Flame Revelation by Devin Knight

NOTE: Matchbooks packets are sold in boxes of 50 in some grocery stores and tobacco shops. They are readily available on Amazon.com and eBay.com. Bars that still allow smoking often have FREE advertising matchbooks. Hotels that have smoking rooms often have matchbooks at the front desk.

This is #2 in Devin Knight's Forgotten Magic Series. The first release in the series was Unknown Forces.

Flame Revelation was invented and used by mediums in the early 20s according to Al Mann. Mediums claimed that spirits of the dead were often in fire. The technique was used as a form of spirit writing to prove contact with the dead. The secret was used by a few magicians in the past, but has basically been forgotten. Devin Knight has revived the secret and been using it in his strolling magic in restaurants and psychic fairs with improvements over the original technique. Even if you are familiar with the original secret you will find many tips and ideas you do not know from a man who has performed these effects for years.

All these effects can be done with any regular packet of safety matches. No chemicals are used! AFTER ALL EFFECTS, THE SPECTATOR MAY KEEP THE MATCH AS A SOUVENIR.

THINK OF A NUMBER: A spectator thinks of any number from 1-20. No force, it is a free choice. The performer tears out a match and strikes it. The spectator is asked to stare at the flame and think of his number. The match is blown out and shown to the spectator. On the burnt match head is the number he thought of!

REVEAL A SELECTED CARD: A card is selected (assume he selected 5 of Clubs) and returned to the deck. Performer strikes a match and has the participant think of his card while he stares at the flame. The match is blown out, and handed to the participant. He looks at the match head. On one side is a black 5. On the other side is C for clubs. The match has revealed the selected card.

ESP: Spectator FREELY selects an ESP card secretly and does not tell the performer the symbol. It is 100% free choice. Performer strikes a match and asks the spectator to stare at the flame and think of his symbol. Performer blows match out and on the burnt head is seen the selected symbol.

INITIALS: This is Devin's favorite effect and was used by him weekly in a restaurant gig for seven years. Approach a table and ask a perfect stranger his first name. The performer strikes a match and has the person concentrate on the first letter of his name. Assume his name is Tom. Performer blows out the match and a T is seen on the burnt match head and given to the spectator to keep. Can be immediately repeated at the next table with different results!

MEDIUM STUNTS: Perfect for those working psychic fairs and apparently channeling spirits.

ANSWERS FROM BEYOND: Ask the sitter to think of simple yes or no question she wants to ask the spirit world. The question can be said aloud or secretly written down. The performer strikes a match and blows it out. There on the burnt match head is a Y for yes or an N for no, you could even have an M appear for maybe.

THE DEAD SPEAKS: A favorite stunt of old-time mediums. Ask the sitter to write the name of a dead relative she would like to contact. The medium strikes a match and burns the paper asking the sitter to think intently of the dead person, the match suddenly goes out by itself without the medium blowing it out. He notices an initial on the head of the match. He shows it to the sitter and asks if the initial means anything. The sitter will say the initial is that of the dead person's first name. Apparently proof of contact with the dead. A real spooky effect.

THE CROSS PLOY: A little known stunt shared with me by the late Al Mann. During the channeling of a dead person, you ask if that person is in a good place and to please give a sign. The medium strikes a match and while asking for a sign the match goes out by itself. The medium shows the sitter the match and on the burnt head is a small Christian cross, implying that the dead loved one is in Heaven. Al Mann said this demonstration would often bring tears to the eyes of the sitter.

All you need is a packet of matches and you are ready to amaze people with an effect they haven't seen. Everything you need to know to perform all these effects is explained in detail, including photographs. NO SKILL, NO SLEIGHTS, NO SWITCHES.

REVIEWS:

"Devin keeps surprising me with new and unusual effects. Again, this is one of those effects that I have never seen before, which could be used for many different presentations and obtain different outcomes every single time. Flame Revelation will allow you to present real magic with a packet of matches! A winner in my book!" - Robert Marsi

"Flame Revelation is terrific. It is a secret method, easy and inexpensive to make up. It makes possible routines that have a startling climax, with the burned match as a souvenir." - Ron Levy

1st edition 2015, 16 pages.
word count: 5416 which is equivalent to 21 standard pages of text