Cut and restored ribbon effects are legion, and their many methods are ingenious, but that which follows here should find favor because of its cleanness in operation and close-up perfection. The performer gives an onlooker a piece of baby ribbon (silk) about 3/8 in. wide and 1 yd. long. At one end is attached a little paper tab. After examination the spectator is asked to cut the ribbon into four about equal parts and tie them together with hard, small knots. The performer next takes the ribbon and, with hands seen otherwise empty, winds it around his thumb until the…
For a number of years I have had a very successful item in my program, an effect which is one of those "in between" things which add a lot to the performance because of the careless and off-hand manner in which it is done. Most people consider it an "extra" bit put in on the spur of the moment, all of which enhances their opinion of you. After a rope trick you can pick up a ping-pong ball and after a try or two cause it to roll back and forth along the length of the rope. There is nothing…
When Jinx #69 appeared, Stewart James' Sefalaljia spirit cabinet routine became an outstanding hit. I have taken one part of that effect and made it into a trick which can be done by night club performers who entertain at tables, a trick which is impromptu requiring no underhanded fixing of the materials used, and one which is far different from any heretofore shown in that field. The only requisites are a needle and thread, a two foot length of soft half inch ribbon, and a ring borrowed on the spot. The performer shows the ribbon and drapes it over his…
This can be called one of the truly few tricks explainable almost in entirety by illustration. As we go on with words, however, please glance, from time to time, at the sketches. The magician may talk about Houdini's needles, should he wish, and then say that a modern mysticist, always beleaguered by advertising of the present day and age, must resort to the use of such articles if his performance is not to become dated. Therefore, he shows a package of double edged razor blades and drops them from the broken package onto a tin (anything that makes resounding noise)…
Our greatest magical regret is that we never saw Houdini on the stage. It hurts because, unlike Kellar and Hermann, we missed a performance of the arch mystifier and master publicist by but a few months. When mother woke us on that morning of October 31, 1926 with the paper that carried his picture on the front page we cried. As we can analyze it now, 14 years later, and with the name of Houdini still, if not more, important in every type of literature as a noun-verb, it must have been in anguish that we had lost an opportunity…
This effect may be termed a "double-header" for both a rope restoration and slate writing mystery are accomplished in combination. The only requisites are two slates with loose silicate flap, two lengths of soft rope, scissors and chalk. In order to facilitate the learning of the subtleties employed, it would be well for the reader to follow the instructions with the articles mentioned at hand. The performer talks of his discovery of a long hidden secret for restoring to their original condition all broken articles. He offers to illustrate with a rope. It is looped between the hands and a…
One of the classics in rope magic is more or less called The Hangman's Noose. Two lengths of rope around the neck and tied tightly in front are apparently pulled through and shown perfectly solid and fair, the loops being just large enough to snugly encircle the neck. With two ropes the principle was that of the ancient Grandmother's Necklace. A somewhat similar (and called a great improvement because but one rope was used) effect came out later but it required the bight of the rope being placed against the front of the neck, the ends apparently crossed behind, and…
This is one of those seemingly impromptu effects which can, in the hands of a capable performer, rival the famed and classical ring on the wand trick which has been in the repertoire of the world's best known sleight- of-hand artists. The performer shows a knotted loop of cord or narrow silk ribbon upon which a finger ring is already strung. A spectator unties the knots and removes the ring. Then he re-ties the ends of the cord or ribbon, but without the ring which he hands to the performer. The spectator holds the knotted ends of the cord and…
Rope routines are my hobby in magic. I have been developing a series which begins with the stretching of a rope and then follows with cord manipulations and cut and restored effects. I needed an effective climax. The idea of informing the audience that the performance was ended; or of bidding them farewell, by conveying this message with rope has proven very practical and surprising. I used a very heavy cardboard 12 by 18 inches in size. The message is outlined with pencil. Small tacks or nails 3/8 of an inch long and preferably with a broad head are successively…
"Of all mysteries in the realm of magic," the performer says, "the East Indian Needle Feat is supreme." (See Jinx #1 - Ed.) He patters on "In the presentation of that oriental deception, one which must have been developed from the feat of laying on sharpened spikes, the fakir swallows from 25 to 50 needles and follows this repast with several yards of thread and a glass of water. After incantations of doubtful origin the needles and thread are up-chucked, and the sewing appliances found threaded upon that product of the spinner's art." (Note before going farther, where in hell…