{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 107, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nRobert-Houdin, he brought to America a talking figure\ninvented by Professor Faber of Vienna, to which he\nrefers most entertainingly\nPALAIS ROYAL,\nin his address to the pub-\nArgyll Street, Oxford Circus, W.\nlic dated 1873:\nTALKING\n\"The Museum depart-\nment contains 100,000\ncuriosities, including Pro-\nfessor Faber's wonderful\ntalking machine, costing\nme $20,000 for its use\nfor six months; also the\nNational Portrait Gallery\nof one hundred life-size\npaintings, including all\nthe Presidents of the\nUnited States, etc.; John\nRogers' groups of historic\nstatuary; almost an end-\nMACHINE\nless variety of curiosities,\n1\nThc Exhibition is not limited to simple talking. but is enhanced by an\nincluding numberless au-\nesplanstora description of the method of producing the various sounds,\nwords, and sentences, visitors alsc-being aliowed to inspect every part of the\nMachice. It is rot only interesting to the Scieutific as illustrating the theory\ntomaton musicians, mech-\nacoustics, bat to the Rublic in general, especially to the young.-to\nwhom it offers an ineshoustible fund of wonder ald\nEXHIBITING DAILY From 11 a.m., till 10 p.m.\nanicians, and moving\nAdmission, 1s. Reserved Seats, 2s. Children, 6d.\nscenes, etc., etc., made in\nHanger advertising the Professor Faber\nParis and Geneva.\"\ntalking machine, exhibited by P. T. Bar-\nnum during 1873 in his museum de-\nIt can be imagined how\npartment. This automaton was the first\ntalking figure. From the Harry Houdini\nwonderful this talking\nCollection.\nmachine must have been\nwhen Barnum gave it special emphasis, selecting it from\nthe hundreds of curios he had on exhibition. As this\ntalking machine is probably forgotten, I will reproduce\n[90]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 108, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\nthe bill used at the time of its appearance in London,\nEngland.\nWhen Barnum was in London in 1844, with Gen. Tom\nThumb, who was then performing at the Egyptian Hall,\nhe first saw the automatic talking machine and engaged\nit to strengthen his show. Thirty years later Prof.\nFaber's nephew was the lecturer who explained to the\nAmerican public the automaton's mechanism and also\nthe performer who manipulated the machine.\nBarnum always speaks of the talking automaton as\nbeing a life-size figure, but the pictures used for adver-\ntising purposes show that it was only a head.\nThe fate of both the talking automaton and the writing\nand drawing figure is shrouded in mystery. If they were\nin the Barnum Museum when the latter was swept by\nfire in 1865, they were destroyed. If they had been taken\nback to Europe, they may now be lying in some cellar or\nloft, moth-eaten and dust-covered, ignominious end for\nsuch ingenious brain-work and handicraft.\nSo much for the claims of Robert-Houdin. Now to\ndisprove them.\nThe earliest record of a writing figure I have found is\nin the \"Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines,\"\ncompiled by Andrew Ure, M.D., and published in New\nYork in 1842 by Le Roy Sunderland, 126 Fulton Street.\nOn page 83, under the heading of \"Automaton,\" is this\nstatement:\n\"Frederick Von Knauss completed a writing machine\nat Vienna in the year 1760. It is now in the model cabinet\nof the Polytechnic Institute, and consists of a globe two\nfeet in diameter, containing the mechanism, upon which\n[ 91 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 109, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nsits a figure seven inches high and writes, upon a sheet\nof paper fixed to a frame, whatever has been placed\nbeforehand upon a regulating cylinder. At the end of\neach line it raises and\nmoves its hand sideways,\nin order to begin a new\nline.\"\nThis does not answer the\ndescription of the figure\nwhich Robert-Houdin\nclaims, but it is inter-\nesting as showing that\nmechanical genius ran\nalong such lines almost\na hundred years before\nRobert-Houdin claims to\nhave invented the famous\nPTS JAQUET DROZ.\nautomaton.\nThe writing and draw-\nof\ning figure claimed by Rob-\nothe tres humble Soumm's\nert-Houdin as his original\ninvention can be traced\nph e\nback directly to the shop\ndoor of Switzerland's most\nPortrait and autograph of Pierre\nnoted inventor, Pierre\nJacquet-Droz Born 1721, died 1790.\nFrom the brochure issued by the\nJacquet-Droz, who with\nSociety of History and Archaology,\nCanton of Neuch\u00e2tel, Switzerland.\nhis son, Henri-Louis, laid\nthe foundation of the\nfamous Swiss watch- and music-box industry.\nIn the latter part of the eighteenth century, probably\nabout 1770, the Jacquet-Drozes turned out a drawing.\n[92]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 110, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\nfigure which also inscribed a few set phrases or titles of\nthe drawings. In mechanism, appearance, and results\nit tallies almost exactly with the automaton claimed by\nRobert-Houdin as originating in his brain. The Jacquet-\nDroz figure showed a child clad in quaint, flowing gar-\nments, seated at a desk. The Robert-Houdin figure\nwas modernized, and showed a court youth in knee\nbreeches and powdered peruque, seated at a desk. The\nJacquet-Droz figure drew a dog, a cupid, and the heads\nof reigning monarchs. The Robert-Houdin figure, made\nseventy-five years later, by some inexplicable coincidence\ndrew a dog as the symbol of fidelity, a cupid as the em-\nblem of love, and the heads of reigning monarchs.\nThe history of the Jacquet-Drozes is written in the\nannals of Switzerland as well as the equally reputable\nannals of scientific inventions, and cannot be refuted.\nPierre Jacquet-Droz was born July 28th, 1721, in a\nsmall village, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, near Neuch\u00e2tel, Switz-\nerland. According to some authorities, his father was\na clock-maker, but the brochure issued by \"Soci\u00e9t\u00e9\nd'Histoire et l'Arch\u00e9ologie\" of the city of Neuch\u00e2tel, which\nhas recently acquired many of the Jacquet-Droz auto-\nmata, states that he was the son of a farmer and was sent\nto a theological seminary at Basle. Here the youth's\nnatural talent for mechanics overbalanced his interest\nin \"isms\" and \"ologies,\" and he spent every spare\nmoment at work with his tools. On his return to his\nnative town he turned his attention seriously to clock-\nand watch-making, constructing a marvellous clock with\ntwo peculiar hands which, in passing each other, touched\nthe dial and rewound the clock.\n[ 93 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 111, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nAt this time his work attracted the attention of Lord\nKeith, Governor of Neuch\u00e2tel, then a province of Prussia,\nwho induced the young inventor to visit the court of\nFerdinand VI. of Spain, providing the necessary intro-\nductions. Pierre Jacquet-\nDroz remained for some time\nin Madrid and made a clock\nof most complicated pattern.\nThis was a perpetual calen-\ndar. For hands, he utilized\nartificial sunbeams, shooting\nout from the sun's face which\nformed the dial, to denote\nthe hours, days, etc. With\nthe money received from the\nHenri-Louis Jacquet-Droz, son\nSpanish monarch he returned\nof Pierre Jacquet-Droz, and the\nto Switzerland to find that his\nsuperior of his father as a mecha-\nnician. Born Oct. 13th, 1752, died\nson, Henri-Louis, had inher-\nNovember 15th, 1791. From the\nJaquet-Droz brochure, issued by\nited his remarkable inventive\nthe Neuch\u00e2tel Society of History\nand Archaeology.\ngifts. He sent his boy to\nNancy to study music, draw-\ning, mechanics, and physics. During his son's absence\nin all probability he produced the first of the marvellous\nautomata which made the Jacquet-Drozes famous the\nmodern world over, namely, the writing figure.\nWith the return of Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz from\ncollege commenced what may be termed the golden age\nof mechanics in Switzerland. Associated with father\nand son were the former's pupils or apprentices, Jean-\nFr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Leschot, Jean-David Maillardet, and Jean Pierre\nDroz, a blood relation who afterward became director of\n[ 94]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 112, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\nthe mint at Paris and a mechanician of rare talent. Jean\nPierre Droz is credited with having invented a machine\nfor cutting, stamping, and embossing medals on the face\nand on the edges at one insertion.\nThe output of this shop and its staff of gifted workers\nincluded the first Swiss music\nbox, the singing birds which\nsprang from watches and jewel\ncaskets, the drawing figure\nwhich was an improvement on\nthe writing figure, the spinet\nplayer, and the grotto with\nits many automatic animals of\ndiminutive size but exquis-\nite workmanship. Years were\nJean-Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Leschot.\nBorn 1747, died 1824. Por-\nspent in perfecting the various\ntrait published by Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 des\nArts de Gen\u00e8ve. Presented to\nautomata, and none of them\nthe author by Mons. Blind\n(Magicus) of Geneva.\nhave been equalled or even\napproached by later mechanicians and inventors.\nHenri-Louis Jacquet-Droz was conceded to be the supe-\nrior of his father, Pierre Jacquet-Droz. In a German en-\ncyclopaedia which I found at the King's Library, Munich,\nit is stated that when Vaucanson, celebrated as the in-\nventor of \"The Flute Player,\" \"The Mechanical Duck,\"\n\"The Talking Machine,\" etc., saw the work of the\nyounger Droz, he cried loudly, \"Why, that boy com-\nmences where I left off!\"\nAccording to the brochure issued by the Society\nof History and Archaology, Canton of Neuch\u00e2tel,\nand an article contributed by Dr. Alfred Gradenwits\nto The Scientific American of June 22d, 1907, the\n95 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 113, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nwriting and drawing figures are made and operated\nas follows:\n\"The writer represented a child of about four years\nof age, sitting at his little table, patiently waiting with\nthe pen in his hand\nuntil the clockwork\nis started. He then\nsets to work and,\nafter looking at the\nsheet of paper before\nhim, lifts his hand\nand moves it toward\nthe ink-stand, in\nwhich he dips the\npen. The little fel-\nlow then throws off\nan excess of ink and\nslowly and calmly,\nlike an industrious\nchild, begins writing\non the paper the\nprescribed sentence.\nHis handwriting is\ncareful, conscien-\nThe Jacquet-Droz writing automaton.\nFrom the brochure issued by the Society of\ntiously distinguishing\nHistory and Archaology, Canton of Neu-\nch\u00e2tel, Switzerland.\nbetween hair strokes\nand ground strokes,\nalways observing the proper intervals between letters\nand words and generally showing the sober and de-\ntermined character of the handwriting usual at the\ntime in the country of Neuch\u00e2tel. In order, for in-\n[96]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 114, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\nstance, to write a T, the writer begins tracing the\nletter at the top, and after slightly lifting his hand half-\nway, swiftly traces the transversal dash, and continues\nwriting the original ground stroke.\n\"How complicated a mechanism is required for insur-\ning these effects will be inferred from the illustration, in\nwhich the automaton is shown with its back opened.\nIn the first place a vertical disk will be noticed having\nat its circumference as many notches as there are letters\nand signs. Behind this will be seen whole columns of\ncam-wheels, each of a special shape, placed one above\nanother, and all together forming a sort of spinal column\nfor the automaton.\n\"Whenever the little writer is to write a given letter,\na pawl is introduced into the corresponding notch of the\ndisk, thus lifting the wheel column and transmitting to the\nhand, by the aid of a complicated lever system and Cardan\njoints arranged in the elbow, the requisite movements for\ntracing the letter in question. The mechanism comprises\nfive centres of motion connected together by chains.\n\"In the 'Draftsman,' the mechanism is likewise ar-\nranged in the body itself, as in the case of the 'Writer.'\nThe broad chest thus entailed also required a large head,\nwhich accounts for the somewhat bulky appearance of\nthe two automatons. With the paper in position and a\npencil in hand, the 'Draftsman' at first traces a few\ndashes and then swiftly marks the shadows, and a dog\nappears on the paper. The little artist knowingly ex-\namines his work, and after blowing away the dust and\nputting in a few last touches, stops a moment and then\nquickly signs, 'Mon Toutou' (My pet dog). The motions\n7\n[ 97 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 115, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nView of the mechanism which operates the Jacquet-Droz writing automaton.\nFrom the brochure issued by the Society of History and Archaeology, Canton of\nNeuch\u00e2tel, Switzerland.\n[98]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 116, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\nof the automaton are quite natural, and the outlines of\nhis drawings extremely sharp. The automaton when\ndesired willingly draws certain crowned heads now be-\nlonging to history; for example, a portrait of Louis XV.,\nof Louis XVI., and of Marie Antoinette.\"\nThe automata made by the Jacquet-Drozes and their\nconfr\u00e8res were exhibited in all the large cities of Great\nthe Greas Koom, No. 6, King.\nCovent Carlen, to be This Day,\nSPECTACLE MECHANIQU\nWECHANICAL EXHIBITION, From\n7776\nin this Exhibition it rivaled by Atts ons\nwritri whatever le di\u00e9tated to it, another drawsg\nand finillics in a maiterly Mannir feveral curious De-\nagna; mother plays divers Ain on the Herplichord,\nThere is alfo a Pafforal S ene, in which is introdued\n* great Number of Figures; the Trees and\nbear Fruit, the Sheep bleat, the Dog barks, and the\nBinde fing: lo diffinety imitation Nature that\nthey exceed every Ascount that ean be given of thera,\nnot anly for the Variety but for the of their\ndifferent Operations. Their Mechanifm every\nThing that has ever appeared, infomuch that it may\nbe faid they will \u00cdpeak for themfelves.\nThe Tidte of viewing it will be from Twelve to\nOue, from One to Two, from Two to Three, and la\nthe Evenin4 from Seven to Eight, from ight to Nine,\nand from Nine to Tea.\nMr. JAQUET DROZ, the Iaventor, will attend\nen Eleven at Niglit, in ofder to accom hodale thoft\nLadian or Gentle that may chule to lee this Exhi-\nbirth after the Hour of Ten.\nAdmiftance Five\nconunted every Day, and\nClipping from the London Post, 1776, advertising the writing and drawing\nfigures, exhibited by their inventor, Mr. Jacquet-Droz. From the Harry\nHoudini Collection.\nBritain and Continental Europe. According to the pro-\ngrammes and newspaper notices in my collection, Henri-\nLouis Jacquet-Droz acted as their first exhibitor. As\nproof I am reproducing a Droz programme from the\nLondon Post, dated 1776.\n[99]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 117, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nIn support of this advertisement, note what the same\npaper says in what is probably a criticism of current\namusements:\n\"This entertainment consists of three capital mechan-\nical figures and a pastoral scene, with figures of an inferior\nsize. The figure on the left-hand side, a beautiful boy\nas large as life, writes anything that is dictated to him, in\na very fine hand. The second on the right hand, of the\nsame size, draws various landscapes, etc., etc., which he\nHeads of King George and Queen Charlotte, executed in their presence by\nthe Jacquet-Droz drawing figure in 1774. From the brochure issued by the\nSociety of History and Archarology. Canton of Neuch\u00e2tel, Switzerland.\nfinishes in a most accurate and masterly style. The\nthird figure is a beautiful young lady who plays several\nelegant airs on the harpsichord, with all the bass accom-\npaniments; her head gracefully moving to the tune, and\nher bosom discovering a delicate respiration. During her\nperformance, the pastoral scene in the centre discovers\na variety of mechanical figures admirably grouped, all\nof which seem endued, as it were, with animal life, to\nthe admiration of the spectator. The last curiosity is a\ncanary bird in a cage, which whistles two or three airs in\n[ IOO]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 118, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\nthe most natural manner imaginable. Upon the whole,\nthe united collection strikes us as the most wonderful\nexertion of art which ever \"frod before so close on the\nheels of nature. The ingeniou; artist is a young man,\na native of Switzerland.\"\nThe inventory of Jacquet-Droz, Tr.; dated 1786,\nquotes the \"Piano Player\" as valued at 4,800 livres, the\n\"Drawing Figure\" at 7,200 livres, while the\nhad been ceded to him by his father for 4, 800- liyres, in\nconsideration of certain improvements and modifications\nwhich Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz made in the original\ninvention. This shows that while the elder Droz did not\ndie until 1790, his son controlled the automata previous\nto this date, for exhibition and other purposes.\nDuring his later years Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz was\ninduced to take the automata to Spain. His tour was\nunder the direction of an English manager, who, possibly\nfor the purpose of securing greater advertisement, an-\nnounced the figures as possessed of supernatural power.\nThis brought them under the ban of the Inquisition, and\nJacquet-Droz was thrown into prison. Eventually he\nmanaged to secure his freedom, and, breathing free air\nonce more, like the proverbial Arab, he silently folded\nhis tent and stole away, leaving the automata to their\nfate. Henri-Louis-Jacquet-Droz died in Naples, Italy, in\n1791, a year after his father's death.\nThe English manager, however, tarried in Spain.\nThe figures were \"tried\" and as they proved motionless\nthe case was dropped. The Englishman then claimed the\nautomata as his property and sold them to a French\nnobleman. Their owner did not know how to operate\n[ IOI ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 119, "folder": "", "text": "Performances. The utmoft Efforts of Imitators have not begn able to produce the Effect intended; and he is too\ngrateful for the liberal Encouragement he has received in the Metropolis, not to, caution the Public againit thofe\npurious Copies, which, failing of the Perfection they iffume, can only difguft and difappoint the Spectators.\nM. D.E PHILIPSTHAL\nWill have the Honour to EXHIBIT (as ufual) his\nOptical Illufions and Mechanical Pieces of Art.\nAt the LYCEUM, and at no other Place of Exhibition in London.\nSELECT PARTIES may be accommodated with a MORNING REPRESENTATION at any appointed Hour, on Sending timely Notice.\nTo prevent Miftakes, the Public are requited to Notice, that the PHANTASMAGORIA is on the Left-hand, on the Ground Floor, and\nthe\nen the Right-hand, up Staise,"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 120, "folder": "", "text": "The OPTICAL PART of the EXHIBITION\nWill PHANTOM or AUTARITIONS of the DEAD or ABSENT, in a way more complestely illufive than has ever been offered\nto\nthe\nEyc\n`public Theatre, as the Objects freely originate in the Air, and unfold themfelves under various Forms and Sizes, fuch as\nhas hitherto painted them, occafionally affuming the Figure and moit perfea Refemblance of the Heroes and other diflin-\nguifhed of paft and prefent Times.\nThis SPECTROLOGY, which profelles to expofe the Pra\u00f1ices of artful Impoftors and pretended Exorcifts, and to open the Eyes of thofe\nwho abfurd Belief in Grosts or DISEMSODIED Spraiti, will, it is prefumed, afford allo to the Speclator ao interefting and\npleafing and in order to render thefe Apparations more interefting. they will be introduced during the Progrefs of a tremendous\nThunder Storm, accompanied with vivid Lightning, Hail, Wind, &c.\nThe MECHANICAL PIECES of ART\nInclude the following principal Objeat, a auere detailed Account of whith will be given during their Exhibition: vis.\nTwo elegant ROPE DANCERS, the one, reprefenting a Spaniard nearly Six Feet high, will difplay feveral Monifhing Feats on the Rope,\nmark the Time of the Mulic with a fmall Whiftle, fmoke his Pipe, &c.-The other, called Pajanzo, being the Figure of a young\nfprightly\nBoy.\nwill furpafs the former in Skill apd Agility.\nThe INGENIOUS SELF-DEFENDING CHEST-The fuperior Excellence and Utility of this Piece of Mechanifm i., that the Proprietor\nhas always Safe-guard againft Depredators; for the concealed Battery of Four Pieces of Artillery only appears and difcharges itfelf when\na\nStranger tries to force open the Chett--This has been ackmowledged by feveral Profeftional Men tp be a of Machanifu, and may with\nequal Advantage be applied to the Protection of Property in Counting-houfes, Poft-Chaifes, &c.\n'The MECHANICAL PEACOCK, which fo exaCily imitates the Actions of that ftately Bird, that it has frequently been thought Alive. It\neats, drinks, &c. at command, unfold its Tail in a beilliant Circle, and in every refpeat feems endowed with an intuitive Power of attending to\nthe Thoughts of the Company.\nThe BEAUTIFUL COSSACK, enclosed in a (mall Box, apens it when ordered, and pecfents herfelf to the Spectators in a black Habit\nwhich, as foon as defired, the changes with aftonifhing Quick lefs into a moit Elegant Gala Dre\u00eds, compliments the Company, and dances\nafter the Manner of the Coffacks; the will alfo refolve different Queftions. Sc. G.\nThe SELF-IMPELLED WINDMILL. which is put in Motion, or fands All by the moit momentary Signal from- the Spectators, and in \u00e0\nManner which apparently does away the Ides of all Mechanical Agency.\nThe whole to conclude with a fuperb OPTICAL and MECH\u00c1NICAL FIRE-WORK, replete with a Variety of brilliant and fanciful)\nChanges.\n\u00b01\u00b0 Doors to be opened at SEVEN 'Clock, the Commencement at EIGHT,\nBOXES, 4s.-PIT, 2S.\nYOUNG, Printes Er ses Sireet, Covent Garden.\nA de Philipsthal programme of 1803 before the writing and drawing figure came under his control.\nFrom the Harry Houdini Collection."}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 121, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nthem, so their great value was never realized by his\nfamily. After his death, during a voyage to America,\nUNDEA THE SANCTION or\nthey lay neglected in the\nass aoval LETTERS\nPHILIPSTHAL and MAILLARDET's\ncastle of Mattignon, near\nRoyal Museum,\nBayonne. After changing\nFROM LONDON,\nhands many times, about\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\nWill Opee for Pablic Isepectica,\nAt de ASSEMBLY ROOM, BRIDGWATER.\n1803 they passed into the\nO. FRIDAY the 99d. of MARCH instast,\n- a - - che - - - provide de alle -\nhands of an inventor named\nof - - INGENIOUS MISCES of\nMartin, and were controlled\n,\nby his descendants for nearly\nasvas sereas \" Tate PLACE,\n-\na hundred years. One of his\nSUPERI\nfamily, Henri Martin, of\nMusical Automaton.\n.\nDresden, Germany, exhibit-\nAire\n-\n-\n-\nTHE MECHANICAL.\ned them in many large cities,\nDrawing and Writing-Master;\numa soe. de - - the n -\nand advertised them for sale\n-\n- The - - - - Pase -\n-\nAn Old Necromancer,\nat 15,000 marks in the\n- b . - - - - - -\nexample - - - -\nA NOST\nMuenchener Blaetter of May\nBEAUTIFUL GOLD BOX,\n- - le - - or PARADESE - - - - -\net\n13th, 1883. After Martin's\n- -- - - - - - - -\n- - - - - - - The -\n-\nTHE LITTLE SPANIARD,\ndeath, his widow succeeded\n- - BANCE - nat as AT CONMANO, The -\n- - - - \" - in - - - - -\n-\nA BEAUTIFUL SOURIE DO'R,\nin disposing of them to Herr\nser IN PEARES\n-\n-\n-\n- la - - - -\n- - - Direction, - Om\nMarfels, of Berlin, who had\nAN\nETHIOPEAN CHENILLE DOR,\nBEAUTIFULLY ENAMELLED\nthem repaired with such\nAND\nA TARANTULA. SPIDER:\ngood results that in the fall\n- - - - - - - - -\nas from to Fur 2.\n- - - I - - - of\nof 1906 he sold them for\nThe f , se - the Recoing, - de la. -\n-\n-\n75,000 francs, or about\n& - -\n$15,000, to the Historical\nPoster used, March 29nd, 1811,\nSociety of Neuch\u00e2tel. In\nby de Philipsthal and Maillardet dur-\ning their partnership, on which the\nApril, 1907, the writing fig-\nwriting and drawing figure is fea-\ntured. From the Harry Houdini\nure, the drawing figure, and\nCollection.\nthe spinet player were on\nexhibition in Le Locle, Chaux-de-Fonds, and Neuch\u00e2tel.\n[ IO4 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 122, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\nSo far we have traced only the original writing and\ndrawing figure. This has been done purely to show\nthat even if Robert-Houdin had been capable of building\nsuch an automaton, he would not have been its real in-\nventor, but would merely have copied the marvellous\nwork of the Jacquet-Drozes. Now to trace the figure\nwhich in 1844 he claimed as his invention.\nWith the fame of the Neuch\u00e2tel shop spreading and\nthe demand for Swiss watches increasing, Maillardet and\nJean Pierre Droz, apprentices or perhaps partners of\nPierre Jacquet-Droz and Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz,\nremoved to London and there set up a watch factory.\nAbout this time Maillardet invented a combination\nwriting and drawing figure which was pronounced by\nexperts of the day slightly inferior to the work of the two\nJacquet-Drozes. However, it must have been worthy\nof exhibition, for it appeared at intervals for the next\nfifty years in the amusement world, particularly in Lon-\ndon. At first Maillardet was not its exhibitor nor was his\nname ever mentioned on the programmes and newspaper\nnotices, but later his name appeared as part owner and ex-\nhibitor. As the Swiss watches had created a veritable sen-\nsation and were snatched up as fast as produced, it is quite\nlikely that he had no time to play the r\u00f4le of showman.\nThe figure first appeared in London in 1796, when the\nLondon Telegraph of January 2nd carried the adver-\ntisement reproduced on the next page.\nHaddock had no particular standing in the world of\nmagic, and it is more than likely that he rented the auto-\nmata which he exhibited, or merely acted as showman\nfor the real inventors.\n[ 105 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 123, "folder": "", "text": "The Conve\nThe be TU\nde Polite\nthe\nOpens \u00e9very ant de\nPerformasca\n41 Jour passa em pegins at (glu\nHESE Arch admitred Pieces of Mechanisan,\nwhied not hunian trat\nto posses\u00e9 al consile of\n4 Figure, a hoy ef tom\nbe brom - and apt to\nseurd\na round,\nThe Modalai ed\nlowing the Perter,\ngate and an - - thir Dour\napem, the and auy a Geb\nToy whaterier Vroit they and det\nasal bring the Rhid\nbe\n- the as often as Lie\nampo\nDE\na\n- valled for, / the are drompa un) and\nbe given in charge to a Warch Dog, in\nand en any pegson away or tenching\nthem witt begin (o-bark, and contique to do so they\nare The Thent Figarre to thes Re\nthe which WH be\nfrombelind the Home, will enter the Door, the\nChiningy, and giva the of -\nreveral timesy the and corrie wirk\nin Bag firti of\nThe LIQUOR MERCHANT und WATER SERVERI\nTheie are on a Platform of bet square, which\n(as the former Pi\u00e9ces) will be placed on a Table, The\nLiguor Mercliaut stands nt DE small Cask, from which a\nwill drivie every kind of Spiras, Wine, &c.\nThe a and\nTumbler with Water, - enlied for. -Fourth,\nTHE. RIGHLANI\nA Figute in the Dess, stands on a Time-guere\nand Hour wnd Mrouter whewey by SIPIN\nbig its on/a Trege: a Answer\n(by motion) to\n(n Aridimetic, and gives the jaistantly as any\nof Pounds, Yards, Ac, any given Price: beats\nTime to Muic, &c.\nSTable the different Places with Demplaced on, con-\ntains an ORGAN, on which the Proprietor intradaces n.\nlew) Notes: also, The MACHINE\nORGAN, will play occasionally Neveral Pleces of Music,\nAirs Country Dances, Re.\nMr.HADDOCK flattere himself THE ANDROIDES\nwill be found niore exizious than any\n\u00e9ver before offered to this Principtes of\nentituly The Theatre is seatis, fired\nand every thing calculated to MA e to -\npolite and discerning Audience\nHoses 4s. Gaflery -\nAdmittance, after the Two Half Price,\nThe lass netoly Two\nHaddock advertisement in the London Telegraph, January, 1796, in which\nhe features the writing automaton as an androide. From the Harry Houdini\nCollection.\n[ 106]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 124, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nIn quite a few works on automata, notably Sir David\nBrewster's \"Letters on Natural Magic,\" Collinson is\nquoted as having interviewed Maillardet as the inventor\nof the combination writing and drawing figure. The\nFranklin Journal of June, 1827, published in Philadel-\nphia, Pa., credits this figure to Maillardet and gives the\nfollowing description: \"It was the figure of a boy kneeling\non one knee, holding a pencil in his hand, with which he\nexecuted not only writing but drawings equal to those of\nRATIONAL ENTERTAPNMEN'PS during\nLEPSTAL and AUTOMATICAL\nTHWATRE Strand, will open svery\nEventeg: The l'erformances consist of a grost many loge=\ntion. n pircesol For further Mechaniser- perticolars with the and see highese Optical hand Recreations, bille The apprubs- whole which\nous\nmarks of\nunder the Mr. LODIS, Asaistanc Engineer, who\nwill his otmost exeratona to promate the\nProprietors. that of offering to an enlightened Public a\nConra\u00e9 of of a,superiar natuze,\n35. Ph Cattery\nand bayin preciedly at 9. Places for the Boxes may DU taken\nat\nmarch1812\nClipping from the London Telegraph in March, 1819, proving the partner-\nship of de Philipsthal and Maillardet in an \"Automatical Theatre.\" The Mr.\nLouis mentioned in the advertisement as assistant engineer later secured pos-\nsession of the writing and drawing figure. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\nthe masters. When the figure began to work, an attend-\nant dipped the pencil in ink, and fixed the paper, when,\non touching a spring, the figure wrote a line, carefully\ndotting and stroking the letters.\"\nThe Robert-Houdin figure did not kneel, but this\nchange could be made by a mechanician of ordinary\nability.\nThe writing and drawing figure does not reappear on\namusement programmes in my collection until 1812, when\nit was featured by De Philipsthal, the inventor of \"Phan-\n[ 107 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 125, "folder": "", "text": "Ebeatte,\nMr. Louis's\nROYAL, MECHANICAL, and OPTICAL\nDarhibition\nwall continue open Four Nights longer only, with the Addition of a New Pirca.\nMonday, April 1,1815, Wednesday, Thurday and Friday following,\nthe 5th, 6th, and 7th.\nAnd, in erder to make his Exhibition mill more wartly of the Public Patrosage, the\nProprietor bege leave to inform them, that, in Addition to the whale Selection already\nexhibited with UNBOUNDED APPLAUSE, he will introduce, every Evening,\nA SUPERB MECHANICAL\nPeacocl\nAS LARGE AS LIFE,\nIn its Natural Plumage!\nWhich imitates, so closely, the CRIES, ACTIONS, and ATTITUDES of that stately and\nbeautiful Bird, that it is not unfrequently supposed to be an absolute living Animal.\nproperly trained to act as as Amasing Deception.\nAhbongh - Description cas property itlestrate these . Ast. yet to merey to the\npablic sa des of their and of the imitative powers with waxh these Figares -\nesplanation mbitted, they exb.bited the follewing -\n\" are . manaer\nTWO ELEGANT AUTOMATA,\nAs large as melare, the - . POLONNESE, the - . sov.\nNething cae the adroicable of these Pieces. The large Figure - alment\nwith bumse Faculties, eshiliting the esual feste of . Mope- Dancer, in the felless of hfs. The -\nFigare . envested with equally astonishing powere of activa. To sech ledice - are spectasore it - be\n.\nvery that these exertious do not escite thowe - whird arese\nthe aight of Pigares freught with lite. performies feas ettended with - mech dange.\nA Superb MUSICAL LADY,\nRepreseeting the BELLE BOXLANE, whe pleye with the grentess preceise Sistere Arra, every -\npreveede\nfrove\nthe\npresere\nof\nthe\nand\nfeet,\n-\nthe\napprepriate\nkeys,\n-\nkeing\npersea,\nwith\nthe\nof her besd. eyes, and eye-hds, . directed to the heye. The compect and well preperticeed forma,\nand easy enaffected air of thie Female Figure, have been gvessly and considured by\nthe very best jedges - happy combission of the asta of Desige - Nechaniom, whish predeces . the\nsame tiase the of respiratice.\nTHE MSCHANICAL\nDRAWING AND WRITING MASTER,\nA JUVENILE ARTIST. The figure of Ecy, who, with every actice of resi life will escrate is presence\nof the compeey, of Drawing and Vriting, seperier - the best of the - if\nSigure\nwere\ndestatute\nof\n\"\nweeld\nbe\npicteresque,\nbut\nwhee,\nwsth\nthe\ncase\nand\nof\nwell\neducated youth, \" saites the power of produciag such perfect imitation of estere, as almet se - the\nGree's Mythology. whee spesking of figures formed est of sordid clay. which, by Premethers,\natarted isto life and, extreerdisary as the fable apprera, it ie equalled, it not by the wenderfal\nof thie \u00f3gure.\nAN OLD NECROMANCER,\n- fairly be decominaled the Brisad Ench\u00e4nter, for few af the fabled vales comcersing the -\nof these purking - \" their native groves of Preidical whene vagie quella impred\nevery bregh, could - bryand the realities of the whe the ques-\nthat are - him. with the precition of - Oracle any from the\napisit\u00e9 - - - the anciest - for this sapient Sine's Decisione origisate\nin of the perhanical powers,\nThe Liute @paniarb:\nThis ragalated by mutic, le which be Weape sime with eritical\nand\nexactass. The agility at this he are fermed with\n- by which it the ef making harre.\nand acimity. of the whinh is - will gire the\n* ides et the of the\nA BIRD OF PARADISE,\nSapers Cold - - te ler in\n- bea. The - of die piece af reay le - and\nfor delinacy of\n- de - Orginal, - - d\ndecience of Optics.\nThe Proprister - - . of IDEAL PERSPECTIVE\nPROSPECTS of the ELYSIAN FIELDS,\nAnd other vnews. The effert predured, - if lighoqued by the Mees, is whoch ERIAL\nSPERITS and SHADIS of great - will -marge - being - pisce of the Scieace of OPTICA,\nand of whiph the - dert of - - - - to predace the hs.\nThe whole to seit\u00e0 - s - of brillions Nechonical and\nFire-Works,\nA Louis programme of April 3rd, 1815, in which the writing and drawin\nfigure is advertised as a juvenile artist. It also features a bird of paradi:\nautomaton which Robert-Houdin claimed to have invented thirty years late\nFrom the Harry Houdini Collection.\n[08]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 126, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\ntasmagoria.\" The nature of the inventions grouped under\nthis title can best be judged from the reproduction of a\nDe Philipsthal programme, dated 1803-04, and reproduced\nin the course of this chapter. All evidence goes to prove,\nhowever, that De Philipsthal did not control the writing\nand drawing figure exclusively, but that it was the joint\nproperty of himself and his partner, Maillardet. One\nof their joint programmes is also reproduced. Wherever\nDe Philipsthal appears as an independent entertainer,\nthe writing and drawing figure is missing from his billing.\nLater the writing and drawing automaton came into\nthe possession of a Mr. Louis, who, as it will be seen from\nthe billing, acted as assistant engineer to De Philipsthal\nand Maillardet. Louis evidently controlled the wonderful\nlittle automaton in the years 1814-15.\nThe last De Philipsthal programme in my possession is\ndated Summer Theatre, Hull, September 15th, 16th, 17th,\n18th and 19th, 1828, when he advertises only \"rope dancers\nand mechanical peacock,\" and features \"special uniting fire\nand water\" and \"firework experiments.\" He must have\ndied between that date and April, 1829, for a programme\ndated at the latter time announces a benefit at the Th\u00e9\u00e2tre\nWakefield for the widow and children of De Philipsthal,\n\"the late proprietor of the Royal Mechanical and Optical\nMuseum.\" This benefit programme contains no allusion\nto the writing and drawing figure, which goes to prove\nthat it had not been his property, or it would have been\nhanded down to his estate.\nIn May, 1826, an automaton was exhibited at 161\nStrand, a bill regarding which is reproduced. This\nmechanical figure, however, should not be confounded\n[ 109 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 127, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nTheatre, Wakefield.\nwith the original and\nTHE LAST W.\ngenuine writing and\nROYAL MECHANICAL 4 OPTICAL\nMUSEUM.\ndrawing figure. It\nnow CARRIED ob vom THE - of THE\nWIDOW and CHILDREN\nseems to have lacked\nOF THE LATE MR. PRILIPSTHAL\n- P. - - - - - of Webofuld, - - -\n- - - - recefted bage . - * da be\nlegitimacy and, from\na Monday, - April,\nCLOSE - - lat De\nthe - -\nwhat I can learn from\nMECHANICAL PIECES.\n- - - - - - -\n1\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\nnewspaper clippings,\nEXECUTION\nwasworkedlike \"Zoe,\"\nmamn ar\nwith a concealed con-\nor THE LITS sauprio os\nMount Vesuvius.\nfederate, or, like the\nvige TAEEN n REPRESENTING\nfamous \"Psycho\" fea-\nHE\nTHUILLERIES.\nwith THE orea THE airea BRING\nvisw oe\ntured by Maskelyne, it\nJER USALEM,\nWith the Mount of Olives,\nwas worked by com-\n-- - - The Viee\n.\n-\nThe Ancient GATE at Southampton,\npressed air. This bill\nColled - Londing -\nis interesting solely be-\n-\nvas PALACA oe THE LATS\ncause I believe that\nEmperor Alexander.\n2r our ras asvea REVA\nthis fake automaton\n- PINS or THE\nSuspension Bridge\nexhibited at 161 Strand\nOVER AN ARM OF THB SEA AT MENAL\nCOUNTY or CARNASVON TEAT or\nwas the first figure of\n-\nthe sort foisted on the\nCROTESQUE BALLIST. rue\nFAIRIES' MIDNIGHT REVEL,\na, of hasy -\npublic after the Baron\nThe Tragic Scene of Cornelia,\nThe\nSuper\n\"\n-\nwhe\nauaso\nALIVA,\nla\n- of - Romee\nVon Kemplen chess-\nMarvellous Tomb Scene / !\nplayer, which is de-\n- - - a - Qoona, - - Prisco of - -\nThe\n-\n-\n-\nAutomata Rope-Dancera,\nscribed in Halle's work\nEN FULL IMITATION or ure,\n- - Ame -\nHYDR.UULICS\non magic, published in\nallo\n1784.\nHYDROSTATIC EXPERIMENTS,\nFire aus\n- -\nIn 1901, while in\nFIREWORKS,\nGermany, I saw a num-\nwaice\nF-\n-\nber of these automaton\nle - .\n. - SICHOLA, - - -\n-\n- - - - - - - -\n-\nBexea, 6d.Pli, -Gellery,\ned.\nartists, all frauds. The\n. - - - -\nBICHARD\nfigure sat in a small\nIIO"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 128, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\nchair before an easel, ready to draw portraits in short\norder. The figure was shown to the audience, then re-\nplaced on the chair, whereupon a man under the platform\nthe Triump of Mechanisu.\nNEW . EXHIBITION\nIN THE WESTERN EXCHANGE.\nTHE\nAUTO.MATON\nARTIST.\nIL ENTRANCES TO THE EXHIBITION\nARE IN\nOld Bond Street & in Burlington Arcade :\nOpen from Ten o'Clock till Dusk.\nAdmittance to see the Performance, 1 Shilling.\nProfile Likenesses, 18. 6d. in addition.\no\nThe Proprieters conceive that an Automatical Figure, accurately effect\ning that whuch has bitherto required a powerful ment. exertion, and a\ncorrect eye, needs no further introduction of its extraordiuary quality, than\nao intimation of the fact, that it is\nTHE ONLY AUTOMATON\nIN THE WORLD\nTHAT TAKES LIKENESSES.\nWithout further comment, the Proprietors merely add the information, that-\nthis Figure exerutes a Profile Likeness, sue one minute, from any person who\nchooses to Nt. The Automaton will, if required, take the Profiles of Busts\nof Public Characters, which are placed in the Roum, and which will enable.\npersons, who may doubt the possibility of apy mechanical contrivance taking\nan accurate likeness, to compare thein with the originals.\nInncs, Printer, 61, Wella-s. Oxford-st.\nHandbill advertising the fake automatic artist, exhibited also at 161 Strand,\nLondon, May 7th, 1826. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\nwould thrust his arm through the figure and draw all that\nwas required of the automaton. The fake was short-lived,\neven at the yearly fairs, and now has sunk too low for them.\n[ III ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 129, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nDuring this interim, that is between 1821 and 1833,\nthe famous little figure seems to have been in the posses-\nsion of one Schmidt, who, according to the programmes\nin my collection, exhibited it regularly.\nIn 1833 Schmidt is programmed in London, playing\nat the Surrey Theatre, when the writing and drawing\nfigure is one of twenty-four automatic devices. A pro-\ngram, which, judging from its printing, is of a still later\ndate, announces Mr. Schmidt and the famous figure at\nNew Gothic Hall, 7 Haymarket, for a short period pre-\nvious to the removal of the exhibit to St. Petersburg.\nThe dates of other programmes in my collection can be\njudged only from the style of printing which changed\nat different periods of the art's development. Some of\nthese indicate that the writing and drawing figure was\non exhibition during the early 40's in London at Paul's\nHead Assembly Rooms, Argyle Rooms, Regent Street,\netc.\nIt is more than likely, according to Robert-Houdin's\nown admission regarding his study of automata and his\nopportunities to repair those left at his shop, that at some\ntime the writing and drawing figure was brought to\nParis to be exhibited, needed repairing, and thus reached\nhis shop. Whether it was bought by Monsieur G\n,\nwhose interest in automata is featured in Robert-Houdin's\n\"Memoirs,\" and brought to Robert-Houdin to repair, or\nwhether Robert-Houdin bought it for a song, and repaired\nit to sell to advantage to his wealthy patron, cannot be\nstated, but I am morally certain that Robert-Houdin never\nconstructed, in eighteen months, a complicated mech-\nanism on which the Jacquet-Drozes spent six years of\n[ 112]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 130, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\nADMISSION REDUCED,\nBores, 2..-Pil, la.-Gallery, 6d.\nPORNING ons SEILLING sacm.\nBy Permission of the Right Worshipful the Mayor.\nThe Nebility, Gentry, and Inhabitaste of Hull and its Vicinity are most respoctiolly\ninformed that the Grand\nMECHANICAL AND\nMagical Theatre,\n(FROM THE GOTHIC HALL, ITAYMARKET, LONDOX.)\nIS NOW OPEN EVERY DAY AND EVENING,\nAND witl. CONTINUS ao voa A SMORT TIMS ONLY,\nATT THE APOLLO SALOON,\nNexty erected by Mr. Kirhwood, at the y Wellinglon-Strees,\nQUEEN-STREST, NULL.\nTHE AUTOMATA COMPRISE THS FOLLOWING AUBJECTS:\nThe Juvenile Artist!\nWhese in DRAWING and warmino (alterestely) ie the presence of the Compeay, defy all essempte\nregard thew beauts sed of dealge ... -\nthe\nof\nan\nYeare )\nTHE MUSICAL LADY,\nde performe agee - siegses Seger OROAN, of plessing Airs. The of her -\n- of the .... feit \" arearing Aderrent She bows gracefully to the Audieses, hee\n\"\n- the leago, sele . predess\u00e9 b, the of ber Segen, esta the escoptee of Sele -\n- - played 3, the fost\nDawona,\n- serpase, is sed ever, Prefesses of the ant hooping\ncorrest to the Nome of the\nTHE MAGICIAN,\nthe selovest ... delight. b, the eages be reteres to every\npregess\u00e9 le - The of the bitherle pussied all the first. reste \u00e0\nTAS\nWALKING FIGURE,\nmoriag b, Ite see eseltee ise serpeise, It ever Assn Deje to . thing etterly\n- cort to predese \u00e9gare expeble a\nA MAGNIFICENT CLASSIC rase!\nNADE FOR THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON.\nA BOLDES\nTWO SIBERIAN MICE.---AN EGYPTIAN LIZARD.\nAn Ethiopian Caterpillar. A Tarantula Spider.\nA BEAUTIFUL HUMMING BIRD:\n- - of T.es e.ebly - ... sed other precion asd le the\n4 sevemests eftea dessivo the bebeider\nno - de , the of -\nBELF-ACTING PIANO FORTE.\nTES STAGE PERFORMANCE WILL COMMENCE WITH\nRAMO SAMMEE,\nLitte Figere - corrent'y estera \" the time \", .. pereese eill also weipher -\nalso - the of ea, bee bese drees *** - pech.\nThe Enchanted Dutch Coffee-House,\n,\n- - . the Trevellers visging the SeM the doos opres-the attesde .. pree.dee enth -\nbe may - ler.\nTHE CABINET OF SAFETY,\nde - of eas . - be . the of the the conteste will ebsage\nA\ndesees\nsele\nesther,\n\"\nbeb.ed\nthe\nBAGRO\n,\n. Conto - - the gech sed - therete \" , - planed the Marg and will immediately appees\nvhee\ncalled\nfar.\nThe Bottle of Sobriety and Juebriety,\nProving the restality de of Densatera, Lizem ... be procesed b, ....\ntas NAGICAL TC4 cadore,\ndes - \" Article, tocke ... . the other # le\nthere,\n.\nthe\nDead\n...\nother\nAN KTRAORDINARY GLASS PILLAR,\n- -\nEXPERIMENTS IN ELECTRICITY.\nThe Englich whe will ducharge \" Camon sithout the see of ,\nAn entettaining Experiment with Two Electrical Vases;\nThe gower 4 ever the Vegressie hingdem. prefecing a Crop of Balled le before\nthe cyse of -\nTHE UNFORTUNATE MAGAZINE,\n- \" - - le - of the Thessor Cleed ent ... we ate - ns\nof - .... , \" bet the -\n- des the condector - mere sived, - the\n- le - aget of -\n'rogramme used by Mr. Schmidt in 1827, when he had possession of the\nwriting and drawing figure. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\n8\n[ 113]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 131, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\ntheir inventive genius and efforts. Modern mechanicians\nagree that such a performance would have been a physical\nimpossibility, even had Robert-Houdin been the expert\nmechanician he pictured himself.\nTo sum up the evidence: The writing and drawing\nSplendid and Unrivalled Exhibition !\n(Fer . Shore peovions . is resoval - a\nThe Nobility and Public are respectfully informed, that\nA MOST MAGNIFICENT AND COSTLY COLLECTION OF\nMechanical and Musical\nAUTOIATONS!\nIS NOW EXHIBITING AT THE\nNew Gothic Haymarket,\nADJOINING THE LITTLE THEATRE:\nTOGETHER wirh A\nGRAND DISPLAY OF ANCIENT ARMOUR :\nWhich carrounds the spacious and desoreted Mall.\nAlso\n. Model of . MAN OF WAR, of Ninely-Four Guns,\nOf the most exquisite Workmenship, and Copper-Bottomed!\nThe\nwhouk the - Instructive and Ammoing ever le -\nTHE MECHANICAL PART\nor this truly conderfel and exchenting which las beea with the\navent distingushbed Patromage, in Paais and other parts of the comprisse the bullowing\nABTIOU!\nThese Performancea in DRAWING - WAITING la - of the Company, defy ell .\nkaph at in regard to marn, and of and This rich\nthe of MECHANISN . sonderfally thet the motion - # -\nguat, saj oppropriele system efeperations, will ever readee \" - of the highest interest -\nThe fusical Lady !\nWho performs, apon sia olggent Finger ORGAN.: variely of pire-ing Ain. The fas inating of bee\nand lovely motion ofthe Eyes, arver to securing bes She boes gracefully to the acdicace bes beaves,\nuf materally b, the leage and every note is produced by the touch of act Sager, with the\nlica of pata, and charge, which are played by the\nThe Rope Dancer !\nWheed surpricing apoe the Tight Rope surgess, to - attitudes, and reclurions, every et the\nArt heepios correct timse to the Munie of the Mechinery\nEbe\nWhene exeite the gresteet and delight.br the regacious be returne to every\nprepesed le his The essetrection of thus wonderfel seif- acting Fagure has lutherte pessied all the\nis Europe'\nThis\nestraerdisary\nFigur,\nmoves\nby\nafe\nova\npovera,\nin\nevery\ndirection,\nthe\ngresteot\ncorgeise\n.\nasving ever by the most intelligret - basical to be utterly impossible, by amy work of -\nto produce will- aving ligure capable of *\nAlso, a STBERTAN MOUSE! set with Prarb.-As ETHIOPEAN CATERPILLAR! of richly n\navelied Gold.-The TERRANTULAR SPIDER! I-A beautifel HUMMING BIRD! that the\n- melodicus Notes. EGYPTIAN LIZARD! of exquisite workmanship. en fine Gold, ac.\nTHE WHOLE EXHIBITING. by their exact Imitations of ANINATED NATURE, the most surpre\nlag Powers of\nN. a. The Visitore will bave the of imprettag the very eurious and compliested by whesh -\nreljjects le this have boca progressively bronght to sech inimitable\nOpre from Eleure will and from Sever till Ten in the Ewning.\nADMITTANCE, 2. CHILDREN, la-TICKETS FOR THE SEASON. 6a.\nNa the - the Nachioory. REPASRE sc.)\nMAVELL sed 6 Prieters, No. 79,\nPoster used by Mr. Schmidt in advertising the writing and drawing figure\nin London just before his departure for St. Petersburg, Russia. From the\nHarry Houdini Collection.\nfigure as turned out by the Jacquet-Drozes was known\nall over Europe. It is not possible that a man so well\nread and posted in magic and automata as Robert-Houdin\n[114]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 132, "folder": "", "text": "THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE\ndid not know of its existence and mechanism. And if\nRobert-Houdin had invented the same mechanism it is\nhardly possible that his design would have run in pre-\ncisely the same channel as that of Jacquet-Droz and\nMaillardet, in having the figure draw the dog, the cupid,\nand the heads of monarchs.\nIn those days humble mechanicians, however well they\nwere known in their own trade, were not exploited by\nthe public press. Nor did they employ clever journalists\nto write memoirs lauding their achievements. And so\nit happened that for years the names of Jacquet-Droz\nand Maillardet were unsung; their brainwork and handi-\ncraft were claimed by Robert-Houdin, who had mastered\nthe art of self-exploitation. To-day, after a century and\na half of neglect, the laurel wreath has been lifted from\nthe brow of Robert-Houdin, where it never should have\nbeen placed, and has been laid on the graves of the real\ninventors of the writing and drawing figure, Pierre\nJacquet-Droz and Henri-Louis Jacquet-Droz and Jean-\nDavid Maillardet.\n[115]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 133, "folder": "", "text": "CHAPTER IV\nTHE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\nONCERNING this trick, which Robert-Houdin\nclaims as his invention, he writes on page 79 of\nhis \"Memoirs,\" American edition \"The first\nwas a small pastry cook, issuing from his shop\ndoor at the word of command, and bringing, according\nto the spectator's request, patties and refreshments of\nevery description. At the side of the shop, assistant\npastry cooks might be seen rolling paste and putting it\nin the oven.\"\nBy means of handbills, programmes, and newspaper\nnotices of magical and mechanical performances, this\ntrick in various guises can be traced back as far as I796.\nNine reputable magicians offered it as part of their reper-\ntoire, and at times two men presented it simultaneously,\nshowing that more than one such automaton existed.\nThe dates of the most notable programmes or handbills\nselected from my collection are as follows:\nI, Haddock, 1797. 2, Garnerin, 1815. 3, Gyngell,\n1816 and 1823. 4, Bologna, 1820. 5, Henry, 1822. 6,\nSchmidt, 1827. 7, Rovere, 1828. 8, Charles, 1829. 9,\nPhillippe, 1841.\nIn 1827 Schmidt and Gyngell joined forces, yet both\nbefore and after this date each performer had the wonder-\nful little piece of mechanism on his programme. In 1841,\n[ 116"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 134, "folder": "", "text": "THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\nfour years before Robert-Houdin appeared as a public\nperformer, Phillippe created a sensation in Paris, pre-\nsenting among other automata \"Le Confiseur Galant.\"\nIn 1845, when Robert-Houdin included \"The Pastry\nCook of the Palais Royal\" in his initial programme at his\nown theatre in Paris, Phillippe was presenting precisely\nthe same trick at the St. James Theatre, London.\nOf this goodly company, however, Rovere and Phillippe\ndeserve more than passing notice, as both were the con-\ntemporaries of Robert-Houdin, and Rovere was his\npersonal friend. Both also appear in Robert-Houdin's\n\"Memoirs.\"\nThe trick appears first, not as a confectioner's shop\nwith small figures at work, but as a fruitery, then again\nas a Dutch Coffee-House and a Russian Inn, from which\nten sorts of liquor are served. Finally, in 1823, it is feat-\nured under the name that later made it famous, the\nConfectioner's Shop.\nHaddock, the Englishman who had the writing and\ndrawing figure in his possession for some time, featured\nthe fruitery on his programmes dated 1796. One of his\nadvertisements from the London Telegraph is reproduced\non page 106, in connection with the history of the writing\nand drawing figure, but for convenience I am quoting\nhere Haddock's own description of the fruitery trick,\nwhich was even more complicated than the famous Pastry\nCook of the Palais Royal:\n\"A model of the neat rural mansion, and contains the\nfollowing figures: First, the porter, which stands at the\ngate, and on being addressed, rings the bell, when the\ndoor opens, the fruiteress comes out, and any. lady or\n[ 117]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 135, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\ngentleman may call for whatever fruit they please, and\nthe figure will return and bring the kind required, which\nmay be repeated and the fruit varied as often as the\ncompany orders: it will likewise receive flowers, or any\nTake Totice!\nThe Magistrates of Southuark\nRove sindly given to Nr. BOLOGNA, 10 and\nthoir\nAt the Great Assembly Room,\nThree Tuns Tavern,\nHis Grand Mechanical and Aufomaticel\nWhich \u00e0ss he - Years heen unrivalled,\nAND SANCTIONED BY THE LOKD .CHAMBERLAIN,\nAl-e receired wirk the most and distiaguisbed Approbation.\nMr. BOLOGNA impressed with . deep - of the anny faveits be for Yeer received,\nFrom . liberal Public, availe himiself of this la offer a Entertainment which -\nquite distinct from that of . Theatries Demeription, A from its harmales tendency, je peculiarly\nthe attract the Nutice and Support of theme whowe religiona forbid thew\nParticipation in of a marked and decimive Character.\nThis Present FRIDAY, March 10th, 1820,\nAnd Every Meilnesdag * Friday During Lent,\nThe beea fitted up for the Reneption of the Public\nThe will with the fellaring Carious Piecea of Aninated Objents\nMechanism Clockwork.\nPART L-A Windmill.\nThat will Gried mait any Carf chumen by the Company, with a Variety of Performances by\nClock Muvement, Deceptiona with Buans, Watches. Ac.\n2-1 Cabinet of Peculiar Construction.\nBy which will Le Preduced . Variety of Deceptions with Cards\na.-An Automaten Figure representing a Necromancer.\nWho will explain the Thoughts of auy ludividual in Company.\n- 4-A Distiller whe Stands by his Tus,\nFrom which, n Command, he Drawa Eighr Didereal Sorte of L\u00e9quar.\n3.-1 curious Mechanical Frailerer and Confecsioner's Shop.\nCompit. whe will produce at Command, esch Variety of Freit A\nas may be usked for. PART 11.\nOMBRES CHINOIS; or, CHINESE SHADOWS,\nla which the following Sqapes will be inteedeced.\na\nThe MAGICIAN'. CAVE, wherein enveral Tricks & Netamerphoses will thke Plece.\n2\nREPRESENTATIO of . FOREST. in which will be intreduced the mont Vonderfal\nspecies of Natural History. To each of the Quadrupeds the most perfict and\nAnimation'will be given.\na\nesd DUCK SHOOTING.\n4 A much-edmired TIGHT-ROPh DANCER, with the HUMOUROUS CLOWN.\na\nCOMICAL INIFE-GRINDER, with e Seng.\nPART Whele to conclude wita . brillians and fascinating Courree\nArtificial or Mechanical Fire-Works!\nIntroduced in an appropriate Elegant Temple in a Garden Scens, pourtraying\nInnumerable Changes, an luvention alone sufficient to create Attraction.\nDoore open as 7 and bagiu 7 Seate 24. 6d.-Second Neate la es\nTicket to be had of Mr. TAYLOR, at the\nBes.\nT.\nA Bologna poster of 1820 which features an automatic distiller who draws eight\ndifferent liquors from one cask. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\nsmall article, carry them in, and produce them again as\ncalled for. As the fruits are brought out, they will be\ngiven in charge of a watch-dog, which sits in front of the\nhouse, and on any person taking or touching them will\n[ 118]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 136, "folder": "", "text": "THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\nbegin to bark, and continue to do so until they are re-\nturned. The next figure belonging to this piece is the\nlittle chimney-sweeper, which will be seen coming from\nbehind the house, will enter the door, appear at the top\nof the chimney, and give the usual cry of \"Sweep' several\ntimes, descend the chimney, and come out with his bag\nfull of soot.\"\nIn 1820, Haddock's programme, including the fruitery,\nappears with only a few minor changes as the r\u00e9pertoire\nof Bologna, a very clever conjurer who afterward became\nthe assistant of Anderson, the Wizard of the North, and\nwho made most of the latter's apparatus. On the Bologna\nprogramme, for a performance to be given at the Great\nAssembly Room, Three Tuns Tavern, the shop trick is\ndescribed thus: \"A curious Mechanical Fruiterer and\nConfectioner's Shop, kept by Kitty Comfit, who will\nproduce at Command such Variety of Fruit and Sweet-\nmeats as may be asked for.\"\nThe marvellous little shop does not appear again on\nprogrammes of magic until 1815, when Garnerin features\nit as \"The Dutch Coffee-House.\" On the programme used\nby Garnerin in that year for a benefit which he gave for\nthe General Hospital at Birmingham, England, it is feat-\nured as No. IO: \"A Dutch Coffee-House, a very surprising\nmechanical piece, in which there is the figure of a Girl,\nsix inches high, which presents, at the Command of the\nSpectators, ten different sorts of Liquors.\"\nThis programme is of such historical value that I repro-\nduce it in full. It will show that this particular mechanical\ntrick is by no means the most important feature of Gar-\nnerin's r\u00e9pertoire. In fact his fame is based on his\n[ 119]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 137, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nballooning, and he is said to have been the inventor of the\nparachute. The ascen-\nsion of the nocturnal\nballoon, also scheduled\non this programme, is\nan limitation of the one\nwhich Garnerin arranged\nin honor of Bonaparte's\ncoronation in 1805. On\nthat occasion the balloon\nstarted at Paris and de-\nscended in Rome, a dis-\nFor the Benefit of the\ntance of five hundred\nGeneral Hospital\nmiles which was covered\nThis present TUESDAY, October 10, 1815.\nin twenty-two hours.\nAN\nEXHIBITION\nGarnerin was a con-\nTHE\nWONDERS OF\ntemporary of both Pinetti\nArt and Nature,\nand Robertson and was\nM. GARNERIN,\nwith them in Russia\nAND M. DE LA ROCHE,\nIN THE GREAT ROOM. AT THE\nSHAKESPEARE TAVERN,\nwhen Pinetti dissipated\nhis fortune in balloon ex-\n1.-TWO BEAUTIFUL FIGURES,\nor - playing on the FLUTE, which by the - chilfel Combination, perfores\n-\nInstrument,\nand\neither\nalome\nany\nof\nthe\nmusical\nPiecee\ncontained\nbe\nThay resuma, or change Tunes, . the - of the Specistora The Metions 4\nperiments. In their cor-\nthe Heed, Fingere, and Egre, are plainly -\n9-THE THREE VASES,\nThet Light, Estinguish, and Re WAX TAPER.\n3.-TIE. CANARY FIGURE,\nrespondence, both Pinetti\ne\nMasterpiere of the meat prefound mechamirel\nTINDER nox.\nand Robertson spoke\nla the EVENING at Half past SEVEN, in Addition to these vederful Performancoa, pill be theve\nVeriety of Tricks with Cardo, and-3, the\nAscension of a Nocturnal Balloon,\nslightingly of Garnerin,\nle Imitation of the one M. - from Paria, - - Evening of Corea-\n. 1006, and which drecreded at Nome, 900 Miles, in\n-VARIOUS EXPERIMENTS UPON THE\nPNEUMATIC\nbut the Frenchman's pro-\n1.-4 FIGURE that DISCOVERS the THOUGHT8.\nThe with\n-THE COLUMN OF MAGNETICAL GLASS,\nFer the igvisitle Ascension Card,\ngrammes all indicate that\n9.\nAN EXHIBITION or >\nClap of bunber,\nof\n-\nof\nhe was not only a success-\n10.-A DUTCH COFFEE HOUSE,\nA Garnerin poster of 1815, advertising\nful a\u00ebronaut, but a ma-\n\"\nADutch Coffee House,' whose automatic\nhostess serves refreshments at command.\ngician who could present a\nFrom the Harry Houdini Collection.\ndiverting entertainment.\nI2O ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 138, "folder": "", "text": "THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\nIn 1816 the elder Gyngell featured the trick on his\nprogrammes as \"The\nRussian Inn,\" and in\nTHEATRE,\n1823 he changed it to\nCatherine Street,\n\"The Confectioner's\nSTRAND.\nShop.\" These pro-\nMr. GYNGELL, Sen.\ngrammes are reproduced\nRespoctfully informs the Public, the following Entertaismento continuing\nde be with the most reptirous Applouse, will be Reposted\nas the most convincing\nThis Present Thursday, February 15th, 1816,\nAnd Every Evening till further Notice.\nevidence against the\nOs which Occasion Mz. G. intrests a eace . offer his most grateful Thenks be\ngest,\nand\nsolicits a continunce of foture Patronage. As a St\u00famelus Mr. G. will\ninteoduce\ninsumorable\n& unprecedented Noveltion, nover exhibited here. & perticuler\nFIRST.\nclaims of Robert-Houdin.\nA PEDESTAL CLOCK,\nSe oingularly constructed, that it is obedient a the Word of Command. The Did\nThe Gyngell family is\nremoved, it becomes a MILLAR: which, by the Power of Mechanism alone, will\nchanga, and produce any stated sumber of Binck and White Bella, er both tagether.\nSECOND.\none of the most interest-\nRepresentation of a Russian Inn,\nThe Hessess of which will attend with any Liquor that is called for, sed sutire\nwhem requested. These, segether with a Trunk a curious Construction, containing\nLagsage, a besutiful Buress, Ring Boues, Caddies, Milla, &cs. &c. acc.\ning in the history of\nall so equally ingenious and that it is impossible to eay which is the -\nw o NOR a F U L & chort\nWed Ne G. with . the hie Auliences, by\n-\nImpose\n-\nthem the of MAGIC, the of these Fissso -\nmagic. The Christian\nis the Mes: but Friend - plain Trath, - avesse . every of COSJURATION, is\nWith - intreduse them - the they veally are,\nWonderful Pieces of Mechanism !!!\nname of the founder of\nNr. GYNGELL will epen the Performance wuh Mathomatical. and\nthe family I have never\nEXPERIMENTTS,\nTo every Port of this Penformance weuld an . Sut eventy\naighe years clapord le theservice of the Public (during which it hes - hie constant\nbeen able to ascertain,\n. render bie Performance mose werthy cheir - to tring .\ngresese vericty. thes - whe ever the Art.\nAstonishing\nthough programmes give\nThe Segacity of wild Creasure Bind. almest beyend Selief. The -\n- ..... sessy. -\nge . threugh, - a the is effect of sefice is thag\n4\njusdy\nbe\ncolled,\nLitde well werth the Attensice of de\nthe initial as G. He was\nThe Wonderful Performance of\nTHE LEARNED DOGS\ncelebrated as a Barthol-\nSe the proverbial Segacity of the whole Species seems Their Performence\nof Country Duscing, Weltning, Playing at Lesp-Freg. is of . varied -\na\nhind;\nshee,\nless\ndeserving.\nhave\nescasioned\n-\nelabornte\nPosegyrics\nMr. G. oves avatue to wosid rather plesse, by expooding the Premise of Bull,\nomew Fair conjurer. His\nthem by a contrery Plan, foree . - his\nN. GYNGELL will . that unrivalled Instrement for & of Tome\nThe Harmonized Musical\ncareer started about\n1788, and his contempo-\nGLASSES,\nWhich of all Harmony is indisputably the most esquisite.\nraries were Lane, Boaz,\nOLYMPIC EXERCISES.\nBy Mr. GYNGELL, Jun.\nBall, Jonas, Breslaw, and\nThe English Equilibrist! !\nConsining of Balancing in a - monnes.\nFlocton. At one time\nThe Microcosm,\nGyngell and Flocton\nOr Les Ombres Chinois.\nConditing de Variety of Sernes, with upwards of 100 moving\nworked together, and\nwith Dialoges and appropriate Comic Action.\nYOUNG GYNGELL' Performance\nThomas Frost in his\nA Gyngell poster of 1816, featuring the\nbook, \"The Lives of\nRussian Inn, with service of various\nkinds of liquor. From the Harry\nConjurers,\" claims that\nHoudini Collection.\n[ I2I ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 139, "folder": "", "text": "The original Gyngell, a portrait reproduced from the book on magie written by this famous\nBartholomew Fair conjurer. From the Harry Houdini Collection."}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 140, "folder": "", "text": "THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\nat Flocton's death Gyngell received a portion of the\nformer's wealth.\nAssociated with him in his performances were his\nbrother, two sons, and a daughter. The latter was not\nonly a clever rope-dancer but a musician of more than\nordinary ability and she often constituted the entire\n\"orchestra.\"\nOn Gyngell's programme offered in 1827 he proves\nhimself a great showman, for he features Herr Schmidt's\n\"Mechanical Automatons, Phantasmagoria, a laughing\nsketch entitled Wholesale Blunders, his son on the\nflying wire, during which he would throw a somersault\nthrough a balloon of real fire, a broadsword dance\nby Miss Louise and Master Gyngell, and Miss Louise's\nperformance on the tight rope, clowned by Master\nLionel.\"\nOn a programme used in Hull, October 29th, 1827, a\nlottery was featured as follows: \"On which occasion the\nfirst hundred persons paying for the gallery will be\nentitled by ticket to a chance of a Fat Goose, and the\nsame number in the pit to have the same chance for a\nfat turkey. To be drawn for on the stage, in the same\nmanner as the State Lottery.\"\nAccording to Thomas Frost, Gyngell died in 1833 and\nwas buried in the Parish Church, Camberwell. His\nchildren, however, continued the work so excellently\nplanned by their father.\nThe programmes herewith reproduced I purchased from\nHenry Evanion, who secured them directly from the last\nof the Gyngell family, as the accompanying letter, now\na part of my collection, will show:\n[123]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 141, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nDOVER, February 10th, 1867.\nMR. EVANION\nDEAR SIR-Yours of the 5th inst. I received just as I was\nleaving Folkestown, and it was forwarded from Guilford.\nI am sorry I have not one of my old bills with me, neither\ndo I think any of my family could find one at home. I may\nhave some among my old conjuring things, and when I return\nto Guilford I will look them over and send you what I can\nfind. I was sorry I was not at home when you were in Guil-\nford, for I feel much pleasure in meeting a responsible profes-\nsional. I am not certain when I shall return, but most likely\nnot for six wecks. I will keep your address; so should you\nchange your residence, write to me about that time.\nI was looking over some old papers some time last sum-\nmer, and found a bill of my father's, nearly 60 years ago, when\nhis great trick was cutting off the cock's head and restoring\nit to life again. And a great wonder it was considered and\nbrought crowded rooms.\nI was Master Gyngell, the wonderful performer on the slack\nwire; and now in my 7ist year I am lecturer, pyrotechnist, and\nhigh-rope walker, for I did that last summer. My life has\nbeen a simple one of ups and downs.\nIam, dear sir, yours truly,\nJ. D. G. GYNGELL.\nThe signature of this letter, \"J. D. G. Gyngell,\" clears\nup considerable uncertainty regarding the names of the\ntwo Gyngell sons. At times the clever young tight-rope\nperformer has been spoken of as Joseph, and at others\nas Gellini. It is quite probable that the two names were\nreally part of one, and the full baptismal name was\n\"Joseph D. Gellini.\" It was as Gellini Gyngell that he\nmet Henry Evanion at Deal, February 20th, 1862, when\nthe latter was performing as a magician at the Deal and\nWalmer Institute, while Gellini Gyngell gave an exhibi-\ntion of fireworks and a magic-lantern display on the\n[124]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 142, "folder": "", "text": "THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\nSouth Esplanade. A fine notice of both performances\nzus nast zums TOUBTREN TEARS,\nwas published in the Deal\nAnd the Patrosage of - - respoctable Fomilico\nof\nVicinity.\nTelegram of February 23d,\nAT THE\nLARGE\nHORNS\nwhen the hope was ex-\nROOM,\nTAVERN,\npressed that Gyngell's col-\nBermondsey Square.\nlection, taken among those\n- - of - of a - - \u00e0 - - - of the -\n- - . - - \". - required - . -\n-\n-\nbe\nOn THURSDAY, FRIDAY. and MONDAY EFENINGS,\nwho enjoyed his outdoor\nMAY let, Snd. & sth. 1823.\nperformance, repaid him\nGYNGELL, Sen's\nfor his admirable enter-\nAmusing & Instructing Entertainments\n-\nAT VAUXHALL GARDENS,\ntainment. Gyngell was\n1 - novon oe vua\nMR. GYNGELL,\nlandlord of the Bowling\nGreen Tavern at this\ntime, and travelled as an\nMATHEMATICAL, PIIILOSOPHICAL, & UNCOMMON,\nExperiments;\nentertainer only at inter-\n- -\nvals.\nPEDDSTAL\n--\ncoFECTOER'S SHOP,\nThe next appearance of\nwits - - ebe em preduce - Sind of Confoctionary colled fue.\ngos THE\nTURKISH PILLAR,\nthe trick is in a book pub-\non, PERFITUAL NOTION.\nlished by M. Henry, a ven-\ntriloquist, who played Lon-\nAUTOMATON ROPE VAULTER,\ndon and the provinces from\n4 Figure representing . Chills Youre oll,\n- - - -\nEPOLUTIONS ON THE TIGHT BOPE,\n- - -\n1820 to 1828. During an\n- - - - del - - - - form\nTheMusical Glasses\nengagement at the Adel-\n- a & - . - -\n-\n-\n-\n-\nde\n-\n-\nphia Theatre, London,\n.\n-\n-\n-\n-\na\n-\n-\n-\n.\n-\n-\nwhich according to the pro-\nLITTLE WORLD;\non. LES ONDRES CHINON,\nof - - -\ngramme was about 1822,\nOne Hundred Moving Figures:\name\nHenry published a book\nClowa, with a Comic Dence,--Ma Benjamia.\nentitled \"Conversazione;\nGYMNASTIC EXERCISES,\n-\nor, Mirth and Marvels,\"\nA Gyngell programme of 1823, adver-\ntising A Confectioner's Shop,\" whose\nin which he interspersed\nattendant will serve automatically any\nwitty conversation with\nsort of confectionery demanded. From\nthe Harry Houdini Collection.\ndescriptions of his various\n125"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 143, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\ntricks. On page II he thus describes the automaton un-\nder consideration :\n\"Illusion Third. A curious mechanical trick; an inn,\nGYNGELL\nReproduction of a rare old colored lithograph in three sections. This section\nrepresents Gyngell. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\nfrom which issues the hostess for orders, upon receiving\nwhich, she returns into the inn and brings out the various\nliquors as called for by the audience, and at last waiting\n[126]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 144, "folder": "", "text": "to play the drum, violin, and triangle.\nA contemporary of Henry was Charles, the great ven-\ntriloquist, who varied his performance as did all ventrilo-\nquists of his day, by presenting \"Philosophical and\nMechanical Experiments\" to make up a two-hour-and-a-\nhalf performance. Charles made several tours of the\nEnglish provinces, and played in London at intervals.\nOn a London programme which is undated, but which\nannounces M. Charles as playing at Mr. Wigley's Large\nRoom, Spring Gardens, the second automaton on his\nlist is described as \"The Russian Inn, out of which comes\na little Woman and brings the Liquor demanded for.\"\nTwo of his programmes dated Theatre Royal, Hull, April,\n1829, now in my collection, carry a pathetic foot-note\nwritten in the handwriting of the collector through whom\nthey came into my possession : \"The audiences on both\nthe evenings were extremely small, and the money was\nrefunded.\"\nBy referring to the chapter on the writing and drawing\nfigure, Chapter III, Page II3, a Schmidt programme of\n1827 will be found, in which he features \"The En-\n[127]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 145, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nchanted Dutch Coffee-House, an elegant little building.\nOn the traveller ringing the bell, the door opens, the host-\ness attends and provides\nVENTRILOQUISM.\nhim with any liquor he\nL. CHARLES,\nmay call for.\"\nPROVE\u00cdSOS -\nMECHANICAL SCLENCES,\nSchmidt seems to have\nAVD\nFIRST VENTRILOQUIST,\nconfined his exhibitions\nfrom the Continens;\nUNDEIR THE PRIVILEGE AND PATRONAGS or\nto London and the prov-\nH1S MAJESTY THE KING OF PRUSSIA,\nAnd Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin;\ninces and was often con-\nHes the Heaeur ur acgeant the Nebility, Gentry, and the Public at large,\nthut he has just errived from the Continem, and will perform during this\nand the Three Meaths of Jenuery, Februery, and Merch, as\nMa. WIGLEY'S LARGE ROOM,\nnected with other magi-\nSPRING GARDENS,\nHia Mechanie and Ventriloque Performances every Day, commencing pre-\ncians, including Gyngell\ncisely st Taree \"Cleck, and Evening at Eight Clack,\nexcept Saturday and Sunday.\nand Buck. The latter\nFront Chairs, -Middle Seats, Seats, 1.\nN. B. The Room ie particularly WARM by . sew invented precess.\nTO THE PUBLIC.\nwas an English conjurer,\nThe SIEUR CHABLES will remuit. chart peried in Lendon, where be la repre\nseut all the ponsible of of which the humas voice is rapahis,\nby Netere and perfectid by Art. He will explais all the Myateries which were\nbest known as the man\nresorted to ab forton times to impose uges the and supertitious, under the of\nORACLES, This maneer of apraking ought to be looked upon - gith of Nature and of\nChance rather than as an Art, siect it is impossible je teach is but to thow burn with the\nTherefore it in preved, that hewbe professits this Art must\nthost means which sill remain the troable the learond hare\nwho was horribly injured\ntalora to discuver a.\nThe SIEUR CHARLES will perform the following Scenes.\nwhen presenting \"The\nPart. 1. The modera Philcsopher or \u00e0 Dialegue between two Meu of Scionce\nend their Servest\nTheee\n11. Dialogue beteces Siek Man, bie Pagsician, a Friend, and Servant\nGun Delusion.\" This\nFrov\nIII. The Wine Nerchent and bue Servani, whose voice will be heard from the\nDottom of Cellar\nTive Veicos.\niv. A Dialogue from a Window, with . persos in the Street whes the windew le opea,\nthe veice will appeas atill searer. This experiment will appear most interesting.\nconsisted of having a\nTHE VENTRILOQUISM will be preceded by several very amusing Per\nformances, and Mechanical and Scieatific Games,hig interesting; amoog\nwhich will be\nmarked bullet shot at the\n1. A MECHANICAL AND SCIENTIFIC CLOCK.\n,9. The Russian inn, out of which comes . little Woman aad bringe the\nliquor demanded for.\nperformer, who caught\n3. The Trojen Pillar, by which different bodies are altered in an impercep.\ncible manner.\n4. A most wonderful Mechanical Chest of Drawer.\nit between his teeth on\n5. A curious Travelling Trank.\n6.\nThree Bells, a Mechanical Game, which will astenish the Spectatom.\nAnd several tours d'addresse.\na plate, or on the point\nPrinted by W, Clowse, Strand.\nof a needle or knife.\nA Charles poster dated about 1829 in\nSome miscreant loaded\nwhich the Russian Inn and its obedient\nlittle figure are featured. From the\nthe gun with metal after\nHarry Houdini Collection.\nBuck had it prepared for\nthe trick, and the unfortunate performer's right cheek was\nliterally shot away.\nIn 1828 Jules de Rovere, a French conjurer, whose\nfame rests principally on the fact that he coined the new\ntitle \"prestidigitator,\" appeared at the Haymarket Thea-\n[ I28]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 146, "folder": "", "text": "acquaintance of Jules de Rovere, the first to employ a\ntitle now generally given to fashionable conjurers.\"\nAnd after Rovere, Phillippe, who is by far the most\nimportant presenter of the Pastry Cook of the Palais\nRoyal, as bearing upon Robert-Houdin's claims.\nFor Phillippe's early history we must depend largely\nupon Robert-Houdin's \"Memoirs.\" According to these,\nPhillippe started life as a confectioner or maker of sweets,\nand his real name was Phillippe Talon. According to\nan article published in L'Illusionniste in January, 1902,\nhe was born in Alias, near N\u00eemes, December 25th, 1802,\nand died in Bokhara, Turkey, June 27th, 1878.\nLike many a genius and successful man, his early\nhistory was written in a minor key. According to Robert-\nHoudin his sweets did not catch the Parisian fancy, and\nhe went to London, where at that time French bonbons\nwere in high favor. But for some reason he failed in\n9\n[129]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 147, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nLondon, and went on to Aberdecn, Scotland, where he\nwas very soon reduced to sore straits. In his hour of\nReproduction of pastel portrait of Phillippe. Only known likeness of the\nconjurer in existence. Made for him by a Vienna artist. Original now in the\nHarry Houdini Collection.\nextremity his cleverness saved the day. In Aberdeen at\nthe same time was a company of actors almost as unfortu-\nnate as himself. They were presenting a pantomime\n[ 130]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 148, "folder": "", "text": "THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\nwhich the public refused to patronize. The young con-\nfectioner approached the manager of the pantomime and\nsuggested that they join forces. In addition to the\nregular admission to the pantomime each patron was to\npay sixpence and receive in return a paper of mixed\nsugar plums and a lottery ticket by which he might gain\nthe first prize of the value of five pounds. In addition,\nTalon promised not only to provide the sweets free of\ncost to the management, but to present a new and start-\nling feature at the close of the performance.\nThe novel announcement crowded the house, the\npantomime and the bonbons alike found favor, but the\nsignificant feature of the performance was young Talon's\nappearance in the finale in the r\u00f4le of \"Punch,\" for which\nhe was admirably made up. He executed an eccentric\ndance, at the finish of which he pretended to fall and\ninjure himself. In a faint voice he demanded pills to\nrelieve his pain, and a fellow-actor brought on pills of\nsuch enormous size that the audience stopped sympathiz-\ning with the actor and began to laugh. But the pills all\ndisappeared down the dancer's throat, for Talon was\nnot only an able confectioner and an agile dancer, but a\nsleight-of-hand performer. From that hour he exchanged\nthe spoon of the confectioner for the wand of the magician.\nThe fortunes of both the pantomime and Phillippe, as he\nnow called himself, improved. Quite probably he re-\nmained with the pantomime company until the close of\nthe season and then struck out as an independent per-\nformer.\nAnother story which is gleaned from a biography of\nJohn Henry Anderson, the Wizard of the North, tells\n[131]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 149, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBER'T-HOUDIN\nhow Phillippe started his career as a pastry cook in the\nhousehold of one Lord Panmure, and I quote this literally\nfrom the Anderson book, because I believe it to be truth-\nSTRAND THEATRE,\nOPEN EVERY EVENING.\nStalls S. nexes Se. PIS ls. Gallery\nMODERN MIRACLES.\nPART compree N. end convelled aed Fente .\nMAGICAL DELUSIONS:\nIncluding his peculas and enequalied\nETAMORPHOSES\nAND ASTONISHING DECEPTIONS\nPart\nThe\nCelebrated\nCossack\nasd\nAutomatos\n.\nor,\nthe\nChereed\nThe\nGallant\nCunfectioner\nDovee\n\"\nthe\nfor\nGraise!\nThe\nTaller\nHerlequie:\nLesses\nLadies,\"\nor\n.\nNew\nMethod\nTh. Firet Part terminate wirA the Admind\nGRAND DISTRIBUTION OF THE NATIONAL FLAGI!\nAe of Tee beteese esch Part.\nPART \"\nTHE NEW BALLET\nRICHE D'AMOUR\nDue de Lency.\nMile CONSTANCE CHIARINI,\nLe Narquise de Pompadour,\n(se\nANUELO CHIARINL\nL. Petile PACLINE CHIARINI,\nRigolard,\nIn the couras of the Baliet, will be introduced\nLE MINUET OF LOUIS xv.\nPART / THE EXTRAURDINARY\nMERICAN BROTHERS\ntheir Uerque Scone, estitied\nOLYMPIC GAMBOLS, chich of thete they - FEATS OF AGILITY,\n-\ngressest\nand\nastenishment,\nand\nMalled\nof\nPART IV\nNICHT IN THE PALACE OF PEKIN,\nM. Phillippe perform some of the most Extraordinery Tours d'Adresse, sacluding his most brilliant and\nINDIAN AND CHINESE FEATS!\nconsisting of the - surprising Feals eser attempled by any entitled\nThe\nEnchanted Orange-The Mymie Sugar Loaf and Flying Handkercheefs Monsieur Meg and the Rose of from\nwhich will appras Scottich in full Costome, who will dance the Higbland Flag-The Magie Seppee\nof\nor,\nThe\nCook\nBenuched\nThe\nHat\nof\nGood\nhassuble\nincluding\nthe Grend Europese Bessar and Flore's Gift.\nThe\nEntertaismente ill cosclode with, EACH EVENINO, the Aslounding Supprieing emitled\nLES BASSINS DE NEPTUNE LES ET POISSONS D'OR\nAND THE GRAND EBIE!\nUnanimoualy presounced to be the most inexplicable Tovas DR Paverque and Nightly bose\nreceived ith the most rapteroue praie of ada\n-\nDooss to be epened at a Quarter*past 7. Pesformance to commence Quastes so :\nThe s\u00e9ose Pregremme us the most Novel le Londos and - be -- to de belaned: the Pablie Pree\nAss \" to be de - Performance - and all\nN. PHILLIPPE will, by Desire, end in of the whach have elleaded las\nMONNING PERFORMANCES, give e GRAND\nJuventle Entertainment,\nEVERY TRUBSDA MORNING,\nCOXMENCING AT TWO OCLOCK.\nend\n. be sesore. et the Bca- dee & the apes from so ull's and\nReyal\nLibrary.\n33,\n04\nBond\nStreet.\n\".\nSwase\nPress,\"\n.\nPoster used by Phillippe during his engagement at the Strand Theatre, London,\n1845-46. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\nful, as material gathered from Anderson literature has\nproved to be :\n[ I32 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 150, "folder": "", "text": "THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\n\"It was at this time that he came in contact with a\nperson who afterward, under the designation of M.\nPhillippe, became celebrated in France as a magician.\nPhillipee (for so was he named in Scotland) was origi-\nnally a cook in the services of the late Lord Panmure.\nLeaving that employment, he settled down and remained\nfor a number of years in Aberdeen. He heard of the\nfame of the youthful magician, was induced to visit his\n\"temple,' and was struck with his performances; and\nhaving made the acquaintance of Mr. Anderson, he\nsolicited from him and obtained an insight into his pro-\nfession, and fac-similes of his then humble apparatus.\nPhillippe improved to such a degree upon the knowledge\nhe thus acquired that, leaving England for France, he\nearned the reputation of being one of the most accom-\nplished magicians ever scen in the country.\"\nThe date of his initial performance is not known, but\nhe must have remained in Scotland, perfecting his act,\nfor the earliest Phillippe programme in my collection is\ndated February 3d, 1837, when he opened at Waterloo\nRooms, Edinburgh, and announced:\n\"The high character which Mons. Phillippe has ob-\ntained from the Aberdeen, Glasgow, Greenock and Paisley\nPress, being the only four towns in Britain where he has\nmade his appearance, is a sufficient guarantee to procure\nhim a visit from the inhabitants of this enlightened\nMetropolis, where talent had always been supported when\nactually deserved.\"\nEvidently, however, Phillippe made rapid progress, for\na programme dated Saturday, April 2ist, 1838, shows that\nhis last daytime or matin\u00e9e performance in Waterloo\n[133]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 151, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nRooms was given under the patronage of such members\nof the nobility as the Right Honorable Lady Gifford, the\nRight Honorable Lady H. Stuart Forbes, etc. In an\nPhillippe and his Scotch assistant, Domingo. The latter became famous\nas a magician under the name of Macallister, introducing in America Phil.\nlippe's gift show. From a lithograph in the Harry Houdini Collection."}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 152, "folder": "", "text": "THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\nEdinburgh programme, dated probably 1837, he is shown\nas performing his tricks, clad in peculiar evening clothes,\nknickerbockers and waistcoat matching, with a mere\nsuggestion of the swallow-tail coat. In his 1838 bill\nhe is shown clad in the flowing robes of the old-time\nmagician, and he advertises the Chinese tricks, notably\nthe gold-fish trick, which demanded voluminous dra-\nperies.\nAccording to Robert-Houdin, Phillippe built a small\nwooden theatre in Glasgow. Humble as this building\nwas, however, it brought a significant factor into Phil-\nlippe's life. This was a young bricklayer named Andrew\nMacallister who had a natural genius for tricks and\nmodels, and who became Phillippe's apprentice, later\nappearing as Domingo, his assistant on the stage, wearing\nblack make-up.\nIn either Edinburgh or Dublin Phillippe met the\nChinese juggler or conjurer who taught him the goldfish\ntrick and the secret of the Chinese rings.\nArmed with these two striking tricks, Phillippe deter-\nmined to satisfy his yearning to return to his native land,\nand in 1841 he appeared at the Salle Montesquieu, Paris.\nLater, the Bonne-Nouvelle, a temple of magic, was\nopened for Phillippe in Paris, and there he enjoyed the\nbrilliant run to which Robert-Houdin refers in his\n\"Memoirs.\"\nPhillippe was an indefatigable worker and traveller,\nand one brilliant engagement followed another. During\nthe 40's he appeared, according to my collection of pro-\ngrammes, all over Continental Europe, and in most of his\nprogrammes this paragraph is featured:\n[135]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 153, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\n\"PART III.\n\"An unexpected present at once gratuitous and laugh-\nable, composed of twelve prizes, nine lucky and three\nunfortunate, in which the general public will participate.\"\nHe also continued to distribute bonbons from an in-\nexhaustible source, probably a cornucopia, calling this\ntrick \"a new system of making sweetmeats, or Le\nConfiseur Moderne.\"\nDuring his first engagement in Vienna he had painted\nfor advertising purposes a pastel portrait, showing him\nclad in his magician's robes at the finale of the goldfish\ntrick. From this picture his later cuts were made. By\nsome mistake he left the original pastel in Vienna, where\nI bought it at a special sale for my collection. It re-\nmains an exquisite piece of color work, even at this day.\nSo far it is the only real likeness of Phillippe I have\nbeen able to unearth.\nIn 1845-46 he was at the height of his popularity in\nLondon, where he had a tremendous run. In June, 1845,\nwe find him playing at the St. James Theatre, under\nMitchell's direction, and on September 29th, under his\nown management, he moves to the Strand, where he is\nstill found in January of 1846. During all this time he\nfeatured The Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal under the\ntitle of \"Le Confiseur Galant.\"\nAs proofs that Phillippe used the pastry-cook trick both\nbefore and during Robert-Houdin's career as a magician,\nI offer several programmes containing accurate descrip-\ntions of the automaton, and also a page illustration from\na current publication dated Paris, 1843, which shows the\n[136]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 154, "folder": "", "text": "THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\nconfectioner or pastry-cook standing in the doorway of\nhis house, while the key explaining the various tricks\nPP\n68\nreads: \"No. 9. Le Confiseur galant et le Liquoriste\nimpromptu.\"\n[137]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 155, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nRobert-Houdin devotes nearly an entire chapter to the\nhistory of Phillippe and a description of his tricks and\nautomata, yet curiously forgets to mention the pastry\ncook, which he later claims as his own invention.\nErnest Basch, formerly of Basch Brothers, conjurers,\nand the richest manufacturer of illusions in the world,\nclaims that the original trick is now in his possession.\nHerr Basch is located in Hanover, Germany, where he\nbuilds large illusions only. The wonderful mechanical\nhouse passed to Basch by a bequest on the death of\nBaron von Sandhovel, a wealthy resident of Amsterdam,\nHolland. Von Sandhovel had bought the trick from\nthe heirs of Robert-Houdin on the death of the latter,\nbecause he believed it to be the brain and handwork of\nOpre, a Dutch mechanician of great talent. Ernest Basch\nshares this belief, and with other well-read conjurers\nthinks that Opre was Robert-Houdin's assistant and built\nmost of his automata, including The Pastry Cook of the\nPalais Royal, The Windmill or Dutch Inn, Auriel and\nDebureau, The French Gymnasts, The Harlequin, and\nThe Chausseur.\nOpre was a man of ability, but lacked presence and\npersonality properly to present his inventions. So far\nI have found his name in three places only: On the\nfrontispiece of a Dutch book on magic, published in\nAmsterdam; in Ernest Basch's correspondence about\nconjurers; and on page 77 of Robert-Houdin's \"Mem-\noirs,\" when he speaks of Opre as the maker of the\nHarlequin figure which Torrini asked Robert-Houdin\nto repair during their travels.\nWith such convincing proof, some of which was con-\n[138]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 156, "folder": "", "text": "THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL\ntemporary, that other men had exhibited The Pastry Cook\nof the Palais Royal in its identical or slightly different\n#########\nCONPISEUR\nErnest Basch and \"Le Confiseur Galant,\" which he claims is the original\nRobert-Houdin \"Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal.\" From a photograph in\nthe Harry Houdini Collection.\nguise, it was daring indeed of Robert-Houdin to claim\nit as his own invention.\nThe most direct information regarding Opre comes\n[ 139 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 157, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nthrough that eminent family of conjurers known as the\nBambergs of Holland. At this writing, \"Papa\" (David)\nBamberg, of the fourth generation, is prominent on the\nDutch stage, and his son Tobias David, known as Okito,\nof the fifth generation, is a\ncosmopolitan magician, pre-\nsenting a Chinese act.\nAccording to the family\nhistory, traceable by means\nof handbills, programmes,\nand personal correspond-\nence, the original Bamberg\n(Eliazar) had a vaulting fig-\nure in his collection of au-\ntomata in I790, fifty years\nbefore Robert-Houdin be-\ncame a professional enter-\ntainer. This figure was\nDavid Leendert Bamberg, of the\nmade by Opre, to whom\nsecond generation of the Bamberg\nall conjurers of that time\nfamily. Born 1786; died 1869. The\nabove daguerrotype was presented to\nlooked for automata and\nthe author by Herr Ernest Basch,\nand is the only one in existence.\napparatus. David Leendert\nBamberg, of the second gen-\neration, who also had the vaulting figure, was the inti-\nmate friend and confidant of Opre and was authority\nfor the statement that Opre's son sold in Paris the\nvarious automata made by his father, which later Robert-\nHoudin claimed as his own invention. It may be noted\nthat Robert-Houdin never invented a single automaton\nafter he went on the stage in 1845, and as Opre died in\n1846, the coincidence is nothing if not significant.\nI40]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 158, "folder": "", "text": "CHAPTER V\nTHE OBEDIENT CARDS - THE CABALISTIC CLOCK - THE\nTRAPEZE AUTOMATON\nThe Obedient Cards.\nT\nO\ntrace here the history of three very com-\nmon tricks claimed by Robert-Houdin as his\nown inventions would be sheer waste of time,\nif the exposure did not prove beyond doubt\nthat in announcing the various tricks of his r\u00e9pertoire as\nthe output of his own brain he was not only flagrant and\nunscrupulous, but he did not even give his readers credit\nfor enough intelligence to recognize tricks performed re-\npeatedly by his predecessors whom they had seen. Not\nsatisfied with purloining tricks so important that one or\ntwo would have been sufficient to establish the reputation\nof any conjurer or inventor, he must needs lay claim to\nhaving invented tricks long the property of mountebanks\nas well as reputable magicians.\nThe tricks referred to are the obedient card, the\ncabalistic clock, and the automaton known as Diavolo\nAntonio or Le Voltigeur au Trap\u00e8ze.\nThe obedient-card trick, mentioned on page 245 of\nthe American edition of his \"Memoirs,\" as \"a novel ex-\nperiment invented by M. Robert-Houdin,\" can be found\non the programme of every magician who ever laid claim\nto dexterity of hand. Whether they accomplished the effect\n[ I4I ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 159, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nby clock-work or with a black silk thread or a human\nhair, the result was one and the same. It has also been\nworked by using a fine thread with a piece of wax at the\nend. The wax is fastened to the card, and the thread draws\nit up. The simplest method of all is to place the thread\n\u00e8\nCard trick as featured by Anderson in 1836-37. From a poster in the Harry\nHoudini Collection.\nover and under the cards, weaving it in and out as it were,\nand then, by pulling the thread, to bring the different\ncards selected into view.\nSo common was the trick that its description was\nwritten in every work on magic published from 1784 to\nthe date of Robert-Houdin's first appearance, and in at\nleast one volume printed as early as 1635. The majority\n[ 142"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 160, "folder": "", "text": "THE OBEDIENT CARDS\nof French encyclopaedias described the trick and exposed it\naccording to one method or another, and Robert-Houdin\nadmits having been a great reader of encyclopaedias.\nThe trick first appears in print in various editions of\n\"Hocus Pocus,\" twenty in all, starting with 1635. The\nmajority contain feats with cards, showing how to bring\nthem up or out of a pack with a black thread, a hair\nspring, or an elastic.\nIn 1772 the rising-card trick was shown in Guyot's\n\"Physical and Mathematical Recreations,\" also in the\nDutch or Holland translations of the same work. In\n179I it was minutely explained by Hofrath von Eck-\nartshausen, who wrote five different books on the sub-\nject of magic. The fourth, being devoted principally\nto the art of the conjurer, was entitled \"Die Gauckel-\ntasche, oder vollst\u00e4ndiger Unterricht in Taschenspieler u.\nS. w.,\" which translated means \"The Conjurer's Pocket\nor Thorough Instructions in the Art of Conjuring.\"\nThe title was due to the fact that in olden days conjurers\nworked with the aid of a large outside pocket. The five\nbooks, published under the general title of \"Aufschl\u00fcsse\nzur Magie,\" bear date of Munich, Germany.\nOn page 138 of the third edition of Gale's \"Cabinet of\nKnowledge,\" published in London in 1800, will be found\na description of the rising-card trick as donc with pin and\nthread, and the same book shows how it is saccomplished with\nwax and a hair. This book seems to have been compiled\nfrom Philip Breslaw's work on magic, \"The Last Legacy,\"\npublished in r782. Benton, who published the English edi-\ntion of Decremps' famous work on magic, exposing Pinetti's\nr\u00e9pertoire, also described the trick. \"Natural Magic,\" by\n[ 143 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 161, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nCONJURER UNMASKED\nOR\nthe Ant of Height of hand\nReproduction of frontispiece in Breslaw's book on magic, \"The Last Legacy,\"\npublished in 1782. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.\n[ (444)"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 162, "folder": "", "text": "THE OBEDIENT CARDS\nAstley, the circus man, and Hooper's \"Recreations,\" in\nfour volumes, published in 1784, expose the same trick.\nAs to magicians who performed the trick, their names\nare legion, and only a few of the most prominent conjurers\nwill be mentioned in this connection.\nThe man who obtained the best effects with this trick\nwas John Henry Anderson, who startled the world of\nmagic and amusements by his audacity, in 1836, nine\nJ. H. Anderson's birth place as drawn by him from memory. The follow-\ning is written under the sketch in his own handwriting: A rough sketch of\nthe farm house called ' Red Stanes,' on the estate of Craigmyle, Parish of\nKincardine O'Neil, Aberdeenshire. The house was built by my grandfather,\nJohn Robertson, in the year 1796, and in it I was born on the 15th day of\nJuly, 1814. John Henry Anderson.\" Photographed from the original now\nin the possession of Mrs. Leona A. Anderson, by the author.\nyears before Robert-Houdin trod the stage as a pro-\nfessional entertainer.\nAnderson was born in Kincardine, Scotland, in 1814,\nand started his professional career as an actor. He must\nhave been a very poor one, too, for he states that he\nwas once complimented by a manager for having brought\nbad acting to the height of perfection.\nAnderson was first known as the Caledonian magician,\nthen assumed the title of the Wizard of the North, which\n10\n[ 145 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 163, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nJohn Henry Anderson, wife and son, from a rare photograph taken in\n1847 or 1848. Said to be an especially good likeness of Mrs. Anderson and the\nonly one extant. Photograph loaned by Mrs. Leona A. |Anderson, daughter-in-\nlaw of the \" Wizard of the North.\"\n[146]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 164, "folder": "", "text": "THE OBEDIENT CARDS\nhe said was bestowed on him by Sir Walter Scott. Thomas\nFrost belittles this statement, on the grounds that Scott\nwas stricken with paralysis in 1830. However, Anderson\nbecame famous in 1829, so he should be given the benefit\nof the doubt. He was the greatest advertiser that the\nVICTORIA HOOMS, HULL\nLAST WEEE\nor\nGREAT MAGICIAN\nPERFORI DE HULL.\nREDUOTION OF PRICES\nfremt Sende of the Balcom, Bach Ditte, 1..j Gallery Sixpence caly\nThe Avening, Friday, May Saterday, 19th; Menday, Sless Tuesday,\nTh\u00e9reday, and Friday, will be pedivively the LAST\n- perform la Hell.\n1838\non or TIIS ABOVE EVENINGS\nNaw TSTIC WONDERS!\nSPLENDID CHANGES! NECROMANCY:\nART! WEITE ART!\nWYSTERY AND MACIC!\nUNEQUALLED, UNPARALLELED! so COME & SEE.\nTH . LAST WEEKS\net\nEight-pr\nheving\nclaims\nagamet\nJ.\n-\nthese\nDille\nar\nKoscas\nHaows,\n34,\nVery rare poster of 1838 in which John Henry Anderson is billed as \"The\nGreat Magician.' From the Ilarry Houdini Collection.\nworld of magic has ever known, and he left nothing\nundone that might boom attendance at his performances.\nHe started newspapers, gave masked balls, and donated\nthousands of dollars to charities. He was known in every\n[147]\n1"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 165, "folder": "", "text": "SPIRITUALISM!\nTHE DAVENPORTS\nBY\nPROFESSOR ANDERSON\n[ 148]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 166, "folder": "", "text": "THE OBEDIENT CARDS\ncity of the world, and, when so inclined, built his own\ntheatres. He sold books on magic during his own per-\nformances, and would sell any trick he presented for a\nnominal sum. His most unique advertising dodge was\nto offer $500 in gold as prizes for the best conundrums\nwritten by spectators during his performances. To\nmake this scheme more effective, he carried with him his\nown printing-press and set it up back of the scenes.\nWhile the performance was under way, the conundrums\nhanded in by the spectators were printed, and, after the\nperformance, any one might buy a sheet of the questions\nand puns at the door. As every one naturally wanted to\nsee his conundrum in print, Anderson sold millions of these\nbits of paper. In 1852, while playing at Metropolitan\nHall, New York City, he advertised his conundrum con-\ntest and sold his book of tricks, etc., and such notables as\nJenny Lind and General Kossuth entered conundrums.\nHe was among the first performers to expose the Daven-\nport Brothers, whose spiritualistic tricks and rope-tying\nhad astonished America. Directly on witnessing a per-\nformance and solving their methods, Anderson hurried\nback to England and exposed the tricks.\nTo sum up his history, he stands unique in the annals\nof magic as a doer of daring things. He rushed into print\non the slightest pretext, was a hard fighter with his rivals\nand aired his quarrels in the press, and he was a game\nloser when trouble came his way. Not a brilliant actor\nor performer, he yet had the gift of securing excellent\neffects in his mise en sc\u00e8nc. He made and lost several\nfortunes, generally recouping as quickly as he lost. He\nwas burned out several times, the most notable fire being\n[149]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 167, "folder": "", "text": "THE GREAT MAGICIAN,\nFrom the Munic Holl, Shefield, Commercial Rooma, Leeds, and the Exchange Rooma, Monchusier, - perform\nhis Myatic Wonders, for . Short Time only,\nI N THE VICTORIA ROOMS, HULL.\nMR. J. H. ANDERSON,\nTHE GREAT CALEDONIAN MAGICIAN:\nDesirous of gratifying the Ladies and Gentlemes of Hull, and ite Vicinity,\nHas the to announce bie intention of Performing for A SHORT TIME QNLY, his MYSTIC WONDERS! he hupes the anqualified\napprobation which was beatowed on hie exertions at Livergeol for - seccessive nighta, Manchanter for eighty signts, Leeda for fifty\nnights, Sheffleld furty nighta, Ediabungh une hundred and three aighia, Glangew alsty sighta, twenty sighta, will ensure him\nthe patromage of the Nobility, Gentry, and Public of Hull.\nMr. J. H. ANDERSON las had the distiaguiabed honnur of performing before his late Majesty, at Windant Castle, and belove his\nMajeuty Geo. IV., le the Parilion at Brighton: and subsequeatly received letter\u00e1 by their Majesties' command, ataling the Royal approval\nof each performance tugether with others from the Marquis of Westminater, the Eari of Bradford, the of the lat Life Guards, the\nBuke of Gordon, and Sir Walter\nFrom the many teatimuniala forwarded to Mr.J. H. A. he submits the following from Lord Panmure and atherso\nBascupi\nCama,\nMarch\n24th,\n1937.\nSir,-Our parly hege, last sight, witscieed your performance with the greatest untisfaction: And I have no hesitation la aying, that\nyou far escel any other decromancor that , ever - either at home ur abrued\nPANMURE\"\n- To Mr. J. H.\nSeptember let, 1837.\nMr. J. H. Andersum highly gratified the party before whom be performed his Necromantic Feats, and Magical Exploits He is\nthe\nmast 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-\nformance at Hokelyy.\nJ. HL MORRET, Exq.\nGEORGE CLIFFORD, Eqg.\nGEORGE MANBY, Coldatresm Guards\nON MONDAY EVENINC, APRIL 30, 1838, & EVERY EVENINC DURING THE WEEK.\nThe Magician's Entertainmente will at Eight e'clock procisely.\nPHOGRAMME.\nDYINC AND LIVINC BIRDS.\nof Gaming, adopited by . CELEBRATED LORD: and the SAMEITERS of\nthe HELLA le the END OF LONDON.\nAs NEW EXPERIMENT. The Magirion will produce Ten Canary Birds\nAst - - - - the\ndeada the Lileless Barda will be placed in . Pais and Baked: they noll be\nLike mallews -\n- ready, whem the Magician arise the Birde will obey thels Marter,\nOUTTING UT the GROWNS or HATH.\n-\nBy from the Pan alive.\nThe Magician will herrow the Hate of forr be will Cot ont the Crowse\nMACICAL PICTURE CALLERY\nof the Hate (la this Trick Dice are with . siagle lag of the\nla\nthis Mraberinus Book representing . of Pactures, will change at\nthe\n-\nl'and the CROWN ABE RESTORED.\nmand of the Mugician to . to the Dell' in Tem\nMaseguy 1111 Calumbias Paul\nCHINESE RINGE or\nAll the abor\u00e9 EAnngei will appres Shent Blask Papm.\nThe\nRings appear to have meisher Spring - Juinit, they may be the\nThe Magician will Duplay the Wonderfill Pawne of RECOND SIGHT\nsye of Man discover the Secret, yet Thane Joint, - - be shewa by the\nMYSTIC CABINET\nMagician linking tagether the IMPERVIOUS\nPEATHER-A-LA-MLITAIRE\nThe Magician will borrww Hall-A Crows frosa Gratienan, haring marked the\nFIRING ATCHES FROM A BE UNDER,BUSS!\nHalf-Crown,\nthe\nwill\nany\nChange\"\nthe\nwill\nthange\ninte\nThe Necrumascos slaset auy walch - Target,\n. BED FEATHER, theree fret the Half Crewn le gune- Basket of Orasiges\nor injuring the abch at - ards distance.\nwill\nbe\nprodeced;\nthe\nMagicism\nwill\ntouch\nane\nwith\nbe\nMystic\nWand,\nWHEN\nTRE\nMARKKD BALF CROWN WILL BE FOUXD is THE HEART OF AN\nFLYINC HANDKERCHIEFS.\nORANGE!\nThe Magician will command any LADYS TO PLY inte .\nCARD EXPERIMENTS.\nLocked Bes Change Il - French Besna, of to Carli - BURN IT\nTO ASHES He will conmand il from - ORANGE RESTORED\non HOW TO PRINT WITHO UT INK.\nConcluation ut Part FintamAn Internal of Misstes\nTHE MYSTIC TARGET\nThe Magician will command . Marked Carl to fly at the nate THOUSAND\nART 11. will commesice with COOKING IN A HAT/ The Mag\u00edrisa\nMILES IN A MINUTE\nwill make la - Hat, . Padding large anongh to - the Appetite\nof . THQUSAND PERSONSI\nNAPOLEON'S TRICK\nHACTHING EGGS.\nThis la Trick by the Empetor Napoleus. Carde will be drawn from\nThe Magleisp will burroe from pair Gluves which be will hura Tax\n. Park by Ledica sud Geotlesses, courraling the the They\nEage will ane in the at the Magician the other in the rigbt;\nmay be the differret p\u00e9rties, alley whick the Magicias will Ag.\npear 1** and the Carda will WALK FR om THE PACK/ in Se\nbe will the Lady in which of the Egge lass Glaves shall appear. and they\nwill appear in the Egg which the Lady names,\nwill under Carda do any thing He coscinile bea Canl/Trido with\nA WATCH IN A LOAF.\nThe Magiciani will\nIt\nwill\nbe\nfoend\nin\n. COAF at any BARER'S 2HOP IN THE TOWS.\nTHE TWO LEARNED HALF-CROWNS\nWhtck will any question put to them and dance - the ward of command\nAny Laity wishing bei forme toll, can have a mad by the which\nwill ect as the at LHuman Destiny,\nANALVEATION or No. 1, a, and a or PILLA.\nThe Magician will borrow Three - from . Laity and froma\nLarge uf the abere Fille wit be prodesed: the\nHANDKERCHIEF CHANGES AT THE COMMAND OF THE MAGICIAN\nINTO THE PILLS; the Pille when Analyzed will appear in their GENUINE\nCOMPOBITION, A PLOWER VASE will dange into TIM BOBBIN, from\nMenth the will appear\nHandkench\u00e4nfa will be from three The Magicias - load bia\nMyytic Gan, in be will placeile be ** MA Bottle com-\nw ines the Boatle will be and the\nA INT A HAI.\nThe Magician will from any Hat commanil . Collection af BEASTS la\ngiving . LESSON to WHIST PLAYERS or Pablishing to the World the appear - estennire au WOMBW ELL'S MENAGERIE\nThe EVENING'S PERVORMANCE TO CONCLUDE WITH\nI\n181\n18\nDI\nY\nS\nI\nI\n1B\nS\nIS\nE\n8\nOR,\nAN ORANGE CHANGED TO A LADY.\nFront Sesta Back Beate la Children under 18 Vears of Age, with Partica to the Front Besta, Is. esch. Parties wishing or Ticket,\nor\nto Secure Beata are requented to send to the Victoria\n- Doura agen at Half-part Seveu, Performance to Commence at Eight-Gonsluding at Tea or\nAny Gentiense with . Head of Grey Hair that he wishne chuaged la . glomy way have la la ONE MINUTE! by applying to\nmay be - Private Performances and gives in the Mystic Art.\nn\n0\n0\n0\n10\nAnderson billing of 1838, featuring obedient cards as \"Napoleon's Trick.\"\nFrom the Harry Houdini Collection.\n[r50]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 168, "folder": "", "text": "very names he had used\n-\nle\n-\n-\n-\npeter\n-\nof\n-\n-\n-\ntous\n-\n-\n-\nPART ASTER THE OVERTURE\nand the style of his billing.\nThe\n-\ndisplay of the - -\nThe Vases or Cups of Divination,\numo\nuses\nonta\nAll three of these men\nsan CARD. TH\" ama OF PARADIEL\nsuas .\nao wow warma\n.\nTHE MADIC PEDESTAL GIGANTIC DICE.\nwere professional magi-\nNOTUALLING OFFICE, or CANDLE COOKERY.\nCIRCASSIAN CANS. BUONAPARTES FEATHER,\nor\ncians before Robert-Hou-\nMagicien.\nFRENCH BOLL AND HANDKERCHIEF. MYSTERIOUS WALNUTS.\nOpere Glase - Carda. The Rose and Wedding Rang.\ndin appeared, and Ander-\nAst - \" - quete - - hore - -\ncquelled\nby\n-\nothee\nPerformee.\nPART IL-OTERTURE,\nson was his very active\nAller - Ms. JACOSA,\nTHI 5 LANDLORD AT HOME;\nOr, Gout and Hoarseness versus Family Grievances.\ncontemporary.\n-\n-\nhands\n-\n- -\n-\n-\n-\nA Jacobs bill is here\n1\n-\n-\n-\n=\n-\n-\n- - - 1\n- - - =\n-\n-\n-\n-\nreproduced, showing the\n-\nby\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\nlas\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\nthe\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\nde\nyear\n-\n-\n-\n-\nde\nthei\ncard trick featured among\n.\n-\nthe\n-\nthe\n-\nThe\n---\n-\n-\n-\n-\n.\na\nthe\ngh\n-\n-\n-\n-\nand\nleag\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\nThe\nFreach\n-\n-\n-\n-\nother attractions.\nThe\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\n-\nbes\n-\nthe\n-\n-\na\n-\n-\n-\nthe\nand\n-\nde\n-\n-\n-\nlithograph of Jacobs used\nthe\nin this connection is an\n&\nthe\nactual likeness and I bc-\nJacobs poster, featuring \"The Travelling\nlieve it to be as rare as it\nCard.\"\nFrom the Harry Houdini Collec-\ntion.\nis timely.\n[ 151 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 169, "folder": "", "text": "233\nThis setting shows how cumbersome was the apparatus employed by magicians before Wiljalba Frikell proved\nLithograph used by E. W. Young, who copied all of John Henry Anderson's billing and featured the obedient-card trick. that\nhe could score with apparently no apparatus. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection."}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 170, "folder": "", "text": "THE OBEDIENT CARDS\nMR. BARNARDO EAGLE, THE ROYAL WIZARD OF THE SOUTH.\nFrontispiece from Eagle's book, in which he exposes Anderson's gun de-\nusion. Said by Henry Evanion, who knew Eagle, to be a fine likeness.\nrom the Harry Houdini Collection."}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 171, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nYoung's name has been handed down in history be-\ncause he made money on Anderson's reputation, by the\nboldest of limitations, assuming the title of Wizard of the\nNorth with his own name in small type. One of his bills\nis also reproduced.\nSHAKSPEARE ROOMS,\nBarnedo or \"Bar-\nNEW-STREET, BIRMINGHAM.\nney\" Eagle is the man\nof the trio of the imi-\ntators who deserves\nmore than passing no-\ntice. He became An-\nderson's bitterest ene-\nmy, and their rivalry\nmade money for the\nprinters.\nBEHOLD THE\nGREAT BERNADO'S SYSTEL OF IMPOSITION\nEagle could neither\nWhich he nightly practices on the inhabitants of Birmingham,\nholding his System of Humbug up by copying the Bills and\nread nor write, but hav-\nAdvertisements, of J. H. ANDERSON, the Inventor\nof Ambidexterous Prestidigitation, with all the list of the\nGreat Wizard of the North's peculiar technical phrases,\ning a quick brain he\nwhich BERNADO exhibits in his Bills, (as original) yet\ncan neither pronounce nor understand the meaning of\nhired a clever writer to\nthe terms by which he gulls the public. Mr. ANDERSON\nwill bet BERNADO any sum, from a Shilling to 220, that\nhe cannot read the Advertisement in the Birmingham\nindite his speeches and\nAdvertiser,\" of Thursday, 18th November. Mr. A. will\ntake a further bet, that the Advertisement alluded to, was\ncopied from his,((Mr. A's) Bill, circulated in Manchester,\nduplicated Anderson's\non Monday, November 15th.\nBARNEY, when we last met, 1 merely ruffed your\nshow so closely that An-\nfeathers, this time l'u pluch you clean, not one shall be len\nthee to spread thy (Eagle) wings of imposition.\nderson'spride was hurt.\nShould BARNEY accept this challenge, the memey\nwill be spent at CHARLEY CHESHIRE'S.\nHe therefore decided\nAn Anderson poster, exposing \"Barney\"\nto expose Eagle, and\nEagle's tricks. Only bill of this sort in exist-\nence. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\nthousands of bills, con-\nstituting a virulent\nattack upon his imitator, were distributed. One of these\nis reproduced. It is so rare that I doubt whether another\nis in existence.\nAs Eagle had advertised that he was patronized by\n[ 55]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 172, "folder": "", "text": "THE OBEDIENT CARDS\nroyalty, Anderson had another bill printed, showing\nEagle playing before the King at the Ascot race-track,\nand an assistant passing the hat in mountebank fashion.\nIn revenge, Eagle had a book published, in which he\nexposed Anderson's best drawing trick, The Gun Delusion,\nin which the magician allowed any one from the audience\n\"BARNEY\" ALIAS THE IMPOSTOR WIZARD\nOSTAINING ROYAL PATRONAGE on ASCOT HEATH RACE COURSE.\nWindow poster issued by Anderson to belittle his imitator \"Barney\" Eagle\nand show how the latter secured royal patronage. From the Harry Houdini\nCollection.\nto shoot a gun at him using marked bullets. These\nbullets were caught in his mouth or on the point of a\nknife. This trick became as common as the obedient-\ncard trick.\nIn the face of such overwhelming evidence, Robert-\nHoudin's claim to having invented the obedient-card\n[x55]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 173, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nFOR THE BENEFIT OF\nsig. B. Eagle\ntrick is nothing short of far-\nANU THE\ncical.\nLast Night of his Engagement\nbeatre,\nThe follnoing Natrect \" from the Yord C'ourent of\nThe Cabalistic or Obedient\nBlase\nClock\n...\n-\n-\nbed\nsed\n-\nThere might be said to exist\n-\n*******\n-\nde\n...\n...\nOn FRIDAY Evening, Nov 9th, 1838,\na very reasonable doubt as to\nWill be the Pette of the\nGreen-Eyed\nthe exact date at which Rob-\nMonster\nert-Houdin produced the caba-\nRome Mr Lirlect Mr Morley M. Manke,\nlistic clock which he included\nJ. Smediry Mewn. King-tue Witterheld\nCady\nMrs.\nLeknord\nAmeha,\nMr.\nSbort\nLouser, Smedie,\nAPTER\namong his other doubtful\nSignior Bernardo Eagle\nWILL COMMENO \"IS\nclaims to inventions.\nGRAND DISPLAY OF ILLUSIONS.\nPART FIRST,\nThe Enchanted Canle-The Card of Lede's dismered D,\nOn page 250 of the Ameri-\nCards-the Feas of la Coup.or bee - - and \" the leteus in\nGomestera\nThe Walking Cards,\ncan edition of his \"Memoirs\"\n\" ill place Park of 'ards again the tomand then wnw + Perpendiculen\none byone to thave of the bead feal, ever\nwith\nhe has the Cabalistic Clock on\nThe Enchanted Orange.\nTHS MAGIC WINE BOTTLE,\nPHE EXTRAORDINARY COBLET OF BACCHUS WITH THE\nENCHANTED WATER.\nhis opening programme for\nTHE VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE PIG,\nWhich\nwill appeas os the Table and instently vanish before the tyye of the Audiense\nAnd on the occamon Mr F\nJuly 3d, 1845, but in the ap-\nWill\nchange e Quentity of Copper, taten ont of any Gentleman's\nPocket, into Silver. the reul Com of the Rraim\nA LADY's HANDKERCHIEF will be lound conveyed to the ceaire of LEMON\npendix of the French edition\nTHE CHEST\nOF DOCTOK MICHAEL NOSTRADAME'S, THE FRENCH WIZARD\nhe states that the clock first\nThe conderfal INnuon perfortned and must be seen to be belueved.\nTHIS PANT WILL CONCLUDE \"ITH\nA Grand CHINESE EXPERIMENT,\nNINS SOLID STEEL BINOS.\nmade its appearance at the\nthe Parta of the Iilusions be aill recite an Tale. earitled GINEVRA\nDONATI: . leaghable Story. as recited by hun on several at the\nPICKWICK CLL B. an Louden with gvret applause sheeing the adventures and cunow\nsecidents that happened that ... troubled with en impedument in his speech\nopening of the season of 1847.\nPART SECOND.\nwonn.\nIn nearly all his statements\nHe will playfan estreordmery Tune be Watch, and thea he change.\nword of command. the Waub isto . PIEBALD MOUSE. ALIVE.\nTHE ENCHANTED EGGS.\nHe\nwill command Sus nee-le Egge so Grop from the ceiling of the Room. thee change\nhe is equally inaccurate.\nthomseives isto BEACTIFUL WHITE MICE.\nHe will Inhewise meke one of the Egge dance Welts, and then JUMP JIM CROW,\nCorvect to Munie. be will then introduce his sechented lutle Man. whe will play may\nfeany Inde michs enth the\nThe mysterious clock might\nTHE ART OF GARDENING.\nHe wilt ... common Perniey Seed in Sour por and comresed to give\nexcelleer\nCrop before the of the Audiance.\nbe termed the obedient clock,\nH.\nwill\nborroe . Ledy and paeces, bern \" to ashes, end thes\nat . be found in the cestre of foof ie any part of the Tows the Company choose to -\nSupper for All,\nfor the trick consists in caus-\nHe will * is Person's bat without the aid of fre, be all these abe choose\nthere.\nThe Peformance alli conclude vith\ning the hand or hands to obey\nTHE GUN TRICK\nle which be challeages any Sporting le the Tow Foeling Piece -\nthe will of the conjurer or the\nPouder and Bellea, and dre is et bie beed, and be will the Bell between bis Tooth\nA \"Barney\" Eagle poster on\nwishes of the audience.\nwhich the obedient-card trick is fea-\ntured as \"The Walking Cards.\"\nThe hands will point to\nFrom the Harry Houdini Collec-\ntion.\na figure, move with rapidity,\n[ 156]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 174, "folder": "", "text": "THE CABALISTIC CLOCK\nor as slowly as possible, or in time to music. In fact the\nperformer has full control of the hands-he can make\nthem do his every bidding.\nThe mysterious clock is a trick as old as the obedient-\ncard trick, if not. older. It was explained according\nto various methods in books before Robert-Houdin's\nappearance on the stage. In fact, the majority of old-\ntime conjuring books explain mysterious clocks carefully.\nBefore electricity was introduced, magnets were em-\nployed, but the earliest method was to make use of thread\nwound about the spindle of the clock hand, and that\nmethod is still the very best used to-day, owing to its\nsimplicity. The clock, on being presented to the audience,\nmay be hung or placed in the position best suited to the\nparticular method by which it is being \"worked.\"\nIt shows a transparent clock face, such as you see in\nany jewelry shop. Some magicians utilize only one hand,\nwhich permits the easy use of electricity or magnet, while\nothers employ two and even three hands. When more\nthan one hand is used the hours and minutes are indicated\nsimultaneously and, if cards are pasted on the clock face,\nthe largest hand is used to find the chosen cards.\nThe clock may be placed on a pedestal, in an upright\nposition, or hung in midair on two ribbons or strings.\nIt can be hung on a stand made expressly for the purpose,\non the style of a music stand, or it can be swung in a\nframe. In fact, as stated before, it is usually placed so\nas to facilitate the method of working.\nWhen the cabalistic clock is taken off the hook or the\nstand on which it is placed, and handed to one of the\nspectators to hold, the latter places the hand on the pin\n[ 55]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 175, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nin the centre of the glass face, and revolves it. The arrow\nor hand is worked by a counterweight, controlled by the\nM. Jacobs, magician, ventriloquist, and bold imitator of John Henry Anderson.\nFrom a rare lithograph now in the Harry Houdini Collection.\nperformer, who has it fixed before he hands it to the inno-\ncent spectator. The clock can be purchased from any\n[158]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 176, "folder": "", "text": "THE CABALISTIC CLOCK\nreliable dealer of conjuring apparatus, in almost any\npart of the world.\nFor a clock worked by counterweight the hand of thin\nbrass is prepared in the centre, where there is a weight\nof peculiar shape which has at the thin or tapering\nend a small pin. This pin is fixed permanently to the\nweight and can be revolved about the small plate on\nwhich it is riveted. Through this plate there is a hole,\nexactly in the centre. This hand has all this covered\nwith a brass cap, and, to make the arrow point to any given\nnumber, you simply move the weight with your thumb.\nThe pin clicks and allows you to feel it as it moves from\none hole to another. With very little practice you can\nmove this weight, while in the act of handing it to some\none to place it on the centre of the clock face; and when\nspun, the weight, of its own accord, will land on the\nbottom, causing the hand to point where it is forced by\nthe law of gravity. The plate on which the weight is\nfastened is grooved or milled, so that it answers to the\nslightest movement of your thumb.\nWhen the clock is on the stage and the hand moves\nsimply by the command of the performer or audience, it\nis manipulated by an assistant behind the scenes, either\nby the aid of electricity or by an endless thread which is\nwrapped about the spindle and runs through the two\nribbons or strings that hold the clock in midair. Some\nconjurers work the clock so arranged as to make a com-\nbination trick; first by having it worked by the concealed\nconfederate; then, taking the clock off the stand and\nbringing it down in the midst of the audience. But for\nthis trick you can use only one hand.\n[ 159 ]\n1"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 177, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nYears ago when I introduced this trick in my per-\nformance, I called a young man on my stage and asked\nhim to place the hand on the spindle. It would then re-\nvolve and stop at any number named. But first I made\nhim inform the audience the number he had chosen,\nFig 19 .\nP\no\nFigsy.\nof\nis\nn\nm\nto is\n2\nK\n6\nTig\n16\na\na\ne\nXII\na\ne\nof\ng\ng\n= i\nthe\nIS\nThe above diagram exposes the magic clock trick, as offered in the time of\nHofrath von Eckartshausen, a German writer on magic in the eighteenth and\nthe nineteenth centuries. Fig. 15 shows the clock in position for the trick, hung\nagainst the rear wall or 'drop.\" Gaily-colored ribbons hide thin leather tubes\nthrough which run two sets of stout silk thread or catgut, connecting with\nthe hour and minute hands. The thread then passes through the two iron\nrings, p and o in Figures 17 and 19, which are screwed to the ceiling; thence\nto the hidden confederate, who manipulates the clock hands as the hour and\nminute are announced by magician or spectator. Fig. 16 shows the two faces\nof the clock, with the fine connecting rod around which the string is woudn\nto manipulate the hands. This mechanism is hidden by a flat brass band\nwhich encircles the edges of the two transparent faces. From Eckartshausen's\n\"The Conjurer's Pocket,\" edition of 1791.\nwhich gave me time to fix the weight with my thumb. I\nthen gave him the hand, but he was a skilled mechanic,\nand possibly knew the trick. Instead of holding the\nclock by the ring at the top, which was there for that\n[160]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 178, "folder": "", "text": "THE CABALISTIC CLOCK\npurpose, he grasped the dial at the bottom, causing the\nnumber 6 instead of I2 to be on top. When the hand\nstarted to turn, of course it would have stopped at the\nGreat WONDERS WONDERS! WONDERS! WON-\nDERS! and WONDERS! are new to be feen in a ve y\nwarm Room, at No. 22, Piccadilly, This and every day this\nweek, from eleven in the mor ing ill four in the after-\nnoon, and precifely at feven clock, every cvening this week,\nM\nR. KATTERFELTO will fhow a variery\nof new furpriling Experiments in Natural and Expe-\nrimental Philofopby and Math.matics, and his whole regular\nCourfe of Philofophical L Qures are deliver-d in Twelve\ndiff\u00e9rent times, a different Lecture and Experiment every\nday, and every evening at 7 o'clock. His various Experi.\nments are asfollow, vlz.\nPHILOSOPHICAL,\nPNEUMATIC,\nMATHEMATICAL,\nHYDRAULIC,\nOPTICAL,\nHYDROSTATIC,\nMAGNETICAL,\nPROETIC,\nELECTRICAL,\nSTENOGRAPHIC.\nPHYSICAL,\nBLENCICAL,\nCHYMICAL,\nCAPRIMANTIC ART.\nBy his new-improved SOLAR MICROSCOPE,\nWill be feen many furprining infects in different wate:s, beer,\nmiik, vinegar, and blood; and other curioas objeits.\nMr. K A T T E R F E L\nHer, in Nis travels years par, int? the isc-\nnour to shibit with great applanse beforc the Emprofs of\nRuffia, the Queen of Hangary, the King of Pruflia, Den-\nmark, Sweden, and Polland, and before many other\nPrinces.\nAnd af.er his Lecture, Mr. Katterfelto will fhow ard dif-\ncover feveral NEW DECEPTIONS, on\nDICE, CARDS,\nSILVER and GOLD,\nBILLIARDS, TENNIS,\nBOXES, MEDALS,\nLETTERS, MONEY,\nPYRAMIDICAL GLASES\nWATCHES; CASKETS,\nMECHANICAL CLOCKS\nAdmittance, front feats 3s. fecond feats 23. back frats\n19. for fervants only.\nNewspaper clipping of 1782, showing that Katterfelto used the cabalistic clock.\nFrom the Harry Houdini Collection.\nwrong number. I managed to escape humiliation by\npretending I was afraid he would break the clock by\nletting it fall, so took it away from him, holding it myself.\nII\n[ 161"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 179, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nCollinson\nReproduction of rare engraving of Johann Nep. Hofzinser, who invented\nthe clock worked by a counter-weight, and who was one of the world's great-\nest card tricksters. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.\nit\n[162]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 180, "folder": "", "text": "THE CABALISTIC CLOCK\nThe mechanic walked off the stage winking at me in the\nmost roguish manner.\nRobert-Houdin worked The Mystic Bell trick in con-\nnection with The Clock. This was manipulated in the\nsame way. The bell was worked with thread, pulling\na small pin, which in turn caused the handle to fall\nagainst the glass bell. Naturally, having electricity at\nhis command at that time, he made use of that force\nwhenever it suited his fancy.\nI am positive that Robert-Houdin presented the elec-\ntrical clock, because T. Bolin, of Moscow, visited Paris\nand bought the trick from Voisin, the French manu-\nfacturer of conjuring apparatus. The trick which Robert-\nHoudin presented, according to his claims, was with the\nclock hanging in midair to prove that it was not electri-\ncally connected, but the truth of the matter is that the\nstrings which held the clock suspended in midair con-\ncealed the wires through which his electrical current ran.\nIn my library of old conjuring books the thread meth-\nod is ably described by Hofrath von Eckartshausen,\nmentioned earlier in this chapter. In fact in the pictorial\nappendix of this work he gives this trick prominence by mi-\nnutely illustrating the same. He makes use of two hands,\nand to make the trick infallible he explains that the best\nway would be to use two glass disks, have them held\ntogether by a brass rim, and your threads will work with\nabsolute certainty. The spectators imagine that they are\nseeing only one glass clock.\nJohann Conrad Gutle, the well-known delver after\nsecrets of natural magic, also explains several cabalistic\nclock tricks in his book published in 1802.\n[ 163]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 181, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nI am reproducing herewith a number of programmes\ndescribing the effect of the trick and proving that it was\nno novelty when Robert-Houdin \"invented\" it. In fact\nthe trick was so common that only the supreme egotism\nBRESLAW\nReproduction of a triple colored lithograph. This section features Breslaw in\nstage costume. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.\nof the man can explain his having introduced it into the\npages of his book as an original trick. The mysterious\nclock worked by the counterweight, which has been\n164"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 182, "folder": "", "text": "THE CABALISTIC CLOCK\ndescribed, is credited as having been the invention of\nJohann Nep. Hofzinser.\nIn an advertisement, published in the London Post of\nMay 23d, 1778, included in my collection, this announce-\nment, among others of much interest, will be found:\n\"PART II.-Breslaw will exhibit many of his newly\ninvented deceptions with a grand apparatus and experi-\nKatterfelto, the bombastic conjurer, who is famous for having sold sulphur\nmatches in 1784, before the Lucifer match is supposed to have been discovered.\nReproduced from a rare copy of \"The European Magazine,\" dated June,\n1783, now in the Harry Houdini Collection.\nments and particularly the Magic Clock, Sympathetic\nBell, and Pyramidical Glasses in a manner entirely new.\"\nIn 1781, while showing at Greenwood's Rooms, Hay-\nmarket, London, Breslaw heavily advertised, \"Particularly\nan experiment on a newly invented mechanical clock\n[ 165]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 183, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nwill be displayed, under the direction of Sieur Castinia,\njust arrived from Naples, the like never attempted before\nin this metropolis.\"\nThere is every reason to believe that Katterfelto, the\ngreatest of bombastic conjurers, used the electrical clock\nin his performances, as he made a feature of the various\nlate discoveries, and in his programme of 1782 he adver-\ntises \"feats and experiments in Magnetical, Electrical, Op-\ntical, Chymical, Philosophical, Mathematical, etc., etc.\"\nAmong implements and instruments or articles men-\ntioned I found Watches, Caskets, Dice, Cards, Mechan-\nical Clocks, Pyramidical Glasses, etc., etc.\nGyngell, Sr., the celebrated Bartholomew Fair conjurer,\nwhose career started about 1788, had on his early pro-\ngrammes, \"A Pedestal Clock, so singularly constructed\nthat it is obedient to the word of command.\" On the\nsame programme (Catherine Street Theatre, London, Feb-\nruary 15th, 1816) I find \"The Russian Inn,\" \"The Con-\nfectioner's Shop,\" and \"The Automaton Rope Vaulter.\"\nThis programme is reproduced in full in Chapter IV.\nWithout devoting further space to Robert-Houdin's\nabsurd claim to having invented this clock, we will\nproceed to discuss his claims to the automaton rope\nwalker, which he called a trapeze performer.\nThe Trapeze Automaton\nThough \"Diavolo Antonio\" or \"Le Voltigeur Trapeze\"\nwas not a simple trick, but a cleverly constructed au-\ntomaton, worked by a concealed confederate, it was a com-\nmon feature on programmes long before Robert-Houdin\n[ 166 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 184, "folder": "", "text": "THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON\nROBERT-KOUDIN,\nST. JAMES'S THEATRE.\nLAST THREE PERFORMANCES\nThe celebrated \". ROBERT-HOUDIN will give his Incredible\nDelusions and Extraordinary\nFANTASTIQUES\nAT THE ABOVE THEATRE\nLA\nVOLTICE DU TRAP\u00c9ZE\nON\nTUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 6,\nLast Day Performance\nWEDNESDAY MORNING, March 7\nCOMMENCING AT HALF-PAST TWO O'CLOCK,\nAND\nFAREWELL REPRESENTATION,\nTHURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 8\nDOORS OPEN AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.\nPAIVATE BOXES, ORCHESTRA STALLS, AND TICKETS, MAT -\nBOTAL 83, OLD OND\nHoossan's Lasoma - -\nCasson's end the 19, Regues\nabe BOX orfics There * que Daily, -\n. a T,\nCopy of a poster used by Robert-Houdin to advertise his trapeze performer.\nThis proves how accurately he duplicated the Pinetti figure, even to the ar-\nrangement of floral garlands. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\n167 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 185, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nclaimed it as his invention. Yet with the daring of one\nwho believes that all proof has been destroyed, he an-\nnounces on page 3I2 of the American edition of his\n\"Memoirs\" that he invented \"The Trapeze Performer\"\nfor his season of 1848. In the illustrated appendix of his\nFrench edition he states that the figure made its first\nappearance at his Paris theatre, October ist, 1849. He\nthus describes the automaton:\n\"The figure is the size of an infant, and I carry the\nlittle artist on my arm in a box. I put him on the trapeze\nand ask him questions, which he answers by moving his\nhead. Then he bows gracefully to the audience, turning\nfirst this way, then that; suspends himself by his hands\nand draws himself up in time to the music. He also goes\nthrough the motions of a strong man, hangs by his head,\nhands, and feet, and with his legs making the motions of\na\u00ebrial telegraphy.\"\nDecremps in his expos\u00e9, \"The Conjurer Unmasked,\"\npublished in 1784, thus describes the automaton and its\nwork: \"Our attention was next called to observe an\nautomaton figure, that vaulted upon a rope, performing\nall the postures and evolutions of the most expert tum-\nblers, keeping exact time to music. By seeing Mr. Van\nEstin wind up the figures, and being shown the wheels and\nlevers contained in the body of the automaton, caused us\nto believe it moved by its own springs, when Mr. Van\nEstin thus explained the deception: \"To make a figure of\nthis kind depends a great deal on the proportion and the\nmaterials with which it is composed: The legs and thighs\nare formed out of heavy wood, such as ash or oak; the\nbody of birch or willow, and made hollow, and the head,\n[ 168 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 186, "folder": "", "text": "Reproduction of an illustration in \"Aufschl\u00fcsse zur Magie,\" by Hofrath\nvon Eckartshausen, showing the automatic rope vaulter as exhibited in 1784\nby Pinetti. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.\n[ 169 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 187, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nfor lightness, of papier-mach\u00e9. The figure is joined by its\nhands to a bar of iron, that passes through a partition,\nand is turned by a confederate; the arms are inflexible\nat the elbows, but move freely at the shoulders by means\nof a bolt that goes through the body; and the thighs and\nMr. BOLOGNA, Jun's\nMechanical Exhibition,\nma.\nan the Sans Parej! Theatre, Strand.\nMard\n18.\nPresent Evening,\nAnd - Dope and dering Love, - - Theatre,\nleams\nThe Two Automaton Rope Dapeers,\n- - -\nthe Swan of Oblectation\nwa\n-\n-\nof\n-\n-\n-\n-\nimpose\n-\nPragiona,\nThe\n-\n-\nComme\n-\nbe\n-\nof\n4\n-\n-\n-\n. -\nMechanical Windmill,\n- Wend of Commond.\n`ine CONJUROR from Constantinople\n- - - truly\nPIECES of CALLED,\nLILLIPUT ISLAND;\nOr Automator Shadows,\nTaken from the Justly Admired Oubres Chincia.\n-\nBoone\nThe\n-\nAe\nCLASS m.\nA Grand Display of Experiments in\nHYIRAULICS.\nCalled Fire and Water,\nFree\n-\nMe.\n-\nFIRE-WORKS,\n-\nThe\nA Bologna bill of 1812, featuring the automatic rope dancers. From the\nHarry Houdini Collection.\nlegs move in the same manner at the hips and knees, and\nare stayed by pieces of leather to prevent them from\nbending in the wrong way. The bar is covered with hollow\ntwisted tubes, and ornamented with artificial flowers,\nso as no part of it can be seen to turn; the confederate\n[170]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 188, "folder": "", "text": "THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON\nby giving the handle a quarter of a turn to the left, the\nautomaton, whose arms are parallel to the horizon, lift\nthemselves by little and little, till they become vertical\nand parallel to the rest of the body; if in following the\nsame direction, the other part of the body moves forward;\nand by watching the motions through a hole, he seizes\nthe instant that a leg passes before the bar, to leave the\nautomaton astride; afterward he balances it by jerks,\nand causes it to take a turn around, keeping time with\nthe music as if it was sensible of harmony.\n\"N.B.-Three circumstances concur here to favor the\nillusion: First, by the assistance of a wire, the confederate\ncan separate the bar from the automaton, which, falling\nto the ground, persuades one it loses itself by real machin-\nery. Secondly, in winding up the levers shown in the\nbody, confirms the spectators in the idea that there is\nno need of a confederate. Thirdly, the tubes that are\ntwisted around the bar, except where the automaton is\njoined to it, seem to be the rope itself, and being without\nmotion, as is seen by the garlands which surround them,\nit cannot be suspected that the bar turns in the inside,\nfrom whence it is concluded that the figure moves by\nits own machinery.\"\nAccording to one of de Philipsthal's advertisements,\npage I03, the trapeze automaton which he featured\nwas six feet in height. But Pinetti programmes show.\nthat he had a smaller figure known as the rope vaulter.\nThis is probably the trick exposed in Decremps'\nbook.\nOn page 108 will be found a Louis programme of\n1815, on which a figure is thus featured:\n[171]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 189, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\n\"Two ELEGANT AUTOMATA\n\"As large as nature, the one representing a beautiful\nPOLONNESE, the other a little boy.\n\"Nothing can surpass the admirable construction of\nthese Pieces. The large figure seems almost endowed\nwith human Faculties, exhibiting the usual feats of a\nRope-Dancer, in the fullest limitation of life. The small\nFigure is invested with equally astonishing powers of\naction. To such ladies as are spectators it must be a very\npleasing circumstance that these exertions do not excite\nthose disagreeable sensations which arise from the sight\nof Figures fraught with life, performing feats attended\nwith so much danger.\"\nBy referring to page II3 the reader will find a Schmidt\nprogramme, dated 1827, on which the figure is featured\nas follows:\n\"THE ROPE DANCER,\n\"Whose surprising performances surpass, in agility,\nattitudes, and evolutions, every Professor of the art, keep-\ning correct time to the music of the machinery.\"\nA Gyngell programme, dated 1823, which is reproduced\nin the chapter devoted to \"The Pastry Cook of the Palais\nRoyal,\" page I25, reads as follows: \"Two automatons,\none of which will execute wonderful feats on the tight\nrope, and the other dance a characteristic hornpipe.\"\nAs Gyngell figured in the amusement world from 1788\nto 1844, the little figure must have been tolerably well\nknown to the magic-loving public of England by the\ntime Robert-Houdin appeared in London in 1848.\nA magician named York, who appeared in London in\n[172]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 190, "folder": "", "text": "FOR THE FIRST TIME.\nThe Mechanical PEACOCK,\nTHE VIEW OF THE CITY or\nA\n- Piece of Anificial Animation which imitases, 6 clofely. the Cries, Altions, and\nAssicudos of the Sasely and beastifel Bied. thas it ie sot enfrequently fappoled to be an abfolate liv\ning Animal, propedly imaned 10 a\u00fb as - amuling deception apos the Public.\nStockholm,\nThe Magnetic Clock,\nor\nto\n-\nViss\nell be - ender Sell .... the\narrsa well as TRE SEAUTITUC SCENS or THE\nNowly is fapported on two Chryfal Columna, and termounted by a charaCerific Figur\nof which will amule and divert the Company. by difoovering\nVoyage of Captain Parry to the\ntheir arc. on an Aiphobetical Dial Plate, fernifhed with a feif-moving fedex.\nThe Senfative WIND-MILL,\nNorth Pole:\nWhich regulases its motion by the apparens impalie of a Word from any Speflator-sa\nforms - obey the With of the Company by a pelitive Gift of Incaition,\nHis paseage threugh the Frotes Straits, amonger the\nSELECT EXPER\u00c9MENTS IN\nFLOATING ICE.\nHYDRAULICS,\nOs the Sbore will be - Sequimere, with their Sledges draws by Degs.-Besre persued and\n,\nhilled b As See sal be represested Esquimaux Wome is their native Boate; also the\nLonding of the Sailore from the Discesery Ships. Fary and Hecla.\nA GRAND\nDISPLAY OF WATER-WORKS,\nTHIRD PART THE CITY OF\nThe rifes from the frome of the Suge, endafter forming into many delightful Fountains,\nis conjoined with\nAmsterdam,\nFIRE OF DIFFERENT KINDS,\nwa ou\nAst the - bellile Ziements ferioully rell together to the Cieling of the Thestre, the Water\nThe Vise . - the ote The Viee of the Bridge \" es the Ametel. The Toes\n.\n- ages late Morese\nthie\n-\n-\n..\nof\nthe\nMet\n\"\nalfo to the fimme heigle a Lafkre with Candles burning.\nFIRE-WORKS PLAYING,\nAn Aquatic Exhibition on the River.\nA . le - several Trephico of Victery. the Ascras of the ie \", tring - diepery\noth Experimess, without any Offeince even to the mon delicase\nbut efter Ellers. Perase is - - gaie the Top, .. beer eve, the Pras.\nTOURTUI PLECE. THE WOVOERFUL ANO UNRIVALLED\nTo will be added fevera) Original Experiments in the Science of\nOPTICS,\nTOMATON,\nOn the Flying Rope;\nos WHICH HE Is THE SOLE INVENTOR.\nThe case - . vase - vea end forme - - - de.\n- - being . the Rege by the Heed, lihe The Repe be la\nAccompaniod by a Scorm of\n- the Figare will eit perfectly esey and le gracefal etulade, . the Saug. sed perfora the -\n- be free . LIVING PERFORNER, \" \" messe with - Corvect-\nThunder, Lightning, &c. &c.\n- - apgarest\nTO CONCLUDE WITH A\n. - - & of and MECHANICAL and OPTICAL\nFIRE-WORKS,\nStorm at Sea!\n-\nof\nthe\nDifplayed in the Centre of a Tranfparent Arbour.\nby\nit\nas de Tempee, by Laghteing. and Anally the\n. - the Reche. altegether of Netere,\n6\n-\n-\nA de Philipsthal programme of 1806 on which both the automatic tight-rope per-\nformer and the magnetic clock were featured. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\nA Thiodon bill of 1825, in which he claims the invention of a figure that could\nbe lifted on or off the stage or pole. This was twenty-five years before Robert-\nHoudin claimed the same invention. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\n173"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 191, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nI am reproducing herewith a number of programmes\ndescribing the effect of the trick and proving that it was\nno novelty when Robert-Houdin \"invented\" it. In fact\nthe trick was so common that only the supreme egotism\nBRESLAW\nReproduction of a triple colored lithograph. This section features Breslaw in\nstage costume. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.\nof the man can explain his having introduced it into the\npages of his book as an original trick. The mysterious\nclock worked by the counterweight, which has been\n[ 164 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 192, "folder": "", "text": "THE CABALISTIC CLOCK\ndescribed, is credited as having been the invention of\nJohann Nep. Hofzinser.\nIn an advertisement, published in the London Post of\nMay 23d, 1778, included in my collection, this announce-\nment, among others of much interest, will be found:\n\"PART II.-Breslaw will exhibit many of his newly\ninvented deceptions with a grand apparatus and experi-\nKatterfelto, the bombastic conjurer, who is famous for having sold sulphur\nmatches in 1784, before the Lucifer match is supposed to have been discovered.\nReproduced from a rare copy of \"The European Magazine,\" dated June,\n1783, now in the Harry Houdini Collection.\nments and particularly the Magic Clock, Sympathetic\nBell, and Pyramidical Glasses in a manner entirely new.\"\nIn 1781, while showing at Greenwood's Rooms, Hay-\nmarket, London, Breslaw heavily advertised, \"Particularly\nan experiment on a newly invented mechanical clock\n[165]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 193, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nwill be displayed, under the direction of Sieur Castinia,\njust arrived from Naples, the like never attempted before\nin this metropolis.\"\nThere is every reason to believe that Katterfelto, the\ngreatest of bombastic conjurers, used the electrical clock\nin his performances, as he made a feature of the various\nlate discoveries, and in his programme of 1782 he adver-\ntises \"feats and experiments in Magnetical, Electrical, Op-\ntical, Chymical, Philosophical, Mathematical, etc., etc.\"\nAmong implements and instruments or articles men-\ntioned I found Watches, Caskets, Dice, Cards, Mechan-\nical Clocks, Pyramidical Glasses, etc., etc.\nGyngell, Sr., the celebrated Bartholomew Fair conjurer,\nwhose career started about 1788, had on his early pro-\ngrammes, \"A Pedestal Clock, so singularly constructed\nthat it is obedient to the word of command.\" On the\nsame programme (Catherine Street Theatre, London, Feb-\nruary 15th, 1816) I find \"The Russian Inn,\" \"The Con-\nfectioner's Shop,\" and \"The Automaton Rope Vaulter.\"\nThis programme is reproduced in full in Chapter IV.\nWithout devoting further space to Robert-Houdin's\nabsurd claim to having invented this clock, we will\nproceed to discuss his claims to the automaton rope\nwalker, which he called a trapeze performer.\nThe Trapeze Automaton\nThough \"Diavolo Antonio\" or \"Le Voltigeur Trapeze\"\nwas not a simple trick, but a cleverly constructed au-\ntomaton, worked by a concealed confederate, it was a com-\nmon feature on programmes long before Robert-Houdin\n[ 166 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 194, "folder": "", "text": "THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON\nROBERT-HOUBIN,\nST. JAMES'S THEATRE.\nLAST THREE PERFORMANCES\nThe celebrated m. ROBERT-HOUDIN will give his Incredible\nDelusions and Extraordinary\nFANTASTIQUES\nAT THE ABOVE THEATRE\nVOLTICE DU TRAPEZE\nON\nTUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 6,\nLast Day Performance\nWEDNESDAY MORNING, March 7\nCOMMENCING AT HALF-PAST TWO O'CLOCK,\nAND\nFAREWELL REPRESENTATION,\nTHURSDAY EVENING, MARCH\nDOORS OPEN MT EIGHT O'CLOCK.\nPRIVATE BOXES, ORCHESTRA STALLS, AND TICKETS, MAY se AS\nBOTAL 33, OLD BOND\nest\nBood\n. - BOX OFFICE - - \" ell\n. a, ,\nCopy of a poster used by Robert-Houdin to advertise his trapeze performer.\nThis proves how accurately he duplicated the Pinetti figure, even to the ar-\nrangement of floral garlands. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\n[167]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 195, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nclaimed it as his invention. Yet with the daring of one\nwho believes that all proof has been destroyed, he an-\nnounces on page 3I2 of the American edition of his\n\"Memoirs\" that he invented \"The Trapeze Performer\"\nfor his season of 1848. In the illustrated appendix of his\nFrench edition he states that the figure made its first\nappearance at his Paris theatre, October ist, 1849. He\nthus describes the automaton:\n\"The figure is the size of an infant, and I carry the\nlittle artist on my arm in a box. I put him on the trapeze\nand ask him questions, which he answers by moving his\nhead. Then he bows gracefully to the audience, turning\nfirst this way, then that; suspends himself by his hands\nand draws himself up in time to the music. He also goes\nthrough the motions of a strong man, hangs by his head,\nhands, and feet, and with his legs making the motions of\na\u00ebrial telegraphy.\"\nDecremps in his expos\u00e9, \"The Conjurer Unmasked,\"\npublished in 1784, thus describes the automaton and its\nwork: \"Our attention was next called to observe an\nautomaton figure, that vaulted upon a rope, performing\nall the postures and evolutions of the most expert tum-\nblers, keeping exact time to music. By seeing Mr. Van\nEstin wind up the figures, and being shown the wheels and\nlevers contained in the body of the automaton, caused us\nto believe it moved by its own springs, when Mr. Van\nEstin thus explained the deception: \"To make a figure of\nthis kind depends a great deal on the proportion and the\nmaterials with which it is composed: The legs and thighs\nare formed out of heavy wood, such as ash or oak; the\nbody of birch or willow, and made hollow, and the head,\n[ 168 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 196, "folder": "", "text": "Reproduction of an illustration in \"Aufschl\u00fcsse zur Magie,\" by Hofrath\nvon Eckartshausen, showing the automatic rope vaulter as exhibited in 1784\nby Pinetti. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection.\n169 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 197, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nfor lightness, of papier-mach\u00e9. The figure is joined by its\nhands to a bar of iron, that passes through a partition,\nand is turned by a confederate; the arms are inflexible\nat the elbows, but move freely at the shoulders by means\nof a bolt that goes through the body; and the thighs and\nMr. BOLOGNA, Jun's\nma.\nMechanical Exhibition,\nan the Sans Parei! Theatre, Strand.\n18.\nFrendo\nPresent Evening, 1819,\nAnd - bee - - - - - Theatre,\nThe to Automaton Rope Dapeers,\n-\n-\nThe Swan of Oblectation\n-\nof\n-\n-\nThe\n-\nMechanical Windmill,\nWoud of Commond.\nTine CONJUROR from Constantinople\n- - - - truly\nPIRCES of CALLED.\nLILLIPUT ISLAND;\nOr Automator Shadows,\nTaken from the Justly Admired Oubres Chincia.\n-\ns. The Maginas's\n-\n-\nAe\nA Grand Display of Experiments in\nHYDRAULICS.\nCalled Fire and Water,\nFIRE-WORKS,\nA Bologna bill of 1812, featuring the automatic rope dancers. From the\nHarry Houdini Collection.\nlegs move in the same manner at the hips and knees, and\nare stayed by pieces of leather to prevent them from\nbending in the wrong way. The bar is covered with hollow\ntwisted tubes, and ornamented with artificial flowers,\nso as no part of it can be seen to turn; the confederate\n170]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 198, "folder": "", "text": "THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON\nby giving the handle a quarter of a turn to the left, the\nautomaton, whose arms are parallel to the horizon, lift\nthemselves by little and little, till they become vertical\nand parallel to the rest of the body; if in following the\nsame direction, the other part of the body moves forward ;\nand by watching the motions through a hole, he seizes\nthe instant that a leg passes before the bar, to leave the\nautomaton astride; afterward he balances it by jerks,\nand causes it to take a turn around, keeping time with\nthe music as if it was sensible of harmony.\n\"N.B.-Three circumstances concur here to favor the\nillusion: First, by the assistance of a wire, the confederate\ncan separate the bar from the automaton, which, falling\nto the ground, persuades one it loses itself by real machin-\nery. Secondly, in winding up the levers shown in the\nbody, confirms the spectators in the idea that there is\nno need of a confederate. Thirdly, the tubes that are\ntwisted around the bar, except where the automaton is\njoined to it, seem to be the rope itself, and being without\nmotion, as is seen by the garlands which surround them,\nit cannot be suspected that the bar turns in the inside,\nfrom whence it is concluded that the figure moves by\nits own machinery.\"\nAccording to one of de Philipsthal's advertisements,\npage I03, the trapeze automaton which he featured\nwas six feet in height. But Pinetti programmes show\nthat he had a smaller figure known as the rope vaulter.\nThis is probably the trick exposed in Decremps'\nbook.\nOn page 108 will be found a Louis programme of\n1815, on which a figure is thus featured:\n[171 ]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 199, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\n\"Two ELEGANT AUTOMATA\n\"As large as nature, the one representing a beautiful\nPOLONNESE, the other a little boy.\n\"Nothing can surpass the admirable construction of\nthese Pieces. The large figure seems almost endowed\nwith human Faculties, exhibiting the usual feats of a\nRope-Dancer, in the fullest limitation of life. The small\nFigure is invested with equally astonishing powers of\naction. To such ladies as are spectators it must be a very\npleasing circumstance that these exertions do not excite\nthose disagreeable sensations which arise from the sight\nof Figures fraught with life, performing feats attended\nwith so much danger.\"\nBy referring to page II3 the reader will find a Schmidt\nprogramme, dated 1827, on which the figure is featured\nas follows:\n\"THE ROPE DANCER,\n\"Whose surprising performances surpass, in agility,\nattitudes, and evolutions, every Professor of the art, keep-\ning correct time to the music of the machinery.\"\nA Gyngell programme, dated 1823, which is reproduced\nin the chapter devoted to \"The Pastry Cook of the Palais\nRoyal,\" page I25, reads as follows: \"Two automatons,\none of which will execute wonderful feats on the tight\nrope, and the other dance a characteristic hornpipe.\"\nAs Gyngell figured in the amusement world from 1788\nto 1844, the little figure must have been tolerably well\nknown to the magic-loving public of England by the\ntime Robert-Houdin appeared in London in 1848.\nA magician named York, who appeared in London in\n[172]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 200, "folder": "", "text": "Mechanical and Mathematical\nFEATS OF\nAlhough - description ese property thefe Mechnaical Pieces of Art, yet to convey \" the\nPablic - ides of theis and of the incuitive Powers wich which they feem invelled, the\nis\nDexterity.\nTwo Elegant Automats,\n. dotail of these which evrite the\nthe liants\nOue of which a FEMALE FIGURE, as large as life, performs as a ROPE DANCER in\ninication of Le Belle fo jutly celebrated throaghos Earope -the other is an\narrsa rellowine es\nLITTLE PAILASSE, whofe apperent Naivesse and Powers of Action are equally aftomifhing.\nPinses , fee - Homee\nFOR THE FIRST TIME.\nThe Mechanical PEACOCK,\nTHE VIEW OF THE ciry OF\nA monk Pista of Anificial Animation which imitates, fo clofely. the Cries, Altions, and\nAtticades of - and besetifel Bird, thas it ie sot enfrequently fappoled to be an abfolute)\nlie\nling Animal, property \" ad as as amuling deception epon the Public.\nStockholm,\nThe Magnetic Clock,\nor\nle\n-\nViee\nell - of Sull - \" the be the Forte . Shore\narrsa waics will as PROSENTED vas SCENS os THE\nMonly is on two Chryfal Columma, and furmosnced by a chara\u00dferiftic Figus\nFALSTAFF, which will amafe and diven the Company. by difovering\nVoyage of Captain Parry to the\nchaie Thenghto, are. os an Alphobetical Dial Plase, fornified with a Geil- moving Index.\nThe Senfative WIND-MILL,\nNorth Pole:\nWhich segulases its motion by the appasent of a Word from any\nforme . obey the is the Company by a politive Gif of Inteition.\nHie passage threagh the Froses Straits, amonget the\nSELECT EXPERIMENTS IN\nFLOATING ICE.\nHYDRAULICS,\nOs the There eill De - Equimest, with their Sledges drawa by Degs.-Bears pursued and\n,\nhilled b Seilora. As eal be represcated Women in their native Bosts; also the\nLonding of the Sailore from the Discosery Ships. Fery and Hecle.\nA GRAND\nDISPLAY OF WATER-WORKS,\nTHIRD PART-THI CITY OF\nTh Waser rifas from the fromt of the Suge, and after forming into many delightful Fountains,\nde. & conjoined with\nAmsterdam,\nFIRE OF DIFFERENT KINDS,\nvas ou\nAst - Ziements farioully rell segether the Cieling of the Thestre, the Wases\nThe\nVise to - - the ou Remport The Viee of Bridge the Austel.\nTh.\nTowe\n.\n-\nques\n-\n-\nlete\nSe\nthie\n-\nbeserifal\nof\nthe\nMes\n.\nalfo elevates to the fame heighe . Leftre with Candies burning.\nFIRE-WORKS PLAYING,\nAn Aquatic Exhibition on the River.\nA - \" le - eith esveral Trephies of Vierery. the Asceat of the , tring - elloper,\nmay - Esperimess. without asy Offence even to the mok deliense\n- after - Perese is - gein de Top, asd bear ..., Piss.\nVOURTHI WOVOERFUL AND UNRIVALLED\nTo rich will be added feveral Original Experiments in the Science of\nOPTICS\nAUTOMATON,\nOn the Flying Rope;\nor WHICH HE IS THE SOLE INVENTOR.\nT\n.\n-\nves\n...\nforme\n.\nNoodity\n-\nbeing\n.\nthe\nRege\nby\nthe\nHead.\nthe\nothere\nbutherte\nThe\nRope\nse\nAccompanied by . Scorm of\nthe\nFigare\nwill\nDE\nperlectly\nessy.\nend\nine\neltitade,\nhile\n...\nperfora\nfrom\n.\nLIVING\nPERFORNEA,\nes\nis\nasses\nwith\nthe\n.\nThunder, Lightning, &c. &c.\nTO CONCLUDE WITH A\nn . - - a of and MECHANICAL and OPTICAL\nFIRE-WORKS,\nStorm at Sea!\nDifplayed in the Centre of & Tranfparent Arbour.\n-\nof\nthe\nThender, N\u00b0 struch b, ... the Dues-\n- the Reche, elteguther of\n6\n-\ndi\n-\nAquests\nA de Philipsthal programme of 1806 on which both the automatic tight-rope per-\nformor and the magnetic clock were featured. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\nbe\nA Thiodon bill of 1825, in which he claims the invention of a figure that could\nlifted on or off the stage or pole. This was twenty-five years before Robert-\nHoudin claimed the same invention. From the Harry Houdini Collection.\n173"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 201, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\n1844, the year before Robert-Houdin made his professional\nd\u00e9but, featured under date of January 29th \"two autom-\natons, one of which will execute wonderful feats on the\nTight Rope, and the other dance a characteristic Horn-\npipe.\"\nBologna announced for his performance at the Sans\nPareil Theatre, Strand, London, under date of March\n18th, 1812, \"The Two Automaton Rope Dancers from\nSt. Petersburg, whose Feats of Agility were never\nequalled, and cannot be surpassed, will perform together\nin a style of Excellence hitherto unknown in this country.'\nDe Philipsthal also featured a pair of automatic tight-\nrope performers from 1804 until his death; and in the\nearly 30's the figures were exhibited by his widow. By\nreferring to Chapter III. a De-Philipsthal programme of\n1806 is reproduced as evidence.\nFrom 1825 to 1855 J. F. Thiodon played London and\nthe provinces, advertising on his programmes:\n\"FOURTH PIECE.-The Wonderful and Unrivalled Au-\ntomaton on the Flying Rope. The only one of this con-\nstruction in the Kingdom; and forms a more extraordinary\nNovelty from the circumstances of its not being fastened\non the Rope by the Hands, like others hitherto exhibited.\nThe Rope will be in continual Motion, and the Figure\nwill sit perfectly easy and in a graceful attitude while on\nthe Swing, and perform the most surprising Evolutions,\nscarcely to be distinguished from a Living Performer,\nas it moves with the utmost Correctness, without any\napparent Machinery.\"\nFrom this overwhelming evidence it can be argued\nbeyond doubt that if Robert-Houdin even constructed the\n[ 174]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 202, "folder": "", "text": "THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON\nautomaton he merely copied figures presented by both\nhis predecessors and his contemporaries, and he was\nfully aware of the existence of several such automata\nwhen he advertised his as an original invention. They\nwere made by many mechanicians.\nIn the illustrated appendix of the French edition of his\n\"Memoirs\" he goes further; he deliberately misrepre-\nsents the mechanism of the figure and insinuates that the\nautomaton is a self-working one. This is not true, as it\nwas worked by a concealed confederate, as described\nabove by Decremps.\nRobert-Houdin even used the garlands of flowers to\nhide the moving bars as Pinetti and others of his pred-\necessors had done. The truth was not in him.\n[175]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 203, "folder": "", "text": "CHAPTER VI\nTHE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE\nW\nHILE Robert-Houdin claims to have invented\n\"The Inexhaustible Bottle\" for a special\nprogramme designed to create a sensation\nat the opening of his season of 1848, in\nthe illustrated appendix of the original French edi-\ntion of his \"Memoirs\" he states that it had its premier\npresentation December ist, 1847. These discrepancies\noccur with such frequency that it is difficult to refute\nhis claims in chronological order. Perhaps he adopted\nthis method intentionally, to confuse future historians of\nmagic, particularly concerning his own achievements.\nIn order to emphasize the brilliancy of this trick,\nRobert-Houdin turned boastful in describing it. On page\n348 of the American edition of his \"Memoirs,\" he states\nthat the trick had created such a sensation and was so\nmuch exploited in the London newspapers that the fame\nof his inexhaustible bottle spread to the provinces, and\non his appearance in Manchester with the bottle in his\nhand the workmen who made up the audience nearly\nmobbed him. In fact, the description of this scene is the\nmost dramatic pen-picture in his \"Memoirs.\"\nThe truth, sad to state, is that the bottle trick did not\ncreate the sensation he claims for it in London, nor did\nthe press eulogize it. It was classed with other ordinary\n[176.]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 204, "folder": "", "text": "THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE\ntricks, and twenty London papers bear mute testimony\nto this fact. In a complete collection of press clippings\nregarding his first London appearance, only four of the\nLondon papers mention the trick. The Times, the great\nconservative English paper, in reviewing Robert-Houdin's\nperformance in its issue of May 3d, 1847, ignored the\ntrick entirely. The four London papers which made\nmention of the bottle trick, and then only in a passing\ncomment, were The Chronicle, The Globe, The Lady's\nNewspaper, and The Court Journal. Any one acquainted\nwith the two last-named periodicals will know that they\nrarely reach the hands of the humble artisans in Man-\nchester. Punch, London's great comic paper, gave the\ntrick some space, however.\nThe trick of pouring several sorts of liquors from the\nsame bottle has been presented in various forms and\nunder different names. To prove the futility of Robert-\nHoudin's claims I will explain the mystery of this trick,\nwhich is of an interesting nature.\nTo all intents and purposes the bottle used looks like\nglass; but it is invariably made of tin, heavily japanned.\nRanged around the central space, which is free from\ndeception, are five compartments, each tapering to a\nnarrow-mouthed tube which terminates about an inch or\nan inch and a half from within the neck of the bottle.\nA\nsmall pinhole is drilled through the outer surface of the\nbottle into each compartment, the holes being so placed\nthat when the bottle is grasped with the hand in the ordin-\nary way, the performer covers all but one of the pinholes\nwith his fingers and thumb. The centre section is left\nempty, but the other compartments are filled with a fun-\n12\n177]"}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 205, "folder": "", "text": "THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN\nnel which has a tapering nozzle made specially for this\npurpose.\nThe trick is generally started by proving to the audience\nthat the bottle is empty. It is then filled with water, whichn\nis immediately poured out again, all this time the five\npinholes being covered tightly with the hand or fingers\nwhich are holding the bottle. When a liquor is called for\nthe performer raises the finger over the air-hole above\nthat particular liquor, and the liquor will flow out. When\na large number of liquors may be called for, the performer\nhas one compartment filled with a perfectly colorless\nliquor, which he pours into glasses previously flavored\nwith strong essences. Certain gins and cordials can be\nsimulated in this fashion.\nVarious improvements have been made in this bottle\ntrick. For instance, after the bottle has yielded its various\nsorts of liquors, it is broken, and from the bottle the per-\nformer produces some borrowed article which has been\n\"vanished\" in a previous trick and then apparently for-\ngotten. This may have been a ring, glove, or handker-\nchief, which will be discovered tied around the neck of a\nsmall guinea-pig or dove taken from the broken bottle.\nThis is accomplished by having the bottle especially\nconstructed. Its compartments end a few inches above\nthe bottom of the bottle and the portion below having\na wavy or cracked appearance, is made to slip on and off.\nThe conjurer goes through the motions of actually break-\ning the bottle by tapping it near the bottom with a small\nhammer or wand, and the appearance of the guinea-pig\nor lost article causes surprise, so that the pretended break-\ning of the bottle passes unnoticed."}
{"path": "unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf", "page": 206, "folder": "", "text": "THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE\nAgain, this bottle can be genuine, with no loose bottom\nat all, and a small article can be inserted, but this makes\na great deal of trouble, and the effect is not greatly in- -\ncreased. In doing the trick thus, I was always com-\npelled to have an optician cut the bottom from the bottle,\nand then at times even he would break it.\nTo explain further how the article is \"loaded\" into\nthe bottle, the performer borrows several articles, for\nexample a ring and two watches. He will place the ring\nand watches into a funnel at the end of a large horse-\npistol, and shoot them at the target. The two watches\nappear on the target or in a frame or any place that he\nmay choose. In obtaining the articles, he may have\nwrapped them up in a handkerchief which he has hidden\nin the front of his vest. Alexander Herrmann was excep-\ntionally clever in making this exchange, his iron nerve\nand perpetual smile being great aids in the trick.\nThe performer now places the duplicate handkerchief\non the table in full view of the audience, and walks to\nanother table for a gun. While reaching for this gun, he\nplaces the criginal articles which he borrowed behind\nhis table on a servante, so that his hidden assistant may\nreach for them, place the two watches on the \"turn-about\ntarget,\" tie the ring on the neck of the guinea-pig, shove\nhim into the bottle, and insert the false bottom. The\ntrick is then ready in its entirety.\nThe magician calls for something to use as a target,\nand the assistant responds with the revolving target or\nframe. When the conjurer shoots, the two watches\nappear on the target or in the frame. This part of\nthe trick is accomplished by having the centre of the\n[179]"}