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latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,203 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 203 | card is to be found on pages 1, 3 and 6: the key num- ber of these three pages being 1, 4 and 32: together making 37, and thirty-seven less twenty-six being eleven, he knows that the card must be the eleventh of the third suit, otherwise the knave of spades. If he is told that the card is on the third, fifth and sixth pages, the key numbers of which are 4, 16 and 32, total 52, it is clear that the card must be the last in the list, viz., the king of diamonds. So much for the working of the trick. But the reader, if of an. enquiring mind, will naturally ask, "How is this result obtained?' The answer rests upon a special property of the geometrical pro- gression which forms the six key numbers. It is a curious fact that by the use of these six numbers, either singly or in combination with others of the series, any number, from unity up to 63, can be expressed. Thus, the numbers, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 we already have, these being numbers of the series. As to other numbers: 1 + 2 = 3 4 + 1== 4 + 2== 6 4 + 2 + 1 = 7 8 + 1 = 9 | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,203 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 203 | CHAPTER VI THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE W HILE Robert-Houdin claims to have invented "The Inexhaustible Bottle" for a special programme designed to create a sensation at the opening of his season of 1848, in the illustrated appendix of the original French edi- tion of his "Memoirs" he states that it had its premier presentation December ist, 1847. These discrepancies occur with such frequency that it is difficult to refute his claims in chronological order. Perhaps he adopted this method intentionally, to confuse future historians of magic, particularly concerning his own achievements. In order to emphasize the brilliancy of this trick, Robert-Houdin turned boastful in describing it. On page 348 of the American edition of his "Memoirs," he states that the trick had created such a sensation and was so much exploited in the London newspapers that the fame of his inexhaustible bottle spread to the provinces, and on his appearance in Manchester with the bottle in his hand the workmen who made up the audience nearly mobbed him. In fact, the description of this scene is the most dramatic pen-picture in his "Memoirs." The truth, sad to state, is that the bottle trick did not create the sensation he claims for it in London, nor did the press eulogize it. It was classed with other ordinary [176.] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,202 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 202 | 186 LATEST MAGIC of the pocket-book is associated a special number, known as its "key" number. These are as under: Page 1 Key Number 1 " 2 " " 2 " 3 " " 4 " 4 " " 8 " 5 " " 16 " 6 " " 32 The memorising of these is also a very simple matter, for it will be noted that the key numbers are the first six factors of the familiar geometrical progression, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. Printed as below: 1, 2. 3, 4, 5, 6 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 the upper figures, in ordinary type, expressing the numbers of the pages, and the lower, in black type, the corresponding key numbers, a very small amount of study will associate them so closely in the mind as to fix them firmly in the memory. Having mastered these two simple lessons, the learner is in a position to use the pocket-book. To ascertain the card chosen, he has only to add together the key numbers of the pages in which he is told that such card appears. The total will be the number at which that card stands in the list given on page 185, and, this being known, it be- comes an easy matter to name, the card itself. We will suppose, for instance, that performer | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,202 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 202 | THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON automaton he merely copied figures presented by both his predecessors and his contemporaries, and he was fully aware of the existence of several such automata when he advertised his as an original invention. They were made by many mechanicians. In the illustrated appendix of the French edition of his "Memoirs" he goes further; he deliberately misrepre- sents the mechanism of the figure and insinuates that the automaton is a self-working one. This is not true, as it was worked by a concealed confederate, as described above by Decremps. Robert-Houdin even used the garlands of flowers to hide the moving bars as Pinetti and others of his pred- ecessors had done. The truth was not in him. [175] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,201 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 201 | THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK 185 43. Four of diamonds. 48. Nine of diamonds. 44. Five of diamonds. 49. Ten of diamonds. 45. Six of diamonds. 50. Knave of diamonds. 46. Seven of diamonds. 51. Queen of diamonds. 47. Eight of diamonds. 52. King of diamonds. The arrangement of the table being once under- stood, the number associated with any given card in the club suit suggests itself automatically, e.g., the seven of clubs is likewise No. 7 in the list. To ascertain the name of the card corresponding to any of the higher numbers, all that is needed is to subtract from that number 13, or such higher mul- tiple of thirteen as the case will admit, and the difference will represent its position in its own suit. Suppose, for instance, that the performer desires to know what card answers to the number 20. Deducting thirteen from 20, the remainder, 7, tells him that the card is the seventh (i.e. the seven) of the second suit, viz., hearts. If he wants to know the name of No. 29, he deducts 26, when the remainder, 3, tells him that the card is the three of the third suit, spades. If the card be No. 40, the number to be deducted will be 39, and the remainder, 1, tells him that the card is the first of the fourth suit, viz., the ace of diamonds. After a very few trials, this little exercise in mental arithmetic becomes so familiar that the calculation becomes practically instantaneous. Going a step further; with each of the six pages | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,201 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 201 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN 1844, the year before Robert-Houdin made his professional début, featured under date of January 29th "two autom- atons, one of which will execute wonderful feats on the Tight Rope, and the other dance a characteristic Horn- pipe." Bologna announced for his performance at the Sans Pareil Theatre, Strand, London, under date of March 18th, 1812, "The Two Automaton Rope Dancers from St. Petersburg, whose Feats of Agility were never equalled, and cannot be surpassed, will perform together in a style of Excellence hitherto unknown in this country.' De Philipsthal also featured a pair of automatic tight- rope performers from 1804 until his death; and in the early 30's the figures were exhibited by his widow. By referring to Chapter III. a De-Philipsthal programme of 1806 is reproduced as evidence. From 1825 to 1855 J. F. Thiodon played London and the provinces, advertising on his programmes: "FOURTH PIECE.-The Wonderful and Unrivalled Au- tomaton on the Flying Rope. The only one of this con- struction in the Kingdom; and forms a more extraordinary Novelty from the circumstances of its not being fastened on the Rope by the Hands, like others hitherto exhibited. The Rope will be in continual Motion, and the Figure will sit perfectly easy and in a graceful attitude while on the Swing, and perform the most surprising Evolutions, scarcely to be distinguished from a Living Performer, as it moves with the utmost Correctness, without any apparent Machinery." From this overwhelming evidence it can be argued beyond doubt that if Robert-Houdin even constructed the [ 174] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,200 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 200 | 184 LATEST MAGIC a memory-peg the word CHaSeD, which contains the initials of the four suits in the proper order, or the reader may if he prefers it recall them by reflecting that Cool Heads Soon Decide. The arrangement of each suit follows the natural order, the ace of clubs being No. 1; the deuce 2; and the trey 3; knave 11; queen 12 and king 13. The card next following, viz., the ace of hearts, will be 14; the deuce of hearts 15, and so on, the com- plete arrangement being as shown below: 1. Ace of clubs. 22. Nine of hearts. 2. Deuce of clubs. 23. Ten of hearts. 3. Trey of clubs. 24. Knave of hearts. 4. Four of clubs. 25. Queen of hearts. 5. Five of clubs. 26. King of hearts. 6. Six of clubs. 27. Ace of spades. 7. Seven of clubs. 28. Deuce of spades. 8. Eight of clubs. 29. Trey of spades. 9. Nine of clubs. 30. Four of spades. 10. Ten of clubs. 31. Five of spades. 11. Knave of clubs. 32. Six of spades. 12. Queen of clubs. 33. Seven of spades. 13. King of clubs. 34. Eight of spades. 14. Ace of hearts. 35. Nine of spades. 15. Deuce of hearts. 36. Ten of spades. 16. Trey of hearts. 37. Knave of spades. 17. Four of hearts. 38. Queen of spades. 18. Five of hearts. 39. King of spades. 19. Six of hearts. 40. Ace of diamonds. 20. Seven of hearts. 41. Deuce of diamonds. 21. Eight of hearts. 42. Trey of diamonds. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,200 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 200 | Mechanical and Mathematical FEATS OF Alhough - description ese property thefe Mechnaical Pieces of Art, yet to convey " the Pablic - ides of theis and of the incuitive Powers wich which they feem invelled, the is Dexterity. Two Elegant Automats, . dotail of these which evrite the the liants Oue of which a FEMALE FIGURE, as large as life, performs as a ROPE DANCER in inication of Le Belle fo jutly celebrated throaghos Earope -the other is an arrsa rellowine es LITTLE PAILASSE, whofe apperent Naivesse and Powers of Action are equally aftomifhing. Pinses , fee - Homee FOR THE FIRST TIME. The Mechanical PEACOCK, THE VIEW OF THE ciry OF A monk Pista of Anificial Animation which imitates, fo clofely. the Cries, Altions, and Atticades of - and besetifel Bird, thas it ie sot enfrequently fappoled to be an abfolute) lie ling Animal, property " ad as as amuling deception epon the Public. Stockholm, The Magnetic Clock, or le - Viee ell - of Sull - " the be the Forte . Shore arrsa waics will as PROSENTED vas SCENS os THE Monly is on two Chryfal Columma, and furmosnced by a charaßeriftic Figus FALSTAFF, which will amafe and diven the Company. by difovering Voyage of Captain Parry to the chaie Thenghto, are. os an Alphobetical Dial Plase, fornified with a Geil- moving Index. The Senfative WIND-MILL, North Pole: Which segulases its motion by the appasent of a Word from any forme . obey the is the Company by a politive Gif of Inteition. Hie passage threagh the Froses Straits, amonget the SELECT EXPERIMENTS IN FLOATING ICE. HYDRAULICS, Os the There eill De - Equimest, with their Sledges drawa by Degs.-Bears pursued and , hilled b Seilora. As eal be represcated Women in their native Bosts; also the Londing of the Sailore from the Discosery Ships. Fery and Hecle. A GRAND DISPLAY OF WATER-WORKS, THIRD PART-THI CITY OF Th Waser rifas from the fromt of the Suge, and after forming into many delightful Fountains, de. & conjoined with Amsterdam, FIRE OF DIFFERENT KINDS, vas ou Ast - Ziements farioully rell segether the Cieling of the The… | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,199 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 199 | THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK 183 0 Fig. 41 P 8 Fig. 42 | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,199 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 199 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN "Two ELEGANT AUTOMATA "As large as nature, the one representing a beautiful POLONNESE, the other a little boy. "Nothing can surpass the admirable construction of these Pieces. The large figure seems almost endowed with human Faculties, exhibiting the usual feats of a Rope-Dancer, in the fullest limitation of life. The small Figure is invested with equally astonishing powers of action. To such ladies as are spectators it must be a very pleasing circumstance that these exertions do not excite those disagreeable sensations which arise from the sight of Figures fraught with life, performing feats attended with so much danger." By referring to page II3 the reader will find a Schmidt programme, dated 1827, on which the figure is featured as follows: "THE ROPE DANCER, "Whose surprising performances surpass, in agility, attitudes, and evolutions, every Professor of the art, keep- ing correct time to the music of the machinery." A Gyngell programme, dated 1823, which is reproduced in the chapter devoted to "The Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal," page I25, reads as follows: "Two automatons, one of which will execute wonderful feats on the tight rope, and the other dance a characteristic hornpipe." As Gyngell figured in the amusement world from 1788 to 1844, the little figure must have been tolerably well known to the magic-loving public of England by the time Robert-Houdin appeared in London in 1848. A magician named York, who appeared in London in [172] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,198 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 198 | 182 LATEST MAGIC 8 8 of Fig. 39 8 a Fig. 40 | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,198 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 198 | THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON by giving the handle a quarter of a turn to the left, the automaton, whose arms are parallel to the horizon, lift themselves by little and little, till they become vertical and parallel to the rest of the body; if in following the same direction, the other part of the body moves forward ; and by watching the motions through a hole, he seizes the instant that a leg passes before the bar, to leave the automaton astride; afterward he balances it by jerks, and causes it to take a turn around, keeping time with the music as if it was sensible of harmony. "N.B.-Three circumstances concur here to favor the illusion: First, by the assistance of a wire, the confederate can separate the bar from the automaton, which, falling to the ground, persuades one it loses itself by real machin- ery. Secondly, in winding up the levers shown in the body, confirms the spectators in the idea that there is no need of a confederate. Thirdly, the tubes that are twisted around the bar, except where the automaton is joined to it, seem to be the rope itself, and being without motion, as is seen by the garlands which surround them, it cannot be suspected that the bar turns in the inside, from whence it is concluded that the figure moves by its own machinery." According to one of de Philipsthal's advertisements, page I03, the trapeze automaton which he featured was six feet in height. But Pinetti programmes show that he had a smaller figure known as the rope vaulter. This is probably the trick exposed in Decremps' book. On page 108 will be found a Louis programme of 1815, on which a figure is thus featured: [171 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,197 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 197 | THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK 181 8 8 a 8 s 0 FIG. 37 V 8 a a Fig. 38 | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,197 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 197 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN for lightness, of papier-maché. The figure is joined by its hands to a bar of iron, that passes through a partition, and is turned by a confederate; the arms are inflexible at the elbows, but move freely at the shoulders by means of a bolt that goes through the body; and the thighs and Mr. BOLOGNA, Jun's ma. Mechanical Exhibition, an the Sans Parei! Theatre, Strand. 18. Frendo Present Evening, 1819, And - bee - - - - - Theatre, The to Automaton Rope Dapeers, - - The Swan of Oblectation - of - - The - Mechanical Windmill, Woud of Commond. Tine CONJUROR from Constantinople - - - - truly PIRCES of CALLED. LILLIPUT ISLAND; Or Automator Shadows, Taken from the Justly Admired Oubres Chincia. - s. The Maginas's - - Ae A Grand Display of Experiments in HYDRAULICS. Called Fire and Water, FIRE-WORKS, A Bologna bill of 1812, featuring the automatic rope dancers. From the Harry Houdini Collection. legs move in the same manner at the hips and knees, and are stayed by pieces of leather to prevent them from bending in the wrong way. The bar is covered with hollow twisted tubes, and ornamented with artificial flowers, so as no part of it can be seen to turn; the confederate 170] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,196 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 196 | 180 LATEST MAGIC THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK This is an extremely small volume, consisting in fact of six pages only, and no letterpress, the instructions for its use being embodied in a sepa- rate leaflet. On each of its pages are miniature reproductions of thirty-six playing cards, six in a row; every card of the pack being represented once at least among the whole number. The object of the book is to enable the owner to discover the name of a card drawn (or merely thought of) by some member of the company. The chooser is only asked to look at the book, and state on which one or more of its pages the card in question appears, when the performer, without seeing or handling the book himself, can instantly name the card. The six pages of the book are reproduced in the diagrams which follow. Figs 37-42. To be in a position to work the trick, it is neces- sary in the first place to memorise each of the fifty- two cards of the pack in connection with a particu- lar number. This may at first sight appear a for- midable undertaking, but it is not SO in reality. All that really needs to be memorised is the order of the suits; which is as under: 1. Clubs. 2. Hearts. 3. Spades. 4. Diamonds. This order may be instantly recalled by using as | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,196 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 196 | Reproduction of an illustration in "Aufschlüsse zur Magie," by Hofrath von Eckartshausen, showing the automatic rope vaulter as exhibited in 1784 by Pinetti. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection. 169 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,195 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 195 | THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS 179 find by no means difficult of execution, though it will need some little practice to work it neatly. While the second envelope is being opened, get the trick envelope from the pochette into the right hand, clipping it against the second and third joints of the second and third fingers, with the "seal" side turned away from them. When the genuine envelope is handed to you receive it with the left hand, and immediately transfer it to the right, pushing it between the fingers and the palmed one, with the seal facing in the same direction. The moment it is masked by the fingers push the trick envelope outward with the thumb, bringing this into view in its place. Smartly executed the change is instantaneous and cannot possibly be detected. The apparent object of passing it from hand to hand is to have the left hand empty and SO free to take back the penknife from the last holder. From this point all will be easy, as it is the trick envelope which is now alone in view, and all you have to guard against is any accidental exposure of the one now hidden in the hand. This description may justly appear somewhat long-winded, but its length is occasioned by the number of small details demanding notice. In performance, the trick should not take, at most, more than ten minutes. The introductory patter may of course be shortened at pleasure. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,195 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 195 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN claimed it as his invention. Yet with the daring of one who believes that all proof has been destroyed, he an- nounces on page 3I2 of the American edition of his "Memoirs" that he invented "The Trapeze Performer" for his season of 1848. In the illustrated appendix of his French edition he states that the figure made its first appearance at his Paris theatre, October ist, 1849. He thus describes the automaton: "The figure is the size of an infant, and I carry the little artist on my arm in a box. I put him on the trapeze and ask him questions, which he answers by moving his head. Then he bows gracefully to the audience, turning first this way, then that; suspends himself by his hands and draws himself up in time to the music. He also goes through the motions of a strong man, hangs by his head, hands, and feet, and with his legs making the motions of aërial telegraphy." Decremps in his exposé, "The Conjurer Unmasked," published in 1784, thus describes the automaton and its work: "Our attention was next called to observe an automaton figure, that vaulted upon a rope, performing all the postures and evolutions of the most expert tum- blers, keeping exact time to music. By seeing Mr. Van Estin wind up the figures, and being shown the wheels and levers contained in the body of the automaton, caused us to believe it moved by its own springs, when Mr. Van Estin thus explained the deception: "To make a figure of this kind depends a great deal on the proportion and the materials with which it is composed: The legs and thighs are formed out of heavy wood, such as ash or oak; the body of birch or willow, and made hollow, and the head, [ 168 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,194 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 194 | 178 LATEST MAGIC picious feature about the envelope. Even in the unlikely case of his tearing open the envelope, instead of cutting it, it is doubtful whether he would detect the use of the seccotine, which should by this time be practically dry; and by the rest of the spectators it would still be taken for granted that this envelope, like the rest, was sealed in the ordinary way. It will be obvious to the expert reader that the central idea, viz., the transformation by the use of seccotine of an open envelope into one appar- ently sealed in the regular way, is one that admits of a wide variety of detail as to the mode of pres- entation. For instance: The procedure sug- gested for getting rid of the duplicate coin, and apparently rubbing it into the envelope, is but one of many alternatives. The coin might be "passed" by the agency of fire, i.e., wrapped in a piece of flash paper with open fold at bottom and flared off at the psychological moment over a candle flame), or it might be got rid of by vanishing it into the pocket of a black art mat, or by the use of a black art patch, as described at page 20. The critical part of the trick is the "switching" of the two envelopes at the final stage, but in view of their small size this is a matter of very little difficulty. The expert will probably do this after some fashion of his own. The less instructed reader may use the following plan, which he will | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,194 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 194 | THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON ROBERT-HOUBIN, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. LAST THREE PERFORMANCES The celebrated m. ROBERT-HOUDIN will give his Incredible Delusions and Extraordinary FANTASTIQUES AT THE ABOVE THEATRE VOLTICE DU TRAPEZE ON TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 6, Last Day Performance WEDNESDAY MORNING, March 7 COMMENCING AT HALF-PAST TWO O'CLOCK, AND FAREWELL REPRESENTATION, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH DOORS OPEN MT EIGHT O'CLOCK. PRIVATE BOXES, ORCHESTRA STALLS, AND TICKETS, MAY se AS BOTAL 33, OLD BOND est Bood . - BOX OFFICE - - " ell . a, , Copy of a poster used by Robert-Houdin to advertise his trapeze performer. This proves how accurately he duplicated the Pinetti figure, even to the ar- rangement of floral garlands. From the Harry Houdini Collection. [167] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,193 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 193 | THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS 177 hands into the innermost envelope. But I don't expect you to take my word for it. Will you, sir" (any given spectator) "open the outermost envel- ope, first, however, satisfying yourself that it is still securely sealed ?" It is just possible, though not very likely, that the person to whom the envelope and penknife have been handed may notice, and remark audibly, that he cannot feel any coin in the envelope. If such a remark is made, you reply that the coin naturally had to be de-materialised before it could pass into the envelope, and it will take a few minutes for it to re-materialise, but it will become gradually more solid, and will then be distinctly perceptible. The outer envelope having been opened you take back its contents, and under pretext of getting as many witnesses as possible to fair play, have the next envelope opened by a second person, seated at some little distance from the lender of the shill- ing. The last named gentleman is invited himself to open the last envelope, or rather, the trick envel- ope, which you in transit substitute for it. Having already opened a precisely similar envelope, and found it securely fastened, he is not likely to antici- pate anything different about this one. If he uses the penknife and euts it open along the edge of the flap in the usual way he will naturally hold it with the thumb upon the seal and all will be well. As a rule, he will be more concerned to identify the coin as the one he lent than to seek for any sus- | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,193 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 193 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN will be displayed, under the direction of Sieur Castinia, just arrived from Naples, the like never attempted before in this metropolis." There is every reason to believe that Katterfelto, the greatest of bombastic conjurers, used the electrical clock in his performances, as he made a feature of the various late discoveries, and in his programme of 1782 he adver- tises "feats and experiments in Magnetical, Electrical, Op- tical, Chymical, Philosophical, Mathematical, etc., etc." Among implements and instruments or articles men- tioned I found Watches, Caskets, Dice, Cards, Mechan- ical Clocks, Pyramidical Glasses, etc., etc. Gyngell, Sr., the celebrated Bartholomew Fair conjurer, whose career started about 1788, had on his early pro- grammes, "A Pedestal Clock, so singularly constructed that it is obedient to the word of command." On the same programme (Catherine Street Theatre, London, Feb- ruary 15th, 1816) I find "The Russian Inn," "The Con- fectioner's Shop," and "The Automaton Rope Vaulter." This programme is reproduced in full in Chapter IV. Without devoting further space to Robert-Houdin's absurd claim to having invented this clock, we will proceed to discuss his claims to the automaton rope walker, which he called a trapeze performer. The Trapeze Automaton Though "Diavolo Antonio" or "Le Voltigeur Trapeze" was not a simple trick, but a cleverly constructed au- tomaton, worked by a concealed confederate, it was a com- mon feature on programmes long before Robert-Houdin [ 166 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,192 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 192 | 176 LATEST MAGIC duce anything into the innermost of those three envelopes without breaking all three seals. When I say impossible, of course I mean impossible to a mere man. To a magician there is no such word as impossible, except in the dictionary. In fact, the more impossible a thing is, the more any respect- able magician makes up his mind to do it. Watch me carefully, please. I want you to be quite sure all through that there is no deception. "Now then, to pass the coin into this other envel- ope." As you say this, you pick up the coin mat, depress it enough for all present to see the coin upon it, and make the motion of sliding it off into the left hand. This should be done while standing a little in front of your table. In turning to replace the mat, reverse it and lay it with the side to which the coin adheres downwards. If deftly executed, this reversal of the mat will be imper- ceptible, as it is covered by the turn to the table. Even if it were noticed it would have practically no significance for the spectators, who naturally take it for granted that the coin has passed from the mat into your hand. The moment you have laid down the mat, the now disengaged hand picks up the nest of envelopes, and you make believe to rub the coin (supposedly in left hand) into it. This done, you hold the envelope aloft in each hand alternately, allowing it to be seen that the hands are otherwise empty. "So far, SO good! The coin has passed from my | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,192 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 192 | THE CABALISTIC CLOCK described, is credited as having been the invention of Johann Nep. Hofzinser. In an advertisement, published in the London Post of May 23d, 1778, included in my collection, this announce- ment, among others of much interest, will be found: "PART II.-Breslaw will exhibit many of his newly invented deceptions with a grand apparatus and experi- Katterfelto, the bombastic conjurer, who is famous for having sold sulphur matches in 1784, before the Lucifer match is supposed to have been discovered. Reproduced from a rare copy of "The European Magazine," dated June, 1783, now in the Harry Houdini Collection. ments and particularly the Magic Clock, Sympathetic Bell, and Pyramidical Glasses in a manner entirely new." In 1781, while showing at Greenwood's Rooms, Hay- market, London, Breslaw heavily advertised, "Particularly an experiment on a newly invented mechanical clock [165] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,191 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 191 | THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS 175 in the other hand: "I have here two envelopes, or, to be exact, six envelopes, for each of those you see contains two more, one within the other: all carefully sealed. I am going to pass the coin this gentleman has lent me into the innermost of one or other of them, I don't care which, for they are exactly alike, so I shall leave the choice to your- selves." While you are speaking as above the disengaged hand slips the genuine coin into the trick envelope, closes it, pressing the flap well down, and palms it, dropping it a moment or two later into a pochette till needed. "You decide for this envelope? Just as you please. As the other will not be needed I will ask somebody to open it, and bear witness that things are exactly as I have stated." Leaving the chosen envelope on the table in full view and bringing forward the other, have the lat- ter opened by some member of the company with the penknife. Hand the envelope produced from it, with the knife, to a second spectator, to be dealt with in like manner. When the innermost is reached, have this opened by the lender of the marked coin : this apparent proof of good faith tending to make him less critical when, at a later stage, he is invited to do the same with the trick envelope. "Nothing could be fairer, could it ? You will all agree that it would have been impossible to intro- | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,191 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 191 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN I am reproducing herewith a number of programmes describing the effect of the trick and proving that it was no novelty when Robert-Houdin "invented" it. In fact the trick was so common that only the supreme egotism BRESLAW Reproduction of a triple colored lithograph. This section features Breslaw in stage costume. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection. of the man can explain his having introduced it into the pages of his book as an original trick. The mysterious clock worked by the counterweight, which has been [ 164 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,190 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 190 | 174 LATEST MAGIC out how it was done, or die. They haven't come again: SO I suppose they died.¹ "As you are prepared to run the risk I will ask some gentleman to oblige me with the loan of a shilling, marked in some unmistakable way. Thank you, Sir. You have marked the coin? Then please place it here, on this little tray. I won't touch it myself at present. All please keep one eye upon it, the other eye you had better keep on me." Receive the coin on the mat, held in right hand. After showing the left hand empty, transfer the mat to that hand and show the right empty. Return the mat to right hand, but before doing SO turn that hand over SO as to receive the mat with thumb undermost. Just as you reach the table to place the mat upon it bring the second and third fingers over the borrowed coin, and under cover of your own body turn the mat over. In putting it down on the table draw away the borrowed coin into the hand and palm it. To the eye of the spec- tator the state of things will be unaltered, your own coin, now uppermost on the mat, being taken for the borrowed one. You continue, standing behind your table, and resting the right hand, with the palmed coin, close to the trick envelope, and holding up the two nests 1 This rigmarole may equally well be used by way of introduction to any other trick of sufficient importance. King George's puzzlement about the dumplings is said to be a matter of history, but, I do not guarantee it as a fact. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,190 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 190 | FOR THE FIRST TIME. The Mechanical PEACOCK, THE VIEW OF THE CITY or A - Piece of Anificial Animation which imitases, 6 clofely. the Cries, Altions, and Assicudos of the Sasely and beastifel Bied. thas it ie sot enfrequently fappoled to be an abfolate liv ing Animal, propedly imaned 10 aû as - amuling deception apos the Public. Stockholm, The Magnetic Clock, or to - Viss ell be - ender Sell .... the arrsa well as TRE SEAUTITUC SCENS or THE Nowly is fapported on two Chryfal Columna, and termounted by a charaCerific Figur of which will amule and divert the Company. by difoovering Voyage of Captain Parry to the their arc. on an Aiphobetical Dial Plate, fernifhed with a feif-moving fedex. The Senfative WIND-MILL, North Pole: Which regulases its motion by the apparens impalie of a Word from any Speflator-sa forms - obey the With of the Company by a pelitive Gift of Incaition, His paseage threugh the Frotes Straits, amonger the SELECT EXPERÉMENTS IN FLOATING ICE. HYDRAULICS, Os the Sbore will be - Sequimere, with their Sledges draws by Degs.-Besre persued and , hilled b As See sal be represested Esquimaux Wome is their native Boate; also the Londing of the Sailore from the Discesery Ships. Fary and Hecla. A GRAND DISPLAY OF WATER-WORKS, THIRD PART THE CITY OF The rifes from the frome of the Suge, endafter forming into many delightful Fountains, is conjoined with Amsterdam, FIRE OF DIFFERENT KINDS, wa ou Ast the - bellile Ziements ferioully rell together to the Cieling of the Thestre, the Water The Vise . - the ote The Viee of the Bridge " es the Ametel. The Toes . - ages late Morese thie - - .. of the Met " alfo to the fimme heigle a Lafkre with Candles burning. FIRE-WORKS PLAYING, An Aquatic Exhibition on the River. A . le - several Trephico of Victery. the Ascras of the ie ", tring - diepery oth Experimess, without any Offeince even to the mon delicase but efter Ellers. Perase is - - gaie the Top, .. beer eve, the Pras. TOURTUI PLECE. THE WOVOERFUL ANO UNRIVALLED To will be added fevera) Original Experiments in the Sc… | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,189 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 189 | THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS 173 George the Third, I can't say I do myself. He was. before my time, but there is a funny little story told about him. One day when out for a walk, he went into a farmhouse where he found the family having their dinner. One dish consisted of apple- dumplings, and the question crossed the King's mind, 'How on earth did the apples get into the dumplings? He didn't like to ask, but he couldn't get the puzzle out of his head. He thought about it SO much and it worried him SO that at last he went clean out of his mind. He became non compos mentis, which is the doctors' polite way of saying dotty. "I mention this story by way of a caution. What I am goong to show you is ever SO much more incom- prehensible than any number of apple dumplings; in fact, SO extra-extraordinary that if anybody here was the least bit 'excitable and I sprung it upon him unawares he might go dotty like old Georgie. So if any of you feel at all nervous, don't hesitate to go home, or you can go and sit on the stairs till this particular experiment is over. Nobody moves! I am pleased to find that you are all SO strong-minded, but if anything happens don't blame me. "I have known strong men ; men of massive intel- lect, like myself, come here with a smile on their faces, but when they left the smile was replaced by an air of grim determination. You could see at a glance that they had made up their minds to find | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,189 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 189 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN "Two ELEGANT AUTOMATA "As large as nature, the one representing a beautiful POLONNESE, the other a little boy. "Nothing can surpass the admirable construction of these Pieces. The large figure seems almost endowed with human Faculties, exhibiting the usual feats of a Rope-Dancer, in the fullest limitation of life. The small Figure is invested with equally astonishing powers of action. To such ladies as are spectators it must be a very pleasing circumstance that these exertions do not excite those disagreeable sensations which arise from the sight of Figures fraught with life, performing feats attended with so much danger." By referring to page II3 the reader will find a Schmidt programme, dated 1827, on which the figure is featured as follows: "THE ROPE DANCER, "Whose surprising performances surpass, in agility, attitudes, and evolutions, every Professor of the art, keep- ing correct time to the music of the machinery." A Gyngell programme, dated 1823, which is reproduced in the chapter devoted to "The Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal," page I25, reads as follows: "Two automatons, one of which will execute wonderful feats on the tight rope, and the other dance a characteristic hornpipe." As Gyngell figured in the amusement world from 1788 to 1844, the little figure must have been tolerably well known to the magic-loving public of England by the time Robert-Houdin appeared in London in 1848. A magician named York, who appeared in London in [172] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,188 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 188 | 172 LATEST MAGIC as yet lacks the connecting medium for actually securing it. 3. The "coin mat" (page 4) freshly treated with the usual adhesive. The side so treated is to be turned downwards on the table with a shilling pressed against the adhesive portion. 4. A penknife, to be used as envelope opener. As shortly as possible before the presentation of the trick, the trick envelope must be further pre- pared by spreading a thin layer of seccotine on that portion of the underside of the flap immediately under the seal. N. B. This must not be done too long before- hand, as it is essential to the success of the trick that the envelope be used while the seccotine is still in a "tacky" condition. The envelope prepared as above, to be laid on the table, behind some small object, or preferably just inside the foremost rim of a Japanese tray; at one corner, mouth uppermost, and flap to the rear. Under these conditions, the butting of the opposite edge of the envelope against the forward wall of the tray will be found greatly to facilitate the sub- sequent introduction of the borrowed coin. Before so placing the envelope, its edges on each side should be pressed slightly inwards, SO as to make it expand a little at the opening. These arrangements duly made, the performer may introduce the trick as follows: "I don't know whether anybody here remembers | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,188 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 188 | THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON by giving the handle a quarter of a turn to the left, the automaton, whose arms are parallel to the horizon, lift themselves by little and little, till they become vertical and parallel to the rest of the body; if in following the same direction, the other part of the body moves forward; and by watching the motions through a hole, he seizes the instant that a leg passes before the bar, to leave the automaton astride; afterward he balances it by jerks, and causes it to take a turn around, keeping time with the music as if it was sensible of harmony. "N.B.-Three circumstances concur here to favor the illusion: First, by the assistance of a wire, the confederate can separate the bar from the automaton, which, falling to the ground, persuades one it loses itself by real machin- ery. Secondly, in winding up the levers shown in the body, confirms the spectators in the idea that there is no need of a confederate. Thirdly, the tubes that are twisted around the bar, except where the automaton is joined to it, seem to be the rope itself, and being without motion, as is seen by the garlands which surround them, it cannot be suspected that the bar turns in the inside, from whence it is concluded that the figure moves by its own machinery." According to one of de Philipsthal's advertisements, page I03, the trapeze automaton which he featured was six feet in height. But Pinetti programmes show. that he had a smaller figure known as the rope vaulter. This is probably the trick exposed in Decremps' book. On page 108 will be found a Louis programme of 1815, on which a figure is thus featured: [171] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,187 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 187 | THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS 171 "trick" envelope. This is of the same size and kind as the innermost of the nested envelopes but has undergone special preparation as follows: Taking two ordinary envelopes, cut round the edges of one of them with a penknife, completely dividing back from front. Take the plain or non- flap side of the one SO treated, lay it squarely under FIG. 36 the flap of the other, and stick the flap down upon it in the ordinary way: then add a seal of red wax, as closely as possible corresponding in appear- ance with the two seals of the innermost of the nested envelopes. Lastly, cut away the super- fluous paper round the seal and the edges of the flap. The envelope will now be shown as in Fig. 36, and when closed will have the appearance of an envelope sealed in the ordinary way, though it | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,187 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 187 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN for lightness, of papier-maché. The figure is joined by its hands to a bar of iron, that passes through a partition, and is turned by a confederate; the arms are inflexible at the elbows, but move freely at the shoulders by means of a bolt that goes through the body; and the thighs and Mr. BOLOGNA, Jun's Mechanical Exhibition, ma. an the Sans Parej! Theatre, Strand. Mard 18. Present Evening, And - Dope and dering Love, - - Theatre, leams The Two Automaton Rope Dapeers, - - - the Swan of Oblectation wa - - of - - - - impose - Pragiona, The - - Comme - be - of 4 - - - . - Mechanical Windmill, - Wend of Commond. `ine CONJUROR from Constantinople - - - truly PIECES of CALLED, LILLIPUT ISLAND; Or Automator Shadows, Taken from the Justly Admired Oubres Chincia. - Boone The - Ae CLASS m. A Grand Display of Experiments in HYIRAULICS. Called Fire and Water, Free - Me. - FIRE-WORKS, - The A Bologna bill of 1812, featuring the automatic rope dancers. From the Harry Houdini Collection. legs move in the same manner at the hips and knees, and are stayed by pieces of leather to prevent them from bending in the wrong way. The bar is covered with hollow twisted tubes, and ornamented with artificial flowers, so as no part of it can be seen to turn; the confederate [170] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,186 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 186 | 170 LATEST MAGIC THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS This is a trick involving some little trouble in the way of preparation, and perhaps a little more than average address on the part of the performer, but on the other hand it costs little; for all the needful appliances may be homemade, and in the hands of an expert the trick will amply repay the time and trouble expended upon it. Baldly stated, its effect consists in the magical introduction of a marked coin into the innermost of a nest of three envelopes, each securely sealed. The requirements for the trick are as under: 1. Two nests of envelopes. The innermost of each is one of the little square kind used in shops to contain copper "change," or to hold the weekly wage of an employee. It should be of cartridge or stout manila paper, and about two inches square. The next larger is of the ordinary square or so- called square-note size, and the third a little larger still. Envelopes of the two last mentioned sizes are not always to be obtained made of cartridge or manila, but this condition is not in their case absolutely essential. The flap of each envelope must be stuck down and sealed with red wax.¹ 2. A special envelope, which we will call the 1 If the performer does not object to the slight additional trouble, he will find an easy method of obtaining envelopes exactly square and of any desired description of paper, indicated in the chapter entitled "A Few Wrinkles," post. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,186 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 186 | Reproduction of an illustration in "Aufschlüsse zur Magie," by Hofrath von Eckartshausen, showing the automatic rope vaulter as exhibited in 1784 by Pinetti. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection. [ 169 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,185 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 185 | THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS 169 now moved away from himself, and the pressure of the brake being relaxed, the coin is now drawn in the same direction. "Quod erat demonstrandum," as our old friend Shakespeare (or was it Euclid) used to say." (To the lender of the coin.) "You must take care of this coin, Sir; it is now charged with a minute quantity of the 'od' force, and SO long as you keep it you can never be 'stony-broke.' I will show you just one more effect with it before I return it to you." While speaking, he has carelessly picked up the coin, and replaced it on the inner side of the screw SO that this shall be no longer encircled by the thread. Picking up the match box from the table, he pushes out the "tray" portion with the fore- finger; then throwing aside the outer case, he picks up the tray, and inverts it over the coin. "I will now show you that the 'od' force still operates even though it is cut off from any direct connection with the subject of the experiment: but in this case a little more power is required." So saying he rubs the glass ball again on his coat- sleeve, and, moving the ball accordingly, causes the coin to travel towards him, the matchbox natur- ally moving with it. In again picking up the coin, to return it to the owner, he detaches it from the disc, which flies back to its original resting-place. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,185 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 185 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN claimed it as his invention. Yet with the daring of one who believes that all proof has been destroyed, he an- nounces on page 3I2 of the American edition of his "Memoirs" that he invented "The Trapeze Performer" for his season of 1848. In the illustrated appendix of his French edition he states that the figure made its first appearance at his Paris theatre, October ist, 1849. He thus describes the automaton: "The figure is the size of an infant, and I carry the little artist on my arm in a box. I put him on the trapeze and ask him questions, which he answers by moving his head. Then he bows gracefully to the audience, turning first this way, then that; suspends himself by his hands and draws himself up in time to the music. He also goes through the motions of a strong man, hangs by his head, hands, and feet, and with his legs making the motions of aërial telegraphy." Decremps in his exposé, "The Conjurer Unmasked," published in 1784, thus describes the automaton and its work: "Our attention was next called to observe an automaton figure, that vaulted upon a rope, performing all the postures and evolutions of the most expert tum- blers, keeping exact time to music. By seeing Mr. Van Estin wind up the figures, and being shown the wheels and levers contained in the body of the automaton, caused us to believe it moved by its own springs, when Mr. Van Estin thus explained the deception: "To make a figure of this kind depends a great deal on the proportion and the materials with which it is composed: The legs and thighs are formed out of heavy wood, such as ash or oak; the body of birch or willow, and made hollow, and the head, [ 168 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,184 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 184 | 168 LATEST MAGIC "I shall now, by means of the 'od' force, compel the coin to move towards This he does accordingly, by relaxing the pressure of the thumb upon the thread and merely bringing the pull of the weight into operation. When the coin has all but reached the nearer end of the tramway, he says, "We will now see if we can make it travel a little longer distance." So saying he draws the thread out again and lays the coin on the farther end of the tram, and again makes it travel slowly back. A good effect may be here produced by making it stop half-way, and (after remarking in a casual way that the power is hardly strong enough) pick- ing up the ball, again rubbing it upon the sleeve and moving it, a few inches distance, in the direc- tion in which the coin is to travel, when it resumes its journey accordingly. Once more picking up the coin, he replaces it at the farther end of the tramway, but in so doing passes the thread outside and around the screw at that end. He then remarks, as if bethinking him- self : "By the way, a lady suggested the other night that the coin was attracted towards me by my personal magnetism. I know I am an attrac- tive man : I have been told so frequently but that is not the explanation in this case, as I will prove to you by making the coin travel away from me." So saying, he draws the coin towards him, easing off the pressure on the thread to enable him to do so, and leaves it at the inner end. The ball is | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,184 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 184 | THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON ROBERT-KOUDIN, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. LAST THREE PERFORMANCES The celebrated ". ROBERT-HOUDIN will give his Incredible Delusions and Extraordinary FANTASTIQUES AT THE ABOVE THEATRE LA VOLTICE DU TRAPÉZE ON TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 6, Last Day Performance WEDNESDAY MORNING, March 7 COMMENCING AT HALF-PAST TWO O'CLOCK, AND FAREWELL REPRESENTATION, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 8 DOORS OPEN AT EIGHT O'CLOCK. PAIVATE BOXES, ORCHESTRA STALLS, AND TICKETS, MAT - BOTAL 83, OLD OND Hoossan's Lasoma - - Casson's end the 19, Regues abe BOX orfics There * que Daily, - . a T, Copy of a poster used by Robert-Houdin to advertise his trapeze performer. This proves how accurately he duplicated the Pinetti figure, even to the ar- rangement of floral garlands. From the Harry Houdini Collection. 167 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,183 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 183 | inspection. The performer takes back the tram- way in the left hand, holding it by one end in such manner that it is gripped in the fork of the thumb, leaving the thumb itself comparatively free. Tak- ing back the ball with the right hand and remark- ing "Now to develop the force," he rubs it on his left coat-sleeve, and strokes the surface of the tram- way two or three times with it. "Having now established a proper degree of 'oddity' between the tram and the crystal, I will ask for the loan of a half-dollar (or florin as the case may be) marked in any way the owner pleases." He replaces the ball on the table, and in the act of again turning to the audience gets hold of the waxed disc and draws it away from the body, hold- ing it clipped between the ends of the first and sec- ond fingers, the left thumb pressing the thread against the cloth top of the tramway, and acting for the time being (and indeed throughout the trick) as a brake neutralising at pleasure the pull of the weight. He receives the coin on the tramway; then pick- ing it up with the right hand, makes some obser- vation as to the mark, meanwhile pressing the waxed side of the disc against it, then replacing it, disc down, in the middle of the tramway. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,183 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 183 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN will be displayed, under the direction of Sieur Castinia, just arrived from Naples, the like never attempted before in this metropolis." There is every reason to believe that Katterfelto, the greatest of bombastic conjurers, used the electrical clock in his performances, as he made a feature of the various late discoveries, and in his programme of 1782 he adver- tises "feats and experiments in Magnetical, Electrical, Op- tical, Chymical, Philosophical, Mathematical, etc., etc." Among implements and instruments or articles men- tioned I found Watches, Caskets, Dice, Cards, Mechan- ical Clocks, Pyramidical Glasses, etc., etc. Gyngell, Sr., the celebrated Bartholomew Fair conjurer, whose career started about 1788, had on his early pro- grammes, "A Pedestal Clock, so singularly constructed that it is obedient to the word of command." On the same programme (Catherine Street Theatre, London, Feb- ruary 15th, 1816) I find "The Russian Inn," "The Con- fectioner's Shop," and "The Automaton Rope Vaulter." This programme is reproduced in full in Chapter IV. Without devoting further space to Robert-Houdin's absurd claim to having invented this clock, we will proceed to discuss his claims to the automaton rope walker, which he called a trapeze performer. The Trapeze Automaton Though "Diavolo Antonio" or "Le Voltigeur Trapeze" was not a simple trick, but a cleverly constructed au- tomaton, worked by a concealed confederate, it was a com- mon feature on programmes long before Robert-Houdin [ 166 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,182 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 182 | 166 LATEST MAGIC in the choice of their parents. He invented a lot of useful things, among them creosote and paraffin. Neither of them smells very nice, but they don't trouble about that in Germany. "Besides being a great chemist, Von Thingany dabbled in what are called the occult sciences, and he claimed to have discovered a new force (a sort of magnetism, only different) and which, he declared, pervaded every thing in nature, espe- cially crystal. Directed by a strong will, like his own, or mine, it would do all sorts of wonderful things. It seemed to me that such a force would come in very handy for magical purposes, and I set to work to invent it over again, and I have at any rate produced something very like it. The Baron called his force 'odd,' but he spelt it 'od,' which is odd too. You must judge for yourselves whether my force is the same as his, and you can spell it which way you like. "I have only been able so far to work up a very small amount of the force, say about six-mouse- power, SO it won't turn tables, or lift pianos. I can only get it, SO far, to move a small weight like a florin or a half-dollar, and that only for a very short distance. For greater conveniences I have made this little tramway for the coin to perform upon. These wires which you see are not for it to travel on, but merely to get more equal distribution of the force. There is nothing out of the way about | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,182 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 182 | THE CABALISTIC CLOCK described, is credited as having been the invention of Johann Nep. Hofzinser. In an advertisement, published in the London Post of May 23d, 1778, included in my collection, this announce- ment, among others of much interest, will be found: "PART II.-Breslaw will exhibit many of his newly invented deceptions with a grand apparatus and experi- Katterfelto, the bombastic conjurer, who is famous for having sold sulphur matches in 1784, before the Lucifer match is supposed to have been discovered. Reproduced from a rare copy of "The European Magazine," dated June, 1783, now in the Harry Houdini Collection. ments and particularly the Magic Clock, Sympathetic Bell, and Pyramidical Glasses in a manner entirely new." In 1781, while showing at Greenwood's Rooms, Hay- market, London, Breslaw heavily advertised, "Particularly an experiment on a newly invented mechanical clock [ 165] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,181 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 181 | AN "od" FORCE 165 The opposite end of the thread, which will be somewhere about thirty inches in length (this again being a point to be determined by experiment), is passed through the curled end of a good-sized safety pin. This, for use in the trick, is attached to the inside of the performer's vest, just within the lowest part of the opening. To the free-end of the thread, after passing through the loop of the pin, is attached a disc of copper or zinc, three- quarters of an inch in diameter, against which, on one side, is pressed and flattened out a pellet of conjurer's wax, in good adhesive condition. If the length of the thread has been duly regulated, the little disc will rest normally just within the vest, but can be drawn out the extent of a couple of feet or so, returning swiftly to its hiding place the moment it is released. (3) A glass ball-professedly crystal. (4) An ordinary match-box, empty. Instructions for the working of the trick will be most conveniently given step by step with the patter, which may run as follows: "In the early days of Queen Victoria's reign, when the oldest of us here present were good little boys or girls, and the rest were not born or thought of, there lived a celebrated scientific gentleman, called the Baron von Reichenbach. I am sorry to say he was a German, but he couldn't help it. As his father and mother were Germans, he had to be one too. It shows how careful children ought to be | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,181 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 181 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN I am reproducing herewith a number of programmes describing the effect of the trick and proving that it was no novelty when Robert-Houdin "invented" it. In fact the trick was so common that only the supreme egotism BRESLAW Reproduction of a triple colored lithograph. This section features Breslaw in stage costume. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection. of the man can explain his having introduced it into the pages of his book as an original trick. The mysterious clock worked by the counterweight, which has been 164 | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,180 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 180 | 164 *LATEST MAGIC (2) A special "pull" carried on the person of the performer. This consists of a fine black thread, to one end of which is attached a weight travelling up and down the trouser leg, after the manner described (in connection with a self-sus- pending wand) at page 111 of "Later Magic." In the present case, however, the weight is much smaller, being in fact just large enough to rather more than counterbalance the coin used in the trick, plus the friction to be overcome by the thread in the working of the trick. The degree of such friction is an uncertain quantity, as it will largely depend on the nature of the operator's underwear and its closeness to his own body. The precise weight most effective must be ascertained by pre- vious experiment, and regulated accordingly. It will be found convenient to use by way of weight a glass tube, closed at the bottom like a test-tube and loaded with buckshot, more or less in quantity according to the weight required. The mouth of the tube is closed by a cork, through which one end of the thread is passed, and secured on the under side by a knot and a spot of gum. When the minimum weight that will effectually serve the desired purpose has been ascertained, any vacant space above the leaden pellets should be filled with cotton wool (to prevent rattling) and the cork should then be cemented into the tube. If preferred, the wool may be interspersed among the buckshot. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,180 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 180 | THE CABALISTIC CLOCK The mechanic walked off the stage winking at me in the most roguish manner. Robert-Houdin worked The Mystic Bell trick in con- nection with The Clock. This was manipulated in the same way. The bell was worked with thread, pulling a small pin, which in turn caused the handle to fall against the glass bell. Naturally, having electricity at his command at that time, he made use of that force whenever it suited his fancy. I am positive that Robert-Houdin presented the elec- trical clock, because T. Bolin, of Moscow, visited Paris and bought the trick from Voisin, the French manu- facturer of conjuring apparatus. The trick which Robert- Houdin presented, according to his claims, was with the clock hanging in midair to prove that it was not electri- cally connected, but the truth of the matter is that the strings which held the clock suspended in midair con- cealed the wires through which his electrical current ran. In my library of old conjuring books the thread meth- od is ably described by Hofrath von Eckartshausen, mentioned earlier in this chapter. In fact in the pictorial appendix of this work he gives this trick prominence by mi- nutely illustrating the same. He makes use of two hands, and to make the trick infallible he explains that the best way would be to use two glass disks, have them held together by a brass rim, and your threads will work with absolute certainty. The spectators imagine that they are seeing only one glass clock. Johann Conrad Gutle, the well-known delver after secrets of natural magic, also explains several cabalistic clock tricks in his book published in 1802. [ 163] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,179 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 179 | - - eighths of an inch thick and covered as to its upper side with fine black cloth. To the cloth-covered side of this is attached, by means of a screw at each corner, a parallelogram of brass or copper wire enclosing a space two inches wide. The four screws, which are likewise of brass, and which are Fig. 35 of the round-headed kind, are within the parallelo- gram and serve to keep the wire extended. Mid- way at each end is another screw, driven in out- side the wire, in such manner as to make all taut. These last two screws, for a reason connected with the working of the trick, stand up a shade higher than the other four, but the difference is not great enough to be noticeable. See Fig. 35. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,179 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 179 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN Collinson Reproduction of rare engraving of Johann Nep. Hofzinser, who invented the clock worked by a counter-weight, and who was one of the world's great- est card tricksters. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection. it [162] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,178 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 178 | 162 LATEST MAGIC this for the trick block, which is now at the bottom of the tube. "Once more, ladies and gentlemen, here is the chimney pot, and here are the three bricks, for inspection by any one who cares to look at them. Perhaps some of you may be able to account for their remarkable behaviour. It's a puzzle to me; but I never was good at guessing. My own idea is that they are haunted by the ghost of Fidgety Phil. If not, I give it up." AN "OD" FORCE To avoid misconception, it may be well to state at once that the peculiar spelling of the word "od" in the above title is not a printer's error. The explanation will be found in the patter, which is founded on a discovery claimed to have been made by a scientist at one time of world-wide renown, and the responsibility for so spelling the word rests with him. For programme purposes the reader is at liberty to re-name the trick according to his own fancy. "Mysterious Motion," or "Moved by Magic" would fairly represent the effect produced, which consists in causing a borrowed coin to move automatically at the will of the operator, in various directions. The requirements for the trick are as follows: (1) The "tramway" whereon the coin is to be made to travel. This consists of a' slab of wood | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,178 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 178 | THE CABALISTIC CLOCK purpose, he grasped the dial at the bottom, causing the number 6 instead of I2 to be on top. When the hand started to turn, of course it would have stopped at the Great WONDERS WONDERS! WONDERS! WON- DERS! and WONDERS! are new to be feen in a ve y warm Room, at No. 22, Piccadilly, This and every day this week, from eleven in the mor ing ill four in the after- noon, and precifely at feven clock, every cvening this week, M R. KATTERFELTO will fhow a variery of new furpriling Experiments in Natural and Expe- rimental Philofopby and Math.matics, and his whole regular Courfe of Philofophical L Qures are deliver-d in Twelve différent times, a different Lecture and Experiment every day, and every evening at 7 o'clock. His various Experi. ments are asfollow, vlz. PHILOSOPHICAL, PNEUMATIC, MATHEMATICAL, HYDRAULIC, OPTICAL, HYDROSTATIC, MAGNETICAL, PROETIC, ELECTRICAL, STENOGRAPHIC. PHYSICAL, BLENCICAL, CHYMICAL, CAPRIMANTIC ART. By his new-improved SOLAR MICROSCOPE, Will be feen many furprining infects in different wate:s, beer, miik, vinegar, and blood; and other curioas objeits. Mr. K A T T E R F E L Her, in Nis travels years par, int? the isc- nour to shibit with great applanse beforc the Emprofs of Ruffia, the Queen of Hangary, the King of Pruflia, Den- mark, Sweden, and Polland, and before many other Princes. And af.er his Lecture, Mr. Katterfelto will fhow ard dif- cover feveral NEW DECEPTIONS, on DICE, CARDS, SILVER and GOLD, BILLIARDS, TENNIS, BOXES, MEDALS, LETTERS, MONEY, PYRAMIDICAL GLASES WATCHES; CASKETS, MECHANICAL CLOCKS Admittance, front feats 3s. fecond feats 23. back frats 19. for fervants only. Newspaper clipping of 1782, showing that Katterfelto used the cabalistic clock. From the Harry Houdini Collection. wrong number. I managed to escape humiliation by pretending I was afraid he would break the clock by letting it fall, so took it away from him, holding it myself. II [ 161 | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,177 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 177 | THE BEWILDERING BLOCKS 161 bottom, checked by the third finger, and replaces tube upright on table. "As before, I drop in first the blue, then the white, then the red." (This last being the trick block, care must be taken to keep its red sides well to the front.) "Again I left off the chimney pot, and again you see, the bricks have changed places. White has come to the top, and red has gone to the bottom again." The trick block, which this time remained at the top, is now allowed to slide down to the bottom. The tube is again placed on the table, but so turned that the blue sides of the block within it are brought to the front. "I can't tell you why the bricks behave in this way, but you can see for yourselves that I have nothing to do with it. We will try it once more, and for a change I will put the red block in first, then the white and then the blue. That order will be easy to remember. Red, white and blue reckon- ing from the bottom upwards. Again I remove the cover. The same thing has happened again, but with a little difference. White has come to the top again, but blue has this time gone to the bot- tom."7 While attention is drawn to the new order of the blocks, the performer allows the ordinary blue one, now left in the tube, to slide out into his hand, and in picking up the others secretly substitutes | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,177 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 177 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN Years ago when I introduced this trick in my per- formance, I called a young man on my stage and asked him to place the hand on the spindle. It would then re- volve and stop at any number named. But first I made him inform the audience the number he had chosen, Fig 19 . P o Figsy. of is n m to is 2 K 6 Tig 16 a a e XII a e of g g = i the IS The above diagram exposes the magic clock trick, as offered in the time of Hofrath von Eckartshausen, a German writer on magic in the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. Fig. 15 shows the clock in position for the trick, hung against the rear wall or 'drop." Gaily-colored ribbons hide thin leather tubes through which run two sets of stout silk thread or catgut, connecting with the hour and minute hands. The thread then passes through the two iron rings, p and o in Figures 17 and 19, which are screwed to the ceiling; thence to the hidden confederate, who manipulates the clock hands as the hour and minute are announced by magician or spectator. Fig. 16 shows the two faces of the clock, with the fine connecting rod around which the string is woudn to manipulate the hands. This mechanism is hidden by a flat brass band which encircles the edges of the two transparent faces. From Eckartshausen's "The Conjurer's Pocket," edition of 1791. which gave me time to fix the weight with my thumb. I then gave him the hand, but he was a skilled mechanic, and possibly knew the trick. Instead of holding the clock by the ring at the top, which was there for that [160] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,176 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 176 | 160 LATEST MAGIC in the chimney. They go in quite easily; but when they are once inside they can't turn round, or turn over, or change places. But the curious thing is that though they can't they do, as you will see presently. "I place the chimney-pot here on the table, where you can see all round it, and I drop the three bricks into it one by one. Notice particu- larly the order in which I put them in. First, the blue. You heard it go down. Next, the white, and now, the red. Don't forget. Blue at the bot- tom, white in the middle, and red at the top. "Now, without my saying or doing anything, they will at once begin to shift about. They can't keep still for more than a few seconds. When I lift off the chimney pot, you will find that they have changed places." (It is lifted accordingly, per- former holding back the uppermost block within it by gentle pressure on opposite angles of the tube, and exhibiting only the three lower blocks now as in Fig. 34.) "There, as I told you, like Fidgety Phil, they couldn't keep still. The white brick has climbed to the top, the red one has gone down to the bot- tom, and the blue one is now in the middle. "We will try again. I will put the bricks in in just the same order, to make it easier for you to remember them." Performer has meanwhile allowed the red block, left in the upper part of the tube, to sink to the | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,176 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 176 | THE CABALISTIC CLOCK reliable dealer of conjuring apparatus, in almost any part of the world. For a clock worked by counterweight the hand of thin brass is prepared in the centre, where there is a weight of peculiar shape which has at the thin or tapering end a small pin. This pin is fixed permanently to the weight and can be revolved about the small plate on which it is riveted. Through this plate there is a hole, exactly in the centre. This hand has all this covered with a brass cap, and, to make the arrow point to any given number, you simply move the weight with your thumb. The pin clicks and allows you to feel it as it moves from one hole to another. With very little practice you can move this weight, while in the act of handing it to some one to place it on the centre of the clock face; and when spun, the weight, of its own accord, will land on the bottom, causing the hand to point where it is forced by the law of gravity. The plate on which the weight is fastened is grooved or milled, so that it answers to the slightest movement of your thumb. When the clock is on the stage and the hand moves simply by the command of the performer or audience, it is manipulated by an assistant behind the scenes, either by the aid of electricity or by an endless thread which is wrapped about the spindle and runs through the two ribbons or strings that hold the clock in midair. Some conjurers work the clock so arranged as to make a com- bination trick; first by having it worked by the concealed confederate; then, taking the clock off the stand and bringing it down in the midst of the audience. But for this trick you can use only one hand. [ 159 ] 1 | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,175 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 175 | THE BEWILDERING BLOCKS 159 man called Fidgety Phil, There is a little poem about him. It says: 'Fidgety Phil Couldn't keep still, Made his mother and father ill.' "There are a lot more verses but I am sorry to say I don't know them. However, these few lines are enough to show you what sort of a boy Fidgety Phil was. He was the kind of boy that wherever he is, he wants to be somewhere else. When he was standing up he wanted to sit down, and when he was sitting down he wriggled about on his chair till he was allowed to stand up again. "These little blocks are all that are left of a box of bricks which are said to have belonged to Fidgety Phil and they show what even a box of bricks may come to if a bad example is constantly set before them. These three little bricks have got to be just as fidgety as Phil was himself. Any- how, that is the only way in which I can account for their queer behaviour. "Please have a good look at them, and see if you can discover anything peculiar about them. I can't, myself." (The blocks are handed for exam- ination.) "They seem to me to be just ordinary bits of coloured wood, and this square tube is believed to have been a chimney pot belonging to the same set. I want you to notice particularly that the bricks are just the right size to fit closely | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,175 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 175 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN in the centre of the glass face, and revolves it. The arrow or hand is worked by a counterweight, controlled by the M. Jacobs, magician, ventriloquist, and bold imitator of John Henry Anderson. From a rare lithograph now in the Harry Houdini Collection. performer, who has it fixed before he hands it to the inno- cent spectator. The clock can be purchased from any [158] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,174 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 174 | 158 LATEST MAGIC after inspection, before placing it on the table he secretly introduces the trick block into its lower end, privately noting against which sides of the tube the two red faces will lie, and taking care in placing the tube upon the table that the angle formed by these two sides shall be to the front. The other three blocks are then, in accordance with the patter, dropped in from above, in the order shown in Fig. 32, resting, unknown to the specta- tors, on top of the trick block. When the performer lifts off the tube, which he does grasping it diagon- ally between thumb and finger at about an inch from the top, he does so with gentle pressure, thereby holding back the uppermost block within the tube, and exposing the two others with the trick block at the bottom, as indicated by Fig. 34. I gave a description of this trick in the Magician of February, 1914. The patter for its exhibition was based on a popular nursery legend, and as this mode of presentation won general approval from the juveniles I cannot do better than repeat it prac- tically as there given. The needful working instructions will be found interspersed with the patter. "What I am goong to show you now is not a trick, or, if you can call it a trick, it is one that works itself, for you will see for yourselves that I have really nothing to do with it. It is just an illustra- tion of the force of bad example. "No doubt you have all heard of a young gentle- | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,174 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 174 | THE CABALISTIC CLOCK or as slowly as possible, or in time to music. In fact the performer has full control of the hands-he can make them do his every bidding. The mysterious clock is a trick as old as the obedient- card trick, if not. older. It was explained according to various methods in books before Robert-Houdin's appearance on the stage. In fact, the majority of old- time conjuring books explain mysterious clocks carefully. Before electricity was introduced, magnets were em- ployed, but the earliest method was to make use of thread wound about the spindle of the clock hand, and that method is still the very best used to-day, owing to its simplicity. The clock, on being presented to the audience, may be hung or placed in the position best suited to the particular method by which it is being "worked." It shows a transparent clock face, such as you see in any jewelry shop. Some magicians utilize only one hand, which permits the easy use of electricity or magnet, while others employ two and even three hands. When more than one hand is used the hours and minutes are indicated simultaneously and, if cards are pasted on the clock face, the largest hand is used to find the chosen cards. The clock may be placed on a pedestal, in an upright position, or hung in midair on two ribbons or strings. It can be hung on a stand made expressly for the purpose, on the style of a music stand, or it can be swung in a frame. In fact, as stated before, it is usually placed so as to facilitate the method of working. When the cabalistic clock is taken off the hook or the stand on which it is placed, and handed to one of the spectators to hold, the latter places the hand on the pin [ 55] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,173 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 173 | THE BEWILDERING BLOCKS 157 inserted at the top is found to have passed to the bottom, the other two moving up accordingly. This surprising effect is produced by the secret introduction into the tube of a fourth block of which the spectators know nothing. This, which FIG. 32 FIG. 33 FIG. 34 we will call the "trick" block, is, like the rest, col- oured black at the top and bottom; but of the remaining four sides two, contiguous to each other, are red, and the other two blue. When the tube is handed back to the performer | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,173 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 173 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN FOR THE BENEFIT OF sig. B. Eagle trick is nothing short of far- ANU THE cical. Last Night of his Engagement beatre, The follnoing Natrect " from the Yord C'ourent of The Cabalistic or Obedient Blase Clock ... - - bed sed - There might be said to exist - ******* - de ... ... On FRIDAY Evening, Nov 9th, 1838, a very reasonable doubt as to Will be the Pette of the Green-Eyed the exact date at which Rob- Monster ert-Houdin produced the caba- Rome Mr Lirlect Mr Morley M. Manke, listic clock which he included J. Smediry Mewn. King-tue Witterheld Cady Mrs. Leknord Ameha, Mr. Sbort Louser, Smedie, APTER among his other doubtful Signior Bernardo Eagle WILL COMMENO "IS claims to inventions. GRAND DISPLAY OF ILLUSIONS. PART FIRST, The Enchanted Canle-The Card of Lede's dismered D, On page 250 of the Ameri- Cards-the Feas of la Coup.or bee - - and " the leteus in Gomestera The Walking Cards, can edition of his "Memoirs" " ill place Park of 'ards again the tomand then wnw + Perpendiculen one byone to thave of the bead feal, ever with he has the Cabalistic Clock on The Enchanted Orange. THS MAGIC WINE BOTTLE, PHE EXTRAORDINARY COBLET OF BACCHUS WITH THE ENCHANTED WATER. his opening programme for THE VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE PIG, Which will appeas os the Table and instently vanish before the tyye of the Audiense And on the occamon Mr F July 3d, 1845, but in the ap- Will change e Quentity of Copper, taten ont of any Gentleman's Pocket, into Silver. the reul Com of the Rraim A LADY's HANDKERCHIEF will be lound conveyed to the ceaire of LEMON pendix of the French edition THE CHEST OF DOCTOK MICHAEL NOSTRADAME'S, THE FRENCH WIZARD he states that the clock first The conderfal INnuon perfortned and must be seen to be belueved. THIS PANT WILL CONCLUDE "ITH A Grand CHINESE EXPERIMENT, NINS SOLID STEEL BINOS. made its appearance at the the Parta of the Iilusions be aill recite an Tale. earitled GINEVRA DONATI: . leaghable Story. as recited by hun on several at the PICKWICK CLL B. an Louden with gvret applause… | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,172 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 172 | 156 LATEST MAGIC know just where it is when I want it. It saves a lot of trouble." THE BEWILDERING BLOCKS The blocks which give its title to this trick are inch-square wooden cubes, three in number, as illustrated in Fig. 32. Each is coloured black on two of its opposite sides; these in use being made top and bottom. The four remaining sides are in the case of one block red, of another white, and of a third blue. The only other item of apparatus known to the spectators is a square cardboard tube, as depicted in Fig. 33. This is about five inches long, and of such dimensions laterally as to let either block slide by its own weight easily through it, but no more. All four items may be freely sub- mitted to inspection, for in this case appearances are not deceitful. Both the blocks and the tube are no more and no less than they seem to be. In exhibiting the trick, the tube is placed upright on the table, and the three blocks are dropped into it one after another, the company being requested to note particularly the order in which they are inserted, which we will suppose to be in the first instance blue, then white, and lastly red, as shown without the tube in Fig. 32. It is clear that, once inserted, they cannot by any natural means alter their relative positions, but, strange to say, when they are again uncovered, the red block just | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,172 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 172 | THE OBEDIENT CARDS royalty, Anderson had another bill printed, showing Eagle playing before the King at the Ascot race-track, and an assistant passing the hat in mountebank fashion. In revenge, Eagle had a book published, in which he exposed Anderson's best drawing trick, The Gun Delusion, in which the magician allowed any one from the audience "BARNEY" ALIAS THE IMPOSTOR WIZARD OSTAINING ROYAL PATRONAGE on ASCOT HEATH RACE COURSE. Window poster issued by Anderson to belittle his imitator "Barney" Eagle and show how the latter secured royal patronage. From the Harry Houdini Collection. to shoot a gun at him using marked bullets. These bullets were caught in his mouth or on the point of a knife. This trick became as common as the obedient- card trick. In the face of such overwhelming evidence, Robert- Houdin's claim to having invented the obedient-card [x55] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,171 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 171 | THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET 155 becomes very sensitive to colour. I will just give the ball a rub with this red silk handkerchief and drop it into the tube again." Drop in white ball after rubbing, keeping tube closed; then raise it and show red ball at bottom. "Here it is again, you see, but it has taken the colour of the handkerchief and is now a rosy red, a sort of maiden's blush; the blush of a very shy maiden. Unfortunately maiden's blush is not a fast colour, unless it's the wrong kind; the kind that's rubbed in with a powder puff. This kind soon gets pale again. I rub the ball again, this time with a white handkerchief, and again drop it into the tube." Drop in red ball, tube closed, lift and show white ball, under cover of its appearance transferring tube to opposite hand and allowing red ball to run back into palm to be got rid of a moment later. "I think I heard a lady say, 'Where is the red ball ? This is the red ball, at least it was the red ball a moment ago. There is no other, for, as you see, the tube is empty." Again drop tube over candle as in Fig. 30. Pass ball from hand to hand and finally make believe to swallow it, meanwhile dropping it into the pro- fonde. "After being treated like this the ball becomes so volatile that I used to be always losing it. But I never lose it now. I just swallow it and then I | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,171 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 171 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN Young's name has been handed down in history be- cause he made money on Anderson's reputation, by the boldest of limitations, assuming the title of Wizard of the North with his own name in small type. One of his bills is also reproduced. SHAKSPEARE ROOMS, Barnedo or "Bar- NEW-STREET, BIRMINGHAM. ney" Eagle is the man of the trio of the imi- tators who deserves more than passing no- tice. He became An- derson's bitterest ene- my, and their rivalry made money for the printers. BEHOLD THE GREAT BERNADO'S SYSTEL OF IMPOSITION Eagle could neither Which he nightly practices on the inhabitants of Birmingham, holding his System of Humbug up by copying the Bills and read nor write, but hav- Advertisements, of J. H. ANDERSON, the Inventor of Ambidexterous Prestidigitation, with all the list of the Great Wizard of the North's peculiar technical phrases, ing a quick brain he which BERNADO exhibits in his Bills, (as original) yet can neither pronounce nor understand the meaning of hired a clever writer to the terms by which he gulls the public. Mr. ANDERSON will bet BERNADO any sum, from a Shilling to 220, that he cannot read the Advertisement in the Birmingham indite his speeches and Advertiser," of Thursday, 18th November. Mr. A. will take a further bet, that the Advertisement alluded to, was copied from his,((Mr. A's) Bill, circulated in Manchester, duplicated Anderson's on Monday, November 15th. BARNEY, when we last met, 1 merely ruffed your show so closely that An- feathers, this time l'u pluch you clean, not one shall be len thee to spread thy (Eagle) wings of imposition. derson'spride was hurt. Should BARNEY accept this challenge, the memey will be spent at CHARLEY CHESHIRE'S. He therefore decided An Anderson poster, exposing "Barney" to expose Eagle, and Eagle's tricks. Only bill of this sort in exist- ence. From the Harry Houdini Collection. thousands of bills, con- stituting a virulent attack upon his imitator, were distributed. One of these is reproduced. It is so rare that I doubt wh… | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,170 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 170 | 154 LATEST MAGIC tube.) "I drop the ball in again, and this time it will remain suspended till I permit the compressed air to escape." (Pick up tube, holding it vertically a few inches above the table.) "Say when you would like the ball to fall. Now? Good ! I with- draw my strong won't and the ball falls at once." (Switch loop, allowing it to do so, then pass tube, closing it, to opposite hand and load into it dupli- cate ball at top; then replacing tube on table.) "Now, by way of variety, we will try compress- ing the ball instead of the air." (Pick up ball left on table and make believe to transfer it to the oppos- ite hand. Then, with the left hand empty, make pretence of crushing it into the hand.) "The ball is now resolved into its component atoms. You didn't see them go? No, of course you didn't. For the time being they are dematerialised: but the compressed air in the tube will soon solidify them again." (Lift tube, keeping ball suspended.) "It has not got solid yet, but we shall not have long to wait." (After a few moments again lift tube, opening it and allowing ball to pass through.) "Here is the ball, now as solid as before." Transfer tube closed to opposite hand and in SO doing load in red ball at top. In replacing tube on table open and close it again, so that the ball shall fall, but shall rest within the tube on the table. "Now I will show you another curious effect. A ball which has been dematerialised in that way | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,170 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 170 | THE OBEDIENT CARDS MR. BARNARDO EAGLE, THE ROYAL WIZARD OF THE SOUTH. Frontispiece from Eagle's book, in which he exposes Anderson's gun de- usion. Said by Henry Evanion, who knew Eagle, to be a fine likeness. rom the Harry Houdini Collection. | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,169 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 169 | THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET 153 table and drop the ball in once more. Where is it now' ? On the table, you say. Quite right: here it is."7 (Lift tube, closing it, and placing it on end beside ball.) "But now I take a few handfuls of air and press them well down into the tube" (makes believe to do so), "and I drop the ball in again. This time you see it does not fall through. As a matter of fact it has stopped halfway, resting on the compressed air in the tube." (Lift tube, showing that the ball has not passed through. After replacing the tube switch the wire loop to the horizontal position, allowing the ball to drop inside the tube.) "I think there can be no doubt that this is the way Mr. Home, the medium, man- aged to float about with his head in the air and his feet on the mantelpiece. All that was needed was a few pints of compressed air in his tail-pockets. It's quite simple, when you know how it's done. "Of course, as the tube is open at the top, the effect doesn't last very long. The compressed air gradually expands again and becomes too thin to support the ball any longer. I dare say by this time it has done so."7 (Lift tube, exposing ball, and re-closing tube). "Yes, here it is." "I can keep the air from escaping to a certain extent, because I happen to have a very strong won't. A strong will is a good thing to have, but sometimes a strong won't is even more useful. Once again I will fill the tube with compressed air." (Make believe to do so, then pick up the closed | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,169 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 169 | 233 This setting shows how cumbersome was the apparatus employed by magicians before Wiljalba Frikell proved Lithograph used by E. W. Young, who copied all of John Henry Anderson's billing and featured the obedient-card trick. that he could score with apparently no apparatus. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection. | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,168 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 168 | 152 LATEST MAGIC "As some of you have not had the opportunity of personally examining the tube I should like to prove to you in the first place that it is really what it appears to be, a simple cardboard cylinder, open from end to end, and as free from deception as I am myself. "Proof 1." (Wand dropped through tube on to table.) "Proof 2." (Tube held in front of candle show- ing flame through it."7) "Proof 3." (Tube dropped over candle as in Fig. 30, or spun on wand, held horizontally as in Fig. 31 Fig. 31; the halfhoop in each case being made to lie against the side of the tube.) "I have here a little ball, of such a size that it passes easily through the tube."1 The ball is allowed to fall through, from the one hand to the other. Now I will place the tube upright on the 1 If preferred the ball instead of being taken openly from the table, may be produced from the wand after the fashion familiar in the Cup and Ball trick, but on the whole I think this is best omitted. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,168 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 168 | very names he had used - le - - - peter - of - - - tous - - - PART ASTER THE OVERTURE and the style of his billing. The - display of the - - The Vases or Cups of Divination, umo uses onta All three of these men san CARD. TH" ama OF PARADIEL suas . ao wow warma . THE MADIC PEDESTAL GIGANTIC DICE. were professional magi- NOTUALLING OFFICE, or CANDLE COOKERY. CIRCASSIAN CANS. BUONAPARTES FEATHER, or cians before Robert-Hou- Magicien. FRENCH BOLL AND HANDKERCHIEF. MYSTERIOUS WALNUTS. Opere Glase - Carda. The Rose and Wedding Rang. din appeared, and Ander- Ast - " - quete - - hore - - cquelled by - othee Performee. PART IL-OTERTURE, son was his very active Aller - Ms. JACOSA, THI 5 LANDLORD AT HOME; Or, Gout and Hoarseness versus Family Grievances. contemporary. - - hands - - - - - - A Jacobs bill is here 1 - - - = - - - - - 1 - - - = - - - - reproduced, showing the - by - - - - - - - - - - - las - - - - - the - - - - - - - - de year - - - - de thei card trick featured among . - the - the - The --- - - - - . a the gh - - - - and leag - - - - - - - - - The Freach - - - - other attractions. The - - - - - - - bes - the - - a - - - the and - de - - - lithograph of Jacobs used the in this connection is an & the actual likeness and I bc- Jacobs poster, featuring "The Travelling lieve it to be as rare as it Card." From the Harry Houdini Collec- tion. is timely. [ 151 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,167 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 167 | THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET 151 other people. His coffin was placed in a mosque, where it hangs in the air like a captive balloon, about twenty feet up, resting on nothing at all. I am not certain as to the exact height from the ground, but that is what the Moslems say, and they would hardly tell a story about a little thing like that. It has always been a mystery what keeps the prophet up aloft. Some say it is done by mes- FIG. 30 merism, some say by magnetism, and one old gen- tleman declared it was done by mormonism. No doubt, when you come to think of it Mahomet was a bit of a Mormon. But they are all wide of the mark. As a matter of fact the coffin rests on a slab of compressed air. It's quite simple, when you know it. I haven't a coffin handy, but by means of this little tube I can show you the effect of the same principle on a smaller scale. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,167 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 167 | THE GREAT MAGICIAN, From the Munic Holl, Shefield, Commercial Rooma, Leeds, and the Exchange Rooma, Monchusier, - perform his Myatic Wonders, for . Short Time only, I N THE VICTORIA ROOMS, HULL. MR. J. H. ANDERSON, THE GREAT CALEDONIAN MAGICIAN: Desirous of gratifying the Ladies and Gentlemes of Hull, and ite Vicinity, Has the to announce bie intention of Performing for A SHORT TIME QNLY, his MYSTIC WONDERS! he hupes the anqualified approbation which was beatowed on hie exertions at Livergeol for - seccessive nighta, Manchanter for eighty signts, Leeda for fifty nights, Sheffleld furty nighta, Ediabungh une hundred and three aighia, Glangew alsty sighta, twenty sighta, will ensure him the patromage of the Nobility, Gentry, and Public of Hull. Mr. J. H. ANDERSON las had the distiaguiabed honnur of performing before his late Majesty, at Windant Castle, and belove his Majeuty Geo. IV., le the Parilion at Brighton: and subsequeatly received letterá by their Majesties' command, ataling the Royal approval of each performance tugether with others from the Marquis of Westminater, the Eari of Bradford, the of the lat Life Guards, the Buke of Gordon, and Sir Walter From the many teatimuniala forwarded to Mr.J. H. A. he submits the following from Lord Panmure and atherso Bascupi Cama, March 24th, 1937. Sir,-Our parly hege, last sight, witscieed your performance with the greatest untisfaction: And I have no hesitation la aying, that you far escel any other decromancor that , ever - either at home ur abrued PANMURE" - To Mr. J. H. September let, 1837. Mr. J. H. Andersum highly gratified the party before whom be performed his Necromantic Feats, and Magical Exploits He is the mast acpomplished Professor of the Art of Magie we ever - and beg lu exprese our high admiration of hie talenta, and thank him for bia per- formance at Hokelyy. J. HL MORRET, Exq. GEORGE CLIFFORD, Eqg. GEORGE MANBY, Coldatresm Guards ON MONDAY EVENINC, APRIL 30, 1838, & EVERY EVENINC DURING THE WEEK. The Magician's Entertainmente will at Eight e'clock proc… | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,166 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 166 | 150 LATEST MAGIC "change" the tubes neatly during the transit, he may suppress the plain tube altogether and com- mence at once with the exhibition of the faked tube from the platform, but the omission makes the trick less convincing. We will suppose that the performer goes for the maximum effect and advances offering the dummy tube for inspection. The patter I suggest for the trick in this form runs as follows: "I- have here, ladies and gentlemen, a hollow tube. It is not uncommon for tubes to be hollow, but this one is, if anything, even hollower than usual. I should like some lady or gentleman to examine it carefully and testify that it is just a plain ordinary tube with absolutely no deception of any sort about it. If it was not so, you may be sure I should hardly venture to let you examine it. You can see through it, hear through it, or blow through it. You are satisfied? Then 1 will show you a curious little experiment with it." During the return to the table the dummy is exchanged for the trick tube. "I call the experiment I am about to show you "The Mystery of Mahomet. I gave it that name because it was Mahomet who suggested the idea to me. I don't mean personally. I didn't know him. In point of fact he did not give me the idea till after he had been dead for some years. This sounds peculiar, but I will explain. "When Mahomet died he wasn't buried like | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,166 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 166 | THE OBEDIENT CARDS city of the world, and, when so inclined, built his own theatres. He sold books on magic during his own per- formances, and would sell any trick he presented for a nominal sum. His most unique advertising dodge was to offer $500 in gold as prizes for the best conundrums written by spectators during his performances. To make this scheme more effective, he carried with him his own printing-press and set it up back of the scenes. While the performance was under way, the conundrums handed in by the spectators were printed, and, after the performance, any one might buy a sheet of the questions and puns at the door. As every one naturally wanted to see his conundrum in print, Anderson sold millions of these bits of paper. In 1852, while playing at Metropolitan Hall, New York City, he advertised his conundrum con- test and sold his book of tricks, etc., and such notables as Jenny Lind and General Kossuth entered conundrums. He was among the first performers to expose the Daven- port Brothers, whose spiritualistic tricks and rope-tying had astonished America. Directly on witnessing a per- formance and solving their methods, Anderson hurried back to England and exposed the tricks. To sum up his history, he stands unique in the annals of magic as a doer of daring things. He rushed into print on the slightest pretext, was a hard fighter with his rivals and aired his quarrels in the press, and he was a game loser when trouble came his way. Not a brilliant actor or performer, he yet had the gift of securing excellent effects in his mise en scènc. He made and lost several fortunes, generally recouping as quickly as he lost. He was burned out several times, the most notable fire being [149] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,165 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 165 | THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET 149 switch to right or left, raises the loop to a hori- zontal position against one or other of the sides of the tube, when it no longer offers any obstacle to the passing of the ball. The wire used is SO thin that with the halfhoop lying against its side a spec- tator may safely be allowed to look through the tube even at a very short distance, without fear of his perceiving the presence of the wire. The requirements for the trick, all told, are as follows: (1) The wand. (2) The plain tube. (3) The trick tube. (4) Two white balls. (5) A red ball. (6) A lighted candle. (7) A small red silk handkerchief. One of the white balls must be vested or other- wise so placed as to be ready for production from the wand. The second white ball and the red ball are stowed in the pochettes, one on each side. The faked tube may be vested and exchanged for the plain one during the journey back to the table after the dummy has been tendered for inspec- tion; the latter being dropped into the profonde. These however are matters which the expert will arrange after his own fashion. If the perfor- mer, not being an expert, doubts his ability to | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,165 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 165 | SPIRITUALISM! THE DAVENPORTS BY PROFESSOR ANDERSON [ 148] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,164 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 164 | 148 LATEST MAGIC improvement, and after some cogitation I suc- ceeded in producing a new trick on somewhat sim- ilar lines; but free from the defect mentioned above and capable withal of producing a far wider variety of effects. I use two tubes of stiff cardboard, each about four inches long by one and a half in diameter. One of these is just a plain tube with no speciality SECTION FIG. 29 about it. The other has a piece of fine wire cross- ing it midway from side to side, and taking the form of a halfhoop, as shown in Fig. 29, the ends serving as pivots on which it moves freely. On the outside, one of its ends is turned down vertically, forming a tiny switch or handle. The normal tendency of the halfhoop is to hang downward across the tube (thereby closing it to the passage of a ball) but a touch of the finger, moving the little | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,164 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 164 | THE OBEDIENT CARDS he said was bestowed on him by Sir Walter Scott. Thomas Frost belittles this statement, on the grounds that Scott was stricken with paralysis in 1830. However, Anderson became famous in 1829, so he should be given the benefit of the doubt. He was the greatest advertiser that the VICTORIA HOOMS, HULL LAST WEEE or GREAT MAGICIAN PERFORI DE HULL. REDUOTION OF PRICES fremt Sende of the Balcom, Bach Ditte, 1..j Gallery Sixpence caly The Avening, Friday, May Saterday, 19th; Menday, Sless Tuesday, Théreday, and Friday, will be pedivively the LAST - perform la Hell. 1838 on or TIIS ABOVE EVENINGS Naw TSTIC WONDERS! SPLENDID CHANGES! NECROMANCY: ART! WEITE ART! WYSTERY AND MACIC! UNEQUALLED, UNPARALLELED! so COME & SEE. TH . LAST WEEKS et Eight-pr heving claims agamet J. - these Dille ar Koscas Haows, 34, Very rare poster of 1838 in which John Henry Anderson is billed as "The Great Magician.' From the Ilarry Houdini Collection. world of magic has ever known, and he left nothing undone that might boom attendance at his performances. He started newspapers, gave masked balls, and donated thousands of dollars to charities. He was known in every [147] 1 | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,163 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 163 | THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET 147 down, the internal diameter of the tube is very slightly narrowed, forming a sort of "choke," SO that a ball dropped into it at the upper end does not fall right through, as one would naturally expect, but stops at that point, wedging itself lightly, SO that the tube can be reversed without any fear of the ball falling out, though it can be instantly driven out by bringing down the tube smartly on the table, or by very slight pressure behind it. The other part of the secret lies in the fact that two balls are in reality used, the existence of the second being of course unknown to the spectator. The tube being loaded as above mentioned, i.e. hav- ing the one ball wedged in it just below the choke, if the duplicate is dropped in from above it will apparently fall through, though as a matter of fact this ball comes to a standstill in the tube above the choke, while the other is driven out at the bottom. The secret use of this second ball enables the per- former to produce sundry surprising results in the way of appearances and disappearances. The possibilities of the trick in this form are however speedily exhausted, and it has a serious drawback in the fact that it is necessary to invert the tube afresh before each production, as it is obvious that a ball contained in it must be brought below the choke before it can be produced. I had at one time rather a fancy for the trick, but it seemed to me that it was capable of a good deal of | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,163 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 163 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN John Henry Anderson, wife and son, from a rare photograph taken in 1847 or 1848. Said to be an especially good likeness of Mrs. Anderson and the only one extant. Photograph loaned by Mrs. Leona A. |Anderson, daughter-in- law of the " Wizard of the North." [146] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,162 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 162 | 146 LATEST MAGIC ing over the question. Now it has come to rest, and it says the answer will be found in the" (name suit.) "And now to find out which is the right card of that suit. I take off the glass and turn the dial over. Please concentrate your mind on your question. I put the glass and the pointer on again. Again the pointer thinks it over, and finally decides as you see, for the (naming number of card.) "Now all we have to do is to look out that card" (does so) "and here we have the answer to your question." Before inviting a fresh querist to breathe into the glass, it is well to wipe it out carefully with a silk pocket handkerchief, professedly to dispel the personal magnetism of the last enquirer, any remains of which, left within the glass, might imperil the correctness of the anticipated answer. THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET¹ The reader is probably familiar with the trick known as "The Silver Tube and Ball." If not, it may be stated that the "tube" is of metal, nick- elled, and about eight inches long by one and a half in diameter. With it is used an ebony ball, which is made to pass into and out of the tube in a very surprising way. The secret lies partly in the fact that half way 1 A description of this trick will be found in The Magician for March, 1914. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,162 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 162 | THE OBEDIENT CARDS Astley, the circus man, and Hooper's "Recreations," in four volumes, published in 1784, expose the same trick. As to magicians who performed the trick, their names are legion, and only a few of the most prominent conjurers will be mentioned in this connection. The man who obtained the best effects with this trick was John Henry Anderson, who startled the world of magic and amusements by his audacity, in 1836, nine J. H. Anderson's birth place as drawn by him from memory. The follow- ing is written under the sketch in his own handwriting: A rough sketch of the farm house called ' Red Stanes,' on the estate of Craigmyle, Parish of Kincardine O'Neil, Aberdeenshire. The house was built by my grandfather, John Robertson, in the year 1796, and in it I was born on the 15th day of July, 1814. John Henry Anderson." Photographed from the original now in the possession of Mrs. Leona A. Anderson, by the author. years before Robert-Houdin trod the stage as a pro- fessional entertainer. Anderson was born in Kincardine, Scotland, in 1814, and started his professional career as an actor. He must have been a very poor one, too, for he states that he was once complimented by a manager for having brought bad acting to the height of perfection. Anderson was first known as the Caledonian magician, then assumed the title of the Wizard of the North, which 10 [ 145 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,161 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 161 | THE ORACLE OF MEMPHIS 145 ourite plaything of Helen of Troy. Historians do tell such tarradiddles that one doesn't know what to believe. "The powers of the Oracle are limited, for it will only answer eight questions, and in its own way, but its answers are quite trustworthy-well, per- haps not quite. Let us say as trustworthy as those of Bond Street fortune-tellers at a guinea a guess. Who will be the first to test its veracity ? "I should mention, by the way, that, as each answer exhausts a certain amount of power, the same question must not be asked more than three times. You would like to consult the Oracle, Madam? Then please select one of the questions on this card, and read it out for the information of the Company. "You wish to know" (repeating question). "Good. The answer to your question will be found on one or other of the cards in this pack, and the Oracle will tell us which one to look for. First, however, I must ask you to breathe into this glass. That supplies the missing link, SO to speak, and makes it a sort of personal affair between you and the Oracle." (This is done.) "Thank you. Now I shall place the glass on its stand, and this little pointer" (holding it up and placing it on its pivot) will reveal the correct answer, first indicating the suit among which the answer is to be found. You may notice that it wobbles a bit at first. That is because it is think- | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,161 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 161 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN CONJURER UNMASKED OR the Ant of Height of hand Reproduction of frontispiece in Breslaw's book on magic, "The Last Legacy," published in 1782. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection. [ (444) | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,160 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 160 | 144 LATEST MAGIC rather the reverse, and are intended to be used as replies to gentlemen only. Bearing this arrange- ment in mind, it is a comparatively easy matter to suit the answer to the querist. The questions must be memorised in proper order, and it is desirable to do the same with the answers also, though there should be no difficulty, remembering the principle of arrangement, in giv- ing a fairly appropriate answer, even though the memory be for the moment at fault as to its exact terms. To avoid the necessity of giving the same answer more than once, it is well to make a rule that the same question shall not be asked more than three times. The Oracle may be introduced as follows: "Allow me to introduce to your notice a curio of an exceptionally interesting kind. This elegant little affair is said to have been the private Oracle of Rameses the Second, a gentleman who flourished in Egypt about four thousand years ago. I can't be sure to a year or two, because it was before my time, but I believe that is about right. People sometimes express surprise that, being so ancient, the Oracle should be in such good condition, but that is accounted for by its having been preserved in the same case as Rammy's mummy. I don't mean his mamma, but the gentleman himself, in the cold storage of the period. The story may or may not be true. I can't take any responsibility for it. Others declare that the Oracle was the fav- | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,160 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 160 | THE OBEDIENT CARDS of French encyclopaedias described the trick and exposed it according to one method or another, and Robert-Houdin admits having been a great reader of encyclopaedias. The trick first appears in print in various editions of "Hocus Pocus," twenty in all, starting with 1635. The majority contain feats with cards, showing how to bring them up or out of a pack with a black thread, a hair spring, or an elastic. In 1772 the rising-card trick was shown in Guyot's "Physical and Mathematical Recreations," also in the Dutch or Holland translations of the same work. In 179I it was minutely explained by Hofrath von Eck- artshausen, who wrote five different books on the sub- ject of magic. The fourth, being devoted principally to the art of the conjurer, was entitled "Die Gauckel- tasche, oder vollständiger Unterricht in Taschenspieler u. S. w.," which translated means "The Conjurer's Pocket or Thorough Instructions in the Art of Conjuring." The title was due to the fact that in olden days conjurers worked with the aid of a large outside pocket. The five books, published under the general title of "Aufschlüsse zur Magie," bear date of Munich, Germany. On page 138 of the third edition of Gale's "Cabinet of Knowledge," published in London in 1800, will be found a description of the rising-card trick as donc with pin and thread, and the same book shows how it is saccomplished with wax and a hair. This book seems to have been compiled from Philip Breslaw's work on magic, "The Last Legacy," published in r782. Benton, who published the English edi- tion of Decremps' famous work on magic, exposing Pinetti's répertoire, also described the trick. "Natural Magic," by [ 143 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,159 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 159 | THE ORACLE OF MEMPHIS 143 Ten of Spades. Not likely. " Clubs. It is like your cheek to wish for it. 5. What am I thinking about at this moment? Jack of Diamonds. A new hat. " Hearts. Servants. " Spades. You wouldn't like me to tell. " Clubs. That it is a long time between drinks. 6. What shall I do to get health? Queen of Diamonds. Don't think about it. " Hearts. Keep smiling. " Spades. Take Podger's Purple Pills. " Clubs. Eat less. 7. How old am I? King of Diamonds. Just right, don't get any older. " Hearts. Whatever you are, you don't look it. " Spades. You never tell, so I won't. " Clubs. Old enough to know better. 8. What shall I be this time next year Ace of Diamonds. A year older. " Hearts. A trifle stouter. " Spades. A year wiser. " Clubs. Bald as a baby. It will be found on comparing them that the answers are arranged on a regular system, those on the red cards being of a more or less complimen- tary nature, or otherwise favourable; the black suits less so, particularly the clubs, which are | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,159 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 159 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN by clock-work or with a black silk thread or a human hair, the result was one and the same. It has also been worked by using a fine thread with a piece of wax at the end. The wax is fastened to the card, and the thread draws it up. The simplest method of all is to place the thread è Card trick as featured by Anderson in 1836-37. From a poster in the Harry Houdini Collection. over and under the cards, weaving it in and out as it were, and then, by pulling the thread, to bring the different cards selected into view. So common was the trick that its description was written in every work on magic published from 1784 to the date of Robert-Houdin's first appearance, and in at least one volume printed as early as 1635. The majority [ 142 | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,158 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 158 | 142 LATEST MAGIC please himself in this particular. The selection of suitable questions and answers is however a some- what delicate matter. The answers must on the one hand be smart enough to afford amusement to the company generally; and on the other hand must not be so pungent as to be likely to cause offence to a person putting the question. The questions and answers I devised for my own use ran somewhat as follows: 1. What does my husband (or wife, as the case may bé) most think about ? ANSWERS Seven of Diamonds. Yourself. " Hearts. Money. " Spades. Dinnertime. " Clubs. Golf. 2. Shall I live to grow old? Eight of Diamonds. Yes, if you don't worry about it. " Hearts. A well-spent youth will be fol- lowed by a happy old age. " Spades. As old as you care to be. " Clubs. Yes, old, and fat. 3. What is my chief fault? Nine of Diamonds. You haven't any. " Hearts. Excessive modesty. " Spades. Flirting. " Clubs. Swank. 4. Shall I have what I am wishing for ? Ten of Diamonds. Y es, if you deserve it. " Hearts. If you go the right way to get it. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,158 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 158 | CHAPTER V THE OBEDIENT CARDS - THE CABALISTIC CLOCK - THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON The Obedient Cards. T O trace here the history of three very com- mon tricks claimed by Robert-Houdin as his own inventions would be sheer waste of time, if the exposure did not prove beyond doubt that in announcing the various tricks of his répertoire as the output of his own brain he was not only flagrant and unscrupulous, but he did not even give his readers credit for enough intelligence to recognize tricks performed re- peatedly by his predecessors whom they had seen. Not satisfied with purloining tricks so important that one or two would have been sufficient to establish the reputation of any conjurer or inventor, he must needs lay claim to having invented tricks long the property of mountebanks as well as reputable magicians. The tricks referred to are the obedient card, the cabalistic clock, and the automaton known as Diavolo Antonio or Le Voltigeur au Trapèze. The obedient-card trick, mentioned on page 245 of the American edition of his "Memoirs," as "a novel ex- periment invented by M. Robert-Houdin," can be found on the programme of every magician who ever laid claim to dexterity of hand. Whether they accomplished the effect [ I4I ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,157 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 157 | THE ORACLE OF MEMPHIS 141 the two ends of the ribbon, and so arranged in point of length that when the glass is suspended from the forefinger, as in the diagram, the thumb and second finger of the operator shall be just right for moving it round in either direction, the little knot guiding him by feel to bring it to the desired point. not C FIG. 28 The exhibitor is not limited to any particular set of questions and answers. At the cost of a fresh pack of cards and a little ingenuity, he can | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,157 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 157 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN through that eminent family of conjurers known as the Bambergs of Holland. At this writing, "Papa" (David) Bamberg, of the fourth generation, is prominent on the Dutch stage, and his son Tobias David, known as Okito, of the fifth generation, is a cosmopolitan magician, pre- senting a Chinese act. According to the family history, traceable by means of handbills, programmes, and personal correspond- ence, the original Bamberg (Eliazar) had a vaulting fig- ure in his collection of au- tomata in I790, fifty years before Robert-Houdin be- came a professional enter- tainer. This figure was David Leendert Bamberg, of the made by Opre, to whom second generation of the Bamberg all conjurers of that time family. Born 1786; died 1869. The above daguerrotype was presented to looked for automata and the author by Herr Ernest Basch, and is the only one in existence. apparatus. David Leendert Bamberg, of the second gen- eration, who also had the vaulting figure, was the inti- mate friend and confidant of Opre and was authority for the statement that Opre's son sold in Paris the various automata made by his father, which later Robert- Houdin claimed as his own invention. It may be noted that Robert-Houdin never invented a single automaton after he went on the stage in 1845, and as Opre died in 1846, the coincidence is nothing if not significant. I40] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,156 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 156 | 140 LATEST MAGIC for in the pack, and is found to bear a more or less appropriate answer to the question asked. The movements of the pointer are governed by the fact that, imbedded in the mahogany mount surrounding the base of the bell glass, is a piece of thick steel wire, strongly magnetised, and extending half way round the circle. The pointer, though SO coloured as to have the appearance of brass, is in reality a magnetic steel needle, and therefore when resting on the pivot and covered by the glass, will automatically move round till it comes to rest between the two magnetic poles formed to the opposite ends of the hidden wire. The operator can therefore, by placing the glass cover accordingly, cause the indicator to stop at any part of the dial that he pleases. It remains to be explained what guides him in the manipulation of the glass, SO as to cause the needle to stop at the point he desires. It will be remembered that, attached to the knob at the top of the glass, is a loop of ribbon, serving to suspend the glass in use from the forefinger, as shown in Fig. 28. But the loop has in truth a much more important function than this. Before the loop is formed, the ribbon is tied tightly round the neck of the knob, previously waxed to prevent its slip- ping round, and the knot is SO placed that it shall exactly correspond with that pole of the magnet to which the point of the needle is intended to be in use attracted. This done, a loop is formed with | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,156 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 156 | THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL temporary, that other men had exhibited The Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal in its identical or slightly different ######### CONPISEUR Ernest Basch and "Le Confiseur Galant," which he claims is the original Robert-Houdin "Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal." From a photograph in the Harry Houdini Collection. guise, it was daring indeed of Robert-Houdin to claim it as his own invention. The most direct information regarding Opre comes [ 139 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,155 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 155 | Inn VRACLE OF 139 ing selected the question he or she desires to have answered, the dial is laid on the stand with the "suit" or Fig. 26 side uppermost, and the pointer is placed in position on its pivot. The querist is invited to breathe into the glass, which is then lowered on to the stand. The pointer begins to move, and after a moment or two of indecision, 9 Fig. 26 Fig. 25 Fig. 27 comes to rest opposite one or other of the four suit- pips; we will suppose, for the sake of illustration, the diamond. The glass is then lifted off, the dial reversed, the pointer replaced, and the glass once. more lowered on to the stand. Again the pointer moves, and stops this time, we will say, at the num- ber "seven." The seven of diamonds is sought | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,155 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 155 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN Robert-Houdin devotes nearly an entire chapter to the history of Phillippe and a description of his tricks and automata, yet curiously forgets to mention the pastry cook, which he later claims as his own invention. Ernest Basch, formerly of Basch Brothers, conjurers, and the richest manufacturer of illusions in the world, claims that the original trick is now in his possession. Herr Basch is located in Hanover, Germany, where he builds large illusions only. The wonderful mechanical house passed to Basch by a bequest on the death of Baron von Sandhovel, a wealthy resident of Amsterdam, Holland. Von Sandhovel had bought the trick from the heirs of Robert-Houdin on the death of the latter, because he believed it to be the brain and handwork of Opre, a Dutch mechanician of great talent. Ernest Basch shares this belief, and with other well-read conjurers thinks that Opre was Robert-Houdin's assistant and built most of his automata, including The Pastry Cook of the Palais Royal, The Windmill or Dutch Inn, Auriel and Debureau, The French Gymnasts, The Harlequin, and The Chausseur. Opre was a man of ability, but lacked presence and personality properly to present his inventions. So far I have found his name in three places only: On the frontispiece of a Dutch book on magic, published in Amsterdam; in Ernest Basch's correspondence about conjurers; and on page 77 of Robert-Houdin's "Mem- oirs," when he speaks of Opre as the maker of the Harlequin figure which Torrini asked Robert-Houdin to repair during their travels. With such convincing proof, some of which was con- [138] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,154 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 154 | 138 LATEST MAGIC The general appearance of the apparatus, which is eight inches high by seven in outside diameter, is as depicted in Fig. 24. It consists of a circular mahogany stand or base, resting on three small feet, and surmounted by a glass dome b. This last is in fact a bell-glass, as used by gardeners, and has at top the usual knob, whereby to lift it. To this is attached a short loop of narrow ribbon. The glass dome does not rest directly on the stand, its lower edge being encased in a mahogany mount. From the centre of the stand rises a vertical pin, a quarter of an inch in height, serving as pivot for a metal pointer (Fig. 25), which, by means of a little cup, or socket, at its centre, can be lifted on and off, and revolves freely upon it, after the man- ner of a compass. A further item of the appara- tus is a reversible cardboard dial, whose two sides, front and back, are depicted in Figs. 26 and 27. It will be seen that the circumference of this dial is divided on the one side (Fig. 26) into four equal sections, each bearing a pip of one of the four suits. The other side (Fig. 27) is divided into eight sec- tions, marked with the numerals, from seven to ten inclusive, and the letters A, K, Q, and J, answering to Ace, King, Queen and Jack. With the Oracle is used a set of eight questions, and a piquet pack of cards, on the backs of which are written or printed thirty-two answers appro- priate to such questions, one of each suit to each question. The person consulting the Oracle hav- | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,154 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 154 | THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL confectioner or pastry-cook standing in the doorway of his house, while the key explaining the various tricks PP 68 reads: "No. 9. Le Confiseur galant et le Liquoriste impromptu." [137] |
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