Forks Full of Appetizers
Fechter's Finger Flicking Frolic, the original close-up magic convention held annually by Eddie Fechter and Obie O'Brien*. The often referred to as 4F Convention, or Obie's 4F, has had many magicians attend over the years and this book contains a contributions from 73 of them.
In 1982, an book named Fork Full of Appetizers was published that contained original creations from many attendees of the convention. Then, in 1984, a second book appeared with many more. Both books have been out of print for many years. This book is a combination and reprint of both of them!
The book contains 98 close-up routines that cover close-up magic with cards, coins, and other small objects. Judging by the list of magicians that contributed to this work, the routines are bound to be entertaining. The official product description states that the material inside is suitable for hobby magicians and professional workers and everything in between. Personally, having not fully read the book (at this time!), I cannot attest to this statement -- that, and I'm a hobby magician so I would be biased to say that something's for (or not for) a worker.
There are many more card magic routines in the book than others, which I'm happy with. There are a decent number of coin routines too though, enough to dip your toes in -- but skimming through them, they look a little more skill-oriented than I'm used to with coins so I may need to practice more than others.
I'm excited to have this book on my shelf, not only because of the number of magicians that contributed and variety of routines contained within, but because of the history of the 4F Convention and the honor that I associate with the group in general.
* Fechter passed in 1979 and O'Brien in 2021, but as for now the convention will still go on.
Where to buy?
Last I checked, you should be able to pick up Forks Full of Appetizers at Vanishing Inc.. The last price tag I saw for this book was set at $34.95.
Contents of Forks Full of Appetizers
Foreword by Meir Yedid
Fork Full of Appetizers Book 1
Introduction by Obie O'Brien
Cards
- Unknown by Harry Carroll
- Five Finger Discount by Del Copley
- Mental Nick by Tom Craven
- Side Steal A La Doty by J.C. Doty
- Joe's Trick by Ed Eckl
- Blazing Saddles by Tony Econ
- Everywhere And Nowhere by Neal Elias
- Double-Dazzling Slop Shuffle Triumph by Bob Farmer
- Universal Prediction by Max Maven and Phil Goldstein
- Any Card - Any Wallet by Bob Haines
- No Skill Four Ace Assembly by Mike Hilburger
- AC/DC TBSMRR by Peter Isaacs
- Houdini and the Svengali by Denis MacKenzie
- Mirror Twist by Ray Mertz
- Water and the Oil Barrons by William Miesel
- The Card is Cigarette by Tom Mullica
- Four Card Do As I Do by Mike O'Dowd
- Challenge Poker by Mack Picknick
- The Gambler and His Accomplice by Mack Picknick
- Three Alike by Victor Trabucco
- Progressive Blues by David Walker
Coins
- Deflation by Del Copley
- Bomb Bay Production by Tom Gagnon
- Vis-Sil-Co by Obie O'Brien
- Reverse Color Changing Matrix by Tom Staton
Miscellaneous Close-Up Magic
- Son of Morning by Gene Anderson
- The Orange Chop by Bob Follmer
- A Ball Penetration by Tom Gagnon
- Eggstraordinary by Claude Hale
- A Tape Recorder Gag by Mike Hilburger
- Ring on Wand Routine by Karl Norman
- Zig-Zag Thumb by Meir Yedid
- Out of this Alphabet by David Drake
- Love Match by Norman Houghton
Fork Full of Appetizers Book 2
Preface by Mike Hilburger
Cards
- Face Up Cutting the Aces by Harry Carroll
- Forget and Remember by Dom Cervas
- Challenge Poker Deal by Del Copley
- Face Down Poker by John Cornelius
- The Invisible Bottom Deal by Tony Econ
- The Four Packet Shuffle by Neal Elias
- A Gallo Sandwich by Lou Gallo
- Flushback by Dan Garrett
- Two for One Split by Paul Gertner
- Broad Jump by Max MAven and Phil Goldstein
- World's Fastest Card Trick by Gene Gordon
- Where the Hell Did That Come From? by Bob Haines
- Visual Aces by Joe Hammer
- Trapped Triumph by Bill Kalush
- Devilish Digit Cut by Richard Kaufman
- The Simple Killer by Fast Mike Lewinski
- Old Spell, New Twist by Sid Lorraine
- A Test of Flirtatiousness by John F.C. McLachlan
- R. M. Card in the Wallet by Ray Mertz
- Twice Under the Shot by William Miesel
- Repeat Cards Under Ashtray by Tom Mullica
- Kolossal Kolored Kards by Obie O'Brien
- What's in the Envelope by Mack Picknick
- New King Cut by Michael Skinner
- TWisted the Hard Way by Chuck Stanfield
- The Final Card by Robert Stencil
- Everyplace by Hans E. Trixer
- Five-Way Fours by Randy Wakeman
- Holy-Holey by David Walker
- Here Come the Aces by Carl Wiesinger
- The Missionary Who Came as Dinner by Phillip R. Willmarth
- Royal Miracle by Meir Yedid
- The Dealer Wins by Frank Zak
- Multiple Switch-In by Herb Zarrow
More Cards
- Sweet, Lorayne! by Allan Slaight
- Gambo Magique by Bob Farmer
- The Irish Card Routine by Joe Riding
- Reshuffling Unshuffled by Robert Wicks
Coins
- De-Material-Ization by Bruce Barnett
- Squeaky-Clean Transposition by Jon Brunelle
- Four COins and a Purse by Tom Craven
- Susie B. by Ed Eckl
- More than a Penetration by Mike Gallo
- Double Reverse Matrix by Bob King
- New Karate Coin by Gary Ouellet
- Coin Through Balloon by Peter Tappan
- Using the Hand as a Servante by Victor Trabucco
Miscellaneous Close-Up
- Bil to Cigarette by Micahel Ammar
- The Hole(y) Tearer by Roy Cottee
- Four Dice Repeat by David Drake
- Calendar Card by Car T. Dreher
- Dusheck's Dollar by Steve Dusheck Jr.
- La Paloma II by Jim Gabor
- Two Rings and a Rope by Micahel Gorman
- The Shadow Switch by Carl Herron
- Shooting a Girl Into a Nest of Boxes by Richard Hughes
- Dollar Duo Digits by Roy Miller
- Bill in the Cigarette by Karl Norman
- Polychromatic Gum by Mel Stover and Rev. O.T. Slem
- The Ring Thing by Warren Stephens
- Cocktail Sword and Straw by Wally Wilson
- Dice Climax by Tommy Wonder
- The Broken and Restored Ring by Ron Zollweg
4F Guests of Honor
ISBN: 978-1-7335972-2-7