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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
413
With
this
introduction,
we
shall
now
proceed
to
describe
a
few
of
the
most
popular
“ball
tricks.”
THE
BALL
BOX.--The
leading
idea
of
most
of
the
tricks
which
we
are
about
to
describe
is
the
magical
appearance
or
disappearance
of
a
ball.
So
far,
they
resemble
the
cup-and-ball
tricks
described
in
the
last
Chapter,
but
with
this
difference,
that,
in
the
case
of
the
present
series,
the
main
effect
is
produced
by
mechanical
means,
any
sleight-of-hand
employed
being
rather
an
accessory
than
the
leading
feature.
The
oldest
and
simplest
of
the
mechanical
appliances
for
this
purpose
is
that
known
as
the
“ball-box,”
consisting
of
a
box
two
to
six
inches
in
height,
of
the
shape
shown
in
Fig.
127,
and
containing
a
ball
which
just
fills
it.
The
box
consists
of
three
portions--the
lower
portion,
or
box
proper
a,
the
lid
c,
and
an
intermediate
portion
b,
being
a
hollow
hemisphere
coloured
externally
in
imitation
of
the
ball,
and
so
fitted
with
reference
to
the
box
and
lid,
that
it
may
be
either
lifted
off
with
the
lid,
leaving
the
box
apparently
empty,
or
may
be
left
upon
the
box
when
the
lid
is
removed,
the
effect
to
the
eye
being
as
if
the
ball
had
returned
to
the
box.
The
ball-box
is
generally
of
turned
boxwood,
and
is
scored
with
concentric
circles,
which
serve
to
disguise
its
double
opening.
Simply
stated,
its
effect
is
as
follows:--The
solid
ball
is
first
shown
in
the
box,
and
then
openly
taken
from
it,
and
the
box
covered
with
the
lid.
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