Here is a new pantomime cigarette and match effect which has been called at other times, The Cigarette From Nowhere. The working and presentation, however, is original with the writer and differs from other methods.

Place a lighted cigarette into any of the well known tank holders for lit cigarettes and put this in your left lower vest pocket. Now do your best pantomime of taking a cigarette case from the inner pocket, open, remove a cigarette, close, tap the cigarette on the case in the usual fashion, pocket the case and put the imaginary cigarette between your lips. Reach under the coat with your right hand as if securing a match and thumb-palm the cigarette from the holder. In one continuous move strike the imaginary match on the sole of your left shoe which you raise. Then, instantly as if you have ignited the match, bring up the right hand to the lips, screening your mouth with both hands cupped. This hides the move with your right second and third fingers which grip the burning cigarette and bring it out of the thumb-palm position. This brings it into the proper position for placing between your lips. Start smoking the cigarette and then bring your hands away, at the same time blow out the make-believe match and throw it on the floor.

If you prefer, you may have this lit cigarette in a holder pinned to your trousers or coat near the bottom edge on the left side. The cigarette is stolen in this case by the left thumb and first finger while the right lights the match on the shoe. When the hands are brought up to your face, it is the right hand which does the screening and the left middle finger hoists the cigarette upwards which brings it gripped in the regular smoking position between the first and second fingers.

(Editor’s note.) I’ve used this quite a few times and find it much easier and more sure to grab the cigarette from the pocket with your right thumb and first finger. The second finger pushes the cigarette back into the hand and the lighting of the match is done with the same hand a moment later. The left hand cups and screens the right sufficiently and the cigarette is in position to be taken between the lips.