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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
510
The
explanation,
though
by
no
means
obvious,
is
very
simple.
The
liquid
in
the
vase
is
plain
water;
but
a
bottomless
black
silk
lining,
fitting
the
vase,
and
kept
in
shape
by
a
wire
ring
round
its
upper
edge,
gives
it
the
appearance
of
ink
to
a
spectator
at
a
little
distance.
In
removing
the
handkerchief,
the
performer
clips
with
it
the
wire
ring,
bringing
away
the
lining
within
the
handkerchief,
and
revealing
the
clear
water
in
the
glass.
But
the
reader
will
naturally
inquire,
“How,
then,
are
the
blackened
card
and
the
genuine
ink
ladled
out
on
the
plate
accounted
for?”
The
blackened
card,
though
apparently
an
ordinary
one,
has
the
same
figure,
say
a
knave
of
diamonds,
on
both
its
sides;
but
the
lower
half
of
the
one
side
is
beforehand
stained
with
ink.
The
performer
dips
it
in
with
the
unsoiled
side
toward
the
audience;
but
giving
it
a
half-turn
as
he
removes
it,
thereby
brings
the
blackened
side
in
front.
The
ink
poured
on
the
plate
is
accounted
for
with
equal
simplicity.
The
ladle
(see
Fig.
204)
is
of
tin,
having
a
hollow
handle
of
the
same
metal,
with
a
minute
hole
opening
therefrom
into
the
bowl.
There
is
a
similar
small
hole
near
to
the
top
of
the
handle.
The
bowl
is
beforehand
filled
with
ink,
which
is
thence
allowed
to
run
into
the
handle;
after
which
the
upper
hole
is
stopped
with
a
little
pellet
of
wax,
or
a
small
piece
of
paper
is
pasted
over
it.
By
reason
of
a
well-known
natural
law,
the
liquid
will
not
run
out
of
the
lower
hole
until
the
upper
one
is
opened.
As
the
performer
dips
the
ladle
apparently
into
the
ink
in
the
bowl,
he
scrapes
off
with
his
nail
the
wax
or
paper
with
which
the
upper
hole
is
stopped,
and
the
ink
immediately
runs
into
the
bowl,
whence
it
is
poured
upon
the
plate.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
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