The idea of having selections made, then switching decks, so that the selections are returned to a different pack (à la Douglas Dexter, Bruce Elliott, et al) was used as far back as the late 17th century / early 18th century. It was a method choice used in quite a number of tricks in the Asti Manuscript, c. 1700, used primarily to force a card using a force deck, then switching out the deck for a normal one, minus the force card. This manuscript was translated by Dr. Lori Pieper in Gibecière, Vol. 8 No. 1, Winter 2013, p. 29-234.

In the 20th century, Theodore DeLand proposed the idea as an alternative method for his marketed “X-ray Deck,” 1907.