Sign up for our monthly newsletter Email: Name: INTRODUCTION PALMING TRICKS WITH COINS TRICKS WITH COMMON OBJECTS TRICKS WITH CUPS & BALLS TRICKS WITH HANDKERCHIEFS CHINESE TRICKS TRICKS AT TABLE TRICKS WITH CARDS GENERAL REMARKS THE TABLE & DRESS SLEIGHTS & PROPERTIES FOR GENERAL USE TRICKS WITH CARDS TRICKS WITH HANDKERCHIEFS & GLOVES TRICKS WITH COINS MISCELLANEOUS THE CORNUCOPIAN HAT TRICKS WITH WATCHES & LIVE STOCK SHAM MESMERISM, CLAIRVOYANCE, etc. FINAL INSTRUCTIONS	CHAPTER VII TRICKS AT TABLE HOW TO CAUSE A WINEGLASS WITH WINE IN IT TO VANISH -ITS STARTLING REPRODUCTION-FILTER TUMBLERS-HOW TO CAUSE A PLATE OR OTHER LARGE ARTICLE TO VANISH -HOW TO PERFORM THE CUP AND BALL TRICK WITH PLATES AND BREAD PELLETS-A DIE TRICK-MAGICAL SURGERY-A DESSERT OF CORKS-KNIFE-SWALLOWING MADE EASY: TWO METHODS Corks are generally handy at a dinner table (at set dinners tricks would scarcely be introduced), and, being easily palmed, form excellent media for small conjuring. The cork should be held by the tips of the first and fourth fingers, lengthwise, and it then palms right across the hand, the sharp edges (do not choose a ragged edged cork) giving a splendid hold, especially as the article is so light. Corks are very easily swallowed, being either placed (apparently) in the mouth by the hand palming them, or else put into the other hand first. Houdin used to regale himself at friends houses by a dessert of corks, brought on in a sauceboat or soup tureen, especially chosen because it concealed the hand when thrust in. The performer continually took out corks, dropping the ones palmed as he did so, until he had apparently eaten a dozen. A good deal of natural chewing should be indulged in, and the changes continually rung upon the various palms and passes taught in this book. Finally, the performer says he can eat no more, as he is full up. As evidence of this, he extracts from his ear the last cork he ate, and, after (apparently) replacing this in the bowl, he is taken with a spasm, and another cork is taken out of his mouth, the supposition being that it had been unable to find room below. It is, of course, rolled into the partially opened lips from the palm. It is quite open to the performer to reproduce a number of corks from his person in this way, when the company will imagine that he really secreted those he pretended to swallow. This effect will be heightened if the performer has gone to the dinner with half-a-dozen corks in his pocket. As a finale, he says: ËThe rest are here in my pocket,Ó and produces them all at once, throwing them carelessly into the bowl. If he has performed the rest of the trick properly, the company will think him quite capable of secreting half-a-dozen corks in his pocket without being observed, no one dreaming for a moment of any previous arrangement.