Embedded Files
The Odds Against Me by John Scarne. 1966, 537 pages plus 16 pages of photographs. This is the expanded version, not just the 412 page The Amazing World of John Scarne (1956 with no photos). A fine copy in fine, price-clipped DJ. $30
Sting Shift: The Street-Smart Cop’s Handbook of Cons and Swindles by Lindsay Smith and Bruce Walstad. 1993, 128 pages. A fine compendium of cons, carnival game swindles, shortchanging, pickpocketing, gypsy scams, etc. Extensive Bibliography and Glossary of terms. $25
Dealing Casino Blackjack by Thomas Hughes. 1979 First Edition with the fine photos. Iii plus 59 pages, 8 ½ by 11, 46 large clear photos. Two pages of cheating, Glossary of terms. Nice clean copy. $20
Nick the Greek: King of the Gamblers by Cy Rice. 1969 First Edition. xv plus 235 pages. Explains some of his cheating methods along with great anecdotes. Fine copy in fine DJ. $20
Play Gin to Win by Irwin Steig. 1965, 142 pages, fine HB copy in near fine DJ. Contains 8 pages on cheating, 9 pages on card memory, 5 page Glossary, etc. $15
“Yellow Kid” Weil – Con Man as told to W. T. Brannon. 1957 Pyramid Books Edition. 297 pages. A decent SB reading copy in pictorial yellow (appropriate) covers. $30
John Scarne: More than Magic by Bill Ragsdale was introduced at the Conference on Magic History Nov 8, 2013 and sold out in an hour. This is the biography of John Scarne, well illustrated with photos, many in color, New edition enlarged to 101 pages, 8 ½ by 11. Included is a 22 page Checklist of Scarne’s books, articles, films and games. $25
A Grand Expose of the Science of Gambling by “An Adept”. A nice HB reprint, gold stamped on front cover and spine, of the rare 1860 treatise on cheating. “A complete disclosure of the secrets of the art as practiced by professional gamblers”. This has a new Preface by David Ben. Limited to only 500 copies, xiv plus 167 pages. New copies, only $45
Finding the Center by Antonio Zuccaro. 2011, limited to only 750 copies, numbered and signed by the author on the tipped in color frontispiece, 79 pages, 123 photos, bibliography. The only comprehensive book on the legendary center deal. New copies - $30
Revelations by Dai Vernon. The 1984 First Edition. A mint copy in mint dust jacket. $100
The Magician and the Cardsharp by Karl Johnson. The story of Dai Vernon’s search for the reclusive cardsharp Allen Kennedy and the center deal. 2005 First Edition, as new in as new DJ. Xii plus 351 pages plus 8 pages of photographic plates. Seven page Bibliography. $26
A History of Playing Cards and a Bibliography of Cards and Gaming by Catherine Perry Hargrave. 1966. xx plus 462 pages plus color plates, 1,462 illustrations. The bibliography covers 75 pages. $20
Ted Lesley’s Working Performer’s Marked Deck Manual. 52 pages in pictorial wraps with a small supply of marking material. $20
The Annotated Erdnase by Darwin Ortiz. 1991, 270 pages 8 ½ by 11, HB in DJ placed in an archival dust jacket protector at no charge. The best volume to study Erdnase, plus Appendex I (new moves) and Appendix II (the search for Erdnase, death certificate for Milton Franklin Andrews, etc.) New copies - $50
Lotteries and Sweepstakes by C. L’Estrange Ewen. 1972, a very nice hardbound reprint of the uncommon 1932 edition. 403 pages with reproductions of old and quaint illustrations. Mint copy. $20
Senator Crandall, How to Stack Dice. 20 well illustrated pages. Mint copy. $5
How to Win at Poker by John Moss. 1973, 92 pages, a general guide, strong on bluffing and detecting bluffing. Nice poker quiz at end. Nice clean copy. $10
Poker Demonstration by Tom Osborne. 1946, 16 pages. Several demonstrations of card handling skill in dealing poker hands, with patter. Included are suggested preliminary maneuvers before switching decks. I have several VG copies so only $2
Poker Deal by Harry Canar. 1958. 13 pages. Fine copies. $2
The Gambler's Paradise by Joseph Ovette. 12 pages. Mint copies. $2
How Gamblers Win by “A Retired Professional” is a fine reprint of the Fitzgerald Publishing Company reprint of the 1868 Dick & Fitzgerald classic. To add to the intrigue, the 1868 edition was a re-written version of the 1865 edition by Gerritt M. Evans. Whereas Evans taught you to be a card cheat, the D & F version taught you to protect yourself from card cheats while covering the same material. I assume this change was made to avoid criticism by the moralists. Added to this edition is a new Preface by David Ben and Introduction by Steve Forte. New copies, HB in DJ - $45
Second to None: The Art of Second Dealing by Simon Lovell. 2013 greatly enlarged and improved Second Edition. 156 pages, 112 photos. A comprehensive treatise on the techniques, magic applications, gambling applications and a historical review – Erdnase, Robert-Houdin, Poker by Hardison, etc. New copies in stock. $30
Cheating at Texas Hold-Em: A Modern Guide to the Art of Deception and Illicit Play at the Card Table by John Born. First Edition, 2010. 560 pages, many hundreds of photos. The majority of the ruses can be applied to any card game. A beautiful and comprehensive guide to card cheating. New copies in stock. $55
Don’t Get Taken! Bunco and Bunkum Exposed is by Robert Steiner, past national president of the Society of American Magicians and lecturer on fraud and bunco. In this 206 page SB book he exposes the cons, swindles and scams of con men, gamblers, psychics, blood readers, carnival operators, psychic surgeons, etc. Included is a six page bibliography. Published in 1989 at $14.95, I have several new copies at $14.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse