pages: unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf, 68
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unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 68 | CHAPTER II THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK R OBERT-HOUDIN, on page I79 of the American edition of his "Memoirs," thus describes the orange-tree trick, which he claims as his inven- tion: "The next was a mysterious orange-tree, on which flowers and fruit burst into life at the request of the ladies. As the finale, a handkerchief I borrowed was conveyed into an orange purposely left on the tree. This opened and displayed the handkerchief, which two butterflies took by the corners and unfolded before the spectators." On page 245 of the same volume he presents the programme given at the first public performance in the Théâtre Robert-Houdin, stating: "The performance will be composed of entirely novel Experiments invented by M. Robert-Houdin. Among them being The Orange-Tree, etc." Now to retrace our steps in the history of magic as set forth in handbills and advertisements of earlier and con- temporaneous newspaper clippings describing their in- ventions. Under the title of "The Apple-Tree" this mechanical trick appeared on a Fawkes programme dated 1730. This was 115 years before Robert-Houdin claimed it as his invention. In 1732, just before Pinchbeck's death, it [ 51 ] |