Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

There is an improved form of the card-drawer, with a double change, effected on the principle of the dissecting drawer-box. This is just as above described, with the addition that when the two drawers are pressed smartly home, the action releases a thin slab of wood forming apparently part of the inner surface of the case, and exactly equal in area to the bottom of the inner drawer, into which it falls. When required for use, a card is placed above this slab, which, falling when required, covers the card already in the box, and exhibits instead that which had been concealed above it, as in the case of the changing card-boxes, described in the chapter devoted to card tricks. The uses of such an apparatus will be obvious; but we will describe, by way of illustration, one very good trick which may be performed with it.