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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
547
THE
ROSE
IN
THE
GLASS
VASE.--The
ingenious
piece
of
apparatus
which
we
are
about
to
describe
was,
we
believe,
the
invention
of
Robert-Houdin.
It
consists
of
a
glass
vase,
on
a
foot,
and
with
a
glass
lid,
standing
altogether
eight
to
ten
inches
in
height.
This
is
placed
on
a
square
box-like
plinth
or
pedestal,
of
wood
covered
with
morocco,
and
measuring
about
eight
inches
square
by
six
in
height.
The
lid
is
placed
upon
the
vase,
which,
being
transparent,
is
clearly
seen
to
be
empty.
A
borrowed
handkerchief
is
for
a
moment
thrown
over
the
whole,
and
again
removed,
when
a
handsome
rose
(natural
or
artificial)
is
seen
to
have
mysteriously
found
its
way
into
the
vase;
whence
it
is
removed,
and
handed
to
the
company
for
inspection.
The
secret
of
this
mysterious
appearance
is
twofold,
lying
partly
in
the
vase
and
partly
in
the
pedestal.
The
vase,
which
at
a
little
distance
appears
as
simple
and
commonplace
as
any
in
a
confectioner’s
window,
has
a
segment
cut
off
one
side,
leaving
an
opening
of
about
five
inches
in
height
by
three
and
a
half
in
width.
(See
Fig.
234.)
This
opening
is
kept
turned
away
from
the
audience.
The
pedestal,
like
the
vase,
is
closed
on
every
side
except
the
side
remote
from
the
spectators,
which
is
open.
A
curved
wire
arm,
with
a
“clip”
at
the
end
to
receive
the
stalk
of
the
rose,
works
up
and
down,
describing
a
quarter
of
a
circle,
in
this
open
space.
A
spring
hinge,
on
which
this
arm
works,
impels
it
to
assume
the
position
shown
in
the
figure,
thus
lifting
the
rose
through
the
opening
into
the
vase.
The
apparatus
is
set
by
forcing
down
the
arm
with
the
rose
into
the
position
indicated
by
the
dotted
lines,
in
which
position
it
is
retained
by
a
little
catch,
until
the
performer,
in
the
act
of
covering
the
vase
with
the
handkerchief,
presses
a
stud
at
the
upper
side
of
the
pedestal.
This
withdraws
the
catch,
and
allows
the
rose
to
rise
into
the
vase.
Of
course,
the
performer
in
taking
out
the
flower
does
so
from
the
top,
and
with
proper
precautions
not
to
disclose
the
existence
of
the
opening
at
the
back
of
the
vase.
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