Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

THE BRAN BOTTLE.--This is a bottle, which, being covered over for an instant, vanishes, leaving in its place a heap of bran. The bottle is, like that last described, of tin, with a false bottom or partition, about an inch below the shoulder, so that it holds about a glassful of wine. The place of the ordinary bottom is supplied by a disc of tin, with a raised shoulder round it, fitting loosely within the bottle, so as to drop out by its own weight, unless kept in place by some external pressure. The cover is a mere cylinder of pasteboard, closed at the top. The bottle is prepared for use by filling the lower portion with bran, and putting the bottom in place (where it is retained by the pressure of the fingers), then filling the upper part with wine. The performer first pours wine from the bottle, and then places it on a plate, ostensibly to show that it does not pass through any opening in the table, but really for a reason which will presently appear. He now places the cover over the bottle, and on again lifting it presses the sides slightly, and so lifts the bottle with it. The loose bottom, having no longer anything to hold it, remains on the plate, concealed by the bran which pours from the bottle, and into which the bottle is apparently transformed. Meanwhile, all eyes being drawn to the heap of bran, the performer lowers his hand, containing the cover, for an instant behind the table, and relaxing the pressure of his fingers, lets the bottle slip out on the servante, immediately coming forward with the cover, and carelessly showing that it is empty.