T H E M A G I C W A N D SERIES
r.O N D O N : G EO RG E
JOH N SO N ,
24,
Buckingham
Street,
Strand,
W .C .2
CONTENTS PAGE A H a n d k e r c h ie f V a n i s h ................................................ 2 K n o t M o n t e .............................................................................. 2 ................................................ 4 A P e n c il P e n e t r a t io n A B il l ia r d B a l l P e n e t r a t io n ................................. 4 A “ C a t c h ” H a n d k e r c h ie f E f f e c t ................... 5 A S l a t e I d e a .............................................................................. 6 O n e H a n d T h im b l e P r o d u c t i o n ................................. 6 M y s t ic C a n d l e L i g h t i n g ................................................ 8 M a tc h B ox an d P e n c il ................................. ... 8 M a t c h D i v i n a t i o n ............................................................... 9 T h e S e l e c t e d B an d J u m p s ................................................ 9 R in g a n d R ope I deas N o . 1 ................................. 10 ................................. 12 R in g an d R ope I deas N o . 2 R in g an d R ope I deas N o. 3 ................................. 12 R od an d S t r in g s ............................................................... 13 M agic M a g n if ic a t io n ................................................ 14 C ut and R es t o r e d R i b b o n ................................................ 14 C ig a r e t t e M o n t e ............................................................... 16 N e w R is in g M a t c h ............................................................... 17 T h e N a m e S p e l l e r ............................................................... 17 H y p n o t ic T a p e ............................................................... 18
Made and printed in Great Britain by G e o . B. F l o w e r & S o n s L t d . 15-16 Verulam Street L o n d o n , E.C.l
The State Library of Victoria “ALM A CONJURING COLLECTION”
IM M EDIATE
M AGIC
BY
TOM S E L L E R S "
A u th o r o f Tricks th a t W o r k ” “ Sellers' S e c r e ts e t c .
W I L L ALMA ___ M.I.M.C. (LONDO N)
A HANDKERCHIEF VANISH Effect. T h e perform er places a silk inside a paper bag. T h e bag is to rn u p ; the handkerchief has vanished.
Requirements. A glass (tube shaped), w ith a m irro r partition. A paper bag, m ade from a sheet of paper. T w o inches from the top of the bag cut, w ith a razor blade, a slit half w ay round the bag. A silk handkerchief is the final item. Method. T h e bag is standing inside the glass to start w ith — ju st p u t the bag in loosely so th a t it does not open the slit. Pick up the bag and show it empty, replace in the glass, pushing the bag dow n u n til the p a rt above the slit overlaps the partition in the glass (see Fig. 1). N ow take the silk and th ro w it over the top of the bag. T ak e your wrand and apparently push the silk into the bag, actually push the handkerchief through the slit in the bag (which is projecting over the m irro r partition), and dow n a t the back of the p artition. Remove the bag, fold dow n the top, make a pass over it, tear up and show th a t the silk has vanished. KNOT MONTE Effect. A fte r looping a piece of strin g round the thum b and forefinger of the le ft hand, the ends then being held by the thum b and forefinger of either hand, you ask a spectator if there is a knot on the string. W h a te v e r he replies, on the ends of the string being pulled the spectator is proved to be w rong. T h is m ay be repeated, b u t the spectator can never guess correctly. Requirements. A piece of strin g about a foot long. Method. Loop the string round the thum b and forefinger of the left hand as shown in the illustration (Fig. 2). N otice th a t end “ A ” protrudes from the thum b and finger about one inch. G rip this end w ith second and third finger tips. T a k e end “ B ” between the thum b and forefinger of the rig h t hand. N ow ask the spectator if there is a knot on the string. If he says, “ Y es,” release the second and th ird fingers on end “ A , ” allow the loop “ X ” to slip over the thum b and forefinger, p ull the ends and no knot w ill appear 2
on the string. I f the spectator says th a t there is no knot on the string, simply release the thum b and forefinger, p u ll the end “ A ” w ith the second and th ird fingers and a knot w ill appear.
A PENCIL PENETRATION Effect. T h e perform er places a pencil in the centre of a h an d k erch ief; holding the covered pencil between the finger and thum b of of his left hand, the handkerchief is show n on all sides. W ith his rig h t hand the perform er apparently pushes th e pencil rig h t through the handkerchief. T h e handkerchief and the pencil are im m ediately passed fo r inspection,
Requirements. A handkerchief and a pencil. Method. W ith the finger and thum b of the left hand grip the centre of a handkerchief, le ttin g the folds hang dow n as show n in F ig. 3. N ow take the pencil in your rig h t hand and apparently push it into the centre of the handker chief, from underneath : w h a t really happens is th a t you place it between the folds behind the handkerchief. Y o u w ill find th a t the folds com pletely hide the pencil and h andker chief may be shown on all sides. W ith the right hand push pencil through, and between, the forefinger and thum b, w hen pencil is com pletely through, shake out handkerchief and pass fo r exam ination.
A BILLIARD BALL PENETRATION Effect. T h e perform er drapes a silk handkerchief over a candlestick. U n d e r this silk he places a billiard ball. A larg er handkerchief is now placed over the silk covering the ball. W h e n the large handkerchief is removed, the billiard ball is seen to be on top of the silk w hich previously covered it, having apparently penetrated rig h t through.
Requirements. A candlestick, tw o silk handkerchiefs of like hue, b u t one tw elve inches square, the other thirteen inches square, a billiard ball, a large, dark coloured h an d k er chief. Preparation.
Place the tw elve inch silk behind the
thirteen inch silk. 4
Method. Show the candlestick, pick up the tw o silks as one and th ro w them over the candlestick, the sm aller silk being on the u nder side. P ick up the candlestick and show on all sides. N ow pick up the billiard ball and place it u n d er the top silk only, perform ing this action from the rear (see F ig. 4). A gain show on all sides. N o w cover all w ith the large handkerchief, m ake the m agic spell and remove the large handkerchief, carrying the top silk w ith it. T h ro w the large handkerchief aside, and show th a t the ball has passed th ro u g h the silk on the candlestick. A “ CATCH ” HANDKERCHIEF EFFECT Effect. T h e p erform er places a red, a blue, and a w hite h andkerchief inside a tube. H e now tells the spectators th a t he w ill cause the w h ite handkerchief to leave the tube and pass into his pocket. A t this ju n c tu re he w ith d raw s a w hite silk fro m his pocket and lays it on the table. H e removes the red and blue silk from th e tube and shows it to be em pty b u t p a rt of a w hite handkerchief is seen betw een the red and the blue. “ Perhaps you th in k this is the w hite handkerchief,” rem arks the perform er. “ W e ll, I ’ll let the silk speak for itself,” and as he shakes it o u t it is seen to bear this : “ N o, N o , a 1,000 tim es N o ! ”
Requirements. A ghost tube, a w h ite silk, w ith “ N o, N o, a 1,000 times N o ! ” printed thereon. A double blue silk, open a t one corner, this silk form ing a bag, as is usual in the popular m ethod of the 20th century handkerchief trick. A red silk and a w hite silk. P lace the printed w h ite silk inside the blue bag and leave a sm all corner sticking out, place a duplicate w hite silk in the pocket. Method. Show the ghost tube “ em pty,” and stand on th e table. P lace the blue silk in the tube first, h id in g the w hite corner as you do so, now place the red, in the tube, these tw o going into the tube proper, and n o t between in n er and ou ter p artition. T a k e the w hite handkerchief, place it in the tube, b u t see th a t it goes betw een the outer and inner tube (see F ig. 5). S tate th a t you w ill m ake the w h ite silk vanish. W ith d ra w the “ planted ” w hite silk from your pocket, remove the red and blue from the tube and show the
tube to be empty. W ith d ra w the w hite silk from the blue bag and show it w ith the w ording thereon.
A SLATE IDEA Effect.
A slate is show n on both sides; it is then covered w ith a handkerchief or foulard. W h e n the slate is uncovered a message, num ber o r any desired w ritin g is seen to be w ritte n on both sides of the slate. A lthough the slate is a trick one, there are no loose flaps to dispose of. Requirements. G e t tw o pieces of cardboard about seven inches by five inches. G lue strips of cardboard round the edge of these pieces, the strips representing and giving the impression of frames. W h e n the inside portions are painted black they w ill appear as slates. (Briefly, you m ake tw o cardboard slates.) T hese slates are now fitted w ith a cloth hinge at the side (see Fig. 6). T h e slates can now be closed like a book or screen, th a t is in any direction. Preparation. O pen the slates, and w rite out w h at you desire on both. N ow close the slates, thus bringing the w ritin g to the inside. Method. Show the “ slate ” blank on both sides. T h ro w a large handkerchief o r foulard over your forearm , and w hile placing the slate u n d er the foulard, allow one slate to fall rig h t dow n and over, thus bringing th e opposite sides to th e outside. A ll th a t rem ains is to remove the foulard and show the w riting.
ONE HAND THIMBLE PRODUCTION Effect. A fte r the perform er has shown both hands to be em pty, his rig h t hand is held back tow ards the spectators. A t w ords of com mand thim bles appear, one at a tim e, on the fingers of the p erform er’s rig h t hand. Requirements. A strip of tin, a sm all piece a t one end being bent a t r 'g h t angles. T h is strip has four elastic loops fixed in it, sim ilar to the usual thim ble holder. Four thim bles are placed in the loop (see “ A ,” F ig. 7). Method. G rip the bent portion of the fake between the thum b and fingers of the rig h t hand, allow ing the thim bles to lie against the palm of th e hand, as shown at “ B .” Show 6
the left hand to be empty, and w ith any of the w ell know n change over moves tran sfer the fake to the left hand and show right, empty. C hange over (back again) into the rig h t hand, and, still keeping this hand back tow ards the spectators, extend the arm out from the shoulder. N ow ex tract one thim ble at a tim e from the holder, causing each thim ble to m ysteriously appear on the fingers. Y ou w ill find th a t the fake, being thum b clipped, is held quite firmly.
MYSTIC CANDLE LIGHTING Effect. Show ing his hands to be empty, the perfo rm er places them round the w ick of a candle; w hen removed, the candle is seen to be lit.
Requirements. A sm all tube, closed a t one end, this tube is about one and a half inches long. N ea r one end a sm all hole is bored, for air. Inside the tube a sm all piece of a toy fairy candle is placed. O u tsid e th e tube tw o spikes are soldered. O v er the spikes a strip of asbestos is placed. T h is tube is fixed to a large candle, at the rear, by sticking spikes into the candle (see F ig. 8). T h e sm all candle is now lit. Method. Show hands em pty, cup your hands and place them round the w ick of the large candle. W ith the thum b press on w ick till it overlaps the edge of the candle, and allow ignition to take place via the sm all candle in th e tube. Press the w ick u p rig h t again and remove the hands, show ing the candle to be lit. MATCH BOX AND PENCIL Effect. T h e perform er shows a m atch box w ith a hole ru n n in g through from fro n t to back. A pencil is placed th ro u gh the hole and each end of the pencil given to a spectator to hold. T h e box is now covered w ith a large handkerchief. U n d e r cover of the handkerchief the perform er removes the draw er of the box, leaving the cover still impaled on the pencil.
Requirements. A m atch box w ith a hole ru n n in g through the cover and the draw er. T w o fake ends, these fit tig htly into each end of the cover. 8
Preparation. Remove the d raw er and conceal in the left sleeve. P lace a dum m y end on each end of the cover (see F ig. 9). Method. B orrow a pencil and ru n it through the hole in the box, as show n in F ig. 9. G e t a spectator to hold each end of the pencil; then cover w ith a large handkerchief. U n d e r cover of the handkerchief, remove the tw o dum m y ends, and remove the draw er from the le ft sleeve. Conceal the end pieces in your hand, remove the handkerchief, show th e d raw er, and the cover still on th e pencil. I f desired a few m atches m ay be placed in the cover a t the sta rt, they can be exhibited in the hand, at the end, together w ith the d raw er. MATCH DIVINATION Effect. T h e perform er hands a spectator four m atches w ith different coloured heads. A spectator is asked to m ix the m atches and place them in the perfo rm er’s hands, w hich he holds behind his back. H e now brings into view one m atch a t a tim e, nam ing the colour before he does so. Requirements. E ig h t m atches, tw o of each colour you intend using. T w o rubber bands. Preparation. P lace a rubber band over each forearm u n d er th e sh irt sleeve. U n d e r the band on the le ft forearm , place four of the m atches in an order w hich m ust be m emorised. T h e m atches should be arranged in “ steps ” so th a t they m ay be removed quickly and easily (see Fig. 10). Method. Pass the four rem aining m atches fo r exam ina tion and have them mixed. Receive th e m atches in your h an d s; behind your back. T h is done, place these fo u r m atches u nder the band on your rig h t forearm . N o w proceed to nam e the colours, w ith d raw in g each colour from u n d er the band w hich is on the left forearm . T h is is easy as the m atches are arranged in a know n order.
THE SELECTED BAND JUMPS T h e average m agician is fam iliar w ith th e little ru b b er band trick, w herein a rubber band jum ps from the first and second fingers to the th ird and fo u rth . I t may, how ever, be briefly explained fo r the benefit of those w ho do n o t know the trick. 9
Place a small rubber band round the first and second fingers, a t the base of the fingers. N ow , w ith the thum b and finger o f the other hand stretch th f band once or tw ice for effect. D u rin g this stretching process close the fist and unobserved get all the first joints of the fingers u n d er the p a rt of the band m arked “ X ” (F ig . 1 1 ) . H o ld this position for a few seconds, then open the hand out flat, this w ill cause the band to fly over to the th ird and fo u rth fingers. In itself a very p retty little trick but, I m ay add, I did not invent it. T h e trick I am about to describe depends on the foregoing move. O b tain three little rubber bands, red, green and y ello w ; place them round the first and second fingers of the left hand. N ow , w ith the rig h t fingers, pick up each band separately, one on the first finger, one on the second finger and one on th e third. I t w ill be seen, vid e F ig. 11, th a t any tw o bands can be released, independently of the one rem aining. N ow proceed to stretch the bands, and w hile doing so ask for any colour to be selected. Im m ediately this is done, release the rem aining tw o colours back on to the first and second fingers, an d as you close the fist, get the first joints of all four fingers u n d er the selected band. T u r n the fist back upw ards and show all three bands on the first and second fingers. Ask th e spectator to count, one, tw o, three. W h e n he does so, open hand out flat and the selected band w ill fly over to the th ird and fo u rth fingers.
RING AND ROPE IDEAS
No. 1
F o r the first effect pass a large rin g and a piece of rope fo r inspection. Y ou now have your w rists tied to each end of th e rope. T a k in g the ring, retire behind a screen fo r a few seconds. W h e n you re tu rn you are seen to have your coat off and the ring is on the rope.
Requirements. T w o large rings and tw o long pieces of rope.
Preparation. T a k e off your coat, thread one rin g on to the rope and tie the ends to your w rists. N ow slip on your coat again, so th a t the rin g lies across your back (see diagram N o. 1, F ig. 12). See th a t your coat sleeves hide the tied ends of the rope. 10
sp e c t a t o r
11
h o l d s
t h is
e n d
.
Method. Pass the rope and duplicate ring fo r inspection. H ave your w rists tied. N ow take the rin g and retire behind screen. Push duplicate ring below your vest, take a p air of scissors from your pocket and cut off the rope w hich th e spectator tied to your w rists. R oll this rope round the scissors and place in a pocket. T a k e off your coat, step over th e rope and come into view again. A sk someone to cu t the rope from your w rists, slip your coat on and continue the show. RING AND ROPE IDEAS
No. 2
In this effect one end of the rope is tied to your ankle and the other end to one of your w rists. Y ou retire behind th e screen as before for a few seconds, and w hen you re tu rn the ring is seen to be on the rope. Requirements. T w o rings about seven inches in diam eter and a piece of rope. Preparation. A ttach one of the rings to a long loop of thread, slip your foot through the ring and push it up u n d er your trouser leg. A ttach the other end of the loop of th e th read to a trouser button. T h is loop keeps the rin g sus pended on the leg (see diagram 2, F ig. 12). Method. Pass the rope and rin g for inspection. H av e one end of rope tied to your w rist and the other end to your ankle. R etire behind the screen. P ush the examined rin g up u nder your vest. N ow reach up u n d er your tro u ser leg and p ull the other rin g u n til the thread breaks. D ra w the ring dow n over your foot and on to the rope. M ak e y o u r appearance and show ring on the rope.
RING AND ROPE IDEAS
No. 3
In this m ethod one end of the rope is tied to your w rist and the other end is given to a spectator, yet you m anage to pass a six inch rin g on to the rope. Requirements. T w o rings and a piece of rope about tw elve feet long. Preparation. Remove your coat and slip one of th e rings on to your rig h t arm and push it rig h t up till it rests on your shoulder. N ow p u t your coat cn again, this w ill hide the ring on your shoulder (see diagram N o. 3, Fig. 12). 12
Method. Show the rope and the duplicate ring. H av e your rig h t w rist securely tied to one end of the rope. N ow give the other end to a spectator, take the rin g and retire behind screen. P ush this rin g up your vest. T o get the duplicate rin g on the rope proceed as follows. Remove your left arm from the jacket, w hile this is hanging from the rig h t arm , d raw your w hole jack et through the rin g w hich is on your arm , slide the rin g on to the rope. N o w come into view again. ROD AND STRINGS T h is idea is not subm itted as being m ore clever than the original rod and beads, w hich w as the jo in t invention of C h u n g L in g Soo and C hris V an B ern. In th a t m ethod a very clever principle is used, the only disadvantage being th a t the strings w ere very short. In m y m ethod the principle is different and the strings are from nine to tw elve inches long. T o m ake this appliance, obtain a piece of tube about tw elve inches long and three q u arters of an inch in diam eter, an inch from either end d rill tw o holes opposite each oth er (Fig. 13). N ow obtain tw o sm all rings and join them together w ith a piece of strin g an inch in length (see “ A ” ). A piece of strin g about nine inches long is now threaded through each ring. T h e tw o rings and the strings are then placed inside th e tube, the ends of the long strings being threaded through the holes in the tube. A sm all and a large bead is attached to each end of the long strings to prevent them passing thro u g h the holes a t the end of the tube. N ow if end “ B ” is pulled, “ E ” rises. I f “ E ” is now pulled, “ B ” rises. I f * “ D ” is pulled, “ E ” rises, yet if “ C ” is now pulled, “ D ” rises. A tube m ade up as explained and the ends sealed up, m ay be handled freely by the spectators w ith o u t affording any clue to the mystery. I have had a lo t of fun w ith this trick, having m ade it from an old bicycle pum p. /
13
MAGIC MAGNIFICATION Effect. T h e perform er exhibits a fram e. W ith in is a d raw ing of a small question m ark. A large m agnifying glass is now introduced. T h is is held in fro n t of the sm all question m ark, and of course the audience see it m uch larg er through the glass. B u t here is som ething to create m ore interest. W h e n the perform er removes the glass, the question m ark is seen to be the same size as it w as through the glass. In other w ords the m ark w as magnified and so rem ained. Requirements. A large im itation m agnifying glass, about six inches in diam eter, complete w ith handle. T h is is ju s t an ord in ary piece of w indow glass m ounted to represent a m agnifying glass. A fram e w ith a spring roller blind (black), and a sm all w hite question m ark painted on the centre. In the fram e proper place a piece of black cardboard w ith a large question m ark painted thereon. Preparation. D ra w the spring blind dow n in fro n t of the cardboard w ith the large question m ark. P lace the m agnifying glass in fro n t of the fram e, w hich w ill be standing on your table. Method. P ick up the glass and d raw attention to the sm all question m ark in the fram e. A t the same tim e th a t you bring the glass in fro n t of the sm all m ark, secretly release the blind. T h e effect to the spectators w ill be th a t they see the m ark apparently magnified through the glass. Y ou now lay dow n the glass, remove the cardboard from the fram e and pass the card for exam ination.
CUT AND RESTORED RIBBON Effect. A piece of new spaper m easuring about eight inches square is exhibited. T w o slits are m ade in the paper, on the low er half. A piece of ribbon is threaded through the slits, as shown in F ig. 14. T h is is now cut through the centre, the paper folded over a t the centre, and the ribbon w ith d raw n restored. T h e paper is opened and throw n aside. Requirements. A piece of new spaper 8 inches square. A flap is gummed to the centre of this piece, the size being eight by fo u r inches. In other w ords th e paper is made sim ilar to the usual flap banner. O n the flap, gum a short piece of ribbon and close the flap. I f this is exhibited it w ill appear ju st a square piece of new spaper (see F ig. 14). 14-
15
Method. Show the paper and make tw o slits on the bottom half. R un the ribbon through the slits as shown. N o w fold the paper a t “ X , ” and d raw the ribbon to and fro. A pparently open the p apet again, b u t actually only the first layer. As this exposes the dum m y piece no trickery is suspected. C u t the dum m y piece through the centre, fold the paper again, w ith d raw the ribbon restored. T h is tim e open the tw o top layers and show the paper to be empty. CIGARETTE MONTE Effect.
T h e perform er introduces a sm all stand w ith three holes on the top. T h e holes are fo r the accom modation of three cigarettes, one of w hich has a cork tip, the other tw o being plain. T h e perform er shows the three cigarettes an d places the one w ith the cork tip in the centre hole, the plain cigarettes being placed one a t each side of the one w ith cork tip. T h e m agician now changes the position of the tw o end cigarettes and asks a spectator to guess w hich hole contains the cigarette w ith cork tip. As the perform er has not touched the cork tipped cigarette, the spectator n atu ra lly names hole num ber two, b u t when this cigarette is removed it is seen to be plain, the cork tipped one being in one of the end holes. V arious other moves can be evolved on the lines of the three card trick. Requirements. A n oblong block of w ood m ounted on a w ooden base. T h re e holes are bored into the top of the block, the holes being half an inch deep and of such diam eter to com fortably hold a cigarette (see F ig. 15). Y ou w ill also require three cigarettes, one is plain and unprepared, the o th e r tw o have h a lf a cork tip stuck on one end. A cigarette prepared in this m anner, show n at “ A ,” w ill, if held w ith the cork tip facing the spectators, appear to be an ordinary cork-tipped cigarette, but if given a half tu rn w ill appear to be plain. T h e w hole trick depends on this principle. Method. Show the three cigarettes, holding them in such a m anner th a t one appears w ith a cork tip and the other tw o plain. Place the cork tipped cigarette in hole num ber two, the tip of course going into the hole : before rem oving your fingers from cigarette give it a half tu rn . N o w take the n ext prepared cigarette and place it into hole num ber one 16
an d place the last unprepared cigarette into hole num ber three. C hange position of cigarettes one and three, b u t before rem oving the fingers from cigarette num ber one, give it a half tu rn . N ow ask a spectator to nam e the num ber of the hole containing the cork tipped cigarette. W h e n given num ber “ tw o ,” remove this cigarette and show it to be plain. Replace, and show the cigarette in hole num ber three to have cork tip. M a n y other moves w ill soon suggest themselves, b u t three o r four should be sufficient. T h e re seems to me to be possibilities here for a stage trick by m aking use of g iant cigarettes.
NEW RISING MATCH Effect. T h e perform er holds tw o matches betw een his finger and thum b. A t com m and, one of the m atches is seen to slow ly rise to a perpendicular position. Requirements. T w o m atches joined end to end w ith a sm all piece of bicycle valve tu b in g ; a piece about three eighths of an inch long is sufficient (see F ig. 16). Method. H o ld the m atches betw een the forefinger and thum b, as show n in diagram 2, F ig. 16. G en tly release the pressure on the m atch m arked “ A ” and it w ill slow ly rise to the position show n in diagram 3. T h is produces a really uncanny effect.
THE NAME SPELLER Effect. T h e p erform er gives a spectator nine sm all c a rd s ; th e spectator is asked to shuffle the cards and th in k of one o f them . T h e perform er now takes the cards and deals th em out twice, face upw ards. T h e cards are now gathered up, the perform er nam es the card and then spells it o ut from the top of the pack, the m entally selected card being tu rn ed over at the last le tte r of the name.
Requirements. N ine sm all cards w ith names thereon, as show n in the illustration. Method. H a n d -the cards to be shuffled. N o w have one m entally selected. T a k e the cards and deal the first th ree cards face up in one heap, the next three in ano th er heap, an d th e last three in one m ore heap. A sk in w hich heap the spectator’s card has fallen, and place this heap betw een th e oth er tw o. N o w deal o u t again, face up, but this tim e 17
deal one card at a tim e, the first card going on the first heap, the second card on second heap, and so on. A gain ask w hich heap the card is in ; the card th o u g h t of w ill be th e m iddle card of this heap. M e n tally note this card and gath er the cards up as before, the chosen heap going between th e o th e r tw o. N ow nam e the selected card and then proceed to spell it o ut from the top of the pack. T h e chosen card w ill show up at the la st le tte r of the name. O f course any nam es m ay be used provided each consists of five letters.
A L IC E
D A V ID
M OLLY
PERCY
D A IS Y
HARRY
AGNES
JA M E S
BUNTY
HYPNOTIC TAPE T h e perform er is seen to be holding a piece of tape, it hangs limply. H e then takes an end in each hand, then removes one hand. T h e tape does n o t fall, b u t rem ains in a h o rizontal position, one end only being held in th e hand. A t com m and, the tape becomes lim p again and drops. T h e perform er now holds the tape in a perpendicular position, by one end only. T h e tape becomes rigid and is again brought to a horizontal position, one end only being retained in the hand. T a p e is again shown to be limp and laid aside. Requirements. T w o fo u r inch lengths of thin cane, and several sm all lengths about half-an-inch long. Cane is used because it is light in w eight and has a hole ru n n in g through it, b u t any other light m aterial should w o rk ju st as w ell. T o proceed : these pieces are threaded on to a piece of soft string as show n in the diagram . T h e strin g should be 18
about tw o inches longer than the combined tubes. Place a k not a t one end of the string, to keep it from coming through the tubes, and a boot button at the other. N ow place this appliance inside a double piece of tape : this should be fairly w ide so th a t the shape of the tube cannot be seen. Sew the knot to one end of the tape and the boot b u tton to the other. Sew up the ends of the tape and you are ready to show the trick (see Fig. 17).
Ex p o s e d
v i £ uj
AND
s m q u i n c -i
CORD
arrangement
INSIDE
f ig
qf
cans
DOUBLE TAPE,
. 17:
E N D "A " -----------------
To Work. I f the tape is held at end “ A,” F ig. 17, it may be sw ung about in any direction. I f held at the centre, it w ill hang lim p over the hand. I f the b utton is held tightly between the second and th ird fingers and the end of the tube, “ X ,” be pressed fo rw ard in the direction of the arrow , “ B ,” the tape w ill become rigid. Sw ing the tape about, take an end in each hand, grip the b utton and press forw ard w ith first finger and thum b, take the other hand aw ay and the tape rem ains rigid in a horizontal position. H o ld thus for a few seconds, and then w ith the other hand take the tape at the centre, let go the b utton end and the tape w ill drop limp. N o w sw ing the tape about again, hold in one hand, in a p erpendicular position, the tape hanging dow n from , say, the rig h t hand. G rip the b utton and press the tube forw ard. A s soon as you feel it ta u t, raise to a horizontal position, hold thus for a few seconds, then seize the tape by the centre and show it to be lim p again. Place the m ysterious tape aside and proceed w ith the n ext item in the entertainm ent. C o pyrigh t by G eo rg e Jo h n so n ,
1937
CONJURING BOOKLETS BY TOM SELLERS A n inventive magician of high repute, M r . T o m S e l l e r s is an acknowledged m aster of lucid instruction. Showm anship, p atter and persiflage he leaves to the exponent. H e describes, in brief understandable term s, m agical effects th a t are suitable for all occasions. T h e booklets have won great repute and are in constant dem and by practical magicians. T r ic k s t h a t W o r k .
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24 B u c k in g h a m S tre e t, S t r a n d , L o n d o n . W .C .2 1
