[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
ble and stepping out on its right (as it faces the audience) he carries with him the loaded cones in
his right hand and the flower pot in his left, to show the bud. This flower pot he replaces on its ta-
ble. Then he covers it with the cone and releasing the ring inside the second cone, lifts off the two
cones, revealing the bush standing in the pot. As he lifts the cones he drops them over the third co-
ne, that is back of the second table, and almost immediately passes back of the table, to the front,
carrying the three cones with the second bush. It might seem as if the audience would notice this
movement, but it is so natural and the cone is out of sight for such a brief moment, that nine out of
ten people in the audience would declare, if asked, that they had not lost sight of it for a second.
Going now to the undraped table on which he stands the second pot, the performer covers that
and as he raises the cone he turns the mouth momentarily toward the audience so that they see it is
*
British magician better known as Hartz. He was born in 1836. Began in magic after seeing a performance of the
famous French magician Robert-Houdin. He performed in the United States and operated a magic shop in New
York City from 1870 to 1876. The trick most identified with this magician is the Hat Production which he called
"Devil of a Hat". Hartz was a skilled manufacturer of magic tricks and is believed to have invented the first me-
chanical rising pack of cards.
**
Harry Kellar
Famous American magician, his real name was Henry or Heinrich Keller. He was born in 1849 and began learning
magic at the age of 11 as an assistant to the Fakir of Ava, a performer of those times. Later he joined the Da-
venport Brothers, the famous spiritualists and toured with them all over the United States. In the early 1870's he
began touring the world beginning in Central and South America. He made two world tours with his own show
and finally went back to the United States. The rest of his performing carreer he spent in that country as a rival to
Alexander Herrmann, then the No.1 magician in the United States. He retired from performing in 1907, a wealthy
man, it seems.
Harry Kellar died in 1922.
107
Magician's Tricks: How They are Done
empty. The attention of the audience, however, is so fixed on the second bush, that they hardly gi-
ve a glance at the cone.
Several attempts have been made to improve this trick, so as to do away with the draped tables.
One of these is worth mentioning on account of its ridiculous ending. The performer who
attempted this improvement decided that he would have the flowers run up from below into the
cone, as it rested for a moment on the stage. The idea proved better than the execution, for on the
first night when the performer gracefully rested the cone l on the stage a trap opened on the op-
posite side, and a bush was thrust up in full sight of the amused audience.
The Growth of Flowers
Germain's Improvement
A REAL improvement on the trick was devised by that graceful and brilliant performer, Mr. Karl
Germain, whose retirement from the stage is regretted by all who have had the pleasure of witnes-
sing his performance.
In his version, a single uncovered flower pot stood on a table. Standing near it Germain began to
fan the pot, when gradually there appeared to spring from it a few leaves. These were followed by
buds, and then the plant increased in height until it was fifteen to eighteen inches above the top of
the pot. That the flowers on it were real there could be no doubt, for the performer cut them off
and distributed them to the ladies in the audience.
Before beginning the trick proper, the performer passes around for examination a flower pot filled
with earth. This pot is in two parts, an inner and an outer part. The outer is a mere shell, without a
bottom. The inner, which contains the earth, is held in place by two bayonet catches or in any way
that the ingenuity of the performer may suggest. When he returns to his stage, he rests the pot for a
moment on a side table, while he turns to speak to the audience. As he stands the pot on the table he
releases the catches and the inner part sinks, of its own weight, through a trap. The outer part or shell
of the pot the performer finally places on his center table in a place that is hollowed out to receive
the bottom part, which stands over an opening. Under this table is a tube leading up to the opening
in the table top. Inside this tube is the bush fastened to a solid base, and at the proper time it is pulled
up into the pot either by clock work or by cords leading off to a concealed assistant. The center table
is of the three-legged variety, but is shaped so that all three legs may be seen from any part of the
house. It is, in fact, almost a round frame with a triangular shaped top. The space between the legs is
filled in with black velvet and back of the table hangs a handsome bright plush curtain, the lower part
of which, from a distance of about four and a half feet above the stage, is of black velvet. The result is
that the audience imagine that they see under the table.
The effect is somewhat similar to that produced by a "Sphinx table*", but requires fewer curtains
and does away with the danger of breaking expensive glasses.
The Secret of Rope Tying
SINCE the days of the Davenport Brothers many conjurers have exhibited rope tying. To shake
off the most intricate of these ties is never very difficult, for it is only a matter of bringing a strain
on the rope until one hand is free-which is soon done-and then the rest is plain sailing. But it is very
different where one allows oneself to be tied tightly with rope, then frees oneself so as to perform
seemingly impossible "stunts", and afterward is found tied up as at first. That is what Mr. Kellar
used to do. How he did it he never told us, and yet.
The Kellar Tie, we firmly believe, is just what is hereinafter described. The performer asks two of
the audience to assist him in the trick. To these gentlemen he offers a piece of sash cord two or
three yards long and when they have pronounced it strong and perfect, he extends his left arm and
requests them to tie the rope around the wrist, knotting it on the front of the wrist. When they ha-
ve the rope tied in a satisfactory way the performer requests the gentlemen to stand slightly in ad-
*
A table which is prepared by fixing two mirrors at 90 degree angle set in such a way that their combined reflec-
tion creates the illusion that there is nothing underneath the table. The onlookers believe they are seeing straight
through the legs of the table.
The name comes from The Sphinx Illusion, the first trick using this method of concealment which was publicly pre-
sented. In The Sphinx Illusion a live head was seen on top of a very thin table.
108
Miscellaneous Tricks
vance of him, one at his right, the other at his left, and each to take hold of an end of the rope. As
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]