1942
This is a restored edition of The Tarbell Course in Magic, Volume II: the author's own words, unchanged. Every plate carries a caption and alt text written for this edition, beginning with the label the book printed. The original is available from Internet Archive (scan of the 1942 revised edition, a later printing). Also available as an epub. More restored editions.
Harlan Tarbell (1890–1960) was an American magician, illustrator and lecturer. In the 1920s he wrote a correspondence course in magic, issued to subscribers in instalments by Tarbell System, Inc., which copyrighted it in 1927. It taught sleight of hand and stage magic step by step, every move shown in his own drawings. It became one of the best-known courses in magic, and many American magicians learned the craft from it.
In 1941 the New York magic dealer Louis Tannen began republishing the course as a set of books, revised and expanded with new effects contributed by working magicians, under the editorship of Ralph W. Read. This is the second volume, published in 1942, covering Lessons 20 to 33. Tarbell opens it with a lesson on how to please an audience, on showmanship, timing, speech, dress and presentation, and then teaches, trick by trick, magic with wands, double paper cones, coins, cigarettes, cards, rising cards, eggs, billiard balls, silk handkerchiefs and ropes, "Ghostlite" effects for a darkened room, and full stage illusions.
The method is the same throughout. Each trick gives the effect as the audience sees it, the apparatus needed, the preparation, and the performance, with the magician's patter set in italics. The drawings carry as much of the teaching as the words: a palm, a fold or a thread is shown at each stage, and Tarbell restarts his figure numbers with each trick. Many effects are credited to the magicians who devised them, such as Cardini, Thurston and Al Baker, which makes the book a record of American magic at mid-century as well as a manual.
Some of what it describes is of its time. Several tricks are built around cigarettes, and the prices, props and theatre arrangements are those of the 1940s.
This is a restored edition of Volume II as published in 1942, from a scan of a later printing of the same text. The words were read from the scan's OCR and corrected page by page against the page images. All of Tarbell's drawings, more than a thousand, were cut from the scan and set where they stand in the text, each with the number he printed and a short description written for this edition. The title and copyright pages, the contents and a closing advertisement for Volume I are omitted; the publisher's farewell note is kept. The volume's copyright was registered in 1942 and never renewed, so it is in the public domain in the United States.
Lesson 20: How to Please Your Audience
Lesson 22: Double Paper Mysteries
Lesson 25: Sleight of Hand with Cards
Lesson 26: Selected Card Mysteries
Lesson 29: Billiard Ball Manipulation
Lesson 32: “Ghostlite” Mysteries
When my publisher, Louis Tannen, my editor, Ralph Read, and I met to consider putting The Tarbell Course in Magic in book form, it was our idea to reprint the Course as it was originally written, but in a more convenient form for the library. Then we decided on a rearrangement of material, an occasional change and addition here and there.
But when the news came out that the Tarbell Course was coming out in book form, magicians began offering us their original material for the new course. It was such good material that we could not resist using it. With the publishing of Volume 1, this material increased.
In the revision of the Course there were many things to consider so as to be of real value to the beginner, the amateur, the semi-professional and the experienced professional.
In America there seems to be a constant cry for something new. “What’s new? Show us a new trick.” Then when they see a new effect they lose interest and want something different. That is the great tendency of the modern amateur who wants something to entertain himself rather than to stop and learn a mystery so well that he can present it in the proper manner and stick with it long enough to make it really good magic.
David Devant, the famous English magician, once asked an amateur how many tricks he knew and the reply was, “I know over a thousand tricks in magic.” Then David Devant said, “And with all my professional experience, all I know is eight.” But Devant knew how to present those eight tricks under any kind of circumstances and he knew the art and science of magic frontwards and backwards in order to make masterpieces of those eight.
Of course, I know, and include in my own programs, many times eight tricks . . . and I, too, like to add “something new” in step with the times. We therefore give you a great many new tricks in each volume of the Course, but we also give you those basic, standard effects that are vital to your education as a magician. Those fundamental principles form an important part of your training and will be reflected in your work as you advance from year to year.
And always remember that some of the greatest tricks in the world are the most aged. We utilize the old ideas and principles but give them a modern touch in presentation, or patter, and thus create “new” tricks. Often when asked to “Show us something new,” I have deliberately done an old one with a new twist to it, and have fooled the boys who were not up on the fundamentals.
Quite a number of mystery workers have asked me from time to time just how to make certain “Double Paper Cones” that I used in my act. Then I began to ask magicians what they knew about such cones and discovered that the subject was little understood by magicians generally. Very few realized that such a simple device formed an important part of the programs of such professionals as Blackstone and Dante.
So I came to the conclusion that I would write a lesson about double paper effects and add this fundamental information to your store of knowledge. You will find it in this volume.
And thus the new Tarbell Course in Magic is undergoing many changes and additions in tune with today. Much of the old original Course will be retained, but rearranged. If you own an old Course, hold on to it, as you will enjoy going over the old arrangement, as an early student.
This Course is written for you, to help you. I try to figure out the knowledge you should have, to make you more successful—to give you an efficient workable background. Even though we do not do a great many of the tricks as yet, we need from an educational standpoint to know the methods employed, for they add to our basic knowledge and greatly aid our progress.
I want to thank all those who have contributed their own material to this Course, for they, like myself, are learning that “To give is to receive,” and that “To teach is to learn.”
Some come in with a pet magic trick and hestitate to give it to me for the Course because it plays too great a part in their programs. But they finally give up their secret and are surprised to find that they go away with several other tricks they did not know before.
As John Scarne, that wizard with the cards, said, “I gave Tarbell one of my pet mysteries and he gave me six improvements.”
Yes, we grow by helping each other grow. As the ancient Magi said, “Good thought, good word, good deed.”
The modern magician is fundamentally an entertainer, and to be a successful entertainer he must please his audience.
The magician is somewhat like a mirror on the stage reflecting back to his audience the things they want to see and hear.
The style and method of presentation are as important as the magic and mysteries. Imagination, originality, human nature, timing, humor, sincerity, good taste, showmanship, personality, proper speech, proper dress and timeliness all play their part.
When Aladdin rubbed his lamp—things happened! It is the business of the magician to make things happen, and to happen in an unexpected, interesting way.
We are all children from five to one hundred and five years of age. Like children, we seek an escape in the land of fairy tales and illusion. People want phenomena and miracles. Instinctively one wishes for a magic wand to bring forth one’s fondest desires.
People rush to the movies and to the theatre, because they want to be entertained in an unreal world, a world of fancy. They want to live in their imaginations for a while and forget their own individual lives with their problems and hardships. They find the theatre a retreat where they can withdraw from their own everyday lives.
Artists, writers, producers and actors strive to take people out of themselves. On the screen, on the stage, on the radio, they bring a new world to us. In the theatrical world much is illusion. Behind the curtain line is much different than in front of it. We laugh and cry at situations that take on the power of reality. We feel happy all over when the lovers fall into each other’s arms and apparently live happily ever after. Painted scenery becomes a King’s castle, a living room, a bed room, a garden or a street. We Want to Believe.
All this is a great factor in the explanation of the magician’s power. He deals with the unreal. His art is so far removed from everyday life that the spell he casts over his audience is tremendous. His is a world of fancy. His illusion looks like reality. And that is what the public wants.
The public is interested in mystery and the supernatural. This accounts for the great interest in mystery detective stories in books and on the radio as well as the screen. People pay for mystery. The magician will be popular if he will bring mystery—mystery that appeals to the imagination.
Imagination has built cities where rolling prairies and farm lands were before. Imagination has brought forth a modern civilization with its electric power, lights, radio, automobiles, railroads and aeroplanes. The imagination of man changed an ox cart into a buggy, into an automobile and into an aeroplane.
The ordinary, plus imagination, makes the extraordinary. A man with imagination takes two or three common ingredients selling at fifteen cents per pound and combines them into a product selling for two dollars per pound.
Note the simple articles out of which magic is made—a coin, a handkerchief, a ball, a piece of paper or a piece of rope. Each in themselves is just a common article to the general public. But the magician adds imagination to them and they in return perform the unexpected.
Ten cents worth of clothesline plus imagination may be turned into a hundred dollar program or even a five hundred dollar program. Audiences have been held spellbound by my own series of rope mysteries. With a simple piece of clothesline three feet long I have entertained an audience for over fifteen minutes.
Frakson takes a few cigarettes and builds a beautiful act. Cardini adds imagination to cards, billiard balls and cigarettes and becomes a headliner.
On the dealers’ shelves lie dozens of articles waiting for the man with imagination to make headline features. The simple thumb tip, originally designed to switch a torn strip of tissue paper for a whole strip, had very limited sales, but began to sell into the thousands when it was used to vanish cigarettes, salt, water, etc. Even mind readers applied it to their mental effects.
Imagination is limited to no one. We all have it.
Be yourself—do not be an echo. Be a person and not a parrot. Don’t be an imitator, a borrower, a beggar or a plagiarist.
In all the world there is no one exactly like you. No one can see from your eyes or hear with your ears. No one has had your exact experiences.
The tendency is for the average person to imitate. He sees a performer feature something and then wants to go out and duplicate it. He gets out his notebook and tries to copy the patter word by word. He imitates the performer’s gestures, when perhaps these words, those gestures and that mystery are not adapted to his particular personality and he therefore looks ludicrous and out of place.
We all loved Will Rogers. He was a unique character—a distinctive individual. In his homely Oklahoman way he could say things that most of us would not dare to say. His heart was right and folks trusted him.
But imagine anyone trying to imitate Will and getting away with it in public! The imitation would fall flat. Will was himself. He imitated no one. He was just Will Rogers and people loved his naturalness.
Just so, the world wants you to be yourself.
Alexander Herrmann, a Frenchman, wore a large mustache and goatee. They were well suited to him, enhanced his appearance and gave him individuality during the era in which he lived. Many thought Herrmann’s success lay in his mustache and goatee, so great was the craze to wear mustaches and goatees even though they made their wearers appear ridiculous. Even false ones were pasted on. Sometimes big black ones which did not match the hair or complexion.
The mustache is becoming to some people if properly trimmed and in keeping with the individual. Laurant, Blackstone and Cardini wear small mustaches with effect.
Instead of imitating others—it is better to have them imitate you. A parrot may be taught to say the Declaration of Independence but it is still a parrot. Let us be artists and not parrots.
A parrot can put on an opera hat, monocle, dress suit and a cape, but he isn’t Cardini. The parrot forgets that Cardini is an Englishman and his particular dress is suitable to the Englishman.
Thousands may copy the painting Mona Lisa, but they are only copies. It is the original that has the value. Originality brings freshness of thought. It is like the coming of springtime.
I discovered years ago that people wanted me to be as natural as Will Rogers. They liked my natural way of working, my natural style of humor and my sincerity. People looked upon me as a friend to whom they could come with their problems. They looked upon me not only as a magician but as a mystic who understood life’s problems.
Imitation has its good points in the beginning until we master a trick or a sleight, but soon we must do it in our own way, the way we can do it best and most naturally.
Your success comes from your real self—your true inner self.
When Robert-Houdin came under the guidance of Torrini, during Houdin’s early years, Torrini told him that the first thing to learn in becoming a magician was human nature. Success comes from our ability to please and handle people. Our success is greatly measured by the reactions of the audience and of those with whom we deal.
People are busy with many things, so why should they give up their time to come and see you? What can you offer that is more important than the things they are doing and even pay a substantial fee to see you?
People are primarily interested in themselves and in their individual wants. A man is interested in what he wants, not what you want. He is interested in you as long as you can help supply his wants. As Elbert Hubbard once said, “Love the things that I love and I will love you, but hate the things that I love and you are crazy.”
Man’s selfishness arose in an effort to survive. But a man’s selfishness is unpopular with other people. You might say “I want so-and-so. I demand so-and-so.” And others would say “So what! Who cares?” People shy away from our self-centered desires and yet want us to cater to their own self-centered cravings.
And yet people will favor your desires if they see benefit, profit and a gain for themselves. So we have to take partly at least, our self-centered desires and interpret them into an expression of what others want and want so badly they are willing to pay for it. So instead of saying “Here’s what I want,” you say “Here’s what you want.” You talk you instead of I. Andrew Carnegie once said that he made his money by making money for others.
My father’s cousin, Gage Tarbell, was one of the greatest insurance men that ever lived. At one time his office sold more insurance per year than seven insurance companies put together. He changed death insurance into life insurance. He showed men how their weekly or monthly earnings could still continue after their deaths. He showed men how to take care of their families in advance; to take care of a wife and each of the children. He looked after college educations, saw that money was distributed in proper amounts, showed people how to protect families against financial sharks. He made it possible for a man to put aside small amounts each month to accomplish his desires. People with whom he did business became his friends, because he himself was a friend and because he fathered and assumed the responsibility of the things they were trying to straighten out, and perhaps didn’t know how to straighten out.
Today program chairmen, managers, theatre owners, club presidents, etc., have their problems and they are seeking the things that will help best to meet their needs in the easiest way possible.
Instead of selling things to people—we help them to buy. Few people want to be sold, or want to talk to salesmen but they do like to talk to service men. Everybody likes to buy things.
And most people want something for nothing. They want much for little. Each wants to be a king or queen with others waiting upon them. Bargains, premiums, free offers, all cater to the human desire to get something for nothing.
The law of inertia is something to cope with. People dislike climbing stairs. They like to trade on the shady side of the street. They like to follow the crowd. They want a whole lot for little effort.
There is also a class of people that believe that the more expensive a thing is, the better it is. That an article brought from foreign climes is better than the article at home. “Distance lends enchantment.” They would pay $500 for a show quicker than $10. But they expect $500 worth of entertainment.
What hurts the magic profession is the incompetent performer who steps out of a $10 class into a $500 class and still gives a $10 show. How many times have I heard program chairmen say “We had a magician, paid him $150 or $200, and was he terrible! We never want another magician.” That performer stepped out of his class. He took money for something he could not deliver. He took money under false pretenses. He did not give value. He hurt his profession and made it difficult for a competent magician to follow. One of the hardest problems that the competent professional magician has is the competition of the fellow who steps out of his class into a field or plane that he does not understand. One poor performer, in order to get a temporary hundred dollars, can ruin thousands of dollars worth of business for others.
There is one rule on the road to success that is well to remember, always give more than what you are paid for. Woe unto the man who gives less.
I am often reminded of a story that my friend Guy Marchand tells. Marchand has taught thousands of people how to turn their abilities into cash. A candy store was failing and Marchand was called in to analyze the situation. It didn’t take him long to detect the reason.
A man came into the store to buy a pound of chocolate candy. The saleslady took a scoop and put about two pounds of candy onto the scale. Then she began unloading and taking away. Finally she reached up and took out a couple of pieces in order to make the scales balance. She gave the man a full pound of candy but she lost a customer. When the man went out he turned to Marchand and said “This is a h—l of a place. They take everything away from you here.”
But Marchand made the candy store a successful business. How? When a customer comes in to buy a pound of candy the girl puts only one-half a pound on the scales at first. Then she turns to the customer and says “Have you ever tried one of our butter creams?” And she hands him a butter cream.
Then little by little she adds candy to the scale and finally she throws an extra one in for good measure. She puts the candy into a good looking box, well wrapped, and hands it to the customer. “You will love these candies—they are so fresh.” She put an extra chocolate nougat on the box as she delivered it.
She gave the customer one pound of candy and two extra pieces. But the customer was as happy as though she had given him two pounds. The two extra pieces were the best kind of advertising and cheaper than newspaper space.
Yes, the man went away happy and would come back again for that store gave him something. You must give in order to get. Today the Marchand system is popular with the better candy stores over the country.
Here are a few fundamental things I want you to remember about people: 90% are interested in physical improvement.
8% are interested in mental improvement.
2% are interested in spiritual improvement.
People want:
People want miracles. People judge their gods by the miracles that they perform.
As modern day magical entertainers we help to supply the craving for miracles in a harmless, inspiring and entertaining way.
Elbert Hubbard used to tell me, “I love magicians because they are honest men. They tell you they are going to fool you and then proceed to do it. In fact their pay is governed by their ability to puzzle. But no matter what happens at the magic show—when you get home you still have your watch, your pocketbook and your appendix. And that is more than I can say for some of my non-magician acquaintances.”
So let grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, children and relations come to see us, enjoy our seeming miracles and go away entertained and pleased. We have transported them to a new world for a while. Human nature craves the magical.
The whole universe runs on law and order. There is a proper place and time for everything. In order to get contrasts, life gives us the law of opposites—positive and negative, light and dark, heat and cold, up and down, in and out, big and little, expansion and limitation, hard and soft, heavy and light, bright and dull, male and female, laughter and sorrow and the kinetic and the static.
There is a time for planting and a time for harvesting. Spring, summer, fall and winter have their timing. The earth goes around the sun on an exact schedule and astronomers worry if their calculations are a minute off.
Nature gives great variety and is constantly adding new touches to keep us from fatiguing. Even the most brilliant sunset would become tiresome if held too long. The human nervous system will stand about so much. It is hard to hold human interest for any great length of time.
Timing is superimportant to the magician and his control of the audience. He is there to please the audience and to fit in with the rhythm of their desires.
I have seen big expensive shows flop because of poor timing and I have seen one single entertainer a greater success than a $150,000 production, because of his timing.
Amateur magicians are usually so anxious to entertain themselves with their own stuff, that many do not hesitate to want to do an hour, or a full evening, show on a bill which has five to nine other acts.
In vaudeville, acts are given a certain time and they are supposed to run that exact time. If the act is given eight minutes, it is supposed to go on and get off in eight minutes and not ten minutes or fifteen minutes. Every bill is set to run just so many minutes as a whole and each act is a definite part in making the complete program.
So always remember, “How do I fit into the whole scheme of things? Who wants a full meal on top of a Christmas dinner?” There is a proper time for humor, a proper time for mystery, a proper time for tears and a proper time for everything that enters into the making of a great show.
On the stage a second seems like a minute and a minute like an hour, sometimes. Music is often necessary to keep you in proper timing, or properly timed patter and action to take the place of music.
Blessed are the dependable people who do things right, have respect for an 8:30 P.M. curtain and respect for the feelings of the audience who paid to come in to have a good time.
Not too much—not too little. As a great French chef said “It must have that definite touch.”
Humor is the saving grace of the gods. Philosophy without humor would be tragic. Humor is a part of happiness. It is the balance wheel to sanity. It is one of the highest faculties in the human brain. Pity the world without humor, comedy and laughter. And God bless those who have taught the world to laugh and have changed tragedy to comedy by the proper perspective of thought.
Hannen Swaffer, noted English columnist, said when the Egyptian (Magic) Hall, of London, was torn down, “We not only miss the passing of the magician at Egyptian Hall with his mysteries, but we miss his humor, for humor is as much a part of the successful magician’s show as are his magical mysteries.” Yes, a magician without humor would be like a Christmas without Santa Claus.
Humor with the magician is not telling a joke about Pat and Mike, but is greatly dependent upon situations, proper timing and interesting slants. The heart must be right and ready to enter into the fun. Humor leaves everyone feeling fine and happier. To play a joke on someone, to embarrass someone, is not humor, in fact it is apt to result in resentment.
Sometimes the puzzling climax or surprise in a mystery produces humor because it was so unexpected and was presented in such a wholesome interesting manner.
When I brought out “Eyeless Vision” as a stage program, I little realized its entertainment value. My original idea was to show the amazing things a man could do with his eyes sealed and bandaged. I would perform something startling and awe inspiring and expect the audience to nod their heads in educational appreciativeness, but instead they would break out into uproarious laughter. The most serious moments sometimes produced the greatest laughter. And I wondered what was the matter.
So I asked questions of members of my audiences. “Why did you laugh when I told a lady that her husband’s middle name was Melvin?” I asked.
“Yes,” he would say, “but you should have seen the look on the woman’s face when you told her that. Man, that was a sight to look upon.”
So I found people were laughing at the others’ reactions (the result of proper timing), and the amazing things I would do which seemed so impossible.
Once a lady came up with a postage stamp pasted on her forehead to test me. Instead of saying “This is a lady with a postage stamp on her forehead,” I said, “Well, here is a lady who is not afraid of the mail (male). She believes in going places. Stamps on a lady should be cancelled with kisses.”
“Eyeless Vision,” which started out to be a serious act, turned out to be one of the most laughable and entertaining acts on my program.
It is well to study the methods of the great humorists of the world.
Years ago when I wanted to find the audience’s reactions I had friends mingle with the audience after the program to hear comments. They came back with the report that people like me because I was sincere and they felt they could trust me even if I talked on subjects that seemed almost unbelievable.
Audiences respect an artist who is sincere in his work. For the moment the magician must make illusion seem like truth and he, too, must believe that the thing really happens.
If a coin is apparently thrown into the left hand, but is really retained in the right hand, the performer must picture it in the left hand. It is difficult to get the beginner in magic to live the illusion in his consciousness so the audience will also live it.
There is more to telepathy and mental control than the average magical student realizes, and by the way, never say “mental telepathy,” as all telepathy is mental, and the word mental in this connection is not only unnecessary but is bad form.
There is a proper time and place for everything but a thing which might be a hit at one time may not be at another.
Elbert Hubbard once told me that if I wanted to be a success before audiences I must tell audiences what they already knew then they would say “My, but he is a smart man, he thinks just as we do.” There is a lot in what Hubbard said. People have their opinions and ideas as to what they think is right and proper. We are there to entertain, to gain good will and not to rub people’s fur in the wrong direction.
We can use a picture of Lincoln in the North but it is not adapted to the South. A thing that one portion of the country may love and respect, another section might look at with scorn.
Let us fit into the place where we are showing and yet be a bit above so as to gain respect.
Some time ago we had one of our magical conventions at Battle Creek, Michigan. Mr. Kellogg, a kindly religious man who loves magic, let us use the beautiful Kellogg Auditorium there for our programs. Early on the first program one performer came out and began telling “off colored” stories along with his tricks. Immediately there was a feeling of letdown and resentment in the audience, and Mr. Kellogg, disappointed, got up and left the auditorium.
Here is something I said in Volume I, but I repeat it because I want every magician to remember it as long as he lives. A magician is supposed to be a person who is on a plane higher than the average person and is supposed to have a bit of supernatural power to do things ordinary folks cannot do. In days gone by people came to the magician for health, wealth, love and to find a way out of difficulties. In the field of entertainment, people will come to see the magician who would never think of going to the theatre or other places of entertainment. But they feel the magician presents “clean” entertainment and everyone can attend from the youngster to grandpa and grandma. We must never disappoint an audience, and never must the magician come down from his pedestal of respect.
Our work does not end with the stage. Sometimes our greatest effort is off the stage. When we are entertained by others we must learn to fit into that degree of society and be respected. People should be glad to have us with them. Table manners, the things we talk about, our intelligent reactions, our desire to be of service, are very important.
How you live offstage is especially important when you are dealing with committees. It is so easy to be considerate, to be kindly, to be courteous and to be appreciative.
We are living in a fast-changing world so let us keep our programs up-to-date and not be out-moded. As styles change we must change. Let us use good taste in tune with the times.
The character of magic, like that of everything else in life, has altered with the changing world. At one time a great deal of cumbersome apparatus was used—many trick cases, trunks, automata and long table drapes. The magician, too, was encumbered with voluminous robes.
Robert-Houdin, founder of the modern school of legerdemain, did away with the gaudy, clumsy paraphernalia of his predecessors. Smaller effects and sleight of hand came into its own. Houdin wore a dress suit and adapted his program to the society of his day.
So great was the impression of Houdin’s life on young Eric Weiss, who worshipped Houdin and wanted to be like him, that he called himself Houdini, which means “like Houdin.”
I have said so many times that the greatest magic consists in making the common, uncommon, and the ordinary, extraordinary, for we start with something people already know and then step it up into a magical surprise or seeming impossibility.
At the time Houdini became successful in Europe with his handcuff escapes, T. Nelson Downs was a “King of Coins” in the magical world, and Howard Thurston was astonishing audiences with his card manipulations. These three magicians had many imitators, as they opened up new fields in the profession.
The simplification of paraphernalia has made the art of magic even more astonishing by reason of its apparent impromptu nature and naturalness. The important thing in modern magic is not elaborateness, but novelty, surprise, something spontaneous and effective.
As the years go by changes come. We must adapt ourselves to these new conditions. Only recently have we had automobiles, aeroplanes and radios. A miracle yesterday may be scientific fact today.
Too few people realize the power of words. Words can act as alarm clocks or sleeping potions. They can make or break you. Words make wars, make peace, sway audiences, sell goods, make laws and help folks to become attracted to us or repelled from us. Words pack dynamite.
For years publicity and advertising men have realized the power of words. One heading on an ad may bring in 16 replies and another heading in the same size ad bring in 1600 answers. Many a sales failure has been turned into success by proper wording.
Some time ago a soap firm made a mistake with a batch of soap and got in a bit too much caustic. The result was that customers complained of a smarting sensation on their skins. There was not enough caustic to injure, but it seemed unpleasant. A bright advertising man saved the day by advertising “The soap with the delightful tingle,” “Awaken your skin,” etc. Look at the power of “Food that is shot from guns,” “It floats,” “Sizzling steaks.”
Hen’s eggs, cow’s butter, sparkling mountain water, Texas tomatoes, have greater selling power than just eggs, butter, water, tomatoes.
To express yourself effectively, words are important. Study your language well and its proper use. Imagine if Thurston had come out on the stage and said “Dese, dem and dose.” People expect a magician to be educated in the magic of words and phraseology as well as his mysteries.
Study your patter and speech. Make your words mean something and master their delivery. Study the effectiveness of Abraham Lincoln’s words. People look to great men and women to say the right thing.
One great fault of amateur magicians is to say “This is an ordinary deck of cards;” “This is a common ordinary piece of rope.” Leave out the words, common and ordinary. The audience should be allowed naturally to think that objects are all right. Another thing, you do not have to pass many things for examination. Never say “Please examine this.” Why examine it? Take it for granted. If an object has to be given to a spectator, just give it to him to hold. Be natural.
A few words have quieted mobs. A few words have elected presidents and a few words have defeated presidents. Study how you can make each mystery more effective in word presentation. Study your opening and your closing words. Read good books.
Elbert Hubbard was an inspiration to me in the use of words. I advise each of my students to read Elbert Hubbard’s “Little Journeys Into the Homes of the Great.”
Many magicians perform without saying an audible word. They belong to a class of artists who depend on pantomime. Now, pantomime is more than just doing something without words. It is a form of silent expression to put over an idea with movement, feeling, expressions, emotions, actions.
Pantomimic expression can be just as effective as speech, but obviously, must be carefully designed, timed and delivered to attain the desired result.
There is appropriate dress for every occasion. An artist is supposed to be properly dressed, since clothes act as a silent salesman. Here good taste plays its part—color, harmony, proper fit and appropriate style.
Once a dress suit was just a dress suit. I can still recall certain “magical” dealers advertising second-hand dress suits by mere chest sizes. Suits passed from one to another. Today the dress suit is a piece of art and styled to the individual artist.
If you appear in full dress or tuxedo go to an authority who can advise on its proper style and cut, also the vest, shoes, collar, tie, shirt, socks, buttons, etc. There are theatrical tailors and haberdashers who make a specialty of artists’ clothing.
Sometimes modern formal morning or afternoon dress is appropriate. With some the regular business suit is best. Will Rogers was a type who looked best informally. In any case, the garments must look well on the performer—well fitted and properly pressed.
Sometimes the sport suit is best and gives greatest snap. A young man can wear things an older man cannot. Yet there are older people who look well in sports clothing and college boy styles.
Costumes are appropriate where one plays a character. Here is a chance for art and a good costumer. Winston Freer, who dresses in Hindu style, has a well designed snappy outfit that shows youth, adventure, spirit, action, and as though he might be an Aladdin from the Arabian Nights. His turban is small and not ill fitting and cumbersome such as some magicians have worn.
Dress, stage appearance—all are important. Composition, arrangement, color, quantity should be carefully studied. This is an age of modern arrangement and color.
See how the modern city show window has changed from the window of years ago. Windows are pictures in themselves. Note the difference between the beautifully styled windows of Marshall Field or Lord and Taylor, and the ten cent stores. One is a study in beauty, the other a mass of articles.
Dress your act. Do not clutter up the stage. Have a place for everything and study proper values.
At one time colors were just red, yellow, green, blue, purple, black and white. But today we have lovely tones of color, harmony of arrangement. Instead of red we speak also of geranium, vermilion, carmine, maroon, rose, etc.
Munsell gave us many ideas in proper color harmony and use of proper tones. Art stores can supply you with books and charts on colors.
Be careful of your blacks and reds. These should only be used in small amounts. Black, unless polished, is a dead color, while red is very powerful and very stimulating.
When I studied oil painting, I was not allowed red or black on my palette. My red was rose madder. To gain an impression of black on the picture I mixed rose madder with dark blue. It gave a darkness, a certain depth of brilliance that black itself could not give. Black gave a “dead” effect.
If a bright red, such as vermilion, was used, it was only in a small amount to accent something—a spot or two. This was also true of black. I am speaking of colored paintings and not of black and white pictures such as washes, pen and inks, silhouettes, etc.
Some colors, appropriate in themselves, are inharmonious when placed beside certain other colors, yet can be made more beautiful and effective when combined with certain others.
Red, because of its vitality, warmth and stimulation, can be seen a long way. That is why red lights are used for danger signals on street crossings, etc.
Yellow gives light, mentality and clearness of vision. Blue gives spirituality, coolness and quiet.
Green is a combination between yellow and blue. It is a protective color. It has strength and will power.
Violet is a dual color. It suggests birth and royalty, depending on how used. Ultra violet is a powerful healing agent. The violet tones are healing. A dark shade of violet combined with black has to be used with care as it looks too depressing. Violet is pleasing when used with the yellow tones.
White is a combination of all colors, while black is an absence of color. All life expresses itself in color. Anything that lives, vibrates, and anything that vibrates has color.
Use color to accent the particular part of the trick that you are selling. Let us say you are performing the trick where a square block drops through two tubes. A piece of plate glass is between the two tubes. Apparently the wooden block penetrates the glass. The important thing to see is the block of wood. So we can paint this some shade of red for brightness.
Now suppose we also painted the tubes red. The tubes would show up but the block would only be secondary. But if the tubes are painted in a subdued color in light grey blues and greens the red block would stand out in powerful contrast.
Too often have magical dealers elaborately painted up tubes and the non-essentials. For years in the egg bag trick, red egg bags have been supplied—brilliant red egg bags. It is the egg that must be accented, not the bag. Some day the dealers will get wise and make the egg bag in a pleasing subdued color to contrast with the whiteness of the egg.
When the amateur buys a piece of magical apparatus he wants to see plenty of gaudy color as a rule, or have it highly nickel plated. As Al Baker used to say “Nickel plated thumb tips will sell better than flesh colored ones, for the beginner wants something to look at and to show his friends.” But the thumb tip is supposed to be a hidden piece of apparatus. It is the ob-ject to be seen that must have the greatest visibility.
There are times when brilliant silver and gold cloths heighten an effect. This is particularly true in the production of brightly colored flowers or variegated colored plumes, etc.
Levante heightened the effect of plumes that changed color through a tube, by making the tube of a brilliant silver cloth—a cloth with the metallic brilliance of nickel plate.
In using flash—just be careful that the color heightens the effect with which it is used and does not lessen. If you are not artistically inclined, have an artist help you.
Always remember—you are not selling boxes, curtains, gaudy tables and apparatus, but you are selling mystery! Design artistically to increase the mystery.
There is a great difference between something artistically beautiful and in good taste, and something gaudy and artificial looking.
Make things pleasing to the eye for the eye is trained to register 22 times more speedily than the other senses. But at the same time do not neglect hearing, feeling, taste and smell.
People love those who are alive and magnetic and stand out from the crowd. The truly great artist has to radiate and hold audiences by his magnetic attraction.
To stand on our own, poised and controlled, without fear or favor, is a powerful asset. We do our work efficiently without worrying about what someone is going to think, say or do. We love our work and we are happy in it.
Let us stand out as individuals guided by our own faith in ourselves. As our success becomes greater our faith increases. Let us be of good cheer. Let us have strength of purpose. Magnetism, health and wholeness of body and mind go hand in hand.
Gloomy thoughts, irritability, complaining, gossiping, indigestion, fears and criticism are not conducive to magnetism. Such things are non-magnetic. Anything that lowers vitality lowers magnetism.
Few people realize the energy that a magician uses up on the stage. That is why it is necessary to restore the energy with sufficient sleep, exercise, good food, fresh air, sunshine and a poised mind.
This is a study in itself for each individual. On the stage or under the bright lights of a cabaret floor show, proper make-up removes natural paleness under the lights and enhances a performer’s appearance.
Where red, white and blue border and foot lights are used there is not as much need for make-up as there is under white lights. The red in the lights helps to color the skin.
For straight make-up you should get a basic make-up color adapted to blonde, red hair or brunette. This also applies to powder and rouge.
Leaning toward the brunette side I use Max Factor’s 7-A grease paint which comes in tubes. I dab a bit here and there upon my face and then, slightly wetting my hands in water, smooth the paint over my skin.
Then I apply Warnesson’s Electric Rouge on cheeks and lips. I use barely enough to give a warmth in color. The eyebrows are darkened a bit with a black or brown eyebrow pencil. Also around eye lashes. Then I powder with Stein’s Face Powder No. 5 (Brunette Powder).
The thing to get in make-up is an ideality in healthy naturalness. Do not over make-up as it looks too artificial. It is well to study your particular make-up under a make-up artist—someone who understands make-up for the stage and cabaret floor.
Make-up is used simply to improve your appearance, and the more natural, the more becoming to your personality, the better.
For character parts special make-up should be used to fit the character.
Showmanship is that thing which makes a common thing uncommon, an ordinary thing extraordinary and gives an ant hill a mountain of interest. It means the ability to put romance, mystery, surprise, suspense, interest and emotional feeling into your performance.
Showmanship puts breath into a lump of clay and makes it a living thing.
To become a Master of Showmanship you must be inspired with the spirit of being a magician and to love the thing you are doing. Your interest will help to awaken an audience’s interest. Your enthusiasm and interest awaken magnetism within you, and attract people to you.
About the deadest looking place is a theatre stage when there is no show going on. Yet see what happens when lights come on, the scene is set and the actors perform. Audiences sit inspired under the radiation of the theatrical showmanship.
Take your example from the playwright and producer. They put into plays the same principle of showmanship which you must use. They create interest in the audience, arouse their emotions, and build up each lesser effect to a greater one until they reach a climax.
The showman makes a masterpiece of a commonplace trick. He clothes it properly, he studies its presentation, he makes it timely, he learns to sell it to an audience so as to stir up interest and suspense.
The showman is one who is not satisfied with a few simple pieces of wood, metal, glass and paper, but puts them together and gives us a radio.
In everyday life we find many, many instances of showmanship. The salesman who understands showmanship is the one most likely to get the orders. He knows just what to say and how to say it, what to do and how to do it. Note how advertising men display articles that they sell. A commonplace article is presented in such an attractive form that people want to buy it.
Let us take a common article like a can of baked beans. To the ordinary mind baked beans are just baked beans, but not so to the advertising man. He will win wars on beans, save starving nations, build strong bodies. I remember years ago when Van Camp started to advertise their canned baked beans nationally. “Cooked for 24 hours to make them digestible.” What housewife could cook her beans 24 hours? “We use luscious Texas tomatoes in our beans.” Sounds good, those Texas tomatoes.
They sold beans and gave their competitors a run for their money. Now the truth is that most baked bean canners cook their beans about 24 hours and use Texas tomatoes. But it took Van Camp’s advertising man to tell the people about it and so definitely that people got the idea that Van Camp were exclusive in doing so.
In 1924 I was lecturing in Tampa, Florida. One evening as I was sitting in the lobby of De Soto Hotel I noticed a very dejected looking man sitting near me. I struck up a conversation and found he was a condensed milk salesman. He had come down to Florida to sell a certain brand of condensed milk, but he couldn’t sell it in competition with other brands, so he was broke, and was trying some way to move his family up North again.
“What’s the matter! You can’t sell your milk? It is a standard brand and well known,” I said.
“Yes,” he replied, “but our milk does not pour evenly. The fatty globules separate from the main body of the milk, and at one time the milk is too thick in the pouring and another time too thin. Other companies process their milk so as to keep the fatty globules in suspension and the milk is uniform in every part of the can.”
“Why doesn’t your company do the same thing?”
“Because our president isn’t modern enough. He thinks our method is better for nourishment.”
Now here was a salesman who had plenty of money and sales in his lap but he didn’t know it. He believed the negative thoughts of buyers. He forgot the psychology of women who buy milk. So I took him up to my room, got out a sheet of cardboard and my show card colors and started in on a poster to sell his milk.
“Look here,” I said, “what, is almost every woman interested in when she buys milk? Is it the potassium, calcium or chemistry of the milk, or is she primarily interested in one thing? How much cream does it have? She judges the value of the milk by the amount and thickness of the cream. Would she be happy to see her morning bottle of milk all of one consistency, without any cream demarkation? She would not. She radiates when she sees the rich cream on top of the milk.”
So, on the poster I drew a bottle of milk with the cream on top of the milk and beside it a cross section of a can of this man’s milk product. Across the top of the poster I put these headlines:
(BLANK’S) MILK IS GOOD MILK. EVEN THE CREAM RISES IN THE CANS.
Then in smaller letters I told the housewife if she wanted to use the cream to just pour it out from the top of the can and if she wanted whole milk to merely shake the can as she would a bottle of milk. Needless to say, the salesman was happy—he sold plenty of milk. I happened to be a showman—he was not. But he responded to showmanship.
I could write a book on the salesmen to whom I taught showmanship and who became successful while I was on this lecture tour through Florida.
Showmanship is greatly dependent on the perspective in which we see things. Do you remember the story of the three men who were cutting stone? When each was asked what he was doing, one said, “I am cutting stone.”
Another said, “I am earning five dollars per day.”
But the third man answered, “I am building a cathedral.”
The third man was a showman at heart. So remember we are not just doing tricks, earning so much money, but we are building a “cathedral” of magic.
What magical showmanship can do was brought home to me forcibly when a party of twelve magicians including myself went to see the play “The Charlatan” in which Frederic Tiden was playing the leading role of Cagliostro, the magician. We sat delighted at the magic and illusions that he presented from time to time in the play. When he produced a rosebush from a seed which he planted into a bit of sand in a clear glass flower-pot, we were completely mystified. Here truly was a great magician whom we had hitherto missed. After the show we went backstage, met Tiden and invited him out to dinner. The Cagliostro on the stage and the Tiden off the stage were like two different individuals. In the play he was rather large, dignified, elderly, well poised and masterful. Off stage he was smaller, thinner—just Tiden.
As is customary at dinners some of the boys perform a few mysteries. This was no exception. When Tiden was called on to perform he said, “Why boys, I’m no magician. I do not do tricks. You have me all wrong. I am just an actor.”
“Oh no,” we said, “you are a magician. Didn’t we see the wonderful magic you performed in the theatre this afternoon. You had us gasping, even at the rosebush growth. Where did you get the flowers from?”
He leaned back and laughed. “Do you mean to say those simple tricks fooled you?”
Then Tiden gave us an excellent talk. He said as he had been chosen to play the part of the noted magician, Cagliostro, he determined to make himself feel like a great magician and act the part. He studied what he thought a man like Cagliostro would do today and what he would do in the emergencies which the play brought forth. The play revolved around a man who claimed to be Cagliostro and through his magical power had never died but was over four hundred years old. Tiden’s showmanship succeeded so well that a great magician lived and breathed before an audience’s eyes.
He decided that things could be produced and vanished from places which an audience would least suspect. In this instance the man who appeared most innocent of helping him was the villain, a lawyer who tried to expose Cagliostro and prove him to be a faker. So Tiden thought his best helper and assistant would be this disturbing lawyer, a skeptic who sought every way possible to undo the magician. In the eyes of the audience this lawyer and the magician were bitter enemies. In reality it was the lawyer who helped create the illusions. When the lawyer lifted up the paper cone from the flower pot to see that there was no trickery, he put the flowers into the cone himself in readiness for the production a moment later. And Tiden, the actor, in his mastery of showmanship put his effects over as though he were the greatest magician in the world.
It is interesting to note the varied forms of showmanship that prominent magicians, past and present, have incorporated into their programs.
Who could forget the showmanship of Chevalier Pinetti, one of the first great stage magicians who became famous during the latter part of the eighteenth century. His elaborate stage paraphernalia, his publicity and his four beautiful white horses and elegant carriage made him a prominent personage. So famous did this Italian conjurer become, that when he drove down the street even the soldiers presented arms and the drums beat. In Prussia he drew so much attention that Frederick the Great, himself, could not compete, so Frederick issued an order that commanded Pinetti to leave Berlin within twenty-four hours. As Frederick said “Berlin is not large enough to hold two reigning sovereigns—the King of Prussia and the King of Conjurers.”
Katterfeldo, the Conjurer with the Black Cat, was a picturesque figure in the literature of magic. He claimed to be aided, like the wizards and witches of old, by a familiar spirit in the form of a black cat which appeared at his performances. From time to time during a program he pretended to consult with the cat.
Torrini, whose real name was Count Edmond de Grisy, was a clever magician of early days. He tutored Robert-Houdin in magic. He was quick to take advantage of situations and was a very keen student of human nature and showmanship. His background of medicine, for he was a physician, helped him in his programs. He saved Houdin’s life once when young Robert had eaten tainted food.
Torrini was requested to perform before Pope Pius VII of Rome. Here was a chance to use real showmanship but what could he do to create a sensation before the Pope?
On the day before his show he was in the shop of a prominent watchmaker, when a man came in to ask if Cardinal ........’s watch was repaired. The watchmaker replied that it would not be ready until evening and that he personally would take it to the Cardinal.
Torrini asked the watchmaker about the watch. He was told that it was valued at more than ten thousand francs and was made by the noted Breguet. However, only two days before, a young man had offered for a thousand francs a similar watch, made by the same artist.
Instantly a scheme ran through Torrini’s mind to perform an amazing piece of magic. He, had the watchmaker buy the duplicate watch and engrave the Cardinal’s coat of arms on it so it would be a replica of the Cardinal’s watch. Held together it was difficult to tell which was which.
The next day at the pontifical palace, a most distinguished audience greated Torrini. But let Henry Ridgely Evans, whose “History of Conjuring and Magic” should be read by every magician, describe the occasion:
“The Pope sat on a raised dais; near him were the Cardinals in their brilliant robes of crimson.
“After performing a series of magical feats, de Grisy (Torrini) came to his pièce de resistance. The difficulty was to obtain the loan of the Cardinal’s watch, and that without asking him directly for it. To succeed, the conjurer had recourse to a ruse. At his request several watches were offered him, but he returned them as not suited to the experiment.
“‘I desire a timepiece that will be easily identified. I should prefer one of rather large size,’ remarked de Grisy.
“‘Cardinal ........,’ said His Holiness, ‘oblige me by lending your watch to M. de Grisy.’ “With great reluctance the Cardinal handed his precious chronometer to the conjurer. It seems he set great value on its exaggerated size, alleging with a considerable show of reason, that works acted better in a larger case.
“In order to prove the solidity and excellence of the chronometer, de Grisy let it fall to the ground. A cry of alarm arose on all sides. The Cardinal, pale with rage, bounded from his chair exclaiming; ‘This is a sorry jest, sir!’
“‘Do not be alarmed,’ said de Grisy, ‘the watch will escape scatheless from many trials.’ He handed the broken timepiece to the Cardinal.
“‘Do you recognize this as your watch?’”
The prelate gazed anxiously at the coat-of-arms engraved inside of the case, and replied, with a profound sigh:
“‘Yes, that is my watch.’
“‘You are certain of it?’
“‘Quite certain! But I seriously doubt your power to restore it.’
“‘We shall see!’ exclaimed the conjurer.
“De Grisy’s assistant now brought in a brass mortar and pestle. The watch was cast into the mortar and pounded to atoms. Some magic powder was poured into the receptacle and a torch applied, whereupon there was a detonation, followed by a cloud of smoke. The spectators were invited to examine the ingot of gold—all that remained of the precious chronometer. Pius VII peered curiously into the mortar. De Grisy, seizing the opportunity, adroitly popped the duplicate timepiece into a pocket of the Pope’s robe. At the proper moment he pretended to pass the ingot into the Pontiff’s pocket, which resulted in the discovery of the Cardinal’s watch, made whole again. The clever feat of escamotage created a great sensation in Rome, and drew crowds to de Grisy’s performance.”
At the end of the nineteenth century when magicians were repeating King Solomon’s statement, “There is nothing new under the sun,” and a weary public yawned, there suddenly sprung up a clever Frenchman by the name of Buatier de Kolta. De Kolta said, “There is something new under the sun,” and proceeded to prove it to enthusiastic audiences.
De Kolta brought forth unique principles in magic which are popular with magicians today. It was de Kolta who introduced the Vanishing Bird Cage, the Multiplying Billiard Balls, the Soup Plate and Handkerchiefs, Flowers From a Paper Cone, the Handkerchief Pull, Decanters and Flying Handkerchiefs, Production of a Large Flag on a Staff, the Vanishing Lady and many others. Together with Maskelyne he introduced Black Art Illusions.
Great showmen take advantage of situations. In 1798, Robertson, a Belgian optician and illusionist, created a sensation in Paris by presenting odd phantasmagoria in an abandoned church, near the Place Vendome. Tombs and mortuary tablets surrounded this ancient place of worship. It was a gruesome spot for a spectral exhibition.
The inside of the chapel was shrouded in black. A brazier filled with burning coals was placed on an altar in the center of the place. A sepulchral lamp emitted a ghastly flame above.
After a lecture on witches, sorcery, spirits and ghosts the lamp was extinguished and various essences were thrown upon the fires causing clouds of smoke to arise.
In the smoke Robertson appeared to evoke the spirit forms of Rousseau, Robespierre, Danton, Marat, Mirabeau, Voltaire. The phantom of Robespierre seemed to come out of a tomb. Suddenly there was a flash of lightning and there appeared a skeleton with a scythe. It grew to large proportions and then disappeared.
Most people possessing a magic lantern would simply throw the pictures on a cloth screen, but not Robertson. He was too much of a showman. He produced his pictures on a screen of white smoke and his pictures became phantoms. That’s the power of an imaginative mind.
It was showmanship that helped to make Alexander Herrmann one of the greatest magicians in the history of magic. He was quick to take advantage of situations. Both on and off the stage he was a magician to his very fingertips. He would buy apples and find five dollar bills in the apples. He found twenty dollar gold pieces in eggs in Chinatown which caused a Chinese merchant to break up all his eggs looking for money. Strange! but he found a twenty dollar gold piece in the last egg, to pay him for his eggs.
Herrmann had the appearance of Mephisto. He was skilled in magic with people all around him, a remarkable exponent of close-up magic and unexpected situations. In society, while playing cards, he might suddenly hand a lady opponent her slipper over the table, for he had secretly secured it under the table without her knowledge.
Adelaide Herrmann, his wife, was a remarkable assistant, wife and helpmate. She not only added great beauty to his theatrical appearances, but she could play up to publicity stunts. Madame Herrmann and I used to talk and laugh by the hour about some of the funny experiences she had. She enjoyed telling about the time she attended a society affair with a tame mouse on a gold chain, which she carried on her shoulder and bosom.
Harry Kellar was another great showman. He had an amazing knowledge of human nature and was equal to emergencies. He traveled the world over among all kinds of people. In February, 1875, Kellar was received by the commanding officer at Punta Arenas, situated almost at the extreme southern point of South America. The commandant was anxious to impress the natives with the power of the civilized white man. He induced Kellar to bring his wonders to the half-naked savages.
Kellar told them he could burn the earth, if he so desired, and to prove it he would set the ground on fire. While Kellar had been entertaining with other tricks, his assistant had mixed some sugar and chlorate of potash in equal parts and filled a hole in the sand with it without attracting attention. At the proper time Kellar brought out a small bottle containing sulphuric acid. Into this he dipped the end of his wand. Then waving it above his head he shouted, “Burn, O Earth!” He thrust the wet end of the wand into the sugar-potash mixture in the sand, which resulted instantly in a column of flame, white and dazzling, which shot into the air. The amazed natives went screaming into the hills.
On a steamer going from Panama to Callao, in South America, Kellar took advantage of an odd situation. People are interested in how a magician can foretell events. In Kellar’s book “Magician’s Tour” the following story is told:
“A magician should always and everlastingly be wide awake in order to amount to anything, and Kellar is very much so. He soon learned that the steamer would stop at midnight in order that the officers might take soundings. There was a large number of well-to-do Peruvians and Chilanos on board, but they were ignorant of how a magician foretells events, and on this ignorance my master decided to play. He spoke Spanish like a native, and he soon appeared among the passengers and in words of portentous weight declared that at midnight, sharp, the vessel would stop! Some of the Spaniards laughed at him, while others appeared impressed by his earnest manner. All remained on watch, however, as though they were seeing an old year out, and when, on the stroke of twelve the engines stopped, consternation was pictured on many a face, and every passenger on the steamship believed they had a veritable wonder worker and prophet among them. It was instantly noised about the ship that this was the man whose marvelous acts had made him a sulphurous hero in Mexico. During the remainder of the trip he was an object of awe to the passengers, and when they landed at Callao, his fame was at once spread throughout the city. It was a rare stroke of business on the conjurer’s part. The people of Callao and surrounding country were soon talking about him with as much interest as though he had been made a new President.”
Famous in the Kellar show in its latter days was the “Levitation of Princess Karnac.” Kellar brought this illusion to heights it had never previously attained. In Kellar’s hands the mystery seemed like a miracle. A girl, apparently hypnotized and placed on a couch, arose high in the air. The couch was removed leaving a bare stage. Kellar passed a hoop over the girl to show no connection. She was suspended in the center of the stage away from everything. It was a grand piece of showmanship. Something that stage magicians in their fondest dreams never thought possible.
Harry Houdini was a supershowman. His name still lives in the public mind even though he passed on in 1926. Houdini was the man who people thought “could escape from anything.” “No jail, no chain, no straight jacket, no safe could hold Houdini.” Houdini attempted the unusual, the sensational. He would jump off bridges into the waters below while heavily manacled and rise to the surface, free of handcuffs and chains.
He was tied to the large wheel of a railroad engine and escaped while the engine was in motion. He escaped from jail cells and bank safes. He shook hands with Death many times only to make his escape.
He gained much publicity through his exposure of fake spirit mediums. He disliked fakers who preyed on the public and robbed innocent people of their money under false pretenses.
Houdini in his desire to lift magic upon a high plane and to set an example to boys and girls, would not smoke or drink intoxicating liquors. Houdini had an ideal. He never forgot the youth of the world. Houdini sitting in his dressing room on his cot said to me, “Tarbell, I will never do anything that I would not want the youth of America to do. I never want it said that any boy or girl went wrong because they could say, ‘Well, Houdini did that.’ Every magician owes it to the youth of the world to live a life that youth can follow with success. Youth loves adventure, the unusual, the exciting, and that is what I try to give to the world, but in a constructive manner.”
Kings, Queens, Potentates the world over welcomed Houdini. Ministers preached about him from their pulpits, and the public looked to him to produce the unusual. Houdini vanished an elephant at the New York Hippodrome. Audiences expected Houdini to vanish an elephant as easily as some magicians would a rabbit. Regardless of how he got rid of the elephant, people do not remember the stage set-up but they do remember that he vanished an elephant.
Years ago William E. Robinson was stage manager and mechanic for Alexander Herrmann. When Herrmann died, he became stage manager to Leon Herrmann for several seasons. Not satisfied with this he started out as a magician himself but with little success. Then Ching Ling Foo came to America from China with an interesting array of Chinese, and drew great crowds to the theatre. Robinson, fascinated by Foo’s performance decided to put on a similar show disguised as a Chinaman. He hired a Chinese acrobat, and, accompanied by his wife, he opened at the Empire Theatre in London. He not only presented some of Foo’s best tricks but added many of his own original ones. His success was instant. The theatre public of London went wild over Chung Ling Soo, for this is the name Robinson took. Money flowed in. Few people knew that Chung Ling Soo was an American and not a Chinese. So clever was his make-up and his impersonation of a Chinaman that he even granted newspaper interviews through a Chinese interpreter (his acrobat). His lodgings were fitted up in Chinese fashion with silken draperies, and dimly lighted Chinese lanterns. Under the smell of incense he drank tea and gave his opinion on oriental troubles to newspaper reporters. His wife’s make-up was equally clever.
Chung Ling Soo had a flare for the elaborate and the magnificent. A parlor trick would be turned into an elaborate stage presentation. The old broken plate ordinarily restored in a simple frame, became restored in a radiant sun whose golden rays extended many feet outward. The Miser’s Dream of catching money in a hat became a shower of coins on the stage with great bills six feet long dropping from the flies, with a curtain of giant coins for a background. The smoke trick usually performed with a saucer and a glass tumbler, was performed with a great magnificent glass vase about three feet high. Smoke blown from a cigarette several feet away mysteriously appeared in the vase. He shot an arrow with a ribbon attached through his girl assistant. He allowed assistants from the audience to load marked bullets in guns and fire at him. He caught the bullets in his teeth or on a plate. He believed in spectacular magic and he amassed a fortune in the music halls and theatres of Great Britain.
Howard Thurston, a student of the Evangelist, Dwight L. Moody, was trained for the ministry. This training as a minister gave power over his audiences. Even when he performed his famous rising cards he struck the pose of Evangelist Moody and one could hear the tone of Moody in his voice as he said “Up, up, up!”
Thurston first came into real prominence by his novel card act. He featured front and back hand palming with cards, interesting vanishes and productions. There was soon a furor in magic to imitate Thurston’s card act. After a trip around the world he finally took over the Kellar show.
Audiences loved Thurston as they looked upon him as a “National Institution.” Thurston took advantage of his ministerial training in his magical showmanship. He also incorporated his world experiences.
Dante (Herr Jansen) brings to his audiences the travelled magician who successfully visited the countries of the world. Dante is an excellent illusion builder with original ideas. His natural touches in the back stage sketches he has written himself are truly unusual mysteries. People like Dante when he is just himself, when he relaxes, kidding about this and that and making his audience feel perfectly at home with him.
Levante, has the appearance, the youth, the vitality, the dignity, the grace of a successful movie star. He also has a delightful stage personality. To these personal qualifications, however, he adds distinctive dress in his immaculate white dress suit, and remarkable showmanship in the original effects he presents. His work is clean cut and he adds those niceties that you would expect from a gentleman magician. You expect the extraordinary from Levante and he does not disappoint.
Blackstone, is Blackstone. He enjoys his work and others enjoy it with him. He presents elaborate illusions from flower and silk productions that cover a stage, to a vanishing horse. He can make a borrowed handkerchief dance on the stage with the interest of a great illusion. He has an interesting way of telling stories to children who come upon his stage. When he sets a little girl on his lap and tells her about Santa Claus, his eyes fairly sparkle and the youngster expects anything to happen.
Nicola became world famous through his travels in the Orient. He had a grand illusion show, that was presented in masterly style—probably the greatest number of large spectacular effects ever combined in one show.
Al Baker is a natural born humorist and belongs to a school that Mark Twain, Strickland Gillilan and Bill Bye made famous. Al’s quick sense of humor makes him equal to almost any occasion. His magic is natural. Things happen in a natural way. He believes in simplicity, yet carefully worked details. Al creates his own methods and mysteries. He is never satisfied with the ordinary presentations. He employs natural effective methods that he can sell to an audience in a friendly way. His cake in the hat is a masterpiece. The world owes much to Al’s original methods.
Joe Dunninger knows the value of showmanship and uses it. He leans to mental effects and psychic “phenomena.” He believes in the type of material that leading magazines and newspapers over the country will write about. He keeps himself before the public eye. He has a very original mind that can take a simple effect and build it up to dramatic proportions. He sells his effects convincingly.
David Bamberg is of the seventh generation of Bambergs, all magicians. He is the son of Theo Bamberg, whose Chinese act under the stage name of Okito, was something to remember. Okito had a very original mind.
David loved the Chinese style and the possibilities of Chinese magic and so built one of the most beautiful magic shows in the world. He took the name Fu Manchu and has been a great success artistically and financially. It is said that there are over 300 Oriental costumes in the Fu Manchu show.
David’s showmanship brings to the world original Chinese magic presented in an elaborate manner. Excepting a two-month tour including New York City and a half-dozen eastern cities a few years ago, he plays chiefly throughout South America and Mexico with great success.
“Think-a-Drink” Hoffman, is an interesting study in individual showmanship. He was a big hit with Shubert’s Broadway success “The Streets of Paris.” He has played the finest theatres and night clubs in America at high fees.
Hoffman’s rise to fame is inspiring. Hoffman was going along in an ordinary manner doing cards, billiard balls, ropes and a “drink act.” He was fairly successful but not in keeping with his true ability. I suggested that he specialize on his feature act which was the “drink act”— pouring any drink called for from a pitcher of water. By specializing I saw a chance to make him a big time Shubert act.
I began to study Hoffman, his individuality, and his interests. Where did he differ from anyone else and what were his strong saleable points? He had studied drink making in the Hawaiian Islands and was an expert in concocting unusual drinks. He had an unusual knack of drink mixing and a keen sense of flavors. To simply pour water containing grain alcohol into glasses containing various liquor essences, as is common in magic, was not good enough for Hoffman. He had better ideas so as to get natural flavors, even to fine wines.
I saw in Hoffman a natural set-up for the Shuberts so worked on the act with that idea in view. As the appeal of the old act was along lines that were passé, I wanted to step up the act into a new mental and physical plane. By raising the plane I hoped to develop a type of act that would not be easy for imitators to follow. Anything to be truly successful must have a spiritual, mental and physical background. It is the law of life. It must be in tune with the times.
The psychology of Hoffman’s act is thus analyzed: Everything has speeded up except the art of drink making, and why not speed that up by merely pouring water into a glass and if you want wine—merely think wine—and you have wine, for the water in the glass has changed to wine. Or if you think an ice cream soda—it becomes an ice cream soda. In other words you think a drink!
So the name “Think-a-Drink” was the logical answer.
The psychology of instant drink making through apparent mental action is in keeping with the times. Besides people want miracle action.
So important was the think a drink idea that “Think-a-Drink” became a part of his stage name and was registered in the patent office.
In watching audience reactions, it was discovered that while hard liquors were mystifying yet it was the soft drinks that got the laughs. This was because of the contrasts. Every drink is timed, every drink has been studied in its presentation, from the psychological reactions of audiences. After a year of testing in a theatrical unit, it was offered to the Shuberts for their Broadway presentation. It became a hit of Broadway. “Think-a-Drink” Hoffman is one of the headliners of the theatre and club. His is one act that people discuss for a long time afterward.
Cardini (Richard Pitchford) rose to fame through individual showmanship. His act has been copied and recopied. He introduced a new era in a manipulative act. There is an interesting psychology back of Cardini’s act. While his manipulation is faultless yet its big effect lies in the fact that things happen when he is looking in the opposite direction and he is as much surprised as the audience at the mysterious things that are happening. Instead of saying to an audience “let me show you some clever manipulations in magic” the magic happens seemingly unknown to him. That is what makes the act so funny and gets so many laughs.
We must never forget that Cardini is English and can perform in a way that is natural to his English personality. The Continental artist trains himself in pantomime. He can wear English style clothes, top hat and dress suit tailored in English fashion. He was born for it. Cardini is Cardini and far above his imitators.
Frakson comes from a family of magicians of Spain. His father and mother were travelling magicians, and all of his ten brothers and sisters were successful magicians. Frakson has a Continental style that is dashing and typically Frakson. His quick movements, his marvelous misdirection and finished manipulation—his “Si-si-si—come little one” as he produces a lighted cigarette from nowhere is ideally adapted to his temperament. He is very original.
Ade Duval, at one time, was doing a magic show with a partner in Chautauqua and Lyceum. I finally convinced Ade, by practically making him lose his job with the Redpath Bureau, that his big time forte was to specialize in Silks and Colors. A rhapsody in colored silk, set to music, was the thing he should work for. So he put an act together basing it around an elaborate phantom tube production and toured vaudeville. But I said, “Ade, you will never be a real success until you go to Europe and absorb the Continental style and technique which comes from playing European audiences.” Duval went to Europe and again I was right.
Jack Gwynne said that too many people call themselves “the greatest magician in the world” so he bills himself as “the second greatest magician”—with no competitors. Jack must have an act that shines. Highly polished chromium, nickel plate, glass, silk and color play a great part in his act. Even in paper tearing, enameled paper is more effective than the dullness of newspaper.
I could write several volumes on the showmanship of individual magicians, dozens of them who have made their mark because of their ability to be “different.”
Regardless of what others do, each of us has himself to consider. Some of us want to be professionals, others semi-professionals, while others want to perform just as amateurs for the love of the work and the entertainment that they can give their friends. Some are salesmen and want to please their customers. Some study magic for the educational value. Some to overcome shyness so they can stand unafraid before an audience. Business men have said they have become better speakers at the directors’ and sales meetings because of their magic. Doctors say that magic takes their minds off their cases for a while and affords relaxation. People who were wall flowers become socially entertaining because of magic.
Some want only a few tricks, others want many.
In studying any subject we must become acquainted with the fundamentals, and know it from the ground up. After we are acquainted with fundamentals we can individualize.
There is no special patter that will fit everyone. In this course I can only give patter that hits a medium trend, and suggests a style of presentation. Your own mind will add and subtract here and there as you go into action and present your mysteries before an audience.
You will combine effects to get new ideas. In the musical world we have eight white keys and five black ones in the scale, but every day new pieces of music are coming out, new tunes, new melodies. Or old melodies are revamped and modernized or brought into a different rhythm.
So with magic, we bring out new effects, new slants, new entertainment, new combinations, new forms of interest.
Be yourself and do those things that best fit your own individuality. But whatever you do, do with the skill of a master, and a love in the doing.
The magic wand has played an important part in magical mysteries throughout the ages. Used as a solid stick it has acted as a means of misdirection for vanishing, appearing and exchanging articles when lifted from or placed upon the table or place of concealment. Held in the hand, it helped to conceal a palmed object.
Magicians throughout the world have brought forth many interesting types of wands. I have a wand made of the vertebrae from an Antarctic whale. Discs of bone are fastened together with an iron rod running through them. I have a Chinese wand made of bamboo.
The commonest type of wand for practical purposes is about 14 inches long and one-half inch in diameter. Usually the body of the wand is black in color with nickeled or chromium tips about one and three-quarters inches in length. Sometimes the tips are painted white or other colors and Catalin wands in various color combinations have found favor with some performers. Wands can be modernized by painting the body between the tips dark blue, brown, white, ivory, or other colors.
Unless otherwise specified, the wand 14 inches long by one-half inch diameter, the tips one and three-quarters inches long, will be used in the various effects described in this lesson.
From time to time, various mechanical and specially prepared wands have come into the field of magic and excellent effects have been made possible by their use.
Some of the wand effects described in this lesson are not at all difficult to construct but others are best purchased from the various magic dealers.
This is a good effect with which to open a program. It is fast, easy to do and effective. This type of wand gets its name from the maker, the Petrie-Lewis Co. and is sold by all dealers.
The performer, after tapping his wand on the table to show that it is solid, wraps it in a piece of paper and gives it to a spectator to hold. Magician then takes the wrapped wand and tears the paper to pieces. The wand has vanished . . . magician reaches into his inside coat pocket and produces the wand therefrom.
1—A P-L Vanishing Wand. This consists of a black paper shell or tube with a white colored wooden plug fitting into each end, Fig. 1. Because of the solid ends on the ends of the paper shell, the wand can be freely tapped on the table and shown to be apparently solid. Even if dropped on the table it appears to be a regular wand.
2—Wand shells for succeeding performances.
3—A solid wooden wand to match the vanishing wand. (The P-L Vanishing Wand outfit consists of the vanishing wand, solid wand to match and extra black paper shells; nickeled or white tips.)
4—A piece of paper, such as newspaper, about 17 inches square. A paper napkin or Oriental paper may be used.
Vanishing wand and paper are on table. The solid wand is in your inside coat pocket. Push the upper end of wand well back against shoulder. Some performers like wand on left side, the lower end of wand going into the lower left vest pocket.
Pick up the vanishing wand . . . “There is power in a wand. A Hindu magician said so. Imagine that we were in India and I would rap my ebony wand with its white tips on the table three times. . . .”
Rap wand on table three times. This is to show that wand is solid without saying so. Be sure to rap the wooden end on table, Fig. 2. Pick up piece of paper from table.
“. . . Then wrap it into a piece of paper in the manner of the Ancient Order of Hindu Mystics.”
Wrap wand in paper. Start at one corner and roll the wand up diagonally across the paper. This keeps the wand in sight until it is completely wrapped, Fig. 3.
“Twist the ends and give it to a gentleman to hold.”
Twist the ends of the paper about each end of the vanishing wand, Fig. 4.
Give wrapped wand to spectator and have him hold wand vertically with one hand at the wooden end at top and the other hand at wooden end at bottom, Fig. 5.
“You feel the stick. Then I would take the wand and tear up the paper . . .”
Take wrapped wand, tear the paper in half, tearing through the paper shell as well. Place the two halves together and tear them through again.
“. . . and show that the wand had supernaturally vanished. Perhaps not supernaturally because the truth is that I really sneaked it under my coat.”
Remove regular wand from right coat pocket with left hand, Fig. 6. Place torn pieces of paper, with remains of vanishing wand inside, aside so no one can examine them.
The vanishing wand is effective even in a magic act that is dependent on vision instead of patter. In this case do not give to a spectator to hold.
The principle of the vanishing and reproduction of a wand permits of many variations.
For quick action the performer wraps wand in paper after showing it to be solid and tears it up immediately without giving it to an assistant to hold.
An interesting way to reproduce the wand is to get an opaque flower vase and place it on the table. Make a little slit in one end of the wand into which insert the end of a piece of thread. Knot the free end of thread so that it will not pull out.
Drop wand, prepared end downward, into the vase. Vase should be tall enough to cover wand when it is inside. Now run thread over to back of table and tie to a tack or staple.
Pick up vase in left hand and bring it forward. The tightening of the thread will cause the wand to rise out of the vase. Grasp wand with right hand before it topples over. It will pull away from thread easily. Figs. 7, 8, 9.
If an assistant is available, run the free end of the thread out to him in the wings offstage. You need not touch the vase, then, but have him cause the wand to rise by pulling the thread.
Two long envelopes are shown empty. A magic wand is placed in one, yet it mysteriously disappears and is found in the other envelope.
1—A solid wand and a paper shell to match, Fig. 1. The shell is of such size that the solid wand will easily slip out and yet it fits fairly snugly around wand.
The shell can be easily made by wrapping a piece of paper around the wand and pasting the outer edge. The paper can be painted or lacquered the same color as wand. A black wand with white tips is suggested, for ease in making.
2—Two paper envelopes about two inches longer than length of wand, Fig. 2. The average wand is about 14 inches long. Envelope should be about three inches wide. A bright colored paper is suggested.
Wand is placed in paper shell. To the audience, the wand looks unprepared. Place on table near the two envelopes.
“This is a Chinese mystery with a wand and two envelopes.”
Pick up wand (with shell) in right hand, and SHELL rap on table to show it is a solid wand. Pick up envelope A with left hand. Open the end of envelope with wand (and shell) and show the envelope to be empty. “An empty envelope.”
Hold envelope upright, Fig. 3, and allow the solid wand to slip quietly and secretly out of the paper shell. This is done with shell sticking halfway out of envelope. Place envelope with wand against some object so as to be in full view. Pick up envelope B with left hand.
“Same kind of an envelope.”
Squeeze a bit to open so it can be casually shown empty.
“According to the ancient Chinese if this wooden wand is placed in this envelope, it will suddenly disappear.”
Place paper shell inside of envelope B, and close down the flap.
As you say the above words, roll up envelope from bottom and make a small roll of entire envelope. The paper shell will flatten and allow this. In this way you can use the envelope again. Or, if desired, envelope can be torn in half and then into a number of pieces as the paper shell tears with envelope.
Put the remains of envelope B aside on table. Pick up envelope A and, reaching inside, produce the wand.
“And appear in this other envelope. Strange people these Chinese.”
The Wandering Wand and Envelopes is an excellent mystery to work in pantomime, eliminating all patter. The effect is very puzzling when properly performed as it seems you use only a solid wooden wand and the two empty envelopes.
A novel way of producing a wand, which makes a good opening number. This is adapted to either the regular wand or the P-L vanishing wand.
Performer shows a small pocketbook to be empty. He then suddenly draws out his wand from the inside of the pocketbook. The wand is struck on the table to show that it is solid.
1—A small pocketbook, such as is used to carry small change, with a clasp at top. About two or three inches is a good size.
2—A duplicate pocketbook, in case you want to pass it out for examination.
3—Your regular wand or the special vanishing wand.
Cut an inch or even two-inch slit in the bottom of pocketbook, through which the wand can be easily drawn. Make edges of slit smooth. You can easily determine the best size opening by testing for easy passage of the wand, Fig. 1.
Place prepared pocketbook in right coat pocket or other pocket easily reached by right hand. If you want to show pocketbook after production of wand, place unprepared duplicate in left trousers pocket.
Insert wand up left sleeve, letting one end rest at base of second finger, Fig. 2.
Wand may be dropped down farther to facilitate working at times. Forearm can be raised and lowered with back of hand to audience, and wand will not be discovered. Avoid any stiff movements.
Remove prepared pocketbook and show freely. Conceal slit at bottom with fingers, Fig. 3.
Place pocketbook in left hand with bottom of purse against end of wand. Squeeze sides of purse a little. This will open slit and allow wand to be inserted. Open pocketbook with right hand and reach in with thumb and first two fingers. Grasp end of wand and pull it through pocketbook, Fig. 4. The effect is that you actually pull the whole length of the wand from the inside of the purse. The illusion to the audience is perfect, Fig. 5.
Have a table at your left. Turn to left so that right side is toward audience. Strike wand on table to show that it is solid. As you do this, reach into left trousers pocket with left hand as it is now screened. Leave prepared purse there and remove unprepared purse. Turn to face audience again and pass out purse for examination.
When performing on the stage and using this production for an opening number, you do not take the time to give out the pocketbook for examination, but in club, or parlor work, it is a very satisfactory conclusion to the effect.
Some prefer to have a round hole cut on one side of pocketbook near the bottom. The cut side is towards you in left hand, and this side is opened and bent down so the wand slips right up through that side. The front side conceals the secret opening.
This is one of Ed Reno’s favorite effects, especially as an impromptu stunt off stage and at close quarters.
Performer reaches into his pocket and brings out a small pocketbook. He opens it, reaches in, and brings out a large cigar, many times larger than the purse. He then passes the purse out for examination.
1—A small purse, about an inch and a quarter wide.
2—A duplicate purse.
3—A good-sized cigar.
Slit bottom of purse as you did in preceding effect to allow enough room for cigar to be drawn through. Insert cigar in slit. Put both purses in left trousers pocket. Have cigar extending upward in pocket, Fig. 6.
Reach into pocket with left hand and grasp prepared purse. Cigar automatically comes into inside of hand. Keep back of hand to audience to conceal cigar, Fig. 7.
With right hand open purse, reach in, and bring out cigar. Close purse and hand cigar to a spectator. As you do this, turn right side to audience. You can then exchange purses by placing hand in left trousers pocket. Pass out as unprepared purse for examination.
Reno varies this occasionally by producing a large jackknife with open blade, or if seated at the table, he produces a table knife from the little purse.
This effect is a good opening for tricks with cards.
Performer picks up deck of cards in case, opens case, removes cards, and places them on table. Then he reaches into card case again and brings out his wand.
1—A deck of cards in the cardboard case.
2—A wand.
Remove cards from case, and in bottom of case cut a hole about an inch long and the width of the bottom, Fig. 8.
Have wand up left sleeve with end resting against middle finger of left hand. Keep back of hand to audience. Have deck of cards in case on table at your right or in right coat pocket.
Pick up deck of cards and show freely but be careful to conceal hole in bottom of case. Place case in left hand and open flap with right, removing the cards. Place cards on table at right side, and as you do so, get end of wand inserted in hole in case, Fig. 9. Reach into case with right hand and draw out the wand, Fig. 10.
Toss case on table in an apparently careless manner, but be careful to get it in such position as not to expose hole in bottom.
This is a simple method of introducing a silk handkerchief into a tube or roll of paper.
A piece of paper is freely shown and rolled into a tube. A wand is pushed through it to further show that tube is empty. Yet upon unrolling the paper a silk handkerchief is found inside.
1—A hollow metal wand with open ends, 14 inches long and a half inch in diameter, Fig. 1.
2—A silk handkerchief 13 inches square. A pin is run through center of silk and bent over.
3—A sheet of heavy paper or book cover 12 X 14 inches.
With a long wire or slender stick push center of prepared handkerchief into B end of hollow wand. Allow bent pin to catch on A edge of wand, Fig. 2. Thus prepared the wand can be freely handled, but the ends of wand must be kept away from audience. Hand holds wand at end B. Paper and prepared wand are lying on table.
Pick up sheet of paper, show it freely and roll it up into tube about an inch and a half in diameter, and 12 inches in length.
Pick up wand at end B and run it through paper tube, Fig. 3.
As you pull wand out of paper catch the end of bent pin on upper edge of paper. This pulls handkerchief out of the wand, as wand is pulled downward, Fig. 4. Wand is placed under left arm or placed aside on table.
Secretly, the end of bent pin is freed from the edge of the paper tube and handkerchief pushed down a bit into the tube, Fig. 5. Paper is unrolled showing silk handkerchief inside, Fig. 6.
If a larger silk is desired increase the size of wand and paper.
An effective mystery can be built by placing a rubber band around the tube with silk secretly introduced, and placing tube on table. A duplicate silk handkerchief is vanished and discovered inside the tube of paper.
When first introduced, the magical profession quickly approved this method of vanishing a silk handkerchief and it is still quite popular.
A sheet of paper is formed into a cornucopia. A silk handkerchief is pushed into the paper with a magic wand. Upon unrolling the paper the handkerchief has vanished.
1—The special Vanishing Handkerchief Wand which consists of a hollow metal tube with one end closed, and a metal rod which slips in and out of the tube. This rod has a wooden plug on one end which when pushed into tube grips slightly so that the rod will not slip out of its own accord. On the end of the wooden plug is a nickeled metal disc slightly larger in diameter than wooden plug or metal tube. On other end is a rubber or cloth tip. Study Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
2—A 13-inch silk handkerchief.
3—A sheet of paper about 14 inches square.
Wand lies on table with rod inside. Nearby are handkerchief and paper.
Pick up paper and form into a cornucopia. Place wand inside with end A downward, Fig. 4, as though you are helping to form a better paper cone. Grasp the end of rod through paper with left hand. Remove the wand with the right hand leaving the inner rod in cone, Fig. 5.
Place silk handkerchief in cone so that the center of the silk covers the tip of the rod, Fig. 6.
Place open end of wand against the silk just over the tip on the rod. Push down with the wand over the rod with the result that handkerchief is pushed into the wand, Fig. 7. Continue pushing downward until the silk is completely in the wand and plug of rod is firmly in place. Remove wand and place aside.
At the proper moment open paper and show that the silk has vanished. The whole action is clean cut, leaving no trace of trickery—empty paper, empty hands, and an innocent looking wand which has been forgotten by this time.
If a larger handkerchief is used it can be folded over into about a quarter of its regular size before placing it on end of rod in paper cone.
An interesting effect to work as a surprise bit.
Performer holds wand vertically in his hand by the upper end. Wand rises, gliding upwards through the hand until the lower end comes into the hand.
1—A Rising Wand, which consists of a hollow metal tube through which passes a piece of heavy black elastic cord. On each end of cord is an eyelet attached to a metal disc slightly larger than the diameter of the wand. The discs form the ends of the wand, Figs. 1 and 2.
Pick up wand and hold in left hand with one end against the base of second and third fingers of right hand, Fig. 3. Push wand through opening between the second and third fingers so that metal disc is at rear. Bring wand forward again bringing the two fingers tightly on wand so that disc is held at back of fingers. Bring right hand up along wand to end A at the top, Fig. 4. The elastic cord is behind the wand so audience cannot see it.
Gradually release the grip of first finger and thumb of right hand on the wand and wand will slowly rise, Fig. 5. This can be repeated. Finally, the right hand comes to the bottom end of wand so that the disc goes back in place on the end.
Practice well so as to make the moves natural and indetectable.
Articles that seemingly cling to the finger tips have an effect quite magical and are pleasing interludes.
Performer places his wand against the palm of his hand and wand clings to hand as though magnetized. Finally performer throws a handkerchief over the wand, but this does not keep wand from clinging to the hand.
1—A black wand with nickeled tips.
2—A special device from which to suspend the wand. This consists of a piece of metal painted black which clips over the wand, Fig. 1. To the center of the clip is soldered a black pin about three-fourths of an inch long.
3—A dark colored silk handkerchief. In emergency a pocket handkerchief will do.
Hold the metal clip in right hand with pin between the second and third fingers, Fig. 2. Clip is easily held by pressing the fingers together. Audience does not know of this clip as this is always a hidden piece of apparatus.
Pick up wand and place against opening of clip. Back of right hand is to audience. With right thumb press wand into the clip, Fig. 3.
Turn and show front of hand to audience with wand clinging to it, Fig. 4.
Clip can be slipped onto various parts of the wand and wand held in a variety of positions. Hand can be held palm downward with wand clinging to the underside of the hand.
Remove hand keeping pin hidden on side of wand away from audience.
Pick up handkerchief and throw over the wand so the latter’s ends protrude, Fig. 5. Bring right hand down upon wand and turn pin up so it can be grasped through the handkerchief by second and third fingers of right hand. Left hand is removed from wand so it clings to right hand only. Remove handkerchief, taking clip with it underneath the handkerchief.
This is an effect that I brought out in my “teens” using not only a wand but sometimes using a light weight cane, or a bamboo stick.
Performer places his wand against his hand to which it adheres in various positions. While clinging to both hands he rolls hands around each other without losing the wand. It adheres just the same.
1—A black wand with nickeled tips. A fine black silk thread is tied to each end of the wand where the black body joins the nickeled tips, Fig. 1. When thread is pulled away from wand at center, distance should be about 4¾ inches. Length of thread depends upon size of performer’s hands. A bit of experimenting will determine the correct length for most effective working. Audience, of course, is not supposed to know of the thread.
Hold wand with both hands as in Fig. 2. Thread falls downward in a loop, behind the thumbs.
“This is a study in magnetism. Some say wand magnetism. Some say personal magnetism, or advanced magnetism, or mental magnetism, while others say just magnetism, or the power of mind over matter.”
Bring thumbs up through the loop of thread, Fig. 3. Pull thumbs outward until thread is taut and wand clings to thumbs, Fig. 4, fingers being separated from thumbs as far as possible.
Bring end B of wand down on palm of right hand, release the left hand, and raise the right thumb so thread is taut and the wand is suspended as in Fig. 5.
Grasp end A with left hand and slide right hand along the wand until it is in the position as shown in Fig. 6.
Bring wand into position as in Fig. 7.
Grasp end A with left hand and place tip of first finger of right hand against end of wand. Release left hand so wand is suspended, Fig. 8.
Again grasp A of wand with left hand and draw thumb of right hand back under loop of thread, Fig. 9. Allow the fingers of right hand to come under loop of thread and rest on wand, Fig. 10.
Bring right hand back up to end B so that hand is at right angles with the wand. Take left hand away. Wand is suspended against edge of hand, Fig. 11.
Bring left hand up and place finger tips on wand under loop of thread at end A, Fig. 12.
Now bring right hand down and left hand up, the wand revolving, end over end, with wand still adhering to hands, Fig. 13.
Completing the revolution, bring right hand up to top and left hand to bottom, Fig. 14.
Perform this rotary motion a number of times, the wand still adhering to the hands.
Finally grasp wand in right hand, remove left hand, and bring end of wand down against palm of left hand smartly as a flourish.
This idea was brought out by W. G. Edwards, Canadian magician, and publisher of Edwards’ Monthly. I used it in my programs with good success as a means of picking up certain things in an interesting and mysterious manner.
Performer touches the tip of his wand to a silk lying on the table. Upon raising wand the silk adheres to the tip of wand. Even rubber sponge balls can be lifted up by touching with wand. Three cards can be freely selected and shuffled back in the deck, yet upon touching tip of wand to the top edge of deck a selected card adheres to the wand and it is readily lifted out of the deck. This is repeated with the remaining two cards.
1—The special Magnetic Wand. This consists of a hollow metal wand with a hole running through it to hold a freely moving metal rod. One end of the rod is attached to a nickel plated wand tip. A metal spring is around the rod and rests inside the metal wand tip. On the other end of rod is a nickel plated disc which acts as the A end of the wand. By pushing the spring end B, the rod is pushed out and there is a space between the disc and end A of wand. This disc end acts as a pincers. When opened and placed on a silk handkerchief and then allowed to close again the handkerchief is held securely nipped and can be easily raised. Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 show the construction of this wand.
Pick up the wand and hold as in Fig. 5, the spring end B in the right hand and the left hand supporting the wand near the center or near end A. Push right palm against end B while left hand grips wand. This forces the disc at end A out a bit as in Fig. 3. Grip wand tightly with first finger and thumb of right hand so as to keep spring in place. Remove left hand. With right hand reach over with wand and nip the silk. When open disc is placed on silk and allowed to close a bit of silk is easily nipped. Move silk over to the desired spot or bring up to left hand. Silk is easily released by pushing slightly on end B again.
Practice will show how easily and how speedily a silk handkerchief can be mysteriously lifted from the table. Handkerchief is taken in left hand from wand. You can pick up silk after silk, one at a time.
In performing tricks with sponge balls it is interesting to see you reach over for a ball with tip of wand and have it adhere. Just simply press end A against the ball, opening disc and nipping ball. This can be done quite nonchalantly.
This is an effective use of the Edwards’ Magnetic Wand. Three cards freely elected by audience are returned to the deck, well shuffled, and brought out of the deck again by touching the tip of wand to the top edge of the deck.
1—A magnetic wand.
2—A deck of cards.
3—A duplicate deck of cards which is cut about a thirty-second of an inch shorter than a regular deck. These are called short cards. A short card deck can be supplied by your magic dealer.
4—A piece of cardboard 2¾ × 4¼ inches.
From the short card deck remove the following cards in order:
Place these cards on ‘‘top” of the deck, the Ace of Hearts being at the “top.”
On the “bottom” of the deck place the piece of cardboard.
Place deck with cardboard in left trousers pocket, the cardboard against the body. The Ace of Hearts is on the side away from your body.
Have the regular deck and magnetic wand on table.
Have three cards freely selected from the regular deck of cards. Give remaining cards to a spectator to shuffle thoroughly. Take back the deck and place in the left trousers pocket, back of cards towards audience. The “top” card of this packet is against the cardboard in pocket. The cardboard acts as a wall between the two decks so they can be easily separated.
“Three cards have been freely selected from a deck of cards and the remaining cards thoroughly shuffled. These shuffled cards I have placed in my pocket. Much has been said during the past few years about extrasensory perception. Let me try an experiment.”
To one of spectators who has a selected card, you say,
“You have selected a card. For instance, if you selected the Eight of Spades I could not reach into my pocket and take out another Eight of Spades. I could take out a Spade card to represent the suit, and an Eight spot of another suit. Let me try something on that order. Name the suit of your card. A Diamond?”
Reach into your pocket and count down from the top to the third card, the Three of Diamonds.
“Here is the Three of Diamonds.”
Remove the Three of Diamonds from the pocket and show to audience. To name the card before removing it from the pocket adds to the mystery.
“I have produced the suit of your card, now tell the number. Five?”
Reach into your pocket and count down to the Five of Hearts. Remember in counting that you have removed the Three of Diamonds.
“Here is the Five of Hearts.” Remove it and show.
“Pardon me. I know what the lady over there is thinking. What would have happened if an Ace had been selected. Then I would have produced an Ace. Perhaps the Ace of Hearts.
Remove Ace of Hearts and show.
“Name any number. A Queen? The Queen is quite a number.”
Reach into pocket and count down to the Jack, Queen and King and lift all three out of the deck.
“All right, how about the Queen of Clubs.” Remove all three cards from the pocket and show.
“Not only a Queen but the Jack of Diamonds and the King of Hearts to escort her.”
Remove the balance of the short card deck above the cardboard and show.
“All from a shuffled deck of cards. Now return the three cards to the deck.”
Let them be returned one at a time as deck is fanned. Cards go into different places. Push cards into deck and square the deck. Cards can be thoroughly shuffled as the regular cards are longer than the short card deck and protrude just barely enough so they can be easily located by their length.
Strike an end of deck on table so as to even cards on bottom edge causing the three selected cards to project at the top. Deck is held in left hand.
Pick up the magnetic wand from the table. The spring end B is in the right hand, against the palm of hand. Bring end A against the base of left thumb. Push with right hand so as to open disc.
Bring tip A of wand over one of the projecting selected cards and nip it by the edge. Release of spring completes the grip.
Raise the wand pulling card out of deck, Fig. 6.
“The Six of Spades. Who had the Six of Spades? You, sir? It is said that this wand has magnetic qualities.”
Remove the card from the wand and place on rear of the deck. Nip another of the cards and raise it out of the deck.
“The Five of Diamonds. That is your card, sir.” Place card on rear of deck.
“Now madam concentrate on your card.” Nip remaining selected card and pull up out of deck. “The King of Clubs.” Place card on rear of deck.
The pocket exchange of decks as described in this routine can be used in other tricks where it is necessary to switch decks in a natural way.
The original Edwards’ Magnetic Wand was nickel plated all over as in Fig. 7.
In this simple method an adhesive substance is placed on the tip of a regular wand. There is a Scotch Transparent Tape that has adhesive on both sides and can be fastened to tip of wand and cut out to fit the tip. If this adhesive end is brought against one of the long cards, the card can be easily raised.
Regular Scotch Tape or adhesive tape could be glued onto tip of wand. Or various adhesives sold by the magical stores could be used such as conjurer’s wax, adhesive levitators placed on the hands which enable objects to stick to the fingers and hands, or other adhesives being introduced from time to time.
The short deck may have to be cut a bit shorter to enable you to get enough space for a good grip with the wand tip on the edge of selected cards.
This wand was designed for comedy effects, a few of which are described, but your imagination will suggest many more.
Performer holds wand up against a spectator and apparently pushes it into his body. An end of the wand is placed in a boy’s mouth and he apparently swallows the wand. Placed up against a boy’s head, performer says he wants to see if boy’s head is solid or not. The wand apparently is pushed back and forth in the boy’s head, etc.
1—A Penetrative Wand. This consists of a regular wand with an extra nickeled tip which fits over one of the tips on the wand. This extra tip is open at both ends and can be caused to slide up and down the wand. See Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
The extra tip is covering the tip on one end of wand. Pick up wand with right hand so that this extra tip end is held in right hand. Your right side is towards the audience. The opposite end of wand is pushed up against an object and that end is covered by left hand. The right hand slides the extra tip down on the wand, the upper end of the wand being hidden by hand and wrist. The effect is that the wand is pushed directly into the object, Fig. 4.
Practice before a mirror will show the perfect deception created by this illusion. To withdraw the wand, slide the extra tip back to the end of wand and remove the left hand from the other end.
By sliding the extra tip back and forth a funny effect is produced.
This comedy test to determine a boy assistant’s capabilities will be welcomed. The magician has a good time, the boy has a good time, and the audience has a good time.
A boy is asked to come up out of the audience onto the stage and take a seat facing the audience.
“Have a chair my son. . . . I had a boy come up on the stage some time ago and he was so fat I had to give him two chairs. But I see that you watch your calories. Now in order to test your efficiency as an assistant, do you mind if I make a test to determine the hemoglobin of the hobgoblins by way of the parenthesis?”
“Oh, you do mind. Then we shall make the test. It will be mind over matter. I take it for granted that you are acquainted with Einstein and know the value of SBK 39 V 234892 divided by the square root of LT 634 X as associated with the relativity of the incoming and outgoing planatorial and equilateral influences. We will first begin with the skull to determine the relative solidarity of the bone-arium.”
Your right side is towards audience. You pick up wand and, placing it against the right side of boy’s head, apparently push it back and forth in the head. Finally remove wand.
“And now for an ear test to see whether things go in one ear and out the other.”
Apparently push wand in and out of the boy’s right ear three times. Remove the wand.
“Now open your mouth.”
Place end of wand up against boy’s open mouth and slide the movable tip down as far as possible to give the effect of pushing the wand down into the stomach. Bring the sliding tip back as though removing wand.
“I am glad to see that you do not have an epiglottis of the spasmodic pharyngeal possibilities.”
“How is your chest measure, or do you have a measure? Say ‘Ah.’ ”
Place wand up against right side of boy’s chest. Apparently push wand into his chest.
“Have you ever thought of being a human pincushion?”
Move wand to and fro, then remove it.
“But I trust, my boy, that you’ll never be sitting on pins and needles.”
You are now ready to use boy to help with whatever magic you desire.
“Card in the Egg” Wand
An effective piece of apparatus for a fine mystery.
A card is selected by a spectator from a deck of cards. The card is torn into eight pieces and one piece kept by the spectator. Performer vanishes the remaining pieces. He picks up an egg and taps it with his wand, then reaches inside the egg and removes a card which has been rolled up. Upon unrolling the card it is seen to be the same card that spectator selected a moment before. A corner is missing. Upon taking corner spectator has kept and placing it against the card, the corner fits.
1—A “Card in Egg” Wand, which is a mechanical wand so designed as to introduce a card into an unprepared egg while breaking the egg shell.
The wand is a hollow metal tube closed at one end only, Fig. 1.
There is a wooden stick or plunger inside wand tube, Fig. 2. This plunger is capable of being slid back and forth by means of a pin which projects through a slot, Fig. 3. The slot makes a right angle turn at each end into which the pin can be pushed to temporarily lock. The pin has a head so as to be easily controlled. When the pin is in lower slot D, the plunger is in position as shown in Fig. 2. When the pin is in upper slot C the end of the plunger is flush with the end A of wand. The end of plunger has a nickeled metal head to match the nickeled tip of the wand.
There is enough space in end A of wand when pin is in D slot to insert a folded card whose length is two and a half inches. There should be an eighth of an inch allowance for card to be pushed down a bit from the end, Fig. 5.
Now if you will push the pin forward with thumb the card
is easily forced out of the wand, Fig. 6.
The “Card in Egg” wand can be purchased from a dealer in magical apparatus.
Note: Russell Walsh adapted this same wand principle to a fountain pen which also is a handy piece of apparatus.
2—A deck of cards, plus a duplicate of the card to be forced.
3—An egg. Also a plate or a glass goblet.
4—Apparatus to vanish pieces of a torn card. There are a variety of ways to vanish these pieces. In Lesson 14 (Volume 1) the torn card handkerchief method is described. This handkerchief has pieces of a torn card sewed in a pocket at one corner of handkerchief. In placing the torn pieces of selected card into center of handkerchief, these pieces are palmed and the pieces in the corner of handkerchief are substituted. Spectator, thinking he is holding original torn pieces, is in reality holding those sewed in handkerchief.
Another method is the double paper square as described in the “Double Paper Mysteries” lesson in this volume.
5—Handkerchief or small towel.
Let us say that the card to be forced is the Ten of Hearts. Place the Ten of Hearts on top of the deck in readiness to be forced.
A square corner is torn off the duplicate Ten of Hearts and placed in the right trousers pocket. The card, minus the corner, is rolled up and inserted in the end of the “Card in Egg” wand which is then placed on your table.
The egg is placed on a plate, or in a glass goblet, so as to be in full view of the audience.
Force the Ten of Hearts on a spectator.
“Tear the card in half, place the two pieces together and tear again. Put these pieces together and tear again.”
Spectator tears card into eight pieces. As he does this you casually stand with your right hand in right trousers pocket and finger palm the torn corner. Remove hand with corner of card. Place deck in pocket.
“Give me the torn pieces.”
Take the torn pieces in you left hand. With right hand start sorting the pieces leaving the palmed torn piece on top.
“Here is a corner of the card.” Hold up the palmed corner.
“The Ten of Hearts, I believe, is your card. I will have you keep a corner as a souvenir.”
Give the corner to the spectator who selected the card. Vanish the remaining pieces of torn card.
With the left hand pick up the egg from the plate on the table. Pick up the wand in the right hand in such a way that right thumb rests on the pin and the card end is away from body but not turned towards the audience.
Tap the end of the egg with wand as in Fig. 7, breaking the shell and allowing tip of wand to be slightly inserted into egg. Push the pin forward with thumb which forces the card out of the wand into the egg. Remove the wand and place it under left arm, or on table. This requires but a moment’s time and should be as natural as though you just tapped the egg with tip of wand in order to easily break the shell. The forcing of the card into the egg takes but a second.
Reach into the egg and remove the card, Fig. 8. Place egg aside on plate or back in the goblet. Unfold the card.
“Strange what will happen if there is an egg around. The Ten of Hearts. I believe this is your card, sir. But a corner is missing. Let me have the corner you are holding. . . . It just fits. It’s egg-stra-ordinary!”
Place the card and corner aside on plate or in goblet and wipe your hands on a handkerchief or small towel.
Note: If desired, you could have three or four eggs on a plate and let a spectator select one and hold it, even before you have a card selected by another spectator.
This principle has been adapted to numerous magical effects both large and small.
A finger ring is placed upon a wand. It mysteriously rises and falls at performer’s will. When the wand is brought to an approximately horizontal position the ring travels back and forth along the wand.
1—A “Ring Rising” Wand. This consists of a regular black wand with nickeled tips, and a special extra tip which fits fairly snugly over one of the tips on the wand, Figs. 1 and 2.
In the end of the special tip is a hole through which a fine black silk thread is threaded and a knot made on the end of thread on the inside, Fig. 1.
Fig. 2 shows a cross section of the extra tip, with thread, placed on the wand.
2—A finger ring. A wedding ring type is best.
With the tip threaded as in Fig. 1, attach the other end of thread to the rear of your table, or over the table top to a leg underneath, or to some object on table. The length of the thread will have to be determined by test. You should be able to hold the wand, with extra tip attached, in front of the table.
If you are using wand for something else beforehand have the extra tip on table behind a silk or some object. Or, you may carry the tip and part of the thread in your vest pocket, the other end of the thread being attached to your top vest button.
You can borrow a ring or use one of your own. A wedding ring such as is sold in the ten cent store is all right.
Secretly place the extra tip on the end of wand, Fig. 2. Hold the bottom of wand with right hand and slip the ring over the extra tip (and thread) on wand so the ring will drop down on the hand. Just as though a ring were just dropped on an unprepared wand.
“It is said in the Temples of Bengal that strange properties are given to a wedding ring and it becomes almost endowed with understanding and life, just as this ring placed upon my wand begins to creep upwards defying the laws of gravity.”
By moving the wand slightly forwards the tension of the thread pulls the ring upwards, Fig. 3. If the ring does not rise easily while the wand is held vertically, tilt it a bit as in Fig. 4.
“Or it may go down again, come to a stop—and then go up again.”
Movements of your right hand control the actions of the ring. This can be continued a few times then the ring is allowed to creep up wand until it falls off the top. You catch the ring in your left hand, and if borrowed. return it to owner.
“If it were not your ring I could hardly believe it.”
In this case the wand is held almost horizontal as in Fig. 5. A hand is on each end of the wand. The right end is slightly higher than the left end. Ring slides back and forth stopping or starting on command.
When the ring is in position as in Fig. 6, the right end of wand is tipped enough to allow the ring to travel down the wand by its own weight.
The ring on wand can be used for fortune telling effects, telling a person’s age, answering questions, etc.
This is a novel opening experiment, or can be used for a comedy touch during a program, if desired.
Performer shows a small wand not much larger than a match. He says that this is too small for his purpose so causes it to enlarge to a wand about five inches long and a half inch in thickness. This then increases in size to a foot in length and an inch thick. This large wand has enough “power” to aid in the mystery that is to be performed.
1—A small wand about the size of a match but thicker, Fig. 1.
2—A wand five inches long and a half inch thick, Fig. 2.
3—A wand 12 inches long and one inch thick, Fig. 3.
Wands Nos. 2 and 3 are each hollowed out and open at one end so that No. 1 slips into No. 2, and No. 2 slips into No. 3. In other words, when nested, they appear to be a single wand.
The large No. 3 wand, open end upwards, is inserted under left side of coat with lower end of wand in the left vest pocket.
Wand No. 2 is palmed in left hand, Fig. 4.
Wand No. 1 can be on table or in right-hand pocket.
“Many people wonder where a magician gets his magic power. The wand is important.”
Pick up small wand and show it in right hand.
“But the importance is in not only having a wand, but in having one big enough to have enough power. This size is for little tricks.”
Secretly push the small wand into No. 2 held in left hand. Open left hand and show the larger wand. The wand has apparently grown in size.
“But this size is better for larger mysteries.”
As you show wand No. 2 in right hand the left hand grasps left lapel of coat. The fingers underneath grasp the large wand and move it to the edge of coat, Fig. 5. Left hand, holding end of large wand, moves down to position as shown in Fig. 6.
“Of course if there is a super-mystery . . . one needs a super-wand!”
Push wand No. 2 into the opening in the end of the large wand. Then pull out the large wand from left hand, Fig. 7, and hold it in your right hand.
This is an interesting routine for the vanish and appearance of a magician’s wand.
Magician wraps his wand in a sheet of paper and gives to spectator to hold. Upon tearing the paper, wand is found to have vanished, and is finally discovered hanging on the spectator’s back.
1—A Petrie-Lewis Vanishing Wand, consisting of paper shell and two wooden plugs.
2—A regular wand to match.
3—A metal clip to which is soldered a pin. This clip snaps on wand and is easy to remove, Fig. 1.
4—A sheet of paper. This square of paper should be large enough to hide wand behind and also large enough when wand is wrapped that ends can be twisted.
Paper is on table with P-L Vanishing Wand underneath rear edge so it can be easily lifted as in Fig. 2. Solid wand is also on table.
Pick up regular wand and have a man from audience come up on stage. Have him stand at your right side. Hold up wand to him with your left hand but your hand covers the clip. Have spectator feel of wand without exposing the clip.
“Do you mind, sir, if I test your senses? Touch this, sir. Your sense of feeling tells you it is a magic wand. If I rap it on the table there is no doubt about it.”
Rap wand on table with right hand. Pick up paper on table with left hand, the hand on rear edge of paper also picks up Vanishing Wand concealed underneath it, Fig. 2. Take care that man standing near you does not see this concealed wand.
Bring regular wand behind paper as though to wrap it up. But in reality, behind cover of paper, you bring wand down behind you and hook wand on your coat by means of the pin on clip, Fig. 3. Bring right hand immediately up to other wand behind paper. Turn paper around showing the wand. Come up to man assisting, as you say, “Now, sir, if I were to wrap this wand in paper would that interfere with your sense of feeling?”
As you talk to him, under cover of paper held in front, slip wand from behind your coat to his back, Fig. 4. Hook it onto his coat. Bring right hand up behind paper, and wrap wand in it, Fig. 5. Twist ends as in Fig. 6.
“Hold this end of the wand with your right hand and this end with your left. Your feelings tell you that there is no doubt but what you are holding a wand, for you can feel it through the paper. And yet” ..... (Tear paper into two pieces and then into four.) “I have a feeling that the wand has gone a stealing! Turn away from the audience a moment.”
Man turns his back to audience revealing the wand hanging on his coat. “But alas! Alack! The wand’s come back!”
Years ago I remember Herr Jansen (Dante) folding up a piece of paper into a cone, or cornucopia, placing a borrowed handkerchief in it, and upon unwrapping the paper, the handkerchief had vanished. With the magicians of days gone by this style of vanish was understood, but today I find too few magical performers versed in the proper construction and technique with double paper cones.
So I am presenting effective methods which you should study carefully. The beauty lies not only in the easily obtained clean-cut mystery but methods that are inexpensive to make.
When Dante came back from Europe to America he still performed with the paper cone. Three candles were taken from a holder on the table and wrapped in tissue paper. Three different colored silks were placed in the paper cone only to vanish therefrom, the paper being unrolled and shown both sides. Upon the tissue paper being torn in half the three silks were discovered inside. This mystery was done in pantomime with well chosen musical accompaniment. I could see Dante do this effect dozens of times with pleasure. The timing, and little touches, are a joy to watch.
A square sheet of paper is shown both sides and folded up into a cone. A handkerchief is placed inside, and the top of cone folded over. Upon opening the paper the handkerchief has vanished. Paper is shown freely on both sides.
To construct this double paper cone you can use newspaper, manila wrapping paper, or colored book cover paper. I prefer the latter. Your printer can fix you up, or some good paper house can supply you. You need a fairly good weight paper. Size of paper will vary with the needs.
I suggest a square from 14 to 15 inches in size. You will need two squares the same size. Place these two squares evenly together and fold diagonally so that corner A comes on corner B, Fig. 1. Make a crease along diagonal line DC. Open paper again and then fold corner A over within a quarter of an inch from line DC, Fig. 2. This folding is done so as to make it easier to paste properly.
With rubber cement or a non-wrinkling paste, the two papers must be pasted together as in Fig. 1. The white space in illustration represents the pasted areas and the gray area is the open, unpasted area. The gray area becomes a pocket which is open at the top.
When thoroughly dry fold corner A over towards line DC, Fig. 2. Then fold corner G over towards B. B in turn is folded back over G, Fig. 3. This makes a flat paper cone. Open up the top and you will find two compartments with a wall of paper between the two. Let H represent this wall, Fig. 4. By pushing H to right you can easily insert fingers and open cone as in Fig. 5, with E compartment open. Anything going into this compartment goes between the two pasted sheets of paper. If H is pushed to left, compartment F is open.
Flatten paper cone and fold down corner C, Fig. 6. By folding corner C over in this manner you can naturally and indetectably have paper come back to position as in Fig. 3 so that either compartment can be opened.
Paper is folded and lying on table. Pick up and hold as in Fig. 7, corner C towards the audience. Your right side is towards audience and you hold paper at left.
Open paper, Fig. 8. The opening is at the top and away from audience. Bring right hand up and left hand down and show opposite side of paper, Fig. 9. Always keep opening away from the audience. Fold paper again, but leave corner C upright, Fig. 3.
Insert thumb into compartment E. (Opening is towards you during this action.) Open up compartment. Place silk handkerchief or handkerchiefs in compartment E, Fig. 10. Push way down into cone. Fold over corner C, Fig. 7. Open paper as in Fig. 8 and show that the handkerchiefs have vanished. Show opposite side of paper, Fig. 9. Fold up paper again and put aside.
The double paper cone can be used to produce one, two or three silks.
This is a modification of Ralph Read’s “Ghostly Silk” designed for comedy.
Performer shows a square of paper which he folds into a cone. Into this he drops a silk handkerchief which he says will disappear. He makes a sudden motion into his pocket with the silk and brings out hand empty. Audience knows that performer has slipped the handkerchief into his pocket. However, he turns pocket inside out and shows it contains no handkerchief. He then casually reaches into the cone and removes the silk. He pushes silk back into paper again and while trying to misdirect audience holds cone far out with outstretched arm to the right near the wings of the stage. A hand reaches out and reaching into cone jerks the handkerchief backstage.
Performer reaches into the cone and removes the handkerchief showing it has not gone.
This time he again places silk in the cone and upon opening paper shows it has vanished. Silk is produced from a formerly empty glass tumbler on the table.
1—A double paper cone for vanishing handkerchief. Suggest a bright colored one in contrast to white silk.
2—Four white silk handkerchiefs of the same size. A 13 or 15-inch silk answers the purpose.
3—A glass tumbler, with a transparent celluloid insert, and a cover, Fig. 1.
The celluloid insert fits within the glass and yet is loose enough to easily slip in and out. Into this insert, a silk handkerchief is placed. On top of the first one, another silk handkerchief is placed. Cover fits over glass and insert, Fig. 2.
By reaching into the top of the cover with first two fingers inside and thumb outside, it is easy to pick up insert and carry it away with the cover, Fig. 3. By putting cover over glass again, the insert goes back into glass. When insert is in the glass it is invisible to audience as it is clear and blends into the glass itself. Magic dealers can supply this equipment.
Have two silk handkerchiefs in the celluloid insert which is in the glass and covered by the cover.
Two silks, one on top of the other, are in the inner pocket of the double paper cone (Compartment E). Cone, so prepared, lies on table.
“This is a story of a ghost. This is a haunted house.”
Lift up cover together with insert inside and show glass empty by picking glass up and replacing.
“Ghosts who live in glass houses should dress in the light—they might be seen in the dark.”
Place the cover back over the glass so that insert comes back into glass.
Pick up the paper cone and open it. Pocket opening is held away from audience. Show both sides of paper.
“Did you ever try to catch a ghost, or to wrap one up in a piece of paper?” Fold paper back to flat cone.
Look over into the top of the cover. Open your eyes wide. Reach into top of cover and remove the upper silk handkerchief. Be careful that insert does not pull up. You can put cone under arm and hold insert in place with left forefinger as right hand reaches in and draws out a white silk.
“A ghost.”
Holding the ghostly silk in one hand, use the other hand to lift up cover together with insert and one handkerchief inside so as to show glass empty. Cover does not have to clear the glass. Replace.
Hold cone in left hand so that secret pocket (Compartment E) is open. The visible silk is in right hand.
“This is a ghostly silk. Where it comes from nobody knows and where it goes to nobody knows.”
Place the silk into the cone and suddenly take it out and put into the right hand trousers pocket so the whole audience can see it go into the pocket. Quickly putting it into the pocket gives the audience notice that you are trying to get rid of the handkerchief.
Bring the right hand back to the paper cone and start to fold over the top. By this time there is a commotion in the audience about putting the silk into your pocket.
“You say I put the handkerchief in my pocket?”
Take the cone in right hand and with left hand reach into left pocket and show it empty. Put pocket back in place.
“Nothing in my pocket.”
By this time people are saying, “The other pocket.”
Turn with your back to the audience and take out left pocket again.
“Nothing in this other pocket.”
Finally transfer the cone back to left hand and with right hand reach into right pocket, push silk into upper inner corner of pocket and turn the pocket out and show empty.
“And nothing in this pocket. As I was saying, I put a ghost in this paper.”
Reach into the inner pocket of cone and take out one of the white silks. Replace in cone.
Edge over towards right side of stage with cone in right hand and held away from body with opening of cone towards the right wings.
“Now I want you to notice my left hand.”
Make movements with left hand held away from body at left side as the right arm reaches out as far as possible allowing opening of cone to come within a couple of feet of the wings. A stage hand or assistant reaches out from behind wing and, reaching into the cone, draws silk out and pulls it back of wing out of sight. Gradually come nearer center of stage again, moving left hand and bringing the cone in front of the body.
The audience has seen the handkerchief taken from cone and starts a commotion again. Look at them.
“Pardon me.” (Reach into cone and remove the silk from inner pocket.) “No it hasn’t gone yet.”
Replace the silk in the inner pocket of cone and fold down the corner.
“Would you really like to see a ghost disappear?”
Open up the paper and show that silk has vanished. Follow the technique of exhibiting and handling the cone as described in the preceding effect, “Superba Paper Cone.” Fold paper and put on table.
“But this ghost didn’t really disappear.”
Lift up the cover and place on table revealing the silk in the glass.
“It’s back in its haunted house.”
In case it is impractical to have someone back stage to reach into cone and remove silk, another idea is to have a black silk cord elastic stretched out from wings and held to the table by a clip tied on end of elastic.
At desired time unhook the clip from table and attach to handkerchief in cone. Let loose and silk flies back into wings. This is good for a comedian.
Another method is to have an elastic arranged as a pull, attached to left side of trousers with a safety pin and running around the back, under coat and out at right through a small ring, sewed to trousers just behind and above right trousers pocket. To end of elastic is tied a clip. When silk is placed in cone reach under coat and get clip and clip it onto handkerchief. Let it fly back under coat so audience can see it go.
This is an interesting variation using a double paper cone.
Performer shows a square of paper on both sides and folds into a cone. He shows some rice in a dish. He reaches in and drops a handful into the paper cone. Upon shaking cone, the puffed rice bounces out and is poured out in a glass dish or on a plate.
1—A double paper cone.
2—Package of puffed rice.
3—A glass dish of uncooked rice.
4—A tray or dish in which to pour the puffed rice.
Put as much puffed rice in the inner pocket of cone as it will comfortably hold without bulge in paper being noticeable. Puffed rice should be spread out. Place folded paper on table, opening away from audience, or the corner can be folded back. Dish of uncooked rice is on table.
Pick up paper cone and unfold, showing it on both sides and making it into a cone.
Open up inner pocket. Reach into dish and take up handful of rice. Open hand and allow it to go back into the dish to show that it is raw rice. Pick up a small handful and drop it into cone on top of the puffed rice.
Shake cone, Fig. 1, allowing the puffed rice to come out gradually onto tray or plate. The small grains of raw rice will filter down through the puffed rice so the latter will pour out first. Should a few grains of the raw rice come out with the puffed rice, they will not be noticed, but even if seen, they will pass as having failed to puff. This shaking motion can be done as though rice were really puffing. Cone can be hit on palm of left hand to shake out a bunch of puffed rice.
After all of the rice has been poured out, open paper and show both sides.
This may be varied by popping corn in paper cone. Popped corn should not be buttered or salted. Just plain popped corn.
I designed this type of paper cone some time ago so as to have two compartments hidden in cone for vanishes, productions, color changes, changing of articles, and mysteries where double space was necessary.
Take two squares of newspaper, manila wrapping paper, or a not too heavy book cover paper, about 14 or 15 inches square, and paste together with rubber cement or a non-wrinkling paste, Fig. 1. The white area shows parts that are pasted together. The gray area shows the pocket space. Be sure there is a pasted line between DC so as to separate the two pockets.
Fold over corner A within a quarter of an inch of diagonal line DC, Fig. 2. Fold corner G over on to pocket H, and then fold corner B back over G, Fig. 3. Fold corner C down over B.
Fig. 4 shows paper cone opened up with its compartments.
The actions of handling are similar to the regular double paper cone already described. Be sure the openings of pockets are away from the audience.
The double pocket space allows for the vanish of more handkerchiefs because of double distribution.
Both pockets can be loaded for production.
Let us say you want to change three white silks into three red ones, or assorted colors. Place the three colored silks in pocket H. Paper is shown both sides, then folded up, pocket E opened and the three white silks placed into that pocket. Fold over the top of cone, open again and remove the colored silks from pocket H. Open the paper and show both sides.
Have spectators tie knots in the center of three silk handkerchiefs. Drop these into pocket E one at a time, fold top of cone over then open again and remove duplicate unknotted silks from pocket H.
By using two Two-Way Paper Cones you can easily do the Sympathetic Silks in which knots tied between three silks pass to unknotted silks in the other paper cone, and vice versa.
Place a white pocket handkerchief in pocket H of paper cone. Show paper both sides and fold into the cone. Borrow a handkerchief as near as possible like the one you have concealed. Place spectator’s handkerchief in pocket E, and seemingly take it out again. In reality you remove the duplicate handkerchief from pocket H.
Cut the center out of this handkerchief with the scissors, leaving a large hole, Figs. 5–6.
“I just happened to think of a new style in connection with handkerchiefs. This is particularly fitting to ladies who have trouble in carrying handkerchiefs around. Now with a handkerchief of this type you can wear it on your arm.”
Put hand through hole and let handkerchief rest on your arm near the elbow, then remove it.
“Looks quite modern. Of course if the hole were made bigger . . . .” (Cut hole larger, Fig. 7). “You could put your head through it and wear it as a neck piece.”
Put head through the hole and let rest on your shoulders, then remove it. “I am afraid the gentleman does not think much of my ability as a designer particularly with his handkerchief.”
Put the handkerchief and pieces into pocket H. Fold corner C over cone. Open again and, opening pocket E, remove the handkerchief, now fully restored.
“But all’s well that ends well.”
Variation: An extra strip of white cloth about three inches wide and six feet long could be rolled up zig-zag into a flat parcel and also secreted in pocket H. After the pieces have been returned to pocket H, say magic words of some kind and, when the cloth is removed, the handkerchief appears to have become one long strip. Return the strip and take out restored handkerchief from pocket E.
Cut and restored effects offer some interesting combinations for the magician with imagination.
Instead of a handkerchief a square of tissue can be used and torn up into various pieces, and changed to various shapes and finally restored.
If two pieces of tissue, contrasting in color, were used, these could be torn up and restored with various things such as rabbits, doves, etc., on the other sheet, and finally brought back to normal.
Tissue paper can be turned into confetti, or long tissue chains, or spring flowers.
Spring flowers that fold flat and spring open, being made of tissue paper with silk leaves, can be purchased from your magic dealer. Torn tissue paper into spring flowers is very pretty. The flowers can fall into a dish, or on the table.
This novel effect consists in dropping a dozen or so playing cards into the cone, followed by a strip of brightly colored ribbon about three quarters of an inch wide and four feet long. Upon pulling out the ribbon the cards are found to be all threaded upon the ribbon, Fig. 8.
Beforehand thread a dozen or so duplicate cards on a ribbon and secrete in compartment H. Show a number of playing cards, dropping them streamline fashion into the cone pocket E. Add the strip of ribbon. All that remains to do is to pull out the threaded combination in pocket H. Show the paper both sides.
These paper rings should be about one-half inch wide and eight inches in diameter, Fig. 9. They should be of various colors for contrast. Have six separate rings and six duplicate ones linked together, Fig. 10.
The linked rings are concealed in pocket H. Place in pocket so that when the end ring is pulled up, the chain follows in order.
Show paper both sides. Fold into a cone. Drop the single rings in pocket E one at a time in the color order of the linked ones.
Remove the chain and show the paper both sides again.
Three silks, red, white, and blue, respectively, can be changed into an American flag.
The effect of tying two silks together and having a vanished third one come between the two has been popular in various forms and methods for some years.
The string of three silks, tied by diagonal corners, is in pocket H. Pick up two silks, duplicates of the end silks of the string in H. Tie these two together at diagonal corners and place into pocket E. Fold corner C.
Vanish the third silk. Open the cone and whip out the three silks tied together.
Another pretty effect is the reverse of the preceding one. Have two white silks with a brightly colored silk tied in between, placed into cone. A duplicate colored silk is produced from some place. Two duplicate white silks, tied by diagonal corners, are removed, and paper shown empty.
This simple method can be used as a vanish or production. Made up in rather small size, say six inches square, it is valuable in vanishing a card that has been torn into a number of pieces.
Cut out a piece of newspaper in the shape of Fig. 1. Put a line of non-wrinkling paste along the edge DE and fold the triangle of paper along DB into position as in Fig. 2. Press down the pasted edge to form the pocket.
When dry, fold B over on line DE, Fig. 3. Fold over corner A as in Fig. 4. Open up pocket H. It is into this pocket that torn pieces of cards or other articles are dropped.
Take care to keep opening EB away from the audience. Paper can be lying on table folded or unfolded. When paper is folded and the pocket H is opened, Fig. 5, it is easy to vanish torn pieces of card or other similar articles.
This is designed to vanish easily one or a few playing cards.
Paste together two eight-inch squares of newspaper with rubber cement or a non-wrinkling paste, Fig. 1. To make pasting easier first fold both papers across one way and then across the other way. This divides it into four areas. All squares are covered with paste with exception of one at upper left side—gray area in illustration. Left side only of that square is pasted along the edge to form a pocket with opening at top.
When dry, fold CB up against AD, Fig. 2. Then fold again, Fig. 3. Open again. This folding is done so as to make proper creases for quick folding.
A slot about an eighth of an inch is cut out of the front paper at opening of pocket. This is so that the rear paper can be pulled back easily in opening the pocket.
Unfold the paper with opening at top as in Fig. 1. Show paper both sides. Fold paper again as in Fig. 3.
Bring playing card or cards up to opening of paper and by pushing back the rear paper a trifle, the pocket easily opens. Slotted paper in front allows this. Drop card or cards into the pocket.
Open paper and show that cards have vanished. Show paper both sides.
This is a mysterious method of vanishing or producing a half dollar or other coin.
Cut out a piece of newspaper (use the news column) 5¼ × 7 inches,
Fig. 1. Fold up lower quarter of paper at line CB which makes a square piece of paper.
Fold in thirds both ways so as to get creases, Fig. 2. With some rubber cement or non-wrinkling paste fasten the lower left-hand and right-hand squares to paper proper. This makes a square pocket with opening at the top. A half dollar will easily slip into this pocket.
To get proper creases for quick folding, fold paper as in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Open again.
Open paper and freely show both sides. Hold paper in left hand as in Fig. 6. The slot side is away from audience. Show half dollar in right hand and bring it to center of paper, really slipping it into the pocket, Fig. 6. Coin being behind paper, audience cannot see this move. When coin is hidden in pocket, fold left side over, and then the right side and other sides as in Fig. 5.
The coin has apparently vanished when you open paper again in position of Fig. 2. Opening of pocket is upright. Freely show both sides of the paper.
Coin is in the secret pocket. Paper is shown both sides. Left hand grasps pocket and holds with opening down. Hand also presses enough on coin to keep it from slipping out of pocket.
Right hand comes up and, with thumb underneath opening of pocket, allows the coin to gradually slide out to center of paper, Fig. 7. Paper is now folded over the coin. When paper is opened the coin is found inside.
If desired you can use two papers. A coin that disappears from one apparently appears in the other. This, of course, requires two half dollars.
In this method of coin vanish the performer has control of the coin as it leaves the paper and can be reproduced elsewhere. This method is for performers who like clean-cut movements.
A 5¼-inch square of paper is used. Fold it into thirds each way. Cut out another piece of paper 1¾ × 5¼ inches, and fold this in thirds. Put non-wrinkling paste on outer left and right thirds and paste to the square of paper, Fig. 1. This leaves an open slot, open at both ends, in the center of the lower third. A coin placed in one end would slide through. This is the rear of the paper.
Turn paper over and on front paper cut out a slot in lower opening as in Fig. 2. This is done so that if the edge of a coin were pushed against rear paper the paper cut away would allow pocket to open easily.
Bring the bottom third of paper up as in Fig. 3. Fold as in Figs. 4 and 5. Open again as proper creases have been made.
Show paper freely in left hand and half dollar in the right. Bring bottom third of paper up as in Fig. 6. Show coin and place in center, really pushing edge via slot up against paper, thus opening the pocket and sliding coin into the pocket where it is held in place by the left hand. To all appearances the audience sees you just place the coin in center of paper. Fig. 6 is view as audience sees it.
Fold top third of paper down and, the other edges over, Fig. 5.
Transfer the paper to the right hand and hold by fingers and thumb. Take hold of upper part of paper with left hand allowing coin to slide out into right hand, Fig. 7.
You can tear the paper to pieces, burn, or just open and show both sides freely.
Here is a trick employing the “Modern Coin Vanishing Paper” described in the preceding page.
A half dollar is borrowed and marked. It is wrapped in a five-inch square of paper and placed in a saucer. The saucer in turn is placed on top of a glass tumbler. The paper is lighted and, as paper burns, the half dollar is seen to visibly fall through the saucer into the glass. It is the same coin and is given back to the spectator for identification.
2—Small pellet of conjurer’s wax.
3—A saucer.
4—A glass tumbler.
5—A small box of matches.
Place a small pellet of wax, that has been “worked soft,” on the bottom of the saucer at center, Fig. 1. Saucer should have a high enough ridge around the bottom so that a small pellet of wax will not stick to the table when the saucer rests thereon.
Tumbler, paper and matches are near-by.
Borrow a half dollar and have it marked for future identification.
“One evening at a dinner party I accidentally tipped over a tea cup and spilled tea upon the table cloth. I explained to the guests that the tea on the table was not just the result of a turned over tea cup but that owing to the heat of the tea, the cup leaked. China is quite porous, as can be proven under the microscope. Naturally such a story was hard to believe by unscientific minds, so I had to prove that what I said was true. So I borrowed a half dollar, had it marked, and wrapped it in a small piece of paper.”
Wrap half dollar in the square of paper and secretly let coin slip out into the right hand.
“I placed the folded piece of paper with coin inside, on a saucer.”
Pick up saucer with left hand and show top of saucer to audience, so there is no doubt but what the saucer is just a saucer. Place paper onto saucer leaving coin in right hand. Right hand comes up under bottom of saucer, Fig. 2, bringing coin up against pellet of wax to which the coin adheres on the bottom of the saucer.
“Then placed the saucer on top of a glass tumbler.”
Pick up tumbler with left hand, show freely and place it back on the table. Place the saucer on top of the tumbler taking care not to expose half dollar adhering to bottom of the saucer, Fig. 3. Get one of the matches and ignite the paper.
“And ignited the paper so as to create heat and expand the molecules in the china. Then, lo and behold!”
Heat of burning paper melts the wax, causing the half dollar to fall into the glass, Fig. 4.
“The half dollar fell right through the saucer and into the glass.”
Remove saucer and set aside. Pick up glass with right hand and tilt so as the coin slides into your waiting left fingers which secretly remove any wax that may be on coin. Give spectator his half dollar.
“It is your coin, is it not? The mark is correct. Thank you. Now the lesson we should all learn is, ‘Never doubt a magician.’ ”
This Course in Magic would not be complete unless you were taught the famous Miser’s Dream effect. It was a very popular number with the late T. Nelson Downs in his Coin Act. The experiment is very interesting for it permits of many variations. The money can be picked out of the air, from various parts of the performer’s body, from the whiskers of some spectator, from a lady’s coat, or it may be caused to fall in a shower when someone sneezes.
The other effects in the lesson also offer good opportunity for manipulative sleights with coins in vanishing and producing them. I teach you the general principles and I want you to work them out to fit various occasions. In tricks where there is repetition, you must vary the means of producing coins so that you do not lose the punch of the experiment. You must add spice to the effect and keep your audience interested.
Performer borrows a derby hat from a spectator and shows it empty. Then he reaches into the air and produces a half dollar, which he tosses into the hat. From then on, in an amazing manner he produces coins from here, there, and everywhere. The supply seems to be endless and the audience is bewildered by the mysterious happenings.
1—Two dozen Palming Coins.
2—Three black safety pins from 1⅞ to 2 inches long. (If desired special coin holders may be used such as supplied by magic dealers.)
3—A borrowed derby hat. A derby is preferred because it is stiff and the coins make a noise when they are dropped into it. In case of necessity, use a soft felt hat, although the experiment is not so effective when it is used. Sometimes a performer carries his own derby hat for the experiment.
A saucer or small plate placed in hat acts as a noise maker when coins are dropped into hat.
Place nine coins in your empty left trousers pocket.
Inside the right side of your coat about an inch and three-quarters from the bottom, fasten one of the black safety pins. About one-half inch back of it, attach the second pin, and one-half inch back of that, the third one, Fig. 1.
Close each pin and into each place five coins. The wire on each side has enough spring to hold the coins securely. You may have to pull the wires apart or push them together a little to adjust them to the coins, but this is an easy matter. Allow a larger section of the coins to extend above the pins and a smaller section below the pins. This is done to make it easier to release the coins when you need them, Fig. 2.
Borrow a derby hat. Hold it in right hand, and as you go back to stage, secretly reach into left trousers pocket with left hand. Stack the nine coins and bring them out Finger Palmed—the coins rest at base of fingers and are held in place by tips of second and third fingers. Remove hand from pocket. Be sure that fingers conceal coins, Fig. 3.
As you turn to face audience (right turn), transfer the hat from right to left hand. Grasp hat with thumb and index finger of left hand, Fig. 4.
This position gives you a good grip on hat and completely conceals the coins so the hat may be shown from all sides, Fig. 5.
“Deep down in our hearts there seems to be the desire to make money fast. Almost anyone would rather like to wake up in the morning and find himself a millionaire. I have learned, however, that the only safe way to make money fast is the magical way. You see there is plenty of money around, but the trick is to get it. Are you aware of the fact that the air is full of money and that it lurks in the most unexpected places? Now all that a magician needs to make money is his empty right hand.”
With hand pointing downward, show right hand on both sides, fingers wide apart.
“And he uses a hat to hold the money in.”
Show hat empty, even examining it under the hat band. Hold hat up in left hand with opening towards you. Grasp other edge of brim with right hand, Figs. 6 and 7.
Remove left hand from hat and bring the hat over to the right hand. Turn the hat with right hand, Fig. 8.
Grasp the hat just above the right hand with fingers of left hand inside the hat and thumb outside. Remove right hand from brim of hat, Figs. 9 and 10.
As you bring left hand into position, let the coins arrange themselves along the inside band of the hat and hold them in place with your finger tips. Fig. 11 shows how coins are concealed by fingers of left hand inside the opening of the hat. Nothing is visible to the audience. Fig. 12 shows how coins are arranged along the band of the hat under the fingers.
Fig. 13 shows a detailed view of the arrangement of the coins. They are spread a little apart and overlap each other. The one on top is nearest the finger tips.
Push the top coin forward a little with fingers so that it is ready to be released. It is now easy for you to allow this coin to fall into the hat at the desired moment, Fig. 14.
With right side of body towards the audience, reach into the air with empty right hand and pretend to pick a coin from nowhere. Close hand as though it holds a coin, then open it slowly and show empty hand as though coin had gone again. Reach up again and take an imaginary coin from the air, Fig. 15.
Toss this imaginary coin into the hat. As right hand is over the hat, release the top coin under your left fingers and let it drop into the hat. The illusion is perfect. The audience hears the coin fall and it appears that you actually threw a coin into the hat with your right hand, Fig. 16.
“There’s one coin.”
Reach into hat and take out coin. Hold it in Finger Clip position and show it to audience on both sides, Fig. 17.
Now apparently toss coin back into hat again, but as right hand travels toward hat, Front Thumb Palm the coin, Figs. 18 and 19.
Continue the movement of right hand to hat as though throwing coin in, Fig. 16.
At the same instant allow another coin to drop from left fingers into hat. Be sure to time the dropping of the coin from left fingers properly with the action of the right hand in pretending to toss the coin into the hat.
“And another over here.”
Reach up into the air again at another point and pretend to catch another coin from the air. This time you show the coin. You produce it by forcing out the coin which you have Thumb Palmed to your finger tips and hold it in the Production Clip position. The movement of your hand in reaching up for a coin will cover the movement of producing the coin, Figs. 20 and 21.
Finger Clip the coin and pretend to throw it into the hat. In reality, Thumb Palm the coin again and at the right instant let another coin drop from left fingers into the hat.
“I’m beginning to see lots of coins.”
Produce the next coin from under right knee. Pretend to throw it into the hat, but palm it and drop a fourth coin from left hand.
Now produce a coin from behind your left elbow. Raise hat with left hand and hold right hand with coin Finger Clipped under crown of hat. Fig. 22 shows position of hands.
Now pretend to throw coin right through the bottom of the hat. As hand goes up to hat, Thumb Palm the coin again and let a fifth coin drop from left hand into hat, Fig. 23.
“That one went right through.”
Pretend to pick a coin from the air again, producing coin in Production Clip position from right hand. Pretend to throw it high into the air; in the meantime, palm it again. Hold left arm outstretched. Follow the imaginary coin with your eyes—look upward as though watching it go up and then down to the hat. Pretend to catch it in hat, and at the right instant drop a sixth coin from left hand into hat. Make this as real as possible. Remember that pantomime is very important in illusion.
Reach out for another coin and pretend to drop it into hat, allowing a seventh coin to fall from left hand. Then repeat again and let an eighth coin fall from left hand.
You now have one coin remaining in your left hand and one coin palmed in your right hand.
“This is called, easy come, easy go.”
Reach into the air for a coin again, and this time really drop the coin from right hand into hat.
Reach into the air again and pretend to grab a coin in the right hand. Now turn body to the right so that left side is towards audience. Pretend to throw imaginary coin in right hand high up into the air. Follow it with your eyes.
Allow right hand to fall at your side. Curl your fingers up under your coat and release the five coins in the front safety pin. Now pretend to catch coin from the air in the hat and release the last coin from left fingers.
Keep the opening of hat slightly turned from audience so that they can not see the coin fall from left hand. Fig. 24 shows side of hat towards the audience.
To learn how to get coins from the safety pin easily, study the diagrams in Figs. 25 and 26 carefully. Let top edge A of coins come downward.
This brings edge B to the top and turns the bottom edge of coat up with it, Fig. 25. Push edge B down and out of safety pin with thumb. Let coins come into hand in Finger Palm position and close the second, third and fourth fingers over them to conceal them, Fig. 26.
Turn to the left again so that you can hold the back of right hand naturally towards audience.
“Every man his own mint.”
Reach up into air after coin, and in doing so, slide a coin from those palmed in right hand into Production Clip position with thumb. Fig. 27 shows coins in Finger Palm position. Put thumb over them and open fingers out as in Fig. 28. Push coin out to end of thumb and index finger and close the other fingers over the rest of coins again, Fig. 29.
Throw this coin into hat. Reach up into the air again and slide a second coin from right hand into Production Clip position. Throw this coin into hat. Continue to reach for coins and toss them, one at a time, into the hat until all five coins have been taken from right hand. Vary the production of the coins by producing from elbow or knee.
“A fine shower for the first of the month’s bills.”
Turn the opening of the hat towards the audience. Reach in with right hand and scoop up a good handful. Hold hand above the hat and let coins slide, one by one in rapid succession, into the hat.
“Just like a miser letting the gold run through his hands.”
Reach in again and pick up a handful of coins, this time keeping back of hand to audience. In pouring coins back into the hat, hold back a few and palm them. You will have no difficulty in doing this.
“Money, money everywhere, and to think of the years I had to work for a living.”
Reach out and produce the next bunch of coins, one at a time, from various places.
Now scoop up a handful of coins from hat with left hand and let them slide back, retaining some in your hand. Produce these coins as you did before with right hand, varying your productions to keep your audience at a high pitch. For instance, you may produce a coin from a spectator’s coat and toss it into the hat. Reach into hat and take out a coin.
“You see, this is just like the rest, sir.”
Catch money from here and there—from a spectator’s ear, from a lady’s hair—until the supply in left hand has been exhausted.
Now take hat in left hand again and hold it in front of spectator. Tell him to sneeze, and as audience is watching him, reach up under coat again and release five more coins into right hand. Finger Palm these coins.
“That’s a poor sneeze. Better blow.”
Put right hand with coins palmed to spectator’s nose, hold hat underneath, and let coins slide down into hat as though they came out of his nose, Fig. 30.
This gets a good laugh and gives you an opportunity to reach under coat again for third load of five coins. Produce these one at a time from various places—a spectator’s chin, or hair, from a coat, or lady’s hat. Toss these into the hat as they are produced. Then reach into hat again, scoop-
ing up a handful of coins, letting them slide back, and retaining a few by palming them in your right hand. Go up to another spectator, and holding hat under his nose, ask him to blow.
“Blow hard.” Place right hand on his nose and let coins slide into hat.
“There now, we have half a hat full of money.”
Go back to stage and pour the coins out into a bowl.
“And as parting advice to the ladies, try this sometime with hubby’s hat.”
The Miser’s Dream offers so much opportunity for variation in production that you need never lack for chances to make this effect especially interesting.
Throwing the money through the hat is always good. Also you may pretend to put a coin in your mouth and blow it into hat, dropping the coin from left hand to complete the illusion.
Here is a good move: Vanish the coin by means of the Back Finger Clip Vanish (Lesson 3, Volume 1) in right hand. You face front with both arms extended to sides. As you vanish coin from right hand, drop a coin into hat from left hand, watching the hat as you do so. Then produce the coin again at right finger tips, Fig. 31.
Another arrangement is to have a safety pin with a load of coins just inside the bottom of your left trousers leg. Boldly reach up and under cover of trousers slip the coins out of pin and produce them. Or you may have a small wire clip, such as is used to hold letters together, under each lapel with a coin in each, which you can produce.
Study the Palms and Vanishes in Volume 1. Many can be used to good advantage. Instead of pretending to place the coin in left hand, pretend to place it in the hat. Use the Invisible Thumb Palm to show the hand apparently empty every once in a while.
Put snap and life into the catching of the coins. Do not let time drag between production of coins. Work fast to keep your audience keyed up to a high pitch of excitement.
This is a coin classic which when mastered gives the magician a fine piece of coin magic.
A gold coin is placed in the left hand. The right hand holds four half dollars. These half dollars pass one by one into the left hand to join the gold coin. After each coin passes, the coins are counted fairly and squarely.
1—An imitation gold coin, the size of a half dollar. Such a coin can be obtained in novelty stores. A Canadian copper or English penny piece will also answer the purpose.
2—Five half dollars or palming coins.
Finger palm one half dollar in left hand, Fig. 1. The gold coin and four half dollars are on the table.
“This is a mystery with gold and silver. One gold coin to four silver ones.”
Pick up the four half dollars one at a time with right hand and hold similar to Fig. 2.
“One—two—three—four—silver coins.”
Turn the right hand over to the left and as you do so, press the right thumb against top coin. Drop the three other coins into left hand with
the palmed one already concealed there. But you hold back one coin in the right hand in the Thumb Grip palm, Fig. 3.
“Four silver coins.” Show four coins in left hand, Fig. 4.
Pour the coins from left hand to right hand, holding back top coin in Thumb Grip of left hand.
The three coins from left hand added to one concealed in right hand make four coins. This move of pouring coins from hand to hand is very illusive. Show the coins on right hand.
“Four coins.”
Close the left hand with coin inside. Place the four half dollars back on table again. Pick up the gold coin with right hand, freely showing hand to let audience see that it holds nothing but the gold coin.
Place gold coin into opening of left fist between thumb and first finger, Fig. 5.
“We will place the gold coin into the left hand, and the four silver ones into the right hand.”
Pick up the four half dollars one at a time, then show all four coins lying on right palm, as in Fig. 2.
“Watch!” Turn over the right hand to the left and, holding back the top half
dollar with Thumb Grip palm, drop the other three half dollars on the table. Back of the right hand is towards audience.
“Three coins.”
Open the left hand showing the gold coin and the silver coin.
“One silver coin has gone over to the gold coin. That shows the attractiveness of gold.”
Gold coin is against palm and silver coin is overlapping on top, Fig. 6. Turn left hand over to right and apparently drop the two coins into right hand. What you really do is to hold back the half dollar with Thumb Grip of left hand and show gold coin with the other half dollar in right hand. Place gold coin and half dollar back into left hand. Left hand is not opened far enough so as to expose the palmed coin. Left hand now holds a gold coin and two silver ones. The audience believes that only one gold and one silver coin are in it.
Pick up half dollars from table again with right hand, one at a time, after which you close that hand.
“One—two—three coins . . . watch again!”
Give the closed right and left hands a slight jerk inwards and then outwards.
Thumb Grip palm one coin in right hand and drop the two coins on the table. Back of right hand is towards the audience.
“Two half dollars remain . . . while over here—”
Open the left hand and show gold coin and two half dollars. Apparently the same half dollar that disappeared in right hand has appeared mysteriously in the left hand.
“We find the silver coin has jumped across. Again the gold coin has attracted silver.”
Again drop the coins into right hand, holding back one silver coin in left hand and exposing the coin that was palmed in right hand. Show gold coin and two half dollars freely. Place these on table.
Pick up gold coin and place in left fist as in Fig. 5. Gold coin goes between palm and half dollar.
“The gold coin.”
Pick up a half dollar and push it into the opening in left fist but on the other side of the palmed half dollar.
“A silver coin.”
Place the other silver coin in front of this one through the opening in fist.
“Two silver coins.”
Pick up the two remaining half dollars on table in right hand, one at a time.
“One—two.”
Again give the closed hands a bit of an inward and outward jerk. Turn the right hand over and open it, allowing one coin to fall on table. The other coin is held back. Left hand opens, showing gold coin and three silver ones.
“Three silver coins.”
Pour them into right hand, again holding back one silver coin in left hand and exposing the coin in right hand with the others.
Count the coins from right hand to left hand holding the coins in left hand between thumb and index finger as in Fig. 7.
“One—two—three—and the gold coin.”
Push coins together and down into left fist. Pick up the last silver coin from the table. Hold it between the first and second finger tips of right hand, Fig. 8.
Make a throwing motion towards left hand bringing coin back to Thumb Palm, Fig. 9. If hand is brought up to left breast pocket of coat the palmed coin can be easily dropped into pocket.
Left hand can be freely opened and coins dropped into right hand and counted upon the table one at a time.
“A gold coin and one—two—three—four—silver ones. That’s the power of gold over silver.”
In case you just keep coin in right hand instead of disposing of it in pocket, simply go through the routine of holding one silver coin back in left hand and pouring the balance of the coins into the right hand on top of the coin there.
Then count coins onto the table. The coin in left hand can be easily disposed of by dropping into left hand pocket of trousers while coins are counted from right hand.
The above routine can be varied in many ways. For instance, if you do not have a gold or copper coin you can use an extra half dollar and tell how this half dollar had the power of attracting others.
You can also start with three half dollars in each hand, causing the three in right hand to pass one at a time over to the ones in left hand. Of course you use an extra one which is concealed from audience.
In emergency, you can use any coins from pennies to dollars, Chinese coins, tokens, or poker chips.
This is an excellent effect to work under artificial light and at such a distance from spectators that a fine black silk thread will not be visible.
Two empty glass tumblers are freely shown. Into one, five palming coins or half dollars are counted one at a time. Performer holds this glass in his left hand and the empty glass in his right hand. Upon his command, a coin leaves the left hand glass and drops into the right one. The coins are then counted and only four remain in the left glass. Magician continues to pass the coins from the left glass to the right until all five have passed over.
1—Five palming coins, or half dollars.
2—A special palming coin with small hole in it.
3—A spool of fine black silk thread.
4—Two glass tumblers.
5—A small black safety pin.
Fig. 57 shows how the magician looks as he performs this effect. There must be no unnaturalness to suggest in any way the preparation which you make for the experiment.
Now take the small safety pin and, through the hole in the end, tie one end of a piece of black silk thread. Pin the safety pin up under the left armpit onto your coat, slightly to the rear so that it will not be noticeable. Allow enough thread to reach from the safety pin thus placed to the bottom of your left coat pocket. Then tie the free end of the thread through the hole in the palming coin. Then place the coin in left coat pocket. Length of thread varies with different performers and experience will teach you the length you can work with best, Figs. 58 and 59.
Come forward and pick up the two glass tumblers from the table. Show glasses to be empty and set them on the table. From your right coat pocket take five coins and count them, one at a time, into the left glass. As you do this, turn your left side away from audience.
Reach into left pocket with left hand and take out the coin on the thread. Finger Palm this coin, curling your fingers to conceal coin, Fig. 60.
Pick up the glass with coins between thumb and first finger of left hand. You will have no difficulty in doing this with coin Finger Palmed in hand. Pour the coins into empty right hand, then set glass down with right hand.
Drop the coins into the left hand on top of the threaded coin. Place them all at base of first finger and hold in place with left thumb, Fig. 61.
Remove the top coin. Curl second, third, and fourth fingers of left hand inwards and place coin in Curled Finger Tip Palm position (Volume 1, Lesson 3). Do this quickly with the aid of your right hand, which also acts as a screen, Fig. 62.
Pick up empty glass at right hand side. Hold it near the bottom between thumb and first finger of right hand. Show palm of hand freely, Fig. 63.
“I use this glass so that you can see through it.”
Talk to the people on the right as you say this and show the glass. Now turn towards the left and, as you do so, perform a Change Over in this way: Place right hand, back towards audience, with glass in front of the left hand. Under cover of this screen, straighten second and third fingers of left hand with coin and force coin into the palm of right hand. Palm the coin in regular manner, gripping it by its edges, Fig. 64.
Right hand continues in its movement to the left without a pause, and the audience is not aware that you have done anything unusual with it. Now say to the people on the left,
“That is, you can see through the glass, and not the trick.”
Swing back to face front. Now grip middle of glass with left thumb and forefinger and raise right hand to position shown in Fig. 65. This brings the palmed coin up above the glass.
Release your hold on the glass with left hand and bring the glass over to your right side. Keep back of right hand towards audience.
“As I said once before, I have five coins. I shall count them again, one at a time, into the glass. One—two—three—four—five.”
Count the coins out of your left hand, dropping the threaded one last as the fifth coin into the glass. Thread comes up over top of glass on side nearest you.
Pick up glass with left hand over the top of it, getting thread between second and third fingers. Let thread fall over back of hand to bottom edge of sleeve, Fig. 66.
Glass must be held at such distance from the body to allow enough slack in thread so that coin will remain at the bottom. Hold the two glasses about three feet apart in position shown in Fig. 57.
“Now, watch. Five coins in this glass and none in the one over here. I'll pass one across. One—two—three, Go!”
Shake the left hand glass up and then down for a few inches. At the same time, move the glass far enough from the body to make the thread taut and to pull the threaded coin up into Finger Palm position. Keep thread taut to hold coin in position, Fig. 67.
Turn and look at right hand glass. Let the palmed coin fall from right hand into glass. The effect is, of course, that one coin has gone from the glass on the left to the one on the right.
Set the right hand glass on the table and reach over, taking the left hand glass at the middle with right hand. Move left hand from top of glass to bottom, now holding it between thumb and first finger. Hold threaded coin firmly in Finger Palm Grip. Now pour the coins into right hand.
Set the glass on table and count the coins, one at a time, into left hand again on top of threaded coin. Be sure to conceal this coin until it is covered with another.
“One—two—three—four. One coin has passed over into the other glass.”
Under cover of right hand, adjust the coins as you did before, placing one in Curled Finger Tip Palm position. Pick up right hand glass.
“If this glass were made of tin, you couldn’t have seen the half dollar pass over.”
Perform the Change Over now by bringing glass in front of left hand and forcing coin into palm of right hand.
“That’s the advantage of glass.”
Bring the glass back to the right side and hold ready to release the coin from palm of hand.
Drop coins, one at a time, from left hand into the other glass. The threaded coin goes in last as the fourth coin.
“One—two—three—four.”
Show left hand empty. Bring thread up through fingers again and pick up glass at top.
“It’s funny what happens when I talk to the coins in Persian. Alley—oop!”
Shake glass up and down, drawing thread taut and thus getting threaded coin into Finger Palm position again in left hand. Look at right hand glass and let palmed coin fall into glass from right hand.
“Another coin has passed over.”
Set the right hand glass on table, then pour coins into right hand as before. Set left hand glass on table and count the three coins into left hand, placing coins on top of threaded one.
“One—two—three.”
Under cover of right hand, push the uppermost coin into Curled Finger Tip Palm position and then force it into palm position in right hand. Let right hand drop to side as you count the three coins in left hand into the left hand glass again.
“One—two—three.”
Pick up glass in left hand again as before, with thread adjusted. Then pick up right glass.
“In case I should forget how to talk Persian, I have learned how to talk Chinese to the coins. Sprechen sie Deutsch?”
Shake glass up and down, drawing thread taut and forcing coin into left hand. Then let palmed coin fall from right hand into glass.
“There goes another. If you look close enough, you can see them jump over.”
Repeat the routine of pouring coins from left glass into right hand and then counting them back into left hand.
“One—two.”
Do the Change Over and palm the top coin in right hand as before. Count the two coins in left hand into glass. Then pick up left glass with thread in position and right glass in right hand.
Shake glass and the threaded coin again comes up into left hand.
“Wee—wee.” Drop coin from right hand into right glass.
“So that leaves us with one coin in this glass.”
Pour the one coin into right hand. Hold coin up at finger tips as in Fig. 67A. Set glass on table. Pretend to take coin with left hand. When it is screened with left hand, let it fall into palm position in right hand, Fig. 67B.
Carry left hand away as though holding coin. Then open hand and show threaded coin. The audience, of course, thinks that this is the coin which you took out of the glass.
“I shall drop the last coin into the glass.”
Drop threaded coin into left hand glass with thread in position between fingers. Pick up right hand glass with right hand.
“Now watch the last coin closely. Alley—oop!”
Shake glass and cause coin to come up into hand, leaving the glass empty.
“Alley—ga—zam!”
Let coin fall from right hand into right glass. Set the right hand glass on table, then show the left hand glass empty and set it also on table.
“Traveling this way is better than street cars.”
Pick up the right hand glass and pour the coins into the empty glass. As you do this, turn right side towards audience. This gives you a chance to drop threaded coin into left coat pocket and thus dispose of the evidence.
For closer work, a human hair may be used instead of the thread. Experiment with a long hair, graciously given to you by some lady friend who still retains her long tresses.
An especially good effect for close work and entirely impromptu so that you may perform it at the dinner table, at your club, or while entertaining at a party.
Magician shows four coins in his left hand. His right hand is empty. He then closes both hands and reopens them to show three coins in his left hand and one in his right. Magician continues to close and open his hands, each time showing one less coin in his left hand and one more in his right, until all four coins have passed over into his right hand.
1—Four palming coins.
2—A palming coin shell.
This shell fits over a palming coin without changing the appearance of the coin at all. When shell is on coin, it looks like one coin. When shell is taken off coin, it looks like you hold two coins.
This shell has many uses in the vanishing and producing of a coin. As it has the appearance of a coin, the audience believes it to be a coin.
Precaution must be taken, however, not to let audience see the back of the shell.
Have a table in front of you on which to lay coins as occasion requires.
Have the four coins in your right hand. Over one of the coins have the shell.
“This experiment is done with four coins. I think it was originally founded on that famous axiom, ‘You have the money, but can you keep it?’ Anyway, keep your eyes on the four coins.”
Count coins one at a time into the left hand. Hold them spread out over fingers with thumb on top. Have coin with shell on top with front of shell exposed. Show coins to the spectators, Fig. 68.
Show right hand empty. Take coins in right hand again and then lay three of them on left hand, one at a time, in position shown in Fig. 69. Retain coin with shell in right hand with shell uppermost.
Let the coin rest on second and third fingers of right hand. Grip edge of shell between thumb and first finger. Raise thumb and forefinger, thus lifting the shell free from the coin, Fig. 70.
Place the shell with the other coins on left hand and retain the fourth coin by palming it in right hand. Audience believes that you placed four coins on left hand, Fig. 71.
Close both hands, and in doing so, allow shell to slip over top coin in left hand. Hold hands about two feet apart, Fig. 72.
“It is difficult for money to stay in one place. First, I have it, then you have it, and then someone else gets it. For instance, I have four coins in my left hand.”
Open left hand to show only three coins. The placing of the shell over one coin eliminates a coin.
“That is, I did have four coins until the money began to circulate, and now I have only three.”
With the left hand count the coins onto the table, one at a time, in a row. Put the coin with shell down first as number one, Fig. 73.
“And it seems, the other has circulated over to my right hand.”
Place the coin from right hand down on table also.
Pick up the three coins which you placed on table with your left hand, this time taking them up with right hand. Place them one at a time on left palm again. When you pick up coin with shell, however, place it in right hand again as you did before, Fig. 70. Then place shell in left hand as a coin and retain the coin Finger Palmed in right hand.
“I place the three coins back in my left hand, and pick up the other again in my right hand.”
Pick up coin on table with right hand. Be careful to keep palmed coin concealed while you take coin from table. Now close both hands again as before. The shell slips down over uppermost coin again, leaving two coins in left hand.
“Note carefully, and perhaps you will see the next one pass over—that is, you will see, if you have psychic eyes.” Open left hand and show two coins.
“It went. And so now we have—one, two.”
Count coins onto the table again, placing the coin with shell down first as number one. Open right hand. “And over here—two coins.”
Lay coins from right hand on table in a row.
With right hand pick up the two coins placed down by left. Place one coin in left hand. Then palm out the coin from shell as before, retaining it in right hand, and place shell in left hand as second coin.
Pick up the other two coins with left hand. Close hands and let shell cover remaining coin in left hand.
“Now we have a fifty-fifty game—two in my left hand and two in my right. That is, that is what we had before another one slipped away.”
Open left hand and show single coin. Open right hand and show three coins. Count them out onto the table.
“One—two—three.”
Cover the coin in left hand with right hand and lift off shell, carrying it away in right hand. Audience does not suspect anything for they saw one coin in left hand and still see one. Now hold up the coin in left hand and look at both sides.
“For this last one I take extra precautions.”
Reach into right coat pocket. Leave shell there and bring out right hand as though holding a pinch of salt in fingers.
“I put a little salt on his tail. . .”
Pretend to sprinkle salt on coin. Now apparently secure coin in left hand by closing hand. In reality, Thumb Palm the coin in right hand and close the empty left hand.
“And keep him by his lonesome over here.”
Motion to the left hand. Allow Thumb Palmed coin to slip to Finger Palm position. Then pick up the three coins from table with right hand and close your hand over them.
“I guess the salt wasn’t strong enough.”
Open left hand and show coin gone.
“This one, too, has left, and we find it over here with the others.”
Count the coins out onto table with right hand.
“One—two—three—four.”
Coins may now be handled and shown freely as the shell has been disposed of.
The shell coin offers many interesting variations in coin magic. It may be introduced into coin sleights with excellent results. Here are two good effects, using the shell:
Take two coins, one covered with the shell. Show coins freely and show hands empty. To all appearances place both coins in left hand, but in reality place one coin and the shell, retaining the other coin Finger Palmed in right hand (as you did in the preceding effect), Fig. 74.
Call attention again to the two coins in left hand. Turn back of hand to audience and slip shell over coin in left hand. Now expose palm of hand and show one coin, Fig. 75.
Now reach down behind your knee and produce coin from right hand, or from left elbow. The effect is that the coin vanished from left hand and appeared again at another place.
Another effect is one in which you show a coin and the shell as two coins. Place them in left hand as in Fig. 74. Show them freely, then cover coins with right fingers, pretending to carry one away. In this move slip shell over coin as in Fig. 75. Then vanish the imaginary coin from right hand, and show hand empty.
Now pick up coin with shell in right hand and vanish by Thumb Palming method. Drop coin into upper coat pocket. Open left hand and show that coin has vanished.
If you wish to produce the coins again, do not drop coin with shell into pocket. Keep in right hand and produce it from behind knee as one coin. Place it in left hand, retaining shell in right hand, and produce shell from left elbow as second coin. Place shell also in left hand as a coin.
This experiment is really a coin classic. When skillfully done, its effect is wonderful.
Performer requests that a spectator mark a half dollar and loan it to him. He wraps this coin in a piece of newspaper and gives it to spectator who is assisting him, to hold. He then waves a piece of sealing wax over the parcel. Spectator opens newspaper and finds that it has been converted into a large newspaper envelope sealed with wax. Upon opening the envelope, he finds that another sealed envelope is enclosed in the first. The second envelope is opened and it contains a third sealed envelope. The third is opened and is found to contain the half dollar.
Magician then offers to show assistant how to do the trick. He repeats it and this time the envelopes are opened and the lender of the coin finds his marked coin in the third envelope.
Performer then suggests that assistant might like to keep the six envelopes as a souvenir. He gives the assistant the envelopes crushed into a ball. A mishap occurs, however. Magician accidentally touches the assistant’s hand with the sealing wax and this causes the envelopes to change back again into the two original pieces of newspaper.
1—Three copies of the same newspaper. Select a sheet and remove it from each of the three newspapers. Use single sheets (double sheets cut in half).
2—Two half dollars with the same date. Put small cross marks exactly alike on each.
3—A borrowed half dollar, as nearly like yours as possible.
4—Stick of sealing wax.
Take one of the three selected sheets of newspaper and cut it in two, from top to bottom and not across, Fig. 9.
Take one of these half sheets. Cut from it three squares of paper in the following sizes:
1—8½ × 8½ inches
2—7½ × 7½ inches
3—5½ × 5½ inches
From each of these squares you are to make an envelope. Take the largest square. Fold over one corner about three inches, Fig. 10.
Now fold over the corner on the right side, Fig. 11. And finally fold the corner on left side. Paste these corners down to make an envelope. The open corner forms the flap, Fig. 12. Make envelopes of the other two squares also.
Fold down the flaps. Through the crease in the top of each cut a slit about an inch and three-quarters long with a sharp knife.
Take one of the half dollars and insert it halfway into the smallest envelope through the slit. Fold down the flap and seal it with some sealing wax, Fig. 13.
Place this envelope in the next largest one with the coin protruding from the slit. Fold over flap and seal with wax. Then insert these two sealed envelopes in the largest one with the coin protruding from the slit. Seal down the flap with sealing wax. You now have a package of three envelopes with a half dollar sticking out halfway through the slits, Fig. 14.
Be sure that all three slits are even. Now turn half dollar at right angle to slits and press paper against it. Remove the coin and a hole from the outside into the inner envelope remains, Fig. 15.
Fold the bottom up a little and the sides over just enough to keep the three envelopes in position, Fig. 16. Place package of envelopes in right trousers pocket with hole in envelopes up. You will find that you can easily slip a half dollar into this hole and thus into the inner envelope of the three.
Take the other half sheet of paper and cut it into three squares as you did with the first. Make three envelopes. In the smallest one place the other half dollar. Seal envelope with sealing wax, enclose it in the next largest one. Then place these two in the largest one and seal it. Fig. 17 shows how the three envelopes look when you have the whole package made. Crush this package into a ball.
Take another of the selected sheets and cut it in two as you did with the first. Take the half which matches the envelopes that you just screwed up into a ball. Place this on table with the ball just under it and concealed from the audience. Place the other half sheet nearby. If working with a suitcase, as is common in club work, just have ball of envelopes and paper in case.
Now take the third sheet of paper and cut it in half. Roll the two halves into a compact ball. Place it in right coat pocket.
Have a half dollar handy so that you can get at it easily for Finger Palming. I suggest that you sew a half-inch piece of elastic under vest at lower right side. Insert half dollar in this, and when the time comes you can easily slip right fingers under edge of vest to Finger Palm it, Fig. 18.
Or, if you prefer, place the coin in a convenient pocket which you can reach easily when time comes to Finger Palm the coin in right hand. Place stick of sealing wax in left coat pocket.
Have a spectator come up to help you. Ask him to be seated a moment and take charge of the stage while you go down into the audience and borrow a half dollar. Take coin from some gentleman in the audience, then return it and ask that he mark it so that he can easily identify it.
“Mark it well so that you can readily identify it in case you see it again— or rather in case you do not see it again.”
While he is marking it, get coin from under vest or from pocket and Finger Palm it. Have second, third, and fourth fingers curled around coin so that it cannot be seen by audience. You may grasp your coat lapel with right hand also to dispel any suspicion that you have something in right hand. Take marked coin between thumb and first two fingers of right hand, keeping back of hand uppermost.
Pretend to transfer coin to left hand, but as you toss coin, Front Thumb Palm the marked coin in right hand and let your own coin fall into left hand. Just before doing this bring the marked coin to Finger Tip Clip position so that movement will be easy. When you have disposed of your coin into left hand, let marked coin fall into regular Finger Palm position.
Go back to stage. Have assistant stand at your right as you face audience. Give him your coin from your left hand. The audience thinks, of course, that you have given him the borrowed marked coin. Tell assistant to close his hand over the coin. Now you stand away from him for a moment, your left side toward audience.
“Now, sir, if in three minutes’ time you were to open your hand and find the half dollar had vanished, you would be surprised, wouldn’t you?”
Assistant says, “Yes,” or laughs.
“And so should I.”
As you talk to assistant, slip right hand into right trousers pocket and let marked half dollar fall through the slit in the envelopes into the smallest one. When you do this, insert your first and second fingers into the slit to make it easy for coin to slide in. Close hole and roll envelopes into a ball. You will have no difficult in doing this without being detected as the audience is laughing at your last remark and there is a slight pause in your performing. Remove hand from pocket.
The important part of the trick is now done. The trick is really over before the audience thinks it has begun.
“Well, I am not going to do this trick that way. Money disappears easily enough without adding magical influence to it.”
Go to your table and pick up the newspaper with ball of envelopes behind it. Hold it with right hand, thumb in front towards the audience and rest of hand behind holding ball. Grasp the other end of paper with left hand and fold it over in half. Open paper up, then close it again, Fig. 19.
“I am going to ask you to place the half dollar on this piece of paper under my thumb.”
Hold right hand towards assistant with paper folded over double and the ball concealed under it. Have him place the coin under your thumb, Fig. 20.
Roll the paper into a small ball with coin inside. Be careful to keep ball of envelopes concealed behind it. Hold the two balls together and hold them up as one for the audience to see.
“Strange thing about paper—the smaller you roll it the smaller it becomes. Just take the half dollar wrapped up in the paper and hold it this way.”
As you talk, turn the two balls of paper around so that ball of envelopes is on top. Press into left hand with cupped right hand, Fig. 21.
Curl second, third, and fourth fingers of left hand around ball of paper underneath and palm it.
Lift ball of envelopes away with right hand and hold up so that audience can see it.
Now turn to give this ball to assistant. Extend right hand to him and let left hand come up to grasp right sleeve at elbow. This is a natural movement and helps you to conceal the palmed ball in left hand, Fig. 22. Hand ball to assistant.
“Hold it tightly while I get some sealing wax.”
Reach into left coat pocket with left hand and drop palmed ball therein as you bring out stick of sealing wax.
“Take the sealing wax and touch the back of your hand three times, then open your hand. What has happened? Nothing? Strange! Suppose you open the parcel and show it to the audience. After all, you know we must let them see part of the trick.”
Take the wax from assistant and replace in left coat pocket. Assistant unfolds paper and finds a large envelope instead of the half sheet of newspaper which he expects.
“The mystery deepens. What have we? An envelope, securely sealed with wax. I think the wax is still warm. Please open the envelope.”
Assistant opens the envelope and takes out the second envelope.
“Another sealed envelope! Take it out. By the way, this is the very latest fashion in envelopes—made of newspaper. Open the second envelope.”
Assistant opens it and takes out the third envelope.
“Well, a third one. Open it, please, and you will perhaps find the half dollar.”
Assistant opens third envelope and takes out half dollar.
“To show you that this is the same paper we started with, just examine the half dollar. You see it is the same.”
Half dollar has marks on it and appears to be the same as the borrowed coin.
At this stage the audience thinks the trick is done and will, no doubt, applaud you. Anyway, while assistant is identifying coin and audience is in that frame of mind, you can secretly prepare for the next stage of the trick.
Reach into right trousers pocket and squeeze the envelopes into a ball. Remove the ball Finger Palmed in your right hand. Grasp your right coat lapel with right hand to conceal ball.
“Will you please take the coin down to the gentleman from whom we borrowed it? Or just a minute—before you return the coin. Will you remember what I did so that you can do it when you get home? First I borrowed a half dollar, had it marked so that the owner would know it when he saw it again and then had it wrapped in a piece of newspaper.”
Reach over with left hand and pick up newspaper. Turn your right side towards audience. Transfer paper to right hand so that it is held as in the beginning of the experiment with the ball behind it. Now turn to right so that your left side is a little towards the audience.
In performing this repeated version quicken your movements. You are repeating and pretending to explain. As you know, it is not wise to repeat an experiment in magic. In this case, however, it is all right, for you leave the audience just as puzzled as they were after the first showing. Do it with plenty of snap, nevertheless.
“Place the coin on the paper again. That’s it. Now you remember I rolled the paper into a ball and gave it to you.”
Roll up paper into ball, exchange it for ball of envelopes in right hand, and give envelope ball to assistant. Palm the other ball in left hand as illustrated in Fig. 21.
“And then I told you to touch it with a piece of sealing wax.”
Reach into left coat pocket for wax and leave ball of paper there. Give wax to assistant, requesting him to touch the ball three times. Take back the wax.
“Now, all you have to do is to open the parcel and there are our envelopes. Open the first. Now the second. Now take the third one down to the owner of the coin and let him open the envelope and remove his half dollar.”
Assistant takes envelope down to the lender of the coin.
“Just as soon as the owner has removed his coin, will you please bring the envelope right back to me again?”
This prevents assistant from examining the coin too closely. While assistant is returning to stage, say to owner of coin,
“That is your coin, is it not? It is. Thank you.”
You must impress on your audience the fact that the coin is the one which you borrowed, otherwise much of the effect is lost. While all this is going on, it is easy for you to reach into your left coat pocket and palm out the ball of paper from it. Grasp the lapel of your coat again.
Now gather up the envelopes from the table and place the ball of paper behind them. Say to assistant,
“Perhaps you would like to have all these envelopes as a souvenir of this little occasion. With the envelopes in your possession, you are sure to know how to do the experiment.”
Take envelope from assistant and place with the rest. Show them freely, then roll them all up into a ball. Press the palmed ball against it and show both as one.
“Yours with pleasure.”
Go through the routine as before, palming the ball of envelopes in left hand and handing ball of paper to assistant.
“And I suppose you want the magic sealing wax also.”
Reach into pocket for sealing wax and leave the ball of envelopes there.
“However, there is just a little warning I want to give you. Be careful when you are holding the envelopes in your hand not to touch your hand with the sealing wax.”
As you say this, touch his hand with the wax.
“Or you will find that the envelopes will turn right back to plain paper again. I believe, after all, that I had better keep the sealing wax.” (Place it in pocket again.) “Just open the paper now.”
Assistant opens ball and finds the two half sheets of newspaper instead of the envelopes. Help him to spread them out.
“Well, anyway you know how it is done—and perhaps some day you will be good enough to tell me so that I can do it myself.”
You should have no difficulty in getting the coin into the nest of envelopes in pocket. If you desire, however, you may make a little tube of cardboard or tin. This must be large enough to allow a half dollar to slide through easily and must have an opening large enough to find easily.
Have tube made 1½ inches wide by 1¼ inches high by ¼ inch deep. It is open, of course, at top and bottom. Have a piece at back by which to clip tube to envelopes, Fig. 23.
Fig. 24 shows how the tube fits into slits in the three envelopes. This allows an open passage for the coin into the smallest envelope. After the coin has been dropped in, remove the tube and leave it in pocket.
This lesson is devoted to sleight of hand with cigarettes. Because the cigarette is in such common use, cigarette magic is popular. It also permits of working with lighted cigarettes and thus makes this kind of magic doubly mysterious.
I must emphasize again the importance of naturalness. You must study your moves carefully before the mirror, watching your angles of visibility and striving for natural movements.
I might mention here a compliment to my work which pleased me greatly. A college president, in speaking of my work in magic, said, “I hardly know whether to call Dr. Tarbell a magician or not. He doesn’t seem to use trickery. The things he does just seem to happen in a natural manner.”
A reputation like that is worth working for. I want you to work for it, remembering always that you are not a mere trickster but a magician performing “miracles” in a natural manner.
Cigarette is pushed into closed left hand. When hand is opened, cigarette is found to have vanished.
Hold cigarette as in Fig. 1. Thumb and fingers of right hand grasp cigarette and bring it to closed left hand. Push cigarette into left hand, Fig. 2. Bring hands apart. Open left hand and show cigarette in it.
Place cigarette against left fist again. Instead of pushing cigarette into hand, however, run first two fingers and thumb of right hand along cigarette towards left hand, Fig. 3.
Slide right fingers over left forefinger, Fig. 4. Place right thumb against cigarette. Draw right hand away from left, concealing cigarette as shown in Fig. 5. If you do these movements properly, the illusion of pushing cigarette into closed left hand is perfect.
Now raise left hand, open it, and show that cigarette has vanished. Fig. 6 shows view towards audience.
Produce cigarette from left elbow. To do this, reach behind elbow, get cigarette into position at tips of right fingers, and bring cigarette out, Fig. 7.
Performer holds a lighted cigarette in right hand. He closes left hand around it and takes it away from right. Suddenly he opens his left hand and cigarette has vanished. It is then produced from left knee.
Hold cigarette as in Fig. 8. Lighted end of cigarette is up and it is grasped between first and second fingers of right hand. Hold palm of hand towards audience so that cigarette is plainly visible.
Now turn palm of right hand towards yourself. Curl left hand around cigarette, Fig. 9. As you close left hand, supposedly around cigarette, drop cigarette into horizontal position, extending from right fingers, Fig. 10.
Close left hand and draw it away from right. Curve right fingers with cigarette towards right palm. Keep back of right hand to audience and be careful that end of cigarette where you grasp it is not exposed, Fig. 11.
Open left hand and show cigarette has vanished. Produce it from behind right knee.
The smoke coming from the lighted cigarette may give you away if you are not careful. The hand concealing the cigarette should be kept in slight motion to scatter the smoke.
Cigarette is patted into the left fingers, and the left hand is closed around it. In a moment the cigarette is found to have disappeared from left hand.
Hold cigarette in left hand at tips of first and second fingers and thumb. With tip of second finger of right hand, pat cigarette, pushing it into left hand about half an inch, Fig. 12.
Continue patting cigarette into left hand a little at a time until only about a quarter of an inch extends beyond left fingers, Fig. 13.
With second finger tip of right hand, press outward on end of cigarette. This pivots it into right hand, Fig. 14. Cigarette goes just inside crotch of thumb. Place thumb against it to hold in place, Fig. 15.
Hold right hand naturally, back to audience. Close left hand as though it holds the cigarette, then open it and show cigarette has vanished.
Performer shows both sides of right hand empty. Then suddenly he produces a cigarette at his finger tips.
This may be done as a continuation of various cigarette vanishes. If you do it following the Pivot Vanish, allow cigarette to pivot into position shown in Fig. 16. The end of it goes right into crotch of thumb.
Cigarette can then be easily grasped in crotch of right thumb, Fig. 17. Drop right hand to side. Keep back of hand to audience, Fig. 18. Then raise right hand, still keeping back of it to audience. Fig. 19 shows hand as audience sees it.
Fig. 20 shows palm of hand away from audience with concealed cigarette. Now you are to turn hand over quickly to show palm empty to audience. As you turn hand, force end of cigarette between first and second fingers, Fig. 21.
Press tip of right thumb against fingers and other end of cigarette to conceal it. Palm may now be shown empty. Turning of hand must be done quickly and naturally as if you actually had nothing in your hand, Fig. 22.
Turn your hand to show back again, and as you do so, pull cigarette back between first and second fingers to palm of hand again, Fig. 23. Do this back and front movement two or three times. Then as you show palm for the last time, get cigarette to finger tips by pivoting lower end upward, and produce cigarette.
This may be performed with a burning cigarette. Be sure to open fingers wide enough when you pass the burning end between your fingers so that you will not burn yourself.
A lighted cigarette is thrown into left hand. Hand is closed, then opened, and cigarette is found to have disappeared.
Hold cigarette in right hand between tips of first and second fingers. Have it lighted, Fig. 24. Make a throwing motion towards left hand. As you do so, curl right fingers in to palm and press end of cigarette against crotch of thumb. Use left hand as a screen for these movements, Fig. 25.
Close left hand as though holding the cigarette and draw it away from right. Open right fingers, holding cigarette in crotch of thumb, Fig. 26.
Open left hand and show that cigarette has vanished. Then produce cigarette from left elbow. Or you may vary the production by turning back of left hand to audience and producing cigarette from behind it.
Cigarette is held in closed fist of left hand. Performer pushes it into left hand with his right. Yet when left hand is opened, cigarette is found to have vanished.
Pinch one end of cigarette so that it is flat. Place it in closed left fist with pinched end upward, Fig. 27. Place first two fingers of right hand against end of cigarette. Grip pinched end firmly between first and second finger tips, Fig. 28.
Push cigarette into closed left hand. To audience it must appear that you merely push cigarette with right fingers but do not grasp it, Fig. 29.
Draw left hand away as though you held cigarette in it. Cigarette remains gripped in right fingers. Hold it in horizontal position with back of hand to audience. Fig. 30 shows side view away from audience.
Curve right fingers inward to palm. Open left hand and show it to audience. Cigarette has vanished, Fig. 31.
Performer pushes cigarette up his right nostril and causes it to disappear.
Place end of cigarette against right nostril, Fig. 32.
Slide first and second finger tips and thumb of right hand up along cigarette to the nose. This gives the illusion that cigarette was slid up into nostril, but in reality it is grasped in right hand, Fig. 33. Remove hand from nose.
Performer reaches up with right hand and takes a cigarette out of his right ear.
This is a pleasing continuation of the above vanish. With cigarette pressed against first two fingers with thumb of right hand, reach up to opening of right ear, Fig. 34.
Slide fingers backward to end of cigarette and bring it out, apparently from the ear, Fig. 35.
Performer pushes cigarette into mouth and apparently swallows it.
Place end of cigarette against lips, Fig. 36. Push fingers upward along cigarette as you did in pretending to put cigarette up the nose. Open mouth a little. When cigarette is concealed in right hand, remove hand from lips. Make a swallowing motion. Now produce the cigarette from under your vest.
This is a beautiful effect in the hands of Paul Fox.
Cigarette is placed in left hand and vanished. Both hands are shown empty, then cigarette is produced from behind left hand.
Hold cigarette between first and second fingers of right hand, Fig. 37. Now place left hand with back to audience over back of right hand to conceal cigarette. Under cover of left hand, make the following moves with the right.
Allow cigarette to fall over second finger, Fig. 38. Place third finger over cigarette, Fig. 39. Release first finger and hold cigarette grasped only between second and third fingers, Fig. 40. Curve fingers inward to palm of hand, Fig. 41.
Remove left hand and close it as if it held cigarette. Point right index finger at left hand. Fig. 42 shows hands as audience sees them.
Fig. 43 shows view from rear away from audience. Open left hand and show that cigarette has vanished.
Place right hand up behind left, straightening out fingers which grasp cigarette. This is done apparently to show back of right hand, but in reality to manipulate cigarette. Place right forefinger over cigarette again, release third finger, and get cigarette into original position between first and second fingers, Fig. 44.
Turn right hand to show empty palm to audience, Fig. 45. Fig. 46 shows view away from audience. Cigarette is held horizontally in back of right hand.
Separate hands and show them empty, Fig. 47. Turn back of left hand to audience and bring it down over right fingers far enough to conceal movements as you bring cigarette to thumb and finger tips of right hand. Draw right hand away from left and produce cigarette, Fig. 48.
You may continue showing hands back and front by merely continuing the manipulations taught to you above.
One cigarette is shown by performer, and suddenly another is produced from the first.
Pinch end of a cigarette and conceal it by grasping it in crotch of left thumb—B. Hold another cigarette exposed at tips of thumb and first finger—A, Fig. 49.
To audience it appears that you are just holding one cigarette in left hand. Back of hand is exposed. Left side of body is toward audience, Fig. 50.
Bring right hand down to left, placing tips of fingers just inside left fingers. Grasp pinched end of concealed cigarette between third and fourth fingers of right hand, Fig. 51.
Start moving hands to left and turn body to left. As you do so, grasp cigarette A in right finger tips and remove cigarette B from crotch of left thumb, Fig. 52.
As you turn to left, palm of left hand and back of right are exposed to audience. Fingers of right hand are curled into palm sufficiently to conceal cigarette B, Fig. 53.
Take cigarette A into left hand again. Raise right hand, getting right thumb under cigarette, Fig. 54.
Bring the two hands together so that cigarettes are parallel. Under cover of right hand, pivot cigarette B upward against finger tips. Then produce the second cigarette, pretending to pull it out of the first one. Show both cigarettes freely to audience as you face front, Fig. 55.
Both hands are shown empty, and yet a cigarette is concealed in them.
Hold cigarette in crotch of left thumb. Left side of body is towards audience and back of left hand is exposed. Palm of right hand is shown freely. Bring right hand down to left and with crotch of right thumb grasp end of cigarette, Figs. 56 and 57.
Begin to swing hands to left as you turn body to left. As hands come directly in front of you, keep finger tips together to conceal cigarette, Fig. 58.
Continue turning to left so that hands come into position shown in Fig. 59. Holding cigarette in right hand, show palm of left hand freely.
The Change-Over works from crotch of one thumb to crotch of the other. This may be continued from side to side several times if desired. It may be done from left to right or right to left.
A variation of the Change-Over is performed by gripping end of cigarette between first and second fingers instead of in crotch of thumb, Fig. 60.
After showing both hands empty, performer places a lighted cigarette into his left hand, closes his hand and suddenly reopens it. The cigarette has been transformed into a silk handkerchief.
1—A Thumb Tip.
2—A silk handkerchief, about 13 inches square.
Wrap handkerchief around Thumb Tip. Tuck the free end well in so that handkerchief is secure. Do not have handkerchief too tight for it must be released easily when the time comes, Fig. 61. Have prepared Tip in one of your right pockets.
Secretly get Tip on right thumb. Hold palm of left exposed to audience and back of right hand to audience. Bring your hands together, Fig. 62.
Place right fingers in front of left hand and thumb behind, Fig. 63.
Raise right fingers, still keeping thumb behind left hand. This exposes palms of both hands to audience, Fig. 64.
Bring right fingers down again, then pull right hand away from left, and show backs of both hands to audience. As you show back of left hand, bring right hand over to it and get Thumb Tip into left palm. Close left hand around Tip and handkerchief.
Take a lighted cigarette from a spectator or one of your own, break it in half, and show it freely. Place it in closed left hand, getting it into Tip, Fig. 65.
Push right thumb into Tip. Free Tip from handkerchief and bring Tip out with thumb pointed directly at audience to conceal it. Show palm of right hand empty, then back of hand.
Open left hand gracefully, exposing the silk in it. With movements of left fingers open up the silk and then hold it between your hands to show it to audience, Fig. 66.
Performer makes an imaginary cigarette and places it in his mouth. This is all done in pantomime. He takes a box of matches from his pocket, lights a match and brings it up to his mouth. Suddenly a real cigarette appears between his lips and he lights it with the match.
1—A cigarette.
2—A small box of matches.
The match box must be prepared to hold a cigarette. One way is to take the drawer of the box and with a piece of playing card or thin cardboard, wall off a space to hold a cigarette. If you get this cardboard the proper length, the ends of the box will hold it in place. Cut a space through one end of the drawer into which a cigarette can be passed easily. Now fill the box with matches, and place a cigarette in the tube for it, Figs. 67 and 68.
An easier way of preparing box is to cut a hole in one end of drawer large enough for the cigarette. Place cigarette in drawer, fill box with matches to cover cigarette completely, and push drawer into cover of box. Figs. 69 and 70.
I prefer the first method. Because of the partition in the box, the matches cannot slide out of the hole when the cigarette is out of the box. Place box in left coat pocket or have it in some other handy place.
The success of this experiment depends on your ability to pantomime the making of a cigarette. Study the motions carefully.
Pretend to take a package of cigarette papers from pocket, take a sheet, and replace package. Make an imaginary trough in paper. Reach into back pocket and produce an imaginary pouch of tobacco, open it, and sprinkle tobacco into paper. Pull strings of imaginary sack with your teeth to close it. Replace sack in pocket. Even up tobacco in paper. Roll cigarette. Wet end of paper and paste down. Fix ends of cigarette and place it in your mouth.
Reach into pocket with left hand and bring out box of matches. Keep prepared end of box away from audience so that cigarette will not be exposed.
Open box. This brings cigarette inside of box cover, and box can now be shown freely as you take a match, Fig. 71.
Close box and strike match on side. Holding box in left hand, bring both hands up to mouth as if to light imaginary cigarette. Under cover of hands, grasp cigarette in teeth, Figs. 72 and 73.
Pull box forward a little to release cigarette. Now light the real cigarette between your lips, remove hands, and show cigarette.
A good way to vary this effect is to ask someone for a cigarette and pretend to take one from the package he offers. Audience sees that you do not take a cigarette and are surprised when they find that you suddenly get one between your lips.
Performer places lighted cigarette in closed left hand. He then opens his hand and cigarette is gone.
1—A Cigarette Pull.
2—A cigarette—your own or a borrowed one.
The Cigarette Pull is a small metal cylinder with a spring inside. The spring keeps the cigarette tight in place when it is placed in the Pull. The Pull is attached to a length of round black elastic, Figs. 74, 75 and 76.
Fig. 77 shows the Pull with a fountain pen clip attached to it. Under the clip articles may be placed, such as silks, for changing lighted cigarettes into other objects. If you wish to do this, show the lighted cigarette, place it in the Pull, release the silk handkerchief from the Pull, and let Pull slide back under cover. Then show the silk.
The Cigarette Pull is affixed to your body in the same manner as a Handkerchief Pull. Keep Cigarette Pull in place by a small ring or pin, Fig. 77 A.
Place cigarette in mouth and light it. Turn right side of body towards audience. Reach up with left hand and close your fingers over Pull.
Face front, bringing left hand with Pull up in front of body. Left hand and arm conceal Pull and elastic, Fig. 78.
Show lighted cigarette with right hand. Place it apparently in closed left hand with lighted end down—really in the Pull in left hand. Release Pull and allow it to slide back under coat into original position. Open left hand gracefully and slowly and show that cigarette has vanished.
Ed Reno has a favorite impromptu stunt in which he uses the Cigarette Pull to vanish a pencil. He takes his lead pencil from his pocket and says, “You have perhaps heard about breaking a pencil with a dollar bill. Here is a new way of doing it without a bill.” While he says this, he is demonstrating by striking pencil on the table. This is merely for misdirection—to get right side of body towards audience and secure Pull in left hand. He then faces front and puts pencil down in left hand, into Pull. Holding top of pencil with right hand, he makes a movement as if to break pencil. As soon as pencil is fully concealed by hands, Pull is released and goes back under coat. Hands are opened and audience sees that pencil has vanished.
“Yes, sir! I’m the champion pencil breaker of Sangamon County.”
Magician borrows a dollar bill and requests the owner to remember the number. He then takes out a box of cigarettes and has one selected. He places this one in his mouth. Folding the dollar bill he tucks it into his closed left hand. In a moment he opens his hand and the bill has vanished. He lights the cigarette and finds that it does not draw well. Magician then tears the cigarette apart and discovers the dollar bill inside of it. Bill is unfolded and returned to owner to check up on the number and make sure it is his own.
1—A package of cigarettes.
2—A dollar bill.
3—A Cigarette Pull.
You must prepare one cigarette. Carefully remove all the tobacco except about one-half to three-quarters of an inch near the end. Do not injure the paper. You will have no difficulty in removing tobacco with a pair of tweezers or a toothpick, or rolling the cigarette, Fig. 79.
Take the dollar bill and copy down the last three digits of the number and the series letter after it.
Fold the bill in half lengthwise, then in half the other way. Finally, roll up the bill as tight as possible, Figs. 80, 81, and 82.
Place rolled bill in hollow space in prepared cigarette. Turn cigarette as you insert bill and you will find it easy to do. When bill is well concealed in cigarette, place a little tobacco on top of it to make cigarette look natural, Fig. 83.
Take box of cigarettes. Remove all cigarettes but two. Place these two at one end of box and place prepared cigarette next to them towards inside of box. Place box of cigarettes in pocket.
Come forward to audience.
“I should like to borrow a hundred-dollar bill. The gentleman sitting over there says he would, too. Or a fifty-dollar bill—twenty—a ten—a five—or who has a dollar? Just a dollar bill. Ah, here is a gentleman who trusts me. Thank you, sir.”
Take dollar bill from gentleman. Be sure that it is not too old or too new and resembles the bill you have in cigarette. Should it be too old, say: “It might fall apart. I need a sturdy, youthful bill.”
If it is too new, say: “That is a brand new one and I might soil it. Give me one that has seen service. I want a bill with experience.”
Holding bill in full sight, go back towards the stage. Suddenly stop as if a thought occurred to you and say:
“Pardon me, sir, but would you mind just copying down the number on your bill. As you are the owner of it, you would, no doubt, like to identify it again later. Just write the last three digits—7, 6, 4—and the letter A.”
Assume that those were the numbers on the bill you placed in the cigarette. Whatever those numbers are, call them out to the spectator to mark down. Audience and owner of bill believe that you are actually reading off the numbers from borrowed bill while in reality you are giving the numbers on the bill in the prepared cigarette.
Keep the dollar bill in plain sight. Bring out package of cigarettes from your pocket. Hold box so that cigarettes slide over to right side of box and hand to spectator so that prepared cigarette is nearest him. As a rule, spectator takes this cigarette when you offer the box to him.
“That's fine. You have selected a cigarette for me, sir.”
Take cigarette from him and place it in your mouth. Ask spectator to take another for himself. If he did not take the prepared cigarette from you the first time, merely let him keep the first one, and you select the prepared one for yourself.
“Have one yourself, sir, and we'll have just a little smoke between friends.”
Replace cigarette box in pocket. Go back to stage. While your back is turned, get Pull in left hand, closing your fingers over it. Hold dollar bill up in right hand all the time.
Now turn and face audience. Spread out dollar bill, holding it between hands.
“It is said that if a person folds a dollar bill and then puts it in his pocket, when he takes it out again, he finds his money in creases.”
Fold bill over and crease it down. Continue folding and rolling it a little so that it can be easily tucked into Cigarette Pull. Place bill in Pull under cover of hands and release Pull.
“However, in folding money so many times, it certainty makes it look small—in fact, so small. . . .”
Open left hand and show bill has vanished.
“That it is quite invisible. This, of course, isn’t difficult to do because almost anyone can get rid of money. Now, the production of money is more difficult.”
Take box of matches from pocket and light the cigarette which has been in your mouth ever since the spectator selected it from the box you offered him. Replace matches.
“I guess that’s why many fellows light up a cigarette and try to imagine they are rich. But not so good with this cigarette. It doesn’t seem to smoke so well.”
Take cigarette from mouth and look at it. . . .
“As we say jokingly, one to another, ‘It would make a poor artist as it doesn’t draw so well.’”
Break open cigarette and show bill inside. . . . “There seems to be a cause back of all effects.”. . . Unfold dollar bill. . . “There is money in cigarettes.”
Look at number on bill. . . .“Ah, sir, I believe it is your dollar. The number is 7, 6, 4, A. Is that correct, sir? I shall let you have the bill so that you can check up for yourself.”
Return bill to owner, and have him identify it. . . .“It is your bill? Fine. Lucky I decided to smoke or you might never have gotten your bill back—or, I might say, your greenback.”
Another method of doing the Dollar Bill in the Cigarette is to let the man who lends the bill really copy down the number of the bill. In taking bill you casually glimpse the number and memorize as much as possible of it. It is not hard to memorize four or five of the right hand numbers.
In Volume 1, page 106, a handkerchief is described with coins sewed in a small pocket in one corner. You can make up a similar handkerchief with soft paper in pocket instead of coins. Have paper of such texture as to feel like dollar bill through the handkerchief.
Take dollar bill from spectator and apparently place in the center of the handkerchief, from underneath, in reality bringing up the faked corner with paper and placing it in center instead.
Reach into right trousers pocket with palmed bill in right hand and leave the borrowed bill in the pocket. You bring out a rubber band which you wrap around handkerchief just below the paper imitation of bill. Give this wrapped-up fake bill to spectator to hold.
Borrow a cigarette and switch it for the prepared one of your own, which contains a duplicate dollar bill. Light prepared cigarette with matches taken from right coat pocket, leaving borrowed cigarette behind while getting box of matches.
Take handkerchief from spectator by one corner and shake out, showing that bill has disappeared.
Open cigarette and remove dollar bill. Open it and read from it the numbers you memorized on the original dollar bill in pocket.
“Is this the bill you gave me, sir? It is. Thank you.”
Put bill in right hand trousers pocket exchanging it for the original bill. Bring latter a bit out of pocket as you say: “Oh! you just lent it to me—then I’ll pay you back the first of the month. . . .but on second thought you might charge me interest.”
This adds to the comedy of the situation. Give bill back to owner who can check up on it.
Performer borrows a hat, shows it empty, and then proceeds to catch a number of cigarettes in the air and toss them into the hat. His hands are shown empty all the time and the productions are most mysterious.
1—About a dozen cigarettes.
2—A Cigarette Clip.
Clip consists of a flesh-colored piece of metal which clamps onto first phalange of second finger of right hand. To this piece of metal is attached a long pin on which a cigarette is placed. Figs. 84 and 85.
Place a cigarette on the Cigarette Clip. Take rest of cigarettes with the one on Clip and wrap them in a little bundle with thread or rubber band, Fig. 86.
Place bundle of cigarettes in lower right vest pocket or in special pocket inside right side of coat so that you can get it easily.
Borrow hat and hold it in right hand. As you go back to stage, remove bundle of cigarettes from pocket with left hand. Bring hat in front of you for a moment to get bundle under brim as shown in Fig. 87.
This method of handling is similar to that used in production of silks from a hat or in loading coins for The Miser’s Dream.
Turn to right and face audience. Hat is now held with left hand concealing cigarettes under brim. Show hat empty, then turn it over to show outside with nothing concealed, bringing bundle of cigarettes inside of hat. Turn hat with opening up again and let bundle fall into crown. Reach in with right hand and quickly break thread or remove rubber band from bundle.
Adjust Cigarette Clip on back of second finger of right hand as you do this. Cigarette lies along back of finger, Fig. 88.
Sometimes performer carries prepared cigarette on Clip in his right coat or trouser pocket. While talking to audience, he reaches into his pocket and adjusts Clip on finger.
Remove hand from pocket or hat and be sure to keep back of it away from audience to conceal Clip with cigarette. Turn left side to audience (hat is in left hand), and show empty palm of right hand, Fig. 89.
Now reach into air with right hand. Bend second finger quickly. This brings cigarette into position shown in Fig. 90.
Other fingers are held straight, and the effect is that you reached into the air with fingers wide apart and suddenly produced a cigarette.
Pretend to throw this cigarette into hat. Your hand goes into hat, second finger straightens out to conceal cigarette. You bring hand out apparently empty. Remember the cigarette does not come off the Clip and does not fall into the hat. Your middle finger simply bends to give the effect.
Reach into air again and produce another cigarette in same manner as first one. Pretend to toss this one into hat also. Continue this until eleven cigarettes have been produced and apparently thrown into hat. Audience is not aware that you are producing the same cigarette every time. They believe you have produced eleven different ones. Productions may be varied by taking cigarettes from behind the knee, etc.
Keep palm of right hand to audience to conceal cigarette. Show cigarettes in hat to audience. Pour them out on table. Then reach into air once more with right hand and produce a twelfth cigarette. Remove it from Clip with left hand as though you were merely taking it from right fingers.
Straighten right fingers immediately to conceal Clip and dispose of Clip in pocket at your earliest opportunity. You may continue from this point with manipulations with one cigarette if you desire.
The Cigarette Clip is a handy piece of apparatus. It may be used to perform The Phantom Cigarette. It does away with the use of prepared box of matches.
To do this, first place Clip at base of third finger of left hand with
cigarette extending into palm, Fig. 91. With Clip in this position, back of hand must be held towards audience. Hand and fingers may be moved freely.
Go through pantomime of making cigarette and lighting match. Toss match box aside. As you bring hands in front of mouth, get cigarette between your teeth and draw it from Clip. Light it and show the real cigarette.
Performer shows a cardboard box with a number of cigarettes in it. He takes them out one at a time and places them in another cardboard box. Picking up the second box, he causes the cigarettes to vanish. Magician shows the empty box and tears it up to prove that the cigarettes are gone.
1—Two cardboard boxes, about 16 inches square.
2—A few cigarettes.
3—A Cigarette Clip.
Place one cigarette on the Clip. Place this cigarette in one of the boxes.
Place the two boxes about two feet apart on the table.
Have left side towards audience as you stand near the box with the cigarettes. If the table is small, you may hold this box in left hand.
Show the empty box and replace on table. Show cigarettes in other box. Reach in with right hand, pick up some of the cigarettes, and let them fall back into box. As you do this, adjust Clip on back of second finger of right hand, as in Fig. 88. Show cigarette as in Fig. 90.
Reach over to empty box as if to throw cigarette into it. Place hand inside of box and when it is concealed, merely straighten out second finger and bring hand out apparently empty, Fig. 92.
Reach into first box again, pretending to take another cigarette, but in reality merely bending second finger to produce cigarette on Clip. Bring hand out showing cigarette, and go through routine again of apparently dropping cigarette in second box.
Continue this for the same number of times as there are cigarettes in the first box. Audience believes that you are taking cigarettes from the first box and putting them into the second, whereas you are really just carrying one cigarette back and forth.
After last cigarette has been apparently dropped into second box, show right hand empty and drop it to side. Under cover of your body, dispose of cigarette and Clip in your pocket.
With left hand lift second box, presumably containing cigarettes now. Turn box over to show that cigarettes have disappeared, then destroy box by tearing it apart to show that it is not a trick box.
This is a pretty novelty in the hands of this noted magician. It is suitable for the stage or any place where a thread will not be visible to spectators.
Magician borrows a cigarette or has one of his own examined. He places it in a glass tube which has a screw cap at top and bottom. A hoop is passed over the tube to show that there is no outside connection. Suddenly on command, the cigarette rises and falls inside the tube. Mysteriously, it stops and remains suspended when magician desires it.
1—A cigarette.
2—A piece of fine black silk thread, 24 to 30 inches long.
3—A black pin, or needle painted black.
4—A glass toothbrush holder with screw covers at both ends. The covers are of metal with holes punched in them for ventilation. These holders may be purchased at a 5 and 10, or drug store.
5—A wooden or metal hoop, about six to eight inches in diameter.
Take the piece of thread and attach the pin to one end. Run the pin through a hole in one of the metal caps of holder, going from outside to inside. Attach free end of thread to your middle vest button.
Place the threaded screw cap in lower right vest pocket and insert the pin in top of pocket where you can get at it easily. Screw the other metal cap on bottom of glass tube.
Come forward and ask spectator for a cigarette. As you go back to stage, get pin from vest pocket between thumb and forefinger of right hand.
Under pretense of examining cigarette, push pin into one end of it. In this way cigarette is attached to thread, Figs. 93 and 94.
Pick up glass tube with left hand and show it to audience. Transfer cigarette to left hand also. Reach into pocket and get screw cap with right hand. Now drop cigarette in tube and screw on cap, Fig. 95.
Allow cigarette to fall from end to end of tube to show audience that it is not attached inside. Pick up hoop from table and pass it over threaded tube in same manner as you pass hoop over threaded deck in a glass. (See Lesson 30, Figs. 29 to 38). Place hoop aside.
Now hold tube at bottom in left hand. By moving tube toward or away from body, thread is loosened or tightened, and cigarette rises or falls accordingly. The movement need be only slight to get the effect. As the movement is horizontal to and from body, it is not noticeable at all to audience, Fig. 96.
Make cigarette rise to top of tube, fall to bottom, and remain suspended at different places. Make it rise rapidly and then fall slowly, etc., just to make it interesting.
To finish the trick, have cigarette come to top of tube. Grasp thread with thumb and finger tips of right hand and pull pin out. Insert pin in your vest as you misdirect attention of audience to the tube. Tube and cigarette may now be passed out for examination, or tube opened and cigarette thrown out to audience.
Performer takes cigarette box from his pocket, opens it, and produces a lighted cigarette from it. He places cigarette in his mouth and smokes it for a few minutes.
Take a cardboard cigarette box and cut an air hole in each side of it. On the bottom fix some wire, bending it so that it will raise burning cigarette from bottom of box and hold it midway between bottom and cover. Wires can be sewed to bottom of box and attached to other pieces of cardboard to fit into box. If extra pieces are used, sew them to bottom of box, Fig. 97.
This makes a nice conclusion to The Vanishing Cigarette. After cigarette has disappeared, reach into pocket, take out box, produce lighted cigarette and smoke it.
Light the cigarette in the box just before using it, so that it won’t burn down too much.
Card manipulation plays an important part in the program of the advanced card conjurer. You can be a good magician without these sleights, but I am sure you will want to add them to your repertoire so that you can use them from time to time. To be an expert card manipulator is, of course, a great accomplishment, and if it is your desire to become one, this lesson will prove invaluable to you.
To become an expert in sleight of hand with cards requires:
First: A careful analysis of the sleights.
You cannot hope to become an expert card manipulator over night, nor in a week. The muscles of your hands must be trained gradually. At first your fingers will feel stiff and clumsy; but each time you practice, the moves become easier, more natural, and finally you find yourself doing them gracefully and well. It will give you keen pleasure to see the wonderful progress you make each time you practice these sleights.
Some performers having very dry hands use a weak solution of glycerine or some good skin lotion on their hands just before doing manipulative work. You will find that it will help you, too.
All the sleights taught to you in this lesson are done with unprepared cards. Many of the sleights are not tricks in themselves, but are used in conjunction with tricks. They are all an important part of your magical education whether you perfect yourself in them or not.
With the cards all facing in the same direction, the “top” card of the deck is back outwards; the “bottom” card is face outwards.
Performer takes a card or several cards between his thumb and fingers. With a slight wave of the hand, cards disappear. Magician turns his hand over and shows that they are not on the back. He continues to show back and front of hand empty, then suddenly produces the cards at his finger tips.
Start with a single card. After you have become proficient with one, try two, three, and as many as you can handle. Turn left side towards audience. Hold right hand out from body. Place a card in right hand between thumb and finger tips. Fig. 1.
Bring first finger over upper edge of card and little finger over lower edge, Fig. 2.
Curl second and third fingers under back of card and release thumb from card, Fig. 3.
Straighten second and third fingers and card is brought automatically to back of hand, Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 shows view away from audience. Card is held on back of hand, clipped between first and second fingers and between third and fourth fingers at about the first joints.
To bring card back to front of hand, curl fingers in towards palm and place thumb on front of card, Fig. 6.
Hold card securely gripped and move fourth and first fingers along the edges almost up to the outer corners, Fig. 7.
Straighten second and third fingers and with tips of these fingers push card down well into palm of hand, Fig. 8.
Fig. 9 shows how card is held in palm. It is pressed against base of thumb and is clipped at outer corners between first and second, and between third and fourth fingers.
To get card from this position to back of hand again, push up on card with base of thumb, Fig. 10.
Curl fingers inward towards palm, keeping fourth and first fingers well over the card. Fig. 11.
Straighten hand out and card is pivoted to back of hand again, Fig. 12.
Practice the moves up to here until you have them mastered before you go further. When you can get the card from front to back of hand and back again easily, then continue with the next step.
Now, you must learn how to turn your hand in Back and Front Hand Palming to show it empty. The card must be concealed as you turn your hand, and this is the way you do it. You have turned the card over onto the back of your hand, and you show empty palm, Fig. 13.
Turn hand towards the front, bending fingers slightly in towards palm, Fig. 14. Continue turning hand. As it comes to position shown in Fig. 15, card comes into horizontal position and is thus screened from audience.
Fig. 16 shows how card is held as hand turns. Audience does not see card at all as back of hand is towards them as in Fig. 15.
Grasp card with thumb, push it down into palm with second and third fingers and clip edges between fingers as taught to you in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9.
When card is in position with fingers straight, hold hand out with back towards audience. You have now shown front and back of hand with nothing apparently concealed, Fig. 17.
To bring the card to back of hand again, reverse the movements. Turn hand upward and backward while you get card to back of hand again as taught to you in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. When turning hand to show palm empty, start with Fig. 17 and work back to Fig. 13. You may continue this back and front palming two or three times. Study your angles of visibility very carefully so as not to expose the card.
Have card on back of hand and palm towards audience. Curl fingers inward as in Fig. 3. Grasp card between tip of second finger and thumb.
Release bottom corner of card from little finger and allow card to spring up. Place first finger at rear of card also and produce as shown in Fig. 18.
When you have mastered your lesson this far and your mirror shows you that you are getting along well, begin to practice back and front hand palming with more cards. First use two, then three, four, and five cards as you progress.
It is a pretty effect to start with a fan of five cards in right hand. Square them up with that one hand by pushing up with your little finger and down with first finger, Fig. 19.
When the cards are all squared up, back palm them as one card and show palm of hand empty. Then turn the hand and front palm the cards as one and show back of hand empty. Continue this two or three times.
Have the cards on back of hand and palm towards audience. Follow method for producing one card, as taught above. When cards are at finger tips, move thumb upward and fingers downward and the cards will fan.
Remember, that most sleights are done rather quickly. Study and analyze them slowly, but keep practicing them faster and faster as you master them. You will find that after you know the movements, it is easier to do them fast. There is a certain speed necessary for graceful movements, yet do not overdo it.
This is a favorite method of Paul Fox, a clever manipulator. It eliminates a number of movements and thus simplifies matters. You must watch angles of visibility carefully in this method.
Back palm card and show palm as in Fig. 13. Turn the hand in the usual manner shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 16. Instead of straightening fingers, however, go only as far as Fig. 15. Audience sees part of back of hand and believes that magician has shown all of back of hand.
Then turn the palm of hand to audience again, concealing card on back of hand. This method is really nothing but a series of movements in which you open and close hand as you turn it.
This effect is very pleasing when Mr. Fox shows his hand empty and suddenly produces a fan of a dozen cards.
A number of cards, say five, are back palmed on right hand and palm of hand is shown empty. Curl fingers inward and place thumb on corner of cards, Fig. 20.
Push the outer card upward a little with thumb and release lower corner from little finger, Fig. 21.
Hold the cards securely by pressing thumb down on second finger. Raise first finger and put it back of top card, Fig. 22.
Push first finger down to lower corner of outer card. Straighten fingers out, bringing remaining four cards on back of hand again. The produced card is exposed between thumb and first finger, Fig. 23.
Drop that card to table or floor, then produce two more cards in the same manner. Before producing the last two, show both sides of hand empty and suddenly bring out the fourth card, then the fifth. Many conjurers bring the hand to position shown in Fig. 15 as they produce each card and then to position in Fig. 23.
This production requires artistic presentation. Practice until you can make the cards appear at your finger tips as though you suddenly plucked them from the air.
The effect is similar to that produced by Method 1, but the mode of operation is different. Hand is in position as in Fig. 13, with cards on back. Curve the fingers in and place thumb on outer card. Push down the card with thumb until it is free of first finger, Fig. 24.
Bring index finger back of outer card, Fig. 25.
Push index finger between outer card and remaining four cards. Grip outer card between thumb and back of first joint of index finger, Fig. 26.
Release lower corner of outer card from little finger, Fig. 27.
Straighten fingers. The four cards are concealed again on back of hand and the produced card is shown between thumb and forefinger of right hand, Fig. 28.
In this production the back of hand is shown to audience. Palm several cards, say five, in regular fashion. Corner AC is gripped right in the ball of the forefinger, Fig. 29.
Place thumb on top card about half an inch from the corner AC. Push the outer card upward diagonally about an inch or so, Fig. 30.
Raise first finger and place it in front of corner AC, Fig. 31.
Grip the corner of card between first and second fingers and pull card to a horizontal position. Put thumb under card, Fig. 32. With the aid of the thumb, push the card into position shown in Fig. 33.
Fig. 34 shows how the production looks to audience. Card appears suddenly at finger tips as though it came out of the air.
The angle of visibility is very important in this production. Hold your hand at a 45-degree angle in relation to your body. You can then conceal the palmed cards well as you produce them, one at a time, even if the fingers widen a bit during movements, Fig. 35.
Just before making the production, it is easy for you to palm off the cards from the deck. After you have produced these, palm a few more and continue the production if you desire. This production was a favorite of the late Howard Thurston, one of the foremost magicians of his day.
A special stand for holding cards comes in handy for this effect. If you want to have one, secure a stand used for display purposes in show windows and have clips soldered on to it, Fig. 36.
It is not necessary to have the stand, however. Start with a fan of cards in your left hand—say, five cards. Cards are fanned towards the right so that it will be easy to remove each one. If desired an assistant can hold the cards, Fig. 37.
Take the first card with right hand and with a slight tossing motion upward, vanish it on back of right hand. Then take the next card in position shown in Fig. 38. Hold it even with first card in preparation for vanishing it also by back palming. Notice the position of thumb, Fig. 39.
Curl the fingers inward. Get the two cards together and back palm them both, thus vanishing the second card, Fig. 40. Now by back and front palming the two cards together, show both sides of right hand empty.
Vanish the remaining cards in the same way. It is not necessary to show both sides of hand after each vanish, but show them occasionally to convince the audience that you have nothing concealed.
To reproduce the cards, use either method for producing cards one at a time, taught to you above. As the cards are produced, place the first three in the left hand in a fan.
Produce the fourth card, and as you place it in the fan in left hand, curl the fingers of right hand inward and place the fifth card in a horizontal position behind the other four cards. Fig. 41 shows view towards audience.
Concealed card is held in place by second finger of left hand as the right hand is immediately brought away from the left. Fig. 42 shows view away from audience.
As you bring right hand away from left, keep fingers close together. Show back and front of hand as though you were back and front palming a card. Keep thumb tight against hand to make it conspicuous. With the back of hand towards audience, push thumb far up into palm of hand and suddenly open fingers. It looks as though you were concealing something in the palm of hand.
Close the fingers again and quickly turn hand to expose palm, keeping thumb tight against first fingers as though holding something. Open fingers wide apart, one at a time, and finally the thumb. Now quickly show both sides of hand with fingers spread apart—the hand is empty!
Bring the right hand down to the left. Starting with the upper card, count the cards with thumb of right hand pointing to them while the fingers are back of the cards. As you count, four—back palm the concealed card in right hand, Fig. 43.
Grasp the fourth card between thumb and fingers of right hand and throw it aside. Then throw the other three cards aside, one at a time, tossing them up into the air. Show the left hand empty.
Back and front palm remaining card in right hand to show right hand empty. Then suddenly produce fifth card at finger tips and toss it into the air also.
This routine of manipulation may be varied. Some magicians prefer using six cards instead of five and placing two cards behind the fan instead of one.
This effect is most often used to blend in with other effects. It is very effective as a special opening for another trick in which a few cards are needed. Another excellent use for it is as a finish for the production of selected cards, duplicates of which have been forced.
Cardini uses it to produce a beautiful effect after having produced several fans of cards from the empty hand. He then picks up hoops and paper and, pushing his hand through, produces still another fan. Cardini’s trained skillful fingers can produce many cards at once. Do the effect well with a few cards rather than bungle it with many cards.
Performer shows two wooden embroidery hoops. He places a sheet of tissue paper between them and pushes one hoop down over the other, forming a sort of tambourine. He then shows both sides of tambourine and his empty right hand. Suddenly he plunges his right hand through the paper and hoops, tearing the paper. Just as his hand appears through the paper a fan of cards is seen at his finger tips.
1—A few cards.
2—Small wire clip such as is used to hold papers together.
3—A pair of wooden embroidery hoops, large enough for your hand to go through easily, about 8½ inches in diameter.
4—A sheet of colored tissue paper, about 14½ × 20½ inches.
Take five cards and place them securely about halfway into the clip, Fig. 7.
Sew the top of wire clip inside of right side of your coat. Position of clip should be far enough up from lower edge of coat to have cards about three-quarters of an inch from the bottom of coat when it hangs naturally, Fig. 8.
Fig. 9 also shows position of cards under coat. They should be far enough from front edge of coat to enable you to reach them easily by curling your fingers up under your coat when your right arm is dropped naturally at your side. Cards face outward, Fig. 9. Have the two separated embroidery hoops on the sheet of tissue paper on table.
Pick up the smaller hoop and sheet of tissue paper. Show paper, both sides, and place it over the hoop. Pick up the larger hoop and press it down over the paper and other hoop to make a tambourine, Figs. 10 and 11.
Do this away from the table and stand in a position to enable your audience to see clearly what you are doing. They must see that there is no trickery in this tambourine.
Hold the tambourine with left hand. Outside of tambourine is towards audience. Right hand is held naturally at right side against the concealed cards under coat, Fig. 12.
Turn the tambourine over to show inside. The turning movement is made downward so that the hoops come on a level with your right hand beside coat, Fig. 13.
As soon as the right hand is well screened by the paper, reach under coat and quickly remove the five cards, Fig. 14.
Hand is drawn away with cards held as in Fig. 15. After you have taken the cards from under coat, back palm them. Turn towards right a little so that your left side is towards audience. Bring hoop up so that outside is towards audience again. Hold hoop as in Fig. 19. Right hand is pulled behind it so that audience can see hand momentarily.
Then push the right hand suddenly through the hoops, tearing the paper. The moment your hand is through the paper, bring the cards quickly from the back to the front of your hand by the reverse process so that they are again held as in Fig. 15. Grip cards with tips of fingers at the back and suddenly move your thumb upward. This move causes the cards to fan, Fig. 20.
The effect must be that the fan appeared at your finger tips right out of the paper. It will take practice on your part to perfect this production. You must bring the cards to the front of your hand and fan them in a flash.
The effect is very startling when this fan of cards suddenly appears at the tips of your fingers. You can understand how any slowness or fumbling in producing the cards would completely spoil the experiment. Practice then until you have it perfected to a nicety before you perform it before an audience.
As you acquire skill in this card production, add more cards to the number you produce.
It was Cardini and Frakson who made the American magician conscious of the routines of producing fans of cards from the air, instead of a single card, and tossing the fans aside into a hat, a bowl, an umbrella, or some receptacle. Acts have been built around these beautiful sleights.
Performer shows his right hand empty front and back. Yet reaching out he suddenly produces a fan of cards in his hand. These he drops into a hat, or some receptacle. Again and again he produces fans of cards which he successively tosses away.
1—A deck of soft playing cards. The softer and more flexible the card the better. The cheaper cards are usually best for this purpose. For easy fanning, some performers rub each card with a special fanning powder that dealers sell. Some use a bit of talcum powder in emergency.
2—A receptacle into which the cards are tossed.
You have already been told how to front and back palm cards. Practice will allow you to palm a greater quantity of cards and in the production of fans you will have to palm as many cards as you can, on the back of your hand, Fig. 1.
Palm of right hand is towards audience. Turn hand over and show the back by bringing cards to front of hand. Then reverse to show palm empty, cards going to back of hand.
Bring cards forward as in Fig. 2. Bring the thumb down on the cards so the thumb can fan them out, Fig. 3.
Bring the right first finger in between cards and down behind three or four cards, Fig. 4. This figure shows rear view away from audience.
Bring balance of fanned cards together, Fig. 5.
Throw the three or four cards into the hat or receptacle, at the same time back palming the balance of the fan. To the audience, you have apparently tossed all of the fanned cards into the hat or receptacle, Fig. 6. Show hands front and back again. Produce cards in a fan, separate a few cards and toss these few into the hat and back palm the balance. Continue this until you have thrown away all the cards.
Some performers carry an extra load palmed in the left hand. When cards have been finished in right hand, the right hand comes down and back palms the extra cards in the left hand. Left side of body is towards the audience.
An extra load of cards can be carried on right side of body under coat in a clip, so these can be easily gotten at when right hand drops to the side of body. Performer stands with left side towards audience.
The effect of catching fans of cards is beautiful and is well worth mastering if you decide to become a card manipulator.
The effect produced in a Color Change is this: The face of the “bottom” card on the deck is shown. The hand is passed over the card and it suddenly changes to an entirely different card. You are given a number of methods. Select the one or two you like best.
Performer shows a Three of Spades on “bottom” of deck. He reaches up with right hand and apparently removes the center pip, leaving the Two of Spades. He snaps the invisible pip into the air and shows right hand empty. Then he reaches into the air again, gets the invisible pip and puts it on the Two of Spades—and behold, the Two changes back to the Three of Spades again!
Place the Two of Spades on the “top” of the deck and the Three of Spades on the “bottom.”
Hold deck in left hand with Three of Spades facing audience. Have your right side slightly turned towards the audience, Fig. 44.
“A very peculiar thing about the Three of Spades is that if you pass your hand over it in this direction, nothing happens to the card.”
Pass the right hand across the deck from right to left. When the hand gets to position shown in Fig. 45, push the rear card, the Two of Spades, forward into the right hand so that it can be grasped between thumb and second joint of little finger. Fig. 46 shows the way the card is held in the right hand. Fig. 46A is the view from above as you see card in hand.
Fig. 47 shows the way the left hand pushes the card into the right hand where only the two upper corners are gripped between right fingers.
The right hand must pass the deck in a continuous motion while it picks up the card. There must be no hesitation. Continue moving right hand to the left about 12 inches, raising it to show the Three of Spades again.
“But if you run your hand over the card in this direction.”
Bring the right hand back across the deck and, without stopping the movement, place the Two of Spades over the Three. The moment the card is in place, pretend to pick off the center pip of the Three spot. Remove right hand and show that the center pip has been taken off and a Two spot is there instead of a Three. Toss the invisible pip into the air.
“You can pick off one of the pips!”
With the right forefinger point to the place where pip was and push the card up about a quarter of an inch to get a jog at the top, Fig. 48.
Reach up into the air and pretend to catch the pip. Bring the hand down over pack. Press down on the jogged end of the Two of Spades. This forces the card into the right hand where it is palmed. Fig. 49 shows view from above as you see hands, but not as the audience sees them.
Bring right hand away to show the Three spot. The pip has apparently reappeared. As you bring the right hand toward your body, curve the fingers inward until edge A can be held by thumb, Fig. 50.
Then bring the right hand up to the deck to point with your fingers to the center pip of the Three spot, Fig. 51.
Release edge A from thumb. This causes the card to spring up behind deck. Hold it in place with the rest of the cards in left hand, Fig. 52.
Remove the right hand from deck and show it empty. A good natural move is to snap the card into place under cover of transferring deck from left to right hand.
This last move of causing a palmed card to spring up behind the deck was given to me by Paul Fox whom I mentioned earlier in this lesson. In his hands it is a beautiful piece of deception. It may be used in effects when you want to add one or more palmed cards to the back of the deck while the front is exposed.
The “bottom,” or face, card on deck changes to a different value and color. This is another effect of Paul Fox.
Turn your left side towards the audience. Hold deck in left hand with backs of cards toward rear. Place left little finger under “top” card in readiness for palming. Curve fingers of right hand and place them against lower edge of card, Fig. 53.
Grip one edge of the “top” card between first and second fingers and other edge between third and fourth fingers in readiness for back palming. Straighten fingers and back palm the card. Place deck in right hand to show face card to the audience, Fig. 54.
The back palming must be done in an instant as you pass the deck from the left to the right hand.
Bring the left hand up past the deck to the right about twelve inches away. Do not cover cards. Move right hand up to left. Under cover of left hand, turn right hand enough to get back-palmed card into left palm, Fig. 55.
Bring the deck back to original position facing audience. Bring the left hand with palmed card back towards the left and over the deck, Fig. 56. The small diagram shows the movement of the left hand to the right over the deck and nothing happens to the exposed card.
Now the left hand is brought back to the left and the palmed card is placed over card on the deck. The moment the card is in place, open fingers wide and continue motion of left hand to the left, Fig. 57.
The effect is that the color change came about with your fingers wide open. To the audience it appears that you merely moved right hand past left hand and card changed. This illusion is produced when you move right hand up to left hand. (See Fig. 55.)
This is a fine color change as the deck is in view all the time except for a moment when hand covers it once. Immediately the fingers open wide, revealing the color change.
Hold deck in left hand. Right side is turned toward audience and left arm is extended about 18 inches from body. Face of “bottom” card of deck is exposed to audience, Fig. 58.
Bring right hand over to left to take deck. Grasp deck with thumb at bottom and first two fingers of right hand at top, Fig. 59.
The moment you grasp deck with right hand, push the “top” or rear card down with left fingers into right hand until upper corner is gripped between third and fourth fingers and opposite corner at base of thumb.
Fig. 60 shows view towards audience with back of right hand screening completely the card being pushed out. Fig. 61 shows view away from audience with concealed card pushed into right hand. The moment card is adjusted, deck is held in right hand and left hand is shown empty, Fig. 62.
Transfer the deck back to left hand, cards still facing audience. Release grip from thumb on concealed card in right hand and let it fall into horizontal position gripped between third and fourth fingers. Fig. 63 is view from above as you see hands.
Hold right hand about six inches below deck to show the front card on deck. Bring the right hand up to deck and place concealed card on it, Fig. 64.
Place right hand over deck, immediately opening the fingers wide so that audience can see sudden change of card through the fingers, Fig. 65. Remove right hand and show color change.
Face card of deck is slapped with right hand and when hand is removed, card is found to have changed to another. The striking of the cards adds smartness to this effect.
Hold deck as in Fig. 58. Show right hand empty, then grasp deck at top and bottom, Fig. 66.
With tips of left second and third fingers, push the “top” card into right palm. Fig. 67 shows view towards audience with card concealed in right palm. Fig. 68 shows rear view away from audience, with concealed card palmed in right hand.
Separate the hands and bring the right hand back in front of the left in preparation for slapping the deck, Fig. 69.
Slap the right hand down smartly on the deck, leaving the palmed card on the deck, Fig. 70. Remove right hand and show that card has changed.
This experiment is often begun by holding deck as in Fig. 66. The deck is then placed in left hand, and during this movement, “top” card is slid into right palm.
This change may be used in producing selected cards. Three or four cards are selected by spectators and returned to deck. These are brought to “top” of deck by the Simplified Pass. Each one is then in turn palmed in right hand, as taught to you above, and produced on the face of the pack by the Slap Change method.
This is similar to the change produced in the Phantom Pip.
Hold cards as in Fig. 71. With tip of left forefinger push rear card outward. Cards and hands are held horizontally. This view is from above as you see hands.
With aid of right hand and left forefinger, get rear card up into palm of right hand, where it is palmed in regular fashion, Fig. 72.
Bring right hand back across deck again, placing palmed card on front of deck. Remove hand and show change.
Hold deck in regular manner in left hand, faces of cards towards audience. Bring right hand up to deck, placing fingers in front of it and thumb behind it, Fig. 73.
Press against the rear card with right thumb and draw the hand away, bringing card with it, gripped in crotch of thumb, Fig. 74.
Cover front card on deck with right hand, leaving concealed card on it. Then remove hand and show change of front card. Several cards can be slipped from the back by using the left finger tip (and fingernail) to push them off cleanly, and into the right thumb crotch. The cards are produced in a fan from various parts of body, or may all be deposited on face of deck to make a color change.
In this experiment, two cards change instead of one.
Split the deck about in half and pull down the outer section. Push up face card of rear section a little, Fig. 75.
Pass the right hand over upper section of deck. Push the rear card forward with left forefinger until you can grasp it between thumb and little finger of right hand. Bring hand with palmed card down in front of face card of upper section and grasp that card in similar manner. The two cards are now palmed in right hand, Fig. 76.
As the right hand passes back over the deck again, place the two palmed cards on lower section of deck. Remove right hand and show it empty. Call attention to the double change on the deck, Fig. 77. You may work this in pantomime or use this patter:
“If you pass your hand over the deck once, nothing happens.”
Palm off the rear card, then show that cards are still the same.
“But if you pass your hand over them twice, one card changes.”
Palm off face card of upper section, together with the rear card. Then show that one card has changed.
“However, the third time over, changes the bottom card as well.”
Place cards over front card of lower section and show change.
Credit for this is due to Charles Leedy, a fellow magician.
Deck is cut in two parts, one held in each hand. Keeping the hands close together, drop the part in the right hand enough so that the audience can see the front card of left hand section, Fig. 78.
Pull the right hand packet upward against left hand one. As you do so, curve the left fingers, press tightly against “bottom” card of right hand section, and separate it from the rest of section, Fig. 79.
Remove right hand packet and allow “bottom” card to spring up against front of left hand section. Bring the right hand up high above left hand to show change of front card of left hand section, Fig. 80.
This is very important in card work as the sleight has many uses. You may show front card of deck and suddenly cause it to change. You may locate a selected card by causing the front card to change into it, etc.
Have a card selected, remembered and returned to the middle of deck. Bring card to “top” of deck with the Simplified Pass.
Riffle the front edge of deck with right finger tips, and as cards fall, have spectator tell you where to stop. When he says “Stop,” you remove card at that point and show it. This is card A. Hold it between first and second fingers of right hand. Hold deck in left hand down at about your waistline. Push the selected card B on “top” of deck over to the right about half an inch, Fig. 81.
Have spectator who selected card stand a little in front of you at your right and another spectator in the same position at your left.
Show card A to spectator at right.
“Is this the card you selected, sir? No?”
Turn to spectator at left. As you do so, bring card A up to left hand. Quickly place it between first and second fingers of left hand, and at the same time grasp card B between thumb and first finger of right hand, Figs. 82 and 83.
Leave card A in left hand and remove card B in right hand. Immediately move left hand to left, pointing forefinger to spectator and thus releasing card A, which now comes together with rest of pack. Hold B in right hand so that face is not exposed, Fig. 84.
You must not look at your hands in making this change and the audience will not suspect anything. They believe that you still hold card A in your right hand. Say to spectator at left:
“Would you know the gentleman’s card if you saw it?” Then to spectator at right: “By the way, what was the card you selected?”
Spectator names card. “Blow on this indifferent card.”
Have spectator blow on card B, then turn it over and show it to be selected card. “I thought so!”
This change is done without the spectators on each side of you, otherwise it is similar to Method 1.
Hold card card up in right hand. You must look straight at audience, not at hands, Fig. 85.
Bring card A down to the pack, make the change, and bring card B above or below the pack about twelve inches. You must make some kind of a gesture while you make the change.
This is used when it is necessary to get card A to the top of the deck instead of the bottom.
Hold up card A between thumb and forefinger in right hand. Push card B to the right a little on deck. Fig. 86 is a view away from audience as you see cards.
Bring card A down to the deck. Grasp B between first and second fingers of right hand, and place thumb of left hand over A, Fig. 87.
Separate the hands, drawing B away in right and leaving A on top of pack—and the change is made, Fig. 88.
This is a good change to use when turning body from left to right. First show A to people at left, then turn to right and show that card has changed.
A good method for top card change. Hold up card A in right hand with thumb at bottom and first two fingers at top. Hold deck in left hand with B pushed over to right, Fig. 89.
Bring A down on pack and grasp B between thumb and second finger of right hand, Fig. 90. Draw right hand away with card B, and the change is made, Fig. 91.
This is a good change to use while turning body slightly from left to right. Make the change as right hand passes over the deck.
Study these changes carefully. Watch your angles of visibility and naturalness of gestures. Make the changes under cover of larger natural moves, such as turning body slightly or passing hand back and forth over the deck. Speak to a spectator during the change and keep your eyes on him, not on hands, for misdirection. It will pay you to perfect these changes for they are the basis for some good card magic.
This is a good method for indetectably changing one card to another.
Get selected card to “top” of deck. Do the Double Card Lift, showing face of second card from “top” as “top” card. Place the two cards on bottom of deck so that they extend a little to the right. Hold deck in left hand with cards facing audience. Fig. 101 is view as you see cards. Fig. 102 shows how cards are held towards audience. Thumb is at rear and fingers in front of deck.
Turn cards so that audience can see the backs. Place right thumb back of second or selected card and fingers in front of the first card at bottom of deck, Fig. 103.
Remove the second card with right hand and at the same time, push the first card back with left fingers, squarely onto the deck. Fig. 104 shows this move from underneath. The first card is square upon the deck and second card is about to be removed in right hand.
Separate the hands. Right hand carries card to the right side with back of it still to audience. Audience believes it to be the first card which they saw. Turn card over and show it to be the selected one. Be careful not to expose first card at “bottom” of deck in left hand.
This change is performed with one hand.
Lift two cards from “top” of deck and show as one. Hold in right palm with lower corner in crotch of thumb, Fig. 105. Turn hand over, and as you do so, curl in your fingers, Fig. 106.
Straighten fingers out again, forcing top card out to tips of fingers and second card back into palm of hand where it is thumb palmed, Fig. 107.
Force top card out onto table. Bring right hand quickly back to deck in left hand and place concealed card on “top” of deck. Card on table is shown to have changed.
This move may be made to appear natural by throwing card to table with right hand and merely finishing the movement by bringing right hand back to deck.
This requires practice, but when you have it mastered, you have a big trick up your sleeve. The method I teach you here is that used by Cardini. He does it so perfectly that the closest eye cannot detect that he is dealing from the “bottom” instead of the “top” of the deck.
Performer deals off indifferent cards from “top” of deck and they suddenly change into selected cards (because of Bottom Dealing). Magician causes a selected card to appear at any number in the deck which spectator chooses. Spectator then chooses any place in the deck and magician deals off an Ace, apparently from that place, but in reality from the “bottom” of the deck.
Hold deck in left hand, backs of cards up. Curve fingers upward and press cards firmly against base of thumb, Fig. 92. Move “top” card over to the right with thumb, Fig. 93.
Place right thumb at corner of “top” card and first finger of right hand under “bottom” card of deck in left hand. Fig. 94 shows view from above. Fig. 95 shows view from underneath to make finger positions clear to you.
Pull out “bottom” card, holding it between thumb and first finger of right hand. Card comes straight out from deck. At the same time, draw the “top” card back onto deck with left thumb, Fig. 96.
“Bottom” card may be removed diagonally instead of straight if desired. Fig. 97 shows method of doing this. “Top” card is shown already squared up on deck by left thumb.
When Cardini deals from the “bottom,” as he pulls card away in right hand, he throws left hand with a turn to the left and snaps card down on the table with the right. He deals as fast from the “bottom” as he does from the “top.”
Study your motions so that there is no apparent difference between regular dealing and “bottom” dealing. Practice well the art of sliding “top” card back and forth easily with left thumb.
This is a popular method among magicians today. It should be practiced until the ease of execution and timing are as natural as straight dealing. In performing be careful that deck is held rather lightly. The tendency of the beginner is to hold the deck too tightly. A half deck is best to practice with at the start.
Hold deck in left hand, backs up, as in Fig. 1. The tip of the first finger is on right outer index corner of the deck, while the base of the thumb rests on diagonally opposite left inner index corner. Imagine a diagonal line between these two corners because that is where the main grip and pressure come. The second, third and fourth fingers press against the right edge of deck; the tips of the fingers are just about even with the “top” of the deck. The third and fourth fingers help to grip cards in place against the base of thumb. The tip of thumb is on the “top” card. Deck is held horizontally.
Push the top card over about three-quarters of an inch with the left thumb, Fig. 2. You reach over with the right hand apparently to take this “top” card but in reality the tip of the right second finger goes beneath the “bottom” card and presses up on the right index corner. The tip of the right first finger rests on the first joint of the left first finger. The right thumb tip rests upon the top of deck at corner, Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 4 is a view from underneath. Some performers like to have tip of thumb against the edge of the deck.
The right second finger snaps the “bottom” card out, and the right thumb tip comes into position on top of corner of that card while the right first finger pushes down firmly on the second finger, Fig. 5. To allow free passage of the “bottom” card, the second, third and fourth fingers of the left hand straighten out horizontally for a moment. The tip of left first finger, base of thumb, and thumb itself have enough grip on deck to allow free movement of the left second, third and fourth fingers.
As “bottom” card is drawn away, Fig. 6, the left thumb moves “top” card back to original position on the deck.
Some performers do not move “top” card. Some just move thumb across card as though in dealing. The left hand with deck is merely moved towards the right hand where right hand takes out the “bottom” card.
This modification of Method 2 is used by Audley Walsh successfully.
The deck is held in the left hand, backs up, as described in Method 2. Fig. 1 shows position.
The “top” card is pushed off a bit with left thumb, Fig. 2. The right hand comes up apparently to take card but when right thumb goes on top of card the right second finger goes under “bottom” card and rests lightly against the right index corner. The right first finger comes against outer first joint of left index finger.
The right second finger snaps “bottom” card out, where it is held between the first and second fingers and drawn away as in Fig. 4. The left thumb, in the meantime, is moving “top” card of deck back into original position.
The second, third and fourth fingers of left hand momentarily straighten out horizontally to allow “bottom” card to pass and then curl up again on the edge of the deck.
This is a handy sleight for apparently dealing the “top” card off the deck but in reality dealing the second card.
Performer deals cards from the “top” of deck, apparently, but really holds back the “top” card as long as he desires and deals out the second card from “top.”
Let us say that a spectator selects a card and it is returned to the deck and brought to the “top.” Spectator is asked to name any number between one and fifteen. Suppose he says “Eight.” You can deal seconds for seven cards and then drop off the selected card from the “top” of deck as the eighth card.
The second deal has a variety of uses.
This is the method that Cardini uses.
Hold deck in left hand, backs up, as in Fig. 98. First finger is at outer narrow edge of deck, the second, third and fourth fingers are at the right side curled up with tips about level with “top” of deck. Thumb is on “top” card.
Thumb moves back to left edge of deck and tip pushes “top” card and second card to the right, Figs. 98A and 99. The deck slightly fans as this is done but does not interfere with dealing. Bring right hand up to deck and place right thumb on “top” card and the first and second fingers beneath the second card, Fig. 99.
Draw the left thumb with “top” card back to its original position on deck. This leaves the second card in right hand held by right thumb and first two fingers, Fig. 100.
Snap the card down on the table. As the card leaves the deck, the left hand is moved a little to the left.
Dealing must be done in a natural manner. You must develop a sensitive touch and proper timing.
This method is liked by many magicians. It takes practice but when mastered is very effective.
Deck is held in left hand, backs up, as in Fig. 1. Inner side of thumb tip rests on outer narrow edge of “top” card at about center. Fingers of hand are curled up on right side of deck with tips of fingers just about on a level with the “top” card.
The right hand fans the cards a bit as in Fig. 2. This bevels the cards enough so that inner edge of left thumb tip can slide off two cards as one, Fig. 3. The two cards are not just pushed to right but describe an arc with base of thumb helping to keep cards in control.
Right hand comes up and, with thumb on top of right index corner of the two cards, right second finger tip beneath the corner and the first finger pressing firmly on the second finger, Fig. 4, the second, or lower, card of the two is slipped out and thrown on table. In the meantime the left thumb has brought the “top” card back to its original position, Fig. 5.
The cards should be held in the same position whether dealing straight off the “top,” or dealing seconds, and the timing should be perfect.
Cards are held rather lightly with just enough pressure by edge of left thumb tip (just under inner corner of nail, as marked X in Fig. 1) on edge of bevelled cards to allow two cards to slide.
This is known as the Strike Method of Second Dealing because the right thumb lightly strikes the back of the card in dealing it off the deck. It is a popular method with many magicians.
Cards are held in left hand, backs up, as in Fig. 1. Left first finger is held against outer narrow edge of the deck. The second, third and fourth fingers are curled up on the right side of deck, tips of fingers being on a level just below “top” card. The thumb is on the upper half of “top” card.
The thumb slides off the “top” card about a half to three-quarters of an inch in an arc to the right. The base of thumb acts as a pivot for lower index corner of card, Fig. 2.
The right hand comes up in pretense of taking the “top” card with right thumb parallel to card and lightly strikes the second card which is exposed, Fig. 3. This pushes card out of deck diagonally, Fig. 4, and right first finger comes underneath the right index corner. Card is gripped between thumb and first finger and drawn quickly out of the deck.
The left thumb moves the “top” card back so it is square on the deck, Fig. 5.
The same movements in dealing seconds should be used in regular dealing with the exception, of course, that in regular dealing the “top” card comes off.
Some performers deal seconds by only a slight arc movement of the “top” card. It is amazing how little exposure of the edge and top of second card is necessary for some card artists to strike out the second card.
In dealing, the outer narrow edge of deck is raised a bit as the card is struck out, and the deck is tipped so that its right edge slants downward.
This is a method that Joe Berg uses and is for those who like a novelty style of dealing with a snap of the card as cards are dealt. This method is a modification of the second deal used by Cardini.
Hold deck, backs ups, in left hand, as in Fig. 1. First finger at upper narrow edge of deck, other fingers curled around right edge and thumb on “top” card.
Bring the thumb back to the left edge of deck, Fig. 2, and push to right the two “top” cards, Fig. 3. Deck will fan out slightly but this is all right.
Bring the right hand up over the “top” cards as in Fig. 4, the left thumb sliding “top” card back, leaving the second card held by the second finger and thumb of right hand which slides the card off the deck, Fig. 5. Deck is held horizontal as this is done.
Card is now bent with right first finger coming up against opposite narrow end of card so it can be held between thumb and first finger, Fig. 6.
The second finger snaps its end of card, which gives a loud snapping sound and the card comes into position as in Fig. 7. Card is thrown on the table.
Each card that is dealt from the “top” in regular straight dealing is removed and snapped in this manner, so when you want to deal a second you do so with same timing and style.
Card is removed from deck and card is bent as in Fig. 8. The first and second fingers grip outer narrow end of card, with thumb on opposite end of card. Snap the end loose with thumb which gives a snapping sound, and by straightening the fingers, the card is thrown into position as in Fig. 9. Card is dropped on the table.
To deal the “bottom” card by this method, hold the deck in left hand as in Fig. 10. Right hand grasps edges between first finger and thumb, which allows first and second fingers of left hand to slide the “bottom” card to the right, which is grasped between second finger and thumb of right hand and drawn away from the deck. Magicians will recognize this move as a modification of a move used in color changing a card by passing the “bottom” card to the “top.”
A pretty card flourish in which cards drop quickly and evenly from right hand down to left, held about twelve inches below. The even dropping gives the effect of a ribbon. Use new cards to get the best results.
Turn left side to audience. Hold cards in right hand as shown in Fig. 108. The grip comes between thumb and second finger, and the other fingers assist lightly in holding cards. Push second finger and thumb inward a little so that pack is curved and cards spread slightly apart.
Turn right hand to horizontal position, holding it at about a 45-degree angle, Fig. 109.
Hold left hand twelve to eighteen inches below right. Gradually release pressure on cards with thumb and second finger. Allow the cards to fall evenly in a ribbon effect into left hand. Cards face audience, Fig. 110. It takes practice to master this flourish, but when perfected, it is pretty.
This is similar to The Ribbon Drop but the cards are curved and fall in a cascade.
Hold cards in the same way as you do for The Ribbon Drop, but press down harder on the cards to get a greater curve in them, Fig. 111.
Release pressure on the cards with the thumb
only, and draw thumb back over edges of cards a little. This causes the cards to spurt one after another rapidly into left hand. Control of the cards is with the thumb. Cards fall with faces downward and edges to audience, Fig. 112.
Another method of Cascading cards is to force the cards across from right to left hand horizontally, Fig. 113. By making a turn of your body from left to right during the action, the impression of great distance between the hands is created.
This is a comedy flourish. Magician reaches up with his hand and apparently takes many cards from his mouth, or from a boy’s mouth.
Palm off from the deck a dozen cards, or as many as you can conveniently palm, in your right hand. It is preferable to palm them with faces of cards against hand. To do this, hold deck in left hand immediately in front of you with faces of cards towards you and backs towards audience. Place right hand over deck. Turn towards the left, and as you do so, get left little finger under a dozen or so cards. With the aid of little finger, palm the cards in right hand.
Place cards up against mouth with back of hand to audience, being careful to conceal cards. Push top of cards up into mouth about an inch, Fig. 1.
Draw right hand aside and place left hand on cards also. Immediately start pulling cards down in ribbon fashion, allowing them to fall one by one to the floor. As you pull cards down with fingers of both hands, you create the illusion of actually pulling the cards out of your mouth, Fig. 2.
If you do this with a boy, have him face audience. Stand behind him, and under cover of his body, palm your cards. Reach your arms around his neck, place cards up into his mouth a little way, and immediately start pulling cards down, Fig. 3.
Another comedy flourish in which the performer places his hand on boy’s nose and a stream of cards cascades down.
Stand behind boy and palm off half the deck in right hand. Hold cards as you were taught to do for The Cascade in this lesson.
Step around to the right of boy, place your right hand up to his nose, and cascade the cards downward, allowing them to spurt to the floor. Tilt your hand a little to get proper angle for a good waterfall or cascade of the cards. This stream of cards, apparently coming from the boy’s nose, always get a laugh, Fig. 4.
Another flourish with cards in which the pack is cut, and the cut completed, while held in one hand.
Hold pack between fingers and thumb, backs of cards up, Fig. 114.
Allow about half of the pack to drop into palm, making sections A and B, Fig. 115.
With tips of first finger and little finger, push against the outer edge of B, raising it up under A, Fig. 116.
Continue pushing B until it has passed the inner edge of A, and A drops down towards palm, Fig. 117.
The moment B is free from A, transfer first finger to A to control it and lower it evenly, Fig. 118.
When A has dropped into position, let B fall on top of it and the cut is completed, Fig. 119.
Practice this cut with both hands. Then try holding half of deck in each hand and cutting them simultaneously. In this method of cutting the result is the same as in the Regular Pass.
This lesson has covered some interesting and valuable card sleights. With a little ingenuity on your part, you can work them into many tricks. You can introduce flourishes, productions, and vanishes of cards here and there for variety. A number of methods for doing the same thing are taught so that you may pick out the method which is easiest for you. Practice and perfect the methods which suit you best.
The following card mysteries are selected because of the systems and routines which they contain. They are puzzling and entertaining. They are fine for intimate work.
“Any Name Called For”
This is a favorite of Audley Walsh and because of the variety of names that can be asked for can be worked into excellent comedy.
Spectator, after shuffling a deck of cards, is asked to secretly remove a few cards and hide them in his pocket or some place near-by, then to count off the same number again, look at the “bottom” card of the packet and replace on the deck. Performer then picks up the deck and asks the spectator what his grandmother’s name was, and proceeds to count off the cards to spell out the name. This is continued for two or more other names. The next card is then laid down on the table back up.
Cards are again assembled and spectator asked to place the hidden cards on “top” of the deck. Since the spectator chose any number of cards, it would be almost impossible to know the position of his selected card in the deck. But the spectator repeats the routine of spelling and laying aside the next card, with the result that when card is turned over it proves to be the selected card.
A deck of cards.
Give the deck of cards to a spectator to shuffle freely.
“I want you to deal off any number of cards that you want. Five—six—seven—eight—nine—ten—eleven—any number of cards that you want. Do this secretly so I do not know the number of cards, then hide the cards in your pocket or behind something.”
Spectator counts off a few cards and secretes them out of sight. You can turn your back during this.
“Have you done that? Now count off the same number of cards again. If you counted off six cards the first time, count off six cards again. Then lay the balance of the pack on the table, backs up.”
Spectator counts off a duplicate number of cards and places remainder of deck on table, backs up.
“Shuffle the cards in your hand. Look at the ‘bottom’ card, and remember it, but do not show it to me. Place your cards back on ‘top’ of the deck and even them up.”
Spectator does this. Your back can be turned to spectator while this is going on. Turn to spectator again.
Pick up the deck and give it a false shuffle, such as the Wiggle Woggle Shuffle or Riffle False Shuffle (pages 254-255, Volume 1). These shuffles do not disturb the order of the deck. The trick is effective even if cards are not shuffled, but a false shuffle adds to the mystery. Place deck back on table, backs up.
“This is a piece of magic that I want you to do yourself and test your own powers as a magician. Take the cards out of your pocket and place on ‘top’ of the deck—but before you do this let me first explain what I want you to do. I want you to think of a name and spell it, putting one card on the table for each letter. For instance JOHN—J-O-H-N.”
Having picked up the deck, you make pantomimic motions as though dealing cards on the table, without really dealing any.
“What was your grandmother’s name? Mary? All right. M-A-R-Y.”
This time you really count down the four cards on table one at a time, backs up.
“What was your grandfather’s name? Juniper? J-U-N-I-P-E-R.” You count down seven more cards to fit Juniper.
“Ever own a dog? You did. What was his name? Towser? All right, T-O-W-S-E-R.” Count down six more cards.
“After you have done this, place this next card on the table back up.”
By way of illustration place this next card on the table, back up. “Do you understand what you are to do? Fine.”
Pick up the card from table and place it inside the deck near bottom. Pick up the packet of cards on the table and place on “top” of the deck.
“Now take the cards you have hidden and place them on ‘top’ of the deck. And by putting these cards on the pack it will upset any kind of a prearrangement you and I might have had in mind. Your card is already lost in the deck but this just makes it ‘more lost.’ The more the mix-up, the greater your power as a magician.”
Spectator removes packet of cards that has been hidden and places them on “top” of the deck.
“Pick up the deck and start counting on the table your grandmother’s name.” Spectator counts down, “M-A-R-Y.”
“Now your grandfather’s name.” Spectator counts down, “J-U-N-I-P-E-R.”
“And your dog’s name.” Continues to count “T-O-W-S-E-R.”
“Now take the next card and place on the table face down.” Card is placed on the table by itself, away from the others.
“By the way, what was the name of the card you looked at in the deck? The Eight of Hearts? Turn over the card you placed on the table.”
Spectator turns over the card which proves to be the card selected, and you call it out for the benefit of the company.
This is a mathematical routine that is not affected by the number of cards the spectator counts off in the beginning and duplicates, or by the number of letters in the names. There should be, however, a greater number of letters than the number of cards counted off.
There is much chance for comedy by the questions you ask to determine the names. You can ask on almost any subject within reason. For instance:
What is your middle name?
What is your first wife’s maiden name?
Where was your mother born?
Where did you live before your moved here?
What did you have for breakfast?
Who is your favorite movie star?
Name any color, month, street, town, etc.
What kind of an automobile do you drive?
What is your occupation?
This is another favorite of Audley Walsh. It is a variation of “Follow the Leader,” a clever conception of that card genius, Dai Vernon.
Performer counts ten black cards down onto the table. Also ten red cards. He places the red cards on the black cards, all cards face up, and shows cards freely:
The “top” card, a black card, is placed on the table face up, and the other nine black cards are counted out in a packet in front of this card. To one side the red cards are counted down in like manner.
Performer changes positions of the red and black indicator cards. He deals three cards off the “black” packet but they turn out to be three red cards, matching the red card on the table. Likewise three black cards are dealt off the “red” packet onto the black card on table.
Now the positions of the packets are changed but instead of red cards, black cards are dealt and instead of black cards, red ones are dealt.
The diagonal packets are changed and cards dealt from the side but cards change color themselves to fit the cards they are dealt upon.
A deck of cards.
Separate from the deck any ten black cards and place in a pile on table. Also separate ten red cards and place in a pile on table, Fig. 1. The cards should be face up.
“We will use ten black cards and ten red cards.”
Pick up the black packet and on these place the ten red cards, all face up, Fig. 2. Fan the cards a bit again calling attention to ten black cards and ten red cards.
Square up the cards and in doing so get the left little finger between the outer three (“top”) black cards and the rest of the cards and reverse these three cards under cover of the others, Figs. 3 and 4. This is easily done with left fingers. When cards are reversed still keep the left little finger between them and rest of the cards.
Turn the balance of the cards over (Fig. 5) on top of the three cards. Cards are now all face up but the three black cards have been transferred from the black section over in front of the red section. From the audience’s standpoint nothing has happened except that you just turned over the whole packet of cards.
The cards are now set up for the various color changes.
Another way to transfer the three cards: If you can make the pass, that sleight will enable you to transfer the three black cards from the “top” of the 20-card packet to the “bottom.”
“We will put the black cards here. . . . One.” Turn over the top card and place on table face up, Fig. 6 A.
Turn over the next card and place on table face up about three inches nearer you (Fig. 6 C) as you count, “Two.”
Continue counting cards onto pile C, Fig. 6, turning them face up on table until you reach “Five,” then turn over these four C cards nearest you so they are backs up and continue dealing the balance to make the ten cards, backs up, onto that packet.
“Six—seven—eight—nine—ten black cards. Now for the red cards. One—.”
Place red card face up about three and a half inches on right of the single black card on table, Fig. 6 B.
Turn over the next card and place it, face up, at D (Fig. 6) as you count, “Two.”
As you did with the black cards, turn over red cards and place face up on D until you reach “Five,” then turn the packet over and deal the balance of cards, backs up, onto the D packet.
“Six—seven—eight—nine—ten. Ten red cards.”
These moves are perfectly natural and done in such a way that you are merely checking upon the fact that you have ten black cards on one side and ten red cards on the other, Fig. 6.
Pick up packet C and show face of “bottom” card to audience. “Ten black cards on this side.”
Place cards back on table backs up. Pick up packet D and show face of “bottom” card to the audience. “And ten red cards on this side.”
Replace the cards on table. . . . “It is said that there is a sympathy of colors and that like begets like. Suppose I change these two cards, and place the black card where the red is and the red in the black’s place.”
Pick up black A and red B, single cards, and change places, Fig. 7.
“Now since these two colors have changed places these two packets of colors will change places.”
Pick up packet C and deal off the “top” three red cards one at a time onto red card B. Each card is turned over face up as dealt. . . . “One—two—three red.”
Replace packet on the table. Then pick up packet D and deal the top three cards face up on black card A. “One—two—three black.”
Replace balance of packet on table and exchange positions of packets C and D, Fig. 8.
“Or we can changes these packets. It makes no difference.”
Pick up packet D and deal three red cards face up on red card B. . . . “One—two—three red.”
Replace packet D on table and pick up packet C and deal the three top black cards face up on black card A. . . . “One—two—three black.”
Now change packets diagonally by changing B with C, Fig. 9. . . . “Or we can change the packets diagonally. It makes no difference.”
Count the remaining three black cards at C, face up, onto the black packet at A, Fig. 10. . . . “One—two—three black.”
Pick up remaining three red cards at D and count them, face up, onto the red cards at B, Fig. 10.
“One—two—three red. Which goes to show that birds of a feather flock together.”
This is one of Richard Himber’s effects. It is easy, mysterious, and requires but a few moments to perform.
Performer gives deck of cards to a spectator and requests him to put the deck behind his back. Holding deck backs up, he is requested to cut the deck anywhere he chooses and to reverse the bottom packet so that when deck is squared up, the two packets face each other. Performer names the two cards facing each other in center of deck.
A deck of cards.
Have deck shuffled and cut. Hold deck in left hand, faces of cards
toward rear, Fig. 1. Left thumb is on upper edge of deck. Secretly note “bottom” card, which we will say is the Three of Diamonds. Pressing edge of “bottom” card with thumb, move it back so you can secretly glimpse the card next to it, Fig. 2. Let us say it is the Six of Clubs. Let card go back to position.
Holding deck on angle of about forty-five degrees, backs towards audience, cover deck with right hand, finger tips on outer narrow edge of deck and thumb on near narrow edge. Under cover of deck and right hand, reverse the “bottom” card, the Three of Diamonds, with the left hand.
“I want you to place this deck of cards behind your back.”
Give deck, backs up, to spectator. Spectator places deck behind his back.
“Keep the backs of the cards up. Cut the deck. Now reverse the lower packet of cards and bring the two packets together so that they face each other. Square up the deck. As you cut the deck any place that you chose, naturally I would not know at what cards you cut, neither would you know the cards.”
Hesitate a moment.
“But I would say that the two cards facing each other in the center of the deck are the Three of Diamonds and the Six of Clubs. Bring the deck out in front and let us check.”
Spectator brings deck around in front, opens up cards and, true enough, the Three of Diamonds and the Six of Clubs face each other, Fig. 3.
This can also be done as a mental effect by having spectator bring deck out in front and open to the spot where cards face each other. You can turn your back for a moment while this is being done. Then spectator should hold a packet in each hand and concentrate on the two cards facing him. You begin to visualize cards and finally name them.
“One is a red card—one is a black card. I see a diamond, three diamonds. Yes, it is the Three of Diamonds. I see a club, six clubs. The other card is the Six of Clubs.”
By using two decks of cards you can use this principle for a “You Do as I Do” type of experiment.
After you have “fixed” one deck and have given it to spectator to hold behind his back, you pick up the other deck and in pretending to look for Joker, get the Six of Clubs and Three of Diamonds to the “bottom” of your deck, facing you. You can also remove Joker and place on table. Riffle shuffle your cards but do not disturb position of the two cards at “bottom.” Be sure no one sees these “bottom” cards.
Place deck behind your back and reverse the “bottom” card. Say to spectator. . . .
“Each of us holds a shuffled deck of cards behind our backs. I am going to cut my deck. I want you also to cut your deck. I am going to reverse the bottom packet. Also reverse yours. Now let the two packets come together face to face. Square the cards and we will each bring our deck out and place on the table before us.”
Decks are placed on table.
“Spread your cards and note the two cards that are facing each other in the center of the deck. Remember you had free choice in cutting the deck behind your back.”
Spectator opens up deck showing two cards facing each other.
“The Three of Diamonds and the Six of Clubs. Now, sir, I want you to pick up my deck of cards and open them up and see what two cards face each other.”
Spectator open up deck revealing the Three of Diamonds and the Six of Clubs.
“The Three of Diamonds and the Six of Clubs. That shows the sympathy between us. For the thing that I have done, you have duplicated.”
Say to audience, “Congratulate the man.”
This is a mathematical system in card magic that has been popular with George Kaplan. It is a variation of the Al Baker-Audley Walsh Telephone Mystery.
A deck of cards is thoroughly shuffled by a spectator. He is asked to look at the “top” card and remember it, then to remove from the “bottom” and place on top of his card the same number of cards as the number of his card. For instance, if the card was a nine spot, he is to move nine cards from the “bottom” to the “top.” The cards are cut by a spectator. The performer spreads cards on the table and picks out the selected card, or is able to find the selected card and produce it as he sees fit.
A deck of cards.
Give a deck of cards to a spectator, requesting him to “Give the cards an overhand shuffle. . . .then secretly look at the ‘top’ card, but do not show it to me.”
Spectator shuffles, looks at the “top” card and replaces it on the deck.
“Secretly count off the ‘bottom’ of the deck the same number of cards as the number on the card that you looked at. For instance, if you looked at a five spot count off five cards. If you looked at a Queen, count off twelve cards. Place these cards on ‘top’ of your card, on ‘top’ of the deck.”
Spectator counts cards from the bottom to the “top.” Let us say that his card was the Nine of Hearts and that he counted nine cards.
You can turn your back a bit towards spectator as he makes his count. Turn back again and see if you can glimpse the “bottom” card of the deck. If not, take cards from him and, in a careless gesture, secure a quick secret glimpse so you will know the “bottom” card. Let us say it is the Seven of Clubs. This will be the key card. Let deck rest horizontally, backs up, on the outstretched palm of the left hand.
“No one knows the location of your card except yourself, and so that not even you will know the location—cut the cards.”
Cards are given a single cut. Square the cards. Spread the cards out
in a row, face up, on the table. Look for the key card, which in this case is the Seven of Clubs, Fig. 1.
Starting with the second card at the right as one, begin counting secretly (mentally) to the right “One—two—three—four—five—six—seven—eight—nine—.”
You will find that when you reach nine the card at that number is the Nine of Hearts. The number of the card agrees with the number that you count. You know that the selected card is the Nine of Hearts
But keep on counting up to thirteen because through the mixing of the cards there may be another card with a matching number which has nothing to do with the trick. Should two cards appear, or even three cards, you can work out the answer by process of elimination.
One may be a court card, and another a spot card, or one may be an even number, another an odd number. One may be red, another black. Or there may be a difference of suits, or values. There is always a way out.
“Did your card have a picture on it? It did? I thought so. Your card is the King of Spades.”
If the spectator says “No,” then say,
“No? Just think of your card. Of course it had a picture on it; a picture of the Five of Spades.”
Or to differentiate between a red and black card. . . .
“Your card was cherry colored, wasn’t it?”
If he says “Yes,” you reply by naming the red card. If he says “No,” then continue,
“Black cherries. It was the Ten of Clubs.”
Suppose one card is the Ten of Hearts and another is the Eight of Hearts, you say,
“Are you visualizing an eight? You are? Your card is the Eight of Hearts,” or “No? Oh, I get it! It has more spots. Your card is the Ten of Hearts.”
In the set-up of cards in Fig. 1 the Nine of Hearts is the only card that matches to the number called.
“Concentrate on your card a moment. Just think of it clearly in your mind.”
Run your finger tips over cards a couple of times and finally stop on the Nine of Hearts, announcing, “Your card was the Nine of Hearts.”
As the purpose of this mystery is to locate the selected card, the ending can be brought about in other ways. Instead of spreading cards on the table to find the card, merely spread them in your hands, find the card, cut and bring to the “top” of the deck and produce as you see fit.
The principle just described was devised and used as a telephone mystery by Al Baker and Audley Walsh. I will explain it here in a simple form. Immediately following is the subtle presentation of another performer.
Performer calls a friend by telephone and tells him to take a deck of cards, thoroughly shuffle them and to look at the “bottom” card of the deck, and remember it. Next he is to transfer as many cards from the “top” to the “bottom” of the deck as there are spots on the selected card. Performer now can easily locate his card.
1—Telephone, and deck of cards which spectator furnishes from his end.
2—A sheet of paper with list of numbers running downward from 1 to 13.
3—A pencil.
Call a friend on the telephone and explain that you want to test your power with his in sending a mental message over the ’phone.
“We can try the experiment with a deck of cards. Get a deck of cards, any deck of playing cards will do. . . . and come back to the ’phone.”
“Shuffle the cards thoroughly. Look at the ‘bottom’ card. Do not tell me what it is, but remember it. Concentrate on the number of spots on the card. Now transfer the same number of cards from the ‘top’ of the deck to ‘bottom’ as there are spots on your card. For instance, if you looked at a three spot, transfer three cards, if a Jack, eleven cards, etc.”
Friend transfers the cards. Let us say he saw the Eight of Hearts and he transferred eight cards.
“These cards have been transferred from the ‘top’ to the ‘bottom’ thereby losing your card in the deck. I do not know how far down in the deck your card is, as I do not know the number of cards you brought beneath your card. Turn the cards over so that the faces are upward. Now call off the cards to me one at a time.”
Let us say the first card called is the Four of Spades. Pay no attention to it. But when the second card is called place it down on your paper after number one. Suppose this card is the Two of Hearts. Just write down Two of Hearts after the 1. Place the third card called at number 2. Do this until your friend has called at least fourteen cards. He may call even more cards for misdirection.
His selected card, the Eight of Hearts, will fall on the number 8.
Should any other cards have the same number of spots as a number on your paper, you must use the elimination process to determine which is the proper card, as already described.
“Concentrate on your card. It is the Eight of Hearts!”
This is an excellent presentation and variation of the Baker-Walsh Telephone Mystery. Bill McCaffrey called me on the ’phone while I was in Los Angeles and performed it for me. It was so effective that I asked for his permission to publish his routine with his own patter in this Course.
After calling a friend on the telephone, the magician’s conversation runs somewhat as follows:
“Hello, Jim! Would you like to see a good card trick? Certainly I can do it for you over the ’phone, if you have a deck of cards handy. I’ll wait while you find them.
“Are you ready? First, you shuffle the cards thoroughly and then we’ll proceed. All right? I think you’ll be able to listen with one hand on the
receiver and do the trick with the other. Like most card tricks this one requires that you select a card, and I think the fairest way probably would be for you to think of some number, let us say between 5 and 25, and then count down and look at the card in that position. Would that be a fair choice? Very well, let’s do that. Wait a minute—perhaps if I succeeded in telling you the name of the card you might think that because of some sort of psychological probability most persons think of the same number between 5 and 25. In order to eliminate even that possibility, suppose we leave the choice of the card entirely to chance.
“I suppose you would give a Jack a value of 11, a Queen 12, and a King 13. Then, instead of thinking of a number, suppose you glance at the “bottom” card of the deck which you have just shuffled, and we will allow its denomination to represent the number. Don’t remember the card because we are merely trying to arrive at a number that it would be impossible for me to determine by any psychological means.
“Now place the deck face down and count off, one by one, into a small heap beside the deck, a number of cards equal to the number you are thinking of.”
Friend counts down cards onto table.
“Have you done that? Then I want you to turn over the last card dealt onto the small heap and remember it.
“Leave it face down on this small packet and place the rest of the deck on top of the cards just dealt. So you will not forget the name of the card, suppose you jot it down on a piece of paper.”
Give him time to make the memorandum.
“Have you done that? From now on you must be very careful because I want you to turn over the cards one by one from the “top” of the deck, naming each one as you do so, and I shall try to tell you the name of the card you have chosen. You must be careful not to use any different tone when naming your card from that used in naming the others. You may call them as slowly or as rapidly as you please. So start now, turning over the first card and keep on calling until I stop you.”
As soon as the person names the first card, you stop him by saying,
“Wait a minute, I may have overlooked something.”
At the same time you jot down the name of this “top” card on a piece of paper or pad, as it must serve as the key card. Let us say this card is the King of Diamonds.
It will be seen that the procedure followed up to this time has placed the chosen card among the thirteen “bottom” cards of the deck and immediately above the chosen card is a card with a denomination exactly equal to the position of the chosen card from the “bottom” of the deck.
For instance, if a ten spot has been on the “bottom” of the deck at the beginning, the person for whom the trick is being performed would have counted ten cards from the “top” of the deck and then placed the rest of the deck on top of these which would have placed the ten spot on top of the chosen card. The ten spot at this point would be the eleventh card from the “bottom.” Consequently, you could find the chosen card by first locating the card that was originally on the “bottom.”
“You first glanced at the ‘bottom’ card which represented only a number. You then counted that many cards in a heap beside the deck, and you remembered the last card dealt. You then placed the rest of the deck on top of that small heap. After that, did you cut the deck? Oh, I was afraid I had forgotten to tell you to do that. Replace any cards you just turned over and give the deck a fair cut so that your selected card will be lost somewhere in the center of the pack.”
The cutting of the deck makes the trick very effective as it apparently destroys all means of location. Such a cut can be permitted only if the performer can obtain knowledge of the “top” card of the deck before the cut. This is accomplished by the ruse of pretending to have overlooked the matter of cutting the deck after hearing the “top” card called. Now, since you have jotted down the name of the “top” card, which becomes your key card, you can permit the deck to be cut because after the cut you know that the chosen card will be somewhere among the thirteen cards immediately above this key card which has just been jotted down.
“Now go ahead and call them to me one by one.”
As cards are called you must write down the name of each card which can be done rapidly by using a figure or letter for the denomination and the letters C, D, H and S to represent the four suits.
As your write you listen carefully until you hear the name of the key card. Any time thereafter you may stop the person who is calling the cards, with the question,
“Have you passed your card yet?”
You know the card has been passed and all that remains to be done is for you to determine which of the thirteen cards, which were called immediately preceding the key card, is the chosen one.
“I was afraid you had, and since it is so difficult for you to concentrate on one card while looking at so many, will you please separate your chosen card from those others and turn all the rest of the cards face down?”
Now to determine the selected card. Let us say the paper you have on table before you looks like this:
The simplest method is to count backward from the key card, in this case the King of Diamonds, giving the Six of Diamonds preceding it a designation of zero. The second one, the Nine of Hearts, is called 1, the third one, the Nine of Diamonds, is called 2, and so on up to 13. At some point one of these numbers will agree with the denomination of the card. When this occurs it will indicate that the card that was on the “bottom” of the deck when the trick began has been reached.
In this particular case we find the Ten of Clubs at number 10. No other card matches. But we make a check mark at the card and continue until we have counted to 13, because by chance there may be some other card that also matches. But on this chart only the 10 matches, hence the Ten of Clubs was the original “bottom” card.
We know at once that the selected card is the one which is one card closer to the key card, the King of Diamonds. We find this to be the Four of Spades.
“Now just try to form a mental picture of your card. That’s what I want! I begin to see it clearly. It is the Four of Spades! Is that correct? Fine! Well, I’ve got to run along. Call me up some time. So long!”
In some charts that you make you may have two or three cards that match with the numbers. Ahead of these must be the selected card. You can determine the correct one by the process of elimination, already taught you in this lesson.
Once in a while you will run across a somewhat stubborn person, who, when you try to feel your way in elimination, will say, “You tell me.” They will give no hint. Let us say one card that checks is the Seven of Diamonds and the other is the Three of Clubs. “Yours was a red card.” He says, “You tell me what it is.” Just come out and say, “Your card is the Seven of Diamonds.” If he says, “Correct,” you have been successful but if he says, “Wrong,” you just continue—“Of course I gave you the wrong card but I had to give you some card to take away your mental tension for a moment. But it relaxed your conscious mind long enough to let me know that your card was the Three of Clubs!”
Study how to handle various types of emergencies.
Bill McCaffrey has devised an excellent excuse for asking the assistant to count a small heap of cards equal in number to the denomination of the “bottom” card. By using the “bottom” card only as a counting indicator, it throws off those skeptics who might suspect some mathematical principle. McCaffrey, like Al Baker, watches details closely in order to super-bewilder an audience.
An old principle is employed in this effective variation which E. J. Moore likes to do.
Performer states that he will write a prophecy on a piece of paper, fold up the paper, and place it in plain view of all. He picks up a deck of cards and, removing a few cards from the “top,” asks a spectator to freely select one and place it on the table face down. A few more cards are lifted off, fanned, and spectator selects another card. This is repeated with a third card.
Spectator is told to take the deck, and, after looking at a card on table to note the number of spots it has and to count enough cards off the deck onto it in order to raise the count to ten. For instance, if a four spot is on table, to add six cards; if a nine spot, to add one; if a ten spot, to add none. This is done with all three cards on table.
Spectator is asked to turn cards on table over which brings the bottom cards face up. Now add the spots together on all three cards now uppermost. Let us say they add to seventeen. Spectator is then told to count down seventeen cards in the deck and note the card at that number. Performer now opens his paper and shows that he predicted the card selected.
1—A deck containing 52 cards. Joker is removed.
2—A pencil and paper.
Pick up deck and have it thoroughly shuffled by spectator. Take it back from him and hold it with faces towards yourself.
“I wonder if there is a Joker in this deck?”
As you fan the cards, apparently looking for a Joker, you secretly count the cards beginning with the “bottom” one, until you come to the twentieth card from the “bottom.” Remember what this card is. Let us say it is the Ten of Hearts. Keep on looking through the remainder of the deck.
“I think the Joker has been removed. Never mind, I’ll vary the mystery.” Place cards on table, backs up.
“I have often been asked, ‘can a magician predict what a person will do?’ Well, let me make a prophecy.”
Pick up paper and pencil and secretly write on paper the card at number twenty in deck. We are assuming it is the Ten of Hearts. Fold paper and place aside in full view of everyone.
“I have written something upon this piece of paper. Remember, I do this before I begin this test.”
Pick up deck of cards in left hand, backs up. Pick up a few cards from “top” with right hand. Spread with faces towards a spectator.
“Select any one of these cards that you want. Any card except a court card. I want only number cards and no Jacks, Queens or Kings.”
Spectator freely selects a number card which you instruct him to lay on table, face down. Square up your fan of cards and place on table, backs up.
Take a few more cards off the “top” of deck and fan them. . . . “Select another number card and place on table, beside the first card.”
Card is selected. Again fan is closed up and placed on “top” of other cards on table. Pick up a few more cards from “top” of deck and fan.
“And now for the third selection. Any number card, and place on table near the two others.”
Card is selected and placed on table near others. Fanned cards are squared and placed on others on table. Then all the cards which you have previously fanned are picked up from table and placed back on “top” of the deck. Give deck to the spectator, backs up.
“I want you to build each pile up to ten. Look at a card on the table. See how many spots it has. If it is a three spot add seven cards. Three and seven are ten. If a six spot add four cards—a nine spot, one card—a ten spot, none. Do this with each card on the table.”
Spectator builds up each pile, and is further instructed, “Now turn over each pile and add together the numbers on the three cards facing you.”
Let us say the numbers add to seventeen. . . . “Seventeen. Count down seventeen cards and let me know what the seventeenth card is.”
With deck held backs up, spectator counts down seventeen cards and looks at the seventeenth.
“What is the card?” Spectator names the card, which we said in this case was the Ten of Hearts. Let the spectator pick up, open and read the paper you placed on table before test.
“Isn’t it strange that I wrote the Ten of Hearts on that paper before we began this test!”
Show the writing on paper which may be tossed out or just dropped onto table.
If using a borrowed deck, you can remove Joker and pretend it whispers in your ear the desired prophecy.
If using a borrowed deck be sure you know how many cards it contains. If deck contains only 51 cards, the card you prophesy will be the nineteenth card from the “bottom.” If deck contains 50 cards, you note and prophesy the eighteenth card from the “bottom.” In other words, you deduct from twenty the difference between 52 and the actual number of cards in the deck.
If you use a deck with Joker, which is a deck of 53 cards, simply note the twenty-first card.
Performer allows spectator to shuffle deck of cards and to remove one card. Remainder of deck is placed in performer’s right trousers pocket. Magician then asks what suit the selected card is. When the spectator names it, magician produces a card of the same suit from his pocket. Then the spectator is asked the number of the card and as soon as he gives it, magician produces a card of the same number from his pocket. No matter what the suit and number of the selected card, the magician can produce it immediately from his pocket.
A deck of cards.
This effect requires a prearrangement of four cards which can be done in a moment. Run through the deck and pick out the following cards: Eight of Clubs, Four of Hearts, Two of Spades, Ace of Diamonds, Fig. 20.
Place these four cards on “top” of the deck of cards in the order designated, with the Eight of Clubs on “top.” All suits are represented in the four cards and any number from one to thirteen can be made by using each card singly or adding one or more of them together, thus:
If Selected Card Is — Produce from Pocket:
Hold deck with backs of cards upward. Fan it enough so that little finger of left hand can be easily slipped under the four arranged cards.
Palm the four cards in right hand and reach into right trousers pocket. Push cards up into upper corner of pocket where they are concealed, as taught in Volume 1. Remove handkerchief from pocket and then pull pocket out to show it empty. Replace pocket.
“Will you please give the deck a thorough shuffle?” Give deck to spectator who shuffles it.
“That’s what they call the (some small town) shuffle. Now remove any card—just any card you would like—but do not show it to me yet. Now give me the deck of cards. I shall place it here in my pocket.”
Take deck. Place it in pocket with backs of cards towards audience and in back of cards already there. These four cards are now on “top” of deck which makes them easy to get at.
“In magic, one develops a very keen sense of touch—so keen that playing cards can be distinguished by a touch of the fingers. To illustrate: The gentleman here thoroughly shuffled a deck of cards and then selected a card from it. I placed the shuffled deck in my pocket. (To spectator holding card) Will you please tell me the suit of your card—whether it is a Club, Heart, Spade or Diamond? A Spade?”
Reach into pocket and produce the third card down, which is the Two of Spades. Show it to the audience so that all can see it.
“A Spade? And what is the value of the card? An Ace?” Reach into pocket and bring forth the Ace of Diamonds, calling out its name as you exhibit it. Remove deck from pocket and take card from spectator.
Where speed in performance is necessary, as in stage work, performer does not even bother to take up selected card. It is better to step quickly into the next effect.
Let us assume that the King of Clubs was the selected card. Reach into pocket and remove the Eight of Clubs—this gives the suit. Then say, “The King? That’s the thirteenth card.”
Nod your head and show the Eight in your hand, quickly withdrawing the Four and then the Ace from your pocket, as you say,
“Eight and . . . . four are twelve and . . . . one are thirteen.”
Sometimes it is necessary to count the card in the hand and sometimes not. I have often varied the effect by using seven arranged cards instead of four, adding a Jack, Queen and King. Then when anyone called out a court card as the selected one, it was easy to produce a duplicate. Have also added four aces so for effect could suddenly produce them one after the other.
Again I have worked with thirteen arranged cards, beginning with the Ace and ending with the King. This method, of course, can be used only when you can arrange the cards secretly in advance. In this method of working, you may have the cards in your pocket when you begin the effect.
A favorite effect of Percy Abbott, Australian magician.
Deck of cards is spread out in a row. Performer turns his back and spectator picks up one to ten cards from one end of row, shuffles them, remembers one, places them on other end of deck, and squares up the whole deck. Magician then spreads cards over the table and shuffles them around with his finger tips. He grasps spectator’s wrist and moves his hand above cards. Suddenly he points spectator’s hand down on one card. Its value is found to be the same as the number of cards which the spectator picked up. Then another card is located in the same manner, and this proves to be the card which spectator selected.
Deck of cards.
Arrange thirteen cards of any suits, starting with the Ace on the “bottom” and going up to the King (backs up). The effect depends on numbers only, so disregard suits. Place cards so arranged on “top” of rest of deck. Backs are up and the King is the “top” card.
Riffle shuffle the deck, performing a False Shuffle so that you do not disturb the thirteen arranged cards on “top” of deck. Spread pack on table for a distance of about 18 inches from end to end, Fig. 21. Say to spectator:
“When I turn my back pick up any number of cards that you choose—from one to ten—from this end.”
Point to end L. Spectator picks up a few cards from this end, Fig. 22. The arranged cards are all at the other end of deck.
“Have you picked them up? Now shuffle the cards in your hand. . . . Square them up and keep the backs towards me. Notice the card that is facing you and remember it. Now just square up the cards on the table. Place the few cards you have in your hand on ‘top’ of the deck and square them all up.”
Spectator shuffles and squares up cards in his hand, remembers the one facing him. Then he squares up the remainder of the pack and places the cards he picked up, on “top” of the others. All this is done while you have your back turned, Fig. 23. When spectator is through, turn around and pick up the deck of cards.
“Let us see whether everyone understands what has been done. I shuffled a pack of cards, spread it out on the table. You picked up a few cards from this end—(Point to end) I do not know how many. You remembered one of them, then squared up these cards and placed yours on ‘top’ of them. That is correct, is it not?”
This gives you an opportunity to check up and see whether everything was done as directed.
Deal the cards down on the table one at a time into a row of six, then under this another row of six. Begin laying down a third row, and as you do so, get a secret glimpse of the second card in this row as you lay it down. This is the fourteenth card and is your key card, Fig. 24.
The value of this fourteenth card tells you how many cards the spectator transferred from the “bottom” to the “top” of the pack and also indicates which card the spectator selected to remember.
Let us assume that the key card is a Six of Hearts. Six then is your cue number. The spectator transferred six cards and consequently the sixth card which you laid down is the selected card—this is the last card in the first row, Fig. 24. Keep sight of these two cards.
Spread the rest of the cards around everywhere—just drop them helter skelter but do not fully cover the two key cards. You must not lose sight of them and must know which is which.
Place tips of right fingers on one key card and tips of left fingers on the other key card and shuffle all the cards around to make it appear that you are mixing them up thoroughly. In this way all the cards are mixed up except the two key cards which you have under your fingers, Fig. 25.
Remove your fingers from the cards but remember where you have the fourteenth card and where you have the sixth so that you can spot them instantly.
“As one gentleman remarked, ‘It is quite a mixup.’ Sir, have you magnetic hands?”
Have a spectator come around to side of table so that front view will not be obstructed. You must always be careful to see that audience’s view is good from every side. Grasp gentleman’s right arm at the wrist, Fig. 26.
“Point your index finger out at the cards while I move your hand around. If you have magnetic fingers, you will attract some cards and repel others.”
Move his hand slowly over the cards and finally hold it over the fourteenth card. Hesitate a moment, then move it slightly away, then back again as though you were undecided. Then press his finger down on the card. Pick up this card and show it.
“A six spot.” To gentleman who transferred cards. “You transferred six cards from one end of the pack to the other. Correct?”
Take gentleman’s hand again and hover over the cards, finally pressing it down on the other key card. Lift up the card. Let us assume that it is the Jack of Hearts . . . . “The Jack of Hearts. That is the card you selected and remembered. Is that right? Correct!”
“Marvello”
I am indebted to the late T. Nelson Downs, world-famous coin and card mystifier, for this excellent effect with cards.
Performer shuffles a deck of cards and asks a spectator to think of any number between 5 and 15 and another spectator to think of any number between 20 and 30. Magician deals the cards faces up on the table, telling each spectator to remember the card as it appears at the number each selected. Performer then asks each spectator what his number is. He counts off the cards one at a time on the table, placing the selected cards aside—for instance, the thirteenth and twenty-eighth.
Two cards are then taken from the pack at random and shown and placed in an empty envelope. Performer now takes more cards from the pack and puts with them the two selected cards—these he gives to a spectator to hold. He says that he will cause the cards in the envelope to change places with the selected cards in spectator’s hand. These cards are examined and it is found that the selected cards have vanished and the indifferent cards are there. The selected cards are then taken from the envelope.
1—A deck of cards.
2—An ordinary envelope.
3—A small table.
You will need two people to help you. For convenience we will call them Smith and Jones. Smith should be at left side and Jones at right. Table should be in front of you. Thoroughly shuffle the deck, preferably giving it a riffle shuffle in your hands.
“You have perhaps noticed, at one time or other, that when you wished to remember a certain thing, if you associated it with some object, you were able to remember it perfectly. Therefore, I am going to ask you two gentlemen to select a card each; and in order to remember the card exactly, I want you to associate the card with a number.”
To Smith,
“I shall ask you to think of a number between 5 and 15.”
To Jones,
“And you think of a number between 20 and 30. Have you decided upon your numbers? Very well. I will count the cards down on the table one at a time and when I come to your respective numbers, remember the card at that number. If you chose 12, remember the twelfth card; if 26, remember the twenty-sixth card. Of course, do not let me know your number, as yet, nor the card at that number.”
Hold deck, backs up, in left hand and with right hand count them out one at a time onto table, faces up.
Count aloud each card as you lay it down until you have counted 30 cards.
“Do not forget the card or the number.”
Pick up cards from table, turn them over, square them up, and place on “top” of packet in left hand. The right hand, now holding all of the deck, instantly moves away from the left hand which, of course, is empty. Turn your right side to audience so that you are looking directly at Smith . . . . “Now, sir, . . . .”
As you start to speak to Smith, you bring the pack held in right hand, over the extended fingers of left hand. Those fingers press against and hold back the “bottom” card of pack, as the pack, without any hesitation, moves on until it is over the left palm. The “bottom” card is thus slid into the right palm and may easily and secretly be placed on “top” of the pack.
Deck should now be in left hand with backs of cards up. To audience it looks as though you merely squared the deck.
“Will you please tell me the number you selected—the number only, not the card?” Let us assume that he says number 11.
“I will count the cards down to your selected card. One, two, three . . . ,” etc. Count the cards down one at a time into a pile, this time with card faces down.
“Eleven—here is your selected card. I shall place it over here for a moment.”
Place this card aside towards front of table. Do not let anyone see this card. This, of course, is not the selected card. The one chosen by the spectator is now the twelfth card in the deck instead of the eleventh, since you made the transfer. This card is now the “top” card of the portion of deck which you hold in left hand, Fig. 27.
Turn to Jones at your right and say,
“Will you please mention the number you selected—the number only?” Let us say the number is 28. “Twenty-eight. To continue our count—twelve . . . .”
Point to card laid aside and count cards one at a time on the table, making a new pile. The twelfth or selected card is the first one in this new pile of cards. Cards are backs up. Continue to count aloud and when you reach 28, say,
“Twenty-eight. Here is your selected card. I will place it also over here with the first selected card.”
Place this card near the other one which you placed aside. Then put remainder of deck in left hand on the second pile of cards on table. The twenty-ninth card is the second selected card and this is now on “top” of pile No. 2, Fig. 28.
You now have one selected card on the “bottom” and one on the “top” of the second pile of cards.
Pick up the second pile of cards from table and hold it in left hand, backs of cards towards audience so that no one gets a glimpse of selected card on “bottom.”
“I shall cut the pack once.”
Hold the pack as you would for the regular pass. Split pack about in the middle at the forward end to allow you to insert the little finger as in the pass.
Lift front section over and place it back of other section, keeping little finger between the two sections but allowing front of cards to come together as you do when a selected card is replaced in the deck and you keep track of it. You are really doing a slow pass but doing it so that everyone can see that a cut is being made.
With right thumb release the “bottom” card of the upper packet, withdraw little finger for a moment and let this card fall on top of other selected card on the lower packet. Then immediately reinsert little finger above the two selected cards.
You now have this arrangement:
Top section of deck.
Little finger.
Two selected cards on top of lower section of deck.
“Cut it again.” You do so. This time selected cards come to “top” of pack. Allow both packets to come together as one now.
“And shuffle.” Do so in your hands, performing a false shuffle. Be sure that selected cards are left on “top.”
With right hand over the pack, lift up the “top” three cards as one, doing the Double Card Lift, as previously explained.
Show these three cards as one and call out the name of the card exposed. Assume that it is the King of Hearts, Fig. 29.
Then with left thumb slip off the “top” card of pack in left hand. Show it to audience and call it aloud. Let us say that it is the Seven of Spades, Fig. 29.
“The Seven of Spades. I have here just two indifferent cards.”
Slide Seven of Spades back onto pack and replace the other three cards on top of it. With left thumb push the two “top” cards off to right side and remove them with right hand. These are the two selected cards and you must be very careful not to expose the faces of the cards. Audience believes these two cards to be the two indifferent cards which you just showed.
“I shall place them in this envelope.” Place deck on table and pick up envelope with left hand. Give envelope to Smith at your left.
“First, will you look inside and see that it is empty?” Take envelope again in left hand and place two cards inside.
“I shall place these two indifferent cards, the King of Hearts and the Seven of Spades, inside.” Seal envelope and give it to Smith to hold.
Pick up about a quarter of the cards of the second pile on table with the King and Seven cards on “top.” Fan them with right hand, backs of cards up.
“I shall take a few cards and place the two selected cards among them. One here and the other there—and shuffle.”
Pick up the two selected cards. Place them in different parts of the packet which you have fanned in right hand. Audience must not see these two indifferent cards for they think these cards are the selected ones, Fig. 30. Shuffle cards to mix them up.
“And I shall ask you to hold them tightly.” Give this packet to Jones at your right.
“Are you interested in rapid transit? I shall show you a method that has even subways and aeroplanes outdone. I shall cause the two indifferent cards in the envelope to jump suddenly over into your hands, sir (to Jones), and the two selected cards to fly over into the envelope. No sooner said than done. (To Jones) Will you look through the cards in your hand and see if the card is among them?”
Jones looks through cards and, of course, does not find his selected card.
“Run them through for this gentleman (Smith) and let him see whether his card is there. No card? See, they have passed. Now, see whether the King of Hearts and the Seven of Spades, the two indifferent cards, are there instead.”
Gentleman finds the two indifferent cards and shows them to audience,
Jones and Smith are now requested to name their cards—say, the Five of Diamonds and the Queen of Clubs. Smith tears open the envelope and removes the cards. You take them and show them to audience, calling out their names.
I do not know who first performed the rising of a card from the pack. but whoever he was, he certainly had a brilliant idea. It has stood the test of many, many years and many, many audiences and proved to be of real magical value.
The late Howard Thurston made the rising card effect one of the feature tricks of his show for many years. Other magicians the world over, wherever playing cards are used, have put rising card tricks in their programs.
There have been numerous methods used in accomplishing the effect— some very simple to perform, others very complicated. Many performers have exercised their ingenuity on rising card problems so that interesting variations of the effect have been brought forth. Some of these require apparatus which costs hundreds of dollars.
In presenting various rising card methods to you in this course, the idea has been constantly before me to give you those methods which are practical, which require only a medium amount of skill and yet are excellent in effect, and, above all, to present them to you in such manner as to enable you to make up the apparatus easily and with almost no cost.
Varying conditions under which you perform require different methods of working and it is well to be prepared for any occasion. However, you will, no doubt, favor one of the methods over the others and find greater delight in performing the effect by this method. If experience teaches you that you are most successful in presenting a certain method, you can then make that your feature rising card effect.
This effect was shown to me by Cardini. It is worked on the elaboration of an old principle in card magic which has been sold in crude form in circuses, carnivals, dime museums, street corners, etc. It has commonly been called the “Jumping Card.” In the crude method a rubber band was fastened to two cards in a deck and another card was placed between them, forcing down the rubber band. The card was held in place with the fingers. When it was released, the rubber band contracted and forced the card out of the deck, causing it to jump up into the air.
This method of Cardini’s is worked out to a nicety and is excellent for presentation in club, parlor or stage work.
Five cards are selected by spectators, remembered, and returned to the deck. Magician holds deck in left hand. At his command the selected cards rise one at a time out of the deck, until at the end the last two cards rise together. This gives the performer an opportunity to get in some comedy patter. After the cards have risen, the deck may be given to spectators for examination.
1—A deck of cards.
2—Two specially prepared cards.
Take an elastic band, about Size 18 as manufactured by Eberhard Faber and sold at any book or stationery store. Cut off one end of the rubber band. Be sure to use fresh rubbers and test them to see that they do not break easily.
Take the King of Clubs and the Queen of Diamonds from an extra deck. Cut a small hole in the upper part of each card. Through the hole in the King push one end of the rubber band. Pull it through until about an inch and a half of band from hole to curve in band is left on face side of card, Fig. 1.
Fig. 2 shows arrangement of rubber band on face of King. Now with a wire stapling machine, such as is used in offices to fasten papers together, clamp a staple across the rubber so that it fastens it securely on both sides of card.
Now take the Queen and push the other end of rubber band through hole in this card from the back through to the front. King and Queen should face in same direction and should not face each other. Treat the rubber band similarly as you did on the King.
Fig. 3 shows how the two cards look with rubber band hanging down between them and the ends stapled to the cards.
Experimentation will teach you how tight and how long you will want the rubber band to get the proper rising of the cards. I have found the most satisfactory length of the band to be about two and a quarter inches when it is held straight out between the cards, Fig. 4.
To complete the band arrangement, cut the extra length of the bands from the two ends, allowing about a quarter of an inch to hang down beyond staples. You cut these ends from the back of the King and the face of the Queen.
If a wire stapling machine is not handy for your use, push the band through the King in the same manner as described above and sew it to the King with needle and thread. Then spread glue over the back of the card and on the rubber band and place another card over it. The two cards should be carefully glued together as one.
Now take any indifferent card and push the rubber band through it as you did with the Queen in arrangement above. Sew a band to this card. Spread glue well over the face of it and over the end of rubber band. Place the Queen on this card, facing outward. Press cards together well to look like one card with band securely held.
The resulting arrangement looks just like that described above and shown in Fig. 3.
Have prepared cards in center of deck, stapled ends nearest you. On “top” of deck place a duplicate King of Clubs and Queen of Diamonds.
Insert little finger of left hand under the Queen of the prepared cards. Perform the pass, thus bringing the King and Queen from “top” of deck to the center and the faked King and Queen to the bottom of deck. Make the jog in preparation for forcing.
Force the King of Clubs on one spectator and the Queen of Diamonds on another. Allow three more spectators free choice of a card each.
Perform the pass again, bringing the prepared King and Queen on the “bottom” to the center of deck. Reverse deck so that stapled ends are towards audience. Cover end of cards with right fingers to prevent audience from seeing the space between prepared cards.
Collect cards one at a time in reverse order from which they were selected, that is, the last one first and the King and Queen last. As you collect each card, you return it to the deck in this manner:
Hold deck with A end upward, cards facing audience. Take card from spectator with right hand and place it in deck, between the two prepared cards, Fig. 5.
Push the card down with right fingers. This, of course, forces the rubber band down between the two prepared cards and around and under the bottom edge of the selected card, Fig. 6.
Collect the next card and place it in deck on top of card just placed there. You will have no difficulty in finding this place in the deck. Then collect the third selected card and place on top of second, and finally collect the Queen and the King and place them on top of the other selected cards. All five selected cards are now between the two prepared cards, Fig. 7.
Hold pack of cards firmly gripped in left hand with forefinger over top edge to keep selected cards from being pushed out.
“Some time ago I discovered something peculiar about the relationship between cards and people. It seems that when a card is held for a few moments by a spectator, it absorbs a certain magnetism which causes it either to get lighter or to separate itself from the others by the power of friction. For instance, here is one rising now and separating itself from the others.”
Hold deck as in Fig. 8. Have little finger at bottom of deck to keep cards under influence of rubber band from coming out at bottom. Grip deck on one side with thumb and on the other side with fingers of left hand.
Gradually release your pressure on deck. This causes the rubber band to force the selected cards upward. Allow all five selected cards to rise as one card. As cards are held squarely with faces towards audience, spectators are not aware that there are really five cards before them rising out of the deck instead of one.
Permit cards to rise just a little beyond half their length. Now study this move carefully, in which you remove the front card without letting the audience suspect that there are other cards behind it.
Grasp upper edge of front card with first finger and thumb of right hand. Place left forefinger on upper edge of four cards in rear. Pull top edge of first card forward a little and pull it up with right hand. As you do this push the rear cards down into deck with left forefinger. Be sure little finger of left hand holds bottom of deck securely, Figs. 9 and 10.
As you remove the card from deck, call it by name: “The Three of Clubs” (or whatever card it may be).
Drop card on table or place it on front of deck.
Release pressure of fingers again and let the next card rise with the other three behind it. Remove the front card and push down the rear three as before. Call the card, say “The Ace of Spades.”
Allow next card to rise with the other two behind it. Remove this card and force other two back into deck. Name the card, “The Ten of Hearts.”
Now reverse the deck. Release pressure again. The selected King and Queen, now under the rubber band, push up the prepared King and Queen and cause them to rise from the deck. With a little practice you can cause the King to rise first by releasing pressure on that card first, Fig. 11.
“Ah, the King!” Then the Queen rises also.
“And the Queen! Either he is hiding behind the Queen’s skirts or else she will not let him go out alone.”
Remove the King and Queen, holding the right thumb over staple and rubber band. Fan the cards a little and show them to the audience, Fig. 12. Place these prepared cards on front of deck and then fan the whole deck in right hand.
If you wish to continue using the deck after this effect, lay the selected cards on the table as they rise. Then when the King and Queen are out, the deck can be handled freely and can even be given to spectators to examine as the apparatus is gone.
There are a number of interesting ways to handle the Queen and King. You can control their rising by means of the first fingers of either hand, allowing one to rise and pushing the other down and vice versa. This gives you an opportunity for comedy patter to put your effect across with a bang. You may let the Queen rise about an inch and then allow the King to shoot up behind it. The King can always be kept down until ready by means of the left forefinger.
Be prepared with patter no matter how they rise. If King comes up and Queen does not, reach in and pull out Queen, and removing both cards from deck say, “Ah, running away from the Queen, eh?”
A quick novelty that is effective.
Performer picks up card case full of cards, opens the flap and deck rises out of the box.
A prepared card case which has a strip of card pasted across the back. This can be part of another card case to match the one on which it is glued, Fig. 1, gray area.
A black silk thread is passed through upper part of case via a needle and a substantial knot tied on end of thread in front of case to keep thread from pulling through. Thread passes directly over the extra card on case, Fig. 2. End is tied to thumb tack on rear of table, around a book, or even table leg.
Place deck of cards in the case, face of cards towards front, Fig. 3. Insert the flap and place case on table.
Pick up card case and hold in left hand. You are standing with table at your left side. Open flap of card case. Slanting the card case with upper part forward, bring the case forward which tightens thread and pulls cards out of case, Fig. 4, from which they are finally removed by right hand.
The slanting of the card case eases up the rising of cards and enables the case to stand greater tension of the thread. If desired, the case can be picked up with right hand.
This method of doing this attention-getting stunt is the invention of Louis Tannen whose penchant is to simplify and make practical any trick that has too many complications.
The performer takes a pack of cards in its case, from his pocket, or from the table. Upon opening the end flap, the entire pack rises majestically from the case as though by magic. That’s all there is to it, but it adds a surprising episode preliminary to use of the pack in some trick.
1—A regular pack and the usual case it comes in.
2—An extra card case, duplicate of the other one.
3—A thin rubber band—length to be determined by test.
4—Two small thin pieces of tin, or other metal, about ⅜ inch long by ⅛ inch wide.
5—Some good paste or glue.
Remove the pack from its case. About one-fourth of an inch below the top (open) edge of the back of the card case, make a small hole. Right opposite that hole, make another hole in the front of the case. The rubber band is run through both holes so the loop ends of the rubber band project on both the back and front of the case, the main body of the band extending across the narrow width of the card case, Fig. 1.
Through each rubber band loop on the outside of the case insert a piece of the tin and glue the latter firmly on the outside of the case, right over each of the holes, Fig. 2.
Carefully cut the front and back away from the extra card case and paste them, respectively, over the front and back of the prepared card case. This conceals the rubber ends and tin reinforcements, besides giving rigidity to the case, Fig. 3. Allow for thorough drying of the pasted parts.
The pack is now placed in the case. As the cards are pushed down the double strand of rubber band is carried down by pressure of the cards. When the pack is all the way down, the rubber is stretched around the pack. The tension of the rubber is such that the pack will be lifted right out of the case unless the flap is closed, Fig. 4. With the flap closed, you are all ready to perform.
Take the case and hold it firmly in left hand to prevent premature action as you open the flap with the right hand. By gauging the pressure of your right fingers on the outside of the case, you may cause the pack to rise quickly or slowly from the case. Toss the case aside (where nobody can reach it) and proceed to use the pack as desired.
This is another of those incidental effects that adds greatly to the performer’s prestige.
A method for presenting a rising card effect which can be used for work at close quarters if necessary.
Performer fans a deck of cards and divides it into two halves, giving one half to a spectator. Spectator is requested to remove any card from his section of the deck and place it among those held by the performer. Two other spectators likewise select cards and return them to section held by magician. All the cards are now placed in the card case and it is shown freely. On magician’s command, the selected cards rise one at a time. You may permit spectators to remove cards themselves to prove to them that cards rise from center of deck.
1—Prepared deck of cards.
2—Prepared card case.
Take half of a deck of cards. With a sharp penknife, cut out the central portion of one card as shown in Fig. 13.
Using this card as a guide, cut out the central portions of 23 more cards. Square up the 24 prepared cards and you will have a packet with a uniform rectangular hole running through them, Fig. 14.
On “top” of these prepared cards place the Queen of Diamonds and on the “bottom” place the King of Hearts. (You may use any other cards, just so you remember them as key cards. I merely suggest using the Queen and King.) Then place all of these cards on “top” of the rest of deck, Fig. 15.
Take the cardboard case in which the cards came and cut a rectangular hole in the back of box, about an inch wide and about an inch and a half in height. This hole should be so placed that when the flap of box is pulled back it is completely covered. If necessary slit down the back cover of box about half an inch on each side to permit flap to go back farther, Figs. 16 and 17. Usually, however, the box is already slit on each side.
Have the deck in its case when you start performing. Remove the deck from case and place case on table with prepared side down and the opening away from audience.
Fan the deck with both hands. You will find that you have no difficulty in fanning the cards, showing faces to audience, without exposing the holes. Note where the King of Hearts is in the pack. Then separate the deck into two packets with the King of Hearts on the “bottom” of packet in left hand, Fig. 18. Square up the cards in each hand.
“Will you, sir, take this half?” Give the unprepared cards in right hand to spectator.
“Just remove a card, remember it, and return it to this half of the deck which I hold.”
Spectator places card among those which you hold. Deck should be held fanned out with backs of cards up. Have two more spectators select cards from unprepared section of deck and return them to the section you hold. Have each selected card placed in a different part of packet, Fig. 19.
Square up the packet. Collect the remainder of deck which spectator is holding and place these cards in front of the packet you hold. Shift the Queen from the “top” of deck to the “bottom.”
Pick up card case from table, being careful not to expose hole in back. Place deck in box with backs of cards against hole in back of case. Fold down the lid of box over the hole in case. Show box freely on both sides to audience.
Take box in right hand, the prepared side towards you. Allow the flap to fly up. Place forefinger of right hand against the first card exposed through hole in case. Fig. 20 shows view away from audience. To spectator who drew first card, say,
“Have you much influence with cards? Some people seem to have remarkable power over them. What was the name of the card you selected, sir? The Five of Diamonds? Thank you. Now you say, ‘Five of Diamonds, come to papa.’ That’s it.”
With forefinger of right hand, which is in position, push up the first selected card—in this instance, the Five of Diamonds, Fig. 21.
“Talk about influence! You not only make them sit up, but rise up.”
Push down the lid of box over hole in back and turn box over so that audience can see back of it. You must also show the audience that the selected card is rising from among the other cards. Remove card with left hand, Fig. 22.
You may drop the card on table or, if more convenient, place the card back in the box in front of the deck. To second spectator who selected card, say,
“Have you a similar acquaintanceship with cards? Will they shift around to suit you? The name of your card, please. The Ace of Hearts. Now say to yourself mentally, ‘Ace of Hearts, walk right out and greet your friend.’”
Push the Ace up with one push to make it rise about an inch, and then suddenly pull it down again.
“Ah, it’s playing peek-a-boo with you.”
Suddenly push the card up until it is exposed for a few inches. Then make it jump up and down four or five times, pulling it down about an inch each time.
“Either you can’t make up your mind, or else the card is shimmying.”
Now push the card all the way up and remove it with left hand as you did the first.
“And now for the last. Do not tell me what it is. Just think of it. Now concentrate. Up she comes—the Six of Spades—your card.”
Remove the card and place it in the rear of deck in the case.
Allow the whole deck to slide out of the case, being careful not to expose the hole. Drop the case on the table with the hole down. Fan the cards slightly, show them on both sides, square them up, and place them on table.
Another way of utilizing this principle is to use two decks. Prepare one by cutting a hole as described above through all the cards except the “top” and “bottom” ones. Place this deck in your lower right vest pocket.
Come forward with the regular unprepared deck in the prepared case. Remove deck from case and have three or four cards selected by spectators, giving the whole deck to each spectator to make his selection.
Then take the deck. Request that spectators hold up their cards so that the rest of the audience can see them, but not the magician. So saying, turn your back to audience for a moment. This gives you a chance to drop the deck into the inner right coat pocket and to remove the prepared deck from the vest pocket.
Have the selected cards placed back into this prepared deck. Transfer “top” card to “bottom” of deck. Place the cards in the case and proceed with experiment as described above.
This is Keith Clark’s routine for the rising card out of the pocket and one that has been popular in his act.
Performer has a card freely selected from a deck of cards. Card is returned to deck. Performer makes a motion of palming a card and puts his hand as though containing card in his right trousers pocket. Audience notes this and comments on the fact that the performer has put a card in his pocket. “In my pocket. Of course.” He looks at upper left breast pocket of coat and the Ace of Diamonds rises out of the pocket. The gentleman who selected the card says it is not his card but upon looking at it again it turns out to be the selected card.
1—A deck of cards.
2—A special card case that fits into the outer left breast pocket. It is easily constructed from a piece of medium weight card or card-board, size 5 × 10 inches. Fold this in half and cut a slot out of each side 1¼ inches, Fig. 1. Fold over the two sides of the lower portion so as to make an envelope into which a playing card can be inserted, Fig. 2. Fold the envelope upward onto the other half of the cardboard, Fig. 3. Trim with scissors to fit the breast pocket, Fig. 4. Slots are cut in the side and a rubber band is put around the case before putting it in the pocket.
A heavy black thread is threaded through the upper part of case with a needle. A button is tied on end of thread on front of envelope. The other end of thread goes through pocket and is attached to a button on the inside of coat. Some coats have button already in place as is customary in the double-breasted coats. Figs. 5 and 6 show the set-up.
Card case is in the pocket and the thread goes through coat to the inner button with enough slack in the thread to allow the insertion of a playing card in the case in the pocket. By pulling on thread the card rises, Fig. 7.
The Ace of Diamonds, or other card, has been placed in the special card case in breast pocket, unknown to the audience. The card faces outward.
You pick up the deck from the table and have a spectator select a card, remember it, and return it to the center of the deck. Bring the card to the “top” of deck by the pass.
Holding the deck in the left hand, backs towards audience, bring up your hand to the deck and make a rather crude movement of palming a card off the deck. Apparently put the card in your right hand trousers pocket. This will get comments or recognition from the audience.
“I heard you. You said I put a card in my pocket. I guess you caught me that time for I did put the gentleman’s card in my pocket.”
Look at your breast pocket. At the same time the right hand goes inside of coat, takes hold of thread, and pulls which causes the card to rise out of the pocket.
Remove the card with right hand and show. To gentleman, say, “What’s that? This is NOT your card?”
Bend forward a bit with the deck in left hand near body and do the Top Change (Lesson 25, Figs. 81 to 84), bringing the Ace of Diamonds to the “bottom” of the deck and removing the “top” card.
“Look again. Oh, it is your card. Congratulations, sir!”
Properly timed and presented this routine is good for comedy.
This is perhaps the most popular method of performing the rising cards. It is particularly suited to stage performance or working under conditions in which the magician is some distance from his audience. Magician must be far enough away and have such lighting conditions that a fine silk thread will not be visible to spectators.
Three spectators select a card each. These are returned to the deck and thoroughly shuffled in. The deck is placed in a glass tumbler. A hoop is passed over glass and cards to show that there is no outside connection. The magician then commands and the selected cards rise one at a time. Cards and glass are examined by spectators after performing the trick, without their discovering the secret.
1—Two decks of cards.
2—A spool of very fine black silk thread—Number 000 is best. Magic dealers have it.
3—A glass goblet with bottom large enough to hold a deck of cards easily.
4—A wooden hoop, such as is used for embroidery work. It is effective to have this painted a bright color.
5—A table on which to set supplies.
6—A small wire staple.
7—A handkerchief.
Take one of the decks and remove the following cards:
Queen of Hearts.
Ten of Hearts.
Ten of Diamonds.
Seven of Spades.
And Seven Indifferent Cards.
Take one of the indifferent cards, say, the King of Spades. Cut a small slit in upper edge A of the card, about one-fourth inch deep. Insert an end of silk thread into this slit, allowing about one-fourth inch to hang down on face of card, Fig. 23.
Let thread come down over back of card, then place the Queen of Hearts on “top” of it. Pull thread up over back of Queen exactly halfway between the ends. On the Queen and on top of the thread place an indifferent card. Pull thread over back of this card. Now place the Ten of Hearts on “top” and pull thread up again. Continue the threading of the cards, placing the Ten of Diamonds next, then an indifferent card, then the Seven of Spades, and finally two indifferent cards. Place the seventh indifferent card on the “bottom” of the packet. Fig. 24 shows you the set-up. All the cards must face the same way.
You can readily understand that if the thread is pulled the Seven of Spades will be pulled up as the back two cards act as a fulcrum.
Fig. 25 shows the arrangement of your table. The staple is driven in at the back end. To this the free end of the thread is tied. If table has a tablecloth, a pin can be inserted in same as in Fig. 25 A and thread run under center of it. It answers the same purpose as a staple. Determine the length of your thread by holding the cards about 18 inches above the table and about a foot in front of you. With cards in this position, the thread should be taut. Place prepared cards at front of table, faces up. In front of cards place a handkerchief to screen them from audience. Arrange thread carefully on table so that it will not get tangled or caught in anything. Place glass tumbler near cards at front of table and wooden hoop on opposite side and farther back.
On the other deck of cards place the Queen of Hearts, the Ten of Hearts, and the Seven of Spades. Arrange these in reverse order with the Seven of Spades on “top” in preparation for forcing.
Force the Seven of Spades, the Ten of Hearts, and the Queen of Spades on three different spectators, respectively. Give the pack to each spectator and ask him to return his card to it. Finally have some member of audience thoroughly shuffle the deck.
Come back to table and secretly place the pack on the threaded cards with left hand, faces of cards up. At same moment pick up handkerchief with right hand and then the glass tumbler also with right hand.
“There is an old saying that people who live in glass houses should dress in the dark. It might not hurt this glass to give it a polish and make it still more transparent.” Show glass freely and wipe it out with handkerchief.
“This glass is of pure crystal, made especially for this magical experiment so that you can see through it—that is, the glass and not the experiment.”
Drop the handkerchief onto table and pick up the cards. Place them in tumbler, faces towards audience. The thread hangs down behind the glass, Fig. 26.
“You can see the cards in the glass, can you not? That is why I wanted the glass to be transparent. There is nothing left for you to imagine. Fifty-two cards isolated in a glass house.”
Fig. 27 shows the arrangement of cards—the unprepared deck facing the audience, behind it the threaded packet with thread hanging down behind it. You see here also how you hold the glass with the cards in your left hand in front of table, with the thread stretched straight out from back of table.
“I hear one card telling another that he might be in a glass house but that he can not see much because of the others. Ah, there he is registering his dissatisfaction and coming out.”
Move glass slightly forward. This pulls the thread tighter and causes the Seven of Spades to rise because this is the last card which was threaded, Fig. 28.
“The Seven of Spades. Was that your card, sir? Correct.”
Pretend that you hear a murmur in audience. “What’s that? Oh, I know what you are thinking. You think that some spirit pushed the card out. Oh, my, no!”
Pick up the hoop from table with right hand and pass it over cards and glass. Practice how to do this so that you can do it very naturally. Place hoop above glass in a horizontal position, Fig. 29. Bring hoop down over glass and onto left arm, Fig. 30.
Shift left hand upward a little on glass. Now bring hoop to vertical position still on left side of glass, Fig. 31. Pull B side of hoop over glass and down to a horizontal position again. Hoop is now clear of thread and can be pulled down over bottom of glass and removed, Fig. 32.
Figs. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38 show the routine of passing a hoop over a threaded object. Learn this thoroughly. It is exceedingly useful in convincing your audience that certain things have no outside connection, although they really have. Never mention anything about threads or wires. Do not even suggest the fact that magicians ever use such things.
Follow each step shown in the diagram and you will have no difficulty in learning how to perform this. Learn each stage of the move and then perform it quickly as one continuous movement.
“No ‘spookses.’ That card came out because of pure curiosity.” To spectator who selected second card, “And what card did you select? The Ten of Hearts? Ten of Hearts, arise!”
By this time you have stepped forward a little to take up slack in thread. You now push glass forward a little again, causing the next threaded card to rise, which is the Ten of Diamonds.
“I said the Ten of Hearts, not the Ten of Diamonds. Your card was the Ten of Hearts, wasn’t it, sir? The Ten of Diamonds is so anxious to break into society that it breaks in wherever there is the slightest chance.”
Push card down into glass again. This leaves it threaded as before. Move glass back a little to give thread enough slack to enable you to push card down easily.
“We’ll try again. Up, Ten of Hearts!” Up comes the Ten of Diamonds again. “What? Coming up again? You are a naughty, naughty card.” Place glass on table and remove the Ten of Diamonds from deck in glass. Place it in the palm of your left hand, back up. Spank card about four times with right hand.
“Papa will have to spank. Now you go back with the rest of the little ‘cardses’ and stay there.” Return card to front portion of deck so that it will not interfere with remaining threaded portion of prepared deck. Pick up glass from table again and hold in left hand as before.
“Perhaps you would have more influence with your card, sir. Will you just say, ‘Ten of Hearts, arise?’ ” When spectator says this, permit the Ten of Hearts to rise. This is the next threaded card and it will come up readily if your thread is taut. “I think the Ten of Hearts likes you better than it does me.” Remove Ten of Hearts and place on front of deck.
“Now, for the third and last card. Up—up—up.” No card comes up. Look at the deck a moment, perplexed.
“Did you see any card come up? If any did, I can’t see it. (To spectator who selected third card.) What was the name of your card, may I ask? The Queen of Hearts? Oh, no wonder. We cannot expect a Queen to rise under ordinary circumstances.”
Make a low graceful bow, and as you do so, say, “Could we have the delightful pleasure of having your gracious majesty arise so that we might gaze on your gorgeous beauty?”
Let the Queen rise. “All hail the Queen!” Stand up straight again. Remove the Queen and place it on the front of the deck.
Push glass forward a little. This causes the thread to pull out of the slit in the King card from which you started your threading. This frees the glass and deck entirely. Take deck from glass and fan it wide with right hand. Also show glass freely. Replace deck and glass on table.
There are numerous ways of applying this principle in the working of - the rising cards. One method is to arrange your table as shown in Fig. 39.
Everything is set in the same way as described in preceding effect, except that thread is not tied to staple or pin at back of table, but is pulled through it and tied to an iron washer or nut or small weight. Enough thread is allowed to enable the performer to stand several feet away from the table with weight in his left trousers pocket. The glass with the cards is not held in the hand but remains at the front of the table.
Have table set as in Fig. 39. Force cards you desire selected. Have them returned to pack. Place pack on the prepared cards already on table.
Pick up handkerchief and glass with right hand, and at same time pick up iron weight with left hand and place it in your left trousers pocket. This move will not be noticed for the leaning of the body makes such a movement appear natural. Also you are using misdirection—directing the attention of the audience to the handkerchief and glass, Fig. 40.
Proceed to wipe glass as before and place it on table. Pick up the deck and place it in glass, faces of cards towards audience.
Now stand far enough away from table to make thread taut. Move your body slightly and the pull on the string will cause the first threaded card to rise. You may make a movement of your hands towards cards to cover your body movement, or gesture with right hand and push left hand against thread, Fig. 41.
This is a popular method when magician carries an assistant with him. In this case, thread is passed through the staple on back of table, Fig. 42, then to wings where an assistant holds it and causes cards to rise.
In this case the end of the thread is tied around a book, a box, or some object on the table. In apparently arranging the table this book, box, or object is placed on the seat of a chair three to five feet back of the table, Fig. 42 A. By simply standing so that body is against the taut thread, the thread is moved enough to cause a card to rise out of glass. By the slight movement of the body against the thread, all three cards will rise, one at a time. In case any slack is ever needed to be taken up, this is done by moving table a bit forward, or the glass can be moved a bit forward on the table.
Sometimes Al Baker merely has a thumb tack attached to the end of thread and pushes it into the back of the chair in moving chair back out of the way a bit.
This consists of having a phonograph motor attached to underside of table by four rubber suckers. The end of thread is attached to revolving shaft. A touch of the finger is all that is needed to start the motor which winds up the thread around the revolving shaft which is small enough in diameter to insure the proper speed for rising of the cards. Motor can be stopped or started at will by touching the lever.
Here you learn how to make cards rise and soar into the air and up into your hand. Howard Thurston made a hit years ago with this style of rising card effect. I give you methods which are practical and easy to perform with or without an assistant. The effects are adapted to stage work and other work where a black thread is invisible.
Performer asks persons in the audience to call out names of four cards. The deck is shuffled and placed in a glass goblet on the table. Magician places his right hand high above the glass and causes one of the selected cards to rise out of the deck and soar up into the air to his finger tips. Each of the four selected cards is made to rise in similar manner. At the end of the experiment, selected cards are thrown out to audience.
1—Two decks of cards.
2—A tray.
3—A glass goblet large enough to hold a deck of cards easily.
4—A Wrist Reel.
One deck of cards is placed, face up, on table offstage so that audience is not aware of it. Deal the cards into four or more rows so that any card can be picked up instantly. Nearby have the glass goblet on the tray. An assistant offstage has charge of this, Fig. 43.
The Wrist Reel is a special piece of magical apparatus. It consists of a small round box, 1⅜ inch in diameter and ⅜ inch thick. At one side is a flesh-colored ring attached to a button, about ⅜ inch in diameter. A piece of elastic with snaps on the ends is attached to the reel. This is to go around performer’s forearm, Fig. 44.
Inside of the box is a drum in which a spring is coiled and attached to a pivot. Around the drum is wound about 30 inches of fine black silk thread. One end is attached to the drum inside, and the other free end comes through a small hole in the side of the box. This end of thread goes through eyelet of a small flesh-colored ring and is finally tied to a small flat button. When reel is not in use, the force of the spring keeps ring and button up against the box. A piece of conjurer’s wax is placed on button, Fig. 45.
Fasten the reel around your right forearm by snapping the elastic tape into place. Reel should be placed up high enough on forearm so that ring and box do not show. Coat sleeve is, of course, pulled down to cover reel. It is important to be able to reach up with left hand and take hold of ring easily. You will have to experiment in adjusting apparatus, Figs. 46 and 47.
As the silk thread will wear out, you must watch it closely. Test apparatus before every performance. It is easy to change thread. To do so, lift off top of box, loosen the spring at center pivot, take out drum, and put new thread on. Then replace drum in box, tighten spring, and replace top of box.
Just before starting your experiment, secretly get the ring on second joint of second finger of right hand. Help adjust it with left hand. Have button towards inside of hand. If ring is too large or too small, have a jeweler adjust it, Fig. 48.
Have assistant offstage at the table with cards. Come forward with second deck of cards. The reel is adjusted to your forearm with ring on second finger. Ask members of audience to call out four cards.
As cards are called, assistant picks up each card called for from first deck on table offstage. He places these four cards together faces up, on tray with glass goblet. First card called goes on bottom, then second, third and fourth. Assistant comes on to stage with tray, holding it tilted back slightly so that audience cannot see the cards on it.
As spectators have called cards, you have named each selected card after them. Now give deck a good shuffle to give assistant time to get out on stage with tray. Be sure that none of the cards named is on the face of deck after the shuffle.
Place shuffled deck, cards facing up, on top of the four cards already on tray. Pick up the glass. Assistant places tray with cards on a table on stage and exits. You tap the goblet.
“This glass was once the property of an old East Indian conjurer. It is clear and has a good ring. He used to tell his audience that he used a glass goblet in his trick so that his spectators could see through it—that is, the goblet, not the trick.”
Replace goblet on tray and pick up deck of cards. The four selected cards are on “top” of the deck and ready for use. Hold deck in right hand with fingers above and thumb at bottom edge. Cards face audience. Bring left hand up to deck, Fig. 49.
Grasp deck in left hand with fingers in front and thumb behind. Straighten second finger of right hand so that waxed button comes near cards. With tip of left thumb push button against “top” card about half an inch from top edge and midway between sides, Fig. 50.
Hold the button securely against card with left thumb. Then put right thumb against button and hold deck in right hand over the top edge of cards. Release left hand. Place deck in the glass, the cards facing the audience, Fig. 51.
Place left thumb on button again and release right hand, raising it about 18 inches above the deck. Left thumb holds button on card securely to prevent card from rising prematurely. As right hand is raised, thread is pulled out of reel. When right hand is in position, hold thread between thumb and forefinger to prevent its winding back into reel until you are ready, Fig. 52.
Release hold on button with left thumb and bring left hand away from cards. Say to person calling out first card: “Pardon me, what was your card, sir? The Four of Diamonds. Four of Diamonds, rise!”
Release hold on thread with right thumb and forefinger and allow card to rise into hand. The thread winds back onto the drum in reel and causes the card to come up to right hand. The speed with which card is to rise must be experimented with. It must be neither too slow nor too fast. Card should come up gracefully and speedily enough to keep it from turning around, Fig. 53.
When card reaches hand, grip it at upper edge. Fig. 54 shows view away from audience. With right thumb loosen button from card and allow it to fly back against ring on second finger.
Remove deck from glass with left hand, using some suitable patter. Place selected card which has risen, in front of deck and attach waxed button to rear card again. Replace deck in glass, following same routine until all four selected cards have been caused to rise.
If desired, this experiment may be performed without an assistant. Have four spectators select cards from the deck and return them to middle of deck. Get selected cards to “top” of deck. As you go back to stage, you can get ring from under right coat sleeve and place it on second finger. Then proceed as above.
Be careful that thread is not held in front of white shirt or some light-colored object. It is best to have glass at the right so that your right hand is extended to the right and the thread is invisible against the background of the stage.
At a later date Thurston adopted a slightly different method using a Pocket Reel and a new way of getting the cards from his assistant. The reel was secreted in his left lower vest pocket and a pin used to close part of the pocket so that button would not go down into pocket or the reel come out, Fig. 54 A.
The audience called out the cards, as before, but the backstage assistant slipped the cards named into a clip on the back of his coat, backs out. When he brought the glass to Thurston he took care not to expose the cards on his back to audience. In reaching for glass, with left hand, Thurston palmed off the cards on assistant’s back with right hand.
If selected cards are placed in clip with faces of cards out, it is easy to reach back with pack and get cards on “top” and slip out of clip while left hand takes glass from assistant. A simple wire letter clip is practical.
Thurston took waxed button from pocket with thumb and first finger of right hand, attached it to top of rear card and held it in place with left thumb while right thumb came under thread and controlled thread with pressure of first finger on thumb, enabling him to relax hold of waxed button with thumb. Releasing pressure, the card rose up to his hand.
Button was released from card, card placed on front of deck and button attached to second selected card on rear of deck. At the finish, the button was allowed to go back to top of vest pocket. Fig. 54 B shows the general operation.
This is the rising card method which Paul Fox and I have used. It has many possibilities and does not require mechanical apparatus.
Four cards are freely selected from deck, remembered, and returned to deck, which is then shuffled. Deck is placed in glass goblet. Magician holds his hand high above the glass and the selected cards rise, one by one, up to his hand.
1—A deck of cards.
2—A glass goblet, large enough to hold deck of cards.
3—A yard of fine black silk thread.
4—A small button.
5—Conjurer’s wax.
Tie one end of thread to stem of glass and the other end to a small flat button. Place a small piece of wax on button and stick button on stem of glass. Place glass thus prepared on table and you are ready to work. Turn side of glass with button away from audience. Thread is invisible, Fig. 55.
Have four cards freely selected, remembered, and replaced one by one in middle of deck. Do the pass and get cards to “top” of deck. Shuffle cards without disturbing four selected cards on “top.”
Return to stage. Pick up glass and show. Place cards inside of glass with faces towards audience. Hold glass by stem in left hand. With right hand remove button from stem, Fig. 56.
Attach button to rear card of deck as you did in the preceding trick. Get right forefinger under thread and raise right hand above glass about 18 inches. Fig. 57 shows view from the side to give you diagram of arrangement of hands and thread. Ask last spectator what card he selected. Then cause the rear card (his card) to rise out of the glass by raising your right hand and lowering your left. Card comes right up to hand. The lowering of glass and raising of right hand slightly causes cards to rise without any apparent movement of hands.
Fig. 58 shows view from audience, except that thread is invisible. Be careful to have right hand a little to one side so that thread is not in front of white shirt.
Place card in front of deck. As you do so, remove button and hold it concealed between right thumb and finger tips. Attach button to rear card again and place deck in goblet. Ask third spectator who selected card to name it, then cause this card to rise. Continue in this manner for all four cards.
Here is a splendid climax for the Rising Cards Through the Air if you are performing on a stage and have two assistants. It was one of the features of the Thurston show.
Same as for Rising Cards Through the Air. Then as the last selected card rises from deck and remains suspended in mid-air, performer passes his hands around card to show no connection. At command, the card ascends, descends, and finally sinks almost to the floor. Then it rises again to performer’s hand.
This effect requires a prepared card. Cut a piece from a card, straight at one edge and with two pointed tabs at the other. Paste down on back of another card at top. Bend the two tabs outward a bit so thread can easily be slipped under them, Fig. 59. Place this prepared card in a pocket which you can reach easily.
Stretch a fine black silk thread across the stage. Have each end held by an assistant in opposite wings offstage. Before performing effect, put thread out of the way by tying it in slip knot fashion over a nail high up on each side of stage.
In having cards selected, force a duplicate of this prepared card as the first selected card. After you have had four selected cards returned to deck and have performed the pass, this duplicate card is fourth from “top” of deck and is out of the way. As you go back to stage, get the prepared card and place it on “top” of deck. Or have assistant place prepared card on tray and you place rest of deck on it as taught to you in a preceding experiment.
In this case, place button on next to “top” card to cause three selected cards to rise. After three cards have risen, the prepared card is next. This is now on “top” of the deck.
Take cards out of the glass and hold in left hand, cards facing audience. Fingers are in front and thumb behind cards. Hold deck about a foot in front of you.
At this point, have assistants pull on thread enough to slip knots from nails and bring it down in front of you and back of deck so that you can easily hook prepared card on it. Raise right hand a little, apparently causing card to rise as assistants raise thread. Drop left hand with cards to your side, Fig. 60.
At command, the card is caused to ascend and descend at different rates of speed. At intervals you can pass hands above, below and around card to show no connections. When you pass hands over sides of card, do it behind thread. It looks as though you pass hands directly beside edges of card. Finally have card sink down almost to floor, and then quickly rise up to hand, Fig. 61. Catch card in right hand and hold it as one assistant drops thread and other assistant pulls it clear of card and
offstage. With good showmanship, you can get a wonderful effect with this.
This makes a beautiful effect with cards, adding action and display to your program with little effort.
Three cards are selected and shuffled back into deck. Deck is placed in a glass goblet which is placed on the seat of a chair. At command, the cards start flying out of the glass, way up into the air. They continue to fly out until only the selected cards remain in the glass. These are then removed from goblet and shown.
This method is the one used by De Kolta, one of the greatest magicians of days gone by.
Take a spool of fine black silk thread and unwind several feet.
Wrap the end of the thread twice around a card, Fig. 62.
In front of this wrapped card, place three cards. When you perform the trick, you force duplicates of these three cards as selected cards. Remember these three cards for forcing later, Fig. 63.
Now you proceed to thread the rest of deck. Thread is already wrapped around starting card. Now bring it back of card and down. Place another card back of starting card and bring thread up around this card, across top edges of all the other cards you have placed together, and then down in front of the selected cards. Place a card in front of selected cards and bring thread up around this card. Now carry thread over tops of all cards again and down in back. Place card behind rest of cards again and bring thread up around it, over tops of cards and down in front of all cards again. Place another card in front and bring thread up around it again. Proceed in this manner to thread the whole deck, Fig. 64.
When deck is completely threaded, bring thread down around whole deck and up in back. Fig. 65 shows the threaded deck as it looks when finished.
Place threaded deck on seat of a chair and run thread up over back of chair and out backstage, where it is secured on a nail in the wall. Assistant can thus get end of thread when time comes for him to pull on it. Place a silk or pocket handkerchief in front of deck on chair to conceal it. Have a glass goblet on chair also.
Pick up another deck, unprepared. Come down to audience and force duplicates of the three cards already placed in center of prepared deck, unthreaded. Have these selected cards well shuffled into deck.
Come back to stage and place this deck on chair next to threaded one behind handkerchief. Pick up glass goblet and show it, then replace on seat of chair again. Pick up threaded deck as if it were an ordinary one and place it in glass, Fig. 66.
At command, assistant pulls thread fast. All the cards fly out of the glass high into the air, except the three unthreaded ones, Fig. 67. The three selected cards are picked up and shown separately. Call out the name of each.
A little practice will be necessary to get the knack of throwing cards high into the air, but when you have it mastered, you will be well repaid in having a beautiful effect. In this method it is necessary for the thread to be pulled vertically. That is the reason the thread is run over the top of the chair.
Another ruse which may be used is this one: Screw a small eyelet near end of your wand. Run end of thread from deck of cards through eyelet and out backstage to assistant, Fig. 68.
Glass, deck and wand may be resting on a table with handkerchief screening threaded deck as before. When threaded deck is placed in glass, you have but to raise your wand above deck. Assistant pulls thread and cards fly out. Your wand keeps thread vertical above deck, Fig. 69.
Another method is to have thread run up to an eyelet in one of the batons above stage and down backstage where it can be pulled by an assistant.
This method was popular with Kellar. It was designed by Harry Stork. It requires no vertical pull. A strong pull is required, however, and for that reason it is necessary to clamp glass down on table and table must be heavy enough not to tip easily.
Take each card of deck and cut a quarter of an inch slit in middle of top edge, Fig. 70. Make knot in end of black silk thread and run thread through slit from front to back of first card.
Turn the card upside down and back of it place another card with slit end up. Bring thread up behind card. Push it through slit and back again, leaving a half-inch loop on front of card, Fig. 71.
Now bring thread down again. Place another card back of it and bring thread up around it and loop through top slit as before. Continue this until you have the whole deck threaded except for three cards. The first card is the only one with the slit end down. The rest are all up with the thread looped through, Fig. 72.
Place three selected cards, duplicates of which you are going to force, on back of deck. Place deck on table with handkerchief screening it. Run thread back over table, through a screw eye at the edge, and out to assistant backstage, Fig. 73.
To secure glass to table, use a clamp of wood or metal. The clamp is of two sections. Have them screwed to table the width of the glass stem apart. Have screws at front end and arranged so that the two sections can be swung out. At the back end have a strong hook and eye arrangement for securing two sections of the clamp, Fig. 74. Fig. 75 shows glass held in clamp on table. Glass is put between sections and clamp is fastened together.
Take regular deck and force three cards, duplicates of three unthreaded cards in prepared deck. Have cards returned and shuffled into deck. Place it on table behind handkerchief. Show glass and clamp it to table. Pick up threaded deck and place in glass. Upon command cards fly from glass, leaving the three selected ones.
This superior method has an advantage over the other methods as the glass does not have to be clamped to the table, and the thread can be pulled in the usual manner as with any rising card trick. It requires a bit of time to prepare but the preparation is more than worth it.
1—A deck of specially prepared cards.
2—A regular deck.
3—A glass goblet to hold cards.
4—A spool of strong black silk thread.
5—A handkerchief.
A small flap one-half the thickness of the card is made in one end of a playing card at center, Fig. 76. This is readily made with a sharp knife by cutting two slits, the depth of half the card, and a slit at top to loosen the flap. This is done with every card in the deck.
If you desire to have the selected cards remain in the glass after the other cards have flown out, leave three of the cards unprepared. These cards may thus be thrown into the audience at the finish.
Pick up a card that is to go on face of the deck and cut a quarter-inch slit at the bottom. Make a knot in the end of a strong black silk thread and run the thread through the slit so that knot is on face of card. Bring the thread up over the flap and down again, Fig. 77. On the back of this card place another card in the same position with the flap at the top. Bring up thread from center bottom of card up over the flap and down again. Repeat with the whole deck.
Place the three cards to be left in glass, at rear of deck, with the thread going over their upper edges.
Threaded deck, with duplicate force cards on “top,” is placed on table behind a handkerchief or under the handkerchief. The thread from deck runs through a pin stuck through tablecloth or through an eyelet on back of table, thence backstage to an assistant. Table must be substantial enough to stand a pull of the thread without moving. In some cases an eyelet is screwed into the stage at back of table, with thread passing through. Another emergency method is to have a chair back of the table and thread run around back of chair and offstage.
The rising card glass sets on table. Also the regular deck with cards to be forced at “top” of deck. Or, if desired, a forcing deck containing three different cards, may be used.
Force the three cards on three spectators, have cards returned and shuffled. Place deck on table behind handkerchief and pick up the glass with one hand while the other pushes handkerchief over the regular deck, exposing the threaded pack. If desired you can rap the glass with the wand to accent the ring of the glass.
Place cards in glass—flaps up—face of cards towards audience. Place glass and cards on the table.
Upon command, assistant pulls thread which releases it from flap on rear card and card rises out of glass. The second card follows this, and finally the third.
Then by pulling the thread faster the cards spurt out of the glass leaving only the three selected cards remaining in the glass. They are removed, shown separately, and tossed out.
Another effect is to have four cards selected and first to have three of them rise singly, after which all the other cards fly out of the glass in a fountain leaving the fourth selected card in the glass at the finish.
Tommy Dowd’s ingenuity is evident in this, his own conception of the Rising Cards which is here released for the first time.
Two or three cards are selected, shuffled back into the pack which is placed in a clear glass tumbler, and another empty tumbler placed mouth to mouth over the first one. While performer holds the tumblers in his hands, a selected card is seen to rise from the enclosed pack and ascend into the upper tumbler from which the spectator may remove it. Likewise with the other chosen cards.
1—A bottomless glass tumbler, Fig. 1, sufficiently wide to take a half if not a whole pack of poker width cards.
2—An unprepared glass tumbler to match the bottomless one.
3—A regular pack of poker width (broad) cards.
With the above articles on your table, all is ready.
Have cards selected, two are enough, and have them replaced in pack (or half of pack) and you shuffle so as to leave selected cards on “top” of pack. You will have to bend the pack a little to press the cards all the way down in the bottomless glass. Cards face outward and the bend of cards follows the same arc as the front of the tumbler, Fig. 2.
Have your right side towards audience. Take tumbler with cards in left hand, quickly wave it to show it and place it down on outstretched palm of right hand, Fig. 3.
Left hand picks up empty tumbler, waves it and places it mouth to mouth, on top of the other tumbler, the hands being over and under the glasses in order to hold them steady, Fig. 4.
The third finger of right hand has been secretly slipped through the bottom of the tumbler, Fig. 5, and, by successive small upward thrusts, causes the rear (selected) card to rise from the pack, Fig. 6. Final push-up is done with tip of finger under card so as to push it higher. As that card ascends into the upper tumbler, its edges bind against the edges of the upper tumbler, and the latter is lifted off, with the card inside, and the spectator allowed to remove his card, Fig. 7.
Replacing the upper tumbler, the second card is handled in the same manner.
The first and second fingers of right hand curl up and rest against the side of the lower tumbler in such a way as to conceal the fact that the third finger is inside the glass. If a full pack is too stiff to press down into the tumbler, have selected cards returned to half of the pack and proceed as above.
Eggs have played a big part in successful magic. The extremely puzzling effect which egg tricks have on the audience are due to the nature of the material used. Eggs are so fragile and difficult to handle that spectators marvel at the magician as he produces eggs and vanishes them in the most nonchalant manner.
Comedy is, of course, closely associated with eggs. In these effects there is opportunity for much good comedy.
This effect has been a favorite in my program for years as it is a bit unusual and very puzzling.
Performer passes his handkerchief and an egg around for examination, then asks a spectator to bring them back to him and assist him in the trick. Magician then grasps handkerchief by the corners and tells assistant to drop egg into it. The egg, of course, falls to the center of the handkerchief. Spectator is told to feel of the egg through the handkerchief, then to break the egg. The crushing of the egg is heard and all believe it to be smashed. Performer then asks assistant to reach inside the handkerchief and remove the egg. Assistant hesitates for a broken egg is rather a messy thing to pick up. He finally does reach in, however, and brings out the egg wholly restored to the amazement of himself and the rest of the spectators. Handkerchief is opened wide and shown empty.
1—A man’s white handkerchief. This should be as heavy and as nearly opaque as possible. A freshly laundered handkerchief will be more satisfactory for this reason.
2—An egg.
3—An egg shell. This is easily prepared by making a small hole in each end of an egg with tip of pocket knife blade, inserting small blade to break the yolk, and then expelling the contents through one hole by blowing through the other.
4—A small piece of white cloth. Part of an old handkerchief will do for this. Size: about 6½ × 2¾ inches.
5—A pin, a small piece of white string, a needle and white thread.
Make a small bag of the white piece of cloth. This must be large enough to hold the egg shell.
Fold the cloth over in two to make the bag about 3¼ inches long. Sew the two edges together as shown in Fig. 1. Then trim off the edges close to the seam. Fold the top edges down all around about three-eighths of an inch, insert the white string under the fold, and sew this fold down. Tie a knot in the ends of the string close to the bag, Fig. 2.
Turn bag inside out. Take the pin and bend the end of it over about three-eighths of an inch. Run it through top edge of one side of bag, pushing it up until head is close to bag on inside and little hook extends up, Fig. 3. Place empty egg shell inside the bag and draw the string tight to close bag and keep fragments of shell, when it is broken, from falling out. Tuck loose ends of string into inside of bag, Fig. 4.
Take bag and insert point of pin into upper edge of upper left vest pocket, Fig. 5. Your coat covers bag completely and no one is aware, of course, that you have this bag arrangement under it. Have handkerchief and whole egg in some convenient place, and you are ready for the experiment.
Come forward with egg and handkerchief as you say, “You have, no doubt, heard of the famous egg called Humpty Dumpty. ‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.’ Well, this is one of his descendants.” Show the egg, and hand it to a spectator. “Would you mind, sir, holding Humpty Junior?”
Turn to another spectator and give him the handkerchief. “And would you mind giving this handkerchief the once over? I think you will agree that there is enough material to make Humpty a nice wedding dress in case he ever needed one.”
Take handkerchief from gentleman and hold it in left hand as shown in Fig. 6. The way you grip the handkerchief is very important. Hold it against base of thumb with second, third and fourth fingers gripping it tightly on under side. Top edge is gripped between index finger on under side and thumb on top. Handkerchief must be drawn taut between the two grips.
To spectator holding egg: “Will you please come up here with me and act as guardian over the egg?”
Turn your back to the audience and walk towards your stage or place where you are performing. The moment your back is turned, reach inside of coat with right hand. Grasp head of pin on bag firmly between tips of thumb and first finger. Remove bag from vest, Fig. 7.
Bring left hand with handkerchief in front of you and quickly pin the bag to handkerchief. Insert pin about four inches from upper corner of handkerchief. It is easy to do this if you hold handkerchief taut in your left hand. Perform this move of attaching bag very quickly, Fig. 8.
Extend left arm a little towards left so that audience sees handkerchief and back of left hand. They cannot see bag with egg shell as it is on palm side of hand, Fig. 9.
Now you have reached the stage where you turn left to face your audience. Be careful not to expose bag as you turn. Gradually in making your turn, bring your left hand in front of you with back of it towards audience, Fig. 10. To all appearances you merely took the handkerchief from the spectator who examined it, went back to the stage, and then turned around to start the experiment.
The spectator holding the egg has followed you. Have him stand to your right and a little forward so that he cannot see the bag on the back of the handkerchief. Keep the handkerchief near your body to screen bag. “I shall ask you, sir, to stand right there.”
Take upper corner A between your teeth. Hold out the two side corners B and C with your right and left hands. This is done to show the handkerchief empty without saying that it is. The little bag is, of course, concealed behind the handkerchief, Fig. 11.
Bring corners B and C up with each hand to corner A. Grasp corner A with left forefinger and thumb, Fig. 12.
Remove corner from mouth, holding the three corners A, B and C with thumb and first two fingers of left hand. Grasp corner D with right hand. Hold handkerchief as shown in Fig. 13. Ask assistant to place egg in the handkerchief as shown in illustration. . . . “You are quite certain, sir, that you have an egg? All right. Then place the egg in the handkerchief.”
After assistant has done this, bring up corner D and place it with the other three corners. Grasp it in left hand as in Fig. 14. This illustration also shows position of the bag containing the egg shell and the whole egg. Place right hand around center of handkerchief which is hanging down and the egg in it. This brings egg into palm of right hand and the thumb of right hand comes behind egg shell, Fig. 15.
With right thumb push the egg shell in the bag upward. Be careful to conceal whole egg in right hand by turning back of hand to audience. The effect is that you are merely grasping one end of the handkerchief with your right hand and the other end with your left, and that the egg is brought up under the handkerchief between your hands, Fig. 16.
“Will you please feel it now and see that the egg is safe within the handkerchief?” Have assistant feel the egg. He believes, of course, that he is feeling the egg which he placed there. The audience, too, believes this.
“Please break the egg. You needn’t have any fear of the consequence. It is wrapped in the handkerchief, and as it’s my handkerchief, all is well. So just go ahead and break.” Have assistant grasp egg shell and break it. The crushing of the shell is heard by the assistant and the audience so that they do not doubt that the egg has been broken, Fig. 17.
“There certainly isn’t any doubt about your breaking the egg.” Drop handkerchief again to position shown in Fig. 15. Then release hold with right hand and hold handkerchief as in Fig. 14. Now open corner D a little with right hand.
“Will you please reach inside the handkerchief and take out the egg? You would, no doubt, like to have it as a souvenir of this momentous occasion and our little tête-à-tête.” This gets a laugh from audience as they think the egg is broken and a mess inside the handkerchief. Assistant, too, usually hesitates about reaching in.
“Of course, you remember that old Humpty Dumpty fell off a wall and all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again. Personally, I don’t see what horses had to do with it—unless it was a horse on the king, as we commonly say.”
Assistant reaches into handkerchief and, to his surprise and the surprise of everyone, removes the egg whole. “However, Humpty Junior is different. He lives in this more modern age of flippers and flappers, so a mere squashing means nothing in his young life. He just pulls himself together again. I believe you will find the egg fully restored.”
As you say this, hold corner A with thumb and first finger of left hand and corner B with right hand. Pull hands apart, allowing corner C to drop down. Be sure to have little bag at back of handkerchief. Hold handkerchief spread out before audience to show it empty. Fig. 18 shows view as seen by performer and away from audience. Fold up handkerchief with bag concealed inside and place it aside or in pocket.
“I know, sir, that you will find this experiment very useful should you order scrambled eggs and then suddenly decide that you want them soft boiled.”
If you desire, you may break the egg into a saucer at the finish to prove that it is a real egg. Or you may just put egg aside and start with another trick, or you may use this egg for the next trick with the egg bag.
A borrowed handkerchief may be used for this trick. If you use a borrowed handkerchief, palm off the little bag from it after you have completed the effect. You can crush the bag up small in your palm as the egg shell is broken. As you go to return handkerchief, held in left hand, place bag in your pocket with your right hand.
After performing the preceding effect for many years I altered the method somewhat and devised a new patter story. The “Humpty Dumpty” patter was never discarded, but was used wherever it seemed most appropriate.
1—A special double handkerchief. Get three 15-inch silk pocket handkerchiefs at a men’s furnishing store. These should be alike and of a dark opaque color.
With one handkerchief make a 7½-inch square pocket open at the top. This pocket is fitted in the upper left hand corner between the other two handkerchiefs, Fig. 1. The two handkerchiefs are sewn all around the edges with exception of a three and a half inch opening at top. This opening also has upper edges of pocket sewn in it and fastened together with three black snap fasteners. Anything dropped into the opening will drop into the pocket. The closing of pocket with the snap fasteners keeps anything placed in pocket from falling out even if opening is held upside down.
2—A blown egg shell. The opening in each end should be about three-sixteenths of an inch or so, large enough to be felt through the handkerchief later on.
3—A real egg.
4—A glass tumbler.
Place egg shell into pocket of the double handkerchief and fasten pocket with snap fasteners. Let the shell slide down to center corner of the pocket. Fig. 2. Let ends C and B fall together and stretch handkerchief out on table with corner A towards rear. Nearby sets the glass with the egg inside.
Pick up glass and turn egg out into your right hand.
“Once upon a time a young man fell in love with a Princess, but because he was not a Prince he was ordered to leave the kingdom. ‘But, Your Majesty,’ the young man said to the King, ‘is there not a test I could be given to prove that I am worthy of your daughter, for I am in love with her and she with me? If I fail to pass your test I will leave her forever.’ ”
“ ‘Yes,’ said the King, ‘There is a test. In an Oriental kingdom it is said that a man had an egg which when wrapped up in silk could not be broken. It was a real egg and easily broken when the silk was removed. Find me such an egg and you may marry my daughter.’ ”
“The next day the young man appeared before the King carrying an egg and a silk handkerchief.” Pick up handkerchief from table by corner A. “ ‘I have found such an egg,’ said the young man, ‘An egg which wrapped in silk can not be broken.’ ”
You address a man in audience. “Would you mind playing the part of the King?” Have spectator come up on stage and give him the egg to hold.
“I will let you hold the egg. You will note it is a real egg. In the meantime I will bring the corners of this silk handkerchief up so as to make a sort of a bag.”
Holding silk first by corners A and B as in Fig. 2, show handkerchief both sides. Holding corner A in left hand, drop corner B from right hand. Pick up corner C with right hand and bring up to left hand. Then bring up corner D. And hold corner B in right hand, Fig. 3.
“Drop the egg down into the handkerchief.” Spectator drops the egg down into the handkerchief. You bring the corner B up with the other corners and hold handkerchief in left hand as in Fig. 4.
With right hand take hold of bottom of handkerchief, grasping eggs through the handkerchief. Bring eggs and center of handkerchief upward, releasing hold of corners by left hand. With right hand fingers feel for the egg shell. You can tell it because it is lighter in weight, and you can feel the two openings in ends of egg. Bring shell up above hand and real egg into palm of left hand, tightening the silk around the shell, Fig. 5.
“I have wrapped the silk tightly around the egg. You can feel the egg, sir. And now, Your Majesty, I want you to put your right hand around the egg and squeeze it just as tight as you can, and you will find you can not break the egg.”
Assistant squeezes the egg (shell) and it breaks. The audience laughs and you look discomfited. “I meant for you to just squeeze the egg and not dig your fingernails in.”
You further squash up egg shell in handkerchief by pressing with right hand.
“Now we have got a mess. ‘Well, anyhow,’ as the young man said. ‘You can not break this egg in a silk handkerchief.’ ”
Unfold handkerchief and with right hand take out the real egg whole. Show to audience. Handkerchief is draped over left hand. Hold handkerchief by corner and shake out, and place on table. Pick up glass on table.
“And to prove this is just a real egg, all I have to do is to break it in the glass. . . . And so the young man married the Princess and they lived happily ever after.
With some eggs that have firm egg shells, the shell will stand considerable pressure. If one person squeezes shell and does not break it, say, “See, the egg can not be broken.” Give to another person. Finally egg will be broken. Some people smash egg between both hands which gets laugh from audience. I have had a spectator suddenly smash the egg with his fist!
Some magical effects live throughout the years and with varying types of presentation are popular the world around. Such is the case with the Egg Bag Mystery.
There are two types of Egg Bag Mysteries. One is performed with a rather large bag which is turned inside out to show empty, and yet the performer can produce a dozen or two eggs from it. In Holland, Grandpa Bamberg (there are seven generations of magicians in the Bamberg family, including Okito and Fu Manchu), after producing eggs from a bag, would then produce a full size hen, as the one which laid the eggs. Grandpa Bamberg’s moves were so natural and clever and filled with misdirection, that he kept many people, well versed in magic, puzzled as to the exact method he used.
Dante uses a routine in which different sizes of eggs are produced according to how hard the assistant blows. When a negro assistant blows at the bag, Dante produces a black egg for a finish.
The other type of egg bag is rather small and has to accommodate only one egg, since the routine is based on vanishing and appearing that egg. I only wish that I knew who was the originator of the egg bag. It may have started in early magic by a magician using a small bag and a smooth egg-shaped rock pebble and as a variation of the cups and balls.
The egg bag is typical of Egyptian magic, as magic of the Guli-Guli magicians is based upon the egg. Religion and the occult enter much into Eastern magic and the egg represents the symbol of birth. Egg and baby chick mysteries are all a part of Guli-Guli magic. For instance, the Egyptian magician may produce an egg, then place the egg between his cupped hands and change it to a live baby chick. He pulls the chick apart and there are two chicks. These two chicks placed under a bowl become a dozen chicks.
Cups and balls with eggs and baby chicks are popular with Egyptian mystics. As a finish, three baby chicks, placed under the three cups, vanish and are found in a spectator’s inner coat pocket.
A number of magicians have popularized the small size egg bag in their vaudeville and theatre programs including Albini, Larry Crane, Arnold De Biere and Dante. I have performed the egg bag mystery in my own programs for years. I worked out a routine which has been very entertaining and popular with audiences and full of comedy situations. One wonders sometimes why people do laugh so hard over the vanish or appearance of an egg.
In this lesson I will give you a version of my own routine in which I use the small bag and egg. Thousands of the finest people in America have been entertained with it.
Performer gets a boy and a girl up from the audience to assist him. He places the girl at his left and the boy at his right. He discovers an egg in the girl’s hair which he gives her to hold, together with a silk handkerchief. A small cloth bag is shown inside and out to be empty and given to the boy to hold. The egg is vanished in the handkerchief and found inside the bag. Magician replaces the egg in the bag, followed by a suspicious movement of his right hand inside his right trousers pocket. This leads the audience to suspect that he has dropped the egg into his pocket. The excitement in audience has started and performer must turn out his various pockets to satisfy the crowd that they are empty and eggless. The egg is found in the bag again. Magician now offers to explain how the mystery is performed, with the result that the audience knows less than ever of the modus operandi.
1—An Egyptian fez.
2—Two wooden or celluloid eggs.
3—A double handkerchief. To make this, you require two dark colored opaque silk handkerchiefs, both alike. Sew them together around the edges, carefully matching the edges. On one side sew only halfway so as to leave an opening half the length of one side, Fig. 6.
At corner of handkerchief near this opening sew a quarter inch mark with white thread, running parallel with the opening so that you can easily find it. Sew this mark on both sides of the handkerchief.
4—A “Tarbell Style” Egg Bag. This varies from the egg bag commonly used. Both have a double side to secrete the egg but in the regular style bag the opening of the double side is in the bottom of the bag. This makes it necessary for the performer himself to reach into the bag to produce an egg. In the Tarbell style bag the opening is a couple of inches above the bottom, and its length is only half the length of the bag, which allows egg to fall into bag, where it can be removed by a spectator. Each style of bag has its uses. In this routine I will describe the Tarbell style egg bag and in the “Fool-Zum” egg bag routine following I will describe the usual type.
Bag should be made of a colored woolen cloth. I use a blue-toned Scotch plaid. The design helps to cover up even a close view of opening in bag, when bag is turned wrong side out. I try to get away from the usual “red” bags that are so commonly sold. I am a greater believer in individuality.
Cut out two pieces of woolen cloth 13 × 8½ inches each. Fold over edges of each side about a quarter of an inch wide, on inside, to keep from unraveling. Stitch the two cloths together around all four edges. Also stitch across the center, Fig. 1. Stitching should be done on a sewing machine. Stitches in illustrations are exaggerated for clarity.
Fold cloth in half so that the two narrow edges touch. Sew the two sides together and put a one-inch ribbon around edge of opening of bag. This gives a half-inch binding on both sides, Fig. 2.
Now measure about 2⅛ inches from the bottom of the bag. Sew a seam across one of the (double) sides of the bag. Cut a slit 3¾ inches long at left just above the seam. Sew the edges of this opening to prevent raveling, Fig.3. The opening is large enough to easily slip an egg into the pocket so egg will be concealed. The egg will easily come out of opening into bag proper when egg is tipped towards opening.
Turn the bag inside out so as to bring it into proper position with opening inside. Fig. 4 shows bag as it looks to audience. Figs. 5 A and 5 B show a cross section of the bag.
Place an egg in inner pocket of egg bag. Place bag on table. Nearby, place the double handkerchief folded to a quarter of its size. Lay the other egg on center of folded handkerchief and fold one of the corners back over the egg, giving the handkerchief a triangular shape. Ends point away from audience, Fig. 7.
“I will perform a classic of Egypt—a mystery of the Guli-Gulis. A Guli-Guli is an Egyptian magician. He says ‘Guli-Guli! Guli-Guli!’ and strange things happen. In order to preserve the proper atmosphere I shall wear this Egyptian fez. . . . Now that I’m a Guli-Guli magician, I must have two assistants—a boy and a girl.”
Have a boy and girl come up out of audience. Ask their first names. Let us say they are “John” and “Frances.” Have the girl stand at your left and the boy at your right.
“Frances, how would you like to be a Guli-Guli magician? You can wear this fez.” Remove your fez and place it on the girl’s head. “Now you are a Guli-Guli.”
Pick up double handkerchief from table with your right hand. The hand comes under upper corner and under egg, which brings egg into a Finger Palm position, concealed from audience by handkerchief, Fig. 8.
Turn to Frances so that back of right hand faces audience. Take handkerchief from right hand with left hand, leaving egg palmed in right hand, Fig. 9.
“I know you are a Guli-Guli because I see an egg in your hair.” Reach up and produce egg from her hair. To do this as you touch her hair egg is shot from palm to your finger tips, where it is held by tip of first finger and tip of thumb, Fig. 10.
“Hold the handkerchief and the egg.” Give her handkerchief to hold by center. Handkerchief is still folded quarter size. She can hold handkerchief in left hand and egg in the right, Fig. 11. Pick up egg bag from table.
“This is an interesting bag.” Hold bag as in Fig. 12. Egg, supported by right fingers, is in pocket on front side. “It not only has an outside but also an inside.”
Turn bag inside out, Fig. 13. Pocket is on rear side and egg comes into right hand. Audience is shown both sides. Turn the bag back to normal and hold as in Fig. 14. Egg is held in upper right hand corner of pocket with right hand. Say to John:
“John, you can even feel inside.” Boy puts his hand inside bag and feels around. He does not feel egg as it is held too high and protected by your right fingers.
“Did you feel anything? No? The reason is, there is nothing inside.”
Bring left hand up and take the corner and egg from the right hand, Fig. 15. Allow egg to drop down into the lower corner. Fold bag over and give to the boy to hold, as in Fig. 16.
“John, you can hold the bag. Lots of folks have held the bag. And, John, I want you to place your left hand on your heart.” By placing left hand on his heart he cannot use hand to feel the bag and discover the egg. Turn to the girl.
“Frances, if you will just give me this Oriental silk I will show you it has four corners.” Take handkerchief and hold it outstretched between left and right hands, as in Fig. 6. The opening is on left side. You can find the opening easily by looking for the white thread mark on corner of silk.
“We will bring the corners up to form a bag. . . .”
Drop right upper corner with right hand and pick up the lower left hand corner instead and bring it up to be held with other corner in left hand. Run right hand down side of handkerchief and pick up the next corner and place in left hand, and finally the last corner, Fig. 17. The opening of double silk is nearest you. Reach into this opening with right hand and spread it open, Fig. 18.
“. . . . and have you drop the egg down into the handkerchief.” Girl drops egg into opening of the inner pocket of handkerchief. Egg falls to bottom of bag.
“Frances, do you feel the egg inside the handkerchief?” Have her feel egg through center of handkerchief, Fig. 19.
“You do? John, do you feel the egg in this handkerchief? You can feel it with your left hand.”
As he is feeling egg, run your right hand along opening side and up the side to the nearest corner. Drop the other two corners which spreads handkerchief out in position shown in Fig. 20. The opening is at the top and egg falls to bottom of the handkerchief. You shake handkerchief as you do this.
“I am glad you are both feeling so well.” If timed right, this action will cause laughter. Fold up handkerchief and place on table. Reach over and take egg bag from boy. Open it.
“John, reach inside the bag and take out the egg.” Boy removes the egg and shows it.
“Didn't I tell you, Frances, that you were a magician? . . . . and now for an experiment in psychology. John, here, is a prominent psychologist—a graduate of Princeton. I will tell you what I am going to do and I want you to watch me closely and see if you can see me do it. I am going to place the egg inside of the bag,”
You hold bag in left hand in a similar position as shown in Fig. 21. Pocket side with slit is at rear. Place egg into left upper corner and hold with left hand.
“Then I shall strike it with my right hand.” Remove right hand from bag and strike egg from front side of bag, through the cloth, with the right hand.
“And the egg shall disappear, and I doubt if there will be anyone here who can find where the egg goes.”
Reach into bag again, remove the egg and show it. . . “Watch!”
Place egg back into bag and slip it into the inner opening in bag, Fig. 21, which allows egg to go into hidden pocket. Then with eyes on bag take out hand which goes into right hand trousers pocket for a moment, as though you had slipped egg into your pocket. Bring hand up to bag and strike it as before.
“I strike the egg and it disappears.” Turn bag inside out and show. “It has completely vanished. John, even you can reach inside the bag and find nothing.”
Allow boy to reach inside of bag for a moment. By this time audience is yelling “It’s in your pocket.” If there are children and young people present they will make it known that they know the egg is in your pocket. An older audience will know you have put the egg in your pocket but are too polite to speak out, so you say; “I know what you are thinking.”
Or if audience is noisy, you may say, “There seems to be some sort of a disturbance out here in the audience. What's that? You say I put the egg in my pocket. Oh, no!”
Reach into left trousers pocket and bring it out showing it to be empty. Replace pocket. “Nothing in my pocket.”
Audience now usually says “No, your other pocket.” So you turn with your back towards audience and take out the same left pocket again.
“Oh, you mean the pocket on this other side.” Replace the pocket again and turn towards audience. “Well, what pocket do you mean? Do you mean John’s pocket?” Finally point to your right hand trousers pocket.
“You don’t mean this pocket? Oh, no, there’s nothing in this pocket. This is my right hand trousers pocket. I belong to the society of magicians and in order to belong to the society you cannot vanish an egg in your right hand trousers pocket. So that settles that. Now—”
By this time the audience is in a state of excitement. “Of course, there are a lot of people who do not believe me, in which case I turn my pocket inside out.” With right hand, reach into trousers pocket and turn it out to show it contains nothing.
“By the way, John, would you mind reaching inside the bag . . . . and taking out the egg?” Open bag, allowing egg to slip out of opening of inner pocket down into bag proper. John reaches into bag and takes out the egg.
This gives a good climax, for you have gotten out of a predicament from which the audience did not think you could escape.
“Would you like to learn how to do this egg mystery?” Naturally, the audience wants to learn how it is done.
“I have been asked so many times if I wouldn’t explain how to do a trick and I think I will teach you this one. Now, first of all you must get an egg—a hen’s egg, duck’s egg, goose egg, ostrich egg, dinosaur’s egg, a china egg, or a door knob; and a cloth bag the size of this one. The only peculiarity about the bag is that it must have an inside as well as an outside. Otherwise it is just a bag.”
You can turn bag inside out as you talk about bag. Now, hold bag as in Fig. 21, with left hand. Show egg.
“First, you place the egg up into the corner of the bag.” Place egg inside bag up into the upper left hand corner. Then remove hand from bag, with egg palmed in right hand, but thumb is over the egg.
“And then you take it out again—so you can show the bag empty.” Turn palm of hand towards audience so people can see the egg in your hand.
“Now, if I placed an egg against the palm of my hand it would fall off, but if I put my thumb over it I can hold the egg and keep it from dropping.”
You demonstrate this, by first placing egg against right palm while right thumb is held upward. Then you place thumb over egg in a somewhat exaggerated manner and show how egg can be held without dropping.
“This is what you do. You put the egg up inside the bag, and then you take your hand out again.” Put egg up in bag and then remove hand with egg, the back of your hand towards the audience.
“Of course, you keep the back of your hand towards the audience and never let them see the other side.” Turn hand so that palm is towards audience, then bring palm to rear again.
“Strange, with an audience, they think a magician vanishes things up his sleeve or in his pocket, so when I put my hand in my pocket, they naturally suppose I placed the egg in my pocket. The audience is right; I did put the egg in my pocket—but, I did not keep it there. I took it out again. . . . and put the egg up under my arm.”
Place egg up under left arm pit as in Fig. 22. Be sure audience sees egg when placed there. Hold egg in place by slight pressure of arm against body.
“Then all you have to do is to show bag inside out a number of times. . . . by this time, people are saying ‘He put it in his pocket! He put the egg in his pocket.’ While their attention is on your pocket you calmly remove the egg from under your arm and drop it back into the bag.” Remove egg and drop it into the bag.
“Then after people have said, ‘This pocket, or that pocket,’ you turn the pocket inside out and show it empty. . . . Simple, isn’t it? But as P. T. Barnum, the great showman once said, if you want a person to know a thing once, you must tell them seven times. So I will repeat the routine so you will better remember it. You have an egg and a bag. Place the egg in the upper corner of the bag.” Place egg into bag and place it into inner opening, Fig. 21.
“Take the hand out again and pretend to put the egg in your pocket.’ With back of hand towards audience pretend to put the egg in your pocket.
“But in reality you place the egg under your arm.” Pretend to put egg under your left arm pit.
“Be sure to hold your arm rather tight against the egg so it will not fall. Then when audience is yelling about the egg in your pocket, turn the bag inside out a couple of hundred times, or less.” Turn bag inside out a couple of times.
“With the egg under your arm you can do almost anything with the bag. The main idea is not to lift your arm during the excitement.”
Raise your left arm and let audience see there is no egg under your arm.
“But if you do, merely turn to John and tell him to reach into the bag. . . . and remove the egg.”
You hold opening of bag upright and allow egg to drop through inner opening into the bag proper. Let John reach into bag and remove the egg. Take egg from John and show. Remove fez from girl’s head.
“Fool-Zum” Egg Bag Routine
This is a Percy Abbott routine and gets away from the usual presentation. This effect illustrates a point I have stressed to the student, that combining one effect with another gives a new variety in magic. It is that new twist, that showmanship, that distinctive touch that makes one individual stand out from the crowd.
Performer shows a silken bag which he turns inside out to show it is empty. To further prove this, he passes the bag through a one-inch metal ring. Yet, showing his right hand empty, he reaches into the bag and removes an egg. Egg is placed back in bag but audience sees performer sneak it out again and slip it under his left arm. After a bit of by-play, performer lifts up his arm to show egg is not there, and removes it from the bag. Egg is placed in the right hand trousers pocket. Bag is tucked into the right hand and when hand is opened the bag has changed to an egg. The bag is removed from the right hand trousers pocket. Egg is broken into a glass to prove that it is real.
1—A prepared silken bag. Abbott uses a red bag, but any other color can be used. This is about 7½ × 6 inches in size. The cloth is of an opaque silken type of material that will fold into small space. One side is double with an opening across bottom of bag, Figs. 1 and 2. This double side with opening is inside the bag. An article placed in bag and into opening can be hidden between the double sides, Fig. 3.
2—A duplicate bag which is unprepared and has no double side.
3—Extra large size hollow egg, Fig. 4.
4—A special thin rubber egg, same size as the hollow egg. It has a small hole in one end which allows it to be collapsed and yet when released resumes full egg size.
5—A metal ring about one inch in diameter, Fig. 5.
6—An egg holder, made of wire into which a real egg can be clipped, Figs. 6 and 7.
7—A glass tumbler.
The egg holder is pinned under the left side of coat. A real egg is placed in the holder. This egg should be as near the color and size as the hollow egg as possible. Egg under coat is high enough so audience can not see and yet by curling left fingers under the coat the egg can be quickly released from holder and allowed to be removed in hand, Fig. 8.
The unprepared bag is in the right trousers pocket, along with the hollow egg which is on top of the bag.
Place the rubber egg in the double side of the prepared egg bag and place bag on table. Nearby is the metal ring.
Pick up the egg bag from table. Turn bag inside out, showing both sides, and bring bag to original position again. As bag is turned, double side is kept towards the rear. You patter—
“In Egypt lived Wuli-Wuli, the Guli-Guli man. Now a Guli-Guli man is an Egyptian magician, who under the blue sky and on the golden sands adds to the mystery of the land of the Pharaohs. Wuli-Wuli had a bright red bag. It had an inside and an outside.”
“A camel may not pass through the eye of a needle but this bag could pass through the magician’s ring.” Pick up ring and pass the bag through the ring. The egg being of fine rubber will come through the ring easily, Fig. 9. “ ‘This,’ said Wuli-Wuli, ‘shows the fine quality of this silken bag.’ ”
Ring can be dropped on table or the floor with a noise for showmanship. Fold the bag into a small two-inch square and have an assistant from audience hold the folded bag. (Assistant can be eliminated if desired.) Pull back your sleeves a bit and show hand empty.
“Fine material, is it not?” Take bag from assistant and open it up, with opening at top. “Wuli-Wuli called on the spirit of Allah and reaching down into the bag produced an egg.”
As you say this, reach into the bag with right hand and remove the egg which you show to audience. Egg is easily removed by pulling out through opening of double side in bottom of bag and allowing egg to be fully expanded in the hand.
“Guli-Guli. Strange was the power of Wuli-Wuli. Where it came from nobody knows: where it went to adds to our woes.”
Place rubber egg back into the bag and into the pocket, but hand comes out and pretends to slip the egg under the left arm pit. Turn bag inside out again and return it to normal. “The egg has gone.”
By this time someone should be saying that the egg is under the arm. If not, pretend you heard someone whisper the fact. “What’s that? I heard some sacrilegious whispering going on out there. Egg under my arm? Oh, no! Nothing under my arm.” Lift up the right arm and show nothing under it.
“You mean the other side?” Turn around with back towards audience and lift up the same right arm again. By this time audience is yelling for the ‘other arm’, or ‘both arms’.
Face audience again. Look at left arm. “You don’t mean this arm. Nothing under this arm. Now we’ll take the empty bag.”
You do not lift up left arm as you say this. Finally, however, you do raise the arm and show there is nothing under it. “Skeptics!” Reach into the bag and remove the missing egg.
“Of course, instead of using a bag I could use my pocket, and put the egg in my pocket.”
Place the rubber egg in your right trousers pocket, pushing it up into the left hand upper corner. Then palm the hollow egg, and bring out right hand with back towards audience so they can not see the palmed egg.
“The only trouble is, if I put the egg in my pocket and tuck the bag out of sight in my hand. . . .” Close the right hand around the egg, opening of egg upward, and poke the bag down into the fist and into the hollow egg.
“I find I really have the egg in my hand.” Open your hand and show the egg, keeping opening of egg away from audience. Transfer egg to the left hand. Turn so that your right side is towards audience.
“And the bag is in my pocket.” When left side is away from audience, you drop hollow egg into left coat pocket and then reach under the coat and remove the real egg from the holder. The right hand goes into the right trousers pocket and takes out the unprepared bag. Put bag on table. Pick up glass.
“Which goes to prove, my friends, that an egg . . . . is always an egg.” Break egg and let contents fall into glass, showing that the egg is genuine.
Should conditions make it impossible to get collapsible rubber eggs, you can still do an excellent routine by using a celluloid or wooden egg to match the hollow egg. This would eliminate the passing through the ring, and placing bag with egg in spectator’s hand; but the routine otherwise would be practically the same.
For years the billiard ball mystery has been popular with the magician. At first it was performed with solid balls and was a step up from cups and balls. Then some genius who knew that you could see only one-half of a ball at a time, because of its spherical shape, developed a half shell which fitted over half of a ball rather snugly. This shell was made of metal. Two shells were used, hinged together so as to contain the solid ball, Figs. A, B, C.
The ball was inside of shell as in Fig. C. One shell was lifted with half shell towards audience, Fig. B, which looked like two balls. The ball could even be slipped out of the shell and two half shells folded together and shown all around as a solid ball. By holding the ball and two half shells open it looked like three balls in the hand, Fig. D.
Finally the ball was slipped back into one of the half shells to show ball had vanished. The other half shell was closed around the ball, and all shown as one ball, which in turn could be vanished by sleight of hand.
T. Nelson Downs still stuck to this method of performing with billiard balls throughout his career. The effect was truly magical. You will still find the hinged shells now and then among the apparatus of the old-timers. These shells are no longer standard but can sometimes be picked up from some dealer in magical apparatus, or made to order.
Many years ago, A. Roterberg, the late Chicago magic dealer, figured that it might be well to unhinge the half shells and use one separately. He found that he could hold both shell and ball between his thumb and index finger and swing the ball up between the first and second fingers while shell remained between thumb and first finger and looked like a ball. Then another ball could be secretly slipped into the half shell, or out of shell, and thus would enable the performer to mysteriously produce a ball, or vanish a ball.
The single half shell was later made of wood like the balls, and a new era in billiard ball tricks was brought forth which swept the field of magic. With the magic of billiard balls came a field of manipulation and movements closely akin to the juggler.
Dante, then known as Herr Jansen, made his clever manipulation and magic with billiard balls a feature in his show. Showing one ball he suddenly caused four balls to appear between his fingers. Cardini introduced new interest with billiard balls, with various colors and much larger balls, his being about the size of regular billiard balls. Bill Baird has also brought billiard ball effects to interesting heights.
In this lesson I have tried to make billiard ball magic practical, with fundamental moves that cover a wide range and yet are in the realm of the beginner as well as the experienced performer.
I gave these routines to the magical profession in 1926. They have lived through the years and have been well received by audiences over the world. Cardini, himself, posed for the various moves and sleights which I teach you in this lesson.
Instead of just teaching you the various sleights with billiard balls, I have worked up a routine with them so as to get dramatic action, so important in good entertaining. Into the first series of manipulations I have woven a story to account for the appearance and disappearance of each ball.
In this work, watch your angles carefully. Also do not forget that your audience must see every effect. You must be careful not to hide your moves behind your body and, by all means, avoid facial contortions in performing sleights. As Cardini says, “Entertain your audience—and not yourself.”
Now to help you time your work, keep in mind the psychological reaction of your audience as you vanish and produce each ball. This is the reaction you get: When you vanish the ball, the minds of your audience say, “Gone,” and then add, “Where is it?” You produce the ball and they say, “There it is,”—then finally, “How did he do it?” You must also react in accordance with the way your audience reacts.
A story is told about Adam and Eve and illustrated with billiard ball manipulations. During the tale, four bright red, or clear white, billiard balls magically appear between the fingers of the right hand, one at a time, and as mysteriously vanish.
1—A colored silk handkerchief.
2—A professional set of billiard balls. This consists of three bright red, or white, solid wooden balls and a half shell which fits over any one of the balls.
Fig. 1 shows a ball, Fig. 2 the half shell, and Fig. 3 the way in which the shell fits over the ball.
The half shell has made billiard ball manipulation easy and very mysterious. The audience believes that you use only solid balls and is never aware of the half shell. When viewed from the front, the shell looks like a billiard ball. If you hold a ball and a half shell side by side, it is impossible to tell the difference between them. The shell should fit snugly over the ball so that shell and ball look like one ball. With the ball in motion and at a short distance from spectators, the edge of shell is not noticeable.
The shell must be loose enough so that ball will slide out of it easily. With a shell over a ball, you have one ball. When shell is suddenly lifted from ball, it appears that you have two balls. Thus you may show one or two balls at will. When shell is struck at the center with solid ball, it sounds as though two solid balls were struck together. Fig. 4 is a side view illustrating the manner in which this is done.
The most popular size of balls is 1¾ inches. For boys who are learning, or those with very small hands, the 1½-inch size is better. The larger the ball used the better the effect, but you must use a size which you can handle successfully. Cardini uses a set of 2⅛-inch balls. His hand is only medium size, but his manipulative training enables him to use these large balls.
Place a ball with shell over it in rear right trousers pocket. Place another ball in front left trousers pocket, or in lower left vest pocket. Place third ball in left coat pocket, together with silk handkerchief.
Get ball out of left coat pocket and Finger Palm it in left hand. You can do this easily under pretext of placing some object in pocket after finishing another trick. Or you can place your left hand in pocket casually and remove the ball without attracting attention, Fig. 5.
Hold left hand in front of body in natural manner at about the height of lower vest button.
Bring right hand up under left. As you do so, turn the right side of your body slightly to audience, Fig. 6.
Let ball drop into right fingers where you Finger Palm it, Fig. 7.
Bring left hand away from right and show empty palm to audience. You have performed the Change Over Palm. You have apparently shown both hands empty. The larger movement of turning body from right to left helps cover actual movement of hands. This Change Over Palm may be used in transferring ball from one hand to the other as occasion demands.
“In the beginning, the Lord created the world.”
Get thumb under ball in right hand, Fig. 8.
Bring ball quickly to top of hand, closing fingers to make a fist.
Fig. 9 is a view towards yourself.
Fig. 10 shows hand and ball as it looks to audience.
“And the world. . . .”
Place left hand in front of ball, Fig. 11.
As you close left hand around ball, allow it to drop into right hand, where it is Finger Palmed again, Fig. 12.
Move closed left hand, apparently holding the ball, away from right and hold it away from body with back of it to audience, Fig. 13.
“Wandered around. . . .”
Turn left hand with palm side towards audience.
“Hither. . . .”
Open left hand and show that ball has vanished.
Reach up under left elbow with right hand and produce ball suddenly from elbow. To make this production and others from elbow, knee, etc., bring hand up with back to audience, then turn it showing palm, and make production, Fig. 14.
“And thither.”
Turn left side of body towards audience. Throw the ball into the air a few feet, Fig. 15.
Catch ball in palms of hands. Repeat. Then pretend to throw ball up a third time, but merely make the motions and keep ball palmed in left hand, Figs. 16 and 17.
The illusion is that the ball has vanished in midair. In throwing up hands, be sure that right hand comes up about a foot higher than the left. This makes the vanish more effective for audience can easily see empty right hand, Fig. 16.
“To keep the world in place, the Lord made Adam.”
Produce ball at top of closed left fist.
Fig. 18 shows performer as he appears to audience.
“But Adam . . . .”
Hold ball on fingers of left hand in full view of audience. Thumb is nearest audience, Fig. 19.
Bring ball over to right hand and apparently place it there.
Fig. 20 shows movement as you see it, and not as audience sees it.
As you close right fingers supposedly over ball, Finger Palm ball in left hand. Turn palm of hand downward, and as you do so, push ball into position between palm and thumb. Fig. 21 shows view away from audience.
Right hand is carried away as though it contains the ball. Left hand is kept with back to audience to conceal ball, Fig. 22.
Pretend to toss ball into the air with right hand. Open both hands and hold as in Fig. 23. Palm of right hand is exposed and left fingers are straight out, giving impression that left hand is also empty.
“. . . . was a worse rounder than the world itself.”
Produce ball from inner side of right knee with left hand. Hold ball on left fingers.
Fig. 24 shows hand as audience sees it.
Place right hand over ball. This view shows hands as audience sees them, Fig. 25.
Turn left hand with back to audience. Pretend to take ball with right hand, twisting hand over so that fingers extend to right, Fig. 26.
Carry right hand away, closed, and with back to audience. Move hand upward and turn left side of body slightly to audience, Fig. 27.
Turn right palm to audience and show hand to be empty and ball to have vanished.
“You could never tell where Adam was. Pardon? I understood someone to say that he wandered around to my pocket.”
Reach into rear right trousers pocket and remove the ball with shell over it in right hand. Hold between thumb and forefinger so that front of shell is exposed to audience and edge is concealed, Fig. 28.
Your left side is towards the audience and you have a ball palmed in your left hand. With thumb and forefinger gripping edge of shell on ball in right hand, turn right hand upward to show palm empty. Bring hand back to position shown in Fig. 28.
“So the Lord took one of Adam’s ribs . . . .”
Bring second finger of right hand down under ball. Finger should have second joint pressed firmly upward on ball, Fig. 29.
Fig. 30 shows a side view away from audience.
Press shell between thumb and first finger and press ball between first and second fingers. Using second joint of second finger as a pivot, raise ball upward with finger until it is in position shown in Fig. 31. Shell remains between thumb and first finger and ball comes between first and second fingers.
This is the fundamental move in billiard ball work. It is not difficult and you will have it mastered after practicing it a few times. Thus you have mysteriously produced another ball.
“. . . . and made Eve.”
Bring left hand up to right hand and take ball from between first and second fingers. As you do so, slip palmed ball from left hand into shell in right hand. This is also an important move in ball manipulation and it is quite easy to do, Fig. 32.
Separate the hands and show a ball in each.
Knock the two balls together to show that they are solid. Then replace ball from left hand between first and second fingers of right hand, Fig. 33.
“No doubt, you remember Adam’s first Christmas Eve. It was then that Eve brought Adam . . . .”
Bring third finger of right hand down under upper ball, Fig. 34.
Bring third finger upward and second finger downward, pivoting the ball to position between second and third fingers. First and second fingers are now together, Fig. 35.
Turn hand so that audience can see empty palm.
The ball which is in the shell is now gripped as in Fig. 29 and 30, between first and second fingers. Grip ball well between these two fingers. Grip shell between thumb and first finger, Fig. 36.
Begin to turn hand so that back will be towards audience, and as you do so, get shell off ball and into position between thumb and first finger. You have mysteriously produced a third ball, Fig. 37.
“An apple.”
The method I have given you for producing the third ball is effective since the balls are held close together and the appearance of the third shows up well. However, there is another method for producing the third ball which may fit some fingers better at first until the fingers limber up.
Here is the other method: After second ball is produced and the two balls struck together, the left hand places its ball in right hand between third and fourth fingers instead of between first and second, Fig. 38.
Turn hand and show palm empty. As you turn hand back to position again, get second finger under ball and lift it out of shell and into position between first and second fingers, Fig. 39. Try both methods and adopt the one that you can do the better.
“Now, Adam preferred ham and eggs for supper, but Eve insisted that an apple diet was far healthier, as an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
Reach up with left hand and pretend to remove ball between first and second fingers. Under cover of left hand, slip ball into shell, Fig. 40.
Close left hand and carry it away as though it held the ball. Two balls are left in right hand and the illusion of removing a ball is perfect, Fig. 41. Turn right hand over casually to show empty palm.
“So Adam ate the apple.”
Bring left hand to mouth and pretend to place ball inside. Push tongue into cheek to make it bulge as if ball were really in mouth, Fig. 42. Remove left hand and show it empty. Then push bulge of cheek in with left forefinger and pretend to swallow ball.
“Naturally, swallowing a big bite gave Adam indigestion and his trouble commenced. It was really too bad that chiropractic treatments had not been invented at that time for if Adam had been instructed to strike himself on the first lumbar vertebra . . . .”
Strike small of your back with left hand. Then reach into left trousers pocket and bring out the ball concealed there. Show it to audience.
“He could have taken it out here.”
Place ball just produced between first and second fingers of right hand. As you do so, steal ball from shell and Finger Palm it in left hand.
“Oh, by the way, did I ever tell you about the beautiful daughter Adam and Eve had? Her name was Clementina.”
With left forefinger point to three balls in right hand.
“There you are—Adam and Eve and Clementina.”
“One Sunday evening a young gentleman came to call on Clementina.”
Produce ball in left hand suddenly at left finger tips, Fig. 43.
Place ball between third and fourth fingers of right hand, Fig. 44.
“Now mother leaves the room.”
Reach up with left hand and pretend to take the ball from between first and second fingers of right hand. As left hand covers ball, Finger Palm it in left hand and then slip it into shell, Fig. 45. Carry left hand away as if it held ball. Turn right hand over to show it empty, then back to position again.
Open left hand gracefully and show ball has vanished. Reach up with left hand and remove ball from between second and third fingers. Strike it against other two balls to show them solid. Place this ball between
first and second fingers of right hand, and as you do so, steal ball from shell and Finger Palm in left hand. Bring left hand down to level of bottom of vest.
“But Adam—does Adam leave the room? Not much. He sits there, reading The Chicago American (or name local paper). Finally, Eve yells out, ‘Oh, Adam, the beer is boiling over,’ so Adam gets up. . . .”
Vanish ball from between first and second fingers by bringing it down into shell. This is easy to do by merely reversing movement of the production from the shell. The lowering of the second finger pivots the ball into the shell. Now show empty palm of right hand.
“Leaves the room . . . and goes down cellar.” Turn back of right hand to audience again. With left hand, reach behind left knee and produce the ball already palmed in that hand.
“But realizing it would never do to let Adam stay down cellar, Eve took Adam up the back stairway. . . .” Place ball up under right side of coat, apparently getting ball at armhole of coat, but really dropping ball into inside coat pocket.
“Into the attic and locked the door.” Remove hand from coat and let coat hang down. “But Adam went down the front stairway. . . .” Produce ball out of shell between first and second fingers again.
“And into the parlor again. Then satisfied that he had outwitted mother, . . . .” Reach up with left hand and pretend to take ball from first and second fingers of right hand. Slip ball into shell. Bring left hand down as if carrying ball away. Show palm of right hand, then turn it back to position. Toss left hand into air and open it as you pretend to vanish ball into air. . . . “He retired upstairs.”
Pick up top ball from right hand and strike the two balls together to show them solid. Replace ball between first and second fingers of right hand, and as you do so, steal ball out of shell.
“And thus Clementina and her beau were left alone. Now, it so happened that he tried to steal a kiss and she darted away.”
Vanish ball in right hand by slipping it into shell. Show palm of hand, then turn it back to position. Quickly produce ball palmed in left hand from under right elbow, Fig. 46.
“And darted over here.”
Place ball from left hand between first and second fingers of right and steal other ball from shell. Then place both hands down at knees.
Keep back of left hand to audience as it conceals ball. Ball and shell in right hand are kept in sight. Have legs a few inches apart so that it will not look as though a ball could be thrown in back of them, Fig. 47.
“Or an easy—a knee-sy explanation—would be to say that she played sort of a game of . . . .”
With throwing motion of right hand, vanish ball into shell and produce ball from under left knee by turning left hand and exposing ball to audience, Fig. 48.
“Hide and seek.”
Turn left side of body to audience again and place ball from left hand between first and second fingers of right, stealing ball from shell again with left hand.
“As it is getting rather late, Clementina’s caller calls a taxicab.”
Reach into left coat pocket, leave ball there, and bring out silk handkerchief. Hold silk by corner in left hand. Bring right hand down to position shown in Fig. 49.
Be careful in moving right hand around not to expose edge of shell.
“So he kisses her goodnight.”
Reach behind handkerchief with right hand to conceal balls, Fig. 50. Let handkerchief drop on right hand, Fig. 51.
Pretend to pick up ball through the handkerchief with left hand. In reality, slip ball into shell and bring right hand away with one ball while left hand carries away only the silk, Fig. 52.
Grasp a corner of handkerchief between first and second fingers of right hand and snap silk from left hand, showing that ball has vanished. Place silk in left hand again as in Fig. 49. Suddenly reach behind silk with right hand. Bring ball out of shell into first and second finger position and bring out hand, showing two balls. This should be done quickly.
“He started to go but came back to say goodnight all over again.”
Place right hand behind handkerchief and vanish ball into shell again. This time shake silk with left hand and show one ball in right hand. Show palm and backs of hands.
Bring right hand over to silk in left, and under cover of handkerchief, remove shell from ball and place it in left coat pocket with handkerchief. Get ball on right fist as in Fig. 9.
“Thus leaving the beautiful Clementina. . . .”
Cover ball with left hand, pretend to remove it, dropping it into right hand. (See Figs. 11, 12 and 13.) Looking at closed left hand, say:
“To hie herself upstairs.”
Toss left hand into air and open it, showing that ball has vanished.
“And dream pleasant dreams. While Adam—comes down . . . . to put out the cat.” Reach suddenly into the air with right hand and produce the ball at finger tips.
The moves required to present the above routine are not difficult, but you must practice them to do them gracefully and with good showmanship. Study your angles of visibility carefully so as not to expose shell at wrong angle. Practice bringing ball in and out of shell until you can do it easily. Practice until you can put art into your work. Do not forget to look at your audience often.
Another advance in ball manipulation was brought out by Laurie Ireland of Chicago, in the form of rubber golf balls and metal half shells to match. The half shell adheres to the ball because of the pressure of rubber, and the ball can be thrown into the air without dislodging the shell.
A ball will hold two half shells, and can be handled freely with the two shells, Fig. E. One ball can be multiplied into two and three very easily.
The manipulation of the golf balls is similar to that of the regular wooden billiard balls—with the addition of the toss into the air before multiplication, or after the ball goes back into the shell for the vanish.
These golf balls come in various colors such as red, yellow, green, blue, black and white for those who wish to do colored ball magic or manipulation.
The modern magic dealer has some ingenious mechanical aids for ball manipulators who go in for special routines. There are cloth holders which can be pinned inside the coat and which hold four balls, each easily secured by squeezing out of the bottom. The balls are on top of each other. There are special single ball holders for production, and special pulls for vanishing.
A simple holder can be made of black cloth, with folded-over pleat at top and an elastic band sewed into the bottom, Fig. F. A safety pin is placed at the top with which to fasten the holder under coat at the side so the balls can be secretly secured one at a time by a squeeze of the fingers under coat. Fig. G shows balls placed in holder. Elastic at bottom keeps balls from falling through until released by pressure of fingers.
This effect is performed with balls of various colors. It is taught to you in pantomime style and is best presented with music. There is no reason, however, why this effect cannot be “Pattered” and used without music, or pantomimed without music.
The effect of the different colored balls is very pretty and will make a good number for your programs. Before you attempt this routine, however, be sure that you have mastered the moves in the preceding pages.
Four balls mysteriously appear, one at a time, between the fingers of the magician’s right hand. These balls apparently change color at will. At the finish, a red, a white, a green, and a yellow ball are held between the fingers and are then dropped onto a plate one at a time to prove them solid.
A set of Rainbow Billiard Balls, which consists of:
1 white ball—1 white shell.
1 yellow ball.
1 green ball.
1 red ball.
These balls are usually 1¾ inches in diameter; however, larger or smaller balls may also be obtained.
Place white shell over yellow ball in rear right trousers pocket. Place green ball in left coat pocket and red ball up under left side of vest, about two inches up from bottom edge. Place white ball in right coat pocket.
If this routine is to be performed after “Adam and Eve,” you can arrange the balls a little differently so as not to interfere with the first effect you perform. The white shell and yellow ball can be in the right coat pocket instead of the trousers pocket, or in the right vest pocket. In arranging a program, the placing of the balls in preparation for this effect will have to be done in accordance with your requirements. You will have no difficulty, however, in varying your arrangements.
Get white ball into palm of right hand. Do the Change Over Palm and get ball into left palm. See Figs. 6 and 7, using opposite hands. Now produce ball on closed left fist. (See Figs. 8, 9 and 10.)
Throw ball into air twice, then pretend to throw it a third time but keep it palmed in left hand. (See Figs. 15 and 16.)
Produce ball from right elbow, or by pretending to blow it from nose, allowing it to fall down into right hand. Then turn left side of body to audience. Toss ball to left hand, back to right, then to left again. Pretend to toss it once more to right hand but keep it palmed in left. (See Fig. 22.) Then open right hand and show that ball has vanished.
Look at audience a moment, then raise forefinger of right hand to head as though you had made a discovery. Reach into back pocket with right hand and get white shell with yellow ball. Hold it between thumb and first finger of right hand so that only shell shows to audience. Apparently you have produced the white ball which you vanished a moment ago.
Suddenly produce the yellow ball between first and second fingers of right hand. (See Figs. 28, 29, 30 and 31.)
Fig. 53 shows mysterious appearance of yellow ball between fingers.
Hold balls as in Fig. 53.
Bring third finger under yellow ball, Fig. 54.
Fig. 55 shows a side view of this position, away from audience.
Grip yellow ball between second and third fingers and bring it downward between these two fingers. Bring shell upward between thumb and first finger until it can be gripped between back of second finger and first finger. You may keep thumb on shell or remove it, as you like. Be sure to keep back of shell away from audience. As you make this movement, wave your hand a little, Fig. 56.
You have now shown back and front of right hand and have apparently shown all sides of the balls. Bring shell and ball back to position shown in Fig. 54, and finally to that in Fig. 53.
Here is another method for apparently showing ball and shell on all sides to convince audience that you hold two solid balls. This “Thumb Twist” method is a very handy one.
Hold ball and shell as in Fig. 57.
Bend forefinger, rolling shell back to thumb joint, Fig. 58.
Bend thumb inward, turning shell with it so that front of shell faces outward as you expose palm of hand to audience. Thus you have shown back and palm of right hand and audience believes they have seen all sides of the balls, Fig. 59.
Right hand may be brought over in front of body and turned outward to expose palm.
This move is not difficult, once you get the knack and can determine the exact position of shell on thumb joint at which you can turn it easily. In an emergency, third finger can be pressed against edge of shell to turn it. Now bring shell back to position by reversing movements performed above.
You now have the white shell and yellow ball in right hand and the white ball palmed in left hand. Bring left hand up to right and remove yellow ball, at the same time slipping white ball into shell. (See Fig. 32.)
Strike balls together to prove them solid. Then place yellow ball between third and fourth fingers of right hand. Show palm of right hand freely now, for white ball is in white shell. Then as you turn hand to show back again, bring white ball out of shell between first and second fingers, Fig. 60.
Expose right palm again and show balls solid by Thumb Twist Method. With tossing motion of right hand, vanish white ball by dropping it into shell again. Show both sides of hand.
Reach into left coat pocket with left hand and palm out the green ball. . . . “Here?” . . . .
Shake your head and remove hand as though there was nothing in it. . . . “No—here.”
Produce white ball from behind right knee in this manner: Place right hand back of knee. Lift white ball out of shell into first and second finger position, and bring hand out showing appearance of white ball. Take white ball from finger of right hand placing green ball in shell. Strike balls to prove solid and to show left hand empty. Replace white ball in right fingers and palm out green ball into left hand, Fig. 61.
Now you perform the “Throw Down” color change:
Hold hands to your right in position shown in Fig. 62. This is view of hands as audience sees them.
Raise right hand about twelve inches above left. Then with throwing motion downward, slip white ball into white shell, and just as it is supposed to drop into left hand, expose green ball in left hand. The effect is that you threw the white ball down into left hand and it changed to green in transit, Fig. 63.
Place green ball between second and third fingers of right hand and steal white ball from shell with left hand. (See Fig. 40.)
Fig. 64 shows position of balls at this stage. This view is away from the audience.
Reach into air with left hand and produce white ball on left fist.
Look at audience in quizzical way after this production, just as though you didn’t know how it happened yourself. Then place white ball between first and second fingers of right hand, Fig. 65.
Look at the display of the four balls to misdirect attention as you bring left hand against left side of vest. Press base of thumb against top of red ball, vested there. Move right hand downward and upward in sweeping motion, and at the same time, push left thumb against vested ball, forcing it down into left palm where it is Finger Palmed, or get ball by lifting edge of vest with thumb.
Bring left hand up to right and place red ball in white shell, Fig. 66.
Remove red ball and white shell with left hand, being careful not to expose red ball to audience. Show both sides of right hand. Replace shell and ball between thumb and first finger of right hand and show both sides of left hand.
Now bring left hand up to right again and Finger Palm white shell away from red ball. Red ball is now exposed and the effect is that you touched the white ball with your left hand and caused it to change to red, Fig. 67.
Turn right hand over to show that palm is empty and that balls are all solid, Fig. 68.
Drop balls one at a time onto a dish on table. Keep back of hand toward audience and drop red ball first, then white one, then green one, and finally yellow one. Turn palm of right hand with fingers wide apart toward audience to show it empty. Dispose of shell by getting some article from pocket for next trick or in any manner you find suitable for the occasion, such as casually placing hand in pocket for a moment.
If inconvenient for you to carry red ball under vest, have it in left trousers pocket. Turn right side towards audience as you hold right hand high up to show four balls. Reach into pocket with left hand and palm out red ball, then turn left side to audience again.
There have been many descriptions written for this effect in which a red ball is wrapped in a piece of paper or handkerchief and a black ball is wrapped in another paper or handkerchief, and upon command the balls change places. I have seldom seen it performed, however. I have tried out several of these methods, but the effect proved to be somewhat lifeless, so I discarded them. I finally worked out this method which is clean-cut, snappy, and gives a chance for applause at the end. The suspicious moves are eliminated—the effect is sped up and has entertainment value.
Performer freely shows a red and a green billiard ball, a red and a green handkerchief, and two glass goblets. Performer wraps the green ball in the green handkerchief and places it in one of the glasses. The red ball is wrapped in the red handkerchief and placed in the other glass. Magician suddenly whisks the green handkerchief from the glass, showing the red ball whirling in the glass and then whisks the red handkerchief from the other glass, showing the green ball there.
1—One green billiard ball.
One red billiard ball.
One red shell.
2—One green silk handkerchief.
One red silk handkerchief.
Silks must be heavy enough so that audience can not see color of ball through them.
3—Two glass goblets.
4—A table—a card table is suitable for many occasions.
Show the two glasses, the two silks, and two balls freely. Shell is on red ball. Place glasses on table about 18 inches apart. Place silks on table within easy reach.
Place red ball with shell between thumb and first finger of right hand, shell facing audience. Place green ball between first and second fingers.
Show hands freely as the audience must be convinced that you use only two balls. Then pick up green silk and place it over left hand, Fig. 69.
Bring left hand over to right and pretend to take green ball in center of handkerchief. In reality, slip red ball out of shell into handkerchief and drop green ball into red shell, Fig. 70.
Bring left hand away and drop silk completely over ball. Grasp silk under ball to show ball wrapped in center of silk. Show “red ball” remaining in right hand, Fig. 71, and, as you look at handkerchief, say, “Green.”
Place silk with ball into goblet at right. Form of ball can be seen through glass. Part of silk hangs out of glass so that it can be jerked away when the time comes, Fig. 72.
Pick up red silk and place over left hand. Place red shell and green ball into center of silk, turning them so that shell is on bottom and ball can be grasped through the silk in left hand.
“Red.” As you say this, turn right side to audience. Remove right hand from silk with shell Finger Palmed. Grasp red silk as you did the green one before and place it with ball in second goblet.
Point to right hand glass, saying “Green.” Point to left hand glass, saying “Red.”
With right hand, grasp corner of green silk and jerk it suddenly from glass, causing red ball to whirl in the glass, Fig. 73, as you say, “No! Red!”
Grasp red silk with left hand and jerk it suddenly from glass to show green ball whirling there. .. . “Green!”
Dispose of shell in the silks. I have often disposed of shell by putting it in my right coat pocket at the moment I jerk first silk from the glass— in this case, using left hand for jerking away first silk.
This lesson gives you a greater knowledge of handkerchief magic. In Volume 1 I have given you many principles for use with handkerchiefs. Remember that my aim in the course is to teach you principles, the fundamentals, the science of magic. I want you to know, not just a number of tricks, but the framework on which magical entertainment is built. And so, with handkerchief magic, I am teaching you the foundation in as simple a manner as I can. The elaborations, the trimmings are up to you to work out according to your own individuality.
In this lesson are included tricks which have won their way into some of the finest magical programs. They are very effective and yet I have made them easy to construct and inexpensive. They can, however, be enlarged upon and elaborated into flashy and expensive stage effects if the performer desires.
This is a mystifying way of vanishing and producing from one to four or more silk handkerchiefs in the hands.
Performer’s sleeves are rolled up to the elbow. He picks up a handkerchief, rolls it up between his hands, and it suddenly vanishes. Magician shows both sides of hands empty. Then he suddenly pulls out the silk. This is continued with several handkerchiefs.
A Handkerchief Ball.
This ball is made of thin brass or aluminum. It is about 1¾ inches in diameter with an opening in one side a little over an inch in diameter. At the top of the ball are two small holes through which a thin piece of catgut (or fine white thread) is threaded, Fig. 1.
The size of the catgut loop depends on size of performer’s hand. It should be the proper length so that when ball is suspended from right thumb, ball comes to middle of palm, Fig. 2. When ball hangs on back of hand, it should be in position shown in Fig. 3.
Sleeves may be rolled up to elbow or not, as you wish. Have ball under a handkerchief on table, or have both ball and handkerchief in your right coat pocket.
Pick up handkerchief with ball concealed. Secretly slip right thumb through catgut loop. Turn right side toward audience. Hold handkerchief suspended from left hand and point at it with right hand. Ball is concealed in palm of right hand. Fig. 4 shows view away from audience.
Open right fingers and bring right hand to middle of handkerchief. Hold both hands parallel, and with rotary motion tuck handkerchief into ball in right hand. Keep back of right hand to audience, Fig. 5.
As soon as handkerchief is fully concealed in the ball, close left hand as though you had tucked handkerchief into it and bring hand a few inches away from right. Spread right fingers wide apart to show nothing concealed. The catgut or fine white thread is not visible to audience, Fig. 6. Point at left hand gracefully with right forefinger and slowly open left hand to show that handkerchief has vanished.
Bring right hand above left, still keeping back of it to audience. Fig. 7 shows view away from audience. Lower right hand, allowing ball to drop down behind left hand. Fig. 8 shows view away from audience.
Keep thumbs of both hands crossed and raise right hand so that palms of both hands are now exposed. Fig. 9 is a view away from audience. Fig. 10 shows hands as audience sees them. Ball is concealed behind left hand.
Bring right hand down to position shown in Fig. 8 and separate hands as in Fig. 7. Now turn left hand so that backs of both hands are exposed. You have now shown backs and fronts of both hands. Bring left hand up against right, keeping your fingers close together and curled inward slightly, Fig. 11.
Turn you body to the right so that left side is now towards audience. Keep thumbs crossed and raise right hand to show backs of both hands together. Ball hangs concealed in left palm, Figs. 12 and 13.
Curve right fingers inward and bring them down in back of ball, Figs. 14 and 15. Straighten right hand and ball comes on back of right hand, Fig. 16. Draw left hand aside and turn it over to show palm. Spread fingers wide apart as you expose palms of both hands, Fig. 17.
Reverse routine of movements, starting with Fig. 16 and working back through to Fig. 5. Produce silk by pulling it out of ball with left hand. Hold it out between both hands, Fig. 18.
Vanish first silk in ball and show both sides of hands as taught to you above up to Fig. 10. Do not turn your body. Pick up the next silk and vanish it in a similar manner, and then vanish the third silk the same way. Turn left side to audience and work up to step shown in Fig. 17.
Now for production of the three silks, work back from Fig. 17 to Fig. 5 and produce them one at a time as in Fig. 18. As each silk is produced, place it over left forearm. Get rid of ball by placing it on table under the three silks or placing it in pocket with silks.
Stillwell, the magician, varied this effect by placing a number of these balls loaded with silks around his “T” stand where he could get at them easily. He then produced many silks from his empty hands and finished with a production of larger silks from the smaller ones.
Some performers do not like to turn the hands to the side but prefer facing audience with hands in front of body. In handkerchief ball manipulation the movements should be rather natural and the following are designed for that purpose.
Ball loaded with silks is held suspended by catgut loop over the right thumb, Fig. A. The left hand is raised with palm towards audience. Bring the left hand down behind and somewhat under right hand, Fig. B.
Allow right thumb to drop down so that ball comes to center of left palm, right fingers continuing upward so audience can see inside of right hand, Fig. C. Right thumb pivots on left thumb.
Bring right fingers down again, and in front of left hand, Fig. D. With thumbs as pivot, bring left fingers out and back to position, Fig. A. Hands have been fairly shown front and back to be empty. With left hand reach down, and, grasping corner of silk in opening of ball, draw it forth.
To vanish a silk: when hands get to position, Fig. C, draw left fingers around the ball, Fig. F. Slip right thumb out of the catgut loop. Pick up silk with right hand, and, getting right thumb back in loop again, tuck silk into opening of ball with right forefinger. When silk is in ball, bring right hand fingers down in front of left hand as in Fig. D. Left hand should still be closed as you raise right hand, stealing ball out of left hand. Show left hand empty and repeat manipulation, Figs. A, B, C, D and A, to show hands empty.
The foregoing manipulation is similar to that with the tube employed in “Tarbell’s ‘Clean-Cut’ Handkerchief Color Change” which effect will be given to you in a later volume.
This trick was a favorite of Buatier DeKolta, a famous magician of days gone by. To DeKolta’s original version, Servais LeRoy, prominent magician, added interesting “wrinkles” and used the experiment on his programs for a long time. A number of years ago, Eugene Laurant became fascinated with LeRoy’s clever handling of the soup plate and handkerchiefs. He varied the effect a little and added it to his program, where it has been a popular number ever since. Almost every modern magician has had this interesting effect in one of its many versions in his repertoire.
Performer places a piece of folded newspaper on the seat of a chair and on this an empty soup plate, bottom up. He picks up two silk handkerchiefs, rolls them up in his hands, and causes them to vanish. Suddenly he lifts up the soup plate—and there, under it, are the two handkerchiefs.
1—A double sheet of newspaper.
2—A soup plate or dinner plate.
3—Four silk handkerchiefs—two red and two green, or two white, and two red.
4—Handkerchief Ball.
5—A dining room chair.
Fold the double sheet of newspaper over in its regular crease, Fig. 19. Fold paper in half again, crosswise, Fig. 20. Fold paper over from right to left, Fig. 21.
On one side of paper cut a slit about 3½ inches long and 2½ inches from the top of paper. Cut the slit only through the top two pages. Put some paste between these two pages just below the slit and press them firmly together. Now run a line of paste between the second and third sheets as indicated by dotted line in diagram. This line should run about 2½ inches down from slit. Press second and third pages firmly together and let paste dry. You now have a pocket to hold silks, Fig. 22.
Take one red and one white handkerchief and place them together, holding them by one corner. Fold up handkerchiefs as shown in Fig. 23. Place folded silks in pocket of newspaper with outer ends at bottom of pocket to hold them securely. Part of the silks protrudes from pocket, Fig. 24.
Place the newspaper with silks down on the plate and place plate on seat of the chair or on table, Fig. 25. Fig. 25 A is a diagram of the arrangement of plate, handkerchiefs, and newspaper. Have duplicate red and white silks on table with Handkerchief Ball under them—or silks may be hanging on back of chair and ball concealed in right coat pocket.
Pick up newspaper from plate with left hand, thumb in front and
fingers in back to hold silks, Fig. 26. Unfold newspaper to show inside, proving to audience that you hold just an ordinary newspaper. Be careful
to conceal silks on back of paper, Fig. 27.
Fold paper up again. Pick up plate in right hand and show both sides of it. Now place plate in left hand with top against paper, Fig. 28. Brush right hand across seat of chair to show there is nothing on it.
Grasp bottom of newspaper with right hand and remove it from left, leaving the silks and plate in left hand, Fig. 29. Fig. 30 is view away from audience. It is very easy for you to slip silks from newspaper with fingers of left hand as you draw paper away with right. Silks are now inside of the plate.
Place newspaper on chair-seat and on this, place the plate, bottom up. Be very careful in placing plate down not to expose the silks. Put edge towards audience down first and this will conceal silks, Fig. 31.
Now pick up the two duplicate silks and concealed Handkerchief Ball. Hang ball on right thumb. Hold silks by corner as in Fig. 4. Bring hands together and then expose palms as in Fig. 9. Bring hands back to position shown in Fig. 7 and then tuck silks into ball as in Fig. 5. When silks are in ball, continue the first part of vanish up to Fig. 10, then return to position of Fig. 7.
Fig. 32 shows your position as you vanish the silks. Pick up plate with left hand, showing the sudden appearance of the silks under the plate on newspaper, Fig. 33.
Pick up silks, one at a time, with right hand. Dispose of ball by concealing it in the silks and placing them on table or reach for some article in your pocket and leave ball there.
In this version, two plates are used and no newspaper.
Performer shows two empty plates, puts the two tops together and places them on table. He vanishes two silks in his hands and makes them appear between the two plates.
1—Two soup or dinner plates, the same size.
2—Four silk handkerchiefs, two red and two white.
3—Handkerchief Ball.
Fold two handkerchiefs as in Fig. 23. Place one plate at rear edge of table, top down with part of it extending over table. Under edge of plate, place the two folded handkerchiefs, with edges tucked securely under plate, Fig. 34.
Place the second plate on first one, Fig. 35 shows arrangement of plates and silks on table as seen from above. Have duplicate silks and concealed ball nearby on table.
With left hand pick up the two plates with silks concealed inside of them, Fig. 36. Remove top plate with right hand and show both sides of it, Fig. 37. Replace top plate on lower one again, and at the same time, draw away lower plate with right hand. As you do so, leave silks inside of top plate, grasped in left hand, Fig. 38.
Show second plate on both sides and place it top up on table. Now place other plate top down on this one. Place outer edge down first to conceal silks, Fig. 39. When the two plates are together, the silks are between them. To the audience it appears, however, that your merely placed two empty plates together, Fig. 40.
Pick up duplicate silks and Handkerchief Ball. Vanish silks as you have been taught to do. Then separate the two plates and show that silks have appeared between them. Place silks on table, concealing ball in them.
The effect in which a silk handkerchief is vanished and is then found tied between two other handkerchiefs has become a standard effect. The modern, simplified method has made it even more popular than ever.
Two silks are knotted together and placed in a glass goblet. Another silk is vanished. The two silks are suddenly jerked out of the glass and the vanished silk is found tied between them.
This effect is usually worked by tying a red and blue silk together and causing a vanished American flag to appear between them. An interesting variation may be performed with the English Union Jack, the Red Cross flag, and the Irish flag, especially if patter is used.
1—Two English Union Jack flags, 12 × 18 inches.
2—An Irish flag, 12 × 18 inches.
3—Two Red Cross flags, 16 × 22 inches.
4—A Handkerchief Ball, Handkerchief Pull, or some other device for vanishing a silk.
5—A glass goblet and a glass of water.
Take a piece of dark blue silk, 3½ inches long by ¾ of an inch wide. Sew one end to one of the Union Jacks, leaving about ¾ of an inch between stitching and edge of flag, Fig. 41.
Place the duplicate Union Jack on this prepared one and sew all around the edges, leaving a space about five inches long at upper right edge. The small piece of silk extends from this opening, Fig. 42.
To this small tab of silk, tie a corner of a Red Cross flag, Fig. 43. Tuck the Red Cross flag between the two Union Jacks, leaving corner A out about an inch, Fig. 44.
Place the prepared silks on table, with prepared end extending over rear edge of table. Arrange the duplicate Red Cross flag and the Irish flag as in Fig. 45. Place goblet and glass of water nearby.
Stand to right of table. Pick up the glass goblet with right hand and show, as you say, “I take pleasure in presenting that famous four act drama, entitled, ‘The Little Glass House by the Sea.’ This is the little glass house.”
Wiggle left fingers in water of other glass to show that glass contains water. “And this is the sea.” Place goblet down near glass of water. “So we have the little glass house by the sea.”
Pick up the Union Jack with left hand, holding thumb over prepared corner. Pick up Irish flag with right hand, Fig. 46.
“We also have a hero and a ‘hero-een’. The hero was an English Jack, a sailor boy was he; while the hero-een was a buxom Irish girl, as sweet as sweet could be. It was love at first sight—anyway, whatever it was, they got married. I will be the minister, perform the wedding ceremony and knot them together.”
Apparently tie the two flags together, but really tie the Irish flag to corner A of the Red Cross flag. Cover your movements with left fingers and thumb, Fig. 47.
Grasp Union Jack near bottom with right hand and fold it up in right hand, pleat fashion. Hold flags by the knot with right thumb and fingers. Release hold with left hand, allowing Irish flag to hang suspended from right fingers, Fig. 48.
“It is really around a NOT that this little drama started. If the hero and the hero-een, when asked, ‘Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded husband?’ had said, ‘I do NOT,’ instead of ‘I do,’ it is likely that this play would never have been written. A dog and a cat may live peacefully together, but if you tie their tails together and hang them over a clothesline, it isn’t so good.” Roll Irish flag around the Union Jack, Fig. 49.
“Anyway our hero and hero-een, wrapped up in each other with visions of bliss, went to live in the little glass house by the sea.”
Pick up goblet and place rolled silks in it, allowing end B of Irish flag to hang out so that you can grasp it easily, Fig. 50. Wiggle left fingers in glass of water, then place tumbler down near it,
“So they lived happily together for a long time—say about two days. And that is the end of Act One.” Pick up the Red Cross flag.
“Acts Two, Three, and Four. What have we here? The Red Cross. And what, pray tell, is the Red Cross for? Listen, and I shall explain. The Red Cross follows the battles and picks up the wounded. Isn’t the Red Cross rather large? Yes, but this is going to be a rather large battle.”
Look at silks in glass. “There is a commotion in the household. They are throwing dishes at each other. Red Cross, do your duty.”
Vanish Red Cross flag by any method you wish. You may use a Handkerchief Ball, a Pull, or just vanish the flag in your pocket. If you have used the ball on your program, it is well to vanish the flag by another method this time. Show hands empty after vanish.
“It is on its way—it has arrived—and it has separated the battling household.”
Pick up corner B of Irish flag and jerk flags from goblet, allowing the Red Cross flag to slip out of the double English flag. Let all three flags hang suspended from right hand and show to audience.
The Red Cross flag has mysteriously appeared between the two flags which audience saw you place in glass, Fig. 51.
This trick may be worked up with various stories for the patter.
Another angle of the patter presentation is to tell the story of the hero of true blue, using a double blue handkerchief, and the “hero-een” of blushing red, using a red handkerchief. Then comes the double-dyed villain for which you use a silk of many colors with one blue corner extending out of double blue silk. The hero and “hero-een” get married and knotted together. Then the villain says, “I shall get between them yet.” Jerk out the silks from the glass, after vanishing a duplicate handkerchief for the villain, and show that the villain has come between them. Eighteen-inch silks are a good size to use.
Here is another comedy version. After placing the two knotted handkerchiefs together in glass, show half a dozen small silks of various colors. Say, “Ah, where are we? We are in heaven. And who are these? Little children looking for a home—Rose, Mike, Jim, Pete, Sally, and Ambrose. Shall we send them down to earth? No sooner said, than done.”
Vanish the small silks (duplicates of silks placed inside of double blue handkerchief). Jerk silks out of glass and show that the small silks have appeared between the two large ones which audience saw you place therein.
This effect is fine for use in silent Oriental acts. The silks can be large with Chinese patterns on them. A large silk with some prominent figure on it can be vanished and then made to appear between the other two silks.
Some time ago, Odin, a French magician, made a great impression by using brightly colored silks with wide white borders. You can work up a good effect by using silks of this type, Fig. 52.
A pretty method for changing a silk handkerchief into a billiard ball.
A silk handkerchief is tucked into the performer’s hand and suddenly changes to a billiard ball.
1—A silk handkerchief.
2—A hollow billiard ball with an opening in it. This ball is made of wood and is painted a bright red or lacquered to suit performer’s taste, Fig. 25.
Have billiard ball palmed in right hand with opening outward. Have handkerchief suspended from left fingers and show it freely. Bring hands together and work silk into opening of ball with left fingers, starting with center of handkerchief. Keep back of right hand to audience, Fig. 26.
Continue to tuck silk into ball until it is all in. Do not wave hands up and down, as is so commonly done. When silk is in ball, grasp ball in left fingers with opening away from audience and expose it, showing right hand empty, Fig. 27.
This method is a favorite of Cardini’s. It is an interesting effect as silk is apparently rolled in the hands into a ball. It works nicely with a 13-inch silk and a 1¾-inch hollow billiard ball.
Have billiard ball palmed in left hand, keeping back of hand towards audience. Place silk over left hand and with right forefinger tuck center of silk into opening in ball. To audience it appears that you are merely tucking silk into left hand, Fig. 28.
Place palm of right hand over silk and ball. Roll right hand around and around, pushing against silk and opening of ball. This motion works the silk into the ball, Fig. 29.
In doing this, turn your right side to audience so that your hands are held out at your left side. Do not get hands too far back, however, or people sitting at right side of audience will not see them. Fig. 30 shows hands as audience sees them.
When the last end of silk is almost in, reverse the ball and tuck end in with left forefinger, Fig. 31. Then hold ball in left hand as in Fig. 27, showing it to audience. Casually show right hand empty.
Instead of a hollow billiard ball a hollow wooden egg, or hollow imitation lemon may be used. There is also a specially made watch for the purpose of changing handkerchief to watch.
This is a novel and humorous version of the popular Twentieth Century Silks. This new version was conceived by Bert Douglas and is one of the best that has appeared to date.
Performer displays two silks, one a medium blue and the other green. He ties them together at the corners and, placing the knot in his mouth, allows them to hang down in full view. He next takes a rainbow-tinted silk from his pocket and pushes it into his left hand. This silk is vanished by bringing his left hand down smartly on top of his head. Now a corner of the blue silk is grasped in the right hand and a corner of the green in the left hand and the silks are drawn slowly from the mouth. Great is the surprise of the audience to see the rainbow silk which had disappeared, tied securely between the blue and green silks. Magician now holds the silks in his left hand and as he strokes them with the right, a billiard ball suddenly appears in his right hand. Ball is placed in left hand and hand is again struck on top of head. Ball disappears, performer opens his mouth, and the ball is taken out.
1—A medium blue silk
A light green silk. Two rainbow silks—exactly alike. For a pretty effect, silks should be 15 inches square.
2—Two hollow wooden billiard balls, such as used in preceding experiment. (See Fig. 25.) The best size to use for this experiment is an inch and a half so that it can be slipped into the mouth easily.
It might be well to explain here just what a rainbow silk is. It is merely a silk which has been colored in a variety of tints, thus resembling a rainbow. The silks I usually work with are arranged in colors as shown in Fig. 32. The blue, pink, light green, and orange have a pretty effect.
A great variety of color combinations may be used, however. If you desire to tint your own silks, get some white China silk and daub it with various colors in Diamond Dyes. Wad the silk and dip it in spots, then hang it up to dry.
Now to prepare for the effect, tie a blue corner of the rainbow silk to a corner of the blue silk. Tuck the rainbow silk into one of the hollow billiard balls. Start with center of silk and work it in until knot is concealed in ball and opposite blue corner of rainbow silk extends about three inches outside of ball, Fig. 33.
Have silks thus prepared lying on table with blue silk covering ball. Place green silk and other rainbow silk beside the blue one. Have other hollow ball in right coat pocket or under rear part of rainbow silk. If you are doing club work, silks may be in your suitcase ready for use, or all silks may be in your right coat pocket.
This is an ideal number for an Oriental or silent act, as most of it is done in silence with pantomimic motions. However, introduced in a patter act, the silent parts are good and permit of comedy because of the unexpected results obtained. Your facial expression helps considerably, but, of course, it must not be overdone.
Pick up the green silk in left hand and the blue one with prepared ball in right hand. Keep back of right hand to audience to conceal ball, Fig. 34.
Fig. 35 shows both hands as audience sees them. It appears that you merely hold a green silk in your left hand and a blue one in your right.
“The title of this little play is ‘Actions speak louder than words.’ It was this way. Little Boy Blue (nod to blue silk) and Susie Green (nod to green silk) fell madly in love with each other and were married. Some kind folks say knotted together.”
Tie a corner of the green silk to the blue corner sticking out of the ball. Keep ball concealed all the time, Fig. 36.
“They are spliced. I’d make a good minister. Not having three hands, I shall have to hold this young couple between my teeth while I continue with the play. Naturally, with the silks in my mouth, I shall have to talk like a man with his mouth full of bananas, or keep silent. Silence, being golden, wins the argument. Of course, you and I may never know how the play comes out or what it is all about, but there are some things we must sacrifice for the good of science.”
Place ball in mouth under cover of right hand, allowing knotted corner of silks to remain in full view, Fig. 37.
Pick up second rainbow silk and second ball from table, or your pocket wherever you have them. Keep ball palmed in right hand and show silk freely. Work rainbow silk into ball as you were taught in the effect, Handkerchief to Billiard Ball, Method 1.
In this case, do not expose ball but keep it palmed in right hand. After getting silk into ball, pretend to pass silk over to left hand, which closes as if it held silk. Strike top of head with left hand, lift hand and show it empty. This gives illusion of causing silk to penetrate head.
Grasp blue silk with one hand a short distance from mouth and green silk below the knots with other hand. Begin to pull slowly on silks until rainbow silk begins to emerge from mouth, Fig. 38.
While drawing silks from mouth, keep head slightly bent downward to prevent anyone from seeing ball. When silks have been completely withdrawn, close mouth quickly, retaining ball in mouth, Fig. 39.
Release hold on silks with right hand and let them hang suspended from fingers on left hand. Then hold the three silks together in left hand and stroke them with right hand. Just as you reach bottom ends, bring billiard ball to right finger tips and show it, carefully concealing opening. It appears that you extracted ball from the silks. You may stroke silks once and produce the ball the second time, Fig. 40.
Place the string of silks over the left shoulder. Pretend to transfer billiard ball to left hand, keeping it Finger Palmed in right hand. Bring closed left hand to top of head and strike head. With tongue roll ball in mouth around so that opening in it is not exposed and open mouth to show ball. It appears that the ball penetrated the head and came into the mouth, Fig. 41.
Remove ball from mouth with left hand. While showing ball, remove string of silks from shoulder with right hand so that you can dispose of Finger Palmed ball in them.
“And the funny part is that the young couple never found out whether his grandfather slept with his whiskers underneath the covers or whether he kept them on the outside.
Mr. Douglas has a slightly different version of the above effect, in which he uses 13-inch silks. In this case, two white silks are knotted together, and a red silk, which is apparently pushed through the head, appears, knotted between them. A white ball is then produced from the silks, is apparently thrown through the head and caused to appear in the mouth.
Sew a small piece of white silk to one corner of red handkerchief. To the other corner one white silk is tied, Fig. 42.
Tuck the red silk into the ball until the knot between red and white silk is concealed and only false white tip of silk shows at opposite side.
Pick up white silk with prepared ball in right hand and second white silk in left hand. Tie a corner of the white silk to false white tip extending from ball. Now proceed with experiment as explained in preceding effect.
Mr. Douglas states that he sometimes cuts the red silk in half diagonally and uses only half between the other two silks. This enables him to use a much larger size silk than usual. Fig. 43 shows the piece used.
When this piece is held by one corner it hangs down as a whole silk. Also when it is tied between two other silks, it looks like a whole silk. The advantage of using the half silk is that it can be tucked into a small space. This principle is valuable when you desire to produce a number of silks as the half silks show up as whole ones and you can use twice the number in the same amount of space.
Years ago I made a very careful study of rope magic and succeeded in starting a new era in mysteries with a piece of rope. For hundreds of years tricks that were done with string, cord or rope were quite simple. People talked of the “Hindu Rope Mystery,” where a boy supposedly disappeared in the air from the top of a piece of rope that stood upright in the air. But magicians were slow to awaken to the possibilities that were in rope magic and how it could be featured.
One of our modern day clever magicians, Milbourne Christopher, took a special interest in rope mysteries and originated a very clever act featuring rope magic. His act was popular in Europe and America. He developed an interesting method of stretching a short piece of rope into a long one.
Christopher has given me a number of rope mysteries which will make interesting openers for rope routines. You will find any one of them quick and snappy for getting immediate attention.
It is the purpose of this lesson to discuss mysteries with an unprepared piece of rope. I have entertained the finest audiences of America with routines built from the rope tricks described in this lesson.
These mysteries are best done with soft unwaxed clothesline. I use “Tarbell Special,” “Comet” or “Beauty” brands. These can be softened further and strands loosened a bit more by the hands. If you can not get what you want in the hardware or department stores, magic dealers can supply the proper rope.
There is also a special loose woven soft rope which can compress into fairly small space. Al Baker has been very successful with this soft rope.
One of the hit openers which Milbourne Christopher uses in his act, is this original effect given you here.
Performer shows a six-foot piece of soft clothesline. Suddenly three knots appear in the rope about a foot and a half apart. Performer blows at the left hand knot and it disappears from rope.
He unties the center knot as evidence that the knots are real ones. Passing his right hand over the remaining knot, he removes it and tosses it out to the audience.
1—A six-foot piece of soft clothesline.
2—An extra knot. This is made by tying a knot in a piece of soft clothesline and clipping the rope near the knot, Fig. 1.
Tie a slip knot about eighteen inches away from end of rope. Also tie another slip knot eighteen inches away from the other end, Figs. 2 and 3.
Knots should be drawn fairly tight so as not to loosen during manipulation. A good pull will release them.
Prepared rope can be picked up from table in such a way that a knot is concealed in each hand. Or, on entering, rope can be in performer’s hands. The extra knot is concealed, finger palmed, under the curled-back third and fourth fingers of right hand.
Hold rope up in front of you, as in Fig. 4, which is your viewpoint. Knots must be concealed so that audience is wholly unaware of them. Audience must think you are just holding an unprepared piece of rope.
Note how on left side, rope comes up over back of left hand and down over the front, while on right side the rope comes up over front of right hand and down over the back. Position of rope is for “The Speedy Single Knot” (Volume 1, Lesson 18).
Bring hands together and place right end of rope between second and third fingers of left hand, and grasp left end, below slipknot, between first and second fingers of right hand, Fig. 5. Fingers of left and right hands clamp the rope and hold tight.
Hands are suddenly drawn apart, Fig. 6. Hands slide along rope a bit towards ends, revealing the concealed knots. Result is that audience sees three knots suddenly appear in a piece of rope, Fig. 7. The movements are done rapidly and without hesitation. Practice moves before a mirror until you have them perfected.
Bring left hand knot up in front of your mouth, Fig. 8, and blow out the knot. Knot disappears by pulling on rope, as it is a slipknot.
Untie the center knot to show that it is a real knot.
Reverse the ends of the rope and with left hand around rope and right hand around knot, Fig. 9, pull hands apart enough to pull out slipknot. The left hand should do the pulling while right fingers grasp rope tightly below the knot.
When this knot has disappeared, remove right hand from rope and toss out the extra knot to the audience, the effect being you just removed the knot and threw it to the spectators.
Christopher uses this as a follow-up for his “Three Knots in a Rope,” just described.
Performer ties a knot about a foot and a half from the end of a six-foot piece of soft clothesline. He places that end of rope under his left foot so it is held firmly to floor. Knot is plainly seen by audience above foot. Right hand holds other end of rope in air so rope is taut. Suddenly the knot jumps from the lower part of the rope to the upper part.
A six-foot piece of soft clothesline.
Show rope and place one end over left hand, so about a foot and a half hangs down over back of hand, Fig. 1.
Bring lower part of rope up around back of hand between first and second fingers and over the back of the hand, Fig. 2.
Reach through loop of rope from the front and pull upper end through to the front, Fig. 3.
Nip rope between first and second fingers tightly and turn fingers down and backwards forming a loop, Fig. 4. Drawing shows more of a side view. Audience is not to be aware of loop but must think you tie a single knot.
Right hand, in the meantime, pulls down on the upper end of rope tightening the slipknot, Fig. 5. You can use both hands to tighten knot properly. Fig. 5 shows how knot looks to audience.
Place knot end of rope down under left foot, as in Fig. 6. The right hand holds upper end, but with rope coming up over palm of hand, down over back of hand and around in front of rope proper and the end is held by first and second fingers.
“Watch!”
Call attention to the knot in lower part of rope. Allow loop of rope above to fall down off the hand, the first and second fingers still holding end tightly. Pull the rope up taut which pulls out the slipknot and ties a knot in upper part of rope, Fig. 7. Call attention to upper knot.
Christopher, himself, uses the Instantaneous One-Hand Knot, as described in Volume 1, Lesson 18. But I find that looping the rope up over the hand makes the effect easier to do for anyone who is not experienced in doing the Instantaneous One-Hand Knot.
Another variation is to reach down with left hand and cover lower knot, then with a sudden upward movement apparently cause the knot to travel up along the rope under cover of the hand.
In this case only one of the knots in “Three Knots in a Rope” is a slipknot. The other two are regular single knots.
After the rope has been tied into the three knots, undo the left hand regular single knot and then the center knot, showing that real knots have actually been tied in the rope.
Do not untie the third knot, the slipknot, but place that end under the left foot and proceed to do the Jumping Knot.
Conceived by Louis Tannen, this is a novel and surprising effect that is just a bit different.
A ring is borrowed, placed in a handkerchief, and given to a spectator to hold. A six-foot rope is then stretched between performer’s left foot and outstretched right hand. Performer grasps one corner of handerkchief with left hand and snaps handkerchief for a moment in front of the rope. Ring is now found threaded on the knot in the center of the rope.
1—A borrowed ring.
2—A ring handkerchief, Fig. 1, which consists in having a cheap ten cent store ring, with setting, sewed in a pocket on corner of handkerchief. Pocket comes up to handkerchief border. Pocket is made of same material as handkerchief. It consists of just a square piece of cloth sewn onto handkerchief.
3—A piece of soft clothesline six feet in length. Ends are tapered off with paper tape or regular adhesive tape, Fig. 2.
From a lady, borrow a ring with a setting somewhat in shape like the one in ring handkerchief.
Pick up ring handkerchief from table, and holding same by two upper corners show both sides. Pick up center of handkerchief with left hand and allow it to be held as in Fig. 3, the ring in pocket at rear.
Show borrowed ring in right hand and place under handkerchief. As you do so, you grasp the ring corner of handkerchief and bring it under and up to the center of the handkerchief, Fig. 4. The borrowed ring is palmed in the crotch of right thumb, and hand withdrawn. Spectator is given ring in handkerchief to hold, Fig. 4. Moves should be made naturally and fairly fast, so that spectator just thinks he is holding borrowed ring.
Holding borrowed ring in crotch of thumb, Fig. 5, the rope is held up near one end by left hand, and, in transferring rope to right hand, the right hand slips down over the upstanding end of rope and allows rope to secretly slip through the ring, Fig. 5.
End of rope is brought down over back of right hand, then up in front of rope proper and held between first and second fingers, Fig. 6. The thumb screens the ring. These moves can be made naturally so that audience does not suspect you are holding ring. They think the ring is under the handkerchief.
Lower end of rope is on floor. Left foot steps on it and rope is pulled a bit taut, Fig. 7. With left hand you reach over and grasp one of the ends of the handkerchief which is hanging down. Snap the handkerchief away from the spectator so it comes over in front of the rope, Fig. 8.
As this is done, the upper end of rope is brought through loop in rope, loop allowed to slide off right hand which falls down forming a knot with ring inside. Right hand immediately stretches rope which tightens the knot and brings rope taut again, Fig. 8.
Fig. 9 shows ring hanging in knot.
The moves are all done so suddenly that the effect to the audience is that you just snapped the borrowed ring suddenly out of the handkerchief into a knot on the rope. Handerchief is placed in pocket or just tossed aside on table. Ring is untied from rope and returned to the owner.
Some magicians have the ability of the Texas ranger who ties a knot suddenly in his rope by snapping rope out into the air and allowing the lower end to flip back against rope. Mr. Tannen did not always use a loop over hand, but would allow ring to slide down the rope as he snapped such a knot into rope, with the result that the ring appeared in the knot.
The interesting thing in magic is that principles can be varied so as to meet individual requirements and styles of performing.
Another novel opener, and quite surprising.
Performer takes a spool of white thread from his pocket and apparently unwinds a piece of thread about five feet long. Holding one end of thread in right hand, he gives it a snap, saying he will tie an over-hand knot. Pretending to hear someone say he can not see the thread, the performer says he will make the thread a little larger. He now holds a five-foot piece of soft white clothesline with a knot tied in the center.
1—A piece of soft white clothesline about five feet long.
2—A spool of strong black silk thread.
3—A spool of white thread. Spool should be large enough so that audience can readily see it is a spool of thread.
Tie a single knot in the center of clothesline, Fig. 1.
Wrap clothesline into a small hank or bundle, Fig. 2. To the outer end of rope, tie the end of a piece of black silk thread. The thread must be long enough so that when the bundle of rope is placed under the right coat lapel and the lower end of thread is tied to upper coat button, the thread hangs down a bit, Fig. 3. Spool of white thread is in your coat pocket.
Come forward with rope coiled under right lapel and black silk thread in place.
Remove spool of white thread from pocket and pretend to unreel about five feet of the thread. Break it off and replace spool in pocket.
Hold imaginary thread by one end in right hand and move hand up and down a bit as though waving thread in order to show it.
“Tying an over-hand knot.” Shake right hand in air with a snap as though tying a knot in the imaginary piece of thread.
“What? You can’t see it back there? I’ll make it a little larger.”
As you say that, slip your right thumb under the black silk thread, Fig. 4, and with a quick upward movement you raise your hand, allowing the thread to slide along right thumb.
Raising the hand automatically pulls the bundle of clothesline from underneath lapel over into the hand, Fig. 5. Right hand is thrown forward, throwing the rope over the hand, thus opening the rope, Fig. 6.
The sliding of right thumb under silk thread, raising of right hand and drawing rope from under lapel and over the right hand, should be well practiced until the effect looks as though the white thread enlarged itself into a piece of clothesline. In Christopher’s hands the effect is beautiful.
In this case two single knots, about eight inches apart are tied in the soft white clothesline, Fig. 7. Roll into a bundle, attach to black thread, and operate the same as the rope with the single knot just described. Right hand holds imaginary white thread.
“Watch! I’ll tie a knot in the thread.” With a snap of the right hand pretend to tie a knot in the center of the thread.
“What? You can’t see the knot back there! Look! I’ll tie another!”
As you say that, the right thumb under silk thread pulls rope from under lapel, over hand, in the apparent tying of the second knot.
If using the rope for a succeeding trick or routine it is easy to disconnect the silk thread.
This is a nice follow-up for the Thread to Rope mystery, as the secret thread is already attached to the end of rope and the other end of thread to the coat button.
Tie the thread end of rope into a single knot, as in Fig. 1. Rope is held by left hand.
By pressing the right thumb against thread near coat and moving towards the right, the thread is pulled, thus bringing the threaded end of the rope up through the loop, and thereby untying the rope.
Here are three brilliant opening effects. Doing three shows per night, you could amaze the spectators with a new one for each performance.
Performer places a lighted cigarette into his left fist. Upon opening the hand the cigarette is found to have changed to a five-foot length of white clothesline.
1—An extra soft five-foot piece of white clothesline such as is sold by the better magic dealers. This type of rope does not occupy much space and can be easily folded and opened.
2—A long Petrie-Lewis thumb tip.
3—A lighted cigarette.
Wrap the length of clothesline around the thumb tip and tuck the outer end in so as to keep rope secure on thumb tip, Fig. 1.
Performer is smoking a lighted cigarette. Thumb tip is secretly placed on right thumb, Fig. 2. Fingers of right hand hide the prepared tip from audience, the back of hand being towards spectators.
Show left hand empty as you casually take cigarette from mouth, puff smoke from mouth, and place cigarette back between the lips.
Left hand comes down a bit in front of right hand, Fig. 3, and as hand comes to that position for a moment, the right thumb with tip is raised, under cover of left hand, into left palm. Left hand closes around the thumb tip and rope, and pulls away from right hand.
Cigarette is removed from mouth with right hand and placed, lighted end first, within the thumb tip, Fig. 4. Right thumb pushes cigarette into the tip and gets the tip securely on thumb. Now remove right thumb together with tip, under cover of right fingers, leaving rope in left hand.
You can momentarily turn the end of the tip on thumb, and palm of hand towards audience, and then screen the tip again with right fingers. Finally Finger Palm the tip off the thumb.
Left hand is opened revealing the rope which is allowed to unwind as left hand holds one end, Fig. 5. Rope can be snapped out of hand, or unwound under control of both hands.
Methods of using a Thumb Tip are well described in Volume 1.
Performer enters smoking a cigarette, which is between his lips and is held between first and second fingers of right hand. Suddenly the cigarette visibly changes into a five-foot length of white clothesline.
A five-foot piece of soft white clothesline.
End of rope is placed under coat and down the right sleeve so that enough of the end of the rope is exposed beyond first and second fingers of right hand to resemble a cigarette, Fig. 1.
Opposite end of rope under coat can be placed in inner coat pocket, together with extra slack.
Before coming on stage draw smoke into the mouth from a lighted cigarette, putting the latter aside.
Come out with rope held up to mouth as though smoking a cigarette, Fig. 2.
Remove rope a bit and blow smoke, Fig. 3, as you would do if you were smoking a cigarette. You can put cigarette to lips a couple of times and blow smoke.
Bring right hand down in front of body and with left hand take hold of end of rope, Fig. 4, and pull straight upward, which pulls rope out of sleeve and into view of audience, Fig. 5. This is done rather quickly to give appearance of cigarette changing to a rope.
End of rope should be blackened up a bit to resemble burned end of cigarette. If an orange tinted or light red Christmas tree ball ornament were broken up into small pieces, a few of these pieces could be glued onto rope end to look like fire. This just adds a touch of realism. The black end idea, however, carries out the illusion.
Performer takes a package of cigarettes from his pocket and removes one. It changes to a piece of white clothesline as it is being removed.
1—An empty cigarette package. Have only a small opening in top at one end.
2—A soft piece of white clothesline about four or five feet in length. Length will be determined by the type of rope used and the amount that can be placed into a cigarette package.
Tuck rope into the cigarette package so one end sticks out of opening in top about a half inch, Fig. 1. Put the prepared package in your pocket.
Remove the prepared cigarette package from the pocket and hold in left hand, Fig. 2. Right hand takes hold of end of rope and pulls it just high enough to make it look like a cigarette.
Pull the rope out of the cigarette package, Fig. 3, after which replace the package back in your pocket.
A pretty effect with a piece of soft clothesline.
Performer ties a single knot in a piece of clothesline. He merely passes his hand over the knot and it disappears.
A piece of soft clothesline, about three feet long.
Hold rope between first and second fingers of left hand about five
inches from one end. Grasp rope between first finger and thumb of right hand about the same distance from the other end, Fig. 28.
With right hand bring end B up behind end A, making loop C, Fig. 29.
Slip end B through loop C from the back to the front, Fig. 30.
Pull end B down to make a loose single knot. The tie appears to be a knot to the audience, but in reality it is a fake knot. A real knot would be tied by placing end B in front of end A. In this case you put end B in back of A, and the result is there is no knot, Fig. 31.
To tighten knot a little, pull up on end A. Be careful to cover point where A and B cross each other with thumb and fingers of left hand to prevent detection of fake knot by audience, Fig. 32.
Pull down on end B again with right hand and slip left fingers out of loop. This gives audience a good opportunity to see knot, Fig. 33.
Every move has been made slowly and deliberately and audience believes that they have seen you make a real knot. Now bring right hand around knot and slowly move hand downward, Fig. 34.
This causes fake knot to untie and rope hangs straight between your hands, Fig. 35.
Remove right hand from rope before you reach lower end and show right hand empty to prove that you have not slipped knot from end of rope. Let rope hang from left hand and show to audience, Fig. 36.
This effect may be presented in any kind of Oriental program to good advantage. In days gone by, “Spirit Mediums” presented this as a bit of genuine phenomena.
Performer shows a piece of soft, white clothesline about eight feet long. He coils this up in his left hand and places rope on table. Suddenly he jerks up one end of rope and a number of single knots have been formed in rope. He places rope on table again. In a moment magician again jerks up one end of rope, and the knots have disappeared.
A piece of very soft clothesline, six to eight feet long.
A piece of soft, twisted cord, such as is used to hold curtains, or on bathrobes, is ideal for this trick. The rope used must be soft so that it will knot and unknot easily. Cut tassels from bathrobe cords and you will find these cords most satisfactory for use here.
Hold rope near one end as shown in Fig. 37. Rope lies over palms of both hands and is held in place by thumbs. Bring right hand up, turning back of it to audience and tips of fingers towards left hand. Bring C part of rope up near left hand and let end of rope fall back of end in left hand, Fig. 38.
Grasp C in left hand, making a loop of rope. Size of this loop should be about six inches in diameter. You will have to experiment with size of loop to get the proper size for the particular rope you use. Size must be right to make forming of the knots easy, Fig. 39.
Take rope again in right hand in position shown in Fig. 37. Make another loop in the rope, bringing end of rope back of loop again. Study Fig. 40 carefully to get proper looping of rope.
Continue making loops until most of the rope has been used. When you reach the right hand end, grasp it between thumb and first finger of left hand and release right hand, Fig. 41.
Place rope on table, and as you do so, pull right hand end through the loops. Audience is not aware that you do this. To them it appears that you merely looped the rope and placed it on the table.
Now pick up right hand end of rope and give whole rope a quick jerk, Fig. 42.
The rope will stretch out with a series of knots in it, about an equal distance apart. There will be a knot formed for every loop you made in the rope. Suspend rope from right hand and show, Fig. 43.
To Untie the Knots Magically Call attention to the fact that the knots are genuine by starting the first one and pulling it out big enough to insert the fingers of your left hand. Study Fig. 44 carefully. The exact position of knot and the point at which rope leaves knot are important things.
Take up the next knot, open it and hold in same manner as first one in left hand. Continue to do this until you have all the knots gathered up in left hand. Then grasp right hand end of rope between thumb and first finger of left hand also, Fig. 45.
Pull right hand end through loops and allow rest of rope to hang suspended from left hand. The knots automatically untie themselves and the rope hangs straight down, Fig. 46.
The tying and untying knots may be greatly elaborated for stage production. Have two brass bowls or jars a few feet apart. Show each empty. Coil the rope and place it in one bowl. Do not pull end through loops until rope is concealed in bowl. Take another rope and tie the series of knots in it as taught to you above. Gather up the knots—see Figs. 44 and 45. Place rope in second bowl. When it is concealed, pull right hand end of rope through the loops.
Now you proceed to show the sympathetic nature between the ropes. Pull out the first rope and show that knots have appeared in it. Take out the second rope, which was knotted, and show that the knots have disappeared, Fig. 47.
I believe this knot was brought out by Chefalo, the famous Italian magician. It works very nicely in an Oriental program.
Performer ties a double knot. Then to make knot even more secure, he loops an end of the rope through the knot several times. In spite of this, the knot disappears on command.
A piece of rope or cord.
Tie a single knot in center of rope. Note just how knot is made with part 1 of the rope coming up behind part 2, Fig. 48. Tie another single knot. This time part 1 comes in front of part 2, Fig. 49.
Bring right end of rope down through loop A, Fig. 50. Now bring same end of rope up through loop B, Fig. 51.
Pull on both ends of rope and knots disappear.
This variation of the Chefalo knot has been popular in my magical programs for years. It is done as a Chinese effect. It looks almost impossible.
A system of single and interlaced knots are tied in a piece of rope. Ends of rope are given to a spectator to hold. Without releasing ends each of the knots is quickly removed by performer, starting with lower end.
A piece of soft rope five or six feet long.
Tie the Chefalo knot already described. Then tie another Chefalo knot on top of this, just as though there were none tied below it. Tie a third Chefalo knot, Fig. 52.
Give two ends of rope to a spectator to hold, an end in each hand.
Start untying knot at lower end of rope, farthest away from the two ends. You will find that with slight manipulations the knots untie themselves until each knot has vanished and rope is held in spectator’s hands without knots.
Tell about the “Chinese triple knots,” and that they not only tie a single, and a double knot but also lock the knots by tying a third knot. (You have now completed a Chefalo Knot.) They continue tying triple knots. To untie the knots instead of starting with the ends as most people do they start at the knotty end and untie it and continue likewise with the other knots, until all the knots are gone.
“Hocus Pocus” Cut and Restored Rope
In a book on legerdemain, “Hocus Pocus, Junior,” published in London in 1634, was described a cut and restored tape trick which gained favor with early day magicians. Three figures were used to illustrate the effect. The principle was not only applicable to tape but also soft rope and cord.
I have found that by using soft clothesline, the trick was well received on the stage. I will teach it with the various moves I use myself and with the necessary illustrations.
Two ends of a soft clothesline are knotted together. Hands slip into loop of rope and stretch it out, with knot at top, to show rope freely. Rope is formed into a double loop and a spectator cuts through both ropes with scissors. Another cut through ropes removes the knot. The two pieces of rope are shown and two of the ends are tied together in a double knot. One end of rope is given to a spectator to hold and other end is given to another spectator. Passing hand over knot, performer causes knot to disappear leaving rope in one piece, fully restored.
A piece of soft clothesline five or six feet long.
Tie the two ends of rope together with a double knot, then slip hands into the loop of rope and stretch it out as in Fig. 1. The knot is on top about one-third the distance away from left hand.
Bring hands together and as you do so give right loop a half twist, Fig. 2. This brings lower part of rope B on top of A. Place left hand loop on the other loop in right hand, Fig. 2 A. Stretch rope with left hand in bottom loop and right hand in upper loop. Show rope freely to have just a double loop.
Bring rope back into position, Fig. 1. Half twist rope into position, Fig. 2, and as hands come together, give rope another half twist in same direction, Fig. 3.
Place left hand loop on top of right hand loop, Fig. 4. Bring left hand into opening at C and stretch out rope between hands. There is now one end looped into the other, Fig. 5. Knot is at top. Left hand conceals the junction of the two loops.
Holding rope as in Fig. 6, have spectator cut the ropes, with sharp scissors, at left side of knot and then the right side (your left and right). Spectator cuts through both ropes. Piece with knot and the other piece fall to the floor.
Allow the ends in left hand to drop which brings the rope into position as in Figs. 7 and 8. The left thumb screens loop part of short piece in the loop of the longer piece. Apparently you hold two separate pieces of rope in your hand.
Wrap right end of short piece around long rope as in Fig. 9 to imitate a single knot. The figure shows rear view. Under cover of hands allow right end of short piece to swing back to position in Fig. 8. Tie around long rope to make knot as in Fig. 10. After showing knot, clip off the ends near to knot proper, Fig. 11.
Hold rope with right hand covering knot. Pick up the end hanging down on the left side and give to a spectator at left to hold. Place your left hand over right hand as though to exchange hands over knot, or just to pass rope from right hand to the left. In reality under cover of left hand you slip the knot to the right with right hand, and left hand apparently still covers knot. As you hand the right end to another spectator at right slip the knot towards the end, and give the rope to spectator to hold, he grasping it at the left of your right hand. Now secretly slip the knot off rope.
You can remove a “magic coin” from your pocket, leaving knot in pocket as you do so. Remove left hand from rope to show that knot has vanished and rope is whole again.
Another way of getting rid of knot is to wrap rope around left hand with right hand and steal off knot in right hand during the wrapping process.
This method of tying a false knot and stealing it, while rope is stretched between two spectators, is an example of good magic. It is also baffling to those who might expect you to slip a knot off the rope. In this method the knot comes off in the place it is tied.
Short piece is in position, as in Fig. 8 in the preceding trick. Allow right end R to slip down, Fig. 12. Bring end L to right and back to left over rope, Fig. 13. End R slips back out of rope and over to left side so a single knot can be tied around long rope, Fig. 14. Bring single knot out farther on loop of rope, Fig. 15, and stretch out the long rope offering an end each to a spectator at left and at right.
Clip ends of short piece, Fig. 16. Place right hand over and around knot. When spectators pull rope taut, knot automatically comes off the rope and into your hand, Fig. 17.
Place left hand over right, slipping right hand away while left hand apparently covers knot on rope. At the psychological moment, left hand is opened and raised from rope. Left hand is shown empty.
This type of false knot and stealing of knot will be found handy for many cut and restored rope effects where it is necessary to get rid of a small piece of rope.
This is a fine impromptu effect that I have used on and off the stage for many years. There is a fairness and squareness about it that makes it very illusive.
A piece of soft clothesline is brought up into a loop, and loop cut. Performer shows that rope is in two pieces about the same length. The rope is restored into one piece again.
A piece of soft clothesline five or six feet in length.
This effect can be done with clothesline much shorter, also with heavy wrapping cord.
Hold clothesline as in Fig. 1. An end is in each hand.
Bring the end in right hand over to left hand running it between first and second fingers of left hand and across the hand, Fig. 2.
Now bring the other end down as in Fig. 3, holding end with right hand. Continue pulling downward until a loop is formed, Fig. 4. The top of loop should be about center of rope.
Because the left thumb covers the hidden fake loop, the effect to the audience is that you just looped the rope up in your hand.
Have spectator take scissors and cut rope at top of large loop, Fig. 5. Drop the piece of rope at right allowing it to fall, Fig. 6. It looks as though you were just holding two pieces of rope about the same size. Fig. 7 shows left thumb screening the loop made with short and long pieces.
Bring up the lower right end to the right end of the short piece and hold together between left thumb and first finger, Fig. 8. Bring up the other lower end of long rope and hold as in Fig. 9.
Grasp rope at A with right hand and slide hand along rope to the right, which straightens out the rope and shows it to be restored again. The short piece is held on the end of long rope, Figs. 10 and 11.
This concealing of short piece by holding it at the end of a long piece is very deceptive.
The short piece can be easily gotten rid of, in case you want to throw rope out to audience for examination, by wrapping rope around left hand a bit, and then unrolling rope, and tossing out. Short piece is left in hand.
Rope can also be held as in Fig. 12. The right end is held in right hand. Upper part of loop is cut between the hands.
Another method of looping which is very illusive is shown in Fig. 13. The left thumb covers the secret loop. The visible loop is formed by just bringing rope at back of regular loop in front of hand on palm and holding with thumb against fingers. Cut the loop at top, and let the right side of rope fall down as in Figs. 6 and 7.
This is a logical follow-up for the rope trick just described, where performer is left with a short piece of rope and a long piece.
Let us say that you are left in position of Figs. 10 and 11 of the preceding effect. Take hold of lower end of short piece of rope with right hand and fold it up into left hand where end can be held between thumb and fingers, Fig. 1 A. Wrap long rope around left hand a couple of times, and then unroll and let long rope be free from short piece. Holding long rope in right hand, you bring left hand with loop down towards your left side and in turning left side away from audience a bit in order to show long rope, you reverse the loop in left hand into position as in Fig. 1.
Even up the long rope and hold its center between thumb and first and second fingers of right hand, Fig. 2. Ends of rope hang down.
Bring center of rope over to left hand and place on concealed loop, Fig. 3. Pull loop up and adjust, Fig. 4. To audience, you have just brought center of rope up through hand. The left thumb covers place where ends of loop join real center of rope. Turn palm of left hand towards audience and show rope and loop, Fig. 4. Pick up scissors and cut the top of loop, Fig. 5.
“Someone once asked me, ‘How do you get rid of the ends? Do you cut them off?’ ” Cut off part of short pieces.
“Yes, you can cut them off; but you still have ends. And if you cut them off . . . .” Keep cutting until all of short pieces are cut off, and only long rope left.
“You still have ends. No, the solution is not in cutting off the ends. The solution is in the art of magic. Watch!”
Wrap the rope a couple or three times around the left hand. Slip rope off left hand with right hand and throw rope into the air.
“Cum—hi—ya!” Catch rope as it descends, stretch it out and show it is restored.
Richard Himber, is well known nationally as an orchestra leader, and his love for things mysterious has caused him to inject many feats of magic into his programs.
He worked out an impromptu cut and restored rope mystery which is very puzzling, and it has become a favorite of his.
A piece of soft clothesline is shown and a single knot tied with both ends, to make a loop of rope about halfway between the bottom of loop and the two ends, Fig. 1.
Have a spectator tie another single knot, Fig. 2. You now have a double knot tied in rope. When spectator ties rope normally the B side of rope comes out at right side.
Now if the rope is held at each point marked B with hands on each side of the knot and rope pulled taut, the knot becomes a slipknot, Fig. 3. Knot is now in position on the straight B part of rope to be easily slid off later.
Bring up the two A sections of rope, via front, and hold as in Fig. 4. Have spectator cut through both A sections with scissors. Then suddenly pretend that you have made a mistake.
“I really didn’t mean to have you cut both pieces of rope. I meant just to have you cut off the loose end from the knot. Now we are in a pickle.”
Show rope and knot, Fig. 5. You may have to cut a bit off the ends of knot so as not to have too much end length.
“But since this is a magic program, I will ask you, sir, to hold this end of the rope.” Give one end of rope to spectator at left. “And you, sir, to hold the other end.”
You are now addressing spectator at right. Your right hand covers the knot. Your left hand comes over right hand as though to cover knot while right hand in reality slides knot along rope to right end. Give end of rope to spectator at right and slip off knot as he takes rope. You can just hold knot in right hand, or leave in right hand pocket when you reach for a magic ring to wave at rope. Open left hand and remove from rope showing palm of hand empty and knot gone. Rope is fully restored.
Richard DuBois first told me about having seen Ted Collins perform this rope effect in Panama, and what a hit it made. At the International Brotherhood of Magicians’ Convention at Fort Worth, Texas, it won a prize trophy. It is very illusive and adapted to the performer who wishes to cut the rope into a number of pieces.
Performer shows a six-foot length of rope and after cutting it in half, ties two ends together in a knot. He makes a loop of rope in each of the other ends by tying knots in them. Both loops are cut, actually making four pieces of the rope, tied together with three knots. When the rope is wound around magician’s hand, the knots disappear and the rope is fully restored in one piece again.
1—A six-foot length of soft clothesline.
2—A pair of scissors.
Apparently cut the rope in half by any popular method so that a small piece of rope is left tied around the center of the rope, Fig. 1. The Magician’s Cut and Restored Rope in this lesson is well adapted to this.
Show rope freely with knot in center. Holding rope in left hand as in Fig. 2, bring up the right end of rope in front and then make single knot, Fig. 3. Twist end of rope and side A of loop towards you and over to left side, Fig. 4, and finish making a square knot, Fig. 5.
Now reverse the rope and make a similar loop, tying the same square knot in the other end, Fig. 6. This results in a double looped rope.
“In Panama they tie a rope like this for a team of oxen to stick their necks through. That is, if they have any oxen. . . . If they want to take the oxen out of the rope, they cut the rope.”
Pick up scissors in right hand as you hold looped rope in left hand. Holding rope in left hand as in Fig. 7, cut the rope on the same side as the end. This leaves a knot with both ends about even.
“Which still leaves a knot, but the loop has been cut.” Cut other loop in a similar manner. “What is good for one loop is good for the other.”
Hold rope in left hand as in Fig. 8, and show freely with the three knots.
Place the right hand on lower part of rope and stretch rope taut. This will cause the upper and the lower knot to take the shape as shown in Fig. 9, which can be readily slipped along the rope proper. Ends are trimmed so as to keep knots from being too bulky. All three knots should be trimmed as requirements demand.
“By clipping the knots, we have less knots.”
Wrap rope around the fingers of left hand, Fig. 10, and slip off the knots into the right hand as the latter slides along the rope.
Reach into pocket for “magic ring” or “magic powder,” leaving knots in pocket.
Allow a spectator, if one is near, to grasp one end of the rope. Unwrap rope around hand and show rope to be fully restored in one piece. Or just unwrap rope yourself, exhibit it, and pass for examination, if you wish.
Much of the beauty in this rope mystery lies in the nonchalant, apparently careless manner in which the loops of rope are cut. By making square knots it is so easy to cut the rope on the same side beside which the rope end lies.
There is enough material in this one lesson alone to make a number of rope routines.
You can easily arrange a routine that will be very entertaining, logical in operation, and mystifying with plenty of variety.
Start with a quick opener, go into knot effects, and finish with a cut and restored method or two.
S. W. Reilly of Columbus, Ohio, has made possible this lesson on luminous effects, through his development of a superior luminous paint sold under the trade name of “Ghostlite.” It is made of harmless chemicals that absorb rays of light which are thrown off in the dark. Objects painted with “Ghostlite” are exposed to a bright light for a few moments and they will then glow in the dark. Such objects can be used over and over again.
_ This lesson familiarizes the student with some of the many types of illusions dependent upon the use of luminous paint, and will enable him to work out his own ideas for mysterious ghostly phenomena.
The following effects are taken out of Syl Reilly’s own personal repertoire, and will prove quite effective.
A spectator selects a card and the lights in the room are extinguished. Presently a large luminous pip is seen floating around. Other pips appear and, after moving around in the dark, come together and form a ghostly image of the selected card.
1—With “Ghostlite” luminous paint, make a large diamond on each of three 4-inch pieces of black cardboard, Fig. 1. Expose the painted sides of the cardboards to a bright light for a few seconds after which put the cardboards into your coat pocket.
2—A deck of cards. Secretly place the Three of Diamonds on the bottom of the deck.
Have a spectator select a card. The selected card must be the Three of Diamonds, therefore it should be forced. Various methods have been described for forcing a card. A simple method is to place the deck of cards on table, backs up. Ask spectator to cut the deck. Have him place the upper cut portion B near the lower portion on table, Fig. 2.
Calmly place a piece of blank paper or calling card on the packet B that spectator placed on the table, Fig. 3. Complete the cut by placing packet A on top of B, Fig. 4. Thus the playing card directly above the paper or calling card is the Three of Diamonds.
Be seated in one corner of the room with all spectators facing you and have the lights extinguished. Remove one of the cardboards from your pocket, unpainted side towards the spectators. Now slowly turn the painted side towards the spectators and the ghostly pip will seem to materialize from nowhere. Move the cardboard around in a crazy fashion for several moments, then bring it to your mouth and hold one corner tightly between your teeth.
Produce the other two cardboards in the foregoing manner, one at a time. Holding a cardboard in each hand, move them slowly around, finally bring one above and one below the cardboard held by the teeth so as to form the image of the Three of Diamonds, Fig. 5. In the dark, this ghost card will appear to be four or five feet in height, Fig. 6.
Cause the pips to vanish one at a time by simply turning the blank or black side towards the spectators, then secretly return the cardboards to the coat pocket.
Call for the lights up and have a spectator disclose the selected card, which in this instance will be the Three of Diamonds, the same as the ghost card.
An interesting effect would be to materialize the date on any borrowed coin. I would suggest the use of two sets of cardboards bearing the numerals from 0 to 9. Coin date can be read under light of one of the cards, the light being away from spectators.
A simple method is to have a half-dollar palmed in your hand upon which you know the date of coin, and in your pocket are four cardboards bearing the same numerals. Borrow a half-dollar from a spectator and switch it for one you have palmed. Allow another spectator to hold your half-dollar in his closed hand. The original borrowed coin can be disposed of when lights go out. The four cardboards are brought from the pocket and numbers brought into line. Cards returned to pocket. Lights up and coin in hand is checked and returned as the original borrowed coin.
A word could be forced from a book and duplicate letters be painted on cardboards and placed in the pocket.
A set of cardboards, each bearing a letter of the alphabet, Fig. 7, might easily be manipulated, one at a time, to spell out names or spirit answers to spectators’ questions.
Here is a cute little pocket trick for special occasions.
A die with the usual spots from one to six is removed from a small cloth bag by a spectator who thinks of a number and returns the die to the bag. Performer names the thought of number.
1—A die about ¾ or 1 inch square. It should be a colored die with white spots. Coat each one of the spots with luminous paint, Fig. 8.
2—A cloth bag about 4 inches wide and 6 inches long. Bag can have a draw string in order to close it, if desired.
3—A lighted reading lamp on spectator’s table.
Spectator is asked to think of any number from one to six. He is given bag with die and told to remove the die and place on the table so all can see with the selected number upright.
While this is being done you turn your back. Spectator then returns die to the bag and gives the bag to you.
In looking in the bag to remove die, you will readily see which side shines brightly and the number on the shining side will be the number thought of.
When spectator places die on table the rays from the lighted table lamp activate the prepared spots uppermost on the die. In a room where a floor lamp may be used with shade, have spectator hold die on palm of his hand under the lighted lamp so all may see it.
This test will appeal to those with a taste for the literary type of mental effects. Such work always makes a good impression.
Spectator secretly selects a page in one of the popular weekly publications and carefully notes the top line of the selected page. Performer immediately takes the magazine, and turning to the secretly selected page, reads aloud the top line.
A weekly publication such as Saturday Evening Post, Liberty, or Collier’s Magazine.
The magazine is prepared by placing a minute spot of “Ghostlite” luminous paint on all the odd-numbered pages, near the upper right hand corner, Fig. 9.
For this test you select for an assistant, a spectator who is seated near a lighted lamp. Give him the magazine. Let us say it is a Liberty.
“In all magazines we have odd- and even-numbered pages. Will you kindly select and name aloud which you prefer—the odd or even pages.”
Regardless of the spectator’s choice you have eliminated half the pages in the magazine and now know whether the selected line will be on the odd- or even-numbered pages. Let us say he says, “Odd.”
“There are about fifty leaves or a hundred pages in this magazine. I want you to think secretly of any odd number between one and a hundred. Now while I turn my back to you, secretly open the magazine to the odd number you have thought of and secretly read the top line on the selected page.”
Turn your back to spectator while he does this. As the spectator reads, the light will activate the luminous dot on the page.
“When you have pictured well this first line in your mind, close the magazine.”
This done, you turn again and face spectator. You take the magazine from him, and by casting a shadow on the pages with your body, quickly glance through the pages by running thumb along the edges near upper right corner and locate the luminous spot that glows. Knowing beforehand that the selected page is odd, you can easily pick out the correct page.
“Concentrate a moment on the line you were reading. I think I catch what you are thinking.”
Open out magazine and read aloud the top line on the selected page.
This is another interesting mental effect.
Performer holds an ash tray behind his back. Into the tray a spectator places any small object such as a coin, key, knife, ring, match or the like, and after concentrating on the article for a moment, removes the article again and places it in his pocket. Even though the performer does not see the article, he can readily know what it is.
1—A Phantom Tray. This is made by painting the inside bottom of a cheap ash tray with luminous paint, Fig. 10.
The Phantom Tray is carried in the inside coat pocket.
Select a spectator who is seated near a lighted lamp.
“Picture some article in your mind that you might happen to have on your person. Any small article such as a coin, key, knife, ring, match or the like. While my back is turned to you remove that article and hold it tightly concealed in your closed right hand.”
You turn your back to spectator while this is being done. After spectator has the article concealed in his hand you reach into your inside pocket remove the Tray and hold it behind your back, towards the spectator.
“In order for you to concentrate better on the article place it on the tray for a moment and concentrate on it intently.”
Spectator places object on tray. Let us say it is an auto key. You hold tray a moment so that light from lamp activates the luminous paint.
“Now remove the article and place in your closed hand again.”
Spectator does as directed. You immediately return the tray to your inside coat pocket. When the shadow of your coat strikes the tray, as you replace it, you will notice a black silhouette of the article which is easily recognized. In this instance we said it was a key. You can tell by size and shape it must be an auto key. Turn towards spectator.
“The article you were concentrating on was a KEY—I would say—an auto key! Am I right? Correct. Thank you.”
“Ghostlite” in the Dark Seance
So called “spirit” seances and the production of luminous ghostly effects have been quite popular, and combined with an audience’s imagination, “Ghostlite” effects can be used quite dramatically.
Later in the course much more will be said about the dark room seances.
You can have lots of fun with the evil eye when holding a dark seance, especially when it floats in mid-air and over the spectator’s heads.
Make a large cat’s eye with luminous paint on a piece of black cardboard about 4 inches square, Fig. 11.
Secure a 25 cent steel extension rule and have a short pin or hook soldered to one end.
Before presenting this effect, expose the Evil Eye to a bright light and place it, along with the extension rule, in your coat pocket.
Have all the spectators in the room seated and facing you when the lights are extinguished. Bring the Evil Eye into view and wave it around for a few seconds. Then fasten it to the extension rule. Slowly and noiselessly feed out the extension rule until you can float the Evil Eye high into space and over the spectators’ heads.
To make the Evil Eye vanish, reverse the foregoing, and when you have all the apparatus in your pocket, call for the lights.
Spooky lights darting here and there around a dark room can always be relied upon for an eerie effect. Many and varied are the pieces of apparatus made for accomplishing this effect, but the most simple method is to put a large spot of “Ghostlite” luminous paint on the bottom of each shoe, under the instep near the heel. In this position the paint is not disturbed when walking, Fig. 12.
The effect is particularly good when those present are seated in a circle, in a dark room.
Before the demonstation you must expose the luminous spots to a bright light, then after being seated in the circle and all is in darkness just raise either foot, or both feet, as high as possible and wave the foot or feet around a bit. The spooky light becomes visible to the persons facing you. Bring the foot or feet back to floor and the light vanishes.
You could even stand on the chair and raise foot higher.
This effect also has possibilities for presentation under test conditions by having your arms and hands securely bound or held by unknown spectators. This will not interfere with waving your feet about.
Apparitions of spirit articles are easily made and used. Just put a coat of “Ghostlite” luminous paint directly on the articles you desire to use and after exposing them to a bright electric light for a few moments, they will glow in the dark.
Ordinary articles such as horns, bells, stars, etc., can be cut from cardboard and readily hidden about one’s person. Paint the cardboards black on one side and give the opposite side a coat of luminous paint, Figs. 13, 14 and 15.
Luminous articles must be easily accessible in the dark whether hidden on your person or in the room. Fumbling or noise in the dark will prove fatal to this type of ghost effect.
A luminous glove, its fingers wiggling, will create a riot when suddenly flashed before a crowd of people in any dark place. Give an ordinary white cloth glove a coat of luminous paint. When dry, and exposed to a bright light, you are ready and prepared to go places, and do things.
The late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, it is said, claimed to have witnessed and recognized faces at several of the dark room seances he attended.
You can duplicate this effect at a cost of but a few cents. Purchase a cheap gauze mask representing the type of person you wish to have appear in the dark. Give the mask a coat of luminous paint, allowing a one-inch band around the mask to be painted black, Fig. 16. Always hold the unpainted portion of the mask when handling it in the dark and your fingers will not be seen.
When the mask is dry, redraw the eyes, eyebrows, mouth, etc., with a soft black lead pencil. The mask may be concealed in your clothes until wanted. You can secrete three or four of them, if desired.
Present this effect in a dark room with a little showmanship and you will be surprised how frequently the spectators’ imaginations will run wild, claiming they recognize the ghostly face.
It is claimed that ectoplasm is a “spirit” substance that emanates from a medium’s body, is visible in the dark, and after a short exposure, returns whence it came. It is told that should a person touch this ecto-plasm the medium would likely pass away.
This weird idea has been demonstrated by the use of many complicated devices, but here is a simple method whereby you can get the same effect.
Secure an old-time piece of lace curtain about 16 inches long and 5 inches wide. Tear or cut this piece of lace into a pennant shape so that the edge will be rough and straggly. Coat the lace with luminous paint, Fig. 17.
Before demonstrating expose the lace to a bright light, then tuck it down between your collar and left side of neck so that the narrow tip is accessible.
In the dark room, grasp the tip of the luminous lace hidden behind your collar and slowly draw it from its hiding place. Keep your head turned towards the left side and to a keen observer it will appear as if the substance was coming from your mouth. Keep the lace near your body at all times, Fig. 18.
To dematerialize the ectoplasm, it is slowly rolled into a small ball and placed in your coat pocket. To really appreciate the value of this mysterious effect, try it several times before a mirror in the dark and you undoubtedly will be so well pleased that you will want to perform the effect over and over again.
The most interesting and intriguing of all luminous effects is the materialization of a ghost in the dark. Although ghosts are comparatively easy to construct and build, the success of a ghost materialization depends considerably on the showmanship and atmosphere created by the performer. In such a seance music is a great asset.
One good method for making an inexpensive and useful ghost is to paint the figure of a ghost on a strip of black cloth with luminous paint. Then tack a black stick or batten across the top edge of the cloth, just above the ghost, Fig. 19.
When dry, and ready for use, expose the painted side to a bright electric light and roll the cloth around the stick like a window blind. In this condition it is easily concealed under coat or vest.
To materialize this ghost, unroll the cloth with blank side facing spectators and hold by the stick, then slowly, or instantly, turn the luminous side towards the spectators. The speed of the materialization is easily governed. To dematerialize just reverse the foregoing operation.
Another method for making a ghost is to use a wire frame that is shaped with a head and shoulders. To this frame is attached a luminous mask, and several strips of luminous cheesecloth hang from the shoulders forming a ghostly robe, Fig. 20.
This type of ghost is concealed behind a black screen or in a black bag until wanted, and is extremely suitable for ghost shows. It can be floated over the audience by simply attaching to a long black fishing pole. For a vanish just bring the ghost behind the black screen or if you desire a dissolving disappearance, gather it up slowly and put into a black bag.
What an experienced showman can devise, and the flights of imagination he can induce through his remarkable power of suggestion, is well illustrated in this effect which employs a very simple little article.
Edward Saint, the Houdini Archivist, and a veteran mystic who is known for seeing things “through the monocle,” was once challenged by a group to produce some “spirit” manifestations under rigid test conditions which they would impose.
Four men comprised the challengers. An audience sat in a circle about the room. Mr. Saint was seated in a chair at one end of the circle. Of the challengers, A sat on Saint’s right knee, facing the audience, and with one foot on Saint’s right foot. B sat in a similar position on Saint’s left knee. C stood to the right of Saint and slightly back of him, C with both hands holding Saint’s extended right arm and hand. D likewise stood and held Saint’s left arm and hand. Thus, seemingly under “complete control,” what could the medium produce in the way of spirit manifestations? The audience had not been informed what might occur, but they, as well as the challengers, were in an expectant mood when all lights were turned out by agreement. A rug covered the floor.
Faint flashes of light appeared in a distant corner of the room, then vanished . . . successive flashes occurred in other parts of the room, some high in the air, some down low . . . the lights flitted about, gradually growing brighter, sometimes lingering a bit longer, sometimes a series of momentary flashes! Spectators felt definite “spirit touches” from the fingers of unseen hands.
Ejaculations of the spectators were ample proof that they had been “seeing things,” a fact which was freely acknowledged, and reaffirmed when the lights were turned on—and there sat Mr. Saint, calm and nonchalant under the weight of A and B, with his arms and hands still firmly held by C and D. He could not move under such restraint, and it is a fact that the four challengers did not once release their control for even a moment from start to finish.
1—One “Luminous Locator” button, such as sold for attachment to electric light pull cords, etc.
2—Five or six lead pellets or “BB” shot.
The mechanical part of the secret is apparent from the paraphernalia mentioned, but the showmanship and patter are responsible for the seeming room-wide travels of the lights, and a certain amazement on the part of the challengers who never saw any of the lights at any time, despite the fact that everybody else saw them!
Just before the time set for the seance, Mr. Saint exposed his luminous button to brilliant light and placed it in his mouth, concealed from view when he talked. The “BB” shot were also concealed in the mouth. He saw to it that A and B faced the audience as they sat upon his knees; and that C and D were a little back of him, as they held his arms, “so as not to obstruct the view of the audience any more than absolutely necessary.”
Thus A, B, C, and D at no time could see into Saint’s mouth, and since the luminous button remained in Saint’s mouth all the time, it explains the inability of the challengers to see the manifestations. They would have discovered the secret had they been able to get a glimpse when the light was “made to appear” by the mere opening of the mouth. Mr. Saint’s patter during the seance was designed to create the impression that the lights were in all parts of the room, especially at points far distant from him.
Such was his showmanship that the spectators afterward swore that they saw lights “all over the room,” whereas the only light ever visible was the tiny luminous bulb in Mr. Saint’s mouth, and it, of course, appeared in only that one spot. His patter ran something like the following, and each time he mentioned seeing a light in any location, however near or far from him, he opened his mouth so anyone who happened to be looking in his direction would see it—such spectators would naturally assume that this was another light—one of them that Saint said he saw in a distant spot, and this actual light which the spectator saw with his own eyes.
Large mirrors, or polished reflecting surfaces, strategically located around the seance room would add to the seeming multiplicity of the lights and would enable even the challengers to observe the mysterious lights as though at an extreme distance.
The “spirit touches” occur when the medium pops out one at a time the “BB” shot from between his teeth. It is surprising with what force a shot can be thus projected at the spectators, the shot striking them unexpectedly and producing the desired effect. The carpeted floor prevents any sound being made as the shot finally falls to the floor.
“All quiet, please. In a few moments your eyes will become accustomed to the darkness . . . THERE!! . . . over THERE, on your left, see that flash! . . . it’s gone . . . no, THERE it is again, over your heads . . . now up near the ceiling . . . SEE? . . . it fades out . . . just wait and watch . . . maybe it will return. . . .
“Now there are two of them! . . . vision is improving . . . easier to see through the veil of darkness . . . one right over me . . . there’s one at the rear . . . they’re both flashing on and off . . . see them flit about! . . . now they’re here, now over there . . . back again . . . and gone again . . . there’s a faint light coming towards me . . . oh, so fast does it seem to rush forward . . . right upon me . . . NOW! . . . and so bright . . . but vanished again . . . THERE? . . . no, all is black . . . do you see any more flashes? . . . I don’t . . . still all black . . . that bright one must have waved farewell . . . goodbye . . . goodbye . . . come again some other time . . . thank you, friendly tokens from the great beyond. . . . Will someone please turn on the lights?”
Thus ends what I think is a great seance, short, but creating a profound and lasting impression. Edward Saint has again proven that showmanship can turn the tiniest effect into a sensation.
Every magical effect is really an illusion, but in the magic profession we designate as illusions only the larger effects in which people or other large bodies are produced, vanished, transformed, levitated, etc., in a mysterious manner.
In presenting illusions to you, I have encountered the problem of selecting only those which are practical for you to perform. I want to teach you those illusions which you can easily build yourself or which you can have built without difficulty.
I learned a great deal about illusions at an early age. I had little money to do with when I was in my “teens,” yet I insisted on giving magic shows. I had to create my own illusions with just a few common articles and some boards, wielding the hammer and saw to good advantage. Therefore, what illusions I performed meant a great deal of contriving both with my brain and my hands. Now as I look back, I realize that some of the finest illusions I have ever performed have been based on the simple illusions of those bygone days. Through my years of study and work in magic I have continued to keep this watchword of simplicity always before me. And it is with that in mind that I present illusions to you.
Always remember that in stage directions, right and left are given as performer faces the audience.
This is an illusion of a comedy nature. It is easy to perform and inexpensive to produce.
Performer says he will give an imitation of the mummy of King Tut and starts to wrap himself in a blanket. His assistant protests, saying that a mummy is not wrapped that way. Thereupon the assistant takes the blanket and wraps himself in it. Performer and assistant argue about the way a mummy looks. Finally, an old gentleman down in the audience joins in the discussion and comes up on the stage. At the psychological moment, the old man removes his wig and beard and shows himself to be the assistant who a moment ago wrapped himself in the blanket. Then the blanket is unwound and a girl steps forth.
1—A fairly large blanket. The more color in it, the better—a patterned Navajo blanket does very well.
2—A tin or cardboard crown—you can make this or have it made easily, Fig. 1.
3—Wig and false whiskers, cane and eyeglasses, loose clothes for assistant to represent old man.
Assistants Required: One man and one girl.
This illusion is best presented on a stage, but it is also good for parlor use, providing there is a door well placed to make a get-away.
In performing on a stage, the arrangement must be taken into consideration to determine whether it is best for assistants to change places by means of a door at center back or by a side door or by the wings.
Fig. 2 shows a stage arrangement with open door at center back. Fig. 3 shows a stage set with wings.
First, I shall explain the method of working when the center door is used. Place a chair at rear of stage with crown on the seat. Blanket may be hung over back of chair or in some other convenient place.
The old man’s wig, beard, cane, and clothes are offstage at the right so that man assistant can don them quickly at the proper moment.
Pick up the blanket and come forward to center of stage. Have man assistant at your left. Girl assistant stands behind the scenes just to right of door.
“The Mystery of King Tut. With this blanket, I shall imitate a mummy.” Start to wrap yourself in blanket. Assistant comes forward a little and says:
“Pardon me, but a mummy is wrapped in a different manner. You have to whirl into it.”
You say in an amused manner: “Who ever heard of a mummy whirling into a blanket?”
Assistant retorts: “Anyway, that is how it is done. Do you mind my showing you?”
You tell assistant to go ahead and he takes blanket. He says: “Stand there and hold the blanket up high while I hold up this other side.”
Fig. 4 shows arrangement. P is the performer, A is the assistant and the line between represents the blanket.
Fig. 5 shows how blanket is stretched out between you and assistant. When blanket is held up this way, it screens center door enough to allow a person to enter or exit unobserved.
Assistant now says: “When I roll up in the mummy case or blanket, tuck your end around me. All ready.”
Assistant wraps himself in the blanket in this way: He steps behind blanket so that only his left hand is visible at upper corner of blanket. Fig. 6 is view from rear.
He turns to the left, bringing the blanket around him, Fig. 7. Then he continues turning to the left until he is completely wrapped in the blanket. Fig. 8 is view from audience, while assistant is wrapping himself.
When he is wrapped as in Fig. 9, he motions to you under blanket and calls to you to undo him. . . . “Unwrap me quick. Let me out.”
Hold corners of blanket firmly while assistant unwraps himself by turning to the right several times. When he is unwrapped, you say: “What is the matter?”
He tells you that he forgot his crown. He goes over to the chair, picks up crown, and shows it. Then he says. “When I get wrapped up as a mummy, put the crown on my head. This is a king mummy and must wear a crown.”
He replaces crown on seat of chair and picks up ends of blanket again as in Fig. 5, saying, “All ready?”
This is the cue for girl assistant to come through center door and step behind blanket. She will not be seen by audience if blanket is held properly. Relative positions of performer, assistant, and girl are shown in Fig. 10.
Assistant then steps behind blanket as he did the first time. Fig. 11 shows position of assistant and girl from rear.
Now comes a move which must be studied carefully in order to make it natural. When assistant wrapped himself, his right elbow naturally protruded from under the blanket. As girl is wrapped, she must imitate this elbow movement.
Assistant steps behind and to right of girl while she slips into his place. As assistant brings blanket around her, she turns around, pushes right elbow out a little into blanket, and grasps upper corner of blanket with left hand. This is done quickly in one continuous movement so that audience suspects nothing. Fig. 12 shows the actual movement. Fig. 13 shows a diagram of the positions at this point.
Assistant now quickly exits through center door and back stage and puts on the old man’s clothes, the wig, whiskers, and eyeglasses as hurriedly as possible. He changes coats, but the trousers are slipped on over his own. The moment assistant is offstage, girl continues to wrap herself in blanket by turning to the left just as assistant did the first time, Fig. 14.
When girl is wrapped as in Fig. 9, she moves her arms under blanket and turns her head and shoulders towards crown. This gives a funny effect. Fig. 15 shows a diagram of position of girl and yourself at this point.
You walk over to chair and pick up crown. Bring it over and place it on girl’s head over the blanket, Fig. 16.
“I never saw a mummy with a crown—not even a king mummy like King Tut.”
The patter from now on must be worked up to the proper length to allow assistant go get into his clothes and to come around to rear of theater or hall so that he can come up the aisle from back of the audience.
Assistant must hurry as much as possible as speed is important in working an illusion. While he is taking the necessary time, you must keep up the interest of the audience. You talk and the girl answers with motions, bending her body and shaking her head.
“The crown was placed in a separate compartment outside of the mummy case, if I remember correctly.” Girl shakes head from side to side for No.
“I do not know where you saw mummies or where you studied their getup. I still doubt whether you are even wrapped right.” Girl shakes head for Yes.
“You are a fine looking mummy. If King Tut looked like that, he must have had an ignorant mummy wrapper and crown placer.” Girl sways from side to side.
“Do any of you people know anything about how a mummy was wrapped?”
Assistant dressed as old man hobbles up the aisle and talks in squeaky voice, Fig. 17.
“Hold on, young feller. I know how mummies is wrapped. I’ve wrapped and unwrapped many of ’em in my day. He ain’t right and you ain’t right. Neither one of you has the right idea. Egyptian mummies is peculiar things.”
He comes down to the stage and points cane at performer as he talks:
“Gol ding! The mummy clothes is crooked. Let me show ye how to fix ’em.”
You say: “Come up on the stage, dad.”
You assist him up and this is another chance for comedy. Assistant (old man) says: “Gol ding! Take off that there crown. Unwrap the young feller and let’s commence right. I’ll show ye how Cleopatra herself was wrapped up.”
Remove crown and unwind blanket by holding outer corners while girl revolves to the right. When she is free of blanket, it drops to floor and is held only at one end by performer. When girl appears, old man says: “Gol ding! He’s a girl.”
Then he quickly removes spectacles, beard, and wig and shows that he is the man assistant who is supposed to have been wrapped in blanket.
You should have no trouble with this excellent illusion if you study the details of it and use care in performing. Notice the effect when assistant wraps himself in blanket and have girl imitate the movements to produce the same effect. Try to cover the feet as much as possible, but to avoid detection in case they are exposed, have the girl’s and man’s shoes similar. The costume of the girl may vary. It may be Turkish, Chinese, or any straight costume desired. If it is Chinese, the trousers and shoes of girl and man can be very much alike.
With this stage arrangement, have girl stand back of second wing at right of stage. When assistant and you hold blanket up, stand in such position as to screen edge of wing enough for girl to get behind blanket and for man to exit. Study Figs. 18, 19, 20, and 21 for the various positions in performing the illusion.
This illusion may be staged simply or very elaborately. It permits of many variations and I shall discuss methods to meet various needs.
Performer dresses as a Hindu. He puts his girl assistant in a cloth sack and ties the opening together above her head. He places a three-sided parlor screen around her. Going through some Oriental ceremonies, he walks around the screen and finally opens it. The bag is still there with the figure inside of it, but when the Hindu opens the bag, performer steps out of it instead of the girl who was placed there. The Hindu, who a moment ago was the performer, removes turban and whiskers and proves to be the girl assistant.
1—Two Hindu costumes made alike. Each consists of a turban, false beard with mustaches attached, a Hindu coat which reaches to the floor. The sash around coat is sewed on and opens in front with opening of coat. This speeds matters in dressing and undressing.
2—A large cloth sack of opaque material, large enough to enclose a person and then tie over his head. The bag is open at top and bottom, but is basted together at bottom. To one end of basting thread a small button is attached so that it can be pulled out easily and bottom of bag opened. This is turned on inside of bag. Audience is not aware of this and believes bag to have a regular bottom, Fig. 28.
3—A piece of tape with which to tie bag.
4—A special three-sided screen.
Any good carpenter can build this for you, following directions given here.
Make three wooden frames for three sides of screen. Hinge middle section to the two sides. Set screen up in a triangle and place a fastener on the two sides. Screen may be mounted on casters so that it can be moved easily, or it may be used without casters, as is more commonly done. Any such casters must be small and partially inserted in frame so the frame is close to floor—the audience must not see under screen, Fig. 22.
Screen is made of wood with two doors arranged in middle panel. These two doors are hinged inside to open inward. Doors should be fitted carefully into frame and then painted with a design so that they will look like a solid panel. Fig. 23.
Two doors in middle panel are fastened together with a catch to prevent their opening before time. Two sides of screen are painted and decorated to match middle. Screen may be made into a neat and attractive piece of Oriental furniture. Figs. 25 and 26.
Screen may be placed on a platform, if desired, so that audience can see the floor under it. In this case, performer walks around edge of platform to make changes instead of walking on floor, Fig. 27.
One man and one woman. Two men or two women may be used if performer does not carry an assistant of each sex with him.
Screen is placed on stage with middle panel to rear. Male assistant is inside, dressed in one of the Hindu costumes just as performer will be dressed.
Performer’s Hindu outfit is placed on chair with the special cloth bag.
The illusion is performed in pantomime and no patter is required. If possible, have a music accompaniment.
Performer and girl assistant revolve screen to show all sides of it and move it to suitable spot near center of stage. Be careful not to lift screen and expose feet of assistant inside. Finally bring screen into position with opening at front and trick panel to rear. Note position of assistant (A), Fig. 29.
When screen is in place, assistant steps through opening of rear panel to outside of screen. He then carefully closes opening in panel. Notice position of assistant (A), Fig. 30.
Performer opens screen to show inside of it. Sack is then shown inside and outside as an apparently unprepared bag. Sack is now placed on floor inside of screen with top stretched out so that girl can step into it easily at proper moment.
Performer dons Hindu outfit. Girl steps into sack and performer pulls it up over her head, tying it at top with the piece of tape, Figs. 31 and 32. Fig. 33 shows position of girl in screen.
Performer now swings the two sides of screen together to enclose girl in bag and fastens them. Fig 34 is a diagram showing positions of performer, girl, and assistant in relation to screen.
The moment screen is closed, girl crouches down, grasps button in bottom of bag and pulls out the basting thread to open bottom. She frees herself by pulling bag up over her head.
In the meantime, performer bows three or four times towards audience and raises his hands in a sort of Oriental ceremony. He then walks around to back of screen. Instead of continuing to walk around, assistant comes out from behind screen to take his place. Audience is not aware of the substitution here and believes that performer merely walked completely around screen. Assistant turns back to audience and bows towards screen, Figs. 35 and 36.
During this time, performer quickly removes Hindu costume and gives it to girl to put on and then the whiskers and turban. Girl steps out of screen and performer goes in, Fig. 37.
Performer pulls bag down over his head and stands on bottom of it so that it looks just as it did when girl was in it.
Assistant now walks back to rear of screen again and stays there as girl, dressed as Hindu, comes out from behind it. This is the second substitution but audience still believes it is the performer walking around the screen, Fig. 38.
Girl goes through some ceremony just as performer and assistant did. Performer gives some signal to indicate that he is safe in bag and girl opens screen, revealing figure still in bag, Fig. 39.
Girl unties tape at top of bag and pulls bag down to reveal performer, Fig. 40. As performer steps out of bag, she turns to audience and quickly removes Hindu outfit, revealing herself as the girl originally tied in bag.
Performer tosses bag aside and closes up screen. Male assistant steps into screen again through rear panel. Screen may be allowed to stand there or it may be removed to release assistant.
In this method, girl is placed in bag and screen closed around her.
Performer dressed as Hindu walks to rear of screen and stays there as male assistant dressed the same way comes out in front and goes through ceremonial. Performer gives his Hindu outfit to girl. The moment she is dressed, she gives a signal and male assistant walks off stage.
As soon as he is off, girl comes from behind screen, dressed as Hindu. She goes through ceremonial long enough to allow performer to get into bag in screen. The finish is the same as before. Performer who apparently went offstage is found in bag and Hindu proves to be the girl.
After male assistant walks off in First Variation, girl walks out from behind screen. To audience it appears that the performer walked off and then suddenly reappeared from behind screen. Now girl walks off stage. Male assistant removes Hindu garb and comes out as an assistant this time. Performer gets into bag inside of screen and girl rushes around to rear of theater or hall so she can run down center aisle at proper moment when assistant unties bag and reveals performer in bag instead of girl.
This method requires no special screen. An ordinary parlor screen with three sections can be used. Only two people are needed to perform this method.
Performer dresses as Hindu. He places girl assistant in a large bag and ties the opening together over her head. A screen is placed in front of her. After some ceremony, magician removes screen and shows bag. When bag is opened, performer steps forth and Hindu removes disguise to reveal the girl.
1—A three-sided parlor screen. Be sure there is no space between the three sections.
2—Special bag with bottom basted as in original version.
3—Two Hindu outfits, exactly alike, consisting of black beard with mustaches attached to wire hooks for placing over the ears, Hindu turbans, and long coats.
On upper frame of middle panel of screen place a small hook. This goes on the rear. On hook hang one of the Hindu outfits. Have screen folded up, standing at side or back of stage.
Fig. 42 is a diagram, showing arrangement of outfit and screen as though you were looking down on it from above. Costume is not visible to audience. Have prepared sack and the other Hindu outfit on table or chair near at hand.
Show sack inside and outside, then place it on floor near center of stage. Girl steps into it and you draw it up and tie it over her head with tape.
Get screen and place it in front of girl. Be careful not to expose costume on it. Now open the two outer panels and bring them around to the rear to cover girl from the sides, Fig. 43.
When screen is adjusted, girl pulls thread from bottom of sack and lifts bag off. She then takes Hindu outfit from hook on screen and puts it on, In the meantime, you put on other Hindu costume out in front of audience where all can plainly see, Fig. 44.
You go through a bit of ceremony and then walk around to back of screen. Girl dressed just as you are walks out from other side of screen and does the necessary ceremonial. You quickly remove costume and hang it on hook on screen; then pull bag over head, stepping on the bottom of it to conceal it, Fig. 45.
At a signal, girl removes screen, folding it up as shown in Fig. 42, and places it aside. She opens sack and out steps the performer, Fig. 46. Girl removes Hindu garb and reveals herself.
Study the timing of each illusion perfectly. When passing back of screen for substitution, movements should be so timed that audience thinks you merely walk around back of screen. Do not draw any special attention to this walking around so that audience will not get suspicious.
Size of screens will vary with size of performers. The prepared screens are about three feet wide and six feet high. Some require them wider and some can use them narrower. Be sure screen you use is opaque.
Performer and assistants should be as nearly the same size as possible to avoid detection. Shoes of all must be the same color and similar in style.
This is an illusion that I originated some years ago and is very deceptive because of its simplicity.
Three large playing cards, six feet high, each representing a King, are placed flat on each other and held vertical by an assistant at one side of stage. Cards are brought to center of stage, one at a time, and set up in the form of a triangle to make a large three-cornered screen. The two front cards are opened revealing a QUEEN—a girl assistant.
1—Three large playing cards. These are six feet high and three feet wide. This size may be varied to fit the assistant and conditions under which you are working. A card must be of such size as to screen a girl assistant when she is behind it, and when moved, she must be able to walk behind it.
Cards are made of quarter inch, three-ply, wooden board. They represent the King of Spades, the King of Hearts, and the King of Clubs, Fig. 1. The colored cards make a flashy appearance on the stage. The backs are painted to represent the back of a card with white borders.
2—Three assistants. One of whom is a girl dressed lightly with short high skirt, bare or stockinged legs. She can wear a crown to add a queenly appearance. Her clothes might even be suggestive of a Queen on the playing cards. Her clothes must be such that she
can walk behind a playing card and not be seen. This eliminates the usual long skirt.
On the right side of stage (your right), place the three cards against each other. These face the audience. The King of Clubs is at rear, the King of Hearts is in the center, and the King of Spades is in front facing the audience. An assistant holds the cards up. He stands on right side of cards, facing center of the stage.
The girl is standing behind the cards, as close to cards as comfortable.
You address the audience: “And now for the mystery of the Three Kings and a Queen!”
You are standing about center of stage. Assistant A holds cards, while assistant B stands on the opposite side of cards.
B comes to front of cards and puts hands on each side of the front card, the King of Spades, Fig. 2.
He moves card over to his right, being careful that the card does not leave the floor. In moving card with girl behind, care must be used that card is slid along the floor and that her feet are not seen. As card is moved away from the other two cards the girl steps behind it, Fig. 3.
King of Spades is brought towards center of stage where B holds it. You, the magician, M, walk over and place both hands on sides of King of Hearts, the second card, Fig. 4.
You move this card over into position as shown in Fig. 5 to form one of the front panels of the screen. You handle this card in such a way that audience sees both sides.
A now takes the remaining King of Clubs and showing it both sides, slides it over in front of the King of Spades as in Fig. 6. In this position girl walks out from behind the King of Spades to the rear of the King of Clubs.
As the latter card is slid up to the King of Hearts the girl is brought into the screen, Fig. 7.
Holding his right hand close to the back of the King of Hearts, the card is swung, or pivoted into position to form another front panel of screen, Fig. 8. This move must be studied, and it must be done so that girl is thoroughly screened. This will require practice and experimenting. The move is easy. The two cards fit tightly together in front.
“Three Kings! . . . .”
A pulls his side open with his right hand and you pull your side of screen open with the left hand, exposing the girl assistant inside, Fig. 9.
As you do this you step out from behind card, holding front edge of card with the right hand while B controls it from his position.
“. . . And a Queen!”
Girl steps forward out of screen, Fig. 10.
The King of Hearts is swung against the rear card, and A swings the King of Spades against the King of Hearts. Curtain is lowered, or the two assistants slide the three cards off stage.
For ease in handling, a small handle, knob or cord can be placed on the King of Hearts and the King of Clubs at the right front side about halfway down the card. This gives A a chance to bring card close up against King of Hearts while pivoting into position. Handle also gives B better control over King of Hearts.
The ingenious performer uses little tricks of the trade to simplify and make easier and safer the method of working. The rounding of corners on cards makes them easier to slide along the floor.
Because of the color and size of the cards, the illusion is pleasing to the eye and ranks as a real stage illusion. It pays to have an artist paint the cards.
For further simplicity and lower art cost, three aces could be used, but the kings give a chance for a flash of color and interesting patter.
Due to conditions over which we have no control, this second volume of The Tarbell Course in Magic was slightly delayed in publication; however, this worked to the advantage of the reader since we were able to include some of the very latest effects.
There was never any doubt about the popularity of The Tarbell Course but our fondest expectations were far exceeded when, only a few months after the appearance of Volume 1, it was necessary to have a second printing.
Both the first and second printings of Volume 1 were bound in the beautiful maroon fabricoid, and this volume, as you see, is bound in a rich blue. It is planned to bind each succeeding volume in a different color of the same quality fabricoid, the final completed set forming a colorful “Library of Magic” that will delight the senses of the owner.
Prominent artists and clever amateurs have already contributed a great many new effects and ideas for Volume 3, the text, drawings, etc., being in active preparation. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it is believed that you will not have to wait any great length of time for the publication of Volume 3. As heretofore, we shall back up our promise with performance.
Again, Dr. Tarbell and Ralph Read join with us in thanking the numerous contributors and others who have lent their aid in the production of the instant volume of which we feel justly proud.
