This trick looks well in a darkened room, when the pin is illuminated by a ray of sunlight coming through a hole in the window shutter.
The Mysterious Ball
This seems to be a plain wooden ball with a hole bored in its center, through which a string is passed. The ball will move lightly up and down this cord, but let some one who knows the trick take the string in his hand and it becomes quite a different matter; the ball will move quickly, or slowly, at command, and, if told to do so, will stand still until ordered to move on again.
The reason for this peculiar behavior is that inside the ball there are two holes, one of which is quite straight, while the other is curved, and turns out of the straight hole.
It is through this curved passage that the cord is passed, and you can easily see that to regulate the movements of the ball, it is only necessary to hold the string more or less tightly. If you hold the cord perfectly tight, the ball will not be able to move at all. The ball can be purchased at any top shop.
The Man with His Head the Wrong Way
Put on a coat and vest so that they fasten behind. Then fix a mask over the back of the head and a wig over the face. The effect is very curious.