Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

He picks up the ball with the left hand, and holding it between the finger and thumb, apparently transfers it, by the pass called the tourniquet (see page 150), to the right, forthwith getting rid of it into the profonde on the left side. “Pray observe that it does not leave your sight even for a moment.” Then holding his hand high above the paper cover, he makes a “crumbling” movement with it, immediately showing it empty, and lifting the cover with a slight pressure, so as to carry the shell with it, shows the ball beneath. The attention of the spectators being naturally attracted to the ball, it is an easy matter to let the hollow shell slip out of the paper cover upon the servante, and again to hand the cover for examination. Some performers, instead of using the goblet, work the small cone with the “ball-box” (see page 296). It is obvious that the directions above given will apply only where the cone is of a size so small as to be readily palmed, in which case it is hardly conspicuous enough to be used before a large audience. Where a cone of larger dimensions is employed, it is necessary to vary the mode of operation. We shall therefore proceed to describe the trick in its stage form, as worked by Herrmann and other public performers.