Editor’s note : The following Cup and Ball manoeuvre will fit in very
nicely with the subsequent effects covered in the very exhaustive treatise
in Jinx issues 35 through 47.
Regardless of the thousand and one moves for this effect, here is an
original routine to be used as the opening, designed to eliminate the usual
unorthodox repeated “hands to pocket” moves. The three (?) balls only,
used in the trick, lay openly on the left palm, and cups can be examined.
This opening routine ends nevertheless with the fourth ball under one of
the cups and ready for your next move which requires this hidden ball,
and is illusive enough to baffle the closest observer. Owing to the fact
that the fourth ball must be second-third crotch palmed throughout this
beginning, the 3/4 inch size or smaller balls must be used.
(1) The other three balls are shown on the left palm, while the cups are
examined.
(2) The right hand removes one of the three balls from the left hand and
lays it beside cup A. Right hand picks up the cup and sets it over the ball,
BUT STEALS IT with the “fourth finger crook” move.
(3) Right hand again removes one of the two remaining balls shown in left
hand, BUT leaves the ball stolen from cup A, the left hand closing slightly
to conceal this. Right hand lays the second ball beside cup B, covers the
ball with the cup as before, BUT AGAIN steals it away.
(4) This time the right hand does not remove the ball from the left. Instead,
the left hand brings up to its fingertips supposedly the last ball, placing it
beside cup C. Actually there are two balls left in hand.
(5) Right hand takes up cup C, but before covering the ball there is a slight
hesitation, as a short remark is made, and during this pause the right hand
holding the cup rests slightly on the left semi-closed fist, dropping the
ball stolen from cup B into it. Now the cup is set over ball C, and AGAIN
stolen.
(6) The right first finger now magically touches each cup in turn to cause
the vanishment of balls thereunder. They are to fly back to their original
place, the left hand. As the hand gradually opens, the right first finger
strokes the two balls AND ADDS THE LAST STOLEN BALL, making
a total of three.
(7) You now still have the fourth ball crotch palmed in right hand, and as
you lift the cups in turn to show that the balls really have gone, the palmed
ball is left under one of them ready for further moves.
Leave a Reply