The magician removes a match box from his pocket, slightly opens it, and places it on the table. He requests the loan of another match box which is initialed and handed over. The performer also borrows a hat which he puts to his right side leaving his own hat on the left side.
Both of the match boxes are placed into the borrowed hat and the hands shown empty. With one hand they are now transferred to the performer’s hat and this hand again shown empty. The performer makes a pass or two to magnetize the hat and boxes and then removes his own box from the hat. He puts it on the table leaving the spectator’s box still inside the hat.
The hat is shown and tossed out. The spectator’s match box is gone! And it is found in the spectator’s own hat! Both are returned. The cleanness of the effect can be realized when it is known that during the entire working there is no palming, no extra box, no pulls, and no loading.
It is required that you fake a match box. The first two top figures show the outer cover. The next two left side figures show the drawer. Mark its prepared sides at A. This can be done with small pieces of paper to suit. The matches are glued into the drawer(s) if you wish. The second figure in the right column shows the drawer slightly pushed out and when it is in this position the match box may be casually handled and thrown on the table without detection of its fake qualities. The last figure shows the same box when it is folded, and at which time it appears to be two.
The hats are placed on either side of the performer and both boxes are placed in the borrowed hat. The performer resorts to the old but ever good dodge of asking “Shall I make the boxes pass visibly or invisibly?” The answer invariably is “visible.” He reaches into the hat, closes the partly open drawer, folds the fake box and, bringing it out with the ends towards the audience to appear as both boxes he deliberately puts them into the spectator’s hat, saying “And, as you wished, the boxes passed VISIBLY from one hat to the other.“
But now the performer will attempt to pass them INVISIBLY, and asks the spectator “Shall I do this with your box or my box?” Of course the spectator wants it done with his initialed box and the performer reaches into the hat, straightens out the fake box and opens the drawer a bit. This he brings out and either pockets or places on the table.
The trick is now done except for the showman like histrionics of the performer, because his hat is now empty while the spectator’s marked matchbox is found in the spectator’s own hat, the place where it really has never left.
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