MacDonald's Aces

An Ace Assembly effect where four Aces are shown, placed face up on the table, and covered with three other cards. One by one the Aces vanish from three piles, assembling together under the fourth pile held by the spectator.

History

The trick was credited to Mac MacDonald (a one armed magic pitchman) by Dai Vernon and Lewis Ganson around the 1960s which used gaffed cards.

The plot was probably created by Hofzinser between 1857 and 1875 and was the finale of a trick called The Power of Faith. Also, the use of double face cards in a four of a kind routine was in the Hofzinser's Card Conjuring (1931) as "The Four Kings".

There is also a description that predate's MacDonald's version in the book My Best (1945) by J.G. Thompson, Jr. written up by Orville Meyer as Greatest Four Ace Trick.

Versions

• Johnny Thompson's "Automatic Aces"
• John Mendoza's MacDonald's Four Aces
• Alexander De Cova's "MacDonald's Aces"
• John Guastaferro's "Famous Aces"
• Guastaferro's "Vino Aces"
• Martin Nash's "The $10,000 Ace Routine."
• Frank Garcia's "MacDonald's $100 Dollar Four Ace Trick". New Stars of Magic, Vol. 1 No. 2, 1972
• Guy Hollingworth's An Ace Assembly
• Jennings' MacJennings Aces published in Genii, Vol. 62, N° 1, Jan. 1999
• Dingle's "Slow Motion MacDonald's Aces"
• Gary Ouellet A Dream Of Aces
• Michel Huot's Ultimate Aces in Seven by
• Gilles Couture's "Macoins" (MacDonald's Aces with coins)
• Jon Racherbaumer's Olram Aces in Marlo's Magazine, Vol. 3 (1979)
• Stewart Judah's MacDonald's Aces. Pallbearers Review, Autumn 1974 Issue (Volume 9).

Frank Garcia's MacDonald’s $100 Dollar Four Ace Trick: