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Old And Sold Antiques Digest Article

Miscellaneous Tricks - Magic Tricks

( Article orginally published July 1927 )


1. The Three Beads.

Three beads are threaded on a wire ring, the ends of which are twisted so firmly that it would be impossible to remove the beads very quickly.

In color, the beads are red, white and blue. The magician states that he will mysteriously arrange the colors in any order: red, blue, white; white, red, blue-any order the audience may choose.

An order is decided upon and the magician puts the ring behind his back. When he draws it forth, the beads are arranged in their chosen order!

This trick is simple but effective. Most people will not realize it, but it is an easy matter to arrange the beads in any desired order by merely running one around the ring.

Red, blue and white is the same as white, blue, and red, according to which side magician counts from. Red, white and blue is blue, white and red; and blue, red and white is white, red and blue.

2. A Vanishing Pencil.

The magician places a pencil under a ha kerchief. Everyone can see the shape of pencil. Suddenly the handkerchief is to, aside and the pencil is gone!

Method: As soon as the pencil is un the cloth, extend the forefinger so that it hc up the handkerchief and appears to be pencil. The hand is raised and the pencil drops down the sleeve. Then the handkerchief is tossed aside, and the pencil has vanished!

3. A Difficult Job.

Tell a person to stand with his back against wall. Then lay a dollar bill at his feet and challenge him to lean forward and pick up the money without bending his knee; moving his feet.

This he will be unable to do, unless he 1 his balance. Then he will be unable to return to the standing position. You can offer the dollar bill as a reward, and you will not lose it!

4. A Restored String.

A string is pushed through a drinking straw, and the straw is bent in the center. The magician cuts the center of the straw, and then draws the pieces away, showing the string as good as ever!

Method: Have a tiny section of a straw bent and concealed between the fingers of the right hand.

Insert the string in the genuine straw and bend the straw. Bring up your right hand and add the section, holding the join between your left thumb and fingers. The spectators will see what appears to be the center of the straw. With scissors, cut off the fake section, and bring the hands together, to break the real straw. Draw the two sections apart, and reveal the string uncut.

5. The Mystic Propellor.

The "Mystic Propellor" is a little wooden propellor attached to the end of a short stick. The propellor is held by a simple pin in the center, and the stick has notches in the top.

When the magician rubs a pencil back ar forth along the stick, the propellor revolv rapidly as though controlled by an unseeen force.

In rubbing the top of the stick, the mag cian lets his thumb press against the side. Th imparts an imperceptible rotary motion to tt stick and that causes the propellor to revolve.

6. Pin Through the Head.

This is a surprising little trick with an ordinary pin. The pin is held between the thurr and forefinger, and it is tapped against the forehead, the fingers immediately spreadir apart.

The hand goes to the back of the head, and reappears with the pin between the thumb and forefinger.

The pin is attached to the tip of the for finger by a bit of adhesive tape at the cent of the pin. When the fingers press again the forehead, the pin is flat, and remains, tached to the finger when it goes to the ba of the head. Quick motions are necessary make this trick effective.

7. Pin Through Finger.

A large safety pin is used in this trick. The magician shows the pin closed, and one bar of it apparently passes through his finger. But he removes the pin and shows the finger uninjured.

The pin is prepared. The point is firmly wedged or soldered to the clasp, and one bar is cut at the center, so that a section is removed. This is slipped over the finger to the center, and it looks as though the pin penetrates the finger.

8. Scissors and String.

A string is run through one of the handli of a pair of scissors. The string is tied in loop and the knot is held by a spectator. The magician states that he will remove the sci sors from the string without untying the kn( or without doing anything but manipulate tl scissors. There is a catch to this one. The loop long. The magician can manipulate the sci sors) and he does it by turning up the scissors and cutting the string!

9. Bottle and Straw.

Here the magician offers to lift a bottle with a straw!

It is a remarkable task, indeed; but it is easy of accomplishment. The straw is bent so as to make a short section, and it is pushed into the bottle, at the bend. The short section springs out and acts as a lever or catch by which the bottle is lifted when the straw is raised.

10. The Turnover Key.

The magician lays a key on his outstretch hand. At his command the key turns over.

Method: The key is placed so that the haj dle is over the side of the hand. It is set on balance, so that it is ready to topple the moment,the hand is tilted. By raising the finge slightly, the key is made to revolve, with no apparent motion of the hand. An ordinairy door key should be used.

11. Paper Disks.

Several paper disks are used in this trick. They are really paper rings, having holes in the centers. One is threaded on a string and the ends of the string are held together while the others are threaded over both ends. A handkerchief is placed over the string, the ends being held by spectators.

The magician reaches beneath and draws off all the disks except the original one which is left on the string!

Method: There are several disks which are not counted. The last one put on is threaded on one string only, but no one observes this as it is done just as the handkerchief is thrown over. The magician reaches under and tears the bottom disk, releasing those above it. The top disk, however, remains on the string, and people suppose it to be the bottom one (which is hidden in the magician's hand).

12. The Candy Ring.

The magician uses a candy ring of peppermint or some similar substance. He threads it on a string and the string is covered while the ends are held. The covering cloth is removed and the ring is seen tied to the string from which it is visibly removed by the magician.

Two rings are used. One is hidden in the magician's hand. Reaching under the cloth he attaches this ring to the string by pushing a loop through the center of the ring and slipping the loop around the ring. Then breaks the original candy ring and carries away with the cloth. The duplicate pas as the original, and it is removed in full view

13. Knife from the Glass.

A pen-knife is shown and opened. It placed in the center of a handkerchief and in a glass, after the blade has been closed. The handkerchief is whisked away, and i glass is empty.

When the knife is closed, it is lying on the handkerchief, and the magician takes care catch some of the cloth in the blade.

In this manner the knife is attached to handkerchief, so when it is quickly whisked away and pocketed, the knife comes with it.