Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

THE ROSE IN THE GLASS VASE.--The ingenious piece of apparatus which we are about to describe was, we believe, the invention of Robert-Houdin. It consists of a glass vase, on a foot, and with a glass lid, standing altogether eight to ten inches in height. This is placed on a square box-like plinth or pedestal, of wood covered with morocco, and measuring about eight inches square by six in height. The lid is placed upon the vase, which, being transparent, is clearly seen to be empty. A borrowed handkerchief is for a moment thrown over the whole, and again removed, when a handsome rose (natural or artificial) is seen to have mysteriously found its way into the vase; whence it is removed, and handed to the company for inspection. The secret of this mysterious appearance is twofold, lying partly in the vase and partly in the pedestal. The vase, which at a little distance appears as simple and commonplace as any in a confectioner’s window, has a segment cut off one side, leaving an opening of about five inches in height by three and a half in width. (See Fig. 234.) This opening is kept turned away from the audience. The pedestal, like the vase, is closed on every side except the side remote from the spectators, which is open. A curved wire arm, with a “clip” at the end to receive the stalk of the rose, works up and down, describing a quarter of a circle, in this open space. A spring hinge, on which this arm works, impels it to assume the position shown in the figure, thus lifting the rose through the opening into the vase. The apparatus is set by forcing down the arm with the rose into the position indicated by the dotted lines, in which position it is retained by a little catch, until the performer, in the act of covering the vase with the handkerchief, presses a stud at the upper side of the pedestal. This withdraws the catch, and allows the rose to rise into the vase. Of course, the performer in taking out the flower does so from the top, and with proper precautions not to disclose the existence of the opening at the back of the vase.