Pages from hugard's magic monthly vol 3 by Conjuring Arts Research Center

Hugard's D E V O T E D

S O L E L Y

MAGIC T O T H E I N T E R E S T S

V O L . m , No. 1

J U N E

F M A G I C

Monthly A N D

M A G I C I A N S

1 9 4 5

THE POROUS

CENTS

PLATE

A Trick with a Climax that Savors of Real Magic by GEORGE STARKE Effect: From any deck of cards a spectator freely selects a card, it is returned, the pack is shuffled and placed on the table. The spectator himself then puts a plate on the table and places the pack on it. He is told to put his finger tips on the back of the deck and press on it and he will find that his chosen card will then pass through the other cards to the bottom of the deck. He presses accordingly but, on lifting the pack, he finds that the trick has failed, his card is not on the bottom. Surmising that he must have pressed too hard, the magician suggests that he may have forced his card not only through the other cards but also through the plate as well. The spectator lifts the plate and finds his card beneath it. Requirements: Any deck, any plate and the ability to control a card to the top of the deck and execute a false shuffle. Working: Have a plate on the table. Proceed to have a card chosen by a spectator, have it returned and control it to the top of the pack. False shuffle overhand, sending the chosen card to the bottom and then with a second overhand shuffle bring it back to the top. Lay the pack on the table face downwards. Under pretence of covering a slight cough, raise your right hand to your mouth and seize the opportunity to apply a fair dose of saliva to the tips of your second and third fingers. It is an easy matter to do this unobserved by keeping your fingers close together and turning your head away somewhat as you cough. Pick up the plate and in handing it to the spectator, apply the saliva to its bottom at the middle. Instruct the spectator to put the plate on top of the pack and press his finger tips on it. He does this, but immediately you correct yourself. "Pardon me," you say, "my mistake. I meant to tell you to put the plate on the table and the

pack on the plate. Will you do that?" The spectator lifts the plate, which carries the top (chosen) card with it, thanks to the saliva, and puts it beside the pack which he then places on the plate. Thus, quite unwittingly, the spectator himself has done the trick for you and you are master of the situation. "That's right," you continue. "Now place your finger tips on the top of the pack and press downwards. Your card will then pass through the other cards and appear on the bottom of t h e deck." H e presses accordingly,

COLD

then lifts the pack, looks at the bottom card and announces that the trick has failed. His card is not on the bottom. "Strange, very strange," you say. "I have never failed before. What was your card?" "The of " "Perhaps you pressed too hard. Just lift the plate." The spectator does so and there beneath it is a card which he turns face upwards. It proves to be the very card he chose. For bewildering effect and sheer audacity of procedure, this is a trick that will be hard to beat.

and SILVER

by ROSS BERTRAM Effect: The magician places a dime hand and the penny in his left. If on his left hand, held palm upwards, desired, the transposition can be reand a penny (small cent) on his right peated. hand, also palm upwards. He closes Method: Hold your hands palm uphis hands and turns them over. After wards, as shown in the sketch, the the magic word has been uttered, he dime .lying on the left fingers, the turns his hands again and opens them penny on the palm of the right hand, â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the dime is seen to be in his right Fig. 1. Hold your hands about six inches apart. In the act of turning the hands over inwards, and closing them rather smartly, Fig. 2, the dime is let fly from the left hand and is caught in the right hand, while the penny leaves the right hand and is caught in the left. The acts of turning and closing the hands should be done in practically one operation. This requires some practice, both in the exchange of the coins and the timing, but the effect obtained is well worth the effort. If you are the proud possessor of two of the faked coins used in the Dime and Penny trick, the trick can be expanded and made even more mysterious. Having a real dime and a penny in your pocket, first do the (Continued on page 129)

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HugaroTs MAGIC Monthly

MAGNETIZED The following is an ingenious, yet simple, method of causing a wand to move, apparently spontaneously, in the hand. The routine makes an excellent opener for platform work, the magician attributing the mysterious motions to animal magnetism. Preparation: Attach a tiny metal ring to one end, B, of the wand and to the ring tie a strong, fine black thread about five times the length of the wand. To the free end of the thread fasten a little black button, Fig. 1. Working: To cause the wand to rise vertically in the hand, hold it in your right hand by the end B, the thread hanging down and the button resting on the floor. Turn your left side to the front and extend your right arm, at the same time catching the thread between the first joints of your third and fourth fingers, Fig. 2. Allow the wand to slide slowly downwards between your thumb and fingers to the position shown in Fig. 3, the thread running freely over the little finger which acts as a pulley. Placing your foot on the little black button, raise your hand very slowly

WAND

towards the ceiling and the wand will be made to rise to its original position, while with your left hand you make magnetic passes over it. To impart to the wand a curious and puzzling lateral motion, begin by holding the wand in your right hand as in Fig. 4, the end B being upwards and the thread hanging downwards along the wand. With your left hand grasp the end A, together with the thread and hold the wand in a horizontal position, Fig. 5. Still keeping the button under your foot, turn your body towards the left, at the same time making passes with the right hand. The traction of the thread will cause the wand to slide through the fist. By taking the wand and thread in the right hand in exactly the same way, a turn of the body towards the right will cause the wand to move in the opposite direction to the first movement. If desired, between the moves you can toss the wand into the air so that it makes one complete turn and catch it, without risking any complications. Finally, you have only to break the thread and let it fall to the floor.

INTERLUDES Much of the sparkle of a magical performance arises from the introduction of little amusing magical feats which are done quite casually, as it were, and without apparent premeditation. There are many such items which are never seen nowadays, the ultra-modern magician contenting himself with the "Breakaway Wand", "Breakaway Fan" or the "Bang Gun." These are used ad nauseam and, even so, are not used to the best advantage. Take the "Breakaway Wand" for example. This is simply picked up from a table for the first and only time of use and handed to a spectator in whose hands it collapses. The effect is merely that of a mechanical curiosity. That sort of thing is either pure laziness or it denotes a complete lack of appreciation of the basic elements of magic. If a performer makes use of his wand throughout and so arranges matters that the wand is handled by a spectator so that he can assure himself that it is unprepared, then, when after a secret exchange, the prepared wand falls to pieces in the spectator's hand, there is not only an amusing but also a magical effect. As for the "Bang Gun", it is so unlike any real weapon ever seen on land or sea that its use is only justi-

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fied before an audience composed of children who are just able to read words of four letters. The modern performer who takes such pride in this contraption would laugh to scorn anyone who dared to use the old funnel pistol which at least was justified by its resemblance to a blunderbuss. The "Breakaway Fans", too, in such common use, have little resemblance to ordinary, everyday fans. Yet there are numeorus little feats which by their apparent spontaneity not only create amusement but tend to give a high impression of the performer's skill. I shall describe some of these from time to time. Here is one:

THE SWALLOWING WAND Effect: Seating his assistant, or volunteer assistant, before him, the magician places the end of his wand between the assistant's teeth, then thrust the full length of the wand into his mouth, withdraws it and repeats this swallowing operation two or three times. Finally he hands the wand to be examined. It is perfectly ordinary. The black wand with white tips, popularly used in the trick of breaking a wand to pieces and restoring it, is admirably suited to this amusing feat. All that is required is a fake

white end made of glossy white paper to fit easily over one of the white tips of the wand. You have this in a pocket or in any position from which you can secure it secretly when required, with your right hand. When the opportunity for its use arises, take the false end secretly and slip it over the end held in your right hand. You can then handle the wand freely and casually allow it to be seen that you have only the wand in your hands. With some plausible ex(Continued on page 130)

Hupar(Ts MAGIC Monthly

For purposes of illustration the right hand has been omitted in figures 4-A, B and C. The right hand does not let go of end B until it reaches Fig. 4-C position, at which point right hand exchanges ends with left hand and both pull out forming two separate knots.

A KNOTTY Every magician should have at his finger tips some little tricks which he can do at a moment's notice if called upon unexpectedly or, again, when it is necessary to gain a little time to cover a mishap behind the scenes or to enable an assistant to prepare another trick. Here is a routine with a handkerchief, preferably a large silk one, which lends itself to such purposes with good effect. Show the handkerchief, take it by two opposite diagonal corners and twirl it rope fashion. Grasp it by the middle with your left hand, turn the hand back upwards and ask a spectator to tie the ends together with a solid knot on the back of your hand. This done, take one end with your right hand and, under pretence of pulling the knot tighter, "upset" it as in Fig. 1. At the same time talk to the spectator, "Fine," you say. "There's a knot that will be hard to untie. I'll pull it tighter still." Hold the part C in the left hand and with the right hand slide the knot, now really a double loop only, towards A until the corner protrudes about an inch only. Put the tip of the left thumb just behind the loops and hold the handkerchief towards the spectator inviting him to blow on the knot. As he does

INTERLUDE

so, push the loops forward with the thumb and make a sort of whip cracking flourish with the handkerchief holding the corner A between the left thumb and fingers. The knot goes. "Oh, well," you continue, "I was mistaken. That knot was a naughty one and not as solid as it looked. Perhaps it is as well that knots in a handkerchief don't last. It would be hard to blow our noses and there are other reasons as well. A fellow asked me to lend him ten dollars the other day. I told him I was sorry I hadn't it with me. He persisted and to get rid of him I promised to send it to him the next day. 'Fine,' said he, 'tie a knot in your handkerchief so you won't forget? I tied a knot, so, but no sooner had he gone than the knot went too and all hope of his ever getting ten dollars from me." There are several methods of apparently making a knot form in a handkerchief only to have it vanish when the fabric is pulled tightly. Here is one which I have not seen in print on this side. Hold the handkerchief as in Fig. 2, hiding the loop in the closed left hand. Take hold of the corner A, pass it under G, draw it behind the left hand and push it through the loop D. Then, by pulling the ends

A and B. a knot forms around the loop F, but, by pulling harder, the loop is pulled out and the knot vanishes. "Then I met a charming lady who asked me to come up and see her some time. I told her I would be delighted and to make sure I wouldn't forget I tied a knot in my handkerchief but I was so excited I tied two at once." Two knots appear at the same time. To do this, take the handkerchief by a corner in each hand, carry the right hand corner, A, behind the left forearm and bring it back in front of the body, carry it forward through the large loop thus formed, Fig. 4, and separate the hands as widely as possible, retaining the ends in each hand. Turn the right hand outwards and downwards, then inwards and upwards making a complete revolution around the handkerchief. Change ends with each hand and pull the hands through the loops thus made. Two knots form instantly towards the ends of the fabric. With a little practice, the changing of the ends can be made imperceptibly under cover of the swing of the arms and hands. The larger the handkerchief the easier the trick.

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HugartTs MAGIC Monthly

A MISER DREAMS IN THE PARLOR The Miser's Dream, as the trick of apparently catching money in the air is most often called, is another of the treasures for which we are indebted fo the genius of Robert-Houdin. This most intriguing and entertaining trick has been and is sadly neglected by the magicians of today, both professional and amateur. One reason for this, curiously enough, is the enormous success achieved with it by Nelson Downs. Downs introduced some technical improvements, very difficult sleights and flourishes, and magicians assumed that his success was due entirely to his use of these new methods and that, therefore, it is necessary to become expert in them before presenting any form of the trick. Such is not the case. The principal reason for Downs' success was his ability to act his part, his convincing presentation. This is proved by the fact that many of his wouldbe rivals were his equals in technical ability, they could execute the back and front palm with equal facility, but the best of them scored only a mediocre success. A magician whose execution of the Miser's Dream vied with that of Downs, Charles Bertram, used none of the new sleights, contenting himself with the classical palms and passes which are within the reach of any performer who will take the small amount of trouble needed to learn them. But Bertram presented the feat not as a mere parade of dexterity, but as a reality. He acted the paitf and actually "saw" the coins in the air before catching them. It was the perfection of his art that enabled him to carry his audiences with him into the realms of fantasy. They thoroughly enjoyed, and envied, his ability to materialize real money from thin air. In the case of Downs as well as of Bertram there is further proof that the trick is not the thing. It is the man behind the trick that counts. Another reason for the neglect of

Hugard's MAGIC Monthly A monthly publication devoted solely to the interests of magic and magicians.

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the trick is the passing of the top hat, that accesory so beloved of magicians of the past. The soft hats in vogue today tend to make the execution of the trick rather difficult and, by deadening the sound of the coins, to render it less deceptive. But these difficulties can be overcome quite easily and the routine which follows will show that the feat can be worked effectively with any hat and that it is still one of the best and most entertaining tricks that can be done in a parlor at close quarters and under almost any circumstances. The effect is simply that of collecting a number of new coins from the most unexpected quarters. Its success depends more on the ability of the performer as an actor than upon any great facility in sleight of hand. A study of the trick and its practice afford a most valuable course in the art of presentation. Requirements: An ordinary h a t , which can be borrowed, a silk handkerchief, red for preference, twelve to fifteen genuine half dollars, a rouleau of some forty coins made up of palming coins rolled in a piece of black tissue paper, a thin tray about fifteen by twelve inches in size, four glasses and four playing cards rolled into tubes with diameters of about half an inch and secured with rubber bands. Preparation: Place the pile of half dollars in your left trousers pocket; the rouleau of coins in the outside left pocket of your coat; fold the silk by means of the trap fold into a compact little bundle and secrete it under the lower edge of the vest a little to the right of the middle line; place the small plate or saucer in your left arm pit under the coat and hold it there by pressure of the upper arm; arrange the four glasses on your table so that when the tray is placed on their rims there will be a glass at each corner; on the tray stand the four playing card tubes, one immediately over the mouth of each glass. Working: Take the hat with your right hand from a spectator, if you borrow it, or from your table if it is your own. As you do this, with, all your attention given to the hat, your left arm, resting naturally half bent across your body, has brought your left hand directly below the spot where the silk is hidden. By slightly lifting the edge of the vest and pressing downwards with the thumb the silk can be taken into the finger palm without any tell-tale motion of the left hand at all. Transfer the hat to

the left hand and in so doing let the silk fall inside it. After asking the owner's permission and immediately taking it for granted that he has no objection, with your right hand press out the dent in the crown of the hat and take the opportunity of opening out the silk, being careful, however, not to let any part of it be seen. Then, looking into the hat remark that the owner has left something in it. Hold it, crown downwards, with one hand on the brim at each side and turn it upwards and inwards, over towards yourself, bringing it mouth downwards and causing the silk to fall out to the floor. The moment the silk is visible to the audience as it is falling, turn the hat to bring its mouth close to your' chest, hold it there with your left hand while your right hand seizes the saucer, loads it into the hat and immediately grasps the brim as before. At the same time you bend forward a little and gaze at the silk. Pick up the silk and, as you are about to replace it in the hat, discover the saucer. Turn the hat to show it inside, take it out and ask the owner if you may use it and so on: "a valuable antique, no doubt," you remark. "I'll put it back in the hat." Replace it and it will fit snugly in the crown and serve excellently as a sounding board for the coins. You have not only gained this advantage but you have given the spectators a couple of surprises which will arouse their interest in what you have to follow. Take the hat in your right hand by the brim, with the left hand crumple the silk into a compact little ball and thrust it into your left trousers pocket apparently, really with the thumb you push it up into the top corner of the pocket while the fingers reach down and secure the coins. Do not try to palm them, simply grip the pile in the bent fingers. In the meantime you have been assuring the owner of the hat that you will return all his property undamaged later. Turn half left, bring the hat, with its crown towards the spectators, over to the left hand which you remove from the pocket at the same time. This hand, being thus completely hidden by the hat, seizes the upper brim, thumb on top and fingers inside. The pile of coins in the left fingers is thus brought against the sweat band and you spread them from the roots of the fingers towards the tip, echelon fashion. There is no need to hurry and there must not be the slightest sound made in thus placing the coins. They must be held in position by the pres-

Hugar<Ts MAGIC Monthly

sure of the left first and third fingers on their sides, the middle finger being free and serving to push the coins forward one by one as they are required. Announce now what you are about to do, making any plausible explanation for the appearance of the coins that you please. You may say that the constant friction of the coins in existence against one another distributes particles of silver in the air and that you have the power to unite them into solid coins again, or whatever you please. Suddenly point to an imaginary coin in the air, reach out with the right hand and pretend to catch it. "Here is one!" you exclaim. "I'll put it in the hat." Place your hand just inside the hat and a coin is heard to drop into the saucer, for this reason, you have already pushed forward the outermost coin of the pile, with your left middle finger so that you have had merely to lift this finger and the coin drops. If the two actions are synchronized exactly the illusion is perfect. At once push two coins forward with the tip of the left finger holding them ready for release. As if in answer to a remark by a spectator, you say, "Yes, the coin is a real half dollar. I'll show it to you." Dip your right hand into the hat, take the two coins from under the tip of the middle finger, sliding them into the finger palm, pick up the coin in the saucer, bring it out at the tips of the thumb and fingers and show it. Bring the right hand over the hat again and drop this coin into the hat from a distance of some three inches, that is to say, so that the spectators see plainly that you drop the coin into the hat. Again you claim to see a coin, reach forward and apparently catch it by pushing one of the two finger palmed coins to the tips of the fingers with the thumb. Drop this coin into the hat but this time bring the hand a little closer to the mouth of the hat but still managing so that the coin is seen to drop out of your hand. Once more catch a coin by pushing the second finger palmed coin to the tips of the fingers and drop it visibly into the hat but with the hand very close to the brim before releasing it. Push forward a single coin with the tip of the left second finger and, dipping the hand into the hat, steal it and secure it in the regular palm, at once scooping up the three coins out of the saucer and bring them out at the tips of the thumb and fingers. Show them and once more drop them into the hat one by one, bringing the hand nearer to the mouth of the hat each time.

Thus far the audience have seen you catch three coins in the air and they have seen these coins actually drop into the hat. They have thus been assured of your ability and you proceed to abuse their confidence by catching the coin you have in your hand and pretending to throw it into the hat by palming it as your hand enters the hat and at the same moment dropping a single coin from the pile under the left fingers. The catching of this single coin must be varied as much as possible. Take it from a spectator's hair, from the tip of someone's nose, from a lady's handkerchief and so on, accompanying each discovery of a coin with some short remark, humorous, if possible, but anyway talking all the time and making sure that'each coin is actually seen by everyone before you drop it ? into the hat. When showing the coin it should be held by the tips of the thumb and fingers by the very smallest part of the edge possible. Practically the whole of the coin, held breadthwise to the audience, should be visible to all. It is only in this way that each catch can be made to register its full effect. When your supply of coins is exhausted, it becomes necessary to load the rouleau of coins into the hat and this is not a difficult matter. Take the hat in your right hand and, standing with your right side to the front, invite a spectator to dip his hand in the hat and satisfy himself that the coins are really there. As he does so, tell him to take out a few. Go to your left pocket with your left hand, seize the rouleau and as the spectator brings his hand out with some of the coins, transfer the hat to the left hand putting the rouleau inside it. The action is as simple as that if it is timed correctly. Hold the hat so that no one can look into it, retrieve the coins from the spectator and drop them into the hat. Remarking that minting coins one by one is too slow a process, rest the crown of the hat on your right hand and jerk it up and down breaking the tissue paper and releasing the forty coins. The fact of the coins multiplying is actually conveyed by the difference in the sound as the coins jingle against one another. Dip your left hand in to stir them and seize the opportunity to crumple the tissue paper into a ball and then hold it against the brim of the hat while you slowly shake the coins out onto your table. With judicious handling by the time all the coins are out of the hat, the audience will have the impression that there must be hundreds. To end the trick with a smashing climax, pick up a dozen or more coins,

Hu-gardenias To C. A. Munson, of Minneapolis, for his remarkable skill in pure sleight of hand and for his development of original sleights and tricks with cards and cigarettes.

make them into a pile and place them on top of one of the playing card tubes which are set on the tray over the glasses. Do the same with the other three tubes. As you do this, tell the spectators that you can make money so easily you can afford to be generous, that you are going to distribute the money but you will play no favorites, that your are going to scatter the coins amongst them so that everyone will have the same chance. Stand directly behind the tray and after several strokes with the right hand towards the tray without actually hitting it, finally move the right hand away in a direct line with the surface of the tray then strike the edge of the tray sharply in the same plane and jerk the hand back at once, that is to say, you do not follow through. The tray alone will be sent flying towards the spectators and the four piles of coins will crash down into the glasses. "Evidently," you say, "the coins don't want to leave me, so I'll keep them." An exhaustive treatment of the "Shower of Silver" is given by M. Gaultier in his book "Magic Without Apparatus", an English translation of which is now available. Every phase of the trick is treated in minute detail and its study will repay the reader handsomely.

M A G I C A N A Referring to the one hand riffle shuffle executed with the cards on the table and contributed by Sgt. Joseph Schmidt in the December issue, Mr. Charles Kalish has shown me a very pretty one hand riffle shuffle executed in the air, that is to say, without the help of a table. It is the invention of Howard de Courcy, the English magician, and I hope to get his permission to explain the moves. â&#x20AC;˘ * *

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MugarcTs MAGIC Monthly

THE FLYING PIPS Effect: Two pieces of a black cardboard or silicate, about 6 by 41/2 in., chosen from a number of similar pieces, are fastened together by rubber bands, tied in a borrowed handkerchief and held by a spectator. A card is chosen, marked and placed upright on a table in full view. With a toy pistol the magician announces that he will shoot the card into the hand-, kerchief and between the two boards. He fires, but apparently nothing happens, the card remains where it was. On turning it around, however, it is found to be blank, the spots have vanished. In the knotted handkerchief the spectator finds that the missing pips have arranged themselves on one of the boards in proper order. Requirements: An ordinary slate, six pieces of black cardboard or silicate about 6 by 4V2 in., one similar piece prepared by having the seven diamond spots gummed on it in the same positions they occupy on a regular seven of diamonds, piece of chalk, pack of cards, a blank card of the same back pattern, a toy pistol and two rubber bands. Preparation: Place the prepared cardboard under the slate, with its spots side downwards, and set both on your table with their ends protruding over the rear edge so that both can be picked up at once. On top of the pack have the regular seven of diamonds and put the blank card in your right trousers pocket, the chalk in your left trousers pocket. Lay the pile of cardboards on your table together with the pack. Working: Pass out the six pieces of cardboard for examination and, while this is being done, force the seven of damonds on a spectator by using the classic force thus: First shuffle the deck overhand by undercutting a little more than half the cards, jogging the first card and shuffling off. Square the cards, insert the tip of your left little finger under the jogged card and then force the card under the finger tip, the seven of diamonds, in the regular manner. If this fails, smile cheerfully, cut at the seven of diamonds bringing it to the top of the pack as you say, "Thank you. I want you to use that card as an indicator so that we may be sure a card is chosen at random." Make the same overhand shuffle again, undercutting about one-third of the deck and again secure a break under the jogged card and therefore above the seven of diamonds. Instruct the spectator to thrust the card he holds into the deck face, upwards as you riffle the ends. Riffle off the first ten or twelve cards quickly and

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then slow the movement in order to insure that the spectator's card will be pushed in amongst those below the break. As soon as this is done, let the card remain protruding from the deck and turn your left hand to bring the pack into an upright position. Grasp the packet at the rear, separated by the little finger tip, between your right thumb at the bottom and ringers at the top, and raise it flush with the protruding card. Hold all the cards in this position with your left hand, releasing your right hand grip, then take all the protrudng cards with your right hand, thumb at the back, fingers in front, and lift them away, at the same time lowering your left hand with its packet and moving it towards the spectator. Invite him to take the card he has so freely chosen, the top card of the packet, the seven of diamonds. Smoothly done, this force is convincing and so easy that every card worker should be ready to use it in an emergency. Have the spectator show the card to everyone and then place it face downwards on the top of the pack. Remarking, "I shall need a piece of chalk," thrust your right hand into your trousers pocket and palm the blank card. Not finding the chalk there, take the pack with your right hand, adding the palmed card to the top, dive your left hand into your left pocket and bring out the chalk. Give it to the spectator. Get ready for the double lift as you square the pack, then turn the two top cards as one, showing the seven of diamonds. "Here is your card," you say, "I want you to place a large cross on the back of it," and you turn the two cards face down on the top of the pack. "Oh, pardon me!" I meant to give you a pencil." Take out pencil and have him mark a large cross on the back of the top card, the blank, which he supposes is the seven of diamonds. At once take that card off, keeping its face away from the spectators, and stand it upright on your table. Bring forward the regular slate, holding it in your right hand, thumb above, fingers below, supporting the prepared cardboard. Collect the other boards taking them in a pile in your left hand. Go to the spectator who has the chalk and who selected the card and have him write its name boldly on the slate, which you place over your left hand as if to help steady it. The prepared board is thus added to the pile of six and nobody is any the wiser. Let the spectator retain the slate. Take off the two top boards and lay

the rest aside. Show these two, sliding them apart and taking one in each hand, sloping them downwards, and put them together again. Show the backs and then snap the two rubber bands around them. Borrow a handkerchief, place the boards on it and knot the corners over them making a tight little bundle. Hand this to another spectator and have him hold it up in full view in his right hand. Show the toy pistol and announce the miracle that is to happen â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you will shoot the card from the table and make it pass between the two boards held by the spectator. Take your position with exaggerated care so that you will have the card on the table and the package held by the spectator exactly in line, then fire.. and nothing happens, much to your chagrin. "I should have used a stronger charge," you say. "I have only shot the spots off the card," and picking it up you turn it and show that it is blank although it has â&#x20AC;˘ the mark on its back and has been in full view. "Will you, sir, open your package," you say to the second volunteer assistant," and see what has happened, if anything, to the boards?" He finds that on one of them the pips have stuck themselves in correct position to represent the seven of diamonds. Hold the board for everyone to see and continue, "This will be a lesson to me. Next time I shall use a cannon and I shall fire not only the whole card but the spectator also between the boards." But the reader will say, "How about the card standing upright on the table?" That is simple enough. On the table you have a black thread about fifteen inches long, fastened by one end with a pellet of wax to the surface of the table near the rear edge. The other end is free but is also provided with a wax pellet, the thread being stretched out straight towards the front. When you put the card on the table, face downwards, you press the end farthest from the audience on the free pellet of wax making it adhere. Then you decide that it would be better to stand it upright so that all can see it and, with great pains and after several pretended failures, you contrive to make it stand upright, an easy matter thanks to the thread. When you lift the card later on to show it blank, a touch with your thumb at the back will dislodge the wax leaving nothing to show how the mysterious balance was obtained. It would be very effective to have the card fall when the pistol is fired, but that little problem I leave to the reader's ingenuity.

Hugar(Ts MAGIC

THE LIGHTNING

Monthly

CHANGE

by LARRY RUSSELL Here is an old coin effect which I recalled while re-reading Vol. 1, page 11 of the Magic Monthly wherein the Classic Coin Fold is described and which brought back fond memories. I ran across the Coin Fold about thirtyfive years ago and at the same time the coin effect I am about to describe. Recently I showed this to a good coin man who had not seen it before and who thougth it very unusual. Incidentally it was shown to me, along with the Coin Fold, by an old man who was "busking" in a pub off the "Strand" in London. Perhaps, I ought to explain that I have been away from magic since 1920 until last July, so I do not know if the following is generally known or not. (This strikingly effective feat has never before, to my knowledge, been described in print. Editor.) Effect: (In the old days it called for a sovereign which our "busking" friend borrowed, and a shilling; nowadays a half dollar and an English penny will fill the bill.) The performer borrows a half dollar from a spectator. He requests the spectator to stretch out his left hand, palm upwards and he places the half dollar on it. Then he explains that he will count "One, Two, Three" and on the word "Three", the spectator is to close his hand instantly and tightly over the half dollar. Otherwise, explains the performer, he is liable to lose his half dollar.

The performer then waves his right hand, fingers and thumb outspread, horizontally and palm downwards, over the half dollar in the spectator's hand and counts, "One, Two, Three" whereat the spectator instantly closes his hand into a fist and grins triumphantly at having retained the half dollar. T h e performer, looking rather sheepish, repeats the entire procedure lulling the spectator into the belief that he is a very smart man in holding onto what is really his. The second time, however, that the motions are gone through, upon the count of "Three", when the spectator once more triumphantly closes his fist, the performer shakes his head forlornly and says, "What's the use? You must know this trick. Put your money in your pocket â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I'll show you another trick." Instantly the performer goes into another trick, maybe two, both quickies. Then he asks the original spectator, casually, for another loan of his half dollar. The spectator puts his hand in his pocket and finds he has only an English penny instead of his original half dollar, jjnuch to his amazement and the amusement of the onlookers. Requirements: Ability to palm, timing, showmanship and practice. (Definitely n o t for the "What's new?" boys, who want to put over a new effect five minutes after reading the method.) And an English penny. Working: The performer palms a penny in his right hand and he uses this hand exclusively throughout the feat. He borrows a half dollar from a spectator and he places it on the palm of the spectator's upturned left hand. He explains that he is going to count "One, Two, Three," and at the word "Three" the spectator is to close his hand tightly into a fist and retain the "Coin. This is done and the spectator retains the coin. However, this first procedure is simply misdirection to permit the performer to explain and show that the spectator must stretch his hand out taut so that all present will be able to see the half dollar. (This tautness of the spectator's hand is ninety per cent of the method, as we shall see.) If it is necessary the performer demonstrates by stretching the spectator's fingers outwards and making them taut. Then the performer waves his hand, horizontally, palm downwards, from right to left over the spectator's hand and counts "One, Two, Three". Instantly, upon uttering "Three", t h e

performer's hand, fingers and thumb spread clawlike, d a r t s downwards, striking the spectator's palm with the tips of the fingers and thumb outside the half dollar. Simultaneously he releases the palmed penny and at the same instant receives into his palm the half dollar which is perked upwards by his striking the taut palm of the spectator. Surprisingly enough t h e half dollar flies upwards into j u s t about perfect palming position. Immediately, the performer seizes the fist of the spectator, (who is usually grinning all over his face at having once more retained the half dollar, the similar size of the English penny convinces him that it is so) and with a downward, gentle push, whispers to .the spectator, "Listen, old man, put your money in your pocket; you must know this trick". Surprisingly enough, this seldom fails. The spectator is so flattered at being credited with being extra smart and magic-wise, that â&#x20AC;&#x201D; well, try it and see for yourself. The performer immediately proceeds to show one or two little coin tricks or flourishes and then casually asks the spectator for the loan of his half dollar again. On bringing out the coin from his pocket the spectator finds that his half dollar has vanished and that he is the proud possessor of a â&#x20AC;&#x201D; penny. Properly done, the feat is a stunner and is well worth the study and practice it calls for.

GOLD and SILVER (Continued from page 123) trick in the ancient way (see volume No. 2, page 100) by placing the fake d i m e (with penny soldered on its back) on the fingers of the left hand, the penny (with dime soldered on the back) on the fingers of your right hand. Close your hands and turn them over. After your incantation turn the hands and open them and the coins are seen to have changed places. Replace the coins on the fingers and repeat the operation, then put both coins in your pocket, but changing your mind, bring y o u r h a n d out again, this t i m e with the genuine dime and penny, the faked coins being left in the pocket. With the genuine coins work the transposition explained above after casually turning each coin over several times. This presentation makes the feat a really magical one.

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Uagarft MAGIC Monthly

INTERLUDES

your pocket in taking out a handkerchief to wipe the wand.

(Continued from page 124) cuse for testing the swallowing capaA POROUS GLASS city of your assistant, seat him with Instead of the parrot-like recitation, his left side to the audience and take "I have here an ordinary glass," which your position _facing him. Place the is heard only too often, when you free end of your wand between his have occasion to use a glass, simply teeth, put your left hand to his chin to keep his teeth biting on the tip show it, turn it bottom upwards and strike the bottom with your wand, of the wand and also to hide the at the same time calling attention to whole of the white end with your the fact that it does not have a douleft fingers. On the other hand, hold ble bottom. the faked end so that fully half of "As a matter of fact," you say, "I its white tip is plainly visible. don't believe it has any bottom at Slide this faked tip with your right all for my wand goes through it with hand along the wand up to your left the greatest of ease." You thrust the hand, at the same time allowing the wand into the glass and it is seen to wand itself to enter your right sleeve protrude at the bottom, you withso that it is concealed by your hand, draw it and repeat the penetration wrist and sleeve. Rapidly withdraw the right hand and the false tip to and withdrawal several times rapidly. Finally you push the wand right their original positions and repeat through and let it fall to the table. the two movements rapidly several Working: After having tapped the times. For the spectators, the illusion bottom of the glass with the wand, of the wand being thrust into the replace the glass on the table in its assistant's mouth for its full length normal position. Grasp it with your is perfect. If proper care is taken the left hand near the rim between the victim himself will not be able to thumb on one side and the forefinger see how the trick is done. on the other, at the same time turning Finally withdraw the wand from the your body slightly to the left. There assistant's mouth and hand it to him will thus be a space between the fork to examine, retaining the fake end of the thumb and the glass and it is in the action. Drop the gimmick into

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into this space that you thrust the end of the wand and not into the glass itself. If you hold the glass and the wand perfectly upright and the fork of your thumb directly facing the spectators, a perfect illusion will be obtained. No stress should be laid on these little feats, just do them casually and go right on with the main trick.

A DEEP GLASS Another little interlude of which Charles Bertram was fond, is to show that a glass is deeper inside than outside. He would thrust his wand into a glass held in his left hand mouth upwards and measure its depth with the tip of his thumb, placing this at the level of the rim of the glass. Then, withdrawing the wand and turning the glass bottom upwards with his left hand, he would surreptitiously slide his thumb an inch or so farther along the wand. By placing the wand against the side of the glass, again with the tip of the thumb level with the rim, he would show that the end of the wand protruded an inch or so above the bottom of the glass. With a look of amazement he would say, "Isn't it wonderful? Deeper inside than out!"

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Hugard's D E V O T E D

S O L E L Y

MAGIC T

O T H E

I N T E R E S T S J U L Y

VOL. III. No. 2

F M A G I C

Monthly A N D

M A G I C I A N S

1945

20 CENTS

THE FLYING CIGAR BAND AN INTRIGUING TABLE INTERLUDE by MARTIN GARDNER This is essentially a close-up effect and is best suited fer work at the table. Its presentation has a unique feature in that the magician carefully explains and actually demonstrates in slow motion exactly how the trick is done. Then he does it and his trusting victims try in vain to do the same thing although they are sure that they know the modus operandi. Further, they never will be able to do it, no matter how many hours of practice they devote to it. The effect is the instantaneous transposition of a cigar band from the tip of the second finger to the tip of the first finger and back again. The magician explains that by slightly lifting his forefinger he can press his thumb on the left side of the band, then by pressing his third finger against the other side he can hold the band securely. He has, then, merely to extract the tip of his second finger and insert the tip of his first finger into the band and the transposition is completed. By again holding the band in the same way with the thumb and third finger, pulling out the first finger tip and inserting the tip of the second finger, the band is brought back to its original position. He demonstrates the moves in slow motion until everyone thoroughly understands them. To show the effect in action, the magician places the first and second fingers of his right hand, separated a little and forming a V shape, against his outstretched left arm at the bend of the elbow, the cigar band being on the tip of his second finger, the thumb, third and fourth fingers being bent into the palm. Rapidly brushing his two outstretched fingers along his left sleeve to a point just beyond his left fingers and back again to the bend of his elbow, the cigar band is seen to have jumped to the tip of his first finger. Repeating the outward thrust and return of the hand to the elbow,

actually does not move from its position on the tip of the second finger, recourse being had to an optical illusion. At the start of the action, show your first and second fingers, outstretched and slightly separated, pressed against the left arm at the bend of the elbow, the thumb, third and fourth fingers being bent into the palm and the cigar band being on the tip of the second finger. In the action of brushing the right hand outwards and back to the elbow, simply bend the first finger into the palm and extend the third finger. The larger motion of the hand covers the movements of the fingers and, so intent are the spectators in watching the position of the band that they never notice this change of fingering. The fact that the first finger is bent inwards is concealed by its knuckle being pressed against the bent arm at the elbow, Fig.

the cigar band has jumped back to the tip of the second finger instantaneously. The effect is a pretty one and the spectators need no urging to try it. But they find that when they hold the band, as explained, between the thumb and third finger and extract the tip of the second finger, the band is at once pressed flat and the insertion of the tip of the first finger becomes impossible. Yet the magician repeats the transposition of the band from finger tip to finger tip at lightning speed and the onlookers are impressed with the supernormal delicacy and agility of his fingers. The so-called explanation is, of course, pure misdirection, the real secret is far more subtle. The band

Allowing the spectators just time â&#x20AC;˘ enough to note the apparent transposition (a real one to them)t repeat the outward and inward movements of the right hand at the same time stretching out the first finger and bending the third finger into the palm once more. The band now appears to have jumped back to the tip of the second finger. The curious thing is that the explanation? of the trick is accepted, even by magicians, and it is amusing to watch the vain attempts made to duplicate the trick by using the moves given in it. The basic principle of the trick is the same as that of the little trick, familiar in our childhood, in which scraps of paper fastened to the nails of the forefingers were made to vanish and return to the refrain of "Fly away Jack, fly away Jill; come back Jack, come back Jill." The second fingers were stretched out and the forefingers bent in for the vanishes and vice versa for the returns of the papers.

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Hugartfs MAGIC Monthly

A NEW CARD CHANCE by TOMMY DOWD I have found this change most effective in working at tables, in fact, a table is necessary for its execution. Briefly, i card is changed into another card while held tightly on a table by a spectator. First of all, it is necessary for the operator to be able to palm a card by "The Gamblers' Flat Palm." The method is fully explained in Expert Card Technique, page 56. The palmed card is held by slightly bending the tip of the little finger on its upper right hand corner thus pressing the lower left corner against the mound of flesh at the base of the thumb, the other fingers being stretched out and the card remaining flat. In order to make the working of the change clear, we will suppose that you have had a card chosen and returned and that you have brought it second from the top. Assuming that the chosen card is the seven of clubs and that above it you have the ten of hearts, announce that by merely snapping the cards you can make the chosen card appear at the top of the pack. Riffle the cards, take off the top card, the ten of hearts, throw it face down on the table and state confidently that you have succeeded. The spectator turns the card and denies that the card is his. Rather taken aback you ask him if he is sure the ten of hea.rts is not his card? He is positive. "Very well," you say. "I'll ask you to turn that card face down. It's a nuisance that card, always getting in the way. Place your hand on it flat." In the meantime you have had ample opportunity to palm the top card, the seven of clubs, in the flat palm position and have laid the pack aside. When the spectator puts his hand on the face down card, the ten of hearts, you say, "No, not that way. Like this." With your left hand remove his hand from the card and put

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your right hand down on it quite flat in such a way that your palmed seven of clubs is added to the table card with its front end protruding over it about an inch. Now spread your right fingers so that part of the end of the upper card, the seven of clubs, will be visible between your second and third fingers near the fork. Place the tips of your left first and second fingers on this part of the seven of clubs and press the heel of your right hand on the protruding end of the lower card, the ten of hearts. Keeping your left fingers in position, draw your right hand away, keeping it flat and sliding it on the table top thus bringing with it and concealed by it, the ten of hearts. Have the spectator place his right hand on the card with his fingers spread and then place the tips of his left fingers on the visible part of the card just as you did. He will be positive that he still holds the ten of hearts. In the meantime, if you are seated opposited him, you can draw your right hand back to the edge of the table and let the ten of hearts drop into your lap or, by resting your hand on the edge of the table for a moment palm the card in the regular way with the greatest of ease. The revelation of the change under the spectator's hand is a matter for individual choice. You can, for example, add the stolen card to the top of the pack in picking this up. Ask the spectator to name his card and, running through the cards with their faces towards yourself, pretend to find it, taking out any card, calling it the seven of clubs and putting it on the top of the pack. Get ready for a double lift, order the ten of hearts and the seven of clubs to change places and, turning the two cards as one, show the ten of hearts. The spectator to his atonishment finds he has the seven of clubs.

Other uses will be found for this change which I have found gives excellent results. The Gamblers' Flat Palm is also very useful for the secret introduction of a card under a book, a magazine or other objects. By bending the hand slightly the palmed card can be made to bend outwards leaving a gap between the middle of the card and the hand. In taking a book or a magazine from the left hand, a corner can be inserted in this gap allowing the left fingers to draw the card underneath, the right hand immediately seizing the magazine with the thumb above and the fingers below so that the tips of the fingers hold the card securely. The magazine can be laid down in any required position and the card revealed later as may be required by the trick in hand. Another use for this method of palming is for the addition of a card or cards to a packet as in the Four Ace Trick and other tricks of a similar nature. For example, we will suppose that you have had a card drawn, have brought it to the top and palmed it and that the spectator has shuffled the deck. Take back the pack and ribbon-spread it on the table face downwards. Invite the spectator to touch any card and draw it halfway out of the line of cards. Place the tips of your right fingers on the back of the card below the one thus drawn out and with your left hand draw the protruding card and those above it away to the left. Lay your right hand flat on the remainder of the spread, releasing the flat palmed card and push these cards together towards the right. Pick up the packet very openly, square the cards and, taking off the top card, have the spectator name his card. Turning the card in your hand you show that he has divided the pack at the very card he chose.