Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

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.