Probably more effort has been expended by magicians in attempting to devise an invisible pass than on any other sleight in the whole range of card conjuring. Yet an imperceptible pass has been in existence for many years and completely overlooked by the majority of magicians. The pass I refer to is the Herrmann pass. But whether it was originated by either Carl or Alexander Herrmann is not known, although it is on record that the sleight was a favorite with Alexander Herrmann.
The only reason for this neglect is the fact that the sleight has not been clearly explained, the one vital movement being omitted. This misconception in regard to its execution is so marked that a recent French author, M. Remi Ceillier, after minutely describing many other passes, dismisses the Herrmann pass as a mere curiosity. The fact remains that if this sleight is executed with the proper misdirection it is invisible no matter how closely one may watch.
The moves are very easy and with a clear understanding of the misdirection employed it can be mastered in a tithe of the time required for the regular pass. The five moves detailed below should be followed with the deck in the hands and it will be found that they blend smoothly into the simple action of turning the deck face up.
1. Hold the deck by its sides in the left hand between the thumb on one side and the second and third fingers on the other. Fig 1 bend the first and fourth fingers inwards, the nails touching the face of the bottom card.
2. Bring the right hand over the deck and grip the upper half by the ends between the thumb at the inner end and the first two fingers near the right corner of the outer end. Fig 2.
3. Under cover of the right hand pull the lower half of the deck downwards sufficiently to allow for the insertion of the top joints of the second and third fingers of the left hand, Fig 3, and grip this lower packet firmly between these two fingers above it and the top joints of the first and fourth fingers already bent under it.
4. Turn the deck to a vertical position with its back directly towards the spectators and by straightenng the left fingers tilt the lower packet downwards, its outer end sliding down the face of the bottom card of the upper packet, until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 4.
5. At that moment the right hand, aided by an outward pressure of the tip of the left thumb on the middle of the upper side, tilts its packet to the right with exactly the same action as if the whole pack were turned over; at the same time the left fingers tilt the outer sides of tits packet upwards, the edges of the two packets just clearing one another and sliding together smoothly as the left thumb draws back over the face card of the right hand packet, which now becomes the face card of the whole deck. The tips of the left second and third fingers press upwards against the back of the lower packet, aiding the turn, and are then extended to grip the outer side of the deck, which is then held between them and the left thumb, on the upper side, as in Fig 1., the pack now facing outwards.
In the action the hands are raised a little and a slight turn to the left is made. Finally the right hand lightly squares the cards as attention is called to the bottom card.
Once the principle of the sleight has been fully undertood and the simple moves mastered the number of uses it can be put to, apart from simply bringing a card to the top, will be found quite surprising. For example in the trick of the Conus Aces, when you show thatthe Aces really are in the middle, for which purpose you hold the cards facing the spectators, it is only necessary to slip the tips of the two middle fingers of the left hand between them and make the herrmann pass in turning the deck face down again.
No great speed is required in the action, just a smooth imitation of the act of turning the whole deck over when in reality only the upper half is so turned, the movement of the lower half being completely hidden by the back of the right hand.
P.W. Miller Provides the following description of the whole action. Hold the deck a little below the waist line for the replacement of the chosen card, then turn slowly to the left, raising the hands about midway to shoulder height as the pass is made. The back of the right hand then affords perfect cover and there is no movement of the fingers to be seen.