Trans Print was one of the more popular Emerson and West packet tricks when it came out.  It was based on Hamman's classic Underground Transposition, and offered a neat and memorable climax that capped off the otherwise repetitive nature of the four card transpo effect.   It is an excellent routine, but (like most E&W packets from the 1970's and 80's) it has vanished into the oblivion of decades past.   So I was thrilled to find one, unused and complete, in a large lot of dealer inventory.

EFFECT:  Magi shows a packet of  four cards, clearly displaying the Threes -- one of each suit.  He shows another packet of four cards, but these ones are blank.   All eight cards have red backs.    As the separate packets are repeatedly re-counted, the threes and blanks magically jump -- one by one -- over to the other packet.  When only one three (Spades) is left to jump, it vanishes from the Three packet, leaving the expected four blanks.  But when the other packet is shown, there is still one blank in it.  Apparently the Three of Spades did not work correctly -- the mystery is solved when it is realized that Spades jumped to the BACK of the last blank card, instead of the face!

Like the best packet tricks of that era, all the cards can be examined at the end if you wish.

NOTE:  the blank card with the Three of Spades printed on it's back is a slightly "brighter" blank than the other three blanks.   It is noticeable to you, since you are attuned to how blank cards look, etc, but for spectators it should not look out of place.  (That particular blank is hardly in contact with the others during the course of the routine.)   It seems that E&W must have used a different printer or stock when printing the Climax cards for Trans Print, hence the slightly whiter, brighter blank.   But it is original to the set.

This is new-old dealer stock, so in unused condition, complete with cards, Q-card instructions, wallet, outer vinyl package sleeve -- exactly as issued 40+ years ago.    (There was no full instruction sheet issued with Trans Print, just the Q-card.   This is why the vinyl sleeve was printed with the name of the trick, since there was no instruction sheet to call out the name as in most E&W packaging).       

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