Lottle hand magic is a term that refers to the manipulation of objects or events using only a small or insignificant amount of physical effort. It is based on the idea that even the tiniest actions can have a significant impact. This concept is often used in the context of magic tricks or illusions, where the magician uses subtle hand movements to create the illusion of objects appearing or disappearing. Lottle hand magic is all about finesse and precision. It requires a mastery of hand-eye coordination and the ability to manipulate objects in a subtle and controlled manner. The magician must be able to create the illusion of magic through his or her actions, without giving away the secret behind the trick.
The magician must be able to create the illusion of magic through his or her actions, without giving away the secret behind the trick. One of the key principles of lottle hand magic is misdirection. The magician uses subtle hand movements and distractions to draw the audience's attention away from the true secret behind the trick.
The Genii Forum
Several decades ago, around the very early 1980s or late 1970s, I invented what has become known as, “The Little Hand.” It’s been made famous in recent years by Michael Ammar, who has an exclusive written license from me to sell it as a standalone magic trick. The only other licensee, is the Hanky Panky Toy Company—they have an exclusive license to include the trick in magic sets.
I kept the trick to myself, but around 1984, I was in Tannen’s magic shop and I showed the trick to some magicians there. I returned to Toronto, and within a month, the trick was everywhere. It spread like a virus. A version ended up in the 1984 book, The New York Magic Symposium Collection Three (see “Hands Off,” p. 40).
At the time, I found this amusing, but as long as people were just going out and buying little dolls hands for 50 cents, I didn’t see any problem, but shortly thereafter some guy in Las Vegas began advertising the trick as his and selling little hands for $5 (see Genii, Vol. 48, #12, p.912). He even printed a copyright notice.
I sent this entrepreneur a letter and like most black sheep who get caught ripping something off, he was most indignant and accused me of being too aggressive or as he put it, I was guilty of “unnecessary roughness.”
Then to add insult to injury he claimed some guy at a toy company had invented the trick.
His ads disappeared and maybe he did too.
Time passed and along came Michael Ammar who asked me if he could include the trick in his lecture. He had seen it in Magic For Dummies, credited to me (and it’s also in The Idiot’s Guide To Magic, also credited to me and in the September 1992, Genii, also credited to me).
I’ve known Michael for a long time, so I agreed and we entered into an exclusive agreement as noted above. He also decided to go to a great deal of expense to manufacture specially designed little hands.
Michael is the single person who has made this trick popular and he deserves all the credit and the money if it’s to be sold as a commercial item.
A friend of mine was at the last Blackpool convention and he tells me there’s a guy selling the little hand. It’s this guy, Dave Bonsall:
Note that my name appears nowhere, it’s now “Dave Bonsall’s Tiny Hand Prop.”
Dave says he’s just selling the prop, he’s not selling the instructions.
Of course, without my idea, Dave’s prop has no value. He does want about $40 for the little hand and nobody would pay that unless they would be doing my trick.
Common courtesy would dictate that if Dave wanted to sell a prop for my trick, he would contact me and ask my permission. He didn’t do that—like the miscreant in Las Vegas, he just decided he could make a few bucks from someone else’s idea (mine) and he could maximize that return by not telling anyone (i.e., me).
So I sent Dave a notice explaining that if he wanted to profit from my trick, he had to talk to me. Like the Las Vegas knave before him, his replies accused me of being too aggressive and paraphrased the Vegas varlet’s claim of “unnecessary roughness.”
In my other life as an intellectual property lawyer, one of the things I do is go after bootleggers and counterfeiters of merchandise. When caught, they always exhibit the same reaction: “Jeez! I didn’t know! You’re being too aggressive! I was just making a few bucks!”
At this point, a friend of mine aware of the situation, offered to mediate. He came up with a great proposal. I would receive credit on the site for inventing the trick. For each sale of the prop, £1 per unit would be donated to this children’s charity in Dave’s hometown:
The credit would appear on the site along the lines of:
“Bob Farmer is the creator of the little hand trick, which in recent years has been popularized by Michael Ammar.”
There would be no sale of the instructions, just the prop.
I also suggested that I could put him in touch with Michael Ammar about doing a deal to sell the instructions. This was not a requirement, just a suggestion.
Well, guess what: the children at the charity are going to have to get donations elsewhere because Dave refused to agree to any of this.
He claims he’s just selling a prop. On his site he shows how to attach the little hand to your finger. Gee, where’d he get that idea? My name appears nowhere.
There are legal remedies available to me, but what’s the point? They are expensive and time consuming. I prefer something I call creative revenge. This is where you do something positive but at the same time show the benighted rogue for what he really is.
So here’s what I suggest you do if this makes you as angry as it makes me: donate a few bucks to the charity, that’s what I’m doing. That way something good will come out of this pathetic rip-off.
At the time, I found this amusing, but as long as people were just going out and buying little dolls hands for 50 cents, I didn’t see any problem, but shortly thereafter some guy in Las Vegas began advertising the trick as his and selling little hands for $5 (see Genii, Vol. 48, #12, p.912). He even printed a copyright notice.
This allows the magician to perform seemingly impossible feats that defy logic and reason. Lottle hand magic can be performed with a variety of objects, such as cards, coins, or even everyday items like rings or pens. The magician's skill lies in his or her ability to manipulate these objects in a way that appears effortless and natural. Mastering lottle hand magic requires hours of practice and dedication. Magicians must develop their hand dexterity, timing, and coordination to perfection. They must also have a deep understanding of human perception and psychology to create convincing illusions. In conclusion, lottle hand magic is a fascinating art form that relies on subtle hand movements and misdirection to create the illusion of magic. It requires tremendous skill and practice to master, but when executed well, it can leave audiences in awe and wonder..
Reviews for "Amateur vs. Professional Lottle Hand Magicians: What Sets Them Apart?"
- Samantha - 2/5 stars - I found "Lottle Hand Mafic" to be quite disappointing. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, leaving me feeling confused and disengaged throughout the entire book. The characters lacked development and depth, making it impossible for me to connect with them. Additionally, I found the writing style to be overly descriptive, which had a detrimental effect on the pacing of the story. Overall, I would not recommend "Lottle Hand Mafic" to anyone looking for a captivating and well-executed fantasy novel.
- David - 1/5 stars - "Lottle Hand Mafic" is an absolute train wreck of a book. The writing is atrocious, with countless grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures. The dialogue feels forced and unnatural, making it almost painful to read. The world-building is also severely lacking, leaving me with a complete lack of understanding of the setting and its rules. I struggled to find anything redeeming about this book and would strongly advise against wasting your time on it.
- Emily - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Lottle Hand Mafic," but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The story started off promising, but quickly became repetitive and predictable. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked any significant growth or depth. The pacing was inconsistent, with slow moments that dragged on and failed to hold my interest. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied with this book. I wished for more originality and a stronger narrative to truly capture my attention.
- Michael - 3/5 stars - While "Lottle Hand Mafic" had its moments, overall, it failed to leave a lasting impression. The story had potential, but the execution felt rushed and lacking in detail. The plot twists, which I believe were meant to be shocking, came across as predictable and cliché. I would have liked to see more fleshed-out characters and a stronger exploration of the magical elements in the story. Despite its shortcomings, there were brief moments of intrigue that kept me reading, but I wouldn't recommend this book to those looking for a truly captivating fantasy read.
- Jessica - 2/5 stars - I struggled to connect with "Lottle Hand Mafic" on multiple levels. The writing style felt disjointed and lacked fluidity, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. The characters felt underdeveloped, and their motivations were unclear, leaving me detached from their journey. Additionally, I found the pacing to be inconsistent, with long stretches of slow-moving plot followed by rushed and unresolved conflicts. Overall, this book failed to engage me and left me feeling unfulfilled.