Effects such as this are few and far between, not alone for audience astonishment, but for simplicity itself. The requisites are : a letter envelope, some ordinary matches, two jeweller’s ring boxes, one tumbler, a packet of gummed jam jar covers, a ball of wool (thick), some brown paper, and a length of string.

To prepare, wrap the wool around one of the ring boxes (empty). Place the finished ball in the tumbler and seal with gummed paper cut to size so that only about 1/4 inch overlaps the edge of the tumbler. Wrap the tumbler in brown paper and tie up with the string. This parcel should be at a quickly accessible spot. The remaining ring box is opened and placed in the left trouser pocket. The matches are placed in this same pocket. Across the center of the face of the envelope, cut a two inch slit.

Tear a diagonally shaped piece from the end of a dollar bill. This small piece, which includes one of the numbers from the corner, is glued inside the open envelope so that it sticks up as much as possible into view when the envelope is held with flap open. The appearance is that of a genuine bill in the envelope. Put this in the inside coat pocket.

To perform, ask first for the loan of a dollar. When it is offered, ask the owner to jot down the number, and also mark the bill in any way which he may choose. He may even tear a small corner from it as positive identification. While this is being done, pick up the parcel with your right hand, advance to owner, and state that you do not want to take his money without giving some security, and you therefore wish him to accept the parcel as such and take your word for it that the contents value at least a dollar. Now hand him the parcel, and insist on him having the parcel in his possession before you touch the bill. Call attention to this fact as it is an important point.

Take his note and return to the front or stage. Openly show the note and proceed to fold it over and over several times the narrow way, and then once the opposite way. Hold the note in the right fingers and state that all genuine currency can be made fireproof by the simple expedient of breathing upon it several times. This you proceed to do as your left hand removes the envelope from your pocket, holding it with the fingers at face side and thumb on side towards audience. The flap is closed. The right hand now puts the bill into the envelope, it really going through the slit into the left fingers, but the now open flap allows the fake piece to be seen sticking out a bit.

You now say that you will show the bill to be fireproof in contrast to the inflammable envelope. Left hand goes to the left trouser pocket for a match and drops the bill therein. A corner of the envelope is ignited, and as the flames creep upward, the flap is closed. The entire envelope burns up, and you are amazed to find the bill gone too. At this point you explain that you are sorry, but as the bill could not have been genuine, owing to the fact that it burned, he has not lost anything, so will someone else please oblige with a bill ?

The spectator is now asked to examine his security. He steps forward so all can see that he has not lost by the deal. He unwraps the parcel and finds the sealed tumbler. He is asked if he can get to the ball of wool without breaking the glass or paper. No. You tell him to break the paper. He is then told to take the end of the wool (without removing the ball from the tumbler). To assist him you hand him something round which to wrap the wool, and you hold the tumbler for him while he does the winding. Hold the tumbler on your right hand, and during the unwinding process you fill in the time with suitable patter, standing casually with your left hand in trouser pocket. At this point it is best to have your right side facing the audience.

The left hand is actually giving the bill an extra fold and pushing it into the slit in the cushion of the open ring box after which the box is closed. When all of the wool has been unwound from the tumbler, the attention of the audience is called to the box which is left in the glass.

The hand is taken from the pocket to point to the box, the duplicate box containing the bill being finger palmed (third and fourth) in that hand. At this point you are practically facing the audience direct, and you tell the spectator to put the wool aside. During this you step to a position so you have him on your right, and the audience to your left. Then you ask him if he will open the box himself. Saying this, the tumbler is tilted forward so that the box falls out. It is caught in the left hand by the forefinger and thumb, and immediately the hand makes a tossing motion towards the spectator and the palmed box is released and the empty one is immediately drawn into the finger palm position.

The gentleman, of course, catches the one tossed towards him, opens it, and finds inside his bill which he duly identifies. This latter move, namely the switching of the boxes, may sound rather difficult but it is an extremely easy move, and it only requires doing naturally to make it deceptive. I found that the best way to practice it was to stand a few feet from an armchair and toss the box into that. Don’t throw it, just toss it gently and naturally.

As the gentleman is opening the box, I generally take the tumbler in my left hand and place it out of the way, at the same time disposing of the box. In a drawing room, I take out my handkerchief, leaving the box behind. In conclusion I might say that I have performed this effect on the stage, the concert platform, in the club, the drawing room, and in a garden. I have performed it before several gatherings of magicians and only once have I had a solution offered, and that was that I used a confederate.