Buckley 30 by Reinhard Muller

Rediscover the lost miracles of Arthur Buckley in this exhaustive historical and technical study.

In 1930, Arthur Buckley released Thirty Card Problems, a collection of card magic so advanced and practical that Dariel Fitzkee later rewrote it as The Card Expert Entertains, hailing it as “the most real magic for the money.” Yet, over the decades, Buckley’s original methods and plots have often been overshadowed or forgotten.

In this scholarly manuscript prepared for the 2004 Jornadas Cartomágicas (Escorial), celebrated historian Reinhard Müller resurrects these thirty gems. He dissects each effect, tracing its lineage back to the 18th century and following its evolution through the works of legends like Hofzinser, Erdnase, Leipzig, Marlo, and Vernon.

This is not just a reprint; it is a critical analysis. Müller provides the original effect descriptions, summarizes the methods (often relying on difficult, professional-grade sleight of hand), and then expands the horizon with a massive bibliography of variations and related ideas.

The Thirty Problems Include:

• The Sympathetic Cards: A multi-phase routine where cards change to match the value of a leader card (Ace, Deuce, Trey). Müller links this plot to Hofzinser’s Mysterious Pack of Cards.
• Card Under Foot: A transposition miracle where a chosen card appears under the spectator’s shoe.
• A Pack of Cards and Four Pockets: The precursor to the modern “Any Card Called For” from pockets, achieved through a bold riffle count system.
• The Burglar: An early sandwich effect where a “burglar” card is stolen from between a “chief” and a “detective” card.
• Psychic Photography: A selected card appears on a blank sheet of paper inside a printing frame.
• Indecto & System: Divination effects that utilize sophisticated principles later explored by Charles T. Jordan.
• Cards to Pocket: Buckley’s handling of the classic plot, featuring his unique false counts.

Why This Manuscript?
Müller goes beyond the “how-to.” He offers context. You will learn how Buckley’s “Slap Cards” relates to the classic “Ladies’ Looking Glass,” how his “Card Under Hat” influenced Royal Road to Card Magic, and how his mastery of the “Card at Any Number” plot predates modern obsessions.

Complete with biographies of Arthur Buckley and Dariel Fitzkee, this manuscript is a tribute to the golden age of card magic and a roadmap for the serious student who wants to master the classics.

Product Specifications:

• Author: Reinhard Müller
• Format: Digital Manuscript / Softcover Booklet
• Language: English (Note: While the author is German and the title page features Spanish text, the entire interior content and instruction is written in English).
• Year: 2004
• Subject: Card Magic, History, Sleight of Hand, Mentalism