Assus-Mechanikus (Improved) by Manfredo

Assus-Mechanikus or Assus-Mechanicus is a beautiful metal prop created by Manfredo from Dresden, Germany. It is the same method and effect as P&L’s Ultra Four Ace Effect, itself a really amazing and beautiful mechanical prop. The Ultra Four Ace was first advertised in Thayer’s Magical Bulletin c. 1922. P&L also made a jumbo version. Though I am not sure if Manfredo knew about P&L’s version or not. The design looks different but the method and basic routine are the same. Manfredo was the trade name of Bruno Manfred Gottschalt (Dresden, 11 January 1899 – 21 December 1981). Trained as a dental technician and schooled in Leipzig and Berlin, he registered his own magic trade in 1928 and opened his shop at Frauenstraße 2a in 1932. Around 1930 he took over the Leipzig firm of Reinhold Pfalz (founded 1894; Pfalz, 1870–1939) and carried on its line, reissuing Pfalz’s own catalogs under his name — “Manfredo, Dresden N 6” — which is why those catalogs don’t contain any items created by Manfredo. Trading under the name MAGO, Manfredo built a range of some 300 items and a reputation for metalwork so precise that, by common account, no rival could copy it. He distributed his magic to top magic dealers of the time including Davenports and Klingl, and had many satisfied customers. His line spanned close-up and stage alike — the card pistol, the metal card cassette, the wonder-bell “Spirit,” and the “Astrahl-Uhr,” whose manufacturing rights he secured in 1932. He kept working through the 1945 destruction of Dresden and the entire DDR era, active as a maker and demonstrator into the 1970s. I’d like to thank Georg Walter for his considerable help in tracking down details about this prop. _EF Magicians who have seen this performed consistently call it one of the most mystifying, clean‑cut card effects ever devised — a beautiful stage or parlor interpretation of the classic **Four Aces** plot. The spectator selects the four Aces, marks them for identification, and places them on top of the deck. A small stand with a detachable easel is introduced; the easel can be removed and examined before being set back in place. The performer takes the deck and, without any cuts, passes, or palming, places the four Aces in a row on the easel. The easel is turned completely around to show the Aces have not been disturbed. Three indifferent cards are then added to each pile. One pile is freely chosen, and its four cards are placed into a glass. The performer removes the remaining three piles from the easel and commands the three Aces to vanish from the packets in his hands and transpose with the indifferent cards in the glass. Upon examination, the spectator discovers that the three Aces have indeed vanished — and the four cards in the glass are the original **marked Aces**. No prepared cards. No palming, switching, or passes. Absolutely no sleight of hand.