pages: unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf, 310
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unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 310 | ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC was not a novelty in his day. The lock which would first alarm the household by setting off a pistol and then brand the thief's hand, is described by the Marquis of Worcester in his. book "Centurie of Inventions." As locks and locksmithing form my hobby, while in England I purchased the entire set of patent-books, to add to a collection of locks and fastenings from every known coun- try of the world. In the introduction of the first book of patents for inventions relating to locks, latches, bolts, etc., from A.D. 1774 to 1866, the following quotation will be found: "The Marquis of Worcester in his "Centurie of Inven- tions' thus describes the first detector lock invented, A.D. 1640, by some mechanical genius of that day: "This lock is so constructed that, if a stranger attempts to open it, it catches his hand as a trap catches a fox, though as far as maiming him for life, yet so far marketh him that if sus- pected he might easily be detected.'" It appears that to this lock was fitted a steel barb which, if a certain tumbler was overlifted in the act of picking or otherwise, was projected against the hand of the operator by a spring. I have seen such a lock as this in the collection of Hobbs, Hart & Co., London, who have had it in their possession many years. In every respect it answers the description of the invention claimed by Robert-Houdin as his own. Chapter VII. of "Secrets of Stage Conjuring" is de- voted to Robert-Houdin's very incorrect explanation of the famous Indian Basket Trick. Even his own trans- lator, Professor Hoffmann, takes issue with Robert-Hou- din, as will be seen by reading his foot-note on page IO4: [281] |