Magicians not “up” to the manipulative ability of expert and skillful “sleeving” will find this effect excellent for not too large audiences. The object used for the passing from one hand to the other is novel, it being a 2 1/2 foot length of key chain. Most five and ten cent stores sell German silver chain for about ten cents a foot. Two lengths are necessary.

The audience sees nothing but the chain. It is held by the fingertips of the right hand and its length allowed to drop into the closed left fist. The left hand immediately raises to the left at arm’s length, while the right closed hand does likewise on its side. The left fingers slowly open to reveal nothing. The right fingers open slowly to let the chain, now there, run loosely out to its entire length.

The illustrations should make the two parts of the “secret works” clear. One serves as a vanisher; the other as a producer. The performance is strictly and simply a matter of timing.

The vanisher is a tin or composition box made in the shape shown, and serviced by an elastic pull, connected also as shown, a sort of pail handle technique. Attached to this box pull, the dimensions of which are about 2 inches each way, is a 5 inch length of fine black wire with an end loop of ample proportions to be easily and unconcernedly accessible for the right thumb. An ordinary dress hook is sewn to the front of the upper left vest pocket, if a business suit is worn, and to the lower vest pocket on that side in the case of a tuxedo. This is so affixed that the pull, passing leftwise around the body through belt loops to be pinned on the right side, pulls against the box when its handle is put on the hook, yet placed so that a drawing of the attached wire towards the right releases the container. The length of wire protrudes from the coat just enough to allow of the loop being engaged when desired.

On the right forearm is wristwatch strapped a three-inch container open at one end. Please note that the opening end is pointed towards the elbow. Into this cup is dropped the duplicate length of chain. Unless the arm is raised to a point almost directly upwards the chain is kept from falling out.

Now we’ll proceed to fool somebody. Take the chain from an odd-looking little box of the type you find in oriental novelty stores. You might even say that it was found wound around the ankle of a Buddhist idol and remark that legends told of its power to change from ankle to ankle whenever a hand of theft approached. Or you might take it from an incense box, and explain that a shoplifter in Woolworths had a very clever way hiding his loot by transferring it from one place to another during a search when he was suspicioned. You got the incense box also at Woolworths to keep the chain in familiar surroundings.

Hold an end with the right thumb and forefinger. Pull it through the curled left fingers several times, keeping that hand at a position near where the box pull will later appear. During the short patter beginning, the right thumb goes into the loop of wire. This time, when the right hand moves away, pulling the chain through the left hand, the pull under the coat is removed from its hook and is drawn directly into the left palm, its opening being at the top when the fingers curl around it. The moment that the box reaches the hand the right fingers and thumb drop both the chain end and the wire loop. The patter finishes at this point – the chain end is retrieved (but not the loop) and the right hand raises it high to let it be lowered into the left fist, and, incidentally, into the box.

THE ACTION OF THE RIGHT HAND AND ARM ALLOWS THE DUPLICATE CHAIN TO DROP OUT OF ITS CONTAINER. THE SLOW LOWERING OF THE ARM SIDEWISE WHEN THE VISIBLE CHAIN ENTERS LEFT FIST CAUSES THE INVISIBLE CHAIN TO LOCATE ITSELF JUST BELOW THE ELBOW AND OUT OF THE WAY OF ITS ERSTWHILE CONTAINER.

The moment that the last bit of chain is visibly dropped into the left fist the box is allowed to travel fast to its place against the left hip. Its shape is a hundred per cent effective against any loss of its contents. The left closed fist is extended up and outwards to the left, and as attention is directly upon it and its supposedly held chain, the right arm drops for the moment to the side when the loose duplicate proceeds to fall into the open and cupped hand.

With the left hand in place, the performer turns his head to the right and brings up the right hand clenched. Strange words may now be said, or the wordage from the cover of the incense box recited. The left hand is empty, and the chain is astonishingly revealed in the right.