TRICKS WITH RINGS.
THE FLYING RING.--The majority of ring tricks depend upon the
substitution at some period of the trick of a dummy ring for a borrowed
one, which must be so nearly alike as not to be distinguishable
by the eye of the spectator. This desideratum is secured by using
wedding-rings, which, being always made plain, are all sufficiently
alike for this purpose. You may account for your preference of
wedding-rings by remarking that they are found to be imbued with a
mesmeric virtue which renders them peculiarly suitable for magical
experiments; or give any other reason, however absurd, so long as it is
sufficiently remote from the true one. As, however, many ladies have a
sort of superstitious objection to remove their wedding-rings, even for
a temporary purpose, it will be well to provide yourself with an extra
one of your own, so as to meet a possible failure in borrowing.
There is a little appliance, exceedingly simple in its character,
which may be used with advantage in many ring tricks. It consists
of a plain gold or gilt ring, attached to a short piece of white or
grey sewing-silk. This again is attached to a piece of cord elastic,
fastened to the inside of the coat-sleeve of the performer, in such
manner that, when the arm is allowed to hang down, the ring falls about
a couple of inches short of the edge of the cuff. Some, in place of the
elastic, use a watch barrel, attached in like manner; but the cheaper
apparatus, if properly arranged, is equally effective. It is obvious
that if a ring so prepared be taken in the fingers of the hand to whose
sleeve it is attached, it will, on being released, instantly fly up
the sleeve. This renders it a useful auxiliary in any trick in which
the sudden disappearance of such a ring is an element, and a little
ingenuity will discover numerous modes of making it so available.
One of the simplest modes of using it is as follows: Producing a small
piece of paper, to which you direct particular attention, you state
that a wedding-ring wrapped up therein cannot be again extracted
without your permission. A wedding-ring is borrowed in order to test
your assertion, and you meanwhile get in readiness the flying ring,
which is attached, we will suppose, to your left sleeve. Receiving the
borrowed ring in your right hand, you apparently transfer it to the
other hand (really palming it between the second and third fingers,
and at the same moment exhibiting your own ring), and immediately
afterwards drop the borrowed ring into the _pochette_ on that side.
You must take care so to stand that the back of your left hand may be
towards the spectators, that the thread, lying along the inside of your
hand, may not be seen. Spreading the paper on the table, and placing
the ring upon it, you fold the paper over it, beginning with the side
away from you, and pressing it so as to show the shape of the ring
through it. As you fold down a second angle of the paper you release
the ring, which forthwith flies up your sleeve. You continue to fold
the paper, and repeating your assertion that no one can take the ring
out without your permission, hand it to a spectator, in order that he
may make the attempt. On opening the paper he finds that you were very
safe in asserting that he could not take the ring out of it, inasmuch
as the ring is no longer in it.
Having gained possession of the borrowed ring, you may reproduce
it in a variety of different ways, according to your own fancy and
invention. For instance, you may, retiring for a moment, bring forward
the “snuff-box vase” described at page 217, meanwhile wrapping the
ring in a piece of paper similar to that you have already used, and
placing it in one of the boxes contained in the vase. Bringing the vase
forward to the audience, you open it in such manner as to exhibit the
other box, in which, after it has been duly examined, you request one
of the audience to place the empty paper. Closing the vase, and placing
it on the table, you fire your pistol at it, or merely touch it with
your wand, and order the ring to return to the paper. You now open the
vase at the compartment containing the first box. Drawing particular
attention to the fact that you have not even touched the box, you
again offer it for inspection. The folded paper, which the audience
take to be the same, is duly found therein, and, on being opened, is
shown to contain the borrowed ring.
A similar effect, on a smaller scale, may be produced by privately
placing the paper containing the ring in the inner compartment of the
“plug-box” (described at page 192), and requesting one of the audience
to place the original folded paper in the outer compartment.
TO PASS A RING FROM THE ONE HAND TO EITHER FINGER OF THE OTHER
HAND.--This is a very old and simple trick, but it has puzzled many,
and comes in appropriately in this place, as affording another
illustration of the use of the “flying ring.” The only additional
preparation consists of a little hook, such as is used to fasten
ladies’ dresses, sewn to the trouser of the performer just level with
the fingers of his right hand when hanging by his side, but a little
behind the thigh, so as to be covered by the coat-tail. Borrowing a
wedding-ring, the performer receives it in his right hand, immediately
transferring it in appearance (as in the last trick) to his left hand.
Showing in place of it the flying ring, which is already in his left
hand, he drops the right hand to his side, and slips the borrowed ring
on the little hook. Then remarking, “You all see this ring, which I
have just borrowed. I will make it invisibly pass to my right hand, and
on to whichever finger of that hand you may please to select.” Here
he waves his right hand with an indicative gesture, thus indirectly
showing that he has nothing therein, and again lets the hand fall
carelessly by his side. As soon as the finger is chosen, he slips the
borrowed ring upon the end of that particular finger, immediately
closing the hand so as to conceal it, and holds out the hand at arm’s
length in front of him. Then saying, “One, two, three! Pass!” he
releases the flying ring, and, opening both hands, shows that the left
is empty, and that the borrowed ring has passed to the selected finger
of the right hand.
The hook may, if preferred, be dispensed with, the ring being simply
dropped into the _pochette_ on the right side, and again taken from
thence when required.
TO PASS A RING THROUGH A POCKET-HANDKERCHIEF.--This is but a juvenile
trick, but we insert it for the sake of completeness. It is performed
by the aid of a piece of wire, sharpened to a point at each end, and
bent into the form of a ring. The performer, having this palmed in
his right hand, borrows a wedding-ring and a handkerchief (silk for
preference). Holding the borrowed ring between the fingers of his
right hand, he throws the handkerchief over it, and immediately seizes
with the left hand, through the handkerchief, apparently the borrowed
ring, but really the sham ring, which he adroitly substitutes. He now
requests one of the spectators to take hold of the ring in like manner,
taking care to make him hold it in such a way that he may not be able
to feel the opening between the points, which would betray the secret.
The ring being thus held, and the handkerchief hanging down around it,
a second spectator is requested, for greater security, to tie a piece
of tape or string tightly round the handkerchief an inch or two below
the ring. The performer then takes the handkerchief into his own hand,
and, throwing the loose part of the handkerchief over his right hand,
so as to conceal his mode of operation, slightly straightens the sham
ring, and works one of the points through the handkerchief, so getting
it out, and rubbing the handkerchief with his finger and thumb in order
to obliterate the hole made by the wire in its passage. He now palms
the sham ring, and produces the real one, which has all along remained
in his right hand, requesting the person who tied the knot to ascertain
for himself that it has not been tampered with.
TO PASS A RING THROUGH THE TABLE.--This also is a juvenile trick,
but a very good one. The necessary apparatus consists of an ordinary
glass tumbler, and a handkerchief to the middle of which is attached,
by means of a piece of sewing-silk about four inches in length, a
substitute ring of your own. Borrowing a ring from one of the company,
you announce that it will at your command pass through the table; but
as the process, being magical, is necessarily invisible, you must first
cover it over. Holding the handkerchief by two of the corners, you
carelessly shake it out (taking care to keep the side on which is the
suspended ring towards yourself), and wrapping in it apparently the
borrowed, but really the suspended ring, you hand it to one of the
company, requesting him to grasp the ring through the handkerchief, and
to hold it securely.
A word of caution may here be given, which will be found more or less
applicable to all magical performances. Have the room in which you
perform as brilliantly lighted as you please, but take care so to
arrange the lights, or so to place yourself, that all the lights may be
in front of you, and none behind you. The trick we are now describing
affords a practical illustration of the necessity for this. If you have
any light behind you, the handkerchief, as you shake it to show that
it is not prepared, will appear semi-transparent, and the spectators
will be able to see the suspended ring dangling behind it. For a
similar reason, you should always endeavour to have a dark background
for your performances, as any thread, or the like, which you may have
occasion to secretly use will then be invisible at a short distance,
while against a light background--_e.g._, a muslin curtain or white
wall-paper--it would be instantly noticeable.
But to return to our trick: we left one of the spectators tightly
holding the suspended ring, covered by the folds of the handkerchief.
Your next step is to request the audience to choose at what particular
spot in the table the ring shall pass through it. When they have made
the selection, you place the tumbler upon the spot chosen, and request
the person having charge of the ring to hold his hand immediately
over the glass, around which you drape the folds of the handkerchief.
“Now,” you say, “will you be kind enough, sir, to drop the ring in the
glass.” He lets go, and the ring falls with an audible “ting” into the
glass. “Are you all satisfied,” you ask, “that the ring is now in the
glass?” The reply will generally be in the affirmative; but, if any one
is sceptical, you invite him to shake the glass, still covered by the
handkerchief, when the ring is heard to rattle within it.
Your next step is to borrow a hat, which you take in the hand which
still retains the genuine ring, holding it in such manner that the
tips of the fingers are just inside the hat, the ring being concealed
beneath them. In this condition you can freely exhibit the inside of
the hat, which is seen to be perfectly empty. You now place the hat
under the table, mouth upwards, relaxing as you do so the pressure of
the fingers, and allowing the ring to slide gently down into the crown.
Leaving the hat under the table, which should be so placed that the
spectators cannot, as they stand or sit, see quite into the crown, you
take hold of the extreme edge of the handkerchief, and saying, “One,
two, three! Pass!” jerk it away, and request some one to pick up the
hat, and return the borrowed ring to the owner.
We have given the trick in its simplest form, but it is obvious that
it is capable of any amount of variation as regards the circumstances
under which the vanished ring is again found. The “plug-box” (page
192) or the “nest of boxes” (page 197) may be here made available, the
performer placing the ring where it is to be afterwards found, during
his momentary absence in search of the necessary apparatus.
TO PASS A RING INVISIBLY UPON THE MIDDLE OF A WOODEN WAND, THE ENDS
BEING HELD BY TWO OF THE SPECTATORS.--In this trick, the handkerchief
prepared (with the ring attached) for the purpose of the last illusion
may be again employed, though some use for the present purpose a
handkerchief with a ring stitched in one corner. In our own opinion,
the suspended ring is preferable, and we shall describe the trick
accordingly. The only other requisite will be the magic wand, or any
short stick or rod of such diameter that a finger-ring may slip easily
upon it. Having borrowed a ring, you proceed to wrap it (in reality
the substitute) in the handkerchief, and hand it to some one to hold.
The borrowed ring, of course, remains in your hand. Picking up with
your other hand your wand, you transfer it to the hand containing
the ring. Taking hold of it by the extreme end, you pass the ring
over it, which a very little practice will enable you to do without
the smallest difficulty. You then say, “I am about to order the ring
which Mr. So-and-so is holding, to leave the handkerchief, and pass on
to this wand. For greater security, I will ask two of the gentlemen
present to hold the ends. Will some one volunteer for the purpose?” Two
candidates having come forward, you place yourself facing the person
who is holding the ring in the handkerchief, at the same time sliding
your hand with the ring to the centre of the wand, and holding the
latter in a horizontal position across your body. You now invite the
two volunteers each to take hold of one end, pretending to be very
particular that the wand should be perfectly horizontal, this giving
you an excuse for keeping your hand upon it, sliding it backwards and
forwards, and raising now one end, now the other, till the level is
such as to satisfy your correct eye. When at last you are satisfied,
you ask the person in charge of the ring to step forward, so as to
bring it immediately above the wand, over which you immediately spread
the pocket-handkerchief, letting the edges fall on either side of the
wand. As soon as the wand is covered, you can of course remove your
hand. Then, taking hold of one corner of the handkerchief, you request
the holder of the ring to let go at the word “Three,” and saying, “One,
two, three--Pass!” draw away the handkerchief sharply, which, brushing
against the genuine ring, will set it revolving rapidly, as though it
had just passed on to the wand.
Some professors introduce the “flying ring” in the performance of this
trick, thus dispensing altogether with the handkerchief. The slight
variations in working thereby rendered necessary will readily suggest
themselves without further explanation.
THE MAGIC BALL AND RINGS.--This is a recent improvement on the trick
last described. The performer borrows three rings, which in this
instance, as the trick does not depend upon a substitution, may be of
any pattern. They should not, however, be too large, for which reason
ladies’ rings are preferable. These he places, or requests the owners
to place, in the “Davenport cabinet” (_see_ page 195), the “watch-box”
(_see_ page 219), or any other apparatus which will enable him secretly
to get possession of them. He then brings in and hands for inspection
an ebony ball, an inch and a half to two inches in diameter (through
which is bored a hole of three-eighths of an inch in diameter), and a
brass rod about two feet in length, with a knob at each end, and of
such a thickness as to pass freely through the ball. Both are closely
scrutinized, and admitted to be fair and solid. In sight of all he
unscrews one of the knobs, and places the ball upon the rod, throwing
a handkerchief over it, and requesting two of the audience to hold
the ends. Passing his hand under the handkerchief, he orders the ball
to drop into his hand, when his command is instantly obeyed. He next
orders the rings to pass from the cabinet, and to take the place of the
ball on the brass rod. On removing the handkerchief, the rings are seen
on the rod, and the cabinet, on examination, is found empty.
[Illustration: FIG. 106.]
The secret consists in the use of _two_ balls, one of which (that
handed round for inspection) has no speciality. The other is divided
into two parts, the section being vertically through the bore. (_See_
Fig. 106.) These two parts fit closely together, and being (as is also
the solid ball) carved in concentric circles parallel to the opening,
the division is not readily noticeable. The two halves, _a_ and _b_,
are hollowed out to contain the rings, each having three slots or
mortices cut at right angles to the direction of the hole through the
ball. When the performer retires to fetch the ball and rod, he places
the borrowed rings in these slots. When the two halves of the ball
are brought together, the rings will encircle the hole through the
centre, and the rod, when passed through the ball, will pass through
the rings also. The performer places the trick ball, thus prepared,
under his waistband, or in one of his _pochettes_, and, returning,
hands for inspection the brass rod and the solid ball. While these are
being examined, he palms the trick ball, and in passing over the rod
apparently the ball which has just been examined, adroitly substitutes
that which contains the rings. After having thrown the handkerchief
over the rod, he passes under it his hand, still containing the solid
ball. It is an easy matter to pull asunder the hollow ball, and this in
turn is palmed, and the solid ball passed to the end of the fingers,
before the performer, again uncovering his hand, which he brings out
palm downward, carelessly throws down the solid ball, as being that
which he has just taken off the rod. This is the only part of the trick
which requires any special dexterity, and any difficulty which may be
at first found will quickly disappear with a little practice. When the
ball comes apart, the rings are, of course, left on the rod.
A further improvement may be made in the trick by using a sword with
a rapier blade in place of the brass rod. The trick is not only more
effective in appearance, as the sword appears to cut through the ball,
but the tapering shape of the blade makes the trick much easier to
perform, as you have only to draw the ball down towards the hilt,
when the swell of the blade will force the two halves of the ball
apart, leaving them naturally in your hand. It is best in this case
simultaneously to let the solid ball drop from your palm to the floor.
This draws all eyes downwards, and gives you ample opportunity to drop
the halves of the trick ball into your secret pocket. In this form
of the trick you, of course, hold the sword yourself in the ordinary
manner, and you may, if you prefer it, dispense with the handkerchief,
using your hand only to mask the operation, at once stepping forward,
as the ball drops to the ground, and saying, “Will the owners be kind
enough to identify their rings?”
TO PASS A BORROWED RING INTO AN EGG.--This is an effective conclusion
to a ring trick. The necessary apparatus consists of two wooden
egg-cups, inside one of which, at the bottom, is cut a mortice or slot
just large enough to receive one-half the circumference of a lady’s
ring, and to hold it in an upright position. The second egg-cup has no
speciality, being, in fact, merely a dummy, designed to be handed to
the audience for inspection. An ordinary button-hook, or a piece of
wire bent into the shape of a button-hook, completes the preparations.
We will assume that the performer has, in the course of one or other
of the tricks already described, secretly obtained possession of a
borrowed ring, which the audience believe still to remain in some
place or apparatus in which they have seen it deposited. The operator,
retiring for an instant, returns with a plate of eggs in one hand,
and the dummy egg-cup in the other. The special egg-cup, with the
ring already in the mortice, is meanwhile placed either under his
waistband, or in one or other of his _pochettes_, so as to be instantly
get-at-able when required. Placing the eggs on the table, he hands
round the egg-cup for inspection, that all may observe that it is
wholly without preparation, and in turning to place the egg-cup on the
table, he substitutes for it the one which contains the ring, but which
the audience naturally believe to be that which they have just examined.
Bringing forward the plate of eggs, the performer requests the company
to choose whichever they please. While they are making their selection,
he carefully turns back his sleeves, showing indirectly that his hands
are empty. Taking the chosen egg with the tips of his fingers, and
showing it on all sides, to prove that there is no preparation about
it, he says, “Now, ladies and gentlemen, you have seen me place the
ring which this lady has kindly lent me in ‘so-and-so’” (according to
the place where it is supposed to be). “You have selected, of your own
free choice, this particular egg among half-a-dozen others. I am about
to command the ring to leave the place where it now is, and to pass
into the very centre of this egg. If you think the egg is prepared in
any way, it is open to you even now to choose another. You are all
satisfied that the egg has not been tampered with? Well, then, just
observe still that I have nothing in my hands. I have merely to say,
‘One, two, three! Pass!’ The ring is now in the egg.” At the word,
“Pass,” the performer taps one end of the egg with his wand, just hard
enough to crack it slightly. “Dear me,” he says; “I did not intend
to hit quite so hard; but it is of no consequence.” Stepping to the
table, he places the egg, _with the cracked end downwards_, in the
prepared egg-cup, using just sufficient pressure to force the egg well
down upon the ring, the projecting portion of which is thereby forced
into the egg. The egg being already cracked, a very slight pressure
is sufficient. Bringing forward the egg in the cup, the hook already
mentioned, and a table-napkin, he taps the top of the egg smartly with
his wand, so as to crack it, and, offering the hook to the owner of the
ring, requests her to see whether her property is not in the egg. The
ring is immediately fished out, and being wiped upon the napkin, is
recognized as that which was borrowed. The apparatus in which it was
originally placed is, on being examined, found empty.
THE MAGIC ROSE.--This little apparatus affords the means for a graceful
termination of a ring trick. A ring having been made to disappear in
any of the modes before described, the operator, retiring for a moment,
returns with a rose-bud in his hand. Advancing to the owner of the
ring, he requests her to breathe on the flower. As she does so, the bud
is seen slowly to open, and in the centre of the new-blown flower is
found the missing article.
The idea of the flower, warmed into bloom under a fair lady’s breath,
is so poetical that it seems quite a pity to be obliged to confess
that the rose is an artificial one, made chiefly of tin, and that its
petals, normally held open by the action of a spring, are, when the
flower is first brought on, kept closed by a sliding ring or collar
upon the stalk, again re-opening as this collar is drawn back by the
magician’s fingers.
[Illustration]