By OTTOKAR FISCHER Translated and edited by
J. B. Mussey and Fulton Oursler With an Introduction by Mr. Oursler and an Unpublished Chapter by the late Harry Kellar Illustrated Houdini freed himself from a strait-jacket with comparative ease. How did he do it? Wherein lies the deception when a magician saws a woman in two before our eyes ? How can a conjurer pick any card requested from a full pack? How is it possible for a "mind reader” to answer a question handed to him in a sealed envelope? What is the secret of the inexhaustible punch bowl; of the woman who floats unsupported in the air? In this book, Ottokar Fischer, interna tionally known authority on the art of magic, exposes hundreds of magic effects as produced by professionals, by amateurs and by the Fakirs of India. He explains the secrets of magical apparatus; illusion effects of the past and the present; feats of dex terity and skill; fakes, gimmicks and other secret accessories; vest-pocket magic; mathe matical and sleight-of-hand card tricks; mind reading, clairvoyance and telepathy; illusions; the mystery of escapes from chains, handcuffs, leg and neck irons, etc.; and puzzles and their close connection with magic. In each case the author describes the trick as it is seen by the audience and then the means by which it is made possible— with the aid of scores of illustrations—so that the reader is let in behind the scenes and allowed to see the skill and ingenuity which have gone into the perfecting of the ancient and honorable art of humbuggery.
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Publishers New York
ILLUSTRATED MAGIC
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
NEW YORK • BOSTON • CHICAGO • DALLAS ATLANTA • SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN AND CO., Limited LONDON • BOMBAY • CALCUTTA • MADRAS MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN COMPANY OF CANADA, Limited
TORONTO
Fig. 1. Harry Kellar
ILLUSTRATED MAGIC By OTTOKAR FISCHER With an introduction by Fulton Oursler and an unpublished chapter by the late Harry Kellar, most famous of American magicians. Translated and edited by J. B. Mussey and Fulton Oursler.
NEW YORK
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1943
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Thi sEdi t i onCr e a t e di n201 5 ByTheCon j ur i ngAr t sRe s e ar c hCe nt e r
Fi ndmor egr e a tPDFsa to urCon j ur i ngAr t ss t or e I fanye r r or sar ef o und p l e as el e tuskno wa ts uppor t @c on j ur i ngar t s . or g
Copyright, 1931, By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. All rights reserved — no part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in magazine or newspaper. Set up and electrotyped. Published October, April, 1936 ; June, September, 1942; January, 1943.
ORIGINAL TITLE,
1931.
Reprinted
DAS WUNDERBUCH DER ZAUBERKUNST
SET UP AND ELECTROTYPED BY THE J. S. CUSHING CO. PRINTED BY THE BERWICK & SMITH CO.
TO THE READER Belief in miracles was the first religion of the human race. A leaning toward the mysterious was its first glimmering of consciousness. Who were the first magicians and conjurers? Men who succeeded in finding out some secret of nature, and who then “conjured” with the help of this knowledge — not always, it must be said, for the good of their fellow-men. After a transformation requiring thousands of years for completion, the sorcerer of antiquity became the modern magical entertainer. Unlike his prehistoric predecessor, he does not pretend to supernatural powers, but admits openly that he makes use of the ordinary forces of nature for his wonders. In entertaining shape he gives back to people the miracles in which they have lost faith. At the same time he shows that everything which appears supernatural finds a complete solution in natural laws. The readers of this book are to get a glimpse behind the scenes at the artistic and creative conjurer of the present day. They will learn to know the earnest purpose, the inclusive knowledge, which a modern magician must have to bring him to the heights of the true artist. The readers will see that the art of magic is not simply an art, with virtuosi and immortals, but a serious science which demands respect. Reputable scholars in all fields of science have studied and encouraged the entertaining art of magic, have sometimes even devoted their whole lives to it. It was they who swept away the last remnants of charlatanism and mountebankery from magic, and freed it from traditional prejudices. As late as the second half of the nine teenth century, skilled magicians were considered the equals of other intel lectual lights, given princely honors, and flooded with signs of royal favor. The artistic value of magic must not be judged, however, by the mere dilettante. Shown by skilled hands, magic is always sure to enchant people who still have a poetic imagination. To appreciate the art in the art of magic, one must understand the wonderful cooperation of all the factors, physical, psychical, and technical, which together make the essence of magic. The author of this book, who has been active practically and as an investigator throughout decades, has made it his object to bring this knowledge to all those interested in the art. It may be of interest to know the intentions which guided me in writing the book. The artistic level of the art of magic sank in Europe to a depth doubly regrettable to a person with any aesthetic feeling. By means of vii
TO THE READER
viii
“Illustrated Magic” I wished to show the casually superficial, perhaps rather scornful amateur, as well as the layman, what wonders of intelligence and technical refinement exist in real conjuring, so that these laymen and amateurs might learn to love and respect the art of magic as a real art. For that reason, many connoisseurs will miss novelties in the book. Nor were novelties at all my object. I wanted rather to set down what was fundamental and essential, the unshakable foundations on which the art of magic is built up. In that, I believe I have succeeded. Perhaps one more “wonder” deserves mention in “Illustrated Magic”: the completion of the entire book, manuscript and illustrations, required but six weeks! This is a speed which ought to rejoice even my American colleagues. May the insight here given into the secrets of magic yield many an hour of pleasure! Pleasure to the reader only theoretically interested, as well as to him who plans to learn and to perform what he has learned ! Vienna,
Autumn 1929.
Ottokar Fischer
CONTENTS To the Reader The Magic of Today by Fulton Oursler Three Secrets of Success for Every Magician by Harry Kellar CHAPTER I. From Magic-Man to Modern Conjurer II. Why You Can’t Always Trust Your Senses Examples of Illusions of Touch; Aural and Optical Illusions Illusions; Their Role in Magic III. The Secrets of Magical Apparatus Objects of Magical Apparatus Apparatus and Accessories of General Importance The Magic Wand The Magician’s Table Servantes Wells Pistons Spring Pulls Artistic Treatment of Magical Effects Classification of Magical Effects Automata Refinement, Simplification, and Perfecting of Magical Apparatus . Virtuosi of Stage Magic The Conjurer’s Program The Conjurer’s Patter Interesting Magical Effects of an Earlier Period The Mysterious Orange-Tree Schiller’s Bell The Devil’s Target The Mysterious Casket The Inexhaustible Punch-Bowl The Japanese Inexhaustible Box Magical Effects of the Present Spring Flowers The Vanishing Bird-Cage The Flags of All Nations The Blue Phantom Feather Bouquets Comparison between Old and New Tricks of Similar Effect ix
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vii 1 19 25 29 29 38 40 40 40 40 41 42 42 42 42 43 44 44 44 45 46 46 47 47 48 49 50 50 52 54 54 54 54 55 57 57
x
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
IV. Feats of Dexterity and Skill Adroitness and Dexterity The Prestidigitator The Conjurer’s Dress Suit Classic Sleight-of-Hand Experiments The Gallant Conjurer (Glass Bowl Production) The Ring in Danger The Traveling Handkerchiefs The Multiplying Billiard-Balls The Miser’s Dream; Various Sleights with Coins The Cups and Balls V. Fakes, “Gimmicks,” and Other Secret Accessories Thimble Tricks Cigar Tricks VI. Vest-Pocket Magic Vest-Pocket Tricks with Mechanical Accessories The Miniature Silk Handkerchief The Rattle Bars The Three Match-Boxes The Miracle of Confucius The Cigarette from Nowhere The Magic Cigarette Factory The Magic of Numbers The Snobbish Coin The Anti-Spiritualistic Cigarette-Paper Pocket Tricks Requiring No Preparation The Wandering Coin The Magic Envelope The Four Journeymen (Coins, Cards, and Handkerchief) The Herculean Bank-Note The Lightning Knot The Torn and Restored Cigarette-Paper The Electric Tube The Floating Cane The Balancing Cigar The Rotating Cigar The Cut and Restored String The Penetrating Glass A Double Surprise VII. The Wonders of Card Magic Historical Note on Playing-Cards Fundamental Sleights with Cards The Blind Cut The Change Top Change Bottom Change The False Shuffle The Force
PAGE
60 60 60 61 62 62 62 65 67 69-71 72 73 74 75 79 79 79 81 82 82 83 84 85 86 88 89 89 91 93 96 96 97 98 99 100 101 101 103 104 107 107 109 110 110 110 110 110 111
CONTENTS CHAPTER
VIII.
The Glide The Mexican Turnover The Palm The Pass The Slip The Set-Up Pack and Tricks Therewith Other Mathematical Card Tricks The Inseparable Pairs The Card in the Pocket Sleight-of-Hand Card Tricks With Pass, False Shuffle, Blind Cut, and Slip With the Change (The Bewildering Aces) With the Glide (The Siamese Aces) With the Mexican Turnover (The Power of Gold) With the Palm (The Cards Up the Sleeve) The Magnetic Plate The Puzzling Prediction The Rising Cards The Queen of the Air The Card Fountain Flourishes The Back Palm Springing the Cards The Waterfall Drop The Turnover on the Arm Spread and Catch on Arm Throwing a Card Making a Fan Dr. Reinhard Rohnstein and His Card Tricks Mind-Reading, Clairvoyance, and Telepathy Definition of Terms Fake-Clairvoyant Experiments The X-Ray Eye Second Sight The Seer Swami’s Watch The Wonder of Language Fake Thought-Transference The Spoken Code, for Letters and Numbers “What Is That?” Silent Codes The Eye Code The Map Test The Great Book Test Finger Code Telepathy The Pin Test Execution of a Task Thought by a Spectator Experiments without Direct Contact with the Control
xi PAGE
113 113 113 114 115 115 115 116 117 118 118 118 120 120 121 124 124 126 127 128 128 128 129 129 129 130 130 130 130 132 132 132 132 133 134 134 135 136 138 139 139 140 141 141 142 142 143 145
xii CHAPTER
IX.
CONTENTS
Stage Illusions The Term Illusion as Used in Magic Varieties of Stage Illusion Interesting Illusions The Window of the Enchanted House Mystery Oh! One — Two — Three! Here — There! Escape Illusions Adomey Aerolithe The Floating Yoghi Asra Sawing a Woman in Two, etc. Cassadaga X. Ghosts and Other Apparitions Belief in Spirits and Belief in Magic Spirit Apparitions in the Hands of Charlatans The Magic Lantern Used to Produce Spirit Apparitions Henri Robin’s Presentation of Moving Spirit Images Their Imitation by Professor J. H. Pepper Arrangement of a Stage for Spirit Apparitions Effects Depending on the Robin-Pepper Principle The Blue Room XI. The Wonders of Black Art Chance Discovery of Black Art Ben Ali Bey and His Stage Arrangement of the “Black Cabinet” Ben Ali Bey’s Effects The Magnetized Drawing The Creation of Woman by the Gods of the Orient The Soap-Bubbles Predecessors of the “Black Cabinet” The Vanishing Horse XII. The Mystery of Escapes Escapes from Rope Ties, Chains, etc. Hands Tied Behind Back The Davenport Tie Arms Crossed, Hands Tied Behind Back Ten Ichi Thumb Tie Escape from Twenty Yards of Rope Escapes from Handcuffs, Leg- and Neck-Irons, and Other Locking Devices Escapes from Bags, Baskets, Boxes, Metal Receptacles, Strait-Jackets, and Similar Restraints Prison Escapes
PAGE
146 146 146 147 147 149 151 152 153 154 155 155 155 156 158 162 162 162 163 165 165 165 166 167 169 169 169 170 170 170 170 170 171 171 172 172 172 173 174 175 177 178 179 183
CONTENTS CHAPTER
XIII.
The Feats of the Fakirs Fakirs in Their Oriental Home Technique of the Indian Conjurers Mythical Tricks of the Fakirs, and Attempts to Explain Them The Indian Rope Trick The Mango Trick Burial Alive Other Oriental Conjuring Tricks The Cups and Balls The Magician’s Drum The Transformation of the Pebble The Indian Basket Trick The Magic Sign Snake-Charmers and Other Indian Jugglers XIV. The Wonders of Puzzles Puzzles and Their Close Connection with Magic Puzzles of Separation The Chained Heart The Devil’s Keys The Mysterious Triangle The Hello Puzzle The Morning Star The Wonder-Block The Chinese Ladder The Blocks of Desperation Japanese Wooden Puzzles Puzzles with Secret Fastenings The Mysterious Jewel-Casket The Matchbox The Surprise Box The Mysterious Bolt The Lucky Dollar Cut-Out Puzzles The T Puzzle “Curious” Puzzles The Screw Screwed into the Bottle The Bottle Puzzle The Japanese Rods
xiii PAGE
186 186 187 187 187 189 189 192 192 193 193 193 194 195 196 196 196 196 197 197 197 198 199 200 200 202 202 202 203 203 203 204 204 204 204 204 205 206
THE MAGIC OF TODAY BY FULTON OURSLER
We are living in a magical age. Scientists have made the wonderful stories
of the past the realities of our own time. In the “Arabian Nights,” the brave prince flew to the rescue of his lady fair on the back of a magical flying horse. Today the prince would use an aeroplane — and arrive much quicker. If the famous magicians of the past could rise from their graves, they probably would again fall dead of astonishment at our daily commonplaces. To them the telephone, the radio, and countless other appliances would seem miracles indeed. The wizards who astonished our grandfathers would also be dazzled and amazed at the performances of modern magicians. Naturally the conjurers of today have had to keep pace with scientific progress. Many new dis coveries made in laboratories quickly find their way to the workshop of the modern illusionist. Inventions in chemistry, electricity, and engineering are seized upon by performers who apply them to new deceptions on the stage and in the drawing room. Today we regard the magician as an entertainer; but this was not always so. Mr. Fischer has told how once the conjurer was credited with evil powers. But even after he was acquitted of diabolical connections, the magician was held in contempt as a frivolous fellow, beguiling the righteous from serious thought. The first reference to the art of magic which I have found among American writers is a reproof against such folly. This occurs in the journal of John Woolman, the great Quaker, who, one hundred years before the Civil War, tramped up and down the eastern coast of the Thirteen Colonies, raising his voice against slavery. In Woolman’s Journal I found the following: “ The latter part of the summer 1763, there came a man to Mt. Holly who had previously published a printed advertisement that at a certain public house he would show many wonder ful operations which were therein enumerated. At the appointed time he did by sleight-ofhand perform sundry things which appeared strange to the spectators. Understanding that the show was to be repeated the next night, and that the people were to meet about sunset, I felt an exercise on that account. So I went to the public house in the evening and told the man of the house that I had an invitation to spend a part of the evening there, with which he signified that he was content. Then, sitting down by the door, I spoke to the people in the fear of the Lord as they came together concerning this show, and labored to convince them that their thus assembling to see these sleight-of-hand tricks, and bestowing their money to support men who, in that capacity, were of no use to the world, was contrary to the nature of the Christian religion. One of the company endeavored to show by arguments the reasonable1