Jean Hugard - Coin Magic - A Complete Manual of Coin Conjuring

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WILL ALMA

M.I.M.C. ( L O N D O N )

The State Library of Victoria "ALMA CONJURING COLLECTION"

C O I N

M A G I C

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Contents CHAPTER I. BASIC PAUIS AND CHANGES

Page 2

CHAPTER II. COIN TRICKS WITHOUT APPARATUS

Page 7

CHAPTER III. EASY TRICKS, FROUR1S1IES AND CATCHES.

Page 28

CHAPTER IV. TRICKS WITH l'AKEI) COINS AND APPARATUS

Page 3-1

CHAPTER V. ADVANCED SLEIGHTS, FLOURISHES AND SLEEVING

Page 11

CHAPTER VI. ADVANCED TRICKS

Page 50

CHAPTER VII. SPECIAL SLEIGHTS

Page 02

CHAPTER VIII. THE MISER'S DREAM 1. The Original Trick 2. The Modern Stage Method

Page 09

CHAPTER IX. MANIPULATIONS AND ADVANCED FLOURISHES

Page 79

CHAPTER X. PATTER FOR THE MISER'S DREAM

Page 87

ILLUSTRATIONS BY CIIRIS CARVEN Published bv MAX IIOI.DKX 220 W . 42nd St., N. V. C.

Copyrighted, lflllj, l>y MAX llOLDKN

C H A P T E R I.

BASIC SLEIGHTS AND CHANGES The f u n d a m e n t a l basis of m a g i c with coins is the art of p a l m ing, that is, of h o l d i n g and concealing a coin or several coins, in the p a l m of one hand, while pretending to place t h e m in the other. T h e first and m o s t useful m e t h o d by w h i c h this result is obtained is called THE PALM PROPER The best coin to use in practice at first is the thin p a l m i n g coin w h i c h can be obtained f r o m a n y dealer in m a g i c a l supplies. T h i s coin is of half-dollar size, is very light and has a milled edge w h i c h helps greatly in getting a firm grip on the coin. As facility in the sleigh I is acquired a real half-dollar should be used in practice. To execute the P a l m P r o p e r take a coin b e t w e e n the t h u m b a n d the tips of the second and third fingers of the right hand and s h o w it to the spectators as in Fig. 1. Move the right hand towards the left, and, to give time lo execute the f o l l o w i n g m o v e m e n t , raise the right hand about six inches, so that in m o v Fig. 1 ing towards the left it describes an arc, and is turned over, the coin being thus hidden by the back of the hand. Move the t h u m b f r o m the coin and place its tip against the tip of the forefinger and hold it there, at the s a m e m o m e n t bend the second and third lingers inward, carrying the coin upI'ig. 2 ward and pressing it firmly into the palm of the hand, Fig. 2, w h e r e it is held by pressure on its sides by the base of (he t h u m b and the side of the hand. Fig. As soon as the coin has been gripped in the palm, extend the two fingers and again rest the t h u m b tip against them in the s a m e position fte- 3 as w h e n the coin w a s really held there. Hold your left p a l m upwards, fingers half closed, and rest the tips of y o u r right fingers on it f o r a

m o m e n t , then close the left hand as if the coin had really been placed in it. R e m o v e the right hand, with the lingers slightly bent in a natural position. D o not try to hold the hand flat with the lingers spread w i d e apart. T h e natural position a s s u m e d by an e m p t y hand is a l w a y s one slightly curved. In practice first really place the coin in the left hand, raising the right h a n d in an arc as described, then practice the p a l m i n g m o v e m e n t until the actions of really placing the coin in the left hand, and only pretending to do so, are precisely similar. Studying the m o v e s before a mirror will help y o u to perfect yourself in this i m p o r t a n t sleight. T h e student must set himself the task of mastering the p a l m proper since by its use all kinds of small articles can be vanished. Indeed it has been well said by a great authority that p a l m i n g is the keystone of magic. THE FRENCH DROP This is an easier sleight w h i c h , properly done, creates a perfect illusion. T h e p a l m proper is difficult to do with more, than one coin but the F r e n c h D r o p is even m o r e illusive w h e n executed with several coins at the s a m e time. Hold the coin horizontally b e t w e e n tiie left t h u m b and first and second lingers, the hand being held p a l m upwards. Fig. I. T h e n pass the right t h u m b forward between (lie (hunib and fingers of the left hand under the coin, and, in the action of apparently siezing the coin, pass (he right lingers outside those of the left, at the s a m e time m a k i n g a half turn of (lie right hand d o w n w a r d s . Let the coin fall into the left hand, the right t h u m b causing it to m a k e a half turn, so that it drops edgewise to the roots of the second and third fingers w h i c h hold it securely by a slight contraction. Fig. 5. Separate the hands, raising the right as. if it held the coin, f o l l o w it steadily with y o u r eyes, and let the left hand fall s l o w l y lo y o u r side, the back of the hand to the front. Here again y o u should first really grasp the coin and carry it away, then under s o m e plausible excuse, such as taking another look at the mark 011 it, again place it in the left. T h e n execute the pass, imitating exactly the m o t i o n s m a d e w h e n really taking the coin. The sleight b e c o m e s even m o r e illusive w h e n clone with several coins. Hold them, piled one 011 the other, in the s a m e w a y as f o r o n e coin and seize them in like m a n n e r , and, as the right hand turns over, let t h e m drop into thai hand will) an audible "chink". S h o w llie

coins and again put them in position in y o u r left hand. Apparently take them as before but really let t h e m "drop in a sloping position against the l o w e r joints of the second and third fingers, their l o w e r edges resting on the roots of the fingers. T h e "chink" m a d e b y the falling coins should exactly simulate the s o u n d m a d e w h e n they w e r e really taken in the right hand. This sleight is very useful for vanishing a n y small objects s u c h as small balls, eggs, walnuts, corks, etc. T h e action is precisely the s a m e as f o r coins.

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THE FRENCH DROP Variation Grip the coin b e t w e e n the t h u m b and third fingers of the left h a n d as in Fig. (i. Pass the right t h u m b under the coin as usual, but, as soon as the coin is hidden b y the right hand, bring the left second linger under the coin a n d the first finger o n top. W i t h these t w o lingers grip it b y its extreme e d g e next the ball of the thumb, at the s a m e m o m e n t release the hold of the thumb and third linger and straighten out the hand, Fig. 7. Meantime w i t h y o u r right h a n d you have g o n e through the m o t i o n of taking the coin and this y o u s e e m to have actually done, since the left hand is seen to be empty. Y o u should have y o u r right side to the front in m a k i n g this pass. THE PINCH This is an easy a n d useful sleight f o r vanishing a small coin. Hold it edgewise between the tips of the left forefinger and thumb. B r i n g the right hand over as if to take the" coin with the t h u m b and fingers, Fig. 8, but at the m o m e n t that it is hidden by the right lingers, let it drop to the roots of the left second a n d third fingers, w h i c h m a s k the fall of the coin and then hold it securely b y being bent slightly inwards. Move the right h a n d away, f o l l o w i n g it w i t h y o u r gaze, and closing the fingers as if holding the coin.

It will be noted that with the coin or coins held at the roots of the second and third lingers, the p a l m of the hand m a y be freely s h o w n empty. If a little care is taken as to the angle at w h i c h the hand is allowed to be seen, the audience will be convinced that the coin has really been taken in the other hand. THE THUMB PALM This is a quick and easy m e t h o d of concealing a coin and is preferred by m a n y p e r f o r m e r s to all others, particularly in such tricks as the Miser's D r e a m , to be described later. You take the coin b e t w e e n the t h u m b and fingers of the right band. Slide the coin d o w n the side of the t h u m b until it reaches the

band, Fig. 9. You must not allow a n y part of Hie coin lo pro ject at the back of tlio hand. T h e m o v e m e n t , w h i c h can be d o n e very rapidly, takes place as the right h a n d m o v e s towards the left, a n d a pretence of putting the coin in the left hand is m a d e as usual. T H E PICK U P Sliowra coin lying on the p a l m of y o u r left hand. Raise the h a n d about breast high and bend the fingers a little inwards. W i t h the tips of the right thumb and lingers apparently pick up the coin, really m e r e l y touch it, then m o v e the right hand a w a y , closing the fingers 011 the p a l m as if the coin w e r e really taken. T u r n Hie left h a n d p a l m inwards, retaining the coin by the P a l m Proper, a n d let it drop quietly to the side. As before you should really pick up the coin and then imitate the m o v e m e n t s precisely w h e n pretending to take it. These live sleights m a y be regarded as the basis of coin m a g i c a n d should be thoroughly understood and mastered before at tempting any actual tricks w i t h coins. There are other m o v e s w h i c h are necessary f o r an exhibition of up-to-date coin manipulation and a special chapter will be devoted to Ihem later. CHANGES F o r m a n y of the best tricks w i t h coins it is necessary lo substitute a coin of your o w n for o n e m a r k e d b y llie audience, so thai it m a y r e m a i n in full v i e w w h i l e y o u dispose of the m a r k e d coin as m a y be necessary f o r the trick.

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COIN

MAGIC

1. By Means of the P a l m Proper Palm in your left hand, a coin w h i c h you desire to substitute secretly for a m a r k e d coin. l a k e the marked coin in your right hand, and, in apparently putting it in your left hand, execute the P a l m Proper. In the action bring the left hand up to meet the right, with its back to the front, turning it palm upwards at the m o m e n t the hands c o m e together. Rest the tips of the right fingers on the coin in the left hand f o r a m o m e n t , then turn the left hand palm to the front s h o w i n g the substitute coin lying on it. W h e n properly timed the sleight is perfectly illusive. 2. With One Hand Hold the coin to be substituted against the lowest joints of the right second and third fingers, its lower edge resting at the roots of the fingers and the upper edge clipped against the second joints by bending the fingers slightly inwards. Take the marked coin between the tips of the t h u m b and first and second fingers of the s a m e hand and s h o w it to the spectators allowing them to see that the palm of the hand is empty, Fig. 10. Raise your right hand as if to m a k e a closer inspection of the mark, and, as you do so, slide the marked coin d o w n the side of y o u r thumb by pressing on its outside edge with the forefinger as in the thumb palm, until the tip of the thumb rests on the concealed coin. Figs. 11, 12 and 13. W i t h the thumb push this coin upwards to the linger tips, and in so doing you will find that the marked coin will be turned upwards and land in exactly Ihe s a m e position at the roots of the second and third lingers as the other coin originally held, Fig. 11. The change can be done so rapidly that il is entirely covered in the action of raising the hand. Deftly done the eff ect to the audience is that you have merely held Ihe coin a little closer to your eyes to scrutinize the mark and then laid it d o w n again.

Fig. ID

Fig. 11

I-iK. « Fig. 13 Fig. 11 This change is indubitably the most pcrfect vet devised and it should be practiced until it can lie done with equal facility with either hand.

3. B y Means of The T h u m b P a l m F o r this change y o u have the coin to be substituted in y o u r right p a l m . T a k e up the m a r k e d coin and, in apparently transferring it to y o u r left hand, t h u m b p a l m it and at the s a m e m o m e n t let the coin drop f r o m the right p a l m into the left hand. The, s a m e change can be done by using the P a l m Proper, instead of the T h u m b P a l m , but the execution is m u c h m o r e difficult. 4. B y Means of a Small Tray You h a v e a small tray, a salver, or an ash tray, and under it y o u hold w i t h y o u r right fingers the coin to be substituted. Receive the m a r k e d coin o n the tray and go through the m o t i o n s of p o u r i n g it off the tray into the left hand. In reality hold it back w i t h the tip of the right t h u m b and let fall in its place, the coin held under the tray w i t h the right fingers. T h e c h a n g e is perfectly illusory and should be used on occasions as a m e a n s of c h a n g i n g one's methods. C H A P T E R II.

SLEIGHT OF HAND TRICKS COIN ANI) C A R D E F F E C T : Both h a n d s having been s h o w n e m p t y , the m a g i c i a n s h o w s all parts of an ordinary playing card and then pulls a coin f r o m out of it. The trick in itself is simple but presented with appropriate patter it is quite effective. S p a c e will not allow f o r palter to be g i v e n f o r all the tricks w h i c h will be explained in these pages, but the foll o w i n g will serve as an illustration of h o w a plausible plot will elevate a simple trick almost to the height of an illusion. T h e only preparation lo be m a d e is to see that y o u have a .*5.0l) gold piece in such a position that y o u can readily secure it secretly. Address the auditors in s o m e such m a n n e r as f o l l o w s : "You can i m a g i n e h o w a w k w a r d it w o u l d be lo be asked to sit in at a p o k e r g a m e and then find you have left y o u r pocket book at h o m e and haven't even chicken feed in y o u r pockets. You don't like to a d m i t y o u r stupidity and yet you hate lo refuse to play. W h a t w o u l d you d o in that case? But don't bother y o u r heads to find a solution, I have the perfect one to relieve the situation." "Here it is; under s o m e pretext, any excuse will do, you lake a pack of cards" (take up the deck in the left h a n d ) , "and running through it y o u find the Ace of Clubs and lake it out." ( D o this.) "Here it is. Perhaps you k n o w that in c a r t o m a n c y Ibis card signifies m o n e y , but y o u have never realized thai the m o n e y is actually in the material of the card." Holding the ace in the left band Hick its back and front with the lingers of the right hand, in w h i c h you have already p a l m e d the $5 piece. Then raise the left hand, holding the card in full v i e w and look steadily at it.

Drop your right hand and let the coin slide f r o m the p a l m to the fingers, then l o w e r the left and take the card in the right, so that it covers the coin. "You see I have nothing in m y left hand" (turn it round, s h o w i n g front and hack) "and nothing in m y right hand", take the card again in the left hand, hut this time carry a w a y the coin b e h i n d it, holding it w i t h the tip of the middle finger against the back of the card, t h u m b holding the card in front. S h o w all parts of y o u r right hand. Again take the card, and the coin at the back of it, w i t h the right h a n d and allow the coin to slip d o w n into the p a l m . Flick the card back and front with y o u r right fingers again, then once m o r e slide the coin f r o m the p a l m to the fingers and get it behind the card w h i c h y o u finally take in y o u r left hand, w i t h its f a c e to the audience, t h u m b in front and fingers behind, the coin being supported by the tip of the middle finger. Once m o r e s h o w the right hand empty, then w i t h t h u m b in front a n d middle linger at the back y o u pull the coin up into view as in Fig. 15, as y o u do this y o u c o n t i n u e , — " N o w if y o u s i m p l y press lightly in just the right w a y out will c o m e the gold it contains—." The m o v e m e n t s w h i l e requiring s o m e space to describe, s h o u l d f o l l o w one another s m o o t h l y and take up a f e w seconds only. Let it be said here, once f o r all, that y o u should give s o m e reason f o r the effect y o u show, plausible if possible, but a n y w a y far r e m o v e d f r o m what is actually done, and cover every necessary sleight w i t h a natural m o v e m e n t . T H E M E L T I N G COIN E F F E C T : A coin is melted in the f l a m e of a candle, taken out and restored to its original condition. On a table you have a candle w h i c h y o u light. B o r r o w a halfdollar w h i c h has been m a r k e d ; lay the coin d o w n beside the candle and rub y o u r hands briskly together in order, as y o u say, that the friction m a y develop electricity. T a k e the coin w i t h the right h a n d and really place it in y o u r left w i t h the s a m e action used in e x e c u t i n g the P a l m Proper. Hold the coin over the f l a m e of the candle f o r a m o m e n t or two, a n d call attention then to the fact that it is b e c o m ing soft. T a k i n g it in both hands, finger tips in front and t h u m b s

behind, pretend to bend it b a c k w a r d s and f o r w a r d s by bringing the tips of the fingers together on the face of the coin and then d r a w i n g tliein back to the edge. W i t h a fairly bright coin the effect is perfectly illusory. Again take the coin in the right hand and apparently put it in the left, really p a l m i n g it by the P a l m Proper. Seize the candlestick w i t h the right h a n d and hold the left hand, w o r k i n g the fingers about as though to squeeze the coin and force it out, just a b o v e the jlamc of the candle. A f t e r a m o m e n t or t w o open the hand and s h o w the coin has gone, as y o u claim, in a melted condition, into the candle. T o take it out y o u pinch the l l a m c with the left lingers and thumb, pretending to take s o m e t h i n g f r o m it. Hold the h a n d up as though it held a small l u m p of metal, looking closely at it yourself, the h a n d being p a l m u p w a r d s and about breast high. Put the candlestick d o w n , bring your right h a n d over and, in pretending to take this molten l u m p , let the p a l m e d coin fall f r o m the right p a l m into the left hand, which you hold w i t h the fingers a little bent and just high e n o u g h to keep the coin f r o m view. Finally f e i g n to place the l u m p into the left hand. Rub the coin w i t h the tips of y o u r right lingers and then s h o w it restored. T H E F L Y I N G COIN E F F E C T : To pass coins f r o m hand to hand and then thru a table. This little feat m a y be introduced as being an illustration of the saying that the hand is quicker than the eye. It depends entirely on deftness and if the spectators look for quick m o v e m e n t s they will be the m o r e easily deceived. B o r r o w a half-dollar and while getting it p a l m o n e of y o u r o w n in the right hand.. Holding the b o r r o w e d coin at y o u r left linger tips carelessly a l l o w the audience to see that the hand is otherwise e m p t y . D o not say anything about it, but m a k e the fact so plain that it m u s t be noted. Bring the right hand over the left and take a w a y the visible coin, at the s a m e m o m e n t dropping the p a l m e d coin f r o m the right h a n d into the left. Fig. 17. Close y o u r left hand and hold y o u r left a r m outstretched, back of the h a n d to the front. S h o w the coin in the right hand, then u n d e r cover of a throwing m o t i o n towards Ihe left, p a l m it. Open-Uic left

h a n d and s h o w the coin has arrived. B y having the b o r r o w e d coin m a r k e d and then changing it f o r y o u r o w n coin b y Change No. 2, the trick will be f o u n d to be quite startling. B o r r o w a second coin and in obtaining it y o u take the opportunity to get rid of your o w n coin. L a y the two b o r r o w e d coins o n the table. T a k e one in y o u r right h a n d and pretend to place it in the left, really p a l m i n g it. Clench the left fist and hold it w e l l a w a y . Take up the second coin w i t h the right hand and as y o u m a k e a throwing m o t i o n with y o u r left h a n d towards the right, close the right hand quickly, m a k i n g the two coins chink together. S h o w the left hand e m p t y and drop the two coins f r o m the right on the table. Offer to repeat the trick. Really place the coins one in each b a n d and close y o u r fists as though about to do the trick, but stop and put them d o w n again. Pretend to have forgotten to pull back y o u r sleeves. Once m o r e take the coins placing them in the h a n d s as y o u did at first but again really h a v i n g o n e coin in each hand. Make a m o t i o n as if about to throw the coin across but again stop and replace the coins o n the table. Say y o u will try the m o r e difficult feat of passing a coin thru the table. T a k e a coin in each hand, and place the left h a n d u n d e r the table. P a l m the right h a n d coin a s y o u m a k e a d o w n w a r d throwing m o v e m e n t over the table, and let a coin, w h i c h you had previously stuck under the table w i t h a pellet of w a x , chink against the coin in the left hand. B o r r o w two m o r e half dollars, m e a n t i m e getting rid of y o u r extra coin. Apparently place two coins in the left hand, really b y the P a l m Proper retaining them in the right hand. T a k e up the other t w o in the s a m e hand. Make a throwing m o t i o n w i t h y o u r left h a n d and at the s a m e m o m e n t jerk your right hand upwards, so that the t w o p a l m e d coins strike against the two in the fingers as they are closed on the palm. Finish the routine by passing all four coins through the table. On it y o u have a glass. T a k e all f o u r coins in the left h a n d in position f o r the F r e n c h Drop. Really take them in the right h a n d letting them click as they fall into it. Lift up the glass w i t h the left h a n d and m a k e a m o t i o n of putting it under the table. But y o u stop and lay the coins down, then oiler the glass f o r e x a m i n a t i o n . Once m o r e take the f o u r coins in the left hand, e x e c u t e the F r e n c h D r o p and hold the right h a n d puffed out as if it held the coins. T a k e glass with the tips of the left t h u m b and fingers, the m o u t h of the glass being outwards, and put it under the table. Pretend to t h r o w the coins f r o m the right hand d o w n w a r d s and at the s a m e m o m e n t twist the glass bringing its m o u t h under the coins clipped in the left h a n d and let them drop info if. W h e n y o u can execute this routine s m o o t h l y and w i t h the necessary conviction on your part, y o u m a y consider yourself well on the road to success in Coin Magic.

F I L T R A T I O N OF COINS E F F E C T : A coin wrapped in a handkerchief is magically abstracted and then passed to join another coin, also w r a p p e d in a handkerchief and held b y a spectator at a distance. B o r r o w two gentlemen's handkerchiefs and two half dollars w h i c h y o u have marked, and place these articles on y o u r table. In y o u r right b a n d y o u have p a l m e d a half dollar of y o u r o w n . Take up one of the two coins w i t h this hand and u n d e r pretense of l o o k i n g at the m a r k change it for y o u r o w n coin. Put this d o w n and take u p the other, look at the m a r k and lay it d o w n again. Y o u handle this second m a r k e d coin rather deliberately so that there can be n o possible suspicion of a n y manipulation. Retaining the m a r k e d coin in your right p a l m pick up y o u r o w n coin, describe the m a r k on the one you h a v e palmed, w h i c h y o u b a d previously noted, and place it at the tips of y o u r left t h u m b and fingers. Over it throw one of the handkerchiefs so that the coin is b e l o w its center. Pretend to notice s o m e doubt in the m i n d s of the spectators as to the coin being there. "It is really here", you say, and y o u seize it b e t w e e n the first and second lingers of y o u r right h a n d w h i c h y o u hold p a l m upwards, through the handkerchief. Fig. 18. Raise it and the handkerchief a couple of inches. "Still doubtful?" you say. "Very well. I'll s h o w it to you". Turn the right hand over inwards, still holding the coin which vou then grip, through the handkerchief w i t h the left hand. Y o u lift a corner of llie fabric and s h o w the coin is there. Fig. IS). T h e n turn the left hand d o w n w a r d s letting fall all the corners. T h e coin is n o w really outside the handkerchief, hidden by a f o l d o n the side next to you, Fig. 20. T o conceal Ibis, twist the fabric tightly r o u n d the coin and present it thus to a spectator to hold. Place it in the fork of bis right t h u m b in such a w a y that the coin is above his clenched list a n d (lie f o l d s of the handkerchief h a n g d o w n b e l o w his band. W i l l i his left b a n d have h i m grip the l o w e r edges of the material. Held in this w a y the coin is safe f r o m a n y curious investigation by the spectator.

All this time you have had one of the m a r k e d coins p a l m e d in your right hand and you have been careful to keep the p a l m a w a y f r o m view. Take up the second coin with the s a m e h a n d and describe the mark 011 it. T h r o w the second handkerchief over it and, as s o o n as it is hidden, slide the p a l m e d half dollar on it and grasp the t w o coins by their edges through the middle of the fabric w i t h the left hand, letting the folds hang d o w n evenly all round. Grasp the folds a little m o r e than h a l f w a y d o w n w i t h the right hand and let one of the coins fall. This is best done b y twisting the left h a n d and slightly relaxing its hold. The coins will fall imperceptibly into the loose part of the handkerchief, your right hand preventing it from' falling out. Turn the handkerchief to a horizontal position and ask a spectator to hold it in the s a m e way. Let h i m take the coin first then grip the folds outside y o u r right hand. He will be able to feel the coin he holds but the other will lie unnoticed in the folds. Go to the first spectator and, by having h i m hold the handkerchief a little lower, y o u readily get the coin out, being careful to pull the fold out a s you d o so. You exhibit the coin. "Here is the first m a r k e d coin", you say, and again you pretend to note the m a r k and describe it. Tell the second spectator that lie is to let go the coin lie holds w h e n y o u count TURKIC, but still hold the handkerchief. Pretend to place your coin in y o u r left hand, really p a l m i n g it. Count "ONE, T W O , T H R E E " , and m a k e a throwing m o t i o n towards the second spectator. F o l l o w i n g y o u r directions he lets fall the coin h e holds, and the second, falling 011 it w i t h an audible "chink", a n n o u n c e s its arrival. Have the m a r k s 011 the coins identified and y o u will find this little feat will leave y o u r audience nonplussed. COIN F I L T R A T I O N — S E C O N D M E T H O D It is necessary at times to be able to change one's m e t h o d s . Here is another w a y of apparently fairly w r a p p i n g a coin in a handkerchief. Holding a coin, a large coin f o r preference, at the tips of the right lingers and thumb, throw a w h i t e cotton handkerchief o v e r it. Press the fabric tightly round the edges of the coin, so that an impression remains for the m o m e n t . F o r this purpose it is best to use a leather stiff, freshly laundered cotton one. W i t h the left fingers a n d t h u m b apparently take hold of the coin through the fabric, in reality you w i t h d r a w it in the right hand, and secretly place it behind the double fold held in y o u r left hand. N o w twist this double fold tightly round the coin a n d to all appearance 3-011 have wrapped the coin fairly in the fabric. Y o u can have it held by a spectator, and w h e n e v e r required y o u can r e m o v e the coin as in the trick described above.

T R A V E L I N G COINS E F F E C T : A coin being held in each hand, the h a n d s are placed llat on the table, one coin passes f r o m one hand to the other; again t w o coins are placed in each hand and one coin again passes f r o m h a n d to hand. Place y o u r hands palm u p w a r d s on the table and have a quarter, or a half dollar, placed in the p a l m of each hand. Turn y o u r h a n d s d o w n and 011 raising (hem y o u s h o w two coins under one h a n d and nothing under the other. T o do the trick you have s i m p l y to turn the right hand quickly, m o v i n g it very slightly towards the left, the result being that the coin is shot f r o m that hand under the left w h i c h is turned just a little m o r e slowly. W i t h a little practice the coin can be shot f r o m hand to hand imperceptibly. The hands should he about eight inches apart. T o repeat the trick in a different m a n n e r take a coin in each hand, closing them and resting their backs 011 the table and further apart than before. B o r r o w two m o r e coins, all four must be of the s a m e value, and have them placed on the linger nails, o n e coin 011 each hand. Each hand n o w has two coins, one inside and o n e outside. A n n o u n c e that one coin will again pass f r o m h a n d to h a n d a n d turn y o u r h a n d s over, but two coins drop on the table. T h e audience think, naturally, that these two coins are the ones that w e r e on the outside of y o u r hands, really, under the pretense of failure, you have let the coin 011 the fingernails of y o u r right hand drop in'io that hand, while you let both coins roll ironi the left hand. Apologizing for y o u r failure you have a coin again placed on the linger nails of each hand. Pretending great care m o v e y o u r h a n d s a little closer, then a little further apart, then suddenly turn them d o w n , opening each hand a little to let the coins drop f r o m the linger nails into each hand. Finally s l o w l y open the hands, one contains three coins and the other one coin only. This trick is David Devant's favorite coin trick. N o higher r e c o m m e n d a t i o n can be given. COIN T H R O U G H H A T E F F E C T : A borrowed hat is placed c r o w n d o w n w a r d 011 a glass, three coins are dropped into the hat and one passes through the hat into the glass. You have a half dollar p a l m e d and you b o r r o w a hat and three half dollars. Put the coins on y o u r table and place the hat c r o w n d o w n w a r d s on the m o u t h of the glass. In doing this, h o w e v e r , y o u introduce your p a l m e d half dollar b e t w e e n the c r o w n of the hat and the edge of the glass at the rear. This is not hard to do but care m u s t be taken to avoid a n y sound w h e n y o u apply the coin to the edge of the glass. Y o u should stand with y o u r left side to the audience, left

hand holding the hat by the b r i m and the right h a n d flat against the crown. You will then" find it an easy matter to slide the hat a n d the coin into position 011 the m o u t h of the glass. A little m o r e than half the coin should h a n g over inside the glass so that the slightest tilting of the hat towards the front will allow it to drop in. Take up the three coins and apparently throwing all three into the hat, retain one in y o u r palm, throwing the other t w o s o that they strike smartly against the inside of the hat 011 the side towards the front. T h e coin b e l o w is thus released and falls visibly and audibly into the glass. In this f o r m the trick has a very g o o d eifect but it m a y be m a d e cpiite startling b y having one of the coins marked. As b e f o r e y o u h a v e a coin palmed, ltorrow three coins, one being m a r k e d and place them fairly and openly on your table. S h o w the glass a n d take the hat by the brim with the left hand. Hold up the m a r k e d coin, changing it b y the one hand m e t h o d as you do so. Describe the m a r k which y o u had noted before, and lay y o u r coin d o w n . Y o u have n o w only to put the m a r k e d coin in position secretly and finish the trick as above. Invite the spectator, w h o m a r k e d the coin, to r e m o v e the two f r o m the hat and identify his coin in the glass. COIN T H R O U G H A D E C K INTO A G L A S S E F F E C T : A pack of cards is placed 011 the m o u t h of a glass and both are covered with a handkerchief. A m a r k e d coin is caused to pass through the cards a n d fall into the glass. B o r r o w a quarter or a half dollar after h a v i n g had it m a r k e d . Place it 011 y o u r table, but in so doing change it f o r a similar coin of y o u r own, leaving the m a r k e d coin in y o u r right band. T a k e up a pack of cards, shuttle and then execute one or t w o color changes. It will be f o u n d that these m o v e s a m be done w i t h ease, the p a l m e d coin not interfering w i t h their execution. Place the pack 011 the m o u t h of the glass and at the s a m e time rest the b o r r o w e d coin on the rim, the greater part of it protruding inside the glass. T h r o w a handkerchief over cards and glass and lift both w i t h your left fingers and t h u m b f r o m above. Pick up the coin with y o u r right hand and vanish it in pretending to throw it at the glass. A n instant later with 3 our left lingers lift the end of the pack supporting the edge of the coin a n d it will drop inside the glass. T a k e the glass in the right hand, lift oil' the handkerchief and then the pack with y o u r left, a n d g o i n g to the o w n e r of the coin p o u r it out into his band. H e identifies his mark. The introduction of the shuttle and color changes tends to divert the m i n d s of the audience f r o m the idea of a substitution, w h i c h m i g h t possibly occur to them if the passage of the coin w a s m a d e i m m e d i a t e l y after it w a s borrowed. r

F L Y I N G COINS E F F E C T : Three half dollars are openly ])laeed in each hand. One bv one the coins are passed f r o m one hand to the other, finally all six coins are s h o w n in\ one band and n o n e in the other. 1. B y P u r e Sleight of Hand. B o r r o w six half dollars, or y o u m a y have six of y o u r o w n ready to save time. Better, have f o u r and b o r r o w two, giving the impression you have 110 m o r e of y o u r o w n . Y ou have one m o r e clipped at the roots of the second and third fingers of y o u r right hand. Arrange the six coins in two lines of three, counting t h e m aloud as y o u d o so. T h e position in w h i c h y o u bold the extra coin enables you to s h o w the p a l m of the right b a n d freely as y o u do this. T a k e up one of the first r o w and drop it into y o u r left hand, counting "One." T a k e another in the right b a n d and drop it, A N D the hidden coin, counting, "Two"; then a third and drop it into the left band counting, "Three." Close y o u r left h a n d tightly a n d hold it well a w a y f r o m the right. Again w i t h the right hand take up one coin and hold it up between y o u r finger and thumb, back of the band to the front, counting "Four." Slide it d o w n the linger.^ to the s a m e position in w h i c h y o u held the extra coin. T a k e up a second coin, hold it up in the s a m e w a y , counting "Five," then let it slide d o w n into y o u r p a l m , striking against the clipped coin in transit. Pick up the last, s h o w it as before, and let it slide d o w n into (he palm, counting "Six." You n o w h a v e f o u r coins in y o u r left hand, t w o in y o u r right p a l m and one clipped at the roots of the right lingers. Holding y o u r hands closed and far apart, order o n e coin to pass and m a k e a slight throwing motion. Open the right hand, p a l m to the front but keeping the lingers bent, hiding the clipped coin, a n d drop t w o coins on (lie (able, counting, "One, T w o . " Open the left hand and drop the coins f r o m it o n e by one counting, "Three, F o u r , Five, Six." Repeat the s a m e set of m o v e m e n t s lo effect the passage of the second coin. F o r the last coin you add the concealed coin in count-r ing five coins into your left hand. Y o u s h o w the last coin openly in y o u r right band, then y o u vanish it b y m e a n s of the back h a n d p a l m (see section IV.), and at once open the left b a n d and drop the six coins one b y one f r o m it. Seize the opportunity to pocket the extra coin. T

A COIN T H R O U G H T H E H A N D A coin is m a d e to pass through (lie back of m a g i -

EFFECT: cian's hand. B o r r o w a coin, any d e n o m i n a t i o n m a y be used f o r the trick. T a k e it between the tips of y o u r right t h u m b and fingers and rub its edge on the back of y o u r clenched left hand, as if y o u w e r e trying to s q u e e z e the coin through the hand. Fig. 21. A f t e r a m o m e n t or two y o u stop as if suddenly r e m e m b e r i n g that y o u had not s h o w n y o u r left b a n d to be e m p t y . This y o u do. T u r n y o u r left hand over and open it palm upwards, the right h a n d y o u retain in exactly the s a m e position. Fig. 22.

Again turn y o u r left hand down, closing it. At the s a m e m o m e n t drop the coin f r o m vour right t h u m b and fingertips and catch it in the left hand in the act of closing the fist. The right h a n d m u s t be held perfectly still, the fingers and t h u m b merely opening slightly to let the coin drop. T h e misdirection of opening the left hand to s h o w it e m p t y covers the sleight. T h e m o m e n t you drop the coin you again apply the tips of the right fingers and t h u m b to the back of tlie left h a n d and continue the rubbing m o v e m e n t for a f e w seconds. Finally s h o w the coin has gone and turn and open y o u r left hand revealing the coin 011 its palm.

1-iK. 21

l iR. 22 ALL CHANGE E F F E C T : A borrowed and m a r k e d half dollar w r a p p e d in a handkerchief changes places with a marked p e n n y also w r a p p e d in a borrowed handkerchief, both being held firmly b y spectators. Borrow a half dollar, first having il m a r k e d plainly b y the lender. I-rom y o u r pocket you lake an English p e n n y w h i c h y o u h a n d to another person to be marked. At the s a m e time secretly take a half dollar of y o u r o w n f r o m y o u r pocket and clip it at the'roots of the right second and third lingers. T a k e the m a r k e d half dollar a n d lay it d o w n very openly on the tabic, quietly noting the m a r k 011 it as you do so. T h e marked p e n n y you place beside the silver coin. Finally borrow two large handkerchiefs. Taking up the half dollar, in raising it towards y o u r eyes execute the single hand change, then turning y o u r coin about and looking at it, describe the m a r k 011 the coin n o w snugly held at the roots of your fingers. You have the o w n e r declare that it is the m a r k h e m a d e and put coin down. Take up the p e n n y in the s a m e w a y , without m a k i n g the change, describe the m a r k 011 it and have the person w h o m a d e Ihe m a r k a c k n o w l e d g e it. Still holding the penny at y o u r finger tips t h r o w one of the handkerchiefs over it, bringing its middle over the coin, but the m o m e n t the coin is hidden you m a k e the single hand change, bringing the m a r k e d half dollar to the finger tips and take that coin f r o m a b o v e through the handkerchief w i t h the left hand. W i t h the right h a n d twist the folds of Ihe fabric tightly round the coin and h a n d it to a spectator to hold. You repeat the s a m e m o v e m e n t s w i t h the half dollar (your substitute coin), changing it under the handkerchief f o r the m a r k e d penny. W r a p this up tightly and h a n d it to the person w h o lent y o u the half dollar. T h e trick is done: y o u have o n l y to give whatever m a g i c order y o u f a n c y to account f o r the change.

You call attention to the fairness of the w h o l e proceeding and the impossibility of your manipulating the coins so tightly held. Order the coins to change places. T h e holders u n w r a p t h e m and iind that this has taken place. In the m e a n t i m e you have had a m p l e opportunity to get rid of the duplicate coin. T W O COINS A N D T W O T U M B L E R S E F F E C T : A coin placed in one glass audibly passes to another glass. F o r this pretty little trick by Alan Peterson y o u require t w o glasses, t w o handkerchiefs and a pellet of good adhesive w a x . B o r r o w a coin and secretly add the w a x pellet to it, taking one of the handkerchiefs press one corner on the w a x as y o u g o lo place the coin in one of the glasses. Let the coin drop in glass w i t h an audible chink, holding the rest of the handkerchief spread before the glass. As you adjust the folds round the glass quietly lift out the corner to w h i c h the coin is attached by the w a x and secure it w i t h y o u r right lingers, taking care that the pellet of w a x adheres lo the coin. T a k e up the second glass w i t h y o u r lingers inside, but don't let the secreted coin talk as you do so. T h r o w the second handkerchief over the glass with y o u r left hand and leave the coin stuck on the edge of the glass. T a k i n g the covered glasses one in each hand, y o u order the coin to pass f r o m one glass to Hie other. Dislodge the coin f r o m the e d g e of (he glass in the right hand b y a slight pull on (he handkerchief and the coin is heard lo drop into i(. Put the glasses d o w n and uncover the left hand one, s h o w i n g il empty, lake the bandkerchief f r o m the other and pour the coin out of it. Detach a n y particle of w a x that m a y still adhere to il, and return il lo the o w n e r . BOY A N D COINS E F F E C T : A b o y holds two b o r r o w e d and m a r k e d coins. At c o m m a n d the coins pass one by one f r o m his hand to a hat held below. To w o r k this a m u s i n g trick a special m a n e u v e r is m a d e use of. w h i c h is not difficult but requires just a little timing to do properly. Y o u have two coins, take lip one and pretend lo place it in y o u r left band, really p a l m i n g it by the P a l m Proper in the right hand. W i t h this s a m e h a n d take up the second coin and, as before, m a k e the m o tions of putting it in the left hand, bill Ibis lime, as y o u p a l m it, let the previously p a l m e d coin drop into the lel'l hand and, as thev pass one another, let them strike together. It is Ibis jingle that m a k e s the sleight so deceptive, the spectator thinks it is caused b y the second coin falling on the first coin in your left hand, really you have n o w a coin in each hand.

Use of this sleight is m a d e in the trick. B o r r o w t w o half dollars and a small hoy. S h o w one of the coins in y o u r right h a n d a n d y o u pretend to put it in the left hand, really p a l m i n g it. (You have placed the h o y on y o u r left side.) S h o w the second coin and apparently put it also in y o u r left hand, hut y o u execute the sleight explained above, letting the p a l m e d coin drop and jingle against the second w h i c h y o u p a l m in its place. Put the two coins (one in reality) in the boy's hand, pressing firmly and m a k i n g h i m clench his h a n d tightly. Hold a hat under his h a n d w i t h y o u r left h a n d and tap his h a n d with y o u r right finger tips. Suddenly y o u say, "Pass", and drop the p a l m e d coin into the hat, it will appear to drop f r o m the boy's hand. B o y opens his hand and finds one coin only. Take this a n d s h o w it, place it on the hoy's palm, pressing d o w n firmly, but then quietly r e m o v e the coin as y o u close his fingers with y o u r left hand. H e feels the impression of the coin a n d is satisfied he holds it. Repeat the m o v e s as for the first coin and you have the two coins in the hat, and the boy's hand is empty. A WALKING PENNY E F F E C T : A borrowed coin, w h i c h has been m a r k e d f o r identification, is placed under y o u r left foot and passes invisibly beneath y o u r right foot. This is a g o o d trick f o r parlor w o r k as it is d o n e w h i l e seated. B o r r o w a penny, first having it plainly marked. E x c h a n g e it f o r a p e n n y of y o u r o w n b y w h i c h e v e r sleight y o u prefer, leaving the substitute coin in y o u r left hand and the m a r k e d coin p a l m e d in the right. Sit d o w n facing y o u r audience. Pretending to notice s o m e dust on y o u r right trouser leg, bend d o w n and brush it oil. T a k e the opportunity to slip the b o r r o w e d coin under the heel of y o u r right foot. Call attention to the p e n n y in y o u r left h a n d and then to y o u r feet, pulling them hack a little to s h o w there is n o t h i n g u n d e r them. T h e m a r k e d coin is thus brought under the sole of y o u r right f o o t and you keep it there b y m o v i n g the foot only an inch or t w o as y o u p u s h them f o r w a r d again. Go through the m o t i o n s of putting the coin under y o u r left foot, but really let it slide into the cull'. All y o u have to d o then is to order the coin to walk across f r o m one foot to the other, lift y o u r feet and s h o w the coin has obeyed. T h e trick should be w o r k e d on a carpet.

H E A D OR TAIL. A S U R P R I S E TRICK E F F E C T : A glass, around w h i c h a piece of n e w s p a p e r has heen wrapped, is placed over a coin. T h e m a g i c i a n suddenly s m a s h e s the paper shape llat, coin and glass have disappeared. This trick has helped to m a k e the reputation of m a n y p e r f o r m ers, and as it lends itself to m a n y variations in presentation, n o m a n ual of coin'conjuring w o u l d he complete without an explanation of it. S h o w a small glass and with a half sheet of n e w s p a p e r m a k e a shape to fit over it. T o do this double the paper in half lengthwise, roll it around the glass, adjusting the edge of the paper to the m o u t h of the glass and twisting the part of the paper w h i c h protrudes over the b o t t o m tightly, m a k i n g a kind of handle. D o not w r a p the paper l o o tightly r o u n d the glass but just so that it will slide out easily w h e n y o u lift the shape by the handle. P u t the glass on the seat of a chair and Ihe c o v e r a l o n g side of it. B o r r o w a quarter or a half dollar, having the o w n e r mark it first. T h e n invite s o m e one to help you and place the volunteer behind the chair on y o u r left side. Place the. shape over the glass and then both oyer the coin o n the seal of the chair. Invite y o u r assistant to g u e s s w h e t h e r the coin lies head or tails up. W h a t e v e r he says, lift glass and shape together and y o u both bend over to see if he w a s right. Right or w r o n g , y o u tell h i m to try again and again cover i h e coin w i t h the glass in the paper shape, l i e m a k e s his guess and vou lift both glass and shape and lean over lo inspect the coin. T h i s time let the glass slide out into y o u r left hand w h i c h y o u at once place behind y o u r assistant's back. Once m o r e put the shape over the coin, handling it exactly the s a m e w a y as w h e n the glass w a s in it. A third time he m a k e s his g u e s s and again y o u lean f o r w a r d to lift (he shape. But y o u pretend (o overbalance a little and bring y o u r right h a n d d o w n on the s h a p e crushing it flat. After a m o m e n t or t w o to allow f o r Ihe full effect of the vanish of the glass to be realized, seize the right h a n d side of y o u r assistant's coat, pull it open and thrust y o u r left h a n d w i t h the glass under it p u s h i n g il well up towards his coal collar at the back. Turn h i m around and s h o w the bulge m a d e by the glass between his shoulders. T a k e the glass oul f r o m Ihe top of his coat w i t h y o u r right hand, supporting it m e a n t i m e w i t h y o u r left h a n d outside the coat. Replace the glass on the seat of the chair, pick up the n e w s paper, at the s a m e time securing the coin and p a l m i n g it in vour left p a l m . Tear up the paper, (hen suddenly r e m e m b e r the coin and accuse y o u r assistant of h a v i n g taken thai also. Pretend lo pluck il f r o m his vest pocket and toss it in the air. Hold the glass out in y o u r left h a n d by (he rim w i t h the tips of fingers and t h u m b a n d let the palme d coin drop into it. Return "the coin and h a v e Ihe m a r k identified. S h a k e h a n d s w i t h y o u r assistant and dismiss h i m w i t h Ihe usual request that he k e e p the w h o l e thing secret.

ANOTHER METHOD This is done while sealed at a table. Instead of m o u l d i n g a shape to tit the glass you m a k e a small cylinder of a piece of paper to lit loosely around it and about twice the height of the glass. Y o u have under y o u r vest a small rubber ball w h i c h w h e n forced into the glass will fit tightly about two-thirds of the w a y d o w n . Proceed as above with the coin, etc., but pour s o m e w a t e r into the glass and w o r k with it upright instead of upended. W h e n lifting the glass and cylinder to see if the guess as to head or tail is correct, drop the rubber ball into the open end of the cylinder, giving it a push w i t h your fingers to force it down. Cover the coin again and have a second guess made. This time you draw the cover back to the edge of the table and let the glass fall into y o u r lap. After the e m p t y cylinder is put over the coin and you s m a s h it d o w n flat o n the table, quickly slip the glass into y o u r left coal pocket as y o u naturally turn y o u r right side to give f o r c e to the blow. By having a duplicate glass, with a little water in it and covered with a rubber cap, you can produce this f r o m under a person's coat, m a k i n g a very strong finish to the trick. W e l l presented this trick has a sensational effect. COIN A N D GLASS OF W A T E R E F F E C T : A coin is put on a table. II is covered first w i t h a playing card and both these with a hat. T h e coin vanishes a n d in its place is f o u n d a glass of water. This will be found an astonishing trick for close or parlor w o r k . Vest a small glass about one-third filled with water. B o r r o w a coin and a soft felt hat. Put the coin on the table, cover it w i t h a playing card, and over both put the hat. Ask the person next to y o u on your right w h i c h he wants, head or tail. Lift the hat a n d the card, and if the coin s h o w s the required side you claim credit f o r controlling it, if y o u fail, n o matter, you say y o u will try again. Y o u put card and hat over the coin and invite another call. This time lift the hat and ask the m a n on y o u r right to take up tlie card. As he does so put the glass f r o m y o u r vest into the hat w i t h your right hand and grasp its rim through the hat with y o u r left hand. Again, whether the right or w r o n g side of the coin s h o w s , say you will try the trick in a different way. Have the card placcd on the table and cover it with the hat, taking care the glass does not talk a s you put the hat down. P a l m the coin, and pretend to pass it u p w a r d through the table top. Again y o u ask f o r a choice of head or tail. Make mysterious passes over the hat and let the person lift it, revealing the glass of water on the card. Y o u can reproduce the p a l m e d coin as y o u wish.

C 0 IX MA GI C

21

DIME A N D H A N D K E R C H I E F E F F E C T : A m a r k e d d i m e placed on a handkerchief, the corners of w h i c h are fairly folded d o w n on it, vanishes and later is f o u n d in a n unprepared orange. The only preparation necessary f o r this very effective trick is to h a v e a litfle soft adhesive w a x under the nail of y o u r second linger. Y o u will also require a dime, a handkerchief, a table k n i f e and a n orange, all of w h i c h m a y be borrowed. Begin by asking f o r a loan of a dime, w h i c h y o u ask the lender to m a r k plainly. W h i l e this is being done b o r r o w a handkerchief and spread it out on y o u r table. T a k e the m a r k e d d i m e and lay il in the m i d d l e of the handkerchief. Pulling y o u r sleeves well back y o u h a v e a spectator minutely e x a m i n e y o u r hands. W h e n he has reported that they are perfectly e m p t y , invite y o u r audience to w a t c h every action most closely. Place the tip of y o u r left second linger on the coin and with the right hand pick up o n e of the corners of the handkerchief nearest you, turn it back and place it on the dime. In so doing you pull the w a x f r o m under the nail w i t h the ball of y o u r t h u m b and press it on the coin. Again put the tip of your second linger d o w n resting it this time on the corner of the fabric just over the d i m e and press d o w n lirnily. In the s a m e w a y y o u deliberately turn back the other three corners on the coin, each time turning the fabricback a little lo s h o w the coin is still there, but keeping the left m i d d l e linger on it throughout. T o vanish the coin y o u have only lo seize one side of the handkerchief at the o p e n i n g in the folds nearest to you, Fig. 215, jerk the handkerchief open and slide the hands to the corners. The coin should be brought to y o u r left hand, the lingers of which detach it a n d the w a x pellet and w i t h y o u r right toss the handkerchief back to its owner. Profess complete ignorance as to the whereabouts of the coin and w h i l e talking carelessly take up the table knife, turning it about in y o u r hands. Seize the opportunity to attach Ihe d i m e lo one side of il by squeezing its w a x e d side to the blade and lay il d o w n the side of the blade with Ihe coin on il being underneath of course. T o s s the orange lo the spectator w h o lent y o u the dime, taking advantage of the m o v e lo lei it be seen thai y o u r b a n d s are empty, as you gesture with lingers w i d e apart. Say that perhaps a little refreshment will help m a k e up f o r his financial loss a n d take back the orange. Thrust the point of the k n i f e into il a n d p u s h it into the fruit until the point'at w h i c h ihe d i m e is sluck is in the middle, then d r a w i n g back the k n i f e to c o m p l e t e the cut, you scrape the coin off and leave it there.

You s h o w the coin lying in the orange and finally y o u w i p e the orange juice and any remains of the w a x off it, taking care not to cover the whole coin in so doing. You have the mark identified a n d take y o u r how. The trick is ail old one but the m e t h o d here given can be clone so openly and deliberately that even those w h o k n o w it will give y o u credit f o r s o m e n e w m a n e u v e r . COIN A N D A P P L E E F F E C T : A n apple and a b o r r o w e d coin change places magically. F o r this effective parlor trick, w h i c h appears to be quite a n i m promptu one, y o u require two small apples, a half dollar, a n d a w i n e glass. F r o m the b o t t o m of one apple cut out a round piece, deep e n o u g h (o hide the half dollar w h e n you put the apple over it. T h i s apple y o u conceal under y o u r vest. T h e second apple y o u h a v e in y o u r right palm as you c o m e f o r w a r d , carrying the w a n d in the s a m e hand. Begin by b o r r o w i n g a half dollar and have it m a r k e d . As this is being done you find the apple at the tip of s o m e one's nose and y o u borrow it as well. Place the m a r k e d coin, mentally noting the mark, 011 the base of an upturned w i n e glass. Twist up a small cone of rather still' paper, see Fig. 21, into w h i c h you secretly introduce the apple f r o m y o u r vest, hollowed part d o w n w a r d s . Place the cone (and the apple) over the coin o n the base of the wine glass. Y o u say y o u r are going to m a k e the apple and the coin c h a n g e places. Pick up the apple f r o m the table a n d at the s a m e m o m e n t take y o u r half dollar f r o m a clip at the edge of y o u r coat with the left hand. Toss the apple in the air several times, then vest it bringing your hands together as before, roll and rub y o u r hands as if gradually squeezing the fruit smaller, then open them and s h o w the half dollar 011 the palm of the left hand. Turn it about and describe the m a r k that you had noted on the b o r r o w e d coin. Go over to the w i n e glass and lift the cone and s h o w the apple. Cover the apple again. Make several passes with the coin, in the last of which you apparently put the coin in the left h a n d and m a k e il pass d o w n to the cull' of your trouser, s h o w the left hand e m p t y , bend d o w n to recover the coin with the right hand in w h i c h y o u p a l m ed it, and under this cover get the vested apple into y o u r left hand. S h o w the coin in the right hand, close your left on the apple and turn the hand with its back to the audience. P a l m the coin as you pretend to throw it towards y o u r left hand. T u r n left hand a n d opening it slowly, s h o w the apple. T a k e this in the right hand, letting the coin fall into the left palm, and toss the fruit to a spectator. "Put both hands in your pockets as you ask h i m to bite a piece out of it to prove it is a real one, drop y o u r coin in left pocket.

The last m o v e requires a little m a n a g e m e n t . Go over to the w i n e glass, lift the cone and the apple hv placing y o u r t h u m b and forelinger round its very edge, turning the point of the cone d o w n tow a r d s the front and letting the apple slide out into y o u r lingers. At o n c e lift the w i n e glass w i t h y o u r left hand, s h o w i n g the m a r k e d coin, and drop your right hand level with the edge of y o u r vest. Go to the o w n e r of the coin and at the very m o m e n t that he takes the coin, push the apple under your vest and h a n d w i n e glass and cone to be e x a m i n e d . The trick lends itself to breezy talk and m o v e m e n t and will he f o u n d to create a very g o o d ctfect. T H E B E S T COIN F O L D Tear oil' a piece of paper about three b y f o u r inches and showit in y o u r left hand. Place a half dollar against the paper holding it with y o u r left t h u m b a little above the m i d d l e of the length of the paper. Fold the top of the paper back over the coin, bringing the e d g e about half an| inch above the l o w e r end. Turn the sides of the paper outwards, not quite level w i t h Ihe sides of the coin. Next turn the three parts completed packet round side w a y s bringing the unfolded end uppermost. Fold the one protruding thickness of the paper outwards, level with the other end of the paper. T o all appeara n c e you have enclosed ihe coin, but really y o u have m a d e a pocket a n d the coin can be slid out at will. Holding the open end firmly w i t h y o u r left lingers a n d t h u m b , press the paper d o w n round the coin m a k i n g a plain imprint. R a p the coin on the table and let a spectator feel that it is there. Transfer the packet to y o u r right hand, taking Ihe open edges b y the tips of the t h u m b and fingers so that the packet and the imprint are in full view, then let the coin slide d o w n inside y o u r hand to the roots of the second and third fingers w h i c h hold il securely b y b e i n g bent very slightly inwards, the back of y o u r hand being, of course, to the front. Thrust y o u r left hand into y o u r pocket to get a match. N o n e there, take the packet in y o u r left hand, holding it the s a m e w a y , and lake a m a t c h f r o m y o u r right pocket, leaving the coin behind. Light the paper and let it burn s l o w l y a w a y . A ralhcr startling cll'ect can be obtained b y using flash paper lo w r a p the coin in. The w h o l e thing should be done very deliberately and openly. T h i s vanish m a k e s a very useful change f r o m y o u r sleight of hand work. II is always well lo vary y o u r m e t h o d s by w a y of throwing the spectators oil' the scent. Variation This m e t h o d of w r a p p i n g up a coin can be used f o r m a k i n g a n indetectable substitution, in this fashion. W h e n y o u take up the paper, pick up along with it another coin w h i c h y o u hold underneath.

Ihe center of the paper. The m a r k e d coin y o u then place exactly ahove the duplicate and proceed to fold the paper in the m a n n e r described above. W h e n this process is completed you will lind that o n e coin will slide out at one end of the packet, while the other will drop out at the other end. After obtaining possession of the m a r k e d coin y o u can b a n d the packet to a spectator to hold well above his head. He can feel a coin inside it and naturally concludes that he holds the m a r k e d coin. You are thus enabled to m a k e w h a t e v e r secret disposition of the abstracted coin that m a y be necessary f o r y o u r trick. A N O T H E R COIN F O L D Take a small piece of newspaper cut f r o m the section carrying classified advertisements, about three i n c h e s b y f o u r in size. P a s t e a narrow strip across the bottom, as s h o w n in Fig. 25, but fasten it b y the ends only, A and B. S h o w the paper, holding the plain side to the front, then f o l d the prepared e n d back and place the coin apparently in this fold, see Fig. 25, in reality, y o u slide the coin between Ihe paper and the extra strip. F o l d the top d o w n , then Ihe two sides over so that the coin appears to have been completely wrapped in the paper, Fig. 20. You can, of course, allow it to slip out into y o u r h a n d at will. B e f o r e doing this you. should press tiie paper well d o w n around the coin m a k i n g a plain imprint, and pass the paper carelessly f r o m h a n d to hand several times before abstracting the coin.

Fig. 25

Fig. 2(5

A Third Method Fold a piece of paper through the center and hold it in the left hand, the crease resting on the p a l m between the t h u m b and forefinger. Place the coin in the paper and nip it through the paper w i t h the t h u m b and first finger. Make a m o t i o n of being about to f o l d the sides of the paper over, but stop and take the coin out to s h o w it. Again put the coin in the paper but as soon as it is out of sight back p a l m it. Grip the top edges of the paper w i t h the right t h u m b in front and fingers behind the paper w i t h the tips of the left second and third fingers and fold the top and sides of the paper back over the coin. It can then be allowed to slip into the h a n d w h e n e v e r desired.

DIME A N D H A L F D O L L A R V A N I S H E F F E C T : You s h o w a half dollar and a dime. Take the half dollar in your right hand and rub il a w a v to nothing. B o t h bauds r e m a i n i n g in full v i e w the w h o l e time. Hold the half dollar b y its edges b e t w e e n y o u r left t h u m b and forefinger and on it put a dime, Fig. 27. Slide Ihe coins one over the other several times, then take a w a y the half dollar w i t h y o u r right h a n d and "show it. Replace it in the left h a n d a n d repeat the m o v e s . F i n a l l y w h e n the small coin is on the large one, u n d e r cover of apparently taking the half dollar, w i t h the right lingers, tilt it to the right a n d retain it, edge upwards, b e t w e e n the t h u m b and first a n d s e c o n d fingers, the d i m e being held flat above it, also b y the t h u m b a n d t w o finger tips. In this position the half dollar is entirely hidden f r o m a n v one directly in front and l o o k i n g d o w n on the coin, Figs. 2 8 a n d 29. In the m e a n t i m e the right hand is m o v e d a w a y as if it held the coin and a pretence is m a d e of rubbing it a w a y to nothing. T h e sleight is suitable f o r close w o r k only, but f o r this purpose il is very effective.

COIN T H R O U G H A T A B L E E F F E C T : T w o m a r k e d coins are taken, one in each band. One b a n d is placed b e l o w the table, the other held above. At c o m m a n d the coin held over the table passes through lo join the other coin b e l o w . Y o u are seated at a table and you hold y o u r knees pressed together. B o r r o w two coins w h i c h have been m a r k e d and put t h e m d o w n a f e w inches apart near the edge of y o u r side of the table. T a k e one in y o u r left hand, picking it up by sliding it to the edge of the table, lingers on top of the coin and t h u m b below. S h o w the coin, close the lingers on it and put y o u r h a n d b e l o w the table. Apparently pick up the second coin w i t h y o u r right h a n d in exactly the s a m e m a n n e r , but w h e n the coin reaches the edge of Ihe table let it drop into y o u r lap, closing y o u r t h u m b against y o u r fingers just as y o u did in really picking up the first coin.

Lean f o r w a r d to bring vour clenched right h a n d over the m i d d l e of the table and under cover of this m o v e m e n t pick up the coin f r o m y o u r lap with y o u r left t h u m b ami fingers, letting the other coin he o n Its palm. Place your right t h u m b and finger tips on the table as if putting the coin d o w n edgewise, at the m o m e n t they touch the table top let the coin in the left t h u m b and lingers strike the table just b e l o w the spot. Press the right hand fiat and, timing the m o v e m e n t of the left hand to correspond, press the coin under the table ilat w i t h a sharp thud. Pretending to rub the coin vigorously w i t h the right fingers, suddenly say "Pass", jerk y o u r left hand upwards so that the coin in the p a l m strikes hard against the other w i t h a sharp jingle. Lift y o u r right hand, s h o w that the coin has gone and then bring y o u r left up w i t h the two coins and throw them, triumphantly on the table. T h e m a r k s are then identified. The trick m a y be m a d e completely illusory but it will not bear i m m e d i a t e repetition. DIME A N D M A T C H B O X Place a m a t c h b o x on the table with the b o t t o m of the d r a w e r upwards. B o r r o w i n g a d i m e y o u spin it on the table, then taking the m a t c h b o x y o u s m a s h it d o w n hard o n the revolving coin. Invite a spectator to guess w h e t h e r the coin lies on the table head or tail upwards. Lift the box to s h o w if the guess is correct but the coin has vanished. In reality it has been forced through the cover of the b o x and y o u take advantage of the surprise caused b y ils disappearance to p u s h the d r a w e r open a little inwards letting the coin drop into y o u r hand. At once turn (he b o x over as y o u put it in y o u r other hand. P u s h the drawer out towards the front and s h o w it intact a n d e m p t y . Y o u take the cover with your right fingers and thumb, t h u m b 011 "the outside, tips of two fingers inside, holding the d i m e concealed against the to]) inside. S h o w both d r a w e r and cover, then replace the d r a w e r h a l f w a y in the cover in such a w a y that the d i m e is caught between (lie front edge of the drawer and the (op of the cover. Hold the b o x in. this half open condition between the tips of y o u r left t h u m b a n d lingers, the lingers pressing against the end of the d r a w e r and the thumb at the far end of the box, so that you can close it instantly b y pressure. Pretend to catch the d i m e in y o u r right hand and then throw it at the box. Instantly close the box, the d i m e falls within if and you shake the box vigorously so that all can hear the coin rattling inside. P u s h the drawer out and hand il to the o w n e r of the coin to take out the coin himself. The d r a w e r being intact will tell 110 tales. The cover you toss carelessly aside.

C 0 I X MA GI 0

27

A T H O U G H T R E A D I N G TRICK H a n d a spectator a half dollar and tell h i m that w h i l e y o u are out of the r o o m he is to take the coin in either hand, rest both o n his knees, clenched tightly. Then he is to lift the h a n d h o l d i n g the coin to his forehead and repeat mentally ten times "the coin is in m y right hand," or as the case m a y be, and replace his h a n d on bis knee. This having been done, you return and y o u have only to glance at his bands to tell w h i c h holds the coin. T h e o n e lie held to his f o r e h e a d will be the paler of the two. You m a y f o l l o w this w i t h a trick w o r k e d on an entirely different principle. You have another half dollar, on o n e side of w h i c h y o u have glued a small piece of h u m a n hair, so that it projects a half inch or so ever the side of the coin. You have also three d r a w e r s taken f r o m small m a t c h boxes, painted different colors, say red, green and white, or y o u m a y simply color two of t h e m leaving o n e

F I B . :SO

d r a w e r as it is. P a l m y o u r "haired" coin and taking the half dollar f r o m the spectator you apparently place il on the table, really exc h a n g i n g it for the prepared one. Then say y o u will turn your back and invite s o m e one to place one of the drawers d o w n over the coin a n d then m o v e the three drawers about in a n y w a y be likes. Y o u undertake to read his thoughts and find w h i c h d r a w e r covers the coin. Turn a w a y and the coin is covered. W h e n y o u turn round one glance will reveal to you the position of Ihe hair and therefore the coin, but you apparently take no notice of Hie drawers. Y o u grasp the person's hand and tell, h i m to think intently of the color of the d r a w e r under w h i c h he put the coin. This y o u discover hesitatingly, building up the effect strongly. II m a y be repeated and then it is advisable to pick up the "hairy coin" and c h a n g e il f o r the unprepared one. T h e trick should be w o r k e d on a table covered w i t h a dark cloth a n d it will then d e f y detection.

C H A P T E R III.

EASY TRICKS, FLOURISHES AND CATCHES V A N I S H I N G A DIME Y o u b o r r o w two half dollars and a dime. Put one half dollar on the table, on it place the d i m e a n d on top of that the second half dollar. Pick up the little stack of coins by the edges b e t w e e n y o u r right forefinger and t h u m b and hold it about 10 inches a b o v e y o u r left hand, w h i c h y o u extend fiat and p a l m upwards. Say that y o u will drop the l o w e r half dollar and the d i m e and that y o u will g l o w t h e d i m e a w a y as it falls. Release the lowest coin, b l o w i n g as y o u do so. T h e half dollar falls fiat on y o u r left hand, the d i m e has gone. Y o u s h o w that you have nothing but the other half dollar in y o u r right hand. Spin the coin in the air, catch it and put it d o w n . T a k e t h e other half f r o m y o u r left p a l m , spin it in the air, a n d put it w i t h t h e other. N o trace is left of the dime. W h e n you receive the d i m e y o u fix a tiny pellet of w a x taken f r o m y o u r linger nail to one side, and press it 011 the coin. I11 putting the d i m e on the first half dollar place this w a x e d side d o w n w a r d s w i t h a slight pressure so that the two coins will adhere. W h e n y o u pick up the stack this half dollar is b e l o w and w h e n y o u let it drop it will turn over, bringing the d i m e below it. A m o m e n t later w h e n y o u spin it in the air the attached d i m e will be invisible a n d the double coin will invariably fall o n y o u r h a n d w i t h the d i m e below. T h e misdirection of the spin in the air is so convincing that n o o n e can possibly suspect the real position of the d i m e a n d you have a m p l e opportunity to rem o v e it and later reproduce it as y o u please. V A R I A T I O N — A GOOD CATCH Hold two half dollars as in the preceding trick but in this case y o u have put a d i m e secretly b e t w e e n them. The l o w e r half dollar m u s t be tail side uppermost, the d i m e h e a d uppermost and the halfdollar the same. W h e n you drop the l o w e r half dollar it will turn head up, at the s a m e time concealing the d i m e w h i c h will n o w b e tail uppermost. D r o p the second half dollar, giving y o u r finger a n d t h u m b a slight twist as y o u release it, so that it falls fiat, head up. S h o w the two coins plainly, letting y o u r victims see they are heads up. Very openly take the second half dollar and slide it over the first and ask w h e t h e r the l o w e s t coin is head or tail uppermost. A confident reply of, "Head, of course" is m a d e . Y o u lift off the t w o half dollars and s h o w the d i m e lying tail uppermost. V A N I S H I N G DIME On the nail of the m i d d l e finger of y o u r left hand put a pellet of soft w a x , c h e w i n g g u m , or soap. If yo\i n o w place a d i m e o n the p a l m of the s a m e hand, laying it against the fleshy l o w e r part of y o u r t h u m b and clench y o u r fist tightly, y o u can press the d i m e tightly on the finger nail and, o n opening y o u r h a n d rapidly a n d spreading the fingers w i d e apart, s h o w y o u r hand perfectly e m p t y .

COIN

M A ('. I V.

29

SLEEVE BUTTON VANISH A coin can be placed on edge between the buttons on the coat sleeve near the wrist. Pretend to place a coin in your left hand, really p a l m i n g it. W i t h the right hand pull back your left sleeve leaving the coin on edge between the buttons. Both hands can then be s h o w n e m p t y and the coin recovered in the act of adjusting the sleeve. H E A D S OR TAILS In a large pocket on the inside of your coat on the right hand side you have a small guinea pig. Borrow a hat and a half dollar. Toss the coin letting it fall 011 the table and ask s o m e o n e to guess "Heads or Tails?" However, you m a k e the call yourself, pick up the hat and leaning over to see if you are correct, take the guinea pig out with your hand at once covering it with the hat and hold in that hand, thumb 011 the brim and lingers supporting the pig underneath it. Put the hat carelessly 011 the table. Pretending your guess' w a s right loss the coin again, pass it f r o m band to hand, palming it and pretend to pass it through the crown of the hat. A spectator lifts the bat and reveals the guinea pig. An excellent trick for the acquisition of nerve and misdirection. A felt hat should be used. AMUSING DIME CATCH Place a d i m e against your forehead, pressing it b a n ! so that it adheres, then pull your lower vest pocket out a little and holding it open lower y o u r head and let the coin slide into the pocket. Persuade a spectator to try it. Press Hie coin hard against his forehead but r e m o v e it with your lingers By the impression he will imagine it is still there and his attempts to shake the coin oil' will lie ludicrous in the extreme. DIME A N D GINGER A L E B O T T L E Secretly wet a d i m e and then place it on the m o u t h of a large ginger ale bottle. If you squeeze the neck of the bottle tightly the d i m e will j u m p into Ihe air. A U S E F U L MOVE The trick depends 011 Ihe secret tossing of a coin f r o m hand lo hand. A coin having been apparently taken in the right hand by Ihe French Drop, raise your left hand to your lapel and lake hold of it. Vanish the coin f r o m right hand, s h o w i n g it empty, then seize lapel with that hand and pull both sides of your coal backwards and forwards as if lo s h o w you have not concealed Ihe coin there. As the hands approach one another you release the coin from your left band tossing it into your right. Properly timed the flight of the coin is instantaneous and imperceptible. You can then let il be seen that y o u r left hand is e m p t y and dispose of the coin as you wish. T H E S P I N N I N G COIN Borrow a half dollar and taking two pins you lift the coin flat off the table by placing the pins, held one in each hand, against the middle of the edge of the coin, one point 011 each side. If you have gauged the center positions accurately you can make the coin spin rapidly by b l o w i n g 011 its side. The result is very pretty, the spinning coin res e m b l i n g a glittering solid ball of silver.

THE WEEPING QUEEN You liave secreted behind your right ear a small piece of s p o n g e saturated with water, or better glycerine. After s h o w i n g several m o v e s with a borrowed coin, put it on the point of y o u r right elbow, your f o r e a r m having been bent back, bringing the right hand close to y o u r ear. Quietly take the sponge f r o m its hiding place and hold it behind the first joint of your right second finger, clipping it w i t h the sides of your first and third lingers. Then take the coin by its e x t r e m e side edges between the tips of the fingers and t h u m b s of both hands, the coin being upright and facing the audience, fiat, and you slide the little sponge behind the coin w i t h the tip of y o u r right thumb. Making up s o m e plausible fairy tale to account f o r the p h e n o m enon that follows, squeeze the sponge, causing the glycerine to drop f r o m (lie bottom of the coin, fear fashion. It is an easy matter to get rid of the little sponge as you w i p e the coin w i t h your handkerchief before returning it. Another and i m p r o v e d m e t h o d will be f o u n d a m o n g s t the tricks with apparatus. TROUSER CUFF VANISH An easy and effective w a y of getting rid of a duplicate coin is to accidentlv (?) drop it. In stooping to pick il up y o u bring one foot just in front of it. As you raise y o u r right hand w i t h the coin let it drop into the cull" of y o u r trousers, continuing the u p w a r d m o v e m e n t of the hand without any stop or hesitation. Pretend to place the coin in y o u r other hand and proceed to rub it into nothingness, w h i c h operation you can m a k e very convincing since y o u had nothing there to begin with. TROUSER FOLD VANISH Seated sideways to y o u r victims quietly arrange a fold in y o u r trousers 011 the side of the leg furtherest f r o m them. The fold m u s t lie well open at the top. Put a coin on that knee and to generate frictional electricity, as you say, rub il vigorously w i t h the p a l m of y o u r hand. Close your lingers on il and pick it up, then s h o w it and transfer it to your left hand. Look at it closely a n d remark, "Not quite e n o u g h current," and replace it on y o u r knee. R u b it again and u n d e r cover of the hand let it slide over into the trouser fold. Pretend to pick it up, exactly as before, and put il in your other hand. Move your fingers as if rubbing the coin and after a f e w m o m e n t s s h o w the coin has vanished and both y o u r hands are empty. Don't be in a hurry to recover the coin f r o m the fold. T H E P E R F O R A T E D COIN

You have a half dollar t h r o u g h tlu- middle of which you have drilled a small hole, just large enough to allow the passage of a pin. Push a tiny piece of tinfoil into the hole to conceal it. Borrow a half dollar, change it for y o u r drilled coin, and drop it on the table. T a k e a pin fro ill t h e bottom of y o u r vest, letting the borrowed coin fall into your lower vest pocket as you do so. Take up your coin and very openly hold both the pin and the coin, one in each hand. Slowly push t h e pin through the hole forcing out the tinfoil, to which you call attention, and put carefully aside. . While showing the coin perforated you get an opportunity of palming t h e borrowed coin. ' W i t h d r a w the pin, make the change and picking a tiny pellet of tinfoil pretend to rub it into t h e hole finally h a n d i n g back the coin to t h e lender. "Purely an optical illusion," you say, as he examines it.

DIME IN E A R You apparently place a borrowed d i m e in your left hand, retaining it in y o u r right. Bend y o u r right arm hack, bringing your hand about level with your ear and pretend lo put the dime on the right e l b o w , 011 which you rub vigorously. Under cover of this slip the coin into y o u r right ear. S h o w both hands empty. The coin can be recovered under pretense of picking it out of the elbow, the right lingers secretly taking it f r o m the ear. COIN IN K N O T IN H A N D K E R C H I E F You have a coin secretly between the fingers of either hand. You s h o w a handkerchief holding it by two diagonal corners in such a w a y that the folds f o r m a kind of trough along the length of the fabric. A s y o u bring the hands together in the process of tying a knot you release the coin, letting it fall in the fold, it run.sf d o w n to the middle of the handkerchief and is thus enclosed in the knot w h e n this is tied. A very effective m e t h o d of reproducing a coin previously borrowed, m a r k e d and vanished. WAND AND WAX If you use a wand a very good way of disposing of a small coin temporarily, in order to s h o w your bands empty, is to put a pellet of w a x on the end of y o u r wand. You can then easily press the coin on w a x and after that s h o w both hands e m p t y in passing the w a n d f r o m hand lo hand, keeping the coin under cover, or y o u can put the w a n d on your table, the coin end projecting over the back edge. T o recover the coin is simplicity itself. Slide the wand thru the hand, detach the coin and there you are. RUBBER BAND VANISH A useful m e t h o d of getting rid of a duplicate coin is lo get a small rubber band secretly over the tips of the thumb, first and second lingers of the right hand. T h r o w your o w n handkerchief over them. W h e n the coin is placed on top of the middle of the handkerchief, grip it f r o m underneath and let the band slide oil' the t h u m b and lingers, catching the coin in an instantaneously m a d e pocket. At Ihe s a m e m o m e n t fold the corners inward over the coin. Let a spectator hold the bundle, then taking one corner flick out the handkerchief. T h e coin has vanished. Shake out the handkerchief and put il in your pocket, producing the original coin as required for the trick in hand. This method can be used for any small object. H E A D S OR TAILS You hold two coins, as in Fig. 151, about 15 inches above a table, both coins being bead uppermost. Announce that you have such a perfect control over the coins that you can Jet them drop one by one with head up or tails up, as desired, and you proceed to do

this. To bring the l o w e r coin tail up you merely let it fall and it will turn over once, landing on the table ta'il up. T o prevent this half turn you merely twist vour t h u m b and lingers very slightly w h e n releasing the coin, and it will fall perfectly ilat landing head upwards. The action is the s a m e with one coin. T o m a k e it fall llat you give the little twist, while to m a k e it turn over you m a k e an i m p e r ceptible interval between the release of the t h u m b and fingers. W i t h out the k n o w l e d g e of the necessary twist a spectator will be unable to prevent the coin f r o m turning over in falling. B A L A N C I N G A COIN B e t w e e n the first joints of your left middle fingers y o u secretly hold a pin, point d o w n w a r d s . B o r r o w a coin, or s h o w one of y o u r o w n in your right hand. Transfer it to your left hand p u s h i n g the pin under the coin and holding it there with your left thumb. Again take the coin with your right hand, gripping the pin b e l o w it and keeping its head pointing to the left and just b e l o w the f a r edge of the coin. Stretch out y o u r left hand flat, palm upwards, and put the coin edgewise on the middle lingers at their second joints, tlat surface of coin lo the front. Push the head of the pin d o w n behind the coin and grip it tightly between the t w o lingers. T h e coin will then stand almost upright, apparently balanced and you pretend to have great dilliculty in keeping it so. After a f e w m o m e n t s let the coin tilt s l o w ly b a c k w a r d s until it lies ilat. T o s s the coin l o y o u r right h a n d a n d get rid of the pin by dropping it to the carpet. This little trick is useful for i m p r o m p t u w o r k or as an interlude a m o n g s t bigger effects. Nate Leipzig, w h o s e p e r f o r m a n c e s have set a standard for so m a n y years, does actually hold a coin upright without the aid of any pin or fake whatever. A W O N D E R F U L JUGGLE You take two half dollars. One you place in the middle of y o u r forehead bending your head back to hold it there. The other y o u lake by its edges between your right t h u m b and fingers and loss it high in the air, giving your wrist a sharp twist as y o u dispatch it, so that the coin remains fiat throughout its flight. As it falls, y o u m o v e your head under it bringing the coin 011 y o u r forehead directly underneath so that the coins c o m e together with a loud clash and then drop to the floor. This little feat appears to be very daring and creates an i m p r e s sion of w o n d e r f u l skill. It is, however, quite easy and m e r e l y requires sufficient nerve to allow the coin to fall 011 y o u r forehead. T h e position of the coin on the forehead between Ihe eyes m a k e s it easy to judge the exact position in w h i c h to hold the head.

T H E E L B O W CATCH Hero is another s h o w y little l'eat w h i c h practically w o r k s itself. Bend y o u r right a r m so that your hand is about on a level with your ear. Place a pile of coins near the point of the elbow. You suddenly d r a w y o u r a r m in towards your body and m a k e a grab at the coins w i t h the right band, catch ing t h e m all together. There is no secret attached to the m o v e other than that it m u s t be done smartly, but it looks skillful and m a y be effectively introduced as a flourish w h e n using a n u m b e r of coins f o r manipulations. S P I N T H E COIN Place a quarter on the upturned b o t t o m of a glass. B y giving the glass a little jerk u p w a r d s and b l o w i n g on it y o u can, w i t h a v e r y little practice, m a k e Ihe coin rise on its edge and spin round merrily. This is useful as a flourish or lo fill time while a second coin is being marked. T h e glass should he one w i t h a little cavity at the bottom. A PRETTY JUGGLE Place three half dollars on the back of y o u r right b a n d in line f r o m y o u r linger lips lo wrist, loss Ihein in Ihe air a n d catch t h e m one by one in y o u r right hand. T h e secret lies in quickly turning the lingers u p w a r d s by bending the hand back as the throw is m a d e so that the coins g o upward in line. The rest is m e r e rapidity in grabbing the coins as they fall, Ihe lowest being gathered in first. Very little practice is necessary and Ihe flourish can be introduced effectively at a n y time w h e n you have a n u m b e r of coins in use. TO PICK U P A DIME W I T H T H E P A L M T o simulate the picking up of a d i m e or a p e n n y w i t h the p a l m of the hand laid flat on the coin you place y o u r b a n d over it in such a w a y that the coin w i l l c o m e directly u n d e r the l o w e r joint of y o u r index finger. B y pressing hard on it and raising y o u r hand without closing the lingers y o u can bring up the coin sticking lo Ihe m u s c l e of the linger joint. As you turn your hand over jerk the coin a little back 011 to the p a l m of your hand. The onlookers will i m a g i n e y o u have raised the coin with y o u r palm and they m a y try lo do that f o r as long as they like, they will not succeed. A PRETTY FLOURISH Balance a playing card 011 the tip of y o u r left forefinger and on its middle, just over the tip of the finger, put a coin. W i t h the m i d dle linger of y o u r right band flick the inner corner of Hie card w i t h a sharp sua]) sending it out revolving flatly and leaving the coin 011 the finger tip.

34

COIN

MAGI C

C H A P T E R IV.

TRICKS WITH PREPARED COINS AND APPARATUS

T H E T R I A N G U L A R COIN S T A N D This is an ingcnius little piece of apparatus useful both to the performer w h o does not wish to spend m u c h time in practising m a nipulation and to the manipulator w h o wishes to vary his methods. The stand is a small triangular affair, covered w i t h black velvet, Fig. 33. The back of the stand is also covered and af the bottom of the back there is a small beading m a k i n g a trough, so that w h e n coins have been let drop secretly at the back the stand can be picked up and removed with tfie coins remaining in place concealed. F o u r coins are placed on the front of the stand, the black velvet s h o w i n g them to good advantage. Pick up the first coin and vanish it using whatever m o v e s you prefer, but leaving it finally at the back of the fingers in the right hand. W i t h the s a m e hand y o u take up a second coin, at the s a m e time releasing the coin f r o m the back of the fingers, letting it slide d o w n noiselessly into the little trough w h e r e it remains out of sight. The remaining coins are treated in the s a m e way, the last one being pocketed after its vanish, or used in s o m e other trick. Rv a modification of the stand the f o u r coins can be m a d e to reappear. In this case instead of a trough at the back, there arc f o u r pockets into which the coins arc slid as they are apparently taken between the thumb and lingers, the thumb covering the coin at the front, Fig. 31. On the bottom of the stand, w h i c h is also covered w i t h black velvet, four duplicate coins arc fixed. After vanishing the first f o u r coins throw a handkerchief over the stand and secretly turn it over, bringing the bottom and the fixed coins to the front, Fig. 35. In so doing you pick up and palm a coin that w a s lying behind the stand. This coin you proceed to catch f r o m the air and then throw at the covered stand. Repeat this, varying y o u r m e t h o d s as m u c h as possible, and finally r e m o v e the handkerchief and s h o w the f o u r coins have returned to the stand.

Fig. X

Fig. 31

Fig. 35

T H E MELTING COIN The favorite old trick of apparently melting a coin in a glass of water has recently been greatly improved. The secret of the trick is well known to magicians. It rests on the substitution of a disc of glass for the coin as it is being covered with a handkerchief. The glass is held, covered, by a spectator, and dropped into the glass. When the handkerchief is removed the coin has vanished, the glass disc being of course, invisible.

The i m p r o v e m e n t consists of a real half dollar, one side of w h i c h is painted flesh color. You have (his palmed, unprepared side outw a r d s in the left hand. After the spectator has dropped the coin, as lie thinks, into the glass, transfer the glass, still covered w i t h the handkerchief, to (lie left hand, placing it with its b o t t o m over the p a l m e d coin. Lift the handkerchief and allow the person to see that the coin is really there. T o further prove this y o u m a y have a s m a l l pellet of w a x 011 the coin so that it can be m a d e to adhere to the bott o m of the glass. Y o u can r e m o v e the left b a n d and still a l l o w the coin to be seen apparently in the glass. Cover the glass again and, detaching the coin, turn it over bringing the flesh colored side uppermost. "When the glass is again uncovered the coin will appear to have melted a w a y . ANOTHER METHOD F o r this y o u must use your o w n handkerchief, to the center of w h i c h y o u have s e w n one end of a w h i t e thread about f o u r inches in length. O11 the free end of the thread attach a pellet of g o o d w a x . W h i l e the coin is being m a r k e d spread the handkerchief over y o u r left hand keeping the thread and w a x out of sight b y raising a f o l d just in front of them. Receive the coin in y o u r right hand and put il o n the w a x pellet, turn y o u r left band over and grip the coin b y its e d g e s through (he fabric," Let it be seen thai y o u r h a n d s are citherw i s e e m p t y and get a spectator to hold the coin thus o v e r a glass o f water. W h e n the coin has been dropped y o u m u s t be very careful not to let it strike the side of the glass w h e n you u n c o v e r the glass. I11 lifting the handkerchief raise your hand straight u p w a r d s until the coin lias cleared the glass. Under cover of the surprise caused b y the coin's disappearance gather up the side of the handkerchief securing the coin, w h i c h y o u detach and p a l m . T h e n shake out the handkerchief, s h o w i n g both sides. T H E COIN G L A S S A favorite trick w i t h old lime m a g i c i a n s w a s the passing of coins into a glass at a distance. T h e glass had a little container inside il to hold tbe coins w h i c h could be freed by turning a bent w i r e w h i c h protruded at the bottom. T h e glass w a s blue lo hide the f a k e and it w a s turned upside d o w n and the w a n d rallied in il to prove il e m p t y . T h e s o u n d of the coins apparently falling in the glass w a s m a d e by a n assistant behind the w i n g s dropping coins into another glass. At the end of tbe trick the catch w a s freed a n d Ihe coins poured out.

Present day performers eschew any articles that are palpably m a d e for trick use but the effect, w h i c h is one of the best, can b e obtained in the f o l l o w i n g way. T h e only drawback b e i n g the necessity f o r an assistant on the stage. You have two glasses, one plain, the other bottomless. Your assistant has live half dollars clipped at the roots of his second and third fingers. S h o w the bottomless glass and hand it to him. He takes it w i t h his right hand and puts it o n his left in such a w a y that the coins are really inside the glass, taking care that they do not talk in so doing. B y keeping the fingers slightly bent u p w a r d s the coins are quite hidden. S h o w the second glass and this you place m o u t h d o w n w a r d s on the first, y o u r assistant putting his right hand on top of the second glass and h o l d i n g the glasses firmly together. You proceed to catch five coins, despatching t h e m magically, one after the other, towards the glasses, the s o u n d of the coins falling being imitated as in the original trick. If the glass behind the scene is in line with those held by the assistant the illusion is perfect. At the end of the trick the glasses are turned over and the coins fall into the unprepared one. You pour them out into y o u r hand and put the glasses aside. T h e catching and vanishing of the five coins, one only being used, will afford a m p l e scope for y o u r manipulative abilities. One coin m a y miss the glasses and appear in y o u r assistant's teeth, bul be careful that a coin is not then dropped behind the scene.

T H E P I L E OF P E N N I E S E F F E C T : A small die is placed on table and covered w i t h a paper tube, live borrowed pennies are vanished one by one, and a r e f o u n d under the paper tube. T h e y are covered with the tube and pass through the table, the die reappearing in their place under the paper. You require a prepared pile of five cent pieces, o n e only is c o m plete, the rest being r i m s fastened together w i t h a rivet, space thus being obtained to conceal a small die. B o r r o w five pennies, or s h o w five of y o u r own, and m a k e a small tube with a piece of paper, just large e n o u g h to fit the coins, twisting the top around. Into this you load the fake pile and put it over a small die on the table. T a k e the five coins one by one, vanishing them by p a l m i n g , being careful to avoid a n y "talking" of the coins as you. d o so, or y o u m a y vanish them all together b y using the F r e n c h Drop. Lift "the paper cover and s h o w the pile. Again you cover the pile and put your right hand, containing the five separate coins under the table. Order the coins to pass through the table and instantly jingle them together in y o u r hand, bring them up and throw them on table. Pick up the cover and the pre-

pared pile revealing the die. Let the fake drop to the roots of y o u r second and third lingers and retain it there by bending the lingers a little inward. Finally holding both h a n d s with the p a l m s to the audience tear the paper tube into s m a l l pieces and loss them aside. T h e fake will be concealed by the bent lingers and y o u r e m p t y p a l m s being in full v i e w , no one will i m a g i n e you can possibly have anything concealed in y o u r hand. T H E W E E P I N G COIN A m e t h o d f o r producing this effect in a s i m p l e w a y has already b e e n explained on page 30. B y the use of a small f a k e the effect is greatly enhanced. T o a little metal container is attached a short length of rubber tubing w i t h a bulb o n its end. T h e container has f o r its outlet a h y p o d e r m i c needle w h i c h is so arranged that it can be folded back against the side of the little can, a slot k e e p i n g it protected. T o prepare f o r the trick till the container w i t h scented w a t e r and place it under y o u r vest near the b o t t o m edge, a safely pin soldered at Ihe back keeping il secure. T h e needle you p u s h through the cloth and then fold it back. W h e n ready to s h o w the trick, secretly straighten (fie needle, pull y o u r sleeves hack and have y o u r h a n d s m i n u t e l y e x a m i n e d . Hold Ihe coin Hat in front of v o n , the e x t r e m e edges of ils sides between the tips of lingers and t h u m b s of both bands, as m u c h of Ihe surface of the coin being left in v i e w as possible. Slight pressure 011 the bulb, which you have placed under the vest in such a w a y that pressure can, be applied by the point of y o u r e l b o w , will force out a fine stream of water and (his you direct against the back of the coin. At any time you can allow the closest scrutiny of y o u r hands and Ihe coin yet the queen continues to w e e p at y o u r will. T h e trick in this f o r m is the invention of Dr. C. J. Diestel, of N. J., w h o has m a n y other brilliant novelties to his credit. P E N N Y C H A N G E S TO A DIME Under the shell of a p e n n y place a d i m e and hold the two together, shell penny side uppermost, 011 Ihe tip of the left s e c o n d finger of y o u r left hand. If y o u press d o w n w a r d s 011 Ihe edge of the shell coin w i t h y o u r thumb, steadying its side with y o u r first and third lingers, y o u will find you can till the shell upwards a w a y f r o m the dime. Hold the p e n n y in just the s a m e w a y with the second fingers and t h u m b of your right hand. Both hands are held l o w with their p a l m s upwards. Bring y o u r bands together and slide the p e n n y f r o m y o u r right hand 011 top of the d i m e and under Ihe shell, at the s a m e m o m e n t slide the d i m e lo y o u r right h a n d w i t h the lip of right m i d d l e finger. Let the shell a n d the p e n n y nest and throw Ihe d i m e d o w n 011 the table. Transfer the p e n n y lo your right hand, p a l m i n g the shell in your left. ;

P E N N Y A N D DIME You have a shell penny with the solid to fit w h i c h has been m a d e up f r o m a split p e n n y and split d i m e soldered together so that accordi n g to which side is uppermost, it appears to be a p e n n y or a dime. If the shell s h o w s a tail, the solid part of the p e n n y side should be a head so that w h e n both sides are s h o w n the p e n n y appears to be genuine. S h o w y o u r faked penny, let the solid drop into right h a n d a n d put the shell d o w n on table. B o r r o w a d i m e and change it f o r y o u r faked coin which you put d o w n beside the penny, d i m e side up of course. Under a fingernail y o u have a tiny pellet of w a x w h i c h y o u fix under a business card as y o u s h o w it, then secretly press the borr o w e d d i m e on the w a x , so that it adheres to the l o w e r side of the card in the m i d d l e of it. Place the card o v e r the m o u t h of a glass. Pick up the d i m e a n d place it on the card, then the p e n n y shell, letting the edge of this last overlap the edge of the dime. Grip the inner end of the card with your right t h u m b and forefinger and w i t h the tip of y o u r middle linger p u s h the shell over the d i m e slowly. T h e m o m e n t it drops flat, covering the dime, pull Ihe card back a little, scraping the (lime oil' the l o w e r side and causing il lo fall into the glass. In the m e a n t i m e you have quietly got a p e n n y into y o u r left hand, pick up tlie shell coin, apparently transfer it to y o u r left hand, really p a l m i n g it, and s h o w the unprepared penny. Lift the card oil' the glass w i t h y o u r right hand and drop p e n n y into glass f r o m y o u r left. Both coins can then be e x a m i n e d . HALF DOLLAR AND PENNY A specially prepared shell is required f o r this trick. T o m a k e it you obtain two shells of an English penny. F r o m one r e m o v e the rim entirely, f r o m the other half the r i m only. Solder these two caref u l l y together and you will have a h o l l o w coin into w h i c h y o u can slide a thin, well-worn half dollar. S h o w the faked coin, holding it edgewise b e t w e e n y o u r forefinger and thumb, the forefinger covering the open side. You are thus able to s h o w all parts of the coin and y o u m a k e it plain that y o u r hands are otherwise perfectly empty, without m a k i n g a n y remark about it. Ask a person to hold it and place it in his hand, at once closing his fingers over it. At least that is w h a t you appear to do, really y o u allow the half dollar to slide out of the shell w h i c h y o u retain in y o u r lingers in the front p a l m position, w h e n c e y o u transfer it to the p a l m proper as y o u r hand drops to y o u r side. A m o m e n t or two later, w h e n your assistant opens his hand, he finds the unprepared half dollar. S o m e highly ingenious combination tricks can be w o r k e d w i t h this coin. English pennies are obtainable at the Magic shops.

T H E " W I E S E N H E I M E R " COIN TRICK Apparatus F a k e s There is an old trick in which a d i m e or a p e n n y is m a d e lo vanish f r o m and reappear under a small ring. T h e trick has been sold b y p i t c h m e n and the secret is pretty generally k n o w n . Briefly two rings are used one of w h i c h has one side; tilled in w i t h a disc of the s a m e paper as that on w h i c h the trick is worked. A d i m e is put d o w n o n the sheet of paper on w h i c h the two rings are lying, the unprepared ring is put on Ihe faked one and a small card placed over both. T h e three articles arc lifted at once and placed over the coin. W h e n the card is lifted oil' the coin s e e m s to have gone, it is under the disc of paper at the l o w e r edge of the l o w e r ring. It is to turn the tables on a n y one w h o k n o w s the older m e t h o d that the f o l l o w i n g ingenious contrivance has been devised. You have one ring only, a sheet of paper on the table and a small square of ivorine. T h e s e you put d o w n openly pretending great care in k e e p i n g the ring on the paper. In y o u r left hand, h o w e v e r , you have the little f a k e depicted below. It is of ivorine, the s a m e length as the cover, but only about i of an inch in width. II has a little p o s t projecting f r o m its middle a n d on this is a dab of soft w a x . Fig. .'5(>. You hold the post between y o u r left second and third lingers, completely hiding il by k e e p i n g them slightly closed. Call attention to the ring, m o v i n g it about on the paper hut not lifting it oil'. S h o w the cover and ask f o r a dime. T o receive the coin in your right hand y o u place the cover in y o u r left over Ihe little fake, being careful thai the edges coincide. T h e little post b e i n g between the lingers you can hold the cover openly at closest quarters. Place the d i m e on the paper. T a k e the cover b e t w e e n y o u r right t h u m b and second linger, gripping the fake w i l h it, and h o l d i n g Ihe side of the cover nearest the spectators sloping d o w n w a r d s to prevent a g l i m p s e being obtained by a n y one of the little post, place it o v e r the ring, piek up the ring underneath it and place all three over Ihe coin. Press d o w n w i t h Ihe lip of the first linger w h i c h will be just over the middle of the cover and so cause the w a x to adhere lo the coin. A n n o u n c e that you will m a k e the coin vanish, and in all seriousness, taking no notice of any remarks w h i c h m a y be m a d e b y a n y w h o k n o w s Ihe trick, m a k e passes ewer Ihe cover. Lift it and the fake, Fig. .'57, place both on your left fingers for a m o m e n t so thai Ihe fake occupies the s a m e position in which you held it before, then hold the cover with your forefinger and t h u m b and close your middle tin;1

side and claim the coin has vanished. In response to requests to lift the ring, you affect to misunderstand and again m o v e it around, k e e p i n g il carefully 011 the paper all the time. Finally, having w o r k e d this for all it is worth, allow a spectator to lift the ring. In the m e a n time y o u have taken the cover in y o u r right hand, leaving y o u r left hand free to drop the f a k e into a pocket. T H E TALKING COIN E F F E C T : A borrowed coin, dropped into a glass, b e c o m e s animated, dancing in the glass in time to the m u s i c and a n s w e r i n g questions intelligently by the usual spiritualist code. A l t h o u g h this is an ancient a m o n g coin tricks, with g o o d presentation the trick goes over as well as ever. Y o u require the aid of a friend, placed behind a screen or in an adjoining r o o m , to m a n i p u late the thread by m e a n s of w h i c h the trick is worked. T h i s thread is best arranged thus: To one end attach a pellet of g o o d adhesive w a x . Press this pellet on the cover of a fairly large b o o k then p a s s the thread through a bent pin w h i c h you fasten in the back of the book. You have the book and a glass behind the scenes, the thread so arranged that it will reel out freely w h e n required. W h e n y o u are ready to introduce the trick, g o to the side and get the b o o k and the glass. T h e book y o u place on the table, professedly to cut off all connection between the table and the glass. This latter by the w a y has a minute notch filed on its edge. This notch should be just deep e n o u g h to allow the passage of the thread. Y o u have the glass exa m i n e d (the notch will n e v e r be noticed), and place it o n the book, notch to the rear. B o r r o w a coin, having it m a r k e d first. Hold it very openly at the tips of your right fingers and go back to y o u r table. Move the book a little further f o r w a r d w i t h y o u r left h a n d and in so doing, secure the w a x pellet. Then in turning the coin about, as y o u describe the m a r k s on it, press the w a x pellet on it and drop the coin in the glass. You see that the thread passes over the notch and y o u put a small plate over the m o u t h of the glass. T h u s the coin appears to be isolated f r o m all possible outside interference. This m a k e s the subsequent dancing and j u m p i n g of the coin m o s t mysterious. Y o u r concealed assistant b y m a n i p u l a t i n g the f r e e end of the thread can n o w m a k e the coin dance in time to m u s i c a n d a n s w e r questions. T h e usual code is three j u m p s f o r YES, t w o f o r NO, and successive j u m p s for numbers. One of the best possible uses f o r the trick is to w o r k it in conjunction w i t h the Rising cards.

C 0 I X M A (i 1 C

II

COIN A N D B O T T L E Many excellent effects have been m a d e possible by the use of folding coins. They are m a d e by first filing a shallow groove in the rim. The coin is then cut into three pieces as in Fig. 38, a very small rubber band is placed in the groove and the cut coin will then be held together. If the cuts are properly m a d e the coin will bear casual inspection. One of the most popular tricks performed with such a coin is the passage into a bottle. Borrow a coin and exchange it for your faked coin w h i c h you hold in your left hand. In closing y o u r left lingers on it secretly fold it. Taking up a bottle with your right hand push its neck into your left list on the little linger side, introducing the folded coin into it. With a little shake, or by striking the b o t t o m of the bottle smartly on the right hand, the coin will pass d o w n through the neck and by the tension of the rubber instantly reassume its flat form. Jingle the coin in the bottle to prove its solidify. To extract the coin you must get the cuts exactly in line with the neck of the bottle w h e n a sharp blow on the bottom will force it out. If you have a large tray available it is m u c h m o r e convincing to break the bottle, that being, you say, the only w a y to get the coin back. Then change it for the borrowed coin as you go to hand it back lo the owner.

FiR. 38

A half dollar is placed in the center of a handkerchief. The four corners of handkerchief are hunched together and a linger ring is placed over the ends of the handkerchief and pushed down to the coin inside. Spectator holds the corners of the handkerchief and although the ring is much smaller than the half dollar, the ring goes right oil" the handkerchief despite the coin insidethere. The folding coin above is the secret. Spectator holds the handkerchief by the corners. Performer just folds the coin and pushes it through the finger ring. Open out handkerchief and switch the coin for the borrowed half. 1

A N EASY TRICK You have a half-dolar and a shell to lit it. S h o w them as one coin, which you place on the table. Cover it with a borrowed hat and announce thai you will m a k e the m o n e y return to your hand, then changing y o u r mind, say you will lake Ihe coin in your hand and m a k e it return to the hat. Put your hand under Ihe hat and bring out the shell. S h o w it, its good side to the audience, of course, then vanish it by one of the various sleights already explained. Lilt the hat and s h o w the coin has arrived. COIN A N D STRING You have a shell coin, through both shell and solid of w h i c h a hole has been drilled.

P a l m the shell and hand the coin to be e x a m i n e d and m a r k e d . T a k i n g it back you pass out a piece of string about t w o feet l o n g and while this is being tested slip the shell over the coin. Threading the string through the holes in the shell and the coin, y o u have the t w o ends held by spectators, the coin being at the m i d d l e of t h e string. T h r o w a handkerchief over the coin. You then decide to attempt an extraordinarily difficult trick. You say y o u will take t h e coin oil' the string and then pass it back again while the ends of the string are held. Put y o u r hands under the handkerchief and slide the shell only along the string, keeping its g o o d side uppermost, until it c o m e s into sight. The holder of the end near it is asked to let g o f o r a m o m e n t wliile y o u slip tbe coin off. T h e string is then held taut by the two spectators. Vanish the shell b y p a l m i n g it in the right hand as von apparently place it in y o u r left hand. T a k e a throwing m o t i o n w i t h y o u r left hand a n d at the s a m e m o m e n t pull the handkerchief rapidly off the string a n d the coin is revealed on it, spinning around. You h a v e the mark identified. 1

A F I N G E R GIMLET E F F E C T : You push the tip of y o u r forefinger through the m i d dle of a borrowed coin, encircling the linger ring fashion. Y o u restore the coin and return it u n d a m a g e d . You require a half dollar with a hole cut out of its middle, large e n o u g h lo allow the passage of y o u r forefinger tip, and a shell to lit over this. Put the solid coin in Ihe shell and conceal them in y o u r left hand, clipped al Ihe roots of y o u r second a n d third lingers. B o r r o w a half dollar, taking it in y o u r right band, and put it in your left, really p a l m i n g it and s h o w i n g the f a k e coin. Hold this as in F i g 15!), w i t h the shell side facing the front. E x t e n d y o u r right forefinger, closing the other three on y o u r p a l m , effectually hiding the p a l m e d coin. Press Ihe right forefinger tip on the coin, turning it, and at once inserting il in the hole. T h e shell is thus p u s h e d against the l o w e r joints of the left second a n d third fingers and is held there while y o u exhibit the perforated coin as in Fig. 10. To restore the coin replace it in your left hand, let the shell settle on top of the solid. Rub this with the ball of your t h u m b and

COIN

M A ('. I C

43

A P E N E T R A T I N G COIN F o r this very pretty and effective trick you require a shell coin, two glasses, a small plate, and an ordinary half dollar. You have the half dollar p a l m e d and, as y o u place the plate on the m o u t h of the glass, lay the coin on the rim of the glass so that the greater part of it hangs over inside the glass hut the weight of the plate holds it in position. S h o w the solid coin and its shell as two coins and put them on the plate, the shell overlapping the other. Over these place another glass, m o u t h downward. Pick up the w h o l e arrangement, the l o w e r glass with y o u r left hand and the upper glass with y o u r right. Move the upper glass round in circles on the plate, gradually w o r k i n g the shell coin over the solid. At the very m o m e n t that it slips over and covers the solid coin, tilt the plate slightly and thereby cause the concealed coin to drop into the l o w e r glass with startling effect.

SILVER TO RltONZE You have a half dollar shell with an English p e n n y lo tit it. T h e s e pennies can be obtained at llolden's Magic Store. You have this p a l m e d in y o u r left hand, then borrowing a half dollar and taking it with your right hand pretend to put il in your left, really p a l m i n g il and s h o w i n g (he faked coin. F r o m y o u r pocket lake a b o x of safety matches, leaving the borrowed coin in Ihe pocket. E m p t y out the matches and taking the drawer place it over the faked coin on the back of y o u r left list. Lift it several, limes s h o w i n g the silver coin, then by pinching Ihe sides of Ihe drawer you lift oil' the shell leaving the penny in view. Let the shell fall into your right hand and throw the drawer d o w n on y o u r table. Toss the p e n n y f r o m Ihe back of left hand and catch it between linger and thumb, then take it with right hand letting shell fall into the left hand. Hand penny to lender of coin and Ihrusl both hands in pockets. Drop shell and palm borrowed coin. Taking Ihe penny with your right hand you put it in left executing the one hand change. Close left hand and rub coin vigorously. Finally s h o w the change hack lo silver, and return the coin.

C H A P T E R V.

ADVANCED SLEIGHTS

1. You hold your left hand w i t h its back to the audience, the lingers curved inwards and the t h u m b stretched out. Take the coin y o u w i s h to vanish between the tips of tbe second and third fingers of y o u r right hand. Advance y o u r right hand towards y o u r left and insert the coin between the left t h u m b and lingers, Fig. 44. As soon as it i s out of sight bend your two right fingers round your left t h u m b a n d grip the coin f o r a m o m e n t in the fork of the right thumb, Fig. 45. W i t h d r a w the two fingers f r o m the left hand w h i c h y o u close as if it held the coin and, as you m a k e a half turn to the right, grip the coin with the s a m e fingers, lift it a little upwards, Fig. 46, and then push it through to the back of the band b e t w e e n the first a n d second fingers. The m o v e m e n t is completely covered by the tips of the lingers and thumb. As soon as the coin is pushed between the fingers open the hand fully. Fig. 47.

c/ Fig. 11

l ig. -13 r

Vanish the coin f r o m the left hand, and, to recover it, y o u m a y release it f r o m the back of Ihe fingers as y o u m a k e a sharp tossing m o v e m e n t with your right hand. The coin apparently drops f r o m the air and you catch it in y o u r right hand. 2. Hold your left fist with its back to the audience but this time you have the little finger uppermost. Place a coin in the o p e n i n g between the t h u m b and forefinger and p u s h it into the fist w i t h y o u r right forefinger. Fig. 48. As you pretend to push the forefinger upwards as if pushing the coin further into the fist, you really m a k e it slide round the left thumb and drop under the closed second and third fingers w h i c h open a little to receive it and then close again hiding it, Fig. 4!).

COIN

M A (". I G

45

W i t h d r a w the right hand as in Fig. 50. Pretend to crumble the coin a w a y and point to the empty left hand as in Fig. 51. Since the three lingers of your right hand were closed throughout no one will imagine that the coin has been secreted there.

:5. This is considered by m a n y artists the best of all the methods of vanishing a coin. Hold the coin between the tips of the first fingers and thumb of y o u r right hand and stand with your right side to the front. You actually place the coin on the palm of the left hand as in Fig. 52, but do not release il. Close the lingers of the left hand and as soon as

three lingers. In the m e a n t i m e you close the left hand and m o v e il away, closely following it with your gaze. As your right hand drops naturally to your side transfer the coin lo the P a l m Proper. Six or more coins can be vanished by this sleight one after the other, but care must be taken thai no sound is m a d e as they are transferred to the palm of the right hand.

CHAPENDER'S METHOD OF PALMING 1. Hold the coin as in F i g 51, the greater part of the coin b e i n g below the thumb. As you m o v e your right b a n d towards y o u r left open the fingers so that the first joint of the second finger c o m e s in front of the coin, Fig. 55, and grips it against the first joint of the third finger at the back, Fig. 5(5. Open and extend the left hand ready to receive the coin w h i c h y o u place on its palm. T h e n as y o u close the left fingers press the coin into your right palm, holding it edgewise but leaving the tips of the t h u m b and fingers in position s h o w n in Fig. 57. A l l o w the spectator to see y o u pull out Hie finger and t h u m b and they will be convinced that tiie coin remains in y o u r left hand. Straighten out your right fingers, back of the h a n d to the front, the coin remaining securely p a l m e d on its edge as in Fig. 58.

FIR. 54

I'm. 53

Fig. 57

Fig. 5G

Fig. 58

TWO FINGER PALM 5. You hold tbe coin b e t w e e n tbe tips of y o u r right first and second fingers, closing the other two fingers on the p a l m . Y ou h a v e y o u r right side to the front. Extend your left hand open, fiat, with the p a l m to the audience, and place the coin against its palm. H o l d it there as y o u close y o u r left fingers slowly over it, beginning w i t h the little linger, Fig. 59. Move the left hand a w a y as if taking the coin and b e n d the t w o right fingers into the palm concealing the coin, Fig. (50. At the s a m e time turn the left hand over d o w n w a r d s , bringing its back to the front. Keep your eyes fixed on the left hand. Keep your right band stationary for a m o m e n t or two, then let it drop and p a l m the coin edgewise, or place il in the fork of y o u r t h u m b as in the Front T h u m b Pa'm, Fig. 88, page (55. 7

C. () I N M A G I G

•17

It is most important to r e m e m b e r that the right hand must not be pulled a w a y f r o m the left, since that action destroys Ihe illusion

ADVANCED FLOURISHES 1. The Steeplechase E F F E C T : A half dollar is made lo revolve 011 the back of the hand, falling over f r o m linger to linger, forefinger lo the little linger, then carried round under the hand and the revolutions repeated. You bend the first two joints of the fingers downwards and hold the coin between the tip of the thumb and the side of the forelinger as in Fig. (il*. Y011 allow the coin lo fall over the top of the forelinger catching its opposite edge between the roots of that linger and the middle linger. You repeat the same movement over the second and third lingers, Fig. (>:i. When the coin arrives at the little linger you let it slide through to the inside of the hand, catching it with the lip of the thumb and carrying it back to the first position. You repeat the moves as often as desired, Figs, (it A (if). Instead of letting the coin drop to the inside of the hand you may make il revolve in the opposite direction back lo the first position between thumb and forefinger. The flourish is an ell'eetive one for close work but is of no use for a stage performance. I have seen a well known vaudeville performer finish

l'ig. (if.

2. The Coin Turn Over You lay a row of half dollars on the palm of your hand as shown in Fig. (Hi, then by slightly bending up the base of the thumb you make the whole pile turn over as in Fig. G7, the ccins being partly reversed. Letting them fall as in Fig.(i8, you bend up the finger tips and send the coins back to their original positions. With practice a regular wave may be made to run up and down the row of coins. This is a pretty flourish to introduce at the conclusion of the Miser's Dream. 3. Yanish and Recovery, of Stack of Coins You spread a large number of coins along your right hand and half way up your wrist, giving an exaggerated idea of the number in use.

Hold your left hand about waist high, cupped to receive the coins and turning your right hand over apparently drop them in, but really let the coins slide into a stack, clipping and retaining them with the lingers of the right hand with which you at once pick up your wand, or better, a small fan. Holding your left hand pulled out as if holding the coins there, fan it for a moment or two, then suddenly appear to throw the coins over the audience.

A moment later recover them from behind your right knee and pour them in a glittering stream into a bowl on your table. This ilourish follows on well after tbe turnover and makes a brilliant finish to the Miser's Dream. The sleight appears to be much more difficult than it really is.

SLEEVING FROM BACK OF LEFT H A N D

A simple and easy method is this: You toss the coin, catch it in your right hand and slap it down on the back of your left hand. Invite a spectator to guess head or tail. Show the result and repeat the toss. This time under cover of your right hand, slope your left hand back and a little downward letting the coin slide into your right sleeve. At once raise your right wrist, so that the coin is apparently covered with the tips of your fingers only. When a guess is made, rub the tips of your fingers on the back of left hand and show the coin has vanished. Drop your left hand and shake the left sleeve with your right, then drop right hand, letting the coin fall into palm and shake that sleeve vigorously with your left hand. Recover the coin from person's coat, or where you will. This makes an effective little interlude when having borrowed one marked coin, another is being marked. Such byplay keeps up the magical atmosphere.

COIN

M A ('. I C

•19

S P I N N I N G COIN INTO T H E AIR Spin a coin into the air and catcli il. Again you toss it up, turning your hand as you do so bringing its back to the front; as the coin falls, apparently into the hand, close your lingers as before, bill really allow the coin to fall into your sleeve, Figs, iii) it 70. Tliet entry into the sleeve is concealed by the back of your hand and wrist and if you

S o m e Variations 1. Place a coin on the table near the edge. Holding your wrist horizontal, place the lingers over the coin, the tit) of the second linger resting on it Make a feint of picking up the coin by drawing the lingers back from the table and under cover of that bend the middle lingers sharply inward llicking the coin up the sleeve. Close the hand as if it held the coin then slowly rub it away, or better, feign to put it in your left hand, making exactly the same motions as if the coin were really transferred, ("lose the left hand and pretend to vanish it from there. By having a coin palmed an excellent change may lie worked, by sleeving the original and showing the duplicate in your palm. 2. For magicians only. Show a half dollar and talk about the great difficulty you have in learning to hold a coin at the back of the lingers. You put the coin in position several times letting it slip away each time. Finally you turn your hand so that the palm is toward the victim and the opening of your sleeve- well away from your wrist at the back. Put the coin at the back of the lingers and at once let it slide down into your sleeve. Pretending to have succeeded in holding it, turn the hand rapidly front and back, needless to say executing the moves in flawless fashion. Finally close the fingers on the imaginary coin, transfer it to your left hand and vanish il from there. The delightfully illusory move is the invention of Mr. Chris Carven, who is not only a skilled artist, as the illustrations to this book testify, but also an accomplished magician. 3. The same effect can be obtained without the use of the sleeve. You place a coin at the back of the right fingers with your left hand, but as soon as the coin is behind the right fingers back palm it with the left. You can now execute the full routine of back and front moves with perfect precision. 4. MODIFICATION OF T H E F R E N C H D R O P F o l l o w the m o v e m e n t s described for Ibis sleight bill lei the coin fall into the left palm. Then with a slight Hick of the right third and fourth fingers send it up your left sleeve. Neatly done the m o v e m e n t of the lingers is imperceptible. Both hands can then he s h o w n empty.

C H A P T E R VI.

ADVANCED TRICKS C A R D S A N D COINS E F F E C T : — T w o cards are taken f r o m any deck and freely s h o w n . T h e y are replaced, one on the other, and a coin mysteriously m a terializes and drops f r o m them. T h e y are taken apart and again, s h o w n and the magical production is repeated several times. In the first section of this book a m e t h o d has been explained f o r the production of a coin f r o m one card. By the ingenuity of Mr. S a m Horowitz, w h o s e reputation as one of the cleanest and cleverest sleight of hand experts of today is firmly established, this little trick has been transformed into a feat well w o r t h the attention of a n y artist. T o begin with you have three coins, half dollars are the best to use, p a l m e d edgewise in y o u r right band. W i t h this hand pick up a n y two playing cards f r o m any deck and place them in your left hand, face d o w n , left t h u m b on the backs of the cards, tips of fingers on face. Fig. 71. Stand with y o u r right side to the front and ttick the backs of the t w o cards with your right lingers, then turn your left hand o v e r s h o w i n g the faces. Turn (he cards face d o w n and, a s you bring y o u r right hand over to the left, pick up the outside coin f r o m the p a l m w i t h the lips of y o u r m i d d l e fingers. At the m o m e n t you take Ihe top card b e t w e e n y o u r right forefinger and thumb, extend the middle fingers, carrying the coin under the l o w e r card w h e r e it is instantly secured by the tip of the left middle finger and held concealed by that card, Fig.72. R e m o v e the top card with y o u r right hand and turn it about, s h o w i n g its back and face, then replace it in y o u r left h a n d 011 the other card D r a w a w a y the l o w e r card in y o u r right h a n d at the s a m e time retaining the coin in the s a m e position under, a n d n o w concealed by, the first card. S h o w card in right h a n d freely a n d replace it in the left hand u n d e r the coin. Y o u n o w have the coin between the two cards and you hold it there b y pressing the tips of left t h u m b and fingers 011 the back and front of tbe cards. S h o w the t w o cards freely.

COIN

MAGIC

51

You inusl n o w turn the t w o cards to a verticle position w i t h the face of the l o w e r card towards the audience. T o do this lake the t w o cards, lying Ilat b e t w e e n the tips of y o u r right t h u m b a n d forelinger f o r a m o m e n t , then grip them b y their sides f r o m above, b e t w e e n the left t h u m b a n d lingers, a n d place the tip of the forelinger on the b a c k at the point w h e r e the coin lies b e t w e e n the curds. B y pulling the sides of the cards back a little they are bent l e n g t h w i s e a n d the pressure of the forefinger tip will hold the coin firmly b e t w e e n t h e m . H o l d the cards u p vertically o v e r a plate, the face of the bott o m card to the f r o n t and, a f t e r a f e w p a s s e s d o w n w a r d w i t h y o u r right fingers, let the c o n c e a l e d coin drop on the plate b y r e l a x i n g the pressure of the forefinger, Fig. 715. T h e s u d d e n a p p e a r a n c e of the coin is a c o m p l e t e surprise. T h e m o v e s h a v e been s o open a n d apparently w i t h o u t guile that there is no clue to its materialization. T h e s a m e m o v e s are m a d e w i t h the t w o r e m a i n i n g coins. W h e n y o u h a v e the last coin b e h i n d the card in y o u r left h a n d , y o u can s h o w the p a l m of y o u r right h a n d freely as y o u s h o w each card, a n d y o u s h o u l d m a k e the m o s t of this, the i m p r e s s i o n 011 the m i n d s of flic spectators will be that they h a v e seen all parts of the h a n d s t h r o u g h o u t the trick. In the clever h a n d s of Mr. H o r o w i t z the feat never fails to create a c o m p l e t e illusion.

AN OPTICAL ILLUSION? E F F E C T : A coin is m a d e to disappear a n d reappear at the will of the m a g i c i a n . Spread a b o r r o w e d handkerchief over y o u r left hand, b r i n g i n g the m i d d l e of it o v e r the p a l m of the hand. B o r r o w a half dollar, first h a v i n g the o w n e r m a r k it, a n d hold it up at the lips of the first a n d s e c o n d fingers of y o u r right hand, turning the h a n d about lo s h o w all parts of it. Deliberately, w i t h y o u r right side to the spectators, place the coin against the handkerchief 011 y o u r left p a l m a n d apparently close y o u r left list 011 it e n c l o s i n g il in Ihe fabric, in reality y o u e x e c u t e Ihe t w o linger p a l m , Figs. ;")!)-() 1, p a g e -17, retaining the coin in y o u r hand. M o v e the closed left h a n d a little o u t w a r d s a n d drop y o u r right h a n d

f o r a m o m e n t , then raise it a n d grip the side of the handkerchief at a p o i n t about three inches a b o v e y o u r left wrist. S h a k e this part of the fabric w i t h a quick f o r w a r d and b a c k w a r d m o t i o n of the h a n d of about t w o inches each w a y , at the s a m e t i m e k n e a d i n g the fingers of the left hand. Keep y o u r eyes riveted on that hand. S u d d e n l y o p e n the left fingers out flat but c o n t i n u e the f o r w a r d a n d backw a r d fluttering of y o u r right b a n d T h e coin has v a n i s h e d . A g a i n close y o u r left fingers a n d just as y o u do so, y o u r right hand, m a k i n g a f o r w a r d m o v e m e n t , releases the coin so that it flies out a n d is caught in the left fist. T h e t w o m o t i o n s of releasing the coin a n d closing the fist m u s t synchronize, in w h i c h case the flight of the coin is invisible. Continue s h a k i n g y o u r right h a n d a n d a m o m e n t or t w o later o p e n the left h a n d a n d s h o w the coin lying o n the h a n d k e r c h i e f . It is essential that (lie s h a k i n g shall be the s a m e throughout, a n y t e n d e n c y t o w a r d s m a k i n g a distinct t h r o w w h e n the coin is released m u s t be carefully g u a r d e d against. A g a i n put the coin on the h a n d k e r c h i e f a n d close y o u r left fingers, seize the e d g e of the f a b r i c a n d b e g i n to s h a k e it. T h e n , u n d e r pretence of s h o w i n g the m a r k , o p e n y o u r left h a n d a n d s h o w the coin, pick il up in y o u r right hand. Once m o r e place it o n the left hand, really p a l m i n g it (vary the m e t h o d of p a l m i n g if p o s s i b l e ) , close Hie left h a n d a n d take up Ihe e d g e of the fabric. T h i s time raise it a little and, u n d e r c o v e r of the first f o r w a r d m o v e m e n t , release the coin s o that it g o e s u n d e r the h a n d k e r c h i e f into the left hand, the fingers of w h i c h arc lifted just e n o u g h to let it pass. Continue Ihe s h a k i n g f o r a m o m e n t or t w o a s b e f o r e , then o p e n y o u r hand, but to y o u r surprise there is n o coin there. Y o u are bew i l d e r e d f o r a n instant, then, w i t h a smile, y o u pull the h a n d k e r c h i e f off y o u r left h a n d a n d s h o w the coin l y i n g oil its p a l m . T h e effect can o n l y be realized b y actually trying out the m o v e s . T h i s clever trick a l s o is the invention of Mr. H o r o w i t z . T H E SYMPATHETIC COINS E F F E C T : F o u r coins arc placed 011 the corners of a h a n d k e r chief w h i c h is spread 011 the (able. T b e coins are covered alternately w i t h t w o s m a l l squares of p a p e r a n d they pass across, o n e at a time, until all f o u r are u n d e r the o n e paper. Y o u require a h a n d k e r c h i e f , p r e f e r a b l y of dark color, f o u r half dollars, w h i c h y o u b o r r o w a n d h a v e m a r k e d , a n d t w o pieces of stiff paper, about f o u r inches by f o u r . Spread the h a n d k e r c h i e f out and place o n e coin on e a c h corner. S t a n d i n g b e h i n d the table take (lie t w o squares of paper, o n e in e a c h h a n d , t h u m b s a b o v e a n d fingers b e l o w , a n d m a k e the f o l l o w i n g m o v e s : a. Cover the t w o front coins calling attention lo the fact that the o t h e r t w o r e m a i n visible. b. Cover the rear two, s h o w i n g Ihe t w o front coins in position.

c. Cover the coin at the front left corner and that at rear right corner, leaving the other two in sight. d. Cover the right hand front coin and the left hand rear one. Calling attention to the other two coins, asking if all can see them plainly, press with your t h u m b on the left edge of the front coin through the paper and quietly lift it w i t h right lingers. Don't look at the paper while doing this and m a k e no visible m o v e of the paper or right hand. e. N o w c o m e s the critical m o v e . Retain your right hand in the s a m e position and bring the left hand paper squarely in front of it, then m o v e y o u r right hand with the paper a n d the hidden coin a w a y , instantly dropping the left hand paper on the spot w h e r e the abstracted coin is supposed to lie. Move y o u r right hand over to the left and lay the paper d o w n over the coin at the front left corner, releasing the hidden coin, placing it alongside, hut being careful not lo let it touch the coin there. If you have succeeded in doing this cleanly Ihe rest is easy. T a k e up Ihe l o w e r left hand coin in y o u r right hand and lift that corner of the handkerchief, lingers pushed well underneath and t h u m b above. S h o w the coin plainly then push it under the corner towards the paper over the two coins, but really leave it b e t w e e n the left first and second lingers. Raising Ihe handkerchief a little y o u m a k e the two coins u n d e r the paper c o m e together w i t h a chink, as if the coin you just s h o w e d had passed thru at that m o m e n t . W i t h d r a w y o u r right h a n d and lift the paper s h o w i n g the two coins and at once drop the corner of the handkerchief f r o m y o u r left hand and take the paper f r o m your right h a n d with y o u r left. A m o m e n t later put the paper d o w n over the t w o coins releasing the third, and repent the preceding m o v e m e n t s w i t h the coin at the l o w e r right h a n d corner. Raise the paper and s h o w the three coins. T o pass the last coin w h i c h y o u have really just put w i t h the other three as y o u covered t h e m again, raise the edge of the paper w h i c h has been lying at the front right hand corner of the handkerchief, just a little and m a k e a pretence of b l o w i n g the coin across. Lift the other paper and reveal the f o u r coins all together. W e l l presented the trick is one of the best of i m p r o m p t u coin tricks and is well w o r t h the lime required to m a s t e r it.

Second Method F o r this you require an extra coin of y o u r o w n w h i c h y o u have p a l m e d . Arrange the f o u r coins in the s a m e w a y but do not r e m o v e the coin f r o m the right h a n d corner in covering it, simply place the p a l m e d coin w i t h the other under the left h a n d paper. F r o m this point you w o r k exactly as has been explained in the first m e t h o d until y o u have s h o w n three coins together and have secretly added the fourth. T h e n lift the paper at the right h a n d front corner and proceed to vanish it by one or the other of the various sleights already explained. If y o u are a n adept at sleeving, that is a g o o d m e t h o d to use here. Finally s h o w the f o u r coins under the left band paper. Contrary to the w e l l - k n o w n rule against i m m e d i a t e repetition y o u m a y repeat the trick b y using this different plan a n d so leave y o u r audience m o r e mystified than ever. COIN A N D E N V E L O P E S E F F E C T : A m a r k e d , borrowed coin is passed into the innerm o s t of a nest of three envelopes m a d e magically f r o m a piece of newspaper. T h i s is d o n e a second time w i t h another piece of paper and, finally, the envelopes c h a n g e mysteriously back to t w o pieces of newspaper. F o r this m o s t effective trick you require three copies of tbe s a m e issue of a newspaper. Pick out s o m e striking advertisement and tear out f r o m all three, pieces large e n o u g h to m a k e up six envelopes. F r o m one of these m a k e t w o sets of three r o u g h envelopes w h i c h will nest. T a k e three coins, quarters are best, as m u c h alike as possible, and put on each of t h e m a plain mark, s u c h as a cross, scratched w i t h a penknife. P u t one of these coins in each of the i n n e r m o s t envelopes of the t w o nests a n d seal tbe envelopes w i t h daubs of sealing w a x . C r u m p l e up one of the nests of envelopes and put it in y o u r right hand trousers pocket, the second y o u also ball up and place under one of the pieces of n e w s p a p e r on y o u r table. The third paper y o u tear in two, roll thq pieces into a ball and place t h e m at the top of the right band trouser pocket. In a coat pocket y o u have a stick of scaling w a x and y o u r third m a r k e d quarter y o u have palmed. Begin by inviting a spectator to c o m e up to assist you. H a v i n g seated h i m go d o w n and b o r r o w a quarter w h i c h y o u have the o w n e r m a r k very plainly, handing h i m a p e n k n i f e to do that. On the w a y back change the borrowed quarter f o r yours and b a n d this to y o u r

volunteer assistant, asking h i m to take careful note of the m a r k and y o u secretly drop the original coin in y o u r trouser pocket. T a k e up the sheet of newspaper, at the s a m e time securing the nest of envelopes, holding it behind, tear the paper in half, retain the half under w h i c h the nest is hidden in your right h a n d and place the other half d o w n . Let the assistant put the coin on the m i d d l e of the paper under y o u r t h u m b and at once crumple, up the sheet into a ball, using y o u r right b a n d only. Squeeze this ball tightly against the ball of envelopes, hold t h e m up and s h o w them as one parcel. Turn them over bringing the envelopes to the top and let the other little parcel fall to the roots of the lingers, holding it there by closing three lingers on it. Turn the h a n d over, keeping the ball of envelopes in v i e w b e t w e e n forefinger and t h u m b and put it in assistant's hand, telling h i m to hold it tightly. T a k e the sealing w a x f r o m y o u r pocket, leaving the p a l m e d parcel behind. T o u c h the assistant's hand three times a n n o u n c i n g that a m y s t e r i o u s effect will happen. He opens out his parcel and finds it changed to a sealed envelope. In this be finds another, in that a third, and in this last the quarter w h i c h he identifies b y Hie mark. Apparently the trick is finished a n d the audience applaud y o u r success. Ask the assistant to b a n d the coin to its owner. But you call h i m back and ask h i m if he is sure he will r e m e m b e r h o w the trick w a s done. Offer to go through the m o v e m e n t s again. In the m e a n t i m e you have got the second ball of envelopes f r o m y o u r pocket a n d you take up the last piece of paper f r o m the table, holding the balled envelopes behind it in y o u r right hand. Again the assistant puts the coin o n the paper, y o u c r u m p l e it up, m a k i n g the c h a n g e as before, touch it w i t h the sealing w a x and get rid of the other ball. The second set of envelopes is opened out and in Ihe innermost the person, finds a coin a n d again lie identifies the m a r k . W h i l e all this is being done y o u secure the ball of paper f r o m the top of y o u r trouser pocket in your right hand. Gather up the pieces of the envelopes, squeeze them tightly with both hands, leaving them in y o u r left h a n d and hand the ball f o r m e d of two pieces of paper w i t h y o u r right to the assistant. Turn lo the table to get the sealing w a x and drop the envelope pieces in y o u r left coat pocket. Let the assistant take the w a x and touch the bundle three times. On opening it out he finds he has apparently transformed them to the original two pieces of paper. Y o u have had a m p l e opportunity lo secure the b o r r o w e d quarter f r o m y o u r pocket. Y o u lake the coin just identified b y y o u r

assistant and, on the w a y hack to the owner, y o u change it f o r his and you have him a c k n o w l e d g e it as his own. F o r set p e r f o r m a n c e s f o r which you can obtain p r o g r a m s beforehand, y o u can use these instead of newspapers and, enhance the effect. The trick w a s a favorite of the late Charles B e r t r a m and he invariably scored heavily w i t h il. COIN A N D O R A N G E S T h e s a m e principle is m a d e use of in this trick. You m a r k two half dollars of y o u r o w n , that are alike in general appearance, the s a m e way, as for instance w i t h a bold cross. One y o u place in an orange by m a k i n g a slit in its side, a second orange y o u prepare b y m a k i n g a similar slit in it and a third orange y o u leave intact. You have these on y o u r table, the w h o l e orange b e t w e e n the other two. Also on the table you have a plate and a knife, the second half dollar y o u have in y o u r pocket. Ask f o r the loan of a half dollar and, while an a c c o m m o d a t i n g spectator is m a r k i n g it, p a l m y o u r coin. Take the coin f r o m the lender and, in handing it to a second person a little distance a w a y , change it f o r y o u r o w n by the one hand change. Leaving the coin with this second spectator return to y o u r table, lean over it w i t h y o u r back to the audience f o r a m o m e n t to m o v e the oranges to its front edge and slip the borrowed coin into the orange with the slit in its side. Place the three in a r o w , the unprepared o n e in the middle. Ask the second spectator to choose one of the three. If he asks f o r the middle one toss it to him and ask h i m to certify that the fruit is unprepared. If right or left is called y o u interpret the request in the usual magician's w a y to fall on the orange w i t h y o u r duplicate coin in it. Thrust the k n i f e into the slit at the back a n d get a person to hold the orange up thus impaled. T a k e the coin f r o m the spectator and, retiring a little distance, you vanish it, pretending to throw it towards the orange. This is cut open and y o u r duplicate is f o u n d and its m a r k identified. T a k e this coin and w i p i n g it w i t h y o u r handkerchief, m a k e a pretence of being about to return it to spectator No. 1, then ask h i m if he really understands the trick. Offer to repeat it. Go to y o u r table and thrust the point of the k n i f e into the orange that contains the original borrowed coin. Let the lender hold this up. Vanish y o u r duplicate coin by y o u r favorite m e t h o d . T h e orange is cut open and the original m a r k e d coin is f o u n d b y the lender himself. It is not advisable to m a k e this the concluding item of your program. T h e two spectators m i g h t get together and find that the last coin has a different mark to that passed first into the orange. THE PERIPATETIC E F F E C T : F o u r m a r k e d coins are dropped into a pickle jar, or coin pail, f r o m w h i c h they pass one b y one into a glass held in the magician's hand. At each stage of the trick the m a r k s are identified. Half dollars are the best coins to use f o r this trick and y o u will require one of your o w n w h i c h has a tiny hole drilled near its edge.

COIN

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B v m e a n s of this hole a piece of fine black silk is tied to the coin. The silk should be about 20 inches in length (the exact length can best be ascertained by experiment), the free end being fastened to the top vest button, and the coin placed in your lower right vest pocket. Besides this coin you should have a large, straight sided pickle jar, failing that you m a y use an unprepared coin bucket or a hat. Begin by borrowing four half dollars and have each of them plainly marked. W h i l e this is being done you will have ample time to get your coin f r o m vest pocket into your left hand. Receive the f o u r coins in your right hand, allowing them to be dropped on its palm by the lenders. You so manage that one coin shall be in the correct position for the Palm Proper so that you can retain it there at will. Going to your table transfer the coins to your left hand apparently, really retaining one in the right palm, but as four coins are at once seen in your left hand the spectators are satisfied. W i t h your right fingers take up the pickle jar and s h o w its interior. Drop the four coins f r o m y o u r left hand, one by one, beginning with the threaded coin, into the jar. The last one you m a y toss in the air, letting it fall in the jar. Allow it to be seen unmistakably that y o u r left hand is empty. Transfer the jar to your left hand, taking care that the thread c o m e s between the fingers. By extending your left arm the prepared coin will be drawn up under y o u r left lingers. W i t h your right hand pick up a glass, taking il by the rim with the tips of your lingers and t h u m b so that the palm of the hand and the coin held therein, is just over the stomach. Hold the jar as high as possible with your left hand, while the right holds the glass below il at about waist level. Order a coin to pass. Give the jar a little shake, and immediately after let the palmed coin drop into the glass by relaxing the grip by the thumb muscles. Invert the jar over a plate and three coins only fall out. your threaded coin being safely concealed beneath y o u r lingers near the top of the jar. Place the. glass d o w n and picking- up the three coins with your right hand you transfer them lo your left, really again retaining one in the right palm and s h o w i n g the threaded coin with the other two in the left hand. T w o more coins are passed f r o m the jar to the glass in exactly the s a m e w a y as the first coin. The treatment of the last coin is by m e a n s of change No. 1. Simply palm Ihe coin in Ihe right hand as you apparently place il in the left, immediately s h o w i n g the threaded coin. This is dropped into the jar and f r o m thence passed into the glass in, the s a m e w a y as the others. Finally s h o w the jar e m p t y and carry the glass d o w n to the owners of the coins and have them identify their marks. This trick is very effective and worth the attention of any performer. It is likely lo puzzle even professionals w h o are not in the k n o w .

H A N PING C H I E N COIN TRICK E F F E C T : F o u r coins, pennies for instance, are openly taken in one hand and a second set of four pennies and one d i m e in the other. The four pennies are magically passed thru the table top and join the coins in the other hand. This trick is one of the best that can possibly be d o n e while seated at a table. N o sleights are e m p l o y e d but it requires careful w o r k i n g and accurate timing and misdirection. Begin by s h o w i n g eight coins of the s a m e denomination, say pennies, and one dime. Place four of the pennies at y o u r left h a n d and the other f o u r with the d i m e at y o u r right. Pick up the f o u r w i t h your left hand, counting them, and do the s a m e w i t h the right hand and the other five coins. You n o w propose to pass the f o u r pennies f r o m your left hand through the table into y o u r right hand w h i c h you pass under the table to illustrate what you are about io do. As you do this leave the four pennies stacked on y o u r knee, bringing your right hand up closed and containing the d i m e only. Rest both elbows on the table, the closed h a n d s being about six inches apart and palms d o w n w a r d s . Open y o u r left hand bringing il d o w n towards the table and drop the f o u r pennies. Pick them up again with the s a m e hand and count them as you do so, getting them in a pile at the very tips of the lingers against y o u r palm. N o w c o m e s ihe critical m o v e . You bring y o u r right hand d o w n toward the table and opening it you drop the dime, at the s a m e instant open the fingers of y o u r left h a n d and drop the f o u r pennies so that they fall with the dime. T h e left hand must not be m o v e d , the opening of the fingers being covered by- the back of the hand. Pick up the five coins with y o u r right, counting them as before and pass the hand under the table, quietly securing the f o u r coins f r o m your knee as you do so. Concentrate y o u r w h o l e attention on the left hand and, if you have timed y o u r actions properly, the audience will have no suspicion that Ihe f o u r coins have already left it. Y o u m a k e four throwing m o t i o n s with the hand closed, then open it p a l m d o w n w a r d s and turn it over s h o w i n g it empty. B r i n g up your right hand and drop the nine coins one by one, again, counting them. S L O W MOTION V A N I S H E F F E C T : A coin is taken very openly and s l o w l y f r o m y o u r left hand, it is rubbed a w a y to nothing and both h a n d s are s h o w n empty. You are s m o k i n g a cigarette a n d you stand facing the spectator. You s h o w a half dollar in y o u r left hand, holding it edgewise b e t w e e n the ball of your t h u m b and the side of your first linger. You bring y o u r right hand over lo take the coin between its two middle fingers

C 0 IN MAGI C

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