Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

by Professor Hoffmann

To Pass a Ring invisibly upon the Middle of a Wooden Wand, the Ends being held by two of the Spectators.—In this trick, the handkerchief prepared (with the ring attached) for the purpose of the last illusion may be again employed, though some use for the present purpose a handkerchief with a ring stitched in one corner. In our own opinion, the suspended ring is preferable, and we shall describe the trick accordingly. The only other requisite will be the magic wand, or any short stick or rod of such diameter that a finger-ring may slip easily upon it. Having borrowed a ring, you proceed to wrap it (in reality the substitute) in the handkerchief, and hand it to some one to hold. The borrowed ring, of course, remains in your hand. Picking up with your other hand your wand, you transfer it to the hand containing the ring. Taking hold of it by the extreme end, you pass the ring over it, which a very little practice will enable you to do without the smallest difficulty. You then say, “I am about to order the ring which Mr. So-and-so is holding, to leave the handkerchief, and pass on to this wand. For greater security, I will ask two of the gentlemen present to hold the ends. Will some one volunteer for the purpose?” Two candidates having come forward, you place yourself facing the person who is holding the ring in the handkerchief, at the same time sliding your hand with the ring to the centre of the wand, and holding the latter in a horizontal position across your body. You now invite the two volunteers each to take hold of one end, pretending to be very particular that the wand should be perfectly horizontal, this giving you an excuse for keeping your hand upon it, sliding it backwards and forwards, and raising now one end, now the other, till the level is such as to satisfy your correct eye. When at last you are satisfied, you ask the person in charge of the ring to step forward, so as to bring it immediately above the wand, over which you immediately spread the pocket-handkerchief, letting the edges fall on either side of the wand. As soon as the wand is covered, you can of course remove your hand. Then, taking hold of one corner of the handkerchief, you request the holder of the ring to let go at the word “Three,” and saying, “One, two, three—Pass!” draw away the handkerchief sharply, which, brushing against the genuine ring, will set it revolving rapidly, as though it had just passed on to the wand.

Some professors introduce the “flying ring” in the performance of this trick, thus dispensing altogether with the handkerchief. The slight variations in working thereby rendered necessary will readily suggest themselves without further explanation.

The Magic Ball and Rings.—This is a recent improvement on the trick last described. The performer borrows three rings, which in this instance, as the trick does not depend upon a substitution, may be of any pattern. They should not, however, be too large, for which reason ladies’ rings are preferable. These he places, or requests the owners to place, in the “Davenport cabinet” (see page [195]), the “watch-box” (see page [219]), or any other apparatus which will enable him secretly to get possession of them. He then brings in and hands for inspection an ebony ball, an inch and a half to two inches in diameter (through which is bored a hole of three-eighths of an inch in diameter), and a brass rod about two feet in length, with a knob at each end, and of such a thickness as to pass freely through the ball. Both are closely scrutinized, and admitted to be fair and solid. In sight of all he unscrews one of the knobs, and places the ball upon the rod, throwing a handkerchief over it, and requesting two of the audience to hold the ends. Passing his hand under the handkerchief, he orders the ball to drop into his hand, when his command is instantly obeyed. He next orders the rings to pass from the cabinet, and to take the place of the ball on the brass rod. On removing the handkerchief, the rings are seen on the rod, and the cabinet, on examination, is found empty.

Fig. 106.

The secret consists in the use of two balls, one of which (that handed round for inspection) has no speciality. The other is divided into two parts, the section being vertically through the bore. (See [Fig. 106].) These two parts fit closely together, and being (as is also the solid ball) carved in concentric circles parallel to the opening, the division is not readily noticeable. The two halves, a and b, are hollowed out to contain the rings, each having three slots or mortices cut at right angles to the direction of the hole through the ball. When the performer retires to fetch the ball and rod, he places the borrowed rings in these slots. When the two halves of the ball are brought together, the rings will encircle the hole through the centre, and the rod, when passed through the ball, will pass through the rings also. The performer places the trick ball, thus prepared, under his waistband, or in one of his pochettes, and, returning, hands for inspection the brass rod and the solid ball. While these are being examined, he palms the trick ball, and in passing over the rod apparently the ball which has just been examined, adroitly substitutes that which contains the rings. After having thrown the handkerchief over the rod, he passes under it his hand, still containing the solid ball. It is an easy matter to pull asunder the hollow ball, and this in turn is palmed, and the solid ball passed to the end of the fingers, before the performer, again uncovering his hand, which he brings out palm downward, carelessly throws down the solid ball, as being that which he has just taken off the rod. This is the only part of the trick which requires any special dexterity, and any difficulty which may be at first found will quickly disappear with a little practice. When the ball comes apart, the rings are, of course, left on the rod.

A further improvement may be made in the trick by using a sword with a rapier blade in place of the brass rod. The trick is not only more effective in appearance, as the sword appears to cut through the ball, but the tapering shape of the blade makes the trick much easier to perform, as you have only to draw the ball down towards the hilt, when the swell of the blade will force the two halves of the ball apart, leaving them naturally in your hand. It is best in this case simultaneously to let the solid ball drop from your palm to the floor. This draws all eyes downwards, and gives you ample opportunity to drop the halves of the trick ball into your secret pocket. In this form of the trick you, of course, hold the sword yourself in the ordinary manner, and you may, if you prefer it, dispense with the handkerchief, using your hand only to mask the operation, at once stepping forward, as the ball drops to the ground, and saying, “Will the owners be kind enough to identify their rings?”

To Pass a Borrowed Ring into an Egg.—This is an effective conclusion to a ring trick. The necessary apparatus consists of two wooden egg-cups, inside one of which, at the bottom, is cut a mortice or slot just large enough to receive one-half the circumference of a lady’s ring, and to hold it in an upright position. The second egg-cup has no speciality, being, in fact, merely a dummy, designed to be handed to the audience for inspection. An ordinary button-hook, or a piece of wire bent into the shape of a button-hook, completes the preparations.

We will assume that the performer has, in the course of one or other of the tricks already described, secretly obtained possession of a borrowed ring, which the audience believe still to remain in some place or apparatus in which they have seen it deposited. The operator, retiring for an instant, returns with a plate of eggs in one hand, and the dummy egg-cup in the other. The special egg-cup, with the ring already in the mortice, is meanwhile placed either under his waistband, or in one or other of his pochettes, so as to be instantly get-at-able when required. Placing the eggs on the table, he hands round the egg-cup for inspection, that all may observe that it is wholly without preparation, and in turning to place the egg-cup on the table, he substitutes for it the one which contains the ring, but which the audience naturally believe to be that which they have just examined.

Bringing forward the plate of eggs, the performer requests the company to choose whichever they please. While they are making their selection, he carefully turns back his sleeves, showing indirectly that his hands are empty. Taking the chosen egg with the tips of his fingers, and showing it on all sides, to prove that there is no preparation about it, he says, “Now, ladies and gentlemen, you have seen me place the ring which this lady has kindly lent me in ‘so-and-so’” (according to the place where it is supposed to be). “You have selected, of your own free choice, this particular egg among half-a-dozen others. I am about to command the ring to leave the place where it now is, and to pass into the very centre of this egg. If you think the egg is prepared in any way, it is open to you even now to choose another. You are all satisfied that the egg has not been tampered with? Well, then, just observe still that I have nothing in my hands. I have merely to say, ‘One, two, three! Pass!’ The ring is now in the egg.” At the word, “Pass,” the performer taps one end of the egg with his wand, just hard enough to crack it slightly. “Dear me,” he says; “I did not intend to hit quite so hard; but it is of no consequence.” Stepping to the table, he places the egg, with the cracked end downwards, in the prepared egg-cup, using just sufficient pressure to force the egg well down upon the ring, the projecting portion of which is thereby forced into the egg. The egg being already cracked, a very slight pressure is sufficient. Bringing forward the egg in the cup, the hook already mentioned, and a table-napkin, he taps the top of the egg smartly with his wand, so as to crack it, and, offering the hook to the owner of the ring, requests her to see whether her property is not in the egg. The ring is immediately fished out, and being wiped upon the napkin, is recognized as that which was borrowed. The apparatus in which it was originally placed is, on being examined, found empty.