Detachable thumb

The two stages of the detachable thumb illusion

The detachable thumb (unknown originator) is a close-up illusion.

Effect

The performer appears to remove the end of his own thumb; moving it back and forth along his hand or lifting it up.

Method

There is no particular secret to this illusion: the performer simply holds out one hand sideways with the palm out and the tip of the thumb folded down behind the hand. Then, they place their other thumb bent so that the tip appears to be connected to the folded-down thumb with the forefinger bent to cover the joint.^[1]

See also

• Thumb tip

• v
• t
• e

Magic and illusion

General

• Assistants
• Clubs
• Conventions
• Exposure
• Stores

Genres

• Bizarre
• Card (techniques)
• Cardistry (history)
• Children's
• Close-up magic
• Coin
• Escapology
• Gospel
• Mathemagic
• Mental
• Platform
• Séance
• Stage
• Street

Tricks and
techniques

• Levitation
• Equivocation
• Misdirection
• Sleight of hand
• Pepper's ghost

Guidebooks

• The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584)
• Modern Magic (1876)
• The Expert at the Card Table (1902)
• Tarbell Course (1928–)
• Thirteen Steps to Mentalism (1961)
• Mark Wilson's Complete Course In Magic (1975)
• Conjuring (1992)

Periodicals

• Abracadabra
• Genii
• Hugard's Magic Monthly
• The Jinx
• The Linking Ring
• Magic
• Magigram
• Mahatma
• Smoke & Mirrors
• The Sphinx

Lists

• Conjuring terms
• Films about magicians
• Magicians
• Museums
• Publications
• Timeline
• Tricks

Related

• Indian magicians
• Midnight ghost show

References

This magic-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e