EFFECTIVE CONJURING
BY THE SAME AUTHOR PAPER MAGIC MORE PAPER MAGIC MATCHSTICK MAGIC HANDKERCHIEF MAGIC IMPROMPTU CONJURING MONEY MAGIC
EFFECTIVE CONJURING FOR HOME ENTERTAINMENTS AND PUBLIC PLATFORMS BY
WILL BLYTH M.I.M.C., S.I.C.M. MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF THE MAGIC CIRCLE, LOMOOK VICE-PRESIDENT
OF
THE
SHEFFIELD
CIRCLE
OF
MAGICIANS
WITH 1 4 3 ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR
NEW YORK E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY INC. PUBLISHERS
PRINTED I>» GRKAT BRITAIM
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE
NEVIL MASKELYNE WHO WROTE THE INTRODUCTION TO MY FIRST BOOK ON MAGIC, AND WHOSE FATHERLY COUNSEL AND KINDLY ENCOURAGEMENT I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER WITH GRATITUDE AND AFFECTION
CONTENTS PAGE
INTRODUCTION AN ALPHABETICAL O P E N I N G MAGICAL O P E N I N G S T H E MYSTIC CIRCLE COMBINATION O F MAGICAL E F F E C T S . . SMALL DETAILS I N MAGIC T H R E E B L I N D MICE CONFEDERACY SELECTING AN ASSISTANT T H E F A I R Y BALL A N D MYSTIC C Y L I N D E R . T H E SYMPATHETIC C U B E S MAGICAL SECRECY, OR M U T E N U B W I N R I N Y . T H E ROYAL H U N T M Y S T E R Y PIP, SQUEAK, A N D W I L F R E D . . . ORNATE MAGIC ARMY OR NAVY NEW EFFECTS A B C T H E E L U S I V E STOP MAGICAL FACILITATIONS INSTANTANEOUS P H O T O G R A P H Y NINE-A-SIDE A STUDY I NBLACK AND WHITE . . INDESTRUCTIBLE COLOURS A B C MEMORY PICTURES . . . THE CHINESE RINGS THE SLIDING DIE BOX FAIRYLAND OF MAGIC : JACK AND THE BEANSTALK . . OLD MOTHER HUBBARD ALADDIN HUMPTY-DUMPTY JACK AND JILL . . . vii
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ix I 8 17 26 34 37 44 49 52 57 64 67 7 4 78 83 87 9 7 101 I07 115 i g 2 4 128 132 136 141 146 I47 149 150 150
Vlll
EFFECTIVE CONJURING PAGE
RED RIDING HOOD . . . . CINDERELLA T H E MAGIC CARPET . . . . JACK A N D T H E BEANSTALK HUMPTY-DUMPTY . . . . JACK A N D JILL A MATCH ACT : CARD TO MATCHBOX . . . . MAGICAL EXTINCTION O F LIGHTED MATCH MAGICAL RE-IGNITION O F MATCH MATCH VANISH . . . PIANO TRICK THE WORM THAT TURNED . PAT A N D H I S PIGS . . . . PAPER-TEARING ACT : THE FIREMAN'S STORY CHRISTMAS TREE . . . . FIRE ESCAPE FIREMEN RESCUED LADY AND FRIENDS FIRE ENGINE DRIVING WHEEL . FIRE STATION GATE . . . . TEA CLOTH FLOWERS FROM CONE . . . . STAR A PHENOMENAL MEMORY . . . . LITTLE MISS M U F F E T T . . . . THE AFGHAN NECKLACES . . . . THE SEVERED AFGHAN NECKLACE AN ALPHABETICAL FINALE . . . .
150 152 153 166 171 172 174 174 175 177 178 185 185 I87 188 189 190 192 193 193 194 200 206 210 214 217
APPENDIX MAGICAL MAGICAL MAGICAL MAGICAL
APPARATUS DEALERS SOCIETIES JOURNALS
222 223 223 224
INTRODUCTION
T
HIS is a book which should prove of great assistance to those who desire to entertain by means of the fascinating art of conjuring, either at home entertainments or upon the public platform. It consists of a series of papers on conjuring, and a number of original magical effects, which have been either read or demonstrated by the author on public platforms or at private gatherings of magical societies in various parts of the country, including Birmingham, Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield. There are therefore no theoretical chapters in the book, or ' might work if made u p ' effects, which may, or may not, stand the test of public presentation. Every item has been presented by the author, not only before the general public, who may generally be relied on to give audible expressions of their likes and dislikes, but also before meetings of conjurers, where candid criticism has resulted in filling up several possible pitfalls and leaving everything fairly even and workable. Most of my previous works on conjuring have dealt with specific subjects, such as paper, match-sticks, handkerchiefs, coins, etc. The present volume, however, contains a variety of useful effects which, if presented with due regard to the methods set forth, should prove entertaining to young and old. Each item has been described with minute detail, and the many illustrations have been designed so that even ' he who runs may read '. This feature will, I feel sure, be appreciated even by experienced performers, who can thus test any item without the necessity of having to study elaborate literary descriptions. It also enables them to ix