The Regular Palm
To secretly obtain possession of a selected card which has been brought to the top of the pack by means of the pass, a magician commonly used a palm. Two descriptions on how to do this will be provided – the first as written by A. Roterberg, and the second by Howard Thurston.
A. Roterberg’s Description of The Palm
The pack is held in the left hand, the back of the cards, of course, being uppermost. The right hand is then placed lengthwise over the pack, while at the same time the left thumb pushes the top card of the pack over into the right, which seizes the card and is then partly closed just enough to give it a natural appearance.
Fig 23
Fig. 23 shows the manner in which the card is held, resting against the slightly bent first joints of the second and third fingers and the root of the thumb.
The right hand is now carelessly dropped to the side or placed on the hip, while with the left hand the pack is handed to a spectator with the request to shuffle it.
A still better, but much bolder plan, is to seize the pack with the same hand in which the card is concealed and in this fashion hand it out to be shuffled, the left hand being casually shown empty during the maneuver. The proper way in which to hold the pack for this purpose is to grasp it between the first joint of the thumb and the lower joint of the first finger of the right hand, the inside of which is turned toward the floor.
Care must be taken to hold the fingers of this hand closely together, so that the spectator, to whom the pack is given, cannot get a glimpse of an accidentally exposed part of the palmed card.
When the pack has been returned to the conjurer, the latter receives it with the left hand and carelessly passing the right hand over it, leaves the palmed card on the top.
Most performers have a habit of ruffling the pack just after the palmed card has been replaced. I would warn the reader against the acquirement of this habit, as the ruffling generally conveys the impression that some subtle sleight is taking place, or that it has already been executed, being disguised by the ruffle.
In my opinion, a performer of artistic inclinations ought to appear to manipulate the cards in as natural a way as any other person, who is not a conjurer, would do. All flourishes, as palming off part of the pack and reproducing it, making single handed passes to show off one’s dexterity, etc., ought to be studiously avoided, as they only tend to create the impression that the conjurer is past master in the art of handling the pasteboards.
If this impression is made the spectator will readily conclude, after seeing the artist perform some difficult and intricate card tricks, that it is no wonder such marvelous results can be attained when one can manipulate the cards as dexterously as the conjurer did a while ago.
Thus the effect of later tricks is greatly reduced by the unwise flourishing of earlier tricks.
This description is from the book “Card Tricks and How To Do Them”, published by A. Roterberg.
Howard Thurston’s Description of The Palm
It is often necessary to palm or conceal a card the palm of the hand. Suppose, for instance, a card is chosen from the pack and replaced. The pass is then made and the card brought to the top. The pack is now held in the left hand, the right hand approaches the same, and with the second finger pushes forward the top card an eighth of an inch or more, at the same time exerting a slight pressure upon it. This causes the card to be tilted into the palm of the right hand, which grasps the pack between the first finger and thumb. (See Fig. 107.)
Fig 107
The pack can now safely be handed to another spectator to thoroughly shuffle, and, when returned, the performer has no difficulty in secretly replacing the palmed card on top.
While the card is palmed, allow the hand to hang down in a careless position, and never, under any circumstances, even glance at it.
This description is from the book “Card Tricks” by Howard Thurston.
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