path,page,folder,text
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,372,,"3 6105 004 841 255
&'
STANFORD UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
STANFORD AUXILIARY LIBRARY
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA 94305-6004
(650) 723-9201
salcirc@sulmail.stanford.ed
All books are subject to recall.
DATE DUE
JUN
JUC0 1 1002
2022"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,369,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGB
Tolmaque
289
Trick, Suspension
49,222,31
Tom and Jerry
230
Trick, Suspension, Ethereal,
Tom Thumb, Gen
24I
222-312
Torrini, 35,38,52,140,209,
Trick, Suspension, Chlorifo-
250,300,301
reene
233
Toulet, Mlle. Louise
289
Trick, Suspension, of Sheshal 230
Tours de Cartes et de Gibe-
Trick, The Inexhaustible Bot-
cière
279
tle
49,312
Travelling Bottle
185,188
Trick, The Pastry Cook of the
Travelling Card, Poster of
Palais Royal
49
Jacobs.
151
Trick, The Vaulting Trapeze
Tribune, New York
240,241
Automaton
49, 141
Trick, Apple-Tree
5 I
Trick, Watch in Loaf of
Trick, Basket, Illustrations,
Bread
276,277,279
Trick, Writing and Drawin~
Trick, Bell
242
Figure
49
Trick Cabinet of the Daven-
Two Elegant Automata
172
port Brothers
290
Trick, Chinese, of Climbing
Unmasking of Robert-Hou-
into Air
227
din
33
Chinese, Reproduction
Ure, Andrew, M.D
of
227
T. rick Clock, Diagram of
I 60
Van Esten, Mr
168
Trick Disappearing Hand-
Vaucanson
41,95
kerchief
245-254
Verlag. Heusers
287
Trick, Indian Basket,
Voisin
163
276,277,291
Trick. Magic Clock. Diagram
Walking Cards, The
156
of
160
Water-spouter
272,273,275
Trick, Mystic
163
Water-spouter and Juggler
27.
Trick, Obedient Card, fea-
Webster, Daniel
243
tured on a Barney Eagle
Weiss, Rev. M. S.,
Poster
156
dedication page
Trick, Orange-Tree
51-55
Weiss, Ehrich (Harry Hot-
Trick, Orange-Tree, Diagram
dini)
Frest. spièce
of
52
Weiss, Theodore Hardeen 1
25
Trick, Rope-tying
293
White Magic
35
Trick, Second Sight 49,200,312
White Magic Exposed
Trick, Secret of Trained Bird
White, John
I2
and Bell
243
White, John, Portrait of
15
Trick, Shoulder of Mutton
Wiegleb, Johann Cliristian
14
and Card
257
Willmann, Carl
305
1-
GENERAL BOOKBINDING co.
125ST
C34
6017
75
53
ED
QUALITY CONTROL MARK"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,368,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
Henri, Second Sight. 218
Spirit Bell
24
l'Almanach de Ca-
Suspension, Brahmin Illustra-
TO
229
tion
229
ge, George, & Co
278
Suspension Chloriforeene.
233
Jules de
116, 128
Suspension Chloriforeene
larence Theatre
256
Lithograph
234
Inn
166
Suspension, Ethereal
222,312
Suspension featured by Com-
W
217
pars Herrmann, a Pro-
erz
28q
gramme of 1848
232
Ramo, Handbill. 282, 286
Suspension Trick
222
James
25
Suspension Trick, As Mrs.
James, Poster
26
Leona A. Anderson ap-
berg
267
peared
236
112, 116,172,181 182
Suspension Trick, Programme
Poster
114
Presenting, by Alexander
Programmeof 1821, 182
Heimburger
242
Programme used in
Suspension Trick used by
113
Robert-Houdin
224
ic Amusements
35
Sight
200
Talking Machine, Hanger
Sight, by M. and Mme.
Advertisement
88
218
Taste, Engraving by Hogarth
7°
Sight, Illustration
201
Testot Handbill
253
Sight of the Young
Testot, M. Félix
255
landers
214
Testot Programme featuring
de la Prestidigitation 49
Cabalistic Art
254
of Conjuring and
Theatre, Adelphia
256
265,278
Theatre, Garrick
286
of Magic
49,302
Theatre, Liverpool
256
of Stage Conjuring.
Theatre, Robert-Houdin
47
279,281,299
Theatre, Royal Clarence
256
230
The Secrets of Conjuring and
onfectioner's
166
Magic
265-278
re of Decremps
75
The Secrets of Stage Conjur-
Elder & Co
54
ing
279, 281, 299
of American Magi-
The Temple of the Muses
56
397
The Trapeze Automaton....
166
ens of Penmanship
The Trapeze Performer
168
ited by Droz's Writing
The Trapeze Tumbler
222
maton in 1796 and
Thiodon Bill of 1825
173.1 174
respectively
84
Three Talented Highlanders. 214
[331]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,367,,"ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
Houdin, Robert, Poster Used at St. James Theatre, London
40
Houdin, Robert, Poster Used for Emile Houdin Benefit, 1848
43
Houdin, Robert, Poster Used in London, 1848
42
Houdin, Robert, Poster Used in 1852
223,224
Houdin, Robert, Poster Used to Advertise His Trapeze Perform-
ance
167
Houdin, Robert, Programme for the Opening of Robert Houdin's
*
Theatre in Paris
37
Houdin, Robert, The only Poster Showing his Complete Stage-
setting
36
Houdini, Harry
Frontispiece
Indian Basket Trick
276,277,279
Indian Juggler's Handbill
283
Ingleby's Book Frontispiece
259
Ingleby Handbill Dated 1808
258
Jacobs, M., Lithograph
158
Jacobs Poster Featuring the Travelling Card
151
Jefferini Handbill Dated 1833
256
Katterfelto
165
Katterfelto Clipping of 1782
161
Lauro, Ching Lau, Handbill
23I
Le Confiseur Galant
139
Leschot, Jean Frédéric, Portrait
95
Louis Programme of 1815
108
Macallister, Andrew, Portrait
193
Macallister, Domingo
134
Macallister Programme
192
M'Kean, Master, Front and Back of Original Handbill distributed
in London Streets in 1831
213
Manfrede, Blasius de Manfre or Blaise, Rare Woodcut
272
Marchand, Floram
275
Marriot Programme Featuring Cabalistic Art in 1831
255
Mysterious Lady Billing
215
Mysterious Lady Cut
2 1 6
Neve, Richard, Frontispiece, 1715
17
Philipsthal, de, Poster Used in 1811
104
Philipsthal Programme of 1806
173
Philipsthal Programme of 1803
102,103
Phillippe and Assistant Domingo
134
Phillippe Lithograph, 1842
137
Phillippe Poster
184
Phillippe Poster Used in 845-46
132
[iv]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,366,,"ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
Eckartshausen's Clock Trick
160
Engraving, Reproduction of, from an Old German Encyclopedia
227
Evanion, Henry Evans
22
Exposure of Barney Eagle
154,155
Faber, Professor, Hanger Advertising Talking Machine
9°
Falck Poster Used in 1835
183
Fawkes Advertisement
60,61,62
Fawkes Clipping
64,65,66,67
Fawkes, Isaac, Portrait
59
Frikell, Herr und Frau
3°
Frikell Villa
28
Frikell, Wiljalba, in His Youth
297
Garnerin Poster Used in 1815
120
Goose Poster
220
Gyngell, Lithograph
126
Gyngell, Portrait of
122
Gyngell Poster Used in 1816
I2I
Gyngell Programme of 1823
125
Haddock Advertisement, 1706
166
Handbill Advertising the Fake Automatic Artist, 1826
III
Hardeen, Theo. Weiss
25
Heimburger, Alexander, Illustration
24°
Heimburger, Alexander, Portrait of
238
Heimburger, Alexander, Poster
242
Heller, Robert and Haidee, Portraits.
202
Heller, Robert, Grave of
208
Heller, Robert, Programme of 1851, only one in existence
204
Heller Poster Used in 1853
206
Herrmann, Compars, Billings
196,19
Herrmann, Compars, Portrait
194
Herrmann, Compars, Programme
232
Hocus-Pocus, Frontispiece Second Edition, 1635
10
Hofzinser, Johann Nep, Engraving
162
Hogarth's Engraving Entitled 'Taste'
7°
Hone's Every Day Book,"" Reproduction of page 226
68
Houdin and Son Emile
201
Houdin Bas-Relief
47
Houdin Grave
46
Houdin, Robert
8,24,34,41,48
Houdin, Robert, Favorite Lithograph for Advertising Purposes
38
Houdin, Robert, First Appearance before Queen Victoria
39
Houdin, Robert, Poster Used at Sadler's Wells, 1853
44
[iii]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,365,,"ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGR
Breslaw Lithograph
164
Buck, English Conjurer, Only Portrait Known
257
Buck Handbill Dated 1844
261
Cabalistic Art
254
Cabalistic Art Featured on Marriott Programme in 1831
255
Cabalistic Art Featured on Testot Programme in 1826
254
Cabinet Trick Offered by Davenport Brothers
200
Cagliostro, Comtesse de, Portrait of
251
Cagliostro, l'Almanach de, The Brahmin's Suspension
229
Cagliostro, Rare Pastel Portrait
248
Charles Poster Used in 1820.
128
Chinese Magicians
227
Ching Lau Lauro Handbill
23X
Clipping Advertising the Writing and Drawing Figures Exhibited
by Jacquet Droz
99
Clipping of 1812 Proving the Partnership of de Philipsthal and
Maillardet
197
Clipping Used by Christopher Pinchbeck in 728
54
Clock Trick, Eckartshausen's
160
Cornillot, M., Reproduction of Handbill
81
Davenport Brothers' Announcement
292
Davenport Brothers
14
Davenport Brothers' Cabinet Trick
200
Davenport Brothers in Their Prime, Portraits of
288
Decremps, Henri
74
Decremps Signature
76
Döbler, Farewell Programme
180
Döbler, Ludwig, Portrait
187,
100
Döbler Programme
19.1
Döbler Programme Dated 1842
188
Domingo Macallister
134
Don Carlos, ""the Double-sighted Dog Billing Used
221
Droz Automaton
96,98
Droz Figure of Cupid
80
Droz, Henri-Louis Jacquet
94
Droz, Jacquet, Drawing Figure
TOO
Droz, Pierre Jacquet, Portrait of
02
Droz Writing Automaton Specimens in 1796
86
Dutchwoman, Decoration Used to Advertise
214
Eagle, Barnardo, Frontispiece from Eagle's Book
153
Eagle, Barney, Poster
156
Eckartshausen's Automatic Rope Vaulter
169
[ii]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,364,,"Anderson Poster Featuring Card Trick Used in 836-37
142
Anderson Poster Used in 1838
147
Anderson Poster Used in London, 1848
313
Anderson's Billing of 1838 Featuring ""Napoleon's Trick
150
Anderson's Book Cover Design
148
Anderson's Inexhaustible Bottle Trick
186
Anderson's, J. H., Birthplace
145
Anderson's Opening Programme, 1848
309
Anderson's Poster, Exposing Barney' Eagle's Tricks
154,155
Astley, Philip, Esq
19
Bamberg, David Leendert
140
"" Barney,"" alias The Impostor Wizard, Window Poster Issued by
Anderson
I 55
Barnum, P. T
88
Basch, Ernst
139
Bertram, Charles (James Bassett)
20
Blitz, Signor Antonio
18
Bologna Bill Used in 1812
170
Bologna Poster Used in 1820
118
Bosco, Bartolomeo, in His Prime
301
Bosco, Eugene
315
Bosco, Grave of
306
Bosco, Madame, the only Photograph of
3°5
Bottle Trick, Inexhaustible
186
Brahmin, The Suspension
229
Breslaw's Frontispiece on Book on Magic, ""The Last Legacy,""
I44
(i]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,363,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
Pinetti, 23,35, 38, 52, 69, 71,
Programme of de Philipsthal
73, 76, 171, 209, 2II, 213,
Benefit
IIO
221, 298, 300, 301, 302
Programme of Döbler
188
Pinetti, Chevalier
182
Programme of Macallister
192
Pinetti, Clipping featuring
Punch
177
Second Sight
210
Punch Cartoon reproduced,
Pinetti, Engraving of
7²
proving J. H. Anderson's
Pinetti, Signora
211,213
Inexhaustible Bottle Trick 186
Pocket, Conjurer's
160
Polk, President
243
Ramo Samee Handbill 282,286
Polonnese
1 7 2
Rannin Lithograph
269
Ponsin, J. N
278
Rannin Lithograph showing
Porta, John Baptist
12
Walking on Swords
269
Porta, John Baptist, Por-
Rare Poster of Learned Goose 220
trait of
II
Raynaly, Mons. E
69
Portrait of Buck
257
Recreations, Hooper's
2II
Portrait of Compars Herr-
Recreations, Physical a n d
mann
194
Mathematical, by Guyot
143
Portrait of Eugene Bosco
315
Recréations Physiques
279
Portrait of Henry E. Evanion
22
Redmond, Professor
289
Portrait of Henri Robin
198
Reproduction of an Engrav-
Portrait of Robert and
ing of Chinese Trick Climb-
Haidee Heller
202
ing into the Air
227
Portrait of Wiljalba Frikell
Reproduction of an Illustra-
in His Youth
297
tion in ""Aufschlüsse zur
Poster of Robert-Houdin on
Magie'
169
which his Complete Reper-
Reproduction of Cartoon in
toire Appears
224
Punch, 1843, proving An-
Poster used by Anderson in
derson's Inexhaustible Bot-
London, 1848
313
tle Trick
186
Poster used by Falck of Koe-
Reproduction of Handbill
nigsberg
183
used to Advertise Master
Poster used by Heller
206
M'Kean
212
President Polk
235,243
Reproduction of Handbills
Print showing Cabinet Trick. 290
used by Mysterious Lady. 216
Programme, Farewell, of Dö-
Robert, Jean-Eugene,
bler
189
33,34,35,40
Programme of Anderson 848 309
Robert, Prosper
33
Programme of Ching Lau
Robertson, E. G
76
Lauro
231
Robin, Henri, 197,199,217
Programme of Compars Herr-
289,296,297,298
mann
196,197,232
Robin, Henri, Portrait of
198
[330]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,362,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
Modern Magician
239
Origin of Flowers
222
Morley's Memoirs of Bartho-
Original Billing used by Mys-
lomew Fair
16
terious Lady
215
Morse, S. F. B
24I
Mortimer, Dr. W. Golden
207
Pastel Portrait of Cagliostro. 248
Mortimer's Mysteries
207
Pastry Cook of the Palais
Moving Pictures
67
Royal
116,172,193
Mysterious Lady, Billing used
Pedestal Clock
166
by
215
Pepper, Mr
299
Mysterious Lady, Cut of
216
Pererilli, Count
235
Mystic Bell Trick, The
163
Phantasmagoria, A de Phil-
ipsthal Programme
102,103
Naconnier, Françoise Mar-
Philipsthal's Programme of
guerite Olympe
33
806
173
Narrowness of Robert-Hou-
Phillippe, 23, 45, 116, 129,
din's Memoirs
295
133, 135, 184, 185, 193, 195
Natural Magic, by Johann
Phillippe Lithograph and his
Christian Wiegleb
14
Scotch Assistant Domingo. 134
Natural Magic, by Simon
Phillippe Pastel Portrait
130
Witgeest
I 2
Phillippe Poster
132,184
Natural Magic Frontispiece
13
Phillippe Poster featuring
Natural Magick in XX Bookes
the Infernal Bottle
184
by John Baptist Porta
I 2
Philosophy, Course of Exper-
Neve, Richard
14
imental
181
Neve, Richard, Frontispiece,
Photo-engraving of Bartolo-
Work on Magic
17
meo Bosco
301
Newspaper, The Lady's
177
Photograph of Alexander
Niblo's Garden
24I
Heimburger
238
Noriet, M
35
Photograph of Bosco's Grave 306
Nouveau Manuel Complet
Photograph of Mme. Bosco.
305
Sorciers, les scènes de Ven-
Pinchbeck, Christopher,
triloquie
279
52, 54, 56, 58
Nouveile Magie Blanche Dé-
Pinchbeck, Christopher, Jr.,
voilée et Cours Complet de
a very rare Mezzotint
57
Prestidigitation
278
Pinchbeck, Christopher, Sr.,
The Oldest and Rarest
Obedient Cards, The
141-156
Mezzotint in the Wor'd
Old and New Magic
16
Pertaining to the History
Old London Fairs
16
of Magic
53
Old Showman, The
16
Pinchbeck, Clipping from
Opre
140
London Daily Post of Nov.
Orange Trick
51-55
30. 1729
54
[329]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,361,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
Lee, Sidney
54
lin in 1784 by Johann
Le Manuel des Sorciers
279
Samuel Halle
14
Le Prieuré
49
Magic, The Old and the New,
L'Escalopier, Count de
43,280
by H. R. Evans
16
Les Radiations Lumineuses.
49
Magie des XIX. Jahrhun-
Les Secrets de la Prestidigita-
derts von Uriarte
287
tion et de la Magie
278
Magie et Physique amusante,
Les Tricheries des Grecs
49
49,279
Letter to Evanion from Gyn-
Mahomet
285
gell
124
Maillardet
105
Letters on Natural Magic
181
Mandeville, Sir John
11,226
Le Voltigeur Trapeze
166
Manfrede, Blaise
271,274
Lewis, Angelo J
265
Manfrede, Blaise, Wood-cut. 272
Lithograph of Rannin doing
Marchand, Floram
274
the Sword-walking Act
269
Marchand, Floram, Publica-
Lithograph showing All of
tion
275
Phillippe's Tricks
137
Marriott, the Celebrated, Pro-
Liverpool Theatre
256
gramme featuring Cabal-
Lives of the Conjurers
16,228
istic Art
255
London Daily Post Clipping
Martin, Henri
104
of Christopher Pinchbeck,
Martinka, Francis J
207
from Nov. 30, 1728
54
Maskelyne
IIO
London Telegraph Clipping
Masonic Order
252
of March, 1812
107
Materia Prima
252
Louis Programme
108,171
Mechanism, View of Jacquet-
Droz Writing Machine
98
Macallister
134,135,195
Melies, M
48
Macallister, Andrew, Por-
Memoirs of Marquis de Mer-
trait of
193
ville
287
Macallister, Brick-mason.
193
Memoirs, Robert-Houdin's,
Macallister Programme
192
14-51, 52, 176, 203, 217,
M'Kean, Louis Gordon
213
2 22,225,245,266,268,280,
M'Kean, Master, Handbill
212
295,296,300,302,318
MacKenzie, R. Shelton
49,265
Merode, Cleo de
3I
Maëlzel
266,267
Merville, Memoirs of Marquis
Mag, Miss Matilda
289
de
287
Magazine, Gentlemen's
56
Mezzotint of Christopher
Magic Bottle
192
Pinchbeck, Jr
57
Magic, Natural and Unnat-
Mezzotint of Christopher
ural, by Gantziony
1 2
Pinchbeck, Sr
53
Magic, or the Magical Power
Mitchell, Dr. J. K
266
of Nature, printed in Ber-
Mitchell, John
45,297
[328]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,360,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
peared to the English Crit-
Indian Jugglers Handbill 283
ics. Reproduced from the
Inexhaustible Bottle, The,
Illustrated London News,
176, 181, 184, 186, 188, 195, 222
December 23, 1848
4t
Infernal Bottle Poster used
Houdin, Robert-, Bas-relief
by Phillippe in 1838
184
on Tombstone
47
Ingleby Handbill
258
Houdin, Robert-) Grave of
46
Ingleby the Senior
256,258
Houdin, Robert-, last Photo-
Ingleby's Book, Frontispiece,
graph taken and used as
Whole Art of Legerdemain 259
the Frontispiece for Mem-
Introduction
7
oirs.
48
Inventions, History of
211
Houdin. Robert-, only Poster
showing his Complete Stage
Jacobs, M.
149,296,297
Setting
36
Jacobs, M. Portrait of
158
Houdin, Robert-, Portrait
8
Jacobs, M., Poster
151
Houdin, Robert-, Poster on
Jefferini Handbill
256
which His Complete Reper-
Jefferini. Mr
256
toire Appears
223
Jeux de Société
279
Houdin, Robert- Poster used
Jugglers, Indian, Handbill
283
in London in 1848
42
Journal des Sciences
268
Houdin. Robert-, Poster used
Journal. The Court
177
ito Advertise His Trapeze
Performance
167
Katterfelto
23,161,166
Houdin, Robert- Poster when
Katterfelto Clipping of 1782. 161
he Played at Sadler'sWells,
Katterfelto Portrait
165
London, in 1853
44
Kempelen, M. de
266
Houdin, Robert-, Rare Litho-
King George and Queen Char-
graph
24
lotte Heads, executed by
Houdini, Harry, Portrait,
the Droz Drawing Figure
Frontispiece
in 1774
TOO
How to Become a Wizard
278
Koin King, The, T. Nelson
Hulton, Charles
181
Downs
265
Kraus, K. K
260
Illusionniste, The
199
Illustration of Hindoo Basket
Lady's Newspaper
177
Trick
276,277,279
L'Almanach Cagliostro
299
Illustration of the Brahmin
La Magie Blanche Dévoilée,
Suspension
229
or White Magic Exposed,
Inaudi
203
35.52.211
Indian Basket Trick,
Learned Goose
210
276,277,279
Learned Goose Poster
220
Indian Jugglers
275
Le Confiseur Galant
137
[327]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,359,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
Handbill of Jefferini
256
History of Inventions
211
Handbill of Original Indian
History of Inventions and
Jugglers
283
Discoveries, by John Beck-
Handbill of Ramo Samee.
282
mann
14
Handbill of Testot
253
Hobbs, Hart & Cou, London 28:
Handbill, Reproduced Front
Hocus-Poeus
43. TSo
and Back, used to Adver-
Hoeus-Pocus, Frontispiece
tise Master M'Kean
: 212
second edition. 1635
10,12
Handbill used by Anderson
Hoffmann, Professor,
in Germany
311
265, 278,279. 281, 286
Handkerchief, Disappearing,
Hofzinser, Johann Nep., rare
245-254
Engraving of
162
Hardee's ""Tactics""
7
Hooper's Recreations
211
Heads of King George and
Houdin, Cecile Eglantine
33
Queen Charlotte, executed
Houdin. Emile
47
in their Presence by Droz
Houdin, Emile, Benefit Post-
Drawing Figure in 1774
100
er at St. James Theatre in
Hebb, William
62
1848.
42
Heimburger, Alexander, II-
Houdin, Favorite Lithograph
lustration
24°
for Advertising Purposés
Heimburger, Alexander. Pho-
used by Robert-Houdin
38
tograph of
238
Houdin, Jean-Eugene Ro-
Heimburger, Alexander, Pro-
bert- Portrait taken in 1868
34
gramme, the Suspension
Houdin Poster announcing
Trick
242
the Appearance of Robert-
Heimburger, Herr
233.237
Houdin before Queen Vic-
Heller, Robert
205,207
toria and her Court
39
Heller, Robert and Haidee,
Houdin Poster used during
Portraits of
202
an Eastern Engagement at
Heller, Robert, Grave
208
the St. James Theatre,
Heller, Robert, Programme. - 204
London
49
Heller, Robert, Poster
206
Houdin Programme for the
Henry, M
116,125
Opening of Robert-Houdin
Herald, New York
241
Theatre in Paris, July 3.
Herrmann, Alexander
179
845
37
Herrmann, Compars,
Houdin, Robert-, 7. 16, 23,
25, 195,233,235,296,297,299
35. 38. 45,
Herrmann, Compars, Best
50, 52. 195. 197. 235
Portrait in Existence
194
Houdin, Robert-, and Son
Herrmann. Compars, Billing 196
Emile, Illustration pre-
Herrmann, Compars, Pro-
senting Second Sight......
201
grammes
197,232
Houdin. Robert-, as he ap-
[326]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,358,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
Faber, Prof
88
Gantziony, Natural and Un-
Falaise, James de
275
natural Magic, dated 1489 I 2:
Falck of Koenigsberg,
Garde Française
222
182, 183, 184
Garnerin
116,119
Falck of Koenigsberg Poster 183
Garnerin Poster
I20
Fantastic Portfolio
222
Garrick Theatre
286
Father of English Prose
226
Gazette, Evening
24I
Fawkes
14, 51, 52, 56,58
Gentlemen's Magazine
56
Fawkes Advertisement
55,60
Globe, The
177
Fawkes, Isaac, Portrait of, 59, 68
Goose, Learned
219
Fawkes Newspaper Clipping,
Goose, Learned, Poster
220,
61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67
Grande Initiation au vraie
Feliciani, Seraphinia, Com-
Pratique des Célèbres Phy-
tesse de Cagliostro, rare
siciens-Prestidigitateurs.
278:
Portrait
251
Grave of Bartolomeo Bosco
306
Fifty Years in the Magic Cir-
Grave of Robert Heller
208.
cle
267
Grave of Robert-Houdin
46.
Flora's Gift
183,100
Grisy, Count Edmond de
38:
Flowers, Creation of
190
Guillon, Marie Catherine
33:
Flowers, Origin of
222
Gun Delusion, The
128,155
Frikell, Herr und Frau, Por-
Gutle, Johann Conrad
163,
trait of
3°
Guyot's Physical and Math-
Frikell, Villa
28
ematical Recreations
14.3.
Frikell, Wiljalba, 9, 26,27
Gyngell,
29,31.32,235,296,299
25,116,121,124,166,172
Frikell, Wiljalba, in his
Gyngell's Colored Lithograph 126.
Youth
297
Gyngell's Letter to Evanion 124
Frontispiece from Breslaw's
Gyngell's Portrait
I22
Book on Magic
144
Gyngell's Poster
I2I
Frontispiece from Eagle's
Gyngell's Programme
125
Book
259
Frontispiece from Hocus Po-
Haddock
105,116,117
cus, second edition of 1635,
Haddock Advertisement
106
IO-12
Halle, Johann Samuel
14
Frontispiece from Ingleby's
Halle's, Johann Samuel, Ma-
Book, Whole Art of Leger-
gic or The Magical Power
demain
259
of Nature
14.
Frontispiece from Richard
Hamilton
45, 28q.
Neve's Book on Magic
17
Handbill Advertising the
Frontispiece from Simon
Fake Automatic Artist
III
Witgeest
13
Handbill of Buck
261
Frost, Thomas.
16,228
Handbill of Ingleby
258:
1325]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,357,,"93
Decremps's Signature
75
Droz, Pierre Jacquet-, Por-
De Liska
25
trait and Autograph
92
De Philipsthal 110,171,173,174 Droz Writing Automatons,
De Philipsthal Poster
104
Specimens of Penmanship
De Philipsthal, Programme
respectively in 1796 and
of Benefit of
IIO
1906
84
De Philipsthal Programme
Dunkell
197
of 1806
173
Dutchwoman's
Decoration
Der Moderne Zauberer
239
used to Advertise
214
Desaguliers, Dr
181
Diagram Exposes the Magic
Eagle, Barney
149
Clock Trick
160
Eagle's, Barney, Tricks Ex-
Diagram of Orange - tree
posed on an Anderson Pos-
Trick
52
ter
154,155
Diavolo, Antonio
166
Eagle's Book, Frontispiece 153
Dictionary of Arts, Manufac-
Eagle's Poster featuring the
tures and Mines
9I
Obedient Clock Trick
156
Dictionary of National Biog-
Eckeberg, John Carlton
181
raphy
54
Eckartshausen, Hofrath
Disappearing Handkerchief,
von
143, 160, 163, 169
245-254
Egyptian Wine
252
Döbler, 25, 45, 182, 185, 187,
Escalopier, M. del
280
188,192
Ethereal Suspension
222,312
Döbler, Ludwig, Rare Por-
Evanion, Henry Evans, 20,
trait of
187,190
2I, 23, 25, 26, 49, 124,259
Döbler Programmes. 188, 189,191
Evanion, Henry Evans, Por-
Dom Pedro
243
trait of
22
Don Carlos, Billing used by
221
Evanion, Letter from Gyn-
Don Carlos, Double-sighted
gell
124
Dog, Billing
22I
Evans, Henry Ridgely, The
Double-sighted Dog, Don
Old and the New Magic
16
Carlos
219
Exploration de la Rétinue
49
Downs, T. Nelson
265
Exposes the Magic Clock
Droz, Henri-Louis Jacquet-,
Trick, Diagram
160
Portrait of
94
Exposing Barney Eagle's
Droz, Jacquet-. Clipping
IOI
Tricks on an Anderson
Droz, Jacquet-, View of Mech-
Poster
154,155
anism of Writing Automa-
ton
98
Faber, I
56
1324]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,356,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
Cagliostro, Comtesse de, rare
Clipping from the London
Portrait
251
Telegraph in March, 1812 107
Cagliostro, l'Almanach
209
Clock and Watch Maker,
Cagliostro, Pastel Portrait of 248
Britten's
56
Calhoun
243
Clock, Astronomic Musical.
55
Card in the Pocket
183
Clock Pedestal
166
Card Trick as featured by
Clock Trick, Diagram Ex-
Anderson in 1836-1837
142
poses
160
Cards, The Obedient
141-156
Clockmaking, Berthoud's
Caroly's L'Illusionniste
199
Treatise on
35
Castinia, Sieur
166
Confectioner's Shop
166
Century of Inventions
281
Confidences d'un Prestidigita-
Charles
116,127
teur
300
Charles Poster dated about
Confidence et Révélations
49
821
128
Conjurer Unmasked, The,
Chess Congress, Book of First
74.75.168
American
267
Conjurer's Pocket, The
160
Chess Player, Automaton, 266, 267
Comment on Devient Sorcier 265
Chinese Trick, Reproduction
Cook, the Pastry, of the
of an Engraving
227
Palais Royal
116,172
Ching Lau Lauro Suspension 230
Cornillot
25.52
Ching Lau Lauro Programme 231
Cornillot Handbill
79
Ching Ling Foo.
240
Count Pererilli
235
Chloriforeene Suspension.
233
Course of Experimental Phi-
Chloriforeene Suspension,
losophy
18:
Lithograph
234
Creation of Flowers
Igo
Chronicle, The
177
Crystal Balls
222
Cireus Director Astley
10
Crystal Box
222
Circus Life and Circus Celeb-
Cupid, The Figure of, as ex-
rities
16
ecuted by the Droz Draw-
Clay, Henry
243
ing Figure
87
Clayton, Sir William
49
Clipping from Newspaper fea-
Dale, E. J
207
turing Pinetti, Second Sight 2T0
Davenport Brothers,
Clipping from Newspaper of
149, ,287.289.291,316
Jacquet-Droz
101
Davenport Brothers, An-
Clipping from Newspaper of
nouncement of
202
Katterfelto, from 1782
161
Davenport Brothers, Cabinet
Clipping from the London
Trick of
290
Daily Post of Nov. 3°,
Davenport Brothers, Photo-
1728, used by Christopher
graphs of
288
Pinchbeck
54
Dean, Henry
180
[323]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,355,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
Balls, Crystal
222
Bosco
235,298,302,393
Balsamo, Joseph
250
Bosco, Bartolomeo, Photo-
Bamberg
235
engraving of
3°
Barnum, P. T....43.85.241) 296
Bosco's Grave, Photograph of 306
Barnum, P. T., Portrait of
86
Bosco, Madame, Photogmaph
Barrel, The Inexhaustible
180
of
305
Bartholomew Fair Memoirs,
Bottle, Inexhaustible, 176,
by Morley
16
181, 84, 186, 188, 195, 222
Basch, Ernst
49.138
Bottle, Infernal, Poster used
Basch, Ernst, and Le Confi-
by Phillippe
184
seur Galant, Photograph
139
Bottle, Magic
192
Basket Trick, Indian
276,277
Bottle of Sobriety and In-
Basket Trick, Indian Boy. II-
ebriety
182
lustration
279
Bottle, Travelling
185
Batuta, Ian
226
Box, Crystal
222
Beckett, Mr
219
Brahmin Suspension Hlus-
Beckmann
211
tration
220
Beckmann's, John, History of
Breslaw
3.143.103.209, 221
Inventions and Discoveries
Breslaw, Book on Magic,
Published in 1797
14
Frontispiece of
144
Bell Trick
242
Breslaw Lithograph
164
Benton
143
Breslaw, Triple Colored Lith-
Berthoud's Treatise on
ograph of
164
Clockmaking
35
Brewster, Sir David
181
Bertram, Charles
16
Brick-mason Macallister
193
Bertram, Charles, Portrait of
20
Britten's Clock and Watch
Billing used by Mysterious
Maker
56
Lady
215
Broken Heart, The
286
Billing used for the dog, Don
Buck, Only Known Por-
Carlos.
221
trait
257
Biography, Dictionary of
Buck Handbill
261
National
54
Bismarck
7
Cabalistic Art featured on
Blackstone
7
Marriott Programme
255
Blitz, Signor,
4.235.267
Cabalistic Art featured on
Blitz, Signor Antonio, Por-
Testot Programme
254
trait of
18
Cabalistic or Obedient Clock,
Boaz
23
156-157
Bolin, T
49,163
Cabinet Trick offered by
Bologna
116
Davenport Brothers
200
Bologna Bill of 1812
170
Cabinet Trick Print
290
Bologna Poster
118
Cagliostro.
72.250.252,254
[322]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,354,,"INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
Adelphia Theatre
256
185, 191, 233,235,289,297
Advertisement from the Lon-
308-310
don Daily Post during 1730
Anderson, Mrs. Hannah
146
showing the Orange Tree
Anderson, Mrs. Leona A., as
as Offered by the Senior
she Appeared in the Sus-
Fawkes
55
pension Trick
236
Album des Soirées
217
Anderson Poster,
Alexander the Conjurer
233
Alexander the Conjurer, Illus-
Anderson Window Poster Ex-
tration
240
posing Barney Eagle
155
Allen, Prof. George
267
Announcement used by Day-
Althotas
251,252
enport Brothers
292
American Magicians, Society
Antonio
302
of
307
Apple-tree Trick
5r
Anatomie of Legerdemain
180
Appleby's Weekly
55
Anciens et Nouveaux Tours
A rts, Manufactures a n d
d'Escamotage
279
Mines, Dictionary of
9. I
Anderson and Son Lithograph
Astley, Philip, Esq., An His-
presenting
'Suspension
torical Circus Director
19
Chloriforeene""
234
Astley, Philip, Esq., Portrait
Anderson Billing of 1838
150
of
19
Anderson's Book Cover-de-
Astor Library
24I
sign
148
Astronomic Musical Clock
55
Anderson Handbill used in
Aufschlüsse zur Magie, Repro-
Hannover, Germany
311
duction of an Illustration. 169
Anderson, J. H., 14, 23, 25,
Autograph a n d Portrait,
119,131,145
Pierre Jacquet-Droz
92
Anderson, J. H., Lithograph,
Autograph of Decremps,
75
186,317
Automata, Two Elegant
172
Anderson, J. H., Portrait of
Automaton Chess Player, 266, 267
Wife and Son
146
Automaton Trapeze
166
Anderson, J. H., Very Rare
Automaton Writer of Jac-
Poster used in 1838, 147,
quet-Droz
96
[321]
1"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,353,,:
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,352,,"ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
Phillippe, Reproduction of Pastel Portrait
13°
Pinchbeck, Jr., Christopher, A Very Rare Mezzotint
57
Pinchbeck, Sr
53
Pinetti Clipping of 1784
2T0
Pinetti, I. I., Portrait of
73
Pinetti, I. I., Woodcut Used in 1796
72
Pinetti's Autograph
79
Pinetti's Book Frontispiece
78
Porta, John Baptist
II
Poster of the Learned Goose
220
Poster Used for Benefit of de Philipsthal, 1829
IIO
Programmes and Posters Reproduced, 26, 37,39.40,42,43,44.81,
102, 193, 104, 108, IIO, III, II3, II4, 118, 120, 121, 125, 132,
147. 150, 151, 154, I 55, 156, 161, 167, 170, 173, 182, 183, 184,
188,189,191,192,196,197,204,206,212,214,215,216,220,
221,223,224,231,232,234,242,253.254,255,256,258,261,
269,272,282,283,292,309,311.
3°3
Rannin Lithograph, Showing Him Doing Sword-Walking Act
269
Robin, Henri
198
Robin, M. and Mme., in Second Sight
218
Samee, Ramo, Handbill
282
Savren, James, Poster Used by, in 1855
26
Schmidt Programme Used in 1827
113
Schmidt Poster
IT4
Schmidt Programme of 1821
182
Suspension Chloriforeene Lithograph
234
Thiodon Bill of 1825
173
Testot, Programme Featuring Cabalistic Art in 1826
254
Testot Rare Handbill Printed about 1800
253
Water Spouter
272
Water Spouter and Juggler
275
White, John
15
Whole Art of Legerdemain, Frontispiece from Ingleby's Book
259
Wiegleb's Diagram of Orange-Tree Trick
52
Witgeest's, Simon, Frontispiece from Book of Natural Magic, 1682
13
Writing and Drawing Figure from Manning's Robert-Houdin
Brochure
84
Young, E. W., Lithograph
152"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,348,,"NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
the hand of another man, who at his instigation belittled
his contemporaries, and juggled facts and truth to further
his egotistical, jealous ambitions.
But the day of reckoning is come. Upon the history
of magic as promulgated by Robert-Houdin the search-
light of modern investigation has been turned. Credit
has been given where it belongs, to those magicians who
preceded Robert-Houdin and upon whose abilities and
achievements Robert-Houdin built his unearned, un-
merited fame. The dust of years has been swept from
names long forgotten, which should forever shine in the
annals of magic.
Thus end, also, my researches, covering almost two
decades of time, researches in which my veneration for
old-time magicians grew with each newly discovered bit
of history; researches during which my respect for the
profession of magic has grown by leaps and bounds. And
the fruits of these researches I now lay before the only
true jury, the great reading public. My task is finished.
[319 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,347,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
structed his programmes, keeping them strictly up-to-
date.
Anderson did die a poor man, but this was not because
the amusement-loving public had wearied of him. A
popular performer, like so many of his class he did not
know how to invest his huge earnings. It is known that
he gave $20,000 to various charities, while no record
of Robert-Houdin's charities exists. He was burned
out several times. He lost money through a bad con-
tract made for his Australian tour. Certain investments
dropped in value because of the Civil War in the United
States, during which England sympathized with the South.
Finally, during his American tour after the Civil War,
Anderson played the Southern States, then steeped in
bitterness toward the North, and was unfortunate enough
to bill himself as ""The Great Wizard of the North."" This
roused the Southern prejudice to white heat, he was al-
most mobbed, and was finally driven from that section
of the country. He went into bankruptcy, November
19th, 1866, and died at Darlington, County Durham,
England, Feb. 3rd, 1874. His remains were interred, in
accordance with his dying request, at Aberdeen, Scotland.
So ends the true history of Robert-Houdin. The mas-
ter-magician, unmasked, stands forth in all the hideous
nakedness of historical proof, the prince of pilferers.
That he might bask for a few hours in public adulation,
he purloined the ideas of magicians long dead and buried,
and proclaimed these as the fruits of his own inventive
genius. That he might be known to posterity as the king
of conjurers, he sold his birthright of manhood and honor
for a mere mess of pottage, his ""Memoirs,"" written by
[318]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,346,,"NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
certainly he was not justified in picturing his rival as
one who had passed his prime, whose popularity had
waned, whose répertoire no longer attracted the public.
John Henry Anderson as he appeared in his later years. From a cut
in the Harry Houdini Collection.
For, in addition to duplicating Robert-Houdin's entire ré-
pertoire, Anderson offered tricks of which Robert-Houdin
knew nothing, and for years to come he constantly recon-
[317]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,345,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
and noblemen admiring his abilities as a conjurer. But,
alas, Robert-Houdin had played only before English and
French monarchs, not before the other crowned heads of
Europe, including the Czar of Russia and the German
Kaiser!
It required weeks and months of browsing in old book-
and print-shops, national libraries, and rare collections on
my part to prove that Anderson had really played these
engagements, when his bitter rival, Robert-Houdin, his
heart eaten with jealousy until his sense of honor and
truth was hopelessly blunted, was claiming that Anderson
had just returned from a trip in the English provinces.
It will be noted by reference to the Anderson pro-
gramme that he had been engaged only for the Christmas
holidays, but despite Robert-Houdin's claim that he was
a failure and was obliged to close and seek new fields of
conquest in the provinces, Anderson's engagement was
extended. He remained at the Strand until January
IIth, 1848, then after a brief provincial tour he actually
returned to London and played to big receipts. Again
and again he appeared in London. Far from being the
unpopular, forgotten ex-magician pictured by Robert-
Houdin, he performed with great success at the St. James
Theatre, London, in 1851. Robert-Houdin appeared in
London for the last time in 1853, but in 1865 ""the de-
spised and forgotten Anderson"" was there again, creating
a furor in his exposure of the Davenport Brothers.
Robert-Houdin might have been justified in criticising
Anderson's sensational advertising methods, for these
were entirely opposed to the more elegant and conserva-
tive methods employed by the French conjurer. But
[316]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,344,,"NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
comic. Besides, it had the double result of making the
London public laugh and bringing a great number of
shillings into the skilful puffer's pockets.""
Reference to my collection of Anderson programmes
Eugene Bosco, son of the original Bosco. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
and press clippings proves that while on the Continent
his performances had created such a sensation that,
according to the ethics and etiquette of his profession,
Anderson was quite justified in assuming the title of ""The
Napoleon of Necromancy "" and in depicting even kings
[315]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,343,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Second, John Henry Anderson was not in London
when Robert-Houdin arrived there in May, 1848. He
was on the Continent, and a bill reproduced will show
that he was in Germany in January, 1848, and did not
open at the Strand Theatre until December 26th, 1848.
Then it was Robert-Houdin who had just returned from
the provinces, not Anderson. Anderson had been play-
ing the capitals of Europe. Robert-Houdin had been in
Manchester, England.
Robert-Houdin again skilfully twists the truth to suit
his own ends. He actually states that Anderson, return-
ing from a tour of the provinces, used a new poster, a
caricature of the famous painting, ""Napoleon's Return
from Elba"":
""In the foreground Anderson was seen affecting the
attitude of the great man; above his head fluttered an
enormous banner bearing the words ""The Wonder of
the World'; while, behind him and somewhat lost in the
shade, the Emperor of Russia and several other monarchs
stood in a respectful posture. As in the original picture,
the fanatic admirers of the Wizard embraced his knees,
while an immense crowd received him triumphantly.
In the distance could be seen the equestrian statue of
the Iron Duke, who, hat in hand, bowed before him, the
Great Wizard; and lastly, the very dome of St. Paul's
bent towards him most humbly.
""At the bottom was the inscription,
RETURN OF THE NAPOLEON OF NECROMANCY.
""Regarded seriously, this picture would be found a
puff in very bad taste; but as a caricature it is excessively
[314]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,342,,"NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
STRAND THEATRE
Festively the Last wight of
PEOFESSOR
NND ERSON'S
ASTONISHING SOIRKES MYSTEBLEUSES,
TO sa THE
Legitimate Wonders of the Nineteenth Century!
NEW WONDERS OF WITCACHAFT, An NAGIC!
This Evening, THURSDMY, Jau.
-
the - APPEGRANCE AND
1848
ROVAL ENTERTAINMENT,
Mistrative of the Fallecy of Magle,
-
THE
GREATEST WONDER OF
THE
AGE
SON
WILLE
CONDENSEL CHLOROFORM
68
MUST SEC
SUAPRISING
SGAIN
MAZING
BEATS
NOYAL PROGRAMNE of SCIENTIZIC WONDERS
PAST
PART n.
The RECHANTED
- CMANGEABLE some -
SIGET; its Fallacy illustrated.
CANDLE with - ANIMATED MOUCHOS
The EFSTIC VOLUNS
Grand EYDRAULIO
- NON.EFTUCT on
The BANE, 2 Fishing
GRAND
SCRAP 8008
ELECTRIS
SCAAPS
Thes of aux WATCHES -
The EYSTIO
Grand POTROUREI of
The Learned Deves, the Broken
The - - - LAST woudsa,
ANDER-INS
Orange, and Exchanted
SUSPENSION CILOROFOREENE
cma of the Am; Jack in the
(8, your NENUT
""Jack sa de MASTER ANDERSOS
S. - - bie . - purcles of
ered - - Me - - - - Elhet of
Drag. - 2 ** -
CEAPEAU DU BIASLE
=
-
ANDURMON
-
-
THS will IN THE AIR, ""
^ - - . n -
ONLT SUPPOS? A VALKING STICS.
Poster used by Anderson during his closing week at the Strand Theatre,
London, January 11th, 1848. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 313 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,341,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
""Unfortunately for the Wizard, his performances were
attacked by a mortal disease; too long a stay in London
had ended by producing satiety. Besides, his repertory
was out-of-date, and could not contend against the new
tricks which I was offering. What could he present to
the public in opposition to the second sight, the suspen-
sion, and the inexhaustible bottle Hence he was obliged
to close his theatre and start for the provinces, where he
managed, as usual, to make excellent receipts, owing to his
powerful means of notoriety.""
In the first place, Robert Houdin insinuates that when
they played in opposition John Henry Anderson's réper-
toire was stale and uninteresting. Is it possible that
Robert-Houdin could not read Anderson's bills, or were
his statements deliberate falsehoods, emanating from a
malicious, wilful desire to injure Anderson ?
What did Anderson have to offer in opposition to Robert-
Houdin's nuch-vaunted Suspension, Second Sight, and
Inexhaustible Bottle ? Consult the Anderson programme,
reproduced, and you will find that the great Wizard of the
North duplicated the French conjurer's répertoire. ""The
Ethereal Suspension"" of Robert-Houdin's programme
was ""Suspension Chloroforeene"" on Anderson's. Second
Sight appeared on both bills. ""The Inexhaustible Bottle""
had wisely been dropped by Anderson because he had
been using it in one form or another for ten years preced-
ing the date of Robert-Houdin's appearance in London,
as is proven in chapter IX. of this book.
Therefore, if Anderson's programme was passé and
uninteresting, so also must have been the one offered by
Robert-Houdin!
[312]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,340,,"IM SARL.
Dienstag, dem 25. Januar 1648.
Neue und ausserordentliche
VORSTELLUNG
im Gebiete der
NATÜRLICHEN' ZAUBEREI,
mit Hülfe der Experimental-Physik, Mechanik,
Electricität, Hydraulik und des Galvanismus,
gegeben von dem
grossen nordischen Zauberer
Professor
I.
ANDERSON aus London
bekannt in England unter dem Namen:
""THE GREAT WIZARD OF THE NORTH.""
Herr Professor Anderson schmeicheit sich mit der Hoffunn. dass seine Productio-
nea, welche in LONBON.PETERSBURG, BERLIN.STOCKHOLN, COPÉNHAGEN und zuletzt in HAMBURG
die chrendste Amerkennung fanden. sich auch der Theilnahme des hiesigem hochverehrlichen
Publikums erfreuen werden.
Progra me m.
Erste Abtheilung:
1. Zwei fliehende Schnapflücher.
2. Die wonderbare Mühle und der gelebrte Ägyptier.
3. Ein neues Zauberspiel, genannt die apsserordentliche Metamorphose.
4. Der Todte wird lebend, der Lebeade stirbt. (Neu.)
5. Ein schuell zubereitetes Frühstück.
6. Zum Erstenmale! Ausserordentliches Experiment: Herr Professor ANDERSON wird 6 Uhren
durch den Körper. eines der Anwesenden passiren lassen, ohne dass derselbe lndi-
gestionen bekomnit.
7. Ein grosses Manöver mit 12 Schnapflüchern.
8- Aus dem Hate irgend eines Anwesenden entwickeln sich auf den Wink des grossen
Zaubrers Tausende von Blumen-Bouquetts, Tausende von Flaggen aller Nationen,
Schuüren, Puppen ect. sowie ein vollständiges zweischläfriges Federbett.
Zweite Abtheilung:
1. Banknoten und Preussische Thalerscheine halten die Feuerprobe.
2 Die gehorsame Flasche.
3. Die sprechenden und tanzenden Thaler.
4. Das Wasser wird lebend.
5. Die schnelle Wäsche. Ein gitter Rath für unerfahrne Hausmütter.
6. Die ägyptischen Wunder.
Preise der Plätze
Erster Platz 16 Ggr. Zweiter Platz 8 Ggr. Gallerie 4 Ggr.
Cassen-Oeffnung 6 Uhr. Anfang 7 Uhr.
Eatrée-Billets sind am Tage der Vorstellung im Ballhofs-Saale bei
Herrn Evers, zu erhalten.
Handbill used by Anderson in Germany. January, 1848, when Robert-
Houdin claimed that he was playing in the English provinces. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
[311]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,339,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
attack on his surprise at the press methods and adver-
tising adopted in England as opposed to the less spectac-
ular means employed in France, he insinuates that An-
derson's entire success was built not upon merit, ability,
originality, or diversified programmes, but solely upon
sensational advertising. On page 325 of the American
edition of his ""Memoirs"" Robert-Houdin writes thus of
his competitor:
""On my arrival in England a conjurer of the name of
Anderson, who assumed the title of Great Wizard of the
North, had been performing for a long period at the
little Strand Theatre.
""This artist, fearing, doubtlessly, that public atten-
tion might be divided, tried to crush the publicity of my
performances; hence he sent out on London streets a
cavalcade thus organized:
""Four enormous carriages, covered with posters and
pictures representing all sorts of witchcraft, opened the
procession. Then followed four-and-twenty merry men,
each bearing a banner on which was painted a letter a
yard in height.
""At each cross-road the four carriages stopped side by
side and presented a bill some twenty-five yards in
length, while all the men (I should say letters), on receiv-
ing the word of command, drew themselves up in a line,
like the vehicles.
""Seen in front the letters formed this phrase:
THE CELEBRATED ANDERSON ! ! !
While on the other side of the banners could be read :
THE GREAT WIZARD OF THE NORTH.
[310]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,338,,"STRAND THEATRE,
Will be Opened on TUESDAY, Dec. 20th,
And CONTINUE OPEN DURING THE HOLIDAYS, with the
IMPROVED SOIREES MYSTERIEUSES
PROFESSORJ.H.ANDERSON
Wão - reterend free . T- DENMARK, NORWAY, SWEDEN, RUSSIA, and GERNANY. and bed
bence
of
performing
the
shale
of
the
MONARCHY of Northern EUROPE!
On TUESDAY EVENING, Dec. 26th, 1848,
HE MAKE His APPEABASCE AND GITE MIS
ROVAL
Illestrative of the Fallacy of Magic, Necromancy, Witcheraft, and Demonolegy
-
late
KISU
ales sel the - the KING - - Falase
NICHULAS
of
-
-
-
the
Imponal
-
,
il
the
the
de
N
-
these
THE EMPERON DEPERIAL THE COURT - the
-
SI
te
and
the
- ALA THE or NOSTBLAN the - - -
be
-
and
be
-
the
SHEAT
MANTER
of
wher - Mod-re
YOU MUST POSITIVELY NAYEA LOOK AT PROFESSOR ANDERSON'S
MACIC SKETCH BOOK
SKETCH-BOON
THE GREATEST WONDER
OF THE
AGE!
BOYAL PROGBAMNE of SCIENTIFIC WONDERS:
PART
PART "".
The ENCHANTED HANDEERCETEPS.
SECOND SIGNT; its Fallacy illustrated.
... CHANGEANLE IUTTLE and MISTIC
ANINATED
Grand EYDRAULIC EXPERIEEJT.
The EYSTIC VOLUNE:
m the ESTONISHING NON-EFFECT or PREASTRE
The MAGIC BANK, : Fishing extraerdinary.
GRAND NECHANICAL AMALGA.
EXTRAGRBINARY ELECTRIC EXPERIMENT,
ASDERMONS nons
That uf ecading six WATCHLA threagh esy Geerlemse's
SCRAPS EXTRAORDIKARY.
Grand POT-POURRI of
The MYSTIC BEEAKFAST.
The chole . conclude wish the LAST NEW WONDER of
Profence
The Learned Doves, the Broken Ring, Dissolving
Orange, and Enchanted Walnut.
SUSPENSION CHLOROFOREENE,
(3, Master JOR. MENAY ANDERSO%)
CEILD of the AIR: or. Jack in the Bex.""
R.
-
- bre See . inhale - perties of
- the MISTER ANDERSON.
and - rieep. He will the dioples the Estrandinary .be
Drng. which bee bailled the whole a the Noducal
CEAPEAU DE LA DIABLE
Germany. and evert Cosnity ANDERSON ***
secratly evited. THE CAULD witt. -LFEP IN THE All. III
osty SUPPORT , VEING TICK
in ..
Anderson's opening programme at the Strand Theatre, Christmas week,
1848, showing that he duplicated the tricks offered by Robert-Houdin, who,
in his ""Memoirs,"" claims that Anderson's programme was stale and uninter-
esting by comparison with his own.
[309"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,337,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
the floor of the den. Snakes-scores of them! Now the
creature, half-animal, half-human, glances up to make
sure that attention is riveted upon him, then grasps one
of the serpents in his hideous hands and in a flash bites
off its head. The writhing body falls back to the ground.
You grip the railing in a sudden faintness. Has your
brain deceived your eyes, or your eyes your brain ? If
you are a conjurer you try to convince yourself that it is
all a clever sleight-of-hand exhibition, but in your heart
you know it is not true. This creature, so near a beast,
has debauched his manhood for a few paltry dollars,
and in dragging himself down has dragged down the
name of a worthy, a brilliant, a world-famous performer.
Of the twentieth-century Boscos there are, alas, many.
You will find them all over the world, in street carnivals,
side-shows, fair-booths, and museums, and why the public
supports such debasing exhibitions I have never yet been
able to understand. I have seen half-staryed Russians
pick food from refuse-barrels. I have seen besotted
Americans creep out from low dives to draw the dregs
of beer-barrels into tomato cans. I have seen absinthe
fiends in Paris trade body and soul to obtain their be-
loved stimulant. I have heard morphine fiends in Russia
promise to exhibit the effect of the needle in return for
the price of an injection. But never has my soul so risen
in revolt as at sight of this bestial exhibition with which
the name of Bosco, a nobleman and a conjurer of merit,
has been linked.
Even more despicable than his attack upon Bosco is
Robert-Houdin's flaying of John Henry Anderson. In
this he is both unmanly and untruthful. Hinging his
[308]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,336,,"NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
graveyard devoted to the poor and unclaimed dead. To
prevent this, I purchased the lot and tombstone, and
presented the same to the Society of American Magicians, of
which organization, at the present writing, I am a member.
A man of noble birth and brilliant attainments was the
original Bosco, and his name became a by-word all over
the Continent as the synonym, not of cruelty, but of clever
deception, yet never has posterity put the name of a great
performer to such ignoble uses. For who has not heard
the cry of the modern Bosco, ""Eat-'em-alive""?
To-day I can close my eyes and summon two visions.
First I see myself standing bareheaded before a neglected
grave in the quiet cemetery on Friedrichstrasse, Dresden,
the sunlight pouring down upon the tombstone which bears
not only the cup-and-balls and wand, insignia of Bosco's
most famous trick, but this inscription: ""Ici repose le
célèbre Bartolomeo Bosco.-Né a Turin le II Janvier,
1793; décédé à Dresden le 2 Mars, 1863."" The history
of this clever conjurer, with all its lights and shadows,
sweeps before me like a mental panorama.
The second vision carries me into the country, to the
fairs of England and the side-shows of America:
""Bosco! Bosco! Eat-'em-alive Bosco. You can't af-
ford to miss this marvel. Bosco! Bosco!""
Follow me into the enclosure and gaze down into a
den. There lies a half-naked human being. His hair
is long and matted, a loin cloth does wretched duty as
clothing. Torn sandals are on his feet. The eulogistic
lecturer dilates upon the powers of this twentieth-century
Bosco, but you do not listen. Your fascinated gaze is
fixed on various hideous, wriggling, writhing forms on
[307]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,335,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
2nd, 1863. His wife died three years later and was interred
in the grave with her husband in a cemetery on Frie-
drichstrasse. There was nothing on the tombstone to indi-
cate the double interment, and I discovered the fact only
by investigating the municipal and cemetery records.
A
Bar tolomeo
Besco
The author at the grave of Bosco. From a photograph in the Harry Houdini
Collection.
Here I also learned that the grave had merely been
leased, and as the lease was about to expire the bones of
the great conjurer and his faithful wife might soon be
disinterred and reburied in a neglected corner of the
[306]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,334,,"NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
Eugene was said to be the superior of his famous father
in sleight-of-hand, but he was wild and given to excesses.
Women and wine checked what might have been a brill-
iant professional career. Disabled, poverty-stricken, and
Only photograph of Madame Bosco, given to the author by Mrs. Mueller,
Madame Bosco's niece, at the funeral of Wiljalba Frikell.
respected by none, he soon disappeared from the con-
juring world, and according to Carl Willman in the
""Zauberwelt"" he died miserably in Hungary in 1891.
In the mean time, Bosco and his wife lived in poverty
in Dresden, where the once brilliant conjurer died March
20
[305]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,333,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Pierced by a lance, he lay upon the ground apparently
dead. A Cossack callously roamed among the dead and
dying, rifling pockets and belts. When he came to the
form of Bosco, that youth feigned death, knowing that
resistance to the ghoul meant a death wound. But while
the Cossack robbed the Italian soldier, the latter stealthily
raised his unwounded arm and by sleight-of-hand rifled
the well-filled pockets of the ghoul, which fact was not
discovered by the Cossack until he was far from the field
of the dead and dying, where he had left one of the enemy
considerably better off, thanks to Bosco's conjuring gifts.
Later Bosco was sent captive to Siberia, where he per-
fected his sleight-of-hand while amusing fellow-prisoners
and jailers. In 1814 he was released and returned to his
native land, where he studied medicine, but eventually
decided to become a public entertainer. He was not only
a clever entertainer, but a good business man, and he
planned each year on saving enough money to insure a
life of ease in his old age. But events intervened to ruin
all his well-laid plans. The sins of his youth brought
their penalty. An illegitimate son, Eugene, became a
heavy drag upon the retired magician, who was com-
pelled to pay large sums to the young man in order to
prevent his playing in either France or Germany or as-
suming the name of Bosco. In a German antiquary's
shop at Bonn on the Rhine I found an agreement in
which Bosco agreed to pay this youth five thousand
francs for not using the name of Bosco. This agreement
is too long for reproduction in this volume, but unques-
tionably it is genuine and tells all too eloquently the
troubles which beset Bosco in his old age.
[304]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,332,,"NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
time the bird trick was not in his répertoire exclusively.
All English magicians employed it. Apparently the head
of the fowl was amputated, but often in reality it was
tucked under the wing, and the head and neck of another
fowl was shown by sleight-of-hand. Quite probably the
Parisian public did not consider Bosco cruel. Robert-
Houdin and his friend Antonio, being versed in sleight-
of-hand and conjuring methods, read cruelty between the
deft movements. Certain it is that the name of Bosco
has not been handed down to posterity by other writers
as a synonym of cruelty.
The animus of Robert-Houdin's attack on Bosco is
evident at every point of the narrative. Now he accuses
him of bad taste in appearing in the box-office. Again he
suggests that the somewhat impressive opening of Bosco's
act savors of both charlatanism and burlesque, when in
reality the secret of showmanship consists not of what
you really do, but what the mystery-loving public thinks
you do. Bosco undoubtedly secured precisely the effect
he desired, because Robert-Houdin devotes more than a
page to a most unnecessary attempt to explain away what
he considered Bosco's undeserved popularity.
Bosco was not only a clever magician, but a man of
many adventures, so that his life reads like a romance.
This soldier of fortune, Bartolomeo Bosco, was born of
a noble Piedmont family, on January IIth, 1793, in Turin,
Italy. From boyhood he showed great ability as a nec-
romancer, but at the age of nineteen he was forced to
serve under Napoleon I. in the Russian campaign. He
was a fusilier in the Eleventh Infantry, and at the battle
of Borodino was injured in an engagement with Cossacks.
[303]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,331,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
entire financial holdings through his passion for balloon
experiments, as is set forth in chapter II. of this book.
Then, to show his own inconsistency, after picturing
Pinetti in his ""Memoirs"" as a charlatan, a conjurer of vul-
gar, uncouth pretensions rather than as a good showman
of real ability, Robert-Houdin is forced to admit on page
25 of ""Secrets of Magic"" that later conjurers employed
Pinetti programmes as a foundation upon which their
performances were built! Even here, however, Robert-
Houdin fails to acknowledge an iota of the heavy debt
which he personally owed the despised Chevalier Pinetti.
Robert-Houdin devotes the greater part of chapter X.,
American edition of his autobiography, to belittling Bos-
co, a conjurer whose popularity all over Europe was long-
lived. First, he pictures Bosco as a most cruel creature who
literally tortured to death the birds used in his perform-
ances. Here, as in his attack on Pinetti, Robert-Houdin
throws the responsibility for criticism on the shoulders of
another. His old friend Antonio accompanies him to
watch Bosco's performance, and it is Antonio throughout
the narrative who inveighs against Bosco's cruelty and
Antonio who insists upon leaving before the performance
closes, because the cruelty of the conjurer nauseates him.
At that time no society for the protection of animals
existed, and, even if it had, I doubt whether Bosco's
performance would have come under the ban. Certain
magicians of to-day employ many of Bosco's tricks in
which birds and even small animals are used, but the
conjuring is so deftly done that the public of 1907, like
that of 1838, thinks it is all sleight-of-hand work and that
the birds are neither hurt nor killed. Even in Bosco's
[302]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,330,,"NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
by Torrini, as is set forth on page IO4. He pictures
Torrini as dogging the footsteps of Pinetti through all
Italy and finally driving him in a state of abject misery
to Russia, where he died in the home of a nobleman, who
sheltered him through sheer compassion. Robert-Houdin
Bartolomeo Bosco in his prime. From an engraving in the Harry Houdini
Collection.
must have known this was absolutely untrue, for he
quotes Robertson, who published Pinetti's true experi-
ences in Russia. Pinetti took a fortune with him to
Russia, acquired more wealth there, and then lost his
[301]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,329,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
truth about his so-called innovation, he must have given
Frikell credit, wherefore he conveniently ignores Frikell
completely.
It is entirely characteristic of Robert-Houdin that he
did not openly assail Pinetti in the pages of his ""Mem-
oirs."" With cleverness worthy of a better cause, he quotes
the bitter verbal attack as issuing from the lips of the
friend and mentor of his youth, Signor Torrini.
The major portion of chapter VI., pages 92 to IO4
inclusive, American edition of his autobiography, is de-
voted to assailing Pinetti's abilities as a conjurer and his
reputation as a man. Granted that Pinetti did put Tor-
rini to shame on the Neapolitan stage, such revenge for
a wholesale duplication of the magician's tricks might be
termed almost human and natural. Had a minor magi-
cian, amateur or professional, dogged the footsteps of
Robert-Houdin, copying his tricks, the entire répertoire
upon which he depended for a livelihood, thus endanger-
ing his future, I doubt that even the author of ""Confi-
dences d'un Prestidigitateur"" would have hesitated to un-
mask and undo his rival.
In fact, by reference to the editorial note, foot of page
421, American edition of Robert-Houdin's ""Memoirs,""
it will be seen that in 1850 Robert-Houdin appealed to
the law for protection in just such a case. An employee
was sent to prison for two years, as judgment for selling
to an amateur some of his master's secrets.
But in attacking Pinetti, Robert-Houdin goes a step
too far and falsifies, not directly but by innuendo, when
he permits the impression to go forth that Pinetti was
hounded and ruined both financially and professionally
[300]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,328,,"NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
nach Cagliostro, shows Robin offering this figure in March,
1846, or a year and seven months before it was presented
by Robert-Houdin. Yet the only reference made by
Robert-Houdin to this popular and gifted contemporary
is in ""The Secrets of Stage Conjuring"" where he remarks
slightingly that Robin spoiled Mr. Pepper's business by
giving a poor imitation of the latter's ghost show.
Again, in ignoring Herrmann, he proves his narrowness
of mind, his utter unwillingness to admit any ability in his
rivals. Compars Herrmann was no ordinary trickster or
mountebank, but a conjurer who remained in London
almost a year, playing the very best houses, and later
scoring equal popularity in the provinces. He was deco-
rated by various monarchs and was famous for his large
gifts to charities. Even the present generation, including
theatre-goers and students of magic, remembers the name
of Herrmann, when Robert-Houdin is forgotten or would
be but for his cleverly written autobiography.
Wiljalba Frikell, to whom should go the credit of
cutting out heavy stage draperies, never claimed the
innovation as a carefully planned conceit, but as an acci-
dent. His paraphernalia were destroyed in a fire, but he
desired to live up to his contract and give a performance
as announced. He therefore offered sleight-of-hand, pure
and simple, with the aid of a few tables, chairs, and other
commion properties which were absolutely undraped. He
was also compelled to don regulation, severely plain,
evening clothes. The absence of draperies, which natu-
rally aid a conjurer in attaining results, created so pleasing
a sensation that Frikell never again draped his stage
nor wore fancy raiment. Had Robert-Houdin told the
[ 299 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,327,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
was one of Anderson's cleverest imitators and a rival of
Robert-Houdin in the English provinces.
The adroit manner in which Robert-Houdin flays
Pinetti, Anderson, and Bosco would arouse admiration
were his pen-lashings devoted to men who deserved such
treatment. Under existing circumstances-his debt to
Bosco and Pinetti, whose tricks he filched remorselessly,
and the fact that Andersoi.'s popularity outlived his own
in England-his efforts to belittle these men are unworthy
of one who called himself a man and a master magician.
The truly great and successful man rises above petty
jealousy and personalities. This, Robert-Houdin could
not do, even when he sat pen in hand, in retirement, with
the fear of competition removed.
It seems almost incredible that Robert-Houdin should
ignore Henri Robin in his ""Memoirs,"" for Robin was one
of the most interesting characters of that day. He still
stands in magic's history as the Chesterfield of conjuring,
a man of many gifts, charming address, and broad edu-
cation. Even in his dispute with Robert-Houdin regard-
ing the invention of the inexhaustible bottle, he never
forgot his dignity, but proved his case by that most potent
of arguments, a well-edited magazine published under his
direction, in which an illustration showed him actually
performing the trick in 1844, or a full three years before
it appeared on Robert-Houdin's programme.
Robert-Houdin was indebted to Robin for another
trick, the Garde Française, introduced by Robert-Houdin
in October, 1847. Henri Robin had precisely the same
figure, doing precisely the same feats, in the garb of an
Arab. An illustration from Robin's magazine, L'Alma-
[298]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,326,,"NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
chapter III. of this book will show. Frikell was the pioneer
in dispensing with cumbersome stage draperies. Robert-
Houdin claimed this innovation as the product of his own
ingenuity. Compars Herrmann was playing in London
when Robert-Houdin made his English début under
Minnel
Wiljalba Frikell in his youth, showing the peculiar costume worn by con-
jurers at that time. The author secured this portrait a few weeks before
Frikell's death and sent it to the veteran conjurer, who was amazed to learn
that this print was in existence. Now in the Harry Houdini Collection.
Mitchell's direction, and was presenting, trick for trick,
the répertoire claimed by Robert-Houdin as original with
him. Henri Robin disputed Robert-Houdin's claim to
having invented the inexhaustible bottle, and proved his
case, as will be seen by reference to chapter VIII. Jacobs
[ 297 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,325,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
the lad shared his stage triumphs. His other children he
never mentions by name. The second wife, who, he
grudgingly admits, stood valiantly by him in his days of
poverty and disappointment, he does not honor by so
much as stating her name before marriage. Rather, he
refers to her as a person whom he was constrained to
place in charge of his household in order that he might
continue his experiments and his work on automata. A
less gracious tribute to wifely devotion was never penned.
But it is in dealing with contemporary magicians or
those whose handiwork in bygone years he cleverly pur-
loined and proclaimed as his original inventions, that
the petty jealousy of the man comes to the surface. When-
ever he desires to claim for himself credit due a prede-
cessor in the world of magic, he either ignores the man's
very existence or writes of his competitor in such a man-
ner that the latter's standing as man and magician is
lowered. Not that he makes broad, sweeping statements.
Rather, he indulges in the innuendo which is far more
dangerous to the party attacked. He never strikes a
pen-blow which, because of its brutality, might arouse
the sympathy of his readers for the object of his attack.
Here, in the gentle art of innuendo and belittling, if not
in the conjurer's art, Robert-Houdin is a master.
In writing his ""Memoirs"" he deliberately ignores
Compars Herrmann, Henri Robin, Wiljalba Frikell, M.
Jacobs, and P. T. Barnum, all of whom he knew person-
ally. He might have written most entertainingly of these
men, but in each case he had an object in avoiding refer-
ence to the acquaintance. P. T. Barnum knew the true
history of the writing and drawing figure, as reference to
[296]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,324,,"CHAPTER XI
THE NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS""
T
HE charm of true memoirs lies far beyond the
printed pages, in the depth and breadth of
the writer's soul. The greatest of all autobi-
ographies are those which detail not only the
lives of the men who penned them, but which abound in
diverting anecdotes and character studies of the men and
women among whom the writer moved. They are not
autobiographies alone, but vivid, broad-minded pen-
Pictures of the period in which the writer was a vigorous,
respect-compelling figure. Memoirs written with a view
to settling old scores seldom live to accomplish their ends.
I he narrowness and pettiness of the writer, which intelli-
gent reading of history is bound to disclose, destroy all
Other charms which the book may possess.
At personal exploitation Robert-Houdin is a brilliant
Success. As a writer of memoirs he is a wretched failure.
Whenever he writes of himself, his pen seems fairly to
scintillate. Whenever he refers to other magicians of
his times, his pen lags and drops on the pages blots
which can emanate only from a narrow, petty, jeal-
ous nature.
Even when he writes of his own family, this peculiar
trait of petty egotism may be read between the lines. He
mentions the name of his son Émile, apparently because
[ 295 ]
i"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,323,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
and who desires to hand down to posterity a clean record
of his attainments will be clever enough and manly
enough to avoid any attempt to explain that which he
does not understand. By his flagrant misstatements
regarding the tricks of his predecessors and contempo-
raries, Robert-Houdin, however, convicts himself of igno-
rance regarding the fundamental principles of magic, and
arouses in the minds of broad, intelligent readers doubts
regarding his claims to the invention of the various tricks
and automata which he declares to have been the output
of his brain, the production of his own deft hands.
[ 294 )"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,322,,"ROBERT HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
she will be unable to slip her wrists. I do not mean by
this any hand-cuff that will not come to any size, or the
common cuffs which when locked will lock only to a
certain size, but I mean a cuff that can be locked and
adjusted to any size of wrist.
In rope-tying, the principal trick is to allow yourself to
be tied according to certain methods of crossing your
hands or wrists, so that by eventually straightening your
hands you have made enough room to allow them to slip
out very easily. It is not always the size of the wrist that
counts. It is the manner of holding your hands when the
knots are being tied.
The gift of seeing in the dark, with which Robert-
Houdin endowed the Davenports, is equally preposterous.
Professor Hoffmann defends Robert-Houdin by citing in-
stances of prisoners who had been confined in cells for an
indefinite period and who had learned to see in the dark.
This is quite true, but they did not alternate daylight
and darkness. Eminent opticians and oculists inform me
that the faculty of seeing in the dark cannot be acquired
by parties like the Davenports, who spent most of their
time in the light.
While the Davenports were pioneers in rope-tying and
cabinet séances, had Robert-Houdin been the clever
sleight-of-hand performer and inventor he claims to have
been, these tricks would have been clear and solvable to
him. But as he obviously joined the ranks of the amazed
and bewildered masses, making only a futile attempt to
explain the performances, he convicts himself of igno-
rance regarding his own art.
A man who has made a fortune in the world of magic
[ 293 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,321,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
failed, too. Even if the entire thumb were cut away, I
believe it would still be impossible to slip a rope that was
properly bound around the wrist. You may take any
cuff of the adjustable make, or a ratchet cuff, place it
about a small woman's wrist, and you will find that even
S T. GEORGE'S HALL,
LANGZAX PLACE.
RETURN
BROTHERS DAVENPORT
AMD
M R. FAY.
Tz BROTHERS DAVENPORT and Mr. FAY have the honour
to announce that, after a tour of three years over the greater part
of the Continent of Europe, they have returned once more, and
probably for the last time, to this Metropolia, where they will give
a few Séances previous to their departure for the United States.
During their European tour they have given Séances in Paris,
Berlin, Vienna, Moscow, St. Petersburgh, and nearly every great
Continental Capital; and have had the honour of appearing before
their Majesties the Emperors of France and Russia, the Royal
Family of Prussia, and great numbers of the most Distinguished
Personages in Europe. Many thousands of persons of the highest
rank and intelligence have witnessed the astonishing experiments
given in their presence.
Throughout the Northern American States, from 1853 until
their first visit to England in 1864, they were seen by hundreds
of thousands of persona.
In England, their first Séance was given in private, to a most
distinguished party of men of science and letters, who gave their
most unequivocal testimony to the excellence and perfection of
their experiments.
Two Séanoss of the and Mr. Fax will be
given at
ST. GEORGE'S HALL. LANGHAM PLACE,
On THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 23rd,
And SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 25th, 1868,
at Eight o'clock.
STALLS, - 8s.
BALCONY, - Se.
ADMISSION,
ONE SHILLING.
Announcement used by the Davenport Brothers on their return to London,
England, after their tour of the Continent in April, 1868. From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
[ 292]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,320,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
retired from public life, purchased a farm, and rested
on their laurels and a corpulent bank account. One
of them is said to have admitted that all their work was
skilful manipulation and not spiritualistic manifestations.
Nevertheless, their names will live so long as spiritualism
is talked of or cabinet effects tolerated by the public.
The trick as offered by the Davenport Brothers con-
sisted of their being tied hand and foot at opposite ends
of the cabinet, which was hung with musical instruments,
bells, etc. The two men slipped in and out of the ropes
without delay or apparent damage to the ropes, and musi-
cal instruments were played with arms presumably in
bondage.
Robert-Houdin, in attempting to expose the trick,
makes two flagrant errors. First he claims that ""by dint
of special practice on the part of our mediums, the thumb
is made to lie flat in the hand, when the whole assumes
a cylindrical form of scarcely greater diameter than the
wrist""; and second that the Davenport Brothers had
trained themselves to see in the dark.
As releasing myself from fastenings of all sorts, from
ropes to strait-jackets, has been my profession for twenty
years, I am in a position to contradict Robert-Houdin's
first claim positively. I have met thousands of persons
who claimed that the rope, as well as the handcuff trick,
was accomplished by folding the hand together or making
the wrist larger than the hand, but never have I met men
or women who could make their hands smaller than their
wrists. I have even gone so far as to have iron bands
made and press my hands together, hoping eventually
to make my hands smaller than my wrists, but this has
[ 29I ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,319,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
duced surpassed my expectations, and your experiments
were full of interest to me. I consider it my duty to add
that these phenomena are inexplicable; and the more so
by such persons as have thought themselves able to guess
your supposed secret, and who are, in fact, far indeed
from having discovered the truth. Hamilton.""
After their return to America the Davenport Brothers
G
171
The cabinet trick offered by the Davenport Brothers. From an old print in the
Harry Houdíni Collection.
[290]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,318,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
Both were below medium height, rather handsome
men, and, as will be seen from the accompanying engrav-
ing, looked much alike. Their career, which started in
America, ran from about 1853 to the early 70's. They
made a trip to Europe in 1864, remaining until August,
1869. Both married abroad; Ira a daughter of France,
Mlle. Louise Toulet, and William Henry a Polish girl,
Miss Matilda Mag. On the whole, their foreign tour was
most profitable, though in some cities they paid a high
price for their notoriety. In England they waged bitter
warfare with John Henry Anderson, Tolmaque, and Pro-
fessor Redmond.
On the occasion of their Paris opening at the Salle
Herz they claimed that the hoodlum element mobbed
the theatre and broke up their performance at the instiga-
tion of Henri Robin, who was playing in opposition.
Hamilton, who had succeeded to the management of
Robert-Houdin's theatre, in a letter published after wit-
nessing their initial performance announced that he shared
this belief; but as Robert-Houdin and Henri Robin were
bitter rivals, I believe Hamilton's letter was the result of
two things: first the intense ill-will he harbored against
Robin, and second, as he had Robert-Houdin as his
mentor, he was really ignorant of the Davenport methods
and therefore not in a position to defend them. The
letter, which is given in full, appeared in Gazette des
Étrangers, Paris, September 27th, 1865:
""Messrs. Davenport: Yesterday I had the pleasure of
being present at the séance you gave, and I came away
from it convinced that jealousy alone was the cause of
the outcry raised against you. The phenomena pro-
19
[289]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,317,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
port Brothers, hailed from Buffalo, N. Y., U. S. A. Ira
Erastus was born September 17th, 1839, and William
Henry, February ist, 1841. They fairly startled the
world by their so-called manifestations of spiritualism
during the 60's, and were alternately lauded and reviled
for their performances.
[288]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,316,,"possibility, and no chance whatever, that it was either by
accident or practised trickery to produce such wonderful
materializations. Robert-Houdin, May 18th, 1847.'
He further shows his ignorance of séances as offered
in his times, by his attempt to describe the methods em-
ployed by the Davenport Brothers, to whom he devotes
chapter XIII., which might be described as a chapter of
errors.
These picturesque American entertainers, the Daven-
[287]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,315,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
which is a cross between the whistle of a locomotive with
a cold, and a sawed-off and hammered-down flute in
which has been inserted a tin whistle. As this nerve-
racking music holds the spectators under its awful spell,
the basket begins to rock, the contortionist-subject grad-
ually raises himself inside the basket, and when the noise
is at its height he straightens up in the basket and raises
it with his back as far as it will go. To the uninitiated it
actually appears as if he had returned to an empty basket
in his original position. The trick is a marvellous decep-
tion, but only a Hindoo can exhibit it with success, for
no white person would ever indulge in the screechings,
imbecilities, and contortions which are the spectacular
and convincing features of the trick.
Sometimes the trick is varied. Instead of the subject
being found in his original position he is seen running
toward the crowd as from a distance. This is accom-
plished by having two subjects, one in the basket and one
hidden on the outskirts of the crowd, who are ""doubles""
or at least who show a marked resemblance and are
dressed exactly alike.
The earliest programmes of Hindoo jugglers in my col-
lection are dated 1818. The ""Mr. Ramosamee"" featured
on this bill later split his name thus, ""Ramo Samee,""
and was engaged to perform alone between the acts of
""The Broken Heart"" at the Garrick Theatre, London.
From Ramo Samee, Continental and British magicians
learned the trick of juggling brass balls.
On page 135 Professor Hoffmann, in a foot-note, com-
mends Robert-Houdin for the very impartial manner in
which he approaches the question of spiritualism and
[286]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,314,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
cover of the basket sinks until the basket seems empty, to
the spectators at least. The fakir now takes off the cover
of the basket, leaving the sheet over it, however. Then he
jumps into the presumably empty basket, stamps all
around, and takes out the net in which are found the tur-
:
ban worn by the subject and the thumb tie. To prove
further that the basket is still empty, the fakir seats him-
il
self in the basket, as shown in the illustration. The lid
of the basket is now replaced, and under this friendly
cover the sheet is taken off and the basket tied up.
Now commences the true Hindoo magic. The magi-
cian is a real actor. He apparently adjures Mahomet.
He gets very angry and with fierce looks, ejaculations,
and muttered curses he grabs up a sword or cane and
jabs it through different parts of the basket. During all
this time the subject, who is something of a contortion-
ist, is wriggling about on the bottom of the basket, keep-
ing out of reach of the sword, and in fact often guiding
its thrusts between his legs, as every movement on the
part of the fakir has been carefully thought out and
rehearsed in advance.
By this time the fakir has convinced his audience that
the basket is empty. To be sure he has not allowed any
spectators to come too near him or the basket, nor has
any hand save his touched it, but his clever acting almost
persuades even an intelligent or sceptical onlooker that
the basket is empty.
With the lid of the basket replaced, this time above
the friendly sheet, and the basket tied, he resumes his
weird incantations. He screams and runs back and
forth, playing on a small instrument with a hideous tone"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,313,,"under the robe of the magician, whose attitude favors
this concealment.
As the basket trick is the Hindoo magician's most
wonderful offering, a truthful account of his methods of
performing the same may be interesting. In the first
place, Robert-Houdin's explanation is impossible and un-
reasonable because the Hindoo magician does not wear
flowing robes in which the child could be concealed.
Every Hindoo performer I have ever seen wore short
trousers and was barefooted.
The correct method of performing the trick, which has
been handed down through generations of Hindoos, is as
follows: The boy subject is placed in a net in which
he is firmly tied, after having had his big toes and thumbs
fastened down with bandages. Then, with many a grunt
and a groan, he is lifted into the basket. The subject,
however, pretends that the basket is too small, so he is
really seated on one side and keeps his back in the air.
This is done to give the appearance eventually that it
was impossible for him to crouch down or around the
basket. The lid of the basket is now placed on his back,
and a large sheet is thrown over the entire apparatus,
which conceals from the audience every movement made
by the subject.
Now commences the Hindoo ""patter,"" in reality yells,
groans, and incantations, while the magician and his
assistant strike the basket with swords or canes, stamp
on the ground, gnash their teeth, etc. Gradually the
[284]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,312,,"For Six Nights only.
BY PERMISSION OF
the Night the Atayor.
In the Large Room, opposite the Custom-House,
IN WHITEFRIAR-GATE
The Inhabitanits of HULL and its yicinity are respeeifully informed, that
On Wednesday Evening, Aug. 26, 1818.
And Thursday, Priday, Satarday, Monday ind Eveninge following,
The Indian
Jugglers
Will exhibil their unrivalled Performances:
These extraordinary Indians are Natives of Seringapatani, and have been eihibiting for some
tume past in the Metropolis, before many of the Nobility, who unanimiously pronouaced them to
be the first Masters of the Art in this Kingdom.
Amongst the semerous Performances the follewing may be acticed:
Various Deceptions with Cups and Balls;
CHANGING SAND TO DIFFERENT COLOURS;
A SERIES or
EVOLUTIOS
With Four hollow Brass Balls, about the size of Oranges.
The pewer of the Jeggiot over these is miraculess he causes them to describe every possible Circle-horidontally,
pendiculasiy, obliquely. transversely, rosed his Legs, under bis abost his Head, in small and lange Circumferences,
with wondross rapidity, and keeping the whole is Motion at the same timo. This being the solo fruit of Elort, Activity.
quickesse of Eye, and rapidity of Motion, ao one who has not witocsacd it can form as iden of its excellenco. This part of
the Performsece will be accumpanied with Music
STRINGING BEADS WITH HIS MOUTH,
Ae the rame time terning Ringt with bi, Fingers and Tees.
Wonberful geat with Large
TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL
Feats of Balancing,
la which ome of the Indians hes a School Doy's common Peg-top, which be commences to spia with great relocity in bis
hand, and from theace conveys it os a point as hac as a Needle, Which is balenced on his Chie, and in this situation makes
et bow to the Company, while revelving on the before -mentioned point, and afterwards restorce it b, the Werd of Commund,
to the Equilibriam sad Stcadiness as whes first spea.
Erecting a curious Pagoda on the top of his Nose,
AND ASNOVING THE SANE WITH INGENUITY.
His manly activity in throwing a Large Ball, the size.
of an Eighteen-pound Shot,
To parts of his Body, with the greatest case be places it betwcen bis Foet, and throws is over his Shoulder,
whes it alights on his Ara. and thea with the greatest throws it on the back part of his Neck, and after display.
ing . variety of Gambols of this sort, be finally, bet with a masterly jerk,
Throws this Ball of Twelve Pounds round his Head,
the assistence of his llands; and several other Achievements, too sumerous to mestion in the limits of a lland
Handbill used by the original Indian jugglers in England during 1818, in
which the sword-swallowing trick is featured. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
[283]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,311,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
""We will not venture to question the fact vouched for by
SO high an authority as Robert-Houdin, that the Indian
Basket Trick may sometimes be performed after the
THEJUSTLY CELEBRATED
RAMO SAMEE,
CHIEF OF
The Indian Jugglers,
Neving Saushed Are Proviscal Eagagements, will,
O. MONDAY. JULY 16.
Aad. for a short persod so through the ahole of
Estraordinary Fente of Strength and Agility,
222, PICCADILLY,
Consusting of e Reviso of with
FOUR BRASS BALLS
THE SIZE OF ORANGES.
possi
over these le almost miraculous, he casses them to describe every
DRICIONTALLY, PERPENDICULANLY, OBLIQUELY, TRANSTERSELY ROUND -
- UNDER in and ABOUT ius MEAD, is large and -
the whole is at the - timin. This being the gread - of
- activity, of the "" and appidity of actica. These who Dave set * -
- - of ite escellence.
SEVERAL FEATS OF BALLANCING
is which la will estroduce the
Building a Canopy with his Tongue
ON THE TOP OF HIS NOSE
.
AND RENOVING THE SAME WITE SURPRIZING INGENUITY
yas
Spinning of a Tepion a Point as fiue as a Needle,
ave
BALANCING THE SAME ON IIIS CHIN,
- * now to the Audiesce while revolving es the
and by the word of command, restores it to the - Equilibries and
whee Grot Spea.
TRS.
WONDERFUL FEAT WITH LARGE KNIVES
ase
SW.ALLOWING A STONE THE arze OF AN EGC.
Aloo. bie maniy Activity is
Throwing a Large Ballthe size of an
18-pound Shot
To parts of bie Body, with the greated - be places * botwodh N and by -
thance to averal other parts of Frame: bot finally, with manterly jerti, throws the wand
spring, throws It over bis Shoulder, from whence it alights os the bond of Nio Ara, asd
without the améstance of bie after several other achievements, be will concludo -
SEVERAL NOVEL FEATS.
ylenical
Performances to commence every Day at One o Clock, and every Evening
a Sight Sa ech.Childres Half-prics;
CA whe
A Ramo Samee handbill, featuring his stone-swallowing act.
From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
manner above described, but we doubt very much whether
such is the usual or customary method.""
Robert-Houdin states that the child is placed in the
basket, and the Indian fastens down the lid with leather
straps. To facilitate this operation, he rests his knees
[282]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,310,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
was not a novelty in his day. The lock which would
first alarm the household by setting off a pistol and then
brand the thief's hand, is described by the Marquis of
Worcester in his. book ""Centurie of Inventions."" As
locks and locksmithing form my hobby, while in England
I purchased the entire set of patent-books, to add to a
collection of locks and fastenings from every known coun-
try of the world. In the introduction of the first book of
patents for inventions relating to locks, latches, bolts,
etc., from A.D. 1774 to 1866, the following quotation will
be found:
""The Marquis of Worcester in his ""Centurie of Inven-
tions' thus describes the first detector lock invented, A.D.
1640, by some mechanical genius of that day: ""This lock
is so constructed that, if a stranger attempts to open it, it
catches his hand as a trap catches a fox, though as far as
maiming him for life, yet so far marketh him that if sus-
pected he might easily be detected.'""
It appears that to this lock was fitted a steel barb
which, if a certain tumbler was overlifted in the act of
picking or otherwise, was projected against the hand of
the operator by a spring. I have seen such a lock as this
in the collection of Hobbs, Hart & Co., London, who
have had it in their possession many years. In every
respect it answers the description of the invention claimed
by Robert-Houdin as his own.
Chapter VII. of ""Secrets of Stage Conjuring"" is de-
voted to Robert-Houdin's very incorrect explanation of
the famous Indian Basket Trick. Even his own trans-
lator, Professor Hoffmann, takes issue with Robert-Hou-
din, as will be seen by reading his foot-note on page IO4:
[281]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,309,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
starts his dramatic tale of inventing a detector lock by
which he protected a rich neighbor, M. de l'Escalopier,
from robbery, and incidentally in return secured funds
with which to open his theatre in the Palais Royal. In
his ""Mémoirs"" Robert-Houdin states that the opening
of the theatre was made possible by the invention of the
writing and drawing automaton whose history has been
traced in chapter III. The reader can choose between
the two stories. One is as plausible as the other.
But to return to the detector lock. Count or M. De
l'Escalopier having complained grievously to his humble
neighbor, the watchmaker Robert-Houdin, that he and
his family were being robbed, begged that the latter sug-
gest some means of catching the thief. Robert-Houdin
then recalled a childish device by which he had caught
his school-fellows in the act of pilfering his desk, etc.,
and he proposed to the Count that the same device, elab-
orated to meet the strength of a full-grown man, be at-
tached to his wealthy patron's desk. As first planned, the
detector lock was to shoot off a pistol on being tampered
with, and then brand the hand of the thief with nitrate
of silver. Count de l'Escalopier objected to branding a
man for life, so Robert-Houdin substituted for the nitrate
of silver a sort of cat's claw which would clamp down on
the robber's hand and draw blood. The Count deposited
ten thousand francs in his desk and caught the robber,
his confidential servant, red-handed. The ten thousand
francs he presented to Robert-Houdin as a reward for
stopping the thefts.
A charming tale this makes, but, unfortunately for
Robert-Houdin's claims to originality, the detector lock
[,280]
-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,308,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
scènes de Ventriloquie exécutées et communiquées par M.
Conte, Physicien du Roi,"" Paris, 1837; ""Anciens et Nou-
vaux Tours d'Escamotage,"" of which there are innumer-
able editions; ""Le Manuel des Sorciers. Recréations Phy-
siques, Mathématiques, Tours de Cartes et de Gibecière;
suivre, des Jeux de Société,"" Paris, 1802.
His third work, ""Magie et Physique Amusante,"" trans-
POSITION OF BOY
IN BASKET
Position of the ""vanished"" Hindoo while concealed in the basket. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
lated by Professor Hoffmann under the title of ""The
Secrets of Stage Conjuring,"" and published in English
in 1881, is marred by an almost continuous strain of mis-
statements, incorrect explanations, and downright falsifi-
cation.
On page 17 of the American edition Robert-Houdin
[ 279]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,307,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
ern human ostriches have all wound up at city hospitals
where surgeons have removed broken glass, knife blades,
and other foreign matter by means of an operation.
I quote the above instances simply to prove that the
stones were actually swallowed and then disgorged, and
not hidden, as Robert-Houdin claims, in the folds of the
Mokadem's burnous.
In this one chapter alone Robert-Houdin quotes six
authorities in explaining the tricks he witnessed, which
fact only strengthens my belief that he borrowed his
tricks, as well as his explanations, from able and graphic
writers on the art of magic.
The next work descriptive of the conjurer's art offered
by Robert-Houdin was ""Les Secrets de la Prestidigitation
et de la Magie."" Under the title of ""The Secrets of Con-
juring and Magic; or, How to Become a Wizard,"" it
was translated and edited by Professor Hoffmann and
published in 1878 by George Routledge & Co., London
and New York.
Absolutely no originality is displayed in this book, and
the majority of the tricks explained can be found in
French books of a similar character which appeared be-
fore Robert-Houdin turned author. The proof of this
statement can be found by reading any of the following
works upon which Robert-Houdin patently drew for his
material:
""Nouvelle Magie Blanche Dévoilée et Cours Complet
de Prestidigitation,"" in two volumes, by J. N. Ponsin,
published in Paris in 1853; ""Grande Initiation au
vraie Pratique des Célèbres Physiciens-Prestidigitateurs,'
Paris, 1855; ""Nouveau Manuel Complet Sorciers, les
[278]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,306,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
In my collection is the handbill of a stonc-swallower
who exhibited at No. IO Cockspur Street, London, charg-
ing an admission fee of half-a-crown.
These performers actually swallowed the water, stones,
Indian fakir seated in the basket after the subject has been ""vanished.""
pebbles, etc., and retched them up again so cleverly and
at such carefully selected instants that the audience did
not know that the disgorging had been accomplished.
Swallowing glass was a different matter, and the mod-
[ 277 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,305,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
swallows the blade of a sabre about thirteen inches long
of polished steel. This operation he performs very slowly,
and with some precaution; though he evinces no symp-
tom of pain. After every solid body that he swallows, he
Position taken by the subject in the Indian basket trick before he is covered
by the sheet.
always takes a small dose of wine expressly prepared for
him. He does not seem to make any effort to kill the
living animals that he takes in his mouth, but boasts that
he feels them moving in his stomach.""
[276]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,304,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
James de Falaise, a Norman, about fifty years of age, living
in the Rue St. Honoré. It is said that this extraordinary
man will swallow whole walnuts, shell and all, a tobacco
FLORAM MARCHAND.
Water spouter & Juggler.
Floram Marchand. From an old, undated English publication in the Harry
Houdini Collection.
pipe, three cards rolled together, a rose with all its leaves,
long stalk, and thorns, a living bird, and a living mouse,
and, lastly, a live eel. Like to the Indian jugglers, he
[ 275 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,303,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
them in water very transparent, rose-water, orange-flower-
water, and brandy.
""I have smelt the several odours of his liquors; nay,
I have seen him set fire to a handkerchief dipt in that
which smelt like brandy, and it burnt blue like spirituous
liquors.
Nay, he frequently promised at Venice to
give the water back again in milk and oil. But I think he
did not keep his word. In short, he concluded this scene
with swallowing successfully thirty or forty glasses of
water, always from the same bucket, and after having
given notice to the company by his man (who served as
an interpreter) that he was going to disembogue, he
threw his head back, and spouting out the fair water,
he made it spring up with an impetuosity like that of
the strongest jet d'eau. This last feat delighted the
people infinitely more than all the rest, and during the
month he was at Francfort numbers from all parts came
to see this slovenly exercise. Though he repeated it more
than once a day he had more than four hundred specta-
tors at a time. Some threw their handkerchiefs, and some
their gloves upon the stage, that he might wet them with
the water he had cast up, and he returned them differently
perfumed, sometimes with rose-water, sometimes with
orange-flower-water, and sometimes with brandy.""
Another famous juggler and water-spouter was Floram
Marchand, whose picture is herewith reproduced. Judg-
ing from his dress, he antedated Manfrede.
Bell's Messenger of July r6th, 1816, tells of a sword-
swallower whose work is extremely pertinent to this dis-
cussion, and the clipping is quoted verbatim:
""The French papers give a curious account of one
[274]
-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,302,,"what is most extraordinary is that this water, which he
threw out with violence, appeared red like wine. And
when he had discharged it into two different bottles, it
was red in one and russet like beer in the other; as soon
as he shifted the bottles to the contrary sides, they changed
their complexion respectively to that of wine or beer, and
so successively so long as he continued vomiting; in the
mean time, I observed that the water grew less discolored
in proportion as he continued to discharge. This was the
first act. Then he ranged his two dozen of bottles oppo-
site to him on a table, and exposed to everybody's view.
Then he took an equal number of bottles, plunged them
anew into the bucket, swallowed them too, and returned
18
[ 273 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,301,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
day, and indeed proved that he was capable of execut
what he pretended to. I saw him perform frequen
and remember it as well as if it was but yesterday.
said he was an Italian; he was short and squat,
SOLVS stevr SOL
FAMA
VOLAT
EFFITIES DE BLASIS DE SICULE
Blasius de Manfre or Blaise Manfrede, from a rare old woodcut in the H
Houdini Collection.
chest, face, forehead, eyes, and mouth very large.
pretended to be fifty years old, though he did not se
forty.
""He was called the famous Blaise Manfrede, a nat
of Malta. At Francfort he frequently performed th
times a day: for, besides his performances twice a C
[272]
-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,300,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
years back in France by a mountebank called ""the Sabre-
Swallower.'
""This man, who performed in the streets, threw back
his head so as to form a straight line with his throat, and
really thrust down his gullet a sabre, of which only the
hilt remained outside his mouth.
""He also swallowed an egg without cracking it, or
even nails and pebbles, which he caused to resound,
by striking his stomach with his fist.
""These tricks were the result of a peculiar formation
in the mountebank's throat, but, if he had lived among
the Aïssaoua, he would have assuredly been the leading
man of the company.""
The sabre-swallower never releases his hold on the
weapon. The pebble and bottle-heel swallower does-
but brings them up again, by a system of retching which
results from long practice. The Japanese have an egg-
swallowing trick in which they swallow either small-
sized ivory balls or eggs, and reproduce them by a retch-
ing so unnoticeable that they could easily show the mouth
empty.
This trick dates back to the offerings of that celebrated
water-spouter, Blaise Manfrede, or de Manfre, who trav-
elled all over Europe. This man could swallow huge
quantities of water and then eject it in streams or in small
quantities or fill all sorts of glasses. In fact this one trick
made him famous. The European Magazine, London,
March, 1765, pages 194-5, gives a most diverting descrip-
tion of his trick, taken from an old letter, and here quoted
:
""I have seen, at the September fair in Francfort, a
man who professed drinking fifty quarts of water in a
[ 271 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,299,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
forward or sidewise, the weapon would slice his body,
resulting in instant death or horrible mutilation. I have
watched cheap performers of this class of work, in dime
museums or fairs, walk up a ladder of sharp swords
which I had previously held in my hand. They would
place the foot down with infinite precision and then press
it into place. This position will not result in cutting,
but let the performer slip or slide and the flesh would
be cut instantly. I have also seen an acrobat, working
in a circus, select two razors in first-class condition, place
them on a socket with the edges of the razors uppermost,
and with his bare hands he would do what is known as
a hand-stand on the keen edges of the blades. This trick
of absolute balance is acquired by persistent practice
from youth up.
Again Robert-Houdin errs wofully in comparing the
sabre-swallower to the swallower of broken bottle-heels
and stones. Sabre-swallowing is one trick, swallowing
pebbles and broken glass belongs in quite a different
class. And when I say this I do not mean powdered
glass, but pieces of glass first broken, then chewed, and
finally swallowed.
On page 426 Robert-Houdin puts the two tricks in the
same class, as follows:
""When the trick of swallowing bottle-heels and pebbles
was to be done, the Aïssaoua really put them in his mouth,
but I believe, I may say certainly, that he removed them
at the moment when he placed his head in the folds of the
Mokadem's burnous. However, had he swallowed them,
there would have been nothing wonderful about this,
when we compare it with what was done some thirty
[270]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,298,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
maintained his balance, but, in reality, they supported
the whole weight of his body. Hence, the only require-
ment for this trick is to have the stomach more or less
Pressed in, and I will explain presently that this can be
effected without any danger or injury.""
In this explanation Robert-Houdin is entirely wrong.
Singhalese
THE
KANDIN
from the
IsleorCeylon
A
WITH THE IRON SHIN
A Rannin lithograph, showing him doing the sword-walking act which
Robert-Houdin claimed to have been a fraud. Rannin is still working in Ger-
many, imitated by many, equalled by none. From a photograph in the Harry
Houdini Collection.
The real secret of lying on top of a sharp-edged razor,
sword, or sabre rests on the fact that the performer does
actually lie upon it in a perfectly motionless position.
Were he to move but the width of a hair, backward or
[ 269]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,297,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
and at fairs, as well as in the better grade of houses.
Having worked on the same bill with genuine Arabian
performers, I know just how the tricks are accomplished.
Robert-Houdin undertakes to explain these tricks in
chapter XXII. of the American edition of his ""Me-
moirs."" So long as he quotes reliable authorities like the
Journal des Sciences, the explanations are correct. Di-
rectly he attempts an independent exposure, he strikes
far from the correct explanation.
On page 424 he states:
""In the following experiment, two Arabs held a sabre,
one by the hilt, the other by the point; a third then came
forward, and after raising his clothes so as to leave the
abdomen quite bare, laid himself flat on the edge of the
blade, while a fourth mounted on his back, and seemed
to press the whole weight of his body on him.
""This trick may be easily explained.
""Nothing proves to the audience that the sabre is
really sharpened, or that the edge is more cutting than
the back, although the Arab who holds it by the point is
careful to wrap it up in a handkerchief-in this, imitating
the jugglers who pretend they have cut their fingers
with one of the daggers they use in their tricks.
""Besides, in performing this trick, the invulnerable
turned his back on the audience. He knew the advantage
to be derived from this circumstance; hence, at the mo-
ment when about to lay himself on the sabre, he very
adroitly pulled back over his stomach that portion of
his clothing he had raised. Lastly, when the fourth actor
mounted on his back, he rested his hands on the shoulders
of the Arabs who held the sabre. The latter apparently
[ 268 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,296,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
and, extending to the Chinese Museum, burnt it down on
July 5th, 1854. An interesting account of the Automaton
Chess-Player, written by Prof. George Allen, of this
city, will be found in ""The Book of the First American
Chess Congress,' recently published in New York.""
Signor Blitz, in his book ""Fifty Years in the Magic
Circle,"" corroborates the Mackenzie correction, by telling
how he saw Maëlzel in Havana, Cuba, where the famous
German met his professional Waterloo, first in small
audiences, then in the death of his faithful confederate,
Schlomberg. Finally, broken in health and spirit, Maëlzel
sailed from Havana for Philadelphia, but death overtook
him at sea. His body was consigned to the ocean's depths,
and his few effects were sold to liquidate the cost of
passage and other debts.
That Robert-Houdin should make an error concerning
a world-famous automaton the history of which could be
traced through contemporary periodicals and libraries, is
almost inconceivable and proves the carelessness with
which he gathered and presented facts.
His inability to grasp the principles on which other
performers built their tricks is shown most clearly when
he attempts to describe and explain the performances of
the Arabian mountebanks whom he saw during his stay
in Algiers. These tricks have been handed down from
one generation to another, and now that Arabian con-
jurers and acrobats are imported for hippodrome and
vaudeville performances in all civilized countries, the
tricks described by Robert-Houdin are familiar to the
general public. They are also copied by performers of
other nationalities, and can be seen in circus side-shows
[ 267 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,295,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
""Memoirs""; and while he does not feature exposures of
tricks in this work, he offers, in passing, explanations of
tricks and automata presented by other magicians. For
the most part these explanations are obviously incorrect,
and so prove that he was ignorant of certain fundamental
principles of the art in which he claimed to have shone.
In the introduction of the American edition, published
in 1850, Mr. Mackenzie, the editor, thus apologizes for
one of Robert-Houdin's most flagrant mistakes in tracing
the history of magic:
""One error which M. Houdin makes must not be
passed over. His account of M. de Kempelen's cele-
brated automaton chess-player (afterward Maëlzel's) is
entirely wrong. This remarkable piece of mechanism
was constructed in 1769, and not in I796; it was the
Empress Maria-Theresa of Austria who played with it,
and not Catherine II. of Russia; it was in 1783 that it
first visited Paris, where it played at the Café de la
Regence; it was not taken to London until 1784, and
again in 1819; it was brought to America in 1825, by M.
Maëlzel, and visited our principal cities, its chief resting-
place being Philadelphia; M. Maëlzel's death was in
1838, on the voyage from Cuba to the United States, and
not, as M. Houdin says, on his return to France; and the
automaton, so far from being taken back to France, was
sold by auction here, finally purchased by the late Dr.
J. K. Mitchell, of Philadelphia, reconstructed by him,
and finally deposited in the Chinese Museum (formerly
Peale's), where it was consumed in the great fire which
destroyed the National Theatre (now the site of the
Continental Hotel, corner of Ninth and Chestnut Streets),
[ 266 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,294,,"ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC
the man sent by an editor to criticise a conjurer's per-
formance knew little or nothing about the art and could
not institute comparisons between different magicians.
To-day Robert-Houdin would shine as an exhibitor of
illusions or mechanical toys. A pistol shot, a puff of
smoke-and his confederate or assistant has done the
real work behind the scenes.
His lack of finesse as a sleight-of-hand performer is
nowhere more clearly shown than in his own writings.
On page 37 of his French exposé of the secrets of magic,
entitled ""Comment on Devient Sorcier"" (page 5I of the
English translation by Professor Hoffmann, ""The Secrets
of Conjuring and Magic""), he thus naïvely describes
his masterpiece of coin-palming:
""I myself practised palming long and perseveringly,
and acquired thereat a very considerable degree of skill.
I used to be able to palm two five-franc pieces at once, the
hand, nevertheless, remaining as freely open as though
it held nothing whatever.""
An amateur of his own day would have blushed to
admit that he could palm but two coins. Men like T.
Nelson Downs, ""The Koin King,"" think nothing of
palming twenty five-franc or silver dollars, or forty half-
dollars, and even this record has been broken.
Even two writers who contributed to the translation
and editing of his works, R. Shelton Mackenzie and Pro-
fessor Hoffmann (Angelo J. Lewis), and who have drawn
rich royalties for the same, apologize for his flagrant mis-
statements, which, they realize, any man or woman with
but a slight knowledge of conjuring must recognize.
His first contribution to the history of magic was his
[ 265 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,293,,"CHAPTER X
ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC AS BETRAYED
BY HIS OWN PEN
TATEMENTS in Robert-Houdin's various works
S
on the conjurer's art corroborate my claim that he
was not a master-magician, but a clever purloiner
X
and adapter of the tricks invented and used by
his predecessors and contemporaries. Whenever, in these
books, he attempts to explain or expose a trick which was
not part of his répertoire, he betrays an ignorance which
would be impossible in a conjurer versed in the finer and
nore subtle branches of his art. Neither do these expla-
nations show that he was clever enough as a mechanic to
have invented the apparatus which he claimed as his
handiwork. He states that practice and still more prac-
tice are essential, yet no intelligent performer, amateur
or professional, can study my collection of Robert-Houdin
programmes, handbills, and press notices without realiz-
ing that his répertoire contained little or no trace of what
should be the foundation of successful conjuring, sleight-
of-hand. Changing his fingers over the various air-holes
of the inexhaustible bottle was as near as he ever came
to sleight-of-hand, even when he was in the height of his
success.
According to the press notices he had a pleasing stage
presence, and also dressed and set forth his tricks richly,
but it must be borne in mind that then, as often to-day,
[ 264 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,292,,"THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF
time to act, and away we went, leaving the lodge to its
feast. So much time had been lost in selecting the com-
mittee that we reached the wharf just in time to catch
the 5 o'clock boat. On landing I received a prearranged
signal from my assistants that all was well, and as
I
watched my committee dash up the stairs I knew that
their quest would be rewarded.
When the committee and the writer returned to the
lodge-room, a mechanic was required to pry open the box.
There lay the identical handkerchiefs furnished by my
spectators, who could hardly believe their eyes.
On other occasions I have asked my audience to select
a spokesman, who in a loud voice would announce the
point at which the handkerchiefs would be found, and
then my man, waiting just outside the door, would mount
his bicycle and pedal like mad for the hiding-place,
naturally outstripping any committee appointed. But
the first method, that of selecting the place beforehand and
ha ving all arrangements made, even to the three prepared
cards, is safest and is probably the one used by Robert-
Houdin to deceive the French monarch. I doubt if he
even had three different cards prepared, as he claims.
I believe he exaggerated his feat, for that would have
been taking long chances.
For this trick I claim not an iota of originality. I
simply fitted it to the time, the place, and the audience,
and that I believe is all Robert-Houdin did when he
""invented"" the disappearing handkerchief trick for the
amusement of his sovereign.
[ 263 )"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,291,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
handkerchiefs were placed in the tin box, securely sol-
dered, and then this box was placed inside a second iron
box, which was locked. The ""plant"" was then taken
upstairs and hidden under the top step.
In the mean time, with my thoughts following my
assistant every step of his trip, I was playing out my end
of the game. The audience was supplied with blank
cards on which they might write the name of the place
where the handkerchiefs should reappear. This, of
course, took some time, and when the cards, each folded
to hide the writing thereon, were collected in a hat, I
shook them up thoroughly, and then turned them out
upon a plate, deftly adding, on the top, three cards which
I had concealed in my hand. This was sleight-of-hand
purely, and I next picked out those three prepared cards on
each of which was written ""Can you send the handker-
chiefs under the top step of the Statue of Liberty ?""
Explaining that I had in my hand three cards chosen at
haphazard, I wished the final choice to be made by a
disinterested party. A baby was finally chosen to select
the card. Naturally, I refused even to take the slip of
paper from the baby's hand, and one of the lodge members
read the question.
Murmurs of surprise and incredulity echoed from all
over the hall. The test was too difficult! I then an-
nounced that if the audience would select its own com-
mittee, making sure to pick out men who could not be
bribed, I would accompany them, and we would surely
return with the handkerchiefs, sealed in double boxes,
as found under the famous stairway. As an elaborate
course luncheon was to be served, the committee had
[ 262]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,290,,"THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF
or cover. To all in-
tents and purposes, I
did not pass from the
view of the audience,
for fully half of my
4
body was on the stage,
but as my assistant
handed me a new glass
cover, he deftly ex-
tracted the real hand-
PORTICO ROOMS,
NEWINGTON, BOLD-ST.
kerchiefs from under
THE ARRIVAL OF
my vest. Then, while
MONS. LE SUCKE,
THE
GREAT
I returned to the stage
with my patter and
MAGICIAN !
description of the flight
EMPEROR OF ALL WIZARDS,
the handkerchiefs were
was WILL MANE mus FIBAT EN THIS TOWN,
On Tuesday, June 18, 1844,
about to make, my as-
AND OPEN HIS CRAND
0
sistant, with the hand-
-
SPLENDED PAINTINGS A TABLES COVERED WITH CRISSON VELVET.
kerchiefs in his pocket,
- - Arma the
the
vith af - Transparent Globular lampa,
walked unnoticed from
ly
ite
MITHOLOGY
TRANS
the door, and, once out
-
SECRET DA EETS,
THE WALKING CARD
of sight, ran madly to
FLIGHT OF COINS,
MAG10 FLIGHT,
-- -
LADY'S GLOVE REAIORED.
Pasamera 1908,
- - -
the Subway station.
AN BINET.
MAGIC NALIEDESCOPE
THE UNLMONY
THE CUBES OF CABRIA,
There he boarded an
- esca -
or
- TAPER
MIRACULOUS FEAST,
express and reached
LAAE AN TLVING WATCE
VOLCANIA'S CHICLETS
Zamiel's project,
BOTTLE OF ASMODEOUS,
on
the boat landing just
FIERY COLUMN,
de
THE ERIAL CAND DE
TRI -
MISTIC ECCALIOBIOK
in time to catch the 4-
- GOLDEN
-
FLIGNT or BERCURV,
FLORA'S GIFT,
DE -
o'clock boat. At the
CARDIOLOGIOMANIA,
07
CHARHED PAQUET,
and THE -
Statue, my brother and
Gobirt of
-
WITCI'S
PLUTO'S BOTTLE,
a tinsmith were wait-
Reproduction of a rare Buck handbill, dated
ing for him. The
1844. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[261]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,289,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
humble travelling magicians whose names have been
written most faintly in the annals of conjuring, and the
much-vaunted trick ""invented"" by Robert-Houdin for
the entertainment of his sovereign.
The hall in which the matinée was given was located
in Harlem, Borough of Manhattan, New York City, and
I had decided that the handkerchiefs which were to make
the flying journey should be ""desired"" by some one pres-
ent to appear under the top step of the winding staircase
in the Statue of Liberty, which is located in New York
Harbor. This meant a half-hour ride from the hall to
the boat in a Subway train; then a run across New York
Harbor to the Statue. These boats left the dock on the
hour and the half-hour, so I timed my performance to
fill just half an hour, starting with some sleight-of-hand,
the egg-bag trick, and swallowing a package of needles
and bringing them up threaded, which latter trick was
introduced into magical performances in Europe by K.
K. Kraus in 1816.
Just before 3:30 o'clock I borrowed three handkerchiefs
and tied them together for casier handling. I had three
handkerchiefs, similarly tied together, under my vest, and
just at 3:30, I switched the two sets of handkerchiefs,
so that the handkerchiefs furnished by the spectators
were under my vest and the bogus handkerchiefs in my
hand. First I dropped the bogus handkerchiefs on the
table-trap, picking up the opaque glass cover with which
they were to be hidden, and, by a carefully rehearsed bit
of carelessness, dropped and broke it. Then, leaving
the bogus handkerchiefs on the table trap, I stepped
toward the wings, apparently to secure another glass bell
[260]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,288,,"THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF
The method of performing the trick was so familiar
to conjurers of Robert-Houdin's time and earlier that
Henry Evans Evanion was able to describe it to me from
actual witnessings. Acting on his explanation, on my
return to America I offered the trick, without any great
Frontispiece from Ingleby's book, ""Whole Art of Legerdemain,"" said to
be an excellent likeness of the conjurer-author. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
amount of preparation and without a hitch, at a matinée
entertainment given by a secret organization. I will
describe precisely how this was done, and allow my readers
to judge of the similarity of the trick offered years ago by
[259]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,287,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Emperor of all Conjurora.
and then ordered to be
put down to roast. After
performing some tricks,
Uader the Patronage of Her Royal Highness the Frincess of Wala
you recollect the shoulder
LYCEUM, STRAND.
of mutton, which is
No Performance Wedneodaye er Fridayo. during Lent
immediately brought
Mr. Ingleby,
half-roasted, and after
THE GREATEST MAN IN THEWORLD,
cutting it for some time
In his Profession,
you at length find the
informs the Nobility, Gentry, and la geweral, the le Conso-
quesce of the Art of Deception, he has hed conferred
upee him the Tide of es EMPEROR or ALL by sumoromo
card, and produce it.
of Condomen particularly through the Triek of
Pown's Assa and a to Lib and for no
Mon anem the - way but therefore, the Hond of bie
and all remieds Man oult er the
""Explanation:
The Ase de the Lios's 'The Os and the ""reg,""
No of de Worl,
""Having forced a card
MONDAY, Feb. 29, 1908,
Tuceday, Narch 1, Thureday 3, and Saturday, 5.
on one of the company,
PART 1.
your confederate has an
Mr. INGLEBY, and his merituzious Family,
FROJ DONDER, SCOTLJIND.
tha go Nie and -
by
opportunity, when the
DEXTERITY OF HAND,
mutton is sent to be
Tach . - never before
H - dod , - ef - Mabilly . -
-
M- INGI
roasted, of conveying a
Comment - - de whole Compité -
way brash des, - Child - - -
Ba - la Bome - and - - -
- part a the Feck, and lay dem the Flom: -
thin duplicate of that
le firma - Na Fosi - - of Band.
Park of - - Banda, - - alsing - - Cark, -
- - - Card - - -
- de - -
card folded into a narrow
HIS PIXIDES METALLURGY.
As - the - "", - gha - -
.
- Pages . - w - at
compass into the fleshy
- of farma - - is des - the al the
think
which - - Page - le - - nittes
are el - - visi they - - / el - - Mald
.
- - - - the the - - The - - the Wifs. - - de was n. ber W by -
be surá
part near the shank,
An Operation in Popsomance,
- INGA,ROY - de to Thragiti of *** Prissa la Cospley, Qws.
which can be easily done
Ma - also - Thonghe a Fira - the et -
Writts
,
CUT A FOWL'S HEAD OFF,
by means of a sharp
a my other the of . CALF. and ty - Word a Mall de
perféctly - Man knows the real way bur
Mr. sie - - - - - whi em Fowl, the de - Fueing flaw. that be - shali - Nia
and -
and - .
penknife.
- Wings de - Ns - l'etter Breass apos be - -
- - - -
as wnk. ALEO REHIBIT THE
STICKS OF FANCY,
""This trick, though
Which - - - de aut grens Vorlety of other Dreeptions - to -
- INGLEST - get lesto esch - estive Artet Commery, - se Nen had, "" .... dell hees, bet
remarkably simple, has
- be lives a vil allee - - - de Posal, which N will perfore perher thep.
- - - - - la the Compaey . - Sall, and no eill let - est . -
- Ne - - - le were . -
created universal aston-
PART n.
TIGHT ROPE DANCING,
ishment at the Minor
ayae - justy INTREPID
SIGNORA BELINDA,
Theatre, where it was
Whe
- - with Forma, - Weeden na "" de
- will gerfoss I - - any ofher
Ingleby handbill, dated 1808. From the
frequently exhibited by
Harry Houdini Collection.
Mr. Ingleby.""
[258]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,286,,"THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF
shoulder of mutton, which, on being cut, would yield up
a card previously drawn by some spectator. He thus de-
scribes his trick in his book ""Whole Art of Legerde-
main,"" published in London in 1815:
""TRICK FOUR.
""To cut out of a Shoulder of Mutton a Card which one
Only known portrait of the clever English conjurer, Buck. From an engraving
in the Harry Houdini Collection.
of the Company had previously drawn out of the Pack.
"" Having desired a person to draw a Card out of several
which you hold to him, and to remember it, which he
promises to do, you tell him it shall be in a shoulder of
mutton which you will send for.
"" ""Accordingly you desire a servant to go to the butch-
er's and bring one. When brought, it is examined,
17
[ 257]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,285,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
show that a popular test was to have articles passed fron
the Adelphia Theatre t<
ROYAL CLARENCE THEATRE,
the gun which was being
LIVERFOEL STREET,
Under - - of - of
. - Fes. se n - sess,
watched by a sentinel.
of - a Conto - - Thanks - - -
- - - -- - - - - Pase of - - g - -
- - - - - - - - Too - - -
February 22d, 1833,
to
-
CORNUCOP\E-COMICALLITY
found a Mr. Jefferini
FROJE
REAL
LIFR
1.
at the Royal Clarence
PART
Theatre, Liverpool
sera.
ILLUBION
Street, King's Cross,
ILLUBION
serra.
Liverpool. He agreed
to make ""an article fly
ILLUSION.
at the rate of five hun-
serv.
sona.
dred miles an hour,
Mr. SHARP,
from King's Cross to
the CELETED
the Centre of Greece.""
From the CITY THEATRE, will Displey bie Inimitable Powera,
le - a the
M.
EFFERINI,
The original Buck
Ameng ther
THAUIATURGICS
featured on his pro-
wa -
IMPOSSIBILITIES,
gramme a similar trick
Ne - le - - Audience
A Decanter of Pert Wime imto Pare Water.
which he called ""The
we make - "", as
500 MILESA MINUTE
Loaf Trick."" On a bill
arnas gmoss Contre of cassoz predose
BOTTLE OF WINE
dated October 26th,
A LIVING PIG.
1840, it is announced
as follows: ""Watch in
The Porformente conclude N. INFFERINIS
CLASSICAL STUDIES
a loaf. The magician
or the ANOIENT MASTERS.
Me.
,
-
Contures
-
will command any gen-
at Via, se - Sorce
sozas .
-
PIT,
GALLERY. ""
tleman's watch to dis-
Rak Prier . - sozas - et
The Ordese - be admitted - ramay -
-
de
-
-
de
abe
w. a Nottee
appear. It will be found
Jefferini handbill, dated 1833, in which
in a loaf at any baker's
he announces that any article will be made
to fly 500 miles a minute.
shop in Town."" The
senior Ingleby changed
the trick somewhat, sending out to any market for
a
[ 256]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,284,,"THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF
sented by a number of conjurers
TO
before Robert-Houdin was known
Charitable.
in the world of magic. Robert-
CATHERINE
Houdin simply employed the trick
Langan
familiar to both his predecessors
- to
le
for
1
coming:
se -
and contemporaries and redressed
and destitute - le of
the
-
of
moking
-
Sie - - - ether astag
bee in - the -
it to tickle the fancy of his royal
-
-
at
the
of
who
-
Interest
le
bee
- . BENEFIT at the of
patron.
WODDS
vea
In England this trick was known
Duke of York Tavern
CHALRS-STHEET,
among old conjurers as ""The Ne
ON MONDAY,
Plus Ultra of the Cabalistic Art.""
Tuonday and Wednesday Kreaing, the 25th,
28th and 27th July, 1831,
WHEN THE CREEBRATED MR.
In 1826 one M. Félix Testot,
MARRIOT
who claimed to be a compatriot
of Robert-Houdin, presented the
RECREATIVE PHILOSOPHY,
MagicalIllusions
trick in the British provinces, and
Melamorphesis and Transformations,
Nes Ne - by
one of his bills I am reproducing
Young SPRI.VG.
The Part will - New and
because it shows that the trick he
Dead Bird resiored lo Life!
The Postama. - The Magie Methed of Printing, withert
the - of lok or Pres.
offered the provincial Britons and
THE BOTTLE;
Or, MIRACULOUS NOTE.
Whish will, at retera asy Caré - a - of the Andlesso.
the trick which Robert-Houdin
A New Method of Coining Money,
oa THE WAY TO GET RICH:
A Bunhei of Rice - . of Coffee. - eschnage their Pus.
offered the royal family at St.
- at the word of com-
Me. x. - - ofher Ponta, - the Autionce - -
Daneing and Speaking Moucy ! I
Cloud were identical. It also
Which
-
the
- Pless Mests and the of asy
- othes
Nr. M. - introduse -
proves that London had seen the
The Cabalistic Art.
Ne.
trick; and what London had seen,
-
Paris, including Robert-Houdin,
the
-
eseveyed
.
-
The
of
had heard of.
SIG. MARRIOTT
wis perfora ALBS
A programme used by ""The
Treble Scale of Glassee.
The Posformance - - cach Krening as Soven
Celebrated Mr. Marriot, Professor
ADMISSION TWO SHILLINGS.
of Recreative Philosophy,"" in
Marriot programme fea-
turing ""Cabalistic Art' in
1831, contains word for word the
1831, or fifteen years before
Robert-lloudin claims to
announcement of the trick used
have invented the disappear-
ing handkerchief trick. From
on Testot's bill, which goes to
the Harry Houdini Collection.
[255]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,283,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
monk fought for his life so effectually that it was he, and
not Cagliostro, who escaped. Cagliostro was literally
buried alive in a subterranean dungeon, as punishment
for his final offence, and his wife immured herself in a
Roman convent, where she died in 1794.
In Paris, perhaps, Cagliostro enjoyed his greatest
Free Masons' Lodge, Myton-Gate.
MORE NEW PERFORMANCES.
For THREE NIGHTS Longer.
Mons. Felix Testot,
Impressed with . dee - of graditude to the Pabilic for the patronage eviscad tewards the
durlag stay le Sell, - - leave to solicit - that the Solection be -
thate
will - with the - Apprebades they hove alrendy - agee
On
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Evenings,
October 19, 20, and 21, 1896.
Among other NEW FEATS, Mom , T. - that Font of
THE NE PLUS ULTRA OF THE
Cabalistic Art.
The Company - be requested to favear M. T.T. with losa of . variety of of -
persome as hase set lest asy thing will hove an apportucity to commend N to retere a the ardicios
bet making theis choice to thate coppostive oveera. Ho ush thes the erticios to
and be found immodiately, whorever the Company - regaire, that - asy,
IN ANY PART OF the rown.
The
esecution of this Musice le Londes cassed of the greatent delight - the astiale
bese - conveyed from the Adelphi Thentre to the greas Gast Se fert,
Gee 6 night and day under the immediate charge of . Sondeal. It also - grestast
and delight le Ozferd, where the articles berrowal were eseveyed freas - Reom,
to the top of Usiveruity Chered, and - reponted feer eveelage la - almeet
ble
places. Alse le by the articles being esereyed to the top of Neleos's Mosement
THE WICK PIDGEON.
as WILL INTRODUCE THE NEW AND EITRAORDINARY
Transformation of a BIRD
INTO A CHILD!
GROWING INTO
LADY!!
wia - other exporiments, which lore
Nomal , t. performence with bie EVOLUTIONS
and Fom CM bave geleed - appliente dese
Dasus to be at Sovee and the to at
FRONT SEATS,
-
-
Testot programme, featuring Cabalistic Art"" in 1826. From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
triumphs of charlatanism, and it is not remarkable
that the appearance of his seal in the midst of Robert-
Houdin's trick should seem almost uncanny to the royal
family.
But to return to the disappearing-handkerchief trick.
Robert-Houdin did not invent this trick. It was pre-
[ 254]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,282,,"TEWPLE OF AST, SCIENCE. AND MYSTERY!
GRAND SOIREES FANTASTIQUES
Intely reterned to Fagiond. aftse visiting Germany, Premin. Austria, Naplui he.
hue brfare the Courte of Berlin, de. as. and surgrising all by his
FOR A FRW VIGHTS over.
Newly Anvented sje INCO. "" EMSIBLE FEA TS.
- Passessout, the - Arte - Pasta) loge - de
the Ant be ever M append la the query. These - - - ether, -
the LARGE ROON,
(se - and thas - the eyes - the the Sigestalers of the - the . - Pross, . epee
dies
the
presented
-
le
-
-
rems.
-
-
-
the
tendeary,
of
this
of
Tue
the
-
-
New Experiments! Great Novelties!f
quise - the - , - issridate bee for - THS
The of have beea honoured by the approbation of the Heads of Euroge.
stey aford delight (e the Lovers of
PROPESSOR
RECREATIVE PHILOSOPHY,
Their MORAL TENDENCY ever wire the of the Clangy. and the of dus
cotrusted with the Fducation u Youth.
SYNUPHIS or THS EACH AVENIKO.
MUNS.TESTOT,
PART
845 basses' vans seves's
TRE sox
Wax Candite
Sagie Seshed of Betating. withers or evees,
. sil and the . personal le -
- Ress
LOST BING CSSCOUERER &
RESTORED TO LIFE.
wayse.
l'artsian Enchanter and Emperer of all the Wieards.
ca
TRS AND ENCILANTZO
MAGIC BOTTLE,
Which will asy card chomen by the Andienes
THE
N. TEATOR - ether frate esich - the &
OPISTONS os
"" Madeve Athees, diepley
os
CELEBRATED LOAF TRICK,
The Bencing -
THE PRESS
free the - be Goued - - Lee
- - - quetes the Compery - prepere.
the PRESS.
ast - at Nusse and deine the a -
sey le
- - othee experiments
or the way to get
vus DSVEIVING DIC& noz
PARTE
"" de Sold
SURPRISINC CHAYGES or SUGAR ase COFFER,
- periods
o3n
The
The Enchanted Nest
the a Negirtes of -
Or,
- disploying hi. -
the Mag.
o a 0 w A
vass es CANARY SCED. Mystical
The desteri.y. the *********,
hes dering this bees amis
se:! the astounding of bee
triebe . deseré ite
and
(w.
SECALT CONCEALER. TNE ATPLIN ', BELLZUUS
Marvelloy
be aren le he He
the
The Necremantic Cabiner.
.. le terperd the . *
,
rend,
Destgrous menogement of Cupa, Balla, Birds, Flowers, &
sed "" def, the -
ajle
Resta, Ze cd. Reata. Se. Sach sa. amd n -
- to the -
at
Sevem.
sed
to
as
preet,
- is to performe lue -
ade
and may be secured at the lloom, Private Parties Atteuded, and Lessons given is the
Wore we
Select Trints for one l'ound. your o .. "",
quere sed - - -
:
, . se se othere
of
resportable
toni
GERPTU rustes, keurs
le Lie - are aude the
the
egee thag le Liverpeed weeld
have Highty -
- bo
- ky
Very rare Testot handbill printed about 1800, presented by Testot to HIenry Evanion. From the Harry Houdini Collection."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,281,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
languages. These two adventurers travelled in Egypt,
and when Althotas died Cagliostro went to Naples and
Rome, where he married a beautiful girdle-maker named
Seraphinia Feliciani. This woman shared both his tri-
umphs and his disgrace. In 1776 they arrived in London,
where he announced himself as the Count di Cagliostro.
The title was assumed, the name was borrowed from his
mother's side of the house. Here for the first time Cag-
liostro announced himself also a worker of miracles or
wonders.
He exhibited two mysterious substances, ""Materia
Prima,"" with which he transmuted all baser metals into
gold, and ""Egyptian Winc,"" with which he claimed to
prolong life. His wife, who was just past twenty, he
declared was more than sixty, her youthful appearance
being due to the use of his elixir. He founded a spurious
Egyptian rite in connection with the Masonic order
which has been recognized as a blot upon Masonic history,
and he claimed thousands of Masonic dupes. All over the
Continent he and his beautiful wife travelled, now healing
the poor for nothing, now duping the rich, but always
living in a most picturesque, voluptuous fashion. He
dipped into spiritualism and mesmerism, but wherever
he went his converts followed after.
In 1789, while in Rome, he was seized by that invincible
power, the Holy Inquisition, and was condemned to death.
Later Pope Pius VI. changed the sentence to life imprison-
ment. Confinement made him more daring than ever.
He asked for a confessor, and when a Capuchin monk
was permitted to enter his cell in this capacity Cagliostro
endeavored to choke him and escape in his robes. The
[ 252]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,280,,"THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF
tion and cleverly planned, ofttimes brilliantly executed
crimes. He fled Palermo after forging theatre tickets
and a will, and duping a goldsmith out of sixty pieces of
Reproduction of a rare portrait of Seraphinia Feliciani, Comtesse de Caglios-
tro, wrongfully called Lorenzo in the Encyclopaedia Britannica. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
gold. At Messina he fell in with an alchemist named
Althotas, a man of some learning who spoke a variety of
[251]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,279,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
on the celebrated alchemist's bottles of elixir and liquid
gold, I had obtained from Torrini, who had been an old
friend of Cagliostro's.
""It is certainly the same,' my royal spectator answered,
after comparing the two seals. Still, in his impatience to
learn the contents of the parcel, the King quickly tore
open the envelope, and soon displayed before the aston-
ished spectators the six handkerchiefs, which, a few
moments before, were still on my table.""
While the use of the Cagliostro seal really formed no
part of the trick, its possession by Robert-Houdin goes
to show how indefatigably he collected conjuring curios
and how quick he was to utilize any part of his collection,
and score thereby a brilliant showing.
Cagliostro seals were by no means rare. This prince
of charlatans had seals, like adventures, in great variety ;
and in this connection, it is not out of place to tell some-
thing of Cagliostro and thus explain why the parchment
bearing his seal created such a sensation at St. Cloud.
Cagliostro has no match in the annals of magic. Not a
conjurer in the sense of being a public entertainer, he
yet mystified and bewitched his thousands. Something
of a physician, more of an alchemist, and altogether a
charlatan, he left behind him a trail of brilliant chicanery,
daring adventure, and ignominious failure and undoing
unequalled in the history of Europe.
Cagliostro was born Joseph Balsamo, in Palermo,
Italy, June 8th, 1743. His parents were in humble cir-
cumstances and he started his career as a novice in the
Convent of Benfratelli, from which he was expelled for
incorrigibility. Then he plunged into a life of dissipa-
[250]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,278,,"THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF
replied with a smile; 'but that is impossible, and I must,
therefore, ask for proofs of your assertion.'
""If your Majesty will be kind enough to open this
casket they will be supplied.
"" 'Certainly; but I shall require a key for that.'
""It only depends on yourself, Sire, to have one.
Deign to remove it from the neck of this turtle dove,
which has just brought it to you.'
""Louis Philippe unfastened a ribbon that held a small
Tusty key with which he hastened to unlock the coffer.
The first thing that caught the King's eye was a parch-
ment, on which he read the following statements:
""This day, the sixth of June, 1786, this iron box,
containing six handkerchiefs, was placed among the roots
of an orange tree by me, Balsamo, Count of Cagliostro,
to serve in performing an act of magic which will be exe-
cuted on the same day sixty years hence before Louis
Philippe of Orléans and his family.'
""There is, decidedly, witchcraft about this,' the King
said, more and more amazed. 'Nothing is wanting, for
the seal and signature of the celebrated sorcerer are placed
at the foot of this statement, which, Heaven pardon mc,
smells strongly of sulphur.'
""At this jest the audience began to laugh.
""'But,' the King added, taking out of the box a carefully
sealed packet, 'can the handkerchiefs, by possibility, be
in this?
""'Indeed, Sire, they are; but, before opening the
parcel, I would request your Majesty to notice that it,
also, bears the impression of Cagliostro's seal.'
""This seal, once rendered so famous by being placed
[ 249]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,277,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
tricks? Your Majesty will doubtless be still more sur-
prised when I prove to your satisfaction that this coffer
Reproduction of a very rare pastel portrait of Cagliostro. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
as well as its contents was deposited in the chest of the
orange-tree sixty years ago.'
""I should like to believe your statement,' the King
[ 248]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,276,,"THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF
""The King then walked quickly to the door, whence he
looked in the direction of the orange-tree, to assure him-
self that the guards were at their post; when this was
done, he began to smile and shrug his shoulders.
""Ah! M. Robert-Houdin,' he said, somewhat ironi-
cally, 'I much fear for the virtue of your magic staff.'
Then he added, as he returned to the end of the room,
where several servants. were standing, ""Tell William to
open immediately the last chest at the end of the avenue,
and bring me carefully what he finds there-if he does
find anything.'
""William soon proceeded to the orange-tree, and,
though much astonished at the orders given him, he began
to carry them out.
""He carefully removed one of the sides of the chest,
thrust his hand in, and almost touched the roots of the
tree before he found anything. All at once he uttered a
cry of surprise as he drew out a small iron coffer caten
by the rust.
""This curious find, after having been cleaned from the
mould, was brought in and placed on a small ottoman
by the King's side.
""Well, M. Robert-Houdin,' Louis Philippe said to me,
with a movement of impatient curiosity, 'here is a box;
am I to conclude it contains the handkerchiefs?
""Yes, Sire,' I replied with assurance, 'and they have
been there, too, for a long period.'
""How can that be? The handkerchiefs were lent
you scarce a quarter of an hour ago.
""I cannot deny it, Sire; but what would my magic
powers avail me if I could not perform incomprehensible
[ 247 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,275,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
three of the cards at hazard, and choose from them the
place he might consider most suitable.
""'Let us see,' Louis Philippe said, what this one says
""I desire the handkerchiefs to be found beneath one of
the candelabra on the mantelpiece."" That is too easy
for a sorcerer; so we will pass to the next card: ""The
handkerchiefs are to be transported to the dome of the
Invalides."" That would suit me, but it is much too far
not for the handkerchiefs, but for us. Ah, ah!' the King
added, looking at the last card, 'I am afraid, M
Robert-Houdin, I am about to embarrass you. Do you
know what this card proposes?
'Will your Majesty deign to inform me?'
""It is desired that you should send the handkerchiefs
into the chest of the last orange-tree on the right of the
avenue.'
Only that, Sire? Deign to order, and I shall obey.'
""'Very good, then; I should like to see such a magio
act: I, therefore, choose the orange-tree chest.
""The King gave some orders in a low voice, and ]
directly saw several persons run to the orange-tree, ir
order to watch it and prevent any fraud.
""I was delighted at this precaution, which must add
to the effect of my experiment, for the trick was already
arranged, and the precaution hence too late.
""I had now to send the handkerchiefs on their travels.
so I placed them beneath a bell of opaque glass, and
taking my wand, I ordered my invisible travellers to pro-
ceed to the spot the King had chosen.
""I raised the bell; the little parcel was no longer there
and a white turtle-dove had taken its place.
[ 246]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,274,,"CHAPTER IX
THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF
S
UPREME egotism and utter disregard for the truth
may be traced in all of Robert-Houdin's writings,
but they reached a veritable climax when he indited
chapter XVI. of his ""Memoirs."" During the
course of this chapter he described the so-called invention
and first production of the disappearing-handkerchief trick.
According to the American edition of his ""Memoirs,""
page 3°3, he received a command to appear before Louis
Philippe and his family at St. Cloud in November, 1846.
During the six days intervening between the official in-
vitation and his appearance before the royal family, he
arranged a trick from which, he states, he had every reason
to expect excellent results. On page 305 he goes even
further in his claims and announces:
""All my tricks were favorably received, and the one
I had invented for the occasion gained me unbounded
applause.""
He then gives the following description of the trick and
its performance:
""I borrowed from my noble spectators several handker-
chiefs, which I made into a parcel, and laid on the table.
Then, at my request, different persons wrote on the cards
the names of places whither they desired their handker-
chiefs to be invisibly transported.
""When this had been done, I begged the King to take
[ 245 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,273,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
rod was fitted into a special place in the corset, also in
the platform. This method was improved, first to make
it a self-raising suspension, then eventually with a steel
rod from the back of the stage, eliminating the use of
both rods under the arms.
Spectators and reviewers commented on the rigid,
almost painful, carriage of Robert-Houdin's son during
the performance, which they laid to the effect of ether.
Unquestionably Robert-Houdin used this crude corset-
and-rod method of working the trick.
The fumes of ether which reached the audience, he
admits, were caused by pouring a little ether over hot
irons in the wings.
But whatever the method employed by Robert-Houdin
to secure the effects of ""suspension éthéréenne,"" he was
merely introducing a century-old trick, which other
contemporary magicians were also exhibiting. The name
of the real maker of the apparatus may never be known,
but some clever mechanician supplied Robert-Houdin,
Compars Herrmann, and John Henry Anderson with
precisely the same method of working the trick, at pre-
cisely the same time. Robert-Houdin alone was audacious
enough to claim the invention as his own.
[ 244]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,272,,"THE SUSPENSION TRICK
bell hangs. Others use an electric magnet. Herr Alex-
ander placed his bell on top of a fancy case which
he could set anywhere, and the bell would ring at
command. The secFet was a small bird, trained to jump
from one rung of a tiny ladder to another, at word of
command or the waving of a stick or wand which the
bird could see from its point of imprisonment. Every
time that it jumped from one rung to another, it would
pull down a step which was so arranged that by the
smallest overweight it would release a catch, which in
turn would throw the hammer against the glass. When
the bird stepped off, the hammer would again come back
to its original position and be ready for the second blow.
This bird he bought from a street fortune-teller, who
had trained it to go up different steps of a ladder and
select envelopes containing variously printed fortunes.
Alexander enjoyed personal acquaintance with Presi-
dent Polk, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Calhoun, and
their fellow-statesmen in the United States. Through
his friendship with President Polk he carried to the West
Indies and Brazil letters so influential that the aristocracy
in these countries opened its doors to him. He was
welcomed at the palace of Dom Pedro, and has in his
possession letters from both the King and his consort,
dated 1850.
So much for the history of a man who was brave enough
to admit that he developed the suspension trick from
principles laid down by humble Indian fakirs.
The crudest method used for accomplishing the sus-
pension trick consisted of a steel corset, an iron rod
painted to resemble wood, and a platform. The steel
[ 243 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,271,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Alexander called this trick ""The Spirit Bell,"" an
worked by one method or another, it has been used
many magicians. Some employ a thread and hoo
""
EXPRADRDINARIA
HERR ALEXANDER,
- atiss LN
EN EL SALORK DE LA
H
ERR ALENANDER, al tribetar al martable Publire de les - -
- agraderimirates per la brenela acejido que le la digresado. di *
que dara, a prticios de markas que le ree sa des
dinarias, a que se ejecularáe las serries mas serpredentes, que se has tiste es las asteriores, ... *gunas
etras sernas ! myy asembresar.
La fencios * hoy se dislinguira per la mas tifril I mas admirable sarrie.
EL XILIGRO DEL I\DOSTIT. O EL SISPEIDIDO ll El URE.
ORDEN DE LA FUNCION.
del mode é
7. PARTE.
2.CHRTE.
gelota
1.--1 1.
2-11 del
emable.
4.-1sva
cumplido
%.-
6.-La recomendacion
6.-U nomo del herhicero oriental;
suspendedo va el
ENTRADA GENERAL.
quente numerado. pur - auche
pres.
per
Alexander Heimburger presenting the suspension trick during his engageme
in Brazil. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
causing the clapper to strike by pulling the thread whic
runs through an innocent-looking ribbon on which tl
[242 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,270,,"THE SUSPENSION TRICK
jurcr to offer this Chinese trick in America, as it is gener-
ally supposed. Alexander added that all the old-timers
would change their programmes by introducing the Chi-
nese tricks, and, to verify his statement, readers need only to
see the following files in Astor Library, New York City:
New York Herald, New York Tribune, and New York
Evening Gazette of November 6th, 1845.
Herr Alexander had arrived in New York almost
penniless, after a disastrous tour of other American cities.
He tried to hire Niblo's Garden, but was informed that
the auditorium was never opened in winter. Through
the intercession of Mrs. Niblo, however, he finally secured
it at a rental of twenty dollars per night. He opened to a
small house and for thrce nights did not even pay expenses,
but the fourth night witnessed a change in his fortunes
and for three months he played literally to standing room.
Then because he had no new tricks to offer, and his pride
forbade his presenting his old répertoire until receipts
grew lighter, he closed his New York season.
While playing in Saratoga, Alexander was approached
by the late P. T. Barnum, who was accompanied by Gen.
Tom Thumb. Alexander declined Mr. Barnum's offer
because he thought to join the Barnum staff of entertainers
would injure his professional rating. Barnum's admission
fee was 25 cents, while Alexander charged 50 cents and $1.
About this time the fame of Alexander attracted the
attention of no less a personage than S. F. B. Morse, of
telegraphic fame; and Alexander had on his programme
one trick which mystified Morse, who honestly believed
that the conjurer had discovered some new law of nature
that might be of service to scientists.
16
[ 241 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,269,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
claims, with much justice, is rated as one of the gems of
German literature, as well as the best book ever written
by a conjurer. It is built from extracts from his diary
and is on the style of Sig. Blitz's book, but is far more
diversified and interesting.
His scrap-book also told a most romantic tale of vicissi-
a
Alexander Heimburger, known in conjuring as Alexander the Conjurer,
from a quaint illustration in ""The North American,"" published in Mexico.
tudes. A half-page article in the New York Tribune,
dated October, 1845, showed Alexander arrayed in a
Chinese costume, and producing huge bowls of water,
flowers, and various sorts of heavy articles. This proves
conclusively that Ching Ling Foo was not the first con-
[240]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,268,,"THE SUSPENSION TRICK
however, I received a card with the following melancholy
message
My DEAR FRIEND-Have not been very well of late, and
have been expecting my last days. All preparations have been
made and Death the Visitor arrived, but instead of calling for
me, he has taken away my beloved wife. I am not capable of
writing more. God be with you. From your old friend,
ALEXANDER HEIMBURGER.
Alexander Heimburger or, as he was billed, Alexander
the Conjurer, was born December 4th, 1818. From
I 844 to 1854 he toured North and South America, return-
ing to his native country with the intention of there follow-
ing his calling as a professional entertainer. But his fame
had preceded him, and, as his fortune was large, his
souvenirs and tales of travel many and interesting, he
was taken up by the world of fashion and lionized. This
practically closed his career as a conjurer, for in those
days magicians occupied no such reputable position in
the professional world as they do to-day, and to have
returned to his stage work would have closed the doors of
aristocracy to him. He married one of Münster's prettiest
girls, who bore him six children, two sons and four daugh-
ters. So he passed the remainder of his days, living
modestly but comfortably on the money he had amassed
in America, entertained by a large circle of appreciative
friends, and well content to live thus, far from the madding
crowd in which the professional entertainer must move.
While the recollections of his public career and his
meetings with other magicians, as well as notable men in
other walks of life, were fresh, he wrote his book, ""Der
Moderne Zauberer"" (The Modern Magician), which he
[ 239 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,267,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIX
In 1904 I paid the old master a second visit. To his
professions of pleasure at meeting me once more, he
added the gift of several rare programmes now in my col-
Alexander Heimburger, a veteran conjurer who presented the suspension
trick in 1845-46 during his American tour. From a photograph in the Harry
Houdini Collection.
lection, and when our hands met in a farewell clasp he told
me that he had set all things in order and was ready for
the coming of the Grim Reaper. Soon after that visit,
[ 238]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,266,,"THE SUSPENSION TRICK
ened at the coming of one interested in his beloved art,
whose eye brightened with each fresh detail of a long
and successful professional life, and who, in fifty years of
retirement, had not only written a book, but had kept in
touch with the world of magic, giving me information
which the most exhaustive encyclopaedia could not yield,
answering questions on topics never yet discussed in
dusty parchments and fading scripts. It was like having
the history of magic unrolled before my eager eyes, in a
living, palpitating, human scroll.
It had been my intention to remain but a few hours in
Münster, but the old master held me as if hypnotized and
the hours fairly drifted past. Letter after letter, clipping
after clipping, token after token, he spread before my
fascinated eyes; and I allowed him to speak without
question or interruption of any sort. Early in our inter-
view he had remarked that he was beginning to feel old
and that only the impetus of my presence was responsible
for his unusual strength of speech. For over seventy
years he had been collecting books on conjuring and kin-
dred topics, which he was able to read in English, French,
Spanish, and German.
The dinner hour found us still engrossed in conversa-
tion, and Frau Heimburger extended a most hospitable
and cordial invitation for me to join the family circle.
But my hunger was purely mental, and the true savor
of the meal was the reminiscent chat of Herr Heimburger,
who, from his post at the head of his household, looked
as hale and hearty as if he had found the Elixir of Life
which so many of his charlatan predecessors claimed to
have ""discovered.""
[ 237 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,265,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
sonally that being pressed for time he had entrusted the
writing of his ""Memoirs"" to a Parisian journalist.
As he warmed up to these reminiscences, he held me
spellbound. Had he risen from the grave to tell of his
Mrs. Leona A. Anderson, daughter-in-law of John Henry Anderson, as
she appeared with him in the suspension trick about 1868. From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
contemporaries, he could not have riveted my attention
more securely.
Here was a man of eighty-four, whose memory quick-
[236]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,264,,"THE SUSPENSION TRICK
was living in his native town of Münster, in Westphalia, I
determined to secure an interview with him if possible.
On March 17th, 1903, while playing in Cologne, I
boarded an express train and arrived in Münster bright
and early. From the city directory I learned that one
Heimburger resided in Krumpentippen, 16. Hailing a
passing droschke I was soon carried to my destination,
where a bright-faced German girl opened the door and
ushered me, without formality, into the presence of the
man to whom I desired to pay my respects.
An old man, bent with years, snow-white of beard and
gray of head, came forward slowly to greet me. Finding
that he was quite deaf, I raised my voice and fairly trum-
peted my mission, adding that I felt especially honored to
stand in the presence of the only magician who, up to that
date, had ever appeared at the White House, Washington,
by request of the President of the United States, my na-
tive land. Alexander had been asked to entertain Presi-
dent Polk and his guests on several occasions, and the
fact that I knew this seemed to please the old conjurer
and pave the way to a pleasant and profitable interview.
In a few moments we were sitting side by side, and he
was adding to my store of information by relating the
most fascinating experiences, stories of fellow-magicians
long since dead; and tales which he could corroborate by
his own collection of bills, programmes, etc., his diary,
and his personal correspondence. He had known Robert-
Houdin, Frikell, Bosco, Count Pererilli, John Henry
Anderson, Blitz, the original Bamberg of Amsterdam,
Compars Herrmann, and many lesser lights among the
old-time magicians. Robert-Houdin had told him per-
[ 235 ]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,263,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-IIOUDIN
IXTRADREIMARY MEW
RECEPING
IN
THE
AIR
CORDENSED
"" 'Suspension Chloriforcene,' as presented be Anderson and his son, from a
lithograph used by him on his return from the Continent, December, 1848.
From the Harry lloudini Collection.
[234]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,262,,"THE SUSPENSION TRICK
in the field of magic a clever rival, Compars Herrmann;
a few months later came John Henry Anderson, the
Wizard of the North. Both of these men presented the
suspension trick in precisely the same manner claimed by
Robert-Houdin as his original invention of 1847. Neither
Anderson nor Herrmann claimed the honor of having
invented the trick, and it is more than likely that the
mechanician who made their apparatus for the suspension
trick made the one used by Robert-Houdin also. Herr-
mann, like Robert-Houdin, called the trick ethereal sus-
pension. Anderson gave it the title of ""Chloriforcene
Suspension,"" as the reproduction of an Anderson litho-
graph on page 234 will prove.
During precisely the same period of time a brilliantly
successful German conjurer, Alexander, was presenting
the same trick in America, where he remained as a pro-
fessional entertainer for ten years. In my collection,
together with corroborative handbills and programmes,
there will be found this statement from Alexander:
""The suspension was at first produced by me in 1845
or 1846, after reading in an Oriental annual, edited by
several officers of the Indian Army, the trick of a fakir
who made a companion sit in the air by using a bamboo
stick. My trick had no success, because the sitting was
too near the ground. I then made him stand in the air,
and the effect was marvellous.""
My meeting with Alexander, of which this correspond-
ence was the result, marked an era in my search for
material for this volume. Having read in a small book on
magic, dated 1896, that a man named Heimburger, who
had travelled in America as ""Alexander the Conjurer,""
[ 233]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,261,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
of the iron rod from the back, which would have been in
plain sight from the gallery. The stage would not permit
the suspension to be worked out of range of the gallery gods.
When Robert-Houdin went to London in 1848 he found
Svesimg, the - Satreer
performed by
with -
The BOTTLE,
as the commend Tine
PRINCESS'S THEATRE
ALL KINDS-OF LIQUEURS.
The Juggier of the Sum and Moon.
- -
The Bagic Sword, or the Skuful Player at
-
Blind-Man's Buil.
GENERAL REQUEST
SOUS and its
isclated Bell. (Mechasic.)
mose.
The July Colums, of the Docile Cart.
(Mechanic.)
HERRMANN
The Philanthrepic Banker.
A Chinese Metamorphose.
The Funtastic Glass.
Pierro the Magician. (Mechanic))
The Marriage at Cana.
The Disappearance of
*
*
*
The
DOVES
THE
First Professor of Magic in the World
The Miracle of Flowers (Mechanie,)
The BANDEER of SATAN.
Will give six MORE of his
The Multiplication of Guinea Pigs.
The Flower Garden.
ENTERTAINING
The Universal Thought.
The Miraculous Production of Plumes.
OIREES
The Enchanted Vases.
The Puzzled Choice, or four in one.
EMIDA's o BALICE, or the
GENEVA CLOCK wons.
The Mysterions Chest.
And MAGIQUE.
-
THE ONLY NIGHTS HK CAN REMAIN IN LONDON,
many Provincial
BONDAY Evening, August 21st. 1848,
TORSBAY, 22ud,
WEDNESDAY, 23rd,
PRURSDAY, 24th, FRIDAY 25th,
And SATURDAY, 26th,
THE
BENEFIT of M. HERRMANN
And
will be varied with
NEW & WONDERFUL ILLUSIONS
EN ERIMEENT T al.
SUSPENSION ETHER
MADAME HERRMANN
selncomprehensible Handkerohief
"" MAND
vases FILLED WITH
--
Astenishing
Frate
ANTI-MACNETISM
Gold Fish!
This extraordinery Feat is executed in a plaia Evening Brees,
and must be seem to be belleved.
Dress Circle, 4s.
Boxes, **
Pit, **
and
Gallery, le
as.
the
CLAIRVOYANCE
loors open at half past Seven. Commence at
Balf.price at Nime . Cleek
a
a
A Compars Herrmann programme of 1848 in which suspension is featured.
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 232]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,260,,"Fire Nights only.
AT THE NEW ASSEMBLY ROOMS.
The celebrated CHING LAU LAURO,
- - - --- - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
-
CLA - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
a
-
-
-
- - - - -
-
-
- -
The - - - - 1 - - - -
CHING LAULAURO
um - -
-
Os Munday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday,
March the the 1218 121h, and 14th, 1834.
= - - - - - - - - -
PART #.
THE CHEST OF ARCHIMEDES,
The Column of
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- - - - - - - -
A at Whet Tim the Wax Candies Eschanted
ELEPHANT OF KNOWLEDGE,
Forge, Printiag! Flying Watch,
MAGE SOTTLE,
APPLES OF BEELZEBUB,
MAGIC EGGS, LOTEAL 440 with WARIETY -
FART n.
VENTRILOQUISI
-
-
ROGEERIES OF NICHOLAS.
of the Creation, - - the Thruals, Blackbied.
Lark, A.
- - - - - - de
Hir Surprising Poccers of Imitation,
CHANGES OF CDUN.
- - - Agwy - - the
LND DECEPTIONS.
PARTE 101.
of Strength,
- . SEPTO
ASTIC EXERCISES.
the Jir upou Nothing!!
- - -
- - - - Allesdance.
- - -
- - - - M. PABAER
- MALE PRICE - - Fim -
- - - - - Friday Morsing, at
-
- 2 -
Collection.
sumpension in 1832. From the Harry"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,259,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOU
esraping from a bladder or tube. When the
blanket was again withdrawn, the conjurer wa
on the ground.
The mystery was supposed to have been sol
Sheshal, commonly known as ""the Brahmin of
exhibited the trick in 1832 in Madras. It was
that his stool was ornamented with two inlaid
it was suggested that one of these might concea
for a steel rod. passing through the bamboo,
another rod. screwed to the perpendicular one
..... In the piece of hide, might be connect
```... of the same metal, passing up the S
......
inc. and forming a circular seat.
:
was not far from the truth,
:
is means the greatest of authorities
""A
i.
:
this particular instance I be
is correct.
information I have
that wonderful F
soll Ching Lau Lauro. Presumab
and from the programmes in my
fart in England, in 18:28
perform between scenes of
- and Jerry,"" at the
one of Ching L.
de passibly di veir
and
. -
: -
..... this"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,258,,"Five Nights only.
AT THE NEW ASSEMBLY ROOMS,
The celebrated CHING LAU LAURO,
Norcules, and the - furope, Magaro, Nechanicies,
of the - and veluable Mechssical, Optical, and Nagient Transformatives
- whese Performances the greatest and
they
hate
been
eshibited.
C.L.L. be had the of Serforming before thes "" the "" Rreghtee, and
ressived letter, by chais Mayesties commend, &m al approvel of ear% Perfermasce, wich
Sagether
with
several
others
from
the
Earts
of
Dewlogh,
Nredfent,
Marquia
leses
. Nr Passs's, High etreet of whrth the folloning "" repy - Sie
rese.
Ste,
Ny these I have to state that vour Performiece+ "" the Pevilion. . the isth of
sembei were appreved of by these Majestive
Ching Les Lovre,
- em vou' Servant
See Notel.
H
The Nebility, Gestry. and the Publer of eiverhamptor and "" we séformers the
CHING AULAURO
LATF or VAUNHALL GARDENS AND DHUNY LINE 1H1 ATKE
Well have the beneut of appearing be fore them
On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday,
Narch the 10th, lith, 12th, 13th, and 14th, 1934,
To Talente in . complete serice of Ammements. combreing-
PART I.
THE CHEST OF ARCHIMEDES,
AND
The Column of
These self-ecuing pleces of were recruted by the celebrated am! entraded
the Cablest of Curiosities at Paris, ber unforeces the
Gefore the completies of these Master pieces of Art, they sere dieposed of and
gower - gratify the Public with anch advaired pieces of
A Game at Whist, Time Flies, the Wax Candles Enchanted
ELEPHANT OF KNOWLEDGE,
Fulcan's Forge, Miraculous Printing Flying Watch,
NAGIC BOTTLE,
APPLES OF BEELZEBUB,
MAGEC mags, LOYAL NETAMORPHOSE, &c. with , ""
II.LUSIONS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION
PART II.
VENTRILOQUISII.
CHINO LAU LAURO - the hesour to ansounce that, previons to bas return to Loudon to resume his
Eagagements, be bes been induced to preseet novel and popular SATIRICAL LEC TURE. and
NOV DIVENTI<EMENT, en.itled
ROGUERIES OF NICHOLAS.
Imitations of the Feathered Crestion, such as the Thrush, Biackbird.
Nightingale, Sky Lark, &c.
Also vertraying a variety of Eecentric and Cheracters diawn from Nature. entroductory of
His Surprising Powers of Imitation,
ORIGINAL ANECDOTES, INCONCEPTIBLE CHANGES OF COUN-
TENANCE, and extraordinary Illusions in ALIOI.OQUY, (erroneously ternied
Ventriloquy.) explaining its Ageucy in producing the numberles
MYSTERIOUS PHENOMENA, WOVDERS, AND DECEITIONS.
PART m.
Feats of Strength,
IN THE CHARACTER or A CHINESE BUTFO
GYMNASTIC EXERCISES.
And will conclude wonderful Entertalaments by
Sitting in the Air upon Nothing
A:
the same time play bith the GOLDEN BALLS. &c.
A Quadrille Band will be in Attendanco.
Dese se be opened at Seven and the Performance to commence at Quarter before Eight.
FRONT
SEATA, 2.-BACK SEATS. I.-CHILDKEN HALF PRICE to the Front Seate anly
TICKETS to be had at Mr PARKE'S, High-street.
will be given on Friday Merning, at half-past
Twolve o'Clock.
Perte. y -
Ching Lau Lauro handbill featuring suspension in 1832. From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
[231"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,257,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
escaping from a bladder or tube. When the screen or
blanket was again withdrawn, the conjurer was standing
on the ground.
The mystery was supposed to have been solved when
Sheshal, commonly known as ""the Brahmin of the Air,""
exhibited the trick in 1832 in Madras. It was observed
that his stool was ornamented with two inlaid stars, and
it was suggested that one of these might conceal a socket
for a steel rod, passing through the bamboo, and that
another rod, screwed to the perpendicular one and con-
cealed by the piece of hide, might be connected with
a
mechanism of the same metal, passing up the sleeve and
down the back, and forming a circular seat. This con-
jecture probably was not far from the truth, for while
Frost is by no means the greatest of authorities on magic
and magicians, in this particular instance I believe that
his explanation of the trick is correct.
The next authentic early information I have gathered
regarding suspension concerns that wonderful performer
who called himself Ching Lau Lauro. Presumably he was
a Chinaman, and from the programmes in my collection
he evidently appeared first in England, in 1828, when he
was engaged to perform between scenes of various plays,
including ""Tom and Jerry,"" at the Coburg. I repro-
duce on page 23I one of Ching Lau Lauro'sprogrammes.
About 1833, or possibly a year earlier, he cut out some
of his singing, and introduced the suspension with which
he closed his performance. At this time he gave the
entire programme. According to his programmes, in some
places he excluded the public from the gallery, so I
judge that his suspension was accomplished by the use
[ 230]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,256,,"THE SUSPENSION TRICK
The Brahmin suspension as shown in an illustration found in Robin's
l'Almanach de Cagliostro.
[229]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,255,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
are absolutely impossible, yet so popular did his works
become that, barring the Scriptures, more copies and
manuscripts of the books containing his various ""Magi-
cian Stories"" have been handed down to posterity and
exist to-day than any works of his contemporaries.
Still, Mandeville did not mention this suspension trick,
which is sometimes attributed to the Chinese and some-
times to the Hindoos.
In Cologne, Germany, I purchased an encyclopaedia,
published in 1684, from which I reproduce a double-
page engraving, which shows the Chinese magicians
doing the tricks previously accredited, in the stories of
travellers, to Hindoo conjurers.
In ""Lives of the Conjurers,"" Thomas Frost describes
the suspension trick as offered about 1828 or 1829 at
Madras by an old Brahmin with no better apparatus than
a piece of plank with four legs. This he had formed into
a stool, and upon it, in a little brass socket, he placed a
hollow bamboo stick in a perpendicular position. Pro-
jecting from the stick was a kind of crutch, covered with
a piece of common hide. These properties he carried
with him in a bag, which was shown to all those who
desired to witness his exhibition. The servants of the
household then held a blanket before him, and, when it
was withdrawn, he was discovered poised in midair
about four feet from the ground, in a sitting posture, with
the outer edge of one hand merely touching the crutch,
while the fingers deliberately counted beads, and the other
hand and arm were held in an upright position. The
blanket was again held up before him, and the spectators
caught a gurgling sound, like that occasioned by wind
[228]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,254,,"Die Chineilche
Reproduction of an engraving in an old German Encyclopaedia in the Harry Houdini Collection,
which credits to the Chinese the trick of climbing into the air and having the body fall down piecemeal
and being set together again."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,253,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
this date, he had used only the ordinary platform and
rod.
During the course of researches covering many years,
during which I visited national libraries in various coun-
tries, the first trace of the suspension trick was discovered
in the writings of Ian Batuta, who flourished about the
thirteenth century. He mentions two conjurers who per-
formed before the court of the Mogul in Delhi. One of
the men assumed the form of a cube and rose into the air,
where he remained suspended. The other man then took
off his shoe, struck it against a rock, and it also rose and
hung in midair, close to the suspended conjurer or human
cube. On being touched on the neck, the cube descended
to the ground, and the conjurer resumed his natural form.
The historical verity of this tale cannot be determined,
and it may be classed with the familiar story which crops
up periodically, describing the ball of cord thrown into
the air for a youth to climb into the clouds. Once out of
sight, the youth is said to draw the cord up after him;
then presently a leg falls from the unseen heights, then
another, followed by an arm, a rib or two, and so on
until the entire body is scattered upon the ground, the
head coming last with the neck standing upward. At
the command of the magician, the body seems to crawl
together, so runs the tale, and eventually the youth stands
up to be examined by the astonished populace.
These stories belong in the very first of the travellers'
tales. In 1356 Sir John Mandeville, called by some au-
thorities ""the Father of English Prose,"" after travelling
thirty-four years, published a book detailing some of his
marvellous ""witnessings."" Though many of his stories
[226]
-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,252,,"THE SUSPENSION TRICK
be strong, invisible to the audience, and still be perfect
in mechanism.
Robert-Houdin, with characteristic ambiguity, does not
refer to a complicated mechanism, but lays stress on his
ability to keep his tricks up-to-date and in line with
popular movements of the hour. In writing of the sus-
pension trick, he gives the impression that but for the
sensation created by the use of ether as an anzesthetic he
would never have thought out the new trick. His own
words as presented on page 3I2 of the American edition
of his ""Memoirs"" are reproduced in this connection :
""It will be remembered that in 1847 the insensibility
produced by inhaling ether began to be applied to surgical
operations; all the world talked about the marvellous
effect of this anzesthetic and its extraordinary results.
In the eyes of the people it seemed much akin to magic.
Seeing that the surgeons had invaded my domain, I asked
myself if this did not allow me to make reprisals. I did
so by inventing my ethereal suspension, which I believe
was far more surprising than any result obtained by my
surgical brethren. This trick was much applauded, and
I am bound to say that my arrangements were excellently
made. This was the first time that I tried to direct the
surprise of my spectators by gradually heightening it up
to the next moment, when, so to speak, it exploded.""
While Robert-Houdin, in his ""Memoirs,"" claims to
have invented the trick for the season of 1847-48, in the
illustrated appendix of the French edition he states that
the first production of the trick, with improvements, was
in October, 1849. The improvement consisted of working
the trick with a stool upon a platform, when, previous to
15
[225]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,251,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Inventions are a matter of evolution, but as the tricks
which Robert-Houdin presented in his new répertoire
were not new, he was able to offer them as the result of
three months' work. To the expert mechanician or
builder of conjuring apparatus his claim is farcical. The
ST. JAMESS THEATRE,
- -
STs THRATRE
-
DAY PERFORMANCE
-
WEDVESDAY MORMING
1846
suns 7,
1848
SOIREES
A ALMO -
SOIREES
ANTASTIQUES,
-
ov -
at
TUESDAY, THURSDAY,
TUESDAY, THURSDAY,
SATURDAY EVENINGS,
SATURDAY EVENINGS,
-
a
-
- -
INVENTSD SV -
-
- -
-
- -
-
- -
is .
the
- - -
- - -
.
-
- - -
-
E - . - -
- - -
- - - n
-
-
2
-
-
- - -
- - -
-
-
-
-
-
-
- -
---
Sottle,
vea
....
--
SESPENSION
vva,
sa
Parvars
-
Poster used by Robert-Houdin during his first London engagement,
featuring suspension. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
majority of the tricks mentioned require skilled hands and
infinite patience, if they work in a way that will completely
deceive the public. Particularly is this true of the first
suspension apparatus such as Robert-Houdin must have
used. This included a steel corset or frame for the sub-
ject, and both the corset and the supporting rods had to
[224]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,250,,"TATERLOO
For me Few
the PATRONAGE OF
HER
H. PRINCE ALBERT, a THE ROYAL FAMILY,
Aud as represented by at me of * -
AT ALL THE COURTS OF EUROPE.
This Grent Artito of in the Art of Magio, Inventor of the Insxhanstible Bottle, the Suspension
the Kegle Punch Bowl, the Second Sight, and . great sumber of other Tricks, is a Member of the Bociety
in Pariz, and the only Conjuror who bes received Notional Rewards of Morit for bis Uuparalleled
Thisks Magle Transformations and Astomatons, which have astomished and delighted the Sciontine Mep of
overz will mot, in of ammeroms Engagemente, be able to remain mose than . limited period in
-x-
OBLEBRATED
French Conjuror,
Propricter & Manager of the Palais-Royal Theatre, & late of St James' Theatre, Londen,
WILL orve A SERIES or
MAGIC SOIREES
FANTASTIQUES:!
CONMENCING ox THS EVENING
os
Monday, June 14, 1852.
General
reox WEICE A SELECTION WILL BE OIVEN RACH EVENINO.
The Gorfoind of Mewers
Navele Antente (Mechanic Flece)
The Transparent Casket
the of
- of the
The Imexhanstible Bettle
The Nagle Oupper
toa of Rebert Noudin
The Glass of Wise, or the Secret of
The
The Turtie Boves
a Contrabendist
- Impossibility realiteed
The Enchented Cravat, producing
The Miracuions Fishery
The Irea Crowa
Fenthers, de.
The Orange, Lemen, and Walunt
The Narvellous Orange Tree
The Sugar Loaf
The Unifilited of
The Gomims of Reses
The Socond Nght, witheut any Ques
Severeigne
The Book
des
The Bell-riager (Mechanic Pleee)
The
The
The Flewer Basket
The Nagmotined Cards
The Magie Pertiolle
The Neapelitam Mariequia
The Remertable
The Ball of Lambr Weel
The Feather and Cannom Ball
the Caballatie arying
Aurici (Mechamical Plece)
The Great
The Sporismes - Cupté
The Exercise of as Auto-
The Emperer Nicholas
The Impressice
mates
The Two Lemons
The Orystal Delle
The Ariel Gleck
The Phenix Pecket Handkerchief
The Colome and Glove
The Sugpension Chieroforeeme
The Magle Tableam
The of Flowerp
The Young Saveyard (Mechanic Plece)
The Swerd
WONDROUS PUNCH BOWL,
As - New Trick, producing BON-BONS and PUNCH, ed libitum.
Deors open at Secen ; Performance to commence at a Quarter-past Eight o'clock.
A
mission Stalls, 3s; Reserved Seats, 2s; Back Seats, is; Gallery, 6d.
Family Tickets, admitting Four to Stalls, ios 6d.
Childres under tem years of age, to Reserred and Back Seats, Nalf-price.
A
GRAND MORNING PERFORMANCE
our SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1962, AT TWO O'CLOCK.
Deors epen at Half-past Onc.
Tickuts and Fiaces may be sccured at the Roums, from 11 till 3 o'clock; at Mr Wood's, 12 Waterloo Place
and at all the Musicsellers.
PRINTER, if SOUTU MANOVER STREIT.
A Robert-Houdin poster on which his complete repertoire appears, under
date of June 14th, 1852. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[223]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,249,,"CHAPTER VIII
THE SUSPENSION TRICK
I'
N chapters XVI. and XVII. of the American edition
of his ""Memoirs,"" Robert-Houdin states that
he closed his theatre during the months of July,
August, and September, 1847, and devoted his time
to producing new tricks for the coming season. He chron-
icles as the result of these labors the following additions
to his répertoire: ""The Crystal Box,"" ""The Fantastic
Portfolio,"" ""The Trapeze Tumbler, ""The Garde Fran-
çaise,"" ""The Origin of Flowers,"" ""The Crystal Balls,""
""The Inexhaustible Bottle,"" ""The Ethereal Suspension,""
etc.
Had these inventions really been original with the man
who claimed them as the result of his own brain-work and
handicraft, three years would not have sufficed to bring
them to the perfection in which they were presented at
that time. It is not always the actual work that makes
a trick a success, nor the material from which it is con-
structed, but it takes time to plan a new trick; and then
after you have worked out the idea, it takes more time to
make it practical. The same piece of apparatus may
have to be made dozens of times, in as many shapes,
before it is presentable. Therefore, when Robert-Houdin
claims to have invented and built with his own hands the
tricks mentioned in the list given above, it is time to prove
the improbability and falsity of his statements.
[222]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,248,,"SECOND SIGHT
ert-Houdin used both the speaking and the signal code,
but so did Breslaw, and all evidence points to the fact
that Robert-Houdin merely improved upon the trick em-
ployed by Breslaw,
Pinetti, and others THE DOUBLE-SIGHTED
among his predeces-
Beautiful Hog,
sors in magic, by uti-
CARLOS,
zs sow sas
lizing the newly found
Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly,
UNDER THE
assistant to the magi-
Patronage of the KING & Royal Family.
cian, electricity. In
his tiny theatre it would
have been entirely
feasible to have had
TRIS astonishing Animal is from New York, whose sagacity and decility have
beea the surprise and admiration of all who have witneesed performances, parti.
electric wires run from
cularly at Basontow, where Mr. HAMINOTON had the bonour of exhibiting, on the
17th of Dec. 1831, Dow CARLOS' wonderfal abilities, by special Command before
all points of the audi-
His Most Gracious Majesty William IV.
an D ROTAL PAMILY.
At the Pavilion; on which occasion hie Majesty and thr tyal Pivinily were pleased
torium to the stage,
to express the approbation and delight they experiences, as his most extraordinary
performances. A visit to this haif-reasoning Dog will amply gratify the levers of
Nature's works. This very extraordinary and handsome creature is a Spaniel of the
thus doing away with
true Spanish breed, and in addition to his wonderful faculties, is of so mild and tract-
ables dispesition, that he may be managed by a child with perfect case and enfety.
Ris acquirements consist chiefy of Performances with Cards, wherein he displaye
both the speaking and
the greatest precision. He will also select the handsomest Lady lé the Room, -
cording to his judgment (which is seldom.questioned), eldest de youngest Pereom, .
say question put by the Company, and the Gentleman most partial to the Ladico.
ordinary signal codes,
DON CARLOS IS NOW FOR SALE:
His price is Fifty Guineas. The present owner of this beautiful animal would be
happy to let him accompany him to America, for which be will shortly embark, but
even the pneumatic
DOS CARLOS particulas objection to a sea voyage is the only reason for bie part-
ing with him.
Thé Proprietor of DON CARLOS, begs to inform the Nobility and Gentry,
tube. For this im-
that he is in readinest to attend Parties at their own houses, on moderate charges.
Aho to be seen (alive) a fine
BOA CONSTRICTOR,
provement, and this
From the Island of Java, and two small Specimens of Crocodiles, from the Banks of the
Nile, perfectly harmless Together with the
alone, should Robert-
Beautiful Canary Bird, (Tipesabe),
Who will perform a variety of amasing Tncks; bikewise the MAOICAL Frovass.
Admission to the whole 1s.
Houdin be given credit.
13
N.R.
Ths Perchaser of DON CARLOS will be sutructed to perform him as well as hie
present Master. Opegifros 10 in the Morring will et Night.
Nearly all magicians
Prieser, 03. Street, Chy.
improve or redress
Billing used for Don Carlos, the double-
tricks or apparatus
sighted dog. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
handed down to them
by their predecessors, but Robert-Houdin was not willing
to admit that he owed anything to his predecessors.
[ 221]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,247,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
is offered not to belittle the human mediums, but to prove
that from start to finish, from the day that Breslaw
offered the trick to the present moment, when a number
To the Public in general, and thofe of real Knowledge
Particularly.
To be teen from Tea m the Morning. 6ll Four is the Afternean
At Mr. BECKET's, Thank Maker, No. 3r. HAY. - MARKET.
Alter all thet has been produced in the Warld, fagacious of the Annial Species,
Learnid Pig, the Dancing Dosa &c &c. and which have been acceptad, and acknew ledged
with Truff, as WONDERS, Ivt in the fame time, of natural intelle that who could
belleve, (exeept feeing,) that themeR Stupid and Infenfate of the CRE ATION
Could be Brought to fuch a degree of Sagacity, and Wunderful Learning. of
Hunenur Animal Tricks, as the Prodigious
G
S
E,
Pids
ct Crede
Lately arrived from Abroad.
Whan spropity before acandid and Public, to levite them to
fee, and be Fithe Durrag arfucha (for have
a a a particalar sckined fram them - Agilitad as the misd
- gevinally (s. Aveg OF
LETE le will furdy find, and asknowlar ge to the
Adfere A
LEARNED GOOSE
Who Performs the following Tricke, viz. Perfonning upon Cards, Maney and
Watches; telling the Day of the Manth, andtle Month of the Year, as allo the value
of any Plece, éither English or Foreign: all furte ard (meft
prodigioully. and certainly unbelieuing to thaie who lonow the of . Gouse.)
the tells Ladias and Gentlemen in the Company; uf any Perfon's thought
ay at Lady drawing of the Pack, thoughever fo fectet
blindfoldad at the faine time will And out the draw,
It Te aut of the compsis efa Bilt, to enumerate all the Tricks the doa befides.
Admittaner, Tua Shillings each Poyun.
Rare poster announcing the performance of the learned goose, one of the
first of the second-sight animal artists. Traced from the original poster in the
British Museum by the author.
of skilful so-called mind-readers still mystify the public,
some sort of speaking or signal code has been used. Rob-
[220]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,246,,"SECOND SIGHT
having trained his son's eye and memory by patient effort
so as to have a mutual transferrence of thought, I will
next show that animals had been trained for years to do
tricks by secret signals before the alleged ""discovery"" of
second sight.
Two rare old bills in my collection advertise the mar-
vellous ""mind-reading"" performances of a goose and a
blindfolded dog respectively. The first, dated 1789,
announces that a Mr. Beckett, a trunk-maker of No. 3I
Haymarket, is exhibiting ""a Learned Goose, just lately
arrived from abroad.
""It performs the following tricks: performing upon
cards, money, and watches, telling the time of the month,
year, and date, also the value of any piece either English
or foreign, distinguishing all sorts of colors and (most
prodigiously and certainly unbelieving to those who know
the intellects of a goose) she tells the number of ladies
and gentlemen in the company or any person's thoughts;
any lady or gentleman drawing a card out of the pack,
though ever so secret, the Goose, blindfolded at the same
time, will find out the card they drew. Admittance two
shillings each person.""
The second bill features Don Carlo, the Double-
Sighted dog, which gave an exhibition of his mysterious
skill at the Pavillion by special command, before King
William and the royal family on December 17th, 1831.
This dog was blindfolded and could present almost in
duplicate the second-sight tests offered by the Highland
lad who five days later gave a similar exhibition before
the royal family at the same place.
This proof regarding the use of animals as ""mediums"""
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,245,,"SECONDE VUE DE M
ROBIN:
Second sight as offered by M. and Mme. Robin, in which Robin employed the bell and the goblet. From the
latter she sipped liquor, claiming it tasted like the wine secretly named by a spectator. Robin's stage
was
equipped with electrical appliances. From the Harry Houdini Collection."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,244,,"SECOND SIGHT
Army, under how many Monarchs he has served, in how
many battles he has been engaged, and whether he has
ever been wounded and how many wounds he has received.
By throwing the Dice, she will every time exactly tell the
very number of spots which may have been determined
on.""
This wordy announcement is signed by W. Sahm, of
Holland.
In my collection there is also an interesting handbill ad-
vertising the tour of ""The Mysterious Lady"" who offered
second-sight tricks in the eastern part of the United States
in 1842-43. Her name was never stated on the programmes,
but the latter, together with a clipping dated Boston,
February 20th, 1843, will suffice to prove my claim that
she was offering second-sight before Robert-Houdin did,
and therefore could not be copying his trick. She also
appeared in England fully a year before Robert-Houdin
""discovered"" second sight.
Henri Robin and his wife featured second sight in
Italy just when Robert-Houdin first offered it in Paris.
It is barely possible that they antedated Robert-Houdin
in the production of this trick, for I have in my collection
a brochure entitled ""Album des Soirées de M. et Mme.
Robin,"" which contains an engraving of the couple offer-
ing second-sight, a short poem in honor of Mme. Robin's
remarkable gifts as a second-sight artist, and a poem
generally eulogistic of M. Robin's talents dated distinctly
February 7th, 1846. Robert-Houdin presented second-
sight for the first time, according to his own ""Memoirs,""
on February 12th, 1846.
To prove the utter folly of Robert-Houdin's claims to
[ 217]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,244,,"LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
1 029 714 238 0"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,243,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
least thought, not until then explored. She guesses the
age of every one, whether they be married or not; how
many children they have, of what sex, and whether they
be living or dead at the present time, etc. She does the
like for any one having a chance in the lottery, as to what
is its number, and what will be its share of gains. She
the MYSTERIOUS LADY,
Reproduction of the cut used on the mysterious lady's handbills, distributed in
America in 1841. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
also guesses at every one of the most different sorts of
coin, and even at the year with which they were stamped.
She guesses at every number which any one shall secretly
set down, even though it amount to upward a million.
She moreover tells exactly whether any one be in the
[216]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,242,,"enormous poster which would be unintelligible if reduced
to a size suitable for reproduction.
It is now a part of my collection and reads as follows:
""The Holland Maid, Twenty Years of Age, from Am-
sterdam, whose powers, both in her residence there and
in all other places to which she has gonc, have excited
the Formemance of the
ISTEOUS
LADY.
8 The peculiar acquirements and faculties of this highly Talented
Lady are almost beyond the reach of description. By some unknown
and
EXTRAORDINARY ENDOYMENT
She is enable. to declare the names of articles produced by the company,
although aitting at a distance of 50 to 60 feet, with her face turned from
the audience? She will also divine the whispered wish ot any one.
although satisfactorily out of hearing. She will also, describe the dress,
ornaments, &c. of any iudividual who may wish it, with an accuracy
truly surprising; upon a card being selected from a pack, she will
declare its name; but as the performance varies and depends in a great
measure on the pleasure of the company, no regular routine can be speci-
Sied, but of this the company may rest assured that every consistent
stiort will be used to gratify and afford them satisfaction.
Reproduction of original billing matter used by the mysterious lady who
offered second sight in the United States in 1841-42-43. From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
great astonishment and much applause, and she will
also in this place endeavor to obtain the same tribute
of public applause. She will after the exhibition place
herself before the eyes of all the spectators on the outside
and gravely stand thereon and at all times give an answer
of assurance to any one present to whom her judgment in
all questions gives the most accurate response. She con-
trives also by her acuteness to discover and reply to the
[ 215]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,241,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Talented Highlanders and most extraordinary Second-
Sighted Young Highlanders.""
These lads, I believe, were three brothers, one the
original M'Kean, or the latter working in conjunction
with two other boys trained to the tricks in order to
secure more impressive results. The trio appeared
1897
Decoration on the broadside used to advertise a young Dutchwoman who
created a sensation in the early part of the eighteenth century. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
eight years before Robert-Houdin became a professional
entertainer.
Holland also contributed a successful performer of
second-sight tricks, the medium in this case being a
Dutchwoman who created a profound sensation while
[ 214]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,240,,"SECOND SIGHT
cards for this trick, also outlining the manner of giving
the medium the cue for certain phrases. For instance,
while explaining to the audience that he will not speak at
all, in the very sentences addressed to the spectators he
informs the medium which cards have been selected.
Pinetti's code must have been clever, as Decremps
was unable to explain the entire second-sight act. He has
omitted the principal part of the mystification, that is,
naming the articles held up for the performer to see.
That the card trick was only one test of his second-sight
performance, and that Pinetti's medium did not retire
after naming the cards, are facts shown by the following
clipping from one of his announcements:
""Signora Pinetti will have the special honor and satis-
faction of exhibiting various experiments of new discovery,
no less curious than seemingly incredible, particularly
that of her being seated in one of the front boxes with
an handkerchief over her eyes, and guess at everything
imagined and proposed to her by any person in the
company.""
Third on the list of second-sight performers, according
to the data in my collection, was Louis Gordon M'Kean,
who created a sensation at the Egyptian Hall Bazaar,
Piccadilly, London, in 1831, or fifteen years before Robert-
Houdin, according to his claims, ""discovered"" second
sight. Young M'Kean was featured as possessing dou-
ble, not second, sight, and one of his bills is reproduced
on page 212.
Another programme in my collection, dated the Théâtre
Scarboro, Friday evening, August 4th, 1837, announces
""For a limited engagement of three nights the Three
[ 213 ]
1"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,239,,"UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF
His Most Gracious Majesty WILLIAMIV.
The
Wonderfal
DOUBLE""
SIGHTED
Phaeno-
menon:
Young Master M 'KEAN,
Since his arrival in London, has had the honor of performing
(on Friday, Dec. 23rd. 1831,) before their
Master M'KEAN, only . Years old!
ONK
or
Most Gracious Majesties & Prince George.
GREATEST PRODIGIES of the Age
His Grace the Duke of Argyle.
Has just returned from the Pavilion at Brighton:
His Grace the Duke of Gordon.
Towhich plare be lad de heaer of a Sperial Conmand, aud is again exhibiting his mest
His Grace the Bruke of St. Albans and Duchess.
At the Egyptian Hall Bazaar, Piccadilly.
Her Grace the Dachess of Nortbumberland.
The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Coventry.
In addition to his performance before thair MASESTIES and their Court, this
The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Errol.
extraordinary Child, siace his arrisal in Town, has had the bonor to exhibit his sur-
prising talent before several of the Nobility of the highest rank, wheee admiration and
The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Bellast.
astoniehment have heen uniformly expresaed in the strongest terma.
The Rt. Hon. the Earl and Countess of Morley.
The fuculty which be possesses has defied the research of all the Medical men, by
whom he has been seen-a faculty. which enables him to distingruish colour, read either
The Rt. Hon the Countess of Essex.
print or manuscript, tell the hour of the day on a watch, or declare any other fact as pra-
The Rt. Hon. Lord Adolphus Fitzelarence
misely R$ the cleverest sighted person, although his eyes are at the time, completely
The Rt. Hon. Lord Augustus Fitzelarence.
blindfolded, and his back turned to the object of examination.
Anning other aurprising performances, may be mentimed the fallowing
The Rt. Hon. the Viscountess Faulkland.
He will read in English, Latin, French, or Italian. Any one present may insert
The Rt. Hon. Lord and Lady Dever
names or figures ad libitum, and he will instantly presounce the same, and tell the
Sir Edward, Sir Arthur Berkeley, & Lady Paget.
name of esch figure separately, and their value together. A piece, or pieces of money,
keys, er trinkets of any description may be produced by any of the company, and be
Admiral Sir Manly Dixon.
will instantly tell how many there -whother componed of
Admiral Lukin.
Gold, Silver, Brass, or Copper?
Admiral Daker.
The date and valire of the Coins, and describe every other article very minutely, avee
ahould there appear a spot upon them. He will also describe the drese of any person,
And many others of the Nobility of the United Kingdon.
and in what pesdition they ait of stand. MASTER MOKEAN will ask the fawor of any
Lady or Gendlemas in the company to apeak softly within themaelves, ao that they
**
may not be heard by those who ait on the right or left, and he will instantly repeat
The HIGHLAND YOUTH's Figure is erect, his Features
them, althongh at ene hundred yards' distance. Should there be 100 Watchen produ-
end, and each differently set, be will tell the hours and minutos indicated by each, and
particularly handsome, and of bis age considered re-
parform many other Frate, which must be seen to be credited
markably tall.-He daily gives increasing satisfaction
Hours af Enhibillos are 11, 1, 3, and A. Admissura, la. 6d. halj-price.
to the most distinguished characters.
the Parties may have . Prieste . deu - the 6 s'cluck in the ""
Tho
05"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,238,,"SECOND SIGHT
The talking code employed by Pinetti was not original
with him, as it dates back to the automaton worked by a
concealed confederate who controlled the piston for the
mechanical figure or pulled the strings to manipulate the
dancing coins or moving head. It was novel only in its
application to the supposed thought-transferrence by a
human being instead of an automaton.
This code is described by various reliable authors.
On page 388, Volume III. of Hooper's ""Recreations,""
edition 1782, it is stated that the confederate worked the
apparatus from another room. ""By certain words, previ-
ously agreed on, make it known to the confederate,"" is
the advice given to would-be conjurers.
Beckman in his ""History of Inventions"" relates that
he knew an exhibitor of a ""talking figure"" whose con-
cealed confederate was cued to answer certain questions,
the answers being given in the manner of putting the
question, also by different signs. These instructions will
be found on page 3II of Volume II., edition of 1817.
Decremps undertook to expose Pinetti's method of
working the second-sight trick in his famous book, but in
this attempt he scored one of the few failures which
marked the bitter fight he waged against Pinetti. In his
book ""La Magie Blanche Dévoilée"" (White Magic
Exposed), first edition, 1784, he offers on page 40 ""Les
Cartes dévinées, les yeux bandés"" (The Divination of
Cards with the Eyes Blindfolded). In this feat Decremps
explains that Pinetti would allow cards to be drawn, then
a lady (Signora Pinetti) would appear on the stage, would
be blindfolded, and would name all the cards that were
drawn. Decremps explains the prearranged pack of
1"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,238,,"L'ENVOI
WITH these last lines I lay down my pen, as I
have long since laid down the wand. I do SO with
regret, for writing about magic has always been to
me a labour of love, but failing energy and failing
eyesight warn me that my day is over, and that
""the night cometh, wherein no man can work.""
When I first began to discourse of magic, I had
the whole field, in a literary sense, to myself. That
state of things has long since ceased to be. Fertile
brains and ready writers have taken up my task,
and magic has now a worthy literature, growing
day by day. ""So mote it be!""
Furthermore, if I may be allowed a word of ad-
vice, let me say that every lover of magic, be he
professional or amateur, should join a magical so-
ciety. No great work can be carried forward with-
out organization, and the success of such bodies as
The Magician's Club and the Magic Circle here,
and the Society of American Magicians over seas,
has proved that magic is no exception to the rule.
I must not close without a word of hearty thanks
to Harry Houdini, Oscar S. Teale and John W.
Sargent, of the Society of American Magicians, for
their generous offices in connection with the publi-
cation of my book. With this last legacy to the
friends, at home and abroad, who have derived
pleasure or profit from my writings, I bid them
a cheery farewell.
LOUIS HOFFMANN.
222
3477-3"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,237,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
almost sixty-two years before Robert-Houdin presented
it as his original invention.
The London Morning Post and Daily Advertiser of
H A Y . M A R K E TI
By PERMISSION of the LORD CHAMBERLAIN,
Signor and Signora PINETTP S
Molt grand, aitotifining and inimitable
N
E
W
E X FI IB L: T I o N,
A
T the Theatre-Royal, in the-Hay-Market,
TO-MORROW, Decembier 2,
$ guor PINET r', Knight of the Order of Merit of St.
Philip, &c. &c. with all duc deference informs the publick,
that be is juft returned from Windfor, and that he will, by
the above permillion, open agáin this Theatre on Thurfday
aud philofophical and abfolutely pieces, which inimitable, his recchanical, deep wonderful, ferutiny phyfical jo
aud with his Confort, will-exhibit moft
recent
thofe friences, and afliJuous exertique have enhabled him to
inyent and confruct among wh;ch Siguora Pinetti will
have the fperia honour and facisfaction of exhibiting vari-
cus experiments of new difcovery, no lefs zurious than
ficmingly incredible, particularly that af her being feated
in one of the front hoxes with an handkerchicf over hes
ryes, and guefa at every thing imagined and propefed to
ber, by any perfon in the company.
Signor Pinetti being moit unsious and ambitious of re-
reiving the countenance and farction of this great and dif-
terming nation, in his endeayours It fhall ba his conftant
Audy Nill to find out nteans which mày euable him to: prc-
Tent, at interavals, mon curinus, furprizing, and interelling
original pieces befote the publick during his thort my in
never but ever
difplay thiskingdom what inof of which his of pieces, invention hie having and been difrovery, honoured producing approbation, and with in only the
own
a
written teltimony Britanuic Majefty's
figned with his own hand (befides being poffelled of carti-
ficases of the like niture from Several other Sqvereigns)
hunably bopes and Lolicits for the continuance of that pir
tromage and encouragement, which he moft gratefully ac-
knowledges to have already fo impartially: and amply ex-
grrienced from the Britifh nation.
His excellent and humourous intérpreter will tentinue
with him during hie ftay.
Boxes 5&, Pit 3. Firft Gal. as. Upper Gal. IR
the boxes to be takeu of Mr. Rice at the Thearre.
Doors open at Six, and begin at Seven.
Clipping from the London Post, December 1st, 1784, in which Pinetti
featured second sight. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
December ist, 1784, contains the above advertisement
reproduced from my collection.
[210]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,237,,"A FEW WRINKLES
221
and shorten it to an exact square, closing the lower
end as before. Envelopes of the above kind are
procurable in many varieties of paper, and in
widths ranging by various fractions of an inch
from four inches upwards.
13. To make a line, thick or thin, run freely over
a pulley-wheel or through an eyelet, use as a lubri-
cant powdered talcum, otherwise known as French
chalk. This is equally useful for minimising fric-
tion between wooden surfaces, or between wood
and metal, say between a pulley-wheel and the
pivot on which it turns. Where the slight extra
cost is not an obstacle the use of ivory as the mate-
rial of a pulley-wheel secures the perfection of easy
running.
It is, I trust, hardly necessary to say that wher-
ever I have mentioned an article to be had by pur-
chase, my recommendation is based solely upon
practical experience of its merits. I have no inter-
est, direct or indirect, in any of the articles men-
tioned, and my knowledge of their manufacturers
is derived solely from their respective labels."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,236,,"SECOND SIGHT
having stumbled upon, quite by accident, a trick which
he did not know that others had offered before him.
Such a statement is illogical and absurd. Books of
magic to which Robert-Houdin had access and which
he admits having read describe the trick in a more or
less crude form. Pinetti, whose tricks were fully described
to Robert-Houdin by his old friend Torrini, used the
second-sight mystification with excellent effect. Robert-
Houdin could not have been ignorant of its existence as
a trick. In making the claim to its discovery in his
""Memoirs"" he simply trusted to the ignorance of the
reading public in the history of magic.
According to programmes and newspaper clippings in
my collection, Philip Breslaw was the first conjurer to feat-
ure second sight in his performance. Breslaw was a clever
German who so established himself in the hearts of
amusement-loving Englishmen that he remained in
England for forty years, dying in Liverpool in 1803. In
1781, while playing at Greenwood's Rooms, Haymarket,
London, he announced as Part One of his entertainment:
""Mr. Breslaw will exhibit his new magical deceptions,
Letters, Medals, Dice, Pocket pieces, Rings, etc., etc.,
and particularly communicate the thoughts of any person
to another without the assistance of speech or writing.""
Pinetti comes next as an eminent presenter of second
sight. Between these two well-known conjurers there
may have been various unimportant, unchronicled per-
formers who made use of Breslaw's trick, but they have
no place in the history of magic.
The trick appeared on a Pinetti programme at the
Royal Haymarket, London, England, December ist, 1784,
14
[209]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,236,,"220
LATEST MAGIC
yard lengths, and in half a dozen grades of thick-
ness, the finest being not much thicker than a hair
line. The breaking strain of this is much greater
than that of ordinary thread, and it has the fur-
ther advantage that being plaited instead of
twisted it does not unroll or ""kink"" in use. All-
cock, of Redditch, a name familiar to all anglers,
is a noted maker of such line, but he has no mo-
nopoly of its manufacture. It is usually sold
white, but may be easily dyed any desired colour.
For this last valuable ""tip"" I am again indebted
to my often-quoted friend, Mr. Holt Schooling,
who, as an enthusiastic angler, is an expert as to
lines of all descriptions. The reader will find
numerous instances of the practical use of such
line in the earlier part of this book.
A good way of dyeing line is to thread a needle
on to one end, and pass it by the aid of the needle
through one corner, moistened with the appropri-
ate dye, of a soft sponge, and then back again
through the dry part of the sponge to clean off any
excess of moisture. When dry, if necessary,
repeat the process.
12. Square envelopes, for the purpose of form-
ing ""nests"" or otherwise, are now and then needed
by the conjurer, but envelopes precisely square
(save the small variety known as ""pence"" envel-
opes) are not kept in ""stock"" by stationers in the
ordinary way. When such are needed the readiest
plan is to take an envelope of the long ""bag"" shape"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,235,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
piston to touch the sole of the foot whenever the con-
federate presses the bulb or pushes the button.
From this array of facts it will be seen that second sight
is and always has been a matter of well-drilled phrases
or signals, prearranged rotation of articles, well-built
The author at the long-neglected grave of Robert Heller, in Mt. Moriah
Cemetery, Philadelphia, U. S. A. From a photograph in the Harry Houdini
Collection.
apparatus or well-trained confederates, but never a feat
of actual thought-transferrence.
Some of Robert-Houdin's ardent supporters insist that
in claiming the invention or discovery of second sight,
the French conjurer was merely an unconscious plagiarist,
[208]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,235,,"A FEW WRINKLES
219
mill-board, without folding or bending, preference
should be given to ""Bristol"" board, sold by artists'
colour-men. This is somewhat more expensive but
is stiffer and harder and has a better surface than
the commoner articles.
9. For joining wood to wood without glue where
there is no great thickness to be penetrated,
""needle-points,"" procurable of any ironmonger,
will be found useful. These are stout eyeless
needles, of very brittle steel, about two inches in
length. To use them, bore with a fine bradawl a
hole partially through the wood, then drive in the
needle-point by gentle tapping with a hammer, and
when it has penetrated the desired depth snap off
all that remains above the surface.
10. Also useful for many purposes are what are
called by drapers ""blanket"" pins. These are of
brass, and a card of such pins in three sizes, rang
ing from two to three inches in length and varying
proportionately in thickness, may be bought for a
penny. Pins a trifle shorter and thinner than the
above are known as ""laundry"" pins. Apart from
their normal uses, pins of these kinds are very
useful for bending into hooks, or to cut up into
short lengths of stiff straight wire for pivots or
otherwise.
11. For all effects dependent upon a thread pull
use, in place of ordinary thread, plaited silk fish-
ing line. This is procurable of any sports' out-
fitter or fishing tackle dealer, in twenty and forty"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,234,,"SECOND SIGHT
the signal button so that it could be easily reached on the
arm or front part of the seat. The receiving instrument
was attached to the sofa on which the medium was
seated. The latter would be silently informed as to what
was being shown and would answer all questions. As
proof that these statements are not mere hearsay, the
Heller sofa can now be seen in the possession of Mr.
Francis J. Martinka, of New York; and Dr. W. Golden
Mortimer, who once presented ""Mortimer's Mysteries,""
a show on the style of Heller's performance, furnishes
the information that when Heller died in Philadelphia,
November 28th, 1878, he engaged the dead magician's
chief assistant, an expert electrician named E. J. Dale,
who had acted as secret confederate, assisting the medium.
After travelling with Mortimer some time, Dale eventu-
ally returned to England, and retired from the profession.
He opened a large shop in London under the firm name
of H. & E. J. Dale, Manufacturing Electricians, 4 Little
Britain, E. C., in October, 1882.
It was the easiest thing imaginable for Robert-Houdin
to have his theatre arranged with secret confederates
and wires back of the scenes, where a man with powerful
opera-glasses could stand. The place being small, he
could look all over the room and see the minutest article.
When not making use of the talking code; the simplest
method employed by second-sight artists is to have a con-
federate in the audience, with either an electrical push but-
ton or a pneumatic bulb, who gives the medium the signal.
This is received by a miniature piston, which requires
only a small hole in the stage, while the medium has a
matching hole in the sole of his shoc. This allows the
[207]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,234,,"218
LATEST MAGIC
that the ""marker"" is replaced by a little spade-
pointed cutter. This tool is only available for cut-
ting wood up to say eight inches in width, but to
the amateur attempting small work only, it will be
found invaluable.
5. For staining wood or cardboard a deep dead
black I have found nothing better than the ""Record
Jet Stain,"" manufactured by the Record Polish
Company, Eccles, Manchester. It is normally
designed for staining leather only, the makers not
having apparently realised its usefulness in other
directions. It is to be had of any dealer in leather
goods, in twopenny and sixpenny bottles. In
many cases I have found it best to rub it in with
a pad, rather than to apply it with a brush, but
this will of course depend largely on the nature
of the article to be treated.
6. An excellent polish for use after staining, or
for other purposes, is made by dissolving white
wax in turpentine, to the consistency of cream.
Applied sparingly, with plenty of friction to fol-
low, this produces a clean hard gloss, free from the
stickiness which is sometimes left after the use of
other polishes.
7. For enamelling small articles use Maurice's
Porceleine (the makers of which are Walter Car-
son & Sons, Grove Works, Battersea, S. W.) pro-
curable at ""oil and colour"" men in tins from three-
halfpence upwards.
8. For any article to be made of flat card or"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,233,,"MELODEON
FOR POBITIVELY
TWO WEEKS ONLY.
MONDAY, MAY 15TH,
FIRST NIGHT or
ROBEAT
THE FAMOUS
SOMATIC CONJURER,
PIANO-SOLOIST AND CAUSEUR,
wae MAS rest ass
365TH PERFORMANCE IN NEW YORK,
Belag . career "" success which . other Conjurer has, et asy time, accemplished le that eity,
PART 1.-MAGIC.
WONDER 1
HELLER'S CABALISTIC CLOCK
WONDER II.
THE ERIAL DELI.
VONDER III
INPORNAD celebrated Patent Mediciné Ware-
bouse in the Netherlund
WONDER IV
THE_ WITCHES POLE, with singular developments in
Cartomancy
WONDER V
ANIMATED DOLLARS, with Life and Intellegence Manifested
WONDER VI.
HELLER'S ARABESQUE RINGS
WONDER VII
THE DEVIL'S PUNCHBOWL
PART II-MUSIC.
No. &
GRAND FANTASIA on Airs from the ""Sonnambula"" of Thalberg,
performed by ROBERT HELLER, on Steinway's Grand Pianoforte.
No. 3
Ma Laughable Description the Piano-practice of a Boarding
School Young Lady.-Illustrated. The Young Lady by Robert Heller.
PART II.--MBTE.
200. 2.
HELLER'S SECOND-SIGHT MYSTERY
Anvented
by Sim, by éle and which has made bie colebrity frota hio appresesee
in public, being designated as
No. PLUMES OF VICTORY
. wisse
PART
PARLOR KAOIC, or Tricks Made Ensy, every - person in the Audiends not
,
only shown the Tricks, but taught publicly how to do them, do that they
may go and start out asconjurers for them esivesani achieve as great
a
fortune as bas fallen to the lot of Rosear,
Poster used by Robert Heller during his Boston engagement in 1853. From
the Harry Houdini Collection.
[206]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,233,,"A FEW WRINKLES
217
many purposes for which Seccotine is too aggres-
sively viscous, while ordinary paste is not adhesive
enough. In such cases I can strongly recommend
Pastoid, a composition midway between glue and
paste. For all purposes for which paste (in small
quantity) is ordinarily used, Pastoid may be sub-
stituted with advantage. I myself came across it
accidentally two or three years ago, ""since when,""
like the gentleman in the soap advertisement, ""I
have used no other."" The maker is Henry Rob-
erts, Middlesborough, but it should be obtainable
of any up-to-date stationer or fancy dealer. It is
supplied in glass jars, at sixpence and a shilling.
3. Where an actual glue, of fine quality, is
needed, procure sheet gelatine, to be had of any
grocer. Cut into small pieces and melt in an
ordinary gluepot using water enough to make the
resulting solution about as thick as ordinary gum
water. It should be used as near boiling point as
possible, and the joined surfaces left to dry under
the heaviest pressure available. A joint made with
this glue is practically invisible.¹
4. For dividing up thin stuff (wood or card-
board), into rectangular slabs, the handiest tool
is the ""cutting gauge."" This is practically iden-
tical with the better known ""marking gauge,"" save
1 For the information contained in this paragraph, as also that re-
lating to the use of Veneers I am indebted to Mr. Holt Sehooling, who
is an expert in such matters. My own essays in the direction of fancy
cabinet-making have for the most part been limited to rough models to
be reproduced in finished shape by more practised hands."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,232,,"SECOND SIGHT
at his own theatre, February I2th, 1846. Unquestionably
at this time he employed the speaking code, wherein the
answer is contained in the question asked of the medium
by the performer. As he describes scene after scene in
which he and his son participated, it is almost possible
for a conjurer or any one interested in magic to follow
his code. Apparently the amusement-loving public be-
came familiar with his speaking code, for three years
later, according to the illustrated appendix of the French
edition of his ""Memoirs,"" he adopted a code of signals,
which he states was especially arranged to confuse those
whom he terms his ""fearless discoverers.""
A mysterious bell was used in this connection, but he
admits that it mattered not whether the bell struck or
was silent, his son could name the object under consid-
eration or answer the question. While Robert-Houdin
asserts that he did not employ electricity for working his
silent code, investigations make it almost certain that this
was the method used. It is known throughout the world of
conjuring that in 1850-51 Robert Heller (William Henry
Palmer) reproduced Robert-Houdin's entire répertoire of
tricks, with the exception of the suspension, and all
worked precisely by Robert-Houdin's methods. In the
second-sight trick, which he first presented with a young
man as the medium, then later with Miss Haidee Heller,
the medium was seated on a sofa fully equipped with wires
and electric batteries. Heller's second sight was worked
with both the speaking and silent codes. His confederate
was concealed behind the scenes watching Heller through
a peep-hole, or possibly he used another, seated in the au-
dience, and had the wires strung under his chair, arranging
[ 205"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,232,,"216
LATEST MAGIC
1. For woodwork on a small scale, an old cigar
box will often be found suitable material. Where
such a box is not available or not suitable for the
particular work in hand, what is called ""three-
ply"" may supply the need. This consists of three
layers of thin wood glued together under pressure,
with the grain of the intermediate layer running
crossway to that of the other two, the tendency
to warp being thereby greatly reduced. Drawing-
boards are, for this reason, now usually made of
wood SO combined, and a drawing-board makes for
many purposes a good enough extempore work-
bench. For a finer class of work, the amateur
mechanic, if he is willing to take the trouble, may
make his own three-ply. For this purpose he
should procure a supply of what is called ""knife-
cut' veneer, i.e., thin sheets of walnut, mahogany,
satin,-0 other hard wood, and glue them together
with the white glue to be presently described. Ve-
neer merchants form a distinct trade, and are com-
paratively few in number, but the resident in Lon-
don can obtain veneer and thin woods of all descrip-
tions from Messrs. McEwan & Son, 282 Old Street,
E. C. In country districts the shops which hold
agencies for ""Hobbies' materials also sell planed-
up woods of various kinds, ranging like veneer
from one-sixteenth to half an inch in thickness.
2. As a handy substitute for glue, most people
are acquainted with the virtues of Seccotine, in its
way a most useful preparation. But there are"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,231,,"NEW STRAND
THEATRE.
C
SOIREZE
MYSTÉRIEUSES
DE
ROBERT HELLER.
These elegant and original Performances will be
given at the above Theatre
C
Commencing at 8
A MORNING PERFORMANCE
EVERY MONDAT TEUREDAY,
AT HALF-PAST 2 O'CLOCK.
On each occasion will be presented the following
inexplicable experiments, invented and performed
by Ecbert Heller.
PART I.
The Cabaliatic Clock
Le pendule Cabalistique
The Obedient Dove
La colombe Obéimente
The Fans and Balle
Les eventails et les boulets de
Canons
The Plumes of Feathers
Les plumes
The Basket of Flowers
La corbeille de Flueis
000
The Marvelious Orange Tree.
L'Oranger
PART II.
The Mysterious Port-folio
Port-feuille mysterieus
The Mystic Boquet
Le bouquet mystique
The Wonderful Balance
L'equilibre
The Automaton Cook
Le cuisnier automate
The Safety Casket
L'écrin de Sureté
The Magio filtration
Le filtration magique
PART III.
THE SECOND SIGHT I LA SECONDE VUE
or ERNEST HELLER.
ESCAMOTAGE or ERNEST HELLER WHO WILL VANISH FROM
THS ETES or THE AUDIENCE
The Bottle
LA bouteille
The cornucopies
Le corne d'abondance
From which Fana, Toys, Bonbons, Journals, &c. will be shovered
upon the audience in the greatest profusion.
Dears de epm at 7, and at sfer the Morning
-
PRIVATE moxes
1s. a £1 11s 6d.
Stalls 3a.;
Boxes
Pit
Gellery 6d.
The Bes Cillee epea from "" to & dally: where Tickets and Finses
may be secured.
a -
Programme used by Robert Heller in 1851-52, when he was about e
years of age. Probably the only programme of this date in existence.
in the Harry Houdini Collection.
[2041"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,231,,"A FEW WRINKLES 1
EVERY conjurer who has in him, as all conjurers
should have, the creative instinct of the artist, and
aims therefore at putting something of himself
into his work, must of necessity be to some small
extent an amateur mechanic. The hints which fol-
low are addressed to the reader in that capacity.
I have no pretension to teach him how to do things
in the way of construction, but merely to make the
doing of them easier. Though relating to matters
in themselves small, the ""tips"" which follow may
safely be said to come within the scope of Captain
Cuttle's celebrated counsel, ""when found make
a note of."" It often happens that the amateur
mechanic has to take considerable trouble and
pains in procuring some special requirement,
while there is already on sale, at small cost, just
the thing he wants, if he only knew what to ask for,
and where to get it. The paragraphs which follow
will, in some at any rate of such cases, supply the
needful information.
1 This book having been written primarily with a view to British
readers, some of my recommendations will naturally be of no value to
my American friends, but I have not thought it necessary to delete
them. L. H.
215"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,230,,"SECOND SIGHT
""Memoirs"" of spending hours with his son in poring
over an enormous collection of coins, medals, etc., which
severe lesson helped them both in future performances.
To the conjurer, this tale is farcical. Not only was there
no need of forcing the boy to become a coin expert, but
the task was one which could not be accomplished in the
brief time which Robert-Houdin allowed himself for
perfecting the trick.
The only knowledge required about coins is to recognize
a coin when you see it. Some one may hand a coin of
peculiar stamp, and the operator must signal to his medium
the metal and all he knows about it. Of course, if both
know the various coins, then they can understand each
other with less signaling than if the coins were unfamiliar
to either.
Inaudi, the French calculator, can look at a blackboard
filled with numbers for a few seconds, then turn his back
upon them and add the entire amount that he has just
seen and memorized. But let the reader understand that
Inaudi is peculiarly gifted by nature, while second sight
is a trick in which the person on the stage known as
the medium is assisted by words, signs, prearranged
movements, or articles or figures in rotation, which to
the layman have the appearance of being unprepared.
At a familiar cue, however, the operator touches articles
that have been memorized, a ring, a watch, a scarf-pin,
a
lady's fan, an opera glass, all in rotation. At a snap
of the fingers the medium will know that the articles are
to be named in consecutive order, and only after the snap
of the fingers or another cue agreed upon.
Robert-Houdin presented the trick for the first time
[203]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,230,,"214
LATEST MAGIC
I should like to mention. You hear people talk
about the quickness of the hand deceiving the eye.
I don't know whether the quickness of the hand
ever does deceive the eye, but I want you to under-
stand that you must not expect anything of that
sort from me. I am naturally slow. I was born
twenty minutes after I was expected, and I have
been getting slower and slower ever since.
""To-night, I intend to do everything even more
slowly than usual: SO that you will only have to
watch me closely to see exactly how it is all done.
Then, when you go home, if you do as I do, and say
as I say, without making any mistakes, no doubt
you will be able to produce the same results. If
not, there must be 'something wrong with the
works.''"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,229,,"Robert and Haidee Heller from photographs taken at the time that they were presenting second sight accord-
ing to the Robert-Houdin method by an electric code. From the Harry Houdini Collection."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,229,,"THE USE OF THE WAND
213
hoist him up and drop him in the water-butt, or
into the Red Sea, according to order. If the
magician wanted a week at the seaside, he had no
need to pay railway fare. The familiar would just
pick him up, house and all, and land him gently in
the middle of the mixed bathing. The only draw-
back was that, sooner or later, a time came when
there was no performance, because the magician
had been carried off by his familiar on a pitchfork.
""As the French say, nous avons changé tout
cela, Familiars are as extinct as the dodo. Per-
haps it's as well, but it makes it very much harder
to be a magician. In the first place you must know
all about astrology, anthropology, Egyptology and
all the other ologies. You must be well posted in
mathematics, hydrostatics, pneumatics and numis-
matics. You must know all about clairvoyance,
palmistry and thought reading, sympathy and
antipathy, magnetism, mesmerism, wireless teleg-
raphy, X rays and all the other kinds of rays.
Of course you must be well up in Greek and Latin,
and a little. Hebrew, not to mention a few other
things which I forget for the moment, but I won't
stop to think of them now. When you have stud-
ied these little matters fourteen hours a day for
nine or ten years, you will be as 'chock-full of
science' as old Sol Gills himself, and you will be
able to do all sorts of wonderful things, some of
which I hope to show you this evening.
""Before I begin, there is just one little matter"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,228,,"SECOND SIGHT
Then, picking up the long idle quill of Baron Mun-
chausen, he proceeds to explain the methods by which he
perfected the trick and trained his son. To the layman
these methods read most entertainingly. To the expe-
rienced conjurer or his humblest assistant they appeal
as absurd and impossible, a sheer waste of time, of which
Robert-Houdin and his son Emile, presenting second sight. Here the
bell is used as it was by Henri Robin. From an illustration in the original
French edition of the Robert-Houdin ""Memoirs.""
a man who reproduced the tricks of his predecessors as
rapidly as Robert-Houdin did, would not be guilty.
He claims to have trained the eye and memory of his
son, by leading the latter past shop windows, and after
allowing him one glance, demanding the names of articles
seen at this single glance. When the boy could mention
forty things after passing the window, his education was
pronounced good. Robert-Houdin also tells in his
[201]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,228,,"212
LATEST MAGIC
having been executed as a special favour to Pal-
mer, by Hassoun, an eminent professional
""scribe.""
I am reluctantly bound to admit that the Pal-
mer wand, in my hands, did not exhibit any special
magical virtues, and when I ceased myself to use
it, it seemed to me that it could not find a worthier
home than in Dr. Ellison's fine collection.
Reverting for a moment to the subject of patter,
I will conclude by quoting, for the amusement
rather than the instruction of the reader, an ora-
tion which (with variations) now and then formed
my introductory boniment, and might on occasion
still serve, in default of better.
""Ladies and Gentlemen, and members of the
Royal Family, if any happen to be present, I am
about to exhibit for your amusement, a few experi-
ments in Unnatural Philosophy, otherwise Magic.
""Magic in the olden times was a very different
thing, as I daresay you know, from what it is at
present. In those days every respectable wizard
kept a familiar spirit: a sort of magical man of all
work. He cleaned the boots and knives, and
when his master gave a show, it was the familiar
who worked all his miracles for him. The
magician only did the talking, and pocketed the
takings. But the familiar did much bigger things
than that. If his master's next-door neighbour
made himself disagreeable, the familiar would"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,227,,"CHAPTER VII
SECOND SIGHT
E
VIDENTLY second sight was the foundation-
stone of Robert-Houdin's success. Reading be-
tween the lines of his autobiography, one finds
that this was the trick which carried him into the
salons of fashion and royalty. Before he introduced
second sight into his répertoire, his tricks were so com-
monplace that they did not arouse the interest of the court
circle, whose approval furnished the seal of success.
This trick of second sight he claims body and soul,
as the favorite child of his brain. He even goes as far
as to relate a story to prove that the trick came to him
in the form of an inspiration. I quote directly from the
American edition of his ""Memoirs,"" page 255:
""My two children were playing one day in the drawing-
room at a game they had invented for their own amuse-
ment; the younger had bandaged his elder brother's eyes
and made him guess the objects that he touched, and
when the latter happened to guess right they changed
places. This simple game suggested to me the most
complicated idea that ever crossed my mind. Pursued
by the notion, I ran and shut myself in my workshop,
and was fortunately in that happy state when the mind
follows easily the combinations traced by fancy. I rested
my head in my hands, and in my excitement laid down
the first principles of second sight.""
[200]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,227,,"THE USE OF THE WAND
211
His skill in sleight-of-hand, which he had in the
first instance taken up merely as a pastime, proved
to be of immense service to him in his desert wan-
derings; adding not only to his popularity but fre-
quently gaining for him the prestige of a genuine
magician, and thereby increasing his influence.
In 1871 he was appointed to the professorship of
Oriental languages at Cambridge, his official title
being the Lord High Almoner's Reader of Arabic.
In 1882, in anticipation of the Arabi trouble in
Egypt, he was entrusted by the then Government
with the difficult and dangerous task of winning
over the Sinaitic tribes, and preventing the threat-
ened destruction of the Suez Canal.
His first trip, extending from Gaza to Suez, was
carried out successfully, but on penetrating farther
into the desert, he and his two companions, Captain
Gill, R.E., and Lieutenant Charrington, R.N.,
fell into the hands of a tribe to whom Palmer was
unknown, and were barbarously put to death.
Happily, their bodies were recovered, and received
from the nation the posthumous honour of burial
in St. Paul's Cathedral.
The wand presented to me by Professor Palmer
is a curiosity in many ways. It is made of acacia
wood (the ""shittim"" wood of the Old Testament)
brought by Palmer himself from Mount Lebanon.
Around it, in spiral form, is inscribed an invoca-
tion from the Koran, in Arabic characters. The
writing of the inscription is a genuine work of art,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,226,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
London he also appeared at the Egyptian Hall. He
published his own magazine, L' Almanach d'Cagliostro,
an illustrated periodical which was quite pretentious.
Robin presented all the tricks and automata that
Robert-Houdin claimed as his original inventions, and in
the famous controversy, Robert-Houdin came out second
best. Robin proved that he had used the bottle trick
before Robert-Houdin did, by showing back numbers of
his magazine, whose illustrations pictured Robin perform-
ing the trick at his theatre in Milan, Italy, July 6th, 1844,
or three years before Robert-Houdin presented it in Paris.
Robin, however, never wrote an autobiography nor
any exhaustive work dealing with the history of magic,
while Robert-Houdin did. The latter set forth his claims
over other magicians so skilfully that for more than half
a century the intelligent and thoughtful reading public
has been deceived and has accepted his statements as
authoritative. According to an article published in
L'Illusionniste, scientists to this day, in explaining the
law of physics as operated by the use of air-holes in the
inexhaustible bottle, refer to it as the ""Robert-Houdin
bottle,"" when in reality the honor of its invention belongs
to some obscure mechanic or magician whose name must
remain forever unsung by writers on magic.
[ 199 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,226,,"210
LATEST MAGIC
sies are chary of speaking Rommany except
among their own people, and the inquisitive strang-
ers were frequently told that there was no such
language; whereupon, one of them would turn to
the other, and in purest Rommany quietly express
an opinion that their temporary hosts were not
thorough-bred gipsies, but of some inferior stock.
This produced Rommany in plenty, and the visi-
tors were energetically taken to task for that,
being themselves gipsies, they should ape the dress
and manners of the Gorgio. A friendly explana-
tion made all end happily.
Palmer made his first start in life as a clerk in
the City of London, where in his spare time he
made himself master of French and Italian. A
little later he took up the study of Persian, Arabic
and Hindustani, and speedily conquered them:
In 1867, after taking his degree at the University
of Cambridge, he was elected a Fellow by his Col-
lege, an honour conferred on him in recognition of
his mastery of the Oriental languages. During
the years 1868-1870 he was employed on behalf of
the Palestine Exploration Fund, to make a survey
of Mount Sinai, in the course of which he became
upon friendly and indeed almost brotherly terms
with many of the wild Arab tribes, among whom
he was known as the Sheikh Abdullah. As in Eng-
land he had been made free of the gipsy tent, so in
Palestine he could drop in upon many a Bedouin
encampment, and be sure of a hearty welcome."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,225,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
about 1839-40, when he toured the Continent. He was
popular in London, Paris, and both the English and French
provinces. A polished man, famous for the elegance of
his speech and manners, he conducted his performance
Henri Robin, generally conceded to have been the most polished conjurer
in the history of magic. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
and all his business in a quiet, conservative fashion. In
both Paris and London, he had playhouses named tem-
porarily in his honor, Salle de Robin, and at one time in
[ 198 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,225,,"THE USE OF THE WAND
209
portions of one-while walking-sticks, promoted to
a nobler use. Mr. J. N. Maskelyne's ""wand"" is
an ordinary file, which, from the inventor point of
view, he regards as the greatest of wonder-work-
ing appliances.
My own contribution may claim to be of excep-
tional interest, not merely as being in itself a curio,
but as a memento of a very remarkable man, SO
remarkable, indeed, that a brief notice of his career
may be interesting. It was presented to me by
Professor Palmer, a gentleman who was not, like
myself, a bogus professor, but the real thing, and
withal an exceptionally eminent man. Skill in
sleight-of-hand was the least of his accomplish-
ments. He had a marvellous gift of tongue, there
being scarcely a European or Oriental language
with which he was not thoroughly familiar. He
was born at. Cambridge in 1840, and from his
earliest years showed indications of his peculiar
gift for acquiring languages. As a school-boy he
made friends among the gipsies, and learned to
speak their queer language so perfectly as to
deceive even those to whom it was their native
tongue. In later life it was a favourite joke of his
to saunter, in company with his equally accom-
plished friend, Leland, into some gipsy encamp-
ment where they were not known, and after pay-
ing their footing by having their fortunes told,
to ask some of the nomads gathered round the fire,
to talk a little Rommany for their benefit. Gip-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,224,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
honor of having invented this trick arose between Robert-
Houdin and Henri Robin, who were contemporaries.
Robin, whose right name was Dunkell, was of Holland
birth and died in Paris in 1874. He was at his prime
PoGA
LAY-MARKET
-
Evening. Tharsday, April seth.
- a - - Manager, ou
Le Velage des Cartes: with Carts.
LE BOUTELLE INEPOISABLE; THE
Mereary.
T
Arlogala le DisMe quetre, Mariogale, the Bevil.
L'Egee Magigne: The Magle Sword.
WONDER OF THE WORLD:
L'Tacomotage de Lose et de Soliel the Saggier et the and the -
LE CADRAN MATERMATICIEN:
Les Colombes Sympothetiques: The Sympethetie Devea,
Le Rie Enchente The
La Cafetiore de Grend Megal The Coffee Pes or the Geand Megal
Le - de - Magique: The Nogle Swestenks.
She Last Two Nighte!
Le frelerd Serpont The
la Borme Magique: The Magle Stove
la - du Poimon reage, execute - bebit de ville, The math of
performed in -
La Some tome dus Cartes et de - blanche; Now Masions wills
Thursday, Saturday,
- Whise
Le Billet de Solomee Note.
Les the
Apens sea, and ns4s.
des pieces de messaire: the
TRAND
NEW ILLUSIONS
FROW
M. HERRMANN.
Le SUSPENSION THEREENNE
- maseva
PRESTIDICITATIUR OF PRANCE,
om
IN
-
-
-
SOIRÉES
MAGIQUE
it
- - -
the caly cosasions he cas
SUSPENSION ÉTNÉREENNE.
aggear is this Seasom.
LE DOUBLE VUE!
zm. EEREMANN
Or, Second Sight,
BY
was -
MADAME EERRMANN.
New anes Startling y
WETHE VARIOUS
. vasions paste . -
ILLUSIONS WITH CARDS
AND
MAGIE
MADE. HERRMANN
AND
,
-
-
- - ber gevere os
BECOND SIGHT:
II IMITATION OF VABIOUS BIRDS,
ar
HEREMANE.
INTI-MAGNETISM
asalle a Boxes &u. PK Se. Galleries 2s. a ls.
Second Price as N ine o'cloek.
ages, any that may be
Deses
opee
Malf-past
Seven:
the
Performance
Eight
.
se
Plases
1
A Herrmann programme dated April, 1848, showing that Herrmann pre-
sented the inexhaustible bottle two months before Robert-Houdin appeared
in London.
[ 197 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,224,,"208
LATEST MAGIC
famous magicians, past and present, especially in
the shape of wands, as being the most characteristic
possession of the wizard. Accordingly, some
years ago, he began to collect wands, and he now
possesses more than eighty such, each a wand which
has been habitually yielded by some more or less
famous magician. By the courtesy of Dr. Ellison
I am enabled to furnish particulars of some of
them; as given in a very interesting pamphlet by
Epes W. Sargent, a well-known American writer.
The catalogue commences with a wand formerly
belonging to Professor Anderson, the once famous
""Wizard of the North."" Here are found also the
wands used by the two Herrmanns (Carl and
Alexander), Buatier de Kolta, Lafayette, Martin
Chapender, Carl Willmann and others who tread
the stage no more. As regards the living, there is
here a memento of nearly every English-speaking
conjurer of note: besides many others of cosmopol-
itan celebrity.
The wand here exhibited is not always the con-
ventional ebony and ivory affair, some of the speci-
mens being indeed of a highly original character.
For instance, the wand contributed by a Hindu
magician consists of the leg bone of a sacred mon-
key from the temple of Hanuman, the monkey
god, at Benares. The wands of Madame Adelaide
Herrmann and Chung Ling Soo take the shape of
fans. Horace Goldin's is a cut-down whip-handle,
and those of Clement de Lion and Imro Fox are"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,223,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Theatre. A bill used by Herrmann at the Princess is
reproduced on page 232. It evidently proved satisfactory to
the public and he used it without change for many years.
Probably the most notable warfare waged over the
BOTAL,
POGAM E
le Velage dus Carte: with
Nr. a. WESSTER, Sele Leisse - ou Bromptes.
Le des Dames the -
LA DOUTEILLE merna
FAREWELL
Rebia le Sercior, ( - -
Le Poche the Mervelless
MORNING
Lee Noces de Canna: -
Solme "" - and
Lee Colmmbee the
LS CADRAN MATREMATICIEN; TME cseom.
Le Timbre Soula, - - Restated Cleets Mell.
Le - de - Nagique: The
tome de Cartes et de magie New with
Caste - Whitte
MADONDE
la
- dus reages, esecule - de ville; The -
porformed - - Brom.
MAGIQUE
CRAND NEW ILLUSIONS
FROM
Le SUSPENSION ET LE REENNE
Commencing at Two o'Clock.
WONDER OF THE WORLD:
THIS MORNING.
SATURDAY, May 6th, 1846,
M. HERRMANN.
(ou MANOVERN
PREMIER PRESTIDICITATEUR OF FRANCE,
11
...
FIRST PROFESSOR OF MAGIO IN THE WORLD,
the Nobility, Geeary . Puble general, thet be will
- LAST A
Morning Performance,
SUSPENSTON ÉTHÉRÉENNE.
Frevious to als departure se the provinces, and will Intreduce
Six New Extraordinary Tricks,
DOUBLE VUE!
NEVER BEFORE :
Or, Second Sight,
L'Alben Heneveries; The Maseveriam Albsta.
""
Les Chapeses Diaboliquee: The Diabelical Mata,
Le Cufre infernale: The Seformal
MADAME HERRMANN.
Le Vase d'Armite: - l'horiogerie de Geneve: Armida's Vase er, The Gemeva
Cleckweek.
WETE VARIOUS
Le Mudtiplication des Indes:
Les Mysteres de Perie; The of Paris,
ILLUSIONS WITH CARDS
no Endame
MAGIE
as performed - weeke simee as she Thentre Megral, Adelght,
AND
MADE HERRMANN
+
o
,
.
3
R
Will also exbrbit her extraerdinary pevent of
II IMITATION OF VABIOUS
SECOND
IME. REMANE.
oa,
ANTS MAGNETISM
stalle and mexes
en
Doom
egee
at
Osse
the
ay with Clesed Eyee, any objecte that may be submitted
se thie preef, whica - assomished the mees acientifie,
Billing used by Compars Herrmann when he played in opposition to Robert-
Houdin on the latter's arrival in London. This shows that Herrmann dupli-
cated all of Robert-Houdin's tricks. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[196]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,223,,"THE USE OF THE WAND
207
even though he be a Past Grand Everything, knows
no more than the veriest outsider.
When in this direction there were no more mys-
teries left for him to conquer, Dr. Ellison natur-
ally turned his attention to Magic: and in accord-
ance with his habitual determination to know all
that there is to be known with regard to his hobby
for the time being he began to collect books upon
the subject. At first there were but few to collect,
but the literature of magic has grown, and grown,
and side by side with its advance Dr. Ellison's col-
lection has grown larger and larger till it numbers
some hundreds of volumes. Harry Kellar, the
dean of American magicians, and himself an
enthusiastic collector, yearned to possess it, and
offered the doctor for it the handsome sum of two
thousand dollars, equivalent in English money to
about four hundred pounds. But Dr. Ellison was
not to be tempted. In order that the collection
should be preserved intact, he donated it, some
years ago, to the New York Public Library, also
providing a fund for its upkeep and further devel-
opment.
But Dr. Ellison's interest in, and services to
Magic did not end here. He has made a collection
of models, entirely the work of his own hands, of
the appliances for over sixty stage illusions.
Some are of full size, others quite miniature
affairs, but one and all exact to scale. Further, the
doctor has a special affection for souvenirs of"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,222,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
New York, however. In December, 1848, and January,
1849, he played at the same theatre, and announced that
he had just concluded a successful engagement at the
Grand Theatre Tacon, Havana, Cuba.
Although Macallister claims to have invented ""The
Inexhaustible Bottle"" trick, it is more likely that, having
been connected so long with Phillippe, he knew the secret
several years before Robert-Houdin appeared in public.
But as Macallister also claimed to have invented the
peacock and the harlequin automata, both of which are
recognized as the inventions of his predecessors, his claim
cannot be given serious consideration.
He advertised to produce twenty-two kinds of liquors
from one bottle, and therefore he must have utilized the
essence glasses in connection with the bottle.
What must have been Robert-Houdin's feeling when,
on arriving in London in 1848, he found another magician,
Compars Herrmann, heavily advertised at the Théâtre
Royal, and already offering each and every trick included
by the Frenchman in his répertoire. Even the much-
vaunted bottle was in Herrmann's list of tricks. No one
seems able to tell where Compars Herrmann obtained
the tricks he used, but he must be given credit for never
advertising them as his own inventions. His record in
this respect was clean throughout his life as a mysterious
entertainer.
The programme presented by Herrmann at the Théâtre
Royal during Robert-Houdin's opening week at the St.
James Theatre is herewith reproduced. Herrmann re-
mained some time in London, playing at the Adelphia,
then at the Royal Princess, and finally at the Surrey
r 1"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,222,,"206
LATEST MAGIC
cards, or to effect some other substitution neces-
sary for the purpose of his next item.
Verbum sap, by all means cultivate the use of the
wand, and for the sake of effect, let it be of an ele-
gant and distinctive character. An office-ruler or
a piece of cane would serve many of its mechanical
purposes, but would lack the prestige attached to
what is, professedly, the genuine article.
One of the most striking proofs of the extensive
use and appreciation of the wand by modern
magicians is furnished by the remarkable collec-
tion of such implements got together by Dr. Saram
R. Ellison, of New York.
Dr. Ellison¹ is an eminent and popular phy-
sician, whose ruling passion is wanting to know
things, particularly things that other people don't
know. Such being his temperament, it goes almost
without saying that at an early period of his
career he became a Freemason. Having been duly
initiated into the mysteries of the ordinary lodge,
and learnt all it had to teach him, he still yearned
for ""more light,"" and accordingly worked his way
up step by step through intervening degrees in
masonry till he reached what is known as the
thirty-third degree, an order even more exclusive
than that of the Garter, and claiming to possess
secrets as to which the ordinary ""blue"" mason,
1 Since this was written Dr. Ellison has passed into the mysterious
beyond."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,221,,"The original Compars Herrmann, who was Robert-Houdin's very active
rival during the latter's first engagement in London. Best portrait now in
existence, and only one showing Herrmann in his prime. Original photograph
loaned for this work by James L. Kernan. of Baltimore, Md., U. S. A.
[194]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,221,,"THE USE OF THE WAND
205
produced. There is much virtue in what may be
called a magical atmosphere, and after the wizard
has proved his magical power by performing two
or three apparent impossibilities, the mind of the
spectator (though in his calmer moments, he
knows, or should know, better), is led to adopt in a
greater or less degree the solution ""forced"" upon
him by the conjurer. Habitual use of the wand,
with apparent seriousness, goes far to create the
desired atmosphere.
A good effect may be produced by ""electrifying""
the wand now and then, by rubbing it with a hand-
kerchief. The main uses of electricity are so
widely known, and so little understood by the mil-
lion, that they are quite ready to give it credit for
still more marvellous possibilities.
My friend Mr. Holt Schooling, mentioned in
connection with The Secret of the Pyramids, finds
an additional use for the wand. He uses, not one
only, but half a dozen, of different appearance, each
credited with some special magical virtue. At the
outset of his show these are arranged horizontally,
one above another on pins projecting from a small
sloping blackboard. For each fresh trick the
wand professedly appropriate to it is brought into
action, the one last used being at the same time
replaced on the stand. The spectators do not sus-
pect that behind each top corner of the board is a
small servante, enabling the performer, under
cover of the change of wands, to change a pack of"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,220,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
viously been deposited under lock and key at a consider-
able distance.""
Macallister, the Scotch brick-mason, who became the
pupil and assistant of Phillippe, as described in the
chapter on ""The Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal,"" also
Andrew Macallister as he appeared during his engagement in the United States.
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
claimed the bottle trick as his invention. I have been
unable to obtain any of the early programmes used by
Macallister, but I am reproducing the one he utilized
during his engagement at the Bowery Theatre, New
York City, in 1852. This was not his first appearance in
13
[ 193 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,220,,"204
LATEST MAGIC
the first difficulties of the novice, as he comes for-
ward to introduce himself to his audience, is to
know what to do with his hands. He can hardly
advance with hand on heart, within his vest, à la
Pecksniff. Held open, with arms hanging down
by the sides, the hands look too stiff, and to advance
with them in his pockets would hardly be good
form. By coming forward wand in hand, he
avoids these difficulties. The hand holding it auto-
matically assumes an easy and natural position,
and he ceases to think about the other. With the
wand held in the right hand across the body, its
free end resting on the palm of the opposite hand,
he is in an ideal attitude for delivering his intro-
ductory patter. Later on, by holding the wand in
the hand, he effectually disguises the fact that he
has some object, a card, a coin, or a watch con-
cealed therein. If he has occasion to call atten-
tion directly to any object, the wand forms the most
natural pointer. If he finds it necessary, for some
reason connected with the trick in hand, to make
a turn or half-turn away from the spectators, the
fact that he has left his wand upon the table affords
him the needful opportunity.
Lastly, if the wand is habitually used as the pro-
fessed instrument of a desired transposition or
transformation, a certain portion of an average
audience gradually becomes impressed with the
idea that there really must be some occult connec-
tion between the touch of the wand and the effect"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,219,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
into Different Liquids-Sherry, Port, Champagne, Gin,
BOWERY THEATRE
Milk, Rum, and Water.""
The London Sun of
Domes.
Pit.
1-9 Conte
Seate de Orchostra Beses.
se Conte
Domes for
FIV Dellase
Boots egee from 9 A.
a
April 18th, 1843, says:
The Deors will open et asd the Seiree et . e'slesh.
These le se Cheatrical Eshibition with these
""Mr. Anderson, be-
NIGHTLY JAMMED!
THE GREAT WIZARD
sides the feats by which
MAGALLISTER!
his reputation was es-
tablished in his former
bie Trimmbant Career, and sightly exhibite bie Grand and De'ginal
exhibitions in the metro-
Experimente in MAGXO, x.
ac., in bie Gorgeous Temple before
AMAZED THOUSANDS
polis, performed with per-
""Men of Mighty Words and Little Deeds!
Whe elaim the sele right to the name el WIZARD try in vais to convince the werld of
fect ease and success
beis greatness!--They may well writhe under the exposure of their FRES
SYSTEK, by which they seek to obtain es sudiesce, while the daily assouncement of ous
TRIOKS under www show the strait to which they ase driven! They have
learned "" their cost, that
some of greater difficulty
"" Feels rash in where Angels fear to tread.""
For the time bere. Macallister will perfores hie
than those by which Herr
GREAT LIGHT FEAT
Döbler astonished the
AND INSTANTLY
Iliuminate the Interior of the Theatre
world, such as serving
AT A PISTOL SHOT
Requert, will be repeated the
several kinds of wines
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE
ANDITS
from the same bottle.""
"" GREAT GUN .FEAT!"" or, FEAT A LA Wm. TELL.
was - sine Wendes the em origimal
MAGIC BOTTLE -
The Morning Adver-
ANCALLISTERS
tiser (London) of the
ORICINY
same date said
BOTR
KINDS OF LIQUOR
""With the utmost ease
OUT or MACALLIITER'S
he produced from an
BOTTLE
world
that
cas
empty bottle wine, water,
produce
kinds
of
Liques
and
the
same
Dottle.
port, sherry, and cham-
ednesday Evening, August 11, 1852
pagne, and immediately
wm be gives the Mystorics of the
ENCHANTEDPALACE
afterward, under a blaze
Programme used by Macallister at the
of wax and gas, he broke
Bowery Theatre, August 11th, 1852, during
his second engagement in New York City.
the same bottle and pro-
Featuring the Magic Bottle"" from which
duced from it half a
twenty-two kinds of liquor could be
drawn. Careful reading will unearth
dozen cambric handker-
Macallister's ill-will toward Anderson.
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
chiefs, which had pre-
[ 192 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,219,,"THE USE OF THE WAND
CLOSELY connected with the subject of patter is
the use of the wand, which in my own opinion can-
not be too sedulously cultivated. To the cases in
which the wand itself forms the prominent item
of the trick, I devoted a special chapter in ""Later
Magic."" To these therefore I need not further
refer. More important, however, is the part
played by the wand from the point of view of gen-
eral utility.
In the first place, it is the only remnant of the
traditional outfit of the magician. Time was,
when the regulation costume of the wizard was a
sugarloaf hat, and a robe embroidered with highly
coloured mystic symbols. Such a robe is still worn
as part of their make-up, by Chung Ling Soo and
a few other Orientals, but the orthodox costume of
the latter-day wizard is ordinary evening dress.
The wand alone remains; the symbol and the pro-
fessed instrument of his mystic powers, and from
its traditional connection with magic, there is a
special prestige attached to it.
For these reasons alone it would be desirable to
retain the use of the wand, but apart from them,
its practical uses are many and various. One of
203"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,218,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
together in one receptacle, and he fills out first a glass
of sherry, then one of port, then one of champagne, and
so on.""
The critic then describes how the bottle was broken, and
the borrowed handkerchief was found inside the bottle.
Probably because of the prominence which Herr Dö-
et. James's Theatre, King St,
LAST NIGHT BUT FOUR OF
HERR DOBLER'S
TUEBRAY,
JULY 5,
(on thero will - NO
SATURDAY, JULY 9.
LOUDS
NATURAL
MAGIC
-
WALL shortty
ANO NUMEROUN HEW EXPERIMENTS INTRODUGED
-
- - -
-
-
A
de - ed.
. -
Walle - Gallery -
- as. qui
Döbler programme with illustrations of his tricks, used during his engagement
at the St. James Theatre, London. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
bler gave to this trick it attracted more attention when
Anderson presented it during his London run of 1843.
He announced it as ""Watervs. Wine, or Changing Water
[ 191 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,218,,"202
LATEST MAGIC
be left to take care of itself. It should auto-
matically improve with each of its earlier repeti-
tions as good wine improves in bottle. Faults will
correct themselves, and being made perfect by
practice, the performer will thenceforth be able to
""speak his piece"" without effort, and devote his
whole energies to the actual working of the trick.
To the amateur, only performing on special occa-
sions, with perhaps considerable intervals between
them, I commend a plan from which I myself
derived great benefit, viz.: Write out from
memory the patter for each trick on the pro-
gramme a day or two before a coming performance.
After you have given your show, go through your
manuscript again carefully, noting and correcting
it in any point in which the patter failed to be ex-
actly right. The interpolation of a single sen-
tence, the transposition in point of sequence of two
movements, or the alteration of some trifling detail,
such as standing at a different angle to your table
at a given moment, may make all the difference be-
tween partial failure and complete success."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,217,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
FLORA'S GIFTS.
HERR DOBLER
Ludwig Döbler in his prime, offering his most popular trick, ""The Creation
of Flowers."" From a rare lithograph in the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ I90 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,217,,"CONCERNING PATTER
201
that he is actually the person whom he represents.
The modern magician should do the same. If he
has enough of the true artistic spirit to imagine,
when he steps forward on the platform, that he is
a magician, and that his miracles are genuine, he
will go a long way towards producing a like impres-
sion in the minds of his audience. Bearing this in
mind, describe what you propose to do as an
""effect,"" a ""marvel,"" an ""experiment,"" or a
""phenomenon""; never by any chance as a ""trick.""
It may be objected that I have myself repeatedly
used the obnoxious word in the course of the fore-
going pages, but that is another matter. This
book is written by a conjurer for conjurers: and as
between ourselves we are forced to admit, painful
though it be to do so, that our greatest miracles are
only tricks. But we need not tell the public SO.
Logically-minded persons know it well enough, if
they are allowed to think about the matter. Our
business is to make them, for the time, forget it.
A wise old Roman said: Populus vult decipi:
decipiatur. Your audience wish to be deceived; in
fact they have come together for that purpose. By
all means let them be deceived to the top of their
bent; and the first step towards effectually deceiv-
ing them, is to persuade them, if possible, that there
is ""no deception.""
The patter for a given trick, once composed, and
tested by a few performances in public, may
thenceforth, SO far as the professional is concerned,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,216,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
""DOBLER-ST. JAMES THEATRE.-Among the illusions
that more particularly struck our fancy was one entitled
""The Travelling Bottle,' where Herr Döbler, filling a
common bottle with water, transformed this water into
a collection of wines of all countries, amicably assembled
Döblers Strauschen
und gervidmet.
2ins to ging's mil anbern Stanfe...
ou Annã,
Die ber gethan,
Nech in Wintee, - ate Sife
accce aberneg bie
méefat Gunt,
ward fatt Davan-
mis Am Jänben, girrig
mit Den Mingen. mit bem Spiegef,
Fingen Re Die Samen anf.
und mit der Flaghs Wein.
Qiefe Kafges
Nicmans Grach bas biegef
9u Des. Singe Sanf.
yes es Acia.
Sem was ensfeeret
Teinen Rufym ou nacf, Jashm.
fonber gaft.
gevif uns jurüch,
Sat man nene Segefycet
Wenn Die wea bu
es Die keine
mit Magiers Qatich.
ben Samber gn
Tann mafangen wir bich wisbes,
hore, But was wieber vell,
Lafen biefj auch nieft mefje aup,
in
Bie on
ans las ;bemp fifjun vöffig tell.'
Sefellef hier
fich in Reife anf So in Theatey.
Döbler's farewell programme in verse, used when he played his last engage-
ment in the Josephstadter Theatre, Vienna. Original given by Döbler per-
sonally to Henry Evanion; now in the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 189]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,216,,"200
LATEST MAGIC
ited in the right hand, he has only to say, ""Now I
want you particularly to keep an eye on this""
whatever the article in the right hand may happen
to
be. All eyes are for the moment, instinctively
drawn to the object in question, and in that moment
the deed is done. The artifice is ridiculously sim-
ple, but it is effective, and it is on being fully pre-
pared with the right thing to say and do at the crit-
ical moment that the success of a magical enter-
tainment largely depends. Careful rehearsal, pre-
ferably before an expert friend, will furnish the
best hints as to the danger-spots in the working
of a trick, and how best to devise patter to meet
them.
A final word of advice-advice that has been often
given, but cannot be too often repeated if you
really aim to carry your audience with you. Never
lose sight of the fact that you are, in the words of
Robert-Houdin, ""an actor playing the part of a
magician,"" and take your office seriously. In par-
ticular, never before an audience use the word
""trick,"" which at once gives away all your preten-
sion to magical power. An actor never tells his
audience that he is an actor or that he is playing a
part. He does not call their attention to his
make-up, however excellent, or tell them that his
wig comes from Clarkson. On the contrary, he
does his best to make his audience for the time for-
get that he is Hubert de Barnstormer, or whatever
his stage name may be, and to keep up the illusion"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,215,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
only breaking this rule when presenting his show before
H. M. Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort.
He played the provinces, then went over to Dublin,
where, although unable to speak English, he was a ver-
itable sensation. In 1844
Döbler played a return
STREET, ar.
SATURDAY EVENING,
date at the St. James
APRIL. 10,
1842
la
Ne
-
by
Theatre, London, and
sme LOUIS
DOBLER,
this time he had Ander-
to - the of
son as a rival at the Thé-
-
-
-
the gener
NATURAL
cummer
âtre Royal Adelphia.
MAGIC
Döbler amassed a for-
lass keil the - of - de - of Name -
tune very rapidly; in fact
-
-
-
-
NER MAJESTY THE QUEEN & H.R.M. THE PRINGE ALBERT.
The - be divided inte Twe Para and with Mark -
he retired in 1847, and
by M. - Eigli - -
PROGRABNE OF PERFORMANGE
PART L
never again appeared on
The Magle Illumination,
Tero Hundred Candles lighted by One Platol Shot
The Magle Looking Olass.
The Wandering
The Travelling Bottle.
The Witched Chair.
the stage. He always ex-
The Sympathetle Fruit.
The Wonder
The Corresponding Clooks.
Kitchen.
PART n.
plained his early retire-
Farmes
The Magnetic Sword.
The Notallie newer Zoots.
Instantaneous
The Great Necamotage.
The Miracuions Washing
ment by saying: ""The
More and There.
Floga's aifta.
vass
THURSDAY. APRIL 91; and ou SATURDAY, APRIL ss.
public loves me, and I
PIt, Se.
Gallery Stalls, is. ed.
A - Orehostre Datte - be 9a. -
-
PRIVATE BOXEA, ITALLA - TICKETS - be - -
Royal Librasy, ss, osd
want it to always love me.
Mr. asqunt's Librasy, Regent-street;
Mr. sams's Librasy, Jamos's-streed;
Andas - - of the Thestre, whieb le - - . Pivo
I may return and be a
# - - at as
failure, so it is best to
A Döbler programme from the Eva-
know just when to stop.""
nion collection, dated 1842, now in the
possession of the author.
He died in a little village
near Tunitz, on April
17th, 1864, when one of God's noblemen was laid to rest.
""The Travelling Bottle"" alluded to by Döbler in his
programmes was nothing more or less than ""The Inex-
haustible Bottle."" The following excerpt from the
London Chronicle during Döbler's engagement at the
St. James Theatre, April, 1842, is illuminating:"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,215,,"CONCERNING PATTER
199
cheerful. Geniality of manner is one of the most
valuable assets of the conjurer. Above all, don't
be nervous. You may say ""I can't help it,"" but to
a great extent you can. It is largely a matter of
will. Start with the idea that all will go well, and
it will probably do SO. On the other hand, a low-
spirited conjurer always makes a low spirited
audience.
In any case, be sparing of puns, which have been
deservedly described as the lowest form of wit. A
single pun, if good enough (or bad enough) may
win a laugh, and score to your credit, but to pep-
per an audience with verbal shrapnel in the shape
of puns is an outrage on good taste.
Passing to the third function of patter, the mis-
direction of attention in the course of a trick, we
will assume that you have made a start in the right
direction at the outset, by suggesting some fanciful
explanation of the effect you intend to produce, SO
that your audience, starting from wrong premises,
do not know the points at which their too close
observation would be inconvenient. The best way
of diverting their attention at one of these critical
points is obviously to attract it to some other direc-
tion. A mere sentence, particularly if accom-
panied by appropriate action, will suffice. Sup-
posing, to take an elementary instance, that the
performer desires to drop unseen into the profonde
from his left hand some small article for which he
has just deftly substituted a duplicate, now exhib-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,214,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
intaliset, minister of the King's mansions."" He also
orms his friend that he expects to visit Paris the next
son and build his own theatre. He states a fact most
resting to all magicians, namely, that he has rented
(lay Drive
udwig Döbler in his prime, taken about 1839. The original of this rare
re was discovered by the author in a small print shop in Moscow, Russia.
now a part of his Collection.
St. James Theatre in London for two thousand
ICS ($400) a night, or more than $2,400 rent for one
k. Döbler drew such big audiences and made so
ch money that he refused to give private perfomances,
[187]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,214,,"198
LATEST MAGIC
to change the mode of presentation altogether, and
to make the illusion no longer objective, but subjec-
tive. He announced that by means of his magic
power he could take away the strength of the
strongest man, and render him weak as a little
child. The ""chest"" was in this case merely
brought forward in a casual way, as a convenient
object wherewith the assertion of the magician
could be tested. The strongest man in the com-
pany was invited to come forward, and try whether
he could lift that little box. Of course he could,
and did; a child could have done the same. ""You
lifted it because I permitted you to do.so,"" said the
magician. ""But I take away your strength. Try
to lift it now!'
Again the athlete tries his strength, but now he
fails. With teeth set, and every muscle tense, he
strains, and strains, but in vain, and he has to con-
fess that the infidel wonder-worker has, for the
time, taken away all his strength. Here was a
wizard indeed!
In arranging your patter, be humorous if you
can, but if, like the gentleman we have all heard
of, you ""joke with difficulty,"" don't force yourself
to be funny. That it is possible for a man lacking
humour still to be a great conjurer is proved by
the case of Hartz, who was notably deficient in this
particular, but by his excellence in other directions
won a place in the very first rank of his profession.
But if you cannot be humorous, at any rate be"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,213,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
"" THE GREAT WIZARD OF THE NORTH,""
Performing hie triak of
POURING FOUR DIFFERENT LIQUIDS FROM ONE BOTTLE.
Reproduction of a political cartoon in Punch, published during Anderson's
London engagement, April, 1843, proving that the Inexhaustible Bottle Trick""
was used by Anderson before Robert-Houdin was a professional entertainer.
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 186]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,213,,"CONCERNING PATTER
197
but with only a cloudy recollection as to what they
were.
In devising, as is sometimes desirable, new patter
for an old trick, an endeavour should be made to
look at the effect from an entirely fresh point of
view, so as to make the trick practically a new one.
A remarkable instance of such a transformation is
furnished by an incident in the life of Robert-
Houdin. At one period of his career he was
entrusted by the French Government with a very
important mission. He was sent to Algeria, spe-
cially charged to ""astonish the natives,"" and by
his greater wonders to destroy their belief in the
pretended miracles of the Aissoua.
Among other surprises, he decided to make use
of his ""Light and Heavy Chest,"" a chest which, as
the reader is doubtless aware, became at command,
by means of an electro-magnet in the pedestal on
which it rested, so ""heavy"" that the strongest man
could not lift it from its base. This trick, pro-
duced at a time when the phenomena of electricity
were but little understood, has produced an
immense sensation at his Paris performances.
But the Master instinctively felt that the trick in
that shape would produce little or no effect on the
more primitive mind of the Arab. He would sim-
ply have taken for granted some mechanical means
of holding down the chest, beyond his own com-
prehension, no doubt, but by no means to be
regarded as miraculous. Robert-Houdin decided"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,212,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
grammes used by John Henry Anderson, the Wizard
of the North, in the same years. According to these
programmes Phillippe and Anderson showed the bottle
empty, filled it with water, and then served five different
liquors.
On April 30th, 1838, Anderson thus announced the
trick on a programme used at Victoria Rooms, Hull:
""Handkerchiefs will be borrowed from three gentle-
men; the magician will load his mystic gun, in which
he will place the handkerchiefs; he will fire a bottle con-
taining wine, the bottle will be .broken and the handker-
chiefs will appear.""
Programmes in my collection show that Anderson pre-
sented the trick, serving various sorts of liquors, when he
played London in 1840, but little attention was drawn to
the wonderful bottle. In 1842 Ludwig Döbler, Germany's
best-beloved magician, came to London and featured
what he termed ""The Travelling Bottle.'
Ludwig Leopold Döbler was born in Vienna in 1801. He
was the best-beloved magician who ever trod the stage. He
started life as an engraver of metals, but his fancy turned
to necromancy. He gave his best performances in his na-
tive city. In 1841 he was touring Holland, and in a letter
now in my possession, which he wrote to a director and
editor in Vienna under date of March I5th, 1842, he in-
forms his friend that he has sent all his baggage to London
from Amsterdam, and is on a visit to Paris. He regrets
that he has not all of his apparatus with him, but has
given several performances, and mentions the fact that
"" to-morrow I am engaged to give a performance in the
private parlor of Rothschild and then by the Count
[ 185 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,212,,"196
LATEST MAGIC
by the introduction, among the ""properties"" used,
of some object professedly essential to the trick,
but as a matter of fact having no real concern with
the effect produced. The audience take for
granted that it must have something to do with the
effect, or it would not be used, and are thereby led
away the more effectually from the actual explana-
tion. Numerous illustrations of the use of this
device will be found in the foregoing pages.
If, in the case of a given trick, the performer
is absolutely at a loss to produce a satisfactory
fable to introduce it, he may evade the difficulty
by stating that he is about to produce an effect for
which he cannot himself account, and inviting the
assistance of his audience in doing SO.
The second function of patter is the calling of
the attention of the audience to matters which you
desire them to take note of, and to give oppor-
tunity to do SO. There is small credit to be gained
by changing the ace of clubs into the ace of hearts,
or making a given article pass invisibly from one
spot to another, unless the spectators have been
first made to realise the original state of things, and
they must be allowed sufficient time to do SO. I
have more than once seen an otherwise brilliant
show spoilt by being rushed through at railroad
speed. The mind of the spectator had not been
allowed time to receive clear impressions. The
company in such a case disperses with a conscious-
ness of having had a rapid succession of surprises,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,211,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
W'aterloo Rooms.
three sorts of wine, Port,
"" est Agreenble et Plaimes de S'Instruire -
Sherry, and Cham-
THE LAST
pagne, out of one bottle.
Spiendid, Brilliant and Fashionable
Then he put them to-
DAY PERFORIANOE
WILL TAKE PLACE ON
gether, and from such a
SATURDAY Sist APRIL, 1939,
Under the High and Distinguished
mixture produced sher-
ry in one glass, and port
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LADY GIFFORD,
in another.""
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
From this notice it
Lady H. Stuart Forbes,
will be seen that Falck
WHICH OCCASION had ""The Inexhaustible
dec. dyc. dec.
religional
Mons"". PHILLIPPE
Bottle,"" and had some
WILL SELECT
The most INTERESTING, ATTRACTIVR and
method of returning all
PRISING FEATS
the liquors not drunk
FROM HIS EXTENSIVE STOCK or
NECROMANTIC, MACICAL a DEXTERICAL
back into the bottle
DEMION-STRATIONS!
and then pouring out
La Gaieté est la Santé de L'ame la tristesse on est le poison.
two different kinds of
Programme.
zase z.
Aed - -
ema
liquor.
Indian and Chinsee Meale !!!
A CURIOUS OPERATION,
sova wese
Empe ammid by -
Ser .
Nom P. - - -
Perhaps he resorted
sese
- -
A
****ON som
Le
La
Esso
- - - - Jehe
Lopes -
WINGS AGAINST WHEELS, on THE
la SRAND TOUS - -
to chemicals, but one
warch:
de
/
TRACIC SCENE - ACRECABLE
LES
Porssons woa !!.
tothe -
Tare CONCLUSE
the BIBTH y
thing is evident - the
The SUBLINE TUAT
the Auternal Nettle,
PATRIOT
and
bottle was used for six
ay CAP.
Toing BALL - - ORANCE
Noad of I#
THE. UNPARALLELED,
zase sv.
different kinds of liquors
JUPITKE . rulcan FIRES:
The - - - - ""
The OUN-AT PRACOCE,
FICURES
at one and the same
as -
reas ***.
- sie
A NIGHT IN THE
FAD-JUNO - JUPITER-1
PALACE OF PERIN:
-The MACICIAN Hond
time.
TWO BARBER
a Mess. PEILLIPFE wis appone
The UUN-ECLIPEE ""
AS TRE OSSAT
of BOYAL
MAGIGIAN
LEQUIN in
QUEEN VICTOILA
Phillippe from 1836 to
IN PULL COSTUME,
of SCOTLAND, ENOLAND, -
ON MONDAY
1838 featured ""An In-
Mens. P. takes his BENEFIT.
fernal Bottle"" trick, also
""The Inexhaustible
Poster used by Phillippe during his
Edinburgh engagement in 1838, featuring
Bottle"" trick. The trick
""The Infernal Bottle."" From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
also was seen on pro-
[ 184]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,211,,"CONCERNING PATTER
195
away from the true explanation of the marvel, and
to suggest, in a more or less plausible way, some
other, remote from the real one.
The suggested explanation may be either pseudo-
scientific, where possible based on some generally
accepted truth (and it is surprising what a long
way even a few grains of truth go in such cases) ; or
it may be downright ""spoof,"" delivered however
with due appearance of seriousness. The explana-
tions will naturally fall a good deal short of the
George Washington standard of truthfulness, but
the most tender conscience need not in such a case
have any scruples on the score of veracity. No
sane person expects truth in a fairy tale, and a
magical entertainment, from beginning to end, is
but a fairy tale in action. To put the matter in an
epigrammatic nutshell:
Truth is ""a gem of purest ray serene,""
A virtue always to be cultivated,
But such depends,-you'll gather what I mean,
On how you happen to be situated.
At home, abroad, wherever I may be,
I tell the honest truth, and shame the d-
.
But when you ask to be deceived. Good gracious!
You can't expect me then to be veracious.
In that case only do I make exception,
And most deceive when vowing ""no deception.""
This function of patter, the leading away the
minds of the audience from the true explanation of
the puzzle offered them, may be materially assisted"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,210,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
Mr. Falck opened at the Queen's Bazaar, Oxford
Street, London, November 8th, 1835. Before opening,
however, he gave a private performance for the press,
and received quite a number of notices. A half-column
clipping in my collection, dated November 4th, 1835,
NATURAL
MAGIC!
MCR. FALCK,
Of Konigaberg, Pupil of the celebrated Chevalier Pinetty, has
just arrived in England, and will exhibit his surprising deceptions,
NOW UNRIVALLED
IN NATURAL MAGIC,
AT THE
Queen's Bazaar, Oxford Street.
AMONG THE NUMEROUS FEATS EXHIBITED
WILL BE FOUND THE FOLLOWING:-
The Enchanted Bread-The Walking Rice-Paying a Tavera
Keeper-The Enchanted Egg-The Calculation of Money-The
Lost Ring-The Exchange of Wine-The Enchanted Dice-The
Card in the Pocket-The Present, or Gift of Flora-The Wine and
Dessert-besides Surprising Deceptions with Cards, &c. &c.
The Performance to begin daily
and at Three till half-past Four.
ADMITTANCE ONE SHILLING-CHILDREN SIXPENCE.
Geo. Nichole, Printer, Earl's Court, Cranbourn Street, Soho.
10
-
Poster used by Falck of Koenigsberg in 1835, featuring the trick of exchange
of wine. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
which I think is cut from The Chronicle or The Globe,
the trick among other effects like ""Flora's
ift,"" ""The Card in the Pocket,"" etc., and adds that
the ""exchange of wine was so that if once in Mr. Falck's
Company, we should not wish to exchange it, for he poured
[r83]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,210,,"194
LATEST MAGIC
a ""giant's robe upon a dwarfish thief,"" or the
reverse, cannot be expected to be a becoming gar-
ment. Every man has, or should have, a style of
his own, and it is rarely good policy to imitate that
of somebody else. If a low comedy man were to
essay to play Hamlet, or a tragedian, however
eminent, were to try to give an limitation of Harry
Lauder, the result would be likely to be disappoint-
ing.
The reader, undertaking to write his own patter,
and desirous of making it just what patter should
be, will find counsels of perfection in ""Our Magic,""
and the more nearly he can approach them the
better. As, however, all have not the good fortune
to possess that admirable work, I venture to indi-
cate what to my own mind seem to be the chief
points to be aimed at.
It is almost a commonplace to say that the main
object of patter is misdirection. As the term is
more usually applied, this means something said or
done midway in the course of a trick to draw away
the attention of the audience at some critical
moment, and to create what the French conjurers
call a ""temps,"" i.e., an ""opportunity"" for doing,
unnoticed, some necessary act. But misdirection
may very well start at an earlier stage than this:
in fact, well in advance of the actual execution of
the trick. Each trick should have some sort of
introduction, and the patter serving this purpose
should be such as to lead the mind of the hearer"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,209,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
tory of that automaton. The programme published in
that chapter is dated
FOR SIX NIGHTS ONLY,
- NOWDAY, - To of - - nive FRIDAY, -
le fue
1827, and does not in-
Mr. Schmidt's BENEFIT,
- SATURDAY to - LAST NIONT of the
clude the famous bottle,
MECHANICAL OPTICAL THEATRE
At the Mueic-Hall,
because it was no longer a
Albion-Street, Leeds.
novelty in Herr Schmidt's
zm. - respostfully the Ledice and of LEEDS
Vielaity, that aftee - Years laboer be hee completed some AUTOMATAN
NOPE DANCERS, - lasge - Life, which go through Variety of Evelations es
-
répertoire; but the ad-
Tighs Repe. To Men of Selence they mest appess impossible, for though thay are estacity
with the they from tt, and balance
le WITHOUT the UST or THEIR HANDS, AND INSTANT.
LY CONNECT TREMSELVER wire THE MACHINERY AGAIN
vertisement reproduced
herewith, dated 1821,
schedules the bottle trick
thus: ""The Bottle of
Sobriety and Inebriety,
proving the inutility of a
set of decanters, when
Me. will also introduce Variety of interesting and amasing Pieces of Mechonion,
never before exhibited in Loeda,
RAMO SAMMEE,
various liquors can be
TNe - Nette Pigure will correctly inform the Company the Time by any Person's
Watoh: be will also decipher Writing, and any Question proposed to bim.
The Dutch Coffee House,
produced by one."" Thus
As elegast little Bullding: on the Travellers ringing the bell the door opene-th
attende and provides hém with any Liquor be may vall for.
Schmidt antedated
or SAPETY.
which Proporty of any description can be placed on the direction of the Company : the
contente will imporceptibly ebange from drawer into another, or evem bobind the glanses.
The Bottle of Sobriety and Inebriely,
Houdin's offering of the
Proving . instilley of est of Decastora, when varions Liquors be produced by -
THE MECHANICAL TEA CADDYS,
Any Lady or Gentionna haring deaire to of any Article, locke in one Cuddy,
trick by more than a
yet - opaning the ether is is lomed there, althongt the Cadity le la the hand of any othes
Porsoa.
AN GLASS PILLAR,
quarter of a century.
Which will perform Feats,
EXPERIMEEN'TS IN ELECTRICITY.
Next the bottle turned
-
The Engliab - will diccharge . Conmon githeut of
AN ESTERTAININO' EXPERIMENT WITH TWO ELECTRICAL VASEA,
The
power of Dectricity over de Vegolable Kingdom, prodecing . Cmp es
IN ON& MINUTE, before the Eyes of the Spectutori.
up in 1835 in London,
a.
THE UNFORTUNATE MAGAZINE,
- - being placed la alghs of the Audienne a Thénder Cloud will descend and the
- direetly above it, beary finches of Lightining are obsesved striking. dowa apen 14,
bet - being provided - Conductor they prove ineffectual; after a chort time
where it was presented by
- Conductup le femoved, the becomes more vivid, cape more strikes the
in a ignited; asd. le concumed is eight of the
a German whostyled him-
The vhole of the Valushle - Splondid EXEIBITION of MECHANICAL amd
MUSICAL AUTOMATA will be exhibited - Lady The
Artiet: The Rope Dancer: Magnificons Yose; The The Walk.
- Figare; A Teranfula As Egyption Limerd; Two Siberiom Mice A Goldem
self ""Falck of Koenigs-
A Humrisg Bird; Self-acting Plano-Forte. The whole of the Evening
Amoument will conciate with the extroordinery
DANCE OF WITCHES,
berg, Pupil of the
or which the folloting de Brief description Grotesque Ballet, representing the Soe
esser's Anniversary or . Dance of with varions Evolations, Gambola, Dancos, and
celebrated Chevalier Pin-
by - of fancy formeed Figures, producing the most
. - - de de
- One - - - AUTOMATA - be - -
- The AUTUMATA - - la the - Soves -
- - - their - - - - - Stage
netty,"" and who intro-
- - - - BACH.-A BAND WILL ATTEXA
PRINITA
duced the programme
A Schmidt programme of 1821, featur-
with which Döbler made
ing the Bottle of Sobriety and Inebriety.""
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
such a sensation in 1842.
[ 182]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,209,,"CONCERNING PATTER
193
great deal, and done very little, and that I had had
very little real magic for my money. On the other
hand, the loquacious doctor was always amusing,
and it must not be forgotten that to amuse, even
more than to puzzle, is the raison d'être of the mod-
ern magician. It seems to me therefore quite
legitimate to use, to a reasonable extent, the art
of the raconteur to supplement that of the
magician.
If my own patter is in some cases found super-
abundant, I have at any rate done my best to make
it amusing, and if the reader opines that I have not
paid sufficient regard to the late Mr. Ducrow's cele-
brated maxim, ""Cut the cackle, and come to the
'osses,"" he is quite at liberty to cut my cackle to
what he may consider more reasonable proportions.
No doubt, time would be saved thereby. If, for
instance, he were to cut out the little romantic
fictions with which I have introduced ""The Miracle
of Mumbo Jumbo"" and ""The Story of the Alka-
hest,"" and start ""right away"" with the bare per-
formance of the trick, both could be exhibited in
little more time than I have allotted to either alone.
Which treatment is likely to give the greater satis-
faction to his audience, he must decide for himself.
Where the performer has the gift (for a ""gift""
it undoubtedly is) of devising effective patter for
himself I am strongly in favour of his doing SO.
Borrowed patter may be likened to a borrowed
dress-coat. It is never likely to be an exact fit, and"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,208,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
a
view of ""the Barrel that plays so many Liquors and is
broke in pieces before the Spectators."" ""
In 1780 Dr. Desaguliers presented in London a per-
formance entitled ""A Course of Experimental Philosophy
wherein the Principles of Mechanics, Hydrostatics, Pneu-
matics, and Optics are proved and demonstrated by more
than 300 Experiments.""
In the course of these lectures he produced a sort of
barrel, worked by holding the fingers over the air-holes.
He also exposed the real source of strength of the notorious
strong man of his day, John Carl von Eckeberg, who
allowed horses to pull against him, permitted heavy
stones to be broken on his bare chest, and who broke
heavy ropes simply by stretching or straightening his
knees. These lectures and exposés made Dr. Desaguliers
so famous that he has been given considerable space in
Sir David Brewster's ""Letters on Natural Magic,"" pub-
lished in London in 1851, in which book the various de-
ceptions used by strong men are fully described. In fact
the book is one that should be in every conjurer's library.
The old Dutch books explain the barrel trick, and in
1803 Charles Hutton, professor of Woolwich Royal
Academy, translated four books from Ozanam and
Montucla, exposing quite a number of old conjuring
tricks. The barrel trick will be found on page 94 of
Volume II.
The first use of ""The Inexhaustible Bottle"" by modern
conjurers I found in an announcement of Herr Schmidt,
a German performer, who for a time controlled the
original writing and drawing figure, as will be found by
reference to Chapter III., which is devoted to the his-
[ 181 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,208,,"CONCERNING PATTER
IT will doubtless have been observed that I have
in the foregoing pages been somewhat lavish in
respect of patter. I have done SO for two or three
reasons.
First, in order to enable the reader to form a
better estimate of the effect of the trick presented,
duly clothed and coloured, to the mind of the spec-
tator. A trick described, however minutely, from
the mere mechanical or technical point of view,
gives scarcely more idea of its actual effect than
the rough charcoal sketch of the artist does of the
finished painting. Secondly, because ready-made
patter, if the reader cares to use it, will save him a
considerable amount of trouble. My third reason
is more personal, namely, that it has been a labour
of love to do SO. To my mind the devising of some
little bit of appropriate fiction to serve as intro-
duction to a trick is the pleasantest part of the
inventor's work.
It may perhaps be thought that I have, in some
of the more ambitious tricks, been overliberal in
this particular. I remember thinking, after wit-
nessing a ""show"" by Dr. Lynn, a popular per-
former of the last generation, that he had talked a
192"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,207,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
target revolve, or, if the frame is used, by having a black
velvet curtain pulled up by rapid springs or strong
rubbers.
While all this is going on, some one has brought on the
stage the loaded bottle, and as no attention is called to
this, by the time the watches have been restored to the
owners the conjurer introduces the bottle trick, pours
out the various liquors, and eventually breaks the bottle
and reproduces the borrowed article tied about the neck
of the guinea-pig or dove.
Many names have been given to this trick. The old-
time magicians who remained for months in one theatre
had to change their programmies frequently, so for one
night they would present the bottle without breaking it,
and on the next they would break the bottle, so as to
vary the trick.
This bottle trick originated in ""The Inexhaustible
Barrel."" The first trace that I can find of this wonder-
ful barrel is in ""Hocus Pocus, Jr., The Anatomie of
Legerdemain,"" written by Henry Dean in 1635 (Second
Edition). On page 2I is described a barrel with a single
spout, from which can be drawn three different kinds of
liquors. This was worked precisely on the same principle
as was the inexhaustible bottle trick centuries. later, by
shutting up the air-holes of compartments from which
liquors were not flowing.
Its first public appearance, according to the data in my
collection, clipped from London papers of 1707 and I7I2,
was when the ""famous water-works of the late ingenious
Mr. Henry Winstanly"" were exhibited by his servants
for the benefit of his widow; and the exhibition included
[180]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,207,,"THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK
191
to call attention by name to the cards exposed, and
say, ""When these three cards appear in conjunc-
tion, it is clear that the card drawn was the queen
of spades"" (or whatever it may happen to be).
Any one deluded, as the majority will probably be,
into believing that you really infer the name of the
drawn card from those on the table, will be farther
from the real solution than ever."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,206,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
Again, this bottle can be genuine, with no loose bottom
at all, and a small article can be inserted, but this makes
a great deal of trouble, and the effect is not greatly in- -
creased. In doing the trick thus, I was always com-
pelled to have an optician cut the bottom from the bottle,
and then at times even he would break it.
To explain further how the article is ""loaded"" into
the bottle, the performer borrows several articles, for
example a ring and two watches. He will place the ring
and watches into a funnel at the end of a large horse-
pistol, and shoot them at the target. The two watches
appear on the target or in a frame or any place that he
may choose. In obtaining the articles, he may have
wrapped them up in a handkerchief which he has hidden
in the front of his vest. Alexander Herrmann was excep-
tionally clever in making this exchange, his iron nerve
and perpetual smile being great aids in the trick.
The performer now places the duplicate handkerchief
on the table in full view of the audience, and walks to
another table for a gun. While reaching for this gun, he
places the criginal articles which he borrowed behind
his table on a servante, so that his hidden assistant may
reach for them, place the two watches on the ""turn-about
target,"" tie the ring on the neck of the guinea-pig, shove
him into the bottle, and insert the false bottom. The
trick is then ready in its entirety.
The magician calls for something to use as a target,
and the assistant responds with the revolving target or
frame. When the conjurer shoots, the two watches
appear on the target or in the frame. This part of
the trick is accomplished by having the centre of the
[179]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,206,,"190
LATEST MAGIC
please remember I have not touched since you
shuffled it yourself, into six portions, one for each
page of the book."" This is done, the six packets
being turned face down on the table.
We will suppose that the chosen card is not found
on the first page. ""Then,"" says the performer,
""this first packet will tell me nothing, and may be
disregarded. Now, for the second page, is your
card upon that ? It is ? Then I draw two cards
from the second heap, and turn up one of them.
And now for the third page. Do you find your
card there? You do ? Then I take up three cards
from the third packet, and again turn up the last
one.""
We will suppose that the chosen card is not found
in either the fourth or the fifth page, but re-appears
on the sixth, whereupon six cards are counted off
from the corresponding packet, and the last of
them turned up. The performer has by this time
mentally added up the key numbers of the second,
third and sixth pages: viz., 2, 4 and 32, together
making 38, and knows therefrom that the card is
the thirty-eighth in the list, viz., the queen of
spades. He does not however at once display his
knowledge, but pretends to make a mental calcula-
tion from the cards exposed upon the table, giving,
if he so pleases, and the cards lend themselves to
it, some fanciful explanation of his method. It
seems to me, however, that this last is a needless
elaboration. Personally, I should prefer merely"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,205,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
nel which has a tapering nozzle made specially for this
purpose.
The trick is generally started by proving to the audience
that the bottle is empty. It is then filled with water, whichn
is immediately poured out again, all this time the five
pinholes being covered tightly with the hand or fingers
which are holding the bottle. When a liquor is called for
the performer raises the finger over the air-hole above
that particular liquor, and the liquor will flow out. When
a large number of liquors may be called for, the performer
has one compartment filled with a perfectly colorless
liquor, which he pours into glasses previously flavored
with strong essences. Certain gins and cordials can be
simulated in this fashion.
Various improvements have been made in this bottle
trick. For instance, after the bottle has yielded its various
sorts of liquors, it is broken, and from the bottle the per-
former produces some borrowed article which has been
""vanished"" in a previous trick and then apparently for-
gotten. This may have been a ring, glove, or handker-
chief, which will be discovered tied around the neck of a
small guinea-pig or dove taken from the broken bottle.
This is accomplished by having the bottle especially
constructed. Its compartments end a few inches above
the bottom of the bottle and the portion below having
a wavy or cracked appearance, is made to slip on and off.
The conjurer goes through the motions of actually break-
ing the bottle by tapping it near the bottom with a small
hammer or wand, and the appearance of the guinea-pig
or lost article causes surprise, so that the pretended break-
ing of the bottle passes unnoticed."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,205,,"THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK
189
ing on the same page, their appearing under these
conditions making no difference to the calculation.
I am indebted to an ingenious amateur, Mr.
Victor Farrelly, for the idea of a novel method of
using the pocket-book. Mr. Farrelly does not
offer of his own accord to show what can be done
with it, but keeps it in reserve, for use in a special
emergency. Every conjurer meets now and then
with the pig-headed person who absolutely declines
to have a given card forced upon him, and persists
in endeavouring to extract one from some other
part of the pack. Armed with the pocket-book, the
performer can set such a person at defiance, and
indeed get additional kudos from his objectionable
behaviour.
He cheerfully gives up the struggle, saying""You
seem to think, sir, that I wish to influence your
choice in some way. To prove the contrary, I give
the pack into your own hands. Shuffle it well.
Thank you. Now take from it any card you please.
Look at it, and put it in your pocket. You are
satisfied, I presume, that I do not know that card?
You are quite right. I have not the smallest idea
of it, but I shall discover it without the smallest
difficulty by a process of mathematical magic. I
have here"" (producing pocket-book) ""a little book
of six pages, on each of which thirty-six cards are
illustrated. Will you kindly see whether the card
you chose is represented among those on the first
page? Meanwhile I will divide the pack, which"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,204,,"THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
tricks, and twenty London papers bear mute testimony
to this fact. In a complete collection of press clippings
regarding his first London appearance, only four of the
London papers mention the trick. The Times, the great
conservative English paper, in reviewing Robert-Houdin's
performance in its issue of May 3d, 1847, ignored the
trick entirely. The four London papers which made
mention of the bottle trick, and then only in a passing
comment, were The Chronicle, The Globe, The Lady's
Newspaper, and The Court Journal. Any one acquainted
with the two last-named periodicals will know that they
rarely reach the hands of the humble artisans in Man-
chester. Punch, London's great comic paper, gave the
trick some space, however.
The trick of pouring several sorts of liquors from the
same bottle has been presented in various forms and
under different names. To prove the futility of Robert-
Houdin's claims I will explain the mystery of this trick,
which is of an interesting nature.
To all intents and purposes the bottle used looks like
glass; but it is invariably made of tin, heavily japanned.
Ranged around the central space, which is free from
deception, are five compartments, each tapering to a
narrow-mouthed tube which terminates about an inch or
an inch and a half from within the neck of the bottle.
A
small pinhole is drilled through the outer surface of the
bottle into each compartment, the holes being so placed
that when the bottle is grasped with the hand in the ordin-
ary way, the performer covers all but one of the pinholes
with his fingers and thumb. The centre section is left
empty, but the other compartments are filled with a fun-
12
177]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,204,,"188
LATEST MAGIC
8 + 2 = 10
8+2+1=11
8+4=12
8+4+1==
and SO on throughout up to 52, which being the
limit of the pack, is the highest number with which
we need concern ourselves.
In making up the pages of the pocket-book,
advantage has been taken of this principle. A
given card is inserted on that page or pages (and
those only) whose key numbers, alone or added
together, correspond with the position which the
card holds in the list. Thus the ace of clubs
will appear on the first page (not because it is the
first card, but because the key number of that page
is 1) and on no other. The deuce of clubs, in like
manner, on page 2, the key number of that card
being two. The next card, the three of clubs, must
appear on page 1 and page 2, their key numbers
together amounting to 3. The process as to cards
standing at higher numbers is the same. Thus, the
ace of spades, being the twenty-seventh card, and
twenty-seven being the aggregate of 16, 8, 2 and 1,
will appear on the first, second, fourth and fifth
pages. Conversely, if the performer is told that
the card appears on the four pages last named, he
knows that it is the twenty-seventh card, i.e., the
ace of spades. Any spaces remaining vacant on
the page after the whole pack has been dealt with,
are filled up by duplicates of cards already figur-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,203,,"CHAPTER VI
THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE
W
HILE Robert-Houdin claims to have invented
""The Inexhaustible Bottle"" for a special
programme designed to create a sensation
at the opening of his season of 1848, in
the illustrated appendix of the original French edi-
tion of his ""Memoirs"" he states that it had its premier
presentation December ist, 1847. These discrepancies
occur with such frequency that it is difficult to refute
his claims in chronological order. Perhaps he adopted
this method intentionally, to confuse future historians of
magic, particularly concerning his own achievements.
In order to emphasize the brilliancy of this trick,
Robert-Houdin turned boastful in describing it. On page
348 of the American edition of his ""Memoirs,"" he states
that the trick had created such a sensation and was so
much exploited in the London newspapers that the fame
of his inexhaustible bottle spread to the provinces, and
on his appearance in Manchester with the bottle in his
hand the workmen who made up the audience nearly
mobbed him. In fact, the description of this scene is the
most dramatic pen-picture in his ""Memoirs.""
The truth, sad to state, is that the bottle trick did not
create the sensation he claims for it in London, nor did
the press eulogize it. It was classed with other ordinary
[176.]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,203,,"card is to be found on pages 1, 3 and 6: the key num-
ber of these three pages being 1, 4 and 32: together
making 37, and thirty-seven less twenty-six being
eleven, he knows that the card must be the eleventh
of the third suit, otherwise the knave of spades.
If he is told that the card is on the third, fifth and
sixth pages, the key numbers of which are 4, 16 and
32, total 52, it is clear that the card must be the
last in the list, viz., the king of diamonds.
So much for the working of the trick. But the
reader, if of an. enquiring mind, will naturally ask,
""How is this result obtained?' The answer rests
upon a special property of the geometrical pro-
gression which forms the six key numbers. It is
a curious fact that by the use of these six numbers,
either singly or in combination with others of the
series, any number, from unity up to 63, can be
expressed. Thus, the numbers, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and
32 we already have, these being numbers of the
series. As to other numbers:
1 + 2 = 3
4 + 1==
4 + 2== 6
4 + 2 + 1 =
7
8 + 1 = 9"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,202,,"THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON
automaton he merely copied figures presented by both
his predecessors and his contemporaries, and he was
fully aware of the existence of several such automata
when he advertised his as an original invention. They
were made by many mechanicians.
In the illustrated appendix of the French edition of his
""Memoirs"" he goes further; he deliberately misrepre-
sents the mechanism of the figure and insinuates that the
automaton is a self-working one. This is not true, as it
was worked by a concealed confederate, as described
above by Decremps.
Robert-Houdin even used the garlands of flowers to
hide the moving bars as Pinetti and others of his pred-
ecessors had done. The truth was not in him.
[175]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,202,,"186
LATEST MAGIC
of the pocket-book is associated a special number,
known as its ""key"" number. These are as under:
Page 1
Key Number 1
""
2
""
""
2
""
3
""
""
4
""
4
""
""
8
""
5
""
""
16
""
6
""
""
32
The memorising of these is also a very simple
matter, for it will be noted that the key numbers
are the first six factors of the familiar geometrical
progression, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. Printed as below:
1, 2. 3, 4, 5, 6
1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32
the upper figures, in ordinary type, expressing the
numbers of the pages, and the lower, in black type,
the corresponding key numbers, a very small
amount of study will associate them so closely in
the mind as to fix them firmly in the memory.
Having mastered these two simple lessons, the
learner is in a position to use the pocket-book. To
ascertain the card chosen, he has only to add
together the key numbers of the pages in which
he is told that such card appears. The total will
be the number at which that card stands in the list
given on page 185, and, this being known, it be-
comes an easy matter to name, the card itself.
We will suppose, for instance, that performer"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,201,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
1844, the year before Robert-Houdin made his professional
début, featured under date of January 29th ""two autom-
atons, one of which will execute wonderful feats on the
Tight Rope, and the other dance a characteristic Horn-
pipe.""
Bologna announced for his performance at the Sans
Pareil Theatre, Strand, London, under date of March
18th, 1812, ""The Two Automaton Rope Dancers from
St. Petersburg, whose Feats of Agility were never
equalled, and cannot be surpassed, will perform together
in a style of Excellence hitherto unknown in this country.'
De Philipsthal also featured a pair of automatic tight-
rope performers from 1804 until his death; and in the
early 30's the figures were exhibited by his widow. By
referring to Chapter III. a De-Philipsthal programme of
1806 is reproduced as evidence.
From 1825 to 1855 J. F. Thiodon played London and
the provinces, advertising on his programmes:
""FOURTH PIECE.-The Wonderful and Unrivalled Au-
tomaton on the Flying Rope. The only one of this con-
struction in the Kingdom; and forms a more extraordinary
Novelty from the circumstances of its not being fastened
on the Rope by the Hands, like others hitherto exhibited.
The Rope will be in continual Motion, and the Figure
will sit perfectly easy and in a graceful attitude while on
the Swing, and perform the most surprising Evolutions,
scarcely to be distinguished from a Living Performer,
as it moves with the utmost Correctness, without any
apparent Machinery.""
From this overwhelming evidence it can be argued
beyond doubt that if Robert-Houdin even constructed the
[ 174]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,201,,"THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK
185
43. Four of diamonds.
48. Nine of diamonds.
44. Five of diamonds.
49. Ten of diamonds.
45. Six of diamonds.
50. Knave of diamonds.
46. Seven of diamonds.
51. Queen of diamonds.
47. Eight of diamonds.
52. King of diamonds.
The arrangement of the table being once under-
stood, the number associated with any given card
in the club suit suggests itself automatically, e.g.,
the seven of clubs is likewise No. 7 in the list. To
ascertain the name of the card corresponding to
any of the higher numbers, all that is needed is to
subtract from that number 13, or such higher mul-
tiple of thirteen as the case will admit, and the
difference will represent its position in its own
suit.
Suppose, for instance, that the performer desires
to know what card answers to the number 20.
Deducting thirteen from 20, the remainder, 7, tells
him that the card is the seventh (i.e. the seven)
of the second suit, viz., hearts. If he wants to
know the name of No. 29, he deducts 26, when the
remainder, 3, tells him that the card is the three of
the third suit, spades. If the card be No. 40, the
number to be deducted will be 39, and the
remainder, 1, tells him that the card is the first
of the fourth suit, viz., the ace of diamonds. After
a very few trials, this little exercise in mental
arithmetic becomes so familiar that the calculation
becomes practically instantaneous.
Going a step further; with each of the six pages"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,200,,"Mechanical and Mathematical
FEATS OF
Alhough - description ese property thefe Mechnaical Pieces of Art, yet to convey "" the
Pablic - ides of theis and of the incuitive Powers wich which they feem invelled, the
is
Dexterity.
Two Elegant Automats,
. dotail of these which evrite the
the liants
Oue of which a FEMALE FIGURE, as large as life, performs as a ROPE DANCER in
inication of Le Belle fo jutly celebrated throaghos Earope -the other is an
arrsa rellowine es
LITTLE PAILASSE, whofe apperent Naivesse and Powers of Action are equally aftomifhing.
Pinses , fee - Homee
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
The Mechanical PEACOCK,
THE VIEW OF THE ciry OF
A monk Pista of Anificial Animation which imitates, fo clofely. the Cries, Altions, and
Atticades of - and besetifel Bird, thas it ie sot enfrequently fappoled to be an abfolute)
lie
ling Animal, property "" ad as as amuling deception epon the Public.
Stockholm,
The Magnetic Clock,
or
le
-
Viee
ell - of Sull - "" the be the Forte . Shore
arrsa waics will as PROSENTED vas SCENS os THE
Monly is on two Chryfal Columma, and furmosnced by a charaßeriftic Figus
FALSTAFF, which will amafe and diven the Company. by difovering
Voyage of Captain Parry to the
chaie Thenghto, are. os an Alphobetical Dial Plase, fornified with a Geil- moving Index.
The Senfative WIND-MILL,
North Pole:
Which segulases its motion by the appasent of a Word from any
forme . obey the is the Company by a politive Gif of Inteition.
Hie passage threagh the Froses Straits, amonget the
SELECT EXPERIMENTS IN
FLOATING ICE.
HYDRAULICS,
Os the There eill De - Equimest, with their Sledges drawa by Degs.-Bears pursued and
,
hilled b Seilora. As eal be represcated Women in their native Bosts; also the
Londing of the Sailore from the Discosery Ships. Fery and Hecle.
A GRAND
DISPLAY OF WATER-WORKS,
THIRD PART-THI CITY OF
Th Waser rifas from the fromt of the Suge, and after forming into many delightful Fountains,
de. & conjoined with
Amsterdam,
FIRE OF DIFFERENT KINDS,
vas ou
Ast - Ziements farioully rell segether the Cieling of the Thestre, the Wases
The
Vise to - - the ou Remport The Viee of Bridge the Austel.
Th.
Towe
.
-
ques
-
-
lete
Se
thie
-
beserifal
of
the
Mes
.
alfo elevates to the fame heighe . Leftre with Candies burning.
FIRE-WORKS PLAYING,
An Aquatic Exhibition on the River.
A - "" le - eith esveral Trephies of Vierery. the Asceat of the , tring - elloper,
may - Esperimess. without asy Offence even to the mok deliense
- after - Perese is - gein de Top, asd bear ..., Piss.
VOURTHI WOVOERFUL AND UNRIVALLED
To rich will be added feveral Original Experiments in the Science of
OPTICS
AUTOMATON,
On the Flying Rope;
or WHICH HE IS THE SOLE INVENTOR.
T
.
-
ves
...
forme
.
Noodity
-
being
.
the
Rege
by
the
Head.
the
othere
butherte
The
Rope
se
Accompanied by . Scorm of
the
Figare
will
DE
perlectly
essy.
end
ine
eltitade,
hile
...
perfora
from
.
LIVING
PERFORNEA,
es
is
asses
with
the
.
Thunder, Lightning, &c. &c.
TO CONCLUDE WITH A
n . - - a of and MECHANICAL and OPTICAL
FIRE-WORKS,
Storm at Sea!
Difplayed in the Centre of & Tranfparent Arbour.
-
of
the
Thender, N° struch b, ... the Dues-
- the Reche, elteguther of
6
-
di
-
Aquests
A de Philipsthal programme of 1806 on which both the automatic tight-rope per-
formor and the magnetic clock were featured. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
be
A Thiodon bill of 1825, in which he claims the invention of a figure that could
lifted on or off the stage or pole. This was twenty-five years before Robert-
Houdin claimed the same invention. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
173"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,200,,"184
LATEST MAGIC
a memory-peg the word CHaSeD, which contains
the initials of the four suits in the proper order, or
the reader may if he prefers it recall them by
reflecting that
Cool Heads Soon Decide.
The arrangement of each suit follows the natural
order, the ace of clubs being No. 1; the deuce 2;
and the trey 3; knave 11; queen 12 and king 13.
The card next following, viz., the ace of hearts, will
be 14; the deuce of hearts 15, and so on, the com-
plete arrangement being as shown below:
1. Ace of clubs.
22. Nine of hearts.
2. Deuce of clubs.
23. Ten of hearts.
3. Trey of clubs.
24. Knave of hearts.
4. Four of clubs.
25. Queen of hearts.
5. Five of clubs.
26. King of hearts.
6. Six of clubs.
27. Ace of spades.
7. Seven of clubs.
28. Deuce of spades.
8. Eight of clubs.
29. Trey of spades.
9. Nine of clubs.
30. Four of spades.
10. Ten of clubs.
31. Five of spades.
11. Knave of clubs.
32. Six of spades.
12. Queen of clubs.
33. Seven of spades.
13. King of clubs.
34. Eight of spades.
14. Ace of hearts.
35. Nine of spades.
15. Deuce of hearts.
36. Ten of spades.
16. Trey of hearts.
37. Knave of spades.
17. Four of hearts.
38. Queen of spades.
18. Five of hearts.
39. King of spades.
19. Six of hearts.
40. Ace of diamonds.
20. Seven of hearts.
41. Deuce of diamonds.
21. Eight of hearts.
42. Trey of diamonds."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,199,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
""Two ELEGANT AUTOMATA
""As large as nature, the one representing a beautiful
POLONNESE, the other a little boy.
""Nothing can surpass the admirable construction of
these Pieces. The large figure seems almost endowed
with human Faculties, exhibiting the usual feats of a
Rope-Dancer, in the fullest limitation of life. The small
Figure is invested with equally astonishing powers of
action. To such ladies as are spectators it must be a very
pleasing circumstance that these exertions do not excite
those disagreeable sensations which arise from the sight
of Figures fraught with life, performing feats attended
with so much danger.""
By referring to page II3 the reader will find a Schmidt
programme, dated 1827, on which the figure is featured
as follows:
""THE ROPE DANCER,
""Whose surprising performances surpass, in agility,
attitudes, and evolutions, every Professor of the art, keep-
ing correct time to the music of the machinery.""
A Gyngell programme, dated 1823, which is reproduced
in the chapter devoted to ""The Pastry Cook of the Palais
Royal,"" page I25, reads as follows: ""Two automatons,
one of which will execute wonderful feats on the tight
rope, and the other dance a characteristic hornpipe.""
As Gyngell figured in the amusement world from 1788
to 1844, the little figure must have been tolerably well
known to the magic-loving public of England by the
time Robert-Houdin appeared in London in 1848.
A magician named York, who appeared in London in
[172]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,199,,"THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK
183
0
Fig. 41
P
8
Fig. 42"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,198,,"THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON
by giving the handle a quarter of a turn to the left, the
automaton, whose arms are parallel to the horizon, lift
themselves by little and little, till they become vertical
and parallel to the rest of the body; if in following the
same direction, the other part of the body moves forward ;
and by watching the motions through a hole, he seizes
the instant that a leg passes before the bar, to leave the
automaton astride; afterward he balances it by jerks,
and causes it to take a turn around, keeping time with
the music as if it was sensible of harmony.
""N.B.-Three circumstances concur here to favor the
illusion: First, by the assistance of a wire, the confederate
can separate the bar from the automaton, which, falling
to the ground, persuades one it loses itself by real machin-
ery. Secondly, in winding up the levers shown in the
body, confirms the spectators in the idea that there is
no need of a confederate. Thirdly, the tubes that are
twisted around the bar, except where the automaton is
joined to it, seem to be the rope itself, and being without
motion, as is seen by the garlands which surround them,
it cannot be suspected that the bar turns in the inside,
from whence it is concluded that the figure moves by
its own machinery.""
According to one of de Philipsthal's advertisements,
page I03, the trapeze automaton which he featured
was six feet in height. But Pinetti programmes show
that he had a smaller figure known as the rope vaulter.
This is probably the trick exposed in Decremps'
book.
On page 108 will be found a Louis programme of
1815, on which a figure is thus featured:
[171 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,198,,"182
LATEST MAGIC
8
8
of
Fig. 39
8
a
Fig. 40"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,197,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
for lightness, of papier-maché. The figure is joined by its
hands to a bar of iron, that passes through a partition,
and is turned by a confederate; the arms are inflexible
at the elbows, but move freely at the shoulders by means
of a bolt that goes through the body; and the thighs and
Mr. BOLOGNA, Jun's
ma.
Mechanical Exhibition,
an the Sans Parei! Theatre, Strand.
18.
Frendo
Present Evening, 1819,
And - bee - - - - - Theatre,
The to Automaton Rope Dapeers,
-
-
The Swan of Oblectation
-
of
-
-
The
-
Mechanical Windmill,
Woud of Commond.
Tine CONJUROR from Constantinople
- - - - truly
PIRCES of CALLED.
LILLIPUT ISLAND;
Or Automator Shadows,
Taken from the Justly Admired Oubres Chincia.
-
s. The Maginas's
-
-
Ae
A Grand Display of Experiments in
HYDRAULICS.
Called Fire and Water,
FIRE-WORKS,
A Bologna bill of 1812, featuring the automatic rope dancers. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
legs move in the same manner at the hips and knees, and
are stayed by pieces of leather to prevent them from
bending in the wrong way. The bar is covered with hollow
twisted tubes, and ornamented with artificial flowers,
so as no part of it can be seen to turn; the confederate
170]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,197,,"THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK
181
8
8
a
8
s
0
FIG. 37
V
8
a
a
Fig. 38"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,196,,"Reproduction of an illustration in ""Aufschlüsse zur Magie,"" by Hofrath
von Eckartshausen, showing the automatic rope vaulter as exhibited in 1784
by Pinetti. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.
169 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,196,,"180
LATEST MAGIC
THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK
This is an extremely small volume, consisting
in fact of six pages only, and no letterpress, the
instructions for its use being embodied in a sepa-
rate leaflet. On each of its pages are miniature
reproductions of thirty-six playing cards, six in a
row; every card of the pack being represented once
at least among the whole number. The object of
the book is to enable the owner to discover the
name of a card drawn (or merely thought of) by
some member of the company. The chooser is
only asked to look at the book, and state on which
one or more of its pages the card in question
appears, when the performer, without seeing or
handling the book himself, can instantly name the
card. The six pages of the book are reproduced
in the diagrams which follow. Figs 37-42.
To be in a position to work the trick, it is neces-
sary in the first place to memorise each of the fifty-
two cards of the pack in connection with a particu-
lar number. This may at first sight appear a for-
midable undertaking, but it is not SO in reality.
All that really needs to be memorised is the order
of the suits; which is as under:
1. Clubs.
2. Hearts.
3. Spades.
4. Diamonds.
This order may be instantly recalled by using as"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,195,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
claimed it as his invention. Yet with the daring of one
who believes that all proof has been destroyed, he an-
nounces on page 3I2 of the American edition of his
""Memoirs"" that he invented ""The Trapeze Performer""
for his season of 1848. In the illustrated appendix of his
French edition he states that the figure made its first
appearance at his Paris theatre, October ist, 1849. He
thus describes the automaton:
""The figure is the size of an infant, and I carry the
little artist on my arm in a box. I put him on the trapeze
and ask him questions, which he answers by moving his
head. Then he bows gracefully to the audience, turning
first this way, then that; suspends himself by his hands
and draws himself up in time to the music. He also goes
through the motions of a strong man, hangs by his head,
hands, and feet, and with his legs making the motions of
aërial telegraphy.""
Decremps in his exposé, ""The Conjurer Unmasked,""
published in 1784, thus describes the automaton and its
work: ""Our attention was next called to observe an
automaton figure, that vaulted upon a rope, performing
all the postures and evolutions of the most expert tum-
blers, keeping exact time to music. By seeing Mr. Van
Estin wind up the figures, and being shown the wheels and
levers contained in the body of the automaton, caused us
to believe it moved by its own springs, when Mr. Van
Estin thus explained the deception: ""To make a figure of
this kind depends a great deal on the proportion and the
materials with which it is composed: The legs and thighs
are formed out of heavy wood, such as ash or oak; the
body of birch or willow, and made hollow, and the head,
[ 168 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,195,,"THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS
179
find by no means difficult of execution, though it
will need some little practice to work it neatly.
While the second envelope is being opened, get
the trick envelope from the pochette into the right
hand, clipping it against the second and third joints
of the second and third fingers, with the ""seal""
side turned away from them. When the genuine
envelope is handed to you receive it with the left
hand, and immediately transfer it to the right,
pushing it between the fingers and the palmed one,
with the seal facing in the same direction. The
moment it is masked by the fingers push the trick
envelope outward with the thumb, bringing this
into view in its place. Smartly executed the
change is instantaneous and cannot possibly be
detected. The apparent object of passing it from
hand to hand is to have the left hand empty and
SO free to take back the penknife from the last
holder. From this point all will be easy, as it
is the trick envelope which is now alone in view,
and all you have to guard against is any accidental
exposure of the one now hidden in the hand.
This description may justly appear somewhat
long-winded, but its length is occasioned by the
number of small details demanding notice. In
performance, the trick should not take, at most,
more than ten minutes. The introductory patter
may of course be shortened at pleasure."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,194,,"THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON
ROBERT-HOUBIN,
ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
LAST THREE PERFORMANCES
The celebrated m. ROBERT-HOUDIN will give his Incredible
Delusions and Extraordinary
FANTASTIQUES
AT THE ABOVE THEATRE
VOLTICE DU TRAPEZE
ON
TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 6,
Last Day Performance
WEDNESDAY MORNING, March 7
COMMENCING AT HALF-PAST TWO O'CLOCK,
AND
FAREWELL REPRESENTATION,
THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH
DOORS OPEN MT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
PRIVATE BOXES, ORCHESTRA STALLS, AND TICKETS, MAY se AS
BOTAL 33, OLD BOND
est
Bood
. - BOX OFFICE - - "" ell
. a, ,
Copy of a poster used by Robert-Houdin to advertise his trapeze performer.
This proves how accurately he duplicated the Pinetti figure, even to the ar-
rangement of floral garlands. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[167]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,194,,"178
LATEST MAGIC
picious feature about the envelope. Even in the
unlikely case of his tearing open the envelope,
instead of cutting it, it is doubtful whether he
would detect the use of the seccotine, which should
by this time be practically dry; and by the rest of
the spectators it would still be taken for granted
that this envelope, like the rest, was sealed in the
ordinary way.
It will be obvious to the expert reader that the
central idea, viz., the transformation by the use
of seccotine of an open envelope into one appar-
ently sealed in the regular way, is one that admits
of a wide variety of detail as to the mode of pres-
entation. For instance: The procedure sug-
gested for getting rid of the duplicate coin, and
apparently rubbing it into the envelope, is but one
of many alternatives. The coin might be
""passed"" by the agency of fire, i.e., wrapped in a
piece of flash paper with open fold at bottom and
flared off at the psychological moment over a candle
flame), or it might be got rid of by vanishing it into
the pocket of a black art mat, or by the use of a
black art patch, as described at page 20.
The critical part of the trick is the ""switching""
of the two envelopes at the final stage, but in view
of their small size this is a matter of very little
difficulty. The expert will probably do this after
some fashion of his own. The less instructed
reader may use the following plan, which he will"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,193,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
will be displayed, under the direction of Sieur Castinia,
just arrived from Naples, the like never attempted before
in this metropolis.""
There is every reason to believe that Katterfelto, the
greatest of bombastic conjurers, used the electrical clock
in his performances, as he made a feature of the various
late discoveries, and in his programme of 1782 he adver-
tises ""feats and experiments in Magnetical, Electrical, Op-
tical, Chymical, Philosophical, Mathematical, etc., etc.""
Among implements and instruments or articles men-
tioned I found Watches, Caskets, Dice, Cards, Mechan-
ical Clocks, Pyramidical Glasses, etc., etc.
Gyngell, Sr., the celebrated Bartholomew Fair conjurer,
whose career started about 1788, had on his early pro-
grammes, ""A Pedestal Clock, so singularly constructed
that it is obedient to the word of command."" On the
same programme (Catherine Street Theatre, London, Feb-
ruary 15th, 1816) I find ""The Russian Inn,"" ""The Con-
fectioner's Shop,"" and ""The Automaton Rope Vaulter.""
This programme is reproduced in full in Chapter IV.
Without devoting further space to Robert-Houdin's
absurd claim to having invented this clock, we will
proceed to discuss his claims to the automaton rope
walker, which he called a trapeze performer.
The Trapeze Automaton
Though ""Diavolo Antonio"" or ""Le Voltigeur Trapeze""
was not a simple trick, but a cleverly constructed au-
tomaton, worked by a concealed confederate, it was a com-
mon feature on programmes long before Robert-Houdin
[ 166 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,193,,"THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS
177
hands into the innermost envelope. But I don't
expect you to take my word for it. Will you, sir""
(any given spectator) ""open the outermost envel-
ope, first, however, satisfying yourself that it is still
securely sealed ?""
It is just possible, though not very likely, that
the person to whom the envelope and penknife have
been handed may notice, and remark audibly, that
he cannot feel any coin in the envelope. If such a
remark is made, you reply that the coin naturally
had to be de-materialised before it could pass into
the envelope, and it will take a few minutes for it
to re-materialise, but it will become gradually more
solid, and will then be distinctly perceptible.
The outer envelope having been opened you take
back its contents, and under pretext of getting as
many witnesses as possible to fair play, have the
next envelope opened by a second person, seated
at some little distance from the lender of the shill-
ing. The last named gentleman is invited himself
to open the last envelope, or rather, the trick envel-
ope, which you in transit substitute for it. Having
already opened a precisely similar envelope, and
found it securely fastened, he is not likely to antici-
pate anything different about this one. If he uses
the penknife and euts it open along the edge of
the flap in the usual way he will naturally hold it
with the thumb upon the seal and all will be well.
As a rule, he will be more concerned to identify the
coin as the one he lent than to seek for any sus-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,192,,"THE CABALISTIC CLOCK
described, is credited as having been the invention of
Johann Nep. Hofzinser.
In an advertisement, published in the London Post of
May 23d, 1778, included in my collection, this announce-
ment, among others of much interest, will be found:
""PART II.-Breslaw will exhibit many of his newly
invented deceptions with a grand apparatus and experi-
Katterfelto, the bombastic conjurer, who is famous for having sold sulphur
matches in 1784, before the Lucifer match is supposed to have been discovered.
Reproduced from a rare copy of ""The European Magazine,"" dated June,
1783, now in the Harry Houdini Collection.
ments and particularly the Magic Clock, Sympathetic
Bell, and Pyramidical Glasses in a manner entirely new.""
In 1781, while showing at Greenwood's Rooms, Hay-
market, London, Breslaw heavily advertised, ""Particularly
an experiment on a newly invented mechanical clock
[165]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,192,,"176
LATEST MAGIC
duce anything into the innermost of those three
envelopes without breaking all three seals. When
I say impossible, of course I mean impossible to a
mere man. To a magician there is no such word as
impossible, except in the dictionary. In fact, the
more impossible a thing is, the more any respect-
able magician makes up his mind to do it. Watch
me carefully, please. I want you to be quite sure
all through that there is no deception.
""Now then, to pass the coin into this other envel-
ope."" As you say this, you pick up the coin mat,
depress it enough for all present to see the coin
upon it, and make the motion of sliding it off into
the left hand. This should be done while standing
a little in front of your table. In turning to
replace the mat, reverse it and lay it with the side
to which the coin adheres downwards. If deftly
executed, this reversal of the mat will be imper-
ceptible, as it is covered by the turn to the table.
Even if it were noticed it would have practically no
significance for the spectators, who naturally take
it for granted that the coin has passed from the
mat into your hand. The moment you have laid
down the mat, the now disengaged hand picks up
the nest of envelopes, and you make believe to rub
the coin (supposedly in left hand) into it. This
done, you hold the envelope aloft in each hand
alternately, allowing it to be seen that the hands
are otherwise empty.
""So far, SO good! The coin has passed from my"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,191,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
I am reproducing herewith a number of programmes
describing the effect of the trick and proving that it was
no novelty when Robert-Houdin ""invented"" it. In fact
the trick was so common that only the supreme egotism
BRESLAW
Reproduction of a triple colored lithograph. This section features Breslaw in
stage costume. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.
of the man can explain his having introduced it into the
pages of his book as an original trick. The mysterious
clock worked by the counterweight, which has been
[ 164 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,191,,"THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS
175
in the other hand: ""I have here two envelopes,
or, to be exact, six envelopes, for each of those you
see contains two more, one within the other: all
carefully sealed. I am going to pass the coin this
gentleman has lent me into the innermost of one
or other of them, I don't care which, for they are
exactly alike, so I shall leave the choice to your-
selves.""
While you are speaking as above the disengaged
hand slips the genuine coin into the trick envelope,
closes it, pressing the flap well down, and palms it,
dropping it a moment or two later into a pochette
till needed.
""You decide for this envelope? Just as you
please. As the other will not be needed I will ask
somebody to open it, and bear witness that things
are exactly as I have stated.""
Leaving the chosen envelope on the table in full
view and bringing forward the other, have the lat-
ter opened by some member of the company with
the penknife. Hand the envelope produced from
it, with the knife, to a second spectator, to be dealt
with in like manner. When the innermost is
reached, have this opened by the lender of the
marked coin : this apparent proof of good faith
tending to make him less critical when, at a later
stage, he is invited to do the same with the trick
envelope.
""Nothing could be fairer, could it ? You will all
agree that it would have been impossible to intro-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,190,,"FOR THE FIRST TIME.
The Mechanical PEACOCK,
THE VIEW OF THE CITY or
A
- Piece of Anificial Animation which imitases, 6 clofely. the Cries, Altions, and
Assicudos of the Sasely and beastifel Bied. thas it ie sot enfrequently fappoled to be an abfolate liv
ing Animal, propedly imaned 10 aû as - amuling deception apos the Public.
Stockholm,
The Magnetic Clock,
or
to
-
Viss
ell be - ender Sell .... the
arrsa well as TRE SEAUTITUC SCENS or THE
Nowly is fapported on two Chryfal Columna, and termounted by a charaCerific Figur
of which will amule and divert the Company. by difoovering
Voyage of Captain Parry to the
their arc. on an Aiphobetical Dial Plate, fernifhed with a feif-moving fedex.
The Senfative WIND-MILL,
North Pole:
Which regulases its motion by the apparens impalie of a Word from any Speflator-sa
forms - obey the With of the Company by a pelitive Gift of Incaition,
His paseage threugh the Frotes Straits, amonger the
SELECT EXPERÉMENTS IN
FLOATING ICE.
HYDRAULICS,
Os the Sbore will be - Sequimere, with their Sledges draws by Degs.-Besre persued and
,
hilled b As See sal be represested Esquimaux Wome is their native Boate; also the
Londing of the Sailore from the Discesery Ships. Fary and Hecla.
A GRAND
DISPLAY OF WATER-WORKS,
THIRD PART THE CITY OF
The rifes from the frome of the Suge, endafter forming into many delightful Fountains,
is conjoined with
Amsterdam,
FIRE OF DIFFERENT KINDS,
wa ou
Ast the - bellile Ziements ferioully rell together to the Cieling of the Thestre, the Water
The Vise . - the ote The Viee of the Bridge "" es the Ametel. The Toes
.
- ages late Morese
thie
-
-
..
of
the
Met
""
alfo to the fimme heigle a Lafkre with Candles burning.
FIRE-WORKS PLAYING,
An Aquatic Exhibition on the River.
A . le - several Trephico of Victery. the Ascras of the ie "", tring - diepery
oth Experimess, without any Offeince even to the mon delicase
but efter Ellers. Perase is - - gaie the Top, .. beer eve, the Pras.
TOURTUI PLECE. THE WOVOERFUL ANO UNRIVALLED
To will be added fevera) Original Experiments in the Science of
OPTICS,
TOMATON,
On the Flying Rope;
os WHICH HE Is THE SOLE INVENTOR.
The case - . vase - vea end forme - - - de.
- - being . the Rege by the Heed, lihe The Repe be la
Accompaniod by a Scorm of
- the Figare will eit perfectly esey and le gracefal etulade, . the Saug. sed perfora the -
- be free . LIVING PERFORNER, "" "" messe with - Corvect-
Thunder, Lightning, &c. &c.
- - apgarest
TO CONCLUDE WITH A
. - - & of and MECHANICAL and OPTICAL
FIRE-WORKS,
Storm at Sea!
-
of
the
Difplayed in the Centre of a Tranfparent Arbour.
by
it
as de Tempee, by Laghteing. and Anally the
. - the Reche. altegether of Netere,
6
-
-
A de Philipsthal programme of 1806 on which both the automatic tight-rope per-
former and the magnetic clock were featured. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
A Thiodon bill of 1825, in which he claims the invention of a figure that could
be lifted on or off the stage or pole. This was twenty-five years before Robert-
Houdin claimed the same invention. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
173"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,190,,"174
LATEST MAGIC
out how it was done, or die. They haven't come
again: SO I suppose they died.¹
""As you are prepared to run the risk I will ask
some gentleman to oblige me with the loan of a
shilling, marked in some unmistakable way.
Thank you, Sir. You have marked the coin?
Then please place it here, on this little tray. I
won't touch it myself at present. All please keep
one eye upon it, the other eye you had better keep
on me.""
Receive the coin on the mat, held in right hand.
After showing the left hand empty, transfer the
mat to that hand and show the right empty.
Return the mat to right hand, but before doing SO
turn that hand over SO as to receive the mat with
thumb undermost. Just as you reach the table
to place the mat upon it bring the second and third
fingers over the borrowed coin, and under cover
of your own body turn the mat over. In putting it
down on the table draw away the borrowed coin
into the hand and palm it. To the eye of the spec-
tator the state of things will be unaltered, your
own coin, now uppermost on the mat, being taken
for the borrowed one.
You continue, standing behind your table, and
resting the right hand, with the palmed coin, close
to the trick envelope, and holding up the two nests
1 This rigmarole may equally well be used by way of introduction to
any other trick of sufficient importance. King George's puzzlement
about the dumplings is said to be a matter of history, but, I do not
guarantee it as a fact."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,189,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
""Two ELEGANT AUTOMATA
""As large as nature, the one representing a beautiful
POLONNESE, the other a little boy.
""Nothing can surpass the admirable construction of
these Pieces. The large figure seems almost endowed
with human Faculties, exhibiting the usual feats of a
Rope-Dancer, in the fullest limitation of life. The small
Figure is invested with equally astonishing powers of
action. To such ladies as are spectators it must be a very
pleasing circumstance that these exertions do not excite
those disagreeable sensations which arise from the sight
of Figures fraught with life, performing feats attended
with so much danger.""
By referring to page II3 the reader will find a Schmidt
programme, dated 1827, on which the figure is featured
as follows:
""THE ROPE DANCER,
""Whose surprising performances surpass, in agility,
attitudes, and evolutions, every Professor of the art, keep-
ing correct time to the music of the machinery.""
A Gyngell programme, dated 1823, which is reproduced
in the chapter devoted to ""The Pastry Cook of the Palais
Royal,"" page I25, reads as follows: ""Two automatons,
one of which will execute wonderful feats on the tight
rope, and the other dance a characteristic hornpipe.""
As Gyngell figured in the amusement world from 1788
to 1844, the little figure must have been tolerably well
known to the magic-loving public of England by the
time Robert-Houdin appeared in London in 1848.
A magician named York, who appeared in London in
[172]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,189,,"THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS
173
George the Third, I can't say I do myself. He
was. before my time, but there is a funny little story
told about him. One day when out for a walk, he
went into a farmhouse where he found the family
having their dinner. One dish consisted of apple-
dumplings, and the question crossed the King's
mind, 'How on earth did the apples get into the
dumplings? He didn't like to ask, but he
couldn't get the puzzle out of his head. He
thought about it SO much and it worried him SO
that at last he went clean out of his mind. He
became non compos mentis, which is the doctors'
polite way of saying dotty.
""I mention this story by way of a caution. What
I am goong to show you is ever SO much more incom-
prehensible than any number of apple dumplings;
in fact, SO extra-extraordinary that if anybody here
was the least bit 'excitable and I sprung it upon
him unawares he might go dotty like old Georgie.
So if any of you feel at all nervous, don't hesitate
to go home, or you can go and sit on the stairs
till this particular experiment is over. Nobody
moves! I am pleased to find that you are all SO
strong-minded, but if anything happens don't
blame me.
""I have known strong men ; men of massive intel-
lect, like myself, come here with a smile on their
faces, but when they left the smile was replaced by
an air of grim determination. You could see at
a glance that they had made up their minds to find"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,188,,"THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON
by giving the handle a quarter of a turn to the left, the
automaton, whose arms are parallel to the horizon, lift
themselves by little and little, till they become vertical
and parallel to the rest of the body; if in following the
same direction, the other part of the body moves forward;
and by watching the motions through a hole, he seizes
the instant that a leg passes before the bar, to leave the
automaton astride; afterward he balances it by jerks,
and causes it to take a turn around, keeping time with
the music as if it was sensible of harmony.
""N.B.-Three circumstances concur here to favor the
illusion: First, by the assistance of a wire, the confederate
can separate the bar from the automaton, which, falling
to the ground, persuades one it loses itself by real machin-
ery. Secondly, in winding up the levers shown in the
body, confirms the spectators in the idea that there is
no need of a confederate. Thirdly, the tubes that are
twisted around the bar, except where the automaton is
joined to it, seem to be the rope itself, and being without
motion, as is seen by the garlands which surround them,
it cannot be suspected that the bar turns in the inside,
from whence it is concluded that the figure moves by
its own machinery.""
According to one of de Philipsthal's advertisements,
page I03, the trapeze automaton which he featured
was six feet in height. But Pinetti programmes show.
that he had a smaller figure known as the rope vaulter.
This is probably the trick exposed in Decremps'
book.
On page 108 will be found a Louis programme of
1815, on which a figure is thus featured:
[171]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,188,,"172
LATEST MAGIC
as yet lacks the connecting medium for actually
securing it.
3. The ""coin mat"" (page 4) freshly treated
with the usual adhesive. The side so treated is to
be turned downwards on the table with a shilling
pressed against the adhesive portion.
4. A penknife, to be used as envelope opener.
As shortly as possible before the presentation of
the trick, the trick envelope must be further pre-
pared by spreading a thin layer of seccotine on that
portion of the underside of the flap immediately
under the seal.
N. B. This must not be done too long before-
hand, as it is essential to the success of the trick
that the envelope be used while the seccotine is still
in a ""tacky"" condition.
The envelope prepared as above, to be laid on the
table, behind some small object, or preferably just
inside the foremost rim of a Japanese tray; at one
corner, mouth uppermost, and flap to the rear.
Under these conditions, the butting of the opposite
edge of the envelope against the forward wall of
the tray will be found greatly to facilitate the sub-
sequent introduction of the borrowed coin. Before
so placing the envelope, its edges on each side
should be pressed slightly inwards, SO as to make
it expand a little at the opening.
These arrangements duly made, the performer
may introduce the trick as follows:
""I don't know whether anybody here remembers"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,187,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
for lightness, of papier-maché. The figure is joined by its
hands to a bar of iron, that passes through a partition,
and is turned by a confederate; the arms are inflexible
at the elbows, but move freely at the shoulders by means
of a bolt that goes through the body; and the thighs and
Mr. BOLOGNA, Jun's
Mechanical Exhibition,
ma.
an the Sans Parej! Theatre, Strand.
Mard
18.
Present Evening,
And - Dope and dering Love, - - Theatre,
leams
The Two Automaton Rope Dapeers,
- - -
the Swan of Oblectation
wa
-
-
of
-
-
-
-
impose
-
Pragiona,
The
-
-
Comme
-
be
-
of
4
-
-
-
. -
Mechanical Windmill,
- Wend of Commond.
`ine CONJUROR from Constantinople
- - - truly
PIECES of CALLED,
LILLIPUT ISLAND;
Or Automator Shadows,
Taken from the Justly Admired Oubres Chincia.
-
Boone
The
-
Ae
CLASS m.
A Grand Display of Experiments in
HYIRAULICS.
Called Fire and Water,
Free
-
Me.
-
FIRE-WORKS,
-
The
A Bologna bill of 1812, featuring the automatic rope dancers. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
legs move in the same manner at the hips and knees, and
are stayed by pieces of leather to prevent them from
bending in the wrong way. The bar is covered with hollow
twisted tubes, and ornamented with artificial flowers,
so as no part of it can be seen to turn; the confederate
[170]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,187,,"THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS
171
""trick"" envelope. This is of the same size and
kind as the innermost of the nested envelopes but
has undergone special preparation as follows:
Taking two ordinary envelopes, cut round the
edges of one of them with a penknife, completely
dividing back from front. Take the plain or non-
flap side of the one SO treated, lay it squarely under
FIG. 36
the flap of the other, and stick the flap down upon
it in the ordinary way: then add a seal of red
wax, as closely as possible corresponding in appear-
ance with the two seals of the innermost of the
nested envelopes. Lastly, cut away the super-
fluous paper round the seal and the edges of the
flap. The envelope will now be shown as in Fig.
36, and when closed will have the appearance of
an envelope sealed in the ordinary way, though it"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,186,,"Reproduction of an illustration in ""Aufschlüsse zur Magie,"" by Hofrath
von Eckartshausen, showing the automatic rope vaulter as exhibited in 1784
by Pinetti. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 169 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,186,,"170
LATEST MAGIC
THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS
This is a trick involving some little trouble in
the way of preparation, and perhaps a little more
than average address on the part of the performer,
but on the other hand it costs little; for all the
needful appliances may be homemade, and in the
hands of an expert the trick will amply repay the
time and trouble expended upon it. Baldly stated,
its effect consists in the magical introduction of a
marked coin into the innermost of a nest of three
envelopes, each securely sealed.
The requirements for the trick are as under:
1. Two nests of envelopes. The innermost of
each is one of the little square kind used in shops
to contain copper ""change,"" or to hold the weekly
wage of an employee. It should be of cartridge or
stout manila paper, and about two inches square.
The next larger is of the ordinary square or so-
called square-note size, and the third a little larger
still. Envelopes of the two last mentioned sizes
are not always to be obtained made of cartridge
or manila, but this condition is not in their case
absolutely essential. The flap of each envelope
must be stuck down and sealed with red wax.¹
2. A special envelope, which we will call the
1 If the performer does not object to the slight additional trouble,
he will find an easy method of obtaining envelopes exactly square and
of any desired description of paper, indicated in the chapter entitled
""A Few Wrinkles,"" post."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,185,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
claimed it as his invention. Yet with the daring of one
who believes that all proof has been destroyed, he an-
nounces on page 3I2 of the American edition of his
""Memoirs"" that he invented ""The Trapeze Performer""
for his season of 1848. In the illustrated appendix of his
French edition he states that the figure made its first
appearance at his Paris theatre, October ist, 1849. He
thus describes the automaton:
""The figure is the size of an infant, and I carry the
little artist on my arm in a box. I put him on the trapeze
and ask him questions, which he answers by moving his
head. Then he bows gracefully to the audience, turning
first this way, then that; suspends himself by his hands
and draws himself up in time to the music. He also goes
through the motions of a strong man, hangs by his head,
hands, and feet, and with his legs making the motions of
aërial telegraphy.""
Decremps in his exposé, ""The Conjurer Unmasked,""
published in 1784, thus describes the automaton and its
work: ""Our attention was next called to observe an
automaton figure, that vaulted upon a rope, performing
all the postures and evolutions of the most expert tum-
blers, keeping exact time to music. By seeing Mr. Van
Estin wind up the figures, and being shown the wheels and
levers contained in the body of the automaton, caused us
to believe it moved by its own springs, when Mr. Van
Estin thus explained the deception: ""To make a figure of
this kind depends a great deal on the proportion and the
materials with which it is composed: The legs and thighs
are formed out of heavy wood, such as ash or oak; the
body of birch or willow, and made hollow, and the head,
[ 168 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,185,,"THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS
169
now moved away from himself, and the pressure
of the brake being relaxed, the coin is now drawn
in the same direction.
""Quod erat demonstrandum,"" as our old friend
Shakespeare (or was it Euclid) used to say."" (To
the lender of the coin.) ""You must take care of
this coin, Sir; it is now charged with a minute
quantity of the 'od' force, and SO long as you
keep it you can never be 'stony-broke.' I will show
you just one more effect with it before I return it to
you.""
While speaking, he has carelessly picked up the
coin, and replaced it on the inner side of the screw
SO that this shall be no longer encircled by the
thread. Picking up the match box from the table,
he pushes out the ""tray"" portion with the fore-
finger; then throwing aside the outer case, he picks
up the tray, and inverts it over the coin.
""I will now show you that the 'od' force still
operates even though it is cut off from any direct
connection with the subject of the experiment: but
in this case a little more power is required."" So
saying he rubs the glass ball again on his coat-
sleeve, and, moving the ball accordingly, causes the
coin to travel towards him, the matchbox natur-
ally moving with it. In again picking up the coin,
to return it to the owner, he detaches it from the
disc, which flies back to its original resting-place."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,184,,"THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON
ROBERT-KOUDIN,
ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
LAST THREE PERFORMANCES
The celebrated "". ROBERT-HOUDIN will give his Incredible
Delusions and Extraordinary
FANTASTIQUES
AT THE ABOVE THEATRE
LA
VOLTICE DU TRAPÉZE
ON
TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 6,
Last Day Performance
WEDNESDAY MORNING, March 7
COMMENCING AT HALF-PAST TWO O'CLOCK,
AND
FAREWELL REPRESENTATION,
THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 8
DOORS OPEN AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
PAIVATE BOXES, ORCHESTRA STALLS, AND TICKETS, MAT -
BOTAL 83, OLD OND
Hoossan's Lasoma - -
Casson's end the 19, Regues
abe BOX orfics There * que Daily, -
. a T,
Copy of a poster used by Robert-Houdin to advertise his trapeze performer.
This proves how accurately he duplicated the Pinetti figure, even to the ar-
rangement of floral garlands. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
167 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,184,,"168
LATEST MAGIC
""I shall now, by means of the 'od' force, compel
the coin to move towards This he does
accordingly, by relaxing the pressure of the thumb
upon the thread and merely bringing the pull of
the weight into operation. When the coin has all
but reached the nearer end of the tramway, he says,
""We will now see if we can make it travel a little
longer distance."" So saying he draws the thread
out again and lays the coin on the farther end of
the tram, and again makes it travel slowly back.
A good effect may be here produced by making it
stop half-way, and (after remarking in a casual
way that the power is hardly strong enough) pick-
ing up the ball, again rubbing it upon the sleeve
and moving it, a few inches distance, in the direc-
tion in which the coin is to travel, when it resumes
its journey accordingly.
Once more picking up the coin, he replaces it at
the farther end of the tramway, but in so doing
passes the thread outside and around the screw at
that end. He then remarks, as if bethinking him-
self : ""By the way, a lady suggested the other
night that the coin was attracted towards me by
my personal magnetism. I know I am an attrac-
tive man : I have been told so frequently but that
is not the explanation in this case, as I will prove
to you by making the coin travel away from me.""
So saying, he draws the coin towards him, easing
off the pressure on the thread to enable him to do
so, and leaves it at the inner end. The ball is"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,183,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
will be displayed, under the direction of Sieur Castinia,
just arrived from Naples, the like never attempted before
in this metropolis.""
There is every reason to believe that Katterfelto, the
greatest of bombastic conjurers, used the electrical clock
in his performances, as he made a feature of the various
late discoveries, and in his programme of 1782 he adver-
tises ""feats and experiments in Magnetical, Electrical, Op-
tical, Chymical, Philosophical, Mathematical, etc., etc.""
Among implements and instruments or articles men-
tioned I found Watches, Caskets, Dice, Cards, Mechan-
ical Clocks, Pyramidical Glasses, etc., etc.
Gyngell, Sr., the celebrated Bartholomew Fair conjurer,
whose career started about 1788, had on his early pro-
grammes, ""A Pedestal Clock, so singularly constructed
that it is obedient to the word of command."" On the
same programme (Catherine Street Theatre, London, Feb-
ruary 15th, 1816) I find ""The Russian Inn,"" ""The Con-
fectioner's Shop,"" and ""The Automaton Rope Vaulter.""
This programme is reproduced in full in Chapter IV.
Without devoting further space to Robert-Houdin's
absurd claim to having invented this clock, we will
proceed to discuss his claims to the automaton rope
walker, which he called a trapeze performer.
The Trapeze Automaton
Though ""Diavolo Antonio"" or ""Le Voltigeur Trapeze""
was not a simple trick, but a cleverly constructed au-
tomaton, worked by a concealed confederate, it was a com-
mon feature on programmes long before Robert-Houdin
[ 166 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,183,,"inspection. The performer takes back the tram-
way in the left hand, holding it by one end in such
manner that it is gripped in the fork of the thumb,
leaving the thumb itself comparatively free. Tak-
ing back the ball with the right hand and remark-
ing ""Now to develop the force,"" he rubs it on his
left coat-sleeve, and strokes the surface of the tram-
way two or three times with it.
""Having now established a proper degree of
'oddity' between the tram and the crystal, I will
ask for the loan of a half-dollar (or florin as the
case may be) marked in any way the owner
pleases.""
He replaces the ball on the table, and in the act
of again turning to the audience gets hold of the
waxed disc and draws it away from the body, hold-
ing it clipped between the ends of the first and sec-
ond fingers, the left thumb pressing the thread
against the cloth top of the tramway, and acting for
the time being (and indeed throughout the trick)
as a brake neutralising at pleasure the pull of the
weight.
He receives the coin on the tramway; then pick-
ing it up with the right hand, makes some obser-
vation as to the mark, meanwhile pressing the
waxed side of the disc against it, then replacing it,
disc down, in the middle of the tramway."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,182,,"THE CABALISTIC CLOCK
described, is credited as having been the invention of
Johann Nep. Hofzinser.
In an advertisement, published in the London Post of
May 23d, 1778, included in my collection, this announce-
ment, among others of much interest, will be found:
""PART II.-Breslaw will exhibit many of his newly
invented deceptions with a grand apparatus and experi-
Katterfelto, the bombastic conjurer, who is famous for having sold sulphur
matches in 1784, before the Lucifer match is supposed to have been discovered.
Reproduced from a rare copy of ""The European Magazine,"" dated June,
1783, now in the Harry Houdini Collection.
ments and particularly the Magic Clock, Sympathetic
Bell, and Pyramidical Glasses in a manner entirely new.""
In 1781, while showing at Greenwood's Rooms, Hay-
market, London, Breslaw heavily advertised, ""Particularly
an experiment on a newly invented mechanical clock
[ 165]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,182,,"166
LATEST MAGIC
in the choice of their parents. He invented a lot of
useful things, among them creosote and paraffin.
Neither of them smells very nice, but they don't
trouble about that in Germany.
""Besides being a great chemist, Von Thingany
dabbled in what are called the occult sciences, and
he claimed to have discovered a new force (a sort
of magnetism, only different) and which, he
declared, pervaded every thing in nature, espe-
cially crystal. Directed by a strong will, like his
own, or mine, it would do all sorts of wonderful
things. It seemed to me that such a force would
come in very handy for magical purposes, and I
set to work to invent it over again, and I have at
any rate produced something very like it. The
Baron called his force 'odd,' but he spelt it 'od,'
which is odd too. You must judge for yourselves
whether my force is the same as his, and you can
spell it which way you like.
""I have only been able so far to work up a very
small amount of the force, say about six-mouse-
power, SO it won't turn tables, or lift pianos. I can
only get it, SO far, to move a small weight like a
florin or a half-dollar, and that only for a very short
distance. For greater conveniences I have made
this little tramway for the coin to perform upon.
These wires which you see are not for it to travel
on, but merely to get more equal distribution of
the force. There is nothing out of the way about"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,181,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
I am reproducing herewith a number of programmes
describing the effect of the trick and proving that it was
no novelty when Robert-Houdin ""invented"" it. In fact
the trick was so common that only the supreme egotism
BRESLAW
Reproduction of a triple colored lithograph. This section features Breslaw in
stage costume. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.
of the man can explain his having introduced it into the
pages of his book as an original trick. The mysterious
clock worked by the counterweight, which has been
164"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,181,,"AN ""od"" FORCE
165
The opposite end of the thread, which will be
somewhere about thirty inches in length (this again
being a point to be determined by experiment),
is passed through the curled end of a good-sized
safety pin. This, for use in the trick, is attached
to the inside of the performer's vest, just within
the lowest part of the opening. To the free-end
of the thread, after passing through the loop of
the pin, is attached a disc of copper or zinc, three-
quarters of an inch in diameter, against which, on
one side, is pressed and flattened out a pellet of
conjurer's wax, in good adhesive condition. If the
length of the thread has been duly regulated, the
little disc will rest normally just within the vest,
but can be drawn out the extent of a couple of feet
or so, returning swiftly to its hiding place the
moment it is released.
(3) A glass ball-professedly crystal.
(4) An ordinary match-box, empty.
Instructions for the working of the trick will
be most conveniently given step by step with the
patter, which may run as follows:
""In the early days of Queen Victoria's reign,
when the oldest of us here present were good little
boys or girls, and the rest were not born or thought
of, there lived a celebrated scientific gentleman,
called the Baron von Reichenbach. I am sorry to
say he was a German, but he couldn't help it. As
his father and mother were Germans, he had to be
one too. It shows how careful children ought to be"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,180,,"THE CABALISTIC CLOCK
The mechanic walked off the stage winking at me in the
most roguish manner.
Robert-Houdin worked The Mystic Bell trick in con-
nection with The Clock. This was manipulated in the
same way. The bell was worked with thread, pulling
a small pin, which in turn caused the handle to fall
against the glass bell. Naturally, having electricity at
his command at that time, he made use of that force
whenever it suited his fancy.
I am positive that Robert-Houdin presented the elec-
trical clock, because T. Bolin, of Moscow, visited Paris
and bought the trick from Voisin, the French manu-
facturer of conjuring apparatus. The trick which Robert-
Houdin presented, according to his claims, was with the
clock hanging in midair to prove that it was not electri-
cally connected, but the truth of the matter is that the
strings which held the clock suspended in midair con-
cealed the wires through which his electrical current ran.
In my library of old conjuring books the thread meth-
od is ably described by Hofrath von Eckartshausen,
mentioned earlier in this chapter. In fact in the pictorial
appendix of this work he gives this trick prominence by mi-
nutely illustrating the same. He makes use of two hands,
and to make the trick infallible he explains that the best
way would be to use two glass disks, have them held
together by a brass rim, and your threads will work with
absolute certainty. The spectators imagine that they are
seeing only one glass clock.
Johann Conrad Gutle, the well-known delver after
secrets of natural magic, also explains several cabalistic
clock tricks in his book published in 1802.
[ 163]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,180,,"164
*LATEST MAGIC
(2) A special ""pull"" carried on the person of
the performer. This consists of a fine black
thread, to one end of which is attached a weight
travelling up and down the trouser leg, after the
manner described (in connection with a self-sus-
pending wand) at page 111 of ""Later Magic."" In
the present case, however, the weight is much
smaller, being in fact just large enough to rather
more than counterbalance the coin used in the
trick, plus the friction to be overcome by the thread
in the working of the trick. The degree of such
friction is an uncertain quantity, as it will largely
depend on the nature of the operator's underwear
and its closeness to his own body. The precise
weight most effective must be ascertained by pre-
vious experiment, and regulated accordingly.
It will be found convenient to use by way of
weight a glass tube, closed at the bottom like a
test-tube and loaded with buckshot, more or less
in quantity according to the weight required.
The mouth of the tube is closed by a cork, through
which one end of the thread is passed, and secured
on the under side by a knot and a spot of gum.
When the minimum weight that will effectually
serve the desired purpose has been ascertained, any
vacant space above the leaden pellets should be
filled with cotton wool (to prevent rattling) and the
cork should then be cemented into the tube. If
preferred, the wool may be interspersed among the
buckshot."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,179,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Collinson
Reproduction of rare engraving of Johann Nep. Hofzinser, who invented
the clock worked by a counter-weight, and who was one of the world's great-
est card tricksters. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.
it
[162]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,179,,"- -
eighths of an inch thick and covered as to its upper
side with fine black cloth. To the cloth-covered
side of this is attached, by means of a screw at
each corner, a parallelogram of brass or copper
wire enclosing a space two inches wide. The four
screws, which are likewise of brass, and which are
Fig. 35
of the round-headed kind, are within the parallelo-
gram and serve to keep the wire extended. Mid-
way at each end is another screw, driven in out-
side the wire, in such manner as to make all taut.
These last two screws, for a reason connected with
the working of the trick, stand up a shade higher
than the other four, but the difference is not great
enough to be noticeable. See Fig. 35."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,178,,"THE CABALISTIC CLOCK
purpose, he grasped the dial at the bottom, causing the
number 6 instead of I2 to be on top. When the hand
started to turn, of course it would have stopped at the
Great WONDERS WONDERS! WONDERS! WON-
DERS! and WONDERS! are new to be feen in a ve y
warm Room, at No. 22, Piccadilly, This and every day this
week, from eleven in the mor ing ill four in the after-
noon, and precifely at feven clock, every cvening this week,
M
R. KATTERFELTO will fhow a variery
of new furpriling Experiments in Natural and Expe-
rimental Philofopby and Math.matics, and his whole regular
Courfe of Philofophical L Qures are deliver-d in Twelve
différent times, a different Lecture and Experiment every
day, and every evening at 7 o'clock. His various Experi.
ments are asfollow, vlz.
PHILOSOPHICAL,
PNEUMATIC,
MATHEMATICAL,
HYDRAULIC,
OPTICAL,
HYDROSTATIC,
MAGNETICAL,
PROETIC,
ELECTRICAL,
STENOGRAPHIC.
PHYSICAL,
BLENCICAL,
CHYMICAL,
CAPRIMANTIC ART.
By his new-improved SOLAR MICROSCOPE,
Will be feen many furprining infects in different wate:s, beer,
miik, vinegar, and blood; and other curioas objeits.
Mr. K A T T E R F E L
Her, in Nis travels years par, int? the isc-
nour to shibit with great applanse beforc the Emprofs of
Ruffia, the Queen of Hangary, the King of Pruflia, Den-
mark, Sweden, and Polland, and before many other
Princes.
And af.er his Lecture, Mr. Katterfelto will fhow ard dif-
cover feveral NEW DECEPTIONS, on
DICE, CARDS,
SILVER and GOLD,
BILLIARDS, TENNIS,
BOXES, MEDALS,
LETTERS, MONEY,
PYRAMIDICAL GLASES
WATCHES; CASKETS,
MECHANICAL CLOCKS
Admittance, front feats 3s. fecond feats 23. back frats
19. for fervants only.
Newspaper clipping of 1782, showing that Katterfelto used the cabalistic clock.
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
wrong number. I managed to escape humiliation by
pretending I was afraid he would break the clock by
letting it fall, so took it away from him, holding it myself.
II
[ 161"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,178,,"162
LATEST MAGIC
this for the trick block, which is now at the bottom
of the tube.
""Once more, ladies and gentlemen, here is the
chimney pot, and here are the three bricks, for
inspection by any one who cares to look at them.
Perhaps some of you may be able to account for
their remarkable behaviour. It's a puzzle to me;
but I never was good at guessing. My own idea is
that they are haunted by the ghost of Fidgety
Phil. If not, I give it up.""
AN ""OD"" FORCE
To avoid misconception, it may be well to state
at once that the peculiar spelling of the word ""od""
in the above title is not a printer's error. The
explanation will be found in the patter, which is
founded on a discovery claimed to have been made
by a scientist at one time of world-wide renown,
and the responsibility for so spelling the word rests
with him. For programme purposes the reader
is at liberty to re-name the trick according to his
own fancy. ""Mysterious Motion,"" or ""Moved by
Magic"" would fairly represent the effect produced,
which consists in causing a borrowed coin to move
automatically at the will of the operator, in various
directions.
The requirements for the trick are as follows:
(1) The ""tramway"" whereon the coin is to be
made to travel. This consists of a' slab of wood"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,177,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Years ago when I introduced this trick in my per-
formance, I called a young man on my stage and asked
him to place the hand on the spindle. It would then re-
volve and stop at any number named. But first I made
him inform the audience the number he had chosen,
Fig 19 .
P
o
Figsy.
of
is
n
m
to is
2
K
6
Tig
16
a
a
e
XII
a
e
of
g
g
= i
the
IS
The above diagram exposes the magic clock trick, as offered in the time of
Hofrath von Eckartshausen, a German writer on magic in the eighteenth and
the nineteenth centuries. Fig. 15 shows the clock in position for the trick, hung
against the rear wall or 'drop."" Gaily-colored ribbons hide thin leather tubes
through which run two sets of stout silk thread or catgut, connecting with
the hour and minute hands. The thread then passes through the two iron
rings, p and o in Figures 17 and 19, which are screwed to the ceiling; thence
to the hidden confederate, who manipulates the clock hands as the hour and
minute are announced by magician or spectator. Fig. 16 shows the two faces
of the clock, with the fine connecting rod around which the string is woudn
to manipulate the hands. This mechanism is hidden by a flat brass band
which encircles the edges of the two transparent faces. From Eckartshausen's
""The Conjurer's Pocket,"" edition of 1791.
which gave me time to fix the weight with my thumb. I
then gave him the hand, but he was a skilled mechanic,
and possibly knew the trick. Instead of holding the
clock by the ring at the top, which was there for that
[160]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,177,,"THE BEWILDERING BLOCKS
161
bottom, checked by the third finger, and replaces
tube upright on table.
""As before, I drop in first the blue, then the
white, then the red."" (This last being the trick
block, care must be taken to keep its red sides well
to the front.)
""Again I left off the chimney pot, and again
you see, the bricks have changed places. White
has come to the top, and red has gone to the bottom
again.""
The trick block, which this time remained at
the top, is now allowed to slide down to the bottom.
The tube is again placed on the table, but so turned
that the blue sides of the block within it are brought
to the front.
""I can't tell you why the bricks behave in this
way, but you can see for yourselves that I have
nothing to do with it. We will try it once more,
and for a change I will put the red block in first,
then the white and then the blue. That order will
be easy to remember. Red, white and blue reckon-
ing from the bottom upwards. Again I remove the
cover. The same thing has happened again, but
with a little difference. White has come to the
top again, but blue has this time gone to the bot-
tom.""7
While attention is drawn to the new order of
the blocks, the performer allows the ordinary blue
one, now left in the tube, to slide out into his hand,
and in picking up the others secretly substitutes"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,176,,"THE CABALISTIC CLOCK
reliable dealer of conjuring apparatus, in almost any
part of the world.
For a clock worked by counterweight the hand of thin
brass is prepared in the centre, where there is a weight
of peculiar shape which has at the thin or tapering
end a small pin. This pin is fixed permanently to the
weight and can be revolved about the small plate on
which it is riveted. Through this plate there is a hole,
exactly in the centre. This hand has all this covered
with a brass cap, and, to make the arrow point to any given
number, you simply move the weight with your thumb.
The pin clicks and allows you to feel it as it moves from
one hole to another. With very little practice you can
move this weight, while in the act of handing it to some
one to place it on the centre of the clock face; and when
spun, the weight, of its own accord, will land on the
bottom, causing the hand to point where it is forced by
the law of gravity. The plate on which the weight is
fastened is grooved or milled, so that it answers to the
slightest movement of your thumb.
When the clock is on the stage and the hand moves
simply by the command of the performer or audience, it
is manipulated by an assistant behind the scenes, either
by the aid of electricity or by an endless thread which is
wrapped about the spindle and runs through the two
ribbons or strings that hold the clock in midair. Some
conjurers work the clock so arranged as to make a com-
bination trick; first by having it worked by the concealed
confederate; then, taking the clock off the stand and
bringing it down in the midst of the audience. But for
this trick you can use only one hand.
[ 159 ]
1"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,176,,"160
LATEST MAGIC
in the chimney. They go in quite easily; but when
they are once inside they can't turn round, or turn
over, or change places. But the curious thing is
that though they can't they do, as you will see
presently.
""I place the chimney-pot here on the table,
where you can see all round it, and I drop the
three bricks into it one by one. Notice particu-
larly the order in which I put them in. First, the
blue. You heard it go down. Next, the white,
and now, the red. Don't forget. Blue at the bot-
tom, white in the middle, and red at the top.
""Now, without my saying or doing anything,
they will at once begin to shift about. They can't
keep still for more than a few seconds. When I
lift off the chimney pot, you will find that they have
changed places."" (It is lifted accordingly, per-
former holding back the uppermost block within it
by gentle pressure on opposite angles of the tube,
and exhibiting only the three lower blocks now as
in Fig. 34.)
""There, as I told you, like Fidgety Phil, they
couldn't keep still. The white brick has climbed
to the top, the red one has gone down to the bot-
tom, and the blue one is now in the middle.
""We will try again. I will put the bricks in in
just the same order, to make it easier for you to
remember them.""
Performer has meanwhile allowed the red block,
left in the upper part of the tube, to sink to the"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,175,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
in the centre of the glass face, and revolves it. The arrow
or hand is worked by a counterweight, controlled by the
M. Jacobs, magician, ventriloquist, and bold imitator of John Henry Anderson.
From a rare lithograph now in the Harry Houdini Collection.
performer, who has it fixed before he hands it to the inno-
cent spectator. The clock can be purchased from any
[158]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,175,,"THE BEWILDERING BLOCKS
159
man called Fidgety Phil, There is a little poem
about him. It says:
'Fidgety Phil
Couldn't keep still,
Made his mother and father ill.'
""There are a lot more verses but I am sorry to
say I don't know them. However, these few lines
are enough to show you what sort of a boy Fidgety
Phil was. He was the kind of boy that wherever
he is, he wants to be somewhere else. When he
was standing up he wanted to sit down, and when
he was sitting down he wriggled about on his chair
till he was allowed to stand up again.
""These little blocks are all that are left of a
box of bricks which are said to have belonged to
Fidgety Phil and they show what even a box of
bricks may come to if a bad example is constantly
set before them. These three little bricks have got
to be just as fidgety as Phil was himself. Any-
how, that is the only way in which I can account
for their queer behaviour.
""Please have a good look at them, and see if you
can discover anything peculiar about them. I
can't, myself."" (The blocks are handed for exam-
ination.) ""They seem to me to be just ordinary
bits of coloured wood, and this square tube is
believed to have been a chimney pot belonging to
the same set. I want you to notice particularly
that the bricks are just the right size to fit closely"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,174,,"THE CABALISTIC CLOCK
or as slowly as possible, or in time to music. In fact the
performer has full control of the hands-he can make
them do his every bidding.
The mysterious clock is a trick as old as the obedient-
card trick, if not. older. It was explained according
to various methods in books before Robert-Houdin's
appearance on the stage. In fact, the majority of old-
time conjuring books explain mysterious clocks carefully.
Before electricity was introduced, magnets were em-
ployed, but the earliest method was to make use of thread
wound about the spindle of the clock hand, and that
method is still the very best used to-day, owing to its
simplicity. The clock, on being presented to the audience,
may be hung or placed in the position best suited to the
particular method by which it is being ""worked.""
It shows a transparent clock face, such as you see in
any jewelry shop. Some magicians utilize only one hand,
which permits the easy use of electricity or magnet, while
others employ two and even three hands. When more
than one hand is used the hours and minutes are indicated
simultaneously and, if cards are pasted on the clock face,
the largest hand is used to find the chosen cards.
The clock may be placed on a pedestal, in an upright
position, or hung in midair on two ribbons or strings.
It can be hung on a stand made expressly for the purpose,
on the style of a music stand, or it can be swung in a
frame. In fact, as stated before, it is usually placed so
as to facilitate the method of working.
When the cabalistic clock is taken off the hook or the
stand on which it is placed, and handed to one of the
spectators to hold, the latter places the hand on the pin
[ 55]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,174,,"158
LATEST MAGIC
after inspection, before placing it on the table he
secretly introduces the trick block into its lower
end, privately noting against which sides of the
tube the two red faces will lie, and taking care in
placing the tube upon the table that the angle
formed by these two sides shall be to the front.
The other three blocks are then, in accordance with
the patter, dropped in from above, in the order
shown in Fig. 32, resting, unknown to the specta-
tors, on top of the trick block. When the performer
lifts off the tube, which he does grasping it diagon-
ally between thumb and finger at about an inch
from the top, he does so with gentle pressure,
thereby holding back the uppermost block within
the tube, and exposing the two others with the trick
block at the bottom, as indicated by Fig. 34.
I gave a description of this trick in the Magician
of February, 1914. The patter for its exhibition
was based on a popular nursery legend, and as this
mode of presentation won general approval from
the juveniles I cannot do better than repeat it prac-
tically as there given. The needful working
instructions will be found interspersed with the
patter.
""What I am goong to show you now is not a trick,
or, if you can call it a trick, it is one that works
itself, for you will see for yourselves that I have
really nothing to do with it. It is just an illustra-
tion of the force of bad example.
""No doubt you have all heard of a young gentle-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,173,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
FOR THE BENEFIT OF
sig. B. Eagle
trick is nothing short of far-
ANU THE
cical.
Last Night of his Engagement
beatre,
The follnoing Natrect "" from the Yord C'ourent of
The Cabalistic or Obedient
Blase
Clock
...
-
-
bed
sed
-
There might be said to exist
-
*******
-
de
...
...
On FRIDAY Evening, Nov 9th, 1838,
a very reasonable doubt as to
Will be the Pette of the
Green-Eyed
the exact date at which Rob-
Monster
ert-Houdin produced the caba-
Rome Mr Lirlect Mr Morley M. Manke,
listic clock which he included
J. Smediry Mewn. King-tue Witterheld
Cady
Mrs.
Leknord
Ameha,
Mr.
Sbort
Louser, Smedie,
APTER
among his other doubtful
Signior Bernardo Eagle
WILL COMMENO ""IS
claims to inventions.
GRAND DISPLAY OF ILLUSIONS.
PART FIRST,
The Enchanted Canle-The Card of Lede's dismered D,
On page 250 of the Ameri-
Cards-the Feas of la Coup.or bee - - and "" the leteus in
Gomestera
The Walking Cards,
can edition of his ""Memoirs""
"" ill place Park of 'ards again the tomand then wnw + Perpendiculen
one byone to thave of the bead feal, ever
with
he has the Cabalistic Clock on
The Enchanted Orange.
THS MAGIC WINE BOTTLE,
PHE EXTRAORDINARY COBLET OF BACCHUS WITH THE
ENCHANTED WATER.
his opening programme for
THE VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE PIG,
Which
will appeas os the Table and instently vanish before the tyye of the Audiense
And on the occamon Mr F
July 3d, 1845, but in the ap-
Will
change e Quentity of Copper, taten ont of any Gentleman's
Pocket, into Silver. the reul Com of the Rraim
A LADY's HANDKERCHIEF will be lound conveyed to the ceaire of LEMON
pendix of the French edition
THE CHEST
OF DOCTOK MICHAEL NOSTRADAME'S, THE FRENCH WIZARD
he states that the clock first
The conderfal INnuon perfortned and must be seen to be belueved.
THIS PANT WILL CONCLUDE ""ITH
A Grand CHINESE EXPERIMENT,
NINS SOLID STEEL BINOS.
made its appearance at the
the Parta of the Iilusions be aill recite an Tale. earitled GINEVRA
DONATI: . leaghable Story. as recited by hun on several at the
PICKWICK CLL B. an Louden with gvret applause sheeing the adventures and cunow
secidents that happened that ... troubled with en impedument in his speech
opening of the season of 1847.
PART SECOND.
wonn.
In nearly all his statements
He will playfan estreordmery Tune be Watch, and thea he change.
word of command. the Waub isto . PIEBALD MOUSE. ALIVE.
THE ENCHANTED EGGS.
He
will command Sus nee-le Egge so Grop from the ceiling of the Room. thee change
he is equally inaccurate.
thomseives isto BEACTIFUL WHITE MICE.
He will Inhewise meke one of the Egge dance Welts, and then JUMP JIM CROW,
Corvect to Munie. be will then introduce his sechented lutle Man. whe will play may
feany Inde michs enth the
The mysterious clock might
THE ART OF GARDENING.
He wilt ... common Perniey Seed in Sour por and comresed to give
excelleer
Crop before the of the Audiance.
be termed the obedient clock,
H.
will
borroe . Ledy and paeces, bern "" to ashes, end thes
at . be found in the cestre of foof ie any part of the Tows the Company choose to -
Supper for All,
for the trick consists in caus-
He will * is Person's bat without the aid of fre, be all these abe choose
there.
The Peformance alli conclude vith
ing the hand or hands to obey
THE GUN TRICK
le which be challeages any Sporting le the Tow Foeling Piece -
the will of the conjurer or the
Pouder and Bellea, and dre is et bie beed, and be will the Bell between bis Tooth
A ""Barney"" Eagle poster on
wishes of the audience.
which the obedient-card trick is fea-
tured as ""The Walking Cards.""
The hands will point to
From the Harry Houdini Collec-
tion.
a figure, move with rapidity,
[ 156]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,173,,"THE BEWILDERING BLOCKS
157
inserted at the top is found to have passed to the
bottom, the other two moving up accordingly.
This surprising effect is produced by the secret
introduction into the tube of a fourth block of
which the spectators know nothing. This, which
FIG. 32
FIG. 33
FIG. 34
we will call the ""trick"" block, is, like the rest, col-
oured black at the top and bottom; but of the
remaining four sides two, contiguous to each other,
are red, and the other two blue.
When the tube is handed back to the performer"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,172,,"THE OBEDIENT CARDS
royalty, Anderson had another bill printed, showing
Eagle playing before the King at the Ascot race-track,
and an assistant passing the hat in mountebank fashion.
In revenge, Eagle had a book published, in which he
exposed Anderson's best drawing trick, The Gun Delusion,
in which the magician allowed any one from the audience
""BARNEY"" ALIAS THE IMPOSTOR WIZARD
OSTAINING ROYAL PATRONAGE on ASCOT HEATH RACE COURSE.
Window poster issued by Anderson to belittle his imitator ""Barney"" Eagle
and show how the latter secured royal patronage. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
to shoot a gun at him using marked bullets. These
bullets were caught in his mouth or on the point of a
knife. This trick became as common as the obedient-
card trick.
In the face of such overwhelming evidence, Robert-
Houdin's claim to having invented the obedient-card
[x55]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,172,,"156
LATEST MAGIC
know just where it is when I want it. It saves a
lot of trouble.""
THE BEWILDERING BLOCKS
The blocks which give its title to this trick are
inch-square wooden cubes, three in number, as
illustrated in Fig. 32. Each is coloured black on
two of its opposite sides; these in use being made
top and bottom. The four remaining sides are in
the case of one block red, of another white, and of
a third blue. The only other item of apparatus
known to the spectators is a square cardboard tube,
as depicted in Fig. 33. This is about five inches
long, and of such dimensions laterally as to let
either block slide by its own weight easily through
it, but no more. All four items may be freely sub-
mitted to inspection, for in this case appearances
are not deceitful. Both the blocks and the tube are
no more and no less than they seem to be.
In exhibiting the trick, the tube is placed upright
on the table, and the three blocks are dropped into
it one after another, the company being requested
to note particularly the order in which they are
inserted, which we will suppose to be in the first
instance blue, then white, and lastly red, as shown
without the tube in Fig. 32. It is clear that, once
inserted, they cannot by any natural means alter
their relative positions, but, strange to say, when
they are again uncovered, the red block just"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,171,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Young's name has been handed down in history be-
cause he made money on Anderson's reputation, by the
boldest of limitations, assuming the title of Wizard of the
North with his own name in small type. One of his bills
is also reproduced.
SHAKSPEARE ROOMS,
Barnedo or ""Bar-
NEW-STREET, BIRMINGHAM.
ney"" Eagle is the man
of the trio of the imi-
tators who deserves
more than passing no-
tice. He became An-
derson's bitterest ene-
my, and their rivalry
made money for the
printers.
BEHOLD THE
GREAT BERNADO'S SYSTEL OF IMPOSITION
Eagle could neither
Which he nightly practices on the inhabitants of Birmingham,
holding his System of Humbug up by copying the Bills and
read nor write, but hav-
Advertisements, of J. H. ANDERSON, the Inventor
of Ambidexterous Prestidigitation, with all the list of the
Great Wizard of the North's peculiar technical phrases,
ing a quick brain he
which BERNADO exhibits in his Bills, (as original) yet
can neither pronounce nor understand the meaning of
hired a clever writer to
the terms by which he gulls the public. Mr. ANDERSON
will bet BERNADO any sum, from a Shilling to 220, that
he cannot read the Advertisement in the Birmingham
indite his speeches and
Advertiser,"" of Thursday, 18th November. Mr. A. will
take a further bet, that the Advertisement alluded to, was
copied from his,((Mr. A's) Bill, circulated in Manchester,
duplicated Anderson's
on Monday, November 15th.
BARNEY, when we last met, 1 merely ruffed your
show so closely that An-
feathers, this time l'u pluch you clean, not one shall be len
thee to spread thy (Eagle) wings of imposition.
derson'spride was hurt.
Should BARNEY accept this challenge, the memey
will be spent at CHARLEY CHESHIRE'S.
He therefore decided
An Anderson poster, exposing ""Barney""
to expose Eagle, and
Eagle's tricks. Only bill of this sort in exist-
ence. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
thousands of bills, con-
stituting a virulent
attack upon his imitator, were distributed. One of these
is reproduced. It is so rare that I doubt whether another
is in existence.
As Eagle had advertised that he was patronized by
[ 55]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,171,,"THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET
155
becomes very sensitive to colour. I will just give
the ball a rub with this red silk handkerchief and
drop it into the tube again."" Drop in white ball
after rubbing, keeping tube closed; then raise it
and show red ball at bottom.
""Here it is again, you see, but it has taken the
colour of the handkerchief and is now a rosy red,
a sort of maiden's blush; the blush of a very shy
maiden. Unfortunately maiden's blush is not a
fast colour, unless it's the wrong kind; the kind
that's rubbed in with a powder puff. This kind
soon gets pale again. I rub the ball again, this
time with a white handkerchief, and again drop
it into the tube.""
Drop in red ball, tube closed, lift and show white
ball, under cover of its appearance transferring
tube to opposite hand and allowing red ball to
run back into palm to be got rid of a moment
later.
""I think I heard a lady say, 'Where is the red
ball ? This is the red ball, at least it was the red
ball a moment ago. There is no other, for, as you
see, the tube is empty.""
Again drop tube over candle as in Fig. 30. Pass
ball from hand to hand and finally make believe to
swallow it, meanwhile dropping it into the pro-
fonde.
""After being treated like this the ball becomes so
volatile that I used to be always losing it. But I
never lose it now. I just swallow it and then I"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,170,,"THE OBEDIENT CARDS
MR. BARNARDO EAGLE, THE ROYAL WIZARD OF THE SOUTH.
Frontispiece from Eagle's book, in which he exposes Anderson's gun de-
usion. Said by Henry Evanion, who knew Eagle, to be a fine likeness.
rom the Harry Houdini Collection."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,170,,"154
LATEST MAGIC
tube.) ""I drop the ball in again, and this time it
will remain suspended till I permit the compressed
air to escape."" (Pick up tube, holding it vertically
a few inches above the table.) ""Say when you
would like the ball to fall. Now? Good ! I with-
draw my strong won't and the ball falls at once.""
(Switch loop, allowing it to do so, then pass tube,
closing it, to opposite hand and load into it dupli-
cate ball at top; then replacing tube on table.)
""Now, by way of variety, we will try compress-
ing the ball instead of the air."" (Pick up ball left
on table and make believe to transfer it to the oppos-
ite hand. Then, with the left hand empty, make
pretence of crushing it into the hand.) ""The ball
is now resolved into its component atoms. You
didn't see them go? No, of course you didn't.
For the time being they are dematerialised: but the
compressed air in the tube will soon solidify them
again."" (Lift tube, keeping ball suspended.)
""It has not got solid yet, but we shall not have long
to wait."" (After a few moments again lift tube,
opening it and allowing ball to pass through.)
""Here is the ball, now as solid as before.""
Transfer tube closed to opposite hand and in SO
doing load in red ball at top. In replacing tube
on table open and close it again, so that the ball
shall fall, but shall rest within the tube on the
table.
""Now I will show you another curious effect.
A
ball which has been dematerialised in that way"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,169,,"233
This setting shows how cumbersome was the apparatus employed by magicians before Wiljalba Frikell proved
Lithograph used by E. W. Young, who copied all of John Henry Anderson's billing and featured the obedient-card trick. that
he could score with apparently no apparatus. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,169,,"THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET
153
table and drop the ball in once more. Where is it
now' ? On the table, you say. Quite right: here
it is.""7 (Lift tube, closing it, and placing it on
end beside ball.) ""But now I take a few handfuls
of air and press them well down into the tube""
(makes believe to do so), ""and I drop the ball in
again. This time you see it does not fall through.
As a matter of fact it has stopped halfway, resting
on the compressed air in the tube."" (Lift tube,
showing that the ball has not passed through.
After replacing the tube switch the wire loop to
the horizontal position, allowing the ball to drop
inside the tube.) ""I think there can be no doubt
that this is the way Mr. Home, the medium, man-
aged to float about with his head in the air and his
feet on the mantelpiece. All that was needed was
a few pints of compressed air in his tail-pockets.
It's quite simple, when you know how it's done.
""Of course, as the tube is open at the top, the
effect doesn't last very long. The compressed air
gradually expands again and becomes too thin to
support the ball any longer. I dare say by this
time it has done so.""7 (Lift tube, exposing ball,
and re-closing tube). ""Yes, here it is.""
""I can keep the air from escaping to a certain
extent, because I happen to have a very strong
won't. A strong will is a good thing to have, but
sometimes a strong won't is even more useful.
Once again I will fill the tube with compressed air.""
(Make believe to do so, then pick up the closed"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,168,,"very names he had used
-
le
-
-
-
peter
-
of
-
-
-
tous
-
-
-
PART ASTER THE OVERTURE
and the style of his billing.
The
-
display of the - -
The Vases or Cups of Divination,
umo
uses
onta
All three of these men
san CARD. TH"" ama OF PARADIEL
suas .
ao wow warma
.
THE MADIC PEDESTAL GIGANTIC DICE.
were professional magi-
NOTUALLING OFFICE, or CANDLE COOKERY.
CIRCASSIAN CANS. BUONAPARTES FEATHER,
or
cians before Robert-Hou-
Magicien.
FRENCH BOLL AND HANDKERCHIEF. MYSTERIOUS WALNUTS.
Opere Glase - Carda. The Rose and Wedding Rang.
din appeared, and Ander-
Ast - "" - quete - - hore - -
cquelled
by
-
othee
Performee.
PART IL-OTERTURE,
son was his very active
Aller - Ms. JACOSA,
THI 5 LANDLORD AT HOME;
Or, Gout and Hoarseness versus Family Grievances.
contemporary.
-
-
hands
-
- -
-
-
-
A Jacobs bill is here
1
-
-
-
=
-
-
- - - 1
- - - =
-
-
-
-
reproduced, showing the
-
by
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
las
-
-
-
-
-
the
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
de
year
-
-
-
-
de
thei
card trick featured among
.
-
the
-
the
-
The
---
-
-
-
-
.
a
the
gh
-
-
-
-
and
leag
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
The
Freach
-
-
-
-
other attractions.
The
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
bes
-
the
-
-
a
-
-
-
the
and
-
de
-
-
-
lithograph of Jacobs used
the
in this connection is an
&
the
actual likeness and I bc-
Jacobs poster, featuring ""The Travelling
lieve it to be as rare as it
Card.""
From the Harry Houdini Collec-
tion.
is timely.
[ 151 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,168,,"152
LATEST MAGIC
""As some of you have not had the opportunity
of personally examining the tube I should like to
prove to you in the first place that it is really what
it appears to be, a simple cardboard cylinder, open
from end to end, and as free from deception as I
am myself.
""Proof 1."" (Wand dropped through tube on
to table.)
""Proof 2."" (Tube held in front of candle show-
ing flame through it.""7)
""Proof 3."" (Tube dropped over candle as in
Fig. 30, or spun on wand, held horizontally as in
Fig. 31
Fig. 31; the halfhoop in each case being made to
lie against the side of the tube.)
""I have here a little ball, of such a size that it
passes easily through the tube.""1 The ball is
allowed to fall through, from the one hand to the
other.
Now I will place the tube upright on the
1 If preferred the ball instead of being taken openly from the table,
may be produced from the wand after the fashion familiar in the Cup
and Ball trick, but on the whole I think this is best omitted."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,167,,"THE GREAT MAGICIAN,
From the Munic Holl, Shefield, Commercial Rooma, Leeds, and the Exchange Rooma, Monchusier, - perform
his Myatic Wonders, for . Short Time only,
I N THE VICTORIA ROOMS, HULL.
MR. J. H. ANDERSON,
THE GREAT CALEDONIAN MAGICIAN:
Desirous of gratifying the Ladies and Gentlemes of Hull, and ite Vicinity,
Has the to announce bie intention of Performing for A SHORT TIME QNLY, his MYSTIC WONDERS! he hupes the anqualified
approbation which was beatowed on hie exertions at Livergeol for - seccessive nighta, Manchanter for eighty signts, Leeda for fifty
nights, Sheffleld furty nighta, Ediabungh une hundred and three aighia, Glangew alsty sighta, twenty sighta, will ensure him
the patromage of the Nobility, Gentry, and Public of Hull.
Mr. J. H. ANDERSON las had the distiaguiabed honnur of performing before his late Majesty, at Windant Castle, and belove his
Majeuty Geo. IV., le the Parilion at Brighton: and subsequeatly received letterá by their Majesties' command, ataling the Royal approval
of each performance tugether with others from the Marquis of Westminater, the Eari of Bradford, the of the lat Life Guards, the
Buke of Gordon, and Sir Walter
From the many teatimuniala forwarded to Mr.J. H. A. he submits the following from Lord Panmure and atherso
Bascupi
Cama,
March
24th,
1937.
Sir,-Our parly hege, last sight, witscieed your performance with the greatest untisfaction: And I have no hesitation la aying, that
you far escel any other decromancor that , ever - either at home ur abrued
PANMURE""
- To Mr. J. H.
September let, 1837.
Mr. J. H. Andersum highly gratified the party before whom be performed his Necromantic Feats, and Magical Exploits He is
the
mast acpomplished Professor of the Art of Magie we ever - and beg lu exprese our high admiration of hie talenta, and thank him for bia per-
formance at Hokelyy.
J. HL MORRET, Exq.
GEORGE CLIFFORD, Eqg.
GEORGE MANBY, Coldatresm Guards
ON MONDAY EVENINC, APRIL 30, 1838, & EVERY EVENINC DURING THE WEEK.
The Magician's Entertainmente will at Eight e'clock procisely.
PHOGRAMME.
DYINC AND LIVINC BIRDS.
of Gaming, adopited by . CELEBRATED LORD: and the SAMEITERS of
the HELLA le the END OF LONDON.
As NEW EXPERIMENT. The Magirion will produce Ten Canary Birds
Ast - - - - the
deada the Lileless Barda will be placed in . Pais and Baked: they noll be
Like mallews -
- ready, whem the Magician arise the Birde will obey thels Marter,
OUTTING UT the GROWNS or HATH.
-
By from the Pan alive.
The Magician will herrow the Hate of forr be will Cot ont the Crowse
MACICAL PICTURE CALLERY
of the Hate (la this Trick Dice are with . siagle lag of the
la
this Mraberinus Book representing . of Pactures, will change at
the
-
l'and the CROWN ABE RESTORED.
mand of the Mugician to . to the Dell' in Tem
Maseguy 1111 Calumbias Paul
CHINESE RINGE or
All the aboré EAnngei will appres Shent Blask Papm.
The
Rings appear to have meisher Spring - Juinit, they may be the
The Magician will Duplay the Wonderfill Pawne of RECOND SIGHT
sye of Man discover the Secret, yet Thane Joint, - - be shewa by the
MYSTIC CABINET
Magician linking tagether the IMPERVIOUS
PEATHER-A-LA-MLITAIRE
The Magician will borrww Hall-A Crows frosa Gratienan, haring marked the
FIRING ATCHES FROM A BE UNDER,BUSS!
Half-Crown,
the
will
any
Change""
the
will
thange
inte
The Necrumascos slaset auy walch - Target,
. BED FEATHER, theree fret the Half Crewn le gune- Basket of Orasiges
or injuring the abch at - ards distance.
will
be
prodeced;
the
Magicism
will
touch
ane
with
be
Mystic
Wand,
WHEN
TRE
MARKKD BALF CROWN WILL BE FOUXD is THE HEART OF AN
FLYINC HANDKERCHIEFS.
ORANGE!
The Magician will command any LADYS TO PLY inte .
CARD EXPERIMENTS.
Locked Bes Change Il - French Besna, of to Carli - BURN IT
TO ASHES He will conmand il from - ORANGE RESTORED
on HOW TO PRINT WITHO UT INK.
Concluation ut Part FintamAn Internal of Misstes
THE MYSTIC TARGET
The Magician will command . Marked Carl to fly at the nate THOUSAND
ART 11. will commesice with COOKING IN A HAT/ The Magírisa
MILES IN A MINUTE
will make la - Hat, . Padding large anongh to - the Appetite
of . THQUSAND PERSONSI
NAPOLEON'S TRICK
HACTHING EGGS.
This la Trick by the Empetor Napoleus. Carde will be drawn from
The Magleisp will burroe from pair Gluves which be will hura Tax
. Park by Ledica sud Geotlesses, courraling the the They
Eage will ane in the at the Magician the other in the rigbt;
may be the differret pérties, alley whick the Magicias will Ag.
pear 1** and the Carda will WALK FR om THE PACK/ in Se
be will the Lady in which of the Egge lass Glaves shall appear. and they
will appear in the Egg which the Lady names,
will under Carda do any thing He coscinile bea Canl/Trido with
A WATCH IN A LOAF.
The Magiciani will
It
will
be
foend
in
. COAF at any BARER'S 2HOP IN THE TOWS.
THE TWO LEARNED HALF-CROWNS
Whtck will any question put to them and dance - the ward of command
Any Laity wishing bei forme toll, can have a mad by the which
will ect as the at LHuman Destiny,
ANALVEATION or No. 1, a, and a or PILLA.
The Magician will borrow Three - from . Laity and froma
Large uf the abere Fille wit be prodesed: the
HANDKERCHIEF CHANGES AT THE COMMAND OF THE MAGICIAN
INTO THE PILLS; the Pille when Analyzed will appear in their GENUINE
COMPOBITION, A PLOWER VASE will dange into TIM BOBBIN, from
Menth the will appear
Handkenchänfa will be from three The Magicias - load bia
Myytic Gan, in be will placeile be ** MA Bottle com-
w ines the Boatle will be and the
A INT A HAI.
The Magician will from any Hat commanil . Collection af BEASTS la
giving . LESSON to WHIST PLAYERS or Pablishing to the World the appear - estennire au WOMBW ELL'S MENAGERIE
The EVENING'S PERVORMANCE TO CONCLUDE WITH
I
181
18
DI
Y
S
I
I
1B
S
IS
E
8
OR,
AN ORANGE CHANGED TO A LADY.
Front Sesta Back Beate la Children under 18 Vears of Age, with Partica to the Front Besta, Is. esch. Parties wishing or Ticket,
or
to Secure Beata are requented to send to the Victoria
- Doura agen at Half-part Seveu, Performance to Commence at Eight-Gonsluding at Tea or
Any Gentiense with . Head of Grey Hair that he wishne chuaged la . glomy way have la la ONE MINUTE! by applying to
may be - Private Performances and gives in the Mystic Art.
n
0
0
0
10
Anderson billing of 1838, featuring obedient cards as ""Napoleon's Trick.""
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[r50]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,167,,"THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET
151
other people. His coffin was placed in a mosque,
where it hangs in the air like a captive balloon,
about twenty feet up, resting on nothing at all. I
am not certain as to the exact height from the
ground, but that is what the Moslems say, and they
would hardly tell a story about a little thing like
that. It has always been a mystery what keeps
the prophet up aloft. Some say it is done by mes-
FIG. 30
merism, some say by magnetism, and one old gen-
tleman declared it was done by mormonism. No
doubt, when you come to think of it Mahomet was
a bit of a Mormon. But they are all wide of the
mark. As a matter of fact the coffin rests on a
slab of compressed air. It's quite simple, when
you know it. I haven't a coffin handy, but by
means of this little tube I can show you the effect
of the same principle on a smaller scale."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,166,,"THE OBEDIENT CARDS
city of the world, and, when so inclined, built his own
theatres. He sold books on magic during his own per-
formances, and would sell any trick he presented for a
nominal sum. His most unique advertising dodge was
to offer $500 in gold as prizes for the best conundrums
written by spectators during his performances. To
make this scheme more effective, he carried with him his
own printing-press and set it up back of the scenes.
While the performance was under way, the conundrums
handed in by the spectators were printed, and, after the
performance, any one might buy a sheet of the questions
and puns at the door. As every one naturally wanted to
see his conundrum in print, Anderson sold millions of these
bits of paper. In 1852, while playing at Metropolitan
Hall, New York City, he advertised his conundrum con-
test and sold his book of tricks, etc., and such notables as
Jenny Lind and General Kossuth entered conundrums.
He was among the first performers to expose the Daven-
port Brothers, whose spiritualistic tricks and rope-tying
had astonished America. Directly on witnessing a per-
formance and solving their methods, Anderson hurried
back to England and exposed the tricks.
To sum up his history, he stands unique in the annals
of magic as a doer of daring things. He rushed into print
on the slightest pretext, was a hard fighter with his rivals
and aired his quarrels in the press, and he was a game
loser when trouble came his way. Not a brilliant actor
or performer, he yet had the gift of securing excellent
effects in his mise en scènc. He made and lost several
fortunes, generally recouping as quickly as he lost. He
was burned out several times, the most notable fire being
[149]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,166,,"150
LATEST MAGIC
""change"" the tubes neatly during the transit, he
may suppress the plain tube altogether and com-
mence at once with the exhibition of the faked tube
from the platform, but the omission makes the
trick less convincing.
We will suppose that the performer goes for
the maximum effect and advances offering the
dummy tube for inspection. The patter I suggest
for the trick in this form runs as follows:
""I- have here, ladies and gentlemen, a hollow tube.
It is not uncommon for tubes to be hollow, but this
one is, if anything, even hollower than usual. I
should like some lady or gentleman to examine it
carefully and testify that it is just a plain ordinary
tube with absolutely no deception of any sort about
it. If it was not so, you may be sure I should
hardly venture to let you examine it. You can see
through it, hear through it, or blow through it.
You are satisfied? Then 1 will show you a curious
little experiment with it.""
During the return to the table the dummy is
exchanged for the trick tube.
""I call the experiment I am about to show you
""The Mystery of Mahomet. I gave it that name
because it was Mahomet who suggested the idea to
me. I don't mean personally. I didn't know
him. In point of fact he did not give me the idea
till after he had been dead for some years. This
sounds peculiar, but I will explain.
""When Mahomet died he wasn't buried like"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,165,,"SPIRITUALISM!
THE DAVENPORTS
BY
PROFESSOR ANDERSON
[ 148]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,165,,"THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET
149
switch to right or left, raises the loop to a hori-
zontal position against one or other of the sides
of the tube, when it no longer offers any obstacle
to the passing of the ball. The wire used is SO thin
that with the halfhoop lying against its side a spec-
tator may safely be allowed to look through the
tube even at a very short distance, without fear of
his perceiving the presence of the wire.
The requirements for the trick, all told, are as
follows:
(1) The wand.
(2) The plain tube.
(3) The trick tube.
(4) Two white balls.
(5) A red ball.
(6) A lighted candle.
(7) A small red silk handkerchief.
One of the white balls must be vested or other-
wise so placed as to be ready for production from
the wand. The second white ball and the red ball
are stowed in the pochettes, one on each side. The
faked tube may be vested and exchanged for the
plain one during the journey back to the table
after the dummy has been tendered for inspec-
tion; the latter being dropped into the profonde.
These however are matters which the expert will
arrange after his own fashion. If the perfor-
mer, not being an expert, doubts his ability to"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,164,,"THE OBEDIENT CARDS
he said was bestowed on him by Sir Walter Scott. Thomas
Frost belittles this statement, on the grounds that Scott
was stricken with paralysis in 1830. However, Anderson
became famous in 1829, so he should be given the benefit
of the doubt. He was the greatest advertiser that the
VICTORIA HOOMS, HULL
LAST WEEE
or
GREAT MAGICIAN
PERFORI DE HULL.
REDUOTION OF PRICES
fremt Sende of the Balcom, Bach Ditte, 1..j Gallery Sixpence caly
The Avening, Friday, May Saterday, 19th; Menday, Sless Tuesday,
Théreday, and Friday, will be pedivively the LAST
- perform la Hell.
1838
on or TIIS ABOVE EVENINGS
Naw TSTIC WONDERS!
SPLENDID CHANGES! NECROMANCY:
ART! WEITE ART!
WYSTERY AND MACIC!
UNEQUALLED, UNPARALLELED! so COME & SEE.
TH . LAST WEEKS
et
Eight-pr
heving
claims
agamet
J.
-
these
Dille
ar
Koscas
Haows,
34,
Very rare poster of 1838 in which John Henry Anderson is billed as ""The
Great Magician.' From the Ilarry Houdini Collection.
world of magic has ever known, and he left nothing
undone that might boom attendance at his performances.
He started newspapers, gave masked balls, and donated
thousands of dollars to charities. He was known in every
[147]
1"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,164,,"148
LATEST MAGIC
improvement, and after some cogitation I suc-
ceeded in producing a new trick on somewhat sim-
ilar lines; but free from the defect mentioned above
and capable withal of producing a far wider variety
of effects.
I use two tubes of stiff cardboard, each about
four inches long by one and a half in diameter.
One of these is just a plain tube with no speciality
SECTION
FIG. 29
about it. The other has a piece of fine wire cross-
ing it midway from side to side, and taking the
form of a halfhoop, as shown in Fig. 29, the ends
serving as pivots on which it moves freely. On the
outside, one of its ends is turned down vertically,
forming a tiny switch or handle. The normal
tendency of the halfhoop is to hang downward
across the tube (thereby closing it to the passage of
a ball) but a touch of the finger, moving the little"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,163,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
John Henry Anderson, wife and son, from a rare photograph taken in
1847 or 1848. Said to be an especially good likeness of Mrs. Anderson and the
only one extant. Photograph loaned by Mrs. Leona A. |Anderson, daughter-in-
law of the "" Wizard of the North.""
[146]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,163,,"THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET
147
down, the internal diameter of the tube is very
slightly narrowed, forming a sort of ""choke,"" SO
that a ball dropped into it at the upper end does
not fall right through, as one would naturally
expect, but stops at that point, wedging itself
lightly, SO that the tube can be reversed without
any fear of the ball falling out, though it can be
instantly driven out by bringing down the tube
smartly on the table, or by very slight pressure
behind it.
The other part of the secret lies in the fact that
two balls are in reality used, the existence of the
second being of course unknown to the spectator.
The tube being loaded as above mentioned, i.e. hav-
ing the one ball wedged in it just below the choke,
if the duplicate is dropped in from above it will
apparently fall through, though as a matter of fact
this ball comes to a standstill in the tube above the
choke, while the other is driven out at the bottom.
The secret use of this second ball enables the per-
former to produce sundry surprising results in the
way of appearances and disappearances.
The possibilities of the trick in this form are
however speedily exhausted, and it has a serious
drawback in the fact that it is necessary to invert
the tube afresh before each production, as it is
obvious that a ball contained in it must be brought
below the choke before it can be produced. I had
at one time rather a fancy for the trick, but it
seemed to me that it was capable of a good deal of"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,162,,"THE OBEDIENT CARDS
Astley, the circus man, and Hooper's ""Recreations,"" in
four volumes, published in 1784, expose the same trick.
As to magicians who performed the trick, their names
are legion, and only a few of the most prominent conjurers
will be mentioned in this connection.
The man who obtained the best effects with this trick
was John Henry Anderson, who startled the world of
magic and amusements by his audacity, in 1836, nine
J. H. Anderson's birth place as drawn by him from memory. The follow-
ing is written under the sketch in his own handwriting: A rough sketch of
the farm house called ' Red Stanes,' on the estate of Craigmyle, Parish of
Kincardine O'Neil, Aberdeenshire. The house was built by my grandfather,
John Robertson, in the year 1796, and in it I was born on the 15th day of
July, 1814. John Henry Anderson."" Photographed from the original now
in the possession of Mrs. Leona A. Anderson, by the author.
years before Robert-Houdin trod the stage as a pro-
fessional entertainer.
Anderson was born in Kincardine, Scotland, in 1814,
and started his professional career as an actor. He must
have been a very poor one, too, for he states that he
was once complimented by a manager for having brought
bad acting to the height of perfection.
Anderson was first known as the Caledonian magician,
then assumed the title of the Wizard of the North, which
10
[ 145 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,162,,"146
LATEST MAGIC
ing over the question. Now it has come to rest,
and it says the answer will be found in the""
(name suit.) ""And now to find out which is the
right card of that suit. I take off the glass and
turn the dial over. Please concentrate your mind
on your question. I put the glass and the pointer
on again. Again the pointer thinks it over, and
finally decides as you see, for the (naming
number of card.) ""Now all we have to do is to
look out that card"" (does so) ""and here we have
the answer to your question.""
Before inviting a fresh querist to breathe into
the glass, it is well to wipe it out carefully with a
silk pocket handkerchief, professedly to dispel the
personal magnetism of the last enquirer, any
remains of which, left within the glass, might
imperil the correctness of the anticipated answer.
THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET¹
The reader is probably familiar with the trick
known as ""The Silver Tube and Ball."" If not,
it may be stated that the ""tube"" is of metal, nick-
elled, and about eight inches long by one and a
half in diameter. With it is used an ebony ball,
which is made to pass into and out of the tube in a
very surprising way.
The secret lies partly in the fact that half way
1
A description of this trick will be found in The Magician for March,
1914."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,161,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
CONJURER UNMASKED
OR
the Ant of Height of hand
Reproduction of frontispiece in Breslaw's book on magic, ""The Last Legacy,""
published in 1782. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ (444)"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,161,,"THE ORACLE OF MEMPHIS
145
ourite plaything of Helen of Troy. Historians do
tell such tarradiddles that one doesn't know what
to believe.
""The powers of the Oracle are limited, for it will
only answer eight questions, and in its own way,
but its answers are quite trustworthy-well, per-
haps not quite. Let us say as trustworthy as those
of Bond Street fortune-tellers at a guinea a guess.
Who will be the first to test its veracity ?
""I should mention, by the way, that, as each
answer exhausts a certain amount of power, the
same question must not be asked more than three
times. You would like to consult the Oracle,
Madam? Then please select one of the questions
on this card, and read it out for the information of
the Company.
""You wish to know"" (repeating question).
""Good. The answer to your question will be found
on one or other of the cards in this pack, and the
Oracle will tell us which one to look for. First,
however, I must ask you to breathe into this glass.
That supplies the missing link, SO to speak, and
makes it a sort of personal affair between you and
the Oracle."" (This is done.)
""Thank you. Now I shall place the glass on its
stand, and this little pointer"" (holding it up and
placing it on its pivot) will reveal the correct
answer, first indicating the suit among which the
answer is to be found. You may notice that it
wobbles a bit at first. That is because it is think-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,160,,"THE OBEDIENT CARDS
of French encyclopaedias described the trick and exposed it
according to one method or another, and Robert-Houdin
admits having been a great reader of encyclopaedias.
The trick first appears in print in various editions of
""Hocus Pocus,"" twenty in all, starting with 1635. The
majority contain feats with cards, showing how to bring
them up or out of a pack with a black thread, a hair
spring, or an elastic.
In 1772 the rising-card trick was shown in Guyot's
""Physical and Mathematical Recreations,"" also in the
Dutch or Holland translations of the same work. In
179I it was minutely explained by Hofrath von Eck-
artshausen, who wrote five different books on the sub-
ject of magic. The fourth, being devoted principally
to the art of the conjurer, was entitled ""Die Gauckel-
tasche, oder vollständiger Unterricht in Taschenspieler u.
S. w.,"" which translated means ""The Conjurer's Pocket
or Thorough Instructions in the Art of Conjuring.""
The title was due to the fact that in olden days conjurers
worked with the aid of a large outside pocket. The five
books, published under the general title of ""Aufschlüsse
zur Magie,"" bear date of Munich, Germany.
On page 138 of the third edition of Gale's ""Cabinet of
Knowledge,"" published in London in 1800, will be found
a description of the rising-card trick as donc with pin and
thread, and the same book shows how it is saccomplished with
wax and a hair. This book seems to have been compiled
from Philip Breslaw's work on magic, ""The Last Legacy,""
published in r782. Benton, who published the English edi-
tion of Decremps' famous work on magic, exposing Pinetti's
répertoire, also described the trick. ""Natural Magic,"" by
[ 143 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,160,,"144
LATEST MAGIC
rather the reverse, and are intended to be used as
replies to gentlemen only. Bearing this arrange-
ment in mind, it is a comparatively easy matter to
suit the answer to the querist.
The questions must be memorised in proper
order, and it is desirable to do the same with the
answers also, though there should be no difficulty,
remembering the principle of arrangement, in giv-
ing a fairly appropriate answer, even though the
memory be for the moment at fault as to its exact
terms. To avoid the necessity of giving the same
answer more than once, it is well to make a rule
that the same question shall not be asked more than
three times.
The Oracle may be introduced as follows:
""Allow me to introduce to your notice a curio of
an exceptionally interesting kind. This elegant
little affair is said to have been the private Oracle
of Rameses the Second, a gentleman who flourished
in Egypt about four thousand years ago. I can't
be sure to a year or two, because it was before my
time, but I believe that is about right. People
sometimes express surprise that, being so ancient,
the Oracle should be in such good condition, but
that is accounted for by its having been preserved
in the same case as Rammy's mummy. I don't
mean his mamma, but the gentleman himself, in
the cold storage of the period. The story may or
may not be true. I can't take any responsibility
for it. Others declare that the Oracle was the fav-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,159,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
by clock-work or with a black silk thread or a human
hair, the result was one and the same. It has also been
worked by using a fine thread with a piece of wax at the
end. The wax is fastened to the card, and the thread draws
it up. The simplest method of all is to place the thread
è
Card trick as featured by Anderson in 1836-37. From a poster in the Harry
Houdini Collection.
over and under the cards, weaving it in and out as it were,
and then, by pulling the thread, to bring the different
cards selected into view.
So common was the trick that its description was
written in every work on magic published from 1784 to
the date of Robert-Houdin's first appearance, and in at
least one volume printed as early as 1635. The majority
[ 142"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,159,,"THE ORACLE OF MEMPHIS
143
Ten of Spades.
Not likely.
""
Clubs.
It is like your cheek to wish for it.
5. What am I thinking about at this moment?
Jack of Diamonds.
A new hat.
""
Hearts.
Servants.
""
Spades.
You wouldn't like me to tell.
""
Clubs.
That it is a long time between
drinks.
6. What shall I do to get health?
Queen of Diamonds. Don't think about it.
""
Hearts.
Keep smiling.
""
Spades.
Take Podger's Purple Pills.
""
Clubs.
Eat less.
7. How old am I?
King of Diamonds.
Just right, don't get any older.
""
Hearts.
Whatever you are, you don't look
it.
""
Spades.
You never tell, so I won't.
""
Clubs.
Old enough to know better.
8. What shall I be this time next year
Ace of Diamonds.
A year older.
""
Hearts.
A trifle stouter.
""
Spades.
A year wiser.
""
Clubs.
Bald as a baby.
It will be found on comparing them that the
answers are arranged on a regular system, those on
the red cards being of a more or less complimen-
tary nature, or otherwise favourable; the black
suits less so, particularly the clubs, which are"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,158,,"CHAPTER V
THE OBEDIENT CARDS - THE CABALISTIC CLOCK - THE
TRAPEZE AUTOMATON
The Obedient Cards.
T
O
trace here the history of three very com-
mon tricks claimed by Robert-Houdin as his
own inventions would be sheer waste of time,
if the exposure did not prove beyond doubt
that in announcing the various tricks of his répertoire as
the output of his own brain he was not only flagrant and
unscrupulous, but he did not even give his readers credit
for enough intelligence to recognize tricks performed re-
peatedly by his predecessors whom they had seen. Not
satisfied with purloining tricks so important that one or
two would have been sufficient to establish the reputation
of any conjurer or inventor, he must needs lay claim to
having invented tricks long the property of mountebanks
as well as reputable magicians.
The tricks referred to are the obedient card, the
cabalistic clock, and the automaton known as Diavolo
Antonio or Le Voltigeur au Trapèze.
The obedient-card trick, mentioned on page 245 of
the American edition of his ""Memoirs,"" as ""a novel ex-
periment invented by M. Robert-Houdin,"" can be found
on the programme of every magician who ever laid claim
to dexterity of hand. Whether they accomplished the effect
[ I4I ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,158,,"142
LATEST MAGIC
please himself in this particular. The selection of
suitable questions and answers is however a some-
what delicate matter. The answers must on the
one hand be smart enough to afford amusement
to the company generally; and on the other hand
must not be so pungent as to be likely to cause
offence to a person putting the question.
The questions and answers I devised for my own
use ran somewhat as follows:
1. What does my husband (or wife, as the case may bé) most
think about ?
ANSWERS
Seven of Diamonds.
Yourself.
""
Hearts.
Money.
""
Spades.
Dinnertime.
""
Clubs.
Golf.
2. Shall I live to grow old?
Eight of Diamonds.
Yes, if you don't worry about it.
""
Hearts.
A well-spent youth will be fol-
lowed by a happy old age.
""
Spades.
As old as you care to be.
""
Clubs.
Yes, old, and fat.
3. What is my chief fault?
Nine of Diamonds.
You haven't any.
""
Hearts.
Excessive modesty.
""
Spades.
Flirting.
""
Clubs.
Swank.
4. Shall I have what I am wishing for ?
Ten of Diamonds. Y es, if you deserve it.
""
Hearts.
If you go the right way to get it."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,157,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
through that eminent family of conjurers known as the
Bambergs of Holland. At this writing, ""Papa"" (David)
Bamberg, of the fourth generation, is prominent on the
Dutch stage, and his son Tobias David, known as Okito,
of the fifth generation, is a
cosmopolitan magician, pre-
senting a Chinese act.
According to the family
history, traceable by means
of handbills, programmes,
and personal correspond-
ence, the original Bamberg
(Eliazar) had a vaulting fig-
ure in his collection of au-
tomata in I790, fifty years
before Robert-Houdin be-
came a professional enter-
tainer. This figure was
David Leendert Bamberg, of the
made by Opre, to whom
second generation of the Bamberg
all conjurers of that time
family. Born 1786; died 1869. The
above daguerrotype was presented to
looked for automata and
the author by Herr Ernest Basch,
and is the only one in existence.
apparatus. David Leendert
Bamberg, of the second gen-
eration, who also had the vaulting figure, was the inti-
mate friend and confidant of Opre and was authority
for the statement that Opre's son sold in Paris the
various automata made by his father, which later Robert-
Houdin claimed as his own invention. It may be noted
that Robert-Houdin never invented a single automaton
after he went on the stage in 1845, and as Opre died in
1846, the coincidence is nothing if not significant.
I40]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,157,,"THE ORACLE OF MEMPHIS
141
the two ends of the ribbon, and so arranged in
point of length that when the glass is suspended
from the forefinger, as in the diagram, the thumb
and second finger of the operator shall be just right
for moving it round in either direction, the little
knot guiding him by feel to bring it to the desired
point.
not
C
FIG. 28
The exhibitor is not limited to any particular
set of questions and answers. At the cost of a
fresh pack of cards and a little ingenuity, he can"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,156,,"THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
temporary, that other men had exhibited The Pastry Cook
of the Palais Royal in its identical or slightly different
#########
CONPISEUR
Ernest Basch and ""Le Confiseur Galant,"" which he claims is the original
Robert-Houdin ""Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal."" From a photograph in
the Harry Houdini Collection.
guise, it was daring indeed of Robert-Houdin to claim
it as his own invention.
The most direct information regarding Opre comes
[ 139 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,156,,"140
LATEST MAGIC
for in the pack, and is found to bear a more or less
appropriate answer to the question asked.
The movements of the pointer are governed by
the fact that, imbedded in the mahogany mount
surrounding the base of the bell glass, is a piece
of thick steel wire, strongly magnetised, and
extending half way round the circle. The pointer,
though SO coloured as to have the appearance of
brass, is in reality a magnetic steel needle, and
therefore when resting on the pivot and covered
by the glass, will automatically move round till
it comes to rest between the two magnetic poles
formed to the opposite ends of the hidden wire.
The operator can therefore, by placing the glass
cover accordingly, cause the indicator to stop at
any part of the dial that he pleases.
It remains to be explained what guides him in
the manipulation of the glass, SO as to cause the
needle to stop at the point he desires. It will be
remembered that, attached to the knob at the top
of the glass, is a loop of ribbon, serving to suspend
the glass in use from the forefinger, as shown in
Fig. 28. But the loop has in truth a much more
important function than this. Before the loop is
formed, the ribbon is tied tightly round the neck
of the knob, previously waxed to prevent its slip-
ping round, and the knot is SO placed that it shall
exactly correspond with that pole of the magnet
to which the point of the needle is intended to be
in use attracted. This done, a loop is formed with"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,155,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Robert-Houdin devotes nearly an entire chapter to the
history of Phillippe and a description of his tricks and
automata, yet curiously forgets to mention the pastry
cook, which he later claims as his own invention.
Ernest Basch, formerly of Basch Brothers, conjurers,
and the richest manufacturer of illusions in the world,
claims that the original trick is now in his possession.
Herr Basch is located in Hanover, Germany, where he
builds large illusions only. The wonderful mechanical
house passed to Basch by a bequest on the death of
Baron von Sandhovel, a wealthy resident of Amsterdam,
Holland. Von Sandhovel had bought the trick from
the heirs of Robert-Houdin on the death of the latter,
because he believed it to be the brain and handwork of
Opre, a Dutch mechanician of great talent. Ernest Basch
shares this belief, and with other well-read conjurers
thinks that Opre was Robert-Houdin's assistant and built
most of his automata, including The Pastry Cook of the
Palais Royal, The Windmill or Dutch Inn, Auriel and
Debureau, The French Gymnasts, The Harlequin, and
The Chausseur.
Opre was a man of ability, but lacked presence and
personality properly to present his inventions. So far
I have found his name in three places only: On the
frontispiece of a Dutch book on magic, published in
Amsterdam; in Ernest Basch's correspondence about
conjurers; and on page 77 of Robert-Houdin's ""Mem-
oirs,"" when he speaks of Opre as the maker of the
Harlequin figure which Torrini asked Robert-Houdin
to repair during their travels.
With such convincing proof, some of which was con-
[138]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,155,,"Inn VRACLE OF
139
ing selected the question he or she desires to have
answered, the dial is laid on the stand with the
""suit"" or Fig. 26 side uppermost, and the pointer
is placed in position on its pivot. The querist is
invited to breathe into the glass, which is then
lowered on to the stand. The pointer begins to
move, and after a moment or two of indecision,
9
Fig. 26
Fig. 25
Fig. 27
comes to rest opposite one or other of the four suit-
pips; we will suppose, for the sake of illustration,
the diamond. The glass is then lifted off, the dial
reversed, the pointer replaced, and the glass once.
more lowered on to the stand. Again the pointer
moves, and stops this time, we will say, at the num-
ber ""seven."" The seven of diamonds is sought"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,154,,"THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
confectioner or pastry-cook standing in the doorway of
his house, while the key explaining the various tricks
PP
68
reads: ""No. 9. Le Confiseur galant et le Liquoriste
impromptu.""
[137]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,154,,"138
LATEST MAGIC
The general appearance of the apparatus, which
is eight inches high by seven in outside diameter,
is as depicted in Fig. 24. It consists of a circular
mahogany stand or base, resting on three small
feet, and surmounted by a glass dome b. This last
is in fact a bell-glass, as used by gardeners, and
has at top the usual knob, whereby to lift it. To
this is attached a short loop of narrow ribbon.
The glass dome does not rest directly on the stand,
its lower edge being encased in a mahogany mount.
From the centre of the stand rises a vertical pin,
a quarter of an inch in height, serving as pivot for
a metal pointer (Fig. 25), which, by means of a
little cup, or socket, at its centre, can be lifted on
and off, and revolves freely upon it, after the man-
ner of a compass. A further item of the appara-
tus is a reversible cardboard dial, whose two sides,
front and back, are depicted in Figs. 26 and 27. It
will be seen that the circumference of this dial is
divided on the one side (Fig. 26) into four equal
sections, each bearing a pip of one of the four suits.
The other side (Fig. 27) is divided into eight sec-
tions, marked with the numerals, from seven to ten
inclusive, and the letters A, K, Q, and J, answering
to Ace, King, Queen and Jack.
With the Oracle is used a set of eight questions,
and a piquet pack of cards, on the backs of which
are written or printed thirty-two answers appro-
priate to such questions, one of each suit to each
question. The person consulting the Oracle hav-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,153,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
""PART III.
""An unexpected present at once gratuitous and laugh-
able, composed of twelve prizes, nine lucky and three
unfortunate, in which the general public will participate.""
He also continued to distribute bonbons from an in-
exhaustible source, probably a cornucopia, calling this
trick ""a new system of making sweetmeats, or Le
Confiseur Moderne.""
During his first engagement in Vienna he had painted
for advertising purposes a pastel portrait, showing him
clad in his magician's robes at the finale of the goldfish
trick. From this picture his later cuts were made. By
some mistake he left the original pastel in Vienna, where
I bought it at a special sale for my collection. It re-
mains an exquisite piece of color work, even at this day.
So far it is the only real likeness of Phillippe I have
been able to unearth.
In 1845-46 he was at the height of his popularity in
London, where he had a tremendous run. In June, 1845,
we find him playing at the St. James Theatre, under
Mitchell's direction, and on September 29th, under his
own management, he moves to the Strand, where he is
still found in January of 1846. During all this time he
featured The Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal under the
title of ""Le Confiseur Galant.""
As proofs that Phillippe used the pastry-cook trick both
before and during Robert-Houdin's career as a magician,
I offer several programmes containing accurate descrip-
tions of the automaton, and also a page illustration from
a current publication dated Paris, 1843, which shows the
[136]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,153,,"THE ORACLE OF MEMPHIS
137
THE ORACLE OF MEMPHIS
This is of the nature of a magical toy rather
than a conjuring trick proper, but its exhibition
may form a pleasant interlude in the course of a
social entertainment. I invented it at an early
O
b
Fig. 24
stage of my magical career, and exhibited it on
various occasions for the amusement of friends,
but made no further use of it. The apparatus has
been put aside, and has been out of sight, out of
mind, for many years past. Coming across it acci-
dentally some short time ago, I was agreeably sur-
prised to find that it would still answer questions
as promptly, and doubtless as truthfully, as of
yore."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,152,,"THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
Edinburgh programme, dated probably 1837, he is shown
as performing his tricks, clad in peculiar evening clothes,
knickerbockers and waistcoat matching, with a mere
suggestion of the swallow-tail coat. In his 1838 bill
he is shown clad in the flowing robes of the old-time
magician, and he advertises the Chinese tricks, notably
the gold-fish trick, which demanded voluminous dra-
peries.
According to Robert-Houdin, Phillippe built a small
wooden theatre in Glasgow. Humble as this building
was, however, it brought a significant factor into Phil-
lippe's life. This was a young bricklayer named Andrew
Macallister who had a natural genius for tricks and
models, and who became Phillippe's apprentice, later
appearing as Domingo, his assistant on the stage, wearing
black make-up.
In either Edinburgh or Dublin Phillippe met the
Chinese juggler or conjurer who taught him the goldfish
trick and the secret of the Chinese rings.
Armed with these two striking tricks, Phillippe deter-
mined to satisfy his yearning to return to his native land,
and in 1841 he appeared at the Salle Montesquieu, Paris.
Later, the Bonne-Nouvelle, a temple of magic, was
opened for Phillippe in Paris, and there he enjoyed the
brilliant run to which Robert-Houdin refers in his
""Memoirs.""
Phillippe was an indefatigable worker and traveller,
and one brilliant engagement followed another. During
the 40's he appeared, according to my collection of pro-
grammes, all over Continental Europe, and in most of his
programmes this paragraph is featured:
[135]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,152,,"136
LATEST MAGIC
have been tied. The performer returns to the
table to fetch the bottle; and during the transit
passes the wand to the opposite hand, in SO doing
drawing off the knotted ribbon (to be dropped a
moment later into the profonde), and exposes the
opposite end. He removes stopper from bottle,
leaving it on the table.
""Now comes the most critical part of the opera-
tion. I am going by means of the Alkahest to
dissolve these knots. How many did we say there
were? Five ? Then I must use five drops and
no more. If I were to overdo it in the smallest
degree the consequences would be serious. I
should destroy the ribbon altogether, and in these
hard times ribbon is ribbon, even if it is only six-
three a yard.""
He brings forward the bottle, and with great
pretence of accuracy lets fall on the ribbon the
suggested number of drops. Then slipping off the
rubber ring he offers the end of the ribbon to some
member of the company to unwind, when the knots
are naturally found to have disappeared.
""The Alkahest retains its virtue, you see, even
after SO many years. Every knot is completely
dissolved. I will conclude by asking you an
impromptu riddle. Just one of those bright
thoughts that strike me sometimes when I least
expect it-
""When is a knot not a knot
""When it's not there."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,151,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Rooms was given under the patronage of such members
of the nobility as the Right Honorable Lady Gifford, the
Right Honorable Lady H. Stuart Forbes, etc. In an
Phillippe and his Scotch assistant, Domingo. The latter became famous
as a magician under the name of Macallister, introducing in America Phil.
lippe's gift show. From a lithograph in the Harry Houdini Collection."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,151,,"THE STORY OF THE ALKAHEST
135
him. No I feared not! Another pretty ex-
periment is the dissolving of a diamond ring,
but I have no diamond rings myself, and I find
that if I borrow other people's and don't return
them I get myself disliked. So I must try to show
the power of the Alkahest in a less expensive way.""
Returning to his table, the performer with his
right hand picks up the prepared wand (holding
it SO as to conceal the ribbon coiled upon it), and
with the left hand the mass of loose ribbon.
""I have here a piece of ribbon : just ordinary
ribbon. Will some lady oblige me by tying a knot
in it, about three inches from the end. Thank you!
Now will some other lady tie another knot about
three inches from the first one.""
This is repeated till five or six knots have been
tied, taking up about half the ribbon.
""I am not sure how many knots have been tied.
Please count them for me as I roll the ribbon round
my wand.""
So saying, he winds the ribbon, beginning with
the knotted end, on to the free portion of the wand,
counting the knots as he does so, and continuing
the winding till the whole has been taken up. In
so doing he takes care to cover up the knots, and
to make the appearance of the rolled ribbon cor-
respond as nearly as possible with the hidden coil
upon the other end, finally securing it with the rub-
ber ring from his pocket.
We will suppose that five knots are found to"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,150,,"THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
""It was at this time that he came in contact with a
person who afterward, under the designation of M.
Phillippe, became celebrated in France as a magician.
Phillipee (for so was he named in Scotland) was origi-
nally a cook in the services of the late Lord Panmure.
Leaving that employment, he settled down and remained
for a number of years in Aberdeen. He heard of the
fame of the youthful magician, was induced to visit his
""temple,' and was struck with his performances; and
having made the acquaintance of Mr. Anderson, he
solicited from him and obtained an insight into his pro-
fession, and fac-similes of his then humble apparatus.
Phillippe improved to such a degree upon the knowledge
he thus acquired that, leaving England for France, he
earned the reputation of being one of the most accom-
plished magicians ever scen in the country.""
The date of his initial performance is not known, but
he must have remained in Scotland, perfecting his act,
for the earliest Phillippe programme in my collection is
dated February 3d, 1837, when he opened at Waterloo
Rooms, Edinburgh, and announced:
""The high character which Mons. Phillippe has ob-
tained from the Aberdeen, Glasgow, Greenock and Paisley
Press, being the only four towns in Britain where he has
made his appearance, is a sufficient guarantee to procure
him a visit from the inhabitants of this enlightened
Metropolis, where talent had always been supported when
actually deserved.""
Evidently, however, Phillippe made rapid progress, for
a programme dated Saturday, April 2ist, 1838, shows that
his last daytime or matinée performance in Waterloo
[133]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,150,,"134
LATEST MAGIC
getting a bit thin on the top, and it worried him.
One day, thinking over the mysterious letters, an
idea struck him. 'H R'! he explaimed, 'H R!
why ""Hair Restorer"" of course, not a doubt of it!
I'll try it this very night.' He did. He rubbed
it in, and went to sleep quite happy, but when he
tried to brush his hair in the morning there wasn't
any left to brush. The Alkahest had taken it all
off, and left him as bald as a baby.
""He went to bed again, and ordered a wig, but
before it could be sent home he caught such a
cold in his head that he died. Just-sneezed-him-
self-away.""
(The last words to be spoken slowly and sadly.)
""I notice that some of you ladies are weeping.
It is an affecting story, no doubt, and I used to
shed a tear over it myself. But after all, you
didn't know my Uncle James. Neither did I, for
the matter of that, and if we had known him we
might not have liked him. So we won't stop to
grieve about him.¹
""One of the most striking experiments with the
Alkahest is the dissolving of a paving stone, par-
ticularly if you lay a bunch of violets on it and
dissolve them both together, when you get a scut-
tleful of best Violet Powder. Unfortunately I
haven't a paving stone handy, and I don't suppose
any gentleman present is likely to have one about
1 If it is desired to shorten the patter the ""Uncle James"" episode
may be omitted without serious detriment to the trick."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,149,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBER'T-HOUDIN
how Phillippe started his career as a pastry cook in the
household of one Lord Panmure, and I quote this literally
from the Anderson book, because I believe it to be truth-
STRAND THEATRE,
OPEN EVERY EVENING.
Stalls S. nexes Se. PIS ls. Gallery
MODERN MIRACLES.
PART compree N. end convelled aed Fente .
MAGICAL DELUSIONS:
Including his peculas and enequalied
ETAMORPHOSES
AND ASTONISHING DECEPTIONS
Part
The
Celebrated
Cossack
asd
Automatos
.
or,
the
Chereed
The
Gallant
Cunfectioner
Dovee
""
the
for
Graise!
The
Taller
Herlequie:
Lesses
Ladies,""
or
.
New
Method
Th. Firet Part terminate wirA the Admind
GRAND DISTRIBUTION OF THE NATIONAL FLAGI!
Ae of Tee beteese esch Part.
PART ""
THE NEW BALLET
RICHE D'AMOUR
Due de Lency.
Mile CONSTANCE CHIARINI,
Le Narquise de Pompadour,
(se
ANUELO CHIARINL
L. Petile PACLINE CHIARINI,
Rigolard,
In the couras of the Baliet, will be introduced
LE MINUET OF LOUIS xv.
PART / THE EXTRAURDINARY
MERICAN BROTHERS
their Uerque Scone, estitied
OLYMPIC GAMBOLS, chich of thete they - FEATS OF AGILITY,
-
gressest
and
astenishment,
and
Malled
of
PART IV
NICHT IN THE PALACE OF PEKIN,
M. Phillippe perform some of the most Extraordinery Tours d'Adresse, sacluding his most brilliant and
INDIAN AND CHINESE FEATS!
consisting of the - surprising Feals eser attempled by any entitled
The
Enchanted Orange-The Mymie Sugar Loaf and Flying Handkercheefs Monsieur Meg and the Rose of from
which will appras Scottich in full Costome, who will dance the Higbland Flag-The Magie Seppee
of
or,
The
Cook
Benuched
The
Hat
of
Good
hassuble
including
the Grend Europese Bessar and Flore's Gift.
The
Entertaismente ill cosclode with, EACH EVENINO, the Aslounding Supprieing emitled
LES BASSINS DE NEPTUNE LES ET POISSONS D'OR
AND THE GRAND EBIE!
Unanimoualy presounced to be the most inexplicable Tovas DR Paverque and Nightly bose
received ith the most rapteroue praie of ada
-
Dooss to be epened at a Quarter*past 7. Pesformance to commence Quastes so :
The séose Pregremme us the most Novel le Londos and - be -- to de belaned: the Pablie Pree
Ass "" to be de - Performance - and all
N. PHILLIPPE will, by Desire, end in of the whach have elleaded las
MONNING PERFORMANCES, give e GRAND
Juventle Entertainment,
EVERY TRUBSDA MORNING,
COXMENCING AT TWO OCLOCK.
end
. be sesore. et the Bca- dee & the apes from so ull's and
Reyal
Library.
33,
04
Bond
Street.
"".
Swase
Press,""
.
Poster used by Phillippe during his engagement at the Strand Theatre, London,
1845-46. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
ful, as material gathered from Anderson literature has
proved to be :
[ I32 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,149,,"THE STORY OF THE ALKAHEST
133
ing ladies something to put in their husbands' tea.
History doesn't say what. Let us hope it was only
sugar. Well, this old gentleman managed to get
hold of the recipe for making the Alkahest.
Whether he found it out himself, or whether he
cribbed it from the cookery-book of some other
alchemist, I can't say. Anyhow, he got it; and
he made up some of the stuff and put it in that
bottle.
""When he was just going to be burnt as a wiz-
ard, which was the regular thing with scientific
men in those days, he handed the bottle to his eld-
est son, my great-great-grandfather seventeen
times removed, saying, ""Take it, my son, and may
it do you more good than it has done me.'
""My great-great-grandfather took the bottle;
but he had no idea what it contained. He was just
going to ask his father what the letters on it meant,
but just at that moment the old gentleman flared
up, and it was too late. For the rest of his life my
great-great-grandfather puzzled his head as to
what those two letters H R stood for, but all he
could think of was ""horse-radish,' and he knew
it couldn't be that.
""Since that the bottle has been handed down in
our family for sixteen generations, till at last it
came to the hands of my Uncle James, and he puz-
zled over those letters like the rest. Uncle James
was a bit of a ""nut,' and prided himself on his fine
head of hair, but in course of time he found he was"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,148,,"THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
which the public refused to patronize. The young con-
fectioner approached the manager of the pantomime and
suggested that they join forces. In addition to the
regular admission to the pantomime each patron was to
pay sixpence and receive in return a paper of mixed
sugar plums and a lottery ticket by which he might gain
the first prize of the value of five pounds. In addition,
Talon promised not only to provide the sweets free of
cost to the management, but to present a new and start-
ling feature at the close of the performance.
The novel announcement crowded the house, the
pantomime and the bonbons alike found favor, but the
significant feature of the performance was young Talon's
appearance in the finale in the rôle of ""Punch,"" for which
he was admirably made up. He executed an eccentric
dance, at the finish of which he pretended to fall and
injure himself. In a faint voice he demanded pills to
relieve his pain, and a fellow-actor brought on pills of
such enormous size that the audience stopped sympathiz-
ing with the actor and began to laugh. But the pills all
disappeared down the dancer's throat, for Talon was
not only an able confectioner and an agile dancer, but a
sleight-of-hand performer. From that hour he exchanged
the spoon of the confectioner for the wand of the magician.
The fortunes of both the pantomime and Phillippe, as he
now called himself, improved. Quite probably he re-
mained with the pantomime company until the close of
the season and then struck out as an independent per-
former.
Another story which is gleaned from a biography of
John Henry Anderson, the Wizard of the North, tells
[131]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,148,,"132
LATEST MAGIC
The trick may be introduced as follows:
""For the next surprise I have to show you we
are indebted to the ancient alchemists. People
regard them as back numbers nowadays, because
they didn't know anything about aeroplanes, or
appendicitis, or income tax and such-like up-to-
date luxuries; but they had a good many useful
little secrets of their own. One of them was the
recipe for what was called the Alkahest, a liquid
which immediately dissolved anything it touched;
from a gold watch to a set of fire-irons. The secret
of making it has long been lost, and all that still
exists of the liquid itself I have here in this
bottle.""
The bottle is here brought forward and offered
for inspection.
""Pretty colour, isn't it? And it has a very
delightful perfume."" (Takes out stopper.)
""You are welcome to smell it but I don't advise
you to taste it. If you did you would probably
never taste anything again. I want you to notice,
by the way, those two letters H R on the label.
There is a dead secret attached to those letters.
They mean something, of course; but nobody
knows what it is.""7
The bottle is replaced on the table.
""This bottle came into my hands by inheritance.
An ancestor of mine, in the reign of James the
First, was an alchemist in a small way. He is
reputed to have made a handsome income by sell-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,147,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
London, and went on to Aberdecn, Scotland, where he
was very soon reduced to sore straits. In his hour of
Reproduction of pastel portrait of Phillippe. Only known likeness of the
conjurer in existence. Made for him by a Vienna artist. Original now in the
Harry Houdini Collection.
extremity his cleverness saved the day. In Aberdeen at
the same time was a company of actors almost as unfortu-
nate as himself. They were presenting a pantomime
[ 130]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,147,,"THE STORY OF THE ALKAHEST
131
(2) Two pieces of ribbon, three-quarters to one
inch wide, alike in colour. Of these, one piece is
to be wound round the end of wand No. 2 at about
three inches from the end, and secured by a rub-
ber ring, of the solid kind used for holding together
the ribs of an umbrella. This wand, after being
""switched"" for the unprepared one, must be SO
placed upon the table that the end on which the
ribbon is wound shall be masked from view by the
second piece of ribbon, lying in a loose heap in
front of it.
(3) A stoppered bottle of clear glass, preferably
of some ornamental or quaint design. This bears
a
label, of discoloured and time-worn appearance,
with the letter H R written on it in crabbed but
distinct characters, and is about half-filled with
Eau de Cologne or lavender water, to which a few
grains of cochineal have been added, giving it a
rich ruby colour. So far as the working of the
trick is concerned plain water might be used, but a
coloured and scented liquid is preferable for the
sake of effect.
(4) A spare rubber ring, of the kind above
described, placed in left-hand vest-pocket.
fessedly picked up again, but as a matter of fact is pushed forward by
the tips of the fingers, and takes the place of the prepared wand, which
is picked up in its stead.
A pack of cards may be ""changed"" for another after a similar fash-
ion, the first finger and thumb picking up the faked pack, while the
unprepared pack is pushed forward by the second and third fingers into
the place it occupied."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,146,,"acquaintance of Jules de Rovere, the first to employ a
title now generally given to fashionable conjurers.""
And after Rovere, Phillippe, who is by far the most
important presenter of the Pastry Cook of the Palais
Royal, as bearing upon Robert-Houdin's claims.
For Phillippe's early history we must depend largely
upon Robert-Houdin's ""Memoirs."" According to these,
Phillippe started life as a confectioner or maker of sweets,
and his real name was Phillippe Talon. According to
an article published in L'Illusionniste in January, 1902,
he was born in Alias, near Nîmes, December 25th, 1802,
and died in Bokhara, Turkey, June 27th, 1878.
Like many a genius and successful man, his early
history was written in a minor key. According to Robert-
Houdin his sweets did not catch the Parisian fancy, and
he went to London, where at that time French bonbons
were in high favor. But for some reason he failed in
9
[129]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,146,,"130
LATEST MAGIC
away the line, and detaching the ring from the
hook, lets it fall to the ground. This done, he
returns to the table, and shifting the restored
pagoda to the centre of the tray, brings all for-
ward, inviting anyone who cares to do so, to satisfy
himself that there has been ""no deception.""
THE STORY OF THE ALKAHEST
The requirements for this trick are as follows:
(1) Two wands, exactly alike in appearance.
One of them to be that just used in some previous
trick or tricks (which we will call No. 2), and the
other, prepared as to be presently explained, to
be secretly substituted for it immediately before
the presentation of the present trick. This can be
easily done by the aid of a couple of pairs of cup-
hooks fixed behind the table or a chair after the
manner described in ""Later Magic,"" p. 126; or
the wands may be exchanged during journey to
the table at an early stage of the trick; by means
of a pocket of suitable shape within the left breast
of the coat. This is a matter as to which the per-
former will please himself, but the exhibition in
the first instance of an obviously unprepared wand
is essential to the artistic finish of the trick.¹
1 I am indebted to a clever amateur, Mr. Gordon Powell, for the
knowledge of a very simple but effective method of ""changing"" a wand.
The prepared article lies just within the forward rim of an oblong
Japanese tray, and at a convenient moment the unprepared wand just
used is laid behind and parallel with it. A little later this is pro-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,145,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
chanted Dutch Coffee-House, an elegant little building.
On the traveller ringing the bell, the door opens, the host-
ess attends and provides
VENTRILOQUISM.
him with any liquor he
L. CHARLES,
may call for.""
PROVEÍSOS -
MECHANICAL SCLENCES,
Schmidt seems to have
AVD
FIRST VENTRILOQUIST,
confined his exhibitions
from the Continens;
UNDEIR THE PRIVILEGE AND PATRONAGS or
to London and the prov-
H1S MAJESTY THE KING OF PRUSSIA,
And Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin;
inces and was often con-
Hes the Heaeur ur acgeant the Nebility, Gentry, and the Public at large,
thut he has just errived from the Continem, and will perform during this
and the Three Meaths of Jenuery, Februery, and Merch, as
Ma. WIGLEY'S LARGE ROOM,
nected with other magi-
SPRING GARDENS,
Hia Mechanie and Ventriloque Performances every Day, commencing pre-
cians, including Gyngell
cisely st Taree ""Cleck, and Evening at Eight Clack,
except Saturday and Sunday.
and Buck. The latter
Front Chairs, -Middle Seats, Seats, 1.
N. B. The Room ie particularly WARM by . sew invented precess.
TO THE PUBLIC.
was an English conjurer,
The SIEUR CHABLES will remuit. chart peried in Lendon, where be la repre
seut all the ponsible of of which the humas voice is rapahis,
by Netere and perfectid by Art. He will explais all the Myateries which were
best known as the man
resorted to ab forton times to impose uges the and supertitious, under the of
ORACLES, This maneer of apraking ought to be looked upon - gith of Nature and of
Chance rather than as an Art, siect it is impossible je teach is but to thow burn with the
Therefore it in preved, that hewbe professits this Art must
thost means which sill remain the troable the learond hare
who was horribly injured
talora to discuver a.
The SIEUR CHARLES will perform the following Scenes.
when presenting ""The
Part. 1. The modera Philcsopher or à Dialegue between two Meu of Scionce
end their Servest
Theee
11. Dialogue beteces Siek Man, bie Pagsician, a Friend, and Servant
Gun Delusion."" This
Frov
III. The Wine Nerchent and bue Servani, whose voice will be heard from the
Dottom of Cellar
Tive Veicos.
iv. A Dialogue from a Window, with . persos in the Street whes the windew le opea,
the veice will appeas atill searer. This experiment will appear most interesting.
consisted of having a
THE VENTRILOQUISM will be preceded by several very amusing Per
formances, and Mechanical and Scieatific Games,hig interesting; amoog
which will be
marked bullet shot at the
1. A MECHANICAL AND SCIENTIFIC CLOCK.
,9. The Russian inn, out of which comes . little Woman aad bringe the
liquor demanded for.
performer, who caught
3. The Trojen Pillar, by which different bodies are altered in an impercep.
cible manner.
4. A most wonderful Mechanical Chest of Drawer.
it between his teeth on
5. A curious Travelling Trank.
6.
Three Bells, a Mechanical Game, which will astenish the Spectatom.
And several tours d'addresse.
a plate, or on the point
Printed by W, Clowse, Strand.
of a needle or knife.
A Charles poster dated about 1829 in
Some miscreant loaded
which the Russian Inn and its obedient
little figure are featured. From the
the gun with metal after
Harry Houdini Collection.
Buck had it prepared for
the trick, and the unfortunate performer's right cheek was
literally shot away.
In 1828 Jules de Rovere, a French conjurer, whose
fame rests principally on the fact that he coined the new
title ""prestidigitator,"" appeared at the Haymarket Thea-
[ I28]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,145,,"ing away farther from the table and moving about
behind it SO as to cause a gradual pull upon the
thread; the effect being that the severed parts of
FIG. 23
the pagoda mount gradually one upon another in
due order. It is probable that they will not rest
exactly one upon the other. In any case the per-
former affects to notice that they do not. Making
a remark to that effect he steps close to the table
to straighten them up, and under cover of so doing
draws with the finger nail the pin in the uppermost
portion, thereby releasing the thread. Stepping
back again, as though the better to judge whether
the pagoda is now ""plumb,"" he thereby draws"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,144,,"to play the drum, violin, and triangle.
A contemporary of Henry was Charles, the great ven-
triloquist, who varied his performance as did all ventrilo-
quists of his day, by presenting ""Philosophical and
Mechanical Experiments"" to make up a two-hour-and-a-
half performance. Charles made several tours of the
English provinces, and played in London at intervals.
On a London programme which is undated, but which
announces M. Charles as playing at Mr. Wigley's Large
Room, Spring Gardens, the second automaton on his
list is described as ""The Russian Inn, out of which comes
a little Woman and brings the Liquor demanded for.""
Two of his programmes dated Theatre Royal, Hull, April,
1829, now in my collection, carry a pathetic foot-note
written in the handwriting of the collector through whom
they came into my possession : ""The audiences on both
the evenings were extremely small, and the money was
refunded.""
By referring to the chapter on the writing and drawing
figure, Chapter III, Page II3, a Schmidt programme of
1827 will be found, in which he features ""The En-
[127]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,144,,"128
LATEST MAGIC
tists tell us that the sun throws out three sorts
of rays; light-rays, heat-rays, and force-rays.
The artful witch doctors have found out a way of
bottling off the force rays. They are mild at first,
but when they get old in the bottle, so to speak, they
become so strong that if you know how to do it you
can lift the heaviest weights with them.
""I managed to get hold of a small bottle of the
rays"" (show bottle) ""and I will show you, on a
very small scale, how the thing is done.
""First, we will take the pagoda to pieces.""
Standing behind the table, the performer moves
the pagoda to the corner of the tray nearest his
own left hand; SO as to leave space for the different
portions when separated. He then picks up all the
parts save the base, holding them carefully
together, and drawing away with them a length
of the thread about equal to the diagonal of the
tray. Passing the undermost section downwards
along the thread, he lays it down beside the base,
afterwards treating the other portions in the same
way, the several portions finally resting on the tray
somewhat as shown in Fig. 23.
If the length of the thread has been properly
gauged (this is a matter to be determined by
experiment beforehand), there should be some
twelve or fourteen inches of ""slack."" Slipping
the ring at the end over the little hook before
mentioned, the performer moves a little away
from the table, SO as to draw this portion"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,143,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
tricks. On page II he thus describes the automaton un-
der consideration :
""Illusion Third. A curious mechanical trick; an inn,
GYNGELL
Reproduction of a rare old colored lithograph in three sections. This section
represents Gyngell. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
from which issues the hostess for orders, upon receiving
which, she returns into the inn and brings out the various
liquors as called for by the audience, and at last waiting
[126]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,143,,"THE MIRACLE OF MUMBO JUMBO
127
""I mention these little matters in order to give
you an idea of the place, in case any of you might
like to take a week-end trip there. If you are old
and tough, you might risk it. If you are young
and tender, you had better not.
""The special point of interest is a curious pagoda
in the centre of the village. It is seventy-five feet
high and is supposed to be the habitation of Mumbo
Jumbo; a sort of deputy devil, much respected in
those parts. This little model is an exact copy of
it. You can't call it pretty, but there is a very
remarkable thing about it. When the king
dies (which happens by accident about once
a fortnight), the pagoda is pulled down, and if the
new king is acceptable to Mumbo Jumbo (which
depends upon the amount of his tip to the chief
witch doctor) old Mum rebuilds it himself by
magic. You don't see him do it. The pagoda just
sits up and paws the air, so to speak If Mumbo
does not approve, the proposed king gets a knock
on the head with a cocoa-nut, and some more liberal
Golliwogg is crowned instead.
""I naturally wanted to know how the miracle
was worked; and I managed to buy the secret from
one of the witch doctors. He sold it to me for a
pair of sixpenny-half penny sock suspenders. He
didn't wear socks, but that didn't matter. He put
the suspenders on at once and strutted about, as
proud as a dog with three tails.
""Now, I am going to tell you the secret. Scien-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,142,,"THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
South Esplanade. A fine notice of both performances
zus nast zums TOUBTREN TEARS,
was published in the Deal
And the Patrosage of - - respoctable Fomilico
of
Vicinity.
Telegram of February 23d,
AT THE
LARGE
HORNS
when the hope was ex-
ROOM,
TAVERN,
pressed that Gyngell's col-
Bermondsey Square.
lection, taken among those
- - of - of a - - à - - - of the -
- - . - - "". - required - . -
-
-
be
On THURSDAY, FRIDAY. and MONDAY EFENINGS,
who enjoyed his outdoor
MAY let, Snd. & sth. 1823.
performance, repaid him
GYNGELL, Sen's
for his admirable enter-
Amusing & Instructing Entertainments
-
AT VAUXHALL GARDENS,
tainment. Gyngell was
1 - novon oe vua
MR. GYNGELL,
landlord of the Bowling
Green Tavern at this
time, and travelled as an
MATHEMATICAL, PIIILOSOPHICAL, & UNCOMMON,
Experiments;
entertainer only at inter-
- -
vals.
PEDDSTAL
--
coFECTOER'S SHOP,
The next appearance of
wits - - ebe em preduce - Sind of Confoctionary colled fue.
gos THE
TURKISH PILLAR,
the trick is in a book pub-
on, PERFITUAL NOTION.
lished by M. Henry, a ven-
triloquist, who played Lon-
AUTOMATON ROPE VAULTER,
don and the provinces from
4 Figure representing . Chills Youre oll,
- - - -
EPOLUTIONS ON THE TIGHT BOPE,
- - -
1820 to 1828. During an
- - - - del - - - - form
TheMusical Glasses
engagement at the Adel-
- a & - . - -
-
-
-
-
de
-
-
phia Theatre, London,
.
-
-
-
-
a
-
-
-
.
-
-
which according to the pro-
LITTLE WORLD;
on. LES ONDRES CHINON,
of - - -
gramme was about 1822,
One Hundred Moving Figures:
ame
Henry published a book
Clowa, with a Comic Dence,--Ma Benjamia.
entitled ""Conversazione;
GYMNASTIC EXERCISES,
-
or, Mirth and Marvels,""
A Gyngell programme of 1823, adver-
tising A Confectioner's Shop,"" whose
in which he interspersed
attendant will serve automatically any
witty conversation with
sort of confectionery demanded. From
the Harry Houdini Collection.
descriptions of his various
125"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,142,,"126
LATEST MAGIC
zigzag fashion SO as prevent the possibility of
its fouling at a critical moment.
The introductory patter may l'un as follows:
""In the course of my travels in Central Africa--
you didn't know that I had been in Central Africa ?
Strange, how little the world knows of its greatest
men! But no matter! When I was in Africa I
chanced to come upon the place where the Golli-
woggs live.
""It's a nice place-for those who like that sort
of place, but most people would find it a little too
warm. It is so warm there that the hens lay their
eggs hard-boiled, and you dig up potatoes ready
baked. It is too warm for anything but simple
life,-the very simple life, particularly as regards
clothing. The ordinary walking dress for a gen-
tleman Golliwogg is a pair of braces. The king
wears two pairs; except on state occasions, when
he wears one of those short shirts instead. You
know the kind I mean-all front. I think they
call them 'dickeys.'
""The ladies are more dressy. They get the
fashions from back numbers of the Daily Mail;
kimonos and camisoles and corsets all in the latest
style. They are made with green paint and put
on with a shaving brush. There is only one thing
that bothers the court dressmakers. They can't
make a crinoline.""
[If desired to shorten the patter the fashion
details may be omitted.]"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,141,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
DOVER, February 10th, 1867.
MR. EVANION
DEAR SIR-Yours of the 5th inst. I received just as I was
leaving Folkestown, and it was forwarded from Guilford.
I am sorry I have not one of my old bills with me, neither
do I think any of my family could find one at home. I may
have some among my old conjuring things, and when I return
to Guilford I will look them over and send you what I can
find. I was sorry I was not at home when you were in Guil-
ford, for I feel much pleasure in meeting a responsible profes-
sional. I am not certain when I shall return, but most likely
not for six wecks. I will keep your address; so should you
change your residence, write to me about that time.
I was looking over some old papers some time last sum-
mer, and found a bill of my father's, nearly 60 years ago, when
his great trick was cutting off the cock's head and restoring
it to life again. And a great wonder it was considered and
brought crowded rooms.
I was Master Gyngell, the wonderful performer on the slack
wire; and now in my 7ist year I am lecturer, pyrotechnist, and
high-rope walker, for I did that last summer. My life has
been a simple one of ups and downs.
Iam, dear sir, yours truly,
J. D. G. GYNGELL.
The signature of this letter, ""J. D. G. Gyngell,"" clears
up considerable uncertainty regarding the names of the
two Gyngell sons. At times the clever young tight-rope
performer has been spoken of as Joseph, and at others
as Gellini. It is quite probable that the two names were
really part of one, and the full baptismal name was
""Joseph D. Gellini."" It was as Gellini Gyngell that he
met Henry Evanion at Deal, February 20th, 1862, when
the latter was performing as a magician at the Deal and
Walmer Institute, while Gellini Gyngell gave an exhibi-
tion of fireworks and a magic-lantern display on the
[124]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,141,,"Ine Or
120
tally across it, about halfway down. Through this
a black pin, bent at the head, passes as shown in
Fig. 22. In preparation for the trick a piece about
three feet long of black plaited silk line, with a
small wire ring at one end, is passed by the aid of
a needle through the hole in the tray from the outer
side; thence upward through the various sections
of the pagoda, beginning with the undermost, till
FIG. 22
it finally comes up through the head. After the
needle has been drawn off, the end of the thread is
formed into a loop, which is passed over the cross-
pin before mentioned. The thread is then drawn
taut from below, the several segments of the
pagoda resting fairly one upon another in the cen-
tre of the tray. The intermediate portion of the
thread is drawn up till the little ring at the outer
end comes close to the tray, and is laid upon it in"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,140,,"THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
at Flocton's death Gyngell received a portion of the
former's wealth.
Associated with him in his performances were his
brother, two sons, and a daughter. The latter was not
only a clever rope-dancer but a musician of more than
ordinary ability and she often constituted the entire
""orchestra.""
On Gyngell's programme offered in 1827 he proves
himself a great showman, for he features Herr Schmidt's
""Mechanical Automatons, Phantasmagoria, a laughing
sketch entitled Wholesale Blunders, his son on the
flying wire, during which he would throw a somersault
through a balloon of real fire, a broadsword dance
by Miss Louise and Master Gyngell, and Miss Louise's
performance on the tight rope, clowned by Master
Lionel.""
On a programme used in Hull, October 29th, 1827, a
lottery was featured as follows: ""On which occasion the
first hundred persons paying for the gallery will be
entitled by ticket to a chance of a Fat Goose, and the
same number in the pit to have the same chance for a
fat turkey. To be drawn for on the stage, in the same
manner as the State Lottery.""
According to Thomas Frost, Gyngell died in 1833 and
was buried in the Parish Church, Camberwell. His
children, however, continued the work so excellently
planned by their father.
The programmes herewith reproduced I purchased from
Henry Evanion, who secured them directly from the last
of the Gyngell family, as the accompanying letter, now
a part of my collection, will show:
[123]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,140,,"124
LATEST MAGIC
diminish friction on a thread passing through it.
(3) An electric torch in the shape of a bottle;
the light showing itself at the mouth.
(4) A black dress-hook, sewn point upwards to
the lower edge of the performer's vest on the right
FIG. 21
or left side, as may best suit his own position in
working the trick, just where back and front meet.
It will be found on examination of the pagoda
that each of the parts of which it consists has a hole
bored vertically through its centre. The topmost
portion has in addition a pinhole passing horizon-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,139,,"The original Gyngell, a portrait reproduced from the book on magie written by this famous
Bartholomew Fair conjurer. From the Harry Houdini Collection."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,139,,"THE RIDDLE OF THE PYRAMIDS
123
be necessary, and under cover of SO doing draws
the blade across the thread where it crosses the
top, thereby severing it, and then moving back a
little to note the effect of his correction draws it
away altogether. Shifting the restored pyramid
to the centre of the board he brings all forward for
examination. The severed thread is allowed to
drop on the floor, to be picked up after the per-
formance is over.
THE MIRACLE OF MUMBO JUMBO
The items needed for the presentation of this
trick are as follows:
(1) A miniature pagoda of quaint design. It
consists of five circular sections, resting one upon
another as illustrated in Fig. 21. The trick in
effect consists of the automatic re-adjustment of
these sections after being taken apart and shown
lying apparently haphazard on a Japanese tray.
For drawing-room use the pagoda is about six
inches high and the same diameter across the base.
For stage purposes it may be made a trifle larger.
(2) The tray. This, for use with a pagoda of
the size above mentioned, should be not less than
twenty inches long by ten or twelve wide, and
fairly heavy, as being less liable to shift in use. It
must have an upright rim; through one corner of
which a minute hole is bored, countersunk and
polished on each side of the opening in order to"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,138,,"THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
In 1816 the elder Gyngell featured the trick on his
programmes as ""The
Russian Inn,"" and in
THEATRE,
1823 he changed it to
Catherine Street,
""The Confectioner's
STRAND.
Shop."" These pro-
Mr. GYNGELL, Sen.
grammes are reproduced
Respoctfully informs the Public, the following Entertaismento continuing
de be with the most reptirous Applouse, will be Reposted
as the most convincing
This Present Thursday, February 15th, 1816,
And Every Evening till further Notice.
evidence against the
Os which Occasion Mz. G. intrests a eace . offer his most grateful Thenks be
gest,
and
solicits a continunce of foture Patronage. As a Stúmelus Mr. G. will
inteoduce
insumorable
& unprecedented Noveltion, nover exhibited here. & perticuler
FIRST.
claims of Robert-Houdin.
A PEDESTAL CLOCK,
Se oingularly constructed, that it is obedient a the Word of Command. The Did
The Gyngell family is
removed, it becomes a MILLAR: which, by the Power of Mechanism alone, will
changa, and produce any stated sumber of Binck and White Bella, er both tagether.
SECOND.
one of the most interest-
Representation of a Russian Inn,
The Hessess of which will attend with any Liquor that is called for, sed sutire
whem requested. These, segether with a Trunk a curious Construction, containing
Lagsage, a besutiful Buress, Ring Boues, Caddies, Milla, &cs. &c. acc.
ing in the history of
all so equally ingenious and that it is impossible to eay which is the -
w o NOR a F U L & chort
Wed Ne G. with . the hie Auliences, by
-
Impose
-
them the of MAGIC, the of these Fissso -
magic. The Christian
is the Mes: but Friend - plain Trath, - avesse . every of COSJURATION, is
With - intreduse them - the they veally are,
Wonderful Pieces of Mechanism !!!
name of the founder of
Nr. GYNGELL will epen the Performance wuh Mathomatical. and
the family I have never
EXPERIMENTTS,
To every Port of this Penformance weuld an . Sut eventy
aighe years clapord le theservice of the Public (during which it hes - hie constant
been able to ascertain,
. render bie Performance mose werthy cheir - to tring .
gresese vericty. thes - whe ever the Art.
Astonishing
though programmes give
The Segacity of wild Creasure Bind. almest beyend Selief. The -
- ..... sessy. -
ge . threugh, - a the is effect of sefice is thag
4
jusdy
be
colled,
Litde well werth the Attensice of de
the initial as G. He was
The Wonderful Performance of
THE LEARNED DOGS
celebrated as a Barthol-
Se the proverbial Segacity of the whole Species seems Their Performence
of Country Duscing, Weltning, Playing at Lesp-Freg. is of . varied -
a
hind;
shee,
less
deserving.
have
escasioned
-
elabornte
Posegyrics
Mr. G. oves avatue to wosid rather plesse, by expooding the Premise of Bull,
omew Fair conjurer. His
them by a contrery Plan, foree . - his
N. GYNGELL will . that unrivalled Instrement for & of Tome
The Harmonized Musical
career started about
1788, and his contempo-
GLASSES,
Which of all Harmony is indisputably the most esquisite.
raries were Lane, Boaz,
OLYMPIC EXERCISES.
By Mr. GYNGELL, Jun.
Ball, Jonas, Breslaw, and
The English Equilibrist! !
Consining of Balancing in a - monnes.
Flocton. At one time
The Microcosm,
Gyngell and Flocton
Or Les Ombres Chinois.
Conditing de Variety of Sernes, with upwards of 100 moving
worked together, and
with Dialoges and appropriate Comic Action.
YOUNG GYNGELL' Performance
Thomas Frost in his
A Gyngell poster of 1816, featuring the
book, ""The Lives of
Russian Inn, with service of various
kinds of liquor. From the Harry
Conjurers,"" claims that
Houdini Collection.
[ I2I ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,138,,"122
LATEST MAGIC
ing it along the thread, and ""bedding"" it between
the ""stops"" at the left hand bottom corner of the
board. He then slides the other portions, one by
one, along the thread in the same way, laying them
in a row diagonally across the board. This will
have taken up a considerable portion of the thread,
but there will still be a loop some inches in length
hanging down near the left hand corner of the
table.
""Now please watch carefully. This wand, you
will remember, has been carefully charged with
my limitation Vril.""
While speaking these last words the performer
gets one finger of his left hand within the loop.
He now turns on the light at the end of the wand,
and with it makes a quick sweep from right to left
over the severed parts of the pyramid, making at
the same time a half-turn away from the table, and
quickly drawing away the thread. If this is done
neatly the severed parts of the pyramid l'un
together one upon the other in a single instant.
It is probable that the parts may not sit exactly
one upon another. Whether this is SO or not, the
performer makes believe to notice that it is so, as
it gives him a needful opportunity. He remarks:
""The power was hardly strong enough, I see.
There is a block here that needs a little straighten-
ing up."" Having meanwhile picked up the little
cutter between the fingers he bends over the table
and squares up the pyramid as may (or may not)"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,137,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
ballooning, and he is said to have been the inventor of the
parachute. The ascen-
sion of the nocturnal
balloon, also scheduled
on this programme, is
an limitation of the one
which Garnerin arranged
in honor of Bonaparte's
coronation in 1805. On
that occasion the balloon
started at Paris and de-
scended in Rome, a dis-
For the Benefit of the
tance of five hundred
General Hospital
miles which was covered
This present TUESDAY, October 10, 1815.
in twenty-two hours.
AN
EXHIBITION
Garnerin was a con-
THE
WONDERS OF
temporary of both Pinetti
Art and Nature,
and Robertson and was
M. GARNERIN,
with them in Russia
AND M. DE LA ROCHE,
IN THE GREAT ROOM. AT THE
SHAKESPEARE TAVERN,
when Pinetti dissipated
his fortune in balloon ex-
1.-TWO BEAUTIFUL FIGURES,
or - playing on the FLUTE, which by the - chilfel Combination, perfores
-
Instrument,
and
either
alome
any
of
the
musical
Piecee
contained
be
Thay resuma, or change Tunes, . the - of the Specistora The Metions 4
periments. In their cor-
the Heed, Fingere, and Egre, are plainly -
9-THE THREE VASES,
Thet Light, Estinguish, and Re WAX TAPER.
3.-TIE. CANARY FIGURE,
respondence, both Pinetti
e
Masterpiere of the meat prefound mechamirel
TINDER nox.
and Robertson spoke
la the EVENING at Half past SEVEN, in Addition to these vederful Performancoa, pill be theve
Veriety of Tricks with Cardo, and-3, the
Ascension of a Nocturnal Balloon,
slightingly of Garnerin,
le Imitation of the one M. - from Paria, - - Evening of Corea-
. 1006, and which drecreded at Nome, 900 Miles, in
-VARIOUS EXPERIMENTS UPON THE
PNEUMATIC
but the Frenchman's pro-
1.-4 FIGURE that DISCOVERS the THOUGHT8.
The with
-THE COLUMN OF MAGNETICAL GLASS,
Fer the igvisitle Ascension Card,
grammes all indicate that
9.
AN EXHIBITION or >
Clap of bunber,
of
-
of
he was not only a success-
10.-A DUTCH COFFEE HOUSE,
A Garnerin poster of 1815, advertising
ful aëronaut, but a ma-
""
ADutch Coffee House,' whose automatic
hostess serves refreshments at command.
gician who could present a
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
diverting entertainment.
I2O ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,137,,"THE RIDDLE OF THE PYRAMIDS
121
pyramids. I have managed to collect a small
quantity of an unknown force which answers very
closely to Lord Lytton's description of Vril, and
I have charged this wand with it. As regards kill-
ing things, I have only tested it SO far on a black
beetle. The experiment was a success. He was
blown to atoms, all but one hind leg. I should
like to try it on a tiger; if I could get one cheap.
Does any gentleman present know of a second-
hand tiger in a good strong cage going cheap ?
No? I was afraid you wouldn't. I am hoping
however for a chance of trying it some night on
a burglar. If a gentleman of the Bill Sykes per-
suasion should steal into my chamber at dead of
night with felonious designs upon my Waterbury
and my collarstud, he will be as a dead man. I
shall just point this wand at him and say 'Die,'
and he will be merely a little heap of ashes to be
swept up by the housemaid in the morning.
""I can however give you an example of the power
of my Vril as a motive force. I shall do so by
using it to build or rather rebuild this little pyra-
mid in your presence.
""This is a correct copy of the real thing. It
takes to pieces, as you see. One, two, three, four,
five!""
As he pronounces the last few words, the per-
former, standing behind his table, picks up the
pyramid, and holding it aloft in his right hand
draws away the base from the other sections, slid-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,136,,"THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
begin to bark, and continue to do so until they are re-
turned. The next figure belonging to this piece is the
little chimney-sweeper, which will be seen coming from
behind the house, will enter the door, appear at the top
of the chimney, and give the usual cry of ""Sweep' several
times, descend the chimney, and come out with his bag
full of soot.""
In 1820, Haddock's programme, including the fruitery,
appears with only a few minor changes as the répertoire
of Bologna, a very clever conjurer who afterward became
the assistant of Anderson, the Wizard of the North, and
who made most of the latter's apparatus. On the Bologna
programme, for a performance to be given at the Great
Assembly Room, Three Tuns Tavern, the shop trick is
described thus: ""A curious Mechanical Fruiterer and
Confectioner's Shop, kept by Kitty Comfit, who will
produce at Command such Variety of Fruit and Sweet-
meats as may be asked for.""
The marvellous little shop does not appear again on
programmes of magic until 1815, when Garnerin features
it as ""The Dutch Coffee-House."" On the programme used
by Garnerin in that year for a benefit which he gave for
the General Hospital at Birmingham, England, it is feat-
ured as No. IO: ""A Dutch Coffee-House, a very surprising
mechanical piece, in which there is the figure of a Girl,
six inches high, which presents, at the Command of the
Spectators, ten different sorts of Liquors.""
This programme is of such historical value that I repro-
duce it in full. It will show that this particular mechanical
trick is by no means the most important feature of Gar-
nerin's répertoire. In fact his fame is based on his
[ 119]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,136,,"120
LATEST MAGIC
land, you will have some idea of the sort of job
the Egyptian builders had to tackle.¹ Anyhow,
the work was done, and as it is clear that it could
not have been done by any known mechanical
means, we are compelled to seek some other solu-
tion of the problem.
""I don't know whether any of you read novels.
If you do, you must often have noticed the curious
way in which fiction constantly anticipates fact.
The novelist describes some utterly impossible
thing, and a few years later some other fellow goes
and does it. Jules Verne described a voyage
under the sea long before the submarine was
invented, and Mr. Wells wrote The War in the
Air' while the aeroplane and the Zeppelin were
still in their infancy. But there is one conception
of the novelist which has not till now been made
an accomplished fact. That is the force called
'Vril,' described by Lord Lytton in his novel, ""The
Coming Race.' He describes Vril as a sort of
hyper-electricity capable in the hands of those who
know how to gather and use it, of producing all
sorts of wonders, even to removing mountains.
Imprisoned in a wand and directed by a strong
will, it will shrivel up an enemy or a wild beast as
by a flash of lighting.
""I have always had an idea that this must have
been the force used by the Egyptians to build the
1 Before an American audience the names of any two well-known
buildings in New York may be substituted."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,135,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
gentleman may call for whatever fruit they please, and
the figure will return and bring the kind required, which
may be repeated and the fruit varied as often as the
company orders: it will likewise receive flowers, or any
Take Totice!
The Magistrates of Southuark
Rove sindly given to Nr. BOLOGNA, 10 and
thoir
At the Great Assembly Room,
Three Tuns Tavern,
His Grand Mechanical and Aufomaticel
Which àss he - Years heen unrivalled,
AND SANCTIONED BY THE LOKD .CHAMBERLAIN,
Al-e receired wirk the most and distiaguisbed Approbation.
Mr. BOLOGNA impressed with . deep - of the anny faveits be for Yeer received,
From . liberal Public, availe himiself of this la offer a Entertainment which -
quite distinct from that of . Theatries Demeription, A from its harmales tendency, je peculiarly
the attract the Nutice and Support of theme whowe religiona forbid thew
Participation in of a marked and decimive Character.
This Present FRIDAY, March 10th, 1820,
And Every Meilnesdag * Friday During Lent,
The beea fitted up for the Reneption of the Public
The will with the fellaring Carious Piecea of Aninated Objents
Mechanism Clockwork.
PART L-A Windmill.
That will Gried mait any Carf chumen by the Company, with a Variety of Performances by
Clock Muvement, Deceptiona with Buans, Watches. Ac.
2-1 Cabinet of Peculiar Construction.
By which will Le Preduced . Variety of Deceptions with Cards
a.-An Automaten Figure representing a Necromancer.
Who will explain the Thoughts of auy ludividual in Company.
- 4-A Distiller whe Stands by his Tus,
From which, n Command, he Drawa Eighr Didereal Sorte of Léquar.
3.-1 curious Mechanical Frailerer and Confecsioner's Shop.
Compit. whe will produce at Command, esch Variety of Freit A
as may be usked for. PART 11.
OMBRES CHINOIS; or, CHINESE SHADOWS,
la which the following Sqapes will be inteedeced.
a
The MAGICIAN'. CAVE, wherein enveral Tricks & Netamerphoses will thke Plece.
2
REPRESENTATIO of . FOREST. in which will be intreduced the mont Vonderfal
species of Natural History. To each of the Quadrupeds the most perfict and
Animation'will be given.
a
esd DUCK SHOOTING.
4 A much-edmired TIGHT-ROPh DANCER, with the HUMOUROUS CLOWN.
a
COMICAL INIFE-GRINDER, with e Seng.
PART Whele to conclude wita . brillians and fascinating Courree
Artificial or Mechanical Fire-Works!
Introduced in an appropriate Elegant Temple in a Garden Scens, pourtraying
Innumerable Changes, an luvention alone sufficient to create Attraction.
Doore open as 7 and bagiu 7 Seate 24. 6d.-Second Neate la es
Ticket to be had of Mr. TAYLOR, at the
Bes.
T.
A Bologna poster of 1820 which features an automatic distiller who draws eight
different liquors from one cask. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
small article, carry them in, and produce them again as
called for. As the fruits are brought out, they will be
given in charge of a watch-dog, which sits in front of the
house, and on any person taking or touching them will
[ 118]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,135,,"THE RIDDLE OF THE PYRAMIDS
119
table. It is SO minute that there is no fear of its
attracting attention.¹
In presenting the trick the pyramid, with its sec-
tions duly threaded and placed one upon another,
is brought in on a wooden board similar to an
ordinary drawing-board, measuring twenty-four
inches by sixteen, and like the pyramid itself,
stained black. It is essential to the satisfactory
working of the trick that the ""base"" section of the
pyramid shall not shift when the thread is pulled.
This is ensured by having two L shaped ""stops""
of thin wood glued or screwed to the board near the
left hand corner nearest to the performer when in
use.
The trick may be introduced as follows:
""I don't know whether any of you ladies and
gentlemen are well up in Egyptology. I can't say
I am, myself. I know a camel when I see one, but
that is about as far as I have got. There is, how-
ever, one point about it which has always inter-
ested me very much. It is a point which has puz-
zled not only the Egyptologists, but all the other
ologists; namely, how the pyramids were built.
They consist, as no doubt you know, of enormous
masses of stone; so large that the cleverest engi-
neers of our day cannot tell us how they were
placed one upon another. If you can imagine the
lifting of the Royal Exchange in one lump and
dumping it down on the top of the Bank of Eng-
1 As a further precaution it should be painted flesh-color."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,134,,"THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
four years before Robert-Houdin appeared as a public
performer, Phillippe created a sensation in Paris, pre-
senting among other automata ""Le Confiseur Galant.""
In 1845, when Robert-Houdin included ""The Pastry
Cook of the Palais Royal"" in his initial programme at his
own theatre in Paris, Phillippe was presenting precisely
the same trick at the St. James Theatre, London.
Of this goodly company, however, Rovere and Phillippe
deserve more than passing notice, as both were the con-
temporaries of Robert-Houdin, and Rovere was his
personal friend. Both also appear in Robert-Houdin's
""Memoirs.""
The trick appears first, not as a confectioner's shop
with small figures at work, but as a fruitery, then again
as a Dutch Coffee-House and a Russian Inn, from which
ten sorts of liquor are served. Finally, in 1823, it is feat-
ured under the name that later made it famous, the
Confectioner's Shop.
Haddock, the Englishman who had the writing and
drawing figure in his possession for some time, featured
the fruitery on his programmes dated 1796. One of his
advertisements from the London Telegraph is reproduced
on page 106, in connection with the history of the writing
and drawing figure, but for convenience I am quoting
here Haddock's own description of the fruitery trick,
which was even more complicated than the famous Pastry
Cook of the Palais Royal:
""A model of the neat rural mansion, and contains the
following figures: First, the porter, which stands at the
gate, and on being addressed, rings the bell, when the
door opens, the fruiteress comes out, and any. lady or
[ 117]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,134,,"118
LATEST MAGIC
proportion to its thickness much stronger than
ordinary silk thread, and, not being liable to
untwist, its surface remains permanently hard and
smooth, a great desideratum where it is important
to minimise friction. Further, it does not ""kink""
as a twisted thread is liable to do.
Two other items of apparatus are used, viz.:
(1) An electric torch in the shape of a wand, the
light appearing at the end.
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
(2) A little knife or cutter specially designed by
Mr. Schooling for use in this trick. This consists
of a half-inch length of a safety-razor blade, set
in a handle consisting of a piece of tin one inch
square, folded in half, and then bent back to a right
angle on each side, the blade projecting along the
line of juncture as shown in Fig. 19. In use the
cutter is held by what may be called its backbone
between the first joints of the first and second
fingers of the extended hand, as shown in Fig. 20.
This cutter must be placed ready to hand upon the"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,133,,"CHAPTER IV
THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL
ONCERNING this trick, which Robert-Houdin
claims as his invention, he writes on page 79 of
his ""Memoirs,"" American edition ""The first
was a small pastry cook, issuing from his shop
door at the word of command, and bringing, according
to the spectator's request, patties and refreshments of
every description. At the side of the shop, assistant
pastry cooks might be seen rolling paste and putting it
in the oven.""
By means of handbills, programmes, and newspaper
notices of magical and mechanical performances, this
trick in various guises can be traced back as far as I796.
Nine reputable magicians offered it as part of their reper-
toire, and at times two men presented it simultaneously,
showing that more than one such automaton existed.
The dates of the most notable programmes or handbills
selected from my collection are as follows:
I, Haddock, 1797. 2, Garnerin, 1815. 3, Gyngell,
1816 and 1823. 4, Bologna, 1820. 5, Henry, 1822. 6,
Schmidt, 1827. 7, Rovere, 1828. 8, Charles, 1829. 9,
Phillippe, 1841.
In 1827 Schmidt and Gyngell joined forces, yet both
before and after this date each performer had the wonder-
ful little piece of mechanism on his programme. In 1841,
[ 116"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,133,,"THE RIDDLE OF THE PYRAMIDS
117
is of necessity a small affair, being four inches in
heiglt, about six across the base, and two across
the top. It is divided into five horizontal slabs or
segments, as indicated by the dotted lines. Mid-
way on each side of each slab, at about half an inch
distance from the upper edge, a minute hole is
bored, parallel to the outer slope of the segment;
exactness in this particular being an essential con-
dition of success. Of the four holes in each slab,
two only are actually used in the trick, the other
two being added partly for the sake of uniformity,
and partly to disguise the significance of the other
pair. Each slab, save those at the top and bottom,
is also perforated perpendicularly by three or four
holes of considerable diameter, the object of these
being merely to lessen the weight of the slab.
In preparing the pyramid for use in the trick, a
piece of plaited silk fishing-line, stained black, and
in length five to six feet, is passed by the aid of a
needle upwards through the small hole in one side
of the largest slab; then in the same way through
the corresponding hole in the next, and SO on till it
comes out through the uppermost. Thence it is
again passed downward through the next adjoin-
ing hole in each slab till it comes out at the bot-
tom, when the ends are drawn level and tied in a
knot.
The use of plaited silk fishing line for such pur-
poses is one of Mr. Schooling's specialties, and is a
""tip"" to make a note of. Line of this kind is in"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,132,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
did not know of its existence and mechanism. And if
Robert-Houdin had invented the same mechanism it is
hardly possible that his design would have run in pre-
cisely the same channel as that of Jacquet-Droz and
Maillardet, in having the figure draw the dog, the cupid,
and the heads of monarchs.
In those days humble mechanicians, however well they
were known in their own trade, were not exploited by
the public press. Nor did they employ clever journalists
to write memoirs lauding their achievements. And so
it happened that for years the names of Jacquet-Droz
and Maillardet were unsung; their brainwork and handi-
craft were claimed by Robert-Houdin, who had mastered
the art of self-exploitation. To-day, after a century and
a half of neglect, the laurel wreath has been lifted from
the brow of Robert-Houdin, where it never should have
been placed, and has been laid on the graves of the real
inventors of the writing and drawing figure, Pierre
Jacquet-Droz and Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz and Jean-
David Maillardet.
[115]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,132,,"116
LATEST MAGIC
with some neat device. Mr. Schooling declared
that the original idea was too good to be abandoned,
and offered to try his hand at bringing it to a suc-
cessful issue. I must frankly confess that I had
no great hope of his success; but Mr. Schooling is
a man of many talents. Apart from eminence in
his own profession (that of actuary and statis-
tician) he- is not only an expert amateur conjurer,
Fig. 18
but an exceptionally skilful mechanic, and he
possesses withal an unlimited capacity for taking
pains. He used these qualities to such good pur-
pose that I am enabled to include this striking
effect among the contents of the present volume.
The principal item of apparatus is naturally the
pyramid itself, which is of blackened wood as
illustrated in Fig. 18. For the sake of lightness it"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,131,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
their inventive genius and efforts. Modern mechanicians
agree that such a performance would have been a physical
impossibility, even had Robert-Houdin been the expert
mechanician he pictured himself.
To sum up the evidence: The writing and drawing
Splendid and Unrivalled Exhibition !
(Fer . Shore peovions . is resoval - a
The Nobility and Public are respectfully informed, that
A MOST MAGNIFICENT AND COSTLY COLLECTION OF
Mechanical and Musical
AUTOIATONS!
IS NOW EXHIBITING AT THE
New Gothic Haymarket,
ADJOINING THE LITTLE THEATRE:
TOGETHER wirh A
GRAND DISPLAY OF ANCIENT ARMOUR :
Which carrounds the spacious and desoreted Mall.
Also
. Model of . MAN OF WAR, of Ninely-Four Guns,
Of the most exquisite Workmenship, and Copper-Bottomed!
The
whouk the - Instructive and Ammoing ever le -
THE MECHANICAL PART
or this truly conderfel and exchenting which las beea with the
avent distingushbed Patromage, in Paais and other parts of the comprisse the bullowing
ABTIOU!
These Performancea in DRAWING - WAITING la - of the Company, defy ell .
kaph at in regard to marn, and of and This rich
the of MECHANISN . sonderfally thet the motion - # -
guat, saj oppropriele system efeperations, will ever readee "" - of the highest interest -
The fusical Lady !
Who performs, apon sia olggent Finger ORGAN.: variely of pire-ing Ain. The fas inating of bee
and lovely motion ofthe Eyes, arver to securing bes She boes gracefully to the acdicace bes beaves,
uf materally b, the leage and every note is produced by the touch of act Sager, with the
lica of pata, and charge, which are played by the
The Rope Dancer !
Wheed surpricing apoe the Tight Rope surgess, to - attitudes, and reclurions, every et the
Art heepios correct timse to the Munie of the Mechinery
Ebe
Whene exeite the gresteet and delight.br the regacious be returne to every
prepesed le his The essetrection of thus wonderfel seif- acting Fagure has lutherte pessied all the
is Europe'
This
estraerdisary
Figur,
moves
by
afe
ova
povera,
in
every
direction,
the
gresteot
corgeise
.
asving ever by the most intelligret - basical to be utterly impossible, by amy work of -
to produce will- aving ligure capable of *
Also, a STBERTAN MOUSE! set with Prarb.-As ETHIOPEAN CATERPILLAR! of richly n
avelied Gold.-The TERRANTULAR SPIDER! I-A beautifel HUMMING BIRD! that the
- melodicus Notes. EGYPTIAN LIZARD! of exquisite workmanship. en fine Gold, ac.
THE WHOLE EXHIBITING. by their exact Imitations of ANINATED NATURE, the most surpre
lag Powers of
N. a. The Visitore will bave the of imprettag the very eurious and compliested by whesh -
reljjects le this have boca progressively bronght to sech inimitable
Opre from Eleure will and from Sever till Ten in the Ewning.
ADMITTANCE, 2. CHILDREN, la-TICKETS FOR THE SEASON. 6a.
Na the - the Nachioory. REPASRE sc.)
MAVELL sed 6 Prieters, No. 79,
Poster used by Mr. Schmidt in advertising the writing and drawing figure
in London just before his departure for St. Petersburg, Russia. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
figure as turned out by the Jacquet-Drozes was known
all over Europe. It is not possible that a man so well
read and posted in magic and automata as Robert-Houdin
[114]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,131,,"LOST AND FOUND
115
THE RIDDLE OF THE PYRAMIDS
This, in good hands, will be found a very effec-
tive trick. I have the less hesitation in saying so,
because the assertion is only to a very limited
extent self-praise. The idea of the effect to be pro-
duced was my own, as also to a certain extent the
method of producing it. I had even got SO far as
to devise, in anticipation, suitable patter. When,
however, I proceeded to put my ideas into practice
I found myself pulled up by unexpected obstacles.
The object to be attained, as will be seen by the
sequel, was the instantaneous re-adjustment of the
sundered parts of a small pyramid, and this I pro-
posed to do by means of the pull of a thread, fine
enough to be practically invisible. Now, to make
segments of a pyramid not only draw together,
but sit squarely one upon another, it is necessary
to have forces operating simultaneously in two dif-
ferent directions, and the need for this caused diffi-
culties which I found myself unable to cope with.
Indeed, I had practically decided to content myself
by producing a somewhat similar effect in a sim-
pler way, as exemplified in the trick which I have
called the Miracle of Mumbo Jumbo, which next
follows.
As luck would have it, however, I mentioned my
difficulties to my good friend, Mr. Holt Schooling,
a gentleman whom I have more than once had
occasion to refer to in my writings in connection"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,130,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
ADMISSION REDUCED,
Bores, 2..-Pil, la.-Gallery, 6d.
PORNING ons SEILLING sacm.
By Permission of the Right Worshipful the Mayor.
The Nebility, Gentry, and Inhabitaste of Hull and its Vicinity are most respoctiolly
informed that the Grand
MECHANICAL AND
Magical Theatre,
(FROM THE GOTHIC HALL, ITAYMARKET, LONDOX.)
IS NOW OPEN EVERY DAY AND EVENING,
AND witl. CONTINUS ao voa A SMORT TIMS ONLY,
ATT THE APOLLO SALOON,
Nexty erected by Mr. Kirhwood, at the y Wellinglon-Strees,
QUEEN-STREST, NULL.
THE AUTOMATA COMPRISE THS FOLLOWING AUBJECTS:
The Juvenile Artist!
Whese in DRAWING and warmino (alterestely) ie the presence of the Compeay, defy all essempte
regard thew beauts sed of dealge ... -
the
of
an
Yeare )
THE MUSICAL LADY,
de performe agee - siegses Seger OROAN, of plessing Airs. The of her -
- of the .... feit "" arearing Aderrent She bows gracefully to the Audieses, hee
""
- the leago, sele . predessé b, the of ber Segen, esta the escoptee of Sele -
- - played 3, the fost
Dawona,
- serpase, is sed ever, Prefesses of the ant hooping
correst to the Nome of the
THE MAGICIAN,
the selovest ... delight. b, the eages be reteres to every
pregessé le - The of the bitherle pussied all the first. reste à
TAS
WALKING FIGURE,
moriag b, Ite see eseltee ise serpeise, It ever Assn Deje to . thing etterly
- cort to predese égare expeble a
A MAGNIFICENT CLASSIC rase!
NADE FOR THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON.
A BOLDES
TWO SIBERIAN MICE.---AN EGYPTIAN LIZARD.
An Ethiopian Caterpillar. A Tarantula Spider.
A BEAUTIFUL HUMMING BIRD:
- - of T.es e.ebly - ... sed other precion asd le the
4 sevemests eftea dessivo the bebeider
no - de , the of -
BELF-ACTING PIANO FORTE.
TES STAGE PERFORMANCE WILL COMMENCE WITH
RAMO SAMMEE,
Litte Figere - corrent'y estera "" the time "", .. pereese eill also weipher -
also - the of ea, bee bese drees *** - pech.
The Enchanted Dutch Coffee-House,
,
- - . the Trevellers visging the SeM the doos opres-the attesde .. pree.dee enth -
be may - ler.
THE CABINET OF SAFETY,
de - of eas . - be . the of the the conteste will ebsage
A
desees
sele
esther,
""
beb.ed
the
BAGRO
,
. Conto - - the gech sed - therete "" , - planed the Marg and will immediately appees
vhee
called
far.
The Bottle of Sobriety and Juebriety,
Proving the restality de of Densatera, Lizem ... be procesed b, ....
tas NAGICAL TC4 cadore,
des - "" Article, tocke ... . the other # le
there,
.
the
Dead
...
other
AN KTRAORDINARY GLASS PILLAR,
- -
EXPERIMENTS IN ELECTRICITY.
The Englich whe will ducharge "" Camon sithout the see of ,
An entettaining Experiment with Two Electrical Vases;
The gower 4 ever the Vegressie hingdem. prefecing a Crop of Balled le before
the cyse of -
THE UNFORTUNATE MAGAZINE,
- "" - - le - of the Thessor Cleed ent ... we ate - ns
of - .... , "" bet the -
- des the condector - mere sived, - the
- le - aget of -
'rogramme used by Mr. Schmidt in 1827, when he had possession of the
writing and drawing figure. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
8
[ 113]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,130,,"114
LATEST MAGIC
think of it, it's of no consequence. The handker-
chief will find it wherever it is, even if it has to
follow it into somebody's pocket. By the way,
where is the handkerchief?"" He takes it from the
person with whom it was left, and holding it by
two of its corners, and showing both hands other-
wise empty, lowers it down carefully over the
black patch on table.
""And now to work the spell. 'Bismillah!
Bechesm! Salaam Aleikoum!' You must excuse
my speaking Arabic, but that is the only language
the handkerchief understands. I see that the gen-
tleman who lent me the half-crown is looking a
little bit anxious. Cheer up, Sir, the handkerchief
has never failed me yet. But we must give it time.
Say, half a minute."" (Looks at watch.) ""This
is curious. Half a minute gone. One minute,
and nothing has happened. The handkerchief has
made no move. Something must have gone wrong.
But stay If the handkerchief has not gone to the
coin, perhaps the coin has gone to the handker-
chief. Let us see!""
He lifts the handkerchief by the centre, picking
up the black patch with it, and thereby disclosing
the coin, which is handed back on the mat to the
owner. Then carefully folding up the handker-
chief, performer replaces it in its box, and in so
doing regains possession of the velvet patch, to be
got rid of at a convenient opportunity."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,129,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
During this interim, that is between 1821 and 1833,
the famous little figure seems to have been in the posses-
sion of one Schmidt, who, according to the programmes
in my collection, exhibited it regularly.
In 1833 Schmidt is programmed in London, playing
at the Surrey Theatre, when the writing and drawing
figure is one of twenty-four automatic devices. A pro-
gram, which, judging from its printing, is of a still later
date, announces Mr. Schmidt and the famous figure at
New Gothic Hall, 7 Haymarket, for a short period pre-
vious to the removal of the exhibit to St. Petersburg.
The dates of other programmes in my collection can be
judged only from the style of printing which changed
at different periods of the art's development. Some of
these indicate that the writing and drawing figure was
on exhibition during the early 40's in London at Paul's
Head Assembly Rooms, Argyle Rooms, Regent Street,
etc.
It is more than likely, according to Robert-Houdin's
own admission regarding his study of automata and his
opportunities to repair those left at his shop, that at some
time the writing and drawing figure was brought to
Paris to be exhibited, needed repairing, and thus reached
his shop. Whether it was bought by Monsieur G
,
whose interest in automata is featured in Robert-Houdin's
""Memoirs,"" and brought to Robert-Houdin to repair, or
whether Robert-Houdin bought it for a song, and repaired
it to sell to advantage to his wealthy patron, cannot be
stated, but I am morally certain that Robert-Houdin never
constructed, in eighteen months, a complicated mech-
anism on which the Jacquet-Drozes spent six years of
[ 112]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,129,,"LOST AND FOUND
113
the handkerchief to find it, but first you would like,
no doubt, to have a look at the handkerchief itself.
Notice the richness of the pattern. It is said to
be after a design in the Alhambra. I don't mean
the Alhambra you gentlemen go to, but the real
Moorish one in Spain.
Leaving the handkerchief for the time being in
the possession of a spectator he returns to the
table, meanwhile palming the velvet patch, and the
substituted half-crown, and ostensibly picks up
the original, in reality rendering it invisible by
laying the patch over it, and showing the substitute
in its place, after the manner described at p. 19.
He then advances to the company with the substi-
tute coin and offers it to one or other of the spec-
tators, remarking, ""Take it, please, and pass it to
one or other of your neighbours SO that I shan't
know where it is.""7
Under pretence of offering the coin, he passes
it from the one hand to the other, and vanishes it
by, say, the tourniquet, SO that the person holding
out a hand to receive it gets nothing, and says SO.
""What do you say, Sir? You have not got it?
But surely, I have just handed it to you. You are
not joking? Then it must have fallen on the floor.
Please look around you a bit."" (Pretends to do
so himself.) ""Not there? Well, this is extra-
ordinary."" (To the lender of the coin.) ""I am
very sorry, Sir. Your money is lost in a way I
did not anticipate. But after all, when I come to"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,128,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
chair before an easel, ready to draw portraits in short
order. The figure was shown to the audience, then re-
placed on the chair, whereupon a man under the platform
the Triump of Mechanisu.
NEW . EXHIBITION
IN THE WESTERN EXCHANGE.
THE
AUTO.MATON
ARTIST.
IL ENTRANCES TO THE EXHIBITION
ARE IN
Old Bond Street & in Burlington Arcade :
Open from Ten o'Clock till Dusk.
Admittance to see the Performance, 1 Shilling.
Profile Likenesses, 18. 6d. in addition.
o
The Proprieters conceive that an Automatical Figure, accurately effect
ing that whuch has bitherto required a powerful ment. exertion, and a
correct eye, needs no further introduction of its extraordiuary quality, than
ao intimation of the fact, that it is
THE ONLY AUTOMATON
IN THE WORLD
THAT TAKES LIKENESSES.
Without further comment, the Proprietors merely add the information, that-
this Figure exerutes a Profile Likeness, sue one minute, from any person who
chooses to Nt. The Automaton will, if required, take the Profiles of Busts
of Public Characters, which are placed in the Roum, and which will enable.
persons, who may doubt the possibility of apy mechanical contrivance taking
an accurate likeness, to compare thein with the originals.
Inncs, Printer, 61, Wella-s. Oxford-st.
Handbill advertising the fake automatic artist, exhibited also at 161 Strand,
London, May 7th, 1826. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
would thrust his arm through the figure and draw all that
was required of the automaton. The fake was short-lived,
even at the yearly fairs, and now has sunk too low for them.
[ III ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,128,,"112
LATEST MAGIC
any credit for doing it. He says himself it was
just an accident, and might have happened to any-
body. But he never can get anyone to believe him,
and it has spoilt his character. He was naturally
a truthful man, but being always disbelieved has
made him reckless, and now, whenever he tells the
story he sticks another half-pound on to the sal-
mon. I believe it is a fifteen pounder now.¹
""With regard to the handkerchief, however, I
can easily prove to you that what I have stated is
correct. I can't prove it quite in the same way,
because even if any lady or gentleman present
had lost a dog, it would take the handkerchief a
day or two to find it, and you would get tired of
waiting. So I must show you the virtues of the
handkerchief in a simpler way.
""Will some gentleman oblige me with the loan
of a half-crown, marked SO that he can be sure of
knowing it again?
On receiving the coin the performer returns to
his table, holding it on high SO that it can be seen
that there is no substitution, and lays it on the
black art mat.
""Presently I propose to lose this coin, and get
1 This story, as also a few other ""yarns"" with which I have endeav-
oured to brighten my otherwise serious pages, may be suppressed if it
is thought desirable to shorten the patter. I ought perhaps to apologise
for introducing such irrelevant fiction, but I am encouraged in misdo-
ing by the example of the lamented Artemus Ward, who said that the
best things in his lecture were generally the things that had nothing
to do with it."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,127,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Theatre, Wakefield.
with the original and
THE LAST W.
genuine writing and
ROYAL MECHANICAL 4 OPTICAL
MUSEUM.
drawing figure. It
now CARRIED ob vom THE - of THE
WIDOW and CHILDREN
seems to have lacked
OF THE LATE MR. PRILIPSTHAL
- P. - - - - - of Webofuld, - - -
- - - - recefted bage . - * da be
legitimacy and, from
a Monday, - April,
CLOSE - - lat De
the - -
what I can learn from
MECHANICAL PIECES.
- - - - - - -
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
newspaper clippings,
EXECUTION
wasworkedlike ""Zoe,""
mamn ar
with a concealed con-
or THE LITS sauprio os
Mount Vesuvius.
federate, or, like the
vige TAEEN n REPRESENTING
famous ""Psycho"" fea-
HE
THUILLERIES.
with THE orea THE airea BRING
visw oe
tured by Maskelyne, it
JER USALEM,
With the Mount of Olives,
was worked by com-
-- - - The Viee
.
-
The Ancient GATE at Southampton,
pressed air. This bill
Colled - Londing -
is interesting solely be-
-
vas PALACA oe THE LATS
cause I believe that
Emperor Alexander.
2r our ras asvea REVA
this fake automaton
- PINS or THE
Suspension Bridge
exhibited at 161 Strand
OVER AN ARM OF THB SEA AT MENAL
COUNTY or CARNASVON TEAT or
was the first figure of
-
the sort foisted on the
CROTESQUE BALLIST. rue
FAIRIES' MIDNIGHT REVEL,
a, of hasy -
public after the Baron
The Tragic Scene of Cornelia,
The
Super
""
-
whe
auaso
ALIVA,
la
- of - Romee
Von Kemplen chess-
Marvellous Tomb Scene / !
player, which is de-
- - - a - Qoona, - - Prisco of - -
The
-
-
-
Automata Rope-Dancera,
scribed in Halle's work
EN FULL IMITATION or ure,
- - Ame -
HYDR.UULICS
on magic, published in
allo
1784.
HYDROSTATIC EXPERIMENTS,
Fire aus
- -
In 1901, while in
FIREWORKS,
Germany, I saw a num-
waice
F-
-
ber of these automaton
le - .
. - SICHOLA, - - -
-
- - - - - - - -
-
Bexea, 6d.Pli, -Gellery,
ed.
artists, all frauds. The
. - - - -
BICHARD
figure sat in a small
IIO"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,127,,"LOST AND FOUND
111
magic in it still. Not so much as there was, I dare
say, but still it retains a good many magical quali-
ties. Among them is a curious talent for recover-
ing lost property. For instance, I once had a dog.
His name was Socrates, but he was generally called
'Socks.' In fact, he preferred it. He was a val-
uable dog, because he combined SO many different
breeds. He was partly pug, and partly grey-
hound, and partly dachshund, and partly chow,
and partly bull-dog and partly terrier, and partly
of two or three other breeds that I can't for the
moment remember. One day Socks went out to see
a friend, and didn't come back again. I sat up all
night for him with a stick, but he didn't come home
till morning. In fact, he didn't come home even
then. I thought I had lost him for good, and I
was quite distressed about it.
""Just when I was beginning to get over the loss
I had a further shock. My precious Desdemona
handkerchief was missing. But the very next day
I heard a barking outside, and there was my dog
with the handkerchief tied round his neck and
three other dogs with him. The handkerchief had
recovered them all.
""You don't believe that little story. I thought
you wouldn't. People never will believe anything
a little bit out of the way. It is just the same with
fish stories. I know a man who, when he was a
boy, fishing in a pond with a maggot on a bent pin,
caught a four-pound salmon. He didn't claim"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,126,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
tasmagoria."" The nature of the inventions grouped under
this title can best be judged from the reproduction of a
De Philipsthal programme, dated 1803-04, and reproduced
in the course of this chapter. All evidence goes to prove,
however, that De Philipsthal did not control the writing
and drawing figure exclusively, but that it was the joint
property of himself and his partner, Maillardet. One
of their joint programmes is also reproduced. Wherever
De Philipsthal appears as an independent entertainer,
the writing and drawing figure is missing from his billing.
Later the writing and drawing automaton came into
the possession of a Mr. Louis, who, as it will be seen from
the billing, acted as assistant engineer to De Philipsthal
and Maillardet. Louis evidently controlled the wonderful
little automaton in the years 1814-15.
The last De Philipsthal programme in my possession is
dated Summer Theatre, Hull, September 15th, 16th, 17th,
18th and 19th, 1828, when he advertises only ""rope dancers
and mechanical peacock,"" and features ""special uniting fire
and water"" and ""firework experiments."" He must have
died between that date and April, 1829, for a programme
dated at the latter time announces a benefit at the Théâtre
Wakefield for the widow and children of De Philipsthal,
""the late proprietor of the Royal Mechanical and Optical
Museum."" This benefit programme contains no allusion
to the writing and drawing figure, which goes to prove
that it had not been his property, or it would have been
handed down to his estate.
In May, 1826, an automaton was exhibited at 161
Strand, a bill regarding which is reproduced. This
mechanical figure, however, should not be confounded
[ 109 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,126,,"110
LATEST MAGIC
LOST AND FOUND
This trick may be worked either upon a black
art table or black art mat. We will assume that
the latter is used.
The requisites for this trick will in such case
be as follows:
1. The mat. This may be a small circular one,
a few inches in circumference without pocket.
2. A handkerchief, fourteen or fifteen inches
square, of some gaudy pattern, carefully folded
and placed in a square Japanese handkerchief box.¹
3. A circular velvet patch as described ante, in
the chapter dealing with novel applications of the
Black Art principle.
4. A half-crown placed in a pochette, or other-
wise so as to be readily get-at-able.
Presentation. Performer opens the box and
takes out the handkerchief, which he carefully
unfolds, handling it as if it were something of
extraordinary value.
""I have here, ladies, a curio of an exceptionally
curious kind. This is said to be the identical
handkerchief which Othello gave to Desdemona,
and which afterwards caused so much unpleasant-
ness. No doubt you all know your Shakespeare,
and will remember that Othello tells his wife,
""There's magic in the web of it.' And there is
1 The handkerchief should be readily recognizable as a cheap and
commonplace one."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,125,,"Ebeatte,
Mr. Louis's
ROYAL, MECHANICAL, and OPTICAL
Darhibition
wall continue open Four Nights longer only, with the Addition of a New Pirca.
Monday, April 1,1815, Wednesday, Thurday and Friday following,
the 5th, 6th, and 7th.
And, in erder to make his Exhibition mill more wartly of the Public Patrosage, the
Proprietor bege leave to inform them, that, in Addition to the whale Selection already
exhibited with UNBOUNDED APPLAUSE, he will introduce, every Evening,
A SUPERB MECHANICAL
Peacocl
AS LARGE AS LIFE,
In its Natural Plumage!
Which imitates, so closely, the CRIES, ACTIONS, and ATTITUDES of that stately and
beautiful Bird, that it is not unfrequently supposed to be an absolute living Animal.
properly trained to act as as Amasing Deception.
Ahbongh - Description cas property itlestrate these . Ast. yet to merey to the
pablic sa des of their and of the imitative powers with waxh these Figares -
esplanation mbitted, they exb.bited the follewing -
"" are . manaer
TWO ELEGANT AUTOMATA,
As large as melare, the - . POLONNESE, the - . sov.
Nething cae the adroicable of these Pieces. The large Figure - alment
with bumse Faculties, eshiliting the esual feste of . Mope- Dancer, in the felless of hfs. The -
Figare . envested with equally astonishing powere of activa. To sech ledice - are spectasore it - be
.
very that these exertious do not escite thowe - whird arese
the aight of Pigares freught with lite. performies feas ettended with - mech dange.
A Superb MUSICAL LADY,
Represeeting the BELLE BOXLANE, whe pleye with the grentess preceise Sistere Arra, every -
preveede
frove
the
presere
of
the
and
feet,
-
the
apprepriate
keys,
-
keing
persea,
with
the
of her besd. eyes, and eye-hds, . directed to the heye. The compect and well preperticeed forma,
and easy enaffected air of thie Female Figure, have been gvessly and considured by
the very best jedges - happy combission of the asta of Desige - Nechaniom, whish predeces . the
same tiase the of respiratice.
THE MSCHANICAL
DRAWING AND WRITING MASTER,
A JUVENILE ARTIST. The figure of Ecy, who, with every actice of resi life will escrate is presence
of the compeey, of Drawing and Vriting, seperier - the best of the - if
Sigure
were
destatute
of
""
weeld
be
picteresque,
but
whee,
wsth
the
case
and
of
well
educated youth, "" saites the power of produciag such perfect imitation of estere, as almet se - the
Gree's Mythology. whee spesking of figures formed est of sordid clay. which, by Premethers,
atarted isto life and, extreerdisary as the fable apprera, it ie equalled, it not by the wenderfal
of thie ógure.
AN OLD NECROMANCER,
- fairly be decominaled the Brisad Enchänter, for few af the fabled vales comcersing the -
of these purking - "" their native groves of Preidical whene vagie quella impred
every bregh, could - bryand the realities of the whe the ques-
that are - him. with the precition of - Oracle any from the
apisité - - - the anciest - for this sapient Sine's Decisione origisate
in of the perhanical powers,
The Liute @paniarb:
This ragalated by mutic, le which be Weape sime with eritical
and
exactass. The agility at this he are fermed with
- by which it the ef making harre.
and acimity. of the whinh is - will gire the
* ides et the of the
A BIRD OF PARADISE,
Sapers Cold - - te ler in
- bea. The - of die piece af reay le - and
for delinacy of
- de - Orginal, - - d
decience of Optics.
The Proprister - - . of IDEAL PERSPECTIVE
PROSPECTS of the ELYSIAN FIELDS,
And other vnews. The effert predured, - if lighoqued by the Mees, is whoch ERIAL
SPERITS and SHADIS of great - will -marge - being - pisce of the Scieace of OPTICA,
and of whiph the - dert of - - - - to predace the hs.
The whole to seità - s - of brillions Nechonical and
Fire-Works,
A Louis programme of April 3rd, 1815, in which the writing and drawin
figure is advertised as a juvenile artist. It also features a bird of paradi:
automaton which Robert-Houdin claimed to have invented thirty years late
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[08]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,125,,"THE BOUNDING BEANS
109
should 'ask a pleeceman.' I did ask a policeman,
and he said, 'Go I won't mention,
but I don't think he meant it as a translation. My
own idea is that it is a bit of Esperanto. Anyhow,
it has the desired effect; for you see the beans have
left the glass"" (uncovering it and showing it
empty), ""and they have jumped into this tube,
which is what I wanted them to do.""
The beans are poured from the tube into the
vacant portion, now to the front, of the mirror
glass, with due care that the coil at bottom shall not
be seen.
""But there's something wrong here. I must
have made some little mistake in the pronunciation
of the magic spell, for the paper seems to have dis-
appeared as well as the beans. There is certainly
no room for it in the tube. Here it is, though, or
some of it.""
The paper is unwound, and when it comes to
an end the wand is passed through A and C (now
bottomless) together, again proving (?) that the
former which is always shown to the spectators
could not possibly have contained the beans
in any natural way. A moment or two later the
inner tube can easily be got rid of behind the mass
of paper ribbon."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,124,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
In quite a few works on automata, notably Sir David
Brewster's ""Letters on Natural Magic,"" Collinson is
quoted as having interviewed Maillardet as the inventor
of the combination writing and drawing figure. The
Franklin Journal of June, 1827, published in Philadel-
phia, Pa., credits this figure to Maillardet and gives the
following description: ""It was the figure of a boy kneeling
on one knee, holding a pencil in his hand, with which he
executed not only writing but drawings equal to those of
RATIONAL ENTERTAPNMEN'PS during
LEPSTAL and AUTOMATICAL
THWATRE Strand, will open svery
Eventeg: The l'erformances consist of a grost many loge=
tion. n pircesol For further Mechaniser- perticolars with the and see highese Optical hand Recreations, bille The apprubs- whole which
ous
marks of
under the Mr. LODIS, Asaistanc Engineer, who
will his otmost exeratona to promate the
Proprietors. that of offering to an enlightened Public a
Conraé of of a,superiar natuze,
35. Ph Cattery
and bayin preciedly at 9. Places for the Boxes may DU taken
at
march1812
Clipping from the London Telegraph in March, 1819, proving the partner-
ship of de Philipsthal and Maillardet in an ""Automatical Theatre."" The Mr.
Louis mentioned in the advertisement as assistant engineer later secured pos-
session of the writing and drawing figure. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
the masters. When the figure began to work, an attend-
ant dipped the pencil in ink, and fixed the paper, when,
on touching a spring, the figure wrote a line, carefully
dotting and stroking the letters.""
The Robert-Houdin figure did not kneel, but this
change could be made by a mechanician of ordinary
ability.
The writing and drawing figure does not reappear on
amusement programmes in my collection until 1812, when
it was featured by De Philipsthal, the inventor of ""Phan-
[ 107 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,124,,"108
LATEST MAGIC
him. I never do with that sort of man. It is just
a question of the point of view. Anyhow, I had
the one made larger, or the other one smaller,
whichever way it is, SO that the one can go com-
fortably over the other, like this.""
first carelessly moved about so as to show
clearly that it is empty, is brought down over B
and lifted off again, carrying off within it C and
its load; after which B is in turn shown to be
empty.
""Now I am goong to order the beans to jump out
of the glass and into one or other of these empty
tubes, at your own choice. Right? or left?
Which shall it be?""
Performer asks the question standing behind his
table, and by means of the familiar equivoque
(""my"" or ""your"" left or right) interprets the
answer to mean A.
""And now I have only to pronounce the proper
magic spell. The trouble is to remember the right
one. They are rather confusing, and if you hap-
pen to pronounce the wrong one, or even pronounce
the right one the wrong way, the consequences may
be serious. But I think I know this one pretty
well. 'Peripatetico-paticocorum.' I fancy
I
have got it right. I don't know quite what it
means myself, and nobody seems to be able to tell
me. A Japanese gentleman told me he thought it
was Spanish, but a Spaniard said he felt sure it
was Welsh. Somebody else suggested that I"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,123,,"The Conve
The be TU
de Polite
the
Opens évery ant de
Performasca
41 Jour passa em pegins at (glu
HESE Arch admitred Pieces of Mechanisan,
whied not hunian trat
to possesé al consile of
4 Figure, a hoy ef tom
be brom - and apt to
seurd
a round,
The Modalai ed
lowing the Perter,
gate and an - - thir Dour
apem, the and auy a Geb
Toy whaterier Vroit they and det
asal bring the Rhid
be
- the as often as Lie
ampo
DE
a
- valled for, / the are drompa un) and
be given in charge to a Warch Dog, in
and en any pegson away or tenching
them witt begin (o-bark, and contique to do so they
are The Thent Figarre to thes Re
the which WH be
frombelind the Home, will enter the Door, the
Chiningy, and giva the of -
reveral timesy the and corrie wirk
in Bag firti of
The LIQUOR MERCHANT und WATER SERVERI
Theie are on a Platform of bet square, which
(as the former Piéces) will be placed on a Table, The
Liguor Mercliaut stands nt DE small Cask, from which a
will drivie every kind of Spiras, Wine, &c.
The a and
Tumbler with Water, - enlied for. -Fourth,
THE. RIGHLANI
A Figute in the Dess, stands on a Time-guere
and Hour wnd Mrouter whewey by SIPIN
big its on/a Trege: a Answer
(by motion) to
(n Aridimetic, and gives the jaistantly as any
of Pounds, Yards, Ac, any given Price: beats
Time to Muic, &c.
STable the different Places with Demplaced on, con-
tains an ORGAN, on which the Proprietor intradaces n.
lew) Notes: also, The MACHINE
ORGAN, will play occasionally Neveral Pleces of Music,
Airs Country Dances, Re.
Mr.HADDOCK flattere himself THE ANDROIDES
will be found niore exizious than any
éver before offered to this Principtes of
entituly The Theatre is seatis, fired
and every thing calculated to MA e to -
polite and discerning Audience
Hoses 4s. Gaflery -
Admittance, after the Two Half Price,
The lass netoly Two
Haddock advertisement in the London Telegraph, January, 1796, in which
he features the writing automaton as an androide. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
[ 106]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,123,,"THE BOUNDING BEANS
107
thing particular about them. You won't notice
any difference between them and any other beans,
but as a matter of fact they are a good deal more
energetic than beans of the ordinary kind, and
when they get to know and love you, they will do
all sorts of remarkable things.
""I will pour a few of them into this glass.""
(The front compartment of the mirror glass is
filled to about two-thirds of its height.) ""To pre-
vent their getting out again without your knowing
it I will press them down with a handful of these
pretty paper shavings.""
This is also done, the quantity of paper being SO
regulated, in accordance with previous experi-
ment, that when pressed down it shall come half
an inch or SO below the brim of the glass.
""To make matters still more secure I will ask
the loan of a lady's handkerchief to cover the glass
with.""
The handkerchief is taken in the right hand, the
left meanwhile raising the glass a little way to
meet it. In covering and lowering it again to the
table the needful half-turn is made.
""I will not touch the glass again until the experi-
ment is finished. Meanwhile I want to call your
attention to these two tubes. You will observe
that one of them is slightly larger than the other.
A gentleman told me the other evening that I was
wrong in saying SO. He maintained that the one
was smaller than the other. I didn't argue with"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,122,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
So far we have traced only the original writing and
drawing figure. This has been done purely to show
that even if Robert-Houdin had been capable of building
such an automaton, he would not have been its real in-
ventor, but would merely have copied the marvellous
work of the Jacquet-Drozes. Now to trace the figure
which in 1844 he claimed as his invention.
With the fame of the Neuchâtel shop spreading and
the demand for Swiss watches increasing, Maillardet and
Jean Pierre Droz, apprentices or perhaps partners of
Pierre Jacquet-Droz and Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz,
removed to London and there set up a watch factory.
About this time Maillardet invented a combination
writing and drawing figure which was pronounced by
experts of the day slightly inferior to the work of the two
Jacquet-Drozes. However, it must have been worthy
of exhibition, for it appeared at intervals for the next
fifty years in the amusement world, particularly in Lon-
don. At first Maillardet was not its exhibitor nor was his
name ever mentioned on the programmes and newspaper
notices, but later his name appeared as part owner and ex-
hibitor. As the Swiss watches had created a veritable sen-
sation and were snatched up as fast as produced, it is quite
likely that he had no time to play the rôle of showman.
The figure first appeared in London in 1796, when the
London Telegraph of January 2nd carried the adver-
tisement reproduced on the next page.
Haddock had no particular standing in the world of
magic, and it is more than likely that he rented the auto-
mata which he exhibited, or merely acted as showman
for the real inventors.
[ 105 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,122,,"106
LATEST MAGIC
The remainder are to be brought forward on some
sort of tray.¹
C loaded as last described, is to be placed
within B.
The trick may be introduced as follows:
""Most of you, I dare say, have seen the little
natural curiosity known as the Jumping Bean.
To all appearance these are just like other beans;
but if you spread a dozen or SO of them on the
table and watch them carefully, you presently see
one or more of them turn over, or even make a little
jump. A young and lively bean will sometimes
hop as far as half an inch.
""Scientific gentlemen tell us that their agility is
caused by a little insect inside the bean. When
he wags his tail, or scratches himself with his hind
leg, it causes the bean to turn over, or to make a
hop. That seems to me rather a lame explanation
because there is no hole in the bean that the insect
could possibly have got in at. I believe myself,
that they are in truth magic beans, and I have been
trying to train some beans of my own to do the
same thing on a larger scale, and in such a way
that you can all see them do it.
""Here are my beans."" (Show those on tray.)
""Examine them as much as you like. The more
you examine them, the more you won't find any-
1 The little dishes of paper pulp sold for pienic purposes will be found
to answer this and similar purposes excellently and have the further
advantage of being exceptionally portable."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,121,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
them, so their great value was never realized by his
family. After his death, during a voyage to America,
UNDEA THE SANCTION or
they lay neglected in the
ass aoval LETTERS
PHILIPSTHAL and MAILLARDET's
castle of Mattignon, near
Royal Museum,
Bayonne. After changing
FROM LONDON,
hands many times, about
-
-
-
-
-
-
Will Opee for Pablic Isepectica,
At de ASSEMBLY ROOM, BRIDGWATER.
1803 they passed into the
O. FRIDAY the 99d. of MARCH instast,
- a - - che - - - provide de alle -
hands of an inventor named
of - - INGENIOUS MISCES of
Martin, and were controlled
,
by his descendants for nearly
asvas sereas "" Tate PLACE,
-
a hundred years. One of his
SUPERI
family, Henri Martin, of
Musical Automaton.
.
Dresden, Germany, exhibit-
Aire
-
-
-
THE MECHANICAL.
ed them in many large cities,
Drawing and Writing-Master;
uma soe. de - - the n -
and advertised them for sale
-
- The - - - - Pase -
-
An Old Necromancer,
at 15,000 marks in the
- b . - - - - - -
example - - - -
A NOST
Muenchener Blaetter of May
BEAUTIFUL GOLD BOX,
- - le - - or PARADESE - - - - -
et
13th, 1883. After Martin's
- -- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - The -
-
THE LITTLE SPANIARD,
death, his widow succeeded
- - BANCE - nat as AT CONMANO, The -
- - - - "" - in - - - - -
-
A BEAUTIFUL SOURIE DO'R,
in disposing of them to Herr
ser IN PEARES
-
-
-
- la - - - -
- - - Direction, - Om
Marfels, of Berlin, who had
AN
ETHIOPEAN CHENILLE DOR,
BEAUTIFULLY ENAMELLED
them repaired with such
AND
A TARANTULA. SPIDER:
good results that in the fall
- - - - - - - - -
as from to Fur 2.
- - - I - - - of
of 1906 he sold them for
The f , se - the Recoing, - de la. -
-
-
75,000 francs, or about
& - -
$15,000, to the Historical
Poster used, March 29nd, 1811,
Society of Neuchâtel. In
by de Philipsthal and Maillardet dur-
ing their partnership, on which the
April, 1907, the writing fig-
writing and drawing figure is fea-
tured. From the Harry Houdini
ure, the drawing figure, and
Collection.
the spinet player were on
exhibition in Le Locle, Chaux-de-Fonds, and Neuchâtel.
[ IO4 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,121,,"is a little shorter than A, and in diameter a trifle
smaller than B, which must pass easily over it.
Attached to either side of its upper edge, outside,
are soldered two little wire hooks, the points on the
outside directed downwards.
(4) A coil of paper ribbon, of such size as to fit
closely
into
the
lower
end
of
C,
and
forming,
when
A
B
c
Fig. 17
so placed, a temporary bottom to it. The inner
end of the coil must be drawn up an inch or so,
so as to form a little cone in the centre.
(5) A similar coil unwound into a loose mass
of paper ribbon.
(6) About three-quarters of a pint of haricot
beans. Of these a sufficient number must be"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,120,,"The OPTICAL PART of the EXHIBITION
Will PHANTOM or AUTARITIONS of the DEAD or ABSENT, in a way more complestely illufive than has ever been offered
to
the
Eyc
`public Theatre, as the Objects freely originate in the Air, and unfold themfelves under various Forms and Sizes, fuch as
has hitherto painted them, occafionally affuming the Figure and moit perfea Refemblance of the Heroes and other diflin-
guifhed of paft and prefent Times.
This SPECTROLOGY, which profelles to expofe the Prañices of artful Impoftors and pretended Exorcifts, and to open the Eyes of thofe
who abfurd Belief in Grosts or DISEMSODIED Spraiti, will, it is prefumed, afford allo to the Speclator ao interefting and
pleafing and in order to render thefe Apparations more interefting. they will be introduced during the Progrefs of a tremendous
Thunder Storm, accompanied with vivid Lightning, Hail, Wind, &c.
The MECHANICAL PIECES of ART
Include the following principal Objeat, a auere detailed Account of whith will be given during their Exhibition: vis.
Two elegant ROPE DANCERS, the one, reprefenting a Spaniard nearly Six Feet high, will difplay feveral Monifhing Feats on the Rope,
mark the Time of the Mulic with a fmall Whiftle, fmoke his Pipe, &c.-The other, called Pajanzo, being the Figure of a young
fprightly
Boy.
will furpafs the former in Skill apd Agility.
The INGENIOUS SELF-DEFENDING CHEST-The fuperior Excellence and Utility of this Piece of Mechanifm i., that the Proprietor
has always Safe-guard againft Depredators; for the concealed Battery of Four Pieces of Artillery only appears and difcharges itfelf when
a
Stranger tries to force open the Chett--This has been ackmowledged by feveral Profeftional Men tp be a of Machanifu, and may with
equal Advantage be applied to the Protection of Property in Counting-houfes, Poft-Chaifes, &c.
'The MECHANICAL PEACOCK, which fo exaCily imitates the Actions of that ftately Bird, that it has frequently been thought Alive. It
eats, drinks, &c. at command, unfold its Tail in a beilliant Circle, and in every refpeat feems endowed with an intuitive Power of attending to
the Thoughts of the Company.
The BEAUTIFUL COSSACK, enclosed in a (mall Box, apens it when ordered, and pecfents herfelf to the Spectators in a black Habit
which, as foon as defired, the changes with aftonifhing Quick lefs into a moit Elegant Gala Dreís, compliments the Company, and dances
after the Manner of the Coffacks; the will alfo refolve different Queftions. Sc. G.
The SELF-IMPELLED WINDMILL. which is put in Motion, or fands All by the moit momentary Signal from- the Spectators, and in à
Manner which apparently does away the Ides of all Mechanical Agency.
The whole to conclude with a fuperb OPTICAL and MECHÁNICAL FIRE-WORK, replete with a Variety of brilliant and fanciful)
Changes.
°1° Doors to be opened at SEVEN 'Clock, the Commencement at EIGHT,
BOXES, 4s.-PIT, 2S.
YOUNG, Printes Er ses Sireet, Covent Garden.
A de Philipsthal programme of 1803 before the writing and drawing figure came under his control.
From the Harry Houdini Collection."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,120,,"104
LATEST MAGIC
Even the warmth of the breath is generally enough
for these. Anyhow, we will try."" You breathe
into the tube, and lifting it show the ball, then
offering both tube and ball for inspection.
It will hardly be necessary to point out to the
acute reader that the alteration of procedure in
the case of the last tube is rendered necessary; first,
by the fact that the tube up to that point contains
no ball, and secondly in order to avoid the difficulty
of striking a match with the right hand only, the
left being otherwise occupied.
The trick may appropriately be followed by the
exhibition of a few of the usual ball sleights. If
it is worked on a ""black art"" table it may be
brought to an effective close by the ""dematerialisa-
tion,"" in succession, of the three balls.
THE BOUNDING BEANS
This is another application of the principle
introduced by Signor Molini and utilised in the
trick last described.
The requisites for the trick are as follows:
(1) Mirror glass; at the outset, empty.
(2) Two tubes of cardboard, sheet brass, or zinc,
as A and B in Fig. 17. The height and width of
A are about 31/2 and 21/2 inches respectively. B is
a little taller, but a trifle less in diameter.
(3) A third tube, C, with its lower edge turned
inward an eighth of an inch all around. This tube"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,119,,"Performances. The utmoft Efforts of Imitators have not begn able to produce the Effect intended; and he is too
grateful for the liberal Encouragement he has received in the Metropolis, not to, caution the Public againit thofe
purious Copies, which, failing of the Perfection they iffume, can only difguft and difappoint the Spectators.
M. D.E PHILIPSTHAL
Will have the Honour to EXHIBIT (as ufual) his
Optical Illufions and Mechanical Pieces of Art.
At the LYCEUM, and at no other Place of Exhibition in London.
SELECT PARTIES may be accommodated with a MORNING REPRESENTATION at any appointed Hour, on Sending timely Notice.
To prevent Miftakes, the Public are requited to Notice, that the PHANTASMAGORIA is on the Left-hand, on the Ground Floor, and
the
en the Right-hand, up Staise,"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,119,,"CULTURE EXTRAORDINARY
103
second finger and thumb of the left hand, and
apparently take it back by means of the pincette
or tourniquet; then professedly dropping it into
the second tube.
""And now, to complete the set, we shall have to
grow a red ball. Here is a seedling of that col-
our."" You pick up the little red ball, and make
believe to pass it after the same fashion into the
third tube.
""And now to supply the heat. We do not need
much, the space being SO confined. I find that even
the flame of a match is sufficient.""
You strike a match and move the flame round
and round within the top of the larger tube till the
thread catches fire and releases the ball. Should
this be heard to drop, you account for it by remark-
ing ""I dare say you noticed a little explosion.
That is caused by the sudden radio-activity of the
component atoms re-arranging themselves in the
expanded form."" You raise the tube and show
the ball: then go through the same process with
the second tube. Under cover of raising this tube
to show the ball, you get the large red ball from the
vest into the left hand and palm it.
""Perhaps you would like to watch the progress
a little more closely."" You pick up the third tube
and place it upright on the palm of the left hand,
in so doing introducing the palmed ball from
below, and advance with it to the company.
""The red balls are especially sensitive to heat."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,118,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
the most natural manner imaginable. Upon the whole,
the united collection strikes us as the most wonderful
exertion of art which ever ""frod before so close on the
heels of nature. The ingeniou; artist is a young man,
a native of Switzerland.""
The inventory of Jacquet-Droz, Tr.; dated 1786,
quotes the ""Piano Player"" as valued at 4,800 livres, the
""Drawing Figure"" at 7,200 livres, while the
had been ceded to him by his father for 4, 800- liyres, in
consideration of certain improvements and modifications
which Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz made in the original
invention. This shows that while the elder Droz did not
die until 1790, his son controlled the automata previous
to this date, for exhibition and other purposes.
During his later years Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz was
induced to take the automata to Spain. His tour was
under the direction of an English manager, who, possibly
for the purpose of securing greater advertisement, an-
nounced the figures as possessed of supernatural power.
This brought them under the ban of the Inquisition, and
Jacquet-Droz was thrown into prison. Eventually he
managed to secure his freedom, and, breathing free air
once more, like the proverbial Arab, he silently folded
his tent and stole away, leaving the automata to their
fate. Henri-Louis-Jacquet-Droz died in Naples, Italy, in
1791, a year after his father's death.
The English manager, however, tarried in Spain.
The figures were ""tried"" and as they proved motionless
the case was dropped. The Englishman then claimed the
automata as his property and sold them to a French
nobleman. Their owner did not know how to operate
[ IOI ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,118,,"102
LATEST MAGIC
try it myself, but it would be no good my trying
to grow vegetables. I shouldn't have room to
grow more than one radish, or one spring onion
at a time, which would hardly be worth while. I
finally decided to grow a few billiard balls, for use
in my entertainment, and I'll show you how it's
done.
""You must please imagine that these three tubes
are three hothouses on the new system."" (Picks
up and exhibits one of the little white balls.) ""Of
course everything has to be raised from seed in the
first instance, but it would take too long to show
you the whole process from the beginning, SO we
will start with this little ball, grown from seed last
night. In its present condition it is too small to
be of any use, but by means of my intensive cul-
ture we can soon make it grow larger. I will drop
it into No. 1 forcing house.""
Performer shows little ball in right hand and
makes believe to transfer it to the left, in reality
rolling it, as in the well-known ""Cups and Balls""
trick, between the roots of the second and third
fingers. The left hand, held above tube No. 1,
makes the movement of crumbling an imaginary
ball into it. ""Now we will plant another in the
same way.""
You pick up apparently another little white ball,
but in reality the same; which has remained in the
right hand. Now, however, it will be well to vary
the sleight used, so you show the ball between the"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,117,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
In support of this advertisement, note what the same
paper says in what is probably a criticism of current
amusements:
""This entertainment consists of three capital mechan-
ical figures and a pastoral scene, with figures of an inferior
size. The figure on the left-hand side, a beautiful boy
as large as life, writes anything that is dictated to him, in
a very fine hand. The second on the right hand, of the
same size, draws various landscapes, etc., etc., which he
Heads of King George and Queen Charlotte, executed in their presence by
the Jacquet-Droz drawing figure in 1774. From the brochure issued by the
Society of History and Archarology. Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
finishes in a most accurate and masterly style. The
third figure is a beautiful young lady who plays several
elegant airs on the harpsichord, with all the bass accom-
paniments; her head gracefully moving to the tune, and
her bosom discovering a delicate respiration. During her
performance, the pastoral scene in the centre discovers
a variety of mechanical figures admirably grouped, all
of which seem endued, as it were, with animal life, to
the admiration of the spectator. The last curiosity is a
canary bird in a cage, which whistles two or three airs in
[ IOO]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,117,,"CULTURE EXTRAORDINARY
101
it off again. In its downward movement the tube
passes over the little hook on No. 2; but in lifting
it off again its upper edge comes within the outer
arm of the hook, and carries this off with the ball
attached to it, leaving tube No. 2 empty. The lat-
ter, shown empty accordingly, is passed over No.
3 and carries off its load in the same way.
You have thus proved (!) in the most convincing
way that all three tubes are empty, though as
a matter of fact No. 3 is the only one in that con-
dition, Nos. 1 and 2 each containing a suspended
ball.
The patter from this point may vary according
to the fancy of the performer. If he has the knack
of producing the appropriate combination of fact
and fiction, it is preferable that he should do SO for
himself. As I have elsewhere remarked, bor-
rowed patter rarely comes SO ""trippingly on the
tongue"" as that of which the performer can say
with, let us hope, undue depreciation of his merits,
""a poor thing, but mine own.""
The fable with which I should myself introduce
the trick would run somewhat as follows:
""You have all heard, ladies and gentlemen, of
intensive culture, gooseberries grown while you
wait, and that sort of thing. It is done by enclos-
ing the seed, or the young plant, in a confined space
and keeping it warm and comfy. It has always
seemed to me that there is a good deal of magic
about the process, and I thought I would like to"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,116,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
of the automaton are quite natural, and the outlines of
his drawings extremely sharp. The automaton when
desired willingly draws certain crowned heads now be-
longing to history; for example, a portrait of Louis XV.,
of Louis XVI., and of Marie Antoinette.""
The automata made by the Jacquet-Drozes and their
confrères were exhibited in all the large cities of Great
the Greas Koom, No. 6, King.
Covent Carlen, to be This Day,
SPECTACLE MECHANIQU
WECHANICAL EXHIBITION, From
7776
in this Exhibition it rivaled by Atts ons
writri whatever le diétated to it, another drawsg
and finillics in a maiterly Mannir feveral curious De-
agna; mother plays divers Ain on the Herplichord,
There is alfo a Pafforal S ene, in which is introdued
* great Number of Figures; the Trees and
bear Fruit, the Sheep bleat, the Dog barks, and the
Binde fing: lo diffinety imitation Nature that
they exceed every Ascount that ean be given of thera,
not anly for the Variety but for the of their
different Operations. Their Mechanifm every
Thing that has ever appeared, infomuch that it may
be faid they will Ípeak for themfelves.
The Tidte of viewing it will be from Twelve to
Oue, from One to Two, from Two to Three, and la
the Evenin4 from Seven to Eight, from ight to Nine,
and from Nine to Tea.
Mr. JAQUET DROZ, the Iaventor, will attend
en Eleven at Niglit, in ofder to accom hodale thoft
Ladian or Gentle that may chule to lee this Exhi-
birth after the Hour of Ten.
Admiftance Five
conunted every Day, and
Clipping from the London Post, 1776, advertising the writing and drawing
figures, exhibited by their inventor, Mr. Jacquet-Droz. From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
Britain and Continental Europe. According to the pro-
grammes and newspaper notices in my collection, Henri-
Louis Jacquet-Droz acted as their first exhibitor. As
proof I am reproducing a Droz programme from the
London Post, dated 1776.
[99]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,116,,020 237 539 A
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,116,,"100
LATEST MAGIC
doubt it would be very fine indeed. The worst of
it is that it would take a year or two to try them,
SO for the present I am obliged to leave things as
they are.
""You will observe that I have here three tubes""
(showing No. 1 and passing wand through it to
prove it is empty), ""quite ordinary tubes, with a
hole at each end, and nothing at all between. I
don't suppose you would notice anything to object
to about them, but some people are so very par-
ticular. A gentleman who said he had an artistic
eye (I don't know which eye it was) said to me,
'Look here, Professor, that trick of yours would be
ever SO much better if you had all those tubes the
same size. That lot looks as if you had picked
them up at a jumble sale.'¹ I explained to him,
kindly but firmly, that there was a special reason
for having the three tubes of different sizes;
namely, that by so doing it was made possible""
(suiting the action to the word) ""to pass this one
(No. 1) over this other (No. 2): ; and this again
over the smallest one, thereby saving much space
in packing. He said, ""Never mind, you take my
tip and make 'em all the same size.' I dare say
he was right, but I haven't had time to do it yet.""
During this little harangue, which appears to be
mere ""spoof,"" you have practically worked the
trick. Suiting the action to the word, you have
passed the largest tube No. 1 over No. 2 and lifted
1 Rummage,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,115,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
View of the mechanism which operates the Jacquet-Droz writing automaton.
From the brochure issued by the Society of History and Archaeology, Canton of
Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
[98]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,115,,". 06
A
A
AAA"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,115,,"and gentlemen, what a lot of hints I get from dif-
ferent people for the improvement of my enter-
tainment. If I were to adopt them all, I have no"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,114,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
stance, to write a T, the writer begins tracing the
letter at the top, and after slightly lifting his hand half-
way, swiftly traces the transversal dash, and continues
writing the original ground stroke.
""How complicated a mechanism is required for insur-
ing these effects will be inferred from the illustration, in
which the automaton is shown with its back opened.
In the first place a vertical disk will be noticed having
at its circumference as many notches as there are letters
and signs. Behind this will be seen whole columns of
cam-wheels, each of a special shape, placed one above
another, and all together forming a sort of spinal column
for the automaton.
""Whenever the little writer is to write a given letter,
a pawl is introduced into the corresponding notch of the
disk, thus lifting the wheel column and transmitting to the
hand, by the aid of a complicated lever system and Cardan
joints arranged in the elbow, the requisite movements for
tracing the letter in question. The mechanism comprises
five centres of motion connected together by chains.
""In the 'Draftsman,' the mechanism is likewise ar-
ranged in the body itself, as in the case of the 'Writer.'
The broad chest thus entailed also required a large head,
which accounts for the somewhat bulky appearance of
the two automatons. With the paper in position and a
pencil in hand, the 'Draftsman' at first traces a few
dashes and then swiftly marks the shadows, and a dog
appears on the paper. The little artist knowingly ex-
amines his work, and after blowing away the dust and
putting in a few last touches, stops a moment and then
quickly signs, 'Mon Toutou' (My pet dog). The motions
7
[ 97 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,114,,"AR
2
-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,114,,"98
LATEST MAGIC
the Satanic supper. The following is an applica-
tion of the Signor Molini's idea on a scale better
adapted to the drawing room.
Requisites.
(1) Three zinc or zinc-lined tubes, as a, b, c, in
Fig. 15, ranging in height from about three inches
A
B
C
FIG. 15
upwards, and graduated in size so as to fit easily
one within the other.
(2) Three balls, one red and two white, of such
diameter as to pass easily through the narrowest
tube. Two smaller balls, one red and one white,
about half an inch in diameter.
(3) A box of matches."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,113,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
writing and drawing figures are made and operated
as follows:
""The writer represented a child of about four years
of age, sitting at his little table, patiently waiting with
the pen in his hand
until the clockwork
is started. He then
sets to work and,
after looking at the
sheet of paper before
him, lifts his hand
and moves it toward
the ink-stand, in
which he dips the
pen. The little fel-
low then throws off
an excess of ink and
slowly and calmly,
like an industrious
child, begins writing
on the paper the
prescribed sentence.
His handwriting is
careful, conscien-
The Jacquet-Droz writing automaton.
From the brochure issued by the Society of
tiously distinguishing
History and Archaology, Canton of Neu-
châtel, Switzerland.
between hair strokes
and ground strokes,
always observing the proper intervals between letters
and words and generally showing the sober and de-
termined character of the handwriting usual at the
time in the country of Neuchâtel. In order, for in-
[96]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,113,,"THE MISSING LINK
97
It is done just the way I have shown you, and if
you do as I do, and say as I say, you will no doubt
produce the same result.¹ If you don't, well, you
will be no use as a conjurer, and you had better
go into some other business.""
Some less instructed reader may possibly
enquire, ""But why the Eau de Cologne? What
does that do?"" Precisely nothing, and therein lies
its virtue. As indicated in the section on ""patter""
(post) it often happens that some little bit of
spoof, supererogatory in reality so far as the spec-
tator is concerned, is accepted as covering the real
key to the puzzle. This is a case in point. Taking
it for granted that the Eau de Cologne would not
be used without some reason, the spectator sets to
work to discover that reason, and so gets farther
from the real solution.
CULTURE EXTRAORDINARY
The root-idea of this item must be credited to
Signor Antonio Molini, the inventor of the very
effective stage trick known as Le Souper du
Diable. The principle on which that trick is
worked is so subtle, and withal SO simple, that it is
surprising that it has not long since been applied
to the production of less bulky objects than the
tablecloth, eatables and drinkables which figure in
1 This last bit of patter is a plagiarism from somebody or other, I
rather think the late Dr. Lynn."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,112,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
the mint at Paris and a mechanician of rare talent. Jean
Pierre Droz is credited with having invented a machine
for cutting, stamping, and embossing medals on the face
and on the edges at one insertion.
The output of this shop and its staff of gifted workers
included the first Swiss music
box, the singing birds which
sprang from watches and jewel
caskets, the drawing figure
which was an improvement on
the writing figure, the spinet
player, and the grotto with
its many automatic animals of
diminutive size but exquis-
ite workmanship. Years were
Jean-Frédéric Leschot.
Born 1747, died 1824. Por-
spent in perfecting the various
trait published by Société des
Arts de Genève. Presented to
automata, and none of them
the author by Mons. Blind
(Magicus) of Geneva.
have been equalled or even
approached by later mechanicians and inventors.
Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz was conceded to be the supe-
rior of his father, Pierre Jacquet-Droz. In a German en-
cyclopaedia which I found at the King's Library, Munich,
it is stated that when Vaucanson, celebrated as the in-
ventor of ""The Flute Player,"" ""The Mechanical Duck,""
""The Talking Machine,"" etc., saw the work of the
younger Droz, he cried loudly, ""Why, that boy com-
mences where I left off!""
According to the brochure issued by the Society
of History and Archaology, Canton of Neuchâtel,
and an article contributed by Dr. Alfred Gradenwits
to The Scientific American of June 22d, 1907, the
95 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,112,,"96
LATEST MAGIC
the same effect, but I use Eau de Cologne because
it smells nicer. And now I must ask the loan of
some lady's handkerchief, to cover the glass, and
concentrate the electric current.""
Holding the handkerchief in right hand, pick
up the glass with left hand, and raise it a few
inches from the table. In lowering it, cover it with
the handkerchief, and at the same time give it the
necessary half-turn. Take out your watch, and
make believe to time the operation, remarking, ""I
find it needs a full half-minute, to allow the charm
to work. Time! Let us see how we have suc-
ceeded.""
Take off the handkerchief, and draw the chain
slowly out of the glass. ""Yes. All is well. I
should say welded, and I trust you will say, 'Well
done.' The chain is complete, and now consists of
twenty-seven links, the lucky number. Perhaps
some gentleman will verify the fact.
""I must tell you frankly that I don't guarantee
the correctness of my explanation. I can't say
exactly how much the electricity has to do with it.
I only know that if you go to work the right way,
which means, do as I do, you gret the result, and
there you are. This experiment always provokes
a lot of discussion. The other evening one gentle-
man said it was done this way. A lady said it was
that way, and a sharp boy (the younger they are
the more they know) was quite sure it was done
another way altogether. But they were all wrong."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,111,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
At this time his work attracted the attention of Lord
Keith, Governor of Neuchâtel, then a province of Prussia,
who induced the young inventor to visit the court of
Ferdinand VI. of Spain, providing the necessary intro-
ductions. Pierre Jacquet-
Droz remained for some time
in Madrid and made a clock
of most complicated pattern.
This was a perpetual calen-
dar. For hands, he utilized
artificial sunbeams, shooting
out from the sun's face which
formed the dial, to denote
the hours, days, etc. With
the money received from the
Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz, son
Spanish monarch he returned
of Pierre Jacquet-Droz, and the
to Switzerland to find that his
superior of his father as a mecha-
nician. Born Oct. 13th, 1752, died
son, Henri-Louis, had inher-
November 15th, 1791. From the
Jaquet-Droz brochure, issued by
ited his remarkable inventive
the Neuchâtel Society of History
and Archaeology.
gifts. He sent his boy to
Nancy to study music, draw-
ing, mechanics, and physics. During his son's absence
in all probability he produced the first of the marvellous
automata which made the Jacquet-Drozes famous the
modern world over, namely, the writing figure.
With the return of Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz from
college commenced what may be termed the golden age
of mechanics in Switzerland. Associated with father
and son were the former's pupils or apprentices, Jean-
Frédéric Leschot, Jean-David Maillardet, and Jean Pierre
Droz, a blood relation who afterward became director of
[ 94]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,111,,"""Now I am going to give these two chains an
opportunity to convert themselves into that lucky
number, by taking in this extra link, which as you
perceive is brass, an opposition metal. Observe,
I drop one of the chains into this glass. See that
I do SO fairly. Then I drop in the single link,
and lastly, the other piece of chain. And now, in
order to set up an electrical reaction, I add just a
few drops from this bottle of Eau de Cologne. As
a matter of fact, a little salt and water would have"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,110,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
figure which also inscribed a few set phrases or titles of
the drawings. In mechanism, appearance, and results
it tallies almost exactly with the automaton claimed by
Robert-Houdin as originating in his brain. The Jacquet-
Droz figure showed a child clad in quaint, flowing gar-
ments, seated at a desk. The Robert-Houdin figure
was modernized, and showed a court youth in knee
breeches and powdered peruque, seated at a desk. The
Jacquet-Droz figure drew a dog, a cupid, and the heads
of reigning monarchs. The Robert-Houdin figure, made
seventy-five years later, by some inexplicable coincidence
drew a dog as the symbol of fidelity, a cupid as the em-
blem of love, and the heads of reigning monarchs.
The history of the Jacquet-Drozes is written in the
annals of Switzerland as well as the equally reputable
annals of scientific inventions, and cannot be refuted.
Pierre Jacquet-Droz was born July 28th, 1721, in a
small village, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, near Neuchâtel, Switz-
erland. According to some authorities, his father was
a clock-maker, but the brochure issued by ""Société
d'Histoire et l'Archéologie"" of the city of Neuchâtel, which
has recently acquired many of the Jacquet-Droz auto-
mata, states that he was the son of a farmer and was sent
to a theological seminary at Basle. Here the youth's
natural talent for mechanics overbalanced his interest
in ""isms"" and ""ologies,"" and he spent every spare
moment at work with his tools. On his return to his
native town he turned his attention seriously to clock-
and watch-making, constructing a marvellous clock with
two peculiar hands which, in passing each other, touched
the dial and rewound the clock.
[ 93 ]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,110,,"94
LATEST MAGIC
Thirdly, two shorter lengths of similar chain,
consisting of thirteen links each, and a loose brass
link, corresponding to the one in the centre of the
longer chain. The complete chain is to be placed
at the outset in the hinder compartment of the
mirror glass, which should be of such a size that
the chain nearly fills it.
Lastly will be needed a bottle containing Eau de
Cologne, of which a few drops have been poured
on the chain in the glass.
The patter may run to something like the fol-
lowing effect.
""You are doubtless aware, ladies and gentle-
men, that electricity is now largely employed in the
welding of metals. Of course to produce such a
result on a large scale, such as welding guns, enor-
mous strength of current is required; amounting
in fact to millions of ampères, or volts, or ohms, or
watts. I blush to confess I don't know which is
which, but it's of no consequence. If I had ever
SO many ampères, or the rest of it, I shouldn't know
what to do with them. I am only able to manu-
facture my electricity on a very small scale, but
with the aid of a little magic, I get very good
results.
""You are also no doubt aware that when certain
metals, particularly copper and zinc, are brought
into close connection, an electrical current is set
up between them. The same thing applies, in a"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,109,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
sits a figure seven inches high and writes, upon a sheet
of paper fixed to a frame, whatever has been placed
beforehand upon a regulating cylinder. At the end of
each line it raises and
moves its hand sideways,
in order to begin a new
line.""
This does not answer the
description of the figure
which Robert-Houdin
claims, but it is inter-
esting as showing that
mechanical genius ran
along such lines almost
a hundred years before
Robert-Houdin claims to
have invented the famous
PTS JAQUET DROZ.
automaton.
The writing and draw-
of
ing figure claimed by Rob-
othe tres humble Soumm's
ert-Houdin as his original
invention can be traced
ph e
back directly to the shop
door of Switzerland's most
Portrait and autograph of Pierre
noted inventor, Pierre
Jacquet-Droz Born 1721, died 1790.
From the brochure issued by the
Jacquet-Droz, who with
Society of History and Archaology,
Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
his son, Henri-Louis, laid
the foundation of the
famous Swiss watch- and music-box industry.
In the latter part of the eighteenth century, probably
about 1770, the Jacquet-Drozes turned out a drawing.
[92]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,109,,5
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,109,,"THE MISSING LINK
93
Mr. David Devant) pointed out to me that about
ninety-live per cent of my ingenuity was wasted,
inasmuch as the same effect, SO far as the spectator
was concerned, could be produced by infinitely
simpler means, viz.:-by using a glass with double
mirror partition, when all the other paraphernalia
became unnecessary. You had only to load the
hinder compartment with the complete chain, and
after a due amount of ""talkee-talkee,"" drop the
loose links into the forward one, turn the glass
round, and the deed was done.
The trick, as a trick, was just as good in its new
shape as before, but being at that time (compara-
tively) young and foolish, its extreme simplicity
spoilt it for me, and I lost all interest in it. Not
long since, however, I was reminded of it by com-
ing across the chain and links which had figured in
my performance of the trick, and it struck me that,
in a slightly modified form, it may still be worth
the attention of the drawing-room conjurer.
The requirements for the trick in this, its latest
form, are as follows:
First, the mirror glass; and as to this I may note
in passing that the ""mirror"" is best made of tin-
plate, not too highly polished, in place of the look-
ing-glass plate which was, until a quite recent
period, generally employed for the purpose.
Secondly, a length of small iron chain, made up
of twenty-six links, connected in the centre by a
twenty-seventh link of brass."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,108,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
the bill used at the time of its appearance in London,
England.
When Barnum was in London in 1844, with Gen. Tom
Thumb, who was then performing at the Egyptian Hall,
he first saw the automatic talking machine and engaged
it to strengthen his show. Thirty years later Prof.
Faber's nephew was the lecturer who explained to the
American public the automaton's mechanism and also
the performer who manipulated the machine.
Barnum always speaks of the talking automaton as
being a life-size figure, but the pictures used for adver-
tising purposes show that it was only a head.
The fate of both the talking automaton and the writing
and drawing figure is shrouded in mystery. If they were
in the Barnum Museum when the latter was swept by
fire in 1865, they were destroyed. If they had been taken
back to Europe, they may now be lying in some cellar or
loft, moth-eaten and dust-covered, ignominious end for
such ingenious brain-work and handicraft.
So much for the claims of Robert-Houdin. Now to
disprove them.
The earliest record of a writing figure I have found is
in the ""Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines,""
compiled by Andrew Ure, M.D., and published in New
York in 1842 by Le Roy Sunderland, 126 Fulton Street.
On page 83, under the heading of ""Automaton,"" is this
statement:
""Frederick Von Knauss completed a writing machine
at Vienna in the year 1760. It is now in the model cabinet
of the Polytechnic Institute, and consists of a globe two
feet in diameter, containing the mechanism, upon which
[ 91 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,108,,"a
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latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,108,,"92
LATEST MAGIC
it."" (Make the movement of picking up one of
the double coins, and of rubbing it into the coin in
left hand, but in reality ""vanish"" it, in the sup-
posed act of picking up, into the pocket of mat.)
""And now I pass this other one into it in the
same way, and we have only the original penny left.
It is like the ten little niggers, isn't it, only that
they never came back. Here is your penny, Sir.
Please observe that it still has your own mark
upon it, which is proof positive that there has
been 'no deception.'""
N. B. If the performer is a novice, he may
simplify the trick by loading the coin mat with
one double and one ordinary coin only, or two
ordinary coins, limiting the successive productions
accordingly.
THE MISSING LINK
At an early period of my magical career, I
devised a trick to which I gave the name of Con-
catenution Extraordinarg, and which will be found
described in Later Magic, page 94. In effect it
consisted of the magical welding of a number of
loose iron links into a continuous chain. It was
performed by the aid of a Black Art table, a bot-
tomless tumbler, and a silk thread. ""Though I
say it that shouldn't,"" it was an ingenious trick,
and I was very proud of it. Unfortunately, some
good natured friend (I rather think it was"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,107,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Robert-Houdin, he brought to America a talking figure
invented by Professor Faber of Vienna, to which he
refers most entertainingly
PALAIS ROYAL,
in his address to the pub-
Argyll Street, Oxford Circus, W.
lic dated 1873:
TALKING
""The Museum depart-
ment contains 100,000
curiosities, including Pro-
fessor Faber's wonderful
talking machine, costing
me $20,000 for its use
for six months; also the
National Portrait Gallery
of one hundred life-size
paintings, including all
the Presidents of the
United States, etc.; John
Rogers' groups of historic
statuary; almost an end-
MACHINE
less variety of curiosities,
1
Thc Exhibition is not limited to simple talking. but is enhanced by an
including numberless au-
esplanstora description of the method of producing the various sounds,
words, and sentences, visitors alsc-being aliowed to inspect every part of the
Machice. It is rot only interesting to the Scieutific as illustrating the theory
tomaton musicians, mech-
acoustics, bat to the Rublic in general, especially to the young.-to
whom it offers an ineshoustible fund of wonder ald
EXHIBITING DAILY From 11 a.m., till 10 p.m.
anicians, and moving
Admission, 1s. Reserved Seats, 2s. Children, 6d.
scenes, etc., etc., made in
Hanger advertising the Professor Faber
Paris and Geneva.""
talking machine, exhibited by P. T. Bar-
num during 1873 in his museum de-
It can be imagined how
partment. This automaton was the first
talking figure. From the Harry Houdini
wonderful this talking
Collection.
machine must have been
when Barnum gave it special emphasis, selecting it from
the hundreds of curios he had on exhibition. As this
talking machine is probably forgotten, I will reproduce
[90]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,107,,"MONEY-MAKING MADE EASY
91
""But here I must really draw the line. If k ept
on like this, there would be none of the original
penny left. It is already getting weaker and
weaker. Besides, there wouldn't be time for any-
thing else, and I have several still more wonderful
things to show you.
""And now to put these extra pennies back again
into the original coin. At present it is only one-
fifth its proper weight and if the owner tried to
pass it in this condition there would be trouble.
I should explain, by the way, that these others are
not really solid coins: though they look like it.
They are what the spiritualists call astral coins,
if you know what that means: I don't quite know
myself; SO I won't attempt to explain, but I believe
in the Police Courts they are known as 'duffers.' "",
Lay all five coins on the velvet mat, each of the
shells slightly overlapping the solid coin to which
it belongs.
""Here we have one, two, three, four, five. I
pick up two of them."" (Draw shell over solid in
act of picking up.) ""I give them a gentle squeeze
and they become one only."" (Show as one, and
replace on mat behind the mouth of pocket.)
""Now I treat two more in the same way.""
(Repeat accordingly, replacing these also, as one,
on mat.) ""We have now only three left. Let me
see, which is the original? Ah here it is, with the
owner's mark upon it."" (Pick it up and show in
left hand.) ""Now I rub one of these others into"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,106,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
formances, and by his pressing invitation I frequently
was present. He took great pains, too, to introduce me
to other inventors and exhibitors of moving figures,
which I liberally purchased, making them prominent
features in the attractions of the American Museum.""
Barnum then continued to describe Robert-Houdin's
greatness and his cleverness in the use of electricity.
The showman was always a welcome guest at the magi-
cian's house, and he relates how, at luncheon time,
The figure of Cupid as executed by the Droz drawing figure. From the
brochure issued by the Society of History and Archacology, Canton of Neu-
chatel, Switzerland.
Robert-Houdin would touch a knob and through the
floor would rise a table, laden with inviting viands. These
details in the Barnum book make it all the more inex-
plicable that Robert-Houdin should omit all mention of
the great showman's name in his ""Memoirs.""
Just at this time the amusement-seeking public
seemed greatly interested in automata, so it was only
natural that Barnum, great showman that he was, should
scour Europe for mechanical figures. Soon after he
purchased the writing and drawing figure claimed by
[89]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,106,,"Fortlune Telling Made Easy;
OR,
THE DREAMERS' SURE GUIDE.
CONTAINING PLAIN, CORRECT AND CERTAIN RULES FOR FORETELLING WHAT
IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
BY THE CELEBRATED GABRIEL,
The Astrologer of the 19th Century.
A Complete Oracle of Destiny.
In this Book yon have all that was ever made known by the ancient Egyp.
tians, Assyrians, Persians, Grecks, Chinese and Hindoos relating to the occult
sciences. Much has been procured from overlooked sources, and transcribed
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This Book contains
The celebrated Grecian Oracle of Destiny.- -The renowned Egyptian Fortune
Telling Tablets.-Th Great Hindoo Trial of Destiny.-Palmistry the art
of telling fortunes by the lines on the hand.-Fity-two Grecian observations
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To procure Dreams, Tokens, and other insights inio futurity.-Fast of St.
Agnes -The Nine Keys. Magic Rose.-Cupid's Nosegay.- - The Ring and
the Olive Branch.-Love's Cordial.-TheWitches Chain.-Love Letters.-
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husband will have.-The Lovers'Charm.-Ilymenial Charm. -For a girl to
ascertain if she willsoon arry.-Physiognomy: the art of discovering a
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husband by the hair.-Lucky day8.-Fortune telling by dice. -Fortune tell-
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This Book will acquaint you truthfully about
What your pertico in life will be.
Whether you will dio an cli maii.
What you will b3 successful iz.
Whether you will have nomey left you.
Whit you 273 adapted for.
Whether your marriage will be hagpy.
your abcent wife is delac.
Whether you will be successful ia your
hucband is oscupied with.
love affairs.
Witt your future partner will bc.
Whether you will be a widow.
That your destizy is.
Whether you will get a divorce.
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Whether you will b6 disappointed in no-
Whether yeu will be childless.
ney matters.
The book is, in fact, n perfect Oracle of Fate, and may be consulted with
certainty upon all matters that relate to your present or future prospects.
Price 25 Cents.
Sent by Mail to any address, on receipt: of Price.
/"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,106,,"90
LATEST MAGIC
per cent is not bad, is it ? Observe, I use no vio-
lence. It's all done by kindness. I just warm the
coin a little over this candle-flame. That softens
the metal and I am able to squeeze another penny
out of this one, so!""
Show as two accordingly, by sliding off the
hindermost coin in its shell, exhibiting it on both
sides, and laying it on the table.
""You have all heard of turning an honest penny.
Well, this is one way of doing it. It is said, too,
that one good turn deserves another, so we'll try
again. I warm the first penny a little more, and
again I pull another out of it.'' (Draw second
double coin from behind the original penny.)
""Now we have three, two in my hands"" (showing
one in each hand) ""and one on the table.
""I think I heard somebody say that I couldn't
make any more I don't like to do it, because the
process takes a good deal out of the original penny,
and I might spoil it. On the other hand, I don't
like to decline a challenge, so here goes! I warm
these two again, and then, with a little extra pres-
sure, because it naturally becomes more difficult
each time, I get yet another penny, as you see.
So now, in all, we have four.""
(Show
those
in
hand as three, by drawing solid coin out of shell,
then, picking up double coin from mat, show as four
accordingly.) ""Did I hear a lady say 'Just one
more'? Well, then, one more."" (Develop the
double coin just picked up, and show as five.)"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,105,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
for an emblem of ""fidelity,' it would instantly draw the
picture of a handsome dog; if love was wanted, a cupid
was exquisitely pencilled. The automaton would also
answer many questions in writing. I took this curiosity
The late P. T. Barnum, the world's greatest showman, who bought the
writing and drawing figure from Robert-Houdin, and wrote at length of the
French conjurer is his autobiography. Born July 5, 1810. Died April 7,
1891. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
to London, where it was exhibited for some time at the
Royal Adelaide Gallery, and then I sent it across the
Atlantic to my American Museum, where it attracted
great attention from the people and the press. During
my visit, Houdin was giving evening legerdemain per-
[88]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,105,,"THE Book OF KNOWLEDGE
AND
Sure Cuide to Rapid Wealth.
Fortunes are mado every day by the manufacturing
selling of some of tho articles here given. Directions are given
for making all kinds of Cosmetics, Lotions, Ointments, Patent
Medicines, Soaps, Cements, etc. The secrets used by Metal
workers, how to make Gold, Silver and the various precious
stones, with many practical directions for working and using
the commoner metals. The secrets of the Liquor trade are
fully detailed, and the choiccst receipts and formulas are given
for the making of different kinds of liquors, including the new
method of making Cider without Apples, all without the use
of
poisons or poisonous drugs. It is arranged and divided into
departments for the use of
Liquor Dealers,
Tho Household,
Druggists,
Confectioners,
Manufacturers,
Hunters & Trappers,
Farmers,
Perfumers,
Medical Men,
Artists.
No one, whatever be his position in life, can fail to find some-
thing in this book that will repay a hundredfold its price.
Many of the receipts have been advertised and sold for sums
ranging from 25 cents to ten dollars. We send the whole book,
postage free, for 25 cents.
SINGING MADE EASY.
This book shows how any one with an ordinary voice can, by
proper management, as here indicated, becomo proficient in
singing. It explains the pure Italian method of producing and
cultivating the voice, the management of the breath and voice
organs, the best way of improving the ear, how to sing a ballad,
with much other valuable information equally useful to Profes-
sional Singers and Amateurs. Price 20 cents.
RIDDLES, CONUNDRUMS AND PUZZLES,
The choicest, newest and best collection of Riddles, Conun-
drums, Charades, Enigmas, Anagrams, Rebusses, Transpositions,
Puzzles, Problems, Paradoxes and other entertaining matter,
ever published. Here is Fun for the Mirthful, Food for the
Curious. and Matter for the Thoughtful. Price 20 cents.
Address all orders to
HURST & Co., 75 Nassau Street, N. v."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,105,,"MONEY-MAKING MADE EASY
89
sonally, I prefer to borrow it. If you try the other
two ways you get yourself disliked, but you can
always get people to lend you things, if you ask
prettily; and I've always been celebrated for my
nice borrowing manner. You must all have no-
ticed that the gentleman lent me a penny without
the slightest hesitation. I daresay if I had asked
him, he would have made it two-pence, or even six-
pence, if he had as much about him. In this case,
however, one penny is enough for my purpose;
and here it is with the owner's own mark upon it.
Observe that it is just a plain ordinary penny, and
you can see for yourselves that it is the only one
I have-in my hands, I mean. I am always truth-
ful. As a matter of fact, I believe I have another
in my left trouser-pocket, but I promise you that
I won't use it.''
Pass mat, with coin on it, from one hand to the
other, showing the hands otherwise empty, and
leaving the mat finally in the right hand: then let
the marked coin slide off it into left hand, the
concealed coins passing with it. Put down the
mat, and show all three coins together (the marked
coin in front) held between fore-finger and thumb,
broadside toward the spectators. Thus held, they
are, even at a few feet distant, undistinguishable
from a single coin.
""Now I am going to make money. Not much,
perhaps, in fact only a penny at a time. I shall
start by making this one penny into two. Cent"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,104,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
the Dutch inventor, who was unquestionably Robert-
Houdin's assistant for years.
In 1844 he claims to have borrowed the writing and
drawing figure from the obliging Monsieur G-
to
exhibit it at the Quinquennial Exposition, where it
attracted the attention of Louis Philippe and his court,
thus insuring its exhibitor the silver medal.
At this point Robert-Houdin deliberately drops the
writing and drawing figure, leaving his readers to believe
that it was returned to its rightful owner, Monsieur G
,
but, unfortunately for his claims, another historian steps
in here to cast reflections on Monsieur G- owner-
ship of the figure. This writer is the world's greatest
showman, the late P. T. Barnum, who purchased the
figure at this same exposition of 1844, paying for it a
goodly sum, and this incident is one of the significant
omissions of the Robert-Houdin ""Memoirs."" Either
Robert-Houdin sold the figure to Mr. Barnum for Mon-
sieur G
, or such a person as Monsieur G
never
existed, for in his own book Mr. Barnum writes:
""When I was abroad in 1844 I went to Paris expressly
to attend the ""Quinquennial Exposition'-a exhibition
then held every five years. I met and became well ac-
quainted with a celebrated conjurer, as he called himself,
Robert-Houdin, but who was not only a prestidigitateur
and legerdemain performer, but a mechanic of absolute
genius. I bought at the exposition the best automaton he
exhibited and for which he obtained a gold medal. I
paid a round price for this most ingenious little figure,
which was an automaton writer and artist. It sat on a
small table, pencil in hand; and, if asked, for instance,
[87]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,104,,"CHEAPEST AND BEST IN THE WORLD.
THE N. Y. HOME MAGNET
Is a Beautifully Iilustrated, Large, 32 Column Paper,
Published regularly every month, at the low rate of FIFTY CENTS A YEAR. The price is the only
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BOYS will read it, for it has the best Hunting, Indian and Sea Stories tells how to make traps,
toys, bows and arrows, etc., etc.
GIRLS
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Life ; will any quantity of articles on Love-making, Household Managemeut, Fashions,
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Lively Editorials.
Young Folks' Department. Humorous Department.
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now any one can make a Real Working Clock at a
How to Construct and Operate a Galvanic Battery,
Mity ceuts.
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facsinriles of medwlsand coins ; as weil asexplain
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How to Make sme Work "" Lathe. With tue art of
How to Buil-t and Srt to Work a real Steam Engine.
Wood Tarning l'ully illustrated.
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The art of Gluss Blowing, instructing any one to
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Dear in mind, that these processes, which we engage to teach in THE MAONET, are plain, practical
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HURST & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS,
75 and 77 Nassau Strect, N. Y."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,104,,"MISCELLANEOUS TRICKS
MONEY-MAKING MADE EASY
Requirements. Coin mat loaded with two
double pennies, shell side undermost. Lighted
candle and velvet mat (with pocket) on table.
Presentation. Performer comes forward with
coin mat hanging down in his right hand (mouth of
loaded space upwards), and asks for the loan of a
penny, marked in some conspicuous way. Receiv-
ing it on the mat, he shows it, so placed, to the per-
sons, seated on each side of the owner, in so doing
making it obvious to them, without remark, that
his hands are otherwise empty. Then returning to
his table, with the mat and the coin on it still in
his hand, he delivers patter to the following effect:
""Now I am going to show you a nice easy way
of making money. I was told when I was a small
boy, ""Take care of the pence, and the pounds will
take care of themselves.' I believe they do. The
pounds take such good care of themselves that very
few of them seem to come my way. But you can
make a bit even with pennies, if you know how to
set about it. All you need is a really good penny
to start with. It doesn't matter how you get the
penny. You may beg, borrow, or steal it. Per-
88"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,103,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Robert-Houdin injects a little humor into this chapter,
for he relates that as Molière and J. J. Rousseau con-
sulted their servants, he decided to do likewise; so early
the next morning he in-
Lebe hich ulu schoene vited his portress and
Stadt Dresden
her husband, Auguste, a
stone-mason, to be pres-
else Sode
ent at the first perform-
ance of the figure. The
Les Androides
mason's wife chose the
question, ""What is the
vienment reveir
emblem of fidelity?""
The automaton replied
leur pays
by drawing a pretty lit-
tle greyhound, lying on
Specimens of penmanship executed by
the Droz writing automaton in 1796 and
a cushion. The stone-
1906 respectively. From the brochure
mason wished to see the
issued by the Society of History and
Archaeology, Canton of Neuchatel, Switz-
works, saying: ""I under-
erland.
stand about that sort of
thing, for I have always greased the vane on the church
steeple, and have even taken it down twice.""
When the work was completed, according to page
208 of the American edition of his ""Memoirs,"" he
returned to Paris, collected the remaining two thousand
five hundred francs due him from Monsieur G
,
to whom he delivered the figure, and two thousand
francs more on an automatic nightingale made for a
rich merchant of St. Petersburg. Incidentally he men-
tions that during his absence his business had pros-
pered, but he fails to state who managed it for him,
and here is where I believe credit should be given Opre,
[86]
-"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,103,,"THE
Hunters' and Trappers'
COMPLETE GUIDE.
A MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION IN THE ART OF
HUNTING, TRAPPING AND FISHING.
This book will be found very valuable to those who have not had exporience
in these healthy, manly and profitable pursuits. The book is thorough in
detail in every respect. The young sporteman can learn bow to use the Guu
or Rifle with earc and precision. and become an unerring shot. The mystery
of making, setting and baiting Traps successfully, is shown.
The Best Methods of Catching all kinds of Fish,
Either in the Sca, Lake or River, is told practically and understandingly. The
whole
Art of Managing and Training Dogs for Spcrting Purposes,
and all about the care of Skins and Furs, so that they will fetch the highest
market price, is given, with a vast amount of other valuable information
relating to the Hunters Craft.
ABOUT GUNS.
TRAPPING.
How TO SELECT A GUN.
How TO MARE Trars.
BREECH-LOADERS.
SETTING AND BAITING Trars.
llow TO LOAD A GUN.
PROPER SEASON FOR TRAPPING.
The ART OF GUNNING.
HINTS TO TRAPPERS.
THE RIFLE, AND How TO Use IT.
SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS FOR Trap-
ABOUT Dogs.
ring AND SNAREING ALL KINDS
MANAGEMENT OF Dogs.
OF BIRDS AND ANIMALS.
TRAINING OF DoGs.
FISHING.
BEST Dogs FOR SHOOTERS.
BAITS. Hooks, Lines, Rods, &c.
HUNTING, GUNNING AND SHOOTING.
HIow TO CATCH VARIOUS KINDS or
RABEIT SHOOTING.
FISII.
SNIPE SHOOTING.
THE ART OF STRETCEING AND
PARTRIDGE SHOOTING,
CURING SKINS,
WOODCOCK SUOOTING.
DRESSING AND TANNING SKINS AND
WILD Fowl SHOOTING.
Funs.
DEER HUNTING.
COLORING AND Dreing SKINS AND
BUFFALO HIUNTING.
Frns.
The Book is indispensable to all who delight to Fish, llunt or Trap, either
for sport or profit. The instructions will enable anyone to become thoroughly
expert in the Sports and Pastimes of the River, Field or Forest. Illustrations
are given, where needed, to clucidate matters, as in the construction of traps,
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This book will place many in a position to turn their spare time to a very
profitable account. Furs and Skins are always in demand, and if properly
caught and managed, sell for large prices.-Price 25 Cents.
Address all orders to
HURST & Co., 75 Nassau Street, N. Y."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,103,,"THE MASCOT COIN BOX
87
""I don't want even to touch the coin myself till
the very last moment, so I will ask you meanwhile
to put it in this little box. I believe it was built for
a watch-case, but as I don't happen to need one, I
use it to hold my money, when I have any, or when
I can get somebody to lend me some.""
The box is held open bookwise, as above men-
tioned, and closed according to circumstances, in
one or the other of the two ways described.
""I will now ask some gentleman to take charge
of the coin in the box. Who will do so? You will,
Sir? Thank you. But stay! I think I heard
somebody say (it was only said in a whisper but I
heard it) 'I don't believe the halfcrown is in the
box.' It is very sad to find people so suspicious,
especially when I take such pains to prove that
there is 'no deception.' But the gentleman was
wrong, you see."" (He opens box, and shows the
substitute coin.) ""Here it is. Take it out, sir,
and keep it in your own hands till I ask you for
it again.""
During the delivery of the patter the borrowed
coin has been extracted, and the coin exhibited in
the box and handed for safe-keeping is, of course,
the substitute. The box, as being no longer needed,
is laid without remark upon the table, and the
trick proceeds, after whatever may have been its
intended fashion."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,102,,"THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
which, he adds, in some miraculous fashion, resembled
himself. This resemblance, however, cannot be traced
in existing cuts of the figure.
The chapter devoted to this particular automaton is
so diverting that I quote literally from its pages, thus
giving my readers an opportunity to take the true measure
of the writer and the literary style of his ""Memoirs.""
Here is his description of his moment of triumph:
""I had only to press a spring in order to enjoy the
long-waited-for result. My heart beat violently, and
though I was alone I trembled at the mere thought of
this imposing trial. I had just laid the first sheet of
paper before my writer and asked him this question
:
'Who is the author of your being?' I pressed the spring,
and the clockwork started-began acting. I dared hardly
breathe through fear of disturbing the operations. The
automaton bowed to me, and I could not refrain from
smiling on it as on my own son. But when I saw the eyes
fix an attentive glance on the paper-when the arm, a
few seconds before numb and lifeless, began to move
and trace my signature in a firm hand-the tears started
in my eyes and I fervently thanked Heaven for granting
me success. And it was not alone the satisfaction I ex-
perienced as an inventor, but the certainty I had of
being able to restore some degree of comfort to my
family, that caused my deep feeling of gratitude.
""After making my Sosia repeat my signature a thou-
sand times, I gave it this question: 'What o'clock is it?'
The automaton, acting in obedience to the clock, wrote,
'It is two in the morning.' This was a timely warning.
I profited by it and went straight to bed.""
[85]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,102,,"92
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
imitate the barking of a dog and the neighing of a horse. With
two or three weeks' practice, you will be able to imitate some of
the song birds ; but to produce exact counterfeits of the best sing-
ing birds will probably require months of study ; the result, how-
ever, will reward you for all your pains, for certainly to be able
to carry a mocking bird, canary, thrush, cat-bird and sucking-pig
in your vest pocket, is no small accomplishment.
When not using the instrument, it should be kept in a glass of
water to prevent its drying."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,102,,"86
LATEST MAGIC
while dealt with as may be necessary for the pur-
pose of the trick. After the borrowed coin has
been extracted, the further fall of the disc closes
the slot, and bars any possibility of the substitute
coin escaping in the same way.
The following will be found an easy way of
working the exchange.
""For the purpose of my next experiment,' says
the performer, ""I shall have to ask the loan of a
halfcrown; marked in such a way that you can
be sure of knowing it again. I should like one, if
possible, that has seen some service, for a coin in
the course of circulation imbibes a certain amount
of magnetic fluid from each person who handles it ;
and this renders a well-worn coin more susceptible
to magical influences than a new one.""
The reason alleged for asking the loan of an old
coin is of course ""spoof,"" but there is a reason;
and it is twofold. In the first place it ensures your
getting a coin tolerably like your own; which you
have chosen in accordance with that description,
and which you have marked after some common-
place fashion, say with a cross scratched upon one
of its faces. Secondly, a well-worn coin, having
lost the sharp edge which is caused by the milling
in a new one, passes the more easily through the
slot, which for obvious reasons is kept as narrow as
possible.
Performer, advancing toward the person offer-
ing the coin, continues:"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,101,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN 1
who immediately agreed to advance two thousand five
hundred francs, and if the figure was completed in eight-
een months, two thousand five hundred francs more were
to be paid for it, making five thousand francs in all. If
the figure was never completed, then Monsieur G
was
Writing and drawing figure claimed by Robert-Houdin as his invention.
From Manning's Robert-Houdin brochure.
to reimburse himself for the amount advanced by select-
ing automatic toys from Robert-Houdin's regular stock.
After liquidating his debt, Robert-Houdin retired to
Belleville, a suburb of Paris, where for eighteen months
he worked upon the figure, seeing his family only twice a
week, and living in the most frugal fashion.
He employed a wood-carver to make the head, but the
result was so unsatisfactory that in the end he was
obliged, not only to make all the complicated machinery
which operated the figure, but to carve the head itself,
[84]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,101,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
91
the complete superstructure of vocal illusion may be raised. The
possession of this quality would amount, comparatively, to little,
without instruction and perseverance. Here, as in other respects,
practice makes perfect ; and, more than that, a dilligent applica-
tion of our rules will invest the originally defective ainateur with
an attainment which the ignorant will attribute to the possession
of a supernatural gift.
All we need say in conclusion is, that the rules propounded will
not only clear away imaginary difficulties from the path of the
student, but entitle him, like ourselves, to an acquirement more
or less near perfection, according to a natural gift of mimicry, and
to the zeal with which he may study and practice the art.
THE MAGIC WHISTLE.
It will be pleasant when the wind is howling without, among
the snow-laden limbs of the trees, to be reminded of the gay sum-
mer by the counterfeit notes of the woodland songsters ; or, wan-
dering among the woods and fields in spring or summer time,
how glorious to challenge the feathered musicians to a contest of
skill with you in their own sweet language. Wc propose to in-
struct the reader in the manufacture of a little instrument by
which the notes of birds, voices of animals, and various peculiar
sounds may bc imitated.
First, look at the annexed diagram, and then procure a leek and
cut off from the green leaf thereof a piece about the size of the
diagram ; then lay it on a smooth table, and with the thumb-nail
delicately scrape away a small semi-circular patch of the green
pulpy substance of the leaf [as represented in the diagram], being
careful to leave the fine membrane of outer skin of the leaf un-
injured-and there is the instrument complete. It may require
several experimens to make the first onc, but once having discov-
cred the right way, they are very casily manufactured. The
reader may not be aware of the fact that the leaf of the leck has a
fine transparent outer skin, which is quite tough, but by breaking
and carefully examining one or two leaves, he will soon find out
what weallude to.
The way of using this instrument is to place it in the roof of the
mouth with the side on which is the membrane downwards ; then
place it gently in its place with the tongue, and blow between the
tongue and the upper teeth. After the first two or three attempts,
you will bc able to producc a slight sound like a mild grunt ; then
as you practice it you will find you can prolong and vary the
sound somewhat, so that in the course of a couple of days you can"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,101,,"THE MASCOT COIN BOX
85
the case of the card-box. But the ""mascot"" has
a speciality of its own, in the fact that in that half
of the box marked a (see Fig. 14) a horizontal
slot is cut on the side opposite to the hinge, just
long enough and wide enough to allow the passage
of a halfcrown. The wood being dead black, this
small opening is invisible save to close inspection,
which the box is never called upon to undergo.
When it is desired to gain secret possession of a
coin lent by one of the company, the lender is
invited to place it himself in the box, held open
bookwise as in Fig. 14, the side b of the box having
been previously loaded with a duplicate coin.
The lender of the coin may place it in whichever
side of the box he pleases, but the manner of clos-
ing the box will vary accordingly. If he places it
in the side a, the opposite (or loaded) side is treated
as the lid and turned down over a. In this case,
the coin being already in the slotted half, no turn-
over of the box is necessary, the performer having
merely to allow the coin to slip out into his hand.
In the opposite case, viz., that of the coin being
placed in b, a is treated as the lid, and the coin
being in this case above the disc the box must be
turned over before it can be extracted. If pre-
ferred the performer can hold the box SO that the
coin will naturally be placed in b, but in this case
the turn-over is unavoidable.
When the box is again opened, the duplicate coin
is revealed in place of the original, which is mean-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,100,,"CHAPTER III
THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE
I
N his ""Memoirs"" Robert-Houdin eulogizes the vari-
ous automata which he claims to have invented. The
picturesque fashion in which he describes the tre-
mendous effort put forth ere success crowned his la- ,
bors would render his arguments most convincing-if
stern historical facts did not contradict his every statement.
One of the most extraordinary mechanical figures
which he exploits as his invention was the writing and
drawing figure, which he exhibited at the Quinquennial
Exhibition in 1844, but never used in his public perform-
ances, though he asserts that he planned to exhibit it
between performances at his own theatre. This au-
tomaton, he says, laid the foundation of his financial
success and opened the way to realizing his dream of
appearing as a magician.
On page 196 of his ""Memoirs,"" American edition, he
starts his romantic description of its conception and
manufacture. According to this he had just planned what
promised to be the most brilliant of his mechanical in-
ventions when financial difficulties intervened. He was
obliged to raise two thousand francs to meet a pressing
debt. He applied to the ever-convenient Monsieur G--
who had bought automata from him before. He described
the writing and drawing figure minutely to his patron,
[83]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,100,,"or at a distance. Ample directions have been given how all this is
donc, but let it be understood that it is most essential. The stu-
dent may then practice before a friend, and he will be astonished
to find that he can deceive any listener, as to the point from which
the sound comes ; and will be gratified that he has become the
source of great amusement to himself as well as in the circle in
which he moves.
Thus we have acquired a working power in the art which, we
trust, we have now explained to the satisfaction of the reader.
The progress of the student will, of course, be facilitated by an
inherent propensity of mimicry, which often approaches some of
the minor attainments of ventriloquism. In every company some
person may be found who, without any professional instruction,
can give admirable limitations, of the voice, gait, and peculiarities
of a frient or acquaintance; thus proving that Nature, to some
extent, supplies the basis upon which, if we may use the phrase,"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,100,,"84
LATEST MAGIC
closely within that its presence or absence is not
perceptible to sight. If a coin be laid in the box
upon the disc and the box is then closed and turned
over, the disc settles down over the coin in the
opposite half, either leaving the box apparently
b
a
C
FIG. 14
empty or exhibiting in place of the original coin a
substitute with which the opposite side of the box
has been previously loaded.
Thus far, as the reader will doubtless have per-
ceived, the effect produced (save that a coin instead
of a card is dealt with) is precisely the same as in"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,99,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
believed, Cornillot had improved the trick and was using
more than one tree or plant.
Cornillot remained in England for some time and is
classed among the conjurers of good repute. Another
bill in my collection shows that he played at the Theatre
of Variety, Catherine Street, Strand, in October, 1823.
He was then assisted by several singers and dancers,
including the famous Misses Hamilton and Howe, pupils
of M. Corri. In his company was also an Anglo-Chinese
juggler, who, in addition to feats of juggling, ""swallows
an egg, a sword, and a stone, a la Ramo Samee.""
To sum up the evidence against Robert-Houdin in
this particular trick: Four magicians of high repute gave
public performances before Robert-Houdin knew and
operated the orange-tree trick. Three eminent writers
exposed it clearly and accurately. Robert-Houdin, as
an indefatigable student of the history of magic, must
have known of the trick and its modus operandum. He
may have purchased it from Cornillot, or as a clever
mechanician he had only to reproduce the trick invented
by his predecessors, train his confederate in its operation-
and-by his cleverly written autobiography-attempt to
establish his claim to its invention.
[ 82 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,99,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
69
that the power and acuteness of hearing is possessed in ,
veater
or less degree by different individuals, and depends upon the sen-
sibility of the auric nerves. It will not be out of place nor unin-
teresting to show the effect of sound and the manner in which it
is heard by the organs of the car. It is said that the human car is
capable of appreciating as many as twenty-four thousand vibra-
tions ina sccond, and that the whole range of human liearing,
from the lowest note of the organ to the highest known cry of in-
sects, as of the cricket, includes ninc octaves.
Sound first strikes the drum or tympanum, a thin membrane
which closes the aperture of the car ; when this drum vibrates by
the sonorous undulations of the external air ; the vibrations are
communicated by minute bones, muscles, and fluid in the cavity
of the car, and are then conveyed to the brain ; and to show how
absolutely necessary it is that all the organs of the would-be ven-
triloquist should be entire and without fault to succeed well, we
will show how the ventriloquist makes that nice distinction of the
gradation of sound, and by which he is cnabled to judge whether
lic is causing his voice to ""ppcar at the proper distance from his
audience or not.
Let any one firmly closc both cars by stopping them, then speak
a few words: now, as the cars are stopped, the sound cannot
enter immediately to the drum of the car, but it takes cognizance
of the sound by a passage called the custachian tube, which ex-
tends from the back part of the mouth to the cavity immediately
behind the drum of the car.
The sound vibrations made in the mouth are transmitted along
this tube to the interior part of the organs of hearing. Now it is
by a nice judgment of sound by this tube that the profes-
sional ventriloquist judges the majority of his voices, especially
thosc greatly obscured or mufiled. Not only must the auric nerves
of the would-be ventriloquist be perfect, but he will become more
proficient as he is able to study and understand the human voice.
There is the laneuage of emotion, or natural language. When
we say natural, we mean the language by which the feelings mani-
fest themselves without previous teaching, and which is recogniz-
ed and felt without teaching. Some of them are the scream of
terror, the shout of joy, the laugh of satisfaction, laugh of sarcasm,
ridicule, &c., which are made by man, and understood by fellow-
men, whatever may be the speechi or country of the other.
There are also distinct qualities of voice, peculiar to each per-
son, both in tone and quality, and the best practice is to try and
imitate three or four people's voices, and let them be of a different
tonc and pitch.
The ordinary compass of the voice is about twelve notes, and a
very good practice to the attainment of the art is to call aloud in
a certain note, and then in the octave to that note ; do this several times"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,99,,"THE MASCOT COIN BOX
83
As regards the disappearance of the three cards,
the performer is of course by no means restricted
to the use of the card-box. If he is an expert in
sleight-of-hand, he may with even better effect,
""vanish"" them one by one by means of the back
palm, dropping them a moment later into the pro-
fonde.
THE MASCOT COIN BOX
This is a little device on the same principle as
the well-known flat card-box, but adapted for use
with coins, and with an addition which largely
increases its utility inasmuch as it will not only
enable the performer to ""change"" or ""vanish,""
but to get instant and secret possession of a coin
placed in it.
The box (see Fig. 14) is of ebonized wood,
unpolished, and in size about three inches square.
It consists of two parts (a and b), which are
alike in size and appearance, so that either half
may be regarded as ""box"" and either as ""lid,"" at
pleasure, according as the one or the other is made
uppermost, no difference being perceptible be-
tween them. In the centre of each half is a cir-
cular well, not quite two inches in diameter.
Used with the box is a thin dise of wood corre-
sponding to that of which the box is made. This
is of such diameter as to fall easily from the one
well into the other, according to the way in which
the box is turned, but on the other hand fits so"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,98,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
great impetus which was felt for several generations. It
is not remarkable, therefore, that when the French magi-
cian Cornillot appeared in London in 1822 he announced
himself as the pupil and successor of Pinetti. This was
Extraordinary Chemical Iliustrations,
and FEATS or LEGERDEMAIN,
M. CORNILLOT,
PUPIL AND SUCCESSOR OF THE FANED PINETTI,
Seppostfully
informe the of the K tropolia, that be contiones . gire
Every WEDNESDAY,
At the Paul's Head Cateaton Street,
And every MONDAY, THURSDAY, and SATURDAY,
At the Great Room, in Spring Gardene.
AMAZUNG ust
PEILOSOPEY AND CHEMISTRY,
And FEATS OF LEGERDEMAIN,
Whish hore escited the admiretion of the le all - principal Toome of -
-
-
-
-
de
-
Tes GARDEN, eli Ninde of Revers - - Se - - and
-
-
assudy. - the - of - The de dess - .
Novel Sahibilie
GLASS or -
purprising Ibemical
de
PURSTITS MYSTSRIOUS PENDULUN, which - - - -
Theaghte of - Reholders á. "" - pasplesing - gredune - - -
aparationa, b, the ald of -
THE GRAND TRIUMPH OF PINETTI.
OF TUR sum. chich - - - estenales Thestra.
Tes INCONCBIVABLE CHALLESOS or being . encessuive - Incresse of
is - - of
THE GRAND TRIUMPH OF COMUS,
Brough - perfoctice by a. CORNILLOT,
ANAZING PERFORMANCE OF CAUSING A LIVING PERSON
To be is . plase chese be - - beea
Revillimitate Thunder 80 naturally, that it will be thought to proceed from the Clouds
These - be varied t, of lisporiments esth the Presente,
Pome -- Feste of Legordomale, the preseding Eshibitions.
x
-
-
Dotal
-
/ - - de - Preparations - f
Boncer
s. - Opm Pofermances degla precionly, to T. T6,
- Asse, N. - de at - - of - - may le
-
de
Seht 18:11
.. - - - -
Reproduction of a handbill distributed on the streets of London in Sep-
tember, 1829. The orange-tree trick is on the bill under the name of ""En-
chanted Garden."" From the Harry Houdini Collection.
when Robert-Houdin was seventeen years of age,
twenty-three years before he made his professional début,
and on Cornillot's programme we find another version
of the now famous and almost familiar tree trick. As
will be seen from the accompanying reproduction of a
Cornillot handbill, the tree now appears as ""An En-
chanted Garden,"" and, if the wording of the bill is to be
6
[81]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,98,,"88
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
plane is made as though you were dwelling on the last part of the
word hush-dwell upon the sh a little, as tsh, and then clip it
short by, causing the tongue to close with the palate, then over
again. Letters will not convey the peculiar sound of sawing-it
must be studied from nature.
A MOUNTAIN ECHO.
Some persons imagine ventriloquism to be an echo ; but, as wo
have said, an echo only repeats what has been said before-it
could not answer a question.
An echo is reflected sound, and the reflecting body must be at
such a distance that the interval between the perception of the
original and reflected sounds may be sufficient to prevent them
from being blended together. No reflecting surface will produce
a distant echo, unless its distance from the spot where the sound
proceeds is at least 562 feet, because the shortest interval sufficient
to render sounds distinctly appreçiable by the ear is about onc-
tenth of a second ; therefore, if sounds follow at a shorter inter-
val, they will form a resonance instead of an echo ; and the time
a sound would take to go and return from a reflecting surface, 561
feet distance, would be onc-tenth of a second.
It would, therefore, be impossible for a ventriloquist to produce
an echo in a room of ordinary size, as the walls, being so near,
would cause the sounds to be blended, and would only produce
one impression on the car ; and yet the skilled ventriloquist can
with case imitate, in a room, a mountain ccho. We will give the
instructions, as it is very amusing.
Turn your back to the listeners ; whistle loud several short,
quick notes, just as if you were whistling for a dog then, as
quick as possible, after the last note, and as softly and subdued as
possible to be heard, whistle about a third the number of notes,
but it must be in the same note 01° pitch ; this will cause the last
whistle to appear just like an echo at a great distance. This im-
itation, if well donc, never fails to take the listeners by surprise,
and causes astonishment. The same thing can be donc by shout-
ing. Call aloud any sentence, such as- 'Holloa, you there !""'
Let your voice bc formed close to the lips ; then quickly, and
mind in the same pitch 01° note, speak the same words very subdued
and formed at the back of the mouth. This is not difficult, and
is very effective.
POINTS TO BE REMEMBERED.
In giving the succeeding instructions, it must bo bornc in mind"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,98,,"82
LATEST MAGIC
it to a still more striking conclusion. In this case
he may continue as follows:
""Now, I should like to show you a curious effect
of sympathy. I take away these three cards and
hand the rest of the pack to the gentleman who
drew the queen of hearts. Kindly hold it up above
your head where all can see it. The three drawn
cards"" (show them one by one) ""I place in this
box. Again I electrify my wand a little, and lay
it across the box. Now I want each gentleman or
lady to think of his or her card. Think of it
kindly, and feel as if you would like to see it again.
Think hard, please, because it is you, not I, that
perform this experiment, and if you don't think
hard it will be a failure. I am pleased to see by
the expression of your countenances that you are
all thinking hard. Thank you very much. You
may leave off now. The deed is done. The three
cards have left the box, and gone back to the pack.
Please look it through, sir, and tell the company
whether it is not so.""
The reader, being familiar with the wiles of con-
jurers, will doubtless have guessed that the three
cards supposed to have returned to the pack have
in fact never left it, being those naturally belong-
ing to it, corresponding with the three long cards.
But to the outsider their supposed return will be,
in the words of the lamented Lord Dundreary,
""one of those things that no fellow can under-
stand."""
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,97,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
He had two left, so he hurried back to offer these to
Pinetti. Pinetti bought them from him, opened them
and showed in each one the gold piece, which the young
man could not find in the two dozen cakes which he had
spoilt. The poor boy bit his lips and looked at Pinetti
with wondering, frightened eyes. This little adventure
was advertised here, there, and everywhere, and was told
in the clubs and in the society gatherings, and very soon
the name of Pinetti gave the key to the enigma, and
Pinetti was in demand by everybody.
""When Pinetti came on the stage, he had the knack of
attracting members of the nobility around his table, by
letting them learn some small secrets. This would render
them confederates in working his tricks. He would appear
in rich suits, embroidered in gold, which he changed
three and four times in the evening. He would not
hesitate to deck himself in a quantity of foreign decora-
tions. In Berlin it was told how Pinetti would go through
the streets, in a carriage drawn by four white horses. He
was clad in fine embroidery and decorated with medals
of all nations. Several times it happened that, as he
passed by, the soldiers would call arms and salute, taking
him for a prince. One day the King of Prussia rode out
in his modest carriage drawn by two horses. Ahead of
him drove the supposed prince. When the King witnessed
the mistake made by his soldiers, he made inquiries as
to the rank of this man to whom his men were paying
such honor, then gave the Cavalier Pinetti twenty-four
hours to get beyond Prussia's borders.""
Whatever may be said of Pinetti's charlatanism, it
must be admitted that he gave to the art of conjuring a
[80]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,97,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
87
POLYPHONIC IMITATIONS.
The TORMENTING BEE.- is related that Mr. Love, when
young, took great delight in imitating the buzzing of insects and
the cries of animals ; indeed, it is difficult to decide whether he
or Mr. Thurton most excelled in this particular species of mimetic
illusion. In all limitations of insect noises, the, bee should be
heard to hum gently at first, so as in a private party not likely to
attract attention till the right pitch is obtained, and be it remem-
bered that the sound, without being particularly loud, can be
made to penetrate every corner of a large room. The illusion
is
greatly increased by pretending to catch the offending and intru-
sive insect. The humble bee, the wasp, and the bluebottle fly are
best to imitate, and afford an agreeable relief to the other exerci-
ses of ventriloquial power. To imitate the tormenting bec, the
student must use considerable pressure on his chest, as if he was
about to groan suddenly, but instead of which, the sound must be
confined and prolonged in the throat the greater the pressure,
the higher will be the faint note produced, and which will per-
fectly resemble the buzzing of the bee or wasp.
Now, toimitate the buzzing of a bluebottle fly, it will be neces-
sary for the sound to be made with the lips instead of the throat ;
this is donc by closing the lips very tight, except at one corner,
where: small aperture is left, fill that cheek full of wind, but not
the other, then slowly blow or force the wind contained in the
cheek out of the aperture : if this is done properly, it will cause a
sound exactly like the buzzing of a bluebottle fly. These two in-
stances will show how necessary it is for the ventriloquist to
study minutely the different effects of sound upon his hearers in
all his exploits. And to make the above properly effective, he
should turn his face to a wall ; with a handkerchief strike at the
pretended bee or fly, at the same time pretend to follow his victim
first this way and then that, and finally to"" dab "" his pocket-
handkerchief on the wall as though he had killed it ; the sounds
should be at times suddenly louder and then softer, which will
make it appear asit is heard in different parts of the room.
Tire SPECTRE CARFENTER.-Th noise caused by planing and
sawing wood can also be imitated without much difficulty, and it
causes a great deal of amusement. The student must, however,
bear in mind that every action mist be initated as well as the
noise, for the cye assists to delude the car. We have even seen
ventriloquists carry this cyc-deception so far as to have a few
shavings to scatter as they proceed, and a piece of wood to fall
when the sawing is ended. To imitate planing, the student must
stand at a table a little distance from the audience, and appear to
take hold of a plane and push it forward : the sound as of a"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,97,,"A NEW LONG CARD PACK
81
society, and you will therefore naturally have
chosen a king. But which king? Think hard of
your card, please. A picture of a dark-complex-
ioned gentleman comes up before my mind's eye,
and I feel that I can say with confidence that
the card you chose was the king of clubs. Am I
right?
""And you, Madam. I have an idea that you
have a taste for pretty things, particularly jew-
ellery. Such being the case, you would naturally
choose diamonds. Think of your card, please.
Thank you. I see I was right in my guess. The
card you chose was the ten of diamonds.
""And now to verify my discoveries. If my
wand has done its work, those same three cards will
now have percolated through the rest, and settled
down at the bottom of these three heaps. Let us
see whether they have done so."" (The three heaps
are-turned over.) ""Yes, here we have them: the
king of clubs, the queen of hearts, and the ten of
diamonds. It is a curious thing for the cards to
do, and I daresay you would like to know how it is
done. As a matter of fact, it is done by synthetic
readjustment of dissociated atoms. You don't
know what that means, perhaps? Well, to say the
truth, I don't quite know myself, but that is the
scientific explanation, so no doubt it is correct.""
The trick may very well end at this point, but
if the reader possesses a card-box, or other appar-
atus adapted for ""vanishing"" cards, he may bring"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,96,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
did not fail to spread over the whole town that he had
shaved a man who could take his head off and on to his
wish.
""Pinetti met in a summer-garden a young Russian who
sold small cakes. He bought a few cakes, bit into them,
and complained of finding a hard substance. The youth
protested, but Pinetti opened the cake before him and
found inside a gold piece. The magician pocketed the
gold piece, bought another cake, then a third cake, and in
fromph Pinettin If Hammeth Willed
Pinetti's autograph, written by him on the back of the frontispiece, reproduced
on page 78. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.
each case found a new gold piece inside. He tried to buy
the rest of the cakes. The passers-by had in the mean
time come round the seller, and everybody wanted to buy
as well. The market seemed to be all right, a ducat for
a
kopeck! Twelve francs for a cent! The young man
refused to sell any more, hurried away, and when alone
opened the cakes that were left. He found only the
substances of which the cakes were made-nothing else.
[79]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,96,,"86
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
VOICE : Hallo ! who's that?
STUDENT ; It's I ! Are you nearly finished?
VOICE : Only three more slates to put on, master.
STUDENT ; I want you here, Jem.
VOICE ; I am coming directly.
STUDENT : Which way, Jem?
VOICE : Over the roof and down the trap. (Voice is supposed
to be moving as the student turns and points with his finger.)
STUDENT Which way?
VOICE (nearcr) Through the trap and down the stairs.
STUDENT : How long shall you be?
VOICE : Only a few minutes. I am coming as fast as I can.
The voice now approaches the door, and is taken up by the
same tone, but produced as in the first voice. As another illus-
tration, we will introduce the reader to
THE INVISIBLE SWEEP.-This is a striking example of the
second voice. Let the student pretend to look up the chimney,
and rehearse the following or some similar colloquy :-
STUDENT : Are you up there?
VOICE : Yes. Chimley want sweep?
STUDENT : Really, it is extraordinary.
What are you
doing?
VOICE : Looking for birds'-nests.
STUDENT : Birds'-nests ! There are none there.
VOICE : Dick says there be.
STUDENT : Come down !
VOICE : I shan't.
STUDENT : (stirring the fire) ; I'll make you show yourself.
VOICE : I say, don't ; it's so hot.
STUDENT ; Come down, then.
VOICE ; Don't be so stupid. Let I alone.
STUDENT ; Will you come down?
VOICE : Yes, I will.
STUDENT : What's your name?
VOICE (much nearer) : Sam Lillyvite. I sdy, what do you want
mc for among company?
STUDENT : To show yourself.
VOICE (nearer) : What for?
STUDENT : To let these ladies and gentlemen see that there are
many strange things between heaven and carth, but not Sam
Lillyvite, the sweep.
Another good illustration is to hold a conservation with a
friend wholives on the first floor, and with whom you can con-
verse on any subject-as the retired and mystcrious student-but the
moment the student can master the elementary sounds, he will
not need our assistance in providing him with dialogues, which,
however simple they may be to rend, have an extraordinary effect
when properly spoken."""
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,96,,"80
LATEST MAGIC
of the drawn cards in succession, and placing the
cards left at bottom on one or other of the three
heaps; then solemnly rub your wand, without
remark, with a silk handkerchief, and lay it across
the tops of the three packets.)
""Now, if the electric influence is strong enough,
the three chosen cards will gradually sink down
to the bottom of these three heaps. A nice easy
way of finding them out, is it not ? It will take a
minute or two for the charm to operate, so in the
meantime I will try to find out the names of the
cards for myself by thought-reading. You drew
a card, I think, Sir? Will you kindly think of
that card, as hard as you can, and meanwhile look
straight at me? Thank you. Judging by physiog-
nomy, I should say that you were rather a ladies'
man. Don't blush, Sir. It's nothing to be
ashamed of, is it, ladies ? But he did blush, didn't
he? Now, being a ladies' man, you will naturally
have chosen one of the ladies of the pack, that is to
say one of the queens, and your blush suggests that
it was a red queen. Now there are only two red
queens to choose from. The queen of hearts rep-
resents Love, and the queen of diamonds Money.
If I read your thoughts aright I feel safe in declar-
ing that you chose the queen of hearts. That is
right, I think? Quite simple, when you know how
it's done.
""And now, Madam, for your card. I can see at
a glance that you have a liking for aristocratic"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,95,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
8
the
JOSEPH
PINETT!
wh
Day genier placess to bunke de A le Preferrer
PINE T T2) Bown to ample des Arts, does inition
our 2 Phinique or of Medications
Frontispiece of Pinetti's book, ""Amusements Physiques,"" pub-
lished in Paris. 1785, one of the first treasures of the Evanion Collec-
tion purchased by the author.
[78]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,95,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
85
Then in exactly the same tone and pitch answer ; but, in order that the
same voice may seem to proceed from the point indicated, the words must
be formed at the back part of the roof of the mouth. To do this the lower
jaw must be drawn back and held there, the mouth open, which
woll, cruse il.c palate to be devated (in il 10
and the sound will be reflected in that cavity, and appear 1,0 come
from the roof. Too much attention cannot be paid to the man-
ner in which the breath is used in this voice. When speaking to
the supposed person, expel the words with a deep, quick breath.
When answering in the imitative manner, the breath must be
held buck and exp. lled very slowoly, and the voice will come i? a
subducd and muffled manner, little above a whisper, but so as to be
well distinguished. To cause the supposed voice to come nearer
by degrees, call loudly, and say, I want you down here,'
or
words to that effect. At the same time make a motion dounwar is with
your hand Hold some conversation with the voice and cause it
to say, I am coming,"" or, ""Ilcre I am, each time indienting the
descunt with the hand (scecramples). When the voice is supposed
to
approach nearer, the sound must alter, to denote the progress of
the movement. Therefore let the voice at every suppcsed step,
roll, as it were, by degrees, from thepharynx more into the cavily of the
mouth, and at each supposed stcp, contracting the opening of the mouth,
until the lips are drawn up as if you were whistling. By so doing
the cavity of the mouth will be very much enlarged. This will
cause the voice to be obscurid, and so ""ppear to come nearer by de-
grees. At the same time, care must be taken not to articulate the
consonant sounds plainly, as that would cause the disarrangement
of the lips and cavity ofthe mouth ; and in all imitation roicis the
consonants must scarcely bc articulated at all, especially if the t'ent-
riloquist facis the audience. For cxample ; suppose the imitative
voice i3 made to say, ""Mind what you are doing, you bad boy,
it must be spoken as if it were written ""ind 'ot you're doing,
you 'ad whoy. "" This kind of articulation may be practised
by forming the words in the pharynx, and then sending thim
out of the mouth by sudden expulsions of the breath clean
from the lungs at every word. This is most useful in ventril-
oquism, and to illustrate it we will take the man on the roof as an
illustration. This is an cxample almost invariably successful,
and is constantly used by skilled professors of the art As we
have beforc repeatedly intimated, the cyes and attention of the
audience must be directed to the supposed spot from whence the
illusive voice is supposed to proceed.
STUDENT: Arc you up there, Jcm?
* It is TCRT rarely that a ventriloquist shoms a full face to his au-
diener: it is only dine when he is at a great d:stance from them, and is
pronouncing the labial sounds, in the manner given, for any movement
of the jaws would holp to destroy the illusion."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,95,,"A NEW LONG CARD PACK
79
pack has been shuffled by one of the company, are
added to it, and forced upon three different spec-
tators. We will suppose that the three selected
cards are the queen of hearts, forced on a gentle-
man; the king of clubs and the ten of diamonds;
the two last mentioned forced on ladies.
This done, each of the drawers is invited to
replace his or her card in the pack, which is passed
from the one to the other for that purpose, and
before it is returned to you is once more shuffled.
You then deliver a ""yarn"" to something like the
following effect:
""Please bear in mind, ladies and gentlemen,
exactly what has been done. To begin with, you
have seen that the pack was thoroughly well
shuffled. Three cards were then freely chosen
from it. They have been put back, not by me, but
by the persons who drew them, and the pack has
since been shuffled again. It is therefore
obviously impossible that I should know either
what cards have been chosen, or whereabouts they
may now be in the pack. But I enjoy impossibili-
ties. The more impossible a thing is, the more I
want to do it. I will find out these cards or die!
Don't be alarmed, I don't mean to die just yet; SO
I must do the other thing. It's easy enough, if
you know how to do it.
""In the first place I cut the pack into three por-
tions."" (You cut three times, nipping the ""long:""
corners between second finger and thumb, at each"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,94,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
Perhaps the best pen pictures of Pinetti and his methods
are furnished by E. G. Robertson in his ""Memoirs.""
Robertson was a contemporary of Pinetti, and, like him,
a pioneer in ballooning. His ""Memoirs,"" written in the
French language, were published in 1831. The following
extracts from this interesting book tell much of Pinetti's
life in Russia and of his professional history as tradi-
tion and actual acquaintance had presented it to M.
Robertson:
'Pinetti had travelled a great deal and for a long time
had enjoyed a great European reputation. He had done
everything to attain it. There was never a man that
carried further the art of the 'charlatisme.' When he
arrived in a town where he intended to give a show, he
took good care to prepare his public by speeches, which
would keep it in suspense. In St. Petersburg great and
incredible examples of mystification and of prestidigi-
tation were told about him.
""One day he went to a barber-shop to get shaved, sat
down in the chair, had the towel tied around his neck,
and laid his head back ready for the lather. The barber
left him in this position to get hot water, and when he
returned, guided by force of habit, he applied the lather
where the chin should be, but he found feet, arms, hands,
and body in a coat, but no head! Such lamentations!
No more head! What could it mean? He opened the
door, and, frightened to death, ran away. Pinetti then
went to the window and called the barber back. He
had put his head in his coat in such a clever way, covering
it with his handkerchief, that the surprise and the fright
of the barber were quite natural. Of course this barber
{ 77 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,94,,"84
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
ANOTHER VOICE : Watercresses !
STUDENT : Really, this is too bad. Go away.
VOICE : You owe mc ten cents for last week's milk; I was to
wait.
STUDENT : This is intolerable. I'll send for the police.
VOICE [ironically] ; Send for Sally and p'lice, l'll foller.
STUDENT ; Impudent rascal :
VOICE ; Keep your compliments at home, Master Idlebones.
STUDENT [opening the door]: I'll report you to your master.
VOICE [louder, as the door is opened] ; Will you, young Whipper-
snapper, pay us the dime, and let us go?
STUDENT offers to pay, while the voice gets weaker in the dis-
tance with Milk below !"" until it becomes inaudible.
A conversation may be held in a similar strain with thecellarman :
and, as a rule, the lowernotes of the voice will be best for voices
in the basement, and formed as low in the chest as possible.
STUDENT : Thomas, are you coming?
VOICE BELOW [grufty] ; I should think I was.
STUDENT ; We are waiting for the beer.
VOICE [partly aside]: The longer you wait, the greater our honor.
Mary, have another drop.
STUDENT ; Why, the scamp is drinking the beer ! Thomas
!
Who's there with you?
VOICE : Myself. [Aside] Make haste with the pot, Mary ; he's
in such a hurry.
STUDENT ; You drinking rascal, how dare you !
VOICE : Coming, sir. The barrel's nearly empty.
STUDENT : I should think so, tippling: as you are at it.
VOICE ; Now don't be saucy.
STUDENT : The fellow is getting intoxicated. Thomas !
Vorca ; Wait till I come. I have waited for you many times.
STUDENT : I suppose it is of no use hurrying you?
VOICE ; No, it isn't, my young tippler. I'm COMING ! coming ! !
coming ! ! !
From this illustration the student may proceed to try the second
voice.
No. II.
Voice No. 2. - -This is the more easy to be acquired. It is the
voice by which all ventriloquists make a supposed person speak
from a long distance, or from, or through the cciling. In the
first place, with your back to the audience, direct their attention to
the ceiling by pointing to it or by intently nt it. Call loudly,
and ack some question, as though you believed some person to
be concealed there. Make your own voice very distinct, and as
near the lips as possible, inasmuch as that will help the illusion,"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,94,,"78
LATEST MAGIC
Mr. Farrelly's idea is decidedly ingenious, but
the uses of the biseauté pack are rather limited,
and the fact that the pack must be reversed before
the card is replaced in it is a drawback. It struck
me, on reflection, that the idea might be developed,
in a slightly different direction, to greater advan-
tage.
My own plan is as follows: Two packs, exactly
alike are used. As to one of these, I treat all four
corners after the manner indicated by Mr. Far-
relly, when any card of the second pack, inserted
into the one so treated, naturally becomes in effect,
a long card. There is in this case no need to
reverse the pack, and as the minute projection is
duplicated at each end of the diagonal, a less degree
of rounding off is necessary.
As a practical illustration of the possible uses
of such a pack, I offer the trick which I am about to
describe. The expert will recognise that, save for
the use of the new pack, it is merely a combination
of well-known methods, but as regards the mode
of presentation it is original, and I think will be
found worthy of a place in the répertoire of the
card-conjurer.
For the purpose of description we will call the
pack with rounded corners the ""short,"" and the
other the ""long"" pack. Three known cards are
borrowed from the long pack, which may then be
put aside, as it plays no further part in the trick.
These three cards are palmed, and after the short"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,93,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
which are to catch the figures of the flowers and fruit
when the latter expand by the air driven through the
branches to which they were fastened by a silk thread.
""The tree or nosegay is then placed on a table, through
Decremer
which runs a glass tube to supply
air from beneath the stage, where
a confederate works this end of
""
the trick, and causes the tree to
'grow' at the prearranged sig-
nal.""
Decremps's signature writ-
ten by himself on the last
Later it was described as being
page of a copy of his book
now in the Harry Houdini
accomplished entirely by springs,
Library.
and real oranges were first stuck
on the tree by means of pegs or
pins, and the leaves were so secured around them that at
first appearance they could not be seen. Then a piston
was used to spread all the leaves, another that forced
the blossom up through the hollow branches, etc.
Pinetti's personality was almost` as extraordinary as
his talents. A handsome man who knew how to carry
himself, acquiring the graces and the dress of the nobility,
he became rather haughty, if not arrogant, in his bearing.
He so antagonized his contemporaries in the fields of
magic and literature that he was advertised as much by
his bitter enemies as by his loving friends. Many of his
methods of attracting attention to himself were singularly
like those employed by modern press agents of theatrical
stars. He never trusted to his performances in theatres
and drawing-rooms to advertise his abilities, but demon-
strated his art wherever he appeared, from barber-shops
to cafés.
[76]
-"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,93,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
83
STUDENT (pointing to the box with an air of astonishment) : What
is that ?
VOICE: 1 won't do so any more. I am nearly dead.
STUDENT : Who are you How came you there ?
VOICE : I only wanted to see what was going on. Let me
out, do.
STUDENT : But I don't know who you are.
VOICE : Oh yes, you do.
STUDENT : Who are you ?
VOICE : Your old schoolfellow, Tom,
.
You know me.
STUDENT : Why, he's in Canada.
VOICE (sharply) : No he aint, he's here ; but be quick,
STUDENT (opening the lid) Perhaps lic's come by the under-
ground railroad ? Hallo !
VOICE (not so muffled as described in direction) : Now then, give us
a hand.
STUDENT (closing the lid or door sharply) : No, I wont.
VOICE (ns before) : Have pity (Tom, or Jack, or Mr. , as the
case may be), or I shall be choked.
STUDENT : I don't believe you are what you say.
VOICE : Why don't you let me out and see before I am dead ?
STUDENT (opening and shutting the lid or door and varying the
voice accordingly) : Dead ! not you. When did you leave Can-
ada ?
VOICE : Last week. Oh ? I am choking.
STUDENT : Shall I let him out ? (opening the door). There's no
one here.
2. THE MILKMAN AT THE DOOR.-TI affords a capital op-
portunity of introducing a beggar, watercress or milkman, and
may be varied accordingly. We will take Skyblue, the milkman;
and we would impress on the student, that, although we give
these simple dialogues, they are merely intended as illustrations for the
modest tyro, not to be implicitly followed when greater confidence
and proficiency are attained.
VOICE : Milk below !
STUDENT : Is it not provoking that a milkman always comes
when he is not wanted, and is absent when we are waiting for
the cream ?
VOICE : (whistling a bar of 11 Shoo Fly"").
STUDENT : Oh, yes, always the broken-hearted milkman as if
he was not as happy as a king.
VOICE (nearer) : Milk below ! Why, Sally, where's the can ? ]
STUDENT : Sally will be long in answering, I think.
VOICE : Sally's gadding with the police. Milk below !
STUDENT (slightly opening the door.) : We don't want any milk, ny
good man.
VOICE : No skim milk for the sat, or cream for ten ?"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,93,,"A NEW LONG CARD PACK
77
in the hope of embarrassing the conjurer, may ask
at the close to be allowed to examine the envelope
containing the drawn cards. Such an examina-
tion, if permitted, would of course largely give
away the trick. If the performer has any reason
to fear such a contingency, he may guard against
it by ""switching"" the envelope, during his return
to the table with it, for a duplicate containing an
ordinary mixed pack. In some part of this the
three cards corresponding to those drawn should
be placed together, as the obnoxious person, if him-
self one of the drawers, will naturally expect SO to
find them.
At a public performance such a precaution
would be supererogatory.
A NEW LONG CARD PACK AND A TRICK
DEPENDENT ON ITS USE
Some few months ago I was shown by a clever
amateur, Mr. Victor Farrelly, a pack of cards pre-
pared, after a method of his own, to replace in a
more subtle form, the familiar biseauté pack. Mr.
Farrelly's plan is to round off, in a very minute
degree, three of the corners of an ordinary pack.
If a given card be turned round in a pack SO
treated, it is obvious that its unfiled corner will
project, to a microscopic extent, beyond those
above and below it, rendering the card instantly
discoverable by touch."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,92,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
ciliate his contemporaries, either magicians or writers on
magic. He issued one book, whose title-page reads:
""Amusements Physiques et Differentes Expériences Di-
vertissements, Composées et Executées, tant a Paris que
dans les diverses Courts de l'Europe. Par M. Joseph
Pinetti de Willedal, Romain, Chevalier de l'Ordre Mérite
de Saint-Phillipe, Professeur de Mathématiques et de
Physiques, Protégé par toute la Maison Royale de France,
Pensionnaire de la Cour de Prusse, etc., 1785.'
The work, however, was not a clear and lucid explana-
tion of his methods and tricks. In fact some of his con-
temporaries claimed that he deliberately misrepresented
his methods of performing tricks. Among these writers
was Henri Decremps, a brilliant professor of mathematics
and physics in Paris, who proceeded to expose all of
Pinetti's tricks in the book referred to in the preceding
chapter, ""La Magie Blanche Dévoilée."" This work was
in five volumes and was so popular in its day that it was
translated into nearly every modern language. The fol-
lowing explanation of the trick is taken from page 56 of the
English translation, entitled ""The Conjurer Unmasked :
""The branches of the tree may be made of tin or
paper, so as to be hollow from one end to the other in
order that the air which enters at the bottom may find its
exit at the top of the branch. These branches are so
adjusted that at intervals there appear twigs made from
brass wire, but the whole so decorated with leaves made
from parchment that the ensemble closely resembles
nature.
""The end of each branch is dilated to contain small
pieces of gummed silk or very fine gold-beater's skin,
[75]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,92,,"82
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
was thrown out, and the train moved on. And Mr. Frederic
Maccabe stood confessed, but not penitent.
Voice No 1. .-To acquire this voice, which we so name for dis-
tinction's sake, speak any word or sentence in your own natural
tones ; then open the mouth and fix the jaws fast, as though you
were trying to hinder any one from opening them farther or shut-
ting them ; draw the tongue back. in a ball ; speak the same
words, and the sound, instcad of being formed in the mouth will
be formed in the pharynx. Great attention must be paid to
holding the jaws rigid. The sound will then be found to imi-
tate a voice heard from the other side of a door when it is
closed, or under a floor, or through a wall. To ventriloquize
with this voice, let the operator stand with his back to the au-
dience against a door. Give a gentle tap at the door, and call
aloud in a natural voice, inquiring ""Who is there ?"" This will
have the effect of drawing the attention of the audience to a
person supposed to be outside. Then fix the jaw as de-
scribed, and utter in voice No. 1, any words you please, such as
""I want to come in.' Ask quostions in the natural voice and
answer in the other. When you have done this, open the door
a little, and hold a conversation with the imaginary person. As
the door is now open, it is obvious that the voice must be altered,
for a voice will not sound to the car when a door is open the
same as when closed. Therefore the voice must be made to ap-
pear face to face, or close to the ventriloquist. To do this the
voice must not be altered from the original tiote or pitch, but be
made in another part of the mouth. This is done by closing the
lips tight and drawing onecorner of the mouth downwards, O)
towards the ear. Then let the lips open at that corner only, the
other part to remain closed. Next breathe, as it were, the worde
out of the orifice formed. Do not speak distinctly, but expcl tho
breath in short puffs at each word, and as loud as possible.
By
so doing you will cousc the illusion in the mind of the listeners,
that they hear the same voice which they heard when the door
was closed, but which is now heard more distinctly and nearer
on account of the door being open. This voice must always be
used when the ventriloquist wishes it to appear that the sound
comes from some one close at hand, but through an obstacle.
The description of voice and dialogue may be varied as in the fol-
lowing examples- -
Ex. 1. THE SUFFOCATED VICTIM.-This was a favoite illus-
tration of Mr. Love, the polyphonist. A large box or close cup-
board is used indiscriminately, as it may be handy. The student
will rap or kick the box apparently by accident. The voice will
then utter a hoarse and subdued groan, apparently from the box
or closet."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,92,,"76
LATEST MAGIC
the twelve cards he has taken from under the hand-
kerchief, and shows them fanwise. Addressing
the first drawer, he says, ""Your three cards are
among these, I think, sir?"" and the same question
is then addressed to the other two choosers, the
answer being of course in the affirmative.
""'Now, gentlemen, in order to prove that there
is no deception, I will take away three cards at a
time, one from each set of three. Pray observe
that from beginning to end, I have not looked at
the face of any card.""7 He accordingly removes
one of the forced, and two of the indifferent cards,
making however some pretence of selection and
throws them aside. ""There are now only two
cards belonging to each gentleman left. That is
so, is it not?""
The question is addressed to each of the three
drawers in turn, and answered accordingly, after
which the same process is again twice repeated.
""And now, gentlemen, we have three cards left,
belonging to neither of you, which is just as it
should be. It is a peculiarity of this experiment
that if it comes out right it always brings good
luck to those taking part in it, SO you may all fairly
expect to live happily ever afterwards, and I trust
you will.""
If the performance is given before the family
circle, or very intimate friends (who sometimes
consider themseles privileged to be disagreeable),
it is just possible that some ill-mannered person,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,91,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
in his later years he became interested in ballooning,
the sensation of the hour, and spent his entire fortune
on balloon experiments. He died in Bartichoff, Volhinie,
aged fifty years.
Pinetti was a man of rare inventive genius and almost
N° a Beduer en and
Henri Decremps, the French author who exposed and endeavored to ruin
Pinetti, but succeeded only in immortalizing him.
reconstructed the art of conjuring, so numerous were his
inventions. For half a century after his death his suc-
cessors drew upon Pinetti's inventions and répertoire for
their programmes. Naturally such ability aroused bitter
jealousies, especially as Pinetti made no attempt to con-
[74]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,91,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
81
Too much attention cannot be bestowed on the study of sound as
it falls on the car, and an endeavor to imitate it as it is heard-
for the ""secret"" of the art 1S, that as perspective is to the eye so is
ventruloquism to the car. When we look at a painting of a land-
scape, some of the objects appear at a distance ; but we know
that it is only the skill of the artist which has made it appear as
the eye has seen it in reality. In exactly the same manner a ven-
triloquist acts upon and deceives the ear, by producing sounds as
they are heard from any known distances.
PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.
No. I.
THE VOICE IN. THE CLOSET
This is the voice in which Mr. Frederic Maccabe, the celebra-
ted mimic and ventriloquist, excels, and the clever manner in
which he can adapt it off-hand, as it were, will be best illustrated
by the fact mentioned to us by the gentleman in question, whom
we call Mr. B. in Mr. Maccabe's presence. Mr. B., who was an
invalid, suffering from some nervous disorder, originating by over-
work and anxiety, was travelling in Ireland in search of health,
and when on his way from Dublin to Cork, lic lay exhausted in a
corner of a railway-carriage, muflled up in cloaks and wrap-
pers in a paroxysm of pain. At Mallow, two gentlemen entered
the carriage, one of whom was in exuberant spirits, and commenc-
ed telling some amusing anecdotes. At length the porter came
to collect the tickets. They were all handed in but one, when the
following colloquy ensued :-
l'orter.- gentleman hasn't given me his ticket.
Gentleman.-Bill, in the next compartment, has the ticket, (tap-
ping at the partition). Haven't you, Bill ?
The imaginary Bill, who appeared to be suffering from a se-
vere cold, replied that he had, and the porter would not take
it. The official went off to find the ticket, but Bill, in the
mean time had vanished. Back came the porter and indig-
nantly demanded the ticket. He was interrupted by a shrill
voice in the opposite compartment, crying,- Porter ! porter !
why don't you come and take the ticket ! There's some ono
insulting ne!"" Away went the chivalric porter, to come back
puzzled and chafed to receive the ticket, which was handed to
him. His hand had not reached the coveted piece of pasteboard,
ere the yell of a terrier under the wheels caused the porter to
draw back, amid bursts of laughter, during which the ticket"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,91,,"DIVINATION DOUBLY DIFFICULT
75
Will you kindly shuffle this other pack for me.""
(He runs the cards over fanwise, showing their
faces, SO as to prove that they are an ordinary
mixed pack: then hands them to be shuffled, and
while this is being done, palms the three secreted
cards. ""Shuffle them thoroughly, please, and then
spread them a little, faces down, upon the table,
and lay your handkerchief over them.
""Now I am going, in the first place, to attempt
a little thought-reading. I shall endeavour by
that means to discover the three cards each person
chose, and then, by means of the sense of touch,
which I have cultivated to a rather unusual degree,
to pick them out, without seeing them, from among
the cards under the handkerchief. I shall only
ask one indulgence. To leave a little margin for
possible mistakes. I shall ask your permission to
pick out four cards instead of three for each per-
son, SO as to give me one extra chance. Will the
gentleman who drew first kindly look my way, and
say to himself slowly, the names of the cards he
drew. Thank you, Sir! I think I read them
right."" He inserts his hand under the handker-
chief, and after a little pretended fumbling, brings
out the three palmed cards, with one indifferent
card in front of them. He does not show or look
at them, but asks the second chooser to think hard
of his three cards, afterwards taking four more
from under the handkerchief. Having done the
same in the case of the third drawer, he spreads"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,90,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
Berlin and Hamburg. Next he went back to his native
land, Italy, but later returned to Germany for a second
engagement. In 1789 he appeared in Russia and never
I.I.PINETTI willidal de merdi profes
et demonstrateus de philoso, chevalier de Cordre de pt
argenieur glographe it Constiller der france
prince de hotatein
Orlandle
preidar the and
The only authentic portrait of Pinetti in existence, the only known copy
extant being in the Harry Houdini Collection.
left that country. There he married a Russian girl,
daughter of a carriage manufacturer. They had two
children. Pinetti would have left enormous wealth, but
[73]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,90,,"80
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
with the previous chapter, as to the effect to be produced, not on
himself, but on the spectators and audience. And we may assure him,
that if he has a fair range of voice, a dilligent observance of the
rules which we are about to lay down, coupled with attention to
the nature of sound as it falls upon the ear, will lead him to such
triumphs as, in all probability, he never imagined he could have
attained-ar assurance which we are emboldened to offer from
our own pursuit and practical realization of the art.
The student must bear in mind that the means are simply natural
ones, used in accordance with natural laws. We have given him
the acoustical theory of the effect on the auric nerve, and the
means are the organs of respiration and sound, with the adjoining
muscles. They are the diaphragm, the lungs, the trachea, the
larynx, the pharynx, and the mouth. The diaphragm is a very
large convex muscle, situated below the lungs, and having full
power over respiration. The lungs are the organs of respiration,
and are seated at each side of the chest ; they consist of air-tubes
minutely ramified in a loose tissue, and terminating in very small
sacs, termed air-cells. The trachea is a tube, the continuation of
the larynx, commonly called the windpipe : through this the air
passes to and from the lungs. Iti formed of cartilaginous rings,
by means of which it may be clongated or shortened. The larynx
is that portion of the air-tube immediately above the trachea : its
position is indicated by a large projection in the throat. In the
interior of this part of the throat are situated the vocal chords.
They are four bands of clastic substance somewhat similar to
India-rubber. The cavity, or opening between these vocal
chords is called the glottis : it possesses the power of expanding
or contracting under the influence of the muscles of the larynx
The pharynx is a cavity above the larynx, communicating with
the nasal passages : it is partially visible when the mouth is
opened and the tongue lowered. Near this part of the root of the
tongue is situated the epiglottis, which acts as a lid or cover in
closing over the air-tube during the act of swallowing. The mouth
forms a cavity to reflect and strengthen the resonance of the vi-
brations produced in the air-tube ; it also possesses numberless
minute powers of contraction and modification.
We now proceed to give the instructions to which we have re-
ferred-instructions guaranteed by a proficiency which we are
ever ready to submit to the ordeal of a critical examination, ci-
ther in private or in public.
If the student will pay strict attention to the parts printed in
italics, and will practice the voices here specified, he will find that
they are the key to all imitative sounds and vorces ; and, according to
the range of his voice and the capabilities of his mimetic power,
he will be enabled to imitate the voices of little children, of old
people, and, in fact, almost every sound which he hears."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,90,,"that I have not sought to influence the choice of
these gentlemen"" (or ladies, as the case may be)
""in the slightest degree, and it must be equally
clear to you that I cannot possibly know even one
of the cards that have been chosen. To make sure
that I do not get sight of them in any way, we will
have them placed, with the remainder of the pack,
in this envelope."" He collects the cards accord-
ingly, allowing each person who drew to replace
his cards himself in the envelope, and requesting
the last person to moisten the flap, and make all
secure.
Returning to his table, he places the closed
envelope in full view. ""I shall now want the
assistance of some gentleman. Thank you, sir."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,89,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
in 1783. His fame quickly carried him to Paris, where
in I784 he appeared before the court of Louis XVI.
His arrival was most opportune, for just then all Paris
I.I.PINETTI
Ritterund Konigh: Freus Hopphyficus
by yeiner infeclungin Hamburg
A wood-cut used by Pinetti during his engagement at Hamburg, Germany, in
October, 1796. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
and, for that matter, all Europe had been aroused to a
new interest in magic by the brilliant Cagliostro.
From Paris he went to London, playing at the Hay-
market and creating a sensation equal to that which he
made in France. Later he toured Germany, playing in
[72]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,89,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
79
comes seemas to be judged of by the right or left ear receiving the
stronger impression, which, however, can only take place when
the sound's source is in a planc, or ncarly so, with a line passing
through both ears. It is familiarly known that a person in a
house cannot by the noise of an approaching carriage judge with
certainty whether it is coming from the right or left. lic accu-
rately judges it to bc approaching, passing, or receding, as the
case may be, by the gradations of loudness, but is unable to de-
cide with certainty whether its approach or recession is from up
Or down the street. Enough has been stated to show that we do
not hear, but that we judge the direction a sound has travilicd from its
source on reaching the car."" The ventriloquist indicates, either di-
rectly or indirectly, the direction from which he wishes his
audience to believe the sound is coming. Thus he directly indi-
cates it by words, such as- Arc you up there?"" ""He is up the
chimney, "" He is in the cellar,"" "" Are you down there?' &c.,
ns illustrated in the various examples. He indirectly indicates it
by some suggestive circumstance, as an action or gesture, which
is so skilfully unobtrusive and natural as to effect its object with-
out being discovered. Thus, when the ventriloquist looks or
listens in any direction, or even simply turns towards any point,
as if he expected sound to come thence, the attention of 7722 auaience
is by that means anstantly directed also to the same place. Thus, before
a
sound is produced, the audience expect it to come in the suggestcd
direction ; and the ventriloquist has mercly, by his adjustment of
tocal loudness, to indicate the necessary distance, when a misjudg-
ment of the undienre will complite the illusion which he has begun.""
The effect which 1S produced on sound by its travelling from a
distance, is observed to be :-
(1) That its loudness is reduced in proportion to its dis-
tance.
(2) That its pitch remains unaltered.
(3) That its quality or tone is somewhat altered.
(1) That its duration remains unaltered.
(5) That the human speech is somewhat obscurcd, chiefly in the
(O nonant sounds.
It must be remembered that the ventriloquist makes the sound,
no' as it is heard at its source, but as it is heard after travelling from a
dist ince.
THE MEANS BY WHICH IT IS EFFECTED.
Beforc entering upon the first and easy lessons, it will be as well
to consider the means by which the effect is produced. The Stu-
dent is supposed to have made himself thoroughly acquainted"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,89,,"DIVINATION DOUBLY DIFFICULT
73
The requirements for the trick consist of two
packs of cards, and an envelope with adhesive flap,
of such a size as to accommodate one of them. One
of the two packs is a ""forcing"" pack, consisting of
three cards only, each seventeen times repeated.
The cards of each kind are however not grouped
all together, as is usually the case, but are arranged
after the manner explained in More Magic (p. 13),
viz. : assuming the three cards to be the knave of
clubs, the seven of spades, and the nine of dia-
monds, the pack will consist of groups of those
three cards, in the same order, repeated through-
out. The effect of this arrangement is that,
wherever the pack be cut, the three cards above
or below the cut will always be a set of those three
cards: and the same result follows, however many
times the pack may be cut, or however many such
groups may have been taken from it.
The second pack has no preparation, but the
three cards corresponding to those of which the
forcing pack is composed are SO placed as to be
ready to hand for palming.
The performer advances with the forcing pack,
meanwhile executing a false shuffle of the kind
which leaves the pack as if cut, but otherwise
undisturbed as to order. Holding the pack on the
outstretched palm of his left hand, he invites some-
one to cut it. This done, he takes back with the
other hand the upper portion of the cut, and says,
""You have cut where you pleased, have you not ?"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,88,,"own composition, the leaves will begin to change and
the bouquet will produce natural flowers and various
fruits.""
Pinetti is one of the most fascinating and picturesque
figures in the history of magic. His full name was Joseph
Pinetti de Willedal, and, like Pinchbeck and Fawkes, he
was a man of parts and readily made friends with the
nobility. In fact, there is some question as to whether
he did not come of a noble family.
He was born in 1750 in Orbitelle, a fortified town once
claimed by Tuscany. What can be gleaned regarding
his early history goes to prove that his family connections
were excellent and his education of the best. One of his
portraits, reproduced herewith, shows a half-crown of
laurel decorating the frame, and on one side of the bust is
a globe, while in the rear of the picture is a stack of books.
This would establish his claim that he was once a professor
of physics and geography. In fact, the legend beneath
the portrait, being translated from the French, runs:
""I. I. Pinetti Willedal de Merci, Professor and Dem-
onstrator of Physics, Chevalier of the Order of St. Philipe,
Geographical Engineer, Financial Counselor of H.R.H.
Prince of Linbourg Holstein, Born in Orbitelle in 1750.""
As it has so often happened in the history of savants
and students, there ran in Pinetti's blood a love of the mys-
terious with that peculiar strain of charalatanism which
went to make up the clever performer in old-time magic.
Evidently he resigned his duties as a professor for the
more picturesque life of the travelling magician, and he is
first heard from in this capacity in the French provinces
[71]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,88,,"78
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
or contracting the pharynx; by dilating or contracting the
mouth ; by contracting the communication between the pharynx
and mouth, so as to constitute them distinct chambers, or by dila-
ting the opening so as to throw them into one, which is chiefly
attained by movements of the soft palate and by altering- the
form of the mouth'scavity, which is effected by varying the position
of the tongue. Each of these modifications of the vocal tube con-
veys a peculiarity of quality to the voice,-all however, being
local or laryngeal sounds. Moreover, sounds can be produced in
the vocal tube, apart from the larynx. These, strictly speaking,
are not vocal sounds, though some of them may be of a definite and
uniform pitch, while others are mere noises-as rustling, whisper-
ing, gurgling, whistling, snoring, and the like. Now, as every-
thing audible comes under the classes of noise, sound, or musical
sound, and as each variety originates in the vocal apparatus of man,
it is obvious that an ordinary vocal apparatus is all that is required foi
the achicvement of the fents of ventriloquism.
A person having an ear acutely perceptive to the nice distinc-
tions of sounds, may, by a little practice, imitate many sounds
with accuracy. Those persons, however, who are highly endow-
ed with the mental requisites, which consist of an intense desire
to mimic, coupled with the ability to originate mimetic ideas, are
able to imitate sounds at first hearing.
We next proceed to treat of those illusions, where the voice so
perfectly counterfeits the reality intended, that it appears not to
issue from the mimic, but from an appropriate source, in what-
ever direction, and at whatever distance the source may be. Wo
do not hear the distance which a sound has travelled from its
source, but we judge the distance from our former experience, by
comparing the loudness which we hear with the known distance
and known loudness of similar sounds heard on former occasions.
Common experience will prove that we oftener err in estimating
the distance of uncommon tuan of familiar sounds. In apology
for such an error, the ordinary language is, ""It seemed too loud
to come so far,"" or "" It seemed too near to be so faint a sound,
as the case may be, -both of which are apologies for an erroneous
judgment, and not for faulty hearing. Near sounds are louder
than distant ones. Now, by preserving the same pitch, quality, and
duration, but with an accurately graduated reduction of loudness, a series
forming a perspective of sounds may be created, which, falling in
succession on the car, will suggest to the mind a constantly in-
creasing distance of the sound's source. The estimate, then,
which is formed of the distance which a sound has travelled be-
fore reaching the car is a judgment of the mind formed by com-
paring a present perception (by hearing) with the remembrance of
a former loudness in connection with its known distance. With
regard to direction, it is observed; ""The direction whencea sound"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,88,,"72
LATEST MAGIC
ror before each new attempt, so as to get a clear
impression.
The trick as above described can be worked with
any pack of cards, but where those used are the
performer's own property, he can make it even
more effective by marking the three cards to be
freed in such a way as to be distinguishable (by
himself only) by their backs. The drawers in this
case are requested to press their hand against the
back of the card, and the cards are spread face
down upon the table, the performer apparently not
knowing the nature of the card indicated to him
until he has turned it up.
DIVINATION DOUBLY DIFFICULT
This trick, though it merely rests upon a com-
bination of methods already familiar to the expert,
may as a whole fairly claim to be a complete nov-
elty. The mise en scène is SO simple, and the
room for deception apparently SO small, that to the
uninitiated it seems like a genuine miracle.
Unlike most card tricks, it is even better adapted
to the stage than to the drawing-room.
The effect of the trick, baldly stated, is that the
performer divines the nature of nine cards,
selected apparently quite haphazard, and then
picks out the corresponding cards from another
pack, freely shuffled and covered by a handker-
chief."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,87,,"MASQUERADE
Masquerade and opera at Burlington Gate. Reproduction of Hogarth's engraving entitled ""Taste,""
belittling the artistic taste of London. This caricature verifies the Fawkes advertisement, reproduced
on page 64, for here the conjurer is pictured leaning from the window of the 'long room"" and calling
attention to his performances. From the Harry Houdini Collection."
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,87,,"THE PRACTICAL MAG:CIAN.
77
distinctions of pitch, loudness, and quality, by the ordinary ac-
tions of the vocal organs. In ordinary language, we speak of
noise, of common sound, and of musical sound-terms employed
by Dr. Thomas Young in illustrating the mechanical agencies of
articulation A quill striking against a piece of wood causes a
noise, but striking successively against the teeth of a wheel, or of
a comb, a continued sound, and, if the teeth of the wheel are at
equal distances, and the velocity of the rotation is constant, a
musical sound. The general terms-pitch, loudness, quality, and
duration, embrace all the distinctions with which the musician
has to deal, and which he uses in his art.""
The distinguishing feature of musical sound is its uniform
pitch througliout its duration, and acoustically musical sound is
composed of an equal number of impulses or noises produced in
equal tones.
The general terms-pitch, loudness, quality, and duration, also
embrace all the distinctions heard in ordinary sounds. These
sounds differ from the musical in the pitch constantly varying
throughout their duration, as the human voice in speaking, and
the voice of quadrupeds. Acoustically such sounds are composed
of an unequal number of impulses or noises produced in equal
tones. And from this circumstance pitch, in the strictly musical
sense, is not a property of ordinary sound.
The general erms-loudness and quality, embrace all the dis-
tinctions heard in a noise, as in the collision of two unclastic
sticks. Pitch and duration can scarcely be considered as belong-
ing to common noise. Thus we have-(1) noise whose audible
distinctions are comprehended under the general terms loudness
and quality ; (2) common sound, whose audible distinctions are
comprehended under the general erms-loudness, quality,
duration, and every varying pitch (3) musical sound, whose
audible distinctions are comprehended under the general terms-
loudness, quality, duration, and uniform pitch.
Phonation, or the production of voice, is a result of actions
taking place under two distinct classes of laws-namely, the or-
dinary mechanical laws of acoustics, and the physiological laws
of muscular movement. Tbe adjustment of the vocal mechanism
to be brought into operation by the current of air, is made by
actions under the latter laws and phonation is the result of the
reaction of the mechanism on the current of air, by mechanical
movements under the former laws Now, the pitch of the voice
essentially depends on the tension of the vocal ligaments ; the
loudness or the extent of the excursion of these ligaments in their
vibration ; the duration on the continuance of the vocalizing
causes ; the quality on the organization of the larynx, and also
on the form and size of the vocal tube. The form and size of
this tube can be altered in various ways-for instance, by dilating"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,87,,"TELL-TALE FINGERS
71
is again shuffled, and spread face upward on the
table.
""Each of the three cards which have been drawn
now has a complete set of finger-prints upon its
surface, but there are no doubt others on many
other cards, the result of previous handling. To
enable me to distinguish the right ones, I must ask
each person who chose a card to give me, for the
purpose of comparison, a fresh impression, on
the glass of this mirror. First, however, we
must remove any prints that may already be upon
it.""
He accordingly breathes upon the glass, and
wipes it carefully with the handkerchief.
""Now, Sir"" (to the person who first drew), ""will
you kindly press your hand flat against the glass.
Thank you. Not a very clear impression, but I
dare say it will be good enough. I have now only
to discover the card bearing the same imprint, and
I shall know that it was the one you drew."" (He
picks it out from the exposed cards on the table.)
""Here it is, I think, the of "" (as the case
may be).
The other two cards are then discovered after
the same fashion. As the performer knows
beforehand what they are, this will give him little
trouble, but he will be wise, for the sake of effect,
not to discover them too readily. For the same
reason, great importance should ostensibly be
attached to the thorough cleaning of the hand mir-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,86,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
left breast. It is said that this is Sir Robert Walpole,
who was Prime Minister while Fawkes was at the height
of his success, and who was one of the conjurer's great
admirers. Hogarth also placed Fawkes in one of his
engravings as the frontispiece of a most diverting
brochure on ""Taste,"" in which he belittles Burlington
Gate. This makes the third portrait from my collec-
tion herewith reproduced.
According to an article contributed by Mons. E. Ray-
naly in the Illusionniste of June, 1903, the orange tree
next appeared in the répertoire of a remarkable peasant
conjurer, whose billing Mons. Raynaly found among
""Affiches de Paris."" This performer was billed as the
Peasant of North Holland, and gave hourly performances
at the yearly fairs at Saint-Germain.
It is more than possible that he purchased this trick
from Fawkes or Pinchbeck, having seen it at the Bar-
tholomew Fair in England.
He featured the orange tree as follows: ""He has a
Philosophical Flower Pot, in which he causes to grow on
a table in the presence of the spectators trees which flower,
and then the flowers fall, and fruit appears absolutely
ripe and ready to be eaten.""
His posters are dated I746-47 and 1751.
The next programme on which the mysterious tree ap-
pears is a Pinetti handbill, dated in London, 1784, when
the following announcement was made:
""Signore Pinetti will afterwards present the assembly
with a Tree called Le Bouquet-philosophique composed
of small branches of an orange-tree, the leaves appearing
green and natural. He will put it under a bottle, and at
[69 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,86,,"76
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
voice urged them to make haste, but the feelings of the people
may be imagined when the cart was empty and nobody was found,
while Alexandre and his friend walked off laughing at the unex-
pected results of their trick.
It would be obviously invidious to compare the merits of liv-
ing professors. Mr. Maccabe, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Thurton and
Mr. Macmillan have long been favorites with the public.
--
THE THEORY OF VENTRILOQUISM.
Many physiologists aver that ventriloquism is obtained by
speaking during the inspiration of air. It is quite possible to ar-
ticulate under these circumstances, and the plan may with advan-
tage be occasionally adopted; but our own practical experience
and close observation of many public performers, and of not
a few private friends who have attained distinctness and no
smallamount of facility in the art, convince us that-the general
current of utterance is, as in ordinary speech, during oxpiration
of the breath. Some imagine that the means of procuring the
required imitation are comprised in a thorough management of
the echoes of sound. Unfortunately, however, for this theory,
an ccho only repeats what has been already brought into cxist-
ence. Several eminent ventriloquists, including the late Mr.
Matthews, have displayed the vocal illusion while walking in
the streets. Baron Mengen describes as follows his mode of
speaking, when he desired the illusion to take the direction
of a voice emanating from the doll : ""I press my tongue against
the tecth, and then circumscribe a cavity between left check and
teeth, in which the voice is produced by the air held 723 receive in the
pharynx. The sounds thus reccive a hollow and muffled tonc,
which causes them to appear to come from a distance."" The
Baron furthermore mentions that it is essential to have the breath
well under control, and not to respire more than can be avoided.
M. St. Gille was scen to look somewhat exhausted when the vo-
cal illusion grew less perfect. Wc ourselves, and all ventrilo-
quists with whom we have conferred, have acknowledged that
they have experienced fatigue in the chest, and have attributed
it to the slow expiration of the breath. M. St. Gille, with the
majority of ventriloquists, was often compelled to cough during
the progress of his exercitation.
To attain an exact and positive knowledge of the modifications
of voice specified as ventriloquism, it is important to be familiar
with the distinctions of the sounds uttered by the mouth ; and to
ascertain how the organs act in producing those vocal modifica-
tions, it is necessary to know how the breath is vocalized in all"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,86,,"70
LATEST MAGIC
lightly, without leaving upon it our sign manual
in the shape of a more or less perfect impression
of our fingers, imperceptible to ourselves, but quite
visible to the expert in such matters.
""Practice in distinguishing such points forms
a highly interesting study. Of course it must be
pursued with a proper amount of tact, or it may
get you into trouble, as in the case of a gentleman
I once heard of who took up the study with more
zeal than discretion. He said to his wife, not lead-
ing up to the subject gently, as he should have done,
but in a peremptory sort of way, 'Maria, I want
your finger-prints.' Unfortunately, Maria was
rather a quick-tempered lady, and she had just
been having a few words, of a hostile nature, with
the cook. She slapped his face, and said, 'Well,
now you've got 'em.' He had They were very
distinct, but not quite in the shape he wanted. I
am going to ask permission to read some of your
finger-prints, but, I trust without fear of such
painful results.
""In the first place, I should like this pack of
cards to be thoroughly well shuffled.""
While this is done, performer palms the three
known cards, and when the pack is returned, pro-
ceeds to force them on different members of the
company. Each of the drawers is requested to
allow his or her card to lie for a few moments face
down on the palm of the outspread hand. The
cards drawn are then returned to the pack, which"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,85,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
which bore fruit in a minute's time was still on his pro-
gramme.
For many years it was supposed that only one portrait
of Fawkes was in existence, but it now seems that three
were made. I publish them all, something which no one
has ever before been able to do. One was taken from
a Setchels fan published about 1728, although some
Reproduction of page 1996 of Hone's ""Every-Day Book"" in the Harry
Houdini Collection. This is a portrait of Fawkes, engraved on a fan by
Setchels in 1721 or 1728. Fans like these were distributed at the Bartholomew
Fair.
authorities say I72I. It appeared in Hone's ""Every-
Day Book,"" page 1226. Another, I believe, was en-
graved by Sutton Nicols, as Hone mentions it in his
description of Fawkes. In the fan engraving, it will be
noticed that there appears a man wearing a star on his
[68]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,85,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
75
toxication, and dressed himself anew, M. Alexandre then betook
himself. himself to the mansion of the nobleman to whom he had engaged
On the following day the fashionable newspapers gave a de-
tailed account of the grand party at his Grace the Duke of----'s,
and culogized to the skies the entertaining performances of M.
Alexandre, who, they said, had surpassed himself on this occas-
sion. Some days afterwards, the Lord Mayor encountered M.
Alexandre. Ah, how are you?"" said his lordship. "" Very
well, my lord,"" was the reply. "" Our newspapers are pretty
pieces of veracity, said his lordship. ""Have you seen the
Courier of the other day? Why, it makes you out to have cxhibit-
cd in great style last Thursday night at his Grace of- ""It
has but told the truth, "" said the mimic. 'What? impossible!""
cried the Mayor. "" You do not remember, then, the state into
which you unfortunately got at the Mansion House? And
thereupon the worthy magistrate detailed to the ventriloquist the
circumstances of his inotxication, and the care that had been
taken with him, with other points of the case. M. Alexandro
heard his lordship to an cnd, and then confessed the stratagem
which he had played off, and the cause of it.
"" I had promised,"" said Alexandre, ""to be with his Grace at
half-past ten. I had also promised not to leave you till you your-
self considered it fit time. I kept my word in both cases-you
know the way.' The civic functionary laughed heartily, and on
the following evening Alexandre made up for his trick by making
the Mansion House ring with laughter till daylight.
Many anecdotes are told respecting M. Alexandre's power of
assuming the faces of other people. At Abbotsford, during a
visit there, he actually sat to a sculptor five times in the char-
acter of a noted clergyman, with whose real features the sculp-
tor was well acquainted. When the sittings were closed and
the bust modelled, the mimic cast off his wig and assumed dress,
and appeared with his own natural countenance, to the terror
almost of the sculptor, and to the great amusement of Sir
Walter and others who had been in the secret.
Of this most celebrated ventriloquist it is related that on
one occasion he was passing along the Strand, when a friend de-
sired a specimen of his abilities. At this instant a load of hay
was passing along near Temple Bar, when Alexandre called atten-
tion to the suffocating cries of a man in the centre of the hay.
A crowd gathered round and stopped the astonished carter, and
demanded why he was carrying a fellow-creature in his hay.
The complaints and cries of the smothered man now became
painful, and there was every reason to believe that he was dying.
The crowd, regardless of the stoppage to the traffic, instantly
proceeded to unload the hay into the street, The smothered"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,85,,"TELL-TALE FINGERS
69
sibly be known beforehand to the performer; and
in the second place to persuade him that it is dis-
covered in some actually impossible (and therefore
magical) way; taking advantage, where possible,
of some known scientific truth which may lend
colour to your suggestion. It is surprising, in con-
juring matters, how much even the smallest per-
centage of fact increases the power of the average
spectator for swallowing fiction. The patter for
the trick which follows has been arranged upon
these lines.
The requisites for the trick are a pack of cards
from which three known cards have been with-
drawn and palmed (or SO placed to be in instant
readiness for palming), a hand-mirror, and a silk
handkerchief.
The introductory oration may run somewhat as
follows:
""You all know, ladies and gentlemen, what an
important part finger-prints now play in the detec-
tion of crime. Happily. there is no connection
between conjuring and crime, beyond the fact that
they both begin with a C. No conjurer that I
know of has ever murdered anybody or been mur-
dered himself, and when a conjurer borrows a half-
crown, he always-well, almost always returns it.
But each one of us, whether criminal or curate,
burglar or bishop, possesses a definite set of finger-
prints, quite unlike those of anybody else. And,
what is more, we cannot touch anything, ever SO"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,84,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
by Pinchbeck the elder, for Fawkes, may have been
bequeathed by the latter to his son, but, in 1732, Pinch-
beck the elder and Fawkes the younger were in a booth
together, and Pinchbeck was advertised as doing ""the
dexterity of hand"" performances. After Christopher
As FAWKES, Great Theatrical Booth,
In Weft Smithfield, faceing the White Hart Alt-
konfe near Cow-lane End,
D
URING the fhort Time of Bartholomew-
Fair, which liegins out Monday next, the 23d Triftant,
and ends the Thorfday following, the Publick will be di-
verted with the fediniving Entertainments, which have
gain'd fuch great Applanfe, viz.
Firit, Fawkes's ducomparable Dexteriry of Hand, who
perforins feveral forpriling Tricks entirely new and
very curions.
Secondiy, The amazing Mulical Clock, witli two curious
Miving Pictures.
Thirdiy, The famous yourg Pofore-Mafter, who
vauls the flack Rope to the Admiration of all that have
fech him, and far exceeds any riung of the Kind in Enrope:
Fourthly, The Temiple of Aris, wbich is the fineft Piece
of Workmanibip in the World, the Machmery confifting
of valt Variery of Moving Figtires, and many other inimi-
table Curioliries.
Fiftlily, That fine Piece of Machinery, the Artificial
View of the World, wherelo are Hiww Variery of duffercar
Profpecis; parricniarly the chree following, viz.
. of Windfor Caltle, wich a View of
the River of Tliames,
2. The City of Grand Cairo da Egypt.
3. A Proficet of the Town, Fort and Bay of Gibraltar,
N. B. To begia every Day at Ten in the Moruing and
End at Ten at Niglio
Aus 16 9736
Clipping from the London Post, August 16th, 1736, when young Fawkes was
playing alone. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
Pinchbeck, Sr., died, young Fawkes started out on his
own account. In I746, according to an advertisement in
my collection, a Fawkes and a Pinchbeck were together
again, so the son of Pinchbeck must have joined the
younger Fawkes for exhibition purposes. The accom-
panying clippings from contemporary publications trace
the history of young Fawkes, and prove that the tree
[67]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,84,,"74
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
lic and private, made his company in high request among the up-
per circles. The Lord Mayor of the City, in particular, received
the ventriloquist with great distinction, and invited him several
times to dine at the Mansion House. But it unluckily happened
that on every occasion when M. Alexandre dined there, le could
not stay to spend the evening, having contracted engagements
elsewhiere. The Lord Mayor expressed much regret at this, and
the ventriloquist himself was annoyed on the same account, being
willing to do his best to entertain the guests whom the Lord May-
or had asked each time to meet him.
At last, on meeting M. Alexandre one day, the Lord Mayor en-
gaged him to dine at the Mansion House on a remote day. 'I fix
it purposely, "" said his lordship, ""at so distant a period, because
I wish to make sure this time of your remaining with us through
the evening. Through fear of seeming purposely to slight his
lordship, M. Alexandre did not dare to tell the Mayor that on
that very morning he had accepted an invitation from a noble-
ble man of high rank to spend at his house the evening of the
identical day so unfortunately pitched on by the civic dignitary.
All the ventriloquist said in reply was, ""I promise, my lord to
remain at the Mansion House, till you, yourself think it time for
me to take my leave."" Ah, well,"" said the Lord Mayor, and
he went off perfectly satisfied.
At the appointed day Alexandre sat himself down at the mag-
istrate's board. Never had the ventriloquist comported himself
with so much spirit and gaiety. He insisted on devoting bumpers
to each and every lady present.
The toasts went round, the old port flowed like water, and the
artiste in particular seemed in danger of loosing his reason under
its potent influence. When others stopped, he stopped not, but
continued filling and emptying incessantly. By and-by, his eyes
began to stare, his visage became purple, his tongue grew con-
fused, his whole body seemed to steam of wine, and finally he
sank from his chair in a state of maudlin, helpless insensibil-
ity.
Regretting the condition of his guest, the Lord Mayor got him
quietly lifted, and conveyed to his own carriage, giving orders for
him to be taken home to his lodgings. As soon as M. Alexandre
was deposited there, he became a very different being. It was
now ten o'clock, and but half an hour was left to him to prepare
for his appointed visit to the Duke of- suree. The ventrilo-
quist disrobed himself, taking first from his breast a quantity of
sponge which he had placed beneath his waiste oat, and into the
pores of which he had, with a quick and dexter ous hand, poured
the greater portion of the wine which he had apparently swal-
lowed.
Having washed from his person all token of his simy ated in-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,84,,"68
LATEST MAGIC
and by the other gentleman's watch, they arrived
at one minute to nine, SO it is clear that they must
have made the journey in two minutes less than no
time. But let us make sure that they have
arrived."" Lift the flower-pot, and show the four
cards lying on the table together. ""And now, to
convince you that there is no deception, will some
lady or gentleman kindly look through the pack,
and make sure that the queen of clubs and knave
of diamonds have really left'it."" Which is found
to be the case.
The trick may of course be worked with any two
pairs of cards, the mat being loaded and the cor-
responding cards forced accordingly.
TELL-TALE FINGERS
The discovery, in some more or less mysterious
way, of an unknown card is one of the stock feats
of the conjurer, and indeed in one shape or another
is one of the most hackneyed of card tricks. But
the wise magician never discards a good trick sim-
ply because it is an old one. He repolishes it, adds
a bit here, takes away a bit there, presents it in a
new shape and with new patter, and behold! the
""chestnut"" of yesterday becomes a latest novelty
of today.
To obtain the maximum effect from a trick of the
above kind, it is necessary in the first place to con-
vince the spectator that the drawn card cannot pos-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,83,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
figure. About six years before his death he had his own
theatre in James Street, near the Haymarket, in which
he exhibited for months at a time before and after fairs.
I reproduce a clipping from my collection showing
Fawkes' last program. Here it will be seen that his first
trick was causing a tree to grow up in a flower-pot on the
table, and bear fruit in a minute's time. In The Gentle-
men's Magazine, that oft-quoted and most reliable peri-
odical, of February 15th, 1731, readers were informed
that the Algerian Ambassadors witnessed Fawkes' per-
We hear that young Fawkes and Pinchheck are now arrived in
Town from the Bath and Saliabury; where they have, da the
moft agreeable Mariger, entersained the Nobility and Quality with
their very lurprieing and to whom the Tate
Mr. Fawken, in his Life-tjme, had communicated all thofe wogder-
fal Secrets which gave fuch univerfal Satisfaction to all his Specla
tors : And we are likewife affored, that every Particular is preenvo
in its utmoft Perfection, viz. His Artiticial View of the World
his Turprizing Dexterity of Mand, in which he caufes a Tree to
grow out of a Flower-Pot on the Table, which u Home and bears
ripe Fruit in a Minute's Time; his famous little Pefture-Mafter of
leven Years old, not to be equal'd in Europe, who likewile per-
forms on the flack Rope to Admitation - his enternaining Muncal
Clock, with two beautiful moving Piltures, and an Aviary of Bardr,
ar natural as Life itlelf; alla a curious Venesian Maching, an w'i
by all Artifis to be the fmefi Piece of Workmanfhip in the World;
au which furgrizing Entersalnments we hear will be perf rm'd nex
Week at the late Mr. Fawkes's Theatre, at the old Tennis-Court
in James-fireet near the day-market. 1732
Clipping from the London Post, showing that young Fawkes collaborated
with Pinchbeck and together they offered the orange-tree trick in 1739. From
the Harry Houdini Collection.
formance. At their request he showed them ""a prospect
of Algiers, and raised up an apple-tree which bore ripe
fruit in less than a minute's time, which several of the
company tasted of.""
Fawkes, too, had a son, and thus the partnership and
the friendship which had existed between the elder
Fawkes and the elder Pinchbeck were carried on by the
second generation. All of the marvellous apparatus made
[66]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,83,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
73
in his countenance be discovered. But he observed that M.
St. Gille presented only the profile of his face to him while he
was speaking as a ventriloquist.
On another occasion, M. St. Gille sought for shelter from a
storm in a neighboring convent ; and finding the community in
mourning, and inquiring the cause, he was told that one of their
body, much esteemed by them, had lately died. Some of their rc-
ligious attended him to the church, and showing him the tomb of
their deceased brother, spoke very feelingly of the scanty hon-
ors that had been bestowed on his memory, when suddenly, a
voice was heard, apparently proceeding from the roof of the
choir, lamenting the situation of the defunct in purgatory, and
reproaching the brotherhood with their want of zeal on his ac-
count. The whole community being afterwards convened in the
church, the voice from the roof renewed its lamentations and rc-
proaches, and the whole convent fell on their faces, and vowed a
solemn reparation. Accordingly, they first chanted a De profun-
dis in full choir ; during the intervals of which the ghost occa-
sionally expressed the comfort he received from their pious
exercises and ejaculations in his bchalf. The prior, when this
religious service was concluded, entered into a serious conversa-
tion with M. St. Gille, and inveighed against the .incredulity of
our modern sceptics and pretended philosophers on the article of
ghosts and apparitions ; and St. Gille found it difficult to convince
the fathers that the whole was a deception.
M. St. Gille, in 1771, submitted his attainments in this direction
to several experiments before MM. Leroy and Fouchy, Commis-
sioners of the Royal Academy of Sciences, and other persons of
exhalted rank, in order to demonstrate that his mimicry was so
perfect as to reach the point of complete illusion. For this purpose
a report was circulated that a spirit's voice had been licard at
times in the envions of St. Germain, and that the commission was
appointed to verify the fact. The company, with the exception
of one lady, were apprised of the real nature of the case, the in-
tention being to test the strength of the illusion upon her. The
arrangement was that they should dine together in the country, in
the open air ; and while they were at table, the lady was ad-
dressed in a supernatural voice, now coming from the top of
adjoining trees, then descending until it approached her, next re-
ceding and plunging into the ground, wherei it ceased. For up-
wards of two hours was this startling continued
with such adroitness that she was convinced the voice belonged
to a person from another world, and subsequent explanation
failed to convince her to the contrary.
M. Alexandre, the famous ventriloquist, had an extraordinary
facility in counterfeiting all the expressions of countenance and
bodily conditions common to humanity. When in London,
his mimetic powers, which he was fond of exercising both in pub-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,83,,"67
the same colour, say the king of hearts and the king
of diamonds, or the ten of clubs and ten of spades.
If they are parted, and they possibly can, they will
get together again.
""I will try to give you an example with the cards
that have been drawn. We will put them for the
moment in this pretty flower-pot, which, as you see,
is quite empty."" (Show by lifting it up, that it is
so, and then drop the two cards from the mat into
it, the concealed pair going with them.) ""They
will only require to be assisted by a gentle electric
current, which I shall create by waving my wand,
SO.
""Before we go any further, will the ladies who
drew the cards say what they were,-1 don't mind
asking you now, because they have passed ont of
my control. The queen of spades and the knave
of hearts, you say ? A fortunate choice, for the
queen of spades and the knave of hearts happen to
be particular friends, so I think we may now be
sure of success. Now to establish the wireless
wave, and I doubt not the queen of clubs and the
knave of diamonds will speedily find them.
(Make any appropriate gesture with wand.)
""Did you notice a little flash, like the striking
of a very inferior lucifer match in a gale of wind ?
That's when they went. Quick work, isn't it ?
The cards were timed by two gentlemen one even-
ing, each with his own watch. By the one gentle-
man's watch they started at one minute past nine,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,82,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
that the custom of giving two performances in a night
was tried previously to April, 1728, and then abandoned,
or after the first of May.
In the London Post of February 7th, 1724, Fawkes
announced an exhibition ""in the Long Room over the
piazza at the Opera House in the Haymarket."" At this
time he also advertised the fact that he was about to retire
and was exposing all his tricks. The clipping of that
date from my collection has the following foot-note:
""Likewise he designs to follow this business no longer
THISTO give Notice, That the famous
Mr. at his Booth in WeR-Smirhield, the
followine moft farprizing Trickt, after a new M. chad, vis. He takes
ao rempry Bag. lays it on the Toble, and tarns it feveral Times infide
ouf, then commanda 100 Eags our of it, and feveral Showers of real
Gold and Silve: then the Bag beginning to fwen, feveral Sons of
wild Fowls ron out of ir upon the Table. He throws up a Pack of
Cards, and carter them to be living Birds flying aholt the Room. He
caufes
be
any
Piltérel. Re living blows Seatts, Likewife the Spors Birds, the of and the other Canda Line Creaturesto off oron, Pofture and appear Mafter, changes upon 4 them the French Ta- to
Scalfold one-far Boy, aborit 9 exceeding Foor Vears bigh; ell of and that Agr. bends who how'd backward perform) in Europe. above till hir whole farprizing Rands Body upon hangs Acti- a
Too
ever He
below his Legs, and rifes again wishnut any help of his Handv. He
himfilf 6 Forte hetween two Chairs, while he plays uport the
ingenious Vialin, Their Hours, Tricks every by if both Day, he was the from upon erformers, 9 in the Slick Morning Kope: redious till here With 9 ar to above Night, too the
100
laft Shows beginnion ar 3. 31 and 7. in the Evening, With . good
Mulick. Pric 12 d.
Clipping from the London Daily Post of August, 1735, in which Fawkes
advertises his admission price as twelvepence. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
than this season; so he promises to learn any lady or
gentleman his fancies in dexterity of hand for their own
diversion.""
When Fawkes was not in partnership with some puppet
showman, he always advertised his own puppets as ""A
court of the richest and largest figures ever shown in
England, being as big as men and women! "" His ad-
mission charges varied, but I2 pence seemed his favorite
5
[65]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,82,,"72
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
usury, and extortion, and was haunted by remorse of conscience.
After some conversation on demons and spectres, the pains of pur
gatory, &c., during an interval of silence, a voice is heard, like
that of the banker's deceased father, complaining of his dreadful
situation in purgatory, and calling upon him to rescue him from
thence, by putting into the hands of Louis Brabant, then with
him, a large sum for the redemption of Christians in slavery with
the Turks ; threatening him at the same time with eternal damna-
tion if he did not thus expiate his own sins. Upon a second in-
terview, in which his ears were saluted with the complaints and
groans of his father, and of all his deceased relations, imploring
him, for the love of God, and in the name of every saint in the
calendar, to have mercy on his own soul and others, Cornu
obeyed the heavenly voice, and gave Louis 10,000 crowns, with
which hc returned to Paris, and married his mistress.
The works of M. L'Abbe La Chapelle, issued 1772, and be-
fore alluded to, contain descriptions of the ventriloquial achieve-
ments of Baron Mengen at Vienna ; and those of M. St. Gille,
near Paris, are equally interesting and astonishing. The former
ingeniously constructed a doll with moveable lips, which he
could readily control by a movement of the fingers under the
dress ; and with this automaton he was accustomed to hold hu-
morous and satirical dialogues. He ascribed proficiency in his
art to the frequent gratification of a propensity for counterfeiting
the cries of the lower animals, and the voices of persons with
whom he was brought in contact. So expert, indeed, had prac-
tice rendered him in this way, that the sounds uttered by him did
not seem to issue from his own mouth. La Chapelle, having
heard many surprising circumstances related concerning one M.
St. Gille, a grocer at St. Germainen-Laye, near Paris, whose powers
as a ventriloquist had given occasion to many singular and divert-
ing scenes, formed the resolution of seeing him. Being seated
with him on the opposite side of a fire, in a parlor on the ground
floor, and very attentively observing him, the Abbe, after half an
hour's conversation with M. St. Gille, heard himself called, on a
sudden, by his name and title, in a voice that seemed to come from
the roof of a house at a distance ; and whilst he was pointing to
the house from which the voice had appeared to him to proceed,
he was yet more surprised at hearing the words, ""it was not
from that quarter, "" apparently in the same kind of voice as be-
fore, but which now seemed to issue from under the earth at one
of
the corners of the room. In short, this factitious voice played,
as it were, everywhere about him, and seemed to proceed from
any quarter or distance from which the operator chose to trans-
mit it to him. To the Abbe, though conscious that the voice pro-
ceeded from the mouth of M. St. Gille, he appeared absolutely
mute while bre was exercising his talent ; nor could any change"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,82,,"66
LATEST MAGIC
much chance now for the poor king of hearts, left
single-handed. He won't hold out long. Yes!
Now he is gone too.""
Performer lifts flower-pot, with fingers inside
pressing against pocket, and shows it apparently
empty. ""And here, in the other flower-pot"" (lifts
it and shows the four cards lying together on
table) ""are all four Kings. One more score to
black. You didn't see the cards go ? Of course
you didn't; because they fly horizontally, like the
aeroplanes, and they go SO fast that they get there
almost before they have started.""
SYMPATHETIC CARDS
Preparation. Card mat loaded with two cards
of different denomination, say the queen of clubs
and the knave of diamonds, taken from the pack.
Flower-pots on table.
Presentation. Force the corresponding cards
of same colour (in this case the queen of spades
and the knave of hearts), lay the pack aside, and
take the drawn cards back face down on the mat,
leaving them thus on table till needed. The patter
may run as follows:
""As I think I have mentioned before, the cards
of a pack, from long association, become a sort of
family. They have their likes and dislikes, just
as human beings have. In particular, there is a
curious bond of sympathy between each pair of"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,81,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
ments headed ""Fawkes and Powel,"" ""Fawkes and
Phillips,"" and ""Fawkes and Pinchbeck."" Powel was the
famous puppet man, Phillips a famous posture master
(known to-day as contortionist), and Pinchbeck was the
greatest of mechanicians. Fawkes seems to have pos-
sessed a singular gift for picking out desirable partners.
From this mass of evidence I am producing various
This prefent Evening,
Room, over the Piazza's, at the
to the Ray Market, the Famoes, FAWKES pet.
formi molt by Mand, with
Curinution al that Kind, being what has
thew by any of Pelfon with the Agiviry
of
in
Body by before Pitture the Allo or rest performed theye will
be Dunces by twe Poiture ID They
crimm the and ty be bure Foor righ, and Plemy
Dance an tentian with Dis
and but one Body ta the Admination of all ato
Ing and of the Slack Reprain fishio
as war never performed by any other
prec Gly at and th-jors
Day N. Mow the Clentlemen Place abole, and Hours every any
N. may bave: privaté
RE an he
tof this longer whan the Stalon - to that be
Acani ay and Ladies Eancies by Desterity of
Hand for thake owa Diverion
By Permifion,
A
the Chriftian Coffee-houle at Smithfield
Bano the prefent Evening DE will performent
- by Mr. CLENCH of who imiratey the
Hom, Pack of Roundi, the Tham Doctor, old
deungen Man, und the Beits 1 the Doubte Courtel, the Organ
with three Volerity sul are perforged with bis Natural
Volie 4 allo - Ellex song by Mt. Clench, after which ma nare
- can puform.
Clipping from the London Post, February 7th, 1724, in which Fawkes
announces his retirement and offers to teach his tricks to all comers. Below this
announcement is the advertisement of Clench, famous as an imitator and an
instrumentalist.
clippings. By a peculiar coincidence one of these I
believe offers the most authentic and earliest record of
""two a night"" performances in England.
In my collection are a number of other clippings from
the press of the same year, in April and May, 1728, but
none of them says ""twice a night,"" therefore I judge
[64]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,81,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
71
heard to speak when the first rays of the worshipped sun glanced
on its impassive features. The magic words were undoubtedly
pronounced by the attendant priest, for we find a similar trick
prevalent throughout the whole history of ventriloquism, and
even now the public professors of the art know how much dc-
pends on fixing the attention of their audience on the object or
placc from whence the sound is supposed to proceed. The Jews
carried the art with them into Palestine, for we tracce the agency
throughout their history.
The Grecks practised a mode of divination termed gastromancy,
where the diviner replied without moving his lips, so that the
consulter believed he heard the actual voice of a spirit speaking
from its residence within the priest's belly.
In the Acts of the Apostles (xvi. 16), mention is made of
a
young woman with a familiar spirit meeting the Apostles in the
city of Philippi, in Macedonia, - St. Chrysostom and other early
Fathers of the Christian Church mention divination by a familiar
spirit as practised in their day. The practice of similar divina-
tion is still common in the East ; it lingers on the banks of the
Nile, and is even practised among the Esquimaux. This divina-
tion by a familiar spirit has been practised upwards of three
thousand years.
MODERN PROFESSORS OF THE ART.
The earliest notice of ventriloquial illusion, as carried out in
modern times, has reference to Louis Brabant, valet-de-chambre of
Francis I., who is said to have fallen in love with a beautiful and
rich heiress, but was rejected by the parents as a low, unsuitable
match. However, the father dying, he visits the widow ; and on
his first appearance in the house she hears accosted in a
voice resembling that of her dead husband, and which seemed to
proceed from above. Give my daughter in marriage to Louis
Brabant, who is a man of great fortune and excellent character.
I now endure the inexpressible torments of purgatory, for having
refused her to him ; obey this admonition and I shall soon bc
delivered ; you will provide a worthy husband for your daugh-
ter, and procure everlasting repose to the soul of your poor hus-
band.""
The dread summons, which had no appearance of proceeding
from Louis, whose countenance exhibited no change, and whose
lips were close and motionless, was instantly complied with ; but
the deceiver, in order to mend his finances for the accomplish-
ment of the marriage contract, applies to one Cornu, an old and
rich banker at Lyons, who had accumulated immense wealth by"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,81,,"A ROYAL TUG OF WAR
65
their little tempers, just as we have. Some of
them are bosom friends; others again hate each
other like rival suitors to the same best girl. The
four kings are generally pretty friendly, but there
is a good deal of emulation between them, par-
ticularly between the two red kings on the one
hand, and the two black ones on the other. Each
pair claims to be the stronger, and they are always
pleased to have a chance of putting the matter to
the test.
""I will give you an illustration of this, by allow-
ing them to hold a little tug of war. They have
already had six trials, and each side has won three
of them. This evening we will let them play a
final game, which is to settle the matter. Will you,
sir, kindly pick out the four kings for me, and lay
them on this little tray. Thank you! (This
done, performer lays mat with cards on table.)
""I will drop the two red kings into this flower-
pot."" He takes them from the mat and after
showing them drops them into the flower-pot (in
reality into the pocket), ""and the black ones into
this other."" (The black kings are allowed to slide
directly off the mat, into the flower-pot, the con-
cealed pair going with them. ""Are your Majes-
ties ready? Silence gives consent! Then Go!""
He waits a moment or two, and then looks over
into the flower-pot with the pocket. ""Nothing has
happened yet. Yes, there goes the king of dia-
monds, pulled over to the other side. There's not"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,80,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
the clerk of St. Martin's-in-the-Field: Parish Church,
Trafalgar Square, London, England, I came upon the rec-
ord of his burial. This record, which I found after many
days' search among musty, faded parchments, showed
that his Christian name was Isaac, and that he died May
25th or 29th, I731, and was buried in St. Martin's-in-
the-Fields Parish Church.
The records further show that he was buried in the
Ai FAWKES's Booth in the Upper Moor-
fields, will be prejented the
FIRST wonderfal his Famous Dexterity of Pofture-Mafter, Bndy exceeds all Europe. The
that
Mulical Temple of Arts with two moving the one a
Concert of the oher the Siege and of Gibraltar,
of Machine being Parnaftus, the with finelt with three Piece Apollo moving of €lock-work andthe Pidtures, in the Mufes the firft World. playing on reprefents Bay 3d, the various
Another
Hill
Nine
Infiraments of Mulick, the bext a beauriful View of a River, with
Syms and other Fowls and Filh, fporting as the' Alive, The lait
gives a Profpeßt of the New Palace Yard, with the whole Pro-
cellion of the late Coronation of their prefent Majefties murch-
ing from the Hall to the Abbey,
Note, Half the Performasce can't be in this Adver-
tifement.
Nore, We thow twice yvery Evening the Firft beginning at Five,
the other & Seven.
Clipping from the London Post during 1728, showing the oldest evidence
procurable of the original ""Two a Night"" performance. From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
church vault, the coffin being carried by six men. Prayers
were said in the church, candles were used, and the great
bell was tolled. As the fees amounted to £6 I2S., a goodly
sum for those days, all signs indicate that the funeral was
on a scale more costly and impressive than the ordinary.
Fawkes was worth at his death £10,000, which was
considered an enormous sum in those days. Every
penny of this he made performing at the fairs.
The earliest announcements of Fawkes' performance
in my collection are dated 1702 and include advertise-
[63]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,80,,"70
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
prised that the French Academy adopted this view of the subject,
and laid down that the art consists in an accurate imitation of any
given sound (IS it reachis the car. In conformity with a thcory so
incontrovertible, physiologists have suggested a varicty of
movements of the vocal organs to explain still further the ori-
ginating cause; and some have gone so far as to contend for a
peculiarity of structure in these organs as an essential require-
ment but they have wisely omitted to specify what. Noth-
ing, however, can be more accurate than the description of
""therssence"" of ventriloquy in the ""English Cyclopadia --name-
ly, that it ""consists in creating illusions as to the distance and direc-
tion whence a sound has travelled."" How those sounds are pro-
duced, we shall show in another chapter,
VENTRILOQUISM AMONGST THE ANCIENTS.
Charles Lamb gave utterance to the thouglit that it was
"" pleasant to contemplate the head of the Ganges,"" but tho
student of ventriloquism finds it difficult to obtain a view of
the source of his art. In the dim and misty ages of antiquity,
he may trace under various guises the practice of it. Many of
the old superstitions were fostered by its neans ; from the cra-
dle of mankind to the birthplace of idolatry, we incidentally
learn of the belief in a familiar spirit-a second voice, which
afterwards took the form of divination.
The various kinds of divination amongst the nations of an-
tiquity which were stated by the priesthood to be by a spirit, a
familiar spirit, cr a spirit of divination, are now supposed to have
been effected by means cf ventriloquism. Divination by a fam-
iliar spirit can be tracked through a long period of time. By
reference to Leviticus XX. 27 it will be seen that the Mosaic law
forbade the Hebrews to consult those having familiar spirits, and
to put to death the possessor. The Mosaic law was given about
fifteen hundred years before Clirist. Divining by a familiar
spirit was, however, so familiar to the Jews, that the prophet
Isaiah draws a powcrful illustration from the kind of voice heard
in such divination, see Isaiah xxix. 4.
There can be little doubt but the Jews became acquainted with
this voice during their compulsory captivity in Egypt. In many
of the mysteries which accompanied the worship of Osiris, the
uncarthly voice speaking from hidden depths of unknown heiglits
was common. Some philosophers have imagined that a series of
tubes and acoustical appliances were used to accomplish these
mysterious sounds. The statute of Memnon will instantly sug-
gest itself as a familiar instance. The gigantic stone-head was"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,80,,"64
LATEST MAGIC
of the same shape, but a trifle larger. The loose
slab is retained, but it is only loose when the per-
former desires it to be SO. The box may be
handled beforehand with the utmost freedom, and
after a card has been placed in it it may be closed
and re-opened any number of times, nothing hap-
pening till, ""Presto,"" a mere touch in the right
place, and the flap is free. When the box is now
closed, this falls into the opposite portion, con-
cealing the card, or producing another; and again
locking itself, automatically, in its new position.
The box in this condition will again stand the
closest scrutiny.
Whether this box is yet placed upon the market
I cannot say (having myself been favoured with a
sight of an ""advance"" model), but it will certainly
commend itself to all who appreciate a good thing
in the way of ingenuity of contrivance and
mechanical finish.
A ROYAL TUG OF WAR
Preparation. Card mat to be loaded with king
of hearts and king of diamonds, not taken from
the pack in use. Flower-pots on table.
Performer advances with ordinary pack, deliv-
ering patter to something like the following effect.
""It is not generally known, ladies and gentlemen,
what a lot of human nature there is about a pack
of cards. They have their likes and dislikes, and"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,79,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Museum (ii-33) in 177° in the list of the party who
called themselves the King's friends. He died March 17th,
1783, aged 73, and was buried in St. Martin's-in-the-
Fields. His will, which was very curious, is printed in
full in The Horological Journal of November, 1895. One
of his daughters married William Hebb, who was described
as 'son-in-law and successor of the late Mr. Pinchbeck
at his shop in Cockspur Street' (imprinted on Pinchbeck's
portrait), whose son Christopher Henry Hebb (1772-
1861) practised as a surgeon in Worcester. There is in
existence a portrait of Christopher Pinchbeck the younger,
by Cunningham, engraved by W. Humphrey.""
The mezzotints of the Pinchbecks, father and son,
herewith reproduced, are extremely rare, and when I un-
earthed them in Berlin I felt myself singularly favored
in securing two such treasures of great value to the history
of magic. S. Wohl, the antiquarian and dealer from
whom they were purchased, acquired them during a tour
of old book and print shops in England, and thought them
portraits of one and the same person; but by studying the
names of the artists and the engravers on the two pic-
tures, it will be seen that they set forth the features of
father and son, as indicated by the biographical notes
quoted above.
Of the early history of Fawkes, whose brilliant stage
performance lent to the Pinchbeck automata a new lustre,
little is known. It is practically impossible to trace his
family history. His Christian name was never used on
his billing nor published in papers or magazines, and
after repeated failures I was about to give up the task
of discovering it, when in I904, aided by R. Bennett,
[62]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,79,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
69
depend on the impulse in the ear, but on other facts, will be per-
ceived when the original communication is interrupted, provided
there be a sensible ccho. This circumstance will be acknowl-
edged by any person who has had occasion to walk along a valley,
intercepted with buildings, at the time that a peal of bells is ring-
ing in it. The sound of the bells, instead of arriving constantly at
the cars of the person so situated, is frequently reflected in a short
time fron two or three difierent places. These deceptions are, in
many cases, so much diversified by the successive interpositions
of fresh objects, that the steeple appears, in the hearer's judgment,
to perform the part of an expert ventriloquist on a theatre-the
extent of which is adapted to its own powers, and not to those of
the human voice.
The similarity of effect which connects this phenomenon with
ventriloquism, convinced the author, whenever he heard it, that
what we know to be the cause in one instance, is also the cause in
the other, viz., that the echo reaches the ear, while the original
sound is intercepted by accident in the case of the bells but by
art, in the case of the ventriloquist.
It is the business of the ventriloquist to amuse his admirers
with tricks resembling the foregoing delusion; and it will be read-
ily granted that he has a subtle sense, highly corrected by exper-
ience to manage, on which account the judgment must be cheated
as well as the car.
This can only be accomplished by making the pulses, constitu-
ting his words striike the heads of his hearers, not in the right
lines that join their persons and his. He must therefore, know
how to disguise the true direction of his voice; because the arti-
fice will give him an opportunity to substitute almost any ccho he
choses in the place of it. But the superior part of the human body
has been already proved to form an extensive seat of sound, from
every point of which the pulses are repelled as if they diverge from
a
common centre. This is the reason why people, who speak
in the usual way, cannot conceal the direction of their voices,
which in reality fly off towards all points at the same insiant. The
ventriloquist, therefore, by some means or other, accquires the
difficult habit of contructing the field of sound within the compass cf
his lips, which enables him to confine the real path of his voice to
narrow limits. For he who is master of his art has nothing to
do but to place his mouth obliquely to the company, and to
dart his words out of his mouth-if the expression may be used
-whence they will then strike the cars of the audience as that
from an unexpected quarter. Nature seems to fix no bounds to
this kind of deception, only care must be taken not to let the
path of the direct pulses pass too near the head of the person who
is played upon, but the divergency of the pulses make him per-
ceive the voice itself. Our readers will, therefore, not be sur-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,79,,"A CARD COMEDY
63
always had a sort of affection for this in its oldest
and simplest form, viz., the reversible flat box with
loose flap falling from the one into the other half
at pleasure. I should not recommend the use of
it at a school treat, as there would be much risk
of some demon small boy proclaiming to all whom
it might concern that he ""knows how that's done,""
but before an average mixed audience its use is
safe enough. Should one of the spectators happen
to be acquainted with the box he will probably
smile in a superior way, pluming himself on having
a little inside information, though he may be no
nearer the complete solution of the trick than the
rest of the company.
The expert will easily guard himself against
even this small risk. For example, he may use a
duplicate box, innocent of guile, ostensibly merely
to contain the cards he is about to use, and after
turning the pack out of it upon the table, switch
this (obviously empty) box for the faked box to be
used later, or after using the latter he may extract
the fake and the superseded card during the jour-
ney back to his table, where the box will of course
be inspection-proof.
Better still, he may make matters absolutely safe
by using an improved box, which has been chris-
tened the ""Fast and Loose'' card-box. This is a
recent invention of an Italian wizard named
Veroni, of Glasgow (an old soldier of Garibaldi).
It is an idealised version of the old flat box, being"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,78,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
spring socket for holding the candle firmly, and an
arrangement whereby the candle always occupied an
upright position, however the candlestick might be held.
In 1768 (patent No. 899) he patented his nocturnal
remembrancer, a series of tablets with notches, to serve
as guides for writing in the dark. His snuffers (No. III9)
patented 1776, continued to be made in Birmingham
The Daily Poft.
`KIDAY, January 21, 1726.
S's and POWEL's Theatre, in
in James-freet, mear the Hay-Marlet,
be
ving Entertainments, viz.
1726
FIRST his furprizing Dex-
Hand, far exceeding all thatever
Perform in this Kingdera. ad The fancus
Poftare-Mafter. de The Mafics) Closk, that
Play variety of Tunts, on the Orgia, Fluse,
and Sine-
Flageleig with Hirds, felf. Whilling and
from Life the it Bath: And The 4th. wiole
Powyl's
Play
of The Prineefs Elisabeth, er Rife of bugge
Punch: With the Comical Humonrs of Enquire Punch, and his Foot-
man Gudgeon. Perfoim'd by the Richeft Bnd Figures that ever
was fees in England. Concluding with an Piece of Ma-
chinery, after the Italian Manner, repreferring the Eplendid Palace of
Diana breaking into Domble and Triple Prefpeds, with all the Changes of
Srents and Decorations belonging to the Play. N. B. The poors will be
open'devery Day at Five a Clock. And in Regird that Gentlemen and La-
dies thall not be difappointed, we beghi exalty as Six, and none to bead-
mitred afuer. Prices: S. . S. snd6d
A clipping from the Taily Post, London showing that Fawkes combined
forces with Powel, the famous Bartholomew Fair puppet man. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
until the last forty years or so, when snuffers began to
go out of use. In I774 he presented to the Society of Arts
a model of a plough for mending roads. Pinchbeck's
name first appears in the London directory in 1778, when
it replaced that of Richard Pinchbeck, toyman, of whom
nothing is recorded.
""Christopher Pinchbeck, Jr., was held in considerable
esteem by George III., and he figures in Wilkes' London
[61]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,78,,"68
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
an old woman. On the other hand, from a want of the know-
ledge of how to proceed, it is very seldom that even a blundering
attempt at ventriloquism is heard, except from a public plat-
form.
There have been many statements put forward defining ven-
triloquism, but we are decidedly of opinion that the theory of two
of the most celebrated of foreign ventriloquists, Baron de Men-
gen and M. St. Gille, who were sufficiently unselfish to avow the
secret of their art, is not only the most correct, but it is at once
the most reasonable and the most natural.
From Baron de Mengen's account of himself, and the observa-
tions made by M. de la Chapelle, in his frequent examinations of
St. Gille, whom weshall afterwards refer to, it seems that the
factitious ventriloquist voice does not (as the etymology of the
word imports) proceed from the belly, but is formed in the in-
ner parts of the mouth and throat.
The art does not depend on a particular structure or organiza-
tion of these parts, but may be acquired by almost any one ar-
dently desirous of attaining it, and determined to persevere in
repeated trials.
The judgments we form concerning the situation and distance
of
bodies, by means of the senses mutually assisting and correct-
ing each other, seem to be entirely founded on experience ; and
we pass from the sign to the thing signified by it immediately, or
at least without any intermediate steps perceptible to our-
selves.
llence it follows that if a man, though in the same room with
another, can by any peculiar modifications of the organs of
speech, produce a sound which, in faintness, tone, body, and
every othrer sensible quality, perfectly resembles a sound delivered
from the roof of an opposite house, the ear will naturally, with-
out examination, refer it to that situation and distance ; the
sound which he hears being only a sign, which from infancy he
has become accustomed, by experience, to associate with the idea
of a person speaking from a house-top. A deception of this kind
is practised with success on the organ and other musical in-
struments.
Rolandus, in his Aglossostomographia,"" mentions, that if the
mediastinum, which is naturally a single membrane, be divided
into tivo parts, the speech will seem to come out of the breast, so
that the bystanders will fancy the person possessed.
Mr. Gough, in the Manchester Memoirs,"" vol. V. part ii. p.
633 London, 1802, investigates the method whereby men judge by
the car of the position of sonorous bodies relative to their own
persons.
This author observes, in general that a sudden change in direc-
tion of sound, our knowledge of which, he conceives, does not"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,78,,"62
LATEST MAGIC
confinement. We will drop him into the other
flower-pot, which, as you see, is also empty.""
(The card is in this case not dropped through the
pot, but into the pocket.)
""Now we shall be able to get on. No ! my left
thumb tells me that there is still something not
quite right..' (Glance into second flower-pot.)
""Upon my word, this is too bad. The king of
hearts has already. got away and followed the
queen again."" (Lift flower-pot, and show that the
king has disappeared.) ""I thought I had him
safe, but his prison, as you see, is empty, and here
he is again in the first flower-pot."" (Show the
three cards accordingly.) ""He is too many for
me; I can't show you what I had intended. I must
give it up and try something else.""
Variation. Load mat with a single king of
hearts and the queen of clubs, the latter taken from
the pack. Proceed as before up to the putting of
the king in prison, and then exhibit the queen of
clubs, as having come in pursuit of her spouse, the
patter being modified accordingly. The impris-
oned king of hearts will still be found to have
escaped, but in this case to have returned to the
pack.
For lack of the two flower-pots, the drawn cards
may be dropped with the concealed pair into a bor-
rowed hat, and the jealous king made to escape
from a card-box, or some similar appliance.
Apropos of the card-box, by the way, I have"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,77,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
""He was a member and at one time president of the
Smeatonian Society, the precursor of the Institution of
Civil Engineers. In 1702 he devised a self-acting pneu-
matic brake for preventing accidents to the men employed
in working wheel-crancs. In The Gentlemen's Magazine
for June, 1765, page 296, it is recorded that Messrs.
Pinchbeck and Norton had made a complicated astro-
it the Conk and Half Moan Tavern in
Temple- Bar,
r
HE famons Mr. FAWKS
performi moft furpriting Trick by
Desterity of Hand, with Regi,
curions India Birds, Mice and Money,
Which Curionits no Perfon In the
dom cari presend to thom To-
gether with the Activity of Body
perform'd by his Polture Maller, bring 9
Boy about Ten Years of Age, who Far -
ceeds all that ever in Eumpe. Who Transforms his Body
into fuch a various Shapes, 21 Curpaties human Faith to believe
our Geting. Likewite the Rezilan Searamouch Dance, with two
four Note, Legs, We have and the bur had Printe. the Body, Honour and prefent Majchy Headi,
one to the Admiration of all
to perterm before bis
ling George, att the Quality of the whote Kirg-
dom. with great Applaufe. Beginning evary Evening precifely it
N.B. Any Gentiemen or Ladies may have 2 private Performance
any Tirm of the Day, giving an Mour's Notick.
An early Fawkes advertisement, clipped from a London paper of 1795.
From the Harry Houdini Collection.
noinical clock for the Queen's house, some of the cal-
culations of the wheel having been made by James Fer-
guson, the astronomer. There is no proof that Pinchbeck
and Norton were ever in partnership, and there are now
two clocks answering to the description at Buckingham
Palace, one by Pinchbeck, with four dials and of a very
complicated construction, and another by Norton.
""Pinchbeck took out three patents: the first (No: 892),
granted 1768, was for an improved candlestick with a
[60]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,77,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
67
VENTRILOQUISM MADE EASY.
WHAT IS VENTRILOQUISM?
BEFORE we take the reader into the precise and minute instruc-
tions which he will have to study and practice ere he can become
the possessor of the coveted art, it will be necessary to inform him
what Ventriloquism* is, and in what it consists. In doing so, we
shall endeavor to be as plain and clear as possible. Ventrilo-
quism may be divided into two sections, or general heads, the
first of which may be appropriately designated as Polyphonism,
and consists of the simple imitation of the voices of human
creatures, of animals, of musical instruments, and sounds and
noises of every description in which no illusion is intended, but
where, on the contrary, the imitation is avowedly executed by the
mimic, amongst which we may classify sawing, planing, door-
creaking, sounds of musical instruments, and other similar imi-
tations.
Secondly, we have ventriloquism proper, which consists in the
imitation of such voices, sounds, and noises, not as originating in
him, but in some other appropriate source at a given or varying
distance, in any or even in several directions, cither singly or to-
gether-a process exciting both wonder and amusement, and
which may be accomplished by thousands who have hitherto
viewed the ventriloquist as invested with a power wholly denied
by nature to themsclves. It is needless to observe, that when the
limitations are effected without a movement of mouth, features,
or body, the astonishment of the audience is considerably en-
hanced.
The terms polyphony, mimicry, or limitation, are employed
to designate results obtained in reference to the first division of
the subject, where no illusion is intended while the term ven-
triloquism distinguishes those under the second division, where
an illusion is palpably produced. The first is much more com-
mon than the latter ; indeed, there is scarcely a public school
which does not possess at least one boy capapble of limitating the
mewing of a cat, the barking of a dog, or the squeaking voice of
* Literally signifying belly-speaking, from venter, the belly, and loquor, I
speak."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,77,,"A CARD COMEDY
61
assuming a perplexed air, you say, ""I don't know
why it is, but I have that peculiar sensation in
my left thumb that always means that something
has gone wrong. What it is in this case I can't
imagine, but I must find out before we go further.
As the two chosen cards have passed out of my
hands, I may now ask the ladies who drew them
to name them.
""The queen of hearts and the king of clubs, you
say? Ah! that accounts for it. When those two
cards come together there is sure to be trouble.
The queen of hearts is a bit of a flirt, and the king
of hearts is very jealous, particularly of the king
of clubs, who is rather a gay dog, though he is old
enough to know better. I fancy I hear some sort
of commotion going on in the flower-pot."" (You
look into it.) ""Yes, it is just as I feared. The
king of hearts has found out that his queen has gone
off with the king of clubs, and has followed the
queen post-haste. Here he is, you see."" (You
plunge hand into flower-pot, and take out and
exhibit the two drawn cards, and with them one of
the two kings of hearts.) ""It's too bad, for as a
matter of fact the queen of hearts doesn't really
care two-pence about the king of clubs. In fact
she has even been known to call him a giddy old
kipper.
""But I can't have my arrangements upset by
these little family jars. To teach the king of
hearts better manners I shall put him in solitary"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,76,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
While the elder son, Edward, was made executor and
continued his father's trade in a quiet, conservative
fashion, the younger son struck out along new lines and
The Wet died the Mr.
- for bis by
max
FAWKES
The best portrait of Isaac Fawkes in existence. The original, now in the
Harry Houdíni Collection, is supposed so have been engraved by Sutton
Nichols. It is said that there is only one more of these engravings extant.
became even more famous as an inventor than his brill-
iant father had been.
[ 59 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,76,,"66
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
done so, remove the stopper at bottom of the large bottle as you
place it on its stand, and immediately place the large cover over
it. The mixed liquid will gradually run out into the concealed
cavity in the stand.
You must now talk a little magic nonsense, to draw off the at-
tention, while you place the special covers over each of the
small bottles, so that the descending pipes in the covers fit in
the necks of the bottles. Remove the tinfoil with which you
had covered the holes at A and B.
With a few magic waves of your wand, and words of art, say :
""I shall now cause the mixed liquids in the centre bottle to ap-
pear severally in their own original bottles."" Let the covers re,
main a few seconds. Clap your hands. saying: ""Change, be-
gone !"" Lift the centre cover : the large bottle will be seen to
be empty. Lift successively the covers from the small bottles :
they will be seen to have each their proper wine-one port, the
other sherry.
TRICK 29.-To Furnish a Treat to the Gentlemen.
For this th 3 magic bottle must be procured. One with three
or four compartments is amply sufficient. In these placo gin,
sherry, and port wine, respectively. The bottle will have three
or four holes, on which you place your fingers as if stopping the
holes of a flute. You may have a bucket of water and a com-
mon bottle, resembling the magic one in size and appearance,
near your table. Havo ready also a tray of wine-glasses of thick
glass, and holding only a very small quantity.
Exhibit the common lottle to the audience, and then place it
on your table, and direct attention to somo of the other articles
on your table. ""Now I must begin my experiment. I will
wash and drain my bottle, that you may scc the experiment from
the beginning to the end."" Place it in the bucket, and while
shaking it about, and letting the water run out, exchange it for
the magic bottle lying by the bucket. Wipe that carefully with
a napkin, as if drying it, and calling two or three of the audi-
ence forward at a time, inquire which they prefer. Have the
stops according to alphabetical order to prevent your mistaking
-gin, port, sherry. Continue supplying the small glasses ase
called for, till your bottle gets nearly empty, and then pour them
out indiscriminately. Thero will havo been sufficient to satisfy
the most enger.
But if you wish to continue the trick, you may have a second
magic botile prepared in the same way, and you will casily, whilo
propounding some magic charm and gesticulating, make some
pretence that will enable you to exchange the empty for the seo-
ond bottle, and so proceed."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,76,,"60
LATEST MAGIC
equally well performed by the aid of the card-box,
or any other appliance for ""changing"" a card.
A CARD COMEDY
This may be otherwise described for programme
purposes as. ""A Royal Row,"" or ""A Row in a
Royal Family.""
Preparation. Card mat loaded with two kings
of hearts: one of them taken from the pack
to be used: the other a spare card. The king of
clubs and queen of hearts to be laid on top of pack.
The two flower-pots, on table.
Presentation. Advancing to the company, palm
off the two top cards, and hand the pack to be
shuffled. This done, force the palmed cards on
two different persons. Then say, ""I want you to
take notice that I do not handle or tamper in any
way with either of the cards you have chosen.
Please lay them yourselves face down on this mat.
Thank you. Now still without touching them I
will put them temporarily in this elegant flower-
pot, which you observe is quite empty. You see
that it has neither top nor bottom, and nothing
between. You couldn't have anything much
emptier than that, could you?""
Having duly exhibited the flower-pot (this by
the way must be the one without pocket) you let
the two drawn cards slide off the mat into it, the
two concealed kings going with them. Then,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,75,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Fawkes, he had a master-producer of his tricks. Christo-
pher Pinchbeck never appeared on the program used by
Fawkes, save as the maker of the automata or apparatus,
but directly after the death of the elder Fawkes, and
a few months before his own, the elder Pinchbeck ap-
peared with the son of his deceased partner, and was
advertised as doing ""the Dexterity of Hand"" performance.
This indicates that he was inducting young Fawkes into
all the mysteries of the profession at which the two elder
men, as friends and business partners, had done so well.
Christopher Pinchbeck was survived by two sons,
Edward and Christopher, Jr. Edward, the elder, suc-
ceeded to his father's shop and regular business. He was
born about 1703, and was well along in years when he
entered into his patrimony, which he advertised in The
`Daily Post of November 27th, 1732, as follows: ""The
toys made of the late Mr. Pinchbeck's curious metal are
now sold only by his son and sole executor, Mr. Edward
Pinchbeck.""
This announcement settles forever the oft-disputed
question as to whether the alloy of copper and zinc which
bears the name of Pinchbeck was invented by Christopher
Pinchbeck, Sr., or by his son Christopher, Jr.
All newspaper and magazine descriptions of the auto-
mata invented by the elder Pinchbeck indicate that his
hand was as cunning as his brain was inventive, for they
showed the most delicate mechanism, and included entire
landscapes with figures of rare grace in motion.
""Christopher, the second son of Christopher Pinch-
beck the elder,"" continues the biographical sketch, ""was
born about I7IO and possessed great mechanical ingenuity.
[ 58 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,75,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
65
to be filled, one with a liquid resembling port, the other with
one resembling sherry ; the large bottle to be at first empty.
Three opaque metal stands-the centre one to stand under the
quart bottle, to have a large cavity to hold a quart, and the up-
per part of this stand to be full of large holes, like a cullender,
for the liquor to run from the opening at H into that cavity.
Fig. 24.
You must also have three metal covers, of proper size to cover
the above three bottles-these covers to have handles at top, so
as to be easily lifted. The large centre cover is simply a cover
but the two side ones, which are to cover the pint bottles, must
be made with metal cavities large enongh to hold, one a pint of
port, the other a pint of sherry, at top, with a descending pipe
to fall into the mouths of the pint bottles.
There mnst be a small hole at top of each of the small covers,
at B and C, which hole, being covered with tinfoil, will, as long
Fig. 25.
B
D
D
as it i3 closed, prevent the wine from running out at D. But
when the tinfoil is scraped off, and the hole admits the air, tho
wine will then be able to run into the pint bottles.
The above apparatus being all ready, commence by saying :
""I will nuw pour this pint of port and this pint of sherry into
the large bottle, mixing them inseparably together."" Having"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,75,,"A CARD COMEDY
59
myself, it isn't anything particular to look at, but
it has an extraordinary talent for finding out
things; even secrets that people don't know them-
selves. Now you will admit that the name of that
card on the table is at present an A1, copperbot-
tomed secret. Even the gentleman who chose the
card doesn't know what it is; you don't know:
in fact nobody knows. Nothing could well be more
secret than that. But this tape will find it out.
Will you, Sir,"" (addressing the gentleman who
chose the card) ""be kind enough to pass this loop
over your left little finger. Thank you, and now
I want some lady to assist me. Perhaps you will
oblige, Madam?"" A sufficient length of the tape
is unrolled, and the reel placed in the lady's hands.
""And now I will ask you to do me the further
favor of taking a card from this other pack.""
(The second queen is forced on the lady.)
""Now, Madam, what was the card the gentleman
chose? You don't know Oh, yes, you do. The
tape has told you. Unless it has betrayed me for
the first time in my experience, it will have com-
pelled you by an effect of sympathy to draw the
very same kind of card as the one freely chosen, as
you will remember from the other pack. What
card did you draw? The queen of diamonds?
(Goes to table, and turns up card on tray.) ""The
tape was right, you see. The card the gentleman
drew is also a queen of diamonds.""
In default of the card mat, the trick can be"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,74,,"-
Christopher linchlul
A very rare mezzotint of Christopher Pinchbeck, Jr., combining the work
Cunningham, the greatest designer, and William Humphrey, the greatest
trait etcher of his day. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[57]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,74,,"64
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
plate the coins collected in the hat, which will coincide with the
number he has appeared to collect so magically from various
sources. When adroitly done, this trick is very pleasing and ef-
fective.
TRICK 27.-To Furnish Ladies With a Magic Supply of
Tea or Coffee, at their selection, From One and the
Same Jug.
PREPARATION.
Havc a metal jug to hold not less than three pints. It must
be constructed with two compartments in the lower part of it,
holding about a pint and a quarter each, and these must each
have a pipe connected with the spout of the jug and another
pipe connecting with its handle, and in the handle a small hole
about the size of a letter-o-ir this print. These lower com-
partments must be filled with good tea and coffee before the jug
is produced.
The upper chamber or compartment, like the upper portion of
a patent coffee-pot, must have no communication with the lower
divisions, and must be well closed also at the top with a tin cov-
er, closely fitting. Have half a dozen small tea-cups and half a
dozen small coffee-cups ready on a tray.
Begin the trick by placing openly in the upper compartment
coffee-berries and tea, mixing them together. Take up, as a
sudden thought, an old blacking bottle, and pretend to pour
from it into the jug, to furnish highly-colored liquid to improvo
the coffee; and a little gunpowder, about a teaspoonful, may bo
fired off over the mixture to make the tea strong. Wavo your
wand over the jug.
Then you may address the ladies : inform them that the ingre-
dients are well mixed, and invite them to name which they will
prefer, ""tea or coffee,"" as you can produce either at their com-
mand from the same jng.
Get some friend to hand the cups, while you follow him, and,
by unstopping the holes in the handle for admitting air upon the
coffec or tea, the one of them that each lady names will flow out
from the spout of this magic jug.
TRICK 28.-A Pleasing Exhibition for both the Per-
former and the Audience) to view when they feel a
little. Exhausted.
PREPARATION.
Have two pint bottles and one quart bottle; the pint bottles"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,74,,"58
LATEST MAGIC
which we will call A and B respectively. From
pack A take a court card (say the queen of dia-
monds), and press it face down against the waxed
side of the mat: then turn this over, and place the
rest of the pack upon its unprepared side. On the
top of pack B lay the corresponding card, in readi-
ness for forcing. This pack also to be placed on
table.
Presentation. Advance with pack A on the mat.
Invite a gentleman to take it in his own hands
and after shuffling, to pick out a card, and without
looking at it, lay it face down on the mat. Re-
mark: ""I have asked you not to look at the card,
because I find people fancy I find out by what is
called thought-reading, and if you don't know the
card yourself, I can't find it out that way, can I?
You are sure you don't know what card you have
taken? I can honestly say that I don't. Now
please notice that I don't look at it, or even touch
it-I will place it here, where you can all keep an
eye on it. You had better keep the other eye on
me.""
You accordingly place the mat on the table, in
transit keeping the card just laid upon it in place
by the pressure of the thumb, and just as you
reach the table, under cover of your own body, turn
over the mat, SO as to bring the adhering card
uppermost.
You then say, picking up the reel, ""I must now
introduce to your notice my telepathic tape. Like"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,73,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
time only as astronomical, for showing the various
motions and phenomena of planets and fixed stars.'
Mention is also made of musical automata in imitation of
singing birds and barrel organs for churches, as among
Pinchbeck's manufactures.
""Pinchbeck was in the habit of exhibiting collections
of his automata at fairs, sometimes in conjunction with a
juggler named Fawkes, and he entitled his stall ""The
Temple of the Muses,' Grand Theatre of the Muses,'
or 'Multum in Parvo.' The Daily Journal of August
27th, 1729, announced that the Prince and Princess of
Wales went to the Bartholomew Fair to see hisexhibition,
and there were brief advertisements in The Daily Post of
June I 2th, 1729, and the Daily Journal of August 22d
and 23d, I729. There is still a large broadside in the
British Museum (1850 C. 10-17) headed 'Multum in
Parvo,' relating to Pinchbeck's exhibition, with a blank
left for place and date, evidently intended for use as a
poster. He died November 18th, 1732; was buried No-
vember 2ist, in St. Denison's Church, Fleet Street.
""In a copy of the Gentlemen's Magasine, printed 1732,
page 1083, there is an engraved portrait by I. Faber,
after a painting by Isaac Wood, a reproduction of which
appears in 'Britten's Clock and Watch Maker,' page 122.
His will, dated November roth, 1732, was proved in
London on November r8th.""
During one of his engagements at the Bartholomew
Fair, Pinchbeck probably met Fawkes, the cleverest
sleight-of-hand performer that magic has ever known,
and the two joined forces. Pinchbeck made all the auto-
mata and apparatus thereafter used by Fawkes, and, in
[56]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,73,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
63
Swell out the cloak with your left hand, and at tho same timo
thrust up the head from the pocket. It will appear as if the
whole figure stood before them.
Then say : ""I fear, dear friend, I have trespassed by abridging
your tour. You can hardly have traversed Algeria, crossed the
mountains of the moon, or found the birthplace of the Nile; and
no one returns now-a-days without some such marvel to relate.
I will let you depart again. As some people say to troublesomo
visitors 'You may depart now ; please to call again to-mor-
row.''
Repeat the manoeuvre, as before, of secreting the head. Then
exclaim : ""Alas! he is gone in earnest, like the sojourner of a
day (with mock pathos.) When we havo lost him, we feel our
loneliness.""
Fold up sorrowfully the cloak of the departed, and so conclude
the trick.
TRICK 26.-The Shower of Money.
A dozen silver coins, or pennies, will be equally useful in ex-
hibiting this trick ; but some fictitious coin, in color rosembling
gold, will perhaps more effectively delight those who are charmed
by the yellow glitter of the precious metal. The performer must
have provided himself with so many of these in his left hand as
he purposes to produce at the end of the trick, and two of the
same coin also must be concealed in his right palm. He must
further borrow a hat from one of the company.
The imagination of the spectators having been excited by tho
expectation of beholding a shower of money, the adept in sleight-
of-hand, keeping one of the two coins in his right hand con-
cealed, must advance the other còin to the end of his forefinger
and thumb, while he pretends to pick a coin out of the candle,
or of the rim of a hat, or from a lady's fan or shoulder, or may
pretend to clutch a coin floating in the air. As he brings away
his prize, ho may rattle it against the other coin concealed in his
right hand. Then, making Pass 1, he may pretend to pass it
into the hat, being careful precisely at the same moment to drop,
audibly, a coin from his left hand into the hat which he holds in
that hand. Let him tell the audience to keep count how many
he collects: it will rather distract their attention.
IIo can continuo this pleasant appearance of acquiring wealth
for ten minutes, or aslong as ho can deviso various methods of
appearing to clutch it, till tho number with which he stored his
left hand is exhausted.
Ho may then request some one to count out, audibly, into a"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,73,,"THE TELEPATHIC TAPE
57
""Well, as I was saying, or as I was going to say
when the lady interrupted me--I mean compli-
mented me, by smiling-Upon my word, I've for-
gotten for the moment what I was going to say, but
I daresay it was of no consequence, SO we'll skip
it, and proceed àt once to ""business as usual.'
""Observe, I just draw the magnet slowly across
from the one flower-pot to the other, when the
single card, being naturally the weaker, will be
drawn out of its own flower-pot, and join the other
two."" (Looks into flower-pot holding the pair.)
""Yes, it has found its way, as you see.77 (Lifts
the pot, and shows that the third card is on the table
with the other two.) ""And as it's a well-known
fact that nobody but a bird can be in two places at
the same time, it naturally follows that it is no
longer in this other pot, which is once more
empty."" (Lifts it up and shows that it is so.)
Variation. If the flower-pots are not available,
the single card may be placed in a card box, or
other suitable appliance adapted for causing its
disappearance, the other two, with the concealed
card, being dropped from the mat into a borrowed
hat.
THE TELEPATHIC TAPE
Requirements. Two or three yards of half-inch
tape or ribbon, wound on a reel, to which its inner
end is secured, and having a loop on its outer end.
Coin mat made adhesive, and two packs of cards,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,72,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
in Clerkenwell, London. He was a clockmaker and
inventor of the copper and zinc alloy called after his name.
He invented and made the famous astronomico-musical
clock. In Appleby's Weekly Journal of July 8th, 1721,
Me FAWKFS's THEATRE,
In Tames-freet, near the Hay-marker, will
be prefented tbe following Entertainments:
Firft,
H
IS Diverting and Incomparable
feveral Thingreatirely new.
DERTERITY of HAND, in which he purforme
N. B. In particular he caufesa Tree to grow up in a Flower-
Pot upon the Table, which will blow and beay ripe Pruis in a
Minute's Time.
Second, His
Third, The MUNICAL CLOCK, with EWO moving
lately made by Mr. Pjochbeck,
Fourth, The Vast FIAN MACHINS, belag the Piece
of Workmaufhip in the World, for moving Pidures aud other
Curiofities.
Fifth, The ASTIFICIAL Vazw of the WORED, wherein
Es very naturaDly imicated the Firmament fpangled wall a Maltifuide
of Stari; the Moon's Increale and Decreale the Pawa of Day :
the diffuling bis Lightar his Rifing the beautiful Redne(s of
the Horizon at lis Sercing. as in a fine Summee Eyening. The
R allo repre(ented, wih Ships under Sail, 28 fevent
Miles Diffance; ethers fo neas that their Shadows are Teen lia
de Water, and as they pars by any Fort, Caftle, &c, they
esch other with their Goms, the Report and-Ecchool which are às
plainly heard es cho' from the cal Places they appear to be.
Every Week are
Note, Every Night during this Wick will be
1. The Ciry of Grarz Dalsedom of Stitia in Germang.
11. The Cirs of Autwerp in io Flandess.
IIT. The City d Grand Caleo to Egypt.
IV The City of Algrervia Africa.
Brginning CWITY livening precifely ar Nix o' Clock.
Pir DE Midde Unper
Audtharthe Company naay with Cold, there
is Contrivances the Warm.
Note, and Lades may have a privas
giving Nouce the Night before.
Advertisement from the London Daily Post during 1730, showing the orange
tree as offered by the senior Fawkes, just previous to his death. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
it was announced that Christopher Pinchbeck, inventor
and maker of the astronomico-musical clock, is removed,
from St. George's Court (now Albion Place) to the sign
of the ""Astronomico-Musical Clock"" in Fleet Street, near
the Leg Tavern. He maketh and selleth watches of all
sorts and clocks as well for the exact indication of the
[ 55 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,72,,"62
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
from China to Peru, from the Equator to the Poles, you per-
ceive he still sounds like a hardy Pole himself. (Rap, rap,
rap.)
""I perceive, however, by the glaring of his eye, that, after
my too rough handling, he is desirous of starting on his travels.
I suppose we must provide him with the needful for his ex-
penses.
Large sums are given now-a-days to special corre-
spondents in foreign countries; who will kindly give him suffi-
cient? He will want a golden or silver key to open some curi-
osities he may wish to inspect in foreign cities. (Pause.) Oh.
well, as there is a delay about it, I must myself supply him. I
think I have a few disposable coins in my pocket : he shall havo
them.""
Suiting the action to the word, while your left hand holds the
upper part of the cloak near the neck, EO as to cover what you
are doing, you withdraw the wooden body with your right hand,
while you move your right hand down to your+pocket for the
coins. You then leave the body of the doll in your pocket, and
taking out the coins, present them to the head and cloak of the
figure, which is held in your left hand, saying: ""There, my
good friend, you can now, if you wish, proceed on your tour to
Algiers, or Dahomey, or Timbuctoo, or wherever the universal
Yankee travelers fancy at the present to resort.
"" Ah, I see he is pleased and in good spirits again. He
wishes apparently to bid you good-bye. You will excuse his
looking also round about him, to judge whether the weather is
fair to set ont; after which I will lay my hand on his head to ex-
press my good wishes for his journey. I dare say he will not
stay much longer after that than a schoolboy does after his mas-
ter has bid him good-bye.""
Place with formal ceremony your hand on his head, press it
down through the opening below it, receive it in your left hand
underneath the cloak, and bestow it safely in the pocket.
Affect astonishment at finding the gown alone left in your
hands, and fold it up with a lamentation at his departure. You
may say : ""It is clear that he has chosen to go to a hot climate,
as ho has left his cloak behind him.'
Discourse for a few minutes about sending a telegram to over-
take him at London or San Francisco-talk about the sea-pas-
sage, railways, tunnels, and what not.
""Ah, but I need none of these if I wish him back. I can
summon him again by a few mystic wavings of my wand and by
secret art. Hey, my friend, I need thy presence ; quick, re-
turn, I pray you. I wish to see you again in your familiar
garb-
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something ghostly hither comes.'"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,72,,"56
LATEST MAGIC
""I want three ladies each to choose a card from
this pack."" (He forces the ten of spades, allow-
ing the other two cards to be chosen freely, and
takes all three back, face down, on the mat, keep-
ing in mind which of them is the forced card. ""I
will take one of these cards."" (He picks up the
forced card, and holds it aloft.) ""Please all
notice what it is: I don't want to see it myself. I
drop it into this pretty flower-pot"" (actually drop-
ping it into the secret pocket). ""And now as to
these other two."" (He picks them up and shows
them, then replacing them on the mat.) ""These
I will place in the other flower-pot. First, how-
ever, I will show you that at present it is empty.""
He does so, and then lets the two cards slide off
the mat into the pot, the concealed card going with
them.
""Now I take this magnet. It is a very power-
ful magnet, and I make it still more vigorous by
rubbing it on my left coat sleeve. Do you know
why on the left ? You all give it up ? Because in
this case the left happens to be right. Simple,
when you know it, isn't it? Again, you will
observe that one-half of this magnet is painted
red. Can you guess why that is? It's so that
when it is wanted it is sure to be 'reddy.' I hear
a lady smile! Thank you so much! This is the
eleven hundred and third time I have let off that
little impromptu joke, and no one has ever laughed
at it till now."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,71,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
leading mechanical genius at the close of the seventeenth
century and the beginning of the eighteenth. He was a
man of high repute, whose history is not that of the
charlatan, compiled largely from tradition, but it can be
& YOUNGS Reem the of Leal-
Mall, facing rke Hay-Market, fern The
GRAND TREATAL of the MUSES, jaje
Mr. PINCHBECK,
THIS wonderful Machine is the Altonifh-
et all that feeit. the of be Struc-
tue, the Delicacy of the Paining quit and the
grast valiety of moving Figures m-k-s i the mott
priling Piece of An that has ever yer appear'd in Earope.
It di Landfeape, witha view of the Sea. termina-
to sieg PL dey difeppear, - doubling Avaft Swans Capes, in and River With diminifhing filling Shipsfailing, by plurning degrees plying
. and
Duck Hunilig to Perfection ard greas variety
M Motions Likewife Pifture, N-
la * Foreß playing umong the
Rere the very T ces, well as Banes, ere feen TO move,
as if animared and compell'4 bythe Hamony of bia Haxp.
It alle perfoims on feveral Inftruments great of molt
excellent Pieces of Mulich compos'd by Mz. H FANDEL, Co
RELLS ALEINONI, and orher celebtated
with fuch wonderful Exadneti, that fearce any Hand can
equal, It the fweet Hazmony of any AVI-
ary of Bieds, wherein the refpective Notes of the Nightin-
gate, Woodlatk, Cuckoo, &cc. are performed to fo giear a
Perfedion, NS not ro be from Naruze it fell.
Wirh feveral orher to men-
tion, Frices 55. 25. 6.d. and - To be feeo from 10
in The Morning vill to Night, by two, DE more, wichout
lofs if Fins.
Nate, This curions Machine will be removed ia a few
Days Deas but oute to the Leg Tavem in Ficerflieer,
Clipping from the London Daily Post of November 30th, 1798. Used by
Christopher Pinchbeck before he joined Fawkes. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
corroborated by court records, biographical works, and
encyclopaedias, as well as by contemporaneous newspaper
clippings.
According to Vol. XLV. of the ""Dictionary of National
Biography,' edited by Sidney Lee and published in 1896
by Smith, Elder & Co., 15 Waterloo Place, London:
""Christopher Pinchbeck was born about 1670, possibly
[ 54 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,71,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
61
The amateur will do well to select the simpler tricks for his
first attempts, and never pretend to exhibit even those withont
having frequently and diligently practised them. He must mako
up his resolution to train his hands to the passes, and to the
several manœuvres in the tricks, as diligently as young ladies
train their fingers to the keys of the piano.
And let them not be discouraged if they feel awkward and
nervous at first. Some of the best conjurors have candidly con-
fessed their early failings and misgivings With practice and
perseverance this will, in most cases, wear off. I would angur
that, if they feel an interest in the art, and a desire to excel in
it, they will most probably secure a measure of success that will
amply repay their efforts.
TRICK 25.-Thc Conjuror's ""Bonus Genius,"" or Familiar
Messenger.
This is an old trick that has delighted thousands, and may
amuse thousands more, if adroitly performed. There are only
the simplest mechanical arrangements connected with it ; its
successful exhibition depends upon the dexterity and vivacity of
the performer.
PREPARATION.
You must have a strong wooden doll, about eight or ten inches
high the head must fix on or off by a peg at the bottom of the
throat, being placed in a hole made at the too of the bust. Bo-
sides a close-fitting dress to its body, a large, loose, fantastic
cloak must be placed round the whole figure, but must be so ar-
ranged as to allow the head to be pushed down throngh the part
of the cloak that covers the bust, and an elastic pocket must be
neatly made inside the cloak to receive and retain the head.
Having the above apparatus ready, you may commence by
saying:
"" Allow me, ladies and gentlemen, to introduce my learned
friend and assistant-indefatigable in traveling to the most dis-
tant parts on any message I may wish to send him. He used to
be recognized by early conjurors as their Bonus Genius-their
good familiar spirit. But, whatever his special title, he is gifted
with the art of rendering himself visible or invisible, as he feels
disposed, while he travels to distant countries.
Allow me to call your attention to the solid frame and un-
flinching nerves, at any.rate to the vell-seasoned constitution of
my friend. [Rap him loudly, rap, lap, rap, on the table. The
raps he received during his education doubtless accustomed him
to bear much without flinching. Though his travels have ranged"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,71,,"MAGNETIC MAGIC
55
The expert will recognise this last effect as a
""chestnut"" among card tricks, but it is none the
worse on that account, and it forms a particularly
appropriate sequel to the principal trick.
If the performer possesses the ""flower-pot,"" one
of these will naturally be used in place of the hat.
MAGNETIC MAGIC
Requirements. Card mat, loaded with a single
known card (precise nature optional). Pack of
cards with corresponding card at top. A horse-
shoe magnet, the larger the better for the sake of
effect. The two flower-pots, placed at some dis-
tance apart, preferably on separate tables.
We will suppose that the card selected for the
purpose of the trick is the ten of spades. Per-
former advances, and delivers patter to something
like the following effect.
""By way of a change, I should like now to show
you a little experiment in magnetism, but mag-
netism of a new kind. The old sort was a com-
paratively poor affair. It was only useful with
iron or steel. Anything else it wouldn't attract
for nuts. My sort of magnetism is a very superior
article. It will attract all sorts of things, so long
as they are not too heavy, like a sack of coals, or a
lawyer's bill. So far, I have been chiefly experi-
menting with cards, and I will show you how it
works."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,70,,"and
-
Pinchester
Christopher Pinchbeck, Sr. This is the oldest and rarest authentic mezzotint in the
world pertaining to the history of magic. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 53"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,70,,"60
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
other hand, venture upon extreme and disconcerting compli-
ments to any person present. Rather, as a courteous master of
the ceremonies, conduct the experiments with a simple effort to
please and to amuse all. With the exhibition of an amateur,
the performance of some lively airs upon the piano by any friend
-
will form an agreeable accompaniment, especially if the spirited
and humorous melodies are introduced, which the public tasto
recognizes as the tunes of the day. You will do well to have
your table neatly and carefully arranged. Let it not lie too near
to the spectators, nor within reach of too minute inspection.
It should be of sufficient height to show the main objects placed
on it; but the surface of it may be just high enongh to be shel-
tered from the spectators clearly viewing every article upon it.
The ornaments should be few, yet, at the same time, be service-
able to shade a few articles which it may be policy to conceal.
1. The centre table may be a moderate-sized kitchen table,
with a drawer to stand open ; so that the performer can take any
article out of the drawer with one hand, while engaging the eyes
of the spectators with his other hand. A colored cloth should
be over the tables, on the side towards the spectators.
2. Two small tables, at the sídes of the centre table, may also
be useful, as in Fig. 22.
rG. 22.,
3. With tables arranged somewhat in this manner, the ama-
teur will be able to take up articles, from either the surface or
back of the tables, without attracting notice to his doing so.
He must practise taking up things with one hand, while his other
hand and his eyes are ostensibly occupied with some other ob-
ject; for if the spectators see him looking behind his table, their
eyes will immediately follow in the same direction,
4"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,70,,"54
LATEST MAGIC
with the left hand. When the knaves have been
laid upon it, you transfer it to the opposite hand,
and palm on to them the three concealed cards,
but immediately slide them off again, with the
uppermost of the four knaves beneath them. You
hold them up in a careless way, so that the
audience, catching sight of this card, may be con-
firmed in the belief that the cards exhibited in the
right hand are really the four knaves.
""Here we have the four knaves, at present all
together. I will now distribute them in different
parts of the pack, as far apart as possible. One
here, nearly at the bottom, one a little higher up,
another about the middle, and this last"" (you show
it carelessly), ""close to the top."" (This, being a
genuine knave, must be placed among the other
knaves.) ""They could hardly be placed farther
apart than that: but to make things a little more
difficult for them, I will ask some lady to cut the
cards.""
This done, and the cards handed back to you,
you repeat the click. ""There it is again: the wire-
less signal. You can all bear witness that I have
nothing to do with the matter. Now, Sir, will you
kindly examine the pack, and unless I am much
mistaken, you will find that the other three knaves
have answered Black Jack's call, and that the four
cheerful blackguards have got together again, in
which case, with your permission, I will leave them
severely alone, and try some other experiment."""
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,69,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
appeared on a programme used by Christopher Pinchbeck,
Sr., and the younger Fawkes. In 1784 it was included in
the répertoire of the Italian conjurer, Pinetti, in the guise
of ""Le Bouquet-philosophique."" In 1822 the same
trick, but this time called ""An Enchanted Garden,""
was featured by M. Cornillot,
who appeared in England as the
pupil and successor of Pinetti.
The trick was first explained
in public print by Henri De-
cremps in 1784 when his famous
exposé of Pinetti was published
B
under the title of ""La Magie
Blanche Dévoilée,"" and in 1786-
87 both Halle and Wiegleb ex-
posed the trick completely in
their respective works on magic.
That Robert-Houdin was an
Diagram of the orange-tree
trick, from Wiegleb's The
omnivorous reader is proven by
Natural Magic,"" published in
his own writings. That he knew
1794.
the history and tricks of Pinetti
is proven by his own words, for in Chapter VI. of his
""Memoirs"" he devoted fourteen pages to Pinetti and the
latter's relations with Torrini.
Now to prove that the tree tricks offered by Fawkes,
Pinchbeck, Pinetti, Cornillot, and Robert-Houdin were
practically one and the same, and to tell something of
the history of the four magicians who featured the trick
before Robert-Houdin had been heard of:
Unquestionably, the real inventor of the mysteriot
tree was Christopher Pinchbeck, who was England
[52]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,69,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
59
CHAPTER VII.
FRIENDLY SUGGESTIONS.
As
the amateur will aspire to come before his parlor audience
some cat or other, it may be some little service and hclp
to him to give ufew suggestions as to the best way of conducting
such an exhicition, and to specify the kind of tricks to which he
will do well to rimit himself. It will be desirable to open with
an off-hand exression of his wish to place before them a few
amusing tricks to wile away an hour ; and let him assume a
lively air, for his own liveliness will sustain that of the specta-
tors.
There are some conjurors who, though they can perform good
tricks, exhibit them in such a heavy, uninteresting way that they
create no enthusiasm. An over-anxious look, coupled with a
creeping, fearful movement, and a dull, monotonous voice, will
suggest distrust and dissatisfaction, even where the sudience has
come together prepossessed with the expectation of mirth and
glee. Let none assume, then, to wave the conjuror's wand till
ho has himself some confidence in his powers, knows what he
purposes to do, and means to carry it out. I would say that a
moderate degree of assumption, a gay vivacity, ready to break
out into a smile, a cheerful spirit, and a joyous voice, will go a
great way to bespeak favor, which the performer can quickly re-
pay by dashing off his tricks with enthusiasm. The language
used by the conjuror should be studiously guarded. Let there
be no vain-glorious assertions, no self-praise, but respectful def-
erence to the judgment of the spectators ; rather inclining to
give them the credit of understanding more than they do, than
twitting them with understanding less. Be neither overbearing
with conceited ""chaff"" upon any of the company ; nor, on the"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,69,,"THOSE NAUGHTY KNAVES
53
But we have not yet done with our trick. You
may resume as follows:
""I will give you a further illustration of what I
have to put up with from the knaves. I should
like you to be satisfied that I have nothing to do
C
FIG. 13
with their bad behaviour."" (You palm off the
three top cards, and with the same hand offer the
four knaves to a spectator. ""Will you, sir, make
sure that these really are the four knaves, and then
place them here on the top of the pack,""-offered"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,68,,"CHAPTER II
THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
R
OBERT-HOUDIN, on page I79 of the American
edition of his ""Memoirs,"" thus describes the
orange-tree trick, which he claims as his inven-
tion: ""The next was a mysterious orange-tree,
on which flowers and fruit burst into life at the request of
the ladies. As the finale, a handkerchief I borrowed
was conveyed into an orange purposely left on the tree.
This opened and displayed the handkerchief, which two
butterflies took by the corners and unfolded before the
spectators.""
On page 245 of the same volume he presents the
programme given at the first public performance in the
Théâtre Robert-Houdin, stating:
""The performance will be composed of entirely novel
Experiments invented by M. Robert-Houdin. Among
them being The Orange-Tree, etc.""
Now to retrace our steps in the history of magic as set
forth in handbills and advertisements of earlier and con-
temporaneous newspaper clippings describing their in-
ventions.
Under the title of ""The Apple-Tree"" this mechanical
trick appeared on a Fawkes programme dated 1730. This
was 115 years before Robert-Houdin claimed it as his
invention. In 1732, just before Pinchbeck's death, it
[ 51 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,68,,"58
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
cotton threads, having twisted two or three of them together,
and united them in a loop, which you draw through the ring, and
then slip the ring through the end of the loop. The ring will
then hang suspended about a foot below the stick. The stick
itself may be steadily fixed, resting on the back of two chairs at
an elevation, so as to be easily seen by the company.
When the ring has been thus suspended, set fire to the cotton
about two inches above the ring; the flame will run upwards to-
wards the stick; blow it out when about two inches from the
stick, and the ring will remain pendulous in the air for some lit-
tle time after the cotton has been burnt.
The suspension is said to be caused by a filament, or fine thread
of glass-which has been formed by the ashes of the cotton uni-
ting with the heated salt, with which the cotton had been pre-
pared.
Now this trick would be too simple an experiment to be exhib-
ited by itself; but coming as a finish to two other tricks, which
have been performed with the same ring, the spectators
Will give it honor due.
I trust that I have satisfactorily established the assertion that
a combination of congenial tricks will often tell more effectively
than the same tricks would if exhibited without such combi-
nation,
-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,68,,"52
LATEST MAGIC
municates with them by means of a sort of wire-
less telegraphy, and when he calls they go to him
at once."" (You here make the ""click.""7 ""Did
you hear that sound? That's his call now,
despatched by wireless from the hat to the very
middle of the pack. I have no doubt that we shall
find that the other three knaves have already left it,
and joined him in the hat."" (Make believe to look
over the pack, and hand it to a spectator.) ""Yes!
just as I thought: they are all gone."" (To a spec-
tator.) ""See for yourself, sir. Not a single
knave left. And here they all are, in the hat.""
(Whence they are produced accordingly.)
As the ""click"" in some cases adds much to the
effect of a trick, and as it may to some readers be
an unfamiliar sleight, I may pause to explain that
it is executed as follows: Take the pack in either
hand, held upright between forefinger and thumb,
a little more than half-way down, with the middle
finger curled up behind it as in Fig. 13. With the
tip of the third finger bend back the extreme bot-
tom corners of the last half dozen or SO of the
cards, allowing them to escape again smartly.
The sound made by the corners in springing back
again constitutes the ""click."" It needs a little
practice, but if the cards are held properly, and
the sleight worked smartly, the sound will be
audible at a considerable distance, whilst the move-
ment of the finger producing it is quite invisible
to the spectators."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,67,,"invention of second sight, suspension, and the writing and
drawing automaton. It is my intention to trace the true
history of each of these tricks and of all others to which
he laid claim as inventor, and show just how small a
proportion of the credit was due to Robert-Houdin and
how much he owed to magicians who preceded him
and whose brain-work he claimed as his own.
[50]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,67,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
57
the spectators to notice how it is secured, take hold of that part
of the handkerchief which incloses the fictitious ring in your
own hand, and tell the gentleman to place one by one the four
corners of the handkerchief over your hand. Directly he has
begun to do this, your fingers must proceed to unbend and open
the fictitious ring, and to press it by its pointed end through the
silk, and conceal it in your own palm. You tell your assistant
to blow upon the handkerchief and open it-the ring is gone,
and you return the handkerchief to the owner. Fetch the or-
ange from your table, and ask some one to cut it open, and he
will find the lady's ring in the centre of the orange.
TRICK 23.
You are now to proceed immediately to the next development
of the mysterious powers of the plain ring, which ladies so much
admire. You may commence by remarking that ""you have lit-
tle doubt that this symbol of love and obedience will at your
command pass through the table, solid as it is. Let us try.""
Place the tumbler on the table-produce your own silk hand-
kerchief, to the centre of which a plain ring is already fastened
by a doubled silk thread of about 4 inches length.
Use Pass 1 with the real ring, as if passing it into the hand-
kerchief: conceal that ring, and substitute for it the fictitious
ring.
Then addressing the spectators, say :
1
Now, ladies and gentlemen, I will drop this ring into the
glass, so as you shall hear it fall.' Do so. Let the handker-
chief rest over the glass for a minuto or two. ""Now I must
place this bowl under the table to receive the ring."" In so plac-
ing the bowl, you must silently place the real ring in it. Then
say alond, ""Change, ring; pass from the glass through the ta-
ble into the bowl below.) Lift up the handkerchief, and while
inviting one or two to come and examine the glass and the bowl,
smooth your forehead with the handkerchief as if heated, and
pass it into your pocket. Your young friends will be astonished
to find the ring not in the glass, where they heard it tinkle, but
in the bowl underneath the table.
TRICK 24.
Now, ring, you have amused us so well, that you shall, like
Mahomet, be sustained in the air without visible support.
Place over a common walking-stick some of your prepared"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,67,,"THOSE NAUGHTY KNAVES
51
Majesty had the misfortune to develop a mole upon
her nose, and King Cole was worried about it. He
consulted Old Moore and Zadkiel, and all the lead-
ing astrologers of the day, but all they could tell
him was
'A mole upon the face
Shows that something will take place,
But not what that something will be.'
That's just my case. My prophetic thumb merely
tells me that something is wrong, but doesn't say
what. It may be drains, or the house on fire, or
something in the county court. You never can
tell!
""Of course it's nothing of that sort now. In
the present case it has no doubt something to do
with the experiment I want to show you. You
chose your card quite freely, did you not, Madam?
It never matters to me in the least what card is
chosen, with the exception of one particular card,
which is a holy terror. May I ask if you happened
to draw the knave of clubs ? Yes ? I feared as
much. The knave of clubs is the bane of my life.
He is always endeavouring to get himself chosen,
and then he does his best to upset my arrange-
ments. And the worst of it is, he leads away the
other three knaves. The four of them form a
secret society, which they call ""The cheerful black-
guards.' The knave of clubs is the president, and
the rest have to do just as he tells them. He com-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,66,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Contemporary magicians of Robert-Houdin and men
of high repute in other walks of life seem to agree that
Robert-Houdin was an entertainer of only average merit.
Among the men who advanced this theory were the late
Henry Evanion of whose deep interest in magic I wrote
in the introduction, Sir William Clayton who was Robert-
Houdin's personal friend in London, Ernest Basch who
saw Robert-Houdin in Berlin, and T. Bolin of Moscow,
Russia, who bought all his tricks in Paris and there saw
Robert-Houdin and studied his work as a conjurer.
Robert-Houdin's contributions to literature, all of
which are eulogistic of his own talents, are as follows:
""Confidence et Révélations,"" published in Paris in
1858 and translated into English by Lascelles Wraxall,
with an introduction by R. Shelton Mackenzie.
""Les Tricheries des Grecs"" (Card-Sharping Exposed),
published in Paris in 1861.
""Secrets de la Prestidigitation"" (Secrets of Magic),
published in Paris in 1868.
""Le Prieuré"" (The Priory, being an account of his
electrically equipped house), published in Paris in 1867.
""Les Radiations Lumineuses,"" published in Blois in
1869.
"" ""Exploration de la Rétinue,"" published in Blois, 1869.
""Magic et Physique Amusante"" (œuvre posthume),
published in Paris in 1877, six years after Robert-Houdin's
death.
In his autobiography, Robert-Houdin makes specific
claim to the honor of having invented the following
tricks: The Orange Tree, Second Sight, Suspension,
The Cabalistic Clock. The Inexhaustible Bottle, The
4
[ 49 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,66,,"56
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
Take out that egg ; shake the bag well, as if it were quits
empty : and then, thrusting both your hands into tho interior
corners at A and B, turn the bag inside out; bring it to position
2, ready to re-commence bringing out the other eggs one by one,
as long as the spectators are interested. While you hold tho bag
in position 2, you can safely let any young person feel to the
bottom of the bag, as he will not be likely to suspect the eggs
are towards the top of the bag on tho side near to yourself.
The same bag may be used also much to the amusement of
children, by your loading it with walnuts, chesnuts, small ap-
ples, or pears, or any bon-bon of about the size of an eggi and
then allowing the children, one by one, to feel in your lucky bag
for what you take care they shall find in their successive
searches.
A SERIES OF TRICKS, 22, 23, 24.-The chief agent
being a plain gold ring.
PREPARATION.
You must be provided with a small thin wire pointed at both
ends, which, being bent round, will resemble an ordinary plain
gold ring.
You must also have on your table an orange or a lemon, a box
or bowl, a tumbler, and a dessert-knife.
And you must have four or five needlefuls of thick cotton,
which have becn previously steeped for about an hour in a wine-
glass of water, with a teaspoonful of salt in it; and have been
afterwards completely dried, so as to burn easily.
TRICK 22.
Having the fictitious ring in the palm of your hand, com-
mence by requesting any lady present to oblige you by lending
you a plain gold ring, and borrow also from some gentleman a
colored silk handkerchief. Appear to place the borrowed ring in
that handkerchief, but in reality place in it the rounded ficti-
tious ring. Doubling tho centre of the handkerchief round it,
request some gentleman to hold it, so as to be sure he has got
the ring in the handkerchief-while you fetch a slight cord to
fasten it. While going to your table to fetch this cord, you slip
the real ring into a slit in the orange which you had prepared,
and which closes readily over it. You then tie the cord round
the handkerchief, about two inches from the ring, and. calling"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,66,,"50
LATEST MAGIC
Presentation. Advance, palming off the knave
of clubs, and offer pack to be shuffled. When it is
returned, force the knave on one of the company.
Borrow a hat, and after showing that it is empty,
place it, crown downwards, on the table. Receive
back the drawn card upon the mat, remarking that
you will place it in the hat, which you do accord-
ingly, the other three knaves going in with it.
Then, assuming a worried expression, deliver pat-
ter to something like the following effect.
""I am afraid, ladies and gentlemen, that I shall
not be able to show you the experiment I had
intended. I have a telepathic nerve in my left
thumb, a sort of private fire alarm, only more so,
which always gives me warning when things are
going wrong, and I feel it now. If you have read
'Macheth,' you will remember that one of the
witches says:
'By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.'
""I have often wondered whether that old lady
could have been a sort of great-great-great grand-
mother of mine. Magic certainly runs in the
family, and we may have inherited it from her.
Anyhow, I have just the same sort of sensation
myself. Unfortunately, in my case the warning is
incomplete. I dare say you will remember that
story (I rather think it's in Macaulay's 'Lays of
Ancient Rome'), about Little Queen Cole. Her"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,65,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
sold for 35,000 francs. The historic temple of magic
still stands under the title of ""Théâtre Robert-Houdin,""
under the management of M. Melies, a maker of mo-
tion picture films.
During my investigations in Paris, I was shocked to
-
The last photograph taken of Robert-Houdin and used as the frontispiese for
the original French edition of his ""Memoirs,"" published in 1868.
find how little the memory of Robert-Houdin was revered
and how little was known of France's greatest magician.
In fact, I was more than once informed that Robert-
Houdin was still alive and giving performances at the
theatre which bears his name.
1 48 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,65,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
55
will fall into the large bag made by the double side; but it can-
not fall to the ground, however much you shake it, for there is
no opening but at A, and that is upwards towards your right
hand, so you may shake the bag boldly.
You next lower the bag a little, and spread it on your chest,
letting it rest there while you move your hands from A and B
to take hold of the corners C and D; and you must give an
Fig. 22.
Position 3.
Position 4.
opening for what had hitherto been the higher part of the bag,
to drop throngh between the opening that there is between C
and D. This will keep the double side of the bag (x) still to-
wards yourself, and the bag will now be returned to its original
position (Fig. 21.) With your left hand retaining hold of the
corner D, and lowering the bag towards your right hand, shako
well the bosened egs down towards the corner A. Search with
your right hand abont that corner, and the opening of the double
bag, and you will be able to bring out the egg that had been
loosened while the bag was in position 3."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,65,,"tion the order of production will naturally be
varied accordingly.
THOSE NAUGHTY KNAVES
This item may be described, if preferred, as
""Knavish Tricks.""
Requirements. Card mat loaded with knaves of
spades, hearts and diamonds, taken from the pack
in use. Knave of clubs on top of pack."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,64,,"A very rare mezzotint of Christopher Pinchbeck, Jr., combining the work
of Cunningham, the greatest designer, and William Humphrey, the greatest
portrait etcher of his day. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[57]
:"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,64,,"54
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
made at home, according to the following directions, to be pref-
erable.
It must be about the size of a small pillow, two feet three
inches across, and one foot nine inches deep. It has one of its
sides of double cloth, (x,) the other single, (z,) in the same way
as leather writing-cases have a pocket on one side, and a single
cover on the other. The double side is stitched together all
round, with the exception of an opening at A, which must be
about five inches long, or large enough to admit easily a hand to
put in or take out the eggs. This double side of the bag must
always be kept towards the performer, whereas the single side
must be always kept towards the spectators; and the only open-
ing between these two sides is between C and D. On the inte-
rior of the side of the double cloth bag, a strip or kind of frill
of the same cloth must be sewn, with an elastic binding round
the pockets or cups for eggs. The elastic binding will keep them
in these pockets, unless they are pressed by the thumb or fin-
ger, so as to release them and let them fall into the centre of the
double bag. The strip has the appearanco of a string of in-
verted egg-cups, thus :
Fig. 21.
The position of it in the bag is indicated in Fig. 21 by the
dots running across the bag ; but the strip itself is never seen
by the spectators, for it is placed on the inner side of the double,
bag, which is always towards the performer.
Having carefully prepared the abovo apparatus, commence the
exhibition of the trick by holding up the bag by the corners
a
and D, as represented in Fig. 21. Shake tho bag well while so
-
holding it, showing it to be (apparently) empty.
After having thus exhibited the bag, thrust both your hands
down inside it to the corners A and B. Holding those corners,
pull the bag inside out, and again show it to be empty, in this
reversed position, represented in Fig. 21.
As the spectators have now seen it thoroughly, inside and out-1
side, you may put the question to them, ""whether they admit
it to be empty, as they ought to know.'
While holding tho bag by tho samo corners A and B, you
must now gather tho bag a little closer together, and holding it
well up-see Fig. 1-press with your thumb ono of the eggs out
of its elastic cup. This can be easily donc without any one ob-
serving the movement. This egg, with a little gentle shaking,"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,64,,"48
LATEST MAGIC
there are lot of clever people about, if you know
where to look for them.
""Now I want to show you that the cards know
all about it themselves; in fact, they are just as
clever at doing sums as we are. I will take these
two cards and drop them into one of these pretty
flower-pots. Let me show you first that it is quite
empty.""
He lays the cards on the little mat while show-
ing inside of flower-pot (the one with secret
pocket), then picks up mat, and transfers it from
hand to hand, showing, without remark, that the
hands are otherwise empty, and lets the two cards
slide off it into the flower-pot, the concealed cards
naturally going with them.
""Now, ladies and gentlemen, what shall the cards
do for you, the addition, or the subtraction sum ?
It is all the same to me. The addition ? Very
good. They can't talk, SO they will call another
card from the pack to give you the answer. Yes,
here we have it. Five-and two-are-seven.'
As he names each card, he produces it from the
flower-pot, the third being the double-faced card,
shown as the seven.
""Now I can hear what some of you are thinking.
Oh, yes! I often hear what people think. You
are thinking that if you had said subtraction
instead of addition, I should have been in what is
popularly called a hole. But you are mistaken.
Now we will ask the cards to do the subtraction"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,63,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERTT-HOUDIN
time only as astronomical, for showing the various
motions and phenomena of planets and fixed stars.'
Mention is also made of musical automata in imitation of
singing birds and barrel organs for churches, as among
Pinchbeck's manufactures.
""Pinchbeck was in the habit of exhibiting collections
of his automata at fairs, sometimes in conjunction with a
juggler named Fawkes, and he entitled his stall ""The
Temple of the Muses,' 'Grand Theatre of the Muses,
or 'Multum in Parvo.' The Daily Journal of August
27th, 1729, announced that the Prince and Princess of
Wales went to the Bartholomew Fair to see hisexhibition,
and there were brief advertisements in The Daily Post of
June 1 2th, 1729, and the Daily Journal of August 22d
and 23d, I729. There is still a large broadside in the
British Museum (1850 C. 10-17) headed 'Multum in
Parvo,' relating to Pinchbeck's exhibition, with a blank
left for place and date, evidently intended for use as a
poster. Ile died November 18th, 1732; was buried No:
vember 2ist, in St. Denison's Church, Fleet Street.
""In a copy of the Gentlemen's Magasine, printed 1732
page 1083, there is an engraved portrait by I. Faber,
after a painting by Isaac Wood, a reproduction of which
appears in 'Britten's Clock and Watch Maker,' page I22.
His will, dated November roth, 1732, was proved in
London on November 18th.""
During one of his engagements at the Bartholomew
Fair, Pinchbeck probably met Fawkes, the cleverest
sleight-of-hand performer that magic has ever known,
and the two joined forces. Pinchbeck made all the auto-
mata and apparatus thereafter used by Fawkes, and, in
[56]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,63,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
53
mary secondary and short tricks wherever they can be brought
in appropriately as offshoots of longer and more important
ones.
TRICK 21.-The invisible hen : a very useful trick for
supplying eggs for breakfast or dinner.
PREPARATION.
In order to save the invisible hen trouble and delay, it will be
advisable to have eight or ten egg-shells, (as described in Trick
3;) or some light imitation eggs, painted white, may be bought
Fig. 20.
x
2
=
A
B
A
B
C
D
Position 1.
Position 2.
1
at any depot of conjuring apparatus. A linen or camlet bag
may also be procured from the same depot, though I think a bag"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,63,,"ARITHMETIC BY MAGIC
47
them to rise up and paw the air. It all depends on
the strength of the will. I myself happen to have
a very strong will, in fact, I don't know anyone
who has a stronger will, except my wife. I exert
my will, and say, ""first card, rise! and up it comes,
as you see.""
Stepping well back from the spectators, SO that
they cannot distinguish from what part of the pack
the card comes, he works up the hindmost card
by the familiar ""hand"" method. (""Modern
Magic,"" p. 129.)
""Here we have one of the two cards. Let us see
what it is. The five of diamonds! Good! And
now for the other. Second card; rise! Up comes
another card, you see, the deuce of diamonds.
Those are the cards which were drawn, are they
not ?
""Now the question arises, ""what shall we do with
21 It is a pity the ladies didn't choose bigger
cards. You can't'go nap' 1 on a deuce and a five,
can you ? I think I can't do better than use them
to show you a little experiment in conjurer's arith-
metic. Will some young mathematician among
the audience kindly tell us what two and five, added
together, make?"" (He waits for reply, but if
none, pretends to hear one.) ""Seven! Right
first time. And if you take two from five how
many remain? Three Good again. Really
1 To endeavor to take all five tricks in the game of Napoleon."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,62,,"THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
in Clerkenwell, London. He was a clockmaker and
inventor of the copper and zinc alloy called after his name.
He invented and made the famous astronomico-musical
clock. In Appleby's Weekly Journal of July 8th, I721,
At FAWKFS's THEATRE,
In near the Hay-market, will
be prefentedite following Entertaimments.
Firtt,
H IS Diverting and Incomparable
feveral Thingscatirely new.
of HAND, in whichie performe
N. n. In particular be caufera Tree to grow up in a Flower-
Pot upon the Table, which will blow and bear ripe Fruit in.a
Minute's Time,
Second, His Famous linde
Thind, The CLOCN, with two moving Pilures
Tascly made b, Mr. Pinchbeck.
Fourth, The Vest TIAN MACKINE, being the huen Piece
et Workmaufhip in the World, for moving other
Cariofities.
Fifth, The ANTIFICIAL Vrow of the wherein
is very nateraly imitared the Formament fpangled with Multitude
of Stari; the Moon's Increale and Décreate the Pawa of Day il
the diffufing his Lightar has Rifing : the beautiful Redneis of
the Horizin at hts a in a fine Summer Evening, The
Occait it alfo repreferred, with Ships under Sail,
Miles the Water, Difance; and their others they pafs B near by that Fort, their Shadows as &cc, the' are they at leea levent lis
28 muy
each other with Guits, the Report anddeccho of which are as
plaialy heard as the from Places they Anpear to be.
Every Weck are diffevent
Nore, Every Night tlats Week will be
following
1. The Ciry of Granz In the Drifredom of Stirla in Germany.
11. The Clry of Autwerp Nin Brabant in
III. The City of Grand Cairo in Egres.
IV The City of Africa.
every Evening precifely ar SFx n° Clock.
Pic AL Middle Upper 64
And thanhe Company may not be with Coll, theve
is Contrivanzes TO keep der Warn.
Note, Gendeaco and may have a privale Performance,
giving Noute the Sight befort.
Advertisement from the London Daily Post during 1730, showing the orange
tree as offered by the senior Fawkes, just previous to his death. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
it was announced that Christopher Pinchbeck, inventor
and maker of the astronomico-musical clock, is removed,
from St. George's Court (now Albion Place) to the sign
of the ""Astronomico-Musical Clock"" in Fleet Street, near
the Leg Tavern. He maketh and selleth watches of all
sorts and clocks as well for the exact indication of the
[55]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,62,,"52
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
For instance, in the trick which I often use as my first trick I
make a candle an amusing helper, by snatching it from the can-
dle-stick, and asking some one to hold it wrapt up in paper.
And this unexpected service of the candle is wrought into tho
body of the trick which I have in hand.
I change also a crystal ball into an orange by skilful manipu-
lation.
By such brief diversion of the attention of the spectators,
their eyes are withdrawn from watching too narrowly some ma-
nœuvre that is requisite to carry out the more important trick
which you have in hand.
Or you may actually make an act, which is a mere accessory,
cover some important portion of the trick; as in tho tape trick
(No. 20.) While PRETENDING TO SHOW YOUR ASSISTANT HOW TO
nold the tape in HIS hand, you slip the knot away unperceived
under YOUR OWN hand.
3. IN CONCLUDING A TRICK.
It greatly adds to tho éficiency of a trick to let it finish off
with a sparkle, or some playful addition which gilds its exit.
For instance, in the trick of doubling the pocket-money, (7th
Trick,) the little by-play of finding, or rather pretending to
find, some coins secreted in tho sleeve cf the young friend who
i:as helped you, is sure to bring out a good-humored laugh at
tie termination of the trick. Again, in Trick 16, the additional
fact of finding the watch in the loaf makes a lively termination
of ine performance of the obedient watch. In the 1Sth Trick,
the glass of wine becoming solid might be used as a good finish
to any trick where some friend has assisted in its exhibition.
You may often raise a good-humored laugh by appearing to
swallow any object which you have used in a trick-as an or-
ange, ball, egg, or dime-and afterwards bringing it out from
your sleeve ; or, by tho use of Pass 1, to drive a coin up one
sleeve, round the back of your neck, and down the other sleeve,
into your right hand.
I not only consider such amplifications of a trick lively and
interesting, bnt I maintain this to be the best way of employing"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,62,,"CARD TRICKS
ARITHMETIC BY MAGIC
Preparation. The two ""flower-pots"" (see page
5), separated, are placed upon the table. Also the
card mat (see page 1), loaded with the ten of any
given suit, say diamonds, taken from the pack per-
former is about to use, and a double-faced card,
representing on the one side the seven, and on the
other the three of the same suit. The deuce and
five of same suit to be laid on the top of the pack.
Performer, advancing pack in hand, palms off
the two top cards, and offers the rest to be shuffled.
This done, he forces these two cards on different
persons. On receiving back one of them, he brings
it to the top; executes a false shuffle leaving it in
the same position ; brings it again to the middle by
the pass, and has the second card replaced upon it;
then, once again making the pass, brings both
together to the top.
(The use of the Charlier pass is here recom-
mended.)
The patter may be to something like the follow-
ing effect: ""Two cards have been chosen, ladies
and gentlemen. I can't say what they are, but I
can very easily find out. I shall simply order
46"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,61,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
leading mechanical genius at the close of the seventeenth
century and the beginning of the eightcenth. He was a
man of high repute, whose history is not that of the
charlatan, compiled largely from tradition, but it can be
At YOUNGS Gront Riem, the of unite
Mall, faring de Hay-Market, feem The
GAAND TREATHE of the MUSES, jaft
find Mr. PINCHBECK,
THIS wonderful Machine is the Altonifh-
men et of that fee it. the Magnificraçe of bs
the Deliescy of the Painitag und Seulprure, and the
great variety of moving Figures makes it the moit fur-
priling Piece of An thaz has ever yer appear'd in Europe.
It regrefenta a Landfeape, witha view of the Sea. termina-
sing infentibly NE 4 vall wich Shipsfailing, plying
to doubling Capes, and diminithing by degrees
an des difappear, Swans in . River filling and pluming
Duck Hunring to Perfection, and grest variety
Motions Likewife Piéture, re-
OEPUTUS in playing amang rhe Bealts
fiere the very T res, as well du Bnnes, are feea 10 move,
as if animared and compell'd by the Hamony of bia Harp.
It allo perfoins on feveral Infrumenta great variety of moit
excellent Pieces of Mulick compos'd by Mr. HANDRE, Co-
RELET Bosescims, and orher celebtated
wich fuch wonderful Exaänel, that fearce any Hand em
equal. It liacwife imitates the fwee Hamony of any Avi-
ary of Birds, wherein the refpeltive Notes of the Nightin-
gale, Woodfark, Cuckoo, &c. are performed 10 to gieat a
Perfebtion, as not to be dillioguillid from Nature it felf.
Wirh feveral other grand 100 dious to men-
tiow, Prices rs. 25, 6 d. and To be feem from to
in the Morning rill To Nighr, by two, or more, without
lofe of Time.
Nate, This curious Machine will be removed ia a few
Days next Deas but oxie to the Leg Tavem in Fleetflieet,
Clipping from the London Daily Post of November 30th, 1798. Used by
Christopher Pinchbeck before he joined Fawkes. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
corroborated by court records, biographical works, and
encyclopaedias, as well as by contemporaneous newspaper
clippings.
According to Vol. XLV. of the ""Dictionary of National
Biography,"" edited by Sidney Lee and published in 1896
by Smith, Elder & Co., 15 Waterloo Place, London:
""Christopher Pinchbeck was born about 1670, possibly
[ 54 ]
1"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,61,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
51
I do not say that every trick is to be amplified or loaded with
extraneous matter in all these different stages, (that would be to
run into the contrary extremo of over-cumbrous amplification;
but I will endeavor to point out the effect of such development
in the above three stages of a trick, and if I can show that am-
plification in each several one may be an improvement, I may
be considered to have made good my proposition that any trick
may be improved and rendered more interesting by one or other
of those amplifications.
Let us see if we cannot lay down a bill of fare for our guests
which, going beyond a solid joint, (good as that may be in its
way,) will furnish them with some relishing accessory in the
first course of a trick, some stimulant side-dishes with its second
course, or may please with some bon-bons before the entertain-
ment is quite concluded.
1. INTRODCCTORY.
Now, first as to introductory matter. Suppose a conjuror is
able to perform Trick 3-tho ""Dancing Egg""--it will waken up
his audience if, instead of proceeding at once with the trick, ho
can by sleight-of-hand find out an egg in the whiskers or neck-
tie of some unwatchful spectator, and afterwards substituto
for it the egg prepared with a hair and wax.
The chief aim of introductory matter should be to enlist the
thoughts and expectations of your audience under your com-
mand, so as to preclude their watching what you are driving at.
Show all you can safely show openly; enlarge upon the things
being submitted to their own eyes and touch; engage their eyes
and ears with certain appearances leading their thoughts to
adopt your suggestions, so that, when you approach the devel-
opment intended, they have had no leason to suspect your mo-
tives; thus having their confidence, you can jump at once to
their credulity, though there may, in fact, exist some gap, or il-
logical process, which they omit to notice.
2. DURING THE SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF A TRICK.
I often vary and render more interesting the development of
a trick by some little by-piay."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,61,,"WHERE IS IT?
45
the other hand, the trick is well worth the trouble
needed to master it, for if the spectators are con-
vinced (as, given perfect execution, they should
be) that it is really the borrowed coin which trav-
els about as it appears to do, nothing short of gen-
uine magic will furnish an adequate explanation.
The performer is of course by no means bound
to adopt the mise en scene above suggested. If
preferred, the patter might be based on a supposed
plot between the two knaves to rob the queen, the
coin representing the stolen property, secretly
passed from the one to the other when either was
accused of the theft. The story might conclude
with an appeal by the queen to a benevolent
magician, through whose good offices her property
is brought back to its original position, and in due
course restored to her. The touch of the mystic
wand would naturally play an important part in
effecting the restoration."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,60,,"Pinchestic
stopher Pinchbeck, Sr. This is the oldest and rarest authentic mezzotint in the
orld pertaining to the history of magic. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 53 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,60,,"50
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
The reader will have seen that, in some of the tricks explained
in previous papers, there is simply some one definite object to
be carried out. For instance, in the two tricks which concluded
the last paper, the performer simply undertakes to throw the
spools off the tape, or to restore a tape which has been cut. Ho
sets about this, accomplishes it, and the trick is over. This is
all very well as far as it goes. If the trick is really a good one,
it is like a host furnishing his guests with a solid joint to satisfy
their appetite; ; and it may do so. But still it comes short of a
lively entertainment. It is confessedly dull for an audience to /
come to pauses O1 gaps between isolated tricks. Their attention
is unoccupied while the performer, having finished off one trick,
is making mute preparations to introduce some other trick
wholly unconnected with what has gone before. Such a method
will not keep awake the lively interest that the skilful combina-
tion of the conjuror's art will sustain. I maintain that varied
by-play and supplementary sets-off will greatly heighten the in-
terest of the performance.
It will also serve to disarm the suspicious and incredulous,
preparing them to believe what they might otherwise stand on
their guard against. Bare tricks brought forward as isolated ex-
periments give time for the mind to take its estimate of their
possibility ; and, of course, in attempting to exhibit wonders,
the improbability of them is apt to stare people strongly in the
face. They are perfectly convinced that a dime cannot fly into
an orange at the other end of the room, that ink cannot become
water, nor a hat be safely used as a frying-pan ; but if you inter-
pose appearances and movements that are consistent with such
processes going on, they are gradually prepared to recognize as
a legitimate result what you have previously indicated as the
contemplated end of those processes.
The amplification or fuller development which I speak of can
be effected at any of the following stages:
1. In the introductory matter leading on to the main trick or
transformation
2. In the subsequent stages of its development; or,
3. In the winding-up smartly or variedly the conclusion of a
trick."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,60,,"44
LATEST MAGIC
positions have been shown, the audience being
allowed to say under which card the coin shall
appear, and the last shift having been to one of
the side positions, the performer says: ""I should
like you to be satisfied that it is really the marked
coin and no other, that wanders about in this way.
I will ask the gentleman who lent it to me to verify
his mark.""
He picks up from one of the side positions the
coin last uncovered and brings it forward, but in
transit ""switches"" it for the borrowed coin, which
he has a moment previously picked up from its
resting place behind the pack. It is, of course,
this last which he offers for identification, again
exchanging it for The substitute before replacing
this in its former position. The final reproduc-
tion must be from under the centre card, the per-
former again ringing the changes before returning
the coin to the owner. At the close of the trick all
three cards are placed on the pack, the centre over-
lay going with them. The other two overlays are
left on the mat, each still covering its own coin,
and the whole being carried off together. If the
mat is of the folding kind it can be closed before
removal, effectually concealing the accessories
used in the trick.
Some amount of skill will be found necessary
to pick up the card with or without the correspond-
ing overlay, as may be desired. The difficulty
however speedily disappears with practice.- On"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,59,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
appeared on a programme used by Christopher Pinchbeck,
Sr., and the younger Fawkes. In 1784 it was included in
the répertoire of the Italian conjurer, Pinetti, in the guise
of ""Le Bouquet-philosophique."" In 1822 the same
trick, but this time called ""An Enchanted Garden,""
was featured by M. Cornillot,
who appeared in England as the
pupil and successor of Pinetti.
The trick was first explained
in public print by Henri De-
cremps in 1784 when his famous
exposé of Pinetti was published
0
under the title of ""La Magie
Blanche Dévoilée,"" and in 1786-
87 both Halle and Wiegleb ex-
posed the trick completely in
their respective works on magic.
That Robert-Houdin was an
Diagram of the orange-tree
omnivorous reader is proven by
trick, from Wiegleb's The
Natural Magic,"" published in
his own writings. That he knew
1794.
the history and tricks of Pinetti
is proven by his own words, for in Chapter VI. of his
""Memoirs"" he devoted fourteen pages to Pinetti and the
latter's relations with Torrini.
Now to prove that the tree tricks offered by Fawkes,
Pinchbeck, Pinetti, Cornillot, and Robert-Houdin were
practically one and the same, and to tell something of
the history of the four magicians who featured the trick
before Robert-Houdin had been heard of:
Unquestionably, the real inventor of the mysterious
tree was Christopher Pinchbeck, who was England's
[52]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,59,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
49
-
-
CHAPTER VI.
ON THE CONTINUITY OF TRICKS.
IT
may be useful now to invite attention to the theory of pre
serving a continuity in the development of tricks, where
circumstances admit of this being done. Sundry displays of
legerdemain admit of being adroitly linked together; and I shall
endeavor to explain why such an harmonious continuity is pref-
crable to an unconnected series of isolated tricks ; for when once
a novico gets a clear perception of this principle, he will be
able, according to his own special taste, to produce a pleasing
varicty of combinations in his experiments. He will thus rise
above being a mero copyist of the methods used by others, and
so will give a zest and frcshness to his performances.
Now, thero aro many short and secondary dashes of legerde-
main, which a spirited performer will be able to introduce in ad-
dition to the tricks which he is exhibiting. There are also sev-
eral ornamental or fanciful little tricks which would not rivet the
attention of an audienco if exhibited by themselves. These,
though unqualified to shino as the main object of observation,
may nevertheless be worked into the evening's entertainment as
amusing by-play, and may thus prevent the interest of the spec-
tators from flagging. They may come in as accessories-as
stimulating side-dishes-causing the entertainment to bear a
continuous character, instead cf merely consisting of sundry
isolated experiments.
Let me be allowed to substantiate what I have advanced by
referenco to somo of the tricks which I have already described."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,59,,"WHERE IS IT?
43
""I do this,"" he explains, ""in order to drive out
all adverse magnetisms, and to substitute my own.
I will now put the coin in full view on the table
and cover it with a card. See that I do SO fairly.""
After laying down the coin he takes the top card
of the pack, and with it, unknown to the specta-
tors, the overlay beneath it, and lowers them on to
the coin.
""Notice particularly, please, where I have
placed the coin, and notice too that I do not touch
it again. I will now place two more cards, one on
each side of the first one."" He does so, letting the
spectators see clearly that there is nothing in the
hand save the card itself, and then slowly lowering
it exactly on to one of the two overlays on the
table. ""Now I make a few magnetic passes over
the cards, so."" He waves his wand backwards and
forwards above the cards, at a few inches' distance.
""And now, where is the coin? Still under the
middle card, you would say You are mistaken.""
He lifts that card lengthwise, leaving the overlay
covering the coin; then replacing the card. ""Itis
no longer there, you see. In point of fact it has
passed under this card.""
He lifts one of the side cards breadthwise, the
overlay coming with it, and exposes the coin
beneath it. ""Here it is, you see. We will try
once more."" He replaces the card and then shows,
in like manner, that the coin has passed to the
card on the opposite side. After one or two trans-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,58,,"CHAPTER II
THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK
R
OBERT-HOUDIN, on page I79 of the American
edition of his ""Memoirs,"" thus describes the
orange-tree trick, which he claims as his inven-
tion: ""The next was a mysterious orange-tree,
on which flowers and fruit burst into life at the request of
the ladies. As the finale, a handkerchief I borrowed
was conveyed into an orange purposely left on the tree.
This opened and displayed the handkerchief, which two
butterflies took by the corners and unfolded before the
spectators.""
On page 245 of the same volume he presents the
programme given at the first public performance in the
Théâtre Robert-Houdin, stating:
""The performance will be composed of entirely novel
Experiments invented by M. Robert-Houdin. Among
them being The Orange-Tree, etc.""
Now to retrace our steps in the history of magic as set
forth in handbills and advertisements of earlier and con-
temporaneous newspaper clippings describing their in-
ventions.
Under the title of ""The Apple-Tree"" this mechanical
trick appeared on a Fawkes programme dated I730. This
was II5 years before Robert-Houdin claimed it as his
invention. In I732, just before Pinchbeck's death, it
[ 51 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,58,,"48
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
tape-C D-to be seen, but concealing from the spectators
that you have hold of two pieces, one a very long one, and the
other only about five inches long. You can then say: ""Now I
have to join these two ends, and to restore the tape
Fig. 19.
whole as at first."" You then turn the little piece C
1-
c
D round the piece y, which is in your left hand, and
you tie a knot with the ends of that little piece.
y
You must not tie this knot very tight, and after you
have tied it, you drop the other end of the tape alto-
gether out of your right hand.
The appearance which the tapes will then have is
represented in Fig. 19. That is, you will seem to
hold the equally divided pieces of the long tape
joined in a knot at y, whereas in fact it is only tho
small end piece C D, tied round the middle of the
long tape, which you hold between the thumb and
forefinger of the left hand. Exhibit the knot to the
company, and say : ""I admit that this knot hardly
looks liko a perfect restoration ; I must employ my
best art to get rid of its unsightly appearance.""
Ask some one to hold, at about three yards' dis-
tanco, the end marked with small d, retaining hold of
the centre-at y-in your left hand, which quite COV-
d
A
ers the knot. Tell yourfriend to wind the tape round
his hand, and, while pretending to show him how to
do this, by winding the part which you hold round
your left hand, slide away towards your right the loose knot un-
der your right hand. Then, holding out the end of the tape A
towards another friend, to hold at about three yards' distance to
the right, slip from off the long tape the little movable knot un-
der your right hand, just before he takes hold of this end of the
tape. Conceal in your right hand the little end-piece of tape,
until you can get rid of it into your pocket, or into any
unob-
served spot. Blow upon your left hand, which is supposed still
to cover the knot, saying ""Knot, begone ! Tako
up your left hand, and show the tape to be free from any knot,
or join from one end of it to the other.
-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,58,,"42
LATEST MAGIC
places under one of the thimbles, all three of which
he then shifts about on the tray; inviting the spec-
tators to bet with him as to which thimble the pea
is under. He has two or three confederates, who
bet, and naturally win, but if an outsider is rash
enough to back his own supposed smartness he
loses; for as a matter of fact the pea is not placed
under either of the thimbles at all until after the
bet is made, when it is skilfully introduced under
whichever thimble best suits the performer.
""The trick is in truth a mere affair of dexterity;
the performer having acquired by long practise
the power of placing the pea under any thimble
he pleases. What I propose to show you is a sim-
ilar effect, but more surprising, because, as you will
see, there is no room for dexterity, or indeed any
form of trickery; so that I have to depend entirely
upon my magic power. I shall use a shilling, as
being more easily seen than a pea, and three cards
from this pack to represent the thimbles.
""Will some gentleman oblige me with the loan
of a shilling; marked in such a way that he may
be sure of knowing it again.""
Receiving the coin in his right hand, the per-
former makes believe to transfer it to his left;
wherein he already has a shilling of his own.
Surreptitiously depositing the coin lent to him
behind the pack of cards on the table, he exhibits
the substitute on the palm of the left hand and rubs
it with the fingers of the right."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,57,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal, The Vaulting Trapeze
Automaton, and the Writing and Drawing Figure.
His fame, which has been sung by writers of magic
without number since his death, rests principally on the
invention of second sight, suspension, and the writing and
drawing automaton. It is my intention to trace the true
history of each of these tricks and of all others to which
he laid claim as inventor, and show just how small a
proportion of the credit was due to Robert-Houdin and
how much he owed to magicians who preceded him
and whose brain-work he claimed as his own.
[50]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,57,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
47
Fig. 18 represents the hands as they appear to the performer
himself, holding the tape with the thumb and forefinger at the
crossings of the tape at y and z, while the outward sides of each
loop are to be held by the three other fingers of each hand.
FIG. 17.
FIG. 18.
Left Hand,
Right Hand.
D
it
11p
A
x
y
N
IC
B
x
y
2
C
B
To proceed with the trick : Holding your hands in this posi-
tion, (Fig. 18,) you must request one of the spectators to cut
through the tape at x, but just as he is about to do so, you must
quickly lower your hands two or three inches, and then raise
them again. This movement will conceal the following opera-
tion. You drop the part (B) of the tape held in your right
hand, and at the same moment pick up with that hand the other
tape marked C.
This will bring the portion of tape from C to D, so that it now
becomes the transverse tape, substituted in place of the tape
marked x, and your young friend will then cut it-instead of the
original tape marked x-without being aware tbat he is so
doing.
When the tape has been cut through, you can put your hands
near together, allowing the two ends of the little piece of the"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,57,,"WHERE IS IT ?
II
to the performer, but not to the company, serving
as guides to exact position. When the performer
desires to show that the coin is not under a given
card, he raises the card only, lifting it lengthwise,
and leaving the coin covered by the overlay.
When he desires to exhibit a coin, he picks up the
card covering it breadthwise between finger and
thumb and with it the overlay beneath it.
Fig. 12
The introductory patter may run as follows:
""You have all heard, no doubt, of what is called
the thimblerig trick, frequently exhibited at fairs
and on race-courses. Some of you gentlemen may
even have parted with a little money over it. For
the benefit of the ladies I will explain what it is.
""The operator has before him on a small board
or tray three thimbles, or half walnut-shells. He
exhibits a small pea, or a pellet the size of a pea,
which he affectionately calls the 'joker.' This he"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,56,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Contemporary magicians of Robert-Houdin and men
of high repute in other walks of life seem to agree that
Robert-Houdin was an entertainer of only average merit.
Among the men who advanced this theory were the late
Henry Evanion of whose deep interest in magic I wrote
in the introduction, Sir William Clayton who was Robert-
Houdin's personal friend in London, Ernest Basch who
saw Robert-Houdin in Berlin, and T. Bolin of Moscow,
Russia, who bought all his tricks in Paris and there saw
Robert-Houdin and studied his work as a conjurer.
Robert-Houdin's contributions to literature, all of
which are eulogistic of his own talents, are as follows:
""Confidence et Révélations,"" published in Paris in
1858 and translated into English by Lascelles Wraxall,
with an introduction by R. Shelton Mackenzie.
""Les Tricheries des Grecs"" (Card-Sharping Exposed),
published in Paris in 1861.
""Secrets de la Prestidigitation"" (Secrets of Magic),
published in Paris in 1868.
""Le Prieuré"" (The Priory, being an account of his
electrically equipped house), published in Paris in 1867.
""Les Radiations Lumineuses,"" published in Blois in
1869.
""Exploration de la Rétinue,"" published in Blois, 1869.
""Magic et Physique Amusante"" (œuvre posthume),
published in Paris in 1877, six years after Robert-Houdin's
death.
In his autobiography, Robert-Houdin makes specific
claim to the honor of having invented the following
tricks: The Orange Tree, Second Sight, Suspension,
The Cabalistic Clock. The Inexhaustible Bottle, The
4
[ 49 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,56,,"46
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
You may move about the spools 2 and 3, to show how the tape
runs through them, but you must not nove spool 1.
You may then say that the puzzle is to get the spools of the
tapes while the four ends are held firmly in the hands of four
persons. Appoint four persons to hold them, and you may then
say: ""To make doubly sure, I will tie one of the ends at A to
one of the ends at B with (the first half of) a knot."" It does
not signify which ends you take to do this, FO that you take ono
A and one B. I will now pull these two ends so tight that it
draw the three spools together, and also tighten all along one
sido of them.'
Then, while four persons hold firmly the extreme ends cf the
Fig. 16.
2
3
B
1
A
13
tapes, you must take shorter hold of the two A's with your left
hand, (where it is marked by a dottedline, Fig. 16,) and also take
hold of the other tapes where a dotted line is marked on them
towards B. Then drawing your arms wider apart, so as to pull
the tapes steadily, the spools or balls will fall to the ground with-
out passing over the ends of the tapes.
TRICK 20.-To restore a tape whole after it has been
cut in the middle.
PREPARATION.
Have five or six yards of tape about three-quarters of an inch
broad.
Take half the length in each hand. You will be able to show
the audience that you are about to cut it in the middle, by hold-
ing it in two loops of equal length. Call their attention point-
edly to the equal division of the full length.
The tape will thus appear to the performer in the position
represented in Fig. 17.
Observe the tape A crosses at Z the tape B on the side next to
the performer, whereas the tape D is to cross the tape y on the
side farthest from him."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,56,,"40
LATEST MAGIC
apart, as shown in Fig. 11, under which circum-
stances they are invisible to the spectators at a few
feet distance, and very nearly so to the performer,
save that their white edges, turned towards him-
self, furnish him with an exact guide to their posi-
tion. On the top of the pack are laid, first the two
knaves. On these the queen overlay, and upper-
most the unprepared queen.
Fig. 11
In presenting the trick the borrowed shilling
is laid on the mat midway between the two
overlays already on the table, and is covered with
the top card of the pack, the third overlay being
lifted off with it, and resting beneath it with its
centre as nearly as possible over the coin.
The two following cards are now laid one on each
side of the first, as in Fig. 12, each on the corre-
sponding overlay, the white edges of these, visible"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,55,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
sold for 35,000 francs. The historic temple of magic
still stands under the title of ""Théâtre Robert-Houdin,""
under the management of M. Mclies, a maker of mo-
tion picture films.
During my investigations in Paris, I was shocked to
-
The last photograph taken of Robert-Houdin and used as the frontispiese for
the original French edition of his ""Memoirs,"" published in 1868.
find how little the memory of Robert-Houdin was revered
and how little was known of France's greatest magician.
In fact, I was more than once informed that Robert-
Houdin was still alive and giving performances at the
theatre which bears his name.
1 48 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,55,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
45
FIGS. 11, 12.
A
K
B
FIG. 13.
FIG. 14.
B
A
B
The spool or ball must be put on the tapes at the extreme ends
of the tape B, and drawn to the left, till it just covers the noose
at K. as in Fig. 14.
N. B.-All the above should be prepared before the spectators
are invited to witness the trick.
Commence the exhibition by calling upon the spectators to
observe that you hold a reel, or ball, through which two tapes
are passed.
You may then produce two more spools, or wooden balls, and
place one of them over the ends at A, and the other over the
ends at B.
The following will then be the appearance of the balls or spools
and the tapes passed through them (Fig. 15):
Fig. 15.
2
I
3
B
B1"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,55,,"WHERE IS IT?
39
The coin may be identified by the owner in the
course of the trick, as well as at its close.
The requirements for the trick are as follows:
1. The velvet mat.
2. A pack of cards, arranged as presently to
be explained.
3. Three overlays (see p. 20), each consisting, in
the present instance, of a court card, backed with
velvet of similar tint and texture to that with
which the mat is covered. Three of the edges of
each card are blackened, but the fourth (one of its
shorter sides) is left white, and thickened by the
insertion of an extra slip of white card along that
end. The effect of this is that, as the card lies
on the mat, its white edge is visible from that side,
but from no other position.
4. Three cards, corresponding with the three
overlays, which we will suppose to represent the
queen of clubs, and the knaves of spades and dia-
monds respectively. The queen is wholly unpre-
pared, but each of the two knaves has a point of
fine wire, or a black bristle projecting a sixteenth
of an inch or so, midway from each of its sides.
The ""queen"" overlay is furnished with similar
points, the object of these being to enable the per-
former the more easily to lift a given card with or
without its duplicate overlay.
In preparing for the trick the two ""knave""
overlays, each covering a shilling, are laid before-
hand on the mat, velvet side up, eight or ten inches"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,54,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
performing this service is not set forth in any of his works.
He spent the fall of 1856 in Algeria.
From the date of his return to St. Gervais to the time
of his death, June 13th, 1871, Robert-Houdin devoted
his energies to improving his inventions and writing his
R
Bas-relief on Robert-Houdin tombstone. From a photograph taken by the
author, especially for this work, and now in the Harry Houdini Collection.
books, though, as stated before, it was generally believed
by contemporary magicians that in the latter task he
entrusted most of the real work to a Parisian journalist
whose name was never known.
He was survived by a wife, a son named Emile, and
a step-daughter. Emile Houdin managed his father's
theatre until his death in 1883, when the theatre was
[ 47 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,54,,"44
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
thanks, ask you to take a glass of wine. Do you like wine?
Ah, I see by your smile you do.""
Pour out of bottle No. 1 half a glass, and, going towards him,
stop short and say : ""Ah, but I am afraid your mamma would
bo di:pleased with me if I gave you wine so strong without any
water, and I should be sorry to tempt you to drink what she
would disapprove. Stay, I will mix a little water with it.""
Mix some of No. 2 bottle, so as to fill the wine-glass, and say :
"" Oh, never mind losing the pure wine; I dare say you will like
it very well as it is, and make a few chatty remarks, to give the
liquids time to mingle their effects in the glass; and after a
minute or two say ""Ah! I'll tell you what I am sure your
mamma would like still better-if I could give you some calves'-
foot jelly. Now, I really believe, if I were to stir it with this
teaspoon, and try my magic wand over it, I can turn it to jelly.
Let us try.' Occupy a little time while it is becoming like jelly,
and go on with a little more talk till you see that it has become
solid. Then say : ""Well, after all, I will not deprive you of
your wine so hereitis Please drink it."" Putting it to his
lips, he will find it has become so solid that he cannot drink it,
but it can be turned out quite solid into the saucer, and a gen-
eral laugh will greet him on the disrppointment of his wine.
Having submitted a few remarks upon the class of tricks that
are to be performed by help of the sciences, magnetism, chem-
istry, etc., and having stated my reasons for my not more fully
discussing them, I will now proceed to give an explanation of
one or two more that are better suited for the practice of ama-
teurs.
TRICK 19.-To draw three spools off two tapes without
those spools having to come off the ends of the tapes,
and while the four ends of the tapes are held by four
persons.
PREPARATION.
You must have two narrow tapes of about four feet long, bent
as in Fig. 11. Red tape I prefer.
You must next insert about half an inch of A through the loop
of B, and bring it back down on the other part of A.
A spool such as cotton is wound on, or an ornamented ball
with a hole drilled through it, just large enough to hold the tapes
lightly, will be required (Fig. 13.)"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,54,,"38
LATEST MAGIC
If the reader (being an expert) is provided with
a spare red ball and red shell, he may offer the
choice as to which shall be the colour of all three,
finally causing their disappearance after the man-
ner above described, or his own version thereof.
WHERE IS IT?
This is another of the tricks dependent on the
novel application of the black art principle.
For programme purposes the trick may, if pre-
ferred, be entitled ""The Erratic Shilling."" Its
effect may be broadly described as follows:
A marked shilling, lent by some member of the
company, after being professedly magnetised or
mesmerised by rubbing, is laid upon a black velvet
mat and covered with a playing card, face down.
Two other cards are laid (also faces down), one on
each side of the first, at a few inches distance from
it, and the audience are given to understand that
the rubbing has imparted to the coin the power to
travel from card to card at command, and indeed
sometimes of its own accord. When the card
which covered the coin is lifted, this is found to be
the case. The shilling is no longer where first seen,
but is found to have placed itself under one of the
other two cards. The spectators may be invited
to say under which of the cards they would like the
coin to pass, when it will place itself accordingly."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,53,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
retired to his home at St. Gervais. Here he continued
to work along mechanical and electrical lines, and in 1855
he again came into public notice, winning awards at the
Exhibition for electrical power as applied to mechanical
uses. In 1856, according to his autobiography, he was
Robert-Houdin's grave, in the cemetery at Blois, France. From a photo-
graph taken by the author, especially for this work, and now in the Harry
Houdini Collection.
summoned from his retirement by the Government to
make a trip to Algeria and there intimidate revolting
Arabsby1 the exhibition of his sleight-of-hand tricks. These
were greatly superior to the work of the Marabouts or
Arabian magicians, whose influence was often held re-
sponsible for revolts. What Robert-Houdin received for
[ 46 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,53,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
43
young people. It does not, however, require a large number to
be present, but, contrary to the usual scientific tricks, its devel-
opment comes off better with one companion than with a dozen
PREPARATION.
You must induce your cousin Jemima, or some other young
lady who is just of age to have cut her eye-teeth, to consent to
help you by accompanying you to a room with closed shutters
and no candles. A moderate-sized looking-glass must be on the
table, the smaller the better, for reasons below assigned. Have
ready at hand some ounces of hard candy.
You commence the trick by placing yourselves, land-in-hand,
before the looking glass. If it is rather small, your heads will
be the closer-in order to see the reflection of both at once.
Then, with mouths as open as may be, try which of you can
crush his or her share of sugar-candy with the teeth the quick-
est. In the glass will appear the reflection of sparks of electri-
city, as the experiment proceeds. If your companion is ner-
vous, you can of course support her with one arm-ladies are
sometimes susceptible, whether from animal magnetism or what
not. The electric sparks coming between the lips may also be
attractive, and you may be tempted to try whether the electricity
evaporates the sweetness; but of course youmust not be tempted
to forget the philosophical nature of the experiment; and, if you
behave with propriety, the lady will doubtless, on her return to
the company, tell them, in a staid manner, that the experiment
was all right; and perhaps when you see her, even a day or two
afterwards, you will observe there is an arch dimple on her cheek
and an electric sparkle lighting up her eye-and I should not
wonder if you should feel a desire to try the experiment over
again.
TRICK 18.-A chemical trick to follow one where a
young friend has assisted.
PREPARATION. I
You must have a wine-glass, a saucer, and a teaspoon. and
the chemical bottles No. 1 (silicate of potash) and No. 2 (alumi-
nate of potash,) which can be obtained from any druggist.
At the close of some trick in which any young friend has as-
sisted, you can say : ""Well, my young friend, you have assisted
me so courteously and well that I must, in order to express my"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,53,,"THE DISSOLVING DICE
37
The sequel may vary, according to the fancy of
the performer, and his skill in ball-conjuring.
For lack of a more effective dénouement, the trick
may be brought to a finish as follows:
Secretly getting the shell ball into his right
hand, and picking up the red ball with the left,
the performer proceeds:
""Well, here we have three balls, one red and two
white. To prevent ill feeling between them, I
think we had better make them all the same colour:
and as the white are in the majority, we will have
them all white. It is quite easy, if you know how
to do it. You have only to breathe on the ball,
give it a roll round in the hand to take the colour
off, and there you are.""
After breathing on the ball, you bring the right
hand containing the shell over it, and exhibit it,
shell in front. You then transfer it in the same
condition, to the opposite hand. Then pick up one
of the two white balls with the right hand, transfer
it to the left and show the two side by side. Then
pick up and add the third ball, in SO doing letting
the red ball fall into the right hand, and while
calling attention to the three in the opposite hand,
drop it into the profonde. You then bring up the
shell over one or other of the two solid white balls,
thereby transforming the three into two. Drop
the solid from the shell into the right hand, making
the two into one; finally causing the disappearance
of this last after the usual manner."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,52,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
In 1846 he claims to have invented second sight, and
at the opening of the season in 1847 he presented as his
own creation the suspension trick. During the interim
he played an engagement in Brussels which was a finan-
cial failure.
In 1848 the Revolution closed the doors of Parisian
theatres, Robert-Houdin's among the rest, and he re-
turned to clockmaking and automata building, until he
received from John Mitchell, who had met with great
success in managing Ludwig Döbler and Phillippe, an
offer to appear in London at the St. James's Theatre.
This engagement was a brilliant success and for the first
time in his career Robert-Houdin reaped big financial
returns.
Later Robert-Houdin toured the English provinces
under his own management and made return trips to
London, but his tour under Mitchell was the most notable
engagement of his career.
In 1850, while playing in Paris, he decided to retire,
and to turn over his theatre and tricks to one Hamilton.
A contemporary clipping, taken from an English news-
paper of 1848, goes to prove that Hamilton was an
Englishman who entered Robert-Houdin's employ. Ham-
ilton signed a dual contract, agreeing to produce Robert-
Houdin's tricks as his acknowledged successor and to
marry Robert-Houdin's sister, thus keeping the tricks
and the theatre in the family. During the next two years
Robert-Houdin spent part of his time instructing his
brother-in-law in all the mysteries of his art. In July,
1852, he played a few engagements in Germany, including
Berlin and various bathing resorts, and then formally
[45]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,52,,"42
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
one of their ears ; it will be heard ""tic, tic; then holding it in
his left hand and telling it to stop, they will also find that it does
stop. You can pretend to doubt whether they are all deaf of
one ear, but lastly may declare that this is caused by the obedi-
ent disposition of the watch, which so orderly obeys your com-
mand. Remind your audience that savages upon first seeing a
watch believe it to be a living animal with power to think and
act of itself 'At any rate,"" you may conclude, ""the present
watch seems to hear, to understand, and to obey my orders.""
: It will be an amusing addition to the above trick to say that
you will now order the watch to fly away and conceal itself.
You must for this purpose have provided yourself with an
electro-plated locket resembling a lady's watch, and have two
loaves ready in some convenient corner.
When the watch has finished its ""manual and platoon"" exer-
cise on the platform, you may say, ""I will now place this watch
visibly to all upon the table."" Turn round to go to your table,
and in walking to it, substitute the locket for the watch, and
place the locket on some spot visible to all. It will not be dis-
tinguishable from the watch by the spectators at six or eight
yards' distance from them. Conceal the watch itself in the palm
of your hand. You can now exclaim, ""I require two loaves,""
and walking towards them, slip the watch into the one you have
prepared with a slit in its side. Advancing to the audience, ask
in which loaf they will prefer that you shall bid the watch fly.
If they name the one in which you have concealed it, proceed to
break open the loaf and find the watch. But suppose they name
the wrong one: you then, remembering that the left hand of the
spectators is your right hand, proceed with the true loaf, which-
ever they have named, or manage to cross the position of the
loaves as yon place them on the table.
Then taking up the locket with your right hand, make Pass 1,
as if transferring it to your left hand, but really retaining it in
your right hond (as described in my first paper.) Blow upon
your closed left hand, and say, ""Watch, fly into that loaf.' Clap
your hands. It is gone.
Advancing to the loaf, get rid of the locket from your right
hand: take up the loaf, break it open on the other side from that
in which the locket was introduced, bring out the watch, and ap-
peal to the lady to declare whether it is the same which she lent
to you.
TRICK 17.
An experiment with a very mild dash of electricity in it, which
will at any rate be a popular trick with most people that trv it.
It will do for a small entertainment, or at any joyous party of"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,52,,"36
LATEST MAGIC
The right hand lifts the first cover, pressing its
sides sufficiently to lift the die within it, exposing
the ball, and in bringing it down again lands it
close to one of the wells of the table. The exposed
ball is picked up with the left hand, and while the
attention of the company is attracted in that direc-
tion, the die is allowed to slide out of its case into
the well, after which the ball and cover are brought
forward and handed to someone of the company.
The other two balls are now uncovered in the
same way, but in this case the dice may be left in
their covers, the offer of the first cover, found
empty as above, having sufficiently proved that
they really disappear.
""Well, we have got our three billiard-balls.
Good, SO far. Next, can any gentleman oblige me
with the loan of a billiard table? Nobody offers:
that's unfortunate. Well, does any gentleman
happen to have a cue about him. No again ?
Well, perhaps it would be 'cuerious' if any gen-
tleman had. I beg your pardon, it slipped out
unawares. It shall not occur again.
""It's unfortunate that I can't borrow a billiard
table and a cue, because it prevents my showing
you my celebrated break of ninety-three off the
red with my eyes shut. When I showed it to Gray,
he turned green, but that is another story. You
don't believe it? Well, I told you it was a story.
""Anyhow, as we have got the balls, we must do
something with them."""
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,51,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
This question naturally arises: If Robert-Houdin built
the original writing and drawing figure, why could he not
make a duplicate and include it in his programme? Surely
Sadier's ""Wells
POSITIVE NIGETS
ROBERT
SERIES of MAGICAL
ILLUSIONS
MONDAY, MAY 9th, 1853. and Every During the Woek.
The Entreptd Soldier.
The Produstion of Flowers.
The Animated Oards.
The Instantaneous Transpesition
The Marvellous Oraage Tree.
The Golden Shower.
The Mephistepheles Telescope.
The Enchanted Garland of Flowerte
The Traveiling Turtile Devea.
A Wonderfal Surprise fer the Sadies.
The Transparent Oryatal Eex.
varmo PART.
The Confectioner.
The Taeshaustible Sowl of
SECOND PABT.
The Orystal Balle, or Great Series
Bobert Mondia's Portfelle
of stight et Hand Wricks.
astonishing Envisibility.
Press Circie,
.
Sa.
Bexes,
-
Sa.
PII, - Is.
Gallery .
PRIVATE soxma
as, - as N. su.
. of The -
-
-
Poster used by Robert-Houdin when he played at Sadler's Wells, London,
in 1853. He never refers to this engagement in his writings because he was
not proud of having appeared in a second-class theatre, while his rival, ,Anderson,
held the fashionable audiences at the St. James's, where Robert-Houdin had
worn out his welcome. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
it was one of the most remarkable of the automata which
he claims as the creations of his brain and hands.
[44]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,51,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
41
nor will experiments that are interesting as chemical curiosities
produce the same excitement and pleasing surprise that the
wonders of sleight-of-hand do. In a word, such experiments in
a private circle of young friends fail to constitute the most amu-
sing kind of parlor magic, while upon a public stage they are too
minute for any large audience to trace and comprehend.
Lest, however, my young readers should think that I have any
desire to shut them out from any field of reasonable pleasure, I
will now carefully select one or two examples of tricks connected
with the sciences of magnetism and chemistry, and which may
even in the hands of amateurs, produce a safe and pleasing ex.
hibition.
In the following trick they will find an amusing instance of the
combination of science with rational recreation.
TRICK 16.-The watch obedient to the word of com-
mand.
The magnet is a well-known agent in producing several toys
for the entertainment of the young, and though its attraction is
wonderful, there is no danger likely to arise from employing it,
in the same way as might arise from unskilful dabbling with
electricity, galvanism, or chemical powers, and a strange and
singular effect nay be produced by placing a magnet of some
little strength near a watch.
Supposing the young conjuror to have provided himself with
a powerful but not very large magnet, let him conceal it in the
palm, or under a thin glove in his left hand, or near the edge of
the cuff of his sleeve. Let him then borrow a lady's watch,
(without chain,) and the thinner the watch-case is, and if it has
a glass, the better. Let him then call forward a youth, and pla-
cing the watch in his own right hand, and near to the ear of the
other, ask him if he hears it going he will answer ""Yes.""
Let him next bid the watch to stop; and on taking it in his
left hand, where the magnet is concealed, it will stop, if held
steadily ; and on inquiring of his young friend whether he can
hear it, he will reply ""No.""
Observe: you must keep systematically to using your right
hand when you wish to make the watch go on, and to your left
when you wish it to stop. Appealing to others among the com-
pany, the performer may then tell the watch to go on, and hold-
ing it in his right hand, and giving it a slight shake, apply it to"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,51,,"THE DISSOLVING DICE
35
dice are solid, and secondly, to enable the per-
former, in replacing them on the table, to turn each
the other way up, so as to bring the loose side
undermost. This is best done by placing the
thumb on top of the die, with the first and second
fingers behind it, then tilting the die over a little
to the front, and slipping the two fingers under-
neath it. After showing it on all sides, as above
mentioned, it is an easy matter to replace it with
the loose side undermost, as desired.
""Now, as it happens, I have no immediate use for
dice, but I want to show you a pretty little effect
with billiard-balls. Naturally, the thing to be
done is to change the dice into billiard-balls. It's
quite easy, if you are provided with my patent
quick-change combination dice. All you need to
think about is to take care to have even numbers
in front."" (You turn the dice accordingly, and in
so doing lift each die a little, and shift it forward
a couple of inches or so, leaving the loose side
undisturbed just behind it, the ball travelling for-
ward with the die, though still covered by it.)
""You don't see why they should show even num-
bers? Because they would look 'odd' - if they
didn't. Quite simple,-when you know it. Now
I cover all three dice over, to spare their blushes,
as I explained just now. I wave my wand over
them and say, 'Presto! Proximo! Change!
And we shall find the dice have all turned to bil-
liard-balls."""
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,50,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
he asserts, he built his famous writing and drawing
figure.
The next year, 1845, he was assisted by Count de
L'Escalopier, a devotee of conjuring and automata, who
advanced the money to fit up
and furnish a small theatre
ST JAMES'S THEATRÉ
Saturday Evening, Aug. 19.
in the Palais Royal. Robert-
POSITIVELY THE
Houdin went about the work
LAST
NIGHT
of decorating and furnishing this
OF THE SEASON.
theatre with a view to securing
BENEFIT OF
the most dramatic and brilliant
MILE-HOUDIN
effects, surrounding his simple
ROBERT
tricks with a setting that made
HOUDIN
them vastly different from the
will POSTIVELY MAEE ats
same offerings by his predeces-
Last Appearamce in Lendon
Naturday Evening, Aug. 19,5'
sors. He was what is called to-
Outes to Nio Eagagement et the Theatre Reyal, Mascheath.
which Tuesday Evening aexi, Arges $2.
THE PROGRAMNE
day an original producer of old
BITS & INVENTIONS
THE avexava
ideas. On June 25th, 1845, he
MILE-HOUDIN Me ,
SECOND SIGNT,
us
gave his first private perform-
""
INVISIBILETE,""
ESCAMOTAGE EXTRAORDINAIRE,
ance before a few friends. On
AMILK-HOUDIN
Suspension Ethereenne,
BY UGENE-BOUDIN.
July 3d of the same year his
aoxgs, da. PIT, GAL STALLS, la se.
PRIVATE BUXES ... STALLS
-
SOVAL sa,
theatre of magic was opened
formally to the public. The
programme of this performance
Poster for theEmile-Houdin
benefit at St. James's Thea-
is shown on page 37.
tre in 1848. From the Harry
Houdini Collection.
It will be noted that the famous
writing and drawing figure was not then included in Robert-
Houdin's répertoire, nor does it ever appear on any of his
programmes. He exhibited it at the quinquennial exhibi-
tion in 1844, received a silver medal for it, and very soon
sold it to the late P. T. Barnum, who exported it to America.
[43]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,50,,"40
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
one hundred lamps at once. This has proved successful
very on
some occasions; but on others, notwithstanding the most care-
ful preparation and the greatest precaution, it has been found
that the apparatus would not act, and the impatient spectators
have visited the disappointing failure with their indignant mur-
murs. Other conjurors have become so attached to electric ex-
periments, that they have proposed to regulate all the clocks of
a large district by electricity, or have amused themselves by
turning electric or galvanic currents to the door-handles of their
houses, so that unsuspecting strangers, on touching them, were
startled with electric shocks. There is also a trick for rendering
one portion of a portrait electric by a metal plate concealed un-
derit, and the spectators being invited to touch some part of the
pieture, have, on touching the spots that were charged with
electricity, received a shock or powerful blow, as if the portrait
resented their touching it.
Having briefly given the character of this class of tricks, and
stated that they not only require expensive apparatus, but are
attended with danger to the inexperienced, there still remains
another serious objection, viz., that, like the experiments per-
formed by automaton figures or complicated machinery, they are
liable to fail, through any trifling disarrangement, just at the mo-
ment when the performer is hoping that his audience will be de-
lighted with his surprising exhibition.
For these reasons I shall not stay to describe the more elabo-
rate of these tricks, as, however interesting they may be to the
scientific, they would not, in a youthful amateur's hands, be sure
to produco the amusement which it is my primary object to sup-
ply.
The simpler experiments of magnetism and chemistry may
well be regarded as recreations of science, interesting curiosi-
ties, suitable enough to be exhibited by a professor of chemistry
for amusement and instruction but even these can hardly be
considered as belonging to ""conjuring proper."" Young people
do not care, at festive parties, to watch red liquids turning into
green, blue, and yellow or the mixture of different chemical
ingredients producing strange conversions into varied substances;"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,50,,"34
LATEST MAGIC
each of them."" (Take off all three covers, placing
each beside its own die. Then, placing one of them
on the end of your wand, advance with it to the
company, tacitly inviting anyone who pleases to
take it off and examine it.) ""I use these covers
to spare the feelings of the dice at the critical
moment. Like myself, they are rather bashful.
They don't mind doing the Jekyll and Hyde busi-
ness, but they don't like to be seen doing it. By
the way, there is a very ancient trick (believed to
have been invented by Noah in the Ark, to amuse
the boys on a wet Sunday), which is worked by
means of a sham die fitting over the real one.
Please take my word for it that I do not use any
such stale device. If I did, you may be quite sure
I should not mention it. These are all three gen-
uine dice. They are rather too large to play back-
gammon with, but save as to size, they are merely
big brothers of the regular article. Most of you
know, no doubt, that in properly made dice, the
points on opposite sides always together make
seven. Notice please, that each of these dice has
the numbers placed correctly."" (Taking up one
of the dice and turning it about.) ""You see, five
on this side, two on that; together, seven. Three
on this side, four on that; together, seven. Six on
this side, one on that; again seven.""
This is repeated, in a casual way, with the other
two dice, the object being two-fold, viz.: first, by
showing all six sides, to induce the belief that the"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,49,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
their way to his workshop and aided him in his study of
a profession which he still hoped to follow. During these
discouraging times he was often assisted financially by
ST,
-
regest
ENTERTAINMENT
Tuesday. Thursday
Saturday Evenings,
DAY.
PERFORMANCE
90
Wednesday
Morning.
at
Poster used in 1848 in London by Robert-Houdin. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
one Monsieur G-- who either advanced money on
his automata or bought them outright. In the same
year, 1844, he retired to a suburb of Paris, and there,
[42]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,49,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
39
CHAPTER V.
TRICKS BY MAGNETISM, CHEMISTRY, GALVANISM, OR ELEC-
TRICITY.
a class of tricks about which I must say a few
viz., those that require to be exhibited by the help
of magnetism, chemistry, galvanism, or electricity. I need not
dwell long on them, for I do not consider them such as the
young people, for whom these notes are written, can be recom-
mended to devote their attention to, for the following reasons :
in the first place, they are, with a few exceptions, attended with
considerable expense. Secondly, the tricks connected with the
powerful agencies of galvanism and electricity are dangerous to
the unskilful operator and, even in experienced hands, the
most effective of them are uncertain things to manage; there-
fore their effect cannot be depended on.
Some very interesting tricks have, doubtless, at times been
exhibited by the help of galvanism and electricity. We havo
read of a conjuror by such help confounding a powerful Arab, by
first letting him lift with ease a box, and afterwards rendering it
impossible for him to raise it, when an,electric current had, to
his dismay, paralyzed all his strength. It is evident that an ex-
periment of this kind could not be safely attempted by any but
a very experienced person. We read also of conjurors who have
surprised their audience by receiving them in a dimly-lit thea-
tre, and then firing off a pistol, (to startle the audience and cover
the real mode of operation,) they have by electricity lighted up"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,49,,"THE DISSOLVING DICE
33
Presentation. The opening ""yarn"" may run as
follows:
""I once read a story about a man who invented
a most ingenious piece of furniture of the 'com-
bination' kind. It started, say, as a table, but by
giving it a pull here and a push there, it became a
step-ladder. Another pull and push, and it turned
into a mangle, or by just turning a button or two,
you could make it a clothes-horse.
""The story says that at first it was a great suc-
cess, but after a little while the thing began to work
too easily, and sometimes changed of its own
accord when least expected, which was a drawback.
It was annoying, naturally, when you were using
it as a step-ladder, and hanging up a picture, to
have it suddenly turn into a clothes-horse, and land
you on the floor. It was vexing, too, when it was
a table, and the family were seated round it at
breakast, to have it turn into a mangle, and mangle
the cups and saucers.
""I shouldn't care myself to have a piece of fur-
niture like that: it would make life too exciting.
But the story gave me an idea. It struck me what
a convenience it would be, after showing one of my
little experiments, to be able to turn the articles I
had been using into what I wanted for the next. I
haven't got very far as yet, but I have made a
beginning in a small way, and I will show you how
it's done.
""I have here three wooden dice, with a cover for"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,48,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
than likely that one died before his wife. He married
again soon, and though he gives his second wife great
credit as a helpmate he does not state her name.
By this time he had acquired more than passing fame
Robert-Houdin as he appeared to the English critics. Reproduced from the
Illustrated London News, December 23d, 1848.
as a repairer of automata, and in 1844 he mended Vau-
canson's marvellous duck, one of the most remarkable
automata ever made. Doubtless other automata found
[ 4I ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,48,,"38
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
appear to have cut through the bridge of the nose. A cutler
C. uld supply such knives, or they may be purchased at the de-
pots for conjuring apparatus.
Having placed out these articles on your table with serious-
ness and imposing formality, show to the audience the knife that
is whole, and call upon them to observe that it is sufficiently
strong and sharp. The other knife must be placed somewhere
near you, but where it is sheltered from the observation of the
spectators.
Ask some young friend to step forward, assuring him that you
will not hurt him. Mako him sit down on a chair facing the au-
dience. After having measured the real knife across his nose,
say ""But I may as well protect your clothes from being soiled,
so I will put an apron round your neck."" Goto the table to take
up the apron, and, in doing so, placc down the real knife where
it cannot be seen, and with your lef' and tako up the conjuror's
knife, holding it by the blade, lest any one should cbserve the
notch in it. Conceal at the same time also, in your left hand,
the piece of sponge.
Advancing to the chair, tuck, with your right hand, the apron
round the youth's neck. Then pr SS the conjuror's knife firmly
over the nose and leave il there, 2S if you had cut into the bridgo
of the nose. At the same time gently ¿queeze the sponge, and
a little of the liquid will make an alarming appearance on the
face and on the apron; go on for a short time, covering the face
and apron with (apparent) blood. When the audience have seen
it long enough, seize up the apron, wipe the face of the youth
quite clean, throw away the conjuror's knife, and exhibit your
young friend to the audience all right, and dismiss him with
some facetious remark on his courage in undergoing the alarm-
ing operation."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,48,,"32
LATEST MAGIC
ing meanwhile noted the marked card, does not call
attention to the disappearance of the queen from
that number, but proceeds at once to show that it
has moved to its new position. There is not the
smallest fear that anyone will notice the omission.
THE DISSOLVING DICE
To be worked on a Black Art Table
The requisites for this trick are as under:
1. Three small billiard balls, one red, two white.
2. A white half-shell to correspond, vested or
placed in a pochette.
3. Three hollow wooden dice, each of such a size
as just to contain one of the balls, and lined inside
with velvet to prevent ""talking."" One side of
each is left open, but the opening can be closed
at pleasure by the insertion of a loose side with a
beveled edge. When this is in position, the die
appears solid. The inner surface of each of the
loose sides is also covered with black velvet, so that
when lying with that side upwards on a black art
table it is practically invisible.
4. Three cardboard covers, fitting easily over
the dice. In preparation for the trick the three
balls are placed inside the dice, and these are
placed on the table, open side upward, but with the
loose sides inserted on top, and the covers over
them."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,47,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Jean-Eugene returned to his family in Blois. During
the next few years he mixed amateur acting with his
daily labor, leaning more and more toward the profes-
sion of public entertainer. But his ambitions along this
line were nipped in the bud by
ST. JAMES'S THEATRE
marriage. Mademoiselle Houdin,
Menday, March 28,
And Curing the Week.
whose father was a celebrated
GREAT FREACN CONJOREA,
watchmaker in Paris, visited old
friends in Blois, their native town,
and became the fiancée of young
Robert. As the new son-in-law
was to share the elder Houdin's
business and naturally wished to
secure such benefits as might ac-
crue from SO celebrated a family
-
-
sy
Mest Gracions Majesty
""
of watch and clock makers, he
--
- mas - -
-
vamar, masom se, sessy
at THEE ABOVE DURING SASTER wase.
applied to the council of state
SVERY
- - à
DAY PERFORMANCE
and secured the right to annex
MESBAY & SATURBAY
""Houdin"" to his name, Jean-
masom so APRIL
""
Eugene Robert, and thereafter was
vervass
known only as Robert-Houdin.
His life between 1838 and 1844
Poster used by Robert-
Houdin during an Easter
was divided between reading every
engagement at the St.
James Theatre, London.
work obtainable on magic, and his
From the Harry Houdini
duties in his father-in-law's shop,
Collection.
where he not only made and re-
paired clocks, but built and repaired automata of various
sorts. His family shared with him many financial vicissi-
tudes, and about 1842-43 his first wife died, leaving him
with three young children to raise. Earlier in his ""Mem-
oirs"" he speaks of having four children, so it is more
[40]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,47,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
37
quarters of an inch breadth, and join them. They will form a
continuous strip of many feet in length. Roll this up carefully
in a flat coil, as ribbons are rolled up. Let it make a coil about
as large as the top of an egc-cup or an old-fas ioned hunting-
watch. Leavo out of ,he innermost coil about an inch or more
of that end of the paper, so that you can easily commence un-
winding it from the centro of the coil.
Procure a large dish or basketful of paper-shavings, which can
be obtained at little cost from any bookbinder's or stationer's.
Shaken out it will appear to be a large jaantity. As you wish it
to appear that you have eaten a good portion of them, you can
squeeze the remainder close together, and then thero will appear
to be few left, and that your appetite has reason to be r :tisfied.
Commence the trick by proclaiming you have a voracious ap-
petite, so that you can make a meal off paper-shavings. Bend
down over the plate, and take up handful after handful, pretend
to munch them in your mouth, and make a faco 2S if swallowing
them, and as you take up another handful, put out those previ-
ously in your mouth, and put them aside. Having gone on with
this as long as the spectators seem amused by it, at last, with
your 1 ft hand, lip the prepare. ball of tissue aper into your
mouth, managing to place towards your teeth the end you wish
to catch hold of with your right hand, for pulling the strip out
from your mouth. You will take care also not to open your
teeth too widely, lest the whole coil or ball should come out all
at once.
Having got hold of the end, draw it slowly and gently forward.
It will unroll to a length of twenty yards or moro in a continu-
ous strip, much t the amusement of the spectators.
When it has come to the end, you may remark : ""I suppose
we have come to a fault, as there is a solution of continuity
here, just as the strongest cables break off,' so we must wait to
pick up the end again, and go on next year, when the Great
Eastern again goes out with its next Atlantic Cable.""
TRICK 15.-How to cut off a nose-of course without
actual injury.
PREPARATION.
Have ready a piece of calico of light color, or a white apron,
a sponge saturated with a little liquid of the color of blood-
port-wine, or the juice of beet-root, will do; also two knives,
resembling each other, the one of them whole, the other with a
large notch in its blade, so that when placed over the nose it will"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,47,,"THE DETECTIVE DIE
31
which (being one of the indifferent cards) shows
a different face. ""The queen has gone, you see.
And now to ascertain whether she has really
passed to number five.""
The two cards standing at that number are lifted
together, and again a queen of diamonds is exhib-
ited. The trick can of course be repeated any
number of times, but it is better not to prolong it
beyond a third or fourth ""move.""
In picking up two cards together, in order to
show the undermost, they are lifted with second
finger at top, thumb at bottom and the first and
third fingers at the sides. Thus ""framed"" SO to
speak, the two cards will lie squarely the one upon
the other and be undistinguishable from a single
card. When it is desired to lift the upper card
alone, it should be nipped between the second fin-
ger at top right-hand corner and thumb at bottom
left-hand corner, when it will be brought away
clear without difficulty.
There is one contingency for which the per-
former must be prepared, namely, that the throw
of the die may happen to correspond with the
actual position of the card drawn. Both cards of
the pair are in this case alike, and the performer
cannot, at the succeeding throw, show that the
drawn card is no longer in its late position. This
possibility is provided for by having the back of
the card marked as before explained. Should the
contingency in question arise, the performer, hav-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,46,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Raser "" esprees Datrensge e
Gracess
THE QUEEN,
HIS ROYAL HIOHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT.
HEA ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCEESS OF KENT,
THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUEE & DUCHESS OF CAXBRIDO&,
KEA ROYAL HIOHNESS THE DUCHESS OF OLOUCESTEL
A GRAND
MORNING FETE,
A CONCERT & DANCING,
""
Batts and for the Labouting Classes,
IN COULSTON
PLACE
Ox WEDNESDAY, JULY TR$ 19ta,
Under the above exalted Patronage,
AT
The Residence of ARTSUR Esq.
Waich Ass most hindly placed et the dispesal the Ledies
TEE CONCERT
san sombine sminent et the tollsting use babe most estigingis
assistants
MADAME GRISI,
MADAME CASTELLAN,
MADLLE ALBONI,
MARIO, M. ROGER, sto. TAMBURINI, a SIG. LABLACHS.
CONDUOTOR
SIGNOR COSTA.
A
TENT WILL BE ERECTED IN THE GROUNDS,
""
ROBERT-HOUDIN.
whe Ase .... -
The Grounds will be open from One o'Clock untu Sigbs.
TICKETS FOR THE TETE,
THE or WHICN will et LIMITED,
Can only be procured on the presentitation of Vouchers from the following
LADIES
Decesse or
os
es Ricameyo.
or
VIMCUNTEN ******
or
(revers os
es
or
os
ances.
Orcatse or Stocistom.
or
Leav Acasa:
becusss or
or
LADT as &suse.
or Mostross.
""
LADT Stamist.
o
or
Decuses or
os
Lem
os
Cocatus Gast.
Leot
os
or
or WATEAPORN
Laos
o
"" PROUNADA.
COFNTESS os
or
Cor>rase
Lare Gastam.
os
Bases,
os
LAM Jewn
Mabast V. as
or
LIONEL Da
or
Tes L.DT
or Ducomes,
Now *** Nuarom.
Nas. Nims.
Single Tickete
22 2s. esch.""
detional for comorried Sons and Deughters of the same Pamily. 21 1. -
N°
Venchers will be exchanged at Mr. MITCHELL' Zoyal Libras, 33, O14 Sond Street
on TN& tava, lern. - tare JULV.
Robert-Houdin's first appearance before Queen Victoria, July 19th, 1848.
A very rare, and possibly the only, programme in existence, chronicling
The original, now in the Harry Houdini Collection, was presented to James
Savren by Robert-Houdin.
[39]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,46,,"36
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
interval, place the-hat on the table, and with some little cere-
mony take out the real pancakes or plum-cake. Let it be cut
up and.handed round to the juveniles who may be present.
REMARKS.
A more finished or surer arrangement for holding the dough,
etc., can be made with a tin apparatus, which can be prepared
by any tinman, upon the same principle as the gallipots, taking
care not to have it made larger than the inside of a youth's
hat.
An amateur can render a common table more suitable for con-
Fig. 25.
cealing any little object he wishes to have secreted, by placing
three or four tumblers under each end of a plank, about the
length to extend across the table, and throwing any common
cloth over the board and table, or a kitchen table, covered with
a cloth, having a drawer pulled out about six inches, will furnish
a
very good conjuror's table. It is well to have the table rather
broad, so as to keep the spectators at a sufficient distance.
TRICK 14.-TO EAT A DISH OF PAPER SHAVINGS,
AND DRAW THEM OUT OF YOUR MOUTH LIKE AN
ATLANTIC CABLE.
PREPARATION.
Procure three or four yards of the thinnest tissue paper of va-
rious colors. Cut these up in strips of half an inch or three-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,46,,"30
LATEST MAGIC
card the lady chose. At what number it stands
nobody knows (I can assure you that I don't), but
the die will tell us instantly. May I ask you,
Madam, to name your card. The queen of dia-
monds; you say? Good! Now will the gentle-
man who holds the die kindly throw it. What is
the number thrown? A three?"" (Whatever the
number happens to be.) ""The die says the card
stands number three. Let us see whether that is
correct.""
He picks up the two cards occupying the posi-
tion indicated, and shows the face of the under-
most, which is of course seen to be the queen of
diamonds.
""But now we come to the more remarkable fea-
ture of the case. I told you about the queer way in
which the cards change places. Even in this short
time I daresay the lady's card has got tired of
being number three, and has moved away to some
other number. If so, the die will tell us. Throw
it again, Sir, please.""
This is done, the die bringing up a new num-
ber, say ""five.""
""The die declares that the card has moved, and
now stands fifth. We shall soon see whether such
is really the case. First, however, let us see
whether it has really departed from number
three.""
Performer has meanwhile replaced the two
cards just lifted. He now lifts the upper one only,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,45,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
Torrini was an Italian whose real name was Count
Edmond de Grisy. He was a contemporary of Pinetti.
In all probability, during the long summer of their inti-
mate companionship, Torrini not only initiated his fas-
cinated young guest into his own methods of performing
ILLUSIONS.
IVE A G x E.
Robert-Houdin's favorite lithograph for advertising purposes. Used on
the majority of his posters and in the original edition of his ""Memoirs."" From
the Harry Houdini Collection.
tricks, but also into the secrets of Pinetti's tricks. In
his ""Memoirs,"" Robert-Houdin makes no secret of the
fact that both Comus and Pinetti, together with their
tricks, were topics of conversation between himself and
Torrini.
When Torrini was able to resume his performances,
[38]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,45,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
35
taking off the attention of the spectators by pretending to ar-
rang: the articles on your table, slip the prepared pa .cakes or
plum-cake into the hat.
Unobserved, also place the smaller gallipot in the hat, and
while doing so, if requisite, add some remorli, such as: ""Please
to shut, or op^n, that `oor."" or any word: that will draw off the
attention of the sp ctators from what you ero Coin, You
must
next, vith S me parade, mix the fluont loug? with the sugar
and currants, in t'.o lar yer gallipot. It must be fluent enough to
pour out lovly, upare .tly into the hiso, but really into the
smaller gallipot, which has been already nonccaled inside the.
hat. Shov 'ou have imptied the lar wor all but a little ;
then, placing it he sn .ller galliprit a in empty the very
last of it, und press the larger callipot firmly i wn over the
smaller onn. Then, inl it, lift th smalle gallipot also, with
its contents, whil you ippear only to talio bacl: the larger galli-
pot. Remove the gollipots, us supposed t be empte, out of
sight. ""Now, l.d.en und ;entlemen, I must request your pa-
tience a few minutes for the brocess of cooking.' "" Put two or
three candles near one wother, and move the hat at a safe dis-
tance above them for W or thr minutes, making in the mean-
time any langhabl. remarks that may occur to you, such as :
""
My young friends will find this ? capital way of supplying
themselves with a delicat dish when hoy havs lost their pud-
dings from being in the black books of their teacher or parents,""
,FIG, 9.
or any similar humorous remark; but take care not to burn the
hat whilst the (supposed) cooking is going on. After a short"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,45,,"THE DETECTIVE DIE
29
which would naturally upset my game and get me
into trouble with my partner. The die is equally
peculiar, but in another way. From some curious
effect of sympathy it knows where a given card
is to be found when I don't know myself.
""The only possible explanation I can think of
for their peculiarities is the fact that both cards
and die were formerly the property of an old
magician, and that after his death they were shut
up together for some years in the same box with
this wand, which also belonged to him, and that
they have imbibed some of its magical qualities.
I will give you a sample of their 'eccentricities.'' "",
Performer takes back the cards and proceeds to
force the queen of diamonds on some member of
the company (a lady for choice). Leaving the
drawn card for the time being in her hands, he
asks a gentleman to shuffle and cut the rest of the
pack and count off from the cut five indifferent
cards. The card drawn by the lady is then shuffled
with these, so that its position among the six shall
be unknown. Performer, taking these from the
holder, deals them in a row (or double row, as the
case may be) upon the velvet mat, placing each
exactly over one of the velvet-backed cards; the
white hinder edges of these guiding him as to their
positions.
""We will now consider these cards as numbered
in regular order, One, Two, Three, Four, Five,
Six! Among them somewhere or other, is the"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,44,,"To=bay, Thursbay, July 3, 1845,
first Representation
OF
The fantastic Goirces
OF
Robert-Toubin,
Automata, Sleight-of-Hand, Magic.
The Performance will be composed of entirely
novel Experiments invented by
M. ROBERT-HOUDIN,
Among them being :
The Cabalistic Clock
Obedient Cards
Auriol and Debureau
The Miraculous Fish
The Orange-Tree
The Fascinating Owl
The Mysterious Boquet
The Pastrycook of the
Pierrot in the Egg
Palais Royal
To Commence at Cight o'clocli.
open at balf:past beurn.
Price of Places: Upper Boxes, I fr. 50 C.; Stalls, 3 fr.;
Boxes, 4 fr.; Dress Circle, 5 fr.
Programme for the opening of Robert-Houdin's theatre in Paris. Repro-
duced from the American edition of his *Memoirs.""
[ 37]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,44,,"34
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
ful
in
five
guesses.
After he has tossed up twice, you can take
the penny, and say, ""Now, I will vary the method of tossing.
You shall name now which you choose, 'heads' or ""tails.''
Toss up the penny, and while attention is occupied with this,
and he is looking to see which is uppermost, heads or tails, you
withdraw your left hand from behind you, holding the little an-
imal you have concealed, and slipping it into the hat, and turn-
ing the hat down over it, exclaim, 'Stay, I mean to pass the
penny through the hat upon the table, and the whole affair shall
be settled by the result of the present toss. You shall see the
heads or tails on the table.""
By Pass 1, pretend to place the penny on the hat, but retain
it in your right hand. Say, ""Fly, pass, and quickly."" Lift the
hat, and show both head and tail on the little animal or pet
there concealed.
If you should have had a Guinea pig, you must make the
guesses go on till your adversary guesses ""tails,"" and then it
will make a good laugh to say, ""He has won, and he had bet-
ter now take it up by the tail.'
TRICK 13 -To cook pancakes or a flat plum cake
in a hat, over some candles.
REQUISITE PREPARATION.
Have two gallipots or earthen jars, of a size to go easily into
a hat, but of such dimensions that the one reversed will fit
closely over the other. Tie worsted or a strip of linen round
the smaller gallipot, so as to insure the larger one holding firmly
round the smaller one. Have ready some thin, fluent dough,
some sugar, and a few currants, enough for two or three pan-
cakes or a small plum cake; also a spoon to stir the ingredients
up.
Have at hand two or three warm pancakes that have just been
prepared by the cook for you, with the same ingredients as men-
tioned above. Let them be firm and free from grease. Have
also at hand two small plates, with knives and forks.
Commence the exhibition by borrowing two hats, to give you
a choice with which to perform. You can remark that as you
should be sorry to injure your friend's hat, you will secure it
from being soiled by placing some paper in it as a lining. Hold
up the paper to show it is only paper, and then openly place it
in the hat, and lay the hat down on its side on the table near
you, having the brim towards you.
Have therready-prepared pancakes lying near you, and whilst"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,44,,"28
LATEST MAGIC
are laid on the mat, which may partially cover two
or more of the six cards.
Presentation. Performer, picking up the pack
of cards with his right hand, transfers it to his left,
leaving the queen of diamonds palmed in the right.
Picking up the tray and its contents with the right
hand and advancing with it, he offers the pack to
some member of the company, saying: ""Will you
kindly look well over this pack of cards and satisfy
yourself that there is nothing exceptional about
them; and when you have done SO give them a
thorough shuffle. And you, Sir"" (handing tray
and die to another spectator), ""please test this die
in any way your please. Throw it as many times
as you like. I want you to be quite sure that it
throws a different number each time, and that it is
not loaded, or 'faked' in any way.
""I don't like bothering people to examine things,
for in most cases it is a mere waste of time. But in
this case I have a special reason for asking. There
is something about this pack of cards and this die
which I myself don't understand; and I shall be
much obliged to anyone who will help me to do SO.
As a matter of fact, these cards, though quite ordi-
nary in other respects, are afflicted with a peculiar
restlessness. They change places without notice
and without any apparent reason. If I were to
try to play bridge with them, for instance, I should
find as likely as not that my best trump had invis-
ibly left my hand and passed over to the enemy,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,43,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
-
[36]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,43,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
33
While waving it mysteriously about, exclaim that the handker-
chief must furnish you with some more feathers. Draw out of
the left sleeve one of the plumes, shake the feathers out while
taking off the handkerchief from this, which will be plume the
third.
Then, throwing your handkerchief over the hand, and clap-
ping your hands together, (with the left over the right hand,)
manage to catch hold of another point of a plume, and pull it
out from your right sleeve while waving about your two hands
with the handkerchief over them. You have now produced four,
plumes.
The exhibition may be continued to an increased number of
plumes, if you have more concealed in your sleeves, or else-
where; but four will probably be sufficient to manage at the
commencement of your career as an amateur conjuror.
TRICK 12.-Heads or Tails ?
I shall now give directions for reproducing, before a jnvenile
audience, a trick that will carry us back to the primitive style of
conjuring in old times. I cannot say that there is anything
very scientific or elevated in it, but, if neatly and adroitly exe-
cuted, it will tell very well with a youthful audience.
PREPARATION.
You must take care that your table be so placed that none of
the spectators can see behind yourself or the table. You must
provide yourself with some young pet of the juveniles, such as
a puppy, a kitten, or any other small pet. The performer must
either have some little bag hanging under his coat-tails, or some
provision for concealing the little animal behind him, or in a
drawer before him ; so that there will be no chance of any of
the audience seeing it before the proper time. He must have
ready also a penny, or any coin.
To begin the exhibition of the trick. Standing with all the
nonchalance you can assume, and placing one or both your arms
behind your back, you may say, ""For a variety, I will challenge
one of my young friends to come and try which of us will suc-
ceed best in a few tosses of this penny.""
Induce some young person to come to the front of your ta-
ble, and tell him to bring forward his hat. Ask him to tos3 first
with the cent and put the hat over it, while you will guess
""heads"" or ""tails."" Say it shall be seen who is most suceess-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,43,,"THE DETECTIVE DIE
27
2. Six cards of like denomination (say for the
purpose of illustration six queens of diamonds),
each backed with black velvet and blackened at the
edges all around save at one end. Here the card is
thickened by the interposition of a slip of white
card-board between itself and the velvet, so that the
card as viewed from that end shall show a clearly
visible white edge. Each card has all four of its
corners snipped off to a microscopie extent, say a
sixteenth, or less, of an inch.
3. An ordinary pack of cards one of which (in
the case supposed, the queen of diamonds) bears a
mark upon its back recognisable by the performer,
but not conspieuous enough to be noticed by any
one else.
4. An ordinary die and dicebox, or a champagne
tumbler to be used in place of the latter.
5. A tray or plate, about six inches in diameter,
whereon to throw the die.
6. The wand.
Preparation. Velvet mat on table, and laid
upon it, face down in a row (or a double row, in
the case of a small mat), the six velvet-backed
cards. These, SO laid, will be undistinguishable by
spectators at a very short distance from the mat
itself. Each is laid with its ""white"" end toward
the hinder part of the table, so that this shall be
visible to the performer when standing behind it.
The marked queen of diamonds is laid on the top
of the pack. The die and dice-box, on their tray,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,42,,"EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
tastes led him back to his father's trade, watchmaking.
While working for his cousin at Blois, he visited a book-
shop in search of Berthoud's ""Treatise on Clockmaking,""
but by mistake he was given several volumes of an old
encyclopaedia, one of which contained a dissertation on
""Scientific Amusements,"" or an exposition of magic.
This simple incident, he asserts, changed the entire
current of his life. At eighteen, he first turned his atten-
tion to magic. At forty, he made his first appearance
as an independent magician or public performer.
On page 44 of his ""Memoirs,"" American edition, Robert-
Houdin refers to this book as an encyclopaedia, but several
times later he calls it ""White Magic."" In all probability
it was the famous work by Henri Decremps in five vol-
umes, known as ""La Magie Banche Dévoilée,"" or ""White
Magic Exposed."" This was written by Decremps to
injure Pinetti, and it exposed all the latter's tricks, in-
cluding the orange tree, the vaulting trapeze automaton,
and in fact the majority of the tricks later claimed by
Robert-Houdin as his own inventions.
In 1828, while working for M. Noriet, a watchmaker in
Tours, Jean-Eugene Robert was poisoned by improperly
prepared food, and in his delirium started for his old home
in Blois. He was picked up on the roadside by Torrini,
a travelling magician, who nursed him back to health
in his portable theatre. Just as young Jean recovered
Torrini was injured in an accident, and his erstwhile
patient remained to nurse his benefactor and later to help
Torrini's assistant present the programme of magic by
which they made their living. His first public appearance
as the representative of Torrini was made at Aubusson.
[ 35 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,42,,"3?
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
point of the stem within easy reach of your hand-about four
inches below your chin. Then put your coat on.
Commence the trick by borrowing a large silk handkerchief or
cloth of the same size. Show it to be empty by holding out the
two top corners in front of your breast, and shake the handker-
chief while it falls loosely down over your vest. Then moving
the handkerchief toward your left, catch hold (with your right
thumb and finger) of the end of the stem ""of the plume, No. 1,
and draw it from under the left side of your vest. It will re-
main concealed behind the handkerchief while you move your
FIG. 8.
Position 1.,
Position 2.
two hands to the right, which will draw out the plume from un-
der your vest, then over the centre of your chest. Then toss
the handkerchief about, enveloping the first batch of feathers:
say, ""Handkerchief, you must supply me with some feathers.
In a minute or so, take off the handkerchief, and display the
plume to the spectators.
Show the spectators again that the handkerchief is quite
empty. Move your arms toward your right till your left hand
comes just over the edge of the right side of your vest. With
your left thumb and fore-finger catch hold of the stem of the
feathers there concealed, and by moving your arms back to-
wards the left, you can draw out without its being observed the
plume that had been concealed under the right side of your
vest. Toss about and display as before this second batch of
feathers, and then place them aside.
Then show to the company again that your handkerchief has
nothing in it, and lay the handkerchief over both your hands,"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,42,,"26
LATEST MAGIC
An illustration of the use of the same device
in a somewhat different form will be found in the
item next described, and in the trick entitled
""Where is it?'' post. Other ways of using it will
suggest themselves to any reader of an inventive
turn.
THE DETECTIVE DIE
This is another of the new departures dependent
upon the use of the velvet mat. Broadly stated,
the effect of the trick is as follows.
One of a group of six different cards laid out in
a row or rows repeatedly changes place with some
other, the position which it occupies, or to which it
has moved, being indicated by the cast of an ordi-
nary die. This may be repeated any number of
times.¹
The requirements for the trick are as follows:
1. The Velvet Mat. This should be one with
a plain surface, diniensions preferably eighteen
inches by ten, so as to admit of the six cards being
laid in one row. A smaller size, say twelve by
nine, may suffice, the six cards in this case being
arranged in two rows. In either case there must
be a space of an inch or SO between each pair.
1 Since the description which follows was written. it has come to my
knowledge that there is already on sale a trick on somewhat similar
lines in point of effect entitled The Educated Die. I need hardly say
that my own trick, so far as I am concerned, is absolutely original. The
advertised description of The Educated Die would suit either trick, but
there is little further resemblance between them."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,41,,"THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN
sistent statements regarding his life. Such discrepancies
arise as the mention of three chiklsen in one chapter and
four in another, while he does net give the names of either
Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin. Photograph taken about 1868. From the
HIarry Houdini Collection.
wife, though he admits his obligation to both good
women.
According to his autobiography, Jean-Eugene Robert
was sent to college at Orleans at the tender age of eleven,
and remained there until he was eighteen. He was then
placed in a notary's office to study law, but his mechanical
[ 34]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,41,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
31
that you must have more candles, or must remove some other
object, thus gaining the opportunity to fetch what you require
without naming it.
Do not even announce too fully or vauntingly beforehand
what is to be the result or development of any trick; rather
proceed with it, and let the audience come unexpectedly upon a
result which they had not contemplated. Their surprise will be
greater, and their amusement more lively, at such unexpected
result.
It is for this reason that it will be well to avoid the repetition
of the same trick in the same evening, though requested to per-
form it over again. The minds of the spectators have already
traced once the whole performance of it-the beginning, the
middle, the end. The zest of it, therefore, is gone off; their
minds are languid and disinterested about its second repetition ;
and the conjuror's art proportionately sinks in their estimation.
Having offered these general remarks, I will now invite the
attention of my young friends to another batch of interesting
tricks, which, with a little effort, they may succeed in exhibit-
ing.
TRICK 11.-A sudden and unexpected supply of feath-
ers from under a silk handkerchief or cloth.
PREPARATION.
Have ready a good supply of plumes of feathers. They may
be obtained from a fur or fancy store, or purchased there loose,
and tied up so as to lie thin and flexible where you wish to place
them. You may have at least four batches of them. The com-
mon hackle feather will do, stitched round a thin piece of whale-
bone. Teathers that are a little injured for sale as ornaments
may be picked up at little cost.
Take off your cont. You may then have one or more batches
of feathers placed round each arm ; the lower point of the stem
on which the feathers are fixed being near your wrist, and the
top of each batch of feathers confined near your elbow by a
slight worsted string. so that they do not stick out the coat
sleave too much. or slip down together if two batches are con-
ce led in the same sleave. Yon can have one or more batcher;
1 just within each side of your waistcoat, with the lower"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,41,,"THE DETECTIVE DIE
25
""they have returned to their original positions.
""Now you will realise, if you think about the
matter, that those two cards couldn't in any nat-
ural way change places without your seeing them
do it, neither could the one change into the other.
But this is where magic comes in. What I really
did was to hypnotise you a little SO as to make you
fancy, when I told the cards to change, that the
eight of hearts was the seven of spades, and that
the seven of spades was the eight of hearts. It's
quite simple, when you know it, and you can see
for yourselves that the quickness of the hand has
had nothing to do with the matter. For my own
part I like to do things slowly; the more slowly
the better, and then you can all see how it's done.""
The trick is simple enough; but it will test the
performer's expertness as to neatness of execu-
tion. He must be careful in the first place to put
each of the drawn cards as exactly as possible on
the opposite velvet-backed card; and in picking up
two cards together he should frame them, so to
speak, between the middle finger and thumb at top
and bottom, and the first and third fingers at the
sides. Held in this manner they rest squarely one
upon the other and there is little fear of their
""duplicity"" (or ""duplexity"") being perceived.
In the act of again turning the double card down
the upper one should be partially drawn off the
one below it; this facilitating the picking of it up
alone a few moments later.
/"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,40,,"THE UNMASKING OF
ROBER'T-HOUDIN -
CHAPTER I
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-EOUDIN
R
OBERT-HOUDIN was born in Blois, France;
December 6th, 1805. His real name was
Jean-Eugene Robert, and his father was Prosper
Robert, a watchmaker in moderate circum-
stances.
His mother's maiden name was Marie Catherine
Guillon. His first wife was Josephe Cecile Eglantine
Houdin, whose family name he assumed for business rea-
sons. He was married the second time to Françoise Mar-
guerite Olympe Naconnier. His death, caused by pneu-
monia, occurred at St. Gervais, France, on June 13th, 1871.
Barring the above facts, which were gleaned from
the register of the civil authorities of St. Gervais,
all information regarding his life previous to his first
public appearance in 1844 must be drawn from his own
works, particularly from his autobigraphy, published in
the form of ""Memoirs."" Because of his supreme egotism,
his obvious desire to make his autobiography picturesque
and interesting rather than historically correct, and his
utter indifference to dates, exact names of places, theatres,
books, etc., it is extremely hard to present logical and con-
3
[33]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,40,,"30
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
and accurate manipulation, the astonishment at the result will
be infinitely greater than any one would imagine possible to be
produced by such simple means.
There is one help that I can suggest towards the better man-
agement of the hands in concealing or removing objects; it is
the use of a conjuror's rod or short magic wand. This is, now-
a-days, commonly a stick of about fifteen inches long, resem-
bling a common rule, or a partially-ornamented one. You may
often have observed this simple emblem of the conjuror's power,
and deemed it a mere idle or useless affectation. The conjuror
waves it mystically or majestically as he may be disposed. Of
course you are right in your judgment that it can do no good
magically; but it does not follow that it is useless. The fact is,
that it is really of considerable service to him. If he wants to
hold a coin or any object concealed in his hand, without others
observing the fact of his hand being closed, the wand in that
hand is a blind for its concealment. He may require to pick up
or lay down some object, and he can do so while openly fetching
or laying down his wand. If he wants to gain time, for any il-
lusion or process of change, he can obtain it while engaging the
attention of the spectators by some fantastic movements of his
wand. By the use of the wand, therefore, you will be able to
prevent the observation of your audience too pointedly follow-
ing the movements which you wish to carry on secretly. You
may also, at the same time, dispel their attention by humorous
remarks, preventing it from being concentrated on watching
your movements.
As a general rule, you must not apprise your audience of what
you are actually doing, but must often interpose some other
thought or object to occupy their mind. For instance : Do you
desire that a person should not examine too closely any object
which you place in his hand, tell him to hold it well above his
head. That takes it out of the range of his eyes. It would
never do to tell him not to look at it. He would then immedi-
ately suspect that you are afraid of something being observed.
Have you perchance forgotten to bring on your table any ar-
ticle requisite for displaying any trick, a feint must be made"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,40,,"24
LATEST MAGIC
out any quickness at all. I will prove it to you by
means of these two cards which have been chosen.
Please give me one of them. I don't mind which.""
We will suppose that the card handed up is the
eight of hearts.
""Notice please what card this is; the eight of
hearts. You can't possibly mistake it for any
other card, can you? I will turn it down here on
the table. And now for the other card."" (It is
held up that all may see it.) ""This one, you see,
is the seven of spades. No mistake about that,
either! I will lay that one here."" The card is in
each case laid upon the velvet-covered card of the
opposite kind.
""Please don't forget which is which. There has
been no quickness of the hand so far, has there ?
Now I am going to make these two cards change
places."" (You touch each with the wand.)
""Presto, change!"" (Picking up the upper and
lower cards exactly one upon the other you show
what was a moment previously the eight of hearts,
but which now appears to be the seven of spades.)
""One card has changed, you see. And now for
the other."" (You show the other pair after the
same fashion.) ""And here we have the eight of
hearts. I will now order them to change back
again."" You lay both pairs again face down.
""Now I again give the cards a touch with my
wand, and say 'Right about! Change!' and now,
you see"" (showing the faces of the original cards),"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,39,,"INTRODUCTION
all of which had been donned in honor of his expected
guest, was not yet cold. Heart failure had come suddenly
and unannounced. The day before he had cleaned up his
souvenirs in readiness for my coming and arranged a quan-
tity of data for me. On the wall above the silent form
were all of his gold medals, photographs taken at various
stages of his life, orders presented to him by royalty-
all the outward and visible signs of a vigorous, active,
and successful life, the life of which he would have told
me, had I arrived ahead of Death. And when all these
were arranged, he had forgotten his morbid dislike of
strangers. The old instincts of hospitality tugged at his
heart strings, and his wife said he was almost young and
happy once more, when suddenly he grasped at his heart,
crying, ""My heart! What is the matter with my heart ?
""
That was all!
There we stood together, the woman who had loved
the dear old wizard for years and the young magician who
would have been SO willing to love him had he been allowed
to know him. His face was still wet from the cologne she
had thrown over him in vain hope of reviving the fading
soul. On the floor lay the cloths, used SO ineffectually
to bathe the pulseless face, and now laughing mockingly
at one who saw himself defeated after weary months
of writing and pleading for the much-desired meeting.
I feel sure that the personal note struck in these remi-
niscences will be forgiven. In no other way could I
prove the authoritativeness of my collection, the thorough-
ness of my research, and the incontrovertibility of the facts
which I desire to set forth in this volume.
[ 32 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,39,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
29
CHAPTER IV.I
PRACTICE.
IN
conjuring, as in all other arts and sciences, perseverance is
requisite in order to become expert and successful. There
is no royal road, or possibility of acquiring the end, without ex-
ercising the means to that end. Let my young friends, then,
carefully practise over and over again the passes and the tricks
which I have already explained to them. It is the only way to
attain dexterity and confidence, without which they will never
be able to make any creditable exhibition of the art of conjur-
ing. After they have attained considerable skill and sleight-of-
hand in displaying a few tricks, they will easily extend the range
of their performances, and gradually rise to greater ability. I
may, therefore, parody an old injunction for obtaining success,
and say There are three rules for its attainment: The firstis
""Practice."" The second is Practice."" The third is ""Prac-
tice."" In a word, constant and careful practice is requisite, if
any wish to be successful as amateur conjurors. They should
never attempt to exhibit before their friends any tricks that they
have not so frequently practised that no bungling or hitch is
likely to occur in their performance of it.
Let no one be staggered by the simplicity of the processes
recommended in these tricks. The result will in fact be all the
more astonishing, the simpler the operations employed.
The great point is the address of the performer, and that will
carry through successfully the means employed. However sim-
ple and insignificant those means may appear to the learner
when they have been explained to him, if there is good address"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,39,,"A MAGICAL TRANSPOSITION
23
tion it deserves, and have probably far from
exhausted its possibilities, but I offer by way of
illustration the trick next following, which it seems
to me would be rather effective, particularly as an
introduction to some other card trick. We will
call it
A MAGICAL TRANSPOSITION
Prepare two cards, say an eight of hearts and a
seven of spades, by blackening all their edges save
one of the narrow ends,¹ and backing each with
velvet matching the mat. Lay the two cards SO
treated face down with the white edge towards
yourself on the mat at some little distance apart,
or preferably on separate mats. Force corre-
sponding cards on two members of the company
and deliver an oration to something like the fol-
lowing effect:
""We hear people talk sometimes about the
quickness of the hand deceiving the eye. I sup-
pose such a thing must be possible, or nobody
would have thought of it, but it seems to me that if
it did anything of the kind, either the hand must be
extra quick, or the eye extra slow. I know I should
be afraid to attempt anything of that sort myself,
but if you are a magician of the right sort you have
no need to do so, for you can deceive the eye with-
1 Better still, thicken the under edge by the interposition between
card and velvet of a slip of white card, as described in The Detective
Die, post."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,38,,"INTRODUCTION
After the performance I dropped into the König Kaffe
and was much annoyed by the staring and gesticulations
of an elderly couple at a distant table. It was Frikell
with his wife, but I did not recognize them and, not being
certain on his side, he failed to make himself known.
That was mid-week, and for Saturday, which fell on
October 8th, 1903, I had an engagement to call at the
Villa Frikell. On Thursday, the Central Theatre being
sold out to Cleo de Merode, who was playing special
engagements in Germany with her own company, I
made a flying business trip to Berlin, and on my return I
passed through Kötchenbroda. As the train pulled into
the station I hesitated. Should I drop off and see Herr
Frikell, or wait for my appointment on the morrow?
Fate turned the wheel by a mere thread and I went on to
Dresden. So does she often dash our fondest hopes!
My appointment for Saturday was at 2 P.M., and as my
train landed me in Kötchenbroda a trifle too early I
walked slowly from the depot to the Villa Frikell, not
wishing to disturb my aged host by arriving ahead of time.
I rang the bell. It echoed through the house with pe-
culiar shrillness. The air seemed charged with a quality
which I presumed was the intense pleasure of realizing
my long cherished hope of meeting the great magician.
A lady opened the door and greeted me with the words:
""You are being waited for.""
I entered. He was waiting. for me indeed, this man
who had consented to meet me, after vowing that he would
never again look into the face of a stranger. And Fate
had forced him to keep that VOW. Wiljalba Frikell was
dead. The body, clad in the best his wardrobe afforded,
[ 3I ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,38,,"28
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
hand so as to take up the bag while catching hold of the middle
of the handkerchief.
Taking the handkerchief up by nearly the centre, the edges
of it will fall around and conceal the bag make some pretended
wavings of your wand or right hand over the handkerchief, and
say, ""Tow, handkerchief, you must supply my friends with
some bon-bons."" Squeeze with your right hand the lower part
of the bag which is under the handkerchief; the bag will burst,
and you can shake out into a plate its contents.
Asking some one to distribute them among your young
friends, you can throw the handkerchief (as it were carelessly)
over another bag, from which you can in the same way produce
a liberal supply of some other sweetmeats, or macaroon bis-
cuits, etc., etc., all of which will be duly appreciated by the ju-
veniles, and they will applaud as long as you choose to continue
this SWEET trick.
'
-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,38,,"22
LATEST MAGIC
way for ""changing"" a borrowed coin. The per-
former, asking the loan of a marked coin, brings
forward held in his left hand a velvet mat (of small
size) whereon to receive it; the right hand mean-
while holding palmed against the second and third
fingers the velvet patch, and between this and the
hand a substitute coin of similar kind. Turning
(to the left) towards his table, with the coin in full
view on the mat, he (apparently) picks it up and
holds it aloft with the right hand, placing the
now empty mat alone on the table. What he
really does is to lay the velvet patch over the bor-
rowed coin and to pick the substitute in its place.
The original lies perdu on the mat, whence it is
child's play to gain possession of it at any later
stage of the trick.
The process may be varied by placing the mat,
after receiving the borrowed coin upon it, at once
on the table, and a little later picking up the mat
with the left hand, then proceeding as above indi-
cated. The advantage of this plan is that the turn
to the table to pick up the mat masks for the
moment the right side of the performer and gives
him a convenient opportunity to palm the coin and
patch, bestowed in readiness in the pochette on
that side.
The same principle may be applied with appro-
priate modifications to card tricks. The idea of
the black ait mat is so completely a novelty that I
have not found leisure to give it the full considera-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,37,,[OE]
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,37,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
27
Commence the trick by borrowing two hats place one with
its rims upwards on the table, and show that you place in that
hat the die with its first cover on it. But say, ""I forgot to ap-
peal to the company whether they will like to see the trick dong
visibly or invisibly."" They will most likely say, ""Visibly;' bnt
it is of no consequence which answer they make, for the process
of the trick is the same in either case.
Take out from the lower hat the first cover, which is painted
exactly like a die, and having placed the second hat (with its
rims downwards) on the other hat, display the first cover, and
openly place it on the crown of the upper hat. All the specta-
tors will believe it to be the solid die itself. Then take your
penknife; you may just thrust it into the crown of the hat, and
pretend to cut all round the die-cover there lying ; say-"" I
shall now bid it move into the lower hat, but it will not do so
while uncovered, so I must place this ornamental cover over it.""
Do so; show that you have nothing in your hands or sleeves;
then wave your wand or your hand, and say, ""Change, pass,
die, into the lower hat.' Give it a little time. Then, compres-
sing the outward cover gently, lift off also with it the painted
die-cover, which it has inside it. Lift up the lower hat, and
show the company the solid die lying in it. Show all that the
upper hat has received no injury.
The illusion to the audience will be that the solid die has pas-
sed through the crown of the upper hat without at all injuring
it. Return the hats to the owners, and show them to be unin-
ured.
TRICK 10.-To produce from a silk handkerchief bon-
bons, candies, nuts, etc.
PREPARATION.
Have packages of various candies, wrapped up in bags of the
thinnest tissne paper, and place them on your table rather shel-
tered from observation. Have also a plate or two on your
table.
-
MEMORANDUM.
It will be always desirable to have the table removed two or
three yards at least from the spectators, and of a height that
they cannot see the surface of it while sitting down in front of
it.
Gommence the trick by borrowing a silk handkerchief, or any
large handkerchief. After turning it about, throw it out on the
table, so as to fall over one of these packages.
Having carefully observed where the bag lies, place your left"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,37,,"BLACK ART MATS
21
the case of the trick entitled Lost and Found, post.
Another little device which will be found useful
in connection with the black art mat is a cardboard
disc covered as above, to one side of which a coin,
say a half-crown or half-dollar, is cemented as in
Fig. 10
Fig. 10. Such a patch, laid on the mat, coin side
down, will attract no notice, but the mere act of
turning it over will at any given moment produce
the coin. The ""change"" of a coin may be expected
very neatly by the aid of this device. Suppose,
for example, that the performer desires to retain,
unknown to the spectators, possession of a marked
coin just handed to him. He lays it, to all appear-
ance, in full view upon the table, but as a matter
of fact merely turns over a patch, loaded as above,
already on the table, the borrowed coin remaining
in his hand.
The velvet patch may also be utilised in another"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,36,,"INTRODUCTION
the debt which he owed to the literature of magic and
which he could pay by giving me such direct information
as I needed for my book.
Frau Frikell heard my pleadings with tears running
down her cheeks, and later I learned that Herr Frikell
also listened- to them, lying grimly on the other side of
the shuttered window.
At length, yielding to physical exhaustion, I went away,
but I was still undaunted. I continued to bombard Herr
Frikell with letters, press clippings regarding my work,
etc., and finally in Russia I received a letter from him.
I might send him a package containing a certain brand
of Russian tea of which he was particularly fond. You
may be sure I lost no time in shipping the little gift, and
shortly I was rewarded by the letter for which I longed.
Having decided that I cared more for him than did some
of his relatives, he would receive me when next I played
near Kötchenbroda.
With this interview in prospect, I made the earliest
engagement obtainable in Dresden, intending to give
every possible moment to my hardly-won acquaintance.
But Fate interfered. One business problem after another
arose, concerning my forthcoming engagement in Eng-
land, and I had to postpone my visit to Herr Frikell
until the latter part of the week. In the mean time, he
had agreed to visit a Dresden photographer, as I wanted
an up-to-date photograph of him and he had only pictures
taken in his more youthful days. On the day when he
came to Dresden for his sitting, he called at the theatre,
but the attachés, without informing me, refused to give
him the name of the hotel where I was stopping.
[29]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,36,,"26
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
Pretend to blame the person who cut the two inches off, say-
ing: ""Dear me, sir, what have you done ? You have quite de-
stroyed this nice handkerchief. Well, I hope, madam, you will
pardon the mistake, if I manage by magic to restore to you your
handkerchief in perfect order, and I request you to allow me to
try to do so. Carefully holding in the candle the edges of the
cambric, (both of the part cut off and of the portion from which
it was cut,) and letting the real handkerchief hang down from
the same hand, pretend with a conjuring wand to weld together
the edges of the cambric when they get hot, as a blacksmith
""welds metals together. You can prevent the flame from reach-
ing the real handkerchief by tightly pressing your fingers.
Then exclaim : ""Oh, where is the dime ?"" and while picking it
up from the table, get quietly rid of the pieces of cambric with
their burnt edges into a hat or some corner unseen by the audi-
ence.
Holding up the dime which you had just lifted from the table
say : ""But to complete my trick I must replace this dime in the
centre of the restored handkerchief, whence it was cut out.'
Make the Pass 1, appearing to pass it into the centre of the
handkerchief, but retaining it in your hand, and afterwards se-
cretly pocket it. The handkerchief has already the borrowed
dime in it. Say to the handkerchief: ""Change-restore !"" and
unfolding it, show the borrowed coin in it. Shake out the hand-
kerchief and show it is all sound and right, and restore it with
thanks, as well as the borrowed dime, to the owners.
TRICK 9.-To make a large die pass through the crown
of a hat without injuring it.
I will now give my young friends a nice, easy trick, requiring
very little dexterity, as the articles for its exhibition can be pur-
chased at any depot for the sale of conjuring apparatus there-
fore the most diffident amateur will be able to display this trick.
PREPARATION.
Have a die exactly like the common dice, only it may be about
two inches square. Have two covers for it, one of them exactly
resembling the appearance of a die, only hollow, except that
one side of it is open, so that it can easily be placed over, or be
taken off, the solid die.
The other cover may be of decorated material, and it is in-
tended to be placed over the first die-cover. Let this last cover
be made of some pliant material, so that by compressing gently
two of its sides with your fingers, while lifting it up, you can
lift up the first die-cover, which will be within it."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,36,,"20
LATEST MAGIC
The utility of the black art mat, however, does
not depend upon the pocket only. Its unbroken or
""plain"" side, or indeed a mat wholly without
pockets may also be very effectively used for van-
ishing purposes. In this case a little auxiliary
appliance comes into play. This is a small velvet
patch, serving as an ""overlay."" It may be round
or square, according to the purpose for which it is
intended to be used. For coin-vanishing purposes
it is best circular, and about two inches (or less,
as the case may be) in diameter. The foundation
is in this case a disc of thin card covered on both
sides with velvet, in colour and texture exactly cor-
responding with that of the mat, under which con-
ditions the patch, when laid on the mat, will be
invisible. The exact similarity of the two surfaces
is a point of the highest importance for black art
effects, and the velvet used, if not actually silk vel-
vet, should at least be of the silk-faced kind. Vel-
vet which is all cotton will never give satisfactory
results.
If a coin be laid on any part of the mat the
performer has only (in the supposed act of picking
it up) to lay the velvet patch over it to render it
invisible. If it is desired to reproduce the coin, a
handkerchief shown to be empty, may be laid over
the patch, and a moment or two later picked up
again, bringing away the overlay within it, and
again revealing the coin in statu quo. A practical
example of the use of this device will be found in"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,35,,"The Author standing in front of Villa Frikell at Kötohenbroda, Germany. where the master magician, Wiljalba Frikell,
assent the yearn of his life. From the Harry Houdini Collection."
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,35,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
25
retaining them in your right hand, which is to fall by your side
as if empty.
Afterwards get rid of four of the five cents into your pocket,
retaining only one in your right palm.
Hold up your closed left hand, and say, while blowing on it:
Pass, cents, from my left hand into the hat. Now, sir, be
kind enough to see if they have come into your possession.
Please to count them aloud while placing them in the saucer.""
He will be surprised, as well as the spectators, to find that the
cents in his hat have become nine.
You may then put on a rather offended look, and say: ""Ah,
sir ! ah ! I did not think you would do so ! You have taken
one out, I fear."" Approaching your right hand to his sleeve,
shake the sleeve, and let the one cent, which you have in your
own hand, drop audibly into the saucer. It will raise a laugh
against the holder of the hat. You can say : 'Excuse me, I
only made it appear that you had taken one. However, you see
that the original money is now doubled.""
TRICK 8.-The injured handkerchief restored.
PREPARATION.
Have a dime of your own wrapped in the centre of a piece of
cambric about five or six inches in diameter, the ends falling
down loose. Conceal these in the palm of your left hand.
Borrow a marked dime from any of the spectators, and a
white cambric handkerchief. Throw the handkerchief spread
out over your left palm, (holding under the handkerchief your
own dime wrapped in the small piece of cambric )
Openly place the borrowed dime on the centre of the spread-
out handkerchief. Keeping hold of that dime, jerk the ends of
the
handkerchief over, so as to fall loose down from the lower
side of your left hand. Draw out from between your thumb
and fingers (that is from the upper side of your left hand) about
two inches of the smaller piece of cambric, containing your own
dime. The spectators will naturally conceive the two pieces of
cambric you hold in that hand to be merely the cambric hand-
kerchief.
)
Call any of the spectators forward, and request him to mark
off with his knife the portion of the piece of calico which holds
your own dime, and whisper to him to cut it completely off, and
to let the dime drop on the table. The spectators will believe
that he has cut a hole in the handkerchief itself, and that the
dime falling out is the one you recently borrowed, whereas it is
in fact the other piece of calico that has been cut, and the bor-
rowed coin remains still wrapped up in the handkerchief."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,35,,"BLACK ART MATS
19
a quarter of an inch or so by means of a stiffening
along its inner edge. By having the millboard
foundation cut in half before it is covered, the mat
may be made to fold like a chessboard for greater
portability.
FIG. 9
If some small article, say a coin or ring, is laid
on mat just behind the mouth of the pocket, it may
be made to disappear therein, being in fact swept
into the pocket in the act of apparently picking it
up. In the case of a coin, the pocket may by a
slight alteration of procedure be used to effect a
""change""; a substitute, palmed beforehand, being
exhibited in place of the one professedly picked up
from the mat.
It is desirable when placing the mat upon the
table for use to see that the mouth of the pocket
is duly open and has not been, by any accident,
pressed flat, and SO closed."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,34,,"INTRODUCTION
""Herr verreist,"" meaning ""The master is on tour.""
This, I knew, from his age, could not be true, SO
I took a week off for personal investigation. I ar-
rived at Kötchenbroda on the morning of April 8th,
1903, at 4 o'clock, and was directed to his home, known
as ""Villa Frikell."" Having found my bearings and
studied well the exterior of the house, I returned to the
depot to await daylight. At 8:30 I reappeared at his
door, and was told by his wife that Herr Frikell had
gone away.
I then sought the police department from which I
secured the following information: ""Dr."" Wiljalba Frikell
was indeed the retired magician whom I was so anxious
to meet. He was eighty-seven years old, and in 1884 had
celebrated his golden anniversary as a conjurer. Living in
the same town was an adopted daughter, but she could not
or would not assist me. The venerable magician had suf-
fered from domestic disappointments and had made a VOW
that he would see no one. In fact he was leading a
hermit-like life.
Armed with this information, I employed a photog-
rapher, giving him instructions to post himself opposite
the house and make a snap shot of the magician, should
he appear in the doorway. But I had counted without
my host. All morning the photographer lounged across
the street and all morning I stood bareheaded before
the door of Herr Frikell, pleading with his wife who leaned
from the window overhead. With that peculiar fervency
which comes only when the heart's desire is at stake, I
begged that the past master of magic would lend a help-
ing hand to one ready to sit at his feet and learn. I urged
[27]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,34,,"24
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
Borrow a marked dime. Take out your handkerchief, and
while pretending to wrap this dime in the handkerchief, conceal
it in your palm, and take care that the one previously sewn into
the corner of the handkerchief can be felt easily through tho
handkerchief. Giving it to one of your friends, tell him to feel
that it has the dime in it, and to hold it up over his head firmly.
While giving these directions to your friend, the dime that is in
your palm must be transferred to your pocket, and introduced
into the slit of the orange. Then bring the orange out of your
pocket, and place it on a table you will keep the slit on the side
away from the audience.
Then make a few mesmeric passes over the hand of the per-
son that holds the handkerchief, saying, ""I will now destroy
the sense of feeling in your hands. Tell me, can you feel tho
dime ?"" He will say, .6 Yes."" You can reply, ""Oh, you must
be wrong, sir. See! I will shake out the handkerchief."" Tak-
ing hold of one corner of it, shake it out, saying, ""Observe,
nothing will fall to the ground. You see that you were mis-
taken about feeling it in the handkerchief.""
The fact is, the dime being stitched in the corner' could not
fall out, and you must take care not to let that corner of tho
liandkerchief hit against the ground. Put the handkerchief in
your pocket, and say, ""But I must return the borrowed dime.""
Exclaim : ""Fly, dime, into the orange on the table."" Cut up
orange, and show the dime concealed in it, and then restore it
to its owner, asking him to tell the audienco if he finds it to bo
his own marked dime.
TRICK 7.-How to double your pocket money.
The only preparation 1S to have four cents concealed in your
left palm.
Commence the trick by calling forward one of the spectators,
and let him bring up his hat with him.
Then borrow five cents, or have them ready to produce from
your own pocket should there be any delay.
Request your friend, while he places them one by one on a
small plate or saucer, to count them audibly, so that the com-
pany may hear their number correctly. Inquire, ""How many
aro there ?"" He will. answer, ""Five."" Take up the saucer and
pour them into your left hand, (where the other four are already
concealed.) Then say, ""Stay, I will place these in your hat,
and you must raise it above your head, for all to see that noth-
ing is added subsequently to them."" You will have placed
these nine cents in his hat unsuspected by him.
Borrow five cents more. Make Pass 1, as described on page
9, appearing to throw these five into your left hand, but really"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,34,,"18
LATEST MAGIC
deal short of those of the actual table, will answer
many of its purposes, apart from special merits of
its own, and which has the further recommenda-
tion of exceptional portability. It may be appro-
priately entitled the Black Art Mat. It consists
of a piece of Bristol board of size and shape suit-
able to the purpose for which it is to be used, COV-
ered on both sides with black velvet and edged with
narrow ornamental braid or binding. The one
FIG. 8
side has no speciality, but the other has a flat
pocket across one or more of its corners; as indi-
cated in Fig. 8. In the case of a mat of small size
the pocket may extend diagonally from corner to
corner as in Fig. 9. The edge of the pocket may be
braided if preferred (the rest of the surface being
ornamented to correspond) but if the mat be well
made this is not necessary. The mouth of each
pocket is made slightly ""full,"" and is held open"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,33,,"INTRODUCTION
Corn Exchange, Maidstone,
legacy, which is now the
central jewel in my col-
FOR TWO NIGHTS ONLY.
lection. Evanion died
UNDER DISTINGUASHED PATRONAGE.
THEBAND
ten days later, June 17th,
and within a short time
or THE vertzun LIGET INFANTSY
MILITIA
his good wife followed
wn attend on each Erening by the tund cerminsion of Col. Ser Thos. M. Wilson, Bart.
him into the Great Un-
known.
Even more dramatic
was my meeting with the
widow of Frikell, the
great German conjurer.
I had heard that Frikell
and not Robert-Houdin
SOIREES MYSTERIEUSES 1!
was the first magician
MR. J. SAVREN,
to discard cumbersome,
draped stage apparatus,
Artist in Experimental Philosophy, and
Natural Magic,
Sege . inform the - of thet
of
and to don evening
.
Novel - The te
deme by - - of the The MISTICAL
ILLUSTRATION will
MODERN
clothes, and I was most
anxious to verify this
MAGIC
rumor, as well as to in-
terview him regarding
equally important data
The Illusionary of Natural Science, Egyptian Mystery, the Manipulation of
the Chinese, the greatest Recamotes in the World.
PROGBAMME EXTRAORDINAIRR
bearing on the history of
PARE L
The Obediees Carde and theie Eccestricities
Le Mouchod- de confocum, "" What wit be
The Croutal Torala, its Divination, ne the Oracle
Hundred Yeare?
magic. Having heard
of Fomale Destiny
The Grand Escomotago, the Mireculous Pre-
The VANGAL of VENUS is the Prisco of
sectasion to the
Bacchue
The Bassers of - - Molti-
The Wateh Mascrovre, or the Wooders of Magical
farione Production in of the
that he lived in Kötchen-
Manipsiation
ALLIES
PART IL
A Night is the PALACE of NANKIN, or Novel
The Coffers of the Stores
Represvetation of the Wonder Working
broda, a suburb of Dres-
and Spint like Tou de phymique
Magie of the great Celestial Empire of
The Evenoncent Powers of Bodino
CHINA
Fiora's Tree . Minatore and CONE
a Liquid Metamorphosi and reprodection of the
Le Estraordisaire, les Bonlots des Allies
Coldee Circled in Peratorial
The CHINESE CREATION, the mout Brilliant
den, I wrote to him from
The Mesallic Currency, ita Trassitory Motion and
and Jorsplicable Toare over
Final imperceptible Joursey to the Crystal
Ascient or Modern Magle, parely
Cabset
of Chinese Origle
Cologne, asking for an
edome OPEN AT SEVES TO AT e'creca.
interview. I received
Poster used by James Savren. From
the Harry Houdini Collection.
in reply a curt note:
[ 26  ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,33,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
23
TRICK 5.-To make a quarter and a penny change
places, while held in the hands of two spectators.
PREPARATION.
Have a quarter of your own secreted in your right hand.
Then borrow two handkerchiefs, and a quarter and a penny,
from any one in the audience. Tell the lender to mark or accu-
rately observe them, so that he will know them again. In plac-
ing them on the table, substitute your own quarter for the bor-
rowed one, and conceal the borrowed one in your palm.
MEMORANDUM.
It is better to use things borrowed than coin of your own.
Still, the conjuror should provide himself with articles requisite
to display any trick, or otherwise much delay may occasionally
arise while borrowing them.
Commence the trick by pointing out where the quarter and
the penny are lying on the table. Take up the penny and show
it openly to all. Then take up one of the handkerchiefs, and
while pretending to wrap up the penny in it, substitute in its
place the borrowed quarter which you had concealed in your
palm, and ask one of your friends to feel that it is enfolded in
the handkerchief, and bid him hold the handkerchief enclosing
it above his head. Ask him if he has got the penny there safely.
He will reply that he has.
Then take up your own quarter which was laid upon the ta-
ble ; pretend to wrap it up in the second handkerchief, but
adroitly substitute the penny, (which you concealed in your
palm while wrapping up the first handkerchief.) Ask some
friend to hold it up above his head, indulging in some facetious
remark. Slip your own quarter into your pocket. Clap your
hands or wave your wand, saying, ""Change."" Tell your friends
to unfold their handkerchiefs. They will be astonished to find
that the quarter and penny have changed places.
TRICK 6.-Another trick with the dime, handkerchief,
and an orange or lemon
PREPARATION.
Have an orange or lemon ready, with a slit made in its side
sufficiently large to admit the dime easily ; and have in your
pocket a good-sized silk handkerchief with a dime stitched inio
one of its corners."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,33,,"NOVEL APPLICATIONS OF THE
""BLACK ART"" PRINCIPLE
BLACK ART MATS AND BLACK ART PATCHES
The Black Art Table has long since established
itself in the affections of the conjurer as one of his
most effective aids. At a stage performance the
presence of one or more such adjuncts is almost a
matter of course, but the drawing room performer
finds many occasions when, for one reason or
another, the use of such an aid is precluded.
Some wizards, as a matter of personal convenience,
decline to burden themselves with more artistic
luggage than can be bestowed in an ordinary hand-
bag. Others, again, hold (and not without rea-
son) that the use of a special table, imported by
the performer himself, tends to discount the marvel
of his show; as being suggestive of that ""prepara-
tion"" which every artistic conjurer is anxious to
disclaim. It is no doubt an easy matter to arrange
a good enough programme for which the aid of
""black art"" is not needed, but this means the
exclusion not merely of a valuable auxiliary, but
of many of the most striking magical effects.
I have pleasure in introducing to the reader a
substitute which, though its capabilities fall a good
17"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,32,,"his chief anxiety was for the future of his wife and then
for his own decent burial. When these sad offices had
been provided for, he became more peaceful, and when
I rose to leave him, knowing that we had met probably
for the last time, he drew forth his chiefest treasure, a
superb book of Robert-Houdin's programmes, his one
[25]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,32,,"22
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
tors, and to mislead their imagination, so that they shall fancy
that they see him DO things which he only APPEARS to do, and
shall blindly fail to observe actions and movements carried out
before their very eyes.
And here let me say, that I have, by long experience, come to
the conviction, that the simpler and more common the objects
are on which, and with which. a trick is performed, and the less
anything beyond dexterity of hand is openly used, the greater
will be the astonishment and the amusement of the spectators.
There are, it is true, some very striking and complicated illu-
sions which it is impossible to present without resorting to art-
istic contrivances of mechanical or scientific arrangement. On
these illusions, as being beyond the power of a young amateur,
I need not dwell. Nor need the preceding remarks be consid-
ered as any disparagement of the combinations and extrinsic aid
which are indispensable for developing such startling illusions.
The scope of my present remarks is simply to this effect, that
to depend mainly upon the co-operation of a confederate, or
upon mechanical contrivances, for what can be far better carried
out by mere sleight-of-hand, will not pass for a satisfactory ex-
hibition of conjuring now-a-days; and the amateur will find
that, as he advances in skill and dexterity, he will swim more
freely the less ho trusts to such unsubstantial bladders to uphold
him.
Having thus discussed my two topics I shall now add explana-
tions of a few more tricks, which the learner may practise with
the hope of making progress in the art of conjuring. The only
way to make such progress and gain high attainments in the art,
is to practise diligently over and over again the passes I havo
described in my former paper, and to learn to do a few tricks
neatly, and without hesitation or stumbling. I subjoin, there-
fore, some simple but effective tricks, in which they will do well
to perfect themselves."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,32,,"16
LATEST MAGIC
these may safely be left to the ingenuity of the
reader. If the face, instead of the back, of a given
card be treated with the adhesive, that card will
itself disappear from the pack. By due adjust-
ment two adhering cards may (the one slightly
overlapping the other) be made to form a tem-
porary long or wide card."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,31,,"INTRODUCTION
Very rare and extraordinarily fine lithograph of Robert-Houdin, which he
gave only to his friends. It depicts him among his so-called inventions. His
son, Emile, doing second siglit, is behind him. The writing and drawing
figure is on his left. On his right under the clockwork is a drawing which,
on close examination of the original, shows the suspension trick. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 24]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,31,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
21
I myself prefer doing without the aid of any confederate und
without mechanical aids ; but I must remember that I am writ-
ing for amateurs and novices in the art, and that, in proportion
as they are unpractised in palmistry, and in what the French
term prestidigitation, (preste digite, signifying ""ready fingers,"")
it will be desirable for them, at first, to have the assistanco
which mechanism will supply towards the exhibition of their
tricks.
Let them, however, keep such aids as subordinate and as se-
cret as possible. For instance, in the preparation for exhibiting
the first trick described on page 12, the small tin tube (which is
requisite for the performance of that trick) must not be seen by
the audience, either BEFORE or AFTER the trick is exhibited, but
must be kept secrêted in the pocket. Again, in Trick No. 4,
the preparation of the hair and beeswax must be made PRI-
VATELY beforehand; and these implements must vanish out of
sight when the trick is over. And the reader must observe that
in both the first and fourth tricks the mechanical aid employed
is the minor and subordinate part of the tricks, and that a suc-
cessful exhibition of either of thcm depends really on the dex-
terity of the passes, and of manipulations by the performer.
It may be admitted, then, that, with regard to the first topic
of our present paper, the young conjuror need not be restrained
from employing the subordinate aid of an assistant, so far as
this may carry him over difficulties which he cannot otherwise
surmount in the present stage of his im perfect skill.
And in regard to the second topic, the employment of me-
chanical contrivances, (though it may be well to begin with
those departments of the art which are easier, because aided by
mechanical apparatus,) it will be desirable for the amateur to
strive to get freo from dependence upon such aids. Mechanical
arrangements cannot be wholly discarded at any time, and the
conjuror will always require a few implements; but the more
he advances in dexterity of hand, quickness of eye, control of
his hand and eye, instantaneous adaptation of his words and
movements to contingencies as they arise, the more able will he
become to elude the observation of the most watchful specta-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,31,,"THE MISSING CARD
15
Let us make sure first, though, whether he has
really left the other pack.""
Picking up pack A, he counts the cards slowly,
not looking at them himself, but showing the face
of each before laying it on the table. ""Stop me,
please, if you see the knave of diamonds."" He
counts, ""one, two, three, four,' and so on to the
end. ""Fifty-one cards only! Then there is one
card missing, and as you have not seen the knave
of diamonds, and as all the other cards are here, it
is plain that it is he who has left the pack. We
have still to find out whether he has obeyed orders,
and gone over to the other pack. You wished him
to place himself seventh, I think. I won't touch
the cards myself. Will some gentleman come for-
ward, and count them off for me?"" (This is
done.) ""The seventh card is really the knave of
diamonds, is it not ?
""But, you may say, this might be the knave
properly belonging to this pack. Please look
through the pack, sir, and if there has been no
deception you will find the proper knave in some
other part of it. You have found the other knave ?
Then you will admit that that proves clearly that
this first one is the identical card the lady drew.""
1
It would be easy to give other combinations
dependent on the use of the adhesive principle, but
1 A somewhat more elaborate trick of mine on the same principle
(The Elusive Card) will be found described in the Magazine of Magic,
Vol. II, pp. 13, 47."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,30,,"INTRODUCTION
clad in rusty raiment. When I approached the old man
he rose and informed me that he had brought some
clippings, bills, etc., for me to see. I asked him to be
as expeditious as possible, for I was too weak to stand
long and my head was a-whirl from the effects of
la grippe.
With some hesitancy of speech but the loving touch of
a collector he opened his parcel.
""I have brought you, sir, only a few of my treasures,
sir, but if you will call-
""
I heard no more. I remember only raising my hands
before my eyes, as if I had been dazzled by a sudden
shower of diamonds. In his trembling hands lay price-
less treasures for which I had sought in vain-original
programmes and bills of Robert-Houdin, Phillippe, Ander-
son, Breslaw, Pinetti, Katterfelto, Boaz, in fact all the
conjuring celebrities of the eighteenth century, together
with lithographs long considered unobtainable, and news-
papers to be found only in the files of national libraries.
I felt as if the King of England stood before me and I
must do him homage.
Physician or no physician, I made an engagement
with him for the next morning, when I was bundled into
a cab and went as fast as the driver could urge his horse
to Evanion's home, a musty room in the basement of
No. I2 Methley Street, Kennington Park Road, S.E.
In the presence of his collection I lost all track of
time. Occasionally we paused in our work to drink tea
which he made for us on his pathetically small stove.
The drops of the first tea which we drank together can
yet be found on certain papers in my collection. . His
]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,30,,"20
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
cally into the possession of its owner. The ring was borrowed,
and some mysterious gesticulations practised; but instead of the
contemplated result being produced, the false confederate pro-
claimed aloud that he had lent a very valuable jewelled ring, and
had only received back a common copper ring. The audience
was of course disappointed at such words so derogatory to the
conjuror This unpleasant feeling was deepened by the malic-
ious meddling of another false confederate. Torrini had to
present some cards to the King of Naples, who was honoring the
assembly by witnessing the exhibition, and a card was selected
by his Majesty. Instead, however, of being pleased with what
he saw on the card, the king manifested intense disapprobation.
The confederate had written on the card words of disrespect and
insult, and Torrini had to retire amid the loud censures of the
enraged spectators. There may. be no danger of so disastrous
results to a young amateur; but dissatisfaction of a milder kind
will probably ensue whenever it is discovered that any trick has
depended upon the secret co-operation of an assistant among
the spectators.
The SECOND topic which I propose at present to discuss is the
employment of mechanism-such mechanical constructions as
boxes with false sides, cabinets with secret drawers, or double
compartments, etc.
It makes a great difference whether such arrangements are
used as subordinate aids, or as constituting the essence and sub-
stance of the illusion. In the former respect it is quite legiti-
mate to take advantage of any well-arranged mechanical aid su-
bordinately. In fact, nearly all tricks must be performed with
some modified aid of artistic contrivance, or with mechanical
implements adroitly used. The conjuror, thereforc, unavoid-
ably requires, and may advantageously employ, mechanical ar-
rangements to give greater effect to his illusions. I only wish
to dissuade the learner from relying solely upon mere mechani-
cal puzzles, or artistic contrivances, for furnishing an interesting
exhibition of the conjuror's art.
The fewer the contrivances which he employs of this sort, and
the more entirely the performance rests upon sleight-of-hand
the more lively will be the surprise of the spectators."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,30,,"14
LATEST MAGIC
scarcely likely, that that card may have been
shuffled into the seventh place. We will see.""
He counts off cards from the top of the pack on
to the table, faces down, not exposing any card till
he comes to the seventh, which he holds up so that
all may see it. ""Now, Madam, is that your card?
I don't want to know the name of it yet. It is not
your card I did not suppose it was, for the
chances were over fifty to one against it, but you
never can tell!""
He gathers up the cards counted off, and without
disturbing their order, replaces them on the top
of the pack, thereby bringing the original top card
to the seventh place.
""Now please observe that I do not touch these
cards again till the miracle has actually happened.
I will now ask you, madam, to be good enough to
name your card. The knave of diamonds, you
say ? That is all right. Had you taken the knave
of clubs, I should have feared for the success of
my experiment, for that knave always gives
trouble, if he can; but the knave of diamonds is a
very gentlemanly card, and I have no doubt that
he will readily oblige. Now, Percy (perhaps you
didn't know his name was Percy), I want you to
leave the pack you are in, and place yourself sev-
enth in the other pack. Go at once, like a good
boy. Start at the top, and go straight down.
One. two, three, four, five, six, seven!
""I should think he has arrived by this time."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,29,,"H Eranion
Last photograph of Henry Evans Evanion, conjurer and collector, taken
especially for this book in which he was deeply interested. Died June 17th.
1905. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[ 22]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,29,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
19
-
CHAPTER III.
TRICKS WITH AND WITHOUT COLLUSION.
I'
resuming my hints to amateurs, I shall now offer some re-
marks upon two subjects.
Frrst.--] will notico the class of tricks th at are performed by
the collusion of a confederate. Old books on conjuring record
several of this description, and some conjurors still practise
them. But I do not advise the inexperienced frequently to ex-
hibit tricks of this sort, for the co-operation of assistants used
in them is liable to be traced by spectators, or to be divulged by
the person who has been employed to aid in the exhibition of
them. They may, indeed, be very well as a make-shift until
dexterity of hand is acquired; but they will always rank as an
inferior branch of the science of conjuring, and if the collusion
is discovered, it will throw discredit even upon those tricks
which the same performer may exhibit without such collusive
arrangement. An instance of the annoying failure of such de-
pendence upon confederates is recorded in ""Houdin's Memoirs.""
It is thero related that Torrini, at the commencement of his ca-
reer, was insidiously induced by an envious rival (Pinetti) to
undertako a public exhibition of his art before a very grand as-
sembly. Torrini was at the time diffident of his own attain-
ments, but he was persuaded to make the attempt by the assur-
ance of Pinetti that he would take care that several confeder-
ates should be present, and should help in carrying out sundry
illusions which he would have to display. One of these was,
that the conjuror, after borrowing a ring, was to restoro it magi-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,29,,"THE MISSING CARD
13
temporarily for the time being in view on the table.
The next step is to pick up pack A, and force from
it the knave of diamonds, receiving it back on top of
the prepared card, passed to the middle of the pack
for its reception. Squaring up the pack and
applying the necessary pressure, the performer
offers it to be shuffled, meanwhile delivering him-
self to something like the following effect.
""Before going further, ladies and gentlemen,
I want you to remember exactly what has been
done. A card has been chosen from this pack. It
has been put back again, the cards have been
shuffled, and you can all bear witness that I have
not touched them since. Nobody knows, except
the lady who chose it, what card she chose.
Whereabouts in the pack it may be at this moment
not one of us knows, even the lady herself. I can
assure you truthfully that I don't, but I propose,
by force of magic, to compel that card, whatever it
may be, to leave that pack altogether, and pass into
the other one. Nay, more than that, I shall com-
pel it to place itself at any number in that pack
you like to name. What shall we say ? Seventh:
Good.
""Now please bear in mind that that pack, like
the other, has just been shuffled, and that I have
not touched it since. It is therefore manifestly
impossible that I should know the position of any
card in it. Of course, as there is already a knave
of diamonds in the pack, it is just possible, though"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,28,,"INTRODUCTION
many of the most important additions to my collection
of conjuring curios and my library of magic, recog-
nized by fellow-artistes and litterateurs as the most
complete in the world.
Evanion was an Englishman, by profession a parlor
magician, by choice and habit a collector and savant.
He was an entertainer from 1849 to the year of his death.
For fifty years he spent every spare hour at the British
Museum collecting data bearing on his marvellous col-
lection, and his interest in the history of magic was shared
by his excellent wife who conducted a ""sweet shop""
near one of London's public schools.
While playing at the London Hippodrome in 1904 I
was confined to my room by orders of my physician.
During this illness I was interviewed by a reporter who,
noticing the clippings and bills with which my room was
strewn, made some reference to my collection in the
course of his article. The very day on which this inter-
view appeared, I received from Henry Evanion a merc
scrawl stating that he, too, collected programmes, bills,
etc., in which I might be interested.
I wrote at once asking him to call at one o'clock the
next afternoon, but as the hour passed and he did not
appear, I decided that, like many others who asked for
interviews, he had felt but a passing whim. That after-
noon about four o'clock my physician suggested that, as
the day was mild, I walk once around the block. As
I
stepped from the lift, the hotel porter informed me that
since one o'clock an old man had been waiting to see
me, but so shabby was his appearance, they had not dared
send him up to my room. He pointed to a bent figure,
[ 2I ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,28,,"18
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
The gentleman declined for a considerable time ; but at
length, being overcome by the importunity, in order to get rid
of the matter, assented. The time of the departure of the train
had arrived and passed by, and the aspirant offered two guineas
to learn the trick. The gentleman acceded to bis request on
condition that he should faithfully promise not to reveal it to
others, or to make public the mystery. ""Agreed,"" says tho
'traveler. The mail train was gone-the money paid-tho trick
exhibited and explained to him. ""Oh!"" cried the traveler,
"" how easy and plain it is. What a simpleton I have been to
lose my journey and spend my money only to learn how you-.""
""
Stop!"" cried the gentleman, ""remember you have promised
not to divulge the secret."" "" Yes, but how foolish to care for
an experiment which only depends on-. Stop, sir, stop.
Are you going to tell all the room ?"" and thus a good half-hour's
amusement was caused by the traveler fretting over his simpli-
city, and having relinquished an important journey for that
which, though marvellous while a secret, became so simple and
uninteresting to him after an explanation."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,28,,"12
LATEST MAGIC
this point; but even a novice may very well carry
it a stage further. To do so, he will in the first
place replace the card in the box, in such a manner
that it can be again ""vanished."" In gathering
together the outspread cards, he takes care to place
the queen of clubs on top of the rest. As this,
however, is the double card, the actual top card is
of course the missing seven of diamonds. It is
an easy matter, in handling the cards, to detach
this from the queen of clubs, and, after a little
""talkee-talkee,"" show that it has left the box and
returned to the pack.
The above would, however, be much too crude
and elementary a proceeding to commend itself to
the expert. In the trick next to be described the
same expedient is employed after a more subtle
fashion.
THE MISSING CARD
The requirements for this trick consist of two
complete packs of cards and an extra card, which
we will suppose to be the knave of diamonds. One
of the two packs, which we will call A, has on top
a card made adhesive at the back as above
described, and its own knave of diamonds at the
bottom. The other pack, B, is wholly unprepared.
The first step is to offer pack B to be shuffled,
and when it is returned to palm on to it the spare
knave of diamonds, after which the pack is left"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,27,,"INTRODUCTION
Often when the bookshops and auction sales did not
yield fruit worth plucking, I had the good fortune to
meet a private collector or a retired performer whose
assistance proved invaluable, and the histories of
Charles Bertram (James Bassett), the English author and conjurer, who
wrote ""Isn't it Wonderful ?"" Born 1853, died Feb. 28th, 1907. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
these meetings read almost like romances, so skilfully
did the Fates seem to juggle with my efforts to secure
credible proof.
To the late Henry Evans Evanion I am indebted for
[20]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,27,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
17
My young friends must remember that it is absolutely neces-
sary to keep up in spectators their belief in the niysterious, and
therefore must decline on the spot to give explanations before or
after the performance of this trick, however they may be dis-
posed to reveal the secret privately to any friend. A singular
instance is recorded of a person who was grievously disappointed
when by importunity he had received an explanation of this very
trick, which had appeared at first to him a most marvellous phe-
nomenon; and he was quite annoyed when the gilt was stripped
off his ginger-bread. It is said that a gentleman walked into a
FIG. 7.
00
coffee-room at Manchester, England, and was exhibiting to a
friend the above trick. A traveler at a table near them had his
attention drawn by their laughing discourse, while one of them
exhibited the trick to the other. The cold barrier of English
reserve was broken down, and he addressed one of the strangers,
requesting to be informed how the trick was done. For his part
he imagined it must be connected with some perfectly new phil-
osophical law of attraction involved in the experiment. "" Will
yon be kind enough to tell me I shall be happy to offer n fee
to learn it. I was about to proceed by the next train, but I will
gladly defer my journey to understand this, which appears so
unaccountable."""
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,27,,"ADHESIVE CARDS
11
pressed against the surface SO treated, the two
adhere, and for the time become, in effect, one card
only, viz., the one whose face is exposed, the other
having temporarily disappeared from the pack.
This renders possible many striking effects. To
take an elementary example, let us suppose that
the old-fashioned flat card-box, or some other
appliance for magically producing a card, is
loaded with, say, a seven of diamonds. The cor-
responding card is forced on one of the company,
and taken back into the middle of the pack, on
the top of the prepared card. The performer does
not disturb or tamper with the pack in the smallest
degree. He merely squares up the cards, and,
pressing them well together, hands them to be
shuffled, meanwhile calling attention to the card-
box, which is shown apparently empty. He then
asks the name of the drawn card, announcing that
it will at his command leave the pack and find its
way into the box.
He now counts off the cards, showing the face
of each as he does so, and leaving it exposed upon
the table. The seven of diamonds has disap-
peared, being in fact hidden behind the prepared
card, which we will suppose to be in this instance
the queen of clubs.
Leaving the cards outspread upon the table, the
performer opens the card-box, and shows that the
missing card has somehow found its way into it.
In the hands of a novice, the trick might end at"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,26,,"INTRODUCTION
posters or write advertisements in order to refute the
claims of those who were to follow in the profession of
magic. These programmes, advertisements, newspaper
notices, and crude cuts trace the true history of magic as
Philip Astley, Esq.
Ruc. by Alex. Bogg. & c. Aug 1.1806.
Philip Astley, Esq., an historical circus director, a famous character of
Bartholomew Fair days, and author of ""Natural Magic"" (1784). From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
no romancer, no historian of a single generation possibly
could. They are the ghosts of dead and gone magicians,
rising in this century of research and progress to claim
the credit due them.
[r9]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,26,,"16
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
You must not allow people to handle the egg on the thread af-
terwards, for when they see the simplicity of the process they
will undervalue the trick, whereas it appears marvellous as long
as they do not understand how the extraordinary movements
are produced. And in these illusions, as Hudibras expresses it,
Doubtless, the pleasure is as great
In being cheated as to cheat.
-
FOURTH TRICK-The Walking Cent.
PRELIMINARY PREPARATION IN PRIVATE.
Ask for a long dark hair from some lady's tresses. Have a
pin in shape of a hook, or a small loop affixed to the end of this
hair, and fasten a little piece of beeswax (less than a pea) at the
other end of the hair. Fasten the hair by the loop to a button
on your vest, taking care to wear a dark-colored vest. The
hair may be allowed to hang from your vest, with the bees-
wax visible. Have a glass of water or cup on the table.
Commence the exhibition of the trick by borrowing a cent.
While pretending to examine the cent to see if it is a good one,
press the waxed end of the hair firmly to the under side cf tho
cent, and place it about a foot from the edge of n table. Then
bid the cent to move toward you, to the right or to the left, and
by gently moving your body in whatever direction you name,
the hair will draw the cent in the same direction. You may
say, while your left hand is near the table, ""Now, cent, movo
up my arm. Advancing your a.m gently, the cent will appear
to move up to your elbow. It is your arm that moves, but it
will appear to the spectators as if the cent moved or you may
help it up the outside of the sleeve by interposing your right
hand under the hair, so as to draw up the cent, while appearing
to beckon it.
""Now, cent, as you have performed so well, you shall have a
bath."" Placing the tumbler near the edge of the table, draw
the cent into it. After exhibiting it in the water, say, "": Oh,
cent, you must not stay so long in the water."" Then jerk it out
upon the table. Detach the waxed end of the hair by your
nail, after which return the cent to the person who loaned it
to you.
When performing this trick, in order to keep the spectators at
a little distance, you must inform them that the cent is very
susceptible to magnetic influences, and request ladies not to ap-
proach too near it, as the loadstones of their eyes are the causo
of the magnetic attraction."""
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,26,,"10
LATEST MAGIC
here is another inside it.'' (Produce second pot.)
""You wouldn't have thought it, would you ? In
fact, you would never have known, if I hadn't told
you.
""Of course I could keep on doing this all the
evening, but there wouldn't be much fun in it, and
no time would be left for anything else, SO I will
proceed at once to make use of the pots for a little
experiment with cards.""
(Proceed with any trick for which the card mat
may have been prepared.)
N. B. It will be taken for granted, in the
description of tricks dependent upon the use of the
flower-pots, that these have been already intro-
duced, after the above or some similar manner.
ADHESIVE CARDS AND TRICKS THEREWITH
I believe I may safely claim that the device I
am about to describe was, until I disclosed it some
months ago in the Magazine of Magic, an absolute
novelty. It consists in the preparation of one card
of a pack (or, better still, of a spare card, to be
substituted at need for its double), by rubbing one
or other of its surfaces, shortly before it is needed
for use, with diachylon, in the solid form.
We will suppose, in the first instance, that the
back of the card is so dealt with. The rubbing
does not alter its appearance, but gives it a thin
coating of adhesive matter, and if another card is"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,25,,"INTRODUCTION
Houdin. I have not borrowed from the books of other
writers on magic. I have gone to the very fountain head
of information, records of contemporary literature, news-
papers, programmes and advertisements of magicians who
Signor Antonio Blitz, author of ""Fifty Years in the Magic Circle"" (1872).
Original negative of this photograpli is in the Harry Houdini Collection.
preceded Robert-Houdin, sometimes by a century. It
would cost fully a million dollars to forge the collection
of evidence now in my hands. Men who lived a hundred
years before Robert-Houdin was born did not invent
[ 18]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,25,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
15
inted out of the bowl, that the glass bowl contains nothing but
ink.
Borrowing a silk handkerchief, place it for a few seconds over
the bowl, and feigning to be inviting fish to come to the bowl.
exclaim Change! Then, placing your hand on the edge of
the bowl near yourself, draw off the handkerchief, and with it
take care to catch hold also of the black silk. The bowl when
uncovered will exhibit the fish swimming about in clear water.
While the spectators are surprised at the fish, return the hand-
kerchief, having first dropped out of it the black silk on your
side of the table. Decline giving any explanation, as people
will not thank you for dispelling the illusion.
THIRD TRICK,-The Dancing Egg.
REQUISITE PREPARATION TO BE MADE IN PRIVATE.
An egg-shell that has been blown (my young friends will know
that the way to blow an egg is to make a small hole at each end
of the egg. Then, by blowing at one end, the yolk will be
driven out, and the egg-shell be left empty.)
Make a hole also on the side of the egg, in which insert a
chip of wood, or a small pin, held by a fine black silk thread,
about twelve or fourteen inches long, which must have a loop at
the far end, which loop fasten to a button on the coat or waist-
coat and have on a dark vest, otherwise the dark thread be-
coming visible, will reveal the moving power.
FIG. 6.
a
Commence by borrowing two black hats. If there is an in-
strument in the room, ask some one to play a lively tune, as
"" eggs are fond ofglively music to dance to."" Then, with the
brim of a hat in each hand, interpose the round of each hat
successively under the thread that holds the egg, moving them
from your breast toward the egg. The egg will appear to move
of itself over the hats, as you place them under it."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,25,,"THE FAIRY FLOWER-POTS
9
One of them was my own. The other I had bor-
rowed-from under the seat. You don't believe
it? Well, I said you wouldn't. I always know!
""But that is not all. It isn't only the bad effect
on the conjurer's own morals, and sometimes on
the hat. People are SO careless. They do leave
such funny things in their hats. Cannon balls and
birdcages; babies' socks and babies' bottles; rab-
bits and pigeons, and bowls of fish, and a host of
other things. And just when you are going to pro-
duce some brilliant effect, you are pulled up short
by finding some silly thing of that sort in the hat.
It's most annoying.
""So, after thinking it over, I made up my mind
to do away with hats altogether. Of course I
don't mean for putting on people's heads, but so
far as conjuring is concerned, and it struck me
that a pretty flower-pot, like this, would form a
capital substitute."" (Show as one, the combined
pots, inside and out.) ""Much nicer than a hat,
don't you think? It is prettier, to begin with, and
then again, you can see right through it, and make
sure there is no deception. You see that at pres-
ent the pot is perfectly empty.
""But no! I scorn to deceive you. I am like
George Washington, except that I haven't got a
little axe. I cannot tell a lie. At least it hurts
me very much to do so, and I don't feel well enough
to do it now. No! It is useless any longer to dis-
guise it! The pot is not really empty, for you see"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,24,,"INTRODUCTION
Frontispiece from Richard Neve's work on magic, showing him performing
the egg and bag trick about 1715. Photographed from the original in the
British Museum by the author.
2
[ (17 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,24,,"14
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
Draw attention to how completely the coin is wrapped up till
you arrive at the very last circles, when it will drop into the
bowl.
Hand the dime to the owner who marked it, and let him de-
clare whether he recognizes it as the very one he lent you.
His affirmativo will surprise the spectators.
SECOND TRICK.-To change a bowl of ink into clear
water, with gold fish in it.
REQUISITE PREPARATION, TO BE MADE PRIVATELY BEFOREHAND.
The same glass bowl as in previous trick. If your bowl has
not a foot to it, it must be placed on something that will hold it
high above your table. Some small fish, a white plate or sau-
cer, a piece of black silk just fitting the inside of your bowl, a
spoon of peculiar construction, so that in a hollow handle it will
retain about a teaspoonful of ink, which will not run out as long
as a hole near the top of the handle is kept covered or stopped.
A large tumbler and two or three minnows will do for a simpler
exhibition, but will, of course, not be so pleasing to the eye.
Place the black silk so as to cover the part of the bowl that is
shaded; when damp it will adhere to the glass. Pour in clear
water to fill the space covered by the black silk, and placo the
fish in the water.
Fig. 5.
Commence the trick in public thus: Holding the spoon-han-
dle slanting up and uncovering the hole in the handle, the ink
which you have placed in the handle will run into the bowl of
the spoon, and the spoon being held carefully to the surface of
the water, concealing the black silk, will give the spectators the
impression that you fill the spoon from the glass bowl.
Pour the spoonful of ink on a white saucer, and show it round
to convince the spectators it is ink. They will see it is undeni-
ably ink, and they will conclude, if the spoon were properly"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,24,,"8
LATEST MAGIC
fingers in the act of picking up the pot, the interior
of the latter may be freely shown after their disap-
pearance.
The pocket, previously loaded accordingly
(though the flower-pot is shown, to all appearance,
empty), may also be used for the production of a
card or cards.
PATTER APPROPRIATE TO THE FAIRY
FLOWER-POTS
The flower-pots may be introduced as follows:
""Permit me to call your attention to one of my
latest improvements. Conjurers have a foolish
fancy, as I dare say you have noticed, for borrow-
ing other people's hats. If a conjurer wants to
collect money from the air, he collects it in a hat.
If he wants to make an omelette, he cooks it in a
hat. If he wants to hatch a few chickens, he does
it in a hat. And, for fear of accidents, he never
uses his own hat, but always borrows somebody
else's. It's very wrong of us. As Sir William
Gilbert says, about some other forms of crime,
'It's human nature, P'raps. If so,
O! isn't human nature low.'
But we all do it. The worst of it is, we get so in
the way of borrowing hats that we do it without
thinking. You will hardly believe that one even-
ing I came away from the theatre with two hats."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,23,,"INTRODUCTION
again we have a purely local and personal history, without
general value.
Thomas Frost wrote three books relating to the history
of magic, commencing about 1870. This list included
'Circus Life and Circus Celebrities,' ""The Old Show-
men and the Old London Fairs,"" and ""Lives of the
Conjurers."" These were the best books of their kind up
to the time of their publication, but they are marked by
glaring errors, showing that Frost compiled rather than
investigated, or, more properly speaking, that his in-
vestigations never went much further than Morley's
""Memoirs of Bartholomew Fair.""
Charles Bertram who wrote ""Isn't it Wonderful?""
closed the nincteenth-century list of English writers on
magic, but his work is marred by mis-statements which
even the humblest of magicians could refute, and, like
Frost, he drew heavily on writers who preceded him.
So far, in the twentieth century, the most notable con-
tribution to the literature of magic is Henry Ridgely
Evans' ""The Old and the New Magic,"" but Mr. Evans
falls into the error of his predecessors in accepting as
authoritative the history of magic and magicians fur-
nished by Robert-Houdin. He has made no effort
whatever to verify or refute the statements made by
Robert-Houdin, but has merely compiled and re-written
them to suit his twentieth-century readers.
The true historian does not compile. He delves for
facts and proofs, and having found these he arrays his
indisputable facts, his uncontrovertible proofs, to refute
the statements of those who have merely compiled. That
is what I have done to prove my case against Robert-
[r6 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,23,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
13
Holding it up in your right hand, you may say, 'Now. ladies
and gentlemen, this is the marked dime which I shall experi-
ment with. The gentleman has accurately marked it, so that
there can be no mistako about its identity when reproduced.""
Then by Pass 1 pretend to transfer the marked coin to your left
hand, but in reality retain it in your right hand. Next, hand
with your left hand your own dimo (which had been secreted in
'hat hand) to some person. and request him to hold it. Chooso
for this person some one three or four yards distant from your-
self, and also from the person who originally marked the coin.
It is unnecessary to explain that you do so, lest the two should
compare notes. Of course, the person who is asked to hold it
will believe that it is the very dime that was borrowed.
Yon may proceed to say : ""Now we waut a ball of worsted.'
So, placing your right hand in your pocket, pretend to fecl
about for something in your pocket, and while doing so you
must place the dime in the top of the tin tube, and shako it
down. Then carefully draw the tube ont of the ball of worsted;
and leavo the tube in your pocket, bnt draw tho ball out of your
pocket, pressing it together whilo doing so.
Then request some one to fecl the ball in order to ascertain
that it has no opening towards its centre.
Yon mayhero mako some humorons remark about your having
such a ball in your pocket. As for instance: :
"": Ladies may think it od:l that I havo such a ball of Berlin
wool in my pocket. It was bought to please my consin Mary
Ann, or my Aunt Tabitha. Well, it will do very fairly for our
experiment.
Then request somo ono to hold tho glass basin containing the
woollen ball. Whilo you retain in your hand the end of tho
woollen thread, address the gentleman who has consented to
hold the dime, asking him to hand it to you. Tako it in your
right hand, pretend by Pass 1 to transfer it to your left hand,
but in reality keep it concealed in your right hand.
Holding up your closed left hand, (which in fact has nothing
in it.) yon may say :
""Now, dime, pass along this woollen thread into the very
centro of the woollen ball which is there held in tho glass bowl
or basin.""
Blow upon your left hand, and show that the dime is gone.
You must adroitly get rid of the dime, which has remained
secreted in your right hand, by placing it in your pocket or
sleeve while making somo humorous remark, or whilo asking
somo lady or gentleman to draw tho woollen thread till it is all
unwound. It will bo dono tho quicker by letting the ball bo
confined loosely in the bowl with two fingers preventing its
leaping out."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,23,,"THE FAIRY FLOWER-POTS
7
being self-evident, but it has a pretty effect, and
the exhibiting of the two pots as one in the first
instance admits of the presence, within the outer
one, of a secret pocket, open at top, as depicted in
Fig. 7, but folding down, when not in use, flat
against its side.¹
0
o
0
0,
FIG. 7
The main object of this pocket is to enable the
performer to ""vanish"" a card. The card to be
got rid of is dropped ostensibly into the flower-
pot, or rather, the pot being bottomless, through
it on to the table, where, when the pot is lifted,
the spectators naturally expect to see it. It has
however disappeared, having in fact been dropped
into the pocket, where it remains concealed. Two,
or even three cards may on occasion be dealt with
in the same way. By covering the pocket with the
1 It is extremely difficult to construct the ""pots"" so that the pocket is
workable on the concave inner surface, but if they are made four, five or
six-sided the pocket folds against a flat surface and works perfectly.-ED,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,22,,"INTRODUCTION
C
JOHN WHITE, Autbor of
ART's Treafury, and Hocus
Pocus ; or a Rich Cabinet of
Legerdemain Curiofities.
John White, an English writer on magic and kindred arts in the early part
of the eighteenth century. Only portrait in existence and published for the
first time since his book was issued in 1715. From the Harry Houdini Col-
lection.
[
15"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,22,,"12
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
always remains in the hand where it was first visible to the spec-
tators. The BACK of that hand where the object is first displayed
must afterwards be kept well toward the spectators.
Observe, the eye of the performer must rest always on the
hand or object at which he desires the spectators to look, and
whatever he wishes them not to notice, he himself must refrain
from looking at.
If it is not required that the very object that has been held up
in these passes be seen again by the spectators, the performer
must quietly pocket it, or drop it on a handkerchief on his ta-
ble, or inside a hat, or otherwise get rid of it as soon as he con-
veniently can.
On the contrary, if that very object must be again produced
or transferred to a person standing at some little distance, this
must be effected by one of the following methods :
Either you must take care beforehand to place adroitly in that
person's cap or pocket a double or similar object.
OR, you must walk up to him, and putting your hand on his
hair, sleeve, or pocket, quickly place there the object you have
all
along retained, and which you must pretend by this ma-
noeuvre to find in his possession.
Or, lastly, you will see in the first trick subjoined, a method
of substituting one object for another.
FIRST TRICK.-To command a dime to pass into the
centre of a ball of Berlin wool, EO that it will not be dis-
covered till the ball is unwound to the very last of its
threads.
REQUISITE PREPARATIONS, TO DE MADE PRIVATELY.
You will require a glass bowl or quart basin, and you must
have a flattened tube of tin about four inches long. It must be
just large enough to let a dime slide easily through it by its own
weight. Round the end on this tubo wind a ball of Berlin wool
of bright color, covering about two inches of the tube, and pro-
jecting about an inch bevond the end of it. Place this ball with
the tube in it in your right-hand pocket of coat tail, (or in the
left breast-pocket, if that is largo enough to hold it completely
left hand.
covered.) Lastly, place a dime concealed in the palm of your
Commence the exhibition of the trick by requesting one of the
spectators to mark a dime (or cent) of his own, so that he will
be sure to know it again. Then ask him to lend you that coin."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,22,,"6
LATEST MAGIC
the first instance as one only, the one within the
other. The professedly single pot, after being
proved empty by exhibiting the interior and pass-
0
0
FIG. 5
FIG. 6
ing the hand through it, is made into two, by sim-
ply drawing out the inner one. The duplication
is not presented as a trick, the modus operandi"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,21,,"INTRODUCTION
fully as reliable a book as the earlier ""Hocus Pocus""
books, but it is not so generally known.
Richard Neve, who was a popular English conjurer
just before the time of Fawkes, published a book on
somewhat similar lines in I715.
Germany contributed the next notable works on magic.
First came Johann Samuel Halle's ""Magic or the Magical
Power of Nature,"" printed in Berlin, in 1784. One of
his compatriots, Johann Christian Wiegleb, wrote eighteen
books on ""The Natural Magic"" and while I shall
always contend that the German books are the most
complete, yet they cannot be accepted as authorities save
that, in describing early tricks, they prove the existence
of inventions and working methods claimed later as
original by men like Robert-Houdin.
English books on magic were not accepted seriously
until the early part of the ninetcenth century. In Vol.
III. of John Beckmann's ""History of Inventions and
and Discoveries,"" published in 1797, will be found a
chapter on ""Jugglers"" which presents interesting matter
regarding magicians and mysterious entertainers.
I
quote from this book in disproving Robert-Houdin's
claims to the invention of automata and second-sight.
About 1840, J. H. Anderson, a popular magician,
brought out a series of inexpensive, paper-bound vol-
umes, entitled ""A Shilling's Worth of Magic,"" ""Parlor
Magic,"" etc., which are valuable only as giving a glimpse
of the tricks contemporary with his personal successes.
In 1859 came Robert-Houdin's ""Memoirs,"" magic's
classic. Signor Blitz, in 1872, published his reminis-
cences, ""Fifty Years in the Magic Circle,"" but here
[14 ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,21,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
11
right hand is brought toward the left hand, but only appears to
grasp it.
Fig. 3.
First Position of Pass 2.1
SECOND POSITION.
The left hand secretes the object in its palm, while the fingers
are allowed to fall loosely down, appearing to retain nothing
under them. At the very same moment the right hand must be
closed, and remain in shape as if containing the object, with the
second joints of the fingers pointed toward the spectators, and
the back of the hand toward the ground. The performer then
holding his right hand forward, may blow on it and say ""Change
FIG. 4.
Second Position of Pass 2.
-fly,"" and opening that hand, the spectator deems the object
has passed away from it, though in fact it has remained all along
in the left hand.
The illusion in either of these passes is, that the spectator
seeing both hands move as if the object were passing from one
to the other, thinks it has done so ; whereas, in fact, the object"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,21,,"THE FAIRY FLOWER-POTS
5
upon it, turn the mat over, and wave it about
freely. If the coin adheres securely, the mat is
in working order.
THE FAIRY FLOWER-POTS
These are, strictly speaking, only flower-pot
cases, called in French cache-pots. They may be
of leather or cardboard, ornamented on the out-
side, but plain black inside, their general appear-
Fig. 4
ance being as shown in Fig. 4. They have neither
top nor bottom, and when not in use, can be opened
out flat or rolled up as in Figs. 5 and 6, for greater
portability.
The pair, when needed for use, are exhibited in"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,20,,"INTRODUCTION
Het Natuurlijk
TOVER-BOECK
of
SPEEL =TONEEL
der
KONSTEN
Frontispiece from Simon Witgeest's ""Book of Natural Magic"" (1682),
showing the early Dutch conception of conjuring. From the Harry Houdini
Collection.
[*3]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,20,,"10
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
FIG. 1.
Ellie
First Position of Pass 1.
SECOND POSITION OF PASS 1.
The left hand must appear to close over the object that is
brought toward it, at the same instant that the right hand se-
cretes and withdraws that object.
The left hand that appeared to receive it must continue
closed. The right hand, though it actually retains the object,
must be allowed to hang loosely over it, so that it appears to
have nothing in it.
FIG. 2.
Second Position of Pass 1.
The performer then may blow upon the closed left hand, and
may say, ""Fly,"" or ""Begone,"" or any similar expression, and
then open his left hand, holding it forward. Of course there is
nothing in it, and the object seems to have flown from it, and
the spectators are much surprised.
SECOND PASS.-Method of apparently transferring
an object from the left hand to the right, while retaining
it in the left hand.
FIRST POSITION.
Let the left hand hold up the object in its open palm. The"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,20,,"4
LATEST MAGIC
one upon the other, a couple of half-crowns, or
coins of similar size.¹
When required for use, the coin mat is prepared,
shortly beforehand, by rubbing the whole of the
space within the ornamental border on one of its
faces with diachylon, in the solid form. The
FIG. 3
diachylon is used cold, the necessary rriction melt-
ing it sufficiently, without any additional heating.
This treatment renders the surface of the mat, for
the time being, adhesive, without in any way alter-
ing its appearance. To make sure of its being just
right, press a half-crown or penny down firmly
1 Where coins of English denominations are referred to in the text,
the American wizard will naturally replace them by corresponding coins
of the U. S. currency."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,19,,"INTRODUCTION
ing tales of travellers who witnessedmagical performances,
but they are not authentic records of performers and
their work.
One of the oldest books in my collection is ""Natural
and Unnatural Magic"" by Gantziony, dated 1489. It
is the author's script, exquisite in its German chirography,
artistic in its illuminated illustrations, but worthless as an
historical record, though many of the writer's descriptions
and explanations of old-time tricks are most interesting.
Early in the seventeenth century appeared ""Hocus
Pocus,"" the most widely copied book in the literature of
magic. The second edition, dated 1635, I have in my
library. I have never been able to find a copy of the
first edition or to ascertain the date at which it was
published.
A few years later, in 1658, came a very important con-
tribution to the history of magic in ""Natural Magick in
XX. Bookes,"" by John Baptist Porta, a Neapolitan.
This has been translated into nearly every language.
It was the first really important and exhaustive work on
the subject, but, unfortunately, it gives the explanation
of tricks, rather than an authentic record of their in-
vention.
In 1682, Simon Witgeest of Amsterdam, Holland,
wrote an admirable work, whose title reads ""Book of
Natural Magic."" This work was translated into German,
ran through many an edition, and had an enormous sale
in both Holland and Germany.
In 1715, John White, an Englishman, published a
work entitled ""Art's Treasury and Hocus Pocus; or a
Rich Cabinet of Legerdemain Curiosities."" This is
[iz]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,19,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
9
CHAPTER II.
OF PALMISTRY AND PASSES
nature and limit of the art of Conjuring has now
defined-what it is that we assume to do, and
wherein we have discontinued the exaggerated preten-
sions of the conjurors of the old school and I have hinted in
what respects, and within what bounds, a young amateur may
gim at exhibiting some amusing experiments in our art. But
it remains for me to explain the grand pre-requisite for a novice
to cultivate before he should attempt to exhibit before others
even the simplest tricks of prestidigitation or legerdemain, to
which we at present confine our attention.
I have first to speak of PALMISTRY, not in the sense that the
fortune-teller uses the word, but as expressing the art of the
conjuror in secreting articles in the PALM of one hand while he
appears to transfer those articles to his other hand. It is abso-
lutely necessary that the young amateur should acquire the habit
of doing this so adroitly as to escape the observation of others
while doing it openly before their eyes.
The two principal passes are the following:
FIRST PASS or, method of apparently carrying an
object from the right hand to the left, while actually re-
taining it in the right hand.
The reader will please to observe that the illustrative sketches
depict the hands of the performer as seen by himself.
FIRST POSITION OF PASS 1.
The right hand, having the knucles and back of the fingers
turned toward the spectators, and holding openly a cent, or
some similar object, between the thumb and fore-finger, must
be moved toward the left hand.
The left hand must be held out, with the back of the hand
toward the ground, as exhibited in the illustration. (Fig. 1.)"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,19,,"MAGICAL MATS
3
Each mat has a secret space, after the manner of
the old ""multiplying"" salver, between its upper
and under surfaces. The opening in each case is
opposite the lower end or point of the shield before
mentioned, so that, however the mat may be placed,
a glance at the shield will always furnish a guide
to the position, for the time being, of the opening.
Fig. 2
In the case of the card mat the secret space (see
Fig. 2) is just large enough to accommodate three
playing cards, one upon another. The corre-
sponding space in the coin mat (Fig. 3) is shorter,
narrower and deeper, being designed to receive,"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,18,,"INTRODUCTION
shops where rare collections of programs, newspapers,
and prints might be found.
In order to conduct my researches intelligently, I was
compelled to pick up a smattering of the language of
JOH BAPT PORTA
Ca Philosoph, Madamatitor and Atrologic zus
govo. on
John Baptist Porta, the Neapolitan writer on magic. From an old woodcut
in the Harry Houdini Collection.
each country in which I played. The average collector
or proprietor of an old bookshop is a canny, suspicious
individual who must accept you as a friend before he
will uncover his choicest treasures.
As authorities, books on magic and kindred arts are
practically worthless. The earliest books, like the magi-
cian stories written by Sir John Mandeville in 1356, read
like prototypes of to-day's dime novels. They are thrill-
[ II ]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,18,,"8
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
lence to be obtained by proportionate intelligence and dexterity.
There are attainments in the art, at which, by natural qualifica-
tion and peculiar adaptation, special study, practice, and expe-
rience enable somo few only to arrive. These qualifications
cannot be easily communicated to every one who might wish to
possess them; and therefore the highest adepts will ever havo
an incommunicable distinction. But this is no moro than is
the case in the medical, the legal, and any learned profession,
in all which the most eminent proficients reserve to themselves,
or unavoidably retain, an unquestioned superiority. At tho
same time there is much in our art that may be communicated,
and the present papers will show to our friends that we are will-
ing to impart to others such portions of our art as they are ca-
pable of acquiring; and we trust that what wo shall communi-
cate to them will furnish them much rational recreation among
themselves, and enable them to supply innocent and interesting
amusement to their friends and companions."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,18,,"2
LATEST MAGIC
border as depicted in Fig. 1, and about seven inches
in diameter. In the centre of each is an embossed
shield, ostensibly a mere ornament, but in reality
serving, as will presently be seen, an important
practical purpose.
Fig. 1
To the casual observer the two mats look pre-
cisely alike, but there are in reality important
practical differences between them. The ""coin""
mat is covered with leather on both sides, and each
has the embossed shield, so that, whichever side is
uppermost, no difference is perceptible to the eye.
In the case of the ""card"" mat the upper surface
only is of leather, the under side being covered with
baize. The object of this difference is that the
exposure (accidental or otherwise) of the baize-
covered side of the card mat may induce in the
mind of the spectator the assumption that the
under side of the coin mat is covered in the same
way, such assumption naturally precluding the
idea that it is reversible."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,17,,"INTRODUCTION
history of magic and give to his predecessors, in a pro-
fession which in each generation becomes more serious
and more dignified, the credit they deserve.
My investigations cover nearly twenty years of a busy
a
or
focus
b2
the
Frontispiece of ""Hocus Pocus,"" Second Edition, 1635, one of the earliest
works on magic. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
professional career. Every hour which I could spare
from my professional work was given over to study in
libraries, to interviews with retired magicians and col-
lectors, and to browsing in old bookstores and antique
[10]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,17,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
7
in their exhibition of wonderful results. They are content to
let the exhibition of their art appear marvelous They some-
times mystify the matter, and so increase the puzzle, in order
to heighten the interest and amusement of the spectators; but
they throw asido any solemn asseveration of possessing hidden
powers, or of ability to fathom mysterious secrets.
It may be admitted that proficients and exhibitors still adopt
language that has become current with conjurors, and in com-
mon parlance it may be asserted that the wonderful Mr. So-and-
So undertakes to pass some solid object through a wall or a ta-
ble ; to change black into white, and white into black; to place
rings in.closely-fastened boxes, or draw money out of people's
ears; and conjurors may with ridiculous humor distract the at-
tention of spectators, so that accurate observation is not fixed
upon the object that is to undergo before their eyes some sin-
gular transformation ; but no outrageous bombast or positive
falsehoods are commonly advanced. And the practical meaning
of any exaggerated pretension is clearly understood to mean no
more than that Mr. So-and-So undertakes to present before you
what, TO ALL APPEARANCE, is the conversion of black into white,
or vice versa and the audience aro clearly aware that no more
is assumed to bo presented to them than a very striking illu-
sion, undistinguishable from a reality and how this is effected
will bo in many cases wholly untraceable, and therefore the
trick is inimitable.
We may be permitted to feel some pleasure in the conviction
that tho exhibition of our art in its more striking exploits is
really marvelous, and very attractive; for we certainly havo
tho power of placing some astonishing phenomena before our
audience: and we may surely prize the estimation with which
tho uninitiated are disposed to honor us, but we erect no vain-
glorious assumptions upon these data, as we are quite contented
with fair praise intelligently-accorde to us. And so far from
closely concealing tho principles and arcana of our science, we
are ready plainly to avow that it all depends upon faculties that
all may attain by patient culture, and exhibit by careful prac-
tice. Undoubtedly thero are less and greater degrees of exoel-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,17,,"LATEST MAGIC
INTRODUCTORY
SOME NEW APPLIANCES OF GENERAL UTILITY
THE little appliances to be presently described
are the outcome of ideas which, after a long period
of incubation in my note-books, have ultimately
taken concrete form in what, I venture to believe,
will be found to be practical and useful items of
magical apparatus. I may further claim that they
combine in an exceptional degree absolute inno-
cence of appearance with a wide range of practical
utility. Examples of their uses are indicated in
the following pages, but the inventive reader will
find that these by no means exhaust their possibili-
ties of usefulness.
MAGICAL MATS
The first to be described are of two different
kinds, to be known as the ""Card"" and ""Coin"" Mat
respectively. They are in appearance simply cir-
cular table-or plate mats, with an ornamental
1"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,16,,"INTRODUCTION
Houdin, over his own signature, claimed credit for the
invention of many tricks and automata which may be
said to have marked the golden age in magic. My in-
vestigations disproved each claim in order. He had
announced himself as the first magician to appear in
regulation evening clothes, discarding flowing sleeves and
heavily draped stage apparatus. The credit for this revo-
lution in conjuring belonged to Wiljalba Frikell. Robert-
Houdin's explanation of tricks performed by other
magicians and not included in his repertoire, proved so
incorrect and inaccurate as to brand him an ignoramus
in certain lines of conjuring. Yet to the great charm of
his diction and the romantic development of his personal
reminiscences later writers have yielded unquestioningly
and have built upon the historically weak foundations of
his statements all the later so-called histories of magic.
For a time the disappointment killed all. creative
power. With no laurel wreath to carve, my tools lay idle.
The spirit of investigation languished. Then came the
reaction. There was work to be done. Those who had
wrought honestly deserved the credit that had been taken
from them. In justice to the living as well as the dead
the history of the magic must be revised. The book,
accepted for more than half a century as an authority
on our craft, must stand forth for what it is, a clever
romance, a well-written volume of fiction.
That is why to-day I offer to the profession of magic,
to the world of laymen readers to whom its history has
always appealed, and to the literary savants who dip into
it as a recreation, the results of my investigations. These,
I believe, will show Robert-Houdin's true place in the
[9]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,16,,"6
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
shall not, therefore, in these elementary papers advert to those
experiments which require ample resources, or a prepared stage,
for exhibiting them-or which can only be displayed to advan-
tage by consummate skill and the most adroit manipulation-
but confine my remarks at present to thosè branches of the art
to the performance of which a young amateur may aspire with
prospect of success.
A few hours' practice will enable the learner to execute the
simple tricks that I shall first treat of; and they will only re-
quire for their display such articles as are readily available in
every household. Most of them will be supplied by any com-
pany of a few friends, and if not in the parlor, can be brought
from no greater distance than the kitchen or housekeeper's
room ; such as handkerchiefs, coins, oranges, or eggs, a
glass bowl, etc., etc. There may only remain a few inexpensivo
articles to bo supplied from repositories for the sale of conjur-
ing apparatus, or they may be had direct from the publishers of
this work.
It may be well explicitly to avow that the time is quite gone
by when people will really believe that conjuring is to be donc
by supernatural agencies. No faith is now reposed in the
""black art of sorcery,"" or even in the art to which the less re-
pulsive name was given of ""white magic.' Many years havo
elapsed sinco conjurors have seriously assumed to themselves
any credit as possessing supernatural powers, or as enabled by
spiritual agency to reveal that which is unknown to science and
philosophy, or mysteriously to work astonishing marvels.
A well-marked contrast exists between the old school O. con-
jurors and those of modern times. The former, who used bold-
ly to profess that they employed mysterious rites and preter-
natural agency, designedly put the spectator upon false inter-
pretations, while they studiously avoided giving any elucidation
of tho phenomena, nor would ever admit that tho wonders dis-
played were to bo accounted for by the principles of science and
natural philosophy.
Modern conjurors advance no such pretensions. They use as
scientifically as possible the natural properties of matter to aid"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,16,,"<
PAGE
MISCELLANEOUS TRICKS
88
Money-Making Made Easy
88
The Missing Link
92
Culture Extraordinary
97
The Bounding Beans
104
Lost and Found
110
The Riddle of the Pyramids
115
The Miracle of Mumbo Jumbo
123
The Story of the Alkahest
130
The Oracle of Memphis
137
The Mystery of Mahomet
146
The Bewildering Blocks
156
An ""Od"" Force.
162
The Mystery of the Three Seals
170
The Wizard's Pocketbook
.
180
CONCERNING PATTER
192
THE USE OF THE WAND
203
A FEW WRINKLES
215
.
222"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,15,,"INTRODUCTION
laurels to the fame of Robert-Houdin. By research and
study I would unearth history yet unwritten, and record
unsung triumphs of this great inventor and artiste. The
pen of his most devoted student and follower would
awaken new interest in his history.
Alas for my golden dreams! My investigations brought
forth only bitterest dis-
appointment and sad-
dest of disillusionment.
Stripped of his self-
woven veil of romance,
Robert-Houdin stood
forth, in the uncom-
promising light of cold
historical facts, a mere
pretender, a man who
waxed great on the
brainwork of others, a
mechanician who had
boldly filched the in-
ventions of the master
craftsmen among his
predecessors.
""Memoirs of Robert-
Houdin, Ambassador,
Robert-Houdin in his prime, immedi-
Author and Conjurer,
ately after his retirement. From the
Harry Houdini Collection.
Written by Himself,'
proved to have been
the penwork of a brilliant Parisian journalist, em-
ployed by Robert-Houdin to write his so-called auto-
biography. In the course of his ""Memoirs,"" Robert-
[8]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,15,,"THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN
AND
VENTRILOQUIST'S GUIDE.
CHAPTER I.
""
INTRODUCTORY.
M' object in writing these hints on CONJURING is for the bene-
fit of amateurs to promote (lively and entertaining amuse-
ment for the home circle and social gatherings.
My large experience enables me to explain and simplify many
of the best tricks and illusions of the art. I present the key to
many of the mystical mysteries which have puzzled and bewild-
ered our childhood days as well as confounded us in our matur-
er years.
The young student can in a very short time, if he be in the
least of an ingenious turn, amuse and astonish his friends, neigh-
bors and acquaintances.
Preference has been given to those tricks which suggest
others, the more complete and difficult performances and
illusions have been passed by as being out of place ; I"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,15,,"CONTENTS
PORTRAIT OF PROFESSOR HOFFMANN
Frontispiece
PAGE
PREFACE
vii
SOME New APPLIANCES OF GENERAL UTILITY
1
Magical Mats
1
Fairy Flower-Pots
5
Patter Introducing the Flower-Pots
8
Adhesive Cards and Tricks Therewith
10
The Missing Card
12
NOVEL APPLICATIONS OF THE ""BLACK ART"" PRINCIPLE
17
Black Art Mats and Black Art Patches
17
A Magical Transposition
23
The Detective Die
26
Dissolving Dice
32
Where is It?
38
CARD TRICKS
46
Arithmetic by Magic
46
Those Naughty Knaves
49
Magnetic Magic
55
The Telepathic Tape
57
A Card Comedy
60
The Fast and Loose Card-Box
63
A Royal Tug of War
64
Sympathetic Cards
66
Tell-Tale Fingers
68
Divination Doubly Difficult
72
A New Long Card and Tricks Therewith
77
The Mascot Coin Box
83
ix"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,14,,"INTRODUCTION
T
HIS book is the natural result of the moulding,
dominating influence which the spirit and wri-
tings of Robert-Houdin have exerted over my
professional career. My interest in conjur-
ing and magic and my enthusiasm for Robert-Houdin
came into existence simultaneously. From the moment
that I began to study the art, he became my guide and hero.
I accepted his writings as my text-book and my gospel.
What Blackstone is to the struggling lawyer, Hardee's
""Tactics"" to the would-be officer, or Bismarck's life and
writings to the coming statesman, Robert-Houdin's books
were to me.
To my unsophisticated mind, his ""Memoirs"" gave to
the profession a dignity worth attaining at the cost of
earnest, life-long effort. When it became necessary for
me to take a stage-name, and a fellow-player, possessing
a veneer of culture, told me that if I would add the letter
""i"" to Houdin's name, it would mean, in the French
language, ""like Houdin,"" I adopted the suggestion with
enthusiasm. I asked nothing more of life than to become
in my profession ""like Robert-Houdin.""
By this time I had re-read his works until I could re-
cite passage after passage from memory. Then, when
Fate turned kind and the golden pathway of success
led me into broader avenues of work, I determined that
my first tour abroad should be dedicated to adding new
[7]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,14,,"CONTENTS.
iii
PAGE
A chemical trick, to follow one where a young friend has as-
sisted
43
To draw three spools off two tapes without those spools
having to come off the ends of those tapes, and while
the four ends of the tapes are held by four persons...
44
To restore a tape whole after it has been cut in the middle
46
On the continuity of tricks
49
The invisible hen, a very useful trick for supplying eggs for
breakfast or dinner
53
Tricks with a plain gold ring
56
Friendly suggestions.
59
The conjuror's ""bonus genius"" or familiar messenger.
61
The shower of money.
63
To furnish the ladies with a magic supply of tea or coffee,
at their selection, from one and the same jug
64
To furnish a treat to the gentlemen
66
Ventriloquism
67
Ventriloquism among the ancients
70
Modern professors of the art.
71
The theory of ventriloquism
76
The means by which it is effected
79
Practical illustrations.
81
Polyphonic imitations
87
A mountain echo
88
Points to be remembered.
88
Concluding remarks
90
To make the magic whistle
91"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,14,,"viii
PREFACE
Pocket-book, have been described in the columns of
an English magical serial, but have never appeared
in book shape, and are by special desire, included
in the present volume.
A final word on a personal matter. Had I been
prophet, as well as magician, when I first began
to write on conjuring, I should have chosen a dif-
ferent pen-name. In the light of later events, my
selection was unfortunate. My identity has long
been an open secret, but as I cannot flatter myself
that it is universally known, I take this opportun-
ity to assure all whom it may concern that I am
British to the backbone.
LOUIS HOFFMANN."
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,13,,"PAGE
Introduction
8
Of palmistry and the passes
9
To command a dime to pass into the centre of a ball of wool,
so that it will not be discovered till the ball is unwound
to the very last of its threads
13
To change a bowl of ink into clear water with gold fish in it.
14
The dancing egg
15
The walking cent
16
Tricks with and without collusion
19
To make a quarter and a penny change places while held in
the hands of two spectators
23
Trick with the dime, handkerchief, and an orange or lemon
23
How to double your pocket money.
24
The injured handkerchief restored.
25
To make a large die pass through the crown of a hat with-
out injuring it.
26
To produce from a silk handkerchief bonbons, candies,
nuts, etc.
27
Practice
29
A sudden and unexpected supply of feathers from under a
silk handkerchief or cloth.
31
Heads or Tails ?
33
To cook pancakes or plumcakes in a hat over some candles.
34
To eat a dish of paper shavings and afterwards draw them
from your mouth like an Atlantic cable.
36
How to cut off a person's nose without injuring him
37
Tricks by magnetism, chemistry, galvanism and electricity.
39
The watch obedient to the word of command
41"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,13,,"PREFACE
The tricks described in the following pages are
of my own invention, and for the most part are en-
tirely new departures: not only the effects pro-
duced, but the appliances by means of which they
are produced, being original.
From the nature of the case, it follows that few
of the items described have been submitted to the
supreme test of performance in public, but all have
been thoroughly thought out; most of the root-
ideas having in fact been simmering in my mind
for more than two years past. One or two of them
may demand a more than average amount of ad-
dress on the part of the performer; but the ma-
jority are comparatively easy, and I believe I may
assert with confidence that all will be found both
practicable and effective. Should any of my mod-
est inventions be found, as is not improbable, sus-
ceptible of further polish, the keen wits and ready
fingers of my brother wizards may safely be
trusted to supply it.
The items entitled The Mystery of Mahomet,
The Bewildering Blocks, and The Wizard's
vii"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,12,,"CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION,
7
CHAPTER
I. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-
HOUDIN,
33
II. THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK,
5I
III. THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE,
83
IV. THE PASTRY Cook OF THE PALAIS ROYAL,
II6
V. THE OBEDIENT CARDS-THE CABALISTIC CLOCK-THE
TRAPEZE AUTOMATON,
I4I
VI. THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE,
.
176
VII. SECOND SIGHT,
. 200
VIII. THE SUSPENSION TRICK,
. 222
IX. THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF,
245
X. ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC AS BE-
TRAYED BY His OWN PEN,
. 264
XI. THE NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S ""MEMOIRS,"" 295
[5]"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,12,,"7 V / = ,
P88
BEST BOOK ON THE ""BLACK ART.""
PARLOR PASTIMES.
A NEW BOOK ON
MAGIC, CONJURING, LEGERDEMAIN,
AND PRESTIDIGITATION.
BY THE CELEBRATED
PROFESSOR RAYMOND
This work is certainly the most exhaustive one on Magic that has ever
been issued. It exposes all the secrets of tho Wizard's Art. No trick or
illusion of importance is left unnoticed, and tho explanations are made in
so simplo a manner that any one of ordinary comprehension can readily
understand and perform them. The book thoroughly elucidates all tho
mysteries connected with
White Magic,
Galvanism,
Natural Magic,
Magnetism,
Jugglery,
Legerdemain,
Sleight-of-Hand,
Necromancy,
Electricity,
Fireworks,
Chemistry,
Mechanics,
Cards,
The Black Art,
1
Coins,
Prestidigitation.
It also contains a grand assortment of
RIDDLES, CONUNDRUMS, CHARADES, ENIGMAS, RE-
BUSES, TRANSPOSITIONS, ANAGRAMS, PUZZLES,
PARADOXES, ACROSTICS, AND PROBLEMS.
A stndy of this extremely interesting work would make any one thor-
oughly expert in the art of Amusing, whether in private or public. Tho
work may be consulted with profit either by the Amateur or Professional
Magician.
Price Twenty-Five Cents.
Sent to any address on receipt of price. Address
HURST & CO., 75 NASSAU STREET, New YORK."
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,11,,"THE
Practical Magician
AND
VENTRILOQUIST'S GUIDE.
A PRACTICAL MANUAL OF
FIRESIDE MAGIC AND CONJURING ILLUSIONS.
CONTAINING ALSO
COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACQUIRING & PRACTISING
The Art of
the
the
NEW YORK
HURST & CO., Publishers,
75 NASSAU STREET.
(Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1876, by THOMAS D. HURST, in
the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.)"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,11,,"TO
J. N. MASKELYNE, ESQ.
FOREMOST OF ENGLISH MAGICIANS,
AND
FEARLESS EXPOSER OF FALSEHOOD AND FRAUD
THIS Book IS DEDICATED
BY
His FRIEND AND ADMIRER,
THE AUTHOR"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,10,,"Dedication
This Book is affectionately dedicated to the memory of
my father,
Rev. M. S. Weiss, Ph.D., LL.D.,
who instilled in me love of study and patience in research"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,10,,"1.665
Copyright, 1918
Bx SPON & CHAMBERLAIN
$ 180
CAMELOT PRESS, 226-228 WILLIAM ST., NEW YORK, U. S. A.
CIA506691"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,9,,"313341
Copyright, 1906
Copyright, 1907
Copyright, 1908
By HARRY HOUDINI
Entered at Stationer's Hall, London, England
All rights reserved
Composition. Electrotyping and Printing by
The Publishers Printing Company
New York, N. Y., U.S.A."
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,9,,"-
:
No.8. THE MAGNET NAND
Price Twenty-five Cents.
SUTD
NEW-YORK:
HURST & CO., PUBLISHERS."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,9,,"LATEST MAGIC
BEING
ORIGINAL CONJURING TRICKS
INVENTED AND ARRANGED
BY
PROFESSOR HOFFMANN
(ANGELO LEWIS, M.A.)
Author of ""Modern Magic,"" etc.
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS
FIRST EDITION
NEW YORK
SPON & CHAMBERLAIN, 120 LIBERTY ST.
1918"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,8,,"8061
'00 3H.L
MEN
INICHOH
18
NIGNOH -
JO
DNINSVINNO TH.L"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,6,,"THF UNMANKING
ROBER"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,3,,"UNITED
STERARIES"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,3,,"A
A
.
COCASA'"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,2,,"LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
GV1547
Cumprinty
Shel P.88
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,1,,"Google
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practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,1,,"GV 1547
P88
Copy 1"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,1,,"111
.
116"