Sign up for our monthly newsletter
SLEIGHTS AND PROPERTIES FOR GENERAL USE
HOW TO PRODUCE ARTICLES FROM THE WAND--ARTICLES PRODUCED FROM THE PERSONS OF THE COMPANY--VANISHING OBJECTS FROM THE HANDS--EXCHANGING ARTICLES-- MESMERISING A DOVE--MARKING A CARD IN COURSE OF PERFORMING--PASSING HANDKERCHIEF OVER FLAME OF CANDLE--THE CONJUROR'S SHUFFLE--THE DEVIL'S HANDKERCHIEF -- COIN HANDKERCHIEF -- FLYING RING -- MAGICIAN'S EGGS -- PRODUCTIVE EGGS -- COIN-VANISHING TUMBLER--MAGIC PLATEAU.
To Produce an Egg, Orange, &c., from the Wand.--This daring feat is certainly one of the most wonder-inspiring description. The performer says, "I now require, for my trick, an egg. I presume none of the company happen to have such an article about them; and, as I have forgotten to provide it myself, I must make an appeal to my wand, which rarely fails me in such cases." Standing sideways to the audience, the performer holds his wand in the fingers, at arm's length, and then, suddenly running his hand along it, upwards, as though squeezing it, he produces, from the very top, the egg. As his sleeves are turned well up, and nothing has been visible in either hand, the mysterious appearance of the required article is quite inexplicable. It is thus managed. The egg may be either upon the shelf at the back of the table, or under the vest band. I prefer the latter place of concealment, because the performer is better able to carelessly show his hands quite empty just previous to the production of the article; whilst a longer time must elapse between the secretion of the article in the hand and the moment of its appearance on the top of the wand, if it be placed upon the shelf. Apart from this, going behind the table should always be avoided where possible. It is the easiest thing in the world to get down the article from the vest in the act of turning round. It should find its way at once to the very centre of the hand, the root of the thumb gripping it, and the fingers should either seize the coat flap, or the wand should be put into it. The modus operandi may be simply described as follows: The wand is lying upon the table and the performer comes forward, showing, by rubbing them together in the act of speaking, that his hands are empty. When he has uttered the words "in such cases," he wheels round to the left, for the purpose of fetching the wand from the table, and when his back is fairly towards the audience, he gets down the egg in the right hand, which then seizes the coat flap.
A very important matter must here be observed. The article vested must always be placed on that side of the body which is opposite to the hand that is to bring it down. If, in the present instance, the egg were upon the right side of the performer's body, taking his vest buttons as a central line, the act of getting it into the right hand could not be achieved without sticking out the elbow, which would at once reveal to the company that the performer was carrying out some manoeuvre with that hand, and, when he turned round, they would immediately fix their eyes upon it, and keep them there, to the serious detraction of the proceedings following. The golden rule must be followed of glueing, as it were, the upper arm and elbow to the side. Then the forearm and hand may do as they please, with impunity. The getting down of an article from the vest need occupy only a half-second of time, so the performer turns briskly to the table, his every visible action and look being, of course, concentrated upon the matter in hand--the fetching the wand from the table. With the right hand, containing the egg, holding the coat flap lightly and naturally, the wand is picked off the table with the left, the performer's right side being towards the company. Holding the wand for a few moments in the left hand, and looking at it amusingly, as though wondering quite as much as the company how it is going to accomplish its task, the right hand is brought boldly to the front, and the wand placed in the fingers. The back of the hand is, of course, towards the company. The fact of its containing a bulky article will naturally cause it to be somewhat curved, so it is necessary to cause it to look as flat as possible. This is best managed by straightening the fingers and bending the wrist outwards, the whole length of the fingers being thus presented to the view of the company. It will be found that the wand, pressing against the article in the hand, assists towards keeping it in its place there.
In the case of an egg, care must be taken not to put on too much pressure. The wand must be held by its middle portion, and should not remain in the right hand for more than a couple of seconds, at the outside. It is then re-taken by the left hand, but by the lower end, the right hand simultaneously making the upward "squeeze;" the article being produced at the tips of the fingers, when they reach the top of the wand, it being allowed to drop from the palm into the bent fingers just previously. The illusion is complete when the sleight is performed with neatness and dash, the article appearing to actually come out of the wand, although everyone knows how impossible it is for it ever to have been there. An article so mysteriously produced should, by all means, be given for examination. It is surprising what very large-sized oranges can be produced by this means, when the performer has once acquired sufficient boldness. Audacity is the chief ingredient in the sleight, and the learner will acquire it by beginning with small-sized articles. Brilliantly-coloured articles, such as oranges, or perfectly white ones, as eggs, make the best appearance.