If you are going to use an old idea, why not use a REALLY old one -- many people will think it is new again.   This DVD (with 2 custom made gimmicks) teaches routines using a gimmick that was first written about in a gambling book in 1860, and then picked up by Nevil Maskelyne for his magic/gambling book, Sharps and Flats, 1894.

Romanos has included two nicely made versions of the gimmick, and details close-up mentalism routines for this gimmick that has typically been used by cardicians and card sharps.   My favorite routine he teaches goes like this:   magi borrows a bill from the spectator, and holds it up between his hands so the spectator can see the serial number on the face.   The magician begins to divine the letters and digits of the serial number.  It is very clean and impressive.

Other routines taught include:   revelation of a name written on a business card and sealed in a small envelope, reading ESP symbols on unmarked ESP cards, a neat application of this gimmick along with another common magical gimmick that makes it possible to use the Looking Glass gimmick openly during a divination routine, and a mthod for doing a classic card peek with the gimmick.

There has recently been a new version of Looking Glass released by Romanos and Magic Tao (version 2.0) -- it has some additional routines on its DVD, but I think that you can save some money and just get this original version -- there's plenty of good magic here, and you can think up your own ways to use the Looking Glass gimmick.

  The newer 2.0 version sells for $25-$30.   Get "version 1.0" for much less at TMGS.

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