Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

by Professor Hoffmann

Fig. 248.

Fig. 249.

The production of the basket of flowers from the handkerchief is produced by wholly different means, and will require a somewhat minute explanation. In the first place, the flowers are secured to the sides of the baskets by silk or wires, so that they cannot fall out, in whatever position the basket is placed. To the basket are attached two black silk threads. The one (which we will call a) is about eighteen inches in length, and is attached to a button on the performer’s waistband, immediately above the front of the left thigh. Obviously, therefore, the basket, if fastened by this thread alone, would hang down loosely in front of the performer’s left knee. The second thread (which we will call b, and which is attached to the edge of the basket at a few inches’ distance from the first) is only three or four inches in length, and serves to suspend the basket behind the back of the performer (concealed by his coat) until the proper moment for its appearance. For this purpose it has a small loop or ring at the loose end, and this is attached by means of a strong short needle, after the manner shown in [Figs. 248] and [249] (the latter representing a slightly enlarged view of the attachment), to the waistband of the performer. The needle carries a third thread c, which, passing through the cloth of the trousers, is brought round and attached to the centre button of the waistband, being concealed by the edge of the waistcoat. The modus operandi will now be easily understood. The basket is in the first instance suspended by the thread b. The performer, while spreading the handkerchief before him, ostensibly to show that it is empty, crooks the little finger under the edge of his waistcoat, and pulls c, thereby withdrawing the needle, and detaching b. The basket, being no longer held back by b, falls, but is compelled by a to swing round in front of the performer, who, while lifting it, still covered by the handkerchief, breaks a, and thus altogether releases it. The object of passing the needle through the cloth of the trousers is that it may not fall forward and be seen when c is pulled.

The contrivance last above described is the invention of Robert-Houdin, slightly simplified, however, inasmuch as he employed, in place of the needle, a little wire bolt working on a metal plate attached to the back of the waistcoat; but the principle in either case is precisely the same.

Fig. 250.

The Mysterious Salver.—This is a tin tray (see [Fig. 250]), ornamentally japanned, and of about twelve inches in diameter. There is a space of about three-quarters of an inch between the upper and under surfaces of the tray, at one side of which, under cover of the curled rim, is an opening of about three inches in width. Within this opening, so placed as to be within easy reach of the fingers of any person holding the tray, are two wire hooks, marked a and b in the figure. On gently pulling hook a, a little hammer c rises up at right angles to the surface of the tray, again falling back by the action of a spring as soon as the pull is relaxed. On pulling b, a similar movement is communicated to a sort of ladle d, sunk in the surface of the tray, and rising up in a direction parallel to that of the little hammer already mentioned. This ladle has a flat tin cover, hinged very loosely upon its outer edge (so as to open of its own accord when the ladle passes the perpendicular position), and japanned in such manner as to represent one of a circle of medallions forming part of the pattern of the tray, and therefore little likely to attract attention. If any small article be beforehand placed in the ladle, and b be pulled, the article will naturally be flung out upon the surface of the tray. In practice, however, the salver is always used in conjunction with a little glass tumbler, about three inches in height, which, being placed upon the medallion opposite to that which forms the cover of the ladle, the contents of the latter fall into the glass instead of upon the tray.

The salver is generally used somewhat after the following fashion:—A little round brass box, say an inch and a half in diameter and an inch deep, is handed to the audience, with a request that they will place any small article (such as a coin, a ring, a watch-key) in it. All necessary precautions are taken to prevent the performer knowing what the articles in question are, and the box is, for still greater security on this point, wrapped by the performer in a handkerchief, and handed to one of the audience to hold. The reader, with his present knowledge of the little faith that is to be put in the acts of magicians, however apparently straightforward, will readily conjecture that at this point there is a substitution. The performer, apparently wrapping up the box which has just been handed to him, really substitutes another of similar appearance, sewn in one corner of the handkerchief. This latter, which contains two or three metal buttons, or other objects adapted to cause a rattling when shaken, is so arranged that when the lid is pushed home a piece of cork within is pressed down upon the buttons, and they are made silent; but if the lid be raised ever so little, and the box shaken, they rattle. This latter is the condition in which the box is wrapped in the handkerchief.

The performer, leaving the dummy box, wrapped up as above, with the spectator, retires for a moment in order to fetch the salver. This gives him the opportunity to take the articles out of the box, to note what they are (we will suppose a ring, a florin, and a locket), and place them in the “ladle” of the salver. The empty box he places in one of his pochettes. He now brings forward the glass and salver, together with a paper lamp-shade (similar to those placed over the lights of a billiard table), wherewith to cover the salver while the supposed flight of the objects takes place. He first shows that there is nothing in his hands, on the salver, or in the glass, and then places the latter in its proper position, and covers the whole with the paper shade. His assistant holds the salver, using both hands, with his right in such a position as to have control of the hooks a and b. The performer requests the person holding the box to shake it, in order to show that the articles are still there. He then addresses the company to the following effect:—“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to remind you of the position of affairs. Some articles, unknown to me, have been placed by yourselves in a box. That box has not been in my possession, even for a moment, but has remained ever since in the hands of the gentleman who is now holding it. Here, as you see, is a little glass” (he raises the shade with the left hand), “perfectly empty. I shall now, by virtue of my magic power, order the articles in the box, whatever they may be, to leave the box, and fall into this little glass, and I will tell you by the sound of each as it falls what the article is. Let us try the experiment. First article, pass!” The assistant pulls a, and the little hammer c forthwith strikes the glass, simulating to some extent the sound of a small article falling therein. “That, by the sound, should be a coin, I should say a florin. Hold tight, sir, please. Second article, pass!” Again the assistant causes the hammer to strike the glass. “That, ladies and gentlemen, is a ring. You must hold tighter yet, sir, if you mean to defy my power. Third article, pass!” This time the assistant pulls b, causing the ladle d to rise, and to shoot out the three articles together into the glass. “That, I should say, was a lady’s locket. Fourth article, pass!” (This is a mere blind, and elicits no response.) “Ladies and gentlemen, there were three articles placed in the box, a ring, a florin, and a locket, and you will find that they have now all passed into the glass.” (He removes the shade, and shows that they have done so.) “May I trouble you once more to shake the box?” The repeated injunctions to hold tighter have naturally caused the holder to press the lid home, and the box is therefore silent, corroborating the assertion that the articles have departed. “Now, ladies and gentlemen, having conjured away the contents, I shall now proceed to conjure away the box; but this time, by way of variety, I will do it visibly. Attention!” He takes one corner of the handkerchief with his right hand. “Now, sir, when I say ‘Three,’ will you please drop the handkerchief. One, two, three!” The performer shakes the handkerchief and pulls it rapidly through his hands till the corner containing the box comes into the left hand, the box having apparently vanished. “The box has gone, you see, but where? that is the question. Pardon me, sir, you have it in your pocket, I think,” addressing some elderly gentleman of innocent aspect. With the handkerchief still dangling from his left hand, the performer thrusts the other hand into the waistcoat or breast-pocket of the individual in question, and produces from thence the missing box, which he has a moment previously palmed from the pochette.