Best Close Up

Tony Slydini was a close-up magician born in Italy who built his career performing in the United States. He became known for a relaxed style of sleight of hand that emphasized natural hand movements and psychological misdirection. His routines with sponge balls, coins, and cigarettes were studied by...

Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser was an Austrian magician active in the mid-19th century who is widely regarded as a foundational figure in close-up and card magic. He developed sleight-of-hand techniques and principles that remain influential in contemporary performance. Among his best-known contributions...

Derek DelGaudio is an American magician and performance artist known for integrating narrative storytelling into theatrical sleight-of-hand. He gained widespread recognition for his off-Broadway solo production "In & Of Itself," which ran from 2016 to 2018 and was later adapted into a film directed...

Thomas Nelson Downs was an American vaudeville magician who specialized exclusively in close-up and stage coin manipulation. He popularized the "Miser's Dream" routine, in which the magician produces numerous coins from thin air, and famously performed his act without the use of a table. In 1900, he...

Asi Wind is an Israeli magician and mentalist known for his sophisticated approach to close-up magic and psychological illusion. He is highly regarded within the professional magic community for his original methodologies and his focus on creating interactive, participant-centered performances. In a...

Juan Tamariz was a celebrated Spanish magician specializing in close-up card magic. He gained international recognition for his innovative techniques and deeply considered approach to sleight of hand. Tamariz’s work influenced generations of magicians and remains studied by those interested in the t...

Dai Vernon was a prominent Canadian magician renowned for his innovative card techniques and elegant close-up performances. His meticulous approach to sleight-of-hand significantly impacted the development of modern magic. He is particularly appreciated by magicians studying classic methods and thos...

Albert Goshman was an American close-up magician renowned for his coin and sponge ball routines. He popularized the "Goshman pinch," a technique for concealing a coin, and developed a highly influential salt-pouring routine. His work earned him multiple awards at FISM conventions, solidifying his le...

Known professionally as Daryl, Daryl Martinez was an American magician celebrated for his mastery of close-up card magic. He is credited with inventing the Hot Shot Cut, a visually striking card sleight that became widely adopted by other performers. Throughout his career, he produced numerous instr...

Arturo de Ascanio (1896-1978) was a Spanish magician renowned for pioneering modern Spanish close-up magic. His meticulous approach involved detailed theoretical frameworks regarding card manipulation and presentation. He significantly influenced subsequent generations of magicians and remains parti...

Charles Jordan was an American magician in the early 20th century who is highly regarded in the magic community for his innovative close-up card tricks. Operating largely outside the professional stage circuit, he focused on creating intricate sleight-of-hand techniques and card mysteries. He publis...

Helder Guimaraes is a Portuguese magician who achieved significant international recognition by winning first prize in close-up card magic at the 2006 FISM World Championships of Magic. His work is characterized by a blend of highly technical sleight of hand, psychology, and storytelling. Guimaraes...

Fred Kaps was a prominent Dutch magician renowned for his exceptional skill in close-up magic. He achieved significant recognition within the field, notably earning the FISM Grand Prix three times consecutively during the 1950s and 60s – a rare accomplishment. His performances focused on intimate st...

Johnny Ace Palmer is an American magician specializing in close-up sleight of hand. He achieved international recognition in 1988 when he became one of the first American performers to win the Grand Prix at the FISM World Championship of Magic, the highest honor in the field. Palmer is known for his...

René Lavand was an Argentine magician renowned for his extraordinary close-up card magic. He developed a one-handed sleight-of-hand technique after losing his right arm in a car accident at the age of nine. Lavand performed globally and was celebrated for his meticulous pacing, psychological misdire...

Apollo Robbins is an American sleight-of-hand artist, theatrical pickpocket, and security consultant who has gained recognition for his expertise in misdirection. He famously demonstrated his pickpocketing skills on President Jimmy Carter's Secret Service detail in 2001, which significantly boosted...

Ed Marlo was a prominent American magician specializing in close-up card magic during the mid-20th century. He is notable for developing innovative techniques and routines that significantly influenced the art form’s evolution. His work remains studied by contemporary magicians seeking to understand...

Tommy Wonder is a celebrated Dutch magician known for his intricate close-up and stage illusions. His performances emphasized skillful sleight-of-hand techniques and were documented in the highly regarded Books of Wonder. These resources are valuable for magicians seeking to learn advanced methods a...

Michael Vincent is a British close-up magician acclaimed for his elegant sleight of hand and mastery of classic card magic, earning him multiple Magic Circle awards.

Jacob Daley (1897-1962) was an American close-up magician and creator of card magic who significantly influenced the art form during the mid-20th century. His most famous creation, "Daley's Last Trick," remains a standard piece in many magicians' repertoires. Daley developed sophisticated sleight-of...

Shin Lim has redefined close-up magic with his incredibly precise card handling and captivating stage presence. His performances, often silent and intensely focused, create a unique and mesmerizing experience. Winning 'America's Got Talent' propelled him to international fame, showcasing his artistr...

Pop Haydn is the primary theatrical stage persona of American magician and sleight-of-hand artist Whit Haydn. The character is presented as a 19th-century vaudevillian medicine showman who performs classic close-up magic, mentalism, and street conjuring. Haydn developed the "School for Scoundrels" l...

Ken Brooke (1910–1983) was a prominent British magic dealer and demonstrator who operated Ken Brooke's Magic Place in London. He was highly influential in the mid-20th-century close-up magic community, instrumental in importing and popularizing sleight-of-hand techniques and effects from American ma...

Richard Turner is a celebrated American magician specializing in close-up card magic. His remarkable performances are notable due to his legal blindness, demonstrating exceptional skill and precision. He captivates audiences with intricate sleight of hand techniques, primarily focusing on card manip...

August Roterberg was a German-American magician and magic dealer who significantly influenced the development of close-up sleight of hand. He is best known for his 1897 book "New Era Card Tricks," which was among the first major magic texts published in English to use clear, modern language rather t...

Pat Page was a Scottish magician, magic inventor, and actor who became a prominent figure in 20th-century close-up and stage magic. He is best known for inventing the "Easy Money" bill change, a widely performed routine where blank pieces of paper visibly change into banknotes. He also created other...

Max Malini was an Austrian-born American magician who became highly recognized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for his unconventional close-up performances. Unlike stage illusionists, Malini specialized in impromptu sleight-of-hand, performing tricks with cards, coins, and eggs directly at...

Ricky Jay was a prominent American magician celebrated for his mastery of close-up card techniques and intricate sleight-of-hand. He possessed an extraordinary understanding of magical history, particularly concerning illusion design and the backgrounds of legendary performers. His work influenced g...

Garrett Thomas is an American magician specializing in close-up sleight-of-hand and the creation of original magic routines. He is well-regarded within the magic community for his technical skill and innovative methods, having developed several effects that are performed by other magicians worldwide...