Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

Third Method.--The third method is that which was adopted by the celebrated Bosco, a most accomplished performer with the cup and balls. Being accustomed to use balls of a larger size than those above described, and therefore too bulky to palm by the first method, he used to hold them by means of a slight contraction of the little finger. (See Fig. 122.) The necessary movement of the fingers to place the ball in position is nearly the same as by the first method. 2. TO REPRODUCE THE PALMED BALL AT THE END OF THE FINGERS.--The mode of doing this will vary according to the method by which the ball is palmed. If according to the first or third method, the ball is simply rolled back to the finger-tips with the ball of the thumb, exactly reversing the process by which it was palmed. But if the ball was palmed by the second method, it is, for the time being, not get-at-able by the ball of the thumb. In this case the first step is to close the third and fourth fingers upon the ball (see Fig. 123), and therewith roll it to the position shown in Fig. 122, when the thumb is enabled to reach it, and to roll it to the finger-tips in the manner just described.