Class Book \ r Gopyii^htN". COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. ^EW IDEAS V^ MAGIC, ^^ ILLVSION5, w^5PIRITVALI5TIC ^X\ EFFECTS, ^'- ^ ^ } J| ^^^^^^^^^ S-? fS P fr^^ fRIGHT J90Z ^^ ^y»^^ i| E^V IDEAS. 1 n >^ MAGIC >^ Illusions, ^piritu-alistic Effects, Etc, Copyrig'Ht 1902 by "^ W. H. J. SHAW St. To 11 is. Mo. J * J • » > 3 3 i J a J J J J J o ) • • ^ M. N. SMITH & CO,, PRINTERS BLUE ISLAND, ILL. .S S3 THE LSRA'^Y i>F Two Cop!£a TECEfVE* APR. 2t 1902 CoyVKWHT ENVHf L copy a. .. ••: NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC- THE DEMON CARDS OF FAUST. This is one of the most startling and unfathomable mysteries in card deceptions, suitable for stage or parlor. How to construct and work these cards: The pack changes three times, and you can also pull any card from your pocket as called for by the audience. Make a sort of pocket of stiff leather, as shown in Fig. i. It is something like a bill rack open at A, B. C, D, which are pockets to hold FIG. I. cards. Use a euchre pack, and put diamonds in A, hearts in B, clubs in C, and spades in D. Arrange in order to their NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. value. Having so prepared cards, place same in your upper left side coat pocket, and behind it have a pack of triple changing cards. To show all Queens, or all sevens, or to show an ordinary pack: To make these cards take 20 (Queens of Spades) and 20 (seven of diamonds), and cut them diagonally from top to bottom corners. Then soak them in water and peel off their backs and glue these twenty Queens and seven-spots back to back of 20 common cards. So if you hold them up fan shape to audience they will appear as if all Queens or all seven spots, and by turning pack over in hand they appear as an ordinary pack. Have another (third) pack to match these. They are strippers, with which you do a few tricks and then allow them to be shuffled, then taking the pack from party, place them in pocket in front of rack and say you will produce any card called for, w^hich you can easily do, remembering location of suit. Count over tops of cards with the fingers till the desired card is reached. When sufficient cards have been produced place them back in pocket, and take out the changing pack and show an ordinary pack, and giving them a turn over, hold them up in fan shape in front of you and show all Queens. Keep on turning them around and show all seven spots. Then show them as an ordinary pack of cards, and if audience should wish to examine them, you must change them for a genuine pack. By looking carefully over the two illustrations in Fig. i, you will understand at once the making of rack and cards. If this trick is properly executed it is of good effect. MYSTIC ENVELOPES AND CARDS. Place a pack of 32 cards in any certain order, and remem- ber same. Take four slips of paper and write the names of cards as follows: On the first slip six names, on the second nine names, on the third slip seven names, and on the fourth slip ten names of cards. Place each in a separate envelope, each envelope must be smaller than the other, and place the smallest envelope in the second, this in the third, and this in NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. the fourth, so that in each envelope is one envelope and one slip of paper and have all sealed. Proceed to lay these cards out on a plate in four heaps, in just the order ihey are written on the slips of paper, leaving the last pack, which corres^ ponds to slip in the smaller envelope toward the audience;. It is best to lay these packs out on a plate and allow thesn tO' project a little over the edge of plate so that when you coveT them with a borrowed handkerchief the positions of th^ packs can be easily seen by performer. (See Fig. 2.) Wher^ this is done and first have given one of the audience the seai^ ed envelopes to hold, request some one to step forward and select any one of the four packs of cards and place it m his pocket and return to his seat. When the person has put the cards in his- pocket the performer comes forward, cast- ing a quick side glance at covered^ cards, by w h i c h means he discovers which pack has been? removed, owing to* the handkerchief sinking down on the side. Performer now takes the envelope and opens it If in- it is the slip of paper containing names of cards in pack the person selected, it i^ only necessary to take out the slip ot paper, leaving the rest in the envelope, and hand slip to party having cards in his. pocket, requesting him to read aloud the names of cards he finds on the slip of paper and name the cards he has in his^ pocket, showing them plainly to audience, who seeing, ot course agree. Should another pack be chosen, for instance FIG. 2. NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. ithat corresponding to cards named on second slip of paper in rthe second envelope performer leaves the slip in the first envelope and takes out second envelope, which he opens and (finds the required slip, leaving in the envelope the third one. If still another one be chosen, proceed as above till the required one is reached. The front pack is generally the one chosen. The slip corresponding with it being in the fourth envelope, heightens the efTect of trick to break four envelopes. The placing of slip in each is to be made sure, as the front pack is not always chosen. THE MAGIC GROWTH OF FLOWERS. This forms a fine conclusion to flowers from cone. Take a piece of paper and make an open cylmder of it, holding tipright and clipping it with thumb and finger. Show empty rattle wand in it. Wand is hollow and contains a stem of flowers made of feathers, which compress and go inside, leav- ing a small projecting stem at one end. As you withdraw wand you clip this end with fingers, holding paper and draw wand out leaving flowers behind in paper. Knock off paper and reveal flowers standing on palm of hand. THE CHANGING CARDS. Take a pack of cards in your left hand, and show right nand palm empty; ditto left hand. Right hand now passes over top card and it has changed and right hand shown •empty. The explanation of this trick is as follows: Hold pack face forward between fingers of left hand. (See Fig. 3.) Call attention and exhibit right hand empty. Now take cards in right hand for the purpose of showing left hand empty. Take them in right hand, placing fingers at back of pack and thumb on face of cards well down in fork of thumb. Show left hand empty then replace cards in same position in left hand. As you draw away right hand press with thumb and slip off underneath card at lower part of pack which rests against palm and palm same. All this is done by simple gestures of drawing right hand away. Now call attention to top card and place palm of right hand over it and draw hand NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. FIG. 3. down and leave the palmed card there and show the card changed. People imagine you have palmed off a card but immediately show right hand empty. This is an excellent palm and not difficult to learn and can be employed in a va- riety of ways. THE BIRTH OF FLORIS. This illusion is worked in a curtain recess or cabinet^ same as used for illusion, *'Thauma." Figure 4 shows how the illusion looks to the audience. Figure 5 explains the whole secret. The lady lying on a shelf is covered with a black cloth, with the exception of her face. There is a square piece of black cloth, which is weighted at the bottom hanging in front of her face. To the upper corners of this cloth is attached two black threads which run to the top of canopy (See dotted lines), and then down to the assistant. When the flowers are placed on a stand, the assistant slackens the threads, and the weighted cloth drops down exposing the head of lady to view, apparently resting in basket of flowers. To cause the head to disappear, the threads are pulled up^ causing the cloth to rise as at first. The stand and basket 'S NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. are painted white, and can be passed for examination at any FICr. 4. NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. FIG. 5. ' CASSADAGA PROPAGANDA. The secret of this most remarkable illusion lies inthe fact that although the cabinet is not large enough to contain a person, it is large enough to conceal a small person who rests behind the cabinet on a shelf. The cabinet itself is a box about 23^ feet square and 2 feet deep. It has a fancy 6 inch moulding extending all around its front edge. (A, Fig. 7.) The cabinet is closed by two small doors which arc attached by hinges to a separate frame (B, Fig. 7)» so that the whole may be removed from the cabinet in order to show the inside. The doors do not reach to the top of the frame but within about six inches of it, thus leaving an open- ing above them. The rear of the cabinet is supplied with a shelf (E, Fig. 6), on which the person is to rest. A small door gives the assistant access to the interior of the cabinet. 10 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. FIG. 6. A specially constructed chair is required for this illusion (D, Fig. 7). It differs from the ordinary in the fact that the back is attached to the seat by spring hinges. The hinges keep the back up in its proper position but it may be pressed down as shown. Four wires as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 6, lead from the cabinet up into the flies; here they meet and form one wire which runs over pulleys to a wind- lass behind the scenes. The background used consists of a large sheet ot canvas which has parallel vertical stripes painted on it. These stripes so confuse the vision of the spectators that they are unable to see the wires. Two square- NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. I I backed chairs and a long pane of glass are also required. When the stage curtain goes up the cabinet is seen standing on the chair and the spring back of the former is down in order to make room for the latter. The assistant, who is generally a small, bright boy, is concealed behind the cabi- net on the shelf. The performer now enters and going to the cabinet removes the frame containing the doors and places it on the floor. He now pretends to lift the cabinet from the chair and place it on the pane of glass which is rest- ing on the backs of the two square backed chairs. At the same moment that the performer pretends to lift the cabinet the assistant behind the scenes raises it by means of the wires and windlass. A small metal clip (C, Fig. 7) is on the bottom of the cabinet and this the performer catches on the glass pane in order to keep the former from swinging. As soon as the cabinet is removed from the chair the springs raise the chair back up into its proper position. The frame with the doors may now be replaced and the manifestations are ready to commence. The small boy on the shelf pro- duces all of the results through the door in the back of the cabinet. A miniature chair and tambourine are placed inside EIG. 7. and the doors closed. Instantly a hand appears at the open- ing, the table is thumped and the tambourine is thrown out. message Any slate placed inside has a written on it. A 12 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. handkerchief is borrowed and placed inside; this immediately jumps out of the opening with a knot tied in it and then dances about the stage to the music furnished by the orches- tra. This is accomplished as follows: When the performer places the handkerchief in the cabinet he carries with it a black silk thread which the assistant behind the scenes has control of. When the boy behind the cabinet ties a knot in the handkerchief he ties the thread with it and so the assistant behind the scenes has control of the handkerchief and can make it dance, etc. After each manifestation the doors of the cabinet are opened and the latter shown to be empty. The game of cards now takes place. The performer steps dow^n among the audience with a small table which he places in the aisle. He now invites a lady and a gentleman to play a hand at euchre. The cards are shuffled by the lady and dealt by the performer. A mammoth deck of cards is now placed in the cabinet and the doors are closed. The per- former now asks the ''spook" in the cabinet to indicate which card the lady should play. This the spook does by showing through the opening one of the large cards. The ]ady plays the corresponding card in her hand and the card which the gentleman should cover it with is indicated in the ^ame man- ner. This is continued until the game is finished. The modus operandi of this is as follows: The performer arranges before hand enough cards to form a euchre hand for two persons. He arranges them in such a manner that he will know just which cards the lady and gent wmII hold. These cards he palms off when taking the deck back from the lady after she has shuffled it, he places these on top. He now deals them out himself. The large deck has been so arranged that the boy can take them one after another from the top and they will represent alternatively which card the lady and gent should play. The hands should be so arranged that the lady wins. NKW KNOTTED HANDKERCHIEFS. This experiment is intended as an improvement on the ordinary method. For this purpose false knots are employed, NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. 13 f:l [:] FIG which are as follows: Each knot consists of a open discal piece of metal about half an inch in diameter. (See Fig. 8) . This is hinged in the middle and fastens with a catch. These fakes are painted white, and have a piece of cloth of the same color as the handker- chief. You can stick it around the outside. You have say three of these fakes open a little ledge at back of chair or behind something on your table. The open part of fake is upwards. Fakes being then placed. You either borrow or produce four handkerchiefs. These you carelessly throw over back of chair. Now, pick up one by one, at same time bring off one fake open and concealing it in hand. Now, take a second handkerchief up and place end of this to corner of other one evenly and close fingers over it, which at same time closes the fake around both ends and secures them. Proceed in the same way with the other handkerchief lifting it with a fake and fastening to other end of one of the hand- kerchiefs and ditto with the last handkerchief. You will find the movement quite easy and natural, and upon shaking them out the handkerchiefs appear completely knotted together. The trick may be introduced in various ways. All that has to be done to vanish knots is to slide handkerchief through hand, when fakes will slip off and remain in hand. NEW COLOR CHANGING HANDKERCHIEF. The fake for this you will see is somewhat similar to the ordinary handkerchief vanisher. A long piece of stout elastic is attached to the ring at end. To prepare fake for use take a small size silk handkerchief and stretch it between hands diagonally so as to make a kind of long rope of it. In one-half of the spindle revolving in take you will see a slot, put one corner of the handkerchief in this slot, let it go 14 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. through about one-fourth of an inch. Now, fit the little handle on to the square end of spindle projecting from one end of fake. Now, commence to wind the handkerchief on to the spindle by turning the handle, this must be done tightly, and carefully letting handkerchief run through fingers as it is being wound on so as to keep it even, wind on the whole length of the handkerchief leaving about one-fourth inch of the end of it projecting from the side of fake. It is now ready for working. Attach the free end of elastic to vest and bring it round under coat or fasten it any way you may prefer so long as it will fly up under coat, when re'eased from hand place it under right side of vest, have a similar sized handkerchief of a different color examined, show hands empty and sleeves turned up, in returning to stage get down the fake from under vest in your right hand letting it hang over the back of hand, while holding it thus press with thumb the corner of the handkerchief on to the little spikes project- ing from the open half of spindle to which original handker- chief was wound. When the handkerchief is fairly caught on to the spikes with thumb catch hold of the little end of the handkerchief wound on spindle and work it out sharply and you will find that in unrolling it will turn the spindle and cause the other handkerchief caught on the spikes to be roll-^d up round the spindle and disappear inside the fake. As soon as the new handker- chief appears, and when general atten- tion is drawn to the sudden change, re- lease fake from hand and it flies up out of ^ Sight under coat. Handkerchief being given for examination and hands again shown empty. Figure pshaws fake; it is about 3^ inches long, having closed ends and one long slot down one side. It is divided by a plate in center into two equal parts. It is i^ inches in diameter. A spindle runs through center from end to end revolving freely. NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. ^5 THREE LEGGED LADY. A lady sits on a chair which is placed on a platform, and she appears to audience to have three legs. A glance at Fig. lo will explain the whole secret. The lady sits on the chair which is back of a railing away from audience. The third or middle leg is produced by a lady who is at back of the curtain and puts her leg through curtain, and lets it rest in groove in chair, allowing lower part of leg to hang down. A short drapery hangs around seat of chair. FIG FOUR LEGGED LADY. Here is a lady with four legs. She goes one better than the three-legged lady by giving the audience a few of the latest songs and dances. Fig. ii will explain the illusion. The false legs are made jointed at the knees so as to bend i6 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. when she sits down or dances. They are also a trifle shorter than her own legs. / ( ] ' \ 1 I 1 \ 1 1 1 \ ! / \ 1 ; / FIG. II, (sy^^ "• NLW IDEAS IN MAGIC. 17 THE SOLDIER'S FATE. Five or six men dressed as soldiers march into the circus ring or on the stage, and as they are drilling one of them disobeys orders, when the captain takes his sword and cuts the soldier's head off, letting the head fall to the ground. The man is then stood up against the center pole and his head replaced and orders given him to march, when he starts to march backwards, when the captain sees the mistake of his head being placed on wrong. The captain turns it around and he marches away with the rest. The secret of the above trick is that the man that has his head cut off has a false head, shoulders and arms. The man must be very short, so that when the false head and shoulders are placed over him that he will not look any taller than the rest of the men, and as they are all dressed alike, theaudience donotsus- pect anything strange, as they must all have longblue soldiers' coats on, so the audience can only see their legs below the knees, otherwise the man for the trick would be seen to have short legs and a long waist, and that would not do. Fig. 12 shows how the head and should- ers fit over the man. The head is held on the shoulders by a peg, and when the captain strikes it with his sword he takes care to hit it in the correct place and give the sword a twist, which raises the peg out of the hole and the head drops to the ground. x\EW IDEAS IX MAGIC. THE MYSTERIOUS GLASS JAR AND COINS. The performer introduces a very pretty glass jar which he shows to be quite empty. He next exhibits a glass stopper, has it freely examined and without exchanging it or placing anything into it, places the examined stopper into the empty jar, thus her- metically closing the latter. He now takes a number of coins, say five, and com- mands them to leave his hand and pass into the closed glass jar. Presto! The hand is shown empty w^hile at the same the five coins are seen and heard to arrive in the glass jar. The conjurer then takes up the jar, still closed by the stopper, and takes it down to the company who open the jar, take out the five coins and exam- ine everything very closely to prove that **there is no trick- ery. The secret of this fine trick is in the lid of the jar. The lid is hollow and there is a small hole drilled on the side to place a pin in. (You will notice pin in lid by 1 h;. NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. looking at Fig. 13) which holds the coins in place. A fine thread is then attached to the pin, so when the coins are con- cealed in lid and the threacJ pulled, the coins will drop ir> the jar. To prepare place the lid on the table with coins con- cealed and thread attached. Take the jar in your hand and show empty, then place jar on the table, borrow five half dollars from some one in the audience and make passes as if throwing them in the jar. Assistant at same time pulls thread and coins are heard to^ fall into jar. Taking up jar you pass among audience^ take off rid and pour coins out and let jar be examined. THE CRYSTAL DECAN- TER AND MYSTERIOUS HANDKERCHIEFS. While it is a very simple matter to vanish a handker- chief from a decanter held ir6 the hand of the performer, it was not until very recently that a method was devised by which either of two handker- chiefs will vanish from a de- canter that was previously emptied of wine, closed with ai glass stopper, and placed on m skeleton (glass topped) standi Two handkerchiefs, one green and the other red in color^ are placed in it and the decanter is left standing on the table. The performer now steps aside from the table,, and the hand- FIG. 14. 20 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. kerchiefs disappear from the decanter in the order named by the audience, either the green or red going first, as the spec- tators may desire. This is a mechanical trick and not a very complicated one. The stand or table is an ordinary one with a glass top, in which is drilled a one-inch hole, so that it will come di- rectly over the hollow tubing forming the center leg of the table. There is also a corresponding one inch hole in the metal flange that holds the glass top to the center leg of the table. The hole in this flange is closed with a metal cap, -w^hich can be palmed off at the will of the performer, leaving the hole clear through the flange, glass top, and into the hol- low leg of the table. A slight pressure with the first finger will throw the cap into the palm of the hand, where it can b^j retained like a coin. The decanter is an imitation cut glass, or it can be the genuine article if one so desires. The design is of diamond shapes, as you will see by the illustration (Fig. 14). One of the upper diamonds is neatly cut out, and the edges highly polished. Pass two stout threads through the hole in the side of the decanter, up the neck and out of the mouth. Form loops on these ends of the threads, passing the other ends down through the hole in the top of the table, down the center leg thence to the one lower joint of the table and off to the assistant. Pour wine in the decanter, and cork. Let the decanter down, drawing the loops out and laying them on the table top. Have a tray of small glasses along- side the decanter. When ready to introduce the experiment, step to the table, remove the glass stopper, pick up the decanter with the right hand and pour the wine into the glasses on the tray. In the meantime secretely pass the fingers of the left hand through the looped ends of the threads. The assistant now comes on and gives you the two handkerchiefs, and taking the tray of glasses, passes the wine amongst the audience. Now place the handkerchiefs in the decanter, one at a time, passing each handkerchief secretly through a loop on the NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. 21 end of one of the threads before placing it in the decanter. You now pick up the decanter, grasping it by the neck with the thumb pressing over the two threads, where they enter the secret opening at side of decanter, and step several feet away from the table, the threads being drawn after you. In returning to the table, the assistant draws in the slack of the thread until you place the decanter on the stand. Cork the decanter and set the same on stand in front of the hole in the top, and with the side of the decanter containing the hole, to the back. While doing this remove the cap that concealed the hole in the top of the table. It is not necessary to re- move the cap up to this point of the trick. The audience now selects the handkerchief that is to vanish first, and the assistant pulls the proper thread and the handkerchief disappears — the second handkerchief vanishes by assistant pulling at the remaining thread. To prevent a possible mistake the threads should be of different colors. If the performer wishes, he can palm duplicate handker- chiefs and produce them from the pocket of some gentleman in the audience, after both handkerchiefs have been vanished from the decanter. THE WONDERFUL RISING WAND. The performer freely shows a slender wand about 20 inches in length, which he holds at finger tips allowing one end of wand to hang down, at command the wand instantly rises up- wards in the hand. While the method is very simple, it has puzzled many people. A glance at Fig. 15, will explain a good deal of the trick. You have a small notch cut in one end of the wand, in this notch catch a rubber band, and allow rubber to pass over fingers and push wand down and hold tightly. By releasing fin- gers a little, wand will rise slowly. You can also use a lead pencil to good effect. FIG. 15. 22 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. THE HYPNOTISED WAND. The performer shows a black wand with nickeled tips and proceeds to suspend it from tips of fingers in all sorts of ap- parently impossible positions. He then lays the wand on his right hand and holding the left hand near the extreme end of the wand, causes the latter to follow the movements of the left hand, as if attracted by some mysterious force. The secret of this trick licb in the wand. It is hollow, made of any light material. A lead weight about one and a FIG. i6. NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. 23 half inches long, slides easily in the wand, see **A" in Fig. 16. By letting this weight slide to one end of wand you can then balance it on tips of fingers and allow wand to roll backwards and forwards. THE HANDKERCHIEF METAMORPHOSIS. A new and very clever trick which by means of an in- genious piece of apparatus can easily be performed with great effect. A red silk handkerchief is held between the hands and caused to change into ribbon of same color that are seen emerging from the performer's hand. There are four pieces in this little apparatus as you can see by looking at Fig. 17. **x\'* shows hole, into which handkerchief is worked in. "D" shows underside of **A. " FIG. 17. Place a small red roll of paper in bottom ol ''D," then band *'B" on to hold paper in place, then place pin *'C'' in small hole in ^^D." The pin fits tightly to paper. Elastic is attached to ring on end of ''A," the other end of ela'stic is attached to back of vest. So prepared you have fake vested. To perform, roll sleeves up and show a red handkerchief, at same time secretly get fake in hand and work handker- chief into the hole and with your finger push pin out which will fall to the floor, taking end of paper with it as you keep working handkerchief in, paper keeps coming out at bottom. After handerchief is worked in and paper all out, let fake fly under coat and hang at back and show hands empty. 24 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. j^ □ WAND AND OBEDIENT RING. Wand examined, a ring is borrowed and dropped on to wand, which is held upright. After a few magnetic passes ring ascends or descends wand, dances to music, and finally jumps off, when wand can again be examined. For this trick you require an ordinary wand and a clip or cap (painted to match the same) to fit over the top, to which is attached a black thread (see Fig. i8), the other end is attached to button or vest, or you can have a black pin in top of wand and slip thread over it, borrow a ring large enough to slip over wand, then by rnoving wand slightly the ring will travel up and down. NEW DICE TRICK. A solid, finely-finished die of 2i4 inches is freely handed around for thorough inspection. The performer takes the die in his left hand, holding it with outstretched arm with the num- ber squarely facing the audience, By simply ¥\(\. i8. waving his right hand in front of the die the num- ber which was plainly visible in front has changed into another; for instance, the four-spot to a six-spot. This can be repeated several times with other numbers also. By looking over the illustration (Fig. 19) you NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. 25 will at once understand the secret. The dice is a solid wooden dice. But you have a piece of tin the same size as dice with two of its edges turned over about one-eighth of inch and two spots painted white on it and three holes stamped in it. You can pass dice for examination. Having- fake cover palmed, pass hand in front of dice and le?.ve fake on dice, etc. THE CRYSTAL CASKET OF YOUTH. The frame of the casket is of iron and is five feet high and three feet four inches square at the bottom. The bot- tom is made of thin, strong wood. The top is two cross- FIG. 20. bars of iron gas pipes, the same as the side parts. (See Fig. 20, which shows the casket opened and closed, also the fr^me work.) The side parts fasten at the bottom with screw nuts. The iron pipes which form the top meet in the centre so that the casket may be hung up by a single rope from the flies above. The casket is covered with light blue paper muslin outside and red inside. It is hung heavy both inside and outside with large bangles to give it a crystal appearance. The bottom is painted to give it a stage appearance. The front opens and closes with a curtain. The casket is to hang 26 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. an the centre of the stage and about four feet from the floor. The scene is that of a cave with beautiful and curious objects, such as owls, crocodiles, and astrological emblems set here and there. Stage dark, curtain rises and an old astrological magician is discovered in a fanciful dress with white beard and hair reaching to the floor. He ceases his incantations and taking his staff in hand he causes lights to appear here and there which make his cave brilliant. An old man now enters and asks to be restored to youth. The magician says he will give him youth for a few years if he will enter his Crystal Casket in order to accomplish the change. The old man agrees to this. The magician stamps on the ground and two servants appear and are directed to bring on the golden ladder, which they do. The front curtain of the casket opens at command and it is seen to be empty. The old man is now assisted up the ladder by the servants and the curtain is closed after him. The magician begins his incantations and colored fireworks come from the top of the casket which is being turned around by the servants. Suddenly the front curtain is thrown aside and there in place of the old man is a beautiful young girl dressed in silk hose and doublet as a priRce. She is assisted down the ladder to the stage and steps to the footlights and sings. The casket is still open and is empty and nothing is to be seen of the old man. This is all done so quickly that the audience cannot comprehend where the old man went to and where the young girl came from. Secret — The cabinet is square inside and has a mirror running from top to bottom. It reaches from the front right hand corner to the back left hand corner, thus dividing the casket into two parts. The mirror is made in two pieces like a window and the lower half can slide up behind the upper half, This mirror reflects one side of the casket but the audience looking at it from a distance suppose it to be the back. When the curtain rises the young girl is already con- cealed behind the mirror. When the old man is put in casket and the curtain closed the girl rai<^es the lower half of NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. 27 the mirror and comes out, the old man taking her place and closing the mirror. The old man stays back of the mirror until the scene closes. NEW HALF LADY. In center of stage or on a platform is seen by audience a half lady resting on a wooden trestle with four legs. The stage or platform is about 4 feet high. The trestle is two FIG. 21, feet high and three feet long. In center of trestle on top is a false bust (like that used in swinging half lady) and is ironed on firmly and finely finished as shown in Fig. 21. Black cloth is tacked on back legs of trestle (see Fig. 22). 28 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. FIG. 22. The wall is draped with the same kind of goods, also cover lady with black cloth. When you open curtains the half lady is seen resting upon a trestle by audience. No lights are needed to shine inside. The canopy surrounding lady is four feet wide, five feet high and five feet deep. Have it quite dark at back of canopy. NEW HANDKERCHIEF PRODUCTION. This little apparatus is for producing and vanishing a handkerchief with one hand only. Back and front of hand shown empty before and after trick. For this trick, a small square box 2x2 inches, and one inch in depth, with a hole in one end is required. Two wire clips pivoted to center so that it can be turned from front to back of hand. Have handkerchief in box at back of hand, show hands empty, then bring box into palm of hand and produce handkerchief. Bring fi.ngers through aga'n and leave box at back of hand. NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. 29 THE LATEST BILLIARD BALL TRICK. The performer shows two very handsome nickel-plated goblets, which he places on a table quite apart. He next shows two solid billiard balls, one red and one white, which are given for inspection. He places in each goblet one of the billiard balls, which are plainly seen by the au- dience. Performer now rolls up his sleeves and shows both sides of hands, he passes them over the goblets and instantly the balls have changed places. Once more he passes his hands ©ver the changed balls and they as- sume their original places. The balls are taken out and given for inspection again. This is very useful in con- nection with the many billiard ball trick combina- tions now so popular. The secret lies in the vase having a half shell, pivoted at each side, so as to revolve in the vase. (See Fig. 23.) This half shell is painted red in one vase and white in the other vase. There is a short pin soldered on the edge of shell, so that when you pass FIG. 23. your hand over the ball in the vase your hand catches on to pin, and you push shell down under ball in the vase, and take out the ball and pass for inspection. You can change it back by pulling shell back into place. 30 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC.' THE WONDERFUL VELVET BAG. A very handy piece ot apparatus for changing watches, rings, cards, slips of paper, handkerchiefs, etc., under the very eyes of the spec- tators, who place the respective articles into the bag themselves, the performer holding it by the extreme end of the handle. By looking at Fig. 24 you will notice that dotted lines run through the handle and around one side. They represent a wire, and FIG. 24. to the end of wire in handle a knob is fastened securely. A cloth is sewed to wire in bag, also around bottom part of bag and up to near top of bag. By turning knob you pass this cloth flap from one side to the other. The rest is easy. THEO, THE FLYING LADY. Effect. — The curtain goes up, and at the back of the stage is seen a half moon surrounded by stars. A lady now steps upon the stage attired in a bright Egyptian costume. After a beautiful smile and a salutation to the audience, she turns completely around and walks into the air from three to six feet from floor, depending on stage room, while suspended in the air without any visible support. Theo dresses as a soldier, goes through a drill, marches across the stage, and turns right and left. Next Theo dresses as a Spanish Girl, and as such dances a Spanish dance all over the stage while in midair. She next represents other beautiful tableaux. Theo next walks the ceiling, head downward, turns side, for- ward and back somersaults; in fact, Theo does every possible movement a person could make on the floor, more graceful in the air without any support. At last Theo descends, walks to the footlights, bows and retires. NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. 31 --^^^n^"«" ^^^^^^^ ^lfMl9iv{"IiftNCtl V/AUY:\T^(^\I^THe j\'|l^ FIG. 25. Explanation. — The entire stage sides, back and floor, are draped in black. On curtain at the back of stage near the top is a half moon cut out of white cloth and sewed to the black curtain. A few white stars are also sewed around above the moon. These must be up very high, so that none of the apparatus will pass in front of them, as it would give the whole thing away. The apparatus is placed close to the back curtain, all being painted black and covered with the 32 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. kind of cloth curtains are made out of. The upright and arms are made of steel tubing, the braces are iron rods. There is a brace at the back and one at each side. They hook into upright and are fastened to floor with large screw eyes. See Fig. 26, which will explain all. The upright is FIG. 26. six feet six inches high. The arm is five feet, and belt holder and crank are six feet long. The arm and holder can be turned from side to side. The holder hangs to the arm by means of an iron swivel. The crank passes through steel tubing, and at opposite end from handle has a spring catch like on the handle of an umbrella. This catch fastens itself in a socket at back of belt, which the lady wears under her NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. 33 costume. By looking over Fig. 26 you will see how the belt is constructed, one belt revolving inside of the other. The straps that hold belt to lady are attached to the inner belt. The assistant who manages the apparatus is dressed in black and wears a black mask also. Lady must be dressed in light costume, and when she comes out on stage she stands facing audience in the middle of cave. Assistant walks up behind her and connects rod to belt, then steps back to handle and moves her from one side to the other, backward and forward, and by turning crank turns her upside down and completely around. Of course all this requires some practice, and the lady must do her part in executing the different positions. The belt is made of steel and is a nice piece of work if made well, and I would advise you to obtain it from some dealer. Have lights arranged same as in Black Art. THE FISH POLE TRICK. The performer comes upon the stage with a regular fish- rod which he proceeds to put together and attaches to it the line and hook. Stepping close to the foot lights, then going through the regular proceeding of casting out and getting a bite, he pulls up the line and a gold fish is seen hooked. He removes it from the hook and deposits it in a transparent bowl of water. This is repeated several times and at the conclusion, the bov/1 with the live fish is given to the audi- ence for inspection. For this trick obtain an ordinary fishing rod and line. Also get a piece of brass tubing about nine inches long and 1^4 inches in diameter, with three slots cut in it '*A" Fig. 27. Also have another piece of tubing to fit over '*A," with slots cut just the opposite way from ''A," see ''B" Fig. 27. These slots are large enough to place small gold fish in. Now when '*B" is fixed properly over "A," you can turn ''B" so as to close up the three slots, and by turning '*B" a little to the right lower slot is open, turn a little more and second slot is open, and so on to the third. There is a hook on end of line, and the bait is a piece of thin tubing i^ inches long 34 NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. B vii}. 27. and ^8 of an inch in diam- eter, it has a fine wire ring soldered at one end to catch onto hook on line. At the other end of bait is fastened a thread 3 inches long, and to the end of thread is attached a piece of silk, cut and painted to represent a gold fish. This silk you roll up nicely and place in the bait. It is nec- essary to have a fake fish and bait for each live fish you desire to catch. Now have a bait box on your center table with these fake baits in. On a side table near front of stage have a glass bowl of water, and three live gold fish in the three compartments in *'A" on rod. It is well to have some wet green moss in these compartments so as to keep the fish alive. To introduce the trick, show hands empty, then take the fiishing pole and show same. Now take one of the baits from bait box and place on hook, wave pole and line from side to side, then give it a quick jerk and the fake fish falls out of bait and dangles at end of line. In the mean time turn '*B*' on rod and get fish in your hand, take fish off of line and drop the real fish in bowl of water, and drop palmed fake fish in bait box as you go to take out another bait, and continue in this way until you have produced the three fish. NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. 35 Some performers do away with the fake on end of rod, and use a rubber pocket w^ith a little water in it, but I much pre- fcr the fake on handle. THE ARTISTES DREAM, A large frame with a curtain in front sets on a three step platform on the stage, Artist pushes aside the curtain and removes canvas with picture of lady on it from back of the frame, turns canvas around and so shows that no one is con- cealed anywhere about frame. The canvas with picture oi FIG. 28. 3^ NEW IDEAS IN MAGIC. lady on. is then replaced in the frame, curtain drawn in front •of frame and the iVrtist seats himself on a chair and appar- -eatiy goes to sleep and dreams that the picture came to life. Wkile in pretended dream curtain raises a little from one side and a living lady steps from the frame. Artist awakens :and sees her. She then goes back in the frame. Artist says: "Has my model come to life, or have I dream't it." He goes to the frame and raises the curtain, and there finds only Jiis painted canvas. ^'^Ixplanation : — The canvas with painting on is on a liiea^vy stretcher. This canvas works on a spring roller, (4 in Fig. 28), on the top of stretcher. It works the same as ^he curtain slide in a watch frame. On back of stretcher at each-side is a handle(6 in Fig, 28) apparently for Artist to lift canves omt of frame, but it fills also another purpose which E^v^ill c^scplain later on. There are two wires fastened to top ffif stretcher, which run up into flies and oft to the assistant in wings. When these wires are slack, they don't prevent eft rtist from turning the canvas so as to show the back. The franfi.e is also swung all around to show that no one is con- cealed behind it. After showing frame and back and front caavas, Artist sets canvas back into frame. When the can-