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105
Magician's Tricks: How They are Done
The Coffee Trick A Second Method
IN THIS form of the Coffee Trick the performer introduces a
cylindrical vase, A, of polished, not japanned, heavy tin, Fig.
170, measuring from its top to the bottom of the base about
fifteen inches in height and four inches in diameter. It is enti-
rely without preparation, as may be seen when it is handed out
for examination. Accompanying this is a cylinder of embossed
leather, lined with heavy manilla paper, to give it a body. It is
made to go easily over A, for which it is intended as a cover,
and is open at both ends. On a table toward the rear of the
stage are two lighted candles in candlesticks.
Before beginning the trick, the performer allows both vase
and cover to be examined. Then he stands the cover on his
table and proceeds to put some cotton wool from a box into
the vase. This done, he puts on the cover for a moment, and
on removing it, stoops over and breathes into the mouth of
the vase. Instantly the cotton wool bursts into flame and al-
most as rapidly goes out. Picking up a tray on which there are
cups and saucers, the performer pours from the vase fragrant,
boiling coffee.
This trick differs in most respects from the first version. The
top of the conjurer's table is covered with a black baize or vel-
vet; about seven inches from the front and six from one end is
cut a round hole, four and a half inches in diameter; this is not
discernible by the audience as everything below it is of a dull
black. Directly under this hole is a sort of elevator, Fig. 171,
made of four upright rods, and between these runs a grooved
block, which is pulled up and down by a string on pulleys, mo-
ved by an assistant behind the scenes or, if preferred, by a
simple clockwork controlled by the performer. The top of this
block, at the center, is hollowed out to the depth of half an
inch, and in this hollow stands a tin cylinder, filled with hot
coffee. This cylinder, which is to be a lining for the vase A,
must fit tightly in A at the mouth, but the bottom tapers
slightly and is rounded, as shown in the illustration, so that it
may go into the vase easily. The outside of this cylinder as well
as the elevator and block are painted a dull black. Around the
inside of the mouth of this cylinder-lining some loose gunco-
tton is fastened by fine iron wire.
When the performer is putting the cotton wool into the vase, he stands the cover directly over
the hole in the table, and in the brief moment it is there the lining is run up inside of it. Then he
picks up the cover, and with it, the lining, covers A, leaving the lining inside, thus pushing down
what little cotton wool is there to the bottom of A. He lifts off the cover and drops it on the floor.
All that remains is to fire the guncotton. For this purpose, he has palmed in his left hand a metal
disk about the size of a half-dollar, and to the center of this is brazed (not fastened by soft solder) a
bit of brass tubing, an inch in length and not larger in diameter than an ordinary lead-pencil. Into
this tubing is stuck a piece of wax taper.
After the vase A is placed on the table and before it is covered, the conjurer moves the candles
nearer to the front, as if to get more light. The first candle he picks up with his left hand and as
he changes its position gently blows on the light; as it flickers, he places his right hand around it
as if to shield it from the draft. The second candle he picks up with his right hand (his left side
must be toward the audience) and repeating his action with the first, shields it with the left hand,
which gives him an opportunity to light the taper. When he stoops over the vase, to breathe on
it, his open hands naturally go up one on each side of it, and just a touch of the lighted taper fi-
res the guncotton. It burns out in a second; he pours the coffee into the cups and serves it out to
his audience.
106
Miscellaneous Tricks
The Growth of Flowers
NO PRETTIER trick was ever presented to an audience than this. It was originally introduced in
London by Colonel Stodare, and was brought to this country in 1867 by Joseph M. Hart*, better
known as M. Hartz, the Man with "The Devil of a Hat", and later was invariably included in the
program of Kellar**. In exhibiting this trick the performer uses two tables draped nearly to the floor
(in the original production three tables were used, but Kellar used two only). Or. the top of each is
a circular piece of metal supported on light wire legs. Attention is first called to a cardboard cone
open at both ends, and positively empty as the audience may readily see. Besides the tables and the
cone there are two flowerpots, made of pasteboard, to resemble the common red clay pots. These
are filled with sand. They are placed on the little metal stands that are on the table, and as there is
considerable space between the top of the stand and the top of the table it does away with the
suspicion that might arise that the flowers came from below. The performer covers one of the pots
with the cone and on raising it a bud is seen just above the sand. He covers it a second time and this
time when he raises the cone a beautiful bush of flowers is in the pot. The second pot is now placed
on a small table, without drapery of any kind, that stands nearer the audience. This is covered with
the cone and when that is again lifted the second pot contains a rose bush fully fifteen inches high.
The average layman when asked for an explanation of the trick generally suggests that it is done
by a spring. A very natural explanation for, as we all know, Spring brings up the flowers. This case,
however, is somewhat different, as our readers will now learn. Besides the cone that the audience
see, two other cones play an important part. These fit one in the other, and both, eventually, go in-
to the visible cone. Behind each table, near the point where the drapery ends, there-is a shelf. On
this shelf stands a plant, covered with a cone that fits inside Cone No.1. The base of this plant is a
moss-covered wooden disk that goes into the mouth of a flowerpot. From this disk a green cord
ending in a ring leads up to the top of its cone, where the ring goes over a flat hook inside the cone
and near the top.
Picking up the cone that the audience have just examined the performer holds it with both
hands, one at each end, and covers the first flower pot. As he does this he drops from the top a rose
bud that is fastened to a small, loaded spike, so that it will be sure to fall, right side up, into the
sand. This spike he takes out of his vest pocket or from his table, and holds between the second and
third fingers of his right hand which goes inside the top of the cone, as he is about to cover the pot.
Now comes the most important move of the trick. The performer stands with his right side to the
table, and lifting the cone to show the bud, he lets it drop in the most natural way over the cone
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