Making a Himber envelope (double pocket envelope). This is an easy magic DIY craft. This envelope allows you to have 2 loads. You can display the envelope “empty”, seal the envelope, and later a selected item that has been vanished will be in the sealed envelope.
A Himber envelope is based on the Himber principle. There are Himber wallets, rings, and apparently envelopes. Basically it is a device that allows you to switch loads. The Himber envelope is good for what it is, but there are built in limitations. First we will look at how to make one, then discuss handling and limitations.
Himber Envelope
Get two letter sized white envelopes. On one envelope cut along the bottom and both edges, as near the edge as you can. Take the front piece of the envelope, with the flap, and insert it into the standard envelope. Place the selected load in between the two flaps. Seal the back flap to the front flap. This should leave an apparently empty envelope, with a normal flap.
Making The Envelope
Each Himber envelope will require two normal envelopes to make. Take one envelope and cut the two sides and the bottom. I cut them about 2mm, but it is not precise. The size of your envelope can also make the size of the cut vary. What you are doing is cutting off the back of the envelope – leaving the front, and the top flap. Use your straight edge and Xacto knife to trim the envelope. Scissors would work, but the hobby knife tends to get a straighter and cleaner cut.
Discard the cut off back of the envelope and place the front & flap inside the uncut envelope. You want to make sure you cut off enough that it slides in easily, but does not have gaps along the sides. If it is not cut enough, it will be very tight and may wrinkle. After you cut your first one, you will see how much needs to be trimmed off. I buy batches of envelopes and make a dozen or so Himber envelopes at a time.
What you will have is an envelope with two pockets, and two flaps. Insert your chosen load in between the two flaps. In this example I am using a playing card.
Carefully seal the front flap to the back flap, enclosing the hidden load. Be sure to line up the edges of the flaps to hide the fact that there are two flaps. You can now show the envelope to be empty, and then seal the “empty” envelope.
I like to show the envelope empty, seal it, then have an audience member sit on it. You must place the envelope in their seat, so they do not feel the card.
Then you force a card on the spectator. Vanish the card in your chosen manner, and make some magical moment. Then you can show their card is in the envelope they have been sitting on. Have them get up, and let them pick up the envelope. They can feel a card shaped object. If they hold it to the light, they can see the outline of a cardesque object.
Clearly show your hands are empty. Take the envelope and rip off one end. Remove the card and crumple the envelope. Show them that the selected card was inside the envelope.
Tips:
Because they would feel the card, before a card had been selected, you cannot let the audience member handle the envelope before they sit on it.
The card cannot be signed. as they are sitting on it before a card is selected. If you want to use a signed card, you need a different prop than a Himber envelope. This trick is powerful enough, I see no need for a signed card.
After the card has vanished, it is good to let them handle the envelope, and they can tell a card is in the envelope.
Because of the extra flap, you cannot allow the spectator to open the envelope.
Because of the extra flap, you need to open the envelope by ripping off one end, not using the top or flap.
After pouring out their card, you need to wad up the envelope and toss it, so no one inspects it later. Be casual about it – but get rid of it.
This envelope goes very well with the Fiedler’s Flier card force. There is a video on making the Himber wallet, and another video explaining how to split cards, and make a Fiedler’s Flier gimmicked card.
See the Himber Envelope video here.
