Deception
- Super Swindle
- Paul Harris Vanishing Deck
By Tom Mullica
- The Mullica Card To Wallet Routine AKA "Miracle Card To Wallet"
- The Mullica Pad - A Close-up Mat made of the same material as used by Tom during his Tom Foolery Magic Bar years.
By Larry Becker
- Hypnotic Ten Card Poker Deal
By Richard Bartram
- Pasteboard Impalement
By Horace Bennett
- Showoff Rope Routine
By David Hemingway
- Travel Trouble
By Jim Lee
- The Karate Kard
By Joe Riding
- The Irish Three Card Trick
By Rick Johnson
- Strike One
- Sew What
- Die Penetration
By Duke Stern
- $7. Trick