Second sight secrets and mechanical magic

by Herman Pinetti

SECOND SIGHT
SECRETS
AND
MECHANICAL MAGIC

BY
DR. HERMAN PINETTI
BRIDGEPORT, CONN.

BEING A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF MANY OF THE LATEST EFFECTS IN MECHANICAL MAGIC, TOGETHER WITH SECRETS AND EXPLANATIONS OF HOW MANY OF THE PERFORMANCES IN SECOND SIGHT AND MIND-READING ARE PERFORMED.

Copyright 1905
BY
THE DUNHAM PRESS
Bridgeport, Conn.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1. Cabinet Tricks,	[7]
Chapter 2. Table Lifting,	[14]
Chapter 3. The Floating Girl,	[18]
Chapter 4. Second Sight and Kindred Phenomena,	[24]
Chapter 5. Parlor Amusements,	[48]

PREFACE.

The author in presenting this little volume does so with the intention of assisting his readers to solve some of the mysteries and illusions that are performed on the public stage to-day by conjurors and so-called spiritualists, and also with the hope of dispelling the idea that these mysteries are accomplished by occult or supernatural methods, which belief is growing to quite an extent in this country.

The author has made a very careful study of the many illusions both in magic and in spiritualism, and of the transmission of thought, which is known by a great many different names, and in this little volume he intends to show how these illusions may be performed by purely mechanical means. It should be borne in mind, however, that it is not so much the apparatus employed as it is the shrewd, ever-observing methods employed by the performers, who are very sharp, keen men. The devices employed by the performers are so numerous that it is impossible to say just what methods they will use next. As soon as one method is exposed they immediately begin to plan, and evolve an entirely different method of performing the same illusion. The great success of the magician is in disarming the suspicions of the skeptic, and this is accomplished by leading him to think a certain method is employed when he is really using another.